Citizens packed into the Council Chambers and the Wallis City Hall Complex Wednesday, Dec. 15, to address rumors spread that the city council was looking to dismiss the Police Chief/Interim City Administrator, Police Lieutenant/Criminal Investigator, City Secretary and the City Attorney.

Tempers flared early on during the meeting as eight members of the community – the maximum number of registrants – addressed the council, each with their own opinions on the rumors surrounding the dismissal of the employees.

Speakers like former Wallis Mayor Steve Bockel praised the employees rumored to be dismissed and told the council they were an embarrassment to the city. The final member of the audience to address the council was Rodney Drinnon of McCathern Law Firm, who identified himself as the personal attorney of David and Sheila Moseley – the Police Chief and City Secretary.

“If you want to play, we’ll play. So, the whole point of tonight is (that) if we have to bankrupt you to do it, we’ll do it,” said Drinnon. “If you decide to go forward with (the executive session), we’ll talk about your lives, we’ll talk about why you’re doing what you’re doing, and we’ll talk about the financial and whatever personal motivations that you have.”

Once the council worked its way down the agenda to item H, all of the employees listed to be discussed regarding personnel matters requested that the session be held publicly rather than in a closed session.

Before any discussion on agenda item H, Councilmember Clark Main Jr. asked Councilmember Melissa McFarland to repeal her request for the agenda item. Main Jr. said if she didn’t comply, he would be in contact with state officials to look into matters of abuse of power and official misconduct.

“Nobody ever said anything about firing anybody, this is what the code said you have to put (on the agenda),” said McFarland regarding the use of the word dismissal on the agenda item. “The firing came from a post from Facebook. That was somebody saying that there would be somebody getting fired. That was never said. This is how the Texas code lists that you have to put it on here in order to be able to ask people questions.”

The Wallis City Attorney, Arthur L. Pertile III, then explained to the council that the word dismissal was not required to be posted in the agenda.

Councilmember Bernadette Parr echoed the sentiment of McFarland and explained that the council never intended to dismiss any of the employees. McFarland motioned to take the executive session off of the agenda and Councilmember James King seconded.

After the motion, Mayor Dennis Diggs asked the council to stand if they were in favor of removing the executive session from the agenda. All of the council members stood to acknowledge they were in favor of the motion.

The meeting ended with all four employees remaining employed by the city.

Honorable mentions:

• The Wallis News-Review published its final paper on June 3 due to the retirement of Joannie and Johnny Griffin. The News-Review served the Wallis community starting in November of 1974.

• Long-time Wallis resident Doris Jones received a brand new home provided by the Texas GLO in August after her property had sustained damage from Hurricane Harvey, 2016’s Tax Day Flood, and Winter Storm Uri.