Board of Ethics votes to issue letter of reprimand for councilor Villarreal

After concluding that violations of the ethics code had occurred, the Denton City Board of Ethics voted to issue a letter of reprimand to Councilor Jordan Villarreal.

Board members reviewed a sanctions matrix that separates intent (intentional vs. unintentional) and severity (minor vs. serious). Several members characterized the conduct as intentional and serious; one member said, "I would consider it serious," and another urged that the record include a recommendation that Villarreal apologize to the people he harassed. The board discussed limitations on remedies: staff noted that although Villarreal has resigned he remains a council member under the holdover provision until a replacement is seated, and suspension is not an available sanction for the board.

A motion to issue a letter of reprimand was made and seconded; the board voted in favor and the motion passed. Members debated recommending a personal apology to the victims but stopped short of mandating one, citing potential re-traumatization if the respondent initiated direct contact with victims. The board instructed staff to prepare the letter and publish the board's opinion on its website.