Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Army Corps Of Engineers Gives Trinity River Vision Boondoggle Millions To Keep Project On Imaginary Schedule

A few minutes ago Elsie Hotpepper forwarded me an email from the entity known to some as The Buzz.

That email contained the following memorable phrase, bolded end enlarged, I assume for emphasis...

A politician can steal more with a briefcase than a 100 men with guns!

The above memorable phrase was followed by a website link to the City of Fort Worth website, which had me wondering what fresh hell is this.

I clicked the link to see that which you see above, that being a headline saying Corps of Engineers awards $17.45 million for Trinity River Vision project.

The article which followed the headline (and the bizarre artist's imaginary rendering of what The Boondoggle may look like) was short, so I will copy it in its entirety followed by what I have to say about that...

The Army Corps of Engineers has awarded $17.4 million to the Panther Island/Central City Project.

The funds will go toward “valley storage” projects, better known as flood control basins, along the river, said Clay Church, a spokesman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. These funds allow the project to remain on schedule.

“We are honored that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recognizes this project as being worthy of funding and that we are capable of executing,” said TRVA Executive Director J.D. Granger. “We will work closely with USACE to put the money into construction projects immediately.

The Trinity River Vision Authority is responsible for implementing a public infrastructure project that provides needed flood protection and fosters the development of an exciting, pedestrian-oriented, urban waterfront neighborhood in Fort Worth. TRVA aims to attract business and entertainment to the district and is in charge of programming public spaces, including the Panther Island Pavilion, a waterfront music venue and festival space directly adjacent to downtown Fort Worth.
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I really do not know where to start.

Okay, first off, these federal funds are intended to go toward something called "valley storage" projects, better known as flood control basins?

Where is this valley? Where are these flood control basins?

In the second paragraph Kay Granger's boy, J.D., informs us that the money will be put into construction projects immediately.

Really?

And what would those construction projects be? Oh, that's right, those flood control basins, which are not currently under construction. So, how is it that this money will be put into construction projects immediately?

These funds will allow the project to remain on schedule?

Again. Really?

And what would that schedule be? There is no project timeline schedule for the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle. Unless we count the four year construction schedule of The Boondoggle's Three Bridges Over Nothing.

Without these 17.45 million federal dollars The Boondoggle would not have been able to remain on its non-existent schedule?

J.D. is honored the Army Corps of Engineers recognizes this project as being worthy of funding? And that they are capable of executing the project?

If this project was worthy of being funded, why has funding not been found for this project in the way normal functioning towns fund public works projects? If this project is so worthy why has it not been put to any sort of public vote by which the public might indicate the public also feels the project is worthy and worthy of public funding funded by the public via their approval of a bond issue election?

The Boondoggle provides needed flood protection?

Once again. Really?

There has been no flooding in the area of The Boondoggle for well over a half a century. Not since the apparently now easily hoodwinked Army Corps of Engineers built flood control levees to control a flooding Trinity River as it passes by downtown Fort Worth.

The Boondoggle is "in charge of programming public spaces, including the Panther Island Pavilion, a waterfront music venue and festival space directly adjacent to downtown Fort Worth."

And one more time. Really?

The idea that the so called Panther Island Pavilion, and it being a waterfront music venue, is tout-worthy, is beyond embarrassingly absurd. If anything the shoddy tackiness of that which is called Panther Island Pavilion and its surrounding eyesores should be enough to send Panther Island to join Atlantis. It would be if this were happening in one of the more progressive, democratic parts of America, you know places which would not tolerate the nepotism of a local congresswoman's son being put in charge of a public works project so as to motivate her to help secure federal pork barrel earmark money.

I blogged about the embarrassing Panther Island Pavilion area a couple weeks ago after Taking A Look At The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Products.

Does the Army Corps of Engineers actually approve of outhouses being installed on the banks of a river?

That is the quality level of this project.

Concrete enclosed outhouses serving the Panther Island Pavilion waterfront music venue.

The Panther Island Pavilion outhouses are actual evidence of the quality level that J.D. Granger and The Boondoggle are capable of executing, which, apparently, the Army Corps of Engineers is endorsing.

To the tune of $17.4 million.

I tell you, the level of bald faced hubris of these people  is astounding.

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