TAFT, Tx — The future of the Taft Police Chief remains in limbo following a Taft City Council meeting Wednesday.
"Due to the lack of presence of Chief Landreth, I'd like to make a motion to table this line item at this time," said Taft City Council Member Alonso Molina.
As 6 Investigates reported earlier this week, Taft Police Chief John Landreth discovered excessive overtime being paid to city employees.
After first alerting city leaders, to no avail, he asked KRIS 6 News for help.
That action put him on the chopping block with the city.
Landreth's future with the city was set to be discussed in executive session, but Landreth said Tuesday he had asked for any discussion to occur in open session.
However, he did not attend that meeting and said he was never notified by officials he had been placed on the agenda.
He told 6 Investigates he will be at the next meeting if he is on the agenda again.
Separately, a complaint about the mayor's use of public funds was discussed in open session.
Mayor Leonard Vasquez was the president of the Taft Little League, he resigned from that position during Tuesday's City Council meeting, as Councilor Chris Keeney questioned the mayor's directive that the city purchase replacement bases for the field.
Vasquez said those bases were damaged by a public works employee, which is why he requested the city replace them.
The city owns the field and historically has had a contract with the Little League for use of that field, at no charge to the Little League.
Wednesday, Vasquez told 6 Investigates a current contract has not been signed and was an oversight.
He also said that it is the responsibility of the city to mow outside the field while the Little League is responsible for maintaining the interior.
When asked how a city worker damaged the bases if the city was not responsible for interior maintenance, Vasquez was unsure.
During Tuesday's council meeting, Vasquez offered to pay back the city for the bases and as the discussion continued resigned his position with the league.
