HCHD Cancels Meeting to Avoid Violation

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

HOUSTON COUNTY – Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can’t get out of your own way. Such was the case on Friday, Aug. 24 when the Houston County Hospital District (HCHD) Board of Directors attempted to meet in a called meeting.

According to the 2018 Open Meetings Handbook published by the Texas Attorney General’s Office, “Notice must be posted for a minimum length of time before each meeting. Section 551.043(a) states the general time requirement as follows: The notice of a meeting of a governmental body must be posted in a place readily accessible to the general public at all times for at least 72 hours before the scheduled time of the meeting.”

While there are emergency exceptions to the rule, the HCHD meeting did not fulfill any of the requirements. The agenda was certified as posted at 12 p.m. on Aug. 23, significantly less than the 72 hour mandate.

As HCHD Board President Dr. Bob Grier called the meeting to order, Board members Rhonda Brown and Dina Pipes stood up and requested Grier to “… cease and desist.”

“This is to inform the Board of Directors for the Houston County Hospital District,” Brown said as she read from a prepared statement, “the special called meeting for the HCHD planned for Aug. 24 – scheduled to be held at 5:30 p.m. – is in direct violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act.”

“This violation includes, but is not limited to,” Brown continued, “the mandated notification requirements for any meeting including special meetings conducted or announced by a political subdivision of the state of Texas, including the HCHD.”

Grier replied he didn’t hear anything in the statute “… that broke parameters.”

“Enough notification was not given ahead of time. According to the Open Meetings Act you have to give 72 hours,” Brown explained.

“It was posted on …” Grier started to say.

Brown said she received an email about the meeting at 11:58 yesterday (Thursday, Aug, 23).

“It was posted yesterday,” Pipes further explained. “That’s 24 hours. It needs 72 hours, unless it’s a catastrophe or emergency.”

A copy of the Texas Government Code was shown to Grier and the meeting was adjourned.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].