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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-08-30 Euless Articles DISTRIBUTED TO: F111 E OF ►/.a YOR C/TY CNCL CITY ATTNY CRIM MCKAIMIE BROWN YOUNG ANL:tf NT D CDLLI;VS�r W RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY A DMIN �LIBRARYREF HARTSELL DATE_ DISTRIBUTED d 39 // DATE OF ARTICLE n1�c I� i W�� NEWSPAPER FWST www.star-telegram.com 1Z ]I1I ARLINGTON AND NORTHEAST TARRANT Friday,August 12,2011 • Texas Health Harris Methodist Foundation Donors,volunteers,community members and hospital employees gathered for the dedication of the Payton Family Lobby,Helen Payton Chapel and Anderson Meditation Garden at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospi- tal H E B.The dedication honored Jimmy and Helen Payton as well as Edna Anderson for their philanthropic gifts to the expansion and renovation of the lobby,chapel,gift shop and meditation garden. Photos courtesy of Mike Lewis mem ist Doug Hawthorne,Helen Payton and Jimmy Payton rL PAGE Z OF DISTRIBUTF_D TO: — III }'OR CITY CNCL CITY A TTNY CRIM MCKAMIE BROJVV YOUNG ANIMAL CNT — 1IcDO\ ILD COLLINS W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL D.-ITF. DISTRIBUTED A j,. CIZo \ DATE OF ARTICLE fjU-1 i�12 i NEWSPAPER FW.ST — Many NE Tarrant cities eyeing _ 1® ee raises Sunday,August 14.2011 _ El As budget deliberations e www.star-telegram.com continue, Bedford, Watauga and Haltom City may be the Cities must set tax rates in — exceptions. time to file them with the state Colleyville by Sept. 14 for fiscal 2011-12. Some property owners maysee a By Terry Evans p p y tevans@star-ceiegram.com Below is a look at what a num- decrease in their tax bills.The ci- tevans@star-telegram.com With chaos ruling Wall Street ber of cities in Northeast Tarrant ty plans to maintain this year's — County are considering. Fort tax rate of about 35.59 cents. But and an economy that is uncertain Worth is looking at a$1.4 billion a slight decrease in property val- at best,many cities in Northeast budget that would maintain its ues means the average home- Tarrant County are holding the existing tax rate of 85.5 cents. owner would see a tax payment line on raising property taxes. The proposal includes 3 percent reduction of $2.32, city spokes- Bedford,Watauga and Haltom pay raises for general fund em- woman Mona Gandy said. City may be the exceptions. ployees, as well as raises for po- Still,the proposed 2012 bud- Bedford officials are consid- lice and firefighters. get calls for a$72,606 increase in ering raising the tax rate from spending, for a total of 49.16 cents to 50.64 cents per $100 of assessed property value, Bedford $35,469,313. Proposed public safety initis- — which would result in the owner Council members would have tives include the midyear hiring of a $145,765 home — Bedford's preferred no tax increase, of two firefighters and one police average — paying $19 more per Champney said. But he added, officer, and the budget would year, Mayor Pro Tern Ray "Our job is to maintain the low- Champney said. also provide funds to create the est tax rate we can in a manner corporal classification in the Po- '4 Watauga is proposing a tax that is in the best interest of the lice Department. Overtime rate of 62.52 cents per $100 of city?' funds also have been included for valuation, an increase of 4.4525 Not all on the council agreed. the Fire Department. k 7 cents from this year.If the rate is Councilman Chris Brown said he Other proposals include $1 approved, it would result in ad- pushed for a rate of 49.4 cents. million for pavement mainte- ditional tax of$27.52 annually on That would raise the same nance, $50,000 to restore fund- an$89,901 home, the average in amount of money as last year — ing to install 7 Watauga, according to budget known as the effective tax rate. and repair sidewalks documents. and $12,000 to resurface two; Haltom City is considering "That would make sure that tennis courts at City Park. increasing the tax rate about a the average tax bill in Bedford If the budget is adopted, city half-cent,from this year's 64.63 would be the same as it was last employees with a rating of satis1 - cents to about 65.17 cents. year'," he said. "The city has factory or above on their last But homeowners could see adopted the effective tax rate the performance evaluation will get lower tax bills because of a slight last three years?' a one-time payment equal to 1' "1 drop in property values. The Brown introduced a combina- percent of their regular salary. owner of the average $72,909 tion of budget cuts and revenue home would pay $475.18, city increases that include shaving _ documents show, compared $5,000 from the Community with this year's tax of$475.50 on Powered Revitalization program, the average$73,564 home. cutting a$140,000 software up- The public can weigh in on grade for the Police Department — Haltom City's budget at the ci- and increasing admission at the ty's first hearing Aug. 22. Bedford Splash Aquatic Center Watauga holds its first public by$1 to add$26,405 to the city's hearing on the budget proposal coffers. — Monday night. Bedford council members Bedford's budget is up for won't vote on the tax rate until public hearing the first time Aug. Sept. 13, after public hearings — 23. Aug. 23 and 30. DLS FRIBL TED TO: PAGE 2.. OF 1 II I FOR CITY CNCL CITY,-I TTNY CRIM ,VICKA;MIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNT 11cD(1.N.I LI) COLLINS W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL D-1TE DISTRIBUTED O l , 14, 1i 1 DATE OF ARTICLE {;1fl1 (0 t. Ili , NEWSPAPER FWST Euless Haltom City Council members voted unani- Euless is poised to approve a 47- cent tax rate that hasn't changed mously Aug. 8 to recommend a — since 2007. budget calling for the increased The city must conduct public tax rate.The Aug.22 public hear- hearings Aug.30 and Sept.6 be- mg begins at 7 p.m. at 5024 Broadway;the second hearing,at _. cause the proposed rate is higher than the 45.16-cent effective the same location,is 7 p.m.Sept. rate. 12,according to a city notice. State law makes cities hold public hearings if the proposed Hurst tax rate is higher than the effec- In Hurst, the proposed rate of- tive rate, Euless spokeswoman 57.8 cents per $100 of assessed Betsy Deck said. "You are going value is the same as last year and to see some advertisements for a is lower than this year's 58.47 tax rate increase"she said. "The cents effective rate,spokeswom- actual tax rate is not increasing. an Ashleigh Whiteman said. It's something we are required to Whiteman added that the rate do because of the truth-in-taxa- dropped annually from 60.6 tion law." cents in 1992 to 49.9 in 2001, Deck said that the tax rate has where it stayed until it was raised _ been reduced or maintained to 51.8 cents in 2007. It went up since 1995 without areductionin to 53.5 cents in 2008 and to 57.8 service. cents in 2010. The proposed budget of al- "We've been able to weather — most $32 million avoids layoffs the storm by maintaining a fis- and furloughs and gives employ- ; cally conservative approach, ees a 3.25 percent raise.The city cutting back in places;'she said. is holding 29 positions open, Hurst eliminated five vacant — Deck said. positions from its workforce of a little under 400 employees, Whiteman said.The city avoided Grapevine layoffs and furloughs, and even Grapevine's tax rate could de- managed a 1.75 percent salary in- crease from 35 cents to 34.8 crease for its employees in the cents,resulting in a$3.51 savings 2011-12 budget. — for the owner of a$175,213 home, the city's average. According to budget docu- Keller ments on the city's website, the Keller doesn't anticipate in- . tax rate will bring in close to creasing its 44-cent tax rate.Nor $50.4 million,which will be aug- are employee layoffs or furloughs mented from special funds for a expected next year,City Manag- budget of almost $53.3 million. er Dan O'Leary said. That's an 8 percent increase over The $70.3 million proposed this year's budget. A fund bal- budget to be presented Tuesday ance of more than$8.9 million is to the City Council includes a projected at the end of the fiscal "modest" raise for those em- year. ployees, O'Leary said. The city won't add positions, He added that one of the big- but the proposed budget in- gest issues the council will face is eludes a 1 percent "market ad- restructuring employee benefits justment" in pay to ensure that such as medical and retirement salary ranges stay competitive plans to save money. The next with those of other cities. The budget workshop is scheduled raise may not go to every em- for Aug. 26. ployee, said John McGrane, di- rector of administrative services. r7-. DLSTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF_< 1/.-I FOR CITY CNCL CITY.ATTVY CRIM MCKA,WIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL C:VT _ llcDO;\'.lLI) COLLLVS W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY AD;ti1LV f LIBRARY REF HARTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTED AU1 j"1 + 'LO 1 DATE OF ARTICLE A U 61 . I t-1 , to ‘,\ NEWSPAPER FWST North Richland Hills Watauga Southiake _ City Manager Mark Hindman Sizable decreases in property Southlake, which releases its said that spending reductions , values in recent years have proposed budget Monday, has over the last two years made it squeezed the city. In the past committed to giving employees possible for the council to adopt year alone, total property value- raises for the first time since the same tax rate for the 19th dropped about$10.2 million. 2009, while maintaining the straight year. 1 This year's average taxable- current tax rate of 46.2 cents. Council members called for i home value, $89,901, is down On Aug.2,the council unani- an Aug.22 public hearing for the from $91,183 in 2010. The pro- mously approved an average 3.9 — 57-cent rate they're set to vote on posed tax rate is a 6.16 percent percent raise that's retroactive to- Sept. 12. increase, and if it is adopted the July 1. Salary comparisons with Hindman said the budget cuts average the homeowner would- other benchmark cities showed'' _ are beginning to affect city ser- pay $557.08, compared with that Southlake wasn't keeping vices. $529.56 last year. up, especially in pay for fire- "There are some areas we can The budget proposal does not- fighters and police officers. get by with for a while,"he said. include wage increases, but it Mayor John 'Iterrell acknowl- — "But they start to;show up after a adds five full-time positions and edged that budgets are tight for couple of years.For example,we eliminates two, according to the households,businesses and gov- cut out two park maintenance proposal,signed by City Manag- ernment. workers.Now we're getting calls er Scott Neils and Finance Direc- "You can only tighten belts for — from residents asking why some tor Sandra Morgan. so long before you start losing' issues haven't been taken care of Council members voted 5-2 to great people to other cities,"'Iter ' in a couple of parks!' consider the tax increase. Mon-- rell said before the council voted Hindman said 13 positions day's hearing is 6:30 p.m.at City on the raises. "I don't want to have been cut from a workforce Hall.A second hearing is sched-A--, encourage our best people to', of 520, and other positions ha- uled for Aug. 24, also at City-- leave." ven't been filled. The city also Hall. The budget for fiscal 2012 also trimmed back on special events. The budget also calls for 30 includes six new firefighter posi- Net taxable values in the city percent increases in both water tions that have been delayed for showed a minor increase,but to and sewer rates and a doubling of years. '' collect the same amount of mon- the drainage rate. ey the city would have needed to staff writers Adrian McCandless. raise the tax rate by 1.2 cents, Susan McFarland,Steve Norder and budget documents show. The! Nicholas Sakelaris contributed to this report average home is valued at — $149,930,up from$149,482. Terry Evans. The budget included an op- Terry vans. tion to provide funds for 2 per- _ cent raises that could be imple- mented in January,if sales taxes meet projections. The budget proposal also call&.' _ for increases in city water and sewer rates. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE 1 OF J ►I..a FOR CITY CNCL CITY A TTNY CRIM MCKAMIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNT Lit DO.\.-lLD COLLINS W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY A DMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL D-ITE DISTRIBUTED O 3c) ti DATE OF ARTICLE II(i 15. 20 i i NEWSPAPER FWST www.star-telegram.com OBITUARIES Monday,August 15, 2011 L.Dal Dodson Sr. Health System.However,Don's passion was community ser- vice. He served as mayor of Bedford from 1972 to 1992.He X; also served tirelessly in a mul- titude of other capacities at the „ _ local and state level. Loon Dodson was a man of many names. To his family of _ . ( origin he was"Leslie Don."To t ' his wife and close friends, he I r �; was"Big Don."To his children, ; y, he was"Daddy;'and to his ma- �,� ny friends, he was simply "Mayor."However,his favorite BEDFORD—L.Don Dodson I' name,"Grandman 'was coined Sr., 76, left his house to go to I by his grandchildren. God's house on Saturday,Aug. Don was larger than life!He • - 13,2011. never met a stranger.Through- FUNERAL A celebration of� out his life, he was always his life will be held at 2 p.m. helping people, mostly when Tuesday at First Baptist Church nobody knew it. Everybody of Hurst.Interment:Mount 01 I loved Big Don. He was full of ivet Cemetery. Visitation: The ! joy and laughter, and he com family will welcome visitors manded the room when he from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at walked in.His long,full life is a Mount Olivet Funeral Home. legacy to the people he loved L. Don was born May 26, and the lives he touched. Don 1935,in Gunter to R.D.and Lilli- was a man of deep faith,and he I an Dodson. He was raised in served his Lord unselfishly.God Fort Worth and graduated from used Big Don to touch people Carter-Riverside High Schoc!, and change lives. We see this and went on to earn a business as the measure of a Godly man. degree from Baylor University. He was preceded in death He married his high school by his parents and brother, sweetheart, Peggy Abel. Don Bobby Gerald Dodson. worked his way up in the oil and SURVIVORS: Wife of_55 grease business, ultimately years, Peggy Dodson; daugh owning his own company, Lu- ters,Tammy Dodson Cobbs and brical, Inc. He later served as husband, David, D'Aun Dodson business development consul- Lagrone and husband, Joel; tant for Harris Methodist son, L. Don"Duce" Dodson Jr. and wife, Michelle; grandchil- dren,Travis Dodson Cobbs and wife, Anna, Shayla Lagrone Redwine and husband, Chris, Aaron Don Lagrone, Trevor Ross Cobbs, Tanner Scott Cobbs,'Savannah Jade Dodson, L Don"Trea"Dodson III. Mount Olivet Funeral Home 2301 N.Sylvania Ave.,817-831-051 View and sign guesboot at www.star-telegram.can/obituaries DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE . OF MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNT _ McDONALD COLLINS W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY AD MIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTED (�I 2U / I ' DATE OF ARTICLE O 1/ ( / NEWSPAPER FWST i OBITUARIES Ned Kenneth Burleson Ned was a loving father and husband who cherished his family. He also cherished his close friends and the game of golf. In 1994, he achieved the '1°1'111\ rare feat -- he aced the 173- yard hole 17 with his 1 iron,not — once but twice, at Ridgley 1r litror `* Country Club North Course. He will be missed but never A forgotten. Ned was preceded in death 4,-,-eby his parents, Harold and :m _ Jessie Burleson. SURVIVORS:Loving wife of Ned Burleson was on the F 50 years, Martha Burleson; Economic Development Advisory EULESS— Ned Ken- daughter, Linda and her hus- Board from 2001 to 2006. neth Burleson, 72, band,Andy,and children,Katie passed away Satur- and Alex;son,Ken and his wife, day,Aug.20,2011,at Lynnette, and their son, Coo- his home surrounded by his per;and other daughter,Donna — family. Gonzalez and her husband, MEMORIAL SERVICE: 1 Luis,and children, Bobby, Gra- p.m. Thursday at Shannon cie and Samuel. Rose Hill Funeral Chapel. Visi Shannon Rose HM Funeral Chapel tation: The family will receive 7301 E.Lancaster,817-4513333 friends 6 to 8 p.m.Wednesday vow ands sttook at at the funeral home. telegra�ncallobituaries Ned was born in Fort Worth on April 24, 1939. He received — his doctorate in environmental health science from the Univer- sity of Texas at Austin after completing his undergraduate — work in civil engineering at Tex- as Tech University. Ned was a registered pro- fessional engineer in the envi- ronmental space. After a dis- — tinguished career at the EPA, he established Ned K.Burleson and Associates in 1980. Ned was a member of the NSPE, — TSPE, ASCE, SAME, SAVE, WPCF, AWPA and others. His civic memberships included Fort Worth Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce.He re- — ceived EPA's bronze medal for commendable service in 1976 and the Award of Excellence from the Society of American — Value Engineers (SAVE) in 1994. In 1995 he was named Engineer of the Year by the Texas Society of Professional Engineers(TSPE). —.