In split vote, Corpus Christi City Council reappoints David Engel to port commission

Editor's note: This article was updated after its initial publication to add statements from Port of Corpus Christi Commissioner David Engel and Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo.

The Corpus Christi City Council, after a heated dispute over the voting and nomination process, voted to reappoint its longest-serving Port of Corpus Christi commissioner for another term on the port's guiding body — one of the region's most powerful and influential boards.

The council, during its regular meeting Tuesday, voted 5-4 to reappoint consultant David Engel to the port commission, meaning he will serve for another three years before terming out in 2026.

Engel, 71, was in Dallas at the time of the meeting and did not attend in person. In a written statement to the Caller-Times, he said he was "both humbled and honored" to serve another term.

“Through the years, my fellow Commissioners and I have undertaken significant projects, always with the goal of responsibly encouraging growth and commercial development in a way that best benefits the communities we serve," Engel said in the statement. "I look forward to continued collaboration with the City and our industry partners as the Port of Corpus Christi works to ensure a thriving economy for our region."

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Seven commissioners make up the port’s guiding board and serve on a voluntary basis without a salary. The City Council and Nueces County Commissioners Court each appoint three members, and the San Patricio County Commissioners Court appoints one. Appointees can serve a maximum of four three-year terms.

The split vote came after a motion by District 3 Councilman Roland Barrera to open nominations. That motion, which was seconded by At-large Councilman Jim Klein, failed in a 5-4 vote, meaning none of the other 10 candidates seeking appointment were put to a full vote.

Among the applicants were business owners, industry leaders, lawyers, academics and community advocates. A total of 11 people applied, but the city secretary announced former port commissioner Kenneth Berry, of The Berry Co., rescinded his application ahead of Tuesday's vote.

Two people spoke in favor of former Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb, who filed an application seeking an appointment to the port commission and was in attendance at the meeting, during the meeting's public comment period. He has been critical of the port's efforts to establish a marine desalination facility on Harbor Island.

Among them was Cathy Fulton, a Port Aransas Conservancy member and resident. She characterized the vote as a continuation of "business as usual and corruption" at the port, citing disputes between the city and the port over local efforts to establish costly desalination facilities.

Before the split vote, At-large Councilman Mike Pusley raised concerns about considering Barrera's motion before first considering whether to reappoint Engel. In the past, a vote to reappoint was held before opening up nominations, he said.

"We have never deviated from the procedure," Pusley said during the meeting. Speaking to Mayor Paulette Guajardo, he said, "To deviate from that means that we're going to deviate from it from now on. You're making a special case in this interest that is inappropriate."

Voting against Engel were Guajardo, Barrera, Klein and District 2 Councilmember Sylvia Campos.

Engel, alongside his fellow city-appointed port commissioners, drew scrutiny from the council last year when the port-city relations broke down. Then, on the subject of the city's marine desalination efforts, his loyalty to the city's goals was questioned. Guajardo was the sharpest in her critique at the time.

"Today’s appointment is a disappointment," Guajardo said in an interview with the Caller-Times. "The port needs new leadership. ... That said, I'm going to continue to ask the tough questions of our city-appointed commissioners because I believe that the Port of Corpus Christi must become a stronger asset and work with the region, not in competition."

Guajardo said the city-port disagreements on desalination remain prevalent. Hours before the vote, the port commission met in a special session to consider whether to pay fees associated with the port's Harbor Island desalination proposal. When the port commission's newest member, Diane Gonzalez, attempted to amend a motion and require port staff to seek written approval from the city before pursuing any desalination efforts, the city-appointed commissioners voted against it.

"It is still broken," Guajardo said. "They turned down working with the city because what (Gonzalez) proposed, I would support."

Beginning this month, Guajardo and port Chairman Charles W. Zahn Jr. are planning to have regular meetings to discuss desalination. Zahn, speaking to the Caller-Times after the port's meeting, said the need to shore up water supplies is too great for the port to not wait on the city.

"I have agreed to meet (Guajardo) on coming up with a memorandum of understanding on how we'll handle desalination in the future," Zahn said. "But we're not going to wait to get the permit. The permits can take four and a half years."

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Corpus Christi City Council reappoints David Engel to port commission