Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Fool Me Once Shame On You, Fool Me Twice Shame On Me!

In the past few weeks, I have received phone calls from residents telling me they are being told by Hayden, Dixon and Webb that gas drilling in Flower Mound is a dead issue.

First of all I want to address the gas drilling is a "dead issue" . Folks, don't be fooled. The gas and oil industry wants to create their own demand and are already applying for permits to export liquefied natural gas or LNG to other countries. There is big money in exporting LNG. Gas companies can get up to 3 times or more for the gas from other countries. Before you get excited, gas companies probably won't pass that profit on to the US mineral owners. Your gas will most likely be based on the going rate of gas here in the US. Which is at an all time low.
Click here to read about LNG and CNG at Texas Sharon.

Some of the Flower Mound Residents are being told, in so many words, the following:

Flower Mound has a strong ordinance in place and there are no applications pending.

The gas drilling ship has sailed.

That Dixon and Webb, previously were pro drilling, have changed their mind and in so many words "hear" the people of Flower Mound.

Candidate Bryan Webb who not only spoke in favor of gas drilling, but publicly displayed his support for gas drilling. 
Mr. Webb signed a lease with Keystone Exploration, a company currently suing the town. In 2010, Keystone became involved in our town elections. Keystone Exploration sent out letters to residents and endorsed Bryan Webb, Jody Smith, and Gerald Robinson. In a recent Flower Mound Leader article, Mr. Webb said "I do not believe, nor did I believe two years ago, that “responsible” drilling includes sites in our town’s neighborhoods. My statements on this have been clear." But in April of 2010, many of us that are truly concerned about gas drilling near schools and neighborhoods had to look at Mr. Webb's signs prominently displayed on Mr. Hilliard Field during the 2010 election. Now that is a statement that was loud and clear. Hmm, maybe Mr. Webb doesn't consider Hilliard Field to be near neighborhoods or schools. 

Candidate, Steve Dixon, who is running again, and says he has "heard" the residents, he is making promises that he will honor the ordinance. Promises just like he did in previous campaign literature in 2008 where he had this quote, " Have a review of the oil and gas ordinance (with citizens input we can make it better for us) – Safety is my top concern !" and 2009, promised to tighten the ordinance to not allow drilling within 1000 feet of a residence. Which would have required amendments to the variances in the Oil and Gas Ordinance. Mr. Dixon sat on council for months and NEVER again mentioned strengthening the ordinance. In late 2009, then Council members Dixon, Wallace and Levenick voted against putting in a moratorium so the ordinance could be reviewed and more studies could be done on gas drilling effects on air and water.  In early 2010, Dixon voted to put in zoning to allow the infamous Centralized Collection Facility. Then voted against accepting the petition that requested an oil and gas committee be established to review the gas ordinance. And again voted against putting a moratorium into place in early May of 2010 even after 6000 residents spoke loud and clear.  Mike Wallace, like Dixon, also pretended to be concerned about drilling near homes and schools but proceeded to vote pro-gas at each opportunity. Many of us who were anti urban drilling have to live with the fact that we were so deceived by these two that we actually displayed their campaign signs in our yards during the 2009 election."  

I had a picture of Amy Wallace's which had a Hayden, Dixon, Webb sign on it. She has asked me to remove it. So I did.


Take a look at the signs proudly displayed in Mike Wallace's yard during this election season. (Mike Wallace's wife posted this picture on Facebook) No surprises here. Wallace's wife was on Facebook implying NFL is afraid that Hayden/Dixon/Webb, if elected, will appoint Wallace to the empty seat Hayden vacated. I don't know if that scares NFL but it scares the crap out of me. Wallace's wife said Mike has no desire to return to council YET (defintion of yet: at a future time; eventually). If Dixon and Webb were elected and the council had enough votes to put Wallace back on Council by appointment, this should scare the pants off of every resident who wants to keep gas away from our homes and schools.

Here is a little hypothetical scenario for you. When they start exporting our natural gas, greed will set in. If these candidates get elected, they could change their mind because some of their "big"  and "loyal" supporters (those who supported them when they were pro drilling), decide they want to loosen the ordinance like a group of residents in Southlake are trying to do right now. They will use excuses like, we will get sued. (Yet the Oil and Gas Board of Appeals decision has already been tested. In 2008, a court of law threw out the Red Oak/Riverwalk case and upheld the OGBOA denial of 12 variances.) We will hear it is the American thing to do. Help the economy. You know like old times again.

Then the "former" (cough cough) pro drilling candidates, again if elected, decide they want to do away with the Oil and Gas Board of Appeals and go to the Special Use Permit for zoning gas drilling, like Southlake and some other towns. This would allow the Town Council to vote on whether to grant variances and if they will permit wells to be drilled. If you think our Town Council Elections are nasty and political now, just wait till the council is responsible for voting on gas drilling and production in our town.

You think this can't happen? Think again.

Just a quick history lesson.
Between May 2004 and 2010 over 55 wells were permitted during Mayor Jody Smith reign.
September 20, 2004, Flower Mound permitted the first gas well on the Bunn site.

In 2006 a Oil and Gas Stakeholder Committee, chosen by Mayor Jody Smith's drill friendly council, made up of mostly large property owners (where there are some pad sites now)    and industry people, decided our 2003 Oil and Gas Ordinance was not driller friendly, scratch that, too strong. March of 2007, Mayor Smith, Council Members Tasker, Stone, Lindsey and Trotter voted to accept the recommendations from the 2006 Oil and Gas Stakeholders to weaken the setbacks and amend the ordinance.
Only Council Member Laurie Long voted against the changes.

Makes you wonder about all the wells that might not be near homes and schools.

Gas drilling is an important issue but I am aware that gas drilling isn't the only issue facing our town right now.

Just ask yourself these few questions.
How important is a promise made from a candidate on ANY issue that is important to you?
What if they said one thing but did the complete opposite?
Does it matter if it is gas drilling, economic growth, fiscal responsibility, etc.? 


I believe actions speak louder than words.

I believe if an elected official is running again, they should be judged on their actions when they had the power to make a difference and didn't, not the words they say when they want that power back.

How about you? Are you willing to gamble on the health, safety, and quality of life in our great Town of Flower Mound?

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

No, I am not willing to gamble and I believe exactly like you do.

I, also, believe that the having anyone serving on the council with vested interests in the Oil and Gas industry or in other areas such as land development that do not recuse themselves, puts our town more at risk of being sued; not necessarily just for current projects and perhaps for many years to come.

Anonymous said...

I am astonished to see hundreds of signs for Webb all over FM outscoring every candidates and a sponsored link on FB. Is his campaign funded by gas companies? Why is he so keen to be on the Town Council? I don't want gas drilling in my backyard.

Anonymous said...

Webb was never for drilling in neighborhoods? Is that why his sign was plastered on a drilling site on 2499 in the middle of a bunch of subdivisions?

Shirley said...

Thanks for posting this. I agree it doesn't matter what the issue is. I think if these candidates will lie and misrepresent their position on an issue as important as gas drilling, an issue that has divided our community and changed the landscape of our town like gas drilling, they can't be trusted with any major issue that faces our town.

TXsharon said...

Regarding the LNG issue: I have several posts on my blog about LNG. The U.S. is poised to the the world's biggest exporter of LNG and they have already approved the first permit. The export terminals and other infrastructure is already underway.

Royalty owners are paid on the price at Henry Hub or Waha or some other local Texas pricing mechanism. ROYALTY OWNERS WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE ADDITIONAL PROFIT FROM EXPORTING LNG!

FMCAUD said...

Thanks Sharon for all the info.

Anonymous said...

First - We live in Texas and unfortunately on one of the largest oil & gas supplies.
Second - Unfortunately if you do not own your mineral rights, then know that who ever does - has a legal right to access them.
Instead of dragging peoples names through the mud - you owe it to yourself to get out and meet all of the candidates and ask them directly where they stand on these important issues instead of depending on the game of "telephone" and hearing it second hand or third hand or.. well you get the picture.
Instead of our community fighting each other, we should be fighting to make these oil & gas companies invest in safer ways of drilling away from our homes. Because ultimately, they will get their oil & gas "property" and we will have been so focused on stopping them, we won't have had any say on how they get it.

FMCAUD said...

"you owe it to yourself to get out and meet all of the candidates and ask them directly where they stand on these important issues instead of depending on the game of "telephone" and hearing it second hand or third hand or.. well you get the picture."
Anon 9:42 am.
Are you kidding? Like I said, Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

Anonymous said...

Hi Sharon,

I am new to Flower Mound. I have been following your blog for a while. Thank you so much for all you've done.I fully agree with you. Could I know who are those total against the gas production in the nominees in the election? I would elect them if I know.

FMCAUD said...

This is not Sharon's Blog. Her blog is texassharon.com. We love Texas Sharon too.

Stephanie H. said...

Anonymous 4/11/12 5:35pm, go back and re-read the article. FMCAUD makes it clear that Hayden/Dixon/Webb are NOT the right choice for those of us concerned about urban drilling. Northern, Filidoro and Lyda are their opponents and the incumbents. They have consistently worked to protect us from gas drilling near homes and schools - I urge you to vote for them. BTW, you can't find a more expert and respected resource on Flower Mound's fight to stop urban drilling than FMCAUD. If you are new to Flower Mound you have come to the right place for reliable information on drilling.

TXsharon said...

Dear New to Flower Mound,

I do not endorse any candidate. I provide factual information about the threat of drilling to our neighborhoods, public health and safety.

Anonymous said...

I don't understand why someone like Dixon who lost his seat due to the votes of the citizens and Webb who lost in his bid for a seat would run again. Did they not get the message from the voters the last time? I've been following Gas drilling in this town since it first started and I would not place the keys to this town with either candidate. How did Hayden get mixed up with these two guys? I would vote for N.F.L

Stephanie H. said...

You must have hit a nerve with this blog post. I see Hayden/Dixon/Webb campaign staff and benefactors on FB trying hard to discredit FMCAUD. Good luck with that! No one has more credibility on this stuff than FMCAUD. Why don't they just defend their guys?

Anonymous said...

New to Town Anon- Dixon, Webb & Hayden are running because the incumbants have made a LOT of mistakes and many of their former supporters are very dissatisfied with their performance.

I urge you to learn about ALL sides of the issue and realize that there is often a lot of misinformation, misdirection and fear-based propaganda circulated by the anti-urban-drilling crowd.

Anonymous said...

Just saw some posts from the Hayden crew trying to distance themselves from Dixon and Webb. If I thought it was real, I'd be glad but I'm afraid it may just be a political calculation. Dixon and Webb shouldn't be surprised. He wasn't loyal to NFL either. I think we are all learning Hayden is all about Hayden.

Anonymous said...

How about the other side of the coin? Right, I didn't think so. Any comment that doesn't agree with your viewpoint is censored.

http://www.electwebb.com/?vf_news=no-surprises

Anonymous said...

Anon 4/13 5:11
We have seen the other side of the coin and it is dirty and tarnished by special interest.
I'll stick with Northern, Lyda, and Filidoro.