November 2007

TxDOT Construction — The project to build a new northbound entrance ramp to IH 35 near Rudy's and the new Yamaha Store continues. There will be lane closures and the northbound exit ramp will be closed from time to time. The project is expected to be completed within the: next 10 days. Following this project TxDOT  has the  same contractor scheduled to repair the expansion joints on the IH-35 Main Lane Bridge at Cibolo Creek. This project will be accomplished over a period of four weekends. This will take IH-35 down to one lane from Friday night until Monday morning for that period. When we are notified by TxDOT of the start date for this traffic issue, we will let you know.

SERVICE REMINDERS:
CHIPPER SERVICE is provided to residents-on the 1st Monday; of the month. To schedule the City crew and chipper please call 651-6661, ext 7840.

FILE FOR LIFE - Selma Fire Department has received a new stock of the File For Life cards and refrigerator magnets. Please stop by City Hall and pick up your copy. This is one way to make sure when First Responders get to your home in time of need, they will have all the pertinent informa­tion to render you the aid you require.

STREET SWEEPER SERVICE - The City's street sweeper will be following this monthly route schedule in our subdivisions:

Olympia & Forrest Creek - First Week of the Month
Selma Park Estates & Chelsea Crossing -- Week Two
Retama Ridge & Retama Springs - Week Three
Live Oak Hills & Kensington Ranch – Week Four

During business hours on the week of street sweeping in your neighbor­hood, it would be greatly appreciated if you park your vehicles off the street. This will enable us to do a better job in your neighborhood.

ANIMAL CONTROLS As a reminder, Selma has an Ordinance that requires pets to be: registered and licensed with the City. These licenses are renewable every year at a nominal cost. Should your pet wander off, the tag makes it very easy for us to return your pet to you. Please, when you and your pet are out and about, we ask that you observe the requirement to keep that pet on a leash.

GUADALUPE COUNTY/ TAX STATEMENTS - As you know, Selma is in three counties and the City contracts with Guadalupe County to collect your City taxes. Please keep in mind, no matter which county you reside in, you will get a property tax statement from Guadalupe County for your City Property Tax. When you look at the total taxes due, your reaction might be "what? I thought the City taxes were going down". Please remember, the City is only one of many taxing authorities that assess taxes on your property. The County, the Hospital District and School Districts all share in your total tax assessment. We would ask that as you review your upcoming tax liability you take note that the rate the City is charging ($.2621/$100 of valuation) is lower than last year by exactly 2.44 cents/$100.

SOLID WASTE REMINDER -- We have experienced some issues lately of residents putting hazardous house
, 
Hold waste in their garbage cans for pick-up, by the Solid waste contractor. This is not only poor form but it is against a State Law! Please save your used motor oil paint, insecticides, spent batteries and the like for or our twice-yearly Household Hazardous Waste Disposal.

SPECIAL THANKS TO BEXAR WASTE: Once again,
Bexar Waste did an outstanding job on our Fall Cleanup!

NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING:
DECEMBER 13, 2007 AT 6:30 p.m.

CITY HALL CLOSURES: City offices will be closed December 24 and 25, 2007 in observance of Christmas and December 31 (half day) and January 1 in observance of New Year’s.

City Council Meeting
For Minutes of the November City Council meeting go to: http://www.mccinnovations.com/weblink/Browse.aspx and click on Selma, TX.

October 2007

Trick or Treat Bags - Selma Fire Department is pleased to provide any resident with a free reflective trick or treat candy bag. Just stop by City Hall and we will be please to provide you with yet another service.

TxDOT Construction – The project to build a new northbound entrance ramp to IH 35 near Rudy’s and the new Yamaha Store is ongoing. There will be lane closures and the northbound exit ramp will be closed from time to time. The project is expected to be completed within the next 30 days. Following this project TxDOT has the same contractor scheduled to repair the expansion joints on the IH-35 Main Lane Bridge at Cibolo Creek. This project will be accomplished over a period of four weekends. This will take IH-35 down to one lane from Friday night until Monday morning for that period. As the start date for this traffic issue gets closer we will keep you advised.

Service Reminders:

Fall Cleanup - Bexar Waste will once again provide us with an opportunity to get rid of unwanted items from around our homes to include those household hazardous waste items like paint, antifreeze and petroleum distillates. The year's Fall Cleanup begins October 20th and runs through October 28th. There will be dumpsters at the end of Chippewa in Selma Park Estates and in the rear parking lot of city Hall for the entire period. On Saturday the 10th and again on the 27th household hazardous waste will be accepted from 9am until 5pm.

FILE FOR LIFE – The Selma Fire Department has received a new stock of the File for Life cards and refrigerator magnets. Please stop by City Hall and pick up your copy. This is one way to make sure when your First Responders get to your home in time of need they will have all the pertinent information to render you the aide you require.

CHIPPER SERVICE is provided to residents on the 1st Monday of the month. To schedule the City crew and chipper please call 651-6661, ext 7840.

STREET SWEEPER SERVICE – The City’s street sweeper will be following this monthly route schedule in our subdivisions:

Olympia & Forrest Creek – First Week of the Month
Selma Park Estates & Chelsea Crossing – Week Two
Retama Ridge & Retama Springs – Week Three
Live oak Hills & Kennsington Ranch Week Four

During business hours on the week of street sweeping your neighborhood, it would be greatly appreciated if you park your vehicles off the street. This will enable us to do a better job in your neighborhood.

ANIMAL CONTROL: As a reminder, Selma has an Ordinance that requires pets to be registered and licensed with the City. These licenses are renewable every year at a nominal cost. Should your pet wander off, the tag makes it very easy for us to return your pet to you. Please, when you and your pet are out and about, we ask that you observe the requirement to keep that pet on a leash.

Pet License Form

Guadalupe County Tax Statements - As you know, Selma is in three counties and the City contracts with Guadalupe County to collect your City taxes. Please keep in mind, no matter which county you reside in, you will get a property tax statement from Guadalupe County for your City Property Tax. When you look at the total taxes due your reaction might be, "What? I thought the City taxes were going down?" Please remember, the City is only one of many taxing authorities that assess taxes on your property. The County, the Hospital district, and School Districts all share in your total tax assessment. We would ask that as you review your upcoming tax liability you take note that the rate the City is charging ($.2621/$100 f valuation) is lower than last year by exactly 2.44 cents/$100.

Solid Waste Reminder - We have experienced some issue lately of residents putting hazardous household waste in their garbage cans for pick-up by the solid waste contractor. This is not only poor form but it is against a State Law! Please save your used motor oil, paint, insecticides, spent batteries and the like for our twice yearly Household Hazardous Waste Disposal.

City Council Minutes (external website)

August 2007

TxDOT Construction – The project to build a new northbound entrance ramp to IH 35 near Rudy’s and the new Yamaha Store has begun. There will be lane closures and the northbound exit ramp will be closed from time to time. The project is expected to be completed within the next 120 days. Following this project TxDOT has the same contractor scheduled to repair the expansion joints on the bridge of the Cibolo Creek. This project will be accomplished over a period of four weekends. This will take IH-35 down to one lane from Friday night until Monday morning for that period. As the start date for this traffic issue gets closer we will keep you advised.

Service Reminders:

Web-Based City Service Requests – Is up and running, should you require a city service such as animal control, brush removal, damaged street signs, graffiti, overgrown lot, street light replacement, etc.

Click on the “request for service” type in your info and what needs attention and we will work the action from there.

If you wish to be notified by return e-mail of the progress on the completion of the work order, check the box provided and we will respond. We have provided you a copy of what the page will look like with this news letter. If your request is one that needs immediate attention or you do not wish to use the automated system, continue to call City Hall and the City Staff will create an internal work order to record, track and close out the requests for service.

CHIPPER SERVICE is provided to residents on the 1st Monday of the month. To schedule the City crew and chipper please call 651-6661, ext 7840.

STREET SWEEPER SERVICE – The City’s street sweeper will be following this monthly route schedule in our subdivisions:

Olympia & Forrest Creek – First Week of the Month
Selma Park Estates & Chelsea Crossing – Week Two
Retama Ridge & Retama Springs – Week Three
Live oak Hills & Kennsington Ranch Week Four

During business hours on the week of street sweeping your neighborhood, it would be greatly appreciated if you park your vehicles off the street. This will enable us to do a better job in your neighborhood.

ANIMAL CONTROL: As a reminder, Selma has an Ordinance that requires pets to be registered and licensed with the City. These licenses are renewable every year at a nominal cost. Should your pet wander off, the tag makes it very easy for us to return your pet to you. Please, when you and your pet are out and about, we ask that you observe the requirement to keep that pet on a leash.

Pet License Form

***Board Member Opening***: The Board of Directors of the Reinvestment Zone Number One, Selma, Texas has an opening for a term to expire in October 2009. Any citizen with interest in serving on this Board should submit a letter of interest to the City Administrator prior to September 10th for consideration of appointment by the City Council.

Recap of Council Actions from the Regular Council Meeting/ Budget Workshop of August 9, 2007.

Citizens to be Heard: Mr. Gary Baber spoke in opposition to Code Enforcement issuing him a notice to abate a code violation on a tree at his home. Mr. Baber expressed concern that the ordinance gives the home owner seven (7) days to abate the violation. He stated that there was no appeal process and he recommended that a citizen committee be appointed to review code violations.

· Approved the Minutes of the July 9, 2007 Special Council Meeting and Workshop.

•Approved the Minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of July 12, 2007.

•Budget Workshop. Received a briefing on the Draft 2008 Selma General Fund, Municipal Development District and Revenue Budget for the City.

•Approved Ordinance Number 080907 to tax tangible personal property used in the manufacture of good for resale.    

•Appointed nine members to the Board of Directors of the Reinvestment Zone Number One of the City of Selma.

•Approved a recommendation from the Selma Planning and Zoning Commission on a request for variance on front and side setback requirements in the Olympia Business Park, Unit 7.

•Approved a recommendation from the Selma Planning and Zoning Commission on the Preliminary and Final Plat of the Olympia Business Park Unit 7, Lot 2-A.

•Appointed Mr. Alvin Kowalik as Chairman of the Selma Planning ad Zoning Commission and appointed Mr. Dale Doan to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Rocky Friesenhahn.

•Approved a recommendation from the Selma Planning and Zoning Commission on the Final Plat establishing the Furniture Row Subdivision, Unit One.

•Set September 6, 2007 as the date for a Special Council Meeting to adopt the 2008 Budgets for the General Fund, Municipal Development District and Revenue Fund. 

 MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING ON THE 2008 BUDGET:  September 6, 2007 at 6:15 P.M.

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING ON 2008 BUDGET: September 6, 2007 at 6:30 PM

NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING: September 13, 2007 at 6:30 P.M.

City Hall Closure: City Offices will be closed September 3, 2007 in observance of Labor Day.

Selma Stage Coach Stop