I must first apologize to my friends and neighbors of Wichita Creek Estates, Point Nobel, the Landing and all points west of the old one lane bridge on Wichita Trail.  Like 95% of all residents of Flower Mound I'm an over worked parent who when presented with any free time would rather spend it with my family rather than becoming active in civic affairs. I certainly understand there is always two sides to every story.  Being a member of the silent majority, I prayed and hoped against hope that reality was somewhere between what I read in the Flower Mound Leader and The Messenger.  I a sure you reality is not.

Here is the statements that finally set me off.  In the Flower Mound Leaders Vol.106 no.72 March 4-5, 2000 One of the front page stories was "DeLuca files for reelection" It quotes Lori DeLuca in saying "That during her leadership, the Town Council has diligently worked to get the town's infrastructure on the same page as development."   Also, "that during her tenure, more roads and bridge projects have been started than any other period in Flower Mounds history." That, in some circles is called a bold face lie and in others is call a misstatement of an untruth.  Idealistic thinking without proactive leadership only brings confusion and mistrust.  I hope this  will act as a warning to the remainder of the silent majority as to what will happen if we continue to keep quiet and continue not to vote.

Here is my story: There is a one-lane bridge on Wichita Trail. No matter what administration it has been, everyone at town hall agreed it is an unsafe situation. It is located at the bottom of two inclines and offset from one side to make it a curve on the west side.  While normally traffic would slow to cross, typically the incline creates a speed up of on coming traffic rather than a slow down.  More times that not two vehicles cross at the same time. We moved into Wichita Creek Estates in 1992, when we questioned what and when something would happen to improve the bridge we were informed that they (the council) were taking it under advisement.

In 1993 we were told it was being studied.
In 1994 we were told it was being engineered.
In 1995 it was being estimated
In 1996 it was being budgeted.
In 1997 it was being bid.
August 1998: Town of Flower Mound Quarterly News Letter, page two-section on Capital Improvement Projects Update stated "Wichita Trail 2-lane concrete with open ditches and replace bridge.  Water main has been let. Awaiting final plans of the road."
Dec 1998: TED BAZE at a homeowners association meeting (our HOA president and a council member at that time) stated that the improvements would start as early as Feb 99 and as late as May 1999.  Our six-year wait would finally be over. (Or would it)

3/2/00 there was a public hearing for information as to improvements that had been discussed for areas of Wichita Trail that had nothing to do with the bridge.  I decided to attend to find out why the bridge was so far behind schedule (construction had not even started).   Note: I was the only citizen there, even Ted Baze, our councilman, did not show.

It is now known that the original approved and in process bridge project was placed on hold and another project (that had nothing to do with the bridge) attached to it. This project is for communities that never have to use the bridge. This made the bridge construction approval affectively start over. This action placed the bridge on hold for approx. 1½ years behind original start date. New construction should start Oct. 2000 for both projects and end Oct. 2001. (Of course the bridge would not start first, the attached project would ) Based on what we know, extended dead lines, weather and what ever else will push the project into the year 2002. This makes it a decade of using an unsafe bridge and everyone in the process knows it.

Town staff  informed me that the current Wichita Trail  project (the project that had nothing to do with the bridge) had been attached to the road and bridge project and created the need for the bridge project to be stalled for a estimated  10½ years. They questioned me as if I was in error for not being at the starting meeting as to the improvements.  None of them went back as for as 1992 and I ask them if their neighbor, president of the HOA and councilman had told them the project would start with in 5-6 months would they go to meetings about improvements that had nothing to do with the bridge. Their answer was no.  Staffs best estimate was that construction would start Oct. 2000 for both projects and end Oct. 2001. Based on what we know, extended dead lines, weather and what ever else will push the project in the year 2002.This makes it a decade of frustration the most of which has been brought on to this administration.

If our current council truly believed in what they were putting out the public the Wichita Trail bridge would be 2 months away from completion in stead of  8 month before it might  (hope, hope) be started.

It appears that DeLuca's definition of  starting  road improvements is simply any project that they have talked about or called an engineer on or a consultant.  Nothing has actually started (construction that I am aware of that wasn't on the books when she took office).

I would call on Ms. DeLuca to start the bridge now and prove that smart growth works.  Not spending money can't misconstrued as mismanagement of funds but it is mismanagement (I’ll get into that the next time They will put me to paper will put me in print.

I've always been in favor of smart growth and supported Ted Baze but not now. It is not smart growth. It is dumb growth.  It is dumb for our council to continue to allow an unsafe bridge to exist even after it is approved to be improved.  Citizens from other neighborhoods need to be alarmed because their children ride the school buses that use this bridge.  I pray that on a rainy week day morning,  I don't have to cross that bridge to see a school bus upside down  in the creek with children thrown every where.  It will not be the bus drivers fault.  It will be Lori DeLuca and Ted Baze.

It appears that Mr. Baze used his neighbors to get on the council and then forsake them for the power of Ms. DeLuca.  If you have watched the televised council meetings it appears that Mr. Baze’s lethargic job duty is to awaken, run out from under Ms. DeLuca's skirt tails in time to announce that all developers need to go back to Dallas where they came from. He then is to mumble something about smart growth then retreat back under Ms. DeLuca's skirt tails until she needs him again.  It's a new millennium (WHERE IS OUR BRIDGE) ~ R