Open Meeting Violation Videos Released

TYLER – Documents and video of several questionable Smith County commissioners’ court meetings in 2014, have been released. A state district judge has ruled the meetings violated the Texas Open Meetings Act. During the meetings the commissioners discussed adding school zone cameras in the county to catch speeders. Grassroots America filed complaints against former County Judge Joel Baker with the state attorney general’s office, which opened a full investigation. Some who have heard the tapes say the problem was far worse then they had imagined. In fact, an attorney general’s investigator said at least nine meeting were held improperly. The cameras’ program was later shelved. Baker later resigned and end up, in a plea deal, pleading no contest to one of the three charges of violating the state’s open meetings act. The other two counts will be dismissed. Baker was fined $200 and served 30 days of deferred adjudication.