By CATHERINE DONNELLY
The City Council meeting was to decide three agenda items. The first agenda item was to approve the results for the unexpired term for the special election for City Council position Place 5. The second and third agenda items were to approve the work of extra dredging to the Tompkins Channel and the funding.
First on the agenda, the item pertaining to councilwoman Eva Jean Dalton and her unexpected death last year, created a need to fill her position on the South Padre Island City Council. The special election had four candidates running for the council seat, which was held on February 3, 2024.
Unofficial results of the election were as follows; Lisa Graves, the unofficial winner of the race for Place 5 with 311 or 57% of the votes. Runner up, Tally Ragsdale, followed with 177 votes, followed by Jennifer Stout who finished with 33 votes, and Brad Robinson garnered 23 votes.
The council unanimously ratified Graves as the winner for City Councilwoman this past Valentine’s Day.
The Second item on the agenda, the Tompkins Channel, was addressed by Kristina Boburka, the Shoreline Director, who explained that the dredging project ran into a situation where the channel was a lot shallower than originally anticipated. She went on to explain that the channel requires more dredging than the current available funding covers for the project.
With the third item on the agenda addressing the funding, Boburka, explained that the dredging was not going to disturb the area of seagrass adjacent to the project. The additional work will cost the city an added $87,600, which was also approved.
After both second and third items were addressed, the motion to allow the necessary extra dredging was unanimously approved.
Boburka graduated from Texas A&M University at Galveston with an interdisciplinary M.S focused in Marine Biology and Marine Resource Management, according to the City of South Padre Island website.
The city website also indicates that, Boburka, manages and directs the overall functions of the Shoreline Department for South Padre Island. Her position also includes overseeing the beach and bay public access points, beach nourishment projects, and restoration projects within the bounds of the city shorelines.
With no additional items on the agenda and the meeting was adjourned.
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