A set of documents that were recently released to InstantNewsWestU from the city regarding West U Town Center shed little light on how the committee’s drawings for the proposed town center were developed.
InstantNewsWestU filed a public information request with City Secretary Thelma Lenz on Oct. 6, requesting to view “any and all e-mails, memos, documents or correspondence to, from or between the city manager, mayor, city council members and West U Town Center committee members and any and all documents generated by the West U Town Center committee regarding West U Town Center from December 14, 2009 to October 6, 2010.”
InstantNewsWestU first reported the committee’s plans of a three-story structure, lining Edloe Street and University Boulevard, on Oct. 5.
According to the Texas Attorney General’s Office, a government body has 10 working days to release the requested documents, ask for an attorney general’s office for a ruling, or provide the requesting party with a reason why the deadline cannot be met.
The City of West University Place released two PDF documents to InstantNewsWestU, regarding the Town Center, on Oct. 22.
One of the PDF documents included a series of e-mails from Aug. 18 to Oct. 6 from West U Town Center Committee Chair Bruce Frankel to other committee members.
None of the e-mails obtained through the request mentioned anything about the drawings that were prepared by Hermes Architects. There was no discussion about the creation of, payments for or donation of drawings by the architect firm.
City Manager Michael Ross told InstantNewsWestU earlier this week that the plans were donated by “a friend of the city’s,” but it is not clear who entered into discussions with the firm.
One of the e-mails included in the public information request, includes a message from John Tsertos of Artisan Builders to committee members on Oct. 6:
“Has everyone seen the InstaNews. Seems our work is on public display.”
The second PDF document includes the drawings of West U Town Center that were created by Hermes Architects on Sept. 14, featuring a 3-story structure totaling 94,600 square feet and a four-story parking garage, creating 433 parking spaces.
InstantNewsWestU filed another public information request to Lenz on Oct. 29 because the documents provided by the city did not appear to be fully responsive to the parameters of the request.
“The documents do not reflect any meeting agendas, committee notes or council minutes that reflect the creation of the committee or the appointment of members or any indication of any city funds expended for the committee’s efforts,” read the request. “The documents released include an artist’s rendering of a proposed shopping center and parking garage; however, there are no documents reflecting who engaged the architect to create this rendering, how that architect was selected, invoices for the work or indications of payment. I am again requesting any and all documents in the possession of the City of West University Place that are in any way related to the West University Place Town Center Committee.”
Lenz responded on Oct. 29 with this comment:
“The documents provided were responsive to your request as we understood it. Regarding this request, we will provide you with the documents as soon possible.”
Ms. Pat Malone says
George … stay with this … you’re on to ‘something’
Council abolish the committee.
Fire the City manager.
Impeach the Mayor.
Council get a grip.
Sunset Resident says
This does not pass the “smell” test…..
Good thing we have InstaNews or we would be clueless.
I want to know what this committees work has already costs us and I WANT THE COSTS TO STOP NOW!!!
This project is developer madness run amuck.
The drawings look like they were done by the same firm that did drawings for the over the top colonial pool and rec center. Any idea if the drawings were done around the same time as those and if so was this town center plan part of the council/Ross’ master plan to be slowly rolled out? I’m with Tangley! Where there is no transparency there is intent to hide. InstantNewsWestU - thank you for getting to the bottom of this! By the way, any idea what the net revenue or expenditure of colonial pool and the rec center is to date? Did the city make any projections we can compare to actuals?
I am trying to educate myself about what is going on. I try and remind myself each day that the members of city council are our neighbors. Following is a link that I am reading now http://library.municode.com/HTML/14072/level2/PTIHORUCH_ARTIICICO.html. It is “West University Place, Texas, Code of Ordinances”. It talks about duties and responsibilites. West U Residents please plan on attending city council meetings. Contact the members of city council and the city manager. I have to believe we CAN affect change.
Anonymous says
George, i would still like to know when the new police station was authorized. Were there funds available after you floated the bonds from the rec center/pool bond issuance? I really saw virtually no press about this.
Thanks.
Thank you Ms. Waisanen for following up on this matter of upmost importance to the residents of West University.
It is not enough for the members of government to avoid impropriety; they must also behave in such ways as to avoid the impression of impropriety.
It brings Shakespeare to mind…“Something is rotten in the State of Denmark”
The Press and the residents of West University should continue to press for answers and for full disclosure on this matter.
Someone got paid to do this….I want to know how much!!!!