"Campbell Leaders Smarter than Youngstown"

[Rick Rowlands]

I agree.  They will eventually come around once its shown that the fears surrounding drilling for gas are unfounded.  Meanwhile, Youngstown residents should watch this:  http://www.truthlandmovie.com/

[Youngstownshrimp]

Dennis, I concur in your invoking of Murphy's law.  BP set a good example during the Gulf oil spill, they paid billions and still are to clean up the Gulf, even though they were pushed further away from the coast to drill for oil by regulation.  I have read Shell's , Hilcorp and CHK's leases, they have strong language of responsibility, the onus is on them for all accidents.
Rick,  hopefully the City will wake up since Campbell leased, and start leading for once.

[Rick Rowlands]

Well that is unfortunate.  The bonus would have paid up the taxes and put a new roof on the house. 

[irishbobcat]

I just hope the city fathers save some of the "fracking income" in the event they
have to clean-up and fix any environmental accidents when they occur.

[Youngstownshrimp]

Rick,
All I was told Friday was that "at this time Hilcorp is not leasing in Youngstown."  If you have not signed a lease, as of  yesterday then I believe this holds true.  As landowners amassed and exchanged data and discussion, we learned to project and rationalize.  IMO, as we informed the Energy companies six months ago as they arrived in the Mahoning county, is that with 15,000 delinquent and abandoned parcels in the Mahoning, unless the new landbank begins performing, there is no economical way to get the parcels in a leasing state.  With the pipelines and wells coming in the City and County,  Houston we have a problem.  We believe this is a statement to the Treasurer and the City that no serious lease offers will be on the table until someone becomes a leader.
Sadly, property taxes have been rolling in on thousands of parcels when mineral rights were leased and the land became productive.  Not to mention that royalties would insure the servicing of all property taxes for 30 to 50 years.  One example is the defunct Church "Love and Unity" which had over 100 parcels delinquent and dormant for 40 years became current in their property taxes.  Another example is two 20 plus acreage tracts in the eastside is now taxpaying.  Your museum neighbor is also current and many more.  Until the City and Treasurer implements the landbank and leadership, Youngstown is surrounded by leases and maybe bypassed until Youngstown is defunded and educated leaders arrive.  To me this is a slap in the face as our leaders continue to do nothing.  Poor taxpaying landowners in Youngstown now no longer can rent out their mineral rights.  While the suburbs and rural areas are buying new cars, tractors and infusing cash into their areas.
Youngstown sits atop and in the middle of the most valuable wet gas in the Utica, but the brains have drained from the core.  Lastly, all this demolition needed in Youngstown, could have been paid for by the leasing of the minerals, but no............we want a grant and the taxpayers to pay for it.

[Rick Rowlands]

Does that mean I'm not going to be able to lease my property on Lansdowne now?

[Youngstownshrimp]

Yes, Campbell did the right thing today and leased what they could to Hilcorp out of Texas.  This move will allow most in Campbell to follow their leaders and receive passive income for many years.  This income will more than pay for their property taxes, whether against of for fracking.  Campbell will see prosperity faster than Youngstown.
In Youngstown, the leaders just did nothing on the opportunity to lead its citizens to lease even as Mahoning county commanded the highest bonus payments and royalties in the Utica wet gas zone.  The unqualified leaders could not even relate V&M 's pipe business directly to more revenue from mineral rights which would easily service all the delinquent taxes in the City limits.  So as the City did nothing and the new landbank has more meetings than the White house, Hilcorp says "No Gas for you!" and has terminated all leasing in Youngstown.  What a bunch of losers.