SR20 told Judge Mike Ford and probably also the private group that coughed up $25,000 for Center for Innovation that Somervell County is no longer in the running for their plant-Glen Rose Reporter 3/25/2014. Po'  Po'  Judge Ford is crushed because now he can't go lay down on the floor and do everything SR20 asked, which was basically to give SR20 the store while SR20 provided no money. Alvarado like this deal? Good for them, we suspect maybe SR20 only went to Somervell County as a backup while working the deal with Alvarado. After all, SR20 VP Lance Ochs told Alvarado that they were first choice.

Apparently principles at SR20 told Judge Mike Ford they didn't like people actually TALKING about their deal. Boo-hoo, last I checked, this is a democracy and people who would be on the hook for what looked like a misbegotten deal sure CAN talk. And I suppose he wishes the landowners who were going to have SR20 adjoining their property should have shut up too instead of so vocally telling everybody within earshot and attending the meetings of the Somervell Econonic whatever that Darrell Best and Larry Smith run. (Remember Best and Smith are the ones that paid Center for Innovation 25 thousand smacks to bring SR20 here to ask for giveways) It isn't like Darrell Best shut up when Chalk Mountain was the issue with Tommy Davis's rock crushing operation.

Following a barage questions and concerns from local residents March 10, commissioners voted for the formation of a public facility corporation, which Ford said was the first step in the county's "due diligence."

"We don't know if it would have worked, but we were going to do our due diligence in investigating," Ford said, adding the plans included employing an engineering firm to examine the company's plans and process, allowing a third party determine if they were viable.

Because, you know, you can't do due diligence as a commissioner UNLESS you go through all the steps (and expense)  to form a public corporation first, right? So I guess all those committee meeting, including the one that Ford was a part of to investigate technologies for the courthouse were not due diligence. Bahahahah. Sell that wooden nickel somewhere else, Mr. Ford. 

"The sad thing for me is that we now have a reputation that could shut the door on further significant economic development," Ford said. "I am ashamed to say this is what happened."

You know what I'm ashamed of? That the head of SR20 said the reason they came to Somervell County is that Somervell County was desperate for money. Isn't it a lot more appalling to be known, thanks to Judge Mike Ford, as the county that is going begging to give away deals in order to attract ANYBODY? Remember, Judge Mike Ford doesn't even live in the county anymore, he SOLD his house, and has a house in Pecan Plantation now where he isn't going to be subject to the hospital district taxes he was so happy to get foisted on everybody else. (Not to mention that huge debt he illegally voted when commissioner  for BEFORE having a required IRS public hearing so people could decide if they wanted to loan then-private GRMC 14.4 MILLION bucks)

Reminding that Judge Mike Ford apparently believes that only those that are part of his special group get special treatment. Others that do not agree with his point of view don't get to speak in his courtroom, but he does, all the while hilariously talking about a bully pulpit and don't get the special invitations to supposedly private meetings where citizens in general are deemed too ignorant  to understand and need decisions made for them.

Am I sad about SR20? No. Do I wish them success in some other venue? Sure. But Somervell County doesn't need to have the reputation of being a bunch of ignorant sad sacks who will do ANYTHING to get ANY business here. And that reputation is laid squarely at the feet of Judge Mike Ford and those in private economic groups that he has chosen to align with.