Former Mayor admits to Illegal Meetings

Former mayor
 Bob Bolen

As I sat and listened to other speakers at City Council on November 15th, I was not at all surprised at the overwhelming support for adding two (2) new members to the Fort Worth City Council, effectively making our city a 10 council district city IF the citizens were allowed to vote on this important issue.  However, in the case of every mayor from Bob Bolen forward, the office of mayor has been primarily serving the needs, wants and wishes of the downtown business interests.  Now of course you can add to that, supporting the interests of Chesapeake and any other gas drilling company coming before the council.

While former mayor Bob Bolen's comments about keeping the city council "as is" was not surprising, what hit me like a right cross from Mike Tyson was Mr. Bolen's admission and suggestion that if the city council were any larger it would be difficult for the mayor to reach out to individual council members with what is referred to by the Texas Attorney General's office as "walking quorums."  For those who are unfamiliar with the Texas Open Meetings Act, a walking quorum takes place when a mayor or council member meets with other council members in less than a quorum in order to circumvent the Open Meetings Act requirements that city business be discussed in open meetings. To meet individually with less than a quorum in order to line up votes ahead of a council meeting....IS a "Walking Quorum." 

Former mayor Bolen specifically stated in testimony that in order for the mayor to do the job in Fort Worth they must "deal with council members one at a time" on issues of importance to the city. 

By any definition you choose that is a "Walking Quorum" and it is illegal as hell.  Ever wonder why, when attending a council meeting, it just "seems" like the decision has been made and the votes have been lined up....before the city council meeting even began?  Well according to Bob Bolen, that is because it has! 

APPARENTLY MAYOR PRICE IS JUST KIDDING

I was happy to present an overhead slide of this picture and statement by Mayor Price during the discussion [not an accurate description of what happened] on whether or not we should allow the citizens of Fort Worth to VOTE on the issue of increasing the City Council or keeping it at it is now.  Instead what we listened to was a litany of excuses about why members of the council thought we should stay at 8 council districts instead of the citizen mandated 10 plus the mayor.

I would just request that you at least listen to the fact that in order to change the city council, [any Home Rule city council] in any way shape or form....it requires that the City Charter be amended by the citizens of Fort Worth, and ONLY by the citizens of Fort Worth.  That statute can be found in the Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 9, Section 9.004 "Charter Amendments" http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/LG/htm/LG.9.htm#9.004

I'm not real sure how Mayor Price can make the statement you read at the left and still say that she was in favor of a non-binding resolution that effectively took the decision making responsibility of altering the city council away from the citizens of this once great city.  How is it possible to tell our neighborhoods that "it's your Fort Worth," and then tell them that their vote and opinion will not count in her view?  How do you, as an elected official, of this city tell the people you are supposed to represent that you want them to "make our great city even better by taking ownership," and then attempt to deny them that ownership...because you think you are smarter than the citizens of Fort Worth?

There will be a petition drive to get the issue of the number of council districts, and most probably term limits as well on the ballot for May of 2012, which is the earliest date possible.  If you want to get involved or to donate funds to help with the petition effort please feel free to contact me, Louis McBee (texasambulance@aol.com) or Fernando Flores (rfflorez@juno.com), and we will be glad to tell you how you can help.  There will be other contacts as we move forward with the petition, but please don't hesitate to put your name in the hat now!

Fort Worth Citizens for Responsible Government

www.fwcrg.org

Coalition for a Better Fort Worth

LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE!

November 19, 2011

Public Email to Council Members:

Dear Fort Worth Council Members,

I am writing you in obvious opposition to any "resolution" that effectively states that you do not support the will of the majority in Fort Worth on the issue of increasing the number of single member districts. There is obviously overwhelming support for increasing the number of council districts and especially for a 10 and 1 city council (69%), based on the citywide survey contracted by you, constructed of questions you wanted answers to.....with many of the questions presented to the public in a way YOU wanted.....so that the responses would elicit the outcome that YOU perceived as favorable.  Now you want to change the outcome of the survey and suggest that because citizens "think" the city is running ok, they also think that they are fairly represented in the number of council representatives.  Such a conclusion is a serious mistake on your part, and one that can be proven with facts.

This survey and my own in east Fort Worth indicates that the citizens have spoken and given the city council a "mandate" to put the issue of a 10 and 1 city council on the ballot.  It would appear that you are suggesting that the survey is wrong and that the citizens of Fort Worth don't "really" want a larger city council.  The ONLY other option is of course that you don't really care what the citizens of Fort Worth want or need.  Any rhetoric about saving money will fall on deaf ears for the most part, as citizens have begun to understand that you don't have a problem spending funds whenever and whereever you think is appropriate.

It is also misleading to the public to state that only 69% of the respondents to your survey favor a change to a 10 and 1 city council, as the support is actually greater than that.  Not only were the questions on districts asked respondents incomplete, they were also in the middle of a very long survey.  The following survey results listed by district should convince all of you of the seriousness of your actions.  If it doesn't convince you......have the courage to seek an accurate survey with direct questions and also include a question on term limits.  You will find support for that as well as a larger council.

• District 2 - Sal Espino - 70% Support for 10 and 1
• District 3 - Zim Zimmerman - 75% Support for 10 and 1
• District 4 - Danny Scarth - 45% Support for 10 and 1 - (and an obvious error in the process)
• District 5 - Frank Moss - 74% Support for 10 and 1
• District 6 - Jungus Jordan - 72% Support for 10 and 1
• District 7 - Dennis Shingleton - 69% Support for 10 and 1
• District 8 - Kathleen Hicks - Are you ready? Wait for it!    - 77% Support for 10 and 1
• District 9 - Joel Burns - 76% Support for 10 and 1 - WOW!

Please keep in mind that the Fort Worth city council has no control over what the citizens may or may not change on the City Charter, and I am certainly not suggesting that you change anything because you cannot.  Any "resolution" you pass will be non-binding on the citizens and will signal a desire by the City Council to ignore your constituent's wishes.  By LAW the rules by which this city operates, the Texas Local Government Code and the Fort Worth City Charter may only be modified by the citizens of this great city (thank God!), and all they are expecting from you is to fairly represent their wishes and put the issue on the ballot for May of 2012.  IF...as some of you have claimed in public statements, the citizens think this city runs just fine the way it is, they will say "no thank you" to amending the city charter to reflect a 10 and 1 council.  It is as simple as that!

You can of course refuse the citizen's mandate and pass your little "resolution," in which case we will not allow the mistakes of 2003 to happen again.  If you require that we take the matter into our own hands, we will not stop at amending the City Charter on the number of council districts.  There is also 75%+ support for term limits on the city council and we will include that as well.


Respectfully submitted.

Louis McBee

It is impossible for a politician to understand any issue if

their income and/or political contributions are dependant

on their NOT understanding the issue.