Tarrant Regional Water District

Three incumbents and one challenger are vying for three seats on the Tarrant Regional Water District, a big change from two years ago when 13 candidates vied for two vacancies.

President Vic Henderson, Vice President Hal Sparks and Secretary Jack Stevens -- with 47 years of combined experience -- are being challenged by John Basham, a consulting meteorologist in Fort Worth. Members serve four-year terms and are paid up to $7,200 a year.

The district's primary function over the years has been to provide water and flood control in its areas, to enhance recreational benefits for residents, and to preserve and protect the environment. It sells raw, untreated water to the Trinity River Authority and about 40 cities including Arlington, Fort Worth and Mansfield, which in turn sell the water to other municipalities.

In recent years, the board has attracted attention for its involvement in the Trinity Uptown project. Billed as a flood-control project, Trinity Uptown calls for creation of a Town Lake and a Trinity River bypass channel in near north Fort Worth. A recommendation has been made to expand it by about 1,000 acres to include Gateway Park on the city's east side. The estimated cost is $576 million.

Name: John Basham

Age: 37

City: Fort Worth

Occupation: Consulting meteorologist

Online: www.johnbasham.com

Background: Basham has worked as a meteorologist for several radio and TV stations in Texas. He provides what he calls "micro-forecasting" for entities like the crash crews that work at the Texas Motor Speedway. He also works with emergency management agencies and schools on severe weather.

About the candidate: Basham is making his first bid for public office in Tarrant County. He has worked as a police officer and is a Texas Army National Guard combat medic. Basham opposes the Trinity Uptown project and believes that it can be redesigned to eliminate cost overruns and to prevent taking anyone's property. He also is campaigning for more transparency by the board in its operations.

Name: Vic Henderson (incumbent)

Age: 70

City: Fort Worth

Occupation: Independent producer, petroleum engineer

Online: none

Background: A graduate of Texas Tech University, Henderson has owned his own firm, Texas Consolidated Petro Corp., for 23 years. He has served continuously on the water district's oil and gas committee since joining the board in 1985.

About the candidate: Henderson, the board's longest-serving member, has served on the board during its lean times. He has closely monitored the negotiations of many of the district's gas leases. Money from those leases has been used to buy land for the Trinity Uptown project. Henderson was also actively involved in reaching out to the community to raise money to buy the 400 acres for the Eagle Mountain Park.

Name: Hal Sparks (incumbent)

Age: 67

City: Fort Worth

Occupation: Lawyer

Online: none

Background: Sparks, a Fort Worth native, is an estate planning and probate lawyer. He has been in private practice since graduating from the University of Texas law school in 1967.

About the candidate: Sparks has served on the board since 1988, and he once lived at Eagle Mountain Lake. He initially represented people having trouble with some of the rules governing the lake, a reservoir the water district owns. He also helped form Save Eagle Mountain Lake in 1985.

Name: Jack Stevens (incumbent)

Age: 64

City: Azle

Occupation: Retired Vought engineer and consulting engineer for the Navy

Online: none

Background: Stevens has a degree in mathematics from the University of Texas at Arlington His area of expertise is landing gear. He worked on the F-3 Viking at Vought.

About the candidate: Stevens was first elected to the board in 2004. He lives near Eagle Mountain Lake, and residents there said they wanted someone representing their interests on the board. Stevens said he is proud of the district's accomplishments, including the new Eagle Mountain pipeline and the wetlands projects.