Makes You Wonder

Alamo Drafthouse Parking Lot. Erosion is coming from the Arroyo side.

Yesterday I mentioned TxDOT Regional Engineer Robert Bielek's concern about the development at the Top Golf site. It seems that the developer has underestimated how much run-off the development will cause and, thus, in Bielek's words, "compromise the stability of the embankment upon which I-10 sits." Although alerted to the problem, the City continues to "permit" EPT to develop the land. Bielek has told the City that TxDOT "will consider the City equally responsible for any damage to to the I-10 embankment or our [TxDOT's] drainage structure because of this oversight." 

Surely our city leaders care more about the safety of people and the integrity of our freeways and less about whether they could win a legal battle with TxDOT. Surely our city leaders want to do the right thing by satisfying TxDOT with an acceptable plan. I sent a link to yesterday's blog post to Mayor Margo, City Manager Tommy Gonzalez and Khalil Zaied. I asked for responses. As expected, there have been no responses. (One possible good note: Mr. Bielek just now told me that "[the TxDOT] staff has been meeting with the developer but no final resolution as yet." Sounds as if yesterday's post has had impact.)

I am aware that EPT also did the Alamo Drafthouse project. Many of us watched in horror as an arroyo was destroyed and an entire hillside dug out. The destruction of this open space was justified by the fact that is would be a "new urban" project. 

I went by the Alamo Drafthouse today and noticed an inordinate amount of sand/dirt in the parking lot. I asked the manager about it and was told that they get the erosion every time that it rains. I'm not an engineer, nor do I play one on televsion and I don't really know about the drainage solutions that I saw. However, what I saw does concern me. Over time, judging from the dirt in the lot, there will be a considerable amount of erosion. 

This picture and the one below are from the retaining wall between the entrance to the theater parking lot and the hillside topped by the apartments. Note the stain and rocks from erosion.

Apparently EPT's solution to the instability of the hill next to the theater, was to put some kind of fabric on top of the slope and drill horizontal pipes into the hillside. As the pictures show, the erosion doesn't come down the slope, it feeds through the pipes.

I do wonder whether similar drainage solutions are being used by EPT at the Top Golf site and, if so, I better understand what Bob Bielek is saying.

I certainly would not live in the apartments above Alamo Drafthouse. 

Please Support Public Education in Our Community

The following is an emailed newsletter from El Paso Grassroots written by Xavier Miranda and published yesterday, April 13, 2014. Sustainable communities need great education. Investments in students, teachers and classrooms are critical. Spending money on top heavy administration and frivolous remodels while imposing austere measures on teachers and our children (our future) is unsustainable. Clearly the El Paso Independent School District is in the hands of the 1 percent oligarchs. It is time for a change. Read Mr. Miranda's excellent letter:

Please Support  Public Education in Our Community

Dear:  Your support is requested at the EPISD Board of Managers Meeting on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at 5 PM. Teachers, parents, and students will be speaking at the meeting, in addition to holding demonstrations in support of public education.   Issues plaguing our community are having a detrimental effect on our children. The struggling middle class is having to contend with the rising costs associated with ineffective operations at government levels, judicial courts, stadium projects, and school districts with some of the highest administrative expenditures in the state. Meanwhile the solution is inevitably the same: a prescription of austerity cuts. Whether it is increasing workloads, raising teacher-student ratios,  imposing parking fees, re-allocating Quality of Life/School Bond monies to build swimming pools and stadiums at affluent parts of town, or having the audacity to propose tax increases via Tax Ratification Elections (TRE)---the debt incurred now belongs to our children. Business-model reforms demonstrate little nurturing or compassion. Rather, these reforms are manifested by $100,000 renovations in buildings where the lease will not be renewed, exorbitant contracts, and corporate tax breaks. Little wonder our citizenry is absent at the voting polls. Former Director of the U.S. Census Bureau and renowned demographer, Steve Murdock has presentedto El Paso legislators, educators, and business folks of the changing demographics in Texas. Mr. Murdock stresses investment in education. Unfortunately, Texas ranks at the bottom of education attainment levels, which is already having a negative impact on our economy. An apartheid model is evident, wherein Latinos and African-Americans are denied equitable educational opportunities. Current political divisions detract from a glaring reality: the key to economic prosperity is through education. Sadly, education funding has not been restored to 2010 levels despite increasing petroleum revenues. As stated in previous emails, trust in appointed and elected officials is waning. In context to the appointed EPISD Board of Managers, the following concerns exist: Board Manager President Dee Margo---a campaign contributor to conservative Tea Party favorite Ted Cruz, has re-structured teacher contracts; is proposing privatizing custodial services; limiting citizen input at Public Forum; and is on record for slashing education funding when serving as a Texas State Representative from 2010-12. Mr. Margo is now determining the 2014-15 EPISD budget. Board Manager Carmen Candelaria-Arrieta---serves as the City of El Paso Chief Financial Officer, of which appraisal figures and baseball stadium costs have been glaringly inaccurate. Ms. Arrieta is also determining our EPISD budget. Board Manager Ed Archuleta--- previously served as president of the Public Service Board, wherein questionable policy allowed for construction contracts awarded to PSB members. These individuals are responsible for the $480+ million EPISD budget. Educators and administrators in our district are very concerned how our students will be affected by the Board of Managers' next steps. Once again, the call goes to community to show up in support of our public education system. Regards, Xavier Miranda El Paso Grassroots

Below is  copy of my address at Public Forum to the Board of Managers on Tuesday: I've attended town halls where Mr. Cabrera, Board Managers Candelaria, Margo, and Archuleta have all claimed to heed the voice of our community. Yet discontent, fear, and anger are conveyed in letters to the editor, news reports, blogs, forums, and in this meeting room, by employees and community members facing austerity measures. It is quite evident, the Board fails to acknowledge its constituents.  Your primary goal as a Board was to restore the integrity of our school district, yet you've taken punitive steps in applying business reforms to our education system. You've demonstrated a desire to dismantle and privatize public education.  I view democracy and social justice as integral components of education. Sadly, what is being modeled by the Board of Managers and District Administration is just the opposite. You show contempt for teachers by restructuring contracts, you raise teacher-student ratios, you mandate instructional models without paradigm support, and you have arrogantly dismissed educators when asking for inclusion. As a Board with extensive business acumen, you must realize that policies crafted without educators' input simply hurt our children.  Despite the exploitative practices of your predecessors, the teachers and staffs at each of our schools remained steadfast in providing authentic learning opportunities for our students. We took the helm when leadership was in transition and moved this district forward. You simply need to spend a day in our schools and classrooms to see for yourselves.  At the Coronado High School Community Meeting, you smirked at my response to your question of me, Mr. Margo, when I stated that I wanted my students to be critical thinkers. Indeed, I want my students to question why individuals entrusted with our school district, disregard taxpayers, and unilaterally re-allocate bond monies to build stadiums and pools on the affluent part of town. I want my students to see how a profit-model denies health and retirement benefits to our custodians, and subsequently hurts our local economy. I want my students to understand how our constitutional rights are infringed when duly-elected officials are denied a seat at the table. More importantly, I want my students to be critical of oppressive systems, and uphold democratic ideals that are equitable for all.  To Mr. Cabrera, it is appalling to witness the expensive remodeling of your office, in a building with a short-lived lease, when 130 educators are being surplussed. It is disheartening to see you add more six-figure salaried administrators to an already top-heavy district.  Please serve our children before profit.