North Texas councilwoman facing felony theft charges gets no confidence vote
A Trophy Club councilwoman who was indicted on felony theft charges in May was given a “no confidence” vote by her peers on the town council Monday night, with several calling for her resignation.
Stacey Bauer, who is in her first term, is also the former president of the Bobcat Youth Football Organization, based in Roanoke.
She was indicted on May 8, accused of theft between $30,000 and $150,000, according to Denton County court records and news reports.
Before Monday’s 5-2 vote, several council members and some speakers in the audience called on Bauer to resign, stating her presence on the council would harm the town’s integrity.
Bauer and councilmember Jeff Beach voted against the no confidence resolution.
Bauer did not attend the meeting in person but took part via Zoom.
When Mayor Jeanette Tiffany asked Bauer if she wished to comment before the council took the no confidence vote, Bauer said, “No, I’m good.”
She will remain in office for now, as the city charter states a council member can be removed from office if the person is convicted of a felony or commits a crime of moral turpitude.
Before the council voted on the no confidence resolution, Tiffany read a letter from her and Mayor Pro Tem Rhylan Rowe.
It reads in part: “While we fully acknowledge that you are entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence under the law, we believe that your continued service on the town council under these circumstances presents a significant distraction to the important work of the town. More critically, it raises questions regarding the public’s confidence in the integrity and effectiveness of our elected leadership.
“As fellow council members, we have a shared responsibility to uphold the public trust and maintain the confidence of the residents we serve. After careful consideration, we are writing to express our concern, in our official capacities as mayor and mayor pro tem, regarding your ability to fulfill the duties of your office in light of these criminal charges.”
Civil suit against Bauer dismissed
Bauer’s attorney, Blakely Mohr, based in Southlake, questioned the timing of the no confidence vote and the May 8 indictment, which was issued by a Denton County grand jury shortly after a civil suit filed by the Bobcat Youth Football Association, filed in 2023, was dismissed with prejudice, meaning the case is closed.
Mohr said Bauer was sued over allegations of theft from the youth organization that occurred from 2021-2022, and in 2023, after “a new board” questioned Bauer’s actions.
“I think they are cherry picking accounting records. That’s why the civil case didn’t go anywhere,” Mohr said.
As for the criminal case, Mohr said he is issuing subpoenas for documents and also subpoenaing banks for their records.
In fact, some who attended Monday’s meeting said they were served with subpoenas when they walked in to the town hall lobby.
“She ran for the city council and won. Why is this happening now?” Mohr said.
Others in the audience were vehement that Bauer should resign.
Jennifer Olson said she had worked with Bauer, and she was coming forward to speak not because of politics but because she is concerned for the future of Trophy Club. Olson said she withdrew as a council candidate when Bauer decided to run for office.
“I made a decision based on her trust, not her politics,” she said.
Olson said there were “red flags” before Bauer took office.
She described how Bauer took her aside outside of the Trophy Club Fire Department and asked for help in getting a burner phone and a fake email address, so she could secretly pass along town information.
“I rejected the offer immediately, and I shared what happened with others. My interaction with Stacey Bauer ended that day,” Olson said.
When asked about the burner phone statement, Mohr said, “I can’t really trust these people’s opinion.”