Mayor Randall is taking action regarding our transportation situation. From what I understand Mayor Randall has been invited to Washington DC to discuss the Park and Ride and Commuter rail transportation in Galveston County and has been recently appointed to HGAC Advisory Committee.
It’s refreshing to see an elected official do what they said they would do if elected. However not all elected officials do. This was a portion of Mr. Baron’s press release when he ran for office last year.
" “We must restore trust in our city government and change the direction of this city now” Baron said. “We need to make real ethics reform an immediate priority and we must stop allowing our elected officials to discuss and vote on projects that benefit their campaign contributors.” “We need to control residential growth and return fiscal responsibility to our city government now before it is too late.” “Big ticket spending items such as the proposed east side aquatic center and the numerous sewage treatment facility upgrades should be decided by the voters.” “I believe that I have the business experience and the ability to work professionally with others that we need to make League City the best city in Texas.” "
What a difference a year makes no ethics reform, a dog park for the chosen few, fighting the mayor on her appointments and showing little if any professional working relationship except with Tommy Cones and the good old boys. What a true disappointment.
The thoughts below were emailed to me and requested to be posted under a new thread. It outlines some of the reasons the citizens have lost faith in the judgment of Mr. Cones as well as Mr. Samulson.
Guardian of Taxpayers' Dollars ?
- Big league Dreams- the city does not collect tax dollars from this $22 million project billed to the city (Councilman Cones supported and voted for this project without voter input, as well as being invited to an all expense trip to California to tour their project.)
- Butler Long Horn Museum- costing the taxpayers nearly $1.8 million dollars; asking the city council for an additional $200,000. ; and still not open to the public after nearly 8 YEARS in the planning (Councilman Cones has consistently voted in favor of the project without voter input over the last 7 years)
- League City's Dog Park- a novel idea costing the city $379,000.00 but in the times of an Economic Recession very poor decision making on the council members voting in favor of this project. (Cones, Samuelson, Baron, Nelson) County Judge Yarbrough and Commissioners' Court favored the idea and were considering an area of Walter Hall Park to be used as a Dog park.
- Eastside Swimming pool and Senior Center- this "free project" will cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars in maintenance, personal, etc. The citizens of League City spoke very clearly when they voted down (by 3 to 1) the Natatorium/Senior Center. Why does council continue to approve money for this project without voter input? Cones leads the charge to continue the the east side swimming pool/ senior center without voter input.
32 comments:
CJM - Please clarify. Are you personally against the combined Natatorium and Senior Center, or are you against both as individual projects, or are you against the idea that there is a push contrary to voter wishes. Maybe the right answer is some combination.
Thanks
BHL,
I think the citizens should have an opportunity to vote on such a project. I believe a senior center is needed. I think a natatorium is low on the list. I am concerned that there is a push contrary to the voters overwhelming choice. I also believe that such a project (if approved by voters) should be centrally located for all to enjoy.
Who sent you those comments and told you to put them here. MS. Kosty? Still taking orders from the despondant, bitter MS. Kosty. cmon Chris, grow some wavos. People with a backbone dont take there orders from a dried up old bitty like MS. Kosty. Remember, MS Kosty has lost every friend she has ever made, turned on every elected official she ever worked with and been run out of every orqanization she has been a part of.
JC
You use an anonymous name and you are telling me to grow a pair? LOL Who are you trying to kid? I receive many emails regarding our council. The thoughts are from several different emails and put together by me. You should not allow your hatred for certain individuals to cloud your already poor judgment. As most everyone knows the names of the citizens that send me information is never revealed unless they wish it to be. I act on the information I receive (after verifying it) not by the names of those who send it to me.
Mr. Mallios,
Thanks for Baron's press release. I was digging for it in my files. I will hold my comments about Baron for later.
JCLeague (aka IHATEKOSTY, Glen Cove Resident, butler Oaks, and many others)
As a political sniper you are weak and pathetic.
I hope someone like you gets involved to help in Tommy's attempt to get re-elected. If so, please keep us informed when Cones plans to meet with the public. I am looking forward to these gatherings.
Mr. Mallios - Thank you for your new post. Mr. Baron's "Press Release" was amusing to read. He fooled us once, but never again.
JC, Pat Hallisey, IHateKosty,Glen Cove resident,Butler Oaks, etc. says it all. You need more time with your priest. Maybe he can free you of your demons.
Paul Smith- Mr. Baron is everything he appears to be . . .
a disappointment. Voters come back with a vengence when they have been duped by fasting talking attorneys. Ask Tad, and soon Samuelson.
Harry out.
Pat, I think that's huevos, not wavos.
Thanks for the update, Chris. On the old blog some time ago, every single poster who commented was opposed to pouring one more dime down the black hole known as the Ever-Pending BLM. Not a single dissenter in the lot. So any more spending on such projects is a slap in the face to tax payers.
Although I am arguably a senior myself, I haven't seen an attraction to senior facilities and haven't used them. Likewise, relatively few others do either. Many of our residents may be unaware of the many such facilities we have, simply because they are so under-patronized. Seniors can also make use of parks, boat ramps and other facilities open to all, and don't need more privileged character status.
Let's put the lid on this waste, and kick those out of office who continue to ignore the marching orders we gave 'em.
speaking of senior citizens, paul, did jim cones nelson ever deliver the bus he promised almost two years ago?
Paul,
You are underestimating the number of participants in our Seniors program.Very soon their level of participation will eclipse our ability to adequately serve them with existing facilities.
I'm not sure it was appropriate to tie your comments on the Seniors program to the more controversial topic of BLM. Apples and Oranges, Paul.
Mayor Tony Randall sees herself as League Cities Ruler not its Servant
While I was doing my Tuesday civic duty of watching the best show on television, The League City Council Meeting, I could not believe my ears as the Mayor screamed at the top of her lungs and with a incredibly defiant look "That she really did not care what Councilman Baron thought or Councilman Cones or Nelson and that she would do things the way she wanted and they should get over it." Mayor Tony Randal's demeanor last night was that of a child that was having a temper tantrum, It was an embarrassment. At the heart of this outburst was the hiring of the Mayors new assistant at a 20,000,00 increase over the posted job announcement, the fact that there were only two applicants and within 5 days with no application, a person was hired, It is not uncommon for the Mayor to want an assistant of their choosing, what is uncommon is the underhanded and back room manner she went about getting it done This employee was a campaign worker for the Mayor, and a personal friend of the Mayor, and a inflated salary for what was basically an administrative aide, Not only were the personnel rules not followed but it smelled of a back room deal by a pubic official. As Councilman Baron so aptly pointed out "rules are in place to attempt to negate the perception of impropriety", however, that comment was totally beyond the intellectual capacity of Mayor Tony Randal. The Council was never notified that all this back room maneuvering of current employees was going to end with a deal for her friend, it was announced rather boldly at a Christmas party by the new employee and the Mayors campaign manager Joanna Sharp that this person was the Mayor’s new assistant. When asked by Council Members, the Mayor Just totally ignored any requests for an explanation She further rebuffed any conversation that would revolve around potentially any liability for the city The woman who held that job who was removed and reassigned, was replaced by a male who was making 10,000,00 more than her as a new hire. However the woman possesses a Bachelor’s Degree and is almost complete in her Master’s degree. Sexual discrimination is an actionable offense In the workplace, I realize this community wanted to change things, but I believe the change that is happening is for the worse not the better, and I don't think that is what voters expected from the last election, that Mayor Tony Randall’s term as Mayor would be covered with controversy as it has since taking office last June.
Someone or anyone who sees themselves' above the rules and laws and policies of the League City, Galveston County, the State of Texas and the US Constitution is reminiscent of the Richard Nixon days and we all know how that ended. A hearty thank you to Mr. Baron, Mr. Cones, and Mr. Nelson for standing up for what is right and wrong in the face of that type of adversity. Shame on you Ms Sanborn and Mr. Paulissen politics as usual has to change, I challenge you to get on board and do what is right for this City.
I guess Pat
(Butler oaks, JC league, Ihatekosty, Glen cove resident and now , thetruthhurts- you can hide behind your many names but your hateful and untrue style gives you away)
you were watching a different council meeting than the one I attended. Mayor Randall did not rant and rave, nor was her demeanor as you described. After 2 hours discussing Nelson's needless Dress Code and Mandatory attendence- what would anyone expect ? Yes Mr. Hallisey it was a disgrace. Taxpayers actually pay clowns like Cones, Nelson and Baron to behave like this. Mr. Hallisey as you always say "don't let the facts get in the way of a good story" won't work. We have eyes and ears to watch Channel 16 and see and hear ourselves. Cones will be booted out this year, Nelson next year, and Baron remains to be the arrogant liar he is. You fool no one.
I cant resist any longer, I think many people miss the former Mayor, who led this city with dignity and eloquence.
Jerry is our mayor,
I have not heard that one yet. The one I have heard mores times than I can count is "Gosh I thought I would never say this, but I wish we had Tad" "You might not like what he did, but he would not lie to you" or "Baron has said more in 6 months than Tad said in three years".
Jerryisourmayor,
Dear family member, Bill would tell you to stop drinking the kool-aid.
Dignity? Trash-gate, Chief-gate,Bridge-gate, just to name a few scandals under Jerry's watch. Never has an incumbant Mayor received less than 1000 votes.
The 1/4 cent sales tax failed because the city did not trust Jerry and how the money would be distributed.
Eloquence? his smooth talk got him elected, and very quickly un-elected. We only are fooled once, as Mr. Baron will learn.
The only regret repeatedly heard is the yearning for Tad.
No back-room deals or "gates" under this country gal's watch. Mayor Randall remains the people's choice.
Is her name really Tony Randall? I thought Tony Randall played with Jack Klugman in the odd couple. Dootadodado dotodadoo dotadooooaoooh.
I watched the January 27th Council Meeting fiasco on Channel sisteen tonight. I was very proud of Mayor Randall! She did exactly what 2100 of us, who voted for her, had in mind when we marked our ballots!!!
According to Alison Smith and Chris Reed, the hiring of Mr. Grooms was done according to the letter of the law we have, in a very businesslike way. The three of them were in agreement about how it was handled, and they were all satisfied!
Being outnumbered by the political fighters Cones and Nelson, with Baron being the newest 3rd musketeer, our Mayor-who has more guts in her little finger than any of the others up there-stood up to them in a very controlled and businesslike way, protected by the truth.
Everyone in League City should be proud that the good old boy chain has been broken, and with the election of some new Council members in May, much better times are in store for League City!
Keep it up, Mayor Toni, keep on standing up for us against pressure from the 'bad' sectors, just the way you did on this personnel issue.
The cause was just sour grapes about the firing of Hallisey. What everyone doesn't realize is that Jerry thought he had the last laugh after losing the election, by hiring Pat. And poor Pat doesn't realize that he was just a pawn, used by someone he trusted to throw a monkeywrench into the new Mayors path. Poor Pat!
Again Hooray Toni!
Hoooray Toni,,,,,May God Help US,Please. She acted in a way that was demeaining to the office of the Mayor and the citizens. It was more like something you would expect to see late into a friday night at an ice house, akin to a man telling his drunk wife to come home, and the ensuing rage filled fight that would happen. "I aint going home with you!" "get over it" Please any one who is proud of her behavior loves dissension and trouble and does not care about this city.
Sorry, Pat. Hit a nerve, didn't I?
Councilmen (Cones etc) who plan to stage this sort of fiasco are the ones who only use League city and its citizens as excuses for their great performances for Channel 16!
Well, curiosity got the best of me. Cones challenged the Mayor saying Council 'did not know anything' about Grooms hiring, 'hadn't been consulted', etc.
After some research on the internet, I found the City Charter, and read about Council's duties, etc.. This is what I found:
The only employees who are hired or fired involving the Council are the City Administrator and the City Secretary.
So the Mayor has no obligation or reason to consult Council on hiring anyone else!!! Cones, Nelson and Baron were shaking the wrong tree intentionaly.
They will create any scenario in order to attack the Mayor on Channel 16 public forum, the more often the better!! Again out of spite for PH!
This will continue to happen until Cones loses his reelection and is our of our hair, so heads up everyone!
BTW, who can tell me why this Butler Longhorn thing is not open yet?
Evelyn,
You really need to take a break for awhile and come stay at The Chelsea for a few days. You can tour the world-class arts venues and develop an understanding of what is, and what is not, successful in the Arts.
Then your question will become "why should this Butler Longhorn thing open?"
Thanks for setting it straight, Evelyn and LCPD. You might ask Mr Meyer about the museum (apparently, I shouldn't comment about museums and senior facilities in the same post together). But I really like Chelsea's answer better.
Chris: Forget the late night rendezvous in the park. Pat -- erm, I mean JCL -- has something more exciting. He's talking about late Friday night drunken brawls at an ice house somewhere now. I don't know about you, but to me this makes Marc's challenge seem lame. Maybe we can coax Pat into telling us more.
Paul,
I think discussion of facilities (type, location,etc.) is great.
I also think there are few who would argue that the Seniors Program is anything less than a success. You really should drop in and check it out. When you do, I think you'll realize the need to provide additional event space to stay ahead of growth.
The Museum is a different kind of animal...more defined and with a narrower scope.
The Seniors Program is fluid, while the museum has been static.
There's a known and an unknown.
The only commonality is that they are both involved with the City.
Good Morning Y’all,
Lcpd,
No bus for the seniors yet….. However there is an election coming up and who knows they just might find away to complete such a promise.
Truth (lack of),
This is a strong Mayor form of government. Tommy and his boys are only grandstanding. They need to read the charter and not try to interpret it for their good old boy means. Isn’t it interesting that Tommy, Neil and the other two backstreet boys blocked the mayor from placing a fresh perspective on the P & Z and now we have many more apts? Coincidence? I think not. I understand one P & Z member was afraid to vote against the project because they may have been named in threatened legal action. That is what we want representing our city and making “cerebral” judgments for us? What a wimp. I guess you prefer the no backbone approach to running the city.
Sour Mayor,
No one misses last place Jerry. History will show that he was the worst Mayor our city has ever had.
Mrs. GCR,
Very well said.
R Boone,
You hit the mark.
LC Con,
I see why you are confused.
JCLEAGUE,
Ice house brawls? You sound like you speak from experience. Sounds to me that “ I ain’t going home with you” may have been something told to you a time or two.
Evelyn,
Very nice post.
P. Moratto,
Never considered meeting Mr. E in a dark park and I am still waiting to buy him lunch so we may discuss our differences in the light of day. But, of course, my offer has not been answered.
Mr. Meyer,
Thank you for your reason. You are a person who cuts to the chase and tells it the way you see it.
C. Meyer: "The Museum is a different kind of animal..."
A dead one, many hope.
"The ... museum has been static."
I am less than ecstatic. More than anything, the never-finished museum has been expensive, and benefits no one.
On a different note, albeit in the same post, your summary of seniors facilities is noted. While the county has nothing to do with it, they also have facilities that are open to our seniors, and the number of seniors in the county is small for what's available to them. We pay taxes to the county too, so maybe we should spread our folks out a little more. Time to talk about that bus again, perhaps.
Johnson Development Initiates Another Lawsuit/SLAPP-suit Against Sienna Homeowner (3rd case in 18 months)--
Normally this wouldn't be so shocking, but it is happening to our family here in Sienna Plantation, yet again. We believe we have been targeted for yet another harassment suit (SLAPP-suit) by Johnson Development Co. (JDC) of Houston, developer's of Sienna, Riverstone, Silver Lake, Fall Creek, Tuscan Lakes, Edgewater, Sweetwater and Woodforest subdivisions.
The initial case was filed in August 2005 in an attempt to access and close several Sienna resident run websites (in our opinion) and continued with a SLAPP-suit filing in December 2005 and supposedly settled in December 2006. SJD/JDC is claiming that the agreement was breeched and is pointing the finger at the homeowners. What JDC fails to mention is that they have not lived up to a single clause in the agreement. Of course they are claiming the homeowners did not live up to the contract. I wish we could share this agreement with you and go line by line, but that would violate it and I'm sure they would use it in this new harassment case they filed on Feb. 7th --and just notified us today via our attorneys (the 21st).
We will continue to update this and keep the Sienna & Mo-City community informed as this progresses, yet again! If this isn't consumer harassment then there is no such animal in Texas.
http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/2007/02/johnson-development-sues-sienna.html
In a recent court filing through Judge Pedro Ruiz’s 240th District Court here in Fort Bend County the ongoing harassment of Sienna Plantation homeowners continue in this SLAPP-suit. In this round, John Keville of Howry LLP, from a Houston international law firm, much like his earlier attempts to access the SiennaTalk.com & MissouriCityTalk.com databases is requesting, through the courts, access to one Sienna families personal home computer. According to one homeowner’s opinion, JDC is seeking access so that they can get a hold of membership information on the Committee for Responsible Development (CRD) as well as the CRD e-mail contact list for approximately 2000 homeowners and residents in Sienna and the Sienna Plantation area of Missouri City.
Just a few weeks ago the committee of homeowners (CRD) were removed from the lawsuit by Keville and JDC after nearly a year of litigation whereby they were unsuccessful at gaining the full list of homeowners who participated in the petition drive against their proposed, up to, 2700 apartment units allowed for this community through an unpopular 5-2 city council vote lead by their developer-backed Mayor Allen Owen during ’05 (see campaign contributions list for Mayor Owen by searching the MissouriCityChatter blog site). In the court papers JDC is also requesting that this expense for accessing and searching the targets personal computer be billed to the homeowner.
http://www.nowpublic.com/slapp_suit_in_houston_texas_johnson_development_co_seeks_to_access_customers_computer_hard_drives
Johnson Development Lawsuit (SLAPP-back case) has been ordered through the courts for May 16th. Doug Goff, former GM of Sienna Plantation in Missouri City, is being deposed to answer questions related to his potential involvement in the fraud and trade deception case filed in February, 2006 by some Sienna homeowners. So far, in the court records, it alleges that Sienna/Johnson Development employees may have been involved in a scheme to with-hold critical development information from potential home-buyers, thus impeding their decisions during purchasing. Several Sienna entities (all names for the same company) have been named in the case and according to sources more depositions are on the way, some including political figures in the local city government.
In January of 2006 aspects of this case reached the Texas Supreme Court when a local homeowner and website administrator attempted to protect residence, who participated on his discussion site while making critical comments of the released plans for the community by Johnson executives. The company reportedly sought records that may have compromised the anonymity of participants in the community. Company legal representatives have denied this report, but several site participants contradict this official corporate position.
In a related case, in July of last year, Mayor Allen Owen of Missouri City had formal complaints filed for his advocacy of the approval of up to 2700 apartments for one of his major campaign contributors (Johnson Development Co. of Houston, Larry Johnson, President) during last years controversial city council vote when he failed to recuse himself from the voting on the project. Later, after the complaints had been filed in July, the city manager refused to investigate when these charges were formally entered into the public record.
In March of this year, citizens from several South Missouri City neighborhoods joined together to support the announcement of a mayoral candidate to run against the heavily developer-backed incumbent Owen. Greyling Poats, a successful Missouri City resident, businessman and member of the cities TIRZ board, was nominated as the first candidate to challenge Owen in over a decade. Poats has pledged to only accept contributions from homeowners, businesses and residents of Missouri City, unlike the majority of his oppositions financial support. Greyling has a business degree from Indiana University and a law degree along with serving as a former city attorney from ’77-81 in Gary Indiana, before moving to Missouri City and becoming active in area civic associations and politics. He has lived and raised his family here for nearly 25 years.
http://www.missouricitytx.gov/getdoc/4bff6dd7-c940-4b94-b4fa-68fa7108d991/Mayor.aspx
Mayor Owen is still Mayor of Missery City
Thetruthhurts,
very interesting.
So much for "No more rooftops"
Chris, try using this as a guidline for what you say
The Four-Way Test
Of the things we think, say or do
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
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