[{"_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",6587521,"mediaKeyId","5587795-3f03544a733cc2355c7ffb4f962f96cd","parentId",5587795,"title","Council interviews dozens of candidates for WARF, planning and other boards; reappointments set","audioSeconds",6616,"startMs",120000,"endMs",6736000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5587795-3f03544a733cc2355c7ffb4f962f96cd&start=120&end=6736","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5587795-3f03544a733cc2355c7ffb4f962f96cd/thumbnail_120000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6587521/Galveston/Galveston-County/Texas/Council-interviews-dozens-of-candidates-for-WARF-planning-and-other-boards-reappointments-set","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587521-4d64535b6827c9347494cccefabf0e2a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770413515&Signature=KGTHJDKXEH44LeFBXKZ6-zj6pIhsSyOFZQgmd~CHidY4a1pGSXBLhhHFlg8OpUv492SHShk3RueVk6OTOWpoF8x3MT10NSex1hVphi1PE50-GmR3ClZhJETBJpHzU2vu8YAJwQ6V1F8qc2dNUzShGks8F7m5Q-loD7~-btT1fMUHp2F5xVFP3lhb1ofw6artFkO7Qvblvv14Y-rcNqKcDFFuv8sFSVisSLbexSz-g0qoXS3-UjNLaJRbqCPYFh6-YQYu7YjArRPXioe42bWit5unsLmu0SYMp9yXGnKJ-9jeSer5cj5d13a0RG~eABqgV2x~AjIj5ij4yPQpXyEPUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Galveston","date","2025-08-14T00:00:00Z","article","Galveston City Council spent much of its Aug. 14 workshop interviewing candidates for the Waterworks, Airport, Port and Finance (WARF) board, the Planning Commission and multiple other boards and committees.

Candidates for the WARF board and Port‑related positions described backgrounds in maritime operations, ports law and port finance. Applicants included Bill Rouse, who highlighted his finance and operations experience and prior volunteer service on port advisory committees; Eric Strandblad, who emphasized port operations and project cargo experience; and Willie Gonzalez, a current port trustee who discussed workforce training and scholarship programs tied to port jobs.

For the Planning Commission, the council interviewed engineering and planning professionals including James Banks, a mechanical engineer with construction and HVAC experience; Claire Garza, a maritime attorney; Floyd Holder, an urban‑planning instructor at Galveston College; and Mary Jan Lance, a three‑year planning commissioner seeking reappointment who recommended joint meetings with city council to align development and policy goals.

Council members asked candidates about balancing developer requests, zoning variances and community concerns; several candidates said they would rely on staff analysis, the city's land‑use code and the comprehensive plan when making decisions. Several candidates recommended increased joint meetings between council and the commission so both bodies share expectations before major projects proceed.

No formal appointments were made at the workshop; the council scheduled follow‑up interviews and reappointment votes. Council and staff also noted that a number of board vacancies remain and that additional interviews will be scheduled before August 28 and subsequent regular meetings.

Ending: Council members thanked applicants for volunteering and said they would return to appoint candidates during upcoming council meetings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Galveston - Council Workshop","oneSentenceSummary","City Council held interviews for the Port/WARF board, planning commission and other municipal boards. Several reappointments and future interview dates were scheduled; no formal appointments were finalized at the workshop.","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},6587523,"Galveston Housing Finance board reboots to focus on \"missing middle\" ownership programs",518,14044000,14562000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5587795-3f03544a733cc2355c7ffb4f962f96cd&start=14044&end=14562","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5587795-3f03544a733cc2355c7ffb4f962f96cd/thumbnail_14044000.jpg","/articles/6587523/Galveston/Galveston-County/Texas/Galveston-Housing-Finance-board-reboots-to-focus-on-missing-middle-ownership-programs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587523-82f2d95c1861899dd5fe6ed37ba2f195/orig.mp4?Expires=1770413515&Signature=AALo9mkO9UJZCkRVnOXe9EiP704GyxHcUyVijj3tSjLMvqWIFbKKtAM8ln8276TZj6tpYSgn78usfDor2vYg1EkqNIXYfRB5KOoEpOWMYFXnK2pxMxPUwoDCe2DoN9kGft-Kcw0biCmE398To6n-bz~wUaizJHAHKYEg3~Uhrqg2xXXswX13eUenEVadgLbTJ8XBuhK06tIpWIy97Fl6voM-gNbp2WPXRnkZuNT5qIZ9FpzIJnTWY0OLhAVNlkxZhvbGPAbT4-imw3reSb2DHoMxxxRbdB7QfPs8X9GbwH-uHARoEkSmUcjzHv0nTEfZdDCe~KI5PWNFkIKqPaGC4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The reconstituted Galveston Housing Finance Corporation (GHFC) and Galveston Property Finance Authority used a council workshop slot on Aug. 14 to reintroduce themselves and outline a strategic shift: the boards will focus on enabling and financing attainable homeownership rather than directly building houses.

Cody Wright, the board president, said the boards will prioritize the “missing middle” — households earning roughly 60% to 140% of area median income (AMI) — who often do not qualify for deeply subsidized housing but cannot afford market prices on Galveston. Wright said GHFC intends to support down‑payment and gap financing, partner with community development corporations and leverage statewide housing finance tools where possible.

Vice President Mark Stasney told council the decision not to resume direct homebuilding reflects market realities: high land costs and a private infill market that already supplies many of the small‑lot homes historically built by the authority. Instead, the board plans to act as a financial partner or general partner on select transactions, support projects such as the L. A. Morgan initiative and look at land‑banking, community land trusts and other long‑term affordability mechanisms.

Stasney said the board holds roughly $900,000 in unrestricted funds from earlier housing activity; the board wants to steward that money carefully but not let it sit idle. The board also said it will pursue partnerships with the Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation and other organizations to expand homebuyer assistance and to access pooled down‑payment assistance programs.

Board members said they will return to council with concrete proposals once they have vetted funding stacks and partner roles. Councilmembers asked about deed restrictions and resale controls to prevent short‑term flipping of subsidized homes; the board said such covenants and long‑term affordability tools are part of their toolkit and would be tailored to each program.

Ending: The council heard the relaunch and invited the board to return with targeted program proposals and funding partnerships for council consideration.","The Galveston Housing Finance Corporation and Property Finance Authority restarted board work, said they will not build homes directly and plan to use financing and partnerships to support attainable ownership for households at 60–140% AMI.",{"_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},6587529,"Council narrows bond call to fire facilities; street bond deferred for more planning",1363,10665000,12028000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5587795-3f03544a733cc2355c7ffb4f962f96cd&start=10665&end=12028","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5587795-3f03544a733cc2355c7ffb4f962f96cd/thumbnail_10665000.jpg","/articles/6587529/Galveston/Galveston-County/Texas/Council-narrows-bond-call-to-fire-facilities-street-bond-deferred-for-more-planning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587529-d4529b90174971e01d6ec312539f6786/orig.mp4?Expires=1770413515&Signature=QHkoMMIGUXdIw55Y2lk8v5KFPqwjpM7ebFCGMNrxBShMdjSbdav5oquSOmTJ5BfDODFvVv0QdJrkb~dAsbSAS6G~I1MS7XbPUQ76X1McD1NzjhEZ4qQ59SWHO73iZflvs0XAPNSVRKvu7WQZqorEka-cUoOybxjbTrvZc774LYiA1U5FIQk6qrw1XyXyayvtqleQK6Y1SQdP4-iysp1J-7qrnTHtIAOVPSAXYwxYQcGj1sKzxDjnVgyjL6vCKVwRAbEruii-5zcIl~f5kC4gvlSFH0kY0NBm1m66ff2JHnAQjeoy-o0cb6qFBR54dtDlZh8xqI-Yp0eoFDDg88iRYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Galveston City Council on Aug. 14 voted to place a bond proposition for fire facilities — including funding for a new Fire Station No. 2 — on the Nov. 4 municipal ballot, while deferring a proposed $50 million streets bond so staff can refine project lists and district allocations.

The decision followed a two‑hour workshop discussion of street‑by‑street options, engineering priorities and budget trade‑offs. Assistant City Manager Brandon Cook, the city's pavement consultant and other staff showed maps estimating how $50 million would raise the city's pavement condition index (PCI) from about 74 to roughly 79 if paired with continued maintenance spending. The $50 million plan primarily included mill‑and‑overlay work and a limited number of full‑depth reconstructions.

Council members split over whether a November bond that included mostly mill‑and‑overlay work would be a convincing ballot package. Some members said voters prefer larger reconstruction projects that offer a longer useful life; others warned that converting every needed stretch to concrete would cost far more than $50 million. Several council members asked staff to return with district‑level packages so each council district could see estimated allocations and project types before the council decides whether to go back to voters.

On the fire facility, council members said the cramped and aging Station No. 2 (which houses equipment soon to be replaced) presents a clear operational and safety need. Multiple council members and staff urged moving the fire proposition forward. Councilmember David Brown said the council had already committed to addressing station issues and he supported placing the measure on the November ballot; Mayor Brown and others echoed that view.

Councilmember Lehi Raub moved to call a Nov. 4 election only on fire facilities; Councilmember David Brown seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

What happens next: staff will prepare an ordinance and ballot language for the fire‑facility proposition, while engineering and pavement staff will return with a more granular street‑priority package for council review. Several council members asked staff to provide cost estimates tied to clearly defined outcomes (example: PCI change, number of full reconstructions vs. overlays) and to explore options for blending long‑life reconstruction and targeted mill‑and‑overlay work.

Ending: The council's action sends a single, fire‑facilities proposition to the Nov. 4 ballot; the larger streets plan remains under study and will return to council for further direction and possible future voter consideration.","After a long workshop discussion about a proposed $50 million streets bond and a $10 million fire facilities bond, City Council voted to send only the fire-facilities measure to voters for Nov. 4; council members asked staff for more district‑level planning and public engagement on street projects.",{"_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},6587535,"Galveston, park board move toward new interlocal, but HOT fee and reserves remain unresolved",2118,8848000,10966000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5587795-3f03544a733cc2355c7ffb4f962f96cd&start=8848&end=10966","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5587795-3f03544a733cc2355c7ffb4f962f96cd/thumbnail_8848000.jpg","/articles/6587535/Galveston/Galveston-County/Texas/Galveston-park-board-move-toward-new-interlocal-but-HOT-fee-and-reserves-remain-unresolved","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587535-997f2976504a8e3dff3f0e7ca9645f21/orig.mp4?Expires=1770413515&Signature=giIjWJo5QziSJCYNC4TZG-SDCD2AZWrhPD7YSNzHvd7WlRaHR-Wiz-itHy7sIK4gdG9SF2D451vo1XFFe~V-Qk9MvKWZiblyFzXHgUpVlNT7cVLfkEDcy6Zr8KUmfL4Y788UR5EE1Ov21vOj~LzHWZubkQEDxIEt7J0xw6oHEsT~9G5Y0a40n8~DdK2BtI2JcFWYfx-LQ0AwobImwtt4k06avoHrBHVRSuegzU2dju9adcc5zz1ZnmnaG4LeQAVnj2D268Jj8b1xYT6444TytxODtTDiSkx77IL3daKWNfSG-NjIC2OH6GG0Dv0gcxHvy3vteY3kAbqgY64icQy5Tg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff and Park Board trustees presented a draft interlocal agreement and the Park Board's proposed FY2026 budget to the Galveston City Council on Aug. 14, laying out how the city will collect hotel-occupancy tax (HOT) starting Oct. 1 and how Seawall-area parks and related services will transfer from the Park Board to city management.

City Finance Director Sheila Laddani said the Park Board's FY26 HOT revenue projection is $19.2 million and the city is budgeting additional non-HOT payments to the Park Board of about $2.3 million for services such as seawall maintenance. Laddani said those figures and a recent recalculation of the certified property tax roll produced an unexpected $449,340 drop in general‑fund property‑tax revenue, leaving a roughly $513,000 gap between the Park Board budget and the city's administrative fee on HOT collections.

The draft interlocal clarifies service expectations, delineates which entity will pay for routine maintenance versus capital repair, and ties Park Board compensation for seawall services to the Board's cost-of-service budgets. Dan Buckley, the city's lead on the interlocal, said staff and trustees had reduced projected seawall amenity costs from more than $1 million to about $698,000 by better defining responsibilities and realigning staffing.

Interim Park Board CEO Marty Miles told council the Park Board recently received 501(c)(3) status for a community police foundation and is changing how reserves and operating cash are managed. He said trustees plan to revise the Park Board's reserve policy so the Board can use reserves to smooth cash-flow gaps and pay for unexpected capital needs without returning surplus HOT dollars to the city immediately.

Laddani said staff recommend approving the Park Board budget for the first two quarters of FY26 to allow the Park Board and city staff time to negotiate open items and produce a midyear amendment by February or March 2026. That would let the Park Board operate while staff work on solutions for the $513,000 shortfall and on clarifying reserve rules, she said. Council members pressed for a definitive path to resolve the shortfall; several said they want the Board to be able to draw down reserves for one‑time capital repairs but not to rely on reserves for recurring operations.

Council members also asked for clearer, recurring reporting from the Park Board and for written policies about staff entertaining clients and spending HOT funds. Buckley said the HOT contract being drafted bars use of HOT to pay lobbyists and limits severance pay charged to HOT; it also requires quarterly HOT transfers and more detailed reporting.

Councilmember David Brown and others said they supported moving the collection of STR registrations and HOT to the city on Oct. 1 but urged quick follow-up on the reserve policy and on the Park Board's CIP requests. Park Board trustees said they plan to present a CIP and any reserve-policy changes to council and trustees in the months ahead.

If the council approves the draft interlocal and HOT contract as planned in late August, Buckley said staff will work with trustees to finalize outstanding items and return with ordinances and the Park Board's CIP in time for budget hearings.

Ending: City and Park Board staff said they will continue working on the administrative‑fee shortfall and the Park Board reserve policy; council directed staff to bring a midyear Park Board budget amendment and clearer reporting language back before March 2026.","City and Park Board staff presented a draft interlocal and a proposed FY26 Park Board budget; staff recommend approving the Park Board budget for two quarters while city and trustees resolve a $513,000 shortfall caused by a city administrative fee and other transitions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council interviews dozens of candidates for WARF, planning and other boards; reappointments set

Galveston Housing Finance board reboots to focus on "missing middle" ownership programs

Council narrows bond call to fire facilities; street bond deferred for more planning

Galveston, park board move toward new interlocal, but HOT fee and reserves remain unresolved