For the second time in a week, the Princeton City Council ran out the clock on meetings, running past 11:30 p.m.
The 12-page agenda for the Monday, Nov. 10, meeting was not finished after five hours, so the meeting was recessed to Wednesday, Nov. 12, which also lasted five hours.
Both meetings included lengthy closed-door executive sessions, 90 minutes on Monday and more than three hours Wednesday.
The second executive action included personnel matters involving Place 7 on the Community Development Corporation, City Manager Mike Mashburn, City Secretary Amber Anderson and Jim Wehmeier, CEO of the Community Development (CDC) and Economic Development Corporations (EDC).
The section of the Texas Government Code cited for the executive session included “(1) to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee; or (2) to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee.”
Before the closed session began, Councilmembers Ben Long, Carolyn David-Graves and Bryan Washington said they would recuse themselves from discussions involving the city secretary and the CDC/EDC CEO.
Asked by Mayor Eugene Escobar Jr. why he would not participate, Long said, “Just the potential legal ramifications in the city and for myself personally.”
David-Graves said, “These are issues for the city manager and just because of the personal and other legal ramifications.”
Washington did not give a reason.
“The two items that were placed on the agenda, which council refused to hear, were not to dictate the removal of any employee,” Escobar said after the meeting. “The purpose was to address issues that were brought to my attention involving employees who are either directly or indirectly connected to the personnel matters at hand and who may have additional information necessary to address these concerns.”
The mayor added, “The refusal did not invalidate or negate the posting of the item, nor did it remove it from the agenda. Rather, it prevented the council from receiving information that can only be communicated in a closed session under state law. The record should reflect that the I lawfully placed the item on the agenda, lawfully announced the executive session as posted, and that the council — by its own decision — declined to recess into executive session and thereby declined to hear the information associated with the items. I believe these items, if not handled properly, could expose the City to legal liability.”
Only one action from the executive session was enacted later in open session — removal of the CDC Place 7 director by a 5-1 vote. David-Graves voted “no” and Councilmember Ryan Gerfers was not in attendance. The seat had been held by Jeff Watson, chairman of the CDC.
No reason was given for his dismissal. “While the decision was disappointing, I do not view it as a reflection of the work accomplished or the progress the CDC has made over the past several years,” Watson told The Princeton Herald. “I remain proud of the integrity I maintained and the commitment I brought to serving the people of Princeton, especially during moments when standing for what is right came with personal cost.” Council also worked through a series of consent agenda items remaining from Monday’s meeting, tabling action on a city Public Improvement District policy until the Dec. 8 meeting.
An ordinance passed Monday was rescinded after a motion by Councilmember Cristina Todd, who had endorsed the citywide drainage study that passed 6-0.
Council had approved Option 3, a $4.7 million citywide integrated stormwater model by IEA, Inc., including creek watersheds. ditches, culverts, inlets, and closed stormwater pipes within the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.
“I withdraw my recommendation and motion for item M2 [Ordinance 2025-11-10-R08] after further research on the policies and procedures in selecting the engineering company,” Todd said. “I would like to revisit this item on Dec. 8 to ask further questions about this.”
The next meeting of the Princeton City Council will be a special meeting Monday, Nov. 17, moved up one week from the Thanksgiving holiday week.

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