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Richard Sutton, Arlene Guerra and Carita Jundt thank Bandera City Council members for their assistance with the Gumball 3000 luxury car rally.
Photo by Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
July 1, 2026
Bandera City Council members discuss City Hall access, credit card usage
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
After an audit and review of the City Hall/Municipal Court/Marshal’s Office adjoining layout, Bandera City Council members are being asked to complete the Criminal Justice Information Services certification process to have unescorted access to the building. Otherwise, council members have been asked to inform office staff ahead of time when they wish to enter.
Unhappy with the stipulation, Council Members DeAnna McCabe, Tammy Ott Morrow and Debbie Breen asked why they were not previously informed of the certification requirement.
“I feel this is targeted,” McCabe said, adding she should not have to take the class to maintain unlimited access to City Hall, suggesting instead a log book to document who enters and exits City Hall.
Mayor Denise Griffin said complaints were made.
“This is something that you can do so you can have access 24/7,” Griffin said. “You’re not restricted.”
“The CJIS Certification is issued by the FBI to ensure that professionals who access or manage criminal justice data understand and follow strict security protocols designed to protect Criminal Justice Information, which includes criminal history records, biometric data, and other sensitive law enforcement information. CJIS certification is essential for maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of criminal justice information. It ensures that only authorized and vetted personnel can access sensitive data, thereby preventing misuse, unauthorized disclosure, and cyber threats,” stated Bandera Marshal Earl Heidelberg and City Administrator Toni Kunz in a memorandum to the mayor and council members.
Once the course is completed, Heidelberg will file the certifications for future audits. Griffin said she has not yet completed the CJIS certification, because she does not enter the Marshal’s Office. Kunz said she completed the certification immediately after her employment began June 1.
“If you have access to criminal information, you have to have the certification. It is federal law,” Attorney Matthew Grove said, adding he would confer with Heidelberg to determine what access is allowed.
~ In other business, McCabe initiated a discussion of the city’s credit card policy after reviewing last year’s financials. Her biggest concern, she said, was more than $25,000 spent on Amazon, followed by more than $3,500 on the city-issued credit card for food and drinks, which she said were categorized as general supplies, travel and lodging, or employee appreciation.
“I would like to see that cleaned up. We’re paying for cardigans as uniforms. We have computers as office supplies, tacos and pizzas as general supplies…that’s concerning,” McCabe said, adding she would like to see more shopping done locally.
City Secretary Jill Shelton Dickerson said many of the items purchased from Amazon were lower priced than local businesses, however the city did have accounts with Hevenor Lumber and Hardware and Boyle’s True Value. Kunz said she agreed with shopping local, however “not everything is black and white.”
“Are you truly being fiscally responsible, or are you wanting to shop local? Those are not always the same thing,” Kunz said.
Unhappy with the stipulation, Council Members DeAnna McCabe, Tammy Ott Morrow and Debbie Breen asked why they were not previously informed of the certification requirement.
“I feel this is targeted,” McCabe said, adding she should not have to take the class to maintain unlimited access to City Hall, suggesting instead a log book to document who enters and exits City Hall.
Mayor Denise Griffin said complaints were made.
“This is something that you can do so you can have access 24/7,” Griffin said. “You’re not restricted.”
“The CJIS Certification is issued by the FBI to ensure that professionals who access or manage criminal justice data understand and follow strict security protocols designed to protect Criminal Justice Information, which includes criminal history records, biometric data, and other sensitive law enforcement information. CJIS certification is essential for maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of criminal justice information. It ensures that only authorized and vetted personnel can access sensitive data, thereby preventing misuse, unauthorized disclosure, and cyber threats,” stated Bandera Marshal Earl Heidelberg and City Administrator Toni Kunz in a memorandum to the mayor and council members.
Once the course is completed, Heidelberg will file the certifications for future audits. Griffin said she has not yet completed the CJIS certification, because she does not enter the Marshal’s Office. Kunz said she completed the certification immediately after her employment began June 1.
“If you have access to criminal information, you have to have the certification. It is federal law,” Attorney Matthew Grove said, adding he would confer with Heidelberg to determine what access is allowed.
~ In other business, McCabe initiated a discussion of the city’s credit card policy after reviewing last year’s financials. Her biggest concern, she said, was more than $25,000 spent on Amazon, followed by more than $3,500 on the city-issued credit card for food and drinks, which she said were categorized as general supplies, travel and lodging, or employee appreciation.
“I would like to see that cleaned up. We’re paying for cardigans as uniforms. We have computers as office supplies, tacos and pizzas as general supplies…that’s concerning,” McCabe said, adding she would like to see more shopping done locally.
City Secretary Jill Shelton Dickerson said many of the items purchased from Amazon were lower priced than local businesses, however the city did have accounts with Hevenor Lumber and Hardware and Boyle’s True Value. Kunz said she agreed with shopping local, however “not everything is black and white.”
“Are you truly being fiscally responsible, or are you wanting to shop local? Those are not always the same thing,” Kunz said.