Mayor begins impeachment process of Houston councilman; issue tabled

Houston’s mayor charged last week that an alderman should be impeached as he accused a majority of the council of creating an environment of collusion and corruption in city government.

The impeachment of an unidentified alderman was promised at a Jan. 3 meeting by Mayor Willy Walker. The target — Ward III alderman Don Romines — was unmasked by Walker last Tuesday when he presented a two-page resolution to the six council members and read it before a full house attending at Houston City Hall. It was the first time in three meetings that a Springfield TV crew was not there to record the meeting.

Walker ticked off incidents where he alleged Romines, who sat silent during the mayor’s presentation, had violated city ordinances and the mayor, serving his second term, said he was prepared to document it.

Trouble between a majority of the council and mayor elevated in May when the council overrode two mayoral vetoes that eventually led to the firing of then City Administrator Scott Avery. It was the initial paperwork that had been requested by Board President Romines, drafted by City Attorney Brad Eidson and later approved by the council on a 4-2 vote that drew the mayor’s ire.  The first allegation in the mayor’s impeachment resolution is that Romines initiated it without the direction of a majority of the board and without approval of Avery.

The document outlined by the mayor goes on to accuse Romines of creating a hostile work environment by working to fire the city administrator and later he said he interfered on two occasions during the hiring process of the current administrator, Mark Campbell, who was unanimously approved late last year by the council. In another case, the Walker impeachment document says Romines offered a second to a council motion when the council considered former economic developer Rob Harrington for the top post. Harrington never interviewed for the post, but was interested.

Walker’s resolution goes on to accuse Romines of not being respectful of the mayor and at one time offering a news release for council consideration that would have been its response to an investigation that occurred at a business that Walker has an ownership stake in. The measure never saw a vote after the mayor said the matter wasn’t on the agenda. Police camera video was widely circulated on the internet and drew large audiences.

Grievances over the last budget adoption process are addressed in the mayor’s document and calls it corrupt for Romines  “demanding” another alderman to vote during a Jan. 3 meeting. It also states that five employees who left the city payroll cited Romines as a factor.

On a 3-2 vote (Michael Weakly and Sam Kelley no, Romines abstaining), the council tabled consideration until its March 6 meeting. The motion was offered by Alderman Kevin Stilley, who noted it was time to move on with city business and wondered why the paperwork hadn’t been included in packets delivered each Friday before the meetings.

“The reason I didn’t do that is because of the collusion and corruption that has been within the council. I didn’t see any need for you guys to have it on a three-day weekend,” the mayor said.

Eidson, who said Walker had failed to present the required articles of impeachment,  pressed the mayor more than once on his accusations of secret meetings — asking for a time, date and locations. “I can get you a date, Mr. Eidson, I didn’t know I was going to be sitting here on the throne and be questioned by my own city attorney,” Walker said.

Added the mayor, “No more of this attacking me while I’m up here. Understand?”

“I work for the council,” Edison responded.

“And you are under the administrator. I know what the policy says,” said Walker.

After the meeting, Romines said the mayor’s accusations are baseless and was optimistic that city government would eventually be functioning again.

For the second time since May, Kelley introduced a motion to fire Eidson. Like the first time in May, it failed 4-2 (Kelley and Weakly voted to terminate).

“The corruption continues at Houston,” the mayor said after the vote.