MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Jerry Mohn, President, called the Board of Directors meeting for the West Galveston Island POA to order at 9:00 a.m. Directors making up the quorum were, Tom Boothe Condominiums; Carol Stewart of the Sportsman Road POA; Mike McCully Pointe San Luis, Sharon Ryan Jamaica Beach Improvement Committee, Peggy Zahler Spanish Grant Beach; Bill Moll as the designee for James DeFord Spanish Grant Bay; Louis Conrad Bermuda Beach; Mike McCully Pointe San Luis; John Schiller Acapulco Village; Ed Nadalin Terramar Beach; and, Marty Bilek Dunes of the West. Susan Gonzales CKM Property Management and Recording Secretary.
In attendance were Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas, District 6 City Council member, Dianna Puccetti, Steve LeBlanc Galveston City Manager, Vic Pierson Moody National Bank & Mayor Jamaica Beach; and Eric Nevelow Galveston County Sherriff Department. Corporate sponsor recognized was Peggy Zahler - Johnson Space Center Credit Union.
Galveston County Sherriff candidate, Eric Nevelow, was introduced.
MINUTES: Minutes of the September meeting were sent by email and reviewed by the Board. Upon motion duly made by Mike McCully and seconded by Peggy Zahler, the following resolution was adopted by unanimous vote.
RESOLVED THAT, the minutes of September meeting were approved as presented.
FINANCIAL REPORT Marty Bilek gave the financial report. Total cash on hand as of September 30, 2007 is $30,751 and total assets were $32,686. Upon motion duly made by Tom Booth and seconded by Peggy Zahler, the following resolution was adopted by unanimous vote.
RESOLVED THAT, the financial report was approved as presented.
West End Real Estate Statistics
Alice Melott stated that the national trends are not a reflection of the real estate market for Galveston Island. We are a consistent market. It is a buyers market. Alice stated in 2002 223 single-family homes were sold at an n average price of $218,018 compared to $353,528 in 2007. In 2002 can/bayfront units sold at $260,196 compared to $426,971 in 2007. In 2002 Beachfront average price was 385,066 compared to $575,601 in 2007.
Jerry Mohn reported the most recent Galveston Central Appraisal District 2007 Certified net taxable property values now has the west end at 43% of the tax base for the City of Galveston. The west end was 37% in 2006.
Windstorm
Ottie Zapp asked that we support Mike Jackson, Kyle Janek, Craig Eiland and Larry Taylor in their efforts on the windstorm issues.
Jamaica Beach Post Office: There will be a new post office the end of the month in Jamaica Beach behind the Valero gas station and next to the computer store. It will be a U.S. Postal Contract office.
City Council Report: City Council member Dianna Puccetti encouraged members to vote yes on the 4B Sales Tax extension. Dianna read the news release dated October 17, 2007 "Jerry Patterson, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office, will join State Sen. Mike Jackson (District 11) at the west end of the Galveston Seawall on October 23 to reveal details of what will be the biggest beach renourishment project in Texas history. This will be the largest coastal preservation effort in Galveston since the creation of the Seawall. This project and several others represents a new era for coastal protection."
Dianna gave appreciation to Vic Pierson, Marty Baker, Sidney McClendon and Jerry Mohn for their effort and participation in erosion control.
Dianna stated that the Marquette case is to be presented to Council on October 25th, starting approximately at 9:00 a.m. There will be no public discussion as this is a workshop. A vote will be taken on October 28, 2007.
Mayor of Galveston
Lyda Ann Thomas stated that the Infrastructure Capital Improvement Program (ICIP) is supported by the ½ % sales tax. She is asking for voters to vote yes to the tax in November. This tax is shared by all purchases and decreases property taxes and will allow the continuance of the ICIP. The tax money is used for beach nourishment and for the seawall and infrastructure. In 1994 the sales tax nourished the beach at a cost of $6 million. The current sewer, street, and drainage programs going on now are a result of the 4B tax.
City of Galveston City Manager
4B Sales Tax Extension
Steve LeBlanc stated he gave a presentation for the 4B Sales Tax for Economic Development for Galveston in September to the WGIPOA. He stated that the 4B Sales Tax has generated over $30 Million of capital infrastructure improvements for the island and the same time minimized Citys need to increase other funding sources like sewer fees or property taxes.
Steve advised that City Council adopted a resolution that allows the 1/8 penny be dedicated to beach nourishment and related projects; 1/8 penny for drainage and street improvements and related projects, and Ό penny for economic development. Each 1/8 penny generates approximately $1 million in taxes per year and these can be leveraged to secure approximately $9 million worth of bonds. Currently, the tourists pay a third of the tax now
The communities and areas that have benefited from the 4B Sales tax are: Sea Isle Drainage, 45th Street Drainage, Port Industrial Sewer Trunk Main, Sea Isle Canal lot sewer, Spanish Grant Bayside Sewer, Stewart Road paving, Bay Harbor West Drainage Ditch, 19th Street sewer, 18th st. storm sewer, Bermuda Beach sewer, sewer lift station No. 1, Heards Lane, Teichman Road Overlay, Boddecker Drive bridge replacement, 51st St. sewer, Strand paving, Terramar Sewer plant trunk main, Marina Blvd sewer lift station, Sea Isle sewer project paving, 93rd St. raising, Near & Far west end sewer design, Palm Beach sewer and El Lago St, Terramar Beach, Ostermeyer, 9-Mile, Sunny Beach, 7-Mile streets and Harborside Drive sewer.
The Special Election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2007. The following polling places will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.: Island Community Center, L.A. Morgan School, Weis Intermediate School, Jamaica Beach VFD and Gulf Breeze Apartments.
Please see the WGIPOA September minute for the complete presentation given on the 4B Sales Tax, on the website at www.wgipoa.com.
Discussion was held by the Board concerning the 4B Sales Tax. Upon motion duly made by Tom Boothe and seconded by Peggy Zahler, the following resolution was adopted by unanimous vote.
RESOLVED THAT, the Board approved to support the City of Galveston in their effort in the 4B Sales Tax.
Anchor Bay: Bill Moll stated that Anchor Bay wants access through a 3000 canal in Spanish Grant. Anchor Bay was going to build a boat dock into the canal but once notified that Marquette Development owns the canal, Anchor Bay decided to widen the canal and still build a boat dock.
The ASBPA-GLO Fall Coastal Conference October 22-24, 2007
Jerry Mohn encouraged members to attend the conference at the Galveston Island Convention Center. Jerry stated there would be over 100 speakers, two (2) field trips before the conference.
Topics will be:
The Economic Value of Beaches, The Texas Coastal Erosion Response Program, Floridas Beach Management Program, An innovative Super Regional Resource Management, An overview of the Corps Civil works process, Physical aspects of Southern California beaches and how people perceive them, Gulf of Mexico program & alliance, Coastal Management, Sand Searches I & II, Analysis of Physical Processes I & II, Coastal Stabilization including Structures, Coastal Management planning for protection, Impacts two views- hurricanes and wetlands, Beach & Dune restoration Case Studies I, Mitigating impacts (Natural & Human), Coastal Regulation and Land Use, Beaches Dunes Surfing, Risk Analysis, Beach Access and Sand for All, and Economics of Coastal Management, Inlets & Navigation I.
There being no further business to come before the Board the meeting was adjourned.
Susan Gonzales
Acting Secretary