© 2003, Guidry News
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© 2003, Guidry News
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Story Links: TEA-21 Reauthorization Galveston Park Board of Trustees Galveston City Hall Landscaping Galveston Park Board of Trustees Galveston City Hall Landscaping Galveston Park Board of Trustees Galveston City Hall Landscaping Galveston Park Board of Trustees Galveston City Hall Landscaping Galveston Park Board of Trustees Galveston City Hall Landscaping Galveston Park Board of Trustees Galveston City Hall Landscaping Galveston Park Board of Trustees Galveston City Hall Landscaping Galveston Park Board of Trustees Galveston City Hall Landscaping Galveston Park Board of Trustees Galveston City Hall Landscaping Galveston Park Board of Trustees Galveston City Hall Landscaping Galveston Park Board of Trustees Galveston City Hall Landscaping
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United States Representative Nick Lampson and transportation consultant Barry Goodman met with representatives of the City of Galveston, Galveston County, the Galveston Park Board of Trustees, the Historic Downtown Strand Partnership, and the Sierra Club on Friday. The meeting was to coordinate efforts in gaining local funding in the reauthorization bill for the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. "We need help," Lampson said, explaining that there are moves in Washington to give state governments authority to decide where TEA-21 funds should be allocated, rather than members of Congress. "That is a mistake if we do that," Lampson said. "There is an opportunity for us to be vocal enough, and for you to use me - and I am nothing more than a tool of yours - as we work together, to speak out on something that you identify as most important for this region, which may be different than what the state may identify as most important for this region." Goodman reviewed several projects under consideration for Galveston, including a commuter rail upgrade program to enable rail service between Galveston and Houston. He said February 28 is the deadline to submit projects for TEA-21 funding. City Manager Steve LeBlanc said the Bolivar crossing is at the top of his list, because matching funds can be provided by other state and federal programs. Galveston City Council Member Dianna Puccetti urged the group to support projects to enhance the operations of Scholes International Airport at Galveston. Galveston County Judge Jim Yarbrough said the county government has been successful in gaining support from the state by providing more than the minimum local match for projects. "Transportation is a key component of what county government does, aside from justice and the law enforcement side," Yarbrough said. "Transportation is critical, not only to the economics that Nick has been talking about, but the quality of life. People are moving out of Houston because they don't want to have to sit in traffic and they don't want to have to fight the long lines at traffic lights." Mark Muhich, representing the Sierra Club, encouraged the group to consider the impact of new transportation projects on the habitat for birds and other wildlife. "The
more we work together and decide the projects that overlap,
the more success we have," Lampson said. All four Friendswood bond issues were approved on Saturday. Proposition 1 for public safety facilities, was approved 1,937 to 681; Proposition 2 for drainage improvements, was approved 1,985 to 625; Proposition 3 for the improvement of streets and thoroughfares, was approved 1,847 to 764; Proposition 4 for improvements to Centennial Park, was approved 1,369 to 1,235. "We are all happy and excited about it," said Mayor Harold Whitaker. "This tells us that the community has great confidence in what we are trying to accomplish." Whitaker acknowledged Proposition 4 was a close vote. "That's true. People have more difficulty in supporting a bond issue for public parks," he said. "But we are way behind here in the city as far as our park space for citizens, so we needed to increase our park space for young people to play organized sports." Because
state law requires 72 hours before election results can be
canvassed, tonight's regular meeting of Friendswood City
Council has been postponed until Tuesday. Voters in the Port Arthur Independent School District defeated an $89 million bond election for facilities improvements on Saturday by a margin of 52 percent, 1,970 for the issue and 2,102 against. "I was very disappointed," said PAISD School Board President Reverend Donald Frank, saying he doesn't know what to do next. "Very honestly, we don't have a plan," Frank said. "Because of the tax rate, because of the condition of the buildings, because of the budgetary problems that we're having, that was the only way that we had that we could fix buildings in our district." He said the school board will review the results and will likely work toward another bond issue in the future. "I
really thought that we were ready," Frank said, noting
problems that include a decades old desegregation order in a
district that is 90 percent minority. "Because we
made all the tough decisions, that is really why we fell
short. Hell hath no fury like a voter scorned." Galveston Park Board of Trustees Galveston Park Board of Trustees Chair Danny Allen said that he and fellow park board members Gerry Del Prete and Mike Pistone have begun telephone interviews with finalists for the position of executive director, but that publicly posted interviews with some of the finalists will be held soon. "I think that we have a good field of candidates," Allen said. "A lot of them are very well schooled in the tourism business." He said the list of finalists; David Lee, president and CEO of the Brownsville Convention and Visitors Bureau in Brownsville, Texas; Carolyn McCormick, managing director of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau of Nags Head, North Carolina; Robert Cowen, senior vice president of Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Wilton Connecticut; Anthony J. DiFillippo, president and CEO of the Norfolk Convention and Visitors Bureau in Norfolk, Virginia; and Robert Varley, executive director of Florida's Space Coast Office of Melbourne, Florida; will be reduced to a final short list of three or four. "When
we get to that point, we will try to bring some of these
individuals in and try to do a face to face," Allen
said. Galveston City Hall Landscaping Rocky Sullivan, candidate for Eagle Scout, and members of his Boy Scout Troop 104 and volunteers from Troop 124 participated in a landscaping project at Galveston City Hall on Saturday. "We're taking up the existing shrubbery and we are going to replace it with new plants and new grass and make it all around more attractive," Sullivan explained. "When you are becoming an Eagle Scout, you have to do a service project that is pretty sizeable, and I have an interest in politics so I saw it appropriate that I would do something around City Hall," he said. "I was just surprised at how nice the front of City Hall looked," said City Manager Steve LeBlanc after reviewing the work. LeBlanc provided city funds to purchase the plants and materials. "I hope the freeze doesn't snafu it." "It was great to see them out there doing that work to make City Hall look much, much better. They did a fantastic job," said Mayor Roger Quiroga. "It is great to see the leadership that the Boy Scouts is providing our young folks." "Rocky is going to be my first Eagle Scout," said Scoutmaster Donnie Rouse. "We are real proud of him." The
scouts who participated in the project were Wesley Hazlip,
Matt Carmichal, Matt Kerr ( who had a broken hand ), Bryan
Yandell, Eric Booker, Steven Dreps, Bo Qui, Chase Ogan, Ben
Zein-Eldin, Jarvis Ogan, Keeten Richter, Harris Lynch, Sean
Schulz, Vincent Manillo, Brent Farmer, Lane Ware, Ethan
Walker, Andrew Antonelli, Alex Hall, Eric Christianson,
William Shelton, Thomas Shelton, and John D. Solari. Galveston's Sunday Morning Coffee Club voted to endorse the proposal to initiate a paid parking plan on Seawall Boulevard at this week's meeting. "We discussed the issue of parking meters on the beach for an extended period of time," said J. D. Roberts, president of the club. "It appeared that so many people were in support of the parking meter issue that we decided to take a vote on it." Roberts
said 95 percent of the members present voted in support of
parking meters. He said the group supports action by
Galveston City Council, not a new election on the issue. The City of Webster will hold a Public Auction for the sale of surplus equipment at the Webster Civic Center, 311 Pennsylvania Ave., on Saturday, February 8, 2003. All bidders must register with the auctioneer the day of the sale. There is no charge to register. Inspection of auction items and registration will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. The auction will begin at 10 a.m. Items up for this year’s auction include: vehicles, computer equipment, typewriters, file cabinets, office furniture, bicycles, stereo equipment, sporting goods, assorted tools, lawn mowers, and several lots of miscellaneous items. A list of large items and vehicle descriptions is posted at Webster City Hall, 101 Pennsylvania Avenue. Tarpley & Associates will oversee the auction sale. Payment for all auction items is due the day of the sale by cash or check.Print Version The Nia Cultural Center, Inc. in Galveston is currently recruiting mentors. "We have very gifted and talented children that could use positive reinforcement and encouragement from a mentor," said Chenica Holland, program coordinator. A mentor workshop and orientation has been scheduled for 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 15 at the Nia Cultural Center, 3018 Ursuline, Room 7. "You will be able to meet the mentees, as well as get information on mentor requirements and responsibilities," Holland said. Refreshments
will be provided. Call (409) 765-7086 or email niacultural@sbcglobal.net. St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica in Galveston has launched a statewide capital restoration campaign, with the theme "Help Save the Historic Texas Catholic Mother Church, St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica." Church officials have identified major emergency church building repairs that need to be done within the next 14 months in order to preserve the building's foundation. Church officials have established a goal of $1.5 million to complete the building repairs. For
information, contact Joyce Ann Daniel at (409) 762-8089. There were two major openings at Galveston theatres this weekend. Both were reviewed by Guidry News Service. "Art" is playing at the Strand Theatre. It was reviewed by Lynda Guidry. "A Night in the Theatre" is playing at East End Theatre (etc). It was reviewed by Terry Arnold. This
Week's Meetings Monday,
February 3 Tuesday,
February 4
Wednesday, February 5
Thursday, February 6 Friday,
February 7
Saturday, February 8 Sunday,
February 9
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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. Terry Arnold and Barbara Ward 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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