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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMayor's Newsletter 8/77 August 31, 1977 MAYOR'S NEWSLETTER Dear Citizens: The Council of Social Concerns was briefly discussed in the last newsletter. This time we will discuss another board that also has a great deal of contact with the Citizens of Euless . . The Park and Recreation Board was created by the citizens of Euless in an election calling for its formation under the City Charter. The present members of the board are: Mr. Jay Theder, Chairman, Messrs. David Williams, Elden Traster, and Don Calhoun; Mesdms. Jolly Rawlins;:, and Zella Stierwalt. The purpose of the 'Park and Recreation Committee is to plan, develop and maintain the parks and recreation facilities and to be a direct link between the citizens of Euless and the Parks and Recreation Department. The board desires the ideas and suggestions of the citizens of Euless in developing future facilities and maintaining the present facilities. Several requests have been made to explain our ordinance with regards to the use of signs to advertise garage sales, political signs, or other personal type of signs usually posted along public streets. This item has appeared before in the Newsletter, but it evidently bears repeating. No sign, or poster, may be attached to utility poles or trees within the city limits. Garage sales may be advertised by one sign only, placed on the premises where the sale is taking place, and only two (2) such sales within twelve (12) months for a duration of three (3) consecutive days will be permitted. Anyone anticipating having a garage sale should contact City Hall and pick up a copy of City Ordinance No. 384. Campaign signs may be exhibited on private property, with the owner's approval, must be self supporting, and removed as soon as the campaign is over. If you are in doubt, concerning the legality of any project, contact Euless City Hall before you start. This is the time of year for major street repairs and we may be working on streets in the area where you reside or work. In some areas it will be necessary to completely re-work the street, in which case we will be using an oil base and tack coat. We request that you do not drive on these streets, that have the tack coat, until we can apply the asphalt paving. On other streets, we will be sealing cracks with oil and sand. This keeps out water and extends the life of the paving from two (2) to six (6) years. Some of this oil may "bleed through" but will be only for a short period of time. This type of repair costs about $1,000 per 500 feet, as compared to $10,000 per 500 feet, to comletely re-do a street. We ask your cooperation in observing warning signs, etc, and regret any inconvenience caused any of you, but it is a job we have to do. Thanks, in advance, for helping us. Most citizens are aware of jobs performed by most city employees such as fire fighters, police officers, street and water department employees, librarian, as well as the City's administrative staff, such as City Manager, City Attorney, City Secretary, etc. You may not be aware the City has a number of other positions which also add to the services provided for our citizens. We thought we would list a few of these positions. Last month we indicated the City had hired a new Director of Planning and Development. This man's name is Rick Barnes and he holds a degree in architecture, which particularly qualifies him for this position. The City also has a full time gardener on its staff. His name is Bob Phillips, and he and other park department employees are responsible for some of the beautification that you see in City parks and around other City properties. Richard Holden is our Warrant Officer. He is charged with the responsibility of serving warrants which are issued in conjunction with the City's Municipal Court. The City also has two building inspectors. They are Mr. Willie Geer and Mr. Gary Maples. Within the fire department, Mike Logan, Lieutenant in charge of Fire Prevention, serves as the City's Fire Marshal. He is available to discuss fire safety with school and other civic organizations. In the police department, Ken Fuller serves as an identification officer. In conjunction with these duties he also serves as the City's photographer. The City of Euless has over 130 full time employees plus an additional 43 employees who serve during the summer months in the operation of the City's three swimming pools and in park maintenance and improvements. The City's newest facility which consists of the Service Center Building and Animal Control Building, is located south of Hwy. 183 on Westpark Way, directly behind Doctor's Community Hospital. . . Harold Smith is Director of these two facilities. His telephone number is 267-1961. Above are just a few of the persons who provide services for our citizens. On September 131 1977, the City will hold a public hearing for the purpose of allowing citizens to hear the reasons behind a proposed water and sewer rate increase within the city limits of Euless, which is proposed to go into effect October 1, 1977. Most of the reasons behind why the rate increase has become necessary were covered by City Manager Blackie Sustaire in a recent article which appeared in the Mid-Cities Daily News. We have reproduced and attached a copy of that article for your information as well as attempting to make every citizen aware of the upcoming public hearing to discuss the proposed rate increase. Sincerely, Harold D. Samuels Mayor VOLUME 66—NUMBER 201 —THURSDAY,AUGUST 11, 1977 PRICE—DAILY 15c—SUNDAY 15c uless s face water', sewerke,ra e 7-h i BULK RATE � . _ U. S. POSTAGE PAID (J f ,,anEULESS, TEXAS 76039 —7 0 t.t.1�L/✓�� PERMIT N� 0. 28 201 ECTOR DRIVE EULESS,TEXAS 76039 ;3y CHARLOTTE COWRIE Judging from the growth'at the time,""'someone has to pay the bill,"Sustaire said, and growth projected over the years, it ap- Cost to the TRA for waste water service in Euless has not met growth projections peared the city,could meet its obligations. 1975 was $74,447. made in the early 70s, and as a result resi- But not all of that came true as pro- In 1976 the bill was $101,243, and in 1977 dents will soon face substantial increases in jected, Sustaire said. "Unfortunately Euless it was $211,000., Funds left from a federal water and sewer rates, Euless City Manager has not enjoyed the growth that was pro- grant averted raising rates in the 1977 W.M. (Blaciie) Sustaire said this week. jected." budget year, he said, but the 1978 bill of Sustaire said projected costs, including "We are 7-8,000 below projected popula- $295,520 will have to,be passed on to the cus- federal requirements for water and sewage tion figures now," he said. In terms of resi-, tomer, he said. treatment levels, could force local bills to a dents (apartments or private dwellings) the Conservative estimates indicate the cost minimum of $25 in the next two or three city is 3,000 short. spread continuing to $491,000 In 1979, reach- years. So even though the city has the capacity ing a maximum of$637,926 by 1985, based on Although other area cities also face in- to supply 35,000 residents with water and current estimates of cost and debt service. creases, the situation in Euless is unique. In sewage services, he said, the population is By 1979 the cost of debt retirement is ex-' the late sixties, Sustaire said, the city real- only about 25,000. In 1974 the city issued only pected to exceed the entire revenue pro- ized that their well water supply was not two single unit building permits, and only 21 duced from the sale of water and sewer ,,ping to be sufficient, and city officials be- in 1975. Permjts for 1976 were not much bet-'. services, leay.ag no .,.nds for maintena�ar, gan searching for a surface water supply. ter, he said. Sustaire said. About the same time the Environmental The slump can be attributed to at least Protection Agency ordered sewer plants op- two factors, the city manager said, one of "THE ONLY THING we can do is pass erating on the Trinity River to clean up effu- which was a national economic slow-down. on the increase to the people," he explained. lents being dumped into the river. Euless But the major reason for the city's slow A public hearing on rate increases will and Bedford were using the same sewer growth involved land speculation. "A num- be held between now and Oct. 1, he said. It plant then, he said, so they not only had to ber of people were involved in buying and will be up to the city council at the public find an additional source of water,-but~tIN61' selling land for 0rofit,And a number of spec hearing to set new rates" •, clean up the existing wastewater plant: ulators made large profits from the; sales, "We anticipate nothing in excess of a $6 They turned to the Trinity River Author but it drove the land prices so high that it minimum for next year," he said..The cur- ity (TRA) which had the Duncanville center was not feasible for anyone to develop. The rent minimum bill is $4.25. operating by then, and asked for member last purchasers wound up holding the bag." ship in a consortium which included Irving, Although-speculation doused growth for Grand Prairie, Arlington,'Farmers Branch,' several years, the trend is reversing. In the Although the other cities in the consor- Carrollton, Coppell, parts of Dallas, and ev- past 12 months the trend has been to return tium have the same problem, they have enutually the Regional Airport . the land to the original owners, either volun- grown with no problem, Sustaire said, and Both cities contracted with the TRA for' tarily or on. a„repossession basis, Sustaire they were not affected by the same factors water and sewage 'service "in good faith said. The rate increase should be sufficient based on growth projections," Sustaire said. Land prices have gone from as high as until 1979 when the full force of the city's At the time both cities were booming, and $30,000 an acre to $5-6,000 an acre. "We are bonded indebtedness "will hit us again." growth projections, calculated by profession- real pleased to see this happen," he said. Sustaire added that "if growth is not suffi als, looked good, he said. cient (at that time) we can look for anothe. increase." THE WATER LINE from Cedar Creek `THE PICTURE LOOKS real bright for The only suggestion to alleviate the Lake to Arlington Lake and a sewer line to us now . . . and if it continues in this direc- problem, Sustaire said, "is to encourage Duncanville were to be financed based on tion we can see light at the end of the tun- growth from any and all directions — and revenue produced from consortium mem. nel," he added. spread it (the cost) out over a larger hPrc In spite of the promising outlook. group.