Corpus Christi City Council Meeting - February 25, 2025

This meeting of the Corpus Christi City Council on February 25, 2025, began at 11:30 AM with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. The council heard a briefing on the 89th Texas Legislative Session, received public comments on water issues, city governance, and redevelopment proposals, and approved appointments to several boards and committees. The consent agenda was approved with the exception of three items (vehicle acquisition, dock replacement, and a demolition contract) which were individually discussed and passed. The meeting concluded with a recess for lunch and an executive session on property acquisition for a water storage tank project.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes from February 18, 2025 (Item 3).
• Second Reading Ordinance: Zoning Case ZN8539 (Item 4).
• Contracts and Procurement: Service agreement for CCTV camera repair (Item 5); acquisition of 72 replacement and additional vehicles for the Police Department (Item 7); service agreement for two dock replacements (Item 8, later pulled for discussion); construction contract for Morgan Elevated Storage Tank demolition (Item 9, later pulled).
• Capital Projects: Demolition contract for Morgan Elevated Storage Tank (Item 9, pulled).
• General Consent: Real estate acquisition for detention center expansion (Item 10).
• First Reading Ordinances: Grant acceptance for Red Cord Initiative (Item 11); gas pipeline grant acceptance (Item 12); audit appropriation for Terminal Building Rehabilitation (Item 13).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Bruce Goulet (District 3, landscape business owner): Expressed gratitude for a small business grant program and voiced concern over Stage 3 drought restrictions affecting his business. He asked how the city plans to address water supply if Stage 4 restrictions become necessary.
• Susie Luna Saldania (District 2): Strongly criticized proposed amendments to limit public comment, arguing that council should listen to citizens. She also called for immediate action on water supply projects, stating, "If you did not get us water, we will die."
• John Weber (Corpus Christi): Supported the idea of an alternative water supply workshop and specifically proposed placing floating solar panels on Lake Corpus Christi and other retention ponds to reduce evaporation and generate revenue. He suggested the city lease the space to a developer rather than owning the solar project.
• Ryan Zeller (Corpus Christi): Proposed a landfill reclamation project for a closed landfill adjacent to the JC Elliott transfer station, transforming it into a recreational park with trails, green spaces, and an energy site. He highlighted that the landfill is already capped and met EPA guidelines, reducing costs. He suggested using effluent water from a nearby treatment plant for irrigation.
• Brandon Garrett (District 4): Presented a video demonstration of an atmospheric water generator that captures water from cooling tower exhaust, using the MGM Grand in Las Vegas as an example. He noted the system generated over 20,000 gallons in 34 days and suggested it could be integrated at the American Bank Center.
• Isabel Ariza (District 2, co-founder of For the Greater Good): Accused the Coastal Bend Coalition of spending $719,000 on the 2024 local elections, supported by donors including Valero, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures (Exxon and Saudi Arabian partners), Coke Industries, and chemical industry PACs. She criticized the council for not ending drought exemptions for high-volume water users and for supporting an experimental desalination plant. She stated, "Greedy, insatiable water guzzling corporations won in this last local election." (She was warned by the city attorney for using profanity during her remarks.)
• Adam Rios (Corpus Christi): Announced that a previously anticipated contest was postponed due to weather and rescheduled. He also proposed bringing the X Games or Velocity Games to Corpus Christi, citing Venice, California's success with a similar event generating $45 million over three days.

Discussion Items

• Briefing on 89th Texas Legislative Session (Item 1) : Ryan Skrobarczyk, Director of Intergovernmental Relations, provided an update on the legislative process, key deadlines (March 14 filing deadline), committee appointments, and the state budget outlook. Topics included House Appropriations subcommittees, funding for military facilities (DAG funding), and the status of water-related bills. No council questions were asked.
• Board and Committee Appointments (Item 2) : The council unanimously approved appointments and reappointments to the Committee for Persons with Disabilities (six members), Corpus Christi Downtown Management District (Michael Islava), Senior Corps Advisory Committee (Kathleen John Jocelyn and Sansas Workthen), and the Sister City Committee (Robert Voorhees and Avalos). All motions passed without opposition.
• Consent Agenda Item 6 – Vehicle and Equipment Acquisition: Councilwoman Paxon pulled this item to question pricing and the sourcing process. Fleet staff explained the use of cooperative purchasing agreements (BuyBoard, Sourcewell, TIPS) to achieve 5-10% savings. Discussion included vehicle upfitting (generators, lift gates, lighting) and the need for four-wheel drive in water department and parks vehicles. Councilwoman Paxon requested future packets include a cost comparison analysis showing cooperative savings. The motion to approve passed unanimously.
• Consent Agenda Item 8 – Dock Replacement at Municipal Marina: Councilmember Gunther pulled this item to ask why a Florida company (Bellingham Marine) was selected. Marina Manager Jonathan Atwood explained that the company originally supplied docks in 2006 and is already replacing five other docks. Only two U.S. manufacturers (Bellingham and Meco Sullivan) meet the city's standards for concrete, foam-filled docks designed to withstand the saltwater environment. The new docks are expected to last 40-50 years. Councilwoman Vaughn and Councilwoman Paxon asked about alternatives and warranty. The motion to approve passed unanimously.
• Consent Agenda Item 9 – Morgan Elevated Storage Tank Demolition: Councilman Kentuck pulled the item to confirm that the Rochelle Foundation would reimburse the city $160,000 for the demolition as part of a property swap for the new fire station. City Manager Peter Zanoni confirmed a verbal agreement and that the contract was being finalized. Councilman Hernandez praised the Rochelle Foundation for their contribution. Discussion included deed restrictions on the old fire station property. The motion to approve passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• The council approved all consent agenda items not pulled (Items 3,4,5,7,10,11,12,13) by a single motion.
• Items 6, 8, and 9 were each approved individually by unanimous consent after discussion.
• All board and committee appointments were approved without opposition.
• The council took no public action on the briefing.
• The meeting recessed for lunch at approximately 1:30 PM and later reconvened in executive session (Item 14) under Texas Government Code §§ 551.071 and 551.072 to discuss legal and real estate matters regarding property acquisition for the Calallen Elevated Storage Tank Project. The meeting adjourned without further public action.