Published: May 20, 2009 03:22 pm      

Court taking applications for groundwater district

Chelsea L. McGowan

cmcgowan@weatherforddemocrat.com

The Parker County Commissioners Court held a special meeting Wednesday morning to discuss appointing a new member to the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District. The appointee would replace Larry Jones, whose term recently expired.

Each of the commissioners in attendance spoke of different qualifications they’d like to see in a potential appointee.

“I’d like to see them have some water well experience,” said Pct. 1 Commissioner George Conley. “It’s not a necessity, but it’d sure be an asset.”

Pct. 3 Commissioner John Roth said he felt the person serving on the board should have good number sense, and be able to objectively analyze data.

“There’s so much difference between a well in Aledo and a well in Millsap,” Roth said. “I think more than water well experience, the person needs to have the ability to analyze the numbers in front of them.”

Joe Brinkley, the commissioner of Pct. 2, agreed with Roth’s statements.

Pct. 4 Commissioner Jim Webster was absent from the meeting.

Parker County Judge Mark Riley made it clear that he thought the intentions of a potential appointee were more important than the various skills that person might bring to the table.

“I can tell you right now, I’m going to be looking for someone to serve this community,” Riley said. “I don’t think we have a person on that board right now that’s doing that.”

The Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District has come under fire in recent months, after charging fees that many allege are amounting to indirect taxation.

State Representative Phil King (R-Weatherford) was instrumental in the formation of the UTGCD, and has also been vocal in calling for the board to be “reined in” as the budget continues to soar beyond expectations.

A call to King requesting comment was not returned as of press time.

The commissioners court will be accepting applications from volunteers interesting in serving on this board until noon on Wednesday, June 3rd. A special called meeting will be held on Friday, June 5, to discuss the applicants.

Riley reiterated that he felt obligation to community should be the court’s first priority when appointing a new member to the UTGCD.

“I want to make sure this person is listening to the whole community, not just one specific interest group,” he said. “This person is going to be one in a large group, and they will not have an easy row to hoe. They will be a voice in the darkness up there. But as long as that entity is taxing indirectly, there has got to be more accountability.”