Combative City Administrator

Thom Lauer, newly rehired Wilmer City Administrator, threw the publisher of the Wimer Public Citizen out of his office on Friday June 23.
Mr. Lauer ordered Joe Aldrich, publisher of this news service, to leave his office during a heated exchange regarding verification of property zoning on Goode Road owned by Mr. Aldrich's spouse. When Mr. Aldrich removed himself from Mr. Lauer's office but did not exit the building, Mr. Lauer became quite agitated, stood and raced from behind his desk to eject Mr. Aldrich from the building. Feeling imminent threat of bodily harm (due to disabling medical conditions), Mr. Aldrich was forced to leave the building to avoid unwanted contact by Mr. Lauer and the potential for more egregious assaultive acts. No charges (Penal Code 22.01) have been filed at this time. A subsequent public records check in Dallas County of Mr. Lauer indicates a 1994 arrest for assault returned no bill of indictment. Mr. Lauer was unavailable for comment.