By George Slaughter
Mayor Bill Hastings poses with, from left, Aylin Bissonett, Adelene Ruiz, Susan Hastings, Margie Bermudez, Deysi Crespo, and Teresa Garcia in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Katy. (George Slaughter photo)
The Katy City Council Monday issued a proclamation recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which Mayor Bill Hastings will present later this month at a dinner honoring those who work to address domestic violence in the Katy area.
Katy Christian Ministries hosts the Silent Witness Dinner, which is from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 28 at Westland Baptist Church, 1407 W. Grand Parkway S. The event is free, but RSVPs are required and may be made here.
The event will honor Denise Gruwell, who for many years has been the crime victim services liaison at the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office. Gruwell will receive the Brittany Whalen Rumsey Award of Excellence. The award is named for a girl who was killed in a February 2001 domestic assault in Katy. In that incident, Timothy Rumsey shot all four of his daughters before turning the gun on himself. He killed three of his daughters, but Brittany positioned herself so one sister was wounded, and not killed.
The mayor will present the Domestic Violence Awareness Month proclamation at the dinner. Chad Bridges, chief prosecutor for the domestic violence division at the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office, will be the keynote speaker.
Susan Hastings, Katy Christian Ministries Crisis Center director, said Gruwell is very involved with working with victims.
“She’s seen different sheriffs come and go, but she’s been very firm in her position there,” Hastings said. “Her only regret, she says, is that she didn’t start working in that line of work sooner.”
Other Actions Taken
In other action Monday, the council:
- Issued a proclamation recognizing October as Community Planning Month.
- Designated Oct. 23 as Relay for Life Day.
- Passed an ordinance to extend city limits to include approximately 79 acres in Waller County.
- Passed an ordinance to extend city limits to include approximately 20 acres in Fort Bend County.
- Gave conditional consent to the creation of Waller County Municipal Utility District No. 24.
- Cancel the Nov. 22 and Dec. 27 council meetings.
- Approved an $83,800 Convention & Tourism Bureau Hotel Occupancy Tax Grant Application for the 2022 Southland Conference Basketball Tipoff, set for January 3-8, 2022, at the Leonard E. Merrell Center.
- Approved a $120,000 Convention & Tourism Bureau Hotel Occupancy Tax Grant Application for the 2022 Southland Conference Basketball Tournament, set for March 9-13, 2022, at the Leonard E. Merrell Center.
- Accepted public wastewater improvements for 27021 Highway Blvd.
- Approved a personal/professional services agreement with Kendig Keast Collaborative to provide urban planning services for preparing a comprehensive plan and a parks, trails and recreation master plan.
- Approved an EnerGov gap assessment and improvement project management agreement with Barry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker, LLP.
- Approved a debt contract, lease and amortization tables repository agreement with Fifth Asset Inc. (DebtBook).
- Passed an ordinance approving the city’s investment policy. State law requires the policy be updated annually, though there were no changes to the plan.