Montgomery County Commissioner Proposes Digital Message Board

CONROE, TX -- Montgomery County Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack has asked county commissioners to consider incorporating a digital public message board to allow the commissioners to communicate publicly outside a called meeting, and provide greater governmental transparency to taxpayers.

"What it does is it allows only members of the commissioners court to publicly make statements on issues in an online forum where the community can see what they are posting," Noack said. "It gives us the
opportunity to talk about issues and not have to be in court."

Government Code 551.006 allows for a written electronic communication database that is viewable and searchable by the public.

Doyal said the message board might be useful in emergency situations, but added that the court is legally allowed to call emergency meetings without the 72-hour requirement to publicly post an agenda, and notice of a quorum.

"It's probably not a bad idea, I just don't know how much it would get used by our court,"he said.

Doyal said he'd asked the County Attorney's Office for guidance on the proposal to ensure, "...there isn't any questions or concerns."

The Texas Open Meetings Act prohibits a quorum of commissioners discussing county business outside a publicly called meeting.

The idea of the message board for more transparency comes four months after Doyal, Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley and Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Clark were indicted on a charge of conspiring to circumvent the Texas Open Meetings Act regarding the November 2015 road bond referendum.

In addition to Doyal, Riley and Clark, political consultant Marc Davenport was indicted on the same charge.

The trial date for all four men is set for Nov. 7.

Image: Alan Levine via Flickr