Council rejects franchise transfer after split over accountability measures
Council voted down a proposed franchise transfer from Zenith Energy Terminals Holdings LLC to ISQ Springer Holdings LLC (Document 2026-263), 5 ayes to 6 nays with 1 absent, after several councilors said accountability amendments requested by advocates and some members were not adopted.
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The council considered Document 2026-263, a consent franchise-transfer ordinance to allow a transfer of petroleum-terminal franchise rights. Multiple councilors voiced objections to the transfer's lack of agreed-upon accountability provisions. Councilor Maria said she could not support the transfer because council amendments intended to add enforcement and public-recorder rights were not approved: "I will not be able to support the franchise transfer this evening because we did not approve some of the amendments that I feel would have made the transfer much more palatable to me," she said.
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