Aransas Pass council ends contract with Chamber of Commerce, orders subpoena for financial records
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Summary
At a Jan. 14 special meeting, the Aransas Pass City Council voted to terminate its contract with the Aransas Pass Chamber of Commerce covering visitor-center publicity and directed the city attorney to seek a district court subpoena for the chamber’s financial records; votes were by voice and exact tallies were not recorded.
Aransas Pass — The Aransas Pass City Council voted Jan. 14 to immediately terminate the city’s contract with the Aransas Pass Chamber of Commerce governing visitor-center publicity and tourism services, and then directed the city attorney to pursue a district court subpoena for the chamber’s financial records.
An unidentified council member presented the termination motion, saying the Chamber and Visitor Center had asked to end the contract and moving that "effective immediately the city hereby formally terminates and separates from the chamber." The motion stated the city "will no longer authorize, approve, or permit the use of chamber funds on its behalf, nor shall any further expenditures be made in the city's name or for the city's benefit," and added that "any outstanding financial matters shall be reconciled in accordance with applicable law and any governing agreements." The presiding speaker seconded the motion; the council approved it by voice vote and the record notes only that the "motion carries." The transcript records the date as 01/14/2026.
The council then approved a second motion directing the city attorney to "pursue a district court subpoena to obtain financial receipts, statements, invoices, and all other related records related to the Aransas Pass Chamber of Commerce and visitors centers expenditures fiscal years." That motion also passed by voice vote; the meeting record does not provide roll-call tallies or list which members voted for or against the motions.
The meeting began with an executive session announced at 6:01 p.m. to discuss the "Aransas Chamber of Commerce, a visitor center publicity and tourist agreement" and the council reconvened in open session at 7:03 p.m. before taking the motions. A roll call at the opening identified Jason Knight as mayor and Jara Haskins (Place 4), Ruth Camadillo Smith (Place 1), Elise Chacon (Place 2) and Louanna Lulu Martin (Place 3) as present.
The motions recorded in the meeting relate directly to the city’s contractual relationship with the local chamber and to public access to financial records. The transcript does not specify which fiscal years are covered by the subpoena request nor does it record any supplementary details about outstanding financial obligations or the intended next steps for the visitor center’s operations.
The meeting adjourned after the two motions were approved by voice vote. The city attorney was directed to pursue the subpoena as instructed by the council; the transcript does not include a timetable for that action or additional staff directions.
