Transparency in Pilot Point, TX

Recently, the TGAA (Texas Government Accountability Association) was presented to the city council as a vehicle in which the city would be obligated to set transparency standards for staff and elected officials.

The concept of transparency in local government is not only needed, it is required. However, the ILA (Interlocal Agreement) with TGAA that the city would have been under had several issues:

• The contract was very expensive. It is $500 for the first year of membership. After the 1st year, it is $.20 per citizen. As the city grows, so does the cost of membership. The TGAA board could also raise the cost to the city at any time, and the contract obligated the city to pay whatever that price increase may be. 

• No End date – City Council could not get the city out of the contract. The only way to get out is to hold a referendum election. The city would have to pay $30,000-$40,000 to hold a special election. If the citizens voted to end the contract, the city would still be obligated to pay the TGAA two years of membership dues after the contract expired. 

• The contract held the established the TGAA as judge for all citizens’ disputes against the city. If a citizen had a legal complaint regarding the city’s compliance to the contract, the citizen had to go through an arbitration process, not the US justice system. Any remedy would have been set by the TGAA, not a judge and a jury.

What does Pilot Point already have in place to provide Transparency?

The above issues with the TGAA contract are not the only reasons why signing it was unnecessary.  Pilot Point is already a member of the Local Government Transparency Star Program through the Texas Comptroller. This program is almost identical to the TGAA, however there is no contractual obligation to the city.

Transparency Star Program through the Texas Comptroller

The Texas Star program has 6 categories of transparency standards which a city can participate in to earn all 6 required stars:

1. Traditional Finance – (budgetary and audit)

2. Contracts & Procurement (vendor and vendor conflict of interests)

3. Economic Development Guidelines (inform taxpayers about programs and incentives supported by their tax dollars)

4. Public Pensions (enhance public pension transparency)

5. Debt Obligations (requires the city to providing debt information in a variety of formats)

6. Open Government and Compliance Guidelines (allows citizens to remedy grievances with their governing officials)

   
   

Currently, the city holds 1 star out of 6. If re-elected, I will lead the charge to make sure that the city earns the other 5 stars. 

The Texas Municipal League

Pilot Point is also a member of the TML (Texas Municipal League), along with  1,170 other cities in Texas. The TML offers a wide range of services to its member cities, aimed at supporting local governments and enhancing their operations. A few items of transparency that the TML advises of their member cities are:

• Financial Reporting: Affiliated organizations are encouraged to maintain a budget and financial structure capable of supporting their activities. They should also prepare annual financial statements, audited by an external auditor, and share these reports with their governing bodies, memberships, and TML staff. ​

• Ethical Standards: Affiliated organizations are urged to promote these standards and are advised to consult with legal counsel to ensure compliance with current laws and regulations. ​ 

  
  

Additionally, TML recommends that municipalities prioritize citizen engagement, foster collaboration, and implement transparent practices, such as adopting open data policies and providing easy access to information about budgets, expenditures, and ongoing projects. 

With Pilot Point striving to earn six out of six stars in the Transparency Star program, along with continued fulfillment of TML’s standards, the city can lead the charge of governmental transparency in North Texas.