Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Who’s on first?
The discussions have been going on for a few months now and a few names are beginning to emerge as viable candidates for our city. Do you have any suggestions of who should run and who should not? It has been said that Tommy Cones is thinking about not running but we know that is a smoke screen because just like his embarrassingly beaten idol and worshiped leader Jerry Shults, he has no choice. He MUST run because he has too many promises to keep to his good old boys. Marc Edelman was spreading the rumor that he may run but why replace Tommy with a Tommy clone? Is it important to elect individuals who will work with our Mayor to move our city forward or should we reelect the two that continually try to obstruct our city’s progress for the sake of personal power, more roof tops and personal “pet” projects? Lastly what about attorneys on council? My goodness it seems that they are all the same. (Yes I do know a few good ones) They tell you what they think you want to hear to get elected and then they make concessions for the chosen few and not for the good of the majority of the city and the citizens just to get their “pet” projects approved.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
New Year’s Resolutions
OK the holiday season is coming to a close and this will be the last “fluff” thread for a little while. I will get back to issues after this one. Anyone wish to make a resolution? Mine is, as it has been for a few years, to remove those elected officials in our city who serve special interest groups and not the city or its citizens. To help move our city forward and to place League City first. It is time that League City has a least two if not three members (like Galveston has) elected from our city to serve on commissioners court. (Redistricting is in 2010) Now I mean a SIGNIFICANT voice, not just a gerrymandered small portion on the extreme west end of the city. We are the largest city in Galveston County and we deserve and should DEMAND such representation on how our tax dollar is spent!
(Ok maybe not such a fluff thread)
(Ok maybe not such a fluff thread)
Monday, December 22, 2008
Track Santa
As Christmas nears some of us, like me, tend to look back at the hustle and bustle of years gone by remembering only the funny and good times and not the frustrating and hectic times. I guess that is the way the mind works. Here is some background on Christmas and of course here is the official Santa Tracker.
I must reprint the Friday, December 21, 2007 10:30:00 AM posting of Jimmy Trojanowski because he said it best.
“Though there are many of you who do not share my faith, we must all acknowledge the reason we celebrate a holiday season in our country. Whether you believe Jesus Christ is the savior of mankind or that he was simply and extraordinary man, we should take his teachings and ideals to heart at this time of year. Peace on Earth and goodwill to men, women and especially children is a common goal that everyone should be able to get behind regardless of personal belief. For the last week of this season let’s all try to exercise that by displaying tolerance to those who may not share our opinions or beliefs. As a catholic, I would like to wish everyone the most wonderful Christmas ever as well as a prosperous new year.”
So from the Mallios family to yours may God bless our city and all our citizens and keep us all safe and sound.
I must reprint the Friday, December 21, 2007 10:30:00 AM posting of Jimmy Trojanowski because he said it best.
“Though there are many of you who do not share my faith, we must all acknowledge the reason we celebrate a holiday season in our country. Whether you believe Jesus Christ is the savior of mankind or that he was simply and extraordinary man, we should take his teachings and ideals to heart at this time of year. Peace on Earth and goodwill to men, women and especially children is a common goal that everyone should be able to get behind regardless of personal belief. For the last week of this season let’s all try to exercise that by displaying tolerance to those who may not share our opinions or beliefs. As a catholic, I would like to wish everyone the most wonderful Christmas ever as well as a prosperous new year.”
So from the Mallios family to yours may God bless our city and all our citizens and keep us all safe and sound.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Mayor's recap
Holiday greetings everyone! What a busy time of the year!
Not only are the holidays upon us, but we are also madly trying to finish the year for the City as well. Last night's agenda was full to the brim, and there were some very bright spots on it that I would like to share with you.
We were dazzeled with the Clear Creek High School Girls Volleyball Team, who have been champions for 6 of the last 8 years! This year they became champs while achieving an average of a 3.6GPA! I felt like the lucky one, being able to present them with a proclamation and have my picture made with them!
I was also delighted to present a proclamation for this years Holiday in the Park to League City Proud. Although Janice Hallisey, leader of the organization, knew about the scheduled presentation, she wasn't there to accept. Mr. Cones said she was ill. Holiday in the Park was a spectacular event and took many hours of work all year long, to be the success it was. Many, many volunteers were a part of the festival and parade, and they used tireless energy, thinking of everything! Thank you everyone!
Speaking of the Parade, did everyone see the great float put together by City employees, as the ending grand finale? A beautiful job, folks! When you pass a city vehicle or employee somewhere, give them a wave and a smile, as they work for you...very well!
In December of every year, City Ordinance requires us to reappoint old members to the Boards and Commissions or appoint new members. Our City Charter, revised in 1995, states that the "Mayor shall appoint," and "the Council will confirm" the appointees. Though this ordinance and Charter are rule of law for our City and have been used for the appointment process for years, Mr. Barron wants to review the process and motioned to put off the appointments until January when a workshop can be done, and then put them on the agenda again in February. The motion was seconded by Mr. Cones. Three Council members voted against postponing the appointments and reappointments, as the City Ordinance does require December action: Sanborn, Barber, and Paulissen, with Barron, Cones, Nelson and Samuelson voting for the workshop, regardless of the ordinance.
A very special thanks goes to the good citizens who have been serving on our Boards and Commissions! I am also very impressed with the number of new folks who have stepped up and applied for Board and Commissions positions! Thanks for volunteering your time for the benefit of all of us in League City!
Council voted 5-2 to enter into a professional services agreement with TCB, Inc. for surveying, environmental, schematic and drainage design of the proposed extension of Palomino Road, with the charge of finding the best route north across the Creek. Concern was expressed by Mr. Paulissen that two years ago when the new High School was built on Palomino, the Council had promised the residents of Clear Creek Shores that a bridge/roadway would not be built through their neighborhood. Mr. Cones expressed the fear that if the citizens of Clear Creek Shores think the City will not keep their promise, they will be attending many Council meetings in protest, as this progresses. For: Barber, Sanborn, Nelson, Samuelson, Barron. Against: Paulissen, Cones
In my Mayors Comments, I announced that Tony Allender, Director of Land Management, will be hand-delivering a letter of support to a meeting of the Galveston City Council on Thursday, Dec. 11th, for Phase AA of the Houston-Galveston Commuter Rail. We need this now more than ever, because of Ike and the fact that so many Galveston workers are using League City as their home base!
Joyfully, there was a very important matter that was ratified into existance, and that was the adoption of architectural guidelines (League City Historic District Design and Materials Guidelines) for the area within the Historic District as provided for in our Preservation Plan. Historic District commission members led by member Fay Dudney and architect David Hoffman had many meetings drafting these guidelines, complete with graphics. Anyone building in the Historic District can go through the guidelines and know exactly how their finished building project in the HD needs to look. The vote was 7-0, unanimous.
The meeting adjourned at 10:15pm
Congratulations to Frank and Marilyn Edelin, as Frank is now home from the hospital and doing better!
Have a happy, safe holiday season,
Toni Randall,
Mayor
City of League City
Not only are the holidays upon us, but we are also madly trying to finish the year for the City as well. Last night's agenda was full to the brim, and there were some very bright spots on it that I would like to share with you.
We were dazzeled with the Clear Creek High School Girls Volleyball Team, who have been champions for 6 of the last 8 years! This year they became champs while achieving an average of a 3.6GPA! I felt like the lucky one, being able to present them with a proclamation and have my picture made with them!
I was also delighted to present a proclamation for this years Holiday in the Park to League City Proud. Although Janice Hallisey, leader of the organization, knew about the scheduled presentation, she wasn't there to accept. Mr. Cones said she was ill. Holiday in the Park was a spectacular event and took many hours of work all year long, to be the success it was. Many, many volunteers were a part of the festival and parade, and they used tireless energy, thinking of everything! Thank you everyone!
Speaking of the Parade, did everyone see the great float put together by City employees, as the ending grand finale? A beautiful job, folks! When you pass a city vehicle or employee somewhere, give them a wave and a smile, as they work for you...very well!
In December of every year, City Ordinance requires us to reappoint old members to the Boards and Commissions or appoint new members. Our City Charter, revised in 1995, states that the "Mayor shall appoint," and "the Council will confirm" the appointees. Though this ordinance and Charter are rule of law for our City and have been used for the appointment process for years, Mr. Barron wants to review the process and motioned to put off the appointments until January when a workshop can be done, and then put them on the agenda again in February. The motion was seconded by Mr. Cones. Three Council members voted against postponing the appointments and reappointments, as the City Ordinance does require December action: Sanborn, Barber, and Paulissen, with Barron, Cones, Nelson and Samuelson voting for the workshop, regardless of the ordinance.
A very special thanks goes to the good citizens who have been serving on our Boards and Commissions! I am also very impressed with the number of new folks who have stepped up and applied for Board and Commissions positions! Thanks for volunteering your time for the benefit of all of us in League City!
Council voted 5-2 to enter into a professional services agreement with TCB, Inc. for surveying, environmental, schematic and drainage design of the proposed extension of Palomino Road, with the charge of finding the best route north across the Creek. Concern was expressed by Mr. Paulissen that two years ago when the new High School was built on Palomino, the Council had promised the residents of Clear Creek Shores that a bridge/roadway would not be built through their neighborhood. Mr. Cones expressed the fear that if the citizens of Clear Creek Shores think the City will not keep their promise, they will be attending many Council meetings in protest, as this progresses. For: Barber, Sanborn, Nelson, Samuelson, Barron. Against: Paulissen, Cones
In my Mayors Comments, I announced that Tony Allender, Director of Land Management, will be hand-delivering a letter of support to a meeting of the Galveston City Council on Thursday, Dec. 11th, for Phase AA of the Houston-Galveston Commuter Rail. We need this now more than ever, because of Ike and the fact that so many Galveston workers are using League City as their home base!
Joyfully, there was a very important matter that was ratified into existance, and that was the adoption of architectural guidelines (League City Historic District Design and Materials Guidelines) for the area within the Historic District as provided for in our Preservation Plan. Historic District commission members led by member Fay Dudney and architect David Hoffman had many meetings drafting these guidelines, complete with graphics. Anyone building in the Historic District can go through the guidelines and know exactly how their finished building project in the HD needs to look. The vote was 7-0, unanimous.
The meeting adjourned at 10:15pm
Congratulations to Frank and Marilyn Edelin, as Frank is now home from the hospital and doing better!
Have a happy, safe holiday season,
Toni Randall,
Mayor
City of League City
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Thanksgiving thoughts
It is Thanksgiving time. What are you thankful for? Just a few of my thoughts. I am thankful for the ladies and gentleman that protect and defend our nation so that we may enjoy our freedom. I am thankful for living in the GREATEST city and school district in the world! I am thankful for the citizens of League City that continue to vote for changing the way our local government has been doing business. I am thankful for those in our town that are willing to stand up and speak the truth regardless of the personal consequences. I am thankful for knowing individuals like CCISD’s Man of the year Mr. Charlie Pond. God Bless League City and all it's citizens and may you all have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Mayor’s recap
This is sent to me after each council meeting. If you are interested in receiving this type of recap of the council meeting by email please contact citizens2008@hotmail.com .
Hello, friends.
Council met on a strange date this month, as it was a combined meeting for November. It was not according to the usual second and fourth Tuesday schedule. (You need to memorize that schedule, as a person who is very interested in the City of League City: every month except November and December,Council meets the second and fourth Tuesday at 6pm.)
First the holiday announcements, for your pleasure:
The Library Board, staff, and Friends of Helen Hall Library will be hosting a Christmas Open House on Thursday, December 4th, from 5 to 6:30pm. Santa will arrive at 5:15pm, and the City's 'new' Christmas Tree will be lit at 6:30, courtesy of the Knights of Columbus #9310 and the League City Parks and Recreation Department. Come on out for this one--it is alot of fun!
Secondly, although the City is not the sponsor of Holiday in the Park, it is a wonderful Holiday event and your whole family will enjoy it. For more information and the schedule, check out www.holidayinthepark.org/.
The agenda was long, and held a variety of items. Included were many zoning changes, mostly just cleanup stuff, and other miscellaneous items that are mundane but do require action by Council.
One thing you should be interested in is that we awarded the annual mowing contract at a cost of almost $100,000. We all see such wonderful grassy parks and roadsides, and we just take the manicured mowing for granted, but it is a big expense for the City. There were four bids, and the City picked the lowest.
Now that cleanup from Ike is almost complete--with mostly damaged fencing left still unpicked up because it had to be inspected by insurance adjusters, the City has received a bill for an additional $72,000 worth of landfill fees that are above and beyond our garbage contract. Although Ameriwaste did not provide detailed backup for this bill, and in spite of the fact that there were some glitches in the paperwork between the City and Ameriwaste, Council voted 5-2 to pay the bill, without asking any more questions of the trash company. We have been told that FEMA should reimburse us 100%, so cross your fingers. The 2 dissenting votes were Mike Barber and Tim Paulissen.
Item 10F of the Consent agenda was to consider and take action to accept a quitclaim deed conveyance to the City of League City for a portion of Marina Way. When Mr. Cones inquired as to why the item was pulled from the agenda, Larry Herbert, Director of Public Works, said that it was pulled by staff. Actually, it was I who pulled the item because I have some questions about it. In the past few years, the city has had some trouble about accepting and changing deeds, and I just want time for due diligence to be properly done.
Another item on the agenda that was discussed at length was the matter of "contracting for surveying, environmental, schematic, and drainage design of the proposed extension of Palomino Road from its current terminus north to the vicinity of Bay Area Boulevard." Several Council members (Barber, Paulissen and Cones) said that it was their understanding that a study was going to be done to fine the best route for crossing the Creek going northbound, between the Freeway and the Bay Area Blvd. The motion was made and seconded to postpone this item until the next Council meeting.
The December Council meeting, which will be held on the 9th, promises to be another full agenda. Various items will be a Charter Review Workshop, with Council members and the 2007 Committee, at 5pm before the Council meeting. Other interesting and important items such as this bridge over the creek, the Mayor's appointment of citizens to the City Boards and Commissions, and many others of interest will be posted.
Remember, if you have a dish and therefore don't get Channel 16, you can now watch the Council Meeting live on the city website, http://www.ci.league-city.tx.us/ The sound has been improved.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! This year for sure, we are reminded how much we have to be thankful for!
Hello, friends.
Council met on a strange date this month, as it was a combined meeting for November. It was not according to the usual second and fourth Tuesday schedule. (You need to memorize that schedule, as a person who is very interested in the City of League City: every month except November and December,Council meets the second and fourth Tuesday at 6pm.)
First the holiday announcements, for your pleasure:
The Library Board, staff, and Friends of Helen Hall Library will be hosting a Christmas Open House on Thursday, December 4th, from 5 to 6:30pm. Santa will arrive at 5:15pm, and the City's 'new' Christmas Tree will be lit at 6:30, courtesy of the Knights of Columbus #9310 and the League City Parks and Recreation Department. Come on out for this one--it is alot of fun!
Secondly, although the City is not the sponsor of Holiday in the Park, it is a wonderful Holiday event and your whole family will enjoy it. For more information and the schedule, check out www.holidayinthepark.org/.
The agenda was long, and held a variety of items. Included were many zoning changes, mostly just cleanup stuff, and other miscellaneous items that are mundane but do require action by Council.
One thing you should be interested in is that we awarded the annual mowing contract at a cost of almost $100,000. We all see such wonderful grassy parks and roadsides, and we just take the manicured mowing for granted, but it is a big expense for the City. There were four bids, and the City picked the lowest.
Now that cleanup from Ike is almost complete--with mostly damaged fencing left still unpicked up because it had to be inspected by insurance adjusters, the City has received a bill for an additional $72,000 worth of landfill fees that are above and beyond our garbage contract. Although Ameriwaste did not provide detailed backup for this bill, and in spite of the fact that there were some glitches in the paperwork between the City and Ameriwaste, Council voted 5-2 to pay the bill, without asking any more questions of the trash company. We have been told that FEMA should reimburse us 100%, so cross your fingers. The 2 dissenting votes were Mike Barber and Tim Paulissen.
Item 10F of the Consent agenda was to consider and take action to accept a quitclaim deed conveyance to the City of League City for a portion of Marina Way. When Mr. Cones inquired as to why the item was pulled from the agenda, Larry Herbert, Director of Public Works, said that it was pulled by staff. Actually, it was I who pulled the item because I have some questions about it. In the past few years, the city has had some trouble about accepting and changing deeds, and I just want time for due diligence to be properly done.
Another item on the agenda that was discussed at length was the matter of "contracting for surveying, environmental, schematic, and drainage design of the proposed extension of Palomino Road from its current terminus north to the vicinity of Bay Area Boulevard." Several Council members (Barber, Paulissen and Cones) said that it was their understanding that a study was going to be done to fine the best route for crossing the Creek going northbound, between the Freeway and the Bay Area Blvd. The motion was made and seconded to postpone this item until the next Council meeting.
The December Council meeting, which will be held on the 9th, promises to be another full agenda. Various items will be a Charter Review Workshop, with Council members and the 2007 Committee, at 5pm before the Council meeting. Other interesting and important items such as this bridge over the creek, the Mayor's appointment of citizens to the City Boards and Commissions, and many others of interest will be posted.
Remember, if you have a dish and therefore don't get Channel 16, you can now watch the Council Meeting live on the city website, http://www.ci.league-city.tx.us/ The sound has been improved.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! This year for sure, we are reminded how much we have to be thankful for!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
City council
Tuesday will be the only council meeting this month. I noticed that the city web site has a link to watch the council meeting on line. First the council online next the P & Z meetings.
It is already Mid November and time keeps on flyin’ by. It is a beautiful day in our city today. So get outside and enjoy it. Night fires in the backyards tonight with the smell of cedar being burned. (outside not inside) Nothing else like it in the world.
It is already Mid November and time keeps on flyin’ by. It is a beautiful day in our city today. So get outside and enjoy it. Night fires in the backyards tonight with the smell of cedar being burned. (outside not inside) Nothing else like it in the world.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Veterans Day
It is time to honor all the veterans who have made sacrifices so that we may be a free nation. I thank them (both my parents were WWII veterans) and appreciate the job they have and continue to do for our great nation. For a little history and a fact sheet click here. In our city the celebration will start at the sportsplex at 10 AM Guest speaker will be Andrew Daniel.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
It’s your turn
Another beautiful day and we are just a few days off from election day. A record number of voters has turned out in our county (as well as the nation) to early vote. If you need to know where to vote on election day click here.
The most important thing you can do is vote. It is the basic right in a democracy.
Let’s have some predictions and your thoughts on this National, (Senate and US. Rep) State and County Election. No need to tell us why, by now we all have been exposed to the candidates answers.
The most important thing you can do is vote. It is the basic right in a democracy.
Let’s have some predictions and your thoughts on this National, (Senate and US. Rep) State and County Election. No need to tell us why, by now we all have been exposed to the candidates answers.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Halloween
With thanks to History.com here is the back ground on the "Beginning of the holiday season" as some people put it. Anyone wish to share a spooky story? Now remember there will be little ones out till maybe 8 or 9 tonight so please drive carefully.
Ancient origins
Other history.com Halloween information.
Ancient origins
Other history.com Halloween information.