POINT COMFORT – The Calhoun Port Authority will continue to employ former congressman, Blake Farenthold. A publication in Victoria called the Victoria Advocate filed a lawsuit against the Port after it was announced that Farenthold was hired to be a lobbyist for the entity. The publication cited that the Port violated the Texas Open Meetings Act when Farenthold was hired because the law requires the Port Authority to adequately and sufficiently notify the public that it was considering hiring him.
The Editor-in-chief of the Victoria Advocate says they did not file the lawsuit because they oppose the hiring of Farenthold but rather the way he was hired. They hope a district judge will rule in their favor.
The Port put out a notice for the agenda of the May 9 Port meeting but the Advocate says it was too vague.
The Authority’s board met behind closed doors on Thursday to review the lawsuit and Farenthold’s position. The members voted o procedural changes to require board approval for Farenthold’s hiring.
One member moved to terminate Farenthold which led to a deadlock vote of 3-3.
Farenthold was not in attendance and no one from the Port Authority commented on the meeting.
