SRBA board president resigns

By Bobby Horn Jr.
news@casscountynow.com

Within weeks of a Texas Sunset Commission recommendation that the Sulphur River Basin Authority (SRBA) Board be reformed in 2017, as well other negative comments levied against the water authority by the state SRBA, board President Mike Russell has resigned.
Russell read a letter of resignation during a SRBA meeting May 17 in Mount Pleasant.
Linda Price, with the Texas Water Development Region D, said that she was surprised by Russell’s resignation—but not unhappy with it. “I think it was the right thing for him to do,” she said.
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 mission and performance of the Sulphur River Basin Authority are under review by the Legislature as required under the Texas Sunset Act,” said Sarah Kirkle, review director with 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.
In the Executive Summary of the report, dated April 2016, Kirkle wrote, “Recommendations in the report aim to hit the reset button on SRBA and its operations to allow SRBA and its stakeholders to reestablish the working relationships and trust needed to best meet the needs of the Sulphur River basin.”
“The SRBA board has not addressed critical gaps in its operational responsibilities and board members do not act as a whole to further the basin’s interests,” Kirkle wrote.
“These actions of the SRBA board aggravate the atmosphere of distrust and ultimately threaten the board’s ability to carry out its mission. The absence of local investment and perceived lack of independence in SRBA’s funding structure creates further barriers to SRBA’s success.”
The 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.”
Earlier this year there was some changes in the SRBA’s Board of Directors.
On March 23, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appointed three new members to the SBRA’s Board of Directors: Bret McCoy, of Omaha; Katie Stedman, of Mt. Pleasant and Mike Sandefur, of Texarkana. The trio will serve terms that expire Feb. 1, 2021.
Region D has also invited the SRBA to send a representative who would have a non-voting seat at their meetings. Price said that McCoy is serving as the liaison between the SRBA and Region D. McCoy is a former chairman of Region D. Region D encompasses all or part of 19 counties including Cass and Bowie Counties.
Price said that she hopes that with the changes on the board they not only would the SRBA take the state’s recommendations but that there would be some attempts to restore the broken relationship between the two entities.
“They (SRBA) have a long road to go.”