Saturday, January 29, 2022

The Week of January 31st - February 4, 2022 in the City of Waxahachie

Hello Friends!
 
    I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather before the cold snap hits later on this week. There are only two city meetings scheduled on the calendar so far for next week.  You can always check on the city's website to see if any more are added after this newsletter goes out.  The link to do so is here: https://www.waxahachie.com/calendar.php  

    I wanted to take a minute first and talk about something that has been weighing on my heart for quite some time now.  I announced back in the beginning of December that I was not going to be running for re-election this May.  I never expected the outpouring of support and requests that I have received to run for re-election.  These requests have come from residents and even city leaders.  Y'all know me well enough by now to know that I'm honest and a straight-shooter.  It was a very hard decision to decide NOT to run in the first place.  I really, really enjoy getting to meet and help residents in Waxahachie.  I love being able to give back to the community that I love so much.  That all being said, I have picked up a candidate packet from the City Secretary's office and am highly considering running for re-election at this time.  I'm not 100% sure what I'm going to choose, but the filing period is coming to a close in a couple of weeks, so I better figure it out pretty quickly.  As has been the case many times before, I would really like any comments or feedback that you might have regarding me running for re-election.  I value what you, the residents, have to say.  Thank you, in advance, for your help!
 
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Wednesday, February 2, 2022
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12:00 PM - Civil Service Commission Regular Meeting 
Council Conference Room, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.

 
3: Public Comments: Persons may address the Civil Service Commission on any issues at this time; however, the Commission may not comment or deliberate such statements during this period, except as authorized by Section 551.042, Texas Government Code.
 
5: Waxahachie Fire Rescue
    A - Action items
        i.- iii.: Consider approval of a written promotional examination to establish an eligibility list for the position of Pump Engineer to be held on Tuesday, 8/23/22; Lieutenant to be held on Wednesday, 8/24/22; and, Captain to be held on Thursday, 8/25/22 and open examination to Lieutenants with less than two years of service as a Lieutenant
 
This is a public meeting and you are welcome to attend in person, but this meeting will not be live-streamed.   
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Thursday, February 3, 2022
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3:00 PM - Park Board Regular Meeting
Council Conference Room, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.

 
2: Public Comments: Persons may address the Park Board on any issues at this time; however, the Commission may not comment or deliberate such statements during this period, except as authorized by Section 551.042, Texas Government Code.
 
4: Discuss park events and activities
 
5: Hear update on park projects
 
6: Discuss Lions Park Master Plan
 
7: Discuss lake parks projects
 
This is a public meeting and you are welcome to attend in person, but this meeting will not be live-streamed.
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That's all for this week!  Stay warm, my friends!  I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend and have a wonderful week ahead!
 
Your Friendly Councilmember,
 
Melissa Olson, CMO
(text) 817-507-5162
molson@waxahachie.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Saturday, January 22, 2022

All About Property Taxes

A friend was looking for some information regarding property taxes, so I've put this together for her and for everyone who might have questions.

A lot of people have their taxes paid with their mortgage company through an escrow account, so many times, homeowners just see one large tax amount per year.  What is important to understand, however, is that there are multiple entities that are imposing property taxes on your home.  I think a great way to show that is through the chart on the right which I took from the Ellis County Appraisal District's website here: https://www.elliscad.com/ .   You can click "Online Services" and then select "Property Search".  Once you type in your property, there is a drop down box at the top right with the year.  I selected "2021" because neither appraisals nor tax rates have been set by the taxing entities, so if you leave it on "2022", you'll just see a bunch of zeroes and "N/A".  While that would be great, it isn't accurate, so I wanted to give you a head's up on that.  :)  The chart shows that on my particular house, living in the city limits of Waxahachie (vs the ETJ or outside city limits), my family pays 4 different taxes on our home.

-- The amount of taxes you pay = Tax Rate X Taxable Value of Home* / 100  --

*The taxable value of your home is the appraisal minus the amount of any exemptions you may have, such as a homestead exemption.  If you haven't filed for a homestead exemption and qualify to do so, you can access the form here: blob:https://www.elliscad.com/77e84b87-5174-4b2d-9c5d-2cf973e9cbc3  If you'd like to view other forms available from ECAD this link will take you there: https://www.elliscad.com/forms
 
For the most part, we have the power to elect those in the positions to set our tax rates.  For example, the Ellis County tax rate is set by Ellis County Commissioners who are nominated by primary elections (3/1/22 for this year) and then are elected in the General Election held in November each year.  The WISD tax rate is set by the school board members who are elected in May (5/7/22 this year).  The City of Waxahachie tax rate is set by the City Council who are elected in May as well (5/7/22 this year).    
 
These same taxing entities are also the ones who nominate the individuals who serve on the Ellis County Appraisal District's Board of Directors.  The Ellis County Board of Directors select and hire the Chief Appraiser, adopt the annual district budget, appoint the appraisal review board, appoint a property owner liaison officer and ensure the district follows policies and procedures required by law.

It has never been more important to get out and vote!

Now that we know who sets the tax rates, there are a few things I'd like to point out.

1) In my experience, there have been many elected officials who like to say that the taxes are going up due to the appraisals.  This is not exactly accurate.  The reason for that is because elected officials and their staff know what the expected appraisals will be BEFORE they vote and set a tax rate. They receive what is called a "certified appraisal roll".  When appraisals are going up (which is a great thing, right?!) tax rates should be lowered just to equal the same tax revenue as the previous year.  There's actually a name for that rate and it must be calculated every year.  It's called the "No-New-Revenue Rate" (NNR for short).  If a taxing entity votes to set a rate higher than the NNR, then they will be bringing in more tax revenue than the previous year and you will most likely be paying more in taxes.

2) Another popular phrase that I've heard elected officials say is "We didn't raise your taxes.  We voted to keep the rate the same."  Again, this is not always accurate.  As stated above, if appraisals are going up, but you keep the tax rate the same, then that will equal an increase on the amount of taxes that you pay, so the elected officials actually did raise your tax burden.

3) Something else I've heard pretty often, in Waxahachie at least, is "The city doesn't make up the bulk of your tax bill.  The school district does."  This IS an accurate statement; however, it is IRRELEVANT.  It is irrelevant because each taxing entity, whether school district, county or city, each sets their own tax rate independent of what any other taxing entity is doing.  

So what can you do about your property taxes?

1) First and foremost - VOTE!  It usually takes no longer than 5 minutes at the Elections office or other polling location and you can have a say in who your elected officials are that set the various tax rates. the Ellis County Elections office has a webpage full of information about upcoming elections and where to vote.  You can access that here:  http://www.co.ellis.tx.us/629/Upcoming-Elections  If you aren't sure whether or not you are registered to vote, the Texas Secretary of State's website has a great resource here: https://teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov/MVP/mvp.do

2) Attend public hearings and speak about the tax rate - whether in support or opposition.  Taxing entities are mandated by law to hold public hearings to allow for public participation.  That being said, those public hearings are done at the very end of the process (around August/September or so).  Being involved in your county, school district and city earlier in the year and sharing your input at that time, can really help make a difference because things can change at that time.  City staff, for example, begin working on the budget early in the year and will present it to Council usually at a retreat in the Spring - some time around March. Being at that retreat is a great way to hear what is being considered.  Because so many individuals work during the time that these early budget meetings are held, advocate with your local entity that all meetings and work sessions be live-streamed so that you can tune in when you have a chance.  While you may not have the opportunity to address Council directly at the retreat, you can absolutely do so during the next Council meeting at the Public Comments portion at the beginning of the meeting.

3) Be in touch with your elected officials and establish a relationship with them.  Let them know what you want and feel free to ask questions.  We're there to serve you!  For Ellis County, you can reach elected officials here: http://www.co.ellis.tx.us/770/Elected-Officials  For WISD, here is their contact page: https://www.wisd.org/apps/pages/BoardMembers  For the Waxahachie City Council, you can contact all of us here: https://www.waxahachie.com/government/city_council/index.php
 
I hope that this has been a useful resource and as always, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions!
 
Your Friendly Councilmember,
 
Melissa Olson, CMO
(text) 817-507-5162
molson@waxahachie.com

The Week of January 24th - 28th, 2022 in the City of Waxahachie

Hello Friends!
 
    I hope you all are doing well!  This should be a pretty short one this week as we only have P&Z on the calendar thus far.  Please keep in mind that you can always check back on the city's calendar to see if any new meetings are added after this newsletter goes out.  The link to do so is:  https://www.waxahachie.com/calendar.php
 
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Tuesday, January 25, 2022
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6:30 PM - Planning & Zoning Commission Briefing
Council Conference Room, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.
 
 
This briefing is being conducted to discuss items for the 7:00 PM regular P&Z meeting.  Residents are both welcome and encouraged to come listen to the discussion between staff and the commission.  The briefing session is not live-streamed at this time.
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7:00 PM - Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting
Council Chamber, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.
 
 
There are a couple of replat cases and only two public hearings on this agenda, one of which has been continued.
 
7 & 8: Public Hearing - on a request for a Specific Use Permit (SUP) for a child daycare center use within a single family-2 zoning district located at 323 Kirksey St.  Ya Ya's Yuniversity will provide full-day, year-round service for educating children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old in Waxahachie.  Staff is recommending approval per comments.  From the information given, I think that this is a great thing for Waxahachie as it is very hard to find childcare and one so focused on education should be commended.
 
9 & 10: Public Hearing - on a request by George Salvador, Waxahachie One Development, for a zoning change from Future Development to Single Family -1 (our largest lot type) zoning district located at 3811 Blackchamp Road.  This proposed development, named Belmont Farms, looks to have a lot count of 48.  I only have this information because I went to the city's website and looked up the case. This was the first time I've heard of this proposed development.  If you'd like to see this and other cases in the works, you can visit the city's website here: https://www.waxahachie.com/departments/planning_department/index.php and scroll down to the Planning & Zoning Map.  That being said, THIS CASE IS BEING CONTINUED TO THE 2/15/22 P&Z meeting.  The commission will not hear anything about this case nor take action on it on Tuesday, 1/25/22.

This meeting is open to the public but will also be live-streamed at the following link: https://www.waxahachie.com/government/city_council/city_council_meeting_live_stream.php
 
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That's it for this week!  Pretty painless, right?! :)   I hope that y'all have a fantastic weekend and a wonderful week ahead!!
 
Your Friendly Councilmember,
 
Melissa Olson, CMO
(text) 817-507-5162
molson@waxahachie.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, January 15, 2022

The Week of January 17th - 21st, 2022 in the City of Waxahachie

Hello Friends!
 
    For those who normally catch my blog post on either "Waxahachie Talk" or "Waxahachie Buzz" Facebook groups, I will no longer be posting my newsletter on those sites.  Unfortunately, either Facebook or others (not sure which), have reported it as spam.  I have tried to alter the way that I post it, but it still comes up that way.  I will still share on my personal Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/molson625  and on Nextdoor so that it is easily accessible to residents.  I'm sorry if this causes any inconvenience!
 
    Please note: City offices will be closed Monday, January 17 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. For non-emergency needs during this time, please call the Waxahachie Police Department at 469-309-4400. For emergencies, please dial 911.  For this reason, our regular Council briefing and meeting will be held Tuesday, January 18th.  There are no other meetings scheduled for next week at this time, although you can always check back on the city's calendar at https://www.waxahachie.com/calendar.php to see if any new ones are added.

    For those interested in serving the community by being on the City Council, packets to run can be obtained from the City Secretary's office at City Hall.  The first day to file your application to run for Council will be on 1/19/22 and the last day will be 2/18/22 (between the hours of 8 AM - 5 PM).  If you have any questions about it, you can contact the City Secretary or I would be glad to help as well.
 
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Tuesday, January 18, 2022
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6:30 PM - City Council Briefing Session
Council Conference Room, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.

 
This session is to discuss items for the 7:00 PM regular meeting.  Residents are welcome to come and listen to the discussion between Council and staff regarding the items on the 7:00 PM agenda. The briefing session is not live-streamed at this time.
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7:00 PM - City Council Regular Meeting
Council Chamber, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.

 
This is a fairly short agenda, but there are a couple of items I'd like to point out:
 
7: Present proclamation proclaiming January 17 - 21, 2022 as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Week
 
8: Hear presentation on "Shop with a Cop"
 
11 - 13: Continue Public Hearing on request by Terrance Jobe, for a zoning change located west of 2374 W Hwy 287 Bypass.  This is the continuation of the case for the proposed development called Montclair Heights.  At the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting held January 11, 2022, the Commission voted 7-0 to recommend approval for this case, subject to staff comments.  Staff is also recommending approval per comments.

14 - 16: Continue Public Hearing on request by Yomi and Siyanade Fayiga for zoning change located at Broadhead Road (next to Howard JH).  At the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting on January 11, 2022, the Commission voted 7-0 to recommend approval of zoning change subject to all staff comments.  Staff are recommending approval per comments.  

18 & 19: Convene into Executive Session for deliberation regarding real property and to discuss personnel matters for Municipal Court Judge/ Associate Judge and then to reconvene and take any necessary action.

Residents are invited to attend the meeting in person, but it will also be live-streamed at the following link: https://www.waxahachie.com/government/city_council/city_council_meeting_live_stream.php
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That's about it for this week!  I hope everyone has a great rest of the weekend and a wonderful week ahead!  Stay warm!
 
Your Friendly Councilmember,
 
Melissa Olson, CMO
(text) 817-507-5162
molson@waxahachie.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     

Sunday, January 9, 2022

The Week of January 10th - 14th, 2022 in the City of Waxahachie

Hello Friends!
 
    There aren't a lot of meetings going on this week, but there are a few pretty important announcements.  Not all of these are posted on the city's website, but if you are on Facebook, they are posted there.  The city's Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/CityOfWaxahachie if you'd like to follow them for announcements.
 
There is a major traffic change due to the building of the new City Hall Annex in that a portion of Rogers St. (basically in front of City Hall, from Madison to the railroad tracks) will be closed off beginning Monday, January 10th - April (ish).  Please use alternate routes during this time.  

Also, for anyone interested in running for City Council, application packets can be picked up from the City Secretary's office at City Hall.  Applications will be accepted from January 19, 2022 - February 18, 2022.  Place 1 (David Hill), Place 2 (Mayor Doug Barnes), and Place 3 (myself) will be up for re-election.  My place will be vacant since I am not running again, although I believe there is someone prepared to run for Place 3 at this time.  Once applications are actually filed, we will know for sure who is/isn't running for which place.  The formal notice of deadline to file an application for place on the ballot is here: https://www.waxahachie.com/Notice%20of%20Deadline%20to%20File%20App%20For%20Place%20on%20Ballot_202112061704313014.pdf
 
Please refer back to the city's calendar to see if any new meetings have been added after this goes out.  Especially with meetings being cut back due to COVID concerns at City Hall, I do not expect this to happen, but you never know.  That link is: https://www.waxahachie.com/calendar.php
 
 
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Tuesday, January 11, 2022
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6:30 PM - Planning & Zoning Commission Briefing Session
Council Conference Room, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.
 
 
This briefing is being held to discuss items for the 7:00 PM regular P&Z meeting.  Residents are welcome to attend to hear the discussion between staff and the commission regarding the cases they will hear at 7 PM.  The briefing session is not live-streamed at this time.
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7:00 PM - Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting
Council Chamber, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.
 
 
4 - Public Comments:  I want to make sure that residents know that they have the ability to address the commission during this time on any item, whether it is on the agenda or not.  I highly encourage folks who are speaking on an agenda item, however, to wait until that item is before the commission so that they have heard the details of that particular case and can actually respond to the comments.  During the public comments portion of the meeting, the commission may not comment or deliberate such statements, except as authorized by Section 551.042, Texas Government Code.  In other words, the commission is generally just listening during this time, but it's important to know that if you do have issues, that they can be brought forth during Public Comments.
 
5 & 6: Continue Public Hearing - on a request by Terrance Jobe, Alluvium Development, Inc., for a ZONING CHANGE from General Retail and Future Development to a Planned Development Mixed-Use Residential located West of 2374 W. Highway 287 Bypass.  The applicant is requesting approval of a PD (planned development) of single family homes, cottage style homes, retail/office, and park/open space on 188.46 acres. * The proposed zoning change is contingent upon Council approving the proposed annexation case (ANX-DNX-200-2021) for this property, which they are schedule to take action on on January 18, 2022.  To alleviate traffic congestion on US Hwy 287, the developer will coordinate with the city and TXDoT for the design and installation of a traffic signal at Southern entrance to Montclair Heights (name of the proposed subdivision) and it will be at developer's expense.  Staff is recommending approval per comments.

7 & 8: Continue Public Hearing - on a request for a ZONING CHANGE from Future Development to Planned Development - General Retail, located along Broadhead Road, East of Howard Jr. High School.  They have revised their initial submission from 2 story townhomes to 3 story townhomes along the western and eastern boundaries of the property.  Staff is recommending approval per comments.

Those are the only two cases that will be before the commission Tuesday evening.  Residents are welcome to attend the meeting in person; however, you may also watch a live stream of the meeting at the following link: https://www.waxahachie.com/government/city_council/city_council_meeting_live_stream.php
 
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That's all for this upcoming week!  I hope that y'all have a great rest of your weekend and a wonderful week ahead!
 
Your Friendly Councilmember,
 
Melissa Olson, CMO
(text) 817-507-5162
molson@waxahachie.com 

 

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

The Week of January 3rd - 7th, 2022 in the City of Waxahachie



EDIT ON 1/4/22:  DUE TO COVID CONCERNS, ALL CITY MEETINGS ON THURSDAY HAVE BEEN CANCELLED. 





Hello Friends!
 
    2022 is here!  I hope that you all have a fantastic year full of good health, good times and many blessings! The city has multiple meetings this week so let's get started.  Please feel free to refer back to the city's calendar on their website to see if any new meetings have been added.  That link is: https://www.waxahachie.com/calendar.php

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Monday, January 3, 2022
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6:00 PM - City Council Briefing Session
Council Conference Room, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.
 
 
Residents are welcome to attend this briefing session in which the Council and staff will go over items for the 7:00 PM regular meeting.  If residents would like to address the Council, please do that during the public comments section of the 7:00 PM regular meeting (unless you are present to speak on a P&Z item, please address Council during the public hearing of that particular agenda item during the 7:00 PM regular meeting.)  The briefing session is not live-streamed at this time.
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7:00 PM - Waxahachie City Council Regular Meeting
Council Chamber, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.
 
 
We have several continuations of P&Z cases for Monday night; however, there are some other items I'd like to point out:
 
12 & 13 -  Continue the Public Hearing on a request by Jonathan Cruz, HGO Tire Shop, for a zoning change from future development to planned development to allow an outside storage use located at 211 E. Sterrett Road.  P&Z voted to deny the case at the 11/9/21 P&Z meeting.  At the 12/6/21 Council meeting, we voted to continue the case to Monday's meeting to allow them time to get with the TCEQ to find out how to properly dispose of old tires and to do some clean up on the property.  They have cleaned up the site and there are several letters of support for this zoning; however, staff still is recommending denial of the case citing among other things, that "it will set a regretful precedent for future applicants who would also request a similar use of the property" if Council approves it.  Because P&Z already denied the case, it will take a 4/5ths majority to approve it.  The applicant has done what has been asked and have brought the site into compliance so that it does not seem to be a safety issue anymore.  They have moved their excess tires away from their storefront on N. Hwy 77 to this Sterrett location, which I would think the city would be happy about, leaving their Hwy. 77 store front more aesthetically pleasing.  We will have to see how things go during the public hearing, but I'd sure hate for undo hardship to be thrust upon this small business, especially when they have been so responsive to doing the things the city has requested.

16 - 17: Continue the Public Hearing on a request by Chip Boyd, JHDMC, LLC for a zoning change from SF1 (our largest residential lot size zoning) to a planned development - SF 3 (our smallest residential lot size zoning).  This proposed development would have 458 dwelling units over 153.7 acres located at 823 Ovilla Road.  P&Z voted down this development at the 12/28/21 P&Z meeting; however, they were willing to continue the case, but the applicant refused a continuance and pressed for a decision that night.  Now, because of that P&Z denial, City Council must have 4/5ths approval in order to approve this subdivision.  Staff is once again (as they were at the P&Z meeting) recommending approval per comments.  I have issues with this development as it seems they are just shoving as much as they can into the area - which already has traffic concerns - and even more troubling to me is all the concessions they want the city to make.  Not only are they not even meeting our SF-3 standards, but they are requesting the city to take 9.28 acres of their open space (which would most likely fall on taxpayers to support) instead of paying the cash-in-lieu fee of $400/lot; and if the city does not accept the land, they want the city to waive the fees altogether.  There are other fees they are requesting relief from as well.  Waxahachie is a very special place and I think it is important that the builders and developers who come here add to the city, not take, take, take.  I will be interested to see what is presented at the meeting and what our residents have to say about this development before rendering a final verdict, but those are my thoughts on this matter currently.

19 - Consider proposed resolution to enter into a contract with First Financial Bank to serve as the city's primary depository.  There are more details in the agenda packet (linked above), but it's not every day that a city changes banks, so I thought this was an item residents would be interested in.

The Council meeting is welcome to all citizens to attend in person, but is also live-streamed for your convenience.  The link to view that live-stream is: https://www.waxahachie.com/government/city_council/city_council_meeting_live_stream.php
 
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Thursday, January 6, 2022
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8:30 AM - Cemetery Board Regular Meeting
Council Conference Room, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.
 
 
4 - Discuss cemetery activities
 
5 - Discuss damaged grave marker remains
 
This meeting is open to the public, should you wish to attend.  It is not, however, live-streamed at this time.
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3:00 PM - Park Board Regular Meeting
Council Conference Room, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.
 
 
4 - Discuss park events and activities
 
5 - Hear update on park projects
 
6 - Discuss Lions Park Master Plan
 
7 - Discuss lake parks projects  
 
This meeting is open to all residents, should you wish to attend, but is not live-streamed at this time.
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4:30 PM - Keep Waxahachie Beautiful Committee Regular Meeting
Council Conference Room, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.

 
**  For those interested in litter cleanups, this is the meeting you'd want to attend!  We always need folks to volunteer to help keep our town beautiful! **
 
2 - Public Comments:  I don't normally list this item on agendas, but all meetings (not briefings) have this section.  For those who are particularly interested in volunteering, this would be a great time to connect with the board and park staff and make any suggestions about areas that need cleaning up or any other ideas you might have.
 
4 - Discuss Keep Waxahachie Beautiful events and activities
 
5 - Discuss and consider a process of assigning tasks to committee members 
 
6 - Discuss and consider PIN Award (Pride In Neighborhood) - Those folks who have really gone above and beyond getting their yards looking great.
 
This meeting is open to the public and residents are highly encouraged to attend, when possible.  The KWB meetings are not currently live-streamed.
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Alright my friends, bundle up, and stay warm!  You know how Texas is...  
 
 
 

I hope that everyone has a great rest to your weekend and a wonderful week ahead!!!

Your Friendly Council Member,

Melissa Olson, CMO
(text) 817-507-5162
molson@waxahachie.com