LACY LAKEVIEW, Texas (KXXV) — "A mess" is how some people are describing the recent ongoing conflicts in the City of Lacy Lakeview.
We have brought you stories covering those issues in recent months.
From the termination of the former police chief to a fire training gone wrong, to allegations of City Manager Calvin Hodde abusing his power and creating a hostile work environment along with claims of questionable actions made by him and other city officials and departments.
Tuesday night, city employees and people living in the City of Lacy Lakeview put city leaders in the hot seat during the latest city council meeting.
They called for answers, accountability, for city leaders to do their jobs, and asking the city and its people to pull it together for the greater good of their community.
It was the most packed out City of Lacy Lakeview Council meeting we've seen in recent weeks, with many people even standing in the hallway in order to attend the meeting.
Some people told me the larger crowd was due to city employees packing out the council chambers to prevent others from voicing their thoughts about issues going on in the city. But that didn't happen as people made their way to the podium to speak their minds.
One speaker said, "We're gonna get this city together and we're gonna get it right because we're not going anywhere."
"Talked to people that I work with at the City of Waco 'man yall got a mess over there," said resident Cody Daniel referring to conversations he's had with other people outside of Lacy Lakeview.
Much of the conversations centered around last month's Lacy Lakeview Fire Department's training exercise where heat from the fire damaged John and Susan May's home, which was just next door to the burn.
Firefighters addressed city council members and said during training "things go wrong".
"We went through every extensive effort to protect the May's house and the house was damaged," said Lt. Matthew Young with the Lacy Lakeview Fire Department.
He thanked some council members for their support while criticizing others for their lack of support following the fire incident.
Two other firefighters also spoke at the meeting.
Lt. Young said, "If anyone thinks that they can do better, Mayor and Mr. Bush, we have the applications. You're more than welcome to apply."
The fire is still causing pain and confusion for the May family weeks later.
John and Susan May's daughter Brandy addressed city council members and still questioned the actions taken by the city's fire department and city manager Calvin Hodde leading up to the fire. She is pushing the city to take the right steps in repairing her family's home.
She said, "My dad has dementia and this whole incident has caused him to be practically nervous."
She said her family is not getting all of the help they need especially when it comes to the city taking proper steps to finance repairs and alleges Hodde is paying for some repairs out of pocket but the family questions what all will actually be fixed.
She addressed council members and people at the meeting and said, "I know everybody's pointing at us... they don't know the whole side of the story."
Some people even pushed for a third-party investigation into allegedly questionable actions taken within the city before and following many of the incidents discussed above.
David Nedbalek was one of the people who brought up the investigation and addressed city council members and said, "City council persons stand up and do your job. We deserve it."
Attendees also asked for city council meetings to be live-streamed and recorded so residents can go back and see what was talked about and voted on.
The topic was on the agenda but the council voted to table it until funds for the project could be found.
The council said the project totals $9,000.
A budget meeting is expected in the coming weeks.
We spoke with Calvin Hodde and Mayor Niecey Payne after the meeting. They both declined to comment at this time.
