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Regular Council Meeting August 25, 2014 Page 8 County to make sure that it was independent. He said he thought that was the objective when the firm was sought out at that time. Council Member Lancaster said she thought they had a responsibility to follow some of the directions that the investigator found and they paid him $50,000 for his opinion and he gave them some things to look at. Mayor Frierson said that was one of the main objectives of a joint meeting. Council Member Pickle said the reports did not mention anything that the executive director did that was illegal. He also said the recommendations mentioned policies, procedures, and things of that nature and there was no identification whatsoever in any of the recommendations of anyone violating the law. Council Member Pickle said he thought if Council would discuss this with the PEDC, they would tell Council that Defenbaugh informed them there was nothing there as far as going after the executive director. Council Member Pickle also said PEDC's attorney Mr. Moore said there was nothing there and the FBI has said there was nothing there. Council Member Lancaster said she disagreed with Council Member Pickle's interpretation. Council Member Pickle asked Council Member Lancaster when they say there is nothing there how she interpreted that. Council Member Lancaster said she did not say that it didn't say there was nothing there. She said the report said it didn't rise to the amount, but there are a lot of witnesses who were not investigated because Mr. Defenbaugh did not have subpoena power. Council Member Lancaster said an outside attorney, such as the Attorney General would have subpoena power, and it would clear the air forever if they have the witnesses speak. Council Member Pickle said he was afraid they would be sort of look at as a conflict of interest if they got in there with the Attorney General. Council Member Lancaster said she was trying to be objective. Council Member Pickle said he thought they would be exposing themselves to a conflict of interest and questioned why not wait until after their joint meeting. Council Member Lancaster said she was not putting any particular timeline on it, but was saying they needed to have someone of the law who was not touched by this investigation tell the Council what they think. Council Member Pickle said that was why they picked Defenbaugh. Council Member Lancaster said Defenbaugh did the investigation, but the Attorney General would say whether or not this was against the law. Council Member Pickle said a former Assistant Attorney General said no violations occurred. Council Member Hashmi stated that he did not use the words criminal or against the law or any of that and that was what Council Member Pickle was saying. Council Member Hashmi reiterated that he did not say any of that; that he did not say it was against the law or not against the law. He said he was only saying to let the Comptroller or the Texas Attorney General, who knows the law completely, to review it to determine if there were transgressions. Council Member Hashmi pointed out that this should be treated the same as when Council Member Pickle pointed out to Jason Rogers that he spent more money on renting a Cadillac compared to what he could have rented. Council Member Pickle said he did not turn something like that over to the Attorney General. Council Member Hashmi inquired of Council Member Pickle whether he brought it to the Council's attention or not and Council Member Pickle answered in the affirmative. Council Member Hashmi said this matter was more than what they could think or see to determine if there was transgression, and if there was no transgression then there was no reason to worry about it. Council Member Pickle questioned if PEDC should make this decision. Council Member Hashmi said it was not a PEDC question, because the Council ordered the