C mpass Rose FEBRUARY 2021
25TH ANNUAL PENINSULA CLEANUP THE FIRST CLEANUP... 25 YEARS LATER
The 25th Annual Nassau Bay Peninsula Cleanup will be held Saturday, February 20th. This cleanup is vital to keeping our waters and the peninsula a clean and safe place for people and wildlife. Each year, volunteers pick up tons of waste, including everything from plastic bottles and paper, to washing machines, and abandoned boats. Please volunteer with us on February 20th for our 25th annual cleanup! No need to sign up in advance, just show up at the Nassau Bay peninsula entrance gate to clean the peninsula or at the League City boat ramp to clean up Clear Creek. Nassau Bay Peninsula – Meet at 8:30am at the peninsula gate. Trash bags and bottled water will be provided, but please bring your own gloves and wear appropriate clothing and shoes for possible wet and muddy conditions. If later works better, you can join volunteers as your schedule allows, grab a trash bag at the entrance, and strike out on your own. Clear Creek – Gather at the boat ramp at Highway 270 (Egret Bay Blvd) on the League City side at 8:00am. If you go to the Egret Bay ramp starting point, it is important to tell officials on-site that you want to go to the Nassau Bay peninsula as not all boats will work that area. Cleanup usually lasts until 11:30am on the Peninsula and around noon from the boat ramp, or until you get tired. If you can only work for an hour, we would be very grateful. It is a great way to see our beautiful peninsula on a closeup basis. We also welcome a few volunteers with an ATV, golf carts and/or trucks to help transfer volunteers (no trash) back and forth. For those volunteers, this is the only time citizens are allowed to drive on the peninsula. For more information contact Mark Denman, an active volunteer each year, by phone at 713.202.6488 or e-mail at mdenman72@outlook.com.
In 1991, Mark and Diana Denman bought their first Nassau Bay home (after renting in Balboa & Bal Harbour) on Harbour Drive, just down the street from the legendary (among local high school kids) peninsula. It was gated and no access was allowed. On a couple occasions, Mark was able to walk around the fence to see what was back there. One thing he noticed, besides the peninsula's beauty, was lots of trash, especially beer cans, that looked like they had been there for years. With interest perked on its potential, Mark attended his first council meeting in 1993 to seek future access to the wildlife area, but unfortunately found no interest from Council. About a year later, with a newly elected City Council, Mark approached the City again and found great support from the City Manager John Kennedy, along with forward thinking members of Council, Don Johnson, Don Matter, and Phil Johnson, among others. Mark notes, "it was the beginning of a great reinvigoration of Nassau Bay." Around the same time City Attorney Dick Gregg, Jr. was working on attaining ownership of the peninsula, as it had been owned by various bankrupt developers and finally by the defunct Savings and Loan institution. The Resolution Trust Company (RTC), a government agency that took over assets from the Savings and Loan failure, took ownership and was looking for a buyer. City Attorney Gregg personally knew the local RTC trustee and was successful in Nassau Bay being “given” the 76-acre peninsula in return for a promise to pay all outstanding tax liens (which eventually were mostly forgiven). Around 1995, the City gained full ownership of the peninsula. In 1996 (long before Mark was an elected official), City Council gave Mark their blessing to organize the first clean-up. Continued support by Council eventually lead to opening up the peninsula to visitors. A crushed granite walking path was later added, along with benches and a shoreline sidewalk from David Braun Park. The Annual Clean Up is now coordinated with the Clear Creek Environmental Foundation, who dedicates several boats and dozens of volunteers to the peninsula. Thank you Roscoe Lee and the Parks & Recreation Committee for their increased support of the clean up. From the combined efforts, Mark is proud that the interior portion of the peninsula is thoroughly clear of all trash. Clean-ups are now focused on shoreline debris delivered by Clear Creek and Clear Lake, which is a never-ending task. Remarking on the clean-up, Mark "looks forward to continuing this tradition as long as [he is] able and [the City] continues to get great support by future Councils and volunteers".
NASSAU BAY HOMES ASSOCIATION
As infection and mortality rates continue to climb, as well as the very sad news that some NBHA members have recently lost their lives due to COVID, the NBHA office is closed to in-person visits until further notice. Should you need assistance, please call 281333-2570 or email at nassaubayhomesassociation@gmail.com. The NBHA is now accepting online payments: • Zelle: nassaubayhomesassociation@gmail.com • Venmo: @NassauBay-HomesAssociation, Verification Code 5268
NEW PUBLIC WORKS FLEET
NASSAU BAY GARDEN CLUB
The Nassau Bay Garden Club will have its February program on Tuesday, February 9th at 9:30am. The speaker will be John Panzarella from Lake Jackson where his orchard specializes in citrus and other tropical plants. The Garden Club's January meeting was cancelled due to cold weather. The Club is currently looking into other options indoors where masks could be worn and social distancing can be observed. If you know of a business or organization that will allow the Club to use a big room for meetings, please notify the Club. Check the Garden Club's Facebook page and/ or website (nassaubaygc.org) in early February for updates. February is the month to prune, but you must know what to prune as to not cut off new growth that would bloom in the spring. • For information about roses, visit the American Rose Society at www.ars.org. • For information about fruit trees, watch the LSU AgCenter's YouTube video at youtu.be/yxkfEPEhvMw. Organize all your gardening tools, and maintain the ones with moving parts, and you’ll be set for Spring.
GLORIA DEI CHURCH COMMUNITY EVENTS
Ash Wednesday Worship Service | February 17th at 7pm Gloria Dei Lutheran Church will have one Ash Wednesday worship service (in-person & online) in the Worship Center on February 17th at 7:00pm to start the season of Lent. This service will include the distribution of ashes and communion – Gloria Dei will follow COVID procedures and prioritize the health and safety of guests, members and staff. Gloria Dei will also have their annual "Soup Supper" (donations accepted) at 6:00pm to support student mission trips. Trivia Night | March 6th from 5pm-8pm | Life Center Do you have what it takes to be the Trivia Master? Put on your thinking caps and join Gloria Dei for a night of fun and friendly competition to test your trivia knowledge! All proceeds directly benefit middle and high school students attending Gloria Dei summer mission trips. Invite your friends and make sure your team has a variety of knowledge because the categories will vary. Learn more and register at gdlc.org/events by February 28th. COVID procedures will be in place for this event.
MAY 1, 2021 ELECTION NOTICE
The City of Nassau Bay will be holding a General Election on May 1st for the purpose of electing three Councilmembers for Positions 1, 3, and 5. These positions are currently occupied by Councilmembers Don Matter, John Mahon, and Sandra Mossman, respectively. The filing period for the General Election will end on Friday, February 12th (office hours will be extended to 5:00pm.) Any person wishing to file for candidacy may pick up an application from the City Secretary's office or download an application from www.nassaubay.com/Election.
The City has partnered with Enterprise Fleet Management for several years and has worked to determine the best use of their expertise for the City’s fleet and budget. Through analysis of the trends, we have established several categories in our fleet based on the type of usage associated with various vehicles. Specifically, the Public Works department has low mileage usage and low upfitting costs on their vehicles. This makes these vehicles the primary candidate for a different approach to our maintenance and replacement program. In order to take advantage of the market, the City has entered into 12-month leases for eight (8) crew cab trucks to replace most of the Public Works fleet. Below outlines how the Department benefits from this new Fleet approach. 1) Government Incentives: Government agencies receive additional incentives when purchasing vehicles, allowing the City to purchase vehicles at a lower price than the rest of the market. 2) Minimal Upfitting of Vehicles: With limited upfitting, which is handled internally by staff (magnetic markings, magnetic lights, easily removeable toolboxes), there are no extra costs included in the purchase of a vehicle for the Public Works Department. 3) Resale Market: The resale market is especially good for crew cab trucks. Additionally, the Public Works Department averages low mileage per year, allowing the trucks to resale for nearly as much as they were purchased. This 12-month rotation model is projected to limit the City’s maintenance costs nearly 100%, with no projected tire purchases in the first year of use. Overall, Enterprise charted a course that is projected to save the City nearly $1,500 towards its 2021 budget and see an increase of over $18,000 in the fleet equity by the end of leases in 2022. By taking advantage of government purchase incentives and higher resale returns for crew cab trucks over single cabs, the City will essentially be cost neutral. The shift in thinking from a reactive approach to one that schedules vehicle replacement based on market trends helped the City navigate through budget restrictions while maintaining a healthy fleet. Keep an eye out for the new fleet and be reassured that staff is looking for the most costeffective ways to achieve the City’s needs.
Nassau Bay City Hall | 1800 Space Park Drive, Suite 200 | Nassau Bay, TX 77058 | 281.333.4211
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BY THE NUMBERS
Statistics for December 2020
POLICE
Total Service Calls............................ 313 Total Reports Taken............................ 61 Total Patrol Miles.......................... 5,197 Crimes Against Persons..................... 10 Property Crimes...................................21 Arrests......................................................4 Avg Response Times (minutes)..... 2.67
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Total Calls............................................. 25 Fires.......................................................... 1 Rescues.................................................... 1 Motor Vehicle Accident...................... 2 Hazardous Conditions........................ 2 Fire Alarm ............................................. 4 EMS Assist............................................. 9 Cancelled in Route/Other.................. 6
EMS
Total Calls............................................. 78 Total Patients in Nassau Bay........... 42
ST. THOMAS FOOD DISTRIBUTION
St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church (with the Galveston Food Bank) will host their next food distribution date on February 6th. St. Thomas will offer their monthly fresh food distribution to neighbors in need throughout Nassau Bay, Webster, and Pasadena. This distribution will begin in the St. Thomas parking lot at 7:45am for volunteers to help package boxes and bags of fresh fruits, vegetables, (sometimes) meat, and hygiene items. Distribution begins almost immediately. Last month, St. Thomas served over 450 people in 120 cars with 50 pounds of food and hygiene items for each car. If you are interested in serving or leading in this effort, email Mike Stone at rector@sttaec.org. Non-parishioners are always invited to serve with St. Thomas. The next food distribution will be on Saturday, March 13th. We can do more together!
CONGRATS NBVFD FIRE ACADEMY GRADS The Nassau Bay Volunteer Fire Department (NBVFD) is proud of the personal efforts members put forward to ensure the department is well qualified to provide top quality fire protection for Nassau Bay citizens. Using their personal time to take advantage of educational opportunities to acquire expertise is an example of those efforts and dedication. Special congratulations are extended to all NBVFD 2020 COM Fire Academy Graduates - Pictured from graduates of the College of 2020 left to right. Top Row: Kristopher Gaffey, Ronald the Mainland Fire Academy. Domino, Greg Forrest, Hunter Ducharme, and Javon The COM Fire Academy Thomas. Front Row: Cara Spencer and Unique McCamy. curriculum is based on the Not pictured: Joe Trainor and Hailey Riley. Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) Basic Fire Suppression Curriculum Manual, which includes classroom instruction and activities, firefighter skills training, and physical training. The classes are held two nights a week and every Saturday for 16 weeks. Congrats graduates on completing this course! If you are interested in joining the NBVFD team, or are wanting to learn more about the department, please contact the NBVFD by phone at 281-333-2677. You can get answers to your questions and make an appointment to pick up an application packet for membership.
CONGRATS CORPORAL VAIN
Officer Jason Vain has been promoted to the rank of Corporal with the Nassau Bay Police Department. A small ceremony was held on the morning of Thursday, January 7th, to recognize Corporal Vain and to pin his new badge. Corporal Vain has been with Nassau Bay Police Department since September 2016. Jason was a police officer in the State of New Mexico for just over two years before transferring to the NBPD. Corporal Vain has proven himself to be a leader and he is dedicated to the Nassau Bay community. We congratulate Corporal Vain and wish him many more years here at Nassau Bay.
IS YOUR WATER ACCOUNT INFO UP-TO-DATE?
Is your water account up-to-date? As the City processes Utility Billing every month, Utility Billing Coordinator Cyndi Martinez comes across many accounts without phone numbers, driver's license numbers, emails, and other pertinent information needed for your water account. Depending on when you set-up your water account with the City of Nassau Bay, some of the information on file may be out of date. Residents can update their water account info online by visiting the City's website at www.nassaubay.com/UpdateAccount. You can also contact Cyndi at 281-333-4211 and she'd be more than happy to assist you over the phone. Nassau Bay City Hall | 1800 Space Park Drive, Suite 200 | Nassau Bay, TX 77058 | 281.333.4211
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NASSAU BAY ANIMAL SHELTER ABRAHAM
Abraham is a male domestic shorthaired kitten. He is neutered, housetrained, and is good with other cats. Help find loving forever homes for Abraham and all of the dogs and cats at the shelter. Please call the Nassau Bay Animal Shelter at 281.333.2944 and schedule a time to meet one of our dogs or cats ready for adoption. www.nassaubay.com/animalshelter Hours: Mon-Thurs 7:30am-5:30pm Fri 7:30am-11:30am
Find us on Facebook @NassauBayAnimalPound
ST. THOMAS DRIVE-THRU ASHES
St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church (18300 Upper Bay Road) will offer drive-thru Imposition of Ashes on Ash Wednesday, February 17th. Fr. Mike Stone will be located at the semi-circular driveway on San Sebastian Street from 11:30am to 1:30pm. St. Thomas continues to reach out to the local community to provide essential sacraments in creative ways!
CANBE CORNER
The CANBE Board would like to wish everyone in Nassau Bay a very Happy Valentine’s Day! Purchase a Legacy Bench for your sweetheart during the month of February and receive a complimentary I ♥ NB hat. Please visit CANBE's website for more information at www.NassauBayCANBE.org. Be sure to also “like” CANBE on Facebook @NassauBayCANBE. For questions about donations or getting involved, contact Ashley Graves at AFGravesNB@gmail.com.
CONTACT YOUR CITY OFFICIALS
Mayor Bob Warters 281.333.9633 | mayor@nassaubay.com Mayor Pro Tem Don Matter, Position 1 832.260.4626 | don.matter@nassaubay.com Councilmember Phil Johnson, Position 2 281.734.1074 | phil.johnson@nassaubay.com Councilmember John Mahon, Position 3 713.702.1185 | john.mahon@nassaubay.com Councilmember Bryce Klug, Position 4 832.474.5461 | bryce.klug@nassaubay.com Councilmember Sandra Mossman, Position 5 281.333.2194 | sandra.mossman@nassaubay.com Councilmember Matt Prior, Position 6 214.325.0520 | matt.prior@nassaubay.com
ST. PAUL EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM
It’s a new year and St. Paul Catholic Church’s Early Childhood Program is currently accepting applications for Teachers, Teacher Aides, and Substitutes for their new year-round school program. If you are interested in finding out more about these positions, please call 281-333-0176. St. Paul is also accepting registrations for the second half of the 2020-2021 school year. If you have a little one between the ages of 12 months and Pre-K4, St. Paul would love to have them join for social and emotional growth and many other exciting learning opportunities. Pre-K3 and Pre-K4 also have the option of a dual language Spanish class. St. Paul is using the “Get Set for School” curriculum from Learning Without Tears which was introduced this year. The class schedule is 9:30am to 1:30pm, with the option of 2-, 3-, or 5 days per week. An 8:00am to 3:00pm extended day option is also availabe. For more information, please call St. Paul at 281-333-0176. Information can also be found at stpaulcatholic.org.
COUNCIL MEETING RECAP JANUARY 11, 2021 - REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
Recognized Cub Scout Pack 1965 for a Community Service Project in David Braun Park. Recognized the 2020 Employees of the Year. Recognized Officer Jason Vain’s Promotion to Corporal. Appointed Sandra Mossman to the vacancy of Council Position 5. Approved the first reading of an ordinance amending the Nassau Bay Municipal Code Section 19-28 dealing with areas where parking is limited or prohibited by adding additional streets or places to the designated areas where parking is to be limited or prohibited. Approved Resolution R2021-2213 authorizing the Mayor to enter into a joint agreement with CCISD to share the City’s polling place on May 1, 2021. Approved Resolution R2021-2214 expressing Nassau Bay's support of the general recommendations, with comments for consideration, of the Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility study by the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Texas General Land Office. Tabled action on the creation and appointment of members to an Ad Hoc Committee which will determine the purpose, functions, members, and accountability of a Nassau Bay Executive Ad Hoc Committee and a Nassau Bay Finance / Audit Committee. Approved the second and final reading of Ordinance O2020806 providing for regulations and the registration for the operation and use of short-term rentals and providing for a penalty and severability. Approved the first reading of an ordinance calling the May 1, 2021 City General Election for the purpose of electing three Councilmembers, Positions 1, 3 and 5; said election to be held jointly with Clear Creek ISD. Approved Resolution R2021-2215 appointing Bob Warters, Phil Johnson, Don Matter and reappointing Bill Quinn to the Nassau Bay Economic Development Corporation. Approved Resolution R2021-2216 appointing Bob Warters, Phil Johnson, Mark Denman and reappointing Ron Swofford, Don Matter, Matt Prior and Gary Mossman to the Nassau Bay Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone / Nassau Bay Redevelopment Authority. Join us for next month's Council Meeting on Monday, February 8, 2021. Visit www.nassaubay.com/CityCouncil for more details on the meeting.
Nassau Bay City Hall | 1800 Space Park Drive, Suite 200 | Nassau Bay, TX 77058 | 281.333.4211
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