The Port of Corpus Christi held a special meeting Wednesday, opening up the floor to public input on what they would like to see in the next CEO. They also addressed changes in what the future leader can and can't do.
The change has to do with agreements, both legally binding and non-binding, that the CEO can make without port commission approval.
This stems from the former CEO Sean Strawbridge entering into 3 independent deals on behalf of the port within his last week of employment, deals by which the port is now bound.
"It gives the commissioners who make the ultimate policy decisions an opportunity to become involved in those transactions at an earlier point in time," said Port of Corpus Christi Chairman Charlie Zahn.
This change means the interim and any future CEO has to get full port commission approval for any of these agreements.
Before that decision was made, the port also heard from several residents and a coalition of local environmental groups about what they would like to see in the next port CEO, as well as their displeasure in the process so far.
"Once again I feel the Port of Corpus Christi has missed another opportunity to improve their relationship with the residents and the governmental bodies around them," said San Patricio County Commissioner Ton Yardley.
This opportunity for the public to weigh in on the CEO process is a change from the position Chariman Zahn shared with 6 Investigates last week.
Zahn says that he realizes the port needs to be more open to the public it serves and start to mend relationships that have been strained in the past.
"We forget sometimes that we need to go sit down with some of our constituents and talk to them and see what their wants and needs and desires are, and so I think we started fixing that process today and I can assure we are going to continue to do that in the futures," said Zahn.
This all comes on the heels of a letter from the coalition of mayors, San Patricio county, and environmental groups, requesting more transparency from the port in the hiring process.
Chairman Zahn tells KRIS 6 the port plans to release the specific hiring criteria and what they are looking for in the next CEO shortly, and we'll be sure to post that online as soon as we get it.
Zahn also says they now have a short list of 4 candidates and plans to have a decision made by September or October of this year.
