April SRBA meeting cancelled; May's agenda includes 'possible conflict' presentation to board

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

April 28, 2005 - After a short waiting period at the beginning of the April 19 Sulphur River Basin Authority (SRBA) meeting in Mount Pleasant, President Judy Lee concluded, "There will not be a meeting. We have no quorum."

Absent from the scheduled meeting were board members Mike Kennedy, Mike Russell, and Jim Thompson. At least five of the seven board members must be present to form a quorum so board business may be legally conducted.

Next month's meeting will take place May 17 at the Titus County Civic Center, in Mount Pleasant.

The agenda will be the same as the one issued for the April 19 meeting, according to Lee; but Lee, whose term expired in February, will not preside over the meeting. She was not reappointed to the board by Gov. Rick Perry. Instead Patricia Wommack of Lone Star was selected to serve the six-year term.

SRBA Vice-President Dick Goodman, whose term also expired in February, will lead the meeting. He was reappointed by the governor.

Goodman and Lee were the only two SRBA board members whose six-year terms had expired.

One of the action items for the May 17 meeting will be to elect new officers, which according to the agenda, is a bi-annual process.

Another item is to hear from citizen Ty Abston "concerning possible conflict of interest of board members." Abston requested to be on the March agenda, but a meeting was not held. With the April 19 meeting cancellation, Abston's request will be continued to the May agenda.

Abston's request caused a quite a stir with citizens who have faithfully attended the SRBA meetings for years. According to some of the citizens, Abston attended his first SRBA meeting in February, at which time he requested to address the board and be included on the following month's agenda. His request was granted.

Several citizens, who notably oppose the building of any new reservoirs in East Texas, say they have requested to be put on the agenda to address the board with questions; but to no avail.

Lee responded, "I don't recall ever saying 'no' to anyone who has asked to be put on the agenda."

She went on to say Abston had a "valid point" to offer and it was something the board had not heard before; therefore she is interested in hearing what he has to present.