Ally Collins Can Not Vote So I'm Voting Basham-Nold-Kelleher For The TRWD Board In Her Memory

In the past few days I have been annoyed a time or two when I've read shills for the TRWD Board dismiss the B-N-K sweep out the corruption slate as being made up of a bunch of Tea Party nutjobs.

A couple minutes ago I learned I was not the only one who finds these Tea Party dismissive jabs as being moronic low blows, when I read the following...

While the BNK candidates do have support from the Tea Party, they also have support from the Republican Party, the Democratic Party and the Libertarian Party.  They know water is nonpartisan.  You'd think a "news" paper writer would know that.

I believe the "news" paper writer being referred to is Bud Kennedy. I have read Bud Kennedy refer to the B-N-K group as Tea Partiers.

I think I am part of the B-N-K group. I am definitely not a Tea Partier. If anything I'm the opposite of that mindset. If had to politically label myself I think I would call myself a Progressive Liberal Democrat sort of person.

The TRWD Board shills seem to think that there is some sort of dark conspiracy of ulterior motives that is hitting them out of the blue. Allow me to disabuse that notion.

On June 18, 2007 four year old Ally Collins was snatched from her home by a rampaging, flash flooding Whites Branch Creek in Haltom City. The drowning of Ally Collins, along with the flash flood property damage from Whites Branch Creek and Big Fossil Creek and the follow up non-action by those whose responsibility it is to help mitigate flood dangers, galvanized the citizen reaction you are seeing in this TRWD Board election.

Back in 2010 Adrian Murray gave a speech which clearly articulates why so many voters are completely disgusted by the corrupt Tarrant Regional Water District. You can read Adrian Murray's speech in its entirety here, and a relevant excerpt below...

The Tarrant Regional Water District is responsible for flood control in the areas under its domain. It, along with the Army Corps of Engineers, had been studying the persistent flooding in the Big Fossil Creek watershed for decades. Yet nothing was ever done for, as the residents in the area were told, the money just wasn't there.

For all of Ally's short life, the focus of the TRWD had been on something not in its charter: commercial real estate development. Disguised as flood control, the project known as the Trinity River Vision was given birth by the Fort Worth City Council just days after Ally was born. The project consumed the energy, resources and time of the water district's management and board, funneling hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into a grand scheme to construct a town lake at the confluence of the Clear Fork and West Fork of the Trinity River where Fort Worth itself had been born. The watershed to the north could wait.

A feasibility study for the watershed had been initiated by the US Army Corps of Engineers in February 2001. In a letter to Congresswoman Kay Granger in November 2009, Col. Richard Muraski of the Corps stated that, "Due to a variety of issues, including a lack of consistent funding, higher priority work and technical shortcomings, completion of the study has taken longer than normal." He went on to state that the Corp recognized the "history of destructive flooding" in the area and that approximately $100,000 would be provided to "continue the studies of the Big Fossil Creek watershed."

Meanwhile, $54 million has been spent to date by the TRWD on the Trinity River Vision and the Corps of Engineers has committed $110 million to this alleged flood control project, in an area that hasn't had a significant flood in over 60 years. The project has an estimated budget of $909 million, a figure which is sure to rise.

Ally Collins could have known none of this, of course. She was just a little girl, with little girl dreams. We will never know with certainty if Ally would still be with us today if the Corps of Engineers had not been shackled with a lack of consistent funding and higher priority work. We can say, however, with some certainty, that Ally's destiny was determined in the days just after she was born, when matters of priority and profit, prestige and power, influence and arrogance merged together in the great confluence of corruption and greed that would one day sweep her away in the great dark waters of fate.

In a few minutes Progressive Liberal Democratic me is taking off to do my early voting duty for Basham, Nold and Kelleher.

And now you know why I am voting to vote the rascals out, hoping to replace them with decent, caring humans who might help prevent any future Ally's from meeting a similar horrific fate.

Captain Clean Wants You To Know Who Is Paying To Keep The Current TRWD Board Intact

Captain Clean is the most politically vocal 5 year old I have ever heard shout. Today Captain Clean was not happy about the following 6 paragraphs that appeared in today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram in an article titled Big money is pouring into the race for Tarrant Regional Water District board.

Mailings from water board members who are not running for office hinted that Bennett was contributing to Basham’s campaign, but Basham vehemently denied that, saying he is working with a PAC, HillCo Partners, and with a firm, K C Consulting in Austin.

“I am not getting anything from Monty Bennett. I went out and found a PAC that stood for open and honest government. I wasn’t going to run unless I had the means to go up against the powers that be,” Basham said.

Records show that Basham is getting donations primarily from two sources, both outside Tarrant County — HillCo and Bray.

Bray, the $100,000 contributor, owns the Barefoot Ranch, which is in the path of the Integrated Pipeline.

The incumbents are getting funds from various donors and lending money to their campaigns, records show.

Basham responds to the criticism about his out-of-county donations by pointing out that the incumbents have gotten out-of-state donations, as well as financial support from contractors with ties to the water district.

The Star-Telegram told you who some of Basham's donors are, but were not specific regarding the mountain of conflicts of interest type donations received by the TRWD Incumbents.

I received the following information about the TRWD donors yesterday....

WANT TO KNOW WHO IS PAYING FOR THE CURRENT TRWD BOARD MEMBERS TO STAY IN PLACE? HERE IS A LIST OF DONORS TO THEIR CAMPAIGNS FILED MAY 3,2013 AT THE 5PM DEADLINE .... SEE A PATTERN?

FREESE & NICHOLS PAC - FT WORTH - (DESIGN AND ENGINEERING CONTRACTOR WITH AWARDS FROM TRWD)

ROBERT SMITH - DALLAS - (PRINCIPAL - HALLIBURTON TECHNICAL SERVICES)

DANIEL BUHMAN - COPPELL - (CONTRACTOR WATER ENGINEER WITH CONTRACTS FOR IPL FROM TRWD/DWU)

JAMES J. PARRISH - ALLEN - (LAND SURVEYING / ENGINEERING FIRM CONTRACTS TRWD)

EDWARD MOTLEY - ARLINGTON - (VICE PRESIDENT - CH2M HILL / CONTRACTS WITH TRWD FOR WATER ENGINEERING)

GREGORY WELCH - MCKINNEY - (GEOGRAPHIC MANAGER - CH2M HILL / CONTRACTS WITH TRWD FOR WATER ENGINEERING)

BRINTON PAYNE - FT WORTH - (TRWD PAID REGISTERED LOBBYIST)

KATHY BEREK - FT WORTH - (DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS TRWD)

SHANNA CATE - FT WORTH - (PLANNING DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TRINITY RIVER VISION)

MINDY ELLMER - FT WORTH - (REGISTERED LOBBYIST TRWD)

HOPPER SMITH - EDMOND OK - (PRINCIPAL - STRATEGIC ENERGY RESOURCES)

LOCKWOOD, ANDREWS, AND NEWMAN PAC - HOUSTON - (ENGINEERING CONTRACTOR)

CHARLIE GEREN - FT WORTH - (STATE REP)

WAYNE OWEN - FT WORTH - (PLANNING DIRECTOR TRWD)

HAYDN CUTLER - FT WORTH - (DEVELOPER AT MARINE CREEK & DOWNTOWN FTW)

JULIE WILSON - FT WORTH - (VICE PRESIDENT OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT CHESAPEAKE ENERGY FT WORTH)

DAVID YANKE - AUSTIN - (BRANCH MANAGER SAIC ENGINEERING / AWARDED IPL CONTRACT FROM TRWD)

CH2M PAC - DALLAS - (CONTRACTOR WITH AWARDS FROM TRWD)

CP&Y INC PAC - DALLAS - (DESIGN AND ENGINEERING FIRM)

HALFF ASSOCIATES PAC - RICHARDSON - (DESIGN AND ENGINEERING FIRM)

CDM SMITH PAC - HOUSTON - (DESIGN AND ENGINEERING CONTRACTOR WITH AWARDS FROM TRWD)

DONALD D'ADAM - AUSTIN - (ENGINEER ATKINS NORTH AMERICA - WATER ENGINEERING CONTRACTOR)

BRAD GORRONDONA - BURLESON - (OWNER GORRONDONA & ASSOCIATES - GEO TECH ENGINEERING)

THOMAS CAVER - AUSTIN - (OWNER CAVER & ASSOCIATES WATER RESOURCES CONSULTING)

TIMOTHY PETRUS - FT WORTH - (PRINCIPAL / MORNING STAR PARTNERS - OIL & GAS EXPLORATION)

KEVIN PATRICK - ASPEN CO - (ATTORNEY / WATERLAW PATRICK, MILLER, KROPF, & NOTO - WATER ATTORNEY)

DAVID PETTIT - FT WORTH - (PRINCIPAL / BENNET, BENNET, & PETTIT ARCHITECT AND PLANNERS)

MICHAEL BENNETT - FT WORTH - (PRINCIPAL / BENNET, BENNET, & PETTIT ARCHITECT AND PLANNERS)

BOOTH AHRENS WERKENTHIN - AUSTIN - (ENVIRONMENTAL LAW FIRM)

WILLIAM DILLON - PROSPER - (COO SR VP / BROWN & GAY ENGINEERS - CIVIL ENGINEERING - CONTRACTS AWARDED BY TRWD)

DORIAN FRENCH - DALLAS - (SR VP MAJOR PROJECTS / BROWN & GAY ENGINEERS - CIVIL ENGINEERING - CONTRACTS AWARDED BY TRWD)

CARL KROGNESS - FT WORTH (PROJECT MANAGER / BROWN & GAY ENGINEERS - CIVIL ENGINEERING - CONTRACTS AWARDED BY TRWD)

One of those on this list stuck out to me....

SHANNA CATE - FT WORTH - (PLANNING DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TRINITY RIVER VISION)

Why would the Planning Director of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle want to make a donation to help with the re-election of the TRWD Board Members? Job insurance for herself? Job insurance for a friend? Or a boyfriend? Did her boyfriend's mother tell her to make a donation?

And how much money did Shanna donate?

J.D. Granger Confuses Smear With Fear In Well Financed TRWD B-N-K Campaign

This morning's Fort Worth Star-Telegram has an article about the TRWD Board election that managed to slightly annoy me.

The article that managed to slightly annoy me is titled, Big money is pouring into the race for Tarrant Regional Water District board.

One of the board incumbents, running for re-election, Vic Henderson, claims the water quality of the Trinity River is much improved from when he began serving on the board in the 1980s, saying, “I know what that river was like. It’s very different than it used to be.”

The Trinity River is different than it used to be? Well, now that totally settles the quality of the water issue.

Apparently the TRWD Board and J.D. Granger are stunned regarding the large amount of money that has been raised by their opponents, particularly John Basham.

J.D. Granger claims "we did not expect a race at all." In that same paragraph I learned that not only is J.D. the executive director of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle, he is also the development director for the Tarrant Regional Water District.

Also from J.D....

“And all of a sudden, four or five mailers hit the street. I’ve never seen anything close to this much money spent on a water district election."

As a result, the incumbents are suddenly playing catch-up, and the district “is staring at a well-funded smear campaign.”

As opposed to the incumbents underfunded smear campaign?

The Star-Telegram neglects to mention the fact that the TRWD Board is being sued for over 300 violations of the Texas Open Meetings law.

Speaking of which,  does anyone have the public record of the Open Meeting the TRWD Board held when they discussed why it was a good idea to give the unqualified, un-experienced, J.D. Granger the job of TRV Boondoggle executive director?

The TRWD Board people have been in brouhaha mode over having the fact that they bought a helicopter brought to the attention of the voting public.

The following 2 paragraphs in the Star-Telegram article particularly vexed me...

TRWD Helicopter

Jim Lane, who serves on the water board and is a candidate in the District 2 Fort Worth City Council race, told the Star-Telegram Thursday that Basham’s mailings are spreading lies suggesting that the district bought a multimillion-dollar helicopter. The mailer showed a large helicopter with leather interior.

The $440,000 helicopter owned by the water district does not boast any leather seats. It is used to fly over and inspect pipelines and facilities that are not easy to reach on roads.

I have received all the B-N-K mailings. I have seen no photo of a large helicopter in any of the B-N-K mailings. I have seen a photo of part of the interior of a helicopter in one of the B-N-K mailings. No where have I seen a claim made that the TRWD bought a multi-million dollar helicopter. I have read mention made of leather seats. And that the TRWD Board uses their helicopter to fly to a private deer hunting location.

I thought it odd that Jim Lane was all adamant about the leather seats, but made no mention of the deer hunting.

Look at the picture above, which I took from the controversial campaign mailer that the TRWD Board spent your tax dollars on, and see if you think that those seats look like they may be leather covered.

I  find Jim Lane's explaining that the almost half a million dollar helicopter is needed to inspect pipelines and facilities without road access to be troubling.

Has the TRWD always had a helicopter, all the way back to its inception? One must assume so, what with those hard to get to pipelines needing to be inspected.

So, the TRWD Board spent almost a half a million dollars to buy the helicopter. How much is spent on fuel each year? How much is a pilot paid?

Here's what I'm thinking. Would it not be a wiser use of taxpayer money to invest that half million dollars in some interest generating instrument, and then use the interest on that investment to hire a couple people to walk the sections of pipeline that one can not drive to? I am sure there are a lot of currently unemployed people who would love the job of hiking to inspect pipelines.

After all, we learned in the notorious Betsy Price TRWD Water Protection Team mailer that the Tarrant Regional Water District provides wise and conservative stewardship of our tax dollars....

The hubris gives me a headache.

Captain Clean Again Accurately Aims His Plunger At The TRWD Board

This morning, before heading to the pool for my morning swim, I was directed to read an article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram titled Big money is pouring into the race for Tarrant Regional Water District board.

That article contained some major distortions from TRWD board members, ironically claiming there have been major distortions in mailers sent out by the B-N-K candidates. More on that later in another blog post.

On my way to the pool I checked my mailbox and found another mailer from Captain Clean and the B-N-K candidates.

I am sure this latest mailer from the B-N-K candidates will have Fort Worth's favorite dowager heiress, Marty Leonard, clutching her pearls.

Again.

Along with fellow pearls clutcher, Kay Granger, with both claiming this mailer is spewing lies.

Marty Leonard and Kay Granger will likely be unable to grasp the ironic hyperbole that Captain Clean is using to make his point on side one of the mailer.

Captain Clean says "Exactly one year ago in Tarrant County...."

And then shares a "letter" from the TRWD Board which says---

Dear Voter,
We decided to cancel the 2012 scheduled elections because we need more time to come up with excuses for our terrible record in office. We'll see you in May 2013.
Sincerely,
The TRWD Board

Moving on to side two of today's mailer from the B-N-K candidates...

Captain Clean's headline is "TARRANT REGIONAL WATER DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS THINK THEY ARE ABOVE THE LAW!"

Captain Clean goes on to elaborate...

"In 2012, the TRWD Board canceled their own elections because they thought no one was watching. But the truth is, we are watching. The TRWD Board has been recently sued for more than 300 violations of Texas  law for holding secret meetings!"

"The only way to stop the corruption on the current TRWD Board  is to vote for three (3) new board members in this May's election. Vote for Captain Clean's trusted allies - Basham, Nold and Kelleher - to clean up the TRWD and put our water supply first!"

Captain Clean could have also mentioned that complaints have been filed against each TRWD board member with the Texas Ethics Commission due to TRWD's misuse of public funds in printing and mailing a 10 page 4 color glossy brochure promoting the Board of Directors just days before early voting begins in the board election.

Tonight Facebook Informed Me I Was Not Invited To A Party But Am Party To The TRWD Resistance

I had not visited Facebook today til a couple minutes ago. My Facebook visit brought me a couple surprises.

One surprise was to learn that a party took place today at the Mary Kelleher Ranch on Randol Mill Road, a short distance from my abode.

Mary Kelleher has a very meager voting record and is running for a seat on the Tarrant Regional Water District Board. Hence this party, to which I was not invited, which was in support of the effort to get elected.

The other Facebook surprise came from someone named Bud Kennedy. Bud Kennedy made a Facebook post because he said some readers wanted to see a map, again, of "who gets to vote in the water board election. (Only taxpayers get to vote, not customers.)"

The part of the above in quotes is directly quoting what Bud Kennedy wrote on Facebook.

Only taxpayers get to vote? Not customers?

Then Bud Kennedy commented to his post saying "Always interesting clash between incumbents and Tea Partiers. Clyde Picht won almost 6 years ago, but challengers didn't do as well last time. Early voting has been very heavy, which does not bode well for incumbents."

I really don't think the Tea Party has much of anything to do with those trying to unseat the TRWD incumbents. The Tea Party is so 2010. It is now 2013.

Then this guy named Rick made a comment on Bud Kennedy's post that was just a tad scary. Rick said, "If the majority of that board turns over to people that have an axe to grind, want to protect water for dallas we will be in trouble, no one pays any attention to trwd because they do such a good job. makes you wonder what organized resistance is trying to put over on the public."

When I read what Rick wrote it brought to mind a blog post I made back on March 13 titled Combined With Dallas Fort Worth Is One Of America's Least Favorite Cities in which we learned, via extensive scientific study, that of the top 35 Metro areas in America, Dallas/Fort Worth is the Least Intelligent.

Let's just ignore Rick's capitalization and punctuation shortcomings. Organized resistance? Protect water for Dallas? No one pays attention to the TRWD because of the good job they do?

I tell you, an uninformed public, ill served by their local media, unable to figure out they are being propagandized, or confused by the propaganda, like confused Rick's obvious misunderstanding of what the Dowager Heiress, Marty Leonard, actually said regarding her allegation about a Dallas businessman being the nefarious money source for what Rick thinks is the resistance, is a sad thing to witness.

I actually sort of like the "resistance" metaphor. I do see some commonality between the current TRWD and the end days of the USSR. Gorbachev brought Glasnost to the Soviet system. The Soviet system could not withstand Glasnost, which means Openness, in English.

Methinks the current TRWD will suffer a similar fate from Glasnost. With over 300 Open Meetings violations, the TRWD doomsday clock is ticking down. When the "resistance" gets on the TRWD Board, transparency will arrive at the TRWD. All the secret backroom deals will see the light of day and all the cockroaches will scurry as quick as they can, back to the cover of darkness.

Or a jail cell.....

Hiking The Tandy Hills Thinking About A Stone Monument To A Pearls Clutching Fort Worth Dowager Heiress

Today was the first time I have been on the Tandy Hills in 3 weeks.

A lot more wildflowers were blooming this Saturday than 3 Saturdays ago. But, the wildflower display is being a bit paltry, this year, compared to previous years.

In addition to a lot more wildflowers the other thing I noticed today that was not there 3 weeks ago was the stone statue monument you see in the picture.

Is this stone statue a monument representing Marty Leonard?

Today whilst getting my daily dose of endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation and the improved mood that comes with the endorphins I found myself dwelling on the absurdity of the propaganda letter I got yesterday from the Fort Worth Dowager Heiress, Marty Leonard, she being on the Tarrant Regional Water District Board, a position, near as I can tell, she is qualified to hold only due to the fact that she was elected to the position.

And yet this self-entitled Dowager Heiress gives herself permission to judge who is qualified or un-qualified to get elected to her board.

I continue to be amazed that this woman had the bad judgement to put the following words in a letter mailed to the masses...

"We cannot risk having unqualified candidates elected to our Board."

Marty Leonard opines it is risky to have unqualified candidates elected to her Board?

While Marty Leonard thinks it is perfectly okay to risk appointing an unqualified person to run the billion dollar TRWD project known as the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle?

In her propaganda letter Marty Leonard character assassinates the three Incumbent Opponents, saying one is a bankrupt candidate, one is a deadbeat and another has a meager voting record.

Morally bankrupt hubris from a pearls clutching self-entitled Dowager Heiress.

If I was a candidate would Marty Leonard clutch her pearls and attempt to assassinate my character with the shocking news that 4 years ago a Fort Worth cop gave me a ticket because I was not wearing a seatbelt? While driving too slow?

Fort Worth's Grande Dames of Obfuscating Obtuseness Aggravate Me

Above you are looking at side one of the latest TRWD Opponents B-N-K Mailer. This mailer arrived in my mailbox yesterday, along with an inflammatory letter from TRWD Board Member, Marty Leonard, she being Fort Worth's favorite pearls clutching self-entitled dowager heiress.

I blogged  about my disdain for Marty Leonard's sleazy smear tactics in a blog post titled The TRWD Election Propaganda Spewings Of Self-Entitled Dowager Heiress Marty Leonard.

After Elsie Hotpepper read what I thought about Marty Leonard's sleazy smearing Elsie text messaged me "I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Marty Leonard pissed you off. LOL!!!."

As usual, Elsie Hotpepper is correct. I was extremely offput by Marty Leonard's letter, with its falsehoods,  propaganda, smears and shear gall.

Both Marty Leonard and her co-conspirator, Kay Granger, make allegations about negative and false propaganda, misinformation and flat out lies supposedly being mailed out by the B-N-K Opponents. Yet neither of these Grande Dames go to the bother of providing any facts to substantiate their allegations.

The latest B-N-K mailer, as you can read above, says "The Tarrant Regional Water District has been sued for more than 300 violations of Texas law for holding secret meetings."

That's a fact, you Grande Dames of Obfuscating Obtuseness. To say the Tarrant Regional Water District has been sued for more than 300 violations of Texas law for holding secret meetings is a fact, not propaganda, not misinformation, not a lie. It's a fact.

Facts are something I think maybe pearls clutching Grande Dames of Obfuscation are not very comfortable with.

On side two of the latest TRWD Opponents B-N-K  Mailer  Captain Clean boldly asserts that "ONLY YOU CAN HELP CAPTAIN CLEAN STOP THE CORRUPTION AND MISMANAGEMENT AT THE TRWD!"

What Captain Clean boldly asserts is yet one more fact that likely makes the Grande Dames of Obfuscation uncomfortable.

On Thursday, after finding a mailer from the TRWD Board Incumbents in my mailbox I wrote a post titled Betsy Price Should Think Twice Before Joining A Floundering Local Water Protection Team About To Get Flushed.

In that blog post I really did not do justice in my attempt to ridicule that part of the mailer where there is a list of 4 things the TARRANT REGIONAL WATER  DISTRICT PROVIDES. Below is that list...

1. A safe, reliable supply of water to meet the current and future needs of our families and businesses.
2. An extremely effective and extensive flood control system that protects our homes and property.
3. Extensive water conservation efforts that protect our environment and water supplies for future generations.
4. Wise and conservative stewardship of our tax dollars.

This morning on the Star-Telegraph, in a blog post titled Say it again, I saw that one of Fort Worth's wisest treasures, Don Woodard, has done justice, in the ridiculing department, regarding the TRWD Board Member Incumbent's list of 4 things the TRWD provides....

1. None of the incumbents had anything to do with building the lakes with which we draw our water: Lake Worth; Lake Bridgeport; Eagle Mountain; Richland-Chambers; Cedar Creek. Our fathers built them. The incumbents are engrossed in building a 33-acre Casino Lake for tourists.
2. Jim Wright, dating from the 1949 flood, is whom I give credit for our levees and flood control. The Star-Telegram reported June 12, 2005 that the Army Corps of Engineers had a plan to control any realistic flooding problem for $10 million.
3. Extensive water conservation efforts. The Lawn Whisperer. Is that it?
4. Wise and conservative stewardship of our tax dollars? Like the goofy billion dollar Trinity Uptown earmark boondoggle?

I will be glad when this election is over.

Don't forget to vote for Basham, Nold and Kelleher to Flush the TRWD.

The TRWD Election Propaganda Spewings Of Self-Entitled Dowager Heiress Marty Leonard

On the left you are looking at a letter I found in my mailbox this morning from Marty Leonard.

Marty Leonard is a Tarrant Regional Water District Board Member who is not up for election on May 11. The intent of Marty Leonard's letter is to ask her "Friends" to vote for 3 of her TRWD Board cohorts who are up for election.

Marty Leonard's letter contains the information that it is a "Political Advertisement Paid By Vic Henderson Campaign, Jack Stevens Campaign and Hal Sparks Campaign."

Marty Leonard's letter includes "some voter assistance cards with an endorsement from Mayor Betsy Price" so "You can take these cards with you into the polls."

On Marty Leonard's voter assistance cards it says "Politcal Advertisement Paid For By Clean Water Committee."

You can see a copy of Marty Leonard's voter assistance card below, which you can feel free to print to take with you to the polls to make sure you don't accidentally vote for any of these three whom Marty Leonard suggests you vote for.

I  found the section of Marty Leonard's propaganda letter that is highlighted in yellow, and copied below, to be particularly offensive...

Many of you have received in the mail several NEGATIVE and FALSE propaganda pieces from a group running for Tarrant Regional Water District under the banner of "B-N-K." First let me strongly recommend that you NOT vote for any of these candidates. Their gross distortion of the water board is being heavily funded (maybe as much as $200,000) by a controversial businessman from Dallas who is trying to block one of our critical water pipelines from crossing some land he owns in East Texas. His dubious slate of candidates includes a bankrupt candidate who doesn't even live in the TRWD district, another who is being sued by TRWD  for being a tax deadbeat, and another with a meager voting record.

Marty Leonard seems to fall into the Kay Granger mold of ironically spewing that which she accuses others of spewing, as in Marty Leonard's spewage of negative, false propaganda  in the above paragraph.

I believe the Dallas businessman to whom Marty Leonard refers may be Monty Bennett, he being the guy suing the TRWD Board for declaratory and injunctive relief concerning violations by the TRWD of the Texas Open Meetings Act. I blogged about this way back on March 19 in a post titled Is It Not About Time Someone Sues The Tarrant Regional Water District Over Texas Open Meetings Violations?

As for Marty Leonard characterizing the B-N-K opponents as being a dubious slate of candidates somehow working at the behest of this Dallas businessman, well, I already opined that Marty Leonard is spewing propaganda.

Reprehensible propaganda.

As for Marty Leonard's characterizations of the 3 candidates, with one being bankrupt, one being a deadbeat and one having a meager voting record.

A "meager voting record?" How scandalous.

John Basham is the candidate Marty Leonard refers to as bankrupt. From the B-N-K website regarding John Basham....

John Austin Basham is the founder, president, and senior meteorologist of Storm Spotter Live, a weather consulting and atmospheric data solutions company for the emergency management  energy, transportation, and education industries.

Shortly after September 11, 2001, Basham joined the Texas Army National Guard where he became trained as a combat medic. While on active duty, during a training mission, John received a serious and permanent injury to his spinal cord while carrying an injured soldier to safety. In spite of his injury, Basham continues to serve in the Texas Army National Guard as well as run and grow his company.

Timothy Nold is the candidate Marty Leonard refers to as a deadbeat. From the B-N-K website regarding Timothy Nold....

Timothy Nold is a professional land surveyor working primarily in land development, transportation, petroleum and infrastructure. He is the survey group manager for Shield Engineering Group in downtown Fort Worth. Nold is a volunteer and board chairman for a non-profit historic preservation organization. He is also working to restore his 1910 house in the historic Rock Island neighborhood located on the site of Gruenwald’s Pavilion, the Samuels Farm and the Terry Plantation, a debate and rally site visited by Sam Houston during his campaign for Governor in 1857.

Mary Kelleher is the candidate Marty Leonard refers to as having a meager voting record. From the B-N-K website regarding Mary Kelleher....

Mary Kelleher and her husband have farmed almost 200 acres of land on the east side of Fort Worth for 17 years; cutting and baling nearby hay fields, raising beef cattle, and raising various breeds of chickens and other fowl.  She has worked with troubled youth in Tarrant County for over two decades. 

Kelleher knows first-hand the consequences when our elected leaders abuse their power. She successfully battled the threat of eminent domain being used to confiscate her property, but unfortunately her well water is no longer drinkable and her farm has been subjected to unprecedented and devastating flooding.

I think Marty Leonard's morally bankrupt low blow directed at John Basham is a fairly good indicator of the quality of character Marty Leonard possesses. She being a self-entitled dowager heiress who has never had to worry about money due to daddy being a department store magnate.

Meanwhile, John Basham, an actual contributor to American society, was injured while serving his country, with the consequence, as happens to way too many who serve, of John Basham running into financial woes, whilst recovering from his injuries.

And Marty Leonard and her corrupt cohorts use this against this man?

This rather sickens me.

Marty Leonard should be ashamed of herself. If this woman had a fraction of an ounce of moral decency she would resign from the TRWD Board due to her wantonly displayed moral bankruptcy.

It further offends me that Marty Leonard has the raw gall to characterize these 3 good people as being unqualified to be elected to "Our Board."

"OUR BOARD?"

It's the People's Board you pearls clutching self-entitled dowager heiress, NOT "YOUR BOARD."

Reading the short bios of Basham, Nold and Kelleher, it seems to me they are more than qualified to look after the water interests of the citizens who live in the Tarrant Regional Water District.

And what exactly are Marty Leonard's qualifications to be on this Board? Other than being a self-entitled dowager heiress?

Below is Marty Leonard's Voter Assistance Card which you can take with you to the polls to remind yourself not to vote for any of the 3 candidates this self-entitled dowager heiress is recommending...

A 38 Degree First Friday Of May Arctic Blast Swim In Texas With Incoming Propaganda

As you can see, via a screencap of the info from my computer based weather monitoring device, the predicted Arctic Blast of record breaking cold arrived on schedule.

However, the predicted precipitation did not precipitate, at least at my location.

I thought it likely swimming would not be doable this morning.

I thought wrong.

The water in the pool was way less cool than the temperature of the air. So, I had myself a real  fine time swimming in the chill this morning. I did end the swim with a hot tub bout just to make sure I did not have a shivering bout due to my numbed temperature monitoring nerves no longer giving reliable feedback.

Speaking of nerves.

I checked my mailbox this morning to find incoming propaganda from Marty Leonard. Marty Leonard is a pearl clutching dowager heiress who is one of the Tarrant Regional Water District Board Members not up for election on May 11.

I also found a new mailer in my mailbox from Captain Clean and the BNK TRWD Flushers.

I have scanned Captain Clean's latest mailer and Marty Leonard's letter to her "Dear Friends." I must ponder the apparent hubris of an entitled heiress for a moment or two and then do some blogging...

Betsy Price Should Think Twice Before Joining A Floundering Local Water Protection Team About To Get Flushed

The score  is now 4 to 2 in the TRWD Board Election Mailer War.

The TRWD Opponents to the TRWD Incumbents have mailed 4 legitimate campaign mailers, while the TRWD Incumbents have mailed 1 bogus campaign mailer disguised as a Board Report, and a seemingly legitimate campaign mailer from the TRWD Incumbents, which showed up in my mailbox this morning.

Unlike the TRWD Incumbent's previous illegit campaign mailer the new one clearly states "Political advertising paid for by CLEAN WATER COMMITTEE."

I have never heard of the CLEAN WATER COMMITTEE, have you? Is Captain Clean on the CLEAN WATER COMMITTEE?

This first legit TRWD Incumbent mailer of the campaign headlines Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price's recommendations for "OUR LOCAL WATER PROTECTION TEAM."

In other words, the Incumbents.

The mailer notes that the TRWD Incumbents have been endorsed by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, with the Star-Telegram opining that "they have led the way in planning a system of lakes and pipelines to serve local and regional water needs for the next 50 years."

Huh?

I thought one of the TRWD water problems was that Fort Worth and its surrounding area is predicted to have some upcoming water woes, to the extent that the TRWD has been engaged into trying to finagle Oklahoma out of some of its water.

Among the propaganda tidbits on the TRWD Incumbent Mailer is an item in the upper right of the side of the mailer you see on the left.

Under the heading "TARRANT REGIONAL WATER  DISTRICT PROVIDES..." is a list of 4, detailing what the TRWD Incumbents want us to believe they provide....

1. A safe, reliable supply of water to meet the current and future needs of our families and businesses. 
2. An extremely effective and extensive flood control system that protects our homes and property.
3. Extensive water conservation efforts that protect our environment and water supplies for future generations.
4. Wise and conservative stewardship of our tax dollars.

Let's take a look at #2 on this list. The TRWD is in cahoots with the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle to take down Trinity River levees that you in the rest of America helped pay for over a half century ago. This sort of segues to #4 on the list.

Conservative stewardship of our tax dollars? Spending tax dollars to build an unneeded flood diversion channel that will be needed when the already paid for, functioning perfect, levees are removed? If that is wise stewardship of our tax dollars I can not imagine what un-wise stewardship of our tax dollars would look like.  Maybe un-wise stewardship of our tax dollars would be something like a small public agency using public funds to buy a helicopter to use on duck hunting sorties.

In #3 the TRWD makes the claim that their efforts protect our water supplies for future generations. How many million gallons of water has the TRWD sold the Barnett Shale Natural Gas Drillers? How many millions of those gallons of water have been chemically contaminated by the fracking process, then injected into underground structures, endangering aquifers?

Back to #2 and the TRWD's claim to have provided an effective flood control system. Ever heard of Haltom City? That town is in the Tarrant Regional Water District. A creek or two runs through Haltom City. Ever heard of Fossil Creek?

People have died in Haltom City flash floods. Booming development in north Tarrant County covered a lot of land with impermeable material, like asphalt. Nothing was done to help mitigate the resulting increase in water flow. Hence the Haltom City flash floods.

While the TRWD focuses its attention on the Trinity River Vision and its unneeded flood control alterations, the flood dangers that come with heavy rain, in Haltom City, have received little attention.

The TRWD brags about a flood control system that protects our homes and property. Apparently that claim should be amended to being a flood control system that protects our homes and property if you live in an area of the Tarrant Regional Water District that the Water Board deems worthy of their attention.

I am almost 100% certain I will be ignoring the advice of Betsy Price and the Star-Telegram and will instead be  voting for Basham, Nold and Kelleher, in the hope that a minor revolution is about to flush over the TRVD