SBRA names new president

By Bobby Horn Jr.
news@casscountynow.com

One of the newest members of the Sulphur River Basin Authority Board of Directors was elected as its new president last
week.
Mike Sandefur, of Texarkana, was unanimously elected during a meeting of the board June 21. Sandefur follows Mike Russell, who resigned from the post May 17.
On March 23 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Sandefur, Bret McCoy, of Omaha and Katie Stedman,
of Mt. Pleasant to the board.
Sandefur previously served as president of the Texarkana College Board of Trustees. He was also a founding member and president of the Bowie Landowners Protection Association. He holds a masters degree in Accounting and a masters degree in Business Administration from the Rice University School of Business.
Russell’s resignation came weeks after a Texas Sunset Commission recommendation that the Sulphur River Basin Authority (SRBA) Board be reformed in 2017, as well as other negative comments levied against the water authority by the state.
Among the complaints levied against the SBRA from area property owners is that the SRBA conducted a feasibility study of Wright Patman Lake without inviting local cooperation
in the study. Area residents and municipalities have argued that control over water rights should remain local and that they are afraid of “backroom” deals with Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex interests that would undermine their voice in how the water is used.
Since last fall the SBRA has undergone a review from the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission. The investigation was not directly linked to allegations that the SRBA has not been transparent enough with stakeholders and the public. Rather, the State Legislature has mandated that the all water districts and authorities go through a Sunset Commission review and inquiry process.
The SRBA was part of a group in the first series of reviews.
The Sunset Commission report summary concluded that the “SRBA Board Has Not Built the Trust Needed to Effectively Carry Out Its Mission.” The Sunset Advisory Commission report offered four recommendations.
They were to “Institute new leadership at SRBA by requiring the terms of all SRBA board members to expire on September 1, 2017. Direct the SRBA board to hire an executive director.
Direct SRBA to seek local financial investment in its water development projects. Direct SRBA to implement best practices to improve transparency and openness in its operations.”