We hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. (You can tell we are because of the posting frequency!) A couple of holiday notes:
The Home for the Holidays event will make its 3rd annual appearance at the Summit library on December 15th, midday. Crafts and some holiday cheer, with a canned food drive to boot.
We are also looking to start the holiday light contest early by taking pictures and posting them to the website and asking for your votes, and we’ll put together a small prize for the winner.
More info on all of this to come!
In case you are still curious, the charter committee meetings continue forward, with the next meeting on November 15th in Council Chambers. In addition to generally being complicated with matters of equity and linedrawing, this process may be hampered by the fact that there can only be one charter election every two years. And since there are at least two movements afoot that may result in a charter election soon, the single member district concept may not be able to be baked in time to get anywhere this time around. But of course these things ebb and flow and there are still meetings to come.
In case you need a primer on this issue, impactnews.com wrote about it recently. They quoted me three times, which was a little embarrasing, but it was otherwise a good article.
6:00 PM, Summitt Elementary is where you should be if you have kiddos in Summitt. Come show your support and hear an update on a new language program that may be coming to Summitt.
Mrs. Neil, our Computer Lab Teacher , has asked if there is a parent or parents out there in the Technical industry whos company would be will to donate 30-60 cloth covered 6 x 9 in. mouse pads. They do need to be cloth covered. With the laser mice we have the slick, shiny surfaces cause problems for the kids.
If your company can help please let us know at boardmembers@milwoodna.com
The City of Austin is revamping its Web site and needs your help!
Austin is seeking to create a new standard for open government and the first step is to enlist public input into the redesign process. Please check out our Web site at AustinGo and take our short online survey. We highly value the opinion of our neighborhood associations in the effort to make the City’s Web site everyone’s Web site.
While this is not targetting North Burnet Gateway at this time, that day will come, so if you’d like to educate yourself, consider attending the information meeting below:
The City of Austin’s Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department and Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department would like to invite you to learn about the Draft Station Area Plans for the MLK Jr. Blvd., Lamar Blvd./Justin Lane, and the Plaza Saltillo Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) districts (see http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/planning/tod/default.htm for information on TOD and the City of Austin TOD Program). The meetings, one per TOD, will be a combination of presentation and open house; in the attached invitations you will find a meeting schedule so you know when specific presentations are going to occur. The Station Area Planning consultant team will give presentations on the main elements of the Station Area Plans: Land Use/Circulation/Open Space, TOD Zoning, Affordable Housing, and Implementation and Finance. After the presentations, you will have time to read, ask questions, and comment on the information during the open house period. General meeting information is:
Lamar/Justin TOD draft plan public meeting: Tuesday Nov. 13, 5:30-9:30; First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4700 Grover
With the weather turning cooler, many creatures will try to move indoors where temperatures are nice and cozy. With some simple tools and a thorough inspection, you can help reduce the number of pests that enter your home this winter.
Inside your home, look around doors and windows during the day. If you see daylight, then there isn’t a good seal around the door and/ or window. Inspect the attic for holes that may have been chewed by rodents or other small mammals to access the structure. Also, make sure that all attic vents are covered with stainless steel screening to block animals from entering. Outside, the perimeter of the home should be inspected for cracks and crevices in the foundation. Look at pipe and wire penetrations into the structure to see if they should be sealed.
Common ways to exclude pests from your home:
Trim back trees and shrubs that touch or overhang the home
Seal pipe & wire penetrations with steel wool ,caulk or expanding foam
Replace weather stripping around doors and windows if there is not a good seal
Repair any window screens with holes
For homes with brick or stone facades, stuff weep holes with steel wool* or copper mesh
*steel wool will rust if it gets wet, so do not use on light colored façade
Inspect all furniture, boxes and bags for pests before carrying them into the home
Inspect all plants for insect pests before bringing them into the home
Do not store firewood inside the home or up against the outside walls
Use sheet metal, hardware cloth or steel wool to seal any areas where animals have chewed to enter the home**
**make sure animal is not in home or you’ll seal it inside!
For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas Cooperative Extension Program Specialist at 512.854.9600.