Fishing enthusiasts were lined up on both sides of Rollover Pass all weekend, reeling in some nice catches, as supporters were out protesting the closure of Rollover Pass. Since the Texas legislature authorized the closure of Rollover Pass in 2009, the Gilchrist Community Association has been fighting this decision in court. The legal battles are not over. A case is still pending in Galveston County.

On September 6, the Texas General Land Office issued a PRESS RELEASE announcing the selection of a contractor and the timeline for closure. However, Winston Cochran, Attorney for the GCA argues, “This is not going to go down without a fight.” He explains, the GLO “does not want to wait for the judicial system to play out.”

[Below is the text of a flyer circulated at the Save Rollover Pass rally on Saturday]

What are Bush and the Texas General Land Office trying to pull at Rollover Pass?

The Texas General Land Office (“GLO”), led by George P. Bush, has been trying for several years to close Rollover Pass at Gilchrist, Texas. The Gilchrist Community Association (“GCA”) is fighting the closure in court, not just for the people who live in Gilchrist, but for the thousands of people who come to fish every year, and for the benefit of wildlife which uses this passageway from the Gulf to East Bay.

A GLO website purports to explain why closure is necessary. Don’t buy into it. You can read a more accurate discussion by reading the legal documents filed by the GCA in court, found on the Galveston County District Clerk website and the Fourteenth Court of Appeals website. The case is now pending in Galveston County Court at Law Number Two.

Courts? Due process? The GLO doesn’t want any of that. Bush’s GLO has now signed a contract to close the Pass, starting later this month, even though the court case is still in litigation. The contract calls for demolition within much less time than a case of this importance would take to make its way through the judicial system. The GLO wants to deprive Texans of their day in court by destroying the Pass before the court system can settle the issues.

Bush does not want a full and fair court trial because the GLO, which was not given eminent domain power in the Texas Constitution, pressured Galveston County into entering an agreement for the GLO to use the County’s eminent domain authority, with the GLO paying the cost and calling the shots. That kind of delegation of eminent domain power is not permitted, according to U.S. Supreme Court case law and Texas case law. What do you think of the government using eminent domain in disregard of the law?

1. Write to Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, your state representative, and your state senator. Let them know that you do not want Rollover Pass to close.
2. Write to the GLO and the Galveston County Commissioners Court. Tell them to wait until the judicial process has been completed.
3. Write to your local newspaper and inform your friends on social media.
4. Visit Rollover Pass for some fishing with your family. You will not find a better place on the Texas coast for a child to fish. If you have enjoyed fishing at Rollover Pass, let your public officials know that.
5. Join the Gilchrist Community Association. Membership is free.
6. Join the Facebook group “Save Rollover Pass.” Read more about the Pas and post your own pictures and comments. A petition will be available on the page.

This message is brought to you by the Gilchrist Community Association, PO Box 2971, Gilchrist, Texas 77617.

You can follow all of the latest information on the SAVE ROLLOVER PASS Facebook Page

[9-16-2019]