Fall 2009
BELLAIRE WEST NEWSLETTER
BELLAIRE WEST COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION
P. O. Box 278 Alief, TX 77411

Summer is almost over and it will soon be time to return to school, enjoy cooler weather, and enjoy Halloween parties and trick or treating.
We hope you all enjoyed your summer vacation in spite of the record setting hot weather.

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT BLOCK CAPTAINS NEEDED

National Night out will be observed on Tuesday, October 6 from 6:30 until 8:00 PM
We had a better turn out than usual last year but still would like to see more residents participate and are in need of volunteers to be a block captain. Block captains will be provided with invitations they can distribute to their neighbors along with something new this year. Block captains will be eligible to win the drawing along with all their guests.
To volunteer to be a block captain, please contact Joanne Radford at 281-433-9508
In order to spice up national night out there will be a $100 cash drawing to encourage participation and help neighbors to meet and visit with their neighbors. To be eligible to win the prize, you must give your coupon to any block captain on National Night Out. Come join us, bring your lawn chair and a dip, chips, snack or cookies and enjoy getting to know your neighbors.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT COUPON

BELLAIRE WEST SUBDIVISON
NATIONAL NITE OUT TUES DAY OCT 6 2009

$100 CASH DRAWING
WINNER ANNOUCED OCT 26TH

NAME

ADDRESS

PHONE #
BLOCK CAPTAIN

ONE COUPON PER HOUSEHOLD ADDRESS

HEAVY TRASH PICK UP
We have received a number of complaints that many of you have been putting the incorrect type of heavy trash out which causes the neighbor to appear unkept and unclean. The city will only pick up the type of heavy trash scheduled for that month. Anything else will be left to be picked up the following month. Also, many of you are putting your heavy trash out weeks before the scheduled pickup day. The is unsightly, unsafe and unsanitary. Failure to comply with this city ordinance could result in a fine of between $200 and $300 from the city. City Inspectors are scheduled to check neighborhoods and issue citations to enforce this ordinance.

If you notice residents in violation, please report the violation to 311.

Unfortunately, being fined may be the only way to get some people to comply with this ordinance.

Junk waste will be picked up in: February, April, June, August, October, and December.
Junk waste is defined as items such as furniture, appliances, and other bulky material.
You may legally put out your junk waste for pick up after 6PM on the Friday before your scheduled pick up date.

Tree Waste will be picked up in: March, May, July, September, November, and January
Tree Waste is defined as clean wood waste which consists of tree limbs, branches and stumps. Lumber, furniture or treated wood will not be accepted of the day designated for tree waste. You may legally put out your tree waste for pick up after 6PM on the Friday before your scheduled pick up date.
If you have questions, or do not know your scheduled pick up dates, call 311, or 713-387-0311, or log on to www. Houstonsolidwaste.org.

COMMUNITY CENTER RENTAL
Joanne Radford is responsible for community center rentals.
She may be contacted at 281-433-9508. Please be sure to leave a message so that she may return your call.

We would like to extend a special thank you to all of the people who have rented the center since the remodeling for doing such a great job in keeping it clean and following the decorating requirements. The building is here for us to enjoy with our family and friends.
We should all be proud of how nice it looks. It certainly is an asset to our community.

As a reminder to anyone wishing to rent the community center, no alcohol may be served unless the renter has paid to have 2 security guards on duty during the endurance of the party. All parties will be checked and this, as well as decorating restrictions, will be strictly enforced Anyone serving alcohol or allowing alcohol consumption without the proper security present will be asked to leave immediately and the deposit will not be returned. Failure to comply with decorating and cleaning requirements will also result in non return of your deposit. Please respect the money we have spent to improve the facility and help us keep it in good condition.

BELLAIRE WEST COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION
2008 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Officers Name Phone Term to Serve
President Jackie Harrison 281-498-7433 2009 & 2010
Newsletter,

Vice President Larry Greer 281-933-1183 2009 & 2010
AC/Deed Restrictions

Secretary Julia VanderWilt 281 933-7314 2009 & 2010

Treasurer Carol Fikac 281-495-2490 2008 & 2009

Directors:
AC/Deed Restrictions, Charles Lovetro 281-495-3330 2009 & 2010
Receive AC forms for
Processing

Pool, Park & Grounds Lucy Schmotzer 281-933-7652 2009 & 2010

Neighborhood Events Joanne Radford 281 433-9508 2008 & 2009
Community Center Rentals should be arranged through Joanne Radford
Community Center Directors: Julia Vanderwilt 281 933-7314
Carol Fikac 283 495-2490

Community Pat Davis 281-498-7406 2008 & 2009
Liaison

Bilingual Spanish Ursula Santos 281-568-4312 2008 & 2009
Communication,
OTHER USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Genesis Community Mgmt 713 953-0808 Truancy (AISD) 281 498-8110
Charlie Floto (email Charlie@GenesisCommunity.com)
Valerie Scruggs (Valerie @GenesisCommunity.com) Councilman MJ Kahn 713 247-2002
Animal Control 713 229-7300 Mosquito Control 713 440-4800

Gang Graffiti (Officer Cindy Purl) 281 584-4894 Public Health 713 640-4200

HPD Westside Non Emergency Report 281 584-4700 Texas Comptroller 1 800 252-8800
Request an ALERT SLIP Report more than 2 garage sales/yr)

City Emergency Repairs 713 868-8400 Bellaire West Pool 281 988-8798

Dept of Aging & Disabled 713 692-1635 Texas United Way 211
Refer you to appropriate agency or
City of Houston Legal Dept 713 247-6769 Department for help or information Email JonathanMichaels@cityofhouston.net City Departments 311
Garbage pick up, neighborhood
Street Light Repair Need Pole No. & Street Protection
Address nearest Pole 713 207-2222
Bellaire West & Alief Information is available on-line at http://www.bellairewest.org. The website editor welcomes any input from residents to keep the website current and informative.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS MEETING TIMES & PLACES
ALIEF SUPERNEIGHBORHOOD -4TH Tuesday at 7PM Center Point Bldg on Bellaire 1st entrance from Cook Rd
Meet city, county and state officials or representatives of these entities who are present to answer questions and take
Suggestions. Hear plans for community improvement. There is usually a HPD representative present.
Supper/Snacks provided before the meeting.
PIP (Positive Interaction Program) 3rd Thursday at 7PM Westside HPD Command Station on
Dairy Ashford 3rd Floor
Meet HPD officers who work in our area, learn crime fighting information, and address specific neighborhood problems.
Supper/Snacks are usually served during the social hour after the meeting.
**ALIEF COALITION COMMITTEE 4th Tuesday
Deals with ISD matters
** ALIEF NOON LIONS CLUB Contact Pat Davis for meeting times and places.
Provides free eye exams and glasses for Alief students that can’t afford them.

**For information on these organizations, what they do and how to join, contact Pat Davis 281 498-7406
There is a Mobil Pet Vet that comes to 12600 Bissonnet every 2nd Sunday from 11AM until 3PM. Rabies shots to cats and dogs are given for $8. Other vaccinations are available very cheap. Website www.countrysidemobilevet.com
Phone 936-399-6017 or 713 492-8045

INTERESTED IN LOSING WEIGHT?

Exciting News!!!! TOPS (Take off Pounds sensibly) has started a brand new chapter locally. Tops is a non profit weight support group. We have weekly meetings and a lot of positive motivation towards weight loss. We are now meeting at the Bellaire West Community Center 11511 Rowan. Meetings are held on Tuesdays from 6:00 p.m. to
7:30 p.m. For further information please call Joanne Radford at 281-433-9508
We will have an open house Tuesday Sept 1st, 2009. Please come visit. There will be door prizes and games at this meeting

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM
HELP PREVENT CRIME IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Neighbors watching out for neighbors is probably the most effective crime prevention tool for any neighborhood. Please help us prevent crime in our subdivision. We continue to receive positive reports from residents who are participating in this effort. If you observe anything suspicious or a crime in progress, call 911 immediately. .

The West Side Station Non Emergency Number is 281 584-4700. Be sure to request an alert slip be issued when reporting a non emergency that should be investigated. This will assure a response as soon as there is a police officer available to respond. This is also the number to call when reporting repeated speeding, running of stop signs, etc. Please be sure to report graffiti to 311 and Officer Purl. If on your property, please take pictures and Cover promptly. If not on your property, Dawn Hurd in Councilman Kahn’s office may be able to help in getting neighborhood protection to remove.

NEIGHBORHOOD SECURITY
We continue to have Constable Crouch randomly patrolling Bellaire West. Along with general security patrol, Officer Crouch is attempting to assist us in making sure the Houston Heavy Trash pick up schedule is observed, as well as reporting inoperative vehicles parked in the driveway or on the street to the City. City inspectors will tour the neighborhood and if you are not in compliance with the trash pick up guidelines, you may be issued a citation which will result in a fine which could be about $300. He is also reminding residents that you must park on the right side of the street, not on the left facing oncoming traffic. It is also not legal to park a vehicle in your driveway which blocks the sidewalk. This is to ensure the children using the sidewalk’s safety. Feel free to stop the constable if you have issues you would like to report or discuss. He welcomes citizen contact and will be happy to help you any way he can. You may also contact Jackie Harrison or Larry Greer if you would like information passed on to him.

DEED RESTRICTION VIOLATIONS
Enforcing our deed restrictions has been an asset to Bellaire West. In a recent article in the Houston Chronicle, it was reported that although home prices were falling in the Alief area, home prices in Bellaire West have increased slightly. This is a direct result of enforcement of deed restrictions, and the upkeep of our pool, park, and community center.

Following are the most common violations. If you receive a letter advising that you are in violation, please contact Genesis so that a solution to the problem may be resolved that is agreeable to everyone. Deed restrictions are created and enforced in order to keep our subdivision well kept, safe, and attractive to interested buyers. The better the subdivision appears as a whole, the higher value of our property.
• Cars parked in the lawn, not in the driveway or on the street
• Inoperable vehicles parked in the driveway or on the street
• 18 wheeler tractors and other commercial vehicles parked on the street on in the driveway over the weekend.
• Home needing paint or painted a non approved color
• Lawns needing mowing and other maintenance- Remove grass from cracks on curbs in driveways and on sidewalk.
• Trash cans or other non decorative items should not be stored in the front of the house. The front lawn and drive should be free of unsightly clutter and debris.
• Playing music too loud, causing a nuisance to other neighbors
• General neglect of property maintenance
• Farm animals such as roosters and chickens are against city ordinances and Bellaire West deed restrictions. There is also a limit of three domestic pet dogs, cats or birds and dogs must be leashed outside of the backyard so as not to run loose in the neighborhood.