DUNCANVILLE, Texas — Duncanville City Council on Thursday night voted to fire its city manager, Aretha Ferrell-Benavides, citing a lack of confidence in her performance.
In a prepared statement, Ferrell-Benavides accused members of city council of trying to silence her after she expressed concern over an outside auditor's discovery that "city staff maintained two sets of books with conflicting information between both books," that led to her team questioning "other procurement and funding practices used by the City."
She also said that she endured "consistent internal and external racial tension" in her role.
Ferrell-Benavides, who is Black, was not able to attend the meeting where a 4-3 vote was held in favor of her termination. Her attorney Craig Capua read a statement on her behalf that detailed the challenges she said she faced while working for the city.
"In a city lacking diversity in its employee ranks, it’s also a community for years that a group of close-knit non-minority friends has run," Ferrell-Benavides' statement said.
Four councilmembers voted to fire Ferrell-Benavides: Don McBurnett, Jeremy Koontz, Greg Contreras and Patrick Harvey.
Joe Veracruz, Mayor Barry Gordon and Karen Cherry voted in support of Ferrell-Benavides.
Harvey, who is Black and who motioned for a vote to terminate Ferrell-Benavides, said he "lost confidence" in Ferrell-Benavides.
"Unfortunately, I was looking for a level of performance that I did not receive," Harvey said.
Ferrell-Benavides began her job in Duncanville in February 2021.
In the wake of the vote, the council on Thursday night appointed assistant city manager Robert D. Brown Jr. as the interim city manager.
Brown, who previously served the Duncanville's police chief from 2007 to 2021, accepted the position of Assistant City Manager in 2021.
"I have served the City of Duncanville since 2007 and am proud to continue to do so as Interim City Manager," Brown said in a statement issued on Friday afternoon. "City staff and I remain committed to continue doing the very best work we can for the over 40,000 residents of this fine city."
