Sunny Beach Newsletter, March 2011

Sunny Beach Neighborhood is an unincorporated, nonprofit, voluntary organization established to enhance the common voice of Sunny Beach.

Neighborhood Meeting April 2
Mark your calendar to attend the next Sunny Beach Neighborhood (S.B.N.) meeting on Saturday, April 2. We will meet at 6 p.m. at Ron Binkley’s house at 11203 Bernice Dr.

Meeting Agenda
· S.B.N. dues and treasurer’s report
· New members and membership (Do we need a membership officer?)
· City of Galveston Ike buyout property at 11213 Bernice Dr.
· Abandoned beachfront houses at 11224 and 11226 Garfield Way
· Beach bollards
· Volunteer needs: grass cutting on Ike buyout lots* and site of Sunny Beach sign (lot at corner of Schwartz Dr. and 8 Mile Rd.); retrieving trash cans; and picking up trash tossed by people and/or wind along 8 Mile Rd. and throughout the neighborhood
· The sand nourishment project west of the Seawall
· Seawall paid-parking issue

*In a January e-mail Gerri Empey contacted Dianna Puccetti, our City Council representative, to ask who is responsible for maintenance at 11213 Bernice Drive. Puccetti responded that it is an issue also in Spanish Grant, Bermuda Beach and Sea Isle, but “I have not received a direct answer at this point.” She added, “I will keep pushing.”

Neighborhood Changes
If you haven’t been to Sunny Beach lately, you may not know there has been a “flurry” of property selling and buying activity since December. Welcome to our new neighbors:
Stan & Edie Speer of Richmond, TX, who purchased 11207 Reagor Way from Carol Gibbins
Lane & Valeri Johnson of Houston, who purchased 11212 Bernice Dr. from David and Rena LaCroix
Janice Iden of Cypress, TX, who purchased 11218 Reagor Way from Metta Weburg
... and farewell to Matt & Lauren Johnson, who moved away from 11200 Bernice Dr.

Please Help
“Clean-up Trash Day,” anyone? Sunny Beach has a problem with extensive littering in neighborhood ditches and along 8 Mile Rd. No one is in charge of picking up this trash, so it's up to us, the residents of Sunny Beach, to keep our neighborhood clean – not only our own properties, but around them as well. Trash by the side of the road seems to attract additional trash. Spring Break is upon us, and it's just going to get worse.

Galveston News & Issues
The Galveston City Council is trying to get paid parking on the Seawall again. This would be potentially devastating to the "free" parking areas on the West End (especially 8 Mile Rd.). Plan to attend our April 2 meeting to weigh in on this important issue as we will want to be sure the council knows our neighborhood’s position.

We may see changes in windstorm insurance requirements if the legislature approves recommendations from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. See “TWIA seeks reforms,” published February 20 in the Galveston Daily News about proposed changes at http://galvestondailynews.com/story/212778/.

Visit http://wgipoa.com/ for information on West Galveston Island Property Owners Association. Other online resources are the Galveston Daily News at http://galvestondailynews.com/ and Guidry News Service at http://www.guidrynews.com/.

Upcoming
Feb. 25–27 & Mar. 4–8 Galveston Mardi Gras (www.mardigrasgalveston.com)
March 11–20 Spring Break (UT and other schools)
March 12 Music Night on The Strand, 5 – 8 p.m. at
Saengerfest Park, 2300 Strand (every second Saturday)
March 12 ArtWalk, 6 – 9 p.m.
Galveston Arts Center & Other Galleries
March 13 Daylight Savings Time begins
April 2 Sunny Beach Neighborhood Meeting, 6 p.m.
at Ron Binkley’s house, 11203 Bernice Drive
April 24 Easter
April 30 ArtWalk
May 6–8 & 13–14 Historic Homes Tour, Galveston Historical Foundation

Rental Properties
If there is a problem with a rent house call GARM Security at 409-682-3603 to reach peace officers. For emergencies, call 911. For non-emergency police assistance, call the Galveston Police at 409-766-2100.

2011 S.B.N. Dues Now Being Collected
You should have received an e-mail or letter from S.B.N. treasurer Bruce Billings this month with an invoice for $25.00 per Sunny Beach property. If you have not already sent your membership payment, please do so now! Make checks payable to “Sunny Beach Neighborhood” and mail to Bruce Billings, 7373 Blairview Dr., Dallas, TX 75230.

S.B.N. Officers and Blog
The elected officers of Sunny Beach Neighborhood are Tom Empey, president, at tempey@comcast.net or 409-789-2297; Bruce Billings, treasurer, at thebilltender@tx.rr.com or 214-207-0975; and Anne Billings, secretary, at adavisbillings@tx.rr.com or 214-739-6004. Feel free to contact any of us should you have neighborhood news, questions or problems to report.
Also, Tom Empey created a blog for us where we can post thoughts and comments. Log on to: sunnybeachneighborhood.blogspot.com.

Minutes from December 28th, 2010 Meeting

Members of Sunny Beach Neighborhood (SBN) met from 5 to 7:30pm on December 28th, 2010, to discuss neighborhood issues, get acquainted with one another and to celebrate the holiday season. The meeting was hosted by Bruce and Anne Billings at 11216 Bernice Dr.

In attendance were:

Bruce and Anne Billings

BJ and Catherine Mehirnfar (11205 Bernice)

Jesse Meason and Carmen (11227 Bernice)

Robert and Janis Cox (11223 Reagor Way)

Ron Binkley (11203 Bernice and 11226 Reagor Way)

SBN Officers' Reports

The president of SBN, Tom Empey, was out of town; no business was reported.

The treasurer, Bruce Billings, reported that approximately one-half of the neighborhood had paid dues to support SBN activities in 2010. The SBN bank account ended 2010 with a balance of $1,279.58. An additional $50 in dues was collected at the meeting.

The secretary, Anne Billings, distributed copies of the 2010-2011 Neighborhood Directory to those present. Information and photographs in the directory reflect many changes at Sunny Beach since the last directory and are current from input available through the end of 2010. There are two copies available for each property represented. Contact Anne or Gerri Empey to receive your directories.

New Neighbors

11201 Schwartz, Kyle Manary (Heather) of Galveston, TX

11213 Schwartz, Kay Harrington of Richwood, TX

11205 Reagor Way, Diane Jackson passed away June 12, 2010; Richard Cole, her friend in Bellaire, TX, not only agreed to be the contact, but also paid dues to support SBN.

11218 Reagor Way, recently sold (formerly Metta Weburg)

11224 Reagor Way, Mike Jernigan and Gaard Egeland, of Houston, TX

11221 Bernice, John Pellegrini (Peggy), of Mineola, TX

11227 Bernice, Jesse Meason (Carmon), of Richmond, TX

SBN Issues

(Items listed below were discussed, but none acted upon. These will be revisited at our next meeting)

Beach Sand Renourishment -

Although the sand project was cancelled, residents at our meeting seemed optimistic that sometime in the future it will be reinstated.

Beach Bollards -

Ron Binkley (11203 Bernice & 11226 Reagor Way) reported that the GLO in Austin is agreeable to having the bollards repositioned, but our problem is with the City of Galveston. Consensus was to continue to push the city to have the bollards moved westward of our development.

Additionally, we need to hold the city accountable for maintaining the lot at 11213 Bernice Drive purchased in the Ike buyout. * SBN residents have seen vehicles accessing the beach through this lot. We could request some sort of barricade to the beach (bollards?) on this lot.

* Julia Lewis (11216 Schwartz) says she has a design for use of this property for SBN to propose to the city.

Neighborhood Security & Welfare

We have been fortunate to have the Empey's (who sold their home in December), the Husemann's, Bond's and others living at Sunny Beach keeping an eye on what is happening for those who own properties as vacation homes and/or rentals. BJ Mehirnfar (11205 Bernice) suggested we identify which Sunny Beach homes are occupied full-time (This information is available in the Sunny Beach Directory.) He proposed we consider hiring a "manager" (perhaps part time or as needed) with neighborhood funds to watch out for residents' needs - from bringing in trash bins from the street after weekly pick-ups, to maintenance needs and trouble-shooting.

We also discussed the need for something to distinguish our neighborhood as a unique, cohesive identity, with the purpose of enhancing all SBN property values. Ideas discussed included planting a "hedge" of oleanders or installing a fence along 3005 and possibly 8 mile road perimeters of Sunny Beach - something to make it look like a distinct community.

New Business

Our next meeting will be late winter or early spring.

Please advise Tom Empey tempey@comcast.net of ideas or items you wish to include on the agenda for the next SBN meeting.

You can lend a hand with pulling in trash bins in for out-of-town neighbors who must depart Sunny Beach prior to their trash pick up. Get to know your neighbors. Report any "strange" activity or vehicles at properties, to the police and/or to other SBN members.

Sunny Beach Neighborhood participation is important; please become involved.