Some Tarrant Regional Water Board Letters Make Sense Others Are Nonsense

I confess to being very socially irresponsible. Because I forgot to go Early Vote yesterday for Adrian Murray and John Basham to be members of the Tarrant Regional Water Board.

I will try to remember to vote today.

I am finding the Letters to the Editor, in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, regarding the Tarrant Water Board election, to be interesting.

Interesting in a way I don't think some of the letter writers intend. On the one hand there are very real, very honest, very, I don't know, factual, maybe, type letters. Those would be the ones in support of Adrian Murray and John Basham.

And then you have the Letters to the Editor in support of the current Tarrant Water Board Regime. They all sound phony, contrived, cliche-ridden, like this line about Jim Lane..."he has worked to protect our environment, including the water that nourishes and cleans our families."

Or this line about Marty Leonard..."Her dedication to our well-being is far-ranging and monumental, but in no case more so than that of water: clean and sustainable water..."

And then you have the Letter to the Editor from Louis McBee, in support of Adrian Murray and John Basham. Mr. McBee's letter raises a real issue, unlike the other two letters, which to me, come across as the work of propaganda shills.

Three letters, first the "real" one from Louis McBee and then the 2 cliche-ridden, basically pointless, point-free letters from supposed supporters of Leonard and Lane....

Tarrant water board

I am not at all surprised to see the endorsement of the incumbents for the Tarrant Regional Water District in last Thursday's editorial. What is bewildering is that after all the pontificating about "open and responsible government" over the past few months in the Star-Telegram, you would now suggest that it is "acceptable" business as usual for Jim Lane and Marty Leonard to rubber-stamp staff recommendations with their constant "aye" votes because "the real work" is done in meetings outside of public view -- in committee discussions and (one could assume) at the golf course and over cocktails.

I endorse John Basham and Adrian Murray, citizens who care.

-- Louis McBee, Fort Worth

As a community, we have much to be thankful for: educational institutions, museums, stable business climate, parks and a river that runs through them. We also have individuals who have lived here all their lives and deeply care about our future.

Marty Leonard is the epitome of those who never lost their love of Fort Worth and its people. Her dedication to our well-being is far-ranging and monumental, but in no case more so than that of water: clean and sustainable water, coupled with a determination to ensure that we have sound conservation measures to better use what we have.

Re-elect Marty Leonard to the Tarrant Regional Water District board. Water is essential to our quality of life. Marty understands that. She will strive to make sure we don't take it for granted, abuse it or lose it.

-- Gretchen Denny and George Bristol, Fort Worth

On the Tarrant Regional Water District board, Jim Lane has worked to keep our water clean and plentiful. He has earned our vote. Lane is hard-working, practical, helpful to others and smart but not in a pointy headed way. Lane's record of public service, including service in our military and on the Fort Worth City Council, has been committed to protecting our way of life. And in public office, Jim has not been afraid to ask hard questions and change the way things are done when needed. Moreover, in public office, he has worked to protect our environment, including the water that nourishes and cleans our families.

Vote to keep our water clean and plentiful. Vote for a dedicated public servant: Jim Lane for Tarrant Water District Board.

-- Jason C.N. Smith, Fort Worth