Former City of Arlington Council member Gene Patrick passed away earlier this evening….only by the grace of God will he get in those golden gates after approving so many wells here in Arlington. He might still be alive today if the air quality wasn’t so overburdened with GM and now all the 55 padsites of gaswells.

I am wrong to blog about this and I should extend the same grace to him in my heart for him being a cheerleader the night he made the *motion to drill near my home so that his church (FUMC First United Methodist Church) could get the royalties. (at one hour into the video of Jan 4 2011 where he shows support). Last Tuesday night Councilman Galaspie had enough self control to abstain from voting on this same drilling location agenda item based on his conflict of interest with his church, Mount Olive Baptist Church.

The last time I protested at FUMC, a church member said that the church never did sign for their minerals and walked away from about $12,000 in a signing bonus.  Does anyone else believe this?

I don’t.

The last conversation I had with Gene was in his office about drilling issues and he shared with me that he too was worried about the “risk” to water.  I wonder if he and God has had a chit chat about that yet?

How can someone like Gene Patrick rest in peace if there is no fracking going on in heaven?

* http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/03/22/2942548/permit-for-well-near-cowboys-stadium.html

ARLINGTON — Chesapeake Energy’s second attempt to get a permit for a gas well near Cowboys Stadium was successful Tuesday night.

After a public hearing, the City Council voted 8-1 to approve a permit for the Bobcat 1H well at the so-called Truman site, four undeveloped acres at 310 N. Collins St. The site is north of Division Street about a half-mile southwest of the stadium.

Although the company’s request for its first well permit remains tabled, the council approved the permit for the second well as long as Chesapeake agreed to coordinate heavy truck traffic around major events at both Cowboys Stadium and Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

At-large council member Gene Patrick said that the possibility of adding truck traffic on Collins Street has never concerned him and that he is confident in the city’s ability to manage traffic.

“I would have approved this thing last fall,” Patrick said. “This is not going to be a problem.”

Dozens of residents showed up to support the permit, saying they deserved to profit from their mineral rights.

“Who does the city really care about? Do they care about the stadium? Do they care about the Cowboys?” resident Jack Malone said. “What about the landowners that need this money? We are living in hard economic times. Every dollar counts.”

But numerous residents spoke in opposition.

“Natural gas isn’t as safe as some people think it is,” Harriett Irby said. “Does polluted air have a cost? You bet it does.”

Councilwoman Lana Wolff cast the lone no vote.

Traffic concerns

When the council approved Chesapeake’s permit for the Truman site in June, it stipulated in writing that the driller’s heavy trucks must use Collins Street, not residential streets.

But in early March, council members instructed Chesapeake to go back to the Planning and Zoning Commission to amend the permit application to delete the designated truck route.

City traffic engineers have also expressed concerns about the heavy trucks making left-hand turns across multiple lanes of Collins Street.

Up to 12 wells are planned for the Truman site, which would access minerals for about 1,200 property owners, Chesapeake representative Tony Rutigliano said Tuesday. Mount Olive Baptist Church is one of the largest beneficiaries, and the city leased mineral rights for about 50 acres, including the water tower and some rights of way.

This report includes material from the Star-Telegram archives.

Susan Schrock, 817-390-7639