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Joyce Akins called the meeting to order at 10:10 a.m. Two candidates introduced themselves with a few words--Sandra Peake running for Family Court and Billy Briscoe running for Harris County Treasurer. Our first speaker was Milton Winebrenner, president of the Sharpstown Civic Association. Milton has a long history with the organization and has lived in Sharpstown since 1968. Sharpstown has about 6,800 homes but only 2,000 pay dues to the association. The association handles deed restrictions,a monthly newsletter, runs a website and Facebook page. It also intervenes with night club liquor licenses, if needed to protect the neighborhood. Candidate nights are held occasionally and the next one is on September 23. The association is trying keep the residential areas liveable. HISD changes are also in the works and the association is keeping up with those announcements and taking an active part to represent the residents. Our second speaker was Mike Laster who has served as chairman of the Sharpstown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) since 2008. Sharpstown is a large community of 300,000 people inside the big city of Houston. The TIRZ allocates and locates civic monies for ecomonic development. The Halliburton tract street was the first project; a project is in the works to improve Bellaire Blvd. from Mary Bates to the Beltway with added lanes, replaced infrastructure, water lines, sewers and new signage. The next project is a serious study of flooding on Fondren. The study will look at why it floods and where the water is coming from. In addition, there are potential monies for the mall areas. The Greater Sharpstown Management District was created in 2005; it is funded by an assessment against commercial properties that was first levied in 2006. Each year the district pulls in about $1 million. First on the agenda was to help with the crime response time and with gang graffiti . At least 2000 sites have been painted over and calls are handled through the constable's office. In addition, almost 600 street lights had been out and are now back on. Lighting and cameras definitely deter crime. Sharpstown will be divided into 6 different areas for signage/marking purposes--University is the newest one. Each "section" will have special colors, special plantings in the esplanades and special signs to show the diversity of Sharpstown and the features this neighborhood is proud of (e.g., the hospital, HBU, etc.). Then Bert Anson made some announcements--on September 11 at Pappas, there will be a kick-off with candidates, including Bill White. Several people are working on apartment voter registration. VAN training is scheduled for July 31 at HCDP headquarters. Bert is trying to identify high school clubs to get them registered to vote. Club Business: The minutes of May 22, 2010 were read and approved. The treasurers' report was approved as read. Joyce spoke about the IHOP meeting and that 24 people showed up. At the state convention, Marty Koerner was nominated for the resolutions committee and he thanked everyone for their support. The issue of the two-step process was voted upon at the convention and will remain intact. For the November election, it is key that voters vote straight ticket to ensure a Democratic victory. HCDP has developed the "50 for Victory" effort that encourages precinct chairs to concentrate on 50 "surge" voters and get them to the polls. Speakers for upcoming meetings are Jamaal Smith in August; U.S. Rep. Al Green in September; State Rep. Scott Hochberg in October; and of course the planned immigration forum in January. Aster volunteered to bring refreshments in August. The meeting was adjourned at 12 noon. The next meeting is Saturday, August 28, 2010. Respectfully submitted, Mary Haper, Secretary
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