By Anna Herod

City Manager Scott Sellers has declined to provide additional information about a consulting opportunity he is pursuing after council voted unanimously Tuesday to allow him to do so after discussing the matter in executive session. 

After the motion granting Sellers permission to pursue the opportunity was approved, the city manager explained that he plans to do consulting on his own time for two start-up companies, one in the lighting industry and one in the biorefinery industry.

“They are not city related nor would they be in conflict with working with city of Kyle,” Sellers said at the meeting. “Most of that consulting would, again, be on my own time, and if there was ever traveling or anything during the week I would document it appropriately.” 

Sellers said the venture is not city related and that he feels it will prove to not be a conflict of interest. He declined an interview to discuss the matter further with the Hays Free Press. 

Additionally, Sellers has declined to reveal the names of the start-up companies, and according to an email from Kim Hilsenbeck, he did not provide the council with this information either. 

At the council meeting, Sellers said he will act as an equity partner with the companies, and his position will not be one that generates any type of wage. Although the item was approved unanimously, Kyle City Council member Daphne Tenorio expressed some concern. 

“I’m really excited about these opportunities for you,” Tenorio said. “My biggest concern is the fact that we’ve got so much going on, especially during budget time.”

Tenorio pointed out that Kyle has experienced three shootings in two weeks, an emergency sewage spill, an ongoing investigation within the police department and a trying annexation process. 

“It’s just been a constant snow ball,” Tenorio said. “And I really want you to know that if at any time we see that it’s not working out, we can approach you and pull you back in.”