By JACQI LEYVA-HILL
Special to the PRESS
The Laguna Vista Town Council meeting on December 9 covered routine town business, board appointments, and project updates, but confusion over how an Ethics Board vacancy was handled led to disagreement among council members and later public discussion.
Early in the meeting, the council approved a proclamation brought forward by Richard Engle naming December 20, 2025, as Jacob Baker Proclamation Day. The proclamation, authorized by State Representative Janie Lopez of District 37, designated December 20, 2025, as a day of recognition in celebration of Baker’s birthday and his many contributions to the community. Council members were asked by Engle that the proclamation not be publicized until after a planned surprise event.
The council went on to approve the 2026 town events calendar, setting Memorial Day for May 26, Independence Day for July 2, Fall Festival for October 24, Veterans Day for November 11, and the Christmas event for December 3. Council Members emphasized holding the Memorial Day ceremony on the actual holiday and adjusted other dates to avoid conflicts with nearby communities.
During open forum, local resident Natalie Ruiz raised concerns about a 60 day public comment period related to the possible use of Type B sales tax funds for an economic development project. She asked whether public input would be received through meetings of the Community Development Corporation, the town council, written submissions, or a combination of those options, noting that the public notice lacked clarity.
Later, the council approved appointments to the Library Board and the Parks and Recreation Board without issue.
However, tension arose during discussion of an Ethics Board vacancy. A motion was made by Council Member Howard and seconded by Council Member Cornelius to appoint Ruiz to the open seat. After the motion was on the table, Mayor Carter made an ammendment to the original nomination and offered Frank Davalos in place of Ruiz. Member Romero second the motion and then the council voted 5-1 to ammend.
Council member Howard objected to the procedure and the City Secretary had said according to her training “that whenever there’s a first and a second the first and the second have to be in agreement to do that amendment.” Town council stated that the amendment voted upon effectively overrode the original motion without the consent of the members who had made and seconded it because it had passed.
Since Council Member Howard stated that she was not in agreement, there was procedural confusion. Town Council offered the City Secretary help with the way that the minutes need to be reflected to quell any confusion.
A vote then went forward for Ruiz amongst the council and it was defeated 2-4 while Frank Davalos was approved 5-1.
In an effort to clarify the Ethics Board discussion, the reporter made multiple attempts to contact the city attorney following the meeting. Those requests were not returned prior to publication.
Afterward, council members received updates on town projects, including drainage improvements, the comprehensive plan, fire station expansion, and Rolof Park improvements. A financial report showed the town maintaining a healthy positive fund balance, with members emphasizing continued fiscal discipline for future infrastructure and long term needs.
The meeting ended with Mayor Carter discussing hopes of someday building a city hall and City Manager Trevino speaking about the importance of hiring professional grant writers on a contract basis.
The meeting concluded with the Special Meeting date agreed upon to be December 18 at 5 p.m.