Replies

Guys and Gals, before this thread goes any further, I emailed Kent Cagle and got this response back this morning. Now I don't know who's lying and who ain't. Either we have a lying Reporter or we have a lying Politician. We have bevy's of both in the real world so it's hard to say. But here was Kent's response.

Don't believe everything you read in the paper. I have copied a reply
that I have sent earlier because I have received so many responses.

I too was very upset with the article. My wife said it made me sound
evil and I agree. I can only say that when you have the power as a
reporter to cut and paste words you can make people say anything. I
did say Mrs. Hodge was stupid for acting as her own attorney, but it
was in a totally different context. The reporter forgot to say that
we have had numerous discussions with Mrs. Hodge and how we begged her
to get professional advice. The reporter forgot to mention that the
Hodges are planning on moving and have been looking for a "country
estate" for two years. The reporter forgot to mention that
Wintergreen Road will expand and the road will be 12 feet from their
front door. The Hodges will then have the ability to sue us for
rendering their property unusable.

The reporter said she did not understand condemnation and I explained
the process to her. That is how she came up with the "they don't have
the option to say no" quote. I was speaking in general terms in an
explanation of the process. When property is condemned, the owner
does not have the right to say no. That is all I was saying. I did
say it was stupid to turn down $653,000 on a piece of property that
was bought for $110,000 only ten years ago. I did say it was stupid
to hold onto property that will only diminish in value when it is
blocked off from the surrounding development. Would you want to live
on a piece of property with a four lane road 12 feet from your front
door? The back and side yard will be a busy parking lot. Mrs. Hodge
is simply playing a game and thinks she can force the City to pay $2
million dollars for her property.

I am embarrassed about the article and the way it makes Duncanville
look. It is my fault that I spoke frankly with a reporter that had
been very trustworthy in the past. The reporter took some very
isolated quotes out of a 15 minute conversation. She described Mrs.
Hodge in the most disparaging terms and called her a weepy stupid
woman. I was obviously set up and it is my fault for not sensing what
was happening.

Thank you for your correspondence and I hope you understand that this
issue is much more complicated than the paper would lead you to
believe.

Kent Cagle