Leon Valley City Council may soon decide fate of councilman facing several allegations

City has spent about $50K on investigation, legal fees

LEON VALLEY, Texas – Leon Valley City Council members may soon decide the fate of one of their own, following several allegations made against Councilman Benny Martinez.

Approximately $50,000 has been spent by the city on an investigation and legal fees surrounding the complaints revolving around sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment and charter violations.

The city spent several weeks preparing the table for what’s known as a 3:12 hearing, in which three of the five City Council members not involved in the investigation heard from witnesses and complainants. The council members will vote on what happens to Martinez.

“They’re looking at all allegations. Just because the attorney didn’t find that the complaint didn’t rise to the level of a federal violation doesn’t mean the councilor didn’t violate the charter,” Leon Valley City Manager Kelly Kuenstler said.

Council members can decide to sanction Martinez, forfeit his seat or do nothing about the allegations.

Council members have a stack full of documents to review before a decision is made.

The allegations against Martinez were first made in December.  He has continued to maintain his innocence.


About the Author:

Patty Santos joined the KSAT 12 News team in July 2017. She has a proven track record of reporting on hard-hitting news that affects the community.