Duncanville Is Suing Its Own Mayor

Get it straight. Duncanville isn't suing it's esteemed mayor. Some sleazy people on the council are. Bottom lime. You want to keep Jameson, Jones, and Hodge. Do not elect Green or Smithey. Not sure about the others, but you definitely want to keep the good guys on the council. There should never have been a lawsuit. It is a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money. I cannot believe the depts to which these types of people will stoop. Scary.

Anyone who will take the time required to sit through a couple of City Council Meetings will have no difficulty seeing the reality of what is going on in Duncanville.

Bottom line; a concerted effort, by 4 City Council Members, to bleed the Citizens/Taxpayers for the benefit of the private Contractors, and Consultants who bill inordinate fees and concoct various projects (usually roads, streets, business development on highway access etc.); and hire an Interim City Manager at $120. per hour plus benefits, to demonstrate their keen Management skills!!

These are the Tax and Spend guys, that, out of one side of their mouth, are always expressing righteous indignation, and then from the other side of their mouth, denying Citizens Public Input and Debate before key policy/spending decisions are made.

The Giant Vampire Squid Machine, extending its tentacles as it continues its inexorable march throughout South Dallas County.

For More On This And Much More...

WWW.FACTSFORFIVE.COM

Covers the Duncanville City Council and It's Five Council Districts...

I am pointing attention to my opinion that me and my fellow councilmembers, and the voters that elected us are being victimized by an abuse of executive power by the current officeholder of Mayor.  It not only happens in Washington DC, it happens here deep in the heart of Texas.

A lot to comment on here, but I will limit it to the last article.  Four councilmembers voted to investigate the entire council for violation under Section 2.10 of the City Charter.  The very familiar Paul Coggins of the well known law firm of Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell will conduct the investigation.

To summarize, this investigation will look into whether any council member or the mayor is guilty of abuse of power.

Mayor Hodge, along with Councilman Stephen Jones and Councilwoman Johnette Jameson voted against the investigation with no comment.  An investigation in to abuse of power of the entire council and three people silently vote against it?  That speaks volumes.

The ensuing complaints (mentioned in the last paragraph of this article) made against the other four members of the council came after this investigation was approved.  This was simply retaliatory against the other four for approving the investigation.

The initial results of the investigation will begin coming out on March 18th, 2014. 

I wonder if Mayor Hodge will still have no comment... 

www.factsforfive.com

There should be a "rinky-dink" formula showing that the smaller the town, the pettier the squabbles. As someone smarter than me put it, "Faculty senate discussions are so intense because there's so little at stake." Aren't small-town leaders supposed to be real-world, local citizens with their own jobs and lives to lead?

Eric, the Senate cloture rule required 2/3. Till change to 60 during Ford admin. Rockefeller, as President of Senate, cast deciding vote. So, technically u r right..decades. but that is a recent change.

That said, suing the mayor...hmmmmmm, anyone come up with grounds here?

depths*

@Paideia  You nailed it. Except should have added whiny babies.

@Paideia I am laughing out loud as I'm typing this. Which Hubener are you Paideia? Ann, Katy or the young, soft, tender boy/girl with no name or face.

@pjayharvey  oh please

@factsforfive  Who's paying for all this high-powered investigation and litigation? Citizens of Duncanville, right? What are the costs so far, and what is budgeted for the future? You've already planned a budget to pay for all this, right?

@wcvemail

Mayor Hodge admittedly doesn't get out of bed until close to noon.  I guess she doesn't have much of a life except to tinker with being mayor in Duncanville.

There is much more here than has been written. There is intimidation and bullying of city employees. Citizens wishing to voice opinions in Public Forum at Council Meetings have been refused their First Amendment rights, and the list goes on and on.

@ozonelarryb The grounds are listed in the article.  Repeatedly, she declares votes invalid even though the city charter states the rules quite clearly.  I was at the city council meeting where she argued with the city attorney, who wrote the charter and has amended it many times over many years due to votes from the council.  She argued with an attorney who we pay upwards of $250 an hour.  She's a dictator.  Also, it should be noted that after a ridiculous about of time spent at that meeting arguing, she wrapped it up by saying, "I'm the mayor and I don't agree with this vote.  You are welcome to sue me."  She INVITED this lawsuit on herself. 

@Catbird @Paideia  You call yourself catbird? You aren't the only one laughing. 

@wcvemail This is crazy ;-)

@wcvemail $25,000 is budgeted. 

Over the past few years Mayor Hodge took Duncanville on a wild goose chase of an ill-advised lawsuit and investigation that eventually cost the payer payers hundreds-of-thousands in the investigation and litigation, and upwards of over $800,000 in the eventual total including settlement.  She was advised against this.

Hodge then balked about spending $25,000 to have herself and the rest of the council investigated, but pursued this other $800,000 cause under the mantra of "Justice At Any Cost!

@factsforfive @wcvemail  How do you know what time she gets out of bed?  Who are you, anyway? You went to the trouble of defaming her by putting up a website. How obsessive. Who do you speak for? You intimated that there are five of you so shouldn't we know who you are? If I were her, I would be afraid of you. I know I am.

@gtp1jft  Yes, and people have been falsely imprisoned and harassed for doing nothing wrong. There is a lot of corruption and a few have a strange stronghold on the town. Mayor Hodge was trying to stop it and has succeeded somewhat. That is wny these sleazy, to put it lightly, people are trying to stop her. This type of thing was going on long before she was mayor. She is a good mayor, possibly the best Duncancille has had. 

not a very persuasive attorney. Not worth 250 an hour. 

@jennpenn928  $250 and hour? Good Lord, what dufus would pay that much? That is too much. Scams to the left and scams to the right. 

and hateful!!!

@factsforfive  Since you put it that way, then $25K is a relatively cheap investment to cut out a cancer. Good luck to you all.

@factsforfive @wcvem I doubt you have any clout and that is why you hide behind your little webpage anonymous person.

"facts for five" claims to be a reporting entity for the 5 council districts of Duncanville, when in actuality its nothing but a self absorbed propaganda soapbox set up as a public opposition to the city council district 5  councilwoman johnette jameson.  she, and I say she because every time she posts comments, I get a cold chill similar to hearing my ex wifes voice, so its a woman.  and take for instance the above posting she states that "over the past few years" mayor Hodge took Duncanville on a wild goose chase" regarding the investigation, and the resulting settlement with Anderson.  first and foremost "facts"

Mayor Hodge has only been the mayor for less than 2 years.  these issues were already being danced around from the previous mayors term. Mayor Hodge did not initiate these investigations, did not support paying off monte Anderson, nor did she support increasing taxes.  but bless your little heat, it almost looks like you believe the tripe you write

@gtp1jft  who are you talking about? The mayor or some of the other creeps on the council. This is the best mayor Duncanville has ever had. 

Let's wait for the results of the internal investigation. Then we will know for certain.

@jennpenn928  've got some land in Florida I'll sell you. The going rate is 100,000 per acre.  

@none that's about the going rate for a municipal attorney.