Six of nine current Corpus Christi City Council members are running again to keep office come the November election — and, if chosen by voters, will likely be in charge of the ultimate fate of the most controversial project in the city’s recent history.
Each member during their current term has played an integral role in the direction of the proposed Inner Harbor desalination plant.
Since June 2025, the City Council has taken at least nine major votes related to the project, ranging from contracts and grants to policy, financing and proposals, leading up to the most recent 5-4 vote that ended pursuit of the project — at least, pending the seating of the next City Council.
Those seeking office for a new term are incumbents Mayor Paulette Guajardo
and council members Eric Cantu, Carolyn Vaughn and Mark Scott; Kaylynn Paxson and Gil Hernandez, both current district representatives, are running for mayor.
Advocates have generally listed merits of the project as the plant being fully permitted and have contended it has been adequately studied without findings of significant risk of harm to the bay. They have pointed to the proposed facility — planned to be capable of generating as much as 30 million gallons of treated water per day — as a key strategy to support the region’s economic development. They have endorsed additional water supply projects as supplementary.
Opponents have in various combinations disputed that it has been sufficiently researched to determine potential effects on the area’s ecology, and criticized the price and location adjacent to a historically Black and Hispanic neighborhood. They have supported other water supply projects already online or in development. Those include other proposed desalination projects at Harbor Island and Barney Davis Power Plant.
So how did each council member vote on the nine major Inner Harbor-related items between June 2025 and September 2026?
The Caller-Times compiled the data based on City Council agendas and minutes, as well as previous reporting.
Below is a breakdown summarizing the items, the discussion and how each council member voted.
June 24, 2025
Item summary: Modifying City Manager Peter Zanoni’s authority to acquire land, sign design contracts, make amendments to contracts, and make construction purchases for the project. A new resolution instructs Zanoni to “follow normal procurement procedures for all future purchases, contracts, and amendments for the Inner Harbor Seawater Desalination Treatment Plant Project … [and] provide accurate accounting to Council for all funding spent and/or encumbered for the Inner Harbor Seawater Desalination Treatment Plant Project and acquired property.” The original agenda item, which had different wording, had been requested by Vaughn, Cantu and Hernandez.
Background: The prior council had given Zanoni a budget of as much as $138 million to accomplish execution of design-build contracts, professional service agreements, contract amendments and property acquisition.
It did not require that individual items, such as contract amendments, go to the council for approval.
That differs from the typical procurement policy, where contract amendments greater than $50,000 must be approved, officials said.
Several council members who express support for changing the extent of Zanoni’s authority cite concerns of transparency and fiscal accountability.
Other council members and staff assert that revising Zanoni’s authority would slow the project and increase costs. Staff states there is already oversight and a vetting process in place that includes review by consultants and the state.
Vote: Item to modify Zanoni’s authority passes, 5-4.
In favor: Vaughn, Hernandez, Cantu, Paxson and City Councilwoman Sylvia Campos. (Campos is not running for reelection.)
Against: Guajardo, Scott, City Councilmen Roland Barrera and Everett Roy. (Barrera has met his term limits and Roy is not running for reelection.)
July 29, 2025
Item summary: Extending a contract with Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. for as much as $50 million to continue design of the Inner Harbor desalination plant and develop a guaranteed maximum price for the project. Approval would bring the total contract to about $97.6 million.
Background: The contractor had about a week prior unveiled a cost estimate of about $1.2 billion for the project. It was a roughly 60% increase compared to a different consultant’s opinion of probable cost in January 2024, which rang in at about $757 million.
Several council members express concern during the meeting about the swelling cost and how it may affect water bills, while others suggest the estimate represents a ceiling that would drop as the project was further refined.
Vote: Postponing consideration of the contract passes, 5-4.
Postponement pending additional information from the Texas Water Development Board about the $757 million in low-interest loans approved for the Inner Harbor desalination plant. Some council members for several months afterward voice hope that the financing can be put toward a water supply project other than the Inner Harbor.
In favor: Vaughn, Hernandez, Campos, Cantu and Paxson.
Against: Barrera, Guajardo, Scott and Roy.
Sept. 2, 2025
Item summary: Extending a contract with Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. for as much as $50 million to continue design of the Inner Harbor desalination plant and develop a guaranteed maximum price for the project. Approval would bring total contract amount to about $97.6 million.
Background: Council members are split on whether there has been adequate environmental study of the project, the likely final cost and the $50 million that has already been invested into the project. The vote is taken close to 1 a.m.
Vote: Item to approve contract fails, 6-3.
In favor: Barrera, Guajardo and Scott.
Against: Vaughn, Hernandez, Campos, Cantu, Paxson and Roy.
Nov. 18, 2025
Item summary: Approving an agreement for a different contractor, Corpus Christi Desal Partners, to develop a new design and construction proposal for the Inner Harbor desalination plant — to include “price certainty” — for the council to consider later in the year. CCDP is to bear all costs pending the council’s decision on whether to move forward with a proposal, after one is developed.
Background: Council members are divided between openness to the possibility of CCDP returning with a better proposal than Kiewit’s and ending efforts entirely to pursue the plant.
Amended during meeting to include: Immediately launching process to choose a company to perform an additional far-field study, which would research potential environmental effects on the entire bay system.
Vote: Original item with amendment passes, 6-3.
In favor: Barrera, Vaughn, Guajardo, Cantu, Scott and Roy.
Against: Hernandez, Campos and Paxson.
Feb. 24, 2026
Item summary: To begin formal negotiations with CCDP on a proposal to move forward with the Inner Harbor desalination plant.
Background: CCDP’s proposal is estimated to cost $979 million, about 18% less than Kiewit’s estimate. The results of the far-field study aren’t yet available. Cost, environmental effects and the location of the site adjacent to a historically Black and Hispanic neighborhood are all discussed.
Vote: Item to begin negotiations with CCDP passes, 5-3.
In favor: Barrera, Vaughn, Guajardo, Scott and Roy.
Against: Hernandez, Campos and Paxson.
Abstain: Cantu.
June 2, 2026
Item summary: Approval of a $78.6 million contract with CCDP to bring the proposed Inner Harbor desalination plant to 60% design; development of a demonstration plant and verifying a guaranteed maximum price for the project.
Background: Discussion covers funding, debt, sufficiency of the recently completed far-field study, and other water supply projects already online or in development. The vote to table is taken after 2 a.m.
Vote: Tabling consideration of the contract until September passes, 7-2.
In favor: Hernandez, Roy, Campos, Cantu, Vaughn, Scott and Paxson.
Against: Barrera and Guajardo.
June 30, 2026
Item summary: To allow staff to work with a consultant to apply for a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation grant of as much as $120 million for the project. Item is requested by Scott, Roy and Barrera.
Background: Council members disagree on the likelihood funding would be awarded and, if so, whether it would be for the full $120 million available. Some also point out that complete results of the far-field study had not returned and the project hadn’t been approved. It is estimated it would cost $50,000 to $60,000 to prepare the application — a combination of staff time and the money to bring on a consultant to help file the documentation. Zanoni states the application would not be considered complete without a resolution by the City Council endorsing the project.
Vote: Item to file an application for the grant fails, 5-4.
In favor: Barrera, Guajardo, Scott and Roy.
Against: Vaughn, Hernandez, Campos, Paxson and Cantu.
July 28, 2026
Item summary: Accepting a donation from the nonprofit Voices for Coastal Bend Energy to cover the costs to apply for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation grant. Requested by Guajardo.
Background: The nonprofit VCBE had offered between $50,000 and $60,000 in private financing to fund preparation of an application for as much as $120 million in grants available through the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The majority of the council had previously turned down pursuing the grant. Some council members reiterate the project has not been approved.
Vote: Item to accept private financing to fund an application for a federal grant fails, 5-4.
In favor: Barrera, Guajardo, Scott and Roy.
Against: Vaughn, Hernandez, Campos, Paxson and Cantu.
Sept. 1, 2026
Item summary: Approval of a $78.6 million contract with CCDP to bring the proposed Inner Harbor desalination plant to 60% design; development of a demonstration plant and verifying a guaranteed maximum price for the project.
New to original proposal: CCDP also presents a second option to the council that would include a “phase 2” expansion by as much as 50 million gallons of treated water per day, with brine discharged through pipeline into the Gulf of America. Officials state they would plan to coordinate with Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program for additional environmental monitoring. If the council were to select a second-phase option, it would bring the total project cost to about $4 billion, depending on the scope chosen.
Background: Council members’ positions on both sides remain the same. Some suggest exploring the possibility of terminating the project’s environmental permits to prevent the Inner Harbor proposal from returning to the council again. Guajardo does not participate in the vote due to an unrelated council-imposed 30-day suspension.
Vote: Item to approve contract fails, 5-3.
In favor: Barrera, Scott and Roy.
Against: Vaughn, Hernandez, Campos, Paxson and Cantu.
Absent: Guajardo.
Kirsten Crow covers city government and water news. Have a story idea? Contact her at kirsten.crow@caller.com.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: How Corpus Christi City Council incumbents have voted on Inner Harbor
