Mar 2, 2006 3:15 pm US/Central
Rep. Granger's Son To Run Trinity Uptown
FORT WORTH (AP) ―
The son of the congresswoman who championed a $435 million redevelopment and flood control project has been hired to oversee it.
J.D. Granger, whose mother is U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, will earn $110,000 a year and start work Monday at the Tarrant Regional Water District, said Jim Oliver, general manager of the district, which is spearheading the project.
J.D. Granger, 36, an assistant Tarrant County district attorney for eight years, also has worked in various volunteer roles during planning for the Trinity Uptown project, Oliver said.
"If he was a Smith or a Jones, I would have hired him," Oliver said.
Former City Councilman Clyde Picht, who has long questioned aspects of the project and is running for the water district board, said J.D. Granger's appointment is "asking for criticism" and that his knowledge of water district issues is "certainly more limited than most people."
The project involves rerouting the Trinity River through north Fort Worth to promote economic development and increase flood protection. Part of the plan, which uses federal and local money, creates an urban waterfront with residential, commercial and recreational features.
J.D. Granger's salary will come from water district funds, not federal money that Kay Granger is securing, Oliver told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Those funds do not come directly to the water district, he said.
Kay Granger did not immediately return a call to The Associated Press seeking comment Thursday.
Oliver said he realized that hiring the congresswoman's son "would probably raise some eyebrows" but felt J.D. Granger was right for the job because of his familiarity and expertise on many facets of the project. Oliver said he thought about several possible candidates but did not conduct a job search.
J.D. Granger said he's been working on the project "since it was just a vision, back in 1999."
"I bet I know about as much as any single person out there who's not been paid to participate in this," he said. "I know it inside and out, so there's not going to be any lag time."
He said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected to give final project approval in two weeks. He said he expects one of his first roles to be working with landowners whose property is needed for construction.
J.D. Granger said he considered running for the water district board when he was approached about working for the district.
He said his mother's involvement at the federal level strengthens his knowledge of the plan. And he said he will try to ensure that the federal price tag "doesn't get any higher."
County Commissioner Roy Brooks said he believes that J.D. Granger will do a good job but said "some people might not agree with me that there's no conflict of interest.
(© 2006 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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