VOICE OF ASIA 6
FRIDAY, November 3, 2017
FORT BE
Sugar Land, Katy, Stafford, Missouri City, R
Free advice on home repair available in Brazoria, Galveston, Harris and Nueces counties
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USTIN – As Texans repair or rebuild their homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey and subsequent flooding, FEMA and
home-improvement stores in Brazoria, Galveston, Harris and Nueces counties are teaming up to provide free information, tips and literature on making homes stronger and safer. FEMA mitigation specialists will be on hand to answer questions and offer home-improvement tips along with proven methods to prevent or reduce damage from future disasters as well as offer tips and techniques to build hazard-resistant homes. Most of the information and the free publications provided are geared to do-it-yourself work and general contractors. Recovery topics covered include flood insurance, elevating utilities and rebuilding flooded homes.
Free reference booklets with information on protecting a home from flood damage will be available.
FEMA advisers will be available at these stores: For Texas disaster mitigation information, visit www.fema.gov/texasdisaster-mitigation. For other information about mitigation, visit www.fema.gov/whatmitigation. More information about strengthening properties can be found at www. fema.gov/protect-your-property. For more information on Hurricane Harvey and Texas recovery, visit the Hurricane Harvey disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4332, the FEMA Harvey Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FEMAharvey,
the FEMA Region VI Twitter account at twitter.com/FEMARegion6 or the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at www.dps.texas.
gov/dem/. FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards. Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711/VRS - Video Relay Service) (TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).
Fort Bend ISD to host wellness event focusing on social media safety and gaming addiction
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ORT BEND ISD (November 1, 2017) - Fort Bend ISD’s Counseling and Postsecondary Readiness Department will be hosting a wellness event focusing on social media safety and gaming addiction. The event will take place on Tuesday, November 14 in the Commons of First Colony Middle School (3225 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land 77479 ) at 6 p.m. Nathan Driskell will be the evening’s guest speaker. His presentation will focus on social media safety and gaming addiction, touching on topics such as: Social Media is Everywhere Social Media is Addicting
Most Popular Social Media Applications Texting Sexting Online Predators Steps and Guidelines Parents Can Use to Protect Their Children Parents, teachers, counselors and anyone who works with children are encouraged to attend. The presentation will last an hour and will include a question and answer period. Driskell is a graduate of Houston Baptist University, with a background in Psychology and Computer Information Systems Manage-
ment. He is a licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor and is currently providing therapy services out of H.O.P.E Psychotherapy of Houston, PLLC. Driskell focuses on the treatment of internet addiction and Asperger’s Disorder. This presentation is part of FBISD’s Counseling and Postsecondary Readiness Department’s new initiative this year – FBISD Speak Up – which is focused on promoting mental health awareness and suicide prevention by reducing the stigma and fear associated with being an upstander and reaching out for support, either for yourself, a friend or family member. For more information on the event, contact your child’s school counselor.
FBISD hosting Parent University sessions to provide parents with college information Sessions to be held in November and December
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ORT BEND ISD (October 27, 2017) – Fort Bend ISD’s Counseling and Postsecondary Readiness Department is hosting Parent University sessions this fall in order to provide parents with the necessary information and tools to help plan for their child’s postsecondary education.
The first session will be on Wednesday, November 8 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Austin High School (3434 Pheasant Creek Drive, Sugar Land 77498). The second session will be on Wednesday, December 6 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Hightower High School (3333 Hurricane Lane, Missouri City 77459). Each Parent University will have four, 25-minute sessions on the following topics: Funding a College Education – Financial Aid and Scholarships Using the Naviance Platform Testing – PSAT, SAT, ACT, TSI, and Khan Academy Dual Credit and AP – How to Save Money on College The Parent University sessions are open to all FBISD parents. For more information, contact your child’s high school counselor or advisor.
Read Your Community News at: www. voiceofasiaonline.com
017 Charter Election - FAQ
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hy is the City having an election on changes to the Charter?
The City Council voted to hold a special election on proposed changes to the City Charter after receiving a report from the City’s Charter Review Commission. The purpose of the City Charter Review Commission is to review the Charter of the City of Missouri City (the “Charter”) in accordance with Section 11.13 of the Charter to determine if any changes to the Charter are merited. On July 18, 2016, the City Council appointed the following five City residents to serve as the 2016 Charter Review Commission (the “Commission”) members: Robin Elackatt, Scott Moseley, Eunice Reiter, Cheryl Sterling, and Joe Workman. The Commission held several meetings, all of which, were open to the public, and reviewed various issues related to the Charter. The Commission met on August 8, 2016, August 22, 2016, September 12, 2016, October 10, 2016, November 14, 2016, and December 12, 2016. What notice has been provided for this special election on Charter propositions? The City Council received the Commission’s report, which contained Propositions A (mayor pro tem election), C (city manager authority), F (Finance Department name), and G (October fiscal year), on December 19, 2016. After the Commission submitted its report to the City Council, notice of the Commission’s proposed amendments was published in the Fort Bend Independent on December 28, 2016. The City Council discussed proposed Charter amendments at open City Council meetings on January 3, 2017, July 3, 2017, July 17, 2017, and August 7, 2017. Notice of the special charter election was published in the Fort Bend Independent on October 18, 2017, and October 25, 2017. Notice of the special election is also posted on the City’s website. What is Proposition A? Proposition A clarifies that the mayor pro tem of the City Council may be elected at the first regular city council meeting following a general election to elect councilmembers, or, if there is a runoff decided by a special election, after the special election. What is Proposition B? Proposition B removes the requirement that the city manager must be bonded at city expense in an amount not less than $25,000. What is Proposition C?
Proposition C allows the city manager to administratively appoint, suspend and remove City department directors. What is Proposition D? Proposition D allows the city manager to administratively establish, combine, discontinue, or combine City departments. What is Proposition E? Proposition E changes the words in the Charter to make them consistent with City Council Resolution No. R-16-32, which changed the election date from May to November. Will the City go back to a May election date if voters decide not to change the election date in the Charter? No. State law allows a home-rule municipality to change its election date from May to November by resolution no later than December 31, 2016. The City Council of the City of Missouri City did so in 2016. State law also provides that the election date change in a resolution such as the one passed by the City Council in 2016 supersedes a city charter provision that requires a different election date. Therefore, if Proposition E fails, the City will continue to have November elections. What is Proposition F? Proposition F changes the name of the city’s finance department from the “Finance Department” to the “Financial Services Department.” What is Proposition G? Proposition G changes the City’s fiscal year from July 1 through June 30 to October 1 through September 30. On what fiscal year cycle are most cities? It varies. Most of the City’s benchmark cities, including Pearland, Rosenberg, Sugar Land, and League City, are on October 1 through September 30 fiscal year cycles. When is the election? Now! Registered voters can vote early by personal appearance from October 23, 2017, through November 3, 2017. Election Day is November 7, 2017 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. For more information about Missouri City, please watch the City website: www.missouricitytx.gov, like us on Facebook—fb/MissouriCityTX, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat—@MissouriCityTX and watch Missouri City Television (Ch. 16 on Comcast and Ch. 99 on AT&T U-verse).