Don Washburn

Topic: Study of the book of Philippians Teachers: Roy Shrode, Don Washburn

Don Washburn

"Most of the things happening on the road have been done by owners out there," said Don Washburn of Onda-Lay.
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Still, Washburn said, something needs to be done.

"It feels like the city doesn't care about us at all," said Washburn, a former councilman.

Don Washburn of Onda-Lay Pipe said he believes the votes are there to fix the road.Such a step by the City Council, he said, will help make up for the months when neither side handled it right.Industrial Avenue, he said, benefits the city, and working out a solution to fix it solves a safety issue and avoids any anti-business sentiment coming from City Hall.

Representatives along that stretch of Industrial met earlier this month to discuss its options.One option was forming an association and raising approximately $10,000, the amount they believe will be needed to fill the pot holes and patch the road.During the meeting, Washburn had said the city had agreed to repay the association for its expenses in making these repairs.

Repaving the road could cost between $600,000 and $1 million, Washburn said at that Sept. 2 meeting.

"I hope we get to some resolution," Washburn said.

Don Washburn of Onda-Lay Pipe said he is pleased the city has decided to proceed with repairs to the numerous potholes along Industrial Avenue, but he does not consider future annexation as an acceptable long-term solution to the deterioration there.

"We don't take city water," he said."We don't require city services.We have provided money to the city for years and there's no logical reason for annexation.Their reason is they want (the city's boundaries) to be a pretty, geometrical shape and that's a stupid reason.I want a real reason, and not just them extorting tax money because they can."

Washburn said the city wants business owners to pay for the road, and that he and other business owners around Industrial Avenue would be willing to work out an arrangement where they would chip in on the cost of fully repairing the road.But he said he is not interested in paying for the road and then having it annexed by the city at a later date.

"The only thing that businesses can do out here is find someone to run for City Council and get it back to a more pro-business stance than we have now, and we're working on that right now," Washburn said.

Washburn, a former City Council member, said he is considering running for the City Council himself.He said he is not interested in returning to office, but he feels it may be necessary.

Don Washburn, of Onda-Lay Pipe, has repeatedly requested that the city do something to address the hazardous potholes that frequently form along Industrial Avenue following inclement weather, which he has said could cause a major accident involving the large trucks that travel along the road en route to companies in the Midland Industrial Park.

City officials have responded that the street belongs to the Union Pacific Railroad Company and is outside their jurisdiction.Railroad officials have denied this claim, arguing that ownership was transferred to the city decades ago, but have been unable to produce the documents to substantiate their position that the city should be responsible for maintenance.

As a short-term solution to the situation city staff have patched some of the potholes as they appear, but with ownership of the street still in legal limbo the city has not agreed to pay the estimated $600,000 to $1 million needed to repave the road.At-large City Councilman Bill Dingus has previously suggested that annexation of properties in the area would allow the city to move forward, while Washburn has expressed opposition to this proposal.
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Washburn and other property owners in the window pane regions could not be reached for comment regarding whether or not they would be willing to sign on to an agreement for payment in lieu of taxes.

Don Washburn

Don and his wife, Juanda have been married for 25 years and have two kids: Kendyl (21) and Kyle (19). Don is the CFO at Onda-Lay Pipe & Rental, Inc. and a CPA. They have been attending