[{"_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",6525436,"mediaKeyId","3439991-776efe220eb99d6c3d80904f30a7debe","parentId",3439991,"title","Port of Galveston to mark 200th anniversary with events and scholarship endowment for Texas A&M Galveston","audioSeconds",494,"startMs",4096000,"endMs",4590000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3439991-776efe220eb99d6c3d80904f30a7debe&start=4096&end=4590","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3439991-776efe220eb99d6c3d80904f30a7debe/thumbnail_4096000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6525436/Galveston/Galveston-County/Texas/Port-of-Galveston-to-mark-200th-anniversary-with-events-and-scholarship-endowment-for-Texas-AM-Galveston","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6525436-5914f1c44f0cb7b443843885bf6aaa0d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441530&Signature=hsZZL2ezKWO80T7M4SlVZhHNXk2A21SU0QdOPjKkN7RVC~fLH4-sTbkAs-qBS00Fqmx-Qp8dNpxBlmOgvDgzz8YoZgq4cdzV5hYFvNXsLmX6UQvpJnPbPrS9NC5H2gRURrhknRG8gs31tJbFaG~Iz6d1gwBDynCcTZ7wen~dnQaoXr4xRMkyRUMNcEVhWcxtWbFiyAdTIZ-p3slG9sKOjDOcupwA8F-~FklKXKRTzCUeiR1hC5ILAGWYt5BBrNFPrehthrU7u94RFicvqopy2JZxd84PAIRIgSrEixHJ4B~OQsVzDt4Pn5KOSNB8kKYMJLolqKm4xue9hilhKzC4pQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Galveston","date","2025-05-21T00:00:00Z","article","Port trustees briefed council on plans for the Port of Galveston’s 200th anniversary commemoration. The port said the charter date is Oct. 17, 1825, and staff described a series of public events and donor-funded activities that will help launch an endowed scholarship program at Texas A&M University at Galveston.

\"We have raised almost $900,000 for this,\" Port Director Roger Reese said, describing sponsorships and event revenue that trustees expect will cover celebration costs and seed an endowment. Port staff told trustees and council they aim to put roughly $300,000 into the scholarship endowment and to use event proceeds to support maritime workforce recruitment and training.

Plans include Maritime Day activities, ship tours and a gala; trustees said a drone show, VIP events and a larger public pier celebration are scheduled, and the port will publish a commemorative pictorial book documenting 200 years of port history.

Why this matters

Trustees and council members said the fundraising approach avoids using taxpayer dollars and focuses on workforce development for maritime careers. Council members welcomed the scholarship idea as a way to keep graduates and maritime jobs in Galveston.

What's next

Port staff said they will continue outreach to sponsors and partners, finalize event logistics and coordinate with Texas A&M University at Galveston to establish the scholarship and endowment terms.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Galveston - Joint Meeting of the City Council and Wharves Board of Trustees - May 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Port trustees outlined a year of events for the Port of Galveston’s 200th anniversary, funded largely by sponsors, and said proceeds will seed a scholarship endowment at Texas A&M University at Galveston focused on maritime workforce development.","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},6525441,"Port leaders warn reserves are strained as major capital projects continue; TxDOT, federal funding and private partners eyed",2015,1155000,3170000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3439991-776efe220eb99d6c3d80904f30a7debe&start=1155&end=3170","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3439991-776efe220eb99d6c3d80904f30a7debe/thumbnail_1155000.jpg","/articles/6525441/Galveston/Galveston-County/Texas/Port-leaders-warn-reserves-are-strained-as-major-capital-projects-continue-TxDOT-federal-funding-and-private-partners-eyed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6525441-4db732ea08d94d54fff7773fadb33282/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441530&Signature=bjJcvJyAZ3v8lTnflZE60FWJ689v95txBA8sb2Itb-yoohol0fGROZyyBX01~1wmVYqLIinkk5xBZ~40pj3WCyZFQnMJwyACt7AK7Cf1-SqVK8AeI-O3Nc0X1HT1E3jz88kyaTk7pzTTlfWDsh-CB26uCz58qigY2960oO3Hhm-KYEE~PnNE67DfaON0RBGf1-QppTVTePXOPEA6wRIieeUq7AI2pP6fgCjxIF0h~KJzUp1RSdtCxAp~SHzDbtDWc6UIxmCUw-3ZvbiV5al5j1TReBN--XVei3ajP2AXXeYncHYDcYr3dB1IKRTPVYAXyz3Nmabawln8Yf-rebSQ5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Port trustees and staff told a joint City Council–port meeting that the port has spent a large portion of its reserves on recent capital projects and faces increased debt service in coming years while managing multiple construction projects.

\"This year alone we have spent pretty much all of our reserves with matching on the TxDOT project and also paying out of pocket the whole FEMA project,\" Port Director Roger Reese said. He said the port currently projects year-end cash on hand of roughly $10 million, which he called \"an uncomfortable amount.\" Reese and trustees warned that debt service of about $18 million begins in 2026, and trustees said a prudent operational reserve policy could require an additional $20–$25 million to hold one year of debt service and operations above the bond covenant level.

Funding sources and grants

Trustees described a mix of funding sources for current and planned projects, including TxDOT grants (Reese said the port had a $42 million award, with $36 million applied to West End work), federal grant prospects for dredging that port representatives and area congressmen have lobbied for, and the port’s use of cash flow to finance earlier projects such as Pier 41’s $9 million concrete renovation.

Walkover and pedestrian bridge funding gap

Council members pressed port staff about a pedestrian walkway (the \"walkover\") across Harborside Drive, a high-profile safety and access project that received roughly $4.8 million in state funds but drew construction bids far above initial estimates. Reese said bids came back at about $10 million for the full scope, including elevators, escalators and ramps, leaving a funding gap. Port staff are seeking TxDOT approval to reallocate a portion of a West End road grant to close the shortfall and will present that request to the transportation commission if needed.

Cargo and berths

Port officials said they are under construction on two berths at the West End and still need to fill a third slip to complete the cargo plan. Filling a single slip was estimated by Reese at about $30 million. Trustees said they are pursuing matching funds and federal programs that historically required ports to show they could provide local matches.

Why this matters

Trustees argued that port capital investment supports regional economic activity — including cruise and cargo — but emphasized that the port must balance spending on projects with maintaining cash reserves and meeting debt obligations. Council members raised the need for clearer collaboration when port projects affect city infrastructure and for transparency about how port-funded projects produce city benefits.

What's next

Port staff said they will continue to pursue TxDOT and federal funds, discuss reallocation of grant portions to address the walkover shortfall, and return to the trustees and the council with decisions on the master-plan timeline and funding approvals. Reese said future contract awards and matching decisions will be brought to the board for approval.

\"We're investing that into the project — into the port all over the place,\" Reese said. \"But our projections are we should end up the year with about $10,000,000.\"","Port trustees reported large ongoing capital spending that has reduced reserves, described expected debt-service obligations beginning in 2026, and discussed using state and federal grant matches, private partners and bond proceeds to complete West End work, dredging, and a pedestrian walkover that has a multi‑million‑dollar shortfall.",{"_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},6525446,"City councillors and port trustees agree audits and risk assessment should guide oversight; shared-services idea proposed",1400,4737000,6137000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3439991-776efe220eb99d6c3d80904f30a7debe&start=4737&end=6137","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3439991-776efe220eb99d6c3d80904f30a7debe/thumbnail_4737000.jpg","/articles/6525446/Galveston/Galveston-County/Texas/City-councillors-and-port-trustees-agree-audits-and-risk-assessment-should-guide-oversight-shared-services-idea-proposed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6525446-499ac60d18205348c7f07766939de56b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441530&Signature=A1j3WrypYumCRqxixMynRudKfOnkEZ0F~ywFAMpdomUhqykSg69ViaRIaSSrlS8ve5Y35BbUOqza4FhPr7dqnHq~Ow9GGwabf-y-sZCyT6xkwfB0gpxQeZI1V92XYqtCJ34puBwWdCTdvkKZRhoPt-Y-Gx9dmtHPRtOQdMMja2Z5CLKv8o4YECY9tBP8~Z6H7J6xEOhx12IRV~quoBx1t~QkV4L~o0T~qwZckOGkRiS99-gh6IflReTAWdnxpLakRSCGhC6B3B88LbvhIZwGIT1WLYcIRMx5SlOnrzRssJGiqmzRx7TcaOxkGJG0BC-dsbe0aLiLjQKd1j4CiF4kLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Port trustees and City of Galveston council members used a joint meeting to press for clearer audit planning and stronger oversight guardrails while cautioning against politically charged reviews.

\"Audits are absolutely important for all entities,\" trustee Sheila Lidstone said, urging collaboration on audit scheduling and risk assessment. \"We're happy to work collaboratively with the City of Galveston, with the staff, and the city council on any other audits that you believe are necessary for us to undergo.\"

The port trustees asked council to support regular audits of port operations. Council members and trustees agreed the starting point should be a formal risk assessment to identify the highest-priority audit targets — procurement, construction contracts and major revenue streams such as parking — and then build an audit plan from those risks.

\"Risk assessment should drive what you're looking at,\" Council member Richard (last name not specified) said. \"That's the right way to do it: have your auditor lead you in risk assessment so you're looking at the most important things.\"

Several participants emphasized that limited auditor staffing means a focus on high-impact areas is needed. Trustees proposed that existing committees (not necessarily creating new committees) — for example, a finance committee that includes city and port membership — could be the forum to coordinate risk priorities and avoid duplication.

Concerns about politicization of audits also surfaced. Council Member Alex (last name not specified) described an ongoing audit process that he said had become contentious and warned against audits that become \"politically charged.\" He recommended clear governance and objective, documented audit scopes.

Shared services and staffing

Trustees and council members discussed the potential of shared services (procurement, finance, legal or IT) to realize efficiencies, but council members cautioned that the city is currently understaffed in several departments and that any shared-services move would require careful planning, governance and potentially shared funding for new positions.

City and port leaders agreed to keep the port audit on the city's audit plan and to conduct joint planning for the next audit cycle, with an eye to prioritizing audits that address large-dollar activities and construction contracts. Council members suggested the city could initially contract audit work if hiring new auditors is not feasible immediately.

Why this matters

Port operations involve substantial revenues and capital projects; trustees noted the port handles tens of millions of dollars annually and that core activities such as procurement and construction warrant prioritized audit attention. Council and trustees said better coordination and structured risk assessments will improve oversight, preserve public trust and reduce the chance of avoidable mistakes.

What's next

Council staff said they will integrate the trustees' input into the city's audit-planning cycle for the coming year and explore cooperative options for risk assessment and audit committee roles. Participants asked for clear, written audit scopes and for the auditor to brief relevant committees with sufficient time for input before work begins.","Council members and Port of Galveston trustees discussed the port audit schedule, recommended using formal risk assessments to prioritize audits, and explored shared services and possible audit-committee collaboration to increase transparency without politicizing audit work.",{"_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},6525451,"Port of Galveston delays master-plan deadline as new Pelican Island talks, cruise growth and rail interest emerge",3996,104000,4100000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3439991-776efe220eb99d6c3d80904f30a7debe&start=104&end=4100","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3439991-776efe220eb99d6c3d80904f30a7debe/thumbnail_104000.jpg","/articles/6525451/Galveston/Galveston-County/Texas/Port-of-Galveston-delays-master-plan-deadline-as-new-Pelican-Island-talks-cruise-growth-and-rail-interest-emerge","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6525451-75d193ba5b76b727848b87dc5adfc821/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441530&Signature=XMETWfUWC3ObmAeUsME2zC3~zXsYeTODRamvNPTn7xJxFK0kdu1iAoSBSuA-vPYxVj2f12CcN5kl~sKG-wU199~BiwkKe0KTefYAP4lu5cduT109HV8X4FU-g-gRGUsFN-96wePmpj87988SyxN4TOmfkN0kNfTbJytn9G0jpeCju5F0kqnwdctqcIJ3T~CkbLDb2YHmIf8FX1kPS-XV~jCNs0T8Uau22R-yqmy90rKn1dm2Y6ZBeNe6BOekZXBAowfiQ1FjLg9WYKccCSFNgUP0bLCrnvRg2eZ3jOPejrxhD9YzxsdfsDUUcdnWP48EIoLB6EMaDZWRWdOM0sp8HA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Port of Galveston officials told a joint meeting of the city council and the port trustees that the port will likely extend the deadline for an updated master plan so consultants can incorporate recent developments, including confidential discussions about Pelican Island and expanded cruise- and cargo-related activity.

\"We're in the middle of a lot of things,\" Roger Reese, Port of Galveston director, said. \"We're in the middle of three different nondisclosure agreements — two with cruise lines — and a third cruise line wants to discuss expansion. And then the cargo business is what we've asked them to really focus on.\" Reese said that rail companies have also approached the port about expanding operations on Galveston.

The master plan adopted in 2019 guided the port through several projects; Reese and Port Chairman Vic Pearson said consultants are now researching market demand for cruise passengers and cargo trade routes and have produced preliminary projections suggesting higher potential cruise-market reach than previously estimated.

\"We used to say 30 million people within eight hours,\" Reese said of a market-area figure the consultant provided. \"They're now saying 40. They went out and did a lot of research and literally looked at almost county by county within an eight hour [drive].\" That data, he said, supports increased cruise activity in the region.

Pearson and trustees also briefed council on work tied to the port's West End construction, which is reducing current tonnage during active construction but is required to complete two berths now under construction and a third slip that must still be filled. Reese estimated that filling a single slip costs roughly $30 million, with about $15 million of that for fill materials.

Trustees and council members discussed an emerging, potentially transformative opportunity on Pelican Island that Reese said is covered by an NDA and could be a \"game changer\" for the port and the city; he asked the consultants to incorporate such developments into the updated plan rather than publishing a plan that would require quick, large changes afterward.

Battleship Texas: site and insurance remain open questions

Trustees also reported progress on a proposed location for the Battleship Texas at Pier 15. Vice Chairman Jeff Patterson said Port staff and pilots steered the Battleship Texas Foundation away from piers parallel to the channel for navigational and storm-protection reasons and offered Pier 15 as an appropriate location. The foundation has accepted that location but must complete engineering, insurance and dredging work before a formal operating agreement is finalized.

\"The biggest thing we're left with is the insurance,\" Patterson said, describing discussions about catastrophic-liability coverage and whether the Battleship Texas Foundation can obtain a commercially affordable policy. \"One of the options is that the state of Texas can veil (assist) … but that's the sticking point we're trying to work through.\"

Council members and trustees discussed technical issues for placing the ship at Pier 15, including the pier's structural soundness, dredging the berth area and how visitors would access an elevated ship (gangways, terminal-level access or a built structure). Port staff said the Battleship Texas Foundation would be financially responsible for pier engineering, dredging and related shore-side improvements as part of a future operating agreement.

Dredging and federal funding

Council members and port staff discussed recent high-level federal activity on dredging. Council Member Alex (last name not specified in the transcript) thanked port officials for lobbying Washington and noted a provision in a federal bill that would authorize funds for the Galveston Ship Channel. Port officials said the appropriation language in congressional bills (still subject to passage and signature) would target the Galveston Ship Channel and related dredging; they cautioned that authorization in a bill is not an automatic award and that the dredge-spoils placement and funding details would need federal and local coordination.

Why this matters

Trustees argued the port must fold current confidential negotiations and new funding opportunities into the master-plan update so the plan reflects likely near-term investments and avoids repeated revisions. Council members emphasized that any port-led changes affecting city infrastructure or requiring city support should be coordinated with the city and noted the port's reliance on reserves and debt service assumptions as it finishes multiple capital projects.

What’s next

Port staff said the consultant team will conduct interviews, public meetings and trustee and council briefings as the next steps in the update. Reese said the port expects to formalize public engagement choices and then recommend how long to extend the consultant's work to include the new information. Trustees said they will return to the council with refinements once consultant baseline work is complete.

\"We want to start this next master plan from what we know rather than start it out and then change it a month later,\" Reese said.","Port and city leaders said the port's master-plan update will likely slip past the original June target to allow consultants to account for new business opportunities including confidential negotiations on Pelican Island, renewed cruise-terminal expansion and railroad interest, and federal dredging funding that could reshape channel capacity.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Port of Galveston to mark 200th anniversary with events and scholarship endowment for Texas A&M Galveston

Port leaders warn reserves are strained as major capital projects continue; TxDOT, federal funding and private partners eyed

City councillors and port trustees agree audits and risk assessment should guide oversight; shared-services idea proposed

Port of Galveston delays master-plan deadline as new Pelican Island talks, cruise growth and rail interest emerge