This Week at City Hall

Jan. 17, 2014Office of Council Member Ellen Cohen

Cohen Named Committee Chair

Council Member Cohen was appointed by Mayor Parker to serve as Chair of the Quality of Life Committee. This committee weighs issues that affect neighborhoods, parks, libraries, public health, cultural affairs, and Houston’s international community. At-Large 2 Council Member David Robinson was appointed Vice Chair of the committee. Council Member Cohen will also serve on the Public Safety Committee, the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee, and the Ethics, Elections, and Council Governance Committee. View a full list of Council Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs » .

On the Agenda

Council approved a partnership between the Houston Parks and Recreation Department(HPARD) and the Gulf Coast Workforce Board (GCWB) to apply for and utilize federal matching funds to help fund after school and summer programs. Until August 31, 2014, the GCWB is authorized to certify expenditures totaling $750,000 to draw these matching funds. With these resources, HPARD will partner with the YMCA to operate summer programs and with the Harris County Department of Education to run after school programs. Over 2,000 children are expected to benefit from these programs.

District C Road Closures for Marathon

The Chevron Houston Marathon will take place this weekend and a large portion of the course will run through District C. On the morning of Sunday, January 19th, beginning at 5:00am, many major thoroughfares in the central portion of District C will be fully or partially closed to traffic. The Houston Marathon began in 1972 and has grown to attract over 20,000 entrants from around the world and over 200,000 spectators.

Full list of street closures and times
Map of marathon route

Holiday Trash Pick-up Schedule

On Monday, January 20th, the City of Houston will observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Please note that there will be no solid waste pick-up that day. Collection schedules will be altered on Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd, with regular operation schedules resuming on Thursday the 23rd.