MINUTES:  The minutes of the August 16 meeting is on our website at http://www.wgipoa.com/tx/meeting-minutes/2014-meeting-minutes/.

MEETING:  The next meeting will be on September 20, 2014, beginning at 8:30 AM for breakfast burritos and coffee and 9:00 AMfor the meeting at the Galveston Country Club, 14228 Stewart Road. 

PROGRAM:  Dr. Sam Brody, Director of the Center for Texas Beaches and Shores at Texas A&M University in Galveston (TAMUG) and aGeorge P. Mitchell ’40 Chair in Sustainable Coasts, will give a power point presentation on why it is so important for the west end of Galveston Island to be included in any surge protection system.  Dr. Brody will present new data that justifies why the west end should be included in any coastal barrier protection system or the “Ike Dike”.  Dr. Brody developed actual flood losses incurred by property owners on the west end, beach and bay properties.  There will also be a discussion on expected increases in insurance costs to recover from flood events.  There will also be mitigation strategies to reduce recurring costs over the long term such as elevation of structures, additional flood proofing, etc.  This is a must see and attend presentation.

Sea Turtles:  The HEART (Help Endangered Animals – Ridley Turtles) organization needs your help to protect the endangered Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle.  Visit the website: http://www.ridleyturtles.org/

A new organization is in Galveston called the Sea Turtle Restoration Project (STRP) located at 2228 Broadway and the website is:http://www.seaturtles.org/

Upcoming Events: 

Ongoing:  Join the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) and automatically become a member of the Texas Chapter.  See www.asbpa.org and www.texasasbpa.org for details.

September 17-18, 2014:   Northeast Shore and Beach Preservation Association Conference, Tauton, MA

September 24 – 26, 2014,  FSBPA Annual Conference, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, Bonita Springs, Florida. Check:http://www.fsbpa.com/annual-conference.htm

September 20 – October 2, 2014:  America’s Watershed Initiative Summit, Louisville, KY.

October 14 – 17, 2014, ASBPA National Coastal Conference: Oct. 14-17 Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront, Virginia Beach, VA checkwww.asbpa.org

November 1 – 5, 2014:  Restore America’s Estuaries, 7th National Summit on Coastal and Estuarine Restoration. Washington, DC.

December 15 – 19, 2014: American Geophysical Union (AGU). Fall Meeting, San Francisco

Thank you for your support and we hope to see you on Saturday September 20, 2014, at the Galveston Country Club, starting at 8:30 with breakfast burritos and coffee and at 9:00 AM for the meeting.

Jerry Mohn
President