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Judge Lina Hidalgo's proposal earlier this month to establish an independent probe into the Astroworld Festival, which claimed 10 lives and wounded many more, has failed to gather the necessary amount of votes, according to a KHOU report.
On Monday, Nov. 15, Hidalgo and the Harris County Commissioners Court held a two-hour closed session to review the matter but were unable to get the three votes required to launch the investigation.
"The death of nine-year-old Ezra Blount over the weekend is heartbreaking beyond belief," Hidalgo stated on Twitter before the session. "I’ve called for an independent review of what happened and this morning at Commissioners Court we begin that process. The families of those who died at Astroworld deserve answers."
Instead, the court unanimously appointed Harris County Administrator David Berry to perform his own evaluation of the safety protocols for all planned outdoor performances at the NRG Park site.
"I still think that we should do more," Hidalgo told KHOU. "The responsible thing is to take a big-picture look at all the things that happened. I pushed as hard as I could. That’s why we were in there for so long and made every argument under the sun and this is what we came out with."
Berry's new responsibilities include collaborating with the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation and the Harris County Houston Sports Authority.
"I hope it happens," Hidalgo told KHOU. "I hope it comes back with actionable lessons. I hope it doesn’t result in something vague and forgotten."
Berry will also work with the office of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and any other appropriate agencies to ensure that best practices are adopted.
Additionally, he may hire an outside agency to assist with the review, which is not time-limited.
Berry was named county administrator in August after the post was established during the summer.