Archives

2003 Archives

Wednesday              January 28, 2004

Dickinson City Council

Dickinson City Council on Tuesday discussed, but took no action on, a proposed freeze on property taxes for the disabled and persons over the age of 65, as permitted by a new Constitutional Amendment.

"Based on information received from the county tax assessor-collector, a freeze at present would impact revenue to the city in the range of $10,000 to $25,000," reported Council Member Kerry Neves, in an email report. Report

"That amount could grow in future years, as the 'graying of America' continues and the baby boom generation reaches 65," Neves noted.  "At present, 15 percent of homes on the tax rolls would be frozen."

The city council voted to hire a new patrol officer, at an cost of $36,000 to this year's budget.  The action was the first step in the addition of one patrol officer to each shift. 

The city council approved Mayor Veta Winick's appointment of Andrea Greer to the Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation.  

An ordinance was approved on final reading to abandon and close a roadway right of way between Timber Drive and the Interurban Right of Way.   

The city council appointed Derin DePalermo to the Parks and Recreation Board. 

The city council gave final approval to the re-plat of a piece of property on Chicago Street to facilitate a single family home development by Gregorio Infante.

The city council voted to officially call the municipal election on May 15.  Council positions currently held by Linda Murrie, Mike Reinschmidt and Neves are up for election. 

The city council approved a developer participation contract with the developer of the Forest Cove Subdivision.  The project is anticipated to add more than $12 million to the city's tax rolls, which will result in more than $46,000 per year in additional tax revenue.  

After a brief executive session, the city council authorized City Manager Ivan Langford to negotiate to acquire a piece of property for a potential new fire station on FM 517, between Texas Avenue and Galveston Avenue.  

All other agenda items were approved.

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League City City Council

League City City Council voted unanimously to approve a 5.5 percent pay raise for City Secretary Barbara Nugent.  The action was approved following an executive session evaluation of the city secretary.

The city council voted 6-1, with Keith Dill opposed, to approve a permit for a water well at 1199 Louisiana Avenue.

The city council voted 6-1, with Dill opposed, to accept a donation of public parkland in lieu of payment of the park dedication fee by M. Sherman & Associates Development, L.L.C.

The city council voted unanimously to award a construction proposal for renovations to Fire Station 1 and to reallocate funding in the volunteer fire departments capital improvements program.

The city council voted unanimously to call the municipal election on May 15.  The terms of Hamid Kantara and Barbara Meeks are up for election.

All other agenda items were approved with 7-0 votes. 

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Galveston Park Board of Trustees

The Galveston Park Board of Trustees has accepted a $450,000 settlement offer in the lawsuit against McLeod, Alexander, Powel and Apffel.   The law suit claimed that MAPA attorney Dan Vaughn was guilty of malpractice because he represented Betta Beach in the same case and did not properly inform the park board.

Park Board Chair Gerry Del Prete said the settlement closes the case and allows the board to concentrate on other issues.   

"We are moving on," Del Prete said.  "We've got a lot of things that we are trying to do for Galveston and a lot of our energies are focusing on the beachfront and what's happening; and so I am glad to be able to focus that energy on that and move on."  Listen  

James Galbraith of the MAPA law firm, said the settlement was a decision of the firm's insurance company.  

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Galveston Planning Commission

The Galveston Planning Commission voted 7-1, with Archie Panfilli opposed, to recommend that the city council amend the boundaries of the Seawall Urban Park to remove all properties north of Seawall Boulevard from the park, and to expand the eastern boundary to First Street and the western boundary to 103rd Street.

The commission voted 5-2, with Panfilli and David Miller opposed, to endorse an $8 daily beach user fee to park on Seawall Boulevard.  

Several people addressed the planning commission on the issues.  There were questions about the reasons for the removal of the neighborhoods north of the Seawall from the urban park, but it was explained that the action was taken at the request of many of the residents.  Park Board President and CEO Gil Langley said the western expansion of the park is in anticipation of beach nourishment in the future.

Many were opposed to any fee for parking on the boulevard, some were not opposed to the parking fees but thought that there should be an election on the issue, and others were in favor of both items.

Galveston City Council will consider the two items in a special meeting on Thursday.

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Photos and Audio

Historic Downtown Strand Partnership

Andrew "Andy" Monsour was inducted posthumously into the Downtown Renaissance Hall of Fame at the Historic Downtown Strand Partnership's Tenth Annual Awards Banquet at the Davidson Ballroom.

"Monsour was cited for his long-standing determination to bring the cruise ship industry to Galveston," said Fred Wichlep, executive director of the Partnership.

JoBeth Litwin was named Volunteer of the Year.

Galveston Planning Director Wendy O'Donohoe was presented the Edwin J. Weiss Spirit Award.  

Other awards that were presented Tuesday night include:

Creative Storefront Award - Yoav Mor
Downtown Beautification Award - Livable Communities Initiative Committee
Downtown Promotion Award - Kyle Albright, Pat Healy and Don Ayre
Downtown Development Award - John and Judy Saracco

David Murphy was elected president of the Partnership for a second term.  Kathy Modzelewski was elected vice president.

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City of League City

The City of League City and United Parcel Service will hold a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction on the new UPS Package Center at 1314 State Highway 96 on Wednesday, February 4 at 11:00 a.m. 

UPS will build a 13,500 square foot distribution center, which will support 55 full time local jobs with a growth expectancy to 63 employees in five years.  Estimates show $146,000 on public infrastructure improvements and $19,430 in capital recovery fees.  The facility’s taxable value is $2 million. 

UPS chose the site located across from the entrance to the City’s Sportsplex over eleven other locations in the Clear Lake area.   

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Port of Houston Authority

The Port of Houston Authority Commission has issued a news release to clarify its rejection on Monday of all competitive sealed proposals that had been received for the potential negotiation and awarding of a contract for construction of the container yard at the Bayport Container and Cruise Terminal. 

"The commissioners determined that obtaining new CSPs for this project would provide the best value for PHA, and authorized re-advertisement for receipt of new CSPs," the news release said.  "The decision does not affect the overall construction schedule of the facility. The container wharf contract is still scheduled to be awarded in February or March." 

On January 5, PHA Executive Director Tom Kornegay and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Colonel Leonard Waterworth signed the federal permit for the Bayport project, marking the critical step in the process to build the $1.2 billion terminal. The Corps has studied the port authority’s Bayport terminal for more than five years, reviewing the site location and the environmental impacts the terminal might pose.  

A group of opponents has sued the Corps and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in an attempt to stop the terminal from being developed.  PHA, however, has intervened in the lawsuits to protect its interests and ensure that the project can move forward.

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United States Congress

Representative Nick Lampson Tuesday night was elected the ranking minority party member of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics for the U.S. House Science Committee by his Democratic colleagues on the committee.  Lampson, who has represented the Johnson Space Center since he was elected to Congress in 1996, said he will continue to be an advocate for JSC in the Second Congressional District if he is elected. 

"I will continue my longstanding commitment to the Johnson Space Center as the highest ranking Democratic member on the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee," Lampson said.  "I will fight to ensure that the Johnson Space Center receives
the funding and support it needs. The Johnson Space Center is an enormous economic engine for Houston and all of Southeast Texas. It is single handedly responsible for tens of thousands of high-tech jobs for the area."

Lampson said that JSC is a "huge source of pride" for the people of Houston. 

"The President's plan to go to Mars is exciting for NASA, and its goals are very similar to those of the Space Exploration Act that I introduced," said Lampson.  "The challenge for the President and Congress will be in turning those goals into reality in a manner that doesn't damage NASA's other important programs, or take away from other domestic commitments." 

Lampson addressed his colleagues today in support of S. 610, the NASA Workforce Flexibility Act of 2003.  

"While it doesn't address all of the important issues facing the NASA workforce, it is the only NASA workforce bill we are likely to get out of this Congress," said Lampson on the House floor.  "NASA's management has said that they need this workforce legislation, and I am prepared to support it, because I care deeply about the dedicated men and women who work at NASA."

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Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority

METRO recently honored two employees for outstanding work. Roberto R. Garza was named METRO’s Top Tech of the Month for December 2003 and John A. Parker was named METRO’s Top Operator of the Month for December 2003. 

Garza is a battery shop cleaner at the Kashmere Bus Operating Facility and Parker drives the 29 TSU-UH/Hirsch Crosstown route out of the Kashmere Bus Operating Facility.

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Galveston Independent School District

Eight students graduated from the Galveston Independent School District's Accelerated Instructional Model Program on Tuesday.  Photo 

AIM enables students to recover credits in core subject areas and accelerate their schedule for graduation. 

The graduating students are Ana Aguilar, Brandon Calderon, Kenneth Ferrell, Lucy Vega, Daisy Cuevas, Roberto Enriquez, Beau Jimenez and Donald Lacy.  

The program has graduated 34 students including the January graduates since it was implemented this school year.  Interested parents or students may call 766-5167 for more information.

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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 28
4:00 Galveston Landmark Commission Special Meeting
4:30 Galveston Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Eiband's
6:00 Galveston Independent School District Board of Education Training Meeting
6:30 Clear Lake Area Council of Cities January Dinner Meeting, Houston Yacht Club, 3620 Miramar Drive, Shoreacres  
7:00 Galvestonians Against Paid Parking on the Seawall, GISD Annex Building, 3908 Avenue T

Thursday, January 29
12:00 Galveston Island Pachyderm Club, Gaido's Restaurant.  Galveston City Manager Steve LeBlanc will speak
2:00 Galveston City Council Special Meeting
6:30 Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce 34th Annual Membership Banquet and Reception, Charles T. Doyle Convention Center Texas Heroes Room 
7:00 Hitchcock Independent School District Board of Trustees Special Meeting

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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.