2005 Archives

2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Wednesday               January 26, 2005

League City City Council

League City City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve Mayor Jeff Harrison’s recommendation to appoint Gary Brumbeck as the new city administrator.

The city council voted 6-1, with Mike Hembree opposed, to rezone a five-acre tract at 1500 Seventh Street from Public Facilities zoning to Single-Family Residential.       

The city council held a public hearing prior to the vote during which the zoning applicant, Richard Davis, spoke in favor of the change. Listen  Download

“We believe very strongly that this is a major win-win for everyone involved,” Davis said.

Several residents also spoke in favor of the zoning change. 

The city council voted 6-0-1, with Rusty Tidwell abstaining, to approve the appointment of Tidwell to the finance committee.

The city council voted unanimously to table the second reading of an ordinance to rezone 4.95 acres of land on Cleburne Road from Public Facilities and Institutions and Single Family Residential to Office and Professional Commercial, until the next council meeting on February 8.

“We have shown that we have signed agreements,” said Clear Creek Village resident Craig Weisinger, in support of the zoning change.  “We have shown that we have 73 percent of our neighborhood, out of the 78 percent that vote, that are in agreement. We have residents here tonight that have shown that they are in support of this project.”  Listen  Download

Several other residents also spoke in favor of the zoning change.  Listen  Download

The city council voted 5-2, with Katie Benoit and Thomas Cones opposed, to approve a request by Bob Douglas of Tuscan Lakes Development, LP to extend the time limit of a burn permit.

The city council voted unanimously to table a resolution approving the issuance of unlimited tax bonds, series 2005, for the Galveston County Municipal Utility District 6.

The city council voted unanimously to postpone until February 8 a request to approve a private streets agreement for Constellation Pointe.

The city council issued two proclamations honoring the memory of Barry Meza and Nieto Guajardo, both League City residents.

Meza, a United States Army sergeant, recently died while in combat in Kuwait.

Guajardo died battling a house fire with the League City Fire Department.

League City resident Chris John Mallios recited a poem during which he spoke in favor of an audit of the Big League Dreams sports park, saying that the city never informed taxpayers of the true cost of building the park. Listen  Download

All other agenda items were unanimously approved.

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La Marque City Council

La Marque City Council on Monday approved new procedures for appointments to city boards and commissions and made several appointments that have been pending while the rules and procedures of other cities were being reviewed.

On a motion by Mayor Pro Tem James Osteen the city council voted to reappoint Clint Brown and Marion Tompkins to the Building Standards Commission.

On a motion by William Hank Wrenn the city council voted unanimously to appoint Bettye Marquiz to the Clean City Commission.

On a motion by Wrenn the city council voted unanimously to reappoint Bert Henderson and Phil Flaked to the Electrical Board. 

On a motion by Bill Charbonneau voted unanimously to reappoint Sadie Poole, Dorothy Holt, and Lucy Martin to the Library Board. 

On a motion by Charbonneau the city council voted 4-1, with Kieth Bell opposed, to appoint Donald Brightman and Karen Wrenn to the Parks Board. 

On a motion by Wrenn the city council voted unanimously to appoint reappoint Cleveland Lane, Wayne Sparks and Bob Sobotik to the Planning Commission.  Wrenn had first moved to appoint Herman Harper to the commission, but withdrew his motion after discussion.

On a motion by Charbonneau the city council voted unanimously to reappoint Cliff Burks and Billy White to the Plumbing Board. 

On a motion by Wrenn the city council voted to reappoint Velmer White, Ben Cravy and L.D.Ward (alternative) to the Public Safety Committee. 

The city council also voted to appoint Karen Wrenn to the Parks Board.

The city council voted to hold a workshop with every board and commission appointed by the city council.

The city council approved a tax abatement agreement with Dienst Distributing Company.

The city council approved a resolution calling the city election on May 7.

The city council voted unanimously to table a proposed interlocal agreement with the Houston-Galveston Area Council Region 1.

The proposed purchase of tractor loader/backhoe and the proposed award of a request for proposal for engineering, financial advisor, bond council for the Texas Water Development Board was withdrawn from the agenda.

All other agenda items were approved with unanimous votes.

Mayor Crow expressed his pleasure "to see such a large crowd at the meeting," and thanked outgoing City Manager Carol McLemore for a good job and said that he is looking forward to working with the new city manager, Robert Ewart.

Several other city council members expressed good wishes for McLemore and a welcome to Ewart.

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Historic Downtown Strand Partnership

Kathy Modzelewski was elected president of the Historic Downtown Strand Partnership at Tuesday's annual meeting of the Galveston organization.

"There are a lot of exciting things happening downtown," Modzelewski said.  "We look forward to working with all of you as partners in our endeavors."

Angela Brown was elected vice president.

Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas was inducted into the Downtown Renaissance Hall of Fame at the banquet, along with William A Ross, Jr, of GPM, Inc. and Fred Wichlep, former executive director of the Partnership.  The Art Walk/Galveston Art Center also was inducted into the Downtown Renaissance Hall of Fame.

Downtown merchant, Keith Bassett, received the coveted George P Mitchell Entrepreneur Award. This award was last presented in 2002.

The Edwin J Weiss Spirit Award was presented to Pam Bowman in honor of her late husband, Dennis "Denny" Bowman, " for his tireless work with HDSP in making the Harbor Lighted Boat Parade an annual success".

Other awards were presented to Elizabeth "Liz" Neff and Angela Brown as Volunteer of the Year, Maggies won the Creative Storefront Award, David and Roger Massicott and Harborside Condominiums won the Downtown Beautification Award, Galveston.Com and the etc-East End Theatre Company each won Downtown Promotion Awards, and Dale and Diane Olson won their second Downtown Development Award.

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Photos and Audio

Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves

Correction: Joe Jaworski, the Galveston City Council representative on the Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves, abstained on a vote to retain Tony Buzbee and Craig Eiland for legal services. 

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Galveston County Health District

The Galveston County Health District is now making flu vaccinations available to all county residents six months of age and older. This follows a similar recommendation from the Texas Department of State Health Services and is effective immediately.

Health District officials have previously been limiting flu shots to targeted high-risk priority populations in response to a national flu vaccine shortage.  

“It is not too late for anybody to receive a flu vaccination and protect themselves from this sometimes very serious illness," said Galveston County Health Authority Dr. Mark Guidry.  "A person develops full protection approximately two weeks after receiving a shot and with a flu season that officially runs through May there is still time to get one.” 

“Flu is not a reportable condition in the state of Texas but there have been laboratory confirmed cases of flu in Galveston County,” said Kurt Koopmann, the district’s public information Officer.  “The good news is that the strains of flu identified so far in Texas are covered by this season’s vaccine.”

Koopmann encouraged anyone wanting a flu shot to visit one of the District’s walk-in immunization clinics.  Locations

For persons with Medicare Part B insurance and children eligible under the Vaccines for Children program, the shots will be available at no cost to them.  For others the flu vaccination will be available at a cost of $16. 

For more information about immunization clinic services, contact June Gonzales, RN at (409) 938-2244.

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Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority

The Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority recently honored two employees for their outstanding work. 

Petra Y. Henderson was named METRO’s Top Operator of the Month for December and Daniel York was named METRO’s Top Tech of the Month for December.

Henderson is a light rail train operator based out of the Shirley A. DeLibero Rail Operations Center.  York is a cleaner at the Kashmere Bus Operating Facility. 

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Galveston Home, Garden & Leisure Show

The 17th Annual Home, Garden and Leisure Show will be held on February 26 and 27 at the Galveston Island Convention Center at the San Luis, 5200 Seawall Boulevard.

"The show promises to be the biggest and best yet to help you prepare for spring and all the home improvements that go along with the next season," said publicist Mary Jo Naschke.  "There will be a plethora of ideas for all your home needs, both inside and out, at this incredible event." 

The show benefits the Animal Shelter & Adoption Center of Galveston County.

Visit www.galveston.com/homeandgardenshow or call 762-3930 for ticket information.

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Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce

Tickets are still available for the 105th Annual Banquet of the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce on February 1 at the Carl A. Parker Multipurpose Center at Lamar State College - Port Arthur.

The featured speaker is Rory Aplanalp whose topic is "Connections Make the Difference - Being Proactive in a Reactive World."

Mr. Don Pumphrey of ENTERGY will be installed as chair of the chamber board, following Mrs. Vicki Derese of Chevron Phillips Chemical Company as outgoing chair. 

The Chamber's Athena Award, sponsored by Energy Country Ford-Lincoln-Mercury, will be presented as a surprise announcement during the banquet.

For reservations or further information call (409) 963-1107.

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Clear Creek Independent School District

The Clear Creek Independent School District has scheduled a "second-round" public hearing regarding the 2005-2006 school boundary changes for 7 p.m. on February 10 at Clear Brook High School Auditorium. 

"The purpose of boundary revisions is to optimize school facility usage and to accommodate growth patterns throughout the district," said a news release.

For more information call the Office of Public Information at (281) 338-5803.

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On The Webio

Several items of interest to the Texas Gulf Coast Region are posted on The Online News Station.

Galveston weather expert Stan Blazyk says a chance of rain will linger through the weekend, but he predicts mostly cloudy skies and cool temperatures.  Forecast

Houston Mayor Bill White delivered his State of the City address to the Greater Houston Partnership on Monday.  Listen  Download 

The Sierra Club has expressed concern about the National Park Service's approval of a plan to drill five new wells on Padre Island National Seashore this morning. Release

Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce presented awards at its annual banquet.  Photos and Details

The 16th Annual Sertoma Club Golf Tournament will be held on April 1, 2005 at the Belle Oaks Golf Club, 15075 Country Club Road in Port Arthur. Click

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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 26
4:00 Galveston Windstorm Committee Annual Meeting, Henry Freudenberg Insurance Agency, 6902 Stewart Road
4:00 West End Land Use Policy Committee, Galveston City Hall Room 204
5:30 Visionaries in Preservation, Customs House 502 20th Street, Galveston
6:30 Hitchcock Independent School District Board of Trustees Workshop
6:30 Texas City Independent School District Board of Trustees Emergency Meeting
6:30 Clear Lake Area Council of Cities, Houston Yacht Club

Thursday, January 27
12:00 Galveston City Council Workshop
4:00 Bay Area Transportation Partnership Board of Directors, Bay Area Community Center, 5002 NASA Parkway
5:30 Galveston City Council
6:30 Citizens for Economic Growth in Port Arthur, Third Floor of Lincoln Tower 
7:00 Kemah City Council
7:00 Santa Fe City Council
7:30 "Luisa Miller", Opera in the Heights, Lambert Hall, 1703 Heights Boulevard, Houston

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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.

Jim Young is Houston City Correspondent.  Dana Patricia Burke is the Bay Area Houston Correspondent. Chuck Lawrence is Galveston City Correspondent.  Carl Guidry covers events in Jefferson County.  Anita Donatto covers the education beat in Galveston.  

Patty Mayeux is editor of Gulf Coast E-news.

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

We are seeking to hire reporters & marketing agents to expand our coverage in Jefferson & Harris Counties. 

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