During the GREDC/4b meeting tonight, the auditor that the board hired presented some information about how funds were being spent. She mentioned that the Land of the Dinosaurs $80,000 is considered a promissory note. That is significantly different than the *investment* that the 4b board voted on, that still does not have any contract associated with it, although LOD has the money. Towards the end of the meeting, Best said, basically, that the auditor was incorrect about it being a promissory note. Dr Mike Jones. who is on the board, then said that a note on the report from the auditor seemed to indicate that it is not legal to do what the 4b is doing. After the meeting, I went over to Dr Mike to ask him to show me what the document said in that note. Darrell Best, from the center of the room, ordered Dr Mike not to show me. I said I should be able to look at those documents now as they were presented in open session and are therefore open to the pubilc. He told Dr Mike that the documents would be seen after the city meeting. I told him that I'd do an open records request and he said "Well do an open records request".

I am not only immediately doing an open records request to ask to inspect those records in person, but lodging a complaint with the Attorney General. I believe that once records are presented in open meetings in Texas, those records are available for the public to see and can't be held back or hidden, as Mr Best wants to do, until he sees fit. I further think I should not have to do a request to see what was laying on the dais, that one of the members of the appointed board had in his hands, thus creating more effort for everyone. I can understand if the time was not convenient for Dr Mike, that setting a time to personally inspect the records would have been better, but that was not the case. Perhaps I am mistaken about this and if so, will be happy to add to this post when a reply from the AG comes back.

Mr Best is completely out of line and one wonders why he is so much against transparency for the public.

Updated: Here is the page I got through Open Records Request showing that City of Glen Rose CANNOT invest in Land of the Dinosaurs.

and here is the video from that Dec 6 2010 meeting