Make Hickory Creek Great.
END THE MASSIVE COURRUPTION IN OUR WONDERFUL HICKORY CREEK, STOP WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE
Make Hickory Creek Great.
END THE MASSIVE COURRUPTION IN OUR WONDERFUL HICKORY CREEK, STOP WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE
Hello Citizens of Hickory Creek
Welcome
Ronald Furtick, Place 5 and Don Ford, Place 3. We would like to introduce ourselves as Candidates for Town Council. We want your vote to help us rid our Town of Corruption that has plagued Hickory Creek for the last few decades. Only after removing the graft, greed and corruption can we achieve Economic Growth.
Hickory Creek's long history of corruption
Most Recent Graft & Greed
Hickory Creek has operated as a kleptocracy for the last two decades. Most of the theft of the citizens tax revenue has taken place by using corrupt engineering firms that inflate the cost of projects. Then the town uses no bid contracts to give the construction projects to their friends. Corrupt contractors then kickback a portion of the large quantities of cash that are left over from the hugely inflated construction contract prices.
Examples abound, the three most recent examples are the Observatory project, the Amphitheatre project and the Leisure Center project.
Let's look at all three projects in as much detail as possible using public records:
The Observatory project was the brainchild of Mr. John Grosskopf, a public minded citizen who used to be a member of the Parks and Recreation Board (until he was unceremoniously fired by Chris Gordon). The administration then stacked the board with sycophants. Mr. Grosskopf was able to interest the Astronomy department at the University of North Texas in the project who recommended a noted emeritus professor to design the project. The retired professor of astronomy was willing to design the project for the low price of fifty dollars an hour. He provided a cost estimate that the entire project would cost the Taxpayers only $50,000. and for that expenditure they would receive a class A telescope. Our Kleptocratic administration refused to hire the expert and instead employed the Towns Engineering firm Half and associates to design the project. The most recent budget number mentioned in a town council meeting was over $4,000,000.
How much of that inflated contract price will go into the pockets of the Town's administration and how much into the pockets of the current council, what does the Mayor get to take home? I actually have no idea.
I have been looking into their scandalous behavior for years but starting in January of this year I began using the Public Information Act to collect hard figures for use in my campaign for Town Council. So far I have requested fifteen different information releases totaling hundreds of thousands of pages of documents including all financial information, plans, bids, invoices and cost estimates. Even though the law says they should disclose public information within ten working days and my first requests were made in January of 2025, as of April 17th 2025 i have received no financial information at all.
The Amphitheatre Project is even more secretive. I dug through two years of agendas for both Town Council and The Parks Board. I could never even find mention of the project before 3/24/2025. That is not how things should work. Because its part of the Town Hall Drainage Pond Park. This Project should have gone through a series of hearings at the Parks Board who should then send it to Town Council with a recommendation regarding whether the Parks Board would desire Council to approve or deny the proposal. Then Town Council should probably have a workshop to present the capital expenditure to the public and get input from the Citizens. Council could then make an informed decision as to the best way to invest the citizens money. Had the proper processes been allowed to function ... I would have loved to question the wisdom of spending large amounts of money cramming a Ampitheatre into a glorified stock pond with dangerously steep slopes when we actually have a very nice lake location to the south.
The citizenry could sit on the lawn and boaters could pull up to the Ampitheatre and listen to the music from the privacy of their pleasurecraft.
Unfortunately, all decisions were made in secret. The entire project is being built without any review. My guess is this is an easy way to loot and pillage the public coffers. I have no proof of malfeasance because the Towns attorney has appealed my request for Public Information to the State of Texas's Attorney General who is still thinking about the issue.
The Leisure Center Project - I do have some numbers on the Leisure Center. A project that started after the last Comprehensive Master Plan was passed which essentially opened up all the remaining land in what used to be our Commercial district to allow Apartment Development. The new Master Plan did not indicate a need for a Leisure Center but that's what we are getting. I'm guessing to complement the massive Apartment projects.
The first budget number I heard for the Leisure Center was less than 2 million dollars.
On January 27th 2025 the Town Council was presented a presentation by The Engineering firm Halff and Ass where they bragged about the involvement of two Town Council Members who had worked closely with them on the planning. My opponent in the Council Race actually received a round of applause for his efforts in developing the plan. I urge the citizenry and students of corrupt government practices to study the budget in section 15 of the regular agenda items.
The Budget for the Leisure center had grown to approximately $10,000,000.00 with Halff and Ass receiving over $330,000,00 for their nefarious efforts. While most of the pricing is exorbitant line 13 under site access is pure theft.
An item of interest is that Halffs budget calls for 347,816 square feet of sidewalk running through the park. The town was going to charge its citizens $8.00 per square foot for this improvement, a total of $2,782,528.00. Because I work in Construction just like my opponent Ian Theadore, I immediately spotted a problem. An acre of land is 43,560 square feet. The Town's Engineering firm was estimating 7.98 acres of sidewalks in a 4 acre park.
I have no idea who was going to pocket the additional $2,500,000.00 of the taxpayers hard earned tax money. I do know Halff is going to bill the Town $12,000..00 for creating the document to facilitate the theft.
This seems to be how the current administration has done business in Hickory Creek, Texas for the last few decades.
hickory creek's Administration
The Current Situation and the Historical Reasons
The town and its citizens have been apathetic to the dangers they are facing.
This is only the second election in the last fourteen (14) years.
Most of the men currently serving on Town Council are appointed not elected.
My opponent is appointed.
I believe that when they are appointed that they owe nothing to the citizens that they represent.
The current members of Town Council owe their allegiances to the men that placed them in their positions of power. Council has almost without exception always voted unanimously.
If the Mayor and the Town Manager decide they want to build a $2,000,000 dollar park and charge the citizens $10,000,000, it is always a unanimous vote by Town Council to the affirmative.
They scratch each others back, they make each other rich and have not historically been bothered with elections.
If anyone on the Boards starts asking questions like John Grosskoph did - they just get rid of them.
If anybody asks for Public Records, they just lock up and keep appealing it.
Who cares about resulting lawsuits because it's just the citizens that will pay.
PLEASE VOTE FOR RON FURTICK AND DON fORD
You will see a lot more 3 to 2 votes
Please MAKE HICKORY CREEK GREAT!
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
Chinese Proverb
The future of hickory creek
Shopping and Entertainment
Say goodbye to the hassle of driving to neighboring cities to enjoy local shops, name-brand stores, and fun activities.
Restaurants
Hickory Creek has had the same number of restaurants for the last 20 years. It's time to bring your favorite cuisines to our town.
Parks and Jogging Trails
Let's provide a safe and enjoyable environment for people of all ages to exercise outdoors and explore nature.