The DeSoto City Council meeting on July 15, 2025, took a serious turn as concerns over election integrity were raised during public comments. Resident Mary Bonaparte delivered a passionate address, criticizing the city secretary for alleged negligence in ensuring candidate qualifications during recent elections.

Bonaparte highlighted that the city secretary's failure to perform her duties led to significant confusion among voters, resulting in over 1,800 votes being rendered ineffective. She pointed out that this situation not only undermined public trust in the electoral process but also sparked legal challenges regarding candidate eligibility.

"This is the same employee who has previously violated meeting minutes and displayed other skill set discrepancies," Bonaparte stated, urging the council to acknowledge the issue and hold staff accountable. Her remarks underscored the gravity of the situation, calling it "the elephant in the room" that needed to be addressed.

Following the public comment, the council moved into an executive session to deliberate on personnel matters, including the evaluation of the city manager, municipal judge, and city secretary. The outcome of these discussions remains to be seen, but the meeting has certainly spotlighted the need for transparency and accountability within the city's administration.