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.