Pelly Park Pump-Jack Revisited

I wish I knew who to thank for making this pump-jack safe again, but I was there today and the fence, albeit old and rusty for the most part, is back up and secured.  Thank you!

Camera, adventurer combine to make a local super hero

Posted: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 8:11 pm

By Jane Howard Lee

I need to find a Superman cape and give it to Bert Marshal.

Baytown Bert seems to be making a difference around his dear city, and I want to thank him for that. And I think he’d look good in a super hero cape. I doubt he’d wear tights with it though but that’s OK. Tights wouldn’t be practical to wear on his wanderings.

Bert, who maintains several websites dedicated primarily to Baytown’s sights and history, is fond of wandering around solo with a camera in hand. He calls himself a lone wolf, but I don’t think he is quite that. He’s got lots of friends and admirers, and on his blogs he talks a lot about going off on adventures with a couple of friends, their kids and, well, enough folks to make it more like a wolf pack than a lone wolf.

Bert loves photography, photojournalism, geocaching and wandering. His wanderings sometimes lead him to see things that not too many people see.

His ability to really look at and really see things makes him more likely to notice problems and unpleasant things. Bert, being Bert, isn’t one to just say, “Well, darn, that was an unpleasant thing to see.”

No, Bert, being Bert, spreads the word and works on getting the unpleasantness removed. He has learned how best to spread the word and how to get a reaction from spreading the word and how to politely approach officials and usually follows the philosophy of getting more bees with honey.

Here are a couple of examples.

Bert has been sending me some photos and information about some problem areas in Baytown. They are areas that he wandered around or through on his wanderings or places that someone told him about, perhaps mentioning problems there and Bert made it a point to wander that way. Bert probably hoped that I would write something about these problems spots and maybe get something done about them and I would have, I swear, but Bert tends to get the job done before I can find time to get on it.

One of the most recent locations to earn Bert’s attention is a spot on Wismer Road.

Bert sent me some e-mails that were copies of missives he sent to appropriate city officials. He sent photos, information, documentation and, having these well-read blogs on his websites and by sending copies of the e-mails to people whose names were then listed on the e-mails as having received copies, let it be known to whoever was interested that they (the city officials) were not the only ones aware of the problem. Of course, that means people knew their reactions would be observed.

City officials jumped in and investigated though I am sure they would have done so even if they hadn’t had that overwhelming sense of being watched.

They said the nasty site looked a lot worse than it was ... no chemicals, no leaky stuff, no health hazards other than a mosquito-breeding murky ugly, somewhat trashy bit of land and water.

A beaver dam created part of the problem, they said, and that was quickly removed and the beavers urged to relocate. The water flowed again.

Well, that nasty, nasty looking spot out on Wismer Road has now been cleaned up. Bert sent round an e-mail applauding the city’s quick action to accomplish that and posted before and after photos.

He applauds the city, but I’ve got to throw in some clapping for Bert.

Friend Bert also has tackled what appeared to be some very poor drainage at the Baytown Bark Park and a situation in Pelly Park on Main Street where a rusty, dilapidated pump jack poses a hazard (once fenced to keep kids out, that fence is down and just made for more metal for someone to trip on or get hurt on) and is an eyesore to say the least.

With Bert on the case, that situation is bound to change.

So thanks to Bert, who is a great community watch dog, and I think he should add that term to that list he uses to describe himself (I had to look up philomath, Bert) on his web pages and blogs.

Good job, Bert, from your fellow philomath friend.

You can visit Baytown Bert’s websites at http://BaytownBert.us, http://OurBaytown.com and at http://baytownbert.blogspot.com.

 Jane Howard Lee is a reporter at the Baytown Sun.

* Giant Superman compliments of Barbara Pugh (friend of BB and uber-trickster)

Pelly Park on Main Street Pump Jack updater 8-17-2010

This old pump jack sets right in Pelly Park and is a safety hazard to children.  I've asked the city to take action to have it fenced off properly, secured and/or removed as soon as possible.

Pelly Park on Main Street Pump Jack

I was in Pelly Park on Main Street the other day and there is a derelict pump jack in this park that I suspect is a safety hazard. It is partially dismantled, the fence is down and I am assuming it would be a magnet for an accident. What can be done to get this thing removed and who is the responsible party?

I have no idea how this pump jack could have missed the attention of our city councilman and staff.  I have appealed to City Councilman Scott Sheley and the city officials for rectification.

First reply:
Bert, Thanks for raising the concern. This oil field equipment which is on private property falls under primary regulation by the Texas Railroad Commission. Oil field regulations are coordinated by Fire Marshal Bernard Olive. We have asked Chief Olive to check the site and coordinate with the RRC to get it properly secured or preferably removed and cleaned up. We have also involved our Health Department from a care-of-premises/safety perspective. We will keep you apprised of our progress.  Thanks again.

Bob Leiper
Deputy City Manager
City of Baytown, TX

Second reply:
Bert thanks for reporting this to us, citizens like yourself help us catch things like this. I take pride in my district and OUR wonderful community. It's people like you who care though that report things that make it happen that much faster. Your closing line is harsh Bert and I want you to know that I can't see and do all things but when citizens help me I welcome their help and usually get it reported immediately, thanks for the concern about the safety issue.
Scott Sheley
Councilman District 2