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Editor性视界传媒檚 Note: This story has been corrected to state that the police chief did not accuse the mayor of giving an egg carton to a resident but did ask her whether she had boasted about doing so.

HAWKINS 性视界传媒� After watching months of conflict among the Hawkins City Council, a resident urged its members Monday to set aside their differences and work for the betterment of this Wood County city.

Geran Riddlespurger-Howe has lived in Hawkins for about three years and said she believes the town has a lot of potential. But it性视界传媒檚 being stifled by the constant infighting of the council, which has made headlines all year long.

性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檝e watched this rift grow wider and wider and wider, and it性视界传媒檚 gotten to the point to where it性视界传媒檚 really just keeping the council from being able to get the work done that you need to get done,性视界传媒� she said at the start of Monday性视界传媒檚 council meeting. 性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 offensive to me as somebody who pays taxes in this town, and it性视界传媒檚 offensive to me to watch my child watch these adults behave like children.性视界传媒�

She ended her statement with a plea for the council to 性视界传媒渞ecommit to being excellent leaders for this town. Stop fighting each other because really it性视界传媒檚 ridiculous.性视界传媒�

Council members thanked her for what she said. But with the next item on the agenda 性视界传媒� which was discussion about adopting the Robert性视界传媒檚 Rules of Order to conduct meetings 性视界传媒� the council once again descended into the familiar chaos that has engulfed its meetings this year.

Mayor Deb Rushing and council members sparred on a number of issues during Monday性视界传媒檚 meeting, talking over one another and accusing each other of failing to follow various laws.

Rushing and Police Chief Paul Holland had a tense back-and-forth discussion in which the mayor accused the chief of 性视界传媒渂ashing性视界传媒� her, and the chief accused the mayor of pushing for a 性视界传媒減olitically motivated性视界传媒� investigation of a council member.

The mayor also said the chief made himself 性视界传媒渓ook like an idiot性视界传媒� when he asked her if she had boasted about giving a man egg cartons as part of a joke to play on the police department. She said she and the chief 性视界传媒渦sed to be friends.性视界传媒� (Holland was hired in June.)

Familiar frenzy

Since taking office April 1, Rushing and council members have had heated disagreements on a number of issues. The council性视界传媒檚 controversy has been intense since November.

During a special meeting Nov. 22, council members voted to terminate Rushing from her position as municipal judge after learning she couldn性视界传媒檛 hold two paid public offices simultaneously 性视界传媒� and after Rushing said she would sign an arrest warrant for Place 5 Alderman Greg Branson based on a probable cause affidavit that would have been written by Hawkins resident Todd Eddington. (Rushing ultimately did not sign the document.)

Branson is the subject of a now-suspended police investigation into whether he signed or co-signed improper checks from the Hawkins Community Development Corp. to the Hawkins Chamber of Commerce totaling more than $28,000 from 2021-24. Rushing said during the Nov. 18 council meeting that she wanted to 性视界传媒渉urry this thing along.性视界传媒�

Also during the Nov. 22 meeting, Eddington and Hawkins Police Officer David 性视界传媒淒ave性视界传媒� Morris had a physical altercation as Eddington tried to speak against the council性视界传媒檚 decision to remove Rushing as municipal judge, which she was appointed to earlier this year.

Attempting to regain order

During Monday性视界传媒檚 meeting, council members discussed whether to adopt Robert性视界传媒檚 Rules of Order to govern meetings. But the council has used that set of parliamentary procedures for years. The issue isn性视界传媒檛 that the council hasn性视界传媒檛 had a set of rules.

性视界传媒淲e haven性视界传媒檛 been abiding by it,性视界传媒� Place 4 Alderwoman Eleta Taylor said.

Place 3 Alderman Eric Maloy said he wanted to prevent altercations like the one that occurred Nov. 22, so he wants people who attend meetings to be seated, although that doesn性视界传媒檛 affect the parliamentary procedure the council uses to proceed with meetings. (Eddington was standing when he attempted to speak Nov. 22.)

After Maloy said he wanted people to be seated during meetings, a woman in the back of the room said she wanted to get a 性视界传媒渄octor性视界传媒檚 note性视界传媒� allowing her to stand because she has had a knee replacement. When Maloy responded to the woman, Rushing said he was breaking Robert性视界传媒檚 Rules of Order, which prohibit council members from speaking to residents who haven性视界传媒檛 signed up to speak during a meeting 性视界传媒� the same issue that happened Nov. 22.

性视界传媒淚f we want to do a fresh start, and we want things like that not to happen, then we have to start with us first,性视界传媒� Rushing said. 性视界传媒淲e were out of line. The council and I, we were not in control.性视界传媒�

The council Monday ultimately voted not to take action on adopting Robert性视界传媒檚 Rules of Order (because the city already has done that). Maloy and Taylor abstained from the vote. Both said they wanted to see the Robert性视界传媒檚 Rules of Order enforced.

Investigation suspended

Holland and Rushing traded barbs in a tense interaction during Monday性视界传媒檚 meeting. Holland spoke to the council to give updates about the investigation into the community development corporation and the investigation into the council meeting altercation.

Holland began by telling the council: 性视界传媒淭he last City Hall meeting was a perfect example of why it性视界传媒檚 important to maintain order and follow establish policies and procedures. Failure to do so can lead to chaos, disruption, improper conduct. It性视界传媒檚 imperative for the council and the mayor and citizens to work together peacefully.性视界传媒�

Holland said the investigation into the community development corporation will be suspended until a forensic audit can be conducted, which the Texas Rangers recommended.

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The investigation centered on whether a misuse of taxpayer dollars occurred. The community development corporation is a taxpayer-funded entity, while the chamber is funded by its members. Branson serves as president of both organizations. The checks written to the chamber paid for events and office supplies, among other expenses.

Holland said City Attorney Leigh Thompson (who was hired this fall but apparently is resigning) advised Rushing and Holland that the city should pay for the forensic audit of the community development corporation as part of the investigation. However, Holland said that Rushing said an audit was unnecessary and refused his request for the audit, which delayed his investigation.

Rushing had a bewildered look on her face as Holland spoke. Holland then said the mayor directed him to use the organization性视界传媒檚 2023 annual audit of the organization for the basis of his investigation. However, that audit didn性视界传媒檛 indicate that any funds were misused, he said.

Holland also expressed concerns about Rushing性视界传媒檚 involvement with the investigation. Rushing brought her concerns about Branson to Holland, making her the complainant. She性视界传媒檚 also a witness 性视界传媒渂ecause she witnessed the evidence that was gathered,性视界传媒� Holland said. She also took part in the investigation by helping Holland create a spreadsheet.

All of that took place before she was appointed municipal judge. In that capacity, Rushing considered signing an arrest warrant for Branson based on a probable cause affidavit written by Eddington 性视界传媒� who is a citizen, not a law enforcement officer. (Rushing and Eddington have said that Rushing legally could have signed the warrant for Branson性视界传媒檚 arrest based on Eddington性视界传媒檚 affidavit under Article 15.03 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, which states that a magistrate can issue an arrest warrant 性视界传媒渨hen any person shall make oath before the magistrate that another has committed some offense against the laws of the State.性视界传媒�)

性视界传媒淵ou can性视界传媒檛 be the complainant, can性视界传媒檛 be the witness, can性视界传媒檛 be the investigator, can性视界传媒檛 be the judge on the same person,性视界传媒� Holland said, saying that性视界传媒檚 not how the judicial system works. 性视界传媒淚 think our city attorney finally explained that to Mrs. Rushing, and I think she finally understood that.性视界传媒�

Rushing said: 性视界传媒淲ow.性视界传媒� Then, their back-and-forth began.

Rushing said she decided not to sign the arrest warrant, but it wasn性视界传媒檛 because the city attorney told her not to.

性视界传媒淪o, you were going to go against the city attorney, you were going to go against the [Texas] Rangers, you were going to go against the [district attorney性视界传媒檚] office and the city accountant and sign the warrant yourself?性视界传媒� Holland said.

Rushing replied: 性视界传媒淵eah, if I wanted to, because it性视界传媒檚 legal.性视界传媒�

Rushing then said the chief was using his speech to 性视界传媒渂ash性视界传媒� her. Holland replied that he性视界传媒檚 telling the truth.

Saying the police department should not be involved in 性视界传媒減olitical issues,性视界传媒� Holland has asked the Texas Rangers to take over the investigation into the altercation between Morris and Eddington. As a result, all evidence in the case will be held until it can be reviewed.

Holland said Eddington submitted an open records request for the officer性视界传媒檚 body camera footage, so Holland has requested an opinion from the Texas Attorney General性视界传媒檚 Office to determine whether the footage must be released.

Egging incident and YouTube video

Holland also told the audience and the council that some of the city性视界传媒檚 police vehicles had been egged in November. He then said "more than one person" had informed him that Rushing had "boasted" to several individuals that she and her husband provided Eddington with a carton of eggs to put on the dashboard of his vehicle as a joke "in hopes to entice an encounter with the police department so he may blog it on his Facebook.性视界传媒�

On Nov. 5, Eddington posted a video to his YouTube channel showing an encounter he had with a Hawkins police officer who came to Eddington性视界传媒檚 home to question him about having egg cartons in his truck. The officer asked Eddington if he has been taking part in 性视界传媒渧andalism.性视界传媒� Eddington said he had not.

During Monday性视界传媒檚 council meeting, Holland repeatedly asked Rushing whether what he had been told was true, mainly about the "boasting." She didn性视界传媒檛 directly his questions but asked Holland: 性视界传媒淲hat are you doing?性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淭his is what you want. You want everything open,性视界传媒� Holland said.

性视界传媒淵ou性视界传媒檙e being extremely, extremely rich,性视界传媒� Rushing said.

性视界传媒淎m I?性视界传媒� Holland asked. 性视界传媒淥r are you intentionally falsifying evidence? Are you trying to mislead the police department?性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淵ou性视界传媒檙e making yourself look like an idiot,性视界传媒� Rushing said.

After the meeting, Rushing told the News-Journal: 性视界传媒淚 did not give Todd Eddington an egg carton.性视界传媒�

Rushing accused Holland of trying to find bad things to say about her.

性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 friends with Todd,性视界传媒� she said. 性视界传媒淚 used to be friends with Paul. But I guess you can性视界传媒檛 have friends that are different.性视界传媒�

Eddington told the News-Journal on Monday night that he believes people should be more concerned about the community development corporation investigation than whether he has eggs in his truck.

He said of Holland性视界传媒檚 comments during the council meeting: 性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 saying he性视界传媒檚 dumb. What does it matter if I have egg cartons in my truck? Why is a cop coming up and talking to me because I have egg cartons?性视界传媒�

The council ultimately took no action on accepting the resignation of the city attorney, interviewing a new city attorney or interviewing a new municipal judge. Some council members said they wanted to conduct interviews in executive session, but Rushing said doing so would be illegal. Those matters were tabled. (Thompson, the city attorney, had not sent her resignation letter to Rushing by the time of the meeting, so the council took no action on her resignation.)

Riddlespurger-Howe, the woman who urged the council to work together at Monday性视界传媒檚 meeting, left well before it was over.