This blog has invited all the candidates to a place to state their views and have offered equal time to all. We have invited the Candidates to attend an open forum to discuss their views, not sponsored by anyone, not presented by a local newspaper, or a big HOA or a well organized seniors organization or the Republican Party.
It is being offered to the community by some ordinary people, whos only financial stake in the outcome is the continuing value of their homes and the preservation of the community that they are proud to call their home.
I will say now that it will probably have the highest turnout of any of the organized events so far this political season.
This blog has as much traffic on it as many local businesses in this town with over 500 hits a day and that number increases each day.
Their are 8 very qualified individuals running for the office of Town Council in our town. Each one of them spending a lot of time out talking to citizens, spending time away from their families to serve the best interests of the community. My hat is off to each of them for their diligence and commitment.
If a candidate would like to publicize their web-site on this blog, please feel free to ask and I will oblige.
It is not fair to all the candidates for some local businesses and land owners to only offer exclusive display rights to some of the people running for office, even though it's their right to do so. This final 10 days of campaigning should allow all candidates equal displays throughout the community.
For those that find all these signs to be another form of pollution, be thankful it's just for another 10 days.
These are my own personal views and do not reflect the views of others associated with the stopmorriss6 group.
Thank you,
Kim A. Berg
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ok how about I bring over 8 4 by 4's for each of the candidates and put them in your yard reguardless of who you support. Think that is fair?
ReplyDeleteIf I had a yard big enough and who ever you are asked.
ReplyDeleteThis signs are place in areas of local business. These businesses are supported by the WHOLE community and not just a few candidates. I agree if you have a business for all the people, than you should let all the residents' candidates put their signs on your property. Yes, I find it offensive that Cox and Dixon have signs on the property of a owner (Founder Square and Riverwalk), who is suing our town for millions, and is Austin right now fighting for the House Bills to pass that hinder the authority of our town to protect itself from lawsuits and not being able to enforce our ordinances. What does that tell me? They really don't care about this town only the developers. Don't bother to take them down now, you lost my vote already!!
ReplyDeleteHey Mr. Berg,
ReplyDeleteMy website is www.stevelyda.com
Steve Lyda
Candidate for Flower Mound Town Council, Place 1
Thanks Steve. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow night.
ReplyDeleteI almost started to take my hat off when I read your blog post. Well put. We do have 8 very qualified individuals; each capable of providing a tempered voice on our Town Council. And each is taking a lot from their personal lives just for the chance to be able to devote more of themselves to our Town.
ReplyDeleteI do look forward to hearing their views on Thursday.
My website got lost about 20 threads ago so here it is again:
ReplyDeletewww.bobforflomo.com
Bob Butler - Candidate - Place 3
I can't wait to see all of you tomorrow night!
Anonymous, you are incorrect to say that the owner of Founders Square and the Riverwalk are suing the town for millions. I am sure you heard that from one of the oil and gas groups that is passing out erroneous information to get their backed candidates elected. There is no such lawsuit on the books by the owner of Founders Square or the Riverwalk. Make sure you know your facts.
ReplyDeletePeople have signs on PRIVATE Property and they have chosen who they want on that property. Where does it say everything has to be fair and all 8 get every corner. It is the right of the porperty owner to decide who gets to put what where.
ReplyDeleteOnly a little incorrect on the posting about the law suit. Roy Morris and Cole Mc Dowell are not named on the original law suit. Here is the facts.
ReplyDeleteThe info being passed out is not erroneous. I went to check this out and found it to be true.
Roy Morris did testify in Austin to get HB2110 to pass which would allow large developers and property owners to sue their towns they don't get to do what they want on their land because of zoning ordinances. You can go to the Texas State Legislature and read about the bill and watch Roy Morris testify on a video. Maybe he isn't directly suiing the town but he sure is behind the law suit. If the bill passes, it would take effect September 1, 2009. Right before this case goes to court. Hmm. I wonder if that was planned. How much do you want to bet that if this bill passes, we will see his name on a law suit! He is the owner of River Walk (and Founders Square)Notice it says subsidiaries.
From Flower Mound Star
"The civil case between Red Oak Gas and the town of Flower Mound is set to begin Sept. 21 in the 16th Judicial District Court.
The trial will begin more than a year after a decision by the town’s oil and gas board of appeals to deny 15 variances requested by Red Oak Gas to drill on the River Walk at Central Park property. Following the board’s decision June 18, Red Oak Gas and its subsidiaries filed the suit June 27 against the town and the board."
How does this effect private property? Correct me if I'm wrong, as this is just hear say: I heard the mayor and two other council members have already sold rights to the gas companies. Interesting that they would be in a position to deny others the same option.
ReplyDeleteIf I owned land or a shop in town and I supported someone running for office I would only allow those I supported to place their sign on my property, same thing with my yard. My right to free speech works both ways, right to support and my right to withhold support. Anything else is not what made America great.
ReplyDeleteStill wrong on the lawsuit facts. There is no lawsuit for $200 million or any other amount. The lawsuit you refer to is an appeal not a case for damages. If Red Oak wins (highly unlikely), the Court can reverse the Board's decision. Perhaps reviewing the actual filings (they are public record) rather than a free local newspaper is a better source for accuracy. Also, you do not have to guess about the subsidiaries they are listed in the appeal and Mr. Morris is not one of them. As for the collusion on the date, September is the typical date legislation becomes effective in Texas and trial dates are set by the local District Court.
ReplyDeleteThe businesses that rent in Founders Square can't put signs up in their windows for the candidates they support because they have to get permission from the Landlord/Owner. This is where the problem is. The owner only allowed the signs for who he supported. This is also a violation of Freedom of Speech for those businesses that pay this man rent every month in that strip mall. Maybe they don't want to support the same candidates yet they have to live with the signs in front of their business. Individuals get to choose who they want to display signs for in their yards but these business have to live with their landlords decision. That just doesn't seem fair.
ReplyDeleteSomething to remember: Freedom of Speech prevents the government from "abridging" our right to speak freely—it has no application in the private setting.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who votes based on the number of candidate signs they see around town is not an informed citizen. I naively believe this represents only a small percentage of the votes cast.
ReplyDeleteBut I do concede that the presence of "name recognition" does infuence people's decisions. It would be great if everyone had equal visibility, but we do have to consider the rights of private land-owners. If I owned Founders Square, I would not want my tennants to post signs advertising the oposition... it is not entirely fair, but understandable. I am sure at some larger scale it would make for an interesting debate, but for a strip mall... it seems reasonable (am I on a slipery slope?).
The First Amendment was written because at America's inception, citizens demanded a guarantee of their basic freedoms. That still holds true today and my right to support or not support a particular candidate by displaying a sign in my yard or my property is my right alone.
ReplyDeleteI did find on the Denton County Clerk website where Jeff Tasker, Jody Smith, Jean Levenick, Angie Cox, and Rick Cleland have signed gas leases. It is public record.
ReplyDeleteHere is what I have learned about HB2110. In simple terms states that after a gas driller is turned down for a permit, possibly due to multiple setback violations they can easily sue the town for a “taking” of their gas and the town will lose its sovereign immunity. Our town ordinances will no longer be able to protect our residents with safety measures and minimum setback for how close a drilling site or drilling can be to any building. This would affect other regulations like tank batteries, compressor stations etc. and even injection wells (which are not allowed in Flower Mound right now).
The Texas Railroad Commission has their own rules and regulations to placement of wells, compressor stations, tank batteries, worst of all injection wells etc. but, as of right now, each local government can set their own ordinances and the TRC is used for un-incorporated areas. If you want to see how bad that could be for Flower Mound, check out Parker County and Wise County drilling issues.
As far as I know, none of the council members or candidates who signed, would be in danger of having a well 200' from their house but there are many neighborhoods in this town that would.
There are other bills to HB 4654, 4144, and 4441. I recommend residents write letters to our representatives in Austin.
The above bills could jeapordize all types of development and not just Oil & Gas.
Flower Mound's O & G board is appointed by the Town Council and not elected. That is why who gets on town council and what their platforms are is very important. Of course, this is my personal opinion.
I saw this on the "Round The Mound" blog and that it would be perfect for this one. It was posted by "luv fm".
ReplyDelete"With all the people running for Town Council it seems like a good time to make sure the candidates and remaining Councilmembers know what is expected of them. So, attention all public servants--take note, these are your instructions:
Reduce the Budget but don't decrease town staff or services; stop the commercial growth but keep taxes low on homeowners; attract national retail but don't actually allow new retail to come here or you will destroy our small town feel; make the government smaller but slow down growth through land use regulation and developmental bureaucracy; communicate with the citizens but don't expect anything from us until we disagree with you; support the free market system but prevent new businesses from competing with existing businesses; increase my property value when I sell but keep it low when I pay taxes; build a hospital and another grocery store but don’t cut down the 10,000 year old trees in the urban forest (whatever that is); build a Senior Center and a Dog Park but eliminate spending that burdens the whole town and only benefits a sector of the community; improve the traffic problem but don’t expand Morriss or Windsor; support property owners' rights but restrict what and when they can build on their own land; increase code enforcement but don’t tell me to take down my lattice fence; increase my waste management services but don’t make me pay $1 more per month for the service; give us more recycling opportunities but we don't want to look at those ugly bins; build senior housing but don’t allow an increase in residential density for condos or townhomes; support the Masterplan but ignore the Thoroughfare Plan that calls for the expansion of roads near my house; Never amend the Masterplan because we all poured over it at length before we moved here but disregard the designations that were on the Masterplan when we moved here if we don't like them now because they are old and out of date; stay until 3:00 AM for your meetings but don't look for me after the citizens' comments part of the meeting because I am too busy to stay; give me better cell phone coverage but oppose all towers; do exactly what you Boards and Commissions recommend but don't be a rubber stamp; protect and enforce SmartGrowth but ignore it if it requires the expansion of a road or sewer near my house; treat us with respect but don't expect us to return the courtesy—remember you work for us for free and that means we don't have to be nice; give me better water pressure but don't build a water tower near my house; don't support the Oil/Gas Ordinance because it does not protect homeowners but go to Austin to defend the Oil/Gas Ordinance to protect homeowners; and lastly, preserve the town's unique country atmosphere, heritage and quality of life but cultivate a dynamic economic environment.
That should just about cover it for now. Don't worry; we will let you know if/when you get it wrong.
Good luck!"
The Mayor, Councilmembers and candidates do not give up their individual property rights when they run for office. Yes, the Town Council does appoint the O & G Board of Appeals. However, unlike any other Board or Commission, the Council cannot remove a member of the O & G Board of Appeals without cause until the end of the member's term. If you actually look at the rulings of the Board, it would be difficult to accuse the current Town Council of stacking the Board with people favorable to drilling or to the drillers. Remember, this is the Board that turned down Red Oaks request for variances to drill on the Riverwalk. This is also the Council that passed the O & G Ordinance that everyone wants protected now.
ReplyDeleteIs this the stop Morriss blog or the stop gas drilling blog?
ReplyDeleteFirst, thank you to the Stop Morriss 6 for putting on the March on Morriss tonight and the Candidate Forum. Secondly, thank you to all of the candidates for coming out tonight and speaking to us. A couple of questions. 1. Do you think that River Walk project is the correct development for our town? It's going to be bigger than Southlake Town Center, Parker Square and the Shops at Highland Village combined with room to spare. We are not even guaranteed any retail at all. How is this development supposed to be good for the citizens of this town? 2. If Morriss/Gerault is expanded - how are we going to make sure that our students are safe? Currently we have an ordiance - no handheld cellphones in an active school zone. This ordiance is not enforced. I see people all the time on their cellphones. I see people speeding through the school zones all the time. To get from Marcus to the East Side of Morriss, there are only 2 "safe" places to cross - Morriss @ Valley Ridge & Morriss @ College. For those students who live in between College & Valley Ridge - where do they cross safely without having to cut across traffic as they do now?
ReplyDeleteFinally - only you can make a difference - VOTE!
The Traffic Impact Study for The Riverwalk at Central Park was recently made available to the public at www.flower-mound.com/morriss due to the outcry of residents along Morriss Road wanting more transparency in our local government, but is NOT found on the town's Riverwalk webpage. According to this traffic study, even with all of the recommended street improvements and expansions necessary for Riverwalk, by the year 2020 the study states "Major study area intersections are expected to continue to operate at poor levels of service".
ReplyDeleteWhat does this mean for Flower Mound residents? First of all, we need to understand that Flower Mound's ability to handle traffic is limited due to Grapevine Lake which prevents additional north/south thoroughfares. The congestion at the major intersections along FM 1171 will become so bad that drivers will naturally be looking for other routes, most likely increasing the traffic on streets such as Flower Mound Road, Bruton Orand/Simmons and McKamy Creek. Even though currently there are no plans in place to widen these streets, it will be inevitable that they will require improvements to handle the extra traffic and our town leaders have already made exceptions to SmartGrowth and our town's Master Plan to accommodate Riverwalk.
We are being told only half of the story of Riverwalk with words like "progress", "economic development" and "keeping our taxes low", but there are better ways to accomplish these goals for our town without rushing into placing Riverwalk, a potentially enormous development, in a location that will severely affect traffic and the quality of life we hold dear in this town.
It is important that the citizens of Flower Mound get out and vote for town council candidates who will take a much more conservative problem solving approach to the development of this town than those currently making the decisions.
Additional points:
> The widening of Morriss/Gerault if needed is in the Master Plan, but is being moved up due to Riverwalk, which was not in the Master Plan. The widening of Morriss may eventually be necessary due to increased traffic caused by the TXdot expansion of FM2499 from I-35 in Denton to DFW. Funds are in place to pay for the expansion due to the bonds which voters passed for road improvements. We have 10 years to use these state funds.
> Even though the possibility of Morris Road becoming a 6 lane thoroughfare was forseen and planned for 27 years ago, it is now lined with residential neighborhoods and schools. The beauty of that road is a part of the quality of life these residents experience and a reason why they moved there.
> Our town leaders believe the safety precautions that we have in place around our schools will protect our children even when our roads are widened, but we have had a crossing guard hit by a car and seriously injured already at the intersection by Old Settlers Elementary at Flower Mound Rd. and Old Settlers Rd.
As there is more than one issue involved, I am supporting Angie Cox, Steve Dixon and Mike Wallace. These are, in my opinion, the most qualified candidates. Steve and Mike serve on P&Z. Angie serves on the PALs Board. Not only that, all have a history of community service.
ReplyDelete