Denton Board of Ethics finds councilor asserted office to advance private interests

The Denton City Board of Ethics unanimously found that Councilor Jordan Villarreal asserted his city position for the purpose of advancing private interests, the panel said after deliberations at a Sept. 14 hearing.

During deliberations the board split the question of whether the conduct showed intent to harm or intent to advance private interests; after separate votes the board carried a motion that it was "reasonably certain" Villarreal had asserted his position to advance private interests. A committee member moved the motion and the board amended the language to include the "reasonably certain" standard required by the ordinance before taking a roll call.

Board members debated whether buying drinks and repeatedly invoking a council title amounted to securing a special benefit, with several members saying the record did not show a monetary benefit. But on the separate question of asserting position to advance interests the board concluded the respondent's repeated references to his council role were sufficient to meet the ordinance standard. One member framed the choice as a clarity issue for future cases: "The benefit from of splitting it is clarity," a committee member said while urging the board to separate advancing from harming for the record.

The board's determination is an ethical finding under Denton City code; the respondent was not present but had submitted a written statement that the board had accepted into evidence. The board will publish its written opinion and the finding on the Board of Ethics webpage.