Verified Facts Concerning Mayoral Candidate Matt Wiggins – 2021
The following information has been verified and sources provided for the reader to verify
*Checking Galveston County records Candidate Matt Wiggins has been involved in over 40 lawsuits (Source Galveston County Court Records)
*Candidate Matt Wiggins, Candidate Terri Gale and others have made negative comments about the construction and renovation of the Kemah City Hall and Police Department. Please understand the City Administrator Wendy Ellis and Community Services Director Nick Haby were tasked with overseeing this project. They received 3 proposals from the legally advertised Request for Proposals on these projects. A committee of 5 people scored the proposals with a rate point system to determine who would be recommended to Kemah City Council. The company Durotech received the highest score and had the lowest fee. (verified by City Hall RFP Opening document January 18, 2017) City Administrator Wendy Ellis and Community Services Director Nick Haby presented their decision to Kemah City Council on February 1, 2017 item #11. Former Councilman and current Candidate Matt Wiggins then made a motion to “Select Durotech as the Construction Manager at risk” and Councilman Kyle Burks seconded the motion. The decision to hire DuroTech was a unanimous decision from Kemah City Council. The Mayor had no vote. (verified by Kemah City Council Agenda & Minutes February 1, 2017) Mayor Joiner then asked for an “appointment of a Design Assistance Committee to Support Planning of the City Hall expansion” which he added to the Consent agenda item #9D on April 19, 2017. He recommended Council women Teresa Vazquez-Evans and Robin Collins to be on this committee. Councilwoman Teresa Vazquez-Evans made a motion “To approve consent agenda items” and Councilwoman Robin Collins seconded the motion. The entire council voted unanimously for this motion. The Mayor had no vote. (verified by Kemah City Council Agenda and Minutes April 19, 2017) February 7, 2018 the consent agenda #9C included “approve final plat of City Hall subdivision” and #13 “Consideration and Possible Action: Authorizing Durotech to begin construction on City Hall Renovation/Expansion of Foster Park Improvements and setting the Guarantee Maximum Price were included. Former Councilman and Candidate Matt Wiggins made the motion to include item #13 in the Consent agenda and was seconded by Councilman Kyle Burks. Councilwomen Teresa Vazquez-Evans made a motion “to approve consent agenda items A,B,C,D,E,F, items 11,12 &13. Councilwoman Robin Collins seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously by all Council members present. The Mayor had no vote. (verified February 7, 2018 Kemah City Council agenda and minutes)
*Candidate Matt Wiggins, Candidate Terri Gale and others have stated that Durotech did not finish the project at Kemah City Hall on time or on budget. It was finished on time and in budget. A Substantial Completion document and a Certificate of Occupancy were filed. Candidate Matt Wiggins was on Council when a City of Kemah Proclamation was given to Durotech during Presentations. Mayor Joiner stated “They did an outstanding effort and worked hard to finish on time/ budget” and read the proclamation. (verified Kemah City Council agenda item #4 and minutes December 5, 2018)
*Candidate Matt Wiggins and others have stated numerous times that former Mayor Joiner “spent over $15,000 on his office”. A state approved commercial furniture vendor was selected and approved by Kemah City Council. The vendor selected the furnishings. State discounts were used and the furniture contract for the new addition was approved by Kemah City Council. The Mayor has no vote. The Kemah City Council then approved a few furnishings for the original main lobby of City Hall with the remaining approved funds from the budget. The City was then notified the manufacturer was discontinuing the wood furniture by December. A citizen’s committee was formed to look at the existing Police Department and City Administration 20-year-old furniture. Committee member Tomi Kendrick made a presentation to Kemah City Council to recommend the committee’s recommendation of ordering additional furniture in order to maintain furniture standards and to improve the environment for the rest of our employees. The vendor submitted a price of $42,000.00 to replace all of the remaining 20-year-old-furniture. This was Consent agenda item #10 H on December 5, 2018. Councilman Kyle Burks made the motion to approve the consent agenda and former Councilman and Candidate Matt Wiggins seconded this motion. The motion carried unanimously by all Kemah City Council members. (verified by Kemah City Council agenda and minutes December 5, 2018 ) It should be noted that this $15,000 expenditure for furniture that the City will have for 20 years is the same amount that Kemah City Council approved for the Miss Kemah pageant in 2020. This expense was for a one-time beauty pageant. (verified Hotel/Motel tax budget 2020)
*Candidate Matt Wiggins owns properties some of which are in Clinton, Mississippi. He had 1,400 code violations cited by the City of Clinton on two historical buildings in their historical district. After a two-year legal battle, Candidate Wiggins plead guilty to these violations. He was a Kemah City Councilman at the time. (verified by The Clinton Courier December 19, 2018)
*Candidate Matt Wiggins owes the City of San Leon more than $8,000 in unpaid bills to the San Leon Municipal Utility District. Utility bills cover money for the fire department as well as usage of water. (verified Dolcefino Consulting website video)