Residents and speakers press council for fairness, civility and due process amid ethics disputes

Several residents used the public‑comment period to press the council on civility, fairness and due process in ongoing ethics disputes.

Vicky Harrison (speaker 15), who said she and her husband have lived in Farmers Branch for more than 30 years, urged the council to stop personal attacks and to treat long‑serving community leaders with respect. “She stood up. She spent countless hours working toward making Farmers Branch a diverse community, and she deserves respect for that alone,” Harrison said, naming Councilmember Elizabeth Villafranca in an extended appeal.

Al Mahesh (speaker 6) asked the council to rely on evidence and eyewitness testimony rather than speculation, social media or partisan performance: “If we want our community to have confidence in this council, we must let the facts guide our conclusion rather than assumptions, emotions, or political loyalties,” he said. Several speakers called for transparent processes that allow witnesses to be heard and for consistent application of rules.

Councilmembers acknowledged the public concerns during subsequent debate over the engagement of outside ethics counsel; some councilmembers framed the outside review as a way to ensure impartiality and restore public confidence.