

June 13th, 2008
Late entry wins committee approval for Kyle library site

Editor at Large

KYLE – A late entry won a building committee’s recommendation Thursday night as the site for Kyle’s new library.

The committee voted, 6-1, to advise the city council that a $3.5 million library should be placed on the Miller property catty corner to the city square’s southwest. The property belongs to one of Kyle’s venerable families. The late James Miller served as Kyle’s mayor in the 1970s.

But the committee’s recommendation wasn’t so simple. Before voting in favor of the Miller property, the committee re-affirmed its commitment to, in effect, cap the library’s property acquisition cost at $350,000.

The Miller family almost certainly will want more than $350,000 for its 62,500-square-foot city block (about 1.5 acres), which includes two houses, two sheds and one historically significant structure – the city’s original carriage house.

For its second choice, the library building committee favored a site in Plum Creek’s developing “uptown” section. The site is located just to the northwest of the Hays CISD Performing Arts Center at Kyle Parkway and Kohler’s Krossing.

Though Benchmark Development is offering the Plum Creek site for free, an overwhelming desire to keep the library downtown prevailed among the committee members. On the ballot to pick the second-place recommendation, in fact, the old city square was the only other site to receive votes.

The proposal to place the library on the city square gained momentum in the last few months. Tom Searcy of the Kyle Area Seniors Zone presented a proposal Thursday night showing there’s enough room on the square to build a one-story library of 17,000 square feet, add another building of 3,000 square feet, maintain the 3,000-square-foot historic city hall and still keep about 25 percent of the green space on the square.

However, many who want to keep the library downtown (the present 2,000-square-foot library is located across from Kyle Elementary School) still don’t want it on the city square, which is protected as a state archaeological landmark. Any changes to the city square property require permitting from the Texas Historical Commission.

“What would placing a building (on the city square) do to some of the traditions me and my children look to?” said library building committee member Michele Jeanmarie, alluding to events such as the annual Christmas decorations. “I’m having a hard time negotiating having a building on such a beautiful piece of land.”

Meanwhile, members of two old Kyle families conspired with members of a third to bring the Miller property into the picture. About two weeks ago, Kyle preservation advocate Kate Johnson began wondering about the Miller land.

“When I realized they seemed to be considering the old city square, I thought we needed another downtown proposal,” Johnson said.

Wynette (Tutta) Barton approached the Millers to see if they would be interested in selling their property as a library site. The Word family (Barton’s birth family) and the Johnsons have both been in Kyle for so long that their brands are on the new Interstate-35 overpasses in town.

“They were a little surprised, but the family talked about it and they said, for a library, they would consider selling it,” Barton said of the Millers.

However, Barton added, the property constitutes the financial legacy the Millers have for passage to future generations, so the family will want a good price.

Before the vote on sites, Barton proposed that the library committee rescind its guideline to pay no more than ten percent of the total library project cost on land. As the city has put the library down for $3.5 million in its proposed capital improvement plan, that means the land could cost no more than $350,000.

However, the building committee voted, 4-2, to keep the ten percent cap in place. It will ultimately be up to the city council to decide where the library will be built, how much the facility will cost and how much will be paid for land.

Johnson, making the presentation for the Miller land before the committee, said the cost for the land is “negotiable.”

Various other site proposals fell by the wayside almost as they came up.

Peter French of Plum Creek offered three sites in his development’s uptown area, but the committee decided the best was the land near the PAC. An offer for land on the Target/Kohl’s development at Kyle Parkway and I-35 would cost about $500,000 just for the land.

An offer for a site at Center Street and I-35 is contingent on a $3.5 million road re-routing SH 150 east of the interstate. The road is among those being considered for inclusion in a county road bond vote. A site on Burleson Street next to St. Anthony Church was deemed too expensive.

In the end, the committee’s decision was driven by a sense that downtown is being neglected in favor of Kyle Parkway, along with a desire to keep the city square as parkland.

Though the general discussion calls for a facility between 15,000 and 20,000 square feet, some library advocates want the library to be larger. Johnson mentioned that San Marcos wants to expand its 27,000-square-foot library.

But the building committee turned up little disagreement about where it wants the facility located. The Miller property would expand the city’s footprint of civic monuments, give downtown an attraction and revitalize the city’s historic center. The Miller property is bordered by Hays Street on the north, Burleson Street on the east, Moore Street on the south and Nance Street on the west.

“The Millers are very interested in Kyle,” Johnson said. “They’re very interested in their history.”

But it remains to be seen if the city council will be interested in paying for their land.

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23 thoughts on “Late entry wins committee approval for Kyle library site

  1. I was a member of the library committee and continue to be an advocate for building a new library. Great libraries are focal points within vibrant communities and Kyle’s existing library is not sufficient to meet the demands of the Kyle that exists today, yet alone 20 years from now.

    With that said, it is frustrating to see how the library project has turned into somewhat of a controversy – geographically and politically. Trying to develop the Center Street/City Square area of Old Town Kyle makes great sense and should be pursued. However, trying to shoehorn a 20,000 sq ft building into the city square or surrounding area seems like folly to me. Turning away free land that would be a suitable location to do so is political suicide for the City Council. It is political suicide because the overwhelming number of Kyle residents/voters live in areas other than Old Town Kyle. Add to it the notion (as it is described in this story) that several of Kyle’s historically powerful families have come together to arrange it, and there is the making for a substantial backlash at the ballot box from the community at-large. This would be terrible for a project that is so worth while and important but requires voters that live throughout Kyle to support the bond that will be put on the ballot to build it.

    I know the people referenced in this story well enough to know with certainty that their motives are pure and their intentions are to do the right thing for the city. They care about Kyle and have historically played key roles in supporting many of the nice things that exist in the city today. However, the good intentions of the folks involved in trying to put this deal together aren’t going to matter when it gets portrayed during the bond election as an Old Town vs new neighborhoods or old Kyle families vs New residents/families issue. Throw in the cost of the decision (regardless of the amount) vs free land in a location that has easy access and I fear we are setting the stage for a failed bond election.

    I don’t know what has changed since I’ve been gone that has led to a greater politicizing of the library and its location. However, I am certain that the city council had better have a damn good reason for turning away suitable free land if it wants voters to cough up the money to pay for it. The notion that a group of long-time residents and pursuasive advocates for Old Town Kyle want it that way isn’t likely to suffice.

    I’m looking forward to having an opportunity to participate directly in this discussion in the coming months after my family and I return from our extended family leave in Ohio.

  2. As you told many about extended leave with your position working for the Governor I was curious when you will began again. Or based on your past comments at city council meetings and this comment, do you believe you have historically misunderstood the impact of the word extended leave?

  3. Why is it that I can count on comments under certain names to include some sort of personal attack unrelated to the discussion?

    Or, did your comment somehow clarify what Mr. Walsh was trying to say and I just missed it?

  4. David,

    I think you are confused again. I didn’t mean family leave in the “family medical leave” context. Not that this is really any of your business, but I had 1500 hours of sick leave that I only used a fraction of before I resigned to be with my dad. I never used family medical leave. I am referring to the plain meaning of the phrase “leave” to describe our time away from our home and friends in Kyle. And, when my dad outlived his diagnosis by 8 months, it was extended.

    Stick to debating the issues and I’ll do the same. Get your facts straight and you won’t have to worry about me or anyone else correcting you.

    While I get that you were trying very hard to be clever by parroting my response to your unsupported assertion in another post that the City of Kyle was going to raise taxes, I am unclear as to how any of this relates to this post. I know you must have tried very hard to say something relevant. I’m left wondering what it is.

    Finally, losing two straight city council elections doesn’t entitle you to take cheap shots at me because I was elected and made a decision to step off the council to take care of a family issue. It was the right thing for me to do. In contrast, when you take cheap shots it says so much more about you to people than it does me. It is going to stick with you for awhile, especially if you keep doing it. In the meantime, feel free to state a position on the library being located downtown. After all, that is certainly more important than anything in my personal life.

  5. Todd,

    Until this discussion I have never discussed your family issues. I sincerely hope and wish them well.

    You were my representive once but refused to help me when I needed it, period. Nothing more, nothing less. You failed to contact me when I phoned, e-mailed and even attempted to speak to you directly.

    The only way to reach you was a letter to the editor. Not once was your family ever mentioned.

    In return you posted a personal attack in a lettor to the editor trying to defend yourself. You brought your family in as a defense. A class act for a councilmen I must add.

    The sad part is you and I see many things the same. The library is an example. Yet, instead of acting like an adult and admitting you made a mistake you changed your email and phone number on the city’s website after I wrote my letter. You even had Lila, who spreads rumors about you, defend you!Imagine that. Better yet you said every one of your constituents could contact you, but me. Another class act by a councilmen.

    A little advice, treat others the way you wish to be treated.

    Back to posts…

  6. David,

    You’re delusional. You spent months harrassing me while I was flying back and forth to be with my dad. Many folks had no problem reaching me and I attended nearly every regular city council meeting, where you were also in attendance. I also had a mailbox at the city hall. You insisted on showing up at my house unannounced and uninvited when it was well publicized that I was traveling a great deal. You also sent open records inquiries directly to my home instead of the city. You made accusations regarding my residency, my work and me personally that weren’t reasonably calculated to facilitate dialogue.

    You were obviously interested in a run for city council and I certainly understand the temptation that my potential exit from the council must have been. The fact that you ended up running for my seat when I did resign only validates the point that I made in response to your repeated insinuations that I was somehow not working on behalf of the city – when the exact opposite was true. I called it like I saw it and I continue to believe this was true.

    Additionally, you’re behavior sometimes scared me. You acted pretty strange at city council meetings. More than once, I asked for security to be enhanced at the meetings because I thought you were behaving in an unstable manner. Your outbursts at meetings, charging the dias when you weren’t selected to be on the P&Z Commission, routinely ignoring decorum and order during meetings and what appeared to me to be some kind of weird obsession with meeting with me led to my decision to choose to not meet with you.

    Finally, David, people in our community are so much smarter than you apparently give them credit for. You can’t make as many public statements and write as many letters to the editor as you have and not have people get some sense of what you are about. Instead of focusing on me, you should have expressed a vision, any vision at all, for how you wanted to move the city forward. Instead, you spent your time whining about how I wasn’t returning your calls and making incomprehensible critiques regarding the city’s budget.

    Thanks for the advice, but maybe you should walk the walk before dispensing it.

  7. I now am convinced why you never practiced law. You seem to have a hard time with facts and telling the truth. If makes you happy and your cloudy head running then “call it like you see it.”

    But I will let others speak, they too wrote letters to the editor. I did leave their names off so Todd does not orally attack them with false allegations as well.

    On June 20th I read how does one get in touch with Kyle Councilmen Todd Webster. This was based on the fact that David Walsh had sent e-mails, made phone calls, and knocked on his door but received no response. Predictably, on June 27th Todd and Lila Knight wrote letters to the editor that were digressive and thus leading to more questions.
    Ask yourself, is a councilman doing their job correctly if they have the time to a write a letter to the editor, but simply lack the time to respond to a constituent?
    One predicable and callow part was the name-calling. Todd and Lila used words like “knucklehead”, “master sleuth”, a “malformed character”, “jealous”, “complain” (er) and having a “warped view”. As Todd wrote he will not “act in a manner that I deem inconsistent with my personal family values.” Apparently, name-calling and mischaracterizations are acceptable family values in the Webster home.
    Another predicable part was the fabrications to mislead the citizens of Kyle. Lila wrote Todd had not missed “ONE council meeting since November”. However, the facts are Todd has missed council meetings on January 30, February 27th, March 29th, and May 1, 2007 as these dates are all documented in the City Council minutes. If a 66.6% attendance record is acceptable and Todd believes a D standard is a “strong record of participation” as Todd stated, one can only inquire why Todd’s “strong record” has lead to his resignation from the Economic Development Committee at last months council meeting.
    Todd wrote, “Regarding my accessibility, I have always been reachable by telephone and e-mail.” Really? Then why have you never responded to a single e-mail or called David Walsh? The fact is, it was not until after David Walsh inquired how to reach you that you changed your e-mail address at the councils website. Amazingly, a new phone number appeared in the paper. But how many of your constituents had this new number and why is it not posted on the council website if your so accessible? If you call the number currently posted, (512) 268-0428, it sounds like Todd’s accessibility is in constipation maximus.
    Furthermore, we all want a councilmember who understands the cost differentiation that state, county and city taxes have on their constituent’s household budgets and are willing to explain their votes. Especially when he doesn’t even know the cost of an item! This is important for Lila who fails to understand the possible impact between state and city taxes and just generalizes that “we still pay for them with our tax dollars”.
    Pertaining to the registration tag, David made a typo. I called; it was Todd’s inspection tag that was three month’s expired.
    Finally, speaking of innuendo’s, Todd wrote “David Walsh’s false allegations claiming that I am not a Kyle resident” are for political reasons. First, Todd, I encourage you to put words in quotes. Not once did David write that you are no longer a resident of Kyle. Predictably, you still have not answered the questioned from the letter. So let me repeat what David asked, not “claimed”. It is a simple “yes” or “no” question. As part of your job requirement as it is written in the Charter do you “continuously” reside in Kyle?

    Dear Mr. Benavidez,

    I took your advice and called Councilmen Todd Webster at the number he has listed. After attempting multiple calls on multiple days the number never rang once, thus leading me to believe that you must be a close friend (nothing wrong with that, we all need them) to the Councilmen Webster. However, it does add clout to the others argument about Mr. Webster’s limited accessibility. I too would want my councilmen to be honest and have an accessibly number posted in need of representation.
    I am sure Councilmen Webster has done many good things for the city and I agree the time and effort is not appreciated by most. But as your representative and mine I am personally embarrassed by the name-calling and lack of professionalism Councilmen Webster showed in a letter to the editor. Often rudeness is the insecure persons imitation of power.
    If one disagrees with someone a true professional addresses the problem. He doesn’t cut off contact to anyone, especially constituents. In my experiences, people lose respect and problems grow when people let their emotions get involved, just as Councilmen Webster did in his tone of the letter. Instead of name-calling and making assumptions, Councilmen Webster should have listened to others and been open to their perceptions, thereby getting a far more objective view. He should have just explained his current situation.
    No offense, Mr. Benavidez, but using words like “minor group”, “majority view” and “negative politics” and “personal supporter of Mr. Webster”, your message comes across that you have your own personal bias and agenda too. Just some advice.
    I wish nothing but the best to the Webster family. I hope the time they have left is joyful and creating many memories.
    Mr. Webster words say that family comes first, but if so, please ask him, if his actions are different? Is he really putting his family first by leaving them twice a month, as Mr. Benavidez said, for such a “very thankless job”? Personally, I know of no job that is this important and can only hope Mr. Webster is doing what is best for his family.
    Finally, only Mr. Webster can answer this. Not meaning to sound harsh, but can you honestly say you are doing your best for your constituents in your current situation?
    Marcel Proust, author of Le Figaro, suggested that the journey of discovery consist not going to new lands but in having new eyes.
    Councilmen Webster I hope your vision is clear.

  8. Todd,

    You must have been really insecure knowing the police department had supported me in my two previous elections? Such a wild and crazy guy, huh?

  9. Todd,

    Some questions I know we would be luckly to receive any response but I will ask anyway.

    1. You wrote “it was well publicized that I was traveling a great deal.” Please inform the readers when and where.

    2. You wrote “You also sent open records inquiries directly to my home instead of the city. The fact is I sent them to both addresses. So please prove your point that I did not.

    3. You wrote “You made accusations regarding my residency” and “my work”. Show the readers the actual accusations instead of making false claims.

    4. You wrote “Additionally, you’re behavior sometimes scared me. You acted pretty strange at city council meetings. More than once, I asked for security to be enhanced at the meetings because I thought you were behaving in an unstable manner.” So instead of making false accusations give dates, times, citations, days that extra officers were on duty.

    After all with a law degree you should be able to document fairly well instead of making these general statements.

    I look forward to your response.

  10. David,

    Seriously, you actually posted letters to the editor from the Kyle Klips gang. You’re going to have to do better than post letters from surrogates you used during your failed city council campaign. See,

    You wrote, “You must have been really insecure knowing the police department had supported me in my two previous elections? Such a wild and crazy guy, huh?”

    “wild” – not so much… “crazy” … you said it, not me.

    Actually, I felt pretty secure once the Kyle PD was there to keep order. Surely, you aren’t implying that the PD union’s endorsement somehow would have influenced the performance of their duties where you were concerned. Knowing many of the officers, I don’t believe that could be true. While they don’t have a good track record when it comes to endorsements, they have a pretty good track record when it comes to performance of their duties.

    It’s not too late to debate the merits of the proposed library. How do you really feel about the possibility that the library might be located in old town? You implied that we share a position on this, but I don’t think so. What is your position?

  11. Kyle Clips? I do not see my name, however I heard you visited her house on multiple times and used to be budies. What happened?

  12. Lol. That’s pretty twisted. Excellent inuendo. I just tossed up my lunch.

    I’m sure there were several participants that were never named.

    Not sure who you are “hearing” that from, but I’m confident that I’m not now nor was “budies” (sic) with anyone involved in that deal. I might suggest that you take the time to examine the credibility of the person(s) who you are “hearing” that from. Maybe they’re the ones that keep feeding you all of the other bad information that you tend to rely on.

    I guess the fact that you tried to visit my house multiple times must have been your attempt to be my “budie.” My bad.

    Still not sure how you feel about the library. I support the project, but think there should be a great deal more consensus regarding the location before moving forward. Doing so would help build support for the bond package. It’s possible that the community would support it being in old town somewhere if the property is right and the process includes more input from folks in other areas of the city.

  13. Let take a close look at Todd’s claim.
    1. I said “I never discussed your family issues.” Todd response was “You spent months harrassing me.” Notice that Todd used the word “me” and disregarded the original statement about the word “family”. The fact is I have never mentioned anything about his family. What a huge ego this guy must have to think of himself, “me”, as an entire family. Matter of fact I later asked for documentation and this malefactor failed to provide any. Todd sounds like great choice for the main role in the movie Me, Myself and I.
    2. Harassment means to annoy persistently. Let’s break down the malefactor’s claim and evidence of harassment.
    3. Todd wrote “Many folks had no problem reaching me and I attended nearly every regular city council meeting, where you were also in attendance”. Notice Todd did not say “All folks”. He later stated that not one of my actions “reasonably calculate to facilitate dialogue”. Based on Todd’s statements we can conclude that Todd and I never spoke in person or by phone. Ask yourself without any “dialogue how did any harassment occur or is Todd just lying about his claim? Remember Todd stated that it was well “publicized” that he was traveling a “great deal” too. What an idiot to make such a claim! His statements are now on the records!
    4. If contact was by mail it was one letter I sent to him and the city office in the form of an open letter of request as a citizen. I have that right. It was a request for the city managers performance review. Ask Todd why he was the only Council Member not to turn in a copy of the performance review. Todd believes that a legal request does not, as Todd states “reasonably calculate to facilitate dialogue”. What is his thought process that he is above the law or maybe was just lazy and didn’t do the work? Again since Todd said we never “facilitated dialogue” how did any harassment occur or is Todd just lying about his claim? Remember this is on the records.
    5. I wrote one letter to the editor and like all citizens have that right. Todd along with his gang responded with a multitude of letters to the editor. Obviously, no validity to his claim here, just more CRAP! These letters are retrievable for records!
    6. If it was the one visit to his home and do not forget that when Todd campaigned he came to my house first. Moreover, as Todd states, Todd visit to my home was” unannounced and uninvited”. Todd claims that I visited on more then one occasion but how would he know when Todd states that it was well publicized that he traveling “a great deal”. Another contradiction from Todd or just another lie to his claim.
    7. If it was phone calls, it was impossible because the number posted on the city website was not in operation. Another contradiction and/or lie from Todd and remember Todd said we never spoke. No validity to his claim just more CRAP! I have asked for these to be retrieved for my records.
    8. Yet Todd engaged in conversation through a letter to the editor. Remember this was after all other attempts to ask for his help. Do you believe someone who claims they would want protection (that always been there) would write a letter calling the other person names? Here is a guy with a law degree that claims someone is harassing him and his response is to antagonize that person through name calling. Smelling what I smell.
    9. Furthermore, I asked about procedures if someone “charges” the dias as Todd states. That person would have been handcuffed and removed form the premise. Todd is spitting garbage from his mouth. Moreover that person would have been charged at a minimum with a Class C misdemeanor. Is there a bad taste in your mouth? Todd talks this garbage everyday, remember what he wrote about the last councilmen in the election in a letter to the editor. Based on Todd’s definition we can conclude that Todd has HARASSED him! We will deal with this later?
    10. As for the “security to be enhanced” and speaking with other council members, current and former, not one knew what Todd was talking about. More garbage. If Todd return and runs for public office are you willing deal with this later.
    11. Then Todd wrote “Actually, I felt pretty secure once the Kyle PD was there to keep order”. Todd’s insinuation that Kyle PD never attended council meetings prior me attendance is a lie. The Kyle PD has been attending for years. More garbage!A councilmen asked how many margaritas has had Todd been drinking while writing this “dribble”. This facts are on the records.
    12. Todd states that I “charged the dias when you weren’t selected to be on the P&Z Commission”. The fact is I withdrew my application at the podium during citizen comments. It is in the records and that is why I asked Todd to post any documentation. Yet the idiot with a law degree will not provide any. Not only to this issue but all others issues too. Again, nothing but garbage coming from Todd’s mouth. This fact is on the records.
    13. Ask about Todd’s unbalance behavior as a Council member on the dias. He was well known for interrupting others, rolling his eyes in disrespect, walking out while others where speaking, speaking to others while others spoke, falling back in his chair when frustrated and showing up late and missing meetings. I encourage others to go watch a video. Matter of fact, after a meeting he even flipped off a fellow council member after a heated discussion. Deal with that later.
    14. Todd states while he was attending city council meeting I was there too. Another assumption, more garbage! I did not attend every meeting do to business and family. On the records.
    15. Todd states that he attended nearly every regular meeting, his supporter Lila states he never missed one council meeting since November. However, the facts are Todd has missed council meetings on January 30, February 27th, March 29th, and May 1, 2007 as these dates are all documented in the City Council minutes. So contrary to Todd’s previous statement we would have never seen one another at these meetings even if I had attended.
    16. Todd believes the Kyle PD “doesn’t have a good track record when it comes to endorsements”, yet the majority of the public voters just endorsed Kyle PD with approval of civil service. Another contradiction.
    17. Todd WHILE a council member called people names, like: “knucklehead”, “master sleuth”, a “malformed character”, “jealous”, “complain” (er) and having a “warped view”. As Todd wrote he will not “act in a manner that I deem inconsistent with my personal family values.” I must admit it does match the garbage coming out Todd’s mouth.
    18. Todd states “Seriously, you actually posted letters to the editor from the Kyle Klips gang.” Another CRAP act assumption from the malefactor. Knowing I would get this response like this is why I left the authors off. The author’s names are Mr. Les Gaugh and Mr. Mike Williams. They have no association with Kyle Klips. Predictably, Todd responded “I sure several participants weren’t named. “ More Crap flowing form Todd’s mouth. Watch out Kyle citizens, here’s a guy with a law degree attempting to make people guilty NOT by association! Talk about delusional!
    Now I am ready to talk about the library.

  14. Really. Les E. Gough??? Is he the same guy that is/was a director in Kyle Can? The same Kyle Can that included the Kyle Klips gang and my election opponent in its membership. Wait a minute, weren’t you the President of Kyle Can?

    Oh, I remember who Les is now. He was a director of Kyle Can, who submitted open records requests to my employer requesting all of my personnel records. But hey, that’s fair game, I was a public figure who happened to work for the state. Besides, I’m sure you had some legitimate reason for know how much money I made, how often I was sick, what my work responsibilities were, etc. However, you didn’t stop there. Les (I’m sorry, Kyle Can) decided he/they needed to try and cause problems for me at work so your organization through Les submitted requests for my colleagues’ personnel records as well. Smooth move David. And, that took place on the same day that an “anonymous” person called my employer (while I was sitting in my boss’ office) and said that at that very moment I was out campaigning and suggested that I should be at work.

    I believe that you are the one that stated in a letter to the editor that you came to my house “multiple” times. Now you are trying to say it was just one time. Were you then overstating your attempts to reach me in your effort to mislead people into thinking I wasn’t accessible? Or, are you trying to mislead people now?

    You did charge the dais when the mayor didn’t nominate you for the P&Z Commission and more people than just me were a little freaked out by it. And, you continued over multiple meetings to just yell stuff from the audience whenever you felt like it, ignoring the mayor’s requests for you to behave appropriately in the meetings. It is TRUE, that at some of the meetings following your outbursts, requests were made and officers attended to ensure order and security. Didn’t the police chief actually talk to you about it at one of them? I for one, felt much better, since so much of your focus during your public comments were directed at me personally.

    Let’s also not forget your weird allegations regarding the registration on one of my vehicles. You wrote a letter to the editor alleging that my vehicle registration on one my cars was expired. The weird part of that deal (aside from the lack of relevance and obvious invasion of my privacy that it suggested) was that I couldn’t figure out where that was coming from because all of my cars were registered. However, earlier in the week and prior to the press deadline for letters to the editor I did take a drive to the tax office to address a lapsed registration – it was for my boat trailer and my boat. I ended up having to go to Parks and Wildlife to take care of it – but I digress. Somehow, you knew that I was attempting to register something that week and that is just damn creepy. Seriously, where were you checking out my cars? Did you do so at my house? Did someone at the tax office call you and tell you I was there? Did you just make it up? Did you just happen to be traveling to the tax office the same day?

    There is more but I think the above is sufficient to meet your definition of harassment as you have simplistically defined it and should meet the actual definitions of the term. Regardless, I think it is likely that those who have been subjected to the tactics of Hays Can, Kyle Can (under your leadership) and Kyle Klips, regardless of their status as a public figure or not, would consider these organizations’ tactics to be more than a little harassing.

    Finally, If only you put this much time into trying to help the community and your neighborhood. You would have had a much better chance of getting elected.

    David, I’m really losing interest in this discussion but would be willing to change this thread back to an appropriate debate on the library. I’m still waiting to hear your thoughts on the library proposal.

    Your “budie,”


    p.s. I’m fascinated by the time and effort that you have dedicated to pursuing me to date and that you must have put into trying to rationalize your actions over the last two years and in your most recent response. The psychology behind it would make for a great addition to a publication that I’m working on regarding the gadfly phenomena in small town politics. Would you be willing to submit to a psychological interview/evaluation research conducted by a third party? You wouldn’t be the only person interviewed and your name would be left out of the publication, of course. This is not a TIC request.

  15. Readers,
    Please take notice of the post script Todd wrote.
    If what Richard Todd Webster said is true, known throughout the Kyle community as Todd Webster, he is mocking a serious study to help others. It is a sad day when someone, like Todd, would genuinely hurt others who are involved in a serious study for his own laughter and personal benefit. Makes you think did he do the same on the Kyle City Council and maybe this is why he is no longer working at the governor’s office?

    Now lets go to court to get the judges decision about who the been pursuing who and who guilty of harassment.
    Judge: Mr. Webster, you claim that Mr. Walsh has been “pursuing” you for two years.
    Mr. Webster: Yes, your honor.
    Judge: I have read the evidence and would like to ask some questions. Mr. Webster stated that you and Mr. Walsh never facilitated dialogue. Is that correct?
    Mr. Webster: Yes
    Judge: You received a public records letter of request from Mr. Walsh about the city manager performance review but failed to comply with any response. Is that correct?
    Mr. Webster: Yes.
    Judge: You visited Mr. Walsh’s house and he visited yours but never engaged in dialogue? Is that correct?
    Mr. Webster: Yes
    Judge: Mr. Walsh wrote a letter to editor and then you responded with one. The only difference is you called him names, I must say immature for a council member. Is that correct?
    Mr. Webster: Yes, that is a fact.
    Judge: Mr. Webster in your letter did you not state that everyone could contact you but Mr. Walsh?
    Mr. Webster: Yes, I did.
    Judge: Did Mr. Walsh ever respond to your original letter to the editor?
    Mr. Webster: No, it is a fact he never responded.
    Judge: Then Mr. Walsh ran for office and you, Mr. Webster, wrote another letter to the editor bad mouthing Mr. Walsh during that election. Is that correct?
    Mr. Webster: Yes
    Judge: Did Mr. Walsh respond in any manner?
    Mr. Webster: No he did not.
    Judge: By the way, when you ran for office did Mr. Walsh ever write a letter about you?
    Mr. Webster: No he did not.
    Judge: Mr. Webster, would you agree that Mr. Walsh wrote one letter pertaining to you to the editor and you wrote two pertaining to Mr. Walsh?
    Mr. Webster: Yes you Honor that is a fact.
    Judge: Then at the website who initiated the first verbal attack?
    Mr. Webster: I did your Honor.
    Judge: Mr. Webster, would you agree that you were out of line calling Mr. Walsh “delusional” when he wrote he never said anything about your family and you responded ““You spent months harrassing me.”
    Mr. Webster: Yes
    Judge: Mr. Webster, not that this has any bearing but you mentioned the word obsession and time spent on this matter. I noticed that after Mr. Walsh writes a post on the website you respond the same or next day all the time where Mr. Walsh does not. You already admitted that you continued to “pursue” Mr. Walsh even when he never responded to you. Mr. Webster, you asked Mr. Walsh not to contact you but you continued to attack him. Are you sure you’re not obsessed? You do not have to answer that.
    Judge: Mr. Webster, do you believe someone who claims they would want protection (that always been there) would write a letter calling the other person names? In other words Mr. Webster, with your law degree, would you advise a client to engage in hostile communication if he/she where being harassed?
    Mr. Webster: Of course not.
    Judge: Then Mr. Webster can we dismiss your claim of being harassed based on your answer.
    Mr. Webster: No answer
    Judge: I didn’t expect you would answer that. After all it makes to much sense.
    Judge: Mr. Webster, you claim as part of your harassment claim that Mr. Walsh charged the dias when the “Mayor didn’t nominate you (Mr. Walsh) for the P&Z Commission”. Is that true?
    Mr. Webster: Yes
    Judge: Mr. Webster, hypothetically even if this were true how does the actions of the Mayor directly involve you and your claim? Would you agree even if these actions occurred it be the Mayor and the city and not you? Please use your law degree and make the right decision.
    Mr. Webster: Yes, that does make more sense.
    Judge: Mr. Walsh, did you charge the dias?
    Mr. Walsh: No sir and I have never been asked to leave the property nor engaged any conversation with the chief of police pertaining to such accusations.
    Judge:Just answer the question.
    Judge: So Mr. Webster, do you have anything relevant you would like to add?
    Mr. Webster: Yes, I may not have any proof but “I believe” that Mr. Walsh has been following me around because he wrote that I had an expired tag when I didn’t
    Judge: Mr. Walsh, any response.
    Mr. Walsh: Yes sir, its pretty simple pertaining to vehicle’s expired tag all that happened was at city hall an officer was about to ticket Mr. Webster and a very prominent Kyle lady that I was walking with to the meeting did him a favor. She told the officer that the car was owned by Councilmen Webster. He responded thank you that the tag was expired. As Todd states “they have a pretty good track record when it comes to performance of their duties.”
    Judge: I have heard enough.
    Judge: Mr. Webster, you have a law degree, yet after asking someone not to contact you aggressively pursue that person by defaming his character three times in a row before he responded. Does this make any sense to anyone? What going on in that head on yours? You flip fellow council members off with your finger for Gods sake! The facts speak for themselves. Mr. Webster you originally attempted to associate Mr. Walsh with Kyle Clips. What proof did you have? None, Mr. Webster, you are a previous councilman who has a law degree why don’t you act like it! Now you’re trying to make Mr. Walsh guilty by association with other organizations without proof. For the record Mr. Walsh resigned from Kyle Can and turned a copy of his resignation into the Hays Free Press. Go check the date or ask the editor.
    The facts are in, Mr. Webster, you continued to engage, pursue, and harass Mr. Walsh for years. You, Mr. Webster had the audacity to tell him not to contact you. Guess what he didn’t, yet you, Mr. Webster continued to pursue him but falsely claim he won’t leave you alone! Your actions speak for themselves. Mr. Webster you wrote the last two letters and initiated the conversation on the website all attacking Mr. Walsh and yet you try to deceive others by lying telling them he is pursuing you! Take a good look in the mirror and start telling the truth. Case dismissed!

  16. LOL!! You once again go to all of that effort in an attempt to be clever but screwed it up again. Your kangaroo court puts me on trial but your judge dismisses the case. You’re a genius.

    Also, you’re being just a little melodramatic don’t you think? I think you’re watching too much television.

    Oh, and disavowing your relationship with Les Gough and Kyle Can in the same thread that you rely on his reasoning and quote him isn’t exactly the smartest way to make your point. Again, you’re a genius.

    Finally, all anyone needs to do to see who has been pursuing who is scroll up to the first and second posts in this thread.


    What are you are reading?

    Second, you claimed I have been “pursuing” you for “two years”, now it is “scroll up to the first and second posts in this thread.” And don’t forget who made the initial contact at this website…it was you, Todd.

    Were you lying then, now or both?

  18. The new library should not be downtown where it will attract more traffic and congestion. And later when other downtown attractions increase congestion, library patrons will stay away because of the congestion. And for Pete’s sake – if someone is offering free land for the library, and unless that land is in a “bad” place, I can see no valid reason to spend a pile of money for land elsewhere. That money could be used for the building and the services the library could provide.
    Please – don’t build the library near downtown.

  19. If the land is free, but the City has to spend money to provide for basic infrastructure (water lines, sewage lines, electrical lines, roads), would you still consider the land to be free?

  20. There could be a suitable location in old town. I’m not sure where that might be. At one point they were talking about the old city hall area on the square. I think the committee is looking at somewhere near there now. While I have a difficult time visualizing how it could fit in that area, I suppose it is possible.

    My concern is that regardless of the location, there hasn’t been enough of an effort to get buy in from the entire community on the location. This thing is going to need community-wide support for the bond issue to pass.

    Lila’s correct that there really isn’t “free” land in these type of deals. However, often the infrastructure investment on the part of the city is something that was being planned anyway. This isn’t always the case but many of the city’s economic development investments have been in the form of infrastructure projects that it was going to build sometime down the road. None of this, of course, will stop the bond issue from potentially being framed as an option that turned away “free” land.

    Charlie, thanks for providing your input. I would be interested in knowing whether you might be persuaded to support a downtown location if the deal included additional transportation infrastructure upgrades and parking near the location. It isn’t clear from the article whether the proposal includes any of these considerations.

  21. Todd,
    The main drag thru downtown was completed not too long ago and we still have only one traffic lane in each direction. Unless all further Kyle growth & development takes place in other Kyle locations (locations other than where additional traffic will be generated to travel the main drag), then downtown traffic is doomed to become a a really annoying gridlock problem. Already traffic backs up at the traffic lights & stop signs, and when a train passes, things get even worse. Adding a library to downtown just is not a good idea unless Kyle decides to spend gobs of money adding a couple of traffic lanes. Yes, I know that certain buildings would have to go to widen the road, but that growing pain has been suffered by every growing city everywhere. I would prefer the new library to be away from downtown for the reasons I previously mentioned. I know, I know – too late for that. My assumption (bad assumption?) was that there would be adequate parking where-ever the new library is built.

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