Month: December 2012

From the Office of

Council Member Sullivan

Christmas season is here, and so is the end of my term on Houston City Council.  My last city council meeting just concluded, and I worked hard to make sure that the conservative values of my council district were heard at the council table.  Rest assured, the mayor and city council know what is important to the district.  I have been vigilant in making sure your voices were heard from the first day I was sworn in until the gavel dropped on my last meeting.

 It has been an honor to work for the taxpayers of District E.  As I have said before, it is the most professionally rewarding experience I have ever had.  There is nothing to compare it to, and that is why 3 people ran to fill my seat.  Mr. Dave Martin won the election, and  I could not be more excited for him and the residents of District E.  He is someone I have known for many years, and he has a true servant’s heart.  He will serve us all well.  Also, please know that he is his own man.  He is not afraid to stand up and fight for what is right, and he has great personal values that will help him persevere through the tough times.  It is an honor for me to call him “Council Member Martin”.

Just so you know how well Council Member Martin and I work, we are in the middle of a serious and meaningful transition.  He has hired his staff, and I give them very high marks.  He and I have also sat in on approximately 20 transition meetings with various city departments.  These meetings have proven to be very beneficial so he can hit the ground running when he is sworn in on January 2nd.

Let me thank you again for being so supportive of me during my 5 years on Houston City Council.

Immediate Release: December 10, 2012

Contact: Allie Smart (832) 393-3008

Residents of District E,

I am writing to you to give an update of what has been occurring over the last 30 days, since you have elected me to serve as your Council Member. I would like to begin by saying thank you for your tremendous support in my race for Houston City Council. I am truly privileged to have the opportunity to represent you as your District E Council Member. My highest priority now and will continue to be constituent service; my office will be dedicated to being responsive to you as residents of District E. Please know that you can count on me to uphold valuable service and representation throughout the City of Houston.

Before getting sworn in on January 2, 2013, I am committed to learning as much about the City and District E as possible. With the help of Council Member Sullivan, I have met with City of Houston Department Directors to gain an in-depth understanding about how each city department operates. I  have met with the Director of Finance, Kelly Dowe, Director of Public Works & Engineering, Dan Kruger, City Attorney, Dave Feldman, HFD Assistant Chief Thomas Munoz, and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, Susan Christian. I have twelve additional meetings with department directors before the end of the year. I’ve attended many community meetings and events and have had the opportunity to meet several District E community leaders. I’m looking forward to working with these individuals as we move forward.

In conclusion, I am proud to announce that I have hired Allie Smart as my Chief of Staff. Allie formerly worked at the Texas State Capitol for District 8 State Representative, Byron Cook, serving as Director of Special Projects. Since 2011, Allie has served District E working with Council Member Mike Sullivan as his South Sector Manager, Agenda Director and most recently as Chief of Staff. I would also like to announce that I’ve asked Lauren Doak to serve District E as Director of Special Projects. Over the last year, Lauren has been working as Marketing Specialist in the Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism division promoting the State of Texas leisure travel and meetings markets. Prior to her time in Austin, she was a member of the District E team serving as South Sector Manager for Council Member Mike Sullivan. Both Allie and Lauren bring a diverse set of skills and experiences to the office. They are both dedicated individuals that truly care about the District E community. There will be other exciting personnel announcements in the future.

Moving forward, my office will author monthly newsletters to inform you about the many happenings at City Hall, District E and within the City. Please continue to look out for press releases, news alerts and social media updates. Never hesitate to contact my office to set up a meeting or offer suggestions. As residents of District E, let’s work together to better not only our communities, but the entire City of Houston.

Thank you for the honor and privilege of serving you,

Dave Martin, Council Member-Elect

Residents of District E,    

As many of you know, I submitted my letter of resignation from Houston City Council this past July.  That resulted in the call for a special election on November 6th.  Three candidates filed to run, and Dave Martin handily won the race with 54% of the vote.  Council Member-Elect Martin will be sworn in as the District E Council Member on January 2, 2013.  I am both happy for, and proud of, Mr. Martin for running a positive, issues-based campaign.

In an effort to make the transition from my service to Mr. Martin, he and I have embarked on a rigid and meaningful series of transition meetings.  These will include time with department directors who work closely with our council district, as well as with more global responsibilities (such as budget and finance, legal, and others).  The purpose of the meetings is to give Mr. Martin the latest information on projects going on in his council district and the city at large.  With a $4.2 billion city budget, 25,000 employees, and 200,000 constituents in this city council district, Mr. Martin will gain quite an advantage by spending time with these directors.

I am also proud to report that I have appointed Allie Smart as Chief of Staff of the District E office.  She will continue in this role for CM-Elect Martin after he is sworn in.  There are other exciting personnel announcements that will be made soon.  I congratulate Mr. Martin in his choice of personnel and look forward to them all serving us with a high level of professional talent.  District E deserves only the best, most committed individuals who are dedicated to community service.

The 83rd Legislative Session kicks off in Austin in January.  I give my best wishes for the State Representatives who represent various portions of this council district.  Those are Representatives Dan Huberty, John Davis,  Caro Alvarado, Mary Ann Perez (representative elect), Anna Hernandez-Luna, and Senfronia Thompson.  Make sure you know who your state representative is so you can make your voice heard.  Besides our state reps, we have great leadership from State Senators Tommy Williams, John Whitmire, and Larry Taylor (senator-elect).

In closing, let me say that serving as the District E Council Member for the last 5 years has been the most professionally rewarding experience of my life.  We made great progress in raising the awareness of the council district at city hall, and having worked with 2 different mayors, accomplished a great deal along the way.  I know that CM Elect Martin will make his own mark, and I look forward to his success in representing you.  He has my full faith and support as he goes forward.

 Mike Sullivan

Council Member

 

HFD Retirement

Council Member Mike Sullivan standing with retiring HFD Captain Clifton Wooten.

Council Member Mike Sullivan had the privilege of stopping by Fire Station #27 on November 13th to present a Certificate of Appreciation to retiring HFD Captain Clifton Wooten.  Council Member Sullivan was pleased to see over 75 firemen, family and friends there to celebrate Mr. Wooten’s career and show their appreciation for his many years of service. Council Member Sullivan would like to thank Captain Wooten for his career of service to the citizens of Houston, and wishes him well in retirement.

 

 

 

Council Member Sullivan inspecting the Shawnee Street Bridge.

Sullivan inspects Shawnee Street Bridge

On Thursday November 16th, Council Member Sullivan took time to stop by the Final Completion Inspection of the Shawnee Street Bridge in the south area of his district. While there, Council Member Sullivan met with City engineers who explained different components of the new project. Council Member Sullivan is proud to deliver this project to the community and said “The bridge’s new construction will be much safer than its predecessor.”

 

 

Council Member Sullivan standing with retiring HFD Captain Doug Schwiech.

Retirement for HFD Captain Doug Schwiech

Houston Fire Department Captain Doug Schwiech retired on November 6th, after 35 years of service. Council Member Sullivan presented Captain Schwiech with a certificate of appreciation and celebrated his career along with over 50 fire fighters, family and friends. Council Member Sullivan thanks Captain Schwiech for his dedication to the City of Houston and wishes him well in retirement.

 

 

Lift Station #21

Council Member Sullivan at Lift Station #21.

On November 9th, Council Member

Sullivan stopped by to inspect Lift Station #21, which services a Kingwood area sanitary sewer line. The site is currently undergoing major updates and is making substantial progress, with concrete pylons already in place.  The $3.4 million project includes upgrades including backup generators and an elevated foundation that will improve the reliability of service to area residents.

 

Council Member Sullivan standing with Adolfo Santos, Special Assistant to the President and Chief Liaison Officer at University of Houston – Downtown.

 

 UH-D Community Breakfast

On November 9th, Council Member Sullivan attended the University of Houston- Downtown, President’s Community Breakfast held at the Junior League of Houston. Council Member met with University officials and other community leaders about the University’s success. Council Member Sullivan viewed a presentation given by UHD President Bill Flores on the state of the University and its impact on the Houston area.

 

 

 

Council Member Sullivan and Council Member Elect Martin at the City of Houston Christmas Tree Lighting.

Holiday Celebration & Tree Lighting at City Hall

On November 30th,  Council Member Sullivan attended the Annual Holiday Celebration and Tree Lighting at City Hall,  presented by Reliant. The event is a tradition of music, family fun and fireworks.  Dennis Edwards, seven-time Grammy Award winner and The Temptations Review will headline the event. Council Member Sullivan always enjoys this holiday event and wishes everyone a Merry Christmas.

Retirement for Inspector Eddie Burchfield

The City of Houston Fire Prevention and Plan Checking team held a retirement function for one of its own, Inspector Eddie Burchfield on November 28th at the Washington Permitting Center.  Kelly Waterman, from Council Member Sullivan’s office, was in attendance and presented a certificate Inspector Burchfield for his 43 years of service.  Council Member Sullivan would like to personally thank Inspector Burchfield for his years of service and to wish him well in retirement.

 

 

Upcoming Events

 

December 7-9th– 50th Candlelight Tour at Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park
December 8th- League City 51st Annual Boat Lane Christmas Parade on Clear Lake @ 6pm

December 24th & 25th– Council Office Closed

Happy Holidays!