Texas 391 Commission Alliance

Snyder Praises Mayor's Leadership

By Sonya Campbell, Managing Editor
The Cameron Herald

[The City Council] heard from Ralph Snyder of the Eastern Central Texas Sub-Regional Planning Commission, who commented on the demise of the planned Trans-Texas Corridor.

Saying he wanted to dispel myths, Snyder noted the Texas Department of Transportation killed the project, not due to the public’s concerns but because the proposed route traveled through Blackland prairie — federally protected farmland.

“This black gumbo we live in saved us,” Snyder said.

He cautioned, however, that the project could be resurrected in another form.

Before concluding his comments, Snyder praised the efforts of the planning commission and its members.

He presented the mayor with a “Spirit of Liberty Award” from the American Stewards of Liberty, a national group founded in the early 1990s that has about 6,000 members.

The award is presented to someone in the U.S. once a year, Snyder said.

This year, plaques were given to all of the sub-regional planning commission members for their efforts to halt the corridor project.

“Thank you for joining and supporting the planning commission,” Snyder said.

He also commended the mayor on his leadership abilities, saying, “He deserves a lot of credit.”

© 2009 The Cameron Herald: www.cameronherald.com