Yes, but we still have to see if it passes. I believe Conway and Mathias are really serious about seeing this pass. I believe that is the case because otherwise they would not have gone outside the county to seek the support of Republican Page Elmore and make the bill non-partisan.

You deserve a great deal of credit for initially bringing this to everyone's attention and sticking with it, including adding your name to the C.O.P.E. group.

From a political perspective, the mere introduction of the bill is an absolute slap-in-the-face for Judy Boggs and the rest of the county commissioners who wanted all the money. I recall a relatively recent board meeting when Boggs publicly accused me of the crime of trying to get money for OPA.

Then, of course, there was our milquetoast-on-this-subject board of directors, who in the final analysis would not even ask for any money, would not support C.O.P.E.'s efforts, and who culminated their lack of concern for association members with Dave Stevens' rather revolting letter to state delegates saying the county should get all the money in some vain attempt to grovel at the feet of the county commissioners.