Mesquite public speakers defend Chief McQuaid Chesley as council weighs personnel matter; interim chief announced

Mesquite City Council technical-review members on Feb. 4, 2025 considered an agenda item titled “consideration of character, misconduct, competence, or health of McQuaid Chesley and ratification of his termination,” prompting extended public comment defending Chesley and questions about process. A motion to remove the personnel item from the agenda failed; council members then addressed the separate agenda item naming Captain Tracy Fells to act as interim chief of police.

Why it matters: The personnel matter drew repeated public comment, with residents saying the chief has been publicly criticized and asking for more transparency before any final action. The exchange also highlighted disagreements about what the city must disclose to council and when personnel deliberations must occur in closed session.

Public speakers criticized the timing and secrecy around the agenda item and urged the council to consider both sides. Resident Ronald Shackleford said the pending vote “will have a lasting impact on this community” and that “a vote against the chief is a vote against truth and justice.” Cindy Delaney, identifying herself as a long-term Mesquite resident, said, “Chesley has been dragged through the mud publicly,” and urged council members to consider those who defended him at prior meetings. Another speaker described the city’s political dynamics and said removal of the matter from public view felt unfair.

Council procedure and motions: During public comment, a council member moved to remove the personnel item from the agenda until the council’s questions were answered or charges were filed; another council member seconded the motion. The chair called for a vote and later announced, “Motion fails,” with Council Member Galloway recorded as voting “nay.” The transcript does not record a full roll-call tally for that motion in the provided excerpt.

The meeting included an agenda item labeled 6.2, “ratification of the appointment of Captain Tracy Fells to act as interim chief of police.” Council members congratulated Tracy Fells during the meeting; the transcript records supportive remarks (“Congratulations Tracy, you’ll do great”) but does not include a complete roll-call vote on the ratification in the provided excerpt.

Questions about record requests and legal process came up during council comments. A council member said a public information request related to personnel-material texts had not been fully fulfilled and asked when the council and public would be presented with both sides. City Manager Edward Dickey and the city attorney were referenced in that exchange; the transcript shows the council member urging that the council be given the facts before taking final action.

Community context and details: Speakers referenced internal police-union numbers and department size: one speaker said the Mesquite Police Officers Association (MPOA) includes about 37 members and that, in that speaker’s understanding, a department vote on the chief was split (about 16 opposed to firing the chief, two did not vote and two were absent); the same speaker said the department employed about 70 people. Those figures were presented by public speakers and are reported here as their statements, not independently verified in the transcript.

What the record shows and what it does not: The transcript excerpt documents public comment opposing the termination and documents a failed motion to remove the agenda item, as noted above. The excerpt identifies the personnel agenda items and records the naming of Captain Tracy Fells as interim chief, but it does not record a complete roll-call vote on the termination ratification or the final ratification vote for the interim appointment. The council did not conclude the personnel deliberation in the provided transcript.

The meeting adjourned after final public comment and the council proceeded to other items on its agenda.