Beeville Economic Improvement Corporation board member Carlos Salazar asked that he no longer be appointed to any of the board’s subcommittees during a board meeting Thursday evening.

Salazar, a county commissioner, told Board President Jim Crumrine that he no longer wanted to be chosen for a subcommittee after he and board member Jody Alaniz were out voted in a proposed grant for improvements at Veterans Memorial Park.

Salazar, Alaniz and board member John Fulghum all served on the subcommittee studying a request for $360,400 for new restrooms, an additional drain field for a septic system for one of the restrooms, a $60,000 playscape and $170,000 for the installation of concrete cart paths for the John C. Beasley Municipal Golf Course.

Fulghum, who was elected mayor by the City Council recently, said the three of them had decided to recommend the request for the golf course cart paths. But they had recommended that the requests for two prefabricated restroom buildings, the additional drain field and the playscape be delayed until the city can have a detailed master plan completed for the park.

A master plan for city parks had been recommended months ago by EIC board member Jessy T. Garza and the idea gained immediate support from Salazar and Alaniz. Garza was not at Thursday’s meeting.

“We’re going to wait for a master plan before we know if we need restrooms where a septic system has already been built?” City Manager Ford Patton asked, incredulously. “If Little League parents ask about restrooms, then the city can explain that some people voted against them?”

Some discussion on where to properly place the restrooms ensued with comments by Alaniz and Patton.

Salazar then said he thought a master plan should be developed by the city so it can apply for state grant funds from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

“This organization has already spent enough money on parks and recreation,” Salazar claimed.

“I disagree with your conclusion, Carlos,” Patton replied.

The city manager, who holds a voting position on the board, then explained that the city had had a master plan prepared years ago so it could apply for state park funds. The grant money was to have helped the city build tennis courts for Veterans Memorial Park that had been requested by the Beeville Independent School District.

Patton said the City Council appointed a board to create a list of priorities for the plan and that board put tennis courts low on the list.

“I’m very, very much in favor of doing the entire project,” Fulghum said. “I think that (all the projects) are needed and essential.”

Fulghum questioned why the need for a master plan.

“We didn’t have a master plan when the city did the Poesta Creek Park project,” he said. “Why do we need one now?”

Salazar repeated that the city needs a master plan for its parks so it can apply for state funds for future park improvements.

“The city still needs to build a skate park, which I support,” Salazar said.

Patton said that if the city has to develop a master plan for all its future park improvements, the process could take two or three years to complete.

“I hope the public doesn’t have the misconception that a master plan is as easy as saying ‘We have a master plan,’” Patton said.

The city manager then made a motion to accept the recommendation of the EIC subcommittee and go ahead and award the city the $170,000 for the golf course cart paths.

Then he included in the motion that the EIC board approve the requests for the $60,000 restroom building for the Little League complex and the $60,000 for the playscape to replace one that had been removed from near the complex years ago.

He did not include a new drain field and restrooms for the football practice field area of the park in his motion, which had been in the initial request.

That, Patton said, would bring the entire request to $290,000.

Fulghum quickly seconded the motion and Crumrine called for discussion.

“That was not our recommendation,” Salazar said.

“I accepted your recommendation,” Patton said. “I do support the cart paths but I feel these other items are needed.”

When the board took a vote Crumrine, Patton, Fulghum and board member Bill Shroyer voted in favor of it. Salazar and Alaniz voted against it.

“Mr. Chairman, do not ever appoint me to another committee,” Salazar said after the vote was taken. “I will never serve on another committee.”

Crumrine acknowledged the request.

Just before adjourning Crumrine asked for comments and Alaniz repeated his concern that the city begin work on a parks master plan. He said he would like to have that subject on a future agenda and Patton noted that he would do that.

But Fulghum expressed concerns about Salazar’s decision to refrain from serving on any future subcommittees. He said Salazar “was acting like a child and he needs to resign from this board if he doesn’t want to participate.”

Fulghum then agreed with Alaniz and said he, also, would like to see the city begin work on developing a master plan.

“I will not resign from this board,” Salazar said. “You will just have to put up with me.”

Salazar then said he is not opposed to anything that will help city parks but he did oppose going forward with improvements without having a master plan. “I don’t think all the money should come from this board,” Salazar said.