Resident calls for outside probe into Gunter mayor, alleges unlawful recording and procurement lapses

Travis Noel, a Gunter resident who identified himself during public comment, urged the council to open an external investigation into conduct he described as unlawful and to audit the mayor’s office.

"I'm calling tonight for a full investigation to the purchase of this city's EMS vehicles because it appears that purchase was made without competitive process," Noel said in public comment, citing Local Government Code provisions and accusing an official of playing a recording from a closed executive session in open meeting. He also cited Texas Government Code 551.146 when alleging the recording violated the executive-session secrecy statute. Noel told the council he would submit a sworn complaint to the city secretary and law enforcement and asked that any inquiry be handled by an outside agency rather than local police.

Noel also urged removal of the mayor if wrongdoing is found, saying staff should "use every lawful power" to suspend access to city accounts and files while an audit proceeds. The transcript records Noel naming a person in his comments; council discussion later included inconsistent references to mayoral names in the record. The comment was made during the public-comment period and was presented as the speaker's allegation.

Council members did not take immediate formal action on Noel's request at the meeting. Staff said appropriate documents submitted to the city secretary and law enforcement would be processed; Noel said he was filing a sworn statement and asked the council to refer any internal matters to an independent agency for investigation.

Why it matters: Noel's remarks raised questions about both executive-session confidentiality and whether procurement rules were followed for a capital purchase. The council did not announce a formal, council-led investigation during the meeting; Noel asked that the police chief hand any internal probe to an outside sister agency and that the council commission a forensic audit of the mayor's office.