By KEVIN RICH
Special to the PRESS
2018 was a busy year for the South Padre Island City Council and its related subcommittees, task forces, and commissions.
The January 17 City Council featured a pair of sandcastle related requests. The first was a proposal to approve a Sandcastle Trail Maintenance contract in the amount of $30,000 and approve a budget amendment from Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) excess reserves. “Initially we formed a Sand Castle Subcommittee to ensure that the sand castle art form is growing, maintained, and appealing on the Island,” reported Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Keith Arnold. Council voted to approve the contract.
The second Sand Castle related item was a request in the amount of $24,000 to maintain the sand sculpture in front of the Visitors Center. “Maintenance in this case is a rebuild, renovation, and ongoing maintenance related to celebrating each of four holidays on the sand castle,” explained Arnold.
Council voted to approve the request.
In February, The Economic Development Corporation heard a presentation on the financial impact of the RGV Reef project. Dr. Mostafa Malki, with Aaron Economic Consulting described the RGV Reef Project as “an unprecedented innovative large-scale multi-year project that plans to combine low, medium, and high-relief structures over a 1,650 acres area.” He noted that the scale of the project would make it the biggest artificial reef project in the State.
During the March 26 meeting of the Shoreline Task Force, member Troy Giles used the Public Comments and Announcements portion to raise the issue of placing portable toilets at some of the beach accesses and along Gulf Boulevard for the convenience of beach goers.
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