May 8th can't get her soon enough. Mayor Smith's friends have put out yet another letter. See HERE, HERE, and HERE for last week's offerings.
Click HERE to read today's letter.
(Yes, I know, it isn't signed, but Jan Balekian--Jody Smith's BFF--forgot that her postage permit #934 could easily be tied to her...tsk...tsk. That was way too easy.)
The theme of this communication is that Mr. Filidoro used to be a DEMOCRAT (so what? so was Ronald Reagan), that he is a back-room dealing, Chicago-style politician (wait--Jody's the one from Chicago and we've now seen four deceitful, slander-filled communications begging for votes for her and her slate), and that efforts to control the march towards industrialization will result in "more government" and "increased taxes."
That's nonsense. If the drillers have their way (and it looks like they would with the "Smith/Smith/Smith" ticket--reference the Keystone letter), Flower Mound would have hundreds of gas wells throughout the town. This would directly impact taxes--but in a very negative way. Our infrastructure will be stretched, our tax base will be reduced when home values decrease (which they will--no one wants to live near a gas well or in a community filled with them), and business will shy away. When Flower Mound becomes an undesirable place to live, it will also become an undesirable place to shop.
Bottom line...this latest communication is an assault on common sense. How can the NFL (Northern, Filidoro, Lyda) slate be labeled as failing to represent the conservative values of Flower Mound when it is doing nothing more than attempting to represent the MAJORITY of Flower Mound residents who have nothing to gain financially from the supposed "blessings" of the Barnett Shale?
And one final word. Jan's final jab at Mr. Filidoro is that a former employer stated that he was a "snake." That's cheap Jan. Even for you. You include an alleged quote that is undated, unattributed, and is completely unverifiable.
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20 comments:
I read the first sentence and thought something was happening to Starbucks.
The vast majority of Flower Mound residents are highly intelligent, civil people. I am very excited about the new leadership at city hall and grateful that they have stepped forward to serve. It will be a pleasure to vote!
I guess I should confess to being one of those "liberals" who support the NFL. Because you see, in 1976, when I was 21 years old, I voted for Jimmy Carter.
Of course, I've voted straight-ticket Republican in every election since then. But, I guess that doesn't matter.
All I need to know about Balekian and Mizeur I learned with their mocking tone regarding the parents of children who have leukemia.
"Paraded their cancer stricken children". Really? Feel good about writing that and attaching your names to it?
That's scraping rock bottom.
If you can't make your point without showing us you have no decency, then you've got serious problems.
Also, the fact that Smith, Robinson, and Webb haven't denounced these two for such deplorable behavior speaks volumes about their character, as well.
Ron Paul is a little too Liberal for me. At least that's the joke my friends make about me. Balekian and Mizeur are attempting to make our concerns about property damage and our children's health a political issue by making it sound like all of FM benefits from the non-stop flow of cash in tax revenue drilling will bring in. First, there might be a lot of money at stake, but very little of it will actually benefit FM. Those with leases will get a few hundred dollars at best in exchange for our health.
Gas wells lose as much as 50% production after the first year. But the drill site, contamination and fugitive emissions remain. Less production means less tax revenue, but the property damage has already been done. Not only will those adversely affected find it much more difficult to sell their home, they will almost surely not be able to sell it at market value.
Balekian points out in the newest letter that Filidoro wants "Changes that trample the rights of most town citizens."
I'd like to know what specific rights are being trampled- your 'right' to destroy my property? How about your 'right' to poison our children? Do they also beleive they have a 'right' to drive away business, new homes and revenue? When did these things become either a Democratic or Republican issue?
This argument reminds me of the outgoing crook...I mean commissioner Carillo adding that he was 'Opposed to abortion and for gun rights' during his presentation in Ft. Worth a few months ago. As if these two topics cross the desk of the TRC.
I don't care about the politics, right is right, and wrong is wrong. Smith and company are on the wrong side of this issue and have been for many years, so come May, we'll see about the 'rights of most town citizens.'
We will, Tim? Did you plan on voting in our election? Maybe we do need poll watchers afterall.
I would vote if I could-so I'm doing the next best thing-helping to influence the vote against your unethical gas loving mayor and rats like you who don't have enough courage to use your name. Maybe you should hold up your 'Yes' sign a bit higher, WE can't see you.
To: April 22,2010 - 10:27 pm
You don't want to hear the truth. Tim has lived it first hand and knows the reality of drilling. Until you go to his home, see what is going on, read lab reports done on his property, look at facts, well-he can say whatever he wants as he IS the authority. Not you. People in the wrong, no matter what the issue, are disrespectful to the victims. I bet they have not drilled ON your property.
Thanks Tim for sharing your story and "trying" to educate and warn us of the dirty side of drilling. There are those that choose to live in denial. I choose to listen to what you have to say.
Tim,
I live in Lantana. The drilling is happening all around us. We've got 3 well sites in our community. Argyle, Bartonville, Copper Canyon, Flower Mound, Double Oak, Denton are permitting gas wells like crazy. Every one of them impacts me as far as I'm concerned. Although I can't vote in those towns or have a say at their council meetings, I will do whatever I can to support the efforts of any group in those towns aimed at protecting our health and homes.
Anonymous, you should read Tim's story or check out Mayor Tillman's story from Dish, TX. Unfortunately, they are not the only stories like that. I don't want to see these things happen here. It's not worth it.
If this drilling was so great for us, the gas companies wouldn't have to spend so much time and energy trying to sell it
Tim lives in Decatur. Calvin lives in DISH. Neither community is anything like Flower Mound and never will be, even without the efforts of the anti-drillers. To compare these communities to Flower Mound is absurd. But then logic and reason don't seem to be big players on the anti-drilling team, so this should not surprise us.
By the way, is the correct name DISH, Dish or dish? I know that the satelite TV company provided good value to the residents in the form of free TV in return for the naming rights, so I want to get it correct.
It's DISH....just like DISH Network........
6:25 pm Anonymous: You're correct, Decatur and DISH cannot compare to Flower Mound. There are much more people in Flower Mound than in Decatur and DISH combined, so there are certainly many more people for you to pollute and steal their land from.
I'm not anti-drilling, I'm anti-poison. The pollution that is emitted into the air by drilling rigs, (more nitrogen oxide is pumped out by one of these rigs in an hour than what you should exposed to in a year) the illegal dumping and negligent spills of carcinogenic chemicals onto the land, carcinogenic chemical makeup of your 'harmless' drilling mud (see drilling mud testing analysis posted on TXSharon's blog) that is spread out over land and the leaking condensate tanks spilling hundreds of gallons of condensate all over the place (see videos on YouTube) and the leaking fugitive emissions coming from valve boxes and pipe fittings (see TCEQ FLIR videos) do not respect political boundaries. We all share the same water and air, even though most of us do not share your love of money.
Tim, you are right. I guess many don't believe that what happens North of us can affect our food sources, air and water. For some of you, Tim has a creek near him that naturally flows to Lake Grapevine. There have been numerous spills out at his property near this creek. So if you think that all our communities are not connected in some way, you should think again.
Tim, thanks for sharing you experiences with all of us. Better regulations and drilling practices should apply to ALL communities in the state of Texas. Period.
A few responses for Decatur Tim:
"...there are certainly many more people for you to pollute and steal their land from." You keep confusing me with someone else, presumably a representative of a gas drilling company. Unlike you, I am a resident of Flower Mound. I am not polluting or stealing anyone's land.
"I'm not anti-drilling, I'm anti-poison." Really, Decatur Tim? Then what is your stance on golf courses, say, the Bridlewood course (that is in Flower Mound, in case you did not know, in the very heartland of the anti-driller)? Are you aware that golf courses use hundreds or even thousands of pounds of pesticides every year? Chemicals that are specifically engineered to kill? Chemicals designed for outdoor use, meaning that they often incorporate microencapsulation technology to prevent breakdown from exposure to sunlight? And are you aware that these chemicals end up in our water supply? The Bridlewood golf course is a much more dangerous polluter of our Flower Mound land and water than all the gas wells combined.
"...most of us do not share your love of money." The degree to which I "love money" relative to you and your chums is something that would be very difficult to measure, so your claim is baseless. I would submit that many of the people that are opposed to drilling are doing so for economic reasons in the belief that their property values could suffer from drilling. My primary motivation comes not from money, but from the resentment I hold for people like you that are sticking their noses into other peoples' business and making false claims about the dangers of gas drilling in Flower Mound.
As long as we are talking about "false claims", how about that 2499 toll-road zinger? You really want to claim these people as your own, or with whom you agree? Talk about false accusations, now your side is just grasping at straws. Even **IF** someone on council did want to make 2499 a toll road they couldn't and the Flower Mound voters know it, telling them differently is insulting their intelligence.
Sorry, I can't keep up with all you Anonymous idiots when you don't want to use your name. Maybe you aren't a gas company employee- but you obviously agree with what they do and how they do it.
Interesting fact about your golf course-maybe you should look into it and see what you can do about it. I don't play golf, or spend time on a golf course. We used to enjoy our horses on our property before your buddies came along. Apparently, there wasn't any gas to be had where they live, so they decided to drill on mine. I have reams of information-mostly from the multiple tests I have had conducted by multiple different testing companies and agencies that show that gas well drilling is not only inherently dangerous, it's also contaminating MY air, land, soil and water. Those facts are irrefutable. By all means, please challenge those tests. Better yet, sue me so we can show them in court. Sorry, you might have to use your real name, then.
We paid $250K for our home and property 6 years ago. Thanks to your chums, our property, in post-drilling appraisal, makes it worth less than half that.
So, according you, there are no gas well drilling issues to be worried about in Flower Mound? That's a relief, for a moment there, I thought the bad air in DISH, Denton and Decatur drifted for miles around. Good to know that the polluted air around my home stays right here. Good news, everyone, you no longer have anything to be concerned about if you live in Flower Mound! Your health and property values are perfectly safe!
I just came back from a speaking tour in rural Pennsylvania with a certain outspoken Mayor, who also has trouble keeping his nose out of it, too. We showed hundreds of people lots of spill videos and pictures and testing results. Oddly enough, some of the very same operators in the Marcellus Shale are the same irresponsible idiots operating on the Barnett Shale.
Our governments are not doing protecting the people as they should. The TRC and TCEQ are as corrupt as the mafia. Actually, I think the mafia has a standard, the gas companies do not....
To April 25, 2010 2:18 pm
You are another one of those Flower Mound residents who think you have "special air, water and food." How about Argyle and Bartonville because they are having problems with "your friends" too. Oh, I get it. You are more special than those areas too.
Wake-up because you are next, unless Tim, Mayor Tillman, along with other hard working people are successful with implimenting changes that would enforced safe drilling practices. Then you will just reap the benefits so you can still play on your golf course.
By the way. If you are resentful, I suggest you stay away from this site. Did you read the TITLE?
Anon 5:25 - yes, I read the title, I find the first two words especially interesting. Perhaps Decatur Tim missed those.
Looks to me like you are afraid of Tim. Why don't you sit down with Tim and have a real conversation. I'll be more than happy to video this meeting so there are no misunderstandings.
Most gas company employees and the mineral right owners who fell for the Caribbean Island, Mansion on the beach and unending wealth for life crap the Industry spews out are afraid of me. I think it's because they are bullies, and they only have one tool - intimidation. Intimidation doesn't work with me, as I fear no man, and especially any bully. I only fear God.
I'm up for a meet or even a debate-name the time and place, and be sure to bring all your friends and maybe even invite Williams and their PR machine. Don't forget your YES signs. As long as you allow me to bring my hours of video, thousands of pictures and reams of documents that prove the dangers of gas well drilling near homes. Should be a good time.
In fact, there are some videos already on YouTube from Mayor Tillman's and my presentations in rural Pennsylvania. There were some Industry people there, too. Easy to spot, though- stand in the back, hands in their pockets, staring at their shoes. In fact, they are so proud of themselves and who they represent, they have nothing to say and 'No Comment' when asked. Cluck, cluck, cluck.
Amen. Preach it, brother Tim!
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