Pegasus News content partner interview: The Collin County Observer

by Alex Bentley

Bill Baumbach of The Collin County Observer is one of our newer content partners, coming on the scene in August 2008 with a story about Collin County's lackluster equal employment policy. Since then, he has covered all manner of topics related to the suburban county, including schools, transportation, and politics.

Pegasus News: When did you start The Collin County Observer and what were your reasons for starting it?

Baumbach: I first started writing the Observer in November of 2006, but I really didn't get serious about it until July of 2007. Since then, I've tried to consistently post at least a few times a week.

Pegasus News: Where did you get your passion for following politics, and Collin County politics in particular?

Baumbach: Wow, I've been interested in politics for as long as I can remember. I was 13 years old when I volunteered to put out yard signs for Barry Goldwater in 1964. After active several years in the Republican Party, I became a Democrat in the 1980's.

I became very interested in county politics after writing a series of articles for the Dallas Morning News' Community Voices column on indigent health care. In 2006, I ran for Collin County Commissioner, and I have remained very engaged in local issues ever since.

Pegasus News: How much time do you devote to researching your articles? How much is gathering information through the internet and how much is attending meetings and such?

Baumbach: I spend a huge amount of time in research. Being a Democrat in a very red county, I found that the only way I could establish credibility was to be able to cite data for all my assertions. Everything I write has numerous links to original documents or data.

Most of the research is done on the internet and some from open records requests, but as the blog has become more well known, I have been fortunate in that people who have first hand knowledge of the county's operations are furnishing me not only tips but also documentation.

Also, as the blog has gained credibility, government officials have become more accessible. It is now much easier to phone an elected official and get a straight answer or if needed a thoughtful conversation.

Pegasus News: You've written about issues such as schools, transportation, and other political entities, but much of your focus seems to be on the Collin County Commissioners Court. Why do they hold so much of your interest?

Baumbach: The Collin County Commissioners Court has for much too long operated out of the public eye. The major local media does not seem willing to cover the court, and the smaller local papers lack the expertise to analyze the politics and issues in county government. It's been my hope to cast a bright light on county operations so that the county will run in a responsible manner. I hope that I have done so.

Pegasus News: Is there a subject you've encountered to which residents of Collin County should be paying particular attention?

Baumbach: Millions of dollars have been wasted in creating a Fusion Center that aspires to be little more than a domestic spy shop run without real oversight. What we have now is a Fusion Center that disperses federal money to the relatives of powerful local politicians like it was candy on Halloween.

Pegasus News: What would you like your readers to get out of your site?

Baumbach: Something to think about. I don't expect my readers to agree with everything I write, but I hope that I can arm them with sufficient facts so that they can begin to question and to ask questions of their local elected officials.

Pegasus News: How much of a role, if any, do readers play in how you approach what you write about?

Baumbach: That's hard to answer. I don't pander to the 'pet issues' of either my Democratic or Republican friends. However, I do try to write about issues that informed citizens care about.

Pegasus News: What do you see as the future of The Collin County Observer?

Baumbach: That depends on the media. When the local news media begins to do its job and report on the local political scene, I will be happy to spend my free time fishing. Until then, The Collin County Observer will try to play a role in informing the citizens Of Collin County on how those they've chosen to lead fulfill the jobs we've elected them to perform.

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