Three CEIDC Board Members Removed by Crockett City Council

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT –   Three Crockett Economic and Industrial Development Corporation (CEIDC) board members were removed from office by the Crockett city council for violations of the Texas open meetings act after they wrote and signed a letter requesting legal representation. 

Robert Thompson, NaTrenia Hicks and Elizabeth Guzman were removed from their positions on the CEIDC board after they signed a letter sent to the city attorney claiming their right to legal representation. 

Crockett Mayor Dr. Ianthia Fisher told the council, “With the CEIDC board in the condition it was, there was no business supposed to be conducted. During the suspension, several board members engaged in an illegal meeting – outside of a publicly called meeting. As a result, this is considered a violation of the open meetings act. It is imperative the council address this issue.”

Councilman Darrell Jones was first to respond. 

“Mayor, it was my understanding there was no meeting,” Jones said. “I think one of the members went to them individually. It is in the bylaws that they can have an attorney, but the council is ignoring it.”

“Right now, the discussion is not about what’s in the bylaws,” Mayor Fisher answered. “It’s about violations of the open meetings act. Everyone on this council and on the (CEIDC) board has been trained on the open meetings act.”

Jones protested this would only apply if there were a meeting with several or all of the members, but Fisher disagreed. 

“If you sign a document, with all three signatures, that is recognition that a meeting has taken place,” Fisher said. “Any time you have an official document with three members signing, that means there’s been a conversation – a meeting of some kind has taken place – or you wouldn’t have an official document. This document was generated and this document was submitted. In order for three members to come to such an agreement, there had to have been some form of conversation. We are not denying anyone’s rights, but it is the manner in which it was done which caused a conflict.”

As Jones continued to insist the CEIDC board members have the right to legal representation according to the bylaws, Mayor Fisher concluded, “We are not addressing the bylaws, we are objecting to the process when the CEIDC board was not active.”

Councilman Dennis Ivey commented, “There was a violation of the open meetings act and that trumps anything else at this moment.” Jones and some members of the public began to speak causing the mayor to remind them this was not a public discussion. “I’m just trying to clear the air,” Ivey concluded. 

Jones asked what would have been the correct process for the board members to ask for what was already in the bylaws, with the mayor countering the proper way to do anything would have been when the board was active, giving notice of a meeting and allowing the public to attend. 

“They were not an active board that acted, anyway,” Fisher countered. 

“To clarify the matter, the board was suspended,” Councilman Ernest Jackson interjected. “Which means the board can’t act – in any manner. Then a document was generated with three of the board members signing – and since the public was unaware of this, the public meeting act was violated.”

Councilman and Mayor ProTem Mike Marsh made a motion to remove the three members from the CEIDC board, seconded by Jackson, with Marsh, Ivey and Jackson voting to approve the motion. 

During a brief recess, there were still heated, hushed conversations between several council members with some warning others there would be legal consequences for the council’s action. The Messenger has also learned there were heated conversations in the parking lot after the meeting between certain council members and members of the public. 

Mayor Fisher said the CEIDC board members would be notified officially of their removal. 

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]