2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Tuesday               January 4, 2005

Friendswood City Council

The Friendswood City Council on Monday voted 6-0, with Shannon Kimmel absent, to approve a conceptual plan for a municipal management district to facilitate Friendswood Development's proposed development of the West Ranch, near the border between Friendswood and League City.

"It would have powers similar to a MUD," said Friendswood City Manager Ron Cox.  "But the control and authority over that district would be in the hands of the city council as opposed to an elected body like a MUD."

"So the city council would appoint the board and authorize policies within that board for use by the developer in this case," Cox continued.  "The advantage that we have is that we're able to have a master plan for the full 700 acres.  It will include open space for the general public's use, it will include thoroughfares.  It will include commercial areas for the city, including a village or town center out in that area."

The conceptual plan must now be approved by the state legislature. 

The city council voted 6-0 to approve an ordinance adopting the 2003 International Building Code, Plumbing Code, Mechanical Code, Fuel Gas Code, Energy Conservation Code, and Property Maintenance Code.  The ordinance also would change the fencing requirements for residential swimming pools to comply with the International Residential Code for one and two-family dwellings.  

The city council also voted 6-0 to adopt the 2003 edition of the International Fire Code and the 2003 edition of the Life Safety Code.

The city council unanimously approved special recognition proclamations for the Friendswood Rapids Boys Soccer Team and the Friendswood Flames Girls Soccer Team for their separate wins of the South Texas Youth Soccer Association State Championships.  Both teams are in the 11 and under age category.

All other items were approved on 6-0 votes.

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Port Arthur City Council

Jefferson County Commissioner Waymon Hallmark met with Port Arthur City Council this morning to seek help in convincing County Clerk Carolyn Guidry to return her office in the Port Arthur Sub-Courthouse to five-day per week operations.  Guidry said that there was not enough work in the Port Arthur office so she staffs it only two days per week.   

"I don't have the power to tell her that she has to," Hallmark said, suggesting that the city council members should use their influence on Guidry.  "An elected person is free to run her office as she sees fit, as long as she abides by the law.  I did remind her that this is a big part of the county and there are a lot of votes here, but I didn't seem to make any progress."

City Manager Steve Fitzgibbons urged Hallmark to use the commissioners court's budget process to require that the office be fully staffed, and he suggested that the funds released on Monday following the unsuccessful rollback petition drive could be used to finance it.  Other members of the city council, who agreed that the office should be staffed, indicated that they will attend the next meeting of the commissioners court.

"When dealing with 'big brother' Beaumont, Port Arthur is accustomed to getting the short end of the stick," said Council Member Tom Henderson.

Betty Kiel appeared before the city council to seek support to reestablish a Boy Scout program in Port Arthur.  She used the example of a young man facing tough choices.

"Will he join a gang, or will he join scouting?" Kiel asked.  "Help us bring scouting back to Port Arthur."

Kiel asked that the city council consider allocating Community Development Block Grant funds to the Boy Scout program, but also to urge their constituents to contribute funds to the program.

Jim Guidry covered the meeting.  Listen  Download

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Beaumont City Council

Beaumont City Council today approved a $65,000 contract with the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce for economic development services.  

"The funds will be used for marketing Beaumont and business retention and recruitment efforts," said City Manager Kyle Hayes.  "We are extremely pleased with the relationship we have with the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce."

The contract is a $5,000 increase over the 2004 contract.

The city council voted unanimously to deny a change in zoning from Residential Single Family Dwelling to General Commercial-Multiple Family Dwelling for property located on the east side of Old Voth Road, north of Lawrence Drive.

The city council voted 5-1, with Bobbie Patterson opposed, to deny a zoning change from Light Industrial General Commercial-Multiple Family Dwelling and a specific use permit to allow a halfway house at 885 Crockett.  Hayes said approving the request would have amounted to spot-zoning, however, the city council agreed to help the applicant find a new location for the halfway house.

The city council voted to approve a specific use permit to allow a photography and media services business at 290 N. 10^th Street.

The city council voted to approve a specific use permit to allow swimming lessons in a Residential Single Family Dwelling District at 1265 Sandwood Street.

The city council voted to approve a specific use permit to allow an art gallery/antique shop/gift shop in a Residential Conservation and Revitalization District at 2520 North Street.

The city council voted to approve a specific use permit to allow a laundromat in a Residential Conservation and Revitalization District at 4639 Highland Avenue.

The city council voted to approve a specific use permit to allow a cellular telephone transmission tower on the west side of Mercantile Street, approximately 125 feet north of Cardinal Drive.

The city council voted to approve a specific use permit to allow a hair salon in a Residential Multiple Family Dwelling-Highest Density District at 8155 Gladys Street.

The city council voted to approve a specific use permit to allow a pest control business and home inspection business in a General Commercial-Multiple Family Dwelling-2 District at 6550 Concord.

The city council reappointed Dora Nisby to the Library Commission.

The city council appointed Cindy Meyers as chair of the Animal Health Advisory Committee, and Ann Reynolds as vice chair.

The city council appointed Darla Bell as chair of the Community Development Advisory Committee. 

All other items were approved with unanimous votes.  Audwin Samuel was absent.

Jim Guidry covered the meeting.  Listen Download

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El Lago City Council

The El Lago City Council, after discussing three alternative alignments for the proposed improvements to State Highway 146 from Fairmont Parkway in Harris County to State Highway 3 in Galveston County at its Monday meeting, voted 3-0-1 to support the 'Arterial with Express Lane' alternative over the 'Arterial' and 'Freeway' alternatives.  Mayor Pro Tem David Noffsinger abstained; Council Member Glendora Hill was absent. 

The three options were presented by the Texas Department of Transportation.

The city council also unanimously approved a proclamation designating "SWIM in El Lago Day".  SWIM stands for Storm Water Inlet Marketing.  The program is designed to promote environmental education and water stewardship by El Lago residents in an effort to reduce pollution in local waterways and in Galveston Bay.

An item regarding a special use permit for fencing on property located at 101 Cedar Lane Circle and another regarding a special permit for razor wire on fencing at Island Furniture, 4104 NASA Parkway were pulled from the agenda and not considered.

All other items were unanimously approved.

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Galveston Landmark Commission

The Galveston Landmark Commission on Monday approved a request for a certificate of appropriateness for alterations to the structure at 202 Rosenberg, which is also known as the Panama Hotel.

The building was constructed in 1912 and was described in a 1988 survey as having “20^th century commercial” architecture. 

In conjunction with the rehabilitation of the structure as a condominium development, the applicant is also creating retail spaces on the first floor. 

The applicant, Andrew Kaldis of Panama Venture, Ltd., is proposing to install either wood shutters or green and white striped canvas awnings in the transom area of the storefronts located on the north facade and the northern half of the west facade.

"The wood shutters, in a 'Bahama' style, are not typical to the Strand, or the City of Galveston, and do not have any historical precedence at the Panama Hotel," said Historic Preservation Officer Lori Feild. But Feild said a historic postcard shows it once had green and white striped awnings on the storefront windows of the west facade.

"Based on the guidelines (for such properties) and supporting documentation," Feild said, "the addition of the green and white striped canvas awnings appears to conform to the Design Guidelines for Historic Districts in Galveston."  

The Landmark Commission approved a request for a recommendation for a variance from the Galveston Zoning
Standards for the property at 506 Christopher Columbus at 14^th Street regarding gross floor area, visual screening and rear yard setback requirements in a Neighborhood Services with Historical Overlay zoning district.  The applicant is Eubanks Group Architects.  The property owner is John F. Bannon, Jr. 

A request from property owner Travers E. Powell for approval for a certificate of appropriateness for alterations to the structure at 1415 Avenue E at Postoffice was deferred until February 7 to allow the applicant to be present.

All other requests were deferred until February 7 to allow the commission to receive more information from applicants.

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Rotary Club of Galveston Island

H. L. "Shrub" Kempner, Jr. of Kempner Capital Management delivered his State of the Economy speech to the Rotary Club of Galveston Island at its noon meeting today. 

"I was right about the economic growth, but strikingly wrong about the long-term interest rates," Kempner said.  "Thirty year notes were at 5.17 percent at the end of 2003 -- I thought they would go to 5.75 percent.  They're ending 2004 at 4.82 percent."

Kempner said that he had thought employment was stronger than the early 2004 headlines and that turned out to be the case. "We've had a steady, although not massive, increase in employment on balance during the year, and now there are about 2.15 million more people working than there were at the beginning of 2004."

"Where I was most off," Kempner said, "I thought the dollar would be stronger, not weaker. As we all know, it's weaker by far, compared to a basket of currencies."

Kempner believes the 2005 U. S. economy will grow, but more slowly.  "About two and half to three percent, real," he says.  "And inflation will perk up as measured by the GDP Deflator to two percent or little above."

Short-term interest rates, says Kempner, will be raised several times more.  "Perhaps to as high as three and half percent, which will raise the prime rate comparably.  Long-term rates will rise to five and half percent in the 30-year bond."

"I don't have any idea what the dollar is going to do," Kempner said. "Our economy is growing twice as fast, or maybe more so, than Europe and Japan, both of which I believe will be even more stagnant in 2005 than they were in 2004.  China's growth is slowing on purpose.  We're raising our interest rates, in part to defend the value of the dollar, I think."

All those things, said Kempner, would ordinarily lead one to predict a stronger dollar.  "But they all also existed during 2004 and the dollar was consistently weaker."  

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Charles Fitzmorris

Charles Fitzmorris, 55, a coach for eight years at Galveston Ball High School, died Wednesday, December 29, 2004, at his home in Galveston. Obituary

"Charlie was a great person and a great coach," said Brent Jaco, Galveston ISD Boys' Athletic Coordinator.  "He truly cared about each one of his student-athletes and worked hard to help each one be successful not only on field of play, but in life as well."

"Coach Fitzmorris was a great person to know and work with. He took his job very seriously, and he left all of the players he coached with love and an everlasting friendship.  He was a great friend," said Ball High Varsity Football Coach Ron Holmes.

"He drove his players hard to help them reach their fullest potential," said fellow coach, Ray Quoyeser.  "He demanded they shoot for the moon on and off the field. When they came up short he was there to dust them off and help them try again for success."

Prior to coaching in Galveston, Fitzmorris was Offensive Coordinator at Aldine High School during that school's three year battle for the state championship, which it won in 1990 along with the ESPN “National Championship” title.  The previous year Aldine lost the state title to Permian High in the game that was later featured as the climax of the motion picture “Friday Night Lights" and, in 1991, was the State Quarterfinal Champion.

Coach Fitzmorris' many friends and former players have established a memorial fund, the Charles Fitzmorris Fund, at the City Bank of Palacios, 459 Main Street, Palacios, Texas 77465.  

Funeral services for Coach Fitzmorris will be at 2 p.m., Wednesday, January 5 at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Palacios.

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A Clean Galveston

Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas and members of the Galveston City Council, in conjunction with the Galveston Chamber of Commerce and Clean Galveston will hold a news conference at 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, January 13 to urge  residents, businesses, schools and neighborhoods to clean up the city.

"Don't Even Think About It -- Give Trash the Boot!" is one of the messages of the campaign.

"Galvestonians will be asked to abide by city code enforcement regulations, and the city will provide educational materials to help people participate in the ongoing campaign," said a news release.  "Programs will be offered through GALV-TV, the city's Channel 16, www.cityofgalveston.org, and other sources."

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A Fabulous Affair Celebrates Women

A Fabulous Affair is accepting applications from specialty merchants to participate in A Fabulous Affair Celebrates Women, a spring market and women’s conference, to be held on March 19 and 20 in the Crystal Ballroom of South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center in League City according to Robin Stowe, President.

The event will feature specialty merchants with items such as clothing, make-up, home décor, gifts, and jewelry.  During the market, organizers will provide seminars with topics such as women’s health, finance, fitness, and spirituality.  

The market and conference is open to the public.  Admission is $5 per day.   For information regarding merchant participation in A Fabulous Affair Celebrates Women visit online at www.AFabAffair.com or phone (281) 535-1233.

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On The Webio

Several items of interest to Southeast Texas are posted on The Online News Station.

SugarHill Studio in Houston is reviving the Big Bopper's biggest hit, "Chantilly Lace".  Story and Photo

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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 4
4:00 Galveston Planning Commission
6:30 Bayou Vista Board of Aldermen
7:00 Clear Lake Shores City Council
7:00 Seabrook City Council
7:00 Webster City Council
7:00 Bolivar Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Monthly Meeting, Joe Faggard Community Center
7:30 Pasadena City Council

Wednesday, January 5
9:00 Houston City Council
12:00 Galveston Housing Finance Corporation, Tramonte Law Offices, 2127 Broadway
12:00 Galveston Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 14, GEDP Conference Room, 519 25^th Street
3:30 Governor Rick Perry News Conference, Marina View Building, 2600 South Shore Harbour Boulevard, League City
4:00 Galveston Arts and Historic Preservation Advisory Board, Room 204, City Hall
4:00 Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment
5:00 Texas City City Commission
6:00 Galveston Independent School District Board of Trustees Workshop, Lovenberg Administration Building Library, 3904 Avenue T
6:00 Webster Charter Review Commission, Webster City Hall
6:30 Webster Planning & Zoning Commission, Webster City Council Chambers
7:30 Taylor Lake Village City Council  

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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.

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