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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMayor's Newsletter 07/97C I T Y O F E U L E Greetings From Your Mayor Dear Citizens, I hope all Euless resident` are e^ing the great Euless facilities during these hot summer days. The parks are a delight in the cool mornings, especially on a walk at the trails in the Villages of Bear Creek. During the hot afternoons tal a rest in the cool city library enjoy- ing books, videos, and periodicals. Softball World offers some super ball games in the evenings that the entire family can inexpensively enjoy. In the early evenings, enjoy a swim in one of Euless' three swimming pools. But for those of you who can stand the heat, there's a fantastic new golf course waiting to challenge you. For something really special, have dinner or a Sunday brunch at the new Texas Star Conference Centre. Afterwards, relax in Bird's Fort Pavilion and watch the golfers come in on the 18th. Euless really has some great recreational opportunities for all citizens and the best is yet to come: the grand opening of the Parks at Texas Star Athletic Complex. The comple- tion of Phase I is expected in late summer and each of you will be so proud of what your half cent sales tax has done for Euless. Our first piece of public art will be installed in front of our*rary in late July and the dedication will be August 10. We thank the Euless Library Foundation for spearheading this project. We hope you will become "Raving Fans' of Euless like resident Frank Leonard His letter to the Fort Worth Star -Telegram, "I'll Take Euless," is enclosed. We were very proud to hear Mr. Leonard "rave" about Euless. Earlier this year we sent out a survey regarding the trash and recycling service in Euless. The results are printed inside and we were pleased that so many residents responded. Your response will guide the City Council when the new contracts expire next year. Our Economic Development and Marketing Director, David Witcher, has officially joined the city and we are excited about many future development 0 S opportunities in our city. For some time we have been approached by developers about new facilities such as super markets that would be allowed to sell wine and beer. As you may know, super markets on our borders already have wine sales and many developers are looking for that market The City Council has selected a committee of citizens to study the economic feasibility of having such sales in our city. The decision to have wine sales in our community is ultimately the citizens' decision. If Euless citizens gather enough valid names on the petition, then there will be a called election. The citizens will vote on whether Euless will permit wine sales. This is an important decision for the future of our community so I ask that you give it thoughtful consideration. Our Public Works Department spends many hot summer days doing street and drainage projects. The Texas Department of Transportation will begin working on Westpark Way this fall and it will be under construction for a couple years. We have officially entered Ozone Season so try to use caution with any motorized equipment and automobiles. Euless Parks Department does not use any motorized equipment in the afternoons of ozone days and the city staff is very careful to obey the ozone rules. Finally, we encourage all citizens to observe National Night Out on Tuesday, August 5. Enjoy an evening with friends and neighbors and don't forget to turn on your porch light! Neighborhood Associations and Crime Watches are the very best way to work together to deter criminal activity. Since last July your city has opened a new library, purchased and renovated Softball World, opened the Texas Star Golf Course, opened the Texas Star Conference Centre and now looks forward to opening the Parks at Texas Star Athletic Complex. We continue to Build a Better Tomorrow for our citizens. Mary Lib Saleh Mayor Texas Star o P.2 Economic Rptu elopment rector B P. hying NO Program P. 9 Solid Waste and Pecuclino Survey Results P. 10 TEXAS STAR SPUTS (OAPLIX Twi GOLF COURSE AND CONFERENCE CENTRE AT TEXAS STAR The Golf Course at Texas Star officially opened on May 22, with hundreds of golfers testing its links. As golf course staff had just become accustomed to working out of the temporary trailer and pavilion, they have now made their final move this month into the Conference Centre where all golf course operations will be held. The Conference Centre consists of meeting rooms, a pro shop, The Raven's Grill, and a private dining area. The golf course staff, which consists of four Golf Professionals, Sales and Marketing Coordinator, and Food and Beverage Coordinator, will have offices throughout the Conference Centre. Texas Star has four golf professionals, including Head Professional Duff Cunningham, Assistant Adena Wallace, Assistant Randall Carpenter and Assistant Val Gladden. These golf professionals are available for scheduling tournaments, tee times, golf lessons and assisting with anything related to the golf course. (See to the right for a short descrip- tion on each golf professional.) Tee times are taken five days in advance and Euless residents can receive a discount by obtaining a resident card from Midway Recreation Center, 300 Midway Drive. Proof of residency must be shown (i.e. water bill) and there is a $t.00 processing charge. To schedule a tee time or for additional information, call 1-888-TEX STAR or 685-7888. PARKS AT TEXAS STAR ne of the largest athletic facilities ' in Texas will be opening this fall in Euless. The Parks at Texas Star will open Phase I while construction on Phase 1I will begin in the near future. Phase I consists of baseball fields, softball fields, tee ball field, batting cages, sand volleyball courts, driving range, fishing pier, jogging trail, TEXAS STAR SOLE PR0RSSIONAI STAFF Duff Cunningham Head Golf Professional The game of golf is second nature to Duff Cunningham which is one reason he seeks to provide his golfing customers "with the ultimate golfing experience along with a superior level of service." Before coming to Texas Star, Duff worked as an Assistant Golf Professional at Squaw Valley Golf Course and Riverview Country Club. Duff had a decorated college career by winning the Nationals two consecutive years while attending Paris Junior College and being chosen twice for the First All -Conference Team at East Texas State University. He became an elected member to the PGA in t 995. Lena Wallace Assistant Golf Professional Adena Wallace has worked at golf courses all her life in various capac- ties including golf L,uurse maintenance, pro shop assistance and as an assis- tant golf professional. She attended Kansas State University on a full golf scholarship and was a student assistant to the golf coach. She served as the First Assistant Golf Professional at amphitheater and a pavilion. Athletic Coordinator Andy Cedillo will be coordinating activities held at the Parks at Texas Star. He previously held the position of Special Events Supervisor for the City of Grand Prairie. The City of Euless will be placing notices of the official grand opening on the water bill and in page 2 Woodhaven Country Club for the past three years before becoming the First Assistant Golf Professional at Texas Star. Randall Carpenter Assistant Golf Professional Randall previ- ously worked as an Assistant Golf Professional at Timarron Country Club before joinin the Texas Star staff. He attended Hardin -Simmons University on a full golf scholarship and received Honorable Mention on the NAIA All-American Team. Randall pursued a career as a playing profes- sional and is now dedicating his career towards the game of golf by obtaining a Class A card with the PGA of America. Val Gladden Assistant Golf Professional As Recreation Manager t the City of Burleson, Val gathered experi- ence in manage- ment and organiz- ing personnel. These strengths, along with his excel- lent golf game and .esire to officially Decome a member of the PGA, make him the perfect addition to *)e Texas Star golf professional staff. the newspapers. Everyone is invited to attend this memorable event and Euless officials look forward to this addition to the Texas Star Sports Complex, which currently consists of The Golf Course at Texas Star, Softball World at Texas Star and the Conference Centre at Texas Star. For information regarding the Parks at Texas Star, call Andy Cedillo at 685-1870. Come Visit they Euless Public Library o you enjoy reading, watching movies and listening to CDs? The Euless Public Library is the perfect place to obtain one or several of these entertainment items. It has a wide selection of books, videos, cassette tapes and music CDs— a little something for everyone. If you're taking a late summer vacation, don't miss the less -well-known spots at your destina- tion. The library has videos of popular locations as well as Fodor, Baedeker and other travel guide books. Whether you are going to London, San Francisco, Japan or Bermuda, information gained beforehand can make the trip special. If you are traveling by car, you may want to check out music CDs and cassette tapes (a good way to "read" the novel you haven't found time for). Among popular new fiction titles you will find Marcia Clark's Without a Doubt; Mary Higgins Clark's Pretend You Didn't SeeHer, Jack Higgins' President's Daughters, Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes and Scott Adams' Dilbert Future. The Library orders several copies of each best seller but if the title you want is out, ask a librarian to reserve it for you. Interesting titles for young people in the fami- ly can be found on the Bluebonnet Nominations List and the Lone Star Reading List, as well as on the new -book shelves. All the hours spent read- ing can be reported on your Summer Reading Program log. When it's too hot to be outside, it's a good time to start researching family history. Several new additions to the Library include Migration from the Russian Empire: List of Passengers Arriving at the Port of New York, covering the late eighteenth century. Also just received are multi - volume sets of Roster of Confederate Soldiers and Roster of Union Soldiers. Those who have to tend to business all sum- mer may want to look at new additions to the business section, such as Metroplex Business Directory, both Tarrant and Dallas County edi- tions, and Weiss Life and Health Insurance Safety Ratings. Banking and other insurance ratings are on order. If you have not yet been inside the new Euless Library, this is a special invitation to see a facility that makes Euless citizens proud. Library cards are free to all Euless residents. Warm weather tends to bring an influx of door to door • • in the Texas Capitol. salespersons throughout the community. But Euless residents Dedication •"Rapture of have rights from door to door solicitation under Ordinance Door 105 passed in 1958. All persons wanting to sell products or • ' b • • at the take orders by walking house to house must have a permit Public Library • Sunday August Solicitation. from the City of Euless. The salesperson is then required to carry this permit while soliciting within the city and show the ning at 2:00 • For • • • g permit when asked by a citizen. What arededicationceremony ' ' ' ji Every citizen has the right to ask a solicitor for their permit and if the salesperson does not respond, citizens are encour- Library Foundation, Your aged to call a non -emergency police number. A salesperson Kunke at 354-4633. should not enter any resident's property who has a NO PED- pights?DLERS sign or NO SOLICITATION sign.r The Euless Police Department recommends that residents not invite salespersons inside their home and only talk with 1_llJCATION them through a screen or glass door. Any resident who has a 5 u nrJa y problem or complaint against a peddler can call the Euless August JO Police Department non -emergency phone number at 685- 1500. 1 2:00 .m. page 3 <CC List and the Lone Star Reading List, as well as on the new -book shelves. All the hours spent read- ing can be reported on your Summer Reading Program log. When it's too hot to be outside, it's a good time to start researching family history. Several new additions to the Library include Migration from the Russian Empire: List of Passengers Arriving at the Port of New York, covering the late eighteenth century. Also just received are multi - volume sets of Roster of Confederate Soldiers and Roster of Union Soldiers. Those who have to tend to business all sum- mer may want to look at new additions to the business section, such as Metroplex Business Directory, both Tarrant and Dallas County edi- tions, and Weiss Life and Health Insurance Safety Ratings. Banking and other insurance ratings are on order. If you have not yet been inside the new Euless Library, this is a special invitation to see a facility that makes Euless citizens proud. Library cards are free to all Euless residents. Warm weather tends to bring an influx of door to door • • in the Texas Capitol. salespersons throughout the community. But Euless residents Dedication •"Rapture of have rights from door to door solicitation under Ordinance Door 105 passed in 1958. All persons wanting to sell products or • ' b • • at the take orders by walking house to house must have a permit Public Library • Sunday August Solicitation. from the City of Euless. The salesperson is then required to carry this permit while soliciting within the city and show the ning at 2:00 • For • • • g permit when asked by a citizen. What arededicationceremony ' ' ' ji Every citizen has the right to ask a solicitor for their permit and if the salesperson does not respond, citizens are encour- Library Foundation, Your aged to call a non -emergency police number. A salesperson Kunke at 354-4633. should not enter any resident's property who has a NO PED- pights?DLERS sign or NO SOLICITATION sign.r The Euless Police Department recommends that residents not invite salespersons inside their home and only talk with 1_llJCATION them through a screen or glass door. Any resident who has a 5 u nrJa y problem or complaint against a peddler can call the Euless August JO Police Department non -emergency phone number at 685- 1500. 1 2:00 .m. page 3 DEW Writers' Workshop Thrives in Euless In 1992 the DFW Writers' Workshop sought a home in Euless. Membership had grown to over a hundred, with sixty to seventy people attending every Wednesday night meeting. They had outgrown their meeting place at the Northeast Tarrant County Arts Center at Bedford Boys Ranch. As a result, the Ruth Millican Center became the Workshop's new home. Encouraged by the City of Euless to file for nonprofit status at both the state and federal level, the organiza- tion achieved that goal in 1993. They have partici- pated in Arbor Daze, judged writing contests in public schools and served I' as speakers for "Let's Talk About Books" at the Euless Public Library. Their activ- ities draw members to 00`'Euless not only from Northeast Tarrant County, but also from cities as distant as Cleburne, Granbury, Canton, Sulphur Springs, and Winnsboro. The Workshop has prospered in Euless, establishing itself as the premier writers organization in the metroplex, and recently Jeff Guinn featured the group in the Fort Worth Star -Telegram. Last year eleven members of DFW Writers' Workshop had twenty-two titles published which they donated to the Workshop's "archives," a collection of the members published books. Displayed at the Ruth Millican Center in Euless, the collection serves to inspire member- ship and to inform the community. Donors for 1996 follow: From Berkley Publishing Group: Jack Ballas of Euless, Apache Blanco, Ironhorse Warrior, and The Hard Land, John McCord of Bedford, Nevada Tough; Gene Shelton of Sulphur Springs, How the West Was Lostand Unwanted. Dead orAlive. From Eakins Press: William L. Cramer, Jr. of Bedford, Air Combat With the Mighty 8th: A Teenage Warrior in World War 11 From New Wind Publishing: Hector Gutierrez of Keller, Beyond the Bridge. From Thomas Nelson Publishers: Alan Justice of Arlington, The Final Bow. From Sunstone Press: Laurance 1.. Priddy of Aledo, Winning Passion and Son ofDurango. From Summit Group: Dolores Donner of Fort Worth as ghost writer for Cigar Chic. From The Historic Accommodations of Texas: Sharry Buckner of Bedford, The Great Stays of Texas. The Official Guide to Texas' Finest Historic Bed & Breakfasts, Country Inns, Hotels, and GuestHouses. From Nimbus Information Systems: Doris Booth of Irving, Inside the World of CD-ROM Manufacturing. From Multimedia Strategies: The Magic of DacEasy Software. The most prolific author of the year, Donald Whittington of Arlington, donated seven books. The Workshop celebrates its success by a series of plaques at the Ruth Millican Center, displaying the names of its founding presidents, names of authors first novels, names of authors first non-fiction books, and others. The Workshop realized its ambition to display its collection in April 1996. It purchased two large, lighted display cases that house 110 .Special Olympics Touch Euless Officers items in the archives: tc ROM multi -media grams, two audio tapes, 106 books. Novels (r tery, western, mainstr science fiction, and hist( ical), children's books, computers, team - penning, and geneal- ogy are represented For thirty-four mem- bers, dreams have come true. Their works represent thirty-nine publish- ers from New Yor: City, Santa Fe, Dallas, Nashville, and elsewhere. President Steve Coxseyandthemem- bership wish to express their appreciation to Euless and to invite citizens and aspiring authors to visit the archives. For information regarding the DFW Writers' Workshop, call 282-0669. our Euless police offi- cers thought they were justW 711, volunteering to raise money and run a few miles for the Special Olympics. Instead they befriended over 3,000 kids who poured their love and energy into par- ticipating in competitive events with the police officers' help and attention. Officers Kim Althouse, Kim Bray, Don Meredith and Wayne Pavlik volunteered their time and efforts to raise money, run eleven miles with the Olympic torch and attend the annual event in Houston. These four officers were joined by 1500 Texas police officers who also volunteered to help with the Special Olympics. The Euless police officers raised $1600 by selling t -shirts and receiving donations from local businesses. Over $1.8 million was raised by the 1500 police officers who participated in the event. The money was used for training and for the actual Olympic event. Special Olympics hosts this event annually in May for handicapped youth. Police officers begin fundraising and training for the eleven mile run in February preceding the event. Euless police offi- cers are already beginning the planning stages for next year's event and hope to contribute more to the Special Olympics. page 4 "AnGthin9 60es"dt the Amphitheater in August tarlight Theater presents "Anythir Goes" for this year's annual music production, which will be held c August 8, 9, 15, & 16. For the past five "Anything Goes." years, the city has produced musicals such as Starlight Theater is a joint effort between the "Annie Get Your Gun" and "Hello, Dolly!' Euless Parks and Leisure Services Department Auditions for "Anything Goes" were held in June and the Music Department of the Tarrant County and the cast and crew are diligently working on Junior College -Northeast Campus. final preparations before the curtain call Over 70 cast and crew mem- in August. 13 bers are volunteering to "Anything Goes" is set in HING the 1940's on board the US �'ANYT GOLS be part of this year's production. Americana as it sails from AmFhitheater at t e New York to England. `C Parc "Anything Villa�e5 of dear Cree Goes" will be Among the ship's guests are Hope Harcourt and 1951 gear Cree Par Wat,. held at the Amphitheater her mother, who are AU9uSt 83 91 15116 at the Villages traveling to England so s;i5 P.m. of Bear Creek Hope may marry Sir q ehi�dren iZ and Park, 1951 Bear Evelyn, who is also on $5 adults, d d senior citizens Creek Parkway, at board. Joining them are a few un er an 845 p.m. on August 8, other characters including Billy 9, 15, & 16. Tickets are Crockett, who is in love with Hope and available at Midway Recreation is stowing away on the ship in an attempt to win Center, 300 Midway Drive. Cost of the tickets are Hope's hand. This light-hearted musical promises $5.00 for adults, $4.00 for senior citizens and to entertain not only with children under age 12. For additional information, the exciting plot but with please call Anicia Brown, 685-1649. Cole Porter songs including "Friendship," "It's De -Lovely," "You're the Top," "I Get a , Kick Out of You," and of course, "Anything Goes." "We have really enjoyed working on this musical and I know the audience will be IM� thoroughly entertained," said i Anicia Brown, director of C page 5 ,a 1997Cit y Council.In .r 1 to r. (3obb y baker, Glenn WdIker, Ma vor Pro Tem Charlie Miller, Leon Hogg Mayor Mary l.&Salch. Carl Tvson and Katic Ednards. Cif v Sf aNincludes. from back 1 to r. Goll Pro Duff Cunningham. Assislant City Managcriloe Hennig. Superintendent fon Snider. GolfCrnnse Architect Keilh Foster and Cil y Manager Torn Hart. l Al EULESS ::.0 �� 3p I Graduate Class olCi iren Police Academy: Helen Wagner, Sharon Finnegan. Helen Voss, Marcell Tennyson, Wanda 6radberry, Marlene Carberry, Linda Martin. Dick Rick. /udy �K1"/ Rick,/udielfolden.Notpictured Dale Anderson, john Miller. Texas Star staff, Ito r..ddenaWallace. DuffCunningham, Val Gladden, Randall Carpenter. U A P P E N I N G S First foursome 1 cemS oll uu May22al Texas Star. At Air .. rr IRS departnu nt loc ated in Eulessreceivcdthe Volunteer Agencyof he Ycaraward from the United Way. They have been very instrumental in tutoring at Oakwood Terrace Elementary. pourmsollcddybcardunalwnstrum children at N Euless Llernentarv. The hildren donated the bears so that • olhcrchildren involved inemergency Dattingcages being built at the Parks ituafions would be able to use the atFexasSlar,which uillopenin J 6 bears for comfort. S� plembcr . s f VitalLink 1997 Participants / 1 I If back row I to r. Stephanie Schauer, p Kenley Leist.DavidSparesus, r., Nirholas Willett, Sarah Martin, 0;1 Front Megan Mehnn. Thomas l Campers al the l olice Activities League summercompshowinSofilicirribbons .�fterparticipatinginaropescourse. - - New Economic Development and Marketing Director After several months of searching for a new Economic Development and Marketing Director, the City of Euless selected David Witcher who officially joined the Euless team on June 23. Witcher has an extensive background in economic development and has held positions such as Executive Director of Economic Development for Borger, Texas, and Economic Development Coordinator for Missouri City, Texas. "David will be an excellent addition to the city and I foresee him bringing outstanding economic development into our city," said Tom Hart, City Manager. Witcher has a Master's degree in Public Administration and received his Economic Development Certification from the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma. In Witcher's last position as Executive Director of Borger Economic Development, he spearheaded recruitment efforts for retail and industrial business, retention and expansion programs and new business development. He also has experience in developing and implementing programs and techniques to stimulate business growth. The combination of Witcher's experiences and the various development opportunities in Euless will bring positive benefits to the City of Euless. David Witcher can be reached at 685-1869 Auto Zone McDonalds (reopen) Hopticape Landscape A & B Plumbing Odyssey(peopen) Mansions by the Vineyards Golf Course at Texas Star Conference Centre at Texas Star Grubbs Infiniti Cap Dealership Standard Hardware Dallas Billiard (sells billiapd tables) Parks at Texas Stap Council Appoints Wine Sales Study Committee n May 27 the Euless City Council ' approved the formation of a nine mem- ber committee to study the different possibilities and effects of allowing wine sales in the City of Euless. Currently the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) offers several different types of alcoholic beverage permits that a city may allow by ordinance, which must be approved by the voters in a local option election. In 1973, a local option election was held in which voters approved two types of alcohol sales permits to be allowed in Euless: off premise beer sales and on premise mixed bever- ages, which are still the only two permits allowed by city ordinance. The newly appointed wine sales study committee has been charged with the task of evaluating the city's current alcoholic beverage ordinance and assessing the impact that any changes to the ordinance could have on the city. Specifically, the committee will evaluate the effects of allowing off premise wine sales (grocery stores, convenience stores, gas stations) and allowing restaurants the option of a beer and wine only permit. The study committee will focus on the impact such changes could have on economic development, revenue flow (sales tax), overall development patterns, etc. There are several steps that must be taken by any person or group within the community that is interested in holding a local option election for wine sales. These steps include: 1) Contact Tarrant County Election Administrator a) get application for Local Option Election b) get wording for ballot 2) Obtain 10 voter signatures on the application and return to County 3) County Election Administrator issues petition 4) 30 days from issuance of petition, must have 35% of registered voters' signatures (approximatel 8500 signatures) 5) County verifies signatures 6) Upon verification of signatures, issue is put on court's agenda 7) Election would be held in no less than 20, and no more than 30 days (Example: if the application page 8 for a local option election was turned in to the county in the beginning of July, following these steps, an election could be held in early September). If you have questions about the wine sales study committee, please contact Scott Campbell at 685-1411. Raving fan Program Implementation he City of Euless is in the process of implementing its new Raving Fan Customer Service Program. This pro- gram consists of a complete assessment of all customer service areas within the city, and the formulation of a plan to make any needed changes to improve the quality of customer ser- vice for citizens. City staff is currently compiling a list of suggestions for improvements from all city employees who communicate with citizens on a daily basis, and will be implementing such improvements throughout the next year. In addi- tion, every new and current city employee will attend a series of Raving Fan customer service training sessions. The first series of these sessions began in May. The citizens of Euless are our customers and it is our goal to make everyone a Raving Fan of the services the city provides. If you have questions or suggestions regarding the Raving Fan program, please contact Scott Campbell at 685-1411. (Please see the article written by one of Euless' Raving Fans.) NOMIN I exas Star course. Wo�s like I recently had the privilege of playing golf on Euless new T mind..II when I picW my ball out of the cup on t s. A fabulous and awesome flashed through my flabbergasted playing partner remarked: -11, did 'Useless build such a beautiful golf course! My feathers get ruined and my hair stands on end when anyone refers to Euless as Useless. A housing salesman in a neighboring ciy informed me that Euless is referred to as Useless because of its propensiy for low income housing. This bigoted remark insinuates that people who make less are not capable of doing more. host the largest Arbor Days festival in the country: If this were the case. Euless would not it would not have created one of the most beauti- it would not have a new stateof the -art library; ful x: golf courses in the Metropleit would not be building one of the largest athletic complexes in the state: and it would not be considering building a fashion mall that will be the envy of its richer neighbors. Its evident that the residents of Euless and their elected representatives are undaunte by the Useless- mon1er. I've lived in many communities during my lifetime. and Euless -6 Humero U" -The ciy governments willingness to initiate and bring to fruition the protects mentroned above is unmatched e more prosperous Metroplex communities. The commitment to excellence and the sense of pride radiated by ci y employees is unparalleled in any communi y anywhere. For me, the future portends numerous delightful rounds of golf at Texas Star and a joyful life in Euless. Anyone feel life joining me in these useless pursuits? Franl{ Leonard Euless (printed in Fort Worth Star Telegram, June 10, 1997) page 9 Solid Waste and Recycling Survey Results Euless residents responded in unexpected numbers to a solid waste and recycling survey that was mailed along with the January water bills. Of the 10,700 surveys mailed, 2,700 were completed and returned—a 25% response rate. The survey was aimed at determining how Euless citizens would rate the solid waste services provided by Laidlaw Waste Systems, Inc. and the recycling services provided by Community Waste Disposal (CWD). Ninety percent of those who responded felt the rates for trash pick- up were "Low" or "About Right' while 73% felt recycling rates were "Low" or "About Right." Most residents were satisfied with the services provided by Laidlaw and CWD, with 90.5% of citizens indicating they were "Satisfied" or "Very Satisfied" with trash service and 84% were "Satisfied" or "Very Satisfied" with the recycling service. 1. The current cost for trash collection is $6.12 per month In terms of quality of service provided, do you consider this amount to be: High 260 About Right 2017 Low 358 2. How satisfied are you with the trash pick up service in Euless? 208 Very Satisfied 791 Satisfied 1591 Dissatisfied 200 Very Dissatisfied 60 3. List any comments you have regarding the services of Laidlaw. 97 general comments were made indicating "good service." 260 comments were made regarding inconsistent pick up times. 43 comments were made regarding missed pick ups. 158 comments were made regarding scattered garbage during pickup. 80 comments were made regarding throwing garbage cans or leaving them in the street. Several comments were received regarding oil and other liquid leaks from trucks; damage to streets; unsafe driving some respondents indicated they would prefer two men on a truck instead of one; publish holiday pick up schedules; clarification of what will be picked up at curb and how it should be bundled or containerized. 4. Would you support/oppose discontinuing the use of trash cans for a monthly savings of approximately 25 cents? Strongly Support 545 Support 659 Oppose 655 Strongly Oppose 795 5. Would you support/oppose eliminating curbside collec- tion of yard waste for a monthly savings of approximately 30 cents? Strongly Support 304 Support 428 Oppose 927 Strongly Oppose 1000 6. Would you support/oppose a program in which each bag of trash would require a tag which could be pur- chased at local retail stores. (Citizens would pay for each individual bag of trash they disposed of with the tags.) Four options for cost reduction were presented in the survey: 1) Discontinue use of garbage cans 2) Eliminate collection of bagged yard waste 3) Purchase tags for each bag of trash disposed 4) Reduce garbage collection from twice a week to once a week If citizens had to choose a cost -reduction option, they would choose either discontinuing use of garbage cans or reduce pickup to once per week. Many citizens indicated that if collection of yard waste was elim- inated, some option for disposal should be made available. The pur- chase of tags for each bag of trash disposed was the least desirable option to most respondents. Several citizens commented that the cost savings indicated in the survey were not significant enough to make any of the above changes. Strongly Support 101 Support 218 Oppose 870 Strongly Oppose 1392 7. Would you support/oppose having trash pick up one day per week for a monthly savings of approximately $1.50? Strongly Support 424 Support 808 Oppose 661 Strongly Oppose 762 8. Please rank the following options beginning with #1 for the alternative you support most strongly, and ending with #4 for the alternative you least support. Discontinue Use of Trash Cans # 1 903 #2 617 #3 407 #4 392 Eliminate Curbside Pick Up of Grass Clippings # 1 426 #2 712 #3 667 #4 493 Purchase of Tags for Bags Placed Curbside #1 149 #2 317 #3 765 #4 1015 Reduce Trash Pick Up to Once Per Week # 1 862 #2 651 #3 422 #4 375 9. The current cost for recycling is $1.70 per month. In terms of quality of service provided, do you consider this amount to be: High 703 About Right 1790 Low 58 10. How satisfied are you with the recycling pick up ser- vice in Euless? Very Satisfied 717 Satisfied 1361 Dissatisfied 208 Very Dissatisfied 189 pa8e 10 Seventy one percent said they are participating in the recycling program at least once per month and 62% of respondents chose blue bags over bins. Those who do not recycle gave a variety of reasons such as why pay for recycling, recycle their own recyclables, too much trou- ble, not enough to recycle, need more information. Sixty four percent of respondents would be willing to pay an additional $25 per month to fund a hazardous waste collection event. Currently citizens have very limited options for disposing of household hazardous waste such as paint, batteries, antifreeze, solvents, herbicides, insecticides, etc. Listed below are your comments and survey results. Any questions about the survey or current services should be directed to Cathy DiMaggio at 685-1426. 11. List any comments you have regarding the services of CWD. 58 general comments were made regarding "Sood service." 26 comments were made regarding missed/inconsistent pickup. 63 comments were made requesting additions to the list of recyclables (i.e. cardboard, #6 plastic, etc.). Some respondents suggested a central drop-off center vs. curbside collection; some respondents questioned why they must pay for recycling when recyclables are sold for profit; some asked for a way to dispose of household hazardous waste; some indicated they have difficulty finding blue recycling bags; several requested information on the recycling program. 12. How frequently do you participate in the Euless Blue Bag Recycling Program? 1 Week of Four 512 2 Weeks of Four 513 3 Weeks of Four 266 4 Weeks of Four 631 Do Not Participate 781 13. If you do not participate in the Euless Blue Bag pro- gram, why not? Cost of Bags 315 Not interested 177 Other: 101 questioned why they must pay for recycling. 68 did not have enough to recycle. 65 needed more information. 55 said recycling was too much trouble or takes too much time. 50 recycle their own recyclables. 14. Would you prefer the use of bins instead of blue bags for the recycling program? Yes 925 No 1490 15. Currently the city does not participate in a household hazardous waste event. How strongly would you support paying an additional monthly fee of 25 cents to fund the city's participation in a citywide household hazardous waste collection event (i.e. paint, used oil, antifreeze, chemicals)? Strongly Support 548 Support 1044 Oppose 570 Strongly Oppose 334 OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT TRASH PICK UP AND RECYCLING: Q: How must I prepare limbs and brush to be picked up at the curb with my other trash? A: Brush and limbs should be cut into four feet lengths, tied together in bundles not exceeding 50 pounds and placed at the curb. For large amounts of brush, customers may call Laidlaw to arrange a special pick up at a cost of $10. Q: When can I expect my trash to be picked up when my pick up day falls on a holiday? A: If your pick up day falls on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Years Day or Independence Day, your trash will be picked up on your next regularly scheduled pick up day. Q: When should I place my trash at the curb? A: Collection of trash starts at 7 a.m. and may con- tinue until sundown, so trash should be placed at the curb by 7 a.m., but not before 8 p.m. of the day before your trash pick up day. Q: What should I do if I have a large item to dispose of such as an appliance, furniture or water heater? A: These items will be picked up at your curb on your regular pick up day as part of Laidlaw's "take all" service. Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners or other appliances must contain written evidence that chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) have been removed by a certified, authorized and licensed technician. Small amounts of containerized or tied and bundled waste building material, such as privacy fencing (not exceed- ing 4 ft. x 6 ft. in size or is dismantled and tied into bundles not exceeding 50 pounds) generated by a res- idential property owner remodeling or repairing a resi- dential unit, may be placed at the curb. Q: At times I see garbage trucks leaking some type of fluid on the streets. What should 1 do? A: The city's contract with Laidlaw Waste Systems requires that trucks be kept in good repair, appearance and in a sanitary condition at all times. There is a truck number on each Laidlaw vehicle; if you can identify the truck by number and call the city at 685-1426 or Laidlaw at 332-7301, we can have that truck removed from the route and repaired. Laidlaw has agreed to clean up spots on streets—in an environmentally safe manner—where its trucks have leaked hydraulic or other fluids. Q: Who should I call if my trash does not get picked up on my regular pick up day? A: Call the City of Euless at 685-1426 and leave your name, address and phone number so that arrangements can be made to have your trash picked up the next day. You may also call Laidlaw Waste Systems at 332-7301. (NOTE: your trash must be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. and may be picked up any time between 7 a.m. until sundown.) Q: Why is there just one person on each of Laidlaw's trucks? A: According to Doug Rivers, Municipal Marketing Manager at Laidlaw Waste Systems, trucks normally manned by three workers are larger rear -load vehicles with a 34 cubic yard capacity. Laidlaw has chosen to use smaller, 17 cubic yard capacity frontload trucks with one employee for several reasons: 1) the smaller capacity trucks create less stress on streets 2) they're safer because instead of picking up two sides of a street at once and going back and forth from one side of the street to the other, the driver simply picks up one side of the street at a time 3) when one person is assigned a truck, they take on more of a sense of "ownership" of a route which, hopefully, will result in better service to customers. Q: It seems that my trash is never picked up at the same time. Why can't my trash be picked up at the same time each pick up day? A: The City's contract with Z00/ trash states that residential trash will be picked up between 7:00 a.m. and sundown. O Because of the "take all" service offered by ` Laidlaw, it is impossible to anticipate the volume of trash to be collected, therefore, the num- ber of homes accommodated by one truck on a certain pick up could vary greatly depending on the amount of trash at each home. Also, weather conditions can affect travel time to and from the landfill. Q: Where can I find blue recycling bags? A: The recycling bags should be available in all Euless grocery SOUP stores. If you do not find them, J r inform the store management that you would like the bags to be kept in stock. City staff periodically contacts each of the store managers to ensure that the bags will be available to city residents. (NOTE: The blue recycling bags are recycled along with your other recyclables.) Q: How many tons of recyclables are diverted from the landfill through the Euless recycling pro- gram? A: In 1996, over 1200 tons of recyclables were pa8e 11 collected in the Euless curbside and apartment recy- cling programs: 900 tons of newspapers; 171 tons of glass; 28 tons of steel cans; 27 tons of aluminum cans; and 82 tons of plastic bottles. (NOTE: for each ton of materials recycled, three cubic yards of landfill space is preserved, i.e. for the 1200 tons of recycled material collected in Euless, 3600 cubic yards of landfill space was saved.) Q: Why can't we recycle cardboard? A: The Euless recycling program is one of the most comprehensive in the area. Community Waste Disposal accepts dry newspaper, magazines, catalogs, phone books; number 1, 2, 3, 4 5 and 7 plastics; clear, brown, green and blue bottles and jars; tin food and drink cans; and aluminum cans. According to Greg Roemer, President of Community Waste Disposal, cor- rugated cardboard is not included in the city's list of acceptable recyclables since it is not a practical materi- al to collect curbside because it requires a compaction vehicle for efficient collection, and market prices are very low (currently 3 cents per pound). Q: Why must I pay for recycling? Contrary to popular belief, recy- cling does not pay for itself. The cost for recycling is dependent on factors such as the cost of collect- ing, processing and transporting recyclables; supply and demand of recyclables and recycled products; and the willingness of consumers to purchase recycled products. In order for recycling to be cost-effective, the expense to recycle materials must not exceed the cost of land- filling or incineration of those materials. Through your participation in recycling, you are preserving natural resources and diverting materials from landfills which are becoming increasingly costly and more scarce (there are half as many as there were ten years ago). Q: What should I do if I have household haz- ardous waste to dispose of? A: Household hazardous waste such as paint, sol- vents, oil, etc. cannot be taken to a landfill, therefore these items cannot be placed with your regular trash. One option available to Euless citizens at this time is to take these items to Heat Energy Advanced Technology, Inc. (HEAT). HEAT is a commercial haz- ardous waste treatment facility which allows citizens to bring small amounts of household hazardous waste to their facility free of charge. HEAT is located at 4460 Singleton Blvd. in Dallas (214-637-6434). If you have small amounts of latex paint, you may open the lids and allow the paint to dry hard and then dis- pose of it with your regular trash. The city is currently considering the possibility of participating in haz- ardous waste collection through an interlocal agreement with the City of Fort Worth. Fort Worth is establishing a permanent hazardous waste collection site at a former Vehicle Emissions Testing Facility at 6400 Bridge Street (near 130 and loop 820). The facility is scheduled to open in October 1997 JULY 22 No City Council Meeting AUGUST 13 City Council Budget Retreat 5 National Night Out �-9&1516 "Anything Goes" musical, Amphitheater at Villages of Bear Creek, 5:15 p.m. 12 City Council meeting, 7:00 p.m., Euless Municipal Complex T H E MC I T Y O F 1214 Collegiate Players Tour National Championship The Golf Course at Texas Star 26 City Council meeting, 7:00 p.m., Euless Municipal Complex SIPTIABIP 1 Labor Day Municipal offices closed 9City Council meeting, 7:00 p.m., Euless Municipal Complex 21 HEB Chamber of Commerce Affair of the Heart Auction 23 City Council meeting, 7:00 p.m., Euless Municipal Complex tdU0r Cittl Admer Mary Lib Saleh Tom Hart Councilpersons Wistdnt Cite Bobby Baker �dnd9er Carl Tyson Joe Hennig Leon Hogg M!edid dnd Charlie Miller Mayor Pro Tem C[il>)trlunit9 Glenn Walker Peldtions Katie Edwards Coordindtori Him Jenny Kratz Citi Secretary Susan Crim The Mayor' 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. BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT#28 EULESS, TEXAS POSTAL CUSTOMER A The Ma orsNewsletteris printed 201 North Ector Drive, Euless, Texas 76039 817/655-1821 Z� Y 1�/ on recycled paper.