NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

Congratulations to our summer Yard of the Month Winners!

• August: Mimi Hathway, 628 Westwood
• July: Samuel Rice, 307 Thompson
• August: Teresa Wilmoth, 506 Westwood

Special kudos to these residents for keeping their gardens beautiful even in the extreme temperatures we’ve had. Please take a moment and drive by these lovely properties. You can also see photos of their homes online at www.heightspark.com. Nomination forms are there as well.

HPNA Newsletters coming soon.

Your block representatives will be delivering the HPNA Newsletter beginning the first weekend of September so be watching for it on your porch.

Special Neighborhood Events to mark on your calendar:

1. General Meeting: Thursday, Sept 16th at 7:00 p.m. First United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall, (a crime prevention program with the City of Richardson Police Department). You won’t want to miss it!

2. OctoberFest: Saturday, Oct 16th from 11:00 – 1:00 at Heights Park; free food and entertainment: bounce house, face painter, balloon artist — see the flyer in the Newsletter. This is an annual event and fun for the whole family.

More information on these two events is available in the Newsletter.

We’ll also have some material for you regarding the City’s Emergency Management System, Reverse 911, and a “Know What To Do Flyer” in case of community emergencies. You can probably access this information on the city’s website as well. www.cor.gov

CRIME ALERTS FROM THE CITY OF RICHARDSON POLICE DEPARTMENT

CRIME ALERT 1:

Crimefighters:

Please be on the lookout for two black females and a black male driving a black 2004-2006 Chevrolet Suburban, unknown Texas license plate number. These subjects are going to garage sales in the area and paying for items with counterfeit 100 dollar bills. The items they buy are small and usually cheap so they get a lot of change back. They may even purchase a large or bulky, pay for it with the fake bills, then say that they come back with a truck to pick it up. They don’t come back!

So how do you protect yourself from this happening to you?

1. If you have a garage sale, don’t accept $100 bills.
2. If you must violate rule number 1, get a counterfeit bill detector pen from an office supply store.
3. Get a real $100 bill and hold it up to the light. You will see various security features on the bill. You can compare it to the one someone is trying to pass. I still recommend not violating rule #1.

Suspect descriptions;
1. Black male, 5-11, 180 lbs, shaved head 30 years of age.
2. Black female, 5-10, 215 lbs, red and brown hair weave. 35 years of age.
3. Black female, 5-11, 160 lbs 45-50 years of age.

Lee Rhinebarger
Community Liaison Officer
Richardson Police Department
(972) 744-4938

CRIME ALERT 2:

Crimefighters,

It has come to our attention that a company calling itself Grill Master is working door-to-door solicitations in the Richardson area. Apparently, credit card and debit card numbers have been provided by some residents during sales or “investment” transactions, only to find that some card/debit numbers were used to make fraudulent and unauthorized purchases days later. The company also may be soliciting without the required solicitation permits.

So, you know what to do if they come to your door. Call police if they cannot show a valid permit. Don’t let them in. Don’t buy anything. And, certainly, do not provide them with your credit/debit card numbers. Unless you know the person or the company, this advice should be considered for any uninvited door-to-door solicitation.

Please remember to warn your neighbors who do not have Internet capabilities, especially our wiser and more mature residents.
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A personal property inventory can help recover or replace items lost to theft, fire, or other event. Create and store your property inventory at www.knowyourstuff.org

Officer John Corbitt
CCPS/CPTED Certified
(972) 744-4952
john.corbitt@cor.gov
Crime Prevention Unit— West Sector
Richardson Police Department

SPECIAL INVITATION FROM THE TZU CHI FOUNDATION

(534 BELT LINE, FORMERLY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH)

The Tzu Chi Foundation has extended a very gracious invitation to our community to attend their vegetarian weekend luncheon services on Sept 4-5 (Saturday and Sunday). The service will be conducted in English and Mandarin at 12:00 noon. There will be four courses of vegetarian lunch served. The weekend service is intended to encourage a vegetarian way of living as well as promote environmental protection toward a greener world. They’ll also share some of the recent works of the Tzu Chi Foundation around the world on disaster relief.

If you’d like to attend this informative luncheon call 972.680.8869 to reserve your seat(s). Their representative tells me they normally have a large turnout so an early reservation is recommended. (ask for Mike when RSVPing). Let’s support this gracious neighbor.

YL Ling, Director
Jason Yeh, Assistant Director

NEWS FROM THE CITY OF RICHARDSON AND THE RICHARDSON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The City of Richardson is soliciting nominations for Community Revitalization Awards. This award recognizes property owners who have enhanced our community by making significant exterior improvements to their individual properties that have, in turn, had a positive impact on the surrounding area. Since its inception in 1994, 161 properties have been recognized (several in the Heights Park neighborhood!). Recipients are recognized by the City Council with a reception and award presentation ceremony held in January of each year.

The City is asking for your assistance to identify properties that may be candidates. Nominations may be submitted by anyone, including the property owner, and may be submitted anytime through the year. The nomination deadline for the 2010 Awards is September 17th. Nominations received after that date will be held for future consideration. You must provide the property address, a brief description of the improvements that have been made, and any additional information you can provide – property owner’s name and contact information. Before and after photos are very helpful but not required. Please include your contact information as well if nominating someone else.

You can submit a nomination via the city’s website, by phone, fax, email, regular mail or in person. To request additional information, or to submit nominations, visit the website, or contact:

Israel Roberts, Development Review Manager
972.744.4256 (phone)
972.744.5804 (fax)
Israel.roberts@cor.gov

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 830309, Richardson, TX 75083
Physical Address: 411 W. Arapaho, Room 207, Richardson

Here is a link to the city’s description of the Community Revitalization Award program. You’ll find more detailed information here.
http://www.cor.net/DevelopmentServices.aspx?id=1236

Thanks,
David Morgan
Assistant City Manager
(972) 744-4202

TOUR CHINA WITH THE RICHARDSON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE!

The Richardson Chamber of Commerce is offering a unique opportunity to experience China on April 9-17, 2011. The trip is being offered to Richardson chamber members for $1,899 and non-members for $1,999. The tour price includes airfare from Los Angeles LAX (you pay your travel cost to and from LAX), 4/5 star hotel accommodations, bus tours and visits to Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, including sightseeing with English speaking tour guides, 3 full meals per day, all airport taxes and intracity transportation. We have a limit of 100 people for the trip.

For more information, go to Richardson Chamber China Trip

A free orientation on September 15 will be held at the First Community Bank, 429 Belle Grove Drive, Richardson 75080.
Contact Nina Bachmann at the Richardson Chamber if you have any questions. Or call 972-792-2810.

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If you have news of interest to the neighborhood, please let me know. See you on Sept 16th at 7:00 p.m. at the neighborhood General Meeting!

Janet DePuy
President
Heights Park N.A.
www.heightspark.com

This month’s winner is Teresa Wilmoth at 506 Westwood. Go to the Yard Of The Month page to see the winning yard!

This month’s winner is Samuel Rice at 307 Thompson. Go to the Yard Of The Month page to see the winning yard!

All,

I’m pleased to announce that the winner for June YOM is 628 Westwood. The homeowner’s name is Mimi Hathway. She lost a huge tree in a storm and turned her front scape into a treasure of the block; and at age 70ish….job well done!

Go to the Yard Of The Month page.

Thanks again for all your participation.

Steven DePuy

The May 2010 Newsletter is now available here.

DON’T FORGET – EARLY VOTING STARTS ON MONDAY, APRIL 26TH.

I hope you were able to participate in one of the Bond Information Open Houses that were held today, Sunday, April 25^th and that your questions were answered. It’s important to know the facts about the bond package and what it means to Richardson, to you, and to our neighborhood specifically. All kinds of information has been and is being distributed – some true, some not true, and some information that doesn’t relate to the bond package at all – so please be pro-active and investigate for yourself if you haven’t already done so.

All Richardson voters (Dallas and Collin County) can vote early at the Richardson Civic Center/City Hall or at any other early voting location in Dallas County. For this election only, Richardson residents who reside in Collin County and want to vote early must vote at the Civic Center/City Hall or one of the other Dallas County early voting locations.

Early voting dates and times:
April 26 – May 1: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

May 2: 1 – 6 p.m.

May 3 – 4: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
On Election Day (May 8), polls will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at 23 locations throughout the City. For questions about voting locations, visit www.cor.net, call the Richardson City Secretary’s office at 972-744-4292 or the Dallas County Elections Department at 214-637-7937.

WEEK IN REVIEW

The City has recently started a new weekly news series called Week In Review.
Week In Review was created to keep people up-to-date on events, projects and services occurring in our community. It is delivered each Friday through the City’s News & Information e-mail service located atwww.cor.net. A link to the newsletter is also available on the City’s Web site home page.

Those who are interested in receiving future versions are encouraged to sign-up using the City’s News & Information e-mail service.

ANOTHER SCAM…INFORMATION FROM OFFICER JOHN CORBITT

Crimefighters– We received information from SMU Police Department describing an area “baseball trip” scam . Solicitors have been door to door in University Park,  Highland Park, and Lakewood seeking donations or selling magazine subscriptions to benefit Children’s Medical Center and support the SMU baseball team. The solicitors may mention that a portion of the proceeds will support the SMU trip to Hawaii in May for a baseball tournament. According to SMU PD, these solicitors are not affiliated with or sponsored by SMU in any way, shape, or form. While SMU does have a baseball team, they ARE NOT out soliciting funds. THIS IS A SCAM.

Coincidentally, I heard from Cottonwood Creek neighbors about someone going doing door to door just last weekend claiming to be “new to the neighborhood,” or related to someone right down the street. They were soliciting donations for the SMU baseball trip to Hawaii. It sure sounds like the scam may be in our area now.

SMU PD has asked that any city experiencing these scams make an effort to identify and/or take enforcement action since this is not a legitimate solicitation. Waiting until the next day to report will not get these scammers identified. Call RPD right away if you are solicited by anyone using this “pitch” (no pun intended), and DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY MONEY!!!!

Officer John Corbitt
Crime Prevention Officer
(972) 744-4952
john.corbitt@cor.gov
Crime Prevention Unit— West Sector
Richardson Police Department

RICHARDSON POLICE DEPARTMENT NEWS

Protect Your Property with the Richardson Police Department’s free Property Marking Program. Read about this program that helps the Police Department retrieve and return stolen property to the owner. You can get started by visiting the City’s website: www.cor.net.

OTHER STUFF

I was at an HOA Presidents’ breakfast on Tuesday, April 20^th where Police Chief Jim Spivey provided the City of Richardson 2009 Crime Report and Police Activities Review. I’m happy to report that overall crime for our Heights Park area has dropped this year – and Chief Spivey attributes much of the drop in crime to the activities of the Citizen Patrollers (from all over the city). He says the presence of our volunteer patrollers is a huge deterrence to crime. I’m thankful that we have residents who will step forward and volunteer their time to help us keep safe. These volunteers are the solution—they’ve identified a need and they’re doing something about it. Thank you!

The Police Department has also brought in some part-time officers, many recently retired from other police careers, who serve as Neighborhood Police Officers. Our Heights Park Neighborhood Officer is Dan White. He’ll be patrolling our area at various times – I’ve already had reports from a couple of residents who’ve seen him. If you see him, introduce yourself – he used to be a Heights resident, too.

See specific crime statistics on the city’s website: www.cor.net/pd.

HPNA NEWSLETTER COMING SOON…

Our next issue of the HPNA Newsletter is at the printer now and will be ready for distribution next weekend (starting May 1). We’ve got lots of news for you in this issue, so please be sure to watch for it.

Things to watch for in this issue:

1.    PROGRAM INFORMATION FOR THE MAY 20^TH GENERAL MEETING: A LANDSCAPE DESIGNER/DEVELOPER! (mark your calendars)

2. A CONTEST!

3. BOX TOPS!

4.    YARD OF THE MONTH – judges will be choosing the May winner at the end of this month – have your yards in tip-top shape! If you want to nominate a yard, you can complete a form on our Heights Park website (www.heightspark.com); click on YOM, or send an email to sdepuy@gmail.com with your nomination. Winner will be announced the first week of May.

5. CRIME PATROL APPLICATION: contact Marsha Mayo for information

6. HPNA MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION; PLEASE PAY YOUR 2010 DUES IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY ($15/YEAR)

Enough for now – I hope to see you on Thursday, May 20^th at our next General Meeting – First United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall; 7:00 p.m.

As always, if you have questions or concerns, please contact me or any of the HPNA board members.

Janet DePuy

President

HPNA

214.282.6921

This Sunday, April 25 the City of Richardson will be hosting two community open houses to provide residents with the opportunity to learn more about the 32 proposed projects included in the May 8 City Bond Election.

City Staff will be on hand to share information one-on-one with residents and answer any questions about the proposed projects.

City of Richardson

Bond Election Open Houses
Sunday, April 25, 2010

1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Heights Recreation Center
711 W. Arapaho Road
Richardson, Texas 75080

4 to 6 p.m.
Huffhines Recreation Center
200 North Plano Road
Richardson, Texas 75081

Early voting starts Monday, April 26.

I wanted to pass along some information about the upcoming Bond election so you’ll have the correct information prior to the start of early voting on April 26th. You’ll also read this information in the HPNA Newsletter coming out during the first weekend of May. It’s important that you know what the bond actually provides. Please study the package so you can make an informed decision for the City of Richardson as well as for your Heights Park neighborhood. We’ve provided a very brief recap below. (Bond information provided by Stephen Springs, HPNA Civic Chair)

2010 Bond Program

If all four propositions pass, the average cost per month would be an increase of approximately $9/month in property taxes based on the average priced home in Richardson: $182,000.

Janet DePuy
President
Heights Park N.A.
214.282.6921

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What is a municipal bond?

Quite simply, bonds are debt.  Think of them like a mortgage.  A municipal bond is basically how a city takes out a mortgage in order to build things.  There are two types of municipal bonds,revenue bonds and general obligation bonds.  Each is named for the means by which they are financed.

A revenue bond is paid for by income created by the improvements created.  Examples of projects that are typically funded by revenue bonds include toll roads, and water and wastewater infrastructure.

A general obligation (“G.O.”) bond may be paid for via any legal resource available.  Typically, G.O. bonds are repaid either through growth or property tax levy, or both.

Young cities often have the ability to take on debt without raising taxes thanks to their sheer growth.  Mature cities more often have to tie debt to property tax rates.  As recently as the late ‘90s, the City of Richardson sold bonds based on anticipated growth.  Projects funded by those bonds took a long time to realize because the economy slowed, stunting growth compared to expectation.  Since, Richardson has tied bond sales to property taxes, which is much more stable and predictable.  The 2006 bond program is now nearly complete.  The 2010 G.O. Bond Program on the ballot next month, if successful, will also be funded by a property tax increase.

Information on Richardson’s 2010 Bond Election

For the most up-to-date information available, look at the City of Richardson website (www.cor.net).  Information on the website includes detailed information on each proposition, project listings, project maps, election data and a PowerPoint being used for public meetings around town.

Early Voting Times:

April 26 to April 30 (Mon-Fri)

8 AM TO 5 PM
MAY 1 (SATURDAY) 8 AM TO 5 PM

MAY 2 (SUNDAY) 1 PM TO 6 PM
MAY 3 (MONDAY AND TUESDAY)

MAY 4 – 7 AM TO 7 PM                                                     

Early Voting Location:

Richardson Civic Center

411 Arapaho Road

Election Day / Location for Heights Park:

Saturday, May 8

Richardson Heights Elementary (Precinct 1707)

101 N. Floyd Road

The basic rundown:

City staff and Council started with more than half a billion dollars of identified needs, more than $150M of which were identified as “Priority A”, or urgent needs.  This list was pared down to $66M to take to voters.  As has been typical for past Richardson bond issues, the election is broken down into 4 propositions:

Proposition 1                        Streets and Drainage                          $24.7 Million

Proposition 2                        Parks and Recreation                          $22.6 Million

Proposition 3                        Public Buildings                              $10.5 Million

Proposition 4                        Neighborhood Vitality                         $8.1 Million

Total                                                                              $66 Million

Proposition 1 Description-

A city-wide comprehensive street and alley inventory has been performed which grades all roadways in town on a scale of 1 to 100.  Using this data and logical grouping strategies for contracting, this proposal essentially replaces or rehabilitates all residential streets scoring below 50 and all alleys scoring below 55.  There are also scattered improvements to various intersections, traffic control devices, culverts and the like.

What’s in it for Heights Park?  (see project list of streets and alleys below in addition to sidewalk repair)

6 blocks of alleys

5 blocks of residential streets

Proposition 2 Description-

The Completion of a city-wide Parks and Open Space Masterplan in 2009 and Heights Park Masterplan in 2008 informed this proposition.  It includes numerous improvements and additions to city trails, playgrounds, irrigation systems and sets aside funding for park acquisition in underserved areas of town.  Most significantly…

What’s in it for Heights Park?

Replacement of the Heights Recreation Center and pool!

Proposition 3 Description-

The bulk of this proposition has to do with replacing the next-in-line substandard fire station and constructing a long-awaited fire training center.  Also included are technological advancements to the Library and an upgrade to the Animal Shelter.

What’s in it for Heights Park?

Nothing directly, though improvements for the Fire Department will allow for redistricting of city fire districts, which improves response times for everyone.  If you use the library, it will get you in and out faster.

Proposition 4 Description-

The smallest of the proposals actually could have one of the largest impacts for residential areas.  $8.1M buys a lot of sidewalk repairs and aesthetic improvements.

What’s in it for Heights Park?

A lot of sidewalks.  Drive around the Heights area south of Beltline to see what was done in the previous bond program.

SPECIFIC HEIGHTS PARK PROJECT LIST

Have questions?  Feel free to contact any of your HPNA board members or City Hall.  To contact the city, pick up your phone (972-744-4141) or keyboard (www.cor.net).