Council Member Fred Flickinger's April Newsletter

Monthly Newsletter

April 5, 2024 Issue 2

Dear District E Residents,

Yesterday, Mayor Whitmire announced significant changes to how the city charges customers for water use to restore transparency and trust in the system. Over the past year, we have heard from many residents regarding inaccurate water bills. In 2023, changes were made to city ordinance to address the concerns, but these policy changes were insufficient.

Starting April 1, 2024, single-family residential customers will have set usage calculated, which will be reflected in their May bill. This set usage will provide customers with consistent water bills while Houston Public Works (HPW) makes necessary improvements to ensure the accuracy of future monthly water usage readings:

Customers' set usage will be calculated as the average monthly water consumption, available on your account, using up to 36 months of data. More info on this here.
The calculation will NOT include charges during the City's drought or freeze, water leaks on a customer's property, or charges for zero or estimated bills.
This set usage will prevent surprises in water bills, as the city works to accelerate the replacement of failed remote meter reading devices.
If customers are using less water than their set usage and have a working remote read device, they will be billed for their actual usage.
If customers are using less water than their set usage and do not have a working remote read device they will receive a credit for the difference between their actual usage and set usage once their remote read device has been replaced.
Single-family residential customers will continue to receive a set usage bill until an upgraded remote reading device is installed on their property or the accuracy of the current remote reading device is verified.
The city expects to install approximately 125,000 remote reading devices throughout Houston beginning immediately and will fast-track the replacement of failed devices.
Customers with an upgraded, working remote reading device will transition to a water bill reflecting their actual usage as early as August 2024. These customers will receive a notice 60 days before their bill is transitioned to the new billing format.

The primary issue causing high and often inaccurate water bills is failing water meter remote read devices. A failing transmitter does not affect your water meter’s ability to accurately measure consumption, but it does affect the ability to accurately transmit consumption information. The City currently has 125,000 failing devices with the capacity to read only 40,000 meters manually each month. This has necessitated estimated bills, calculated using an outdated algorithm.

The city started the effort to replace end-of-life remote read devices in 2019 and so far, 85,000 devices have been replaced. Replacement efforts were stalled during the pandemic when the chip shortage slowed technology procurement globally. Throughout the rest of the year, HPW will redirect meter-reading resources and add contractors to accelerate the remote read device replacement efforts, to replace the 125,000 devices that have already failed by the end of the year.

Customers who are in queue to have their failing remote read device replaced will receive a notice once their device has been upgraded and tested. After confirmation of a working device, customers will receive a 60-day notice before they are converted back to actual billing.

In addition, HPW is working on several changes and upgrades to the water billing system to ensure a holistic approach to tackling the various issues, including:

Expand in-person customer service availability. Customers can now schedule in-person appointments to ask questions about their bill. These appointments will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 10 am – 3 pm at 4200 Leeland (Houston Public Works Water Customer Service Office). There is also a virtual Microsoft Teams option. Customers can schedule appointments at houstonwaterbills.org or by calling 713.371.1400.
Employ new quality control measures to alert to possible inaccurate bills and easy resolution process for disputed bills.
Streamline relief requests into one centralized form.
Redesign the utility bill to make it easier for customers to understand.
Amend confusing city ordinances that bureaucratize water billing customer service.
Develop a leak detection feature for private water lines to notify single-family residential customers of leaks on their property.
Implement triggers to pause the auto-draft payment of a customer’s bill when it exceeds a certain threshold.

More information about this program can be found at improvewaterbills.org, including how to update your contact information to receive alerts about changes to your billing. If you have questions about this program, please reach out to the HPW contact center at (713) 371-1400 between 8:00 am and 7:00 pm Monday through Friday or email improvewaterbills@houstontx.gov.

I believe these changes represent a meticulous and careful approach to the issues that have plagued residents over the last few years. I look forward to seeing how these changes positively impact residents and if anyone experiences any issues please don't hesitate to contact my office.

Sincerely,

The District E Office

Council Member Fred Flickinger

900 Bagby, First Floor

Houston, TX 77002

Email: districte@houstontx.gov

Phone: (832) 393-3008

The District E Team

Dustin Hodges

Chief of Staff

Mark Mitchell

Deputy Chief of Staff

Demari Perez

North Sector Manager

City Resources

Kingwood Community Center

(281) 348-2570

Houston 311 (713) 837-0311

City of Houston Solid Waste Department

City of Houston Office of Emergency Management

Community Resources

Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

South Belt-Ellington Chamber of Commerce

Partnership Lake Houston

Kingwood Service Association

Kingwood Super Neighborhood Council

Mark Mitchell, Deputy Chief of Staff

The District E office welcomes back our newest team member, Mark Mitchell, who is now the Deputy Chief of Staff for District E.

Mark is a lifelong Houstonian; he was born and raised in the South Belt-Ellington area. He graduated from Texas A&M at Galveston with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine Biology.

Mark previously spent time in the District E office as the South Sector Manager. He then left to join the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership where he was a Marketing Manager, and Program Manager for the Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program.

Mark is looking forward to picking up where he left off serving his community as a member of the District E Team. We're happy to have him back!

Tree Lane Bridge Rehabilitation Project

Council Member Fred Flickinger would like to make Kingwood area residents aware that Houston Public Works will begin the Tree Lane Bridge Rehabilitation Project beginning Monday, April 8, 2024, and scheduled to conclude Monday, September 9, 2024, weather permitting.

The scope of work includes repairs to the Ben's Branch channel and columns of the bridge, ensuring that the structural integrity of the bridge is bolstered to withstand potential scour/erosion challenges. The project cost is $909,000 and is funded by the dedicated drainage and street renewal fund.

The rehabilitation project is a necessary response to the rip rap failures under the bridge, which have resulted in severe scour/erosion, posing potential risks to access and safety. Furthermore, the channel condition under the bridge has been identified as a significant contributor to the flooding of Ben’s Branch natural stream, emphasizing the urgency of implementing immediate improvements for flood prevention and protection.

As a result of the construction activities, please be aware of flagmen and orange traffic cones that will be put in place on-site to help with traffic flow through the construction zone as the project will require one lane closure at times. Businesses and residents will have access to driveways and sidewalks at all times and may experience an increase in noise levels due to trucks and equipment in the area.

Texas Lyceum 2024 Public Conference Mission Control: Texas’ Leadership in Space, Technology, and Innovation

Council Member Flickinger and District E staff attended the 2024 Texas Lyceum Public Conference along with attendees from across the state. At the conference Texas elected officials and Aerospace Industry leaders gathered to discuss Texas’ leadership role in the development of the Lower Earth Orbit (LEO) economy, advancements in the Aerospace Sector, and the growth of the Texas Aerospace Industry Workforce.

In the second half of the conference, attendees had the opportunity to visit the Houston Spaceport, Space Center Houston, and NASA Johnson Space Center. For more information about the Texas Lyceum Public Conference please click HERE.

Partnership Lake Houston's Kingwood Bizcom

Council Member Flickinger was honored to attend the highly anticipated Kingwood BizCom event on February 22nd. It was an exceptional gathering, where a diverse range of businesses, community members, and school officials united to address the specific needs of Kingwood.

The event featured distinguished speakers who brought their expertise and insights to the table. Among them, the notable presence of Congressman Dan Crenshaw added immense significance. Congressman Crenshaw, known for his leadership and dedication, shared his vision for the community's progress and inspired all in attendance.

Additionally, Council Member Fred Flickinger, actively contributed to the event. His valuable perspective on community development and ongoing progress resonated with the participants, further reinforcing his commitment to Kingwood.

The Kingwood BizCom event provided an invaluable platform to foster collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and community engagement. The contributions of Wes Soloman, Devon Alexander, Desirae Perry, and Billy Beattie further enriched the discussions, addressing various aspects of importance to Kingwood.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the speakers and attendees for their active participation and dedication to the betterment of Kingwood. Together, we can continue building a thriving community.

Greater Houston Partnership's Future of Texas

In February, Council Member Flickinger joined Council Members Twila Carter and Joaquin Martinez as a featured speaker on a panel for the Greater Houston Partnership's Future of Texas series.

This series was specifically designed for government relations, public affairs professionals, and concerned citizens who are passionate about shaping the future of our great state. During the event, Council Members Flickinger, Carter, and Martinez delved into the most pressing issues facing the city and shared their plans and priorities for their first term in office.

This panel discussion provided a unique opportunity for Greater Houston Partnership members to engage with leaders, gain valuable insights, and actively participate in shaping the future of our city and state. We hope that those who had the opportunity to attend found it informative.

NASA Johnson Space Center Exploration Park

NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) announced the plans to develop 240-acres of land at JSC, named Exploration Park, with the Texas A&M University System as the first tenant. Texas A&M University plans to construct a facility to enable human spaceflight research and development, the Texas A&M Space Institute.

The American Center for Manufacturing & Innovation (ACMI) was the second tenant to be announced. ACMI will help build out commercial and defense facilities aimed at space exploration, manufacturing and advancing similar technology at the unused land just outside the fence of Johnson Space Center. The development will be a Space Systems Campus. The goal is for the site to be an applied research facility that partners several different kinds of agencies, from academia to the government.

Freeway Manor Civic Club Meeting

Council Member Flickinger had the pleasure of attending Freeway Manor Civic Club's March meeting. The primary topic on the agenda was the ongoing issues with illegal dumping and squatters in homes in the Freeway Manor, Sun Valley Terrace, and Gulfway Terrace neighborhoods. Also in attendance was HPD Chief Finner, Executive Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite, Assistant Chief Adrian Rodriguez, HPD-Clear Lake Commander Claudia Cruz, and Constable Precinct 2 Jerry Garcia.

Council Member Flickinger had the opportunity to take a tour of the community with a group of leaders the day before to see the issues firsthand. Thank you to residents who are leading on these issues and to HPD and Constable Jerry Garcia for their commitment to resolving them.

Kingwood Battery, Oil, Paint, and Antifreeze Event

Bear Branch Elementary Tree Planting

Council Member Flickinger was excited to participate in the Bear Branch Elementary Tree Planting event. The event was a collaborative effort by the phenomenal 3rd-grade teacher teams at Bear Branch Elementary, Trees for Kingwood, Jesse Jones Park, and Apache Corporation.

The 3rd-grade students were taught about the importance of planting and taking care of trees, and the long-term effects it has on our environment. Through this educational collaboration, an impressive total of 232 trees were grown to be planted in the community.

This event provided a hands-on learning experience for the students and highlighted the significance of environmental stewardship within the community. By planting these trees, the students are directly contributing to the beautification and sustainability of the Livable Forest.

The dedication and efforts of the 3rd-grade teacher team at Bear Branch Elementary, their enthusiastic students, Trees for Kingwood, Jesse Jones Park, and Apache Corporation for organizing such a meaningful and impactful event.

Report a Streetlight Outage

CenterPoint Energy maintains streetlights throughout District E and the City of Houston. If you notice a streetlight out in your area, please click on the link below to report a streetlight outage.

You will be asked to provide:

a pole number (or nearby address) for the non-functioning lights you want to report
contact information (in case more information is needed to locate a streetlight)
an e-mail address (if you want feedback regarding your repair request)
the number of streetlights you would like to report

The system will guide you through the remaining steps. To repo rt a streetlight outage using the interactive map, click here.

Report general power outages by calling 713-207-2222 or toll-free 800-332-7143.

Utilizing 3-1-1 to Report Issues

Residents may act as extra eyes and ears on the streets, and soon you'll be able to report a pothole, a malfunctioning traffic light, or a drainage problem while you're out and about. Houston 311 has launched a new smartphone app that makes reporting issues like these easier than ever. The app uses GPS to identify your location and also allows you to snap a photo to add to your service request. The new app allows for reports to be automatically routed to city departments for resolutions.

You can still alert the City of Houston of issues by dialing 3-1-1 or 713-837-0311 of potential problems in your community. Houstonians can also access this helpful service via an e-mail to 311@HoustonTX.gov. A self Service Request (SR) form is available online at www.houston311.org. Once you've reported a problem please follow up with the District E office by emailing your case number and information on the issue to the District E office at districte@houstontx.gov to help ensure the problem is addressed promptly.