WPD Chief calls for unity among city staff, council

Whitesboro Police Chief Alex Coss addressed the City Council Tuesday night, voicing concerns about the amount of division he has observed among city staff and council members.

“City staff need to work as a team. I look around and I see division. I see it on a daily basis. It affects morale, it affects focus and -- bottom line -- it affects our productivity,” Coss said. “Instead of working together, you have too many people working against each other.” 

Coss said the division he  is seeing creates a work environment where employees keep an eye on job websites, just in case.

“Believe me, I mean no disrespect when I say, politics should be left to politicians,” Coss said. According to Coss, City staff should not be communicating directly to City Council members. Rather, all communication should be done through the mayor. He said this avoids confusion and corruption. 

“The chain of command exists for a reason,” Coss said.  

Coss’s career began in the Navy, where he said he quickly learned the importance of working as a crew, a large team that learned to rely on one another in order to function separately. 

“If one part failed, another took its place,” Coss said. “Everyone had to work as a team.” 

This was the main focus of Coss’s message to the City Council – to work together and not lead by division, he said.

“The City of Whitesboro deserves the best from each and every one of us. My oath requires me to bring this to your attention for consideration,” Coss said. 

The City Council and mayor listened to Coss’s statement during the citizens to the heard portion of the council meeting. No comments were given and no actions were taken.

Later in the meeting, the City Council went into executive session for over two hours to “deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment of duties or dismissal of the City Attorney, City Secretary and City Administrator.” After the executive session, the City Council took no action and made no comments on personnel matters.

Coss's comments come in the wake of major turnover at City Hall. Over the past calendar year, the city has welcomed a new police chief, city administrator and three new council members after a contentious election.