WFAA-TV

The Warrant Roundup flyer was in everyone's water bill.

HALTOM CITY — Eddie Ashcroft couldn't quite believe what was enclosed with his latest Haltom City water bill: a threat.

"It says you're going to be arrested in your home," Ashcroft said. "That could scare older people."

The flyer, titled "Warrant Roundup," went on to say: "This court has reported you to the Texas Department of Public Safety," adding that the recipient will be arrested "wherever we may find you."

"I picked up the phone and called," Ashcroft said, and that's when he learned that he wasn't alone.

The Warrant Roundup flyer was in everyone's water bill.

But in reality, most Haltom City water users have no warrants against them and they're not in imminent danger of arrest.

"We apologize for that," said City Manager Tom Muir. He explained that staffers merely wanted to let everyone in the city know about a warrant roundup next month.

The wording in the flyer was approved by Haltom City Municipal Court Manager Melissa Pace. She said she thought citizens without warrants would be savvy enough to ignore the warning message.

In retrospect, Pace admitted that the way the flyer was presented was a mistake, but she said no one on her staff would be disciplined. "I'm comfortable with what I've done with it," she said. "I feel bad not only for them, but I feel bad for other city workers; I feel bad for my clerks."

The veteran court manager has already beaten herself up more than her boss—and the 3,000-plus customers who got the mailings—ever could.

Pace said this is one mistake she won't make again.

E-mail chawes@wfaa.com