Municipal judge alleges harassment by Mayor Nathan Alexander at Prairie View council meeting

Judge Shalita Alexander Simmons used her public‑comment time at the June 8 Prairie View council meeting to describe what she characterized as harassment by Mayor Nathan Alexander and to report actions she said he took after the May election.

Simmons, who described more than 18 years of city service in court administration, said that before he took office Mayor Nathan Alexander "practically, in my opinion, threatened me by telling me that he was evaluating my performance and that I would be meeting with him every week to go over that performance improvement plan." She said she asked for a copy of the plan and did not receive one, then related an email she later received that set expectations for advance notice of absences and other workplace conditions.

The mayor interrupted during parts of Simmons’s remarks; council granted her an additional two minutes and cautioned against personal attacks. Simmons asked council to visit with her; no immediate disciplinary action was taken on the dais that evening.

Council members and staff later acknowledged the judge’s statements and said special counsel was reviewing related materials; the mayor said he would provide documentation and staff said a printed copy of any follow‑up correspondence would be shared with council. Simmons’s allegation was the most contentious public comment at the meeting and will likely be a subject of further administrative or legal proceedings if the parties pursue formal complaints.

The meeting moved on after the public comment period and several agenda items were tabled or discussed; no vote on disciplinary or personnel action relating to the judge was recorded at that session.