CA Newsletter: Democracy in action
Recently, Commissioners Court recognized and honored the hundreds of individual, organizations, government agencies, and elected officials who worked tirelessly to contribute to the clean-up of the San Jacinto Waste Pits Superfund Site, a dump that had been leaking toxic chemicals into the San Jacinto River for decades. The photo of the occasion appearing in the right hand column of today’s newsletter depicts some of the participants in this extraordinary endeavor that brought so many together for a common goal. This is democracy in action.
During this process many individuals and groups, some with differing agendas, met, debated, and challenged one another. Ideas were exchanged and negotiated. Alliances were forged; no one person or group dominated the decision making.
It was a cumbersome process that often irritated the participants, but the process worked. Federal and local agencies, corporations, and non-profit organizations achieved cooperation and the poison from the Waste Pits have been stopped. Much still needs to be done to achieve a permanent solution that will cleanup the River and Galveston Bay, but if we continue to work together this too will be attained.- Vince.
HCAO aids Spring Creek Greenway expansion
Jimmy Jones, Assistant County Attorney with the Public Law Practice Group, helped negotiate and draft an interlocal agreement with Timber Lane Utility District that will add 147 acres to the Cypress Creek Greenway Project. The Cypress Creek Project is an initiative of Commissioner Precinct Four to link a series of parks, bridges, trails, and recreational areas from west of Hwy. 290 to Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center near Hwy. 59 North. Under the agreement with Timber Lane, the utility district will purchase the 147 acre parcel along Cypress Creek from the Union Pacific Railroad for $1.1 million using funds contributed by Timber Lane, the Houston Parks Board, and Harris County. Timber Lane will construct hike and bike trails, pedestrian bridges and other recreational improvements that will connect with other trails to connect this land to Mercer Arboretum and the Cypress Creek Greenway Project.
HCAO assists redistricting hearings this week
This week Douglas Ray, Senior Assistant County Attorney, will be the moderator for a series of public meetings on proposed boundaries for Commissioner Precincts. The first was held on Monday, July 25th to be followed by meetings on Wednesday, July 27th, Friday, July 29th, and Monday, August 1st. Chief Investigator Oscar Burnias and a team of investigators will be assisting. Every ten years following the federal census, Commissioners Court reviews the precinct boundaries and makes changes to ensure that the population in each of the four county commissioner precincts are approximately equal.
International students learn about US courts
Last week the Office of the Harris County Attorney hosted a group of 25 Taiwanese undergraduate students for a tour of the Harris County Court system. Judge Michael McSpadden and Judge Michael Schneider spoke to the group. In the photo above First Assistant Terry O’Rourke, Judge McSpadden, Dr. Hans Stockton (all on the back row) pose with the students. These students are recipients of a nationally competitive scholarship in Taiwan to send Taiwan’s future leaders to the United States for a short-term acculturation. Curtrina Majors and Debbie Dillard served as tour guides.
