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Athens council rejects Fisher Estates proposals after closed-session deliberations
Summary
After an executive session on economic development, the council voted 4–1 to reject three proposals for the Fisher Estates development; Mayor Smith, Councilmembers Barker, Lawyer and Priestley voted to reject, and Mayor Pro-Tem SyTanna Freeman voted nay.
Following a closed executive session under Texas Government Code §551.087 on Nov. 10, the Athens City Council voted to reject three proposals for the Fisher Estates development.
The council met in executive session from 6:17 p.m. to 6:57 p.m. to deliberate economic development negotiations regarding Cardinal Estates and Fisher Estates. When the council returned to open session, Councilmember Bryan Barker moved to reject the three proposals received for the Fisher Estates development. Councilwoman Katha Lawyer seconded the motion. The motion carried with four ayes (Mayor Aaron Smith, Barker, Lawyer and Councilmember Bill Priestley) and one nay (Mayor Pro-Tem SyTanna Freeman). No action was taken on Cardinal Estates.
Why it matters: rejection of the Fisher Estates proposals ends consideration of the three submittals described in the closed session; the transcript provides the vote result but not the negotiation details discussed in executive session. The council cited Texas Government Code §551.087 as the authority for the closed deliberations on economic development negotiations.
The council did not make public the deliberations that occurred in the closed session; the formal vote rejecting the proposals took place in open session as recorded in the Nov. 10 minutes.
