Killeen recall election squabble heating up

$750K buy-out of city manager contract is key

(video courtesy Estate of Denial.com)

Killeen – They meet every Tuesday evening at 5:30 in front of City Hall, a little group of protesters who are demanding the ouster of this city's council.

Their single issue protest is straightforward. When City Manager Connie Green left under a cloud, he demanded and received a $750,000 buy-out of his employment contract.

Outraged, concerned citizens could get no satisfaction in their demands for an explanation.

Said the leader of the group, recall petition organizer Jonathan Okray, “Whether delays, distractions and denials have effectively quelled voter outrage will be determined with the Nov. 8 election in which five current city council members...still face being recalled due to their lack of transparency and accountability with regard to the Green employment issue.”

He and his group, Killeen Tax Payers for Responsible and Accountable governance, are seeking to replace council members Juan Rivera, Larry Cole, Kenny Wells, Billy Workman and Mayor Pro-Tem Scott Cosper.

Mr. Okray and two other members of the citizens group filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court which alleges the city failed to follow a prescribed legal recall election time line prescribed in the city charter. The suit also alleges certain improprieties in modifying the council members' districts to single-member representation in 2005.

“People today are tired of government that freely spends taxpayer funds, yet resists, sometimes with open contempt, accounting for its actions,” a prepared statement said. “We will be trying to recall to people's memory why we are having a recall.”

In El Paso, a similar recall election is on temporary hold following the Mayor's filing an application for a restraining order.

Estate of Denial.com correspondent Lou Ann Anderson contributed to this report - The Legendary