Conley learned early that votes can be bought with public money. More recently, Conley has learned that critics can be silenced with public money
Editor's note: Well, you can't say Commissioner Conley (R-Wimberley) hasn't been consistent in directing gobs of the taxpayers' money to specially targeted groups and constituents. In the narrow view, a small number of people are all smiles, their projects well funded. They have been successfully, politically "rolled" and rewarded, if you will. In the broader view, a very large number of not-so-special citizens and constituents – who are not inside the loop – will never see this kind of generosity from Conley or their county government. They also have been rolled.
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COMMENTARY
By Charles O'Dell
Contributing Editor
No one wants to admit it, but successful politicians are those who learn to buy off critics with public money. And no Hays County politician has been more successful in learning and applying that lesson than Pct 3 Commissioner Will Conley.Despite numerous missteps along the way, Conley has managed to work himself to the top of the Good Ole Boy/Girl heap in Hays County with financial help from San Marcos special interests Terry Gilmore and Randall Morris, “Karl Rove” political operatives E. Wally and Linda Kinney of Dripping Springs, and District Attorney Sherri Tibbe who covers the backs of Hays County Good Ole Boys/Girls.
Some of Conley’s more notable stumbles include his 2007, retaliatory law suit against an elderly Pct 1 couple who asked Conley to leave their home after he pitched the FM110 road project for two uninvited hours; Conley’s botched 2008, behind closed doors True Ranch development agreement; Conley’s thwarted attempt to have the County purchase Wimberley First Baptist Church property at an inflated price from an insider LLC group that hadn’t paid property taxes for two years; Conley’s resurfacing, without City of Wimberley authorization, 8,908 feet of Flite Acres Rd at County expense; and Conley’s RR12 expansion to pave the way for development, to name but a few.
Conley learned early that votes can be bought with public money. More recently, Conley has learned that critics can be silenced with public money.
For example, Conley held off the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District until his no-government Dripping Springs supporters got control of the GCD board. This, along with Conley’s, “any development is good development,” record created strong critics within the environmental community.
Then, Conley not only completely silenced his Pct 3 environmental critics, but he also turned them 180 degrees when he directed $5 million of County bond money to Jacob’s Well and to downstream Blue Hole.
David Baker, now Executive Director of the Jacob’s Well Natural Area, was Conley’s opponent in the 2003 election, after former Pct 3 Commissioner Bill Burnett (the commissioner who sold the 2000 road bond management contract to TCB, and son of disgraced PEC board member Bud Burnett) designated Conley as his heir apparent, along with Burnett’s special interest financial supporters.
Many of Baker’s campaign supporters are now “celebrating” Conley for throwing public money their way, even when Conley resorted to back room tactics previously opposed by his environmental critics. Clearly, “the ends justify the means,” when Conley’s critics are the beneficiaries.
As Conley’s last reelection campaign opponent wrote: “The county has allocated $2.7 million to Blue Hole Regional Park. I think all should praise when an elected official does what we want them to.”
That mentality is disappointing and doesn’t set well with those who understand that Conley is simply buying silence with public money so he can continue to use his office and direct hundreds of millions of public dollars to his specials interests.
I believe Conley is a corrupt elected official who has learned how to corrupt his critics and to fool voters who want to be fooled.
So I’ll Say it: “The Emperor Has Dirty Clothes.”
44 comments:
Well, if the end doesn't justify the means, then what does?
Otherwise, we have all the same bad decisions we have any way, but no Jacob's Well and Blue Hole.
The fix is officially in. Conley embedded himself into Wimberley and has won over even his former political opponents.
Mr. Conley is being celebrated and honored Saturday for his personal contribution to the development of the Blue Hole Park. A former County Commisioner recently told friends ".. he (Conley) gets to use it as another one of his campaign events".
Everyone wants to make big money off of water, from Aqua America based in Pennsylvania, to it's subsidiary Aqua Texas. I now cringe everytime I think of the many different ways water is being used in Hays County.
The candy man gives people just enough of what they think they want. But he's not working for you, and you're not part of the club.
He's very good at the game - the most dangerous man in this county.
“Well, if the end doesn't justify the means, then what does?
Otherwise, we have all the same bad decisions we have any way, but no Jacob's Well and Blue Hole.”
Incredible!
Without principles any action can be rationalized…as you just tried to do.
Purchase of Jacob’s Well doesn’t address the causes of its demise and the impact on downstream Blue Hole.
Conley’s election campaign next year will leverage his being “celebrated,” and if elected he will continue, “the same bad decisions,” causing the demise of Jacob’s Well, Blue Hole and the rest of Hays County.
You can’t be just a little pregnant…regardless of how much you may try to rationalize being bought out.
Are any of those black and yellow anti-road people now part of this all new Conley Coalition ?
Will Conley. Hays County's original teabagger. At first glance one might think he's a rouge Republican. But no, he fits in well in Wimberley.
Why? Because he's brazen and mean-spirited, as are many of his Wimberley supporters. He does what his Republican puppet masters of Wimberley tell him.. Follow the money, first from developers, and now from former critics.
Dr. O'Dell has exposed this new coalition of strange
bedfellows. Votes. Money. Power. Jobs.
Will Conley is not a Republican or a Democrat in principle--because he has no principles other than taking advantage of the taxpayer for his own benefit.
He is of the same ilk as his buddy, Jeff Barton.
What ever happened to honest statesmen who work for the good of the general public.
No, the anti-road people still don't like him.
And, is it just me, or is that boy getting really fat?
And is he fat all over, or is it just his head swelling up?
“Follow the money, first from developers, and now from former critics."
"Conservation is paved with good intentions which prove to be futile, or even dangerous, because they are devoid of critical understanding either of the land, or of economic land-use.”
~ A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
Jobs? Mr. David Baker finally got his dream job. Who does he work for and how much is his salary? How did he get the job- by doing what? And what does he owe?
And the same for the new Blue Hole amusement park? Quid pro quo? Conley - and whom?
????
Charles said: "For example, Conley held off the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District until his no-government Dripping Springs supporters got control of the GCD board. This, along with Conley’s, “any development is good development,” record created strong critics within the environmental community."
What on earth is that supposed to mean, Charles? I voted for my rep at HTGCD and I don't support Conley. Your claims sound similar to the McMean's claims of a "hostile takeover" of the HTGCD board. Got news for you, all of the HTGCD board members were elected by homeowners in their respective districts.
I don't think that the HTGCD board is the least bit beholden to Conley. In fact, it would appear that Conley is the one trying to force the HTGCD board to jump on his command as evidenced by his recent play to shaft the HTGCD and its board on its funding.
Apparently it's okay to throw millions and millions of taxpayer dollars away on extremely special interest projects that serve a very few individuals (Wimberley Valley Watershed Association comes to mind as a prime recipient), but Conley then works to interfere with the HTGCD funding on the order of $100,000? HTGCD serves half the county. Those citizens are paying taxes into the county coffers that Conley is so free with as long as the money is diverted for the benefit of his buddies at WVWA or various road contractors.
All Conley has illustrated to me is that he needs to be removed from office or rendered impotent while in office. He should no longer be allowed to utilize his office to accomplish his objective of giving away taxpayer money to his buddies. Indeed, he has plunged the county into debt for that objective.
The HTGCD has little to do with Conley. The only thing apparent is that Conley is trying to make the HTGCD board jump to his commands by yanking the pursestrings - mainly by cutting funding which is already low. I don't see any of the HTGCD board members as being beholden to Conley.
Conley was also behind efforts to legislatively alter the authority of the HTGCD to the detriment of all property owners in the western half of the county. Anyone that has dealt with Conley for any length of time can recognize a snake. It's up to the citizens of precinct 3 to cut the head off that snake.
Anon 9:09am. It's going to be impossible to defeat Conley now that he's won over the Jacobs Well and Blue Hole crowd. Formerly it was these wealthy supporters who funded Conley's opponents. Now he's bought them off.
But as you can see, it's all out in the open now. Recently there was a national solar company named Solyndra. Obamans funded it, supposed to get environmentals enthused. Went belly up. But some people made some money before it went under.
My Representative on the HTGCD Board is not from Dripping Springs or anywhere near in geography nor shares politics or even sexual preference with the majority of people in the North of Hays. Granted, he is a minority in more ways than one, but he was elected as they all are.
He replaced David Baker who chose not to run (in disgrace) which was the best thing that could have happened to the Board. Without Baker, the Board now runs smoothly without his fraud and constant harping about Jacobs Well, protected? by his $65K+ employer the WVWA. Talk about a snake!
Wandering for your information. Yes, most of those Responsible Roads folks ("black and yellow anti- road people) have flipped to the Conley / Blue Hole alliance.
Does anyone know if the CARD group has gone Republican, too ?
Read the history of Tammany Hall, New York City, circa 1800s-1960. It is the playbook of our county government today. Conley is in the boss's seat. The public money is his power source. A once vibrant opposition has been systematically bought and sold with the public's money. It is shameful. Now there is no democracy, no principle, no spirit. Now there is only money.
Jacob's Well was once a special life force. A gift of Mother Earth. Now she is dying. Her soul tainted with corruption, money and manipulation. What terrible irony. The story will never be told by the educators. It will remain hidden deep in the underground bowels of the spring. How the soul of the spring was sold. How its guardians did the bidding. How the soul of a whole community was heroically sold. There is nothing here to celebrate.
“Got news for you, all of the HTGCD board members were elected by homeowners in their respective districts.”
You identify an interesting situation.
In the last HTGCD election environmentalists had more important things to do, and voters unhappy with the HTGCD board elected candidates who believe flowing springs waste groundwater, that all water permits should be approved, and no GCD rules should be enforced. In other words, the Rule of Capture.
The majority board is persuing their voter’s wishes.
It’s not surprising that Conley wants to draw the board under his control, just as the County’s permitting group (Tom Pope/Clint Garza) beckons to Conley’s call (and before that, to Jeff Barton).
So I don’t disagree with your observation that voters democratically elected their respective directors, including Mark Keys by one vote. I simply point out that many of our environmentalists are neither dependable nor consistent. Some would even say they are unprincipled.
I for one could never “celebrate” Will Conley.
Honorable people cannot act dishonorably even for an honorable cause.
Why wasn't the public given an opportunity to participate in a public discussion about spending public money?
Who is going to pay to clean the "bath houses", empty the toilets, pay to fertilize and water the green grass, maintain the tennis courts, remove big city graffiti, pay for lifeguards, pay insurance.......
the Blue Hole board of directors? Will they volunteer to do these jobs?
It will be your Republican tax dollars.
Hey Odie, I hear ya. The Tammany Hall comparison is right on! It works best when people's principles are only skin deep.
I used to go to the Jacobs Well annual fund raisers when it was fun and it had REAL PEOPLE community involvement.
I guess they decided to go for the big money. Now they are big corporate and big government. Too bad. The fun is gone at least for me. It looks like we were sold down the creek and pushed off the canoe.
Hell, I'm going to write Conley and ask him if he can help pay off my mortgage. Isn't that what he did for the Jacob's Well tribe?
Interesting that Conley's opponents in the county commissioner elections have now thrown in with him. Mr. Baker and Mr. Klepfer.
It was not a surprise about Mr. Baker and the Jacobs Well crowd. Mr. Baker needed a job and got one from Mr. Conley. The "Parks and Open Spaces" group of Baker's had thrown in with the Conley - Barton road bond group back in '07.
Now the Blue Hole gang. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Where there's a Will there's a way.
Geez, looks like our local Republicans agree that there is a role for big government and tax payer funded subsidies. Maybe the Democrats have rolled the Republicans. Ya think??
Gee, what a surprise! Texas politics is corrupt!!! OMG!
You people need to stop thinking so much and just vegetate in front of the TV.
Chucky O'Dell said... "In the last HTGCD election environmentalists had more important things to do, and voters unhappy with the HTGCD board elected candidates who believe flowing springs waste groundwater, that all water permits should be approved, and no GCD rules should be enforced. In other words, the Rule of Capture.
The majority board is persuing [sic] their voter’s wishes.."
You know Chucky, you should really get out more. In the last HTGCD election (May of this year) the lefty enviro-nuts and gays were out in force and elected liberal Ed Pope that replaced David Baker while Greg Nesbitt was soundly re-elected to pos. 4. This left the left/right mix the same as it was. No one on the board believes the things you say and like it or not the Rule of Capture is the Law of the Land. The GCD has been attacked and sued by the trouble makers of David Baker's WVWA and Jim McMeans' CARD group. with some tag alongs. What's the matter Chucky wouldn't either of them let you join?
Of course "the majority board is pursuing their voter's wishes", what else would you expect them to do? Maybe you need to get more sleep!
Would someone who attended the Blue Hole extravaganza give us a summary of what Mr. Conley says tonight, and what was said publicly to him?
"...the Rule of Capture is the Law of the Land."
Not in any of the 90 or so GCDs in Texas (except in the HTGCD where Chpt 36 Rules aren't enforced). Legally, the Rule of Capture only exists outside GCDs.
Anonymous 4:57pm "enviro-nuts and gays" come on people let's stop the name calling and get down to discussing what we can do to protect the environment. What does a person's sexual orientation have to do with their political beliefs. I will tell you - NOTHING!
I am sure that you will be the first to tell me that I am way off base and then explain to me how I am wrong. Please spare us the biased rhetoric no one cares about your warped opinion. We need to look at the facts not sexual innuendo and hate mongering.
We need to control development and preserve our precious water. At the same time we need to be fair to all the stake holders. I remember the drought of the 50's and this drought is already worse than that one. If we can not work together the we will all die together.
Snooze. I want more articles with substance from people I respect like Barbara Hopson.
@Charles O'Dell who said...
"...the Rule of Capture is the Law of the Land."
Not in any of the 90 or so GCDs in Texas (except in the HTGCD where Chpt 36 Rules aren't enforced). Legally, the Rule of Capture only exists outside GCDs.
Charles, there is no such thing as Chapter 36 "Rules". There is a Chapter 36 of the Water Code which sets forth a statutory scheme for all groundwater conservation districts in the state of Texas. Not all portions of Chapter 36 are applicable to all groundwater conservation districts - particularly when it comes to taxes and what constitutes an "exempt" well. The HTGCD is hardly unique.
The HTGCD is a Chapter 36 district. The applicable statutory provisions are enforced. Consider, for example, Water Code §36.066(g):
(g) If the district prevails in any suit other than a suit in which it voluntarily intervenes, the district may seek and the court shall grant, in the same action, recovery for attorney's fees, costs for expert witnesses, and other costs incurred by the district before the court. The amount of the attorney's fees shall be fixed by the court.
Jim McMeans and the WVWA, et al. will undoubtedly soon be able to corroborate that the mandatory award of attorney fees and costs under Chapter 36 is enforced.
@ Charles O'Dell who said...
You identify an interesting situation.
In the last HTGCD election environmentalists had more important things to do, and voters unhappy with the HTGCD board elected candidates who believe flowing springs waste groundwater, that all water permits should be approved, and no GCD rules should be enforced. In other words, the Rule of Capture.
More important things to do? Is that the excuse?
Voters had a right to be unhappy with the now-former board which had absolutely no regard for rights of the property owners.
GCD "rules" (as opposed to statutes) are established by the GCD Board. Many of the existing rules were poorly written to put it nicely. Each board, however, can develop its own set of rules. Which "rules" do you believe are not being enforced?
As far as the "flowing springs" argument goes, there are plenty of people in Hays County who are tired of hearing about Jacobs Well. The ne'er-do-wells claim that Jacobs Well is "groundwater". For the sake of argument only, let's assume that it is. The HTGCD Rule 2 definition for "waste" includes the following language:
Willfully or negligently causing, suffering, or allowing groundwater to escape into any river, creek, natural watercourse, depression, lake, reservoir, drain, sewer, street, highway, road, or road ditch, or onto any land other than that of the owner of the well unless such discharge is authorized by permit, rule, or order issued by the Commission under Texas
Water Code, Chapter 26, “Water Quality Control.”
HTGCD rules prohibits waste.
Sounds like Jacobs Well meets the former board's definition of "waste". If you are so intent on mindlessly following rules, then surely you must support plugging Jacobs Well.
You are on to something, however, regarding the lack of celebration for Will Conley.
@ Anonymous October 10, 2011 12:51 AM
Excellent rebuttal to one or more of Charles' misinformed statements. It is apparent to many that he has no idea what he is talking about when the talks about the law. Like so many liberals they only quote the law when it suits them or sometimes misquote it to make a point that has no basis in fact. In this case I believe Charles is guilty of the latter. I don't know if it is intentional or the old boy is slipping and really believes his own drool.
The subject of Jacobs Well being groundwater was exactly what David Baker et. al used to claim in order to scare the populace into opposing growth and to feather David's nest at the WVWA. If you can see it without scuba gear, it's surface water. His alleged criminal activity while on the Board has never been properly addressed but it is believed that it was the reason he "decided' not to run for re-election to the HTGCD. In any case the HTGCD is all the better for his absence.
Yes, Will Conley is an openly corrupt county commissioner. I'd like to thank the pseudo liberal environmentalist democrats who showed up Saturday Night to further his career.
You people should be ashamed of yourselves. We know who you are.
y'allsoldout said...
"Yes, Will Conley is an openly corrupt county commissioner. I'd like to thank the pseudo liberal environmentalist democrats who showed up Saturday Night to further his career."
What a putz! One the one hand you are thanking the blah blah blah for their supporting Conley's career - and then you go on to chastise them.
Which is it, flip-flopper?
To answer the question earlier,
"Does anyone know if the CARD group has gone Republican, too ?"
The answer is that CARD is not formed along party lines. It is composed of a wide swath of political leanings, but people who tend to come together quite seamlessly around issues of protecting the quality of air, water and life in general in these parts.
CARD exemplifies what I tend to see as the real divide in Hays County: not Dem or Rep, but people who would sell out the land and the way of life for a buck....and those who will not.
The one good thing about those supporting Blue Hole who showed up to thank Conley for his help...they will NOT vote for him when the time comes.
They still hate him, distrust him and will not give the boy a dime.
He didn't completely fool anybody, just some folks using one another and each thinking they were running the show.
It is sad, though, because this is what erodes public trust.
"The one good thing about those supporting Blue Hole who showed up to thank Conley for his help...they will NOT vote for him when the time comes."
Maybe you haven't been keeping up with current events; Conley won't need their votes or yours. The Conservative ground swell is coming courtesy of Barry Obama. It really doesn't matter who the Republicans nominate, the crappy economy and things like the nut cases occupying the streets will seal the deal for the conservatives. The last election was just a warm-up. Watch it happen and learn from it!
Will is starting to look like Russ
"...showed up to thank Conley for his help.."
There was nothing to thank him for. He threw the wealthy "Hole Folks" a small bone as a distraction. Now that he has their "thanks" he can get back to work on his County destruction.
..."he will NOT get their vote..."
The people who showed up Saturday Night at his re-coronation voted with their smiles, applause, laughter.. They voted just by holding this political event and
attending.
We will continue to see more political patronage.....
Yeah, Conley and his cronies within the Hays County hierarchy are indeed corrupt but their strings are being pulled by the master puppeteer and the money men from Midland-Odessa. These are truly the folks willing to sell lands and a way of life for a buck. Watch out Woodcreek North! Inch by inch, lot by lot, street by street, they're marching in. With the County takeover of the area around Jacob's Well, you'll be seeing more County intrusions into the neighborhood. County took over certain roads more than a year ago; can't say much for their upkeep of those roads. Now with developer push, they're looking for more. Mmmmm, what's behind that?? The County has so money they can afford that, too? Keep your eyes and ears open, Neighbors!!
To Anonymous, Oct. 11, 6:10 PM:
You are wrong about a groundswell of support for conservative Republicans. Any poll you read shows that Obama can beat any obstructionist Republican nominee. All the Republicans do is "just say no."
To Anonymous, Oct. 7, 5:03 PM:
You say, "Well, if the end doesn't justify the means, then what does?"
Clearly you have no idea of ethics.
Practically the first rule of ethics is that "the end does NOT justify the means!"
Yes, Germany gained more "living
room" by taking over Poland in WWII (the end result), but were the means acceptable?
Democrat Anony said, "You are wrong about a groundswell of support for conservative Republicans. Any poll you read shows that Obama can beat any obstructionist Republican nominee."
Maybe your use of the adverb, "can" rather than "will" explains your deception. It is funny that any poll that I have seen lately shows that almost any Republican would beat your boy Obama at present.
Since there are no "obstructionists" vying for the Republican nomination, the premise of your statement negates your claim before it starts.
This is a typical Extremist Left Wing Democrat strategy; lie about something in hope that it will come true.
My Aunt Kathy could beat Obama. Now all I have to do is wait around for that to come true. It will be kind of neat to have a President in the family.
Trying to end the orchestrated destruction of our nation's economy and medical care system is not obstructionist it is patriotic.
~
to Anon, Oct. 16, 5:33 am:
From Time Magazine, Oct. 14:
Obama versus various Rep. candidates--
Obama 46% Romney 43%
Obama 50% Perry 38%
Obama 49% Cain 37%.
Just to reiterate what is occasionally said on this blog:
The water issues in this area are not formed around typical conservative/liberal or Dem/Rep lines.
This isn't about gay marriage or abortion, this isn't about taxing the wealthy or helping the poor.
This is about water, healthy land and a quieter way of life.
Will Conley is about money, greed, power and cynicism.
Let's hope all the people who care about this beautiful land of ours vote to get rid of those who would sell it out, be they Democrats or Republicans.
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