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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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They Vant to be Left Alone
To the editor: I just read your article regarding the involuntary annexations (“Annexation Vexation,” July 11, 2002). Good read! And we are not the only ones aware that the city can’t provide for the citizens of the proposed annexation areas. Fort Worth Police Chief Mendoza said at the Thursday meeting with the League of Neighborhoods that the city’s police force will not be able to protect us but that the city council does not take advice from him. So much for this being just an emotional issue, as the council would have everyone believe. Inferior fire and police service is more of a life, limb, and property issue than it is an emotional issue.
Everyone I’ve talked to in the proposed annexation areas was very impressed with the article. Keep up the good work.
Julia Taylor
Unincorporated Tarrant County
To the editor: My husband and I own property in Lake Oak Estates. This is an area initially included in the annexation process and now put on hold so that Fort Worth can gobble us up in the future.
One of the comments in your article was concerning Mr. Riley’s not “telling the entire story” when questioned about the city’s plan for annexation. One of the reasons given for considering the areas for annexation is the septic systems around Eagle Mountain Lake, as this lake is used for drinking water. When my husband, Rudy, spoke with him during the initial stages of the annexation process, his statement was the same concerning septic systems around Lake Worth. Mr. Riley was told that the city currently controls the development around Lake Worth and that our property was about a quarter mile away. Further, and most importantly, he was told that when we built our home several years ago, we installed an aerobic septic system. I would add that this seems to be the case with most of the recently constructed homes in all the area under consideration for annexation.
Our septic system has three separate tanks that process all our wastewater. When the third tank reaches a certain level, a sprinkler system reduces the water level in all three tanks. This is potable water. Our system requires inspection every three months. We have a contract with a service company and pay a substantial amount annually for this service. As a result, the water coming from our septic system does not leach into the ground and is safe enough to be used to irrigate a vegetable garden, as it is 98 percent pure. I daresay the city of Fort Worth cannot make such a claim. Further, these systems are registered with the Health Department and they can and do make random inspections of such systems.
I realize there are older septic systems that leach into the ground. However, those systems tend to be located a considerable distance from local lakes and also require routine maintenance if the owner wishes continued waste disposal. It is my understanding that the Health Department maintains a control list of those systems as well, although I have not personally verified this information.
We have been told time and again that there is no purpose fighting annexation as it is going to happen regardless. We continue to be involved in “the fight” even though we are no longer one of the properties being considered for annexation this year. Our real concern is our future services. We are older and our retirement years are here. This is the situation with many of the homeowners in the areas considered for annexation. My point is, as we age we are more dependent on emergency medical services. We need the benefit of a quick response by emergency medical personnel. Is the city council so callous that they will be able to gloss over the death of an individual or, worse yet, the resulting neurological impairment of a person due to the length of response time of trained emergency persons?
The government, whether it be local, state, or national, should not represent only a chosen few. Further, they are elected servants of the people and not elected to thumb their noses at us at their pleasure. As it stands, it appears Mayor Barr and the city council want a city that is the biggest, not the best it can be. If this statement proves to be true, I and many others will work long and hard to assure their service to Fort Worth is limited.
Thank you for taking time to read this and for your excellent article on annexation.
Carol Cajka
Tarrant County
Parody or Perception
To the editor: Wow! I am impressed. The music parody (“His Way”) written by Anthony Mariani in the July 4-10, 2002, issue was an absolute hoot! The “review” of Usher’s “My Way” was especially biting: Mariani throws the lure by describing yet another song about a playa’s lifestyle being “too valuable to waste on one honey” and then sets the hook by calling this ridiculously simple-minded effort “a complicated little tableau.” Hee-hee-hee! The parody review of “U Remind Me” is even better: Mariani describes the whiner theme of Usher denying a woman because she reminds him of a woman who burned him, and then pretends he believes this is the equivalent of great literature! Classic parody!
But if we thought the review was great parody, we ain’t seen nothin’ yet. The epilogue took the parody to almost unbearable levels: “What you hear on MTV is the best money can buy. ...” Great! “The true avant garde will come from P. Diddy and Rob Thomas...” Stop it! My sides are splitting!
Mariani is brilliant! I have never read a better send-up of a clueless music listener! Anyone can just write “MTV sucks,” but it takes a true genius to write such incredible drivel as if he really meant it. I will be waiting impatiently for Mariani’s next work, “Vanilla Ice — Making Rap Real!” Unless, of course, the Weekly loses him to National Lampoon. In the meantime I guess I’ll take Mariani’s advice and “tune in to MTV” for some “quality performers”! (This guy kills me!)
Charles Cook
Fort Worth
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