EverythingLubbock.com learned through an open records request that Lubbock Power & Light’s Electric Production Superintendent, James Gilmore, resigned effective June 1 amid an FBI and police investigation.

Gilmore has been on paid leave since April 20 and will continue to receive his $127,803.52 yearly base salary until June 1.

Gilmore was not accused of a crime “in this jurisdiction,” but he was repeatedly accused of bad management in the official documents obtained by EverythingLubbock.com.

Gilmore was questioned on April 17 concerning information that turned up in the FBI and police investigations in March of 2013. A police report was included in the documents requested by EverythingLubbock.com.

Gilmore admitted in 2013 that he was offered a timeshare in Hawaii from David Prescott, the CEO of Amarillo-based Talon/LPE Ltd. Gilmore turned it down.

But, according to a police report, Gilmore was given two bottles of wine and he admitted his wife accepted a $500 gift card from Talon while the Gilmores were on vacation in Branson, Missouri.

The police report said, “His defense to receiving that gift card was that his wife got the card while they were on vacation and he was not aware of them getting the gift card until later.”

“It was determined that neither the giving of the gift nor the receipt of the gift happened within this jurisdiction,” the police report also said. “There is no information that indicated a criminal offense happened in this jurisdiction.”

So, was a crime committed in any jurisdiction?

The police report answered that question by saying, “The F.B.I. informed me that a case was presented to the United State District Attorney’s Office who declined to prosecute at that level.”

Accepting a gift in excess of $50 is a violation of the ethical standards of the Texas State of Board of Ethics for Engineering.

But police knew about Gilmore’s gift since March of 2013, so why wait until April of 2015 to question Gilmore again?

There is no definitive answer but handwritten notes indicate the “investigation came to a close in March 2015.” Those handwritten notes also said Gilmore “never indicated he paid it back ore made it right.”

A previous public records disclosure showed Talon was paid more than $1 million for Lubbock Power & Light projects in 2012 that did have proper approval and another $1.6 million that not did not get proper approval.

Gilmore had been in trouble before for failing to get proper approval for projects. In June of 2014 he was put on leave without pay for five days after he was accused of failing to get proper approval for a job in February of 2013.

At the time of his discipline, Gilmore was told, “You have been repeatedly counseled by [the] LP&L Purchasing Manager for similar violations of procedures.”

The investigation did turn up one other interesting note that was not related to Gilmore.

In the fall of 2013 allegations were made public that confidential LP&L information was illegally leaked to a prospective bidder. It was the first of several allegations that led to the termination of former LP&L Director Gary Zheng.

The police report gives an explanation that up until had not been made public.

It said a confidential report was “inadvertently left unattended on a public table.” An unnamed person not associated with the city or LP&L then obtained the information.

“The disclosure of this confidential information was one of the factors that contributed to the initiation of this investigation,” the police report said.

EverythingLubbock.com acquired a cell phone number for Gilmore and left a message. Talon had no comment.

Lubbock Power & Light issued the following written statement.

“LP&L typically does not comment on personnel issues as a matter of policy but given the public nature of the inquiry, we felt it necessary.

James Gilmore, the subject of your inquiry, submitted his resignation on April 20th. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Director of Electric Utilities.

Mr. Gilmore’s departure has in no way negatively affected the daily operation of LP&L and we are excited about the quality of candidates to fill the position of Production Superintendent.”