Sullivan’s hurricane meeting scheduled for July 7 at UHCL
Houston City Councilmember Mike Sullivan wants the Gulf Coast area to be aware and prepared for the forthcoming hurricane season.
Sullivan, in collaboration with the City of Houston’s Public Works and Engineering Department, Harris County’s Office of Emergency Management, the City of Houston’s OEM, the Houston Fire Department, the Houston Police Department and Transtar, will hold a town hall meeting at the University of Houston-Clear Lake campus to discuss hurricane preparedness and contingency plans for the 2009 hurricane season.
“I view it as my responsibility to the constituents to get this information out,” Sullivan said.
Representatives from the aforementioned city departments and county branches will give presentations on their 2009 plans and will be available to answer questions from the public. In addition to information being given at the town hall meeting, fliers, DVD instructional material and other such literature will be available on site.
“Every year we learn and make improvements to our operations,” Sullivan said. “I want my district to be ready and well-informed should we experience another hurricane this year.”
The town hall meeting will be held Tuesday, July 7, in the Forest Room at UHCL, located at 2700 Bay Area Blvd. from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The Forest Room is located in the Bayou Building.
The organizations involved decided to hold the meeting in the most vulnerable area of district E, an area which extends as far north as Kingwood, and as far south as Clear Lake.
Sullivan believes that the organizations involved with their hurricane planning are adequately prepared, and wants to inform the public in the area of the services that will be provided should another hurricane make landfall in the Houston-Gulf Coast area.
“This time around, different agencies are truly cooperating with each other for the good of the region,” Sullivan said. “We want to be helpful to anyone we can be.”
Sullivan will host a similar meeting Tuesday, July 21, at San Jacinto College South to discuss flooding in the South Belt area.
For more information regarding the meeting, call 832-393-3008 or e-mail districte@cityof houston.net.
July 4th parade honors military
The annual South Belt Fourth of July parade and fireworks show will take place Saturday, July 4.
Now in its 22nd year, this year’s parade, titled Honoring Our Military, will be a salute to U.S. troops both past and present.
In keeping with this year’s theme, multiple military vehicles will take part in the parade. Confirmed vehicles include machinery operated by U.S. Army Reserve and U.S. Marine Corps personnel, according to Maj. Mark Williford of the U.S. Army 75th Division.
Williford attempted to make arrangements with BAE Systems in Sealy to also provide a mine-resistant, ambush-protected prototype vehicle to participate in the parade. His efforts, however, were unsuccessful.
Southeast Volunteer Fire Department Chief Chuck Tylka said he, too, will provide vehicles for this year’s event. The department will have three fire engines and one ambulance taking part in the parade.
Tylka further said the department will provide three recently purchased military trucks. The three vehicles are Vietnam-era, U.S. Army supply trucks purchased by the department for high-water operations.
Referred to as “deuce and a halves” by military personnel, the vehicles are 2.5-ton, diesel, six-wheel-drive trucks.
The Houston Police Department and the Harris County Precinct 2 Constable’s office will also be participating in the annual event.
The parade will begin at 10 a.m. at Beverly Hills Intermediate and wind its way through the community to San Jacinto College South. Participants, however, are encouraged to arrive early, as the lineup will begin at roughly 9 a.m.
Awards will be given to both commercial and noncommercial entries, and vehicles/floats will be judged on patriotism and originality.
All community and nonprofit groups may participate in the parade at no charge, unless they wish to be eligible for a prize. There is a $50 fee for commercial entries, and noncommercial entries may enter the contest for $25.
Entry forms are available by e-mailing the Leader at mynews@southbeltleader.com. The forms are to be filled out and returned to the Leader office, 11555 Beamer, or faxed to 281-481-5730.
The deadline to register for the parade is Friday, July 3. Those registering after Thursday, July 2, however, will need to call the Leader at 281-481-5656. If no one is available at this phone number, call 281-948-2714.
Later that evening, residents are invited to El Franco Lee Park at Hall Road and Blackhawk Boulevard to watch this year’s fireworks display. Funded by the annual South Belt Spectacular Cookoff and the supplemental June 13 cookoff, the show will start at 9:30 p.m.
E-mail mynews@southbeltleader.com with news items of interest.