People’s Port group wants a commissioner free of personal interests

Among the candidates for the Corpus Christi Port Authority commission, there is a list of seven Candidates “Port populaire”, a new coalition of local community leaders who believe that commissioners should have no professional, personal or financial interests in port operations.

Corpus Christi city council plans to vote on Tuesday to appoint a commission member.

The council is moving forward with the vote despite an “irregularity” report that the incumbent said on Friday aimed to “smear” his name.

The allegation has been dropped for the time being according to a decision of a Nueces County grand jury.

The mandate of Port Commissioner Richard Valls ends on December 31. His term began on December 10, 2013.

The council is expected to vote either to re-elect incumbent Valls to the Corpus Christi Port Authority commission or to nominate other candidates who have also applied for the post.

About twenty people applied for the position. Port commission requests, including that of Valls, can be found on the city’s website under Tuesday’s city council meeting agenda attachments.

Eddie Canales is one of the “People’s Port” nominees. He is executive director of the South Texas Human Rights Center, a member of Mayor Paulette Guajardo’s environmental task force, and a senior member of For the Greater Good.

“Too many port commissioners are oil and gas executives, bankers, lawyers or business owners with a financial interest in the port. It is time for Mayor Guajardo and the council to appoint a commissioner who will put the interests of the community first, ”he said. “If they don’t, then they should support state legislation that would allow the citizens of Corpus to vote to elect independent and community-minded citizens. port commissioners.

The group held a press conference outside City Hall on Monday. The following People’s Port candidates are also in the running:

• Armon Alex, Co-Executive Director of the Gulf of Mexico Youth Climate Summit. vice-chairman of the mayor’s environmental working group.
• Isabel Araiza – professor and sociologist at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, co-founder and member of the For the Greater Good grassroots group.
• Sylvia Campos – Senior Member of For the Greater Good, Vice President of the League of Women Voters, former District 2 candidate for City Council.
• Eli McKay – Individual member of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club Executive Committee, former District 1 candidate for City Council.
• Love Sanchez – Co-founding member of the Indigenous Peoples of the Coastline and member of the Karankawa Kadla Gulf Coast tribe of Texas.
• Lamont Taylor – urban planner with 39 years of experience, current vice-president of the Hillcrest Neighborhood Association, past co-president of the Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority and president of the Corpus Christi Black Chamber of Commerce.

A commission of seven unpaid members presides over the port. Three are appointed by city council, three by Nueces County Commissioners and one by San Patricio County Commissioners. Port commissioners can serve up to four three-year terms.

Seats are considered important positions in the community.

Among its functions, the council oversees the budget and policies of the port. This includes voting on land purchases and infrastructure investments.

Kathryn Cargo tracks business openings and developments while reporting on the impacts of city government decisions. Check out our subscription options and specials at Caller.com/subscribe.

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