Five Granbury elected officials could face a choice between resigning, going before voters or continuing the fight in court after the city reversed course and agreed to present recall petitions to the City Council.
The change affects Mayor Jim Jarratt, Mayor Pro Tem Bruce Wadley and Councilmembers Greg Corrigan, Skip Overdier and Zeb Ullom. It came after petition organizers asked the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth to order the city to recognize the petitions and allow the recall process to proceed.
The city told the court that additional investigation and legal review led City Secretary Carla Walker to agree to present the petitions within 15 days under Section 4.08 of the Granbury City Charter, according to an August 24 statement from Voices of Granbury.
The organization welcomed the decision but said a dispute remains over when the charter’s 15-day deadline began. Organizers argue that the period started when they filed the petitions on July 13, not when the city filed its response on August 24. They have asked the appellate court to resolve the timing question and require an election at the earliest lawful date.
The city previously announced on July 28 that the petitions had not been certified because they did not satisfy requirements for valid signatures or sufficiently specific allegations under the Texas Election Code and Granbury City Charter.
Recorded Discussion Outlines Officials’ Options
A recording posted by Hood County Express appears to capture City Manager Chris Coffman discussing three potential paths for the targeted officials: resign, face a recall election or retain personal attorneys to continue challenging the effort.
Coffman estimated that private legal representation could cost approximately $10,000 per official. The post does not identify when or where the discussion occurred, and the brief recording provides limited context.
Under Section 4.08 of the charter, the city secretary must present a recall petition to the council within 15 days after it is filed. A targeted official may request a public hearing. If the official does not resign, the council must order an election on the earliest date allowed under state law.
The Granbury campaign grew out of opposition to the proposed Project Patriot data center development and broader concerns about transparency, Voices of Granbury said. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, data center development has generated sustained opposition from Hood County residents and calls for local officials to resign.
Granbury is not the only North Texas city facing a recall campaign. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, McKinney voters are pursuing a separate effort to recall Mayor Bill Cox and three city council members. The two campaigns involve different allegations and operate under different municipal charters.
Local Republicans Split Over Recall Targets
Nate Criswell, president of the Hood County Patriots PAC and former Hood County Republican Party chairman, opposed recalling Jarratt while supporting the removal of the other officials.
“I urge city voters to recall everyone EXCEPT the mayor. Petition organizers should have left Mayor Jim Jarratt off the recall list. He’s the only elected official in this city worth keeping,” Criswell told The Dallas Express.
Criswell also warned that recalling Jarratt could benefit Tony Mobly, a former Granbury mayor pro tem who lost the 2022 mayoral election to Jarratt.
“These petitioners risk handing the job to Tony Mobly—which would be a complete and total disaster. They threw the baby out with the bath water on this deal,” Criswell added.
The Granbury City Council has not ordered a recall election, and Criswell was describing what he believes could happen politically.
Hood County Republican Party Precinct Chair Kolton Krottinger criticized the city’s handling of the petitions.
“The city fought its own citizens, lost, and now wants to pretend the clock restarted when they finally caved. It didn’t. The 15 day deadline began when the petitions were filed on July 13, and the city violated its own charter by refusing to present them. Thousands of Granbury residents signed these petitions. At this point, the officials named in them should respect the people, stop dragging this out,” Krottinger told The Dallas Express.
Krottinger’s assertion that the city “lost” reflects his interpretation. The city voluntarily changed course after additional legal review. The appellate court has not issued a final ruling declaring the petitions valid or setting an election date.
The Dallas Express contacted the City of Granbury for the context of Coffman’s recorded remarks and an update on the court proceedings but had not received a response before publication.
