Pearland city leaders are considering holding a “reset session” to build rapport after a rocky start last month.
“If you spend any time on social media, which I encourage people not to, it’s become a cesspool of communication,” Councilman Clint Byrom said. “What is being said in relation to our community right now does not reflect who we are as the City of Pearland.”
The council’s June 22 meeting drew a standing-room only crowd after members expressed reluctance to appoint newly installed Mayor Quentin Wiltz to the Houston-Galveston Area Council to fill a vacancy left by former Mayor Kevin Cole. The council ultimately opted to postpone a decision until October, but heated discussion and public comments from residents created a clear rift between the council and new mayor.
“What happened June 22 — I’ll speak for myself, I wasn’t at my best,” said Council member Layni Cade, who expressed support for the session. “I want us to be a good, cohesive team.”
Teambuilding and review of Robert’s Rules of Order are often part of an annual strategic planning session held by the council, City Manager Trent Epperson said.
“Very similar to what we do in January or February, we would want to have a professional facilitator come in and conduct that for us,” he said.
“I think we all need to reflect where we want to go,” said Councilman Rushi Patel. “It’s difficult when there is a lot of animosity and a lot of anger. I think we just need to get to know each other better.”
