Blog entries - September 2009

Friendswood Water Prices to Fall

Daphne Hager — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0100

West Ranch residents concerned about water and sewage prices going up can take some comfort in knowing that water prices are expected to go down by 20% in the coming fiscal year.

Friendswood residents recently voiced their concerns regarding growing water bills at the Friendswood City Council Meeting. The growing rates aren't as simple as demand being up in a drought year. The total water consumption in Friendswood is down, showing families are working to conserve water. In June 2009 an average of 4.95 million gallons per day was used compared to 6.2 million for the previous June, and the average for July dropped from 7.2 million in 2008 to 4.65 million in 2009. "More people are conserving water... There have been a lot of water leaks this year due to drought" said Public Works Director Kaz Hamidian.

The city is taking steps to ensure that prices will be cut and that water will continue flowing to all families as communities continue to grow. This is not an easy task as the total of Friendswood and Pearland communities is expected to reach a quarter of a million people by 2020.

With the Water and Sewer Bond Issue passed in 2006 and with last year's budget process, rates were adjusted and raised to provide for future debt service and to minimize additional debt requirements. The rates were increased to be able to fund several water and sewage projects in Friendswood including rehabilitating two of the water wells, purchasing necessary surface water from the City of Houston, constructing a one million gallon concrete storage tank, and extending water and sewer lines along FM 2351 to Beamer Road.

The idea was that an increased expense for Friendswood residents in the short term would pay off in the long run as the city is able to meet demands of growth with less reliance on purchasing more expensive water in spot markets. Thankfully upgrades are in sight with a projected ability to provide 11.8 million gallons per day to residents by 2012. This also means that West Ranch community members can look forward to that long term decrease in their bill and still enjoy fresh water daily.

Source: www.hcnonline.com

NFL Punt, Pass and Kick Competition

Daphne Hager — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0100

The City of Friendswood Community Services Department is hosting
the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick Competition in Centennial Park on
Thursday September 24, 2009 from 5-8 p.m. (2200 S. Friendswood Dr.,
Friendswood, TX).

The competition gives Friendswood and West Ranch community boys
and girls, between the ages of 8 and 15, the opportunity to compete
for distance and accuracy in punting, passing and kicking a
football. Winners from this event will advance to the Gulf Coast
Sectional Competition being held in October. Ribbons will be
awarded to the top three finalists in each age group according to
sex, and certificates will be given to every participant.

This is a free event open to the public and will have good
music, Gatorade and fun for all ages. T-shirts will be given to the
first 20 participants, and registration will take place in
Centennial Park on the day of the event. In order to register
participants will need to have a copy of their birth certificate or
religious document (e.g. baptismal record) for proof of age and
eligibility. Participants must wear tennis shoes and are encouraged
to come early to practice.

For more information please call the City of Friendswood
Community Services Department at 281-996-3220.

City of Friendswood To Cut Water and Sewage Bills

Daphne Hager — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0100

During the City's annual budget review of Friendswood's city water and sewer rates for the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year, Friendswood created some great news. The City of Friendswood has a new plan to reduce sewer and water rates by 20 percent on the average water and sewer bill for the upcoming fiscal year. Last year's water and sewer budget process saw a number of significant improvements. Such improvements range from the purchasing of surface water from the City of Houston, to rehabilitating two of Friendswood's water wells, to creating a one million gallon storage tank. The City also extended the water and sewer lines along FM 2351 to Beamer Road. During the 2009 budget year Friendswood secured $2 million in grant funding for water/sewage improvements. Standard & Poor's gave Friendswood a significant boost by changing its rating of the city from A to AA-. The rating comes from the high quality management of water and sewer utility and means the City will be able to issue debt at a much lower interest rate. Since the bond was delayed, Friendswood was able to sell it in a much more favorable market environment. All this gives more of a reason for Friendswood to be able to decrease rates. The new rate reduction is currently planned for adoption in the 2010 City budget by the Friendswood City Council later this month. West Ranch residents should enjoy a much lighter water and sewage bill, and heavier wallets! Source: The Journal of Friendswood

Friendswood H.S. Gets Patriotic

Daphne Hager — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Friendswood High School students who want to show their love for
America aren't alone; the Patriot Club was formed at Friendswood
High School this year. The purpose of the club is to provide a
positive outlet for American patriotism and to encourage love of
America without partisan bias.

Membership is open to all Friendswood High School students
regardless of nationality, or political affiliation, in-line with
their mantra of non-partisan bias.

The Patriot Club activities proposed so far are participation
in the Fourth of July parade and festivities, raising money to
distribute small American flags during the Fourth of July parade,
and collecting money to replace worn flags for Friendswood
residents during patriotic holidays. They also plan on
assisting local homeowners and businesses with worn flag
disposal.

The founding president of the Patriot Club is senior Alex
Lovely, with Robert Wise acting as the faculty
sponsor/representative. They will host a minimum of quarterly
meetings of student membership. To learn more about this club
please call 281-992-0150.

West Ranch parents might consider encouraging their children
to look into this positive club. In Friendswood I.S.D., clubs and
extra-curricular activities that promote camaraderie, community
service, and learning are encouraged for all students to
consider!

Source: Chron.com

Fun Community Halloween Event in Friendswood

Cheryl Perry — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Looking for a fun event this Halloween?

Join the Friendswood Chamber of Commerce and Amoco Federal Credit Union for a fun pre-halloween event.

Sunday, October 25, 2009 from 6-8:00 p.m. Friendswood residents will join together in Stevenson Park for an evening of ghost, goblins and fun!