MAYOR'S UPDATE
STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
City of Rowlett, Texas
January 20, 2009
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STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
City of Rowlett, Texas
January 15, 2008
Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem Rushing. And, thank you also for presiding at the last City Council meeting while I was away for the holidays. I am not sure, but I think that is the first time a Rowlett City Council meeting was presided over by a woman. So, congratulations for being a pioneer and for being such a positive role model!
Thank you also to all of the City Council members, the City Attorney, the City Manager and Directors, City Secretary and Staff, and to our Municipal Court officials. And, a special thanks to all city employees…they have had to make a great personal sacrifice with no pay increase this year…in order to keep providing basic city services to Rowlett citizens. It takes a lot of people working together for a common good to make this large and complex City operate well and effectively serve all of the citizens. Thanks to each of you for your service.
I am very pleased to have other elected officials here this evening. Without your continuing support, whether in Washington, Austin, or Dallas and Rockwall county, we could not be such a great City. By the way, how many of you know that the City of Rowlett is in two counties? About 8,000 of our citizens live in Rockwall County and are represented by different congressmen as well as by different state representatives!
Each year the Mayor is required to present the State of the City in a public meeting. Tonight I will present to you my assessment. The State of the City is good! Rowlett is a great place to live…and it is becoming an even better place to live, to raise a family, to operate a business and to simply enjoy life. The assessment I will give you tonight is mine and thus unavoidably biased to some degree. The accomplishments I will cite tonight could not have happened without teamwork. Without the support of the City Council the Mayor cannot accomplish anything. Without the efforts of the City Staff, the Mayor and Council cannot accomplish anything. Without the Citizens support, none of us can be effective for long.
Tonight I will first present my view of the State of the City prior to May 2007 when I became Mayor of this great City. I have served as your Mayor for a little more than seven months now and so will then present my view of the State of the City today. After that, I will describe what is planned and what I will propose for the next 12 months and then close with a discussion of some of my concerns about the near term. There is much to say so I will be at the podium for a while. I have prepared slides that highlight my main points. Lastly, my presentation is going to be very forthright. That is one of my personal values. I am not meaning to be overly critical but do want to fully inform all citizens. So, please accept my candor in a positive way.
The Mission Statement for the City of Rowlett is: “To provide high quality services, utilize best practices, and promote well-planned growth while enhancing our community’s sense of home. The stated Vision for the City of Rowlett is that it will be: “A unique community where families enjoy life and feel at home”. None of that has changed. The Mission and Vision of the City remains as it was under the past administration. The City Strategic Plan and sub-plans remain unchanged for now. What has changed is the path that your Mayor and Council is taking to carry out the plans, accomplish the mission, and achieve the vision.
Last year the City Manager wisely commissioned a survey of Rowlett citizens. The survey disclosed that two top things valued most about Rowlett by those citizens is its sense of community and its proximity to Lake Ray Hubbard and to the Metroplex. The four most mentioned things that would make Rowlett better are street improvements, lower taxes, improved spending of revenue, and more restaurants, shopping centers, and businesses. I find it hard to argue with any of those findings.
Several months ago, the City hired Tom Stellman, an economic development expert, to conduct focus groups with Rowlett citizens and those interested in Rowlett. The purpose of the focus groups was to determine the general consensus of the City’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This is commonly referred to as a SWOT analysis and is a very effective planning tool used by both the private and the public sectors.
The strengths of the City of Rowlett as cited by the focus groups include: our school systems…both Garland ISD and Rockwall ISD, our growing regional population, and our proximity to Dallas.
Some weaknesses cited are: accessibility to the City of Rowlett, lack of shopping and dining in the City, and a negative perception of city processes.
Rowlett has many opportunities as well: the North Shore Commercial District…1,000 undeveloped acres in northern Rowlett…Main Street Development opportunities, and an expanding number of healthcare service providers locating in Rowlett.
The threats to Rowlett achieving its mission and realizing its vision include: delays to the Bush Turnpike Eastern Extension…a 10-mile, six lane Tollway that will go right through the North Shore Commercial District and the center of the City, connecting with I-30 and south Garland. Another threat is not having sufficient access to the North Shore Commercial District. One more threat is the continuing housing downturn…affecting property taxes and other revenues for the City.
Citizens, your Mayor and City Council as well as the City Manager and Directors are paying close attention to what you are saying. We do get it!
When I asked you, the Citizens of Rowlett, to put your faith in me and elect me as your Mayor, I promised you that I would improve communications with citizens, improve the financial position and operations of the City, and emphasize economic development efforts. My personal assessment of our City then was that major change, cultural change, was needed for all of the citizens of Rowlett to be served fairly and equitably.
You will recall that seven months ago the comments made by citizens at the City Council meeting were edited out of the tape that was broadcast on the City’s Cable Channel 16. I said then that this was censorship and improper. Citizens then were also not allowed to provide any input on the Consent Agenda at City Council meetings. City Departments were perceived by many to not care about the needs of Citizens. And, there was a noticeable lack of press releases about the many good things happening in Rowlett.
The financial woes of the City have been well chronicled. Rowlett has the highest city property tax rate of similar size cities in North Texas. Plans called for as much as an 8 cent increase to those already high taxes. The City is overly dependent on residents of Rowlett paying property taxes. There is not enough of a commercial tax base right now which generates revenues to allow basic services for the City to grow. At the same time, the City of Rowlett has the highest city utility rates of similar size cities in North Texas. An ordinance in force seven months ago required that any increases in the costs from providers be automatically added to those highest utility rates. Also, contracts for services were renewed without sufficient public hearings. There was more than $100 million in borrowed funds being held in accounts, earning interest. But the interest earned, by law, could not be greater than the cost of the borrowed funds. Meanwhile, each year the cost of doing capital improvement projects increased far greater than any interest earnings. Most of the $100 million was money borrowed without the specific approval of Rowlett voters. And, last fiscal year the General Fund of the City was allowed to drop below its mandated reserve level of 10%. Only about 20 days of operating funds were being held in reserve.
The Economic Development Advisory Board, charged with making recommendations to the Mayor and City Council, had not met in the prior six months to my becoming your Mayor. In my opinion, the Mayor and City Council then were not reaching out to the Rowlett Chamber or to other Chambers of Commerce such as in Garland or Rockwall or to the Greater Dallas Chamber that were able to help with the City’s economic development. Rowlett has many civic groups such as Rotary Club, Exchange Club, and Kiwanis that were not involved in planning economic development nor was there sufficient interaction among city leaders and regional leaders, especially those able to affect mass transit projects. Developers and brokers, those who will bring new businesses and new residents to Rowlett, were not sufficiently involved in planning Rowlett’s future…save for a few.
To learn the State of the City, you need to ask only a few focused questions.
Is the City one where its residents and businesses are the center of every decision made by the city leaders?
Is the City one where its cost of living and associated benefits are in balance?
Is the City one where its customer service is practiced every day?
Today, much progress has been made…thanks to the hard work and support of your City Council. Your Mayor, City Council, City Staff, and civic leaders are working together for the greater good of all 55,000 Rowlett citizens. There is great citizen involvement in civic affairs. There are eleven boards and commissions with more than 80 volunteer members providing support and advice to the Mayor and City Council. Unlike in the past, each of those boards and commissions have or will have the City Council leadership…either the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, or the Deputy Mayor Pro Tem…meet with them to coordinate goals and objectives and to assure their effectiveness in making a difference in their City. Volunteerism in the City is increasing elsewhere also. The City Library just recently reported that volunteer hours were up more than 43%. The City Manager and staff are making a greater effort to recruit and coordinate volunteers to the City. There are many ways to volunteer: VIPS – Volunteers in Police Service, CERT – Citizens Emergency Response Team, the Animal Shelter, and more. The City must rely on volunteer help…there simply are not enough funds to pay for the services that volunteers provide. The City Manager and City Staff are also reaching out to local businesses to provide more sponsorship of special events in the City. The extra funds provided by sponsors will make the difference in the size and scope of special events that are enjoyed by all.
Today, the City of Rowlett is an active partner…a full partner…in the planning and decisionmaking throughout the region. Your Mayor is a member of the Executive Committee of the Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition (DRMC) as well as a new member of the DRMC Finance Committee. Although not now a member of the Regional Transportation Council (RTC), your Mayor attends their board meetings and is soliciting a “place at the table” for Rowlett. I am optimistic that will occur. Your Mayor is an active member of the Rockwall County Planning Consortium. When he can, your Mayor also attends the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) board meetings and the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) board meetings. I also have met with the Garland Independent School District Board and plan to meet with the Rockwall Independent School District Board. All of these agencies and organizations are decisionmakers affecting the future of Rowlett. We must be partners with them. Each of these agencies has responded very favorably to Rowlett. Recently the City Manager planned and held a Regional Transportation Summit at which many of these agencies were represented and spoke to more than 150 Rowlett citizens about major projects and activities. As I said, the City of Rowlett is a full-fledged partner in regional planning now.
As a new Mayor, I have been warmly welcomed by other mayors in the Metroplex. I am especially grateful to Mayor Ronald Jones of Garland, Mayor Bill Cecil of Rockwall, Mayor Mike Felix of Sachse, and Mayor Tom Leppert of Dallas. Each of them has given me invaluable guidance and support. I also want to thank prior Rowlett mayors Buddy Wall, Mark Enoch, and Mike McCallum for their advice and counsel as well.
This Mayor and City Council demand that all communications with and to Rowlett citizens be respectful, timely, and forthcoming. Citizens should not have to guess at the answers to their questions or concerns. Citizens should not have to wonder if their phone call or email or letter will even be acknowledged. The City Manager has responded with a very effective system called the “Citizens Action Center”. Whenever an inquiry or concern is made by a citizen, it is entered into the Citizens Action Center database. The City Manager and the Council can then monitor the issue and the response, thus assuring timely and accurate information being provided. The citizen can also monitor their issue online at the city website: Rowlett.com. This system is still in its early stages but is getting more and more use every day. In November the Citizen Action Center received and managed more than 850 citizen issues. My thanks to Katie Corder, Assistant to the City Manager, who is leading this project. Another excellent communication system installed by the City Manager is: “Word on the Street”. This is a bi-weekly update of all the major capital improvement projects of the City. What is especially helpful is a forecast of road construction conditions that might affect commuter travel. This system too can be accessed at the city website: Rowlett.com. At the urging of Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Todd Gottel, “Pet Match” was added to the City website. There you can see animals available at the City Animal Shelter for adoption.
Another strong value of this Mayor and this City Council is that city operations and planning be transparent and available to all citizens. I have already talked about the changes to the City Council meetings. In addition, there is much more programming now on Rowlett Television Network – RTN 16. All of the City Council meetings are rebroadcast as well as any special meetings. For example…there will be several extra City Council meetings over the next few months to consider proposed changes in utility rates, changes in budgeting, changes in capital improvement project planning and management, and more. All of those special sessions will be televised on RTN16. By mid-year we expect to have on demand capability via the city website for those who do not have cable tv access. Since October your Mayor and the City Manager co-host an hour-long news program that is presented monthly. The two of us go into great detail about projects and activities of interest to Rowlett citizens. The most recent show was just placed on RTN16. Check the city website for broadcast times. Thanks to the effort of Mr. Stanley Pollard and others, your Mayor has a monthly column in the Dallas Morning News. It appears on the fourth Saturday of each month in the NeighborsGo section. Each month I write about a specific activity of our City. And, the first Town Hall meeting for this administration is set for February 7…I believe that will be in the Community Centre…and another Town Hall meeting is set for June 5. Unlike at the City Council meetings where discussions are restricted, town hall meetings are venues where any question can be asked and discussed.
Your Mayor and Council have spent quite a bit of time during the last seven months on financial management. The City Charter is clear that the City Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of the City. However, just as clear is the Mayor and City Council’s responsibility to provide effective oversight of city operations and especially oversight of financial management of the City. To that end, the City Council provided a Statement of Guiding Principles to the City Manager to assist him as he proposed an operating budget and a capital budget for the City. These 26 guiding principles set the parameters for budget decisionmaking and budget execution. The principles, which are still in force, declared that there will be no city property tax increase, no increase in city utility charges, no new borrowing, and the minimum reserves would be met. Following those principles would lead to the highest and best use of the limited resources available to the City. The City Manager and Directors and the City Council considered numerous “what if” scenarios to determine the highest and best use within the guidelines provided. As you know, your Mayor and Council decided to reallocate funds from the operating budget to the capital budget so that a strategic investment in infrastructure could be done. By now I am sure you have seen some of the results of that investment. Almost 12 miles of neighborhood roads have been resurfaced. Major repairs are being made to the collector roads leading to and from the neighborhoods. This wise investment in infrastructure not only improves the Rowlett neighborhoods but also leads to lower future operating expenses. At the same time, major projects to renovate the Kenwood Heights neighborhood and the Point Royal Estates neighborhood were started, using the funds previously held as an investment in a bank account.
This change in oversight of the finances of the City gives the City Manager more authority but also requires of him more accountability. The City Manager now reports monthly to the City Council financial performance indicators…two pages instead of 27 pages, a short summary of personnel transactions, and a one-page summary of budget transfers. In addition, there is a City Council Finance Committee that previews in depth any proposed policy matter that should go to the whole Council for their consideration. This is modeled after the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that is now mandated for public corporations. Your Council is working hard for you! The City Manager is still looking for ways to save in the current operating and capital budgets. And, any such savings will be reallocated to priority needs, as established by the City Council.
Economic development is a term often used by cities to describe their goals for growth in population, jobs, or tax base. The growth is deemed essential in order to provide funds for more than basic services from the City. However, the growth can be very risky. You can see in other cities where the growth has outstripped the infrastructure, forcing crisis management. To reduce that risk, a strategic plan for economic development is necessary. If the existing infrastructure will not support the desired growth, the City must borrow and raise taxes to build that infrastructure in anticipation. If the forecasted growth in revenues do not occur, the risk becomes reality and can lead to very serious consequences for the city and for its citizens. Proper planning is essential and is underway for the City of Rowlett. Your Mayor and City Council are working on a strategic plan for economic development that will be finalized in March.
I believe that economic development must first begin with civic pride. If the residents of the City are not proud to say they are from Rowlett, it is foolish to expect that developers and brokers will bring their clients to Rowlett. The Council has already started a program of neighborhood revitalization to assure that Rowlett citizens do take pride in their city. While the comprehensive program will not be proposed by the City Manager until the end of January, several components have already been approved by the City Council. Targeted code enforcement is well underway in the City. The entire city will be inspected over the next 12 months with emphasis on high grass and weeds violations, junk vehicles, fences in disrepair, outside storage in violation of the code, and tree limbs blocking sidewalks, streets, and signs. Another component of neighborhood revitalization is to adopt the latest building standards. Councilman Maggiotto has provided the leadership for implementation of “Green” building standards in the City. Those standards were approved by the Council earlier today!
For a suburban community like ours, mass transit is the “trigger” for economic development. As traffic congestion worsens, as the air quality becomes poorer, businesses and families look to locate where there is mass transit. Retail businesses will locate where there is a critical mass of consumers with the demographics they are seeking. You can see the effect of the President George Bush Turnpike on the City of Garland. You can see the effect of I-30 on the City of Rockwall. Rowlett does not have access to such mass transit systems. That is about to change.
The President George Bush Turnpike Eastern Extension project is well underway. This will be a 10 mile, six-lane tollroad from State Highway 78 in Garland, passing through the center of Rowlett, and connecting to I-30 via a new one-mile bridge over Lake Ray Hubbard. Purchasing of the rights of way for the roadway is close to completion. Construction should begin by mid-year and will take three years to complete. Segments of the Tollway will be open as soon as July 2010.
The DART Blue Line expansion project from Garland to Rowlett has been in the news quite a bit lately. This project calls for light passenger rail to be extended from downtown Garland to downtown Rowlett by the end of 2012. This rail line will allow Rowlett citizens to commute to downtown Dallas and eventually to both airports. DART is now projecting the cost of this project to be much greater than originally planned. The DART Board of Directors must now decide how to find the additional funds needed for this project which will cost around $250 million to complete as currently planned. The City of Rowlett entered into an agreement with DART in 1983. Since 1984 the City has given one cent of its sales taxes to DART for this project. More than $40 million has been paid over the last 23 years…that would have a present value of about $100 million. Just think what we could have done in the City with $100 million to invest! Regardless, we are committed to DART. Cities such as Rockwall did not join DART and so have had those extra funds and clearly have enjoyed more economic development because of it. Senior staff members of DART have come to Rowlett and presented their circumstances and also assured the City that the schedule to bring light rail to Rowlett in 2012 will not change. The DART Board will make their decision on January 22. Your Mayor will be there to represent each and every one of you and will continue to speak out for the City of Rowlett.
Adding to the effectiveness of the Bush Turnpike Eastern Extension is a proposed Interconnector from Merritt Road to Liberty Grove. This Interconnector will provide the needed access to the North Shore Commercial District. Funding for it will come from toll road revenues in North Texas. A final decision on funding will be made this Spring. I am optimistic since this project does address regional transportation needs.
Another project that is regional rather than local is a proposed Rowlett Waterfront Station Park-N-Ride located on property owned by the City of Dallas at Dalrock Road and I-30. This property is actually located in Rockwall County. Most of the required funding is in place for this project to construct a 1,000 space parking area and facilities. This project will primarily benefit Rockwall and Hunt counties. Discussions among all the parties continue and a final decision is expected soon.
This slide shows the planned route for the Bush Turnpike Eastern Extension. You can see the planned ramps and tollbooths as well. Also shown, in red, is the proposed Interconnector. Both of these roads will provide access to the 1,000 acre North Shore Commercial District which is at the north end of Rowlett on this map.
This slide presents the proposed DART Light Rail Extension from downtown Garland to downtown Rowlett. Completion of the light rail extension will be an engine for the development of the downtown Main Street area.
While the Turnpike Extension and the DART Rail Extension are still several years away, the last several months have seen increased commercial development in Rowlett. Three office projects have been recently announced. The Highpoint Industrial Park will have 54,000 square feet of office/warehouse space constructed. The Andrews Office Building on Dalrock Road, close to I-30, will be a three story with almost 21,000 square feet of office space. The Expo Towers will be a five story 35,000 square feet of office space located near the Real Estate Expo on Highway 66. Potentially, there will be a sixth story for a rooftop restaurant. In addition to the office and light industrial development, twelve new retail establishments have announced their plans for construction in Rowlett. You can see them listed on this slide.
Ms. Keri Samford is acting Director of Economic Development along with her regular duties as Director of Development Services. The commercial development just announced is a tribute to her talent and hard work. I want to express my thanks to Keri and also to Diane Hays, who assists Keri. City Manager Craig Owens tells me that a full-time Director of Economic Development will be hired in February. In the meantime, Keri and Craig and I continue our efforts to bring significant economic development to Rowlett. I describe it as “more to come” because conversations with different groups are continuing but not yet at a point where anyone is ready to make announcements. But, rest assured, there is much happening but in its early stages. We will keep you informed.
The North Texas Council of Governments estimates that the population of the City of Rowlett will be about 75,000 in the year 2030. The projected growth rate is only about 2-4% each year. Once the mass transit systems are completed that growth rate will increase. For now, I will propose to the City Council that our economic development efforts be primarily focused on the North Shore Commercial District over the next few years. The North Shore Commercial District will become home to many businesses and allow the City to progress towards its goal of achieving a property tax base of about 40% commercial and 60% residential. Such a change is essential to holding or reducing the tax rate for Rowlett citizens while still providing basic city services at a level desired by all citizens.
While the primary focus is proposed for the North Shore Commercial District, planning will continue for the transit-oriented development of downtown Main Street in Rowlett. Such development will include high density residential as well as retail. It will take longer for this area of the City to fully develop but it will happen.
The goal of our economic development is to differentiate Rowlett, making it even more unique and thus attractive to new businesses and residents. The updated draft Strategic Plan for Economic Development…it goes by the name: “Rowlett Next”… is still being reviewed and shaped by the Economic Development Advisory Board. That Board, chaired by Greg Sims, has representatives from the Rowlett Chamber and the Garland ISD along with Rowlett City Staff and City Council. The final recommendations to the City Council for the Updated Strategic Plan for Economic Development are expected by March. I believe that the recommendations will include that Rowlett must and will become a “destination” to businesses, healthcare providers, a higher education institution, and retail shopping. If that recommendation is accepted by the City Council, consideration will have to be given to adding more amenities in the City. Developed parks and bike trails will attract newcomers and visitors. More and better access to Lake Ray Hubbard will provide attractive amenities also. All of this is doable within the next decade. Such aggressive economic development will require new and innovative financing as well as private-public partnerships. I will work with the City Manager and Directors to bring to the City Council sound proposals for the future.
In the Tax Increment Fund Districts in Rowlett, the northern area is the North Shore Commercial District that will be affected by the construction of the Turnpike Extension. The central portion is the downtown area that will be affected by the construction of the Light Rail Extension. The southern area is the Entertainment/Waterfront District. The southern area will also be greatly affected by the construction of the Turnpike Extension. Tax Increment Funding is a tool to use future gains in taxes to finance the current improvements that will create those gains.
I have spent a lot of time telling you what your City has been doing. I hope you can see and appreciate all that is going on. Everyone has been working together and working very hard! Now, I want to tell you about where I would like to see the City go over the remaining time of my term as Mayor.
The “Rowlett Next” Economic Development Plan consists of 20 pages of detailed recommendations from Tom Stellman, our external consultant. Tom presented his plan in November 2007 to a meeting of the Economic Development Advisory Board. By the way, that meeting was rebroadcast and is available on CD at the City Library if you want to watch it. The plan places strong emphasis on the need for the City of Rowlett to enhance its image in the region and to aggressively market the “new” Rowlett. The City Council will receive the Advisory Board advice and counsel at a special meeting in March.
Rowlett Road Reconstruction – Phase I – will be completed in another few months. Additional phases are in the final design stage and will be constructed as quickly as possible. The City Manager and consulting engineers are closely managing all of our road projects to get them done on time and in budget. Miller Road Reconstruction will be completed at mid-year. Hickox Road Reconstruction is just about completed. These thoroughfare roads needed attention badly. Future work on our thoroughfares will be very closely managed and coordinated to minimize the traffic gridlock we experienced last year. However, I must alert you. Construction of the final phases of Rowlett Road Reconstruction, the construction of the Turnpike Extension, and the construction of the Light Rail Extension will add to our traffic woes. The City Manager and consulting engineers are committed to do the best job possible to minimize the conflicts.
Earlier this evening, I proposed to the City Council in Work Session the formation of a Charter Review Commission. The City Charter was last reviewed and elected on by Citizens in May 2003. Many of the current provisions of the City Charter need to be updated. I am particularly interested in a provision in the City Charter that will require all borrowing of capital funds, except in emergency situations, to be approved by voters. That is not a requirement now. There are other changes that should be considered. The timetable I am recommending calls for all changes to the existing City Charter to be considered by the citizens and voted in November 2008. I have asked Mr. Jeff Sheldon to assist with the organization of the Charter Review Commission and he has agreed. Jeff served on the last Charter Review Commission.
The State of the City address has been presented much earlier in past years, usually right after the budgets were approved by the Council. I delayed the Address until now to allow more time for this newly elected Mayor and newly elected City Council members to properly begin the process of change in the City. You can see that has happened. One such change that is perceived by me and by many to be needed is a change in the way the City budgets for operations and for capital investment. City Manager, Craig Owens, is recommending a new way of budgeting called “Budgeting for Outcomes”. I am familiar with this budgeting method and endorse it for the City of Rowlett. The City Council will be given a detailed briefing on this new technique, which incorporates zero based budgeting, on February 12. A formal proposal for adoption of this new method will come after that.
It is not too soon to begin consideration of the City’s capital investment needs for 2010 and beyond. I will propose the formation of a Citizens Bond Election Committee later this year. I anticipate the work of the Citizens Bond Election Committee will take a year to complete. Consideration will have to be given to the priority needs for water/sewage/drainage projects as well as for renovation and expansion of streets, roads, sidewalks, and alleys. There is a need for new facilities and upgrading our parks and trails. There is a need to invest in the latest technologies. I recommend that all of these needs, in priority order, as seen by your Mayor and City Council, be brought to the voters for approval in November 2009. Properly done, a major bond program will reduce the operating expenses of the City to offset the cost of borrowing.
We cannot expect to keep going to the Rowlett citizens and taxing them for anything less than critical needs. There are federal and state dollars available to the City to compete for. I propose formal applications for any and all such grants…more than we are doing now. I also plan to work with our elected and appointed officials in Washington and in Austin to seek funds that they are able to allocate to the City of Rowlett. I also believe that corporations, foundations, and private donors can and should help the City of Rowlett. External funding, especially for new parks and trails, will be sought aggressively.
I stated earlier that the Rowlett Next Economic Development Plan draft calls for actions to enhance the image of the Rowlett community. That same plan calls for greater economic development effort towards Main Street transit-oriented development. I will propose to the City Council to task the City Manager and Directors to plan future City special events to bring our citizens and visitors to Downtown Rowlett. With sponsorships from the local business community, more and better special events can be done within the limited budget that we have.
Donna Huerta, our Public Information Officer, briefed the City Council on the “All American City” Award several months ago. While the Council did not decide to pursue that award for 2007, I propose that the City of Rowlett do seek All-American City status for 2008. I will ask the City Council to form a Citizens’ Committee, working with Donna Huerta, to make application and compete for this award. Donna…thank you for bringing this to us. City Manager Owens has also investigated another award for the City to earn. The Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award for cities recognizes those who are following best practices. While the City of Rowlett is not yet ready to compete for that award, Mr. Owens will monitor the city’s progress and bring a recommendation to the Mayor and City Council at the right time.
Well, you can see that the City Council and City Manager have quite a bit to consider. I will propose a City Council Planning Retreat in early June to provide the opportunity for all of us to discuss the priorities and capabilities of the City and then update the City Strategic Plan and its supporting sub-plans. It is essential that we plan and then provide active oversight while the City Manager, Directors, and Staff work towards accomplishment of the adopted goals and objectives.
I outlined a bold set of “next steps” for the City. Proper strategic thinking requires that the obstacles to achieving that bold agenda also be considered. My concerns are mostly about issues that I and the Council cannot control. But, we have to be aware and try to influence these issues as much as possible.
My first concern is the DART Light Rail Extension. Although we have been assured by the DART Executive Director and some DART Board members that the 2012 schedule for completion will be met, I do have a concern. I am waiting to hear the solutions to the funding issues being faced by DART. I will argue against any major changes in scope for the light rail extension to Rowlett. However, there is not much we can do except express ourselves directly to the DART Board members.
Similarly, I am worried about the financial condition of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). They have stated publicly that they are out of money for transportation projects. Now, they have assured us that the bridge connecting the Turnpike Extension to I-30 is funded. But, will the schedule be delayed? I certainly hope not and, along with the City Manager and Director of Public Works Pat Baugh and City Engineer Shawn Poe, will keep this issue in front of the TxDOT decisionmakers and our elected representatives in Austin.
Funding for transit projects has all but disappeared at the federal, state, and county levels. Additional funding is critically needed. Innovative sources of new funding, such as use of toll road revenue surpluses, is being explored. Unless something is done soon, a crisis will occur. What happens in the Metroplex affects the City of Rowlett. Their traffic congestion and poor air quality is our traffic congestion and our poor air quality. Our public safety, public health, and quality of life will be directly affected. I will work with our elected representatives to find new sources of funds that will cause the least distress and most benefit to Rowlett citizens.
What can I say about our national and state economy? While I am personally very optimistic about both, there are many experts who claim that an economic recession is already here. Any major economic slowdown will directly affect the revenues that the City of Rowlett receives from property taxes, sales taxes, and fees. The City has no built-up reserves to call upon if there is a downturn. In order to balance the budgets, cutbacks will be necessary. I hope and believe that will not be necessary. But again, we have to consider such obstacles and plan how to react to them.
An issue that the Mayor and Council and the citizens can control is to focus on what provides the “greater good” to the Citizens of Rowlett. In my short tenure as Mayor, too many times I and everyone else have been aggressively urged to satisfy a special interest of a small group of citizens. Were there enough money for all desires, I would be very happy to accommodate all requests. But, there is not enough money. Your Mayor and City Council must exercise their individual judgment and, yes…their individual courage, to make decisions to serve the greater good for all citizens of Rowlett. Being a “silent majority” is not helpful. We, your Mayor and your City Council, need to know what you are thinking. I will continue to propose and promote conservative policy, not tax and spend.
I am also concerned about voter apathy. In May there will be an election for three places on the City Council. Very few of you will take the time to vote in that election. I urge all citizens to register and vote. Not only will there be an election in May for City Council, but also there will be an election in November that will include City Charter revisions. Later elections will allow voters to approve or disapprove borrowing money for capital projects or to approve or disapprove raising sales taxes in support of statewide transit projects. Your involvement in civic affairs gives you an active voice. Please speak out and be heard. Better yet…volunteer! Your City needs you. We will need citizens to serve on the Charter Review Commission, serve on the All-American City Award committee, and on the Bond Election Committee.
Let me finish on a much more positive note. Being Mayor of Rowlett is a very special privilege and I am grateful for the opportunity. I am excited about our future! The investments to be made in the President George Bush Turnpike Eastern Extension, the DART Blue Line Extension, the Interconnector Road, the Dalrock Waterfront Park-N-Ride, the Rowlett thoroughfares, as well as the completion of renovating Kenwood Heights and Point Royal Estates…will total almost $1.5 billion. Those investments will trickle through the Rowlett economy and have a multiplier effect on our local businesses.
Craig Owens is a young and innovative as well as experienced City Manager. He has formed and is completing the formation of a team of Directors that are also innovative and experienced. I am confident that this management team will accomplish all the goals and objectives that the Citizens and the City Council establish. I will continue to provide leadership to the City Council and to the City Manager leadership team. I enjoy working with them.
All past mayors have told me how important it is to have a supportive Council. How true that is. I am fortunate that my colleagues and I do agree and support one another on most issues. We are also fortunate to have the support of other mayors and county officials. I will continue to reach out to all elected and appointed officials and keep them well informed about the needs and interests of the City of Rowlett. I call this “flying the flag”. I am an unabashed cheerleader for the City of Rowlett.
Citizens do not often get a chance to see cities and counties working together for a regional good. Although we all admit we are in competition with one another the leaders of neighboring cities and counties are also cooperating to achieve regional goals. Such cooperation is very important when major projects that cross city borders or county lines are being considered by funding agencies.
Most important of all is our City! Our City is blessed by its location on a beautiful lake and yet be so close to a major metropolis. Rowlett ranks 18th in total population among cities in the Metroplex. Our City is fortunate to have the highest median household income among our neighboring suburbs. Over the next five years the number of households in the $200,000+ income bracket will more than double in Rowlett! The largest age group in Rowlett now is 35-54 and is projected to get younger over the next five years. More than one-third of our residents have a bachelors degree or higher as compared to only 23% for the rest of Texas. These are the demographics that retailers and employers are seeking. We have a bright future!
As I like to say…Rowlett is on the move! - JOHN HARPER |
