
Mayor attempts to freeze bank checks
GALENA PARK – A special called city council meeting dissolved into near chaos on Monday afternoon, when members of the city commission or council, and the Mayor were unable to resolve a dispute over authority to sign checks for city obligations.
This is the latest disagreement that Mayor Moya has had with council members and the city administrator Robert Pruett.
The mayor has claimed, since taking office in January, that the council and administrator have been conducting city business in a way that violates the city charter. She has presented copies of the charter at council meetings, highlighting instances of non-compliance.
Mayor Moya also claims her signature was illegally removed from the accounts, but city officials say she refused to put her name on the document.
The bank, Comerica, requires checks to have two authorized signatures to be honored and paid. In order for the city to continue paying its bills, Council voted a resolution in July to allow the mayor-pro tem, Danny Simms, to sign the checks in lieu of the mayor. This arrangement was approved by the city attorney, Jim DeFoyd, and accepted by the bank. The city secretary must also sign, or as a backup the city administrator.