It's that time again!

 You know what to do...

Don't vote for the one they call Geren's nephew.

Don't vote for the appointed one, who ran on a slate with two of the current board members, twice.

Don't for vote the one no one knows.

Just Vote Joe!

Joe Ashton for TRWD – Board of Directors

Hannah Hornblower Finds Fort Worth's Missing Beer Guzzling Frat Boy

A couple days ago a chorus of boos erupted in Fort Worth when Kay Granger's son, J.D. Granger, former Executive Director of America's Biggest Boondoggle, before being transferred to a new position where he could not so easily do damage, but still paid well over $200,000 a year, plus perks, failed to appear at a critical meeting of the Trinity River Vision Authority Board.

Yes, that is a run on sentence. I like a good run on sentence. I hope you got the gist of that run on sentence. J.D. Granger, Fort Worth's notorious perpetual Frat Boy, failed to show up at a critical TRVA meeting. This is not the first time J.D. has wimped out on appearing at a meeting.

I was at one where that happened, with someone in the crowd famously calling J.D. a gutless wonder.

Hannah Hornblower, however, was able to find out why J.D. was not at the TRVA meeting. He had more important things to do. We have long known of J.D. Granger's fondness for beer, famously promoting his sudsy fondness with his kids, cheering for beer and going nuts for runner's butts.

And Hannah Hornblower has photo documented for us what J.D. Granger was doing instead of attending a TRVA Board meeting. 

He was drinking beer, helping drain a keg at some location Hannah failed to identify for us.

That is J.D. grinning at the upper right of the above photo. It looks like he had a lot of people cheering for beer with him.

Will the Granger madness never end? A lot of inquiring minds want to know...

Way Back Machine To 2014 TRWD Mary Kelleher Censure Scandal Protest

Last night my phone chirped with a text message from an inquiring mind inquiring if I could find photos of the time the TRWD (Tarrant Region Water District) Board made a spectacle of itself censuring Mary Kelleher. This resulted in a near riot of protesters inside and outside the TRWD's palatial headquarters on the Trinity River.

To find the requested protest photos I went to this blog you are reading right now and entered "Mary Kelleher Protest" into the search tool.

This brought up multiple posts on the subject, with the latest one being from July 4, 2014, titled Mary Kelleher Has Had Enough Of The TRWD's Jim Oliver's Attempts To Bully, Intimidate And Harass Public Officials. You see part of that blog post screen capped at the top.

Jim Oliver was the Executive Dictator of the TRWD during Mary Kelleher's first term on the TRWD Board. As the title says, Jim Oliver acted like a bully, one with what is known as typical of Little Man Syndrome. Men with Little Man Syndrome are intimated by a woman like Mary Kelleher.

Jim Oliver will not be a problem for Mary Kelleher this time around serving on the TRWD Board.

The blog post with the protest photos was from the day Mary Kelleher was censured, April 29, 2014.

You can go to the A Packed Meeting Room With Protesters Outside Greets TRWD Board Mary Kelleher Censure Hearing post (screen capped above) and see an additional photo of this protest.

I was surprised to see this took place way back in 2014. It seems so recent, as in not way back seven years ago.

I do not remember why I did not go to this protest. I recollect there was a good reason at the time, but I forget what it was.

This time around I suspect if Mary Kelleher chooses to talk to the press about some frustration she is having over trying to obtain some TRWD documents she will not be censured by the other members of the TRWD Board...

Mary Kelleher Wins Back TRWD Board Seat

Above you are looking at Mary Kelleher, on the right. On the left is the D/FW legend known, by some, as Elsie Hotpepper.

It seems like a long time ago I was hiking in Fort Worth's Gateway Park when the infamous Elsie Hotpepper called me whilst she was being in thrilled and happy mode, due to having met with someone with serious Fort Worth flood issues who had agreed to run for a seat on the Tarrant Region Water District Board.

That someone was Mary Kelleher.

In that water board election Mary Kelleher won in a landslide, with what, at that point in time, was the most votes any water board candidate had ever received.

What followed was a tumultuous four years as Mary Kelleher tried to bring to light that which the TRWD had kept hidden in the dark, for years.

Mary Kelleher was frequently blocked in multiple ways. Denied an entry key to TRWD headquarters. Not allowed in the 'secret room' where the longtime board members met. Denied requested information.

Eventually Mary Kelleher was censured by the TRWD Board. A ridiculous attempt to shut her up which resulted in a big throng of protesters bringing shame to those who tried to intimidate Mary Kelleher into going along with the shenanigans she had vowed to put to a stop.

Things like the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision, which had, even then, way back years ago, become an obviously idiotic, ineptly managed, slow motion boondoggle doing damage to the heart of Fort Worth.

Damage such as three simple little bridges being built over dry land, ever since 2014, causing traffic disruption, ruining businesses, stealing property by abusing the perfectly legal, if properly used, concept of eminent domain.

The Trinity River Vision was sold as a vitally needed flood control/economic development scheme.

Where there had been no flooding for well over half a century. With the economic benefit going to those who owned property in the area of the scheme.

And yet this vitally needed flood control scheme is actually so vitally un-needed that the project has limped along the length of this new century, with nothing done regarding the imaginary flood control problem.

While Mary Kelleher's east Fort Worth neighborhood regularly floods, due to Fort Worth's criminally inept urban planning. 

When Mary Kelleher ran for re-election, she lost, in what seemed to be an actual obvious fraudulent election. With that obviousness leading to a investigation by the state which resulted in a few low level perpetrators being held to account, but with the actual fraud perpetrators left untouched.

And now, another four years later. Or is it eight? Time flies so fast. Mary Kelleher is back on the TRWD Board. 

The next four years should be interesting for Fort Worth.

The times they are a'changing...

Talking To Elsie Hotpepper About Going To Hawaii With Mary Kelleher

My morning adventure for today was driving an elderly person to his various drug dealers so as to secure items like insulin and pain killers. Whilst waiting at the various drug dealing pharmacies I occupied my time by texting various people.

Such as Elsie Hotpepper. 

With a couple texters, including the Hotpepper, I made mention of thinking it would be a good idea to go to Hawaii, or some similar tropical location, once this COVID nightmare ends, and maybe rent a condo for a month, or some such thing.

Miss Elsie made mention of the fact that she is so busy with her various busy things that thinking about a tropical escape is beyond her current capability. 

Among the many busy things Elsie Hotpepper is busy doing is working hard to get Mary Kelleher elected to the Tarrant Region Water District board again.

Those not familiar with North Texas and Fort Worth politics likely think what's the big deal with being on a water board.

Well.

It is sort of like Los Angeles during the era where water was being fought over due to that liquid being such a needed commodity. This resulted in a lot of corruption in Los Angeles and surrounding areas back in the 1920s and 1930s. The movie Chinatown did a good job depicting this corruption.

So.

This water board which operates out of Fort Worth is a multi-billion dollar operation, supposedly only responsible for things like providing water and flood control.

The TRWD board is famously inept at the flood control aspect. Which is why Mary Kelleher wants to be back on the water board. Due to the fact that her East Fort Worth location regularly floods due to the inept urban planning for which Fort Worth is infamous.

While deadly property destroying floods wreak havoc in parts of Fort Worth, the TRWD has been focusing way too much attention (and money) on imaginary flood control in an area of the Trinity River which has not flooded in well over half a century.

The TRWD came up with an un-needed flood control scheme, which masked an inept economic development scheme, which, after over two decades of Boondoggling along, has managed to build one pitiful simple little bridge over dry land, along with two more un-completed bridges, built to one day possibly connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island.

It is this type bizarrely weird corruption which Mary Kelleher hopes to do something about by once again being on the TRWD board.

Times have greatly changed since Mary Kelleher's last bout on the TRWD board. For instance her longtime nemesis, Jim Oliver, will no longer be there, with one result being that Mary might finally get a key to the building and access to the secret part of the TRWD building which was denied her whilst she previously served.

If Mary Kelleher gets elected again, and if obfuscating obstructions are again deployed, I suspect there will be protests of a size which will dwarf the HUGE protest which erupted when the TRWD board had a meeting to censure Mary over some fool thing which turned the entire absurdity into an embarrassing circus.

I forgot to mention, that in addition to texting with Elsie Hotpepper today, when I returned to my computer I saw that Elsie Hotpepper had Facebooked the ringing endorsement of Mary Kelleher you see screen capped at the top.

I don't know if I have enough time to move back to Fort Worth so I can vote for Mary in May. Texas does not make voting easy...

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Bizarre TRWD Board Endorsements

A couple days ago, when I first heard of it via Facebook, I thought someone was making a late April Fool's Day joke posting that the Fort Worth Star-Telegram had endorsed the incumbent octogenarian, Marty Leonard, along with C.B. Team, as their recommendation regarding how those few allowed to vote should vote to represent them on the Tarrant Regional Water District board.

Read the entire Endorsement: Leonard, Team, for TRWD board editorial to get the full ridiculous illogical nonsense spouted in this typically embarrassing bit of Star-Telegram propaganda.

The endorsement starts off by stating the obvious fact that water is important.

And then goes from that bit of obviousness to telling us why this election is important....

That’s just one big reason why the impending election for the Tarrant Regional Water District Board of Directors — early voting in the May 4 election starts Monday, April 22 — should command your attention. We’ll give you another reason — in fact, over one billion of them: the Central City/Panther Island project, a $1.17 billion flood control and economic development program overseen in large part by the water board.

Yes, this is true, America's Biggest Boondoggle, also known as the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision, has been boondoggling along for most of this century, and that absurd boondoggle, brought upon Fort Worth by the TRWD board, should motivate sensible people to vote to replace those responsible, when given the opportunity to do so.

This boondoggle, when first first foisted on the not allowed to vote for it public, was touted as a vitally needed flood control project, and economic development scheme. This ill-conceived, ineptly implemented mess began near the start of this century, and is currently projected to possibly be completed sometime late in the next decade.

Yes. This is one "vitally needed" flood control project. To control floods where there has been no flooding in well over a half a century due to flood control levees already doing their job. Meanwhile multiple areas of Tarrant County regularly flood, as recently as today, due to irresponsible development, which was not required to properly mitigate the increased water run-off the development has caused.

I eye witnessed this development caused flooding yesterday on my once a month return to the Dallas/Fort Worth zone. I was heading south on 820, intending to exit to Randol Mill Road to check in on Mary Kelleher, but was unable to do so because Randol Mill Road was closed due to that aforementioned bad development caused flooding.

Now, let's take a look at why the Star-Telegram recommended re-electing Marty Leonard...

After interviewing and discussing each of the five candidates for the five-member board’s two available seats — you vote for two of the five — we recommend board veteran Marty Leonard and newcomer Charles “C.B.” Team.

Incumbency isn’t often thought of as a positive anymore, but the truth is that experience and knowledge have to count for something — especially when it comes to providing water to well over 2 million. In this regard, Marty Leonard is, frankly, a gem.

The 82-year-old businesswoman and daughter of the Leonard’s Department Store founder has been key plank of the TRWD board since 2006. Besides riding herd on the Central City flood control project, she has, for instance, been among those overseeing the $2 billion-plus Integrated Pipeline Project being built to eventually supply 200 million more gallons a day to TRWD customers and another 150 million gallons to Dallas.

You don’t learn how to do all this overnight.

Okay, well, I know Marty Leonard is a nice lady. Easy to get along with. I have been told this by person's with first hand experience with Marty Leonard. Those same people have also told me that Marty Leonard pretty much just goes along with what she is told to go along with, at the direction of the TRWD's un-elected boss, Jim Oliver.

Marty Leonard may also be a gem. But, she is not a gem at overseeing anything to do with what the TRWD is charged with overseeing.

The Star-Telegram is actually suggesting Marty Leonard has been riding herd on the TRWD's imaginary flood control project? If so, shouldn't the Star-Telegram be recommending instead that Marty Leonard be removed for being part of creating America's Biggest Boondoggle, and for the dawdling slow motion reality of this un-needed imaginary flood control project?

Marty Leonard has been a "key plank of the TRWD board"? What does that even mean? That integrated pipeline project is another problematic TRWD project, which has long been controversial.

Now, I have been told multiple instances of 82 year old Marty Leonard being charmingly doddery. My favorite is the time at a TRWD board meeting when Marty Leonard told her fellow board members she was walking the Trinity Trail and saw signs warning people not to eat the fish they caught. Marty Leonard asked why we would put up such signs. Unaware, apparently, of the polluted status of the Trinity River and its regularly elevated e.coli levels.

And then we have this ridiculous newspaper's endorsement of C.B. Tram.

Though a first-time candidate, Team, 36, has been attending TRWD meetings for three years and, as one board observer put it to us, is running for the right reasons and “doing his homework.” The son of a well-known ranch family, he teams a land-loving background with experience as a real estate broker — an exquisite combination for this board at this particular time. And despite his real estate background, he wants Panther Island to be a flood-control project first and foremost.

A real estate broker. Who the Star-Telegram tells us is running for the right reasons and who has done his homework via attending TRWD meetings for three years. And he comes from a well-known ranch family, which supposedly gives him a land loving background. And even so he wants the imaginary Panther Island to be a flood control project (where there has been no flooding for way over half a century) before considering anything else, like developing the real estate on the imaginary island.

The Star-Telegram opines Team has the needed experience. But does not endorse Mary Kelleher, who served a four year TRWD board term, and who the Star-Telegram endorsed the last time she ran.

And why did the Star-Telegram choose not to endorse incumbent Jim Lane? Or Gary Moates?

When the Star-Telegram interviewed Mary Kelleher she indicated she would advocate for the resignations of TRWD dictator boss, Jim Oliver, and TRVA executive director, J.D. Granger. And also advocated a thorough forensic audit of the entire Panther Island Boondoggle mess.

While Gary Moates told the Star-Telegram that he thought the ridiculously wasteful Trinity River Panther Island Vision installation on the ground floor of the Star-Telegram building should be removed.

Apparently the Star-Telegram does not think Mary Kelleher or Gary Moates have the "right reasons" to be running.

So, the Star-Telegram basically endorsed a pair of lackeys who will just go along with the incompetent mess which has been an ongoing Fort Worth eyesore for most of this century. With no current end in sight, and the only hope for a fix being booting those responsible...

The People's Republic Of The TRWD Battle Against Those Who Oppose Their Shady Shenanigans

Well. Yesterday was one of the more disturbing days I have spent being perplexed in Texas.

Being perplexed started early with a text message telling me that Mary Kelleher was heading into battle at the TRWD, with limited pre-battle warning and thus limited backup.

I asked what the battle was about this time to be told it had to do with the ongoing objections to Jim Lane and Marty Leonard continuing to serve as TRWD directors without benefit of being re-elected to the post.

I was walking with Arlington's Indian Ghosts when I got some more text messages telling me I needed to check my email inbox for a pdf regarding one of the lawsuits against the TRWD and that I needed to check a specific Facebook page to read play by play of the ongoing Battle at the TRWD.

By the time I got back to my computer there was an email from John Basham telling me I needed to check out his Facebook page.

I checked out the Aaron Harris Facebook page first to read the TRWD Battle play by play. There I learned Jim Oliver and his TRWD director minions had stuffed the meeting with TRWD lackeys, whilst banning Mary Kelleher supporters to a separate room. And that, unlike the Mary Kelleher censure farce, this time there was a uniformed armed guard of some sort in the room.

I don't quite understand the why of it, but there were multiple calls to the Tarrant County sheriff seeking some sort of law enforcement intervention in what I guess the Mary Kelleher supporters perceived to be criminal behavior by Jim Oliver and his TRWD board minions in conducting a public meeting without the public allowed to attend.

At one point in the meeting Mary Kelleher excoriated the board, topping off her excoriation with a call for the resignation of Jim Oliver.

After reading through the info on the Aaron Harris Facebook page I was off to John Basham's Facebook page, where I quickly found myself appalled, disgusted and dismayed.

John Basham posted his own very well reasoned excoriation of the TRWD's latest shenanigans, in part saying, "....the TRWD has decided to take on; Mary Kelleher, Adrian Murray, Andy Nold, Monty Bennett, Craig Bickley and Me for a trumped up set of issues regarding campaign finance reports. In short ANYONE who has ever opposed the current money & power brokers at TRWD are now under the legal cross-hairs of this agency using YOUR tax payer dollars."

"I personally want to apologize to ALL of the people listed above for being dragged into such a petty use of tax payer resources on a personal vendetta. IN SHORT THE TRWD IS SENDING A MESSAGE: IF YOU SUPPORT JOHN BASHAM OR STAND WITH HIM AGAINST US, WE WILL SUE YOU OR TRY TO CRIMINALLY CHARGE YOU.... Hey wait! Isn't this same thing happening in Austin to Rick Perry? Welcome to THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF TRWD, where the powerful elite will ruin your name if you disagree with them."

The object of John Basham's righteous ire is a document prepared by a San Antonio law firm, the cover of which is screencapped above, titled INVESTIGATIVE ANALYSIS REPORT ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTING COMPLIANCE AT THE TARRANT REGIONAL WATER DISTRICT.

Apparently the TRWD board directors, except for Mary Kelleher, decided it was a real good use of taxpayer money to spend some of those funds investigating the past couple TRWD board elections, basically going after all those who have opposed the TRWD's shady dealings.

To what end? And why?

When is there going to be an investigation of the TRWD's shady dealings? Such as the sweetheart deal which resulted in the world's first new drive-in movie theater of the 21st century? When is there going to be an investigation of the TRWD's bidding practices? The nepotism?

When is there going to be an investigation of the TRWD's abuse of eminent domain and that abuse's possible resulting financial gain for various TRWD board members?

Is the fact that the TRWD wasted public funds to conduct this Investigative Analysis of Campaign Finance Reporting, in a vindictive effort to stifle opposition, not an extreme abuse of power worthy of an FBI investigation?

What is the real reason for not holding an election, thus giving Jim Lane and Marty Leonard an extra un-elected year? Is it yet one more effort to postpone a day of reckoning? The day when a couple more Mary Kelleher-esque honest real public servant sorts get elected to the board? A day when the TRWD board and Jim Oliver can no longer stonewall regarding the release of public documents to the public?

Like I already said, this is all very perplexing. And once again causes me to lament the fact that Fort Worth suffers from not having a real newspaper.....

Jim Lane And His TRWD Cronies Cast Phony Stones At Mary Kelleher While Ignoring Their Own Real Wrongdoing

A couple minutes ago a Press Release from Mary Kelleher showed up in my email inbox.

Two days ago Mary Kelleher released to the press the news that she would not be attending TRWD board meetings until the board complies with a judge's ruling regarding releasing public documents to the public.

You can read that Press Release by going to TRWD BOARD IGNORES JUDGE’S ORDER: Director Kelleher To Not Attend Meetings Until Board Complies.

Reading today's Press Release from Mary Kelleher I am guessing some unfair, unfounded flack has been thrown her way by one or more of her fellow board members.....

Press Release

July 17, 2014
Fort Worth, Texas

Sadly, the TRWD and Director Jim Lane seem to be more concerned about anything and everything other than their own abuses of power such as spending $18 million for a worthless superfund site that will cost millions to remediate for a boondoggle of project disguised as flood control which abuses eminent domain for economic development.

My in-kind contributions went to lawyers I needed to assist me in my request for records, to defend my right to express my individual board opinions, and to protect me against TRWD attacks.
 
I don’t have the bank roll the TRWD does and I gladly accept contributions from anyone who shares my passion for transparency and accountability.

Mary Kelleher
TRWD Board Member

TRWD BOARD IGNORES JUDGE’S ORDER: Director Kelleher To Not Attend Meetings Until Board Complies

A few minutes ago interesting email arrived in my inbox from Mary Kelleher. TRWD Board judicial defiance has resulted in a serious consequence.

The press release in its entirety....

Director Kelleher To Not Attend Meetings Until Board Complies

No Legal Quorum Without Kelleher

Fort Worth, Texas — July 15, 2014

On February 27, 2014 United States District Judge Reed Charles O’Connor handed down a ruling regarding a suit brought by citizens concerned with TRWD board members violating the Texas Constitution by extending their terms to five years. The Federal Court’s ruling stated in part: "Accordingly, the Court finds, from the text of the pertinent authority, that the Texas Legislature did not intend the TRWD to call an election this year but did intend Section 49.105 to address the interim period between the expiration of Lane and Leonard’s terms and the election in May 2015. Because Section 49.105 states vacancies will be filled by appointment,” In contradiction of this Federal Court ruling, the TRWD ;board has taken no action to address the terms of Jim Lane and Marty Leonard which ;expired in May. In spite of their expiration Lane and Leonard continue to serve, vote, and attend executive session.

Director Mary Kelleher stated, "I represent the people and do what I believe is in their best interest. But how do I explain that if I attend board meetings knowing that two of the board members' terms have expired and there has been no attempt made by the board to appoint successors I would be violating Judge O'Connor's order? I have respect for the law and this is a real conflict for me. "

Director Kelleher went on to say, “This behavior could have serious consequences. By allowing unqualified (unelected or appointed) people (Leonard & Lane) to vote and participate in executive sessions the remaining members of the board could be violating the law and once again, be betraying the public trust.” says Kelleher. "I remain ready, willing, and able to faithfully represent the people of Tarrant County once the board agrees to address this issue."

Fort Worth Weekly Static About The TRWD Board's Water Mess

I did not get around to reading this week's Fort Worth Weekly til this morning.

Fort Worth Weekly hits the streets on Wednesday, a day after this week's TRWD Board censuring Mary Kelleher debacle.

I would have thought the TRWD debacle would have occurred too close to this week's FW Weekly publication, but I thought wrong, because this week's FW Weekly Static column was titled Water Mess and was all about the TRWD Board's latest embarrassment.

Unlike the Star-Telegram's article about the TRWD's censuring debacle the FW Weekly article matched my impression of what I saw transpire.

I suppose part of the problem with the Star-Telegram article was due to the fact that the financially strapped Star-Telegram could not spare a real reporter to cover the meeting, but instead sent its food critic, Bud Kennedy.

Perhaps someone on the Star-Telegram staff characterized the TRWD Board censure hearing as a roasting. Hence Bud Kennedy being sent to TRWD headquarters, thinking this was a food related event, not a roasting of Mary Kelleher.

After I blogged my take on the censure meeting, in a blogging titled Today Mary Kelleher Received The Badge Of Honor Of A TRWD Board Censure While Censuring The Board Herself, mention was made of one of Bud Kennedy's column's bits of misinformation where he opined "Much of the behavior Tuesday resembled kindergarten, not only by directors but also by a boorish and jeering crowd of Kelleher supporters led by state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford."

Many of Mary's supporters objected to being characterized as being led by the controversial Stickland. One of those supporters, calling her or himself Bullies of a Feather, commented saying "Mary's supporters could care less what a washed up, boorish, food critic has to say."

That seems harsh to me. I don't think Bud Kennedy is washed up, a bit boorish maybe, but washed up? No. I think he has many a meal yet to eat in his restaurant reviewing career.

I almost forgot, my original intention when beginning to write this post was simply to share what FW Weekly's Static column had so say about Tuesday's debacle, so here you go, Static's Water Mess in its entirety...

The typically quiet board meetings at the Tarrant Regional Water District took a loud and rowdy turn on Tuesday morning. A standing-room-only crowd, including some carrying protest signs, heckled board members throughout the two-hour special meeting. The board was debating whether to censure fellow board member Mary Kelleher. A censure is a public reprimand with no penalties or legal ramifications.

Board President Vic Henderson introduced the motion, linking Kelleher to several alleged policy violations and ethical lapses. He accused her of not reporting in-kind donations from Dallas hotelier Monty Bennett, who has wrangled with the water district for three years to prevent a water pipeline from crossing his East Texas ranch. And he complained that Kelleher misrepresented the water district’s stance on a water management plan at a recent Fort Worth City Council session.

Kelleher then leveled a symbolic fire hose at her fellow directors and water district President Jim Oliver. She said her supporters are fed up with the “cronyism, nepotism, corruption, and mismanagement that have plagued the water district for years.”

She said Oliver had “stonewalled me and the public at every opportunity.” Then she accused him of using water district heavy equipment for personal home improvements.

“Whoa, whoa,” board member Jim Lane said, trying to rein in Kelleher. But she was on a roll.

“Let me finish … how about using your position to engage in extramarital affairs with staff?” she said, looking at Oliver.

At times, Henderson resembled a substitute teacher who’d lost control of a junior high classroom. He admonished and threatened hecklers but never followed through. The crowd became bolder as the meeting wore on. Former board candidate John Basham practically dared Henderson to throw him out. Nothing happened.

Several legislators, including Tarrant County’s Jonathan Stickland and Lon Burnam, attended and wrote letters supporting Kelleher in her request for public documents.

Despite crowd support, Kelleher appeared overwhelmed at times. As for misrepresenting board policy at a city council meeting, she said she was unaware of the policy, implemented before she was elected. Regarding campaign reports, she said she was new to the political game and unfamiliar with all the requirements. Board member Jim Lane said ignorance of the law isn’t an excuse.

In the end, Henderson, Jack Stevens, and Marty Leonard voted to censure. Lane abstained, saying each accusation against Kelleher should be voted on separately. But he joined in a 4-0 vote to audit recent campaign finance reports from board candidates. Kelleher abstained.

Kelleher declared her censure a “badge of honor.” Oliver declined to comment.

Today Mary Kelleher Received The Badge Of Honor Of A TRWD Board Censure While Censuring The Board Herself

Yesterday I blogged that Tomorrow Mary Kelleher May Receive The High Honor Of Being Censured By The Ethically Challenged Tarrant Regional Water District Board.

Well, today is yesterday's tomorrow and today, Tuesday, April 29, 2014, the TRWD Board voted to censure fellow board member, Mary Kelleher.

At one point in the meeting Mary Kelleher said she would "wear the censure like a badge of honor."

When Mary said that she would wear the censure like a badge of honor the scene you see part of above, erupted, with Mary's supporters standing and cheering.

I do not know how long the video of this meeting will be viewable. I suspect it may disappear when Mary's fellow board members realize how bad this meeting makes them look. Bad and out of touch with reality. And downright ineptly stupid.

Currently you can view the video of today's meeting, via the TRWD website, by going here.

Sitting at the TRWD Board table, that you see above, is Vic Henderson at the head of the table. To the right of Henderson, clutching her pearls, is Marty Leonard. Mary is next to Marty. Directly across from Mary is Jim Lane. I think that is Hal Stevens between Lane and Henderson. Apparently Hal Stevens is limited to 10 words per meeting.

He is cropped off in the video screencap above, but to the left of Jim Lane, also across from Mary, is Mary's arch nemesis, the notorious Jim Oliver.

What with what was said about Jim Oliver at this meeting I was thinking to myself what in the world does this man have on these people that keeps him from being fired? Jim Oliver won't give Mary a key to the building? While Vic Henderson hems and haws about how he can't tell Jim Oliver what to do?

Was Vic Henderson able to comprehend that  people were laughing at him and the ridiculously ironic things he was saying at times? At one point Henderson threatened to clear the room when the guffawing got going real good. Someone shouted "Good luck with that", implying that Henderson and his co-horts were outnumbered. To which Henderson threatened "It can be done."

I wish the crowd would have been more vocal and more disruptive. This was the first actual real good protest I have witnessed since I have been in mostly protest-free Texas, a place where there seems to me to be so much to protest about.

My favorite moment was when Mary basically censured the board with a litany of their extremely questionable actions. Mary brought up nepotism, cronyism, other isms I'm forgetting and most memorably Mary brought up an illicit liaison between a high ranking TRWD employee and a lower ranking TRWD employee, saying this as she sat a couple feet from Jim Oliver.

I wish I could remember exactly what it was Mary said when she got to the illicit liaison part of her censuring of the TRWD Board.

While watching this absurd meeting a couple times it was reminding me of a Simpson's episode. With Mary being Lisa Simpson, you know, wise beyond her years Lisa Simpson, usually smarter than any of the adults in the room, being totally flummoxed by the utter ridiculousness of what she is dealing with.

Sticking with the TV theme, watching this absurd meeting also reminded me of watching Dallas. The drawling Texas accents, particularly Vic Henderson's, combined with the sort of evil undertone of the Board's shenanigans, well, it seemed like J.R. Ewing would have felt right at home, and not just because of the condoning of illicit liaisons.

Listening to some of the nonsense, like going on and on like Mary had committed some sort of crime at a Fort Worth City Council meeting had me thinking Alice in Wonderland Through the Looking Glass, where right is wrong, up is down, stupid is smart, yes is no.

And where, in Vic Henderson's imagination, Mary is surrounded by special shirts. Yes, that's right, Henderson accused Mary of attending the city council meeting with a gang of special shirts.

Seriously, Fort Worth, can't we do better than have buffoons like this conducting public business?

I wish there was a printed transcript so I could exactly repeat what Mary said about her fellow board member's need to resign due to their multiple incompetencies and questionable antics. This may have come in the part of the meeting where Mary answered the various charges against her, charges like costing the district money. Mary then counted off a long list of various ways the TRWD Board had wasted public money. Like millions spent on a lawsuit trying to get water from Oklahoma.

Or planting peas at their private game reserve.

One more thing.

I think I may have fallen in love with Mary Kelleher today. I know I'm smitten. If you watch the video you will get why, there's just something about Mary.....

A Packed Meeting Room With Protesters Outside Greets TRWD Board Mary Kelleher Censure Hearing

UPDATE: Tuesday, April 29, 2014, the TRWD Board actually followed through on the censure of Mary Kelleher, to boos from protesters and threats from the TRWD Board to remove the booing supporters of Mary Kelleher.

The Tarrant Regional Water District Boards attempt to censure fellow board member, Mary Kelleher is now underway.

I suspect the wannabe censurers are being a bit taken aback by the standing room only crowd which has assembled to witness the TRWD Board's nefariously questionable antics.

I doubt the TRWD censurers considered their offputting antics would cause protesters to be standing outside holding protest signs up to the meeting room windows.

Signs with messages such as " FOLLOW YOUR OWN RULES", "LET US VOTE ON TRV", "GIVE TRANSPARENCY A CHANCE".

I opted out of attending the TRWD Board meeting and its attempt to censure Mary Kelleher. I sort of figured I did my part by blogging about it.

That and I find so much about the TRWD to be annoying that I could see where I might have found myself in some sort of unseemly confrontation of  the sort I've found myself in times previous, which in hindsight would have been best avoided.

Anyway, if I hear anything interesting about what's happening at the TRWD headquarters, I'll let you know.

Tomorrow Mary Kelleher May Receive The High Honor Of Being Censured By The Ethically Challenged Tarrant Regional Water District Board

On the left you are looking at a page from the recently mailed Tarrant Regional Water District Annual 2013 Report. On this page we are looking at the TRWD Board of Directors, with the most recently elected Director, Mary Kelleher, at the bottom.

Today I learned that the Directors above Mary on this page have conspired to censure Mary Kelleher.

This censuring is scheduled to take place at 9:30 tomorrow, Tuesday, April 29 at the Tarrant Regional Water District's headquarters at 800 E. Northside Drive in Fort Worth.

What in the world has Mary Kelleher done to warrant this latest bout of abuse from her fellow board members?

I can think of some things that don't get a censure from the TRWD Board, that can not be what Mary has done.

For instance, I doubt Mary is being censured for being caught flagrante delicto with someone other than her spouse in the backseat of a car parked on the TRWD parking lot, because that is okay behavior in the TRWD Board's ethical world.

Mary can't be getting censured for any sort of nepotism, because it is well known that the TRWD Board has no problem with the corrupt practice of nepotism, while nepotism is frowned upon in ethical, democratic parts of the world.

Mary can't be being censured for being instrumental in a sweetheart deal to let someone build a restaurant on public property with out the sweetheart deal being an open bid type of opportunity, because the TRWD Board condones that type of shady deal.

Mary can't be being censured for coming up with a plan to buy some land from a financially strapped friend, followed by giving another sweetheart deal for someone's plan to build something silly, like the first drive-in movie theater of the 21st century, because the TRWD is totally okay with that type shady deal.

Mary can't be being censured for causing the public to lose a lot of money due to initiating an incompetent lawsuit aimed at taking water from Oklahoma, because the TRWD Board is totally okay with that type of waste of money, even if the case has to go all the way to the Supreme Court.

Mary can't possibly be being censured for asking to see some specific TRWD public documents, can she? The TRWD's censuring could not possibly be due to claiming Mary has caused conflict on the board, claiming this to be disruptive, can they?

Is this censuring of Mary Kelleher the latest and most blatant attempt by her fellow TRWD Board Members to shut Mary up?

I have long not been alone in wondering what it is that the TRWD Board is covering up that it goes to such extreme lengths to keep the public, through Mary, from seeing the public documents Mary has long been denied access to.

During the last TRWD election, the one where Mary won her seat with a record number of votes, I referred to the TRWD Board as cockroaches. Some thought this harsh. I thought it totally accurate. Cockroaches do not like light. Cockroaches go to extreme measures to keep out of the light.

It can be difficult to get rid of a cockroach infestation. I think we are seeing this currently in Fort Worth.

I have previously opined, and many agree with me, that Fort Worth suffers from not having a legitimate newspaper of record. The Star-Telegram functions like the old Soviet Union's Pravda, as in it is no longer a newspaper, but is instead, a propaganda purveyor.

I can tell you, with just about 100% certainty, that if this TRWD Board's cockroach-like behavior played out in other towns in which I have lived, those being towns on the West Coast with real newspapers, that those town's newspapers would be all over the TRWD Board's bad. unethical behavior. The TRWD would be hit with Freedom of Information requests, reporters would investigate the TRWD's shady dealings.

And Mary Kelleher would be a local hero, admired for her tenacity, while the TRWD Board Members, who tried to censure Mary, would be reviled as not being fit to be in a position of public trust.

And don't get me started on what any of the towns I have lived  in on the West Coast's newspapers would have done with the absurd Trinity River Vision Boondoggle, with its absurd hiring of a local congresswoman's unqualified son to run the project.

I really believe Fort Worth suffers because the majority of the people have never lived in a town with a real newspaper that looks out for the public's best interest, and so they don't know what their town is missing and thus don't insist that their town's newspaper acts like one......

UPDATE: Tuesday, April 29, 2014, the TRWD Board actually followed through on the censure of Mary Kelleher, to boos from protesters and threats from the TRWD Board to remove the booing supporters of Mary Kelleher.

Emergency TRWD Board Meeting Attempts To Boot Board Director Mary Kelleher

I stepped away from my computer for only an hour and returned to find multiple emails telling me that a fresh eruption of madness is erupting in Fort Worth. Well, at the Tarrant Regional Water District Board Meeting in Fort Worth.

What have these people done that is so bad that they are going to such extreme measures to try and keep it covered up? Will the Star-Telegram report this latest TRWD Board arrogant act?

Fort Worth 4pm January 29, 2014:

BREAKING NOW...

In a hastily called emergency TRWD Board Meeting at 3pm today... The TRWD board voted to have Director Mary Kelleher removed from executive sessions.

KELLEHER IS REFUSING TO LEAVE!

As you know she filed a suit two weeks ago seeking TRWD documents and data in her role as a Director. The TRWD board and management have continued to withhold the requested information since her landslide election last May.

Director Kellher also requested, in the court filing, depositions from TRWD GM Jim Oliver, TRWD Records Director Nancy King, and TRWD Board President Vic Henderson.

The board decided to vote Director Kelleher out of executive session so they may secretly discuss hiring a special counsel to defend against the records release to Director Kelleher. The management and board also want to keep from giving depositions under oath on why they continue obstructing Director Kelleher's job.

Pondering The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Al Capone Mary Kelleher & Me

Til I read the quote on the left, brought to my eyes this morning by the Fort Worth Connie D, I had no idea I had anything in common with Al Capone, besides being late paying my income tax a time or two.

This morning I learned, via Elsie Hotpepper, that the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has made a 180 degree turn in its covering of the Tarrant Regional Water District board controversies.

You can read this turnaround yourself in an editorial in today's Star-Telegram titled Uncomfortable times ahead for water district.

Basically the Star-Telegram opined that the people spoke, turned out in record numbers, elected Mary Kelleher with the most votes of any candidate.

And that the other board members need to get on board.

The first 5 paragraphs of the Star-Telegram editorial give you a good idea of how big a change this is in the Star-Telegram's coverage of this issue...

The main thing the four multi-term members of the Tarrant Regional Water District board of directors must remember about recently elected member Mary Kelleher is that she won.

In fact, she won the May 11 election handily, pulling in more votes than any of the seven candidates in this year’s race for three spots on the board. Board President Vic Henderson and now-Vice President Jack Stevens were re-elected to the other two seats.

If that’s not enough to make the veterans respect the rookie, they should note that 59,889 people cast ballots in the water district election this year, up 61 percent from the 37,286 who turned out in 2010, the board’s most recent previous election.

That means a lot more people were interested this time around, and Kelleher’s place as the top vote-getter signals great voter interest in her message.

That message, voiced by Kelleher and two other candidates who were not elected, was clear. Putting it mildly, they said the TRWD has some explaining to do. Voters need to know more about how the board and the district operate, and they want to know whether it’s the most effective and efficient operation it can be.

Just like with Al Capone, weak is not what you are going to get when you are not kind to a well regarded person like Mary Kelleher.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram antidote known as the Star-Telegraph made note of today's Star-Telegram editorial in a blog post titled Who is the Tool?

In that blog post the Star-Telegraph summed up the issue quite succinctly with...

Mary has been flooded, railroaded, threatened and bullied. She's not going anywhere and neither are the people that elected her.

That's a fact, Jack.

Walking Around Fosdick Lake Thinking About Flying To A Washington Wedding While Mary Kelleher Draws A Cheering Crowd To A TRWD Board Meeting

Fosdick Lake was looking mono-chromatic and swan-less when I took a walk on the Oakland Lake Park paved trail that surrounds Fosdick Lake, today.

Lightning struck and thunder boomed around 4 this morning.

No lightning struck or thunder boomed, within my eye or earshot, whilst walking today.

I tried to get my sister, who lives in Arizona, to walk around Fosdick Lake with me today. But she was not available.

As I walked around Fosdick Lake, among the things I was pondering, was the fact that this upcoming July 6 there is a wedding happening in Tacoma that will be the biggest relative event involving my relatives since a relative event in the form of a Family Reunion, way back on July 26, 2002.

I am being very conflicted about making my way north for this relative event. On the one hand going to this particular wedding appeals to me. On the other hand, well, at times like this I wish I did not live 2,200 miles from the Western Washington zone of the Pacific Northwest.

Another event I was pondering, as I walked around Fosdick Lake, hearing crickets chirping, was this morning's swearing in of Mary Kelleher as the newly elected member of the Tarrant Regional Water District Board.

I did not attend this event, even though I sort of remember, vaguely, being invited to, but my sources tell me that it was standing room only for the swearing in ceremony in the TRWD meeting room.

When the first two newly re-elected board members were sworn in, no one clapped, you could hear the crickets chirping on the nearby Trinity River.

When Mary was sworn in, the crickets stopped chirping, while everyone in the room clapped, except, I assume, Marty Leonard, Jim Lane, J.D. Granger, and the two newly re-elected board members.

Just as I was typing about Mary getting sworn in, incoming email, from one of the above mentioned sources, pointed me to an article about today's TRWD swearing in ceremony, by Jeff Prince, in FW Weekly, titled Mary Kelleher Sworn In As New Blood On Water Board which said, in part....

There weren’t enough parking spaces for the cars outside, and there weren’t enough chairs for the people inside. Board members appeared a bit surprised to see a full house at this morning’s meeting.

Read the FW Weekly article and you may get the idea that a new day has dawned in Fort Worth.

It is a good thing when a new day dawns....

A Vote Recount Keeps Mary Kelleher From Joining The TRWD Board Today

I was so looking forward to watching Mary Kelleher  be sworn in this morning to be a member of the Tarrant Regional Water District Board, followed by lunch with Fort Worth's favorite self-entitled, pearls clutching dowager heiress, Marty Leonard.

As so often happens when I look forward to something, something goes wrong.

The Tarrant County Elections Office is recounting the votes cast in the May 11 TRWD Board election.

The swearing in of Mary Kelleher is postponed until the election results are validated.

I have heard of multiple impropriety allegations which may be why the recount has been ordered.

I have heard there are provisional and military ballots which were not counted. I don't know what a provisional ballot is. I assume a military ballot is a vote cast by someone in the military.

I have heard there was some dubious behaviors at a couple of the polling places. I don't have any idea if those dubious behaviors are one of the reasons for the recount.

I have also heard that there were some shenanigans at the Tarrant County Elections Office the day of the election that may have created some concern as to the accuracy of the original vote count.

If I remember right John Basham was 92 votes short of unseating one of the incumbents. I will not be shocked if this recount results in that incumbent being unseated, with John Basham joining Mary Kelleher as a newcomer to the TRWD Board.

Water Board Waves Continue To Wash Over The TRWD

This week's Fort Worth Weekly's Static column, Water Board Waves, annoyed me.

More accurately, it was not the Static column that annoyed me, it was the quotes from a TRWD Board member, Jack Stevens, quoted in the column, that annoyed me.

Just this morning I was telling one of the Water Boarders, I won't say which one, that "just judging from the words I've read them utter, 3 of your co-boarders are not the sharpest knives in the drawer."

And now, later on the same day that I opined what I opined above about 3 of the Water Boarders, one of them, the aforementioned Jack Stevens, shows up in FW Weekly saying the stupid type stuff that led me to opine that these are not the sharpest knives in the drawer.

Below are the parts of the Static Water Board Waves column containing Jack Stevens' words of wisdom...

Incumbent Jack Stevens said the BNK campaign spouted “misinformation and lies” that led to the unseating of longtime board vice president Hal Sparks III. “The water board has lost a very knowledgeable person that has given twentysomething years,” he said.

Stevens said he hopes Kelleher can work with the four incumbents. “She is probably a pretty good person,” he said. "However, if Kelleher believes the agenda espoused by BNK," he said, there is “probably going to be a problem.”

“She has a sharp learning curve,” Stevens said. “She’ll be welcome when she contributes productively.”

“If she comes with the BNK mindset, she’s probably going to have a rude awakening,” he said. “She’s going to find out everything she’s been told is misinformation and not the truth.”

She's probably a pretty good person? Which would seem to mean there is some chance she is not a good person?

If Mary Kelleher has an agenda that is counter to the Stevens/Water Board agenda there is going to be a problem? Is this some sort of ham-handed threat?

Mary Kelleher will be welcome when she contributes productively? So, until Mary Kelleher contributes to the TRWD Board in a way that is determined to be productive, she will not be welcome on the TRWD Board? Did the voters not just elect Mary Kelleher in a record breaking landslide? Is it not the voters who have welcomed Mary Kelleher to the TRWD Board?

Mary Kelleher is going to find out all that she believes is misinformation and not the truth? And what would those bits of misinformation be that are not the truth? Little things like the TRWD Board has operated like its own little private fiefdom. Rescuing friends from bankruptcy with TRWD public funds? Being part of building the world's first drive-in movie theater of the 21st century, which everyone knows is important for flood control and maintaining a supply of quality water?

Two paragraphs in the Static column are a better retort to this Stevens guy's buffoonery than anything I might say....

The two camps probably have different ideas about what “productive” means at this point. Kelleher wants to make the water district and the board as transparent as possible. She’s new to politics, but she’s an old hand at fighting for her rights. She battled gas drillers and city officials over flooding at her ranch. She’ll bring that same mentality to the water board, she said.

“It was a great day for citizens,” she said. “For so many years people felt like they didn’t have a voice in the Tarrant Regional Water District. Now they do. They have me.”

Methinks it is not Mary Kelleher who is in for a rude awakening......

The TRWD Incumbent Cockroaches Throw Some Mud While Hiding From The Light

Last  night I was pre-warned I would find a bizarre  mailer in my mailbox this morning from the apparently increasingly desperate TRWD Incumbents.

Even though I was pre-warned, seeing the oversized, would not fit in my scanner, mailer, and its outrageous Orwellian propaganda, left me with the feeling of not knowing where to start with verbalizing my disgust for these miscreants who clearly need to be removed from any position involving public trust.

"A controversial Dallas millionaire is using a child actor to spread lies and throw mud at our hardworking local water board."

"DON'T LET OUTSIDERS STEAL OUR WATER!"

Steal our water?

Can these idiots get any more irresponsible with the unsubstantiated nonsense they are spewing? The TRWD Board  must have a really low opinion of the intelligence of those who vote, thinking that throwing the "Big Bad  Dallas" card was a great bit of propaganda.

"Don't be misled by the DISHONEST DALLAS HOGWASH from his (the rich Dallas millionaire's) handpicked SLATE of Water Board candidates: John Austin Basham, Timothy Nold and Mary Kelleher --- one has recently been bankrupt and doesn't live in the district and another is being sued for being a tax deadbeat."

No Dallas millionaire hand-picked Basham, Nold & Kelleher to clean up the clearly corrupt TRWD Board.

In the blog post titled The TRWD Election Propaganda Spewings Of Self-Entitled Dowager Heiress Marty Leonard I already explained the reality behind John Basham's bankruptcy and the moral bankruptcy apparent in the fact that Marty Leonard and her co-conspirators in character assassination would sink this low. What I did not mention in that blog post, because at that point in time I did not know the details, was that Timothy Nold was late paying his taxes because the inept TRWD was sending his tax bill to a vacant lot.

Which had the morally bankrupt Marty Leonard characterizing Nold as a tax deadbeat being sued by the TRWD.

Why did this latest mailer fail to also mention the shocking claim that one of the candidates, Mary Kelleher, has a meager voting record? That claim had the TRWD member, dowager heiress, Marty Leonard, in full clutch her pearls mode.

"These dirty candidates should move to Dallas and leave our local WATER ALONE!"

I am actually more than a little embarrassed for the TRWD Board. How humiliatingly insipid to spew this type stuff, which clearly indicates they can not make any sort of case for re-election based on their sorry record.

We are in Malice in Wonderland territory here, folks. We are Through the Looking Glass, where yes is no, truth is lie, clean is dirty, hard working is do nothing, stupid is smart, good is bad. Well, you get the picture.

"Throwing mud at our hard working Tarrant Regional Water Board?"

Throwing mud? What mud? Claiming the TRWD Board bought a luxury helicopter with leather seats? And that the Board uses this aircraft to fly to some sort of private hunting preserve?  I notice that the TRWD propagandizers are not denying the existence of the private hunting preserve, or using the helicopter to fly there. Now, if I were to fly in a helicopter to a private hunting preserve, I would consider this a luxury. Yeah, that is really dirty mud to point out the TRWD flies their luxury helicopter to their private hunting preserve.

Claiming to be hard working is like claiming to be deep thinking. We need some proof.

Are there examples of this corrupt TRWD Board working hard to mitigate the flash flood dangers in Haltom City that have been a deadly menace for decades?

The answer to the above question is NO.

How come the TRWD Board Incumbents make no mention of the hard work they've done on the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle?

Is there no mention made because after well over a decade all we can see of the Vision is a pathetic, soon likely to go out of business Cowtown Wakepark and the first drive-in movie theater to open in America in decades?

How come the TRWD Incumbents make no mention of their hard work that brought the Woodshed Smokehouse to the banks of the Trinity River.

The Woodshed Smokehouse, for you who don't know, is a restaurant, brought about by behind closed doors, secret shenanigans of the TRWD Board, in cahoots with their lapdog, J.D. Granger.

Apparently, in the TRWD Board's hard working world, building a restaurant on the banks of a river is part of their flood control, water quality mandate.

While little girls drown in flash floods in the area of the TRWD's responsibility.

A few days ago a source I consider reliable emailed me some documents with the text of the email saying, among many other things....

"A little bird tells me that someone very high up at the TRWD is talking to the reporter and is looking to "get ahead" of what the "new board" will find once they start digging. Turns out the internal finger pointing about illegalities is now beginning. I can't wait to read what all he has found."

I never saw a cockroach til I moved to Texas. Let alone see a herd of cockroaches run for cover when the lights come on.

Methinks soon after May 11 we are going to be seeing some metaphoric TRWD cockroaches running from the light....

TRWD Board Wants To Charge John Basham $2,585.00 For Disclosure Of Public Records

On the left you are looking at page 1 of 3 that Tarrant Regional Water District Board candidate, John Basham, received today from lawyers representing the TRWD Board.

A few days ago John Basham emailed me 3 documents, with those documents being exchanges John Basham had with the TRWD Board's lawyers regarding John Basham's Texas Public Information Act (Open Records) Request.

One of the communications from the TRWD Board's lawyers asked Basham to narrow the scope of his Request.

The document John Basham received today from the TRWD Board's lawyer basically tells him if he wants to see the public records, that he is requesting to see, it will cost him $2,585.00.

I guess Freedom of Information is not free in Texas.

I can't help but wonder how much of the public's money the TRWD Board is spending on its lawyers to keep from giving John Basham the records he is requesting to see?