What’s Inside Published by the City of Richardson www.cor.net — 972-744-4104 March 2020, Vol. 32, No. 6 Progress made, but work remains on storm recovery Driving down most Richardson streets would not leave you with the impression that this is a community on the mend. However, that is not the case for many people living in neighbor- hoods that were in the path of last October’s tornado. For people in southeast Richardson, the impact of the tornado is still evidenced by the remains of destroyed homes, missing trees Richardson Maintains and debris left on properties still waiting for in- Triple A Ratings surance claims to be settled. These are areas where recovery work continues daily and the Page 5 City continues to work with residents to ensure The City of Richardson has the process goes as smooth as possible. maintained the highest credit David Auren lives in one of those areas. A rating from Moody’s and S&P. Richland Park resident, he took shelter in a closet with his wife and small child shortly be- fore the tornado passed over his house. “I came out and saw that my entire kitchen roof was gone and everything was on the floor,” Photo taken last month of a home in the tornado impact area. he said. “It was like a movie. Two minutes be- fore I was outside pulling in my car and within a the building inspection staff is offering express hopes to be moved back in by the end of the second the entire neighborhood changed. Trees permitting, waiving building permit and water summer. were down all over and cars were flipped.” reconnection fees and inspecting properties at “In about a year or year and a half from now, The recovery process is different for every night and on weekends when necessary. it will all pay off. It is an investment,” Auren storm, but based on similar storms in communi- Auren and his family are living in a rental said. “Thank God nobody got hurt. All of the ties such as Garland and Rowlett, it is expected house while working to repair their residence. damage is material and everything is replace- that debris will remain visible for at least the One thing he said he did not anticipate was the able. Be patient and at the end of the day, this next year as property owners work with their amount of work it takes to deal with insurance neighborhood, once it is rebuilt, will be stronger banks and insurance companies. The City is companies, banks and contractors. While he is financially and the community connections that working with property owners on a one-on- still waiting to receive the insurance settlement were created through the tornado have been in- one basis to answer any questions they might and necessary permits in order to begin con- credible.” have and offer assistance where needed, and struction, he is trying to remain positive and 2020 Census Mailed this Month Network a key partner Ribbon cutting is held Page 4 Be on the lookout for the 2020 in disaster recovery for Spring Valley Road Census that will be arriving in mailboxes this month. Make sure to fill it out and send it in. Camps and Swimming In 2016, City leaders posed a “Because the residents of this A ceremonial ribbon cutting Rec Guide question to local nonprofit Net- city and the area that we serve are was held last month to cele- work of Community Ministries: so generous, I didn’t have to say brate the end of work on the Inside If the City ever faces a disaster, no to anyone,” said Network CEO Spring Valley Road Rehabilita- could Network help with recovery Cindy Shafer in a presentation last tion Project. The ribbon cutting efforts after the City’s initial emer- month to the City Council. was attended by representa- gency response? The answer was a Churches and other community tives from not only the City of resounding yes, and with a Disas- organizations brought large checks Richardson, but also the City’s ter Relief Partnership formalized in within an hour of receiving a call partners on the project: Dallas 2017, Network staff were FEMA from Shafer; residents donated County, the City of Dallas and certified and ready for the Oct. 20, money as well as clothing, food the North Central Texas Coun- 2019 tornado. Amidst a power out- and furniture. More than 360 new cil of Governments. age (Network offices are located volunteers joined Network’s 250 The project began in sum- near what was the EF-3 tornado’s regular weekly volunteers, with mer 2017 and spanned a path), staff members were hard at some staying on after the emer- stretch of West Spring Valley work the next morning strategizing gency needs subsided. Road from Coit Road to Weath- with the City, working to save Net- Assistance ranged from meals erred/Goldmark Drive. The work’s Food Pantry perishables and and groceries for people who were work included the replacement preparing to send trucks and vol- without power to broader services of two bridges, the repair of Spring Valley Road and adjacent sidewalks, unteers into neighborhoods armed for those whose homes were un- intersection improvements, and traffic signal upgrades that integrated with bottles of water and Network inhabitable, including clothing with the City’s Intelligent Transportation System. fliers. Over the next four months, (“Many people came to us in their The project was consistent with the City Council’s goal of reinvesting more than 1,000 people affected pajamas, and that’s all they had,” in infrastructure. The West Spring Valley Corridor, which stretches from by the tornado received help from said Shafer); hotel rooms (for 57 Coit Road east to US 75, is one of six focal areas for redevelopment iden- Network, 610 adults and 395 chil- families—the City initially pro- tified by the City Council with the adoption of the City’s comprehensive dren, comprising 341 families. vided the rooms for about a week plan in 2009. Two of the other areas, Main Street east of US 75 and East . continued on page 5 Collins/Arapaho, are also currently undergoing rehabilitation work. Page 2 Richardson Today, March 2020 Voting information for March 3 Primary Election “Vote Centers’’ available to Dallas County residents The Dallas County Elections Department has changed the way voting takes place in Dallas County on One of the most challenging Election Day, with new voting equipment and countywide vote centers. nights in our city’s history occurred Richardson residents who live in Dallas County may vote in the March 3 Primary Election at any poll- last October when a tornado struck ing location in the county, not just at an assigned precinct. The early voting sites will also serve the southern portion of Richard- as Election Day polling locations, including the Richardson City Hall/Civic Center at 411 W. son. Thousands of residents in Arapaho Rd. the tornado’s path suffered dam- Richardson residents who live in Collin County may vote in the March 3 Primary Election at any of the age to their property, with some Collin County Election Day vote centers. losing nearly everything. With the Polling hours March 3 are 7 a.m.-7 p.m. amount of damage that occurred, City of Richardson Dallas County Collin County we were very fortunate that no one 972-744-4290 469-627-8683 972-547-1990 was seriously injured or killed. www.cor.net/election www.DallasCountyVotes.org www.collincountytx.gov/elections The city remains committed to doing everything within our power NTMWD is conducting annual to ease the burden residents face during the recovery process and get the affected neighborhoods chlorine maintenance through March 30 back to normal as soon as possible. Mayor The North Texas Municipal During the annual maintenance water remains safe for use. Con- As people begin to rebuild their Water District (NTMWD) is con- period, NTMWD suspends adding sumers who are sensitive to taste Paul Voelker homes, our building inspection [email protected] ducting its annual chlorine main- ammonia and uses only chlorine to and odor changes in drinking water staff is working extended hours to tenance in its water treatment keep water disinfected as it travels might notice a slight change dur- get properties inspected in a timely process through March 30. The through pipes. According to the ing this period, however this does manner, even if that means work- Looking forward, I know Rich- annual, routine change is neces- U.S. Environmental Protection not alter the quality of the drinking ing after hours or on weekends. sary to maintain the regional sys- Agency, this temporary conversion water. ardson will make a full recovery. I We are also expediting construc- know this because I saw the way tem and year-round water quality. is a common practice. There are simple steps to mini- tion permitting and waiving water The maintenance is a critical During the maintenance pe- mize taste, odor or skin sensitivi- our residents came together in the reconnection and building permit days following the storm. When part of the water treatment pro- riod, the cities and districts served ties, including placing a pitcher of fees for tornado-damaged proper- cess that keeps drinking water free by NTMWD may help move the water in the refrigerator overnight people needed help clearing their ties. property, there was someone there of harmful microorganisms, such chlorine-disinfected water through or adding a slice of citrus to the I get asked often how long it as parasites and viruses.