A petition to save the Scenic Corridor is back on the streets! Everyone will recognize it as the same petition as before that had language prohibiting major roadways through that corridor. (By the way, the petition language gives specific land description which does not include Transmountain. Signers need to know that the petition deliberately does not seek to stop Transmountain from being widened through this area.)
Why try again with the petition? First, the Municipal Clerk’s office did their job validating signatures and all are grateful to them for their hard work. Petition gatherers failed to correct some info which could have been corrected before submitting the petitions. Most importantly, you want to preserve the corridor and your voice should be heard. Also, since the petition never went before Council, there is nothing in the City Charter preventing its re-circulation.
If you can’t gather signatures, please download the form, print it and send it to Jim Tolbert at 2701 Frankfort Avenue, 79930 ASAP. Time is of the essence. You must be a registered voter residing in El Paso. Please make sure that the information that you put on the petition is complete and exactly like that on your voter registration card even if you moved recently and have not updated your card with the County. If you want to gather signatures, then take a moment to read through the instructions.
If you can, it is very important to attend City Council tomorrow. Some time after 11 a.m. there will be discussion and action on the proposed West Transmountain Loop 375 Project by the Texas Department of Transportation and will include approving (or not) the current flawed TxDOT proposal, adding Plexxar to the Master Thoroughfare Plan, and removing the Paseo del Norte overpass from the Transmountain Freeway design. (Item 15 on the agenda.) It is important that you attend and make your presence known as those who want to improve Transmountain safely and to accommodate added traffic without destroying the Scenic Corridor. If you cannot, please email your representative. Elpasonaturally does not support the inclusion of Plexxar and wants Paseo del Norte moved to that location instead. See What’s Wrong with TxDOT’s EA.
You can still give public comment regarding TxDOT’s proposal for the Transmountain West project and the Public Hearing on March 22nd. Email those comments to ELP_Loop375West@txdot.gov. I suggest that you copy on your email the Federal Highway Administration official overseeing the proposal. His name is Gregory Punske and his email address is Gregory.PUNSKE@dot.gov.
One huge disappointment at the public hearing was a letter read into the record by a staff member of Senator José Rodriguez. The letter gave full support for that “Ask No Questions” project. Rather than listening to those who elected him, the Senator chose to side with out-of-towners who would force their one-size-fits-all (McDonald’s Arches-type) plan that ignores our love for our mountain to river corridor. The last time that I saw the Senator, he had not been elected and he was helping to pick-up trash along Transmountain west of the State Park. Apparently being seen meant more to him than “seeing”. Email him and tell him that you want land preserved and a new roadway that respects the Scenic Corridor. His address is jrdjz@elp.rr.com.
You probably have been reading about the dysfunction at EPWU/PSB especially if you subscribe to the El Paso Inc. After a year of attempting to get the EPWU leadership to give information about contracts and put items onto the agenda, the “citizens advocate” member of the Public Service Board, Dr. Richard Bonart, discussed these issues with David Crowder at the El Paso Inc. Crowder’s Taking on the PSB from inside is must-read. A good example of the Archuleta Autocracy that has no accountability to the people of El Paso and HIS Board members who merely bob their heads is the quick decision to hire the El Paso Council of Engineering Companies and Black and Veatch to investigate and report on failures and responses during the February freeze – the 60 hour event that led to dangerously low water levels, a call to the public to boil water and refrain from using water. Both the CEC and Black and Veatch do business with the PSB. Why not hire an independent consultant as Dr. Bonart suggested? Their local claims Archuleta – even though contractor after contractor on projects come from out of town. When you are an Unaccountable Autocrat, you do what you want and expect everyone to tow the line.
Apparently, Mayor John Cook now supports the idea of having an independent consultant who does not have a conflict of interest. See Crowder’s Mayor takes on utilities review/PSB member raises questions about how board is run.
Regarding Dr. Bonart’s assertion that he has been denied documentation as a Board member (Board members do have fiduciary responsibility and are not just bobbing heads), his claim is matched by evidence. One piece of that evidence is that I have a copy of the EPWU’s Emergency Response Plan (excluding supposedly sensitive Homeland Security information). Dr. Bonart asked for this document last year and still hasn’t received it! (By the way, that plan says nothing about the need for the EPWU’s Central Control room to be a “lights out” facility – one with the necessary back-up generators to work on its own even in the midst of a blackout. Wonder if Black and Veatch or the CEC would catch that “little” detail. The ERP is really pretty sketchy. It basically says that “In case of an Emergency, call Ed – or Nick Costanza” and now it appears EPWU is backing away from their claims about the threats from El Paso Electric.
One last comment: Jimmy Janacek’s online post to Crowder’s “Taking on the PSB” asks the perfect question – why aren’t all the PSB members serving us – the owners of the EPWU:
”According to PSB Rules and Regulations No. 11, Sec II (A)(1)(a), EPWU is owned by the citizens of El Paso. Yet EPWU finds it necessary to designate one board member as a "Citizens Advocate." EPWU is the only organization in this country that designates one board member as the owners advocate. Board members of all of the other organizations in this country are elected by the owners to advocate for the owners. These board members are criticized when they don't advocate for the owners but EPWU is the only organization in this country that will criticize a board member because he does advocate for the owners.”
Perhaps other board members have their own agendas like Maria Tehran whose company profits from the kinds of construction projects PSB contracts to do or supports through its resolutions. You see, Ms. Tehran is owner, president and chief operating officer of Sierra Machinery, Inc. which sells, leases and services heavy construction equipment. Talk about a conflict of interest! It appears that the co-chairman of the PSB is not there for the owners – you and me.
Of course, the El Paso Electric Company has its own woes. For all their hot air about promoting alternative energy, they are really penalizing rate payers who install and use solar energy panels.
Can we still do the petition? I'll be willing to get many signatures.
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