a monthly publication from the City of Nassau Bay
NOTEFROMTHEMAYOR
Dear Friends, Neighbors, and Citizens,
By now I’m pretty sure you have heard about “Couscous”, the alligator removed from our waterways who was very active in the Cove, in and about multiple residential marine docks, and around boat lifts/ramps This alligator measured almost 13 feet, 2 inches and weighed an estimated 1,200 Lbs. The record for the largest alligator caught in the State of Texas was approximately 13 feet and 9 inches weighting in at 1,049 Lbs. While unofficial, this alligator was a near record and certainly a big creature.
In the State of Texas, alligators are a protected species and have a natural fear of people They typically stay far away from any human activities because of that fear. The biggest reason the City had to take action quickly to remove this alligator was because someone began regularly feeding Couscous, eliminating an alligator’s natural fear of people. If you have not seen the videos documenting the behavior of this alligator prior to his capture, I recommend doing so He was recorded swimming in a figure 8 around several anchored boats in the early morning out in the Cove, swimming between multiple docks of residents particularly in Harbour Martinique, and multiple places along Upper Bay’s boardwalk up to the apartments He had no fear of anybody This is very dangerous as TxPWD let us know that in alligator attacks, many people after feeding mistakenly perceive the alligators to be somewhat domesticated or tame Nothing can be further from the truth These are predatory animals and have only learned the perspective that people are a source of food. Children, pets, swimmers, property owners, or anybody recreating would attract his attention I give great kudos to our City Staff for taking quick action to eliminate this threat including our City Manager Paul Lopez, Police Chief Cromie and other police officers, Chief George and many of Nassau Bay’s volunteer Fire Department, and Troy Bradfield our Animal Control Officer They did a great job to humanely take care of an obvious threat to public safety. The 200 or so citizens and onlookers cheering when we finally got Couscous on dry land was testament to the job well done, safely, and humanely.
For those that have questioned the humaneness of the City’s action, let me describe the process because alligators are a protected State species, the City has no discretion on how to capture this alligator The State of Texas through TxPWD regulates and audits for compliance who the City can contract to provide this removal service (they must be State licensed), the location/destination of the alligator (State regulated and licensed reserve), and the fees associated with the capture and dropoff of the alligator The rumor that City Staff acted expediently and sold Couscous to the highest bidder for his hide, meat, or whatever is simply inaccurate and mistaken. At every point of his capture, the City emphasized the desire to do no harm and to have the alligator taken to a safe reserve. It is my understanding that TxPWD is very excited to have Couscous as they believe an alligator of this size will be an alpha male to help reproduce and breed future alligators destined to help repopulate habitats far from people that no longer have alligators present and rebuild those populations
The Fourth of July celebrations marking America’s 250th anniversary in Nassau Bay were truly exceptional, ranging from the events at David Braun Park to the magnificent fireworks display We extend our sincere gratitude to the dedicated city staff for their diligent work in organizing these festivities, and we are equally appreciative of the volunteers whose contributions helped make the event a success! Thank you again.
Again, thank you to all of City Staff that were involved and I cannot stress more to our Citizens to NOT FEED ALLIGATORS Not only is feeding against the law with a $500 fine per offense, but actually creates the most dangerous of situations where alligators try to find people to be fed. Only terrible outcomes happen at that point
Please be safe in our waterways
THE CITY OF NASSAU BAY IS HONORED TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF OUR OWN RESIDENTS, APRIL SCHNEIDER, FOR HER DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AS A FIFA AMBASSADOR DURING THE RECENT LOCAL FIFA EVENTS!
PhilJohnson
Mayor CityofNassauBay
April dedicated 34 years of her life to the U S Army, concluding her tenure with 11 years as a Command Sergeant Major overseeing aviation, engineering, maintenance, military police, and human resources units, as well as serving as a Commandant for various military academies and training battalions
In her capacity as a FIFA Ambassador, April performed numerous vital roles, including: Serving as an official Ambassador for the City of Houston during the FIFA World Cup. Acting as a primary point of contact for international visitors, facilitating connections between global fans and the city. Contributing to international operations and fostering global relations. Bridging the gap between the City of Houston and the thousands of international spectators Providing exceptional hospitality at Hobby Airport by assisting visitors with information regarding local culture, attractions, museums, dining, and retail Effectively connecting international guests with the diverse offerings of our community
On behalf of the City of Nassau Bay, we extend our sincere gratitude to April for her hard work and unwavering dedication during the FIFA events, and we are proud to call her a valued citizen of our community
GLORIA DEI LUTHERAN CHURCH
KEEP NASSAU BAY BEAUTIFUL
The Parks & Recreation and Keep Nassau Bay Beautiful Committees would like to thank the Special Event Committee, Nauticats, and Public Works - Elias Jahen and his team: Kathy George, Kirk Clawson, and Robert Villanueva for making the city so festively special for the Fourth of July!
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CouncilmemberSarahHorton,Position5 713 775 6839|sarah horton@nassaubay com
CouncilmemberAshleighKlug,Position6 281 685 3340| ashleigh klug@nassaubay com
