This was in today’s guest column Of the Galveston County Daily News. Many thanks to former Mayor Frankovich who tells it the way it is. The title “Baron’s law can’t rob mayor of charter job” says it all. Once again thank you former Mayor Frankovich for doing what is correct and in the best interest of our city.
Below is the Mayor's recap of the last council meeting.
Hello everyone,
I promised you my State of our Community Address, which I made to the League City Chamber of Commerce luncheon meeting this past Friday.
Thank you for inviting me to report the State of League City to you!
In the few months since becoming your Mayor, two major events have happened. Hurricane Ike slammed into the Texas coast and caused a lot of damage in League City and the communities around us. Our Emergency Management, Fire, Police, Public Works and the entire staff worked around the clock to get services back online, and they helped neighboring communities get their own services back up and running.
The 2009 Budget was reduced by 9.3 million dollars but not at the expense of good service to our residents. I requested freezing 13 positions in City government and Council agreed to all but two of those. The tax rate had to be increased, but only for capital improvement projects.
We are continuing with the improvements at the Dallas Salmon wastewater treatment facility, expanding our animal shelter, and helping residents dispose of materials like anti-freeze and used motor oil.
Our finance and accounting processes are receiving awards for excellence.
Then the national economy took one of the largest drops since World War II. This hit every business and citizen of League City! Fortunately League City's economy is better than most of America.
As we rebuild after two of the biggest storms in decades, we are moving ahead and growing as a city. Our police vehicles are becoming more fuel efficient. Some are hybrids, and others use only part of the motor when idling. All are more brightly lighted for safety.
We are working more closely with the Houston-Galveston Area Council. I have just been appointed to the Technical Advisory Committee at H-GAC. This will enhance our position for federal funds and at the perfect time, with the stimulus package being discussed in congress.
Last week I was in Washington and met with Senators Cornyn, Hutchison, and Congressmen Paul, Olson, Lee, and others. This trip was to make our presence known in the national Capitol. Senator Hutchison is especially interested in commuter rail and will help with legislation for 10 million dollars to fund the engineering phase which is the next step toward putting the rail line into operation.
Another transportation problem is the highway 518-270 area, sometimes called the '5-points nightmare.' We are working to design and build the best possible solution for this intersection. I wish it could be done quickly, but it takes time to correct a traffic problem that has been there for years and getting worse.
Next is the I-45/Hwy 518 intersection. When the Nasa Road Bypass is completed, we hope it will relieve some of our congestion! The Hwy 96/I-45 interchange and the widening of 646 will also help improve traffic, but we still need to work on improving the traffic flow through League City and onto I-45. Unfortunately when you correct a highway problem, it means construction and more traffic delays.
These connectors with I-45 are vital to League City and to Galveston County. We are the Gateway to Galveston County.
H-GAC and TxDot estimate that commuter rail between Houston and Galveston will be equal to one additional lane on interstate 45. We need to stop trying to pave over the entire country! Trees just don't grow well on asphalt!
Traffic delays are another reason I advocate more commercial business being encouraged to locate in League City. Then League City residents won't have to travel as far to work or shop and their sales tax dollars stay here!Residential growth is not good for League City if we must go outside the City to purchase what we need and take sales tax dollars to those other cities. We need more centers of commercial growth providing services for League City residents.
These are happening! Ask the Chamber of Commerce where these new developments are being built or look at the League City website or just drive around League City. The developments at 646 are still growing and this is especially good because one of our long-term problems has been the lack of sales tax income to offset property taxes. As we increase sales tax, the load is lightened on property tax.
UTMB is another tremendous asset to League City, and as much as it helps us to have them here, it also gives UTMB the protection they need from future hurricane damage.
Target, Walmart, Home Depot, HEB, Lowes and the restaurants and shops that make up the 646 intersection are all contributing to the positive growth of the city and the services that League City residents want. On the other side of the equation, League City residents are spending more of their disposable income here at home, not in other cities!
In addition to streets, we need to improve utilities. This is an expensive item-the wastewater system must be improved and water services need expanding. Our utilities were stretched before Hurricane Ike, and now with the additional residents moving here from the island and other storm impacted communities, these utilties are even more stressed.
While in Washington last week, this was one of my most important issues and with the economic stimulus package working it's way through Congress, timing was just right to put League City's needs before our national leaders.
It's NOT impossible to keep our streets in good repair and the utilities working while providing for new and expanding growth, but the businesses of League City require the constant attention of you, me, and all the citizens of our city.
We must all remember: we are "one of the best 100 cities in America" We have a rich historical heritage. We have some of the brightest children in Texas-and our schools are some of the best in America! We have parks, lakes, and creeks, and the beautiful oaks on Main Street. These trees will become the backdrop for a new downtown redevelopment district that is in its early stages.
Our library, parks, schools, and government are watched over by volunteers, employees, and elected officials, who help make us a city with open government, involved citizens, and natural assets unrivaled by any city in America.
Let me finish by saying "We have many opportunities for improvements, and many challenges. But we live and work in the largest city in Galveston County and one of the greatest cities in America, with more possibilities than problems.
League City will grow and prosper and all of us will make it happen!
Thank you.
Mayor Toni Randall
28 comments:
Mr. Mallios,
It was not that long ago that you spent a great deal of your own money and time in a hard fought campaign against (the now) Mayor Randall. It would be quite understandable if that experience had left you bitter or at best unenthusiastic.
Instead, you have proven to be one of the greatest supporters and encouragers of Mayor Randall and have done all and more than could be expected of you as a private citizen to assist and help her efforts to lead the city, just as you promised that you would should you ultimately not prevail in the campaign.
My hat is off to you sir for demonstrating what the service of public leadership should be all about. Would that other politicians at all levels learn by your example.
Thank you for giving your best with whatever opportunity you are given.
Jeff Hagen
Jeff,
What a bunch of horse hockey.
Marc
Marc,
In the great American tradition, we all do more than our fair share of complaining about politicians, especially on these blogs.
I think it is right to at least occasionally say something positive when good leadership is evident. We have been fortunate in League City to see some good leaders rise to the situation in recent times. Mayor Randall and Chris Mallios for example have shown just that sort of character and I think that is a good thing. I hope we will see more of it and I hope that you will remember that Chris is your friend.
Jeff
Chris,
Mayor Randall has a positive attitude and wants only the best for our booming city. Her critics should put their pettiness aside and get on her bandwagon!
Your support of Mayor Randall is commendable. The easy route is to be critical and harsh. It takes a big man to extend his hand to the victor. Shame on all those who prefer to remain angry and hateful.
It is (way past) time that people work together to move our city forward!
babs, jeff. i agree with you guys. cm is either getting wiser in his old age or we just haven't seen the person that he really is. either way, it's a good thing for the citizens to have someone like him. Unlike ME, who dares not critize his buds ph/tc and only responses to them by saying "yas sa". cm praises and critizes when needed. keep up the good work cm.
Mr. Hagen,
You are too kind and I thank you.
Babs,
Thank you as well and you are correct it is time that all the pettiness and personal grudges be set aside for the good of the largest city in Galveston County. There are many more important things that need to be accomplished for our city. Divided we will not be able to accomplish this but together we will.
Lcpd,
Thank you for the kind words as well. I am getting older but I have always been this way. Mayor Randall is one of the few people who accepts a person by their actions instead of what political party they belong to. What a difference that could make in our city.
Marc,
Horse Hockey??? Now I’ve seen horses play football in the snow but I’ve never seen them on ice skates with sticks, chasing a puck. Could you be revealing next year’s super bowl ad ? Or are you just confused?
Jeff, Babs, and lcp
I could not agree with you more. It is refreshing to read positive postings regarding League City politics.
I did not support Mayor Randall in the May election, but I am an ardent supporter today. She has restored honesty and integrity to the office she holds.
Mayor Randall has bridged the many political factions. They have put their political differences aside for the good of the city. Her critics have been "at war" for over thirty years. They only know how to villify, malign, and spread false information. Their shtick is so old that they themselves are consumed with hate and bitterness.
I commend former Mayor Frankovich and former council member Meeks, for their time and commitment regarding city appointments. I am not sure for over forty years, 7 elected Mayors, 7 appointed city attorneys, that the appointment process was done incorrectly.
Mayor Randall is to be commended for doing a fine job. The May election will resolve the "obstructionsits" .
Chris, there is no confusion here. I just am still laughing. You all have the biggest mutual admiration club I have ever seen.
`
Marc,
Isn’t it great that the many different factions can get behind a good leader and work together? What you may call “the biggest mutual admiration club” I would call mutual respect for one another and a unified desire to move our city forward. A desire to cut out the dark side of League City politics, the desire to conduct city business in the light of day for the good of the city and not special interest groups and a desire that the people have a voice in all that is done.
My hat is off to Ms. Meeks as well for her comments at the council meeting.
It is time for the mayor to publicly ask who the obstructionists on council do not want on the boards and commissions. I believe that once the discussion is brought out in the light of day you will find that the mayor has very good reasons to replace some of the members of the boards and commissions. This is a strong mayor form of government and I believe that the council needs to allow the Mayor to do the job she was elected to do.
"Chris, there is no confusion here. I just am still laughing. You all have the biggest mutual admiration club I have ever seen."
Nope, just enough honesty and integrity to reconize when someone is conducting themselves with hinesty and integrity. As you may recall I was quite vocal about some of TR's early fauxpas. Since has largely learned from those and shown herself to be transparent.
All that aside, I'd rather be part of a mutual admiration club than a spinmeister spokesperson for the Developers Club.
I think that calling someone an obstructionist really translates into "people who do not agree with the mayor on some of his/her issues or councilman/woman who not do what the mayor wants from time to time"
Certain current council people were called obstructionists by members of the last mayor's "cabinet of advisors" too.
Now some of these same council people are being called "obstructionists" again by the new mayor’s “cabinet of advisors”. These so called obstructionists are the same council people who are diligent, prepared, familiar with the issues and have championed some of the most important city projects of the last 20 years. Obstructionist, no, they are not. Passionate and hard working about their views and their vision for the city, yes, they are. Does this cause an impasse from time to time, yes it does. But I believe having dissenting views on a council is more desirable than 6 like minded people who do not disagree on the issues from time to time. I like all the council people who are serving. What I most like is there different ideas and viewpoints. A council of 6 like minded, yes men and woman may not be what we really need. I think the Mayor is trying to do a good job and has some good ideas. I don’t think I agree with her all the time. It does not make me an obstructionist citizen.
Marc,
I agree with you that we want and need a council of independent minds who will each do their individual best to critically evaluate every issue that comes to council.
However, I would argue that on a 7 member council we should see 7 independent voices. I find it odd that you are only concerned about having 6 "like minded people". Are you implicitly acknowledging what many have long insinuated; that there is council member that just does what another member of council says, thus giving that other member effetively two votes? Why should we accept a situation where one member of council de facto has two votes?
Also, I find it odd that you would praise the particular members of council you claim have been labeled as 'obstructionists' as "diligent, prepared, familiar with the issues". Recall that it is among those members that you will find the champion of the infamous Glen Cove bridge fiasco. A council member who acknowledges intimate involvement in promoting that mistaken deal to the city and who also acknowledges making not the slightest effort to inform or seek the input of the residents affected by the deal. An action that rested on such legally dubious underpinnings on many fronts that it subsequently landed the city in a major lawsuit, called into question the ethical behavior of various city employees, and was a major factor in the overthrow of the past mayor.
By what stretch of convoluted logic can that sort of service on council be described as "diligent, prepared, familiar with the issues"?!
Furthermore, given the money that flowed from the parties financially benefiting from the bridge fiasco to the council member who was promoting it, I find it rather peculiar that you describe the implied member of council as "passionate and hard working about their views and their vision for the city". Should we the citizens really want members of council whose "vision for the city" is apparently one where developers can 'buy' special (and legally questionable) treatment from council at the expense of the interests of the affected residents and where citizens are deliberately kept in the dark about the actions and intentions of the city?
Given the council position(s) up for election this year, it would seem that the voters will soon have an opportunity to render a judgement on these questions that you imply.
Jeff Hagen
Marc,
If you believe that some council members, who are keeping the mayor from doing her duty as prescribed by our city charter, are “diligent, prepared, familiar with the issues" then you must believe that you occupy a seat on P & Z illegally. Knowing that a man of your great character and cerebral thought would never knowingly occupy an appointed position that you believe to be illegal one would think that you would resign such a position without hesitation. So let me ask you Marc are you still on P & Z commission?
JH, well that just about put ME in his place !
Oh really LCPD, what is the right place for ME? Should he be unjustifiably humiliated until he is quiet and does not voice his thoughts whether his viewpoint is right or wrong? Beaten about the head and shoulders? I thought Jeff's comment was out of line. If I know ME, I am sure he had a cow and that is why it is down. I am with League, put it backup Jeff, if it was righteous when you posted it, it is still righteous now.
F you believe it
"if you believe that some council members, who are keeping the mayor from doing her duty as prescribed by our city charter, are “diligent, prepared, familiar with the issues" "
Chris, I never said anything akin to what you said that I have quoted above. So your wild attempt to connect my words to your statement is foolish. For you to state that “Then you must believe that you occupy a seat on P & Z illegally" is nonsense
You suck at trying to twist peoples words into wild statements of fact. So Chris, along your line of thought, if you believe that I believe I am sitting on P&Z illegally, than you are a nut. I am a legally sitting P&Z commissioner until a State District Judge says otherwise or a majority vote of Council removes me, or my appointment expires and I am not re-nominated.
Man you make some wild logic connections, does the Democratic Party teach special courses in that. Are you receiving your portion of the bail out? Are you happy with your candidate’s transitioning of the U.S. to socialism?
Besides I thought you really like Mike.
LC confused, without jeff mentioning any names, we all know who the "two" individuals are whom he's talking about. Do you agree: "that there is council member that just does what another member of council says, thus giving that other member effetively two votes?" Will you deny that: "given the money that flowed from the parties financially benefiting from the bridge fiasco to the council member who was promoting it"
LC are you so blind that you will allow certain council members to devalue the position of a seat for a few thousand dollars from developers? Do these members not have any integrity? The pendulum is finally swinging to the other side and next year the last peg (JN) will fall.
Any time you want to talk facts about these "two" members, let me know.
Marc,
Darling,it's okay to be wrong. Quit beating yourself up.
It's always a struggle to see clearly when your eyes are closed.
Marc,
If that is the case then do you believe Mr. Baron to be wrong or right? Saying that you would wait on a Judge to rule only places the city in a libelous situation since Mr. Baron has PUBLICLY placed the council on notice. (To limit such liability one should have had such a discussion in executive session instead of trying to grandstand in public) Shouldn’t our Leadership caution on the side of error and just remove all the members on the alleged “illegally appointed” boards? Wouldn’t it be proactive instead of reactive to appoint all new members to the boards using the guidelines that Mr. Baron has interpreted in our state law? It is not about what is best for the individual, on the boards, but what is best for our city. On that I am sure we can both agree.
Dear Chris,
Don't use words you don't understand. Learn the English language and the use of the word libelous correctly.
li•bel•ous also li•bel•lous (lb-ls)
adj.
Involving or constituting a libel; defamatory.
I think you meant to say, putting the city in a situation where it could be liable for damages. That being said, you are wrong on both accounts.
Commissioners rely in good faith on verbal and written legal statements that allow their appointments to. Boards, Commissions and Committees. The mere question of the correctness of the procedures that place commissioners or board members in their positions does not negate their authority or their position.
Get a life Chris.
One Councilman saw one project as a good economic development issue. The developer took one tract of ordinary land, which was destined for very ordinary homes or apartments. Removing one bridge, owned and acquired by the developer, this land was transformed by allowing this land to have a navigable canal this land became extraordinary. Now this property will have homes 400k and up instead of 150k homes. This price range is desirable from the city perspective because at that value, the city does not lose money supplying services. While those who live in Glen Cove disagree, I don't see the bridge removal as quite the travesty they see it as. The bigger issue I see is that many home owners on the canal built expensive boat houses on land they did not own. When they were damaged, they can not rebuild without reconciling with the developer. The bridge is gone and not coming back, if you think it was wrong so be it, but this bridge has become the equivalent of "remember the Alamo" to a hand full of people who describe its demise as corrupt(which it was not, just laden with mistakes by the city staff). I see it as they were not paying close enough attention. I knew about the bridge removal by attending council meetings, where were they? Demonizing a council person for working to bring an economically good project to our tax rolls is not logical. If the developer built apartments, everyone would be upset about that too.
"Removing one bridge, owned and acquired by the developer,..."
By means which our CA says were wrong.
"Now this property will have homes 400k and up instead of 150k homes. This price range is desirable from the city perspective because at that value, the city does not lose money supplying services."
Marc, that almost sounds elitest. So what you are saying that even though the city "sold" away a bridge which they had no right to, it's ok because we'll get these nice homes to help with our tax rolls (which amounts to nothing more than a sizeable drop in the bucket) even though the market for these homes are in decline.
So what was the price for your integrity?
Dear BHL,
My comments are only a repeat of what I heard during council meeting said by councilman. These are just facts as I heard them. The threshold for the city to break even on providing city services I believe is $200k. I am fairly certain that the developer acquired the right to the bridge when he purchased the property from NRG. Even if the developer did not acquire the bridge when they purchased the canal, the city sold him the bridge for $275k. It is my opinion that the residents of Glen Cove had no ownership, prescriptive rights or other claims to the bridge. Right or wrongly transferred to the developer, from the developer's perspective, I believe he tried to do what is right. The city is at fault if anything was incorrectly executed. Some attorney, I do not know who, reviewed the agreements and authorized the city to issue a general warranty deed, signed by Chris Reed. A general warranty deed warranties the deed from any defect during the time of possession and previous to the grantors possession, so now all the taxpayers are on the hook if there is a defect in the deed. Again, none of this was the fault of the developer or Tommy Cones. All this was done within the framework of the city and its systems and practices. I make no comment about the correctness of what the city did, but I do believe that no malice was intended during this process by either the developer or the proponents of this project, which include the entire city council that voted for it. I know when I say this, it makes the hair stand up on Paul Smith’s neck, but it was a rickety old bridge. Also, I do believe that 200 homes valued at $150k is less desirable than 150 homes valued at $400k and up. Call me any name you like, from a financial perspective, it is a higher and better use for the land. This a fundamental rule of real estate, to find the highest and best use for real property.
I think discussion of the bridge issue is an important element of the upcoming elections, but I expect that many persons are not particularly interested in that topic. Accordingly, I am going to ask that we move discussion of the bridge to a new thread that will be started solely to discuss that topic. All interested parties are welcome to continue the conversation and I will have the new thread up in a few minutes.
Remember The Bridge!
Link to dedicated bridge thread.
Jeff
there is an imposter among us. The JC League who posted earlier is an imposter. I object to there attempt to copy me.
Post a Comment