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A welcome address was offered by Edward P. Meza, City Manager; followed by an opening prayer and blessing of the boat ramp by Father Gerry Barrett, Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church and Sgt. Hammond, U.S. Coast Guard Color Guard with a presentation of colors and the pledge of allegiance.
Speakers included Port Isabel Mayor Joe E. Vega and Andy Goldbloom with Texas Parks & Wildlife. Closing the ceremony was Pastor Don Ceglar, Christ’s Harbor Church and Edward Meza, City Manager.
Following the ribbon cutting, James Dunk, Texas parks & Wildlife Game Warden backed an agency boat and trailer into the channel to mark the first official boat launch.
For information on parking and transient boat slip usage, please call the Port Isabel City Hall at 956/943-2682 or email salcocer@copitx.com.
SPECIAL THANKS: Mayor Joe E. Vega, Commissioner Juan Jose “JJ” Zamora, Commissioner Maria de Jesus “MJ” Garza, Commissioner Martin C. Cantu, Commissioner Guillermo “Memo” Torres, City Manager Edward P. Meza, City Secretary Susie Alcocer, Building Inspector/Project Manager Larry R. Ellis, EDC Administrator Janie Villarreal, Grant Consultant Mario Gonzalez-Davis, Public Works Director Baldemar Alaniz, Public Works Department, Marketing Director Valerie Bates.
Port Isabel Economic Development Corporation: Scott Friedman, Chairman; Guillermo “Memo” Torres, Vice-Chairman; Inocente Zurita, Secretary; Robin S. Ochoa, Treasurer; Martin C. Cantu, Board Member.
Port Isabel Parks & Recreation: Baldamar Alaniz, Chairman; Raul Loera, Jr., Vice Chairman; Lupita Gonzalez, Secretary; Everett Sagnes, Board Member; Mart Guillot, Board Member.
Port Isabel Harbor Committee, Andy Goldbloom (Texas Parks & Wildlife), James Dunk (Texas Parks & Wildlife Game Warden), David Mendez (Gomez Mendez Saenz), H2O Construction Services, Inc., Father Gerry Barrett (OLSS Catholic Church), Pastor Don Ceglar (Christ’s Harbor Church), James Godfrey, Colonel William Maples, Port Isabel Yacht Club Association, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Daniel Bryant (Breakaway Cruises).
Port Isabel Mayor, Joe E. Vega and South Padre Island Mayor Robert Pinkerton recall the tragedy and how families and communities were effected on the morning of September 15, 2001 and for the months that followed during the reconstruction of the causeway.
