2005 Archives

2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Friday               April 15, 2005

Galveston City Council

Galveston City Council on Thursday voted unanimously to reverse a decision made by the city council last year to permit the sale of alcoholic beverages in a section of Stewart Beach operated by Texas South Beach for special events.  Prior to that the city council and the Galveston Park Board of Trustees had established Stewart Beach as an alcohol-free beach.

"Alcohol will be prohibited at all times at Stewart Beach," said City Attorney Susie Green, following the city council action.

The city council voted unanimously to approve several proclamations, including one already presented by Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas in honor of Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North at the recent Lincoln Day event sponsored by the Galveston County Republican Party.

City Hall gadfly Mike Rogers had objected to the proclamation and suggested that members of the city council abstain, if they did not feel comfortable voting against it.  Listen Download

"These proclamations are not endorsements," said Council Member Patricia Bolton-Legg.  "They are done by courtesy of anyone who requests them from the city secretary's office.  We are non partisan."  Listen Download

Council Member Barbara Roberts noted that the city council had previously approved a proclamation in honor of Jack Johnson, a convicted felon, and said that she would vote to proclaim Bill Clinton month, " even though I don't support anyone for lying to a grand jury." 

City Council Member Joe Jaworski, who had intended to vote against the proclamation for North, decided to vote with the majority.

"I think a better purpose is served by standing with all the members of council," Jaworski said.  "I'm not going to make a partisan statement with this vote; I'm going to make a statement of solidarity with my brothers and sisters on this council."

None of the council members said anything in support of North.  However, members did agree to amend their policy to require that proclamations be approved by the city council before they are presented in public.

The city council approved an agreement with the University of Texas at Austin to develop a geohazards map of Galveston Island.  Galveston Economic Development Partnership President Jeff Sjostrom spoke in support of the project, but he and West End developer Patrick Dugan raised concerns about its impact on development.  Listen Download

"The specter of the city using that map as a weapon against development, in my opinion, is just plain wrong," Thomas said.  "This map is a tool, just as the Comprehensive Plan is a tool, for development, not for anti-development; but for development, island wide."  Listen Download

The city council voted 5-1, with Roberts opposed, to approve a $56,503 change order in the contract with Texas Sterling Construction, LP for the Trolley Extension Project.

The city council voted 4-0-1, with Jackie Cole opposed, to approve a specific use permit for three detention ponds for the Laguna San Luis Subdivision on West Galveston Island.

The city council voted unanimously to approve an auction of surplus city property, vehicles and equipment.  However, on a motion by Cole, City Manager Steve LeBlanc was asked to make the bicycles available for sale to any group or individual who wants to sponsor a special project.

The city council approved a specific use permit for a recreational water slide park at 9402 Seawall Boulevard.

"It's going to give the small children a place to go," said Glenna Landry, a neighbor of the facility.  

The city council appointed David Ewald to represent the city on the Houston-Galveston Area Council Flood Management Council; and Chris Rasco to serve on the Galveston Island Redevelopment Authority.

All other agenda items were approved with unanimous votes.  Cornelia Harris Banks, who attended a joint meeting with the Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves and participated in the city council workshop, was unable to attend the formal meeting.

Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas announced that the city council will consider a total ban on smoking in public buildings, including bars, at the next meeting.

"We will have a smoke-free city," Thomas said.

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Kemah City Council

Kemah City Council on Thursday approved the second and final reading of an ordinance prohibiting smoking in public places.  The ordinance is similar to an ordinance approved by Houston City Council that bans smoking in restaurants, but not in bars and not in restaurants that have bars.

The city council voted to notify the Texas Department of Transportation of the city's willingness to participate, with the City of League City, to provide the local match for FM 518 Hike and Bike Trail Project, in conjunction with a TxDOT construction project between Highway 1266 to Highway 146.

"Our portion is going to be approximately $40,000," said City Administrator Bill Kerber.  "The federal money is 80 percent and League City and the City of Kemah are splitting it up, for the portions within their cities, for the remaining 20 percent."

The city council approved a $1,500 allocation of hotel occupancy tax funds for the Houston Symphony Bay Area.  The symphony had requested $2,500.

The city council voted to adopt the H-GAC Hazard Mitigation Plan.

The city council voted to establish a National Incident Management System - Incident Command System as the city's standard command and control system during emergency operations.

The city council tabled discussion of a proposed ordinance regulating taxicabs and taxicab drivers and pedicabs, including limousines.

All other agenda items were approved.

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Pasadena City Council

Pasadena City Council on Tuesday approved the first reading of an ordinance appropriating $100,000 for a contract with Sparks-Barlow-Barnett, Inc. for improvements to the Golden Acres Wastewater Treatment Plant.  The project would increase the capacity of the facility to 10 million gallons per day.

The city council voted to approve a $76,850 contract with D&W Contractors, Inc. for drainage improvements to the Pasadena Police Shooting Range.

The city council approved the FY04 audit as submitted by certified public accountants Mosher, Seifert & Company.

The city council voted to accept a donation of three 19-inch color television sets valued at $100 each from Phelps Insurance for use by the Community Relations Department to be used at the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner.

All other agenda items were approved.  All votes were unanimous.

Bids were opened for the city's tires and tubes annual contract.  Bass & Meineke was the lowest bidder at $98,233.05.  A to Z Tire and Battery was second at $140,007.30; and Gray's Wholesale Tire Distributors was high bid at $200,948.80.  Tommy Vaughn did not submit a bid.

Pastor William Wesson, a founder of Bethany Place, a homeless shelter at 907 Preston, appeared before the city council to deny that the facility, which has applied for a federal public service grant, is a "menace" to the city.  He stressed that Bethany Place does not "harbor anyone who is a threat to this city, but helps many people in need".

Council Member Don Harrison, who said that he does not "need" the facility in his district, cited violations of city ordinances, harassment of customers at the nearby Kroger store, alleged rapes, and the threat of infectious disease to the public.

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League City Chamber of Commerce

Candidates for mayor and city council in League City participated in a Meet the Candidates Forum sponsored by the League City Chamber of Commerce at City Hall on Thursday.

Candidates expressed their views regarding infrastructure, League City’s comprehensive plan, the controversial River Market Project, property tax freezes for senior citizens and a property tax appraisal cap.

Several candidates stated the need for more cooperation and greater integrity among city council members as well as the need to work as a team with Clear Creek Independent School District.

Mayoral candidate Pat Hallisey said that if elected, he will use a “common sense” approach to managing the future growth of the city. Listen Download

“Our future is very bright in League City,” Hallisey said.  “The question is not whether we’re going to grow, but how.  We cannot stop growth, but we can and must do a better job making it work for those of us that live here and keeping costs low." 

Mayoral candidate Jerry Shults promised better organization and preparedness at city council meetings through frequent city council workshops and close relationships between the mayor and city council. Listen Download

“My number one task that I will accomplish when I am elected to mayor is to return civility and decorum to these chambers,” Shults said.  “We need to raise the level of respect so that we can treat people the way we expect to be treated.”

Mayoral candidate Keith Dill said that he has always voted for the lowest tax rate and that he plans to “encourage commercial growth and to diversify the economy.” Listen Download

“I am for a transparent government, a government that works and serves you,” Dill said.

Early voting in League City will begin on Wednesday, April 20 and continues through May 3.  Election day is Saturday, May 7. 

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University of Texas Medical Branch

The Elsa U. Pardee Foundation has pledged $150,000 to support the research of Dr. Concepcion Diaz-Arrastia, a University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston faculty member who is seeking to develop a more effective and less invasive screening for cervical cancer.

Diaz-Arrastia, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, is working to create a screening procedure in which a few drops of blood drawn from a woman’s finger would reveal the signs of potential cervical cancer development.  Her research is based on proteomics, the scientific discipline that examines the function and nature of proteins in the human body.

“Thanks to the foresight of the foundation’s board of directors, we will be one step closer to identifying women truly at risk of cervical cancer,” Diaz-Arrastia said. “The Pardee Foundation’s support is vital to my cervical cancer study.” 

Dr. Garland D. Anderson, chair of UTMB’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, also was appreciative of the pledge.

“The Pardee Foundation is helping pave the way to develop an even more reliable, convenient and cost-effective test for cervical cancer screening," Anderson said.  "I applaud the foundation for taking this major step toward advancing women’s health care.” 

Elsa U. Pardee established her Michigan-based foundation in 1944 to help support cancer research, the same year she lost her life to cancer.  Today the foundation’s trust fund contributes up to $4 million annually to cancer research and care.

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Houston City Hall

Parents of Murdered Children and the City of Houston Mayor's
Crime Victims' Office will host a Candlelight Vigil in honor of Crime Victims' Rights Week at 6 pm on Saturday at Eleanor Tinsely Park.  

"None of us would have ever dreamed we would become a member of this group, and we are saddened every time we greet a new member," said Houston Chapter Leader Diane Marino, mother of Charles Marino who was murdered 1985.  "But at the same time we treasure the relationships and support we experience in Parents of Murdered Children.  Events such as this one help us to recognize Crime Victims' Rights Week, help us to remember our lost loved ones, and hopefully remind the general public that anyone can be a crime victim at any time."

The event is open to the public.  For additional information call Andy Kahan, director of the Mayor's Crime Victims' Office at (713) 247-1410 or (832) 274-8379.

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Press Club of Southeast Texas

The Press Club of Southeast Texas will recognize "five men who have had diverse impacts – in Congress, at the state Capitol, in the county courthouse, in the classroom and on the baseball diamond" at the club’s 2004 Excellence in the Media Awards program on April 22.

The honorees will include Jefferson County Precinct 1 Commissioner Eddie Arnold of Beaumont, Lamar University Head Baseball Coach Jim Gilligan of Beaumont, Port Arthur Independent School District Superintendent Willis Mackey of Port Arthur, District 2 United States Representative Ted Poe of Humble and District 21 Texas State Representative Allan Ritter of Nederland as finalists for 2004 Newsmaker of the Year.

The award recognizes the Southeast Texan who had "the most positive impact on issues and events" during the year.

The program also will feature presentation of the club’s 2004 Excellence in the Media Awards, selected from a field of more than 400 entries submitted by area professionals in the fields of newspapers, television, radio, magazines and public relations.

Now in its 14th year, the banquet is the major annual fund-raiser for the Press Club Memorial Scholarship, awarded annually to a communication student at Lamar. The event will be at Bando’s at Edison Plaza, 350 Pine St. in downtown Beaumont. 

For reservations call Patricia Leger at (409) 658-8885.

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On The Webio

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

The Bolivar Peninsula Chamber of Commerce held its annual awards banquet at the Stingaree Restaurant.  Photos and Audio

Galveston City Council Member Patricia Bolton-Legg wrote a guest column in support of Communities in Schools.  Message

This is Beach Party Weekend in Galveston.  Sights and sounds of the weekend will be posted on The Online News Station.

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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, April 15 
8:00 National Rifle Association Annual Meeting, George R. Brown Convention Center
6:30 Friendswood City Council Candidates Forum, Village on the Park, 400 E. Parkwood (FM 528)
8:00 Morning Star, Main Street Theater in Rice Village, 2540 Times Boulevard in Houston
8:00 Bus Stop, College of the Mainland Community Theatre 

Saturday, April 16 
9:00 West Galveston Island Property Owners Association, Galveston Country Club
8:00 Morning Star, Main Street Theater in Rice Village, 2540 Times Boulevard in Houston
8:00 Bus Stop, College of the Mainland Community Theatre
 
Sunday, April 17 
2:30 Bus Stop, College of the Mainland Community Theatre
3:00 Morning Star, Main Street Theater in Rice Village, 2540 Times Boulevard in Houston
 
Monday, April 18  
9:00 Galveston County Commissioners Court, Holbrook Building 
12:00 Galveston Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
1:15 Galveston County Commissioners Court Workshop on HAVA Compliance, County Judge's Conference Room
1:30 Jefferson County Commissioners Court
4:00 Galveston Landmark Commission
5:15 University Area Association Tour of Pelican Island Aboard the Seagull II  
6:00 Jamaica Beach City Council
6:30 Hitchcock City Commission 
7:00 Friendswood City Council
7:30 El Lago City Council
7:30 Pasadena 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.

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.  

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