HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-01-20 Euless Articles DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF a
MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRI1V HENNIG MCKAA11E RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT
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YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANJIVAL CNTR
/ DATE OFARTICLE / 7 /
NEWSPAPER Fii'ST
1 BOND ELECTION
1
County down
"ad-project funding
1 p �
' ■Officials want to get the Tarrant County and include
list down to$200 million for more than$207 million for lo-
a May bond vote: cal road projects and nearly
$36 million for state highway
1 ByANTHONY SPANGLER work.
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER An additional $20 million
Tarrant County Commis was requested from fhe Fort
sioners will begin this week to Worth Transportation Author-
whittle down requests for ity to help pay for a light-rail
nearly $244 million in trans- line.from Fort Worth to Dallas/
portation projects in 18 cities Fort Worth Airport.
1 that could be includedin the Commissioners have said
planned $435 million bond they want to include$200 mil-
package expected to go before lion in transportation projects
voters in May. in the bond package.They have
1 The 129 projects requested indicated that they plan to
stretch from southeast Arling spend the rest of the bond
ton and Mansfield to northern
10 high-priority projects
' A committee ranked these local projects highest among 129 proposals submitted for consideration by Tarrant County commissioners.
Rank City Project Type Locatio
From To Amount Requested
1 North Richland Hills Widening North Tarrant Parkway Davis Blvd. City limits $4,862,000
2 Fort Worth Widening Precinct Line Road -Texas 10 Trinity Blvd. $2,729,000
3 North Richland Hills/Keller Widening North Tarrant Parkway Davis Blvd. Whitley Road ; $10,795,000
4 North Richland Hills Widening Davis Blvd. Emerald Hills Way Starnes Road $150,000
15 Fort Worth Widening East Rosedale St. U.S.287 - " East Loop 820 $7,994,000
6 Fort Worth Widening Golden Triangle Blvd. Interstate 35W U.S.377 $7,300,000
7 Colleyville Intersection Jackson Road at Cheek Sparger Rd. $374,940
'8 Mansfield Widening East Broad St. Holland Rd.N. Day Miar Rd.N. $1,737,579
9 Grand Prairie Turn lanes Great Southwest Parkway at I-20 $221,049
10 . " North Richland Hills Intersection Davis Blvd.at Mid-Cities Blvd. $2 0
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIA1 HENNIG MCKArY11E RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT
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money to build another maxi For the transportation pro-
mum-security jail and a 'new' jects that are selected, the
civil courts'building and ex- county's plan is to fund up to 50
pand juvenile services and the percent with the rest coming
medical examiner's facilities. ; from the cities or other sourc
Although most of the trans- es,county officials said.
portation proposals submitted Commissioners have said
were in Arlington and North- they would like to dedicate 10
east Tarrant County, commis- percent of the transportation
sioners said they would like to money to mass transit. On
spread thefunded projects Tuesday,the Fort Worth Trans-
throughout the county's four portation Authority asked
precincts. commissioners for$20 million
"If we're going to get sup to help build a light-rail line
port from the voters,we're go- from southwest Fort Worth
ing to have to have a,pretty through the Mid-Cities to Dal-
good distribution of those dol- las/Fort Worth Airport. The
Tars,"said Precinct 4 Commis- project would becontingent
sioner J.D.Johnson,who repre- on future federal funding,state
sents northwestern Tarrant_ money and wide-ranging sup,
County. sport from cities countywide.
The commissioners must 4 `
decide which ro'ects to fund Anthony Spangler,(817)390-7420
P 1 aspangler@star-telegram.com
by March 12 in order to call a
May 13 election, said Gayle
Hamilton, interim elections
administrator.The court's last Cities ask for help with roads
scheduled meeting before that Tarrant County cities and the Texas Department of' ransportation
deadline is March 7. submitted'requests for local and state projects to be included in a
A 14-person committee with county bond package.The total amounts requested in each city:
representatives from across city
the county reviewed the pro- Arlington Number Amount requested jects and forwarded their rank- ,
41 $95,261,750
ings to commissioners last Azle,' 1 $2,425,000
week. Not included in the to 8enbrook 1 $1,902,441 = �+
tals were two state highway Colleyville 11
g Y Euless $2,569,151
u
projects,totaling more than$9 6 $3,107,500
million, that the committee Everman 1 $165,000
said lacked adequate state and Fort Worth 14 "i
` $43,558,000
local funding. Grand Prairie 17 $13,359,009
Precinct 1 Commissioner Grapevine 2
Roy Brooks said the ranking Haltom City ' $11,525,000
1
should help commissioners Hurst $2,720,390
� S $3,348,240
decide which transportation Keller
projects should be included. 1 $3,479,800 A,
Kennedale 3 $6,207,725
Brooks said his top priori- Mansfield 9
ties are alleviating traffic con- North Richland Hills $16,461,242
gestion, improving air and 6 $7,995,500
North Richland Hills/Keller 1 $10,
spending money on projects. Saginaw 0
� 795,00 }
that benefit the entire county. 5 $14,815,000
"We are facing a very seri- Southlake 2 $3,085,000
ous challenge in North Texas Watauga 1 $1,070,738
to ensure we can meet federal Total 129 $243,851,486
air quality requirements by I SOURCE:Star-Telegram analysis of Tarrant County data
2010,"he said."And we are no-
where near hitting those tar-
gets.This bond program has to
be a contributing factor to the
quality of life for the people
who live here."
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT
rOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED o�C% �O6. DATE OF ARTICLE / 7 /0 tle NEWSPAPER FWST
' GOVERNMENT
•
Hurstraises
ambulance
feels. _ o0
■The city expects to gener- jones said.
Grapevine, which oversees
to$125,000 in additional
"We're re confident that our its ambulance billing, charges
other cities may ambulance services have been residents $200 and non-resi-
(evenue;
crease their fees as well. significantly upgraded since dents $300. But those fees
we took over in 2000,"he said. could jump when the city
By ADRIENNE NETTLES "All of Hurst's staff members starts contracting with Hous-
STAR-TELEGRAM
ous-
STAR TELEGRAM STAFF WRl'I'ER
are trained as paramedics in- ton-based Intermedix on Feb.1.
~`HURST - City residents stead of EMTs, and the city Intermedix charges
55 for
must pay 60 percent more for provides two ambulances, as base ambulanceg service in
balance service, part of opposed-to the one ambulance Bedford, Colleyville, Euless,
at appears to be a regional provided by Rural/Metro." Keller and
end. Richland Hills and
The city's basic ambulance Hurst residents can get a re- could charge the same for
le now costs residents $600, prieve from the fee increases Grapevine.
I
from $375, and non-regi through a subscription to the A national poll conducted in`
dents$695,up from$450.In ad- service. The 2-year-old pro- November by EIVISNetwor-
'tion to the fee increases,the gram allows households to pay k.org places most municipali-
--- a $60 annual membership to ties base ambulance rates be-
ity's mileage rate for ambu- cover the portion of ambu- tween$300 and$1,300,said Jay
Rance service has increased to lance costs not paid by insur- Mattern, Intermedix spokes
10 from$5. ance companies.To ate,about man.
.,We haven't increased am- 320 of the city's dat house "At the start of a contract.
ulance fees since the incep- holdsresidents on
, mostly residwith municipalities,we recom-
tion of the program six years Medicare or Medicaid,partici- mend rates based on reason-
,, Hurst Assistant City pate in the program Hurst Fire able and customary reim-
(an'
ager Jeff Jones said. "The Chief John Brown said. bursement rates of insurance
rease in fees is a step in the . companies,"he said.
right direction to recover an in- Other cities may also in-
crease their fees. Brown said he plans to rec-
ease in operating expenses "We're not trying to offset ommend a fee increase to the
OMn,providing ice." quality all of the cost to run a ambu- North Richland Hills City
balance service." lance service Council to keep up with the in-
Z-:;The City Council approved , you re trying to
fee increase by a 6-0 vote recoup some of the money to
week.' provide the service," said Lt.
Hurst's ambulance program James Brown, EMS coordina-
costs about$1 million annuallyfor for the North Richland
operate,Jones said.The fee
e Hills Fire Department. North
Richland Hills charges resi-
reasewill generate$125,000 dents $335 and non-residents
annually for a program subsi- $457.
ed by tax dollars.
2000,Hurst decided not
renew its contract with the
private ambulance firm Rural/
tro after receiving high bids
M
that company and others,
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CR1jV HENNIG MCKAjV11E RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT
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Ambulance transportation fees ;
CITY RESIDENT NON-RESIDENT
Bedford $855 $855`
Colleyville $855
$855
Euless
$855 $855'
Fort Worth
emergency $975 $975
nonemergency $598 $598
Grapevine - $200 $300
Haltom City
emergency i $1,115 $1,115
non-emergency $684 $684
Hurst $600 $695!•
Keller $855 $855
North Richland,Hills.,:', $335 $457.
Richland Hills $855 $855
Southlake $300 $3001
Watauga $350 to$400 additional$125
Haltom City and Fort Worth contract out their ambulance transport service to MedStar,
which charges a lower fee for non-emergency trips,such as taking a patient home from the
hospital.
SOURCES:MedStar,cities
dustry and recoup costs,but he rates comparable to what other
declined to discuss figures be- cities are charging .around
fore his presentation. them,"he said.
"All Hurst and most other
cities are doing by increasing Adrienne Nettles,(817)685-3820
their fees is trying to get their anettles@star-telegram.com ""�
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AIAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRII>'1 HENNIG MCKAjV11E RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT
fOUNG AlcDONALD JCOLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADA•IIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED / l a l U DATE OF ARTICLE /U �'
NEWSPAPER_ FWS7'
' TRANSPORTATION
Dallas oun considers.
oJeavingwad 'agency
■Leaders question whether Tarrant County Commis- The tollway authority was
' the North Texas group pro-, sioner Glen Whitley said that if. created in 1997 to replace the to Dirks. The rest would ex-
vides.enough benefit to the Dallas County breaks away it Texas Turn and ten
Turnpike Authority�' d about seven miles from
county. could compete with the au- � oversee the operations of toll Dirks to Farm Road 1187 in
thority for funding. roads in Tarrant, Dallas, Den- southern Tarrant-County and
' By ANNA M.TINSLEY "I don't understand why itton and Collin counties. on to U.S.67 in Cleburne.
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER. _ The most recent cost esti-
Amid concerns that Fort was all right for us to be a re Keliher said she's not happy mate for the highway. is $825
Worth's Southwest Parkway gional partner regarding air about the tollway authority's million.
quality issues,but now when it recent decision to charge'the
' could siphon money from oth- comes to Dallas County's turn Fort Worth Mayor Pro Tem
tY same tolls on Southwest Park-
er regional road projects,Dal- -to being a regional partner in a way as on other roads. Some Chuck Silcox said breaking up
las County officials are calling tollwa ro'ect...judge Keliher the tollway authority would
YP 1 T g people have argued that the
for a meeting of local leaders to doesn't think the want to ar- hurt the whole area,including
' Y P road will not draw enough
discuss whether they should ticipate," Whitley said. "I _ Dallas.
consider backing out of the didn't hear her complainindrivers to pay its own costs. .<g Its a bad business. deci-
The NTTA is going to be
North Texas Tollway Authori= when they were expanding up . more effective with all the
�'• into Collin County.
sion, Keliher said. It is detri- Partners sticking together than
Dallas County Judge Marga- Whitley said local officials mental to the whole system. it is by all the partners splinter-
ret Keliher said commissioners should work together in devel- Even after 30 years when the ing off,"he said."Dallas would
met behind closed doors Tues- oping important projects. bonds will be paid off,that road then be on their own,having to
day with their lawyers to dis- "We're a region,"he said."I would never be able to pay it fund everything by them-
cuss their options,and want to don't think we need to be wor- of But some tollway decisions selves.Is that good for the citi-
meet with officials from Tar- ried about what is happeningzens of Dallas County. In.my
rant, Collin and Denton coun- just in our own neighborhood." dont come down to the bottom opinion,no."
' ties which, with Dallas Denton County Judge Mary line, said Bill Meadows, Tare. 1
County, make up the tollway Horn said Tuesday that she has rant County's representative. Staff writ s John Kirsch,Mike Lee
on the authority. and Anth
authority—to see where they no interest in pulling out of the "The NTTA i. the de v Spangler contributed,
stand. etroplex this re
tollway authority and hopes port•
This comes a month after Dallas County does not drop le entity created vi e regional
' leadership to provide regional.
the tollway authority decided out either. Anna M. nstey,(817)390-7610
to level out rates that would be transportation, said Mead- atinstey(Astar-tete
"Surely they can't believe ows,a former Fort Worth City gram.com
paid by drivers on all its toll that only Dallas County resi-' Council member. "If one pro-
roads, rather than set higher dents drive on the George Bush
toll rates for the Southwest Turnpike," she said. "I hope ject is looked at exclusively
Parkway, which some had ar- they will reconsider-this op- and totally in the vacuum of
' gued would not draw enough tion." comparative financial feasibil-
drivers to pay its own costs. Collin County Judge Ron ity,it doesn't take into consid-
Keliher said the tollway au- Harris said that Collin County eration the regional approach.
thority is being left with less- should remain part of the toll- Its our obligation to con-
than-desirable projects as way but that he shares Dallas sider all factors. We've got an
counties and private contrac- County's concerns about the obligation to serve regional
tors ick off rime toll projects transportation needs.
P P P 1 cost of the proposed South-
for themselves. west Parkway toll road in Fort The proposed Southwest
' "If the NTTA is going to be a Worth. Parkway would stretch from
tolling authority for this re- The best way to address Summit Avenue at Interstate
gion, and take on projects no those concerns would be a 30 near downtown Fort Worth
one else wants,we need to as- meeting to discuss them,Har- to Altamesa Boulevard/Dirks
' sess where we are," Keliher ris said. Road in southwest Fort Worth
said. "We're going to see what "As a team player you've got and eventually to Cleburne.It
our options are." to listen to whatever's out Would include about eight
On Tuesday,Tarrant,Collin there,"he said. miles of toll road from Summit
' and Denton county leaders
said they supported keeping .
t}xa tn11xxrw mrthnrity-i*is
r
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRIRYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED l l� DATE OF ARTICLE /// IV /G"
NEWSPAPER F6t'ST
NORTHEAST AFTER HOURS
Musical ending run.
EULESS You're a Good Man,
Charlie Brown,a musical based on
the Peanuts comic strip by Charles
M.Schulz,will end its run this Kill
weekend at the Starlight Perform-
ing Arts Theatre,201 S.Ector Drive.
Remaining show times for the
family show are 8 p.m.Friday and 2
and 8 p.m.Saturday.
The production spotlights the
comic strip's characters,including
Charlie Brown,Snoopy,Schroeder
and Lucy.
Tickets are$10 for adults and
$8 for senior citizens and students.
Call(817)508-Ml.
r
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is sorely needed in the Fort Worth sec- Joso M.Lopez de Fuentes,director of
AREA HIGHWAYS tion, where toll lanes might not have U.S.projects for Ciptra,one of the com-
been built for years. panies bidding on the project, said he
' Tarrant County leaders had already wasn't upset by the state's decision'to
oll earmarked some local money for the scrap all,the bids.
Tproject. <. "We liked the project a lot,but we will
Dallas officials had other priorities. ' 'like it much better after it is repack-
Last week,Tarrant County Commis- aged," Lopez said. "I think it will still
rojec sioner Glen Whitley asked that the Tar- happen.I think it will happen soon."
rant County portion of the project be The setback in Tarrant County was
separated from the Dallas County por- the only bad news announced during a
tion.Whitley and other members of the workshop held by state officials in Aus-
newly formed 35W Coalition also have tin to brief lenders,engineers and other
hel Ve called for toll lanes on Interstate 35W to interested companies on $27 billion
be included in the project. worth of Texas toll road projects.
Whitley's letter helped state officials More than 400 people attended the
realize it was time to start over,said Ric briefing, including representatives of
for Williamson of Weatherford, Texas overseas companies. Officials said.600
nowTransportation Commission chairman. people also watched an online broad-
' "If we start down a road and some-'. cast.
thing goes wrong,we can't be afraid to- Projects include the Trans-Texas
Efforts to build median toll stop, step back and even suffer losses," Corridor toll road from the Metroplex to
Williamson said: San Antonio.
lanes in Tarrant County hit a snag Construction of the Tarrant County Median toll lanes on the Grapevine
Tuesday, but state officials say toll lanes won't necessarily be delayed, Funnel project also may be farmed out
road expansions could still get Texas Department of Transportation of to the private sector, said Phil Russell,
going soon. ficials said.Redrawing the project is on director of the Texas Turnpike Author-
ly expected to take about two months:; ity Division,as well as improvements to
By GORDON DICKSON During that time, an environmental', `Texas 360 and potentially dozens of oth-
STARTELEGRAMSTAFF VnZrn stt..ly will continue. By the end of the- , er state projects originally planned as
year,private companies May again be at .,
AUSTIN — Once again, Tarrant - - - - --- nontoll roads.
County commuters are stuck in traf- the bidding table.
fic. "This will not stop the project devel- Godo„nio6o -(g17)685-3816
Plans_to build privately run toll opment," said Russell Laughlin of Hill- gdickson@star-telegram.com
lanes on Northeast Loop 820 and wood Properties,who is transportation
Airport Freeway chairman for the 35W Coalition. The
were shelved DISPUTE group is fighting for I-35W traffic allevi-
Tuesday by state ■Dallas County ation from Meacham Boulevard to Alli-
transportation of- considers leaving ance Airport.
ficials, who said North Texas Instead of extending the median toll
the project across authority.13B lanes more than 30 miles from Interstate
more - than 30 35W to Interstate 35E, Tarrant County
miles in Tarrant and Dallas counties officials say they want the lanes to go on
had become too problematic. ly about as far east as Texas 161,near the:
The delay may frustrate many D/FW Airport south entrance.
motorists who have been waiting But new elements could be added,in-
more than a decade for road work to cluding toll lanes on Interstate 35W,per
begin between Alliance and Dallas/ haps from Meacham Boulevard to Alli-
Fort Worth airports, but state offi- ance Airport,and reconstruction of the,
cials pledged to restart the bidding I-35W and Loop 820 interchange.
immediately — with a better blue- Private companies hadn't been sure
print. how much of I-35W to include in the
Construction could still be under project. There were questions about
way by 2009 or earlier,they said. whether local officials and state leaders
Four bidders had offered to build wanted I-35W developed as a toll road.
median toll lanes, but each wanted After the 35W Coalition called last
to start in the Dallas area first be- week for I-35W to be doubled to four
cause they could collect more toll lanes in each direction, with two toll
revenue early on,officials said.That lanes and two nontoll lanes,the local ac-
'didn't sit well with Tarrant County ceptance of toll lanes became more
officials, who say congestion relief clear.
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIA1 HENNIG MCX4A11E RIDGWAY(Z) BOYETT
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIAIAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED r a /D DATE OF ARTICLE l/� /U NEWSPAPER FWST
PARKS
Euless preserve offers a place to play and learn*
qx..............
4R
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NO
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2 J
STAR-TELEGRAM/M.L.GRAY
Vickie Knox and her son Samuel,3,feed ducks from the pier at the Preserve at McCormick Park.Students helped design the preserve.
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIitiI HENNIG MCKAMHE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT
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ne t
atures S ,
By ELLLENA RR MORRI.SON almost-finished preserve'sSTAR-TELEGRAM STAFF
' WRIERentrance recently. really
EULESS — Design plans "I mean, look at thisg ets the
for Euless' $I million Pre- place, he said,sweeping his kids to pay
' serve at McCormick Park hit hand in front of him to en- j
Ray McDonald's desk cov- compass a playground with attention,
ered in engineering lingo, faux-log slides, the begin- and it
numbers and complex draw- ning of a small forest—com-
ings. plete with saplings from lo- brings
Page after page detailed cal and national historically science
the placement of the out- significant trees — and a
door classroom, the chil- quaint bridge leading to a home."
dren's playground, two glistening lake. —Gloria
ponds and a historic tree "It's much better than I `
grove._ ever envisioned." Chatelain,
But the engineering plans Funded by a Texas Parks Hurst-Euless-
don't "even come close to and Wildlife Department Bedford science
doing it justice," said Mc- grant covering 50 percent of coordinator
Donald, Euless director of the cost, the project took
' parks and community ser about a year longer than ex
vices, standing near the
David and Susan Stringer of Grapevine and their son Tyler,6,walk
' along the paved paths on their way to the lake to do some fishing. A Wil, Y w
The park project cost$1 million.
1
1
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIIYI HENNIG MCXAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYAD[1'lIN LIBRARYREF ANVYIAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIB UTED L�U 0 DATE OF ARTICLE ��
NEWSPAPER Fi{'ST
pected because of paperwork,
officials said. � � �� ��
Work began on the grant in
2003. : "
Besides a few minor touch-
es,
ouch es, all that remains is to seed
theround ���
g with a native
grass,Euless officials said. � ..
f S.
The 27-acre preserve at
2005 Fuller-Wiser Road con-,
netts Bob Eden Park on the
west to the Villages of Bear = 1#f
Creek Park on the east.
The Preserve at McCor �"
mick Park already has joggers j 'M
and dog walkers meandering STAR41ELEGRAM/M.L.GRAY
along the wide hike-and-bike A gazebo and play structure greet visitors near the entrance to the
trails, people fishing on the new Preserve at McCormick Park in Euless.
floating pier and teachers ea-
ger to bring students to the the preserve,offering sugges- The Preserve at
outdoor learning center and tions on everything from McCormick Park.
amphitheater. The preserve what type of benches to use to
,also includes a bird habitat how far people should have to 360
and examples of different walk from the parking lot. a
ecosystems,such as wetlands "They would say some- £Bless 3
and forest areas. thing and everybody would Z Mid-Cities Blvd.
The things we can do with jump in, piggy-backing on
two or three hours in the park, each other's ideas,"said Lake-
it would take you a month.to wood Elementary student ...
go over in the classroom," Alyssa Johnson, 12, who McCd�mrdc
said Gloria Chatelain, Hurst- helped with the project by, :Park 518
Euless-Bedford science coor- among other things, suggest 13 who took teachers to ing the park.. stick to earth ;,
the preserve late last year to tones."They used our ideas." Preserve at
discuss possible science les- In keeping with the natural McCormick
sons."It really gets the kids to environment of the preserve, completion.
e
PI)
pay attention, and it brings many of the features are eco-
science home." friendly. ® ®;
Lakewood and North Eu- For instance, large rocks
less elementary students, dug up during another devel- STAR-TELEGRAM TIM BEo,SON
along with some from Euless opment project in Euless es are made from trees re-
Junior High, helped design serve as signs and the bench- moved from the preserve.
r
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CR11V HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT
L
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LLBRARYADIvIIN LIBRARYREF ANI�I1ALCNTR
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NEWSPAPER FWST
Brick '
r by brie
Acme Brick Co.has a
' 94-year history in ][I the9
Fort Worth. Lap
1891
Chartered as Acme
Pressed Brick Co.
T nd
1911 0 Moves headquarters work ,
to 824 Monroe St.
j
\ i
1919 s;
Acme moves ra fo head-
MOA/
quarters to Neil P.An
derson Building.
Acme Brick seeking a tax break
to relocate to southwet Fort Worth
' 1952
Acme moves to its By SANDRA BAKER
current address,2827 W.
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
Seventh St: — �d
FORT WORTH—Acme Brick
' Co., one of Fort Worth's oldest
1968 companies, is considering mov- „ ,area
Changes its name to ing its headquarters from West
' First Worth Corp.,merg Seventh Street on the city's near
es with Justin Boot Co. west side to an undeveloped 5.5-
acre tract off Bryant Irvin Road q.an
1972 sVickery Boulevard
levard in south- x, r�rk rll its�r
' First Worth becomes wet Fort
Justin Industries Inc. But first, the company wants
the city to.approve a deal that
1983 would return an estimated 8
$26.9 million in sales tax revenue "
Troy " to Acme Over the next 32 years. STAR TELEGRAM
Aikman The brick manufacturer,which
becomes'
Acme has been in Fort Worth since 1911 Executives have been weighing
spokesman. and located on West Seventh their options for several months:
Street since 1952,wants to consol- whether to redevelop about 12.5
AIKMAN' 11 idate its headquarters operations acres the company owns on West 2000 under one roof. Seventh,find another Fort Worth
Berkshire Hathaway Acme has been owned by War- location or move from the city.
buys Justin Industries. ren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway The company has 150 employees
x Corp. since 2000, when the Ne- spread among six buildings on
' braska-based company bought its several blocks along West Sev-
former parent,Justin Industries.
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IVAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORVEY CRI:til HENNIG MCKAAIIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYAD[VIN LIBR4RYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED 1 /`70 / 0� DATE OF ARTICLE l/ C1 / G NEWSPAPER_ FiVST
REAL ESTATE
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ACME BRICK
Acme Brick has been at its West Seventh Street building since 1952.The company
erith,including executives,se-�
is requesting a$26.9 million tax break to keep its headquarters in Fort Worth.
�
nior managers and admmis ' "Our preference was to stay To keep the company in
trative personnel and other, ' on West Seventh Street," p p Y .purchasing unit' to its City
professionals. Fort Worth, the City Council Center offices downtown,but
Knautz said."But when we got' today is being asked to consid- it was not considering a new
Dennis Knautz, Acme's into the details, it wasn t the
president and chief executive, highest and best use of the er .a plan that would grant facility.
said it's cheaper for the com= » sales tax proceeds to Acme for
property. Council members said at
pany to develop a new site 32 years. The grant would the time that Horton was ask-
than to build on West Seventh, Acme Brick has signed a average about$840,000 annu- ing for too much.
letter of intent-to buy the land ally.. That number would not Councilwoman Wendy Da-
where Acme would probably off Bryant Irvin, and execu-
need a taller, more expensive tives said they hope to close be capped and would vary, vis,who heads the downtown
the deal b
building because of land con- based on Acmes sales. The economic-development com-
straints. y July. Construction company said it averages
would begin immediate) af- mittee, said she believes that
It would also have to build a. Y about $84 million in sales in the Acme incentive package is
ter Acme sells its 70,000- Texas.
parking garage, which would square-foot headquarters, ex- Fort Worth-based home
add millions of dollars to'any ecutives said.The total invest- builder D.R.Horton withdrew
redevelopment,he said. ment would be about$15 mil-
The land is also in the path lion,and Acme would move to Cit a sty filar request it made to the
of residential development the location in summer 2007. if
Council-last w dfall that,
that's rapidly spreading be- Acme executives said the approved,would have granted
the company about $86 mil-
tween downtown and the Cul- company has received incen`v.
tural District. lion in sales tax payments over
tive offers from surrounding 30 years. In that deal, Horton
cities to lure them from Fort was considering moving its
Worth.
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRII'tiI HENNIG MCK4YIIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT
IYOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADtr1IN LIBRARYREF ANhI✓IAL CNTR
DATEDISTRIBUTED l �' I �' DATE OF ARTICLE /// C/ ,/C)(, NEWSPAPER FWST
' justifiable because Acme The amount Acme can re-
ceive, though, qould be re_ Acme s West Seventh Street property
wants to locate in a special tax duced if the company '
district that will provide P y does not c'
$200,000 a year to the South- meet requirements that at.,
0 6th Street, H Mappedare;
west Parkway tax-increment least 15 percent of the con- o
finance district. The com a- struction costs of the new o ,� 4
ny's proposal would also - headquarters is spent with �' a 7th St.
crease Fort Worth sales tax Fort Worth firms, and 15 per-
revenue.
cent with women-and minor- Crockett `
it -owned businesses. Some n N >
It's kind of a double bene- Y .
fit,"she said. businesses could meet both Morton St.' �°
' However, Davis said that requirements."They'll determine if the � f 8
she''wants to make sure that
the tax break isn't too gener- get an incentive," said Tom STAR-TELEGRAM
ous. Higgins, the city's economic „
development director. 'They are viewed as quite a
"It should be related to the , , plum,"Thornton said.
legitimate a [in funding] ' Knautz said the company "When we found out there
and also what it takes to keep has talked with developers in-
Acme,"she said. g is West
terested in buying i was a possibility that they Under the agreement with Seventh Street property, near would relocate out of Fort
Foch Street. Worth,we were not surprised.
Acme Brick, the company, The land, which was re- We ended up being in a com-
woulddesignate Fort Worth as petition.I told Dennis and Ju-
its point of purchase,meaning zoned for multiuse a couple of dy there was no way the.:city
that sales outside North Texas years ago,is in one of the city's could match dollar for dollar
would be taxed at Fort Worth's hottest real-estate markets the incentives on the table.
rate of 8.25 percent. and could bring as much as What they're considering is
The state will collect its $12 million,according to real- comparable, and it gets us
.6.25 percent portion and the estate brokers. It is near the close."
remaining 2 percentage points Montgomery Plaza. develop Higgins said Acme would
' would go to the city. Fort ment anchored by SuperTar be the first development in the
Worth, in turn, would grant get and residential projects. tax-increment finance district
half of that back to Acme "We do think it could be that was 'established 'in the
Brick. The city's 1 percent . something special," Knautz corridor.'for the proposed
would be split between the said of the property. "But we Southwest Parkway. The de
Fort Worth Crime Control and are not developers." velopment would contribute
Prevention District and the Judy Hunter;Acme's chief about $200,000 annually to
Fort Worth Transportation financial officer, said pro- that TIF.
' Authority, or about $420,000 , ceeds from the land sale will The land, near the Lock-
apiece annually. be rolled into the purchase heed Martin recreation center
*Acme has a similar incen- and construction of the new and north of the Trinity River,
tive agreement with Euless headquarters under a federal
...._�-+ q is owned by the Cassco Land
where Acme recently opened tax code rule that allows cap- Co.,which includes members
a showroom and Metroplex ital gains on certain real-estate of Fort Worth's pioneering Ed-
sales center. Euless is the transactions to be deferred wards family. It is among the
point-of-purchase for sales in and not taxed. last remaining undeveloped
Tarrant, Dallas and several Despite getting some better ranch land in the city.
other counties.The deal with offers,Hunter said the compa- Staff writer Mike Lee contributed
Fort Worth will not -include ny wants to retain its long his- to this report.
' ;walk-up sales, or people who tory in Fort Worth.
buy bricks and take them with "Vvle feel like Fort Worth is sabaker@star-Sandra Bar,(elegram.c m'
them.Acme has 33 sales loca- our home,and that was worth
tions in Texas. some amount of money to stay
t State tax regulations allow here,"Hunter said.
cities to use sales tax proceeds Bill Thornton,president of
as economic incentives. the Fort Worth Chamber of
Commerce, said his organiza-
tion has worked with Acme
for several months to help it
stay in Fort Worth. Although
' he said the deal with Fort
Worth may not be the best
Acme received, it is the best
tha rite r.2n An