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Under the Open Records laws of the State of Texas I requested some information about the land sales at Johnson Basin: appraisals, sales records, minutes and agenda of the PSB showing approval of the sales, email to and from Mr. Archuleta and so forth. I have been given a cost associated with compiling and copying the records. Click to enlarge the picture above of the letter to me from Mr. Bob Andron, EPWU attorney, outlining the associated costs. It is obvious that the EPWU/PSB does not want me to see the records. So much for open government and transparency. What are they afraid of? What really happened with the acquisition of the Johnson Basin? Why were procedures not followed? 


I did ask by email today to simply view the records. I've been told that they will get back to me. 


Last year, as a member of the Open Space Advisory Board, I requested a financial statement of our Open Space Fund - the 10% of your stormwater fee that goes for acquiring natural open space. I wanted to see income and expenses - a bank account statement basically. Never, ever was there any mention of property purchased as part of the Johnson Basin acquisition even though the El Paso Inc. story by David Crowder reveals that Joseph and Irene Dunn were paid $370,000 on January 9, 2011. That purchase was even hidden from the PSB contrary to the EPWU/PSB Policies and Procedures 31-03 signed by Mr. Archuleta on December 22, 2003.


In addition, the purchase of property acquisitions with open space money made before 2011 was even hidden from me in an earlier open records request that I made about the same income and expenses. Again, nothing about the purchase of property to acquire the Johnson Basin with open space funds even though such an expense was germane to my request.


Finally, in the 12/07/11 minutes of the Open Space Advisory Board, Mr. John Balliew of the EPWU said publicly that he would provide me with a copy of the PSB minutes regarding the Johnson Basin project discussion. This was separate from my open records request.  To date, I have received nothing from Mr. Balliew and emailed him today asking him to send me that information. Mr. Balliew made his promise at the same OSAB meeting in which  he identified the Johnson Basin as natural open space. I'm sure that the black top at the northwest corner of the "basin" is the natural asphalt pavement - a creative act of God.


Again, what are they afraid of? What really happened with the acquisition of the Johnson Basin? Why were procedures not followed? What is this cover-up all about?