Meadowlakes residents still fighting deputy’s dismissal

“We’re putting this petition out in the Nov. 12 Picayune,” resident Ben Bryan said. “We’re trying to get our wishes known to the City Council.”

The weekly Picayune is the sister newspaper to The Daily Tribune.

Bryan and several other residents are upset with the dismissal of Steve Koenning from his part-time patrol officer duties. Mayor John Aaron in October let go of the officer, who is also a full-time Burnet County Sheriff’s Office deputy.

Aaron kept Deputy John Nathan Dodd as the only part-time patrol officer.

The mayor said the decision to end Koenning’s employment was based on budgetary reasons. During the budget process, the council worked to keep a handle on spending so officials wouldn’t have to push for a tax increase, officials said.

One of the cost-saving measures included trimming the traffic enforcement budget, Aaron said. With the passage of the 2008-2009 budget, the mayor said he had to let one of the part-time officers go.

Under the city’s personnel reduction policy, the employee with the higher job performance review must be retained, the mayor said. That employee was Dodd, Aaron said.

Still, several residents didn’t approve of the decision to let Koenning go. Following the announcement in October, a handful of supporters picketed outside the city’s main entrance. Bryan said many of the residents thought very highly of Koenning.

The residents also brought up an incident from February 2005 where Dodd was arrested in Reeves County following reports a vehicle traveled eastbound in the westbound lane of Interstate 10 for about 14 miles. A Reeves County sheriff’s deputy in pursuit reported the vehicle forced 28 autos from the road before the driver eventually pulled over.

The initial charges of deadly conduct were eventually dropped.

City officials said Dodd’s performance review only takes into consideration his work as a part-time employee with the city of Meadowlakes, not other assignments. Bryan said goal of the petition is to gather as many signatures as possible so city officials will know residents want Koenning rehired as the patrol deputy.

“This is the only way I know how to fight City Hall,” he said. “Then we’ll turn the petition into the city and see if it will do any good. If not, after the next election maybe we won’t have (some of the council members) around anymore.”

daniel@thepicayune.com