by | Published
BALCONES HEIGHTS, Texas - Balcones Heights Mayor Johnny Rodriguez Jr. was arrested Wednesday, August 26, 2026, by the Bexar County Constable Precinct 2 on a misdemeanor assault warrant stemming from an incident during a contentious City Council meeting two days earlier.
Rodriguez was taken into custody following the August 24 council meeting, where tensions between the mayor and several council members escalated during discussions surrounding the city's proposed fiscal year 2027 budget and other city business. The investigation into the alleged assault remains ongoing.
The council meeting began at 6:01 p.m. Monday at the Balcones Heights Justice Center.
Tensions over the budget were evident early in the meeting. During public comments, resident Lamar Gillian questioned why Rodriguez had not attended any of the city's three budget meetings after previously asserting that the mayor, rather than the city manager, was the city's budget officer. Rodriguez responded that state law did not require him to answer questions raised during the public comment period.
The conflict intensified later as council members reviewed previous meeting minutes and moved toward consideration of the proposed budget. Council members repeatedly raised points of order and accused Rodriguez of straying from agenda items and making personal attacks. Rodriguez rejected at least one point of order and maintained that he was attempting to ensure the minutes accurately reflected previous discussions.
By roughly one hour and 42 minutes into the meeting, the exchanges had become openly confrontational. Rodriguez accused council members of being out of order and disrupting the meeting, while another participant responded that he had "always dealt with professional mayors" and criticized Rodriguez's handling of residents and the meeting. City legal counsel attempted to steer the discussion back toward parliamentary procedure and the budget.
Rodriguez said he was trying to conduct the meeting professionally and accused council members of repeatedly looking for ways to disrupt proceedings. Council members pushed back and told him to return to the budget discussion.
The confrontation deteriorated further into personal accusations. Rodriguez announced that he was leaving, saying, "I'm out of here and I'm not going to allow this," as members continued arguing. The transcript records several personal allegations being exchanged immediately afterward.
Rodriguez and Councilwoman Weaver subsequently left the proceedings. When the meeting resumed at approximately 7:55 p.m., the mayor pro tem announced that Rodriguez and Weaver had decided not to participate further and that the remaining council would continue the meeting.
The remaining council members then approved the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget by a 4-0 roll-call vote. City legal counsel emphasized that the action concerned only the proposed budget, with a public hearing and final adoption scheduled for September.
The council also considered the proposed 2027 property tax rate. City Administrator Maria Hernandez said the administration was not proposing a tax increase and recommended maintaining the city's current rate, noting that Balcones Heights already had one of the highest municipal tax rates in Bexar County.
Tensions involving Rodriguez resurfaced near the end of the meeting after his departure. During discussion of an agenda item Rodriguez had requested concerning transparency, procedural issues and protection of city interests, a council member called it "highly hypocritical," citing Rodriguez's absence from budget workshops and Economic Development Corporation meetings and litigation involving the city. The council voted 3-1 to postpone the item indefinitely.
During closing comments, a council member accused Rodriguez of violating the city's council relations policy, code of ethics and rules of procedure during the meeting. Another council member apologized to residents for what he called the first hour and 45 minutes of a "circus" and said residents deserved better.
Authorities have not provided additional details about the specific physical encounter that led to Rodriguez's assault warrant. The misdemeanor charge is an allegation, and Rodriguez is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
