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The Farmers Branch City Council rejected all three complaints following a Sunday evening executive session, Oct. 19, without stating who the subject or subjects were of the complaints or why the complaints were filed.
The first complaint, filed Oct. 13, 2025, by District 1 resident Loretta Almanza, concerns the mayor's actions related to a District 1 National Night Out event.
The complaint alleges violations of the city's Code of Ethics, specifically provisions that prohibit city officers from using their official position to secure special privileges, granting special consideration beyond what is normally available to others, and making false statements material to public business.
According to documents, Almanza organized a National Night Out event scheduled for Oct. 7, 2025. A promotional flyer for the event featured Lupe Gonzalez, who had filed to run for City Council District 1 on Sept. 3, 2025. The flyer also listed Builders of Hope, the Dallas Stars and the Dallas Mavericks among the event sponsors.
On Sept. 12, 2025, Councilwoman Elizabeth Villafranca contacted Mayor Lynne about the flyer circulating on social media. According to Lynne's written response received Oct. 16, 2025, he then contacted Builders of Hope CEO James Armstrong. Armstrong confirmed his organization had been asked to sponsor food and said event organizers told him there was only one candidate running for City Council.
According to Lynne's response, Armstrong later informed him that Builders of Hope would be rescinding its participation in the event. Lynne states Armstrong made this decision without pressure, influence or threat of retaliation.
Lynne's response states he subsequently contacted other sponsors listed on the flyer to inform them of the event's political nature.
On Oct. 5, 2025, Almanza sent an email to Lynne and other city officials stating the mayor and Villafranca were not invited to the District 1 National Night Out event. The email stated law enforcement would be contacted to remove them if they attended.
Documents obtained by the Branch Herald through Open Records include the complaint, Lynne’s response and the official client memo packet from Wyatt Hamilton Findlay, the city’s attorneys.
“To allege that I used my official position to halt or cause Almanza harm is not true. Never did I use my position to threaten any event sponsor or participant. To imply such is Almanza’s case of sour grapes because she got caught doing the wrong thing to take personal responsibility to correct her action,” Lynne wrote in his rebuttal. Lynne declined to comment to the Branch Herald directly on this or the other complaints.
Following city code, non-implicated council members reviewed the complaint and rejected it 4-1 with Council Member Omar Roman voting against.
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