Rockwall County News

07/10/2017

The City of Royse City posted notice of regular meeting to be held Tuesday, July 11, 2017, at the police and courts buildig located at 100 West Main Street.

The meeting will feature Public Hearings for 9 items involving involuntary annexations. The related land-grab will involve property in the counties of Rockwall, Collin, Hunt and the Shelby County School Land.

Required notices of Public Hearing for the involuntary annexations were not published in accordance with state law Texas Government Code Section 2051.048(c) in a newspaper of general circulation that is published in Rockwall County. Thus, the required notices may be treated as not published.

The Rockwall County News did not receive orders for publication of the required notices.

It is unknown whether adversely affected property owners will file for injunctive relief to stop the involuntary annexations due to failure to comply with state law requiring publication of notice.

After closing the above Public Hearing, the council will open a second Public Hearing on the same involuntary annexation items.

Other business will include:

- A resolution appointing a Board Member to the Cultural Arts Advisory Board for a term of July 11, 2016 to December 31, 2018);

- Ordinance for a voluntary annexation of land along FM 548 in Rockwall County;

- Award of a bid to Jeske Construction Company and authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract and purchase order for the Wood Street Paving, Drainage & Utility Improvements totaling $1,447,680.25. Notice of Request for Proposal was not published in accordance with TGC Section 2051.048(c), and may be treated as not published.

- Development, NTMWD Board Member Update.

07/10/2017

The City of Fate posted notice of a Special Meeting to be held 6:00 p.m., Monday, July 10, 2017, in City Hall located at 1900 CD Boren Parkway.

The meeting will include an introduction of the new Public Works Director, Scott Monaghan; and persentation of the water and wastewater cost of service and rate design update.

The council is scheduled to act on the following items:

- Resolution R-1456 related to long, middle and short term goals; R-1457 related to a letter of agreement with NCWPCS MPL 29 - Year Sites Tower Holdings, amending the length of term and rent in the current land lease agreement for the cell tower located at 401 E. Fater Main Place;

- Ordinance O-1765 amending the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 2015 CO Street Bond Fund by appropriating $819,006 from unobligated fund balance of the 2015 CO Street Bond Fund For $769,006 of the Main Street Project Cost to fulfill city's obligation of Economic Development Agreement with SC TS Investments, and $50,000 for railroad crossing improvements and citywide street repairs;

- Appointment of members to the Fate Development Corporation Board of Directors;

- Resolution R-1459 appointment of members to the Fate Municipal Development District No. 1 Board of Directors;

- Appointment of 3 members to the Planning and Zoning Commission;

- Appointment of members to the Zoning Board of Adjustment;

- Appointment of members to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board;

- Implementation of a 50/50 cost share sidewalk repair program.

The City Council is scheduled to hold a meeting closed to the public:

- To receive undisclosed legal advice from the City Attorney related to Alamo Fireworks long-term agreement and building improvements. The City cited Texas Government Code Section 551.071 for legal authority to hold the closed meeting.

- Commercial or Financial information for conducting economic development negotiations related to: a Mixed Use Development Project located at the northwest corner of FM 551 and Interstate 30; and a Mixed Use Development Project located at the northeast, southeast and southwest corners of FM 551 and Interstate 30.

07/10/2017

The City of McLendon-Chisholm posted its agenda for the Tuesday, July 11, 2017, regular meeting, to be held 6:30 p.m., at 1371 West FM 550 in McLendon-Chisholm.

The meeting will include discussion with the Ad Hoc Audit Review Committee Members related to qualifications for professional auditing services and next steps, including publication of a request for professional auditing services.

It is unknown whether the City Council will comply with Texas Government Code Section 2051.048(c) when selecting a qualified newspaper for publication of the required notice of Request for Qualification and Request for Proposal.

Other business will include:

- Discussion and planning for meeting with vendors that account for a significant percentage of the budget. It does not define "significant."

- Landscaping improvement proposals.

- Minutes of the May 25, 2017 and June 27, 2017 regular meetings.

- "Misinterpretations and Misrepresentations of the State of the City Address," which was presented by Mayor Robert Steinhagen during a previous meeting.

The City Council is scheduled for a closed meeting to discuss the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction matter. The agenda cites Texas Government Code Section 551.071 for legal authority to close the meeting from the public because it will allegedly receive legal consultation by an attorney whose legal advice may be shielded from public scrutiny.

07/10/2017

The City of Rockwall sent a message with a link to an announcement of a Special Meeting to take place 5:00 p.m., Monday, July 10, 2017, in the City Hall, located at 385 South Goliad in Rockwall.

The meeting is to hold a closed meeting and take action regarding amendments to the existing boundary agreements with the City of McLendon-Chisholm. The agenda cites TGC Section 551.072 (Real Property) for legal authority to hold a meeting that is closed to the public about property boudary negotiations between two government entities.

Following the closed meeting, council is scheduled to take action on an ordinance to add approximately 4,110 acres to the City's Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction in a sequence of boundary adjustments with the City of McLendon-Chisholm, to establish a common boundary between the two cities.

Neither city has provided an explanation as to what prompted the decision to negotiate a transfer of ETJ boundaries, compared to a scenario in which the City of McLendon-Chisholm would simply remove the ETJ.

07/10/2017

According to a release from the City of Rockwall, the Rockwall Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to hold Public Hearing on eight items, including: Z2017-023, Z2017-024, Z2017-025, Z2017-026, Z2017-027, Z2017-028, Z2017-029, Z2017-030.

The City's PZ Commission did not publish the required notice of each Public Hearing in accordance with Texas Government Code Section 2051.048(b), and the required notices may be treated as not published.

The consent agenda items will include P2017-032, SP2017-019, and SP2017-020.

07/10/2017

According to a release from the City of Heath, the city council will meet Thursday July 11, 2017, at 200 Laurence Drive in Heath.
The meeting will be highlighted by a Public Hearing, discussion and action on a request for zoning change from Agricultural to Planned District for Retail Use, related to property located at the northwest corner of FM 740 and FM 549.

The agenda item notes that the "Planning Commission continued public hearing to the August 1, 2017 meeting."

The Planning and Zoning Commission did not publish the required notice of hearing in accordance with Texas Government Code Section 2051.048. Thus, the notice may be treated as not published.

In other scheduled business the city council will handle the following items:
- Minutes of the June 27, 2017 regular meeting.
- The future of FM 740 entry feature.
- Authorization of a Professional Services Contract for Auditing Services for the City of Heath. The related notice of Request For Proposals was not published in accordance with TGC Section 2051.048, and may be treated as not published.
- Work session to discuss the Archetectual Review Committee.

The city council is also scheduled for a closed meeting to discuss the "purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property." The item does not describe the specific reason for the closed meeting. The Agenda cites TGC Section 551.072 for legal authority to convene for the meeting closed to the public.

07/10/2017

Photo movie of Rockwall Philharmonic Orchestra concert with the First Baptist Church Rockwall Choir.
"Songs of Freedom" concert
Guest Conductor Trent Blackley
Photos by Tim Burnett, Publisher
Rockwall County News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErWNHwPLbtM

Rockwall Philharmonic Orchestra with the First Baptist Church Rockwall Choir. July 2, 2017 at FBC Rockwall. Guest Conductor, Trent Blackley, Minister of Musi...

07/04/2017

The Declaration of Independence
Signed July 4, 1776
A close reading of the list of grievances is highly recommended.
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

07/04/2017

The City of Heath Planning and Zoning Commission announced its next meeting to be held, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 5, 2017 at 200 Laurence Drive in Heath.

The agenda includes one public hearing related to the application by Heath Crossing Limited for a zoning change from Planned Development (PD) to Agricultural District to Planned Development District for local retail use, for property located at the northwest corner of FM 740 and FM 549.

Next the commission will continue a public hearing related to an application by McCrummen Estates Lot Venture, Ltd, for approval of a residential replat to remove a 20 foot pedestrian easement from the rear of the lot.

The commission did not publish the required notices of public hearings in accordance with Texas Gov. Code Sections 2051.048 requiring publication of required notice either in a newspaper published in the city, or published in the county where the city is located.

06/29/2017

Around 10:00 a.m., today Thursday, June 29, 2017, I witnessed a first in Rockwall. While enroute back to the newspaper office, we were stopped at the railroad crossing for a slow-moving train with a large number of cars trailing behind, carrying what appeared to be wood products for construction.

If anyone is able to capture some high resolution photos of this memorable event, please feel free to send them by email to [email protected], so we may pick one for publication.

We have not seen such a long train pass through Rockwall since our arrival in June of 2008.

The train may be passing through Fate at the time of this posting.

Thank you for reading and subscribing to the Rockwall County News. Mailed by USPS Mail, every Thursday.

06/26/2017

The Rockwall ISD sent an announcement about it's regular meeting to be held 6:00 p.m., Monday, June 26, 2017 (today), in the Education Center Room 600, located at 1050 Williams Street.
The meeting agenda includes a Public Hearing related to the Budget and Proposed Tax Rate.
The Board will take action on employment for Principal of Rockwall-Heath High School, and Principal of Quest Academy.
The agenda also includes an action on the adoption of the Budget for the 2017-2018 Fiscal Year for the General Fund, Child Nutrition Fund and Debt Service Fund.
Follow the Rockwall County News for publication of the required Budget and Tax Rate notice.
Thank you for reading and subscribing to the Rockwall County News, published in an office located at 107 E. Bourn Street, Rockwall, Texas.
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