Council debate over ordinance on board eligibility sparks heated exchanges; Planning & Zoning liaison reassigned

The Lago Vista City Council spent several hours debating a proposed ordinance that would replace Resolution 25-2177 and set eligibility limits for concurrent service on city boards and commissions. The draft—prepared by the city attorney to conform with the city charter—would restrict concurrent service for certain commissions and allow limited exceptions by supermajority vote.

Council deliberations focused on which bodies should be subject to immediate change (the Board of Adjustment was singled out for immediate effect in the draft), whether the measure would create staffing problems for volunteer boards and commissions, and how transitions should proceed. Several council members asked the city attorney to redraft a clean ordinance and to show where the language fit in the code so the council and public could review it.

The debate became sharp when multiple Planning & Zoning members and other residents expressed discomfort with an initially proposed council liaison assignment to Councilor Benfield. A remote comment from Gene Harris, a P&Z member, said he would not resign but would step down from another board if necessary; several commissioners privately conveyed to council they did not wish to work with the initially named liaison. Councilor Benfield disputed the complaints as unfounded and said his outreach had followed typical liaison practice. After a motion to reconsider the appointment and further discussion, the council approved a new P&Z liaison appointment (Councilor Prince) and adopted a clean redline of the ordinance after staff revisions.

Councilors emphasized the need for the ordinance to both respect volunteer service and meet the city's charter requirements. The matter drew repeated calls for clearer drafting and for staff to prepare a clean, council-reviewed ordinance that tied changes to specific code sections.