The Balch Springs City Council is set to discuss the city manager’s employment after he pleaded guilty this week to a charge of driving while intoxicated.
City manager Charles Fenner was arrested in November 2023 arrest for DWI, according to Kaufman County public records. WFAA reported at the time that Fenner was placed on administrative leave while his case was investigated. After pleading guilty Tuesday, he will serve two years probation and have to complete 80 hours of community service. He has been Balch Springs city manager since 2023.
KERA reached out to Fenner multiple times by phone and email but did not receive a response. The city secretary’s office told KERA the city has “no comment.”
At least one city official is asking Fenner to resign. Council member Vincent Gabriel said he doesn’t “believe it should cost the taxpayers one dime to carry the weight of his mistakes.”
“This is long overdue,” Gabriel told KERA. “I am not impressed with Mr. Fenner's leadership in this city, and I believe him to be a dangerous individual to the public on a physical level and the public, on a financial level.”
Vincent is the partner of Jess Reaka, an activist who formerly served on the Park Advisory Board but was removed by the council for speaking out against the city on social media in March 2025 in violation of a new policy.
Gabriel said he was the only council member who voted against renewing Fenner’s contract in November 2024. The agreement extended Fenner’s term to five years and included a base salary of $230,000, a cost of living adjustment and use of a city vehicle.
The employment agreement states that if Fenner “fails to notify the City of material developments regarding the pending criminal charges against employee, including his arrest, indictment, anticipated trial dates, trial postponements, outcome of trial, including conviction, deferred adjudication, probation, and conditions of probation. Employee may notify City Council by email to meet the requirements of this section.”
Gabriel said the recent plea has not been reported to him, and he is not sure if other city council members were informed. He wants the city to have an emergency meeting to discuss the city manager’s future.
The council will discuss Fenner’s role with the city during closed session during its meeting Monday.
“Mr. Fenner is in a position where we can't help him any longer without sacrificing the public,” Gabriel said. “What has happened has already cost the public, it's already cost the council the public's trust.”
Priscilla Rice is KERA’s communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
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