Sugar
Land
Local Stories
of interest
Sugar Land Fire Appoints Chaplain
Sugar
Land City Council recognized on Oct. 19 Dave Davis for volunteering to serve as
the Sugar Land Fire Department’s chaplain.
“Dave Davis is a Sugar Land resident whose expertise is a benefit to
firefighters and the public during times of need, said Sugar Land fire Chief
Dannie Smith. “He has experience working with firefighters, victims and their
families during 911 in New York City.”
Davis graduated with a bachelor’s degree in pastoral studies from Moody Bible
Institute. In 2000, he was ordained through River Pointe Community Church, where
he currently serves as pastor of creative ministries.
As Sugar Land’s fire chaplain, Davis provides assistance to firefighters engaged
in firefighting activities by watching for signs of physical or emotional
stress.
“The chaplain also provides appropriate victim assistance at the fire scene to
allow firefighters more time for firefighting duties,” said Smith. “His
assistance may include comfort and counsel, referral to appropriate community
agencies for assistance, contacting persons, insurance agents, family members
and more. The chaplain’s assistance is available to anyone regardless of their
nationality, race, sex or religion.”
For more information about the fire chaplain program, contact assistant fire
Chief Glenn Turner at 281-275-2861.
Sugar Land Named Among Nation’s
Best
Sugar
Land has been named one of the country’s top 100 places to live for 2004.
HomeRoute, a national real estate marketing company, identifies top American
cities each year through its Relocate-America program. Cities are selected
based on educational opportunities, crime rates, employment and housing data.
“This
award is a clear example that residents of Sugar Land receive a lot of value for
their tax dollars,” said City Manager Allen Bogard. “I am extremely pleased
that others have recognized that Sugar Land is a well planned community that
focuses on what’s important to residents – a safe City with high quality
services and a shared vision for future development.”
The
awards program describes Sugar Land as a “rapidly growing, energetic community
that offers a unique lifestyle for all its residents. Every day conveniences
include exceptional schools, abundant recreational amenities, … architectural
control and a preferred southwest Houston location with easy access to major
roadways. Corners are marked with churches and schools.”
The
honor places Sugar Land among a list of cities that include Venice, Fla.;
Colorado Spring, Colo.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Irvine, Calif.; Plano, Texas; and
others.
Just
last year, Money magazine named Sugar Land one of the “Hottest Places to Live in
America” based on statistics comparing more than 270 cities in the United
States.
View
a complete listing of Relocate-America’s top 100 places to live at
www.relocate-america.com.
Sugar Land GIS Specialist
Certified
Mark
Hochstein, Sugar Land Geographic Information Systems (GIS) specialist, has
earned the designation of certified GIS Professional (GISP) from the GIS
Certification Institute (GISCI). Hochstein is one of only 430 people in North
America that have received this certification and the first in Fort Bend County.
The GISCI program gives
recognition to professionals who demonstrate competence and integrity in the GIS
field and establishes and maintains professional practices and ethical conduct.
The GIS Professional Certification Program furthers GIS technology by
recognizing the experience, education and contributions of professionals from
numerous disciplines to the continued professional use of this important
technology.
Hochstein has served as
Sugar Land’s GIS specialist for more than three years, a capacity in which he is
responsible for improving work efficiency for City departments through the use
of GIS data and software. He ensures that City databases are designed
efficiently and updated regularly to provide City employees with current
information. During his tenure with the City, Hochstein converted Sugar Land’s
existing GIS system from a simple mapping system into an automated tool
providing staff the ability to analyze data. He has been involved in several
large projects, including one that enables City staff the ability to search and
view engineering drawings, plats and construction drawings from their desktops.
Hochstein’s effort made Sugar Land the first government entity in Fort Bend
County to provide interactive GIS maps to the public via the City’s Internet Web
site.
Prior to Sugar Land,
Hochstein was employed for seven years with Missouri City in a similar capacity,
where he was responsible for the development and implementation of Missouri
City’s GIS System. Hochstein has continually led the implementation of GIS
throughout Fort Bend County. Hochstein is president of the Houston Area Arc
Users Group, a board member of the Houston Chapter of the Geospatial Information
and Technology Association, a member of the South Central Arc Users Group, a
voting member of the Houston-Galveston Area Council Geographic Data Committee
and GIS Day Committee and founding member of the Fort Bend GIS Consortium.
Hochstein is also a member of the Texas Public Works Association.
For more information on the
GIS Professional Certification Program, visit
www.gisci.org, call GISCI
headquarters at (847) 824-7768 or e-mail info@gisci.org.
