City of Huntsville – Page 2 – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Visit Huntsville: LEAP Day and Wynne Home Arts & Visitor Center

by Jessica Cuevas

In honor of LEAP year, the LEAP Ambassadors wanted to capture a leap in front of one of their favorite historic homes in the City of Huntsville – The Wynne Home Arts & Visitor Center!

And by bringing us back to this beautiful home, it reminded us of what a great Huntsville destination it is!

The Wynne Home opened to the public in 2006 after it underwent years of renovations to turn it into an arts and visitor center following its donation to the City of Huntsville by Samuella Wynne Palmer in 1998.

This beautiful Queen Anne home is open Monday-Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturdays. It is open to the public to visit and tour. Year-round, the Wynne Home hosts a variety of art and cultural events, workshops, and classes available for the community to attend and participate in.

Recently, for example, the Wynne Home hosted Empty Bowls, which raised more than $6,000 to fight hunger while promoting the arts.

Moreover, the Wynne Home is offering the annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 30^th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, and I encourage you all to attend.

Within the home, there is also an art gallery currently featuring the work of Mary Ann Vaca Lambert, an SHSU Alum who was able to study under Charles Pebworth, and whose art was influenced by Georgia O’Keeffe and Frida Kahlo. Her exhibit, Out of the Comaleros: The Art of Mary Ann Vaca Lambert, features several quilts from flowers, animals, and abstracts and will be up for you to see until the end of March!

Note: While Mary Ann Vaca Lambert’s “Out of the Comaleros: The Art of Mary Ann Vaca Lambert” will be coming down soon, Kahne Smith’s artwork will be going up soon after. The opening reception for her work will be on April 5th from 6:00-8:00pm.

Huntsville’s Hiring! Community Hiring Event

Olivia Discon

As the intern for the City of Huntsville’s Economic Development Department, I have had the privilege to learn about what makes Huntsville, Huntsville. From what I’ve come to understand, Huntsville’s unique quality comes from the community’s eagerness to support each other. This was further reinforced by The City of Huntsville’s Community Hiring Event, hosted by the city’s Economic Development Department. This event, which was a first for the department, allowed local businesses to showcase their businesses, and hopefully, fulfill some of their vacant positions!

There was a vast array of businesses that participated in this event. From local businesses such as Advantage Specialties and Carolina Creek, to local manufacturers such as Zenner USA and Rock MFG, there was a broad range of opportunities for people to inquire about.

The most rewarding aspect of the hiring event was being able to experience Huntsville’s diverse economic landscape in real time. Educational opportunities such as Sam Houston State University, Tomorrow’s Promise, Bayes Achievement Center, Windham School District, and Huntsville Independent School District…

Services, such as Metroclean, The Color Bar, and Clearwater Pools…

Employment opportunities in the medical field, such as Huntsville Memorial Hospital…

… and some of our major employers, such as Weatherford and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice!

There were even businesses that focus on workforce and staffing, such as Express Employment Professionals and Workforce Solutions, the latter of which provided resources for participants actively seeking employment.

Throughout the evening, businesses had the opportunity to conduct onsite interviews, and participants had the opportunity to show off their resume. With over 150 people in attendance, this event was a resounding success! Events such as these are incredibly valuable to both businesses and potential employees alike, as it helps to reinforce the community support that makes Huntsville so special.

Huntsville’s Scary Square–2023

LEAP began assisting with the Scare on the Square in 2005, which may have been Main Street’s first such “stab” at the event. Well, for the 19th time, we “suited up” for this Halloween ritual that brings in thousands of people from the community together for a safe day of fun.

This time, though, we worked in a somewhat different capacity and there were a few new twists (of the knife).

A few weeks ago, Jessica Cuevas, LEAP’s co-Vice President of Operations, was brought in by the City of Huntsville to supervise the event as the Interim Main Street Manager. So, LEAP Ambassadors worked as “special assistants”–“Igors,” so to speak–to help the event run smoothly.

And, after years of taking place directly on the square, the event was shifted one block south so as not to interfere with customer parking for downtown businesses.

But as in past years, the event was a huge draw for local residents and a lot of fun for everyone. Vendors offered many options of food and drink, allowing visitors to “pick their poison.” More than 50 local organizations participated, including two of Professor Yawn’s classes. These students, being future attorneys, were the most frightening characters of all.

The Fire Department was again on hand, doing community service.

While many of the selfie stations were similar to past years, a new attraction was the 21st century photo booth, which takes a video from a 360-degree view. It was, in short, a “scream.”

Of course for most of the kids, the real attractions were the games and the candy. There were ring tosses on witches’ hats…

…pumpkin decorating…

…a Jurassic Trunk…

…ghost bowling…

…a cauldron toss, an eyeball toss…

…basketball shooting, face-painting…

…and many others. Thankfully, the costumes were diverse this year, with fewer Barbies than one might have expected.

For our part, we dressed as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It was a bit of a change for us, as we’re not exactly ninja material, but we enjoyed it nonetheless.

The result, according to the City of Huntsville’s Economic Development Coordinator, Tammy Gann, “perhaps the best attended Scare on the Square we’ve had.” It was, at least for us, certainly one of the most satisfying.

Ariza Martinez, the Main Street intern for the fall, had the opportunity to take the lead in organizing a community event of this scale for the very first time.

It was her chance to showcase her creativity and adaptability while making a positive impact on our community.

The City of Huntsville staff–Aron Kulhavy, Tammy Gann, Angela Robinson–were great! Continuing on the superhero theme, which may have been open to interpretation for some, was a “super” sight! Regarded as Huntsville’s unsung heroes, it was a true joy to see them enjoying the day’s festivities.

As for the Ambassadors, we “shelled” out lots of fun and truly enjoyed ourselves in Huntsville’s downtown, well, most of us.

While our ninja skills may have been questionable, our enthusiasm was undeniable.

State of the City: Huntsville, 2023

Morgan Robertson

Every year the City of Huntsville hosts the State of the City, where they update citizens on important business, foster connections with the public, honor staff, and to celebrate the community. This year, LEAP had a strong presence at State of the City, with Olivia Discon, Cinthia Villarreal, and Jessica Cuevas working for the City. In addition, Michelle, Madison, and I attended to learn more about local government, to support our peers, and to be part of the community.

Kristy Doll, the City Secretary and her wonderful team, Sharon Schultz (Deputy City Secretary) and Summer Davis (Records Specialist) did the event planning, and the venue, lighting, and layout looked great.

The event opened with a posting of the colors by Boy Scout Troop 114, who did a great job.

This was followed by remarks from Sam Masiel, the Assistant City Manager, thanking everyone for attending, and introducing Aron Kulhavy.

The bulk of the evening was the update from the City Manager. Aron updated attendees on the City’s finances, infrastructure projects, new buildings, airport, and expanding the City’s tax base and sales tax revenue.

Key takeaways from his discussion the ongoing challenges with meeting the needs of an aging sewage infrastructure;

…the increased revenue from sales taxes and expanding property base; and the impending opening of City Hall in 2024 (the rendering of the building drew an audible “oooh” from the audience). And, of course, everyone was happy about the recent opening of the MLK Community Center in Emancipation Park.

This State of the City was bittersweet for everyone who’s had the honor to have worked with, or met, Mayor Andy Brauninger. The Mayor’s eight-year term is coming to a close, and he delivered his farewell address to a full room of people who’ve been impacted by his leadership in the city.

He began his address by noting that he is often invited to attend community functions, and during one visit to a local church (Lone Star Missionary Baptist), the Mayor was blessed to hear the voice of Katherine Houston, who describes herself as a “child of the Most High God.” He then ushered Ms. Houston to the front to sing “”My Tribute” and “The Lord’s Prayer.”

The singing was beautiful. Several members of the audience recorded the event, the audience was visibly moved, and at least one person we spoke with indicated she was nearly brought to tears.

Mr. Brauninger, too, was almost moved to tears as he began his speech, with his wife, Marlene, on stage with him. He reflected on his time with the City, praised the many non-profit leaders and community leaders that perennially work to improve the community, and gave a shoutout to several City staff–including “Little Jerry” and “Big Josh.”

The entire experience was educational to LEAP Ambassadors, and it was a pleasure to see so many community members in one place. We enjoyed seeing Derrick Birdsall, from the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library…

…Dave Smith of the Good Shepherd Mission…

…members of City Council;

…Jeff Murski from Rep. Pete Session’s Office; Diana McRae, the Tax Assessor; and numerous City staff.

On a more personal level, it was also nice to see fellow LEAP members enjoying the event so much. For Cinthia Villarreal, who is interning for Parks and Recreation, it was the first such event with the City, and her smiling face brightened the room.

And Olivia Discon, a sophomore at SHSU and VP of the LEAP Ambassadors, is also working for the City. Part of her role was to assist in the preparation of the PowerPoint for City Manager Aron Kulhavy’s State of the City address.

She has a great eye for detail and is conscientious, and these qualities were reflected in the PowerPoint. All LEAP members have known Olivia for at least a year now, and this was the happiest we’ve seen her. She was truly in her element.

On behalf of the LEAP Ambassadors, it was great to be part of the evening, thanks to the City staff for including us, and thanks to the community members who participated and, of course, the City staff.

On behalf of the Veteran LEAP Ambassadors, we would like to thank Olivia for her great work, and we are very proud to have you on our team.

Opening Doors: The MLK Community Center

The City of Huntsville has 26 parks covering more than 2,000 acres, but none is as important to the community as Emancipation Park on MLK Boulevard. Long a cornerstone of the Black community in Huntsville, it is used by all residents and, as Mayor Andy Brauninger noted, the park contains “the most utilized public building in Huntsville.”

After years of planning, resource acquisition, and construction, Emancipation Park added a new jewel in its crown, “The MLK Community Center”. Groundbreaking on this Community Center began in September 2022, and a year later, the doors opened for a celebration of a (mostly) completed Center that is, as many of the speakers noted, “for everybody.”

Background

Before it was a park, the land that is now Emancipation Park was used for hosting Juneteenth Celebrations and other community gatherings.

In 1933, R.A. Josey purchased land to be used by the community for recreation. In 1963, the land became an official city park. Over time, this became not just a neighborhood park, but also what the National Recreation and Parks Association describes as a “Community Park” which functions “on a large scale, serving the parks and recreation needs of an entire community.” Emancipation Park, at 10 acres, is the fourth-largest park in the City, and it is also one of the most developed, with amenities including basketball courts, picnic tables, playground area, horseshoe pits, and off-street parking for more than 100 vehicles.

But it was also showing its age and as the City was preparing its 2016….

MLK “Rec Center,” Pre-Renovation and Expansion

…Parks Master Plan, expansion and additional development at Emancipation Park was one of the six top priorities. With the acquisition of additional land, implementation of those goals began.

COVID interrupted that implementation, and it also drove up prices. But, as Parks employee George Perry observed, a “plan delayed is not a plan denied.”

Breaking Ground and Opening Doors

The Center’s opening reflects the work of many people and organizations. Multiple Councils approved parts of the funding and development of the Center; the Powell Foundation provided a grant; KABOOM provided support; the Parks Advisory Board offered key support; a Steering Committee guided efforts; and City staff worked for years on this program.

Many of those people were there for the October 9 ribbon cutting…

…with City Manager Aron Kulhavy; Steering Committee Chair Chris Tyson; Parks Advisory Board Chair Nate Grigsby; Community Praise Ministry Founder Vanetta Mills; Parks and Leisure Director Penny Joiner; former Parks Director Joseph Wiggs; long-time Parks employee George Perry; Mayor Andy Brauninger; Council Member Deloris Massey; and architect Charles Burditt speaking at the event.

The City and community members envisioned a Center that was, according to the Huntsville Item, “modern, functional, and aesthetically fitting for the purpose it will serve.”

So there were high hopes among the approximately 100 attendees as they walked through the doors to see the new building. What they saw did, in fact, reflect the aspirations of the planning committee, with a new stage, complete remodeling, and a building approximately twice the size of the original.

Although the building will not be open for reservations until November 1, this initial gathering for the ribbon cutting suggests that the building will live up to its potential. Not only was the crowd large, it was also diverse, with people from all walks of life on hand, suggesting that the entire community has a stake in the success of what has been aptly named a “Community Center.”

Coda

The ribbon cutting for the MLK Community Center comes days before Mayor Andy Brauninger will give his farewell address to the City, as his fourth term as Mayor draws to a close. But his comments at the groundbreaking a year ago are also fitting for the facility’s opening, appropriate to the spirit of the a Community Center, and a good reminder to public servants everywhere: “This is more than just a building. It’s a good day today. My heart feels good. I love this community, and when I am gone, I hope people remember that we built this together.”

Parks and Leisure Intern Cinthia Villarreal, Director Penny Joiner, and Recreation Coordinator Kristy Wheeler

Seeing Huntsville with New Eyes

This is one of nine articles written about “things to do in Huntsville” from the perspective of students at Sam Houston State University. In addition to this article, you can see others in this series, which cover restaurants in Huntsville here and here, Bearkat Football, the Wynne Home, the Texas Prison Museum, Eastham-Thomason Park, the City’s Christmas Fair, and the Sam Houston Memorial Museum.

Many SHSU students spend four years in Huntsville without actually exploring Huntsville. As it turns out, though, Huntsville has a lot to do and see, whether you are a weekend visitor or an SHSU student who calls Huntsville home. As LEAP Ambassadors, we are pretty familiar with the community, but we wanted to be more systematic in our exploration. So we set out to do monthly explorations of Huntsville.

Where would we begin? The Statue and Visitor Center, of course!

Many people may know there is a large statue on I=45, but some do not know the City’s visitor center is almost literally at the foot of that statue. With a quick exit from the highway, passersby can learn a bit about the community and its notable sites. On hand is a group of dedicated City staff, who will point visitors to Huntsville attractions, highlight aspects of the community’s rich culture and history, direct tourists to myriad outdoor activities, or recommend some of the city’s culinary options.

There are also a variety of local goods and products, perfect for shopping for a visitor to town or a long-time resident.

But while you are there, David Adickes’ “A Tribute to Courage,” a 67-foot sculpture of Sam Houston, is a must-see! Not only is the statue a marvel to see at the ground level…

…but it’s also interesting to see some familiar names among the bricks that were purchased to support the project. We were able to see local names familiar to us–including a LEAP Ambassadors’ brick!

More importantly, we were able to see bricks purchased by Governor George W. Bush, President George H.W. Bush, President Lech Walesa, of Poland, and a relative of Sam Houston!

According to the good folks at the Visitor Center, there’s even a marriage proposal among the bricks.

And while there, we were literally able to get in to Sam Houston’s head…

…and see Huntsville in a whole new light. Tune in next month, to see where we go in our year-long exploration of Huntsville.

The Luck of the Draw–City Elections

August 23, 2023, Yvette Mendoza

To gain a deeper understanding of Huntsville’s City Government and community, the LEAP Ambassadors attended this year’s 2023 city election ballot-order drawing. Held at the Huntsville Public Library, this event not only was a civic ritual of sorts, but also allowed us to explore the library’s art collection and the different library departments.

City Secretary Kristy Doll coordinated the event, while Mayor Brauninger was the person who, literally, pulled the names from the box. This lottery determines the names on the ballot, which interestingly, can actually make a difference in an election, as noted in research conducted by SHSU Professor Darren Grant.

Mayor Brauninger’s first selections addressed ballot order for Mayor, with Russell Humphrey winning the top “spot” and candidate John Jafreh drawing second the slot. For Councilmember of Ward 2, the order came in as: Casey Cox and Yolanda M. Scott. In Ward 3, where three candidates are vying for Council, the order came in as: Russell Barnett, Benjamin J. Sessions, and Anissa Antwine. Wards 1 and 4 are unopposed. Although this entire process took only a few minutes, it was fascinating to witness, and interesting to see the lengths that municipalities (and other governing entities) go to ensure fairness.

What proved even more captivating was the tour conducted by our colleague and LEAP Ambassador, Jessica Cuevas, who had previously interned at the Huntsville Public Library. It was a great experience for Olivia Discon and me to explore the Genealogy room where Jessica previously worked. The room housed an array of historical documents and textbooks donated to the genealogy department across the country.

Our visit not only enhanced our knowledge of city government and the genealogy department but also allowed us to appreciate the exquisite artwork displayed throughout the library, much of which had strong ties to Huntsville. We marveled at the Austin Hall drawing, David Adickes’ painting “Three Friends with Birds,” and the work of Lee Jamison, a renowned East Texas artist, “Virginia Gibbs Smith Gathering Place Jamison.”

This event was filled with valuable insights into the election ballot system, a journey through our city’s public library, and an appreciation of the artistic heritage that enriches our community!

A Journey Tribute, Main Street Style

The Huntsville Main Street Program does a lot of good things for the community, and one of these is its “Summer Music Series.” This summer’s series closed with “ESCAPE,” Houston-based tribute band. And although they are Houston-based, the band’s founder, Bobby Cayton, is actually a Huntsville native, and he seemed–along with everyone else–to enjoy his return to Huntsville.

Whether it was the return of this Huntsville native, or nostalgia for 80s Rock, or a free event on a Saturday night, there was a very large crowd.

Approximately 250 people were on hand, and their enjoyment of the band its music was obvious. The band offered directions–join in chants, wave your arms, come to the front, and the crowd obliged.

It was a special treat for City staff, who not only put on the event but also had a chance to enjoy it. Rebekah Kolb (Main Street Manager) supervised the program, with help from Angela Robinson (Program Coordinator for the Wynne Home). Aron Kulhavy was on hand, along with many music-series mainstays: Lois Stehlik, Darren and Marsie Grant, Derrick Birdsall, and Russell and Tish Humphrey.

Adding to the fun and sense of nostalgia was the band’s frequent trivia interventions, asking the audience to participate on matters such as, “Who was the band’s third drummer?” The audience proved remarkably knowledgeable, and they often, in turn, tried to direct the band, requesting specific songs and encouraging a longer playlist.

The ninety-minute set, though, was just right, a nice end to the summer break and a nice kick-off to the fall semester.

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