Bastrop officials defended their decision to hold a retreat in Fredericksburg while testifying before a Texas House committee Aug. 26.
State Rep. Stan Gerdes, R-Smithville, whose House District 17 includes Bastrop, said he plans to file legislation aimed at preventing similar out-of-town meetings.
What happened
Mayor Ishmael Harris and City Manager Sylvia Carrillo-Trevino testified before the House Select Committee on Governmental Oversight about the retreat—where council discussed the proposed budget and tax rate, Flock cameras, data centers and more.
As previously reported by Community Impact, no formal votes or final actions were taken during the discussion-only retreat.
A closer look
During the hearing, State Rep. Shelby Slawson, R-Stephenville, said she did not believe city officials acted illegally, emphasizing that she felt the city was “technically complying” with the Texas Open Meetings Act, but questioned whether it was within the spirit of the law.
“But don’t remove the business of the people,” she said, arguing those discussions should not be held that far from residents and noting that she expects the Legislature to address the issue. “But in the meantime, I would definitely suggest that y’all don’t book anything non-refundable for next year.”
Harris defended the retreat during the hearing, saying its purpose was to help council better prepare for discussions with residents.
“It wasn’t about getting away from the public,” Harris said. “It was about becoming better prepared to serve the public.”
Why it matters
The committee was examining whether local governments should be allowed to hold meetings covered by the TOMA outside the communities they serve.
Gerdes told Community Impact he plans to file legislation aimed at preventing similar out-of-town meetings.
What they're saying
“It was completely unacceptable for the Bastrop City Council to take a taxpayer-funded trip hours away from where citizens could participate to spend two days discussing critical issues including the budget, tax rate, flock cameras and data centers," Gerdes said. "I will be filing legislation to ensure these taxpayer-funded getaways to handle the business of the people do not happen anymore."
“If this Legislature believes additional guardrails are appropriate, I welcome that conversation," Harris said during the hearing. "But good legislation solves a problem without creating a new one.”
Bastrop city officials did not respond to Community Impact's request for additional comment.
