(rshsdepot) Cleburne, TX

[Bernie Wagenblast <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

Depot talk frank & heated

By: Rob Fraser, Cleburne Times-Review WriterFebruary 14, 2002

A dozen members of the Johnson County Historical Commission voted to retain
what building was left of the Trinity & Brazos Valley Railroad Depot,
according to Wanda Erickson, commission archivist.
There are about 100 JCHC members, she said. The vote took place at a Jan. 28
meeting with 12 members present.
She said she was addressing the council as a Cleburne resident and a member
of the JCHC.
The historic preservation of this property is recommended by the JCHC as it
was previously by the Texas Historic Commission.
In the absence of a city historic commission, time should be allowed to
explore, devise and implement a preservation plan by the local county and
the state historic commissions.
Demolition or abatement of this structure without proper and sufficient
review by qualified and archeological preservation experts may affect the
city's ability to obtain certain grants for future projects.
She said the depot is found to be:
"Significant" on the Johnson County Register of Historic Places and Objects.
Eligible for a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and/or a subject marker
site.
In a Texas Historic Commission recommended National Register of Historic
Places District.
In or adjacent to the city's Designated Main Street Program District.
The last remaining portion of any railroad depot structure in Cleburne.
Last portion of a previous Texas State Archeological Landmark Building.
Erickson said though the Trinity & Brazos Valley Railroad didn't last long
it "was an interesting experiment."
She said she knew each council member would "have to deal with their own
conscience" on this issue. "Each of you do a lot of work for no pay and
sometimes you don't get the appreciation you deserve."
She also said she didn't believe the mayor got the respect he deserved.
She told the mayor "we would like to have your help" and asked the council
to reconsider "and think about this some more."
Erickson said, "All we want to do is wait awhile. It's been there a long
time."
Hazlewood said since the mid-80s "there have been a lot of promises made
(about the structure) and a lot of promises unkept and a lot of other
things. This got real out of hand."
He said, "If you need to sell this (the idea about saving the depot) to
somebody it's the 4-B committee. The city is a separate corporation."
He said, the 4-B committee is going to build a railroad museum.
He said Dan Roberts, the owner of the structure, could go down to the
courthouse and get a temporary restraining order "but that hasn't happened."
Roberts has said earlier he doesn't feel he wants to spend the money it
would take to obtain a TRO.
Hazlewood said he has "made several mistakes on this one."
"I tried to get things done. They haven't come to pass and we had a
potential opportunity where outside individuals from this community and from
a railroad group were interested in trying to do something on Friday, Feb.
1. And the building was set for demolition on Monday, Feb. 3."
He said he "probably made a mistake delaying it (the demolition order)
trying to find some ground so someone can talk and come to reason. And I
made a mistake. It didn't do any good and it caused a lot of misery to the
people in the city" and upset a lot of other people.
Erickson said she didn't think Hazlewood made that many mistakes in trying
to delay and that he had "influence over" the board and they are looking to
the city for guidance and leadership.
She said she felt since after a fire and after a tornado "maybe God wants it
to stay. You might think about that."
Hazlewood said he "overstepped my bounds and called Mr. Nolen (City Manager
Chester Nolen) and got his tail in a really bad place. Two council people
are really mad at him and I want everybody in this room to know it was my
fault because I tried to do what was best for Cleburne and it didn't work."
Railroad buff Shane Hopkins, who is also a trustee for the Santa Fe #3417
Historical Foundation, told the council there will be no recall and there
will be no referendum but suggested a committee be appointed promptly to
update a part of the city charter that hasn't been updated since 1950.
He said, "Let that issue be dead."
Hopkins said he was calling for a recall election for Hazlewood and two
council members, John Warren and Earl Horton on Saturday, Feb. 2, the day
after the depot demolition was delayed.
Changes in the law by the legislature and a charter that did not include
single member districts precluded a recall for Hazlewood and Warren in the
upcoming May election.
Hopkins then said he would seek to have a referendum placed on the ballot to
limit terms of office and to make it effective immediately if it was passed
by voters. He also found out there were problems implementing that plan.
Hopkins said the city has proven it "has control" over the demolition "when
at five minutes to five on Feb. 1 you stopped it."
He said, "We don't always agree. I don't like all of you and I know that
some of ya'll don't like me and that's OK because that's what makes
democracy work."
He said he cared about Cleburne and "Cleburne is my holy spot...and not the
depot down here."
He said, "That's me speaking as an individual and now I am going to address
you as a member of the 3417 Historical Foundation."
He told the council they would like to have an equitable way out. "We would
like an equitable way out down the road. We have worked with the 4-B (board)
and we will continue to work with the 4-B for the presentation of the
working railroad museum, which is our part of the project and is why we sat
on the committee."
Hopkins stressed the foundation does not have a problem with any member of
the 4-B Board.
He said he asked for an open records request concerning the company or
people interested in the depot. "That's not been disclosed to me" and he
made a verbal request for the information.
He said he was at the meeting to "officially request that this tedious
affair be brought to a close." He asked to be placed on the agenda for the
next council meeting.
Hopkins said the historical foundation is ready to enter into an agreement
with Dan Roberts "for control of the property, the site of the T&BV Depot."
This would allow them to begin searching for the grants so the commitments
for the donations, about $80,000 worth, from Cleburne businesses, to rebuild
the T&BV, "so we can move on."
Hopkins said 4-B can do what it wants.
He said the foundation made commitments to build a railroad museum "in this
town and that's what we are going to do. And we say the T&BV site is the
number one site to build that."
According to Hopkins the site is eligible for grants and is the "last
remaining depot site" in Cleburne.
He said the foundation hired a grant development team in December. "We want
to bring them in."
Hopkins said it was time "to get off the issue of tearing down the four
remaining walls."
He said the foundation will agree to a specified time limit and "we can all
step back and we can all breath easy a little bit now. We can get rid of
this contentiousness. Let us all move forward positively."
He said the foundation wanted time to work with the grant team.
Resident Alden Nellis asked the council and the 4-B Board, "which has no
sense of history," to look closely at this issue and to evaluate what is
there and what can be saved.
He said he knew this has "gone on and on forever" but the council "needed to
be mindful" of the personal tragedy that occurred with Dan Leach, the former
owner.
Nellis said negotiations must go on between the city, 4-B board and the
depot owner and supporters. "It may not be easy but you need to take into
account the historical value of the site and what remains. And the fact that
other people, like Mr. Roberts, have worked toward preserving that."
He suggested the city and board negotiate with Roberts "even though he is as
bull-headed as ya'll are to come up with some sort of way to preserve this
piece of history for Cleburne."
Hazlewood said, "You have unique perceptions."
Hopkins addressed the council again and said everyone "got a song and dance"
about not being able to delay the demolition and somehow it got done.
Hazlewood again said he made a mistake.
Hopkins said lets delay (the demolition) a little bit and "do the right
thing."
Hopkins he worked very hard for the passage of 4-B and has worked hard for
historical restoration.
Hazlewood suggested they meet with the 4-B Board.
Hopkins said, "We don't need to discuss it with the 4-B anymore because we
are moving on. If 4-B wants to come back down the road and say that's the
site they want to have the museum - that's fine."
He said, "We've promised, we've committed, we've wasted a year working for
the tax (4-B), we're going ahead and build a museum."
Hazlewood said he didn't feel they wasted a year, "it's one of the best
things that happened."
Hazlewood said, "Actually, to be honest, if they hadn't passed the 4-B I
wasn't intending to run for mayor next time."
Hopkins said, "I wish you wouldn't (run for mayor). You're the worst thing
that has happened to Cleburne as far as I'm concerned."
Hazlewood said he wouldn't take personal comments like that.
After the meeting Horton and Hopkins got into a heated argument and the pair
were immediately surrounded by city officials.

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