CITY MANAGER’S WEEKLY UPDATE
For the week of:
April 6, 2008
City Concludes Community Development Week by Celebrating Success Stories
Mayor Carey welcomed representatives from Lewisville's nonprofit sector to a "CDBG Showcase" event Friday, March 28. The Community Development Block Grant program uses federal funds for housing, community development and social services for low/moderate income persons and neighborhoods. The Mayor noted that the City has been using CDBG funds for ten years and thanked the agencies for their efforts and partnership. He also talked about the importance of the program to the City as a way to fund services for residents through a network of social service agencies and the great need there is for their services.
Community Services staff gave an overview of projects that have been funded through the years including: the CCA Crisis Center building, Habitat for Humanity houses, CCA Minor Housing Restoration, an expansion of PediPlace, the CCA Underwood Heights housing development, land purchase for the Children's Advocacy Center, Street Replacement projects in several Old Town neighborhoods, the Sycamore Park Walking Trail, a Pedestrian Bridge over Mesquite Creek and the First-time Homebuyer Assistance Program.
While most of CDBG funds are spent on construction or housing programs, 15% can be used for social services. The City of Lewisville also budgets annually for a City Social Service Agency Fund (currently at $173,250 per year). Agency directors, board members and clients took turns sharing their success stories and highlighted the cooperation and common goals they share even as they sometimes compete for the same grant funds. Many shared personal stories about how agencies and grant-funded projects made a difference in their lives. The City had a display with agency information and achievements in the City Hall lobby throughout the week of March 24 to 28. Anyone needing information or referrals to services of a City-funded agency can visit the Nonprofit Organizations page on the City's website www.cityoflewisville.com under News & Info, then Organizations; or they can call 972-219-5026.
22nd Annual Spring Clean Up Scheduled for April 12
Keep Lewisville Beautiful will hold its 22nd annual Spring Clean Up event on Saturday, April 12, in conjunction with Keep Texas Beautiful Trash Off and Keep America Beautiful Great American Clean Up, the nation’s largest organized pickup drawing millions of volunteers each year. Volunteers are needed locally to help pick up litter in parks, schoolyards, street rights-of-way and waterways. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Lewisville High School parking lot, 1098 West Main Street. The cleanup will be from 9 to noon and lunch is provided. Volunteers unable to participate in the citywide event can arrange their own neighborhood or spot cleanups by calling Keep Lewisville Beautiful at 972.436.5100.
For more information, to sign up as an individual participant or your group or business or to donate funds to Keep Lewisville Beautiful email info@keeplewisvillebeautiful.org, call 972.436.5100 or fax information to 972.436.2103. Please include number of people anticipated in your group. Trash bags, gloves, grabbers, door prizes and FUN will be provided. Don’t miss the opportunity to make a difference in your community!
Women’s Bassmaster Tour Returning to Lewisville on April 10-12
The Women’s Bassmaster Tour will visit Lewisville Lake for the third time in four years when the 2008 season kicks off on April 10-12. Previous stops in Lewisville included a preview event in October 2005, won by Pam Martin-Wells, and a 2006 regular-season event in May 2006, won by Dianna Clark, the 2006 Toyota WBT Angler of the Year.
This year’s WBT tour features a few changes, including new presenting sponsor Academy Sports + Outdoors. The local store, located on the east side of Interstate 35E just south of FM 3040, will be the site of the final-day weigh-ins. Another exciting change next year is that the 2008 Toyota WBT Angler of the Year (the top angler in the season-long points standings) will receive an automatic berth in the 2009 Bassmaster Classic. To accommodate the WBT Angler of the Year, BASS will extend 51 invitations to the Classic.
“This promises to be a historic year, with the first female angler qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic,” said Tom Ricks, vice president and general manager of BASS. “The WBT continues to receive some well-deserved attention and we are excited about this opportunity for the circuit to grow.”
The chase for that coveted Classic berth will start April 10-12 on Lewisvillle Lake, which has developed a growing reputation as an outstanding bass fishing lake through such events as a Bassmaster Elite 50 tournament in June 2005, the National Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship in 2006 and 2007, and an FLW Outdoors Bass Fishing League last month.
“When the Bassmaster Elite 50 tour came to Lewisville back in 2005, a lot of people wondered whether this was really a good fishing lake,” said Lewisville Mayor Gene Carey. “But those professional anglers proved to the world what those of us around the lake already knew – there are some big lunkers in the water if you know where to look. We’re very excited to welcome the lady anglers back to Lewisville, and it’s good that the champion will get to compete in the Classic. Those fish don’t have any idea of it’s a man or woman holding the pole, the bait still looks the same.”
At each regular tour event, the champion pro will receive $1,000 in addition to a fully-rigged boat package valued at $50,000. The winning co-angler will receive $500 plus a boat package valued at $25,000. The championship event, the fifth and final tournament of the season, is scheduled for Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Ark., and will determine the first stand-alone championship in WBT history. Fans can follow the competition at www.Bassmaster.com with live streaming video and real-time leader boards during the weigh-ins starting each day at 3 p.m.
Sponsors of the Women’s Bassmaster Tour include Academy Sports + Outdoors, Toyota Tundra, Mercury Marine, Triton Boats, Lowrance Electronics, MotorGuide, Advance Auto Parts and Mustang Survival.
Lewisville Lake, declared the “Urban Bass-Fishing Capital of Texas” by the state legislature and Gov. Rick Perry, is located 15 minutes north of downtown Dallas along Interstate 35E. Created in 1954 on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, the lake covers nearly 30,000 acres of surface area and reaches depths of up to 67 feet. Lewisville Lake is rated as “excellent” by Texas Parks & Wildlife for catfish, crappie and white bass, and “good” for largemouth bass and striped/hybrid bass.
Lake Park is situated on 350 acres of land leased by the City of Lewisville from the U.S. Corps of Engineers. Park features include overnight and day camping sites, picnic areas, swimming beaches, playgrounds and a state-rated disc golf course. Visitors to Lake Park from Interstate 35E will use the Valley Ridge exit east to Mill Street, then north on Mill to the park entrance.
BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than 20,000 events through the BASS Federation annually. Guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility, professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly 40 years. Through its clubs, youth programs, aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia platforms, BASS offers the industry’s widest array of services and support to its nearly 550,000 members. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
For complete details, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit www.bassmaster.com.
2008 Women’s Bassmaster Tour tournament schedule:
April 10-12 Lewisville Lake, Lewisville, Texas
May 22-24 Lake Neeley Henry, Gadsden, Ala.
June 19-21 Old Hickory Lake, Gallatin, Tenn.
Sept. 18-20 Clarks Hill Lake, Evans, Geo.
Oct. 23-25 Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark.
Newspaper Available on Microform in Library
The Library's new microform reader/printer provides access to the following Lewisville newspapers on microfilm: Denton Record Chronicle (1909-1917), Lewisville Enterprise (1905-1941, 1945-1955), Lewisville Leader (1961-1974), Lewisville Daily Leader (1974-1991), Lewisville Leader (1990-2006), Lewisville Times (1974-1976), Lewisville Times Chronicle (1977-1980), Lewisville News (1983-2001), Lewisville News Advertiser (1980-1983). The microform reader/printer is located on the second floor of the library near the new books display.
Street & Sidewalk Repairs
The City of Lewisville Street Division has contracted with Hencie International, Inc., to perform street and sidewalk repairs on Babbling Brook Dr. between Old Orchard and Buffalo Bend Dr. Construction is scheduled to begin on Monday, April 7, 2008, and be completed by Friday, May 9, 2008, weather permitting. The street must be cleared of all vehicles during this time.
Fox Avenue Construction
The eastbound and westbound lanes of Fox Avenue from Edmonds Lane to Valley Parkway will be reduced to one lane in each direction on the south side of the roadway beginning Wednesday, April 9, 2008 due to construction of new utilities and pavement. In the event of inclement weather, work will be moved to the next available day. Please note that the existing conditions (one lane each direction on the south side) will remain the same on Fox Avenue from IH-35E to Edmonds.
Resurfacing Scheduled for FM407 Bridge
TxDOT will be resurfacing the FM407 bridge on Saturday, April 26, 2008 between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. The bridge will be closed during this time. Please make plans to take alternate routes.
Work is being performed in the areas listed below.
Use caution in these work zones.
Use caution in these work zones.
Street Repairs
Street panel and sidewalk repairs on Valencia
Continuing repairs on Buffalo Bend from Babbling Brook to Corporate Dr. and on Church Street
Crack sealing on Corporate Drive
Street and sidewalk repairs on Babbling Brook Dr. between Old Orchard and Buffalo Bend Dr.
Sanitary Sewer Line and Manhole Repairs
Cleaning and video inspection of the sewer mains in the Hunters Glen Addition
Main line cleaning on Edmonds Ln., Crockett, Fox Ave., Purnell St., Elm St. and Huffines St.
Upcoming Events
April Meetings & Events
- April 7 City Council Meeting
April 9 Park Board Meeting
April 10-12 Women’s Bassmaster Tournament
April 12 Second Saturday Collection Day
April 14 Old Town Design Review Committee Meeting
April 15 CDBG Meeting
April 15 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting
April 17 Transportation Board Meeting
April 19 Old Town Farmer’s Market
April 21 City Council Meeting
April 26 Old Town Farmer’s Market
April 28 Old Town Design Review Committee Meeting
April 30 Library Board Meeting
May Meetings & Events
- May 1-2 Fire Dept Pipe, Drum & Color Guard Symposium & Workshop
May 3 Old Town Farmer’s Market
May 3 Cinco de Mayo Festival
May 5 City Council Meeting
May 6 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting
May 7 Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting
May 10 Old Town Farmer’s Market
May 10 Lewisville Second Saturday Collection Day
May 12 Old Town Design Review Committee Meeting
May 14 Park Board Meeting
May 17 Old Town Farmer’s Market
May 19 City Council Meeting
May 20 CDBG Meeting
May 20 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting
May 21 Library Board Meeting
May 24 Old Town Farmer’s Market
May 26 Holiday – Offices Closed
May 31 Old Town Farmer’s Market
