The Houston City Council learned Monday the community will receive a new bus for its transit system and discussed efforts to revive the town’s affiliation with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.
The city is expected to take delivery of a new city bus this month through a MoDOT program. The city has budgeted its portion — 20 percent of the cost — for several years and was encouraged to hear the news.
The council endorsed an effort to raise awareness about the Houston Community Foundation, an affiliate through Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) — which is a public foundation serving the Ozarks. It works with non-profit partner and affiliate community foundations. Another affiliate in the community, the Houston Education Foundation, focuses its efforts on the betterment of the Houston School District.
Founded in 1973, the CFO has grown to include 44 affiliate community foundations and more than 2,600 charitable funds totaling more than $250 million in assets.
The Houston Young Visionary Committee is organizing the effort.
An awareness event is planned for 5-10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, at Westside Park. It will be an end-of-summer themed event, which includes the swimming pool, yard games, a movie and involvement by law enforcement that gives tips on safety.
The council approved a $350 contribution to help with staging the event.
In other matters, members:
—Heard that FEMA will not be able to give a timely determination — before the end of the month — on the use of a First and Pine streets storm shelter by a 911 system launching to serve Texas County. Voters approved a three-eighths cent sales tax earlier to fund the service after Wright County announced plans to pull out of the joint county operation.
—Heard that a Dooley Street house is being purchased by neighbors and will be destroyed. The city has targeted some property for improvements or demolition. Two remain on the list, it was reported.
—Learned that work on a C.W. Harry Drive to Cleveland Road extension is making progress. Survey work and land acquisition is under way.
—Were informed that utilities at a Florence Street residence were disconnected after raw sewage was running on the ground and wasn’t repaired by the property owner.
—Heard an update on the replacement of hydrants. The project is about half completed. Work is planned in the western part of town and next week north of Ross Lumber Co.