Keller council denies fire marshal Deborah Crafton’s grievance, upholds HR findings

At a May 2 special meeting, the Keller City Council voted 7-0 to deny a grievance filed by Keller Fire Marshal Deborah Crafton and to uphold the findings of the city human resources director.

The grievance, which the city attorney and the council reviewed in executive session under Texas law, centers on Crafton’s complaints about workplace treatment and limits placed on her enforcement authority in the fire prevention division. The council made the formal ruling after a public-comment period in which supporters urged the council to preserve Crafton’s authority and reputation.

The attorney representing Crafton told the council that the goal was to “make sure her input is not ignored, her authority is not circumvented,” and urged the council to direct the city manager to “fix it,” including by considering mediation or a negotiated departure if necessary. The attorney also said the complaint and appeal should be included in the meeting’s agenda materials; he said he did not see them in the packet and offered copies to the council and public.

City Manager (name not specified) told the council that he agreed with the findings of the city human resources investigation. “I agree with the findings of the human resources investigation,” he said during his presentation, and added that no disciplinary action had been taken against Chief Crafton. The city manager said he favors guiding developers and residents through the process and prioritizing compliance over citations where appropriate, and described three examples cited in the grievance: a fire suppression pump/generator at the Penguin Patch, dual-access requirements for new development at 1241 Keller Parkway, and a fine issued for a tent permit.

Members of the public spoke in support of Crafton during the persons-to-be-heard period. Linda Taylor, who said she has known Deborah Crafton for more than 10 years and has volunteered in Keller, described longstanding treatment differences for women and recounted an incident in which a male volunteer shone a flashlight on a female volunteer and made “a rather crude and inappropriate remark.” A retired city fire inspector who worked with Crafton praised her leadership in prevention, saying, “I don’t think I’ve worked with anyone in the fire service that has more integrity than her.”

The council’s formal motion, offered from the dais, was to “deny the grievance and uphold the findings of the city human resources director.” The motion passed unanimously, 7-0. Council members did not announce individual roll-call votes in the public record provided in the transcript; the meeting record shows a 7-0 tally and the mayor then moved to adjourn.

The attorney for Crafton had asked the council to consider remedies including restoring authority, mediation, or an agreed separation; the council did not take any public, additional remedial action at the meeting beyond the vote to deny the grievance. The attorney also requested that Crafton’s complaint and appeal be placed in the agenda materials; he said he would provide copies to the council and any members of the public who wanted them.

The council opened the meeting by referencing an executive-session consult with the city attorney under Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code and confirmed council members had reviewed the complaint packet before voting. The city manager described continuing efforts to improve development processes and said he views the International Fire Code as offering flexibility to balance safety and development goals.

The council’s decision leaves the human resources director’s findings in place; the transcript does not record any immediate change to Crafton’s duties or authority, nor does it record a subsequent, specific directive from the council to the city manager. Additional follow-up, including any administrative or legal appeals, was not recorded in the public portions of this meeting.