The final city council hearing of the Turner Administration took place at Houston City Hall on Wednesday.
For the most part, it was business as usual until the second to last agenda item which for weeks now had been labeled as an unusual business for the council.
“We don’t renegotiate a contract here in the chamber on the last day of the council,” said Council Member Robert Gallegos.
However, this is exactly what Houston City Council did on this day. Adding an amendment to an agenda item would change the contract of a select few food vendors within the Houston Airport System. Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum said changing language about a contract being canceled for “convenience” is really about treating everyone fairly.
“No other revenue contract in the City of Houston has a termination clause for convenience besides these four,” said Castex-Tatum.
The amendment passed in Mayor Sylvester Turner’s favor by only 2 votes. Routinely, over the last eight years, votes have not been this close at the city council.
This said, there was still the issue of voting for the item itself which was focused squarely on a select group of vendors, primarily the battle between the Pappas family and a group out of Miami called Areas. Pappas is suing the city over what they claim was a flawed process in the awarding of the contract to Areas last winter.
KPRC 2 Investigates identified and exposed many red flags on the Areas proposal when this battle first started brewing.
“The people who are at the airport now have a contract for ten years, the only people who are objecting here are speaking for one vendor, Pappas,” said Turner.
However, as Houston City Council discussed whether or not a future city mayor can cancel the Areas contract for “convenience” there was one question no one asked, How is business doing at Hobby since the change?
“I’m not sure. I’m not sure,” said Council Member Letitia Plummer.
It’s important to note if any vendor does not meet their numbers, a future Mayor can still cancel for “cause”.
After much discussion and debating, the agenda - like the amendment - passed by only two votes.
This means, that to cancel a contract we these vendors in the future it now has to go before the city council, it is no longer up to the mayor. Keep in mind an agenda item specifically addressing today’s change in city policy can always be presented and reversed by a new city council or mayor in the future, Yes, the new mayor can do whatever he wants, he is still the Mayor of Houston,” said Council Member Mike Knox.
The new Mayor who was recently elected by Houstonians in a landslide, John Whitmire, takes over at midnight on Jan. 1st.