September 2015

Methodist Richardson Medical Center Update:

*  Highway 190 Facility:

Methodist Richardson Medical Center continues to expand its services with an advanced electrophysiology lab with interventional cardiovascular and neuroradiology suites, extensive outpatient services focused on minimally invasive treatments, and the adjacent Cancer Center with leading-edge diagnostic and treatment technologies.  Methodist Richardson now has affiliation with the Mayo Clinic.

*  Campbell Road Facility:

The Campbell Road Campus Revitalization effort will continue to maintain an emergency department, behavioral health services, outpatient lab and radiology, outpatient plaza, anti-coagulation clinic, physical therapy, diabetes education, as well as screening mammography.  Additions to the Campbell facility are older adult behavioral health services and a long-term acute care unit.

*  Breast Cancer Tea Party:

The Mad Hatter Tea Party will be held September 12 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  This is a festive event celebrating women and their journey to conquer breast cancer.  Please register online at http://info.methodisthealthsystem.org/tea-party-registration.

Community Revitalization Nominations: 

The nomination deadline for Community Revitalization is September 18, 2015.

Nominations may be submitted by anyone, including the property owner.

Program information can be found at www.cor.net/cra.

Bond Election called with NO TAX INCREASE:

The City Council called for a no-tax-rate increase $115 million bond election, which has been under consideration since last November.  The bond proposal that will go before voters in November includes funding for improvements for public buildings ($67 million), streets ($38.5 million), parks ($7.2 million) and sidewalks ($2.2 million).  More information is available on the City website at http://cor.net/index.aspx?page=2211

Charter Change Election Called:    

As recommended by the City Charter Commission, the City Council called for 83 propositions to be placed on the November 3rd election ballot. Of the propositions, some make changes to allow for special elections to fill the position of mayor in the event of an unexpected vacancy; others simplify language in the Charter to a more contemporary form.  This is the first comprehensive review of the Charter in several decades.  A voter guide will be mailed by the City next month. Information is available on the City website athttp://cor.net/index.aspx?page=2217.

City Budget proposed with NO TAX INCREASE:

Earlier this month the City Manager presented to the City Council the proposed budget, which contains the following:

• Maintains the City’s current tax rate.
• Increases funding for infrastructure improvements from the general fund.
• Proposes needed increases for positions in public safety and health.
• Increases investment in the City’s economic development fund.
• Provides for a modest wage increase for employees.
• Includes a necessary water rate increase of 8 percent, which is a result of increases passed down from the North Texas Municipal Water District, Richardson’s water supplier.
• Certified Tax Roll increase of 9.01 percent–last year’s tax rate of $0.63516 is maintained.

Economic Development Update:

–  New England-based telecom firm Frontier Communications has rented 185,000 square feet in the Lakeside office campus, located north of Campbell Road.  This is the same development where RealPage is relocating from Carrollton.  Frontier Communications opened its regional office in Allen in 2012 and has significantly expanded in North Texas since that time.

–  Geico Insurance plans to move the company’s North Texas regional hub from Farmers Branch to Richardson.  Geico is leasing almost 200,000 square feet of office space at the former Fossil headquarters on Greenville Avenue.  An estimated 1,000 to 1,600 employees are expected to be housed at the new location.

–  Hermansen Land Development, Inc., a Dallas-based real estate development and management company, has just completed its purchase of the five-acre tract, located on the northwest quadrant of Hwy 75 and Spring Valley, known as Restaurant Parkfrom the City.  The  Restaurant Park Area will ultimately feature:

• Up to seven restaurants with patio dining areas
• A central plaza that includes a large fountain area
• Enhanced landscaping
• Pedestrian portal at the back of the project to allow easy access for residents in the surrounding neighborhoods
• Two restaurants that have been announced are The Rock Wood Fired Kitchen and VertsKebap.  The official opening of Restaurant Park is slated for mid-2016.

Council of Governments Recognizes Richardson:

The City of Richardson has earned the 2015 Celebrating Leadership in Development Excellence (CLIDE) Award from the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) for its innovative and forward-thinking Spring Creek Nature Area expansion acquisition.

Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors Gift:

Bill Beatty Insurance Agency, Inc. partnered with Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company to award a $5,207 grant to the Richardson Fire Department.  The award is to fund carbon monoxide and smoke detectors for needy, elderly, disabled members of the community who otherwise could not afford these lifesaving pieces of equipment.

Animal and Pet Update:

The Richardson Animal Shelter joined more than 50 shelters in North Texas and hundreds more nationwide for the second annual “Clear the Shelters Day.”  The Richardson Animal Shelter logged 31 adoptions on the day and a total of 73 during the week.  There are currently seven dogs and six cats at the shelter.

Barkway, the City’s first dog park, is now open.  The park is located  underneath the President George Bush Turnpike, just west of the Central Expressway interchange.  Space for the park was made possible by Oncor and TxDOT, who have graciously allowed the city to use their land for this facility.  The park is now open daily from 6:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. except for Wednesdays, when the hours are 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.