Prairie View council changes signatories, appoints mayor pro tem, hires special counsel and takes personnel actions

The Prairie View City Council completed a series of formal actions at a special meeting that included changes to bank signatories, appointments, contract approvals, and personnel decisions.

Resolution changing signatories: The council adopted Resolution 20260520001 to remove Malcolm Jackson and Shalita Alexander Simmons as authorized signatories on Citibank accounts and to add Council member Risha Reid and Chief Wilton White. The item drew debate after Council member James objected, arguing multiple legislative actions were bundled within a single agenda item. Special counsel Carla Aguedo advised the council that adopting a single resolution to effect the signatory changes constituted an appropriate single legislative action. The resolution was approved after a roll-call process and the presiding officer cast a tie-breaking vote to carry the motion.

Mayor pro tem appointment: Council moved to appoint Council member Wendy Williams as mayor pro tem. After a roll-call vote the motion passed with three ayes and two nays.

City attorney resignation and special counsel engagement: The council accepted the resignation of city attorney Paula Robinette and then moved to engage attorney Carla Aguedo as special counsel to provide general counsel services for the city. Council member James questioned why the city needed multiple legal representatives and asked about past legal fees; the council voted to appoint Aguedo as special counsel (the motion passed amid a split vote).

Infrastructure and development approvals: The council approved a proposal from Holistic Utility Systems for grant-funding assistance related to water and wastewater infrastructure projects (the minutes record the motion passing with one abstention) and approved a development agreement with JMP Reality.

Personnel actions after executive session: The council reconvened from executive session and approved item 1, reversing personnel and administrative actions taken by the previous council related to the office of the city manager (the motion passed 4–1). The council also considered human-resources findings regarding a code enforcement employee, moved to terminate that employee effective immediately for insubordination and failure to comply with suspension directives, and approved the termination (vote recorded as 3–1–1).

Votes at a glance: [items and outcomes recorded from the meeting record] - Resolution 20260520001 (change Citibank signatories): Adopted (council roll call; presiding officer broke tie). - Appointment of Wendy Williams as mayor pro tem: Approved (3 ayes, 2 nays). - Acceptance of city attorney Paula Robinette's resignation: Approved. - Engagement of Carla Aguedo as special counsel: Approved (split vote recorded in minutes). - Holistic Utility Systems proposal (grant assistance for water/wastewater): Approved (motion passed; one abstention noted). - Development agreement with JMP Reality: Approved. - Reversal of personnel/administrative actions regarding city manager (item 1): Approved (4–1). - Termination of code enforcement director: Approved (vote recorded as 3–1–1).

Council commentary and legal advice: Special counsel Carla Aguedo advised the council on the procedure for adopting the resolution to change signatories, telling members the action amounted to a single resolution appropriate for the body to adopt. Council member James repeatedly questioned the number of legal representatives and referenced past legal fees; that exchange framed subsequent discussion about engaging additional counsel.

What happens next: The transcript records the approvals and the votes as the official minutes for the special meeting. Some items (notably the signatory change and personnel reversals) may require follow-up with the bank and administrative implementation steps; the transcript does not show those follow-up directives in detail.