Haba  MINUTES  Aransas Pass City Council Regular Meeting Monday, November 4, 2024 at 6:00 pm City Hall - Council Chambers 600 W. Cleveland Blvd., Aransas Pass, Texas 78336  1.  Call to Order and Certification of a Quorum  Mayor Ram Gomez called the Aransas Pass City Council Regular Meeting to order at 6:00 Council Members present: Mayor Pro-Tem Carrie Scruggs, Council Members Jason Knight, Staff present: Interim City Manager Mary Juarez, City Secretary Kandice Garrett, Finance Director Sandra Garcia, Planning Director Brenda Joyas, Code Enforcement Officer Tito Villareal, Police Chief Eric Blanchard, Interim Fire Chief Jason Padron, Municipal Court  p.m. With Council Members present, a quorum was established. J.R.H Haskins, Joe Dominguez, and Mayor Gomez.  Judge Henrie Morales. Invocation  2.  Interim City Manager Mary Juarez delivered the invocation.  3.  Pledges  Mayor Gomez led the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S.A. flag and the Texas flag.  7.  Public Comments  Mayor Gomez moved this item up on the agenda and called on the following citizens who  signed up to address Council:  Will Garner spoke about nepotism and submitted a complaint. City staff and property foreclosure at WI Myrtle.  Ruth Camarillo-Smith spoke about decorum at the Council meetings and professionalism of Jason Followell spoke about decorum at the Council meetings and criticism of the police  chief.  4.  Proclamation  a. Proclamation recognizing Aransas Pass as a Tourism Friendly Community Rosemary Vega, President of the Aransas Pass Chamber of Commerce, informed Council they have applied for Aransas Pass to be a Tourism Friendly Community. The Tourism  Regular City Council Meeting Minutes - November 4, 2024  Page 1 of5    Friendly Texas Certified Community Program is a new designation created to encourage communities across Texas to pursue tourism as an economic development strategy and provide resources to support those efforts. Only five other cities in the state of Texas have City Secretary Kandice Garrett read aloud the Proclamation from Mayor Gomez.  this designation.  5.  Special Consideration Items  a. Consideration of approval of an Employment Agreement with Epimenio Ysassi as Interim City Attorney effective November 4, 2024. b. Conduct swearing in of newly appointed Interim City Attorney. Conduct swearing in of newly appointed Interim City Manager. Interim City Manager Mary Juarez informed Council that Mr. Ysassi was appointed by Council on October 28, 2024, and this item is for the employment agreement. Mayor Pro Tem Scruggs made a motion to approve Item 5.a., seconded by Council Member Knight and the motion passed with the following vote: Gomez, Scruggs, Knight, Dominguez, City Secretary Kandice Garrett did the swearing in of Interim City Attorney Epimenio Ysassi Interim City Attorney Epi Ysassi thanked Council and the community and spoke on the  and Haskins voted. Aye.  and Interim City Manager Mary Juarez.  positive activity that is occurring in Aransas Pass.  6.  Announcements a. MayorsAnnouncements There were no announcements. b. City ManagersAmnouncements  Fall Feast - November 21, 2024, 5 pm - 7 pm, Aransas Pass Civic Center  Interim City Manager Mary Juarez informed the council of the announcements.  C. City Council Member Announcements There were no announcements.  8.  Staff Reports and other Discussion Items  a. Presentation on Federal Surplus Property Used by the Police Department. (Public Police Chief Eric Blanchard presented this item and explained it is a federal mandate dated  Safety Director)  Regular City Council Meeting Minutes - November 4, 2024  Page 2 of5    from 2022 to report to the City Council and to the public assets that have been awarded or assigned to the police department that meet a certain criteria and this is done annually.  9.  Consent Agenda Secretary) Secretary)  a. Consideration of approving the October 21, 2024 Regular Meeting Minutes (City b. Consideration of approving the October 28, 2024 Special Meeting Minutes (City C. Consideration of approval of an Employment Agreement with Carlos Valdez as Interim City Prosecutor effective November 4, 2024. (Interim City Mayor Pro Tem Scruggs made a motion to approve Item 9.a. and 9.b., seconded by Council Member Knight and the motion passed with the following vote: Gomez, Scruggs, Knight, Mayor Pro Tem Scruggs made a motion to approve Item 9.c., seconded by Council Member Knight and the motion passed with the following vote: Gomez, Scruggs, Knight, Dominguez,  Manager)  Dominguez, and Haskins voted Aye.  and Haskins voted Aye.  10. Action Items  a. Consideration of approving an agreement with Clear Career Professionals for recruitment services for City Manager in the amount of $16,000. Kent Myers with Clear Career Professionals addressed the Council with an introduction and provided company background, intentions of the process, and timeline for services performed for the recruiting of items 10.a. and Mayor Pro Tem Scruggs made a motion to approve Item 10.a., seconded by Council Member Knight and the motion passed with the following vote: Gomez, Scruggs, 0. Consideration of approving an agreement with Clear Career Professionals for recruitment services for City Attorney/Prosecutor in the amount of Mayor Pro Tem Scruggs made a motion to approve Item 10.b., seconded by Council Member Knight and the motion passed with the following vote: Gomez, Scruggs, C. Consideration of approving Resolution No. 2024-1067 in reçognition of Municipal Courts Week November 41 through November 81 for thei importance of Municipal Courts, the Rule of Law, and the fair and impartial administration of justice at the City of  (Interim City Manager)  10.b.  Knight, Dominguez, and Haskins voted Aye.  $14,000. (Interim City Manager)  Knight, Dominguez, and Haskins voted Aye.  Aransas Pass. (Judge Henrie Morales) Judge Henrie Morales read aloud the Resolution.  Regular City Council Meeting Minutes = November 4, 2024  Page 3 of5    Mayor Pro Tem Scruggs made a motion to approve Item 10.c., seconded by Council Member Knight and the motion passed with the following vote: Gomez, Scruggs, d. Consideration of approving the donation of expired ballistic-rated vests from the Public Police Chief Eric Blanchard presented this item and shared that it has been done before here att the City which donates to a program (St. Michael's Shield Project) when the ballistic vests have expired and are no longer usable for our police. Councimember Haskins raised question and concern for donating expired vests and Jason Followell spoke on this item regarding manufacturing recommendations to  Knight, Dominguez, and Haskins voted Aye. Safety Department. (Public Safety Director)  stated he didn't think they were usable. discard the vests when expired.  Councimember Dominguez asked about the material oft the vests.  Councilmember Knight asked about how long the program has been in existence. Councimember Haskins made a motion to not approve Item 10.d. seconded by Council Member Knight and the motion passed with the following vote: Haskins, Knight, and Dominguez voted Aye, and Gomez and Scruggs abstained. e. Consideration of approving a contract with Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program for the Lighthouse Lakes Trails Park Improvements. (Interim City Manager) Marcy Gandara, Community Development & Grant Writing with the Chamber presented this item and noted the grant is for improvements at the Lighthouse Park Mayor Pro Tem Scruggs made a motion to approve Item 10.e., seconded by Council Member Knight and the motion passed with the following vote: Gomez, Scruggs, f. Consideration of approving a request from Destination Aransas Pass to temporarily close Commercial Street from the corner of Goodnight to the corner of Yoakum Street on Saturday, March 1, 2025 from 6 ami to 6 pm, for Saltwater Mardi Gras, with a parade at 10am to begin att the corner ofMagnolia Avenue and ending att the corner of Wheeler Rosemary Vega, President of the Aransas Pass Chamber of Commerce, presented Mayor Pro Tem Scruggs made a motion to approve Item 10.f., seconded by Council Member Knight and the motion passed with the following vote: Gomez, Scruggs, g. Consideration of approving Daniel DeLeon to paint the Panther Logo on the Water Storage Tank located on Avenue. Ai in the amount of $10,000. (Councilmember Knight) Artist Daniel DeLeon presented this item and informed the Council that he received community input from his Facebook page regarding the different image designs and  made possible by the generous funding of Cheniere Energy.  Knight, Dominguez, and Haskins voted Aye.  Avenue. (Interim City Manager)  this item.  Knight, Dominguez, and Haskins voted Aye.  Regular City Council Meeting Minutes - November 4, 2024  Page 4 of5    there was a majority who had preference fori the fiercer looking panther.  Councilmember Scruggs asked about the approval from Aransas Pass Independent School District leadership and Councimember Knight confirmed he reached out to Finance Director Sandra Garcia stated that upon approval by the Council, the project Council Member Knight made a motion to approve Item 10.g. with the use of HOTT Funds, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Scruggs and the motion passed with the following vote: Gomez, Scruggs, Knight, Dominguez, and Haskins voted Aye.  them and received approval. would be funded from HOTTfunds.  11. Executive Session  The meeting was recessed into Executive Session at 6:47 p.m., under the provision of Section a. Texas Government Code Section 551.072 = To deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease, or value ofreal property, and Section 551.087, deliberations regarding economic  551, Texas Government Code to discuss the authority of:  development negotiations.  Conn Brown Harbor Lease / Project - Justin Chandler  The council reconvened the meeting at 7:14 p.m. There was no action taken.  12. Adjournment  There being no further business to come before the Council, Mayor Gomez adjourned the  meeting at 7:14 p.m. Ramiro Gomez 24 Mayor  handinHaatt Kandice Garrett City Secretary  Approved on: 1/18/1024  ARANS  SAS PASS  Regular City Council Meeting Minutes - November 4, 2024  Page 5 of5