Author: Chuck Mitchell

Voters to decide on consolidation with La Porte on May 2

The citizens of Shoreacres will have an additional ballot item to consider for the May
2 election. At its January 12 meeting, the Shoreacres City Council officially ordered
the mandated consolidation election with the City of La Porte. La Porte voters will
also consider the same question on their ballots that day.

Residents of Shoreacres began discussing consolidation with the City of La Porte in
mid-2025 and citizens of both communities ultimately conducted the petition
process called for in state law (Local Gov’t. Code Ch. 61). The completed petitions
were submitted to the two cities in December and the respective verified signatures
exceeded the number needed to require a consolidation election in both cities.

Both elections must be approved by the voters in order for consolidation to occur. If
either election fails, there is no change to the independent and incorporated cities as
they are today, and the measure cannot be placed on a ballot again for two years.

A total of four town hall meetings are scheduled to provide factual information and
answer questions. These events are open to all, and no registration is required. The
town hall meetings in La Porte will be livestreamed on their YouTube channel and
archive the recordings on the City website.

Each evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. as noted below:

• February 10 at City Hall, 604 West Fairmont Parkway*
• March 3 at the Maritime College, 3700 Old Hwy 146
• March 24 at Brookglen Community Center, 3324 Somerton*
• April 9 at the Jennie Riley Community Center, 322 North 4th Street*
  *Sponsored by the City of La Porte
  

If voters in both elections decide the cities will consolidate, Shoreacres residents
will become residents of the City of La Porte without reservation, subject to the
same tax rates, code of ordinances, etc. City of La Porte departments and divisions
would begin overseeing municipal functions in what is now the City of Shoreacres.
The La Porte leadership team is currently working with the City Manager and the
City of Shoreacres to make assessments and develop a fuller understanding of what
that could be entailed and develop estimates of timing and sequencing, were
consolidation to occur.

FROM CITY MANAGER TROY HARRISON

Surrounding municipalities appear to be making preparations to be closed on Monday. LP and LPISD have already announced their closures.

We will close city hall on Monday as well. I have spoken to staff and told them we’ll make the call later today likely. With the situation like it is we do not want to encourage people to be on the roads to come to City Hall. That’s a secondary reason for remaining closed. Of course staff safety would be number one.

Obviously, the police department WILL remain staffed throughout. I’ve got somebody with our public works company that will stay on location during the night time freezes. We’ve also brought in a bypass pump in case one of our lift stations goes down.

We normally whether the storm is pretty well because our preparations are done. But you never know so I always expect something!

Stay safe.

Troy Harrison

Please join is on December 22, 2025 at City Hall from 5-9 pm for Cookies and Cocoa with Santa!!!