What you need to know:
- An independent investigation into Houston city personnel matters found that Council member Sandy McDonald exceeded her authority in interactions with a city employee but did not break any laws. The city should create specific guidelines for council member interactions with employees, attorney Holly Wells said.
- Officials did not reveal the identity of the employee or details of McDonald’s questioned interactions. A memo detailing the investigation was not released.
- The subject of the investigation remained confidential until McDonald was publicly named in the agenda for the Aug. 14 meeting. McDonald is pursuing legal action because the disclosure violated her privacy, she said.
HOUSTON — Houston City Council member Sandy McDonald’s interactions with city employees exceeded her authority as an elected official but did not break any laws, according to the findings of a new special investigation.
Anchorage-based law firm Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot conducted the independent investigation. Attorney Holly Wells verbally presented the findings during a regular Houston City Council meeting last week.
The presentation did not reveal the identity of the city employee or specifics regarding McDonald’s questioned interactions, including the contents of a series of Facebook posts and statements by McDonald…