Over the last 38 years I have lived in Fannin County I have been gifted with a wealth of wonderful experiences all from the beauty of what the land has to offer. The land is impressive and ever changing, it is hard and unforgiving, and it demands respect from all who live here. Throughout the years watching the seasons pass I have noticed the transformation of the land slowly shift in its intended purpose as it yields to the demands placed upon it. When I drive through the vast openness my attention is drawn and focused on the endless space of nature all around me. I am engulfed in the open endless space. I am struck with a deep rewarding appreciation that moves me for all that dirt. That endless span of dirt holds life.
It holds the experience of human history that has lived and survived throughout the ages, and it holds our future. That is no small statement. What is most important to me is it feels like home, every square inch of it. It is impossible not to be emotionally overwhelmed with a sense of limitless freedom. It is a core emotion from within, of goodwill, and a positive attachment that is transformative to the land. The open expansiveness of Fannin County resonates with each one of us. Now, it needs protection and demands our respect.
Pride runs deep when we talk about our freedom. What we have is a rare and precious gift that needs to be protected from being lost and forever being destroyed. Some recognize that beauty, some only recognize the money it will yield. Right now, at this very minute, we are being overrun by land sharks interested in exploitation of Fannin County to make money as fast as they can.
The Dallas Metro is fixed in a constate state of economic replenishment for everything they need. To meet the ever-present-ongoing demanding needs, Dallas operates with an ongoing, insatiable appetite while in a perpetual search for more. We are already experiencing the insatiable thirst Dallas has for water with no restrictions in place for consumption.
Fannin County is supplying the resources without receiving compensation for the ongoing supply of water that is being drawn for the sole benefit of the beast. The concept is understandable due to an exploding population. However, the rub is a high-density population with permanent consumption without limitations, economizing or reconditioning. We have and hold a precious gift of natural resources that is now in the cross hairs of this consuming beast. It consumes everything in its path for its own needs that it deems desirable to fulfill the constant required need for its convenient and careless consumption. It is the equation of a lopsided supply and demand, however, just where do we draw the line to protect our own needs.
Just exactly where does Fannin County draw the line in the sand for what is right, wrong or too much. Development of a sound uniform policy that clearly identifies and outlines the pros and cons for the protection of resources and the citizens who live within the boundaries of our county is essential. Established boundaries or drawing that preverbal line in the sand is so important to maintain a proactive policy for self-determination of our autotomy to choose what and how we offer our resources in trade instead of what is being demanded and taken at will by the beast.
By not establishing lawful policy actions to protect our resources we run the risk of losing the very gift we take pride in and hold so dear. The single most important issue before us now is to look ahead and visualize what kind of future we personally want for ourselves and for our families. Our government is based on our tax dollars and how our tax dollars are spent. Without our tax dollars nothing gets done, because nothing is free. You and I and all the neighbors put together in Fannin County hold the leverage of our vote to decide exactly how our tax dollars are spent. To hold true to our way of life that we hold dear, and that we want to protect places a requirement at the feet of each and every one of us, everyone, every single person to do what we are capable of doing, something, anything to act in a manner to protect what we have and what we want to hold, and to not let it slip away from us.
A formatted legal policy needs to be established to protect and hold accountable the use of our land for industrial purposes for what is allowed and what is not allowed, to protect the tax paying citizen and promote the rightful integrity of affecting our choices over industrial corporations. We cannot under any circumstances allow industry to dictate what our policy is and what our policy will allow. Big industry will always knock on our door because they are in need and they have nowhere else to go. Do we give our resources away, or do we state our established policy for a fair exchange for fair market value. Remember, we are exchanging a quality way of life in exchange for a money-making resource, not quite the same intended value at all. I hold a deep concern for our future.
My concern is based on the insatiable appetite of the Dallas beast establishing a foot hold to promote their own policies and guidelines to take what they need whenever they have a need that will short-change and leave Fannin County at a sever disadvantage both politically and economically. There is no reciprocity and there never will be reciprocity. The Dallas Meto will want what it wants and will always work for a win lose contract every time.
Yes, we will see gain, however we will never see true value in compensation of what we will be owed if we never set a qualified policy drawn with the expertise of qualified professionals in the field to best advise us to match land sharks’ toe for toe. The sleight of hand establishing true value will not ever be acknowledged and this is the corner we will find ourselves in if we do not set sound policy. The Consultants, Lawyers and the Industrial CEOs have leverage. We absolutely need to match energy land sharks with facts, certainty and legal court rulings working from a sound foundation of our truths, our wants and our needs.
My point of contention is not to be narrow-minded or to say no to technology, that is not the point. It is the point to be pragmatic, wise and thoughtful to understand what we allow and how we chose to receive industry in our county on our terms to protect our resources and our way of life along with the best interests of people. Technology is our future, it must be respected for its rewards, however, like it or not, it does have significant limitations that must be addressed.
If we choose to turn away, ignore and pretend these limitations do not exist we are the fools for not being wise and pragmatic for what we are trading in exchange. It is not the intent to be deceitful or the intent to be overly generous it is the intent to have a full and complete understanding of what we are doing. It is vital to achieve a shared and equal exchange for our resources and our quality of life along with our open spaces. Responsibility, self-determination and pride present this challenge, do we accept the responsibility or do we accept the consequences.
This is our responsibility, this is our choice, and this is our decision. What is your responsibility, what is your choice and what is your decision.
