Blog Archives - ROWLETT RAMBLINGS

Takin' a little trip

2/21/2016

Well, packing my bags for a little trip. Gonna spend a little time in Arizona and Mexico. We're celebrating........uh, something, I'm sure.

I've got my son watching the farm and feeding the cats. We bought him plenty of cat food and extra shot gun shells.

They have cantinas down there. Hope to see some birthing whales in the Gulf of California.

So, if you don't hear from me for a while, don't fret. I'll be back first week in March.

(I was just reminded that by taking a laptop, I could still post on the blog.)

Intelligent descent....

2/18/2016

Below is a comment submitted by a regular reader. The writer disagrees with my opinion of FEMA's "should be" mission. I understand and respect Jennifer's position, however I remain as before. My response to Jennifer's descent follows her comment. Her two cents worth is very important to me. I overwhelmingly prefer that over the circus being displayed by both political parties today. However, I wish to expand my answers to Jennifer's questions, and of course, I welcome any rebuttal.
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Ron, I usually agree with your reasoning and logic behind most of your postings, but I differ from you on this FEMA issue. FEMA's sole purpose is to step in and offer aid when it has been determined that a catastrophe is so large that the local and state officials cannot handle the cleanup and aid. That is why they have such stringent thresholds set in place. Everything works off a math table--that's why our public aid was granted and the individual aid was denied. The only way to get individual aid is to have a larger population of uninsured and underinsured damage claims. I am not sure how that would help our town--have even more people need help than we already have? I believe that the attention needs to be placed squarely on Austin and our state government. We, the State of Texas, are currently sitting on an $11 BILLiON surplus rainy day fund. Hell, it was even bragged about JUST TODAY by our local state legislator, Cindy Burkett. When is the governor and other state officials going to be tapping that fund to help the needy around here? It is raining at a lot of homes in Rowlett tonight. If I was a FEMA official and I was looking at Texas' balance sheet while pondering whether or not there was a need federal action, I sure would have a hard justifying sending in aid to this state! I do agree with your anger, we have a lot of folks who need help tonight and tomorrow but I think your anger is aimed at the wrong set of bureaucrats. $0.02.
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My thanks to Jennifer. Well thought out and written.

Up to a point in Jennifer's comment, we are exactly on the same page. The wheels come off in line #9 above. The sentence starts out with, "The only way to get individual aid is to have a larger population of uninsured and underinsured damage claims." There is no mention of why? Why do we need 800 underinsured victims, rather than 799? When an elderly victim is sitting in the rain, with his head in his hands on top of his personal pile of debris, I need a reason to tell him why he is only number 400 and we need another 400 before he becomes damaged in the eyes of FEMA. He just might think he is already sufficiently damaged. Since she/he may have just lost their major investment in life, I would be hard pressed to justify FEMA's "stringent threshold." I need a reason. Of course, FEMA sends their condolences. Gee.

If one wanted to approach HUD to apply for an FHA loan, would they be told they had to wait for another 799 applicants before they could be considered? What if it was time for retirement? When applying for Social Security benefits, would one be told that it is necessary that a block of 800 applicants are necessary before any request could be submitted and processed? I think such "stringent thresholds" when delivered to the American public would make the historic Storming of Bastille Day look like a pizza party.

I think the whole premise under FEMA's disaster aid needs to be revisited. I know, I know, I know......FEMA's rules have already been delivered to the Washington Stone Cutter of Bureaucracy and chiseled into granite blocks. Break the damned blocks.

Another interesting point Jennifer made was the Texas' "war chest" of $11 billion. I'm not sure I have a good answer for that. However, before I criticize Texas for being frugal, I want to know what percentage of tax money that we send to Washington comes back to Texas, plus how that percentage stands up to other states. I am not sure Texas gets a fair shake from jealous and envious Washington operatives. Remember the super collider that was trashed by East Coast "leaders" at a tremendous cost? This was at a time when we desperately needed some new investment for the area.

As far as blaming Texas, I still come down on the side of shooting at Washington and their bureaucratic kingdoms. The Dallas Morning News reports that it was a FEMA voice out of Austin that yielded the hammer. However, the orders probably came from Washington.

I really appreciate Jennifer's comments. Her interest in any topic is exactly what I wanted to happen on this blog. Now, you all can kick it around.

Following up with FEMA advice.

2/17/2016

Today, I clicked onto the links that FEMA politely provided for source material to determine availability of FEMA assistance of tornado damage. Those links are available to you in the previous post. My eyes glazed over.

I read, and read, and read. After a whole bunch of reading, I asked myself what I had just learned of a practical nature. Gobblygook doesn't help. It was a short answer. I asked myself what I could share with my neighbors whose homes were neatly piled up on top of their slab. I decided I didn't have any additional knowledge to share with them. I hadn't learned anything of value. I gave them everything FEMA sent me...........which was three links to certain websites. Maybe their eyes won't glaze over.

They already had the newspaper article that told them they didn't qualify for aid. It seems they needed more neighbors in addition to themselves to suffer catastrophic loss. I guess it's kinda a volume discount type of thing.

That's all I had. I felt I let them down.

Reply to FEMA

2/17/2016

Well, we seemed to have spurred up someone at FEMA. Below is a response I received from FEMA today. It was requested that I remove a name from the blog.......which I did. I got the name from FEMA's website under the heading of "Contacts." Apparently, they really don't mean it when they provide contact lists, or you're really not supposed to believe it. I don't know what they mean. You have to be be better at bureaucrateze than I am.

Anyhow, below is my reply. Somebody that read this blog did some good. I am happy to report that Cindy Burkett's office has already called me. A friend of mine is communicating with Texas Rep. Ms. Button's office.

See my response to FEMA below FEMA's email. There might be some good contact info in FEMA's email.
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You've just received a new submission to your Contact Form.
Comment

Good day Mr. Miller,

I came across your blog post today and there are several points I feel require a response. Our hearts go out to everyone who lost property and loved ones because of the tornadoes. But there are several elements of the disaster assistance declaration process and FEMA’s role in disaster recovery that you may be missing.

In order to receive supplemental federal assistance from FEMA, the incident must exceed the capabilities of the state and local governments, disaster relief organizations, and compensation by insurance for disaster-related losses.

There is a process that must be adhered to and indeed that was done here in Texas. First, county officials must inform the state that they would like to seek federal assistance. The state will then request Preliminary Damage Assessments. Joint state-FEMA Preliminary Damage Assessments were conducted in the counties encompassing Rowlett.

You may want to speak with someone from the Texas Division of Emergency Management for details of their request for Individual Assistance. The state has 30 days from the date of the determination letter from FEMA officials in Washington to appeal the decision, providing additional or new data to support the request for Individual Assistance.

Additionally, I am asking you to please remove the name and contact number of the FEMA employee you posted on your website. That FEMA employee has nothing to do with the disaster declaration process and is not involved in responding to the North Texas storms.
Also, I, Debra Young, am not involved in the declaration process and I am not the person who informed the state of the decision. That communication comes from FEMA officials in Washington.

I am sending along some links where you can find additional information on the disaster declaration process and FEMA Individual Assistance and Public Assistance programs.

Declaration process: https://www.fema.gov/declaration-process
Individual assistance program: http://www.fema.gov/recovery-directorate/assistance-individuals-and-households
Public Assistance program: https://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit

People with unmet needs seeking information about disaster-related services should call 211, a statewide information and referral service. Anyone using a relay service should call 877-541-7905.

I hope this information is helpful.

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Dear Ms. XXXXXX--

Thank you very much for your reply. We welcome all viewpoints here.......even dissenting viewpoints from government officialdom.

I understand your position on this matter and I am sorry you "drew the short straw." It is with absolute respect that I am responding to your email. However, I found your name in FEMA's own website. You were listed as a "Contact." Was this in error? Should I ignore information on FEMA's website. At your request, I will remove your name and email address from the body of the blog post. I suppose we will have to dig out someone else's name from the information you sent me. Should we pass your name on to them?

Also, you seemed to take substantial efforts in preparing your response. Again, with all due respect, it sounded like government gobblygook to me. It sure sounded pretty, but reading it was like trying to track a coyote down the creek. My question was a fairly simple two part question. Is FEMA established to assist citizens that have been damaged with no other recourse, and why some people, thru no fault of their own, are aided and not others with the same circumstances.

The answer I received seemed to be a college course model. It will take a whole semester to research the answers.

Ms. Young, I do not find fault with your answer. It is gracious that you answered, but your answer is as I would have expected. It is for others to decide who might be more concerned about victims, particularly senior victims that most often have less capability in adapting in catastrophic losses.

I shall remove your name as you requested, however I would like to point out that the email on this matter is now flying between citizens and elected officials.

Have a nice day. Would you like for me to send you some photos of my neighbor's houses lying in a heap? It's a big heap.

Ron Miller

Saddle up!

2/15/2016

I have begun writing elected officials and sending copies of my last blog post. I personalize the email with short notes to each elected official.

Have you started?? Have you talked to your friends?

I am furious!!

2/14/2016

Yesterday, I read Ray Leszcynski's article in The Dallas Morning News regarding FEMA's denial of individual assistance of tornado victims. I was livid. My wife said she had never seen me so angry.

I headed to the computer immediately to write a post on this blog site. However, in a rare sense of adulthood, I realized my vocabulary had taken a sharp turn to the gutter. I decided to wait until my temperature got back below 100 degrees.

I have one very simple question, however I would like to set the stage to ask the question.

First, we have to assume FEMA's mission is to offer federal relief to victims of natural disasters. If that is not their mission, what is? Is it a war chest to disburse money to political cronies? Maybe it's existence is to provide jobs to keep the unemployment rate down. If FEMA's mission is not to provide assistance to massively damaged victims of natural disasters, then we need to change the complexion of Washington, DC by a substantial amount. I have never much cared for bureaucrats, anyway.

At this point, we must assume that FEMA's existence is honorable. Anything other than that suggests that a whole bunch of people need to go to jail. As for intelligence, we probably shouldn't push the envelope. I have a 6 year old great grandson that can tell if someone's home has been completely destroyed, or not. He's pretty bright, but he doesn't have much of a resume, yet.

So, let's assume FEMA staff can tell if someone's home has been destroyed. That doesn't seem to be a hard assignment.

See how easy analysis can be? We now have assumed that FEMA was created to aid victims of disasters. We also have assumed that FEMA is intelligent enough to recognize victims when they see them. This second assumption may be a stretch, but it has to be made to get to my question.

Now, Mr. Leszcynski reported that Debra Young, of the Austin FEMA office, has informed local and state authorities that there wasn't enough damage to warrant FEMA aid. That is about what I would expect from a imbecilic, moronic, dimwitted bureau staffed by bureaucrats.

It would appear that there must be at least 800 homes destroyed or suffered major damage, that were uninsured or under insured, before FEMA assistance becomes available. People, that is pure discrimination!! People fulfilling all the damage criteria in an 810 home disaster is granted aid, but someone fulfilling the exact same criteria in a disaster of only 790 homes is denied aid. That is discrimination in pure form.

Now my question: I have to rely on you for the answer. You're pretty smart. If you read this blog, you are capable of intelligent thought.

Clearly, FEMA has gone thru some kind of thought process whereby it was decreed that a certain number of damaged properties were necessary before any aid was needed.

Since I don't trust bureaucrats, I must rely on your answer to my question. Please tell me how anyone that suffered catastrophic damage in a tornado destroying 790 homes, and meets the same criteria as victims of a tornado damaging 810 homes, is damaged less than victims of the 810 damaged units storm? What the hell does the number 800 have to do with anyone's need for aid? The very first assumption above was that FEMA was formed to aid victims of natural disasters. Was that a lie? Was it only for certain victims? Politically connected victims?

Let's take a hypothetical widow, living on Social Security of $1350 per month. How easy to you think it would be to let the insurance payments slip when you're in the doughnut hole and paying outrageous prices for medicine, paying utility bills, buying food, and trying to live a subsistence life. People, it ain't easy. What is easy is to gamble that you won't have a catastrophic loss and avoid $125/month for insurance. It is an easy enticement to succumb to and many, many, senior citizens take the gamble.

So, you tell me why this hypothetical widow is less damaged because her storm only destroyed 790 houses instead of 810.

People, I am really angry for such moronic logic coming from our government!!

You all have a computer, or you wouldn't be reading this blog. Therefore, you probably have email capability. Below, you will find contact information for our closest FEMA office in Denton. I would have given you FEMA's Debra Young if I could find it.

I would fire off a stinging email to the below FEMA office, and call your friends and neighbors and have them to also send email. You are the voters. This is an election year!! I am copying this post and sending it to Governor Greg Abbott, Cindy Burkett, Pete Sessions, Ted Cruz, and others who solicits votes from us. Please point out to them that our disaster victims are just as damaged as others.

We need to bring what pressure we can to get FEMA to find the error of their ways and help victims of this disastrous storm.

Contacts for Texas
(Removed per FEMA request)

A little time to reflect

2/13/2016

For the past month and a half, I have witnessed a pretty remarkable thing. I am not all that astute. You have all witnessed it. Rowlett was a fairly hum-drum, typical suburban village to a major American city. There are hundreds of them all over the USA. As with all of the suburban villages, we were trying to make the best we could with the assets we had. As in all such villages, there were peaks and valleys in our efforts, depending on leadership skills and the general economy surrounding the area. We were blessed by the nearby Dallas economy and the general economy of Northeast Texas and Texas in general. Ole Sam Houston did a good thing.

A new formula for success is in the test tube. We've been working on it for a while. We added a new super highway right thru the middle of town. Even tho it was a turnpike, for the first time Rowlett was on a major highway, soon to provide more to the area over the years. At nearly the same time, the DART rail system came to town. It went into the mix. Rowlett leadership started planning a new future with these ingredients. Some plans were okay......some were not. Some are still languishing.

Then, more recently and somewhat unexpected, the long wished for access to the Interstate system and Lake Ray Hubbard's deep water became a reality. Trent Donahue purchased Robertson Park and the land was annexed into Rowlett. It's my opinion that the Robertson Park land was the most valuable land between downtown Dallas and Memphis. Now, that really got the attention of Rowlett movers and shakers. The timing was right for a new Rowlett. A new image was there for the taking, and that new image would substantially enhance the lifestyle on existing and future Rowlett citizens, provided someone didn't screw it up. With proper nurturing and care, an exclusive community could be built that would overshadow surrounding villages. We still need to learn from our mistakes.

However, Rowlett could become the place to live.

In relatively short order, Rowlett had acquired a toll road that went straight to 20,000 jobs being created in Plano. It added a new DART station that could deliver passengers to places all over the metroplex, including airports, major shopping, and downtown jobs. Rowlett has acquired access to the Interstate system on I-30, and 247 acres of prime commercial land located right on the waterfront. All the ingredients were there, ready for development of Rowlett into a first class town that reeked of opportunities. It was just going to take a little time to development.

Then, something happened. On December 26, a tornado struck Rowlett. The toll was 400 houses completely destroyed and another 700 homes damaged. It was truly catastrophic. I saw the funnel. More imposing was the sound. We took cover and listened to our windows breaking. We thought the house was next. It stayed. The funnel missed us by a hundred yards.

What happened next was enlightening. The first respondents sirens could be heard as the sounds of the tornado were still present. Rowlett was repairing itself before the tornado even left town. Soon thereafter, people were appearing in the streets to survey the damage and start looking for shelter for the night. The city swung into action with shelters. Other cities sent help. We even helped neighbors carry clothes to other neighbor's houses trying to save what we could from the rain. There were hundreds of equal, or more, stories in Rowlett that night.

What has unfolded because of that night was a cohesion of Rowlett residents. I am truly impressed with the people of Rowlett, and the city's leadership. Everyone is trying to help someone else.

That is what we have all witnessed over the past month and a half.

As tragic as the tornado was, I do believe it can serve as the catalyst in the test tube. I think the tornado can speed up the re-development of Rowlett and present a platform under which we can completely "re-brand" the city. The tornado brought attention to our city. We can use that notoriety to keeps others apprised of our efforts, not only tornado repair, but enhancement of shopping, commercial development, water parks, and just a great place to live.

The attitude and the ingredients are present, including the catalyst. Rowlett can become the best little small town in Texas. It can have water activities, new and upscale commercial and residential development. Entertainment, shopping, and restaurants should certainly show up.
It's there for the taking, folks. .

Extracurricular "stuff"

2/12/2016

Sorry to be so quiet. Been a little busy.

Been working on trying to hold a sailing Regatta over Memorial Day weekend. It is a charity event with proceeds going to under-insured and uninsured homeowner victims of the recent tornado. Got a lot of work to do and not much time.

Also, trying to work on a Senior retirement village in Rowlett. Once again, a lot of work and not much time. I don't know how many seniors were displaced from the tornado, but we need the seniors retirement village, anyway.

I presume you can hold things together until I get back.

A new "Brand" would be fun.

2/3/2016

We couldn't have had a better opportunity for "re-Branding" Rowlett. I don't mean because of the tornado, but certainly the tornado could become the catalyst. It could be the ingredient that makes everything else work. If one adds the new found character awaken by the tornado, and as demonstrated by Rowlett citizens, civic leaders, and business leaders, to other additional events, a beautiful opportunity presents itself.

Right at Rowlett's new front door on Interstate 30 lies what is to become a $1 Billion real estate development. It will become all very water oriented. Rowlett has 23 miles of shoreline on Lake Ray Hubbard. Can you think of anything that will drive up real estate values better than water?

One of the things that Rowlett has never done very well is take advantage of Lake Ray Hubbard. Lakefront development has been abysmal. That is soon to change.

Development of the new projects of Bayview should make their first appearances soon. This will definitely introduce water development to Rowlett. Then....Rowlett needs to start developing park areas along the waterfronts we have always had.

This new interest in development, and particularly water front development, gives rise to all things water oriented........like sailboat Regattas. If properly organized and promoted, the Regatta would put Rowlett in neon lights. All revenue could be donated to the rebuilding of Rowlett.......another nobel cause. Then, as Rowlett's sun is rising, other demand would be created in other Rowlett neighborhoods.........because its a nice town. That's all we need. The image would have changed. Real estate values should begin to soar. People, that is money in your pocket.

A few years ago, during the realm of another city manager, it was often said Rowlett was overbuilt with houses with larger lots, fences, and monkey bars in the back yard. That was rubbish. That particular city manager meant Rowlett was overbuilt with houses she didn't like. She wanted "close in" houses, like in the big city. She was a very bad real estate analyst. In fact, she was the worst real estate analyst I have ever met in 50 years of being in the real estate development business........I was involved in finance, construction, and marketing. To the best of my knowledge, the previous city manager may have bought a house.

There is new development knocking on our doors. However, it can't be junk. It must be quality development. We do not have to accept second and third rate developers anymore. WE MUST GET PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT. We don't need anymore senseless rhetoric that was copied out of a book. Experience would be helpful. Hell, go hire it if you can't get it for free. Just be sure the source knows what the hell they're talking about. Being smart ain't good enough. I have a great friend who is an excellent lawyer..........but I don't want him taking my appendix out.

The tornado was a bad event. Nobody questions that. But we have to shift thru the debris and find anything that will help build Rowlett back. It may not be a hammer. It may be an opportunity. That's what we have found, if we collectively recognize it.

Regarding Bayview, below is some language I stole from the Dallas Business Journal. (Be sure to click on the photos).
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Dallas developer Kent Donahue has a lot of decisions to make in the next few months as plans for his proposed $1 billion resort-anchored project takes shape on the banks of Lake Ray Hubbard.
The most earth-changing decision will be centered on Donahue possibly developing a man-made blue lagoon within Lake Ray Hubbard, giving the development a sorely-needed destination (besides the lakeside property).

VIEW SLIDESHOW
16 photos

The Dallas developer is looking at a proposal to add a lagoon to Lake Ray Hubbard.

Donahue plans to visit Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, next week to see one of these lagoons — trademarked through Crystal Lagoons — that bring a water-friendly destination to properties not lucky enough to be located along the coast. The lagoons, or gigantic swimming pools, also offer swimmable water for people who would otherwise not be able to swim in the existing water.
Texas only has one natural lake, Caddo Lake along the Texas-Lousiana border. The man-made lakes often have dangerous undertows and a murkiness that doesn't invite swimmers. But man-made lagoons would have a filtration system that would cleanse the water, making it safe and swimmable.
Right now, Donahue is leaning towards bringing in a Crystal Lagoon. It could be a difference maker for the $1 billion resort-anchored development, which will serve as the city entrance for Rowlett.
The project will sit on a 257-acre tract on Lake Ray Hubbard that was once called Elgin B. Robertson Park and was owned by the City of Dallas Parks Department.
An affiliate of Dallas-based Donahue Development Corp., Bayside Land Partners LLC, bought the property for $31.8 million with help from Rowlett, which wanted the developer to help transform the suburb into a regional destination.
“We think if we do our jobs right, it won’t just be a draw from the eastern side of town, but it will be a draw from all over North Texas,” Donahue, president of Donahue Development Corp., told the Dallas Business Journal in an exclusive interview.
"There are a lot of good characteristics about this land, which include it being 15 miles outside a major metro area,” he said. “If you incorporate the lake component with a proposed resort, this could quickly become a staycation for a lot of people."

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People, it's time to re-brand Rowlett!!

A new Rowlett........better built.

2/2/2016

A chance to re-brand Rowlett.

Okay, we've had our tornado now. What's next? Well, clearly, we have to build back. We have to build back buildings and bodies. We have to build back spirits and restore self esteem. We have learned some things over the years. We can build the second time better than the first time because we learned some things, perhaps the hard way, over the years. Mistakes can be corrected. It's time to start thinking about them..........so, I've started.

I know one can't fix everything overnight. It will take years. Some of those house slabs won't have houses on them for years. There will be legal issues and sadness. However, there will be joy in the resurrection. In my opinion, the first place to start, after initial clean up, is the refreshing of the mind. A rekindling of the "can do" attitude. We received a certain amount of notoriety from the tornado. Notoriety turned into some fame from the rebuilding spirit of the citizens and business owners in Rowlett. Especially rewarding was the time contributed and money donated from surrounding communities. Our friends and neighbors know about us. I think we should not let anyone forget that we're still digging out and rebuilding.

I have a thought. I would like to have a weekend long festivity centering around sailboat racing, general boating activity, and Rowlett's acknowledgement that we are a community of the lake. I want people to think of 23 miles of lake shoreline when they think of Rowlett. I would like for it to be a charity event with all net proceeds donated to a tax exempt Rowlett fund that is helping uninsured and under insured victims of tornado. It would be a noble cause. And........a lot of people win.

We could call the event, "The Rowlett Charity Regatta" or some other title that identified Rowlett, Charity, Boating, and Tax exempt participation. We have always underplayed the association of Rowlett with Lake Ray Hubbard. It is time to start some new branding.

I have met with the mayor, Todd Gottel, on the subject. He liked the idea. I have also visited with a friend who is very involved in statewide sailing. He thinks it's a great idea. We are meeting again on Feb 4th or 5th. We belong to a Facebook group with 383 sailors. He also knows sailors all over the state. Sailors are a funny lot. If their sailboat is trailerable, they will drive two weeks to race two days.

I think Rowlett's Chamber of Commerce should get involved. Their group of merchants should promote Rowlett for obvious business opportunities. They could donate objects to a quiet auction to generate revenue.......and everything donated is tax deductible. Sailors could donate funds thru entrance fees. A "First Monday" atmosphere could be created by merchants with booths for product sales. The Bayview Marina should get involved to promote the marina and operate as a staging area for the boats and race committee activity. Trent Donahue, the new owner of the old Robertson Park, could contribute land for the booths and announce to the entire world where his new development is located, and the development's participation in a charity event benefiting many. And, of course, sailors get to race.

Everybody wins!!

And, Rowlett gets a new brand and, with the tornado rebuild, the new Bayview developments, and other projects sprouting up, a new "freshened up" image.