Lawsuit filed against municipal water district

On Friday, April 11, the Northeast Texas Municipal Water District (NETMWD) was served a civil lawsuit, filed in Morris County’s 276th District Court, alleging violations of the Open Meetings Act.

The lawsuit is in regard to the separation between former general manager Wayne Owen and NETMWD, and the following decision to hire Osiris Brantley as the interim general manager.

The lawsuit also addresses the job requirements and posting for the open general manager position.

It also requests a Temporary Restraining Order that requires NETMWD to remove the job post. During a hearing on April 11, NETMWD agreed to remove the general manager posting until after its next board meeting, which is on Monday, April 28.

Daingerfield-based attorney Nelson Roach filed this lawsuit, on behalf of plaintiff and current Daingerfield councilman Mike Carter and David Simpson– Avinger’s former mayor and a former state representative.

At this time, three directors on the board are also up for re-appointment or replacement in May. Those seats would be for Daingerfield, Pittsburg, and Lone Star.

The next NETMWD meeting will be on Monday, April 28, at 10 a.m. at their headquarters in Hughes Springs. A hearing for the lawsuit is scheduled for the Morris County Courthouse, 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 15.