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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNews from City Hall; newspaper (Jan./Feb. 1994)news �fm C I College Station, Texas College Station Moving Ahead With Recycling The City of College Station is taking significant steps forward in its efforts to become an environmentally friendly community. Several changes are being made to the city's recycling and solid waste reduction programs. The Public Services Department is expected to announce some changes intended to increase efficiency and key personnel are being added to the department in its on -going effort to make positive changes a reality. One of the key employees is Katie Gibson, College Station's new Recycling Coordinator. Gibson came from Grand Prairie, Texas, where she served as their Recycling Coordinator for two years. She's not a complete newcomer to the Bryan /College Station area, though. She received her Masters of Public Administration degree from Texas A &M University in 1989. Prior to that she received her Bachelors Degree from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. According to Gibson, many communities find themselves trying to fit together the solid waste puzzle, only one piece of which is recycling. "The focus is on many aspects of solid waste reduction," she says, "from recycling to yard waste reduction to curbing he amount of waste produced by businesses." Gibson's approach to this complicated problem is an educated one. She has received her Solid Waste "A" Certificate from the State of Texas. She also has a commitment to these issues that is quite apparent. "This is really an exciting job. My favorite part is talking with local school children about the difference we can all make together." Gibson will oversee the upcoming changes to College Station's Curbside Recycling Program. Please see the story on page four and five for detailed information on that program and how these changes may affect your residence. City Growth Continues, County Unemployment Lowest In The State As reported by the December 22nd issue of the Eagle, Brazos County has now extended its record of lowest unemployment in the state to 52 consecutive months. That statistic is indicative of the growth being sustained by our county. The economic engine that drives that kind of success is the Bryan /College Station area. According to College Station's Building Report for November, 1993, almost every category of building activity is up from November last year. When comparing the whole year through November, the difference becomes dramatic. In 1992, the number of residential home permits issued through November was 278. In 1993, that number rose to 327. In 1992, four duplex, one public building, ten commercial, and 33 lease space permits were issued. In 1993, each of those categories grew. Duplex permits rose to 45, public buildings rose to seven, commercial permits increased to 16, and lease space permits grew to 53. continued on page 7 In This Issue... New Recycling Focus 1 City Growth Trend 1 PUD Safety Streak 2 CSFD Grows With City 3 Curbside Recycling 4 Survey Results! 6 Parks & Rec Reflects 6 City Growth (Cont'd) 7 Public Hearing 8 We Need Your Tree! 8 College Station's new Recycling Coordinator, Katie Gibson i Jk1kf1J1i&q/ 2994 u�'Y _ News Fio& L.tty► I Public Utilities Department On A Safety Streak College Station's Public Utilities personnel are prouds folks, and with good reason. Capitalizing on a sense of customer - friendly service, a strong sense of teamwork and departmental pride, the group of approximately 130 employees has managed to work 189 consecutive days without a lost -time accident. At this writing, the hourly total for accident -free man hours was 120,235. When considering the potentially hazardous environments associated with the electri- cal and water/ wastewater positions, these statistics become even more impressive. College Station Utilities personnel have man- aged to achieve the level of safety they have today due to a variety of safety awareness programs. One program, called "Clean Sweep," was kicked off in October of '93. Its purpose was to promote a neat and organized work area that helped facilitate a safe and efficient work environment. It seems to be doing just that. "Clean Sweep" uses rotating monthly inspec- tions in three critical areas: vehicles; offices; and work areas such as warehouses, parking areas or other large work spaces. The inspections are con- ducted by members of the department's Safety Com- mittee and awards of recognition are presented at the department's monthly safety meetings. "Awards" are not just given for the best within a category, but also for the worst. Categories include the best and worst kept office or work area, as well as the best kept vehicle or unit. Humorous titles such as "Mop Man" and "Plunger Man" have been given to the awards and each one comes complete with a trophy constructed in its namesake. Funny as the awards are, each employee understands that safety is no laughing matter and they take it quite seriously, as evidenced by the excellent safety record. According to Jennifer Nemec, Safety Commit- tee Chairperson and longtime College Station em- ployee, the attitude is the starting point from which this type of success begins. "We have a great group of people out here that take a lot of pride in the work they do." Says Nemec. "We're going to continue to work hard at keeping our safety streak going." If you know one of the city's Public Utility employees, thank them for making safety a priority. From left to right: Daniel Ybarra, David Bettencourt and Ed Savage are presented their "Clean Sweep" award by Safety Committee member Elton Williams. Jennifer Reeves proudly poses with her trophy after winning in the 'Best Office' category. Ray Havens sports his "Plunger Man" award for the messiest office. Better luck next time, Ray! News From City Hall January/ February 1994 3 New Stations, New Equipment, Same Commitment At CSFD The College Station Fire Department has always had a commitment to serving the public. However, new leadership and increased responsi- bilities are strengthening that commitment. New stations, equipment upgrades and the growing area in need of protection are high priorities throughout the once -small department. As Brazos Valley and College Station continue to grow at a rapid pace, so does the need for emer- gency services to cover the ever - widening area of homes and businesses. Along with the increased responsibility comes the greater need for equipment, personnel, and fire stations to house resources. Along with that greater need for resources, however, comes the need to find better and more efficient ways of using what we have. The fire department's recent purchase of a new fire engine, or pumper, was a perfect example of the type of decision - making needed in order to achieve that goal. The pumper incorporates several of the same features as other vehicles in the fleet, but manages to do so at substan- tial savings. It does this primarily by utilizing a standard commercial chassis as opposed to a custom - designed one. (See photo at left.) By purchasing a functional rather than fancy piece of equipment, the fire department upgraded their fleet of firefighting vehicles at a critical time and saved the taxpayers roughly $100,000 in the process. According to Fire Chief Bill Kennedy, the need to increase capabilities to match the size of the community being serviced is critical. "As College Station grows, we must grow," says Chief Kennedy, "and we must ensure that the department's expan- sion be as efficient as possible." Firefighting personnel up and down the chain of command seem to agree. A sense of pride and ownership is evident toward the new pumper spe- cifically, and the expanding role of the department in general. The College Station Fire Department will continue to meet the challenges of a growing com- munity with pride, professionalism and commit- ment. College Station's ladder truck is mounted on a custom chassis. Note the cab difference with the vehicle below. The new pumper is mounted on a standard commercial chassis, but loses virtually nothing in performance over fire engines of the past. College Station firefighters and community leaders ceremoni- ously entered the new engine into service. 4 January/ February 1994 News From City Hall Now.... Recycling Is In The Bag For All Of College Station! UPDATE ON CURBSIDE RECYCLING HISTORY: In October of 1990, the City of College Station kicked off a pilot curbside recycling program for residents in certain sections of the city east of Texas Avenue. Through that program, residents utilized clear plastic bags to store recyclable materials, which were later picked up from their curb. In March of 1992, the city expanded the program to in- clude all single family residences east of Texas Avenue. At the same time, another phase of the city's recycling program was put into effect. Curbside recycling collection using green plastic bins for single family residences west of Texas Avenue was started. In short, both aspects of the program were a success, and the city began reviewing both the bin and bag methods of storage and recovery. That review is complete and city staff have concluded that using the clear plastic bag method is more cost effective for the citizens of College Station. Plans are now being made to convert the whole city to the same recycling collection method. Early this year, all single family residences west of Texas Avenue will be converted to the clear plastic bag collection method of recycling. A recycling kit with instructions, a map with the recycling collection schedule, a supply of clear plastic bags and a tag for ordering more clear bags when you run out will be delivered to each residence before the start of the new program. All single family residences east of Texas Avenue will continue using the clear plastic bag collection method of recycling they have now, with a few schedule changes. A quick review of the recycling collection schedule map will tell you when your collection day is or you may call 764- 3690 to find out. Here are some key questions you may have concerning this change to the recycling program. C7 5� (DTI p n 4; WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF BAG -BASED RECYCLING? • Convenient one -way trip to curb saves time for residents. Residents don't have to retrieve the empty bin from the curb. • Residents can use as many or as few bags as needed, handling extra volume when a party or holiday generates more than usual recyclable items. • Bags can be easily and securely tied, reducing spillage and curbside litter. • Bags protect recyclables from wind, rain, and insects. • Bags allow residents to store recyclables in the kitchen area or anywhere convenient and sort/ separate recyclables at the source. • There is a possibility of using the same system, with a few modifications, in multifamily/ apart- ment settings. HOW DOES CLEAR RAG RECYCLING WORK? It's really easy. Just follow a few simple steps! Look for your recycling kit to be delivered to your home. The kit contains instructions, a map with the collection schedule, a green tag for ordering more bags when you run out, and a supply of clear plastic bags. News From City Hall DON'T THROW U5 AWAY! WE CAN BE USED AGAIN. WHY CAN'T WE RECYCLE PLASTICS? January /February 1994 Right now, we do not have a secure and cost feasible mar- ket for plastics in our area. There are over seven different types of plastic resins. There are some markets developing for #1 PET (soda liter bottles) and #2 HDPE (clear milk or water jugs) to be recycled into new products. Yet, these markets are not stable and constant and most of the pro- cessing plants are located out of state. As these markets develop and become more secure and closer to our area, the cost feasibility for participation will increase. The city of College Station will continue to monitor these market conditions and will add plastics to our recycling program when a secure and cost feasible market is available. We encourage you to buy products made from recycled plastic, especially those with post- consumer content to assist in the development of demand for recycled plastic. You are not recycling unless you BUY RECYCLED! WHAT WILL THIS CHANGE COST ME? There will be no additional charge added to your garbage collection bill for this change. Prepare and separate recyclables into clear plastic bags. Use a separate bag for each material and color of glass. Newspapers and magazines can go in the same bag. Aluminum cans should be rinsed, crushed and placed into a bag. Please rinse and remove the lids and neckrings on the glass containers. Separate the glass into the three colors: clear; brown /amber; and green /blue; place in a bag using one for each color. Set clear plastic bags at the curb when full on your weekly recycling collection day. When more bags are needed simply tie the reorder tag to the last bag and more bags will be delivered to your home. If you lose the reorder tag, call Texas Commercial Waste at 775 -7171; give them your address and tell them you need more recycling bags. Please make sure bags are mostly full before setting them out at the curb. WHY CAN'T WE JUST PUT EVERYTHING IN ONE BAG? We need your help in sorting the recyclables because we don't have a materials recovery facility in our area that can automatically sort them. If we had to sort the recyclables by hand, the costs would be much higher. By putting each of the materials in a separate bag, you help keep the process- ing costs down. In addition, paper and glass cannot be mixed due to potential glass breakage which would con- taminate the paper. DO I HAVE TO PARTICIPATE? No, the recycling program is strictly voluntary. However, by offering this service to our citizens, we are giving you the opportunity to make a difference in your community. Recycling saves valuable landfill space and conserves resources, water and energy. By participating in curbside recycling you can help the city of College Station use your resources wisely. WHEN IS MY CURBSIDE RECYCLING PICKUP DAY? When the recycling kit is delivered to your home, it will include a map with the curbside recycling schedule for each area of the city. Remember, bags must be out on the curb no later than 8:00 a.m. on your designated pickup day. Use only the clear bags provided by Texas Commercial Waste for recycling. The clear plastic bags are not to be used for your other household garbage. WHAT DO I DO WITH THE OLD GREEN PLASTIC BIN? You can keep it and reuse it as a laundry basket, toy box, garden bin, storage box, etc. Or you can give it to someone (a student or neighbor) or someplace (day care or school) that might be able to reuse it. Please don't throw it away! WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION IF NEEDED? You can call the City of College Station Public Services Department at 764 -3690. 6 January/ February 1994 Community Appearance Issues Enjoy Citizen Support In the last issue of News From City Hall a survey was in- cluded asking you, the citizens of College Station, what you thought about various community appearance issues. Approxi- mately 50 people responded, with a clear majority of those in support of community appearance issues. The survey was put together by the Community Appearance Committee in order to gauge response on a few key questions. The results of that sur- vey are listed below. Questions requiring other than a yes /no answer are not represented, but were similar to the results below in their support of community appearance issues. Do you think roadside litter is a problem? YES 63% NO 37% Do you feel that leaving wooded areas between develop- ments would enhance the appearance of our city? YES 96% NO 4% If walking trails were built throughout the city, would you use them? YES 83% NO 17% Do you support leaving wooded areas along the Highway 6 Bypass for the appearance of city entrances? YES 89% NO 11% Would you support amending city ordinances to protect mature trees on or around commercial sites? YES 89% NO 11% Should there be an ordinance to screen from view the outside storage of materials on commercial property? YES 75% NO 25% Would you contribute to a fund for the sowing of wildflower seed along the Bypass and along FM2818? YES 75% NO 25% If you have any questions or comments regarding commu- nity appearance, contact your Community Appearance Commit- tee Chairman, Mr. Paul Williams, at 696 -9156. News From City Hall Parks &Recreation Reflects On A Year Of Accomplishment, Recognizes Employees PARKS & RECREATION COI[EC,E STATION The Parks & Recreation Department had one of its busi- est years on record in 1993. The Wolf Pen Creek project and the Adamson Lagoon Waterpark both posed major challenges for the hard - working department. Both projects really only started with their completion, however, as thousands of citizens streamed into both attractions to take advantage of the quality entertainment provided by their Parks & Rec Department. These accomplishments are made possible by Parks employees, and a select few of those people were honored recently. Awards were given to those employees who have best exemplified the department's four main values: dependabil- ity, teamwork, innovation and professionalism. An award was also given to the Part - time /Seasonal Employee of the Year, and the Overall Employee of the Year. As always, choosing the employees to receive these prestigious awards was difficult, but the following employees were chosen for their outstanding efforts in 1993. Eric Givilancz & Delmer Charanza Dependability Peter Vanecek Teamwork Sheila Walker Innovation Robert Hensarling Professionalism Seasonal Employees of the Year: Jennifer Johnson Operations /Forestry Jana Bishop Recreation Mat Burt Conference Center Stacey Hall Aquatics Diane Church Instructions The Overall Employee of the Year Award goes to Leslie Boykin, Conference Center Set -up and Maintenance Coordina- tor. Leslie was chosen for her outstanding service and dedica- tion throughout the year in support of the numerous events and activities that took place in 1993. Congratulations to all of these fine employees for their hard work and untiring efforts to "Provide the Good Things in Life" for the citizens of College Station. News &,,m City Hall januai : , February 1994 7 City Growth... continued from page one As evidenced by the very high level of activity in the Building Permit Office, the trend seems to be hold- ing. According to Shirley Volk, Development Coordi- nator for the city, this growth period is reminiscent of the early 1980's, when the building permit office had a much larger staff than they do today. "We haven't seen this level of building activity since around 1983," says Volk. "In 1982, we had a record - setting year and we're really not too far from that now." The new businesses being built around College Station put pressure on the demand for labor, which in turn holds the unemployment rate down. But another huge factor in the growth we are experiencing is the continued expansion of Texas A &M University. Ac- cording to Dr. Yusuf Mansur, an Economics Professor at Texas A &M and relative newcomer to the area, the emergence of TAMU as a "world class" university drives a lot of economic activity. "As Texas A &M grows, so does the surrounding area." Says Dr. Mansur. New businesses adding to the list of newcomers to the area are the Hollywood 16 Movie Theaters, the Scott & White Annex, the Toys -R -Us Store and Red- ' Line Burgers, just to name a few. Very recently, City Slickers Restaurant and Applebee's Restaurant have been proposed as well. Ensuring that this new growth compliments the community and helps increase the quality of life for area residents is just one of the many responsibilities of municipal government. College Station's leadership works to accompl-sh this through many avenues. One of those is the development of areas specifically tailored for future businesses, such as the College Station Busi- ness Park south of town. Another is the Wolf Pen Creek Corridor, which was specifically designed to enhance the lives of College Station citizens through recreation and by providing an infrastructure capable of supporting future businesses. Yet another aspect of growth management is Streetscape, a program which provides for the aesthetic growth of the community. Ensuring College Station remains a beautiful commu- nity as it grows (see story opposite page) ranks high on everyone's list. As a city, we are fortunate that many factors have blended to bring the Bryan /College Station area to the level of growth it now sustains. Meeting the many challenges this success presents us with is a task that city officials have been, and still are, proud to face. New commercial developments are up from 1992. The new Hollywood 16 Theater is just one example. New single - family homes are also up from 1992. Duplex and apartment construction are currently posting the largest gain. M January/ February 1994 News From Citv Hall Thoroughfare Plan Revisions To Be Considered There will be a Public Hearing on proposed amend- ments to the city's Thoroughfare Plan on January 6th at the Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting. The meeting will be held at City Hall at 7:00pm. The Public Hearing is being called to hear citizen views concerning the Thoroughfare Plan and some proposed amend- ments to it. City employees have been hard at work drafting these proposed amendments for the past several months. The amendments address numerous proposals, including adding some new streets and extending some existing streets. Other proposed revisions would expand the Thoroughfare Plan to cover the rapidly developing areas south of town. The need for these revisions have come about due to increased development pressures, recent annexations and southward growth of the city. Two of the more noteworthy amendments to be dis- cussed at the Public Hearing are the realignment of Walton Street with Lincoln, and extending Wellborn Road around to South Highway 6 near Greens Prairie Road. The Walton - Lincoln connection, if approved, would serve primarily as an improved Eastgate route to and from the Texas A &M Univer- sity campus. The Wellborn Road extension would be a Texas state project if approved, and would serve as an alternate route to South Highway 6 into and out of the Bryan /College Station area. Please do your Part.,AECYCLEr 4ft C� IL -c 0 J q xv Wait! Don't Dump Your Christmas Free, Recycle !t! The Parks & Recreation Department's Forestry Division wants your tree for composting, so please i and bring yours by Cei instead of dumping it up valuable landfill sp; will be taking trees froi to 5 p.m. this Saturday, ary 8th, and on Sunday January 9th, from noon until 5 p.m. Please be sure to remove all decorations so you will not con- taminate the composting proce- dure. Flocked trees cannot be accepted for the same reason. Give a gift back to Mother Nature! After the holiday season, let us compost your tree! "News From City Hall" is published bimonthly by the City of College Station's Public Relations & Marketing Office. Mayor: Mayor Pro Tem: Council Place 2: Council Place 3: Council Place 4: Council Place 5: Council Place 6: Larry Ringer Fred Brown Hub Kennady Lynn Mcllhaney Vernon Schneider David Hickson Nancy Crouch City Manager Asst. City Manager: Asst. City Manager: Ron Ragland Tom Brymer John Woody Editor: Peggy Calliham Public Relations & Marketing Manager Writer /Designer: Bob Yancy Public Relations Assistant P.O. Box 9960 College Station, Texas 77842 (409) 764 -3510