To the editor: The Weekly staff did a fantastic overview (“Who’s Listening at City Hall?” June 16, 2010) of our esteemed city hall leaders and their collusionary tactics to have things “their way,” no matter the consequences to our communities or environment.
Eric Griffey, Betty Brink, and Dan McGraw provided information that affects us all. If the city doesn’t lend an ear to the voice of people’s concerns, then the city council ought to simply disband for lack of legitimate leadership or willingness to serve the cause of the people its members supposedly represent.
Mayor Moncrief has a vested interest in anything to do with gas and oil, and the pawnshops and payday lending industry also has him as its biggest lobbyist when it comes to regulations. Moncrief has been the puppeteer of city hall since he was elected. Thank god we have one “rogue” councilwoman, Kathleen Hicks. With her integrity and vested interest in her constituents — and since she’s not afraid to challenge Moncrief’s “backroom” policies — we may eventually see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Greg Stroud
Fort Worth
To the editor: Thanks to the supreme trio of top-notch journalists at the Weekly for their comprehensive writing skills that gave readers the scoop on the real facts involving the shenanigans of the city council pack (of wolves), who of course, guard and protect merely themselves and the bucks that follow that devotion.
Mayor Moncrief couldn’t pass the litmus test to be hired as dog-catcher. His ego and his cronies have bullied Fort Worth long enough. Not informing the public prior to ordinance changes and then passing them under the table without public comments or recommendations in city hall’s “backroom” should serve notice that these money-hungry “public servants” are due to be voted out come next election. There’s power in the people’s vote, and they need to exercise it to its full potential and show Moncrief and Company there’s another angle to the “Fort Worth Way!”
Fred Ream
Fort Worth
To the editor: Thanks to Fort Worth Weekly for the article on the city of Fort Worth’s lack of listening skills. The United Riverside Neighborhood Association and the Riverside community can attest to the deaf ear of city government.
Several years ago the TRE (Trinity Rail Express) requested the closure of one of only five east-west corridors in our small neighborhood. We went before Transportation and Public Works to plead our case against the closure of Galvez Avenue. TPW sided with our neighborhood, and the street remained open.
A few years later, the city again approached the neighborhood about closing the street. This time they came with a proposal of a federally funded “quiet zone” to accompany the street closure. Again the neighborhood said “No, thanks.”
Then the city representatives proposed a written, mailed vote to ensure that everyone in the neighborhood had an opportunity to voice their opinion. Again the neighborhood said “No, thanks,” overwhelmingly.
Last month a hearing before the Planning and Development department was scheduled for — you guessed it — the closure of Galvez Avenue.
Our councilperson, Kathleen Hicks, reminded the city personnel that they committed to coming back before our neighborhood if they planned to continue efforts to close Galvez in spite of our opposition. So, very grudgingly, they came back to our monthly neighborhood meeting and essentially said, “We know that the majority of the neighborhood is against the closing of Galvez Avenue, but we are proceeding anyway.”
The city offers safety issues as the reason for the proposed closure. But the Galvez Avenue railroad crossing has been in service for more than 60 years, and there have been fewer than five accidents on record at that location. The city has deemed it the most dangerous railroad crossing in the city.
The Oakhurst community is correct: The city, under the direction of Mike Moncrief, has become a tone-deaf fiefdom.
On Wednesday night there was a neighborhood meeting to discuss the new heliport being planned for the 4th Street corridor. Even though the neighborhood was not advised of the proposed heliport until a month ago, there are plans to land helicopters there in February 2011 for the Super Bowl.
The heliport, like the Trinity River flood storage area, was originally slated for the West Side, but once again, suspiciously, the FAA stepped in and said that the West Side site was in the flight path of Meacham Field, that bustling flight traffic center.
This city has rapidly returned to the “bad old days” of closed-door, good-ol’-boy dealings, and the taxpaying citizens of any neighborhood east of downtown are locked out — all while Mayor Mike screams for civility.
Phyllis W. Allen
Fort Worth
