James Oakley

Facebook is a wonderful tool for people to use, but like any tool, it should be used with great care.

The social media site is useful for helping people keep in contact with friends scattered across the globe whom they haven’t spoken to for years. It allows family to reconnect and allows the sharing of photos, ideas and news with others within one’s peer group.

However, it also instantly shows, without context, intent or clarity, the thoughts and ideas a person clacks out on their smartphone or computer keyboard and exposes those posts to instant scrutiny.

Such is the case involving Burnet County Judge James Oakley, who learned a very hard lesson this past week about the lack of anonymity Facebook affords.

On Monday, Nov. 21, Oakley shared a post from the San Antonio Police Department about the arrest of an African-American man, Otis Tyrone McKane, accused of killing San Antonio police Det. Benjamin Marconi on his personal Facebook account.

By Lew K. Cohn, Managing Editor

The Highlander

Proposed changes to the bylaws of the Pedernales Electric Cooperative that change how directors are elected were passed Monday, Aug. 15, by the co-op's board of directors during a meeting that, at times, was very heated and tense.

The amendments to the bylaws — passed by a 5-2 supermajority vote — now create single-member districts in which only members who live within a district may vote for the director from that district. They also create a different quorum requirement for election of directors than that required for the annual PEC meeting, which is when director elections have traditionally taken place. The changes would take effect for the 2017 election cycle.

by Alexandria Randolph

Burnet Bulletin

Burnet County officials and law enforcement are preparing for an influx of inmates from nearby counties in coming weeks.

Burnet County Judge James Oakley said commissioners court approved contracts with three Texas counties on Tuesday to house inmates in overflow conditions or special circumstances, and the jail has hired additional staff to handle the increase. Hayes, Somerville, and Taylor county jails have all contracted for the ability to send inmates to Burnet County Jail.

By Lew K. Cohn

The Highlander

Managing Editor

Burnet County Judge James Oakley of Spicewood and Carlos Palasciano described their respective visions about the future of the Pedernales Electric Cooperative during a Thursday evening forum in Johnson City.
The two men are candidates for the District 5 place on the board currently held by Oakley, who also serves as the board president. PEC hosted a forum for the candidates at their cooperative headquarters.