Residents press Aransas Pass leaders over Robersonson cold case, animal-control funding and nonprofit transparency

Multiple Aransas Pass residents used the city council meeting on June 2 to press elected officials on long-standing local concerns, including calls for police accountability in a decades-old missing-persons case, appeals to restore animal-control funding and questions about the legitimacy of a nonprofit linked to a harbor proposal.

Rosa Batty, who said she grew up locally, recounted community memories surrounding the 1989 disappearance of Alisa Robersonson and urged the city and police leadership to acknowledge past investigative mistakes and to apologize to the Robersonson family. "We ask you ' admit the mistakes of the past, restore public confidence, and issue a formal public apology to the Robersonson family," Batty told the council.

Another commenter who identified themselves as Darling Men urged Chief Perkins to "stop protecting the thin blue line" and to issue a public apology, saying the Robersonson family had to seek outside resources and that investigations and leads had been dismissed in past decades.

Visitors and residents also raised other community concerns. Maria Hollerin (also known as Meadow) asked for clearer public communications about how budget dollars are spent and said animal-control cuts have left the city unable to ensure rabies vaccinations for animals taken into custody. "Animals that are taken in by animal control are not receiving the rabies vaccines due to budget constraints," she said, and she urged the council not to cut animal-control funding again.

Melissa Esabel pressed the council for transparency about a proposed harbor lease and questioned the existence and filings of a nonprofit the council has been discussing, "Operation Restore Heroes," saying she could not find nonprofit registration or IRS filings and urging the council to require an open-session presentation and stronger lease protections before finalizing agreements.

Council staff acknowledged the public comments and said staff would follow up: the Cedar Lodge Motel nuisance report was "on the list," the Flock camera (ALPR) contract runs through 2028 and staff would look into agenda placement for public discussion, and staff said they would provide updates requested by commenters.

The council did not take formal action on the Robersonson request for an apology at the meeting; the comments were heard during the citizens-comment portion of the agenda.

The meeting later recessed into executive session and returned to approve personnel appointments and other business.