KIRBY, Texas – More than a year after he was terminated, a former Kirby city manager was rehired by city council — with a pay raise.
In January 2025, a split city council voted 4-3 to appoint Brian Rowland to serve as interim city manager.
Rowland’s salary for the interim position is $115,000, according to a copy of his 2025 contract.
This is not Rowland’s first time in city hall. KSAT Investigates reviewed months of city council minutes and meetings and found that the council terminated Rowland’s contract as city manager four months after they voted to hire him.
‘One of the worst experiences in my very short life’
After graduating from college, Mariana Ramirez began working for the City of Kirby in May 2024.
“It was awesome,“ Ramirez said. ”I honestly — I loved my job.”
She served as the city’s court clerk but said she helped out wherever she was needed.
“I was (sic) everything girl,” Ramirez said.
In 2023, Ramirez and Kirby city staff got a new boss.
Kirby Mayor Janeshia Grider and four other city council members voted to hire Brian Rowland during a June 2023 meeting.
A copy of a 2023 contract shows Rowland’s annual salary was $105,000 in addition to reimbursements for mileage for city-related business trips over 70 miles.
Within months, some of the cheers about Rowland turned into criticism.
“What was it like working under Dr. Rowland?” KSAT asked Ramirez.
“Probably one of the worst experiences I’ve had in my very short life,” replied Ramirez. “...Working under him was very stressful because, one, when he was there, which was not very often, when he was there, he was too busy berating everybody to do anything that was productive for the city.”
Ramirez and two other employees filed subsequent complaints with Kirby City Council.
Two employees, including Ramirez, spoke at an August 2023 city council meeting about Rowland.
“I am telling you (that) I no longer feel comfortable working with the city manager,” Kelene Benavidez, who identified herself as the Kirby water clerk, said.
City council voted to suspend Rowland with pay while an investigation took place.
Rowland’s history questioned
A report completed by a law firm analyzed several complaints employees made about Rowland, according to records obtained by KSAT Investigates.
Investigators looked at accusations that Rowland created a toxic work environment, arrived late to meetings and mismanaged pay — all partially corroborated.
Complaints about a lack of training and sexual harassment were not corroborated.
The report stated complaints about Rowland calling employees to do work off-the-clock were true.
“If I would clock out at 5:00... he would still be, like, ‘Hey, I need this. I need that,’” Ramirez said. “And so, we stayed behind.”
A month and a half after his suspension, Rowland went before Kirby City Council to defend himself.
“While some may view my approach as unconventional, I can assure you that – I can assure you that disrespecting anyone was never my intention,” Rowland said during the October 12, 2023, meeting.
Despite his plea, the council voted to place Rowland on administrative leave.
Four days later, Kirby City Council terminated Rowland with four months of severance pay.
Payroll records provided to KSAT Investigates show that, within days, the city paid Rowland about $40,000.
A source also provided KSAT Investigates with a copy of the city’s general operation payments from early 2024.
The records showed the city paid Rowland $25,000 in May 2024 for a separation agreement.
KSAT Investigates requested a copy of that agreement but have yet to receive it.
More than a year after Rowland’s termination, the city rehired Rowland to serve as its interim city manager.
The council was split on whether to bring Rowland back. Grider cast the deciding vote in January 2025.
“What do you think about that decision?” KSAT asked Ramirez about the city’s decision to bring Rowland back.
“The decision to rehire him? That is baffling,” said Ramirez. “...Why him? Why are you so hellbent on putting yourself in a position to put this man back?”
While Rowland was suspended, he was listed as one of nine defendants in a 2023 federal lawsuit tied to his time as mayor of the City of Prairie View, Texas.
The lawsuit accused Rowland of bullying, harassment and creating a hostile work environment.
Online court records show Rowland and the other defendants filed a motion to dismiss the case in September 2024.
‘Best person for the job’
KSAT Investigates reached out to Grider and Rowland five times for an interview for this story five times.
Neither replied, which is why KSAT Investigates caught up with them before a Feb. 13 city council meeting.
“Why rehire him?” KSAT asked Grider in the Kirby City Hall parking lot. “You guys voted to suspend him, then put him on leave, then fire him and then rehire him. You have an investigation that went into this.”
“Because he’s the best person to do the job,” Grider told KSAT.
KSAT Investigates showed Grider the paperwork listing the city’s $25,000 payment to Rowland.
“Do you think rehiring him is a good use of taxpayer dollars?” KSAT asked Grider.
“We had people after him that was (sic) employed here by other staff members that have cost us over $100,000 and more,” Grider responded.
“You didn’t answer my question,” KSAT responded. “Do you think rehiring him is a good use of taxpayer dollars?
“Do you know what’s going on here in the city right now? Do you know how all this started?” responded Grider.
Approximately 10 minutes before the start of the council meeting, KSAT caught up with Rowland inside city hall. He repeated the mayor’s praise of him.
“Why come back?” KSAT asked Rowland.
“Because I’m the best person for the job,” Rowland told KSAT.
“I mean, [the city] did an investigation on you,” KSAT said.
“It came back negative,” replied Rowland, who then walked away from KSAT and refused to answer additional questions.
Ramirez, who no longer works for the City of Kirby, is disappointed with the city’s decision to bring Rowland back.
“I think it’s a big waste of taxpayer dollars,” Ramirez said.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.
