El Campo council certifies three unopposed candidates, cancels election, approves chamber funding amendment and awards road-materials bids

The El Campo City Council on March 11 accepted the certificate of unopposed candidates for Districts 1, 2 and 3 and approved an ordinance canceling the May 3, 2025 general city election for those seats, approved an amendment to the city’s funding agreement with the El Campo Chamber of Commerce for tourism services, and awarded annual public-works road-material bids.

The actions matter because canceling the local election removes a scheduled ballot for voters in three council districts and ensures the Chamber of Commerce receives the full year of tourism funding staff and council agreed should be disbursed under the amended agreement.

Council business and formal votes The council accepted a certificate declaring District 1, District 2 and District 3 council positions unopposed. The council then approved Ordinance 2025-04 to cancel the May 3, 2025 general city election for those three council seats.

The council also approved Resolution R-2025-16, an amendment to the agreement between the city of El Campo and the El Campo Chamber of Commerce to provide the chamber the contractual funding for the full fiscal year, including retroactive disbursement of the second-quarter payment described in the amended agreement. Courtney, a city staff member, told the council the staff believes this represents "the highest and best use" of the funds, to which she replied, "We do." (Transcript: staff exchange.)

On procurement, the council awarded the annual public-works road-materials bid package to the lowest bidders listed in the posted bid tabulation; the awards will remain in effect through Sept. 30, 2025. A councilmember asked about the unit measures in the tabulation; Kevin, a city staff member, clarified that trap rock prices are per ton and that the $2.66 price listed is per gallon for the asphalt product listed in the tabulation. The council asked staff to make unit notations more explicit in future bid summaries.

Other routine business and executive session The council approved the Feb. 24, 2025 regular meeting minutes as part of the consent agenda. Later in the meeting the council recessed into a closed executive session; upon reconvening the council reported no action and adjourned.

Votes at a glance - Approval of city council regular meeting minutes (Feb. 24, 2025): Motion approved (mover/second not specified in the transcript). - Certification of unopposed candidates for Districts 1, 2 and 3: Motion approved (mover/second not specified). Candidates named in the certificate: Council Member Jeff Auger (District 1), Council Member Tom Cobolence (District 2), Council Member David Hodges (District 3). - Ordinance 2025-04: Canceling the May 3, 2025 general city election for Districts 1, 2 and 3: Adopted (mover/second not specified). - Resolution R-2025-16: Approving an amendment to the agreement with the El Campo Chamber of Commerce to provide full-year tourism funding and authorizing the city manager to execute the agreement: Adopted (mover/second not specified). - Award of annual public-works road-materials bids (effective through Sept. 30, 2025): Approved (mover/second not specified).

What the council did not do The council entered a closed executive session during the meeting and, after reconvening, reported no action taken during that session.