Commissioner’s Williams Collin Co. Precinct 2 Town Hall 31 January 2013

Event Page. The focus for this town hall is on transportation. Please see her facebook page for agenda details. She has made time for residents to discuss the proposed toll road.

The proposed toll road will be open for discussion with the Commissioner as the last agenda item for that town hall. This is your chance to provide feedback to her about the proposed toll road and its impacts to your Precinct.

 

Collin County Commissioner’s Court meeting schedule

Collin County Commissioner’s Court meets every Monday at 1:30 pm with the exception of holidays or a fifth Monday. They will take public comments on any subject at the beginning of each meeting.

Citizens have three minutes to speak but the court cannot respond if the item is not on that day’s agenda.

This coming Monday there is an item on the agenda to brief the court on the tollroad and NETEX meeting. Please prepare your 3 minute statements so you can make the most of your time with the court.

Collin County Commissioners Court Collin County Administration Building

2300 Bloomdale Rd., Suite 4192 McKinney, TX 75071

Email: commcourt@collincountytx.gov Phone: 972-424-1460 ext. 4631

Fax: 972-548-4699

County Commissioners
2016 (R) Matt Shaheen Commissioner, Precinct 1 972-548-4628
2014 (R) Cheryl Williams Commissioner, Precinct 2 972-548-4626
2016 (R) Chris Hill Commissioner, Precinct 3 972-548-4625
2014 (R) Duncan Webb Commissioner, Precinct 4 972-548-4627

Events

Please add your feedback from Rep Flynn’s office about opposition to proposed Toll Road

I was contacted today by Jannis Milton (spelling?) and she stated she is a representative for Rep. Flynn and was responding to my letter against the proposed toll road project.
She stated that Rep. Flynn’s office has received numerous complaints, calls and letters all in opposition to the proposed toll road.
It was their (Rep. Flynn’s office, www.daflynn.com), understanding that this proposed toll road would be within the right of way that NETEX already owns.
I mentioned that NETEX only owns on average 100 foot of right of way and the meeting notes from NETEX and COG state that the proposed toll road is a profit making project to build a new commercial RR on the preexisting right of way. All of the supposed benefits( reduce I30 congestion, bring economic development, etc) are selling points, not the objective of the Toll Road. NETEX is solely focused on raising funds, regardless of the impacts to the current property owners concerns. I mentioned the 6-5 vote at NETEX because of some reps at NETEX are against the project because of the impact and the lease agreement as written. She was unaware of that vote. I mentioned that the meeting notes state that the toll road will need a total of 200 foot additional right of way and that the lease approved on Jan 9 requires that 50 foot of the current abandoned RR must remain for future development. This is a 200 foot total right of way being requested. I mentioned that if the toll road runs adjacent to the NETEX right of way, or through the developed farms, ranches and homes North or South of the abandoned RR, these homes, ranches and farms would have to be removed by both agreement to sell to NETEX and imminent domain for the owners that refuse to be bought out. Many are not willing to just take a check and give up on their way of life and their land for a private profit making scheme.
This started a conversation where she stated that Rep. Flynn has proposed legislation that would restrict the use of imminent domain more than it has been in the past.
Many of the topics we discussed were news to her, and she was unaware of the pace, scope and facts that have been accumulating since the Hunt Co. Commissioners Court meeting that tabled this motion for more time to study it.
I ask everyone that has been contacted by Rep. Flynn’s office to add your comments of your discussion on this blog for others to read.
She strongly stated that his office will be closely watching this proposed project and that if anyone has any additional concerns to not hesitate to contact his office by email or phone.

Commissioners Court every 2d and 4th Tuesday each Month

The commissioners court is held every 2d and 4th Tuesday every month at 1000 am at the same Hunt Co. Court Room.
The toll road project will come up on the agenda from now on with little or no notice other than the prior Sunday paper announcement.
Please contact your County Commissioner to let him know how you feel about this project.

Precinct 2 Town Hall Meeting 26 Jan 2013 2 PM

We did meet with Commissioner Atkins on Monday afternoon to add discussion of the proposed toll road project to the agenda for the upcoming Town Hall.
The Town hall will have 2 main agenda items, first Hunt County government business, then the toll road project is on the agenda. A short presentation from Publicwerks INC. followed by Q&A about the toll road project can then be made to the exact people offering to build the proposed toll road for NETEX.
We did contact Neal Barker and John Crews+ anyone they deem appropriate to attend so that you can ask them specific questions about where the toll road can be located (since it’s route is not tied to the RR right of way) and answer TX law limits and requirements about relocation if anyone chooses to move or is forced to by the government granting NETEX( or the designated private entity) the authority to force you to move if the toll road project is approved.
We ask that anyone that lives within 1 miles N or S of the RR right of way attend, because you are most likely to be directly affected by this proposed toll road.Anyone that lives within 2 miles of the RR right of way will be most likely indirectly impacted due to the design of the project, so we ask as many people attend this Town Hall so that everyone is as informed as possible.

MAP

Event description.

Texas Law relocation limits for anyone that is moved or chooses to move

According to the Texas https://www.oag.state.tx.us/agency/landowners_billofrights.pdf
the most anyone will be compensated for relocation is no further than 50 miles from their condemned property.
I don’t think many of us will find land and homes like we have within 50 miles of here.
I believe this is important when folks are told they will be compensated for relocation.

NETEX meeting notes 1/9/2013

Here are my key takeaways from the NETEX meeting today:
1. The tollroad route is not in any way tied to the current rail line right of way. This is key for routing the tollroad if feasible out and away from the right of way. The most costly course of action for Publicwerks is to have to build the toll road along the right of way due to homes, and improved land that would have to be purchased. They would much rather find a cheaper route.. Motion passed 6-5 for approval of the lease agreement (draft?) that would set the relationship between NETEX and Publicwerks. This lease is for 50 years with 2 25 year blocks as options (=100years possible). No upfront costs are charged to Publicwerks at this time.
2. It was motioned by a non supporter that a roll call vote be made so you can see who voted yay and nay.
3. Even the nay votes were not focused on how this project would impact the public, (however it was acknowledged) but how it would impact NETEX ability to raise funds using the Blacklands rail lines right of way they own.
4. The impact of traffic flowing into 78 was a issue with this proposed toll road.
5. The payment schedule over time was an issue since the CPI for the costs were not based on inflation, meaning that an agreement made in 2013 will be worth much less in 2033. (think of how a 1969 dollar is worth more than a 1999 dollar). Bottom line, it may have to re negotiated in order to ensure any monies owed to NETEX are indexed for inflation so they are not getting buckets of worthless cash 20 years from now that couldn’t support any improvements to the rail line.
6. NETEX is looking for Federal funding. So far they have been denied. However, if ever funded- they wouldn’t need this toll road and would be able to build the new railway within the right of way when funded.
7. One of nay votes brought up that for the toll road to make a profit was around 14000 cars at 75 mph a day. He quoted many figures about the payments for the lease and the toll road operations costs. This ties directly into what 78 can accept if this toll road was built and had that much traffic per day. According to him anything less wouldn’t make enough money to buy more than a few hundred cross toes for the RR….his nay vote was based on the money figures and that they were not there per the current lease agreement.
8.Judge Horn voted yay, primarily based on starting the process of public discussion, and hoping this will directly or indirectly bring jobs and prosperity to Hunt Co.
9. Everyone should read the meeting notes and the lease agreement since they are public record.
10. This is an agreement between two private entities, so when they get approval from any TX government agency, it doesn’t mean anything is not set in stone. Approval is not the same as funded. Right now they have no idea of where the money will come from, where the road will go or who will do what. There are many future opportunities for the public to voice their position.
11. I explained to Neal at Publicwerks that most Hunt Co. folks don’t look at the Greenville Herald everyday, nor do they search the civic websites since the median age of Precinct 2 is 58 yrs old. The focus on their land and families. That the future messaging must allow for everyone to get informed before any real action is decided upon. This will require all of us to be as informed as possible as we go to future meetings.
12. This is going to be a long process with many meetings that sound important but are not as they seem at first. The people affected can shape how this will look if it has to be done at all.
Only if we are all involved.
If anyone has any questions, email me.