Woodard says...

No, not that Woodard.  This time we hear from his son, Blake Woodard.

Seems he doesn't care much for the water board incumbents and their wasteful ways either.

VOTE FOR CRAIG BICKLEY and MICHELE VON LUCKNER!  Bring some sanity to the insane Tarrant Regional Water District.

By the way, how much does the General Manager of the TRWD make annually?  We're told over $300,000.  WHERE do YOU think that money comes from?

YOU guessed it.  After reading the definition for insanity, read Blake's comments in the FW Business Press below, you can also learn WHO pays more to the Fort Worth tax base - Mr. Bennett or Mayor Betsy Price.

As a lifelong Fort Worth citizen, I am proud to call Monty Bennett my friend. He's a kind man who seeks nothing from TRWD but the same fairness and respect any of us would want and is passionate about open, limited government. Through his company's Fort Worth holdings, he pays more Fort Worth property taxes than at least 95% of those who childishly demean his Dallas residence, including our mayor. Most ironically, our mayor, who mails scare flyers to senior citizens warning that Monty Bennett is a Dallas businessman who wants to take our water, is the one intent on handing Fort Worth's water sovereignty to her good friend, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, through regional (read "Dallas-controlled") water restrictions. 

Fort Worthians, don't miss this rare opportunity to tear the curtain on a government entity desperately in need of reform. Change is coming on May 9. For information on the candidates or a copy of Mayor Price's senior citizen scare flyer, e-mail me at blake@woodardcompanies.com.

Fort Worth Sell Outs

Remember way back in the day, when Tommy Lee Jones told you to "Get behind the Barnett Shale"?  His face was plastered on billboards and buses all over town...

Remember who the mayor was then, that sold Fort Worth down the river to the drillers?  In case you forgot, it was Mike Moncrief.  We've been spared from looking at Mikey for awhile now, then all the sudden, we see his face popping up again on mailers for an election he has nothing to do with.  Well, we're sure his driller friends still need water...

Remember when the policitians hired celebrities to push their water agenda through?  Prop 2 got a lot of press.  How much money does the Tarrant Regional Water District get from Prop 2 passing?

YOU don't want to know.

All you need to know is if the politicians are pimping incumbents, there is a reason and the reason is NOT you.

Don't buy the BS, the PRICE is too high.

Don't believe us?  Check your water bill.

Name your "Price"

 Two short years ago a new councilperson was elected to serve the east side of Fort Worth.

She was elected because the voters were tired of not being represented by their representative.

These voters worked day and night to get this person elected because she promised to represent THEIR interests.

How quickly they forget...

This very same councilwoman now has sold out to the highest bidder and has let her photo be posted on a flyer from Mayor Price, for an election neither of them are a part of.

We can't help but wonder what her price was?  What she was promised? And who the voters WHO elected her will vote for now?

The betting window is now open.

Dear Startlegram,

THIS is how you write a "news" article.

You interview the people you are writing about.  It's a novel concept.  YOU should try it sometime.  YOU might learn something.

Kudos to the Fort Worth Business Press for hiring journalists, not columnists, handle your reporting.

Also, for reminding people that Monty Bennett isn't running for the water board and he's also a Fort Worth businessman.

And will someone please tell Vic Henderson that spending $6 million taxpayer dollars to sue Oklahoma is not ok.

YOU are invited

This weekend. Fort Worth.

Be there.

Wildcatter Exchange

Well, well, well....

Well, well, well....

What do we have here?

Did the Fort Worth Star-Telegram decide to try and undo their reputation as a mouthpiece for TRWD incumbents?  Did they get called out?  They will...

Seems the ST didn't realize that Monty Bennett was not running for the Tarrant Regional Water District.  Their article about the election mentioned him ten times.  More than any of the five candidates - Craig Bickley, Michele Von Luckner and the others.

They mentioned Mr. Bennett almost a dozen times, but yet again, failed to reach out to him for a comment.  So he sent one anyway.  Also, a true update on the TOMA lawsuit.  The online article at the Star-Telegram has been updated to reflect both.

Maybe the Startlegram is tired of being the butt of jokes in Tarrant County.  We shall see.

See the updates below - and the updated article here.

Bennett disputed Lane’s assertions in an email.
“The entrenched incumbents continue to try and scare the voters with grandiose stories about an evil Dallasite trying to steal their water,” Bennett said. “This is absurd. For the record, I have no interest in Fort Worth’s water, or the Trinity River Vision or the Integrated Pipeline project.

“I’ve successfully blocked the TRWD from snatching my mother's family land in east Texas. My only interest now is to help Mary Kelleher continue the fight against a heavy handed government agency, with numerous allegations of corruption, cronyism, and self-dealing, that treats citizens, including me, very poorly while neglecting its core duties of water provision and flood control.”

To which the Star-Telegram additionally updated-
After a district court ruled in favor of Bennett, the 2nd Court of Appeals said in November that TRWD did not violate the Open Meetings Act. Bennett has appealed the ruling to the Texas Supreme Court where briefs must be submitted by April 13. An attempt by TRWD to use eminent domain to acquire property surrounded by Bennett’s ranch has also been appealed to the Texas Supreme Court.

Star-Telegram Slacking

We know with all the cuts the 'news' paper ain't what it used to be. But they continue to make it so easy for those who would like to point that out. Case in point, take today's Bill Hanna Tarrant Regional Water District opinion piece for example.

Take for instance Marty Leonard saying the board has done a good job preparing for water needs. How much did they spend suing Oklahoma to take their water? $6 million? Of OUR dollars...in case you were wondering, they lost.

Marty also talked about the Corp of Engineers pitching in $17 million for their pet project. Does she know where 'the Corp' gets that money?

For those of you keeping count at home, that's $23 million of YOUR dollars in just one paragraph.

The opinion piece goes on to say the Water District spent the 'majority of their last board meeting explaining its budget and what role TRWD plays in local water rates. Explaining to who?? The board? Marty and Jim who have served 9 years each on the board? (Remember last year they postponed the election and extended their term by a year.  Even though when the last water board crew did that, Jim Lane voted against it).

Lane goes on to say that the board has used eminent domain responsibly, which is in direct conflict with what every group and business owner who has been affected has told Texas Lone Star in recent and past interviews.

Lane also goes on to say the Integrated Pipeline (over $2 billion dollars) will basically solve all our problems. He fails to mention the TRWD's own report that says the pipeline will take water to Dallas NOT Tarrant County. WHY wouldn't he or the 'news' mention that?

Former Mayor Moncrief, the one who sold out FW to Chesapeake, is heading up the incumbents PAC (remember those calls to Dallas begging for money we told you about? Now you know who is making them). Along with Fox, who works at one of Congresswoman Granger's favorite places in FW.

This race will be the hottest race in Tarrant County. Here's hoping the people are tired of the insanity (look up definition) and try something new, like voting for real people (Craig Bickley and Michele Von Luckner) instead of those owned by the water district contractors.

Also, someone let Hanna know the Texas Supreme Court has picked up the latest case. We know their short staffed over there in the building they share with JD Granger and the Trinity River Vision.

WHAT moron?

Gets rid of the best editor he's ever had?

Surprisingly, for once, we're not talking about the Startlegram, but the Fort Worth Weekly.

Not only is it crazy seeing as how under this award winning editor, Fort Worth Weekly has won countless awards itself, but the timing is questionable as well.

We'll be keeping a close eye on the Weekly over the next couple months, and we won't be the only ones.

Good luck to the talented reporters left behind. And good luck to their fearless, formidable and extremely talented editor, Gayle Reaves. We have no doubt she'll move on to bigger and better things.

Maybe soon she'll write about the Weekly.

Fort Worth is a better place due to Gayle's contributions and her loss will be felt for years to come...

Weekly Editor Departs

YOU are invited

Big pimpin'

Seems some good ol' boys in Fort Worth were calling some big men in Dallas asking for hand outs for the Tarrant Regional Water District election.

Does this mean money from Dallas isn't a bad thing now that the 7th street gang wants it?