BCDA election conflict continues
At the end of May, State Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow made another move in an effort to address issues he sees as problems within the Bear Creek Development Authority.
Morrow wrote a letter to Rep. Howard Sanderford, chair of the Sunset Committee, which referenced a letter he received from John Treadwell about the BCDA. The letter from Treadwell was in regards to a meeting he had with Morrow, the board of directors for the BCDA and Rachel Riddle, chief examiner of the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, in March.
During that meeting, those in attendance discussed the validity of a vote that was taken at a meeting of the BCDA board of directors in February. Factors called into question were the manner of voting, notice of the meeting, notice of the purpose of the meeting and additional legislative alternatives that could be taken.
One of those additional alternatives was contacting the chair of the Sunset Review Committee and requesting a review of the BCDA.
A review from the Sunset Committee would include an “in-depth review of the activities of the board, including the board of directors, and an evaluation by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts regarding finances and compliance with certain legal requirements,” according to Treadwell.
In Morrow’s letter to Sanderford, he states that he has heard numerous complaints concerning the operations of the BCDA.
“The inability of the Board to have meetings with a quorum being present has always been a major problem. This has required the administrator of the Authority to step in and make decisions in order for the Authority to provide basic services to the public,” Morrow said.
The vote taken in February by the board of directors elected Connie Morrison as the new chairperson of the board, but “the legitimacy is not shared by many current board members therefore I foresee a major problem if the board meets and takes a vote on any issue,” Morrow said.
According to Morrison, the BCDA board of directors is a viable board. “No, I don’t think they’ll find anything. We do our best to adhere to the rules and do the right thing,” Morrison said.
Morrow, however, expressed concern that Morrison “is possibly taking this drastic action in order to push through a lease agreement that is favorable to the City of Bear Creek where she currently serves as its mayor,” he said.
Morrow concluded his letter to Sanderford by explaining that he was sending him the information because he is concerned about the future of the BCDA and the services provided to the citizens by the lakes, camps and trails.
