March 9, 2012

Here is the latest edition of Week In Review - a series of weekly messages from the Mayor and City Council to help Richardson residents and businesses keep up to date on events at City Hall. A list of links for stories in this edition is available at the bottom of the page.

City Broadcasts First CPC Meeting Online and on CITV
This week’s City Plan Commission (CPC) meeting was the first to be broadcast live, part of the City Council’s transparency initiative. CPC meetings are typically held the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 7 p.m. and are aired live on the City’s cable TV channel and streamed live on the City website.

City Plan Commission meetings are available on demand online at www.cor.net and will also be replayed on the City’s cable TV channel on Time Warner Cable (channel 16) and AT&T U-Verse (channel 99). Rebroadcast times are 8 a.m. Thursdays and noon Saturdays.


April To Be “Month of Volunteerism” in Richardson
This week, the Richardson City Council approved a plan to promote April as a “Month of Volunteerism.” The initiative will expand upon the City’s Volunteer Assistance Program and will highlight the work that organizations do for those in need throughout the community.

Since the Volunteer Assistance Program was revamped in 2000, volunteers have helped more than 650 residents improve the exterior of their homes by painting, cleaning up vegetation and correcting code violations. The City’s Community Services Department helps to match community partners with those who need assistance.

Events and activities that could be affiliated with a Month of Volunteerism include the UT Dallas Alternative Spring Break, the City’s Trash Bash, and service days organized by the YMCA, Kiwanis, Eagle Scouts, the NETWORK of Community Ministries and several churches.

Creating a Day of Caring in Richardson was among the City Council’s Near Term Action Items for 2011-2013.

Click the link below for more information about the Volunteer Assistance Program: 
http://cor.net/index.aspx?page=431


Community Services Programs
Community Services programs will be enhanced this year to continue to strengthen Richardson’s neighborhoods. Programs that the City will enhance include supporting formation and reorganization of homeowner and neighborhood associations, increasing outreach by City departments to homeowner and neighborhood associations, and examining ways to increase funding for screening wall painting and washing.

City programs complement and support residents’ and civic organizations’ efforts to positively affect their community.

Click the links below to view Monday’s City Council presentation: 
http://richardsontx.swagit.com/e/03052012-569/#3 
http://richardsontx.swagit.com/e/03052012-569/#4 
http://richardsontx.swagit.com/e/03052012-569/#5

Click the link below for information about Community Services programs: 
http://cor.net/index.aspx?page=45


Daylight Savings Time Starts This Weekend
Sunday morning will be the time to once again “spring forward” and set clocks ahead an hour. Daylight Savings Time officially begins at 2 a.m. Sunday. The Richardson Fire Department also recommends that this is a good time to replace smoke detector batteries as part of the “change your clock, change your battery” campaign.

Click here for the RFD’s home fire safety checklist: 
http://cor.net/index.aspx?page=657


Animal Shelter Highlighted in National Magazine
The Richardson Animal Shelter was represented in two articles in a recent issue of the national magazine “Animal Sheltering.” One article is about young volunteers giving their time to shelters and features two pictures of teens volunteering at Richardson’s Shelter.

The second article focuses on Humane Education Programs and teaching children the importance of kindness to animals. Richardson’s Animal Services Resource Coordinator Noura Jammal is pictured holding a furry friend for school children to pet.

You can view the issue of “Animal Sheltering” online at http://www.animalsheltering.org/magazine/animal-sheltering/back-issues.html

The Richardson Animal Shelter welcomes volunteers and if you are interested, visit the website at http://cor.net/index.aspx?page=128 or call 972-744-4480.


Crowley Park Residents Hold Early Trash Bash
Crowley Park residents have gotten an early start on the April 7 citywide Trash Bash. Residents there have found that by April, when the Trash Bash takes place, foliage can prevent them from cleaning up litter. Seventeen residents took rakes and hoes into the Crowley Park and other parts of their neighborhood Feb. 25 and removed 23 bags of trash and 11 bags of recyclables.

Through the Trash Bash, the City supports local groups that want to keep Richardson clean by providing bags and disposing of what is collected.

Click the link below for information on the 2012 Trash Bash:
http://cor.net/index.aspx?page=680

Spring Break Camps
Fine arts, art, tennis, golf and day camps are available for children during the Richardson and Plano school districts’ Spring Break March 12-16.

To view a camp listing and for instructions on registration, click the link below:
http://www.cor.net/index.aspx?recordid=122&page=73

New Bands Added to 2012 Wildflower! Lineup
Alt-rockers Dashboard Confessional will headline the metroPCS Stage the night of May 19 at the 20th Wildflower! Festival. Also appearing on metroPCS Stage that day will be Augustana, who perform rootsy, piano-based rock.

The Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival will take place May 18-20.

Click the link below to keep up to date on the latest Wildflower! announcements: 
http://www.facebook.com/wildflowerfestival


Richardson Symphony Orchestra at the Eisemann Center March 10
The Richardson Symphony Orchestra will present “The Great Concertos Performance 2012” at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Eisemann Center’s Hill Performance Hall. The concert includes music by Johannes Brahms and Franz Josef Haydn, as well as a performance of Sergei Prokofiev featuring violinist Hannah Cho, winner of the 2012 Lennox International Young Artists Competition.

Tickets are $19-$74 and are available online at www.eisemanncenter.com or by calling the Eisemann Center Ticket Office at 972-744-4650. The Ticket Office is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday–Saturday and one hour before performances. Group discounts for 10 or more are available.

Richardson Animal Shelter Pet of the Week
Meet the Richardson Animal Shelter’s Pet of the Week on the Shelter’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RichardsonAnimalShelter. You’ll see details about the adoptable animal and find out how you can take the pet to your own home. The Shelter Facebook page also has photos of other animals available for adoption and information about upcoming events at the Shelter.

(Peter--Pet of the Week)

Related Links
City Council videos: http://www.cor.net/index.aspx?page=752
City Council agenda: http://www.cor.net/index.aspx?page=1006
City Council meeting documents: http://www.cor.net/index.aspx?page=1329