Volume 37 Number 4

A Newspaper for El Lago May 2018

LA VENTANA

DEL LAGO

May 2018 La Ventana Del Lago Page 1

Armand Bayou News Heather Millar

Summer EcoCamp at Armand Bayou Nature Center Kicks Off June 4! The Nature Center is taking registrations now for our state-licensed summer EcoCamp. Camp is for children 4-13 years old and runs 5 days per week through August 3, 2018. Sessions are morning 8:30 - 11:30 AM; afternoon 12:30 - 3:30 PM or full day 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM. Armand Bayou Nature Center is a member of the Texas Children In Nature Network whose motto is to strengthen the connection between children, communities and nature. By having our campers participate in programs such as Animals with Shells, Wet and Wild and Nature Explorers, we hope to provide the opportunity for children to have fun, inves-tigate, have free time to expand their curiosity and make new friends. Where else so close to home can children go fishing and canoeing, hike forest trails and run through the prairie with our talented staff and volunteers? For further information or to reg-ister, visit our website www.abnc.org or call 713-274-2667/2668.

Unofficial May 5, 2018 City of El Lago Election Results Jeff Tave Early Voting Election Day Total Council Position 3 Jim Kelly: 54 56 110 Darin Clark: 195 125 320 Council Position 4 John Skelton: 221 156 377 Council Position 5 Roger Nylin: 48 53 101 Ann Vernon: 202 130 332

From the Mayor’s Desk Mayor Pro Tem John Skelton

Hello El Lago, First, thank you to everyone for the support and good will you have shown to me as we go through this time of transition. Dur-ing this transition, there are three major items that we need to accomplish in the near term to ensure that El Lago is functioning correctly. Congratulations to Mr. Darin Clark and Ms. Ann Vernon for their successful campaigns for Position 3 and Position 5. Now that those positions are filled, we need to fill the vacant Mayor posi-tion. This will either be accomplished by Council appointment or by special election. The acting City Secretary and I are working on the Hurricane Harvey Grants. We are working hard to ensure that the grants are filed on schedule. The grants coupled with the City working with our WCID 50 counterparts are priorities and will not be impeded by recent events. Finally, we ask for patience while we fill the vacant positions and return City Hall to normal operation. The role of the City Secre-tary is critical. The Mayor and Council will work together to make sure that the position is filled by the most qualified candi-date. That’s it! I welcome anyone to stop and say “hello” if we happen to pass, or I can be reached via email at jskelton@ellago-tx.gov. One final note, communication is the key to effective govern-ment, so please if you have questions please ask me or any of the Council and we will try and respond.

Lakeview Police Department Commission Minutes January 8, 2018 Wendy Perez and Jeff Tave Chairman and Commission Reports - Chairman O’Brien introduced the new El Lago City Council Liaison, Ann Vernon.

Police Chief’s Report: Status Report – Detective, Code Enforcement, Meetings and Per-sonnel - Detective Beaton’s report was presented without questions. Chief Savage advised Commissioner’s about still being behind on code enforcement of alarm permits. Most residents are not able to be contact-ed and/or their homes are vacant from storm reconstruction. Chief Savage attended both city council meetings. The cities are discussing emergency management changes. Chief Savage will finish up two FE-MA required classes and will be appointed Assistant Emergency Man-agement Coordinator for both cities. Chief Savage informed Commis-sioners he discovered a mapping issue with separating the calls for service for each of the two Cities. The program is separating by East and West districts and not specific to the city. Chief Savage has met with League City to correct.

Financial Report - Commissioner O’Brien inquired if purchase of the new car worked within expected budget. Chief Savage informed it had and he will start ordering cars in February due to 3 or 4 month delivery period. Commissioner Easley stated the increased amount the cities will pay the Department is about 9% per month.

Employee of the Month – The employee of the month of December is Wendy Perez. In spite of her personal problems with the recent flood and construction to her home and medical issues with her family, she comes to work with a pleasant attitude is graciously assists all of us in getting our jobs done.

Personal Matters; Closed Meeting – Executive Session as author-ized by Section 551.074 of the Texas Government Code - (1) to de-liberate the appointment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, disci-pline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee. Consideration of hiring Greg Countie as a full-time police officer – Commissioners Adjourned to Executive Session at 6:40 PM. Commissioner re-opened regular Commissioners meeting at 7:04 PM. Motion by Commissioner Easley to approve the appointment of Greg Countie for full-time Lakeview Police Officer, a second was made by Commissioner Delly. Motion approved with all in favor.

Published monthly by the first Saturday

EDITOR: GENERAL REPORTERS: Jeff Tave (281-326-5098) Brenda Klingle, Donna Ward, email: jefftave@earthlink.net Jeff Tave ADVERTISING/FLYERS: LAYOUT & DESIGN: Jeff Tave (281-326-5098) Laurie Fuller (281-513-4833) email: llmishome@gmail.com BUSINESS MANAGER: CIRCULATION: Carolynn Stanley (281-326-5066) Kimberly Campos (832-232-2672) email: cdimple@verizon.net

FACEBOOK GROUP : Windy Langley email: honorseeker95@gmail.com CONTRIBUTORS: Dianna Barnes, Deidre Black, William Grigsby, Sabrina Herod, G. Howard, Dianna Liberty, Heather Millar, Pamm Muzslay, Wendy Perez , Jean Raffetto, Kate Richey

Issue To Editor (electronic) Earliest

La Ventana Delivery

June May 28 June 8

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Enjoy July and August

September August 27 September 8

In this Issue…

City of El Lago Election………….………………...………Page 1 Armand Bayou Nature Center…………...……..…………..Page 1 Mayor’s Desk………………………………………………Page 1 LPD Commission Minutes 01/08/2018…………………….Page 1 From the Editor………..……………...…………………….Page 2 Advertising Policies………………………………...………Page 2 Article Deadlines……………………………………………Page 2 Letters to the Editor………………………………………....Page 3 El Lago City Council Minutes 3/07/2018……………..…...Page 5 Emergency Management……………………………………Page 6 WCID No. 50 01/10/2018……………………………….….Page 7 Trowels and Tribulations……………………….…………...Page 8 LPD Stats for March…………..…………………………….Page 9 LPD Cases for March…………...………………..…………Page 9 Classifieds………………………………………..………...Page 10 NeighborLine…………………………………………..…..Page 10

The La Ventana is a 501C-3 registered, tax-exempt organ-ization. Donations are gratefully accepted and exempt from taxes to the full extent of the law.

May 2018 La Ventana Del Lago Page 2

ADVERTISING POLICY

La Ventana will accept personal ads from City teenagers for lost and found items at no charge. Commercial ads must be camera ready or an additional charge will be added to the prices below: Business card ad (3 1/2” X 2”)…………..….$43 1/8 page (3 1/2 X 2 1/2”) …………………….$50 1/4 page (3 1/2” X 5”)……………….……….$55 1/2 page (7 1/2” X 5”)………………………..$68 1/2 page (3 1/2” X 10”)………………………$68 Full page (7 1/2” X 10”)……………………...$110

Classified ad charges are: $5 for the first three lines; $1 each additional line. Flyers will be inserted and delivered for $90. Full year paid in ad-vance discount: 2%.

Deadline for the ads is the 19th of the month. For further information, call: Advertising/Flyers: 281-326-5098. La Ventana is distributed month-ly except January, July and August by the first Saturday of the month, with a circulation of 1030.

From the Editor

Dear Readers –

Election time has come and gone; thankfully, we’ll have a year to recover! Congratulations to the folks who were successful (Darin Clark, John Skelton, Ann Vernon). Thanks to the folks who vol-unteered to serve, but did not make the cut this time (Jim Kelly, Roger Nylin). Thanks to outgoing Councilman Kelly for the projects he kicked off including street/sidewalk improvements and the CenterPoint Power Pole initiative. A fond farewell to former Mayor Mark Briggs. El Lago should be ever so fortunate to have someone of his caliber serve this community! While his tenure was brief, I believe he was successful along with Council to help right our ship improving/creating standard policies, and thus set us for a better, smoother course for those that fol-low. Hopefully, the City can follow through on the projects he initiated (Flood mitigation grants, flood buyout grant, Harris County Coffee-House, etc.) and drive them to completion. While he was not perfect, as humans none of us are, I believe his heart was true and only tried to

improve our community by using his abilities, resources, and connec-tions for OUR greater benefit. Godspeed Mark! Also, we wish good luck to our former City Secretary William Grigsby who left us after a year to pursue other opportunities.

The La Ventana del Lago Newspaper FaceBook Group is operational (access via individual request). To join, send a request to the FaceBook Group: La Ventana del Lago Newspaper. You will be admitted on a

temporary basis, and a request for you to complete the subscription form (on the Group page). Please complete the form (basic contact info and survey) and send it to laventana@earthlink.net within two weeks. Do note that all info collected will be for La Ventana use only and not disseminated in any other way. Once your completed subscription form has been received & confirmed, your request to join the Newspaper group on a permanent basis will be approved. Nonsubmittal of the completed form will lead to the suspension of your temporary access. GroupMaster Windy Langley has been faithfully populating the page with relevant local news.

The latest issue of the La Ventana is available for electronic download at: <http://home.earthlink.net/~laventana/lvweb.html>. The file is in pdf format (you will need Acrobat Reader, a free utility already installed on most computers). Just click on the “Current Issue” button and the file will be downloaded (or displayed if you have an Acrobat Reader plug-in installed in your web browser application). A link to the La Ventana location has also been provided on the City’s website <www.ellago-tx.com>, via a text link at the bottom of the home page in the QuickLinks section.

By the way, if you ever have any issues with the delivery of your paper, whether it be late, lost, found in the gutter, etc., please be sure to contact our Circulation Coordinator, Kimberley Campos. We are only able to

correct problems if we are aware of them.

Please support your community newspaper! How? Volunteer some time to write an article or two. We’re in need of general reporters to cover miscellaneous El Lago and community activities. Another way is to give us some feedback. What do you like? What are some suggestions for improvement? This is your paper; help us satisfy your needs. Thanks for reading ...

Jeff Tave

May 2018 La Ventana Del Lago Page 3

My Heart is Broken for Our City It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter. I have lived in El Lago for more than fifty years having moved into our home in 1967. It is a wonderful community in which to raise a family. My sons have told me that they had a wonderful and happy childhood growing up here.

Twenty-eight of those fifty-plus years I was employed by the City of E Lago as the City Secretary. During all of those years and many election cycles, I have never witnessed such a mean-spirited and vicious environment as the one we just passed through.

There is a small group of residents who seem to be more interested in attacking former Mayor Mark Briggs than in doing what is good for the City and its citizens. I think part of that is jealousy because he is a very successful businessman with the experience, contacts and know-how to get things done. Is there something wrong with success? Isn't that the American dream? They call him "that rich guy" who lives in the big house and has his own pri-vate airplane.

Where was this group during the last administration when there were no financial reports, huge credit card bills not backed up with receipts, and lagging or missing minutes of City Council meetings? They were silent. Because of this Mark was encouraged to run for Mayor because he's a businessman and has had experience in fixing problems. He has told me that you take on that job because you want to serve the citizens and are willing to face diffi-cult issues. Some do it because they want to feel important and garner the recognition. Mark was there for service.

Former Mayor Briggs flew his private plane to Austin with a Councilman and two former Mayors of our City many times on behalf of the citizens of El Lago to obtain County, State and Federal funds for many projects and problems in our City. We do not have the funds to complete these projects our-selves. It is why our flood insurance rates are rising and no administration has addressed the actual FEMA map or is addressing the flooding problems at a City level. He and his team succeeded in procuring a grant to purchase the home at 402 Cedar Lane that had been flooded multiple times. That home will be demolished. This a step toward getting FEMA to change the flood maps thereby lowering the rates we pay for flood insurance. This is a benefit to all of us. Incidentally, he has never charged the City for anything (travel expenses to Austin - gas, meals, etc.).

Because Harris County W.C.I.D. #50 is not allowed to apply for State and Federal grants, former Mayor Briggs scheduled a meeting with Mario Runco, President of Harris County W.C.I.D. #50 Board of Directors, a Board member and their attorney to negotiate a potential Inter-Local Agreement so the City could pursue millions of dollars in grants to fix the flooding, remove flood-prone houses, consequently lowering our flood insurance rates.

The Mayor had requested former Mayor Roger Nylin and the City's Attorney to accompany him to represent El Lago at this meeting. The meeting was canceled because a member of our City Council and political candidates usurped the Mayor's initiative - going around him to gain what appears to be a political advantage in our City election. The real losers in this petty political maneuvering are the citizens of El Lago.

Former Mayor Briggs knows and has stated many times that we still have an evergreen contract with the Seabrook Volunteer Fire Department and that will not change. In spite of that, rumors and lies continue to fly that former Mayor Briggs wanted to replace SVFD with the Pasadena Fire Department. That is not true. His plan was to appoint a committee to look into this complicated issue: 911, fire protection, first responders and ambulance service. Certain members of Council sought only to politicize the matter - and it appears they have succeeded.

The toxic atmosphere that is caused by this small group of people who hate Mark Briggs, (even to the point of placing nails under Councilman Kelly's tires when parked in front of the Mayor's house) has pitted neighbor against neighbor. This vicious style of campaigning does not belong in El Lago.

Former Mayor Briggs told me the Council has now become ungovernable because of political maneuvering on important City issues. Therefore, former Mayor Briggs has resigned. Councilman Kelly has resigned. The City Secretary also resigned. All three of these men are military veterans with suc-cessful life records of achievement. Their resignations are a great loss to El Lago and consequently we may have lost the flood and fire initiatives for some time to come.

I wish with all my heart that we could just love our neighbors, get along and stop the vicious, thuggish and childish behavior exhibited by a few. We are better than that. We deserve more.

— Jean Raffetto

My name is Katie Richey, and last night I had an epiphany: I will submit a piece for this issue of the La Ventana. I’ve never before submitted writing to a publication and therefore have no idea what to expect, but I have a two theories about how this will go: really, really well, or really, really badly. I’m shooting for somewhere in between and hope to be pleasantly surprised. El Lago has just finished an election that, in my opinion, rivaled the 2016 Presidential Election in both campaign strategy and social aftermath. Person-ally, I am relieved it is over and I am sure our home-grown campaign committees are taking a much-needed break. Speaking of which, I would like to express a hearty congratulations to the newly-elected council members for their stunning win! I wish you the very best after such a nasty race, and I sincerely hope you succeed in repairing all that is broken by the time your names are on the ballot again. To the citizens who were offended, marginalized and/or blindsided by the political chaos from which we are currently emerging: You have every reason to feel this way. You are not alone, and you are not outnumbered. You were outsmarted by a political movement that blatantly and cal-lously disregarded the significant roles you play in the community. Please keep in mind the “opposition” could not reasonably anticipate this much collateral damage (the citizens of El Lago), and the attitude behind the movement is not conducive for membership growth. Take heart; with kindness, forgiveness and a whole lot of patience, we will get our city back on track. To Mark Briggs, former Mayor of El Lago: Thank you for the time and energy you dedicated to our city as Mayor of El Lago. I regret you did not have the fortitude or patience to remain in office, but I was very impressed with your willingness to communicate with your constituents until the bloody end. I am proud to call you my neighbor. P.S. I read every single page of every single historical document you provided vis-a-vis the Freedom of Information Act. Every. Single. Page. I cross-referenced the documents with City Council Agendas, Minutes and Audio recordings as well as a few Parks Board Agendas/Minutes available on the El Lago city website. As far as I’m concerned, the cumulative data exonerated you many times over. (For those who missed the exonerating evidence I discovered, review the documents and supplemental data again) To the person (or people) responsible for the “Where Is Our Mayor?” signs at the entrances of our neighborhood immediately after Harvey: The Mayor was personally helping my family. Please excuse my late response. To the “opposition”: You’ve got our undivided attention. What’s the plan? continued on page 4

Letters to the Editor

April 2018 La Ventana Del Lago Page 4

continued from page 3

Letters to the Editor, Continued

Sad Times Neighbors, it is a sad time in El Lago when power and title appear to come before the desire to serve our tiny town. Truly sad for people to read and hear the falsehoods regarding my friend, Mark Briggs, whom I have known since our days at the University of Texas in Austin in the early ‘80’s. For those who’ve only heard the trash talk on the street or read the postings on the super-secret Facebook page, I would like to give you another per-spective:

• Former Mayor Mark Briggs is a man of integrity, with high moral character. He is a man of his word, one who would never say one thing to your face and then vote against it in public.

• Former Mayor Mark Briggs is a man with common sense. He has a great working relationship with many state agencies. He has acquired profes-sional collaboration and advice on many issues, including traffic patterns (which will become an issue with 146 construction) and a comprehensive flood plan (including our FEMA maps and the use of Federal Grants from these sources). He is smart enough to know that it is never a good idea to alienate our State Representative.

• Former Mayor Mark Briggs is a man who seeks knowledge. He met with our surrounding city leaders seeking their experienced knowledge of handling common community issues/situations. He would never annoy the people from whom he hoped to gain insight.

• Former Mayor Mark Briggs is quick to assess an organization. He quickly ascertained questionable processes in our city and set up systems with accountability and schedules. He does not like to dawdle in disfunction. He held meetings on a regular schedule and made sure financials were provided at each meeting. He was not one to postpone meetings because he did not have it together.

• Former Mayor Mark Briggs focused on the big picture issues of our city, such as getting the city staff to target Metro monies to fix sidewalks and streets and compose/pursue grants for other issues. He wanted to free the city staff up from such things as scheduling life guards for the city pool.

• Flood insurance is going to sky rocket. There are things that could be done to mediate that, but without Former Mark Briggs as mayor, who is going to do that now?

Finally, regarding all the snarky comments made about “the old people” of El Lago: Understand that those are the folks who volunteered their time and talents for DECADES to make El Lago a wonderful place to live. With enough chutzpah to sign my letter, — Dianna Barnes Liberty, El Lago Resident from 1972-1983 and 1991-present

To Whom It May Concern: The handbill addressed “Friends,” recently distributed throughout El Lago’s neighborhoods, was quite puzzling to me. I mean, I could easily enough figure out that some folks who were calling me Friend wanted to share some information with me, but the problem is they didn’t leave me their names. (I don’t know that I can name more than one or two friends and neighbors I’ve actually ever seen behind a desk, so, for me, “From Your Friends and Neighbors [Not behind a desk]” wasn’t a helpful clue.)

On the chance this unknown admirer was offering me a discount on something, inviting me to some exciting social event, or offering information I truly wanted to know, I continued reading the handbill, only to end up with more questions than answers, some of which are:

• “The Mayor” (Mr. Briggs, our current mayor, in case anyone had trouble nailing that down in the handbill) signed contracts that the same bulleted sentence concludes “failed to meet the standard of Councilman Briggs”? (As mayor, Mr. Briggs signed contracts that, earlier, as a councilman, he didn’t approve? And now they are invalidated by the city attorney, why?)

• Is the “councilwoman who [sic] the Mayor opposes” Ann Vernon? Why not say so?

• What was the “Political Flood Event”? (I could not find this event listed on our city’s website or calendar.)

• Could those who don’t know where “the Mayor’s yard” is get a list of his “handpicked candidates” just to make sure we know who they are? (Or are they just the ones named as his Alaska traveling companions, Roger Nylin and Jim Kelly?)

Now, I’m the first to admit I don’t have a head for politics, but I’m a good reader, so I was determined to figure this thing out. After more than a couple of read-throughs, about the only conclusion I could come up with was that some people who live in El Lago are pretty ticked off at the current mayor. Unfortunately, those citizens were not able to lay out their concerns in a way that that enabled their average fellow citizens and readers to understand and appreciate why they were in such a snit.

Granted, if I were part of some inside group—or maybe on the city council, myself—I might get it. But the innuendos and inferences were lost on me. (I kept thanking the powers-that-be that I wasn’t taking the STAAR test with this handbill as the major expository passage I had to decipher!) The cli-chés and sweeping generalizations filling the piece did little to help me grasp much more than the idea that our little El Lago government has some big-time personality conflicts within.

Despite re-reading the “letter,” I never did find enough concrete details or examples of what’s going on within the city government to figure-out what the mayor’s actual plans are and/or how they differ from those of other groups or what this “divisive path” is the mayor is leading the city down. (I did see some “facts” that had me wondering about common sense conclusions. For example, Mr. Briggs was criticized for being absent during the Harvey “crisis;” if Mr. Briggs was out of town when Hurricane Harvey arrived, how was he supposed to safely get back to El Lago in a small private plane? I didn’t check with the small, local airports, but I would assume they were closed during the height of the storming and flooding. And for the record, Harvey relief wasn’t something that just happened during the storm—the relief effort continues, as many of our citizens in the Bay Area continue to help their fellow citizens put their lives back together. Alas, I digress . . . )

I have to say that in addition to being puzzled, I’m incredibly disturbed and disappointed that a group of adults—people who would be quick to call themselves concerned citizens—are so comfortable accusing, but not comfortable enough to take ownership of their accusations. Please note, I’m not saying there are not issues to be examined, but it’s difficult to do that with no real documented facts or examples of specific problems offered up to the reader—problems then followed by the writer’s plan for implementing plausible solutions. Oh, and if writers are truly confident in their need to be heard, they should be confident enough to sign their names. Until then, please don’t litter my city.

Sincerely,

—- Pamm Muzslay

May 2018 La Ventana Del Lago Page 5

Significant Items from the Minutes of the El Lago City Council Meeting on March 07, 2018 William Grigsby and Jeff Tave Direct excerpts from the official minutes deemed to be of interest and edited for space. Full minutes available on the city website <www.ellago-tx.gov>. Proclamations and Special Recognitions Proclamation Recognizing the Heroes of Harvey - Councilperson Vernon stated that the clean-up after Harvey was a City effort, but there are 5 that the City wants to recognize specifically. Those recognized are: Carl Fisher, John Riley, Robert Athey, Carl Barber, and Darin Clark. Mayor Briggs read the proclamation into record. Citizen Comments

• A resident from Biscayne Blvd wondered if there has been a date set for the public meeting concerning the contract with SVFD.

• A resident from Bayview is a 20-year resident of El Lago and the former Mayor. He wanted to thank everyone involved in having the outfall cleared on NASA Rd 1, in particular Ralf Toennies for his persistence with the WCID and outflow issues immediately after the storm, and Linda Schoene. There was a legal process followed by the WCID involved in getting the bulkhead removed and, without them, the process could have taken a lot longer.

• A resident from Pebblebrook thanked the City for the proclamation and that he is humbled by it. Mayor Briggs stated that a committee is being put together to study the fire services of the City, and the process will likely take 6 months to a year. A public hearing will likely happen after that, and until then we will keep the contract with SVFD. He thanked the resident for pointing out those in-volved in removing the bulkhead and agreed that many people worked very hard to have it removed. City Official, Board, Commission, Committee and/or City Service Reports

• Status Report from Chief Gutacker of Seabrook Volunteer Fire Department - Chief Gutacker stated that the month of February was relative-ly slow. There were 6 calls, including 2 first responder calls. The average response time for the first responder call was 1:20, and the overall average was 2:53. At the inquiry of Mayor Pro Tem Skelton, Chief Gutacker stated that they normally have 10-12 calls in a month.

Councilmembers’ Reports

• Status Report of the Events Committee - Councilperson Vernon stated that the annual Easter Egg Hunt will be March 24th at 10 A.M. in Witty Park. The City will be hiding about 1,500 eggs, and there will be a Most ‘Egg-cellent’ Egg contest. Also, the City Celebration event will be April 21st in McNair Park. There will be hamburgers, hot dogs, and a band on stage. It will be a great day, and the event will run from 3 - 6 PM.

• Status Report of the Parks Board - Councilperson Tave stated that the next meeting will be on March 28th. The only significant item is that the water fountain in Witty Park may require replacement, and the additional capital expense will come up in the budget discussion. Mayor Briggs stated that he got an email from Dennis Paul with 2 viable prospective locations for the bathrooms. That information will be forwarded to Coun-cilpersons Vernon and Tave.

• Status Report of Power Poles and Streetlights - Carlton Porter, the Service Area Manager with CenterPoint Energy, stated that he is working with Councilperson Kelly to identify leaning poles in the City. He hopes that everyone is happy with the tree-trimming portion of the process. There are about 45 poles in the City that will require attention, and 5 of those have already been replaced. The contractor performing the work is NHPL (North Houston Pole Line) and they will be driving marked white trucks. Now that they are identified, the next step in the process can begin and the repair or replacement is a routine job. There was clarification made to Councilperson Tave concerning the timeframe that Center-Point will be in the City, and Mr. Porter stated that they hope to be finished by the end of the calendar year. Councilperson Tave also asked whether residents would be given advance notification if CenterPoint will need access to their yards (yes, advance notification will be made) and questions about Taylorcrest since the transmission wiring is mostly underground (testing will be done by Osmos to assess underground line integ-rity). Councilperson Vernon stated that there is a link on the City website to report power outages and downed poles. Councilperson Tave asked about the ability to install poles in areas that are poorly lit (in particular along Les Talley close to Ed White Elementary as the area seemed dark when he surveyed at night). Mr. Porter explained to the Council the ‘6% Free’ program, which will install underground-wired streetlights for free up to 6% of the total underground in the City as long as the City will cover the cost over that 6%.

Mayor’s Reports

• Status Report of the Blocked Outfall on NASA Rd 1 - Mayor Briggs stated that the removal of the bulkhead is well underway, and a conclu-sion is anticipated very shortly.

Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes

• Discussion/Action to Approve the Minutes from the Council Meeting of January 17, 2018 - Councilperson Vernon motioned to approve, seconded by Councilperson Michalak. With 4 votes in favor and one abstain (Mayor Pro Tem Skelton, due to absence), the motion passed.

• Discussion/Action to Approve the Minutes from the Council Meeting of February 21, 2018 - Councilperson Tave motioned to postpone as the updated version is not in the packet, seconded by Councilperson Michalak. With a unanimous vote in favor, the motion passed.

Old Business

• Discussion/Action to Approve the Pool Contract with BCA Pools for CY2018 - Mayor Briggs recommends speeding this process along at this point, as we are running out of time to train lifeguards. The proposed contract has a 30-day termination window, so the City can try out their operations and focus on other business at hand. He stated that if the City has to manage lifeguards, it takes away from the time the City needs to accomplish more important items pertaining to flooding. Mayor Pro Tem Skelton motioned to approve the contract, seconded by Councilperson Kelly. In discussion, Councilperson Vernon stated that she had offered to help in the bidding process and believes that the contract is lacking in many areas such as the splashpad and their ability to adhere to state regulations pertaining to a municipal pool. Councilperson Tave stated that he sent concerns to the City Secretary and would like to review an additional bid/contract that includes maintenance and chemical services, but not lifeguards. Councilperson Tave motioned to postpone this item to March 21st, seconded by Councilperson Michalak. In discussion, Coun-cilperson Michalak expressed concern that Councilperson Vernon’s concerns were not addressed. With four votes in favor of postponing the contract (Mayor Pro Tem Skelton and Councilpersons Vernon, Tave, and Michalak), and one opposed (Councilperson Kelly), the motion passed.

continued on page 6

May 2018 La Ventana Del Lago Page 6

Emergency Management Update Tom Merchant, El Lago Emergency Management Coordinator Hurricane Season begins in a little less than one month and it is my opinion that preparations for that should begin now in May. Preparations include: cleaning up around the outside of the house and yard to eliminate potential windblown items; be sure insurance policies are up to date and provide the necessary coverages; be sure your emer-gency plan is up to date, if you do not have one make one; will you stay - do you have the necessary supplies on hand; will you evacuate – do you have a plan for evacuation; have you plans for your pets. Information on prepar-edness can be picked up at city hall or by way of the city website at www.ellago-tx.gov, look for the link to emer-gency management. In addition it is important that those in need of assistance during a storm or other emergency event should register with the State of Tex-as Emergency assistance Registry or “STEAR.” This can be done by calling “211” and providing the necessary information and what type of assistance, evacuation, medical, etc. The following web sites provide use full information: www.weather.gov/wrn/spring-safety, www.nws.noaa.gov/os/tornado, www.floodsafety.noaa.gov, and www.lighteningsafety.noaa.gov. El Lago and Taylor Lake Village will hold a joint “Town Hall Meeting” in late May in the Event Room at El Lago City Hall. Plans are to have a hurricane season forecast, suggestions on storm preparedness, and an overview of CERT. As plans are currently being devel-oped, I do not have exact details while writing this piece.

continued from page 5

• Status of Grass Contract - The City Secretary stated that the requests for bid (RFP) are out to companies. He has pressed them for bids and the City is waiting to receive them. Councilperson Tave suggested the possibility of instituting a policy of waiving our normal process with a sole-source justification for instances where the City is unsuccessful in obtaining 3 bids and the waiver would document efforts taken to obtain bids so as to show good faith effort by the City.

• Discussion/Action to Approve an Expenditure Not to Exceed $2,000 for the Volunteer Celebration Event - Mayor Briggs stated that he pledged $1,000 to the event and believed that there was one other pledge. He believes that the City shouldn’t have much trouble finding business-es and other sources to help with these events. This item was moved after discussion to the budget workshop.

New Business

• Financial Packet - Discussion/Action to Approve the Check Detail: Councilperson Tave motioned to approve the check detail, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Skelton. Councilperson Tave asked about the bill to BCA pools for repairs, and the City Secretary stated that it was a repair made to the electronics assembly for the pumps to the pool and the splashpad. With a unanimous vote in favor, the motion passed.

• Discussion/Action to Approve the Events Room Variance for Cub Scout Pack #389 to Use the Event Room at No Cost for the Pinewood Derby on April 15, 2018: Councilperson Kelly motioned to approve, seconded by Councilperson Michalak. Councilperson Vernon asked where the event would physically take place, and Mr. Duncan stated that in prior years the event takes place inside and along the length of the room. Councilperson Tave asked whether the troop has ever done a community service event on behalf of the City, and Mr. Duncan stated that they do various projects in and around the area, to which Councilperson Tave stated that he would link them up with the Parks Board. With a unanimous vote in favor, the motion passed.

Budget Workshop – FY2018 – To Discuss Possible Budget Adjustments Discussion items included:

• The desire for additional reporting and the appropriate threshold of budgetary tracking, as proposed by Mayor Pro Tem Skelton

• The need to re-bid banking services, and the level of and allocation of the City’s reserve account, as mentioned by Mayor Briggs

• The level of detail involved for the budgeting process so as to build an accurate basis of estimate which leads to the setting of the tax rate, as men-tioned by Councilperson Tave

• The need for, and the process of completing, budget adjustments, a group discussion as led by Mayor Pro Tem Skelton

• Changes to the accounting structure to govern by class, a group discussion as led by Mayor Briggs and Mayor Pro Tem Skelton

• Inputs by Council into the accounting structure and “bucket size” for each account will be send to the City Secretary to begin a preliminary struc-ture, in conjunction with input from the auditors.

• The need for a City Treasurer and City Engineer, as mentioned by Councilperson Vernon

• Funding for the Volunteer Celebration Event (item 12.3), a group discussion as led by Mayor Pro Tem Skelton

• Discussion of the unallocated funds on the top of the budget ($12K surplus) – this amount will more than cover the expense for the Volunteer Par-ty.

• The prospective need for a budget adjustment for the pool contract with lifeguard service, as mentioned by Councilperson Vernon

• The need for budget adjustments at the end of 1Q, group discussion led by Mayor Pro Tem Skelton. Input by Council will be sent to the City Sec-retary, at which time he and Mayor Pro Tem Skelton will consolidate them. These include paying for the pool expense increases, the infrastructure involved in the bathroom project in McNair Park, and street sweeping.

Regarding the previous item “Discussion/Action to Approve an Expenditure Not to Exceed $2,000 for the Volunteer Celebration Event,” Councilperson Vernon motioned to approve the $2K expense (with the funds coming from the unallocated budget surplus), seconded by Councilperson Michalak. With a unanimous vote in favor, the motion passed. Future Agenda Item Requests Mayor Pro Tem Skelton – Another budget meeting in one month to discuss changes to finance policy and additional items. One month after that, budget adjustments will be completed. Councilperson Kelly – Update on inventory of streets in need of repair for Harris County Councilperson Tave – Unapproved assets and unused assets to be disposed list Councilperson Vernon – Special meeting for pool contract, to be held early in the next week. Proposed changes will be sent to the City Secretary

May 2018 La Ventana Del Lago Page 7

WCID No. 50 Minutes for the January 10th Board Meeting Sabrina Herod & Jeff Tave The following are highlights of the minutes of the meeting of the Board of Directors that took place on January 10, 2018. Complete minutes are available at the District office at 1122 Cedar Lane, and on the WCID No. 50 website at www.wcid50.com. Citizen’s Comments – Mr. Ralf Toennies suggested that the District move at an expedited pace to resolve the current blockage erected by the Seagate Condos. Mr. Bonham, the District’s Attorney, responded that the District is doing just that and explained that neither the pipe nor the bulkhead are within the District’s jurisdiction; however, the appropriate jurisdictional authorities have been notified of the issue via written correspondence and the District is awaiting responses. Mr. Bonham further explained that the District has sent a de-mand letter for the removal of the bulkhead to the Seagate Condominiums Homeowners association. Mr. Toennies also expressed con-cern with a pile of dirt and debris in a drainage ditch located outside the District in the City of Seabrook across Repsdorph Road from Pebblebrook Drive. Mr. Runco responded that the District will bring the condition to the attention of the City of Seabrook’s Public Works Department. Mr. Kosar also expressed his concerns with the status at the Seagate Condominiums and the timeframe for removal of the bulkhead covering the TXDOT culvert that is hindering drainage. Mrs. Makinen addressed the meeting regarding an incident at Confederate Way where a transport truck broke a drainage inlet. Mrs. Makinen stated that a report has been filed with the Lakeview Police Department. Mr. Baker, the District Superintendent, responded that the District will affect repairs and Mr. Runco responded that the District will attempt to recover the cost of the repairs from the transport operator. Mr. Clark addressed his concerns with the lack of communication between the City of El Lago and the District. Mr. Runco pointed out that El Lago City Councilman Jeff Tave regularly attends District meetings and that the District has sent formal correspondence to the City advising the City of the actions it has taken with respect to drainage. The correspondence was signed on December 27, 2017 and sent via certified return receipt U.S. mail on De-cember 28, 2017; however, the correspondence was not delivered and the City did not sign for receipt of it until January 12, 2018. Shei-la Brown also noted that she has personally invited Mayor Briggs to attend District meetings but has not done so as yet. District Drainage System – Ron Anderson presented the report and some of the items discussed were: a) The pre-construction meeting for inspection of District drainage lines was held on December 27, 2017. The Notice to Proceed was issued for January 8, 2018 and televising has commenced. b) The elevation survey of Bayou View Dr. has been received and analysis has commenced A Preliminary Engineering Report determining outfall capacity of the TXDOT culvert across Nasa Road 1 at Bayou View Drive for possible improve-ments for increased drainage from Confederate Way and Bayou View Dr is in work. A Job Assignment Proposal for the development of a numerical model of the District for drainage is presented for review, discussion and approval. A motion to approve the Proposal and proceed with the development of the model was made by J. L. Restivo. The motion was seconded by Sheila Brown and approved by a unanimous vote. continued on page 8

May 2018 La Ventana Del Lago Page 8

Trowels & Tribulations In a Suburban Garden Donna J. Ward, Certified Texas Master Gardener The scent of magnolia floats from room to room throughout the house. Nothing represents the south as perfectly as the Southern Magnolia Grandiflora, and nothing gives your dining room table a more sophisticated appearance than a huge, fragrant white blossom floating in a glass bowl. Almost makes one want to have a dinner party just to show off an elegant centerpiece! Speaking of sweet scents, if you have any wood violets that have fin-ished their spring display it’s time to dig and divide them if you want to share with your neighbors. Or in the alternative just leave them be, and eventually they will spread into a carpet of heart-shaped leaves. Their tiny seeds are carried easily by the slightest breeze. If your favorite nursery has any Australian violets for sale, pick up a few and place them in a shady spot that could use a bit of ground cover. They produce white blossoms tinged with purple, but their blooms are borne on straight stems much taller than the common wood violets. This is your last chance to prune azaleas. Drop by your local garden center and pick up a new pair of by-pass pruners. They are much more efficient and plant friendly than the anvil type in that they ‘cut’ instead of ‘crush. If you wait too long to prune, you won't be able to show off your ‘bloomers’ next spring. While you’re at it give them their last fertiliza-tion before June 1st. A soil acidifier couldn't hurt either. I’m not much into roses – they’re a good deal of trouble to my way of thinking, so I only have one. It’s just a little red, antique variety that came with me from Missouri over four decades ago and it's been com-plaining about Texas summers ever since. Aphids don’t seem to bother it, but black spot shows up like clockwork every summer. The leaves look as though they have been burned and eventually fall. If you’re expe-riencing the same problem with your roses, be sure to pick up the infect-ed leaves and don’t allow them to remain on the ground. Rain or your watering method will splash the fungal spores back up on to healthy leaves. Watering at night makes this fungus ecstatically happy – gives it the warm humid conditions it needs to spread. To reduce the chance of infection, water in the morning or early afternoon, and don’t crowd your roses with other plants – they like plenty of air circulation. Mulch those flower beds now – it's one of the best remedies known for conserving moisture, controlling weeds and moderating soil temperature. If you have access to pine needles they make excellent mulch especially for those acid loving azaleas and camellias. But any type of mulch is better than no mulch at all, with the exception of dyed mulch which is made from scrap wood that may be treated with chemicals. You might want to put down 5 or 6 layers of newspaper (butted up against the stalks or trunks of your flowers and shrubs) before spreading the mulch. News-paper will discourage weeds, and is much less expensive than a roll of synthetic weed blocking material. We're mowing the lawn pretty regularly now, so set that mower to high. Taller blades shade the stolens (runners) and helps to slow moisture evaporation from the soil during our miserably hot summers. You and I may not like the hot summer, but okra adores it, so plant those seeds now. Okra seeds won't even spout until the weather is sufficiently warm. Sweet potatoes would like a spot in the veggie garden also, and many gardening publications will recommend planting corn in May. My expe-rience tells me that planting now is just an invitation to Helicoverpa zea, a night flying moth who lays her eggs on corn silks. These eggs hatch in just a few days, and the larvae burrows down into the corn kernels. But planting in February produces juicy ears before the moth discovers them. We had a pretty severe cold snap when the lemon trees were sporting a myriad of sweet scented blossoms, and no tiny fruits have appeared on my tree and those of several others who have reported the same condi-tion. I froze enough lemon juice this past season to keep us in lemonade for this summer, but if you have none in reserve, you may have to resort to those frozen cans from the grocery freezer section. Nothing like a kick in the pants from Mother Nature to show us who's in charge! Trowels & Tribulations is published on the city site (www.ellago-tx.com) on the first day of each month of publication. Go to 'Our Community' and on the drop down menu you will find Trowels & Tribulations listed

continued from page 7

Superintendent’s Report – David Baker presented the report and some of the items discussed were: a) Fill dirt was placed in low are-as next to the storm drain pipe at the Taylorcrest Park. b).AAA Flexible Pipe unstopped sanitary sewer line at 200 Biscayne Blvd. and 402 Lakeshore Dr. c).A plumbing contractor repaired the 6” sanitary sewer pipe for WCID 50 at 1246 Woodland. d) The West blower motor has been rebuilt and placed back into operation at the sewer plant. e) Replaced the batteries on both the 125 Kw and the 250 Kw emergency generators. f) Electricians repaired the faulty ultra sound level controller to the sewer plant lift station. The lift station operated on the backup float switches during the outage of the ultra sound controller. g) Freeze protection for the pipes and equipment has been completed. h) Replaced the driven and drive sprockets, shear pins, and the chain on the North Clarifier drive unit at the sewer plant. i) Removed debris and rebuilt all three sewer plant lift station pumps. j) Employee, David Baker attended the con-tinuing education class held in Dickinson as required to maintain inspector’s license.

Engineer’s Report – Ron Anderson presented the report and some of the items discussed were: a) The Wastewater Treatment Plant Lift Station Replacement construction activities continue with submittals being reviewed. Pay Application No. 2 from Reddico Construction Company, Inc. in the amount of $76,860 is presented with recom-mendation to approve. A motion to approve the Pay Application as submitted was made by M. B. Eisenbarth. The motion was seconded by George Shea Jr. and approved by a unanimous vote. b) Job As-signment Proposal for the Ground Storage Tank (GST) No. 2 Re-placement is presented for review, discussion, and approval. A mo-tion to approve the Proposal for GST No. 2 replacement was made by Sheila Brown. The motion was seconded by J. L. Restivo and approved by a unanimous vote. c) The Wastewater Treatment Plant TPDES Permit Renewal continues to progress and will require Board signature for submission.

Office Manager’s Report – Erika Pennington presented the report and some of the items discussed were: a) 2017 Tax Levy is ~15% collected. b) Delinquent tax/water bill payments are trending down-ward due to the District’s delinquent payment policy. c) The new on-line payment link is up and running. Payment Service Network (PSN) has replaced the previous vendor. The number of customers utilizing the service has since doubled.

Order Adopting Residence Homestead Exemption; Order Adopting Residence Homestead Exemption for Persons 65 or Older or Disabled – Davis Bonham presented the orders (copy at-tached) adopting the above mentioned exemptions for property own-er’s residing within the district. George Shea Jr. made a motion to approve the orders adopting the exemptions. M. B. Eisenbarth se-conded the motion and it passed unanimously. The carried motion continues the exemptions unchanged. Veteran’s exemptions are processed by individual request to Harris County Appraisal District.

Order for Election of Directors – Mr. Bonham presented the Order calling for Election of Directors to be held May 5, 2018. A motion to approve the order was made by George Shea Jr. The motion was seconded by J. L. Restivo and approved by all.

Items for inclusion on Board’s Next Agenda – Annual review of FTC Identity Theft Red Flag Policy; Annual Report to Texas Comp-troller pursuant to Senate Bill 625 (Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 203, Subchapter D); Order Levying Additional Penalty for Delinquent Taxes.

Pending Business – Preliminary Calendar outlining Meeting Dates presented. Discussion held and due to numerous conflicts, the next Board Meeting is scheduled for February 16, 2018 @ 12:30 PM Sheila Brown addressed the meeting with a request to Jeff Tave re-garding the distribution of the La Ventana and having the circulation group ensure the paper ends up closer to the driveways and not left in the street where they can end up in storm drains. Sheila Brown has requested the messages continue on the monthly statements to remind residents to help keep the debris cleaned up in and around the storm drains near their properties.

May 2018 La Ventana Del Lago Page 9

911 HANG UP 0 INTOXICATED DRIVER 2

ABANDONED VEHICLE 0 LOUD MUSIC NOISE 7

ABUSE NEGLECT CHILD ELDERLY

2 LOST MISSING RECOVERED ABDUCTED

0

ACCIDENT MAJOR 0 MINOR ACCIDENT 5

ALARM BURGLAR 22 NARCOTICS VIOLATION 0

ALARM PANIC 0 PARKING VIOLATION 1

ALARM VEHICLE 0 PRISONER PROCESS 0

ANIMAL CONTROL PROBLEM 21 PROPERTY LOST RECOVERED 1

ASSAULT 1 RECKLESS DRIVER CONDUCT 2

ASSIST BY LAW 12 SUICICE ATTEMPT / PSYCHIATRIC

1

ASSIST CITIZEN 12 STRUCTURE FIRE 0

BURGLARY 0 SUSPICIOUS PERSON VEHICLE 26

CIVIL PROBLEMS STANDBY 0 THEFT 1

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 1 THREAT TERRORISTIC 0

DEATH INVESTIGATION 1 TRAFFIC HAZARD 0

DISABLED VEHICLE 3 TRAFFIC STOP 165

DISTURBANCE 3 TRESPASS 1

FLAGDOWN 1 VIOLATION CITY ORDINANCE 6

FOLLOW UP 6 UNAUTHORIZED USE OF M/V 0

FRAUD 1 WARRANT SERVICE 1

HARASSMENT 0 WELFARE CONCERNS 10

ID THEFT

0 WEAPONS OFFENSES 0

LAKEVIEW POLICE ACTIVITY April 2018

313

04/13/2018 McNair Park Suspicious Circumstance The on duty officer for the east district received a call around 6:30 PM of a suspicious person in McNair Park who was tying something about the size of a small football to a tree. When the officer arrived the suspicious male had left the park but there was an object that was wrapped in layers of duct tape that was tied to a tree beside the jogging path on the backside of the park. Unsure whether this might be an improvised explosive device that was set to injure citizens who may be walking by, the officer cordoned off the area and called on the Pasadena PD to assist with an officer from their bomb squad to help neutralize and identify what the package was. The PPD bomb squad sent their bomb unit out with their robot and deter-mined that the device was not an explosive. When the package was cut open it was found to be a “geo-cache” vault that had location information in it for an internet scavenger hunt game. Note to the citizens who want to play these games in our cities: when you are leaving strange looking items around the public areas for a game, please contact the police department and let us know it is not a dan-ger, so we don’t waste time and resources determining that it is not a dangerous device. And parents who read this, tell your children to contact us if they play these types of games. These careless activi-ties could easily be mistaken for an attempted terrorist attack.

04/17/2018 4100 NASA Pkwy Assault Arrest – Domestic Violence Officer Smith noticed a disturbance in progress in a vehicle beside the road in the parking lot of Maverick Remodeling on NASA Park-way. When he contacted the persons who were fighting and separat-ed them it was determined that the female was a passenger in the vehicle and she was attacking her husband who was driving. The female, who was intoxicated, had started attacking her husband with a painter’s knife tool causing a couple of serious scratches on his arm and chest before he could pull over and stop the vehicle to get away from her. The couple’s teenaged son in the back seat had grabbed his mother’s arms to stop the attack so his dad could pull over and he received a small cut to one of his fingers. The officer arrested the female for the domestic violence assault and placed her into jail in Harris County and the Class A misdemeanor charge was filed with the district attorney’s office.

04/25/2018 400 Terrace Drive Fraud A homeowner on Terrace Drive reported to police that she had been defrauded out of $2,000 in a construction scam. The complainant had agreed to pay a private construction contractor to fix her house that had been damaged by the Harvey flood waters and once she had given the suspect the $2,000 down payment to buy materials and start the job the suspect had never showed up to do the work. All of her attempts to contact the suspect at the telephone number she was given for him went unanswered. After the detective had identified the suspect it was discovered that this homeowner is not his only victim. Due to the nature of this construction scam being perpetrated on multiple complainants by this suspect it can be considered an on-going criminal offense by Texas law and he can be prosecuted for this activity in criminal court when he is found. The investigation is still in progress.

04/25/2018 3900 NASA Pkwy Arrest – Controlled Substances Officer Stilwell observed a vehicle on NASA parkway driving errat-ically across the traffic lanes traveling west bound in the 3900 block and got behind it to stop the driver. He activated his emergency lights to pull the vehicle over, but the driver was unaware he was behind her until he finally had to turn his siren on to get her atten-tion. The officer finally got the subject stopped at the parking lot of the Hilton Hotel in Nassau Bay. Upon contact it was determined that the 36 year old female driver was under the influence of something other than alcohol. She claimed that it was her prescription medica-tion for depression that was effecting her, but a search of the subject and the area in the vehicle around her found numerous types of pre-scription pills and some illegal drugs that cannot be acquired by prescription. She was arrested for possession of controlled substanc-es and placed into jail. Additional charges for PCS may be filed later after the forensic lab results are obtained on some of the other illegal substances that were seized from her.

Lakeview Police Department Cases (El Lago) - April 2018 Date Location Type Offense 04/01/2018 409 Tallowood Dr (McNair Park) Robbery A teenaged resident of El Lago reported to police that she had been robbed by a known male acquaintance while she was walking along the park pathway by the tennis courts, that leads from Tallowood Drive to the Lakeshore Drive parking area. She claimed that the suspect pushed her to the ground and forcibly took her bag from the convenience store that had two soft drinks in it and her $30 in cash. The detective followed up on the report a few days later and while interviewing the complainant about the incident found that there were too many inconsistencies in her story. Ultimately the complain-ant admitted that she lied and the whole robbery situation was a drug deal that went bad and she got ripped off. No suspect was arrested based upon her report so the detective is considering whether or not to file a false report charge against the complainant.

LA VENTANA

ROUTES OPEN FOR NEW CARRIERS.

CONTACT KIMBERLY CAMPOS

832-232-2672

May 2018 La Ventana Del Lago Page 10

Join the La Ventana Team! We are looking for an

Editor and Advertising Coordinator.

Call Jeff Tave (281) 326-5098

Lakeview Police Dept Statistics

Classified*Classified*Classified

• Join the El Lago Baby-sitting Co-Op. It’s a great way to exchange baby-sitting at no cost. We just exchange tickets; for example,two tickets pays for 1 hour of baby-sitting. Plus, we have monthly kid and parent fun activities. Please join us or call Peta at (281) 326-1340 for more information.

• Join the La Ventana Team! We are looking for an Adver-tising Director. Call Jeff Tave at (281) 326– 5098.

• Will gladly care for your pets. Call Kelly Flanagan (281)326-3735.

• Baby-Sitting 14 year-old who loves kids. Call Alicia (281) 291-0942.

• Residential House Cleaning - Thorough & in-depth clean-ing. Move-outs and make readies; references available. Crystal Angel Cleaning Service. Call Linda (281)-922-0044 &

(713)-947-8930.

El Lago NeighborLine Jeff Tave

Here again is the updated El Lago Neighbor Business Line, a list of business owners who desire to promote their services to fellow El Lagoans. The La Ventana in no way endorses these businesses, ra-ther we are reporting their availability. With that in mind, here is our current list by type to date. If you are interested in adding your name/business to the list, please contact Jeff Tave (281-326-5098 or via email: jefftave@eartlink.net) by May 28 (for the June issue). The listing fee is $4.50 per issue or $35 for a full year (9 issues). All fees go towards supporting the operations of your community newspaper. Academia/Craft Classes · Borde, Jenny: Alpha-Montessori School (1908 Hialeah), toddlers, pre-school, elementary, summer camp, before/after school. We match prices. Call 281-474-2222. Visit <www.alphamontessoriseabrook.com>. · Patrick, Michele: Mosaics by Michele, El Lago resident since 2008. Fun mosaic classes as well as summer camps. For info call or visit 713-828-1603 or <www.mosaicsbymichele.com>. Fitness/Pilates · Campos, Kimberly: MEbody Studio, Pilates, Adult Ballet and tap, barre360, Gyrotonic, body rolling, and more. Come and move with us! ALL bodies welcome. Contact us at <www.themebody.com> or 281-984-7325. Computers/Networks & Home Automation · Wohrer, Rob: OutBackRob.Com, Owner & El Lago resident. We can fix things the Friends & the Geeks can’t. Over 30 years in the business. We come to you! Call 713-OUT-BACK CPA · Coggin, John: John F. Coggin CPA PLLC, El Lago Resident since 1985. Full service CPA firm offering individual/corp. taxes, bookkeeping, payroll & monthly financial statements. Offices at Lakeside Yachting Center by Classic Café 713-408-1318 or www.jcoggincpa.com Home Improvement · Lehnertz, Tim: Rugmasters Carpet & Floors, Visit our showroom at 4903 NASA Parkway (across from Clear Lake Forest). Family business, 30+ yrs. @ the same location. 281-326-1724. Realty Services · Musgrave, Patricia: Edmondson & Associates, will meet all your real estate needs with excellency, El Lago residence since 1967, 281-326-5544 (w), 713-206-3375 (cell), 281-326-1763 (h). Sailing School, Kayaking, Standup Paddleboards · Coggin, Laurie: Let's Go Sailing Sailing School and Kayak/

Standup Paddleboard rentals. On the water @ Pier 1 West

Lakeside Yachting Center. El Lago Resident since 1985. For info,

call 281-532-1518, www. lets-go-sailing.net

May 2018 La Ventana Del Lago Page 11