Elaine Clarkson, of Magnolia, resigned in December after serving only a two months as a receptionist in city hall.

Clarkson filled the vacant spot after the resignation of Patricia Perez in September, who left after eight years with the city and subsequently filed a complaint with the EEOC claiming racial discrimination.

Clarkson said in her resignation letter “I’ve enjoyed my short time here and look forward to seeing my coworkers around!”

The letter was submitted to the city on Dec. 9. Clarkson had no comment.

Former lieutenant Bo Crabtree was let go from the city after his position within the Magnolia Police Department (MPD) was eliminated. Crabtree had been with the MPD for more than seven years.

“The City of Magnolia has chosen to escalate its continuing retaliation against me for performing my duty as a Texas Peace Officer,” Crabtree said in a statement. “It has been the objective of the Mayor and City Administrator to remove me from Magnolia, at any cost, since my 2007 participation in the investigation against and eventual indictments of Mike Smith and Ron Cunningham.  It is apparent that my years of dedicated service to the City of Magnolia, and my excellent performance record, have been disregarded in order to reach this unlawful objective.  I have retained Sheila Haley as counsel in order to address the City's actions.”

During his time with the department, Crabtree was involved in an investigation concerning former MPD corporal Mike Alexander and two of his superiors at the time, Ron Cunningham and Mike Smith.

Alexander filed a complaint with the DA in June 2007 against his superiors alleging that he and other patrolmen, including Crabtree, were issued wrongful orders during election season to stop, harass and arrest two individuals: one, former Magnolia Council member Richard Anderson and the other, Council member Sammie Scott, who at the time was in the running for his council seat.

An internal investigation within the department resulted in nine affidavits from other patrolmen denying that wrongful orders were ever issued. However, Crabtree was the only officer to side with Alexander in the complaint.

Cunningham and Smith were later placed on administrative leave in June 2007 by the city after being indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury for retaliating against Alexander and Crabtree.

In exchange for their licenses, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office agreed to drop its case against the two.

The departures of Clarkson and Crabtree mark the latest of several employees to leave city hall.

Former city marshal Jeri Carpenter resigned in May 2009, while former councilman Dave Sutherland left his position in June 2009. City Secretary LuAnn Drake was fired by the city council in July 2009 and court clerk Patricia Perez and police chief Paul Michna both resigned in September.

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