The Princeton City Council was supposed to discuss complaints against the city secretary and a top city official 鈥� and perhaps recommending their dismissals. But in an unusual development, that didn鈥檛 happen because three council members recused themselves.
That meant the council couldn鈥檛 act on those agenda items because there wasn鈥檛 a quorum.
The council had reconvened on Wednesday to finish up items on Monday鈥檚 agenda that they didn鈥檛 get to before the meeting adjourned late that night.
The council was supposed to meet on Wednesday in a closed session to discuss personnel matters, including the potential dismissal or complaints against Princeton鈥檚 city secretary, Amber Anderson, the Economic Development Corporation/Community Development Corporation CEO, Jim Wehemeier, and the place 7 member of the community development corporation, Jeff Watson.
Council members Bryan Washington, Carolyn David-Graves and Ben Long recused themselves from discussing the city secretary or the CEO.
Mayor Eugene Escobar Jr. asked the council members to share why they were recusing themselves.
鈥淛ust the potential legal ramifications in the city and for myself personally,鈥� Long said.
鈥淭hese are issues for the city manager and just because of the personal and other legal ramifications,鈥� David-Graves said.
Washington did not give a reason for his recusal.
The council can dismiss individuals who are appointed to city positions and can recommend the dismissal of city employees. Based on such a recommendation, the city manager ultimately would carry out the dismissal of a city employee. Princeton's charter prohibits the mayor or any city council members from dictating "the appointment or removal of any City administrative officer or employee whom the City Manager or any or his subordinates are empowered to appoint."
But the charter does allow the mayor and council members to "express their views and fully and freely discuss with the City Manager anything pertaining to appointment and removal of such officers and employees.鈥�
The Texas Open Meetings Act requires a majority of members to be present in executive session meetings, so the council was unable to discuss those items.
The council did vote to dismiss Watson, who was appointed to his position, after a three hour private meeting. No reason for his dismissal was given.
Princeton鈥檚 city manager, Michael Mashburn, is listed on the agenda for executive session for a special called meeting on Monday. Mashburn has been out on leave and is scheduled to return next week.
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