Pearland City Council debated whether to appoint Mayor Quentin Wiltz as the city's primary representative for the Houston-Galveston Area Council, or H-GAC, before unanimously approving appointments to the regional body's boards at its Oct. 26 meeting.
What happened
When former Mayor Kevin Cole's term ended in May, his primary seats on three H-GAC boards became vacant. According to H-GAC bylaws, the city can either allow the named alternates to serve in the primary member's absence and name new alternates or confirm a new slate for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Wiltz noted a 20-plus-year precedent of Pearland mayors holding these primary representative seats, as previously reported by Community Impact.
In June, council postponed the appointments until October to align with H-GAC’s operating year.
Following discussion, council unanimously approved the following representatives and alternates:
H-GAC General Assembly, Position 1: Council member Clint Byrom, with council member Joseph Koza as alternate
H-GAC General Assembly, Position 2: Council member Rick Fernandez, with council member Mona Chavarria as alternate
H-GAC Board of Directors: Council member Clint Byrom, with council member Rick Fernandez as alternate
Transportation Policy Council: City Manager Trent Epperson, with Director of Engineering and Public Works Lorenzo Wingate as alternate
The discussion
Wiltz defended his qualifications for the positions, citing two decades of professional experience and his attendance at H-GAC and Transportation Policy Council meetings.
“As practice does not eliminate council’s responsibility to make the decision, it does deserve a clear explanation when council chooses to depart from said practices,” Wiltz said. “If experience remains a concern, I ask that council identify the specific competencies being evaluated and apply those criteria consistently.”
Council member Tommy Echols questioned whether Wiltz could take on the additional responsibilities while fulfilling his duties as mayor. Echols cited missed events, while council member Mona Chavarria noted she had delivered 10 proclamations on the mayor’s behalf.
“This is a business decision,” Chavarria said.
Council member Clint Byrom compared Wiltz’s experience with that of former mayors Kevin Cole and Tom Reid, noting that both had extensive municipal experience before becoming mayor, including serving on City Council and participating in regional boards.
“It would go a long way for you to spend the first year getting used to being mayor … before adding additional layers,” Byrom said. “I just don’t think now is the right time.”
What’s next
The appointments will take effect in January 2027, with terms running through the end of the year, city documents show.
