Strother Martin uttered the famous line — “what we’ve got here is failure to communicate” — in the 1967 film “Cool Hand Luke”; it’s a phrase that can now be associated with whether a change is coming for the way the city of Port Arthur issues news releases.

On Feb. 8, local media including the Port Arthur News received a press release from the city stating media inquiries will only be answered by the city between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday per the interim city manager Harvey Robinson. Inquiries outside the parameters would be addressed the following business day.

The news release also listed numbers for the police and fire departments for inquiries outside business hours.

The origin of the news release, according to Robinson, was miscommunication.

He said he hasn’t made any changes to the public information officer Risa Carpenter’s position. Any suggestions of changes in availability were if — and only if — her job description changed. At this time there are no official changes, he added.

Changing Carpenter’s duties is a personnel issue and something that is to be further discussed.

The News filed a Freedom of Information Act request for all documentation regarding the Feb. 8 release to find out who was behind the memo and for clarification. One of the documents is an email from Carpenter to Robinson regarding changes to her position. The answers, which were written reportedly by Robinson, were, at times, vague.

“Are you requesting that I cease acting as spokesperson on behalf of the police and fire departments and refer all media inquiries to the departments as applicable?” Carpenter’s question read. The answer: “Not entirely.”

Another question from Carpenter to Robinson asked about eliminating her classification as essential personnel and revoking her status as a key member of the emergency management team. The answer: “probably.”

“My hand-written response to Ms. Carpenter’s email was based on the finalization of the review process to determine the merits and feasibility of the changes,” Robinson said in an email to The News. “Ms. Carpenter had not completed the first step in the review process, as requested.”

The first step, he said via phone, was to meet with Fay Young, the city’s information technology manager, who is in need of several more employees in her department. Once the two meet they are to both meet with Robinson for further discussion.

Four days after the initial press release with the city’s letterhead announcing the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday window of time in which media could received information, Carpenter drafted another email to Robinson.

“Mr. Robinson, Per our phone conversation Friday afternoon requesting a retraction be published regarding media inquiries I drafted a second advisory. Please advise if this wording is appropriate for release. If it is suitable confirm, and I will distribute accordingly. My recommendation is to include appropriate department points of contract and applicable phone numbers where they can be reached after hours, but I will defer to your judgment,” Carpenter wrote Feb. 12.

The change proposed in the email stated that after hours calls should be directed to the appropriate department heads, before a final sentence — “Also, shall I distribute this immediately upon your approval, or after my meeting with Fay (Young) to discuss new position descriptions?”

A draft of the newer information was not approved and not sent to news media.

A local TV news reporter attempted to meet with Robinson to find out the meaning behind the memo in the first place but Robinson did not address the issue at that time.

“…I spoke with Ms. Carpenter to determine her reason(s) for the new release, which she explained,” Robinson told The News. “I then explained the assumptions on which my hand written response was based. My expressed conclusion to Ms. Carpenter was, ‘Apparently, we had a failure to communicate.’ ”

No changes to Carpenter’s job duties and responsibilities have been initiated by the city manager’s office, Robinson said.

“If, and when finalized, the appropriate news release will be distributed,” he said.

Robinson feels being transparent for citizens is very important; and that being open and clear are part of his philosophy.