Wood County residents offer comments on new GCD petition

By LORI COPE | East Texas Edition

July 25, 2002 -- Of the formal public comments offered at the July 15 meeting regarding the Lake Country Groundwater Conservation District, the majority were against its creation.

Most in opposition to the petition that requests the formation of a groundwater conservation district (GCD) in Wood County cited the proposed property tax, and possible production fee, that would be assessed to fund the district, and questioned the need for an entity to govern the groundwater resource.

The public comments will be summarized by Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, who's three-member board will then decide if the petition to create Lake Country GCD will be certified. If certified, the newly-established district will hold an election to ask Wood County voters if they want a GCD, plus set board members, and taxing rate.

"I don't feel it is needed," cited Jack Bowen, Wood County resident. "The working class ... can't afford another property tax."

Joe D. Cameron, a property owner and real estate agent, noted many of the county's older residents have small, private wells, and they live on a fixed income. "To add taxes, and maybe a water fee, to these people" would be unfair.

Jim Armstrong, one of the petitioners, commented the tax proposed in the petition would be 1.5 cents, with a cap of 3 cents, per $100 property valuation. For a $100,000 property, the annual tax would be $15.

Some comments offered at the meeting concerned the GCD board, at some point in the future, raising the tax amount. Armstrong added that if the board determined a 3-cents tax was insufficient, an increase could only be approved by the voters.

Carl Moline, a small ranch owner, said, "This is a bad idea; a bad move for Wood County. ... This is not widely supported in the county." He pointed out there are no surrounding counties involved in the proposed GCD. "A lot of good it will be to build a fence to protect our groundwater and our neighbors can pump it out from under us."

The Texas Natural Resource Conversation Commission (TNRCC) declared a 27-county and four-aquifer area in Northeast Texas (including Wood County) as a Groundwater Management Area this past spring. The petition up for comment on July 15 notes the proposed district to be the scope of Wood County boundaries. Other counties within the GMA can join the proposed Lake Country GCD at any time.

Of the proposed funds to operate Lake Country GCD (about $250,000 annually), Moline said the funds could be used for other important things within the county.

"Yes, I think it's important to protect our groundwater, but it's also important to protect our grandchildren from taxes," he concluded.

On the subject of proposed taxes, Ella Clements offered she is "concerned for our farmers and ranchers" who are struggling financially. "At this time, we don't need it (GCD). I say let's drop it and try another time."

Another farm owner, Dee Hurley, also questioned the GCD's creation would just create another tax for farmers.

Earlier in the meeting, a young dairy producer asked TNRCC and the petitioners about the possibility of a production fee being assigned to existing rural water co-ops. If rural water co-ops receive a fee, more than likely the cost would be passed to the customer. "I pay a $1,000 permit fee a year to you guys (TNRCC), ... Is this another fee for ag producers?"

TNRCC's Kelley Mills said a production fee could be set by a GWD board, but "I doubt they would have a production fee plus an ad valorem tax."

It was also pointed out that rural water co-ops are exempt from paying property taxes.

Several who voiced opposition to the creation of a GCD cited the area has enough water.

Statistics were cited at the meeting about the growing population in metropolition areas, such as Dallas, and their future water needs. Some of the area's lakes, such as Fork, Tawakoni, and Cooper, have contracted to sell their water to the metropolitian areas and pipeline is currently being laid.

One issue of support for the GCD was to keep control of the area's groundwater resource in "local, grassroots" hands, thereby protecting the region's natural resource for future generations in Wood County.

One commenter, Jerry Schwin, offered: "I'm not saying it (GCD) isn't needed, but there's not enough documented information" to support it.

Texas currently has 67 GWD, according to TNRCC's Kelley Mills. Fifty-two of those have been confirmed and in business for some time. The oldest GWD was developed in the Texas Panhandle in the 1950s. Within the last few years, 35 new GCD have been requested through petition. Of the 35, 19 have reached the point to election. Of the 19, 15 have been passed by the voters and four have failed.