Emotions Run High at Evening City Council Meet

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Between the failed campaign to hold a recall vote for Mayor Tom Thompson, the successful campaign to do the same for Councilman Harry Thomas, data centers, flock cameras, homeless care, and zoning complaints, it seems that nobody was pleased with anybody else during Tuesday evening’s city council meeting.

Council typically holds its meetings at 8:30 a.m. on alternating Tuesdays. Tonight’s meeting was set for the evening, which one public comment applauded, suggesting that the council should hold more evening meetings to allow for public involvement.

Though the atmosphere before the meeting was typical and chatty, the chamber quickly got quiet as public comment began.

Councilman Harry Thomas, had been heard from following the successful effort to trigger a recall election against him, which will force a vote at the next regular election date, in November, or at the following citywide election in May.

The recall campaign required a relatively small number of signatures, only 47, to qualify.

The petition to recall Mayor Thompson, which was branded as a referendum on the data center itself, garnered 1,887 signatures, a little more than 1,000 short of the required signatures of at least one-third of the number of total votes cast in the election of the official.

This had led some critics of the city’s handling of data center development to point out that very low turnout elected Thomas in the first place.

Thomas responded with a second statement during public comment, in a tone not typically taken from the other side of the dais.

“Alright,” he began, “I was elected to do a job in May of ’23 by the constituents of SMD 3. That job is not finished until May of ’27.

“I don’t intend to quit early. Now I’m sorry that the group out there thinks that I was just gonna step away from this job… Folks, you have not seen anyone fight until you’ve been around me.

“I’ve been sworn at, accused of taking bribes, yelled at, and threatened. All the while I have not said anything. No more; I will not stand by and say nothing. I will not take the abuse that I’ve been taking. Especially when the majority of those doing this are not from District Three, and some are not even from San Angelo.”

Thomas’ comments received moderate applause, roughly equal to those who signaled their opposition to the data center in attendance.

Further Comment

Kayla and William Hood both used their time to vigorously oppose eventual council approval of the planned Rock Rose Community Campus, a campus designed to rehabilitate homeless through a housing first strategy.

Along with one other nearby resident, they criticized the proposal concept itself.

Mrs. Hood repeatedly emphasized that the campus would be the largest homeless and low-income housing project of this kind in the state, while vigorously attacking CVCAA leadership directly.

CVCAA Executive Director Mike Burnett when asked for comment said his agency will offer an official response soon.

Two other comments arrived focused again on the data center development, with residents asking if big tech was an industry stable enough to make San Angelo’s tax base dependent on it, citing alleged malfeasance in that industry with regards to finance.

Another commenter told council there was a simple solution to the public outcry about the data center — just have the developers build them homes right next to the campus and see how they like it.

Another protester decried the city’s decision to license the use of Flock cameras, stating it was unconstitutional in her opinion.

The Concho Observer reviewed local Flock audit data which you can read about here. The cameras have been a sore spot for city council and local governments around the country, with many acts of vandalism reported, and vigorous protest against other city councils making national headlines.

Besides public comment, other city business is still ongoing and will be reported soon.