Mayor Parker recused herself from casting a vote in a zoning case Tuesday “out of an abundance of caution.” The case was brought by Cook Children’s Medical Center, where Mayor Mattie Parker will begin work as part-time chief of staff July 17.
The City Council approved the zoning change 10-0, but the mayor’s action illustrated the potential pitfalls all elected officials face when they take other jobs.
Before her new job begins, she filed a conflict-of-interest disclosure with the city secretary Tuesday, Parker said in a statement. She also plans to recuse herself from any related votes, she added.
Parker joins two other council members who are currently employed by nonprofit organizations. Council member Jared Williams, who represents parts of south central Fort Worth, works as vice president of advocacy for Tarrant Area Food Bank. Council member Gyna Bivens, who represents parts of east Fort Worth, works as executive director of North Texas LEAD. Other jobs held by council members in the private sector include real estate broker, pastor and lawyer.
What jobs do City Council members have?
Mattie Parker: part-time chief of staff, Cook Children’s Medical Center
Carlos Flores: part-time engineering consultant
Michael Crain: broker, Northern Crain Realty
Charlie Lauersdorf: CEO, real estate photography company
Gyna Bivens: executive director, North Texas LEAD
Jared Williams: vice president of advocacy, Tarrant Area Food Bank
Macy Hill: president, Tailwind philanthropic advisors
Chris Nettles: pastor, Purpose Driven Ministries, and owner of after-school childcare center
Alan Blaylock: retired
Jeanette Martinez: executive administrator, Tarrant County Precinct 1
Both Cook Children’s Medical Center and Tarrant Area Food Bank have done business with the city during the past two years when both Williams and Parker were elected to council. North Texas LEAD has not done any business with the city since 2011.
Council members working for nonprofits or the private sector can limit any direct ethical conflicts by recusing themselves from any votes involving their employer, said John Pelissero, senior scholar at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.
It’s harder to shield against the perception that city leaders’ private sector work may influence their overall decision making in their role as council members, he said.
“We expect city officials to always place the public interest first and never create even the impression through their actions that they might be doing something that would favor a business or an organization with which they are affiliated,” Pelissero said.
Parker declined to disclose what salary she will receive for her part-time position with Cook Children’s. Natalie Wilkins, who previously worked full time in Parker’s new position with Cook Children’s, made $377,601 in fiscal year 2021, according to IRS tax filings
“I am glad to have the opportunity to work in a half-time position for an organization that does so much good in our community and ultimately builds upon the city’s mission of ensuring a high quality of life for those who live here,” Parker said in a statement.
The city has participated in three contracts with Cook Children’s since 2021
- Signed a community facilities agreement for water, sewer, paving, storm drain, street lights
- Leased property to Cook Children’s at no cost and expended up to $162,000 to improve the building
- Agreed to provide free educational presentations at Fort Worth libraries
The city recently celebrated a partnership between Cook Children’s, JPS and LVTRise, a nonprofit based in the Las Vegas Trail neighborhood in west Fort Worth. The organizations will create a new community health center in their neighborhood. The zoning case Parker recused herself from Tuesday was related to the three acres where the community health center will be located.
The city has previously heavily invested in Las Vegas Trail, including leasing out space to the non-profit LVTRise at a highly discounted rate. Cook Children’s is not receiving any financial incentives from the city, said Laura Van Hoosier, a spokesperson for Cook Children’s.
Despite several recusals, conflict of interest disclosures remain rare
Tuesday, Williams, council member Elizabeth Beck and council member Macy Hill recused themselves from an agenda item providing community development block grants, federal funds distributed through the city. The officials cited their involvement with several nonprofits receiving the funds.
Of the three council members, only Williams has a conflict of interest disclosure publicly available on the city’s website. In all, just eight city employees and elected officials have filed public conflict of interest disclosures.
That’s a problem, Pelissero said. It creates the appearance of impropriety when elected officials are not completely candid when filing and filling out disclosure forms, he said.
“The bottom line is that if the public comes to distrust what those officials are doing, then it’s going to potentially breed distrust in the city government itself,” Pelissero said.
City employees are required to complete a disclosure form if they or a family member receive income from a vendor that exceeds $2,500 annually, according to Texas local government code.
Fort Worth’s policy additionally directs that city employees are not allowed to accept or solicit “any benefit from any person, group or business entity that might reasonably tend to influence the officer, employee or advisory board member in the discharge of his or her official duties.”
Several council members serve on the boards of community nonprofits. District 7 council member Macy Hill serves on the board of Tarrant County Salvation Army and District 11 council member Jeanette Martinez serves on the board of Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains, for example.
Michael Crain, who represents parts of southwest Fort Worth, began recusing himself from votes involving the nonprofit Child Care Associates after his wife accepted a position with the organization. The city recently approved a $2 million contract with Child Care Associates.
Crain said he previously completed a conflict-of-interest form with the city related to his wife’s employment, however it wasn’t publicly available until Tuesday when the Report asked the city why the letter wasn’t posted.
“I believe this is necessary to continue to lead in an open and transparent manner,” Crain said. He also noted that the relatively low pay council members receive makes it difficult for residents who are not independently wealthy to hold public office.
Crain said he would also recuse himself from any vote involving his job, Northern Crain Realty, where he is a partner.
It’s understandable that council members receiving part-time wages would seek employment elsewhere, Pelissero said. However, it’s key that officials recuse themselves and file annual disclosure reports, he added.
“It’s all part of an effort to make sure the government is as open and transparent as possible, and that the public will be able to find out or know whether there’s a relationship between their public officials and those with which the city does business,” Pelissero said.
Rachel Behrndt is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at rachel.behrndt@fortworthreport.org or via Twitter. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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