The Digital Sign

Appears this $238K boondoggle will not be going up on the highway.
In this morning's Cove Leader-Press it is reported that the sign falls under the Highway Beautification Act and the Federal Highway Administration has stated it cannot be placed there.
Of course EDC's illustrious and lying chairman, Jerry Conner, stated "This is no big deal".
Sorry, it is a big deal. After the lies you used to get this sign, now it's no big deal that it won't go up where you said it would??
I'm emailing every city council person and requesting this moron be fired immediately. I urge all of you to do the same.

Retired 1SG wrote:

Appears this $238K boondoggle will not be going up on the highway.
In this morning's Cove Leader-Press it is reported that the sign falls under the Highway Beautification Act and the Federal Highway Administration has stated it cannot be placed there.
Of course EDC's illustrious and lying chairman, Jerry Conner, stated "This is no big deal".
Sorry, it is a big deal. After the lies you used to get this sign, now it's no big deal that it won't go up where you said it would??
I'm emailing every city council person and requesting this moron be fired immediately. I urge all of you to do the same.

Top, can the Council actually fire him or is that a function of the EDC board? I don't know for sure but I think that only the board can fire him.

I don't know, KRay.
But if only the board can fire him, then the city council needs to tell the board to get rid of him or the city council needs to get rid of the board - every last one of them.
Or, we need to get rid of the city council. A couple of them will be going bye-bye come May, 2010. That's for sure after the mess currently going on. The rest of them might be able to save their council seat if they would act on stuff like this.

The Council recently had the chance to replace several members of the EDC Board. Since they didn't take any action, I have to think that they approve of the way the EDC is functioning. IMO, Conners and several on that Board need to be sacked.

And I'm beginning to think several on the council need to be sacked also.

It could be that the EDC has known about this for several weeks. Some weeks ago several TxDot cars were parked at the EDC office for a lenght of time.If the FHA sticks with their guns that sign will be pretty hard to digest. This could turn out to be a BIG DEAL.

Why would some one think that the Federal Highway Administration would make an exception and let the EDC place the sign and set a precident? Other Cities across the Nation would want the same actions in their favor.

This is no big deal. When the placement of the sign is still in question, why should it not be a big deal. If problems were expected in securing a permit from Fort Hood and Txdot, why did the EDC go ahead and have the sign built before those hurdles were removed ? Sounds like some pretty sloppy planning. A quarter of a million bucks isn't chicken feed. It's tax payer money . If an easement is not secured what happens to the sign that is reported to be held in storage ? One would think that these men would not have let the director lead them down a shakey path . Months have gone but and we are still waiting to see the sign be erected.

Below are my thoughts only as I do not speak for the Copperas Cove Economic Development Corporation.
Bloggers use quotes occasionally that are taken out of context. Mr Connor's was referring to the application process not the location of the sign. We at the EDC have tried to do our job to better this community and bring business that will enhance our life style and reduce taxes for our citizens. We have no control over City, County, State or Federal government rules. When you deal with multiple government entities it takes time to complete the process because sometimes they do not agree. Mr Connor's has done his job to get us to this point.
If you did not see the state of the city today then please watch it as the city manager outlined what EDC is working on at present. Please be patient no one wants this to happen any more than me. I will release any information as soon as I know it to be a fact not just hear say.

I think what bothers people is that you did not have things in order when you had the sign built. Maybe you took too much for granted. When you spend that kind of money ,looks as if you would have had your ducks lined up. This thinking is not just me and some of the bloggers but people of all walks of life in Copperas Cove.

I understand your concern but sometimes these things take a life of their own and we just have to work through them.

Peewee wrote:

I think what bothers people is that you did not have things in order when you had the sign built. Maybe you took too much for granted. When you spend that kind of money ,looks as if you would have had your ducks lined up. This thinking is not just me and some of the bloggers but people of all walks of life in Copperas Cove.

Please - the state highway beautification laws have been around for over what 30 years now (project of Lady Bird Johnson) & you are trying to tell people this was not taken into consideration when the sign was being planned & paid for. To me that is piss poor management & some one should (NO needs to be accounted for). City Council needs to get off their butts & start taking care of the city tax money (hopeflly they can clean up EDC since they screwed up the budget). Just my opinion but this is the last straw!

RClayton wrote:

Below are my thoughts only as I do not speak for the Copperas Cove Economic Development Corporation.
Bloggers use quotes occasionally that are taken out of context. Mr Connor's was referring to the application process not the location of the sign. We at the EDC have tried to do our job to better this community and bring business that will enhance our life style and reduce taxes for our citizens. We have no control over City, County, State or Federal government rules. When you deal with multiple government entities it takes time to complete the process because sometimes they do not agree. Mr Connor's has done his job to get us to this point.
If you did not see the state of the city today then please watch it as the city manager outlined what EDC is working on at present. Please be patient no one wants this to happen any more than me. I will release any information as soon as I know it to be a fact not just hear say.

I did see it and ok, I'm back on board with the EDC. Its a short leash though. And I do understand the headaches and complications when dealing with multiple govt agencies and yes they do get a life of their own.

RClayton wrote:

I understand your concern but sometimes these things take a life of their own and we just have to work through them.
<quoted text>

I know that the government can draw out things but you have been on this thing for more than 6 months and it isd strange the FHA finally got into the picture. I understand that you wanted to erect the sign where the present Industrial Foundation sign is located. TxDot said no to that location so you decided to go on Fort Hood property.The real grip is that you folks just went ahead and spent all that money and had no idea if you were ever going to get a permit. You thought you would but were not sure.The night that your plea was made to the City Council it seemed all you needed was their okay to spend the money which you had already spent. A bunch of real alert business men

It has not failed yet nor lost any money or value.

I don't know how you figure that, Mr. Clayton.
The EDC spent $238K of taxpayers' money for the sign, and all it does it sit in some warehouse somewhere. If, as Jerry Conner said, selling ads on it would generate income then it seems to me that by sitting in a warehouse it's losing money.
What is Plan B if the FHA will not grant a waiver for this sign? Where's it going to be placed?

RClayton wrote:

It has not failed yet nor lost any money or value.

It may not have failed yet but it has lost money. Were it up it would be collecting rent. It isn't going to make a dime sitting in some warehouse. Surely someone is paying rent on the storage. We are looking at a 20 something foot storage area. Min, interest on $238,000 would amount to something. Ray Don you can come up with all the excuses that you want to, the bottom line is , Some one screwed up along the way. We all make mistakes but this is one big blunder.

I would expect the EDC to check on all of the facts, regulations, easements, etc. before signing any checks. It should be completely thought through. Sometimes you have to start backwards. Where can we put the sign? check that. Then can we put it there? Then what size can it be? How much can it cost? They should check or know all of this.
Isn't that the job?

Where is this sign being stored at any way?? I think we have a rite to know

I don't know, but i would just have our grave diggers take possession of it at the Cove Cemetary. I am sure they have more common sense than the EDC CEO and his board of miss-directors.