Mari Vega

It's a stinky outcome. And why has Pegasus not posted my story about that from last week?

Just a heartfelt request that you, Fellow Texan, take a few minutes out of your day, if you didn't already during Early Voting, to go cast your ballot at your regular polling station. No matter where you live, your vote matters, and it's one of the few ways you can make your voice felt by the governing representatives.

$ $ While local politics may not be dealing with money in the Billions and Trillions, depending on where you live there may be Millions, or several Thousands of dollars at stake--sums that any one of us would gladly recieve if it was offered. If you are not watching, some representatives might just be sneaking that money into projects that don't serve the common interest. $ $

Did you know that typically only 1 in 10 people vote for local elections?
Do you know how close elections can be won or lost? By a few votes.
Yours could be the deciding vote!
Take your child or grandchild with you. Be proud of your citizenship and respect this privilege/responsibility.

Please, and thank you.

Election FAQs http://sos.state.tx.us/elections/pamp...

Duncanville has contested races in At-Large, and Districts 3 and 5.

The biggest underlying issue in all three races is whether to grow the City Council consolidated majority into a bigger, consolidated majority, or to keep a climate of discussion, where the asking of questions keeps everybody honest.

The candidates that are non-affiliated and represent open discussion and transparency are:

• Buck Werner (At-Large).
• Paul Ford (District 3).
• Johnette Jameson (District 5).

The Council Briefing starts at 6 in the Briefing Room, and is also open to the public. Despite not being broadcast on tv, it is worth the investment of time for any interested citizen to see behind the scenes of the council.

It is a Texas Open Meeting so it can be recorded.
Video Highlights may be found on Youtube as interested citizens take the responsibility to share.

Mayor Green sounded so exasperated as he spoke to me during the time while Mr. Ford was ostensibly being loaded onto a stretcher, and said that he has been 'so patient' with him. I let him know that his patience had to go deeper for the good of our city. That the way their votes are so consolidated, it would have anyone backed into a corner. I also went on record with Mayor Green to let him know that I think Mr. Ford is someone deserving of respect, much more than is openly accorded to him.

Take a look at this video,filmed during the briefing (open to the public) that always precedes the Council Meeting, proper. Perhaps it's because I just started really tuning in to my city's governing, and that I 'don't know the back story,' etc, but I know what I see, and I am not impressed by the divisive goading of Mayor Green and Mr. Cagle, or the obvious pleasure that Ms. Burton takes in seeing Mr. Ford be reprimanded, the incomprehensible verbiage of Mr. Smithy, or the tacit collusion of Mr. Weaver and Mr. Cannon.

Their behavior might lead someone to see them as mean-spirited and under-handed. Their answers to questions that Mr. Ford has posed might also lead someone to believe that all is not right with these land deals--and it's not mere chump change, folks.

My husband was present at the School Board/City Council meeting that the Mayor abruptly ended. I was present at the meeting where the consolidated councilmembers said that X is Y [the debacle of what was recorded into the official minutes re: Mr. Ford's comments about safety studies of red light cameras].

Last note about this article, Brian, Mr. Green read a statement about rules that is not in the Charter, which is quite concise about the Mayor's duties and privileges. Can you dig out where these rules are sanctified?

Last week, a resident of an other BSW city mentioned that she'd heard of people now avoiding Duncanville to avoid the red light cameras. Actually sounds plausible.

I was ambivalent about this issue, because it seemed like red light running was finally being enforced, just with the aid of a mechanical device. It didn't quite occur to me initially, that the device was serving as an overzealous substitute for good ol' traffic enforcement. And, it was not in my awareness, yet, that there are multiple findings that red light cameras increase the frequency of collisions.

But when people suddenly break, though the light is green, just as they're about to enter the intersection, you can see how that would invite a collision. I have personally witnessed that too many times, but luckily, I don't tailgate.

Traffic lights should be timed for the optimum flow of traffic. Short, or non-existent! yellow lights seem extremely dangerous. And, multiple studies show that red light cameras increase the dangers of driving. Might be a fine time to stay home or do more walking, and sign the petition to ban them in Duncanville.

I wonder, Brian, how you would really think that Mr. Ford has mayoral aspirations. Wow, you think so?!

I like him, I think he stands up and out in front and has the right idea to demand the whole story wherever our taxpayer money is concerned. The consolidated majority of the Council does a lot of glossing over, and then try to make him seem to be 'other'.

Gladly, he is a conscientious person that stands up to their clique-ish ways.

However, I think it's presumptuous to suggest that his agenda is anything but a pursuit to continue to be the one to ask the unasked questions, stemming from his deep concern for fairness and democratic process. How many other volunteers (and unpaid, at that!) are out there willing to sustain personal attacks and constant struggle in service to our City?

If he ever were to aspire to be Mayor, the whole City Charter would have to be changed. Charter Sec. 2.05, states that the mayor "shall be recognized as head of City government for all ceremonial purposes...but shall have no regular administrative duties." As much as Mr. Ford is a stickler for the details, he would not allow himself to be any more powerful or influential than our Charter allows.

Nah, he's a great City Councilmember, and I know he'll stay that way.

Here's hoping that the dissident councilmembers will win their seats again. Council participants that ask the unasked questions do our great city a wonderful service, and it should not be taken for granted.

We'd always wondered what was in the building with the beautiful murals. Looks like they've got some neat classes.

I've been searching the blogosphere, etc. to see how this shindig was but there seems to be little comment. Maybe he zombified his audience into more silent, submissive acceptance of his incorrect & inciteful (read: hateful) messages.

He has a disease of being a liar, whether it's the Compulsive or the Pathological variety is yet to be diagnosed.

People should get outraged that: -He gets airtime -He claims to tell truths -He tries to speak for all Christians (or maybe just all American Christians).

Aaron Burton has a website also, http://www.aaronburton.net/

p.s. who did the artwork?

Why wouldn't people want this. I want this. I live near enough the Main Street corridor to have been notified of the meetings. It's a great thing as near as I can tell because Main Street will come rolling under the wheel of "Progress" without preparation. Existing businesses should get their act together and quit whining. They need to apply more effort to maintaining their businesses' street appeal, and relevance. One more thing, the real trend is going toward walking, and a good thing too. Main Street is not walker friendly, and the businesses there suffer because the whole place has been getting lumped together into an unnavigable moat around the pretty City Center. Duncanville needs this, badly!

Business owners, go apply for those 4B grants they have for you to get a new coat of paint and some flowers (while you're at it, make sure they're xeriscaping though please!).