After convening in executive session, the DeSoto City Council unanimously authorized outside counsel and directed the city attorney to pursue multiple lawsuits, including collection of past-due hotel occupancy taxes and representation in a pending case involving a local resident.

The actions followed an executive session held under Texas Government Code sections 551.071 (consultation with attorney) and 551.074 (personnel matters). The council voted to retain Walker Bright to represent the city in Terrence Gore v. City of DeSoto and authorized litigation to collect past-due hotel occupancy taxes from Holiday Inn Express & Suites at 1310 E. Wintergreen Road and Baymont by Wyndham Dallas South at 641 N. Interstate 35E. The council also authorized suit against I Work Systems Inc. All four motions passed unanimously.

Why it matters: The motions give the city explicit authority to pursue collection and litigation steps identified in executive session and place outside law firms under contract to represent DeSoto in those matters.

Council action and context
- The council moved into executive session early in the meeting to discuss pending and contemplated litigation and personnel matters and reconvened in open session at 6:18 p.m. with formal votes to implement directions from the closed session. Mayor Rachel Proctor announced the actions before taking public business.

Public comment tied to the session
Resident Terrence Gore, who was named in the meeting's executive session item and who spoke during public comment, criticized the city's restrictions on public comment and called for transparency and for rescinding policies he described as censoring citizens. Gore said, “The admonishment policy on speech is unlawful and unconstitutional” and later called for a full independent audit of a separate transaction he described as the “Thorn Tree Golf Course scandal.” The council’s vote to retain counsel in Gore’s named litigation proceeded after that public comment.

What the motions said (summary)
- Retain Walker Bright to represent the city in Terrence Gore v. City of DeSoto. (Motion maker and second recorded in the meeting minutes; vote: unanimous.)
- Authorize the city attorney to pursue litigation to collect past-due hotel occupancy taxes from Holiday Inn Express & Suites (1310 E. Wintergreen Road). (Vote: unanimous.)
- Authorize the city attorney to pursue litigation to collect past-due hotel occupancy taxes from Baymont by Wyndham Dallas South (641 N. Interstate 35E). (Vote: unanimous.)
- Authorize the city to file suit against I Work Systems Inc.; the council instructed staff to engage outside counsel for that matter. (Vote: unanimous.)

Next steps
The city attorney’s office will proceed with the litigation steps authorized by the council. Specific filing dates, claims, and the dollar amounts at issue were not stated in open session and therefore are not reported here.