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Volume 13 • Number 1 A City of Burleson Newsletter January • February 2008 EAST MEETS WEST VIA HIDDEN CREEK PARKWAY Cross that bridge! Burleson’s fire trucks, police cars and Following speeches from Mayor Ken police motorcycle made the maiden Shetter, former Mayor Byron Black, voyage, lights blazing, across the former Commissioner Ron Harmon, four-lane parkway in south Burleson. Texas Department of Transportation Excited motorists followed, honking District Engineer Maribel Chavez, and their horns as they went down in history Deputy City Manager David Wynn, the as the first motorists to cross the bridge. ribbon was cut on the opening of the Orval Hall Excavating of Fort Worth Hidden Creek Parkway bridge over I-35W constructed the parkway, and the bridge, on Nov. 27. that links Hwy. 174 on the west side of CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 See more holiday pictures – Page 5! COMING TO A CURB NEAR YOU INSIDE ... If everything stays on schedule, the first collection of curbside recyclables will be Monday, Jan. 7. MAYOR’S MESSAGE 2 Bright green 18-gallon recycling bins from the private contractor, Community Waste Disposal (CWD), have VALENTINE’S DAY already been delivered to homes. Each residence will get DANCE 2 one bin. An extra bin can be purchased for $10. The cost is the same for replacement bins. GAS WELLS 3 CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 BAD WEATHER CLOSINGS 3 VETERANS HISTORY Tears Flow at Memorial to Veterans PROJECT 4 Local military veterans earned an emotional tribute Nov. 10 when the CHRISTMAS IN brick memorial around the fountain at Renfro Square was dedicated. BURLESON 5 Speeches by Mayor Ken Shetter and Congressman Chet Edwards, an CALENDAR 6 impromptu flyover by a World War II plane as emcee Matt Powell was speaking, and Soulful Sounds’ medley of fight songs from each branch KNOW WHERE of service brought tears to the eyes of veterans and their families. The TO GO 7 Burleson High School ROTC posted the colors, David McDowell read the poem “I Am A Veteran,” and BHS student Lonnie Kitts played Taps on his trumpet. SPEEDING COSTS 8 CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 WWW.BURLESONTX.COM • CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS CHANNEL 27 FROM MAYOR CITY MAKES VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL FOR FAMILIES KEN SHETTER It’s billed as a special evening together. It’s so special that the City’s parks and Recently, at the ceremony celebrating recreation department is expanding the the opening of the Hidden Creek Father/Daughter, Mother/Son Valentine’s Parkway bridge over I-35W, former Dance to two nights. Johnson County commissioner and Corsages, pictures, dinner and dancing tireless transportation advocate Ron will be the talk of the town on Friday, Feb. 8, or Saturday, Feb. 9, when parents Harmon said it was a “red letter day” for celebrate Valentine’s Day early with Burleson. Considering the improved their children. The event is 6 p.m. to mobility (for citizens and public safety 9 p.m. in the gymnasium at the Burleson officials) that Hidden Creek Parkway Community Center. will create, I think we all agree with The cost is $15 per couple for pre-event that sentiment. tickets, or $25 per couple at the door. The It took the hard work and commitment corsages and pictures are provided with the of many public servants, over many years, price of the ticket. Tickets will be available at to make Hidden Creek Parkway a reality. the center, located at Hidden Creek Parkway and Chisenhall Park Lane, starting Monday, While those of us in office today have had Jan. 14. For more information, call the the pleasure of shepherding the project to community center at 817-295-8168. its conclusion, it is important to recognize the work of former Mayor Byron Black, former Mayor Pro-Tem Jerry Allen, former council members Jim Bailey, Rick Green EAST MEETS WEST and Toby Ford, former city managers Bill CONTINUED Davison and Kay Godbey, and former Assistant Burleson to Renfro Street on the east side. Freese and Nichols City Manager Jean Crawley. designed the parkway. The bridge is a Texas Department of Finally, it is the citizens of Burleson who deserve the most Transportation project. credit for making Hidden Creek Parkway a reality, because The extension of Hidden Creek Parkway was approved by the it never would have happened without the approval of the voters via a bond election in 2001. Half cent sales tax funds and 4A sales tax in 2001. It takes a lot of patience and foresight water/wastewater bond funds were used to finance the City’s to approve taxes for new transportation projects, especially portion of the extension. Connecting the east and the west cost when it takes years to realize the benefits. Without that the City more than $17 million. The City paid a little over half patience and foresight we would not be making a million for the design of the bridge. Construction of the the significant improvements to our transportation bridge, at a cost of $6.7 million, was funded by TXDOT. The infrastructure that allow us to capitalize on our growth $6.7 million includes the construction of four ramps on to and (rather than experience severe growing pains). off of I-35W. So, thank you, citizens of Burleson. TONS OF WASTE BYPASS LANDFILL The City’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection event kept more than 15,000 pounds of waste out of the landfill. The most popular household hazardous BUNNY DAZE COMES EARLY IN 2008 waste was 10,000 pounds of latex paint. Residents The Easter celebration hosted by the City of Burleson’s parks and from 141 Burleson homes participated. recreation department is slated for Saturday, March 15, from 11 a.m. Residents can dispose of household hazardous to 3 p.m. at the Burleson Community Center. waste year-round by taking a City water or solid The fun includes bounce houses, dance troupes, face painting and waste bill to the Environmental Collection Center booths. The Easter Egg Hunt will start at 2 p.m. Parents are (6400 Bridge St., Fort Worth). The ECC is open encouraged to bring cameras to take pictures with the Easter Bunny. Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To find out what the ECC Anyone who is interested in setting up a booth should call Paula Benjamin will accept, call 817-871-5257 or log on to at the community center at 817-295-8168, after 2 p.m., Monday www.fortworth.gov, click on “government,” through Friday. The Burleson Community Center is located at Hidden “find it,” “department list,” “environmental Creek Parkway and Chisenhall Park Lane. management,” then “household chemicals.” 2 EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO WEEKLY FUN TIME LIVE KNOW ABOUT GAS WELLS ... LOCK-IN HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE If you want to know more about the gas well in your neighborhood, just log on to the City of Burleson web site at www.burlesontx.com. The City’s public works department has launched a web page full of everything you need to know about the more than 30 gas wells inside the city limits. Log on to the City web site, go to “online features” in the center of the page, and click on “Gas Well Drilling Information.” The page includes a map of all of the gas well sites, description of the drilling process, the City’s It’s chaperoned by a police officer, one gas well ordinance, and pictures of acceptable practices. The web trained counselor for every 30 students, and a site explains the exploration, extraction, production, transport, full staff. It gives children in that lost age storage, distribution and marketing group, third through eighth grade, something involved with gas wells. The gas well safe and fun to do, and it gives parents a map includes the company name, much-needed night off. well name, the address of the well, It’s the Planet Kidz/Fun Time Live lock-in at and a contact phone number. the Burleson Community Center. The fun The City’s gas ordinance requires happens every Saturday night, 7 p.m. to wells to be drilled more than 11 p.m. The cost is $9 per child plus money 500 feet from a home, religious for concessions. Children have to sign in and institution, public building, stay inside the building until their parents walk hospital, school or public park. in and sign them out. The site also includes web site The fun includes costume, dance and addresses for the gas well compa- food eating contests as well as sporting nies as well as links to the Texas competitions and scavenger hunts. Students Commission on Environmental from Burleson, Crowley and Joshua attend. Quality, American Petroleum The center is located at Hidden Creek Institution, Texas Railroad Parkway and Chisenhall Park Lane. For more Commission, Environmental information about Planet Kidz/Fun Time Live, Protection Agency, Occupational Safety and Health log on to www.funtimelive.com. Administration, and Barnett Shale Energy Education Council. For more information about the City’s involvement, call Paula Benjamin at 817-295-8168. CheckCheck TVTV andand rradioadio fforor badbad weatherweather closingsclosings If the Burleson Independent For closing information: School District closes for bad CBS 11 KTVT TV and Texas 21, www.cbs11tv.com weather, the City of Burleson will too. The City closings will be FOX 4 TV, www.myFOXdfw.com listed on local TV and radio web sites. ABC WFAA 8, www.wfaa.com/closings Essential personnel will be NBC KXAS 5, www.nbc5i.com/closings/index.html working to keep streets and property safe even when the WBAP 820 AM/KSCS 96.3 FM Radio, www.WBAP.com weather turns bad.