Voters Beware! Outside interest in the TRWD water board election!

"Voters beware" is what a campaign mailer from the water board incumbents read.  Mayor Price was concerned that outside interests were trying to take over your water supply! 

First of all, WHAT water supply?

Second of all, has Mayor Price seen the incumbents campaign donations?   The incumbents are getting money from Dallas (GASP!) and Austin and cities all over Texas.  Are these the outside interests you were warned about?  Or is it the donors to the incumbents from out of state you should be concerned with?  We hear there are donations from Colorado, Arizona and that state next door we are suing in Federal court to take their water, Oklahoma. 

If they haven't noticed, there is no money in Fort Worth.  That well ran dry.  THEY spent it all.  Maybe some of those campaigns donating should hang on to their money.  They may need it.

Vote BNK.  Today.

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Say it again.

Below are some fun facts about the Mayor Price mailer you received.

You can see a photo of the documents at Woodard says.  They were just so good we have to post them again.

Concerning the Water Board incumbents campaign mailer (from THE Don Woodard).

You shall know the facts and the facts will make you free. Here are the facts on each one of the below 4 claims.

1. None of the incumbents had anything to do with building the lakes with which we draw our water: Lake Worth; Lake Bridgeport; Eagle Mountain; Richland-Chambers; Cedar Creek. Our fathers built them. The incumbents are engrossed in building a 33-acre Casino Lake for tourists.

2. Jim Wright, dating from the 1949 flood, is whom I give credit for our levees and flood control. The Star-Telegram reported June 12, 2005 that the Army Corps of Engineers had a plan to control any realistic flooding problem for $10 million.

3. Extensive water conservation efforts. The Lawn Whisperer. Is that it?

4. Wise and conservative stewardship of our tax dollars? Like the goofy billion dollar Trinity Uptown earmark boondoggle?

At least 4 more reason to www.FlushTRWD.com right there.

Vote for John Basham, Timothy Nold and Mary Kelleher!
YOUR kids will thank you for it!

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Adrian says...

Need another reason to vote out the current board of the TRWD? How about 1,800,073? That's the combined salaries of the top ten highest paid staff members, as approved by the board.

Vote Basham, Nold and Kelleher and send the message that you're not an ATM.

There's a lot of folks talking about the water board race.

YOU should be.

www.BNK2013.com

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Durango Says...

It ain't YOUR board.

It belongs to THE PEOPLE. 

I think Marty Leonard's morally bankrupt low blow directed at John Basham is a fairly good indicator of the quality of character Marty Leonard possesses. She being a self-entitled dowager heiress who has never had to worry about money due to daddy being a department store magnate.

Meanwhile, John Basham, an actual contributor to American society, was injured while serving his country, with the consequence, as happens to way too many who serve, of John Basham running into financial woes, whilst recovering from his injuries.

And Marty Leonard and her corrupt cohorts use this against this man?

This rather sickens me.

Marty Leonard should be ashamed of herself. If this woman had a fraction of an ounce of moral decency she would resign from the TRWD Board due to her wantonly displayed moral bankruptcy.

It further offends me that Marty Leonard has the raw gall to characterize these 3 good people as being unqualified to be elected to "Our Board."

"OUR BOARD?"

It's the People's Board you pearls clutching self-entitled dowager heiress, NOT "YOUR BOARD."

Read the rest here.

Another thing to take note of, Marty says your tax rate hasn't been raised in 13 years.  When you "call her" to ask her about these things, ask how much your water rate rose during that same period.  When the line goes silent, go vote for BNK.

www.FlushTRWD.com

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Woodard says...

PUT  JOHN BASHAM ON THE WATER BOARD.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH A 4-1 VOTE ON THE BOARD?

WE’LL  HAVE ANOTHER VOICE AND ANOTHER SET OF EYES.

click to read what Woodard says about the upcoming TRWD election in its full PDF format.

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The Water Board Stinks...

That's what one "associate" of the TRWD says about them, he also says "Just hold your nose and do it".

WHAT?

Is that an endorsement??  Smells almost as bad as the Trinity River in summer.  (The same one the water board encourages you to "jump on in".  Right after you sign their waiver that says even if they neglected to tell you it could kill you, they aren't responsible...we knew that...)

Don't believe their lies about the candidates, but do believe what they say about the current board.  With "friends" like these...

By the way, have you noticed you don't hear from these "friends" unless they need money or are spending it?  If they are begging you to vote for incumbents that they know have "gone astray", WHAT is in it for them?  ASK.  Same goes for YOUR employers.

Here's YOUR chance to protect YOUR water and money. 

VOTE for Basham, Nold, and Kelleher.  NOW. 

Below is the surprising "endorsement" from a TRWD associate...

Friends-

I know that many of you may think like I think. This TRWD group have gone astray and are doing things they should not do and spending money on things they should not. But in this case, the alternative is much worse.


I ask you to go out and vote early and vote often! Pass on to your husbands and wives, and also send to friends.

Just hold your nose and do it.

The alternative is not good for the future growth of Fort Worth.

Says WHO?

Note - we wanted to see what it felt like, so we took the liberty of editing as we saw fit.  We didn't change any sentences, we just removed some.  Don't worry, we are not going to turn into the Startlegram.  We just wanted to see how it was done.

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Truth, Justice and the Fort Worth Way

We've been playing catch up with all the election emails we've received. Seems folks are very interested in the Tarrant Regional Water Board election.

And it looks like we're not the only ones playing catch up. In the past two days the TRWD incumbents and their crew have started sending out mailers.  We hear even some in the halls of Austin are being approached about this quiet little election.  Water Board Member, Marty Leonard's NEGATIVE email and letter was first.  Then they sent one for mail in ballots to seniors. (BNK already did that). Some Seniors reported their precinct and voter ID number were in the wrong spots. They wondered if it was a ploy by TRWD or just more sloppy work. Then the "Clean Water Committee" (is that an oxymoron?) PAC sent one showing Mayor Price on one side and the ballot on the other (BNK - been there, done that too). That mailer also mentioned the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. (More on that connection to come...)  Jim Lane left a couple of interesting voicemails around town and of course, a ST employee is shilling for him.  (Shouldn't Jim be concerned with his own race?  The one the downtown crowd doesn't want him to win?)

Kay Granger also sent out an email to her "friends" accusing many people of many things. She made it clear she wants things to stay the same. Since her son is employed by the water district, one would guess so.  One would also guess this was made clear to everyone (and their employees) from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram all the way to the Bank of Texas. 

Mayor Price and Congresswoman Granger both held fundraisers in the past couple of weeks, one for the incumbents and one where they handed out information for the incumbents.

Riddle us this Batman, WHY would local and federal elected officials be so engrossed in the TRWD campaign? Have they met all the candidates? (Aside from Mary Kelleher addressing City Council)? Have they heard all of the candidates speak? There has been no debate (unless you count the conversation between a water district employee and a candidate at a local restaurant). BNK shows up to talk to the voters, the incumbents do not. One incumbent did show up to a recent meeting, after the crowd was finished, we're guessing he wished he hadn't.

WHO do YOU want in office? Someone that will get out among the voters or those WHO YOUR elected officials want to keep in their place? Literally. 

VOTE BNK!  John Basham, Timothy Nold and Mary Kelleher for the Tarrant Regional Water District!

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"Who's keeping Watch?"

FW Worth Weekly, thank goodness.

Great title (Numb and Dumber) and look at what really happens when something bad happens. 

He called various state agencies, beginning with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and discovered that none were paying much attention. Each regulatory agency pointed him to a different agency.

Shaw pointed the reporter to other state and federal regulatory agencies, but they denied responsibility as well.

They also get the quote of the day,

"He called the Tarrant Regional Water District, where he got no answers but did discover that each frack job can use millions of gallons of water — which then becomes toxic."

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Once a Watchdog,

Always a Watchdog.

Dave Lieber, the 20 year Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporter, who was laid off, is still watching out for you.  On his Facebook this week he posted the following:

Pet peeve: When officials running for reelection use public money to send out a glossy 12-page "annual report" that arrives one week before the election. That's what the Tarrant Regional Water District did. Campaigning disguised as public business. And these are the same dudes that postponed their own election for a year. Unchallenged power on an issue of major importance. WRONG.

To be honest, maybe it's a good thing Dave doesn't work for the paper anymore. 

The Fort Worth Weekly had the best article on Dave's departure.  We noticed we got a shout out over there from a reader.  Thanks, LA!

Thank heavens for the F W Weekly and the Star Telegraph website – you both are the best source of real news happening in this area.

And another one had a great point about the paper and politics -

The Weekly continues to surge past the Startlegram as the voice of the people. Time for the Star Telegram to recognize that its political intrigues on behalf of the Fort Worth power structure has caused it to go the way of the dinosaur.

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SOLD

To the highest bidder. Yesterday YOUR politicians voted to sell YOU and YOUR roads. Watch out, they are after YOUR water, too.

(Don't forget to vote BNK!)

While it's clever to say the toll element is 'optional,' whether or not Hwy 290, Hwy 183, I-35, Loop 9, Loop 1604 and a host of others get handed to a private toll operator will be decided later by un-elected boards and TxDOT, not Texans or their elected officials whom they can hold accountable.

As far as Texans are concerned, they haven't changed their minds about P3s since the Trans Texas Corridor or the P3 moratorium in 2007 - they do NOT want Texas sovereignty over our public infrastructure handed to private corporations who can gouge taxpayers for 50 years.

http://www.examiner.com/article/sold-lawmakers-vote-to-sell-off-texas-roads-to-private-corporations

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Election in Big D

Check out item number 23, and VOTE for TXSharon!

http://surveys.dmagazine.com/bestofbigd2013-culture

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Define Insanity

Doing the same thing and expecting different results.

The Tarrant Regional Water District incumbents have sat on the board for a combined total of almost 60 years. 

In that 60 years, WHAT benefit have they provided you?

A good plan for water supply?  Nope. 
A good plan for cleaning up the river? Nope.
A way to reduce costs?  Nope.

Eminent domain? Yes.
A wake board park and restaurant? Yes.
A billion dollar boondoggle? Yes.

It's time.  "Captain Clean" needs YOUR help.

Early voting starts tomorrow.  VOTE BNK!

John Basham, Timothy Nold and Mary Kelleher. 

Give the citizens THEIR board back. 

Read what Durango has to say here. 

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This is it! Prairie to the people!

Prairie Fest starts Saturday morning at 11 a.m. Come on in to the greenest festival in Texas. More than 40 green Exhibitors, prairie tours, live music,  from 10 bands, tasty food and beverage, kids stuff and much more at the most valuable 160 acres in Fort Worth. FREE and open to the public. Prairie to the People!

http://tandyhills.org/fest

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Same old dog, same old tricks

The Tarrant Regional Water District just spent lots of YOUR money to put out their board report.  Now, knowing many citizens in the district, we have a feeling they'd be happy with that info being free online, or at the very least, being printed on regular paper with black ink.

Sadly, YOUR elected official don't feel the same, as they printed a 10 page color brochure, promoting the incumbents.  Have you ever seen the incumbents promoted in a Water Report before?  Do you think it has anything to do with the Tarrant Regional Water District election being days away?

Don't be fooled.  Again.  Stop the madness.

Vote BNK starting Monday.  Save YOUR water, save YOUR money.

http://www.flushtrwd.com

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YOU only get one.

Don't screw it up.

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URGENT: Texans' Property Taxes to Build Toll Roads???

THE GRASSROOTS TEXANS NETWORK

Fellow Grassroots Texans:

Please find below an URGENT message from Terri Hall of T.U.R.F.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD.

PROPERTY TAX TO BUILD TOLL ROADS?

This week, the full Texas House will vote on whether or not to use property taxes & sales taxes to build toll roads using Transportation Reinvestment Zones (TRZs). That means they'll build the road with property tax, but will charge you a TOLL to drive on it - another DOUBLE TAX scheme. It also expands the use of TRZs to fund transit, rail (think street car), even parking lots!

We DEFEATED the expansion of TRZs known as Prop 4 on the Constitutional Amendment election in November 2011 (read about it here), so we can certainly do it again! The senate version of this bill already passed the Senate. Every member of the Senate voted FOR it, so stopping this in the House is a MUST!

It's up to YOU to help us STOP it in the House!

ACTION ITEM #1:

Call your State Representative & make sure they vote AGAINST HB 1716 which allows the use of property tax & sales tax to build toll roads!

>>Find out who your STATE representative is here:

http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx

>>You can email using this formula:

first_name . last_name@house.state.tx.us

(Be sure to eliminate any spaces in the actual email address. Include your full name, address, & phone in all written correspondence.)

NOTE: If Speaker Joe Straus is your State Rep., email him here:

joe.straus@speaker.state.tx.us

He does NOT vote on bills, but controls the calendar and which bills come to the floor for a vote.

AND/OR

>>Call the Capitol Switchboard - (512) 463-4630 (between 8 AM - 5 PM)
 (Give them your zip code & they can connect you to your state rep.)

CLICK BELOW for more urgent
ACTION ITEMS THIS WEEK:

http://GrassrootsTexans.net/4677/Property_Tax_to_Fund_Toll_Roads

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The man was right.

Remember back when then Councilman Clyde Picht said the Trinity River Vision would cost taxpayers at least a billion dollars?

And when he said Fort Worth should invest in tornado sirens?

That's what people should be concerned with, their safety and their property. 

So, what does Clyde say about the Tarrant Regional Water District candidates and the upcoming election?

Read his letter to the editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 

In a letter to voters, Mayor Betsy Price tried to justify her support of Tarrant Regional Water District board members. She said the district makes sure we "have a clean, safe and adequate water supply." That's patently false.

It does not provide clean, safe or adequate water. Fort Worth and other consumer cities clean the water for public consumption.

Independent studies have shown that Trinity River water contains contaminants that can harm humans and make eating the fish very risky.

The Wall Street Journal identified Fort Worth as one of the 10 biggest cities running out of water
.
The water district supports gas drilling on its property in the flood plain and close to lakes. Drilling consumes millions of gallons of water for each well. The revenue is used for economic development, not water resources. The district is scamming the public and needs new and trustworthy leadership.

Vote for John Basham, Timothy Nold and Mary Kelleher.

-- Clyde Picht, Fort Worth

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Double Talk

The incumbent endorsing Fort Worth Star-Telegram has been endorsing incumbents today.

We know, no surprise.

Thing is, do they read their own opinion pieces?  There's one that says we need a "fresh start" and one that says "Change is inevitable", then they tell you not to change a thing. Over the years, they agree the board is secretive and votes unanimously without discussion and yet they say keep them?  WHY would they say that?

They mention the board members are all in their late sixties and seventies and have served from 10 - 29 years.  If they have served on the board that long, WHO do YOU think they really work for?

Here are some quotes from the OPINION pieces.  Good thing most folks we know think the ST opinion is as worthless as the paper it is printed on.

Do YOURSELF a favor, vote BNK and take YOUR water board back.

But they have been less successful at nurturing younger and more diverse board leadership to continue that work for another 50 years.

Directors also say they want to expand the board's "Lawn Whisperer" conservation campaign.

For voters interested in change -- and with some good reason -- the roster of challengers is thin.

That's true. Directors say they comply with state law, but they could choose to give more public notice and deliberate more openly. They have not.

Nold also is critical of no-bid contracts issued by the Trinity River Vision Authority, a separate agency that oversees the Trinity Uptown floodway project near downtown. Henderson and the water district general manager, Jim Oliver, also sit on the authority's board.

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WHO is looking out for YOU?

The New York Times is looking at Texas again.  Of course for Oil & Gas.  We can't wait till the start looking at the water.

Get a rope!

Friendliness toward the drilling industry is typical for Texas, where many lawmakers receive campaign contributions from oil and gas groups or have investments in drilling companies. The three elected members of the Railroad Commission of Texas, which oversees the oil and gas industry, have received significant contributions from the very industry they regulate. 

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Fort Worth, Dallas on Line 1

Finally.

The Dallas Morning News writes about the Tarrant Regional Water District. 

Read what the Water District spokesperson had to say.  YOU can't afford not to.

Kudos to Dallas for having a real "news" paper.  Y'all come back real soon!!

And for the rest of you, there's an election coming up.  Pay attention!

Bennett’s lawsuit alleges that the real debate and discussion of water district business — decisions on the pipeline route and awarding of multi-million-dollar design, engineering and construction contracts — takes place not in the public meetings of the board of directors but in secret committee meetings.

Notices about the time, place and agenda of those committee meetings are neither posted publicly ahead of time nor do they appear on the water district’s web site, according to Chad Lorance, a spokesman for the water district.

A little background is in order here for readers unfamiliar with local governments in Texas.

The Texas Attorney General has ruled repeatedly that a governmental body such as a tax-supported water district cannot create committees to deal with a public issue and then allow the committees to meet in secret and make decisions in secret.

I asked Lorance for a legal rationale for why the water district’s committees should not be subject to the state open meetings law. He did not answer directly.

Instead, he cited another statute found in the Texas Water Code. It says, “A meeting of a committee of the board, or a committee composed of representatives of more than one board, where less than a quorum of any one board is present, is not subject to the provisions of the open meetings law.”

One could infer from Lorance’s citation that the water board committees purposely structure their meetings to include less than a quorum to avoid violating the open meetings law. But he did not say that.

“All 339 actions were unanimously adopted by the board,” the lawsuit concluded.

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Good Idea

Dear Lone Star and Mayor Tillman,

Thank you for alerting us to this pending legislation.  This is exactly why citizen activists such as yourself are so important.

I attempted to review this bill myself from the State House of Representative web page without much success.  I queried my friend with much State level experience and received the response below*.

I notice that the "Public Hearing" was on 4-10-13.  I wonder if we might get a transcript of those comments given?

I am surprised at the audacity of State Lawmakers to even consider a Bill to take away local authority. It seems that the Republican membership of the Texas House have forgotten the basic tenet of the party is to have less government at the top and for local entities to remain in control.

I would like to see the local activists not only contacting their State Representatives as you have rightly urged, but also to contact City Council members throughout the State. City Councils are the front line in our defense of property.  They are also within the reach of the average citizen.

As they say, "all politics are local". City Councils regularly have discussions and vote for Resolutions in favor or opposing different ideas. This issue would be a perfect example of an issue of some substance and meaning for the Councils' constituents.

Please keep me informed of specific web pages or language so that I might be able to assist my City Council, City Manager and City Attorney in learning about this important Bill.

Thank you again for all your efforts.

 *  Reply from my initial inquiry :

This House Bill was heard in committee last Wednesday the 10, and left pending in the committee.  It is unlikely at this time in the legislative process that there is enough time for it to get out of committee and to the floor for action.  Then, it would need to be picked up by the Senate which probably not occur as there is only some 40 days left in this session.

Last Action: 04/10/2013 H Left pending in committee
 
Caption Version: Introduced
Caption Text: Relating to the effect of rules and standards adopted by the Railroad Commission of Texas relating to the gas pipeline industry on ordinances, orders or rules adopted by political subdivisions.
 
Author: Dale | King, Phil
 
Subjects: Oil & Gas (I0545)
Political Subdivisions (I0588)
STATE AGENCIES' RULES (S0346)
RAILROAD COMMISSION (V0089)
 
House Committee: Energy Resources  
Status: In committee  
 
Actions: (descending date order)

Description		Comment	Date	Time	Journal Page
H	Left pending in committee		04/10/2013
H	Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee		04/10/2013
H	Committee substitute considered in committee		04/10/2013
H	Considered in public hearing		04/10/2013
H	Scheduled for public hearing on . . .		04/10/2013
H	Referred to Energy Resources		03/18/2013		780
H	Read first time		03/18/2013		780
H	Filed		03/07/2013

 

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Down in flames

That's how one water board incumbent seemed to go last night at group meeting last night.

There was some confusion on his part to whether or not the Tarrant Regional Water District owned a hunting lease or not.  Apparently that depends on if you call it a deer lease or call it something else.

If you were confused by it, you can read an old article from the FW Weekly on it.  They were reporting on the Water District back in the day (2006).  Too bad no one was listening.  You hear them now?  Did you hear Julie Wilson, (yes, that one) say, “We’re not going to condemn any land for economic development,”  We know several people downtown WHO know that ain't true.

Seems lots of folks at the meeting were upset with Jack Stevens as some of them helped him get elected, now they can't get him to do what he promised, which was look after them and their property. 

The three candidates, John Basham, Timothy Nold and Mark Kelleher fared much better.  Do yourself a favor and vote BNK for the water board.  Otherwise, it's business as usual. And from the looks of it, the locals have had about enough of that.  Hunting season's over.

The water board, as most people call it, has been a low-profile agency for most of the 80 years it’s been around, taking care of four dams and the lakes behind them, selling water to local cities and towns, looking out for flood concerns, and choosing its leaders in elections that often generate anemic turnout. But from time to time, especially when one of the agency’s construction projects requires the taking of private property from those who don’t want to sell, people start getting more curious — and critical — about how the district operates.

“It’s there for the recreational use of our employees,’’ says Board President Victor Henderson. “I think it’s a good thing.”

When an existing board member grew weary of service, he (and until recently all were men) would typically quit before the term was over, allowing the remaining directors to appoint a replacement who could then run for election as an incumbent. Water board elections were often held on days when public interest and turnout was light. In the late 1970s, for example, one election drew fewer than 300 voters.

But district officials say those days are long gone. In recent years, at least three board members have been elected without first having been appointed. And at least one incumbent has been defeated in a recent election. That was in 2004, when businesswoman Gina Puente-Brancato, the only woman and Hispanic to serve on the board, was defeated by retired engineer Jack Stevens.

What’s more, even if they did know when elections were being held, only a fraction of the residents served — or affected — by the agency are eligible to vote for the people who oversee it.

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Did he say swimming pool?

This weekend the candidates from District 2 debated over breakfast.

You can read about it here.

One of the interesting items we noticed was Espino discussing the new pool being built on the North side. Did we miss something?  Didn't we close all the pools because Fort Worth couldn't afford them?

WHERE did the money come from for a new one?

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Texas House Bill 2828 Removes Local Authority

Message from Calvin Tillman.........

I wanted to make everyone aware of Texas House Bill 2828, which would essentially remove a municipality's ability to regulate ANY aspect of the natural gas pipeline industry.  This would include above ground appurtenances such as compressors and treating equipment.  This bill is being labeled as preventing each town from implementing different safety standard on pipelines; however, if you read the bill listed below it clearly states that it will preempt "any ordinance", "relating to any aspect or phase of the gas pipeline industry".  Furthermore, municipalities have been preempted from implementing safety standards on pipeline companies for decades.

A bank of compressor stations the size of the ones located in DISH, could and would be located wherever the natural gas industry wanted it to be, and there would be nothing that your local government could do to prevent it or even mitigate it.  This would also prevent municipalities from enforcing noise or odor ordinances.  Therefore, it is critical that we take action immediately.  This bill will be voted on in the Energy Resource Committee by Wednesday April 17, 2013; this has to be stopped.  Below are the members of this committee, please make as many phone calls as possible, and share this with as many lists as you can.  If you live in the Barnett Shale or any other shale play, your life will be permanently altered if you do not take action on this bill.

Below is the original bill and attached is a committee sub that is a little bit better, but is just as bad.  Please call each representative listed below, whether you live in their district or not and tell them you oppose House Bill 2828, if they try to explain that this bill only applies to safety standards, simple ask them what do they define as "all municipal ordinances".  I do not reach out very often like this, so I hope you realize the urgency of this situation.  Please call the numbers below, and pass this message on to as many people as possible.

Committee Chair, Jim Keffer
(512) 463-0656

Myra Crownover
(512) 463-0582

Lon Burnam
(512) 463-0740

Terry Canales
(512) 463-0426

Tony Dale (Author) Of course his district is not in a area where there is drilling.
(512) 463-0696

Phil King (Co-Sponsor)
(512) 463-0738

J.M. Lozano
(512) 463-0463

Chris Paddie
(512) 463-0556

Ralph Sheffield
(512) 463-0630

Gene Wu
(512) 463-0492

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Welcome to Texas

In a state that claims to be fiscally conservative, its actions continue to show its anything but.

Toll agency seeks sweeping new powers, lawmakers detect misrepresentation.

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Cowtown Connections

So Mayor Price wants to hold a fundraiser for the Tarrant Regional Water District incumbents.  Yes, the same Mayor Price who when asked WHY she was giving up her high paying job to run for low paying Mayor, responded, "because Kay Granger asked me to". 

Yes, the same Congresswoman Granger whose son is over the Trinity River Vision Authority, that is the economic development branch of the Tarrant Regional Water District.  The district responsible for flood control and water supply.

This fundraiser will be held at a local restaurant that is owned by Representative Geren (a former Tarrant Regional Water District board member).  Yes, the same Representative Geren that said he passed HB 2639, "because Kay Granger asked me to".  (Which Granger's office denied within the same article). 

Representative Geren recently submitted another bill (HB 3900) that would move all of the Tarrant Regional Water District elections to odd numbered years.  Since the TRWD voted last year to extend three members terms by a year, guess it's only fair the other two get another year. (Did we mention the 3 incumbents have approximately 60 years combined, serving on the water board?)

The fundraiser is for the Clean Water Committee PAC.  The same PAC that spread questionable information during the last water board election.  Seems their address has changed.  Wonder if it had anything to do with disgusted voters crashing the law office they came from?

Since there was some confusion on one of our recent posts,one in which we never said anyone "owned" anything or anyone, let's be clear here - we're just pointing out the connections.  There's a lot of those around 7th street.  Stay tuned for more. 

Do YOURSELF a favor.  Vote for BNK instead of the establishment on election day.  WHO do you think THEY are looking out for?

John Basham, Timothy Nold and Mary Kelleher are running for the Tarrant Regional Water District.  THEY are running for YOU, not downtown, Austin or Washington. 

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More Toxic Trinity

From the Fort Worth Weekly. 

Morris’ job involved crawling around in dangerous chemicals, often dumping the hazardous material into underground pits and sometimes down the storm drains when the pits were full and his supervisors wanted to cut corners.

The company’s old employee roster reads like an oncologist’s former patient list. An alarming number of Technicoat staffers have passed away from cancer, heart disease, or illnesses that are linked to chemical exposure. The two Morris brothers, who now live in Arkansas, fear they may suffer the same fate as their father. Robert worked at Technicoat for five years, and Gary for six. (A third brother, Joe, worked there for a shorter time and has had much less severe medical problems.)

A recent toxicology examination revealed that Robert, now 54, has dangerously high amounts of barium in his blood. That’s one of the carcinogenic chemicals that Technicoat used in its coating for missile launchers.

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WHO are they?

BNK

Check them out at FlushTRWD.com 

YOU can't afford not to.

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Location, location, location...

Is it any wonder that the Fort Worth Star-Telegram would have large color ads for the Tarrant Regional Water District, right here at election season?

This is the first time we've seen the board members listed by name.

What about YOU?  

Is that free advertising?

Wait, WHO paid for that?  Oh yes, YOU.

The recent editorial by the supposed "paper of record" concerning the Water Board election said, "Voters shouldn't be misled: The May local elections are serious business."

We couldn't agree more.

WHOSE offices are those under the Star-Telegram neon's?  None other than the Trinity River Vision Authority, also known as the economic development branch of the Tarrant Regional Water District.

WHO pays for that? That's right, you, dear reader.

Wanna stop paying? Pay attention. There is an election coming. YOU can't afford to miss it. 

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Help is not on the way...

Help is stuck in traffic on 820.

We continually read on the DFW Scanner that "emergency crews are having difficulty accessing the scene" when something happens on 820 or 183 in the "construction zone". 

Today we witnessed it firsthand.  In the picture above you see the Fire Department, the Police Department and the EMT's sitting in a traffic jam, nowhere near the accident.  With no way to get through.

How would you feel if it were YOUR family they were trying to reach?  Is another two years without an emergency option an option? 

WHO's in charge here anyway?

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Wedgewood Square and Overton South

Tonight two hundred people packed into a church and listened to Fort Worth City officials drone on about zoning.   WHY?

Because they wanted a say in what takes place in their neighborhood.  They, like several other neighborhood groups (Oakhurst, Mallard Cove - anyone see a pattern here?), had to find out about these proposed changes, then fight to get enough time to get meetings scheduled.

We wondered why Chesapeake was there, apparently they own land there too.  We're sure they came just to be "good neighbors".

The whole system seems to be backwards.  You ask those it will affect the most, after you do your studies?  Shouldn't you start there?  The meeting seemed like many others we've attended in the county over the past several years.  Talk and show slides until the crowd gets restless, beg everyone not to attack each other, stall...but at some point the residents will take the floor.  Be it in a church or city hall, they came for a reason. 

Some left the meeting mad, "After listening to you tell us what YOU want for an hour, now we can't ask questions?"  Some were outright angry and some were very well spoken. 

Most answers involved the response, "You would need to talk to Councilman Jordan about that".  That was followed up with, "WHERE is he?"  He is in Austin.  At a conference.  While his constituents feel run over and ignored.  More of the Fort Worth Way?

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What's in the water in Tarrant county?

Durango knows.

He's got the latest on the Betsy Price and Robert Cluck blog to Congress about a Tarrant County "water war" and the latest on the Tarrant Regional Water District candidates. 

Now might be a good time to start paying attention.  YOU can't afford not to.

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Not if she can help it...

We've told you about Eleanor Fairchild.  She is the one who was arrested with Daryl Hannah, ON HER OWN PROPERTY.

Read the latest in the FW Weekly.  Don't think it can't happen to YOU or your great grandmother.  This is Texas, sadly, it happens every day.  Though this time it's a Canadian company taking her land.

“I called the soil conservation people at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but they said they had no jurisdiction. I called TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality), and they said they couldn’t do anything about erosion. I called the Railroad Commission, and they said they only gave out pipeline permits but have no jurisdiction over them. I called everybody — the Department of Transportation pipeline safety people, the Army Corps of Engineers — who gave the permit to TransCanada to cross my creek and got no response. Even the EPA said they couldn’t do anything until there is a spill.”

“I’ve learned that our government is not there to help us — not when you’re fighting the big guys,” she said. “I think I’ll be an activist for the rest of my life so that others don’t have to go through the same thing.”

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Coming Soon, Near YOU

Remember this next time those WHO will profit off the Keystone XL tell you it's safe.

Read more about the spill here. 


The burst pipe is part of the Pegasus pipeline network, which connects tar sands along the Gulf coast to refineries in Houston. Thousands of gallons of crude oil erupted from the breach around 3:00 p.m. on Friday, spilling through a housing subdivision and into the town’s storm drainage system, fouling drainage ditches and shutting down Highway 365 and Interstate 40.

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Pay attention, it's YOUR TURF.

If the following isn't enough to spur you into action, go down to the capitol and help the pregnant lady, would ya? She can't do it alone!

UPDATE 
Texas for Sale:
Now Senate seeks to hand TX roads to foreign entities
Your calls and emails are making a difference!

Rep. Larry Phillips' bill, HB 3391, didn't get a hearing last week so it's up for a hearing Tuesday, April 2, in the House Transportation Committee which starts at 8 AM. He's told us he plans to substitute his 'blank check' bill with a more limited one, but it would still hand 19 Texas highways over to private, even foreign, corporations & it still expands to rail!

BUT
The same bill is up for a hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee, authored by Sen. Robert Nichols, SB 1730, on Wednesday, April 3 at 8 AM. SB 1488 by Sen. Kirk Watson will be heard the same day and it expands these contracts to RAIL.
More info on these controversial contracts here.
We need YOU to oppose these bills.

URGENT ACTION ITEM
We need YOU to do one of the following:
1) Attend the House Transportation Committee hearing Tuesday, April 2 (Rm. E2.012 - starts at 8 AM, but likely won't be heard until the afternoon) to testify against HB 3391 (and FOR HB 1054) AND/OR the Senate Transportation Committee hearing Wednesday, April 3 (Rm. E1.016 at 8 AM) to testify against SB 1730 & SB 1488. These public private partnerships contracts will cost Texas commuters 75 cents a mile to use our public roads.

(Look for Terri Hall to get talking points - long, brunette hair & pregnant belly!);

OR
2) If you can't stay to testify, register against the bills at the Capitol (for the House bill, register AGAINST the bill on the i-Pad looking kiosks outside committee rooms, for the Senate bill, register against the bill in writing on a card on the back table of the committee room);

OR
3) Call the Senate Transportation Committee member (Capitol Switchboard is 512-463-4630) closest to your city and POLITELY tell them to vote 'No on SB 1730 & SB 1488' (more talking points below).

Sen. Robert Nichols (His bill would hand Loop 49 around Tyler to a private/foreign co.) (Tyler to Montgomery Cnty) - 512-463-0103
Sen. Ken Paxton (Collin Cnty to Dallas) - 512-463-0108
Sen. Wendy Davis (Ft. Worth) - 512-463-0110
Sen. Kelly Hancock (Tarrant Cnty to Dallas) - 512-463-0109
Sen. Dan Patrick (Houston) - 512-463-0107
Sen Rodney Ellis (Houston) - 512-463-0113
Sen. Kirk Watson (Austin) - 512-463-0114
Sen. Donna Campbell (San Antonio to S. Travis Cnty) - 512-463-0125
Sen. Carlos Uresti (El Paso to San Antonio) - 512-463-0119

AND
EMAIL the entire Senate Transportation Committee in one click here: senate_sc@texasturf.org

Tell them: "Vote 'No' on SB 1730 & SB 1488. We do not want you to hand Texas roads to private corporations who extract exorbitant toll rates (75 cents/mile) from commuters just to get to work. Texas roads belong to Texans. It's anti-liberty and un-Texan to hand our state sovereignty over public infrastructure to private, even foreign, entities for a HALF CENTURY in sweetheart deals that guarantee profits & congestion on free routes. We don't want this authority to extend to RAIL boondoggles either! Also, vote SB 1029 & SB 1253 OUT OF COMMITTEE to protect Texans from DOUBLE TAXATION by tolling existing free lanes or downgrading free routes with slower speed limits & stop lights."

SPECIAL NOTE: Be sure to include your full name, address, and phone.

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WOAH Toll...

PLEASE CALL, WRITE, SHOW UP or ALL OF THE ABOVE!

A MESSAGE FROM TERRI HALL, Texas United for Reform and Freedom (TURF):
__________________________

GRASSROOTS ACTION ALERT
Rep. Larry Phillips' bill, HB 3391, is up for a hearing Tuesday in the House Transportation Committee (Rm. E2.012 @ 8 AM) that would give TxDOT and toll authorities a BLANK CHECK to enter into TRANS TEXAS CORRIDOR-style toll roads that hand control of at least 26 Texas roads every two years until 2017 (and expand it to any or all RAIL projects) to private, even foreign, corporations in sweetheart deals for a HALF CENTURY.

More info on these controversial contracts here.

We need Texans to do one of the following:

1) Attend the House Transportation Committee hearing Tuesday, March 26 (Rm. E2.012 - starts at 8 AM, but likely won't be heard until the afternoon) to testify against this horrible bill that will cost Texas commuters 75 cents a mile to use our public roads; OR

2) If you can't stay to testify, register against the bill at the Capitol (register AGAINST the bill on the i-Pad looking kiosks outside committee rooms); OR

3) Call the House Transportation Committee member (Capitol Switchboard is 512-463-4630) closest to your city and tell them to vote 'No on HB 3391' (more talking points below)

Rep. Larry Phillips (Sherman-Denison/Grayson Cty area) (Phillips says his constituents LOVE toll roads) - 512-463-0297
Rep. George Lavender (East Texas) - 512-463-0692
Rep. Allen Fletcher (Houston) - 512-463-0661
Rep. Debbie Riddle (Houston) - 512-463-0572
Rep. Linda Harper-Brown (Irving/North Texas) - 512-463-0641
Rep. Yvonne Davis (Dallas) - 512-463-0598
Rep. Cindy Burkett (Mesquite/North Texas) - 512-463-0464
Rep. Ruth McClendon (San Antonio) - 512-463-0708
Rep. Joe Pickett (El Paso) - 512-463-0596
Rep. Mando Martinez (Hidalgo County/the Rio Grande Valley) - 512-463-0530
Rep. Robert Guerra (Hidalgo County/the Rio Grande Valley) - 512-463-0578

EMAIL the entire House Transportation Committee in one click here: house_hc@texasturf.org

Tell them "Vote 'No' on HB 3391. We do not want you to hand Texas roads to private corporations who extract exorbitant toll rates (75 cents/mile) from commuters just to get to work. Texas roads belong to Texans. It's anti-liberty and un-Texan to hand our state sovereignty over public infrastructure to private, even foreign, entities for a HALF CENTURY in sweetheart deals that guarantee profits. We don't want this authority to extend to RAIL boondoggles either!"

MORE BAD BILLS

There are also bills to give toll authorities their OWN COURTS to be the judge & jury in cases disputing toll fines/fees that would grant them authority to block your car registration. It's the fox guarding the henhouse and eliminates any REAL due process afforded Texans in traditional courts where an unbiased third party hears the case.

HB 3048 - Also to be heard in House Transportation Committee Tuesday, Rm E2.012 @ 8 AM.

GOOD BILLS TO BE HEARD THIS WEEK

HB 1054 - (Lavender) To prohibit the conversion of a FREEway into a tollway. Removes loopholes that have plagued our state since 2003! (Will be heard in House Transportation Committee Tuesday, Rm E2.012 @ 8 AM)
SB 1029 - (Campbell) To prohibit the conversion of a FREEway into a tollway. Removes loopholes that have plagued our state since 2003! (Will be heard in Senate Transportation Committee Wednesday, Rm E1.016 @ 8 AM)
SB 1253 - (Zaffirini) To prohibit TxDOT or toll agencies from downgrading/slowing the free routes adjacent to toll lanes/toll roads. (Read why this bill is necessary here. TxDOT increased the speed limit on SH 130, the first foreign-owned toll road in TX, to 85 MPH and lowered the speed limit on adjacent Hwy 183 from 65 MPH down to 55 MPH). (Will be heard in Senate Transportation Committee Wednesday, Rm E1.016 @ 8 AM)

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Congratulations to one of our Watchdogs!

A perfect example of people making a difference in their community!

Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area celebrated the Spring Equinox a day early after being awarded the Green Source DFW Sustainable Leadership Award for Grass Roots Non-profit Organization.

We are humbled by this distinguished honor and invite you to come to Prairie Fest at Tandy Hills on April 27 to see the place that inspired the passion to protect and promote the most valuable 160-acres in Texas.

Don & Debora Young

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WHO'S suing WHO?

Ed Bass and other "land owners" sue Cheseapeake. 

Now someone is suing the Tarrant Regional Water District. 

Is justice coming to Fort Worth?  To Tarrant County??

Maybe there's something in the water.

Wonder WHO's next? 

WHO broke the story?

Durango.  WHO else?

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WHAT was that?

Tarrant County just lit up.

Loud boom and houses shaking from North Richland Hills to Fort Worth.

Lots of things blowing up in Tarrant County lately...

Rumor has it that one was the Weatherford Street bridge. 

WHAT'S next?

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Prairie Fest 2013: Prairie to the People

What: Tandy Hills Natural Area celebrates the 8th Prairie Fest. Enjoy free live music and outdoor fun from 11 am until sundown with wildflower hikes and science-based activities for all ages. Relax on the hillside, taking in solar-powered tunes. Good food, flowers and fun! Get to know your local prairie!

Where: Tandy Hills Natural Area, at 3400 View Street in Fort Worth.

Google Map for directions.

When: Saturday, April 27, 11am to sundown

More info at the Tandy Hills website.

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YOU are invited

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!

Calling all grassroots conservatives in Texas!  Sound the alarm!  There's trouble brewing in Austin. The "Kings of Texas" are coming for your liberty and your wallets!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jViz0HlZ_0U

Statewide Conference Call with JoAnn Fleming (Director Grassroots America & TEA Party Caucus Advisory Committee Chair) and Terri Hall (TURF Director & Founder - Texas United for Reform & Freedom)

WHEN: Tuesday Night @ 7:00 pm

CALL-IN #: 1-626-677-3000

PASS CODE: 347970

The Problem: Anti-liberty Legislation is ALIVE and WELL in Austin!  Establishment Republicans who do not share our values have plans for you:

• Plans to mushroom state debt with 100 YEAR BONDS. 
• Plans to push debt down to the local level, opening the door for MORE PROPERTY TAX INCREASES. 
• Plans to hand out more taxpayer dollars to well-connected special interests via CORPORATE WELFARE. 
• Plans to SABOTAGE THE TERM LIMITS BILLS in the House and Senate. 
• Plans to build ALL future state highways as CORPORATE TOLL ROADS and sell them off to foreign multinationals (the TransTexas Corridor plan blown up all across the state). 
• Plans to use eminent domain power for PRIVATE GAIN via transportation policy. 
• Plans to continue the ACCOUNTING GIMMICKS and SMOKE AND MIRRORS to "balance" the state budget on paper while running up more debt. 
• Plans to expand Medicaid in the quest for ObamaCare dollars--bankrupting our state in the process. 

The Solution:  YOU ARE THE SOLUTION.  Nobody's coming to save us--but US!

Watch out for liberal and moderate legislators signing up to support Second Amendment and pro-life legislation while stealing your liberty and your children's future!  Don't be fooled!  We must look at THE ENTIRE RECORD -- not just the easy votes.  It's easy to support the 2nd Amendment and be pro-life in Texas...even liberal Republicans can, but they hide a multitude of other sins under those two important issues, hoping you won't look at the rest of their record!  Don't let them get away with it!

Be informed!  Jump on the conference call Tuesday night at 7 PM with JoAnn and Terri.  They are fighting hard for us in Austin!

This is the first of a series of regular calls planned to keep grassroots Texans informed during the session.  Group leaders -- please take this information and get it out to your groups!

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WHY all the cops?

WHY would the Mayor need 5 policemen and cars (one not pictured) to meet with residents in a park?

A couple of weeks ago Mallard Cove residents stood up to city council again.   That was on Tuesday.  On Wednesday the paper wrote an article about it and on Thursday they wrote an editorial.  By Friday some residents in the area were receiving robo calls about the Mayor visiting their neighborhood (for the first time, said many) on Saturday.  Apparently she doesn't travel alone.  Wonder what that costs?

Even with the short notice and bad weather, there was a good turnout.  Some residents took video of the meeting on their Ipad's and cell phones.  Many people asked very pertinent questions, including a boy scout, concerned with compressor stations going in his neighborhood.  There were questions about flooding and the poor conditions of the roads in the area. Mayor Price was asked about an open gate on a well site, she didn't really see the issue with the gate being open. 

If that's the case, why do they fence them in? 

Read the Fort Worth Star-Telegram editorial -

The people who live in Fort Worth's Mallard Cove subdivision, on Randol Mill Road just east of East Loop 820, have good reason to be mad at their City Council and the employees on its legal and zoning staff.

Those neighbors have played by the rules, tightly organized themselves, brought in allies from the nearby River Trails and River Crest subdivisions and successfully fought off a natural gas industry plan to locate a huge 15-unit compressor station adjacent to their homes.

Or at least they successfully fought it 15 months ago. But this phoenix of a project keeps coming back to haunt the neighborhoods, and they find themselves still pouring time and energy into fighting it.
They won again a month ago, when the Zoning Commission turned down another industry request to build the compressors. As industry representatives saw momentum shifting toward the neighbors, they pleaded with the commission to give them more time to come up with alternatives.

On Tuesday night, after the neighbors organized yet another large turnout for a City Council hearing on yet another industry appeal, the council members decided to prolong the agony. They sent the appeal back to the Zoning Commission for more work.

The commission is supposed to hear the case again in April, and it's scheduled to come back to the council May 7.

That has to be a big disappointment for the people in Mallard Cove, River Trails and River Crest. It takes a lot of effort to fight City Hall, and most people don't want to spend years doing it.

Councilman Danny Scarth, whose east/northeast-side District 4 includes these neighborhoods, said the council had received worrisome information during a closed meeting about possible legal ramifications of limiting placement of compressors.

Scarth blamed delays partly on the Texas Open Meetings Act, which limits council action to public meetings with agendas posted at least three days earlier.

That scapegoat won't work. State law does not restrict the city staff in its preparation of proper ordinances to lay before the council.

City Hall owes everyone in Fort Worth a well-crafted zoning ordinance. But it also owes the residents of these neighborhoods an answer that will allow them to get on with their lives.

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Well, what do we have here?

Seems normal folks aren’t the only ones getting screwed.

Read in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about Ed Bass and others suing Chesapeake over royalties, or lack thereof.  And Julie Wilson had no comment??  What’s the world coming to?

They may want to brush up on their “good neighbor” campaign.

Fort Worth investor Ed Bass and more than a dozen other landowners in southern Tarrant County have sued units of Chesapeake Energy in federal court in Dallas, accusing the Barnett Shale's second-largest producer of cheating them out of millions of dollars in royalties.

According to the lawsuit, the companies improperly deducted production costs, expressly forbidden by the leases, and used "sham transactions" with two other Chesapeake affiliates to set a below-market price on which royalties were paid, also a breach of lease terms.

It's not the first time Chesapeake has been sued over royalty payments.

In September, it agreed to pay Dallas/Fort Worth Airport more than $5.3 million in additional royalties after nearly three years of litigation over the sales price for gas used by Chesapeake and other issues.

In 2010, Fort Worth resident Robyn Coffey sued Chesapeake, saying its royalty payments were based on a "fictitious price" for natural gas produced in the White Lake Hills area in east Fort Worth.

Under the lease terms, Chesapeake is not allowed to pass along "any part of the costs or expenses" of producing, gathering, transporting or processing gas, the suit states.

The leases require the owners to bear their share of certain expenses up to 75 cents per 1,000 cubic feet (mcf) "under certain conditions," but those conditions never applied, it says.

Chesapeake imposed costs on the owners exceeding 75 cents per mcf, the suit says.

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Boom goes Bust

“We’ve done a lot of work looking at tax revenues versus the costs to the community,” he said. “And the real issue is: How does a community cope with what happens after the boom goes bust? You want the drilling for the tax revenue and royalties and jobs it creates. But at some point the impacts generated by the industry — the industrial and social impacts — simply outstrip the benefits of drilling. And for some communities, in the long run, they can wind up worse than they might have been if there had been no drilling at all.”

Read about it in the FW Weekly.

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Texas Bullies

Continuing our series of calling bullies out, this time in Texas. 

We told you about freshman Representative Giovonni Capriglione making a splash by introducing legislation that would require politicians to disclose things they should be disclosing. 

Seems the bullies at the state capitol don't like that.  Seems they don't want their voters knowing about their contacts, or contracts.

Now WHY would that be? 

You can read the story in the New York Times, here.  Another local boy making the big time.  Another set of bullies, another lone voice standing up for the citizens.

Those involve question if this has anything to do with Gio's last campaign.  Knowing Tarrant County as we do, we can tell you, Mr.Ramsey, he's doing this for us.  If you have any other questions, come on down to Cowtown.  We'll make your head spin.  As for the "experts...knowing their kind", that explains why they acted so uncivil and childish to someone trying to pass legislation with integrity.

Those of you living in Spring, Texas, may want to ask YOUR Representative, WHY she took such issue with the bill? 

Representative Giovanni Capriglione, Republican of Southlake, in his first appearance before a legislative committee, got a full hazing as the author of an ethics bill that apparently sounds better to the people who don’t have to comply than to the officeholders it would regulate.

His bill would require lawmakers to report any business relationships between their close relatives and any government entity — to show whether and how they and theirs might benefit personally from the officeholders’ official work. 
      

You would think he had tried to outlaw pecan pie, pistols or pickups.

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Mallard Cove

Well, what do you know?

After the council meeting and an editorial in the paper this week, it appears Mayor Price and Councilman Danny Scarth figured out where Mallard Cove is.  Seems they will be holding a walking town hall there tomorrow, Saturday at 9:00 a.m. in the park, that the industry built. 

Some residents got a robo call yesterday about it.  Some residents did not.

Wonder WHY?

Wonder why Danny Scarth, the one called out by the residents earlier this week, would finally come to this neighborhood when it will no longer be part of his district? 

Wonder WHO else will show up?

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