KEENE, Texas — The mayor of a small North Texas town said the City Council returned from a meeting recess she called, voted for higher taxes than the rate for which she was advocating, and then adjourned -- all while she was using the restroom.

Keene Mayor Lisa Parrish said she called a recess after the discussion over setting the city's tax rate led Council members to talk over each other during a meeting in late September.

"I just decided they just needed a breather," Parrish said. "I was going to step out of the room and go use the restroom. I’d come back in a few minutes when they’ve calmed down, and we’ll just resume."

Instead video from the meeting showed about a minute after her departure, other Council members returned from recess and began to vote on setting the tax rate as pre

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