Resident urges release of forensic audit, says Crockett High School training programs were frozen

During the public-comment period, resident Natrini Hicks told the Crockett City Council she planned to file a public records request seeking clarity on an investigation into the city’s Economic and Industrial Development Corporation.

Hicks said she had been told—by initials only—that the investigation had been reported as complete and asked whether the council had communicated that status publicly. She added that past findings predated the current executive director and said the city’s actions had effectively "frozen the opportunity for our youth" at Crockett High School to receive training in heavy equipment and nursing skills. "Those was some of the things that we were working on with the school... We did not help our kids at all," Hicks said.

Council and staff declined to provide details about the investigation during the meeting when an attendee asked for an update; a staff member said they were "not allowed to" comment and noted they were not personally conducting the investigation. Hicks said she would submit a public records request the following day to obtain records and questioned the board’s adherence to state law and annual meeting requirements for the economic development board.

The council did not provide further public detail on the investigation at the meeting. Hicks’ remarks raised a specific request for transparency (a records request) and an allegation about pause of a school workforce program; council members did not dispute her characterization during the session but did not provide additional information.