By Bill Peterson
KYLE – City Councilmember Mike Moore decided to break off his third term a year early, announcing his resignation at the end of Tuesday night's meeting.
Moore told the assembled at the end of a long night that he simply no longer has the time to give for city business, adding that he wants to devote more energy to his family and employment.
The reasons matched Moore's explanation for refusing to run in 2003, after he had completed two terms on the city council. Moore then decided to run, though as something of a reluctant candidate in 2006.
Moore took the plurality of the vote with 44 percent in 2006, then defeated Michelle Lopez, 279-220, in a run-off election. Lopez won election to the city council last May.
Moore's priorities on the city council centered on budgetary constraint and infrastructure. During his first run on the council, 1998-2003, Moore generally was the only voice opposed to rapid residential development and pet projects for other councilmembers, preferring to emphasize roads, water and wastewater.
If Moore was distinctive voice on the council during his first run, he stood out much less in the last two years as the city's issues changed dramatically. A city that worried about over-pumping its water permits five years ago now is going into heavy retail and economic development.
Moore is the second councilmember to resign within the last year. Todd Webster resigned from the council last September so he could devote his time to his dying father in Ohio. Like Moore, Webster won re-election in 2006.
By Bill Peterson
BUDA – The fuzzy edge between information technology and open government drifted through the Buda City Council Tuesday night as the city's governing body wondered aloud about how to protect themselves and city business.
If the council ultimately heeds the legal advice of City Attorney Jim Duvall, the solution is simple.
"My recommendation is that the city give a computer (to each councilmember) and you use it for absolutely nothing but city business," Duvall told the council.
The issue came up when Councilmember Tom Crouse requested that it be included on the Tuesday agenda. Crouse said the council needs to clarify its technological processes for councilmembers doing city business in light of discussions about moving to a paperless agenda accessible only by computer.
Crouse added that the city has talked in the past about providing councilmembers with computers, but hasn't done so. Duvall said councilmembers using their personal computers for city business are taking enormous privacy risks.
"I would not, if I were you, do any city business on a personal computer," Duvall said. "... People use open records requests where they used to use civil discovery and the Attorney General, when there's an open records request, they will go on the side of making the information public ... If somebody sues the city and wants to know what's on (a councilmember's personal computer with city business on it), you're going to have to turn that computer over."
Councilmember Sandra Tenorio said she was disturbed about the potential need to lug around three different computers – one for personal use, one for her job and another for council duties.
Councilmember Hutch White said the problem could be mitigated by setting up councilmembers' personal computers with a virtual desktop feature that would actually allow them to work from their own machines by remote access to city computers.
But Duvall insisted that having the city issue computers exclusively for city business is the best way to go. Interim City Manager Sarah Mangham said laptops aren't very expensive, indicating that the city could easily handle the expense. Furthermore, Mangham said, it would expedite the paperless agenda.
"That is how you will view that packet, is on that laptop," Mangham said.
The council took no action and will address the issue at a later date.
