As I was doing all the things on this glorious Friday (TGIF!), I tuned into the conversations around me, and they did not disappoint. One topic that caught me off guard was the speculation about my identity. I’ve heard several names floated around — Angel McCroskey, Jenn Miranda, Renée Harrington. While I’m honored to be mentioned alongside such ladies of honesty and integrity, you were not even close.

I’ve shared meals with some of you, had coffee with others, and attended your social gatherings. The suspense is intriguing, but honestly, my identity shouldn’t matter as much as the truth I share. Let’s focus on finding a better way together.

That being said, another topic of conversation that caught my attention was an incident in town. As we all know, the council has yet to vote on the police chief. Out of 21 applicants — whom I never heard the list of — there were three final candidates. Although the Mayor did not want the information disclosed, we now know that it was Interim Chief Mike Poindexter, Lieutenant Joshua Hadnot, and Lieutenant Garrett Foster.

It’s been heard through the grapevine that Poindexter has stated he would like to retire but will give “them” a couple more years. Hadnot and Foster have been there for quite some time and are not ready to retire anytime soon. All candidates are very experienced and knowledgeable about the position. In another conversation I overheard that Anderson Land doesn’t like Poindexter. However, the Mayor took it upon himself to dig up an irrelevant story from 17 years ago to smear one of the other candidates. He printed out copies and placed the article in each council member’s box.

This raised all sorts of red flags!

1. Why would a Mayor try to sway the vote with something that was handled years ago? And why would a Mayor try to influence the vote to go his way?

2. If Poindexter wants to retire, why would he need to give a couple more years?

3. Is that two years needed to advance a certain agenda or pay back any favors?

4. Why does the Mayor need him there for two more years?

5. The other two candidates have great resumes as well — why not put one of the younger candidates in place?

Of course it’s all speculation at this point, but it is something that deserves a little extra investigating.

Speaking of a little extra investigating… I saw a post about a special called City Council meeting and the agenda is about Outside Legal Counsel and the Jasper City Attorney. Although they are listed as separate line items, the council may want to combine them. After a little digging I found that Poindexter may not be interim after all.

Here’s the scenario (as stated on KJAS — link to full article in the comments).
Ronald Sample made a motion to appoint Poindexter and it was seconded by District 1 Councilman Marcus Barber. When put to a vote, Sample and Barber voted in favor of Poindexter, while District 4 Councilman David Shultz and At-Large Councilman Rashad Lewis abstained. District 3 Councilman DeMarcus Holmes was absent from the meeting. So…

2 in favor
2 abstained
1 absentee.

In the same article, this was printed about City Attorney Michael Ratcliff:
“However, Ratcliff says that he has since conferred with the Texas Municipal League and also reviewed Robert’s Rules of Order – which the Jasper City Council uses as guidelines for meetings – and he says that both confirm that the two votes were all that was needed to place Poindexter in the position.
Speaking on Tuesday morning’s Talk of the Town program on KJAS, both Ratcliff and Mayor Anderson Land said that effective immediately, Mike Poindexter is the Interim Chief of Police.”

I took our scenario and dug around to find that most councils require a majority of those present and voting, and abstentions generally don’t count as votes. With 2 in favor, 2 abstaining, and 1 absent, you fall short of the majority needed.

It seems there might be some confusion or differing interpretations of the rules in this situation. It would be wise to consult with outside legal counsel to clarify the proper procedure and ensure the decision is made correctly. Transparency and adherence to proper protocols are essential for maintaining trust and integrity in the process. From where I stand it looks like the City Council didn’t do anything — Ratcliff and Land appointed the interim chief, and for some reason the Mayor wants the chief to stick around for a couple more years.

We deserve leaders who respect fairness and honesty. Transparency and integrity are crucial. Such actions not only undermine the credibility of the process but also erode the trust of the community. Let’s shine a light on this and demand better.

Ronald Sample, Lequin Hilderbrand, DeMarcus Holmes, Marcus Barber, Angel McCroskey (tagged above). Can someone forward to the Mayor? He blocked me.

The choice to know will be yours.

In my studies, I’ve been delving into fraternities, sororities, and secret societies like the Masons, the Jesuits, and the Divine 9. We have all the information at our fingertips and most often the comments section will have little golden nuggets of information that should be broadcast. I stumbled upon an intriguing documentary that claims the Jesuits are at the top of it all. It’s eye-opening stuff that challenges everything we thought we knew.

In small towns, the influence of fraternities, sororities, and secret societies like the Masons, Jesuits, and Divine 9 can be profound. These groups often wield significant power, shaping local politics, business, and social dynamics. Their agendas, whether overt or covert, can impact everything from economic development to community values.

When these organizations prioritize their interests over the common good, it can lead to cronyism, favoritism, and a lack of transparency. This undermines trust and fairness, creating an environment where decisions are made behind closed doors, and the voices of ordinary citizens are drowned out.

The ripple effects extend beyond small towns, influencing broader societal norms and perpetuating systems of inequality and exclusion. It’s crucial for communities to demand accountability and transparency, ensuring that power is used responsibly and for the benefit of all.

By shining a light on these practices and advocating for fair and open governance, we can work towards a more just and equitable society.

When you take a deep dive down the rabbit hole, you’ll discover how deep their deception runs. Their beliefs often stand in stark contrast to everything our country was founded on. Do a simple search for any of these topics on any platform and learn. Knowledge is power.

Do I think every member of fraternities, sororities, or secret societies like the Masons, Jesuits, or Divine 9 is downright satanic? No. But if they are members and unaware of the deep-rooted practices within these groups, questions should be asked. It’s crucial to understand the full extent of what you’re part of.

We need to start asking questions of those inducted into these practices. If you don’t know who they “truly” serve and what their “true” agenda is for the club you belong to, then questions must be asked so informed decisions can be made.

If you’re aware of these secret societies’ goals, shame on you. How can you deceive your fellow man? Anyone holding public office or working in a government position should be mandated to declare which clubs they belong to. Transparency and accountability are non-negotiable.

I was catching up on my local news and a KJAS article from October 15th caught my eye. Turns out, Chief Appraiser Lori Barnett is pushing to spend over half a million dollars to spruce up her offices. Meanwhile, an article from last month revealed even more about their financial situation. Talk about priorities!

$795,403 – 2024 Contingency Fund

$1,426,406 – JCAD funding by the 17 taxing entities from Jasper County, the cities within, school districts and the new emergency services districts.

$1,658,662 – Board approved budget
($60,649 — 2024 increase from 2023)

$680,228 – Board Approved payroll and benefits for 16 employees.

$82,380 + benefits – Chief Appraiser

Who hires the Chief Appraiser?

Who are the Board of Directors and how are they appointed?

Who are the members of the Appraisal District Review Board, and how are they appointed?

The very people who set your tax rates, spend your tax dollars, demand ever more of your hard-earned money, also determine who will sit on the Board of Directors of the Appraisal District. The Board of Directors in turn hires or fires the Chief Appraiser, and (in the case of counties with fewer than 120,000 residents) the Board of Directors selects who will sit on the Appraisal Review Board and hear your protest.

Here is the audio file I have been waiting for. I am not sure who the gentleman is that tried to shut down the lady board member but it didn’t work and she made some valid points!

I continue to ask myself “what is the purpose of this life”? Born and raised in Texas and no matter my age…I will forever be a small town girl. I love the lazy Sunday afternoons sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee discussing Friday night’s football game or the turn out at the Fall festival. Beautiful weather like today does something to this East Texas girl! There is no other place I would rather be but lately I have been thinking about our small town and what is at stake if we don’t open our eyes and see what is going on behind the curtain. A curtain that is closed to everyone but a select few and those connected or related to them. I have sat back too long and watch the nepotism run rapid in our small community. Only recently have I decided to question ANYTHING! Like most of you, I am busy with the “everyday” schedule of life that I don’t have the time to pay attention to someone else’s job and how they are performing it. I am not insinuating that every civil employee is corrupt or that they even know what is going on. As with any place of employment, we usually do what were told without asking questions. What I am doing is encouraging my neighbors, my friends, my fellow citizens to start paying attention, start asking questions, there is nothing wrong with checks and balances across our community and if we are aware then the curtain can be pulled back and never be closed again.

A “letter to the editor” seems like a thing of the past but can be informative to ALL readers involved. Here is my Letter to the editor at KJAS concerning an article about a recent JEDCO meeting. I am sure with their expertise #KJAS has requested the audio and will publish the LTE in an upcoming expose but I am in the process of obtaining the recorded audio of the meeting and will drop it asap. ~JJ