5/8/2026

Hello, Surfside neighbors!

It has been a productive week at City Hall. From the desk of the City Administrator, I see our team working hard every day with a clear focus on making Surfside the best it can be for our residents, business owners, and visitors. We are excited about the positive momentum we’re building, and I’m happy to share some of the latest highlights from across the community.

·         The May elections are officially wrapped up! We are thrilled to welcome Marsha Hines as our new Mayor. We also want to congratulate Jon Gerber on his re-election as Alderman and welcome Peggy Llewellyn as our newest Alderwoman-elect. We are eager to get to work with this team to keep Surfside moving forward.

·         We are in the home stretch of closing out our final three FEMA projects! Our team has been working hard on the administrative side to ensure the documentation is submitted so the Village receives every dollar of reimbursement we are owed. Getting these projects across the finish line is a big win for our long-term financial health.

·         A huge thank you to everyone who attended the Moonlight Missions town hall discussion. The Moonshot team spent several days with our Utilities Director and crew, performing a deep dive into our asset inventory and water quality strategies. They provided short- and long-term ideas for improving our utility system. Partnering with experts who care about our infrastructure as much as we do is a major win for the Village.

·         You may have noticed the substandard house on Sandpiper is officially gone! The lot has been cleared, and we’ve received lots of positive feedback from the neighborhood. We are also staying proactive with mowing liens to ensure vacant lots are kept up.

·         Congratulations to the Salty Pelican on their recent ribbon cutting! It was great to see such a strong turnout from the community and the Chamber of Commerce to support our local economy.

·         We are looking for passionate residents to help shape the future of Surfside. We are currently recruiting for the Tourism Committee and would love to see new or past members apply. If you want to help us plan for big events, please consider joining us. For an application, reach out to David Calhoun at tourism@surfsidetx.org

·         Despite a bit of weather, the treaties signing reenactment went forward this past weekend. It was a great opportunity to celebrate Surfside’s unique role in Texas history.

·         To better serve you, City Hall is returning to a consistent 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM schedule. This ensures our front lobby is reliably staffed and ready to assist you when you walk through the door.

·         Please join us in welcoming Hollis, our new Deputy Court Clerk! She is already hitting the ground running. We also want to congratulate our Utilities Supervisor, Ray, on completing his Basic Water training through TEEX/TCEQ

·         We are continuing to work on our new Short-Term Rental software and website cleanup to make sure information, like the latest water quality reports are easy for you to find.

·         On a lighter note, our staff held a Cinco de Mayo potluck this week, complete with a salsa competition. The volunteer committee did an amazing job with the decorations and food. It was a great way to build morale behind the scenes. I didn’t participate in the homemade salsa competition this year, but I’m putting everyone on notice: next year, I’m taking that salsa trophy home! Well…. it’s not an actual trophy, as much as its bragging rights.

As always, we appreciate your support as we work to keep Surfside Beach safe, transparent, and beautiful.

William