Resigned Coffee City councilman questions legality of returning to meetings

COFFEE CITY, Texas (KLTV) - Questioning the legality of his standing in Coffee City government, a resigned councilman states he is willing to return to meetings.

Kevin Swanson resigned from the city council on May 2 by turning in a letter to the city secretary. The city has filed a lawsuit requesting Swanson and other resigned members return to meetings so the council can have a quorum and resume meetings.

Swanson has filed an answer to the lawsuit, stating he resigned legally and his resignation does not have to be accepted by the council. Swanson questioned if he could legally return to council.

Swanson was the first of three councilmen to resign. Ray Ver Hey and Riley Standifer resigned over the subsequent weeks. Posted agendas leave a confusing trail of who was on the council. An agenda posted on May 2 shows a roster of elected members. One on May 9 shows a vacated Place 3 and Place 4. An agenda posted on June 13 shows the five original elected councilmembers back on the document.

“As you can see the City of Coffee City had several opportunities to replace the first 2 but instead decided to table the action for some unknown reason,” Swanson states.

Swanson states one of the proposed replacements for his position by Mayor Frank Serrato was not a resident of Coffee City, making them ineligible.

“If the court would prefer me to be present then I will come in and do a vote if I can legally vote since I have been resigned the longest of all the council members,” Swanson states. “In order for me to vote I would need the documentation that all parties are being considered have the legal right to be on the council.”

Swanson also questioned the council’s judgment.

“This Council had ample opportunity to replace my position but chose not,” he states. “So are they really a good judge on what to do?”

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