LA MARQUE, Texas (KTRK) — La Marque metropolis council chambers have been packed on Monday night with residents asking metropolis council to place an finish to political drama after a number of tumultuous weeks throughout the metropolis’s authorities.
The assembly opened with a prayer led by Mayor Professional Tem Joe Compin, who requested the Lord to “unite (his) divided household.”
“I come right here to ask you all, please, each one in all you, to cease all hatefulness,” La Marque resident Laura Divine requested.
One other resident, Amber Ferguson, chided council.
“All of this foolishness, it is time to cease,” she mentioned.
As of Monday night the town’s former supervisor, J.B. Pritchett, was wished on 5 warrants. Pritchett is accused of falsifying navy service and levels on his job software. He’s additionally accused of staging an arson – allegedly setting fireplace to a fence surrounding his house.
“(Pritchett) wrote F-you Lowry guidelines, after which lit his fence on fireplace,” District C Council Member Joseph Lowry mentioned.
La Marque Police Chief Randall Aragon instructed ABC13 he believes Pritchett was trying to “body” Lowry for the arson as a result of Lowry was the primary council member to publicly elevate considerations relating to Pritchett’s {qualifications}.
Pritchett stepped down from the publish final Monday. Fees have been filed days later. Aragon instructed ABC13 his division has been unable to make contact with Pritchett.
The interim metropolis supervisor who took over the function resigned inside every week.
“Virtually immediately,” Lowry famous.
The council addressed the vacant metropolis supervisor place in a closed door session on the council assembly on Monday night. Additionally they reviewed Metropolis Clerk Kierra Nance’s employment at Lowry’s request.
“She does not observe the regulation pertaining to open information,” alleged Lowry.
Nance mentioned she does observe the regulation. She instructed ABC13 Lowry has requested paperwork from her that don’t exist.
Hours earlier than the council assembly, a number of officers confirmed a Texas Metropolis staff cellphones have been seized from Texas Metropolis Metropolis Corridor by the La Marque Police Division. Aragon instructed ABC13 his division is trying into whether or not they’re linked to Derek Miller – a Texas Metropolis worker who was arrested final month for allegedly impersonating Lowry on Fb
The posts, allegedly created by Miller, have been in help of Texas Metropolis officers that Lowry has publicly criticized.
In the meantime, a number of residents spoke at Monday’s council assembly, accusing Lowry of concentrating on them on-line.
La Marque resident David Corridor claimed, “(Lowry’s) additionally mentioned he is gonna, let me attempt to say this the correct manner, ‘whip my butt.'”
“So I am right here. If you need to whip my butt, right here I’m. I will await you out within the car parking zone if you happen to so want,” he added.
Lowry disputed Corridor’s accusations. In a earlier interview with ABC13, he mentioned his on-line exercise has by no means risen to the extent of harassment.
For extra updates on this story, observe Shannon Ryan on Fb, X and Instagram.
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