I met with our District C Council Member, Ellen Cohen earlier this week about several ongoing and some new issues in our neighborhood. A few of these issues include: street reconstruction, drainage, sidewalks, graffiti, installation of proper drainage of the soccer field at Chew Park, crime, ongoing issues at Hazard and Richmond, and more. Please come to the meeting and be a part of the discussion and let us know how we can work together to make Richwood Place an even better neighborhood in 2012.

Meetings are open to all current members of the civic association. If you have not paid dues in 2012, please do so at the meeting OR online here: www.richwoodplace.org

Thank you!

Sincerely,
Rebekah Maddux El-Hakam
President, Richwood Place Civic Association

November 15, 2011, 7:00pm-7:25 pm

General Meeting Minutes

Zoe’s Kitchen, 3701 S. Shepherd

Meeting Start time:  7:00 p.m.

Number of Attendees:  19 neighbors, including all six board members

Approval of Minutes from July meeting – All approve, no abstains

Old Business (7:18 pm)

a)    CIP Update – Daniel Baker, chair – the neighborhood continues to look into ways to improve our sidewalk and streets.   One necessary requirement to meet the application process is that a large number of signatures must be obtained supporting the work.  The RPCA is looking for volunteers form individual blocks to help in this effort.  Please contact Daniel Baker for more information: dbaker@cuckoo.com

b)    Security Update – Rebekah El-Hakam for Larry Wood – Recruiting is underway for volunteers for Citizens on Patrol.  A copy of the information has been posted on the www.RichwoodPlace.Org website.  Crime watch signs are in and expect them to be up before our next meeting.

c)    National Night Out – Rebekah – What a great night with over 125 members present.  A special thanks to all the sponsors and volunteers.

d)    Drainage at Erwan Chew Park – the bid for the work fell through and the city will need to re-bid the job with hopes that it will be resolved soon.

New Business (7:28 p.m.)

a)    Deed Restriction Committee – If you haven’t seen the sign already the 1900 block of Norfolk will have a single family home erected on it.

b)    Montrose Management District – residents are encouraged to visit the Montrose Management District website (http://www.montrosedistrict.org/) for information on the goings on in around our area

c)    Block Captain for 1700 Lexington – A representative is still needed.  Call for volunteers.

d)    Elections – Elections were held by way of verbal voting process.  First call for nominations and then a call for those in favor and those against.  The election process was led by out-going vice-president Daniel Baker:

President – Rebekah El-Hakam

Vice President – Brian Kilpatrick

Secretary – Andy Stefaniak

Treasurer – Sue Bailey

Counselors – John Geiss and Ruth Adams

(A.Stefaniak joins deed restriction committee and R.Adams joins CIP committee)

e)    Goals for 2012 – Increase membership and look for ways to create a more tight knit community.

Meeting Adjourned at 7:25 p.m. 

Our first general meeting of the year will be Tuesday, February 21 at Zoe’s Kitchen from 7-8pm.

Please visit our website www.richwoodplace.org to pay your 2012 dues of at least $50. You can also mail a check to our PO Box at
Richwood Place Civic Association
PO Box 980262
Houston, Texas 77098
or, you can bring it with you to the first meeting.

Up until quite recently, the amount of graffiti has been down in our neighborhood. Thanks, in part to the work of one amazing neighbor. However, last week, we encountered more graffiti at the park and on a residential fence. Some of it has been abated already. On Sunday, they could not take their truck, pictured below onto the soccer field because of the known drainage issue that we have been working with the city to fix for over a year. The ground was too wet to drive a truck on. The truck is pictured below. Please take time to look for graffiti. If you see the graffiti in the park or in other areas of our neighborhood, call 3-1-1 and make a report. Be specific about the markings, the color and what is said and mention “gang graffiti.”

Thank you and I hope to see you all soon.
Happy 2012!
-Rebekah

RPCA’s final general meeting of 2011 and elections for 2012 board positions will be held at 7pm tonight at Zoe’s Kitchen on Shepherd. I’ve attached the agenda to this email. If you have any other issues that you would like to discuss, please feel free to email me prior to the meeting.

All six board positions are being elected this evening for 2012:

President (2011 – Rebekah El-Hakam, running for re-election)
Vice President (2011 – Daniel Baker)
Secretary (2011 – Andy Stefaniak, running for re-election)
Treasurer (2011 – Sue Bailey, running for re-election)
Councilor (2011 – John Geiss, running for re-election)
Councilor (2011 – Brian Trudeau)

If you are interested in running, please email me or volunteer during the meeting. There will also be other positions available on committees as well as other ways to help serve the neighborhood.

See you tonight.

Daniel Baker
Vice President
Richwood Place Civic Association
RPCA Final General Meeting of 2011

Congratulations to our most recent yard of the month winners!

The tables were set, the band was finishing their sound check and neighbors were beginning to arrive. Right on time, the fire truck from our local HFD Fire Station 16, pulled up. They said they were going to park in the middle of the street, blocking it. That sounded good to me. Just then they got a phone call ,”We have to make a quick run. We’ll be back!” Off they went, to work.

Meanwhile, the band started playing. Allen Oldies Band, all dressed in classic suits and ties playing from a neighbors’ front driveway and serenading folks as they walked down the street. They were great! The dance floor, aka. the driveway, was open and the children started to dance. The dancing wouldn’t end until the music did, well after dark.

Neighbors arrived from all over our 12 block neighborhood, adding their appetizer or sweet dish to the table, signing in, slapping on a nametag and grabbing a beverage. The party was off to a festive beginning as everyone began to talk with their friends and neighbors. And, the Fire Truck and firemen returned from Station 16.

We had well over 125 neighbors in attendance. One of the first to arrive was a gentleman who has lived in Richwood Place for 38 years. He talked about the changes to the neighborhood and said this was his “first neighborhood event!” He had received 2 invitations, so he had decided to come on out for the party. There was the couple who just moved in. They were excited to meet more of their neighbors and get a feel for the neighborhood. Of course, there were the familiar faces, the folks who support and come to every event and then there were the new faces, some young, some older. But, new. Lots of new smiling faces. And, kids! There were children everywhere. They were dancing, sneaking cookies from the food table, playing with giant blow-up hammers, running, walking and being held by their parents. They were happy to see each other.

This night was special. It is one that won’t soon be forgotten. And, it wouldn’t have happened without some very special folks that I’d like to take a moment to sincerely thank.

First, thank you to our hosts. For offering your part of the block…again! For grilling, helping to set everything up and cleaning up after the party. Thank you for offering a driveway stage and dance floor. And, to our hosts that were busy welcoming our newest resident. We thank you for always supporting our great neighborhood! Welcome to Richwood Place, little one.

Second, a huge “thank you” to our sponsors!!! Our neighbor and friend, Ash Rowell and Duff Beer and Wine Distribution provided all of the beer and wine. If you were there, you saw the variety of really great beers he provided for the event. This was awesome! Ash, you and Duff outdid yourself! Thank you!

Our invitations and banner would not have happened without two of our sponsors: Moustapha El-Hakam, Attorney at Law and REPRINT!, Your Local Printer. Thank you to Moustapha for designing the invitations, banner and street sign toppers. Our neighborhood printer, REPRINT!, located at the corner of S.Shepherd and 59, south of 59 printed everything for us. Craig Pritchard, at REPRINT!, was amazing to work with. They were fast and did everything right the first time. I thought the invites and banner looked amazing.

And a big thank you goes out to two Neighborhood Realtors for sponsoring the event: Cliff Helmcamp with Greenwood King and Jerry Blum with Heritage Texas. These two sponsorships were key to us being able to hire the Allen Oldies Band. And, that was such a huge part of making the night as fabulous as it was. The energy was great and the music was awesome! Thank you to Cliff Helmcamp and to Jerry Blum for your sponsorships of the event. The band rocked!

Thank you to all of the neighbors for coming to National Night Out 2011! It was a huge success. Please support our sponsors, as they were a big part of this event being as successful and fun as it was.

We will be following up with folks and asking them to join the civic association. Dues go toward events like this one, security, deed restriction enforcement, beautification projects, etc. You can join by clicking the above tab “Join Today!” Annual dues for 2011 are $25 per household, or you are welcome to donate more. Thank you for your support. We hope to see you around Richwood Place!