Praise Misdirected?

by Ron West

I read an interesting letter from a Mr. Dick Bartek of North Richland Hills to the Editor of the Star-Telegram. Mr. Bartek seemed to be interested in refuting some of the current heat that the incumbent council is currently taking. In light of that effort, I thought his points were most interesting.

His first point that the city has received awards for “Distinguished Budgets” from a “Finance Officers Association” deserves some thought. This award is for the presentation of the data of the budget, i.e., the pictures and words. It has nothing to do with the real content relating to the effective use of taxpayer dollars. I would think that an award for public participation in budgeting and planning would be much more meaningful to the citizens. As it is now, this award is just one more council session of back patting for the council and city employees. There are no real hearings on the budget, and public input is discouraged.

Mr. Bartek then points out the fact that the current Library of NRH ranks third among Texas Libraries as of 2002. This is the same library that the current council is stripping tax dollars from TIF#2 to move to a new $10 Million Building in Hometown NRH – without voter input or approval. It is the same library that the city plans to spend $500,000+ to renovate an old grocery store to appease the southern residents of NRH in preparation for the move of the main library to the northeast side of the city near Hurst. I don’t think the current council appreciates our library very much.

He states that in 2o01 the City received an Award of Distinction (International) in the Communicator Award Competition for Inside NRH, the city newsletter. I cannot help but wonder if they would give the city such an award for the recent Fall issue of the newsletter with all of its erroneous, false and misleading information. I think the city newsletter has typically been great but I believe that its purpose was used for what I think is illegal electioneering using tax dollars in the case of the Fall issue 2004. Data for Hometown NRH was totally wrong and there was a four page insert in it to try to defeat the Tax Freeze for our Seniors and Disabled.

Mr. Bartek mentions a couple of other awards but the one from the North Central Texas Council of Governments – a 2003 Regional Cooperation Award – seems truly interesting. I wonder if this is related to the Regional Transportation Committee that works under this organization? If so, the award must be for government to government co-operation because our Mayor, doesn’t want to either “listen” or “cooperate” with any input from the voters and citizens of our city.

Space in the Star-Telegram and their limitations on the length of letters would preclude Mr. Bartek from including in his letter that he is a Real Estate Broker that is heavily involved in development and sales in NRH. He may be part of that exclusive club that has been excluding the rest of us out of government in recent years. His praise of this council almost certainly insures that the council will approve the various changes he may occasionally bring before them or the Planning and Zoning Commission. Perhaps he deserves an award for “Patting the Council on the Back”.

Mr. Bartek summarizes his letter with an expression of pride in the city staff, city council and Mayor. Based on a careful evaluation of their “achievements”, I think the real pride would have to be in what they are doing to us. Maybe the word I am looking for is shame?