VERIFY REQUEST: Is Council Member Daniel Martinez illegally tapping city water and sewer from one rental dwelling to another on same property by not getting permits and paying for separate service?
Posted:
VERIFY REQUEST: A person wishing to remain anonymous asked: Is councilman and Mayor pro-tem Daniel Martinez illegally tapping city water from one rental dwelling to another rental structure on the same property located at 602 Barbara street on the corner of Florence and Barbara street outside of city limits?
VERIFY REQUEST ANSWER: Based upon the 2 Open Records Requests shown below and the Austin County Property Ownership records, which show Daniel Richard Martinez as the owner of the property, we can confirm that at this point, he has not obtained permits from the city for the water and sewer to the 2nd house on the property. This also means he is not paying for the trash pick-up for the 2nd house either. Is he doing this illegally? We just provide the facts based upon open records …. You be the judge!
OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS & ANSWERS
From: Wallis City Clerk April 26th, 2022
To: Wallis Transparency
Response to open record request – House at 602 Barbara was approved for city services at September 19, 2018 council meeting (minutes attached). Water/Sewer taps paid on 10-09-18 ( attached). No permits for small house.
Minutes for Water/Sewer taps of 602 Barbara St. http://www.wallistexas.org/page/open/1200/0/September%2019%202018%20Minutes.docx
————————————————————
From: Wallis Transparency
Sent: Monday, April 25, 2022 5:38 PM
To: Wallis City Clerk
Subject: Open Records Request
Please confirm that the main house located at 602 Barbara street was permitted for and receives City of Wallis water and sewer services, even though physically located in the county. Additionally, please provide any copy of permits provided to Daniel Martinez for the small, separate building located next to the driveway of 602 Barbara St.. The main house is on the corner of Florence & Barbara Streets; however the small occupied building fronts on Florence street. The permit copies to be provided are for occupancy, water and sewer tap.
Also, please provide any photos of the small house water & sewer lines being connected to the main house lines.
Thank you,
Wallis Transparency
Wallis Transparency continued to verify the situation by contacting the police dept. to determine if someone lived in the shed-like house at the driveway behind the 602 Barbara st. house. Their response is as follows:
From: Wallis Police Dept. April 26th, 2022
To: Wallis Transparency
Pertaining to your inquire – “Open Records Request”, I have spoken to one of the Officers and they stated that there is a lady residing in the small building behind the house located at 602 Barbara, the Officer has actually spoken to her and she stated that she has lived there for some time. The actual address for this small shed type building is 923 Florence according to the electrical pole. Checking the call history for 602 Barbara and 923 Florence, There has been one incident at 602 Barbara and no call history at 923 Florence.
——————————————————————
From: Wallis Transparency
Sent: Monday, April 25, 2022 6:16 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Open Records Request
Chief,
Please provide any information the police dept. has in regard to occupancy of the small, shed-like building located at the driveway of 602 Barbara St. It fronts on Florence St., but the main house’s address is 602 Barbara. Has the police dept. had any incident in which it interacted with a resident in this small building located as described above? Can the police dept. confirm in any way that the small building has someone living in it, and/or it is rented out as a dwelling?
Thank you.
Wallis Transparency