LA MARQUE, Texas – The City of La Marque is looking to fill six high-level positions after the people who held them resigned on the same day.
The first domino to fall came during Friday’s city council meeting, when Charles “Tink” Jackson, city manager, submitted his letter of resignation. Chief Todd Weismann, La Marque Fire Department, Chief Kirk Jackson, La Marque Police Department, as well as two assistant city managers, and the city attorney resigned from their posts soon after the council meeting.
Chief Jackson was set to retire at a later date but pushed up his day to Friday.
Mayor Keith Bell said it was unknown if the six conspired to collectively resign.
“I don’t know why they chose to resign on the same day as the city manager’s effective date,” Mayor Bell said.
“All I can say is we appreciate what they did do while they were here,” Bell continued. Mayor Bell, along with Chaise Cary, acting city manager, hosted a town hall meeting Tuesday to address the resignations with residents, who expressed concerns over city services and infrastructure such as drainage.
The crime was also a prime concern, one Mayor Bell said topped his agenda, as well.
“Our police department was not given the tools they needed to function at the optimum level that they needed to function.”
Still, Mayor Bell says he was aware of the optics -- six senior-level staff leaving in tandem -- isn’t the best look.
“It’s concerning, right, because of the optics of it but it doesn’t mean that we have to be alarmed,” Bell said.
Bell said Monday’s scheduled city council meeting will begin the process of establishing a plan moving forward, beginning with the city manager’s position.