GOV. PERRY APPOINTS FOUR MEMBERS TO SRBA BOARD

The Sulphur River Basin Authority introduced four new board members at its meeting Tuesday morning [April 20], as the governor finally announced appointments for years-old expired terms.

Mike Kennedy, Jim Thompson, Mike Russell, and Mickey McKenzie were appointed by Gov. Rick Perry over the last month. Their first official meeting was yesterday.

Kennedy is the president of Century Bank in Texarkana and was appointed to represent Bowie County in Region 1 [Bowie and Red River Counties]. "After today's meeting, I know that I have a lot to learn about the past of the Authority and its plans for the future," he said. "First on my agenda for the board is the need for better communication."

Thompson, resident of Atlanta, is the attorney and financial officer for Ward Timber Company. He was appointed to represent Cass County in Region 2 [Cass, Morris, Titus and Franklin Counties, plus that smidgen of eastern Fannin County]. He also serves on the board of the Northeast Texas Regional Water Planning Group D. "One thing I'd like to see is for the board to be open to the public," Thompson said. "There are a lot of people with interest and connection to the Basin. As to the potential [Marvin Nichols] reservoir, I'd like to see all points brought out."

[COMMENT: There is a bit of sweet irony here. Back last year when Huddleston got kicked off Region D, he pled for a new board seat for Judy Lee, the new President of SRBA. If you recall, he blurted this out carelessly at that Region D meeting, captured by Allen Birdsong's "spy cam". But Region D did not allocate a seat for Judy Lee. Now, guess what? Jim Thompson is on both boards! It looks like we got our seat on the Region D board after all, Mr. Huddleston! Eat your heart out! R.]

Russell is an insurance agent, personal financial representative and part-time rancher from Paris. He represents Lamar County in Region 3 [Lamar, Delta and Hopkins Counties]. "I've been doing some studying about the issues, and I've been in discussion with the governor's office for months on the appointment," he said. "I know a little bit about the Marvin Nichols Reservoir, and I have property in Red River County that would touch it, if it is built. I can empathize with everybody here." Russell noted that he is still undecided on his position on the controversial reservoir, but added, "This board is charged with seeing that things are done properly."

McKenzie is from Sulphur Springs and represents Hopkins County in Region 3. He was unable to attend the meeting due to an illness in the family.

[COMMENT: Judy Lee said that his son had been hospitalized. It is regrettable that he couldn't have attended this "introduction" meeting. R]

Last week, Authority President Judy Lee noted that she was surprised at how quickly the appointments were made, once the wheels were set in motion. "Three were chosen three weeks ago, and one other was made last week," she said. "We've had four vacancies for three years. Two terms expired in 2003, and two expired in 2001."

[COMMENT: Remember when Judy Lee and the others used to scoff at us when we reminded them that their terms had expired? These comments by Judy Lee sound lame and hypocritical, if nothing else. And I'm sure that we have new State Senator Kevin Eltife to thank for pushing through these appointments. As some of us have discussed, there is a certain "mystery" connected with these events, so I won't speculate about them here, at least not at this website. But I'm certain that Judy Lee realizes the same thing that some of us do and herself wonders exactly what happened. But from her perspective, I'm sure that she has already clamored to her lake-lover buddy Bill Ratliff about it. We'll see! R]

Last August, then-president Mike Huddleston of Texarkana and vice-president Charles Lowry of Mount Vernon resigned [terms expired in June 2003], leaving the board with four members. Terms for the other two members, Patsy McClain and Robert Parker, had previously expired, but as per the bylaws of the SRBA, members with expired terms must continue to serve until new appointments are made.

[COMMENT: I disagree. Technically, the terms of Patsy McClain and Robert Parker expired in June 2001. They were serving "illegally" on this board from July 2001 through January 2004, even if it is "customary" for people to keep their seats on boards till they are replaced or reinstated. Nevertheless, it was worth the wait to see them gone. Good riddance! A breath of fresh air is blowing through the Authority right now. R]

Board members are chosen through the governor's appointments board and must be approved by the state senator in the district. Recently elected Sen. Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler) did approve the appointments. "We've been really anxious to get a new board," Lee said. "Since the two resigned last August, it's been difficult to get a quorum." At Tuesday's meeting, Lee also said, "We now have a full board, and we're excited to move on from here."

[COMMENT: Indeed! But, dear legally blonde Judy, did you get the sort of board that you and henchman Burke really wanted? Y'all sure did look nervous at yesterday's meeting. You may have to start serving platters of nachos at all the board meetings to get in the good graces with some of these new members. The best way to a man's heart is through his stomach, as they say. But my brother and his family prefer to eat at Two Señoritas, which they think serves better Mexican food than El Chico. Si, señora, the truth often hurts. R]

In other business, the board approved an update on the Clean Rivers Program. Executive Director Michael Burke reviewed the Authority's quarterly progress report for Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), highlighting the Authority's use of the money received back from TCEQ.

Burke then gave a report on an April 13 coordinated monitoring meeting with the Authority, the state, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Corps of Engineers. The meeting was to discuss the various monitoring efforts being conducted in the Basin. "We're working on a map of monitoring we are proposing to do beginning in September of this year," he said. "This is what we'll be monitoring in those areas on the map. We'll present our proposal to the steering committee in July. The stakeholders can see, make comments and determine if they want additional monitoring."

When asked who is considered a stakeholder, Burke said, "Anyone who pays money into the state that supports this program. Anyone who holds a permit to discharge wastewater in any part of the Sulphur River Basin, except Fannin County." The money goes to the state, which is returned to the stakeholders through the SRBA under the umbrella of testing water quality. Cities including Texarkana, Cooper, Sulphur Springs and Greenville are included as is International Paper. The public is also considered a stakeholder.

The board also approved a one-year extension on the lease agreement for office space for SRBA located in Wake Village. The Authority pays $1,000 a month in rent.

SRBA SEES NEW MEMBERS APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR

MOUNT PLEASANT, Texas -- Gov. Rick Perry recently appointed four new members to the Sulphur River Basin Authority. The new members replace Patsy McClain and Robert Parker, who have been serving on expired terms.

Mike Kennedy, Jim Thompson and Mike Russell took their places next to president Judy Lee and vice-president Dick Goodman Tuesday morning at the SRBA monthly meeting. The fourth new member, Mickey McKenzie, was unable to attend due to a family matter.

"We are very excited to have these new board members," said Lee. "We now have a full board."

Kennedy, president of Century Bank [in Texarkana], will represent Bowie County [in] Region 1. He said first concern would be learning everything about being a member of the SRBA board -- including what they've done in the past and plans for the future. And even though it was his first day on the job, Kennedy said he can already see that the public desires more information and wants to help them get that. "There may be a need for better communication," he said.

Thompson, an Atlanta resident, is an attorney and the financial officer for Ward Timber. He will represent Cass County [in] Region 2. Thompson said he was "thankful" that the governor had enough confidence in him to appoint him to the SRBA. One of his main concerns mirrored Kennedy's: The need for more public input and communication. "There are a lot of people that have interests in connection with what is going on with the board," he said.

Russell, from Paris, is an insurance agent, a personal financial representative and a part-time rancher. He will represent Lamar County [in] Region 3 on the board. Russell said one of his main priorities was getting educated about the board itself, and he said he has already done some homework on the subject.

He said he does know a little about the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir, a proposal by the state to address long-term water needs in the Dallas vicinity. He has property next to the proposed site. "I probably would be negatively impacted," said Russell. He said he can empathize with everyone opposed to it and that Dallas could become very forceful to get what they want. However, he said Dallas officials need to consider their motives and conservation possibilities.

McKenzie, of Sulphur Springs, represents Hopkins County [in] Region 3 on the board.

In other business, the board voted to extend their lease agreement with Sandefur Properties for their office space at 911 North Bishop St., Wake Village, for one year.

The SRBA will next meet at 10:30 a.m. on May 18th at the Mount Pleasant Civic Center.

[COMMENT: Neither article mentioned Billie Lindsey's stirring remarks about her long life and love for the Sulphur River, her childhood home. Billie's birthday is today, so ... MANY HAPPY RETURNS, BILLIE! I hope that none of us, nor our children or grandchildren, lives long enough to see these useless and historically destructive reservoirs. R]