Your Tax Dollars At Work.. And Play

MUD Director, Bill Burke, at Padre Island conference MUD Director, Fred Grampp, at Padre Island conference Photos from http://casetexas.org/photos-page2.html IS THIS THE MUD LEADERSHIP YOU WANT? Three MUD board members and at least two MUD employees traveled to what amounted to a five-day, four-night taxpayer paid vacation to South Padre Island last summer.  The justification was a “conference.”  The agenda, however, is made up of Austin area speakers and Austin issues.  The members of this group are all Austin area based.  So why not just hold the conference at any more-than-adequate facility in Austin?  The trip, to put it bluntly, is simply a political junket at your expense. Island Luxury Condo Stay... MUD travel documents show that Board President (and incumbent candidate) John Kiracofe, and board members Bill Burke and Fred Grampp spent 5 days and 4 nights on South Padre Island June 6 – 10, 2007 to attend the annual Capital Area Suburban Exchange (CASE) conference, June 7 – 9, 2007, while staying at the Sheraton South Padre Island Beach Hotel and Condomiums. …Thousands $$$ Paid for with Your Tax Dollars According to MUD travel expenses, board members Kiracofe, Grampp and Burke were each paid $805.24 ($425.00 in per diem and $380.24 for mileage).  In addition, Kiracofe and Burke were each reimbursed $854.28 for hotel charges.  Total payout for the three board members:  $4,124.28. Additionally, documents show at least two MUD employees also received per diem expense reimbursements of $425.00 each.  (Photos from http://casetexas.org/photos.html) Austin Attendees... Formed in 2004, CASE members are made up of central Texas MUDs, including the Anderson Mill MUD, and various Austin engineering, financial and legal firms, including Anderson Mill’s law firm, Winstead, Sechrest & Minick.  The MUD's auditor, Pena, Swayze & Co., has also supported the island conference. ...Becoming Islanders... CASE, www.casetexas.org  has held annual conferences every summer for the last three summers on the island.  …at Half-Day Work Sessions with Austin Speakers on Austin Issues The 2006 conference held half-day sessions featuring Kirk Watson (then a state senator candidate), UT Professor Joe Frost, a discussion on open meetings and open records law, former UT Longhorn football player Major Applewhite, Williamson County Tax Assessor Deborah Hunt, and the Wells Branch MUD Manager.  Also featured at the beach conference: a “David Harper Golf Tournament.“ MUD Board Members Plan to be Out in the Sun Again This Summer ‘08 Registration is underway for the June 12 – 14, 2008 conference at South Padre Island.    The 2008 member conference registration is $195.00 per registrant. One not-to-miss featured session:                  W8 Until Dark...             Anderson Mill MUD Board on its annexation progress.