Salado Creek Foundation

Clean Up Concerns

Nov 09, 2002

On August 21, 2002 SCF Board Member Sue Calberg delivered the following letter to Mayor Ed Garza about a plan to use federal money to remove debris from the flood of July 2002.

Dear Mayor Garza,

I understand the City of San Antonio and Bexar County are preparing to negotiate an agreement with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) that would provide about one million dollars of federal money for local watershed cleanups to relieve hazards and damages related to the flood of July 2002.

As a stakeholder committed to improving the Salado Creek watershed, I wholeheartedly support the effort to acquire this important funding, however I have significant concerns about the way the project will be administered.

Because I believe promised environmental safeguards were ignored during the NRCS sponsored 2001 clean up, I support the use of local workers, local control and local accountability during this next effort to restore our beleaguered and precious waterways. I do not support the concept of an out-of-state contractor, redundant layers of bureaucratic oversight and no ability to get straight answers to our important concerns.

Because voters in every single council district overwhelmingly approved Proposition 3 to develop safe and environmentally sensitive linear greenways on our creeks, we expect you to safeguard our lives, our land and our money. Please direct the Public Works Department and the Storm Water Utility Division to negotiate an agreement that will guarantee the use of Best Management Practices during this critical cleanup project.

Thanks in advance for your support.

Sincerely,
Sue Calberg
1003 Creekview
San Antonio, TX 78219
(210) 337-4321
clubsalado@aol.com