Port Arthur City Council voted Tuesday to conduct a forensic audit of city operations after months of debate and public pressure.

Council member Doucette (Mayor Pro Tem Dusett) introduced the measure, saying repeated departures from city ordinances and local government code prompted the request. "Forensic audit is 1 that you order when you feel that something is wrongdoing," Doucette said during the meeting, adding that a forensic review can identify practices that "we should be doing that we shouldn't be doing, and how we can do it better."

Council debate centered on the audit's scope, the availability of evidence to justify forensic review and how to fund the work. Several council members asked for more specificity about alleged wrongdoing and noted that a forensic audit can be costly; speakers referenced an estimated range of roughly $200,000 to $400,000 depending on scope. Council member Frank said the council should consider budgeting for the expense if the audit is needed, rather than pulling funds immediately from the current adopted budget.

Public commenters strongly supported the audit. Holland Hoffer said hundreds of citizens had raised questions and asked the council to authorize an audit. Gloria Sanchez and Joanne Jones urged the council to follow prior forensic‑audit recommendations and to ensure transparency; Linda Baker, a former forensic auditor, also spoke in favor of a new review.

City staff and other council members noted existing audits and controls. Finance director Lynn told the council the city’s total budget for the year exceeds $400 million and that past audit work had produced corrective actions; the city manager said staff would post prior audits and a chronological report of earlier forensic work on the city website after vetting with the city attorney.

Motion and vote: Council member Doucette moved to approve the conduct of a forensic audit. After discussion, a roll‑call vote passed the motion. The roll call recorded five yes votes (Beckham; Mayor Pro Tem Dusett; Council member Frank; Council member Ken Long; Council member Lewis) and two no votes (Council member Hamilton Everfield; Mayor Moses). The council did not specify the final audit vendor or a firm scope during the meeting; council members said scope and cost would be set later and would determine the final price.

What happens next: Council approved the audit motion and directed staff to proceed with the administrative steps necessary to engage a forensic audit scope and funding mechanism. The city manager said a vetted chronology of past audits would be posted on the city website for public review.