The board of directors at Riverbend Water Resources District adopted the 2016-17 personnel manual, extended the maturity date of a promissory note with TexAmericas Center and discussed the possibility of working with the Sulphur River Basin Authority on studies in Wright Patman Lake.
Changes made to the personnel manual include banning employees from taking photos of Riverbend property or using social media during work time without consent of Executive Director Liz Fazio Hale. She told the board including the provision will keep the organization from being liable if an employee chooses to execute poor judgment.
"What we're trying to get at here is, with social media so prevalent right now, there are a lot of opportunities that someone might think it's okay to take a photo of a busted pipeline any number of things," she said. "One, if they post them on social media, even if they think it's cool, it might present some legal liability for us."
Provisions also prevent employees from taking photographs of themselves or other employees while they are wearing their Riverbend uniform.
"I think it is a good policy to have so that our name brand and our name is not being reflected in a negative light," Board Member Marshall Wood said.
Members also authorized Hale to extend a promissory note with TexAmericas Center that was executed in April when Riverbend took over the center's wet utilities. The original agreement was for Riverbend to return the $900,000 by September, but this will allow Riverbend more time to repay the loan without interest.
In other business, Hale said member entities will get a draft of the organization's strategic plan, which was discussed during the September meeting. The draft shows an emphasis on evaluating current and future infrastructure needs, developing a regional water master plan and strengthening relationships with the member entities and local stakeholders.
"This is a pivotal time for our organization," Hale stated in an email. "We are continuing to come together on several important issues in the region like transportation like air, rail, and highway funding. Water fits nicely into the picture of our overall development."
SRBA board members also worked on a strategic plan during their September meeting and included working with Riverbend on a volumetric study of Wright Patman. Hale gave an overview of the meeting, stating that SRBA is the current sponsor of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers feasibility study on the effects of raising the level of Wright Patman.
"I think this is an attempt to reach out to local stakeholders," Hale said.
This is part of the directive the Sunset Review Commission gave SRBA at a June public hearing in Austin. In addition to a sweeping of the board and addressing transparency issues, Sunset told SRBA they needed to involve stakeholders, including the city of Texarkana and Riverbend, plus find funding for Joint Commission for Program Development. JCPD, comprised of water districts in the Dallas Metroplex, is SRBA's only source of money.
Wood said this was a good step, and that he welcomed it, along with more discussions.
"I certainly don't have a problem partnering with them in concept for something like this. I don't think it would be a bad idea," he said. "Obviously, the main questions we've had on behalf of our regional stakeholders would need to be answered before we get to far down the road with a joint study on water in Lake Wright Patman and they address our continuing question about who they support for water rights around here."
The next meeting will be held Nov. 9 in Texarkana and will include a town hall meeting with Kathleen Jackson of the Texas Water Development Board speaking about regional and state water issues.