© 2003, Guidry News
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© 2003, Guidry News
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Stories: Houston City Budget Livable Communities Steering Committee Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority Galveston Independent School District Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment Taylor Lake Village City Council Pasadena Groundbreaking Ceremony Livable Communities Steering Committee Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority Galveston Independent School District Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment Taylor Lake Village City Council Pasadena Groundbreaking Ceremony Livable Communities Steering Committee Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority Galveston Independent School District Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment Taylor Lake Village City Council Pasadena Groundbreaking Ceremony Livable Communities Steering Committee Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority Galveston Independent School District Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment Taylor Lake Village City Council Pasadena Groundbreaking Ceremony Livable Communities Steering Committee Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority Galveston Independent School District Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment Taylor Lake Village City Council Pasadena Groundbreaking Ceremony Livable Communities Steering Committee Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority Galveston Independent School District Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment Taylor Lake Village City Council Pasadena Groundbreaking Ceremony Livable Communities Steering Committee Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority Galveston Independent School District Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment Taylor Lake Village City Council Pasadena Groundbreaking Ceremony Livable Communities Steering Committee Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority Galveston Independent School District Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment Taylor Lake Village City Council Pasadena Groundbreaking Ceremony Livable Communities Steering Committee Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority Galveston Independent School District Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment Taylor Lake Village City Council Pasadena Groundbreaking Ceremony Livable Communities Steering Committee Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority Galveston Independent School District Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment Taylor Lake Village City Council Pasadena Groundbreaking Ceremony Livable Communities Steering Committee Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority Galveston Independent School District Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment Taylor Lake Village City Council Pasadena Groundbreaking Ceremony Livable Communities Steering Committee Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority Galveston Independent School District Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment Taylor Lake Village City Council Pasadena Groundbreaking Ceremony
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City of Houston Facing Layoffs Houston Mayor Lee Brown reported on Wednesday that the City of Houston is facing a budget shortfall of between $28 million and $39 million for Fiscal Year 2003, which will force the city council to consider layoffs, furloughs, a hiring freeze and reductions in city services. Brown blames the shortfall on inaccurate projections in sales tax and ad valorem tax revenues. “This is not just a Houston problem," Brown said at a news conference. "This is a national problem.” Brown said the budget crunch is expected to continue through the next year as well, with a shortfall of between $21 million and $29 million in FY 2004. He referred the matter to the city council budget committee for consideration. Livable Communities Steering Committee The City of Galveston Livable Communities Steering Committee discussed the location of the proposed downtown transportation terminal on Wednesday. John Cararra of the Goodman Corporation said negotiations are continuing with the Brown family, owners of the parking lot at the northeast corner of The Strand at 25th Street. "The city will not purchase the property," Cararra explained. "It will be a long term lease." "This is the third site we have selected," said Allen LeCornu, urging the city to get some agreement in writing. The committee asked Cararra to draft a letter of understanding to be considered at the next meeting of the committee on January 22. Carrara reported that funding for Phase II of the Livable Communities project is not included in legislation pending before Congress. The committee voted 5-1, with Betty Massey opposed, to move forward with the purchase of trash receptacles for Postoffice Street, which was included in the Phase II plans, using about $23,000 of the money allocated to the transportation terminal. "What I hate to do is mortgage this terminal for some trash barrels if you've got no reason to think that in 2004 we will be any more successful than 2003," Massey said, speculating that the funding won't be approved by a Republican Congress. At the urging of Preservation Officer Lori Feild and Council Member Lyda Ann Thomas, the committee agreed to meet with the Galveston Landmark Commission at its February 3 meeting, to discuss the transportation terminal. Barbara Crews, who has been unable to attend all of the meetings has informed Chair Fred Wichlep that she is resigning from the group. Wichlep suggested that John Dundee also should be removed from the committee because he has been unable to attend meetings. Galveston Historical Foundation Executive Director Marsh Davis, who intended to replace Gina Spagnola on the committee, learned that one year's residency in Galveston is required to serve. LeCornu suggested that Spagnola, who now works for the Tremont House, could be appointed to fill another vacant position on the committee. Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority The newly created Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority held its first meeting at Galveston City Hall on Wednesday. City Manager Steve LeBlanc was elected chair; Assistant City Manager Brandon Wade was elected vice chair. Attorney Trey Lary from Vinson & Elkins explained that the authority, a non-profit corporation, was created to help administer and manage three tax increment reinvestment zones in Galveston, "to be the banker, to issue any debt that ought to be issued." The board approved a tri-party agreement between the City of Galveston, Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 11 and the authority. The board approved an agreement between TIRZ 11, the City of Galveston, the authority and East Beach Phase I Ltd. The board voted to retain Vinson & Elkins as attorneys for the authority. The board deferred action on the proposed application for a 501(c)(3) tax exemption until a later time. All votes were unanimous. Print
Version Houston City Council on Wednesday voted 11-3, with Shelly Sekula-Gibbs, Mark Ellis and Addie Wiseman opposed, to award a contract to RFP Depot L.L.C. to provide a service that will allow the purchase of surplus city property on the Internet. RFP will receive an eight-percent commission on all transactions. The city council voted 13-1, with Bruce Tatro opposed, to grant a reverse auction service contract to Texas Procurement Center, L.L.C., which will earn a three-percent commission on purchases of city supplies. The city council approved, on first reading, 43 contracts with solid waste disposal contractors. Council Member Carroll Robinson noted that 15 of the companies owed the city back taxes. Robinson said he would tag, or delay for an additional week, each of those 15 contracts at next week’s meeting if the companies had not made arrangements to pay their back taxes by then. Individual
city council members tagged several items on Wednesday's
agenda: Council
members voted to delay several items for one week: All
other agenda items were approved. Council Member Wiseman spoke at length about problems she has experienced with the Department of Public Works. She complained that trash service in parts of her district is substandard, that traffic lights in Kingwood have not been operating correctly for months, and that misinformation supplied to her by the department had been passed on to her constituents. Wiseman said she had been put off about the status of projects that were months behind schedule, and has been left uninformed on public meetings on street repairs in her district. “Public Works is an oxymoron,” Wiseman said, speculating that she is being retaliated against for tagging several projects. Council
members Carol Galloway and Carroll Robinson voiced similar
concerns. Members of the Super Bowl Host Committee addressed the city council. Chuck Watson said the Super Bowl on February 1 will attract 100,000 visitors to Houston, providing a $300 million economic impact. “We
want to be placed on the list of cities that regularly host
the Super Bowl,” Watson said. Galveston Independent School District The Galveston Independent School District Board of Education voted 6-0-1, with Deborah Jones abstaining, to approve a design and redevelopment plan for the new Bolivar school. All other votes were unanimous. The school board approved a contract with the City of Galveston for the 2002 Community Development Block Grant program. The school board approved a Ball High School parent-teacher handbook and school course catalog for 2003/2004. All other agenda items were approved. The school board met in workshop with Michael Gaertner concerning the Austin Roofing Project. The
school board also held a workshop discussion with Greg
Fleisher regarding the Advanced Placement Incentive Program
for secondary schools in GISD. Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment The Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment granted a variance from Zoning Standards to permit erection of a 40-foot radio tower for a new taxicab service at 3410 Broadway. Jeffery
Moore is the owner of the new service. The property is
owned by Catherine Jo Taylor. Taylor Lake Village City Council Taylor Lake Village City Council voted 5-0 Wednesday night to amend an ordinance banning the use of wooden building materials on residential property. The ordinance, which originally allowed only masonry material, now permits treated wood materials used for flood louvers, shutters, and non-structural trim less than 14 feet. “The ordinance was a little tight,” Building Official Latane Lamb said. The city council appointed Mary Ellen Oliver to the Parks Advisory Group. “She’s a real doer,” Mayor Natalie O’Neill said. “She’s a good person,” agreed Council Member Larry Tobin. Oliver will fill the vacancy left by Betsy Verbsky, who now serves as Taylor Lake Village’s volunteer animal control officer. “I have really enjoyed this job,” Verbsky said. “Mainly because I love animals and I like people, too.” Verbsky said Taylor Lake Village Animal Control has formed an alliance with Second Chance Pets to adopt animals to good homes. All
agenda items were passed, 5-0. Pasadena Groundbreaking Ceremony Pasadena city officials participated in a groundbreaking ceremony at Richey Street and Highway 225 Tuesday to officially launch the Highway 225 Beautification Project, a cooperative effort of the City of Pasadena, the Texas Department of Transportation, the North Pasadena Business Association and area refiners and chemical manufacturers. Mayor John Manlove said the project has been planned for the past two years, to provide a gateway to Pasadena for an estimated 250,000 people who travel on Highway 225 past Richey Street each day. “This is a vital part of improving the quality and image of our city, and a prime example of public and private sectors working together to achieve those goals,” said Manlove. “Appearance is a key to image, and our new look at the Richey Street interchange will be a great example of positive changes being seen throughout the Pasadena community.” The low-water landscape and irrigation design includes over 100 palm trees and 3500 shrubs. The $414,000 project is being funded by the Texas Department of Transportation, the North Pasadena Business Association, and local industry. “It is great to see a project of this magnitude finally coming to fruition," said Michael Isermann, assistant to the Mayor for leisure and education services. "A great amount of time and effort went into this project and we are appreciative of all the work city staff members and the North Pasadena Business Association put into this project.” "It's
history in the making," said City Council Member Jeri
Neely. "The people who live in this particular
part of town are the old homestead folks, who have been here
forever." Dr. Robert E. Slavin, co-founder of the Success for All reading program, visited several schools in the Galveston Independent School District on Wednesday, and met with community leaders in a luncheon meeting in the school board meeting room. "Success for All has made a huge impact on our schools," said School Board President John Ford, crediting the program with improvements of reading skills, resulting in higher test scores. "I've been hearing for years about the wonderful work Galveston is doing," Slavin said, explaining that SFA was launched in 1987, "as a program to try to help all schools, but particularly schools serving many children in poverty, to achieve at very high levels." Galveston
Chamber of Commerce Chair Garry Kaufman personally thanked
Slavin for the program, which he says has been helpful to
his children in the school system. Other participants
in the meeting expressed similar thoughts. On the Webio A new feature will begin on Friday in Gulf Coast E-news and on the Guidry News Service Online News Station at www.guidrynews.com. Southeast Texas broadcast veteran Al Mainwaring will begin a series of editorial cartoons, featuring his view of political and social events on the Texas Gulf Coast. Friday's cartoon will deal with the current dispute between the Galveston city administration and the fire department. Today's
Meetings
8:00 League City Chamber of Commerce and
Business Association Third Thursday Info Breakfast,
League City Recreation Center. Ken Dussair, CDS Market
Research, will speak on "Retail Development in League
City." Print Version |
Story Links, on the left side of this page, is composed of "bookmarks" to the stories in the newsletter. Click on the link to go directly to the article. Print individual articles by first clicking on the "Print Version" link, then using your regular print program. On The Online News Station, if you click on an audio cut and the photos stop loading, click on Refresh or Reload and they will resume. Gulf Coast E-news, published by Guidry News Service, provides comprehensive coverage of posted public meetings in Galveston, Harris and Jefferson Counties.
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Galveston Island in Galveston County reporters, covering the city council meetings of all 13 municipal governments plus several school boards and special utility districts, include Jinelle Boyd, Drew Gilbert, Shannon Hall, Kristina Weaver, Tom Foster, Jo Ann Gowing and Dedra Kratts. Weaver, Foster, Gowing and Kratts also cover the Harris County entities surrounding Clear Lake. Scott Nowell covers Harris County Commissioners Court, Houston City Council, and meetings of organizations in downtown Houston. Carl Guidry, representing Guidry News Service in Jefferson County, covers Jefferson County Commissioners Court, Beaumont City Council and Port Arthur City Council. We are seeking additional reporters to expand our coverage in Jefferson County. Gulf Coast E-news also will continue coverage of regional organizations in the Gulf Coast area. Gulf Coast E-news is interactive with The Guidry News Service Online News Station, providing coverage of special events and public meetings with photos and audio. Johnna Johnston and Terry Arnold are marketing representatives for The Online News Station. Marketing representatives are being recruited in Harris and Jefferson counties. Subscriptions to Gulf Coast E-news are $300 per year, or $75 per quarter, plus sales and use tax. A fax-only version of the newsletter is available for $350 per year or $87.50 per quarter, plus tax. Current subscribers to Galveston Fax or Clear Lake Area E-news will automatically receive Gulf Coast E-news.
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