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Farmers Branch council orders independent probe into one ethics complaint, declines another after executive session
Summary
After a closed executive session on complaints filed June 8 and June 9 alleging city-code-of-ethics violations by council members for Districts 1 and 2, the council voted to retain outside counsel to investigate the District 1 complaint and voted not to pursue the District 2 complaint.
Following a closed executive session on June 23, the Farmers Branch City Council took two formal post-session actions on ethics complaints tied to council districts.
On the first matter — a complaint filed June 8 alleging a violation of the city code of ethics against the District 1 council member (city code §2-284) — the council voted to instruct the city attorney to engage an outside, independent attorney to investigate the complaint. The motion passed after a second was recorded; the transcript identifies the second as Councilman Neil but does not record a roll-call tally.
On the second matter — a complaint filed June 9 alleging a code-of-ethics violation against the District 2 council member — the council considered a motion not to move forward with an investigation and that motion passed. The council clarified that, for the June 23 vote on item D2, an affirmative vote meant not to proceed with an investigation; members voted accordingly.
Both items had been placed on the agenda under closed-session authority: Texas Government Code sections 551.071 (consultation with attorney) and 551.074 (personnel). The transcript records the council's instructions and the outcomes but does not provide details of the complaints themselves in open session.
