In Tenaha yesterday afternoon, it was the meeting that wasn’t, as an agenda posting technicality postponed a city council meeting that was suppose to see the Tenaha City Council meet and go into executive session to discuss the recent firing of longtime city secretary Doyce Bailey by Mayor Orinthia Johnson on Monday for not supporting him during the recent election. The Texas Open Meetings Act requires when a governing body goes into executive session to discuss personnel that that individual’s name be included under the proper item—in this case yesterday, it did not. The agenda was also signed by an unauthorized officer of the city, municipal judge Jenny Hicks, instead of Mayor Johnson.

Mayor Johnson said Ms. Hicks had used previous meeting agendas as a guide.  

Mayor Johnson said the agenda would be corrected and posted, and the council would meet again Monday. The result left those in attendance wondering if any business the city had conducted in past was done properly? Regardless, the large-vocal gathering all agreed the city and citizens needed to come together and work through this issue and others. Ms. Bailey, who’s served as city secretary for 32 years, was in attendance, but had no comment. Mayor Johnson said he made an attempt to contact her Monday following the termination, and even solicited the help of council member Claudine Wilson Howard, to offer Ms. Bailey her job back. However, she would not take his call.

Mayor Johnson said Ms. Bailey had her job back today, if she wanted it, and she’s still on the payroll. Although Mayor Johnson did terminate Ms. Bailey, the final call is left up to the city council.