Good Governance Council

Our mission

The Freestone County Good Governance Council is an independent citizens’ initiative dedicated to helping residents understand how local government operates, how public money is spent, and how public services can better serve the community.

Through public records, careful research, and informed discussion, its mission is to promote transparency, responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and accountability across local government and taxing entities. The proposed Council would operate independently of political parties and apply the same standards regardless of party affiliation.

From one resident to a council

This effort began with Robert P. Sharpe asking questions, requesting public records, attending public meetings, and examining issues affecting Freestone County. He is now working to develop that individual initiative into an organization with the leadership, expertise, and continuity to sustain the work beyond any one person.

The structure and policies described here are Robert’s proposed concepts. They are offered as a starting point for discussion with individuals interested in helping form and serve on the Freestone County Good Governance Council. Prospective members will have an opportunity to discuss and refine these ideas. The Council’s structure, governing documents, and policies will be finalized through its formation process.

Proposed leadership and organization

The current proposal calls for a small Board of Directors of five or six people, supported by volunteers and a Professional Advisory Network. The final board size, responsibilities, selection process, and voting rules remain to be determined.

Prospective directors and advisers would bring experience in finance, accounting, law, business, hospital operations, emergency medical services, public services, and the concerns of local taxpayers. Character, competence, independent judgment, and demonstrated integrity would guide their selection.

A central expectation is a willingness to follow the evidence, including acknowledging when it does not support a favored conclusion. Advisers and volunteers could contribute to individual studies without serving on the board.

Developing a nonprofit organization

The intended direction is a nonprofit social-welfare organization under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, subject to legal review and discussion during the formation process. This is a proposed organizational form, not a claim that incorporation or federal tax-exempt status has been completed.

The organization’s principal work would be research, public education, and advocacy for recommendations supported by the evidence. Its final structure and procedures would be developed to carry out that mission and satisfy applicable requirements.

What the Council would do

• Examine public records: Review budgets, audits, contracts, meeting minutes, policies, tax rates, and the laws governing local entities.
• Evaluate public services: Study how services are organized, funded, and delivered, including opportunities for better coordination and efficiency.
• Compare available options: Consider costs, benefits, legal requirements, and community needs, including the option of retaining current arrangements.
• Seek informed perspectives: Invite input from residents, public officials, and people with relevant professional experience.
• Present findings to the community: Publish understandable reports that explain the evidence, conclusions, recommendations, and questions that remain unanswered.

The Council’s first undertaking is Case Study 001. It examines the organization and funding of Freestone County’s two hospital districts and emergency medical services, and a countywide approach to the one hospital that remains, Freestone Medical Center in Fairfield. The study will consider current arrangements, a possible countywide structure, shared services, cooperative agreements, and other available options. Any recommendation will depend on what the evidence supports.

The central question is: what structure for publicly supported hospital and emergency medical services would give Freestone County the best mix of access, sustainability, efficiency, taxpayer equity, and accountable governance?

How findings would be shared

Residents should be able to understand both the conclusions and how they were reached.

Reports would identify the records reviewed, explain the reasoning behind recommendations, and distinguish documented facts from analysis and unanswered questions. Where information is incomplete, that limitation would be stated. Errors would be corrected when identified.

Findings would be made available through this website, written reports, and presentations to the community and relevant public bodies. The purpose is to give residents reliable information and give decision-makers practical recommendations they can evaluate publicly.

Proposed approach to advocacy and endorsements

Robert proposes that the Council advocate for recommendations developed through its research. Candidate endorsements could be considered when a candidate publicly supports a published Council recommendation and commits to advocating for it in office.

Under this proposed policy, each candidate endorsement would require a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors. The same standard would apply regardless of political party. If two or more candidates received unanimous approval under that standard, the Council would endorse each of them, including candidates competing for the same office.

An endorsement announcement would identify the specific recommendation and the candidate’s stated commitment underlying the board’s decision. Voters would remain responsible for weighing each candidate’s qualifications and positions on all other issues.

The proposal calls for endorsements to be announced through independently prepared press releases and the Council’s own communications. The Council would not make financial contributions to candidates or purchase advertising to promote them. Candidate endorsement activity would remain secondary to the organization’s principal work, and any use of organizational resources would be handled under applicable requirements.

The Board could also unanimously vote to support or oppose a bond proposition or other ballot measure after reviewing the evidence and publishing its reasoning. Without unanimous agreement, the Council would take no endorsement position on that candidate or measure.

These are proposed policies for discussion during the Council’s formation. The final rules, including the meaning and application of a unanimous vote, would be established in the governing documents following discussion and legal review. Nothing on this page constitutes a candidate endorsement or a position on a particular ballot measure.

About the founder

Robert P. Sharpe — RancherRob — is a Freestone County resident, cattle rancher, Marine Corps veteran, and retired U.S. Army sergeant. His military service included two tours in Iraq with the 1st Cavalry Division. He operates Sharpe Diamond Cattle Co LLC in the Teague area.

His civic involvement has included service as a precinct chairman, election judge, and delegate at the state and national levels. He brings that experience, along with his military background and responsibilities as a rancher and taxpayer, to his interest in local government.

Robert began this initiative through his own public-records requests and research. He is now inviting others to help shape an organization that can draw on their knowledge, examine issues thoroughly, and sustain its work beyond any one individual.

His guiding belief is straightforward: public service carries a responsibility to explain decisions, account for public money, and earn the trust of the people served.

Write us

Click an address to open your mail program:

713-485-9006 · Teague, Texas 75860