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Open Meetings Act trial for Montgomery County officials, consultant reset for March 27

2016-11-03T14:58:24-05:00

Three Montgomery County elected officials and a political consultant facing charges of conspiring to circumvent the Texas Open Meetings Act will have to wait at least five more months to have their day in court. Judge Randy Clapp of Wharton County set March 27, 2017 as the new trial date for Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal, County Commissioners Charlie Riley and Jim Clark and political consultant Marc Davenport. Clapp, a visiting judge, reset the trial date following a conference involving all parties in the case. The trial, originally set to begin Monday, was pushed back in part due to scheduling issues [...]

Open Meetings Act trial for Montgomery County officials, consultant reset for March 272016-11-03T14:58:24-05:00

Montgomery County commissioner proposes digital message board allowed under Open Meetings Act

2016-10-28T15:55:53-05:00

By Catherine Dominguez Houston Chronicle Originally published Oct. 24, 2016 Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack is proposing a digital public message board that would allow the commissioners to communicate publicly outside a called meeting. While County Judge Craig Doyal said he sees some benefits, he said he isn't sure all the commissioners would use a digital message board. The court was scheduled to discuss the item at Tuesday's meeting. For Noack, it would help provide more transparency of county business. A quorum of commissioners discussing county business outside a publicly called meeting is prohibited by the Texas Open Meetings Act. In [...]

Montgomery County commissioner proposes digital message board allowed under Open Meetings Act2016-10-28T15:55:53-05:00

Attorneys: Public has right to know details of Bryan superintendent agreement

2016-10-13T15:53:33-05:00

By Elizabeth Kamenicky The Eagle Originally published Oct. 9, 2016 Two attorneys serving on the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas board said Bryan school trustees are wrong to cite a confidentiality agreement with former Superintendent Tommy Wallis as their reason for not telling the public why the top administrator suddenly resigned. In the days following the release of a 16-page exit agreement between the board and Wallis, trustees remained quiet about Wallis' abrupt departure after five years of positive performance reviews, including one given several months ago. Wallis, who resigned from his position Sept. 30, received a check last week [...]

Attorneys: Public has right to know details of Bryan superintendent agreement2016-10-13T15:53:33-05:00

Reasons for Texas’ surge in pregnancy-related deaths cloaked in secrecy, bad data

2016-09-28T18:39:42-05:00

By J. David McSwane and Terri Langford The Dallas Morning News Originally published Sept. 28, 2016 The rate of pregnancy-related deaths among Texas women nearly doubled in recent years, a national study found this month, while a separate state-commissioned study found black women are especially vulnerable. Researchers can't say why maternal death rates are higher in Texas than any other state, and the reasons are likely to remain hidden. That's because the data and records that could provide answers to the maternal death quandary are being kept secret by the Department of State Health Services, which has refused to disclose even [...]

Reasons for Texas’ surge in pregnancy-related deaths cloaked in secrecy, bad data2016-09-28T18:39:42-05:00

Victoria County pays $105,000 for open records advice

2016-09-26T15:07:51-05:00

By Jessica Priest Victoria Advocate Originally published Sept. 24, 2016 Victoria County paid an outside law firm about $105,000 over four years to answer open records requests. In 2015 alone, after several sheriff's office employees were investigated for wrongdoing, the county paid more than $77,000. The county made the payments to the Austin-based Allison, Bass and Magee law firm even though the elected district attorney has offered to answer the open records requests faster and for no outside cost. The sheriff's office wrote in a statement that it wants the DA's office "to remain focused on fighting crime by prosecuting the [...]

Victoria County pays $105,000 for open records advice2016-09-26T15:07:51-05:00

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