Archives

2003 Archives

Wednesday              January 21, 2004

Texas General Land Office

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has reviewed the City of Galveston's proposed beach access plan, which was developed in consultation with his staff, and recommends that the city move forward with it, with some changes.  His comments are included in a letter to Galveston Planning Director Wendy O'Donohoe.

As an alternative to the seasonal access that was proposed east of Stewart Beach, Patterson suggests that the area be opened year-round to vehicles as a "special use area" for persons with disabilities, saltwater fishermen and the launching of non-motorized personal watercraft.

Patterson recommends that the same blend of vehicular access recommended between Access Point 33 at the Bay Harbor Subdivision and Access Point 35 at Salt Cedar Avenue be continued, but changed to one-way traffic.  

Patterson also recommends that any expansion of vehicular access in front of Galveston Island State Park be eliminated from the plan.

"The city does not have authority to impose a beach access plan in state parks," Patterson said.

Patterson said the General Land Office is committed to maintaining diversity of access to Galveston beaches.

"This would include providing for appropriate handicap, special purpose and vehicular access to the public beaches," Patterson said.  "In addition, because beach user and vehicular access fees may impact public access to the beach, we would appreciate the opportunity to review any proposed beach user/parking fees simultaneously with the beach access plan."

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Galveston Charter Review Committee

The City of Galveston Charter Review Committee voted 9-1, with Greg Roof opposed, to propose an amendment to the City Charter to provide that the mayor and candidates for each council position shall be elected by majority vote, rather than by plurality.  

There was some discussion of changing the way the mayor is elected and what powers the mayor should have, but no action was taken on that issue.

Ruth Kempner recalled the history of the mayor's office, beginning with the commission form of government prior to the current City Charter.

"The commissioners were all equal with the mayor," Kempner said.  "Each one ran his own department; the mayor ran what was left over."

Under the Charter approved in the 1950s, the mayor was just one member of the city council, elected by the others to be mayor.  Later, the Charter was amended to elect the mayor separately, but gave the office no additional powers.

The committee discussed a return to that system or a change to a strong mayor form of government.

"I am opposed to changing it," said Eddie Walsh.  "I think that if we are going to have a mayor, the mayor needs to be elected by the entire population of Galveston.

"I am opposed to a strong mayor form of government for Galveston," said John Theil.

"I don't perceive the problem we are having," said Don Mafrige.  "Some people have more time, or spend more time, representing the city.  That changes every six years at a maximum, because of term limitations; so I think you are going to get new faces on council as mayor and I think everybody is going to have their own way of representing the city and I don't perceive a problem."

"This is the first time I have ever lived in a city with this form of government," said Sylvia Joyner.  "To tell the truth, I don't care for it."

Former city attorney Barbara Roberts, who is currently running for city council, said the problem is that recent mayors do not follow the Charter.

"I think Barbara Crews was the last one who absolutely followed the Charter as to what the mayor should do," said Roberts.  "I was just astounded when other mayors came in behind her, that they would not do that."

"It seemed that it is the unenviable job of the city manager to enforce the city charter, to keep the council in line," recalled former mayor Barbara Crews. 

City Manager Steve LeBlanc admitted that he has had to defend his position with past city councils.

"After about the first year, I had an executive session with the council, and I won't name names, but I basically said, 'Let me do my job;' and it concerned the collective bargaining contracts with both police and fire at the time," LeBlanc recalled.  "I left the council meeting and one of the council members came over to my office and said 'There are six council members who want to fire you right now'." 

The committee agreed on tentative wording for proposed amendments to exclude the central business district from the Charter's prohibition of privatization of sanitation services, to permit 36 calendar months to repay emergency loans, to remove a requirement that the Planning Commission review the capital improvement program and maintain its own budget, and to require the city to follow state law on open record requests.

The committee deferred action on a proposal to exempt certain areas of revenue from the seven percent cap on expenditures over the previous year.

The committee discussed a proposal to restrict interfund loans from enterprise accounts to the general fund with attorney Bob Randolph, who said those loans are permitted by state law.  Chair Steve Greenberg said he may bring the issue back to the table with new wording to be consistent with state law.

The committee discussed a proposal by Kempner to remove bonded indebtedness from the tax cap, but the motion failed on a 5-5 tie.  In favor were Kempner, Mafrige, Roberts, Crews and Mike Rogers.  Opposed were Greenberg, Joyner, Thiel, Walsh and Roof.

Harold Thomas, Fred Micks, Andrew Houston and Debbie Cano were absent.

The committee will meet again at 4 p.m. next Monday, January 26.

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Photos and Audio

Seabrook City Council

Seabrook City Council voted 4-3, with Rick Sammons, Dee Wright and Mike Laible opposed, to allocate up to $2,000 so that Mayor Robin Riley can attend the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership's trip to Washington in the Keep It Sold Program in May.  

The trip was not budgeted, so it was agreed that funds previously allocated for a city council retreat on February 7 will be used instead for the journey.

The city council voted 5-2, with Larry Bonnin and Jack Boteler opposed, to support the Clear Creek Independent School District bond election.

The city council voted 6-1, with Laible opposed, to approve a contract with Joiner Partnership, Inc. for architectural services for Seabrook fire facilities.  The motion authorized expenditure of seven percent of the $3 million cost of the project, or an amount not to exceed $210,000.

The city council referred two items related to the city's sign ordinance to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Proposed discussion, consideration and possible action regarding a lawsuit filed by Taxpayers for Responsible Spending was pulled from the agenda.

The city council took no action on a proposed amendment to Riley's "offer letter" to American Acryl.

All other agenda items were approved.

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Port Arthur City Council

Port Arthur City Council voted 4-3 to approve an application for low income tax credits for the Heatherbrook Apartments development.  Prior to that vote, a motion to table the item failed on a 3-4 vote.  Mayor Pro Tem Tom Gillam and council members John Beard and Michael Shane Sinegal were in the minority on both votes.

"Heatherbrook Apartments is an existing affordable housing development for low and moderate income elderly and handicapped residents of Port Arthur," said the project description presented to the city council.  "Mr. K.T. Akhad has entered into a contract to purchase the development from New Town Retirement Center, Ltd in order to renovate it using a combination of tax credit financing and state-issued bonds."

The city council voted 6-0, with Beard out of the room, to approve an application for low income tax credits for the O.W. Collins Apartments, a development of the Port Arthur Housing Authority for low income elderly residents.

The city council approved a $15,500 contract with GBS Environmental, Inc. for asbestos abatement and the demolition of a dangerous commercial building at 418 Procter.

All other votes were 7-0.

The city council tabled action on the appointment of a regular director to the Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation.

The city council tabled action on a proposal to add a member or members to the Beautification Committee.

All other agenda items were approved.

Several people appeared before the city council seeking support on a three-item plan to preserve the legacy of the late Reverend Raymond Scott, Sr. by establishing an annual Day of Remembrance, naming a street after Scott and naming the Memorial Ninth Grade School campus for Scott.

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Tiki Island Board of Aldermen

The Tiki Island Board of Aldermen held a brief public meeting Tuesday night and an hour-long executive session.

The board voted to hold a joint election with Galveston County Fresh Water Supply District 6 on May 15.

In the closed door meeting, the board discussed litigation filed by former Tiki Island mayor Richard Hensley.  No action was taken after the executive session.

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Houston City Council

Houston Mayor Bill White today announced assignments to ten council committees.

White appointed Council Member Ada Edwards to chair the Committee on Flooding and Drainage.  He appointed Carol Galloway to chair the Committee on Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises and Small Contractor Development. 

White appointed Council Member Adrian Garcia to chair the Committee on Public Safety.  The Committee on Regulation, Planning and Development will be chaired by Council Member Mark Goldberg.

Council Member Pam Holm will chair the Committee on Quality of Life issues, such as parks and green space, billboards and signs, and environmental issues. 

Council Member Michael Berry will chair the Committee on Transportation, Infrastructure and Aviation. 

Council Member Gordon Quan will chair the city council's Committee on Ethics.

Previously, White had asked Council Member Quan to chair a new Committee on Neighborhoods, Housing and Redevelopment. 

Council Member Addie Wiseman has agreed to chair the Committee on Council Governance. 

Previously White had appointed Council Member Mark Ellis to chair a Committee on Fiscal Affairs and Management. 

White said that he took into account the interests of various council members, as well as their workload and personal background in making council committee assignments.

"Council is working well as a team, so we have not somehow allocated council chairmanships based on any basis other than the interests and life experience of individual council members," White said.

White said that he will ask the council committee chairs to meet periodically with Mayor Pro Tem Carol Alvarado to review allocation of assignments between committees and avoid conflicts. 

White provided a list of the mandates of each committee, and said that he intends to designate appropriate members of any departments to serve as needed in support of council committee activities. 

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Galveston Planning Commission

The Galveston Planning Commission voted unanimously to defer action on a request for a general land use plan and preliminary plat approval in conjunction with a single-family development in an area north of Stewart Road, east of 11 Mile Road and west of 10 Mile Road.  The delay was requested to allow the applicant, Franklin C. Jones, III additional time to submit a revised plan.

Although the issue was deferred, the commission held a public hearing.

"I moved to Spanish Grant approximately 23 years ago, and back at that time every spring we would see an occasional robin, migrating back north, we would see cardinals migrating back north, we would see turtles crossing Stewart Road, we would see king snakes, rattlesnakes, water moccasins," said Jim Schweitzer, a justice of the peace who lives in the subdivision adjacent to the new development.  "With all of the development we've kind of forgotten where the wildlife goes."

"It's changed," admitted Commissioner Archie Panfilli, who also lives in the area.  Panfilli admitted.  "I think it's going to continue to change."

The commission voted 6-0-1, with Pat Lawson abstaining, to approve a final plat in conjunction with a single family dwelling being developed in the 3200 block of Ball Street by the Galveston Housing Authority.  Lawson is employed by Michael Gaertner, the architect on the project.

All other requests to the commission were approved with unanimous votes.

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Galveston Park Board of Trustees

Committees of the Galveston Park Board of Trustees met on Tuesday in preparation for next week's regular meeting of the board.

Despite published reports that some park board members are worried about possible litigation related to the plan to begin a paid parking system on the Seawall, Park Board President and CEO said the board is continuing to move forward on the project. Listen

"The board reaffirmed its assertion that we will protect our jurisdiction over the Urban Park and do what's necessary to protect that jurisdiction," Langley said.  "There are no second thoughts about moving forward with the collection of a beach user fee on the Seawall."

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United States Senate

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday released funding formula details of the Senate's Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2003. 

United States Senator John Cornyn, a member of the committee’s Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee, said that although the funding levels for Texas are an improvement over those of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21^st Century, he was not yet satisfied, and would continue to fight for a more equitable distribution of the funds when the bill moves to the Senate floor.

“The formula used to allocate the funds needs improvement, there’s no doubt about that”  Cornyn said.  “But it nonetheless represents a significant increase over the next six years—a more than $5 billion increase to Texas transportation projects. It is a much-needed, if insufficient boost to a state that for too long has been a ‘donor state,’ but we still have a long way to go.”

Currently, Texas receives a 90.5 percent rate of return on gas tax funds sent to Washington.  Cornyn said that by 2009, that level will reach 95 percent, a minimum target he set when he took office in December 2002.

“As a member of the committee, I will be working closely with the chairman and ranking member during the reauthorization process to improve and further address the bill’s proposed funding distribution,”  Cornyn said.  “The target of a 95 percent return on the dollar that Texans send to Washington is now in sight, and with it, much-needed funds to help expand our state’s infrastructure. But we have a long way to go before Texans get a full return on their dollar.”

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United States Congress

United States Representative Nick Lampson reported today that his calls for an antidumping investigation were heard.  

"On January 8th, I joined several of my colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Commerce Don Evans asking him to ensure adequate protections for our domestic shrimp industry," Lampson said.  "I received notice today that the DOC will begin investigating the devastating effects of foreign shrimp on the U.S. shrimp market." 

Lampson said that the antidumping duty investigations on imports of certain frozen and canned warm-water shrimp will focus on those from Brazil, Ecuador, India, the People's Republic of China, Thailand, and Vietnam.  

"Shrimping in Southeast Texas provides well over $100 million per year to the local economy," Lampson said.  "It is part of our economic base and our culture.  It is an industry that needs to remain viable, and the only way to do that is to make sure that the industry is protected from unfair trade laws." 

The U.S. International Trade Commission is scheduled to issue its preliminary injury determination on or before February 17.  If the ITC should find that there is a reasonable indication that the domestic industry is materially injured, or is threatened with material injury, as a result of imports of shrimp, the investigations would proceed, and the Department would be scheduled to make its preliminary determinations in June 2004.  If the ITC makes a negative determination on imports from one or more of the named exporting countries, then those investigations would be terminated.

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State of the Union

United States Senator John Cornyn and Congressman Nick Lampson issued statements following President George W. Bush's State of the Union Address Tuesday night.

“The President correctly identified health care as a primary concern and I was pleased to hear him address that. He pointed to the accomplishment of passing a major Medicare reform bill – an important step in providing more seniors better access to prescription drugs. Yet more remains to be done on this and other areas of improving health care," Cornyn said. Statement

"Tonight, President Bush delivered his third State of the Union address, and the real state of the union is one where there is crushing debt for our children to bear, rising healthcare costs and fewer jobs for hardworking Americans," Lampson said.  "The address should offer a vision and policies that reflect the priorities of Americans.  This evening was a missed opportunity to address those priorities in real, common sense terms."
Statement and Interview

Galveston Historical Foundation

Galveston Historical Foundation will host the Ninth Annual Sacred Places Tour on Saturday, January 24 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.   Eight places of worship and two historical cemeteries will be open to the public.  

Included in the 2004 Sacred Places tour are Saint Joseph's Church, Saints Constantine and Helen Serbian Orthodox, Catholic Cemetery, Evergreen Cemetery, Moody Memorial First United Methodist Church, Galveston Islamic Center, Trinity Episcopal Church, Ursuline Chapel, Sacred Heart Church and Sunlight Baptist Church.

“Galveston’s wealth of religious structures will be displayed on this year’s tour,” states Beth Shriner, director of historic properties at Galveston Historical Foundation.  “We are very excited about showcasing the varying sanctuaries as well as the cemeteries for the public to experience Galveston’s plethora of cultural influences.”  

The self-guided tour begins at 10:00 am at St. Joseph’s Church, located at 2202 Avenue K in Galveston.  The Sacred Place Tour program, providing historical information and a map to guide them on the city-wide tour is included in the admission price. 

The afternoon will conclude with a performance by Moody Methodist Chancel Choir at 4:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of St. Joseph's Church. 

Tickets may be purchased at the Heritage Visitors Center, 2328 Broadway or by phone at (409) 762-3933.  Tickets are $8.00 per person and $7.00 for members of Galveston Historical Foundation. 

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Scheduled Meetings
Meetings will be held in the regular meeting place of the city council or other governmental body, unless otherwise specified.

Today, January 21
4:00 Galveston Intermodal Transportation Committee, Council Chambers
4:00 Galveston Arts and Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, City Manager's Conference Room 203
4:00 Galveston Building Standards Commission
5:00 Texas City Commission
6:00 Galveston Independent School District Board of Education Workshop, Lovenberg Building Library
6:45 Galveston Independent School District Board of Education Executive Session
7:30 Galveston Independent School District Board of Education Regular Meeting, Board Room

Thursday, January 22
8:30 Galveston City Council Workshop
11:30 United Way of Galveston Annual Meeting, San Luis Resort, Spa and Conference Center
12:00 Galveston Island Pachyderm Club, Gaido's Restaurant.  Acting Police Chief Kenny Mack and Galveston Municipal Police Association President John Bertolino will speak
1:45 Galveston Industrial Development Corporation
2:00 Galveston City Council Regular Meeting
6:00 2004 Mardi Gras Poster Unveiling by Galveston Park Board and Mardi Gras Krewes, Tremont House Lobby
7:00 Kemah City Council and Kemah Public Facility Corporation

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Gulf Coast E-news, published by Guidry News Service, provides comprehensive coverage of posted public meetings in Galveston, Harris and Jefferson Counties as well as regional news impacting the Upper Texas Gulf Coast.

Chuck Lawrence is Galveston City Correspondent.  Carl Guidry covers events in Jefferson County.

Robert John Mihovil is a special photographic correspondent for Guidry News Service

Ivan Arceneaux is a special correspondent. 

Drew Gilbert, who covered the Galveston City Beat, was recently reactivated into the Coast Guard for the Iraq war.