By Anita Miller
KYLE — A local attorney has uncovered what he characterized as a “clearly documented violation” of the Open Meetings Act regarding the vote over the summer by the Kyle City Council to rename a portion of a city street “Fajita Drive.”
Chevo Pastrano said his open records request to the city of Kyle regarding the matter and how it was handled by the council and Mayor Travis Mitchell resulted in 1,500 to 2,000 documents and emails, which he narrowed down to fewer than 50. He has asked the city of Kyle and Hays County District Attorney Wes Mau to investigate.
The vote to change the name of the portion of FM 150 that had been known as Rebel Road occurred in August, on the heels of the decision by the Hays CISD to change the the name of the Hays High School Rebel mascot, a controversial reminder of the Civil War.
Kyle’s decision to name the street Fajita Drive was later rescinded and a committee has been appointed and begun meeting in order to to review the matter. However, Pastrano says some of the documents that came into his possession indicated that the name change was “predetermined” as early as June in an “exchange of jokes.”
“Throughout July, preparations are being made for a name change with the acknowledgement that the name change would be to ‘Fajita Drive,’” Pastrano wrote. “By late July into early August before the ‘open meeting,’ the mayor is defending the name change to ‘Fajita Drive.’”
“To drive the point home that the matter had already been discussed in quorum,” Pastrano said, he pointed to emails indicating the decision was already made and noting that sings labeling Rebel Drive/FM 150 were discussed in detail including design specifics and price.
