[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,75,87,99],{"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6271737,"mediaKeyId","3028717-9805c86342afa9776ca664b2519b9d64","parentId",3028717,"title","City presents new water-supply dashboard as drought threatens western reservoirs","audioSeconds",4756,"startMs",3514000,"endMs",8270000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3028717-9805c86342afa9776ca664b2519b9d64&start=3514&end=8270","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3028717-9805c86342afa9776ca664b2519b9d64/thumbnail_3514000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6271737/Texas/City-presents-new-water-supply-dashboard-as-drought-threatens-western-reservoirs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271737-1c62073f8a6ffa5b376df178c79a7d14/orig.mp4?Expires=1769981499&Signature=Bc9yl~z7NVqNUWpxr7u~M9BjrDxBtyjrrPufViFyGa6YmmA~wgx-iWF0HUvK2EOAb8waA1gYp20o7p6hLv~HbadExlxLdlc7NlBOVf-NHmoRXTSNHQOMAdj65ytsidpG4sx2bL3B1K4JBurV0UcQX45OOmHQhathEI9ohL0M~SAjzQE9c-F57UtUCQq~d2LEoIGzKKRtkLAc~weJObKfMO4V2NOkm6rX9SFPDIn8wvh92~DPsg3BZ-LEAp8aRRloIqWMOdwzgE-4tiIgvhI8CwpHAnnWJ6U9KEZmKRQBjGwzDn2fhYKJDPMAnnYlYwOhRGxURe4-RbuukUoMD3Uq7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Corpus Christi TX","date","2025-04-17T00:41:07.347Z","article","Corpus Christi city officials on Tuesday unveiled a new public \"water-supply dashboard\" designed to show in one place how the city's raw and treated water supplies and demands interact amid an ongoing, multi-year drought.

The dashboard—presented by Corpus Christi Water Chief Operating Officer Drew Molly and hydrology consultant Michael Pinkney of Corollo Engineers—combines reservoir levels, inflows, Mary Rhodes Pipeline deliveries and expected new groundwater well output to project when the city's Western supplies would fall to drought thresholds. Molly said the tool answers community questions such as \"When could we run out of water? When will our demands not meet supplies?\" and shows the assumptions behind those answers.

Why it matters: Corpus Christi draws from both Western supplies (Choke Canyon and Lake Corpus Christi) and Eastern supplies delivered by the Mary Rhodes Pipeline from the Colorado River/Lake Texana system. With very low inflows into the Nueces watershed, the city faces a scenario in which Western reservoir percentages decline to levels that trigger higher stages of drought restrictions. The dashboard gives officials and the public a clearer, single-source view of that timeline and how new measures—pipeline operations, groundwater wells, or an unusually wet year—would change it.

The presentation and discussion

Molly said the dashboard uses the city's daily lake and delivery accounting, augmented this year to reflect potential future supplies and changing weather, and that he and staff have been working with the National Weather Service and the state climatologist to set realistic forecast windows. Corollo's Pinkney walked council through USGS streamflow data showing long-term declines in watershed inflows: \"From 02/2008 to present, you have spent nearly every single year receiving less water than what has been in the historical average,\" Pinkney said, adding that some gauges now record flows at a fraction of earlier averages.

City staff showed March 2025 usage figures: roughly 96.2 million gallons per day total raw and treated water for the month, with about 59% of raw water supplied from the Mary Rhodes Pipeline, 35% from the Nueces River and the balance from Lake Corpus Christi for that month. Molly emphasized the pipeline's role: schedule 4 pumping is modeled at about 70–79 million gallons per day and that pipeline reliability is a central assumption in projections.

Key takeaways and clarifying details

- Current drought status: Large portions of the Nueces watershed and much of Texas remain in drought; some parts of the watershed have reached \"extreme\" or \"exceptional\" drought designations.
- Historic inflows: Corollo showed that recent decades have delivered markedly lower annual inflows compared with a 1980–2009 baseline; some recent years rank in the lowest deciles of the 45‑year record.
- Dashboard projections: The dashboard, using conservative low‑inflow assumptions based on 2024 hydrology, projects the Western supply hitting 15% in May (year referenced in the briefing), 10% later in the calendar year and shows an illustration that the next regulatory step—defined by staff as when demand exceeds supply (a Level 1 emergency)—occurs under the current assumptions in October 2026. Molly said the model is sensitive to rain: \"If we have even just average rain, this next year, it is gonna drastically improve what this model is showing us today.\"
- Additional supplies modeled: city staff included staged groundwater well output from Nueces County wells (modeled additions of ~3 million gallons per day in June 2025, another 3 MGD in September 2025 and a further 3 MGD in November 2025) and the full Mary Rhodes Pipeline schedule‑4 pumping. The model does not yet include all potential new supply options under evaluation.
- Water-use snapshot: March 2025 total raw + treated water use was shown at about 96.22 MGD, with approximately 85 MGD treated at Owen Stevens WTP (numbers presented as monthly averages in the briefing).

Questions, concerns and next steps

Council members pressed staff for clarity and public messaging. Councilwoman Kalyn Paxton asked how the dashboard can present a quick snapshot (e.g., a single percentage for available supply) while still allowing drill‑downs; Molly and the city manager said staff would add callouts that quantify how much time new supplies (Mary Rhodes Phase 4, the modeled wells) buy and update daily text summaries sent to the council. Councilman Mark Scott asked for the inflow graphics to be re‑presented for the public; Pinkney and staff noted the USGS streamflow plots would be incorporated and that USGS had repaired a temporary gauge issue earlier in the month.

Several council members urged expanded public communication in plain English (and Spanish) and weekly updates while the city continues to add short‑term supplies and negotiate longer‑term options such as desalination or purchased interruptible supplies. City staff said they will revise the daily email to include dashboard highlights and will add Spanish translations to public materials.

Discussion vs. direction vs. decision

- Discussion: The council heard the data, model assumptions and alternatives; consultants described watershed inflow declines and the sensitivity of projections to rain and operational changes.
- Direction: Staff was asked to add clearer callouts to the dashboard that show the effect of individual supply measures (for example: \"with MRP schedule 4 and modeled wells, Level 1 is delayed by X days\"), provide Spanish translations, incorporate USGS daily flows and revise daily council text summaries to include dashboard highlights.
- Formal decision: None taken at the briefing; no regulatory restrictions were enacted at the meeting.

Speakers (selected)

- Drew Molly, Chief Operating Officer, Corpus Christi Water (city government). First referenced: 2025-04-15T09:20:22 (approx). Role: presented the dashboard, answered questions about modeling assumptions and pipeline operations.
- Michael Pinkney, Corollo Engineers (consultant). First referenced: 2025-04-15T10:01:35 (approx). Role: presented watershed and streamflow analyses and percentile context for recent inflows.
- Peter Zanoni, City Manager (city government). First referenced: 2025-04-15T08:01:30 (approx). Role: introduced the item and helped field council questions.
- Councilmembers who asked substantive questions during the briefing: Kalyn Paxton (District 3), Eric Antu/Cantu (as listed in transcript), Mark Scott, Gil Hernandez, Sylvia Campos, Carolyn Vaughn, Everett Roy, Roland Barrera (titles: councilmembers; affiliation: city government). First references shown in transcript around 2025‑04‑15T12:47:00–14:00:00 (approx).

Clarifying details (structured)

- {\"category\":\"monthly_usage\",\"detail\":\"March 2025 total raw + treated water\",\"value\":96220000,\"units\":\"gallons/day\",\"approximate\":false,\"source_speaker\":\"Drew Molly\"}
- {\"category\":\"mary_rhodes_pipeline\",\"detail\":\"Modeled full schedule 4 pump capacity used in projections\",\"value\":\"70-79\",\"units\":\"million gallons/day\",\"approximate\":true,\"source_speaker\":\"Drew Molly\"}
- {\"category\":\"groundwater_phase_in\",\"detail\":\"Modeled Nueces County groundwater additions\",\"value\":9,\"units\":\"million gallons/day total (3 MGD phased in Jun, Sep, Nov 2025)\",\"approximate\":true,\"source_speaker\":\"Drew Molly\"}
- {\"category\":\"western_supply_thresholds\",\"detail\":\"Projected dates per current assumptions\",\"value\":\"15% in May, 10% in November; Level 1 (demand>supply) in Oct 2026\",\"units\":\"percent / date\",\"approximate\":true,\"source_speaker\":\"Drew Molly\"}

Proper names

[{\"name\":\"Mary Rhodes Pipeline\",\"type\":\"other\"},{\"name\":\"Lake Corpus Christi\",\"type\":\"location\"},{\"name\":\"Choke Canyon Reservoir\",\"type\":\"location\"},{\"name\":\"Nueces River\",\"type\":\"location\"},{\"name\":\"Corpus Christi Water\",\"type\":\"agency\"},{\"name\":\"Owen Stevens Water Treatment Plant\",\"type\":\"facility\"},{\"name\":\"Texas Commission on Environmental Quality\",\"type\":\"agency\"},{\"name\":\"United States Geological Survey\",\"type\":\"agency\"},{\"name\":\"National Weather Service\",\"type\":\"agency\"}]

Authorities

[{\"type\":\"other\",\"name\":\"United States Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow gauges\",\"referenced_by\":[\"water dashboard presentation\"]},{\"type\":\"other\",\"name\":\"National Weather Service forecasts\",\"referenced_by\":[\"water dashboard presentation\"]},{\"type\":\"other\",\"name\":\"Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) permitting and oversight\",\"referenced_by\":[\"discussion of groundwater well permitting and regulatory coordination\"]},{\"type\":\"policy\",\"name\":\"City Drought Contingency Plan\",\"referenced_by\":[\"explanation of stages and triggers\"]}]

Community relevance

- Geographies: Nueces River watershed, Choke Canyon, Lake Corpus Christi, Lavaca-Navidad watershed, Lake Texana, Mary Rhodes Pipeline service area.
- Impact groups: all municipal water customers, industrial customers who rely on bulk water deliveries, partner wholesale customers (Alice, Beeville, Mathis, San Patricio MWD).

Meeting context

- Engagement level: extended briefing; multiple council members asked detailed technical and communications questions; the presentation prompted requests for additional public messaging and translations.
- Implementation risk: medium — projections depend on pipeline operations, successful permitting and well development, and on rainfall.
- History: staff has previously provided daily lake-level updates; the dashboard consolidates that information with modeled projections.

Searchable_tags:[\"water\",\"drought\",\"Mary_Rhodes_Pipeline\",\"Choke_Canyon\",\"groundwater\",\"Corpus_Christi_Water\",\"drought_dashboard\"]

Provenance:{\"transcript_segments\":[{\"block_id\":\"s:3514.6\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":180,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"Okay. Good morning, Mayor, council. I think it's still morning. Is it morning? What time is it? Okay. It's afternoon. Officially afternoon. Drew Molly, Chief Operating Officer for Corpus Christi Water. The purpose of today's briefing, is to provide you with an overview of the water supply dash weeks, as well as, provide some background information on the ongoing drought conditions for our Nueces River, watershed.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicintro\"},{\"block_id\":\"s:8252.1045\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":120,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"So we'll follow-up on a few things. But other than that, Drew, thank you very much. And thank you to the team. I am going to, pass the consent agenda item.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicfinish\"}]}, ","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Corpus Christi | City Council Meeting April 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Corpus Christi showed a new public water-supply dashboard to council that combines reservoir levels, pipeline deliveries and planned groundwater additions to project drought risk and when Western supplies may reach critical thresholds.","taxTitle","City Council, Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas","taxId",77669,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_32":76,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":77,"_40":78,"_42":79,"_44":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6271721,"Votes at a glance: Council passes consent agenda, land sale, zoning items and trestle funding",4394,8300000,12694000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3028717-9805c86342afa9776ca664b2519b9d64&start=8300&end=12694","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3028717-9805c86342afa9776ca664b2519b9d64/thumbnail_8300000.jpg","/articles/6271721/Texas/Votes-at-a-glance-Council-passes-consent-agenda-land-sale-zoning-items-and-trestle-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271721-93072951bc856d1c27997ebb85cbd1e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1769981501&Signature=hwEDuUot9w5Ves7Cu4FK18WGnaNtx7ge39WUKlnFflTcUoM5u4yFVfnIIKK5gSgCE3VzSss~MblcBBc4LmQXIchR3Nc6lrq4BV~x1JnSDoqi6oW2sb~fbYjy1AvyxJVuMJMxqGHc7xlhcIC15HbR9mNolMueWmkCgjwuNkiczjVq9NGmjg11RDg4PIM3ywTj2Fno4c7aNQq3Un4tJFvxFAUIQ3W9IMG1PCdC9FVqMJMh30sT0WNrYD3eHkKeiXVPcmRDJd7ceRip2PUz3ugTznmm-kST3k-RQ15-BUMle9pYdH-lct35eILFnbw55cj4rlcaQ1pWoP2V3tom29xPrA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the meeting close the City Council recorded multiple formal actions. This roundup lists each item the council voted on in public session and the recorded outcomes.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda (Items 6–22): Motion to approve passed; items passed collectively (motion carried). No individual items were pulled for separate council action during the meeting. (Outcome: approved.)

- Real estate sales contract (Motion): Council approved a real estate sales contract with Jake Fairs for approximately 4.63 acres at 5799 County Road 73 (Wade Riverside Annex), in an amount not to exceed $65,000 plus up to $4,000 closing costs (motion carried). (Outcome: approved.)

- Zoning case ZN8561 (ADR Investments LLC): Rezone from CG‑1 to CG‑1 SP for a 0.4‑acre property in District 4 (Item 23). Motion to approve passed after public hearing (Outcome: approved).

- Zoning case ZN8584 (Dalvon Siguisson): Rezone from RS‑6 and CG‑2 to RM‑3 (multifamily) for a 0.33‑acre property in District 1; plan calls for two fourplexes and a replat (Item 24). Motion to approve passed after public hearing (Outcome: approved).

- Item 25: Ordinance adding 20 full‑time positions and equipment to Engineering Services budget (mid‑year adjustment). After debate and a corrected ordinance caption the motion carried; FY25 and FY26 cost figures were amended in the record to $1,705,243 (FY25) and $1,969,676 (FY26 recurring). (Outcome: approved; note: staff directed to pursue competitive contracting options as a complement to in‑house hiring.)

- Item 26: Advance funding agreement with Texas Department of Transportation for the Holly Road train trestle to tourism trail project. Council reconsidered and amended prior captioned figures before approving the item; the motion carried. Staff said the City has roughly $3 million of previously-accumulated interest funds unassigned that can be used for related local match commitments. (Outcome: approved.)

How to read this: These votes were taken in public session and recorded in the minutes. For full vote tallies, ordinance texts and contract terms, see the official city minutes and the online agenda packet.

Ending

The council adjourned after the votes and a few remaining consent and administrative matters. Among other non‑substantive items, the meeting included ceremonial recognition of a departing downtown executive and public comment on audits and crime prevention.","The City Council approved multiple routine and ordinance items, including consent agenda items 6–22, a real estate sale, two rezones, authorization of engineering staffing (item 25) and an advance funding agreement for the Holly Road trestle to tourism trail (item 26). This roundup lists each formal action recorded in the meeting.",{"_32":88,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":89,"_40":90,"_42":91,"_44":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6271726,"Council approves 20 engineering positions amid debate over hire vs. contract strategy",4859,7516000,12375000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3028717-9805c86342afa9776ca664b2519b9d64&start=7516&end=12375","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3028717-9805c86342afa9776ca664b2519b9d64/thumbnail_7516000.jpg","/articles/6271726/Texas/Council-approves-20-engineering-positions-amid-debate-over-hire-vs-contract-strategy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271726-bf4ed5561fe66c3cf9ff05b77528d2d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1769981501&Signature=gsxGI0nSzv5lnpl9DpNb2ct8kso4LI3gica9RiIAjy06zyGgTU8zRWRDY3KBIM0FgasWNpKhgvLhgW5hPD-IxuvSOY0kn~1nE1-KoBdtS3j~toutbzmruTdTL30dxLpUW5lEo~RhRrUtrC2MU-DU0fXr0H34BpKaVuJ5gi0tJ1t0N9QjTJ3N75kx13bnPuTzaAiNIvWZ1PUUmcFach7QNeQ0H5r2~JuJFqiq4FHJg3bH-dQlHIhaJWVWlsLTGrsrrQ5lbztu1SDnxwzsCJ55Y95C487kXEEH~43kL~UR~FJhrxy9yI824fINJJeo0WUkJdRnJvB9ckp5VeS4yhswYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council on Tuesday approved an ordinance authorizing 20 new full‑time positions and associated equipment for the Engineering Services Department to accelerate delivery of the city's growing capital program.

Vote and outcome: Council approved the mid‑year staffing addition after debate over whether the work should be filled with city employees or handled through outside contract firms. The final action included an amendment clarifying the first‑year and recurring cost figures in the ordinance; the vote carried (motion and second; recorded as approved on the docket).

What was debated

Engineering Director Jeff Edmonds told council the department is managing roughly 100 active construction contracts with an outstanding unexecuted contract value the department characterized as about $600 million. He said the adopted capital program and recent bond approvals have increased construction throughput, and that the department's operating costs as a percentage of the CIP have recently fallen under targets—\"we try to keep our cost at 6% of that sales\"—creating some short‑term savings but also straining staff capacity.

Edmonds proposed 20 additional slots—a mix of construction inspectors, project managers, administrative staff and engineering project specialists—arguing internal hires save about 15–30% versus comparable contract staffing rates and provide continuity for delivering complex water and treatment plant projects.

Opponents on the council urged a more cautious approach. Councilwoman Kalyn Paxton and others asked that staff first provide competitive proposals from contract vendors the city already uses (for example, AGCM and similar firms) so council could compare cost, timeline and availability on a direct, apple‑to‑apple basis. Several members said contract firms are sometimes faster to mobilize, carry their own vehicles and can be engaged only as long as work is needed, which reduces long‑term people‑cost risk if CIP levels decline.

Staff and process notes

- Funding: City staff said the capital budget contains budgeted reimbursements and revenue sources sufficient to pay for the positions; the item did not require an immediate new appropriation beyond the amended figures in the ordinance caption. Assistant Director Claudia Fernandez was cited as the staff member responsible for project billing and reimbursements.
- Hiring timeline and controls: Council members and the city manager discussed internal hiring controls and a position‑review process in HR that could slow or prioritize filling slots; staff estimated 60–90 days to fill positions in practice, with internal promotions and cross‑departmental moves expected to be part of the hiring pipeline.

Clarifying details

- The ordinance's first‑year FY2025 cost was amended in the record to $1,705,243 (one‑time/payroll pro‑rate and equipment) and the recurring FY2026 cost to $1,969,676. Edmonds said these totals reflect revised hiring timing and estimated salary/benefit package costs.
- Staff compared a mid‑level construction inspector fully loaded city cost at roughly $42/hr (base pay) to an estimated $90/hr all‑in internal cost after benefits/vehicle/equipment; contract inspector rates the city cited are roughly $110–$120/hr.

Discussion vs. decision

- Discussion: The council aired competing views on insourcing vs. contracting, vehicle and asset ownership, and the importance of maintaining the city's recent ability to deliver bond projects more quickly than historic averages.
- Direction: Staff was directed to continue using contract partners where appropriate, to seek competitive master service agreements, and to prioritize internal applicants and cross‑departmental moves where feasible.
- Decision: Council authorized the 20 position slots and equipment per the amended ordinance.

Speakers (selected)

- Jeff Edmonds, Director, Engineering Services (presenter). First referenced: 2025-04-15T20:00:00 (approx). Role: presented need, budget and staffing mix.
- Claudia Fernandez, Assistant Director, Engineering Services (finance/operations contact).
- Councilwoman Kalyn Paxton, Councilman Roland Barrera, Councilman Mark Scott, Councilman Everett Roy and others: asked for contracting options or expressed support for internal hires.

Ending

Council approved the positions with the understanding that staff will balance internal hiring, contract firms and HR review protocols as the city moves to deliver a larger pipeline of capital projects.","Council voted to add 20 full‑time positions to the Engineering Services department to help deliver a growing capital program. Supporters said internal hires are more cost‑effective and needed to avoid delays; opponents urged broader use of contracted services and cautioned about sustaining permanent staff if project levels fall.",{"_32":100,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":101,"_40":102,"_42":103,"_44":104,"_46":105,"_48":106,"_50":107,"_52":108,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":109,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":110,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6271732,"Organizers preview Buck Days festival, highlight scholarships and new robotics, rodeo and STEM programming",983,2467000,3450000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3028717-9805c86342afa9776ca664b2519b9d64&start=2467&end=3450","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3028717-9805c86342afa9776ca664b2519b9d64/thumbnail_2467000.jpg","/articles/6271732/Texas/Organizers-preview-Buck-Days-festival-highlight-scholarships-and-new-robotics-rodeo-and-STEM-programming","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271732-180da8ce2f0befa1673d7b82d2d3a6f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1769981501&Signature=XU9zo4Il8KJXBB3snINhACFcYwMe5kFKEfFQXTXtXxkX2rtgIJTj~wgQdzaZwhyM35nEoW7HfJlD014~gUvoIZPITuBjT7htIddskHDpUEru29KK56Bd4E0ryZnHNQpPmWcWK3TqGQf5VAqZSqGwb4eTV6QbxiXAMiRtooLXbfiNZ~rWSj6tYlc1DU9dblZi9whHkoLpqL66~FlzcHGCC3XL9~OTw3u7GHlpN6yzIdr64~PgcHFVCvn-9R9QOt0D-aDoNhJ77si6NRfswUvfeeQWeh-3BC1OEDweGagcjOipobYwPo6T3soiTLtk0YjLdqYTNoWFgQdXjOvYZBgd2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Buccaneer Commission on Tuesday briefed the City Council on Buck Days 2025, a multi‑day bayfront festival scheduled for May 1–11 that mixes a rodeo, concerts, a parade and a range of family and STEM programs.

Johnny Filippello, president and CEO of the Buccaneer Commission, told council the event drew roughly 80,000 paid attendees last year and generated digital reach and broadcast exposure that organizers say boosts tourism for Corpus Christi. He said last year’s giving record totaled about $306,000 and that since 1996 Buck Days has provided approximately $2.3 million in college scholarships.

Why it matters: Buck Days is one of the city’s largest annual events and has funding and economic impacts via fundraising, tourism and community programs. The presentation emphasized new program elements intended to broaden family and youth participation and to expand educational opportunities linked to the convention center.

Program highlights

- Parade changes: The parade will be run a week earlier (April 26) to separate it from the main festival and make staging easier; floats will stage near Buck Stadium and finish on Shoreline at Water's Edge Park.
- Rodeo and PBR: The festival will host a PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Velocity Tour championship weekend and a subsequent multi‑day rodeo; Filippello said combined rodeo payout last year was about $707,000 and positioned Corpus Christi among the top prize‑money rodeos in North America.
- Robotics and STEM: Organizers have expanded a robotics competition and will host FIRST UIL state robotics championships (72 teams) on May 10, plus a STEM/STEAM day (May 3) in partnership with Texas A&M‑Kingsville and Mad Science Austin. Filippello said the robotics components have grown in recent years and now attract teams statewide.
- Family programming: Shops at Treasure Island and other family areas will include petting zoos, children's activities, a kid fish, and a home HVAC giveaway through a sponsor registration.

Operations and access

Filippello said the event controls nearly 5,000 parking spaces and coordinates shuttles with CCRTA from Whataburger Field and the Ortiz Center; the city manager and parks staff were credited for logistical continuity over several years. ADA parking and shuttle drop‑offs will be available to assist visitors with mobility needs.

Speakers

- Johnny Filippello, President & CEO, Buccaneer Commission (presenter).
- Peter Zanoni, City Manager (introduced the item and thanked organizers).

Nut graf: Buck Days combines entertainment, rodeo sport, youth scholarships and education programming; organizers said they plan to expand robotics and STEM offerings while continuing scholarship fundraising and operational coordination with city staff.

Ending: Filippello closed by thanking city staff and naming sponsors and noted several events—including concerts and a children’s parade—are open to the public throughout the 11‑day festival.","The Buccaneer Commission and city staff presented highlights for Buck Days 2025, May 1–11, including expanded rodeo and professional bull-riding events, robotics competitions, a STEM day and $306,000 in charitable giving recorded last year; organizers said the festival supports $2.3 million in scholarships since 1996.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City presents new water-supply dashboard as drought threatens western reservoirs

Votes at a glance: Council passes consent agenda, land sale, zoning items and trestle funding

Council approves 20 engineering positions amid debate over hire vs. contract strategy

Organizers preview Buck Days festival, highlight scholarships and new robotics, rodeo and STEM programming