Prior to this Council Meeting, there was a birthday party for League City resident Bertha Iles, who will be 100 years old on March 21st. Birthday cake was served to gathered guests.
I was pleased that there was a large number of visitors present. All council members were in attendance except Tim Paulissen.
In the proclamations department, I was delighted to recognize the accomplishment of the first credit union branch in Clear Springs High School. A certificate was presented to Alex Torres, Assistant School Superintendent and Peggy Zahler, representing JSC Credit Union. The branch is a part of the school's co-op department and is using 4 students.
I also made a proclamation of March 21 as Ms. Bertha Iles Day. Bertha is an active member of our Seniors Program. she arrived for her honorarium in a limousine! Happy Birthday, Bertha!
Half a dozen residents of Clear Creek Shores spoke against a bridge across Clear Creek at Palomino Road, and brought an attorney with them, Leslie Barris, who also spoke to Council against the controversial bridge. Dan Becker spoke about fiscal responsibility, and Forrest Sory echoed Mr. Becker's comments.
The resolution to adopt a schedule of regular additional annual workshops for City Council finally passed. This was the third appearance before Council.
In my Mayors comments, I told everyone that because of delays in selling road bonds due to the terrible market right now, we will be taking a new look at our transportation needs. This comprehensive mobility study will encompass the whole city, the jammed intersections, with an eye also to mass transit: park and ride, and high speed rail. I really feel it is prudent to use this time wisely to be sure that what we are planning will really solve our problems.
Board Members were approved for TIRZ #4 and one member was appointed to DLC. DLC and the Park on Clear Creek Development Authority Corporation were postponed to the next meeting.
A bid for auto parts and batteries was awarded to Russell and Smith Ford through a drawing out of a hat by Peggy Zahler, due to a tie in the bid. Amazing that even in a city as big as ours, we still must resort to such primitive measures at times!
Council voted to create a fulltime "Arborist" position, which we have been without for more than a year. Cones voted no
A date of March 30 was set for a Council Workshop to discuss proposed Charter Amendment propositions. No time has been specified.
A home is being built for a veteran at 2768 Lomelina Lane in Tuscan Lakes. Council voted to waive all City related building and impact fees as an honor to the veteran, pending of course, the legalities involved.
It was announced that the League City Chamber will be hosting a Candidates Forum on April 7 or 9, here in Ciouncil Chambers.
The joint meeting of P&Z, ZBA, and the Historic District Commission scheduled for March 17, has been rescheduled April 21st.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:39.
Next week is Spring Break for CCISD students! Hooray for Daylight Savings Time! Enjoy!
Mayor Toni Randall
18 comments:
Hats off to the Clear Creek Shores residents. Those guys and gals are organized and the first one to speak was their attorney. Dan Becker and Forrest Sory also spoke his mind their minds about several vital issues. My map shows the proposed bridge location about nine-tenths of a mile from the under utilized Bay Area cross over. Doesn’t sound like a priority to me.
Does anyone have a copy of the Scope of Work for this latest commissioned transportation consultant report? I have heard conflicting reports about project scope and consulting cost. Is this the same report to be done by Huitt-Zollar (sp?) and does it include 518 / 270 bypass?
By the way, check out “Other Business Item D” on this Monday’s P & Z Agenda. They are considering making the zoning members packet information available to the public electronically. Great idea! I think this is part of Peggy Zahler's recommendations for more transparency in city government.
Paul,
Consider the logistics and location of the BAB bridge compared to the location of Palomino. Folks headed to I45 taking BAB have to go all the way down through Fwood. Map out the distances, and you will see that 518 is a shorter stretch. Do the same with Palomino and you will see that it's a short stretch to 45 via 528. Much more reasonable for LC residents as it's more in the geographical center of the west side. Plus we wouldn't have to watch out for those Fwood speed traps designed to catch LC residents.
Let us see who does what in this community. What kind of person does not support GOD?
Paper: Houston Chronicle
Date: WED 07/26/2000
Section: A
Page: 30
Edition: 3 STAR
Residents of League City debate `godly' resolution
By RUTH RENDON
Staff
LEAGUE CITY - Despite facing a possible lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union, the City Council here Tuesday took no action on whether to rescind a resolution dealing with "godly principles."
After about an hour-long executive session, Mayor Tommy Frankovich said the council would seek more legal opinions.
During the public comment session, an equal number of residents spoke in support of the "godly principles" resolution and against the measure.
The resolution, which was unanimously approved in February, was brought back into the fold last week when an ACLU attorney informed the city that failure to rescind it would result in a lawsuit.
The resolution urges the president to call on Americans to remember "the godly principles of our founding fathers and recognize both the influence these principles have had in the founding of our nation and the character, honor, sense of duty and commitment they produced in our founders."
Former City Councilwoman Elaine Kosty chastised the council "for not having the comprehension or wherewithal to preserve our fore-fathers' blueprint to separate church and state. Your action, and tenacity in defending a resolution, which was deliberately enacted to be Christianity in your face, manifests the irresponsibility of this council."
Kosty turned to the 150 people and asked them to call on City Council members to "quit wasting time and our money in the defense of an indefensible, unconstitutional doctrine and start spending their time instead on the business of the city."
The audience applauded when Dinah Mack commended Frankovich and the council for passing the "godly principles" resolution.
"One only needs to glance at the moral decay of our nation to realize that such a resolution is needed here, there and everywhere," said Mack, 42, a student at Rice University
Straight Talk, (Pat)
So what does that mean? I did not see a single name of any candidate running for office in that report. If you have something to say then say it Pat. Your history is well documented so as to educate the voters of our town. You do believe an informed voter is the best voter don’t you?
You want to live up to your “straight talk” name then use your real name and discuss the issues with Mike Lee. Take responsibility and explain your actions and manner on the blog. Very few people, if anyone, believe that your computer was hacked into nor do they believe it was not you. Had you been wronged in any way you would have taken anyone you could to court. Fact is they were correct. It’s time to face the facts and come clean with the citizens of our city and apologize for your hateful and resentful statements that Mr. Edelman could not take down fast enough.
thanks straight, now i know not to vote for frankovich.
Chris not everyone who voices an opinion on this forum that is contrary to your opinion is Pat Hallisey.
LC Con,
I agree with what you say. However if you know pat you know the many faces of pat. I understand your situation and respect your opinion.
We must also remember to keep our eye on the ball called Tommy “Two tone” Cones. Mr. Cones has a strong record of taking developer money and then pushing those contributor’s agendas. He has done nothing in the last eight years except vote for just about ever rooftop project that has been presented to him. He may speak of leadership but that is all he can do is speak of it. What leadership role he could have had has been discredited by his blatant service to those who contribute to his campaign and not the citizens of our city. He creates more traffic yet does nothing to build roads (he does attempt to take credit for road projects done by others) So when Mr. Cones writes or talks (If he ever shows up at a forum) of his leadership abilities the only leadership he has shown is his leadership ability to gain PAC money from developers and local developers to concrete League City before someone else has the chance to receive such contributions.
Paper: Houston Chronicle
Date: Thu 04/12/2007
Section: ThisWeek
Page: 4
Edition: 2 STAR
LEAGUE CITY / Councilman's attempt to fire city attorney fails
"Most of our litigation is filed under my name as lead attorney," Gregg said. "I was attorney of record in that (Kosty) case for a brief time. It appears that I bowed out in 2000.
"Another attorney finished the case for (the Kostys)," he added. "I apologize that I overlooked that obscure experience that was neither momentous nor memorable to me. Had it come to mind I would have disclosed
Striaght Balk,
It seems even your ability to spell your name shows deception. If you were talking straight you would probably spell it correctly Hmmmm what’s that called ….A Freudian slip. So are you saying that Mr. Gregg should be removed because he failed to disclose what he categorizes as “that obscure experience”? Tell us O deceptive one what are you trying to say? And what does it have to do with the upcoming city election or for that matter this thread?
Or has someone gained control of your computer again?
I was reminded last night why I love my time in New York.
Our little group (couples mostly) got together last night, just as we have for years.
Normally the conversation stays elevated above the local politics because some at the table don't know and don't care about the "sport" that a relative handful of egocentric individuals are playing at the expense of the vast majority.
We have lives.
Last night the conversation was dominated by Pat, and to a lesser degree Tommy and Ed. They are kind of connected aren't they? Do they also admire and support each other?
Hasn't it been that way for close to a decade, especially with Tommy and Pat?
Have those two really supported all of the things that are now known to be the cause of so much of our current angst?
Isn't Ed their friend?
I did listen intently, thanks to a great Merlot.
I'm a little surprised by the distraction Pat is creating in this thread.
Is Pat the larger issue here,and if so,is that by design?
If there was consensus reached last night, it was that Pat is a lightning rod. That is his role.
My personal thought at 11:30 last night was that "Pat" would never play well in New York.
It's too big and he's too small.
Chelsea,
Interesting theory. Pat as the sacrificial lamb to draw attention away from T'two-step'C.
Won't work, the real sacrificial lamb didn't go out to draw attention to himself. Nor did he cuss out others.
BHL,
Sweetie, it already is working.It is my understanding that Pat hasn't cast a vote on anything since Tommy was elected. Still you guys are crowing about Pat and not Tommy or Ed.Can you name a major traffic producing development that Tommy did not vote for? Can you name a dry hole that he didn't help dig? How about a developer dollar he didn't accept?
Adieu
Does anyone know if there will be a Chamber of Commerce forum for the candidates running for city office in League City? If so, do you know when and where it will be?
Section: A
Page: 31
Edition: 2 STAR
Astronaut memorial defeated/League City fails to rename road
By RUTH RENDON
Staff
LEAGUE CITY -- On the eve of a planned U.S.-Russian space flight, the City Council was scheduled to rename a portion of FM 518 for the late astronaut Donald K. "Deke" Slayton.
But like the planned Friday launch of the space shuttle Atlantis, the name change got a no-go.
The change -- honoring one of America's seven original astronauts and a participant in the first international space voyage -- failed by a 4-3 vote Thursday night after four council members complained that they had not been properly informed of the plan.
Slayton's wife, Bobbie, who attended the meeting along with several astronauts, cried when the proposal was defeated.
Those voting against it were Chester Davis, Linda Isbell, Tommy Parr and Rudy Reyes. In support were Chuck Kelly, Elaine Kosty and Debbie McFadden.
Kosty said she did the groundwork on the issue by working with city planners and getting approval from the postmaster, the city of Kemah and the Texas Department of Transportation.
The name change was to apply to a stretch from FM 270 to Texas 146 in Kemah. FM 518 runs by the subdivision where Slayton lived before he died two years ago of a brain tumor.
The four who voted down the proposal said they were not aware of such a plan and would have liked to have had a workshop on the issue. Isbell said she learned of the proposal in a local newspaper.
Kosty said all council members received information about the proposal earlier this week in their meeting agenda packets. The city also sent press releases to local newspapers.
Isbell said other heroes might also merit consideration. But Kosty noted that Slayton lived in League City and that it would be appropriate to honor him as the 25th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz mission, in which he took part, approaches.
"I can't believe four elected officials would use their elected power to disgrace and humiliate this city," Kosty said.
"There are all kinds of people that need to have things named after them," Isbell said Friday. "Why him (Slayton) over anybody else?"
Isbell suggested forming a committee to decide what roads, buildings or parks should be named for.
"It's not against him (Slayton)" she said.
Isbell said it was "distasteful" to invite the family before the matter had been decided.
Davis and Parr could not be reached Friday, and Reyes did not return Chronicle phone calls.
The shuttle Atlantis was scheduled to lift off Friday for a rendezvous with the Russian space station Mir but bad weather forced NASA to postpone the launch until today.
straight, you've convinced us not for vote for kostey, mallios or frankovich, but have not convinced us why we should vote for SCH (straight, cones, hallisey). Well, here are another three reasons NOT to vote for PH. Trust us, PH has more articles written about him than any person in LC. Once a jerk, always a jerk !
Losing candidate files lawsuit, alleges slander
By RUTH RENDON
Staff
GALVESTON -- Two days after losing his bid for election as League City's mayor, Pat Hallisey filed a lawsuit Monday accusing his opponent and three others of printing scandalous information about him.
The libel suit names new Mayor Tommy Frankovich; his campaign treasurer, John Dixon; Cynthia Tauss, chairwoman of the Galveston County Republican Party; and Barbara Spencer, who recently was removed from the city planning commission.
Frankovich, a political newcomer, defeated Hallisey, executive director of the County Beach Park Board, on Saturday for the year remaining on the term vacated by Joe Lamb.
"It sounds like sour grapes to me," said attorney Marcus Faubion, who represents Tauss.
The lawsuit does not specify what libelous material was printed "because the very publication of such vile, abusive and vicious language would only serve to further publish such libelous and slanderous material through it being picked up from the pleading and court file by the news media which would then, in turn, print it."
Such documents, the lawsuit states, will be entered into evidence during the requested jury trial.
"Isn't the horse already out of the barn?" Faubion asked. "(Hallisey) says it's already happened and it's been public and that he's incurred damages, but they don't say what it is or how it is that it caused him these damages."
Hallisey, 45, could not be reached for comment Monday. He is seeking unspecified damages.
Frankovich, 47, a teacher, said he could not comment until he had seen the lawsuit. Dixon and Spencer also said they had not seen it.
Faubion said he was surprised that Tauss was named in the lawsuit because her name did not appear on Frankovich's campaign material.
As leader of the county GOP, Tauss authorized the mailing of postcards to League City residents who voted in the Republican primary. She said the cards sought support for Frankovich and council candidates Chuck Kelly and Debbie McFadden, who also were elected Saturday.
Hallisey was named interim mayor in November after Lamb resigned. Questions were raised about the emergency council meeting in which Hallisey was appointed and the council later voted again.
Spending in campaign
Staff
LEAGUE CITY - Pat Hallisey spent more than $23,000 in his failed bid to keep the mayor's post, while Tommy Frankovich spent less than $2,500 during his successful campaign.
Reports submitted to City Secretary Norma Rodriguez this week show Hallisey spent $23,311, Frankovich $2,472.
Frankovich, 47, a teacher, defeated Hallisey, 45, executive director of the Galveston County Beach Park Board, by 39 votes in the May 6 election.
Park board head ordered to apologize
By RUTH RENDON
Staff
GALVESTON - The head of the Galveston County Beach Park Board was ordered to write letters of apology to county planners he demanded design a park on private property belonging to a political supporter.
The Galveston County Beach Park Board voted Wednesday to direct Pat Hallisey, executive director of the board, to write letters to park planners Jake Walsdorf and Jeff McVey and apologize for making them work on a League City park project on land owned by Dickinson banker Walter Hall.
The letter also is to assure the workers that no retaliation will be taken because they spoke to the board of trustees.
County Commissioner Wayne Johnson said Thursday that Hallisey also will be asked to meet with the board in the next two weeks to discuss the department and Hallisey's future with the board.
Hallisey was not present at Wednesday's regularly scheduled board meeting and has attended only one of the last five meetings, said Johnson, who also is a beach parks board member.
Hallisey did not return a telephone call from the Chronicle.
Records show $3,865 of taxpayers' money was paid for the park's design which Hall encouraged be completed before the League City mayoral election in which Hallisey was an unsuccessful candidate. Work on the park was done without the approval of the board, Johnson said.
An April 11 letter from Hall to McVey suggests the park would be a plus for Hallisey's campaign.
The letter urges McVey to "hurry up" the artist's rendition of the proposed park because "the election in League City will be Saturday, May 6, we can use this item in a way that both Pat and I think will be very helpful."
Hallisey also lost a bid for county judge in 1994. During that bid banks controlled by Hall contributed $40,000 to his campaign.
Walsdorf and McVey told the park board that Hallisey, who served as interim League City mayor between November and May, told them in March to design Helen's Garden park on an oak tree-lined tract along Main Street that is owned by Hall. The park was to be in memory of Hall's late wife, Helen.
Walsdorf said he had expressed concern to his superiors about designing the park "for a private individual and not the city of League City."
"The executive director said to just get it done," Walsdorf said.
The park property was conveyed to the city on April 20 and later given back to Hall in September because the city decided it could not afford to maintain the garden park which is diagnally across from a picturesque city park.
Paper: Houston Chronicle
Date: FRI 10/19/2001
Section: A
Page: 38
Edition: 3 STAR
Court rejects bid to force recall vote
Staff
LEAGUE CITY - An appellate court has upheld a Galveston County judge's decision to throw out a petition to force a recall election of Mayor Tommy Frankovich.
The First District Court of Appeals last week agreed with state District Judge Wayne Mallia's ruling in February. Mallia ruled that former City Councilwoman Elaine Kosty did not collect enough signatures to require Frankovich's recall election.
The city charter calls for the signatures of 20 percent of all registered voters instead of the 20 percent of those who voted in the city's last general election, as Kosty, a homemaker, had suggested. Kosty, 49, a city councilwoman from 1993-1996, collected 532 signatures, far short of the 20 percent of registered voters in League City's last general election - 6,146. Frankovich, 54, who has been mayor since 1995 and is not up for re-election until May 2003, was targeted for the recall because of complaints of increased water and sewer rates and a controversial "godly principles" resolution
Paper: Houston Chronicle
Date: SAT 09/16/2000
Section: A
Page: 39
Edition: 3 STAR
Feeling left out in Galveston
By KEVIN MORAN
Staff
REPUBLICAN Galveston County Commissioner Ken Clark is taking some heat for mailing a 51-question survey to fellow GOP members but not to any Democrats in Precinct 4.
Indeed, League City resident Elaine Kosty says she is outraged that Clark didn't seek the opinions of some Democrats, independents and others on the county's indigent health-care crisis, a huge bond issue proposal on the Nov. 7 ballot, and other subjects.
But Clark says he used campaign donations - not tax dollars - to mail the questionnaire and he has no apologies to make to north Galveston County residents of other political persuasions.
Kosty suggested that Clark collect only a portion of his $66,000 annual salary, "since he is willing to represent only a portion of his precinct."
Clark said limited resources caused him to limit the mailing to 3,000 Republicans, but he said he'd be happy to send surveys to non-Republicans Kosty might choose. There are 51,000 registered voters in the precinct, he said.
Kosty said she shouldn't have to suggest a group of non-Republicans as survey recipients. "If he didn't have the funding to send it to everyone, then he should have sent it to a mix of Republicans and Democrats," she said.
Clark admitted the survey erroneously indicated the county's tax rate would necessarily increase by about 5 cents if the bond issue passes. County Judge Jim Yarbrough has said the tax rate would go up about 3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation if all bond proposals pass in November.
"I guess I should have used the word `could,' " Clark said. "But my feeling is that 3 cents won't do it."
Pat and your 6 other aliases fool no one. Your need to recycle trash, is just that. Let us discuss the candidates, shall we?
September 20, 2004
RE: Claim of League City Citizens' Police Academy, et al vs. City of League City, Texas and Councilmember Thomas Cones
Why? Ask incumbent Councilman Thomas Cones. This action cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars, and Mr. Cones personally $10,000.00
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