HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2013-01 RESOLUTION NO. R2013-01
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS, URGING THE STATE
SUNSET ADVISORY COMMISSION TO CONTINUE
ALLOWING PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY
COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS TO BE MADE
THROUGH EXISTING COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL
OFFICIALS; AND REPEALING ALL OTHER
RESOLUTIONS INCONSISTENT OR IN CONFLICT
HEREWITH.
WHEREAS, the 2012 Sunset Advisory Commission report recommends
actions to strengthen governance of The Port of Houston Authority(the Authority);and
WHEREAS, seven of the eight Sunset Advisory Commission recommendations
either have already,or are being implemented,and
WHEREAS, local citizens of Harris County, through taxes paid, and
indebtedness incurred through bond sales, have fimded operations, maintenance and
expansions, that has seen the Authority successfully drive the economic benefits of the
port region, to wit, $178.5 billion statewide, up nearly $61 billion since 2006, and
nationally providing 2.1 million jobs and $499 billion in economic activity; and
WHEREAS, unlike state agencies,the Authority is a local authority created with
local tax dollars to develop and support a specific facility located in Harris County.
Funding taxpayers and community stakeholders are rightly entitled to provide oversight
and ensure that local needs and concerns are addressed in the management and
operation of the authority; and
WHEREAS, the current Commission is appointed as follows: two by Harris
County; two by the City of Houston; one by the Harris County Mayors' and
Councils' Association; and one by the City of Pasadena; while the City of Houston
and Harris County jointly appoint the Chair of the Commission and, therefore,the City
of Friendswood, Texas supports local representation from elected and appointed
officials residing in the taxing entities, and recommends continuing appointments of
Authority Commissioners through the impacted local municipal entities; and
WHEREAS, the current appointing bodies of the commission are directly
elected by the taxpayers of Harris County, are accountable to those citizens, and
are capable of identifying qualified and responsible citizens to serve on the Port
Commission;and
WHEREAS, the local control and experience and knowledge of commissioners
appointed from the Houston port region provides informed oversight of this regional
asset that is beneficial to the cities adjacent to and most impacted by port operations,
and commissioners who reside in the impacted area and are appointed by locally
elected officials are accessible, responsible and accountable to taxpayers most
impacted; and
WHEREAS, the term limits of appointed commissioners by local bodies,
should be determined by the local bodies through the existing appointment processes;
and
WHEREAS, if appointments from other bodies are to be made, those appointing
R2013-01 2
bodies should also accept responsibility for its proportional share of the Authority's
debt;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS:
Section 1. The Harris County Mayors' and Councils' Association hereby
strongly urges the Sunset Advisory Commission and our state legislative leaders to
continue to allow the current appointing bodies of the Port Commission to continue to
maintain local control on decisions, including malting appointments as they, and the
citizens who elected them, deem appropriate and necessary to best represent the
interests of the public they serve as well as in the best interest of the Port of Houston.
As noted, the Port of Houston Authority has already successfully implemented or is
currently implementing Sunset Advisory Commission staff recommendations and
should be provided the opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness and success of
these new modifications.
PASSED,APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this the 4n' day of February, 2013.
A tif
Kevin hand
Mayor \
ATTEST:
Melinda Welsh, TRMC :C :' O
City Secretary
NjA•. r�
OF *
R2013-01 3
Terry Sain, President
Councilman,Baytown
1(ti- Phil Nauert,Vice President
Mayor, Bellaire
H O,C.p My Danny Simms, Treasurer
MAYORS'a COUNCILS'1 0 N N
ssocinr ro Commissioner, Galena Park
n
Joan Johnson, Secretary
Councilwoman, West University Place
Becicie Stockstill-Cobb,Past-President
January 7, 2013 Councilwoman, Deer Park
Dear Mayor:
At the December 20, 2012, Harris County Mayors' and Councils' Association meeting, the
membership unanimously passed a motion supporting the resolution below. I request that you
present this to your City Council for action and after passage, forward to your State Senator and
Representative urging them to support the resolution so that we may continue having local
control over appointees to the Port of Houston Authority that has worked so well over these
many years.
WHEREAS, the 2012 Sunset Advisory Commission report recommends actions to strengthen
governance of The Port of Houston Authority (the Authority); and
WHEREAS, seven of the eight Sunset Advisory Commission recommendation either have
already, or are being implemented, and
WHEREAS, local citizens of Harris County through taxes paid, and indebtedness incurred
through bond sales, have funded operations, maintenance and expansions, that has seen the
Authority successfully drive the economic benefits of the port region, to wit, $178.5 billion
statewide, up nearly $61 billion since 2006, and nationally providing 2.1 million jobs and $499
billion in economic activity; and
WHEREAS, unlike state agencies the Authority is a local authority created with local tax dollars
to develop and support a specific facility located in Harris County. Funding taxpayers and
community stakeholders are rightly entitled to provide oversight and ensure that local needs and
concerns are addressed in the management and operation of the authority; and
WHEREAS, the current Commission is appointed as follows: two by Harris County; two by the
City of Houston; one by the Harris County Mayors' and Councils' Association; and one by the
City of Pasadena; while the City of Houston and Harris County jointly appoint the Chair of the
Commission;
We therefore support local representation from elected and appointed officials residing in the
taxing entities, and recommend continuing appointments of Authority Commissioners through the
impacted local municipal entities; and
WHEREAS, the current appointing bodies of the commission are directly elected by the
taxpayers of Harris County, are accountable to those citizens, and are capable of identifying
qualified and responsible citizens to serve on the Port Commission; and
WHEREAS, the local control and experience and knowledge of commissioners appointed from
the Houston port region provides informed oversight of this regional asset that is beneficial to the
cities adjacent to and most impacted by port operations, and commissioners who reside in the
impacted area and are appointed by locally elected officials are accessible, responsible and
accountable to taxpayers most impacted; and
WHEREAS, the term limits of appointed commissioners by local bodies, should be determined
by the local bodies through the existing appointment processes; and
WHEREAS, if appointments from other bodies are to be made, those appointing bodies should
also accept responsibility for its proportional share of the Authority's debt;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Harris County Mayors' and Councils' Association
hereby strongly urges the Sunset Advisory Commission and our state legislative leaders to
continue to allow the current appointing bodies of the Port Commission to continue to maintain
local control on decisions, including making appointments as they, and the citizens who elected
them, deem appropriate and necessary to best represent the interests of the public they serve as
well as in the best interest of the Port of Houston. As noted, the Port of Houston Authority has
already successfully implemented or is currently implementing Sunset Advisory Commission
staff recommendations and should be provided the opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness
and success of these new modifications.
ADOPTED, this 21st day of December, 2012
J
Terry Sain
President