Gilchrist Community Association President Ted Vega filed a complaint with the Galveston County District Attorney’s office requesting an investigation of the Galveston County Commissioners Court under the Texas Government Code Chapter 551 “Open Meetings” act for a possible violation that occurred on January 5, 2016 where the County Governmental Body “Galveston County Commissioners Court” had on its agenda item 16(a) which was voted on and approved.

February 11, 2016

Dear District Attorney Jack Roady:

As the president of the Gilchrist Community Association who represents many residents who reside in Gilchrist along with the tens thousands of visitors who come to Rollover Pass annually am filing this complaint and request the Galveston County District Attorney office investigate the Galveston County Commissioners Court under the Texas Government Code Chapter 551 “Open Meetings” act for a possible violation that occurred on January 5, 2016 where the County Governmental Body “Galveston County Commissioners Court” had on its agenda item 16(a) which was voted on and approved.

Jan 5, 2016 agenda item: 16. Commissioner, Precinct 1

a. Consideration of authorizing County Judge to execute GLO Contract No. 16-209-000-9676, Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program Round 2.3 Non-Housing Grant Agreement.

This agenda item has no supporting/back up data which would have allowed the public and anyone else adequate time to review those documents and make comments at the meeting. By not providing the supporting/back up data no interested person had a opportunity to read this HUD agreement which in fact only pertained to a “Park” that had a project value of over 1.334 (million dollars) that is projected to be put on the same private property that the Commissioner Court is co-operating with Texas General Land Officer Commissioner George P. Bush in the taking of the nationally know “Rollover Pass” via eminent domain.

I personally attended the Jan 5th commissioner court meeting, and had signed up to speak about item 16b, which involved a MOU with the GLO, it would have not be a issue but I took the time and text ed Commissioner Pct 1 Ryan Dennard and specifically asked him on Sat Jan 2 if this MOU had anything to do with Rollover Pass and his reply was “I think it does”. I think your investigation should show he knew and just would not tell me, which is a poor example of behavior by a County Commissioner that had on a small list of items on his agenda. I tried to find out the answer from Comm. Dennard, County Judge Henry’s secretary and the GLO on the 4th and 5th of January and no could/would answer the question, I had to go to Commissioner Court and sign up to speak about the issue of not putting supporting/back up data on the agenda,and was shocked to find out 16(a) was totally about Rollover Pass, item 16(b) was immediately differed to another day, I did speak to the court and advised them that the people were interested in what they were doing, especially anything to do with the taking of Rollover Pass’s private property and that 16(b) had no supporting/back up data either and that the court needed to be more transparent. Comm. Dennard agreed and stated that he would get information to me in a timely manner, but again on the 19th of January two more items were put on the agenda, many people came to talk about them, but the commissioner did not provide a supporting documents prior to the meeting as he state he would.

16b.
Consideration of authorizing County Judge to execute a Memorandum of Understanding Between the Texas General Land Office and Galveston County, GLO Contract No. 16-210-000-9678.

Screen shot of Comm. Court Agenda web page for Jan 5, 2016

In closing I would appreciate your office doing a full investigation on this event, review the Commissioners Court past activities to see if such a pattern of non transparencies has occurred on other occasions, and bring action by mandamus to have the Commissioners Court place it back on the agenda (ample notice given to the community which it affects) including the proper supporting/back up data so that all can review and make comments, and then vote on it as it should be done.

Sincerely,
Ted Vega, President Gilchrist Community Association
P.O. Box 2971
Gilchrist, Texas 77617
713-545-6846