Friday, May 06, 2005

PfCONA Tidbits - May 6th

THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN PFLUGERVILLE:


May 6th-7th - Friends of the Pflugerville Library Used Book Sale
Friday from 1p to 6p and Saturday from 10a to 6p. at Library at 102 S. 10th


May 7th - ELECTION DAY for Council and School Board
Polls open from 7a-7p. See further "Pflugerville VOTES" Project section below for more information.

May 9th - PfCONA Town Meeting at 7pm at Justice Center
From 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. or so at Pflugerville Justice Center.

Main Discussion Topics:
-Mike Marsh will share information regarding Fallen Warrior Memorial*
-There will be discussion on positive/negative impact of development in or near neighborhoods
(such as daycare wishing to locate at S. Railroad and Walter that is requesting rezoning)**
-How city and PfCONA can partner to improve notification and education of neighborhoods regarding proposed developments and process***
-Marketing of Pflugerville/City Pride Effort (update by Mayor)

The Mayor, a City Councilperson, City Manager, Chief of Police are scheduled to attend monthly. PISD/School Board has been invited to send a representative like council does on a rotating basis. PISD Public Information Officer has been frequently attending.

*Go to www.fallenwarriormemorial.org for more information. Also, ask about dog tags with depiction of memorial statues on them (donation of $5 or more). See Janice Heath at First Texas Bank for them or go to booth at Deutschen Pfest. Some may be brought to May 9th meeting as well. Lookout for Fallen Warrior Memorial float in DPfest parade.

**Contact Helen Mary Marek, Creekside acting President, at hmvmarek@tfi.com, for more information on involvement of neighborhoods surrounding this development.

***A request is being prepared for City Council, since a meeting between City Planning Director, Building Inspector, and PfCONA Chair on possibility of supplementing site development code so that notification of neighborhoods regarding zoning, rezoning, variances, and more is increased to 500 ft (from 200 ft), to 14 days instead of 10, and includes courtesy notification of PfCONA so that it can notify neighborhood leaders and help educate them on process. Next stage is to get citizen, neighborhood/community organization, and council feedback on draft proposal, including a possible petition to council showing support.

May 14th - Deutschen Pfest Bike Tour
1st ever 30K. Cost $20. Register at Rec Center or at www.active.com. Course begins at Hendrickson High.

May 14th - The 13th Annual Postal Carrier Food Drive includes Pflugerville
All citizens need do is to place a box or can of non-perishable food next to, on top of, or hanging from their mailbox before their letter carrier delivers mail on 2nd Saturday, May 14 (or drop food of as early as May 9th in post office lobby hamper). The carrier will do all the rest. The food is taken back to a postal station, sorted, and then delivered to the food bank. There it is available for needy families of which 30 million face hunger every day in America, 12 million of them children (1 in 6 go hungry in Pflugerville school district area alone).

The Natl Assoc of Letter Carriers, on every 2nd Saturday in May, works with carriers in 10,000 cities, 1,500 NALC branches, and Campbell Soup to have millions of Americans donate food for America's food banks, such as the Capital Area Food Bank in Austin, which will receive this year's donations. Over the past 12 years, more than half a billion pounds has been collected. Click here for press release/fact sheet and click here for others. Pflugerville Post Office Contact for Food Drive: Megan Stuart Ramirez at 251-1184. Watch for reminder postcards in the mail.

May 14th - Rep. Mark Strama Office Hours
Rep. Mark Strama will hold office hours on Saturday, May 14th from 10 a.m. to Noon at Bluebonnet Trail Elementary in Harris Branch Subdivision. Mark and his staff will be available to listen to your concerns regarding the important issues in this Legislative session or other issues important to you and other residents in House District 50. Please come with your ideas, concerns, and suggestions. Bluebonnet Trail Elementary is located at 11316 Farmhaven, Austin, Tx. 78754.

May 15th - PflugerGolf 2005 Tournament - sponsored by Pflugerville Downtown Association
Second annual tournament starts at 2pm at Star Ranch off FM 685. Portion of proceeds (75%) goes to Pflugerville Fallen Warrior Memorial that is planned at city park. Sponsors include Pflugerville Community Development Corporation and Keep Pflugerville Beautiful. Contact David Garlick at 835-6695 for more information or click here for registration flyer on PfCONA website. Click here for levels of sponsorship flyer. It would be great if neighborhoods considered forming teams to raise money for this great cause.

May 15th - PHS Boosters Golf Tournament
Starts at 12:30pm at Blackhawk Golf Course. Funds go toward varsity football player with leukemia. It would be great if neighborhoods considered forming teams to raise money for this great cause.

May 18th - Lunch with Mayor
Being held from 11:30a to 12:30pm or so. It is an open forum and Q&A. Call the Cochruns at 989-9989 for location, which lately has been Mom's Cafe at 15803 Windermere.

May 20th - 22nd Deutschen Pfest - sponsored by Parks and Recreation
30th Annual German festival, including May 21st 11am parade and May 22nd Pfun Run at 8am. Click here for related information, contacts, and for booth applications. Call Deb Dye at 251-5082 to volunteer for DPfest.

June 18th - Pflugerville Police Association Golf Tournament at Star Ranch
Shotgun start at 8:00 am. Perhaps neighborhoods or community organizations may wish to field a 4-person team. All proceeds go to PPA - PISD Student Scholarship Fund. Click here for registration flyer on PfCONA website. Contact David Kohler before June 13th to register at 670-5580.

June 25th - Famers Market at Falcon Pointe
From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Residents Club, 19015 Falcon Pointe Blvd. Event contact: Janie Balderas, Falcon Pointe Activities Director (also a PfCONA member). E-mail: janie_balderas@sbcglobal.net or call 989-7656. May also be held in July and August. Stay tuned for more up-to-date info.

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Click here for other! dates listed in May 2005 City Newsletter on city website (includes Parks/Rec upcoming events).
Click here for other meeting/event dates listed on City Calendar on city website.
Click here for events at library.
Click here for public notices on City website.
Click here for city council and other boards/commissions/committee agendas and minutes on city website.
Click here for Community Calendar sponsored by PfCONA.(ask how to get something on it)

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OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS/ITEMS OF NOTE:

PfCONA Pflugerville VOTES! Project - to get neighborhood pfolks out to vote.
Saturday, May 7th, is ELECTION DAY for City Council and School Board!

You may be the difference in whether your friend or neighbor votes or not.
Knock on their doors, call or E-mail them, offer to drive them, encourage them to make it to the polls. You'd be amazed how many of your own friends, neighbors on your block, co-workers, leaders, and club/church members never make it to the polls or just plain forget to go.

Send them to www.pfcona.org to find out more about the candidates and to links on where to go vote today or on ELECTION DAY, Saturday, May 7th.

City Council Polling Location:
May 7th from 7am-7pm at City Hall, 100 E. Main, Ste 500.

PISD Main Polling Location*:
May 7th from 7am-7pm at Admin Bldg, 1401 W. Pecan

Let's be able to say that Pflugerville VOTES!!!
...and that neighborhoods helped get out the vote.

*See www.pfcona.org for link to other PISD voting locations.

See Cox Cable Ch. 10 for candidate forums hosted by PfCONA to help voters make informed decisions. They will be broadcast till May 7th.

April 22nd Lunch/Exchange of Ideas between PISD Superintendent and Neighborhood Associations/PfCONA went well
Four neighborhood/homeowner associations and PfCONA were able to meet with Dr. Patricia L. Pickes, new Superintendent of PISD to discuss the importance of the partnership between neighborhood associations and schools. The issueu of communication, building up of support and vested interest for one another, and the ability to share resources such as facilities were discussed.

Dr. Pickles believes that neighborhood/homeowner associations bring together theh residents of the district and can offer a voice for the community. By working together, we can establish the"mutually beneficial partnership" that is identified as a goal in the PISD Plan and continue to provide the kind of school system that brings pride to the community.

Saxony HOA Has a Swimming Pool for the Residents in Your Neighborhood
Our pool is open year round and it's a hideaway from the hustle and bustle. What's great is you don't have to own your own neighborhood our household pool. Memberships from May 1st, 2005 through April 30th, 2006 are $230. Tentative pool membership meeting is set for June 6th for those that join. E-mail nyland.mj@worldnet.att.net about making payment and getting a key for your household. Up to five guests allowed outside household and chaperones must be 18 or older. Go to: http://www.pfcona.org/Saxony.htm for pool-related forms/rules. Ask about our $50 parties and borrowing a key to try out the quiet pool with your family. Come check out what your neighborhood is missing.

The Storehouse (food pantry) in Pflugerville is asking residents for help during Summer months
Visit www.thestorehouseofaustin.org for how your neighborhood, block, organization, or household can help. Or call, 989-9989 or E-mail: thestorehouse@sbcglobal.net.

Month-End Sales Tax Statistics
According to the Texas State Comptroller's Office, the City of Pflugerville collected sales tax revenue for March 2005 of $95,423 which is down 10.15% from March 2004. However, the YTD collection is $669,013 which is up 15.35% over last year. The current city sales tax rate is 1.5% with .5% going to the 4B Tax Corporation (PCDC). PCDC reports a collection of $53, 374 for March 2005. [Source: GPCC Newsletter]

PfCONA is looking for neighborhood leaders to officially represent their neighborhoods as PfCONA members and residents and community organization leaders that wish to support our efforts as associate members

Go to our How to be a Member section at: www.pfcona.org/HowTo.htm. Also review our website to learn more about what PfCONA is about and what it has been involved in.

Note: PfCONA Executive Committee voted in March to change dues to $12/year ($1 per month), but to allow for prorating and for dues to cover a household.

Note: Other proposed developments may involve presentations by developer at PfCONA Town Meetings or neighborhood workgroup meetings. PfCONA is also working with Pflugerville Downtown Planning Committee on updates to and implementation of downtown master plan.