Town Creek Drainage Project Updates

Later this week, portions of Avenue J and 14th Street will be closing and Garney Construction will begin working during the day.

The only entrance to the Midway Plaza will be from the northwest entrance on University Avenue. Within the next 7-10 days the northwest entrance will be closed for paving and drivers will use a new southwest entrance (closer to 14th Street) for access to the Midway Plaza.

Around the week of July 31, University Avenue, both entrances to Midway Plaza, and the Walker County Annex parking lot will be open. Construction along University Avenue will be completed.

Stay tuned for more construction updates at www.HuntsvilleTx.gov/TownCreek.

It's Not a Goodbye, It's a See You Later

At the end of July, two wonderful City employees will be retiring. Public Works Director Carol Reed, and Street Superintendent David Welch. We asked them a few questions about their time with the City before they go on well deserved extended vacations!

Carol Reed, Public Works Director, started with the City of Huntsville on November 4, 1992. She began as the Laboratory Analyst, and then took on many roles including Environmental Services Superintendent, Public Utilities Director, and finally Public Works Director.

We asked Carol her retirement plans, they were simple but sound great. "Become a Snowbird...winters in Texas and summers in Pennsylvania!" Reed said.

A note to the City from Carol: I have always been very proud to be a City of Huntsville employee. Thanks to everyone at the City for all your friendship and support over the years...it has been an honor and privilege to work with all of you.

David Welch, Street Superintendent, has been with the City for 29 years. David has been with the Street Division his entire career with the City, the first 13 years as the Street Supervisor, which was the same as what we call the Assistant Street Superintendent now. He has been Street Superintendent since 2001.

"I have a new granddaughter to spoil, I have my gardens, two homes to take care of and lots of other things I like doing.I will probably stay busy with most of that for a while. I might solicit a little bit of tractor work or carpenter work to pick up some extra pocket money," David said about his retirement plans.

A note to the City from David: I'm going to miss the comradery with the folks in the Street Division and others that I've been working with all these years, some of them over 25 years. Sometimes it feels like I'm going to walk away from part of my family, but I know where to find them if I want to see them so it's not like they are never to be seen again.

The City will miss David and Carol but we wish them the best of luck and happiness in their retirements.

Volunteers Needed For City of Huntsville Lead and Copper Sampling Program

The City of Huntsville is seeking help from residents to complete water quality sampling as required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). This program requires water providers to collect a certain number of samples to be analyzed for drinking water quality standards. This year the City of Huntsville must collect samples from 60 residences. These 60 residences must be sampled two times in 2017-2018 - once before December 15, 2017, and then again before June 15, 2018.

To ensure the best sampling and testing process, the TCEQ assigns the highest priority to sampling single-family homes built between the years 1982 and 1988. Due to building materials used during this time period (copper pipes with lead solder), homes that fit this category are more likely to exhibit lead and copper leaching.

In order to collect a representative sample, water must be collected from a kitchen or bathroom sink that is not equipped with a filtration system and where water has sat unused in the lines for a minimum of six hours. The best way to accomplish this is to collect the sample first thing in the morning before any water is used, which is most easily accomplished by the homeowner.

For this reason, the City is seeking volunteers interested in participating (at no cost to the homeowner) . The City’s Environmental Services Division will provide participants with a sample bottle and detailed instructions on how to properly collect and handle the sample. Also, participants will be given a copy of the lab analysis when they are complete.

If you are a City of Huntsville water customer for a home built between 1982 and 1988 and would like to participate in this program, please contact the Public Works Department at 936-294-5707or email Environmental Services Superintendent, Kimberly Kembro at kkembro@huntsvilletx.gov.

City Council Candidate Packets Available

Candidate packets for the 2017 City of Huntsville General Election are available through the office of the City Secretary at City Hall, 1212 Avenue M, or on the City web site at huntsvilletx.gov/Elections or huntsvilletx.gov/Elecciones.

The City Council seats for a Mayor At-large Position and Ward Councilmembers 1-4 will be on the November 7, 2017 general election ballot. Filing for the positions will be from July 22, 2017 to August 21, 2017, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the office of the City Secretary (City Hall, 1212 Avenue M).