First the Radiogram and now the FRONT PAGE of the local newspaper. Ouch. I never thought I’d see them turn on the Business Park like this.
Funny how things change in just a few years. Previously, Finley deGraffenreid was one of the biggest cheerleaders of the Business Pork project. Here’s what he had to say – these are quotes from the Lampasas Dispatch:
“DeGraffenried said the LEDC was bold in its decisions to purchase the business park property and extend utilities to it. The city manager predicted Lampasas will enjoy many “spin-off benefits” throughout the city because of the utility work. ” – Oct 23, 2015
The LEDC was “proactive,” deGraffenried said, in acquiring the U.S. 183 property several years ago for a business park. The goal of utility extensions, the city manager said, is to develop the land into a site that can promote economic growth. – June 17, 2014
But now that hard questions are being asked about this disaster, Finley is quickly scurrying to the other side of the boat. Like a rat:
Oh. So NOW Finley admits we CANNOT “compete with neighboring communities in attracting new businesses and offering incentives“! My goodness, Finley! Now is a hell of a time to admit that – now that over $7 million has been incinerated by your goat pasture!
You didn’t have a million dollars in your pocket? You sure did. The City actually had almost TWO million in their pocket. A gift from Uncle Sugar for the “hardships” of Covid. The LEDC immediately pilfered $971,000 of that for the Business Pork Project (another $800k or so went for a new fire engine). Here is a picture of that night – and there’s Finley sitting about 5 feet to the left of LEDC president Misti Talbert as she begs for the money in February of 2022:
As I recall, Finley didn’t jump up at the time and talk about how we couldn’t compete and that this was a very stupid idea. No – as I recall, he sat there and parroted Misti’s bullshit story about how this was a great investment and how they were “the only game in town.”
Of course, a couple nights ago, he was STILL spinning bullshit to try and cover for this disaster:
[Belton, Belton, Belton! Finley sure does have a hard-on for Belton. He mentioned it multiple times Monday night. Does he realize that Belton is part of the Killeen-Temple metro area – which is home to 250,000 people? Quite a difference from Lampasas: population 7,200]
First of all, why is being far away from competing parks not an advantage NOW but will be “in the coming years”? That makes zero sense at all. That is pure Finley Bullshit being spun by the ton, right there. It reminds me of the time he admitted the City recycling program loses $10,000 per year but still “provides tremendous value to the community in terms of providing a recycling service.” – LOL. Only in the mind of an idiot bureaucrat does that make any sense.
Secondly, we are NOT far away from a competing park. Burnet has their own albatross in THEIR City. I’ve talked about it repeatedly. Surely Finley is fully aware that Burnet has a competing business park. So he’s lying his ass off here – as usual…
Hey! Burnet Has an Economic Development Corp Too! And Land!
Then we get some more bullshit from Ybarra
“We don’t have a site that meets their requirements”? BAHAHAHAHAHA. The LEDC has stood up in front of council THREE times now begging for more stuff – more water pipes, more electrical hookups, more roads. Council has given them everything they asked for – to the tune of $7.2 million dollars. But NOW Ybarra says we STILL didn’t get it right? Holy shit.
Larger acreage sites? You have over 150 acres there, sugar. That’s not enough?!?
Please.
Well, the die is truly cast on this dumpster fire. The time to bail was five years ago. That’s when the LEDC and council foolishly decided to throw good money after bad. Hell, they could have just sold all that land at a pretty decent profit 18 months ago. But no. Misti Talbert and the LEDC thought they knew best.
There is much more pain to come on this thing. Wait and see.