City passes on tribe’s request for support
Polk County Enterprise, April 2007

LIVINGSTON – Discussion of a resolution in support of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe’s effort to return gaming to their reservation ended before it began during Tuesday night’s Livingston City Council meeting.

The matter was tabled at last month’s meeting due to confusion over which of several gaming bills pending in the Texas Legislature the council was being asked to support. It was placed back on the agenda this month as a request for support of House Bill 3335.

When Mayor Ben Royden Ogletree reached that point on the agenda he asked for a motion to remove the previously-tabled item from the “table” and bring it back before council for discussion – a parliamentary procedure rarely, if ever, used by the city council at previous meetings. No one made the motion.

The mayor repeated the request, but was again met by silence. The issue died for lack of a motion.

The half-dozen tribal representatives in attendance appeared surprised by the lack of discussion and/or action. One mentioned that the bill being supported by the tribe is HB 3351, not HB 3335. HB 3335 was specifically mentioned as the bill being supported by the tribe during last month’s council meeting.

Another asked if the council, rather than focusing on bill numbers, would consider a general resolution in support of the tribe’s efforts to reopen their casino. There was no response from the council.

The tribe is hoping to show community support for their effort to reopen their casino at a legislative hearing on the matter scheduled for next week in Austin.

For now, as far as the Livingston City Council is concerned, the tribe’s request is off the table.