Council debate forces mayor to withdraw appointment amid ordinance conflict concerns

Mayor (speaker 1) opened discussion of agenda item 8 by saying the ordinance "says the mayor will appoint 1 councilman to do me a charge," and that she had acted under that authority. The mayor said she had already appointed Alan Richards and described the action as a codified local law.

Multiple council members and residents pushed back, arguing the appointment conflicts with Gunter's city-manager form of government and could create real or perceived conflicts of interest. Resident Ashley Jones warned the council that "putting a close political ally or friend of the mayor in a position of authority over the police department while the mayor has pending criminal matter charges creates exactly the kind of situation the city should be trying to avoid." Several council members urged postponing implementation, consulting legal counsel and bringing an ordinance forward to repeal the 1980 provision.

Councilmember motions were made to rescind the appointment and to postpone implementation. The mayor declined to accept a motion to rescind on the spot but later voluntarily withdrew the appointment and council directed staff to place an ordinance repealing the appointment authority on the next meeting agenda. Councilmembers also asked staff and legal to clarify whether any appointment already enacted would be enforceable and how it interacts with existing police-chief contracts.

The discussion was procedural and political rather than a final policy change: the council did not vote tonight to repeal the ordinance; instead the mayor agreed to withdraw the nomination and the council directed a future agenda item to consider removing the ordinance formally. The council also discussed options for a motion that would make clear there is no confusion about who is "in charge" between now and the next meeting.

What happens next: staff and legal were directed to prepare an ordinance to repeal or amend the 1980 provision and to return the matter for formal action at the next meeting. No final vote on repeal occurred tonight.