DECEMBER NEWS2001
OUR LAST MEETING WAS DECEMBER 18.
Time:  11:15 for Lunch; 12:15 Meeting
Place:  Art Community Center, 100 Shoreline


Topic:
Impressions from recent trip to Europe. Henry and Randy Berryhill were in Europe
as this country began the bombing of Afghanistan.  Reactions outside of the USA are
interesting for us all.

• COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR

• This month we are to hold elections for the Executive Committee and so far
  there have been no volunteers for the various offices.  One could conclude
  several things from the silence of the members.  We have about 228 members
  in Corpus Christi alone and about 200 outside the city.  The conclusions can
  be that you are all satisfied with the way the current committee is handling
  the affairs of the Coastal Bend Sierra Club.  Or one couldlook at the situation
  in a more negative manner.  You are dissatisfied but do not want to get yourself
  involved.  Some of you have called for outings but do not want to organize even one.  
  What shall we do?  Continue as we are?  Some of you want another meeting time,
  but again, do not volunteer to arrange such.  We tried to alternate from the lunch
  meeting to an evening one, but the attendance remained the same numerically, though
  different people attended.
  
  We will hold elections at the meeting so if you have a change of heart, come
  and offer your services.  At least the water conference resulted in our having a very
  good financial balance.
  
  We also plan some field trips for January and February.
  
  Karen Johnson has volunteered to help with the newsletter. Many thanks.

• SIERRA CLUB NOVEMBER 2001 MINUTES
  
  Pat Suter, Chair, shared with members a letter printed in the Observer
  --a local newspaper -- that brought up something important and overlooked
  about the Packery Channel project. Writer R. N. Baldwin asks, "Why is so
  much talk of early ‘construction’ phases when the final cost and environmental
  impact hasn’t been revealed by the corps of engineers?’"

  Answering his own question, he cites the TIF (Tax Increment Financing for the project)
  regulations which state in effect that if Packery’s projected cost is more by a certain
  percent over the TIF proposed cost, then the TIF is considered null and void,
  (Note: That would be the death knell for the project. And mounting evidence indicates
  that the project will cost much more than the TIF estimate.)

  "However," Baldwin continues, " there is a loophole which, in effect, states: ‘If construction
  has already begun, the TIF will continue in force, without another vote being required....
  That, dear taxpayers, is the reason --in my opinion-- you are hearing the phrase
  ‘preliminary construction’ tossed around. It will allow the leaders to throw a few
  shovels of sand and call it ‘preliminary construction.’"

  Other topics discussed were the City of Corpus Christi’s upcoming controversial proposal
  to privatize the Marina, and a survey’s report that the general public does not feel that we
  have to protect wetlands.

Frank Hankins, Secretary