A Nasty Race in the Collin County Commissioners Court

Awhile back I told you about a good fight over a commissioner’s seat in Collin County. In this corner is Corbett Howard, the challenger. In the other corner is the incumbent, Commissioner Joe Jaynes. Howard’s people wrote the state AG a letter claiming that Jaynes and the county were doing what they could to avoid complying with an open records request. Well, Howard’s camp eventually got a box full of e-mails written to and from Commissioner Jaynes. And some of those e-mails have found their way to yrs trly. After spending some time cuddling with them, I have some questions for Jaynes:

— In November of 2007, you received a gigantic $10,000 campaign contribution from Jane Willard, of Celina. Isn’t Jane the mother of Brenda Willard Goodell, of the Goodell family? The same Goodells who own land just to the west of the Denton-Collin county line? The same land not far from the county-line-straddling alignment of the Dallas North Tollway extension that you favored? Huh?

— Why have you forwarded spam mail from your office computer to your home computer? This is a small matter. But if you need more spam at home, let me know. I get plenty that I can share.

— This next series of questions concern the November 6 bond election. And they spring from the following e-mail exchange:

From: Phil Yerby [ed: the bond campaign manager]
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2007 12:12 PM
To: Jerry Hoagland [ed: Precinct 2 Commissioner]; Tom Burke; Joe Jaynes [ed: Precinct 3 Commissioner]
Cc: Phyllis Cole [ed: Precinct 1 Commissioner]; Jack Hatchell [ed: Precinct 4 Commissioner]
Subject: Solicitation Letter

Jerry and Joe, attached is a draft of a letter for the fundraising. I noted in yellow highlight that I would like to have information or verification of what I said was correct. Please review and make any adjustments you see are appropriate. Feel free to make any changes. You might want to change “Collin County Citizens for the Future” (keep in mind I am an engineer with very little imagination).

Joe, I told Jerry last night that you all are confirmed to give a presentation at CEC on September 24th at City Place. It should be well attended because Bill Hale and/or Bob Brown with Dallas TxDOT District are to make a presentation to the group. Please let me know who will be attending from commissioner’s court so we can include you guys in the general meeting notice.

Tom, please review and edit the letter where you feel appropriate and get back any changes. I will incorporate any adjustments that Jerry and Joe have in the final that will be submitted to the committee.

Thanks for the help.

Philip S. Yerby, P.E.
Executive Vice President
Chiang, Patel & Yerby, Inc.

—

From: Jerry Hoagland
Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2007 4:19 PM
To: Jerry Hoagland
Subject: RE: Solicitation Letter

Phil,

November 6 is the date of the election. Your comment about leveraging $235 million to $470 million is correct. In some cases, Collin County will be managing the road projects and in some cases the cities will be in charge. I like your idea of having a post election party. We don’t have a Treasurer at this time — can you have the checks forwarded to you for the time being? You need to get each commissioners permission to use their name. You have my permission.

Thanks,

Jerry

—

From: Phil Yerby
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2007 03:01 PM Central Standard Time
To: Joe Jaynes; Phyllis Cole; Jack Hatchell
Cc: Jerry Hoagland
Subject: FW: Solicitation Letter

Joe, Phyllis and Jack,

Attached is a draft solicitation letter for raising money for the bond election. Jerry has given his permission to use his name and would like to have you all included also. I will give you a final copy of the letter prior to being distributed, but would like to have the go ahead to use your names at the bottom of the letter. The letter is pretty much final except the designation of a treasurer……any ideas and address for a treasurer would be appreciated.

Thanks

Philip S. Yerby, P.E.
Executive Vice President
Chiang, Patel & Yerby, Inc.

—

From: Joe Jaynes
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2007 3:19 PM
To: ‘Phil Yerby’
Subject: RE: Solicitation Letter

Thanks. What about Robbie Robinson?

Thanks,

Joe

— In the first e-mail, I see all four commissioners were included. Why not Judge Keith Self?

— When all four members of the court have an e-mail exchange like this, isn’t that like a meeting? A meeting that should be posted and open to the public?

— Are elected officials supposed to use their county computers to work on a campaign to pass a bond issue?

— When Hoagland asked Yerby, “Can you have the checks forwarded to you for the time being?” was he referring to theoretical checks that would be coming in later? Because you can’t collect money without having a treasurer, right?

— Finally, Robbie Robinson? The Irish drummer?