REFUGIO COUNTY, Texas —
The Refugio Town Council voted tonight to remove Mayor Wanda Dukes and Mayor Pro Tem Lala Vasquez as signatories on the police department's bank account, the latest in a series of changes made since five town officials were indicted last month.
Council members said 16 other city accounts had already had their signatories changed. The vote replaces Dukes and Vasquez with two other council members. The police chief and captain will remain on the account.
"No, I didn't mean unified in the people that were on it. I meant unified if we're removing the mayor and one of the 16 others. I don't see the point of leaving them on just a few," Councilwoman Dana Britt Alsop said.
The council also discussed the mayor's authority to approve ACH payroll, which will remain in place for paycheck processing.
Much of the meeting centered on a more than $13,000 attorney bill. The city attorney said 60% of that bill — or $7,863 — was related to the criminal case involving the indicted officials.
The bill raised questions about what the city was paying for and whether the town could afford it. Councilman Sam Dubose said the legal work was for the protection of the city, not to defend the officials personally. Alsop pointed to the attorney's role on the day the indictments were handed down.
"And he also came to our rescue that day. He showed up when every one of our officials that had been indicted were being booked. It was Mr. Gwosdz that was here helping to facilitate everything and keep the doors of the city hall open," Alsop said.
Not everyone was convinced the town could keep paying the bill. Vasquez said she wanted to look into other legal options.
"I mean, I would like, even though I like you a lot, I think we need to start looking someplace else for another, see how much another attorney, because sometimes something like this will happen," Vasquez said.
While the council voted to pay the $13,000 attorney bill, at least one council member suggested the town should look at other legal options moving forward.
The council also voted to waive a potential conflict of interest involving the city and the Refugio Economic Development Corporation.
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