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FB Star Reports On Blue Ridge Landfill Settlement Talks--click the title link for the full story--

Residents’ group opposed to landfill expansion
continues negotiations with trash company on landfill

By Cheryl Skinner

The city of Pearland and the three Houston television stations who were attempting to stop the issuance of an expansion permit for a landfill operation in Fort Bend County, have reportedly come to a settlement agreement with Republic Services. However, the grassroots group, Coalition Against Blue Ridge Landfill Expansion, continues “a good faith negotiation” with the company and no settlement has been reached, says Richard Morrison, the attorney representing the group.

The negotiations between the Coalition Against Blue Ridge Landfill Expansion and Republic Services Inc., is ongoing, Morrison says but no terms have been reached. The company reportedly came to a compromise with the three Houston television stations— KTRK (Channel 13), KRIV (Fox 26) and KHOU (Channel 11) and the city of Pearland during recent weeks. . .

MCC comment: This is the landfill company that has made contributions to Missouri City council members and some county commissioners along with signing a contract not to oppose this landfill planned for near 20 stories by giving these governmental entities "tipping fees" often called in the press "legal" bribes. Some of the key political players in supporting landfill expansion have been Bob Hebert, Allen Owen, Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council, Oberg PAC...

FBISD Votes To Increase Spending & Tax Rate--click title link for more--

8-27 Update: http://fbisdwatch.blogspot.com/2009/08/local-media-chimes-in-on-fbisd-tax-rate.html (Media chimes in)

Another update 8-1: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/01/40045

Last week, former FBISD school board member Stan Magee issued a public comment asking where the $122 million dollar surplus "fund balance" had gone (now listed as nearly 93 million) on the FortBendNow.com website, while opposing further tax increases and supporting a balanced budget. He further issued a statement to the effect condemning the boards vote in June to move forward in building the $30 million dollar "Global Taj Mahal" duplicate spending project (see Global Science & Technology Center and HMNS project opening in October in Telfair).

Of special note, the same two board members whom had adamantly supported the GSTC project, David Reitz and former BOT president Sonal Buchar, seemed to lead the charge in the budget hearing for making drastic cuts in the operating budget over the next few years and then voted lock-step on an amended budget that actually increases spending over the administrations proposed budget. During the agenda session on the amendments to the budget, the trustees seemed to have quite a deal of difficulty implementing "Robert's Rules of Order", which govern most governmental meetings.

During the public comments portion, the district's teacher association made a very strong and successful case, to protect raises and healthcare benefits by using funds from the "fund balance" to attempt to reign in this years budget deficit projected at nearly 19 million dollars (the largest in the districts history).

Special note: The "fund balance", so often mentioned in the above piece, comes from prior district bond funds voted on by the public for school projects that were NOT used and then "slipped" (moved) to this account. The district regularly uses this account to fund other projects in the system.

SCHOOLS IN SESSION--PLEASE BECAREFUL IN SCHOOL ZONES!

More From The Houston Chronicle On The Blue Ridge Landfill Near Missouri City--click here for more--

Residents' group opposed to landfill expansion tries to make deal with operating company
By ZEN T.C. ZHENG HOUSTON CHRONICLE

In a twist in a near four-year battle, a grassroots group fighting a landfill expansion plan in east Fort Bend County is seeking an out-the-court settlement with the company behind the project.

The negotiations between the Coalition Against Blue Ridge Landfill Expansion and Republic Services Inc. come on the heels of a string of compromises between the company and other opponents that included three local television stations — KTRK (Channel 13), KRIV (Fox 26) and KHOU (Channel 11) and the city of Pearland....(follow the link above for the full story)

MCC comment: This is the landfill expansion project that the mayor of Missouri City (Allen Owen) and our county commissioners (Bob Hebert) agreed not to fight for "tipping fees" some years ago.

Dunn Leaves FortBendNow....

...Sad news reached the watch-group staff this morning involving a local reporter and resident who 4 years ago founded what would revolutionize, in our community, web-based news reporting. The articles were often cutting edge, for this county and will be missed. Not only did Bob Dunn allow the public to comment on the stories, which at the time was novel, he developed a strong network in the area that would provide the "other side" of the issues.

Almost a year ago Mr. Dunn sold FBN and with it the opinion editorial pages vanished. He took on the editorial supervisory role with the purchasing firm (Instant News Network). Comments on stories were still allowed, but as often is the case, in this type of media, advertising pressure seemed to drive the ever increasing releases from public relations interests.

Good luck with your future endeavors Bob! We know your pen won't remain silent for long.

http://fbisdwatch.blogspot.com/2009/08/dunn-leaves-fortbendnow.html

Visit The American Homeowners Resource Center For More On HOA Issues Nationally--click the title link--

For Texas HOA reform news visit:

http://www.texashoareform.org/index.html

Recent HOA study (Harvard) on HOA initiated home foreclosures and fairly substantial list of attorneys involved in this very lucrative business: http://pages.prodigy.net/hoadata/

And for more on some legislatures who protect this industry. See this Fox 7 investigative series: http://www.ahrc.com/new/index.php/src/tools/sub/yp/action/display/id/1863

Nationally syndicated weekly radio show hosted by Shu Bartholomew "On The Commons": http://onthecommons.net/

Stay informed and keep in touch!

Fort Bend Independent Reports On FBISD Tax Hearing

School board struggles with $18 million budget deficit
SESHADRI KUMAR

Even as the Fort Bend ISD board of trustees Monday night wrestled with an $18 million deficit in a $498 million budget, some taxpayers took the board to task for raising the debt service tax rate by 3.5 cents per $100 valuation.

The administration and the board, on the other hand, took credit for a much smaller increase in the debt service tax rate than was anticipated.

During the public hearing on the budget, Michael Lee submitted a “writ of remonstrance” against the trustees for “failing” the people and asked each trustee to resign immediately.

The writ was signed by 525 people and Lee gave a sworn affidavit stating that he witnessed each person signing the writ.

The speakers opposing the tax hike were mainly faulting the school district for proceeding with the mutli-million dollar Global Science and Technology Center at a time when the country is in an economic crisis.

Kevin Tunstall said public confidence in elected officials was at an all time low. A couple of trustees during their campaign said they would not support a tax hike and now they should keep their promise, Tunstall said. . .

Get the full story at: http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=1759&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com


Youtube video of presentations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW2Jq2HWaAk

Youtube on FBISD Tax Hearing....

The video says it all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW2Jq2HWaAk

FB Star Covers FBISD TPIA (Open Records) Controversy-

Get the latest updates from the FB Star on this continuing problem with FBISD:

http://www.fortbendstar.com/081209/n_FBISD%20still%20has%20not%20released%20requested%20records%20%20New%20Territory%20resident%20claims.htm

http://www.fortbendstar.com/Columns/skinner_cheryl.htm

Stay informed and keep in touch!

FBW: FB Sun Reports On FBISD Budget Crisis!

Get the full piece at: http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2009/08/12/fort_bend_sun/news/slsws_-_fbisd_budget_811.txt

. . .Several people expressed concerns with plans by the district to move forward with the Global Science Center in the midst of its present budget crisis.

“We have a Global Science Center that we are looking at between $20 to $60 million dollars and we have a contracting economy at best, and taxpayers, myself included, have had to contract my spending and that is not what we are seeing here with Fort Bend [ISD],” Sugar Land resident Nancy Hentschel said.

Hentschel, a vocal opponent of the science facility, called Fort Bend ISD spending on the proposed Center an example of “very poor planning.”

Hentschel also challenged the board to release documents related to the proposed Global Science and Technology Center based on a recent directive approved by the Attorney General of the State of Texas.

Another resident, Michael Lee, called for the board to resign, alleging board members failed to deliver lawful requests for information to the people, failed to disclose potential conflicts of interest in connection with the center, and told taxpayers many times that the district had enough resources to pay for the science center.

“My goal is to get the school board to obey the law in every way, and not skirt and trick and deceive the people into believing this tax increase is really necessary and to get them to disclose their communications with the vendors who will be building the Global Science and Technology Center, because it is my belief that their campaign contributors are also in the construction business,” Lee said.

A retired computer professional, Lee also expressed concerns after the board meeting regarding 10 percent cuts in the teachers budgets proposed in the budget.

“Teachers now have to buy their own paper for copy machines and own fabric to do science class,” Lee said.

“They don’t have enough money to properly equip a science lab in every school, but they have enough money to build a three-story science boondoggle,” Lee said.

FBN Covers FBISD Tax Hearing & Budget Crisis--

See these separate pieces:

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/08/11/39485

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/08/11/39471

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/08/11/39478 (Jenney & board point the finger)

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/08/11/39482

"...All of the speakers spoke against having their property taxes raised.

One of the them, Michael Lee, spelled out his objections to the proposed tax increase in the form of a “write of remonstrance” that carried signatures Lee said totaled 525, and called for the resignation of all FBISD Board trustees.

As did others, Lee tied his objections to a tax hike to the science center.

The board of trustees made explicit and repeated representations to the taxpayers and the citizens of Fort Bend that spending on the Global Science and Technology Center was in the best interests of the taxpayers of Fort Bend,” Lee said, reading from his “writ.”

“The board of trustees made explicit and repeated representations to the taxpayers of Fort Bend that the resources of the Fort Bend Independent School District were sufficient to pay for the Global Science and Technology Center,” Lee said.

“In direct contradiction to those explicit repeated representations and assurances, and with a recession facing the taxpayers, the board of trustees is now asking for a 3.5-cent increase in the property tax rate,” Lee said, reading from his document.

After reading from his statement, Lee passed out copies of the document to each board member, including individual pre-formatted “resignation” letters, which board members ignored...." FBN

FBW comment: Actually two of the trustees thanked Mr. Lee when he handed them the "writ" which really constitutes a vote of no confidence.

...we will update these at intervals...

FBW EXCLUSIVE: FBISD REQUIRED TAX HEARING DRAWS LARGE CROWD AND MANY SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION TO SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED TAX HIKE!

Click the title link above for the full story....

FBISD Continues To With-hold Documents Ordered Released By The Texas Attorney General's Office!

Houston Chronicle Update: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/6566972.html#

A critic of the Fort Bend Independent School District's proposed $26 million “global center for science and technology” said district officials continued to withhold the information she requested even after the Texas Attorney General's office ruled that the district must do so.

“It is a real tragedy that getting basic open records for a taxpayer project of the magnitude of the Global Science Center should be this profoundly difficult,” said Nancy Hentschel. Chronicle Report

ANOTHER CHRON REPORT UPDATE 8-10: http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/08/fbisd_ags_rulin.html

HOA Abuse Continues Unabated In Texas, See This Special Report!--click this title link--

FBN: IS FBISD With-holding Information Ordered Released By The Texas Attorney Generals Office Still???

Chron UPDATE 8-8-09: http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/08/ag_fbisd_must_d.html#comments

Woman Wins Open-records Ruling, Says School District Still Won’t Release Science Center Info
August 7th, 2009 | by Bob Dunn, Fortbendnow

Even after a Texas Attorney General’s ruling in her favor, A New Territory woman says, Fort Bend Independent School District officials are purposely withholding public records about the proposed Global Science & Technology Center.

The school district said it has provided New Territory resident Nancy Hentschel with the documents ordered released by the AG’s office.

However, Hentschel said Friday, “I have been given nothing.”

An opponent of the district’s proposed $26.4 million science center, Hentschel said the information she is seeking could have been essential to the public before the FBISD Board of Trustees gave its approval for the project to proceed in a limited fashion.

Since the board vote on the science center came and went without the district releasing the information she requested, Hentschel said she hoped the release would come before next Monday’s board meeting, during which board members are expected to discuss the administration’s proposed 3.5-cent property tax increase.

It appears that won’t happen.

Events leading up to the current showdown between Hentschel and the district began this spring, when she made a formal request under the Texas Public Information Act for a variety of information related to the science center. Among records she requested were:

→ All documents under review by a committee the district set up to study the proposal’s feasibility;

→ All comments made about the project publicly on an FBISD web site;

→ A list of “current committed companies and the amounts they have already donated to this project;”

→ All communication between members of the feasibility committee, PBK architects, FBISD Superintendent Dr. Timothy Jenney, and former Sugar Land mayor and developer David Wallace, who headed the feasibility committee;

→ Any available financial disclosure statements since 2007 for Dr. Jenney.

After a records-release deadline expired under TPIA regulations, Hentschel said in a May 19 complaint to the attorney general’s office, FBISD outside counsel David Feldman provided her with a “PowerPoint sales pitch from Mr. Wallace” that “had nothing to do with any request that I had made…”

Get the full piece at:

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/08/07/39421

http://fbisdwatch.blogspot.com/2009/08/fbn-is-district-with-holding.html

Chron: Missouri City Government Finds New Funding Source In Lieu Of New Taxes....

Click the title link for more...

FB Star: Former School Board Candidate Wins Court Case Against Taxing Authority--click the title link for more--

Fresno resident wins court case against
Fort Bend Central Appraisal District

By Cheryl Skinner, Fort Bend Star

Rodrigo Carreon, a Fresno resident, admits he spent more to fight the Fort Bend Central Appraisal District in court than he got back when he won the case, he would rather the court had the money than to have the CAD keep the funds. Last week after a nearly four year battle, Carreon was notified that he had prevailed in court.

Carreon said the issue surfaced in 2005 when the FBCAD failed to grant him a homestead exemption on his Fresno property. “They illegally changed the address to my property, which they later told the judge was a mistake,” he explained.

Carreon said he went through the normal appeals process but when the CAD wouldn’t budge, he decided to go to court in an attempt to rectify the situation. A man of modest means, Carreon said he didn’t have the extra money to hire an attorney. . .click the title link above for the full story!

FBN: County Appraisal District Having Trouble Again This Year Keeping Up With Tax Protests And Appeals While Hebert Points The Finger--click here--

The blame game is in full swing at the county......check out this piece from FBN (click the title link above for the full story) and remember, it is your elected officials that select the CAD board!