CIBOLO, Texas — The mayor of Cibolo may be in danger of losing his position just three months before he’s up for reelection.
Although Stan “Stosh” Boyle has filed to run again for the position of mayor in the next election, his eligibility to lead the city is in question.
A closed-door executive session with the Cibolo City Council Tuesday night ended with the bombshell announcement of a motion for Boyle to forfeit his position as mayor, and a motion to call a hearing to determine his qualifications.
Boyle responded that he would not accept the forfeiture, leading city officials to outline the city charter’s guidelines to hold a hearing.
The motion stems from a revelation of Boyle’s 1998 federal conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute MDA, also known as the drug Ecstasy.
Boyle pleaded guilty to the charges and served probation.
In the July, 1998 plea agreement obtained by KENS 5, Boyle accepted the agreement, outlining the events leading up to the arrest.
According to the court document, two people were manufacturing MDA by “cooking” materials that were commercially available to the public. The manufactured MDA was then handed over to Boyle with plans to distribute.
“As a result of his activities, Boyle was able to possess with intent to distribute slightly less than 100 grams of MDA," the court document states.
Jim Russell, the former mayor pro tem, supported the council’s decision.
“If you have a criminal background that doesn’t represent the values we want for the City of Cibolo, we don’t want that for our leadership,” Russell said.
He addressed the council in the public comment session earlier in the meeting, asking for council to implement criminal background checks for all city-held positions.
“Our leaders should have exemplary backgrounds, should be leaders in all respects. It puts their honesty and integrity into question if they have criminal backgrounds,” Russell said.
According to the State Election Code, to be eligible to run for a public office a person must “have not been finally convicted of a felony.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton responded to a Webb County official in May in regards to whether or not a convicted felon is eligible to run for office in Texas after completing their sentence. In the opinion letter, Paxton explains the right to run for or hold public office can be restored if a conviction is pardoned by the governor or granted clemency by a judge.
Paxton explains “a finally convicted felon is not eligible to hold public office if the ‘person has not been pardoned or otherwise released from resulting disabilities.”
A footnote in the letter explains a “finally convicted” felon refers to someone who has “exhausted all available appeals.”
The most recent applications to be placed on the ballot in the upcoming election are posted on the city’s website. In Boyle’s application to run for reelection for mayor, he signed upon oath indicating he “had not been finally convicted of a felony for which I have not been pardoned or had my full rights of citizenship restored by other official action.”
We asked the city for Boyle’s applications for the prior elections, but said the documents are located off-site and would not be available for a few days.
KENS 5 was not able to determine if Boyle had been granted clemency for the conviction.
We reached out to Boyle multiple times for an on-camera interview. He only responded with a statement saying:
“The reason for the executive session at last night’s meeting revolved around trouble I got into in 1998 as a 21-year-old. Thank God we have a system that allowed me to learn and grow as a person. I successfully completed my probation and hadn’t looked back since. I have and will continue to not only improve myself as a person, but help others around me.”
City Council members said they couldn’t comment on the allegations or what was discussed in the Executive Session until after the hearing.
However, Boyle’s supporters are saying a lot.
“He’s got more integrity than most of the people up there in his little finger,” said supporter Steve Quinn, referring to city council members. “He’s a family man, he’s done more for the city than all of the other people up there. And, at the end of the day, he’ll still be mayor.”
According to city officials, and per the City Charter Sec. 14.10, the hearing will allow Boyle to respond to any allegations, but he won’t be allowed to sit at the dais, participate in the deliberation or vote.
Boyle will continue his duties as mayor until the hearing.
City officials said a hearing date has yet to be determined.