Mayors Glenn Royal of Seabrook, right, and Michel Bechtel of Morgan’s Point, left, talk about some of the Bay Area’s needs with State Sen. Larry Taylor and State Rep. Dennis Paul during visit to the Texas Legislature by the Clear Lake and League City Chambers and Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership.
By Mary Alys Cherry
A group of some 80 business, education and community leaders made the biennial trip to Austin Feb. 18 for visits with Texas legislators, hoping for additional funding for several issues they all felt would improve our way of life.
Topics for the group — led by the Clear Lake Area Chamber President Cindy Harreld, Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership President Bob Mitchell and the League City Regional Chamber officials –included more dollars for education, all-day Pre-Kindergarten, workforce development, transportation, storm surge protection and development of the Ellington Spaceport.
A group of Bay Area community leaders are greeted by their legislative representatives on arrival in Austin. Pictured are, from left, Kemah Mayor Pro-tem Carl Joiner and his wife, Kim, Clear Lake Area Chamber Chairman Sharon Proulx and President Cindy Harreld, State Rep. Dennis Paul and Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership.
The exuberant crowd of Bay Area Houston cheerleaders included Superintendents Greg Smith of Clear Creek ISD, Vicki Mims of Dickinson ISD, Trish Hanks of Friendswood ISD, Lloyd Graham of La Porte ISD and Deputy Superintendent Karen Hickman of Pasadena ISD; Mayors Vern Johnson of Clear Lake Shores, Glenn Royal of Seabrook, Michel Bechtel of Morgan’s Point and Mayor Pro-tem Carl Joiner of Kemah; and City Councilors Geri Bentley of League City, Dave Martin of Houston and Al Burns of Clear Lake Shores.
State Rep. Greg Bonnen and his wife, Kim, standing at right, stop to talk with some Bay Area visitors to the Texas Legislature, and you can rest assured education was the topic of conversation. They are, from left, Superintendents Lloyd Graham of La Porte ISD, Trish Hanks from Friendswood ISD, Greg Smith of Clear Creek ISD, Dickinson ISD Superintendent Vicki Mims and Barrios Technology Research Integration Manager Sergio Lucero.
Joining them were Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership President Barbara Koslov, UHCL Science Dean Zbigniew Czajkiewicz, San Jac Vice Chancellor Teri Crawford and dozens more who spent the day visiting as many legislators as possible, making the area’s desires known.
Photos by Matt Griesmyer
