Dear Editor,

This letter is in regards to the renaming of Blanco Avenue to Ron Houston Avenue.

First of all, I wish to make it clear that my family and I feel that Ron Houston should be remembered for his friendliness and concern for Blanco’s well-being. Ron’s generosity with his time and effort supporting events and addressing issues in Blanco is well-known. He will be missed and should be remembered with respect, but not by renaming a street after him. I feel Ron would not want this type of attention and I am sure he would understand and resent the issues this action creates.

Ron was business-minded enough to know how changing a street name would affect the operations of existing companies in both time and money. He was the kind of man who would not wish to impose this type of undertaking on anyone.

We own six companies on Blanco Avenue, which have operated for many years (Aqua Treatment Services, Happy Trails Metalcraft, Aqua Power Cutting, Inc., Additional Storage, Funky Glass Company, and Tatt’s - Me Tattoo Studio). An address change would be a tremendous undertaking in both time and money.

Here are some issues a business would have to deal with:

• Business cards and stationery

• Insurance

• Customers and suppliers

• Government licenses

• Websites

• Government contracts applied for

• Telephone book ads

• Maps and GPS location

• Business Contacts

• Texas Health Department for Tattoo Studio

• And the list goes on!

Any business person can identify with the hardship, in money and time, this name change will cause. I feel that ‘Mayor Pro Tem’ Mr. Bobby McClung said it best when I asked him what a change of address would do to his business and I quote, “I don’t even want to go there.”

A reality check to this street renaming project is that our city council and city office never contacted us about the project until after it had been voted on and passed. In fact, it had already passed before it was voted on or they would not have asked Mrs. Houston to attend the January 12, 2010, Council Meeting.

We are tax payers and feel that we deserve some consideration. This is a democracy we live in, but it seems our city council sees it differently. This project and the way it was accomplished set a dangerous precedent for all citizens of Blanco.

Ron Houston deserves recognition but let’s look at options having less impact on businesses and taxpayers of Blanco.

Please, come to the February 9, 2010, City Council meeting and speak out about stopping the renaming of Blanco Avenue.

Also, please sign the petition going around in regard to this topic.

Thank you,

The Millards

Blanco, TX