AUSTIN, Texas — Austin City Council members voted Thursday to rename the Dove Springs Recreation Center after George Morales, the Precinct 4 constable in Travis County.
However, not everyone is happy the center will now be called the George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center.
While some say Constable Morales does wonders for the Dove Springs area, others say his history is questionable and his position can be intimidating.
In the early 2000s, Morales resigned from his position as a Travis County deputy constable after his boss accused him of going to a hotel party for a night of drinking and sex with two women who worked as clerks in a justice of the peace's office. Morales said it was all lies, in an attempt to retaliate against him.
Now, Morales is the Travis County constable for Precinct 4. That also brought some concerns.
Critics claim the community was not a part of the decision process.
"There was a process ... it would not be on our agenda if it didn't follow a process," said Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza.
Mayor Pro Tem Garza knows Morales and his family. She supported the name change, along with the man who proposed the change, Robert Kibbie
"You may not agree with his politics, but you cannot deny all that he has done for this community," said Kibbie. "There's no way that you can do it. Now the kids can look up and say, 'You know what? I'm from Dove Springs. I can have a rec center named after me. I have a hero like George Morales that has done so much, that we can be somebody.'"
During the meeting, others also spoke about the impact he had and still has on the community.
Constable Morales received an achievement award from the Texas Legislature in 2018.
The recreation center is closed for renovations but will reopen next year.
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