On the cusp of what could be the biggest growth spurt in its history, Wilmer is undergoing disorder at City Hall.
The Allen Group is preparing to build the 6,000-acre Dallas Logistics Hub, which will straddle Wilmer, Hutchins, Lancaster and Dallas.
This massive inland port and distribution center is expected to bring thousands of jobs and millions in property tax revenues. Other industrial developments are in the works for the town of about 3,200.
But in the four months since the May election, the Wilmer City Council has dismissed three administrators. Earlier this week, Mayor Don Hudson resigned.
Longtime residents say the firings continue a saga in Wilmer politics that can be comical and frustrating.
"The council keeps this turmoil going, and that contributes to voter apathy," said John Eggen. "The voters are tired of all the fighting."
But this is politics as usual in Wilmer, council member Eugene Lowe said.
"You know politics?" he said when asked about the firings. "It's called payback."
In May, the City Council terminated city administrator Thom Lauer.
Then in August, it placed city secretary Crystol Birdwell on administrative leave without pay. Late last month, the council terminated Mrs. Birdwell's daughter, water department clerk Bobbie Jo Martinez, who had been assistant city administrator.
Mr. Lowe said those who were terminated didn't get along with Mr. Hudson, who won his third term as mayor in May. Mr. Lowe said Mr. Hudson wanted to replace staff with friends and supporters.
Mr. Hudson disputed that charge.
He said Mrs. Birdwell failed to pay city bills on time, didn't answer records requests in a timely manner and didn't provide accurate financial information to council members.
"She just flat failed to do her job," Mr. Hudson said. "There's deficiency of knowledge and deficiency of execution. She had a deficiency of execution."
Mrs. Birdwell will have a hearing on those allegations on Oct. 16 before the City Council. The hearing was scheduled for Thursday, but Mrs. Birdwell asked for an extension. After Thursday's meeting, she denied the accusations against her.
"They're vague and without merit," she said.
She said the mayor added extraneous duties to her daily schedule that didn't allow her to perform her job. She declined to comment further.
In the weeks after her removal, the interim city secretary found seven boxes of unopened mail that contained checks made out to the city dating to fall of last year, Mr. Hudson said. The checks ranged from $12 from vendors to $12,000 in sales tax payments from the state
City workers also allegedly found that $82,000 of employee retirement funds went unpaid to the Texas Municipal Retirement System. The city is scheduled to pay that money, with any penalties and accrued interest, the mayor said.
The council recently approved reducing the tax rate from 61 cents per $100 valuation to 48 cents. Mr. Hudson said the city is able to reduce taxes because of increased land valuations and the Dallas Logistics Hub.
As for Mrs. Martinez, the mayor said she wasn't keeping accurate books on employee life insurance policies. Some employees were paying into the system and weren't receiving the benefit; others weren't paying but were receiving the benefit. The city will make up any deficit, the mayor said.
Mrs. Martinez couldn't be reached for comment.
It's unclear why Mr. Lauer was fired. He couldn't be reached for comment.
Mr. Hudson said the council is waiting on bids for an outside audit of the city's books.
In announcing his resignation Wednesday, Mr. Hudson said he will move into his new $256,000 house in the Ellis County town of Palmer and spend more time with family.
Mayoral duties have been transferred to council member Matias Leal until the City Council appoints a new mayor.
"We are having a lot of change in our city," said Mr. Leal, who is in his first term. "We are having a lot of progress, and we need to have the right people in the right places for this."
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