HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 11/09/1999 - JointI HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Joint
Council Meeting of the City of Corpus Christi of November 9, 1999, which were approved by the
City Council on November 16, 1999.
WITNESSETH MY HAND AND SEAL, this 16th day of November, 1999.
Armando Chapa
City Secretary
SEAL
MINUTES
CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS
Joint Meeting
City Council and Greater Corpus Christi Business Alliance
November 9, 1999 - 12:11 p.m.
PRESENT
Council Members:
Mayor Samuel L. Neal Jr.
Mayor Pro Tem Javier D. Colmenero*
Melody Cooper
Henry Garrett
Dr. Arnold Gonzales
Rex A. Kinnison
Betty Jean Longoria
John Longoria
Mark Scott
City Staff
City Manager David R. Garcia
City Attorney James R. Bray Jr.
City Secretary Armando Chapa
Recording Secretary Rachelle P. Ramon
Business Alliance:
Laurie Cook, Chair
Gonzalo Sandoval, Chair -Elect
Joe Fulton, Past Chair
Joe Adame
Ruben Bonilla
Bill Dodge
Al Jones
George Kain
Nelda Martinez
Alliance Staff:
Tom Niskala, Alliance Interim CEO
Char Beltran, CVB CEO
John Bell, Alliance Attorney
Mayor Neal called the meeting to order in the Basement Training Room of City Hall.
City Secretary Chapa called the roll and verified that the necessary quorum of the Council
and the required charter officers were present to conduct the meeting. *Council Member Colmenero
arrived at 12:13 p.m.
Ms. Cook, Chairperson of the Alliance, said they were present to discuss the plans for the
reorganization of the Alliance. She said that in July she appointed a 10 -member task force, which
was chaired by Mr. Sandoval, to look into that process.
Mr. Sandoval explained that the task force met for several weeks and ultimately
recommended to the Alliance board that the Alliance be restructured into three autonomous entities:
Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), Economic Development Corporation (EDC), and the
Chamber of Commerce. He said they felt that the task force could continue to oversee some of the
activities during the transition period.
Ms. Cook said work groups were formed and charged with developing the plan for the
reorganization in terms of the responsibilities of the interim boards. She said the task force
recommended that the work groups form the nuclei of the interim boards with other members being
added over time. Ms. Cook said the interim boards of the three entities will develop a mission for
each new organization, a board structure, and policies and by-laws.
Minutes
Joint Meeting
November 9, 1999
Page 2
Ms. Cook noted that the three entities have different responsibilities. For example, the CVB
will need to work closely with the city because ultimately all of the CVB board members are
appointed by the city. She said they will work with city officials on developing a framework for the
new board as well as a contract with the city and a job description for their chief executive officer.
The EDC, on the other hand, needs to develop a job description and begin immediately to hire a
CEO, as does the Chamber. The Chamber also has a responsibility to meet with its membership.
Ms. Cook then referred to a list of members of the interim boards. She noted that the CVB
interim board chair is Mr. Bill Pruet and the interim board consists of 15 members comprised of the
nine -member CVB work group and six City Council appointees. The chair of the EDC interim board
is Mr. Al Jones and that board consists of 15 members: the EDC work group, Mayor, Port
Commission Chair, County Judge, two city appointees and one Port appointee. The Chamber interim
board is chaired by Mr. Sandoval and its 15 -member board consists of the expanded Chamber work
group and the current and immediate past Ambassador Chair. Ms. Cook then responded to Council
members' questions about the interim boards.
The Alliance Chair also discussed the time line for the reorganization, saying that once the
interim board appointments are made they can begin meeting immediately. She said the goal is to
have permanent boards appointed as quickly as the structure and bylaws can be developed. In
addition, several other actions will be occurring, such as the transfer of property, funds, and
contracts. The ultimate goal is to have all of that completed by July 31, 2000.
Ms. Debbie Lindsey -Opel, Co -Chair of the Chamber interim board, said they intend to craft
a new organization that will be driven by their membership. She said their first task is to define the
criteria for an executive director.
Mr. Jones, Chair of the EDC interim board, noted that earlier in the year he and the then -
director of the EDC presented a plan to the Council for getting Corpus Christi active in the economic
development effort. He said that process is well underway, although it has been stymied by the
Alliance's reorganization and the departure of the EDC director. He said they have about $200,000
in private funds committed to that effort and more contributions will be sought. He said they plan
to have a small board of qualified people supplemented with a board of trustees. Mr. Jones added
that they plan to have a new CEO and structure in place considerably in advance of the July date.
Mr. Fulton, a member of the CVB interim board, explained that Mr. Bill Pruet, the Interim
Chair, was out of the country. He noted that the CVB has a chief executive officer already in place,
Ms. Beltran. He said there is also a contract with the city, which will be somewhat revised in concert
with city staff.
Council Member Garrett asked about additional space needs, and Ms. Cook responded that
that is one of the issues that will need to be worked out. Council Member Gonzales said he thought
the EDC itself should consist of three separate entities. Mr. Jones replied that they envision having
separate contracts with the city, the county, and the Port to fulfill economic development activities.
Minutes
Joint Meeting
November 9, 1999
Page 3
Mr. Bell said the EDC will be an independent legal entity that will not report to any other entity
except under the three funding contracts it will have with the city, county, and Port.
Responding to Council Member Betty Jean Longoria, Ms. Cook said the Alliance will
continue to exist only to wind down the operations and mediate any property or employee disputes.
She added that the Alliance will have no decision-making authority. A discussion ensued about the
membership of the interim boards.
Council Member Scott asked how they planned to address back -room operations and
efficiencies. Ms. Cook said the task force has discussed that but it should be addressed by the interim
boards. She added that they have also discussed the idea of having some joint committees below the
three entities to deal with issues common to all three, such as transportation, air service, etc.
Mayor Neal said he was interested in appointing to the EDC interim board Dr. Gonzales and
Mr. Kinnison He said Mrs. Longoria has offered to serve on the CVB interim board; Mr. Garrett and
Mr. Colmenero also expressed interest in the CVB board. Mr. Scott said he was interested in the
EDC board.
Mr. Bonilla said he is a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and he wondered
how such contractual relationships will be impacted. Mr. Bell replied that contracts with entities such
as the Hispanic Chamber are structured on a fiscal -year basis.
Mr. Colmenero suggested that financial issues be examined and that dialogue between the
various entities continue. Mr. Kinnison suggested that the Council members receive copies of the
board members' information packets.
Mayor Neal said the official appointments of the Council members to the interim boards will
have to be formally approved in the near future. There being no further business, the Mayor
adjourned the joint meeting at 1:05 p.m. on November 9, 1999.
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