Northwest side Councilman Greg Brockhouse, who has relished his reputation as a 'disruptor' at City Hall since his election last year, reveals that he once called the Texas Rangers and asked the law enforcement organization to investigate allegations that City Council violated the state's open meetings act, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Brockhouse made the comments when he was formally endorsing those three proposed charter amendments being pushed by the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association. Brockhouse is the only member of City Council and one of very few 'community leaders' to endorse the package, which many people say would ruin City government and lead to higher costs and fewer services for taxpayers.
Brockhouse says the measures are necessary because citizens need to have the authority to fight back against what he claims is 'out of control' behavior of the current City Council.
"I have sat in meetings, executive session meetings, where decisions were made," Brockhouse said. "I believed in it so much that it was wrong that I took it to the District Attorney. I even had a conversation with the Texas Rangers about it."
His admission is not expected to make Brockhouse any friends among his council colleagues, who have repeatedly denied violating the Open Meetings Law, which allows city councils, school boards, and other elected bodies to hold 'Executive Session' meetings to discuss sensitive issues like contracts, but requires that the final decision on those issues be taken in an open session.
Brockhouse, who has made no secret of the fact that he plans to run for Mayor in 2019, cited the decision not to seek the 2018 Republican National Convention as one example of a 'decision' he says was made in an executive session.
Brockhouse, who said he is not fazed by the fact that it appears to be '10 to 1 against' the charter amendments on City Council, also blasted City Manager Sheryl Sculley. The salary and term of office of future City Managers, but not Sculley, would be limited by one of the three amendments.
"What we have seen is the City Manager amass so much power and strength at $50,000 a month in pay, she practically owns members of the City Council," he said. "In fact, she is fond of saying to the current City Council, 'I have been through 49 of you.' She told me that."
Brockhouse made his comments at the SAPFFA union hall. Brockhouse worked as a political adviser to the union before he was elected to council.