UPDATE: It has come to my attention that this post is being used by destructive, manipulative forces in Flower Mound to further divide the community. Rather than linking to the FW Weekly article, they are linking to this post and thereby trying to force my endorsement of Tom Hayden in his race to unseat Mayor Melissa Northern.
I do not support Tom Hayden for Mayor of Flower Mound or any other political candidate! I do report on claims made by our elected leaders at all levels just as I report on voting patterns of politicians and contributions made to their political campaigns. Shame on you for trying to pull me into this!
This is the kind of PSYOPS I expect from industry not from citizens who claim to be working to keep drilling out of their neighborhoods!
I have contacted Councilman Hayden to ask him to get control of the people running his campaign.
“We have a valuable asset that sits beneath our town. We have a more valuable asset that sits above… that is Flower Mound Texas.”
~Tom Hayden, Flower Mound Councilman
Flower Mound Takes On Drillers, FW Not So Much
FW Weekly
I wish there were more like Hayden.
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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My guess is FW city council is expecting the "mailbox money" recipients to keep them in office, THEY BE WRONG! After Mike has done all he can for O&G, he'll simply walk away. Mission accomplished.
Well done, Mr. Hayden! It is about time that an elected official valued human beings above hydrocarbons.
Sharon,
Your webpage is linked to Tom Hayden’s campaign website for Mayor of Flower Mound. I hope this doesn’t mean you support him in running against Melissa Northern for mayor. At one time I was a proud supporter of Tom Hayden. I felt along with NFL, he could make a big difference in protecting Flower Mound from drilling close to homes and schools. I give NFL and Hayden credit for Flower Mound now having a more protective ordinance.
When he chose to run against Melissa Northern and criticize NFL, thus supporting the campaigns of Bryan Webb and Steve Dixon, he lost my support entirely. This community worked hard to build a new majority on Council that would protect our homes and schools. I can not fathom what objective would make destroying that coalition worthwhile. Both Webb and Dixon have a long history of being pro-gas – that Hayden would align with them really concerns me. I still believe that Hayden is anti-urban drilling but I think it’s clear it’s lost its priority for him. His website states, “While our Ordinance will always be important to many of our residents, and I will remain vigilant on protecting our ordinance, it’s time to move forward. We will not become the community we all envision if Gas Drilling is the Number One Topic in our Town.” Tom may want to move on now but I can’t move on until the gas companies do. I urge all who are are concerned about gas drilling to support the re-election of Melissa Northern, Steve Lyda and Al Filidoro. It’s clear they will tenaciously continue fighting this battle, not until it is no longer politically expedient, but until the battle is won and our children can play outside without a parent having to think about continued risk of air or water pollution from drillers.
ok, just read your update. The work of your non-profit on behalf of all effected by gas drilling is very important. It is too bad Hayden would jeopardize that by implying an endorsement that does not exist.
For the same reasons as “Former Hayden Supporter”, I, too, no longer support Tom Hayden. What could be more important than protecting our families from drilling toxins?
I know that Mayor Northern hasn’t flip-flopped on her priorities, as Tom Hayden seems to ahve. Mayor Northern has my full support.
Mayor Northern worked hard to raise awareness about gas drilling issues long before running for mayor, placed protecting Flower Mound as her number one priority in her campaign, and followed through on her campaign promises.
Mayor Northern walks the talk, traveling numerous times to Austin to work for safer drilling standards, and reaching out to other mayors to join her in her tireless efforts for stronger drilling ordinances and standards.
Mayor Northern isn’t buddying up to Dixon and Webb — known urban drilling supporters — as is Tom Hayden. Remember how Dixon voted AGAINST the moratorium and for CCFs? And remember Webb standing outside Cherokee Horn holding that “Gas is Naturally Good” sign?
I say, let’s keep NFL. They’re not flip-flopping. They have a good track record and they haven’t changed their priorities one bit.
Former Hayden. You must be talking about this picture of Bryan Webb
http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2010/09/sundays-protest-at-cherokee-horn.html?m=1
is that the guy ginger simonsez is supporting? the one with the “gas is good” sign? revenge is a bitter pill that poisons the mind and makes people do crazy things.
The second picture is the one I was referring to — thanks! Bryan Webb is in the red shirt holding the green sign, standing by his friend, the former (drilling supporting) mayor Jody Smith.
Things didn’t start turning around on gas drilling issues until we had NFL (Northern, Filidoro, and Lyda) in office.
With NFL, we got the new drilling ordinance and things are only looking up for Flower Mound.
Mayor Northern and Councilmembers Filidoro and Lyda — you have my full support!
Go NFL!
3 votes on council is all it takes for most things. (That is one of the reasons it is important to get a super-majority vote required to change the gas ordinance but that’s another issue.) I often wonder if my fellow anti-urban drilling friends have done the math. Hayden, by running for mayor, gave up his vote. I can’t help asking myself, “If he is serious about protecting us from encroaching urban drilling why would he give up that important vote?” Even though I take him at his word that he’s anti-urban drilling, his stance has become irrelevant because if he loses he just becomes a footnote in history and if he wins he becomes the non-voting mayor. What really matters is if the Hayden/Webb/Dixon slate wins, 2 voting seats will now be decidedly pro-gas. Hayden’s old seat will be appointed by the new Council. It will now take just one more pro-gas vote, which could very well happen with that open seat, and we are back to the future. I think we can count on Wise but Stephenson’s “present” vote – refusing to approve the new protective ordinance – makes her a wildcard. Too risky in my book to know for sure that Stephenson won’t act silly again or the newly appointed person won’t turn out to be pro-gas. If you do the math you’ve got to vote for NFL.
“Flower Mound Councilman Tom Hayden quote
by TXSHARON on JUNE 8, 2010 in FLOWER MOUND
“We have a valuable asset that sits beneath our town. We have a more valuable asset that sits above… that is Flower Mound Texas.”
I don’t get it. This quote wasn’t by Sharon Wilson like Ginger Simonson commented on Mr. Hayden’s Facebook page. It was from a Fort Worth Weekly article. I agree Sharon, it sounds like they are trying to imply you are endorsing and supporting him. I have seen you commend many people for statements on your blog. Even give a prop once in awhile to the other side when they say or do something commendable (which doesn’t happen very often).
I am tired of that whole group. As if it wasn’t divided enough back in 2010, thanks to Ginger, Kendra and the rest, it is even more divided. They are angry because they had their lawsuit thrown out. End of story. I worked on NFL’s campaign and they never said they would stop Hilliard. They did promise to accept the petition, put in a moratorium, strengthen the ordinance, and now they are hoping to have the super majority requirement past so that when they are long gone, our ordinance will be protected. They kept all those promises. I have to admit, I jumped ship last year to vote for Kendra. I allowed myself to be manipulated in believing that NFL did us wrong. But, I am tired of that groups nasty angry comments, lies, and now with forming alliance with Steve Dixon and Bryan Webb. I’m done!
I don’t care if Bryan Webb and Steve Dixon say they now know how important the strong ordinance is and have changed their ways. Steve Dixon, why didn’t you strengthen the ordinance like you promised some of us back in May 2009? There was a threat of their being a well in the middle of our community. If you had, maybe the people living near Hilliard wouldn’t have a well now.
On Tuesday, February 7th, Tom Hayden called me in response to an email that I sent addressing his and Kendra Stephesonson’s disrespectful and disgraceful behavior during the February 6th Town Council meeting. He told me that sitting on Council was “not worth it and that he was ready to throw in the towel.” The next day I noticed that Hayden’s Campaign candidate filing form was submitted 8 minutes before he called me from his cell on his way back to work. This is very telling of this man.
Tom also told me that day that the “ship had sailed” in regard to gas drilling, in response to my concern for his lack of support for allowing the voters to decide in May if a Super Majority vote is necessary to amend and/or repeal the 2011 Oil and Gas Ordinance. Seriously? The ship will return once gas hits at $6/mcf. No slander or mudslinging against Tom–only the truth.
Thank you Sharon for not endorsing candidates that do not live in your city. I always wonder about those people or a mayors from another town who meddle in Flower Mound’s political affairs when they do not reside here.
I do not endorse any political candidates because I now work for a non-profit organization that helps people all across the US and even in other countries who are suffering from oil & gas extraction that is too close to their homes. My organization could lose our non-profit status if I endorse a political candidate. I also do not endorse because I am focused on helping people who are suffering and I simply do not have time to keep up with all the political issues and races.
The above has been used to infer an endorsement by me and is being twisted to infer the quote is mine and not something I took from a news source. This just further highlights how far some people are willing to go to manipulate others for their own personal vendetta. Revenge is as toxic as benzene.
Last night I spoke with Tom Hayden and explained the situation. I asked him to reign in those who are working on his behalf. I reminded him that I and the organization I now work for supplied a great deal of assistance to him and to the other council members when they were working on the ordinance. I asked him to remove the post on Facebook and his website but I see that it is still up. That is disappointing.