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Council rejects voter fraud
prosecution
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
PAYNE SPRINGS–On a 3-2 vote, the Payne Springs City Council decided not
to prosecute the 20 individuals who illegally voted in the May 10 city
election.
Tuesday’s vote followed an impassioned plea by Karen Juica to send a
strong message that “the city will no longer tolerate voter fraud.”
Those for sending the names to the Henderson County District Attorney’s
office were Odell Terrell and Rodney Renberg. Those opposing the measure
were Vic Brazzell, Carl Powell and Lynn Sorrell.
Earlier in the meeting, the council heard of one gross abuse by a voter
listing Mayor J.T. Noble’s hay acreage as their address.
“Let me assure you, there is no one living in my hay field,” Noble said.
Though the abuse seemed blatant, the majority of the council declined
prosecution because both the election judge and assistants, as well as
the county, may also be cited – perhaps even the city.
“Does the city bear some responsibility for this happening?” Powell
asked.
“I think it’s enough that the mayor has cleaned up the list with the
county registrar’s office,” Brazzell said. “All those who voted were
authorized to do so by the county voters registrar.”
Noble, Juica and others went through every name and address to verify
which individuals were truly living within the city limits and who were
not.
“There were between 180 and 190 names on the list that either should not
have been listed, or should have been listed and were not,” Noble said.
“I have been to every address and verified with the county, so the list
should be cleaned up now.”
This is not a new problem, Juica told the council.
The spidery-like boundary lines that encompass the major roadways and
skirt around other residents has been a source of trouble to the city
for a long time, she pointed out. Efforts to redraw boundary lines and
annex properties have been unsuccessful thus far.
In other business, the council:
• changed its general rule to allow for a biennial audit of the city’s
financial records, starting the compilation this year. The move is
expected to save the city about $2,500.
• took no action on a request to use police vehicles by off-duty
officers to perform security inside the city.
• heard Bill Casey, the Democratic candidate for Henderson County
Sheriff, outline his qualifications and reforms he would bring to the
department.
A past military man, he said promotions would be based on performance
reports, as well as time served, as it is done in the armed services.
• heard the difference between replacing a blown motor in police vehicle
(No. 51) with a rebuilt engine, and buying a new engine from Tri-County
Ford was $300. The new engine comes with a 36-month/100,000 mile
warranty.
• heard a BlackBrush representative has been rescheduled to talk to the
city council about a proposed sour gas well Tuesday, Aug 19.
County responds to report of
inmate’s “mysterious death”
Monitor Staff Reports
ATHENS–A recent television report of a sick woman being transferred from
the Henderson County Jail April 24 to ETMC-Athens and dying 10 days
later is substantially correct, Sheriff’s department spokesman Lt. Pat
McWilliams told The Monitor.
McWilliams confirmed that Debra Lee Newton, 56, was an inmate who become
ill on April 23.
She was taken out of the general prison population and placed in a
medical isolation cell, and a doctor came to see her the following day.
That same day, she was transferred to ETMC-Athens.
April 25, she was released from county custody on a personal
recognizance bond issued by the court. Officers Kevin Harris and James
Smith witnessed the bond and her medicated state, as a reason for her
being unable to sign.
What her condition was, her treatment both inside the jail and later at
the hospital are all part of her medical records – and all protected by
strict privacy laws.
“I would welcome those records coming to light,” McWilliams said. “It
would take the mystery out of it.
“She had received medical attention all along,” McWilliams added, but
noted he was prevented from elaborating due to privacy laws.
McWilliams explained that whenever a prisoner exhibits flu-like
symptoms, they are removed to a medical cell to prevent the possible
spread of infection.
A public information request for those medical records from WFAA-TV has
been forwarded to the attorney general for a ruling, he added.
In no way is Sheriff Ronny Brownlow’s retirement announcement related to
this incident as implied by the TV report, McWilliams said. The Monitor
has known since last October of Brownlow’s intention to retire.
As for the length of time before the records were filed, McWilliams
explained that a personal recognizance bond is a court order to release
the prisoner.
Since she was already outside the jail, booking took care of the
paperwork and sent the order and its outcome on to the courthouse for
filing.
“It could have sat on someone’s desk for a month before being stamped,”
he said. “But the order was complied with immediately.”
Bargain hunters make out
at Friends’ book sale
Monitor Photo/Pearl Cantrell
Margaret and Ray Campbell are among the first shoppers to review the
titles
offered for sale at the Friends of The Library at Cedar Creek Lake book
sale
going on this weekend in Seven Points.
Monitor Photo/Pearl Cantrell
Sandra Mooney (left) of Tool takes advantage of the low prices at the
Friends
of The Library of Cedar Creek Lake book sale.Mooney bought 11 videotapes
and 27 paperbacks for less than $20, which is good, because she
typically reads
three books a week, she said. Christy Spiegel helps pack them up while
Yvonne
Flanigan (right) rings up the sale. The book sale continues through
Saturday. |