2005 Archives

2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Friday               January 14, 2005

Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves

The Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves voted unanimously to reject a proposal by Oceanus LLC and to approve a lease agreement with Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corporation to operate a shipyard on Pelican Island, on property that once housed Todd Shipyard, pending final agreement on terms.  Listen  Photos

"We expect it to be basically the same operation as Todd Shipyard," said Jonathan C. Hale, vice president of Gulf Copper.  "Initially we intend to employ approximately 80 people.  Eventually we hope to ramp up to approximately 150 people." Listen

Hale said local people will be hired for most positions.  He is working with Galveston College and Texas A&M University at Galveston on training programs.

He said the dry dock at the facility will handle the largest of ships that trade in this area," "It is a very large dry dock."

"We look forward to working with Gulf Copper and putting the ship yard property back to productive use," said Steve Cernak, director of the Port of Galveston. Listen

Cernak said that Gulf Copper was selected over the other company because of the basic terms of its proposal.

"In the board's determination, Gulf Copper presented better value for the port, going forward to the future," Cernak said.

"I am excited about it," agreed Wharves Board Chair Benny Holland.  "Anytime you can take property off of the negative and put it on the positive, it is good for the port." Listen

Gulf Copper is a 50-year old company headquartered in Port Arthur and has offices in La Porte and Ingleside in the Corpus Christi area.

The wharves board also voted to approve a "declaration of emergency and impairment of port operations" to provide for the expenditure of funds for an emergency dredging contract for the berth adjacent to the Agriliance Facility.

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Kemah City Council

Kemah Mayor William King announced to the Kemah City Council on Thursday that he will not seek reelection in May.

"The principal impetus for this decision is the demand on my time from my firm’s business," King said.  "It has been increasingly difficult over the last year to juggle the competing demands, and I have, therefore, concluded that it would be a disservice to the city and my firm to attempt to continue to do so for another two years."

At the meeting, and in a message posted on the Forum Page of The Online News Station, King announced that he is going to begin actively campaigning for the consolidation of Kemah, Clear Lake Shores and Lazy Bend as one city and that Water Control and Improvement District 12 be dissolved and made into a city water department.  Message

"As some of you know, I have long held the view that this would be in the best interests of this community," King said.  "However, had I formally proposed this consolidation while mayor, the 'old guard' would have argued my support was some kind of personal political agenda.  However, in stepping down as mayor, the only interests I have in seeing this become a reality are the same ones all of you do as fellow residents and taxpayers. "

Also at Thursday's meeting, the city council voted to locate the Old School House/Museum at a site on the corner of Sixth and Harris streets.

The city council tabled discussion of a request for an off-premise sign for Captain Henry's Seafood and a resolution adopting a fee schedule for fire inspection related matters.

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Galveston City Council

Galveston City Council on Thursday spent more than two hours deliberating an appeal of a general land use plan for the Anchor Bay development adjacent to Spanish Grant on West Galveston Island, and in the end voted 4-3, with Barbara Roberts, Cornelia Harris-Banks and Patricia Bolton-Legg opposed, to remand the issue back to the Planning Commission.  The action was based on "new information" related to the development, including issues related to water quality and transportation.

All other votes were unanimous.

The city council approved a specific use permit requested by Ron Maceo to operate a "cooperative" in the Central Business zoning district.  Maceo said that he will establish an outdoor market for farmers, craftsmen and jewelers on a 15,418.80 square foot tract north of Postoffice Street, east of 25th Street, south of Market Street and west of 24th Street. Listen

"What a great idea!" said Council Member Joe Jaworski.

"Yes," agreed Bolton-Legg, who represents the area.  "What a great plus for District 1."

The city council voted to elevate Charles Martorell from an alternate position to a full membership on the Building Standards Commission, Georgina Eastman from alternate to full membership and to name George Pappas as an alternate member.

A proposal to adopt additional standards of conduct regulating "conflicts of interest and a public official's direct or indirect financial interest and a public official's direct or  indirect financial interest in the public official's principal employer" was withdrawn from the agenda.

All other agenda items were approved.

City Manager Steve LeBlanc updated the city council on the Broadway Beautification Project.

"We are waiting for the county to go out for a traffic study for all of Broadway to determine what is needed: turn lanes, split phase and what will be most efficient with the least impact on the esplanades," LeBlanc said.  "Hopefully, this project will be completed in nine months."

LeBlanc said that the proposed 51st Street Turn Lane Project is on hold. 

"The Texas State Historical Commission is going to wait on the results of the County Traffic Study of Broadway before they offer further input," LeBlanc said.

LeBlanc told the city council that 31 new public safety employees have been added to the city payroll.

"We have eighteen new police officers that were hired on January 8," LeBlanc said.  "Ten began the in-house academy on January 10.  Eight were sent to College of the Mainland on January 10. On December 31 we had 18 vacant positions."

LeBlanc said that 13 new firefighters have been hired, as well. 

"They started on January 10," LeBlanc said.  "All positions are now filled."

Police Chief Kenny Mack reported to the city council on his department's participation in the recent drug enforcement operation in Dickinson.  Listen

Council members Harris-Banks and Bolton-Legg made a presentation to the city council in workshop regarding plans to develop in-fill housing in their districts.  Listen

The city council gave special recognition to the Finance Department for earning a certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United State and Canada for its comprehensive annual financial report. 

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Santa Fe City Council

Santa Fe City Council on Thursday approved the first reading of an ordinance granting a permit to Dow Hydrocarbons and Resources, Inc. to replace and redirect pipelines.

The city council tabled action on a proposed agreement with Gila Corporation, dba Municipal Services Bureau, for municipal court fine collection services.

The city council voted to appoint Rusty Rothermel and Oscar Arbidsson to the Santa Fe Electrical Board.

The city council voted to designate February 19 as The Great Texas Blood Donor Roundup Day in Galveston County.

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Galveston Independent School District

The Galveston Independent School District has been notified that Ball High School was selected to receive a $150,000 grant from the Texas Education Agency under the Comprehensive School Reform – Texas High School Initiative Grant program.   This two-year grant establishes an Advancement Via Individual Determination program at Ball High School.  

"Ball High School will implement the AVID reform program in grades 9-12 with a focus on minority students," said a news release.  "The program involves professional development, site  team research and planning and an AVID elective class.  In the AVID elective class, students receive support through a rigorous curriculum and structured tutorials delivered by college students.  The elective class focuses on writing, inquiry, reading, collaboration, organization, study skills, test taking and career awareness.  The goal of the AVID program is to prepare students for success in a rigorous high school program and give them college level entry skills."

The release said the core AVID program will focus on the skills and resources needed for all students to be successful in all academic programs.   Every student will learn specific strategies on note taking, test preparation, study skills and obtain information on career and college opportunities.  During Spring 2005, the district will recruit 200 eighth-graders from three middle schools with the AVID core group beginning in August 2005.

“The AVID program has proven to be highly successful in other districts,” said Dr. Annette Scott, executive director for Curriculum and Instruction.  “I have seen the improvements first-hand and we anticipate that AVID will make a positive impact on Ball High School."

Scott said that the AVID program has proven to initiate school-wide improvement in both academic performance and attendance.

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Texas Veterans Land Board

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, who chairs the Texas Veterans Land Board, today announced that a VLB Outreach expert will be available in the lobby of the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center located at 2002 Holcombe Boulevard in Houston twice each month on the second Tuesday and the last Thursday of the month.  

Mike McReaken and Lynn Staes, VLB outreach marketing specialists for the Gulf Coast South Region, will be available at an exhibit table located in the VAMC Lobby from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  

"McReaken and Staes can help Texas veterans learn about state benefits available from the Texas Veterans Land Board, including low-cost home, land and home improvement loans," Patterson said.  "In addition, the VLB offers affordable, long-term, skilled-care nursing homes for veterans and their spouses, and the first Texas State Veterans Cemetery will open outside Killeen in summer 2005."

The specialists can be reached by telephone at (713) 383-0228.  

In addition, McReaken’s cell phone number is (832) 489-1007 and his email address is michael.mcreaken@glo.state.tx.us.  Staes may be reached on her cell phone at 832-489-1044 or by e-mail at lynn.staes@glo.state.tx.us. The Veterans Land Board Web site at www.texasveterans.com.   

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Clear Creek Country Theatre

Clear Creek Country Theatre will present Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs" from January 21 through February 6.  

"The story is a portrait of the writer as a Brooklyn teen-ager in 1937," said a news release.  "His mind is full of fiercely fantasized dreams of baseball and images of girls." 

Friday and Saturday performances at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 2:30 pm.   The theatre is located at 18091 Upper Bay Road, Nassau Bay (across from the Johnson Space Center).   Call (281) 335-5228 for reservations. 

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San Jacinto College

Camille Cooper, an actress and University of Virginia lecturer, will give a presentation at San Jacinto College focusing on the media’s obsession with beauty and thinness.

Cooper’s presentation, “Naked and Dead: The Media’s Glamorization of Sex and Violence,” which is about "the media’s distorting of body images, eating disorders and sexist double standards," will be from 10 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. on Thursday, January 27 in the ballroom of the student center, 8060 Spencer Highway, Pasadena.

Cooper has appeared in movies and television shows such as “Meet the Applegates,” “General Hospital” and “Knots Landing.”

The event is part of the Central Campus Discovery Lecture Series, sponsored by the Office of Student Life.  Call (281) 476-1877 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 14
6:30 North Galveston County Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet, Landry's, Kemah Boardwalk
7:00 Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration and Awards Program, Old Central Cultural Center
7:30 Oak Ridge Boys, The Grand 1894 Opera Houses

Saturday, January 15
9:00 West Galveston Island Property Owners Association, Galveston Country Club 
7:30 Oak Ridge Boys, The Grand 1894 Opera House

Sunday, January 16
3:00 - 5:00 Colored Branch of Rosenberg Library Centennial Celebration, Old Central Cultural Center
3:00 Oak Ridge Boys, The Grand 1894 Opera Houses

Monday, January 17
10:00 Houston Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Grande Parade
11:00 St. Vincent's House Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Prayer Vigil
1:00 Galveston Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade
2:00 Houston Black Heritage Society Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade
5:00 Friendswood City Council Worksession
7:00 Friendswood City Council
7:00 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration, The Grand 1894 Opera House
8:00 League City City Council 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.

Jim and Lynda Guidry are publishers of Gulf Coast E-news and The Online News Station.

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