Here’s the rub: the geotechnical reports recently done by Hibbs & Todd for IC ISD recommend dumping stormwater into “storm drains or onto paved surfaces” thus giving IC ISD an excuse (but not a legal defense) to dump its stormwater into the streets and flood our community. Hibbs & Todd, however, is also the engineers for the City of Mertzon. What gives? Is it a good practice to recommend dumping water onto paved surfaces when they also represent the City? See additional comments below.*
THIS MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELED AND MOVED TO MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2025.
Below is the agenda for this meeting, and underneath that are my Agenda Analysis and Meeting Review.
A. Agenda Analysis: 1. Date of meeting: Note that the meeting is on Tuesday, not its usual Monday. 2. Dead meters, item 6: Again, this about equitably awarding the very limited water meters. The limit on water meters is a major factor on city growth, and it doesn't seem fair that folks would be sitting on them. 3. Spring Creek Pavilion, item 7: The location is being considered here, and TCEQ has a vote in the matter. But, in view of that location, what will be the long term costs for maintenance and improvement of the structure? Will the Lions Club commit to it long term so that decades from now it doesn't look like an open air livestock arena? Open air barns deteriorate over time with rust, and none of the initial discussion firmed up as much as a cement foundation. There will be costs down the road...
B. Meeting Review (Pending)
*I review the IC ISD check register monthly, and in October 2024 the District paid $5,925 to Hibbs & Todd. I followed up with a PIA for the work product for that payment and received 3 reports for the boring done by Hibbs Todd. This language is from those reports. I became aware of Hibbs and Todd also being the engineers for the City of Mertzon by attending Council meetings. While I view this as a clear conflict of interest, this unusual role is not necessarily unlawful...but, it is at least professionally unwise. In any event, this language doesn't provide a legal defense to either the District or the City. The language does, however, highlight the origin of the permission structure that causes our local government to flood itself at City Park. Indeed, the quintessential topo map that I use to show that local government is flooding itself is done by…Hibbs & Todd for their client, the City of Mertzon. See the map at the bottom of this page.
Copyright 2025 G Noelke