September 11, 2007

Wilson County News

In an unprecedented move, the four cities of Bartlett, Holland, Little River-Academy, and Rogers recently formed the Eastern Central Texas Sub-Regional Planning Commission to fight the Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC).

"This is one issue all four cities are united behind to save our rural way of life," stated newly elected President Mae Smith, mayor of Holland. Other members of the board include Arthur White, mayor of Bartlett; Ronnie White, mayor of Academy; the Rev. Billy Crow, mayor of Rogers; and Ralph Snyder, a business owner from Holland.

"The purpose of this commission is to give us a voice in this process. It's our land that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and our governor want to take and we are not going to let them pave us over and ignore the concerns of our communities," stated Snyder.

The Trans-Texas Corridor will confiscate between 5,000 and 7,500 acres in Bell County alone, while destroying another 50,000 acres of farmland between San Antonio and the Texas-Oklahoma border. The Texas Legislature created the TTC in 2003, and ever since landowners have been fighting to protect their rights.

The commission was formed using the Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 391, which allows cities and counties to form regional planning commissions to work together to develop plans for their local region and to force the state agencies to coordinate with their activities.

Under Chapter 391.009(c), TxDOT is required to coordinate with commissions to ensure effective and orderly implementation of state programs at the regional level.

"TxDOT must coordinate with us before they can implement their plans in our region," said Ronnie White, vice president of the newly formed commission. "The TTC is driven by greed and has no respect for our rural way of life," White continued.

Under state law, TxDOT will be required to work with the Eastern Central Texas Sub-Regional Planning Commission and coordinate their plans with the local group before any land is taken or any construction begins.

"If not, they are in violation of the state statute and we are prepared to take them to court if necessary,"� explained Smith.

The individual cities have also requested that the Environmental Protection Agency reject the Draft Environmental Impact Statement submitted by TxDOT, because the agency did not coordinate with local government as required under the federal law.