By Chris Moore

chris.moore@panews.com

 

Former board members of “Help! I’m Hurting!” said that they had multiple conversations with the long-term recovery group’s board chairman, Randy Vaughn, about their concerns with the direction of the group prior to their resignations.

HIH withdrew the group’s name from consideration to become Jefferson County’s long-term recovery group amid scrutiny from Precinct 3 Commissioner Michael Sinegal.

Kenneth Marks said he served as a board member for about six months, and that he resigned because of personal issues. Marks said he did not feel as though the LTRG was being as productive as it could be.

“If we have 6,000 homes that have been identified significantly damaged, and we only have data completed on 500, when are we going to get the other 5,500 in (the database)? There was no clear answer to that. If there is no clear answer, then what is needed to get a clear answer? I never really did get an answer for that and that bothered me. I still haven’t got an answer on that.”

Marks said that some contention came from not having a quorum at the board meetings.

“There were meetings in these unofficial settings that we can’t continue to operate like this, because there are by-laws by which we are governed. When decisions are made, they have to be approved by the board for them to be official. There was a decision made on a salary for an employee that was questioned in one of these informal meetings, because it was made without the approval of the board. There was a statement made that sometimes decisions have to be made and then you retroactively approve them. If you do this once or twice, but when it becomes the norm, there is a problem. One person is making decisions that the board is going to be held accountable for.”

In Marks’ resignation letter, he stated personal reasons for leaving the LTRG, but he said the other issues were factored.

“People are needing help,” he said. “There are volunteer organizations, there are non-profits that are contributing money to help. Unless we come up with a comprehensive plan to help, we’re not going to scratch the surface of what can be done to help the people that need it most.”

Former board member Ingrid Holmes said that she wants HIH to do well and that the city needs help.

“I care about this city,” she said. “I want to see a difference in the community. I don’t want to see this community fall apart. I’m active in a lot of things, not just in Port Arthur. When I find that what I have to offer is no longer necessary for a board, it has nothing to do with anyone on the board, but I can use my time for other things.”

Deloris “Bobbie” Prince said she was on the board for about four months.

“I wish them the very best,” she said. “I want them to accomplish what they set out to do. I would never wish harm on them. (The board and those raising concerns) had nothing to do with the chaos and confusion. All we did was resign.”

The three former board members said that they don’t believe their resignations should’ve come as a surprise.

Prince said she respects Sinegal for listening to his constituents.

“It’s his duty and moral obligation to do so, and I respect him for that,” Prince said.