It has been a very busy year for Preserve Our Water. As a result of interest and support from citizens like you, a great deal has been accomplished. The goal of sustainable management of our water resources, while still not firmly in the grasp of all citizens, is measurably closer to reality.
The law suit filed by several private citizens and Preserve Our Water has taken up a major part of POW's efforts. In the first judicial action in the case, plaintiffs prevailed in a hearing before the District Court in Blanco County when the judge denied a motion by B-PGCD to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds that the March 16, 2006 public hearing did not constitute a "contested case".
In addition to rejecting the District's arguments, the Court's ruling and commentary during the hearing strongly supports the concept that citizens attempting to participate, in good faith, in governmental decision making should have full opportunity to do so. The Court also held that the plaintiffs had properly sought to resolve the dispute without resorting to a lawsuit.
Obviously, the plaintiffs hope to see the matter resolved quickly, now that the Court's perspective on citizen participation is clear.
Perhaps the most promising development of the year was election of former Preserve Our Water Director, Neill Binford, to the Groundwater Conservation District board.
While Preserve Our Water played no direct role in the election (we are prohibited from doing as a not-for-profit). We believe, however, that our advocacy and information sharing work of the past year have help inform people in the district of the need for improvement in measures to ensure future water availability and quality for all.
Here are a few of the year's advocacy and information sharing highlights:
Information Sharing
Establishment of the Preserve Our Water Newsletter - news and information about water matters,
Development and delivery of the educational presentation, "Water, water everywhere." - a 40 minute discussion of water, its sources, management and future availability,Establishment of the Preserve Our Water web site - an information resource used far and wide. One senior state water official noted that it was a valuable source of information about water issues in the Hill Country
Donation of the documentary "Texas: The State of Springs" to county libraries and schools - promoting water awareness in the next generation
Conduct of the county's first rainwater harvesting seminar - the single most reliable and healthful water alternative for Hill Country residents
Advocacy
In collaboration with local citizens and the Hill Country Alliance, successfully blocked legislative establishment of the state's largest Municipal Utility District at Rancho San Miguel - a proposed 6,000 home development in NE
Blanco and SE Burnet Counties, Tracking and reporting on legislative and regulatory efforts relating to water in the county - including monitoring the meetings of county bodies like the Blanco County Commissioners Court.At this time last year most of us were concerned about too little water as the drought wore on. Now we have had to face persistent threats of flooding. But we know that this is the pattern of the Hill Country and also know that the abundance we now have will, inevitably, return to scarcity.
So we remain resolute in our collective desire and efforts to bring sound and prudent water resource management to the county.
We need your help to continue that effort.
Preserve Our Water has no paid staff, just the volunteer efforts of Directors and citizens around the county. Our administrative overhead is less than 1%.
While legal fees associated with efforts to compel lawful conduct on the part of our Groundwater Conservation District commanded the lion's share of our funds during the past year, we look forward to the coming months where that can change with information sharing and other forms of advocacy dominating the budget.
But in the mean time there are legal bills to be paid and we need to call on your generous support. Will you help? If so, please send your tax deductible check to:
Preserve Our Water
P. O. Box 946
Blanco, TX 78606
Your support is greatly appreciated and critical to our continued efforts on behalf of current and future Blanco County citizens.
On behalf of the Directors of Preserve Our Water,
Dave Collins
President
We urge you to consider attending this fund raising event for the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance. Preserve Our Water is an affiliate of this broad based organization. GEAA has been very supportive and helpful of our efforts in Blanco County in many ways, including financial. We hope you can return that support, now.
Join the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance for the Best Party of the Year!
GEAA’s 2nd Annual Feral Hog Roast
Features San Antonio’s finest celebrity chefs:
Adelante (tamales!)
Antler's Lodge
Rene Fernandez of Azuca
Steve Straus of The Barn Door
Jason Dady of Bin 555 and The Lodge
Ernie Estrada of Francesca's at Sunset
Scott Cohan of Las Canarias
Don Strange of Don Strange of Texas, Inc.
Jason Strange of Steak Night at the Waring General Store
And Sho Nakpodia of Mighty Studio cooking African style
competing to serve up the tastiest feral hogs (with all the trimmings provided by Don Strange) & hayrides, horseshoes, dining, drinking and dancing -live music by Bill Oliver, I Ching Gatos, and Claude Morgan and the H!X,-
beer provided by Blue Star Brewery, La Tuna and Alamo Beer.
For those of you who love to shop: silent and live auctions of an impressive array of goods and services from our friends and supporters.
When: Saturday, October 27th from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Where: The Historic Don Strange Ranch in Boerne, Texas
Tickets are $100/adult, $30/children 10 and under (children under 4 come free)
GEAA members get an additional 20% discount on adult tickets.
All proceeds support the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, and our 40 member organizations, whose common mission is to protect our groundwater resources, streams, rivers, flora and fauna, history and culture of the Texas Hill Country.
Contributions are tax deductible.
For more information and to purchase tickets, call Rachel at 210-320-1457 / 210-835-7309, or visit our web site at www.AquiferAlliance.org
2007 Second Annual Feral Hog Roast Host Committee
Anne Alexander, Jon Allan, Ron Bechtol, Ed Conroy, Bebe Fenstermaker, Mary Fenstermaker, Ron & Rosa Green,
State Representative Harvey Hildebrand, Steve & Marty Hixon, Marcie Ince, State Representative David McQuade Leibowitz, James Lifshutz, Jo Long, Kendall County Commissioner Gene Miertschin, Sho Nakpodia, Carl Ponebshek, Sylvie Shurgot, Don Strange, State Senator Carlos Uresti, State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, State Representative Mike Villarreal, Liz Ward & Rob Ziebell and the GEAA Board: Helen Ballew, Bill Bunch, Michael DiLeo, Marlys Dietrick, TomWassenich, Enrique Valdivia and staff: Annalisa Peace, Rachel Dealy, Francesca Camillo, Christel Villarreal.
To get to the Don Strange Ranch:
Coming from San Antonio, proceed North on IH-10W, 7 miles past Boerne and take the Welfare Exit (#533).
On the Exit road bear left, parallel to IH-10 a short way. Po Po's Restaurant will be on your right. There will be a Y in the road, stay to the right. At the dead end take a right and proceed approximately 1 mile. Turn after the three flagpoles.
There is a sign that reads Don Strange Ranch (turn right). Kendall Creek is another mile after you take the right on the gravel road.
Coming from the North, proceed on IH-10 East to Welfare Exit (#533), cross under the IH-10 bridge and then follow the same directions as above.
