GROVES — As Groves’ council meeting was nearing an end mayor Brad Bailey looked out across an unusually packed house and addressed the elephant in the room Monday afternoon.

Bailey said he would be remiss if he didn’t address the issue — but never specifically mentioned the issue that has made headlines of late.

“As a councilman he didn’t do anything illegal,” Bailey said of ward 1 councilman Cross Coburn, 19.

Recently local media and city hall received an anonymous envelope containing photos of Coburn reportedly from a dating app where he was clothed in some and shirtless in others as well as intimate photos.

The envelope also contained a statement: “Is this in any way proper behavior of a councilman to represent himself online or a ‘dating’ app? I felt the city council should be made aware of the situation.”

While there were many new faces in the council chambers’ audience none took to the podium during the citizen comments portion of the meeting and during the portion for councilmember comments the only discussion was of debris pickup; that is until Bailey began speaking.

“Citizens can have a recall election. It would be citizen driven,” he said. “I want y’all to know that Cross (Coburn) and I met, along with an attorney, it was more of an information gathering meeting. We talked to the city attorney and there is a set of rules.”

Bailey continued, saying, for example, he could be recalled if he embezzled and “get me out (of office) and I respect that.”

The mayor reiterated that council has no recourse in the issue and if citizens felt the need for a recall election there are rules and timelines.