CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — If it's Thursday, it's time for Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo's weekly visit with KRIS 6 News at Noon.
Guajardo met with KRIS 6 Anchor Sierra Pizarro to discuss the city's budget, construction at Cole Park Pier, game room concerns, and efforts by the city to control COVID-19.
First, Corpus Christi city council members voted to pass the first reading of a $1.2 billion budget for the city’s 2021-2022 fiscal year. This is a larger budget than last year’s, which was at $1 billion.
“Some of the big points of this budget are streets,” Guajardo said. “We’re putting $121.5 million into streets. We’re going to add five more, a total of 10, police officers in this year’s budget. We are adding eight firefighter positions along with an ambulance for station 17. That’s on the southside, in Yorktown. It’s a very growing area.”
Next, Guajardo broke news on Cole Park Pier. She said it is scheduled to reopen in November.
“We’re going to have a beautiful plaza," she said. "The work begins very soon on that plaza. The parking lot, curb and gutters are going in. Lots of work happening.”
The mayor also addressed concerns over area game rooms.
At this week’s city council meeting, public comments lasted two hours. A large group of residents took the majority of that time to express frustration over local game room businesses.
“It is a concern. We see it that way as well,” Guajardo said. “The role of the city, in terms of game rooms, is enforcement. We have always been the primary enforcement agency and will continue to be. We can’t regulate them. The county has the authority.”
And when it comes to coronavirus spread, the mayor said the city has reached a peak.
“That’s good and bad," she said. "That doesn’t stop the need for hospital beds and for vaccinating.
"I just launched the teen MVP program. That’s where we take the vaccines to all of our middle and high schools. We now have vaccinations at our Greenwood Senior Center. Of course, you can also get a vaccine in your home. Call 826-2489 to get a vaccination in your home. No questions asked.”
If you have any questions you'd like for us to ask the mayor during our upcoming interviews, please let us know and we'll pass them along.
And remember to watch Guajardo's weekly visit every Thursday at noon.
