GALVESTON — Landry’s employees and their families put Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier workers to the test Sunday as they prepare for the official opening.
I cast my ballot in Galveston City Council District 5 on Saturday. I was given a District 4 ballot by the electronic voting machine. Having written about the problems with the voting rolls, I knew to stop and ask for help.
The good news was the workers at my polling place were wonderful. They knew what to do and were helpful. The election judge tirelessly went back and forth to the lobby, telling people who were in line to vote to check the maps and sample ballots.
But I was not alone in getting a bad ballot from the electronic polling book. The poll had five voting machines, and, at one point, there were five of us District 5 voters with District 4 ballots on our screens.
All of us got our problems resolved, but it made us wonder how many people went through the polls without catching mistakes. If I were a candidate, I’d be wondering too.
Remember the housing advocates who were party to the conciliation agreement involving plans to rebuild public housing in Galveston? They sent a letter to the Texas General Land Office asking detailed questions about the Galveston Housing Authority’s plans.
Copies of the letter were ricocheting around Galveston on the eve of Saturday's city elections. Many people have theories about what the letter means. A copy appears below so you can draw your own conclusions.
Some time ago, I suggested that the Galveston Housing Authority, under a new leader, had concluded it was likely to get sued no matter which way it moved and had decided to set its own course. Some readers thought the notion that the housing advocates would sue over the housing authority’s plans was preposterous.
You can interpret the intent of the letter a number of different ways. If I had to guess, the letter means the housing advocates are preparing to sue.
The poll closed Monday night, with 1,341 online readers voting. Of those, 41.5 percent said they approved the housing authority’s plans and 58.5 percent said they do not.
Some readers protested that supporters of the housing authority’s plan were sending emails urging supporters to crash the polls. Other readers protested opponents were doing the same thing. Some readers took a special interest that the mayor was urging people to vote.
Just so you’ll know, this is just a straw poll. People can campaign all they want.
The vote totals reflect, as far as we’re able to tell, the number of individual voters. Some readers attempted to vote more than once. To the best of our ability, we discarded the multiple ballots.
If you’re looking for some perspective on this, here’s my two cents: I think a solid majority opposes the housing authority’s plans — especially its plans for mixed-income housing. But I think opposition to Marquette Land Investments’ plan to build a huge development on the West End was even more overwhelming.
In 2007, before Hurricane Ike struck, many people blasted the plan to build 4,000 single-family homes and condominiums, a golf course, a marina and a 15-story hotel. I heard from more people then who were determined to keep that development out.
That, of course, is the ultimate in unscientific polls — the call or email the editor poll.
One of the local traditions you should know about is Shrub Kempner’s annual State of the Economy speech to Galveston Rotarians. The full text is below. We’ll have an excerpt in the print edition soon.
Harris L. “Shrub” Kempner Jr. is president and portfolio manager of Kempner Capital Management Inc. Many people are interested in his economic forecasts. But, to me, the most interesting part of this year’s speech was the part about Galveston having plenty of jobs.
I think he’s absolutely right. Whatever the problem with Galveston’s economy, it’s not jobs. What do you think?
Kempner's State of the Economy 2012
By Shrub Kempner
As usual, I will try to remind you of what I got right and wrong last year.
Shrub Kempner
- I said the U.S. economy would continue growing with no recession — correct, but I also thought it would grow at 3 1/2 to 4% — the actual growth rate was more like 2 1/4 %. The economy hit a set of walls in the first half of 2011. There were severe storms, floods, a 6 month oil price shock due to the Libyan revolution, and a disruption of the global supply chain from Japan following the Tsunami. Those issues are now history, but the combination was too much for the economy to grow at the stronger rate I had anticipated.
- I projected unemployment to be below 9% in the last quarter of 2011, and I'm delighted to say I was right about that. The unemployment rate was 8.6% in November.
- I thought inflation would be somewhere between 2 and 3% this year and I was correct about that as well.
So, not too bad — but the miss on the fundamental growth rate overrides everything, so let's try again.
U.S. ECONOMY
I think we will be growing between 2-3% this year. Many of my peers are predicting less growth than that — at least for the 1st half of the year, but I think fundamental strength will be enough to get there.
Uncertainties
Let's talk about the uncertainties first:
- The headline concern is Europe. Taken as a whole, Europe has now entered recession, which will affect us all negatively. Further, there are risks to some European sovereign debts. However, I think that the worst has already been avoided. The worst would be a banking system failure because of all this, in which major European banks would be unable to retain their liquidity and pay their bills — something that almost happened here in 2008. Similar preventive measures, i.e. TARP-like actions, have now taken place in Europe because the European Central Bank has "ring-fenced" their banks by permitting over 500 of them to borrow for 3 years on almost any collateral they have. This as far as I'm concerned prevents the worst case from happening — a banking failure. The rest, I believe, will be nasty headlines, but not a fundamental devastation of the European or worldwide financial system.
- In this country, we are concerned about our fiscal policy or lack of it. What will happen to tax rates in 2012 and 2013? What will happen going forward as far as budget cuts are concerned? This is causing some economic indecision here. Unlike the Feds, the States are already well under way in their budget cutting, but this is reducing jobs nationally. Considerable uncertainties abound about federal politics as well — who will win in the races for President, Congress and Senate? Some of us think there are possible choices which will bring about the apocalypse. We'll see.
Fundamental Strengths
Despite major uncertainties, there are certain fundamental economic strengths which to me are getting ever more clear.
- It appears to me that we have turned the corner on job creation. The unemployment rate should be steadily descending on average throughout 2012 from the present 8.6 to below 8%. As perspective — net non-farm job creation was negative 5.06 million in calendar year 2009. It turned net positive by .94 million in 2010, and is estimated to be positive about 1.6 million when the final 2011 numbers are calculated. 2012 is expected to carry on the improving employment trend.
- The Inflation Rate, as measured by the CPI will be below 2% — partly due to the European recession and slow-downs in China, and partly due to substantial cost control by corporations. That's a very important and encouraging piece for consumer spending. In addition, my perception is that the headline numbers for saving rates are too low. I think consumers, have more money to spend than most analysts expect, and this 70% of the U.S. economy will show that all year long. Bottom Line — we've deprived ourselves out of fear for 3 years. Now cars, hard goods, and clothing will begin to be replaced in the U.S. — pretty much no matter what happens worldwide.
- Finally, I expect that the economy will be aided for the first time in 3 years by housing construction and its ancillary benefits. This began to take place at the end of 2011- largely in multi-family housing. For almost 10 years, from 1998, the pendulum had been leaning toward construction of new individual homes, and apartments were under-built. For the last 2 or 3 years construction was stagnant for both. However, the demand for shelter for new families is starting to push the pendulum in the other direction toward construction of multiple-family housing. Single-family housing, while not yet growing much, is also showing progress in pending home sales, etc. despite the continuing foreclosure problem. The housing area will be a net add of some importance to the overall GDP as the year progresses, for the first time since 2008.
- Other international economies — the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) , are considerably stronger than Europe and will be net positives in terms of the export market, although nowhere near as large as last year.
Combining all these strengths and uncertainties, I believe the US economy will grow at around, or slightly below, the average rate for the last 50 years of 3%.
TEXAS
The session last year has built in major cutbacks in state spending. This will be a continuing drag on employment and the Texas picture. However, the remarkable resurgence of oil and natural gas drilling using new technology — fracking and horizontal drilling, has become and will continue to be a major job creating force in the State. It's not just all the jobs associated with the drilling process, but the fact that after 5 years of success, natural gas is so cheap in this country that people are moving chemical plants and other processing sectors back to take advantage of it. Construction on plant expansion and renovation is booming in the State. On balance Texas should be a growth area in 2012.
GALVESTON
One great thing — thanks to multiple efforts, UTMB's future and growth here is now as assured as is possible. Let's enjoy that for a second before the usual kvetching.
Enough back patting. Last year I complained about the recovery money not flowing, particularly for our rebuild of citizens' homes previously on the tax rolls. That has gotten a bit better, but is not yet satisfactory. Part of the reason it is not going as rapidly as it should in my opinion, is the summary firing in mid-year of a City Manager with experience in unwinding bureaucratic tangles with government agencies. Natural slow-downs in processing took place after he left. Remember, the Council had to go out of town to get a temporary manager, because they had inexperienced backup. Despite Tom Muehlenbeck's extreme competence, he could not keep the flow running as rapidly as it should because he had too much to learn. So we are still waiting for the full flowering of this particular pre-owned housing area dependent upon federal funds flow. We'll see what the new manager can do.
Let me make it clear, the housing I've been talking about to this point, is explicitly not the housing proposed by the Galveston Housing Authority and it's for-profit development partner. However, I am delighted that still other housing will be built by the GHA team in large enough quantities to add to the tax base and increase our population. This will meet the needs of our most disadvantaged, but remember that also 60% of it, is housing that can bring back work force population I think this is a good and necessary thing for Galveston.
Finally, I want to run head-on once again into the great Galveston myth: The myth that Galveston has few jobs, even fewer good ones, and without a lot of new ones we can't grow and survive. This is extraordinarily misguided and denies the facts. Denying the facts is a Galveston specialty, but this has become ridiculous.
FACT: Galveston has a huge number of jobs for a city of its size. These are full time jobs that are well paid in areas such as medical services, upper and middle and lower level education, port related activities, and entrepreneurial and financial services. In addition to these, there are the most obvious jobs in the tourist industry, which are more seasonal.
FACT: The Census, the Bureau of Labor statistics and a GEDP survey indicate that even after IKE, we have over 25,000 full-time equivalent jobs on the island every day, in a community of less than 50,000. That's a very positive full-time jobs-to-population ratio of over 52% and;
FACT: is higher than the 2008 jobs-to-population ratio of Manhattan Island of only 46.4%, as measured by the Census and Bureau of Labor statistics.
Do you think Manhattan's biggest problem a lack of jobs? It isn't their biggest problem and, by the facts, it certainly isn't ours. And yet, every time some people open their mouth about Galveston's problems, they start and stop by complaining about the lack of jobs. Getting more jobs is a good idea, but even more important to me, is the realization that an estimated 40-50% of those 25,000 full-time jobs are held by commuters. The economic development steps we must take going forward, is to attract more of the people who work here to choose to live here. This will shift the benefit to our island businesses of commuter salaries paid here, but spent where they live. Just don't let people pass off this nonsense that Galveston has insufficient jobs to grow, as an answer.
Galveston has jobs, lots of good jobs. Galveston needs most to build its population. That's why I emphasize housing. That's why I emphasize workforce housing with the GHA project as positives. And, that's why I'm developing less and less patience with those local politicians, policy makers, and reporters who don't seem to understand that the real opportunity for the city to become much more economically healthy is to find ways to grow our permanent population.
Harris L. "Shrub" Kempner Jr. is president and portfolio manager of Kempner Capital Management Inc.
The chamber submitted a list of questions its members had about the housing authority's proposal.
Tramonte wrote: "Prior to the questions being answered and the market study and business plans being offered for public review, we cannot recommend the city move forward with any of the proposed plans of action by GHA or McCormack Baron Salazar."
Some of the questions were directed at the city, but others were directed at the Galveston Housing Authority. The replies from the housing authority's board and staff are included below.
Do you the think the answers will change the chamber's position?
All four responded, and their answers to questions about their approaches to some of Galveston’s challenges can be seen online. Follow the links below to see each candidate's answers.
We urge you to take a look at the finalists and take advantage of a chance to meet them Wednesday during an open house. You might think of other questions that your representatives could ask when the city council interviews the candidates on Thursday.
AT A GLANCE
WHAT: Open house to introduce city of Galveston city manager finalists to the public
WHEN: 6 p.m. Wednesday
WHERE: Garten Verein, 2704 Ave. O, in Galveston
WHAT: Galveston City Council interviews with four city manager finalists
WHEN: 10 a.m. Thursday
WHERE: Room 204, City Hall, 823 Rosenberg, in Galveston
He recently retired from the city of Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., where was city manager. He was the city engineer for El Paso, the director of public works for Nashville and the director of public works for Bryan.
He has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and business administration from the University of Missouri.
He is the assistant city manager for Park City Municipal Corporation, Utah. He was the city manager for Port Aransas, the town administrator for Surfside Beach, S.C., and the city administrator for Presidio.
He has a master’s of public administration degree and bachelor’s in political science and criminal justice from Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi.
He is the management consultant for city of Greeley, Colo. He was the town administrator for Frederick, Colo., and the assistant to the chief administrative officer for Renton, Wash.
He has a master’s of public administration and bachelor’s in political science and business management from Brigham Young University.
He is the city manager for Buda. He was the city manager for Diboll, the assistant city manager in Lufkin, where he also was director of public works, the emergency management coordinator and the director of code enforcement.
He has a bachelor’s in business administration from Stephen F. Austin State University.
After the four finalists for the job of city manager in Galveston were announced, good citizens did what good citizens do.
They called people. They searched on the Internet. They tried to get information on the candidates. These folks are looking forward to meeting the candidates at an open house Wednesday. They are looking forward to hearing the city council interview the candidates Thursday.
Some of these Galveston citizens, after reading the résumés, asked the same basic questions.
You can’t pick up a copy of The Daily News without running across some story about the island’s recovery from Hurricane Ike. There are controversies over Community Development Block Grants, the allocations of Federal Emergency Management Agency funding, the rebuilding of public housing — and the list goes on.
But none of the finalists listed much experience in dealing with disasters and with the federal agencies that provide aid.
No one who called the newspaper to point that out was suggesting that the candidates were not qualified. These concerned citizens simply wanted to ask what experience the candidates actually had.
And so The Daily News is asking candidates about their qualifications and experience in those matters. We are inviting the finalists to go on to our website and fill out a questionnaire.
Among the other questions:
1. Does the amount that Galveston spends on infrastructure seem too little, too much or about right? If you have suggestions for spending more, how would you go about funding it?
2. How about public safety? Too little, too much or about right? If you think too little, would you propose a tax increase to fund more police and fire protection? If you think too much, how would you reduce the force?
3. How could city council meetings be improved, particularly in the way presentations are made to council members? Do you have suggestions for ways to get detailed data to the council and to the public before decisions have to be made?
4. How would you analyze decisions about investing in infrastructure on the West End, beyond the protection of the seawall? Developments there enhance the tax base, but some people question the taxpayer’s risk. Others question whether it’s good public policy to encourage development in an area where there is such risk.
5. Have you ever been the subject of a formal complaint about your behavior in office?
Of course, we plan to ask those questions. And we hope council members will ask them in a public forum. But the online questionnaire is a way for the finalists to have a say where all can see.
AT A GLANCE
WHAT: Open house to introduce city of Galveston city manager finalists to the public
WHEN: 6 p.m. Wednesday
WHERE: Garten Verein, 2704 Ave. O, in Galveston
WHAT: Galveston City Council interviews with four city manager finalists
WHEN: 10 a.m. Thursday
WHERE: Room 204, City Hall, 823 Rosenberg, in Galveston
THE FINALISTS
Rick Conner
He recently retired from the city of Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., where was city manager. He was the city engineer for El Paso, the director of public works for Nashville and the director of public works for Bryan.
He has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and business administration from the University of Missouri.
Michael Kovacs
He is the assistant city manager for Park City Municipal Corporation, Utah. He was the city manager for Port Aransas, the town administrator for Surfside Beach, S.C., and the city administrator for Presidio.
He has a master’s of public administration degree and bachelor’s in political science and criminal justice from Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi.
Derek Todd
He is the management consultant for city of Greeley, Colo. He was the town administrator for Frederick, Colo., and the assistant to the chief administrative officer for Renton, Wash.
He has a master’s of public administration and bachelor’s in political science and business management from Brigham Young University.
Kenneth Williams
He is the city manager for Buda. He was the city manager for Diboll, the assistant city manager in Lufkin, where he also was director of public works, the emergency management coordinator and the director of code enforcement.
He has a bachelor’s in business administration from Stephen F. Austin State University.
Galveston officials recently went to Washington, D.C., to lobby for transportation funds. A memo from the city’s transportation consultant Barry Goodman to City Manager Tom Muehlenbeck (seen below) outlines the agenda for the trip.
There are a couple of interesting points. Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski, who traveled to Washington, argues that it’s in everyone’s interest, not just Galveston’s, for the city to retain its “small urban status” for federal transit funds. Galveston has a lot of urban transit projects. But the trigger for cities to qualify for such funds is 50,000. After Hurricane Ike, the city is at about 48,000.
What happens if Galveston loses that status? It competes for funding with other rural areas. That pot of money, administered by the Texas Department of Transportation, is limited. Galveston already has a lot of projects going and it would be the largest fish competing for a small pool of cash.
Also, note that the city is lobbying for an “evolutionary approach” to the Galveston-Houston Mobility Corridor.
Translation: There is just no way Congress, given the nation’s financial picture, is going to build light rail between Galveston and Houston. The $2 million earmarked for a study of that project — before earmarks were ridden off in disgrace — will be used in some other way.
Maybe you have to be a puritan, living in town with a puritan culture, to enjoy the council-manager form of government. But in that form of government it really pays to be clear about the roles of council members and of management — and of the role of the mayor in particular.
In general, the mayor in Galveston chairs the council meeting and has some ceremonial duties. But other than that, he or she is like any other council member. But here’s just one more minor, hypothetical example of how roles are not always clear.
The mayor of Galveston is a member of the Galveston Economic Development Partnership. If you are a developer with a project in Galveston and you’re talking to the mayor at a GEDP meeting where people are talking about “fast tracking” development, do you have an “in” with the council?
Are you talking to someone who is going to make things happen? Or is the mayor, under the charter, just a member of the council and are you, in fact, talking to just one vote among seven?
It’s those small things that often lead to trouble.
Galveston Island is a good place to retire. A lot of folks around here know that, but Where to Retire magazine is spreading the word in its Oct. 18 issue with a story on “8 Treasured Islands for Serene Living.”
The others are Marco Island, Fla.; Amelia Island, Fla.; The Golden Isles, Ga.; Kiawah Island, S.C.; The Outer Banks, N.C.; Mount Desert Island, Maine; and San Juan Islands, Wash.
Representatives of the Galveston Housing Authority were at a meeting in Indianapolis last week on Purpose Built Communities. That’s the name of the nonprofit, based in Atlanta, that developed a model for mixed-income housing.
The housing authority’s chairwoman, Paula Neff, called us about an article published Thursday in USA Today about the conference.
USA Today quoted Buffet as saying: “The world does not treat everybody equal at birth. We don’t have the same starting line for people in this country. We aspire to it and we’ve gone further than most countries in that respect — and we’ll be better 10 years from now, and 20 years from now, and 50 years from now.”
A reader, Nicholas Looper, pointed out that Wikipedia's front page today featured an article on The Free State of Galveston.
Wikipedia displays a 1943 postcard view of Beach Boulevard and Seawall
Looper dropped us a note that said: “I don't know how newsworthy it is, but I think it's interesting not only because of the little known history about Galveston, but also because it puts the wonderful city of Galveston on the front page of one of the most popular websites in the world.”
It’s an interesting take on a lively period of Galveston’s history.
A rumor is going around Galveston that is designed to hurt Mayor Joe Jaworski politically and personally. The rumor starts with a claim that the mayor was involved in a fight in a bar. From there, it descends into some murkier claims about Jaworski's personal and family life.
Some people are working very, very hard to peddle this rumor, and some have asked why The Daily News hasn’t done a story.
Many people, looking at the list published in Wednesday’s edition, said some of the forgivable loans were richly deserved — they went to businesses that deserved help after heroically working to keep people employed after Hurricane Ike. Others pointed to instances where businesses that sustained little damage were set to collect federal money. But in listening to people talk, it’s obvious that one person’s deserving hero is another person’s undeserving rat.
At least part of the talk around town is that funding for yet more business grants would be available if the city council decides not to study the feasibility of building a levee to protect Galveston from storms. In other words, the council could divert money from a levee study to fund more of these forgivable loans to small business.
Just judging by the talk I’ve heard, I’d say most people in Galveston would oppose any more business loans. But the “judging by the people who call the editor” poll is even less scientific than the “judging by the number of people who sign on to the blog” poll.
If you had to pick one, which would be the better investment?
Henneberger is co-director of Texas Low Income Housing Information Service, one of the two housing advocacy groups that cried foul when the state was trying to hijack federal aid that should have been directed to help low-income people in Galveston after Hurricane Ike. The much discussed conciliation agreement that requires 569 units of public housing to be rebuilt is between those housing advocacy groups and the state.
The U.S. Justice Department recently filed a lawsuit against New Berlin, Wis., alleging violations of the Fair Housing Act. The basic question is whether the two cases are analogous. To the extent that you see similarities, you wonder whether Galveston faces similar action by the Justice Department.
Henneberger certainly thinks so:
“A group of people in Galveston are engaged in a campaign to block the rebuilding of homes of public housing residents destroyed by Hurricane Ike. While this group of white Galveston residents demands government funds for the rebuilding of ‘their’ community, they are organizing to make sure that lower-income and especially, lower-income African-Americans cannot move back home to Galveston.
“This is ethnic cleansing pure and simple.”
What do you think? Does opposition to the Galveston Housing Authority’s plans mean that Galveston has a problem complying with the federal law?
The city’s auditor pointed out that there’s a 10 percent cap on those kinds of expenditures in dealing with community development block grants. The auditor pointed out that the city appeared to have tapped out its administrative costs in awarding a contract to CDM, the company that was hired to manage a $167 million federal Community Development Block Grant program.
The council hasn’t always been pleased with progress in that program and discussed the possibility of firing the company in March. However, it decide to stick with CDM.
One of the good questions that has been asked about the problem with the request for soft costs is why the city’s auditor caught it. Some people, including council members and housing authority board members, are wondering why CDM, which is getting paid to oversee the block grant, didn’t say anything when the request first came up. They also are wondering why someone on staff at city hall didn’t say anything.
Now that the housing authority cannot use part of its $25 million allocation from the community development block grant program, it’s going to try to use insurance proceeds — a source of funding the council had previously asked about.
How can the housing authority use insurance proceeds now when previously there were all kinds of problems with doing so? That’s another good question.
Dr. R. Douglas Slack, a regent’s professor in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University, recalled a similar problem with the Queen Isabella Causeway, which connects South Padre Island to the mainland.
Dr. Slack, an authority on coastal and riparian wetlands ecology, recalled that a doctoral student had investigated the deaths of pelicans on that bridge in the 1980s. The graduate student, working with an engineer, concluded that the birds were getting caught in disturbance eddies — air currents that occurred over the bridge when the wind was blowing from a certain direction.
The birds, flying into turbulence, would get knocked down on the pavement. Not only was this phenomena a hazard to the pelicans, it was a hazard to motorists. The problem occurred only when strong winds hit the bridge from a certain direction. The dynamics were studied in wind tunnel tests.
Still, the public was warned of the hazards — an action that might be appropriate in the case of the Galveston Causeway.
Also, Dr. Slack shed light on something that has puzzled me for years. Have you noticed that the pelicans follow the bridge when they cross the bay? It’s almost as if they want to keep an eye on us as we cross the causeway.
Dr. Slack has a more plausible explanation. They are following the causeway and using it for lift, just as hawks fly along ridges to use the updraft.
GALVESTON — Readers saw five dead pelicans on the northbound lanes of the Causeway Friday morning. The speculation: Either that was a terrific coincidence or the birds had been shot.
A bunch of telephone calls failed to solve the mystery.
The Texas Department of Transportation said its crews were picking up the carcasses Friday afternoon, but the crews would not inspect them for gunshot wounds.
Does Galveston have to rebuild all 569 units of public housing that were destroyed by Hurricane Ike on the Island or can it rebuild some on the mainland?
Note that the commitment was made by the state, not the city, in resolving complaints from fair housing advocates about the allocation of funds to help people recover from the disaster. Note also that the letter mentions some unpleasant consequences if the city fails to live up to the commitments made.
You could conclude that a committee charged with finding the best developer in the country did, in fact, find the best one. Or you could suggest that since Mercedes Marquez, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, had once worked for the company that something was sinister about the selection.
Option No. 2 — the sinister one — went viral in Galveston on Wednesday, a day after the housing authority announced the selection.
Betty Massey, the one housing commissioner who served on the selection committee, said: “Unequivocally, Mercedes Marquez had absolutely nothing to do with the selection of McCormack Baron Salazar.”
Massey said she did not know Marquez had worked for the company until the selection had been made and was about to be announced. She said the company was chosen because of its record.
Mayor Joe Jaworski told the same story. He said he was talking to Marquez about another matter Tuesday and informed her that McCormack Baron Salazar was the selection committee’s choice. He said Marquez had replied that it was a good company and she’d once worked for it. That, in other words, is how the connection between Marquez and the firm became known here.
Both the mayor and Massey have long enough track records in Galveston to be above the kind of insinuation that’s going around.
The fact that a senior federal official once held a job in the private sector just isn’t all that unusual. Marquez’s interest in Galveston is not at all unusual. If you had responsibilities for an agency that was pumping a couple of hundred million dollars into Galveston after a bad storm, wouldn’t you be just a little bit interested in what was going on?
One final point: Massey recused herself from the vote on hiring McCormack Baron and Salazar because she was required by the rules to do so. She was the only housing authority commissioner on the search committee, which consisted mostly of housing authority staff.
You cannot serve on the committee that recommends a developer to the housing board and then vote as a board member. That strikes me as common sense.
Amazingly, people are seeing something sinister in that.
From what I can gather, the first conclusion is accurate but the second is not. At least some members of the board are ready for new leadership at the executive level, but the problems at the Oaks apparently weren’t decisive in reaching that conclusion.
The housing authority collected flood insurance on its losses but did repairs internally — and the angry homeowners contend the repairs were made on the cheap. The properties were then quickly sold to first-time buyers, who were rushed and who by definition have not learned the lessons of more experienced buyers. That, at least, is the gist of what the angry homeowners told council members.
The housing authority pledged to get to the bottom of those problems.
But here’s what I’m hearing: This latest storm erupted after at least some board members had concluded there had to be a change of leadership. It was no one thing that drove the frustration, but rather the accumulation of disappointments in getting a plan nailed down for public housing after Hurricane Ike — something that obviously has taken longer than anyone would have wanted.
Bottom line: Some board members have concluded that they cannot work well with this executive and that it’s time for a change.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has a policy that states the purpose of safe rooms is to provide immediate safety protection those in a vulnerable population who cannot get out of harm’s way.
Building a safe room typically involves hardening a public building, such as a school or a hospital, to allow vulnerable people to take shelter.
But some communities, including Galveston, have argued that the people at risk were first-responders and essential personnel. One of the problems with Galveston’s first application was that it sought an unusual amount of space per person. If you’re calculating the short-term needs of someone taking shelter from a storm, that’s a far different thing from the needs of emergency responders with equipment and vehicles.
In looking at the correspondence in this case, it’s hard not to wonder whether federal funds originally intended to protect vulnerable people aren’t being directed toward other ends.
GALVESTON — One of the catch phrases that has circulated since the city council fired longtime City Manager Steve LeBlanc is not accurate. The phrase that keeps circulating around town is that LeBlanc was fired — even though council members conceded that he met or exceeded expectations in every area.
The Daily News has been seeking documents on LeBlanc’s evaluation by the council. While the request is still being reviewed by city hall, Mayor Joe Jaworski provided a copy of his evaluation form, agreeing that it had become a public record. The form is included below.
On the form, 3 is the minimum score you need to meet a standard, and a score of 2 means that some improvement is needed. In other words, a 2 means the standard is not being met.
As you can see, the council did not unanimously say that LeBlanc was meeting or exceeding expectations on all fronts.
Here’s what I heard in that long, painful discussion: Most council members said LeBlanc is a good man who worked hard and deeply loves his city. Two of the seven said he was doing a good job.
GALVESTON — Island residents will vote May 14 on a proposal to charge for parking on the seawall.
Proponents of Proposition 1 say the revenue would allow the city to fund improvements, such as showers and restrooms, allowing Galveston to make the most of its greatest asset.
Critics say the city already has sources of funds for such improvements and contend that a charge would just drive tourists into neighborhoods in search of free parking.
GALVESTON — Steve LeBlanc, Galveston’s longtime city manager, sent an email to “all users” on the city’s email system about a meeting he had with Mayor Joe Jaworski about his future with the city.
From: Steve LeBlanc Sent: Mon 4/18/2011 6:50 PM To: All Users Subject: City Manager for the City of Galveston
I just wanted you all to know that I had a meeting (maybe three minutes long) with Mayor Jaworski at 5:30 p.m. today.
He wanted to let me know that there were probably two council members who would put on the next agenda an item to determine whether or not I should remain as City Manager.
He said that he did not know how the vote would turn out, but there was the possibility that there were four votes to not keep me as your City Manager.
I reminded Joe that a "best practice" is to set specific criteria to evaluate someone and to give them the necessary resources and time to achieve those goals.
Council agreed to the criteria (via a unanimous vote on November 18th) and set the date for evaluation on April 14th.
All goals were met or exceeded and I have presented this information numerous times to the Council and public.
I told Joe that I had a hard time understanding why there might be a majority of Council that would be unhappy with what has been achieved as this is what the Council agreed to use.
Joe said that he was personally very happy with the way things were going, but that he was not sure how the vote would go.
I asked him if it was a political issue and he said it maybe that the problem was that I had been City Manager for 14 years and that was not something that I could fix.
He said that he wanted to let me know this information because there was a couple of ways that this could be handled.
He said that we could "go through this" or that I could "leave on my own terms" if that appears to be the direction this was headed.
At this point I don't have a thing to be ashamed of; in fact I am proud of what has been accomplished over all the years given some very difficult circumstances.
The City has a great team of loyal, hard working employees that have carried this city through some extremely difficult and trying times.
If the leadership wants a change because I have been there for 14 years then there is nothing I can do about it.
However, I felt obligated to let everyone know that this is going on.
One of the puzzling things about that directive was whether defining a vision is properly the role of the city manager or the council itself. I’m curious about what you think. Is that the manager’s or council’s responsibility? And if it’s not the manager’s, is “vision” what this is all about?
The email is addressed to the city council and is copied to the city staff.
From: Steve LeBlanc Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2011 11:24 AM To: City Council Subject: Vision for the City
During my April 14, 2011 evaluation, you asked me to redefine the vision for the City. There is a specific process outlined in the Charter that determines the “vision of the City of Galveston” and it involves the entire community with the Council having the final decision on the plan or vision. As I mentioned during the evaluation process the Comprehensive Plan is the primary component of the city’s vision. And you as the elected leadership have the responsibility to make that final determination after the process is followed.
Article X, Sec. 4 of the City Charter provides that the City’s Master Plan governs the overall physical improvement of the City including its “growth, improvement and beautification”. The City’s Master Plan is composed of several parts:
(1) The Comprehensive Plan (which provides for the long term plan or ‘vision’ of the City); and,
(2) Smaller Specialized Plans (which conform to the Comp Plan, but address specific issues such as historic preservation, mobility, parks and recreation, disaster recovery, coastal management, etc.);
The same section of the Charter also provides the process for adoption and amendment of the Comprehensive Plan, which includes input from the City Manager, City Council and the community (through public hearings and service on City committees).
The first step in the process is for the Comp Plan Steering Committee to work with staff on a detailed vision for the City.
Secondly, the public is presented with those recommendations and is provided with the opportunity to provide its input.
Third, the Planning Commission reviews the plan and includes its recommendations. After these steps have taken place, am I required to present the Comp Plan to the Council with my recommendations.
Lastly, the Council may decide to adopt the plan as presented, adopt the plan with amendments, or reject the plan and send it back to the Planning Commission.
Article I, Section 3 of the Charter supports this process by providing: “all powers of the city shall be vested in an elective Council which shall enact legislation, adopt budgets, determine policies, and appoint the City Manager who shall execute the laws and administer the Government of the City”.
The important thing to note is that the Council has final approval over the ‘vision’ of the City, as well as any amendments to it, and the City Manager is responsible for the administration of City Government and following through with the goals and direction of Council. In other words I am responsible for implementing the Plan.
We have been working very hard to update the Comprehensive Plan and redefine the vision of the City through our Progress Galveston initiative. This process began before Hurricane Ike and had to be revamped in light of the many problems and opportunities the storm presented. We presented a draft of the Comprehensive Plan to City Council on March 10, 2011 and are continuing to receive public input through community meetings, focus groups, surveys and public hearings--all in accordance with the direction given by Council. I'm required by Charter to wait until the Planning Commission votes on the plan before providing my recommendations, but we are still in the public input part of the process. In fact, the next community-wide meeting is scheduled at the Galveston Island Convention Center on April 30, 2011. We are planning to present a final draft of the plan—including my recommendations on the vision and direction of the City—to Council this summer.
While the City’s budget is not necessarily part of the Master Plan, it is the annual business plan of the City of which is my primary responsibility. However, this is not to be confused with the plan for the “vision of the city”.
Also, please note that on the evaluation forms that you agreed to there is no item for “vision” of the city as a part of the evaluation had I known that this is something that was part of the criteria I would have also met or exceeded that goal as well.
Charter Provisions:
Art. I, Section 3. Form of Government. The Municipal Government provided by this Charter shall be, and shall be known as, "Council-Manager Government." Pursuant to the provisions of, and subject only to the limitations imposed by, the State Constitution, the State Laws, and this Charter, all powers of the city shall be vested in an elective Council, hereinafter referred to as the "Council", which shall enact legislation, adopt budgets, determine policies, and appoint the City Manager who shall execute the laws and administer the Government of the City.
Art. II, Section 4. Powers of the Council. All powers and authority that are expressly or impliedly conferred on or possessed by the City shall be vested in and exercised by the Council; provided that the Council shall not exercise those powers that are expressly conferred upon other City Officers by this Charter. Council shall not authorize or enter into any employment contract with a Council appointee for a term extending beyond the next regularly scheduled City Council election.
Art. V, Section 2. Powers and Duties of the City Manager. The City Manager shall be responsible to the Council for the proper administration of all the affairs of the City. The City Manager shall have power and shall be required to:
(1) Appoint and remove any officers or employees of the City except those officers appointed by the Council as otherwise provided by law or this Charter.
(2) Prepare the budget annually, submit it to the Council for approval, and be responsible for its administration after adoption.
(3) Keep the Council advised of the financial condition and administrative activities of the City, and make such recommendations as may seem desireable.
(4) Perform such other duties as may be prescribed by this Charter or required of the City Manager by the Council, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Charter.
Art. X, Section 4. The Master Plan. The Master Plan for the overall physical development of the City shall contain the commission's recommendations for growth, improvement and beautification of the City. A copy of the Master Plan, or any part thereof, shall be forwarded to the City Manager who shall thereupon submit such plan or part, thereof, to the Council with the City Manager's recommendations thereon. The Council may adopt this plan as a whole or in part, and may adopt any amendment thereto, after at least one public hearing on the proposed action. The Council shall act on such plan, or part thereof, within sixty (60) days following its submission by the City Manager. If such plan, or part thereof, should be rejected by the Council, the Planning Commission may modify such plan, or part thereof, and again forward it to the City Manager for submission to the Council. All amendments to the Master Plan recommended by the Planning Commission shall be submitted in the same manner as that outlined above to the Council for approval, and all recommendations to the Council from any City department affecting the Master Plan must be accompanied by a recommendation from the Planning Commission. (Ord. No. 91-95, § 4(15), 11-14-91; Ord. No. 96-59, § 13, 6-16-96)
Art. X, Section 5. Legal Effect of Master Plan. Upon adoption of the Master Plan by the Council, no subdivision, street, park, nor any public way, ground or space, public building or structure and no public utility, whether publicly or privately owned that is in conflict with the Master Plan, shall be constructed or authorized by the City until and unless the location and extent thereof shall have been submitted to and approved by the Commission. In case of disapproval, the Commission shall communicate its reasons to the Council, which shall have the power to overrule such disapproval and upon such overruling the Council or the appropriate office, department, or agency shall have power to proceed. The widening, narrowing, relocation, vacating or change in the use of any street or watercourse, or other public way or ground or the sale of any public building or real property shall be subject to similar submission and approval, and failure to approve may be similarly overruled by the Council. The failure of the Commission to act within thirty (30) days after the date of official submission to the Commission shall be deemed approval, unless a longer period be granted by the Council or the submitting official.
I got an answer from Michael Allen, a partner in the civil rights law firm of Relman, Dane & Colfax of Washington, D.C., who has a national litigation practice involving the Fair Housing Act. Allen was the lead attorney in the civil rights complaint filed last year against the state of Texas. That litigation was resolved in May by a conciliation agreement, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
His reasoning was outlined in a letter to council members on Thursday.
Here is a very short version: The powers of housing authorities have expanded, and housing authorities have the authority to build units of public housing in other cities. But that’s not the issue with the 569 units that must be replaced under the terms of the conciliation agreement.
The civil rights litigation requires that all 569 units be rebuilt on the island, Allen said. “To do otherwise would be an absolute violation,” he said.
This letter from the heads of two state agencies suggests that funds for the entire region, not just Galveston, could be held up unless the city council acts quickly on public housing.
What do you make of the letter? A clear statement of reality — or old-fashioned coercion?
The folks who called said they thought that proposal was too expensive but agree a new stadium is needed.
I was asked recently whether I thought such a lopsided vote meant there would be no new stadium for another 50 years. From what I can tell, even some of the severest critics of the last proposal are in the mood to say yes to something a bit less expensive.
Ann Dixon, the interim superintendent at Galveston Independent School District, handed me a copy of her contract (included below) before I had a chance to ask for it. Her compensation is $16,000 a month. There are some allowances but no health benefits. Dixon makes a point that her services will cost the district no more than the services of its last superintendent.
Incidentally, a column about Dixon appears in Sunday’s edition. In my mind, she offers a rare outsider’s view of Galveston, its schools and its problems. I’d love to know what she’d recommend the district do about a stadium, for example.
I’m keeping a list of questions I’d love to ask. Have you got one for my list?
One of the topics you hear on the streets of Galveston these days is the school district’s search for a new superintendent. I’ve heard two qualities mentioned repeatedly. These folks say the school board should be looking for:
• Someone who doesn’t avoid criticism but who is really interested in what people who live in the district think.
• Someone who is interested in improving the education of average kids who come from low-income families, not just the education of kids who qualify for magnet programs.
Those are the two qualities I’ve heard mentioned most often. What about you? Do you have any to add to the list?
Readers have asked questions about the Galveston park board’s plan to rebuild the beaches. I’ve been making a list, hoping agency officials will provide answers for a Q&A in the newspaper:
Update: The Galveston Park Board of Trustees provided these answers late Friday, which I've included below my original questions.
Q. Many people contend that it’s a bad idea to continue putting sand in areas that obviously erode without putting in some structure to protect the new beaches. Are you acting on the advice of engineers?
A. All beach nourishment project preformed by the park board is an officially engineered beach. The nourishment project is not only for aesthetic appeal for tourists but mostly to protect the wooden pylons infrastructure of the Seawall. If the beach is not regularly maintained with nourishment we would end up losing more visible beach than we already do to the sandbars offshore. The current design being used is configured by engineering firm HD Shiner Mosley.
Q. Have you heard from other engineers who advise differently?
A. There are a number of companies who have visited Galveston and who travel coastal cities selling various beach retention ideas and products. These ideas range from artificial seaweed and false sandbars, to as outlandish ideas as, giant interlocking plastic jacks anchored offshore.
It’s important that the park board secures the next round of CEPRA (Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act) grant dollars so it can best identify the solution that would work for Galveston’s unique coast line on the Gulf of Mexico.
Q. Have you done a cost-benefit analysis of building some kind of structure to slow the erosion of the new beaches?
A. We already know that the beaches are the No. 1 reason tourists come to Galveston. Protecting the beaches is a No. 1 issue for the park board. In October of 2008, the park board applied for the CEPRA grant to actually study the most effective method of beach retention in our specific coastal environment. However our grant was not approved this time. The park board is planning to resubmit when the next grant submission opportunity comes about.
Q. Would such structures be allowed under federal regulations?
A. It could be allowed under regulations with certain permits but there may end up with obstacles when it comes to the state level.
Q. Where does the money to put sand on the beaches come from?
A. In 2008-9 the nourishment project began with a $10 million CEPRA grant obtained by the Texas General Land Office along with a 2.5 percent local match of $2.5 million funded by the park board. The park board’s $2.5 million portion came from beach nourishment reserve funds that have accumulated from beach user fees. This current 2009-10 nourishment is funded 90 percent by FEMA public assistance and 10 percent park board funds.
Three years ago the park board dedicated $1 from each car that enters the beach parks to go to a strict beach nourishment reserve. That fund has accumulated to approximately $1 million.
Q. Have you done a cost-benefit study on how the amount spent to rebuild the beaches compares with increased income from tourism?
A. In 2007 an economic impact study for tourism was performed by Angelu Economics, it is located here: www.galvestonparkboard.org. This verifies that the beach is our number one attraction and contributes financially to the success of tourism on the Island.
Readers who called about the ordinance regulating golf carts in Galveston had several things to say:
Some joked that 103rd Street had become the Mason-Dixon line for golf carts, since two sets of rules apply east and west of that line. One caller, who has seen golf carts going from one side of the street to the other, wanted to know whether the center line of the street was the boundary. Good question. I’ve asked for clarification.
Some said several people went to the council meeting to speak about the matter but that the public comment period was awfully late. Is it really necessary to have periods for public comment so late at night?
Most people who called said the less regulation the better. But a vocal minority said it’s a fundamental mistake to allow golf carts on streets. One described a near miss between a car and a golf cart on Stewart Road. He predicted it’s only a matter of time before there’s a serious accident.
Should Galveston have a curfew for minors? I think the city council should allow the curfew to expire. But sensible readers disagree.
In discussing the matter with readers, I came to the conclusion that one of the key questions is how much discretion you want to give police officers. One of the best arguments in defense of the curfew is that you can’t design a system of laws so thorough and so complete that it eliminates the need for judgment among those responsible for enforcing it. The argument is that the curfew gives officers another tool, using their best judgment, for resolving relatively minor problems before they get worse.
I see the point. But I don’t see a clear line marking the spot where legitimate discretion stops and selective enforcements begins. If I had a say, the ordinance would be off the books. How about you?
What’s taking so long with the repairs to the beach parks? That’s a question that readers ask more or less continuously. With spring break just around the corner, people are looking at R.A. Apffel Park, for example, and wondering what amenities will be available.
The Galveston Park Board of Trustees, which manages the parks, has a spreadsheet that shows the problem in a nutshell. According to those records, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved $11.67 million for repairs at the parks and to the beaches. Park board officials said the federal authorities released the money to the state, but it hasn’t reached Galveston yet.
Some business owners, trying to plan, have asked about Beach Party, traditionally the third weekend in April. The forecast: Think small. Last year, the city braced for a big party and nothing happened.
For those who don’t know: Beach Party began in the 1980s as a gathering of African-American college students sponsored by the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. By the late 1990s, the small gathering had become an event that brought as many 250,000 partygoers. Traffic and crowd-control problems made news across the region.
People with the park board, city and police department are watching and have seen no signs of a revival. The police department watches the event closely. It was criticized several years ago when it wasn’t prepared for huge crowds on East Beach.
The policy is to prepare for a large event but also prepare to stand down quickly.
Most of the readers who called about the Galveston school district’s plans for a new stadium complained about the site, rather than the proposed increase in the tax rate. Some people who called said they favor the proposed site on 83rd Street, but most said the district should keep the stadium on 27th Street. There’s no scientific claim made on the sample of people who read the paper and want to talk.
Here’s what I found interesting about those conversations: No one seems to believe the school district’s contention that the district would have to buy 75 home sites around the existing stadium in order to provide adequate parking.
People point out that the city has granted many, many variances to the rules on parking. No one seems to be able to recall a project that was killed by scrupulous enforcement of rules on parking spaces. There’s also a memo floating around that suggests that no one representing the school district visited with the Planning Department before making the claim about the 75 houses.
Ready for more debate about what rules golf carts ought to follow if they’re on public streets? As you might recall, the West End Golf Cart Committee told the Galveston City Council that golf carts should be allowed on beaches and also on public roads with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or less on the island’s West End.
The East End Golf Cart Committee came up with a similar plan — almost.
The point of disagreement, as I understand it, is that the East Enders favor making seat belts a requirement. The logic is that if the carts are going to be on the road with other vehicles, they ought to come equipped with the regular safety features. The West Enders disagree.
I'm having a hard time picturing a city with two rule books, with 103rd Street as the dividing line. It seems to me the logic is either good on both sides of 103rd Street or it isn't. What am I missing?
There’s at least some discussion about an alternative to the proposal to restrict parking along Boddeker Drive in Galveston.
The discussion involves providing some additional parking spaces on Boddeker, lowering the fee to park at Apffel Park and having a sunset date for any ordinance to restrict parking along the road.
Officials with the Park Board of Trustees have said this is absolutely not about money. But more than 90 percent of the people who’ve called about the story think it’s all about money. Many fishermen recall the move, a few years ago, to force fishermen to park at Seawolf Park, where there was a parking fee. Similarly, most of the people I’m hearing from are angry about the plan to force people who have been parking along Boddeker for free to Appfel Park, where they would have to pay. A lot of that resentment involves the fact that the charge used to be justified by amenities that were destroyed by Hurricane Ike.
I’m not sure I buy the argument that parking should be banned on Boddeker Drive on Galveston’s far East End. The park board has recommended it. The city council is going to consider it. I can see it both ways.
The public safety problem is notorious. The Daily News has published many stories about the people who drown in those treacherous currents. “No swimming” signs are posted everywhere. They don’t seem to help. You sometimes see parents leading small children past those warning signs toward the water.
But this area is also a favored spot for fishermen. They usually park near the spot where they want to fish. Banning parking on Boddeker Drive would force them to lug their gear a long way to the water’s edge.
In short, I see the problem clearly but am not convinced banning parking on the roadway is the solution. I gather from the council’s agenda it’s coming up Thursday. Any strong views?
People are talking about a petition that would force the city to call a popular vote on any plan to levy a parking fee in Galveston. In an editorial, I asked a couple of questions about parking in downtown Galveston. One reader suggested I should have asked a third.
Before he got to the question, though, he made a really good point:
He said: “The concept of free parking is an illusion. The person who parks in the space may not pay for it, but somebody does. Let's say Galveston provides a new parking garage (they're very expensive to build), then lets folks park there for free.
The city and its taxpayers will pay for it. And let's not pretend that we're going to dole out millions of 4B dollars for parking without a huge uproar from other factions that want a piece of that pie.”
My questions were: If people can park for free, will businesses in downtown Galveston suffer? (Another way to ask that is: If the petitioners are right that 4B tax money could be used to provide plenty of parking places downtown, would you still need meters on the streets?) And is it wise to go ahead with plans to install those meters, knowing that a referendum on parking fees might be on the ballot in May or November?
The reader suggested I should have asked a third question: “Why isn't anyone talking about how to build a consensus, a comprehensive parking plan that addresses the concerns of people who live, work, shop, and own businesses in downtown? There may be no perfect answer that pleases everyone, but there has to be a better way than the two options so far. As I see it, the options are to go forward with the meters and then forget about the parking issue, or sign a petition that forces a referendum on any paid parking plan.
"Neither of those options is palatable to me as a resident, but the one most likely to force the council to seek the best possible parking plan is to sign the petition. I don't know what the best answer is — probably a mix of free and paid parking, in lots, streets, and garages — but one thing that's clear is that the council isn't taking any initiative to search for that answer. As long as that's the case, I'll sign any petition that takes away the power they don't deserve to have."
Should Betty Massey, who is running for mayor of Galveston, resign as chairwoman of Galveston’s Recovery Committee? The question keeps coming up. It was raised by City Councilwoman Elizabeth Beeton during a public meeting and has since been a standing topic among Galveston’s coffee drinking groups.
You can get the drift of the debate if you look at a letter from Barbara Roberts, a former city councilwoman and a former city attorney. Roberts resigned from the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustments when she became a candidate for judge for County Court at Law No. 2.
In her resignation letter, she said: “According to Article IX, Section 3(b) of the City Charter, no appointive officer may continue in the appointed position after becoming a candidate for election to any public office. Based upon the charter provision and the city’s previous interpretations regarding this provision, the charter requires me to resign my appointed position on the Zoning Board of Adjustments, effectively immediately.”
Massey said she believes the charter makes a distinction between the city’s standing committees and boards and ad hoc committees, such as the Recovery Committee. The key distinction she makes is that the decision-making process stops with the votes of major boards, such as the park board and the wharves board. Ad hoc committees, including the Recovery Committee, can only advise.
Massey said the charter requires her to resign from the Park Board of Trustees, and she will do that when she formally files for office, probably next month. But she said she believes the charter treats ad hoc committees differently and does not require her to resign from the recovery committee. She pointed out that several people who are members of standing committees and boards, including the city council, have been involved in the Recovery Committee.
Asked if she thought that being chair of the Recovery Committee would give her an advantage in her run for mayor, she replied that service on the committee could be just as much a disadvantage as an advantage. Some of the things the committee recommended would be unpopular; others would be popular. She also said she sees service on the Recovery Committee as a responsibility, rather than a political opportunity. She stressed it’s a responsibility she feels obligated to fulfill.
Attorneys disagree on whether the charter requires Massey to step down. Massey said she’d requested guidance from City Attorney Suzie Green and is waiting for a reply.
I follow the distinction Massey makes between standing and ad hoc committees, and find that part of her argument persuasive. I’m less persuaded by her views on whether these kinds of posts don’t give candidates in important races a political advantage.
Massey’s argument assumes that the charter really is ambiguous, and some people don’t see that ambiguity. But even if this is a gray area, I’d say that gray areas are generally bad places for candidates to be — even if they have the best of motives.
There is some interesting stuff in the Urban Land Institute’s report on Galveston, but as I read it I kept thinking I’d heard the key recommendations before.
One example: “The panel encourages the city to aggressively encourage housing rehabilitation and infill development in historical neighborhoods throughout the urban core. ” The report urges special emphasis on the neighborhoods bounded by Broadway and Avenue O between 26th and 45th streets. “The city should work to acquire, rehabilitate and resell historic homes to first-time homebuyers or provide assistance to those wishing to acquire and rehabilitate foreclosed or blighted houses.”
The logic: Galveston has plenty of jobs — the report estimates it has 35,000 of them. It also estimates 70,000 people could live in the urban core of the city, meaning there’s no need for new developments on the West End. There is, instead, plenty of room and opportunity for this “infill development.”
However, the report also includes this: Median household income in the city is about $34,000. A person earning that amount could afford $839 a month — the note on a $100,000 house.
Historic homes are wonderful, but they have the reputation, like boats, for being bottomless pits for money. Is it realistic to expect that people will be able to afford them? The report paints a compelling picture of how Galveston could be developed by protecting its fragile environment and encouraging renovations of historic properties. But that vision depends on the assumption that people will buy those houses and renovate them, as opposed to buying houses on the Mainland. Is that realistic?
Have you ever heard of a pergola? I’ve been watching the construction of one at Mod Coffeehouse, 2126 Postoffice St., in Galveston, one of my favorite places to drink coffee.
Hurricane Ike was unkind to the trees along Postoffice Street, which had become a nice place to sit outside when the weather was pretty. The pergola at the Mod is an attempt to rebuild that atmosphere.
Although my friends say I’m hopelessly country, the pergola reminds me of a brush arbor. (I’ve got to say I’m more excited about coffee than about sermons.) Ken McManus, the coffeehouse operator, says the folks at the Mod hope to have the work done by the big Artwalk on Saturday.
A businessman who has been trying to rebuild his trade after Hurricane Ike was telling me about taxes. The tax for the proposed hospital district would be 6 to 8 cents per $100 evaluation. The city of Galveston is proposing another 6 cents. Then the school board is looking at 3 cents for a football stadium.
The businessman wondered whether people in public office understand people like him. It’s been tough on the island since the storm. When his small business is doing well, he has money to go get a plate lunch or burger at a restaurant. If just one of those taxes passes, he’s talking about bringing cold cuts to work.
I’ve been doing business with this fellow for years. It’s the first time I’ve heard him say that he’s been thinking about going back to work for wages.
He said he’s going to be watching the votes on tax rates carefully.
The story is about the controversy that arose years ago when Our Lady of Guadalupe merged with St. Patrick. At the time, feelings were running high, especially since Guadalupe served so many Spanish-speaking families. Some people at St. Patrick were not excited about the influx of new folks. Some people at Guadalupe thought their heritage was being slighted. But the story I keep hearing is that while some folks left, those who decided to stay formed a stronger parish.
This is the story told by people who are optimistic about the consolidation. I know there are also people who are unhappy about the change. I'd be interested in hearing from folks who are directly affected.
One of the wonderful things about Galveston is that you can rarely tell a story without running into another one. If you scroll down to May 12, you’ll see a post on a poem about Galveston. The poet is Richard Wilbur, a Pulitzer-Prize winner who happens to have been an English professor at Wellesley when former Galveston Mayor Jan Coggeshall was a student.
Leonard Bernstein wrote the operetta “Candide,” based on a tale by Voltaire. Wilbur was the chief lyricist who turned Voltaire’s satire into song. The former mayor recalls that Wellesley students got free tickets for the opening in Boston.
About Heber Taylor
Heber Taylor, a native of Abilene, is editor of The Daily News.
He got his first job on a newspaper at age 14, collecting scores from high school games for a regional newspaper. He's been working for newspapers ever since.
As a reporter, he visited Cuba and Eastern Europe before the fall of the Iron Curtain. He joined The Daily News in 1991 and enjoys reading.
