Dan McQueen’s rocky start as Corpus Christi mayor continues. In the last 24 hours, his qualifications have been brought to question by a TV news report, a Facebook post on his personal page hinted he might resign and his chief of staff did resign over possible violations of the city’s nepotism ordinance. 
There’s more. 
On Monday, Jan. 6, the same day as the Facebook post, McQueen spoke to a local Republican club, blasting the news media, city staff and certain council members he did not name for hounding him and calling him a sexist and a racist. McQueen told city staff he would not be chairing the Tuesday, Jan. 17, city council meeting because he was taking some personal time. Mayor Pro-tem Carolyn Vaughn will be in charge during the 2 p.m. meeting.

TROUBLING FACEBOOK POST

McQueen, who defeated incumbent mayor Nelda Martinez on Nov. 8, posted on his personal Facebook page that he did not see why he should continue to take abuse for serving. The post was dated Monday, Jan. 16, the federal holiday celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 
“On a Day of Unity, I find a City of Divisiveness,” the post read. “Dr. King and I both are graduates of Boston University, and I find myself in a city named, ‘The Body of Christ’ (IRONIC). However, in the past 35 Days, I have been attacked by council as being sexist, racist and continue to fight attacks from Media and the public. I just don’t see the VALUE in this fight for 600 more. I had so much HOPE for our city. God bless Corpus Christi.” 
McQueen deactivated the page for a short period of time. When it reappeared, the above post had been deleted, but this had been added: “Sorry, I’m out of town on business in Houston. FYI, don’t follow media that rely on social media. Remember there are trolls watching. BTW, thanks for the birthday wishes the other day. Data on social media is as validated as Wikipedia. God Bless.” 

BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING

McQueen soundly defeated Martinez in an election that brought five fairly new faces to the council over voter frustration with the state of the city’s streets and three boil-water notices in a 10-month period. It was his second attempt to unseat Martinez. He ran unsuccessfully against her in 2014.
Within 36 hours of being sworn in, the new council had to deal with with the worst water crisis yet. Most of Corpus Christi went four days in mid-December without being able to use or even touch their water over fear a chemical spill in the industrial district had contaminated the city’s drinking water supply.
The story made national news and received extensive local coverage, which McQueen said during his remarks Monday night would hurt the city’s chances of attracting new businesses and jobs to the area. When asked by someone in attendance about making downtown safer to walk, he continued to blast the media, saying he was trying. 
"I'm trying as fast as I can, but like I said, I got media on my ass. I’ve got the city staff that just isn't there for me yet,” he said. “Can you get the media to quit beating me up and let me work harder at that very thing?” 
McQueen’s relationship with other members of the council was another fallout from the water crisis. At the first meeting after the no-use notice was lifted, council member Lucy Rubio, District 3, asked that clear protocols be established defining how council members would be kept informed of what’s going on during a crisis. 
“I got calls from constituents I couldn’t answer,” she said at a meeting Dec. 20. “Every council member needs to know what’s going on so we can relate to our constituents — not some have more information than others. I felt like we were not important. I was offended.”
Dissatisfaction with city staff became public during the council’s Jan. 10 meeting. McQueen told City Manager Margie Rose that information provided by staff was not good enough. 
“I ask you to do more,” McQueen told Rose and city staff. “We’re talking about the same presentation you gave us in the three [previous] water boils, and we still don’t have the answers. We need you guys to be bringing the answers that will ensure a higher level of safety to the public.”
McQueen was referring to the boil water notices issued to the city between July 2015 and May 2016.
“When is the get-well date and when will we have a full comprehensive plan?” McQueen asked Rose. “We are going to have good water for our residents and be sure they are safe.”
 

RESIGNATION AND RÉSUMÈ

The mayor’s chief of staff, Shari Douglas, resigned her almost-$61,000-a-year job because it may violate the city’s ordinance on nepotism. Since 2012, Douglas and McQueen have shared a home address, according to voter registration roles. After the election, Douglas changed her driver’s license address to a post office box. 
McQueen refused to answer any media questions about his Facebook post or the resignations as he entered and exited the club meeting Monday night. During the meeting, he warned listeners he would not be able to speak as freely since reporters were in the room. No cameras were allowed in with the reporters. He has not taken questions from the media since the water crisis press conferences in December, telling the Corpus Christi Caller-Times during a meeting he would not be interviewed for a profile piece the paper wanted to write. Other members of the council were featured in stories leading up to their swearings-in. 
“If I don’t know what you’re going to write, and how it’s going to come out, your press manipulation is something I’m not going to play to,” he said.
In trying to get a better idea of who McQueen is, reporters have been tracking his background, which has led to some issues. The mayor ran on his qualifications as an engineer and businessman. KRIS 6 TV news contacted Florida State University to verify he had earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering as listed on his LinkedIn page. The university had no record of the degree. Shortly after the TV station tried to contact McQueen for comment, the LinkedIn profile listing the degree was deleted. 

MISSED MEETING

The Jan. 17 meeting, which was getting underway as this story was being written, opened to a packed house and agenda. Under consideration are: 
• a second vote on amending the Ethics Code prohibiting council members from participating in an appointment of anyone who contributed $2,700 or more to that member’s campaign; prohibiting registration as a lobbyist within a two-year period of leaving the council; and expansion of conflict of interest prohibitions.
• a presentation by ExxonMobil supporting a proposed ethane cracker plant in San Patricio County. The Gregory-Portland area is one of four being considered for what will be the world’s largest such plant. 
• a continuing discussion on updating an ordinance regulating back-flow preventers on both commercial and residential sites. 
• an executive session to discuss “Harbor Bridge,” although no details were listed on the agenda.