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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMayor's Newsletter 10/95MAYOR'S e te C.0 n ws t s s� Greetings from Your Mayor Dear Citizens, The acorns are falling squirrels are gathering, football has begun so it must be fall. The won- derfully cool weather is so refreshing and com- munity activities are in full swing. IMW Our biggest news is the City Council has approved the construction of the Parks at Texas Star Athletic Complex and The Texas Star Golf Course. Ground breaking will be ovember 4 at 11:00 a.m. These are two momentous cts that will surely recognize Euless as a Star of Texas. October 1 was the beginning of our city's fiscal year which ended on September 30. The City Council has approved the budget, reduced the tax rate, and made plans for some one time projects including street and drainage projects and a new fire engine. Surely every citizen is watching our new library become a reality. Every day brings changes in the new structure and we anticipate completion in summer 1996. A Library Foundation has been chartered and each meeting we welcome new members. It's a great group of concerned citizens and you, too, are encouraged to join us. Please read the details about the Foundation Cookbook. October is Fire Prevention month and our Fire Department will be busy visiting schools, homeowners associations, senior citizens and others to educate our citi- zens about fire prevention, protection and smoke alarms. Please read the article on "Permits" included in this newsletter. Many citizens simply do not know why per- mits are necessary and what permits are needed. A public hearing was held in the council chambers on Friday, September 29 to discuss the Crime Sales Tax. After ,jKh discussion from Chief Gary McKamie, the Crime 4WBoard of Directors and the citizens, the directors a proved the motion to place the one quarter -cent sales tax proposition on the November 7 ballot Citizens will be able to decide whether to initiate the crime tax quarter -cent increase or not Please read all the details and make an educated vote on November 7. An election will be held (November 7) to replace the council seat held by former Councilman Boatright who passed away in September. Two candidates are vying for the position and we encourage all citizens to exercise their right to vote. Our Community Services Department is planning another fabulous Christmas Parade of Lights on December 2. If your club, activity or Neighborhood Association wants to participate, come and join in a grand opening celebration of the holidays. There is so much activity here in our city we hope you' will join in the excitement of BUILDING A BETTER TOMORROW for EULESS. cl�a� Y4 --L Mary Lib Saleh Mayor Tax We Decreased from $.6 16 to $.606 Approval for the 1996 budget is conclusive and Euless citizens should be pleased with the results. The 1996 budget will provide citizens with a lower tax rate and multiple economic development projects as a result of excellent planning by our city council. "Citywide, this was our best funding year for requested capital items," said Diana Ortiz, Finance Director. "Everyone agreed on items that needed to be purchased, like the new fire truck, which made our budget decisions easier." "As far as teamwork," Tom Hart, City Manager stated, "this council is a shining example of how working together achieves excellent results. And our citizens will benefit the most from these results." Also, the stabilizing coni on page 2 Staff Receives High Marks P. 3 The Texas Star Golf Course P. 4 (rime Tax Vote P.5 Smoke Detectors Save Lives P.1 Tax We cont. from pose 1 of our economy and continued economic development growth in Euless can be credited for the decrease in tax rates. The 1996 budget will decrease the tax rate from $.616 to $.606, which is based on a $100 valuation. The 1996 budget has been designed to provide Euless citizens with quality services without increasing taxes. There is a 4% increase in revenues from the 1995 budget to the 1996 budget as well as a 4% increase in expenditures. The new budget also allocated for numerous amenities that will benefit Euless residents and city officials. These amenities include restructur- ing all City Hall facilities to comply with the new state rules required by the American Disability Act. This entails remodeling reception counters, restroom facilities, entrances/exits, library reading tables and all signs in city buildings. In addition to new ADA facilities, the Public Works Department was rewarded with new allocated monies to improve citizens' water lines and sewage drainage. The Parks Department also received increased funding to continue maintenance of the city grounds and the free services Euless residents presently receive including Arbor Daze, Christmas Parade, library membership and adult education programs. To provide quicker services to residents with emergency requests, the Emergency Management System, Fire Department, and Police Department will receive new equipment. "In a city of 40,000, there are many needs and for the most part our General Fund meets those needs," Mayor Mary Lib Saleh said. "The 1995-96 tax year will give us the opportunity to provide some one time improvements and purchases," said Mayor Saleh, "and we will continue to keep our citizens informed of these items throughout the year. This is the third year for a balanced budget and we are proud of our staff and council." Euless is also still benefiting from the half -cent sales tax approved in 1993. This sales tax is funding the new library, the Parks at Texas Star Athletic Complex and other economic develop- ments that are prospering in Euless. 1lospltal g 0� fir. Co11e�e 2 0� page 2 Sales Tax 7.75% in HEB area. One Cent Sales Tax - required state tax Texas provides Euless with one cent of every dollar earned. Waif -cent tax- approved in 1993 by Euless citizens which dispenses a half -cent into the Euless budget This tax is providing funds for the new library, the Parks at Texas Star Athletic Complex and other economic develop- ments. These funds are placed in a separate account and expenditures are approved by the Euless Development Corporation and the City Council. Ad Valorem Tax- homeowners' tax The average homeowner pays less money in city taxes than it would cost to subscril to cable with HBO. Drainage Utility Tax Tax that provides Public Works Department with the means to work on drainage problems located in the city. Single family homes' rate is $2.50. • This information is utilized to determine the total tax liability of the average homeowner in the City of Euless. • The total overlapping debt for our citizens is $2.71 for the 1995 tax year, with the city's share at just under one fourth of the combined total. • The amount of the average residential tax assessed valuation is estimated at $75,572. Based on this average value, the total overlapping tax liability for 1995 is $2,046. ON Staff Receives kh Marks 6-exas Business magazine ranked Euless as the second best -run small city in Texas. Euless staffers were commended for their managerial efforts and providing Euless citizens with an excellent staff to work with. "Everyone on our staff goes the extra mile for our citizens," said Tom Hart, City Manager. "We really have a superior group of people who are diligently working to provide Euless citizens with the absolute best services." Texas Business developed a survey that was distributed to all Texas cities with populations over 20,000. The cities were broken down into three categories: large cities -250,000 or more; medium cities -50,000-250,000; and small cities -20,000-50,000. City management experts helped design the survey to receive the best possible answers summarizing the quality of service each city management delivers to their citizens. Dallas was ranked first in the large city category while Lubbock received the honors in the medium-sized cate- gory. Euless management was thrilled by the results and feel they have worked hard to attain this status. "The city council is proud to have our city recognized with such a distinguished honor," Mayor Mary Lib Saleh stated. "We know we have an outstanding staff but it's nice to know others think so too. Congratulations Staff." Oammunity Advisory Bodrd Surveys Euless Residents Members of the Community Advisory Board recently interviewed 70 Euless residents located in various areas of the city. The interviewees were diverse in income levels, as well as ethnic back- grounds, to ensure the response pool represented all of the city's residents. Ninety-three percent of the individuals polled stated they thought the city was held in high regard by citizens. Ninety percent of the individu- als concurred that Euless offers its citizens a high quality of life. More than half of the individuals stated they thought the Euless Police Department does an excellent job. Residents were pleased overall with Euless officials and staff but did request improved taste of water and continued improvement of streets. City officials are pleased with this positive feedback and will continue to deliver the best services possible. r INANU Diana Ortiz, Director of Finance, is one of 36 members of the Municipal Treasurers' Association of DIPVTOP the United States and Canada awarded the Association's Certified Municipal Finance I I Administrator credential. .DIANA OF Ortiz qualified for the award by meeting specified education and experience standards. She RECEIVES also had to demonstrate a strong knowledge of the field of public finance and illustrate exemplary per - AW A R D formance in the treasury management profession. page 3 The Texds Star Golf Course and Parks at Texas Star Athletic Complex Metroplex golfers better grab their clubs and tees! The Texas Star golf course will be under construction beginning November 1995. City officials have chosen Keith Foster Golf Design to design the golf course and Landscapes Unlimited will construct the course. Keith Foster Golf Design built The Quarry golf course in San Antonio, which is con- sidered one of the premiere golf courses in Texas. The Texas Star golf course will resemble The Quarry by being a premiere golf course that all golfers will desire to play. In addition to the beautiful landscape and design, creeks, stacked rock ponds and cascading tees will span the 7,000 yard, par 71 golf course. In conjunction with the golf course, the Texas Star will have a conference center that will pro- vide meeting rooms and dining facilities. These meeting rooms can host approximately 250 peo- ple which will attract business seminars, wedding receptions, and satisfy other entertainment needs. The golf course is estimated to encompass over 200 acres of land located off of Pipeline Road. In conjunction with the golf course, the Parks at Texas Star Athletic Complex is being constructed on the adjacent land, which will raise the total land coverage to approximately 300 acres. The Parks at Texas Star Athletic Complex will provide citizens with a luxurious athletic complex including baseball fields, batting cages, tee ball fields, soccer fields, in-line hockey facilities, a driving range, a sand volleyball court, an amphitheater and a clubhouse. The facility will also provide entertainment for non -athletes by provid- ing covered bleachers, a fishing pond and the walk of champions, where individuals can stroll and enjoy the ambience of the Parks / at Texas Star. The Texas Star Golf Course and Parks at Texas Star Athletic Complex will appeal to athletes nationwide. Ground -breaking ceremonies for the Texas Star Golf Course will be November 4,1995,11:00 am. Everyone is wel- come and encouraged to attend. For additional information, please call 685-1649 Euless library If you have not seen the construction of the new library, it is beginning to have the appear- ance of a unique building. Fifteen percent of the library is built while 75% of the parking lot is completed. Bo Bass, Deputy Director of Development, said that the library "should be completed in early June 1996. This project involves a campus -wide redevelopment with the library being the jewel." The library will connect each building by having its main entrance stretch from the sun dial Euless Welcomes Nein Eateries Pocket's Grill, located on Hwy 157 ne16 Euless Town Centre, is now open and serving an assortment of foods ranging from appetizers, to hamburgers and delicious lunch specials. Billiard tables and televisions are located in a separate room of the restaurant, which provides for an excellent entertainment area. Pocket's Grill is ideal for lunch or dinner and also for the after -five crowd wanting to relax after work. The restaurant portion of the Ramada Inn has been renovated and has re -opened as Murphy's 183 Grill. The restaurant has been completely renovated to include a full-service kitchen, eight televisions, two satellites and the capability to show six different events on-screen simultane- ously. Village Grill is anticipating opening in January 1996. Ground -breaking ceremonies were September 19,1995 and many city officials and citizens witnessed this event. Village Grill will have features like a 1950's diner and will be locat- ed at the east corner of Dock McGinnis Drive and Airport Freeway. *_� 1 -IMM' A - through Buildings A & B. The exterior of the library will have irrigated landscape with stone pathways lining the walk. The construction of Civic Drive, which winds through City Hall, should be completed with landscaped and lighted pathways in the near future. "The library will be a dynamic structure that will attract residents from the entire page 4 Northeast Tarrant County," Bass said. The design plans are on display in our pre- sent library and residents are encouraged visit. If you have any questions or comment , please contact 685-1482. Crime Tdx Vote Scheduled dor November 1995 An election is scheduled for November 7, 995, to allow citizens to voice their opinions erning a quarter -cent sales tax for crime con - and prevention. This quarter -cent crime sales tax will provide the police department with more police officers, new patrol cars, a new police facil- ity, crime scene equipment and other necessary equipment. Fort Worth began collecting its crime tax October 1,1995, and Hurst residents recently passed a half -cent crime tax. Numerous cities in Northeast Tarrant County are beginning to dis- cuss their own versions of a crime tax but Euless officials are already asking their residents' opin- ion regarding the tax. The crime tax will be collected only on pur- chases made in the city, so non-residents as well as residents who shop in Euless will be contribut- ing to the crime sales tax. If you need additional information concerning the crime sales tax, please call Chief Gary McKamie at 685-1500 or Sgt. Mike Brown at 685-1563. In addition to the crime tax, citizens will vote to fill Place 6 on the Euless City Council. This position was vacated by Henry Boatright, who recently passed away. There are two candidates running in the election, Kathleen L. (Matzke) Edwards and Leon Hogg. Ms. Edwards previous- ly served as chairperson of the Community Advisory Board and Mr. Hogg presently serves as chairperson of the Parks and Leisure Services Board. Blank application forms for ballot by mail may be obtained by calling Tarrant County Elections (817-884-1115). Completed applications for ballot by mail may be sent beginning September 8, but received no later than October 31, and mailed to: Robert Parten, Early Voting Clerk 100 West Weatherford P.O. Box 961011 EARLY VOTING DATES LOCATION OF POLLING PLACES ON ELECTION ON: Midway Recreation Cenler NAYeelbel' 7, 1915, EIecllee UK 7:00 30 - 7:001® October 18-20,1995 8:00 am- 5:00 pm Precincts 3216, 3389 and the portions of 3322, 3390 and 3457 that are in October 23-27,1995 8:00 am -5:00 pm the City of Euless limits and within the Grapevine-ColleyvilleISD will vote at - October 28,1995 29,1995 7:00 am - 7:00 ppm Bear Creek Elementary School, 401 Bear Creek Drive, Euless, TX 76039 tober 11:00 am - pm .30 -Nov 1, 1995 Covember 8:00 am -5:00 pm Precincts 3036, 3160, 3183, 3247, 3329, 3335, 3336, 3391, 3414, 3432, 2 - 3,1995 7:00 am - 7:00 pm 3511 and the portion of precinct 3457 that is within the City of Euless limits Early Voting by Mail and within the HEB ISD will vote A Midway Recreation Center, 300 West Midway Drive, Euless, TX 76039 Permits: When Do You Need One? Homeowners must obtain permits before any home construction begins, such as adding on additional rooms, storage sheds, or building a car- port. These permits are required by municipal, state and federal laws governing construction. Permits are the city's way of governing construc- tion to prevent unsafe occurrences. Several types of permits are provided, depending on the type of construction, including structural, plumbing, mechanical and combination, which is used for single-family home construction and other small projects. Permits are also required when installing a satellite dish or swimming pools. Satellite recep- tion dishes must be ground mounted only, have a keter of no more than ten feet, should be ed behind the main structure, and should be Contrarily, swimming pools must first attain the approval of site plans by Texas Utilities (TU). TU will then forward their acceptance to the city so the citizen can obtain a permit to begin construc- tion. After receiving approval from the city, the citizen must enclose the pool by a wall or fence. If a citizen fails to obtain a permit prior to con- struction, then a violation of codes and regula- tions will be filed and the citizen will be subject to fines and penalties. After a citizen obtains a per- mit, the construction site must be inspected by city officials before the project can be considered complete. Permits expire after 180 days if no inspections have been completed. Permits may be obtained in the Building Inspections Department at the City Hall Complex, Building B. The complex is located on 201 N. Ector Drive and the cost of the permit will vary depending on the type of work. Costs range from $15to$100. For answers to your specific questions, please call the Development and Planning Department at 685-1637. page 5 Library Foundation As the final preparations are being made by architects and engineers on the new Euless library, the Library Foundation is diligent- ly making preparations for the grand opening. The founda- tion was established under the ,TMS premise that it would provide the new library with an artistic theme that would distinguish and beautify the outside grounds. As Betty Yarbrough, Library Manager said, "The members of the foun- dation are seeking Texas artists to brand the Euless library with its own sense of style." The Library Foundation was recently found- ed with its first meeting beginning in March, 1995. There were only a few members present and has since grown into an organiza- tion consisting of around 75 people. The executive board is led by Chairperson Patricia Beaver, with a board of directors who will lead various activities. Two main committees maintain, L11e focal point of the foundation, the Public Art Committee and the Fundraising Committee. The Public Art Committee makes decisions concern- ing the artistic theme and architectural structure of the outdoor art. This committee has numerous ideas for artistic themes varying from a scholars' walk to sculptures outlining the library grounds. In order to support the Public Art Committee, the Fundraising Committee will explore ways to fund these artistic purchases. This will be a chal- lenge since none of the enhancements will come from taxes or the library budget. Ideas are already being explored including soliciting local businesses, publicizing the enhance- ment of library grounds and selling a cookbook containing Euless resi- dent recipes. Yarbrough stated that she "would like to see this committee grow into something that will not only benefit the library, but will also contribute to the overall beautification of Euless." The Library Foundation voted at its September meeting to have no annual dues, and library Card Sign -Up is a Success Euless Library Manager Betty Yarbrough and twenty-two volun- teers were on -hand at various schools during registration to dis- tribute free library cards to parents and children. The principals, teachers, and staff at the following schools should be applauded for their efforts to promote the reading of library books to children. The following demonstrates the regis- tration numbers at each school: Lakewood 50 Midwdy Park 61 North Euless 24 Oakwood Terrace I I South Euless 51 Wilshire 42 TOTAL 339 LIBRARY EVENTS October 31 Halloween Puppet Show, l l am & 3:30 pm November Children's hook Month Activities Grand Pair of Readers Reading Program November 20 library Foundation Meeting, 7:00 pm, City Hall December 12 Christmas Puppet Show, l l am & 3:30 pm Weekly Activities Storytime, ages 3 & up, Wednesday and Thursday, l l am Monthly Activities library Board, first Thursday, 7 pm Let's Talk About Books, first Tuesday, 1:30 pm Parenting Program, third Wednesday, l l am Thanks to each of the participating schools, volunteers, and Betty Yarbrough for continual- ly seeking ways to encourage children to read. If you need additional information concern- ing library activities, please call 685-1481. page 6 once the committee is flourishing in full capacity, directors will meet bi-monthly and members will meet semi-annually. The f dation also intends to host a booth at IHEB Chamber of Commerce Showcase event and in Arbor Daze 1996. Anyone who is interested in joining the Library Foundation can contact Chairperson Patricia Beaver, 267-7529 or Betty Yarbrough, 685-1482. The next meeting will be held on November 20,7-.00 pm, at City Hall. RECIPES WANTED EOR EULESS COOKBOOK Residents are invited to submit their favorite recipe for a citywide cook- book to be compiled by the Euless Library Foundation. The foundation intends to sell the cookbooks at the city's Arbor Daze festi- val, April 19, 20, 21,1996. "This an excellent way for all of the com- munity to contribute toward a permanerr, public art display to enhance our library and our city," said Patricia Beaver, Chairperson of the Euless Library Foundation. If you would like to participate, please drop off your recipe, along with your name, address, and phone number, to the Euless Public Library, or mail to the V ity of Euless, Attn: Betty Yarbrough, 201 N. Ector Drive, Euless, TX 76039. Deadline for submission is December 4,1995. Needs Assessment Survey of Disabled Tina Harrison of the Community Advisory Board is conducting a needs assessment sure learn of the needs of the disabled in Euless. -W Harrison is interested in learning about how Euless can serve disabled citizens better. If you are interested in participating in this survey, please call Tina Harrison at 283-6496. Smoke Detectors Save Lives During 1994, 62% of residential fi 4c"S occured in homes witho oke detectors or faulty detector ce January 1, 1995, there ha` been 30 lives lost to smoke caused f fire at homes in the metroplex. Tf major contributing factor to the deatl was the lack of a working smol detector. In response to these tragedies and October being Fire Prevention Month, the HEB Rotary Club and the Mid -Cities Kiwanis Club have donated 100 smoke detectors to the Euless Fire Department to be installed at "no charge' to various homes of Euless residents. Franchot Thomas, Fire Prevention Educator, said that "the sense of smell is the first sense to shut- down when sleeping and the last sense tc e -up.' This is one rea- why every Euless resident needs an effective smoke detector." Thomas will be visiting schools in Euless during Fire Prevention Month to edu- cate children on the danger of fire. If you are interested in having the Euless Fire Department install one of these smoke detectors in your home, please contact the Euless Fire Department at 685-1605. Smoke detectors will be installed on a first come basis. IS YOUR SMOKE DETECTOR WORKING? More Americans have smoke detectors than ever before. But nearly half don't work. Without a working smoke detector as an early warning device, fire can spread unnoticed through the household, blocking escape routes and filling rooms with deadly smoke. Make sure you're pro- tected. When you change your clock from daylight ings time on October hange the batteries in y ur smoke detectors. This i message from your Euless Fire Department. REMINDER Heating equipment is the third leading cause of residential fires in Texas. Fires involving heating equipment ranked second among fatal fires in one and two family dwellings. The Euless Fire Department encourages every res- ident to have their heating equip- ment checked by a qualified ser- vice company before cool weather arrives. NETS Transportation Service Available For Euless Residents 9M The City of Euless has contracted with the YMCA to provide a transportation service to elderly and disabled residents at reduced rates. This program, Northeast Transportation Service (NETS), is operated by the YMCA but the City of Euless has agreed to subsidize costs so Euless citizens can ride for a reduced rate. The guide- lines YMCA uses to qualify residents for the service are: disabled individuals, senior citizens (over 60), and transportation of disadvantaged residents who meet NETS guidelines. The aver- age cost to the rider for a round trip is $3.00. If you would like to find out more information or request an application from the YMCA, please call 428 -NETS. page 7 O(TOBIP a28Texas Municipal League Convention Daylight savings time ends; turn clocks back an hour 3tTrick or Treat at Midway Recreation Center, 7:00 pm NOVEMBER 4 Texas Star Golf Course and Parks at Texas Star Athletic Complex ground breaking, 11:00 am 7 ( Election for Council Place 6 Election on Crime Sales Tax 1 City Council meeting, 7:00 pm at Euless Municipal Complex 15 Texas Recycles Day t8HEB Chamber of Commerce 5th Annual Business Showcase T H EMC I T Y O F L7"r SS 23-24Euless Administration Buildings closed for Thanksgiving 28Euless City Council meeting, 7-00 pm at Euless Municipal Complex DMABIP Nutcracker" Ballet with North t-3 Central Ballet and Northeast Orchestra at Will Rogers Auditorium 2 Euless Christmas Parade of Lights 9 Euless Music Shoppe presents Lu Mitchell, 8:00 pm at Ruth Millican Center 12 Euless City Council meeting, 7.00 pm at Euless Municipal Complex 12 Christmas Puppet Show, l l am & 3:30 pm at the Euless Library For more information on any city meetings please call the Media Relations Office at 685-1821. POSTAL CUSTOMER T H I T Y O F 01WSS Municipal Relations Coordinator/Editor Jenny Kratz Mayor Mary Lib Saleh (ouncilpersons Bobby Baker, Mayor Pro Tem Carl Tyson Todd Smith Charlie Miller Glenn Walker City Secretary Susan Crim 201 North Ector Drive, Euless, Texas 76039 817/685-1821 (ity Manager Tom Hart Assistant City Manager Joe Hennig The Mayor's Newsletter is a quarterly publication of the City of Euless. If you have any comments or suggestions, please call 685-1821 or write to: 201 North Ector Drive Euless, Texas, 76039. I's The Mayor's Newsletteris printed iA on recycled paper. BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #28 EULESS, TEXAS •