OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings
Rockport City Council Regular Meeting - February 24, 2026
City Council — Tuesday, February 24, 2026
BodyRockport, Texas
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, February 24, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Transcript — Verbatim
Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural57%
Transportation Safety20%
Zoning and Land Use13%
Water And Wastewater Management10%
Summary of Proceedings
Rockport City Council Regular Meeting - February 24, 2026
The Rockport City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. Mayor Tim Jayroe and Councilmember Stephanie Rangel (Ward 1) were absent, but a quorum was present with Councilmembers Matt Anderson (Ward 2), Brad Brundrett (Ward 3), and Mayor Pro Tem Andrea Hattman (Ward 4). The council approved its consent calendar, tabled a speed limit reduction ordinance to allow for a public hearing, received reports and an update from the City Manager, and canceled the planned Executive Session due to the missing members.
Consent Calendar
- The council unanimously approved the consent calendar, which included the February 5, 2026 workshop and February 10, 2026 regular meeting minutes.
- Resolution 2026-07R was approved, authorizing the Rockport Police Department to apply for and operate an Operation Stonegarden Grant Program (OPSG).
- Quarterly reports for Hotel Occupancy Tax Grant recipients ACTS Aviation (Warbids Over South Texas) and the Chamber of Commerce (SeaFair) were approved.
- Resolution 2026-08R was approved, authorizing an amended Wastewater Effluent Agreement with the Rockport Country Club Members Association and authorizing the Mayor to execute the agreement.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Bart Payne of Prairie Road spoke during Citizens to be Heard. He expressed frustration with city code enforcement regarding the number of permitted accessory structures on his nearly two-acre property. Mr. Payne stated he wished to pour a slab for a garage to restore vehicles (a Chevy Chevelle and a Corvette) and add a second trailer, but was told his existing portable carport counts as a building, preventing him from adding more. He argued that neighbors have multiple structures and that he feels "singled out." Council acknowledged his comments and stated a staff member would follow up.
Discussion Items
- Ordinance 2009 (Speed Limit Reduction): Police Chief Nathan Anderson presented the first reading of an ordinance to lower the speed limit on South Business 35 (from 9th Street to Freeze Lane) from 60 mph to 55 mph. The recommendation came from TxDOT, whose speed study found the 85th percentile speed to be 60 mph but cited extenuating circumstances including crashes and fatalities as reasons for lowering the limit. Council determined that a formal public hearing was required before finalizing the vote. A motion was made to table the item to the next regular meeting to allow for proper public notice and comment, which passed unanimously.
- City Manager's Update: City Manager Vanessa Shrauner highlighted the new citizen welcome packet. She reported that $24,000 in impact fees was collected in January, with the revenue dedicated to infrastructure upgrades. Sales tax revenue is up 6%, and hotel occupancy tax (HOT) revenue is up approximately 37-39%, which she attributed to increased tourism efforts. She also noted that all city ordinances are now fully codified on the city website.
- City Council Reports: Councilmember Anderson (Ward 2) reported on a community meeting and planned ward-wide meetings. Councilmember Brundrett (Ward 3) discussed the Mardi Gras parade, the new Citizen University program (10 participants), and a recent trip to Alice to study regional water projects. Mayor Pro Tem Hattman (Ward 4) reported on the city being recognized as "City of the Month" by a lodging association and gave kudos to Public Works Director Ryan Picarazzi for responsive service to constituents.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda Approved: Unanimous vote (Ward 2, 3, 4 in favor).
- Speed Limit Ordinance Tabled: Item 5 (Ordinance 2009) was tabled to the next regular meeting to allow for a properly noticed public hearing. The motion passed unanimously.
- Executive Session Canceled: The planned Executive Session was canceled due to the absence of Mayor Jayroe and Councilmember Rangel.
- Meeting Adjourned: The meeting was adjourned following council reports.
Meeting Transcript
It's five o'clock. I'm gonna call it a city council meeting. I roll call here to make sure that uh ward one is not here, but we have ward two. Here. Ward three? Ward four and mayor's gone, but we do have a quorum. We're gonna do the Pledge of Allegiance. Help by uh Councilman Project. I pledge allegiance to the flag. We need to be a good standard. Next on the agenda is the citizens to be heard. We do have one card. Um would they like to come and speak? It's a Bart Payne. Can you please just say your name and uh your address? Thanks for having me. My name is Bart Payne. I live on 1671 Prairie Road in Rockport, Texas. And I'm here because we have uh almost two acres of property, and there's a double white trailer which is we want to get that out eventually and probably put a nice house, sir. But we're trying to get the yard straightened up. I got a Chevy Chevelle that we're restoring in a Corvette, and there's nowhere to work on it. So I poured a slab and we're gonna make a three-car deal because we have all this stuff that I went out of the yard. I want to make it look good, keep it mowed, and we're kind of prohibited because we have a portable carport that only holds one car. So I got the slab board, and then I was in a call to see if I'm getting the telephone pole put in so we'd have electricity out there for the lights and all that. And they said, No, you can't. I'm like, why? Well, because you already have one building now. So that's a portable carport.
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