tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79738029452957324022024-03-14T04:31:52.134-05:00Flower Mound Citizens Against Urban DrillingOur Mission: To work in a legal, ethical, and civil manner to stop urban gas drilling in the highly residential areas of North Texas. We are not against all gas drilling, but rather that which will adversely affect the public safety, the enjoyment of our homes, and our overall quality of life. We support the need for better regulation and accountability of the Oil & Gas Industry in rural and urban areas of Texas.Concerned Citizen Of Flower Moundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725375582002614324noreply@blogger.comBlogger706125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-20150753331739228992015-07-29T20:51:00.002-05:002015-07-29T20:52:58.093-05:00True Intent of HB 40???<a href="http://www.texassharon.com/2015/07/29/what-is-the-true-intent-of-hb40/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork">Read this eye opener </a>and then take the quiz at the end. Psst....it is a real easy quiz!<br />
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<br />FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-42806621973439627372015-01-16T16:15:00.001-06:002015-01-16T16:50:54.240-06:00What Is In The Air In Flower Mound?Happy New Year! While we have been asleep and not paying attention, gas production has not taken a nap here in Flower Mound. For those of you wondering why you may be experiencing allergy symptoms, nose bleeds, burning eyes, scratchy throats, asthma etc. this could be the culprit <a href="http://www.texassharon.com/2015/01/16/flir-videos-show-emissions-in-flower-mound-texas/">Click here</a>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-85548490172622096612014-04-14T09:20:00.000-05:002014-04-14T14:17:24.240-05:00FloMo Waits for Results From New State Cancer Cluster Study<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is conducting another cancer cluster study after the recent </span><a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2014/04/new-ut-study-flower-mound-cancer-study.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">UT Study by Rachael Rawlins </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was release a couple of weeks ago. Rawlins', a UT lecturer and professor, study was published in the Virginia Environmental Law Journal. The study questioned federal and state guidelines related to natural gas drilling and its possible health effects. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rawlins' study also questioned results of a 2010 cancer cluster investigation conducted by the DSHS back in 2010. Parents of children diagnosed with leukemia were concerned that their child was not included in the original study which would make the numbers greater than what the state had used for their research. Also, as noted in many previous posts, the DSHS stated the elevated <span style="background-color: #ffffee; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">breast cancer result could be due to overall population increases in Flower Mound and the likelihood that women in this area are more frequently screened for breast cancer. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffffee; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffffee; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The original study results left many of us questioning who the DSHS is really there to protect. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffffee; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click </span><a href="http://starlocalmedia.com/theleader/flower-mound-awaits-results-of-cancer-cluster-investigation/article_f1525ddc-c1b7-11e3-aab0-0019bb2963f4.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to read the recent article in the Flower Mound Leader.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-21856922665800122432014-04-01T10:28:00.000-05:002014-04-01T10:54:32.540-05:00New UT Study Flower Mound Cancer Study <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">UT has just released a study on the Flower Mound Cancer Cluster. If you remember, the original study was conducted by the state back in early 2010. Of course the state study was incomplete because it did not include quite a bit of data that needed to be taken into consideration. In addition to the lack of complete data, the state basically dismissed some of the alarming conclusions by blaming it on population growth and economic demographics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back in 2010,<span style="background-color: #ffffee; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2010/03/flower-mound-cancer-cluster-study.html"> </a></span><span style="background-color: #ffffee; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2010/03/flower-mound-cancer-cluster-study.html">Eric Miller, the DSHS epidemiologist who conducted the analysis stated</a>, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffffee; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: #ffffee; line-height: 18px;">“We found nothing in the data to indicate the community is at higher risk for these types of cancers. However, we understand residents’ concerns and will continue to analyze new cancer data from these two areas.”</span><span style="background-color: #ffffee; line-height: 18px;"> </span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ffffee; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #ffffee; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"The breast cancer result could be due to overall population increases in Flower Mound and the likelihood that women in this area are more frequently screened for breast cancer."</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffffee; line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffffee; line-height: 18px;"><i>“Flower Mound’s significant population increase alone could account for a higher average number of cancer cases between 2007 and 2009,” </i></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I received an email from someone in the Texas Department of Health Services stating that before the state study was released, it traveled all the way to the governor's office. Anyone surprised? That should say a lot about what ended up being released to the public and the many concerned families who had children and others diagnosed with cancer in our area.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2011, The Denton Record Chronicle published an article stating that breast cancer was on the rise in Flower Mound. Yet the state hasn't revisited this issue since they released their study.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The UT study recommends increased government monitoring of health impact studies and regulations of air pollution. Something many of us have been pleading for since the start of drilling on the Barnett Shale. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hopefully the UT Study will open the dialog again about this very important issue that in the past has been so easily dismissed and swept under the rug. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-72876796520503780942013-10-04T09:28:00.000-05:002013-10-04T09:28:17.306-05:0060,000 Gallons Of Drilling Fluids And Waste Spilled!!!It has been reported that over <a href="http://grist.org/news/lawmakers-seek-answers-after-oil-gushes-during-colorado-floods/">60,000 gallons of oil and gas related fluids were spilled due to the flooding in Colorado.</a> <br />
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<span class="userContent">Pipelines, transportation and storage of oil, gas, frack water and drilling waste is dangerous. How many permits and variances have been granted too close or in flood plains in Texas?</span><br />
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<span class="userContent">Some of you in Flower Mound may remember that the town almost let in a huge Centralized Collection Facility (CCF) that would allow the transportation of drilling waste via pipelines throughout the town. The waste would have been stored in multiple storage tanks called <a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/search?q=tank+batteries">tank batteries.</a> Just like the tanks we saw overturned or floating in the flood waters in Colorado. Thankfully the residents woke up and rallied to stop the CCF.</span><br />
<span class="userContent">Here are a few past posts about the CCF:</span><br />
<span class="userContent">Click <a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2010/01/centralized-collection-facility-ccf-for.html">here</a> and <a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2010/01/flower-mound-town-council-votes-3-2-to.html">here</a></span><br />
<span class="userContent"></span><br />
<span class="userContent">We have heard that drilling seems to be starting up in neighboring towns again. In fact, it appears most of our concerned residents have quietly slipped back into a peaceful sleep when it comes to gas and oil production issues. Last time everyone was sleeping over 80 wells were permitted and close to 60 wells were drilled......</span>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-26210884791108640882013-04-26T21:17:00.002-05:002013-05-02T23:38:52.694-05:00It Is Election Season and We Haven’t Forgotten!<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We had planned to stay quiet this election season until
we saw Mike Walker accuse his opponent Joy Bowen of being pro drilling.
Seriously, are you kidding?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">No matter how you feel about gas
drilling, the Flower Mound Oil and Gas ordinance must be followed. That is why we fought so
hard to make it stronger. If a pad site meets the criteria in the ordinance, it
will be approved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course Mr. Walker
and his supporters twisted Joy Bowen's statements in an attempt to take attention away
from his own gas drilling history. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We asked Joy Bowen for her stance on drilling. Here is what she told us. Joy Bowen supports
our extremely protective and nationally recognized drilling ordinance. Joy Bowen has
stated to us that she would never vote to weaken the ordinance and would always
be open to making it even stronger as new technology presents itself. Joy Bowen has
never signed a gas lease. Joy Bowen has never supported putting wells near homes,
schools, parks, and hospitals. <span style="color: #77bb41;"><span style="color: black;"> In 2010 Joy Bowen, along with 6000 other residents, signed the
Flower Mound Cares Petition to stop the Centralized Collection Facility.</span>
</span> We can’t say the same about her opponent.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mike Walker was appointed to the Oil and Gas Board of
Appeals in 2006. During his service, he voted to grant many variances. The most
disturbing vote was in mid-2008 when he was the only member to vote for all
variance requests at the Riverwalk property. This is the property where our new
hospital sits. One <span style="color: black;">of the variances on which<strong> </strong></span>he voted YES<span style="color: #77bb41;"> </span>would have allowed a pad site 695 feet from a day care center and 312 feet from a public park<strong>.</strong> Click <a href="http://flower-mound.com/archives/62/oilminutes061808.pdf">here</a> and go to page 151 to read the variances and how Mr. Walker voted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In 2008, as a board member on the Bridlewood HOA, he
participated in meetings with Williams Production. <span style="color: black;">The purpose of these meetings was to explore putting gas
wells on Bridlewood Golf Course in the middle of homes and schools. The meetings were
conducted secretly without input or notification of residents and despite Bridlewood's HOA
documents defining Bridlewood as a non-drilling community. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #77bb41;"><span style="color: black;">Outraged Bridlewood residents voted to recall Mr. Walker in 2008.
Even with 62% of the voting members in favor of recalling him, he refused to
step down based on a technicality. For documentation, click </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByiB8s63fxRxWVhsaEdTWE95ZXM/edit?usp=sharing">here</a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByiB8s63fxRxRm1mQkpyRDM1MGc/edit?usp=sharing">here,</a><span style="color: black;"> </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByiB8s63fxRxT2NHdW9XRmpvWm8/edit?usp=sharing">here,</a><span style="color: black;"> <a href="http://bqlc.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/mark-brinkmans-petition.pdf">here</a> and </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByiB8s63fxRxMjZuTWJmTFF2dzg/edit?usp=sharing">here</a></span><span style="color: black;">.</span></span> Mr. Walker continued to serve on the Oil and Gas Board of Appeals. His service on the board was to vote for granting or
denying variance requests, <span style="color: black;">exactly what Williams would need to drill in
Bridlewood.</span> Yet, he met with the gas drilling company anyway? <span style="color: #77bb41;"><span style="color: black;">His tenure on his HOA Board and the Oil and Gas Board of
Appeals is marred by his record of poor judgment, lack of transparency and
appearance of conflict of <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">interest.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All the above links to documents came from the blog, </span><a href="http://bqlc.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what%e2%80%99s-the-petition-that-went-around-bridlewood-in-may/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bridlewood Quality of Life Coalition.</span></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>UPDATE:</strong></span> We found this </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByiB8s63fxRxeGowcUNEY09rSkE/edit?usp=sharing"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">map of the proposed wells on Bridlewood Golf Course.</span></strong></a><br />
<span style="color: #77bb41; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We can’t forget Jean Levenick’s gas drilling record. Mrs. Levenick
and her husband </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByiB8s63fxRxQjBneEpWWnlYVHc/edit?usp=sharing"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">signed a gas lease</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
with Williams back in February 2009. In January</span> 2010, she refused to recuse
herself from discussions and voted to amend the ordinance to allow for the
zoning of a Centralized Collection Facility. Why recuse herself? The only company
advocating for a CCF at the time was Williams! The same company she signed a
gas lease with. Here are her comments from the <a href="http://www.flower-mound.com/DocumentCenter/View/2284"><span style="color: blue;">meeting minutes</span></a>. </span></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“Mayor Pro Tem Levenick stated that the process tonight would lay
the groundwork </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">to process a future application. She stated there had been so many
emails and so much </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">information. She read a portion of an email about leukemia clusters,
and asked people to </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">stop sending out false information</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Univers-Medium","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers-Medium;">.”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In spring of 2010, after 6000 residents signed the Flower
Mound Cares Moratorium and CCF petition, it was presented to the
Town Council. Mrs. Levenick voted <strong>NOT</strong> <strong>to accept</strong> the petition. The no vote would
forced the town to hold a special election. The no vote would delay the
moratorium from going into effect and could have allowed a company, most likely
Williams, to put in an application for a CCF. <a href="http://www.flower-mound.com/DocumentCenter/View/2349"><span style="color: blue;">Click here for
meeting minutes.</span></a> Read pages 17 through 20. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As fate would have it, there was some <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/flower-mound/headlines/20100413-Chief-filed-sexual-harassment-complaint-against-6340.ece"><span style="color: blue;">controversy</span></a>
and Jean Levenick decided not to run for office again. A new council majority
was elected and they immediately accepted the petition.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This<a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2010/03/open-letter-to-mayor-jody-smith-and.html"> open letter</a> written by one of our local journalist said it all. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/search?q=jean+levenick">Click here to read previous posts on this blog about Mrs. Levenick.</a></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We met Tami Ryan and asked her how she feels about
gas drilling and our protective ordinance. Here are her answers. Tami Ryan also signed the Flower Mound Cares Petition in 2010. Tami Ryan is opposed to weakening the
ordinance and is committed to protecting the health, safety, and quality of
life of our residents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With the industry pushing for LNG exports, we need to
make sure we have the right people in office to assure our community will
always have the best protections in place. Here are a few paragraphs from a <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/04/24/frackings_coming_boom_partner/">recent article</a> that sum up the LNG export issue.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Eben Burnham-Snyder, a spokesman for House
Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Rep. Edward Markey said </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Sending
more of our natural gas resources abroad, instead of keeping more of it here
for consumers and manufacturers and providing a diverse energy supply, is not a
policy to make us more energy secure…[it] makes us less independent, not more.”<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>
</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><em>Berman
added, “These companies have stupidly, imprudently overproduced their own
product to the point they can’t make money at the price they’ve created
themselves. So now they’re looking for a solution to that problem, and they’ve
managed to convince a number of idiots in Congress that this is a good idea.”<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>
</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Tad Patzek, chairman of the Department of
Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering at the University of Texas said </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: small;">“We are at that stage right now and it’s only going to get
worse,” he said. <strong>“We will be encroaching more and more on where people live.”<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">People of Flower Mound, we cannot afford to vote for
candidates that have failed us in the past when it comes to gas drilling. Do your research before voting.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Here is the candidate slate for 2013.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Place
1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Joy Bowen <a href="http://electjoybowen.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://electjoybowen.com/</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mike Walker <a href="http://walkerforfm.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://walkerforfm.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Place
3 (Uncontested Race)<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mark Wise <a href="mailto:place3@flower-mound.com"><span style="color: blue;">place3@flower-mound.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Place
5<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Tami Ryan <a href="http://www.tamiryanfortc.com/#"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.tamiryanfortc.com/#</span></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Jean Levenick</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://jeanlevenick.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://jeanlevenick.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Flower Mound don’t take a gamble on protecting the
Oil and Gas ordinance and the health, safety and quality of life of all in our wonderful community. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Early Voting - April 29,
2013 through May 4, 2013, <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. May 6-7, 2013, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Election Day - May 11, 2013, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We will only post comments from real people. If we can't verify that a name is real, we have the right to refuse posting the comment. We will not post any inflammatory or crude comments. We have the right to refuse posting any or all comments. We are not responsible for the comments and opinions of others. </span></span></span></span><br />
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FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-19222859913225633932013-03-16T12:06:00.000-05:002013-03-16T12:09:21.583-05:00Great Article About The Shale Boom and Bust<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peter Gorman of The Fort Worth Weekly has written a great article about the Shale Bust. Many of us saw this coming. He brought up some interesting facts and points</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have seen production from local wells drop significantly. They have brought in gas lift compressors to "squeeze the blood out of the turnip". </span><br />
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<em><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wells, especially in “sweet spots” like the Fort Worth section of the Barnett Shale, saw declines in production that no one could have imagined.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the banks that had lent all that money to the energy companies needed their loans repaid, so energy companies had to keep drilling new wells to maintain production volumes. It looked good on paper and kept stock prices at reasonable levels for a few years, but with a couple of exceptions, nearly all of the gas companies have seen their stocks nosedive in the last year.</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Geologist David Hughes had this to say in the article.</span><br />
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<em><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“What you have to remember when looking at a shale play is that drillers head for the sweet spots first, the places with the most accessible quantities of gas,” Hughes said. “When the first few wells come in, a leasing boom follows. But the majority of the wells drilled are not going to be in the sweet spots — maybe only 15 percent will be. So when we look at the drop in the Haynesville play, what we’re seeing is that if the sweet spots are drying up, drillers wind up going after less productive areas in the play. But with the cost of each new well in the Haynesville at about $9 million — and that doesn’t include the leasing rights or costs of pipelines and so forth — and the price of gas at $3.30 per thousand cubic feet, who in their right mind is going to keep drilling?”</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You need to drill 1,500 new wells every year, each of which has the same average first-year production of a 2011 well, to simply keep [total] production flat.”</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When they start exporting LNG, and they will, the industry will be looking to drill in every nook and cranny to get natural gas. The oil and gas industry will reap the profits.</span><br />
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<em><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The drop in price, however, encouraged a lot of industries, including power companies, to retrofit their plants for natural gas rather than coal or oil. And without an abundant supply of gas over the long haul, that may prove very costly for consumers once the surplus of cheap gas is gone. Add to that a new wrinkle that not many people saw coming</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> — the exportation of natural gas to countries willing to pay a premium for it — and the cost of natural gas in the United States could increase tremendously in the next five to 10 years</span></span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Americans get ready to be screwed in every way! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To read the Fort Worth Weekly article </span><a href="http://www.fwweekly.com/2013/03/13/shale-game/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click here</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-53838750862272181512013-03-06T08:36:00.001-06:002013-03-06T08:36:35.525-06:00Wake Up People, They're Back!!!!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flower Mound it is time to wake up. Last year Williams sold their assets to Premier Resources and guess who has been making the social scene attending fundraisers in Flower Mound?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yep, Premier. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Should you be worried? Two words that should always be in the back of your mind.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>LNG Exports</strong>!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Related Articles:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/01/28/shell-kinder-morgan-to-build-lng-export-facility/">click here to read about refineries popping up to convert natural gas to LNG</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">More Articles </span><br />
<a href="http://stateimpact.npr.org/texas/2013/01/09/will-exporting-natural-gas-raise-u-s-prices-new-report-says-not-really/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">click here</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.bentekenergy.com/LNGExports.aspx">click here</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-36453109421204200072013-02-22T22:19:00.000-06:002013-02-22T22:19:14.325-06:00HB 1496 Must Be Stopped!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This bill was filed by Representative Van Taylor out the Plano area of Collin County. On the Texas Railroad Commission Site, there is no drilling activity at all in his area! So why would he file a bill like this? A good question to ask him.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/83R/billtext/pdf/HB01496I.pdf#navpanes=0"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>HB 1496</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> is a bill that <strong>will weaken the power of municipalities and even counties to regulate and zone any and all oil and gas operations</strong> in their jurisdiction. Don't be fooled by the language stating "property rights". We all have property rights (and some have had theirs already taken away for oil and gas) but all property owners and industries wanting to do business within the limits of a town or city must abide by some type of zoning ordinances. Without these zoning ordinances there would be rock quarries, cement plants, pig farms, dumps, adult book stores etc. on every corner. So why should oil and gas get to override these ordinances? And if oil and gas is allowed to be exempt from ordinances, do you think the other industries above won't lobby for the same right?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, this bill will open Pandora's box.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Please write your legislators</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Listed below is contact information:</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">For Flower Mound area:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=63">Representative Tan Parker</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist12/dist12.htm">Senator Jane Nelson</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Filer/Author</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=66">Representative Van Taylor</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Energy Resource Committee Members:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=60">Rep. Jim Keffer</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=64">Rep. Myra Crownover</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=90">Rep. Lon Burnam</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=40">Rep. Terry Canales</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=82">Rep. Tom Craddick</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=136">Rep. Tony Dale</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=61">Rep. Phil King</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=43">Rep. J.M. Lozano</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=9">Rep. Chris Paddie</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=55">Rep. Ralph Sheffield</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=137">Rep. Gene Wu</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-35759810346980644602013-02-20T21:30:00.000-06:002013-02-22T22:26:59.830-06:00HB 1496 Is A Bad Bill!!!!We knew it was coming. This is a bad bad bill! Once again they want to take away municipalities authority to zone gas and oil. They just got a little more creative with their wording this time around.<br />
<a href="http://www.texassharon.com/2013/02/20/hb-1496-a-bill-to-take-away-local-control-of-fracking-in-texas/">Click here for more info</a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><strong>For updated info and contacts for Legislators<a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2013/02/hb-1496-must-be-stopped.html"> click here</a></strong></span>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-30492521065773834592013-01-26T12:42:00.002-06:002013-01-26T12:42:44.559-06:00Keep Watching For Legislative Information<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Texas State Legislative Session has begun. It is important that everyone keeps on eye on Austin.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We will be posting information on legislative bills that involve accountability, eminent domain and property rights, health and quality of life issues, property values, legal issues, zoning issues, air quality issues, water and soil issues etc. that are oil and gas industry related.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We will also post information on who to contact and how to contact our elected officials in Austin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Stay tuned.......</span>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-69636829160903507822013-01-26T10:58:00.002-06:002013-01-26T10:58:44.189-06:00Frack Attack National Summit, Dallas, TX March 2-4<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stop the Frack Attack National Summit will be held in Dallas, TX from March 2nd-4th, 2013. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Activists, lawyers, scientists, community members, landowners, will come together to work, share, and learn about the impacts of fracking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">For more info go the the links below:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TXSharon has more info. </span><a href="http://www.texassharon.com/2013/01/23/national-oil-gas-summit-for-people-like-you-and-me/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">click here</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stopt the Frack Attack website. </span><a href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/676/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=6688"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">click here</span></a>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-73839339351584356862012-06-01T18:23:00.000-05:002012-06-01T18:23:26.185-05:00One Step Forward, Three Steps Back...Is anyone else experiencing Deja Vu? Last night our new council had the audacity to appoint Jean Levenick to Place 5, the seat Tom Hayden left to run for Mayor. We heard it was a unanimous. So basically we have the same majority we had during 2008-2010, (Bryan Webb will now play the role of Mike Wallace). <br />
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For us here at FMCAUD, this brings back memories of the "old" days when council members said <a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2012/04/fool-me-once-shame-on-you-fool-me-twice.html"><strong>one thing and did another</strong></a><strong> AND</strong><a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2010/01/update-flower-mound-mayor-smith-and.html"><strong> Disrespected their office and the people of Flower Mound</strong></a>. (Don't forget to read the comments.) Apparently, it seems others are shocked and angered by this decision since we have received many phone calls and emails on this topic today.<br />
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There really isn't anymore to say that can express our disappointment in this selection when there were so many qualified prospects to choose from. Click<strong> </strong><a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/search?q=Jean+levenick"><strong>here</strong></a> for a link to all information on Jean Levenick that has been posted on this blog. <br />
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<strong>Why would anyone want to take one step forward and three steps back?</strong>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-11318200336777044772012-05-22T09:01:00.000-05:002012-05-22T09:01:43.358-05:00Williams Sells Off Assets In The Barnett ShaleWPX aka Williams Gulf Coast Production has sold off their assets in Flower Mound and across the Barnett Shale to <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100210005859/en/KKR-Premier-Natural-Resources-Partner-Pursue-U.S.">KKR Kohlberg, Kravis & Roberts and their partner Premier Natural Resources.</a><br />
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The sale includes approximately 27,000 acres in the Barnett shale in north Texas and eastern Oklahoma. The deal also includes approximately 66,000 acres in the Arkoma shale in western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma.<br />
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Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/04/02/3854910/kkr-natural-resources-buys-more.html#storylink=cpy</div>
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Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/04/02/3854910/kkr-natural-resources-buys-more.html#storylink=cpy</div>
Click<a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/04/02/3854910/kkr-natural-resources-buys-more.html"> here</a> to read article in the Star Telegram.<br />
Click<a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/wpx-energy-completes-sale-texas-200500156.html"> here</a> to read article at Yahoo Finance.<br />
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Click<a href="http://www.premiernaturalresources.com/"> here</a> for Premier Natural Resources website.FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-89789314530470083112012-05-20T13:14:00.000-05:002012-05-20T13:14:04.809-05:00"Special" Flower Mound Town Council Meeting, Tuesday, May 22nd<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A<strong> "special"</strong> Town Council meeting will be held <strong>Tuesday, May 22nd from 6:00pm to 8:00pm</strong>. The meeting will take place at Fire Station # 1 located at 3838 Forums Drive, FM, TX. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The meeting is not on the town calendar but is on the agenda and minutes page in the government section of the town website. Click </span><a href="http://www.flower-mound.com/agenda/TCarchive/TCA-05-22-12.PDF"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to see agenda.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This <strong>meeting </strong>will be <strong>conducted by the new town council</strong>. Please <strong>pay attention to the items to be discussed.</strong> </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Item #5 is a discussion about the newly adopted charter amendments and item #14 is about the newly adopted Oil and Gas Ordinance along with pending litigation.</span></strong><br />
<br />FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-74991243217946346862012-05-18T08:57:00.000-05:002012-05-18T08:57:09.513-05:00Atlas Resources Acquires Titan Operating Barnett Shales AssetsAtlas Resource Partners acquired Titan Operating Barnett shale assets. This includes proved reserves in the Barnett shale in the Fort Worth basin and what Atlas claims could be 335 potential undeveloped drilling locations. Nothing has been said whether this includes the Hilliard and Powell sites here in Flower Mound but most likely it does.<br />
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Wow, 335 potential undeveloped drilling locations? It is hard to believe that there could possibly that many locations that have not been drilled in this area. <br />
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Good thing we have a strong Oil and Gas Ordinance in Flower Mound. Let's hope it stays that way.<br />
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Click<a href="http://www.ogj.com/articles/2012/05/atlas-to-acquire-titan-fort-worth-barnett-shale-assets.html?cmpid=EnlDailyMay172012"> here</a> to read article.<br />
Click<a href="http://people.forbes.com/search?ticker=AHD"> here</a> to read about Atlas' Corporate Executives.FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-37392816833053148672012-05-07T21:15:00.000-05:002012-05-07T21:15:10.522-05:00Gas Drilling and Lakeside DFW????<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is there a possibility gas drilling leases could be signed at Lakeside DFW?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lakeside DFW developer <strong>Realty Capital</strong> has a <strong>history signing leases</strong> under their developments.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uoDha89_VF9inaOCCu2NgCZ-Aj9RMLPsnP6EwcLC4AY/edit"> here</a>, <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AJ-bPl1lxgjlQcoeHrxobVQVW39yfS7JUWqO3nz4vWM/edit">here</a>,<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MT_a-0TIOImUMOhl25IzY_Ymmfa78-MBOenkOeb-Msk/edit"> here</a>, <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WLqtgpLhDM98NjciIJ1Eig0X2ljfBrSd9F4DO3PqCzM/edit">here,</a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ptOf7kq6-7JrnhJXAeb-Qo3kDC7VADHZDtHFAvfmx04/edit">here</a>, <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t_AkXNFesqRKxelAi2vhCjBR-0oPGGfbOaV2w57wTXY/edit">here</a>, and <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-ez0NMKH8OMJgXm7pkSWcC-vEaUzFLtPm6lmp9_eqMg/edit">here</a> to see lease mineral deed info on Realty Capital properties just in Denton County. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two weeks ago, <a href="http://www.scntx.com/articles/2012/04/23/flower_mound_leader/news/752.txt">Titan postponed the hearing for the Titan Powell Pad Site</a> (barely 1000 feet south from Shadow Ridge Middle School) against the Town of Flower Mound until the elections are over. Lakeside DFW could easily be accessed from Powell site. This would bring <strong>drilling very close to Shadow Ridge Middle School and Bluebonnet Elementary.</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right now is the time to take a hard look at the candidates that are running for election.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Do you want those <strong>candidates</strong> that have a <strong>record of</strong> <strong>supporting gas drilling companies</strong> but are promising to do the right thing now? </em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Candidates who have <strong>lost their direction</strong> and being <strong>supported and endorsed by past council members and residents who are pro drilling</strong>?</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OR</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do you want those that <strong>have a proven track record of protecting the town</strong> and have <strong>delivered everything they promised </strong>like <strong>Mayor Northern, Council Member Filidoro and Council Member Lyda?</strong></span>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-89399885079352658182012-04-27T23:00:00.000-05:002012-04-27T23:00:51.524-05:00We’ve Come A Long Way, Baby!<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I guess we should be
glad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just two short years ago a battle
still raged in Flower Mound over whether urban drilling should be embraced or
spurned.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The 2010 election put an
end to that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By ousting the previous
Town Council majority, the citizens of our community made it very clear:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">WE
DO NOT SUPPORT DRILLING NEAR HOMES AND SCHOOLS!</span></strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">This election season candidates
realize there is only one “right” side of the urban drilling issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The candidates working together to unseat NFL
are frantically revising history to make us believe they are on our side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are not letting the truth stand in their
way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">They’re pushing crazy
conspiracies and false accusations to put doubt in the minds of voters around
the very officials who shepherded in this new era of protection:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Melissa Northern, Al Filidoro, and Steve Lyda
– NFL. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">It is nothing short of
ridiculous. I almost considered ignoring it since it is so clearly political
posturing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ultimately, though, I decided
that for those who don’t have in-depth knowledge of our long history of gas
drilling in Flower Mound, providing a refresher course on what has really
happened would be helpful. My intention is not to “smear” any candidates but to
clear up innuendo and half-truths being spread by some of Hayden, Dixon, and
Webb’s supporters. I have been in this a long, long time and my history on this
subject goes back many years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">When reading the blog you will
see I have listened to all sides of the story. My journey for the truth has
provided me with the facts and I gladly share them with all who care to listen.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: small;">As you read through this, the details are there to prove the point
but are really less important than the message.</span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">Why would any candidate revise history? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">Can you trust a candidate who is willing to lie to you to get
elected?</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">I want to start with this
statement from Tom Hayden's website: <strong><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Just
weeks after the NFL took office, residents including members of council, were
given just 72 hours notice that the Williams Settlement had been placed on the
agenda by Mayor Northern for the upcoming council meeting. ... The reason for
this settlement was never clearly explained.”</span></i></strong> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The Truth</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: small;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Tom Hayden was included in emails
and participated in discussions about the settlement starting more than two
months before the settlement was on the agenda. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">In a March 1, 2010, email from
the Town Attorney to all members of Town Council (excluding two of them, Smith
and Levenick, who had signed leases with Williams and therefore had a conflict
of interest), Council was informed that Williams wished to work out a
settlement of all outstanding issues with the Town. Every member of Council
agreed that there was no harm in exploring a settlement discussion with
Williams, although no specific deal points were defined. The settlement would
have addressed the pending <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mockingbird
Pipeline</i> lawsuit and other related issues. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Council entered into the lawsuit with
Mockingbird based on a two/two deadlock with Steve Dixon and Mike Wallace
wanting to settle with Williams and Al Filidoro and Tom Hayden agreeing to
authorize the town attorney to defend the town against Williams’ encroachment
on town property.<span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The status of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mockingbird Pipeline</i> lawsuit/Williams
settlement was addressed in Town Council closed sessions on April 19, 2010;
June 21, 2010; July 6, 2010; July 19, 2010; August 2, 2010; August 16, 2010;
and September 7, 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">On
May 12, 2010, along with Town staff members, Councilmember Hayden, the
Mayor-Elect and Councilmember Filidoro met to discuss various Town issues,
including a detailed discussion about a settlement with Williams.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">On June 16, 2010, each member of
Town Council received a detailed memorandum from the Town Attorney spelling out
the proposed terms of a settlement agreement with Williams; a copy of the
proposed settlement agreement was also provided. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Later that same day (June 16,
2010), Councilmember Hayden provided comments via </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/17SN_a__kwOfyhzAPsLyLYFMVMd4nkZZJ3Nf5hSNwHfY/edit"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: blue;">e-mail</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> about
the proposed settlement agreement including the type of landscaping he
preferred. He copied other Councilmembers about his thoughts on the proposed
settlement agreement. Also on June 16, the Town Attorney responded to the
issues Councilmember Hayden raised in his e-mail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Other Councilmembers also raised
questions and provided input about the proposed settlement agreement. On June
18, 2010, in an attorney/client document, the entire Council was provided
detailed information about compression facilities at the Williams pad site.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">By Saturday, June 19, 2010, a
fourth version of the settlement agreement was exchanged between the parties
and a detailed memorandum provided by the Town Attorney to the entire Town
Council about the latest revisions to the proposed settlement agreement. After
additional discussions with individual members of the Town Council, a revised
agreement was forwarded to Williams on June 21, 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">On the afternoon of June 21,
2010, each member of Town Council received a bullet point outline from the Town
Attorney detailing the items referenced in the proposed settlement agreement
that were not already contained in Town ordinances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">After additional revisions, late
on the afternoon of June 21, 2010, a finalized version of the proposed
settlement agreement was forwarded by the Town Attorney to Town Council.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">During the Town Council meeting
on June 21, 2010, while addressing the proposed settlement agreement and how it
came about, the Town Attorney stated that Town Council had been kept abreast of
the process (Book 38, Page 489, Town Council Minutes). Nowhere during the
discussion of the proposed settlement agreement did any Councilmember state
that he or she was unaware of the proposed settlement agreement or had been
taken by surprise that it was on the agenda. Several Councilmembers discussed
the settlement agreement’s proposed terms in great detail. If the proposed
settlement agreement was a surprise to any of them, they certainly hid their
surprise well! In fact, Tom Hayden himself told me he participated in a meeting
with Williams prior to the settlement being presented to the public. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The reasons for the proposed
settlement agreement were explained to all Councilmembers in detail on multiple
occasions. If any Councilmember believed anything was unclear about the
proposed settlement agreement, there were many opportunities to address those
concerns. Every Councilmember contacted the Town Attorney with input, thoughts,
questions, suggestions, and concerns. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>The Truth</u>:</b> <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Flower Mound does not have a
Centralized Collection Facility.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Flower Mound has had a
Centralized “Compression” Facility since 2008, <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">NOT</span></strong> a Centralized “Collection” Facility.
The compression facility was unanimously approved by the Oil & Gas Board of
Appeals on February 13, 2008<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the 2008 OGBOA hearing on the Central
Compression Facility application, no one spoke in opposition to the facility
and the Town Council had no role in the approval or denial of the variance
request. If the Town Council had been opposed to the approval of the variance
for the compression facility, the only recourse for the Town Council would have
been to sue the OGBOA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In any case this
all took place before NFL was in office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The Truth</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">: NFL has
stopped the industrialization of Flower Mound.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
During NFL’s tenure on Council, the 26 gas wells that have been approved were
on existing pad sites and were already in progress and applied for with the
Texas Railroad Commission and the town before NFL took office in May 2010.
Every well fell under the 2007 weakened ordinance. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NO NEW WELLS HAVE BEEN APPROVED UNDER THE NEW ORDINANCE!<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">As has been explained to the Oil
and Gas Advisory Board and the Oil & Gas Board of Appeals, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">state law requires that once the Town is
aware of a permit (even without a formal application), the applicant’s rights
vest. The failure to recognize this vesting is a violation of state law. </b></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">This also has been
explained by the Town Attorney or members of his office on multiple occasions
at Town Council meetings and board and commission meetings. <span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">I served on the Oil and Gas
Advisory Board and we discussed "vested interest" as it pertains to
Oil and Gas drilling in the State of Texas numerous times. <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">To ignore a vested interest is a
violation of state law; municipal ordinances cannot “trump” state law. </span></strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The Truth</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">: NFL had
no means to stop the Hilliard airfield pad site. </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">We have heard for almost two
years that “there is room for legal debate on this issue.” Where is any legal
opinion that supports that statement? Hayden, Dixon, and Webb supporters,
including Councilmember Stephenson, have been asked for copies of legal
opinions they purportedly obtained from outside lawyers — and in no event has
any of them ever provided a copy of a legal opinion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The facts are: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Texas Railroad Commission approved the
permit for the Hilliard pad site in September 2009. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In October 2009, Titan put in their first
application with the Town for the Hilliard pad site. Because of the timing <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the Hilliard application was vested under
the old gas ordinance</b>. The pad site met the requirements of the old
ordinance, therefore the town was obliged to administratively approve it</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Town Council is obligated to follow all laws and
ordinances, even those that were adopted by prior councils, whether they agree
or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Hilliard case, the
council could not reasonably challenge this permit and win in a court of law.<span style="color: black;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">On September 10, 2010, the Town
provided residents with a lengthy, detailed analysis of the Hilliard pad site
permit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The permit was also discussed in
depth at the September 20, 2010, Town Council meeting. Issues raised by
citizens about the Hilliard pad site were explored. <strong>Click</strong><a href="http://www.flower-mound.com/env_resources/pix/pdf/092010/FM%209-20-10%20Town%20Council%20Meeting%20Hilliard-Setbacks.pdf"><strong> here </strong></a>to read the
power point presentation. The issue of Hilliard’s vested rights remained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some residents just did not like the
response. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The issue has been raised that
Mr. Hilliard needed a variance to remove trees on his property and that the
failure to receive a variance was a basis upon which to deny his drilling
permit. This contention is wrong. Since the adoption of the first tree ordinance
by the Town in the 1990's, an </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">owner
of any property zoned agricultural is permitted to remove up to 19 protected
trees annually. Only an administrative tree removal permit is required. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A tree removal request on agriculturally
zoned property does not go before a board and does not require a Town Council
vote. </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An agricultural tree removal permit differs from the other types
of tree removal permits discussed in the tree ordinance in several ways. First,
this type of permit does not have to be associated with any type of property
development. Second, the only criteria necessary for approval is that the
property be zoned agricultural and that the trees be protected trees and not
specimen trees. The Town’s tree ordinance does not require the property owner
to give a reason for requesting the agricultural tree removal permit. Town
staff verified that all trees requested for removal were protected trees, not
specimen trees, and the applicant requested to remove 19 protected trees, as
permitted by ordinance. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">NFL did campaign on not being
afraid of a lawsuit but this was always understood to mean they would not be
bullied when the Town was in the right, not that they would irresponsibility
invite legal challenge by taking positions that had no legal justification. To
fight simply for the sake of fighting when the law and facts are clearly not on
your side is a waste of taxpayer dollars, particularly when the Town will be
financially liable. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">We
should expect town staff and elected officials to be fiscal stewards of
taxpayers’ money and not subject the town to frivolous legal risk even if the
public doesn’t like the law...</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">With the
exception of the “mystery lawyers” referenced by several Town residents over
the years, <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">no credible
attorney has ever contended that the Town could deny the Hilliard permit.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">It is interesting to note
that Hayden/Dixon/Webb supporters often cite NFL’s adherence to the law as some
sort of breach of trust and yet both Dixon and Hayden served on Council at the
same time and likewise followed the law in the same manner as NFL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Truth</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: NFL always works in a transparent manner to
protect Flower Mound from industrialization by gas drillers.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">As noted in response to the first
item from the Hayden website, if Councilmember Hayden or any other
Councilmember only had 72 hours’ notice that the proposed Williams settlement
agreement was on the agenda, then they simply did not read their e-mail, agenda
packets, or communications from the Town Attorney. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">All Councilmembers were fully
apprised of the proposed Williams settlement agreement and had been notified
repeatedly about it. Councilmembers offered input into the proposed settlement
agreement and commented upon it. Steve Dixon expressed his excitement that 6
items from his "wish list" made it to the settlement. The fact that
Councilmembers commented upon the proposed agreement did not mean that they
were in favor of it — they were simply asking questions about it. The normal
process for the Town Council is to comment and question, which also happened in
this case.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">In fact, and regardless of the
above, Town Council unanimously chose to reject any settlement agreement with
Williams. In any lawsuit, it is customary for the parties to attempt to
negotiate a settlement prior to trial. The Court almost always demands an
attempted negotiation and the legal system strongly encourages the parties to
come together and see if a controversy can be worked out prior to trial. In
some cases, settlements can be worked out and in some, like this one, they
cannot. Entering into negotiations does not tacitly mean that there is any
agreement; here, it meant that Williams’ attorneys and town staff, worked on a
proposed agreement, and after review, it was determined by the entire Town
Council that a settlement could not be reached.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">There was no settlement on the
above Williams litigation and no future settlements were entered into by the
Town. The parties proceeded forward in the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ultimately, the Town of Flower Mound
prevailed and Mockingbird Pipeline/Williams paid $55,000 to the Town as
reimbursement of its legal fees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">As
mentioned above, no new wells or pad sites have been approved under the Town’s
new oil and gas ordinance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any
administrative approvals of additional wells were based on permits filed prior
to the NFL’s strengthening of the oil and gas ordinance in 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While many of us would have loved for the
Town to have had the latitude to tacitly reject permits vested under the old
ordinance, case law is well established that we would not have prevailed in
court. I hope you will remember who shepherded in this new era of protection. When
someone wants to throw stones at these clear leaders in the fight against urban
drilling, consider the source and their motivation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without the burden of the responsibility of
governing, it’s easy to stand on the outside and ignore legal precedent in
order to justify one’s beliefs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
citizens we can engage in wishful thinking but our elected officials cannot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have a duty to act responsibly.. NFL has
acted responsibly and also done all they can to protect this community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for the purveyors of conspiracy and
innuendo, and the candidates they support, I don’t expect my comments to be
persuasive to them at all because no amount of legal reasoning or precedent will
deter someone who chooses to stay ignorant or ignore the law.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="_GoBack"></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">My comments
are not intended for those vested in a particular candidate slate, those
insistent on being right about some inane aspect of the ordinance, or someone
with an axe to grind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are intended
for consideration by the vast majority of residents who are simply vested in
what is best for Flower Mound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
available by email on this blog for anyone who wants to discuss this
further.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span></span>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-65239775118019426912012-04-24T23:19:00.000-05:002012-04-29T11:59:40.212-05:00Fool Me Once Shame On You, Fool Me Twice Shame On Me!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">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.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Click <a href="http://www.texassharon.com/?s=lng">here</a> to read about LNG and CNG at Texas Sharon. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the Flower Mound Residents are being told, in so many words, the following:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Flower Mound has a strong ordinance in place and there are no applications pending.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><em>The gas drilling ship has sailed.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>That Dixon and Webb, previously were pro drilling, have changed their mind and in so many words "hear" the people of Flower Mound.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Candidate Bryan Webb who not only spoke in favor of gas drilling, but </span><a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2010/09/sundays-protest-at-cherokee-horn.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">publicly displayed his support for gas drilling</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfL2fScLGEyi27tZDLOvuxMTlCGJtoPArasytPfpO3WqazyxNL92bwaQNylcf0UJwJsIhRzBjmwjWLuKP3b-z46kUNfuyxDPw_IFvo-Ib7Mh3HWDKuaf6gsFfjil-0uzpVvIXJeXt_U_s/s1600/Naturally+gas+is+good+on+9-5-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfL2fScLGEyi27tZDLOvuxMTlCGJtoPArasytPfpO3WqazyxNL92bwaQNylcf0UJwJsIhRzBjmwjWLuKP3b-z46kUNfuyxDPw_IFvo-Ib7Mh3HWDKuaf6gsFfjil-0uzpVvIXJeXt_U_s/s320/Naturally+gas+is+good+on+9-5-10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Mr. Webb signed a lease with Keystone Exploration</strong>, a company currently suing the town. In 2010, Keystone became involved in our town elections. <strong>Keystone Exploration sent out </strong><a href="https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ASiB8s63fxRxZGNiZ2Z6amNfMTFjMmtucWpmag&hl=en"><strong>letters</strong></a><strong> to residents and endorsed Bryan Webb, </strong>Jody Smith, and Gerald Robinson. In a recent Flower Mound Leader article, Mr. Webb said "</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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 <strong>Mr. Webb's signs </strong><a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2010/04/hillard-field.html"><strong>prominently displayed on Mr. Hilliard Field </strong></a><strong>during the 2010 election. </strong>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. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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, "<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Have a review of the oil and gas ordinance (with citizens input we can make it better for us)</span><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">– Safety is my top concern !" </span>and </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ds-iYva6_EP9kOUAA_8_NrX5deEA0kiCf7dUPOjW5fU/edit"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2009, promised to tighten the ordinance to not allow drilling within 1000 feet of a residence.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Which would have required amendments to the variances in the Oil and Gas Ordinance. Mr. <strong>Dixon sat on council for months and NEVER again mentioned strengthening the ordinance.</strong> In late 2009, then Council members<strong> Dixon, Wallace and Levenick voted against putting in a moratorium </strong>so the ordinance could be reviewed and more studies could be done on gas drilling effects on air and water. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In early 2010, <strong>Dixon voted to put in zoning to allow the infamous Centralized Collection Facility.</strong> Then <strong>voted against accepting the petition that requested an oil and gas committee be established to review the gas ordinance</strong>. And again <strong>voted against putting a moratorium into place in early May of 2010</strong> 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." </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div>
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. <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/18E_UJAFTPWA80BZ1RSrv9QZsUdS8YUCuU9_d3MkIVzw/edit#"> 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)</a>. 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. </div>
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">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 <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/04/05/3864823/southlake-group-wants-regulations.html">group of residents in Southlake </a>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.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">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. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">You think this can't happen? Think again.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Just a quick history lesson.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Between May 2004 and 2010 over 55 wells were permitted during Mayor Jody Smith reign.</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">September 20, 2004, Flower Mound permitted the first gas well on the Bunn site.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">March of 2007</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">, <strong>Mayor Smith, Council Members Tasker, Stone, Lindsey and Trotter voted to accept the recommendations</strong> from the 2006 Oil and Gas Stakeholders to<strong> weaken the setbacks and amend the ordinance.</strong> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Only</span> Council Member Laurie Long voted against the changes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
Makes you wonder about all the wells that might not be near homes and schools.<br />
<br />
Gas drilling is an important issue but I am aware that gas drilling isn't the only issue facing our town right now. <br />
<br />
Just ask yourself these few questions.<br />
How important is a promise made from a candidate on<strong> ANY</strong> issue that is important to you? <br />
What if they said one thing but did the complete opposite? <br />
Does it matter if it is gas drilling, economic growth, fiscal responsibility, etc.? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I</strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong> believe actions speak louder than words. </strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>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. </strong></span><br />
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>How about you? Are you willing to gamble on the health, safety, and quality of life in our great Town of Flower Mound?</strong></span></div>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-22440869380615435622012-04-23T10:26:00.001-05:002012-04-23T10:26:43.170-05:00Titan postpones hearing for lawsuit against the Town of Flower MoundTitan Operating has postponed the Wednesday, April 25th 11:00 am hearing against the Town of Flower Mound until late May. <br />
<br />
No date has been set for a new hearing. Keep watching for more info.<br />FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-64154233988884426762012-03-07T19:14:00.000-06:002012-03-07T19:14:10.418-06:00Flower Mound Candidate Slate<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FLOWER MOUND CANDIDATES</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mayor</span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Melissa Northern<span style="color: blue;"> (incumbent)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tom Hayden</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Al Cloud</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Place 2</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Al Filidoro<span style="color: blue;"> (incumbent)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bryan Webb</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Place 4</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve Lyda <span style="color: blue;">(incumbent)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve Dixon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jay Cannon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">We will have their websites and emails up soon.</span></em><br />
<br />
<strong>Important Dates</strong></span><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td valign="top" width="107"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">April 30</span></td><td valign="top" width="507"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First day for early voting by personal appearance.</span></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="107"><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May 4</span><br />
</td><td valign="top" width="507"><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last day to receive application by mail for a ballot to be voted by mail, by 12 noon or close of business, whichever is later.</span></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="107"><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May 8</span></td><td valign="top" width="507"><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last day of regular early voting by personal appearance.</span></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="107"><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May 12</span></td><td valign="top" width="507"><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ELECTION DAY (polling places open 7:00 am – 7:00 pm) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Election Day polling locations will be by <strong>PRECINCT ONLY.</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>NEW FOR 2012 – TWO POLLING LOCATIONS IN FLOWER MOUND ON <u>ELECTION DAY</u> (FLOWER MOUND MUNICIPAL COURT AND FLOWER MOUND LIBRARY)</strong></span><br />
<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody> </table>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-52567590747519218442012-03-05T21:07:00.001-06:002012-03-05T21:10:34.155-06:00Flower Mound Charter Amendments Will Go To The May 2012 Ballot<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Flower Mound Town Council voted to send 12 of the 13 amendments to the May Municipal Election Ballot. Charter Amendment #3, which addressed council compensation, was the only one not to make it to the ballot. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The most important Charter Amendment, the requirement of a super majority to change or repeal the ordinance, will go to the people of Flower Mound to vote. This is good news for those of us concerned about the safety of our new strong ordinance.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">More details to come later.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click </span><a href="http://www.flower-mound.com/boards/Charter%20Review%20CommissionDRAFT%20Recommendations%202-17-12.pdf"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to read the Charter Amendments</span>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-78087413437040598982012-03-02T18:33:00.000-06:002012-03-02T18:33:12.535-06:00ATTENTION: Flower Mound Town Council to discuss, consider and adopt Charter Review Amendments<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flower Mound Town Council will have a Public Hearing, Monday, March 5th, to discuss and consider proposed Charter Amendments and adopt an ordinance ordering a special election for May 12, 2012, to amend the Home Rule Charter of the Town of Flower Mound.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course the most important amendment is the one to require a super majority to amend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As previously posted, </span><a href="http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2012/02/gas-drilling-is-not-dead-issue-in.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the new stronger, more protective ordinance may be in jeopardy.</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This is a public hearing and any resident can show up. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">You</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> may speak at this meeting or send emails to voice your concern. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Let the Town Council know you want them to adopt ALL the recommendations from the Charter Review so they can be put on the May 12, ballot.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To contact the Mayor and all Town Council Members, please e-mail </span><a href="mailto:mayor/towncouncil@flower-mound.com"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #5522bb;">mayor/towncouncil@flower-mound.com</span></strong></span></a><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Univers-BoldItalic;"><span style="font-family: Univers-BoldItalic;"></span></span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: Univers-BoldItalic;"><span style="font-family: Univers-BoldItalic;"></span></span></i><span style="font-family: Univers-BoldItalic;"><span style="font-family: Univers-BoldItalic;"></span></span>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-38911605767251109312012-02-10T20:00:00.005-06:002012-02-10T20:52:14.802-06:00Gas Drilling Is Not A Dead Issue In Flower Mound<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">People of Flower Mound.....</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Flower Mound's new Oil and Gas Ordinance is in jeopardy. The very ordinance that may be the most protective of its citizens in the State of Texas AND the United States.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">There is an important article in the Flower Mound Leader that residents should read.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.scntx.com/articles/2012/02/08/flower_mound_leader/news/858.txt"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Council clashes over Charter Review</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">After all the hard work that included walking neighborhoods, phone calls, and repeated trips to Town Hall, the controversy is happening again! Despite the citizen’s referendum on Gas Drilling, it appears that Councilmember Stephenson is trying to take away our right to vote on protecting the new Oil and Gas Ordinance in May.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During Monday’s Council meeting, Councilmember<span style="color: black;"> Stephenson</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><strong><span style="color: red;">failed</span> <span style="color: red;">to comply</span></strong><span style="color: black;"><strong><span style="color: red;"> with meeting protocol.</span> </strong></span>C<span style="color: black;">ouncilmember Stephenson under the <a href="http://flowermoundtx.swagit.com/player.php?refid=02062012-78"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Item A Future Agenda</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">,</span></span> asked the council to postpone any further Charter Review meetings until her summons of the Charter Review Chairman could be fulfilled. When the Town Secretary informed her that the Chairman was not available due to a work schedule conflict,</span> Councilmember<span style="color: black;"> Stephenson became angry and defiant and <span style="color: red;"><strong>continued to ignore meeting protocol</strong>.</span> It was somewhat confusing, but Mayor Northern was </span>trying to explain to Councilmember Stephenson that since Stephenson did not have an item to put on the agenda, the Council could not discuss having a special meeting to satisfy Councilmember Stephenson’s demands at that point of the meeting.<span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It really is interesting to watch </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">the video of the meeting on<span style="color: black;"> FMTV</span><span style="color: red;">,</span><span style="color: black;"> because during the </span></span></span><a href="http://flowermoundtx.swagit.com/player.php?refid=02062012-78"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Item M Calendar Section</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, Mayor Northern and </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Councilmember</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Lyda were being very accommodating to make this happen per</span> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Councilmember<span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: black;">Stephenson's request. </span><span style="color: black;">It makes us wonder what is Councilmember Stephenson’s real agenda?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>We allege that<span style="color: black;"> her goal may be postponement of the recommendations</span><span style="color: red;"> </span>of the Charter review items be put on the<span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: black;">May ballot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><strong><span style="color: red;">At a cost of $10,000 to $30,000</span>,</strong> why does Councilmember Stephenson want to burden the taxpayers of Flower Mound by paying for a special election in November? </span></span><s><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></s><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">February 2<sup>nd</sup><span style="color: black;"> Charter Review meeting, the members reviewed, discussed, debated, and voted on all items that had been submitted to the committee </span>by Staff, Council, and residents. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The residents in attendance were given an opportunity to make comments on each item as it was presented. In fact, the residents were allowed to speak as long as they wished and as many times as they wished. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Only ONE recommendation was a 3 in Support and 2 in Opposition.</strong><span style="color: black;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><span style="color: red;">Surprise…</span></b><span style="color: red;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the ONE was the recommendation made by the Oil and Gas Advisory Board in July of 2011 to protect the new Oil and Gas Ordinance via a Super Majority, or 4 to 1 Council vote to change, weaken, or repeal the new ordinance.</b> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong>Why would the two CRC members be opposed to this item going to the voters of Flower Mound?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We want to have a chance to vote on the Charter amendments in May. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If all the issues and recommendations have been addressed, why should the process take longer? The Charter Review Committee will present a 30-page document that will be reviewed by Council.<strong> <span style="color: red;">THE RECOMMENDATION SURROUNDING THE SUPER MAJORITY VOTE TO AMEND and/or REPEAL THE 2011 OIL AND GAS ORDINANCE IS IMPORTANT!</span></strong> You can see how serious it is by the Council’s appointees:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a former Mayor and Planning and Zoning Commissioner; a former Councilmember; a current Planning and Zoning Commissioner and former Oil and Gas Advisory Board Chairman, another member of the former Oil and Gas Advisory Board, and two attorneys. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The majority of the committee had first-hand experience of this document and understood its importance. It took the last Charter Review Committee longer to understand the Town Charter and the rules that govern it. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This is not the case with the current committee!</b></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><strong>Per Councilmember Stephenson’s request, Council is having a special meeting on February 15<sup><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></sup></strong></span></u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> This is a public meeting and any resident can show up. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">You</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> may speak during the public participation portion of this meeting or send emails to voice your concern. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red; mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Simply ask the Flower Mound Town Council: do you support a charter amendment requiring a public hearing and a super-majority vote to amend the ordinance? </strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red; mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>If their </strong><strong>answer is no, then beware—an accommodation to the drillers may be in the works.</strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To contact the Mayor and all Town Council Members, please e-mail </span><a href="mailto:mayor/towncouncil@flower-mound.com"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mayor/towncouncil@flower-mound.com</span></a><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Charter Review Committee will have another meeting on February 16th. </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most importantly, let the citizens of Flower Mound vote on the items on May 12<sup><span style="font-size: small;">th. </span></sup></span></b></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: lime;"><strong>Please give a first and last name when commenting. </strong></span> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7973802945295732402.post-14849900959312692092011-12-20T13:27:00.003-06:002011-12-20T13:34:38.144-06:00Titan/Hilliard Field Update<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have received some phone calls and emails regarding the recent activity on Hilliard Field. Here is what we know.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Titan is in the process of installing an enclosed gas lift compressor and a dehydration unit. The compressor will be natural gas fired.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Click <a href="http://spearsresearch.com/OMR/Compression.pdf">here</a> for a description of different types of compression. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">According to the Oil and Gas Glossary, to meet pipeline requirements, t</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he water vapor in <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3">natural gas</span> must be removed. This is why dehydration is needed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We recently went to the <a href="http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/data/online/gis/index.php#">Texas Railroad Commission mapsite</a> to see if any production has been posted for the Titan/Hilliard site. As of today, no production has been recorded. Many articles we have read stated that gas lift can be brought in to increase production in lower producing gas wells, extra tight formations, and older gas wells. We have no idea which of these may be the case at the Hilliard site. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">According to the town of Flower Mound Environmental Services Department, <span style="color: black;">The gas lift compressor may be operated intermittently as needed. At this time, there is no way of knowing how long the gas lift will be necessary. The town will be monitoring the site to make sure Titan is in compliance with our </span><span style="color: black;">noise level regulations. If you have a complaint about noise, call the town. Flower Mound's Oil and Gas Inspector will be</span><span style="color: black;"> inspecting for compliance with all applicable Town requirements every month. In between these monthly inspections, our inspector will routinely visit sites, performing “spot checks”. A special thank you to our Oil and Gas Inspector for taking the time to quickly answer all the questions submitted. If you have a concern, or question, we encourage you to contact our Inspector at <a href="mailto:jonathan.powell@flower-mound.com" title="mailto:jonathan.powell@flower-mound.com"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">jonathan.powell@flower-mound.com</span></a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The last issue we have received emails on is sometimes residents smell natural gas when passing by the Titan/Hilliard site. It has been confirmed that Titan has been treating the gas with Mercaptan (natural gas odor) since the end of October. We are not sure if that is what residents are smelling.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Most important, if you smell any odors or experience any health effects, call the Town AND contact TCEQ immediately. The information for TCEQ is on the right hand side of the blog.</strong></span>FMCAUDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17686459036891601702noreply@blogger.com9