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Bastrop mayor loses responsibilities after interference with investigation on misuse of public funds

Mayor Lyle Nelson has been removed of most duties after a 4-1 vote by the Bastrop City Council earlier this week.

BASTROP, Texas — The mayor of Bastrop is facing some repercussions after his alleged involvement into an investigation regarding citywide public funds. 

On Monday, Mayor Lyle Nelson attended a city council meeting, where members discussed his refusal to share communications between himself and a contractor during an eight-month time frame. The city's ethics committee reprimanded Nelson for it three weeks ago.

“He has placed his desire to avoid embarrassment and public atonement above his duties to taxpayers,” Councilmember Kevin Plunkett said.

City councilmember and mayor pro-tem John Kirkland said it all started with an allegation last summer. 

“That he was in a relationship with the CEO of Visit Bastrop,” he said. 

Kirkland said he confronted both the mayor and Visit Bastrop CEO Susan Smith, who denied the allegation. However, a few months later, employees of Visit Bastrop came forward with letters with more allegations. 

“That their boss, the former CEO, was misusing public funds in a number of different ways and was in an undisclosed relationship with the mayor," Kirkland said.

Kirkland said the city launched an investigation. Nelson continued to deny having a romantic relationship with the city contractor. 

“Then city I.T. discovered on the former CEO’s work iPad were 232 pages of highly intimate text messages between the two of them,” Kirkland said. 

Kirkland said there was also evidence of the pair talking about spending funds in general. When Nelson was asked by investigators to hand over text message evidence of this to determine if the funds mentioned in texts could be traced back to public funds, Kirkland said the mayor said no. 

“That assertion is harming the citizens of Bastrop,” Kirkland said. “He lied over and over and over again. During the investigation, he threatened city council with lawsuits and legal things all to bolster the claim that, ‘I didn’t do anything wrong.’"

In January, the city council filed an ethics complaint against Nelson for interfering with the investigation into Smith and misusing public funds by lying and refusing to give text messages. 

Nelson was found guilty and given the highest reprimand. 

“I've been asked, 'Well, does this make you happy that you won?’ and I'm like, ‘No’. Nobody won. The citizens, the residents, the city of Bastrop did not win. No one wins in this, and that makes me very sad,” Kirkland said. 

On Monday, the city council passed a few resolutions that now limit the mayor's actions.

After a 4-1 vote, Nelson's responsibilities will now be limited in eight different categories for the foreseeable future.

The council stated any of Nelson's business trip expenses and funds must be approved ahead of time, and the same goes for public speaking.

Additionally, Nelson will no longer be able to work in a private office space or have access to employee-only areas in City Hall.

He will also be barred from preparing the agenda for Bastrop City Council meetings, and he is banned from signing and reading proclamations. 

Nelson has been removed from city boards and task forces, his contact information won't be available online, he will no longer be allowed to advocate for the city in the Texas Legislature and funds will not be used for his attendance at city events. 

"You know, I made a mistake of personal and private nature and whether through immaturity, insecurity, anger and/or shame, I was slow to admit such," Nelson said during Monday's meeting. 

The city council said the city manager runs the city and the mayor has little to no role in that already. So nothing will change with the way the city operates, but this has been very sad for them. 

“The mayor is supposed to be a cheerleader for the community – a spokesperson,” Kirkland said. “That role is compromised beyond repair; that because of these things, he is no longer able to do that job.”

"Public servants are expected to be honest, truthful, and transparent in their actions," Councilmember Cynthia Meyer said during Monday's meeting. "Lyle Nelson has proven he possesses none of these qualities." 

Nelson stated he plans to continue his role as mayor and isn't going to resign anytime soon. 

In a statement, Nelson said, “Engaging in petty political maneuvering to subvert the Office of the Mayor does not serve the public well. I will continue to serve the City of Bastrop and will be vindicated.” 

Kirkland said if 25% of registered voters petition for the mayor to be removed, the city council must hold a special election where people can vote on whether or not to do that. 

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