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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 09/01/2026I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Corpus Christi City Council of September 1, 2026 which were approved by the City Council on September 8, 2026. WITNESSETH MY HAND AND SEAL, on this the 8th day of September 2026. (SEA.L) Rebecca Huerta City Secretary Corpus Christi, Texas City of Corpus Christi Rebecca Huerta, City Secretary P.O. Box 9277 Corpus Christi, Texas 78469-9277 (361) 826-3105 rebeccah@cctexas.com SCANNED City of Corpus Christi Meeting Minutes City Council 1201 Leopard Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401 corpuschristitx.gov Tuesday, September 1, 2026 11:30 AM Council Chambers A. Mayor Pro Tem Kaylynn Paxson to call the meeting to order. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson called the meeting to order at 11:33 a.m. B. Invocation to be given by Pastor Matthew Morse with Parkway Presbyterian Church. Pastor Matthew Morse with Parkway Presbyterian Church gave the invocation. C. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States and to the Texas Flag to be led by John Pena, senior at Premier High School. John Pena, senior at Premier High School, led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Texas Flag. D. City Secretary Rebecca L. Huerta to call the roll of the required Charter Officers. City Secretary Rebecca Huerta called the roll and verified that a quorum of the City Council and the required Charter Officers were present to conduct the meeting. Charter Officers: City Manager Peter Zanoni, Interim City Attorney Buck Brice and City Secretary Rebecca Huerta Present: 8 - Council Member Roland Barrera,Council Member Carolyn Vaughn,Council Member Gilbert Hernandez,Council Member Sylvia Campos,Council Member Mark Scott,Council Member Kaylynn Paxson,Council Member Everett Roy, and Council Member Eric Cantu Absent: 1 - Mayor Paulette Guajardo E. CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS / UPDATE ON CITY OPERATIONS: (ITEM 1) 1. 26-1380 North Beach Infrastructure Improvements Update City Manager Peter Zanoni presented information on the following topics: North Beach infrastructure improvements overview; North Beach drainage improvements Beach Avenue, Gulfspray Avenue, and Eco Park construction updates; North Beach drainage improvements project scope; E. Surfside Blvd. reconstruction construction updates; E. Surfside Blvd. reconstruction (Breakwater Avenue to Elm St.); North Beach history plaza project updates; project scope; North Beach renourishment project updates; project scope; surplus properties under Harbor Bridge project updates; US 181 Frontage Road -North Beach sidewalk project; and project scope. City of Corpus Christi Page 1 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 F. PUBLIC COMMENT Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened public comment. The following individuals spoke: Bradley Bartilson, Corpus Christi, TX, Stephen Klepper, Corpus Christi, TX, Vidal Conde, Corpus Christi, TX, Dale Switalla, Corpus Christi, TX, Tony Martinez, Corpus Christi, TX, Bruce Switalla, Corpus Christi, TX, Carrie Meyer, Corpus Christi, TX, Encarnacion Serna, Corpus Christi, TX, Sarah Tindall, Corpus Christi, TX, Fatimah Guerra-Rachidy, Corpus Christi, TX, Miriam Guerra-Rachidy, Corpus Christi, TX, Armon Alex, Corpus Christi, TX, Jared Suarez, Corpus Christi, TX, Captain Dave Heasley, Corpus Christi, TX, Jason Followell, Aransas Pass, TX, Mark Muenster, Corpus Christi, TX, Elyda Vasquez, Corpus Christi, TX, Henry Williams, Corpus Christi, TX, Hannah Leach, Corpus Christi, TX, Scott Barraza, Nueces County, TX, Julian Hernandez, Corpus Christi, TX, Sara Dolson, Corpus Christi, TX, Kimberly McIntosh, Corpus Christi, TX, Jennifer Gracia, Corpus Christi, TX, Ginny Cross, Rockport, TX, Jessalyn Dixon, Robstown, TX, Whitney Chapman, Corpus Christi, TX, M. Gonzales, Corpus Christi, TX, Isabel Araiza, Corpus Christi, TX, Tony Reyes, Corpus Christi, TX, Melinda De Los Santos, Corpus Christi, TX, Eddie Espinoza, Pharr, TX, Jazmeyne Evans, Corpus Christi, TX, Stacie Garrecht, Corpus Christi, TX, Damian Morales, Corpus Christi, TX, Mary Carter, Corpus Christi, TX, James Perkins, Corpus Christi, TX, Rachel Caballero, Corpus Christi, TX, James Klein, Corpus Christi, TX, Michael Miller, Corpus Christi, TX, Johnny Lathan, Corpus Christi, TX, Pete Ibarra, Corpus Christi, TX, Jason Hale, Corpus Christi, TX, Zachary Bornstein, Corpus Christi, TX, Robin Cox, Corpus Christi, TX, Val Harbolovic, Corpus Christi, TX, Sean Merritt, Corpus Christi, TX, Susie Saldana, Corpus Christi, TX, Trevor Lieblong, Corpus Christi, TX, Marissa Trevino, Corpus Christi, TX, Alberto Zertuche, Corpus Christi, TX, Taylor Johnson, Corpus Christi, TX, Jennifer Espino, Corpus Christi, TX, and Karelly Leal, Corpus Christi, TX. The following individuals submitted a written public comment which is attached to the minutes: John Weber, Fair Oaks, CA, James Cowman, Albany, NY, Rose Aumada, Corpus Christi, TX, Mariah Boone, Corpus Christi, TX, and James Sutherland, Corpus Christi, TX. G. BOARD & COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS: (ITEM 21 2. 26-1345 Building Standards Board Corpus Christi B Corporation Corpus Christi Business and Job Development Corporation Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau Corpus Christi Downtown Management District Ethics Commission (two-thirds vote of the full council is required - 6 votes) Building Standards Board: Appointed: Lindsy Clark (Regular Member) Corpus Christi B Corporation: Appointed: Javier Huerta, Kevin C. Neri, Cynthia Salazar -Garza, and Jared P. Suarez City of Corpus Christi Page 2 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 Corpus Christi Business and Job Development Corporation: Appointed: Javier Huerta, Kevin C. Neri, Cynthia Salazar -Garza, and Jared P. Suarez Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau: Appointed: Bryan L. Davis Corpus Christi Downtown Management District: Reappointed: Jaime N. Barrera, Stephanie Brazeal, Robert Charles, Eric R. Gutschow, DeAnne (DeeDee) Perez, Glenn R. Peterson, Joshua Richline, Caitlin Shook, and Adrienne M. Trevino Ethics Commission: Reappointed: Kimberly K. Ballenger, Rick Barrera, and Janet Pedraza-Fonseca H. EXPLANATION OF COUNCIL ACTION: I. BUDGET RELATED ITEMS: (ITEMS 3 - 12) 3. 26-1371 Public Hearing and First Reading Ordinance adopting the Corpus Christi Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, beginning October 1, 2026; authorizing personnel complements; authorizing various contracts, amendments, and grants funded by the budget; amending the City of Corpus Christi's Texas Municipal Retirement System Benefits; providing for a copy of the budget to be filed with the County Clerk; and appropriating funds as provided in the budget. (HB 1522 Taxpayer Impact Statement Attached.) Director of Management and Budget Amy Rodriguez presented information on the following topics: Fiscal Year 2027 budget is balanced; FY 2027 proposed city budget; budget amendments -general fund; budget amendments -street maintenance fund; budget amendments -residential street reconstruction fund; budget amendments-TIRZ 2 fund; budget amendments-TIRZ 3 fund; budget amendments-TIRZ 4 fund; budget amendments -Type B Economic Development funds; budget amendments -Corpus Christi Housing Finance Corporation fund; and budget amendments -Information Technology fund. City Manager Peter Zanoni, Director Rodriguez, Interim Director of Development Services Yvette Wallace, and Director of Intergovernmental Relations Ryan Skrobarczyk responded to Council questions. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened the public hearing. There were no comments from the public. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed the public hearing. City of Corpus Christi Page 3 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 Council Member Scott moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Vaughn. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: Aye: 7 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Campos, Council Member Scott, Council Member Paxson, Council Member Roy and Council Member Cantu Nay: 1 - Council Member Hernandez Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 0 4. 26-1381 Ordinance establishing compensation for the Presiding Judge and Municipal Court Judges of the City of Corpus Christi beginning in Fiscal Year 2027; providing that all other terms of their appointments remain unchanged; and providing an effective date. Municipal Court Judge Jackie Chapa presented information on the following topics: Full -Time Judge -Top 7 Texas Cities' Municipal Court Judges Salary; Part -Time Judge -Top 7 Texas Cities' Municipal Court Judges Hourly Wage; Presiding Judge -Top 7 Texas Cities' Municipal Court Judges Salary; proposed increase for full-time judges; proposed increase for part-time judges; and proposed increase for Presiding Judge. Judge Chapa responded to Council questions. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened public comment. Rachel Caballero, Corpus Christi, TX, spoke. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed public comment. Council Member Roy moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Barrera. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: Aye: 8 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Scott, Council Member Paxson, Council Member Roy and Council Member Cantu Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 0 5. 26-1370 Public Hearing and First Reading Ordinance adopting the Corpus Christi Fiscal Year 2026 - 2027 Capital Budget beginning October 1, 2026. Director of Management and Budget Amy Rodriguez presented information on the following topics: CIP total by program; funding sources; and budget amendment -Economic Development. City of Corpus Christi Page 4 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 Director Rodriguez, Chief Operating Officer of Corpus Christi Water Nick Winkelmann, Assistant Director of CCW — Finance & Administration Kamil Taras, and Director of Engineering Services Jeff Edmonds responded to Council questions. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened the public hearing. There were no comments from the public. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed the public hearing. Council Member Barrera moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Campos. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: Aye: 7 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Campos, Council Member Scott, Council Member Paxson, Council Member Roy and Council Member Cantu Nay: 1 - Council Member Hernandez Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 0 6. 26-1084 Public Hearing and First Reading Ordinance setting a property tax rate of $0.599774 per $100 valuation which is effectively a 0.50% increase over the no -new -revenue tax rate and approving the tax roll as calculated. (60 percent favorable vote required) (City Council Motion: "I move that the property tax rate be increased by the adoption of a tax rate of $0.599774, which is effectively a 0.50% percent increase in the tax rate.") Director of Finance Sergio Villasana presented information on the following topics: FY 2027 property tax rate; property tax dollar; and staff recommendation. City Manager Peter Zanoni, Director Villasana, and Interim City Attorney Buck Brice responded to Council questions. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened the public hearing. There were no comments from the public. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed the public hearing. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson announced the following: "During today's City Council meeting, the City Council will vote on the first reading of the proposed property tax rate of $0.599774 per $100 valuation for Fiscal Year 2027, and at the September 8, 2026, City Council meeting beginning at 11:30 am at City Hall, the City Council will vote on the second reading of the proposed property tax rate of $0.599774 per $100 valuation." City of Corpus Christi Page 5 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 Mayor Pro Tem Paxson moved to amend the ordinance to adopt a no new revenue rate of $0.596985 per $100 valuation, seconded by Council Member Cantu. The motion failed. Council Member Barrera made the following motion: "I move that the property tax rate be increased by the adoption of a tax rate of $0.599774 per $100 valuation, which is effectively a 0.50 percent increase in the tax rate," seconded by Council Member Campos. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: Aye: 7 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Scott, Council Member Paxson and Council Member Roy Nay: 1 - Council Member Cantu Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 0 7. 26-1340 Ordinance amending the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 9, Aviation, Section 9-35 - Parking Rates, by revising the parking rate for long-term parking at the Corpus Christi International Airport. Director of Aviation Richard McCurley presented information on the following topics: Chapter 9 revisions; and South Central Texas Airports. Director McCurley responded to Council questions. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened public comment. There were no comments from the public. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed public comment. Council Member Barrera moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Campos. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: Aye: 6 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Campos, Council Member Scott, Council Member Paxson, Council Member Roy and Council Member Cantu Nay: 2 - Council Member Vaughn and Council Member Hernandez Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 0 8. 26-1281 Ordinance amending various sections of the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 21, Solid Waste, by revising applicable charges related to mulch and composting; and amending disposal rates at the transfer station for commercial loads and City of Corpus Christi Page 6 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 implementing volume limits on Residential bulk drop off. (Changes have no impact to monthly Solid Waste account fees.) Director of Solid Waste Operations Philip Aldridge presented information on the following topics: compost fee project overview; and construction complete. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened public comment. There were no comments from the public. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed public comment. Council Member Barrera moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Campos. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: Aye: 6 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Scott and Council Member Roy Nay: 1 - Council Member Paxson Absent: 2 - Mayor Guajardo and Council Member Cantu Abstained: 0 9. 26-1355 Ordinance amending Corpus Christi Code Section 36-7 to update rental rates and recreation fees for City sports fields and the After Hour Kid Power Daily Drop -In Program (State reimbursement for families who qualify for the program), effective October 1, 2026. Director of Parks and Recreation Robert Dodd presented information on the following topics: background; proposed amendments; and recommendation. Director Dodd responded to Council questions. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened public comment. Rachel Caballero, Corpus Christi, TX, spoke. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed public comment. Council Member Barrera moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Campos.This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: Aye: 7 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Scott, Council Member Roy and Council Member Cantu Nay: 1 - Council Member Paxson City of Corpus Christi Page 7 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 0 10. 26-1229 Ordinance amending various sections of the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 18, Fire Prevention and Protection, by revising applicable rates, fees, and charges related to service calls; and providing an effective date. Fire Chief Brandon Wade presented information on the following topics: background information; new and adjusted fees; Section 18-20 ambulance rates; fiscal impact; and recommendation. Deputy Fire Chief David Saenz responded to Council questions. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened public comment. There were no comments from the public. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed public comment. Council Member Cantu moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Campos. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: Aye: 8 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Scott, Council Member Paxson, Council Member Roy and Council Member Cantu Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 0 11. 26-1376 Ordinance amending Section 14-1341 of the Corpus Christi Code to add a fee for processing petitions for annexation. Interim Director of Development Services Yvette Wallace presented information on the following topics: purpose of the annexation fee. Interim Director Wallace responded to Council questions. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened public comment. There were no comments from the public. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed public comment. Council Member Campos moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Barrera. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: City of Corpus Christi Page 8 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 Aye: 8 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Scott, Council Member Paxson, Council Member Roy and Council Member Cantu Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 0 12. 26-1383 Ordinance amending various sections of the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 49, Streets and Sidewalks and Chapter 53 Traffic, by reinstating applicable fees for oversized and overweight structures, removing fees related to meter -bagging, removing duplicative language and providing an effective date. Interim Assistant City Manager Ernesto De La Garza presented information on the following topics: background; and recommendation. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened public comment. There were no comments from the public. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed public comment. Council Member Campos move to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Barrera. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: Aye: 8 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Scott, Council Member Paxson, Council Member Roy and Council Member Cantu Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 0 J. CONSENT AGENDA: (ITEMS 13 - 17) Approval of the Consent Agenda Mayor Pro Tem Paxson referred to the Consent Agenda. No Items were pulled for individual consideration. Council Member Hernandez moved to approve the consent agenda, seconded by Council Member Campos. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 8 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Scott, Council Member Paxson, Council Member Roy and Council Member Cantu Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 0 City of Corpus Christi Page 9 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 13. 26-1364 Approval of the August 13 and 20, 2026 Budget Workshop Minutes, and August 18 and 25, 2026 Regular Meeting Minutes and August 6, 2026 Special Meeting. The Minutes were approved on the consent agenda. Consent - Second Reading Ordinances 14. 26-1024 Ordinance accepting two grants totaling $151,026.78 from the Office of the Governor -Homeland Security Grants Division for the State's Homeland Security Program to purchase 10 replacement Level III rifle -rated shields, replacement SCUBA equipment (wetsuits, drysuits, helmets, gloves), new underwater communications devices, and replacement underwater navigation equipment for the Corpus Christi Police Department; and appropriating $151,026.78 into the FY 2026 Police Grants Fund. This Ordinance was passed on second reading on the consent agenda. Enactment No: 034002 Consent - Contracts and Procurement 15. 26-0978 Resolution renewing an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement between the City, Nueces County, and the Port of Corpus Christi Authority for a five-year term with an automatic additional one-year extension, with Nueces County and the Port of Corpus Christi Authority each making an annual individual contribution of $10,000.00 to the Local Emergency Planning Committee Fund and the City providing an in -kind contribution for office space, utilities, and related services, to enhance emergency response preparedness for hazardous materials for the Local Emergency Response Planning Committee. This Resolution was passed on the consent agenda. Enactment No: 034003 Consent - Capital Projects 16. 26-1301 Motion authorizing Amendment No. 1 to the Master Service Agreement for construction material testing with Terracon Consultants, Inc. of Olathe, Kansas in the amount of $1,501,795.50, for the Evangeline/San Patricio Co. Groundwater Program; with FY 2026 funding available from Water Capital Fund. This Motion was passed on the consent agenda. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened public comment. Barbara Lopez, San Patricio County, TX, spoke. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed public comment. Enactment No: M2026-094 City of Corpus Christi Page 10 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 Consent - First Reading Ordinances 17. 26-1323 Ordinance authorizing the First Amendment to the Affordable Housing Project Loan Agreement between the Corpus Christi B Corporation and Corpus Christi Huntwick Avenue LP, commonly known as Palo Verde Senior Apartments, increasing the incentive amount by $1,000,000.00, totaling $2,000,000.00 for the development of 75 affordable senior rental housing units located at 5501 Huntwick Avenue and appropriating $1,000,000.00 from the Type B Affordable Housing Fund in FY 2026. This Ordinance was passed on first reading on the consent agenda. K. RECESS FOR LUNCH Mayor Pro Tem Paxson recessed the Council meeting for lunch at 3:02 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson reconvened the meeting at 3:41 p.m. L. PUBLIC HEARINGS: (ITEMS 18 - 21) 18. 26-1097 Zoning Case No. ZN9336, Texas Tyler 31, LLC (District 3). Ordinance rezoning a property at or near 6316 Old Brownsville Road from the "FR" Farm Rural District to the "CG-2" General Commercial District; providing for a penalty not to exceed $2,000 and publication. (Staff and Planning Commission recommend approval). Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened the public hearing. There were no comments from the Council or the public. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed the public hearing. Council Member Cantu moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Roy. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: Aye: 8 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Scott, Council Member Paxson, Council Member Roy and Council Member Cantu Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 0 19. 26-1099 Zoning Case No. ZN9319, CC Leopard, LLC (District 1). Ordinance rezoning a property at or near 8225 Stillwell Lane from the "IL" Light Industrial District to the "R-MH/PUD" Manufactured Home District with a Planned Unit Development Overlay; providing for a penalty not to exceed $2,000 and publication. (Staff and Planning Commission recommend approval). Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened the public hearing. City of Corpus Christi Page 11 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 There were no comments from the Council or the public. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed the public hearing. Council Member Roy moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Cantu. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: Aye: 8 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Scott, Council Member Paxson, Council Member Roy and Council Member Cantu Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 0 20. 26-1101 Zoning Case No. ZN9318, K & CB Investments, LLC (District 2). Ordinance rezoning a property at or near 1720 2nd Street from the "RM-1" Multifamily District to the "RM-1/SP" Multifamily District with a Special Permit providing for a penalty not to exceed $2,000 and publication. (Staff and Planning Commission recommend approval). Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened the public hearing. There were no comments from the Council or the public. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed the public hearing. Council Member Campos moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Cantu. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote:: Aye: 7 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Paxson, Council Member Roy and Council Member Cantu Absent: 2 - Mayor Guajardo and Council Member Scott Abstained: 0 21. 26-1282 Ordinance annexing a 0.99-acre tract of land located at the southwest corner of CR 47 and FM 43 (Weber Rd) per petition by the landowner, Plaza Michoacana, Inc.; approving the related service plan; adding the annexed area to City Council District 3; seeking removal of annexed territory from Emergency Services District; rezoning the 0.99 acre from the "FR" Farm Rural District to the "CN-1" Neighborhood Commercial District; and providing for a penalty not to exceed $2,000 and publication. Interim Assistant City Manager Michael Dice presented information on the following topics: vicinity map; and location map. City of Corpus Christi Page 12 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened the public hearing. There were no comments from the Council or the public. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed the public hearing. Council Member Cantu moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Roy. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: Aye: 7 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Paxson, Council Member Roy and Council Member Cantu Absent: 2 - Mayor Guajardo and Council Member Scott Abstained: 0 M. INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION ITEMS: (ITEMS 22 - 25) 22. 26-0840 One -Reading ordinance awarding a Design -Build contract to Corpus Christi Desalination Partners, LLC for 60% design services, design and construction of the demonstration plant, and development and verification of the GMP in an amount up to $78,610,000.00 for the Inner Harbor Seawater Desalination Treatment Plant Project; appropriating funds and amending the FY 2026 Budget, with funding available from the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT), and Corpus Christi Desalination Partners, LLC briefing on unsolicited discharge and expansion options. Chief Operating Officer of Corpus Christi Water Nick Winkelmann and Principal National Initiatives Director of Ardurra/Corpus Christi Desal Partners Dan Leyendecker presented information on the following topics: discussion topics; current timeline; Corpus Christi Desal Partners; Phase 1-Inner Harbor Desalination (30 MGD); project timeline; project cost; project costs and rate impact; cost allocation; Texas Water Development Board; Inner Harbor Expansion and Gulf Discharge Opportunities; relative size of ship channel; environmental monitoring; Gulf discharge routing alternatives; Phase 2-Inner Harbor 30 to 80 MGD expansion; Gulf outfall routing alternatives OPPC 2032 dollars; lowest and highest total regional OPPC; preliminary project timelines; conclusion; next steps; and staff recommendation. City Manager Peter Zanoni, COO Winkelmann, and Mr. Leyendecker responded to Council questions. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened public comment. Henry Williams, Corpus Christi, TX, Deanna King, Corpus Christi, TX, Daniel Pena, Corpus Christi, TX, Lamarcus Knox, Corpus Christi, TX, Mark Muenster, Corpus Christi, TX, Carolyn Koivula, Corpus Christi, TX, Lamont Taylor, Corpus Christi, TX, Dolly Trolley, Corpus Christi, TX, Jeff Price, San Patricio County, TX, Bob Paulison, Corpus Christi, City of Corpus Christi Page 13 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 TX, Rachel Caballero, Corpus Christi, TX, Christina McKay, Corpus Christi, TX, Eli McKay, Corpus Christi, TX, Laramie Fain, Corpus Christi, TX, Julian Hernandez, Corpus Christi, TX, Chloe Torres, Corpus Christi, TX, Andrea Puyol, Corpus Christi, TX, Amanda Breland, Corpus Christi, TX, and James Perkins, Corpus Christi, TX, spoke. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed public comment. Council Member Barrera moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Scott. This Ordinance failed with the following vote: Aye: 3 - Council Member Barrera, Council Member Scott and Council Member Roy Nay: 5 - Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Paxson and Council Member Cantu Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 0 23. 26-0851 One -Reading ordinance authorizing a professional services contract with WSP USA, Inc. for Owner's Representative Services, which includes the Independent Cost Estimator, in an amount up to $9,500,000.00 for the Inner Harbor Seawater Desalination Treatment Plant Project; appropriating funds and amending the FY 2026 Budget, with funding available from the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT). This Item was withdrawn. 24. 26-1354 Resolution establishing an ad hoc committee to review the City's procurement of professional services, including architectural and engineering services, and recommend improvements to City processes and applicable state law, as requested by Council Member Kaylynn Paxson. This Item was postponed until September 8, 2026. 25. 26-1403 Ratification of a City Council Ordinance disapproving the Program, Expenditure, and Funding under the Termination, Settlement, and Release Agreement between the Corpus Christi B Corporation and Elevate QOF, LLC; adjusting Type B Budget to withdraw funds from the terminated program for the Homewood Suite Incentive; directing the City Manager and City Staff not to make or facilitate payment; and providing for an effective date. Interim City Attorney Buck Brice stated this item ratifies the emergency ordinance that City Council passed last week. The purpose of the ratification is to allow the public to speak. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson opened public comment. There were no comments from the Council or the public. City of Corpus Christi Page 14 Printed on 9/4/2026 City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2026 Mayor Pro Tem Paxson closed public comment. Council Member Hernandez moved to approve the ordinance, seconded by Council Member Campos. This Ordinance was passed on first reading and approved with the following vote: Aye: 5 - Council Member Vaughn, Council Member Hernandez, Council Member Campos, Council Member Paxson and Council Member Cantu Nay: 2 - Council Member Barrera and Council Member Scott Absent: 1 - Mayor Guajardo Abstained: 1 - Council Member Roy N. BRIEFINGS: (ITEM 26j 26. 26-1372 Briefing by IDE with John Byrum, Executive Director of the Nueces River Authority, on the Harbor Island Desalination Project, as requested by Mayor Pro Tem Kaylynn Paxson. Chief Operating Officer of Corpus Christi Water Nick Winkelmann and Executive Director/CEO of Nueces River Authority John Byrum presented information on the following topics: Nueces River Authority - new water for South Texas project; Regional Water Planning in Texas I overview; facing the gap: projected shortages without new supply; meeting the challenge: strategies to develop new water supplies; Harbor Island Port of Corpus Christi; new water for South Texas I project overview; product water pipeline; intake structure and tunnel; conveyance/distribution pipeline; permit process overview and status; water reservation fees received from; IDE-design constructed; and NRA new water for South Texas - advantages. City Manager Peter Zanoni, COO Winkelmann, Mr. Byrum, and Deputy Executive Director of Nueces River Authority John Chisholm responded to Council questions. O. EXECUTIVE SESSION: (NONE) P. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Mayor Pro Tem Paxson adjourned the meeting at 10:13 p.m. City of Corpus Christi Page 15 Printed on 9/4/2026 Friday, August 28, 2026 Public Comment & Input Form For City Council Meetings, Board Meetings, & Commission Meetings To submit a service request, ask a question, report a violation, browse city -required permit forms or access services online, click here: Access Online Services To continue submitting a written public comment click Next below. Public Comment & Input Form For City Council Meetings, Board Meetings, & Commission Meetings Date of Meeting Tuesday, September 1, 2026 Name John Weber Address 10523 Fair Oaks Blvd Fair Oaks, CA, 95628 Please select the Board, Committee, City Council or governing body that your comments are directed to: Are you a resident of Corpus Christi? Topic Agenda Item Number Inner Harbor 22 Comment Dear City Council, Please vote NO for this item. It will be a huge waste of $78 million. After the 60% design is completed, will bet anyone the $900 million final design and construction cost will be a lot higher. This is just throwing good money on a bad project. Thank you for your consideration. Provide an email to receive a copy of your submission. js_weber@hotmail.com Friday, August 28, 2026 Public Comment & Input Form For City Council Meetings, Board Meetings, & Commission Meetings To submit a service request, ask a question, report a violation, browse city -required permit forms or access services online, click here: Access Online Services To continue submitting a written public comment click Next below. Public Comment & Input Form For City Council Meetings, Board Meetings, & Commission Meetings Date of Meeting Tuesday, September 1, 2026 Name John Weber Address 10523 Fair Oaks Blvd Fair Oaks, CA, 95628 Please select the Board, Committee, City Council or governing body that your comments are directed to: Are you a resident of Corpus Christi? Topic Agenda Item Number Inner Harbor 23 Comment Dear City Council, Please vote NO for this item. The City staff should be able to complete all this work. That is what they are getting paid for. Thank you for your consideration. Provide an email to receive a copy of your submission. js_weber@hotmail.com Saturday,August 29, 2026 Public Comment &Input Form For City Council Meetings, Board Meetings, & Commission Meetings To submit a service request, ask a question, report a violation, browse city -required permit forms or access services online, click here: Access Online Services To continue submitting a written public comment click Next below. Public Comment & Input Form For City Council Meetings, Board Meetings, & Commission Meetings Date of Meeting Tuesday, September 1, 2026 Name James Cowman Address 69 Crescent Dr Albany, NY, 12208 Please select the Board, Committee, City Council or governing body that your comments are directed to: Are you a resident of Corpus Christi? Topic Agenda Item Number Proposed Farrah Fawcett Memorial — Request for Review N/A — General Public Comment Comment I am submitting the attached formal statement requesting further review of the proposed Farrah Fawcett memorial in Corpus Christi before additional implementation proceeds. I strongly support honoring Farrah in her hometown. My concern is the decision to make Jill Munroe and Charlie's Angels imagery the permanent civic representation of Farrah, particularly in light of her documented views about her public image, her broader career and artistic identity, and early correspondence from the Farrah Fawcett Foundation concerning the importance of fulfilling Farrah's wishes. I respectfully ask the Mayor, City Council, and City staff to review the memorial concept and the process by which it was selected. My complete statement is provided in the attached PDF. Upload supporting images or documents. James_Cowman_Formal_Statement_....pdf Provide an email to receive a copy of farrahfawcettinfo@yahoo.com your submission. Formal Statement Regarding the Proposed Farrah Fawcett Memorial in Corpus Christi Submitted by James Cowman Founder and Editor, The Farrah Fawcett Fandom I am submitting this statement because the proposed Farrah Fawcett memorial in Corpus Christi deserves further review before the city moves any farther with the current concept. My objection is not to honoring Farrah in her hometown. In fact, I strongly support Corpus Christi creating a permanent memorial to her. My concern is the decision to represent Farrah through Jill Munroe and imagery taken from Charlie's Angels. A permanent memorial should represent more than the image of Farrah that happens to be the most familiar. It should make a serious attempt to reflect the life, career, artistic identity, and documented views of the person being honored. The Foundation Was Involved Early Concerns surrounding the project did not begin after its approval, and they did not begin with my recently published essay. On May 23, 2025, Christine Romeo, then communications director for the Farrah Fawcett Foundation, contacted project organizer Tom Campbell about the proposed memorial. In that email, Romeo explained that the Foundation had previously collaborated on projects involving Farrah and stated that the purpose of that involvement was "to be sure that we fulfill Farrah's wishes." Tom acknowledged the email on May 24 and later spoke with Christine sometime that month. We know that conversation occurred because he referred to it himself in an October 24, 2025 email when he wrote about what had happened "since we spoke in May." The communication did not end there. On October 20, Christine again contacted Tom and explained that the Foundation had an update and hoped to reconnect. Tom responded the following day and said he would call her that afternoon. On October 24, he wrote again and said that since their May conversation he had continued pursuing the project while "hoping that we could work this out." That same email confirms that by October 2025 the Charlie's Angels concept was already well established. Tom wrote that sculptor David Deming had completed a small clay model of Farrah based on a Charlie's Angels episode. He also said David joined him in a meeting with the mayor of Corpus Christi and her team about the project. At this point, I do not know exactly what Tom meant when he wrote that he hoped they could "work this out." I also do not know whether the May conversation specifically involved concerns about representing Farrah through Charlie's Angels. Christine has since told me that she offered Tom molds of Farrah's artwork for possible use in the memorial. That provides additional evidence that the Foundation was attempting to participate in the project and introduce material connected directly to Farrah's artistic life, but it does not establish what was discussed regarding the Charlie's Angels concept itself. Christine has not clarified that part of the May conversation, and I do not want to make a claim that the available record does not support. What the written record does establish is much simpler. The Farrah Fawcett Foundation became involved very early in the project, directly contacted the organizer, and specifically raised the importance of fulfilling Farrah's wishes. Christine's subsequent statement that she offered molds of Farrah's artwork provides additional evidence of the Foundation's willingness to contribute directly to the memorial, although I do not have documentation establishing when that offer was made or how it was considered. My Involvement At the time, I was volunteering for the Farrah Fawcett Foundation. Christine Romeo asked me to help her look into the Corpus Christi memorial and the concerns about how Farrah would be represented. For this reason, my involvement with the project predates my recent public writing about it. I did not discover the memorial after it had already been approved and then decide to criticize it. I had been aware of the issue for some time and initially hoped the project might change direction or not move forward. Once I learned that the project had received city approval, my position changed. At that point, I believed the questions surrounding Farrah's representation needed to be placed on the public record rather than remaining part of private discussions. I also attempted to contact Tom Campbell on three separate occasions regarding the memorial and my concerns about Farrah's representation. I received no response. Representation My objection to the current concept is based primarily on Farrah Fawcett's own documented statements across several decades. Farrah did not reject Charlie's Angels, nor have I ever argued that the show should somehow be removed from her history. She spoke fondly about it and understood the importance it played in making her famous. However, she also spoke repeatedly about the difficulty of escaping the image it created and her desire to grow beyond how the public and the entertainment industry had defined her. Farrah did not need to hate Charlie's Angels to resist being permanently defined by it. Her career after the series makes that clear. She deliberately pursued projects that challenged the public image associated with Jill Munroe and the early years of her fame. Performances in The Burning Bed, Extremities, and Small Sacrifices required audiences and critics to look at her differently. She also remained deeply committed to painting and sculpture throughout her life and had studied art long before Hollywood made her famous. For this reason, I believe there is a major difference between acknowledging Charlie's Angels as an important part of Farrah Fawcett's history and choosing Jill Munroe as the permanent civic representation of Farrah Fawcett. No memorial can represent every part of a person's life. Some degree of selection is unavoidable. However, that does not make the selection meaningless. It makes the selection more important. A permanent public memorial does more than reproduce a recognizable image. It tells future generations something about why a person mattered and how that person should be remembered. In this case, the city is not simply displaying a commercial photograph from Charlie's Angels. It is making that image permanent. Early Foundation Correspondence The May 2025 correspondence raises a question that deserves serious consideration before the project proceeds any farther. When a representative of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation contacted the organizer very early in the process and stated that the Foundation wanted to collaborate "to be sure that we fulfill Farrah's wishes," I believe that should have prompted a careful examination of what those wishes were and whether they were relevant to the memorial being developed. This does not mean the Foundation had unilateral authority to determine the design of a public memorial. I am also not accusing the project organizers or city officials of improper motives. Those conclusions require evidence. My concern is much more direct. What consideration was given to Farrah Fawcett's own wishes, documented views, and broader legacy before the decision was made to permanently represent her through Jill Munroe and Charlie's Angels imagery? That is the question that deserves an answer. The reality is that once Farrah's wishes were raised in the discussion, they became relevant to the integrity of the project. A memorial intended to honor Farrah should, at the very least, make a serious effort to determine how Farrah herself viewed her life, her work, and the image being chosen to represent her permanently. Requested Review I respectfully request that the City of Corpus Christi review the memorial project and the process used to select its current concept before further implementation proceeds. I ask the City to consider whether Farrah's documented views about typecasting, her public image, her artistic identity, and the direction of her career were examined when the memorial concept was selected. I also ask what consultation occurred with individuals and organizations familiar with Farrah personally and professionally, what consideration was given to the Farrah Fawcett Foundation's early statement that its involvement in projects concerning Farrah was intended to help fulfill her wishes, and what consideration, if any, was given to Christine Romeo's offer of molds of Farrah's artwork for possible use in the memorial. Finally, I believe the City should consider whether another representation of Farrah could honor her connection to Corpus Christi without making Charlie's Angels the defining permanent statement of her life. I am not asking the City to erase Jill Munroe or Charlie's Angels from Farrah Fawcett's history. That would make no sense. The show was an important part of her career and the beginning of an extraordinary level of fame. What I am asking is whether a fictional character Farrah played as a regular for only one season should become the permanent public representation of a woman whose life, career, interests, and artistic ambitions continued to develop for more than three decades afterward. Corpus Christi has a unique connection to Farrah Fawcett that no other city can claim. This is where her story began. For that reason, the city has an opportunity to create a memorial that reflects not simply the image that first made Farrah famous, but the person she became. James Cowman Founder and Editor The Farrah Fawcett Fandom www.farrahfawcettfandom.com Norma Duran From: City Secretary Sent: Tuesday, September 1, 2026 8:46 AM To: Norma Duran Cc: Stephanie Box; Sarah Brunkenhoefer Subject: FW: Public Comment for City Council Meeting OPPOSITION to Inner Harbor Desalination Contract Please add to public comment. From: Rose A <rose108mn@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 1, 2026 5:08 AM To: City Secretary <CitySecretary@cctexas.com> Cc: zena <zeenuhl@gmail.com>; Roel Aumada <roel_aumada@yahoo.com> Subject: Public Comment for City Council Meeting - OPPOSITION to Inner Harbor Desalination Contract [ [ WARNING: External e-mail. Avoid clicking on links or attachments. We will NEVER ask for a password, username, payment or to take action from an email. When in doubt, please forward to SecurityAlert@cctexas.com. ] ] To the Mayor and Members of the City Council, My name is Rose Aumada and I am writing to express my fierce opposition to the proposed $78.6 million contract for the Inner Harbor Desalination Plant. My roots in Corpus Christi run deep. My grandparents are buried here. My husband and daughters were born in this city, and my husband's parents and grandparents lived and died here. As a child, I admit I took this beautiful city for granted. Today, I see Corpus Christi for the treasure it truly is, and I refuse to stand by while it is handed over to corporate profiteering and political corruption. I am urge you to vote NO on this contract for the following critical reasons: • Environmental Disaster in the Inner Harbor: It is common sense that placing a desalination plant in our stagnant Inner Harbor will be an ecological catastrophe. The concentrated brine discharge will devastate our waterways, kill local wildlife, and permanently disrupt the fragile ecosystem of Corpus Christi Bay. • Injustice to the Hillcrest Neighborhood: Building this industrial facility in the historic Hillcrest neighborhood is a continuation of environmental racism. Hillcrest has already borne the brunt of our city's heavy industry for decades; destroying what remains of this community is unacceptable. • Profiteering Over Public Good: This project is not being driven by the needs of everyday citizens, but by the financial interests of industrial corporations pushing the costs onto local taxpayers. i We must protect our water, our ecosystem, and our historic neighborhoods from those who view our home as nothing more than a profit margin. I urge you to represent the people of Corpus Christi —not outside interests —and vote NO on this desalination contract. Thank you, Rose Aumada Resident of the south side 78412 361-741-1292 2 Monday, August 31, 2026 Public Comment & Input Form For City Council Meetings, Board Meetings, & Commission Meetings To submit a service request, ask a question, report a violation, browse city -required permit forms or access services online, click here: Access Online Services To continue submitting a written public comment click Next below. Public Comment & Input Form For City Council Meetings, Board Meetings, & Commission Meetings Date of Meeting Tuesday, September 1, 2026 Name Mariah Boone Address 710 Ponder Street Corpus Christi, TX, 78404 Please select the Board, Committee, or governing body that your comments are directed to: Are you a resident of Corpus Christi? What district do you reside in? Topic Agenda Item Number Comment Hello. City Council District 2 No Inner Harbor Desal 26-0840 & 26-0851 find it frustrating that after the people of Corpus Christi have repeatedly told their elected City Council representatives that we do not want the Inner Harbor Desalination Plant over and over and over and over again, there are still two agenda items for 9/1 about authorizing more contracts...more expenditures...on this unwanted project. Please vote no on these contracts and expenditures. Please vote no on desalination in Hillcrest and stop allowing the profiteers to keep bringing it back up. Thank you. Sincerely, Mariah Boone Provide an email to receive a copy of lonestarma@rocketmail.com your submission. t Monday, August 31, 2026 Public Comment & Input Form For City Council Meetings, Board Meetings, & Commission Meetings To submit a service request, ask a question, report a violation, browse city -required permit forms or access services online, click here: Access Online Services To continue submitting a written public comment click Next below. Public Comment & Input Form For City Council Meetings, Board Meetings, & Commission Meetings Date of Meeting Tuesday, September 1, 2026 Name James Cowman Address 69 Crescent Dr Albany, NY, 12208 Please select the Board, Committee, or governing body that your comments are directed to: Are you a resident of Corpus Christi? Topic Agenda Item Number City Council Supplement to Formal Statement — Farrah Fawcett Memorial: Portrait Likeness and Artistic Review General Public Comment Comment I previously submitted a formal statement regarding the proposed Farrah Fawcett memorial in Corpus Christi. I am submitting the attached supplement to raise a separate concern regarding portrait likeness and the artistic review of the proposed sculpture. I respectfully request that this document be considered together with my original statement, distributed to the Mayor and City Council, and included as part of the public record. My concern is not a criticism of David Deming's overall career, but whether this particular permanent public portrait achieves a sufficiently recognizable likeness of Farrah Fawcett and whether meaningful review or revision remains possible before casting and installation. Upload supporting images or documents. Farrah_Fawcett_Memorial_Supplemen....pdf Provide an email to receive a copy of farrahfawcettinfo@yahoo.com your submission. Supplement to Formal Statement Regarding the Proposed Farrah Fawcett Memorial in Corpus Christi Portrait Likeness and Artistic Review Submitted by James Cowman Founder and Editor, The Farrah Fawcett Fandom August 31, 2026 I recently submitted a formal statement asking the City of Corpus Christi to take another look at the proposed Farrah Fawcett memorial before the project moves any farther. My original concern involved the decision to represent Farrah permanently through Jill Munroe and Charlie's Angels. After spending more time examining the sculpture itself, I believe there is another issue that deserves the City's attention. Regardless of whether the Charlie's Angels concept remains, the statue still has to look like Farrah Fawcett. These are two separate concerns. The City may ultimately disagree with me about using Jill Munroe as the basis for the memorial. However, even if that decision remains unchanged, the finished sculpture will still be presented to the public as a portrait of Farrah. For this reason, I believe the quality of the likeness should be examined independently from the larger debate surrounding the concept. In my view, the current sculpture does not yet capture Farrah's likeness with the accuracy I would expect from a permanent public monument. This is not a criticism of David Deming's entire career, nor am I suggesting that one sculpture should define his accomplishments as an artist. He has had a long career in sculpture and art education. My concern is much narrower. Does this particular sculpture look enough like Farrah Fawcett to represent her permanently in the city where she was born? I do not raise that question solely as a fan. I have spent approximately twenty years studying classical design, composition, and traditional skill -based approaches to art. A large part of that study involved geometric systems of design, including the harmonic armature, as well as proportion, visual relationships, balance, structure, and the organization of the human figure. For many years, I also taught these principles online to artists and photographers. Visual analysis has therefore been a serious part of my education and work for a very long time. My background in design does not make me a sculptor, and I would never claim to understand every technical problem involved in creating a large bronze figure. Sculpture presents challenges that are very different from drawing, painting, photography, or graphic design. However, proportion and visual relationships do not suddenly become irrelevant because the medium changes. When the purpose of a sculpture is to represent a specific person, the relationship among the features matters. Farrah presents an unusually difficult problem in this respect because her appearance was not generic. Her face was recognizable because of the particular relationship among her eyes, nose, jaw, cheek structure, smile, and overall facial proportions. The hair creates another layer because its volume, shape, feathering, and movement became almost an identity of its own. Small changes to these relationships can still produce an attractive woman. However, creating an attractive woman is not the same thing as creating Farrah Fawcett. I have also spent years assembling and studying a massive visual archive of Farrah. That archive contains thousands of photographs covering different periods of her life, different expressions, camera angles, hairstyles, lighting conditions, publicity sessions, candid photographs, film and television appearances, and other visual material. For this reason, my impression of Farrah's appearance is not based on one famous photograph or one period of her career. I have had the opportunity to study how the same features remain recognizable across an enormous visual record. That distinction matters because Farrah is not a historical figure whose appearance has to be reconstructed from a few paintings or poorly preserved photographs. She was photographed constantly for decades. There is an extraordinary amount of visual information available to anyone attempting to create a three-dimensional likeness of her. Photography and sculpture are obviously different mediums, and a sculptor cannot simply turn one photograph into a convincing figure that works from every angle. However, the amount of available reference material makes it possible to study Farrah's facial structure from many different viewpoints rather than relying on a single commercial image. Page 1 My experience running a large Farrah Fawcett Facebook page also gave me a different perspective that I believe is relevant to the City's consideration of this project. I managed that community for four years, and by the time I closed the page it had nearly 80,000 followers. During its final 90-day reporting period, the page generated approximately 5.9 million views, with 81 percent of those views coming from people who did not follow the page. In other words, I was not only watching how a small group of dedicated fans responded to Farrah. I was seeing how a much broader audience reacted to her image. Over those four years, I had thousands of opportunities to see how closely people looked at Farrah. Longtime fans notice the face, hair, body, clothing, expressions, and small visual details very quickly. I also learned how rapidly people react when they believe something about Farrah has been represented inaccurately. This experience does not make their judgment automatically correct, and popularity should never be confused with artistic validity. However, it does tell us something about the audience that will eventually judge this statue. The reality is that a public celebrity monument is no longer judged only by the people who attend an unveiling. Once photographs of this statue appear online, viewers will immediately compare them with photographs of Farrah that have circulated for decades. Those comparisons can move across social media within hours and reach an audience far beyond Corpus Christi. A public statue today is essentially unveiled before the entire Internet. For this reason, I believe the City should determine exactly what review of the likeness took place before the memorial was accepted. What version of the sculpture or maquette did City officials see? Were detailed photographs or renderings of the face available during the approval process? Was the likeness to Farrah specifically discussed? If it was, who evaluated it and what reference material was used? Were people with extensive familiarity with Farrah's appearance consulted? Most importantly, does the City still have the ability to request changes before the sculpture is cast, installed, and permanently accepted? I am not asking for a sculpture that mechanically reproduces a photograph. That would misunderstand both the medium and the artistic process. A portrait sculpture can contain interpretation, character, movement, and the individual style of the sculptor while still remaining unmistakably recognizable as its subject. The issue is not whether David Deming is allowed to interpret Farrah. The issue is whether that interpretation still results in Farrah. For illustrative purposes, I have included Exhibit A showing two AI -assisted likeness studies. These images are not presented as proposed replacement designs or as definitive representations of Farrah. They are included only to demonstrate how changes in facial proportions, hair structure, and the relationship among features can significantly affect recognizability while the general pose and concept remain essentially the same. There is also a practical reason to ask these questions now. If concerns about likeness are legitimate, correcting them while the sculpture is still being developed is considerably easier than addressing them after a permanent bronze has been cast and installed. A careful review at this stage protects the City, the donors, the artist, and ultimately the memorial itself. Corpus Christi has an opportunity to create a permanent tribute to one of the most recognizable people ever born there. I strongly support the idea of the City honoring Farrah Fawcett. However, permanence raises the standard. If this statue is intended to represent Farrah for generations, I believe the City should make every reasonable effort to ensure that the woman people see when they look at it is recognizably Farrah Fawcett. I respectfully ask the City to review the portrait likeness while meaningful revisions may still be possible and to consider this concern together with the questions raised in my original statement. James Cowman Founder and Editor The Farrah Fawcett Fandom www.farrahfawcettfandom.com Page 2 n rb 0'.Qa O 'O E. trl F-n N w � o' 1 En 'CI o ro co cr. ro ro ro• as w ro o Oa co CD `°�S n n G o N r 0 ro n ro �. o ro r0 0. co o O o b O- 0 0] ro ro ro W o ro g. fy as ro w ro Q. 1i. CD � m • ro .. w o N (y O + n 7J G rn7 0 0. w n n o „ ro ro m o' O O b p� N P ' w n o rp ro AI -assisted visual comparison for discussion of portrait recognizability Exhibit A - Illustrative Likeness Studies G.4 Tuesday, September 1, 2026 Public Comment & Input Form For City Council Meetings, Board Meetings, & Commission Meetings To submit a service request, ask a question, report a violation, browse city -required permit forms or access services online, click here: Access Online Services To continue submitting a written public comment click Next below. Public Comment & Input Form For City Council Meetings, Board Meetings, & Commission Meetings Date of Meeting Tuesday, September 1, 2026 Name James Sutherland Address 1209 Oberste St. Corpus Christi, TX, TX, 78418-5173 Please select the Board, Committee, City Council or governing body that your comments are directed to: Are you a resident of Corpus Christi? What district do you reside in? Topic Agenda Item Number District 4 Inner harbor desal 1 Comment I feel like the industry should pay for its own water....it is a global market...the citizens of the surrounding area cant subsidize this. Industry uses about 80% of our water and now ...you are infiltratingus with something else data centers. .untold what the drain will be now, while our port and industry are essential ....they need to build their own desal plant. Of course inner harbor is the cheapest....but you know its not the best place....you know that. So just tell the truth....it would be nice if you simply told the truth yes Barney Davis would require cooperation with San Antonio. but we already do that we could have the most beautiful city in the world if you cared enough to do that....I am ashamed driving down Ocean dr...shoreline and the uneven roads knock my false teeth out. The new apts on the bay by airline are ugly and block the view of the bay. Be honest let industry build what they need...let us drink the fish piss from Lake Mathis Provide an email to receive a copy of Masonrytec@aol.com your submission.