Video Shows Council Appointing Four HEDCO Directors; the Minutes Say It Tabled Them

On October 28, 2025, the Henderson City Council appointed four HEDCO board members by voice vote, according to the city’s video of the meeting. The official minutes say the opposite: that the council tabled the item. The four were sworn in at HEDCO’s annual meeting three days later. The council also spent 73 minutes in a closed session described as legal advice but posted under the economic development exception, then tabled a HEDCO performance agreement that came with no documents.

This recap comes from the agenda, the 172-page agenda packet, the minutes, HEDCO’s October 31, 2025 minutes printed in the November 18, 2025 council packet, and the city’s video of the meeting. Quotes not in the minutes come from the video’s machine-generated captions and are marked as such.

The video shows an appointment. The minutes show a tabling.

Item 4 was the interview committee’s recommendation for HEDCO board vacancies, tabled from an earlier meeting. On the video, a council member moves “to appoint Michael Marshall for place six, Courtney Smith, place three unexpired term, Michael Bell, place four, and Justin Pirtle for place five” (machine captions). The mayor calls for those in favor, and the item “carries” (machine captions). The captions do not identify who made the motion, and no second can be heard.

The minutes record something else: “Council Member Stephen Strong made a motion to table this item, duly seconded by Council Member Melissa Morton. The vote was unanimous.” The same wording appears for item 3, the Velvin Oil agreement, which the video does show being tabled. The council approved these minutes on January 20, 2026, after Searcy asked that his name be removed because he had not attended. No other correction was made.

HEDCO’s records match the video. At HEDCO’s annual meeting on October 31, 2025, City Judge Jamey Holmes swore in Smith and Pirtle as new members and Marshall and Bell as “re-appointed” members, according to HEDCO’s minutes. The board then elected Marshall president. Under state law, the city council appoints the directors of a Type B development corporation like HEDCO. If the council’s minutes are the official record of its actions, that record shows no appointment.

The packet’s HEDCO roster shows the terms of Noble Welch (Place 4), Marshall (Place 5) and Bell (Place 6) expiring September 30, 2025, and Place 3 vacant after the council removed Brian Ballard on September 2, 2025. The motion on the video reshuffles the places and does not include Welch, who was in his eighth year on the board. Welch seconded Bell’s motion to dismiss Executive Director Bret Gardella at HEDCO’s September 9, 2025 meeting; Bell, who made that motion, was reappointed.

Before the vote, a resident asked the council to table the appointments again, saying “not all applicants were interviewed” and asking that the interview committee be made up of elected council members rather than city staff (machine captions).

A closed session with the wrong label

The agenda called the closed session a consultation “with the City Attorney in accordance with” Government Code Section 551.087. Section 551.087 is the exception for economic development negotiations. Attorney consultations fall under Section 551.071. The council met behind closed doors from 5:06 p.m. to 6:19 p.m. and took no action.

Right after, the council tabled a HEDCO performance agreement with Velvin Oil. The packet cover sheet for that item has no contact, no summary and “SUPPORTING MATERIALS: None.” HEDCO’s own board had not approved the agreement; its October 31, 2025 agenda listed it for action three days later.

City Hall generator

The council awarded the City Hall emergency generator project to Lone Star Global I & E Services of Henderson, formerly Electro-Mec, for $346,040. Seven bids came in on October 9, 2025, and the next lowest was $386,078. Engineer Steve Wick told the council the bid was under budget, and most of the cost is covered by a FEMA hazard mitigation grant administered by the state. Juarez moved and Jackson seconded.

The minutes describe this vote as approving “the final payment to Lone Star Global of Henderson.” The agenda, the engineer’s letter and the video all describe an award of the contract, not a payment.

“Shall” becomes “may” on board terms

The council approved an amendment to Resolution 2023-05-02, which sets terms for the Historic Landmark Preservation Committee and the Main Street Advisory Board, “changing the verbiage from shall to may.” The resolution in the packet still uses “shall” throughout, including a rule that each member’s term ends after four years with a required two-year absence. It does not show which “shall” changes. The packet version is also dated “the 21st day of October, 2025,” a week before this meeting, and numbered 2023-05-02 A rather than the 2025-05-02A on the agenda. The council approved it without discussion.

Other business

• The council adopted Resolution 2025-10-01, raising the fee charged for police security at alcohol-related events from $35 to $50 an hour per officer to match the department’s actual overtime cost.
• Main Street was cleared to work with an architect on a redesign of Heritage Square downtown. The architect’s sketches and rendering are free if the firm manages the project once it is funded; if a different firm is chosen, the architect would charge $10,000.
• The council approved a contract to supply Jacobs Water Supply Corporation with emergency water if needed.
• The council approved the second reading of the 200 Hubbard Drive rezoning, the second reading of the ordinance canceling the November 4, 2025 city election, and two minor plats on Park View and South Marshall.
• Mayor Pace read proclamations for the Rotary Club’s 70 years of service and for hospice care.
• City Secretary Cheryl Jimerson said interviews for the Historic Landmark Preservation Committee were continuing.
• On consent, the council approved the minutes of August 19, September 2, September 9 and September 25, 2025, HEDCO’s August 2025 financials, the city’s investment policy, and street closures for Trick or Treat, Hallelujah Fest, the Syrup Festival and a fire department event.