Lubbock City Council Votes Against Releasing Dumbauld Report
At their meeting Thursday evening, the Lubbock City Council chose not to release a report regarding the situation that ultimately led to the firing of Lubbock’s city manager.
The Council considered waiving the attorney/client privilege in connection with the report presented to the Council by Amarillo attorney John Riney, who was hired by the City in April of 2013.
Riney was hired amidst controversy regarding complaints made by former Lubbock City Manager Lee Ann Dumbauld against District 1 Councilman Victor Hernandez. In her complaint, Dumbauld voiced concerns that she believed Hernandez was obsessed with her personal life and was watching her home.
Two more complaints were made against Hernandez, but one was withdrawn.
City Executive Director of Budget Cheryl Brock withdrew her complaint against Hernandez, saying that Dumbauld directed her to file the complaint.
Dumbauld was fired by the City following Riney’s report to the Council on July 15th of this year.
Riney advised the Council against waiving attorney/client privilege to release the report.
At the meeting, Hernandez voiced his support for releasing the report, saying “I believe I have the right to be publicly vindicated as I have been publicly accused.”
District 3 Councilman Todd Klein weighed in, saying “It was paid for by the public and done on behalf of the public,” in his support of releasing the support.
District 4 Councilman Jim Gerlt voiced his opinion against releasing the report, saying “Our legal counsel that we paid for has recommended that we not do it, and I think it’s in the best interest of the city going forward that we not approve this.”
The motion to approve releasing the report failed 4-3, with Hernandez, Klein, and District 6 Councilwoman Latrelle Joy voting for the measure.
The Council also chose to hold off on five appointments to the Electric Utility Board, saying that they needed to further vet candidates and consider more potential appointees.
Also regarding Lubbock Power and Light, the Council chose to indefinitely postpone consideration on starting an investigation concerning the RFP process of LP&L, since the EUB voted earlier this week to have a Houston-based law firm perform an investigation of the process.