Here’s a look at exactly where and when the credit cards were used to purchase meals out ov…
Kendleton businessman Todd Doucet filed the Texas Public Information Act request that led to Mayor Darryl Humphrey’s indictment.
Doucet, owner of the Lazy K RV Park in Kendleton said his water rates went from $100 per month to $700 per month in the fall of 2021.
“I couldn’t understand why my water rates went up as high as they did,” Doucet recalled. “I couldn’t help but wonder whether the city was broke. Does the city need the money that badly?”
According to the credit card statements obtained by The Herald, Mayor Humphrey and the past and present city secretaries spent a considerable sum each month on dining out.
Only thing, Harris wasn't even working for the city when the card issued in her name was being swiped. She left the city in June 2019 but the card was being swiped through June 2020.
Over the three-year-period, the three cards were swiped to the amount of $6,627.54 at restaurants across the region.
Humphrey alone spent $2,970.26 dining out at taxpayers’ expense.
He rarely dined alone, the credit card statements revealed.
His credit card purchases included:
$58.37 at the Subway in East Bernard on Oct. 21, 2019.
$59.46 at Willie’s Grill & Icehouse in Sugar Land on Nov. 19, 2019
$123.85 at Firehouse Subs in Rosenberg on Jan. 9, 2020,
$37.33 at Bull Creek Cafe & Grill in Rosenberg on March 11, 2020
$99.83 at Dairy Queen in East Bernard on Aug. 15, 2020
$46.52 at Texas Roadhouse in Rosenberg on Sept. 28, 2020
$77.07 at Gringo’s Mexican Food Kitchen in Rosenberg on Dec. 3, 2020
$143.58 at La Casona Mexican Restaurant in Rosenberg on March 26, 2021
Humphrey often dined out more than once in a single day.
For instance, the “Darryl Humphrey Sr.” card was swiped at Subway in East Bernard ($66.60) on June 26, 2020 and then Dairy Queen in East Bernard ($14.70) on June 26, 2020.
Humphrey also often dined out multiple times each week.
For example, his card was swiped at Chick-Fil-A in Rosenberg ($39.01) on Feb. 22, 2021, and then at Hinze’s BBQ in Sealy ($33.56) the following day.
He made food purchases on April 24, April 26 and April 29 that same year.
The credit card statements provided did not include supporting documents, such as cash register receipts, which would show exactly how many people dined with the mayor, the time of day and whether alcohol was purchased.
The Herald has filed a Texas Public Information Request for those receipts.
City Secretary Christina Flores was making $14 per hour when she started with the city in June 2020, but she didn’t have to spend a lot of her salary eating out and shopping for groceries or home goods because the taxpayers picked up much of the tab, according to the credit card statements.
Flores spent $1,614.65 dining out, most of the time with company, according to the credit card statements.
Flores rang up a mere $122.98 her first six months on the job, but during year two swiped her “Christina Flores” credit card 51 times at restaurants. In 2021, she cost taxpayers $744.42. The following year, she spent another $636.52 eating out.
On July 1, 2020, she treated someone to $61.68 worth of pizza at Simple Simon’s in East Bernard.
Like the mayor, Flores also made food purchases several times on the same day, and dined out numerous times in a single week — at taxpayer expense.
For instance, Flores visited Maria’s Eatery in East Bernard ($38.43) on March 1, 2022, Shipley’s Donuts in Rosenberg on March 2 ($12.45) and BJ’s Restaurant in Sugar Land ($50.34) on March 4.
She also visited convenience stores, thrift stores and grocery stores dozens if not hundreds of times over those years.
Whoever possessed the “Nameless Card” issued by the city, went to town as well, ringing up an additional $1,517.41 at restaurants, donut shops and assorted eateries over the three-year period.
Whether Mayor Humphrey or Flores possessed the card at the time of purchase is not spelled out on the credit card statements.
What is telling, though, is that whoever possessed the card also swiped it repeatedly month after month, year after year.
For example, Nameless Card was used at Wingstop in Rosenberg ($41.34) on Oct. 28, 2020, then at Snowflake Donuts in East Bernard ($20.40) on Oct. 29 and at Vincek’s Smokehouse ($27.89) in East Bernard on Oct. 30.
As with the mayor and city secretary, Nameless Card was very generous with taxpayer money, more often than not entertaining guests when dining out.
Nameless Card purchased $90.83 at Firehouse Subs in Rosenberg on Feb. 12, 2021, $155.87 at McAlister’s Restaurant in Rosenberg on May 13 of that same year, $203.66 at La Casona in Rosenberg on Sept. 2, 2021 and $130.69 at Pizza Hut in Rosenberg on Sept. 9, 2021.
“The city is not responsible for city employee meals at all!” council member Sherrie Schulze said when approached by The Herald for a comment. “They get paid and can buy their own meals.”
(Story changed to reflect that former city secretary Veronica Harris had left the city employment in June 2019)
Next issue: Humphrey and Flores shop on Amazon/eBay.
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