County Commissioners address conservatorship
LIBERTY-- A coalition of lawmakers citing rampant crime and a possible drug-cartel presence are urging the state to put the embattled Colony Ridge development under government conservatorship.
A letter from the GOP group to Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker of the House Dave Phelan said officials in Liberty County can no longer control a rising tide of problems associated with the sprawling collection of homes and shops subject to little regulation because it is unincorporated.
County Commissioner Pct. 4 Leon Wilson is very troubled by that accusation and any assertion that the commissioner's court has failed to lead on this or any issue.
"We've asked and asked for help," said Wilson.
That letter cited several areas of concern from state representatives, Steve Toth, Nate Schatzline, Brian Harrison and Tony Tinderholt, and made serious accusations against the Liberty County Commissioner's Court.
The legislators, all members of the House Appropriations, County Affairs, Public Health, and Criminal Jurisprudence committees, propose establishing funding for a Texas Department of Public Safety substation to multiply law enforcement presence in the Colony Ridge, as well as suggesting a need for legislation to place Liberty County under a state conservatorship, in the event it is merited.
"New information is coming to light daily and suggests that Liberty County's Commissioners Court may have failed to protect their citizens by supporting the Colony Ridge developments. By establishing a conservatorship, the State could coordinate law enforcement operations and county restrictions to clean up and clean out Colony Ridge," reads the statement.
Wilson called the four legislators self-serving and childish in their assertions.
"They have no idea what we have tried to accomplish, and they have never come here to a meeting and seen what we've done," said Wilson.
According to Wilson, anytime the county has reached out to the legislature, nothing has been done to help efforts, especially regarding developments in the county.
Wilson cited efforts in 2019 where county officials lobbied the state for more time to approve plats from developers, allowing more time to assure that everything was in order. At the time, counties had 45 days, but the state responded by reducing the approval time to 30 days.
"How is that helping us," Wilson said.
County Commissioner Pct. 1 Bruce Karbowski also echoed Wilson's remarks.
"We took every action possible by law that the state would let us," said Karbowski. "If it doesn't have to do with health or public safety, our hands are tied."
On Thursday afternoon, Gov. Greg Abbott officially announced the agenda for the upcoming special session, which kicks off Monday, Oct. 9. It includes public safety issues related to Liberty County and Colony Ridge.
This is a working story; you can read the full report in The Vindicator's Thursday, Oct. 12 edition.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The Vindicator will be reporting on the special session starting next week, with reports from Austin as legislators work to address the issue of Colony Ridge.)