Friendswood Journal - News
A message from the mayor
To our Friendswood residents:
As we continue our recovery from Hurricane Ike, we wish to first and foremost provide several venues where points of information are being distributed to our residents.
Information can be obtained from:
Friendswood's Emergency Operations Center - 281-996-3335
City Web Site www.ci.friendswood.tx.us
Radio Station 1650 AM
In addition, our residents can contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 1-800-621-3362 or visit their website at www.fema.gov
The Friendswood Public Library is open and includes Internet services for our residents. Roads in Friendswood are passable, and our Police, Fire and EMS services continue to be in full force. A majority of homes in Friendswood also have telephone service. The U.S. Postal Service is delivering mail.
Police Chief Wieners and our police officers want our residents to know that our city is secure. We have had no reports of looting, minimal criminal activity, no fatalities and only a few injuries due to storm clean up efforts. Again, our curfew is in effect, so our residents should carry their ID, and if you don't have specific business in our community, stay out.
Debris removal has already begun in Friendswood. Our residents are asked to separate their trees and green waste from construction material and household trash. There is no need to bundle, cut or wrap tree limbs. Please be careful cleaning up.
Friendswood has recently put a price gouging ordinance into effect that prohibits vendors and others selling goods or services from unreasonably increasing their prices or rates. Residents who suspect that anyone in our community is price gouging should call the City of Friendswood at 281-996-3335 to report the gouging.
In addition, the City is requiring that Contractors who will be providing building and repair services in Friendswood register with the City and receive from the City a building contractor's license. One of the purposes of this licensing is to ensure that contractors who will be working on properties in Friendswood are licensed and insured.
Once again, our residents should notify the City of Friendswood at 281-996-3335 if they suspect any price gouging or scams occurring as we recover from Hurricane Ike.
On behalf of the citizens of Friendswood, we wish to thank our City Manager, City employees and volunteers for the outstanding work they have done so far. Every single one of them has been working diligently at great sacrifice to themselves and their families. Our team includes every department of city services, including Police, Fire, EMS, Public Works, Community Services, Community Development , Administrative Services, City Manager's Office, City Secretary's Office and able volunteers, all under the able direction of our Emergency Management Team headed by Fire Marshal and Emergency Management Coordinator Terry Byrd.
We would also like to thank Galveston County Judge Jim Yarbrough and his County emergency management team for being with us before, during and after the storm. We would also like thank Gene Hafele's National Weather Service team, the State's Chief of Emergency Management Jack Colley and the State Chain of Command.
Others that we wish to thank include:
State Representative Larry Taylor
TCEQ
Governor Rick Perry's office
Congressman Nick Lampson
Senator Mike Jackson
Terry Randall and his helicopter
Hill Sand Company
Beck - FEMA compliance
Crowder Gulf - debris removal
David Wight Construction
Boyer Inc. Electricians
Texas-New Mexico Power
CenterPoint Energy
AT&T and other phone utility workers.
Committed Relief and the Samaritan's Gift ministries working through Pastor Ron Hindtat the Calvary Church relief site.
Kroger on FM 528 for food supplies
HEB Corporate offices in San Antonio for ice and supplies
Jack Weber and his employees at the Friendswood HEB Store for being prepared, ready and able to help
Lastly, we wish to thank our citizens for paying attention, and for the great job they are doing in helping each other.
Throughout this recovery process, we are confident that our community spirit will continue to thrive. We are all truly fortunate to have such committed residents working toward recovery after Ike.
Mayor David Smith
Friendswood City Council
As we continue our recovery from Hurricane Ike, we wish to first and foremost provide several venues where points of information are being distributed to our residents.
Information can be obtained from:
Friendswood's Emergency Operations Center - 281-996-3335
City Web Site www.ci.friendswood.tx.us
Radio Station 1650 AM
In addition, our residents can contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 1-800-621-3362 or visit their website at www.fema.gov
The Friendswood Public Library is open and includes Internet services for our residents. Roads in Friendswood are passable, and our Police, Fire and EMS services continue to be in full force. A majority of homes in Friendswood also have telephone service. The U.S. Postal Service is delivering mail.
Police Chief Wieners and our police officers want our residents to know that our city is secure. We have had no reports of looting, minimal criminal activity, no fatalities and only a few injuries due to storm clean up efforts. Again, our curfew is in effect, so our residents should carry their ID, and if you don't have specific business in our community, stay out.
Debris removal has already begun in Friendswood. Our residents are asked to separate their trees and green waste from construction material and household trash. There is no need to bundle, cut or wrap tree limbs. Please be careful cleaning up.
Friendswood has recently put a price gouging ordinance into effect that prohibits vendors and others selling goods or services from unreasonably increasing their prices or rates. Residents who suspect that anyone in our community is price gouging should call the City of Friendswood at 281-996-3335 to report the gouging.
In addition, the City is requiring that Contractors who will be providing building and repair services in Friendswood register with the City and receive from the City a building contractor's license. One of the purposes of this licensing is to ensure that contractors who will be working on properties in Friendswood are licensed and insured.
Once again, our residents should notify the City of Friendswood at 281-996-3335 if they suspect any price gouging or scams occurring as we recover from Hurricane Ike.
On behalf of the citizens of Friendswood, we wish to thank our City Manager, City employees and volunteers for the outstanding work they have done so far. Every single one of them has been working diligently at great sacrifice to themselves and their families. Our team includes every department of city services, including Police, Fire, EMS, Public Works, Community Services, Community Development , Administrative Services, City Manager's Office, City Secretary's Office and able volunteers, all under the able direction of our Emergency Management Team headed by Fire Marshal and Emergency Management Coordinator Terry Byrd.
We would also like to thank Galveston County Judge Jim Yarbrough and his County emergency management team for being with us before, during and after the storm. We would also like thank Gene Hafele's National Weather Service team, the State's Chief of Emergency Management Jack Colley and the State Chain of Command.
Others that we wish to thank include:
State Representative Larry Taylor
TCEQ
Governor Rick Perry's office
Congressman Nick Lampson
Senator Mike Jackson
Terry Randall and his helicopter
Hill Sand Company
Beck - FEMA compliance
Crowder Gulf - debris removal
David Wight Construction
Boyer Inc. Electricians
Texas-New Mexico Power
CenterPoint Energy
AT&T and other phone utility workers.
Committed Relief and the Samaritan's Gift ministries working through Pastor Ron Hindtat the Calvary Church relief site.
Kroger on FM 528 for food supplies
HEB Corporate offices in San Antonio for ice and supplies
Jack Weber and his employees at the Friendswood HEB Store for being prepared, ready and able to help
Lastly, we wish to thank our citizens for paying attention, and for the great job they are doing in helping each other.
Throughout this recovery process, we are confident that our community spirit will continue to thrive. We are all truly fortunate to have such committed residents working toward recovery after Ike.
Mayor David Smith
Friendswood City Council
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