ST9304-CS 860117DALLAS COUNTY
COMMISSIONER PRECINCT NO. 1
JIM JACKSON
January 17, 1986
Mr. Jay Patterson
Terra Companies
Suite 1370
5420 LBJ Freeway
Dallas, Texas 75240
Dear Jay,
I am in receipt of your letter of January 16 to Nancy
Judy with copies to the members of the Dallas County
Commissioners Court, the Mayor and City Council of
Coppell and the Coppell City Manager.
As I have told everyone who would listen, my only
instructions to our Public Works director have been to
present the best plan for the road based on traffic
engineering, safety, and cost.
I have heard that the tactics being used by you and
Terra might include some inneundos or outright
questioning of my motives and integrity. I had told
everyone not to worry about such things and that we
didn't need to react as opposed to acting in the best
public interest when that is determined.
However, your letter leaves me no choice but to respond.
First, I believe, if you want to investigate the facts,
you will probably find that a majority or more of those
people on the south side of Beltline that you refer to
as my campaign supporters are not campaign supporters
of mine. In fact, I think you will find that in the
only hotly contested race I have been in 'during the
last few years that those people were supporting the same
candidate you were - my opponent. ~,~,
SERVICE CENTER: · 2311 JOE FIELD RD. · DALLAS, TEXAS 75229 · (214) 247-1735
COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING: · 411 ELM STREET · DALLAS, TEXAS 75202 · (214) 749-83(31
There are two friends who have some connection with
the proponents of moving the road. I have not discussed
it with one. The other I have told the same as you,
that any decision must stand on the merits.
On the other hand, I had considered you, as an opponent
of moving the road, a friend. When you called last
month and asked that I visit, I made a special trip during
rush hour traffic to do so. It appears that since I did
not agree to do whatever you wanted, there is no friend-
ship and I am 'suspect' of something.
During the past month your conduct has been disgusting.
To suggest, as you did in your letter to Judge Fox,
that Terra's $25,000 contribution to the County bond
election should be a controlling factor in public policy
is tacky. To suggest that the mo'tivations of our County
Public Works director and the firm of Albert Halff and
Associates are 'suspect' is less than clever. If there
are mistakes, we want to know. That is the reason I
suggested a third engineer.
The only person I have felt has attempted to impose pressure
of any kind on me concerning this decision is you. The
only suggestion that this should be a political decision,
as opposed to a public policy decision, has come from you.
There is one thing you should know about me. There is not
enough heat in hell to make me change when I think I am
right.
The question I see is not whether the MacArthur-Beltline
intersection can be built in the present location, but
if there is significant public benefit in.moving it.
Incidentally, I have some experience with intersections
where the railroad is too close to the intersection.
There are several in Carrollton. It appears to me, no
matter how they are signalized, during heavy traffic
periods people end up immobilized within a cluster of
traffic sitting on the tracks.
Now, Jay, if it isn't feasible to move the road, that's
fine. We have got to have the crossing. However, it it
is feasible and particularly if it is cheaper, that's
another matter.
I envision a time when both MacArthur and Beltline are
going to be very heavily travelled thoroughfares. When
that time comes and perhaps 5 years, 10 years, or even
20 years down the road, I am not going to promote people
talking about the stupid County for building an intersection
that does not perform as well as it could because of the
· personal interest of a developer. I certainly am not
going to face a mother or father who have had a child
killed because I chose to act in what I know was your
best interest but not the public's best interest.
To put it bluntly, I just don't believe there is any way
to build a major intersection immediately joining a rail-
road and furnish the same traffic flow and safety as
building the major intersection away from the railroad.
If we need a third engineer to remove doubts of motives
by our Public Works Director, our project engineer, and
me, let's let someone choose one. But, I suspect that if
that third engineer's findings do not support what is
in your best interest you will question their integrity,
also.
However, if the consensus of the engineers and our Public
Works Director is that the safety factor is an unjustified
concern, that the cost factor cannot be improved by a move,
and traffic control isn't a problem, you will find me
supporting your position. But not because you intimidated
me.
The best solution would have been for a compromise solution
to have been worked out whereby all concerns could have
been addressed and everyone got some of what they wanted.
But when someone burns all their bridges behind them, such
as you have done, that becomes almost impossible.
Jay, it is too bad it had to come to this. However, my
expectations of the Dallas County Public Works Director
remains the same - to produce a recommendation that is in
the best public interest.
Sincerely,
JD .~_~°mmissi°ner
stric~ 1
JJ:kc
cc: Judge David Fox
Commissioners Judy, Price, Semos
Mayor Lou Duggan
Coppell City Council
Frank Procter, Coppell City Manager
Public Works Director J.W. Bryan
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Times Herald
Coppell News Weekly
Mayor Kenny Marchant
Carrollton City Council
St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company
Joe Barta