February 14, 2005
The Colleyville Courier (Comics) says there is room for "Big Box" stores in Colleyville. Outbursts about Thibodeaux continue, but big voter rejection apparently makes Courier go editorially goofy ... warning vertigo is possible here. a column by Nelson Thibodeaux

One week later, and after 72% of the voters agreed with Thibodeaux that burying power lines at taxpayers expense was a really bad idea, the Courier is backpedaling to claim the voice of reason.  It denounced the use of personal attacks and extolled all to "escape the negative cycle."  

The faceless "editorial" author (note LNO columns always carry the author's name and LNO does not use a faceless "editorial" page to hide its contributors) suggests that Nelson Thibodeaux "and his political supporters should read Two Sides of the Coin," (published in an adjacent column).  "These folks lay out the concept of how to work out political differences without all the name-calling and personal attacks," continued the "editorial."

And, oh by the way, the "editorial" continued, "the existing council majority in office since May, has contributed little of a positive nature. Mostly they are naysayers.  They oppose the mayor's power and they killed the city's master plan."  

So much for elimination of name-calling.  Nice job, Courier, leading by example!  Oh wait, it is O.K. to cast a general negative veil over four of the five council members by misstating facts while portraying the Courier political allies, Councilman Mark Skinner and Mayor Joe Hocutt as Comic Book Heroes.  

Speaking of negative, the Courier provided Skinner a public forum to launch an unwarranted attack on the citizens group Colleyville CAN (CCAN).  The article quotes Skinner as saying, “That group is the most negative, anti-Colleyville group you will find. Until they are gone, it will continue.”  Was it sponsoring  the Step Back in Time museum, the support for the Crime District Tax, the free Car Show, or providing a brand new Volvo at no charge for the Colleyville Police Department that qualified CCAN to earn this "name-calling" from Skinner? Or could it be that CCAN opposed Mark Skinner's plan to spend $13.75 million of the Taxpayers' monies to bury power lines?

LNO offered to provide at no charge, a LIVE INTERNET BROADCAST where Skinner could select his own moderator to debate the Bond proposals with a representative of CCAN.  This broadcast could be available to citizens of Colleyville and legitimate differences could be weighed, instead of name-calling.  But alas, Skinner preferred to use underground e-mails versus having a public forum to discuss issues with members of CCAN or the media.

Elimination of name-calling and personal attacks could certainly add to the civility of Colleyville politics.  After all, I have been the subject of personal attacks in the Courier for a record 5 weeks in a row. However, I would suggest that even more important is the offering of facts.  For example, I challenge the Courier to back up its statement that the "council majority" killed the city's Master Plan. There is no "Hocutt's master plan."  What a bunch of hooey! 

A Master Plan was in place well before Joe Hocutt was elected Mayor and will still be in place after he leaves office.  The City Council did not KILL THE MASTER PLAN.  The "editorial" points out, "Do not, repeat, do not, condemn Hocutt's master plan, call it names or put funny photos of the mayor on LNO."    How's that for arrogance? Since nobody takes credit for the "editorial," we have no idea who penned this delusional, whacked out threat.

In any case, I could not find the "funny" photo of the Mayor referenced, but since the Courier owners, staff and reporters are among thousands who read LNO religiously, perhaps they could tell me where that photo resides. The only "funny" photo that comes to mind is the May 2004 childish drawing where the Courier had me sitting on a toilet throne reading from a toilet paper scroll with the caption, "King of Colleyville." Man, did I get some mileage from that one!  Oh well, once again it is necessary for readers to understand the Courier credo is do as I say, not as I do. 

Talking about "escaping the negative cycle" and the "mayor's power", it was Mayor Joe Hocutt that VETOED 18 TIMES, nominations for Planning and Zoning Commission.  It probably has not been lost on citizens, that since this "council majority" was elected, city council meetings have become more about issues and less about the Mayor's opinion of personalities.

Try not to get dizzy here, the Courier  wrote, regarding the majority of this council doing anything positive, "The highlight has been the installation of temporary lights for PeeWee football at CHHS."  WHOA!!!!!!!

IF this was the "highlight" of something positive, Courier readers may recall giant headlines when Skinner and Hocutt were adamantly against the idea!  Skinner said, "not on my watch," while the Mayor objected because a couple of the light poles would actually be in Grapevine city limits on GCISD owned property.

The Courier then decided to go on a fact finding mission.  "We called city hall...and asked them what percentage of the property tax burden was carried by the town's homeowners," wrote the editorial.  You would think the Courier just pulled off a Pulitzer winning discovery; Colleyville homeowners are carrying 85% of the burden ..........duh!  Informed citizens have recognized this problem for years, however, we are grateful that the Courier  has now seen the light.  Perhaps the Courier should do its homework on a lot of other issues facing the community before questioning other's motives with their own personal attacks.

Dizzy yet?.. the editorial then says, "Folks, you need more businesses picking up the tab for Colleyville. The naysayers are right about this." If naysayers are right, how can they be naysayers?  Us alleged naysayers warned the public that Colleyville should use the TIF funds to encourage a wide variety of businesses to come to the city.  Instead the majority of the funds went to the Village of Colleyville right before ex-mayor, Donna Arp took a job there.  We cautioned against spending TIF funds indiscriminately on a lavish library and marble laden City Hall in the same Village of Colleyville project. We put it all on the line to support use of TIF funds to construct the beautiful boulevard that is now Hall Johnson Road.  We could not stop those that would demagogue a neighborhood grocery store as if it were a giant Wal-Mart Super Center. Their actions stifled growth and discouraged good developers from even considering future commercial development in the City.

Hall Johnson Road improvements were a major factor in bringing the Town Center to Colleyville, now one of our biggest tax generators. The road was built with TIF monies, and I was the responsible council member for getting the TIF program initiated.  However, ex-mayor Arp threatened to veto the bond sales necessary to fund the road and fellow council member, Ginny Tigue, wanted to literally bury half of it under dirt so folks would not realize it was a four lane road. (that suggestion even put Colleyville in the national news!)

I hope you are sitting by now, because the next lines are a shocker.  Stating that Hocutt wants to bring in high-end businesses, the "editorial" says, "It won't always be possible to do so.  But why rule out other developments, like the "big box" stores?  

Apparently the Courier has just discovered Colleyville's economic viability depends on bringing tax-generating businesses to town.  In fact, the Courier proposes that citizens compromise, and not rule out "big box" stores (Wal-Mart, Target, etc.).  Yes folks, the Courier says that all you who bought into ex-mayor Arp's campaign against Wal-Mart including her "big box" ordinance (the ordinance for all practical purposes eliminated any opportunity to land a large big box retailer in Colleyville), should now "compromise" and let "big box" stores in town.  

Maybe, someone from the Courier should broaden their horizon and take a drive around Colleyville's perimeters.  A "big box"- a Super Wal-Mart, Sams, or Super Target resides just across the street, located within the city limits of adjacent cities, literally surrounding Colleyville.  Opportunity for that argument is long gone. 

The Courier concludes that Hocutt is really a good man and "he truly does care about Colleyville and have a vision for its future.." Is this to infer that others who take an opposing view don't care about Colleyville?  Hocutt was an adamant supporter of the "big box" ordinance, a MAJOR REASON there are no larger retailers or substantial new commercial developments in Colleyville.  Hocutt led the charge opposing the ServiceStar development on John McCain and Hwy 26. Now, the Courier has the audacity to chastise the voters because they didn't approve a bond issue to rebuild roads, when the Council has been killing tax-generating businesses. The "editorial" concludes that "the roads may jar you (the voters) back to reality."

The Courier wrote that Hocutt has a "vision for the future," apparently this includes recruiting "big box" stores.  Don’t confuse vision, with desperate hindsight. Vision has to be tempered by reality.  If one is missing either, it is not likely that person will be a leader who can stay focused on the best interest of the community or knows how to achieve it. 

Here's the reality.  The vision cannot be clouded with a propensity to demagogue an issue when it becomes convenient for political reasons. It takes a lot of courage to sit at the dais and cast a vote in favor of what one knows to be the best interest of the overall city, while the council chamber is packed with zealots against the issue at hand. It is much easier to take a path of least resistance and try to please everyone, with the hopes the votes will follow next election.

I think it is great the Courier recognizes the need for business development.  It is unfortunate that their enlightenment didn’t occur until voters sent a message to City Hall. Citizens expect better management of their money, less burden on homeowners, and more emphasis on bringing in tax-generating businesses to help off load the tax weight.

The recent improvements on John McCain intersection at Hwy.26 was accomplished with several hundred thousands of dollars from TIF funds.  TIF funds were suppose to encourage businesses to come to the city, like the end results of the Hall Johnson improvements.  However, the first effort for a major development at this location was turned down because it was perceived to be a "tire store" not worthy of Colleyville.  Councilman Mark Skinner sent one of his now infamous underground emails telling citizens the project was a terrible idea and blaming the concept on Mayor Pro Tem Jon Ayers; neither was true.

So now comes the Courier wanting readers to believe it is suddenly the voice of reason and deep thought gained through research or experience. To accept this premise, readers are required to; a.) immediately forget the "editorial" they are reading does exactly what it accuses others of doing, b.) be able to wipe out any memory of the Courier from the prior 4 weeks, c.) forget about or not have any knowledge of Colleyville events from 2000 forward,  d.) be so biased as not to recognize the very things of which it accuses others, is what the Courier is all about. 

Speaking of the Courier's suggested reading material "Two sides of the Coin," Debra Edmundson writes, "Experience shows that like-minded councils and school boards, whether they are 7-0 or 5-0, tend to produce controversy because the "other voice" is not present."  Could there be a better example of Edmundson's point than what happened from 2002 to 2004?  Mayor Donna Arp, and council members Brad Rice, Dana Feldman, Joe Hocutt, Dennis Marlin and Ginny Tigue deployed a "scorched earth policy.”  Anyone that was thought to have supported opponents were replaced on every Board and Commission in the city.  Lest you forget, it was this same Mayor Hocutt that spent the most part of his first year in office vetoing the appointments of City Council because, "they did not share his vision."  Hocutt claimed that his majority had the "mandate" of the people.  The result?  In May 2004 the citizens elected three opponents of Hocutt, including one individual that he had consistently vetoed for a Planning and Zoning seat. 

Edmundson summed up her column by writing. "The "block" majority of today can quickly become the "has-beens" of tomorrow, if they don't listen."

For a verification of Edmundson's theory, one only has to view the results from the May 2004, City of Colleyville Council Election and February 5th Bond Election. It looks like there were a lot more "naysayers" out there than Courier believers.

No sir, these ARE NOT naysayers but individuals that simply want honesty from their city government and elected officials.  They have made their voices heard and opinions noted at the ballot box.  Since they were apparently right all along, seems to me that all of the Courier’s naysayers are actually ones that share a common vision of maintaining the ambiance of the City of Colleyville, but temper our vision with reality.

This is not the Hamptons but Colleyville.  While many residents are financially successful, typically their wealth did not come from inherited money but their own hard work.  It is reasonable to understand why they were leery of handing over millions of their tax dollars to a private utility company and a blank check to city government.  When the facts are presented, this group can easily see through the diversion of those accusing fact presenters as naysayers.

Those who consider themselves Colleyville’s elitist bluebloods have become terribly frustrated with the rest of us.  When one attempts to draw them into a discussion based on facts, they resort to the tired old claim they are actually the victims of abuse.

Maybe the Courier will join Local News Only in encouraging future discussions in open forums.  Maybe the Courier will support LNO’s effort to offer live Internet broadcasts of these discussions, as we offered, but was refused by Skinner, during the recent bond election.  

Or maybe the Courier will continue its word games.  Their editorial began with haughty comments about the “oppressed and destroying institutions.”  Allow me to offer the words of columnist Cliff Kincaid about a particularly slanted story in the Washington Post;  “..one of the ways communism tried to destroy civil society and democratic culture was through word games such as this."  

But at the end of the day, this is local politics, that’s all.  While the Courier calls for others to drop the name-calling, perhaps it should lead by example.  At minimum, they should at least get a sense of humor!  For example, I have Colleyville resident Joe Tigue to thank for re-introducing me to the fine Louisiana product known as Boudreaux's Butt Paste.

All columns posted on Local News Only.com (LNO) are noted as "a column by."  The opinions expressed are that of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial opinion of LNO or of any advertiser.  LNO does not warrant, confirm or endorse any facts that may be referenced in the column.

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