Dickinson City Council OKs city-sponsored status for long-running MI Lewis mobile food distribution

The Dickinson City Council voted to sponsor the MI Lewis Social Service Center—s monthly mobile food distribution, approving use of city resources for traffic control and event logistics.

The approval came after Angelica Hanley, executive director of MI Lewis, told the council the distribution has operated in Dickinson for more than 20 years and now serves hundreds of households monthly through a partnership with the Galveston County Food Bank. Hanley said lines can form as early as 6 a.m. and sometimes close a lane on FM 517; she asked for the designation so the city and MI Lewis can coordinate traffic control and safety without requiring new funding.

Council members and staff said safety concerns and the legal requirements for lane closures on a state highway were the primary issues. Interim City Manager Chase Carey and public safety leaders urged a short-term plan to reduce roadside stacking and a longer-term arrangement with TxDOT so the distribution can continue safely. Police leadership said volunteers or city retirees should not be placed in the middle of a travel lane, and public works staff described available portable signs and barricades the city can deploy.

After discussion the council voted to approve the sponsorship. The motion authorized the city manager and departments to coordinate with MI Lewis on traffic control, to pursue any necessary TxDOT permits for lane closures on FM 517, and to provide public works resources and potential off-duty officer overtime as needed. Council members emphasized that sponsorship allows the city to support logistics but does not create an ongoing direct funding commitment.

Council and staff also agreed to immediate next steps: the city manager will meet with MI Lewis and TxDOT to develop a month-to-month safety plan for the next distribution and to identify reusable mitigation (cones, arrow boards, signage) to reduce repeated overtime costs.

Council members praised the long-running effort and noted distributions are likely to grow as regional partners consolidate pick-up sites. The council recorded no formal fiscal appropriation with the sponsorship motion; staff said modest overtime or equipment costs will be covered within departmental budgets and brought back for future budget adjustments if needed.

The council approved the sponsorship by voice vote; no roll-call tally was read.