LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – The Commissioners Court approved a non-binding resolution calling for a Texas Rangers probe into why and how Mark Meurer drew a paycheck for nine months despite not holding the Precinct 2 commissioner seat.
“This wasn’t just an oversight or an accident. This was a conscious, deliberate decision by you regarding my money, our money,” Cindy Acuff told commissioners during public comment in Monday’s meeting.
Judge Parrish appointed Mark Meurer to Precinct 2 last December after removing Commissioner Jason Corley. A judge ultimately returned the seat to Corley, but the county kept paying Meurer nearly $70,000.
“We cannot be hypocritical in these matters; we have dirt in our house and it must be cleaned,” Precinct 2 Commissioner Jason Corley said.
Meurer and Judge Parrish said the case was not resolved until Meurer dropped out of an appeal last week. Meurer said he set the money aside and will pay back every cent. Some commissioners said that is not enough.
“We felt this needed to be brought up in court for transparency to the people, the citizens we represent,” Cary Shaw, commissioner for precinct 3 said.
Commissioners passed a resolution “expressing support for Lubbock County District Attorney Sunshine Stanek’s request that the Texas Rangers” get to the bottom of the case.
Stanek said she is pursuing an investigation through the appropriate means but did not say whether that means specifically involves the Rangers.
“I find this resolution to be both unnecessary and neither persuasive nor legally binding on my office. That’s because we have already been looking into this matter since it came to light a week ago, closer to two at this time,” Stanek said.
Commissioner Mike Dalby said he agreed with everything in the resolution, saying now is the time for the commissioner’s court to take ownership of what happened.
“We missed this. We all missed it, whether you like to hear that or not. Okay? Every one of us missed it,” he said.
While he agreed with the sentiment, Dalby voted against the resolution, calling it “borderline defamation” and saying the court can express support vocally without taking risks in writing.
“I support its idea. But it is not a catalyst for the district attorney’s office to start an investigation which she told us she’s already doing,” he said.
Judge Curtis Parrish said it is the commissioners’ way of telling the district attorney’s office how to do its job and abstained from the vote.
“It appears this resolution is an attempt to disparage Sunshine Stanek by insinuating she does not know how to do her job. Stanek is well known and respected throughout this county, throughout this state, and by me, and I will not have any part of this,” Parrish said.
“I have no doubt in Ms. Stanek’s abilities to go ahead and do what needs to be done here. But it sure is nice and speaking from personal experience, when you’re the only one that stands up, to have some people to step up behind you and encourage you to continue to do the right thing,” Corley said.
Stanek’s civil chief, Neal Burt, said the matter has consumed much of the last two weeks for the office.
“Because we do need to figure out what’s going on, not just for now, but to make sure that we don’t have any more situations like this we’ve had,” Burt said.
Precinct Four Commissioner Jordan Rackler said policies need to be looked at so this doesn’t happen again, and that may need to include two signatures on county payments.
“We definitely are going to have to have policy on because, okay, so this was brought to light on an elected official with an appointed position. Is this taking place within our non-electeds with just normal county employees?” he said.
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