[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6528515,"mediaKeyId","3388094-5cba17aaf28b97ff47420ebbac5c179c","parentId",3388094,"title","Galveston IDC reviews West End beach nourishment projects, asks for legal opinion on funding a remediation crew","audioSeconds",1484,"startMs",190000,"endMs",1674000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3388094-5cba17aaf28b97ff47420ebbac5c179c&start=190&end=1674","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3388094-5cba17aaf28b97ff47420ebbac5c179c/thumbnail_190000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6528515/Galveston/Galveston-County/Texas/Galveston-IDC-reviews-West-End-beach-nourishment-projects-asks-for-legal-opinion-on-funding-a-remediation-crew","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6528515-b65052d3e5b6a56d39c9cf58d52deb92/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154499&Signature=mN-rATzrnf1kXkSMhFSdPuKKohRo18zSgLjRs7kjPb1cAJGoMjUvcAKtjJpULbZyBqiqCoA5B8MVJBkN4GcOC4RPDffz1mks396KVdSp3igQtclM~B~O5IBHLOR40AQQdUyR3l9MZnSh2xdeJfV5-YLlNDEhX56XkLyh2~PAyVp9bqIZytz~o5EXIZmUmyX4roCL-coce1EVtZBf24Nv43odeYBNn9VODVka8IWpQJZngzYhAIvT6sVpd~KXbAzR0LzsrY0xvh8lFnEgxxNWeJvXi-3NpwxAAEv18QxIALqdfDzZ~~WLUSXj2RVttrUK~2t~l7lC13xZKO3fS2kDHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Galveston","date","2025-05-19T00:00:00Z","article","Mayor Brown called the Industrial Development Corporation meeting to order Monday and the board discussed multiple planned beach-nourishment projects for Galveston’s West End and whether IDC beach-silo funds can pay for a proposed remediation crew.

City staff presented a five-year financial forecast for the beach silo and reviewed two near-term projects: a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CAP204 dredging placement on the West End and a Park Board-led nourishment program for mile 8 to 13 of the beach.

The Corps project will use dredged material from the Houston Ship Channel to place sand along roughly two miles of West End shoreline. Kyle (staff member) said the Corps is contributing $10 million to the work and the city received a $10 million grant to cover any incremental costs above the Corps’ contract limit. Staff said a dredger contract is being finalized and placement work is scheduled to begin in August or September of this year.

Kyle said the Park Board’s Kepler project (mile 8–13) is moving through engineering; plans are expected to be about 90% complete in June. That project depends on a Corps regulatory permit and a permitted sand source; staff said the Park Board has construction funding from the Texas General Land Office but must complete pipeline and permit coordination before work can follow the CAP204 placement.

Staff also warned the board that once nourishments are built out as engineered beaches they will require more-detailed, FEMA-grade surveys for potential post-storm reimbursement. Kyle gave a ballpark figure of about $60,000 per year for additional engineered-beach survey work that would be charged to IDC alone once those areas are designated engineered beaches.

Separately, staff described a plan to seek a “special merit” drainage grant (transcript phrasing) with a $5 million cap to fund a drainage study at Powers Beach, and proposed creating a West End beach erosion and remediation crew to respond more quickly when sand is washed from dunes into streets and ditches.

Public works and IDC staff outlined how the proposed crew would work: sift storm-washed sand, stage it, and return suitable material to dune or beach placement rather than letting it be removed and disposed. Brian (public works staff) explained that the city now relies heavily on existing public works crews and that vacancies from a hiring freeze could be filled and billed against the beach silo when crews perform beach work; staff characterized the proposal as a billable, supplemental crew rather than permanent new head count.

The proposal prompted questions about allowable uses for IDC beach-silo funds. Council member Perreta raised a legal-question about whether hiring and equipment for a remediation crew falls within the beach silo’s permissible purposes. Trevor (city attorney) said a legal opinion would be useful because the answer could be fact-specific: if the work returns sand directly to the beach or maintains beach access it may be allowable, but other uses would depend on details.

Board members asked staff to obtain an outside legal opinion and return the item at the next IDC meeting with the attorney’s guidance and clarified cost proposals. Kyle told the board he could likely provide a legal opinion or an analysis from outside counsel by the next meeting. Several board members said they support a proactive approach to sand recovery but want documented legal guidance before moving funds or committing to equipment purchases.

The board did not take a final vote on creating the crew at Monday’s meeting; the action recorded was direction to staff to seek outside legal counsel and return with a formal recommendation at the next scheduled IDC meeting.

Implementation details and next steps — including whether equipment purchases would be allowed under the beach silo, how FEMA reimbursement for declared disasters would interact with silo-funded crews, and whether vacant public-works positions could be billed to the silo — will be included in the staff report when the item returns to the board.

Takeaway: the board endorsed moving forward with analysis and legal review but deferred any funding decisions until counsel issues and a more detailed budget/implementation plan are presented.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Galveston - IDC Committee - May 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff presented a five-year beach-silo forecast and updates on Corps of Engineers and Park Board nourishment projects for Galveston’s West End, and the IDC asked staff to obtain an outside legal opinion on whether a proposed West End beach erosion remediation crew and related equipment can be paid from beach-silo funds.","taxTitle","Galveston , Galveston County, Texas","taxId",5145,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6528503,"IDC increases economic development accrual to $250,000 and asks staff to craft guidelines for business incentives",1235,3600000,4835000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3388094-5cba17aaf28b97ff47420ebbac5c179c&start=3600&end=4835","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3388094-5cba17aaf28b97ff47420ebbac5c179c/thumbnail_3600000.jpg","/articles/6528503/Galveston/Galveston-County/Texas/IDC-increases-economic-development-accrual-to-250000-and-asks-staff-to-craft-guidelines-for-business-incentives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6528503-d22c4a3c3b432bf1a1b404161bb79124/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154499&Signature=Mfs19TkFcRnY-mLDGdxDYRXA5V-qqVo9qGa1-P1F1y5bKFOoq76yqfxN3LV6H7r9SI6zevXQ7Yl8xBCTGeLyzxucIofmBxdWOccxvLD3A4e0oMUb1ADPILcIqx3CAWHy-S8phIQizIdusuDOYuQZPjaH3hjIu45hofe0gMnkGE7nz8t1lbsSR6VCUvxabHP1TdcMHz0WFexTzgRlWrDQMhPu7EB~MyIiBDNS-4G3RjwQnbCAcXHZgeYbjlZSg~pul2irFxAetWrPYUquxOlkiXxX2wISfsxk8PZpRkzkaqnwocRtu-LYPaEWvIv-3Mym8PJ2Ziqm5F-fBCx0wehIQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Industrial Development Corporation on Monday agreed to increase the annual accrual for a business-incentive program to $250,000 and directed staff to draft policy and program guidelines that would govern how those funds are administered.

Michelle (staff member) said the proposed program would be one tool in a broader economic-development toolbox that includes performance-based development agreements. Staff noted the program’s history dating to 2013, and that past activity stalled in part because ballot language and prior primary-job rules limited which businesses qualified.

Board members debated two uses for the funds: targeted business incentives tied to primary-job definitions under state and local code, or using economic-development silo funds for targeted infrastructure improvements (for example, gateway or corridor work) that support private development. Several members noted primary-job requirements can exclude retail and hospitality businesses; staff and counsel said some infrastructure spending can be charged to the economic-development silo when it is targeted to promote development.

After discussion, a board member moved to raise the business-incentive accrual from $100,000 (the amount previously approved in the last meeting) to $250,000. The motion included direction that staff prepare program guidelines and that staff workshop an overall economic development plan with Council before returning with a proposed policy; the board also asked for a final draft of program guidelines within roughly four months.

The motion passed with a second and the board approved the accrual and timeline to develop guidelines. Staff said the accrued funds would accumulate year over year and that council and staff would coordinate on eligibility criteria, any primary-job nexus and possible use of infrastructure silo funds in certain cases.

","After a lengthy discussion about business incentives, primary-job criteria and infrastructure needs, the Industrial Development Corporation voted to raise the annual accrual for business incentive grants to $250,000 and asked staff to prepare policy and program guidelines within a proposed timeline.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6528507,"IDC amends FY2025 operating budget to record debt service for 2024 certificates of obligation",133,1807000,1940000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3388094-5cba17aaf28b97ff47420ebbac5c179c&start=1807&end=1940","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3388094-5cba17aaf28b97ff47420ebbac5c179c/thumbnail_1807000.jpg","/articles/6528507/Galveston/Galveston-County/Texas/IDC-amends-FY2025-operating-budget-to-record-debt-service-for-2024-certificates-of-obligation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6528507-02768e341c6c82dd7c41c3984486d717/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154499&Signature=IqSpaRHWBvGw9uOb0mFAe~8urBSsoJNxC0iYpV0iuJhsba9ZKlZSH5YU1ol7D~3EndRSVAlGlQLSqnSsnW2dN4606DM1CpkA~fxQ81wN0a13cMOn~IIzh1JkGA32Vq4zHe5yDwo-lRq5Yke0vw~2ec4OONc-kStINHB82ibNeK4uVPK1W0dJv-jVPDc3C6OMbdJLUFFS9il0svsoFnel8HIV9ZcxUVPAvDXQ3B8yt7l1dhEfJhmnhDKZ-l6UmErOab2rptu47-JmHOiy-cGQPvvkwBAi8~knFCJU5FpdXWZ1ixYapfurV2YlQhYPcVccbmj2F4FSSmmr~5T176P6Kg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Industrial Development Corporation voted Monday to amend its fiscal-year 2025 operating budget and increase various budget accounts by $1,364,575 to record debt service on certificates of obligation issued in 2024 for the Fourteenth Street and South Shore Drive pump station project.

Michelle (staff member) told the board the change was a housekeeping measure: the city issued the COs after the IDC’s budget was adopted, so the board needed to amend the IDC operating budget to correctly record the required debt-service payment. The amendment will be forwarded to City Council in June for the council’s formal amendment of the city budget.

Mayor Brown made the motion to amend the operating budget and Council member Lewis seconded. The board voted in favor; the motion passed unanimously.

The board placed the budget amendment on its June City Council agenda for final action by the council as part of the city’s budget amendment process.

","The Industrial Development Corporation voted unanimously to amend its operating budget by $1,364,575 to record debt service payments associated with 2024 certificates of obligation issued for the 14th Street and South Shore Drive pump station project.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6528510,"IDC approves $100,000 accrual for Shield Park cleanup; board directs staff to pursue full remediation funding",1109,2225000,3334000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3388094-5cba17aaf28b97ff47420ebbac5c179c&start=2225&end=3334","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3388094-5cba17aaf28b97ff47420ebbac5c179c/thumbnail_2225000.jpg","/articles/6528510/Galveston/Galveston-County/Texas/IDC-approves-100000-accrual-for-Shield-Park-cleanup-board-directs-staff-to-pursue-full-remediation-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6528510-9f1b53e04baa3e6a2b9b2154275b6e4c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154499&Signature=R0dFaZkb9UkscGNwhZTwK-cfDp5RV22OHwaHbinEisQMCpqMWqqunnh6uZuLUjB69t93hRQOyTU9tdCO4IlVRgF3-np8e4cY83zD1AgeIjxncXWYnhnV~nNXhBwi9pkop9Fg2~jnHQJMKsfJwHUcB5o291AdD4LXVc2eVPBbkTq3euforoV4xxvb2W~kKGEm-NCaFQeTWVgrnssi1f68nBe0LwIhtlyRo6uBSJ2XmEEZOpoe5OVspqKUY2-0Ee1xwfk8sBghaNPnlf20UaT6vnzhGY2fpUFCSSve4TDH~Xvuxwd8GTJOvfT9fAjwgcr54jXwG8k1u6GMrYcm8mdHvg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Industrial Development Corporation voted Monday to increase the annual accrual for park improvements earmarked for Shield Park to $100,000 for fiscal year 2026 and asked staff to develop a plan for full remediation funding.

Christy (staff member) updated the board on recent grant activity and environmental work. She said the city’s EPA cleanup grant application was not funded in the latest Region 6 round and that an EPA analysis of Brownfield cleanup alternatives (presented to the board) identifies a mid-range cleanup option estimated at about $600,000. Christy said Kansas State University will provide technical assistance and the city will hold a community visioning session on June 5 to explain cleanup phases and next steps.

Board members discussed the scope and timeline for remediation and park construction. Staff said Jones Park is at about 90% complete for construction documents and that roughly $1 million is already committed for bioretention; full phase 1 construction would cost about $2.3 million with an additional roughly $1.2 million needed for playground and shade elements (staff estimate based on current designs).

Barbara Sanderson, identified as representing Better Parks for Galveston, described past work and community interest in Shields Park and urged progress on cleanup and rebuilding.

After extended discussion about grant timing and the limits of federal programs, a board member moved to increase the parks-silo accrual to $100,000 for fiscal year 26 and to task staff — Michelle (staff member) and Brandon (staff member) — to prepare a funding plan to address the full remediation estimate the board had discussed. An amendment to task staff to draft a plan identifying means to fund the roughly $1.2 million remediation shortfall was accepted by the maker of the motion; the board then voted in favor of the motion.

The board also asked staff to provide the IDC membership with the environmental reports and the EPA analysis and to include Shield Park as an item on the next IDC agenda so members could review legal, technical and budgetary options.

What the board approved: a $100,000 annual accrual into the parks silo for Shield Park in fiscal year 2026 and direction to staff to seek funding strategies to cover full remediation, with staff returning to the board with proposals.

","The Industrial Development Corporation voted to accrue $100,000 in the parks silo for Shield Park remediation and to ask staff to develop a plan to fund the larger cleanup, which staff and EPA materials estimate could range into the low millions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Galveston IDC reviews West End beach nourishment projects, asks for legal opinion on funding a remediation crew

IDC increases economic development accrual to $250,000 and asks staff to craft guidelines for business incentives

IDC amends FY2025 operating budget to record debt service for 2024 certificates of obligation

IDC approves $100,000 accrual for Shield Park cleanup; board directs staff to pursue full remediation funding