Tuesday, July 26, 2005

PfCONA TIDBITS - WHAT'S HAPPENING IN PFLUGERVILLE & NEIGHBORHOODS

LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE MAKING THINGS HAPPEN IN PFLUGERVILLE:

July 15th thru August 31st - Pf4 is Seeking Volunteers to Help Construct Fishing Piers
Pf4 is seeking volunteers for construction of six fishing piers at Lake Pflugerville. As far as skills required, it is for those carpenters and fix-it types, including teens, seniors, and groups, with the desire to assist in constructing an outdoor activity for the community at-large. Must be detail oriented and able to follow instructions. Estimated time is two hours per day. Click here for link on Volunteer Match website in relation to this opportunity. Or, click here for Pf4 website for contact information.

July 25th - PfCONA Hosting Travis County's PUBLIC HEARING on County $100 million Bond Proposal at 7pm at Justice Center (this is a follow-up to public meeting in June)
This is a public hearing for the Travis County Citizens Bond Committee $100 million proposed bond election. Will include near final recommendations from committee regarding $100 million bond proposal (core services: roads, drainage, jails, and parks) and on an additional $60 million proposed for open space. Click here for lots of information on committee and subcommittees, possible project lists (including possible projects in v! arious precincts), agendas/minutes, committee member E-mails, meeting schedule, and more.

Click here for press release on other public hearings that will also be hosted around county on July 26th, July 28th, August 3rd, and August 4th.

July 26th - National Night Out Packet Stuffing
Meet on Tuesday from 6p-7p at Justice Center at 1611 E. Pfennig Ln. in a room to be announced. Join Citizens on Patrol, Victim Services, PfCONA, and others to stuff packets for National Night Out block parties planned for neighborhoods on August 2nd. PfCONA proposed this combined stuffing projects 4-5 years ago and it has been successful ever since. Packets will be distributed by Cpl. Mike Clowdus, with Crime Prevention, as early as July 28th.

July 26th - City Council Meeting (to include PUBLIC HEARING* on Pfluger Crossing)
At 7:30pm at 100 E. Main, Ste 500. Click here for PDF of city's zoning code material, including table of permitted uses.

Click here for complete City Council agenda, which includes discussion on: Shop Pflugerville Month; current economic developments, appointing a citizen to Finance and Budget Committee to fill partial term ending Dec. 31st, 2005; Austin Chamber trip t! o Denver regarding transit-oriented development; September Mayor's town hall topic; annexation and ETJ issues; plan to shorten city council meetings, and more. Citizen communication is allowed at beginning of council meeting, which is where citizens can bring any issue/concern they or their neighborhood, etc. have before the council. Council meetings air on Cox Cable Ch. 10 after meeting on Wed. at 7pm, Fri. and Sun. at 11am and 7pm.

July 27th - Cambridge Estates HOA Meeting
Monthly meeting at 7pm at Parks and Rec Center at 400 Immanuel Rd.

Pflugerville Community Night at the Dell Diamond
Come join your friends and community along with Mayor Cat Callen for a night of baseball and fun at the Dell Diamond, Monday, August 1, 2005, 7:05 p.m., for Round Rock Express vs. Salt Lake City Stingers.  Tickets are half price...$5.00 for box seats and $4.50 for reserved seats (add $1.00 for P&H), and it is a fireworks night! Contact the Chamber Office for order forms at 251-7799 or drop by (please call first!).  Or contact Gregg Miller at the Round Rock Express, 255-1558 or email gmiller@rrexpress.com. [Source: GPCC Newsletter] Deadline to order tickets is Tuesday, July 26th.
 
August 2nd - National Night Out (first Tuesday of August), 7p-10p
Now is the time for neighborhoods/block captains to sign up to host block parties. More than 60 parties involving more than 4,000 Pflugerville residents were held last year. Let's all do our part. Neighborhoods are being asked to have residents turn on their lights, lock their doors, and join forces with thousands of communities across the U.S. for the 22nd NNO, America's night out against crime. To schedule a block party, which can help boost your neighborhood efforts/infrastructure, call Cpl. Mike Clowdus at 670-5512 or E-mail: mclowdus@cityofpflugerville.com.
 
August 7th - Saxony HOA Quarterly Meeting
From 7pm-8:30pm at Justice Center at 1611 E. Pfennig Ln.
 
August 8th - PfCONA TOWN MEETING - Pfluger Crossing/City Communication/SH130
To be held at Justice Center at 1611 E. Pfennig Ln. from 7pm-9pm.
Speaker: Mark Aflatooni, with Doucet & Associates will speak and seek input on Pfluger Crossing development (west and north of proposed Wal-Mart development). Landowner is seeking rezoning to general business, multi-family, and residential. Landowner also contracted with Wal-Mart for portion at FM 685 and Pfennig Ln corner. Highlights of previous neighborhood workgroup meeting will be given out and discussed.

Speaker:
Mayor Cat Callen on city communication with PfCONA and other boards/ committees/ community organizations and future SH130 summit.

Other city/PfCONA issues will be discussed/updated as time permits (e.g., "Pf" sticker effort, National Night Out Follow-up, May council voting analysis (neighborhood participation), plan for PfCONA quarterly board meeting (neighborhood leader roundtables), and improvement of neighborhood notification by city/developers/PfCONA.

Note: See http://www.pfcona.org/Meetings-Minutes.htm for past town meeting agendas/minutes. The Mayor, a City Councilperson, City Manager, Chief of Police are scheduled to attend monthly PfCONA Town Meetings. 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.

August 9th - Chamber Chatter
At 11:30 AM, European Bistro. Speaker Dr. Patricia Pickles, PISD Superintendent. Cost: $12. For more info/deadline to RSVP call 251-7799 or go by 101 S. 3rd.St (corner of 3rd and Pecan St.). E-mail: gpcc@sbcglobal.net.

August 9th - City Council Meeting to include 1st Reading* on Pfluger Crossing
At 7:30pm at 100 E. Main, Ste 500.

August 13th - Rep. Mark Strama "Second Saturday" Office Hours
Representative Mark Strama is tentatively scheduled to hold office hours in the Canyon Creek area on Saturday August 13th from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at Peace Lutheran Church, 10625 Ranch Road 620 N, Austin, 78726 - (512) 258-2293.  Rep. Strama and his staff make themselves available to listen to your concerns regarding the important issues in the current Legislative session or other issues important to you and other residents in District 50.  Please come with your ideas, concerns, and suggestions. 

Rep. Strama has averaged about 15 to 20 people attending each office hour meeting.  There has been a wide range of topics from the attendees, but most come to hear an update of what is going on during the session.  The only items that can be taken up during the special sessions are what is placed in the call by the Governor.  For the current 2nd special session the Governor has included property tax, education, telecommunications, and judges salary increase.  Rep. Strama's focus is solut! ions for property tax relief and the education bill.

For more legislative info go to: http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist50/strama.htm. E-mail Rep. Strama at: mark@markstrama.com or call 463-0821 for location of office hours.

August 13th - Fund Raiser Dance for PF4 Pflugerville Fallen Warrior Memorial
A gala/fundraiser for the Pflugerville Fallen Warrior Memorial is planned for Saturday, August 13th at Pflugerville Lions Hall.  There will be live and silent auctions.  To donate to the auction, contact Britta Herzog at Pflugerville Country Gift Gallery, 251-5329.  For more information go to: www.fallenwarriormemorial.org.

August 16th - Mountain Creek HOA Board Meeting
At 7pm at Parks and Rec Center at 400 Immanuel Rd.

August 17th - Lunch with Mayor (third Wednesdays) - cancelled
The mayor's lunch has been cancelled for July and August. She is seeking input on when a good time and day to continue it in September might be. For example, would Saturdays be better?  Or dinners?

In the past, has been held from 11:30a to 12:30pm or so as an open forum and Q&A. Call the Cochruns at 989-9989 to confirm future location. Date is subject to change as needed.

August 23rd - City Council Meeting to include 2nd Reading* on Pfluger Crossing
At 7:30pm at 100 E. Main, Ste 500.

*This is assuming that public hearing, originally scheduled for July 12th is formally changed to July 26th as requested by PfCONA to fit in July 13th neighborhood workgroup meeting beforehand. Again, land is west along Pfennig Ln. and north along FM 685, of proposed Wal-Mart.

September 12th - PfCONA Town Meeting - Superintendent Dr. Patricia Pickles
To be held at Justice Center at 1611 E. Pfennig Ln. from 7pm-9pm.
Speaker: Dr. Patricia Pickles, PISD Superintendent. It is an opportunity for neighborhood leaders and public within and beyond city limits to meet her, learn where she is guiding the district, her vision to work hand in hand with neighborhoods, and more.

Note: See http://www.pfcona.org/Meetings-Minutes.htm for past town meeting agendas/minutes. The Mayor, a City Councilperson, City Manager, Chief of Police are scheduled to attend monthly PfCONA Town Meetings. 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.
 
September 17th - Expo 2005 
On a Saturday from 9am-3pm at Austin's Park 'n Pizza.  This the Chamber's 9th annual Expo. "Where Merchants, Community Services and Families Meet!"
 
Free admission. Featuring helicopters, children activities, martial arts demonstrations, public safety demonstrations and more! Entertainment from school and church groups, food and drink... Great door prizes (must be 18), booth drawings and giveaways AND MORE!
 
Invite your friends, family, neighbors, church groups, civic groups. Drop by the Chamber Office and pick up a flyer to post in your business, church, etc. If you know or are involved with a group who would like to entertain or do a demonstration, contact the Chamber Office at 251-7799 or go by 101 S. 3rd.St (corner of 3rd and Pecan St.). E-mail: gpcc@sbcglobal.net.

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Click here for August City Newsletter, "Pflugerville Pfacts", and past ones on city website. Current issue covers water conservation and has you meet the city council. September newsletter will have information on upcoming board and commission openings.

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 put something on it) 

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OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS/ITEMS OF NOTE:

Pflugerville Post Office to be Named After Byron Norwood
Pflugervilles own, Byron Norwood, who served in Fallujah, Iraq, and who is one of those being remembered via the Fallen Warrior Memorial, was honored by President Bush signing a bill renaming Pflugerville's post office the "Sergeant Byron W. Norwood Post Office Building".
 
Click here for a North County Times (in California) story about Janet and Bill Norwood, who live in Pflugerville. This story came out before bill was signed into law. It includes mention that they are focusing their efforts on Fallen Warrior Memorial and that Mrs. Norward still wears his dogtags. The story also invites readers to donate to the memorial. See how to purchase Fallen Warrior Memorial dogtags in brief that follows. It is one small way that we can remember Sgt. Byron Norwood and others from Pflugerville who served this country. We should all consider wearing dogtags until the money needed is raised.
 
Pay-it-Forward: Fallen Warrior Memorial
Since there is a ways to go in regard to fundraising for the memorial, PfCONA Chair is proposing that PfCONA members and residents "pay-it-forward". In other words, buy a $5 Fallen Warrior Memorial dogtag (you can give more than $5 for each dogtag if you wish) for one or more persons and that person is then challenged to do the same for one or more persons. It can add up real quick and go a long way. We should  
 
In May, the Pflugerville Downtown Association donated $5,000 to the Fallen Warrior Memorial Project. At a brief ceremony at the memorial site in Pfluger Park, the Association presented Fallen Warrior Memorial Committee Chair Mike Marsh the check. Money was raised via PDA's annual PflugerGolf Tournament.
 
Go to www.fallenwarriormemorial.org for more information. Dog tags with depiction of memorial statues on them are available via Janice Heath at First Texas Bank or Michelle Pundt at 670-5527. Know that $27K has been raised so far but $100K is needed.
 
Wear your Pf Shirts with pride!
"Pf" shirts. You don't have one?!  They have them at the Chamber Office for $10. For more info call 251-7799 or go by 101 S. 3rd.St (corner of 3rd and Pecan St.). E-mail: gpcc@sbcglobal.net.
 
Neighborhod Workgroup on Pfluger Crossing
Surrounding neighborhood leaders/residents met on July 13th with Mark Aflatooni of Doucet & Associates, whom they had also met with in relation to Wal-Mart. Land is west along Pfennig Ln. and north along FM 685, of proposed Wal-Mart. Highlights of meeting are being compiled and will soon be posted on PfCONA website. Click here for PDF of city's zoning code material, including table of permitted uses.

In regard to any future development agreement(s) in regard to properties on this land, PfCONA would like the city to include two neighborhood representatives on any negotiations of a development agreement(s). This was mentioned to commissioners at June 20th P&Z Meeting and indicated to Doucet & Associates.

City's Downtown Master Plan Wins "Plan of the Year"
Pflugerville’s Downtown Master Plan received the ‘Plan of the Year’ award from the Central Texas Section of the American Planning Association. The award will be presented at a July 29th dinner in Austin. There will also be an award presentation at the August 9th Council meeting. The Council and the Pflugerville Downtown Planning Committee (PDPC) will have representatives at the APA awards ceremony and Council meeting presentation. PfCONA will be represented at both. It recently provided a letter of support on behalf of city during award application process and it played a role in development and review of master plan before being adopted by Council, not to mention helping seek ways to implement it as a member of PDPC.

Bohls NA is Compiling an Informational Neighborhood List to Share with PfCONA
Sally Gannaway, Bohl's NA President and a member of PfCONA!  is compiling an informational list of Pflugerville HOA's and Neighborhood Associations to share with PfCONA. She would appreciate it if neighborhoods would share with her: 1) HOA/NA name; 2) Mandatory or voluntary membership?; 3) # of homes; and, 4) annual dues. Other contact info is being requested. Sally can be contacted via: MSGANNAWAY@aol.com or 251-8516. This info has been collected in the past by PfCONA via survey and member applications. It is not current and the efforts of Bohl's NA are appreciated, since its members are wanting to compare itself with other HOAs/NAs. List will be shared with PfCONA members.

Marquee Ranch Apartments Update:
Proposed developer has withdrawn proposal to build affordable housing apartments off of Schultz and Meister Ln. Last winter the developer had sent correspondence to all neighborhoods, using PfCONA neighborhood leader listing per city referral, about proposed development. Since then the developer has met with city officials, including a briefing and Q&A session with PfCONA per PfCONA's request.