HomeMy WebLinkAboutCEDC Minutes 2014-10-01 RegularFriendswood Community and Economic Development Committee
Meeting Minutes
October 1, 2014
The Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee met on Wednesday,
October 1, 2014 at 8:30 a.m., in the second floor conference room of City Hall, 910 S.
Friendswood Drive, Friendswood, Texas, with the following members present: Chair Pauline
Moore, Vice Chair Tony Annan, Brett Banfield, Skip Evans, Jeremy Magnuson, and Bill
Provenzano. Liaisons present were Barbara Cutsinger- Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership,
Bix Rathburn - Galveston County Economic Alliance, Carol Marcantel — Friendswood Chamber
of Commerce, Superintendent Trish Hanks — Friendswood Independent School District, Eva
DeCardenas — Clear Creek Independent School District, and David O'Farrell — Planning and
Zoning Commissioner.
Absent from the meeting were Mark Conrad, Marcus Perry, and Hilmar Zeissig.
Staff member present was Karen Capps.
1. Call to Order. The meeting was called to order at 8:40 a.m.
2. Roll Call. Roll call was made.
3. Approval of Minutes.
Bill Provenzano made a motion to approve the August 6 and September 3, 2014 meeting minutes.
The motion was seconded by Skip Evans and approved unanimously in the committee.
4. Discussion and possible action regarding the development of policies pertaining to
economic development.
This item will be reviewed at the next meeting.
5. Reports:
Planning and Zoning
David O'Farrell said that P&Z will be discussing with City Council possible changes to home
occupations.
City Staff
Karen Capps gave an update on prospects and development projects. Karen said that she will be
attending the Texas Economic Development Council's annual conference in Houston this week
from Wednesday afternoon through noon on Friday. She also reported that 31 persons have
signed up for the broker event and about half of those will also participate in the golf tournament.
She stated that the available buildings and land sites webpage on the City's website will be
revamped in the next month and may be temporarily unavailable while it is undergoing this
change.
Friendswood Chamber
Carol Marcantel reported that the October general membership luncheon will be held this week
with TXDOT as the featured speaker. The Chamber is working on this year's golf tournament in
coordination with the City's broker event. The Friendswood Farmers Market will open this
Saturday and be held in front of the Chamber's building.
Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership
Barbara Cutsinger reported that Dan Seal is away on business travel in the Netherlands.
BAHEP's 2014 broker event will be held at the Hess Club on October 29, and the ICSC Retail
Conference and Tradeshow event in Dallas on November 11-13.
Galveston County Economic Alliance
Bix Rathburn reported gave an update on current prospects including an energy related business.
Friendswood ISD
Trish Hanks reported that FISD is experiencing a 1.5% annual growth rate. A recent survey was
sent out with a 64 percent return rate which will evaluate areas of strength and weaknesses and
also what respondents said was the most important factors when choosing FISD to educate their
children.
CCISD
Eva deCardenas reported that Bay Elementary School in Seabrook and Stewart Elementary School
in Kemah were selected as National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.
Only 25 schools were named in Texas and two were from CCISD. Officials of the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists
nationwide in the 60th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, 37 NMSC Semifinalists attend
CCISD High Schools. CCISD's tax rate will stay at 1.36. CCISD's bond projects are moving
forward. Five school boards from across the state were selected as Texas Honor School Boards in
the Texas, one of which was CCISD.
6. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 9:55 a.m.