By ELLENA FORTNER MORRISON
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
January 20, 2006

Sen. Chris Harris, R-Arlington, has requested an opinion from the attorney general's office regarding the Upper Trinity Regional Water District's ability to remove board members.

Last year, Upper Trinity passed a bylaw disallowing an employee of one member city to serve as a representative for another. That caused the removal of two board members -- one representing Copper Canyon and one from Krum -- because both worked for Flower Mound, the district's largest customer.

Harris' letter, dated Jan. 3, questions whether the board exceeded its authority by removing the members. In the past, only member cities could remove their own board members. Flower Mound officials, who have had a trouble-filled relationship with Upper Trinity in recent years, have long contended that the removal was inappropriate but did not think it was the town's place to intervene.

The change was made on the advice of the board's lawyers to avoid a potential conflict of interest, said Thomas Taylor, Upper Trinity's executive director. Although he made the request, Harris has not taken a stand on the issue, an aide said.