Tag: weed patch

Today Is The One-Year Anniversary Of The Ybarra/Ward Verbal Diarrhea Word Salad Radio Show – Biz Pork Still Empty.

Exactly one year ago, then-newly-hired Economic Development director Stacey Ybarra and Ryan “Gump” Ward went on the radio to blather some feel-good nonsense about the $7.3 million dollar “Business” Pork project.

For the first time in her miserable life, radio host Rhonda Witcher actually asked piercing questions and held Ward/Ybarra’s feet to the fire over what a complete joke the entire project has been for nearly TWENTY YEARS now. Here are some excerpts:

Rhonda Witcher: “Well, the can of worms you get when you come here to Lampasas is the Business Park out on 183…the City has had that a long time…put a lot of money into it…it’s been built – has anybody come yet? Are there any renters?“

Ryan Ward: “That’s a great question! I can give you an update on that! Mandy did a great job…it is about 99% complete…the legwork that Mandy had done…there are several businesses that were waiting on the City of Lampasas to complete that… so once the electric is complete, we hope to get folks, uh, moving in as soon as possible, you know, some of these businesses that are really interested in being out there”

[Great non-answer! A lot of blabbering and zero information actually given. Shockingly, Rhonda didn’t accept that bullshit word salad and pressed on]

Rhonda Witcher: “But SPECIFICALLY, are any tire-kickers, ha-ha-ha, or anyone out there looking??”

Ryan Ward: “You know, uh, that would be a good question for, uh, our manager, Finley deGraffenreid….he worked real close with Mandy…that piece of it I didn’t work on it with Mandy…the interested parties…and…a lot of those things are kinda kept, nondisclosure…until they make their mind up…but yeah, I don’t have any of that information, I wish I did, to share”

Rhonda STILL didn’t accept that. He asks Ybarra: “what do you think of that?”

Stacey Ybarra: “I think it’s a great opportunity…at this moment in time…to be able to attract businesses, you need shovel-ready sites…you need those types of sites to be able to bring big businesses…it’s just about getting it completed and doing the legwork to bring them here, they will come…it just may take a tiny bit of time…but that’s what I’m here for….and making sure the money was worth the while. It is my number-one priority.…

Well, it has been a year for Ybarra making it her “number one priority” and cashing about $125,000 worth of paychecks and benefits from the citizens of Lampasas. Let’s see how the Business Pork looked today around noon:

Impressive!

Of course, it was a clusterf*ck long before Ybarra got here. A bunch of dummies declared it SHOVEL READY back in the fourth quarter of 2015 – a mere 100 months ago.

The ridiculous predictions go back even further than that….

“Ms. Toups said she wants to continue to provide infrastructure to develop the business park — which she said Harrison spoke against publicly. Ms. Toups said through the Lampasas Economic Development Corp.’s hard work, “we are on the verge of seeing large corporations come in [to the business park].” – April 21, 2017

“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

“Recent land clearing and development of a road at the business park, Mrs. Masonheimer added, have made the site more attractive to prospective businesses and U.S. 183 passersby.” – Oct 23, 2015

“Projects like this send a message that the city will provide the infrastructure needed for job growth,” [letter written by crusty, big-spending RINO fossil-dummy Roger Williams, U.S. Congressman] – Oct 23, 2015

“An economic study in 2001, [Neal] Leavell said, concluded a business park was the main item Lampasas needed to attract development.” – Oct 23, 2015

“We look forward to working with you and working to fill this business park with good jobs,” she said [Carol Faulkenberry, Texas Dept Agriculture] – Oct 23, 2015

“Mrs. Monroe noted the Lampasas Economic Development Corp. is working with the business park south of town on U.S. Highway 183, and she said she hopes the site will attract good employers to Lampasas. [Council member TJ Monroe] – April 14, 2015

“The incumbent said the city acquired the business park property several years ago but has lacked the infrastructure needed at the site. Soon, she said, the business park will be developed enough to be inviting to businesses. [Then-council-member Wanda Bierschwale] – April 10, 2015

“Grayson said he hopes to develop the business park and attract companies to the site.” [Then-mayor Grayson running for re-election] – April 3, 2015

“I feel like we’re getting somewhere,” board president Dr. Neal Leavell added. “I think we’ve really accomplished something. It’s taken a lot of patience, but we’re here.” – September 23, 2014

“Advocates of utility extensions have said entities compete vigorously for new jobs and that cities with ready-to-build sites have an advantage as they try to attract new businesses.” – August 8, 2014

“Economic development officials have said utilities for the business park are essential to make the 165-acre area attractive to companies.” – July 22, 2014

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

EIGHT YEAR Anniversary of Business Park Predictions That Were 100% Wrong

I love posting these every April….

From the Lampasas Dispatch eight years ago this week.

“Grayson said he hopes to develop the business park and attract companies to the site.” [Then-mayor Grayson running for re-election] – April 3, 2015

“The incumbent said the city acquired the business park property several years ago but has lacked the infrastructure needed at the site. Soon, she said, the business park will be developed enough to be inviting to businesses. [Then-council-member Wanda Bierschwale] – April 10, 2015

“Mrs. Monroe noted the Lampasas Economic Development Corp. is working with the business park south of town on U.S. Highway 183, and she said she hopes the site will attract good employers to Lampasas. [Council member TJ Monroe] – April 14, 2015

OK – Can We Get Back To Lamenting The Money Wasting?

Now that ‘racism’ has been solved by a couple of teen kids (who have probably never been more than 50 miles from their hometown) who ‘shared their wisdom’ with adults twice their age, can we get back to the money wasting?

Specifically, that these LEDC and City council FOOLS are going to plow ANOTHER $2 million dollars into the failed goat patch ‘business park’??

That’s IN ADDITION to the millions ALREADY wasted on this thing.

I remember the heady days of 2015 when Chris Toups was mayor and City council had the EXACT SAME DISCUSSION about this corpse repository ‘business park’ boondoggle.

The thinking then was that they had held this property long enough and it was time to shit or get off the pot: either sell it or spend close to a million dollars to “develop it” into “shovel ready” parcels by bringing electricity and water into the ‘park’. The theory was that AFTER wasting another $1,000,000.00 THEN the high-paying jobs would come pouring in. THAT was the story that was used to sell this pipe dream back in 2014/2015.

Of course, they made the WRONG decision. Goaded on by Toups (who was ALL FOR this ‘upgrade’), instead of selling this piece of shit they poured another million into it. I have LOTS of dummy politicians and bureaucrats [Monroe, Toups #2, Finley, etc] on record claiming that a ‘business park’ BOOM was imminent.

That was five years ago. It’s still a weed patch today.

NOW the EXACT same dummies are making the same argument: we need to shoe this horse or sell it (actual statement by City council). Except THIS time it will cost the taxpayers TWO MILLION [see page 4]. And like clockwork, the dummies made the WRONG choice yet again. Here are the estimated costs to make the corpse repository SUPER DUPER ‘shovel ready’ this time:

[OF course, all these estimates come from Pope Eckermann, who will also be handed large sums to bless this project]

Total roadway and drainage: $1,396,272

Total wastewater to support Phase I improvements: $279,566

Total water to support Phase I improvements: $298,041

Grand total: $1.974 MILLION DOLLARS

I know what you’re thinking: how can they be SO STUPID as to waste ANOTHER $577,000 on ‘water and wastewater’ when they ALREADY paid Qro-mex somewhere north of $800,000 five years ago to run water and wastewater to the ‘business’ park.

Great question. I guess it’s the same stupidity that allows them to pay to have the same piece of property surveyed over and over and over again. Or to waste over FOUR MILLION on an idiotic project like this.

Just a sample of how wrong they were last time:

“I feel like we’re getting somewhere,” LEDC board president Dr. Neal Leavell added. “I think we’ve really accomplished something. It’s taken a lot of patience, but we’re here.” – September 23, 2014

“Advocates of utility extensions have said entities compete vigorously for new jobs and that cities with ready-to-build sites have an advantage as they try to attract new businesses.” – August 8, 2014

“Economic development officials have said utilities for the business park are essential to make the 165-acre area attractive to companies.” – July 22, 2014

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

Weed Patch Blasts From The Past

Since I was digging through the Dispatch archives anyways, I thought it would be humorous to copy down all of the hilariously inaccurate promises about the weed patch corpse repository Business Park. Here are some good ones:

“Ms. Toups said she wants to continue to provide infrastructure to develop the business park — which she said Harrison spoke against publicly. Ms. Toups said through the Lampasas Economic Development Corp.’s hard work, “we are on the verge of seeing large corporations come in [to the business park].” – April 21, 2017

“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

“Recent land clearing and development of a road at the business park, Mrs. Masonheimer added, have made the site more attractive to prospective businesses and U.S. 183 passersby.” – Oct 23, 2015

“Projects like this send a message that the city will provide the infrastructure needed for job growth,” [letter written by crusty, big-spending RINO fossil-dummy Roger Williams, U.S. Congressman] – Oct 23, 2015

“An economic study in 2001, [Neal] Leavell said, concluded a business park was the main item Lampasas needed to attract development.” – Oct 23, 2015

“We look forward to working with you and working to fill this business park with good jobs,” she said [Carol Faulkenberry, Texas Dept Agriculture] – Oct 23, 2015

“Mrs. Monroe noted the Lampasas Economic Development Corp. is working with the business park south of town on U.S. Highway 183, and she said she hopes the site will attract good employers to Lampasas. [Council member TJ Monroe] – April 14, 2015

“The incumbent said the city acquired the business park property several years ago but has lacked the infrastructure needed at the site. Soon, she said, the business park will be developed enough to be inviting to businesses. [Then-council-member Wanda Bierschwale] – April 10, 2015

“Grayson said he hopes to develop the business park and attract companies to the site.” [Then-mayor Grayson running for re-election] – April 3, 2015

The council also voted to guarantee funds for the LEDC’s loan with First State Bank Central Texas. The bank requested the guarantee in the event the LEDC becomes unable to pay off the loan. The LEDC’s $1.77 million loan from the Lampasas bank includes $1.3 million for the business park utilities. – Oct 17, 2014

“I feel like we’re getting somewhere,” board president Dr. Neal Leavell added. “I think we’ve really accomplished something. It’s taken a lot of patience, but we’re here.” – September 23, 2014

“Advocates of utility extensions have said entities compete vigorously for new jobs and that cities with ready-to-build sites have an advantage as they try to attract new businesses.” – August 8, 2014

“Economic development officials have said utilities for the business park are essential to make the 165-acre area attractive to companies.” – July 22, 2014

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

Here is the final side-splitter – September 23, 2014:

“Of the LEDC’s loan from First State Bank Central Texas, $1.3 million is for the business park utilities. Another $465,000 is for refinancing of the LEDC’s debt on the business park land. The total $1.77 million loan is for 15 years at a fixed interest rate of 3.35 percent. Along with the infrastructure the LEDC will fund, Lampasas has $200,000 in the city’s upcoming fiscal year budget for electrical extensions to the business park.

“The LEDC’s new debt service payment will be about $150,000 a year, Mrs. Masonheimer said. The economic development corporation projects annual revenue of about $250,000, which will leave approximately $100,000 for operating costs after making loan payments. “

BAHAHAHAHA!!! Annual revenue of about $250,000? Good one. Here we are FIVE years later and about $300,000.00 in interest payments (money vaporized)….and still no companies generating that $250,000 in revenue. No “high-paying jobs” in the park. There never will be. It is a pipe dream for morons.

Masonheimer is long gone, of course….and the weed patch sits empty, a black hole for tax dollar tithes to Pope Eckermann and other vultures. I don’t blame Masonheimer. She was given an impossible task by moron politicians. A fool’s errand, if you will. Everything I’ve read in the minutes paint her as a fairly intelligent woman with a good work ethic. She was just set up to fail. The same will happen to Mandy Walsh.

None of these boobs have EVER heard of the Sunk Cost Fallacy. They will keep flushing money down this corpse repository black hole for years and years. Mark my words.

Dissolve the LEDC. Sell the land. Stay they hell out of the “development” business. That is the rational course of action.