Recently, I’ve heard it said that the past week feels like a month or more. It certainly has been odd, with more snow than I’ve seen since I arrived here in 1998. As January comes to a close, I find myself looking forward to 2025 while also casting one last look back at the final word on Lights in the Heights 2024.
Looking Forward - District H Townhall Meeting Update
Council Member Mario Castillo, District H, held a town hall meeting at the Woodland Park Community Center on Saturday, Jan. 25th. This is the second in a series of meetings that he's arranged. The purpose of the meeting was to review initiatives and accomplishments in 2024, detail plans for 2025, and garner feedback from the community.
The council member mustered significant support from various city, regional, and state services. Many tables were set around the room, with people available to answer questions. These included Houston 311, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) on I-45 and I-10 projects, COH Solid Waste Management, METRO, COH Department of Neighborhoods (DON), COH Fire Department (HFD), Houston Land Bank, The Harris County Area Agency on Aging, Friends of Woodland Park (FWP), COH BARC, and the Houston Parks & Recreation Department.
The presentation lasted a solid 90 minutes, including a spirited question-and-answer session. It covered more than I can address here, but I will mention a few highlights that stand out to me.
When traffic calming was implemented in Woodland Heights in 2016, White Oak Drive and Houston Avenue were considered significant feeder streets. We were not allowed to deploy traffic cushions on those roads. In 2024, CM Castillo worked with a neighbor on White Oak Drive to recategorize that street. As a result, it's now possible to consider traffic calming measures along White Oak Drive in the future.
Pedestrian safety is to be improved along Houston Avenue. The new crosswalks at Parkside Drive and North Street were described previously. The council member showed a work-in-progress design for a new pedestrian island planned for the crosswalk at Bayland Avenue. This will significantly help people walking to & from Travis Elementary School.
Representative Garcia took a few minutes to address federal issues at the gathering. She offered some interpretation of some things resulting from the recent spate of executive orders from the incoming president. She noted a "red card" that's available that details a citizen's rights when dealing with an immigration enforcement agency like ICE.
She further noted that a recent White House pause on federal funding may impact some major construction projects (I-45) involving federal funds. That received a small round of applause from the audience.
The Q&A session was lively. The single largest concern appeared to be trash collection, including heavy trash and tree waste. The council member explained the constraints faced by the solid waste department (staffing and equipment shortages). Mr.Richard A, Nguyen from Solid Waste noted they are just as frustrated as residents. They work seven days a week with equipment often beyond its intended lifespan.
Given the difficulty of sticking to a fixed schedule, it's worth monitoring the COH Solid Waste social media channels. These typically have schedule updates. The HTX Collects app for smartphones is also useful.
There was a question about the $240M deficit in the city budget. CM Castillo noted that's "a big number." Also, a pair of studies are underway that will (hopefully) provide some guidance on how to address the matter.
One thing is clear to me: CM Castillo is busy. His first year in office was definitely ambitious. The next may be less frantic but hopefully just as productive.
Michael Graves