CIBOLO, Texas – A day after retiring earlier this year, the former Cibolo public works director signed a consulting contract with the city for up to $49,999, a dollar under the threshold that would have required a public presentation on the agreement.
Timothy Fousse’s professional services contract, signed Feb. 1, 2025, paid him $160 per hour, internal Cibolo city records obtained by KSAT Investigates show.
The contract, which bears the signatures of Fousse and Cibolo City Manager Wayne Reed, was signed a day after Fousse formally retired from the city on Jan. 31.
The $160 hourly rate was more than double the hourly rate Fousse received during his last year as public works director, his personnel records show.
Fousse, who described his consulting role for the city as a continuation of some of the duties of his former position, told KSAT he canceled the contract at the end of February, weeks after signing it, because of the negative attention it caused.
“I wasn’t interested in working for the city if there‘s going to be animosity of my supporting ongoing projects,” said Fousse, who took a break from mowing his lawn to answer questions from KSAT.
Fousse, who served as public works director for Cibolo for more than 12 years, said his expertise in water management, acquisition and insight into the city’s capital improvement projects made him a good fit for the consulting role.
He defended taking part in the contract, telling KSAT he did a “great job” for Cibolo and had to work for any money he was paid in his consulting role.
Fousse referred questions to Reed when asked by KSAT if he thought the optics of the contract falling just under the $50,000 threshold looked bad.
Current, former council members slam city manager over contract
Fousse’s contract was passed as part of a wide-ranging budget amendment in late January, days before his retirement from the city became official, records show.
By keeping the cost of the contract under $50,000, Reed was able to include it as an amendment instead of having to make a standalone presentation on the item.
“If it had been 50,000 (dollars), he would have had to come explain the contract and would have to get approval,” said T.G. Benson, a former council member whose term ended late last year.
Benson also took issue with the contract lasting 12 months, even though the agreement came approximately three months into the fiscal year.
“We’re not here to handle our budget on personal favors,” said Cibolo City Councilwoman Norma Sanchez-Stephens, who added that the amendment line was vague and lacked detail on what the agreement entailed.
“The city council has a right to ask those questions and get involved,” said Cibolo City Councilman Joel Hicks.
Reed did not respond to multiple emails from KSAT seeking an interview for this story.
After KSAT stopped by Cibolo City Hall to see if Reed was available to speak with us, an executive assistant from his office said Reed was in meetings and was unavailable.
KSAT could find no record of ethical misconduct by Reed or that he offered the contract as a personal favor.
City of Cibolo officials have not provided KSAT with an update on who is providing guidance on water and sanitation projects, now that Fousse has stepped down as a consultant.
Public works employee suspended for hanging noose from mirror of city vehicle
Council members told KSAT the Fousse contract was not the first time the elected body had been left in the dark on happenings within the city’s Public Works Department.
City discipline records covering the past few years show a public works employee was written up for leaving a city vehicle running overnight.
A second public works employee was written up for driving a city vehicle at 93 miles per hour in a 65 mile-per-hour zone, records show.
A third public works employee was written up for leaving city equipment in a park “in the elements,” according to records.
A fourth public works employee was suspended for five days last fall after a city investigation determined he left a noose hanging from the window of a city vehicle.
Benson said the council was only ever briefed on the noose investigation.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.
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