The Split Rail

The Official Quarterly Newsletter of The City of Parker, Texas

Volume 8, Issue 1 January, 2011

   2010: A Very Good Year for Parker!  Parker Chosen #1 in All of North Texas by D Magazine  New Water Tower Now in Service

 No New Taxes, Balanced Budget

    City Begins Parker’s First Segment in the Collin County Regional Trail System at the Nature Preserve “The Parker Lifestyle”  New Police Facilities Completed

Inside this issue:  McCreary Road Completed And the Hits Just Keep on Comin’! for fire protection and to meet the additional Parks & Rec Update 2 demand as the City grows. ucking the economic trend seems to be par for Fire Department 3 B the course here in Parker. The City is in very McCreary Road is now complete, along with median Update sound financial shape, and all capital improvement landscaping, creating a four-lane artery from Parker projects are underway, done without any increase in Road to the southern city limits. Fire Department 3 our already-low tax rate. Fundraiser he Public Works department will be letting bids Our new million-gallon storage tank is now online T for the construction of the trails in the Preserve, Parker Garden Club 4 and providing increased capacity and pressure and we anticipate having them in service before throughout all of north Parker. We are continuing summer. Stop by City Hall and watch the progress as Police Chief’s 4 Corner with our waterline upgrades to insure that all of the we turn this area into a truly multi-functional Nature water lines within our service area will perform well Preserve. Parker’s Horse 5 Whisperer City Hall News 6

City Secretary 6

Parker Women’s 7 Club

Winter Pet Exercise 7 Guidelines A Message from 8 the Mayor

Water — not ice. A heated water bowl is the best way to insure that By the time you read this, our new water tower will be holding your pet can quench his a million gallons of water to provide the City with better water thirst in cold weather on pressure and a consistent supply of water for residential use his trip outside. and fire protection, even during peak demand periods. Page 2 The Split Rail

Parks and Recreation Commission Update By Chairman Joe Sterk Trail Blazers Parks & Recreation Chair for the City of The City has plenty of Richardson, to work as a consultant with projects for interested The City Council has officially approved Jeff Flanigan and the City of Parker on Scouts. The P&R has the plans for the first segment in the trails. We are very fortunate to have been blessed with many Parker’s trail system, and has sent those Al on board; his knowledge and exper- wonderful Scout contri- plans to our Public Works department tise will ensure a successful completion butions and looks for- to go out for bids on the construction. of our trail system in the Preserve. ward to continuing this Imperative in the bidding process will be he construction project will begin in tradition. If you know the requirement that all bidders have T early in 2011 and is headed by Parks of any Scouts needing challenging pro- extensive experience and references & Recreation Commission Trails Sub- jects, please contact me or Cindy Sta- from building similar public projects. committee Chairman Bill Bailey. We chiw. We are both in the Parker direc- 11 The lion’s share of the cost of this pro- couldn’t ask for a better team with Jeff tory or call the city at 972-442-68 . ject is funded by grants from voter- Flanigan, Bill Bailey, and Al Johnson all approved funds from Collin County and working together on this trails project. the State of Texas. This has been a long time coming and we The trails will be about 1 mile in length on Parks & Rec are very excited to see and composed of 6" deep decomposed our hard work finally bear fruit. granite. They are designed for health and recreational activities, such as walk- Scouting Projects ing, hiking, jogging, running, and horse- Parker’s very own Scout Riley Johnson back riding. The parking lot of City Hall has completed his project toward earn- will function as the trailhead and the ing his Eagle Rank. Riley lives in Parker trail will be located in the Parker Nature Lake Estates with his mom and dad, Preserve along Maxwell Creek. Lorne and Alyson. We had an area be- tween the rose garden and the gazebo Eagle Scout candidate Riley Johnson & crew lay down a Future plans include adding benches, new stone path at the rose garden in the Preserve. tables, and litter barrels along the trail, that would erode in heavy rains. Riley as well as connecting to future trails. added a stone walkway with crushed granite to help stop the erosion. The The city has recently contracted with stone was donated by Martin Stone on Long Range Plan Landscape Architect Al Johnson, former Dillehay Road. For those of you who do not know what is in the long range plan for the Preserve, here is a list of potential projects; the items marked with an asterisk (*) are in the current construction project to be fin- ished by late Spring 2011:

 8’ Wide Crushed Granite Trail *  Low Water Crossing *  Council Ring *  Pond Renovation  Crushed Granite Parking Lot  Shelter / Barn Pavilion  Trail Amenities  Restrooms  Recognition Grove by Parker Road  Expansion of the Preserve  Future Trail Connections Christmas Tree Recycling Large dumpsters for (real) Christmas trees will be at City Hall from until January 10. Please strip off all artificial decorations, or you can leave them out for bulk trash pick up on January 13. Volume 8, Issue 1 Page 3

Parks and Recreation Commission (Continued) A Warm Welcome thusiasm. Both Leonard Stanislav and Lee Pettle have moved over to open voting positions on The Parks and Recreation Commission Until We Meet Again the Planning and Zoning Commission. is excited to welcome Cindy Stachiw. The Parks and Recrea- Their contributions over the past years are tion Commission is sad sincerely appreciated and they will be Cindy has a great to lose three members. missed by us all. Parker-reputation and Parks & Recreation volunteer resume, Commission charter Ask Parks & Recreation including serving as the member Bob Heath has If you have questions for Parks & Recrea- President of the Parker retired and is stepping tion, please come to our next meeting, or Women's Club for down, but will still be send it to the City of Parker, attn: Carrie three years and serving helping on the trails sub- Smith. We will personally respond to your on the Springhill Es- committee. Mike Booth questions and they might appear along with tates HOA Board. has temporarily stepped the answers in the next Split Rail. We, on the Commis- down to handle personal Joe Sterk is the Chairman of the sion, look forward to business, but has prom- Parks & Recreation Commission, and lives with his working with Cindy, ised to rejoin us when who is known for her wife Jackie in Springhill with their two ragdoll cats, his time permits. Remington and Winchester great energy and en- Cindy Stachiw, new P&R member

Fire Department Update by Fire Chief Mike Sheff t’s cold outside and we’re indoors a motor vehicle accidents and other Parker’s firefighter- whole lot more. Let’s be fire-safe emergencies. paramedics using equip- I this winter season. Please be mind- A significant improvement during 2010 ment and drugs carried ful of what you burn in your fireplace. was the provisioning of advanced life on the first arriving fire Remember to place portable heaters at support for medical emergencies by truck. We continue to least three feet away from combustibles. use our paramedic ambu- And a few words to those with smoke lances from the South- and fire alarm systems or with individual east Collin County EMS battery operated smoke detectors– Coalition (of which Parker is a member when was the last time you tested your city) to transport patients to the hospital. system? If you need help in testing On the left, you will see a photo of our system, just phone City Hall and arrange newest Fire Truck, and our retired water a convenient time for our firefighters to tower, which will be disassembled and come out to your home to help. A recycled. The old tower served us well properly operating smoke detector or in its 25-plus years of service, but our fire alarm system can truly be a lifesaver. new million-gallon model will now be A review of fire department activities supplying us with all the water we need during this past year shows that the to fight fires effectively in all parts of the department has responded to over 200 City. calls for help in 2010. Our average And to conclude as I always do – have an response time was 8 minutes. About exit plan from your home in the event of 10% of our calls are for house fires, a fire and make sure the kids know what about half the calls are for medical to do. emergencies, and the remainder are a Mike Sheff is a thirty-one-year Parker resident compilation of fire alarm investigations, and has been Parker Fire Chief since 2005. Fire Department Fundraiser Update by Councilmember Eleanor Evans he 2010 Annual Parker Volun- raised were used in the purchase of Thank you to all who teer Fire Department Fundraiser other state of the art equipment. participated in this fun T held this September at South- Having up-to-date equipment helps us event, both as volunteers, Fork Ranch raised $48,000 for the de- attract top recruits from the Fire Acad- contributors, and atten- partment. emy program at Collin College. We are dees, and we hope to see These funds will be used to update the pleased that our community fully sup- you all at next year’s Fire Department’s communication ports the Fire Department. event. equipment. In years past, the funds Page 4 The Split Rail

The Parker Garden Club —Now’s the Time to Join by Lorraine Brown he Rose Garden planted and maintained by the Parker T Garden Club, in the Maxwell Creek Nature Preserve, was bounti- ful this year. This Spring, the garden was flourish- ing with many varieties of beautiful EarthKind® roses, and our mild Au- tumn weather has been very kind to our little slice of heaven. This beautiful Rose Sanctuary is perfect for walking, sitting and just contemplat- ing nature. We have all of the walking paths completed, and Scout Riley John- son and friends built us a beautiful stone path from the garden to the gazebo. The Parker Public Works Department has been invaluable in their assistance with site preparation.

In the Rose Garden you will find: 8. Mutabilis Rose The layout of the rose garden includes six 1. Pink Don Juan Rose 9. Belinda’s Dream Rose pentagons in each of which five rose 2. Reve d’Or Rose 10. Pioneer Rose bushes have been planted. 3. Buff Beauty Rose 11. Existing Rose We welcome newcomers to share enthu- 4. Lafter Rose siasm and knowledge. Annual dues are 12. F.J. Lindheimer Rose 5. Monsieur Tiller Rose $20 per person. If you would like addi- 13. Lady Banks Rose (Yellow) 6. Arethusa Rose tional information, please call Club Presi- dent Eleanor Evans at 972-442-3660 or 7. Rainbow Knock Out Rose [email protected]

Police Chief’s Corner by Police Chief Tony Fragoso ello everyone, I hope you had a your bank accounts to make sure that f you have a situation happy and safe holiday season. all the purchases listed are truly yours. less than a 911 H Happy New Year to all! Across the country there has been an I emergency, but still With the New Year comes a couple of increase in identity theft. The best way need a Police Officer things I want to remind you of…. to prevent this from occurring to you is response, you will be to check your credit card accounts of- directed to call the ALARMS: it’s time for alarm renewals. ten and immediately call your bank Collin County Sheriff’s The following is the fee schedule: when you notice discrepancies. Department (who dis-  New owner registration is $60 As you may have noticed while driving patches our officers) at 972-547-5100, so that a Parker Police Officer can be  Annual renewal is $20 on Parker Road, we have moved into our new Police Station, repurposed dispatched to the needed location. For  Late fee on registration is $10 from the old Fire Station. (Hey, as far as other inquiries such as leaving informa-  Only 3 false alarms are permitted hand-me-downs go, this one is great!) We tion or requesting police reports you per year; afterwards there is a $75 finally have enough room for our offi- still be able to leave a message. charge per response. cers to perform their administrative In closing, I also want to mention to be False alarm fines for unregistered alarms duties. We here at the PD are very extra careful in your winter driving with are $275 (so please make sure you reg- happy to have a little more elbow room. the roads becoming a little more slick ister). Just contact Vicky at the front A Reminder and icy from time-to-time. Please con- office of City Hall and she can help you trol your speed, don’t follow too closely out with your registration needs. We have made some phone changes and make sure everybody gets to where here at City Hall especially with calls to they need to be safely by buckling up. CREDIT CARD SAFETY: I wanted to the Police Department. The new mes- Again, Happy New Year to all – and stay mention since most of you have com- sage states that if you have an Emer- pleted your holiday shopping and proba- safe! gency please hang up and call 911. bly used your credit cards, so check Chief Tony Volume 8, Issue 1 Page 5

Parker’s Australian Horse Whisperer

ustralian Ambassador Guy McLean showed up chanting his name every night An introduction to Guy can be seen on A and his incredible team of four at the capital’s oldest and largest state YouTube at moved to Parker to prepare for an fairgrounds, the . They http://www.youtube.com/watch? International Exhibition Tour. demanded to see Guy and the stars of v=CYNNSiDoOVk and his troop, “Nugget, Spinnaby and Kenny,”

Guy McLean, at only 35, has won every regular headliners in the evening’s http://www.youtube.com/watch? major equestrian competition that would entertainment of Fireworks, Monster v=DWRWQJqpBVY Trucks or Racing Motorcycles, each time allow him to enter, at least once. He has His USA tour is the first step toward giving them emotional, standing ovations that dream becoming a reality. “I intend that were many minutes long. to make the USA my home base and Guy has been labeled the Steve Irwin of Texas my home state for the next 3 to 5 horses (he is from the same state), years,” Guy stated, “enabling me to because Guy provides a mesmerizing, perform at every major event, show, entertaining connection between his rodeo, state fair or opera house that will horses and spectators, engaging and have me and my gang, while at various exciting them with that rare combination times we will also go to Europe, South of “edutainment” with a dialog and America, Canada and England because of passion for his craft that was the Irwin strong interest from venues in those trademark. Now he has arrived in the places. We will announce our official USA, along with a new troop of horses, 2011 tour dates after the 2010 Alltech “Hope, Sequel, Pride and Spinnaby.” FEI World Equestrian Games.” Would you try this at home? His first stop is Dallas, Texas, where he and his horses will won prestigious poetry awards while acclimate and organize, doing serenading thousands, but most guest appearances, live and importantly, he and his team of incredible on television, in a pre-tour horses have won the hearts and minds of mode, as management millions of the general public on stages assembles show dates and and in arenas across in Royal bookings while coordinating Shows, at Outback Spectaculars, with potential sponsors, International Rodeos, State Exhibitions show managers, and and countless special appearances both scheduling venues across live and on television as well as major North America and Canada. equestrian shows, such as Asia- Pacific. Guy stated, “It has long been my dream to bring my horses More than just a horseman, Guy’s and my act out of Australia entertainment act attracted such a huge to the world.” following in his home state of Guy and his horses live here in Parker, , that crowds of 30,000 would on Ann’s Lane, next door to his long-time friend, Australian transplant Bernie Uechtritz. Page 6 The Split Rail

City Hall News and Updates by City Administrator Dena Daniel  City Council approved the final plans A Dallas native, Cathey 2010, Annus Magnificus! for the trail system, so that and her husband moved to Wahoo, what a year! 2010 was one of construction bids may be let at the first the country 3 years ago the best years yet for Parker! of the year. and love the small town life style. They love to Here are some highlights:  Council approved construction of additional parking at the Preserve using travel and do road trips  Parker was chosen as the Number 1 donated road base and staff time. when time permits. Her Suburb in all of North Texas by D hobbies are gardening,  Scout Riley Johnson brought a crew to Magazine. yard work (really!), camping, movies and build a stone walkway between the live theater.  New City website was launched in May. Rose Garden and the Gazebo at the  City Hall offices were remodeled. Preserve.  City Hall Monument Sign was installed. Public Works/Services  Additional and improved parking was  The new million-gallon water tower provided for the Preserve. was completed, and put into service at the end of 2010. Finance  McCreary Road was completed.  City Council adopted a balanced budget with NO tax rate increase.  McCreary Road median landscaping was completed.  As a result of continued growth, 26 new single-family building permits were  Annual street maintenance completed issued. according to plans.  The city received an “Outstanding” Fire Department water quality rating from TCEQ. Cathey Bonczar, our new Billing Clerk  Public Safety Building was completed. A New Face at City Hall  Volunteers held another very successful BBQ fundraiser, donating $48,000 to Please help us welcome Cathey Bonczar Coming in 2011 to our City Hall Staff. She is our Utility the Parker Volunteer Fire Department.  Water line improvements Billing Clerk.  Completion of Preserve Trails Public Safety Cathey worked as an Area Manager for  New Police Department facilities were AT&T Internet Services, managing a team  General Election May 14, 2011 opened. of project coordinators for the Southwest I would like to thank all of the City Staff, Region, as well as teams in California and  Ordinance 642, the Red Flag Identity Officials and Volunteers for their hard in the New England area. She retired Theft Awareness Policy was adopted. work and dedication; we could not have from AT&T 4½ yrs ago. Prior to that she accomplished so much without them. Parks & Recreation was a corporate trainer with Texas We look forward to another successful Instruments/Raytheon, and managed year in 2011.  City hired Park Consultant Al Johnson Employee Relations programs and to help with the design of the Preserve Community Relations for her division. Dena Daniel is Parker’s City Administrator Trails. From The City Secretary’s Desk by City Secretary Carrie Smith Three Council Member Seats Up tration cards are available at public librar- in past years. for Election ies, the U. S. Post Office, and online at Please make sure to at- www.co.collin.tx.us/elections. Three seats will be up for election this tend to learn more about May. If you wish to run for office you PARKER WANTS YOU! the candidates who will be vying for public office may pick up you candidates packet from Be a part of history and serve your City. in Parker for the next two the City Secretary’s office beginning Feb- Applications are now being accepted for years. ruary 1, 2011. Applications may be volunteers. Please visit the web- filed February 12 through March 14, site www.parkertexas.us/ For the location, and other pertinent in- 2011 in person at the City Secretary’s citysecretary for an application formation, please watch the City of Office, 5700 E. Parker Road, Parker, and more information on vari- Parker’s website www.parkertexas.us TX 75002. ous volunteer opportunities. for updates. All voters must be registered with he Parker Women’s Email Notifications the Collin County Voters Registrar T Club and the League of You may sign up for email notifications by no later than April 14, 2011 to vote Women Voters is expected clicking the “Notify Me” button on the in the General Election. Voter regis- to be hosting Candidates’ Night, as City website. Volume 8, Issue 1 Page 7

Parker Women’s Club Update

appy New Year! It is hard to believe Please come and join us for our upcoming standing seniors in H we are a decade into the new millen- programs. January will be cookie and cup- Parker. If you would nium, time passes much to fast. The Parker cake decorating with Annie, followed by like to donate towards Women's Club finished the year with pro- Canine Capers in February. our scholarship fund or grams showcasing "Living Legends of Parker" recommend a deserving All information is available on the City of exhibiting and sharing with us their many student please contact us. Parker website: www.parkertexas.us . We different talents. Shop ’til You Drop hosted owe City Secretary Carrie Smith a BIG he Parker Women's Club provides an local vendors selling their wares. The com- thank you; she has done a great job getting opportunity for the women of Parker munity Angel Tree, highlighted the end of T information about our community on the to support our city. The club offers an ave- year providing a merrier holiday for two site. Club information, newsletters, events nue for community service, charity and Parker families. Your generosity is much and upcoming activity info is available under friendship. Come join in the fun while sup- appreciated, a special thank you to all who the community link. You may download porting your community! helped make this a huge success. PWC forms to join, renew your membership or wants to continue to support our residents If you would like more information about become a resident sponsor. We even have a with future projects. if you have any sugges- the club and upcoming events, contact Jane photo gallery! Go check us out. tions and/or would like to participate, please Marshall at (972)403-0305. or let us know. All ideas are most welcome. It will soon be time to again recognize out- [email protected]

Winter Pet Exercise Guidelines Courtesy of the ASPCA etting pets who dislike the cold to go breakfast by hand while outdoors.  Dress puppies — who don’t have as much body fat as adults — in a coat or sweater. G outside in winter can be a challenge, 4. Winter is a great time to enroll in in- but chilly weather or not, pets need fresh door training classes. Sports like agility  Get waterproof gear for wet days. air and exercise. ASPCA experts assure us and flyball are often taught in heated  Invest in a well-fitting coat that covers that while short-haired and smaller breeds facilities and are excellent exercise for may require cozy apparel to protect them your dog's back and underside. (Fleece is the canine body and mind—and you'll nice!) from winter’s bite, others simply need a enjoy them, too! little training to learn how to enjoy a cold-  Staying warm during winter takes more weather romp. ―With a few simple training 5. Walk your pet in wooded areas during energy, so increased food intake may be tricks — and the right attire — pet parents the winter months. The forest not only necessary. Good body condition means provides protection from wind, but the can teach animal companions to be you can feel, but not see, your dog’s bones. rich smells, sights and sounds can much more enthusiastic about playing If you can see his spine, hips and ribs, then be infinitely interesting for dogs to outdoors in winter,‖ says ASPCA Ani- he’s too thin and you should talk to your mal Trainer Kristen Collins. investigate, distracting them from chilly temperatures. vet about increasing his food intake. 1. Entice your pooch with off-leash 9. If you've tried everything and your dog still 6. Many dogs dislike going outside exercise sessions, playing tug seems miserable when you take her outside, during winter because snow, salt or fetch, or romping with provide extra exercise indoors by playing and chemical de-icers hurt their paws. canine buddies—the more aerobic the games that involve physical exertion, like tug- Canine booties can protect paws, while activity, the warmer the dog will be. of-war. keeping them warm — and disposable 2. If your dog's playing off-leash, you can latex boots are available for dogs who 10. Help your dog expend mental energy by use treats to reward her for fetching don’t like the feel of thicker boots. feeding her meals in food-puzzle toys, giving toys—even if you usually don't have to. her plenty of things to chew, teaching her 7. Musher's Secret, a waxy substance that The extra incentive might further spark new tricks and playing interactive games like you can apply to your dog's paws, can be her interest in the great (and chilly!) hide-and-seek. outdoors. an effective alternative to booties for protecting toes and paw pads in snow ake sure that your dog has access to 3. Offer your pet special treats during and ice. M shelter and water at all times. And outdoor excursions. While on a brisk please remember, if you’re cold, your dog 8. Getting your dog to play outside may walk, pop something delicious into her probably is, too, and it’s time to come home. mouth every now and then—or feed her simply be a matter of keeping her warm:

Mayor’s Corner (Continued from back page)

reating seasonal beauty to surround council assesses the direction and emphasis bounded by Gray Lane across from City Hall. C our homes creates value – not only levels. The solace is truly refreshing and will be even for you, and your neighborhood, but for the more so once the trails are completed. The Parker Trails city in general. May God’s blessing bring happiness and joy to Living in beautiful Parker stirs enthusiasm Construction will become a reality for our your family and friends throughout 2011. and pride. More information will be forth- parkland very soon. Take time and visit our coming on these two programs once the Nature Preserve on Maxwell Creek Joe Cordina BULK T RASH U.S. POSTAGE PICKUP SCHEDULE PAID  Bi-Monthly, 2nd Thursday MAILED FROM ZIP CODE 75002 The City of Parker January 13, 2011 PERMIT NO. 492 5700 E. Parker Rd.. March 10, 2011 Parker, TX 75002 May 12, 2011

Phone: (972) 442-6811 Fax: (972) 442-2894

o you know anyone that D personifies the “Parker Lifestyle”? Drop us a note with their story. We will try to feature interesting stories of residents living the “Parker Lifestyle” in their own particular way in future issues. The Official Quarterly Newsletter of The City Of Parker, Texas

Send any submissions to: [email protected]

Visit our Website: www.parkertexas.us The Split Rail Another Great Year for

hope you and yours are still enjoying the delights trees are growing strong I special to the Christmas season. It is a wonderful and our staff is keeping Bill Bailey, Editor experience when we can ―extend‖ our celebrations them healthy. Literally Gabrielle Nikolin, Associate Editor for as long as possible. dozens of new trees have The Split Rail is published quarterly by the City been added to Parker’s of Parker’s Public Information Office to inform Our community landscape. In line with Parker residents of City current events that We are off to a fine start as we bring our new water this is a new initiative affect their daily lives. tower on-line. As you can see from the photo, the called ―Tree the Town‖ structural inspection was completed in spite of the and is a cooperative ef- Email: [email protected] 40 mph winds. I am pleased to report that our con- fort among virtually all of the 31 Collin County City Administration: tractor did a superlative job and the water you are now using is from this tower! cities. Joe Cordina Mayor Jim Threadgill Mayor Pro Tem The program goal: Increase tree count in private Eleanor Evans Councilmember and public lands by 50,000 trees over 10 years. Allison Sumrow Councilmember Count your trees – can you add another tree or Scott Levine Councilmember two in 2011? Adding only one tree per year can Z Marshall Councilmember sure make a difference on our spacious lots. Acreage lots can support lots of trees and trees Dena Daniel City Administrator Jeff Flanigan Assistant City Administrator create value. The city council will be considering Carrie Smith City Secretary a resolution of support for the ―Tree the Town‖ Johnna Boyd Finance/HR Manager program during our January meet- Tony Fragoso Police Chief ings. More to come! Mike Sheff Fire Chief Lori Newton Municipal Court Clerk our participation will help Gary Machado Building Official Y bring Parker into consid- Vicky Granger Administrative Assistant eration for the Cathey Bonczar Utility Billing Clerk Scenic City certification pro- Newsletter Design Copyright ©2011, I accompanied the inspection team to the top of our new tower. gram through which we may join other local Integrity Web Solutions, All Rights Reserved. Contents Copyright ©2011, The City of Parker, cities who have received acknowledgement within Although it is early January, have you seen nature’s this new state-wide program. development taking place on our medians? Our (Continued on Page 7)