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Nov. - Dec. 2006
Sunset Heights replat
Contracts audit
Neighborhood boot camp
$18.8 million shortfall
Money Matters

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City controller urges mayor
to reverse condo replat ruling

The November 9 Planning Commission vote to approve a Sunset Height's condo development despite a neighborhood minimum lot size requirement sent huge shock waves through many Houston neighborhoods. Public discussions and a Chronicle editorial later, both sides anxiously await word from Mayor Bill White.

"I am extremely hopeful the mayor and the Legal Department will resolve the issue in favor of Houston neighborhoods," commented City Controller Annise Parker.

As a council member, Parker sponsored the prevailing lot size and prevailing setback ordinances as amendments to Chapter 42, the subdivision ordinance. The Condo at 24th (and Arlington) was allowed to circumvent the block's lot size protections because the land beneath the four individually owned condos will still be owned by the condo developer and will not be subdivided.

Before the city Planning Commission's 6-2 vote (6 also abstained), the city controller asked for a more thorough Legal Department review because the replat "appears to violate the clear intent of the City’s Prevailing Lot Size Ordinance."

She assured the Legal Department that "council clearly intended there be no exceptions to the Prevailing Lot Size and Building Line Ordinances. Once residents complete the application process and receive City Council approval they should be able to rest assured that their blocks are protected from future incompatible development that could disrupt the character of their neighborhood and possibly endanger their property values."

After the Planning Commission vote, a City Council committee discussed the issue in hopes of tightening the loophole.

HPD taser audit gets underway

City Controller's Office auditors have just begun studying the Houston Police Department's use of taser guns.

"We are moving forward to carry out the performance audit already approved in our annual audit plan," City Controller Annise Parker said.

Parker said the Controller's Office will, of course, cooperate with Mayor Bill White, who announced he would review the department's taser gun use in light of recent controversy surrounding the tasering of Texan football player Fred Weary.

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Neighborhood seminars Saturday

If your neighborhood organizing skills need a tuneup or a complete overhaul, check out the half-day Neighborhood Leadership Boot Camp Saturday, December 9.

The morning workshops are scheduled for 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Texas Southern University's Roderick Paige Education Building.

Workshop session topics include:

To Be or Not To Be: Nonprofit Status for Grassroots Groups
Creating Visionary Grassroots Leaders;
Attracting & Keeping Volunteers, Best Practices;
Creating a High Quality Neighborhood;
The Art of Meeting;
Fund-Raising for Programs and Projects;
Delegation - a Way of Life.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. with an opening speaker at 8:30 followed by workshops from 9 a.m. to noon. Closing remarks are set for noon. The event is free if attendees stay for the entire half-day (or $20 for an individual or two-person neighborhood team). Attendees are asked to park in Student Lot C-1 in the 3400 block of Blodgett and walk north to the Roderick Paige Education Building.

Workshops are sponsored by the city's Planning and Development Department, Texas Neighborhoods Together and TSU's Mickey Leland Center. For more information, contact Diana Bernal at Diana.Bernal@cityofhouston.net .

The Neighborhood Leadership Boot Camp is a new component of the Planning Department's Neighborhood Leadership Institute.

Audit targets long-term contracts

A new citywide performance audit could untangle the labyrinth of long-term city contracts and determine if it's more cost-effective for city employees or another firm to provide the city service.

This audit strikes at the heart of city operations and may answer some of the continuing questions about privatization and competitive bidding," said City Controller Annise Parker.

Auditors plan to:

Examine and identify which firms are on "evergreen contracts" with the city;
Review the specific tasks they perform and determine the reasons for their continued use rather than using city employees or rebidding;
Determine the cost benefit of such usage and appropriateness of their continued selection;
Determine if the city is in compliance with procurement policies, procedures and laws.

The outside firm of Mir Fox & Rodriguez will perform the audit for the City Controller's Office.

Budget shortfall $18.8 million

Every month, the city takes two official snapshots of the budget and reports to City Council. Sometimes, city revenues and expenses run ahead of the budget. Sometimes they don't meet expectations.

The current City Controller's Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR) snapshot for the period ending October 31 turned out a little dark with a projected $18.8 million shortfall. Last month's report projected a $15.4 million gap.

City Controller Annise Parker reported several major changes:

$3 million more in sales tax revenues;
$2 million more in charges for city services;
$1 million in savings through use of private firms for security at water plants instead of HPD;
$1.9 million less because of in savings due to lower than budgeted staffing levels in six departments;
$1.6 million more for Fire Department overtime;
$7.8 million more for Police Department overtime.

"Shoot, Don't Shoot" showcased

December - Get a preview of the Houston Citizen Police Academy on this month's Money Matters, the city controller's monthly Municipal Channel TV show. The show highlights "Shoot, Don't Shoot," a simulated exercise that forces participants to make split second decisions about using deadly force.

For more information about the 11-week semi-annual course, see the Houston Citizen Police Academy Alumni website, www.geocities.com/hcpaaa/ .

Tune in at 2 and 8 a.m. and 2 and 8 p.m. Mondays on the Municipal Channel (Warner Cable 16, Kingwood 14, TCI 16, Phonoscope 2 and TvMax 20)