Pearland - Friendswood Edition | May 2020

PEARLAND FRIENDSWOOD EDITION

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 6 | MAY 15 - JUNE 11, 2020

ONLINE AT

Property taxes made up more of Pearland and Friendswood’s revenue than any other source in FY 2019-20. As this year’s property values are expected to be higher than last year’s, the cities are not expecting a shortfall. SOURCES: CITIES OF FRIENDSWOOD, PEARLAND / COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

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PROPERTY TAX PROPS UP BUDGET

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Friend swood

PROPERTY TAXES $25.7M

SALES & USE TAXES $22.7M

FINES & FORFEITURES $2.4M LICENSES & PERMITS $3.9M

TOTAL $86.9M

SALES & USE TAXES $6.6M

PROPERTY TAXES $16.1M

CHARGES FOR SERVICE $18.3M

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM / PATRON

TOTAL $28.2M

FEES $2.2M

OTHER $6.7M

FRANCHISE FEES $7.2M

OTHER $1.2M

LICENSES & PERMITS $860K

CHARGES FOR SERVICE $460K

FINES & FORFEITURES $790K

IMPACTS

PHOTO BY HALEY MORRISON / COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER AND PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ELYSSA TURNER

As virus continues, city revenue sources remain safe Property values soar as sales tax drops in Pearland but rises in Friendswood tax to bolster their budgets, leadership in both cities is optimistic. Brazoria County property values are projected to be 13% higher than last year and Gal- veston County values are projected to be 15% higher, according to appraisal district o ffi cials. BY HALEY MORRISON

tax allocation in March, while Friend- swood saw an increase. Property values increase This year’s property tax values have started to trickle in, with numbers fi rst estimated in January. The property valuation estimates will give a good idea of howmuch money cities have to work with for their budget. “The good news is that the prop- erty taxes, which is the largest source of revenue funds, have already exceeded projections, so that will not be a ff ected,” McCarter said. Since the values that will come in

Though Pearland and Friendswood are beginning their budget seasons, the cities may not know what the fi nal fi nancial toll of the coronavirus will be until much later. “No one knows what the impacts are going to be. I think our focus right now is on fi scal year 2020 and making deci- sions that put us in the best place for the future,” Pearland Assistant Direc- tor of Finance John McCarter said. Both Pearland and Friendswood are remaining fl exible, and they are hoping next year’s budget will not be badly a ff ected. As both cities rely more heavily on property taxes than sales

CITY & COUNTY

CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

“We are very fortunate that property taxes are our main revenue sources,” said Katina Hampton, Friendswood’s director of administrative services. Both Pearland and Friendswood rely on sales tax for around 20%-25% of the revenue for the general fund budget. According to data from the Texas Comptroller, Pearland saw a slight decrease in year-over-year sales

All content in this print publication, both editorial and advertisements, was up to date as of press deadline. Due to the fast-changing nature of this event, editorial and advertising information may have changed. Please visit communityimpact.com and advertiser websites for more information. Thanks for your support.

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION • MAY 2020

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THIS ISSUE

CONTENTS

BRINGING YOU THE GOODNEWS

IMPACTS

Now Open, Coming Soon &more TRANSPORTATIONUPDATES 9 Ongoing and future projects GOVERNMENT 11 Pearland approves water billing plan CITY& COUNTY 15 The latest local news

FROMHALEY: When you are seeking comfort in the midst of a pandemic, the news probably isn’t the fi rst thing you turn to, and with good reason. The case counts and economic forecasts wear on each of us. We are all experiencing an information overload and may feel overwhelmed by what we read online and bombarded by bad news. This is very likely the hardest thing many of us have dealt with, and it can seem like there is no end. But there isn’t all darkness without at least a bit of light. As the pandemic goes on, we continue to see cases of people innovating

PUBLISHERS AND FOUNDERS John and Jennifer Garrett PUBLISHER - HOUSTONMETRO Jason Culpepper ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Kristina Shackelford GENERAL MANAGER Papar Faircloth, pfaircloth@communityimpact.com EDITORIAL EXECUTIVE EDITOR Joe Lanane MANAGING EDITOR Marie Leonard EDITOR Haley Morrison

their businesses, fi rst responders and essential workers hunkering down to keep our community safe, and private citizens and nonpro fi ts taking care of each other. In this edition, you will fi nd news of how the coronavirus is a ff ecting your community and city budgets as well as stories on how people are helping others. There is another bright side here at Community Impact Newspaper . We have adapted how we serve our readers. We are still working hard to bring you the quality of coverage in our print paper that you deserve. If you are missing our longer page counts, please check out our website. We have tripled our web coverage and don’t plan on scaling back once the world is on the other side of this pandemic. We are looking forward to continuing to give our readers the tangible print content you love once a month, while keeping you informed daily on our website. We are proud to give you the coronavirus statistics you need, as well as the stories of people doing positive things in the community. Here, both stories are vital. Haley Morrison, EDITOR

REPORTER Morgan Slutzky COPY CHIEF Andy Comer COPY EDITORS Ben Dickerson, Kasey Salisbury ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Tess Coverman ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Teresa Votaw DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Derek Sullivan ART PRODUCTIONMANAGER Tessa Hoe fl e GRAPHIC DESIGNER Elyssa Turner BUSINESS GROUP PUBLISHER Traci Rodriguez CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Claire Love ABOUT US John and Jennifer Garrett began Community Impact Newspaper in 2005 in P fl ugerville, Texas. The company’s mission is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. CONTACT US

CITY& COUNTY

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION • MAY 2020

IMPACTS

Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon, relocating or expanding

MCHARD RD.

PEARLAND

521

BUSINESS CENTER DR.

W. BROADWAY ST.

518

PROVINCE VILLAGE DR.

MAGNOLIA PKWY.

BAILEY AVE.

FRIENDSWOOD

GENESIS BLVD.

SHADWELL LN.

288

2351

MANVEL

NOWOPEN 1 The Shard Yard opened a new Friendswood location March 20 at 2407 W. Parkwood Ave., Ste. 116. The business re-opened at 25% capacity May 1 for those with reservations. Originally based in Alvin, the business allows customers to make art from reclaimed glass. The busi- ness o ff ers workshops, accepts private parties and has activities for those age 4 and up. The business launched in summer 2018 and moved from Alvin to Friend- swood for a larger space. 409-218-1775. www.theshardyard.com 2 Texas Bay Credit Union opened a Pearland location at 11555 Magnolia Park- way in April. The business o ff ers fi nancial services, such as bank accounts, credit cards, retirement services, and home and auto loans. The business has locations around Houston, including in Katy, Cy- press and Richmond. 713-852-6700. www.texasbaycu.org

3 Dark Horse Investments complet- ed construction on its o ffi ce buildings April 1. At that time, the o ffi ces were at 80% capacity, and there is still some space available for tenants. Located at 107 Shadwell Lane, Friendswood, the 4,000-square-foot property holds 10 o ffi ce suites. 713-254-0479. www.facebook.com/DarkHorse Investments COMING SOON 4 The Harbor , an assisted-living facil- ity, is coming to Pearland in late 2020. The community o ff ers a ff ordable senior living and will be located at 2900 Prov- ince Village Drive, Pearland. The facility broke ground in September. The Harbor does not have an active phone number or website yet. 5 Larkspur is planning on opening a new facility, Larkspur at Shadow Creek , in Pearland in August. Located at 12645

Shadow Creek Parkway, Pearland, this Larkspur facility will be the fi rst in Hous- ton. Larkspur also has a location in Allen and is opening one in New Braunfels. Larkspur is an active senior living com- munity for adults over age 55. The facility o ff ers cottage home and apartment home options, as well as daily programs to participate in for no extra charge. 713-436-7000. www.livelarkspur.com EXPANSIONS 6 King’s Biergarten , located at 1329 E. Broadway St., is remodeling its space and changing its menu. The restaurant serves German food and has other restaurants throughout the Houston area. 832-569-4141. www.kingsbiergarten.com RELOCATIONS 7 Mind and Body Solutions , 106 Pecan Drive, Friendswood, will relocate in May to 210 Genesis Blvd., Webster. The

functional medicine clinic has a mission to provide the community with safe and natural health and wellness answers. 281-616-3816. www.nutrition-houston.com BUSINESS CHANGES 8 Amy Blake’s Academy of Dance has closed its studio; however, it is still o ff ering virtual classes over Zoom. The business is also accepting students interested in beginning virtual classes for free. The dance studio is located at 410 E. Edgewood Drive, Friendswood, and o ff ers classes in ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, mod- ern, lyrical, musical theater and leaps. 281-482-0600. www.amyblakedance.com 9 Tutoring Club , located at 11041 Shad- ow Creek Parkway, Ste. 105, Pearland, is launching a virtual tutoring platform, which will pair instructors with students over video. This program was expedited, as the company is unsure how long stu-

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COMPILED BY HALEY MORRISON AND MORGAN SLUTZKY

BUSINESS INNOVATION

GIVING BACK PEARLAND RESIDENT RAISES NEARLY $6,000 FOR PIZZAS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS Baylor College of Medicine employees enjoy donated pizza. When the coronavirus pandemic began to spread, Pearland resident Sarah McSpadden began to think of ways she could help. “I am not a person who can sit around and do nothing,” she said. McSpadden fi rst organized donations after Hurricane Harvey, when she helped with clothing and supplies for those who had been a ff ected by fl ooding around the Pearland area. For the virus, she not only had to think about what donations she should collect, but also how to do it safely. As a mother of fi ve children, McSpadden said she is taking social distancing

COURTESY SARAH MCSPADDEN

very seriously. She decided on donating pizzas to fi rst responders and essential workers because she could pay and tip over the phone and count on contactless delivery. “The people I call are just fl oored,” she said.

“THE PEOPLE I CALLARE JUST FLOORED.” SARAH MCSPADDEN

McSpadden has raised enough money so far to donate 828 pizzas to hospitals, grocery stores, fi re and police departments,

Neri Hair Studio is o ff ering curbside pickup and home delivery of hair products.

COURTESY LUKE NERI

Neri Hair Studio, which has been open in Pearland for 12 years, is one of many businesses fi nding ways to stay open while accommodating COVID-19 safety recommendations. While much of the business is focused on how to serve clients now, owner Luke Neri said he is focused on further- reaching changes to the way salons are run after they can fully reopen. From the moment salons were required to close, Neri said safety has been his No. 1 priority. Now, he is looking at how his business will change when it is able to return to regular functions. “Being a salon, we’ve always had strict instructions on how to sanitize, but all of it is going to be stepped up from here on out,” Neri said. “The COVID-19 situation is a game changer.” Some of those adjustments include no more beverages for clients, a move from hand towels to disposable NERI HAIR SALON PEARLAND SALON LOOKS AT PROCEDURAL CHANGES POST - PANDEMIC

paper towels in the restroom, capes being immediately put in the washing machine after use instead of into a laundry basket and a thermal thermometer so clients with a fever can be asked to reschedule. The salon will remove magazines from the waiting area and only allow clients in for the appointments; families and friends will not be able to wait in the salon. It will also be mandatory to put a credit card on fi le to avoid hand-to- hand contact when swiping a client’s card. Neri said by following these new rules, the salon is going to do the best and most it can to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. “These are new times that we are in,” Neri said. “A lot of these changes will be around for a while.”

garbage collection sites and post o ffi ces. While most donations go to Pearland- area sites, as most donors are Pearland residents, McSpadden has sent donations around the Houston area.

The Shard Yard

King’s Biergarten

COURTESY THE SHARD YARD

HALEY MORRISON / COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

donated over $1 million for coronavirus relief. HCA has campuses all over the Greater Houston area, including one at 11100 Shadow Creek Parkway, Pearland. 713-770-7000. www.hcahoustonhealth care.com

dents will be out of school for, Tutoring Club President David Hill said. IN THE NEWS 10 HCA Healthcare Foundation , a branch of HCA Houston Healthcare, has

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TRANSPORTATIONUPDATES

COMPILED BY MORGAN SLUTZKY

ONGOING PROJECT

roadway to accommodate anticipated tra ffi c growth, according to Pearland’s website. Timeline: 2020-June 2021 Cost: $7.46 million Funding sources: Houston-Galveston Area Council, TxDOT

the city and county, and the project is still awaiting regulatory approval from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency. This project will widen Friendswood Lakes Boulevard from two to four lanes before connecting to West Boulevard in League City. The scope of the project has been adjusted to in- clude water and sewer utilities along the road as well as modi fi cations to the area’s drainage. Timeline: TBD Cost: $5.5 million Funding sources: city of Friendswood, developers, Galveston County

EDENVALE ST.

FRIENDSWOOD LINK RD.

Blackhawk Boulevard reconstruction The city of Friendswood is 97% fi nished with construction on the northbound side of Blackhawk Boulevard. Some inspection dates for the project have been pushed back by COVID-19 concerns. Sta ff projects the construction will be complet- ed in May. The project consists of improvements from Friendswood Link Road to Edenvale Street, including the replacement of over 6,000 feet of concrete paving, replacement of curbs and gutters, and evaluations of existing utilities. Timeline: June 2018-May 2020 Cost: $4.58 million Funding source: 2013 city of Friendswood bond FUTURE PROJECTS

Tra ffi c declines, but roadway fatalities remain the same

528

BRIAR CREEK DR.

Greenbriar Drive maintenance The city is doing concrete repairs on Greenbriar Drive between Briar Creek Drive and Wilderness Trail as part of its larger street repairs plan. This project is funded by the street main- tenance sales tax approved by voters in the May 2016 election. The street repairs and maintenance sales tax has generated over $3 million of revenue over the last two fi scal years and is up for reapproval in the November 2020 election. Timeline: TBD Cost: $3 million Funding source: city of Friendswood

BY AMY DENNEY

Tra ffi c fatalities on roads throughout Texas have continued at roughly the same pace in 2020 despite major Texas metros seeing a drop in the number of reported crashes and tra ffi c volumes. Between Jan. 1 and April 15, the num- ber of tra ffi c crashes dropped between 11% and 15% in 2020 compared to the same time period in 2019 in the Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metros, according to an April 21 analysis of Texas Department of Transportation data by Community Impact Newspaper. Howev- er, data from TxDOT shows the number of tra ffi c fatalities has only dropped by 3.35% in the same time period in 2020 compared to 2019. TxDOT’s Crash Records Information System denotes the number of tra ffi c fatalities between Jan. 1 and April 15 only declined from 865 deaths in 2019 to 836 during the same time period in 2020. Veronica Beyer, director of media rela- tions for TxDOT, said the agency reported 12 fatalities Feb. 22 and 11 fatalities on March 22 when the state was under stay- at-home orders. “We’ve always believed that ending the streak of daily deaths on Texas roadways is achievable,” she said. “Unfortunately, we’re not there yet. Despite the drop in tra ffi c and despite the drop in crashes in certain areas across the state we are still seeing tra ffi c deaths.”

ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF MAY 7. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT PLFNEWS @ COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. Funding sources: Federally funded Transportation Improvement Pro- gram, Brazoria County, 2019 bond Bailey Road expansion The city of Pearland is in the design phase of the Bailey Road expansion, which will change the section from Veterans Drive to Hwy. 35 from a two-lane asphalt road to a four-lane concrete road. The design process usually takes about a year, but it is being slowed slightly due to the sequestering of consultant personnel and concerns over the coronavirus, a city o ffi cial said. The topographic sur- vey for the project has been complet- ed, and the city is working with the county to address drainage issues. Timeline: October 2021-October 2023 Cost: $18 million

288

528

FRIENDSWOOD DR.

518

Smith Ranch Road widening Pearland City Council voted to autho- rize a new Advanced Funding Agree- ment with the Texas Department of Transportation for the Smith Ranch Road widening project in the amount of $5.17 million on Feb. 17. The project will change the road from a two-lane asphalt road to a four-lane con- crete road. Changes are intended to improve the mobility of the existing

Friendswood Lakes Boulevard construction The city of Friendswood and Galves- ton County are fi nished with the de- sign phase of the Friendswood Lakes Boulevard construction project. De- signs are undergoing fi nal review by

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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

GOVERNMENT Pearland City Council approves water billing plan, tier structure

OVERCOMING THE LAG The city of Pearland discussed in February a 60-day lag that occurred in its water billing cycles in 2018 when the city switched to a 28-day billing cycle. To overcome this, the city has switched to a 32-day meter- reading cycle.

her how much she owes. “How are you going to charge me for something that you can’t tell me how much I owe?,” Hewitt said. Council members said they understood there is both a policy issue and a trust issue at hand. The city has also updated policies so the same mistakes are not made again, Branson said. “I get it. That doesn’t mean we have gained any trust. We’ve still got billing issues in March. We’ve had issue after issue. Yes, we may get a policy issue in place, but we’ve got a bigger issue in utility billing,” Council

BY HALEY MORRISON

and a roughly $6 million gap in revenue for the city was created. The 32/30 billing cycle would resolve the fi nancial issue by early 2023, sta ff said. Some council members asked about the possibility of allowing interested residents to pay o ff their balance early, as the city is roughly 60 days behind in collecting bills. While Branson said he

Pearland City Council approved a new tier structure for water billing at its April 13 regular meeting. The tier structure enables city sta ff to implement the new 32/30 reading and billing cycle, Deputy City Man- ager Jon Branson said at the meeting. The plan began April 25.

FEB. 2020

Feb. 17 Council fi rst discusses water billing and meter lag discrepancy April 13 The City Council approves a new tier system for billing, enabling

APRIL 2020

Member Tony Carbone said. Council Mem- ber Gary Moore requested an audit of the system used in utility billing at the meeting. Other

“I AM IN FAVOR [ OF ] THE 32 / 30 PLAN, BUT I THINKWE NEED TO AUDIT THE SYSTEM.”

WHAT IS 32 / 30?

believes this option may be confusing to present to residents, sta ff will implement it as an option once the new AMI meters are installed. Branson esti-

The 32/30 plan allows the city to read water meters every 32 days and bill

sta ff to implement the 32/30 reading and billing system April 25 The start of the 32/30 billing system

The 32/30 system was presented by sta ff and chosen by council in an attempt to rectify a 60-day lag in utility billing fi rst discussed by council in February. The new system will read meters on a 32-day cycle and bill residents every 30 days. Because the city had previously been reading water bills on a 28-day cycle, there was concern that moving to a 32-day read cycle would cause people to move into a higher usage tier, therefore charging residents more. The goal of the new tier system is to keep that from happening, city sta ff said at the April 13 meeting. The lag occurred after the city switched to a 28-day read cycle in 2018. Because of the lag, some citizens received two bills in a month, residents for water every 30 days. This plan is the city’s solution for the $6 million the city is behind on collecting from water bills. Pearland will collect the $6 million by early 2023 under the new plan, city o ffi cials said.

GARY MOORE, PEARLAND CITY COUNCIL MEMBER

members agreed and requested the city have an outside source conduct an investigation of the utility billing processes and systems. “I am in favor [of] the 32/30 plan, but I think we need to audit the system,” Moore said. “I don’t feel comfortable that the system is working for us.” The city has not agreed to an audit at a council meeting; at the April 20 meeting, council discussed bringing on a water billing consultant in executive session, Carbone said. The 32/30 plan passed, with Moore and Carbone voting against. “If you can’t understand the prob- lem with reading a meter 13 times in a year and billing me 12, I can’t trust you with hundreds of millions of dollars,” Davis said. The information in this article was accurate as of press time, May 8.

mated people could know balances by early July at the April 13 meeting. Until then, none of the residents know what they owe. However, some have requested the city tell them so they can pay the balance o ff at once, instead of having the amount added to their bills incrementally over the next two years. Jimmy Davis is one of the residents who requested to know his balance early. Davis has also been vocal about council not passing a new plan until an audit of the system is done, as he believes residents have been in the dark about the de fi cit. “This has been quite the jigsaw puzzle. We are still missing a lot of pieces and they still won’t give them to us, unfortunately,” Davis said. Denise Hewitt is another resident who, like Davis, has expressed concern because the city cannot tell

EARLY 2023

The city will have paid o ff the $6 million lag

DATE TOKNOW when the de fi cit will be paid o ff EARLY 2023 NUMBER TOKNOW the amount the city of Pearland needs to collect in water bills $6MILLION

SOURCE: CITY OF PEARLAND / COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION • MAY 2020

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EDUCATION

Although the coronavirus has caused seniors to have a virtual end to their high school careers, local districts are taking steps to make sure graduates still have in-person ceremonies. DELAYED GRADUATION LOCATIONS

July 16, 17, 18 June 2, 3, 4 July 11 Dëlåÿëd GRADUATION

May 24 May 22 May 24 Ørïgïñål GRADUATION

Vïrtûål GRADUATION

Alvin ISD Pearland ISD Friendswood ISD

May 24

SOURCES: ALVIN, FRIENDSWOOD AND PEARLAND ISDS / COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

Districts to honor seniors despite school closures Since the beginning of the COVID- 19 pandemic in America, di ffi cult decisions have been made in school districts nationwide. After Gov. Greg was based on a survey it sent out to the parents of seniors to hear their input. The survey received over 2,000 responses. “What we heard from our families is that they want that in-person BY MORGAN SLUTZKY

at NRG in Houston. Hosting the ceremonies at Pearland ISD Stadium means graduates are limited to two guests, according to a message from the district May 8. FISD has also rescheduled its graduation to take place July 11 at Grace Community Church. According to the district website, FISD is in the middle of fi nalizing details for a celebration of graduating seniors on their original graduation date, May 24. The district plans to honor seniors in several ways throughout the community and with a video tribute. For AISD, Nelson also said holding the virtual graduation is the district’s e ff ort to celebrate students on their actual graduation day so they can have as close to the graduation experience as possible during these times. “We know this has been a di ffi - cult end to the school year for our seniors,” Nelson said in a press release. “Hopefully, by providing both a virtual and in-person gradua- tion, this will give our seniors a sense of closure with high school and allow them to look ahead to their future endeavors with hope and positivity.”

Pearland ISD Pearland ISD Stadium, 3775 S. Main St., Pearland

Abbott’s April 17 executive order o ffi cially canceled school in Texas for the rest of the academic year, one challenge in particular has

graduation experience, even if that was later this year, so we are going to do our best to make that happen,” Superinten- dent Carol

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been how to handle com- mencement ceremonies for seniors in the class of 2020. One choice has been to

Nelson said in the press release. The in-per- son ceremo- nies will be at Freedom Field on July 16 for Shadow

Friendswood ISD Grace Church Houston, 14505 Gulf Fwy., Houston

arrange both a virtual and in-person graduation ceremony. Alvin and Friendswood ISDs have each decided to move in this direction. Pearland ISD is set to have in-person gradua- tions at Pearland ISD Stadium June 2-4 and has no plans to host a virtual ceremony. All district decisions were up-to-date as of press time May 8. AISD said in a press release the decision to have both ceremonies

288

Creek High School, July 17 for RISE Academy and Manvel High School, and July 18 for Alvin High School. The virtual ceremony will be May 24 and will include both the vale- dictorian and salutatorian speeches as well as names being called for all graduating seniors. PISD was originally scheduled to have its graduation ceremonies

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION • MAY 2020

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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

CITY& COUNTY

News from Pearland & Friendswood

Pearland discusses creation of public health advisory committee

Council moves tax election, approves bond refunds

use to put towards repairing these streets that are getting a little old here in the city of Friendswood,” Mayor Mike Foreman said. The fi nancial ordinance refunds the remainder of the Series 2010A and 2010B bonds, which total $2.97 million. The ordinance also approved the sale of $8 million of the $51 million in bond propo- sitions from the November 2019 bond election.

BY HALEY MORRISON

BY MORGAN SLUTZKY

Member Trent Perez said. The Pearland Chamber of Com- merce has a health care committee, which helps to formulate policy and create advocacy for bringing in health businesses rather than health education, Hernandez said. Perez replied it might be easier to add health education to that group rather than create a new committee, as the city of Pearland does not yet have a health department. The city’s committee could be made up of a few council members, chamber members, medical profes- sionals and concerned residents, Hernandez said. The goal would be to assist groups the city works with, including city and county o ffi cials, the chamber and health care provid- ers, Hernandez said. No action was taken on the item, though council may discuss it again in the future.

FRIENDSWOOD At its May 4 meeting, Friendswood City Council approved one ordinance with two fi nancial proposals and one to move the street maintenance tax election to July 14. The street maintenance sales tax was fi rst passed by Friendswood residents in May 2016. The sales tax consists of an additional $0.00375 that directly funds maintenance and repairs on existing streets. City Manager Morad Kabiri said the city has not received fi nal word from the governor’s o ffi ce on whether an election can be held in July. The city had not received word as of press time. The decision was made with the idea that if the July election is approved, the ordinance will be in place. “This tax can generate $2 million each year, and that’s money we can

PEARLAND At its April 27 meeting, Pearland City Council discussed the creation of a public health advisory committee. The item was brought forth by Council Member Adrian Hernandez. The committee could be useful in not only dealing with the coronavirus, but also with the city of Pearland’s growth, Hernandez said. “Pearland has really put itself into a position to where we have the potential to lead our region, being the third-largest city in the Houston metro,” Hernandez said. Some council members expressed concern the committee could be a duplication of other committees in the city. “I appreciate the intent. I think maybe before we create a city com- mittee we need to lean in a little more to the chamber committee,” Council

MEETINGSWE COVER

Pearland City Council meets the second and fourth Monday of each month at City Hall, 3519 Liberty Drive, Pearland. Times may vary. Meetings are streamed and available at www.pearlandtx.gov. Friendswood City Council meets the fi rst Monday of each month at City Hall, 910 S. Friendswood Drive, Friendswood. Times may vary. Videos of meetings are posted to www.ci.friendswod.tx.us/ VideoonDemand.

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION • MAY 2020

ENVIRONMENT

MOVING THEMATERIAL The Harris County Flood Control District began excavating material from the South Belt Stormwater Detention Basin and Dixie Farm Road sites in late April. The materials will be moved to the Dagg Stormwater Detention Basin.

DAGG STORMWATER DETENTION BASIN

DAGG RD.

MCHARD RD.

SOUTH BELT STORMWATER DETENTION BASIN

ORIGINAL LOCATION

FUTURE LOCATION

BROADWAY ST.

DIXIE FARM ROAD SITE

SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT / COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

After nearly two years, residents seeDixie FarmRoad dirtmoved

feature fl oating islands, a fi rst for the fl ood control district, according to the release. The South Belt Detention Basin is entering the fi nal of three phases of the project. The basin will receive water fl owing fromMud Gully north of Clear Creek. According to the HCFCD, the projects will provide enough stor- age for over 566 million gallons of stormwater. The fl ood control district acquired the site in late September 2019 following the resolution of a lawsuit over the property.

early 2022. Moving the material is part of two projects funded by the Harris County Flood Control District 2018 bond: the fi nal phase of the South Belt Storm- water Detention Basin and the Dagg Stormwater Detention Basin. Both basins were awarded a $16.9 million construction contract in January, according to a HCFCD press release. Packaging the projects together is expected to save HCFCD around $22 million, according to the same press release. The Dagg Stormwater Detention Basin will hold stormwater and will

Dagg Stormwater Detention Basin, located at Dagg Road and Cullen Boulevard near Beltway 8. The dirt from the Dixie Farm Road site will be used for sloping on the Dagg Stormwater Detention Basin. The HCFCD announced it would move the materials in late 2019 after acquiring the site. The removal of material marks the beginning of construction, which is set to end in

BY HALEY MORRISON

The Harris County Flood Control District began excavating and moving about 50,000 cubic yards of dirt material from the South Belt Basin and Dixie Farm Road sites in late April. The material was mistakenly placed on the Dixie Farm site in the Clear Creek fl ood plain nearly two years ago and is being moved to the

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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

CITY&COUNTY Local animal shelters face challenges with limited volunteer opportunities

VOLUNTEERDUTIES These are some tasks usually handled by shelter volunteers: • Cleaning kennels • Washing dishes & laundry • Sorting donations • O ff -site adoption events • Walking dogs • Interacting with potential adopters SOURCE: PEARLAND ANIMAL SHELTER / COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER the majority of our animals out of the shelters and into private 501(c)(3) rescues.” Fischer said volunteers are missed at the shelter, though the shelter is going to continue to follow recom- mended safety guidelines. “We will eventually get back to being open and doing our events, but I would guess that the new normal is likely going to be very di ff erent from the normal before the pandemic,” Fischer said.

BY MORGAN SLUTZKY

Animal Services not only do on-site tasks such as cleaning kennels, taking dogs on walks, or interacting with potential adopters, but they also operate the shelter’s o ff -site adoption events. “We take our adoption trailers and events through- out the city almost every weekend, and now we just can’t do that,” Fischer said. “We’ve had to both cancel those events and also pick up those tasks that our volun- teers usually do for us.” Fischer said adoptions have stayed consistent, though the facility is at about 75% capacity, which is slightly higher than usual. “I think the biggest impact is our work with rescues,” Fischer said. “We’re getting

Houston-area shelters to o ff er medical attention to animals beyond the abilities of shelters and provide fostering for animals with special needs, according to the organization’s website. Pearland Animal Services closed its facility to the pub- lic on March 24 and has been doing curbside adoptions since. The shelter has also waived pet adoption fees. “We’re wearing protective equipment, and it’s become a really smooth process,” Animal Services Manager John Fischer said. The facility is not using any volunteers right now since the shelter is closed and outside events are canceled. Volunteers for Pearland

As the country has dealt with the rami fi cations of the coronavirus pandemic, many aspects of day-to-day life have been a ff ected. For animal shelters and rescue organizations, the virus has caused a shortage of volunteers in Pearland and Friendswood. “A big challenge I’ve been seeing for shelters is that the number of animals coming in does not slow down, but there is now a bottleneck going out,” said Amy Castro, the president of Starlight Outreach and Rescue. “For us, where we’ve been impacted is our volunteers.” Starlight Outreach and Rescue is an organi- zation that works with

of Pearland Animal Shelter’s capacity was full in late April 75%

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION • MAY 2020

CARING REQUIRES GREAT STRENGTH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE.

THANK YOU TO EVERY PHYSICIAN, NURSE, FIRST RESPONDER AND HEALTHCARE WORKER IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA. Thanks to those being called away from their own families to be of service to yours. And we thank the people of the Greater Houston area for taking every step possible to safeguard your own health. Thank you for the sacrifices you’re making. And for the impact you’re having on all our lives.

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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

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From Our Seniors to Yours...

SUPPLIES PEARLAND CHINESE ASSOCIATION& ALLIANCE OF YOUTH LEADERS IN THE UNITED STATES DONATED TO AREA HOSPITALS & FIRST RESPONDERS

$13,000 AMOUNT PCA & AYLUS HAVE RAISED $3,000 AMOUNT AYLUS RAISED IN 3 DAYS

10,000 N95 masks

1,200 protective gowns

18,000 pairs of gloves

SOURCE: PEARLAND CHINESE ASSOCIATION / COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

Tuscany Village Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation in Pearland received donations from PCA and AYLUS.

COURTESY PEARLAND CHINESE ASSOCIATION

Pearland associations givemasks, money to hospitals, fi rst responders O nce the coronavirus hit the Pearland community, the Pearland Chinese Asso- themselves juggling child care and home schooling with a full-time job, Wu said. BY HALEY MORRISON

Congratulat ions, Graduates!

their own use in late 2019, Li said. One of the students suggested those in AYLUS trade residents’ unused surgical masks for non- medical-grade masks because the medical population needs the sur- gical masks more than the normal population, Li said. “She and her mom just started driving. They went door to door to get N95 masks and exchange them for normal ones. They got over 400 masks a week just from neighbors,” Li said. Combined, both groups have gathered more than 10,000 masks, 18,000 pairs of gloves and 1,200 protective gowns. Supplies have been donated to hospitals in Pearland and Houston and to fi rst responders in Pearland. “The donations have been a great asset to our city, and we greatly appreciate their support,” said Raquel Garza, community outreach coordinator for the Pearland Fire Department. Wu and Li said hospitals have been sending pictures of medical sta ff wearing the supplies the Pearland Chinese Association and AYLUS sent. “We send [the photos] to the kids,” Li said. “They are happy to see they can contribute to the city.”

“Every volunteer chipped in,” she said. “We have our board meetings at 10:30 at night sometimes when the kids are asleep.” AYLUS is a youth leadership group with chapters all over the country. The Pearland chapter has members who attend both Pearland and Alvin ISDs. Many members are Chinese and were aware of how serious the virus could become, parent adviser Carol Li said. “We knew how severe it could be,” Li said. The group set out to help fund- raise for supplies in the Pearland and Houston area. In just three days, it raised $3,000. “I was checking the amount, and I was so impressed,” Li said. “At the beginning, we thought we would have a couple hundred dollars and thought we would get some gloves, maybe some masks. The kids are so active and they really wanted to contribute to the city where they live.” Li said the children spread the word on social media to raise the money. They also helped collect supplies, including surgical masks. Some Chinese residents with fam- ilies in China collected masks for

ciation and the Alliance of Youth Leaders in the United States began to brainstorm ways the organiza- tions could help. Many people in the Chinese community had been watching what was happening with the coro- navirus in China and wanted to be prepared, said Jie Wu, the Pearland Chinese Association’s secretary. The Pearland Chinese Association and AYLUS had decided to cancel large events, including Lunar New Year celebrations, earlier this year as a cautionary practice. Both organizations began to collect supplies and donations for fi rst responders and those in the medical fi eld. They raised a combined $13,000 and donated over 10,000 N95 surgical masks. “It’s so urgent a situation. [Hos- pitals] ask nurses to make a request for masks because they don’t know how long they need to wait for the supplies to be delivered,” Wu said. “We try to pair supplies based on their needs.” Pearland Chinese Association is run by volunteers. Every vol- unteer found time to help, even though many volunteers now fi nd

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION • MAY 2020

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