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Dear Sunset Valley Resident,
Over the Labor Day weekend, Central Texas was hit with devastating wildfires. Fires were reported in Hays, Williamson, Travis and Bastrop Counties; and, still weeks later, the Bastrop fire continues—at the cost of thousands of homes lost, acres of beautiful pines, and most important the lives that were lost. I would like to discuss some ac‐
tions the City has and will take to better prepare and lessen the risk of wildfire on public land, and what we as residents can take away ‐ witnessing what has happened in the region.
First and foremost, Sunset Valley, we need to be ready. As we have seen and heard in the media, you will have very little time to pack up and leave during a wildfire. This is not like a flood where you will have time to pick up furniture, pack a bag and call family. When a Police Officer comes to your home during a wildfire, the evacuation is meant to save lives. Every family should know the basics: what will you take, how will you leave and where you will go. And, don’t forget to include in your plan, your pets and how you will transport and care for them away from your home.
Throughout the Spring, guidance on how to prepare for wildfire was provided to each household through a variety of ways. On September 6th, the City sent out an electronic “Wildfire Awareness” survey to determine the success of the City’s effort to distribute wildfire information. This was only sent out by email. Enclosed in this newsletter is a hardcopy of the survey for those residents who do not subscribe to the electronic service. Please take the time to review the survey and complete the information. Also, the week of the 5th, every household should have received a “Sunset Valley Wildfire Plan.” This one page document was hand delivered by the Block Captains and mailed to each household in Sunset Valley. This hand‐out outlined when to go, where to go and what to take in the event of a wildfire.
Last, members of the City Council have been engaged in this issue for some time and requested funds for the next fiscal year for Community Wildfire Planning. The funds for this project will be used primarily to hire additional labor to clear brush and create accessible routes for fire fighting equipment to get into our nature and conservation areas. In June, rep‐resentatives from the Texas Forest Service and Austin Fire Departments toured the City with staff and identified the poten‐tial access routes. The brush clearing will follow the existing land management plan for the City. The remaining portion of the project is to develop a Community Wildfire Plan which will outline how the City will continue wildfire preparation and awareness activities over time. To do all this work, Sunset Valley staff will work with our community stakeholders: Sunset Valley residents, the City Council, Travis County Emergency Management, Austin Fire Department, Texas Forest Service, Austin ISD, and American Red Cross to plan to meet the needs of Sunset Valley.
Sunset Valley, TXSunset Valley, TXSunset Valley, TX The Official Newsletter of Sunset Valley
September 2011
TTTHEHEHE VVVALLEYALLEYALLEY NNNEWSLETTEREWSLETTEREWSLETTER
FROM THE FROM THE FROM THE
MAYORMAYORMAYOR
Barbara Wilson
September Employee of the Month is Tyler Early. Officer Early has been a member of the Sunset Valley Police Department for over 2 years and has been in law enforcement for 6 years. During his time here, Officer Early has excelled in his position. Officer Early is a Team Player and constantly strives to excel in areas of public safety and ensuring that the citizens and community members of Sunset Valley remain safe and secure. Recently, Officer Early was recognized with an award by the Mothers Against Drunk Driving State Board for his tireless efforts to crack down on intoxicated driv‐ers. He was also recognized this year for his dedication to community service when he was on rou‐tine patrol and observed a 2 year old child left home alone. FOX Austin, so touched by the report, requested to do a story on Officer Early which aired this year. Officer Early is dedicated to the suc‐
cess of the Department and believes in community service. Officer Early has spent many hours with Mrs. Grubbs assisting her in chores or just spending time talking to her about the Longhorns. Officer Early is dedicated to his profession and has recently taken the responsibility to become an Advanced Accident Investigator for the Department. This intense certifica‐tion took two weeks of training and several difficult test completions to achieve. The Sunset Valley Police Department is extremely lucky to have Officer Early as a member of our community.
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Council Meeting on August 16, 2011
• Approval on consent of a Proclamation for National Night Out for Tuesday, October 4, 2011. All voted yes. • Approval on consent of a Temporary Special Use permit for the Sustainable Food Center to relocate the SFC
Farmers Market at Sunset Valley to the west end of Home Depot Boulevard on Saturday, October 1, 2010 and authorizing the closing of portion of Home Depot Boulevard in connection with this permit. All voted yes.
• Postponed to the September 6, 2011 meeting consideration of a renewal of the Interlocal Agreement for Food Service Inspections with the City of Austin.
• Presentation by Espey Consultants and staff of options for revisions to the City of Sunset Valley Land Develop‐ment Code Chapter 14 Sign Regulations.
• Presentation of the City of Sunset Valley Budget for FY 11‐12. Council voted to schedule a Budget Work Session for August 30, 2011.
Council Work Session on August 30, 2011
• Staff presentations on proposed FY 11‐12 Priority Projects. Council took no action at this meeting.
Council Meeting on September 6, 2011
• Approval on consent of a Temporary Special Use Permit for Great Promise for American Indians (Austin Pow‐wow) to be held at the Toney Burger Center on Saturday, November 5, 2011. All voted yes.
• Approval on consent of a resolution and agreement with Great Promise for American Indians authorizing the re‐imbursement of expenditures of up to $7,500 from Hotel Occupancy Tax Revenues for eligible promotional ex‐penditures for the 2011 Austin Powwow and American Indian Heritage Festival that will be incurred prior to Sep‐tember 30, 2011. All voted yes.
• Approval on consent to award the bid for the wastewater connection plan for 797‐804 Oakdale Drive and au‐thorize the Mayor to execute a contract. All voted yes.
• Approval of the renewal of the Interlocal Agreement for Food Service Inspections with the City of Austin. All voted yes.
• Conducted a Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget for the City of Sunset Valley for Fiscal Year 2011‐2012.
• Approval to award the bid for annual crack sealing project and authorize the Mayor to execute a contract. All voted yes.
• Approval of a resolution waving a 1% Public, Education, and Government (PEG) Fee to subscribers of Time War‐ner Cable in Sunset Valley. All voted yes.
• Postponed action related to the date of the 2012 City Official Election for the City of Sunset Valley until addi‐tional information becomes available, but no later than the November 15, 2011 City Council meeting. All voted yes.
• Approval to allow City Attorney to file suit for enforcement of the restrictive covenants affecting River Oaks Apartments Property. All voted yes.
COUNCIL ACTION RECORDSCOUNCIL ACTION RECORDSCOUNCIL ACTION RECORDS
The Annual National Night Out event has been scheduled for Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 6:00 P.M. at the Sunset Valley Ele‐mentary School. We invite you and your family in this celebra‐tion of community and safety. There is no cost to participate.
This year’s event will be catered by Pok‐e‐Jos.
T‐Shirts, door prizes and fun for all.
Hope to see you there!
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SUNSET VALLEY 2011‐12 FREE CONCERT SERIES* Sunday evenings at 7:30 P.M.
Sunset Valley City Hall, 3205 Jones Road
*Since the last two summers have been officially declared “too hot for snakes”, the Sunset Valley Arts Com‐mission has split this year's concert series in two: four shows in October 2011 followed by two in April 2012, leading up to ArtFest on Saturday April 28th. October 2nd Matt Smith's World Matt Smith's World is a soulful stew of NYC funk and jazz with a New Orleans strut and a big Texas sound. Carib‐bean meets Mexican with sexy beats, sweet bass lines, and smoky guitar spinning tales of life loved and love lived. No musical style can resist being sucked into the smiling whirling vortex of six creative musicians having flat‐out Big Time Fun! Also featuring drummer Ernie Durawa.
October 9th Earl Poole Ball & The Cosmic Americans If you wore out your copy of the Byrds' Sweethearts of the Rodeo album, come hear the man who tickled those ivo‐ries, Mr. Honky Tonk Piano himself. Earl Poole Ball has performed with Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Glenn Camp‐bell, Buck Owens, Marty Robbins, and many more. And if that's not enough, Earl's quintet will be rounded out by local legends Casper Rawls and Glenn Fukanaga. Boot‐scooters and honky‐tonkers, you'd best attend!
October 16th Shawnda Birch Quartet Shawnda Birch is a gifted jazz vocalist with a flair for the Great American Songbook. She recently completed an eight month season performing the music of Jerome Kern in Austin public schools with the Austin Jazz Workshop. Joined here by an all‐star rhythm section of Floyd Domino on keyboard, Michael Stevens on bass, and Rob Kazenel on drums, this will be a night for jazz lovers to savor.
October 23rd Flying Balalaika Brothers The Russians are coming! The Flying Balalaika Brothers – Zhenya Kolykhanov, Sergey Vashchenko, and Aleksander Kouznetzov – team up with two more musicians to present traditional and varied music of their native country with emphasis on the balalaika, a triangular stringed instrument of Russian origin that sounds strikingly similar to a banjo. The result is rich with old European street charm, Middle Eastern folk, and the occasional foray into American blue‐grass. April 15th 2012 TBA
April 22nd 2012 TBA
Come join us for the seventh annual hike to Crystal Mountain. We will walk from City Hall to Crystal Mountain (and back again). A breakfast picnic will be provided at the overlook. Please R.S.V.P to Carolyn Meredith at 891-9103. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for a fun hike.
Saturday October 1st, 2011 Meet at City Hall at 8:30
Breakfast on
Crystal Mountain
Employee Spotlight Employee Spotlight is a monthly article to feature City of Sunset Valley employees.
Sponsored by the Mayor
Peter Braun, Police Department Officer Braun has almost 4 years of law enforcement experience and holds an Intermediate Peace Officer License. He will have served two full years at Sunset Valley PD on Thanksgiving Day, 2011. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology from Texas A & M University and has a Teaching Certificate from the University of Texas at Austin. Officer Braun serves as an Ad‐vanced Accident Investigator for the Department and as a Defensive Tactics Instructor, holding an instructor certification in S.P.E.A.R. and black belt rankings in four different martial arts. Officer Braun also holds a TCLEOSE Instructor License. After work, Pete’s hobbies include Judo and swimming. He is a member of the Round Rock Martial Arts Judo Club and Nitro Masters
Swim Team, in Cedar Park. Officer Braun also enjoys hiking with his family when its not 100+ degrees out. “I come to work each day because I love my job, the people I work with and the people I work for.”
Mike Zajac, Police Department Officer Zajac started with the Sunset Valley Police Department in August, 2010. Prior to com‐ing to Sunset Valley, Mike was employed with the Travis County Sheriff’s Department as a Po‐lice Dispatcher for just over ten years. During 2008 and while working full time with Travis County, he enrolled in a nine month CAPCOG Regional Training Academy and completed 760+ hours of mandated training in order to become a Peace Officer, graduating in October 2008. The culmination of the training and hard work paid off on January 14, 2009, when he was sworn in as Deputy Sheriff for the Travis County Sheriff’s Department. Mike grew up in up‐state New York (near Buffalo) and lived there until deciding to move to Austin in the Summer
of 2000. He still has family in New York, along with family in Myrtle Beach, Florida, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and California. Outside of work, Mike enjoys working on cars, watching movies, playing computer/video games, weight‐lifting, bowling, anything outdoors, and good barbecue. In the future he wants to finish his Associates Degree, ob‐tain an Instructor and FTO certification and help in training new and reserve officers. Officer Zajac comes to work each day to “a department and community with unified support in the job in which we do. Even with days that can be overwhelming or difficult, this is by far the best job in the world and I am thankful each day I am able to come to work and do my part for the community and its residents.”
JC Hall, Police Department Officer Hall began working for the Sunset Valley Police Department as a Reserve Officer in February 2011. In August, he was hired by the Police Department as a full time Police Officer. Outside of work, JC enjoys relaxing as much as possible, spending time with his friends and walking his dog. He also enjoys going out on the lake, enjoying the water and getting some exercise. Officer Hall is a positive presence to be around. He comes to work each day with the knowl‐edge that everyone here is treated like family, versus just another employee.
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REVIEW PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE TREE PROTECTION REGULATIONS. Land Development Code codifies all ordinances regulating the development and use of real property in Sunset Valley. For fiscal year 2010‐11, the City Council placed updates to the Land Development Code on the priority project list. As the Chapters are reviewed, a proposed revision will be posted to the City’s website for public review and comment. Look for LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE on the City’s Home page. Questions? Contact Carolyn Meredith in the Public Works Department at 891‐9103.
Page 5
Upcoming Meet ings / Events
September 30th Arts Commission Lecture Series October 1st Crystal Mountain Hike October 4th National Night Out at Sunset Valley Elementary October 15th Creek Clean Up October 18th City Council Meeting October 22nd Donkey Dash
~ This Month in Sunset Valley History ~
Happy 57th Sunset Valley!
On September 17, 1954 the Village of Sunset Valley was officially in‐corporated with Clinton Vilven serving as the first Mayor.
August 2011 Police Blotter
Crimes against Persons 3
Burglary of (bldg/vehicle) 1
Alcohol Offenses 7
Fraud Counterfeiting 3
Property Offenses 20
Disturbances 5
Animal Offenses/Calls 8
Drug Offenses 1
Offenses Against State 30
Warrant Arrests 1
Accidents 21
Alarm Calls 29
Calls for Assistance 37
Selective Traffic 52
Traffic Hazard 6
Suspicious Calls 21
Parking Violations 5
Traffic Stops 190
Welfare Checks 12
Violation of City Ordinance 1
Shots fired 1
Sunset Valley Arts Commission Proudly Presents An Evening with: Sarah Bird
Friday, September 30th at 7:00 p.m. Sunset Valley City Hall ‐ 3205 Jones Road
Info: sarahbirdbooks.com Refreshments will be served.
Sarah's books include The Yokota Officers Club, Virgin of the Ro‐deo, The Mommy Club, The Boyfriend School, Alamo House, and How Perfect Is That. She is a columnist for Texas Monthly and has written for The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Made‐moiselle, and others. Sarah will be in Sunset Valley to share tales, answer questions, and read from her latest novel, The Gap Year.
Reviews for The Gap Year: Macleans, Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, Kansas City Star, American Statesman, Kirkus, PW, Good Housekeeping, BookPage, Southern Living, Shelf Awareness, Booklist
Picture taken in the Sunset Valley Butterfly Garden
Community & Economic Development Committee Members Penny Cedel Cherie Pavlica Vicki Chazan Dave Porter Karen Flournoy Nancy Porter Anne Gault
************************************ Planning & Environmental Committee Members Forrest Arnold Mitch Chazan Margaret Bentley Tricia Murphy Helen Besse
************************************ Public Safety Committee Members John Bellanca Art Williams Jeff Burdett Frank Williams Rose Cardona Pam Bellanca– alternate
*********************************** Public Works Committee Members John Bellanca Robb Buchanan– alternate Mary Black Rob Harrison—alternate Randy Machemehl Richard Leigh– alternate Bruce Smith Ron Light– alternate Randy Williams John Moore—alternate Ken Schroeder– alternate
Sunset Valley Arts Commission John Frick, Chair [email protected] Committee Members Betty Dunn Anne Gault—alternate Karen Medicus Melissa Gonzales—alternate Michael Melinger Carla Jenkins—alternate Erika Montero Warren McKinney—alternate Sasha Russell Cat Quintanilla‐alternate Barbara Wilson ************************************ Budget, Finance & Administrative Committee Members John Bellanca Brad Roberts Zubair Hamir Rudi Rosengarten Robert Harrison Liz Wright Walter Jenkins
************************************ Sunset Valley Board of Adjustment Committee Members Wade Buckner Steve Borochoff—alternate Thomas Cedel Susan Durso—alternate Sandy Cox Richard Hayes—alternate Marshall McHone Randall Rosengarten
Barbara Wilson, Mayor [email protected]
Rose Cardona, Mayor Pro tem [email protected]
Forrest Arnold, Councilmember [email protected]
Nancy Porter, Councilmember [email protected]
Rudi Rosengarten, Councilmember [email protected]
Bruce Smith, Councilmember [email protected] ************************************ Sunset Valley Zoning Commission Robert Skewis, Chair [email protected] Committee Members Miguel Huerta Cynthia Nelson Karen Medicus Margaret Bentley Helen Besse—alternate Walter Jenkins—alternate
ELECTED OFFICIALS AND COMMITTEE CONTACTSELECTED OFFICIALS AND COMMITTEE CONTACTSELECTED OFFICIALS AND COMMITTEE CONTACTS
City of Sunset Valley Newsletter 3205 Jones Road Sunset Valley, TX 78745
On Saturday, June 18th, Sunset Valley Police and Austin Firefighters distributed wildfire prepar-edness information. An informational door hanger was left at each home and many residents
had the opportunity to talk with firefighters and police officers.
1. Did you receive the door hanger information? (check one only)
Yes О No О I don’t know О
2. Was the information on the door hanger sufficient to help you and your household to under-stand the risk of wildfire and the steps you can take to make your family and property safer?
(Check one only)
Yes О No О I don’t know О
Comments:
SUNSET VALLEY
WILDFIRE AWARENESS SURVEY
In late Spring 2011, after the Oak Hill fire, the City of Sunset Valley began working with the Austin Fire Department to increase our community’s awareness and preparedness in the event of wildfire in Sun-set Valley. The focus has been to provide information to residents on what steps to take if fire occurs to save lives and property. This survey is to gauge the level of interaction residents have had with the information so far, and seek how to improve our communication with residents on this very important issue. COMPLETE THE SURVEY AND RETURN TO SUNSET VALLEY CITY HALL-3205 Jones Road by October 4th. Or bring your completed survey to National Night Out we will have a drop box available at the front door.
The Texas Forest Service hosted a “Ready, Set, Go” community wildfire forum on May 18th for residents to learn about wildfire risks, measures you can take to lessen the risks on your prop-
erty and how to prepare for a fire in your community. This event was not well attended.
3. If the City hosted another “Ready, Set, Go” course, would you attend? (Check one only)
Yes О No О I attended the course in May О
4. If yes, what is your address:
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A booklet developed by the Texas Forest Service, “Ready, Set, Go” has been posted on the
City’s homepage.
5. Have you reviewed the “Ready, Set, Go” information on the City’s website? (Check one only)
Yes О No О No, I do not have access to the internet О
Comments:
6. If the City were to provide wildfire/risk assessments services on your property, would you be
interested in this service and allow an objective assessment of your property for fire risks?
Yes О No О I need more information О
7. If yes, please provide your address:
Other comments and concerns:
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CITY OF SUNSET VALLEYEVACUATION ROUTES
Toney BurgerCenter
ResidentCheck-In
Dear Sunset Valley Resident, This map is intended to provide information for Sunset Valley residents on a likely scenario for evacuation routes to check in at the Toney Burger Center in the event of a wildfire in or near Sunset Valley. Please look at the proposed route for your street and incorporate this information into your other Wildfire Planning actions. Please keep in mind that a wildfire or other event requiring evacuation may occur in such a way as to necessitate deviation from these planned routes. The Toney Burger Center is identified as a likely check‐in location for residents that are evacuating; however, depending on the location of a wildfire, this location may be impacted and would be unsuitable as a check in location. Police officers and other emergency personnel on the scene may direct you away from the City or the evacuation route noted on this map. If so, follow those instructions. You should have in mind a location of a friend, relative, or other place to which you can evacuate to if notified to leave the City. The City of Sunset Valley and other responding agencies will use available media outlets to provide notification of where residents should call to check in and provide information of your successful evacuation.
