This afternoon, I sent the following email to County Judge Ron Harris. I called for the Court to cancel the scheduled executive session, as it is in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act.

Later in the day, I received a call from the courthouse notifying me that the executive session was cancelled.

Bill Baumbach

----- Original Message -----
From: bill@baumbach.org
To: jharris@collincountytx.gov
Cc: publicrelations@collincountytx.gov
Sent: 8/29/06 3:44 PM
Subject: Tonight's Executive Session

> Judge Harris,
>
> This is to inform you that the Commissioners Court executive session scheduled for 6 PM this evening is in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act for the following reasons:
>
> Tonight's County Commissioners Court agenda states that one item to be discussed in executive session is "elected official's salaries".
>
> Section 551.047 allows exceptions to the policy of open meetings - "(1) to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee; or
> (2) to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or
> employee."
>
> The law does NOT make an exception for salaries (as is mis-stated on your agenda)nor does it make any exception for budgetary hearings.
>
> Further, the law does not make exception for consideration of employment of elected officials, since they are not employed, but elected.
>
> The law was designed to protect a current or future employee from premature disclosure of sensitive information.
>
> The law was never designed to protect the privacy of purely political acts or deliberations. On the contrary, the Act clearly is designed to protect, not the government representatives, but the public's right to know.
>
> I am sending you this letter to ask you to cancel the scheduled executive session. If you do choose to proceed as scheduled, I plan to file a complaint in the appropriate venue.
>
>
> Bill Baumbach
> 505 Rustic Place
> Wylie, TX 75098
> cell: 972-979-6449