President's Report December 2025

Lights in the Heights 2025 has wrapped! The past few weeks are literally a blur. There’s just so much that goes into planning and staging Lights in the Heights. It’s time to look back at the events and acknowledge the efforts of those passionate neighbors that made it all happen.

The Bash
Lights in the Heights starts with the Bash. While that’s some weeks in the past, it was nonetheless a critical first step in the process. The Bash committee was co-chaired by Lauren Snead and Danielle Garcia, with the assistance of; Nikki Hanley, Amanda Dinitiz, Ashley Allison, Jim Chambers, Christa White & Christina Thiele.

The process started back in January, when Lauren Snead, Bash co-chair, was still pregnant. We’d barely cleared away the mess from New Years when she was chasing me about confirming the Old Heights Fire Hall as the new venue for the event.

Lauren and the team went about securing food and drink sponsors, and dozens of donations for the silent auction. Then built a party around that core. An overview of the event was already published in the November newsletter, which can also be found on the web site.

The Bash was well received and very successful, raising over $15,000 towards other LITH events including Friday Night Lights and LITH. That’s about half the cost of the main Lights in the Heights event.

Sponsorships
Starting in September, Dallas Jagneaux-Boyle and I began chasing down a long list of companies to find sponsors for the event. We tweaked the sponsorship tiers to make them simpler, and set out to befriend businesses all around the area. This year was more challenging than last year, but in the end we managed to find enough sponsors to ensure that we’d be showing black ink in the final analysis.

We’re grateful to each and every one of our sponsors for their support. You should be, too! Please make them your first call whenever you need what they offer.

Judging

LITH Committee chair Ashley Allison thought it would be good to invite a larger group to judge the decorations this year. So we put out the word in a limited fashion. It would be easy to have vastly too many people, making the process impractical. We ended up with a group of 15. That’s the largest group of judges in memory.

The sheer number of judges presented a new challenge. How to proceed with the mechanics of the judging? Judges need to navigate the neighborhood as a group, with the opportunity to stop and examine the houses as desired. Ideally, some kind of open transport is required. A shuttle bus or stretch limo just isn’t appropriate.

Given the number of judges involved we settled upon a fleet of golf carts. There were three available from amongst the group of judges, and two more we rented. The judging went quite smoothly, taking about three hours on a cold evening. Several of the judges made a further path through the neighborhood to refine their notes, before passing them to the committee head.

One neighbor had written, imploring us to publish the results before the event, so they could know how to plan their evening. The results were tabulated and published to the web site on Saturday, with beginning of a photo gallery of the winning homes. That gallery was completed a couple days later.

Sara Smithey, Leah Patrick, Alyssa Holub, Kate Cartwright, Julie Moore, Michael Graves, Estella Espinosa, Kerry & Justin Blackmon, Andrew & Ashley Allison, Brian Edmondson, Connor Allison, Cash Laney, Norah Blackmon, and Keaton Bollmann.

Friday Nights Lights
Friday Night Lights is the smaller, family-focused LITH event for neighbors. Held on the Norhill Esplanade this year’s edition of FNL went very smoothly. FNL is organized by Beth Sorenson, with help from her husband Carl.
 
Attendees enjoyed music by the Cosmos Street Band, while making smores. Sponsor Eureka Heights Brewery provided hydration. Memorial Herman Greater Heights was there with a photo booth. Boy Scout Troop 30 from St Mark’s Church was selling wreaths and snacks, while the younger kids got to visit with Santa and Mrs Claus.

Alyssa Holub, WHCA manager of merchandise, was on site delivering orders of LITH & WHCA merchandise. The  2025 LITH  and generic WH holiday ornaments actually sold out! If you didn’t get yours, fear not! We are reordering both to make sure every order is fulfilled.

For me, the highlight of FNL was recognizing Ward and Susan Pennebaker for their many years designing and crafting the electric dinosaurs that ring the Norhill Esplanade. WHCA and CM Castillo had the city create an official proclamation, declaring Friday, December 13th as Pennebaker Day in Houston! The proclamation was presented with the help of Thomas Wheaton (CM Castillo’s staff) Tiffany Tyler and their son, Matt Pennebaker.

All of that was enough to make me work up an appetite. So, I was glad that Wokker was there to meet that need. Special thanks to WHCA board member Ryan Taylor for providing the flatbed trailer was used as a stage for the band.

Lights in the Heights 2025: The Main event
I think that everyone has their own, unique experience of Lights in the Heights. I’m happy enough to share ours, which was very positive this year. Stella and I walked the entire route in about 90 minutes. The weather was good. The crowds were moderate in size and well-behaved, as far as we could tell. There were quite a few young people out. Also, quite a number of dogs. At no point in our meander did we find ourselves in a “crush” of people, as occasionally happened in the past.

The houses and yards were bright and cheery. I especially like it when neighbors wrap the old oaks on the boulevards. While the single best wrapped tree was at 912 Woodland, the 900 block of Bayland impressed with many old oaks wrapped in white, and colored lights strung across the street. That takes considerable effort.

The performers seemed reasonably distributed across the route. Coordination of locations and performers was handled by former WHCA board member Stephanie Frey. It’s a daunting task, placing bands on porches. Trying to make space for a choir or bell chorus between the DJs and electric bands. It’s not easy. Especially when neighbors occasionally surprise us by hiring a band without letting us know.

The performers were a diverse lot; some very good, others at least interesting. I admit that I am of a certain age where loud is not the same as good. But if the players are good, I don’t mind it loud. As long as the PA equipment itself isn’t suffering. The Brazilian Blues Band at 504 Woodland was notably good, drawing a correspondingly large crowd.

I do enjoy the young musicians. I was especially impressed by the band from Bojangles Music School. On the porch at 925 Bayland, they were a group of young people with a lot of heart, playing classic rock songs from my era. And doing a decent job of it. They had amassed quite a group of appreciative onlookers when we passed by.

In a similar vein, I was interested to hear the band from the School of Rock who were the Norhill Esplanade. Alas, they were on a break as we passed by.

While at that eastern end of the route we chatted with the folks from Bike Houston, who reported over 100 bikes in their supervised lockup. Big thanks to Joy Roth and Bike Houston for their efforts.

At various points along the way I made a point of chatting up neighbors on porches without performers, to get their sense of the event. Everyone I talked to was enjoying the event. None reported any misbehavior. I also said hello to a number of the police officers working the event. One officer said she lived in the Woodlands, and this was her first time in Woodland Heights. From her perspective, everything was going very well.
 
Close
Countless neighbors have told us that Lights in the Heights is important to them. It’s part of what draws people to Woodland Heights. Such a long-running festival, run entirely by volunteers, is a sign of a strong and caring community. A hearty thank-you to our sponsors and everyone involved in planning and staging the events, also the many neighbors whose decorations literally light the way. 

Presidents Report October 2025

Halloween is now upon us, marking the start of the holiday season. Tonight, we deal with the pressing matter of candy distribution to crowds of kiddos. It's one of our favorite things to do. It's lots of fun to see the kids and their parents in their costumes every year. It's also really nice to see the kids, all grown up with their own families, coming by. Last year, we had someone drive in from Spring to bring their little boy in to let him see the Halloween she grew up with. That was extra special!

Once they are dispatched, all thoughts turn to the Lights in the Heights Bash. Looking back, we’re not always very clear at describing the BASH. So, I shall try again.

The Lights in the Heights Bash is a classic fund-raising party. This year it’s to be held the evening of Thursday, November 13th at the Old Heights Fire Hall on 12th Street. The party will feature food from Gabby’s BBQ and drink from Eureka Heights and Mutiny in the Heights.

There will be both silent and live auctions, featuring numerous things of interest donated by neighbors and local businesses. Some items are small, while others more significant. Last year, I lucked out on a hefty gift card from Credence, Levi Goode’s new upscale eatery.

The largest item auctioned last year was a private hayride through the neighborhood, pulled by Ulf’s Andresen’s antique Porsche tractor. Which by the way is up for auction again this year - can't think of a better way for you and your family to view the neighborhood in lights as part of a new family tradition. Be sure to get your bid in early for this item!

This year, Stella and I are donating tickets to enjoy Le Chef Club at Culinary Institute Lenotre. CIL, just over yonder, is one of the finest Culinary Arts Schools in the country. Le Chef Club is their program of casual weekend classes. The lucky winners will spend a Saturday morning (you're choice) learning to cook some great cuisine (or pastries!) in a professional kitchen, then enjoy the fruits of their efforts for lunch. We’d done this a dozen times, and every time is great fun.

If you have something you’d like to donate, it’s not too late! Email bash@woodland-heights.org with your idea.

All proceeds from the Bash support the main event, which is the 38th Annual Lights in the Heights on Saturday December 13th. As was announced previously, the route will be Bayland and Woodland Streets. Our entertainment committee is amassing volunteer performers to be matched to porches /yards along the route. If you’d like to volunteer your yard or porch please reach out to Stephanie Frey at EntertainmentLITH@gmail.com.

An event of this size would be impossible without the generosity of many sponsors. We are very happy to announce that Memorial Hermann Greater Heights is returning as a Gold sponsor of the event.  We’re grateful for their support these many years. That said, we are most definitely still in need of sponsors! Details are available on our web site or contact me directly at president@woodland-heights.org.

President's Report: September 2025

September is a busy time of year. Kids are well and truly back to school, after school activities have ramped up. The September Member’s Meeting of the WHCA was held at 7pm on Tuesday, September 9th at Zion Lutheran Church, on the very same day as the Travis Elementary Open House. Even so, there were around 20 neighbors in attendance.

This particular meeting featured a presentation on the future of Stude Park. The presentation was lead by Sherry Weesner, President of the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority (TIRZ5) with help from a team of designers and landscape architects from SWA Group. The presentation was followed by an animated Q&A session.

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Greater Heights Strategic Connections Plan
Timeline & Area

Sherry opened by introducing the Greater Heights Strategic Connections Plan. This is an effort to identify ways to improve mobility across a broad swath of the Northeast part of the city. Stude Park, with its walking trails and bike paths, is a significant piece of that larger puzzle

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Stude Park Survey - SWA Group

Transitioning to a focus on Stude Park, she introduced Scott McCready, Olivia Pinner and Adam Scott of SWA Group. TIRZ5 has contracted SWA Group to study Stude Park, survey the community about ideas for improvements, and assemble some design ideas for the future. The SWA team are current or past WH residents, so they have some insight into how important the park is to the neighborhood.

The team from SWA presented a range of idea for ways to improve the utility of the park. Their presentation addressed many different perspectives and use cases. The best of these will be woven into a long term vision plan that will guide the evolution of the park into the future.
 
We’re still at the beginning of a years-long process. At the time of this meeting over 300 people had already completed the initial public survey. That effort remains ongoing until November 14th. We encourage everyone to complete the short, survey, adding their perspective to the many who love the park.

*PS – Congratulations to SWA Principal, Scott McCready, who was recently name the “2025 Best Friend of Woodland Park" for his continuous commitment to seeing the park improved over many years.

*PPS - Had I known just how engaging this discussion was going to be I would have arranged to have the meeting recorded. We’ve done this on occasion in the past, when there’s a topic of broad interest to the neighborhood, like Street Safety Improvements.

President's Report: July 2025

The fourth WHCA Member’s Meeting of the year was held on Tuesday, July 8th in the great room at Zion Lutheran Church.

Now that we’re well into summer, I expected a modest group attending. Even so, and despite some late afternoon rain, some 23 neighbors gathered to hear our guests and receive an update on WHCA activities.

Act One

The first guest was Thomas Wheaton, Director of Communications from CM Castillo’s District H Office. He highlighted the council member’s Prop A initiative to move the last public session each month into the evening. WHCA is one of many civic clubs that signed onto a letter to the mayor and council in support of this proposal.

The simple fact is that working people find it challenging to go to the afternoon public sessions. This fundamentally alters the feedback that council gets from the residents. A late afternoon or evening session will improve the chances that council hears representatives on all sides of any particular issue.

City council took up the issue the following day, and it passed! The first evening session is going to be 6pm Tuesday, August 26th. Now it’s up to us to attend these sessions, to show council that they have real merit.

Mr. Wheaton concluded by handing out a flier asking everyone to fill out the 2026 Council District Service Fund (CDSF) Survey. This is an effort to collect community input spending priorities, including; public safety, sidewalks, parks and more.

Act TWO

The second guest speaker was Sherry Weesner, President of The Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority (aka TIRZ5.) Sherry outlined a number of projects in the area, eventually settling on a new effort that focuses on updating Stude Park.

The headline here is that HPARD and TIRZ5 have committed $1M to improvements to the park. The process starts with an evaluation of state of the park, and study of how it might be improved to better address how it’s used. The first capital project will be a playground renovation.

Sherry emphasized that the study will require significant public input from park users. She urged the assembled audience to make their voices heard in that process, to ensure the project reflects the needs of the community. As more information including meeting dates becomes available WHCA will be sure to provide information on how you can make your voices heard.

The final phase of her presentation answered the question, “What is a TIRZ and how does it work?” This little civics lesson was follow-up to the very basic intro to TIRZ and management districts that was part of the March Member’s Meeting.

Act THREE

Louise Moss rose to give an update on plans for the 2026 Woodland Heights Home Tour. The committee heads are still seeking homes to profile. If you’d like your home to be considered, or know of a home you think should be considered, please contact Louise Moss or Megan Mastal.

There are just a few weeks left in this stage of the process. In the late summer they will be selecting the homes to be featured, such that photographs can be taken before the holiday season is upon us.

Later in the year, they will be seeking volunteers to help with the execution of the event. It takes over one hundred fifty people to act as docents, guiding attendees through the historic homes.

Act Four

Lauren Snead followed with an update on the Lights in the Heights Bash. The 2025 LITH Bash will be held the evening of Thursday, November 13 at the historic Heights Fire Station on 12th Street. . Many thanks to the Houston Heights Association for partially sponsoring the event venue costs, we welcome their sponsorship of the event.

Lauren was seeking a new co-chair to help plan the event. Danielle Garcia has stepped up and will be co-chairing the Bash with Lauren! Welcome aboard Danielle so very happy to have you working with Lauren!

Volunteers and donations for both the live and silent auctions are needed. In the past, the auction has featured a wide variety of items, for example, a week in a country house, sports tickets, home & yard services, jewelry, photographs or paintings, fine wine, and fine dining gift cards.

If you would like to engage in any fashion please contact: bash@woodland-heights.org

President's Report: What's in a Name?

My early life reads like an outline of the screenplay for Wayne’s World. Community cable TV production, love of music, Queen…all of it. I developed a deep love of the technology of media and the arts. I spent my professional life oscillating between those two spaces. Along the way, I’ve done quite a lot of writing. Writing for magazines, newsletters, multiple websites, blogging, and most recently, this newsletter.

Further, I have a deep love of comedy. I’m drawn to the silly, with great admiration for the likes of Adams, Carlin, Python, and Yankovic. This naturally gives rise to an appreciation of the subtleties of language. And occasionally, despite my best efforts, I exhibit some amount of pedantry.

I joined the WHCA for the first time in January 2017 in the role of Director of Communications. In that role, I was responsible for the website and the newsletter. I did my best to address my responsibilities. One of the things I did was to create a modern version of the WHCA boundary map in Adobe Illustrator. This replaced a much older map (in a raster format) that didn’t have much detail. From this exercise, I think I have a reasonable grasp of where Woodland Heights begins and ends. At least generally, where it is and isn’t.

So, I was a bit surprised to recently find The Leader running a story promoting a new apartment building east of White Oak Music Hall. The story very clearly stated that the building was in "Woodland Heights." I think I can say with certainty that Woodland Heights does not extend east of I-45. Traveling east of I-45 along North Main, you enter Glen Park, which is part of The Near Northside. I have friends who live over there.

It's plain that "The Heights" holds much appeal for marketers. While a portion of the Houston Heights, as classically defined, was south of I-10, recent developments include "The Lower Heights," which pushes east to include the new Home Depot, on over to Sawyer Street. This is not in any way associated with "The Heights" from a historical perspective. That doesn't stop developers from leveraging proximity to "The Heights" when promoting their projects. The Heights is a very walkable neighborhood. The Lower Heights much less so.

A real estate developer seeking to promote a new multi-story apartment building on Keene Street attempts to add value by an association with Woodland Heights. Woodland Heights is a more recognizable brand than Glen Park or The Near Northside. It's worth mentioning that Glen Park is zoned to Travis Elementary School. There simply are no multi-story apartment buildings in Woodland Heights.

As president of WHCA, I felt uniquely positioned to see this erroneous claim corrected. So, I reported it to The Leader. To my surprise, the author responded promptly, promising to correct the error. It took them a couple weeks, but they eventually made good on that promise. The article now refers to the six-story building on Keene Street as part of the "emerging White Oak District," even though the article's URL still refers to Woodland Heights.

Even that language is amusing and familiar. Last year, when seeking sponsors for Lights in the Heights 2024, we used "White Oak Entertainment District" to describe the collection of bars, restaurants, and shops along White Oak Drive, from Michaux West to Heights Boulevard.

There are myriad neighborhoods in the vast city of Houston. We all love it here in Woodland Heights. We appreciate the character of the neighborhood. The charming, historic homes with front porches! The walkable streets, great green spaces, and schools with Spark Parks. People walk their dogs in the evening. As the sign says, it's our little hometown near downtown.

What Does the WHCA Do?

Someone once asked why they should belong to the WHCA? What did the organization do for them? I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. I care deeply about the neighborhood. Very clearly, the rest of the board feels the same way. Otherwise, why commit so much of our time to its upkeep?

Some of what WHCA does is very well known. We host special events, such as the bi-annual Home Tour, Lights in the Heights, and an annual July 4th kids event, which is coming up in July. The Constable Patrol is an obvious benefit to the neighborhood. However, much of what the WHCA does is not readily apparent. Today, I’d like to shed some light on something we do that benefits you but isn’t as visible.

Land Use & Deed Restrictions

WHCA provides oversight of the terms of “land use” in the neighborhood. This actually takes a considerable effort. Julie Moore is just now taking up the seat on the board dedicated to this task. She’s the new Director of Deed Restrictions. Even that title doesn’t really shed much insight into what’s involved.

There are various factors that impact land use, including deed restrictions, historic districts, and special minimum lot size restrictions. All are efforts made to protect the character of the neighborhood. A specific action may pertain to one property but is taken in the interest of the neighborhood as a whole.

The term “deed restriction” is a simplification. A single property may be subject to restrictions put in place by a prior owner. More typically, they are subject to terms crafted by a group of neighbors, applicable to a specific portion of the neighborhood.

Woodland Heights is actually the amalgamation of 50+ smaller neighborhoods. Some have deed restrictions. Others do not. The details are available on the land use page of our website. Since rejoining the board in 2024, I’ve been personally involved in several related actions. A couple of these are useful in highlighting how such matters go.

Deed Restrictions and Historic Districts

People generally bristle at the very notion of 'deed restrictions' or anything that might impact their ability to do as they please with their property. Why should we put up with such constraints in the land of the free? At the very same time, no one wants a liquor store, massage parlor, or vape shop as their newest neighbor.

WHCA has a role in making sure that where neighbors go to the effort of putting in place rules, they are both known and followed. This is one way that WHCA acts, in an often unseen manner, in the best interest of the neighborhood.

Not everything in this sphere is stopping people from doing things. Sometimes, we get to provide clarification that makes things possible. A couple of recent land use requests WHCA has reviewed and provided opinions to the COH Planning Commission on are as follows.

No Funny Business

In the summer of 2024, the WHCA was approached by someone seeking to operate a business from their home along Bayland Avenue in the Norhill Addition. Without getting into too much detail, the business they intended to start required a license from a federal agency. That agency contacted WHCA to verify the business would be allowed at that address.

The Norhill Addition deed restrictions clearly designate properties in the area that are for residential use only. The Director of Deed Restrictions advised the agency that running a business was expressly prohibited at that address. As such, the permit was not issued. The business did not come to pass, at least not operating from that address.

It’s worth noting that WHCA had no part in crafting the deed restrictions or their adoption. That was previous undertaken by neighbors who generated enough Norhill Addition support to establish deed restrictions for their area and file those restrictions with the state. WHCA has only an oversight role of ensuring those deed restrictions are upheld after the fact.

Historic District Example

The Woodland Heights Historic District was created in 2011. It protects a designated area comprised of homes built by the William A. Wilson Company between 1907 and 1935.

These are homes original to the founding of the neighborhood (our home is one of those homes.) In November 2024, the WHCA supported a neighborhood family in their effort to get a property on Morrison Street reclassified with respect to the historic district. The property in question was built well after 1935. Its manner of construction and the materials used were not consistent with the homes that rightly have historic district protections. Homes built after 1935 are not considered "contributing" to the historic district, so they are not subject to historic district protections.

Furthermore, the surrounding neighbors were unanimous in their support for reclassifying the home as "non-contributing." That would allow it to be taken down (or moved) and a new home built on the property. After review, and because the home was built outside the historic district's specified time frame, the WHCA issued a letter in support of the homeowner's petition to the Historical Commission. I appeared at a public session to give voice to that letter.

In this case, the homeowner prevailed. We're told they will eventually build a new home on the property. The new home is expected to be much more aligned with the character of the original Wilson homes that are its neighbors.

Exceptions Possible?

Someone asked if the WHCA board might consider making an exception for a particular idea. My impression is that we cannot. After neighbors go to the effort to see these terms agreed upon and enacted, who are we to set them aside? This is beyond the WHCA's authority and would be disrespectful to the neighbors who crafted their deed restrictions. WHCA’s obligation is to ensure they are upheld and defended when necessary.

WHCA Board: Help Wanted

Spring is here. Though it’s already April, I’m reminded of the March Hare from Alice in Wonderland. Yes, it’s definitely rabbit season. Time is short! There’s much to be done. To be honest, we need some help!

More specifically, we’re still seeking a few neighbors to fill positions on the WHCA board of directors. The board is comprised of nine neighbors, all members of the WHCA, who guide the activities of the civic association.

Each position has a specific role, and a two-year term. Only around half of the board is elected each year, ensuring a rolling continuity of management. This year we have five positions to be filled;

• Treasurer*

• Secretary

• Director of Infrastructure*

• Director of Membership

• Director of Deed Restrictions

Happily, two of the existing board members* are intending to return, leaving us three positions that must be filled. The election will be held at our next Member’s Meeting, Tuesday, May 13th at Zion Lutheran Church.

 Most people are blissfully unaware of what the WHCA does. A lot of it is behind-the-scenes. I could go on a length about how we spend our time, and why it’s important. I’m sure that would be as dull for me to write as it would be for you to read.

I’ll keep it simple. If you love this neighborhood…would like to see it protected, thrive and prosper…we need your help to see it done.

All it takes is a willingness to engage. No experience necessary. On-the-job training is available. In fact, there’s a very impressive group of neighbors who have previously served. They continue to believe in the organization, providing help and advice when called upon. We have a depth of history, what we’re trying to address is the bench.

Interested? A nomination form is available on our web site. If you have questions, please get in touch. I’d be more than happy to talk with anyone who genuinely wants to help. I’m available at president@woodland-heights.org.

President's Report February 2025

The WHCA held a Special Member's Meeting on Tuesday, February 18, in The Great Room at Zion Lutheran Church on Beauchamp Street. We nearly filled our new venue with neighbors drawn to a focus on security matters. We invited several special guests, including;

• Constable Alan Rosen, Pct 1

• Council Member Mario Castillo, COH District H

• Deputy Constable Jacob Lemmons, Pct 1

• Deputy Constable Amanda Suggs, Pct 1

• Sergeant Graham, HPD Central Division

• Lt James Mancango,HPD Central Division

WHCA Constable Patrol 2025-26

The first order of business for the gathering was to announce a change to the Woodland Heights Constable Patrol program. WHCA Co-Director of Security Beth Sorensen began by giving an overview of the program and its benefits to the community.
 
She was followed by WHCA Treasurer Doug Carroll, who explained the numbers that illustrate why the board felt it necessary to raise the program's membership cost. The current $350/yr rate was established in 2019. That price has remained unchanged, even as the cost of the contract has increased every year.

In point of fact, the Constable Patrol Program has been losing money for many years. For a time, that loss was offset by revenue from special events, including the Home Tour and Lights in the Heights. When COVID hit, special event revenue imploded. We missed one entire cycle of Home Tour. And Lights in the Heights actually lost money for several years, only just returning to break even in 2024.

With revenue sources declining and costs increasing, the board unanimously decided to raise the price for the Constable Patrol. We considered several possible rates, eventually settling upon $420/yr. This new rate will take effect on April 1, 2025. That's just $1.15 a day.

From a purely analytical perspective, this change is a 20% increase over the 2019 price, even though the contract cost has increased 26% over that time. Further, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports inflation (CPI) as 25% over the same period.

Much of how the change is enacted is dictated by the credit card payment processor used by our web host. Most CPP supporters participate in the program by way of auto-renewing subscriptions. They will receive a message notifying them of the change and when it will impact them. If your subscription renews before April 1, 2025, you'll already be paid up for the year. You won't pay the new price until 2026.

Neighborhood Safety More Broadly

The Constable Patrol had been an issue being considered by the board for several months. We had already been planning a meeting to go over those details when, on January 27, the neighborhood was rocked by the assault of a young girl on her way home from Travis Elementary School. To address this matter in depth, we invited local government and law enforcement representatives.

Constable Alan Rosen, Precinct One

Constable Alan Rosen was the first to address the gathering. He was very well informed about the situation, going into depth about the perpetrator, Carlos Jose Ayala Morales, a registered sex offender, released in 2024, who, as of this writing, remains a fugitive. The constable was able to detail this person's criminal history and how he was released in Harris County without local law enforcement being alerted to his presence.

The constable took questions from the crowd for 30 minutes.

Council Member Mario Castillo, District H

Council Member Mario Castillo, District H, addressed the gathering regarding his concern for public safety and the additional resources and initiatives his office has taken. In particular, he highlighted a program funded through his office called the District H Patrol initiative.

"This new public safety initiative includes community patrolling by the Houston Police Department's Differential Response Team (DRT), the use of two new Polaris vehicles, and the community-led District H Patrol Task Team." District H Patrol website

CM Castillo noted, "This program is not meant to just be enforcement, but it's also meant to be educational. And so we have done workshops in the past. We did a firearm safety storage and handling workshop where we also gave folks gun safes so they can properly store their firearms. We're in the in the works of planning a CPR one and we're open to ideas. If there are other workshops that communities want to do, as part of this initiative, we can bring one to the Woodland Heights or to the surrounding area. But I do want to make sure that y'all utilize the program."

Council Member Castillo stressed the importance of using other resources provided by the City of Houston and Harris County Precinct 1.

• COH 3-1-1 system - Call for non-emergency access to city services

• 9-1-1 - Call to report a life-or-death emergency that requires an immediate response from police, fire, or ambulance personnel.

• (713) 755-7628 - Precinct One Constable Dispatch number for the WHCA Constable Patrol

Sergeant Clayton Graham, HPD Central Division

Sergeant Graham from HPD Central Division stepped up to describe the Central Division, which includes Woodland Heights. He emphasized how HPD and the Constables work in partnership and noted,

"Regarding the incident on the 27th, I do know that they are actively trying to track where the suspect is. He's sold all his property and is not in Harris County right now. I can tell you that much. Because if he was, we would find him."

Sergeant Clayton addressed numerous further questions from the crowd. Questions he could not answer were addressed by some of the many Deputy Constables and HPD officers in attendance.

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Wrapping It Up

As I conclude this report, let me share the board's primary message to the neighborhood. We are working to ensure the WHCA Constable Patrol Program's future by stabilizing its financial path.

First, I encourage you to subscribe to the program. The new price, $420 a year, going into effect on April 1, 2025, is less than a cup of coffee a day at your favorite shop. Personally, I think it's a pretty good investment to provide increased security for your family and your neighbors.

Second, if we can secure funding to sustain the two patrol shifts and we get an overwhelming response from our neighbors, we could look into adding a third shift. That would provide 24-hour security with dedicated officers patrolling Woodland Heights streets. Their ability to respond to neighborhood crime when it happens is key. Officers you know, looking out for you and your family, is priceless in a city as large as Houston.

Finally, if we are not able to raise enough funding to add a third patrol but have enough to have two patrols with some additional funding left over, we could consider some new strategies. Both the Constables and HPD have spoken highly of the Flock Safety camera systems. These surveillance cameras monitor traffic at key entry points to the neighborhood, logging vehicle information, including license plates.

Our own Deputy Lemmons devoted many hours to reviewing Flock footage from elsewhere in the city to help identify the truck associated with the January 27th incident. This is how they ID'd the suspect. Just imagine how useful such a system could be if we had cameras closer to home! But this system is on our wish list and is on standby until we're able to get our financial footing again for the WHCA Constable Patrol as it currently stands.

I know this is a lot of words, but I hope you understand how much work, discussion, and even debate your WHCA Board has had over this issue. I hope you understand and join us in supporting the program. We thank you in advance for that support.

President's Report - January 2025

Recently, I’ve heard it said that the past week feels like a month or more. It certainly has been odd, with more snow than I’ve seen since I arrived here in 1998. As January comes to a close, I find myself looking forward to 2025 while also casting one last look back at the final word on Lights in the Heights 2024.

Looking Forward - District H Townhall Meeting Update
Council Member Mario Castillo, District H, held a town hall meeting at the Woodland Park Community Center on Saturday, Jan. 25th. This is the second in a series of meetings that he's arranged. The purpose of the meeting was to review initiatives and accomplishments in 2024, detail plans for 2025, and garner feedback from the community.
 
The council member mustered significant support from various city, regional, and state services. Many tables were set around the room, with people available to answer questions. These included Houston 311, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) on I-45 and I-10 projects, COH Solid Waste Management, METRO, COH Department of Neighborhoods (DON), COH Fire Department (HFD), Houston Land Bank, The Harris County Area Agency on Aging, Friends of Woodland Park (FWP), COH BARC, and the Houston Parks & Recreation Department.
 
The presentation lasted a solid 90 minutes, including a spirited question-and-answer session. It covered more than I can address here, but I will mention a few highlights that stand out to me.

When traffic calming was implemented in Woodland Heights in 2016, White Oak Drive and Houston Avenue were considered significant feeder streets. We were not allowed to deploy traffic cushions on those roads. In 2024, CM Castillo worked with a neighbor on White Oak Drive to recategorize that street. As a result, it's now possible to consider traffic calming measures along White Oak Drive in the future.

Pedestrian safety is to be improved along Houston Avenue. The new crosswalks at Parkside Drive and North Street were described previously. The council member showed a work-in-progress design for a new pedestrian island planned for the crosswalk at Bayland Avenue. This will significantly help people walking to & from Travis Elementary School.

Representative Garcia took a few minutes to address federal issues at the gathering. She offered some interpretation of some things resulting from the recent spate of executive orders from the incoming president. She noted a "red card" that's available that details a citizen's rights when dealing with an immigration enforcement agency like ICE.
 
She further noted that a recent White House pause on federal funding may impact some major construction projects (I-45) involving federal funds. That received a small round of applause from the audience.

The Q&A session was lively. The single largest concern appeared to be trash collection, including heavy trash and tree waste. The council member explained the constraints faced by the solid waste department (staffing and equipment shortages). Mr.Richard A, Nguyen from Solid Waste noted they are just as frustrated as residents. They work seven days a week with equipment often beyond its intended lifespan.
 
Given the difficulty of sticking to a fixed schedule, it's worth monitoring the COH Solid Waste social media channels. These typically have schedule updates. The HTX Collects app for smartphones is also useful.

There was a question about the $240M deficit in the city budget. CM Castillo noted that's "a big number." Also, a pair of studies are underway that will (hopefully) provide some guidance on how to address the matter.
 
One thing is clear to me: CM Castillo is busy. His first year in office was definitely ambitious. The next may be less frantic but hopefully just as productive.

Michael Graves

New Year Resolutions

As we embark upon yet another trip around old Sol, I'm casting a quick look over my shoulder at the recent past and trying to imagine goals for the Woodland Heights Civic Association's future.

With much effort by many people, we did (I think) a good job with Lights in the Heights 2024. Everyone on the committees involved worked very hard. We worked to spread the effort amongst a larger group than usual. That meant there were some new people involved. I'd like to recognize those who are new or taking on new tasks.

Relatively late in the year, Alyssa Holub took over handling LITH/WHCA merchandise. While the transition was a little uneven, we did sell out of cloisonné ornaments, and almost everything was delivered before the holidays. (True story: I can recall going to Jan Greer's house to pick up our ornament late in January one year!)

In addition to the committees, the WHCA board was more directly involved than in recent years. I would especially like to thank Stephanie Frey for taking on the challenge of coordinating bands and porches. Stephanie truly stepped up to fill a notable hole and did an excellent job. In so doing, she documented the process so we have a good grasp of the task in the future.

Finally, a new committee was created to seek out new sponsors for the event. This resulted in sponsorship by "The White Oak Entertainment District," which is the name we gave to a collection of bars and restaurants along White Oak near Studewood. They became our partners, offering the LITH crowd somewhere to go when the event wound down at 9 p.m.

That effort came together quite late in the planning process. Next year, with this new partnership already established, we’re hopeful that it will be even more fruitful.

While the final numbers are not yet tallied, it looks like Lights in the Heights may be close to break-even this year. If so, that reverses a COVID-era trend that was simply unsustainable.

Looking ahead, we can see a busy time. There are many new issues before us, some pressing, others still off on the horizon. There are definitely changes coming to the Constable Patrol Program.

There are several improvements to infrastructure planned for the coming year. Some of these were detailed in the last printed newsletter.

It won’t be long before we need to elect a new members to the WHCA Board. By design, half of the board is elected each year. This presents an opportunity for those who have an interest in what goes on in the neighborhood to take an active role in directing those efforts.

There are also larger structural matters in play. The WHCA board is working on a revision of our bylaws to clarify and adjust some areas which may be outdated from when the bylaws were last addressed. Further, we may have an opportunity to restructure in a way that will change our tax status. That has the potential to make fund raising considerably easier.

Our neighbors to the west, the Houston Heights Association, are reportedly working on the creation of a new “Greater Heights Management District.” This has the potential to impact all the neighborhoods in Super Neighborhood 15, including Woodland Heights. We don’t know much about it as yet, but we’ll surely being tracking their progress very closely.

There’s just so much potential that remains untapped. There’s much to be done. Won’t you come join us? It’s going to be fun.

This is my favorite time of year in Woodland Heights

That headline spells it out quite plainly. After a long, hot summer, this is, to my mind, the best time of year hereabouts. For many reasons, some of which you might not expect.

Halloween is fast approaching. It’s an especially big time for our stretch of Beauchamp Street near Travis Elementary. Not long after we moved here, Stella brought home a big inflatable spider. While impressive, it was like a fish out of water. So, I decided to give it some context by building a 24-foot tall, lighted spider web between our house and the Loblolly Pine in the Southwest corner of the yard. A giant web seemed a fitting home for a giant spider.

From the beginning, we added a graveyard and some skeletons in various amusing or menacing poses. Every year, we add a bit more fog and lights for emphasis. And Candy—so much Candy you’d think we were dentists. But the real joy comes from the kids' reactions. It’s all very well received by the kids. We receive many hundreds of kids trick-or-treating each year, and their excitement is what makes it all worthwhile.

During COVID, the Halloween celebration around the neighborhood waned tremendously. But we didn't let that dampen our spirits. We adapted by delivering Candy to kiddos at a distance using an air-powered candy cannon. Last year, things went back to normal, but the number of homes decorated was still reduced. Yet, we persevered, and this year, we're seeing a definite uptick in the Halloween spirit.

I’m thrilled to see a definite uptick this year. In particular, there seem to be skeletons everywhere. This appears to be a major new trend. Also, so many skeletons in costumes, too! I am reminded of Jason and the Argonauts, the original one, but without all the clattering of bones. The increased enthusiasm for Halloween this year is truly heartwarming and I can't wait to see what other surprises the community has in store.

Beyond simply Halloween or Día de Muertos, the transition of the seasons impacts the neighborhood. I notice this while out walking our dog in the evenings. Julio, our Dogo Argentino/Irish Setter mix, is very social. He really likes to meet new people and other dogs on our evening walkabouts.

The days are getting shorter, leading people to go on walks a little earlier. These days, we see so many people out biking, walking, pushing strollers, walking dogs…just enjoying the nice weather while they can. As George R.R. Martin so ominously noted, "Winter is coming." But before that happens, we must first make it through the holiday season, with all that entails.

I would venture to say that this year, in Woodland Heights, the holiday season officially begins with the November WHCA Members meeting, followed by the LITH Bash, and culminating in December with the 2024 LITH Celebration on Saturday, December 14th.

The agenda is still evolving and doesn't include any official business requiring members to vote, making this meeting largely social. We will certainly have updates about the state of plans for the Lights in the Heights Bash (tickets are still available here) and other aspects of Lights in the Heights.

We do have a surprise in the works! It's too early to say yet, but this promises to be a good time at an interesting new venue*. I invite you all to join us.

Michael Graves
President, Woodland Heights Civic Association

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*Back in 2019, when the WHCA bylaws were last revised, we specifically added a provision allowing for members meetings beyond the perimeter of the neighborhood. It was motivated by the occasional difficulty finding a suitable location. Back then, we thought it might be possible to access the Castillo Center. We first acted on this change with a meeting in the back room at A Second Cup when it was still located on the north side of 11th Street.

Happy Earth Compost

After seeing Happy Earth Compost service at multiple pop-ups in the White Oak and Heights markets on a Sunday, I was excited to sign up.

The process was very smooth and they will deliver what you need to start composting everything from tea bags to those leftovers that went bad last week.

Please give this local service a try and start reducing your waste.  As a part of the composting community you can also get free compost for your garden.

- Alaina Hebert, WHCA President

WHCA Membership & Constable Patrol Subscriptions

Harry McMahon, President, addressing the November WHCA General Meeting

At the most recent Woodland Heights Civic Association General Meeting, the Board of Directors announced a significant change in the way we take payments for subscriptions for both WHCA Membership and WHCA Constable Patrol. For those of you who did not brave the unseasonably cold weather that night, I would like to reiterate that announcement.

Commencing immediately, those who sign-up for WHCA membership and/or the Constable Patrol Program via our website can select a one-time transaction or an annually auto-renewing subscription. The auto-renewing option ensures your WHCA membership and/or support of the Constable Patrol Program never lapses.

Current WHCA memberships and CP subscriptions will expire on March March 31, 2020. You can renew online at the WHCA store or send a check to:

Woodland Heights Civic Association
P.O. Box 7754
Houston, Texas 77270-7754

If you are not a current subscriber, all you have to do is go to the WHCA online store and subscribe (auto-renewing or one-year.) You can also make your payment by mail.

Signs, signs, everywhere a sign....
Now for the tough part… delivery of Constable Patrol signs and sign stickers. As a Board, we have struggled in getting the stickers delivered. However, we are working diligently and have made excellent strides in getting the existing signs updated. If you have not had your active subscription sticker delivered and if you would like to pick-up your sticker, send an email request to Kelly Hare at membership@woodland-heights.org. She will put a sticker for you in a specifically designated mailbox at her home.

For those subscribers who don’t have a sign, we have ordered new signs and will deliver them as soon as we can.

I am in the process of updating our subscriber database and need your help. If you have paid for Constable Patrol and don’t have a 2019 sticker for your old sign or don’t have a sign, please let me know. You can email me at president@woodland-heights.org.

I want to thank all the Woodland Heights residents who have subscribed to the Constable Patrol or enrolled in the Woodland Heights Civic Association. The Constable Patrol is 100% funded by subscriber dues. Constable Patrol dues fund the Constable Patrol only; nothing else. The more folks who subscribe, the better patrol coverage we can fund.

I also want Membership subscribers to know we use the funds from dues to support many efforts around the neighborhood. Beautification, deed restriction support, infrastructure issues, neighborhood involvement events and civic awareness are all issues we regularly and ardently champion.

Please be involved. Please be a Member. We can all help to move our wonderful neighborhood forward with your support.

- Harry McMahon, President
Woodland Heights Civic Association

PRESIDENT’S CALL: RESIDENTS TO THE RESCUE

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We need volunteers to help us help the neighborhood!

Okay, the enemy is not assailing our gates but that doesn’t lessen the need. Projects for the benefit of your neighborhood require people. It is my hope the neighborhood will step up and volunteer in sufficient numbers to staff our projects, plan the projects and work to make them a reality. I am making this plea to remind those willing to serve our neighborhood.

There are essentially three levels of volunteerism… Board Positions, Committee Positions and Adjutant to Board Positions.

Our board elections will be held in our next General Association meeting on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. This is your opportunity to contribute on the broadest front. Be part of our planning process and use your skills and talents to chart the courses our projects will take. The Board positions up for election are:

• Secretary

• Treasurer

• Director – Infrastructure / Land Use

• Director – Membership

All of these positions are two-year terms and will commence upon election. If you are interested in any of these positions, please complete the nomination form and send it to nominations@woodland-heights.org. Our Nominations committee can provide a description of the role and answer any questions you might have regarding the position.

As here are much broader range of tasks associated with the committees, a full description of duties involved with each task is beyond the scope of this article. As a summary, committee oversight will be handled by a committee chair who reports to a board member. Other committee members will be responsible for tasks specific to the committee’s overall charge. Such committees head-count will vary, ranging from as few as 3 to 5 all the way up to the low teens. We have two standing committees and several other committees we can only move forward with If the volunteer force is sufficient. Here are some of the committees in place or under consideration.

• Lights In The Heights® – numerous subcommittees are necessary to ensure the smooth operation, safety and sanity of this landmark event

• Home Tour – continue the successful coordination and implementation of this popular event

• Sidewalks – evaluate our neighborhood for those sidewalks most in need of repair, work with the COH to develop a repair strategy and a plan to implementation the strategy

• Urban Forestry – evaluate our neighborhood for those areas in which trees have suffered, work with local groups to develop replacement strategy and develop a plan to implement that strategy

• IT / Data Management – Evaluate the needs Association, develop an integrated program to serve accounting, correspondence and data storage needs and develop a strategy to implement the program

• Block Captains - fulfillment teams for each block are crucial data gathering and information dissemination

Finally, each of the board members can always use help. There are many opportunities for those interested in helping to forward the topics specific to any of the 9 current board members. The Adjutant to the Board Members will work in step with the Board Member to help move projects forward. From coordinating work with the neighborhood to working directly in formulation of projects, the Adjutants will not only be of great assistance, they will also be in a position to better understand the tasks and responsibilities of the various Board positions.

Okay, how do I sign up you may ask? I have attached a link to a form for WHCA volunteers. Click here to download the form in PDF format. You can mark your preference, and return the form to me at president@woodland-heights.org. If you prefer, you can simply make your selection from the form and send me an email noting your selection in the body of the email.

As always, I feel it would be inappropriate to close a call for volunteers without thanking those who have volunteered over the past. You know who you are but I would like to make a special thanks to those folks instrumental in making our Home Show such a success as well as those who work so tirelessly to make Lights In The Heights® a special event as well as a credit to our neighborhood. Certainly, our Board Members who are stepping down, Debbie Hall, Sharon Greiff, Jay Francis and Matt Johnson are worthy of thanks.

Please reach into your time wallet and donate generously to your home neighborhood.

Harry McMahon
President
Woodland Heights Civic Association

WHCA Spring Housekeeping

Spring has sprung and as is the case in many Association households, the WHCA has many items we are trying to, risking a phrase that trivializes some very important issues, “tidy up”

Board Elections

One of the foremost is the upcoming elections for the open positions on the board of directors. As of this writing we have nominations for only two positions. Should you feel the call to serve the Association and help improve our neighborhood, please contact the Nomination Committee at nominations@woodland-heights.org. The two-year term positions coming open are…

• Director – Membership

• Director – Infrastructure/Land Use

• Treasurer

• Secretary

If you have questions regarding the responsibilities or duties associated with any of the positions, please do not hesitate to inquire.

Revised WHCA Bylaws

As we announced in our last general meeting, the WHCA Board of Directors had adopted a draft of the revised bylaws. The final version should be complete well before the next general meeting. We will keep you updated on the progress.

Volunteers

In addition to folks wanting to serve on the Board of Directors for the WHCA, we are always looking to add to our volunteer rosters for our standing and ad hoc committees. Lights in the Heights® and the Home Tour committees are always looking for help. In addition, the Board has several projects that can only move forward with Association involvement. Planting trees, fixing sidewalks, beautification projects and other deserved causes will flounder without volunteers. We certainly know how life can eat up time allowing month after month pass before you know it. Before those months slip by, drop an email to one of the board members expressing an interest in one project or another and we will work to put an effective group together to carry the work forward. You may find the email address of each board member at https://www.woodland-heights.org/contact.

Hopefully we will see you at our next meeting. To reiterate, we will elect several new board members. If you do not attend, you cannot vote and if you cannot vote, your voice will lose its best means of expression.

President's Message: It's that time of year again, but with a new twist.

As you all likely know, our March General Meeting is set by our bylaws as our Annual General Meeting during which Members in attendance elect new officers. Toward those ends and per the Bylaws, your Board has formed a Nomination Committee to seek Members to run for the open Board positions.

Now for the interesting part. Per the authority granted in the current bylaws, Article XI, the Board is in the process of updating our bylaws. One of the key goals of our update pertains to the election and term of Board Members. If anyone has served on a board like ours, one of the truly troubling dilemmas is how best to engender continuity between incoming and outgoing board members. After studying multiple boards for associations like ours, as well as numerous and various non-profit organizations, it was clear to us one of the best measures to decrease the information loss that occurs with the changing of the guard is to decrease the number of those changes. It is a common solution with boards we examined to extend the term of the board members from one to two years. We intend to incorporate that idea into our Bylaws.

Further, we are working to reduce the burden on the Association volunteer pool by staggering the anticipated two-year terms. This staggering will allow the Association to go to the well of the volunteer electorate for only half the current Board head count each year. To integrate the staggered terms with the two-year term length, several of the duly elected Board Members have generously offered to take on a second year of volunteer service at the position to which they were elected. Under the terms considered in the Bylaw update, the balance of Board positions will come up for election at the upcoming Annual General Meeting of the Association.

In order to coordinate these changes, the Board has voted to move the Annual General Meeting, and thereby the election of Board Officers, from the March General Meeting to the May General Meeting. This will accommodate recruiting of candidates for open Board positions and allow the Association to provide input to the Board before the Board renders its final decision regarding the update to the Bylaws. In all cases, the existing Board Members have consented to serve the additional period necessary to elect and install the folks elected to fill the opening Board positions.

At the 2019 Annual General Meeting in May, the Association will elect candidates for the following Board Positions to serve for two years:

• Director – Membership (currently held by Jay Francis)

• Director – Infrastructure/Land Use (currently held by Matt Johnson)

• Treasurer (currently held by Sharon Greiff)

• Secretary (currently held by Debbie Hall)

The following Board Members have volunteered to serve an additional year at their elected position to accommodate the “staggering” explained above. These folk’s term will close with the elections at the 2020 Annual General Meeting:

• President (Harry McMahon)

• Director – Beautification (Stephanie Riceman)

• Director – Communications (Michael Graves)

• Director – Security (Cody McGregor)

• Director - Deed Restrictions (Melissa Sternfels)

As President, I would like to take this opportunity to thank those individuals who have contacted me and the other Board Members to offer their services to the Association. Now that we have a charted path forward, all those interested in volunteering, please submit (or resubmit) to me your name and any position you are interested in pursuing.

Although I am certain I am leaving some key positions out, I have attempted to summarize the opportunities to volunteer your services.

Open Board Positions

• Membership

• Infrastructure/Land Use

• Secretary

• Treasurer

If you are not interested in a Board position, all of the Board Members often have need for ad hoc committees and task assistance. Such commitments allow a volunteer to “dip a toe in the water” and better understand the process, responsibility and effort required in a Board Position.

Of course, we have numerous committees and subcommittees which are consistently in need of helping hands. Lights in the Heights and the Home Tour committees are always looking for volunteers. Additional ad hoc committees can be formed only if there are enough volunteers will to work to support the effort. For example, an ad hoc committee is contemplated to help better understand the need for sidewalk upgrades. We are also considering how best to apply the opportunity to plant trees where established trees have died or have been removed. We have needs for an IT subcommittee, data management assistance, deed restriction coordination, infrastructure monitoring and planning, constable patrol coordination, assistance with disseminating flyers, newsletters and door-hangers generated by Communications and last but certainly not least, assistance with keep our beautification upgrades in good shape and, hopefully, executing beautification projects currently under consideration.

There are TONS more opportunities which I have certainly overlooked. If you have skills not included in the above, and you would like to offer your services, do not hesitate to send in your name and suggested field of endeavor.

Finally, I personally want to thank all those who have served so selflessly on the Board of Directors and the numerous, essential committees and volunteer positions which help the Association make the Woodland Heights a special place to live. Thanks to you all.

Harry McMahon
President, Woodland Heights Civic Association

President’s Message - ‘Tis the Season

The holiday season is upon us. Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, there is no getting around the fact, the holiday season is fast approaching. For the Woodland Heights, the holiday season comes with more than its annual evening of fun, Lights In The Heights.

The LITH big night is December 8th, a Saturday, as a culmination of several events coordinated by the Woodland Heights Civic Association via the LITH Committee. Lighter In The Heights, completed over two weekends (October 8 and October 15), expertly pulled off by Sharon Greiff and the LITH committee despite rain on the first weekend, gave folks in the neighborhood a chance to be free of their garage sale items without going through the hassle of staging a garage sale.

November 3 at 7 PM is Light Up The Night Bash, a casual gathering for fun and frolic, will feature unique silent auction items, food from neighborhood restaurants, wine, and beer. Friday Night Lights on December 7 (I luv the name of this casual gathering for neighbors on the Norhill Esplanade!) followed by the biggie, LITH. There are full details on the events, opportunities and merchandise posted on the WHCA website under https://www.woodland-heights.org/lith/.

After months of planning and coordination, at our WHCA General Meeting and General Forum (for all Woodland Heights residents, not just those who are members of the WHCA) of September 11, Sharon Greiff presented a detailed overview of all the plans and preparation going into pulling off a fun, safe and secure LITH. Several members of the Mayor’s Office of Special Events along with Representative Cisneros and her Director of Special Operations were in attendance along with numerous WHCA members and non-member residents. The crowd showed unanimous support of all the efforts put forth to better LITH. No one who had a negative opinion of LITH or might have a criticism of the organizers and their plans attended.

That stated, we, the Board of the WHCA, know there are those in the neighborhood who long for the good old days when LITH was a tiny event almost exclusively for the neighborhood. Gone are those days. Personally, I moved into the neighborhood in 2007 and have lived on both Omar and Bayland, the guts of the LITH in years past. I personally witnessed the huge attendances and have also personally witnessed the decrease in attendance over the last few years. This decrease is the result of a concerted effort by previous WHCA Boards and LITH Committees to “localize” the event. These efforts have been hugely successful by decreasing the attendance more than 50 percent. As my wife would say, Good on ya, you beaut!

For all the gains, there is no doubt there was and will be continue to be incidents which rancor some folks in the neighborhood. To the extent possible, the LITH committee and the WHCA Board of Directors have worked diligently to limit the potential of such incidents and secure the event in such a way, should such incidents occur, a suitable response is available. The Board and LITH Committee cannot control individual behavior. We suggest, should you witness foul behavior, report it. The LITH Committee have seen to it there is plenty of security, both HPD and Constable Patrol.

Although the General Neighborhood Forum for LITH is past, we have another WHCA General Meeting scheduled for November 13th. We invite you to attend. If you are not a member of the WHCA, we also invite you to join so you too will have a chance to vote your opinion on any issue raised to a ballot.

Harry McMahon
President
Woodland Heights Civic Association

My First General Meeting

My first official solo act was to preside over the General Meeting for the WHCA scheduled for July 10.  Of course, I was running late for the meeting as a result of my bill-paying job.  On my way to the meeting, I get a flurry of comms about the meeting.  I pulled over to see what was happening.

It seems, through some miscommunication among the staff at Hogg Middle School (the locale of the scheduled meeting), the doors to the building were locked and there was no assistance available.  Consequently, after deciding to cancel the meeting, an ad hoc gathering flocculated at A 2nd Cup on 11th.  Those who made the effort to attend the General Meeting gathered informally out of courtesy to the guest speakers and to hear their presentations.

Figure 1 - Shelley Rice presents "All Things Bees In Texas."

David Welch and Shelley Rice (Figure 1) each made interesting and informative presentation regarding “Special Minimum Lot Size and Building Ordinances” and “All Things Bees” respectively.  The gathering disbanded after some discussion of recent events and some offhand communication of board information.

Now, if I was making an autocratic decision regarding how to deal with the cancelled General Meeting, the fact all the folks who attempted to attended the General Meeting came together at the ad hoc gathering plus the fact there was no official business set forth that required a vote would be sufficient to deem the General Meeting requirements fulfilled.  However, a review of the bylaws makes clear their silence on dealing with a cancelled General Meeting but also reveal clarity regarding the General Meeting must take place within the bounds of the Woodland Heights.  

There is no doubt in my mind those who drafted the bylaws and included the clause indicating the General Meeting should occur “at a place within the Association Boundaries” did so with the intent of allowing easy access to all eligible Homeowner Members. Given the fact my estimates place the location of the ad hoc gathering a mere 100 feet out of the area of the Association (Figure 2), it is clear the intent of bylaws was fulfilled by moving the gathering in easy walking distance.  There is also the question of quorum.  From our headcount, there is a valid question as to whether or not we could have met the quorum requirements.

Figure 2 – Hogg Middle School north limits to the seating area of Second Cup; distance estimate.  Image and calculation credit to Google Earth

Given the above, I will likely not reschedule the meeting.  However, I will entertain reconsidering this decision should two prerequisites fall into place: 1) I receive enough requests to reschedule the meeting to meet General Meeting quorum requirements, and 2) Those who send the requests and meet the qualification of Association membership firmly commit to attend the meeting.

I am looking forward to serving our neighborhood with the dedicated individuals of the board and of the neighborhood.  I will always field requests and listen to opinions with the neighborhood’s best interest in mind.  

For the greater good of the neighborhood,

respectfully,

Harry McMahon,
President, WHCA
 

A Message From The New President: The Training Wheels Are Off!

Harry McMahon, President, WHCA

In March I committed to a two-year term on the board of directors for the Woodland Heights Civic Association.  The term to which I was elected (I am using the term “elected” loosely since  I ran unopposed) was one year as president-elect, essentially a trainee under the president, Matt Reynolds. The one-year president-elect term was to be followed by my own one-year term as president.  However, early this summer Matt informed the board of directors he and his family are being transferred overseas.  Consequently, and through due process, my term as president was moved up and extended to cover the balance of Matt’s term as well as my own.  My year with training wheels goes out the window.

I guess you are all thinking, “Who is this guy?”  Good question.  My wife, a wonderful lass, born in Scotland and raised in Australia, and I moved to the Woodland Heights about eleven years ago.  We lived on Bayland for about five years then we moved to our current home on Omar.  We have two children, both born while we lived in the Woodland Heights.  My daughter, 10, and my son, 4, keep this sixty-year-young father spry.

This is my first foray in the official world of Woodland Heights civic service.  The decision to throw my name into the hat was based on family and community.  First off, I was interested in setting an example of community service for my children.  Secondly, I have witnessed several of my friends and neighbors sacrifice their personal time and their personal interests to promote the broader interest of the Woodland Heights community.  I would like to increase participation by the residents of the Woodland Heights in our civic endeavors and promote recognition of the unselfish effort that goes into the process of community oversight from which all the neighborhood residents benefit greatly.  In short, I am hoping to give a little back.

Please follow the Woodland Heights community activity on our website (www.woodland-heights.org), on Facebook and Twitter.

- Harry McMahon, President, WHCA

Woodland Heights Civic Association Board Elections

The WHCA board elections will be held on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at 7 PM at the Hogg Middle School Cafeteria.  The WHCA bylaws require that a nominating committee of five (5) individuals be established to receive nominations for the WHCA board positions.  The nominating committee is to consist of two (2) current WHCA board members and three (3) woodland heights residents.

Carla Reed, VP Beautification and Brad Snead, VP Security have agreed to serve as the two (2) current WHCA board members on the nominating committee.

If you would like to serve as one of the three (3) woodland heights residents on the nominating committee please send an email expressing your interest to William Getschow at president@woodland-heights.org.  Once the nominating committee is formed then further instructions will be sent out to the neighborhood about how to nominate someone for a WHCA board position for the next term (March 2017-March 2018).

As a reminder, all board positions will be up for election on March 21, 2017.  We hope that many of the current board members will serve in the next term but they will need to be nominated and elected. The WHCA board positions are as follows:  President, President-Elect, VP-Security, VP-Treasurer, VP-Deed Restrictions, VP-Membership, VP-Beautification, VP-Infrastructure, VP-Communications and VP-Secretary.

Thank you,
William Getschow
President