Mission Council Has Shouting Match During City Meeting

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect the 3-2 vote by the council in favor of amending the Texas Citrus Fiesta bylaws which erroneously stated that Councilman Alberto “Beto” Vela and Councilwoman Jessica Ortega were against the amendments when in fact, they were in favor of making the change along with Mayor Pro-Tem Ruben Plata.

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Shouting erupted inside the executive conference room, when the Mission city council gathered to discuss the operations and management of the Texas Citrus Fiesta (TCF) on Tuesday evening.

After hearing grievances from six Mission residents and handling other business, the council retreated into executive session to deliberate TCF and several other sensitive topics. After being behind closed doors for about an hour, yelling could clearly be heard by all who remained in the council’s public meeting room.

“You’re wrong, Jessica!” Mayor Norie Gonzalez Garza shouted at councilwoman Jessica Ortega, as other loud voices joined in the exchange.

“I didn’t even know about the letter!” Ortega yelled back.

When they emerged, the council voted 3-2 in favor of amending the by-laws between the city and TCF and directed staff to proceed in the development of the language to be discussed at its March 10 meeting. No details were provided to the public on the proposed changes the city seeks to make to the agreement.

Councilman Ruben Plata made the motion to change the by-laws, Councilman Jose Alberto Vela seconded, and they were joined in the affirmative vote by Ortega. The mayor and councilwoman Marissa Gerlach voted against the measure.

The explosive meeting began when TCF board member April Flowers addressed the council about a letter of complaint the organization sent to the city on February 10. The letter, signed by 7 of the board’s 8 members, alleged Ortega interfered with TCF operations and violated the city charter.

Ortega has vehemently denied the allegations.

Flowers said 20 years ago, she and her husband put their life savings into what is the last family owned and operated conventional citrus packing shed of a commercial nature in Texas and it’s located in Mission.

“While a lot of people like to pretend they care about the citrus industry, we are living it, day in and day out,” Flowers said. “The behavior we’ve seen from certain adults in this community is embarrassing to that profession.”

Flowers stated that after the written complaint was filed, Ortega again violated the charter when she contacted the Kings Association representative on the TCF board.

“If there are concerns there are proper channels and we ask that you use them,” she said. “We have a leaky city council and individuals who believe they are above the rules,” Flowers said, referring to the letter which was leaked to the public on Facebook a few days after it was submitted to the council.

At this point, Ortega interrupted and requested a point of order.

“I feel she has attacked me enough and I’d like for it to stop,” Ortega told the mayor.

City attorney Patricia Rigney reminded Flowers that no personal attacks would be tolerated. A few extra police officers stood by as the public continued to approach and address the council.

After current King Citrus Dante Galeazzi addressed the council and received applause for his comments which supported TCF and the performance of its director Amy Tijerina, Rigney gave the audience a warning.

“Please keep in mind that our ordinance also states that members of the audience, nobody shall engage in disorderly conduct, which includes clapping,” Rigney said. “We ask that you reserve your clapping, abstain from that, you’ve all been warned and if it happens again we will have to enforce our ordinance and have you removed.”

Each member of the public was limited to three minutes to state their case. Marina Salinas spoke loudly and with emotion in her allotted time.

“I stand before you today as a taxpayer, an educator and lifelong member of this community,” Salinas said. “I’m deeply concerned about the city’s continued involvement and use of taxpayer dollars to operate the Texas Citrus Fiesta.

“Recently I was falsely accused of operating an anonymous Facebook page and making inflammatory statements, claims that are completely untrue and made without evidence,” Salinas said. “When accusations like this are thrown around recklessly, it highlights exactly why the city should not intertwine with this type of event.”

Salinas said any comparison between TCF and the Mission Boys & Girls Club, which also receives city support, was not valid, she said.

“The Boys & Girls Club serves our entire community,” Salinas said. “It provides a safe space for children, supports working families and delivers measurable benefits to the public. The Texas Citrus Fiesta, on the other hand, services a very limited group. It is not inclusive of the broader community, and it does not provide the same kind of essential year-round services that justify public funding or city operations.”

After public comments, the council moved on to the next agenda item, which was announcements by the council and city managers. Vela used the opportunity to state he has questions about management and spending at the Mission’s EDC.

“As a councilman I believe we have a responsibility to provide transparency in every area of city government,” Vela said. “When questions come up about public funds it’s important that we address them openly and clearly.

“Transparency should never be viewed as a challenge, it should be viewed as a responsibility,” Vela stated. “I believe our community deserves clear answers and I’m committed to ensuring we address these matters with accountability.”

After waiting for everyone to complete their comments, Ortega utilized about ten minutes to read a prepared statement, and her voice got increasingly louder as each minute elapsed. She said the accusations that she violated the city charter and interfered with TCF were false.

“Section 3.08 of the city charter does not prohibit a council member from asking questions, seeking clarification or ensuring accountability when public funds and city resources are involved,” Ortega said. “It prohibits improper interference in administrative functions. There is a clear and legally meaningful distinction between interference and oversight. What I have exercised is oversight, and oversight is not only permissible, it is part of my sworn duty.”

Ortega said she would not apologize for fulfilling her responsibilities.

“I will not retreat from asking legitimate questions,” Ortega continued. “And I will not allow personal attacks to distract from the fundamental issue of transparency and public trust. I deny all allegations made against me in the referenced complaint.”

Ortega also denied any involvement in negative social media posts which have flooded Facebook in recent weeks.

“The assertion that I orchestrated or influenced online commentary is entirely without basis and harmful to my reputation,” Ortega said.

A Question Of Transparency

The Progress Times requested TCF’s letter of complaint on February 11 through the Texas Public Information Act and received four pages on February 18, about four days after it was leaked online.

The city of Mission withheld four pages of attachments which contained detailed allegations and observations made by the TCF board. The city has not acknowledged the existence of these attachments to the Progress Times.

The Monitor reported last week that it received the letter and four pages of attachments, and then the attachments were recalled by the city, which claimed they should have never been released. The city wrote to the Texas Attorney General, seeking authority to withhold the attachments from The Monitor, but no such letter has been received by the Progress Times regarding its public information request, as required by law, specifically Section 552.301(d) and (e) of the Texas Government Code.

Despite this, the city’s public information portal shows the request by the Progress Times has been fulfilled and all records in connection with the TCF letter of complaint have been released.