I was sent this yesterday, an opinion that alleges a couple of things regarding, first, the Water Utility Rate Ordinance, and second, the naming of the stage at Oakdale Park. If you have sources either way on this opinion, please list in the comments. Both events from either 2014 or 2015.

Last year when proposal was made to update the Water Utility Rate Ordinance, that change was voted down.  The leading proponent of NOT changing the ordinance was Councilman Johnny Martin, but it was not to protect the citizens or even to protect the City.  The change in the ordinance would have required an individual water meter for each residence or business, or in the case of an apartment building a portion of the minimum bill for each residence on a large master meter.  This would have raised about $40,000 for the City because of the many accounts that are not currently billed for their water.  Publicly Councilman Martin said he was opposed to the ordinance because it would raise rates on senior citizens in the federal housing program.  It was correctly pointed out by Councilman Mike Jones that those residents in that program have their bill paid as part of their rent paid by the federal government, but Mr. Johnny Martin ignored that point and remained steadfast against the change.  In private Council Martin informed me that he was opposed to the ordinance because several years prior he had made a deal with a previous City Secretary to not charge him for two of his three rental houses across from the Methodist Church.  He said that it would cost him personally $600 per year to put them on individual meters like everyone else because he had already raised the rent on those renters and he could not do it again.  The result was to save himself $600 but cost the City about $40,000, mostly federal money that could have returned some of the taxes paid by tax payers from Glen Rose. This action by Councilman Johnny Martin shows very clearly that Mr. Martin is less concerned for the City as a whole than for his own pocketbook.  It should also be pointed out that this deal was illegal and in violation of the city ordinance at that time and remains illegal even now.  To take his personal issues a step farther, one of the next items for the Council to consider was a tax exemption for senior citizens that was proposed by Council members Johnny Martin and Sandra Ramsey, the two people on the Council who would be the beneficiaries of such a tax break.

In another instance, Councilwoman Sandra Ramsay, without authority and without Council approval, had the name of the stage at Oakdale Park changed to honor her husband who had recently passed away.  Obviously Dennis Ramsay was an outstanding gentleman with tremendous community spirit who did much for Glen Rose and Somervell County, but to rename a City facility for someone without the City Council’s approval is again self serving.  Mrs. Ramsey followed this by voting against an ordinance that would have established a procedure to donate items or money to the City as a memorial to other persons.  Councilman Martin joined her in turning down this ordinance because if someone gives the City a tree to plant as a memorial, the City would have to hire someone to water it.  Of course that is ridiculous, but Mr. Martin got his way again.

These facts should be seriously considered when you pay your water bill and when you select who you will vote for in the City Council Election on May 10.  

P.S. I went down yesterday to get a photo of the sign. I have, personally, mixed feelings about this. I very much like both the Ramsays and thought it was great there was a memorial for him at Oakdale. Someone went to some effort to make a nice sign, although it seems to be soliciting for a fund. However, Oakdale is a public park; does a policy exist wherein anyone that wants to name a building for a loved one follows certain procedures?