On-Line Petition for More & Better Disc Golf

[bettercounsel]

I have created an on-line petition for more and better disc golf in Houston. I ask that everyone that sees this post sign the petition and also take steps to promote the petition to everyone that you can.
www.thepetitionsite.com/1/bring-more-and-better-disc-golf-courses-to-Houston

Also, see attached a written version of the petition. I ask that people print out copies and have your friends and family members sign as well as take it to the courses and get players at the courses to sign. You may mail completed copies of the petitions to Richard Fason, 1302 Waugh PMB 113, Houston, Texas 77019. Once we have a significant number of written and on-line petition signatures, city council and county commissioners court and other local officials will be requested to support the effort for more and better disc golf courses in Houston.

"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."-Galandriel, The Fellowship of the Ring.

[derek]

Thanks Richard. I hope everyone signs this so we can get the attention of HPARD and get moving on the many proposals we have put our effort into.

[bettercounsel]

I wanted to report the progress of of the petition drive. On Saturday and Sunday, I obtained 40 signatures on the paper petition at MacGregor and Agnes Moffitt. I spent a total of 6 hours. Break it down however you want, either 20 signatures per day or one signature every 9 minutes.

I also posted a paper petition on the clip board at MacGregor if anyone wants to go down and sign that petition. I also intend to bring a petition to the Mozola League tonight.

Last I checked on the on-line petition, we had 21 signatures in two days.

I contend that you can sign the paper petition and the on-line petition both, and it is not cheating as we shall keep track so as not to improperly inflate the total numbers. Internet petition signatures has value independent of the paper petition because it shows "crossing the digital divide" cyber-strength.

[bettercounsel]

Thanks to Marcelina Guerrero of the Peter Brown for Mayor Campaign for their support of disc golf, see below:

From: Peter Brown Campaign Team
Date: Thu, May 14, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Subject: Re: Your City, Your Platform
To: Richard Fason

Hey Richard,

Thanks for your comment. As you know, Peter is a big advocate on the city's parks playing a role in our quality of life. Peter is also a fan of frisbee golf. I have forwarded him your message and will let you know if he chooses to sign the petition. I, myself have gone to sign it as I love a good game of frisbee golf. Thanks again for your inquiry.

Best Regards,
Marcelina Guerrero

[Smokin' Joe]

Here's to hopin' it's sincere and not a plug for a vote.

[Miller]

Originally Posted by Smokin' Joe

Here's to hopin' it's sincere and not a plug for a vote.

I don't mind the plug as long as it follows through and leads to more courses.

[bettercounsel]

It was pointed out to me that there was a misspelling of 'Hermann' in the prior petition that I posted. See attached a petition with Hermann spelled correctly.

[bettercounsel]

I just checked the on-line petition and we are up to 98. I estimate that we have approximately 300 paper petition signatures. This is in just 11 days. I wrote an email to Mayor White as follows:

"Dear Honorable Mayor Bill White:

My name is Richard Fason, and I am a native Houstonian and an attorney that has practiced law in Houston for 12 years. Despite having a volume commercial civil litigation law practice, I play disc golf, also known as frisbee golf, approximately 2-3 times per week, when I can. Disc Golf is a great stress reliever and good exercise, with an 18 hole round of disc golf burning approximately 700 calories over two hours. I am writing to you to inform you about concerns that disc golfers in Houston have about what has been happening to the quality and quantity of disc golf courses in Houston and to inform you about the currently active on-line and paper petition drives for more and better disc golf courses in Houston. Even though disc golf, as an individual sport, has been growing at least 15% per year for the last 20 years, the disc golf courses on City of Houston park space have diminished in both quantity and quality over the past 10 years. A number of disc golf courses that were installed under Mayor Brown's administration have fallen into disrepair, have shrunk in size and/or been removed completely.

There is an online petition for more and better disc golf courses at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/bri...ses-to-Houston
. The response by residents and visitors to this petition effort in the short amount of time that the on-line and paper petition drive has been implemented shows tremendous interest and enthusiasm in improving disc golf courses in Houston. I urge you to review the on-line petition and the comments made by those that have signed it. In addition, hundreds of people have signed the paper petition in the 11 days that the petition drive has been implemented.

Specifically, The Jim Mozola Memorial Disc Golf Course has shrunken in size and quality due to the installation of the Lee and Joe Jamail Skate Park in Buffalo Bayou Park. The skate park was installed directly onto the fairway of hole number one and required a post hoc redesign of three of the holes on the course, decreasing the quality of the course. Currently, there are additional development plans along Buffalo Bayou by the City of which the disc golf community has been advised will further shrink the course and deteriorate the quality of the course. The disc golf community in Houston does not know the specifics of this Buffalo Bayou development but have been told it will likely have a negative impact on three more of the holes on the course.

The oldest local club of disc sports enthusiasts, the Houston Flying Disc Society, has submitted a proposal to the Houston Parks and Rec. Department for a redesign and expansion of the Jim Mozola Memorial Disc Golf Course to a 12 hole course, to be privately funded and to use equipment already in the Houston Parks and Rec. inventory. Under this proposal, the Houston Flying Disc Society would provide the labor and purchase any additional equipment and materials to implement this expansion proposal. Further, the Houston Flying Disc Society has proposed installation of a nine hole disc golf course in Eleanor Tinsley Park, to use equipment the city already has in storage with labor provided by volunteers and any additional materials and equipment to be privately funded.

With regard to The Agnes Moffitt Disc Golf Course, it was recently announced that a soccer field would be installed on the course, causing removal of 1-2 of the holes from the course. This is disconcerting, since this is one of the most popular courses in the City and it has been reported is where 500 to 700 people play a round of disc golf per week. As an aside, The Houston Flying Disc Society is currently proposing to the Houston Parks and Rec. Department for installation of concrete tee boxes because the currently existing tee boxes are eroded, rutted and poorly maintained. This installation of the concrete tee boxes would be privately funded.

With regard to the MacGregor Park Disc Golf Course, the Houston Flying Disc Society is proposing to the City that concrete tee boxes be installed in the course, for the same reasons as installation of concrete tee boxes at the Agnes Moffitt Disc Golf Course. This proposal would also be private funded, by a local businessman. However, part of the timing for the private donation is the charitable deduction on taxes and there is need for such approval of this proposal and the donation to be made before June 15, 2009. Thus, there is a need for the City to act quickly to receive this benefit from the private donor.

Further, as indicated on the petition, there is a desire for the City to consider installation of disc golf courses in Memorial and Hermann Parks. Experienced disc golf course designers are currently preparing designs for installation of courses at these parks. In addition, the T.C. Jester Disc Golf Course is also a popular course in Houston and there also exists a proposal to expand this 9 hole course to an 18 hole course, and it is expected that such a proposal shall be presented to the Houston Parks and Rec. Department within the next 60 days.

I wanted to bring these issues to your attention as a concern of residents and visitors to Houston. I believe that the City of Houston and the local disc golf community in Houston can contribute to the quality of life of Houstonians of all backgrounds by supporting and promoting this environmentally sound and family friendly sport that has a tremendous cost-benefit ratio for the city and its residents. Further, local business can benefit financially from the disc golf tourism dollars that improvements to the City's disc golf courses will bring. I thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,


Richard Fason
1302 Waugh PMB #113
Houston, Texas 77019
cell 713-876-5855
office 713-222-0351"

[bettercounsel]

See attached the zip file of the word document that has the correct mailing address to send the petitions: Richard Fason 1302 Waugh Drive PMB 113, Houston, Texas 77019.

The other petition I posted had wrong street number for Waugh.

[bettercounsel]

See attached petition with correct mailing address:

Originally Posted by bettercounsel

See attached the zip file of the word document that has the correct mailing address to send the petitions: Richard Fason 1302 Waugh Drive PMB 113, Houston, Texas 77019.

The other petition I posted had wrong street number for Waugh.