City Council

ND MINUTESFROMTHEHUNTSVILLECITYCOUNCILMEETINGHELDONTHE2 DAYOFMAY 2013, INTHECITYHALL, LOCATEDAT1212AVENUEMINTHECITYOFHUNTSVILLE, COUNTYOFWALKER, TEXAS,AT5:00PM. TheCouncilmetinaregularsessionwiththefollowing: COUNCILMEMBERSPRESENT: MacWoodward,JamesFitch,DonH.Johnson,KeithOlson,JoeEmmett,TishHumphrey,RonaldAllen,ClydeLoll COUNCILMEMBERSABSENT: LydiaMontgomery OFFICERSPRESENT: LeonardSchneider,CityAttorney,LeeWoodward,CitySecretary__________________________________ SPECIALSESSION [5:00PM] 1. CALLTOORDER –Inthepresenceofaquorum, MayorWoodwardcalledthemeetingtoorderat5:00pm. 2. INVOCATIONANDPLEDGES - CouncilmemberJohnsongavetheinvocation. 3. PUBLICCOMMENT Therewasnopubliccomment. 4. EXECUTIVESESSION a. CityCouncilwillconveneinclosedsessionasauthorizedbyTexasGovernmentCode551.071toreceivelegaladvice onthegrievancehearingprocessforthegrievancehearing requestedby ChrisMyers. [LeonardSchneider,City Attorney] TheMayoradjournedtheCouncilintoExecutiveSessionat5:02p.m. 5. RECONVENE a.ConsiderationandpossibleactiononrequestbyChrisMyersthatthehearingbeheldinprivate. TheCouncilreconvenedat5:48 p.m. TheCityAttorneyrecommendedtherequestforprivatehearingbedeniedandfeltthe AttorneyGeneralopinionsconcerningthepresenceofadversepartiesinexecutivesession, sayinghealsothoughtitwasin thebestinterestoftransparency. CouncilmemberOlsonmovedtodenyMr.Myers’requestandwassecondedby CouncilmemberHumphrey. Themotionwasunanimouslyapproved, 8-0. 6. EMPLOYEEGRIEVANCEAPPEALHEARING – (SHOULDCITYCOUNCILCONDUCTOPENSESSION) a. AppealandhearingasrequestedbyChrisMyeronhistermination. ProceduretobesetbyCityCouncil. [Leonard Schneider, CityAttorney] TheMayorcalledthehearingtoorderat5:50pm,certifiedthatmorethansixCityCouncilmemberswerepresent, alongwith ChrisMyersandhisattorneyGregCagle. TheMayorintroducedattorneyGeorgeHydefortheCityandnotedtheCity Attorneywaspresent andoutlinedhearingprotocol. WitnessesChiefofPoliceKevinLunsford, andLieutenantsJames Barnes,andCurtLandrumweresworninbytheCitySecretary. Mr.Cagleinvokedthe “witnessrule” andLts. Barnesand Landrumleftthehearing. Mr.Hydeaskedthathisdocumentsbeenteredasevidence, whichwasacceptedbytheMayor,alongwiththevideo,andMr. Caglesaidhewasinagreement. Hydemadehisopeningstatement, providingthreebasesforjustcause: 1. Aviolationofestablishedrules. 2. Actionsonthepartoftheemployeewhichimpairstheeffectiveness, efficiency, orreputationoftheCity. 3. Anemployee’sonoroff-the-jobbehaviorwhichimpairstheeffectiveness, efficiency,orreputationoftheCity. HydestatedthathefelttheHuntsvillePoliceDepartmentcouldmeetallthreeofthesebases,therebytransferringtheburden ofprooftoMyers.Withrespecttothefirstbase, HydesaidtherehadbeenninerulesviolatedbyOfficerMyers’behavior, includingunnecessaryforce,failuretodocumenttheuseofforce,andshowingdisrespecttoacivilian. Healsonotedseven actionsbyMyerswhichimpairedtheeffectiveness, efficiencyorreputationoftheCity.Finally, henotedeightelementswhich satisfiedthethirdbase,employeebehaviorwhichimpairstheeffectiveness, efficiencyorreputationoftheCity. HydestatedthatthetwobasicallegationsagainstOfficerMyersbythefatherofthearrestee,EldonJoeFuller, were unnecessaryuseofforceandunprofessionalconduct. Inaddition, Hydeprovidedabriefoverviewoftheinternalinvestigationofearly2013andotherbackgroundtotheinvestigation. Withrespecttovideoevidence,HydesaidtherewouldbefoursegmentsshowntotheCouncil, andtheMayorsuggested movingthevideotothetestimonialportionofthehearing. HydesaidtheevidenceontheHuntsvillePoliceDepartmentsidewasoverwhelmingandthatjustcauseexistedforthe terminationofOfficerMyers. Mr.CaglereservedhisopeningtimeforMr.Myers’case-in-chief. ChiefLunsfordwascalledasawitnessandrecountedreceivingtheinitialcomplaintfromMr.EldonJoeFuller, contactingthe TexasRangersforinvestigation, andtestifiedthatMr.Hyde’s notebookcontainedtheinformationpertinenttotheevents. Mr. Hydeaskedtoshowthevideo. Mr.SchneiderwarnedtheCouncilthatthevideocontainedpossiblyoffensivematerialthat  wouldnotaironChannel7. TherewasnoobjectionfromtheCityCouncilortheattorneys. Afterviewingthematerial, ChiefLunsfordconfirmedhefeltOfficerMyershadactedinamannerthatescalatedtheevents. He saidthathedidtakeMyers’ statementintoconsideration, findingthatdismissalwasstillthebestcourseofaction, citingMyers’ self-admitted “usversusthem”attitude. TheChiefaddressedfollowupsconductedbyHPDsupervisorsforOfficerMyers. He saidhehadmetwithOfficerMyersonMarch7andMarch8andMyers’ pleasforactionsotherthantermination, butthatall inquirysupportedhisdecisiontoterminate. My.Hydereferredagaintohispresentationonthethreebasesforterminationby justcause. Mr.HydediscussedwiththeChiefabouta “Bradyfile”attheDistrictAttorney’s office,notingwhathefelttheimpactofthat wouldhavebeenandthattheotherofficertheChiefhadhadwithsuchafilehadbeenterminated. (TheCounciltookashort recess.) Mr.Cagle askedtoshowthevideoagainandtelevision feedwasdisconnectedforthattime. Mr.CaglequestionedChief Lunsfordaboutotherofficersinthevideoanddisciplinaryactionstakenregardingtheirparticipation. ChiefLunsfordconfirmed thatJacobFuller’sJanuary2013complaintwasreceivedbythePoliceDepartment inFebruary2013, whentheTexasRanger hadcompletedhisinvestigation. Mr.CagleaskedabouttheRanger’sopinionwhenhefirstmetwiththeChiefinJanuaryand wastoldtheRangerJeterfeltthereshouldbeaninvestigation. TheChiefacknowledgedhenotedadditionalpolicyviolations fromtheCity’s personnelpolicytothosefoundbytheInternalAffairsreview. ChiefLunsfordtoldMr.Caglehehadonlydealt withonesuchsimilarsituationbutthattheofficerresignedbeforebeingterminated. Mr.CagleconfirmedtheDistrictAttorney toldChiefLunsfordhewouldbeopeninga “Bradyfile”onOfficerMyers. TheChiefwasaskedabouttheCity’s policyonuseofforceincomparisonwiththestatelaw. Mr.Cagleconfirmedtheother officersdidnotmakementionofOfficerMyers’useofholdsandtheChiefnotedthePoliceDepartmentdidhaveitsown additionaluseofforcetraining. Mr.CaglereviewedTheHuntsvilleItemarticleandquestionedwhytheChiefspokewiththem, towhichhesaidhehadhopedtomitigatepublicimpactfromthearticle. Mr.Caglelookedovermemosfromofficersand notedcounselingandretrainingwasdonein-housebutthatMyers’wasnotorderedtodopursueotherretrainingorassistance programs. TheChiefconfirmedaboutfourotherofficerswereonthescenethenightinquestionbutthatnonereportedapolicyviolation orviolationoflaw,norweretheyreprimandedfornotdoingso. Mr.CaglepassedthewitnessbacktoMr.Hyde,whocovered theuseofforcepolicyandagainreviewedthevideo. Mr.HydeandChiefLunsfordreviewedtheactionsinthevideo, assessingthatOfficerMyersescalateduseofforcewithoutapparentjustification. TheyalsolookedoverMyers’ written accountoftheeveninginquestion, theterminationpacket, andMyers’appealofhisdismissal. Mr.Cagleregainedthewitness, notingthathefeltOfficerMyers’hadbeenjokingaboutthreateningthesuspectwithacharge ofPublicIntoxication. TheChiefsaidhewasmoreconcernedaboutMyers’ intentthanhisactionsandagreedthatOfficer Myerswouldnothavebeenterminatedifnotfortheexcessiveuseofforce. Mr.Caglesaidpoliceofficersdevelopan “us versusthem”mentality. TheCouncilstoodatease andthenrecessedforafewminutes.) Mr.CaglequestionedtheChiefaboutuseofforce expertise, cases,andreviewingactionsinhindsight. Mr.CagleindicatedthatMr.FullerhadkickedatOfficerMyersand tensedupwhileincustody. Mr.Caglediscussednecessaryforceasarangeandsaidthatwhatonemightviewasmorethan necessarymightnotbeunreasonable. Mr.CagleaskedaboutMyers’commendationsandevaluations, notingtheofficerhad notreceivedoverallbelow-averageratings. Mr.CaglenotedOfficerMyers’hadreceived anhonorabledischargefromthe Navy. TheChiefsaidneitherthePoliceDepartmentnortheTexasRangerinterviewedJacobFullerinthetermination investigation,addingthattheDepartmenthadMr.Fuller’s s(uspect’s)fatherpriorcomplaintsandthevideo, anddidinterview thefather. Mr.CagleandMr.Hyderestedtheircases-in-chief. Toclose,Mr.HydesaidOfficerMyersadmittingtobeingangryandnotedMyerscametothesceneunaskedandengagedthe suspect. Mr.HydesuggestedMyersincitedthesuspectandsoughttoadminister “streetjustice.” Thecounseloraddedthat unnecessary forcewasappliedbyOfficerMyersandhadahistoryofviolationofpolicy,meetingtherequirementsof terminationforjustcause. Mr.CaglethankedtheCounciland acknowledgedtheserviceofofficerseverynight, noting,however, thatthehearing’s situationwasmuchdifferentthanbeingonthescene. Heaskedthat20/20hindsightnotbeusedtoevaluatethebehaviorin question, notingnotrainedofficerorcitizensonthescenecameforwardatthetimetoreportOfficerMyersandthatnoofficers werereprimanded inanywayforfailingtoreportapolicyviolation. Mr.CagleremindedtheCouncilthatthesuspectwasnot interviewedintheterminationinvestigations. ThecounselorsuggestedthattheCitycaseemphasisonOfficerMyers’ assumedangerdidnotresultinanyadditionalchargesfromMyersandthatfurthervideowouldshowbetterinteractions betweenthesubjectandMyers. Mr.Caglesaidmostofthesuspect’spoorbehaviorwasduetohisintoxication. Myers’ attorneyaskedtheCounciltoconsider “whatwasfair.” Mr.HydefinishedbysayingthattheonlypersonwithcontroloverOfficerMyers’careerwasthemanhimselfandaskingifthis wasthemannerinwhichtheCouncilwantedthecommunitytreatedoriftheywanteditcurbedbythePoliceDepartment’s commandstaff. Mr.Hydeaskedforconsiderationofthestandardofconductwithcitizens. MayorWoodwardclosedthehearingat8:44pm. b. ConsiderationandpossibleactionpertainingtotheappealbyChrisMyersonhistermination. -CityCouncilreserves therighttogointoExecutiveSessionpursuanttoSection551.074todeliberatetheappointment,employment,  evaluation,reassignment, duties,discipline,ordismissalofemployeeChrisMyersbyChief KevinLunsford,Director ofPublicSafety. TheMayoradjournedtheCouncilintoExecutiveSessionat8:46p.m. TheMayornotedtheCouncilhadtendaystoissueits decision. c. Reconvene - Takeaction,ifnecessary,onitemsaddressedduringExecutiveSession. MayorWoodwardreconvenedthemeetingat9:25 p.m. CouncilmemberOlsonmovedtoupholdtheterminationandwas secondedbyCouncilmemberJohnson. Themotionpassedunanimously, 8-0. 7. EMPLOYEEGRIEVANCEAPPEALHEARING – (SHOULDCITYCOUNCILCONDUCTCLOSEDSESSION) a. CityCouncilwillconveneinclosedsessionasauthorizedbyTexasGovernmentCode 551.074todeliberatethe appointment, employment, evaluation,reassignment,duties,discipline,ordismissalofanemployee,asrequestedby ChrisMyers.ProceduretobesetbyCityCouncil. CityCouncilreservestherighttogointoExecutiveSession pursuanttoSection551.071oftheTexasGovernmentCodereceivelegaladviceonhearingprocessand appeal.[LeonardSchneider,CityAttorney] b. Reconvene - Takeaction,ifnecessary,onitemsaddressedduringExecutiveSession. 8. PUBLICCOMMENT Therewasnopubliccomment. 9. MEDIAINQUIRIESRELATEDTOMATTERSONTHEAGENDA Therewerenomediainquiries. 10. ITEMSOFCOMMUNITYINTEREST Therewerenoitemsofcommunityinterest. 11. ADJOURNMENT MayorWoodwardadjournedthemeetingat9:27pm. Respectfullysubmitted, LeeWoodward,CitySecretary