Goodbye to a River, and a REAL Texan

RIP, John Graves.  John Graves was best known for writing Goodbye to a River, trying to save the river he so dearly loved.
 
Does anyone else find it odd that some who are writing with such admiration for Mr.Graves and his love for the river are the same who write about and promote destroying ours?

Only in Fort Worth could they say, poor John, then promote this.

Little late?

Haltom City and the Corp of Engineers is finally getting a move on fixing Little Fossil Creek.  A project that dates WAY back. We're wondering how long it will take for them to fix Big Fossil Creek?  The monster that runs through many cities.

WHY was Haltom City left holding the bag on millions and WHERE did they "find" the money?  Is this the same place their U.S. Congresswoman "found" money for her son's bridge projects?

Read about the creek and the rising cost in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Construction of the $12 million first phase, which began last year, is expected to be completed in December, according to the Corps of Engineers. On the drawing board since 1994, the project will widen the channel to an average of 75 feet; beef up the sides with concrete, rocks, interlocking blocks and grass to prevent erosion; create a pool downstream from the Trinity Railway Express tracks with a small dam; and add a hike-and-bike trail along the entire project.

Little Fossil flooding traditionally was a greater threat to commercial properties than residential, Muir said. In the review plan for Little Fossil Creek Flood Control Project, the Corps of Engineers said a 1981 flood caused about $10 million in damage. 

The project will cost the city an estimated $12 million or more. The federal government is covering only about $7 million of the project’s first-phase cost, leaving Haltom City holding the bag for more than $5 million, and for the entire cost of phase two.

“We’re anticipating another 6 to 7 million dollars,” Muir said.

Haltom City voters approved a $4 million bond election in 2001 for the project. The rest of the funding has come from certificates of obligation, which do not require voter approval, Muir said. “The option was to say forget it, or grin and bear it and find the money,” he said. “So we found the money.”

WHO is the tool?

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram wrote an editorial concerning the Tarrant Regional Water District (Read: Uncomfortable times ahead for Water District)  and it may be one of their best yet.  However, if they think people will forget that the FWST has been the biggest cheer leading tool of the water district and their shenanigans, they might want to think again. 

Also, if they think Mary Kelleher answers to anyone other than herself and the man upstairs, they don't know Mary.  We do.  And so do many of the thousands (nearly 9,000) who voted for her. 

Mary has worked in the county for over 20 years, she has made many contacts and life long friends while doing so.  She is also a very involved, respected member of her well organized neighborhood group, as well as the farming community of Tarrant County.  Neighbors and farmers have all told us the same thing about Mary.  She is smart, hard working, trustworthy, capable and determined.  We've yet to hear those same words to describe any other member of the water board.  Those boys (and girl) are going to have to grow up, Mary is here to stay.  And THE PEOPLE are with her.

That 61% increase in voter turn out was only the beginning. 

Mary has been flooded, railroaded, threatened and bullied.  She's not going anywhere and neither are the people that elected her.

That's a fact, Jack.

The main thing the four multi-term members of the Tarrant Regional Water District board of directors must remember about recently elected member Mary Kelleher is that she won.

Putting it mildly, they said the TRWD has some explaining to do.

Lane and Kelleher engaged in a brief staredown, after which he apologized. Let’s hope that’s the last of the schoolyard behavior at TRWD. Kelleher was elected to a four-year term, she’s on the board, and other board members might as well accept that she’s going to be asking some questions that will make them uncomfortable.

Read more here: 

What did YOU vote for?

As usual, Don Woodard has wise words about the Fort Worth Bond Election.  This man could save YOU some money in 2014.  And he comes from a generation that when they say, you can take that to the bank.  He meant YOURS, not theirs....

I hope my City Councilman Zim Zimmerman (who is Mayor Pro Tem) and at least four others on the Council will insist that any item in the proposed $292 million 2014 Bond package earmarked for the Trinity River Uptown Boondoggle (streets, bridges, intersection round-abouts, etc.) be listed separately on the ballot. Viva Transparency!  This would be a distinct departure from the subterfuge of the 2004 and 2008 bond elections where the wool was pulled over our eyes.

For ten long years, step by stealthy step, the Four Horsemen of this looming environmental, historical and financial Apocalypse -- Congress, City Council, Commissioners Court and the Chamber of Commerce have been able to hide the cost of this cataclysmic Boondoggle under the white sheet of Street Improvements.  

In the City's clandestine 2004 Summary of bond items which few ever saw appeared the following:

Proposition No. 1

Project Scope: These funds would supplement other funding sources from other entities for design and construction for several components to support Trinity River Vision; possibe construction of Henderson Street from 3rd Street to Northside Drive, including the White Settlement Road intersection.
 
But look at this:  This is all that appeared on the 2004 ballot and what the average taxpaying voter voted for, knowing little if anything about the Boondoggle behind the white sheet but very much in favor of his own street project.

Proposition No. 1

The issuance of public securities for street and storm sewer improvements in the aggregate sum of $232,000,000.
                           
In the City's clandestine 2008 Summary of bond items which few ever saw appeared the following:

Proposition No. 1
         
The requested funding provides the City's share of funding for three bridges on the existing arterials Henderson, North Main and White Settlement, where those streets cross over the TRV bypass channel.
                                                                                
But look at this:  This is all that appeared on the 2008 ballot and what the average taxpaying voter voted for, knowing little if anything about the  Boondoggle behind the white sheet but very much in favor of his own street project.

Proposition No.1 

The issuance of public securities for street improvements in the aggregate sum of $150,000,000.
                                     
In both elections the bonds passed. The voter got his own street paved, funds continued to flow for the Boondoggle and the Four Horsemen rode off to await the next bond election.

As stated above, in the 2004 and 2008 bond elections, the promoters and developers of this voracious tax eater, backed by the power and prestige of the Four Horsemen, cloaked the  Boondoggle components -- bypass channel, three bridges and a roundabout --in the sacrosanct Holy of Holies cocoon of Street Improvements.  They have steadfastly refused to put Trinity Uptown to a vote of the people.  Who believes the voters knew they were committing millions of dollars to the Boondoggle when they voted for a pig in a poke Street Improvements?  Step by stealthy step the charade has been foisted upon us.  If you attend one of the community 2014 Bond meetings ask that any Trinity Uptown item be listed separately on the ballot.

Thank goodness for Mary and the FWW!

Both standing up for THE PEOPLE and THEIR water and money.

WHO does the board think they are?

Thanks to the Fort Worth Weekly for reporting the real deal.

Nice try FWST but the semantics of whether it's a "deer lease" or a "deer camp" pale in comparison to what really transpired.

“Given the public perception of the secrecy at the Tarrant Regional Water District, denying a board member access to records does nothing to dispel that perception,” she said.

Water district board meetings have been sparsely attended in recent years. Residents describe them as rubber-stamped dog-and-pony shows with little insight or discussion. That’s changing, thanks to Kelleher’s dogged attempts to shed light on this powerful agency with about $160 million in its general fund. The water district is charged with making sure this region has plenty of water in the future. However, it has become known more for using its eminent domain powers to push the Trinity River Vision project, which seems to be aimed mostly at making money for already-rich people while doing little for flood control or any other truly public purpose.

WHO is

J. Parker Ragland?

And what happened to the reporter who was covering TRWD for the Fort Worth Business Press?

The latest article about yesterday's meeting leaves a lot of questions to be answered.

Like are those newly voted on "governance policies" legal?

And if Lane wants to get Mary to vote, get her the info she requested.  Simple.  Stop orchestrating roadblocks.

“I requested records from the board members ... a month has gone by now, and most of the records I have requested have still not been made available to me. This is the first time I have served on a board, and while I may lack procedural knowledge, my common sense remains in tact.”

While there was a small group of observers at a board meeting last month, the Monday, July 22 meeting took place in front of a larger crowd.

“Y’all [Kelleher and her supporters] are all here, and this is all orchestrated, and we all know that, and that’s fine. I’m trying to figure out how to get you [Kelleher] to vote on things at this board and to participate,” said Jim Lane, a TRWD board member.

Just when you think the "news" can't get any worse

They repeat their stories.

Catch the FW Weekly calling out the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  Again.  You'd think they'd be tired of it by now and actually strive to be a real news source.

From reading the comments, seems it may never happen----

Another commenter asked the obvious question: Why is the Star-Telegram writing about Lake Granbury and the Brazos River Authority when the paper has a hands-off policy on writing anything remotely critical about the Tarrant Regional Water District? “Typical Star-Telegram; report on this, but ignore the water management problem in our own backyard,” LesleyPezley wrote. “The local water board is totally mismanaging Lake Bridgeport. They’ve been allowing millions of gallons to go downstream during a time of drought, and now that lake is at less than 50 percent capacity. I’ve pointed this out in comments on several drought-related stories, but have yet to see a single question asked by the S-T about this. Pitiful excuse for a ‘news’ paper. More like a propaganda rag.”