City council members are reviewing the completed investigation into Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ conduct as discussion of a possible censure continues.
The San Antonio City Council will move forward with a resolution to censure Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, according to one council member.
Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez spoke to KENS 5 Monday after a lengthy special meeting that went into executive session for most of meeting. At the meeting, council members discussed the results of an investigation into a code of conduct complaint filed on Nov. 9.
The review follows a series of concerns raised by several council members, including a February 5 incident involving District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur. Officials confirmed that Kaur filed a city council code of conduct complaint tied to that interaction.
District 3 Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran previously told KENS 5 the disagreement stemmed from an agenda item involving the future of Bonham Exchange, a historic downtown nightclub. Council members were discussing whether the venue should be allowed to remain open after missing a deadline to install required fire sprinklers.
McKee-Rodriguez confirmed to KENS 5 after the meeting that the resolution for censure will be filed.
“It’s obviously very unfortunate. None of us wants to be here right now, discussing each other’s behavior, policing our colleagues,” McKee-Rodriguez said. “We’d much rather be focusing on the issues of our city and working together towards that. I stand with my colleagues who sometimes have been on the receiving end of less-than desirable behavior.”
McKee-Rodriguez also confirmed the next steps in the process.
“So the meeting should be on Friday. We have to post that agenda today, I think. And when that is posted, the complaint will be posted as well,” McKee-Rodriguez said.
KENS 5 also spoke with councilman Marc Whyte of District 10, who gave his thoughts after Monday’s discussion.
“I will just tell you that it was serious. And that the findings from the independent investigation support that. This was a serious incident, one that should never have occured and something that council takes very, very serriously and I think you will see that reflected on what happens on Friday,” Whyte said.
A censure would serve as a formal reprimand but would not remove the mayor from office.