Freedom from Elected Officials
The Bill of Rights is a citizen’s most important ally. The First Amendment supposedly guarantees us freedom of religion, speech, press, and the right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.
If we are all guaranteed these four basic rights, then why are so many people afraid to express their true feelings publicly about local issues? Apathy has worn a lot of folks down over the years. It's tiring and discouraging to go to city and school meetings to express concerns only to have them rejected every time. No matter if you have it on tape, can produce open records or whatever, the entrenched politicians and public employees always seem to win.
In private conversations with local professionals and businessmen, the thing they fear most is loss of business. They support you privately and in the dark corners, but they live in fear. When you talk to plain old citizens, the thing they fear most is retaliation against them or their family from the city or the school district. Strange as it may seem, three quarters of this town is paralyzed by fear, willing to give up their freedom because of the monster under their bed known as your elected official.
Is Cleburne in America? Isn’t this supposed to be the land of the free?
Take, for instance, the violation of voter rights in the school bond election. You can’t blame it on hanging chads. So what was the real issue? The real issue for the school district was the shock of a loss and an ego so big that it had to win at all costs even if it meant violating the voters' will. Yet who do they blame it on? They blame it on the taxpayers for being poor losers. I think somebody didn’t get their backsides swatted enough when they were kids.
Then you have the obvious violation of Freedom of the Press by the City Manager when he removed the Cleburne Eagle from your public library. The key word is public. After age 55 I think I know what I should and shouldn’t read. The newspaper had exposed several problems with the way our school district spends your tax dollars. Still the City and School District sits in self denial, preferring to believe a lie even when their own open records bear witness to the truth. As long as you don’t bark, they won’t bite.
Our Freedom of Speech is being violated by retaliation against those who speak up.
"Absurd, preposterous" you say. "I just can’t believe that we have any elected officials who would abuse their power of office to retaliate against a citizen for speaking his mind. All these people are fine upstanding members of our community coming from good families and they are good church people.”
Here is my example, and then you be the judge. For over three years I have worked with the city manager, two different mayors, two different city council groups and the planning and zoning committee about implementing a historic preservation program which would have a positive effect on our community. Studies prove that these programs revitalize older neighborhoods that have run down, restore community pride, and can elevate property values by as much as 20%. When the public is educated properly about preservation do’s and don'ts, it makes them more aware that just like a businessman they are improving the value of their property.
Certain things make you grow and certain things hurt your market value. This is where educating investors and homeowners about proper preservation procedures is an absolute must. The question always asked is "What’s in it for me?" Playing by local historic preservation ordinance rules has a plus side, which comes in the form of tax abatements. You are investing in the community and just like any investor you expect returns. Anyone should be able to participate by restoring an old historic home or downtown building according to guidelines, but you should also have the right not to participate as well. You can’t get the abatement if you don’t follow the rules, but it is still your choice.
I was allowed to present a program which I called Preservation Cleburne to several of the city officials during a two-hour workshop. It took us two years just to get this far. Finally I felt that some were getting the idea that there is a plus side to preservation. I can tell you our city officials after years still have a hard time seeing the positive because they believe so many negative myths about preservation. Those myths have cost our city many valuable historic resources and possibly tourist dollars. Cleburne has probably three times the historic resources than any other town around us, yet these towns have for years been reaping the benefits of historic preservation while Cleburne has not. Fear has kept us from moving forward due to the same old misinformation that keeps cropping up.
My historic home is the Joiner-Long house at 604 Prairie Avenue. In 2002 the property was awarded a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark marker. In 2003 the property was given a listing in The National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service. Both of these honors are the highest honors that can be bestowed on a historic private residence at the state and federal level. In October of 2006 the Joiner-Long house was elevated to State Archaeological Landmark Status by the Commissioners at the Texas Historical Commission at their quarterly meeting. I say this to show you that I do have the qualifications and the knowledge about proper historic preservation principles.
City ordinance 03-1996-06 was passed on March 12, 1996 which expressed the idea of a Historic Preservation Commission. In working with the city, Save Old Cleburne and the Johnson County Historical Commission, another ordinance 10-2005-71 was passed October 25, 2005 establishing and laying out the guidelines for a five-member Historic Preservation Commission.
This is ten years later. More than one year since the new ordinance passed we have just had the first meeting of the commission, on November 7, 2006. We are still short one member due to a resignation. The city has said no one has come forward. That's simply not true. I submitted an application for the position, and got a total of 15 other people to submit applications.
I have been told by the mayor, our city manager, a deputy city manger, the Planning and Zoning coordinator and three out of four councilmen that I should sit on that commission because I probably know more about it than anyone. Yet none of the council has placed my name in nomination. The City Council voted to table filling the position so that "maybe someone will come forward." This implied that no one had come forward, when in reality no council member was willing to make a nomination from the 16 or so applicants.
All was fine until I became vocal about the redo school bond election which led to Open Records from the school district exposing waste of taxpayer dollars by school administration and school board members. Today the CISD is being investigated by the Texas Education Agency for misuse of federal grant money and other abuses, and for expenses of the school board and administration. I will not turn a blind eye to blatant wrongdoing by any elected official and as one tough grandma said; "It’s not Robin Hood, it’s robbin’ everybody.”
But what does this have to do with the city? One councilman works for the school district as a truancy officer. My councilman is a principal and the school board president’s son. A former councilman’s wife is a school teacher. Now can you see the connections? There are many other school administrator and board relations that tie directly to the city. It's like interlocking directorates.
This is not about whining to get a position on the Historic Preservation Commission. I would not take one today if offered. Nor will I give up my freedom of speech, bow down and kiss any rings, hands, feet or backsides just to secure one. This is about silly adolescent childish behavior by our elected city officials and public employees who are retaliating against a citizen for speaking his mind. You should know by now I never say anything I can’t prove.
Taxpayers, if I’m not afraid of any monsters under my bed, then why are you? Speak up!
Harold Gentry
604 Prairie Avenue
Cleburne, Texas