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Residents urge investigation into mayor’s conduct during heated public comments
Summary
Two residents accused Mayor Palmer of selectively enforcing decorum, directing police to remove critics and signing a petition to halt a road project; they asked the council to open an investigation. Council took no formal action on those requests at the March 24 meeting.
Public comments at the Willow Park City Council meeting on March 24 focused on allegations of improper conduct by Mayor Palmer and calls for a formal investigation.
Karen Scott, a longtime resident, told the council she had observed a pattern over nine months of “selective enforcement” by the mayor that, she said, stifled dissent and protected political allies. Scott said the mayor had instructed the chief of police to remove a community news reporter for asking unwelcome questions, allowed supporters to interrupt critics without consequence and had asked an officer to run a criminal-history check on a private citizen who had criticized the mayor. “This selective enforcement stifles dissent, protects political allies,” Scott said, urging the council to initiate hearings and an investigation; she told the council she had also notified the Texas Rangers Public Integrity Unit about the most recent incident.
Amy Fennell, another resident, accused the mayor of undermining her own road-repair pledge by signing a petition that halted the Squaw Creek Road Project. Fennell said the mayor “signed a petition against yourself” and warned that the apparent contradiction had already damaged trust among businesses and residents. Fennell urged turnout in future elections to support the current council.
Council members did not launch an investigation or take any formal disciplinary action during the meeting. The mayor acknowledged the comments but did not offer an extended response on the record beyond thanking speakers and moving the agenda forward. No motions to investigate the allegations were introduced in open session after reconvening from executive session.
The public comments were part of a broader, sometimes contentious public-comment period in which multiple residents raised concerns about the Home Rule charter, zoning and development. The council proceeded to consider its agenda items, including zoning requests and annexations, and voted on several ordinances later in the meeting.
Next steps: The council did not schedule additional action on these allegations during the March 24 meeting. Residents requesting investigations can request agenda placement or petition the council for formal inquiry; the transcript and public-record minutes will reflect any follow-up motions or official referrals if they are later made.
