KIRBY, Texas – A Kirby City Council meeting ended with Councilwoman Susan Street being escorted out after she pressed city leaders on the proposed budget, firefighter pay, and a possible administration fee.
During a meeting on Thursday night, the exchange began when Street questioned City Manager Brian Rowland about numbers in the proposed budget. Street stated that she had previously sent questions to Rowland but did not receive the information she was seeking until she arrived at the meeting.
“I’m not voting for a budget where I can’t get answers prior to the meeting or even in the meeting,” Street asserted. “I don’t know why you expect me to just roll over and say yes when we have not had any discussion over these items.”
Street also raised concerns about pay for firefighters, advocating that they should earn at least $20 an hour, comparable to police officers. She highlighted that the fire department had been awaiting a pay increase for over four years.
Street firmly stated that she would not support a budget unless the proposed pay raise for firefighters was included. Mayor Janeshia Grider and Rowland responded by confirming that a pay raise for fire department staff is indeed included in the proposed budget.
Rowland later emphasized, “As an elected official, you shouldn’t be here cherry-picking (what) departments should get: this department gets 50 cents, this department gets $4. It should be across the board.”
As the discussion continued, tensions escalated, prompting Grider to warn Street to stop interrupting. Ultimately, the proposed budget was not passed.
The meeting’s atmosphere grew more charged as the council addressed the topic of an administration fee. Street questioned how this fee could impact local businesses. “Why are we going to be able to get businesses in here when they have to pay extra money?” she asked Rowland, while another council member claimed that her questions had already been answered.
After this exchange, a motion was made to remove Street from the meeting. Grider stated that Street had received multiple warnings before the council voted 4-2 in favor of her removal. Street was subsequently escorted out of the meeting.
Elected to the Kirby City Council last year, Street’s assertiveness in questioning city officials led to her being removed from a previous meeting in July as well.
This incident highlights ongoing debates about fiscal responsibility and fair compensation within local government, drawing attention to the essential roles that both firefighters and city officials play in community safety and governance.
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