HNA Fall 2015 Newsletter - Highland Neighborhood Association

Highland Neighborhood Association
Quarterly Newsletter
P O BOX 14109
AUSTIN TX 78761-4109
www.highlandneighborhood.com
(Circulation of 1500 Plus)
September 2015
Fall Edition
HNA boundaries are Hwy 183, N Lamar, Highland Mall, Middle Fiskville Road
HNA
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
PRESIDENT
Alex Schmitz
512-921-8583
VP NORTH SECTOR
Sarah Biggerstaff
512-584-5233
VP CENTRAL SECTOR
Nick Pellicciotto
415-602-1806
VP SOUTH SECTOR
Mike Librik
512-467-4493
TREASURER
NEWSLETTER ADS
Joann Rees
512-452-3426
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
NEWSLETTER ADS
Kitty Traylor
512-451-9479
HISTORIAN
EVENTS COORDINATOR
Dorothy Johns
512-452-1728
WEB ADMINISTRATOR
Marla Schmitz
512-921-8583
Hi Neighbors:
It's been a quiet couple of months for the HNA since the last meeting, which is nice, I
certainly didn't feel like leaving the house, let alone attend any meetings in these
temperatures. Big thanks to everyone who came out to our first 4th Of July picnic at the new
Highland Park, including our donors, Black Star Co-op who donated a keg, and Texas
Pizza, Pasta and More who donated 10 pizzas. Highland resident Timothy Schwader and
his company Capital CDC joined us to present our first large park donation, a $2000 grant
for Highland Neighborhood Park. We do have a few new neighbors to welcome to Highland,
one being a cool little restaurant on St. Johns (see their ad in the next few pages I think),
and a restaurant / brew-pub moving in to one of the old warehouses opposite the old
Highland entrance. Representatives of that development will be one of the speakers during
our 09/08 meeting. We also recently found out that the old shopping center at the corner of
Airport and Lamar was sold in April, and will shortly be re-opening - more on that as we get
the details.
Speaking of speakers, we will also be welcoming Tyler Buckingham to discuss the New
Travis County Civil & Family Courthouse bond election in November. The county will be
asking for a roughly $290 million bond to build a new courthouse downtown. We also have
Jim Witliff from Land Answers, Inc, who is the developer for the NXNW restaurant / brewpub
going in on Dillard Circle. Although he will be applying to re-zone the property, it's a
downzoning that's pre approved in our neighborhood plan. Furthermore, we have Annette
Almendarez, the new Principal at Reilly Elementary, who would like to introduce herself to
the neighborhood. Finally, although our district rep Gregorio Casar usually tries to make all
of the HNA meetings, he's let us know that he's probably unable to make this one - the City
of Austin will be in the middle of their annual budget discussions that evening.
We also have a couple of HNA decisions to make by vote, including whether to allow online
voting for members who cannot attend meetings, and whether to join Friends of Austin
Neighborhoods, an up and coming grassroots neighborhood movement. Finally, we'll need
to decide on HNAs future home. Although we've spent many years with Gateway Baptist
Church, we've temporarily moved to the Marchesa Hall due to scheduling and size issues.
Should we stay at the Marchesa permanently? Let us know your thoughts on any of these
topics either in person, or contact us online prior to the meeting. The Marchesa is behind
A.C.C., at 6226 Middle Fiskville Rd. We open doors around 06:30pm for some social time,
and kick off the meeting proper at 7:00pm.
Whether you're a member of the HNA or not, we look forward to seeing you then - that's
Tuesday, the 8th of September at the Marchesa. Come grab a drink, drop the kids off in the
theater in the adjacent room, and join the HNA for an hour or two for what's going on in
Highland.
Regards, Alex Schmitz, HNA President
HNA FALL QUARTERLY MEETING
MARCHESA HALL
(Linc Center)
6226 Middle Fiskville Rd
TUESDAY, September 8, 2015
6:30 pm
7:00 pm
Social
Meeting
AGENDA
Tyler Buckingham
New Travis County Civil & Family
Courthouse Bond Campaign Presentation
Jim Wittliff, Land Answers, Inc.
NXNW developer on Dillard Circle
Annette Almendarez, New Interim Principal @ Reilly
Greg Casar (will be in middle of council budget session)
Gateway Baptist
Church
7601 Guadalupe St
Austin, Tx 78752
You’re Invited…
Sundays
Worship 11:00 am & 6:00 pm
Sunday School 9:45 am
Wednesdays
Bible Study 6:30 pm
Open Mic for Jesus
September 4
7 - 10 pm
If you love to sing or play an instrument
Or just love to listen to wonderful Praise
And worship music come and join us.
Pastor: David Hellman
dhhellman@gmail.com
512512-745745-1527
Austin-Peel and Son
Funeral Home &
Crematory
Full Service Flowers
www.austinpeel.com
(512) 419-7224
FAX (512) 419-7641
Billy F. Peel
President
607 E. Anderson Lane
Austin, TX 78752
Family Owned and Operated
austinpeel@sbcglobal.net
1st CLASS
COLLISION CENTER
Nelda’s Tailor’s, Inc.
Excellence in custom
tailoring since 1978
Owner: Billy Harp
6820 Guadalupe St
Austin, Texas 78752
Phone: 512.458.1222
Fax:
512.458.1223
Mobile: 512.632.7424
Ask about the
5% Discount for
Highland
Neighborhood
Residents
www.1stclasscollisioncenter.com
billy@1stclasscollisioncenter.com
Celebrating 37 years in Business
Thank You Austin
Austin
Highland Village
6929 Airport, Suite 134
(512) 451-0179
Pflugerville
Settler’s Ridge
1101 W Pecan St
(512) 252-8886
Gethsemane Lutheran Church
“A RECONCILING IN CHRIST MINISTRY”
200 West Anderson Lane
Austin, Texas 78752
512-836-8560
www.gethsemaneaustin.org
email: info@gethsemaneaustin.org
Fall 2015 Theme: “God’s Work, Our Hands”
SUNDAYS
8:15 am Holy Communion
9:30 am Sunday Church School
(classes age two - adult)
10:30 am Holy Communion
WEDNESDAYS
12:00 Noon Worship/Eucharist
5:30 pm Midweek Connections (call office for details)
7:15 pm Eucharist
LABOR DAY WEEKEND - September 6
8:15 am Outdoor Holy Communion
9:30 am Labor Day Weekend Fair/Brunch
10:30 am Holy Communion - Sanctuary
RALLY SUNDAY - SEPTEMBER 13
Fall Schedule Begins
9:30 am Sunday Church School for all ages
FOOD PANTRY/CLOTHES CLOSET
Tuesdays 1:30 - 3:45 pm (bring a reusable bag)
FREE CLASSES - ENGLISH, SECOND LANGUAGE
Childcare Offered (call office for details)
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY PRESCHOOL PROGRAM
Serving children and families since1965
Administrative Leadership Team: Valerie Johnson,
Angelica Lundquist, Dar Joy Krenek & JaMilla Arnold
Accepting children ages 6 wks - 5 years (pre-kindergarten)
Full time: M-F 7:15 am - 6:00 pm
Part time: MWF or TTH 7:15 am - 4:00 pm
MDO (2 yrs - PreK) 9:00 am - 2:30 pm
Hot lunch and snacks provided daily.
512-339-6335
website: glcmchildcare.org
email: glcm@glcmchildcare.org
GETHSEMANE FALL FESTIVAL
October 31, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
For friends and neighbors of the Highland Neighborhood community.
Highland/Skyview Neighborhood
Plan Contact Team
If you enjoy watching the City Council on Austin
Public Television, and are interested in learning
about land-use and zoning, you might want to
be on this team.
If interested, contact
Alex Papavasiliou
alex.papavasiliou@gmail.com
(there is a limit of 16)
Showers are great. They
make you feel nice & clean,
you sound like a professional
singer & they also help you
make all of life’s decisions.
HNA QUARTERLY BUDGET REPORT
September 8, 2015
Joann Rees, Treasurer
BALANCE FORWARD
$1,419.19
Income:
1) Membership Dues…….....….....................$220.00
2) Ads in Newsletter……...…..........................510.00
3) Donation……………………..…...…….……....60.00
Total Income
$790.00
Please support our advertisers!
They are paying for our projects and
activities and the printing of this
newsletter.
Tell them you found their ad in our
newsletter, so they will continue
advertising with us.
SUBTOTAL
$2,209.19
Expenses:
1) Worley Printing……….…..……...……......$547.00
2) PayPal Charges……………………….…….….2.48
Total Expenses
$549.48
BALANCE September 8, 2015
$1,659.71
(Does not include PayPal Account Balance)
People wait all week for friday, all year for summer, all life for happiness
Raimonda-B
MPORTANT DATES
COMING UP
September 8
September 15
October 6
November 3
December 8
HNA Fall Meeting
Donation to Schools Due
National Night Out
General Election
HNA Winter Meeting
NATIONAL
NIGHT OUT
ADVERTISING IN THE HNA
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
TO PLACE AN AD CONTACT:
Kitty Traylor at 512-451-9479 or
newsletter@highlandneighborhood.com
Small $30, Medium $60, Large $90
The deadline for placing an ad is the 10th of
the month in February, May, August, and
November.
Ads need to be in jpg form!
(Microsoft Publisher is used to design the
newsletter and Adobe is not compatible for
adjustments.)
Please send checks to:
HNA, P O BOX 14109,
AUSTIN TX 78761-4109
If you need an invoice, please let me know!
National Night Out is a great opportunity for citizens and law
enforcement to partner up against crime. We invite you to
attend the event, meet your neighbors and commit to helping
law enforcement reduce crime in your community. This year,
National Night Out is Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015, from 7 to 9 p.m.
Neighborhoods must register before Sept. 12.
National Night Out is designed to:
1. Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness
2. Generate support and participation in crime efforts
3. Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police community relations
4. Let criminals know that neighborhoods are organized & fighting back
During the event, residents in neighborhoods throughout Austin
and across the nation are asked to turn on their porch lights,
lock their doors and spend the evening outside with their
neighbors, police officers, firefighters and EMS paramedics.
Events such as cookouts, block parties and neighborhood
walks will all occur simultaneously throughout the city and
nationwide.
You can join the National Night Out event by:
1.Getting all of your neighbors to turn on their porch lights
2. Organizing a block party or some type of neighborhood event
3. Filling out and returning the National Night Out application to
the address below:
Austin Police Department Office of Community Liaison Attn:
Rosie Salinas P. O. Box 689001 Austin, Texas 78768-9001
You may also Register Online OR fax your application to
(512) 974-6222
SECOND CHANCE
CONCRETE
We Cover Ugly Concrete!
Don't tear it out! Cover it with Beautiful Sierra Stone.
512-779-0040
secondchanceconcrete@gmail.com
Call Jerry today for a FREE Estimate
We also do Garages and Acid Staining, Driveways,
Inside/Outside Patios, Around Pools
LUIS’ Corner Barber Shop
6807-A Guadalupe St.
(Corner of Airport & Guadalupe)
Austin, TX 78752
512-323-0602
Senior Citizen Discount
Old Fashioned Straight Razor Shave Available
Locally Owned
Referrals Appreciated
Now 4 Barbers Here To Serve You
Tuesday - Friday: 9:00 - 6:00
Saturday: 8:30 - 4:00
Austin
Community
College
Update
2015 School Supplies Fundraiser
for T A Brown & Reilly
The Highland Neighborhood Association (HNA) is
sponsoring a fundraiser for school supplies for
both T.A. Brown & Reilly Elementary starting today
through September 15th, 2015, and we are asking
for your help!
HNA will match a total donation (of all HNA
constituents) to support school supplies for
both schools up to $500. At which point, a final
donation will be distributed equally to each school
on behalf of HNA.
Since this is a grass roots effort, we can only accept
cash/check; however, for those who wish, names
will be included in the next quarterly newsletter to
thank those who donated for their generosity.
Donations can be submitted by PayPal, mail,
or in person at the September 8th meeting:
PayPal: www.highlandneighborhood.com
ACC plans to
remake the vast,
empty parking lots
surrounding the
former Highland
Mall into a bustling
mixed-use project
will start to take
shape this fall
when work begins
on 300 new
apartments. It’s
the first of many
projects
envisioned for the
site.
Mail Address
2011 HNA School Fundraiser
P.O. Box 14109
Austin, TX 78761-4109
Make checks payable to:
Highland Neighborhood Association
(put School Fundraiser in memo)
Song of the Builders
by Mary Oliver
On a summer morning
I sat down
on a hillside
to think about God a worthy pastime.
Near me, I saw
a single cricket;
it was moving the grains of the hillside
this way and that way.
How great was its energy,
how humble its effort.
Let us hope
it will always be like this,
each of us going on
in our inexplicable ways
building the universe.
GOOD NEIGHBOR
AWARD
JUNE
6702 Isabelle
Put a notice on Facebook that the Dorothy Johns
Triangle needed mowing and “presto” it was mowed!
JULY
600 Hammack
They have been delivering the newsletters for many
years, and also have a great looking lawn!
AUGUST
6906 Priscilla
Supporting the neighborhood for many years! Also,
has a well maintained yard!
—————————The Good Neighbor Award recognizes neighbors in
the following categories:
▪ Property improvement
▪ Neighborliness and caring
▪ Neighborhood safety
▪ Neighborhood improvement, beautification and preservation
▪ Neighborhood organization and participation
To nominate a neighbor call
Kitty Traylor
HNA PARK UPDATE
by Marla Schmitz
Summer has brought many wonderful changes for
Highland Neighborhood Park. The HNA has officially
adopted the park as Friends of Highland Neighborhood
Park and opened a sponsored account with the Austin
Parks Foundation, allowing tax free donations. Our very
first deposit was a $2000 check courtesy of Highland
resident Timothy Schwader and his company Capital
CDC, a non profit who facilitates small business loans
and encourages economic development. Through the
City of Austin cost share program, Capital CDC's $2000
grant will grow to $6,667, helping provide amenities at
the park when master planning is completed. We are so
grateful to Capital CDC for their interest and
generosity!
Speaking of master planning, the City has chosen Norris
Design as the master planning consultant, and
anticipates public meetings beginning in October or
November. In the meantime we will continue to see
changes at the park. As of now much of the fencing and
some of the dugouts have been removed from the north
field, leaving a wide open space for us to run and play,
and greatly opening up the space surrounding the trees.
As things slow down for PARD in the winter they will
begin to clear out more concrete and old bleachers, and
clean up some of the trees hindering visibility. A portable
restroom has been placed on site because we do not
have access to the concession bathrooms as they are
not handicap accessible. PARD will also be installing
some picnic benches and trash receptacles, and
possibly a drinking fountain.
The park has been busy with a soccer league and UHO
kickball on Reznicek Fields. I've seen people out there
running, kicking balls, and walking their dogs.
The park is looking more and more like a neighborhood
amenity, so go check it out for yourself! I look forward to
seeing you at the master planning community meetings
and hearing your input into how we can make Highland
Neighborhood Park AMAZING!
A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING
BUSINESSES FOR THEIR DONATIONS TO
OUR 4TH OF JULY PICNIC
12 Pizza’s
Texas Pizza
Pasta & More
6929 Airport Blvd #158
(Highland Village Center/Airport & Lamar)
512-419-0006
www.txpizza.net
____________________
1 Keg of Beer
Black Star Co-op Pub & Brewery
7020 Easy Wind #100
512-452-2337
www.blackstar.coop
GREG CASAR CHECKING IN
AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT DATA
Hi everyone!
I hope many of you are having a great start to the new
school year, and I hope by the time you read this that the
summer heat isn’t as overbearing. September is an
important month for our City as City Council will approve
the Fiscal Year 2015-2016 budget from Sept. 8–Sept.10.
You can now access the last 18 months of
crime information, which is updated daily,
through an interactive mapping program
called the Crime Report Viewer at:
www.ci.austin.tx.us/police.
In this budget, my priorities are maintaining high-quality
City services and ensuring everyone can share in
Austin’s prosperity. I was excited that the funding
proposal I authored earlier this year for $740,000 in
tenant assistance was incorporated as a part of this
proposed budget. There are several other initiatives I’ll be
looking at to improve our North Austin neighborhoods,
including funding for our parks maintenance (which would
include improved maintenance at Highland's new park
space!), pedestrian and roadway improvements, and
ensuring continued funding for family resource centers
including the one at Webb Middle School.
Officer Steven Gordon has been promoted!
A new representative! Is pending!
For questions contact:
Reviewing District 4 Traffic Priorities for Upcoming
Funding Opportunities
Through Council resolution, additional funding was
approved to support Transportation improvements across
the 10 City Council Districts. My office is surveying
constituents as to where that funding should be allocated,
and I hope you’ll provide insight on what you’d like to see
improved in the Highland area! Please send an email to
John.Lawler@austintexas.gov to share which small
Transportation projects matter most to you.
Upcoming Office Hours and Stay in Touch!
My next set of office hours will be on September 4 from
1pm to 3pm at the Windsor Park Library at 5833
Westminster Drive. Please contact my Communications
Director Shelby Alexander at 512-978-2157 if you would
like to set up a 20 minute appointment. In September, my
office hopes to move forward on issues that matter in
Highland including making it easier to build a backyard
cottage at your home, and making it safer and simpler to
cross North Lamar. As always, my office and I are
available at 512-978-2104. If you need to reach me
immediately please shoot me an email at
Greg.Casar@austintexas.gov. I want to hear from you!
This site has a link for Registered Sex Offenders.
Joseph Jiles, Senior Deputy
Office of the Constable, Travis County Precinct 1
512-854-7510 or 512-917-8465 Cell
HNA Newsletter Printed By:
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Promotional & Advertising Products
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3217 I-35 North
478-4064
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HNA MEMBERSHIP FORM Complete this form and bring it to the next meeting or mail it to HNA, PO Box 14109,
AUSTIN, TX 78761- 4109. You can also pay with PayPal at our website. Dues are $15.00/year for each household. You must
be a resident of this neighborhood (property ownership does not make you a resident)! We are not a Homeowners
Association — you do not have to own your property to be a voting member.
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