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7 Editor:
I take strong exception to the tone of G.A. Lewis’ Aug. 21 letter, “Is it legal to ignore city ordinances?”
I will leave it to the mayor and city council to decide who serves on what boards. But Mr. Lewis seems so intent on amplifying his legal point that he loses perspective on the importance of volunteer service in our community.
Dan Hays-Clark, for one, has devoted countless hours over the last 15 years to dozens of projects that have bettered our city. Professionals with Dan’s skill and expertise as an architectural designer are rare in small towns like Bastrop, so that we are doubly fortunate to have him. Dan deserves our utmost appreciation and our greatest respect for all he has done.
Volunteerism has been vital to Bastrop since its founding in the 1830s. Think about the volunteer efforts ongoing now: the Library, Fire Department, Senior Center, Historical Museum, Visitor Center, Main Street Program, Downtown Business Alliance, Food Pantry, Family Crisis Center, Boys and Girls Club, Rotary Club, Business and Professional Women, Fine Arts Guild, Opera House, Kerr Center, Homecoming, Relay for Life, Martin Luther King Scholarship Committee and dozens more (and mentioned here in no particular order).
We should complain and criticise when necessary, but always keep in mind how important the selfless effort of volunteers is to making Bastrop a special place.
Lucy Todd
Bastrop
My tone? So the concern here is not about elected officials who place themselves above the law, but about an uppity citizen who contradicts the council’s flagrant abuse of power?
The ordinance in question exists for a very good reason. The attitude of the Mayor and Council – save Hart and McAnally, who properly sought to uphold the law by their opposition to this action- seems to be “we make the laws; we can break the laws.”
The Mayor’s judgment in this matter has facilitated public mistrust in addition to what appears to me to be violations of fraud and conflict of interest. These points are likely to become painfully apparent in the coming weeks.
The real issue Ms. Todd is conflict of interest. Texas Statues define conflicts with severe penalities.
http://www.oag.state.tx.us/AG_Publications/pdfs/conflict_easy.pdf
Details out a lot of issues with Texas Statutes and how they affect Board members. there are severe penalties for violations of these statutues by Board members.
I will give you an example of a conflict. Mr. Smith serves on 4 Boards .
Suzie Citizen appears before Historic Landmark, Main St Board and Board of Adjustments. She wants taxpayer money to repair her historic building. Mr. Smith sits on all of these Commissions or Boards. He votes on all of them for Suzies needs. He shepherds Suzie Citizens paperwork, signs some of it as a board member and offers to do the plumbing for her when she receives his grant money to repair her building.
In this scenario Mr. Smith should recuse himself all along the way as his business is a conflict but Mr. Smith wants to impress Suzie and he becomes her advocate.
I give you this example Ms. Todd as conflict of interest was the very reason that the city ordinances spell out how many boards anyone can serve on. These ordinances were put in place to protect the citizens from conflict, protect Board members and to protect the city from potential conflict lawsuits. The Bastrop ordinances mirror Texas Statutes which define conflict.
Two of our council members understand these statutes and I only hope that the others will read the statutes on the Attorney General’s website above so they to understand conflict of interest.
So I believe that whether or not a Council can ignore an ordinance is immaterial. The REAL ISSUE IS CONFLICT OF INTEREST and the Councils lack of understanding.
Thank you Mr. Lewis for standing up for our neighbors.
I wonder what hold Mr. Clark has over the council that allows them to have such disregard for Texas Statutues.
Ms. Todd it was reported in the paper that Mr. Clark is not an Architect but is a Designer which is not a licensed profession. You and I can call ourselves Designer and put up a shingle.
Ultimately the final issue with all of this can be resolved at our next Council election. We need to election officials who make respect the ordinances and make decisions for the good of the community.
This is the typical Bastrop Political Machine. It’s not about laws and following them or doing what’s best for the citizens. It’s about the good ole’ boy network and what your friends need and how you can get it to them so they can in turn do something for you! I hope the Mayor and the Council Members who have allowed this to go on, pay for it someday.
What do you expect, this is the Great State of Bastrop!
Do you mean Great or Crooked?
Dealers choice.
Thorn thank you for painting the reality of the situation. Why is it that people don’t see these things for themselves?