An uninformed observer dropping in on the
Walker County Fairgrounds on January 30 (Town Hall "makeup
meeting") might certainly have gotten the impression that Grimes
County has declared war! Somewhere between 800 and 1000 concerned
citizens gathered to voice their opinions and hopefully have
questions answered regarding the proposed Trans Texas Corridor Toll
Road Project. Walker County's meeting had the dubious distinction to
be the only venue offered to Grimes and Trinity Counties as they
weren't afforded the opportunity to host a town hall meeting.
At both meetings property owners and concerned citizens voiced their
discontent with Perry's vision of a multi-use toll road corridor
being attached to the proposed Interstate 69 path that would take
approximately 145 acres per mile of roadway. Additionally at
the January 23 meeting, at least five officials from the
Bryan/College Station/Brazos Valley area (which will lose no land to
the corridor) touted their approval and recommendations of the
corridor's division of Grimes County to service their wants and
needs for contact with an Interstate Highway.
January 30 told a different story however, as Grimes County had its
own representation this time. Along with some 50 citizens,
our esteemed County Judge and every County Commissioner attended.
Judge Shiflett informed the Texas Department of Transportation in no
uncertain terms that the corridor vision would not be welcome in
Grimes County and “what part of no didn't they understand?”
Commissioner Pendley likewise was emphatic in his vocal opposition
for himself and his constituents to the loss of thousands of acres
of agricultural use land, “some that has been farmed for over 100
years” and the forever change of face the corridor would bring to
Grimes County. Julian Melcher agreed in his defense of Grimes County
and the corridors disregard for our communities and way of life.
Judge Shiflett assured attendees that the
resolution previously filed by Grimes County officials would be
rescinded and replaced with “no build” verbage.
Representative Lois Kolkorst had her
input too. She ardently recommended alternatives to
the corridor toll road vision of Rick Perry's.
She suggested that with some thought,
legislative work and maybe some change to the gas tax, Texas could
fund new road projects itself without the need of toll roads and the
foreign company ownership suggested by Rick Perry's plan.
The Texas Transportation Commission and The Texas Department of
Transportation agreed that this corridor vision -
which would stop at the Texas State border - can be stopped.
It can be stopped by our comments, but our comments must be
recorded at the public hearings, sent formally in letter format or
through their Web site, and the comments must fit into their
specific point category. Comments must be received by March 19, 2008
in order to count towards the official record.
In order to be counted,
your comments must address a reason for your negative
response pertaining to the route, environment, historical places,
people, funding, privatization, etc.
Mail to P.O. Box 14428, Austin, TX 78761 or go to
keeptexasmoving.com.
Feb. 5, 2008 The Navasota Examiner
http://www.navasotaexaminer.com/articles/2008/02/05/news/lifestyles/lifestyles05.txt
Grimes County: Roans
Prairie-Shiro News
At the “Town Meeting” held last Wed. in
Huntsville, the five TxDOT officals sat on the stage, dressed in
their fine expensive suits and for the second night in a row, they
were facing an overflow crowd of Wrangler- and Stetson-wearing
farmers, ranchers and many work-clothes-clad people with blood in
their eyes.
The haggered-looking officals had that
“deer in the headlights” look and were backed up by several DPS
officers, just in case.
Walker County Commissioners
were there representing their constituents as being against this
project.
The mayors of Bryan and College
Station were both there to let TxDOT know that they want this
project and how good it will be for them. Of course to get to them
it will be going right across Grimes County.
When one of their officials was
asked, “Well what do the
officials in Grimes County think?” The answer was, “Well,
we hear they're KINDA against it.”
It was pointed out by Charles
Wendt that Brazos County wants a lot of things -
like the trash dump
they're going to build in our county but, they don't want it to
clutter their county.
Quite of few of us Grimes
County residents were there and the Walker County
residents did not want us taking up their
time with our questions and problems.
We had to tell them that our county officials did not get us a “Town
Meeting”. (I won't bore you with what they said they'd do if that
was what their commissioners had done).
The “Public Hearing” that we will have
on the 28th is on a more formal format and TxDOT does not have to
answer questions. We have been told that you MIGHT get a chance to
make a short statement, 3 minutes or less.
The moderator apologized to the people
for underestimating what the size of the crowd would be and promised
to hold another Town Meeting to see that everyone would have a
chance to speak.
This meeting has already been scheduled
for today at the Walker County Fair Grounds. Sign in will start at
5:30.
One of the
TxDOT officials told the crowd that the meeting was being taped so
that they could review it at a later time to be sure that they
didn't miss anything, the camera was in the aisle not far from where
we were sitting.
However
when Joyce Floyd called their offices last Fri. to get a copy of the
tape, she was told that it hadn't been taped! I
sincerely hope that at least one of our county officials will show
up at the meeting tonight.
NOTE: Unrelated "news" was edited here.
This column is dedicated to
the memory of Annie Boatman, who passed away last week. She will be
greatly missed by her family.
Keep me posted on what's
happening with your family, church and organizations:
mlboatman@tconline.net
