La Marque council directs recurring reporting and open‑records policy for city clerk amid ambiguous motion
Summary
The council discussed the city clerk’s evaluation, directed the clerk’s office to appear regularly on the City Manager’s Report, and asked staff to draft an open‑records policy for police/fire/EMS requests; the motion recorded on the city‑clerk item on the transcript contained ambiguous language but passed 4–1.
At a specially called meeting, the La Marque City Council discussed Item 5.2, a personnel matter concerning the city clerk, and adopted a motion recorded on the transcript with ambiguous wording but recorded as passing 4–1. The council used the discussion to set specific follow‑up tasks for the clerk’s office.
The council asked that the City Clerk’s Office be listed as a recurring agenda item under the City Manager’s Report so the clerk can respond in real time to questions from councilmembers and residents. Council also asked the clerk to work with the communications director to create informational videos for the city website to explain the clerk’s role and processes.
Members directed staff and the clerk to work with the police department and the city’s legal adviser to formalize an open‑records policy for sensitive police, fire and EMS records, noting the need to balance transparency with protecting active investigations. The council recorded the motion as approved by a 4–1 vote; the transcript contains an ambiguity in the mover’s verbal phrasing (the speaker initially said they were moving to renew the clerk’s contract and then said they were moving to take no action). Council discussion that followed establishes the operational directions described above.
