This article was in today’s Galveston County daily news and states the Mayor is on her way to Washington D.C. to take action on our traffic situation. While others waste seven years and do nothing (except claim projects that were already planned to be done) and yet others try to play Perry Mason , cross examining our H R director while asking the city staff if they know what he “does for a living”, it is very impressive to see a politician do what they said they would do. The mayor has kept her campaign promise of economic development by hiring Mr. Jerry Grooms, who was the EDC Director in La Marque. Mr. Grooms lives in League City and will bring to our city administration his 25 years of municipal experience. Mr. Grooms will be working with the mayor as well as Doug Frazier to continue to add commercial development to our tax base.
The Mayor's Report, January 27, 2009
I am delighted to report that my new HOA visitation program is proving to be a big hit. Last week we attended a meeting in Lakeside along with Phyllis Sanborn, Neal Baron, Jack Murphy and Tim Paulissen. Monday night we were invited to a large meeting in Clear Creek Village. We were represented by myself, Chris Reed, Mike Jez, Larry Herbert, Ken Clark, Phyllis Sanborn, and Tim Paulissen. We were glad to hear the citizens comments and are already working on their issues. If your HOA would like a visit by City officials, just call the Mayor's office.
January went out with a bang, for us in League City. Last night's Council meeting had a very diversified agenda, with some of the items simply not acted upon or voted down as not being pertinent. I will hit the highlights of the meeting for you.
The meeting opened with a FULL audience, which is great for us up on the dais to see! We really like it when so many chairs are filled! Councilmen Mike Barber and Chris Samuelson were absent.
Regarding proclamations, I was delighted to present a Certificate of Excellence to our staff who worked on Financial Reporting for the period ending September 30, 2007. We also heard an excellent presentation by Earth and Space Science Homeschoolers, called "Climate Connections: The Need for Green Roofs" urging the City to enact ordinances to guarantee that we all benefit from "going Green" by enacting green laws in League City.
Interestingly, and along this same "green" theme, Item 5.D. was a Public Hearing and Take Action to change.1 acres of Open Space in Cypress Bay to RSF-7 for homes. The vote was 4-1, with Paulissen being the negative vote.
Many of the folks in the audience were there for the agenda item 5.F which would move more lots at the Wharf into their PUD. The motion was made by Paulissen, seconded by Sanborn, and passed 5-0.
Renee Bennett told us about our proposed Boundless Special Needs Playground which was later in the agenda. Chien Wei explained to Council that, with their approval, we would be fundraising for the park and accepting donations made to Patrons of the Park, especially earmarked for this park. The equipment is proposed to be located just north of the Station Masters House in League Park, replacing equipment there that is scheduled for replacement anyway. Motion was made by Cones, seconded by Paulissen, passed 5-0.
We have now been re-branded with a new logo created by a 15-member Committee which considered all the possibilities for two months. Their goal was to keep our attachment to our beautiful oaks, and take us into the 21st Century at the same time. Members of the Committee were in the audience and a report was made by Ton Linklater and Peggy Zaylor. The cost to change everything on which the logo appears at the same time, for more impact, is $17,000. Council approved 5-0. So watch for the new look!
Our Director of Public Safety, Jamie Galloway, proposed Council consider a new Emergency Notification System. During Ike, we were offered to piggy-back on the County's notification system (which broke down). The proposed new system would preclude situations like that, and has the capability to send information by phone, text message, email, etc. It could be used for emergency information, plus any other special announcements that citizens need to know. Jamie proposed an 18-month contract, which would give us some cost savings by entering mid-year. Council passed 5-0
There was a great deal of discussion about how difficult it is to find a time that all of Council can meet for special workshops. Council did pass, 4-1 (Sanborn was against,) a first reading of an ordinance to establish a schedule of workshop meetings, which the City Attorney said are not mandatory and cannot be enforced.
There was also a long discussion about having a summer Council dress code, and after much back and forth, Nelson's motion was defeated 1-4.
An Executive session item had to do with clearing up the drainage problems in Lakeside, and Council voted to do whatever it takes to get this problem corrected as soon as possible. So, we're working on the problem, going out for bids, etc.
One of the items that was listed in Executive Session deserves my explanation to you as a citizen of League City. Councilmen Cones, Baron, and Nelson questioned Chris Reed, City Administrator, and HR Director Alison Smith for more than an hour about my hiring of Mr. Jerry Grooms back in December. When I took office, the office of Assistant to the Mayor was held by a very smart young woman, who though she is extremely alert and efficient, she does not have have experience along economic development lines. Because Chris Reed and I did not want to lose her, we found a good position for her in the City Secretary's office. Her duties were changed accordingly, plus being named Assistant to Chris Reed. Because I campaigned on economic development, I wanted to hire Mr. Jerry Grooms, who was at the time the EDC Director in LaMarque. I was delighted that he was interested in making the change (because he lives in League City,) because of his 25 years of municipal experience. With this arrangement, Mr. Grooms will be working not only with me, but also with Doug Frazier, which will keep the Mayor's office abreast of our economic development progress. Consequently, I met with Reed and Smith, so that all of the steps of this hiring would be strictly by the book. We three are satisfied with the way the hiring was handled.
Cones made a motion to cancel the position, with Nelson seconding. However, Mr. Baron said that while he shared the same feelings of Cones and Nelson, he was not going to vote for their motion because two wrongs don't make a right. Seeing that he did not have enough votes, Cones withdrew his motion, Nelson withdrew his second, and the issue died for lack of a motion.
For more than two hours, our paid staff and Council were kept on duty by this issue, the dress code discussion, and the workshop meetings first reading (which cannot be enforced.)
We are moving forward, folks, and things are looking good. I will be making my State of the Community speech in a couple of weeks, and will send it to you by email.
Mayor Toni Randall
One final thought by Mayor Randall
On Monday night P&Z passed an application for a Master Plan Revision to a Planned Unit Development by Tuscan Lakes. Their approval, required by the verbiage in the PUD Document, means that we will have almost 600 new apartments on both sides of 96 from Dickinson Avenue to SSH Blvd on the north, and 1266 on the south!!
The document said that refusal to pass the application would result in a lawsuit to the City, with the City paying all of the legal expenses. This document is similar to at least 20 others that were written and passed by Council during 2005-2006, and it is obvious that the fine print was not read thoroughly by the City.
You cannot blame the developer, as he is following his chosen profession as we all have a right to do to earn our living. He only did what he was allowed, but was paying more attention than the City was at the time.
But as a City, it is utterly incomprehensible that we who are supposed to be taking care of our citizens could have let this happen! I am simply astounded!
Our roads are beyond capacity, our infrastructure is straining at the seams, and we are all scrambling just to keep up, and here come another 600 units with their school age children, and several cars per household.
Under my leadership I will do everything in my power to be sure that all due diligence is done so that no such thing will happen in the future! The City Administrator and I will be working with the Director of Land Management to ensure that upcoming PUD and other development documents should not be allowed to contain this kind of verbiage.
Again, I am utterly astounded!
The Mayor's Report, January 27, 2009
I am delighted to report that my new HOA visitation program is proving to be a big hit. Last week we attended a meeting in Lakeside along with Phyllis Sanborn, Neal Baron, Jack Murphy and Tim Paulissen. Monday night we were invited to a large meeting in Clear Creek Village. We were represented by myself, Chris Reed, Mike Jez, Larry Herbert, Ken Clark, Phyllis Sanborn, and Tim Paulissen. We were glad to hear the citizens comments and are already working on their issues. If your HOA would like a visit by City officials, just call the Mayor's office.
January went out with a bang, for us in League City. Last night's Council meeting had a very diversified agenda, with some of the items simply not acted upon or voted down as not being pertinent. I will hit the highlights of the meeting for you.
The meeting opened with a FULL audience, which is great for us up on the dais to see! We really like it when so many chairs are filled! Councilmen Mike Barber and Chris Samuelson were absent.
Regarding proclamations, I was delighted to present a Certificate of Excellence to our staff who worked on Financial Reporting for the period ending September 30, 2007. We also heard an excellent presentation by Earth and Space Science Homeschoolers, called "Climate Connections: The Need for Green Roofs" urging the City to enact ordinances to guarantee that we all benefit from "going Green" by enacting green laws in League City.
Interestingly, and along this same "green" theme, Item 5.D. was a Public Hearing and Take Action to change.1 acres of Open Space in Cypress Bay to RSF-7 for homes. The vote was 4-1, with Paulissen being the negative vote.
Many of the folks in the audience were there for the agenda item 5.F which would move more lots at the Wharf into their PUD. The motion was made by Paulissen, seconded by Sanborn, and passed 5-0.
Renee Bennett told us about our proposed Boundless Special Needs Playground which was later in the agenda. Chien Wei explained to Council that, with their approval, we would be fundraising for the park and accepting donations made to Patrons of the Park, especially earmarked for this park. The equipment is proposed to be located just north of the Station Masters House in League Park, replacing equipment there that is scheduled for replacement anyway. Motion was made by Cones, seconded by Paulissen, passed 5-0.
We have now been re-branded with a new logo created by a 15-member Committee which considered all the possibilities for two months. Their goal was to keep our attachment to our beautiful oaks, and take us into the 21st Century at the same time. Members of the Committee were in the audience and a report was made by Ton Linklater and Peggy Zaylor. The cost to change everything on which the logo appears at the same time, for more impact, is $17,000. Council approved 5-0. So watch for the new look!
Our Director of Public Safety, Jamie Galloway, proposed Council consider a new Emergency Notification System. During Ike, we were offered to piggy-back on the County's notification system (which broke down). The proposed new system would preclude situations like that, and has the capability to send information by phone, text message, email, etc. It could be used for emergency information, plus any other special announcements that citizens need to know. Jamie proposed an 18-month contract, which would give us some cost savings by entering mid-year. Council passed 5-0
There was a great deal of discussion about how difficult it is to find a time that all of Council can meet for special workshops. Council did pass, 4-1 (Sanborn was against,) a first reading of an ordinance to establish a schedule of workshop meetings, which the City Attorney said are not mandatory and cannot be enforced.
There was also a long discussion about having a summer Council dress code, and after much back and forth, Nelson's motion was defeated 1-4.
An Executive session item had to do with clearing up the drainage problems in Lakeside, and Council voted to do whatever it takes to get this problem corrected as soon as possible. So, we're working on the problem, going out for bids, etc.
One of the items that was listed in Executive Session deserves my explanation to you as a citizen of League City. Councilmen Cones, Baron, and Nelson questioned Chris Reed, City Administrator, and HR Director Alison Smith for more than an hour about my hiring of Mr. Jerry Grooms back in December. When I took office, the office of Assistant to the Mayor was held by a very smart young woman, who though she is extremely alert and efficient, she does not have have experience along economic development lines. Because Chris Reed and I did not want to lose her, we found a good position for her in the City Secretary's office. Her duties were changed accordingly, plus being named Assistant to Chris Reed. Because I campaigned on economic development, I wanted to hire Mr. Jerry Grooms, who was at the time the EDC Director in LaMarque. I was delighted that he was interested in making the change (because he lives in League City,) because of his 25 years of municipal experience. With this arrangement, Mr. Grooms will be working not only with me, but also with Doug Frazier, which will keep the Mayor's office abreast of our economic development progress. Consequently, I met with Reed and Smith, so that all of the steps of this hiring would be strictly by the book. We three are satisfied with the way the hiring was handled.
Cones made a motion to cancel the position, with Nelson seconding. However, Mr. Baron said that while he shared the same feelings of Cones and Nelson, he was not going to vote for their motion because two wrongs don't make a right. Seeing that he did not have enough votes, Cones withdrew his motion, Nelson withdrew his second, and the issue died for lack of a motion.
For more than two hours, our paid staff and Council were kept on duty by this issue, the dress code discussion, and the workshop meetings first reading (which cannot be enforced.)
We are moving forward, folks, and things are looking good. I will be making my State of the Community speech in a couple of weeks, and will send it to you by email.
Mayor Toni Randall
One final thought by Mayor Randall
On Monday night P&Z passed an application for a Master Plan Revision to a Planned Unit Development by Tuscan Lakes. Their approval, required by the verbiage in the PUD Document, means that we will have almost 600 new apartments on both sides of 96 from Dickinson Avenue to SSH Blvd on the north, and 1266 on the south!!
The document said that refusal to pass the application would result in a lawsuit to the City, with the City paying all of the legal expenses. This document is similar to at least 20 others that were written and passed by Council during 2005-2006, and it is obvious that the fine print was not read thoroughly by the City.
You cannot blame the developer, as he is following his chosen profession as we all have a right to do to earn our living. He only did what he was allowed, but was paying more attention than the City was at the time.
But as a City, it is utterly incomprehensible that we who are supposed to be taking care of our citizens could have let this happen! I am simply astounded!
Our roads are beyond capacity, our infrastructure is straining at the seams, and we are all scrambling just to keep up, and here come another 600 units with their school age children, and several cars per household.
Under my leadership I will do everything in my power to be sure that all due diligence is done so that no such thing will happen in the future! The City Administrator and I will be working with the Director of Land Management to ensure that upcoming PUD and other development documents should not be allowed to contain this kind of verbiage.
Again, I am utterly astounded!
28 comments:
The Mayor’s report was well done. It must have been a very difficult feat to summarize the last hour of the council meeting in a few sentences.
The desperate act of Council Cones to impose HIS will on the mayor’s hiring of her assistant was absurd. I find it most unbelievable is that Neil Baron was sucked into this theater.
After a lengthy drilling of Human Resources Director, Neil “You do understand my background - I am a Lawyer” Baron professes “You should have gone to law school. You defend yourself very well”.
Should the HR Director have to defend herself? The hiring of Mr. Grooms was based on a joint agreement between all parties involved including the Mayor, Mr. Reed, and HR.
Then of course, Mr. Cones asks many of the same questions. At the very least he could pay attention to what is being stated again and again.
In a final act of foolishness, Cones moves to delete/abolish the Office of Assistant of the Mayor. Brilliant!!!
Yes, the Mayor lost patience and spoke harshly to Cones and Baron. Good for her!!
I could go on and on but work calls.
If you are unable to watch the entire council meeting please view the last hour. I think it ends sometime after 10 pm. Replays are at 6:00 pm on Channel 16.
Good work, mayor.
Who was the attorney responsible for reviewing these PUD documents on behalf of the city? I think I could have done a better job of securing the city's ability to regulate changes in the PUD between apartments and town homes.
Does the mayor have a clue what message her body language conveys? Someone needs to tell her to lose that rabid chihuahua posturing when responding to the 3 amigos. Truth and integrity stand on their own.
Hmmph! No appreciation for theatre.
C’mon Marc,
The real question is who on the P & Z voted to allow this to happen? I believe the citizens have a right to know how you voted and why. But it seems to me that you will dodge your responsibility by trying to blame someone else. Oh please, save it for someone who can be fooled. We know it was all part of the grand plan of your good old boys Baron and Cones. Had they had the interest of the citizens at heart they would have allowed the mayor to appoint some new members to the P & Z board as written and directed in the charter. But instead they delayed, knowing that this vote was coming up, so that they could insure that their good old boys would get what they wanted. As a member of P & Z I think you owe the citizens your “cerebral thought” process that would allow more apartments into our city. And please don’t whine about the way the PUD was written. That is just a smoke screen to cover up the grand plan.
Mr. Mallios, Please, do not insult the intelligence of the people of League City with your garbage.
November 21, 2005
Mr. Mallios made a motion to approve an extension of the preliminary plat of Westover Park Section 10
Mr. Mallios made a motion to approve the preliminary plat for South Shore Harbour Section SF 65-4
December 5, 2005
Mr. Mallios made a motion to approve a preliminary plat of the Meadows at Bay Colony, Section 3
December 5, 2005
Mr. Mallios said, Gentlemen; I think we have moved the city forward. I think the city staff has done an excellent job. I appreciate the effort and I appreciate being on the commission.
December 5, 2005
December 5, 2005
a preliminary plat for Magnolia Estates, Sec 3.
December 5, 2005
Mr. Mallios made a motion to approve for South Shore Harbour Section SF 70-2-2
Mr. Mallios seconded a motion to approve rezone of 3.6 acres from CN to CG 3830 FM 518
Plenty more where these came from, I just do not want to type that much..
Mr. Mallios you are a Yutz. Definition=This is from the Yiddish, it means ditz, klutz, dumkoft, ninny, nincompoop, socially incompetent boob, twit, dumb ass
Marc,
Welcome back to the blog.
I say keep typing my friend. Is that the best you can do? Are you even remotely familiar with those projects? There is no doubt how I voted and would be glad to explain those votes to any and all who would like to know. The point is Marc, that I did not blame ANYONE else for the situation as you have done. Unlike you I take responsibility for my actions on any board or commission I have been on. You bring up votes from almost four years ago yet you fail to discuss the one you cast to continue to bring in more apartments to our city. I guess you prefer to hide your head in the sand and hope it goes away. Grow up Marc and get a backbone. Defend your position and tell the public why you voted the way you did instead of running away and trying to blame it on someone else. If the responsibility and heat is too much for you than I suggest, for the betterment of the city, you remove yourself from the situation.
One last though Marc,
Tell the public how many of those projects that you list and I voted for were for apartments. The answer is none my friend. So who is attempting to deceive and insult the intelligence of the citizens? Yutz? I understand Marc why you know the definition so well.
I will explain further just so my point is not wasted on you.
P&Z consists of seven (7) volunteer, members appointed by the city council to advise on planning and land development matters. The Planning and Zoning Commission meets almost every other Tuesday to hear and make recommendations to the council on proposed zoning and land use changes.
We did not write or make the zoning ordinance, nor did we write the law that governs the use of PUD documents between the city and the developers.
The Tuscan Lakes Pud describes the use of apartments and towne homes but does not establish distinct class for each. In fact it describes the use as interchangeable between the apartments and towne homes. So to reatate the crux of the issue, the PUD fails to establish two classes and define their distinct uses and allowable percentage of use for each. Since these distinct uses are not established as town homes and apartments, we then must look to the 2003 zoning ordinance for guidance. Multifamily is not broken out well in the 2003 zoning ordinance. This document offers us no support to establish these as two unique uses and does not prevent the developer from using them interchangeably. So the use as described as Towne Homes now becomes available for apartments by the developer. This was what I deduced from hours of study and my decision was based on this. The fact that I like apartments or dislike apartments did not did not impact my decesion.
This is how it suppose to work, right Chris? Did you use some other method as you were deciding what motions for approval you were making?
So there you have it. No grand conspiracy by Mr. B. or Mr. T. Just your wild imagination Chris.
Oh and to set the record straight from the Mallios spin. When within our rights to deny, I have voted against changes in zoning to multi family from other uses and sent those recomendations to council for consideration. So quit being so mashugana.
Let me make it more granular for you Chris, it is not about the fact that the last vote was about apartments, it is about the documents and how contract law works. You just don't understand these things. That is okay, those with less mental capacity like you should not hurt their brains trying to comprehend these things. Just keep telling everyone how great this city is and you are happy to be here, you do that well.
Mr. Mallios said, Gentlemen; I think we have moved the city forward. I think the city staff has done an excellent job. I appreciate the effort and I appreciate being on the commission.
Chris you are so clueless, yet you have a big mouth
So now you are a contract attorney? My goodness your “cerebral thought“ process has no bounds does it? I notice not once did you mention what may have been best for the city and the citizens. Sometimes Mr. Edelman you must stand up for the citizens. You had the option (with in your right) to vote no but you did not. As for the lack of new appointments to the P & Z well that is a fact and a matter of public record. If it makes you feel better to justify your decision by blaming others than you go right ahead.
And for the record mashugana is spelled with and “e” and not an “a”. If you are going to insult someone in a different language at least know how to spell the word my friend.
Anytime you are ready to discuss this face to face my free lunch offer still stands.
Not to take sides (because I am enjoying this so much that I am rooting for both of you), but it all seems SO simple. If the PUD lingo muddles apartments and townhouses together as one in the same, then, in the words of Nancy, JUST SAY NO! Make them change it, or just say no. Why is that so hard?
Chris, as usual, you think you know everything. You couldn't be more wrong, mushugana can be spelled either way.
Chris, as usual, you think you know everything. You couldn't be more wrong, mushugana can be spelled either way.
Ditto what Moratto said. If it can't be accomplished using common sense, vote no.
Paul, saying no would then open the city up to a potential breach of contract suit, potential real damages to the developer and lots of legal fees from our lawyers and possibly from the developer's lawyers. Then everyone would be screaming why we recklessly involved the city in a needless lawsuit. I wish it was as simple as "just say no."
Chris,
Maybe you should use this in your bloggin as a guidline
The Four-Way Test
Of the things we think, say or do
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
I do, you yutz.
:)
This sounds like another deep hole the former finance director "red" dug for the city.
Perhaps she should not have been quite so infatuated with the young, dashing Mr. Johnson!
For heavens sake, Mr. Edelman, all you do is call people names!
I heard that Mr. Cones was on the original citizen committee that was formed to create the first zoning for League City.
Anyone know if this is true?
Dear Evelyn,
The only person I call names is Chris, partly in fun, because we are friends. Also, I like to point out the irony in Chris's words versus his past actions and reality. Currently, he is the self annointed Marvin Zindler of League city. He is pointing his Joe McCarthy finger at anyone he can to blame them for the increase in the numbers of houses and apartments. Really he should explain to the readers that when you are on planning & zoning, you are there to make analytical decisions on land use put before you based on the ordinances and state laws. Only in rare instances does your decision allow for use of discretion of opinion as the ordinances are pretty black and white. Instead Chris wants you to believe that P&Z is a place where a commisioner can be arbitrary and capricious in their decisions. However, whim and opinion can not play a role in the votes made there. Sorry Chris, you know it just does not work that way. But you know that, you just like to create theatre in all these issues so less informed citizens will believe you are some kind of super hero.
Previously, another blogger said, "Chris enjoys running around like someone at the Salem witch trials calling people witches. In Salem, if you were accused of being a witch you were tied up and thrown into an icy river, if you floated and survived, you were a witch, if you drowned they were wrong and you were not a witch."
Chris, My actions did stand up for what I believe is best for the City and the citizens. My vote was one step closer to there not being a needless lawsuit by the developer for breech of contract. I have emailed you the Pud documents. read them.
Sadly, I received the news that a long time aquaintance of mine and Chris's long time friend Roger Baker passed away the day before yesterday.
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