After nearly nine hours of discussion Tuesday, the Corpus Christi City Council was unable to complete its full agenda, postponing several items to future meetings — including a proposed donation from Voices for Coastal Bend Energy (VCBE) to support federal water grant applications.
The council adjourned around 8 p.m. after voting to table multiple agenda items because of time constraints.
The postponed item involved accepting an unrestricted donation from VCBE, a Texas 501(c)(6) organization, to fund preparation and submission of the city’s U.S. Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART Desalination grant application for the Inner Harbor desalination project.
According to an earlier news release from VCBE, the organization has secured funding for the grant application process but is awaiting city approval to move forward with the donation.
“Every business depends on reliable water, but for commercial real estate, it’s especially critical,” said David Loeb, owner of Landlord Resources LLC, a Coastal Bend commercial real estate developer and contributor to the effort. “Companies looking to invest or expand expect dependable infrastructure. Our tenants need confidence that this region is planning for the future. Helping the City compete for federal funding is good business and responsible stewardship of our community.”
The agenda item will now return for consideration at a future council meeting.
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During public comment before the vote to table the items, several residents expressed frustration over the council’s decision to end the meeting before completing the agenda.
“We’ve been here all day for a reason,” said Corpus Christi resident Joshua Frederick. “You ran for this job, we’ve been here later than this, it’s 8 p.m. I was expecting to be here for another six hours if necessary. This is very frustrating.”
Resident Isaiah Dallas shared similar concerns, saying he arrived at the meeting at 2 p.m. and waited through a lunch break and executive session before the council attempted to adjourn.
Before postponing the remaining items, the council voted to place a proposed pay increase for council members on the Nov. 3 ballot.
“Since y’all reconvened, we’ve been waiting here all day as y’all fight against an issue that affects not Republicans, not Democrats, but everyone,” Dallas said. “You’ve been making this issue extremely partisan, you’ve been making this issue about cost. If cost is the big issue, why are you asking voters to raise your wages?”
The postponed discussion comes as Corpus Christi residents remain under Stage 3 drought restrictions and continue being asked to conserve water. Stage 3 restrictions are one level below a water emergency.
According to the city’s website, combined water levels at Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon Reservoir remain just above 20% capacity.
The City Council is expected to revisit the postponed items at a future meeting. The Advocate will continue to follow developments regarding the city’s water supply efforts.