Second of two parts.
Precinct 2 Commissioner candidates were challenged at Tuesday evening’s Palo Pinto County Republican Party forum with formidable questions.

The Index selected two questions, writing about one in Thursday’s paper. This article includes commissioner candidates’ responses to the question, “What do you think will be the impact of House Bill 3031 on Precinct 2?” It also includes their summary remarks.

House Bill 3031, passed last year, requires the Brazos River Authority to divest its residential and commercial leased property at Possum Kingdom Lake. It also states the BRA (or a third-party purchaser) will transfer its interest in roads to the county in which such road or portion thereof is situated. The majority of these roads, about 46 miles worth, lie in Palo Pinto County.

Incumbent Ed Laney of Salesville, Louis Ragle of Graford and Michael Horton, who lives north of Mineral Wells, responded to to the question submitted by a member of the audience, with Laney going first.

“We are getting the roads this year … it’s mandated by the Legislature. We don’t have an option,” he said. “Do I want those roads as county roads when we have 130 miles of road now? Do I want to make it 180? Of course not. But we don’t have a choice.”

“I spent a lot of time in Austin arguing about this. At least, we wanted the BRA to bring these roads up to our standards,” he said. “Well, their lobbyist talked better than I did ‘cause what happened is we get those roads as is. We don’t get up to our standards.”

Laney said the BRA roads “will all impact one precinct [Precinct 2] and it’s going to impact us hard.”

“Like I say, we have the largest land mass. When you say that I’ve only spent $30,000 of the $100,000 … well that’s all we had time to do. We have a five-man crew,” Laney said, referring to a statement Ragle made about the commissioner’s 2009 fiscal year spending on road materials.

“It’s getting to where it’s an impossible task, but I do believe legislatively, by forcing those to help us to get more money so we can hire more people,” said Laney.

Ragle responsed to the BRA road question next.

“It’s going to be tough taking over these roads and I don’t have all the answers,” said Ragle. “But I do believe we are going to have to do it – we don’t have any choice. And I believe with hard work and dedication and we may have to raise taxes a little bit to take care of these people. It’s going to have to be done folks.”

“Ed said he just didn’t have time to spend all the budget, but the year before that he spent over $70,000 on road material,” he said. “They either must have been real busy the year before or didn’t do much this year.”

“They’re coming and we’re going to have to deal with it and I’m the man,” summarized Ragle.

Horton spoke last on the HB 3031 question, saying he met with County Judge Mike Smiddy to talk about the issue on Monday, “To see where this thing was going.”

“And I understand we don’t even know how this land is going to be handed over, transferred ownership, whether the state’s going to handle it or some private investors will handle that. They don’t really know that right now.”

“The biggest challenge out there right now is surveying the roads. They don’t even know what roads are BRA roads and which roads are private roads.”

“This term’s going to be over in a year and I’ll tell you what, if they have it surveyed and figured out before the election I will be real surprised. That’s a job right there alone,” said Horton.

“I don’t know where Mr. Laney is getting this information but I thought I went to the source with Judge Smiddy and I’m very interested in learning more about it. There’s nothing wrong with not knowing as long as you know where to find the answers.

“That’s a pretty deep subject for a new candidate who’s not been involved in this,” Horton said. “But that’s my understanding and I probably understand just as good as anyone in the county. So many of them just don’t know. And we’re going to face these issues and make informed decisions as they arise.”

In his summary comments, Laney said he would be in Austin Wednesday, at State Rep. Jim Keffer’s request to “clear up a few things about the BRA roads” and to make sure “it’s done right and the best they can do for the county.”

“All the surveying has been completed. The sale will go through in August, right after that … the BRA roads will be done this year.”

On Wednesday, the Index checked this fact with Patterson PK Land Partnership, the third-party purchaser of the BRA leased property and the entity in charge of surveying. When asked if the road surveys were completed, PPKLP stated that “field work is done” but they are “still working on drafting legal documents.”

“The BRA came with a deal the other day that said that the roads would be ‘as is.’ They decided our right-of-way was going to be edge of pavement to edge of pavement,” said Laney. “We can’t just have edge of pavement to edge of pavement, we have to do more.”

“We’re still fighting to make sure it’s done right for the best that can be done for this county,” he said. “That is my goal to do the best that I can do for Precinct 2 and the best I can do for Palo Pinto County.”

“No matter who’s your commissioner next year, they’re going to have the same crew, they’re going to have the same budget,” he added. “It’s going to be the same situation it is now.”

Ragle’s summary comments included, “I’d like to get the pride back in our precinct.”

“It bothers me when I’ve heard stories of people planting trees in the pot holes in Precinct 2,” he said. “And I get embarrassed, on several occasions, when the citizens felt they had to go to the commissioners court meeting and complain to get anything done to their road.”

“And I don’t think it should be front-page news in the newspaper when our roads get bladed. I think that ought to happen often enough that it’s not newsworthy,” he concluded.

Ragle thanked the Palo Pinto County Republicans for the opportunity and told participants, “If you agree with me on these points, I would appreciate your vote.”

Horton’s summary comments were brief. He shared his mobile phone number and said he was “accessible to all if you put me in the office.”

“The roads are a terrible mess. I don’t want to sling any mud,” he said. “One of the three of us will be in office and we’re going to have to deal with it and it’s going to be a big job. That’s what I like, big jobs.”

“I want the challenge and I’d appreciate any and all of your support,” said Horton.

The winner of the March 2 primary for Precinct 2 commissioner is expected to face an independent candidate in the November election.