2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Thursday           September 9, 2004

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Southeast Texas Regional Airport

Delta Airlines, which began serving the Southeast Texas Regional Airport with three flights a day to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, announced on Wednesday that the service will end on January 31 because Delta is closing the hub at DFW.

Beaumont Chamber of Commerce President Jim Rich and Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce President Verna Rutherford, who co-chaired efforts last spring to raise a revenue guarantee for Delta to initiate the service, were disappointed to hear Delta's announcement.  

Thousands of area businesses and residents committed $975,000 as a guarantee for Delta if the carrier failed to make the $5.6 million in revenue that it said was necessary to make the route work.

Rich and Rutherford say the funds are secure and will not be given to Delta if the service is not provided.

Delta has offered to substitute service to Atlanta, but the investors in the guarantee would need to approve that action.

"My sense is that most people thought they were donating to the cause related to Dallas, and I think there are going to be some hard feelings with Delta," Rich said.  "This is the third time they've done it in Southeast Texas.  Listen

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Galveston County Commissioners Court

Galveston County Commissioners Court voted unanimously today to give final approval to a tax abatement for Union Carbide Corporation to facilitate a $100 million expansion and modernization of the Texas City Dow Chemical Company plant.

Several people addressed the commissioners court at a public hearing on the proposed FY 05 Budget this morning.

"Across this county, I hear people complaining about property taxes," said Cheryl Johnson, a candidate for tax assessor-collector and an employee of the Galveston Central Appraisal District.  "This is not just a Galveston County problem; this is a problem for taxpayers across the entire state."

Johnson urged the commissioners court to support a referendum on a proposal to limit tax increases to the rate of inflation.

"It was a real good public discussion," said County Judge Jim Yarbrough in an interview with Chuck Lawrence.  Listen

The commissioners court voted to set 9 a.m. on September 20 as the time to vote on the 2004 tax rate to support the FY 05 County Budget.  

The commissioners court voted to approve a waiver of $3,415.35 in penalty and interest on a late tax payment for Carol Seacat, who claimed that she never received a tax bill for the property which she inherited from her late sister who had been willed it by her mother.

"It is the taxpayer's responsibility to see that their property is listed correctly on the tax records with the correct name, current address and property description," said Tax Assessor-Collector Trish Gibbins, explaining that the tax bills had been sent to the address of record. 

The commissioners court voted to support Gibbins' recommendation to deny two other requests for waiver of penalty and interest on late tax payments.

The commissioners court named commissioners Eddie Janek and Ken Clark as its representatives on the Hitchcock and La Marque Tax Foreclosed Property Committees.

All other agenda items were approved.  All votes were 4-0, with Commissioner Stephen Holmes absent.

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Galveston City Council 

Galveston City Council met in a workshop session with the Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves this morning.  The meeting was conducted in City Council Chambers so that it could be recorded to televise on Channel 16 on Friday.  To listen to the meeting at any time click on this link.  Listen

"Although we enjoy (serving on the wharves board) immensely, it is very trying," said Wharves Board Chair Benny Holland, noting that the port is facing a fourth month without a profit.  "We do as good a job as we can for the city, but as most of you know, we are the only port in the maritime industry that is operated strictly on revenue.  We do not have any tax support from any other entities, any state, federal or city taxes that go in to operate the port."

The city council met in executive session following the meeting with the wharves board to discuss the tentative agreement reached with the Galveston Municipal Police Association on Tuesday and a near agreement with Local 571 of the International Association of Fire Fighters.

Chuck Lawrence is covering the meeting.  Listen

The formal session of the city council will begin at 5:30.

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Houston City Council

Houston City Council on Wednesday voted 13-1, with Carol Galloway opposed, to confirm the appointment of Daniel Snell to assistant fire chief. Listen

"I want to make sure that we get on with the management of the fire department," said Mayor Bill White, in response to a request by Ada Edwards for a one-week delay of the vote.

"The fire department, like every other aspect of city government, ought to fairly represent the people of Houston," said Chief Operating Officer Anthony Hall. "We need desperately for Chief (Phil) Boriske to get a management team in place, because we have problems that needed addressing yesterday, and frankly, putting this off, puts us behind." 

Hall said that Boriske has put together a racially diverse command-restructuring plan and that it represents the highest percentage of minority command representation in the fire department in the history of the city.

The city council unanimously approved a  resolution outlining a new "whistleblower" policy that will reform treatment of workers who provide information regarding wrongdoing within city government.

White lauded the work of Council Member Addie Wiseman who sponsored the proposal through the Council Governance Committee.  

“I want to thank Council Member Wiseman,” White said.  “This policy is a step in the right direction, reaffirming our commitment to accountability. It will not short-circuit rights provided to workers under the Texas Whistleblower Act.” 

The city policy sets a time frame requiring department directors to be responsive to claims by employees who believe they have been retaliated against for exposing illicit activity.

“The whistle blower resolution underscores the value that our city places on the rights of employees and our community,” Wiseman said.  “Employees who have the freedom to disclose actions they believe to be in violation of law best serve the interests of taxpayers.”

The city council unanimously voted to delay for one week the motion to adopt the recommendation from the director of convention and entertainment facilities for approval of the supplemental budget.

Several items were tagged, or delayed for one week, by individual council members.

The recommendation from the chief administrative officer to approve the Capital Improvement Plan was tagged by Galloway, Mark Goldberg, Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, Carol Alvarado, and M.J. Khan.

A major point of contention of the CIP was a proposal to spend $2 million to purchase land in the Museum District for a private, black history museum.

Council Member Pam Holm, who said that she would support the museum in a private fund raising effort, complained that the city has trouble financing needed city services. Goldberg proposed spending the $2 million for an Asian cultural center. Khan said the city also should spend at least $1 million to help build a Pakistani cultural center near Bissonnet and Kirkwood.

Mayor White said that he was in favor of spending city funds on  an African-American museum to help educate the public on the benefit that African-American labor has been to Houston.

A recommendation from the director of planning and development to approve amendments to the 2003 Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan was tagged by Galloway, Toni Lawrence, Wiseman, Edwards, and Gordon Quan.

An ordinance that relates to the exemption of some historic sites from the ad valorem tax was tagged by Edwards and Mark Goldberg.

An ordinance to allow the levying of ad valorem taxes was tagged by Alvarado and Wiseman.

An ordinance regarding the installation and initial management of a wireless local area network system for wireless internet at Houston Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport was tagged by Alvarado.

An ordinance regarding communication equipment licenses at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Sprintcom and Voicestream Houston, Inc. was tagged by Alvarado.

A review of the record and determination of an appeal filed on behalf of Abudu Alli was tagged by Quan.

A recommendation from the director of public works and engineering to abandon a 15-foot wide sanitary sewer easement in Magnolia Park was tagged by Alvarado.

All other items were unanimously approved.  Council Member Adrian Garcia was absent.

Mayor White announced during his news conference today that a traffic light timing project has been completed on the Westheimer corridor from Loop 610 to the Sam Houston Tollway. Listen

"For the a.m. rush hour commute, the average increase in speed along Westheimer was 17 percent; for the off-peak, 12 percent," White said.

The mayor stressed that this is a "real decrease in traffic congestion and the cost of traffic congestion" to the citizens.

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Seabrook City Council

Seabrook City Council on Tuesday took no action on an agenda item regarding preliminary plat approval for the replat of Searidge Subdivision because the request was denied by the planning and zoning commission on September 2.

The city council approved the first reading of an ordinance amending the comprehensive zoning ordinance to redefine a townhouse as consisting of two attached living units.

"Currently the ordinance requires a minimum of three attached units to constitute a townhouse," said staff notes. "This request was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission on August 19."

The city council approved the first reading of an ordinance amending the Seabrook City Code to include granting a conditional use permit to allow townhouses in a Marine Oriented Mixed Use Zoning District.

The city council approved the first reading of an ordinance amending the density in the Old Seabrook District to allow no more than two dwelling units per lot.

A request by HRS & Associates for final plat approval for the Lakeside Shopping Center was denied.  

A motion relating to a resolution limiting Municipal Utility Districts within the city limits of Seabrook died for the lack of a second. 

A motion relating to a petition for consent to include additional land in Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 373 died for lack of a second.

A motion regarding hiring a public information officer/economic advisor died for the lack of a second.

The city council voted 3-1, with Jack Boteler opposed, to commission a formal study of municipal employees' salaries relative to area norms in advance of and in preparation for next year's budgeting cycle.

An agenda item relating to Dean Abendschein's house on State Highway 146 was deferred until the September 21 meeting.

The city council voted 3-1, with Boteler opposed, to approve a resolution concerning unfunded mandates and the erosion of powers of Texas cities and to authorize the city manager to send the resolution to the Texas Municipal League for consideration at the annual conference in October 2004.

An agenda item regarding consideration of Seabrook non-resident fishing licenses was referred to a committee for study, with a request for a report within 30 days.

An agenda item concerning a follow-up letter to the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership concerning a detailed layout of goals and objectives of attracting upstream manufacturing businesses to Seabrook was deferred until the September 21 meeting.

The city council appointed Mayor Robin Riley as the city representative and Rick Sammons as the alternate representative to the Houston-Galveston Area Council 2005 General Assembly.

The city council voted 4-0 against authorizing the Economic Development Corporation II president to enter into a service agreement with Staffing Connection, Inc. to hire an economic development administrator.

The city council voted 3-1, with Mayor Pro Tem Mike Laible opposed, to approve the second reading of an ordinance rezoning a 3.9461-acre tract of property at the corner of NASA Parkway and Lakeside Drive from a Medium Density Commercial District to a Marine Oriented Mixed Use District.

An agenda item to consider a process for an invocation failed in a 2-2 vote, with Laible and Boteler for, and Sammons and Wright opposed.

The city council voted 3-1, with Boteler opposed, to set aside $75,000 in the upcoming budget for special counsel for the litigation concerning port expansion.

All other agenda items were unanimously approved.  Mayor Riley and council members Larry Bonnin and John Buhman were absent.

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Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment

The Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment on Wednesday denied a request by Elizabeth F. Wilson for a variance with regard to height for a fence at 902 Ball Street.

A request by Fertitta Hospitality, Inc. for a variance regarding flat wall signs located within the Seawall Development Zone Overlay for property at 5400 Seawall Boulevard was denied due to a lack of four affirmative votes.

"A flat wall sign is planned for the west façade of the structure, at the 10^th floor of the hotel," said Urban Planner Daniel Krzyzanowski.  "The zoning standard regulation states that no flat (wall) sign may be placed along a common side property line that would be oriented towards a single family residential use.  The properties located directly west of the proposed sign are zoned One-Family One.

"The applicant's justification for the variance is that the façade faces partial residential and partial commercial property, and that the height of the sign would not be obtrusive,” Krzyzanowski said.

The board approved a request by Robert W. Sawyer for a variance regarding front yard setback requirements and side yard setback requirements in a One-Family Four Zoning District for property at 725 Church Street. 

All other agenda items were approved.

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Galveston Landmark Commission

The Galveston Landmark Commission on Wednesday approved, with staff recommendations, a request by Cara Moore for a certificate of appropriateness for alterations to a structure at 1614 Avenue K.

"According to the 1994 Galveston Historic District Survey, the structure was designed by William Tyndell as Firehouse #5 and has Romanesque elements," said Historic Preservation Officer Lori Feild.  "Staff does have some concerns regarding appropriateness of the door design for the Romanesque inspired firehouse."

All other agenda items were approved.

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United States Congress

United States Congressman Nick Lampson and Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison were among a bipartisan group of legislators from seven states today who were demanding tax fairness for residents of states without a state income tax. Due to a 1986 provision passed by Congress, Texans are among 55 million Americans who are not able to deduct their state sales tax payments as residents elsewhere deduct state income tax payments on federal income tax returns. 

"Including meaningful Sales Tax Deductibility language in the American Jobs Creation Act conference report will allow Texans to deduct state sales tax payments.  Sales tax deductibility could keep $1 billion in Texans' pockets and save families roughly $300 a year," Lampson said.  "That's money Texans need to provide for our seniors, plan their own retirements, and prepare for any unexpected emergencies."

Senators from Wyoming and Washington and members of the House of Representatives representing Florida, Tennessee, South Dakota, and Nevada joined the Texas delegation in support of sales tax deductibility. 

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Galveston Independent School District

Galveston Independent School District has scheduled an "early release day" for students on Tuesday, September 14, to facilitate a staff development workshop in the afternoon.

Elementary schools and Austin Middle School will dismiss students at noon while other middle schools and Ball High School will release at 12:20 p.m.  

"Parents and guardians should make appropriate arrangements for students following dismissal time," said a GISD news release.  "District buses will run according to the early dismissal time."

Ball High School will celebrate Homecoming next week with several activities.  

The school’s annual Powder Puff Game will be at Kermit Courville Stadium, 2710 Avenue N, on Wednesday, September 15 from 6 to 8 p.m.  Admission to the Powder Puff Game is $1.

The Ball High School Homecoming Parade is Thursday, September 16.  The parade begins at 5 p.m. at 43^rd & Avenue P and continues east on Avenue P to 39^th Street, south to Seawall Blvd., east on Seawall Boulevard to 35^th & Seawall, north on 35^th Street to Avenue O and back to Ball High School.  The parade will run approximately one hour and will feature the Ball High School Marching Band, Tornettes, ROTC, Tor Watch, football players, cheerleaders, and various other school groups.    

Activities will culminate with the announcement of the Ball High School’s Homecoming King and Queen during the football game against Texas City High School on Friday, September 17.  The game begins at 7 p.m.  

For additional information, call (409) 766-5700.  

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Run/Walk Around The Lake & Oktoberfest

Officials of Mainland Medical Center and College of the Mainland along with the mayors of Texas City, La Marque, Santa Fe, Dickinson and Hitchcock have issued an open letter inviting the public to the 2004 Run/Walk Around the Lake & Oktoberfest On Saturday, October 30. Letter

"The first-ever five-community event of its kind is designed to increase a greater awareness of the effects of heart disease in our communities and to raise funds for the American Heart Association," said the letter. 

Mayor Matt Doyle of Texas City, Mayor Larry Crow of La Marque, Mayor Veta Winick of Dickinson, Mayor Robert Cheek of Santa Fe, and Mayor Lee Sander of Hitchcock, are joining together with Galveston County Judge Jim Yarbrough to serve as co-chairpersons. 

"Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of Americans," the officials stress in the letter.  "It claims more lives than the next five leading causes of death combined. More than 150,000 Americans under the age of 65 die every year from this disease. It is a disease that touches the lives of people right here in our own county."  

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League City Oak Tree Festival

The League City Historic Area will celebrate the Historical District's 10th Annual Oak Tree Festival on Saturday and Sunday, September 25 and 26.  The festival will be under the shady oak trees in League Park located on Main Street by the railroad tracks.  

Attractions for both days include an arts and crafts common market, a silent auction, food and refreshments, children's entertainment and activities as well as performances by local dance troupes.   On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Heritage Foundation will host a walking tour of historical homes dating from the early 1900s.

The festival will be open on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Admission is free.  The League City Historic Area, Destination League City, City of League City and Local Business and Service Organizations, sponsor the festival.

For additional information call (281) 554-4554, (281) 332-3953 or (281) 554-8199.

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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, September 9
5:30 Galveston City Council
6:00 Galveston County Water Control and Improvement District 12 905 Highway 146
6:00 Clear Lake Shores City Council Workshop with Master Park Plan Committee
7:00 Clear Lake Shores Zoning Board of Adjustments Training Session
7:00 Santa Fe City Council
7:00 Kemah City Council
8:00 "Comic Potential," College of the Mainland Community Theatre
8:00 "Cabaret," etc, 2001 Postoffice, Galveston
8:00 “Auntie Mame,” Bay Area Harbour Playhouse at 3803 State Highway 3 in Dickinson 

Friday, September 10
12:00 Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority, City Hall Room 204
8:00 "Comic Potential," College of the Mainland Community Theatre
8:00 "Cabaret," etc, 2001 Postoffice, Galveston
8:00 “Auntie Mame,” Bay Area Harbour Playhouse at 3803 State Highway 3 in Dickinson 

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