The filing marks the latest legal battle over the city’s process for deciding the future of the nearly 50-year-old I.M. Pei-designed building, including what authority City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has to continue exploring relocation before the council decides whether to move out of City Hall.
The motion asks State District Judge Eric Moyé to require Tolbert, City Secretary Bilierae Johnson and others to explain why they shouldn’t be held in contempt of court. It also asks the judge to include council member Chad West, who introduced the substitute motion during last week’s special called meeting.
“This process has consistently shown a disregard for transparency and last week’s vote made clear that disregard extends even to a pending court action,” Bazaldua told The Dallas Morning News on Tuesday.
A city spokeswoman declined comment Tuesday, citing the pending litigation. West did not immediately respond Tuesday to requests for comment.
The new filing does not ask the court to stop a special called City Council meeting Wednesday. Council members are expected to consider spending up to $3 million to evaluate potential new locations for City Hall and the city’s 311, 911 and emergency operations.
Blackmon and Bazaldua said that while the council did not vote on the blocked agenda items last Wednesday, it instead approved a substitute motion directing the city manager to “explore options for the disposition of City Hall.” They said that effectively revived the agenda item the judge had barred the council from considering.
Blackmon and Bazaldua are asking the judge to impose any sanctions he considers appropriate if he finds the temporary restraining order was violated. The filing also argues the substitute motion violated the Texas Open Meetings Act because it was never included on the meeting agenda.
They asked the judge impose sanctions. It’s not immediately clear Tuesday when Moye might hold a hearing on the request.