From the Mayor’s desk – 2/13/26

Happy Friday and Happy Valentine’s Weekend as well.

Human Resources:

Next week on Tuesday, the 4 finalists for the new City Administrator position will visit Surfside for in person interviews at City Hall, starting at 1pm.  This will be an open forum in City Hall chambers with local citizens as part of the process to allow the candidates to meet and hear from residents.  This is a big step forward for the Village of Surfside Beach!

We are actively hiring for seasonal positions.  Just like last year, we are offering a $500 bonus to anyone who works for the entire summer beach season in these seasonal roles.  If interested, please contact Human Resources at City Hall.

Grants & Major Projects:

Expanding on my previous information about a potential generator grant.  The Village of Surfside Beach application for the FEMA HMGP grant DR-4798 (Hurricane Beryl) has been selected for FEMA review.  We will be working with our TDEM mitigation coordinator over the next month to provide additional information that may be required by FEMA during review.  The application is for a portable generator to power the EOC, which is the PD/EMS building.  If approved, it would consist of $47,058 funded by FEMA and $15,686 funded locally by VOSB.  Total project would be $62,744 for a trailer mounted Generac with 165 gallon diesel fuel tank.

Tourism:

A reminder that Surfside is hosting a kick-off 2 day event at the Stage on March 20^th & 21^st.  “Surfside Sunset and Sound”.  We will have Vendors, Live Music, History, Food Trucks, and possibly Kite Flyers.  This will also coincide with the Texas Independence Celebration!!  Anyone who would like to be a vendor please contact David at tourism@surfsidetx.org.

Market Days are scheduled for March 7-8^th.

St. Patrick’s Day parade and all the hoopla that comes with that celebration will be on Saturday March 14^th. 

Beach & Parks:

Some facts and figures on road repairs that I’d like to share with everyone.  In the past year our VOSB Work Crew under Toby’s direction have applied 72,800 lbs. of asphalt road patch materials, plus an additional 24,000 lbs. of Portland cement road patch material.  We have also paid for contracted services beyond our capability for asphalt paving from the County and concrete road work to repair Beach Drive and part of Texas Street, Swordfish Ln, Francis Cove Ave, the intersection of Surf & Thunder, intersection of Surf & 332 extension, and the entrances to Blue Water Highway from Sand Dune Ct , Coral Ct & Bay Ave.  But wait, there’s more… in less than 2 months we will again pay to contract the County to apply asphalt surfacing on all of Ft Velasco Drive plus it’s intersections, Starfish Street, and Thunder Road from Monument to Surf.  Toby and his talented staff have completed more road repair work and VOSB has spent more to contract additional road repair work than we have done, maybe ever before.  If you see them out working roads (which they are doing today on Blue Water Highway!), please let them know how much you appreciate them.  A thank you sure does go a long way to folks working hard to help our Village get better.

Small town/village government is a team sport.  If you don’t want to be in the game, that’s fine, but try to support the team on the field.  Be a cheerleader instead of sitting in the bleachers throwing stones at the players.  That’s my 2 cents!

As always, I hope that you have a great day in wonderful (but damp!) Surfside Beach! 

Thanks,

Zach