The Bellaire Texan (Bellaire, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 7, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 17, 1982 Page: 4 of 24
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4 The TEXAN/February 17, 1982
By Jack Gurwell
'CrFll
■ H
J.K.f G.
■
Mountain out of a molehill
It seems to me that Councilmen Bill Aber, Richard
Reed and Bill Parker are making a bit of a mountain out of a
molehill in refusing to endorse the $425 million flood control
bond election Feb. 23.
Reed said if more information didn’t come to light by
Council’s Feb. 15 meeting he would oppose the issue;
Parker was “distressed” over this, and said it was
“scandalous" that county officials would expect voter
approval without providing more information; Aber said
that his information was that the county was going to spend
more money on new development and ignore old problems.
By picking up the telephone, Texan reporter Arlene
Battista put the questions to County Director of Flood
Control Jim Green, and here’s his reply:
“I have absolutely no intention of spending bond money
aiding undeveloped land; everything on the bond issue is a
developed area where residential flooding exists.”
Green pointed out that $500,000 of the bond money will be
spent on a planning-hydrology study to learn specifically
what can be done to give Braye Bayou more capasity. And,
he said, another $500,000 will be spent for meter control of
Willow Waterhole, into which Brays Bayou backs up with
running at full capacity.
From these studies - both definite projects, Green said -
will be determined how best to plan for flood alleviation
measures.
And from County Commissioner Bob Eckels comes word
-- via a letter dated Feb. 5 - that American Engineering has
a contract for design improvements on Rice Ave. and that
Putney, Moffatt & Easley has the design contract for
Cypress ditch improvements.
“The plans for the Rice Ave. improvements are about
90% complete, and preliminary plans are already being
addressed by the Flood Control District,” according to the
letter, from H.M. Flora with Commissioner Eckels’
signature below.
“The improvements for Cypress ditch east of Loop 610
are in the survey stage. These improvements will consist of
a concrete low flow structure with slope paving if necessary.
“I can see no reasons why the designs for these projects
should not be completed and construction begun in 1982, if
we are successful in passing the bond election.”
Why couldn't any of the three have picked up the phone
and got their answers--if, indeed--city staff didn’t already
have them?
Now, Bellaire’s flooding and drainage future rests largely
on completion of these very projects. And I can’t see why
Messers Aber, Reed and Parker do not have in their
calls have caused her great emotional strain as evidenced by
your article “Bette is tired of the whole thing.”
Finally it would be nice if your article had mentioned the
750 households that donated to the cause, the 50 businesses
that have donated, the 17 foundations that have donated and
the fact that The Friends of Bellaire Parks are not asking for
one dime of taxpayers’ money for acquisition of the
Henshaw estate for use as a park.
Forced to write
To the editor:
It is with much grief that I am forced to write this letter
setting straight the Henshaws’ position on the sale of their
property to the City of Bellaire for use as a park.
Bette Henshaw has never once received a phone call from
The Friends of Bellaire Parks asking her to place her
property up for sale, nor have “The Friends of Bellaire
Parks badgered her and made her life miserable, to the
point where whe has finally put the 3.7 acres up for sale.”
This is an absolute lie, the property was placed on the
market not because of badgering but rather because Bette
and Jack asked me “without pressure from anyone” to sell
their property.
In the first week the property was on the market we
received an offer from a developer in excess of one million
dollars to purchase the land for use as patio homes. After
consultations with all the Henshaws, Bette, Frank, and
Jack, all decided to give the City of Bellaire the opportunity
of purchasing the property.
Ms. Engle contends “she ‘Bette’ spends much of her time
out of town to avoid the people who march onto her land
without invitation, acting as though the property was
already a public park." At no time has anyone representing
The Friends of Bellaire Parks gone on the property without
both my permission and the Henshaws’ permission.
When Bette does leave town it is to get aw ay from the ten
or so people who are opposed to the park and who make
Bette’s life miserable by the hundrqds perhaps thousands of
phone calls made to her attempting to persuade her not to
sell to the City of Bellaire.
It is true the people quoted in your article are long time
friends of Bette and Bette wished to retain them as friends.
They must realize, however, that their numerous phone
Sincerely,
Mike Senter
Realtor/ Broker For The Henshaws
4412 Acacia
Bellaire, TX
'Friends' not badgerers
Dear editor:
In reference to the Bellaire Texan story Feb. 10
concerning the Henshaw property, the Friends of Bellaire
Parks wish to declare categorically that at no time has
anyone from the Friends of Bellaire Parks trespassed on the
Henshaw property. We have always had permission to enter
the property and were always accompanied by the realtor.
It is not true that we “badgered" the family into selling
the property. Only after it was advertised for sale in the
Houston Post on 4/4/81 did we begin raising funds for its
purchase.
It is not true that just a few people in Bellaire are
interested in acquiring this park. Over 50 citizens are
actively involved in fund raising, 1.000 signed a petition
urging the purchase of the site and 750 households in
Bellaire have contributed.
A petition used as evidence of opposition to the park was
circulated, used, and distributed in a fraudulent manner.
The petition makes no reference to park acquisition. It
states: “We, the undersigned, believe it is better to use
whatever funds are available to develop and maintain the
parkland we have in ways that would benefit Bellaire
citizens.”
Some people signed because they were told that the
owners were being forced to sell their property and that
their signature would prevent this.
It is difficult to understand the motives of any citizen of
Bellaire who would reject an opportunity to acquire this
beautiful park site, an opportunity which will never come
again. The overwhelming majority of the people that we
have contacted enthusiastically support the project. Those
who have no time or money to offer wish us well in our
efforts.
Hana N. Ginzbarg, President
Friends of Bellaire Parks
Box 777
We require that letters include the
writer's signature, address and phone
number in case we need to verify
authenticity --editor
Getting pets out of pound is now costlier B"Blre TX
The next time your loose
pet is impounded by the city
of Bellaire, it will cost you
considerably more to recover
it.
The city has amended its
‘Animals and Fowl” ordi-
nance to more severely
penalize the negligent pet
owner. Fees for recovering
an impounded animal have
increased within a range of
333 percent to 500 percent,
file first time an animal is
impounded within a calen-
dar year, the fee for its
recovery will be $25 (former-
ly $5).
The second time around,
the owner must pay $35 (for-
merly $10).
For the third, or any sub-
sequent impoundment, the
fine is raised to $50. up from
$15. Deleted from the
previous ordinance is a $2
jjer day charge for the time
the animal is in the city’s
custody.
Previous fees were set in
1976.
The higher fine schedule
is said to be needed to offset
the city’s expense in hand-
ling and caring for impound-
ed animals. Previously, the
city has not required owners
to post bond to secure their
pets’ release. The policy has
been to issue citations, a
large percentage of which
are never paid, city officials
say.
That policy will change,
according to Bellaire Police
Chief Jerry Loftin.
“They (pet owners) must
pay at the window before the
animal is released." he said.
Enforcement of the animal
ordinance is a function of the
police department. The
animal control officer is John
Rogers.
information files this quite specific information concerning'
projects that Bellaire needs started and finished to ea^L,
flooding and drainage problems. Some of us, concerned for
a long time about these needed projects, wonder just who
our trio of councilmen are representing -- Bellaire, or the
Heights or Sharpstown. \
Bellaire people who fought through the floods of the
1950s, 1960s and 1970s - especially your municipal official?
~ know just how long it takes to approve bond, sell them
decent interest rates, get plans and specification?
underway, bids in and awarded. 1 gather from the letter the;,
much of the preliminary work has been done, that other
significant preliminary work will be done if, as and when ttw
bond money is available. At all events, the Cypress Ditch'
and Brays Bayou work has been given top priority. •»
By now, council may have given its approval and suppor:
of the bond election; I hope so - I’m tired of Bob Eckef?
being given all the blame for council inertia, or because
some councilman or councilwoman's pet project run afoul ol*
the realities of who controls Newcastle or sponsors a bond
issue. '
Though council memories appear vague, Bellaire peopL,
know that County Commissioner’s Court has come te
Bellaire's aid in years past in every area from moderni/i;’;'
Railroad Ditch to easing flooding in Bellaire's southeasi
area to blacktopping Bissonnet when the city had no fun'is*
for this. If the Aber-Reed-Parker opposition is based or^
their well-known antipathy toward Bob Eckels, forget If*
Let’s get those projects underway. Eckels couldn't care less,
except it stands in his way to providing flood control. Bui
Bellaire people care. ->
Appalled at headline
To the editor:
I was appalled to see the headline in your paper “-Reed
counts fellow' incumbents among the opposition.” Sure*!*f '
get doggone frustrated (who doesn’t); and about 11 p.ni
most Mondays I swear off politics altogether. But for tTie
record, this is the most caring and hard-working council
Bellaire has ever had. I enthusiastically support Milner," '
Aber and Mayor Folse (if he runs). I also hope to suppor .
Lomax, Donovan and Parker, unless an awfully good new
residential face appears from nowhere. * * *
Nancy Lomax, in particular, has gotten a bum rap
Although she occasionally disappoints her strong??*!?
supporters, she has done so much behind the scenes -
where it’s all work and no glory. She found good folks'Y* -
staff our various committees, and she’s worked>very hard
for Clean Bellaire. the Arts Council, the City Manager
search and the Newcastle committee. Parker, too, seems ^
have matured and become much more effective with time
after a weak beginning. «<
One final question. Why is it O.K.. in 1981, to come
before Council and use “they’re busing minorities” asii’
argument against parks, but not OKto criticize such
behavior? I ask as a lifelong Goldwater-Reagan coir-
servative. 4.
Richard K. Rej ,
4608 Evergreen
Bellaire,
V.*.
4562 Bissonnet Bellaire, Texas - Suite 203
P.O.BOX 1011
Bellaire, Texas 77401 i
660-7112 “i *
Jack Gurwell Nedland-Pedcrst$ »
Editorial Advisor Editor
Louise Jalufka Evelyn Nordyke
Typist Contributor ^ i.
Dan D’Attillo M. Lehman t
Advertising Sales Advertising Sales
Mary Priess Manuel Zepeda.. -
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Nedland-Peterson. The Bellaire Texan (Bellaire, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 7, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 17, 1982, newspaper, February 17, 1982; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth644117/m1/4/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Bellaire Friends Library & Historical Society.