The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) reaffirmed an emergency order Wednesday which removed Charles E. Schram, III as the manager of the Thunderbird Bay Water System, Inc. at Lake Brownwood after Schram failed to show up for a hearing last month.
TCEQ commissioners granted a challenge hearing request at their February 23rd meeting from Thunderbird Bay Water System, Inc. which commenced the same day and was reconvened on April 4th. TCEQ officials said that Thunderbird Bay representatives failed to appear for the April 4th hearing.
“Based on compelling evidence presented by the executive director and Mr. Schram’s apparent abandonment of his challenge of the emergency order by failing to appear for the second day of the hearing, my proposal for decision unequivocally recommends that the commission affirm and renew the emergency order,” said Administrative Law Judge Richard Wilfong in a presentation to TCEQ commissioners on Wednesday.
On June 4, 2010 the TCEQ executive director signed an emergency order which removed Schram as manager of the water system and appointed John Fultz as the temporary manager after a water outage that occurred from May 30th to June 4th 2010. The commission originally affirmed the emergency order on August 11, 2010 and on Nov 30th; the executive director renewed the appointment of Mr. Fultz as the temporary manager of the utility for an additional 180 days. This order has been in effect since that time and would expire on May 29th. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott took legal action in June 2010 after Schram failed to provide Lake Brownwood residents access to safe drinking water. Schram was sentenced to 15 days in jail for contempt. Officials said that the action taken Wednesday will keep the emergency order in place until mid-August.
During Wednesday’s meeting, officials stated that the Thunderbird Bay water system has been greatly improved and is providing reliable water to the residents in the area since the emergency order went into effect.
Officials said that the state will be seeking permanent management for the water system through a receivership hearing which is scheduled for the week of May 23.
