Web site exists to serve Houston citizens
http://www.aframnews.com/html/interspire/articles/510/1/Web-site-exists-to-serve-Houston-citizens/Page1.html
Annise Parker
Annise Parker is Houston City Controller. By Annise Parker
Published on 06/2/2009
How often have you heard someone say they work for the city then thought “Houston’s so big, I’m glad I don’t have to deal with city government.”
Then you get a $400 water bill that’s obviously wrong. The bad day escalates when you get a speeding ticket.
Where’s that phone book? Better yet, what’s that web address? A short Google later and you’re on the city of Houston website, www.houstontx.gov .
Water department phone number _ that’s an easy one. After pleading your case to the polite water customer service person, she offers to send out someone to check the water meter.
I want to… tab
On to the speeding ticket. The second gold tab at the top of the webpage is “ I Want to.” Click and life gets easier if you want to (for instance):
• Adopt a pet,
•Apply for a city job,
• Do business with the city,
• Library - renew a book,
• Library - pay a fine,
• Pay a fine,
• Report a street light outage.
Click on Pay a fine and you’ll find information about paying Municipal Court fines, such as traffic or parking tickets: how to pay online, how to fight your ticket or request to take the driver safety course and the location of satellite courts in case you need to appear in person. If you plead guilty and can’t pay the fine, you can even arrange to perform community service, such as working in a city department or non-profit agency.
CitizensNet
One of the easiest ways to keep up with the myriad of city programs and events is CitizensNet, the mayor’s email list. Many programs never get reported on TV, in the paper or online. In April alone, CitizensNet recipients received more than a dozen emails, such as:
• Final report: Mayor’s Task Force on Electric Service Reliability,
• Home repair grants,
• Adopt-A-Ditch Partnership in Overbrook,
• Breakfast for first-time homebuyers,
• Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities new “citizens line”,
• Notification of CIP construction on Kirby, South Shaver Road and in Oak Estates,
• Recycling Neighborhood News,
• Notice of public hearing: 2009 Consolidated Action Plan.
The latest CitizensNet alert announces the Saturday, June 7, Foreclosure Prevention Fair. The free fair is set for 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the George R. Brown Convention Center. For more information, contact ACORN at (713)868-7015 or visit www.acorn.org/texas. Participating lenders include: Chase, Countrywide, HSBC, GMAC and Litton. Please bring a copy of your most recent mortgage statement to the event. To sign up for CitizensNet see: http://cohapp.cityofhouston.gov/citizensnet/ .
Tracking City Council meetings
Houston City Council meetings are shown on HTV, the municipal channel, several times a week. If you can’t watch on TV or tape it, both the Tuesday public session (when you can address City Council) and the Wednesday morning business sessions are available on the HTV Web site, part of the city Web site: www.houstontx.gov/htv/ While you’re on the HTV website, check out the exciting lineup of new shows, such as Firehouse Houston, a behind-the-scenes look at firefighters, and Academy 193, where you can find out if you have what it takes to become a Houston police officer. The same agenda backup documents given to City Council members are also available online at: www.houstontx.gov/citysec/.
Just spend some time exploring the city Web site. You’ll be amazed at the information: summer parks programs, dog parks, swimming, neighborhood-by-neighborhood crime stats. The list is almost endless.
How often have you heard someone say they work for the city then thought “Houston’s so big, I’m glad I don’t have to deal with city government.”
Then you get a $400 water bill that’s obviously wrong. The bad day escalates when you get a speeding ticket.
Where’s that phone book? Better yet, what’s that web address? A short Google later and you’re on the city of Houston website, www.houstontx.gov .
Water department phone number _ that’s an easy one. After pleading your case to the polite water customer service person, she offers to send out someone to check the water meter.
Then you get a $400 water bill that’s obviously wrong. The bad day escalates when you get a speeding ticket.
Where’s that phone book? Better yet, what’s that web address? A short Google later and you’re on the city of Houston website, www.houstontx.gov .
Water department phone number _ that’s an easy one. After pleading your case to the polite water customer service person, she offers to send out someone to check the water meter.
How often have you heard someone say they work for the city then thought “Houston’s so big, I’m glad I don’t have to deal with city government.”
Then you get a $400 water bill that’s obviously wrong. The bad day escalates when you get a speeding ticket.
Where’s that phone book? Better yet, what’s that web address? A short Google later and you’re on the city of Houston website, www.houstontx.gov .
Water department phone number _ that’s an easy one. After pleading your case to the polite water customer service person, she offers to send out someone to check the water meter.
I want to… tab
On to the speeding ticket. The second gold tab at the top of the webpage is “ I Want to.” Click and life gets easier if you want to (for instance):
• Adopt a pet,
•Apply for a city job,
• Do business with the city,
• Library - renew a book,
• Library - pay a fine,
• Pay a fine,
• Report a street light outage.
Click on Pay a fine and you’ll find information about paying Municipal Court fines, such as traffic or parking tickets: how to pay online, how to fight your ticket or request to take the driver safety course and the location of satellite courts in case you need to appear in person. If you plead guilty and can’t pay the fine, you can even arrange to perform community service, such as working in a city department or non-profit agency.
CitizensNet
One of the easiest ways to keep up with the myriad of city programs and events is CitizensNet, the mayor’s email list. Many programs never get reported on TV, in the paper or online. In April alone, CitizensNet recipients received more than a dozen emails, such as:
• Final report: Mayor’s Task Force on Electric Service Reliability,
• Home repair grants,
• Adopt-A-Ditch Partnership in Overbrook,
• Breakfast for first-time homebuyers,
• Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities new “citizens line”,
• Notification of CIP construction on Kirby, South Shaver Road and in Oak Estates,
• Recycling Neighborhood News,
• Notice of public hearing: 2009 Consolidated Action Plan.
The latest CitizensNet alert announces the Saturday, June 7, Foreclosure Prevention Fair. The free fair is set for 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the George R. Brown Convention Center. For more information, contact ACORN at (713)868-7015 or visit www.acorn.org/texas. Participating lenders include: Chase, Countrywide, HSBC, GMAC and Litton. Please bring a copy of your most recent mortgage statement to the event. To sign up for CitizensNet see: http://cohapp.cityofhouston.gov/citizensnet/ .
Tracking City Council meetings
Houston City Council meetings are shown on HTV, the municipal channel, several times a week. If you can’t watch on TV or tape it, both the Tuesday public session (when you can address City Council) and the Wednesday morning business sessions are available on the HTV Web site, part of the city Web site: www.houstontx.gov/htv/ While you’re on the HTV website, check out the exciting lineup of new shows, such as Firehouse Houston, a behind-the-scenes look at firefighters, and Academy 193, where you can find out if you have what it takes to become a Houston police officer. The same agenda backup documents given to City Council members are also available online at: www.houstontx.gov/citysec/.
Just spend some time exploring the city Web site. You’ll be amazed at the information: summer parks programs, dog parks, swimming, neighborhood-by-neighborhood crime stats. The list is almost endless.