Council voted to establish a 10-member advisory committee composed of Navasota residents.
NAVASOTA, Texas (KBTX) - Theo Melancon, the lone finalist for the City of Navasota’s city manager position, has withdrawn his name from consideration.
KBTX learned the former city manager of Dickinson made the decision at around 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Navasota City Council was planning on making a decision on the position at Thursday’s special city council meeting. Instead, councilmembers talked about what’s next after they heard concerns about the selection process that residents say is flawed.
This all comes after ethics complaints were filed against both Melancon and former Navasota city manager Jason Weeks, which complicated the selection process.
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Residents Call for Change
Despite Melancon’s withdrawal, nearly a dozen residents spoke at Thursday’s meeting, urging the council to approach the search differently moving forward.
“I’ve been through this process before, and I know the challenges this council faces in selecting a candidate,” Navasota resident Joe Falco III said. “I trust this council but I felt like we had maybe gotten a little bit too tied to a candidate. Sometimes it’s hard to let go, and I just wanted to encourage them to be more circumspect in their process.”
Falco also stressed the importance of improved communication between city officials and the public.
“There were things they could have done better: Town hall meetings, more one-on-one communication,” suggested Falco. “People will always criticize but the city could have done more to make sure residents felt heard.”
Falco acknowledged how some parts of the selection process had to remain private but said the council needs to be mindful of how that secrecy impacts public trust.
“You’re talking about people’s private information when you go through a hiring process,” Falco said. “There are things the council is privy to that they simply can’t share. I think most people understand that, but it doesn’t change the perception that the council wasn’t listening to everyone.”
Falco told KBTX he believes perception ultimately played a major role in how the situation unfolded.
“So, we got to a public forum-type situation where this thing took on a life of its own, and when that happens, the truth doesn’t matter. Reality doesn’t matter. Perception matters,” he continued.
Community Pushes for Accountability
For Taylor Perry, a Navasota native and Texas A&M political science graduate, the hiring process was about more than just filling a position— it was about ensuring the right leadership was in place as the city continues to grow.
“We have a lot of expansion coming in from Hempstead, Prairie View A&M, Texas A&M, and Blinn College,” explained Perry. “We need to make sure we have a candidate and a leader who can handle that growth.”
Perry, who has been vocal throughout the selection process, said she was concerned that city officials didn’t do enough research before selecting a finalist.
“I was critical because several of the council members didn’t do the homework behind this candidate,” she said. “They didn’t ask the important questions. They allowed someone to talk a good game, and that could have been detrimental to our community.”
Following Melancon’s withdrawal, Perry said she was relieved but still had lingering questions about how the council would have handled the situation had he remained a candidate.
“I felt happy about it,” shared Perry. “Maybe it was time for him to reflect, or maybe he realized it wasn’t a good fit. But I was also really concerned— what would have happened if he didn’t withdraw? Would the council have still supported him? That question matters because it impacts how much trust we have in the council moving forward.”
Despite the way things unfolded, the community wished Melancon the best.
“I believe everyone deserves grace, but I don’t believe this was a great fit for him. I was a little critical and it’s all out of love, because I think we all have love for Navasota. This is our sweetheart, and I think it’s just about holding each other accountable so that we can get the best that we deserve,” Perry added.
What’s Next?
With no city manager selected, city officials will now have to restart the hiring process. After meeting in executive session, the council reconvened in open session and voted to establish a 10-member advisory committee composed of Navasota residents. The committee will review and provide feedback on other potential city manager candidates.
City officials said the committee will play a key role in increasing transparency and ensuring public input throughout the selection process. The council also plans to work with its search firm to identify new candidates and may consider reopening applications. While no timeline was given for selecting a new finalist, city leaders emphasized how they intend to take a thorough and deliberate approach to finding the right person for the job.
Perry said she believes the assistant city manager is capable of handling things in the meantime but wants the council to take its time finding the right candidate.
“I’ve worked for Fortune 100 and 250 companies, and the wrong hire costs more than waiting for the right one,” insisted Perry. “I think it’s a good decision to take our time.”
Perry also emphasized that the public played a key role in this process and should continue to stay engaged.
“I’m so proud of the community for getting involved, researching, and showing up to voice their concerns,” she praised. “Even if people were in favor of the finalist, it was good to see people forming their own opinions and speaking up. That’s what our community needs.”
Falco echoed that sentiment, saying he hopes the council learns from this experience and makes improvements in how it approaches hiring decisions in the future.
“This isn’t about tearing people down—it’s about making sure we get it right,” added Falco. “We all love Navasota, and we all want what’s best for this city.”
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