HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 04/24/2001 - SpecialI HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the
Special Council Meeting of the City of Corpus Christi of April 24, 2001, which were approved by
the City Council on May 8, 2001.
WITNESSETH MY HAND AND SEAL, this 8th day of May, 2001.
SEAL
Armando Chapa
City Secretary
MINUTES
CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS
Special Council Meeting
April 24, 2001
1:30 p.m.
PRESENT
Mayor Samuel L. Neal Jr.
Mayor Pro Tem Betty Jean Longoria
Council Members:
Javier D. Colmenero
Melody Cooper
Henry Garrett
Rex A. Kinnison
John Longoria
Mark Scott
ABSENT
Dr. Arnold Gonzales
City Staff:
City Manager David R. Garcia
Deputy City Manager George Noe
City Attorney James R. Bray Jr.
City Secretary Armando Chapa
Recording Secretary Rachelle P. Ramon
Mayor Neal called the meeting to order in the Council Chambers of City Hall. The invocation
was delivered by Msgr. Michael Howell, Rector of Corpus Christi Cathedral, and the Pledge of
Allegiance to the U.S. flag was led by Council Members Betty Jean Longoria and Melody Cooper.
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. Mayor Neal called for approval
of the minutes of the regular Council meeting of April 17, 2001. A motion was made and passed to
approve the minutes as presented.
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Mayor Neal opened discussion on Item 2, canvassing returns for the runoff election on April
21, 2001. He randomly selected the following precincts to canvass: 7, 47, 78, 103, 114, and 34.
There were no discrepancies in the votes or comments from the public. City Secretary Chapa polled
the Council for their votes as follows:
F. ORDINANCE NO. 024429
Ordinance canvassing returns and declaring the results of the runoff election held April 21,
2001, in the City of Corpus Christi for the purpose of electing Council Members in Districts
1 and 3.
An emergency was declared and the foregoing ordinance passed: Neal, Colmenero, Cooper,
Garrett, Kinnison, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, and Scott voting "Aye"; Gonzales absent.
Mayor Neal referred to Item G., outgoing Council member speeches and presentations. He
Minutes - Special Council Meeting
April 24, 2001
Page 2
invited Council Members Melody Cooper and Betty Jean Longoria to join him in the center of the
chambers, and he noted that outgoing Council Member Arnold Gonzales was not able to attend the
meeting. The Mayor then presented Ms. Cooper and Mrs. Longoria with the following gifts: a
plaque, Council nameplate and a key to the city enclosed in a special frame; their Council member
parking sign; and an original vase created by a local artist. Ms. Barbara Sudhoff and Judge Rodolfo
Tamez, representing the Municipal Court Committee, also presented Ms. Cooper and Mrs. Longoria
with gifts for their years of service.
Ms. Cooper shared her reflections about the eight years she spent on the City Council as a
district and at -large representative, saying it was her most worthwhile professional endeavor. She
highlighted several issues that she and her fellow Council members addressed during that time,
including the smoking ordinance, long-term water supply, maintaining the area's military bases, old
Nueces County Courthouse, sexually oriented business ordinance, Wesley Seale Dam repairs,
infrastructure funding, raising the JFK Causeway, convention center and arena construction, 2000
bond projects, seawall repairs, Packery Channel, and a balanced budget. Issues in which Ms. Cooper
took a personal interest were the development of neighborhood associations, graffiti eradication
efforts, gang and youth violence prevention, town hall meetings, and the Sister City Committee.
Ms. Cooper thanked several people for their support over the years, including her family; the
late Mayor Mary Rhodes and Mayor Neal; past and present Councils; members of her office staff
and election campaigns; several individuals; city staff; and City Secretary Chapa and his staff. She
also wished the incoming Council members luck in the future.
In her remarks, Mrs. Longoria thanked Msgr. Howell for giving the invocation and she
recognized several family members who were present. She discussed the importance of voting in
elections and her commitment to representing District 1. She said that during her 10 years on the
Council, she formed partnerships with many individuals and organizations to accomplish several
goals and she thanked individuals who were involved in different projects.
Mrs. Longoria cited several accomplishments, including obtaining Community Development
Block Grant funds for several projects; establishing or renovating three senior centers; establishing
day care centers and health centers; participating with the RTA in the liveable communities projects;
and widening McKinzie Road. She thanked city staff, particularly Mr. Chapa and his staff, former
and present Council members, and citizens in District 1.
The next order of business was the swearing in of the newly elected Council members,
conducted by the Honorable Hayden W. Head, Jr., United States District Judge. The new members
are: Mayor Samuel Neal Jr. and Council Members Brent Chesney, Javier Colmenero, Henry Garrett,
Bill Kelly, Rex Kinnison, John Longoria, Jesse Noyola, and Mark Scott.
Mayor Neal then invited the outgoing and incoming Council members and their guests to a
brief reception in the foyer. There being no further business to come before the Council, the Mayor
adjourned the Council meeting at 2:05 p.m. on April 24, 2001.