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Residents press council for transparency on expedited city manager hiring; council holds executive session, takes no action
Summary
Multiple residents criticized the speed and transparency of the council's process to consider a candidate referred to as "Theo" for city manager, calling for a delay, town-hall input and stricter contract terms. Council met in executive session on personnel matters and returned with no action taken.
Numerous residents addressed the Navasota City Council during the remarks-of-visitors portion to urge more transparency and a slower timeline in the council’s consideration of a prospective city manager identified in public remarks as “Theo.”
Debbie Fincher, who said she completed the city’s Citizens University after recently moving back to Navasota, criticized the hiring process as "flawed from the beginning" and urged council to honor past transparency commitments. Fincher raised questions about the candidate’s prior employment and flagged allegations circulating online, saying "trust but verify."
Other speakers, including Kelly Austin and Taylor Perry, echoed calls for delaying a vote and holding a town-hall meeting. Perry raised specific allegations about the candidate’s prior conduct and financial oversight in other jurisdictions — including cited figures reported during public comment — and urged council to require stronger contract protections such as an extended probationary period, termination-for-cause without severance and a dispute-resolution clause. Several longtime residents and business owners, including John Cleveland and Burke Bearden, said the city is experiencing rapid growth and stressed the need for steady, ethical leadership; some said they would support a cautious, slower vetting process.
Council convened an executive session under Section 551.074 of the Texas Government Code to discuss city-manager personnel matters and a city secretary evaluation. After returning to open session late in the meeting, the mayor announced that "council is still considering this item" and that no final action on the city manager appointment would be taken that night.
Public comments and next steps: speakers repeatedly asked the council to delay any final appointment until the next meeting or until a publicly announced town-hall; several asked for detailed contract safeguards if the council moves forward. When council ended the meeting, no employment agreement for a city manager was approved and the council indicated further consideration would be required.
