Sagemont swimming pool now open
The swimming pool at Sagemont Park is now open for the summer after being added to the city’s Phase I of openings, according to an annoiuncement on the Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s website.
The Sagemont pool joins the swimming pool at Wilson Memorial Park on the Phase I list.
The swimming pool at Beverly Hills Park remained closed at press time. It was unclear when it would open, if at all.
There will be two phases of swimming pool openings this summer, city officials said, with Phase II openings set to take place Tuesday, June 16. At press time, however, the city had yet to announce what openings would be included in Phase II and Phase III.
HPARD officials said the staggered openings are related to a national lifeguard shortage – a problem that hindered local swimming pools since they began to reopen in 2022 following a two-year hiatus related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Officials said additional pools are expected to open later in the summer as more lifeguards become available.
The city is currently seeking lifeguards for the 2026 season. In hopes of attracting potential lifeguards, the city has lowered its minimum age requirement from 16 to 15 years old. While all lifeguards must be strong swimmers, previous lifeguard experience is not necessary. For more information on becoming a city lifeguard, visit www.houstontx.gov/parks/pdfs/2026/2026LifeguardFlyer.pdf.
City swimming pool hours are 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 6 p.m.
Sunday. All pools are closed for cleaning on Monday (except on Labor Day Sept. 7, when pool hours will be 1 to 5 p.m.).
For the latest updates on the city’s swimming pool openings, visit www.houstontx.gov/parks/swimming.html.
Despite the national lifeguard shortage, all community swimming pools located in the South Belt area are open and operating on normal hours. For a complete listing of local swimming pool hours, see the May 21 edition of the Leader.
Vega lawsuit reaches Supreme Court
Harris County Republican candidate Richard Vega has escalated his legal fight to unseat incumbent Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia, asking the Texas Supreme Court to rule that Garcia’s position became vacant years ago due to his appointment to another public office.
Vega’s filing comes after the First Court of Appeals rejected his earlier challenge in April, concluding that Garcia could legally remain on the Harris County Commissioners Court.
Vega, who is running against Garcia in the November election, is now seeking a ruling that could force a special election before the county’s mid‑September budget and tax‑rate votes.
According to Vega, such an election could shift the power in Commissioners Court.
“The partisan split on Commissioners Court is currently 4–1, but if the election is held, it could again yield a 3–2 split,” Vega’s petition states. “This is a choice for the voters to make. But it reflects how important it is for the Court.”
Vega argues that Garcia automatically forfeited his commissioners court seat in 2021, when he accepted an appointment to the Gulf Coast Protection District, a regional entity created by the Texas Legislature to address coastal flooding risks. Under the Texas Constitution, holding two public offices simultaneously can trigger an immediate resignation from the first.
Garcia served on the protection district’s board for one year while continuing his work as commissioner before Vega’s lawsuit was filed in 2024.
But Harris County officials say Vega’s argument rests on a faulty premise. In April, acting County Attorney Jonathan Fombonne told the appeals court that Garcia’s appointment to the protection district was invalid from the start, meaning it could not have caused him to vacate his commissioners court seat. The appeals court agreed.
Fombonne also noted that any questionable votes Garcia may have cast as a protection district board member could be corrected retroactively.
“You could ratify all those past votes to make sure there are no ‘illegal expenditures,’” said Fombonne. “Even assuming they had identified illegal expenditures, we can take action through commissioners court to ratify them.”
Garcia’s office sharply criticized Vega’s latest filing.
“(The lawsuit) is a last‑ditch effort and a waste of taxpayer money,” said Garcia spokesperson Scott Spiegel, “It should be noted that two courts have already dismissed these baseless and ludicrous claims. The relief the plaintiff seeks is not allowable under the Texas Constitution. We will be having no further comment at this time.”
The Harris County Attorney’s Office also reiterated that state law does not allow a special election to fill a commissioners court vacancy. If a seat becomes empty before a general election, the county judge is responsible for appointing a replacement.
Vega maintains that the case is about constitutional rights and voter representation.
“This case is about the rule of law and the voice of the people,” Vega said in a press release. “If a vacancy occurred, then the residents of Precinct 2 have been denied their constitutional right to elect their representative.”
The Texas Supreme Court has given Harris County until Monday, June 15, to respond. Vega is seeking a ruling by Monday, July 6.
E-mail mynews@southbeltleader.com with news items of interest.