There's something happening here...

Lots of going's on lately in Haltom City.

They just elected (finally!) their first Vietnamese councilman and now a nice, quiet meeting about compensation.

If you live there, be there.  YOU can't afford not to.
Here's to Haltom City moving forward------

NO, it's waaaay past "high time" sumpin' is done A-bout the compensation package for OUR PO-leece Officers and Firefighters!!!!  For the uninformed, said "PO-leece Officer's" startin' pay is more or less in line with most other Cities of OUR size BUT, somewhere A-round the end of the third year, aka when they are well trained at OUR expense, their pay scale falls waaaay behind said "most other Cities"; THIS IS A CRIME (pun intended, but it ain't funny).  Is it any wonder A number of OUR Officers deem it necessary to seek well-deserved compensation in other municipalities every year?  Let me help you out here……..NO, IT IS NOT "ANY WONDER"‼‼  As far as I can tell, OUR Firefighters have much the same problem, but I believe Monday’s meetin’ will mostly deal with OUR PO-leece; I have no way of knowin’ what/who will be discussed as the postin’ of same is so non-descript.   

Anyhoo………what are OUR City head potatoes, and potato heads doin' A-bout said "CRIME"????  Not much as far as I can tell L   Monday night, November 18th, there's to be A waaaay under advertised "Work Session" held in OUR waaaay cramped, non-televised "Pre Council Room"; I guess if one purposefully under advertises such A "Session" A lot of seatin' is unneeded L   I say what's needed is for A few hundred of US to show up at 5:45pm and force the "potatoes" to move the meetin' into the what could/would become OUR waaaay cramped City Council chamber.

If this, what to me is A VERY BIG issue, is unimportant to you, delete this email and stay home Monday watchin' some inane TV show; if you think this even MIGHT be important to you, and/or yours, forward this email to every concerned Citizen you know AND come on out to show OUR support for Haltom City's finest.

bob@bobwatkinsforhaltomcity.com

WHAT is going on in Haltom City?

First Wendy Davis, now Erik Estrada?

"Ponch" will be at the Birdville Baptist Church Saturday night. The Birdville Baptist Church has also recently made news with their 160th anniversary celebration.

This time they are helping Mr. Estrada promote a new film to help keep kids safe.

Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

“This is the real deal, the real world, and we need to make our children aware of the dangers of the Internet,” said Erik Estrada whose TV character Ponch isn’t unlike the sheriff he portrays in a film called Finding Faith.

The film is based on the true story of a teenage girl who was lured away and kidnapped by someone she encountered online. Estrada will be at Haltom City’s Birdville Baptist Church Saturday evening to introduce the film. The point of the film is to let children know about the dangers lurking on the world wide web.

“The point of the movie is to teach kids to avoid this situation,” said Tom Howe, the pastor of Birdville Baptist.

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 YOU voting for?

We hear a lot of complaints coming out of Haltom City - we say, if YOU want something different, elect someone other than the incumbent. 

Our crew in HC unanimously agreed on WHO they were voting for out there. 

Bob Watkins & Mary Haltom.

"Haltom" is pretty self explanatory, well that and none of our folks have ever seen her opponent. 

Watkins is a longtime resident and local business owner.  He serves on a city board and volunteers all over town, he's been doing both for decades. 

Sounds like just the kind of council member Haltom City needs. 

VOTE!!

Again with Haltom City

Apparently the Haltom City Police Department was shut down yesterday due to a resident bringing an old grenade for disposal.

And, two candidates for City council face off again.  A local business owner and board member and a longtime, return council/EDC member.  Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 

In Place 5, Councilman Jim Sutton will face off against frequent candidate Bob Watkins, who previously ran against Sutton.

Sutton and Watkins are similar candidates in some respects. Both men are conservatives. Both have committed to public service in the city for years. And they agree that policy matters aren't at the heart of their differences.

The last race was close.  A handful of votes difference.  Let's hope Haltom City shows up to vote this time. 

They say doing the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.

VOTE.

Speaking of parks...

You mention Haltom City around here and let the emails begin.  Comments and more. 

In the post concerning "White's Branch Park" (named after White's Branch creek) the cost was listed in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram as $1.25 million.  Though the picture we were sent shows a different amount. 

Something doesn't add up.  WHAT is it?

Ask.

And if you missed the post on things not adding up in Tarrant County, read it.

Speaking of creeks...

And Haltom City...

A Letter to the Editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram asks a good question about a recent article on parks in Tarrant County.

High-water mark

The Monday front page shows builders working on a "low-water crossing" along Whites Creek in "Haltom City's new park." (See: "Splendor in our backyard is increasingly accessible")

Please help me understand why they would not build a high-water crossing. It seems like that is the more dangerous condition. Just how low is the crossing going to be? And how will they close the crossing when the water gets high?

-- Howard M. Cornell III, Arlington

That's a good question, sir.  Especially since just yards away from the park, is where the child drowned in one of the Haltom City floods.  We didn't see any mention of that in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram park article. 

We did see every city around has their hand out for park grants.  Why do we have a feeling the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) is involved in them all?  The paper didn't mention that either.

The 20-acre site, whose working name is Whites Branch Park, will have a 20-by-30-foot picnic pavilion and separate playground structures for children 5 and younger and for 5- to 12-year-olds, all surrounded by a hike/bike trail system. Perhaps most important, given the North Texas climate, the park will feature the city's biggest splash pad.

The $1.25 million park project will be partly funded by $700,000 in grants from Texas Parks and Wildlife, Henry said. The city is making up the difference.

The city also plans to join the new park to Buffalo Ridge Park by acquiring 120 flood-prone properties. When the project is completed, park visitors will have access to the Buffalo Ridge hike-and-bike trail, eventually linking to a 15-mile trail system through Watauga and Fort Worth.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/04/15/3885821/tarrant-county-cities-are-adding.html#storylink=cpy

Danger Zone!

The mess of 820 from I35 to 183 is a disaster waiting to happen. 

Drive I35, east on 820. If you're feeling really brave, enter 35 at Meacham.  Travel the narrow, winding lane, with no shoulder, and bad striping, next to concrete barriers you could reach out and touch.  Pay attention to all the signs, there's a ton of them telling you the exits are closed, or lanes are, or more are about to be. 

When there is a wreck, how do you think the emergency responders get to you?  Yeah, it ain't easy.  Where do all those people in the two lane holding cell behind you go?  Nowhere.

Which is exactly what happened today in Haltom City.  Luckily there were no fatalities when a truck went off a bridge into the creek bed below.  Traffic was shut down all day.  People were stuck for hours.  (pictures at FWST)

They're going to be stuck for years.  

Guess it's a good thing it wasn't raining.  We've seen what happens to that creek when it rains.  Sometimes, it too, shuts down the freeway.

Voters still have no say...

Is what the Fort Worth Star-Telegram could have called their article, "Voters had no say as DFW cities took on debt". 

Read what your "leaders" say about YOU.  Does it sound like they called you stupid?  Or they just know you're not paying attention?  What's it going to take before you do?  They aren't going to stop on their own.

While we commend the "news" paper on writing a "news" story, we noticed one tiny, billion dollar item was missing from the list.  The Trinity River Vision, which is completely taxpayer funded, was not listed as another one of these projects where voters have no say. 

If you are a citizen and taxpayer of the metroplex, it is YOUR duty to send this to every citizen and taxpayer in the metroplex you know.  Your kids are counting on YOU.  Then, you should read their article , "Congressional mailing privilege favors incumbents at taxpayer expense".  Duh.  They use your money to tell YOU to vote for them, to keep them in office, so they can keep spending your money.  WHO didn't know that? WHY do YOU continue to do it?  Tell us, inquiring minds want to know.

If we haven't convinced you yet, maybe some of what they said will...

In fact, none of them got to vote at all.

However, taxpayers are on the hook should funding fall short.

$52.7 million -- wasn't presented to voters.

A Haltom City official cautioned that greater disclosure would confuse people and make them more inclined to oppose something because "it's just a bunch of big numbers."

And they aren't foolproof.

One critic testified before the Legislature that such financing can result in "vampire indebtedness" -- debt that never dies.

"I think we're smart enough to know when we're in their wallets," Combs said.

And the moral to the story?  Do something.

Keller voters forced an election in 2006 and crushed the proposal while also voting out three council members who had supported it.

Please. Do something!

In Tarrant, 18 cities, including Fort Worth, borrowed at least 40 percent of their tax-supported debt from 2005 to 2011 without voter approval, according to an analysis of Texas Bond Review Board data.

Fort Worth City Treasurer James Mauldin said certificates are used in many cases to avoid the time it would take to bring a bond to voters. Such measures also save on election costs, officials said. "Usually, it's we need it before we can put another [bond] program out on the streets," he said.

"It seems some local governments are making every effort to [not put] things before voters," Venable said. But with so much focus on the national debt, she said, "few people realize that local debt is growing exponentially as well."

But official statements about the debt, on file with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, show that in recent years the borrowing funded projects such as new libraries that some see as amenities or computers and software that may be outdated before the debt is scheduled to be paid off.

North Richland Hills' 2010 official statement for a $23.7 million certificate fails to mention that uses for the money included the recreation center that opened Saturday. Yet the city says that's where they got $18.8 million for the complex.

A spokeswoman said that the information was omitted in error, that it wasn't a legal problem, and that voters were informed through a council resolution and legal notices.

Or cities may say that revenue from special tax districts or sales taxes will pay off new debt, but they don't make clear that if that revenue falls short, taxpayers may bear the burden. That's because to obtain more favorable terms, cities usually back the certificates with property taxes.

Keller serves as a cautionary tale. The city borrowed $33 million using certificates to finance a town hall and other projects, with revenue from a special tax district to pay for it. But revenue couldn't keep up, and the city, despite refinancing the debt, had to use other funds to make payments.

Taxpayers could turn to the Texas Bond Review Board for information on borrowing, but it may be unreliable. In spot-checks, the Star-Telegram found errors in the board's information. For instance, Richland Hills' per capita debt was skewed by a reported population of 338 -- the figure should have been 23 times that: 7,801 residents. The board reported the assessed property values of Weatherford at $329 million, a number off by more than $1.4 billion. Arlington's tax-supported debt was listed incorrectly as $432 million. The city says it owes $659 million.

In Fort Worth, where debt and interest top $1 billion, Mayor Betsy Price said she believes that elected officials' job is to provide full disclosure. Price said the city communicates through town hall meetings, through social media sites such as Facebook and at council meetings.

"But it's also the citizens' responsibility to read the details," she said. "Voters need to study and get engaged on those issues and ask their elected officials tough questions."

Cities aren't required to tell voters that they can block the certificates. Voters can force an election if 5 percent of them sign a petition and submit it before the certificates are approved.

One of the few instances of that took place in Keller, where voters had rejected a bond issue for a library in 1999. Nevertheless, the City Council approved plans in 2005 to borrow about $8.5 million for a library without an election.

When it rains, Haltom City floods

The article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says "Fossil Creek" six times.  It never specifies WHICH Fossil Creek, but you get the hint.

About 6:30 a.m., Haltom City shut down one side of the crossing over Fossil Creek, where Fred Napp, deputy fire chief and fire marshal, said high-water problems are common.

Even before they were finished there, the rescuers were called to another Fossil Creek crossing, Napp said.

“While we were there, we were dispatched to a second incident on Minnis Drive just south of Airport Freeway,” he said. “It was where Fossil Creek got out of its banks again. There were three vehicles involved.”

Napp said that Fossil Creek looked more like a river Wednesday morning.

“The channel got to between 40 and 50 feet deep where they’ve done some flood-control work,” he said. “It was all the way up to the rim of the channel and above where we were.”

Glenview Drive over Fossil Creek is the No. 1 spot for flooding in Haltom City, Napp said.

Lots of stuff under water in Haltom City, including gas drilling equipment in the park next to the 820 construction.

Seems like it has flooded there before......

3 LLC's and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Earlier this year, the Fort Worth Weekly had an article on the dealings of the Haltom City Economic Development Corporation and the LLC it created.  It was smartly titled, A High Priced Can of Worms. 

Today, on Reuters.com there is another telling article about an LLC, this one a Chesapeake affair.  
Seems when the folks in Michigan wanted to collect their signing bonuses they were promised, they couldn't find out WHO to collect from.  WHY?

In fact, the company issuing the rejections wasn't much of a business at all. It was a shell company - a paper-only firm with no real operations - called Northern Michigan Exploration LLC.
Northern has voided hundreds of land deals, and was indeed a facade - a shell company created so that one of America's largest energy companies could conceal its role in the leasing spree, a Reuters investigation has found. Oklahoma-based Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK.N), the nation's second-largest gas driller, was behind the entire operation.

Chesapeake had created one shell company that set up another, Northern Michigan Exploration.

So, WHO will step up to the plate and protect the taxpayers from the newly formed Trinity Vision Partners LLC that just purchased the Fort Worth Cats?  Wouldn't you love to know WHO all is involved in that shell game?

Ask.

Haltom City explodes

Earlier this week a family in Fort Worth was taken to the hospital due to a gas leak in their home.  Tonight a gas leak caused an explosion in Haltom City.

Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

An explosion apparently caused by a gas leak rocked a neighborhood Tuesday night, setting a house on fire and injuring one of the occupants, fire officials said.

Neighboring houses in the 4900 block of Orien Street were evacuated, Fire Chief Steve Ross said. Gas had not been restored to those homes as of 9 p.m. while Atmos crews worked to cut off the gas that fueled flames.

Fire Marshal Fred Napp said the explosion blew the front door of the wooden, one-story house almost to the street. One wall of the house blew out and that side of the house was destroyed by fire. The rest of the house was extensively damaged.

Firefighters found that the explosion had sheared off the gas meter at ground level at the home on fire.

Neighbors said they saw flames shoot into the sky. "We heard a loud boom around 7 p.m. It shook our house," Judy Reyes said.

Proposition Reminder

Incoming from Haltom City.

In your recent post regarding Amendments to be voted on there was much discussion of Economic Development and eminent domain.

Besides the TRV here it is in our small town. See the 5000 word article printed earlier this year in the FWW. This would be a good reminder of what happens. 

WHO to the rescue?

A letter to the editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tells you how things are run in Tarrant County.  Don't be mistaken, it ain't just Richland Hills.

If a Texes hero shows up, they are going to be busy. 

Rescue Richland Hills

Richland Hills has ceased to function as a city, and there's no Superman to rescue us. We have a city charter that is old and outdated but is the current, legal policy voted in by our citizens. It is the law.

Or is it? Various members of the City Council are routinely violating the city charter but there's no way to hold them accountable since they abolished the city's Ethics Review Board. The city manager, who has won numerous awards for management of the city, is under siege by the council. Each week more City Council actions are being hidden in "executive session." Residents loyal to certain councilmen are allowed to misbehave during council and board meetings and are creating a hostile workplace for volunteers and city employees. Councilmen are ordering the replacement of opposing board members without following due process.

Richland Hills has become a Wild West town run by thugs and bullies. We need an intervention! I have contacted various elected officials within Tarrant County and my state representative but so far no one seems able or willing to step in, call this obviously unethical behavior into question and save Richland Hills.

-- Ralph Smith, Richland Hills

Flood control scams?

White Settlement has a real flood control problem, one where homes actually flood.  They voted to spend money years ago to correct the problem. 

So, what happened?

Congress and the Corp of Engineers, that's what.  Read the excerpt below from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

In the meantime, the cost of the project, which is funded by White Settlement and the Army Corps of Engineers, has increased. After voters approved the $6 million, Congress placed a moratorium on the $7 million in federal funds that wasn't lifted until 2007 because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. During that time, costs increased and the estimated cost for the project was $16.2 million, but now it is more than $18 million.

One of our sources tells us the same thing happened in Haltom City.  WHERE are the cities supposed to come up with the additional money?  If they call it a vision will that help?  If real flooding problems cost more than estimated, what will happen with the Trinity River Vision estimate?

WHO knows?

WHY was the election judge in Haltom City removed a couple of days in to early voting? 

WHY was another election judge removed in Haltom City previously?

WHY were people that voted in those first days of early voting hanging outside the polling place door on the last day of early voting? 

Small towns...which is worse?  That or the Fort Worth Way?

What she said was...

One of our friends in Haltom City wrote a Letter to the Editor of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram supporting a candidate for Haltom City Mayor.  She was kind enough to send us a copy.  Then we noticed something, what she said and what was printed, well - read it yourself.  Can you see a difference?  Another example of WHY we started this blog.

Said:
A recent letter stated the Haltom City election was costing $30,000 while the true cost is $14,704. This was just another feeble attempt in misleading the citizens with so called “facts”. It's been going on far too long in our town and it's time for it to end. If you agree, join me in voting for Bob Watkins as the write-in candidate for Mayor. Bob attends most every city function and meeting. He donates time to Paw Pals and Friends of the Library. He is a homeowner and business owner in the city, as well as a long time member of the Zoning Board of Adjustments and the Northeast Tarrant Chamber, and he has never been a member of the Economic Development Corporation. Don’t let your right to vote go to waste, write in Bob Watkins for Mayor!

Paper said:
Join me in voting for Bob Watkins as the write-in candidate for Haltom City mayor. Bob attends most every city function and meeting. He donates time to Paw Pals and Friends of the Library. He is a homeowner and business owner in the city, as well as a longtime member of the Zoning Board of Adjustments and the Northeast Tarrant Chamber -- and he has never been a member of the Economic Development Corporation. Don't let your right to vote go to waste. Write in Bob Watkins for mayor!

Now why would the first portion of the letter be removed?  ASK. Knowing her, she already has. 

Another question would be, HOW many letters are edited and what did they REALLY say?  ASK.

Did YOU vote yet?

YOU better.  Otherwise, same ol...you know.

DO something, otherwise, keep your mouth shut. 

WHO are we voting for?  You can see our pics here.

Early voting ends today at 7.  Election day is Saturday!

Open Letter to Fort Worth Candidates

And Haltom City candidates, and North Richland Hills candidates, etc..

This may be our favorite letter we have ever received.  Sounds like we have a new contributor.  Welcome aboard Mr. Haltom City Voter.  The pay sucks, but you'll sleep better at night than the politicians do.

Dear Mysterious Media Moguls of the Star Telegraph,

First, let me thank you for your effort to bring a fresh perceptive of the community news to the people of the Tarrant County. I know it is a challenging effort and you are to be commended for your diligence and vision.

This is of course election season and the media is full of endorsement letters for this candidate and that candidate. Our mail box should be filled with letters telling us the value of each of the people on the ballot. It is not. The web sites of the candidates should give us real insight to the thinking and positions of the candidates on issues of public concern. They do not. Time and again I see the same fluff repackaged.

Candidate A has three children and five grandchildren, goes to the big church on the corner, wants better economic development in the city, and less government. Candidate B has four children, four grandchildren and a dog named Frisky. He is a deacon at big church on the hill. He wants better economic development in the city, and less government. Since I am a dog lover ,I guess I should vote for Candidate B, although I like the look of the church on the corner a lot more. Give me a break!

There should be a law against including inane material in campaigns. I really don’t want to hear about your family, your church and most of the do-nothing organizations which you have blessed with your attendance. Then there is the endorsements, here I will confess to making several myself over the years. The endorsement tells me nothing other than someone thinks this candidate is a kind and gentle soul with good moral character. I can safely say that each candidate for every office will have supporters who can mimic the same lines. Truth is, for the most part, candidates are good moral people, gentle and kind; at least before their first term in office.

To the candidates I say:

I am interested in how you fought for the little guy against an unjust system. I am interested in how you defended the environment against exploitative corporations. I would delight in hearing how you spearheaded the efforts to uncover government waste and corruption. I want to hear that you have a position, any position. It’s okay if we disagree on an issue. At least I can see that you have the will to stand-up for your convictions. I think the candidates should send out a complete list of contributors with each mailing and include the same in their web sites. Don’t make me go looking for it. Be up front. Let me know who you are listening to, who your corporate friends are. The law requires that you tell the public where your campaign funds come from. Be proud of your contributors. Be honest with the voters. Don’t send me a four color portrait of your All-American family , I have one of my own, thank you.

The candidate that gets my vote will be financially supported be the community, not out of town, out of state corporations looking for favors in the coming term.

The candidate that gets my vote will have real drive for a better community with a plan to accomplish it.

Generations of Americas have fought to maintain the privilege of the vote ,at least the candidates can make the effort to earn it!

Haltom City Voter

New in town...

The letter to the editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram today speaks volumes about the Haltom City Mayor race.

The letter writer is new in town (2005) and in Haltom City, that is very new in town.  Many residents have been there the 50+ years, since the town was born.  And arriving in 2005 means you missed the recall fun and all the fallout that followed. The letter writer wants you to support the man who has been a part of the infamous Economic Development Corporation.  With all the jobs this candidate has, how will he make time to be Mayor?  And do YOU want someone who has a "vision far beyond council chambers"?  You know what happens with "visions"...

Do our friends in Haltom City a favor and Write-In Bob Watkins for Mayor.