nominations

A New Face on the WHCA Board of Directors by Lori Bigler

Director of Communications: Lori Bigler

I'm a Texas native and grew up in the Houston area. I had an early love for the Heights, starting with frequent trips to hear bands play at Fitzgerald's during my high school and college days. Fast forward many years later, a couple of moves from and back to Texas, my husband and I bought our house in Woodland Heights in 2015. We love biking the neighborhood with our two young kids and frequent the various area parks and esplanades. 

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Since moving here, aside from participating as a block captain, I've mostly watched as other civic minded neighbors volunteered their talents to community efforts such as LITH, the newsletter, 4th of July on the Esplanade and the Constable Patrol Program. I'm happy to have the opportunity to give back to our community through volunteering as Director of Communications and to contribute to the many activities that make Woodland Heights wonderful and unique.

New Faces on the WHCA Board of Directors by Lori Bigler

In a message a few weeks back we noted some recent changes in the WHCA board. I thought it good to introduce these new folks, who have taken up the task of helping WHCA navigate through the coming two years.

Director of Beautification: Allison Hartzell

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Living in and being active in Woodland Heights for over 30 years has given me great insight into the neighborhood and Heights in general. My husband and I worked to pass the original deed restrictions back in the 1980's when we got our start in volunteering for the community.

Our three girls are native Woodland Heighters and all went to Travis. Being a long time volunteer in the local community, including past president of WHCA (2010), as well as an avid gardener, makes Beautification a good fit so I can continue to give back to the neighborhood which has brought me and my family lots of great memories.

Many of you may know my dog better than me, Chuck and I stroll the neighborhood multiple times a day though our walks are getting shorter and shorter as he hits his golden years. We will be perusing yards for Yard of the Month on our walks!  Please feel free to drop me an email if you have suggestions or want to nominate a Yard of the Month.

Director of Security: Margaux Poizat

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I was born and raised in New Orleans and moved to Houston in 2001, to eventually purse my Nurse Anesthetist degree. I crossed paths with my husband who was here for an engineering internship. The Heights always drew me in because of the resemblance to my home town. So this is where we choose our home in 2007. 

Our children have attended the neighborhood schools from the time they were four years old. My daughter will be starting her last year at Travis Elementary in the fall and my son will start his second year at Hogg Middle School. 

In my spare time I like to tinker. I enjoy making jewelry, collecting/restoring antiques and playing the piano. I’m excited for this new role in our community. 

The nominating committee is continuing to seek candidates for several positions that will be filled at the Annual General Meeting in July. For details please contact Alaina Hebert at whcavolunteer@googlegroups.com

Do You Have The Right Stuff To Help Guide Woodland Heights In The Coming Year? by Lori Bigler

Have you ever watched some situation occurring in the neighborhood and thought to yourself, “someone should do something about that?” Maybe you could be that someone who makes a difference right here where you live!

The WHCA board has recently cast a nominating committee in preparation for the board elections that will occur at the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, May 12th.

In the past, the entire board was elected anew each year. In the interest of continuity, the 2019 revision to the WHCA bylaws stipulates each position is now a two-year term. About half the positions are offset a year, so only half of the board is elected each year.

In 2020, the nominating committee is tasked with finding candidates interested in running for the following positions:

  • President

  • Director of Security

  • Director of Beautification

  • Director of Communications

  • Director of Deed Restrictions

If you have any interest in stepping up to help guide the WHCA, please reach out to the nominating committee, which is chaired by current WHCA Secretary Alaina Hebert. Committee members can provide insight into the work of the organization and descriptions of the responsibilities of the various positions.

There’s no more direct way to impact the neighborhood than serving on the team that represents Woodlands Heights to other organizations.

- Michael Graves, Director of Communications, WHCA

Wanted: A Few Good Neighbors! by Lori Bigler

Hi Woodland Heights -

  1. Do you want to get more involved in the issues that face our wonderful neighborhood?

  2. Do you have a strong opinion about the future of the Woodland Heights or the WHCA and its mission?

  3. Do you want to get to know better some of the wonderful and talented people in this great neighborhood?

  4. Do you have talents in accounting, legal, social media, public relations, technology, fundraising or just a love of the history of the neighborhood you'd like to volunteer to our great neighborhood?

If so - then you should think about joining the Woodland Heights Civic Association Board for the 2019 - 2021 term, which starts June 1, 2019 and runs through May 31, 2021.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in a WHCA board position for the two-year term, please send an email to the nominating committee at nominations@woodland-heights.org. All candidates that wish to run for office (including those current board members running for re-election) must return a nomination form into the nomination committee one day prior to the election on March 14th.

Feel free to speak directly with a member of the nomination committee or an existing board member about these positions. The nominating committee members are:

  • Matt Johnson (Board Member)

  • Melissa Sternfels (Board Member)

  • Pat Rutledge (Non-Board Member)

  • Lauren Lindsay (Non-Board Member)

  • Estella Espinosa (Non-Board Member)

All WHCA Board members must be current homeowner members of the WHCA.

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Descriptions of the open board positions are below:

SECRETARY

The WHCA Secretary is tasked with recording all meetings in a timely and organized fashion. The Secretary acts as the official record keeper for the organization.

Duties and responsibilities of the WHCA secretary:

  1. Ensuring meetings are effectively organized and minutes kept in a timely manner

  2. Maintaining effective records and administration

  3. Upholding the legal requirements of governing documents

  4. Communication and correspondence via email and print

  5. Posting minutes online and maintaining a WHCA binder of documents, including minutes, sign-in sheets, records, correspondence, agendas, etc.

  6. Setting up and monitoring membership sign-in at general meetings

  7. Assisting the President and other board members with other duties as needed

  8. Attending board meetings and general meetings

 Technical demands of the position

  1. Time Commitment: The job of secretary requires 6-12 hours per month.

  2. Familiarity with MS Word, MS Excel and Adobe PDF.

  3. Use of Dropbox and other online tools for management and storage of documents.

  4. Participating in communications online via email in a timely manner

 TREASURER

The WHCA Treasurer is tasked with maintaining financial records, including periodic reporting to the WHCA, as well as payment of bills and invoices, maintaining bank accounts and providing support for special events.

Duties and responsibilities of the WHCA Treasurer:

  1. Maintaining financial records including filing of tax information to both State and Federal Entities.

  2. Maintaining bank accounts and pay resources (paypal/stripe)

  3. Payment of bills and Invoices

  4. Assisting with budgeting and providing oversight

  5. Providing support and oversight for special events

  6. Maintain tracking for Sponsorship, Special Events, Sales and programs (membership and constables)

  7. Review and recommend insurance for organization, directors and special events

Technical Demands of the position:

  1. Time Commitment: The job of treasurer requires 10-20 hours per month. This will depend upon beginning of year membership drives and special events

  2. Familiarity with Non-Profit Accounting software, MS Word, MS Excel, Adobe PDF.

  3. Use of Dropbox and other online tools for management and storage of documents.

  4. Participating in communications online via email in a timely manner.)

 DIRECTOR, MEMBERSHIP

 The WHCA Director of Membership is responsible for enrolling new and existing members in the organization, as well as for general promotion of the organization and its aims to the greater Woodland Heights community.

 Duties and responsibilities of the Director of Membership:

  1.  Keep records of new and existing members.

  2. Provide information regarding the WHCA and its mission to new and existing residents of the neighborhood.

  3. Provide input/suggestions to expand/ improve services and add value to membership.

  4. Actively recruit new members and promote and encourage participation in the WHCA

  5. Assess membership needs through instruments such as surveys and questionnaires or other methods suggested by the board, and communicate member needs to the board.

  6. Manage block captains and direct neighborhood outreach efforts. 

  7. Provide welcome packages to new residents in the neighborhood.

  8. Assisting the President and other board members with other duties as needed

  9. Attending board meetings and general meetings

 Technical demands of the position

  1. Time Commitment: The Membership position requires 6-12 hours per month.

  2. Willingness to promote and lobby for WHCA to residents.

  3. Familiarity with MS Word and Adobe PDF.

  4. Use of Dropbox and other online tools for management and storage of documents.

  5. Participating in communications online via email in a timely manner

 DIRECTOR, INFRASTRUCTURE/LAND USE

 The WHCA Director of Infrastructure/Land Use is tasked with assisting the neighborhood with infrastructure-related issues (streetscapes, sidewalks, water systems, lighting.) This position interfaces with the City of Houston Public Works regarding public works, civil engineering issues, traffic and related issues. In addition, this role is responsible for questions or concerns about land use issues related to building codes, zoning, lot size and use, and similar concerns.

 Duties and responsibilities of the Director of Infrastructure/Land Use:

  1.  Interface with City of Houston Public Works regarding civil, public works, streetscape, and related issues.

  2. Maintain or account for the public infrastructures for which the WHCA is responsible (electricity on the esplanades etc.)

  3. Act as a resource for members with land use questions or concerns, whether on private property or public.

  4. Spearhead initiatives toward neighborhood improvement that extend beyond beautification (i.e. planning issues, code issues, etc.)

  5. Assisting the President and other board members with other duties as needed .

  6. Attending board meetings and general meetings

 Technical demands of the position

  1.  Time Commitment: The Infrastructure position requires 6-12 hours per month.

  2. Familiarity with City of Houston communication protocols.

  3. Some familiarity with land use, codes, deed restrictions, and similar issues.

  4. Familiarity with MS Word and Adobe PDF.

  5. Use of Dropbox and other online tools for management and storage of documents.

  6. Participating in communications online via email in a timely manner

2018-2019 WHCA Board Candidates Needed - Get Involved! by Lori Bigler

Hi Woodland Heights -

  1. Do you want to get more involved in the issues that face our wonderful neighborhood?
  2. Do you have a strong opinion about the future of the Woodland Heights or the WHCA and its mission?
  3. Do you want to get to know better some of the wonderful and talented people in this great neighborhood?
  4. Do you have talents in accounting, legal, social media, public relations, technology, fundraising or just a love of the history of the neighborhood you'd like to volunteer to our great neighborhood?

If so - then you should think about joining the Woodland Heights Civic Association Board for the 2018 - 2019 term, which starts April 1, 2018 and runs through March 31, 2019.

At present - we only have one candidate per position and would love to have multiple candidates per position to allow the WHCA membership to cast their votes accordingly at the Annual General Meeting on March 20th. I have attached a short description of the roles.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in a WHCA board position for the March 2018 to March 2019 term then please send an email to the nominating committee at nominations@woodland-heights.org. All candidates that wish to run for office (including those current board members running for re-election) must return a nomination form into the nomination committee one day prior to the election on March 20th.

Download the form here.  

Feel free to speak directly with a member of the nomination committee or an existing board member about these positions. The nominating committee members are:

  • Tyson Greer (Board Member)
  • Carla Reed (Board Member)
  • Marian Wright (Non-Board Member)
  • Kelly Hare (Non-Board Member)
  • Roy Johnston (Non-Board Member)

All WHCA Board members must be current homeowner members of the WHCA, and the VP of Deed Restrictions must be a licensed attorney.

Nominations Committee Seeking Candidates for the WHCA Board by Lori Bigler

The WHCA Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations for seats on the Woodland Heights Civic Association Board for the 2018 - 2019 term, which starts April 1, 2018 and runs through March 31, 2019. The following Woodland Heights neighbors have agreed to be on the nominating committee:

  • Tyson Greer (Board Member)
  • Carla Reed (Board Member)
  • Marian Wright (Non-Board Member)
  • Kelly Hare (Non-Board Member)
  • Roy Johnston (Non-Board Member)

If you are interested in a WHCA board position for the April 2018 to March 2019 term then please send an email to the nominating committee (nominations@woodland-heights.org) with the completed nomination form.  

All WHCA board members must be current homeowner members of the WHCA and the VP of deed restrictions must be a licensed attorney.

Reminder: Nominations open for the 2017-8 WHCA Board by Lori Bigler

The following Woodland Heights neighbors have agreed to be on the nominating committee for the Woodland Heights Civic Association Board Positions for the March 2017 to March 2018 board term. 

Rosie Walker (rosiethewriter@gmail.com
Pat Rutledge (pat@flagstonemortgage.com
Carla Reed (mrscarlareed@yahoo.com
Brad Snead (snead@wrightclose.com
Matt Hartzell (maymat@aol.com

If you are interested in a WHCA board position for the March 2017 to March 2018 term then please send an email to one of the members of the nominating committee with the completed nomination form.

All WHCA Board Positions are open for nominations for next year: President, President Elect, VP-Treasurer, VP-Deed Restriction, VP-Security, VP-Infrastructure, VP-Communications, VP-Beautification, VP-Secretary and VP-Membership. 

As a reminder, the WHCA board elections will be held on March 21, 2017 at 7:00 PM at Hogg Middle School. Nominations at the meeting are not permitted so please make sure to send in any nominations before the March 21 meeting. 

All WHCA Board members must be current members of the WHCA and the VP of deed restrictions must be a licensed attorney. 

Michael Graves
VP Communications, WHCA