December 4, New GOCC Officers Elected for 2020
President – Tonya Knauth
My husband Rick and I moved to Garden Oaks in 2004, put down roots and expanded our family here. Our three children all attended GOMM, and we have been active in GO Kids and Boy Scouts, to name just a few of the groups we have enjoyed being part of. We feel fortunate to live in a small-town environment in the middle of a big city. I have volunteered and served the neighborhood in many capacities, and I have a strong desire to continue to work for everyone to improve our community.
Vice-President – Kevin David
I moved to Garden Oaks in 1994. As a child I spent a lot of time in Garden Oaks with my aunts and grandparents. My mother was raised in Garden Oaks and my father was raised in Shepherd Park Plaza. My wife, two daughters and I really love the subdivision and all the wonderful people who reside in GO and make this such a great community. Over the years I have seen many changes. I witnessed farewells to some great neighborhood staples but we have had several family-friendly new businesses open to replace them. I look forward to serving and doing my part to make our lovely community a better and safer place for all of us to enjoy.
Treasurer – Jeff Martin
– My family has lived in Garden Oaks for 11 years. We love our neighbors and the community and are proud to call Garden Oaks home. The three of us have volunteered at GOMM in various ways over the last 10 years and made friends with many wonderful GO families. I am the Vice President and Treasurer with my current employer and served as Treasurer for our local Cub Scouts for 3 years.
Secretary – Adam Pryor
– My wife Kendra and I are both new to Garden Oaks, having moved into the neighborhood in August of this year. With a two-year-old daughter and a newborn on the way, we were drawn to the family-friendly nature of the neighborhood, while still providing the access to great restaurants and shopping in the immediate area. Being new to Garden Oaks, I have chosen to serve on the board to get better acquainted with my neighbors and to help foster a greater sense of community.
GOMO Chapter 7 Notice
The US Trustee has sent out Notice of Assets, Notice to Creditors and other Parties in Interest of the need to File Claims in GOMO's bankruptcy case.
As many as a hundred or more owners will not get this notice because the mailing list used is the one filed in April of 2018. There was no possibility of updating this mailing list so we, the neighborhood, will need to handle this the old fashioned way. Neighbor to neighbor contact. If you know someone who has moved or is a new owner in the last 15 months, please give them a heads up.
If you wish to file a claim you may obtain forms from the Court or you may want to make use of the claims form posted here:
If you filed a claim last year in the Chapter 11 case you do not need to file again.
GOMO's affairs are under the direction of the US Trustee:
rww@bymanlaw.com
281.884.9262
Byman & Associates PLLC
7924 Broadway
Ste. 104
Pearland, TX 77581
GOMO Business Meetings and Plan Reviews are suspended.
Taking back Gazebo Park Aug. 10, 2019
GO tradition of work parties tapped to get a head start on a major cleanup for the park.
Plans for the Park
√ Aug. 10 Cut back the overgrowth to protect the desirable plantings and open the park space up.
- Aug- Sept build a core of Gazebo volunteers to move the plan along. GO wants you! Contact pam@gardenoaks.org to volunteer
- Aug- review condition of irrigation equipment and make recommendations for upgrade/repair
- Oct- obtain bids to replace invasive plants with new planting
- Nov- GOCC funding recommendation
Call to Action
The OverGrowth
Cut Down
Azaleas Revealed
"The Crew" or at least part of it
The Civic Club and GOMO are two totally separate groups.
Garden Oaks Civic Club
(GOCC)
The purpose of the Civic Club is to provide a forum for Garden Oaks residents to meet and promote the civic and social welfare of the neighborhood.
Membership is open to all residents, whether one owns or rents. Payment of annual dues is required for membership and the right to vote for Officers and disbursement of funds.
The civic club sponsors the ever-popular October Wine Walk and the 1st Tuesday meetings with guest speakers and free pizza. GOCC also has sponsored home and garden tours.
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Monies raised by the GOCC help pay for:
- upkeep of neighborhood green spaces
- Constable Patrols
- publication of the monthly neighborhood newsletter (Gazette)
- other neighborhood expenses
Garden Oaks Maintenance Organization
(GOMO)
The purpose of the GOMO is enforcement of Deed Restrictions in Sections 1, 2, 3 and 5.
Owners of parcels/lots in sections 1,2,3 and 5 are automatically members of GOMO.
GOMO is primarily funded by Transfer Fees collected when properties are sold.
GOMO funds in excess of those needed to support Deed Restrictions may be spent on support of neighborhood activities and programs. Excess Funds Approval requires a majority of 10% of Members.
- General Meetings
- Attendance is open to all.
- Meetings last about an hour.
- Meetings often include an outside speaker(s).
- Recent topics
- gardening/landscaping tips
- family fun outings along Buffalo Bayou, Memorial Park and Houston bike trails.
- Candidate forums occur in election years.
- Business meeting follows speaker with updates on Constable Patrol, Beautification, Citizens Patrol, Membership, Website and GOMO
- Meetings are typically at 7:00 pm on the first Tuesday of the Month at the Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet School Cafeteria.
- Board Meetings
- Attendance is open to all.
- The Annual Meeting is required once a year. This meeting is typically held at 7:00 pm on the third Wednesday of October at the GO Montessori Magnet.
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- Members vote on the items on the meeting agenda, which may include:
- Elect Directors
- Remove Directors
- Modify bylaws
- Approve expenditures/allocation of excess funds.
- A quorum is necessary to conduct the meeting and is the number of Members present equal to the number that is the majority of current Directors.
- Additional Special Meetings of Members may be called. A quorum is necessary to conduct the meeting. There must be more non-Director members present than the calculated majority of sitting Directors.
- Member meetings require notice of the meeting be mailed to members 10 to 60 days prior to the meeting. Time and place of Special Meetings is announced in the meeting notice.
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- Plan Reviews are typically held twice a month:
- before GOCC meetings, 6:30 pm on the first Tuesday of each month typically at the Garden Oaks Montessori School
- before the GOMO Business Meeting at 7:00 pm on the third Wednesday of the month at the GOMO Office.
- Anyone can attend.
- Committee Membership is currently comprised of all GOMO Directors.
- A majority of GOMO Directors can approve plans.
- The purpose of the GOMO Board is to conduct the operations and business of GOMO, which may include managing finances, protecting assets and enforcing Deed Restrictions.
- Directors may vote.
- GOMO Board meetings are typically on the third Wednesday of each month immediately following the ACC meeting at the GOMO Office.
- Anyone can attend.
- A quorum is necessary to conduct the meeting and is the majority of the Directors then in office.
- Nine meetings of the Board are required each year.
- Additional Special Meetings of the Board may be called as needed.
- Special Board Meetings require notice of the meeting mailed to Directors at least 5 days prior to the meeting and notification of the Members by signage at least 72 hours prior to the meeting.
- An annual meeting of the Board will be held immediately after, and at the same place as, the annual meeting of Members. Officers of the Board are elected at this meeting or as soon as practicable.
- The purpose of Executive Sessions is for the GOMO Board to consider matters pertaining to personnel, litigation, contract negotiations, enforcement actions and other attorney-client privileged discussions. Attendance is limited to Directors, GOMO legal counsel and those who may be invited by the Board.
- The GOMO Board does not vote in Executive Session.
- Executive Sessions do not require separate notice when held in conjunction with a Business Meeting. Executive Sessions not held in conjunction with a Business Meeting are called on an as needed basis and require 72 hour notice to Members by signage. When the Board anticipates the need for a vote the meeting will be noticed to the Members as a Special Meeting.
GO... By the Numbers
Garden Oaks Constable Program Needs YOU!
Your Constable Program support for 2018 is needed!!.
The effort to increase the number of households in Garden Oaks supporting the Constable Program is necessary because of the loss of GOMO funding. We previously had three constable patrols, with two of those patrols being paid from GOMO surplus funds. That ended in 2016.
The civic club has signed two contracts for 2019, with each contract providing 40 hours of professional law enforcement officers patrolling in our neighborhood. Each contract costs about $77,000. These contracts will be funded by the residents of Garden Oaks. We need to raise $154,000 each year to keep these contracts in place. We need your support. Today!
If everyone in the neighborhood contributed, the cost would be about $110 per household annually. Currently we have right at 293 supporters (out of some 1400 households in GO), which is not nearly enough to fund two patrols for 2019. We are asking each household to contribute a minimum of $250 annually to keep the deputies patrolling in our neighborhood.
Following on, we are pushing hard to have enough funds to cover both patrols for the duration of 2019. We have distributed GO Constable Supporter signs to those who are paid for the current year and who have requested signs. If you would like a sign, please email goconstable@gmail.com. Please help us keep our neighborhood safe!
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| 2019 Supporters 315 | 2018 Supporters 353 |
| 2019 Goal 600 | 2018 Goal 600 |
| 2019 Remaining 285 | 2018 Remaining 247 |
Garden Oaks a "Hidden" Houston Gem
For those who don't know, Garden Oaks is one of Houston's best-kept secrets. Nestled among towering pines and grand magnolias, this quaint and architecturally unique neighborhood of approximately 1400 homes continues to attract attention and rave reviews.