The Fort Bend County Republican Party Executive Committee is planning a special meeting, possibly on Nov. 29, to take the action necessary to name an interim chairman in the wake of Gary Gillen’s surprise resignation announcement last week.

Citing untenable political differences with what he termed a “fringe element” in the local party, Gillen told a group of elected Republican officials and others attending a West Fort Bend Republican Women’s luncheon on Thursday that he has resigned, along with party Treasurer Richard McCarter, Secretary Nancy Porter and Parliamentarian Dick Hudgins.

While Gillen did not name her, county GOP General Counsel Farha Ahmed also resigned on Thursday, party sources say.

County GOP Executive Committee members and State Republican Party officials were scrambling on Friday, when they realized they didn’t immediately have written notice of Porter’s resignation.

According to the Texas Election Code, if the county party chairman’s position becomes vacant, the party secretary is to call a meeting “for the purpose of filling it.” But with no party secretary either, it’s up to the Texas Republican Party chair, “on written request of a member of the county executive committee,” to call a meeting to fill the county chairman vacancy.

However, state GOP officials informed local executive committee members a written notice of the party secretary’s resignation was required before the state could step in and call a special meeting.

And as of Friday, county Executive Committee members said they had nothing in writing.

On Monday, however, party sources said the documentation is in hand, and the local Executive Committee and state GOP officials are working out arrangements for a meeting, likely on or around Nov. 29, at which an interim chairman would be chosen.

Without a chairman, prospective candidates for local office might have difficulty filing to run in the March 2008 primary election. Also, without a chairman or treasurer, the party would have difficulty paying bills or writing checks.

When Gillen announced his resignation, he spoke of a “small group” of people on the county GOP Executive Committee with whom he’s repeatedly clashed since he became party chairman in May 2006.

That clash spilled into the courts on Jan. 3, 2007, when the Republican Party of Fort Bend County, in the person of the executive committee, filed a lawsuit against Gillen, saying he diverted money from the party by attempting to operate the party’s Lincoln Day fund-raiser through another organization.

More recently, attorney and Precinct Chairman David Stone sent an email to Gillen, McCarter and Ahmed, in which he detailed instances where he said party officials failed to comply with election law.

In the email, Stone alleges, among other things, that Gillen has used party funds for in-kind contributions to local and federal candidates but failed to report it as required by law. Gillen denies there’s truth to Stone’s statements.

Several precinct committee chairman said early last week that they probably would call a special executive committee meeting shortly, to discuss Stone’s email. With Gillen’s resignation and other recent developments, it’s unclear whether issues stemming from the email would be part of the special meeting.

Meanwhile, a long-awaited audit of the county GOP’s financial records may be delayed further because of the resignations. Gillen, as chairman, was point man for communication with the auditors, and until he is replaced, it’s unclear to whom the auditors would report.