A new resolution passed by the Wimberley city leaders reinstates the city administrator as the primary contact for matters relating to its wastewater project.
The action repealed a previous resolution which labeled the city’s mayor and mayor pro tem, as well as the city administrator, as points of contact for wastewater information.
Newly appointed Mayor Pro Tem Rebecca Minnick brought the item to the council as a means to promote transparency and communication with all parties.
The resolution passed by a 4-0 vote. Council member Gary Barchfeld was absent and did not vote.
“(Previously), we had the mayor and mayor pro tem in that role,” Minnick said. “This is a single line of communication. It is rightfully the city administrator’s job and role to provide that kind of communication.”
Minnick said the resolution would facilitate clear communication through City Administrator Shawn Cox and the Texas Water Development Board to the council.
However, the resolution was not supported by Mayor Susan Jaggers, who supported the passage of the prior resolution.
“I’m in favor of putting Shawn as the primary contact but not the sole contact,” Jaggers said. “I don’t know where you think transparency is an issue. I think everything that’s been negotiated with the water board has been transparent and put on our website.”
Jaggers argued the resolution does not utilize the assets of the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem when in communication with the TWDB.
Council member Craig Fore said the city administrator should be the primary contact.
“Well, given that he works for the council I don’t see that it’s necessary to have more people involved,” Fore said. “He should be the primary contact. He is the city administrator.”
Minnick said numerous Freedom of Information Act requests (FOIA) have been made in the past by citizens and former council members because the information was not being distributed.
“It’s not our job as council members to distribute that information ...,” Minnick said. “That is what makes it transparent.”
