Councilman under ethics cloud

MIDLOTHIAN – Councilman Ken Chambers was greeted with 50 supporters Monday night, March 31, as Mayor Boyce Whatley and the rest of his council colleagues convened to address ethics violation allegations.

Chambers, elected last May after knocking out first-term incumbent Jimmy Beaudoin (the author of the city’s smoking ban ordinance that passed the same month), attempted to have his supporters speak on the allegations Whatley has e-mailed him with, sometimes, Chambers said, at 2 and 3 a.m.

Whatley said as mayor, he’s under city charter authority to investigate allegations of misconduct. Chamber said he is the victim in a personal vendetta over his opposition to the city’s annexation plans.

Many of the supporters on hand were involved in the Rural Citizens Against Annexation group.

A three-member panel was picked to investigate: Mayor Whatley; Councilman Steve Massey and Joe Frizzell.

As a result of the meeting and the alleged violations, Chambers said he hired Waxahachie defense attorney Michael Hartley to defend himself against possible actions by the mayor and city council.