Tensions ran high during the Bandera City Council’s regularly scheduled meeting on Dec. 9, where members voted to appoint Andrea Jankoski and Jeff Flowers to the Economic Development Corp.
For months, the EDC has struggled to meet quorum because of two vacant seats formerly held by Jankoski and re-elected council member Debbie Breen.
The council considered three applicants Tuesday: Cindy Coffey, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for city council last month; current council member Jeff Flowers; and previous EDC member Jankoski, who currently serves at the Bandera County Tax Assessor-Collector and the Bandera County Elections Administrator.
The council voted unanimously to reappoint Jankoski. But when discussion turned to the remaining applicants, newly elected council member DeAnna McCabe, the EDC’s former president, asked for more time to seek applicants.
“We might consider putting out another applicant call,” McCabe said. “Because when you put out the call for applicants, you just put it for one seat, correct?”
Her question was directed at City Treasurer Allyson Wright, who said she posted the second vacancy following the last EDC meeting on Dec. 2.
“Did we give enough time? I mean, I would just consider that if we wanted to give more applicants in,” McCabe said.
Mayor Denise Griffin pushed back.
“I understand, but if they wanted that one seat, wouldn’t they have applied for the other one?” Griffin asked.
Council member Lynn Palmer, who currently serves as the EDC's secretary, agreed with the mayor.
“These people submitted an application and are willing to serve on a board that they don’t get paid for,” Palmer said. “I think they both have a vested interest in the city of Bandera.”
Ultimately, McCabe was the only council member to withhold her vote on Flowers’ appointment.
Despite aligning with Griffin on the vote, Palmer appeared visibly agitated at points during the meeting, prompting a quip from the mayor to “calm down” after Griffin asked Wright to repeat the number of vacancies on the EDC.
Flowers offered an optimistic response following his appointment.
“I am excited to do my part. I know that they have had a struggle finding applicants,” Flowers said. “So, I just felt it was my duty to step in and serve and do what I can to get through their agenda items and some of the things we need for Bandera moving forward. Hard to do without a quorum.”
One of the vacancies filled Monday was created by the October resignation of Vice President Laura Devenport. The other seat was vacated by McCabe, who also recently won her election bid for a seat on the council.
The Bulletin did not receive a response from Devenport regarding her resignation from the EDC, but her resignation letter stated:
“After careful consideration, I am submitting my resignation as vice president of the Bandera Economic Development Corporation, effective immediately. My decision is based on a growing concern that the current board no longer values public input before making decisions with long-term implications for our community.
"A recent example is the handling of the Buck Creek property — which, in my view, should have been placed on the market to attract a project capable of generating jobs, sales tax revenue, and overall economic growth. Gifting this property to the City keeps it off the tax rolls and limits opportunities for partnerships that could strengthen both the BEDC and the City of Bandera economically.
"Additionally, key decisions are being made outside of board discussion or approval, which undermines transparency and proper governance. Citizens who request funding are often delayed in being placed on the agenda, and there has been little to no open dialogue on important matters brought before the board. These practices have led to what appears to be ‘back-door’ decision-making that does not reflect the intent or integrity of the BEDC’s mission.
"Administrative and legal fees have more than doubled for this year’s budget — I question why. I am also concerned about potential violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act, the lack of competitive bidding when selecting new legal counsel, and the absence of communication regarding the audit firm’s withdrawal from both the EDC and the City.
"It has become increasingly evident that the EDC is being directed more by a select few than by its appointed board. This dynamic has blurred the line between the EDC’s independence and City control, leading me to question whether ‘EDC’ now stands for Economic Development Corporation or Everything Directed by Council.
"At this point, I believe I can better serve the citizens of Bandera by stepping away from the board and working on other projects for our community. I also feel that remaining in my position could expose me to potential liability or lawsuits due to actions beyond my control.
"It has been an honor to serve the people of Bandera and to advocate for genuine economic development that benefits our entire community. I remain hopeful that transparency, accountability, and public trust can once again become the foundation of the BEDC’s work.”
While the EDC seats are now filled, the city is seeking to fill five positions on the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The commission last met in 2023, according to agendas posted on the city’s website.
Applications for the Planning and Zoning Commission are available at banderatx.gov/bc-pz.
For more news from the council meeting, see next week’s Bulletin.
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