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1996 08 07 CC Minutes, SpecialMINUTES OF THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN August 7, 1996 The City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, met in special session on August 7, 1996, at 3:00 p.m., at Lee College, 200 Lee Drive, in the John B. Tucker Lecture Hall with the following in attendance: Eva Benavides Council Member David Byford Council Member Manuel Escontrias Council Member E. Frank Hinds, Jr. Council Member Stephen DonCarlos Council Member Rolland J. Pruett Council Member Pete C. Alfaro Mayor Bobby Rountree City Manager Eileen P. Hall City Clerk This joint meeting with the boards of Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District and Lee College was called to order by Bill Blake, Chairman of the Lee College Board of Regents. Eddie Gray, Baytown Environmental Partnership member, mentioned on- going projects to improve the quality of life in Baytown through enhancement of the environment and access to our chief resource "water." Goose Creek Stream projects are providing bird overlooks, walking trails, picnic facilities, boat ramps, and wetlands restoration at the marina. Sixty of the 300 acres composing the Baytown Nature Center have been connected to a wetlands restoration area by Arco and French Limited. Additional development along Cedar Bayou has turned spoiled areas into wetlands projects. Communities Foundation of Texas has worked hand - in -hand with the Goose Creek Stream Committee and the City of Baytown to hold donated properties to be utilized for grant applications and later deeded to the City of Baytown as part of the Goose Creek Stream development. Texas Parks and Wildlife has cooperated with Baytown by providing $6 Million in matching grant funds for various projects within the city since 1969. Mr. Andy Sansom, Executive Director of Texas Parks and Wildlife, noted that this department of the state is self funded through hunting licenses, fishing licenses, and park fees. The department is very interested in helping to fund projects that 9soso7 -2 Minutes of the Special Session - August 7, 1996 teach boating and hunting safety, canoeing, etc. Under Mr. Sansom's leadership, prison parolees have been utilized to work in the Parks system. The most critical issue facing Texas Parks and Wildlife today is the need to solve fresh water inflow into bays and estuaries. Another important issue is tourism and outdoor activity. Tourism is the second largest industry in the state. Texas has 125 state parks. Keeping these facilities in a good state of repair is a big challenge. These facilities must be managed to have parks and recreation facilities on into the future. He emphasized that entities such as Lee College, the City of Baytown, and Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District need to be proactive. No projects today are taking place with single institutions. Ms. Linda Shead, Executive Director of Galveston Bay Foundation, concurred that partnerships are necessary. Recently, Galveston Bay Foundation with the assistance of a $150,000 grant from Houston Lighting and Power Company completed a project in the Clear Lake Watershed. Over 300 people assisted in that project. Galveston Bay Foundation has sponsored over 3,000 students over two years on day field trips —the Goose Creek Wetlands Project would be ideal for that. Presently, the Foundation includes Cedar Bayou on its Bay Sampler Trip. The Foundation sponsors the Bay Day Festival at Sylvan Beach in which the City of Baytown has been a participant. Bill Baker, Environmental Specialist for Houston Lighting and Power Company, mentioned that through research such as is conducted at the HL &P Nature Resource Center, a by- product produced by the company is being utilized to create oyster reefs in Galveston Bay and off shore. The company has been working to restore a prairie wetlands habitat west of Houston which is attracting migratory fowl. At the Cedar Bayou Resource Center, prairie grass is being developed for seedlings. Presently, five species of wetlands grasses are being cultivated. The cord grass utilized at Bayland Marina was produced at the resource center. HL &P is committed to educate the general public on the value of wetlands and is anxious to partner with others including Baytown Environmental Partnership. Mr. Gray concluded the program with a brief description of the proposed wetlands Education and Recreation Center. The structure is located on Market Street near Robert E. Lee High School and contains 14,000 square feet, 5,000 with controlled temperatures and 9,000 ventilated air flow. The center will be utilized to grow fish and plants for young people to work with and for arts and crafts activities. There will be a petting pond to get youngsters acquainted with sea life. The center will not only expose youngsters to the outdoors but will serve to join different age groups. He thanked everyone for attending, requested feedback, and invited all to a reception to be held in Phyllis Davis Reception Center in Moler Hall. 960807 -3 Minutes of the Special Session -August 7, 1996 Adjourn There being no further business to be transacted, the meeting was adjourned. ��Z. Ivx-e-C , Eileen P. Hall, City Clerk C:% WPWINSOIWPDOCSVAINUTESNIN96108- 07- 96.SPC