Light Up Rowlett Stop-a-Cop for Holiday Fun at the holiday lights Christmas Toy Drive Rowlett Library! contest! info! PAGE 2 PAGE 6 PAGE 8 WHAT’S INSIDE: WHAT’S a monthly newsletter for the Rowlett community On the Move ISSUE NO. 1712 DECEMBER, 2017 HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS! Celebrate the season in Downtown Rowlett! Town Hall Meeting Thursday, December 14 6:00 P.M. Rowlett Community Centre The Rowlett City Council will host a Town Hall meeting in an informal setting, which allows citizens to freely speak to them about what’s going on in Rowlett! Unable to attend? The meeting will also be broadcast live on the City’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/CityofRowlettTexas. City departments will have informational booths set up and staff in attendance to visit with and answer citizen’s questions. All Rowlett residents and business citizens are encouraged to attend, please bring your family, friends and neighbors and join us for this opportunity to visit with your City Council and City of Rowlett Main Street Fest & Tree Lighting Lighted Holiday Parade staff…and get to know us! Saturday, December 2 Friday, December 8 4-9pm at Pecan Grove Park 7pm – Main Street What better way to kick off the season Celebrate the spirit of Rowlett with family and than with a fun-filled night of live friends as Main Street comes to life with music music, Tree Lighting Ceremony, and dance during the First Annual Lighted visits and photos with Santa, lots Holiday Parade! The parade will begin at of festive family activities and Herfurth Park on Main Street and wind through Hundreds of volunteers and City staff came together yummy fair foods along the the streets of downtown Rowlett. Afterwards, November 20-December 6 and built this beautiful Trail of Trees! stick around downtown to visit local arts and community amenity! crafts and food vendors, take pictures in Live music from 4:00-6:00pm and tree the inflatable snow globe, and lighting at 6:00pm. try out the ice skating rink! Texas Smart Yard Winner Paul Reyna and Schrade Middle School Congratulations to Schrade Middle School’s Outdoor Learning Center, winner of the 2017 Fall Smart Yard award! Science teacher Paul Reyna is the creative architect behind the demonstration gardens, located on the south side of Schrade Middle School on Danridge Road. One of the first gardens created by Mr. Reyna and his sixth grade students was the drought tolerant garden in the group picture, which includes Texas sage, ornamental grasses, and yuccas. In addition, there is a seasonal vegetable garden, which has been featured in Texas Gardening Magazine, that produces vast quantities of potatoes, tomatoes, okra, squash, beans, etc. There is Holiday Neighborhood also an orchard, a windmill and a fish pond! The students Beautification Award use sustainable gardening methods throughout the gardens including composting, mulching and diverted storm YOUR Votes Pick the water. The gardens are also a National Wildlife Federation Winners! Certified Wildlife Habitat, providing water, food, shelter and nesting areas for the birds, animals and insects who Touring our neighborhoods to see lights and yard call them home! This is an outstanding garden space that is displays is a holiday tradition and a great way to helping to educate and create new gardeners every year. create lasting memories with family and friends, so the City of Rowlett is excited to bring back the This bi-annual award from the City of Rowlett recognizes holiday “Light Up Rowlett” awards! Saluting the the outstanding effort made by local residents who time and effort that goes into outdoor décor, one maintain their green spaces using environmentally sound home in each quadrant of the City will be recognized principles. Visit www.rowlett.com/NeighborhoodAwards for their outstanding holiday displays, and this year for more information! YOU get to choose them! • If you see an outdoor display that Citizen City Academy looks great (or if you feel YOURS is Free academy offers a fun opportunity amazing!), snap a photo and email it to to learn all about the inner workings of [email protected]. YOUR city government. • The submitted photos will be posted to Get an inside account from the people who make the the City of Rowlett Facebook page on decisions and who are responsible for your streets, December 18, 2017. water, parks and public safety. The Rowlett Citizen City Academy is an 11-week course offered twice Contact a year, in which Rowlett residents learn how their Elise Bowers • Cast your vote by liking your favorites, 972-412-6165 the displays with the most likes by elected officials interact with City staff, and how the nine major departments work to deliver City services [email protected] Noon on December 20 win! Winners for more information will be posted at 3:00pm. on time, on budget and with an eye to the future. Participants gain a deeper understanding of how local government works by getting to know the people The City of Rowlett’s Neighborhood Life Office, who are making the daily decisions, and also learn Code Enforcement Officers and Keep Rowlett how, and most importantly why, decisions are made. Beautiful would like to thank the hundreds of homes and business decorating their outdoor spaces. Your Attendees will... efforts delight and inspire us every time we drive by. ...gain a deeper understanding of how local We appreciate the special effort it takes to brighten government works from the people who directly the holiday season for us all! serve them. ...meet the leadership and staff members and tour the facilities in which they work. r 2016 ...participate in discussions with City staff about HolidaySoutheast – “Light Quadrant Up Rowlett” of Rowlett December community successes and challenges. Winner ...serve as role models for other community members. Spring Session - Thursday evenings, February 1-April 26 Visit www.rowlett.com/CitizenCityAcademy for more info and to apply! Arts and Humanities Junior Achievement Biz Town Commission Offers The City of Rowlett is proud to partner with Junior Achievement of Dallas (JA) and the Garland Cultural Arts Grants Independent School District, along with the Cities of Garland and Sachse, to host North Texas’ first JA This program awards small grants to BizTown at the Gilbreath-Reed Career and Technical support the activities of Rowlett-based Center. This program allows sixth graders to run a cultural arts groups. simulated city; experiencing entrepreneurship, civic duty and financial education through working jobs, Deadline to apply is December 15! electing a mayor, obeying laws, opening a bank account and earning a paycheck. Research shows All groups applying for these grants sixth grade as a pivotal time when students begin must be non-profit organizations. It is wondering about their future, it is also when indicators for dropping out of school start to appear. NOT a requirement that the group be a JA BizTown is designed to make valuable connections between a youth’s education and their 501(c)3. future success. Project applications must demonstrate The three cities sponsor the City Hall storefront and will send 20 employees to volunteer for one how the funds will be used to promote day each semester to help students learn about local government. Businesses with storefronts the cultural arts in Rowlett. include Wells Fargo, Atmos, AT&T, SMU, Toyota, and American Airlines. The kids will each play a role during their day at JA Biz Town - as an employee at one of the storefront businesses, Grant recipients must agree to provide a citizen within the community and as a taxpayer. Rowlett is excited and ready for our first one program or exhibit to benefit volunteer day on December 5 as we help launch these students into their future! Rowlett citizens during the grant year. Grant applications will be reviewed Shuttle Service at the RCC by a sub-committee of the Arts and New at the Rowlett Community Centre - free personal Humanities Commission. concierge service for senior citizens from your vehicle right to the front door of the RCC! Schedule All applications should be mailed or (depending on the senior’s special events, activities and delivered to: programs scheduled, the service may be extended to accommodate participants): Kathy Freiheit Director of Library Services and Monday: 9:00am – 12:00pm, 3:00 – 4:30pm Arts & Humanities Commission Tuesday: 8:00am – 12:00pm Say “Hi” to Dale, your driver! Staff Liaison Wednesday: 8:00am – 12:00pm Thursday: 8:00am – 12:00pm, 2:30 – 3:30pm Rowlett Public Library Friday: 9:00am – 12:00pm, 3:00 – 4:30pm 5702 Rowlett Road There are SO many programs, activities and fitness classes designed exclusively to help Rowlett, TX 75088 Rowlett seniors stay fit and active (including FREE transportation to and from home), please visit www.rowlett.com/Seniors for more information! SERVICE City of Rowlett STARS Provides exceptional service. Advocates to meet the customer’s need and does not “pass the buck.” TEAM Promotes exceptional teamwork. Includes collaborating within or across departmental lines to meet the customer’s needs. ACTION Reflects exceptional initiative. Includes thinking outside of the box to look for solutions to unique problems. RESULTS Demonstrates exceptional performance. Includes bringing a successful resolution to a difficult or In November, City Manager Brian Funderburk, along with Mayor Dana-Bashian and our complex problem, following thru on promises, and/ City Councilmembers, honored 100 employees who in Fiscal Year 2017 went above and or outstanding communication. beyond the high City of Rowlett organizational customer service standards to become Rowlett STARS. We don’t build or sell merchandise, we serve. To the right are the expectations that describe Above and Beyond customer service, which That’s why we embrace the motto: translate into going that extra step to ensure a customer comes away with the feeling of being “WOWED.” These guidelines offer employees the opportunity to serve in a way “Our Purpose is to Serve.