I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

City Council Meeting Notes

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Tankless Water Heaters

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Things to Do Police Blotter: November

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City Calendar Tips on Water Conservation

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New Business Vitamin Shoppe What’s in the Works?

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The Valley Newsletter D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 C I T Y O F S U N S E T V A L L E Y

T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

Council Swearing In Ceremony  At the December 3rd City Council mee ng, Mayor Rose Car-dona swore in Council Members Forrest Arnold, Jeff Burde  and Rudi Rosengarten. This is the second term of office for Council Members Arnold and Rosengarten.   Council Mem-ber Burde  has served on the Council for one year prior to the November elec on. He was appointed  in 2012 by  the Council to fill an unexpired term.   

Flood Recognition Awards During the December 3rd Council mee ng, the Mayor and the Police Chief recognized City em-ployees  for  their ac ons during  the October flood event. Mayor Cardona presented Chief Ford with the Heroic Leadership Award. Chief Ford presented Joshua Ronson, in Public Works with the Community Civic Award,  Sgt.  Luis  Saucedo with  the Medal of Valor Award,  and Officer  James Brownlow the Life Saving Award. 

Police Officers recognized by the City for flood response (l to r) Officer Brownlow, Sgt. Saucedo, Chief Ford 

Chief Ford presen ng the Community Civic Award to  Joshua Ronson, Public Works Opera on Manager. 

Mayor Cardona swearing in Council Member Burde  

Mayor Cardona swearing in Council Member Arnold 

Mayor Cardona swearing in Council Member Rosengarten 

P A G E 2 T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

Council Mee ng on November 12, 2013 AGENDA ITEMS APPROVED ON CONSENT

• Approval of the minutes from the October 22, 2013 mee ng. • Approval of a Temporary Special Use Permit for Home Depot to conduct a Bath Remodeling Promo onal event

in their parking lot November 13, 2013 to December 13, 2013. • Approval of a Temporary Special Use Permit for PetsMart to conduct a Pet Adop on event from November 15,

2013 to November 17, 2013. • Approval of a Temporary Special Use Permit for the Majic of Christmas promo onal event on December 7, 2013

in the Sunset Valley Village Shopping Center. • Approval of request for a temporary off‐site real estate sign at the intersec on of Brodie Lane and Lovegrass

Lane to adver se a house for sale at 19 Lovegrass Lane. • Approval of a Resolu on naming the Aus n Chronicle as the City’s Official Newspaper. • Approval of a Resolu on appoin ng DARILEK BUTLER as the City Auditor. • Approval of a Resolu on appoin ng Bill Ashbaugh as the Presiding Municipal Judge.

 • Mayor Cardona announced that the City Council will go into Execu ve Session to:  consult with the City's a orney re-

garding claims asserted against the City by Donny Hurwitz in Case No. D-1-GN-13-00359; to discuss acquisi on of real property  for water quality protec on or other public purposes and consult with  the City’s a orney  regarding an ap-praisal of value to purchase property; and, to consult with the City's a orney regarding the authority of the municipal prosecutor in cases appealed to County Court. No ac on taken on any items.   

• Approval to renew the employee medical  insurance coverage with Humana effec ve 12/1/13 with an  increase  in the annual deduc ble  to $2,000 and amending  the City of Sunset Valley Employee Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) to provide reimbursement for the por on of medical insurance deduc bles between $1,000 and $2,000 for em-ployees and dependents covered under the City’s Group Medical Plan.  All voted yes. 

• Following discussion on a resident request to relocate the Frances Underwood Council Ring to a more accessible loca-on.  This item was referred to the Public Works Commi ee for review and to bring back recommenda ons to the City 

Council.  • Approval to waive residen al building permit applica on fee and inspec on fees for repair of flood damaged property 

in the City due to the October 12/13th flood event.  All voted yes.  

Council Retreat on November 16, 2013 The Sunset Valley City Council met at the Texas Disposal Service facili es on Saturday, November 16, 2013 for their annual retreat.   • Discussion of Mayor Pro Tem, City Council Commi ee Assignments, and Commi ee appointments.   Approval to retain the current City Council Commi ee assignments, that being Council Member Rosengarten for Budg-

et, Finance and Administra on; Council Member Burde  for Public Safety; Council Member Jenkins for Public Works; Council Member Powers  for Community and Economic Development; and Council Member Arnold  for Planning and Environmental.  All voted yes. 

   Approval to appoint Council Member Arnold as Mayor Pro-Tem for the next year.  All voted yes.  

Approval to appoint the following regular members to the Budget, Finance and Administra on Commi ee:   John Bel-lanca, Rob Harrison, Mary Black, Marc Brunner, John Esquivel, and Michael Francis and two alternate members, Melis-sa Gonzales and Council Member Jenkins. All voted yes. 

     Approval to appoint the following regular members to the Community and Economic Development Commi ee: Penny 

Cedel, Karen Flournoy, Council Member Rosengarten, and Sasha Russell. All voted yes.  

T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

P A G E 3 T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

Council Retreat on November 16, 2013 (con nued)     Approval to appoint the following regular members to the Planning and Environmental Commi ee: Mar-

garet Bentley, Helen Besse, Mitch Chazan, and Ed Grimes. All voted yes.    Approval to appoint the following regular members to the Public Safety Commi ee: John Bellanca, Art Williams, Frank 

Williams, Pam Bellanca, Erwin Haddon, and Gregg Bell. All voted yes.    Approval to appoint the following regular members to the Public Works Commi ee: Mary Black, Randy Machemehl, 

Ken Schroeder, Randy Williams, and Melissa Gonzales, with Dick Leigh as an alternate member.  All voted yes.  • Discussion of City Projects. There was a general discussion about the current status of a number of city projects and 

issues that the Council will be considering during the next year.  No ac on was taken.   

Called Council Mee ng on November 18, 2013 • Approval of a  Resolu on of the Canvass and Cer fica on of the results of the November 5, 2013 General Elec on. All 

voted yes. • Approval of a Final Site Plan, Watershed Permit, and Watershed and Landscaping Variances and for BarelySola, LLC for 

the renova on of an exis ng site  for mul -tenant commercial use at 4715 South Lamar  (site of  former Canolli  Joe’s Restaurant). 

Tankless Water Heater According to the U.S. Department of Energy, water heating is the third largest energy use in homes. As more and more homes integrate green technologies, homeowners are discovering the benefits of tankless water heaters. Unlike storage tank water heaters, tankless water heaters only heat water when needed, which conserves energy. Tankless water heat-ers can reduce energy demand for heating water and save water by providing on demand hot water. In an effort to decrease energy and water demands the City of Sunset Valley offers a rebate of $500.00 for the purchase and installation of a tankless water heater. Purchases and applications must be made within the current fiscal year that runs October 1st through September 30th. For more information on this rebate program, please contact Carolyn Meredith, Public Works Environmental Manager at (512) 891-9103 or Email her at cmeredith@sunsetvalley.org.

Free Pictures with Santa The  3rd Annual  Pictures with  Santa  holiday  event  hosted  by  the Community and Economic Development Commi ee   was held on Saturday December 7th.  It was as much  fun, as  it was cold.   High temperature for the day was in the mid 30’s.  Warmed only by holi-day  spirit,  lots of kids, and warm hot  chocolate, members of  the CED and City staff worked  to create a picture memory for families. Majic 95.5 FM DJ Terry McCormick helped hand out nearly $3,000 worth of prizes and gi s sponsored by our local retailers.   

Santa and Council Member Rosengarten

  

Alcohol Offenses    2 The /Shopli ing    8 Accidents      19 Alarm Calls      34 Disturbance/Other    2 Calls for Assistance    46 Traffic Hazard     6 Suspicious Calls    20 Parking Viola ons    12 Viola on of City Ordinance  2 Traffic Stops      186 Welfare Checks    20 

 

P A G E 4 T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

November 2013 Police Blo er

Sunset Valley Cra Get Together 1st Sunday, 2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. Cra ers meet  the  1st  Sunday  of  each month  in  the  City  Hall  Conference Room.   CPR and First Aid Training Monday, January 6th, 6:30 P.M. —City Hall Sunset  Valley  hosts  a  CPR  and  First  Aid  Training  Course  each  month. Residents can register and take the class at no cost. Contact Ma  Lingafelter at City Hall to register or email mlingafelter@sunsetvalley.org  Farmers Market/Ar san Market Every Saturday, the Farmers Market  is open rain or shine from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. at the Toney Burger Center.   www.sfcfarmersmarketsunsetvalley.org  

T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N S U N S E T VA L L E Y New to Sunset Valley is the Vitamin Shoppe. Located at the former site of Samuels Diamond on the west side of Brodie, the Vitamin Shoppe is dedicated to helping people fulfill their health and well-ness needs. The Vitamin Shoppe is a specialty retailer of nutritional products ranging from vitamins and min-erals to nutritional supplements, herbs, sports nutrition formulas, homeopathic remedies, and health and beauty aids.

Began as a single store in 1977, the Vitamin Shoppe has opened in more than 500 locations in 42 states and the Island of Puerto Rico. The retailer is based in North Bergen, New Jersey.

What’s in the Works? ERW Waterline Extension The project going on behind La Madeleine  is an extension of the existing waterline on Ernest Robles Way across the Sunset Valley  Tributary.  Existing  water  lines  run  from  Jones  Road south  to  the creek and  from Brodie Lane north  to  the creek. These existing portions of the line were installed by developers and there is a portion that was never constructed thereby cre-ating  two dead end  lines with a 1,000  foot gap at  the  creek crossing.  Expansion  and  connection will  increase  fire  protec-tion capabilities,  improve  system  reliability and  reduce water loss  and maintenance man-hours  caused  by  line  flushing  re-quirements.  

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 4  

Tuesday, January 7th 6:00 P.M.  

City Council Mee ng City Hall 

Wednesday, January 8th 9:30 A.M. 

Community and Economic Development Commi ee City Hall Conference Room 

Wednesday, January 8th 7:00 P.M. 

Board of Adjustment (if needed) City Hall  

Thursday, January 16th  6:00 P.M. 

Planning and Environmental Commi ee City Hall Conference Room 

Tuesday, January 21st 6:00 P.M. 

City Council Mee ng City Hall 

Wednesday, January 22nd 7:00 P.M. 

Zoning Commission  City Hall 

Thursday, January 23rd  7:00 P.M. 

Public Works Commi ee City Hall 

Monday, January 27th  6:00 P.M. 

Public Safety Commi ee City Hall Conference Room 

P A G E 5 T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

Meeting Dates and Time May

Change. Please check the City’s Website

SunsetValley.org for updates.

When it comes to conserving water, small adjustments can have a big impact. For the next few months, you will find wa-ter saving  ps around your home to make those small changes.   

• When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run. Fill one basin with wash water and the other with rinse water. • Dishwashers typically use less water than washing dishes by hand.  Energy Star dishwashers save even more water and 

energy. • If your dishwasher is new, cut back on rinsing. Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones. • Designate one glass for your drinking water each day, or refill a water bo le. This will cut down on the number of glasses 

to wash. • Soak pots and pans instead of le ng the water run while you scrape them clean. • Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Instead, compost vegetable food waste and save gallons every  me. • Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap. • Don’t use running water to thaw food. For water efficiency and food safety, defrost food in the refrigerator. • Install an instant water heater near your kitchen sink so you don’t have to run the water while it heats up. This also re-

duces energy costs. • Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap. This way, every drop goes down you and 

not the drain. • Reuse le over water from cooked or steamed foods to start a nutri ous soup, it’s one more way to get eight glasses of 

water a day. • Cook food in as li le water as possible. This also helps it retain more nutrients. • Select the proper pan size for cooking. Large pans may require more cooking water than necessary. • If you accidentally drop ice cubes, don’t throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead. • Collect the water you use while rinsing fruit and vegetables. Use it to water house plants. • When shopping for a new dishwasher, compare water use between models. 

Community & Economic Development Commi ee Members Penny Cedel Richard Fadal Karen Flournoy Rudi Rosengarten, Chair Anne Gault - alternate ************************************ Planning & Environmental Commi ee Members Forrest Arnold Margaret Bentley, Chair  Helen Besse Mitch Chazan Carla Jenkins Tricia Murphy ************************************ Public Safety Commi ee Members John Bellanca Jeff Burde , Chair Lance Vaughn Art Williams Frank Williams  Pam Bellanca - alternate *********************************** 

City of Sunset Valley Newsletter 3205 Jones Road Sunset Valley, TX 78745

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Board of Adjustment Commi ee Members Thomas Cedel Richard Hayes  Marshall McHone Randall Rosengarten Steve Borochoff  Sandy Cox - alternate Jennifer Fadal—alternate  

************************************ Budget, Finance & Administra ve Commi ee Members Rudi Rosengarten  John Bellanca Mary Black Marc Brunner JR Esquivel Michael Francis      Melissa Gonzales– alternate Robert Harrison     Walter Jenkins—alternate   ************************************ Community & Economic Development Commi ee Members Mickie Powers Penny Cedel Karen Flournoy Rudi Rosengarten Sasha Russell 

Rose Cardona, Mayor rcardona@sunetvalley.org  Forrest Arnold, Mayor Pro tem farnold@sunsetvalley.org  Jeff Burde , Council Member jburde @sunsetvalley.org  Walter Jenkins, Council Member wjenkins@sunsetvalley.org  Mickie Powers, Council Member mpowers@sunsetvalley.org  Rudi Rosengarten, Council Member rrosengarten@sunsetvalley.org   ************************************ Arts Commission Commi ee Members John Frick, Chair James Hart Walter Jenkins Karen Medicus Erika Montero Sasha Russell Melissa Gonzales - alternate Cat Quintanilla - alternate 

Planning & Environmental Commi ee Members Forrest Arnold Margaret Bentley Helen Besse Mitch Chazan Edward Grimes ************************************ Public Safety Commi ee Members Jeff Burde , Chair  Gregg Bell John Bellanca Pam Bellanca Erwin Haddon Art Williams Frank Williams        Pam Bellanca - alternate *********************************** Public Works Commi ee Members Walter Jenkins John Bellanca Mary Black Melissa Gonzales Randy Machemehl Ken Schroeder   Randy Williams  Richard Leigh - alternate *********************************** Zoning Commission Commi ee Members Robert Skewis, Chair  Margaret Bentley Susan Durso Miguel Huerta Cynthia Nelson         John Frick - alternate