Trick-A-Trout has been postponed to next weekend, Saturday, February 20 at 8 a.m. at Frisco Commons Park, 8000 McKinney Road.  Due to the inclement weather, Texas Parks and Wildlife was unable to deliver the fish. For more information about next weekend’s free, family favorite event, go to www.friscofun.org  

The ‘Chunk Your Junk’ event scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, February 13, will continue as planned. Start ‘chunking’ your junk beginning at 8 a.m. until noon at the Environmental Collection Center, 6616 Walnut Street.

For a complete list of items that can be brought for safe disposal, recycling or donation, go to the Special Events page.

(January 13, 2010)
To All NTMWD Member Cities and Customers:
The NTMWD has confirmed that a winter algal bloom is occurring in Lavon Lake. Taste and odor changes in treated drinking water caused by blooms may be detected by your consumers who are more sensitive to these changes. The taste and odor is a palatability issue only. The palatability change that results from a naturally occurring algal bloom does not alter the quality of the water provided to the cities and the communities served by NTMWD. The water supply remains safe for use with no health risks created by these events.

If you should receive calls from consumers, you may link to or direct them to our Web site for more information on what algal blooms are and the steps NTMWD is taking to minimize the taste and odor issues caused by algal blooms.

In addition, the Web site information has been updated to include information regarding the ozone implementation plan for the Wylie Water Treatment Plants and how this treatment process, once on-line, should significantly reduce and/or eliminate the taste and odor issues caused by algal blooms.

Feel free to provide these links to your consumers or link them to your organization’s Web site:
Winter Algal Blooms (Specific) – A general fact sheet about Winter Algal Blooms.  www.ntmwd.com/downloads/tasteandodor/winterbloom.pdf

Taste and Odor (General) – Includes a general fact sheet about taste and odor, a summer bloom information page, and a winter bloom information page.
www.ntmwd.com/taste_odor.html

Ozonation – Includes brief information about ozonation benefits and the NTMWD ozonation implementation plan at the Wylie Water Treatment Plants.
www.ntmwd.com/ozonation.html

Should you have any questions regarding this information, please feel free to e-mail NTMWD Public Relations Coordinator Denise Hickey at dhickey@ntmwd.com Thank you.

Join Mayor Maher Maso for casual conversation and a cup of coffee.  Bring your questions and concerns and learn more about how our community works.

Mayor Maso launched “Coffee with the Mayor” in 2008 as one of his communication initiatives.  Generally, meetings are held the second Monday of each month from 8 – 9 a.m.  Occasionally, meetings are held off site.  Check out http://www.friscotexas.gov/government/Pages/CoffeewiththeMayor.aspx for dates and times.

(October 15, 2009) Don’t know what’s happening in Frisco city government?  Now that’s scary!  Join us for a Town Hall meeting on Monday, October 19.

The meeting will be held in the City Hall council chambers of the George A. Purefoy Municipal Center, 6101 Frisco Square Boulevard.  The meeting begins at 7 p.m. and wraps up at 9 p.m.

The theme of the fall Town Hall meeting is ‘Trick or Tweet’, which invites residents to follow the City of Frisco on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CityOfFriscoTX  Residents who attend the Town Hall meeting will receive a free ‘gadget’ for your vehicle, which holds a cellular / electronic device and comes with a pen, too. Monday night, the gadgets will be filled with a couple sweets.

Learn more about county government, as well. Town Hall guest speakers include Denton County Commissioner Hugh Coleman and Collin County Commissioner Matt Shaheen.

Learn more about the Dr Pepper Arena and its new entertainment offerings since the facility was expanded. Randy Locey, VP of Business Operations, Dallas Stars, will be here to share more about the venue. Find out about another new facility scoring points with sports enthusiasts.  Learn more about Fieldhouse USA from Gary Oliver, Principal and Director of Operations.

Everyone is ‘grossed out’ about another new venue in Frisco.  Erica Yeager will be here to tell residents more about Sci Tech Discovery Center and its inaugural exhibit in Frisco, “Grossology:  The Impolite Science of the Human Body”.  Plus, get a progress report on the Arts of Collin County from Mike Simpson, Executive Director.

Frisco Police will brief the audience about the success of National Night Out, despite the weather.  Police will also share information about the new communications tower and give a progress report on drug prevention and education programs. Plus, Frisco schools just got S.A.F.E.R. – literally. Learn more about Situational Awareness For Emergency Response.  If you arrive early, beginning at 6:30 p.m., take a tour of the Frisco Fire Department’s new mobile command center, which will be parked at City Hall.

Check out how Environmental Services developed a program turning gray skies into something green – and Engineering Services will update residents on roadway construction and improvement projects.

Find out why it’s so important to be counted in 2010. Information about the 2010 Census will be presented.

Finally, learn when to mark your calendar for upcoming City of Frisco holiday events. Town Hall meetings last two hours and are held three times each year.

During last night’s ‘special called meeting’, the Frisco City Council voted to adopt a $76 million General Fund budget for FY10.  The new budget allows the City of Frisco to fill 17 jobs, including public safety, parks and streets positions previously ‘frozen’.  Restoring these positions also requires Frisco to ‘dip into its savings’ and use approximately $880,000 of its reserve fund balance. 

The $0.465 tax rate is just shy of the $0.4655 effective tax rate and a 1.5 cent increase over the $0.45 tax rate for FY09. Prior to the May 2006 Bond Election, staff projected the total tax rate would increase to $0.4818 for FY10 had Frisco sold all the bonds, as scheduled.   

“Our budget is still very lean and takes into account our economic realities here at home,” said Mayor Maher Maso.  “I’m very proud of our staff members and their efforts to reduce their budgets without significantly reducing the quality of service we provide our residents. This budget allows us to continue delivering excellent service supported by one of the lowest tax rates in North Texas.” 

For a second year in a row, cost cutting measures included reducing department budgets and holding positions vacant.    

The city’s property tax value is certified at $13,958,027,112, which represents a 2.6% increase from the previous year.  This increase includes $366 million in new construction combined with a $270 million decrease in value of existing properties.

Sales tax receipts are estimated to be $19.44 million in FY10, which is slightly more than the $19.35 million the city anticipates collecting for FY09. City staff forecasts building permit revenue to ‘remain the same’ at approximately $3 million for the next fiscal year.

Frisco will begin or continue construction on a variety of capital projects infrastructure programs including a public safety communication system and a parking garage behind the George A. Purefoy Municipal Center, which houses City Hall and the Frisco Public Library. Roadway improvements will continue on Coit Road, Eldorado Parkway, Independence Parkway and Stonebrook Parkway.  City crews will also continue installing traffic signals and street lights on major thoroughfares. An expansion of Bicentennial Park will be funded along with various neighborhood parks and hike and bike trails.  Staff will continue to develop ‘Grand Park’, a future park spanning approximately 350 acres in the heart of Frisco that will ultimately include residential and retail space.

During last night’s ‘special called meeting’, the Frisco City Council voted to adopt a $76 million General Fund budget for FY10.  The new budget allows the City of Frisco to fill 17 jobs, including public safety, parks and streets positions previously ‘frozen’.  Restoring these positions also requires Frisco to ‘dip into its savings’ and use approximately $880,000 of its reserve fund balance.

The $0.465 tax rate is just shy of the $0.4655 effective tax rate and a 1.5 cent increase over the $0.45 tax rate for FY09. Prior to the May 2006 Bond Election, staff projected the total tax rate would increase to $0.4818 for FY10 had Frisco sold all the bonds, as scheduled.  

“Our budget is still very lean and takes into account our economic realities here at home,” said Mayor Maher Maso.  “I’m very proud of our staff members and their efforts to reduce their budgets without significantly reducing the quality of service we provide our residents. This budget allows us to continue delivering excellent service supported by one of the lowest tax rates in North Texas.”

For a second year in a row, cost cutting measures included reducing department budgets and holding positions vacant.   

The city’s property tax value is certified at $13,958,027,112, which represents a 2.6% increase from the previous year.  This increase includes $366 million in new construction combined with a $270 million decrease in value of existing properties.

Sales tax receipts are estimated to be $19.44 million in FY10, which is slightly more than the $19.35 million the city anticipates collecting for FY09. City staff forecasts building permit revenue to ‘remain the same’ at approximately $3 million for the next fiscal year.

Frisco will begin or continue construction on a variety of capital projects infrastructure programs including a public safety communication system and a parking garage behind the George A. Purefoy Municipal Center, which houses City Hall and the Frisco Public Library. Roadway improvements will continue on Coit Road, Eldorado Parkway, Independence Parkway and Stonebrook Parkway.  City crews will also continue installing traffic signals and street lights on major thoroughfares. An expansion of Bicentennial Park will be funded along with various neighborhood parks and hike and bike trails.  Staff will continue to develop ‘Grand Park’, a future park spanning approximately 350 acres in the heart of Frisco that will ultimately include residential and retail space.

The new fee helps the city comply with state and federal mandates to prevent flooding, protect creeks and reduce erosion.  It will also help the city regularly clean storm drains to reduce the potential for storm drain backups and flooding.   

The new fee is based on average lot sizes and impervious areas, which are areas that do not absorb storm water.  Buildings and parking lots are examples of impervious areas. 

Residential properties will be assessed the rates listed below.  Commercial properties will be assessed according to the total impervious area within the developments.* 

Rates for Single-Family Residential Properties

Lot Size                                Cost
5,000 sq. ft. or less                $1.20 per mos. 
5,000 – 20,000 sq. ft.             $2.00 per mos.
More than 20,000 sq. ft.          $3.85 per mos.

*Other properties will be charged 57 cents per 1,000 sq. ft. impervious area.

For more information on Storm Water Management, contact Engineering Services at 972-292-5400 or visit www.friscotexas.gov/stormwater   For questions or issues regarding billing, call 972-292-5575.