(UPDATED). We've published our piece and it can be found under our Featured Reports column to the left. Come back to Texas Watchdog Thursday morning to read our report about a top-dollar consultant hired by Metro -- who is also a former associate of Metro CEO Frank Wilson.

Metro awarded the consultant a no-bid contract. He pulls in $300 per hour.

His contract has been extended three times.

So far, he stands to bank $500,000 in taxpayer cash.

The reason he's needed? Metro says the agency doesn't have the staff with know-how to oversee Houston's $1.46 billion light rail project.

Check out the story tomorrow, and if you have any questions in the meantime, give us a call.

Deputy Editor Lee Ann O'Neal can be reached at 713-980-9777 or via e-mail at leeann@texaswatchdog.org.

I can be reached at 713-980-9776 or 615-289-9549 and also via e-mail at trent@texaswatchdog.org.