Arlington Bucket Challenge

Yesterday afternoon when it was 100 degrees, the Arlington City Council made good on the challenge by the AISD school board members.  You can see that it is much more cerebral to do it in this manner than at night, like they did.  As a matter of fact I was dry before I got to the truck.  You might notice that Michael Glasby doesn't get wet.  He has Mayor duty.  Also Robert Shepard has on girlie colors.

Council Meeting August 19th

Yesterday afternoon was a little interesting.  First, because a child was hit at the corner of Brown and Collins a school crossing was proposed and passed on the first reading.  My concern about this crossing is that traffic would be limited to 35 mph north of Brown on Collins all the time, even when the school zone is not in affect.  This concerned me because Collins/Brown is a major thoroughfare in our city, and I didn’t want to see further congestion in Arlington.  Normally changing this wouldn’t be a big deal, but since FM 157 is a state road, then we have to comply with state regulations.  I coupled our efforts with the traffic staff and we were able to remedy this situation, while complying with state regulation, without much change.

The second item of interest is that I put the subject of a senior recreation center on the floor as a future agenda item.  What I am trying to accomplish is to put this subject to the voters on the May 2015 ballot.  Funding for this center would be a 1/8^th or 1/4 cent sales tax increase.  This would allow the center to be paid off in 3 yrs. or 1 ½ yrs. respectively.  The Citizen’s Bond Committee had little interest in this subject because it was not on the Parks Master Plan and of course who presents to that committee, Parks and Recreation.  So I will try to get this subject on the ballot for the people to decide if they want a facility like the Summit in Grand Prairie.  I want you to know about this subject and get organized and vocal if this addition to our community interests you. 

Last night there was an issue concerning a storage facility in the south 360 area.  Planning and Zoning put certain stipulations on the development and Councilman Shepard added to that list.  The vote was unanimous with the stipulations in place, however it is unclear whether the applicant will want to comply with those requests.

There will be a budget town hall meeting this Thursday night at the South Police Station at 6:00.  I suggest that anyone who is passionate about next year’s budget be there so that our City Manager Trey Yelverton can explain the budget and answer all of your questions.

Defeat

I want to thank all the people that either phoned the office or sent emails to Council Members, either in support of a Senior Center or in support of Hugh Smith.  Yesterday at the afternoon session of the Council Meeting, I had the support of the community to fund a senior recreation center in the west or northwest.  The problem is that between Kathryn Wilemon and me, we simply came up short on horsepower.

Let me just say that in my opinion, the arguments against the senior center were hollow.  The fact that there wasn’t a study done is moot.  The fact that we didn’t know exactly where we wanted to put the center is irrelevant.  We were there to fund projects not build them.  Dr. Cavazos doesn’t know where he will put the natatorium, but he has the funding for it.  That’s how bond issues work. 

The real reason for the defeat of the senior center is that it was not previously on the Parks Master Plan.  You see the Parks Department presented the senior center to the Citizens Bond Committee.  The Parks Department’s job is to fund the projects on the Master Plan and get them off the books and funded.  If someone comes along with a need that is higher than those on the Master Plan, it simply gets paid lip service, and projects on the Master Plan get promoted in the funding process.  That is what happened yesterday.  The fact that $50.2 million in capital funding went to two recreation centers in the east and southeast is of little consequence.  The fact that the utilization of Hugh Smith is abysmal, and that the Parks Department is hoping to return 49% at best in Operations/Maintenance costs was disregarded. The needs of the city and our seniors went neglected, again. 

We elevated the discussion of a senior center to the surface.  Now it is time to put it back on the table in a context that will be supported by the voters.  It will not set next to the bond election on the November ballot.  But we will bring this subject back to Council for the May election and I hope to allow the voters an opportunity to hear your voice again.