GALVESTON — City leaders are debating the return of trolleys to the island. When the cars ran before Hurricane Ike, ridership was low because of mechanical problems that skewed the ride schedule.



About $4 million in federal funding and other sources is available to repair the trolleys, but is it worth the expense to maintain the cars and tracks?

What do you think? What did you like most about the trolleys?

Related Story: Will trolleys return to the island?

GALVESTON — Bill Quiroga, who announced in December he would run for mayor, has decided to support mayoral candidate Beau Rawlins and instead run for the district 5 council seat.

“Mr. Rawlins and I have very similar points of view,” Quiroga said in a statement. “Beau and I have a great love for our city and we are in agreement that united we can come together to build a better future for Galveston, our citizens and our business community.”

Councilman Steve Greenberg has said he will not seek re-election for the district 5 seat.

Rawlins, a school board trustee for the Galveston Independent School District, will face Lewis S. Rosen and Mayor Joe Jaworski in May’s election for mayor.

“I appreciate Bill’s spirit and always looking out for what he feels is best for the Island. Mutual support for common goals that progress Galveston and provide for her community is what should be most important for all leaders of Galveston,” Rawlins said.

The Galveston election is May 12.

Beating out designs from competitors from Australia and Hong Kong, Galveston’s design for a new wastewater treatment plant took home an award this month in an international competition for innovation in water and wastewater treatment plant.

The facility was flooded during Hurricane Ike in 2008, prompting a shutdown of the system.

The design for the new facility, created by the city and consultant CDM, considers time constraints, funding limits and keeping the plant in operation while construction is completed. The plant should be finished in 2015.

Here’s a look at the winning video presentation that includes 3D models of the plant and simulations of another storm. And for you non-engineers like myself, the video doesn’t require any technical expertise.

GALVESTON — Staff with an Austin-based law firm have finished revising council redistricting plans for the island. Last week, the city council chose and made some changes to two maps to be considered for redistricting.

The city council will have a public hearing at 5 p.m. on Oct. 27 at city hall before voting on one plan that same night.


Draft Plan R Revised

Take a look at both plan O and plan R and see if you’ll be voting in another district next year. Also included are breakdowns of the demographics of each proposed district. PDFs of the documents are included below.

Draft Plan O Revised Report

Draft Plan O Revised

Draft Plan R Revised Report

Draft Plan R Revised

GALVESTON — Mayor Joe Jaworski puckered up to a fish Saturday at a Community Carnival for the Austin Middle School’s VEX Robotics Club.

Check out Jaworski’s smooch with a fish here:



Glenn Winstryg, sponsor of the club and Galveston teacher, said the Kiss the Fish competition raised more than $600. Proceeds are going to help the Robotics club compete this year.

Last year, a team from the Robotics club won the national championship in Nebraska, and two teams in the club went to the World Championship Tournament in Florida.

The teams took 17th and 30th place out of more than 100 teams.

GALVESTON — Mayor Joe Jaworski or one of the other five city council members will pucker up to a fish on Saturday at a Community Carnival for the Austin Middle School’s VEX Robotics Club.

The carnival will have games, food and crafts with funds going to Austin Middle School and other Galveston Independent School Districts campuses.

Last year, a team from the Robotics club won the national championship in Nebraska, and two teams in the club went to the World Championship Tournament in Florida. The teams took 17th and 30th place out of more than 100 teams.


Austin's VEX Robotics Club won the 2010 national championship

To vote for your council member to kiss the fish, send a donation to Austin Middle School: VEX Robotics Club, 1514 Ave. N 1/2, Galveston, TX 77550. The carnival starts at 10 a.m. Saturday at Austin Middle School at 1514 Ave. N 1/2.

The winner will kiss the fish at 2 p.m.

I’ve had a few calls asking about the recently appointed city auditor, Glenn Bulgherini. Bulgherini has a list of audits he’s planned to work on for the 2012 fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1.

Among the list of audits, he’ll be looking at homestead exemptions and special events costs to the city and hotel occupancy tax collections.

Bulgherini told city council he would check into some discount hotel providers that may “come in and lease a room, then sublease it and then they don’t pay the HOT tax to the municipality.”

In addition to the list below, the city auditor will also be examining the money collecting system at parking for cruise ships and advertising expenses at the Park Board of Trustees.

After the audits are complete, Bulgherini will submit recommendations to city council.

Note: Item 12, an audit of TIRZ 12, will be completed by an external auditor.

Galveston Audit Plan