This gentleman from Temple, Texas caught a big one while fishing on the Seadrift pier! Who was more surprised… him or the fish?

Tracey Johnson

For those who don’t know me, my name is Tracey Johnson, proud resident of Seadrift for about 20 years. I am the Sales Manager at Coastline Trailer Manufacturing here in Seadrift. I am a proud mother of a beautiful 26-year-old daughter, and fur-momma to several rescues. I am a member of the First Assembly of God Church here in Seadrift. I am also a member of the Seadrift Chamber of Commerce,where I host our Seadrift Monthly Market Days. I love staying involved and volunteering in our community.

I have been blessed to be a part of the Seadrift City Council for the past four years and I am looking to renew my term. Being on the City Council means a lot to me. I want to see Seadrift grow and flourish. This past year I have been able to step up as mayor pro-tem and work hard for the citizens during the state of emergency due to the water plant.  I was also able to secure a grant for playground equipment as well as a sidewalk on the bay front. I am still looking for more grants in order to improve our parks, etc. I am hoping to find grants for adult outdoor activities such as a volleyball sand pit and net, washers and horseshoes, more pergolas with picnic tables and repairing or replacing the pavilion. I want to see Seadrift grow and prosper. I want to see us working towards better streets and cleaning up more of the abandoned properties. I want Seadrift to SHINE. We have the potential; we just need to show the folks we can do it!  It takes a village and I love my village.

Kenneth Reese

Hello, my name is Kenneth Reese and I am asking you to support me for reelection for Alderman in the upcoming election for City of Seadrift City Council.

I am a 66-year member of the Seadrift community. My family moved here in 1959, I attended 7^th through 9^th at Fannin and graduated CHS class of ’65. I worked selling soda bottles, mowing lawns, headed Shrimp (for 2 days),  Koehl’s grocery (under the tutelage of Cruz Gonzalez), parts-man at Seadrift Auto Supply, Deck hand on an Alcoa oil/gas production boat, Power station work for 45 years the last 35 years as a shift supervisor at a 700MW coal plant and was appointed to the regional safety committee during AEP ownership, 6 years board member of Victoria Federal Credit Union (2 yrs. as President), self-published 2 books, worked slave-labor on brother-in-laws shrimp/oyster boats, Seadrift Alderman since 2017 and my favorite job of all is being Seadrift Santa since 2012.

I married my Seadrift girlfriend in 1969 and 56 years later I’m still her best catch, I have a son, daughter-in-law, 2 grand-daughters and 4 great-grand-daughters. (I’m still lookin’for a boy . . . my Valentines’ day bill is killin’me).

I love Seadrift, I want to see our town continue to be the wonderful laid back place it is, a place where kids can run barefoot, ride their bikes with fishin’ poles and swim in the bay. I love to see the shrimp/oyster boats returning to the docks. I love to see the people bringing food to the doorsteps of friends that have lost family. I love Seadrift, and I if I am reelected the main thing I promise to do, is to do my best to keep Seadrift, Seadrift, not someplace it ain’t . . . someplace like Austin, Rockport or Kemah!

Richard Bartels

My name is Richard Battles and I am seeking election as an Alderman on the City of Seadrift City Council.  I graduated from Texas Tech University in 1986.  I retired after 25 years from the City of Austin Electric Department in 2013.  I have lived in Seadrift for 12 years now and have worked in the First United Methodist Church Feed My Sheep Program.

Items that I feel need to be prioritized:

1. Work on getting a water tower in order to eliminate the pumps.
2. Change out all streetlights to new LED lights. The old orangish lights which are HPS (high pressure sodium) consume much more energy to operate.  This will save the city money.  The new LED lights are direct cut off lights and as such shine straight down as opposed to the old HPS lights which shine down as well as to the outside.  This means you won’t have lights shining in your windows and will also have half the electricity consumption.  AEP should be able to assist us with obtaining new LED lighting.
3. Work on grants for roads and wastewater generators. Hire a new grant writer part time to write more grants and also look into applying for more free money that is available from different state agencies for various projects.  We need to be writing at minimum a grant application per day.

I would like to bring my experience to the city council.  I want to make sure the city moves forward and that we keep our good employees. I want to improve on the most important things in our city like water, wastewater, roads, drainage, and street lighting.  Also, it is very important that the people of Seadrift be heard at the meetings.  Public Comment is fine but the people need to be able to ask questions on a specific agenda item during the presentation of that item and to have their questions answered at that time. I have found out that one of the most important things is to listen to others and see if you can help them.

I would be honored to represent the City of Seadrift and provide you with a voice on the City Council.  I would appreciate your vote on May 3.

Christy Kosser

My name is Christy Kosser and I am seeking election as an Alderman on the Seadrift City Council.  I purchased my first get away piece of property in Seadrift in 2010 and a vacant lot in 2012 on which I had planned to build a home.  While waiting for the engineered plans to be completed, I found my current home on San Antonio Bay which I purchased in 2015.  I have always been partial to living in a small town having grown up in a small town in east Texas.

Prior to moving to Seadrift, I lived in Bastrop and was very active in the community having served 11 years on the Board of the Tahitian Village Property Owners’ Association and 7 years on the architectural control committee, 13 years on the City of Bastrop Planning & Zoning Commission, 4 years on the Main Street Advisory Board and Organization Committee and 4 years on the Bastrop County Water Control Improvement District #2 Board.  There is always an opportunity to serve the community and I have in the past been involved with many organizations and events such as NatureFest; National Night Out; Clean Sweep, Environmental Stewardship, and Pink Santa.

Since moving to Seadrift, I have been co-chair of the First United Methodist Church Feed My Sheep Program, designed flyers and programs for the Potato Lunch and the Community Choir, assisted with Kid Fish, and the Boy Scout Bar-B-Q Fundraiser.

While I love and wish to preserve our small town, I understand that growth is inevitable.  We must not sit back and dwell on the past but must plan for the future.  WE have the ability to keep our small town feeling but WE must lay down the parameters for those coming in to follow.  How our town grows and looks is entirely up to us and as we set those parameters, we must remember to take into consideration the preservation of our water ways, environment and green space as these are the things that make our community unique and inviting.

I am highly motivated and committed to serving all the citizens of Seadrift with experience, dedication and a vision for our future.  My goal is to earn your trust and to ensure a bright future for the City of Seadrift and its residents.

As your elected council member, I will strive for:

• Innovative Solutions for Water Resources and Alternative Energy
• Consistent, Open and Honest Communication between Citizens and Council
• Alternatives to Lessen the Tax Burden on Citizens
• Fiscal Responsibility for All Citizens
• Preservation and Balance between Growth and Environment

I will listen to your concerns, keep an open mind and think “outside the box” to bring more effective solutions to the challenges we face in Seadrift.  I will put my experience in local government, accounting and budget procedures, planning and development and local community organization to work for you.

I would be honored to serve the citizens of Seadrift and would appreciate your vote on May 3.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

April 3 – Last day to register to vote 

April 21 – April 29 – Early voting                    May 3 – Election Day

: Cape May Warbler, a songbird seen migrating along the Upper Texas Coast. Photo by Sheryl Travis.

Spring migration is just around the corner! In the spring, hundreds of bird species begin their migration from southern regions to northern regions to prepare for the breeding season. One major question I always get from kids and adults is “how do birds know when to migrate?” Birds rely on a mix of instincts, environmental cues, and navigation mechanisms to know when and where to migrate, some of which still puzzle scientists to this day.

Birds have an internal circadian rhythm that helps them understand changes in daylight duration. They also use environmental cues like temperature, food availability, and wind/weather patterns. Additionally, birds use the sun and stars, earth’s magnetic field, and landmarks like coastlines and mountains to help guide them on their long journeys.

Another aspect of migration that might get overlooked by some, is the preparation birds partake in before leaving. If a bird is preparing to go on a long migration, they’ll need to add fat before taking off. This is why you may observe birds foraging for food more often in the late winter/late summer months to prepare for spring and fall migrations. Many birds are also going through molt, which will give them new feathers that are ready for flight. This makes their journey easier because they gain a fresh new set of flight feathers that are stronger than their old feathers.

North America has four main flyways that birds utilize during migration. Flyways are the major routes that migratory birds, and sometimes other animals, follow during their seasonal migrations. These pathways are shaped by geography, climate, and the availability of food and resting sites. They often span continents and include breeding, stopover, and wintering locations. The four main flyways in North America are the Pacific Flyway, the Central Flyway, the Mississippi Flyway, and the Atlantic Flyway.

Brazoria County is located in the Central Flyway zone and we are right near the coastline, offering a plethora of different habitats. Upper Texas Coast habitats include coastal prairies, hardwood forests, marshes, lakes, bayous, bays, and the gulf shoreline. This makes the Upper Texas Coast one of the most diverse regions for birds in North America.

If you’re in the Brazoria area during March-May, I would strongly suggest you go birding for a chance to see a variety of neotropical birds and many more. Peak migration for our area is mid/late April to early May. Gulf Coast Bird Observatory celebrates spring migration with our annual event, Spring Fling. This event takes place at Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary in Quintana. We always have knowledgeable volunteers and staff on hand at Quintana to answer your questions, help identify species, keep a daily list, and sell water, snacks, and field guides.

Spring Fling takes place during April 5^th – May 3^rd from 9am – 4pm. We know we’re going to see some great birds and hopefully you will too!