For those who enjoyed or missed the block party here are a few pictures of the event! Thanks to Arthur Fowler for the photos!

SFNA Board of Directors

Relocating existing services and increasing number of visitors
The City of Irving is relocating the Northwest and Southwest pool operations to the new center. The location offers twice the amount of surface water than the Northwest and Southwest pools combined, and is expected to attract five times the customers of the Northwest and Southwest facilities.

Better amenities
Aquatic center features include:
Zero-depth entry splash pool with a water playground
Several spray jets and a current channel
Four-lane lap pool with a rock climbing wall, waterfall and wet deck
Shaded toddler pool with zero-depth entry, small fountain and water slides
Large bath house with restrooms, lockers and showers
Concession stand and first aid room

Convenient location
The new state-of-the-art facility is conveniently accessible by DART bus routes and marks the second aquatic center to be built in Irving since 2008. Free parking will be available on the east side of Dry Branch Creek with a pedestrian bridge linking to the facility on the west side of the creek. For more information, call (972) 721-2501.

Source: All About Irving (AllAboutIrving@listserv.ci.irving.tx.us)

Of all of the cities in Dallas County, Irving currently has the lowest response rate to the surveys mailed out last week. If Irving residents do not respond to the Census, they cannot be included when state representation in the U.S. Congress is calculated. Irving residents also will be under-represented in Austin if residents do not make their presence known.

Please fill out the 2010 Census survey and ask friends, neighbors and coworkers to do the same. Mail responses are due by April 1. All individual responses are confidential and answers will not be shared with law enforcement, immigration, landlords, debt collectors or any other person or agency for 72 years after collection.

Those addresses from which no response is received will be visited by Census workers beginning in late April through July. If you do not wish to have a Census worker knocking on your door, please fill out your survey and return it today.

Those who have lost or failed to receive a 2010 Census survey may pick one up at the nearest Question Assistance Center (listing available at www.cityofirving.org; select “2010 Census”) or call 1-866-872-6868 to have one sent.

To view the mail in response rates or to understand why participation is important, visit: http://www.cityofirving.org/common/census/index.html.

Source: All About Irving

Irving’s at-large voting system, which is open for residents to vote for all candidates, has been divided into six single-member voting districts. Only residents living within a specified district’s boundaries will be able to vote for candidates who run for a seat in his/her respective district. Single-member districts include Places 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Two city council seats, Places 2 and 8, as well as the mayor’s seat, will remain at-large, meaning any Irving resident may vote for the position.

The changes follow an ongoing exchange between city leaders and federal court. City representatives have been in communication and full cooperation with the federal court to ensure that the district redesign is in compliance with the Voting Rights Act.

This year, council seats for Places 1, 2 and 7 are up for election. Places 1 and 7 are single-member districts and Place 2 remains at-large. Interested Irving residents may pick up a filing packet at the City Secretary’s Office on the fourth floor at City Hall, 825 W. Irving Blvd. For questions about the election process, call the City Secretary’s Office at (972) 721-2493.

A PDF of the new voting districts may be found here.

Source: City of Irving

The City Council was to consider a final reading for the fee adjustments at its Feb. 4 City Council meeting. Mayor Herbert Gears said Wednesday during the council’s work session that the agenda items would be postponed.

Any rate changes would not be considered until the next budget process, which provides time for staff and council members to continue to educate utility customers about the need for the rate increase. This will include opportunities for further public input. Irving currently has the lowest residential water rates in Dallas County. If the 5 percent adjustment had been implemented, Irving still would have the lowest water rate. (See attached water rate comparison chart.)

Currently, Irving spends $6 million a year making repairs to its water and wastewater system, and averages three water breaks per day. Business as usual means a reactive approach as opposed to a proactive implementation plan that reduces the instances of red water into residents’ homes. Red water discoloration is caused by oxidation of the cast iron pipes currently being used in the older sections of the city. The discoloration does not affect the quality of the water. The adjustments would allow the city to be proactive in preventing “sticker shock” rate increases as experienced by some other area cities.

Suggested capital improvement plans call for:

· Pipe replacements in several Irving neighborhoods
· Water reuse irrigation projects
· Development of future water supply
· Repair of pump station along Cooper pipeline
· Contracted obligations with the Texas Department of Transportation for costs associated with highway development
· Pump stations in the city of Irving
· Unfunded state and federal mandates

Of all of these, aging pipeline replacement has to rank at a very high level of priority. To carry out these recommendations, an increase in capital financing from $15 million to $35 million per year is needed in the city’s current investment in capital improvements. Such investments will begin the process of bringing the city’s water and wastewater system up-to-date. The franchise fee increase also will pay for necessary street improvements as pipes are replaced.

Due to corrosion, multiple pipe breaks and associated maintenance, there is a critical need to replace cast iron pipes with PVC pipes. The annual goal of replacing up to 28 miles of water and sewer pipes each year will help Irving keep pace with the aging system. PVC pipes are better able to withstand corrosion, do not crack from soil shifting, decrease risk of impacting water quality and carry a life cycle of more than 50 years.

Additional funding would be expended on:

· Several master plan projects
· Upgrades to the Delaware Creek Sewer
· Capacity improvements to the Hackberry, Northgate and MacArthur pump stations
· Jamison line (costs $11 million to replace); such infrastructure is needed for the planned redevelopment of the Texas Stadium property

These are some examples of the projects and upgrades that could be funded if these adjustments are approved.

Source: All about Irving

The City Council just passed the first readings of proposed rate hikes. The same increases will have to pass another round of votes at a council meeting next month before they take effect. The council voted 6-3 to increase both water and sewer fees by 5 percent and franchise fees on the municipal services bill by 2 percent.

Council member Beth Van Duyne and Tom Spink are more often than not the only two people on the losing end of council votes. Van Duyne must have been surprised at how tonight’s votes went. When Mayor Herbert Gears read the outcome as 6-3, Van Duyne swung her head around to the large screen that displays how each member voted.

Joining Van Duyne and Spink in voting against the rate increases was Gears himself. The mayor last year took the proposed rate increases off the agenda. They are back again after City Manager Tommy Gonzalez repeatedly tried to get council members to see that the money is needed to maintain the city’s aging water and sewer lines.

These are the City Council members voting to raise fees in Irving!!

Allen Meagher ccouncil@cityofirving.org Phone: (972) 313-0808
Lewis Patrick lpatrick@cityofirving.org Phone: (972) 790-6478.
Rose Cannaday rcannaday@cityofirving.org Phone: (972) 871-0019
Rick Stopfer ccouncil@cityofirving.org Phone: (214) 876-7172
Sam Smith ccouncil@cityofirving.org Phone: (972) 253-8202
Joe Phillip jphilipp@cityofirving.org Phone: (972) 650-8382

See DallasNews article here.

Public Input Opportunity
Residents will have an opportunity to provide input on the city’s future water and wastewater plans at 7 p.m. Jan. 14 at the regularly scheduled City Council meeting. Those unable to attend the meeting may post comments online at www.cityofirving.org. Select “Public Input Opportunities” on the left side of the home page.

Click here for more information on the city’s future plans, including a list of neighborhoods to receive upgrades this year.

Source: All About Irving

The suggested capital improvement plans call for pipe replacements in several Irving neighborhoods, massive upgrades to underground infrastructure and the implementation of master plans, water reuse irrigation projects and development of future water supply.

To carry out the recommendations, city leaders are proposing to increase current investment in capital improvement plans from $15 million to between $24 and $40 million. Management will recommend a water and sewer rate adjustment of 5 percent, and a 2 percent adjustment to the franchise fee. Such investments will begin the process of bringing the city’s water and wastewater system up-to-date. The funding also will pay for necessary street improvements as pipes are replaced.

Project Costs
An example of how the money will be used is found beneath the surface of Irving streets. Due to corrosion, multiple pipe breaks and associated maintenance, a critical recommendation includes replacing cast iron pipes with PVC pipes. The annual goal of replacing up to 28 miles of water and sewer pipes will cost the city $22 million each year. PVC pipes are better able to withstand corrosion, decrease risk of impacting water quality and carry a life cycle of more than 50 years.

An additional $6 to $12 million annually would be expended on several master plan projects, including an upgrade to the Delaware Creek Sewer and capacity improvements to the Hackberry, Northgate and MacArthur pump stations.

Neighborhood Water Improvements
Neighborhoods receiving water and sewer replacements during 2009-10 include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Arts District
· Lee Britain
· Barton Estates
· North Austin Heights
· Grauwyler Heights
· Northwest Park
· Hillcrest Oaks
· Owen Point
· Irving Heights
· Sherwood Forest
· Irving Heritage District
· University Hills
· Lamar-Brown

Source: All About Irving