On March 14, 2015, City Attorney Art Martinez de Vara announced what the City of Sandy Oaks was paying him as City Attorney.
Martinez de Vara was hired as the City Attorney back in August of 2014, but his pay had never been released to the public.
Because payment comes from public funds, the Texas Public Information Act states that the salary of employees is a matter of public record.
City Council members actively worked to hide Martinez de Vara’s pay, even up to a week prior to the announcement. On March 7, 2014, Alderman Micki Ball was directly asked how much the attorney was being paid, however she refused to release the information saying it was against the law for her to do so.
Related: Alderman Micki Ball Hides Public Information
Martinez de Vara chose to reveal his pay during the Citizens to be Heard segment of the March 14 meeting.
Previously, a private citizen had brought up the issue of the attorney’s hidden salary during a Citizens to be Heard segment of a City Council meeting. The issue was ignored by the Council and by the City Attorney.
In the Citizens to Be Heard segment on March 14, Sandy Oaks News spoke out against Alderman Ball hiding public information and cited references to the Public Information Act, opinions from the Texas Attorney General, as well as the legal ramifications for not releasing the information.
Martinez de Vara then interrupted the meeting to inform the City Council that they could not hide the salary or payment to an employee. He then announced what he was being paid.
According to Martinez de Vara, he is being paid $150 per hour.
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