Galveston Community Recovery Committee – Open Houses Ideas WEIS MIDDLE SCHOOL – January 21, 2009 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Cruise ship port of call Package for home port Parking meters downtown Expand port Put a priority on funding UTMB and Shriners Casinos Everything should be family-friendly The economic impact of the arts is huge. 9-10$ generated for each 1$ spent to support the arts We need to get out of the Ike crisis. To do that we should all do business together. We are all in this together, why not work together. We are constantly improving our product services and increasing our profits. Sharing profits with employees we need to have a city wide seminar with Jim McIntyre to learn how to do this. (AJ Cuchia 996-5545) Reestablish health services as our largest industry, health services are the fastest growing sector of economy and appears it will retain that status. It is the heart and soul of Galvestonians. Reestablish leadership position and invite many other health services, researchers, and providers to join our efforts Investment in Early Childhood Care and Education is Economic development in pre-school pays dividends 2-3 times as great as traditional economic development. We need that kind of investment to attract young families to live and thrive on the island. Why isn't education part of econ. dev? How are each of these linked? How do they inter-relate? Casinos on north side of Broadway only revitalizes the area, casinos need large parking lots, plenty of unused space there. Attract rich people not poor, do you want poor or rich customers? Trickle up is shabby convenience stores, pay check cashing places etc. -We need to think in terms of ‘Island Economy’- tourism is great but we need industry, alternative energy, electronic-energy efficiency, etc Facilities located on the island to build out neighborhoods and attend our schools Invest in Bio-tech complex Partner with UTMB research GNL produce products/services which generate revenue for both city/econ development More job opportunities Available facilities for health services here on Galveston Island More financial help Money incentives for alternative energy/green building materials Gaming- re-growth of its population and industry Casinos 1st our city council should ‘come out’ and endorse the position of brining gaming to the island, the future of Galveston depends on our position- interlock with rail transportation will strengthen our position for government funding. WEIS MIDDLE SCHOOL 1 Galveston Community Recovery Committee – Open Houses Ideas ENVIRONMENTAL Community Gardens Island Wide Incentives to get businesses to recycle (hotels, restaurants) Create natural gardens on overpasses to lessen maintenance and add curb appeal to visitors coming into the city Same east end beach/lagoon as a nature park No Marquette Understand here. Harm to the environments and to wildlife is costing us all Pollution- health problems, health costs Loss of wetlands- damage to fishing industry Loss of beauty- loss of attraction- cultural poverty HOUSING & HISTORIC PRESERVATION Downtown Historic buildings should be preserved and adapted for retail and residential use to promote a lively (but not obnoxiously noisy) ambience Cultural opportunities should be offered in the area The 55+ housing segment on the island is large, both the part time and full timers. This housing segment should be a separate category for economic development. How do we attract the developers and buyers for these homes? Say goodbye to public housing, that and free health care has created a ghetto Living residence (low income) Check on the places with a dot and than see conditions Designated bike lanes Island-wide Develop housing north of Broadway, no buildings over 6 stories Continue to develop residential opportunities in downtown Include green places in all neighborhoods Decrease public housing- develop single family housing Encourage neighborhood organizations, ethnic festivals for everyone, see historic Galveston Get public housing back in Galveston so residents and renters can come back Do something to protect people forced to live in apartments while their houses are being repaired from losing their homes to foreclosure Create affordable homes instead of “projects Housing open up for the residents Review and Revise Building codes for apartment complexes. Need to provide proper lighting so that tenants will feel safe Concentrate on restoring Broadway to a beautiful and safe entrance to Galveston Help those with no insurance rebuild now, sand can come later. Taxpayers who have been living on the island made Galveston what it was. Tourists will have nothing to see if Islanders are not supported Enforce building codes Improve drainage beginning with cleaning gutters I believe it’s a misnomer to consider cultural arts organizations within the umbrella of cultural heritage. The arts are above business and economic stimulus. We need to make them part of economic development/tourism category. They’ll get lost in the neighborhoods WEIS MIDDLE SCHOOL 2 Galveston Community Recovery Committee – Open Houses Ideas HUMAN SERVICES Health Services/UTMB/Shriners Focus on things that are beneficial to the people rather than to Galveston Island itself Boys and Girls Club Facility Give tax breaks to teachers, police, firefighters etc, who live on the island Chamber of Commerce and others hold lead the efforts for better Schools We need to get UTMB back to its previous state A trauma center is vital to this entire area and the lack of one places a strain on the Houston hospital The facility for senior services needs to be restored and a complete review of existing programs. More and better programs are needed to provide opportunities for seniors to participate in, to enrich their lives. Restore UTMB and Shriners Hospitals to former levels of function and service. Projects restoring or creating new employment are a priority Add full or partial ‘T’ head to all or some of the rock piers. The beach looks ridiculous with a 5 foot drop to the water. It wastes money. Stop dumping sand on the beach, it does not work Install pumping stations in downtown area to avoid flooding from large rains and small hurricanes, than business owners would be more willing to develop small businesses in storefront property Levee Down harbor side to 61st street, than down Heards on Ave rains and S to Seawall- Another hurricane could hit next year! Build levees- start with UTMB area Protect from flooding TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE Links between downtown, A&M and UTMB should be exploited Extend sewer systems to all Rail from Houston to Galveston establish commuter train to Houston increase buses on island work with large employers to establish schedule and routes require sidewalks in all developments and make them handicap accessible use green modes of transportation Establish designated bike lanes on major cross island streets- Broadway and Downtown Ordinance to establish a 60 foot clear site triangle at all city intersections, alleyways and driveways so that cars can see and be seen when entering or crossing a through fare A way to get off the island without using mass transportation WEIS MIDDLE SCHOOL 3 Galveston Community Recovery Committee – Open Houses Ideas GULF BREEZE COMMUNITY ROOM – January 22, 2009 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT We need things in Galveston that draws people on a frequent basis. FEMA to hold the city government to actually implement the plan once it is produced and approved Help provide an open air market for merchants and residents to sell product from, until store fronts are available and/or rents are more reasonable We need good job sources. Having only UTMB is not acceptable. Without good jobs we will never have a strong middle class on the island Groceries in this area that are affordable, no food stores reasonable, price in this neighborhood. No family dollar store ENVIRONMENTAL A recycle program for the city. Sell recycling to make money. City of Friendswood does this they have recycle day on Friday with garbage collection HOUSING & HISTORIC PRESERVATION Establish an aesthetically pleasing ‘corridor’ vision for Broadway, starting at causeway-south. Make Broadway really beautiful Create codes for clean up of existing blight- pink and purple are out- put the responsibility for enforcement on Wendy’s desk and set out a contractual agreement with property owners for tax credit or federal fund assistance etc. Buy out behind sea wall- should be pursed by city council. We have the world’s best model right in sanjacinto community garden project- of what can be done to correct and/or prevent blighted lots. Just ask Margaret Canavan how to do it. Let people tagged red with no insurance (or inadequate) bail out of their mortgages. These people have a right to these funds. Bike week, mardi gras etc is not a sound economic path. Maybe “Breaven” type establishments- perhaps more seawall and downtown year round amusements- maybe gambling Need poster crime watch Galveston has more project housing than cities 20 times our size. Project housing keeps people from advancing. We need affordable individual homes. We need adequate education. We need mentoring programs and things to inspire the youth- that is the path to a great city; of course the island needs jobs. Should ease requirements to allow storm windows and/or hurricane glass windows. ‘exemption’ prevents safety feature of unbreakable windows. allow code compliance to be residents’