High Standards? - Is the Pot Calling the Kettle Black?

by Ron West

    On September 20^th , the NRH City Council outlawed pole signs in the city by the addition of footnote #6 to the sign ordinance.  Prior to this action, pole signs were apparently legal and unregulated outside the 200 foot Hwy 820 corridor.  Since 2002, city code enforcement personnel have been apparently illegally enforcing a nonexistent ordinance.  Further, the sign ordinance for NRH does not conform to Section 216 of State Regulations.  The actions of the council may create the probability of a class action lawsuit by small business owners in NRH that have been damaged by the actions of NRH code enforcement during this period.  The council members were notified in advance by email that their intended actions would expose the city to potential litigation.  Mr. George Staples will benefit as usual as legal council should such suit be filed.  The actions of the council appear to be a tacit admission of guilt during the preceding two year period.

    During the council discussion, Mayor Oscar Trevino cut off any questions about the sign ordinance and would not allow any discussion outside of specific questions about the footnote to be added.  Two council members tried unsuccessfully to open deliberations.  The only reason questions were even allowed was that Councilwoman Bielik had the item removed from the consent agenda where it had been positioned to avoid such discussion.   The council passed the footnote addition by the usual lockstep vote of 5 to 2.

    In light of this glaring potential error by the city, Mr. John Kirsh the reporter for the Star Telegram asked to ask me some questions outside city hall immediately following the meeting.  After a conversation with Mr. Sapp, he was vitally concerned about my personal filing of campaign finance reports for the signs I purchased supporting the Tax Freeze election.  I bought 500 signs out of my pocket, correctly labeled them as paid for by me - calling myself - Ron West Organization - which is me only.  The signs cost $805 and I paid for them with my American Express.  I did not solicit funds from anyone.  From the tone of the conversation, I felt certain that Mr. Kirsh was planning an attack article because, at that time, I did not think I was required to file a finance report.

    It seems strange that this was so important when the committee to reelect the incumbents last May never even appointed a Treasurer as they were clearly required to do before placing expensive ads in the Fort Worth Star Telegram - but that was not reported on at all.

    In a subsequent conversation with Mr. Kirsh on Wednesday, after I had contacted the Texas Ethics Commission and determined that I was required to file and had done so, he asked me if I was aware of the formal complaint filed by former City Councilman Scott Turnage that had been filed on the preceding Friday. I told him that I was not aware of the complaint. In the article that followed on Thursday morning, Mr. Kirsh even quoted Mr. Turnage as taking credit for forcing me to follow the law. Interesting tidbit since Mr. Kirsh already knew that such was not the case. The complaint and Mr. Sapp’s “knowledge of filing requirements” had nothing to do with me following the law. Please note that ANYONE who now spends over $100 on an issue or a candidate or any group that spends over $500 is required to file. Depending on the election, the filing is with the City Secretary as in this election or with the State Ethics Commission for State Offices and issues.

    Now Mr. Sapp writes his own “attack article” claiming that his own filing was the basis for my prior assessment that his group had outspent advocates for the tax freeze by 8 to 10 times. Unfortunately, I was not privy to his filing at the time and based my comments on observations of the spending. Based on the “facts”, they only reported spending about 3 times as much as I did.

    Mr. Sapp suggests that I should have more tolerance of divergent “opinions” of others. For the record, I respect everyone’s right to their opinion. My battle is with misrepresentations, lies, factual errors and closed government. Mr. Sapp takes extensive liberty with his columns but tries to claim the “high ground”. I was not aware of the individual requirement to file but did so as soon as I found that to be factual without any nudging or input from Sapp or Turnage.

    Don’t you find it strange that this whole discussion is directing your attention at a non-issue of filing that was done late when the truly important issue that everyone should be discussing is the business unfriendly atmosphere in NRH? Don’t you think that the way the Mayor and his majority cut off discussion and questions on the sign ordinance is questionable? Is it excusable for the Mayor to treat the new council people rudely? Isn’t it important that city staff has been illegally enforcing an ordinance that did not exist? Has anyone noticed that the Fall NRH newsletter overstated tax revenues from Hometown NRH by 10 TIMES? I guess if the problem is “over here” you want everyone to look “over there”!

    High standards for accuracy and compliance – sure everyone should be for that. I am doing my best to “comply” and to be “accurate”. Maybe Mr. Sapp should try to influence the majority on the council that he worked so hard with to defeat the Senior Tax freeze to be “accurate & compliant”!

Ron West
817-938-1383