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Toledo Bend Bi-State Alliance
Minutes of January 22, 2007
Maurice Patterson, Texas Co-Chairman, called the meeting to order and asked members and guests to have a minute of silent prayer prior to his giving the opening prayer.
Stan Verret presented the U.S. American Flag and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
SPECIAL INTRODUCTIONS: Maurice introduced and welcomed special guest Danielle Ebarb of the Sabine County Reporter, who will be taking notes to report on tonight's meeting. Maurice also introduced a very special guest, Vicky Ostrom, Director of J.R. Huffman Library, and to whom TBBSA owes special thanks for allowing our group to meet here. Maurice was pleased to present Vicky with a monetary donation for the library and a Certificate of Appreciation Award from TBBSA.
PRESENTATION OF MONTHLY AWARD: 'Dee' Delores Provost, wife of Glen Provost, was presented with this month's Special Award for doing a great service to this organization. Dee was selected because of her unselfish giving of her husband's time and talents to further the SAVE TOLEDO BEND CAMPAIGN STB-168. Maurice decided this was a good time to tell members about Glen's latest project in making business cards with all the legislators' names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses that each one can carry around and use to make phone calls or other means of contact with legislators at any convenient time. He will be passing these cards out tonight.
Minutes of the November 27, 2006 Meeting and the December 11, 2006 Board Meeting were approved as written.
Treasurer Janna Lehman reported there are 17 organizational members and 232 associate members (individuals) now paid. The current balance is $3,163.79, with $100 pending to be moved from the Legal Account into this account, plus money collected tonight. Balance for the Legal Fund is $7,025.92. There are another 137 people to contact regarding moving their money into the regular account. Janna will be sending out notices of dues for 2007, but wanted to let new members know if dues have been paid in the last three months, additional dues will not be owed for 2007. The Treasurer's Report was approved as presented. (Hats are still available at $15 each.)
SENATOR ROBERT NICHOLS' REPRESENTATIVE: Maurice welcomed another special guest tonight, Dawn Glover (and her husband). Maurice said Dawn Glover is Sen. Nichols' representative in Lufkin, and a very powerful figure in our area. Dawn said it was a pleasure to be here. Senator Nichols would have preferred to be here himself, but couldn't because of being in legislative session. She was impressed to see so many people interested in what is going on around them and to be at the meeting when the lake level is going up. She went on to say community activists make things happen for the betterment of the world we live in. She realizes this is a serious issue, and Natural Resources have not been her issue in the past. However, Sen. Nichols' will have a legislative aide in Natural Resources at the capitol office, named Steven Albright. If there are questions she is unable to answer, she will refer you to Steven. She went on to say what a privilege it is to work for Senator Nichols. He is great to work for; he is a fine, Christian man with a tremendous work ethic and irreproachable morals. Dawn has an office in Nacogdoches and Lufkin, but usually is at the Lufkin office. The phone number there is (936) 699-4988. She said she was delighted to be here tonight and to call if there are questions regarding this issue or any other she can help with.
Old Business:
PROPOSED BY-LAWS CHANGES: Janna Lehman stated the proposed changes to the By-Laws as were read and discussed at the two previous meetings. The changes can now be voted on at this meeting. The first change needed is to change our physical address, and the second change is to strike out the lines referring to the voting-in of new members. Bill McCarty moved the Proposed By-Laws Changes be approved as stated. Betty Griffin seconded the motion, and members voted to approve the motion.
New Business:
MARINA OWNERS: Fox Lodge new owner Bill Erickson with his wife Cindy, wanted to express the problems they have been experiencing in meeting operating costs and with dealing with the SRA about a commercial permit. He would like to meet with other marina owners, and asked if some were members. Jerry Cowgill commented that Roger Johnson at Lowe's Creek has made a tremendous effort to meet with all the marina owners to see about forming an alliance. Jerry said Roger has had no luck what so ever with other marinas, but has been in touch with the SRA. Roger has suggested turning his boathouses over to a boating club and let them pay the fees. He has sent a registered letter to the SRA, and Jerry recommends other marinas do the same. Maurice asked that the TBBSA be kept abreast of activities going on with the marinas and offered to help in anyway possible.
MEETINGS GOING ON: Gene Nethery said there have been a number of meetings going on with Rep. Wayne Christian and Sen. Nichols. They are both working very hard on legislation for Toledo Bend Lake, and will be meeting tomorrow to work on the language of the bill. Gene said he has submitted applications on two occasions for an appointment to the SRA Board with no success. Sen. Nichols told Gene he would like to have three other persons submit applications also. Gene offered to assist in helping anyone willing to complete the applications and hopefully someday someone from Sabine County will serve on the SRA-TX Board. He reminded folks that urban Texas controls politics not rural Texas, so we have to work hard to convince rural Texas how important this lake is to everyone.
SAVE TOLEDO BEND CAMPAIGN STB-168: Glen Provost thanked Danielle for coming tonight and for the article she will be writing in the Sabine County Reporter. He said the information that is now getting out is making a big difference in our campaign. Glen also thanked Dawn from Sen. Nichols' office, and Gene from Rep. Christian's office for coming tonight. He said the big question the legislators are working with is the compensation to the utility companies for loss of revenue if they must reduce generation. Glen said it really helps if the legislators hear from other areas as well as those counties around the lake, so we need to make an effort to get information out to those outside areas. Another provision that has been suggested to the legislators is changing the Texas water code so that economic development, tourism, and recreation are listed before hydroelectric power generation. Glen reminded members we must continue to let our legislators know about our problems such as Bill Erickson told tonight. More discussion followed on power generation. Glen thanked everyone for their support.
CLOSING COMMENTS: Maurice said with Gene Nethery's help he and Glen were invited to the board meeting of the PEP organization. He said they enjoyed listening to all the talks, and met a John Windham, Mayor of Center, TX, who said the SRA told him there was nothing they could do because of the contract. Glen made an effort to convince him otherwise. Another meeting Maurice, Bill McCarty, John Crisp and Larry Kelly attended was with Newton County Judge Truman Daughtery and the Commissioner of Precinct 1 to see if their minds could be changed about passing a Resolution like Sabine County. Glen Provost said a group will be going to Austin on Monday to meet with Sen. Nichols, Rep. Wayne Christian, and Rep. Mike Hamilton, and hope to meet with someone from Entergy. Mike from Huxley Bay gave an update from that area. They have obtained signed Resolutions of Support from Shelby County Commissioners, the City of Center, and will be going to Shelby Chamber of Commerce on Feb.14th to see about securing another. Janna told members she now has a file for response letters from our legislators and one for letters written to legislators, if anyone wants to share them with the organization.
Next Meeting Date: March 26, 2007
Meeting Adjourned.
Respectfully Submitted,
Betty Griffin, Secretary
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