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The Farmers Branch City Council met Tuesday, July 28, in a special called meeting to consider ethics complaints filed earlier this month against Mayor Terry Lynne and District 4 City Council Member Elizabeth Villafranca.
After nearly 2½ hours behind closed doors, the council voted to dismiss the ethics complaint against Lynne while postponing further discussion on the complaint against Villafranca until after a public hearing scheduled for Aug. 4.
Council voted 3-2 to table further discussion of the complaint against Villafranca until after the Aug. 4 public hearing and continue the discussion in executive session at that time. David Reid made the motion, seconded by Tina Bennett-Burton. Bennett-Burton, Lupe Gonzalez and Reid voted in favor, while Villafranca and Roger Neal voted against postponing the matter.
The council then voted 4-1 to dismiss the ethics complaint against Lynne. Reid made the motion, Bennett-Burton seconded it and Gonzalez cast the lone dissenting vote.
Before adjourning, council members also discussed whether the city should hire independent outside legal counsel to review the city's ethics complaint process, including its compliance with the city charter, Code of Ethics, council policies, due process principles and Texas law.
Reid proposed retaining outside counsel to conduct an independent review, saying he wanted "an outside disinterested party" with expertise in ethics law to evaluate whether the city's current process aligns with the governing documents.
Villafranca questioned whether the proposal was intended as a future agenda item, while Lynne said he was uncertain whether the council could take up the matter because it was not listed on Tuesday's agenda. Both Lynne and Villafranca also questioned whether hiring outside counsel was necessary when the city already employs a city attorney.
"I don't understand why you would ask for an outside attorney to do that," Lynne said. "That's what we pay a city attorney to do."
City Attorney David Berman said he had no objection to the concept of an outside review but advised the council that it could not formally authorize the action because it was not included on the posted agenda. He recommended placing the item on a future agenda, possibly Aug. 4, so the council could consider it properly under the Texas Open Meetings Act.
Following Berman's advice, Reid withdrew his motion. The council adjourned at 7:32 p.m.
Branch Herald has filed open records requests with the city for the documentation regarding these ethics complaints.
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