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Despite e-mails and articles this past
week from “Worried About Water” representatives to area media outlets
regarding “Conflict of Interest” violations allegedly committed by
Middle Trinity Groundwater Conservation District Director Jerry
Fronterhouse, the subject was not discussed during the most recent
MTGCD meeting Monday, February 5.
The only indication that conflict
allegations were ever an issue came when Fronterhouse recused himself
when a vote was taken during a permit hearing on a well that his
company, “F&F Drilling” was scheduled to drill.
All Directors, and several members of
Worried About Water, were present for the brief permit hearing (prior
to the regular meeting) when five permits were approved at the same
time, and the one mentioned above was voted on separately.
Surprisingly, for the first time in many months there were no public
comments.
In the Manager’s Report, Cooper informed
the Board and audience members that due to a heavy increase in
information requests his office would be making a few adjustments.
“We have been receiving a number of
telephone calls and e-mail inquiries wanting public information,”
Cooper said. “We don’t mind...but the volume of calls we’re getting is
to the point where it’s really becoming an encumbrance on our being
able to do what we need to do. We’ve always tried to be very
responsive and answer questions, and if it’s at hand, and right there
where I can answer it, we’ll try to do that. If it’s not, then we’re
going to have to start following the public information act...we’re
going to have to kind of fall back on what the law requires us to do,
rather than going that extra mile. For example, if someone wants to
know a specific on a well registration form, or something like that,
those well registration forms are public records, they’re available
for anybody to look at, anytime. They can come to our office and look
at them, and we’ll make copies. There’s a 10 cents per page (charge)
for a normal size business page and we’re willing to do that. The law
does specify that we’re supposed to have 10 days to comply. A lot of
time we will comply in 10 minutes, but we may have to use more time in
order to meet the request because of what we’re getting. I just wanted
to put that out there and let everyone know, who wants to correspond
with the district and share our information, that we’re not closing
the doors, but we’re just going to have to follow the law a little
closer. We want to give you what you need in order to know what we’re
doing.”
Sharon Mainord, MTGCD secretary, added,
“Any request that comes to us by e-mail or by phone, we’re supposed to
have, by law, written notice of the request 10 days prior to the
information being sent out. And also, the fees are usually requested
to be paid before the information is received. E-mail information can
be sent out, if it’s in the computer already. We’re not required by
law to develop special documentation.”
In other business, MTGCD Board members:
• Voted to adopt an employee retirement
savings plan.
• Voted to adopt a resolution opposing
oil and gas waste injection wells within the MTGCD.
• Appointed a District Finance Committee
consisting of Directors George Bingham, Jerry Fronterhouse, Fred
Parker and Jerry Henshaw. |
