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Rethink allocations, sewage plant decision

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  • Originally published November 20, 2009 at 7 p.m., updated November 21, 2009 at 10:35 p.m.

I had the opportunity to visit a city council meeting several weeks ago, and two items on the agenda caught my attention: the first being the funding of our Convention and Visitors Bureau at three quarters of a million dollars, and secondly the purchase of property for a new wastewater treatment plant.

As I listened to the discussion, an additional conversation ensued over the allocation (beyond the $750,000 for CVB) of other agencies of the arts. However, this did not include the African American Chamber of Commerce of Victoria Inc. (AACCV) request for 2.5 percent ($25,000) of the estimated $1 million in motel tax (75 percent or $750,000 is designated for CVB) that the city estimates will be received during the 2009-10 budget period. AACCV is only seeking 2.5 percent.

Last year, the AACCV used or has encumbered its $25,000 allocation from the city to host the annual Chairman's Awards Banquet/Gala. This event had more than 52 one-night stays in our local hotels. The chamber hosted the "Gaskin" family reunion with more than 200 in attendance for whom there were 42 rooms confirmed at the Howard Johnson (only hotel for which AACCV had confirmations) for an average stay of three nights. In addition, families used other hotels for this event.

AACCV has encumbered $8,000 for its upcoming theatrical performance with the African American-American Theater Group of Northwest Arkansas. This event is scheduled to be hosted at the Welder Performing Arts Theater in downtown Victoria during Black History month.

Also, AACCV solicited the General Baptist Convention of Texas to host their annual spring Institute in Victoria. AACCV's religious board representative, the Rev. Fred Hobbs, traveled to Bryan to make this request to GBCT's executive committee, in which AACCV was successful. According to Rev. Hobbs, this Institute will bring roughly 500-750 attendees to our city, and we will be using the Victoria Community Center for this event. Also, preceding this event, AACCV will host an early-bird golf tournament. We have encumbered $4,200 for these two events. According to the Austin CTB, this two-day event will have a minimum economic impact of $150,000 for our community.

Talking about putting heads in beds, these are the types of events that go under the radar by our local elected officials. Many of the event-goers will stop at H-E-B to purchase forgotten items such as stockings, toothpaste, etc. Vehicles will need to be re-fueled, and our local restaurants will have additional customers, etc. The entire community benefits when these diverse activities occur.

In addition, AACCV is currently reviewing a contract to host a summer rodeo. The items mentioned above are to make everyone aware that AACCV has traveled and will continue to do so to seek opportunities to bring Afro-centric cultural performances and events to Victoria, which in turn places heads in beds.

I'm not opposed to the city providing money to the Symphony, Bach festival or the Czech Festival, but I'm also interested in the city financially supporting other cultural events such as those mentioned above.

On many occasions, I've heard our mayor state his intentions of bringing our brightest young people back to Victoria. I'm reminded of an e-mail from a young Anglo University of Texas student I received, in which he stated "I will never move back to Victoria because of all the racial hatred and favoritism that exists."

To the local elected officials of our city, I implore you to look beyond the immediate convenience, upcoming elections, etc., and begin to build a city that embraces diversity. If you truly want Victoria to be a destination city, then it's up to you to provide the leadership, not for a few, but for all Victorians.

Now this leads me into my next subject. Less than six months ago, city council agreed not to purchase land north of Odem and south of S.W. Ben Jordan for a wastewater site. I've heard that now, this is the site that has been selected to purchase for this project.

Since Councilman Nietsch, Guittard and Wyatt are no longer there to fight for Super District 5, the people on the southside are saying, "No one cares about our community," and it emerges as true.

Why would anyone locate this type of plant in a residential neighborhood, less than two miles from a nunnery, Boys & Girls Club, elementary school, eating establishments, etc...? With the prevailing wind out of the southeast, even downtown Victoria is in line for some of those 105-degree days when the families of microbes die and upchuck during treatment of this waste, and this smell is going to be nothing nice. You see, I worked at a chemical plant that used similar technology.

It's hard for me to visualize our local-elected leaders ever voting for this location. I assume no one can ever see this area as being anything but a location to send north side "stuff." Oh, by the way, the individual making such a decision does not have any ties/connection to this side of our community.

I recall initially there was another proposed site on current U.S. Highway 59.

I realize that at the current site, the land is cheap, and the engineers suggest that this is the best location from an engineering perspective, but is it really the best site for our community?

This decision will cost taxpayers dearly, the land cost may be inexpensive today, but the permitting process with TCEQ will be very costly for the city to fight litigation that will inevitably take place.

There were other, more suitable locations presented to us when this issue first surfaced.

Who can envision what this area will look like in the future, but you do get a visual with a wastewater plant setting in its midst. I hope that our local elected officials will rethink the decision on these two items.

 

Jim Wyatt is a former Victoria city councilman, who now lives in Round Rock.


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