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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-01-26 Euless Articles JUNN Apub6muonofe.Rep•ccc WINTER 2007 S C 0 k I N N O V A T I O N F O R G O V E R N M E N T A N D E D U C A T 1 0 N • `i Tie Cents or Digital: rnment recognizes the state's { Itop performers for -leadership and one of two Best Application Se project excellence. ruing Multiple Jurisdictions awards went to the Department of Information Resource's shared, Internet protocol- At the annual Best of Texas event,held in October based Communications platform. The network is 2005,R officials from across the state gathered the basis for numerous services and accommodates � . 1 in Austin-to celebrate IT leaders and innovative projects in a number of categories. the individual communications needs of various ' users, including state agencies, local governments and educational institutions. 3estoF The second award in this category went to the Ve�1s regional emergency response database shared by .-P. .. the Tarrant 911 District and the North East Fire w Department Association. The database provides geographic intelligence to users throughout the 14-city region, and gives;situational information about an affected area to firefighters and other responders, even when they are called outside .-.. their jurisdiction. ' ' i s s DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF g MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT ' i YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED /02 C� / DATE OFARTICLE / !j NEWSPAPER DMN 3¢ i F Letters from Euless ' 09:12 AM CST on Thursday-,Januar' 11,2007 No room for animal cruelty in Euless Re: "A clash over ritual sacrifice— Santeria leader fights Euless ban on killing of animals as affront to faith," Saturday news story. , I want to express my concern about the killing of animals in my city. The Humane Society defines animal cruelty as knowingly or maliciously killing an animal. Animal cruelty is a predecessor of future abuse toward people, and we don't want those people in Euless. Jose Merced claimed that his religious practice of killing live chickens or goats is the same as the Christian practice of communion. We use grape juice or wine, not real blood. d I respectfully ask Euless city officials to stand firm and enforce the ban on killing animals, and I applaud police officers who work hard to do so. Mr. Merced: Stop killing animals in your back yard or take your cruel practice outside of our city. ir ' k Lisa Marie Sohel, Ertless p t E; ka i e k k 9 ' t i r i t 'DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF I MAI"OR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS / BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED / Iy DATE OF ARTICLE lI l NEWSPAPER DMN The truth about Santena Re: "A clash over ritual sacri- fice,"Jan.6 news story. ' I am a practitioner of Santeria. Ernesto Pichardo is no more head of the Santeria religion,in the U.S. than Rev.Pat Robertson is head of t -the U.S.Christian religion: The article also'says Euless isn't some hayseed Podu*ignorant of other cultures, and I'm willing to ' givethebenefitofthedoubt. However, the 'last paragraph . discredits this premiseby quoting a- man who is obviously ignorant of othercultures. Stacey TallitscI4 New Orleans 1 1 1 vE S: E J DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE l OF l i MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT YOUNG IIfcDONALD COLLINS BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR Ilan jo7 I / � � DATE DISTRIBUTED DA TE OF ARTICLE NEWSPAPER DMN REGIONAL ROUNDUP } Man who'put dog in washer gets l year in jail, f A Euless man.:who admitted, placing a stray dog,inside awash- ing machine was sentenced Tues s day to one year in jail. Chad Ed- ward Ellis,32,pleadedguilty last yeas to,one count of animal cruelty. Grapevine police said Mr. Ellis : a placed the dog inside a washer last January and turned on the hot wa- ter-cycle.The dog,a black Labra- s dor mix,was later euthanized after t' suffering,serious burns. Mr. Ellis also was placed on probation for five years for four,counts of bur- glary and two counts of theft,said E Dixie Bersano, an assistant Tar- rant County district attorney. k Debra Dennis ! L r f ti 4 i 4 x I; { i s' Y t E 'DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE i OF / 'MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR ,DATE DISTRIBUTED / o DATE OF ARTICLE 109 / 6 -7 NEWSPAPER DMN COMMUNITY CALENDAR, ' EULESS TOWN HALL MEETING:Repre- sentatives from all city departments will take comments,suggestions and questions during a Euless town hall meeting at 7 p.m.Jan.25 at Euless . City Hall,201 N.Ector.For information, call 817-685-1563. t DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTpRNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT ' YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATEDISTRIBUTED DATE pFARTICLE _ // /0-7 NEWSPAPER DMN Gaib 'ok A .. _...n e age nedahations -to r 7 esu�r�e F ary,Southlake,Trophy Club,Wa- rity,"Mr.Shorts said."They Allied Waste officia'S to. tau Westover Hills and West- g� to take away the workers'right to meet With union cties, worage. union, villjab protection "I wanted to let them know, Mr. Powell declined to com- a to address concerns that progress is being made to mint on the talks but said the By MARICE RICHTER the strike and that we are op- company"is negotiating in good Staff writer crating on schedule,"Mr. Powell faith." Negotiations to end a trash said- Fort Worth is the only union k contractor strike in Tarrant Coun- But officials said they are, ized facility in Texas.Allied oper- ty will resume Friday,just as oft'i- Vowing increasingly irritated ates in communities across Texas, X _ cials in two area cities are growing with contradictory reports from including Houston,Austin, East frustrated with service probleams Elie contractor and residents. Texas and other parts'of North and complaints from residents. "Allied tells us that things are Texas. As a.representative of Alliedrunning as usual, but that's not This is the first strike at the a Waste Services met with city what we're.hearing fTam our resi- Fort Worth facility,officials said. councils in Southlake and Keller =dents," said Keller Mayor Julie A"blue crew"made up of Al- on Tuesday,about 25 striking Al- Andy."We're very frustrated and lied supervisors and operations lied workers picketed outside the -disappointed with the service." managers from other states and two city halls• et'_ In response to complaints, other cities in Texas is handling The picketers,all members of .-eller recently directed police pa- the Fort Worth collections during Teamsters Local 767, have been `1fol officers to check on trash cal- the strike,Mr.Powell said. on strike since Dec. 18 over ctions. company's "unfair labor practic- '- "That's not what our police of- E-mail mrichter@dallasnewsxom ficers are supposed to be doing," es" and "attempts to break the "she said.'Mis is the second round union," said John Shorts, vice of problems in the last year,and if president of Local 767. there is one more strike, we all "We heard that Allied was go- -know what that means in base- ing to do a presentation at the °,ball." council meetings, so we showed Southlake Mayor Andy up to make our point,"Mr.Shorts VVambsganss said service had de- said. "The cities are not gettingk; the service they deserve." dined at the start of the strike but Allied Waste general manager improved briefly until the bad Tim Powell said he scheduled Feather arrived. "We started having problems presentations to the two councils -- again,and of course we're disap- and plans to meet with officials in pointed,"he said."But Tim Pow- the 25 cities served by the Fart ell has been responsive, so we're Worth division to address con- going to take him at his word that terns. the company will meet the obliga- Cities served by Allied Waste tions of its contract. include Azle,Bedford,Benbrook, "We have a contract with Al- 4 Blue Mound, Edgeclifl' Village, lied until April 30, and then we i Euless,Grapevine,Haslet,Hurst, will look at all of our options,"he Keller,Lakeside,Marshall Creek, said. Newark, North Richland Hills, Keller's contract with Allied Pelican Bay,Richland Hills,River extends four more years, Oaks,Roanoke,Saginaw,Sanctu- Allied and union officials have ' been meeting regularly in an at- tempt to reach a new labor agree- ment. Three sessions were held last week, and the next round of '= talks is scheduled for Friday. "The sticking point is job secu- DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS1 BARKER GETCHELL LIBRA JRY ADMIN LIBRARY REF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED I DATE OF ARTICLE 1! 0 NEWSPAPER DMN , 9. aid a,�sn le. _ nAr Neat o Fan base, rec play up, v ~tually ' unchecked since Stars:came - By JEFF MOSIER, Now he estimates that there.are Although he's still a football fan, Samantha Arthur, a 25-year- Staff Writer tnore than 10,000 North Texans Mr. Hackett said his biggest pas- old Euless resident,said she's one lEULESS — It's midnight playing hockey, from Tot I skate i Sion now is hockey. He said the of about 20 women playing in her Wednesday and the last beer classes to competitive youth travel sport has gone beyond novelty and instructional I-League. She said league game is tied and stealing . teams to recreational adult taken hold in an area where one- she's liked hockey since the Stars valuable sleep time from the play- leagues. timers and two-line passes meant came to town,but she's a bigger ers. Local high school play started nothing. and better fan since starting to play j A decade ago, many of these in 1997 with four teams;that num- "If there is a ceiling to this;we the game last year. men—and a fewwomen-would berhas grown to more than 70, haven't reached ityet,"Mr.Hackett "i've grown to like it more,"she ,have been passing for one more The number of players in Texas said. said."Ithelps,knowingthe game." . touchdown,bowling for one more registered with USA Hockey,a na- RobertAlcorn,25,who grew up Although participation in ice strike or swinging for one more tional organizing association, is in Coppell,is a product of the Stars' hockey has been flat over the past homer before calling it a night approaching that of Ohio and Col early efforts to nurture youth hock- 15 years,according to research by These days, the Beerflyers are orado, according to figures from ey.He learned the game in a camp American Sports Data Inc.,others scrapping with the Hockey Team that group and the StarCenters. soon alter the team arrived in Dal- said Sun Belt states have seen dra _and manage a quick goal in over- Each month,more fathers and lasandbeganbuildingStarCenters matiegrowth. Pro- time fora 5-4 win at the Dr Pepper sons and mothers and daughters from Frisco to Farmers Branch to Kevin Erlenbacb, adult pro- PPe are lacing up their skates and grab- Duncanville.There are nowfive,as grams coordinator for USA Hock- nter. bin their sticks anywhere from Despite the salt an the side- gwell as�many more ice rinks: ey,said Texas,Florida,Arizona and. walks and sand on the streets, one night a week to nearly every throughoutNorth Texas. North Carolina are becoming �Torfs Texas a far from the lands day.They do so despite high prices I had delusions of grandeur," hockey hotbeds.And these nontra- �vhere hockey is a birthright ht hand- and heavy demand that forces Mr. Alcorn said about his early- ditional locales are producing top �d down fromhockey is a it to nigh —and some teams to start games after trips to the rink. He dreamed of youthhockeytalent. occasionally daughter—on frozen midnight. playing in the NHL. But Mr.Reusch said the Stars rids. But Dallasprepares to - Dressed in a green Dallas Stars At first,he was thrilled by the have done a better job than other sweat suit and straw cowboy hat, hits and otherwise aggressive play teams in creating a grassroots ost its first NHL All-Star Game y system, n Wednesday, recreational Doug Hackett represents the new of enforcers like the Stals Shane hockey - especially for Lads. league players and officials said Texas hockey fan and player.The . Churla,known more for punching He said the team is tailing to offi- eland offootball is maturing in 39"year-old defenseman for the opponents than scoring on them. Vials yam the phoenix Coyotes,An- a serious hockey region. Misfits was born.in Amarillo'grew But Mr.Alcorn's dozen years on the aheim Ducks and Florida Panthers _ up in Arlington and graduated ice taught him the intricacies ofthe "I see it becoming a permanent from high school a Sam Houston game and trained him to become a about advising them on their youth ofthe landscape here,"said Ed Texan. knowledgeable fan in the mold of systems. fn sch,vice president of the Star Exuding ahowdy-ma'am Texas - — Still,it's hard to imagine hockey ters. "It's becoming a lifelong charm,he said his sports world re- the hockey faithful in Toronto,De approaching the popularity of assign. troit and Boston. all locally or even challenging passion." volved around football while grow- Duane"Whip"Wylie, a center He said hock was a novel to any other sports at the recreational hockey 9 mg up. for the Dallas Black Hawks in the 12t y native Texans before 1993. - _.-_-____ ____.-- - league level. Research from the "When we were kids,it was all 1970s and now hockey programs- National Sporting Goods Associa- when the Minnesota North p° g Stars packed the U-Haul, moved about Roger Staubach and the manager for the Plano StarCenter, tion in the late 1990s showed that Dallas and dropped"Minneso- �`�oys,"he said. said the outreach to children has soccer,football,softball and base- and"North," Mr. Hackett said his little worked weiL During his playing balleachhaveatleastfivetimesthe the fan base start- awareness ofhocke came from the a dramatic expansion that con- y days,he said,there were only a few number of participants nationally. tinues today. Dallas Black Hawks, a minor thousand stalwart fans and hardly Basketball had more than 10 times Before the Stars, Mr. Reusch league team that called it quits in anyone — children or adults — the number ofplayers. there were fewer than 400 1982,and superstar Wayne Gretz- participatingin hockeyleagues. In traditional hockey climates, d, uth and adult hockey players in �s a and on Saturday "Back in those days,this would there are many more rinks andkids the Dallas area, and many were NightLivein 1989. have been nothing but a dream, can play on frozen ponds or lakes Ohnsplants from Canada,the up- Mr.Wylie,56,said about the explo- —just like Texans can play sandlot Midwest and the Northeast. sion oflocal players. baseball orblacktopbasketball.Ice time is still at a premiumloeally. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE C� OF MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT , YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED Ila U -7 DATE OFARTICLE I/a / C)-7 NEWSPAPER DMN And the amount of gear needed The only thing that holds it ' is costly,even for pickup e. „ Mr.Hackett sand he throws the p p� back is the cost, Mr. Hurt said. football with his son but also en- Don Hurt,a former coach ofthe "Not every kid can come out to the rolled him in_hockey classes. He ' Arlington Wild high school team, rink said the game is more expensive said his son doesn't have the same Mats Lindquist,center and co- passion for the game, but his 4- than other team sports.Some par- ordinator for the Hockey Team, year-old daughter is adifferent sto- ents spend$1,500 or more so their said hockeycould become a signifi- Iy, ' children can play in a youth league. cant part of the area's culture."It "She's taking more of an inter- Equipment costs can increase that going to take fathers handing this' est,"he said,smiling. figure by 50 to 100 percent.Even down to their sons for genera- , thebeerleaguescost$400perper- tions,"he said,describing how it's E-mailjmosier@dallasnews.com ' son and up per season. done in his native Sweden. NHL ALL-STAR GAME /F shot h sm mom MUM I d. , '`" D�IIasSiarscom _ A ' IAIM G _ After a 5-2 loss, the Phantoms skated by and shook hands with their Mid-Cities opponents Friday at the Dr Pepper StarCenter in Euless. Before the Stars came to town,there were few adult or youth recreational players in North Texas.' , Now there are thousands, and ice time is at a premium. t 'DISTRIBUTED TO: PACE _�_OF MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CN R DATE DISTRIBUTED I / a I C DATE OF ARTICLE l/a NEWSPAPE t n to I Corte Comment: Uninsured Texans a crisis for everyone ' Web Posted: 01/22/2007 05:59 PM CST ' Harold D.Samuels Texas has a long tradition of setting the pace when it comes to achievement. Our state leads the nation as ' the best place to build a business. We are home to more Fortune 500 company headquarters than any other state. We also claim some of the best medical facilities in the world. While there is much Texans can be proud of, we also lead the nation in the percentage of residents who lack basic health care coverage. There are 5.6 million uninsured Texans, a statistic that is staggering, sobering and not something to brag about. ' If you have health care coverage, it can be easy to think the uninsured crisis doesn't affect you. Think again. ' As a former mayor, city council member, business owner and now chairman of the Texas Healthcare Trustees(an organization for governing board members of Texas hospitals), I'm concerned about the crisis our state is facing and its impact on communities and families. Uninsured Texans place an enormous burden on hospitals' ability to fulfill their core mission to deliver ' accessible, quality health care to all Texans. It's also a crisis that threatens the state's economic outlook. With funding cuts to programs such as Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program in recent ' years, the working poor are impacted most obviously. However, not all Texans without health care coverage are poor or unemployed. Rising costs are putting coverage out of reach for many middle- income Texans, too. ' The entrepreneurial spirit thrives in the Lone Star State, but many small businesses simply can't afford to offer health care coverage to their workers. And an increasing number of large employers are trimming b or eliminating health care benefits. ' One of the main reasons it is so expensive to offer health insurance benefits and pay premiums is the staggering number of uninsured Texans. In Texas, health insurance premiums for families are about ' $1,551 higher due to the cost of caringb for uninsured patients. The average cost of a family policy has risen at a rate nearly three times faster than wages and inflation. ' So, those Texans with health insurance coverage face an increasing burden on their pocketbooks and household budgets as a result of the uninsured. As health care costs rise so do the numbers of uninsured. Texans without p coverage adequate 1 q b ace a great burden on our health care system, particularly hospitals where uncompensated and charity care ' continues to increase. This crisis threatens access and quality of care for everyone. E DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT 1 YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CN x DATE DISTRIBUTED 1/a r DATE OF ARTICLE a NEWSPAPER 1A liL A 61, E When the uninsured are sick,they often turn to emergency rooms for treatment because they don't have a family doctor. The result is overcrowded emergency rooms whose resources are meant to be used for f` patients in need of lifesaving care. In a state where diabetes and obesity affect millions, we would be wise to address the issue of the 1 uninsured now before our health care safety net is overwhelmed by patients with these costly, chronic diseases. s 1 We must be willing to work together—communities, businesses, health care providers and state leaders —for meaningful reform. There's no silver bullet, but an effort that strengthens our health care safety net and ensures that every s Texan has access to affordable health coverage that focuses on preventive and primary health care G would be a good start. That would be something worth bragging about. 1 Harold Samuels,former mawn•of Euless, is chairman of the Texas Healthcare TI•ustees, whichIn-ovides education, leadership and ach ocacv support,for governing board meruber•s at Texas hospitals. If �r. 1 : f z 1t j, Y l 4 1 r s t 1 � 1 1 r 1 1 'DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE I OF 'MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY GRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATEDISTRIBUTED I/ f DATE OFARTICLE �� NEWSPAPER FWST EULESS G011,7m�ig South Amid complaints of decline, city leaders say answer to revitalizing south Mess is via business and activism A. W GRA �Y Asd M-Radha,owner of the AI-Amir Food Store,said the foil in his windows isn't for privacy but for stheTsummer heat. By JESSICA DeLEON I STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER Helen Voss said too many ' EULESS — To some res i_ Martha Street,which has signs are covering up store dents, south Euless isoin houses on the south side and g g windows, and people cannot ' downhill. businesses on the north, was see what's going on inside. The area has unkempt often mentioned. Resident P - City officials said they were stores and too man cars homes, a half-dozen residents-nts. not surprised by the com- parked in front of some complained at a recent town- parked but noted that some hall meeting. Loud music is areas, especially along Texas ' played in some areas, they said. 10, are seeing new growth.. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF C2 MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT YOUNG McDONALD / COLLINS BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYADMI/N� LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED t DATE OF ARTICLE `t'/0 NEWSPAPER FWST South EuleSS City staff will take down the <� g names of residents interested t5 —Mappedareq 3 35W in serving on a committee for 1 F a south Euless,Mayor Mar Lib a y � an' o GI de Rd ,:: Saleh said. Cheek Sparger t' Bedford 21 i '.im F :y �, 15T le Pipeline Rd. �x 10 �tY B`va fort 3R3r+3t.1 - Worth Vie' STAR-TELEGRAM/M.L.GRAY ' These abandoned apartments are on Dickey Drive in south. Euless,=which some residents say is detenoratJhg.; Center`on Martha Street is . Gema Gutierrez,owner of the Nu lonerE ore chic.CRAY The International Business Nuevo-Look Beauty Salon,says other parts of the city look more chic. home to several ethnic grocery stores, a doughnut shop, a Gema Gutierrez,who owns ■Neighborhood improve- Despite the complaints,cits Laundromat and a beauty sa- the Nuevo-Look Beauty Salon :ments.The area has many nice officials note that south Eules of houses, but others need re- has improved significantly Ion. on Martha, said other parts; Charlie Semos,who manag- the city—such as the recently pairs, Saleh said. Some resi- the last five years, especially es the property, said he plans expanded and landscaped dents don't have the money to along Texas 10. some improvements by the Main Street—look more chic. maintain their properties.The New development include, summer, including landscap- "The city fixes more things city can't-help private homes a QuikTrip; the new law en- ing and painting the building. over there,"she said. and neighborhoods, but it can forcement centerand a Fros He said he recently built a Saleh said the city has been provide sidewalks and roads, Bank. The old Kmart buildini $10,000 Dumpster fence that trying to improve south Euless she said. at Industrial Boulevard an matched the brick of the prop- by attracting an anchor. ■Homeowners associa- Texas 10,which sat empty for erty. We have tried desperately tions. Such associations could nine years, was transforme The strip mall has had sev- to get a grocery store down help residents get to know into the DFW Technologj eral owners since it was built in there,"she said. their neighborhood police offi- Center. 1960, according to the Tarrant Winn-Dixie and Harvest su- cers and their neighbors. "We "It's perspective of half- Appraisal District. permarkets did a good busi- found that can be one of the empty and half-full," Collin,. Semos said some businesses ness when they operated in best ways to improve the com- said. put signs in their windows be- that area, Economic Develop- munity,"Saleh said. Jessica DeLehn,817-685-3932 cause that's how they adver- ment Director Bill Ridgway ■Develop a Euless Pride jdeleon@star-telegram.com tise. . said. program. Under the citywide Assad M-Radha, who owns But the stores closed be- program, officials work with the Al-Amir Food Store at In- cause their corporate owners businesses to maintain proper- ternational Business, said he had financial trouble.The area, ties. covers up most of his windows hemmed in by Dallas/Fort For example,the city would 3 with silver foil because it gets Worth Airport and the Trinity install an irrigation system at a hot during the summer. The River, may discourage busi- business,but the owner would building's lass front faces nesses from coming in. g g agree to landscape and main- west. Other city ideas to improve tain the property,Planning and "You cannot bear it," he the area include: Development Director Mike said. Collins said.