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EAGLE LAKE — The City Council met in regular session March 14 to discuss items on the agenda. At the beginning of the meeting, public comments from Eagle Lake residents and residents from Missouri City and La Marque, spoke concerning City Manager Charles “Tink” Jackson who they say served on the city councils in their cities before coming to Eagle Lake. Residents also voiced their support for Police Chief Kris Abbott.
Per the Texas Open Meetings Act, council members are excluded from public comments.
Former Officer Christopher Cannon spoke before the council during the open comments concerning his termination from the city and said that Jackson has made him “a target of his vengeance” because of his complaint against City Secretary Lina Ferguson. Cannon said he filed the complaint on Sept. 26.
A statement to the Citizen from Christopher Cannon reads in part: “I started working for Eagle Lake PD on Sept. 1, 2022. On Sept. 21, Mr. Jackson put out a statement that if any city employee talks to the Mayor or Council with any kind of complaint they would be terminated. On Oct. 10, I was released from FTO and requested my sign on bonus which was in my contact, Mr. Jackson said no. There was a false claim brought against me, not regarding my job performance but a personal matter.”
Cannon said the allegations against him concerning being married to two women was proven false by Texas vital statistics. Cannon said Jackson would not “hear it.”
Cannon said he turned in his resignation letter on Dec. 28, but said that Jackson would not accept it. He said this led to him being terminated.
“I then started working for Weimar PD in mid-January,” Cannon said. “In mid-February, Jackson went to Weimar and spoke with the city manager on three occasions telling them that I lied and Chief Abbott falsified my background. That was not correct.”
The Citizen has reached out to the city’s office to request a statement from Tink Jackson regarding the allegations. Jackson said he is not able to comment on the accusations. He said “We’re not allowed to discuss personnel matters with the public.”
In regards to the allegations against Chief Abbott stemming from comments made during the Weimar City Council meeting, a statement to the Citizen from Abbott reads as follows: “It was allegedly stated that Chief Jacobs met with me or contacted me. Neither of them happened. He never met with me; he never went to the PD. Jamy Adams went to the PD a day before the city manager released the information I supposedly kept from Jamy when he was there the day before. But the date on his letter was the date after the background check, so I didn’t have anything to withhold at that point.”
Abbott reiterated that Officer Adams came to the police department to do a background on Cannon, and the city manager had a complaint that Adams did not see on Dec. 28 the city manager’s complaint that would have been in the file dated Dec. 29.
At the Weimar City Council meeting on March 9, Chief Jacobs did say that he appoints officers to conduct background checks, but that he approves after looking at the information.
The council went into executive session at the end of the meeting to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of City Manager. After the executive session, council said they did not consider any action at this time.
Other items before the council were in regards to a medical transport service. Kennie Kerr with PHI Health, LLC dba PHI Air Medical spoke before the council about the city enrolling in an annual membership for emergency air medical transport services to cover incorporated Eagle Lake residents.
Kerr talked about the lifesaving measures, unlimited transports, financial coverage, and more. She said the services covers those insured, on Medicare, and uninsured. She said membership covers individuals who may be to be flown more than once throughout the year.
City Manager Charles “Tink” Jackson said the proposal would be about $9,200 to cover residents in Eagle Lake.
The council will table the topic until the next meeting.
The council also discussed possible action on appointment of an associate municipal judge. Stan Warfield currently holds the position of municipal judge in Eagle Lake. Jackson said the judge is requesting for an associate judge to be appointed for times when he has a conflict or needs to have someone hear a case related to family relations. Jackson said there is currently not a person appointment to do so at this time. Jackson proposed appointing Municipal Judge Glenn Russell of East Bernard for the position. Tink said that he was suggested because the city may have used him before and Russell is not related to anyone in the city.
Some of the council members were familiar with Russell and others were not. The council moved to table the agenda item until a future meeting and return with recommendations for the position.
Colorado County Judge Ty Prause was in attendance along with Chuck Rodgers, Michael Furr, and other EMS, county officials to speak concerning the Endeavors facility that is projected to open in Eagle Lake. Prause spoke about the importance for emergency management that may be needed to compensate the additional individuals in the city in the event that an evacuation or other emergency crisis is needed in the city.
City Manager Jackson proposed a join meeting between the city council and the commissioner’s court. The commissioners and the city will continue to coordinate regarding emergency or safety plans to put in place to help them be proactive.
An update from the last meeting concerning mobile food trucks, Tink said the city attorney drafted an ordinance with context similar to what is in other cities.
The council also followed up concerning the junked vehicle ordinance from the last meeting. Tink said he worked with the city attorney and only had a change regarding the wording.
“The wording he came up with was just to change it from ‘they are screened from ordinary public view by means of an opaque fence,’” Jackson said. “And take out the rapidly growing tree shrubbery or any other means that gets rid of blue tarps lights and everything else.”
The council also discussed a replacement of a director to the 1093 Rails to Trails local government cooperation. Jackson said this is because Alderman Michael Cooper has decided not to run for council again. Jackson appointed for Lisa Halbert to serve as the director. Jackson said she is interested and has attended the public meeting and chamber banquet concerning the project. The council approved of the appointment.
Alderwoman GayeLynn Thomas also discussed an animal control ordinance out of safety for residents. She said Public Works is handling stray animals, but she would like to have a specific person designated to help respond to calls. Jackson who certification is needed for the position. The council will discuss more in the future.
