| |
 |
| A
Brief
History of Corpus Christi |
 |
|
In
1519, on the Roman Catholic Feast Day of Corpus Christi,
Spanish explorer Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda discovered a
lush semi-tropical bay on what is now the southern coast
of Texas. The bay, and the city that later sprung up there,
took the name of the feast day celebrating the "Body
of Christ."
The spot Pineda discovered is now home to the largest
city on the Texas Coast and is the sixth largest port
in the nation. Key industries include petrochemical, tourism,
health care, retail, education, shipping, agriculture
and the military. Since its incorporation in 1852, Corpus
Christi has grown into a regional hub for marketing, processing,
packaging and distributing agricultural commodities for
a 12-county trade area.
Corpus Christi began as a frontier trading post, founded
in 1838-39 by Colonel Henry Lawrence Kinney, an adventurer,
impresario and colonizer. The small settlement was called
Kinney's Trading Post, or Kinney's Ranch.
It remained an obscure settlement until July 1845, when
U.S. troops under General Zachary Taylor set up camp here
in preparation for war with Mexico. The Army remained
until March 1846, when it marched southward to the Rio
Grande to enforce it as the southern border of the United
States.
About a year later, the city took the name Corpus Christi
because a "more definite postmark for letters was
needed." It incorporated on Sept. 9, 1852. Residents
elected a city council and a mayor, Benjamin F. Neal,
who served from 1852 to 1855.
The city charter - a document establishing a city's principles,
functions and organization of its government - was adopted
in 1876. The city's first ordinance, adopted Jan. 15,
1879, made it against the law to let hogs and goats run
loose.
Corpus Christi has a home-rule government with a mayor,
eight council members and a city manager. The city manager
functions as the chief executive officer, carrying out
policy and handling operations as directed by the city
council.
In 1983, the city adopted single-member districts, which
allowed voters in a particular area to elect someone from
their district to represent them on the city council.
Single-member districts provide equal representation among
communities or groups with different interests. Five city
council members are elected through single-member districts,
while three others and the mayor are elected at-large.
The city also has over 40 boards and commissions providing
a direct link between citizens and the city council and
staff.
The city of Corpus Christi provides a variety of facilities
and services to the community, including police, fire
and emergency medical services, health, parks and recreation,
which include youth and senior programs, a natural history
museum, libraries, an airport and a marina. Other services
include water, wastewater, gas, garbage and brush collection,
recycling, street maintenance, traffic signs and signal
maintenance.
The water department alone oversees more than 1,600 miles
of water transmission/distribution mains and has a combined
storage capacity of more than 16 million gallons. The
wastewater department operates six treatment plants with
a combined treatment capacity of 42.7 million gallons
per day.
The city strives to be progressive in updating its infrastructure
and planning for future resources, annually updating a
comprehensive capital improvement program. The drought
of 1996 brought statewide attention to water problems.
The city, through an extremely effective regional partnership
with the Nueces River Authority and the Port of Corpus
Christi Authority, completed construction of the 101-mile
Mary Rhodes Pipeline, which transports water from Lake
Texana to the city's O.N. Stevens Water Treatment Plant.
In addition, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission
approved the Garwood transbasin diversion as another water
source proving that, through planning and cooperation,
water can be secured for the region in record time.
While the city places strong emphasis on infrastructure
and basic services, the organization also has a commitment
to provide a variety of recreation and cultural amenities.
Part of that commitment includes substantial funding for
local arts organizations. Citizens and visitors can easily
access any one of five libraries, or spend a fun and educational
day at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History.
Another beautiful and popular attraction has always been
the bayfront marina, located a stone's throw from downtown
Corpus Christi.
To ensure the continuity of quality services, the city
follows sound financial policies and practices. The city's
fiscal year begins August 1 and ends July 31, and the
budget is made up of six major funds. The General Fund
pays for the administration of city government and traditional
public services such as police, fire, streets, park and
recreation and solid waste services. The Enterprise Fund
accounts for services provided to the general public on
a fee basis, including funds for aviation, ambulance,
golf, marina and utilities. The Internal Service Fund
provides goods and services for other departments on a
cost-reimbursement basis, including health insurance,
maintenance services and information systems. Other funds
account for debt service, special revenues and trusts.
To enhance economic development efforts, the city provides
funding and support to the Corpus Christi Regional Economic
Development Corporation.
Maintaining a safe community is a major priority for the
city. The Police and Fire Departments have established
state-of-the-art communications systems and work closely
with the county, the Local Emergency Planning Committee
and industries to be on top of any emergency situation.
The Corpus Christi Crime Control and Prevention District,
which uses sales tax revenues to fight crime, has in recent
years enabled the city to increase its police force, equipment
and support personnel, especially targeting youth and
neighborhood initiatives. In addition, the city's emergency
medical services are ranked number one in the state, excelling
in response time and patient survival rates.
The city of Corpus Christi constantly strives to continuously
improve the programs and services it provides for local
residents and visitors, with a special importance placed
on responsive customer service. In fact, the city's organizational
goal is to be a national leader of excellence in public
service.  |
|
|
|
ERA Windward Properties Coastal Bend Real Estate Offices