Friday, January 22, 2016

District 10 Update, 20 January, 2016



















Upcoming Important Meetings

Northeast Neighborhood Alliance Meeting

Monday, January 25th, 7PM, at the Tool Yard.

District 10 Community Meeting

Monday, February 15th, 7PM, at the Tool Yard.


Want to publicize your neighborhood event?

If so, please send an e-mail to Rebecca Podowski to make a request to post on our Facebook page!







January 20, 2016

Dear Neighbors,

This week's MLK Jr. March was quite impressive. I was pleased to see so many city officials, first responders, and neighbors gather together for this important event. The march may be behind us, but there are more opportunities coming up for neighbors to work together with the City.

Next Monday, January 25th, the Northeast Neighborhood Alliance will be meeting at 7PM at the Tool Yard. Following in February is the District 10 Community Meeting on February 15th. Both meetings are a great way to get started on your New Year's resolution to get involved in your community. 

If you own or operate a business in the Northeast Corridor along Perrin Beitel through Nacogdoches Road, and are in need of making improvements to your property's exterior, now is the time to apply for the NEC Enhancement Matching Grant Program. Last year, $100,000 in matching grants were provided to business owners looking to update their signage, landscaping, or exterior facades. To learn more, information sessions are being held on January 22nd and February 5th. We've included the program's information in this newsletter, and have copies of the application at our field office.  For more information on the NEC, please visit the website here

On Tuesday, February 16th, the Tobin at Oakwell Library Branch is hosting a Meet the Mayor event. This is a great opportunity to ask questions of Mayor Taylor about city government, city services, and to voice your opinions on specific issues. Please plan on attending if you have subjects you would like to discuss with our Mayor. 

The annual Basura Bash clean up of Salado Creek at the Tobin Trailhead is on February 20th. Our office sponsors the clean up event at this site each year, and we look forward to working side-by-side with you again during the event. We've included the volunteer registration link in this newsletter. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Rebecca Podowski at 207-0997 or at Rebecca.Podowski@sanantonio.gov

Thank you for staying actively involved in our community and for your continued support of our neighborhoods.

Sincerely,












Mike Gallagher
City Councilman District 10


For a complete list of press releases and other city news postings, visit the Department of Communications and Public Affairs website.





Quail Creek Tributary Drainage
January 2016 - Project Update

 January 2016 activities
  • Waste water inspection by SAWS
  • Forming and pouring of 7 concrete drainage flumes at side slopes.
  • Drainage channel grading.
  • Grading with top soil, seeding, erosion control matting and final hydro-mulch seeding added to side slopes at drainage channel.
  • Pilot channel cutting and excavation.
  • Haul away material and debris. 
    Planned activities for the next 3+ weeks
  • Continue forming and pouring of concrete drainage flumes at side slopes.
  • Drainage channel grading.
  • Continue grading with top soil, seeding, erosion control matting and final hydro-mulch seeding to be added to side slopes at drainage channel.
  • Continue pilot channel cutting and excavation.
  • Drainage rock/drop structure work to begin in the drainage channel.
  • Anti-graffiti painting of bridge.
  • Footing work to begin for low water culvert crossing. 
  • Haul away material and debris.
If you have questions about the project, please contact:
  
Joey Doctor | Capital Projects Officer
210.207.8415 | joe.doctor@sanantonio.gov 






2016 NEC Enhancement Matching Grant Program

Do you own or lease commercial property in the NEC? Have you been thinking it's time to give your building a little refresh? The NEC Enhancement Matching Grant Program assists owners and tenants of commercial properties with façade, landscape, and signage improvements. Grants are awarded on a matching reimbursement basis; total eligible project costs are split 50/50 between the grantee and the City of San Antonio. The maximum award amount is $27,000. For complete grant details and an application, see the NEC Enhancement Matching Grant Program Guidelines and Application Package.

Two information sessions will be held for those who may be interested in applying or would like more information on the grant process:
  • Friday, January 22nd from 12-1 PM, 1400 S. Flores St., San Antonio, TX 78204 (the Department of Planning & Community Development, free parking is available in the main lot off E. Cevallos St.)
  • Friday, February 5th from 8-9 AM, at the ITT Technical Institute (2895 NE Loop 410). 
Applications will be accepted until March 1, 2016.                                                         

Please visit the website or contact Heather.Yost@sanantonio.gov for questions or more information on the program. 



22nd Annual Basura Bash Waterways Cleanup

February 20, 2016, 8AM-12PM

Last year's Basura Bash cleanup of Salado Creek at the Robert L. B. Tobin Trailhead was an incredible success. We are once again spearheading this event for the Robert L. B. Tobin Trailhead and will be needing approximately 200 volunteers to sign up. If you are interested in volunteering this year as an individual or team, you can register here. When registering, select "Salado Creek - Tobin Park (District 10)" as your tributary.

If you are signing up a group, please provide as accurate of a headcount as possible. Our registration closes when we hit 200 volunteers; if you overestimate, we will be shorthanded the day of the event. 

About the Basura Bash Planning Organization: 

The Basura Bash Planning Organization is a volunteer organization with a mission to increase stewardship of the San Antonio Area Waterways through the mobilization of volunteers, community education and building public/private partnerships for the betterment of our community's environment. Basura Bash is the largest single-day waterway cleanup in Texas. This event has seen continued growth over the past 22 years in both the number of volunteers and waterways cleaned. 









SARA WATERSHED WISE REBATE PROGRAM

The San Antonio River Authority (SARA) is currently accepting applications for the Watershed Wise Rebate Program. This program rebates construction of on-site stormwater best management practices (BMPs) to either new construction or retrofitting on property. The rebate program is available in Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties.

BMPs must be designed using SARA's Low Impact Development Technical Guidance Manual. In order to apply, projects need to have a minimum reimbursement request of $15,000 and a maximum reimbursement request of of $100,000. This rebate program is open to design professionals, government entities, neighborhood associations, and environmental non-profits. Types of construction include: commercial, multi-use, right of ways, and neighborhood common space. There are multiple BMPs that qualify for a rebate. Unit volume cost estimates are dependent of the BMP and that BMP's cost per square foot.

An application, rebate worksheet, and drainage map are required to be completed in order for a project to be considered. The application deadline is March 15, 2016 at 5 p.m. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and may be provisionally awarded before the March 15 deadline. Applications will be assessed based on % volume of treated stormwater (whole project), project visibility (open access and good exposure), confidence, and design details.

Stormwater runoff is rainfall that has fallen onto hardened surfaces, such as streets, roofs, and driveways, picked up the various pollutants that are on those surfaces, and carried the pollutants into the storm drain and stream systems. Those pollutants include, but are not limited to, oil, fertilizers, bacteria, heavy metals, gasoline, and sediment. BMPs allow for management of stormwater runoff as close as possible to the source. For more information on SARA's Watershed Wise Rebate Program, please visit www.sara-tx.org.





The San Antonio Public Library invites DIYers, coders, performers, knitters and others to share their hobby and craft with others at the second annual San Antonio Mini Maker Faire. The San Antonio Public Library will host the Mini Maker Faire on Saturday, March 26 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Central Library.

Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, the faire is an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors. The San Antonio Mini Maker Faire is an exhibition of San Antonio's vibrant creative community. Makers (individuals and groups) are invited to present their DIY projects, to show their work and to share what they have learned with the rest of San Antonio. 

Those who wish to participate are encouraged to sign up now. Space is limited. There is no fee to participate. To apply, visit makerfairesanantonio.com. The call for makers closes January 31.

For more information on the faire and how to participate, contact Caroline Mossing at Caroline.Mossing@sanantonio.gov or call 210-207-2678.  


Celebrate Spring with Fest of Tails!  Join the San Antonio Parks Foundation as we welcome spring with our Fest of Tails event. The annual free family event takes place Saturday, March 19th, 2016 from 9:00am to 4:00pm at McAllister Park, near the Wurzbach Parkway entrance, and welcomes kite and dog enthusiasts and spectators from near and far.

Feel free to bring your own kite as well as your own picnic! Fest of Tails is a fun family event and we encourage families to come out and enjoy a sky filled with kites. Don't have your own kite? Don't worry, kites will be sold at the event. At Fest of Tails we also have our local food, and arts and crafts vendors to join us for the fun!

Pooch Parade!
You won't want to miss the popular Pooch Parade with prizes awarded for 'best dressed dog.' Be sure to bring your pooch in their favorite costume and enjoy the 1 1/2 acre fenced dog park. Information on pet registration and pet adoption services will be available and pet supply vendors will be on hand. Also, all dogs must on a leash while the event takes place. 

For more information, see the San Antonio Parks Foundation website






CITY OF SAN ANTONIO EARLY LEARNING SUMMIT

The City of San Antonio invites childhood education administrators, school leaders, teachers and teacher assistants to register for this year's City of San Antonio Early Learning Summit, Jan. 22 - 23, 2016.

During this free summit, participants will learn the importance of nurturing and fostering positive qualities and attributes during early childhood to encourage healthy development. Dan St. Romain, national educational presenter and early childhood behavior consultant, will provide an interactive and engaging session on the key developmental assets students need to succeed.

Day 1 - Friday, Jan. 22, 2016
Administrators & School Leaders
8:00 - 11:00 am
12:30 - 3:30 pm

Day 2 - Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016
Teachers & Teacher Assistants
8:00 am - 12:00 pm

The City of San Antonio Early Learning Summit will take place at the San Antonio Food Bank (5200 W. Old Highway 90). A light breakfast and snacks will be provided. Participants will receive free resources.  All participants must register to attend. 

To register please visit http://www.sanantonio.gov/humanservices.aspx. For questions please call the City of San Antonio Head Start Program at 210.206.5500.



We are proud to be partnering with IT'S TIME TEXAS on the 2016 Community Challenge! San Antonio is excited to participate in this statewide healthy competition. The Challenge is an exciting opportunity for all of us to join together, celebrate, and showcase all we can do to strengthen our health as individuals and as a community. Not to mention prove that our city has what it takes to win the title!

Here's how you can get involved:
  • Log onto the Challenge website: www.ittcommunitychallenge.com
  • Register - it just takes a minute and earns our community 50 points!
  • Start uploading your healthy activities as a community member, as a member of a business, school, community organization, or faith-based organization.
It's easy to start uploading and here are some ideas to get you started:
  • 200 points » Take a Healthy Selfie.
    Snap a picture making a healthy choice! Tag it on social media with the hashtag #communitychallenge
  • 200 points » Organize a Workplace Walk or other healthy group activity.
    How about a healthy office potluck, dropping for 10 pushups every hour with your coworkers, or creating makeshift standing desks with books or boxes?
  • 250-10,000 points » Sign a Pledge. There are pledges on the Challenge website for mayors, employers, school districts, principals, PTA members, and faith-based leaders.
  • 1,000 points » Download the Teach Healthier App. All educators can earn points by incorporating the app's easy-to-implement curriculum. This Teach Healthier tutorial will help you get started! 
This page has additional Challenge information, resources, and promotional materials. We look forward to seeing your participation in this one-of-a-kind competition! 






Grow Over Graffiti 
Tree Giveaway Program


Trees are available to be planted in front of chronically tagged walls, fences, and other surfaces to work as a deterrent for future graffiti vandalism. Drought-tolerant trees are available free of charge, through an application process. Applications will be accepted year-round. 

Contact the Graffiti Abatement Program or our office to request an application. Email lisa.mckenzie@sanantonio.gov or call (210)207-BUFF [2833]

1. Review the application criteria and expectations. Has your property been vandalized by graffiti or is located in a graffiti-prone area? Are you prepared for a 3 year tree maintenance agreement?

2. Call 811 for a utility line-locator service to identify utility infrastructures, prior to finalizing tree sites/selections.

3. When making the tree species selection, use the tree characteristics to assist you, or visit www.treeguides.com for descriptions and more information.

4. Submit completed applications to: City of San Antonio c/o Graffiti Abatement Program PO Box 839966 San Antonio, TX 78283-3966

Available Tree Species
--Desert willow - Chilopsis
--Mexican buckeye - Ungnadia speciosa
--Mexican olive - Cordia boissieri
--Mexican plum - Prunus mexicana
--Texas mountain laurel - Sophora secundiflora
--Texas redbud - Cercis Canadensis var. texensis
--Texas persimmon - Diospyros texana





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Councilman Mike Gallagher | district10@sanantonio.gov | 210.207.7276



Councilman Mike Gallagher, P.O. Box 839966, San Antonio, TX 78283


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