Send your comments and questions to the UDC at contact@texansforpublicutilities.org, to Commissioner Whisenant at ray.whisenant@co.hays.tx.us, to LCRA's board of directors at Board@lcra.org or click on the "comments" at the bottom the story
The Coalition of Central Texas Utilities Development Corporation (UDC), of which Hays County is a member, now has a website to keep citizens informed about the LCRA divestiture of water and wastewater properties. The address is www.texansforpublicutilities.org.Hays County's Pct 4 Commissioner Ray Whisenant (R-Dripping Springs) serves as vice president of the board of the UDC.
The UDC website encourages citizens to contact their legislators, LCRA, and water suppliers to say that they want public utilities (including water) to stay in PUBLIC hands – not in the hands of investor-owned utilities (IOUs).
As stated in the website: "Many of the current customers realize their rates may go up; however, they would prefer to see those rates set through public ownership, covering only the costs of service, rather than allow those rates to be dictated by corporate resolution, satisfying a distant pocket’s need for profit."
At its meeting Wednesday Oct. 19, LCRA's board of directors decided again to postpone the decision as to whom to sell its remaining water and wastewater facilities, saying that LCRA has yet to receive a bid with the desired compensation for its investments.
Included in the postponed sale is the Hwy 290 water line (a part of the larger West Travis Regional Water System), which serves about 7,000 north Hays County subdivision customers and the member-owned Drippings Springs Water Supply Corporation.
At its September meeting, the LCRA board had signaled that it would be taking a closer look at bids for the West Travis System from Corix, a Canadian firm, and the California Water Group.
12 comments:
Jim McMeans and Marianne Mitchell both made fools of themselves at last nights HTGCD meeting by attacking Jimmy Skipton IV for his youthful age. President Skipton's son was nominated by Mark Key to the new Rules Committee. McMeans called JS4 a "bad joke" and that was just for starters. He said JS4 wasn't even old enough to drive.
The always disagreeable and insulting Marianne Mitchell went into a 4 minute tirade about the Board's nominees taking particular cheap shots at young JS4, calling his nomination unbelievable and calling him an "underage kid" that "wasn't old enough to vote". She called the Board "dysfunctional" and then went about trying to make it so. She accused Jimmy senior of nepotism and a conflict of interest.
Even after this rude pair of ne'er-do-wells finished crowing about things that had nothing to do with the subject; the Board unanimously approved the nominees, even David Glenn who said he didn't want the position.
Marianne Mitchell was taking shots at the nominees (i.e., it wasn't the nominees taking cheap shots at JS4, it was Mitchell and McMeans taking the cheap shots).
There were 5 nominees. According to Dr. Jernigan, David Glenn did not want to participate and so someone else was nominated instead. All of the nominees were approved.
JS4 demonstrated better diplomacy and conduct than McMeans ever has despite McMeans' and Mitchell's insults, attacks, and denigrating comments. McMeans and Mitchell are easily 4+ times JS4's age. McMeans and Mitchell acted like kindergardeners.
Backus is still attacking the Radiance permit. This time he had some character named Rob Baxter show up. Baxter claimed to "represent all the homeowners in Goldenwood".
In fact, Baxter only represents a contingent of board members of the involuntary membership POA in Goldenwood (probably only himself and Backus).
Like the typical POA presidents, Baxter spoke out of turn at the HTGCD meeting, rudely interrupted others while they were speaking at the podium, and made not-so-veiled threats of legal action with GPOA money - not his, of course.
The GPOA does not represent the homeowners and does not appear to own property that would be affected within 1/4 mile of the Radiance well. Particularly disturbing is the fact that Backus and Baxter each have a well on small acreage lots as do all their surrounding neighbors. For the same capacity well, Radiance is able to supply 34 households with a single well while Goldenwood has an individual well with the same capacity for each household in Goldenwood. Indeed, Radiance's permit is for approximately 1/2 the capacity of Baxter's or Backus' individual wells or any of the approximately 140 individual lots in Goldenwood. This looks much more like a case of Baxter and Backus using control the GPOA corporation to promote theological intolerance and discrimination outside of Goldenwood.
There is really no other explanation especially in view of the GPOA's, Baxter's, and Backus' disregard for the Goldenwood West WSC's permit which was being considered at the same time. The Goldenwood West WSC's application was for 4-6 times as much total water and demonstrated usage at double the rate per household per day on average as compared to Radiance.
Goldenwood West members are not abusive water users at all. These numbers are intended to illustrate by comparison just how much Radiance has been discriminated against in the past when Backus was on the HTGCD board. The entire Radiance development was seeking a total of 15 acre-feet per year to support 34 households. Backus and Baxter each get 28 acre-feet for their own individual households - and yet they claim Radiance's request for 15 acre feet total for 34 households was unwarranted.
Baxter has been a director and officer of Goldenwood POA for over a decade. As to whether Baxter represents the homeowners in Goldenwood, it's pretty clear from their own minutes that the GPOA board hasn't been allowing all the homeowners to vote. It's pretty obvious that Baxter doesn't represent the homeowners and represents only the interest of the individuals controlling the GPOA corporation board.
The HTGCD is a joke by nature. Why do you think Skipton nominated his son in the first place?
Why are all you social misfits so worked up over McMeans and Mitchell harping about it? They are just expressing their Constitutional right to attack the failings of local water politics and the fallacy of Hays County's election process.
I say let these fools drain all the water in our aquifers. Then we will see who is the real insulters of our way of life here is Stupid, Texas.
These people support Rick Perry. That tells us everything we need to know.
Hey Goober Patrol,
Your facts are somewhat incorrect. However, don't let that stop you from spreading a few lies.
You said: Why are all you social misfits so worked up over McMeans and Mitchell harping about it? They are just expressing their Constitutional right to attack the failings of local water politics and the fallacy of Hays County's election process.
Funny you want to introduce the Constitution into the picture now. McMeans in particular spends his time trying to deny constitutional rights to most of the other property owners in Hays county. By the way, McMeans did not attack the "failings of local water politics" but rather someone he perceived as an easy target. He was wrong on that count as well as just about everything he opens his trap to express himself about - like his flawed lawsuit against the HTGCD.
I look forward to McMeans' next expression - like the look on his face when he has to express his signature on a check to the HTGCD for attorney fees....
Goober Anonymous says:
"Your facts are somewhat incorrect. However, don't let that stop you from spreading a few lies."
Ok, what are those lies?
Don't just do what your right wing idiots always do by saying something and not backing it up with facts?
If I am wrong, what facts do I have wrong? Didn't Haystack Skipton appoint his son to the Board or not?
@Goober Patrol,
You are incorrect as you left wing bomb throwers always are. President Skipton did not APPOINT his son to the BOARD. Mark Key NOMINATED Jimmy Skipton IV for a position on the RULES COMMITTEE then after McMeans and others bitched, the entire BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to have him SERVE on the COMMITTEE. The emphasis is added for your benefit since you apparently have a reading deficit.
Maybe you should attend some of the HTGCD meetings and then you wouldn't sound so damn ignorant. Frankly "Goober", you aren't fit to shine that young man's shoes. His intelligence and awareness are remarkable and far above many of the so-called "normal" adults in the local areas.
The left wing extremists on this Blog have not made a case for anything except their utter ignorance of the facts of the meeting on the 20th. The Board is not going to make you hippies happy because the members respect the Private Property Rights of the citizens within the district, even the Wimberley bunch.
If the vote was as you claim Anon 7:54 AM; then Skippy voted for Skippy Jr. when he clearly should have abstained
If this all you water hippies have you need a new hobby. There is no there, there. No laws were broken and all appointed were worthy. I guess you would rather had, McMeans, Mitchell and Cook on the committee. You better start saving your money for all the legal fees you will have to pay, ask Backus why he dropped his contested case. McMeans dropped his before it even got started since he didn't want to pay. What a bunch of whining loser liberals you are.
JS4 has publicly stated his desire to attend one of the academies, so his intention is to not remain in the area. Now who I want directing decisions that will affect this area forever.
Anonymous said..."JS4 has publicly stated his desire to attend one of the academies, so his intention is to not remain in the area. Now who I want directing decisions that will affect this area forever."
WHAT A REACH!
I assume the typo, "Now Who I want" was meant to say, "Not who...".
Jimmy IV has indeed made that statement and I think it is an entirely laudable goal for a deserving young man. Do you actually think a person should be locked into staying in some backwater just because he is selected to serve on a committee? People of your tribe thrive on stability of office because once you get your choices in office you can sit around and do what you do best, nothing. You would feel safe and unthreatened. Your days and theirs are over, live with it.
On the surface, this appears to be a very selfish position but it is not what you are saying at all. You are reaching for a reason to criticize the Skipton and others on the Board because you and your ilk want David Baker et al. back to surreptitiously and illegally prevent any further growth in this area in the name of that stinking little hole, called Jacob's.
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Let's quote Anon 8:09 AM. "backwater" reallly!?! if that's how you feel you may leave at any time you wish. "tribe" true, I do have some native american blood, can't speak for anyone else. "You would feel safe and unthreatened. Your days and theirs are over, live with it." could very easily be viewed as a threat, pray my friend nothing happens to me, as the website will have to out you. "selfish" now there's the reach. "stinking little hole" friend, your anger is getting the better of you, you might wish to consult your Dr. and get your meds adjusted. Your vitriolic diatribe is tiresome.
No one has to reach to find a reason to criticize Skipton the Elder; he's provided plenty of reasons for that.
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