Corpus Christi City Council Meeting - January 28, 2025

The City Council met on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, beginning at 11:30 AM in Council Chambers. The meeting opened with an invocation, the pledge, and a moment of silence for former Municipal Court Judge Mike Alanese. It included an Arctic cold front operations briefing, 55 public comment sign-ups, board and commission appointments, a Texas legislative session update, the consent agenda, a public hearing, a Corpus Christi Housing Finance Corporation special meeting, and water-supply and drought items. After a lunch recess and executive session, the council reconvened at 4:03 PM and adjourned at 9:27 PM.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved consent agenda items 5 through 25 by one motion without separate discussion. No items were pulled for individual consideration.
• Approved items included the January 14, 2025 special and regular meeting minutes; multiple grant acceptances and applications, including $32,016.60 for Gulf of Mexico Alliance radios, $39,993.25 and $186,309 in Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grants, $106,017 for body-worn cameras, $94,634 for ASPCA animal shelter improvements, $2,500 from the Banfield Foundation, $322,260 from the U.S. Department of Energy, and a $12,223,173 RAISE grant application; contracts for traffic modem communications, home-delivered meals, gas pipeline equipment, and landfill generator replacement; a wastewater trunk-line reimbursement agreement with MPM Development up to $77,285.28; zoning case ZN8425; a USGS joint funding agreement; a $240,000 Recreational Trails Grant application; and a $970,624.05 appropriation for the North Padre Island Force Main Bypass Project.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Winter shelter response: Several speakers praised the city for opening refuge centers during the Arctic cold front. Tony Reyes gave an A-plus grade to the response. Carol Murfree of Good Samaritan Rescue Mission said Good Samaritan reached 311 occupants during the freeze and praised city coordination, adding that shelters, not the city, are responsible for housing homeless people. Marilena Garza of The Free Store criticized the city for initially allowing her organization inside the refuge center and later keeping volunteers outside in cold weather, and she called for better planning and showers.
• Library board: A large group urged the council to appoint Marcus Haas and Samuel Fryer to the Library Board and opposed reappointing Alice Upshaw Hawkins and Dora Wilburn, arguing sexually explicit books should be moved out of children and young adult sections. Vincent Ward displayed excerpts from the book Tilt checked out from the library and said it was shelved for ages 12 to 17. Alan Rickardson said he filed an ethics complaint against Hawkins. Another group, including Dara Rickers, urged reappointment of Jennifer Anderson, Carol Matthews, Dora Wilburn, and Alice Upshaw Hawkins, saying the board had not banned books and that sexually explicit materials should be relocated, not removed; Rickers presented a petition with more than 350 signatures. Josh Shelton, an applicant for the board, said the conversation had become too polarized and asked for transparency and common-sense solutions.
• Desalination and water supply: Multiple speakers opposed the Inner Harbor desalination plant. Claudia Michel said a proposed 68 million gallons per day brine discharge threatened redhead ducks and the bay. Brendan Hazelton, a fly-fishing guide, said the coastal bend is a destination fishery, tourism generates about $1.6 billion and over $50 million in tax and fee revenue, and he urged conservation, rainwater catchment, and graywater recycling instead. Becky Moeller voiced concern about North Beach jobs and tourism. Sean Christopher said he supports desalination but opposes putting brine back into the bay, favoring a Gulf pipeline and renewed groundwater well development.
• Drought contingency plan and local businesses: Landscape and irrigation business owners urged the council to approve revised watering rules or add more drip and hand-watering allowances. Mike Garcia said his landscape and irrigation business had lost 75 percent of its revenue since stage two. Robert Schmitchel argued drip irrigation one to three times per week is better for foundations on clay soils than watering every 14 days. Alicia Casperitis, representing the Coastal Bend Home Builders Association, said the organization supports updating the plan but could not support the version presented because it was not included in stakeholder conversations and asked for collaboration.
• Alternative water workshop: Several residents supported a public workshop on alternative water supplies. Jason Hale said all feasible options should be examined and warned that an Inner Harbor desalination plant could create hypoxia. Jake Hernandez supported the workshop and called for placing drought curtailment requirements on high-volume users rather than residents.
• Other comments included support for more bike infrastructure, North Beach improvement priorities, appointment of former Councilman Jim Klein to the Port of Corpus Christi board, and complaints about city vehicle washing subscriptions during drought restrictions.

Discussion Items

• City Manager comments and retirements: City Manager Peter Zanoni announced the retirements of David Lehfeldt, Director of Solid Waste Services, who served nearly 40 years in solid waste and about six years with the city, and Eddie Houlihan, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, who prepared budgets for the city for 25 years. Council members thanked both for their service.
• Emergency refuge center briefing: Staff reported that planning for the Arctic cold front began January 10 with National Weather Service briefings and that the emergency refuge centers operated January 19-24. The primary site was the Corpus Christi Gym, with the Delmar College FEMA Dome as the backup. The centers served 168 clients and 7 pets; 258 city employees participated; more than 20 community partners contributed; approximately 725 meals were provided; RTA supplied an estimated 500 free rides; and estimated labor costs were 2,775 hours and about $119,841. City Manager Zanoni stressed that these were emergency refuge centers, not homeless shelters, and that the city has zero general-fund homeless services budget and about $500,000 in state and federal grants passed through to partner agencies.
• Board and committee appointments: The council removed from the table the issue of the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation, reappointing Vishnu Ready and appointing Larry Elizondo to the second vacancy. On the Landmark Commission, the council approved changing Gordon Landreth's category to architect, reappointed James Pruitt and Michelle Wanzer, and appointed three applicants. For the Library Board, the motion to reappoint Dora Wilburn, Carol Matthews, and Jennifer Anderson failed after a split vote. The council then appointed Jennifer Anderson, Carol Matthews, and Alice Upshaw Hawkins. A runoff for the fourth seat between Dora Wilburn and Samuel Fryer ended in a 4-4 tie, and the council deferred that decision to the February 11 meeting. Councilwoman Campos recused herself from the Library Board process because Alice Upshaw Hawkins is her sister. The council reappointed the incumbent Port of Corpus Christi nominee, reappointed Councilman Everett Roy to Reinvestment Zone No. 3, and appointed Kaylin Paxson, Heather Hurlbert, Stephen May, and Jeffrey Blackard to Reinvestment Zone No. 6, with Paxson named chair.
• 89th Texas Legislative Session update: Ryan Scribarchuk of Intergovernmental Relations said the session will run through June 2 and that 2,877 bills had been filed as of the briefing, with eight to nine thousand expected. He said House and Senate base budgets are about $330 billion all funds, with a $23.7 billion surplus, and that state leaders announced $2.5 billion for water and flood infrastructure in the supplemental budget. He noted a bill filed by Representative J.M. Lozano to increase Port of Corpus Christi board appointments and give two additional appointees to San Patricio County, which the city will oppose as part of its local-control agenda.
• Corpus Christi Housing Finance Corporation meeting: The council recessed into the CCHFC special board meeting. It elected officers, including Everett Roy as president and Roland Barrera as vice president, and approved future participation terms for the sale of Costa Tarragona I and II. Staff and legal counsel said the sale could generate roughly $500,000 to $1 million net for the corporation, the properties must remain low-income housing for another 20 years, and continued participation would keep the properties on the tax-exempt structure with a payment in lieu of taxes starting at 15 percent and increasing 2 percent annually to 35 percent.
• Drought contingency plan and water supply discussion: Corpus Christi Water staff reported current reservoir levels of Choke Canyon at 16.5 percent, Lake Corpus Christi at 24.8 percent, and combined storage at 18.8 percent, a historic low. Staff outlined short-term projects, including increasing Mary Rhodes Pipeline flow from 55 to about 75 million gallons per day by mid-March, potential Nueces River groundwater wells, CC Polymers desalinated water discussions, and expanded wastewater reuse. The proposed plan adds a water shortage watch below 50 percent, clarifies stage rules, allows drip irrigation and hand watering for trees and gardens in stage three, renames stage four as a water emergency, and proposes surcharge structures based on average use plus 25 percent. Councilman Hernandez objected to language allowing the city manager to implement measures after notifying council, saying the city manager should receive council authorization before implementing measures. Other council members requested more time for public and industry input. The first reading was approved as amended after reconsideration and after a final public comment session.
• Alternative water supply workshop discussion: The agenda item requested a workshop on February 4, 2025 at 11 AM. City Manager Zanoni said staff already had a critical two-day Inner Harbor Desalination project workshop scheduled that date with consultants flying in, and rescheduling could delay water projects. Council members debated whether the workshop should be an and conversation or an or conversation. Councilwoman Vaughn defended the request for transparency and said citizens should hear directly from water-source presenters. The council ultimately approved a motion to hold the workshop no later than 45 days, with staff and council coordinating the date and topics.
• Severe weather and homeless shelter discussion: Councilman Cantu said the initial refuge center operation had issues, including no showers, RTA drop-offs at a nearby high school, and a volunteer group being kept outside. He asked the city to plan better and consider a permanent city-run shelter. City staff, the fire chief, and the emergency management coordinator acknowledged imperfections, explained that the operation was an emergency refuge rather than a homeless shelter, and said an after-action review will be conducted. RTA Deputy CEO Miguel Rendon said the bus drop-off issue was corrected immediately. Councilman Hernandez asked that future shelter locations include backup generators and requested that council-initiated agenda items be placed earlier in the meeting.
• Executive session and litigation: After returning from executive session, the council authorized the city manager to execute documents to settle Samantha Huerta v. City of Corpus Christi et al. in an amount not to exceed $198,500.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent agenda items 5 through 25.
• Approved the public hearing item authorizing a wastewater trunk-line construction and reimbursement agreement with Horizon Land Properties, LLC up to $524,660 for Waldron Estates.
• Reappointed and appointed board members as listed above, with the final Library Board seat deferred to February 11.
• Approved Corpus Christi Housing Finance Corporation officers and the Costa Tarragona I and II future participation terms.
• Accepted a $25,000 OxyChem First Responder Donation for repair and refurbishment of an aerial ladder fire truck.
• Passed the drought contingency plan ordinance on first reading as amended, setting the enforcement date to February 17, 2025, with a second reading scheduled for February 11, 2025. Staff agreed to continue community and industry engagement before that date.
• Approved the alternative water supply workshop to be held no later than 45 days, with specific topics and date to be coordinated by staff and council.
• Authorized the Samantha Huerta lawsuit settlement in an amount not to exceed $198,500.
• Moved executive session items 34 and 35 to the February 11, 2025 meeting. No formal action was taken on the severe-weather and homeless-shelter discussion beyond directing staff to complete the after-action review and provide future planning briefings.