City of Jasper Special Council Meeting Adjourned Due to Lack of Quorum

Editor’s Note – May 1, 2025:

This article has been updated to reflect that only two council members—Lequin Hildebrand and Ronald Sample—were present at the May 1 meeting. An earlier version incorrectly listed three members. We appreciate Mayor Anderson Land Jr. for the clarification.

With only two council members—Lequin Hildebrand and Ronald Sample—present, Thursday’s special Jasper City Council meeting was unable to proceed due to a lack of quorum. Mayor Anderson Land Jr. and City Attorney William Morian Jr. were also in attendance.

A scheduled special meeting of the Jasper City Council on Thursday, May 1, 2025, was officially adjourned within minutes of its start time due to the absence of a quorum—preventing the council from conducting business, including a key item involving the Jasper Economic Development Corporation (JEDCO).

The meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act and set to begin at 6:00 p.m. at Jasper City Hall.

The agenda included the following items:

1. Consideration for approval – To waive attorney-client privilege between the City of Jasper (including the Mayor and Council) and attorney Frank J. Garza of Davidson, Troilo, Ream, & Garza, regarding a legal memorandum/opinion about JEDCO, in order to make the document available to the public.

   
   

2. Council time discussion.

According to Texas Government Code §551.127, a council member may participate in a meeting via video conference. However, a quorum must be established for the meeting to proceed. Councilman DeMarcus J. Holmes (District 3), who was expected to join remotely, had not connected via video by the 6:00 p.m. start time. Without his attendance, the council lacked the minimum number of members required to conduct official business.

In attendance were:

• The Honorable Anderson Land Jr. – Mayor

• The Honorable Ronald Sample – Council Member, District 2

• The Honorable Lequin Hilderbrand – Council Member, District 5 At-Large

Because only two council members were officially present, quorum was not met. Mayor Land announced the meeting could not proceed. Despite brief discussion among those present regarding legal allowances for remote participation, the mayor formally gaveled the meeting to adjournment.

Residents gather at Jasper City Hall on May 1, 2025, as Mayor Anderson Land Jr., two council members, and City Attorney William Morian Jr. (on screen) await quorum. The meeting was adjourned minutes later due to the absence of Councilman DeMarcus Holmes, preventing a vote on whether to release a legal opinion regarding JEDCO.

The meeting was highly anticipated by some members of the public and local press due to the nature of the first agenda item. The memorandum in question, prepared by legal counsel Frank J. Garza, relates to JEDCO operations and has been the subject of increased public interest in recent months. The City Council was expected to vote on whether to waive attorney-client privilege and allow the document to be made public.

A new date has not yet been set for the rescheduled meeting.

East Texas Banner will continue to follow developments closely and will provide updates as they become available.

Photos and video by Rita Shipp.