After recovering from the plague during the last week of June it’s time to update the blog and knock down a few thoughts on the last couple of council meetings.  First up, all the items covered during council excluding the updated Smoking Ordinance which I’ll cover in the July 2nd review.

Economic Development

Council approved an almost $88,000.00 professional services agreement with Nathan D. Maier Consulting Engineers, Inc. to help coordinate utility relocations to new underground placement for the Old Town Plaza.  This is the next step in cleaning up the area South of City Hall and North of Old Town Main St.  for construction of our new community plaza.  The goal is to break ground after Western Days so the plaza is ready for next year’s Western Days.  The wheels are turning!

$4M was awarded to build paving, water, sanitary sewer, and drainage improvements in the Westwood Estates II subdivision.

Council also approved a landscape variance, screening wall variance, and fewer than required parking spaces for the new Lewisville High School.  These had been approved on past plans for  many years.

The Texas Downtown Association will receive a bid from the Lewisville Old Town Business Association and Lewisville Convention and Visitors Bureau to host their annual conference in 2014 or 2015.  Council will provide a letter of support.  We should know on July 30th if we’re to host.  I’m especially proud of our Old Town Businesses for putting Lewisville front and center for this event.

Council Gets a Reprimand

Council was asked to interview several new candidates for openings on various boards and commissions.  Mr. Collier recounted his experience with Councilman Gorena which you can watch here. First, apologies to Mr. Collier. Everyone on the dais represents everyone else.  If one of my colleagues is inappropriate it reflects on me and the city.  There was obviously more than a simple interview here.  Second, thank you Mr. Collier for speaking out.  It is too easy to allow hyper-partisanship to bleed into municipal decisions.  We’re all neighbors and can have rational public discourse.

Our New Animal Shelter

Council approved waiving registration fees for the month of July at the new shelter.   This new $4.5M facility is beautiful, and well situated on the North end of Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park. I had the pleasure of attending the grand opening on the 30th.  You can find out more here.