Ain’t got no time to sing Kumbaya on Business 190

Curmudgeon has had heartburn this week, since Tuesday night’s city council meeting.

Sometimes, you just want to say:

How what works?

Well, some residents are all up in arms and rage and ready to bring out the pitchforks and torches about the Business 190 project.

Should the council say yes to the city spending $1 million on the design?

Um.

Yah, they kinda already did.

This was discussed and talked about at the August 1, 2017 city council meeting, during which they said “YES” to professional services agreements with BSP Engineering doing the design work, environmental report and contract bidding for the Business 190 median and other projects.

Back then, it was expressed to the council that the method to pay for this $1 million in design for the Business 190 project, would be via the 2018 certificate of obligation bonds. 

I fail to understand why councilman James Pierce Jr. wanted to remove something he had already basically agreed to back in August? 

This is not a cut-and-dried decision, just to put to the voters. That was a horrible idea! Sorry, dude.

WHY SHOULD THIS HAVE COME AS A SURPRISE TO ANYONE ELSE, IF THEY ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS CITY, INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO THE POT-STIRRING ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

This should be old news IF anyone has been following this saga, instead of the, again, pot-stirring via social media that shows VIDEOS of a MEDIAN with TREES.

Sooooo…the big question Tuesday night – should this $1 million in funding decision go to the voters to decide?

Ummmmm. So it would be at least six months until November, when this could be voted on. And, of course, people are HORRIBLY misinformed on this project to begin with. 

Curmudgeon DOES believe in the voice of the people.

But what do you do when you have a severe lack of understanding among voters, a lack of not wanting to know the facts because they have already made a misinformed judgment and don’t want to hear anything else?

There lies the conundrum.

Curmudgeon has hassled Councilman Jay Manning about having heartburn, so perhaps it is why Curmudgeon had heartburn this week after the meeting.

But Mr. Manning made an EXCELLENT point on Tuesday and I am not so curmudgeonly not to give credit where it is due.

During Tuesday night’s meeting, he basically said, why put the decision to the voters, to expect them to read up on the information when they are not informed and even some of the council members do not understand it, either? This is why they, the council, are elected, to make decisions like that.

Wow. Mark this date on the calendar. Curmudgeon agrees with Mr. Manning.

But residents are missing ONE IMPORTANT THING:

Who “owns” the road that is called Business 190?

The city? The voters?

No way. It belongs to the state of Texas and is maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation.

They pay for improvements, paving, striping, etc., etc. Some of our city streets are part of that road system. Most, aren't. Most that aren't have only seen repairs over the past five years. 

Dear readers, if you want to get torches and pitchforks out, start petitioning the council to GET SOMETHING DONE about our streets. Put your energy toward that.

Over the past years, any road resurfacing that has taken place in this city has taken place on a STATE OWNED AND MAINTAINED ROAD.

The State of Texas is the State of Texas, and the State of Texas will ultimately DO WHAT IT WANTS TO DO with the road that we call Business 190.

No, they’re not trying to hassle us.They're trying to make what will be a very difficult change, a little easier, if that is possible. 

Although for every near miss on Business 190 I see or experience, I say, "PLEASE, put in that median!"

If the State was REALLY trying to be a hassle, the city would not have had meetings after meetings starting as far back as 2015 on this highway project.

The Business 190 project was not an evil plot by the council before Charlie Youngs who said "feelings have changed" with this "new council". I really don't think the state gives two hoots about anyone's feelings about the road.

(Um, since when did we govern by FEELINGS? But then, he's been axe-swinging since his swearing in. But, I digress.) Feelings of individuals themselves can change, especially over time.

The Business 190 project was not an evil plot by She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.

The STATE is doing us a courtesy by letting the city have a hand in the design.  TxDOT has standards, and those standards will be followed, you can be sure.

This isn't a case where we all get warm fuzzies, because, doggone it, Business 190 is OUR ROAD, and how wonderful it is that we can CHOOSE what happens to it. Let's all sing Kumbaya together. Um, no.

Look at all the changes to F.M. 116 north between Cove and Gatesville. Not in city limits, but still a state road that affects a lot of drivers as we have all seen!

Anyhooo, Curmudgeon hears there is a public meeting on May 31 with TxDOT when reps will be in town to discuss the Business 190 project. 

I hope there is good security at that meeting as well as EMS staff on standby for those who faint and experience severe heartburn over the trees, the TREES—Dear Lord, the TREES—that were proposed for the median. No, no trees. 

PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF CRAPE MYRTLES, THERE WILL BE NO TREES ON THE MEDIAN. 

I refer the reader to Curmudgeon’s most-read post thus far:

We’re turning into The Woodlands?!

Meanwhile, dear readers, Curmudgeon notices that there have been 10,772 page views of Copperas Cove Curmudgeon Speaks since January.

Wow. Love me, hate me, don’t ignore me.Thanks, gracias, merci, danke.

One more thing: After my Tuesday night snark leak, I notice that the issues with our councilmen and ethics….well, ah. Nothing, nada, after that executive session discussing Marky-E-Marc’s alleged shenanigans. Nada after Dapper Dan’s clear meddling in what was not his to meddle, with corroboration from a third party.But of course Dapper Dan wasn't the subject of discussion, either, although he should have been, shame on him! 

Peace, love, and bunnies, y’all! – It’s almost time for Rabbit Fest! All hail the bunny!

Curmudgeon out. Share with a friend.