I decided to start a new feature here called “Didya Know?”. It will be a collection of crazy quotes/facts I find from the archived minutes of City council and the LEDC that wildly contradict their current actions and statements.
It is meant to remind citizens (and the bureaucrats/politicians themselves) of all the empty promises and Big Plans that were made and that never came to fruition.
Hopefully, THAT will lead current council members and citizens to take all of these CURRENT grandiose plans with a grain of salt and to view promises of big returns with a skeptical eye.
DIDYA KNOW??
The ‘industrial park’ that the LEDC is now about to lease out for ‘1-2 years’ for “RV and boat storage” was ORIGINALLY intended “to promote economic development with a discounted lease for the business owneras long as primary jobs were created.” [page 20 under Current Development]
Call me crazy, but letting some guy have the land cheap so he can rent it out for RV and boat storage doesn’t sound to me like it’s going to create ANY jobs, let alone those of the “primary” type. Sounds like a big eyesore that benefits one person, to be honest.
Yet another example of the LEDC being rudderless while going in 12 different directions at once and accomplishing nothing at all.
We covered the first two Business Pork prospects in Part I a few days ago. Let’s look into the other supposed prospects that are going to fill the LEDC’s beloved Goat Pasture and bring in all those piles of money and jobs.
NEXTLINK INTERNET: Seems like a legit and kick-ass company. They sounded too good to be true when they first showed up in the area and their name is unfortunately similar to the much-hated “Suddenlink” – but my neighbor five miles down the road swears by Nextlink. I’m actually having a tech come out to check my location next week. If it’s all they say it is, I get triple the product at half the cost compared to my current provider (Viasat).
So they pass the first test: they are legit, offering a product people want at a great price and they aren’t going to disappear in 9 months, most likely.
The next question is what their actual needs are in terms of space. The main headquarters are up in Hudson Oaks, as near as I can tell. So Talbert and the LEDC can forget about some huge corporate headquarters landing in the Business Pork. That ain’t gonna happen.
The best you’re going to do is a little satellite office – which Nextlink obviously already has. In fact, they are out there on 580 East with all the other commercial enterprises! They are literally a block east of the LEDC’s very own Industrial Park they are trying so hard to fill! Crazy, right??
Shitty ‘industrial park’ weed patch. Not to be confused with the ‘business pork’ weed patch.
Almost makes me wonder why the LEDC wasn’t on-the-ball enough to hook Nextlink up with their shitty “Industrial Park” back when they moved into the area last year! As you can see in the photo, the Economic development team was nowhere to be found. The fact that Nextlink did their own thing and steered clear of the Talbert, Walsh and the other LEDC buffoons makes me think that owner Chris Huffman is a brilliant man, indeed.
Ribbon cutting April 2021…NOT in the Industrial Park!
Somehow, Nextlink found that spot on 580 east and managed to thrive without any involvement from Talbert, Walsh or the other LEDC Keystone Kops. It is a very big, nice, kick-ass location and it appears that is all they need to function for the foreseeable future.
It’s also odd that Nextlink somehow managed to find a great commercial spot over there when Talbert keeps assuring us that there is “no more commercial space in Lampasas – the Business Pork is it”. Very odd indeed!
It’s been hilarious watching the LEDC and Talbert trying to make a case for why blowing ANOTHER $2.7 million on the Business Pork is so awesome and necessary.
FIRST it was all about “jobs” it would bring. HUNDREDS of them, probably!
THEN it was all about the property taxes it would generate (which is nonsense).
THEN it was all about selling electricity to them. More nonsense.
THEN after they screwed it all up so badly and nobody moved in, they talked about selling it all and making it residential, which Talbert pooh poohed because that just wouldn’t generate much income. She explained all that to Zac Morris during her Valentines Day Begging.
(Of course, she had no problem handing Deorald Finney $72,000 in free stuff for HIS residential development. Nor did she have a problem with handing her formal City council buddy Chris Harrison $185,000 for HIS new company (S2M2) and THEIR development:)
“Econ dev” makes sense only for former City council chums, apparently
But if you go WAY back into ancient history (Jan 2015), you can see that the LEDC WAS planning to just sell the land to developers as recently as then! From the minutes (page 2 under “Staff Updates”):
“The refinancing of the land is considered taxable becauseit was purchased with the intent to sell land for private development…LEDC does not have enough revenue to pay off the existing loan and take on the additional debt service…one of the ways to offset the additional interest is to pay down the land loanwhen property is sold to a developer.“
Wow. So for a LARGE portion of the Business Pork history, the intent was to just sell off the land to developers and let THEM incur the expense of developing it.
As much as Talbert likes to portray herself as a leader who is “committed to this project”, it is clear that they have changed their minds over and over about the direction of the Business Pork.
A slightly less-charitable way of putting it would be that they have no fucking idea what they are doing.
Handing millions of dollars to the likes of Talbert, TJ Monroe and the other dingbats to play in the sand on south 183 is like handing a bottle of whiskey and car keys to a teenaged boy. The results are just as predictable.
This entire blog exists solely due to City council wasting almost $100,000 on an A/V system for an opulent new council chambers back in July of 2018. The colossal waste of tax money fired a rage in me that is still burning here to this day, clearly.
That was just the tip of the iceberg as City council ended up blowing around $1.5 million to “renovate” Old City Hall and give themselves a fancy new council chambers. Initially, some members of council balked at an estimated cost around $700,000 (which was DOUBLE what they had budgeted at $350,000).
Of course, they ended up not only blowing the $700,000 but another $800,000 on top of it. The waste and incompetence was chronicled here in excruciating detail. Misti Talbert and Chuck “The Vampire” Williamson were instrumental in keeping the monstrosity alive.
Listed in the possible uses for a new $6,300,000 bond offering they will be discussing in three days time (possible cost to taxpayer of$9,143,000over 20 years – page 111) is this gem:
Eco-Flex Recycled Rubber Solutions, Lawson Implements, Nextlink Internet, Legacy Awning and Shade, and PhoLicious.
We were told by Mandy Walsh herself that “three of the four are manufacturing companies”, but from the above list, I really don’t see how that is possible. You can MAYBE make the case that two of them are.
Then again, when you are asking City council for more millions for your Business Pork project, it sounds FAR better to say “manufacturing” than “a small place that sells awnings”.
As luck would have it, I have knowledge of all of these companies. Even though City council has already committed to the (in my opinion) fiscally reckless course of throwing more good money after bad at the Business Pork project, I am going to review each company here in the next few posts and see if the LEDC excitement about each of them is warranted.
Let’s start with the obvious turd in the punchbowl: Eco-Flex
They were the “secret prospect” for the Business Pork back in 2020 and apparently blew up the deal when they asked for not only free land, but an outright handout of $1.75 million dollars. Not even the LEDC is that stupid.
Eco-Flex has already proven to be a dud and I can’t believe they are actually STILL placed on a list of serious prospects for the Business Pork. The LEDC must truly be scraping the bottom of the barrel to include these scumbags. Chances they actually move in and become a viable tenant that produces any kind of return for anyone is 0%.
LAWSON IMPLEMENTS: It just so happens I bought my tractor from Lawson in Hamilton back in 2014. Nice people. They also have a place in Goldthwaite. I currently use Mustang Equipment in Marble Falls when I need service – and it is a very similar setup: a place on the side of the road with a small sales shop, a shop in back for mechanical work and some acreage to display the machines and implements like shredders and tillers.
This is definitely not the type of place that needs a $7.1 million dollar infrastructure to exist. Just go drive by Mustang Equipment in Marble Falls to see what I mean. I’m guessing Lawson managed to open their places in Hamilton and Goldthwaite without any help from any “economic development corporation”. They have been around over 80 years. If they want a nice spot to display their wares and put in a storefront, why doesn’t the LEDC offer them that lovely 5-acre eyesore they call the Industrial Park??
I guess Misti forgot about the Industrial Park property they own when she said “there is no more commercial space in Lampasas…the Business Pork is it”:
Lawson basically needs to throw up a metal building to start operations. Lookie there! There is even electricity right there already! No need for $7.1 million in new roads and waster/wastewater. Maybe I’ll call Lawson myself and suggest that!
I’m guessing a place like Mustang in Marble Falls (or the Kuboda dealer across the street) employs maybe 10 or 12 people TOPS. Again, nowhere near the “hundreds of jobs” nonsense we hear out of Talbert’s mouth when she touts the Business Pork project here. There is PLENTY of commercial space out there on 580 east for Lawson to put in a storefront.
Right around the time LEDC president and former mayor Misti Talbert went in front of her former council chums to beg for nearly a million dollars, Mandy Walsh (Economic Development Director) told us publicly that the LEDC had six prospects and that “about four are serious”:
My bullshit detector always rings very loudly when bureaucrats say “about” when describing a tiny number like four. Either it’s “four” or it’s “three” or it’s “five”. If it was five, I guarantee you they would be trumpeting “FIVE!” to show how in-demand their business pork project is. Since they can’t even admit it is “four” but it’s “ABOUT four”, you can bet your ass the real number is three.
She also tells us that “three of the four are manufacturing companies”.
OK…manufacturers of what? What are their names? I don’t think that’s an unreasonable request considering they will have wasted over $7.1 million dollars on this farce before all the debt is paid off. Not to mention they got burned by local charlatan Mike Cour and Eco-Strong the LAST TIME they claimed they had a solid prospect.
So I asked them last week to just provide me the NAMES of the four companies but instead the ever-transparent City Hall told me to take a hike:
“…at this time, pursuant to the LEDC policy and State laws, neither the LEDC or the City will be disclosing the names of any potential prospects for the future Phase 1 Industrial Park Project.”[email dated 2/16/22]
Well, I didn’t take that too well. Especially since we have already been through this once when they were keeping Eco-Strong a secret. I pressed on:
In regards to my request for the names of current business park prospects:
We already had a ruling on that 552.131(a) stuff a year ago (March of 2021). The Assistant AG (James Coggeshall) sided with me on a good chunk of it, actually (see attached, page 3). Since there is no “financial information”, or “negotiations” or “trade secrets” or “competitive harm” or “information about financial or other incentive” being asked for by me, it seems to me that you should produce the basic information I am requesting.
Mandy Walsh mentioned PUBLICALLY (see attached snapshot) there are four “serious” prospects for the biz park and three are in manufacturing. I am formally requesting the names of the four companies and nothing more about them. Just the names.
If I am denied this information, I’ll get my lawyer involved yet again, and this time since this has already been decided on and it’s costing me $$ to go through it again, I am not against also suing the City to recover my attorney fees.
This can all be over quickly and painlessly (and will save thousands of dollars with JC Brown) by just typing out those four names for me. Thanks!
Pretty simple request. It could be answered in 5 minutes. But it wasn’t. Instead I get more vague hints as to what it may be. From the City secretary:
I can provide you the following that have shown interest.
Communication, Technology and Regional Training Center
Food Manufacturing, Packaging and Distribution Center
Road and Construction Material Manufacturer
Agricultural and Equipment Sales & Servicing
Home Furnishings Merchant Wholesaler
Well, first of all, that list is five items long, and Mandy says there are only four serious prospects – she also says that 3 of the 4 are in “manufacturing”. So that means three of the four items on the above list are nonsense if we use logic. Either that, or Mandy is lying. Or Misti is lying. Considering the history of the LEDC and the Business Pork Project, anything is possible.
I’ve lived in Lampasas almost 11 years now and never once heard anyone utter the words “justice of the peace” but apparently this particular race is really riling up both sides. I’ve never heard so much chatter about anything.
If only those same people would get fired up about the LEDC wasting $7 million dollars or City council wasting $1.4 million for the Hostess House “facelift”.
Ah well.
I have no horse in the JP race and can’t vote anyways since I’m outside the area – but here is my total semi-pro guesswork handicapping for the race:
“We ain’t scared of no one!” No one except, of course, the hundreds of voters who would no doubt reject Comrade Clayton’s brand of bullshit for the fifth time in a row (Texas senate, Texas House 54, City council election last year PLUS his attempts to weasel onto City council by appointment AND his attempt to get onto the LEDC board recently).
After being clubbed those five times, it is no wonder his baby seal corpse will be lying motionless during this City council election.
Clayton will be showing that “we are here and we are present” by hiding in his parents’ upstairs bedroom (where he still lives at age 31) for the duration of this City council election.
What a shame.
In more bad news, incumbent City councilman Chuck “The Vampire” Williamson will be running unopposed.
As you may recall, Chuck was stomped in his last election, but a stroke of Covid luck removed his victor (Gordon Nelson) from council and the woman who pulls his puppet strings just went ahead re-appointed him to council anyways – thus bringing him back from the dead yet again.
A week ago, LEDC President Misti Talbert stood before her former City council buddies with her hat in hand and begged for almost $1 million for her ill-fated ‘business’ park project. A project that is 18 years old and about 6 million over budget.
It has produced zero jobs.
While she was rattling her tin cup, she made all sorts of outrageous statements. One of them was “there is no more commercial development space in Lampasas…that Business Park is it”
Patently absurd. I could drive around town and take photos of at LEAST 10 spots that have been sitting empty for years and years.
But don’t take my word for it….just ask the Internet:
Last May, the LEDC told City council they needed ANOTHER$1.974 millionto REALLY finish the job they started back in 2004 (and claimed to have completed in 2015).
The cost totals for “Phase I” (which is actually Phase II) can be seen on pages 14 and 15 linked HERE – and here are the snapshots:
Water/Wastewater totals $577,607 WITH 10% contingency
Remember: that $1.974 million total is WITH a 10% contingency ALREADY BUILT IN.
The water/wastewater total is $577,607 and that is also WITH a 10% contingency already built in.
(Don’t forget that the Toups administration ALREADY wasted$678,000for “water/wastewater” with Qro Mex back in 2015/2016):
Of course, that “Phase I” estimate above was from February 5th, 2020 (as you can see from the top of the page). I said repeatedly a few months later when the LEDC came to council for money (the $1.5 million loan from Bancorp) that there was NO WAY that amount was still valid considering the inflation that the Brandon Administration has unleashed.
Fast forward a mere nine months, and LEDC President Misti Talbert decided they need a LOT more cash and goes begging to her FORMER chums on City council in what is a CLEAR conflict of interest. TJ Monroe (current mayor) ALSO sits on the LEDC board – in another massive conflict of interest. TJ Monroe is, in essence, asking herself to approve the grabbing of $971,000 in City money.
Unsurprisingly, TJ Monroe the mayor voted to hand TJ Monroe’s LEDC board the cash:
At the VERY LEAST, Monroe should have abstained from this vote.
Misti first buttered up her FORMER COUNCIL BUDDIES with a lame joke about spending Valentine’s Day with them. She further buttered them up by telling them she understands what it’s like to “sit on the other side of that desk” and make these decisions. This is known as “conflict of interest” in most places. Not unlike a piece of shit former Congressman lobbying his former colleagues for millions of dollars for his new company.
The water/wastewater is no longer the $577,607 they assured council they needed 9 months earlier. It is now $971,000– a 68% increase in 270 days:
But that’s not all! They want to add another road in there – the “alternate” plan which adds $610,887. This brings the NEW total up to$2,747,544.50:
So they need another million bucks or so. Don’t worry! Misti has a plan! It had “come to her attention” that the Federal government tossed $1.9 million dollars into Finley’s lap from the American Recovery Act Fund a few months ago!
Finley assured me that the City didn’t even ask for it. He said “in my 25+ years of doing this, I have never seen anything even close to this in amount OR LATITUDE” (emphasis mine).
That “or latitude” part means you could stretch definitions to use it for just about anything. Some of the uses are (again, quoting DIRECTLY from the City manager):
“A wide range of projects including City water and wastewater, drainage, broadband and even rain water collection. As you can imagine, we always have a use for infrastructure funds; for maintenance, capital projects, upgrades etc. We do not anticipate returning any of the funds for non-use.”
Yes, I imagine there are a TON of uses for free money from the Feds – we certainly have need for all of that stuff for the City. Especially broadband, if I recall all the talk for the last 8 years.
But you can forget about all of that now, Citizen of Lampasas, because Misti Talbert and the LEDC just grabbed $971,000 of that money right out from under your noses and will instead be wasting it over at the ‘business’ park in return for phantom pie-in-the-sky jobs (maybe) someday.
Those dollars will go there to die a meaningless death, as have countless millions of dollars before them.
