Dear Friends,
It has been 2 years since I was bitten by that rattlesnake. Thank God for Memorial Medical Center. They took very good care of me ( ER, Nurses, Dr Paul Barnell and the whole staff) Please use our local Hospital and doctors.
We have come a long way since Dr Stanley Lester had a vision for medical care in Calhoun County. The rural health clinic will open within the year. Our county government and Formosa want the best health care for all of us.
We are blessed to have all these doctors.
Russell Cain
Resident for 60 years
Taking Scripture Out of Context
People are quoting scriptures to justify the arrest of Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis for refusing to grant same sex marriage licenses. Particularly the one about being subject to governing powers. Yet the same person who wrote “as much as lieth live in peace with all men.” Meaning that there are times when we have to take a stand in the face of oppression.
And there are numerous case studies in scripture where individuals refused to obey the commands and initiatives of their leaders and governments. Jeremiah, the 3 Hebrew children, and Daniel all come to mind. But the one that really stands out is in the book of Acts. The apostles after being beaten publicly and ordered not to speak in the name of JESUS replied “we ought to obey God rather than men”.
If you don’t want to believe the Bible that’s up to you but don’t take it out of context to defend your own twisted ideology.
Patrick Overton
Thank You
On Tuesday August 25, 2015 Port O’Connor had an AWESOME Retirement party for Johnny Johnson, our wonderful Postmaster. We all hate to see him go, but we wish him well for his so much deserved retirement.
I want to send a great big THANK YOU to EVERYONE that helped make it happen and to EVERYONE who came out to honor Johnny and bid him farewell. Your “Best Wishes,” cards and gifts were a special added touch. I especially want to say “THANK YOU” to Pat Johnson, Johnny’s sweet wife for coming to share this special time with us.
The gathering was a HUGE success! But without all the volunteers that helped, it wouldn’t have been as successful. “THANK YOU” Mary Jo and the POC CHAMBER for jumping on board with your gift to Johnny and furnishing the sandwiches. “THANK YOU” Marie Hawes and the POC LADIES SERVICE CLUB for the fruit and vegetable platters, the desserts, and essential things I probably wouldn’t have thought of. A special “THANK YOU” to all the ladies who helped prepare the food, serve and make everyone feel so welcome.
A special “THANK YOU” to Pat Ekstrom for the beautiful sheet cake, for taking care of the community marquees and for your untiring help and guidance. Also “THANK YOU” Sally Ragusin for your behind the scenes help, and for your guidance. Words just can’t express my gratitude and pride in all of you and our Port O’Connor community! I truly LOVE our home and I am EXTREMELY PROUD to be a PORT O’CONNOR WOMAN!!
Sincerely,
Nancy Pomykal -a proud Port O’Connor woman
Transparency in Port O’Connor
At the August 25, 2015 meeting of the Port O Connor Improvement District (POC ID) The Public Information requests were again in question.
We received bids from two law firms to handle our public information because our council was unable to act on these types of requests.
The firms in question were, Randle Law Office LTD., L.L.P. that submitted a bid for $195.00 an hour. The other was Gardere Wynne Sewell L.L.P. that submitted a bid of $595.00 an hour. What firm would you have chosen? Wrong!! Our three new appointed directors Allen Junek, Joe Newsome , and Albert Redding chose the $595.00 law firm to help make it harder for us to figure out what is going on in this district.
There is an old saying (if it don’t stink, why cover it up). I made a motion not to accept the proposals from either firm and Leon Brown seconded the motion, but it failed.
Allen Junek said that our present firm Walker Keeling L.L.P. was not experienced enough and did not specialized in public information, but at the August 13, 2015 meeting of the board Walker Keeling LLP presented the board with a bill in the amount of $20,117.42 for public records requests.
I made a motion that we not pay this bill and the motion passed. But guess what,, it was on the agenda for consideration again at the Sept. 1, 2015 board meeting at 12 p.m. At this meeting I made a motion not to pay this bill, Leon Brown made a second,,,,,, but Allen Junek, Joe Newsome and Albert Redding voted to pay the bill, so it passed and we will give $20,117.42 to a law firm that should not be handling this type requests in the first place.
People,,, this is your money!!! This is your money that our three new appointed directors Allen Junek, Joe Newsome, and Albert Redding are willing to spend to continue and keep us in the dark. When asked for my emails I sat at my iPad for over two and a half hours forwarding every email I had, there were no charges involved, and I did not try to bill someone for the time I spent doing so. I have made a request for emails from Walker Keeling LLP and it seems that for me to receive these emails on a flash drive the cost is going to be over $900.00.
Just remember November 2016 is not that far away.
Marshall Bradford, Director POC ID
Transparency Is Expensive
Submitted by: Leon Brown
Transparency within the Port O’Connor Improvement District is EXPENSIVE
.
Joe Newsome, Bryan Redding and Allen Junek were appointed by TCEQ when Teddy Hawes, Tom Ekstrom and Doyle Adams resigned.
One of the first comments to the directors and to the public made by Allen Junek was “being Transparent”. Now, here is the whole story.
Shortly after Teddy Hawes’ resignation, I was legally informed that Teddy Hawes requested all my personal emails through the Texas Public Information Act. I spent several hours and forwarded hundreds of emails to the attorney. I sent so many emails the attorney asked if I was sure I wanted to submit all the emails. My answer was yes; I did not have anything to hide. I never heard back from that attorney.
I made similar requests through the TPIA regarding district emails and district documents. After my requests were made, I was informed by Donna Grafe-Tucker of the law firm of Walker Keeling, LLP; our district’s General Counsel, that most of my requests were being submitted to the Texas Attorney General’s Office for a written decision to withhold information from me.
Before now, guess how many AG requests for a decision to withhold information have been made in the past 22 years from our general counsel? None, zero!
In a recent meeting, Allen Junek made a statement that our General Counsel is not experienced enough to handle public information requests. Now, here is what is troublesome. General Counsel submitted an invoice to the District in the amount of $20,177.42 for the public information requests. Allen Junek, Bryan Redding and Joe Newsome voted to pay the invoice. Myself and Marshall Bradford voted No.
Sorry, the story does not end. Allen Junek, Joe Newsome and Bryan Redding also voted to hire a new attorney to handle the TPIA for a cost up to $595 a hour. Myself and Marshall Bradford voted No!
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