For all the budget-conscious shoppers in Missouri City, we’ve got a bargain for you! Missouri City’s Sixth Annual Community Wide Garage Sale is taking place on Sat., Nov. 7, at the City Hall Complex, 1522 Texas Parkway. Approximately 100 booths will be stocked with all types of items for the bargain-hunting crowd. The sale will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., allowing plenty of time for residents to “shop ’til they drop.” No entrance fee is required.

“Clothes, furniture, decorative fixtures, appliances, computers, afghans, handmade jewelry, toys, arts and crafts, along with many other items can be found at this year’s sale,” states Jennifer Milam, Recreation Specialist. “A large crowd is expected, so you may want to come early to get the best bargains. And, there’s still time for vendors to sign up for this annual event.”

The booth reservations are $10 to $30. The deadline for the discounted booth space fee is September 30. Booth reservations are $15 to $40 after that date. Make reservations in person at the Community Center at the City Hall Complex, 1522 Texas Parkway, beginning Sept. 1, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The deadline to purchase a booth is Fri., Oct. 30.

For more information, call 281-403-8500 or visit www.missouricitytx.gov.

Sat., Oct. 24, 5 - 7 p.m., at Buffalo Run Park, 1122 Buffalo Run, Missouri City, TX

Come in costume prepared to collect lots of candy along a free Halloween Candy Trail. The first 1,000 children will receive a free candy bag for use on the trail or children can bring their own.
More than 1500 children walked the Candy Trail during last year’s event and the City is expecting another festive group this year. All costumed spidermen, princesses, and pirates out for an early night of “spook-taculer” fun are invited to attend. Parking is available at the high school adjacent to the park.

This summer, Missouri City brought home five awards from two state-wide organizations recognizing excellence in municipal television programming for MCTV.

The awards came at the time that Missouri City’s cable television programming on Comcast is now available to all residents through live streaming video on the City’s Web site. Just go to www.missouricitytx.gov and click on “Missouri City TV” listed under “Quick Links” on the homepage.

With this feature, residents can view the latest City Council and Planning and Zoning meetings, informational videos, a bulletin board of upcoming City events and City News, a twice-monthly news program.

In June, MCTV was honored with a first-place award for its Video Text Bulletin Board by the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers during its annual awards ceremony. The station’s Bulletin Board - which features slides communicating information about City services and events - grabbed top honors for its compelling design, embedded video and frequently updated news content and music. MCTV also took third place for the twice-monthly “MCTV News” which airs daily at 6 a.m., 9 a.m., noon, 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.

“We’re very proud of the quality and depth of our television programming for City residents,” said Barbara Brescian, Director of Communications. “”We’ve taken a giant step with all residents now being able to view our City meetings and programs and services. We even have “Video on Demand” on the Web site, so citizens can go to specific topics in which they may be interested.”

In August, the station brought home three honors at the annual Telecommunications Officers and Advisors Awards. A total of 162 entries in 27 categories were submitted in the state-wide competition that recognizes excellence in pre-production, graphics, lighting, videography, audio and script writing.

MCTV placed first in the “Community Event Coverage” category for its reporting on the annual, City-sponsored Juneteenth Celebration, “Freedom for Over 140 Years”. The celebration is a week-long series of events, including a parade and festival that highlight diversity in the community.

The station took second place in the “Student/Intern Program” category for a report on the City’s Bunny Hop event held in the spring. Each year an intern from Hightower High School’s video broadcast program works at MCTV for school credit.

MCTV was also awarded third place for its Video Text Bulletin Board.

The Missouri City Police Department builds on its reputation as one of the best in the nation with its most recent accolade as a “Recognized Law Enforcement Agency” in Texas. MCPD achieved this statewide award from the Texas Police Chiefs Association Foundation Recognition Program.

MCPD becomes only the 18th agency in the state to be recognized with this achievement. In the Greater Houston area, the department joins the other Recognized Programs of Texas City Police Department and the University of Texas - Houston Police Department.

“The Recognition Program evaluates a Police Department’s compliance with 161 Best Practices for Texas Law Enforcement Agencies,” said Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald.

The categories were developed by Texas Law Enforcement professionals to assist agencies in the efficient and effective delivery of services and to protect people’s individual rights. The criteria covers all aspects of law enforcement, such as use of force, protection of residents’ rights, vehicle pursuits, property and evidence management and patrol and investigative operations.

Fitzgerald said Missouri City began the voluntary process in January 2008. It required a critical self-review of the agency’s policies, procedures, facilities and operations.

The final on-site review was conducted by trained Police Chiefs from other areas of the state. MCPD complied with each of the 161 Best Business Practices to become a “Recognized Law Enforcement Agency.”

The announcement letter stated that “The Missouri City Police Department is to be commended for the commitment made to this process. Every employee of the agency can be proud of this accomplishment.” The letter noted that Officer Donna Quackenbush specifically should be commended for her dedication and management of the evaluation process.

“The MCPD has always considered itself to be one of the best in the state of Texas and the Congressional Quarterly recognized Missouri City last year as the 22nd safest American city in our population range,” said Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald. “This process provided an independent review of the department’s operations and should assure the residents of Missouri City that its Police Department is conforming to the current state -of-the-art law enforcement policies.”

The actual presentation of the award will take place at Missouri City’s City Council meeting on Sept. 21. The department will also be recognized at the Texas Police Chiefs Association annual conference in April 2010.

1. City Manager Simpson gave an update on the Quail Valley Parks Project: Improvements to the El Dorado golf course and the installation of irrigation systems on both El Dorado and La Quinta are close to complete. It is anticipated that play on El Dorado will be able to begin in December, barring any unforeseen weather related events. Staff is working on providing Heritage Links with a punch list of items that still need to be addressed. Oversight of the grow in phase on the El Dorado course has been turned over to the Golf Course staff. Valley Crest is now responsible for the “production mowing” of the old Exec 9 and Par 3. Production mowing means a grass height of 4″. There are no current plans to fill the lakes on the old Exec 9 or Par 3. There will be a meeting on September 10th at 6:30 at the Quail Valley Grille for community input on the old Exec 9. Simpson allowed that the maintenance of these properties is much better now than when the previous owners had completely neglected the properties and discontinued all maintenance. Simpson shared that there have been some editorials in a local newspaper and that much of the information provided in the editorial is not factual and the author of the editorial has not ever contacted the City for information, to the staff’s knowledge. To date, the City has spent $9.4 on the initial acquisition, on the renovation of El Dorado and irrigation of both courses. Simpson feels the City has been very transparent in the fact that they would initially use $9.5 million of funds approved in the 2003 bond for Parks and Recreation and repay these funds with the 2008 $17.5 million bond and showed multiple copies of presentations that he has made over the last few months detailing the spending and funding of these projects. Simpson shared that staff will continue to provide updates and releases to the media detailing progress on this project.

2. The City of Missouri City’s Police Department has obtained the designation of “Recognized Status” from the Texas Police Chief’s Association. In order to achieve recognized status, Departments must comply with over 150 “best practices”. The Department decided to seek this status in July of 2008 and assessors visited the MCPD for two days this August and agreed that the Department meets standards. There are only 18 other agencies within the State of Texas that have Recognized Status.

3. Consent agenda was approved which included approving prior meeting minutes, awarding a bid for auto/truck paint and body repairs and authorized the purchase of new vehicles.

4. Zoning changes were approved to allow for a Burger King in the new Kroger shopping center and for an additional building at the Houston Knaya Catholic Society on Staffordshire.

5. Council continued to work with two homeowners whose properties had been cited for possibly demolition. Both owners have done initial clean up on their properties and are making progress to repair the properties and bring them up to code.

6. Appointments were made to the Parks Board and Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone #1.

7. Council authorized staff to place signs at the entrances of school zones informing drivers that the use of wireless devices are prohibited in school crossing zones. This is a new state law and in order to enforce the law, cities must post signs.

8. A resident of the Quail Valley Cottages addressed Council about the issue of citing homeowners directly to Municipal Court for trash can violations. The resident had placed his trash out on Monday, July 6th, thinking there would be trash pick up that day, since there was none the previous Saturday, because it had been the July 4th holiday. The resident recognized shortly that there would be no trash pick up and restored his trash. The resident shared that he felt this code enforcement was poorly planned and executed and that the Cottages have open garages and the majority of cans are out in plain site. He shared that the court scene last Thursday was chaotic and hot and court did not start on time. He felt the intent of the sweep was good, yet that the City should rely upon the citizens and HOA’s to make complaints.

If you like good food, a good time and a chance to meet your neighbors - all for a good cause, then you’ll want to attend Missouri City’s 26th annual National Night Out on Tues., Oct. 6. Missouri City neighborhoods will be joining communities throughout Texas for the state-wide event that encourages residents to get involved in their community through a series of block parties that build community spirit.
Those wishing to host neighborhood parties can register with the Missouri City Police Department by calling 281-403-8705.

Missouri City’s Fire and Police personnel traditionally begin National Night Out with a kick-off community gathering from 5:30 to 7 p.m. This year it will be held at the Target store parking lot located at Highway 6 and FM 1092/Murphy Road. During the kick-off event, residents can meet police officers, including the Missouri City Bike Patrol, All Terrain Vehicle, Dive Rescue and SWAT Teams. McGruff, the Crime Dog, will be there, too. City police vehicles and a Fire and Rescue Services Department ladder truck and rescue boat will also be on hand for residents to visit. The Police Department will be handing out crime prevention materials, and Target will furnish refreshments and “goodies” for the children. Residents are encouraged to join in the activities at the kick-off event prior to their neighborhood block parties.

“Crime prevention is a partnership between the city and its residents. National Night Out is a great way for residents to get involved, take the opportunity to meet their neighbors and do their part to prevent crime in their neighborhoods,” said Police Community Liaison Dan Flagg. “Last year, the City registered more than 60 block parties for the annual event.”

Each year, the City’s elected officials and City staff attend the resident block parties to talk to the community about safety and to answer questions about public safety in Missouri City.

Officer Flagg points out that National Night Out is a chance to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for and participation in local anti-crime efforts, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police - community partnerships, and send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and are fighting back against crime.

Progress on the Quail Valley Parks Project is right on track, just a little more than a year after Missouri City acquired the property to further enhance the City’s parks and recreation system.

“Since last June, when the City acquired the former Quail Valley Country Club, great strides have been made to bring the property back to life and develop it as a park and recreational amenity that all residents can enjoy,” said Frank Simpson, City Manager. “With 72 percent of Missouri City voters approving the bond referendum for the 400-acre parks project, the City has been working hard to meet citizens’ wish to have a central gathering space with premier recreational opportunities.”

The overwhelming majority of voters approved the $17.5 million bond referendum for the parks project on Nov. 4, 2008. Missouri City envisions creating a new community center, a tennis/fitness facility and other recreational opportunities on the property, in addition to renovating the golf course – which is in the geographic heart of Missouri City and was home to the 1973 and 1974 Shell Houston Open.

Thus far, only $9.4 million from the $17.5 million bond referendum has been used. Bond proceeds funded acquisition of the property, renovation of the El Dorado course, a new pump house and a new irrigation system for both the El Dorado and La Quinta courses.

“As the City has indicated since before last November’s election, re-developing the golf course is a priority because it can generate revenue for the parks project,” Simpson said. “Most parks do not produce revenue, so Missouri City is fortunate to have a park that does. All of our City residents, not just golfers, will benefit from this enterprise.”

The La Quinta and El Dorado Courses

The Quail Valley Golf Course is home to the 18-hole La Quinta and the 18-hole El Dorado Golf Courses. The La Quinta Course opened for play as a public golf course on July 4, 2008. Within its first twelve months, the La Quinta Course had 37,750 rounds of golf, even with Hurricane Ike having impacted operations for about six weeks. Rounds of play are up 54 percent since the City took over ownership.

The renovation of the El Dorado course began in January 2009 and is on schedule. The progress has included:

The re-design of the El Dorado Course by renowned golf course architect, Jeffrey Blume. The design offers a challenging opportunity for both recreational and avid golfers.
Drainage improvements on the property. The movement of a large volume of dirt during the sculpting of the course promotes better drainage for much of the Quail Valley area.
The replacement of the irrigation system on both the El Dorado and the La Quinta Courses, which was included in the $5.5 million course renovation budget.
Grass seeding on the El Dorado. All of the holes have been seeded and the course ready for play by year end.
The replacement of nearly all the old cart paths on the El Dorado Course. The five miles of old cart path will be recycled by the City and Fort Bend County as material for erosion prevention projects.

The El Dorado Course is being built by Heritage Links of Houston. Heritage Links has constructed premier golf courses around the world, including Chambers Bay, a Washington state golf course that was named the No. 1 “Best New Public Golf Course” by Golf Magazine in January 2009 and is the destination for the 2010 U.S. Amateur and 2015 U.S. Open.

The El Dorado course is scheduled for a grand re-opening at the end of 2009.

Safety First

Since the grass seeding began in late May, the City has let the grass on the El Dorado Course grow tall – a necessary step for the greens to develop a strong root system. By letting the Bermuda grass shoot up and then rest at this stage of the course’s development, the terrain will be healthy enough to handle the stress of constant golf play. In addition, letting the grass blades flourish now will lead to lower maintenance costs for the greens in the future.

For their safety during construction and the good of the greens, residents are required to refrain from walking, riding bikes and four-wheelers or letting pets roam on any part of the El Dorado Course during the renovation. Trained volunteers have been monitoring the golf course to remind citizens that wandering onto the El Dorado is prohibited until the City officially opens the course and is subject to citation and fine.

In July, the City Council approved an ordinance that will allow walking along the cart paths of the La Quinta Course during certain times. The ordinance will provide walkers daily opportunities to enjoy the golf course path while also preserving their safety.
Designed to protect walkers while golf is in play, the ordinance stipulates that people may walk the La Quinta Course cart trails:
On holes 1 – 9: From 6 a.m. to 6:59 a.m.; and from 20 minutes after sunset to 10 p.m. (or 11 p.m. during daylight savings time)
On holes 10 – 18: From 6 a.m. to 8:29 a.m.; and from 20 minutes after sunset to 10 p.m. (or 11 p.m. during daylight savings time)

Those who do not comply with the ordinance may be issued a citation. Citizens are encouraged to visit any of the 19 other parks in Missouri City that currently offer walking and jogging opportunities.

Moving Forward

Hurricane Ike left its impact on the course, and the timeline to begin some aspects of the Quail Valley Parks Project was delayed as the City repaired the storm’s immediate damage to the golf course and portions of the clubhouse. Now, however, several developments are underway to move the parks project forward:

In September, the City will host public charettes, or meetings for residents to contribute ideas for developing the old Executive Course, from playgrounds to trails to green space improvements. The improvements will be underway by the end of the first quarter of 2010.
Missouri City will put a $1 million grant toward the purchase and development of a center for tennis and other recreation activities, located at Cypress Point and Cartwright Road. The acquisition has been initiated and the City anticipates it being in the City’s possession this fall.
In May 2009, the City established the Missouri City Recreation and Leisure Local Government Corporation. The non-profit entity will aid the City in the acquisition, improvement, maintenance and operation of certain public parks and public recreation facilities, including the Quail Valley Golf Course. With the establishment of this corporation, the golf course can be a self-sustaining enterprise.
In February 2009, the City Council approved a conceptual Master Plan for the Quail Valley Parks Project. The plan was generated from ideas submitted by residents during a community-wide meeting in January, when participants put pen to paper and sketched out their ideas for the project onto large maps of the property. In addition to the 36-hole golf course, the plan’s main elements include: open green space and recreation space on the old Executive Course; a First Tee program on the Par 3; a Tennis Recreation Center; and a Community Banquet Facility. Public input and design for the elements of the Quail Valley Parks Project Master Plan very much reflects the work and report of the Citizens’ Committee, which was comprised of more than 100 residents representing all areas of Missouri City. The committee met many times before drafting the report in 2008.
Earlier this year, www.golfquailvalley.com, a Web site providing information on the course, was launched. The site allows golfers to book tee times online.
The Grille Restaurant at the golf course clubhouse has undergone a renovation since sustaining damage during Hurricane Ike and features an array of menu items, from juicy steaks to fresh Greek salads and delicious seafood. Steak Night (Fridays from 5 to 9 p.m.) and Pasta Night (Tuesdays from 5 to 9 p.m.) are popular weekly events at the Grille, which is available to the public for meetings and events.

“The Quail Valley Parks Project added 25 percent more green space to Missouri City’s recreational property,” Simpson said. “We are eager to be good stewards of this park and make it a featured destination not only for our residents, but for the region and beyond.”

For more information, visit www.missouricitytx.gov and click on “Quail Valley Parks Project” under the “For Your Information” link.

For the 21st year in a row, the City of Missouri City has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for fiscal responsibility and sound financial management practices. The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada presented the award to the City, which ranks among a select few in the Gulf Coast region that have received this award for 21 consecutive years.

Of the approximately 36,000 U.S. Cities, two percent received GFOA budget awards. There are only 27 cities in Texas that have been given the award 20 times or more.

The award recognizes the City’s Finance Department’s achievement in saving taxpayer dollars by using the latest technology to reduce operating expenses.

“It takes a great deal of work to win this award, and it means that when citizens of Missouri City see the budget for the City, they know it was prepared correctly,” Mayor Allen Owen said. “It also means that other people recognize that fact.”

Using conservative budgeting principles, the City of Missouri City maintains total fiscal transparency with residents, and is a responsible steward of the taxpayers’ dollars, according to City Finance Director Wes Vela.

For example, in 2008, the City saved taxpayers an estimated $60,000 by having Fort Bend County bill taxes for Missouri City residents; to date, more than $230,000 has been saved through this partnership with the County.

The Distinguished Budget Awards Program is designed to encourage state and local governments to prepare and issue budget documents of the highest quality, which in turn inform residents of the budget process and enhance accountability. The award recognizes governments that have prepared a high-quality budget document for the 2008 fiscal year.

1. Police Officer Brenda Tippit was honored for her more than 20 years of service to the City and her retirement.

2. Jing Chen, Assistant City Engineer provided Council with an update on the joining in the FEMA Community Rating System (CRS). Once the City is part of the CRS program, residents may possibly be eligible for discounts on flood insurance, depending upon how the area in which their home resides is rated. It was also shared that flood plain maps for Fort Bend County are currently being updated and staff expects to have them in early 2010.

3. Consent agenda was approved which included approval of minutes, quarterly investment report, authorizing the purchase of new police vehicles, authorizing the purchase of batwing mowers through HGAC and authorizing the execution of a Utility Improvement Funding Contract.

4. Zoning change was approved for the building of a Burger King in the new Kroger shopping center.

5. Zoning change was approved for the building of additional buildings for the Houston Knanaya Catholic Society on Staffordshire.

6. Council continued to work w/ two homeowners whose properties are in disrepair in the Hunters Glen subdivisions.

7. Council agreed to submit a Justice Assistance Grant to fund the purchase of bicycles and related equipment for MCPD.

8. Authorized a inter-local agreement w/ Harris County for the South Gessner/Cravens Road Project. It was noted that Harris County is contributing $1.6 million to this project.

9. Dan Porter from Quail Valley addressed Council concerning the old executive nine. Mr. Porter shared that many are concerned about what is going on behind their homes and the lack of maintenance on the old executive nine and the lack of preservation of this asset. He mentioned lack of grass being maintained, no water in the lakes and safety issues. Mr. Porter indicated that the current drought conditions are not an acceptable reason for the waterways to have dried up. He shared that he understands that the golf courses had to take priority, but is concerned about the lack of maintenance and urged council to establish guidelines for the maintenance. To paraphrase, Mr. Porter feels that this property is deteriorating and even filling up the lakes and cutting the grass won’t be enough to maintain the property at this time.

Please note that council is not permitted to respond to public comments if an item is not on the agenda. , During discussion on the next item of the agenda, which involved the number of members on the Parks and Rec Board, Mayor and staff shared that there will be a public meeting regarding the development of the old Exec 9 and Par 3 coming up on September 10th and that the city can not make improvements on these properties until the court case is settled. It was also shared that the City can not take anymore water to fill up the lakes on the exec 9, and that all 19 of the City’s parks need to be maintained. The Mayor commented that as elected officials they are acting responsibility and are not going to spend money on the old exec until the case is settled.

10. Council agreed to increase the number people on the Parks Board from 9 - 11 and agreed to make sure all districts are equally represented.. Currently, there are only 4 board members and they all reside in Districts A and B. Anyone interested in serving on either the Parks Board or any other City Commission can call City Hall and ask to fill out an application.

11. Council approved updating the City’s Personnel Manual so procedures pertaining to employee military leave are consistent with both state and federal laws.

12. Council agreed to issue $49 million in bonds for the construction of the surface water treatment plant. The construction of the plant is actually being funded by the residents, through 15 area MUD districts (to include Sienna) with the ground water reduction fees now being charged. The issue of these bonds will have no effect on the City’s tax rate.