Rowlett resident alleges concealed emails, raises concerns about Miller Road widening

Dave Hall, a Rowlett resident, addressed the Rowlett City Council during the Jan. 6 citizen input period to describe emails and documents he said he obtained by open records request concerning impacts to six properties he owns on Miller Road after the Phase 2 widening project.

Hall said the project, completed by Encore and the city, affected his properties and that he encountered what he described as withheld or concealed information. He read from an Oct. 24, 2023 email he attributed to Encore's Barry Young to Jeff Cohen that referenced an "option 2" to convert overhead facilities to underground circuits and stated, according to Hall's reading, that "My recommendation... would be to set up a Webex meeting with the parties involved, excluding Dave Hole." Hall also told council he had located a separate estimate from another electric service provider that placed a ballpark cost for the work at about $500,000.

Hall cited a separate Oct. 9, 2023 email from Jeff Cohen saying the existing pole centers are "approximately 14 inches to 16 inches offset from the right of way line within the right of way" and that some poles are on private property. He said the city had received a preliminary boundary and topographic survey that should be shared with him when finalized.

He told the council he had earlier emailed city staff and Encore to raise concerns that field survey work had not matched prior agreements and that, he said, Encore had instructed staff in a way that kept him from participating in some discussions. Hall said he would email the complete set of emails to the council the following morning and, if time permits, would attend the Jan. 7 council meeting to raise additional questions.

Why it matters: Hall's remarks raise questions about property impacts, utility relocations and whether a property owner was excluded from project discussions. The council did not take formal action during the citizen input period; the city manager's office or staff could follow up on Hall's request for records and explanations.

Direct remarks and evidence

- Dave Hall (resident): Hall read from emails he said he obtained and told the council, "I immediately contacted Encore and the city only to find that both were hiding information from me." He said he would provide the full email records to the council.

Clarifying details

- Properties affected: Hall said he owns six properties on Miller Road and that the Phase 2 widening project impacted his property. - Key dates in email excerpts: Oct. 24, 2023 (email by Barry Young to Jeff Cohen), Oct. 9, 2023 (email from Jeff Cohen), Sept. 28, 2023 (email from Hall to staff and Encore) as cited by Hall. - Cost estimate: Hall said an electric service provider gave an approximate "ballpark" estimate of about $500,000 for the electric relocation option he cited; the city did not verify that figure during the meeting.

Meeting outcome and next steps

The council did not act on Hall's remarks during the citizen input period. Hall said he would send the complete emails to council staff the following morning and could appear at the next meeting to expand on outstanding issues. No staff response or formal follow-up was recorded in the Jan. 6 transcript.

Ending

Hall concluded, "I will email these complete emails to you tomorrow morning," and thanked the council for the opportunity to speak. City staff may follow up to confirm the documents and determine next steps.