Jan. 17, 2025

This 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 municipal events. If you would like to sign up to receive this in a weekly e-mail click here.

Throughout the year, the City Council or City Plan Commission will hold meetings on topics of significant interest to local neighborhoods or the community in general. Links to view all City Council or City Plan Commission meeting documents that may have topics of interest to you can be found here:

City Council | City Plan Commission

New City Hall Construction Set To Begin 
At Monday night’s City Council meeting, the City Council voted to award the contract for Richardson’s New City Hall and Municipal Campus Improvement Project to McCownGordon Construction for a total of $65.6 million. The Kansas-based firm was the top-ranked bid, providing both the lowest project price and highest score qualitative assessment. Richardson voters approved a total of $68.4 million in funds for the project via the 2021 and 2023 Bond Programs.  

Construction is expected to begin in late February or early March of this year with completion expected in early 2027.   

More information (including floor plan design and internal/exterior renderings): www.cor.net/newcityhall

MLK Holiday Schedule for Trash/Recycling 
For the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday, City services and facilities will operate according to the following holiday schedule.

TRASH / RECYCLING / BRUSH AND BULKY ITEM COLLECTION (BABIC) 
There will be NO solid waste, recycling or Brush and Bulky Item Collection (BABIC) service provided Monday, Jan. 20. There will be NO make-up days for trash collection or BABIC. The table below shows the make-up days for recycling service.

The table below shows the make-up days for recycling service.

Municipal Building Closures in Observance of MLK Holiday 

MLK, Jr. Essay Contest, Black History Month Art Contest Still Accepting Entries 
Two annual student contests sponsored by the Richardson City Council are currently accepting entries: the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest and the “Black History Month: Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion” Art Contest.  

Each contest is open to students (eligible grades vary by contest) who live in Richardson or attend school within the city. The essay contest ends Jan. 31 and the art contest ends Feb. 28. Rules and deadlines for each may be found online. Winners in each age category receive $200 and will be recognized at a future City Council meeting.  

Website: www.cor.net/ArtandEssayContest  

City Council Approves Aquatic Master Plan 
The City Council voted to adopt the Parks and Recreation Aquatic Master Plan at Monday’s City Council meeting. The plan provides short-term and long-term strategies for Richardson’s aquatic services and facilities and has been in development since April 2024. Prior to the vote, Parks and Recreation staff presented an updated final draft of the plan that incorporated feedback received last month from the Council and the Parks and Recreation Commission. 

The adopted plan offers flexibility, with three possible future scenarios that could be implemented in phases over the next 2-10 years depending on financial considerations and condition of existing facilities.   

Parks and Recreation’s first priority going forward is to finalize a $1.5 million funding strategy for FY25 and FY26 to complete renovations at Heights Family Aquatic Center before the 2026 season opens.  

Monday’s presentation/more information: Click here 

Winter Weather Cleanup Underway, More Cold Weather Expected This Weekend 
Street sweeper crews began operations this week to collect sand spread during last week’s icy weather event, as BABIC crews picked up limbs downed by the high winds. More cold weather is expected this weekend beginning Saturday morning and lasting through Wednesday morning, with temperatures expected to drop below freezing along with night wind chills in the teens. Currently, snow and ice are a low probability.  

Keep up with extreme weather events in Richardson by monitoring the City’s Richardson Today social media accounts available on Nextdoor, Facebook and Instagram. In cases of emergency information, people are also asked to register for alerts that can be sent to their mobile device at www.cor.net/alerts.  

Richardson’s Office of Emergency Management reminds everyone to think of the Four P’s when preparing for this kind of cold weather:

Additionally, the Fire Department reminds people to use safe heating sources indoors (do not use generators, charcoal grills, or flameless chemical heaters inside your home).   

City of Richardson Social Media Accounts: www.cor.net/social 
Emergency Notification System: www.cor.net/alerts 
Winter Fire Safety Video
Atmos Energy emergency line: 866-322-8667 (answered 24/7) 

Warming Centers Set to Open Saturday Night 
The lobby space of Richardson’s Police Department Administration Building, as well as Richardson Fire Department Stations 3 and 6 lobbies, will be available as warming centers for those needing shelter from winter weather. The facilities will open Saturday at 7 p.m. and remain open until it is no longer needed.  

Service animals will be allowed, but no pets. Each location has receptables to allow people to charge phones, laptops and other electronic devices. 

The addresses are as follows: 

For more information and updates on the City of Richardson’s winter weather response, visit www.cor.net/winterweather. 

No City Council Meeting Monday 
Due to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday, there will be no City Council work session or meeting Monday, Jan. 20. The Council will next meet Monday, Jan. 27 beginning at 6 p.m. 

Future agendas/meeting dates: www.cor.net/CityCouncil. 

Alley Project to Temporarily Close Lanes on Buckingham Road 
As part of the Buckingham Place Alley Replacement Project, the right and center lanes of westbound Buckingham Road between Jupiter Road and Buckingham Place may be closed to traffic from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for a concrete pour. At 3:30 p.m. each day, there will be two lanes open to through traffic and only the right lane may remain closed overnight as needed. The concrete work is expected to wrap up by early February. 

Lane Closure Expected on Shiloh Road Near Breckinridge Boulevard 
The right lane of southbound Shiloh Road between Breckinridge Boulevard and Research Drive may be closed to traffic from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. as a damaged utility pole is removed and a new pole is installed. The work is expected to be complete by late February. 

Website: www.cor.net/Projects

Healthier Texas Community Challenge: Free Dance Fitness, Cooking Classes This Weekend 
Huffhines Recreation Center, 200 N. Plano Rd.
Cost: Free (register at www.cor.net/parksonline)
Dance Fitness: Saturday, Jan. 18, noon-1 p.m.
Nutritional Cooking: Sunday, Jan. 19, noon-1 p.m.  

These free classes are open to the public to encourage all participants to register and take part in the eight-week Healthier Texas Community Challenge for the City of Richardson Community. Be sure to download the free app “Healthier Texas Community Challenge" and get registered to start earning points for your healthy actions: eating healthy, staying hydrated, and physical activity. For ages 13+.  

Note: Participation in the Healthier Texas Community Challenge is not required to take these classes. 

“123 Andrés” Family Concert Tomorrow 
City Council Chamber, 2360 Campbell Creek Blvd., Ste. 525
Admission: Free
Saturday, Jan. 18
11 a.m.-noon  

Join Grammy-winning music duo Andrés and Christina (a.k.a.123 Andrés) for a fun family concert and sing-along in English and Spanish. Fun for all ages! 

Stuffies Storytime & Sleepover Next Friday 
Youth Services Storytime Room
Admission: Free
Friday, Jan. 24
4:30-5:15 p.m.   

Children ages 3-7 are invited to bring their favorite stuffed animal or toy to storytime at the Library! When storytime ends, their stuffed buddies get to have a sleepover at the Library, with updates on the RPL’s Facebook and Instagram pages to view all the fun they’re having!   

Limit one toy per child. Pick up your stuffie or toy the following morning on Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Teen Service Desk from 10-10:30 am. 

At the Eisemann Center:

• Siriya Ensemble Tonight 
  Bank of America Theatre
  Tickets: $40-$100 (tickets)
  Friday, Jan. 17
  8 p.m.
  
  Formed in 2016, this Iranian musical group has evolved to develop a distinctive style that blends folk and contemporary music elements, creating a unique fusion that reflects the rich cultural heritage of Bushehr, located in the southern part of Iran. Their album, “A Table for Two,” won a Silver Medal at the Global Music Awards. Presented by Sheed Entertainment.
  
  
• RIFF Dallas Annual TAPN2TAP Show is Sunday 
  Hill Performance Hall
  Tickets: $42-$75 (tickets)
  Sunday, Jan. 19
  7 p.m.
  
  The annual RIFF Dallas tap festival, a multi-day workshop/learning event being held this weekend in Richardson for tap students and professionals, hosts an open-to-the-public show featuring Emmy-nominated and multiple award-winning tap artists. International tap dancers featured include Derick Grant, Anthony Morigerato, Nicholas Van Young, Josette Wiggan, Sarah Reich, Star Dixon, Kazunori Kumagai and more! (More information: www.riffdallas.org).
  
  
• “Dog Man: The Musical” Next Wednesday 
  Hill Performance Hall
  Tickets: $15-$35 (tickets)
  Wednesday, Jan. 22
  6:30 p.m.
  
  A hilarious production based on the worldwide bestselling series from Dav Pilkey, the creator of “Captain Underpants” and “Cat Kid Comic Club.” Best buds George and Harold have been creating comics for years, but now that they’re in fifth grade, they figure it's time to level up and write a musical based on their favorite character, Dog Man, the crime-biting sensation who is part dog, part man and all hero! How hard could it be? With the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, Dog Man loves to fight crime and chew on the furniture! 

At UT Dallas:

• Alan Govenar Photos on Display at Two Locations Starting Next Friday
  Edith O’Donnell Arts & Technology Building (ATC) Lobby Gallery, 800 W. Campbell Rd. and SP/N Gallery, 3020 Stewart Dr.
  Admission: Free
  ATC Lobby Gallery: Jan. 24-Feb. 3 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
  SP/N Gallery: Jan. 24-Feb. 7, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Thursdays-Fridays 1-6 p.m. with free opening reception Jan. 24 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
  
  The work of Alan Govenar (author of more than 40 books, director of two dozen films, producer of two national radio series, creator of three off-Broadway musicals and designer of multimedia installations at PhotoLondon and the International Center of Photography) is on display to the public on the UT Dallas campus beginning Friday, Jan. 24. View more than a dozen photographic images that document Chinese opera performers in “Dual Lives: Chinese Opera in New York City” in the Edith O-Donnell Arts & Technology Building’s (ATC) Lobby Gallery through Feb. 3, and enjoy a 50-year retrospective of Govenar’s work, including photographs, artist books, and other media in “The Light in Between” at SP/N Gallery through Feb. 7. Event links: Click here and here 

David Mamet’s “A Life in the Theatre” Opens Tonight at The Core Theatre 
518 W. Arapaho Rd., Ste. 115
Tickets: $15-$20
Jan. 17-Feb. 2
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. 

This 1977 comedy by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet portrays the changing relationship between John and Robert, two actors—one older and experienced, the other a young up-and-comer—working together in a repertory company. As time passes, however, Robert becomes resentful of John’s success, and John, ever more confident, tires of Robert’s cliché advice. Mamet’s play examines our changing roles in life through the metaphor of the theater’s never-ending demand for new roles. 

Keep Pets in Mind When Bringing Plants Indoors/Planning Spring Landscapes 
If you’re bringing plants indoors due to the upcoming expected 4-5 day freeze (see above in News for details), and you have pets, be sure to find out if the plants are toxic to your type of pet. (A good resource is the printable list of toxic plants available at the website for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; click here to access). This list also comes in handy when you’re planning your spring/summer landscaping if your pet has access to your yard.   

The Dallas County Master Gardener Association (DCMGA), a component of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, recommends checking the list for every plant the pet may have access to, even weeds, and remove or move the plants to an area your pets don’t frequent.  

A news article at the DCMGA website has more information about other pet dangers that can lurk in your yard as well as more ways to plan a pet-friendly landscape.  

Website: www.dallascountymastergardeners.org   

Combination Inspector – Plumbing ($61,716 - $83,580 Salary) 
Building Inspection is looking for an individual to inspect buildings, construction sites and construction components for compliance with Building, Electrical, Plumbing or Mechanical codes and laws by making routine field inspections throughout the construction period. Master or Journeyman Plumbing license required. 

Crew Chief ($54,504 - $76,104 Salary) 
The Public Services Department is looking for an individual with experience in construction and/or maintenance of water distribution and waste collection systems. A Texas Commercial Driver’s License, Class A is required. 

Physical Activity Class Instructor PT ($7.25 – $35.70 Hourly) 
The Parks and Recreation Department is looking for an individual who can teach individuals and/or groups of various sizes in year-round recreation program. CPR and First Aid Certification required when applicable for specific courses/classes to be taught.  Certificate of liability insurance, with the City of Richardson named as an additional insured, may be required for some classes.

www.cor.net/jobs

Pet of the Week
Missy is a 1-year-old Staffordshire mix and is an energetic bundle of joy who is waiting to fill your life with happiness. She’s a friendly and playful girl who is always up for a game of fetch or a run in the park. Missy is great with other dogs, making her an ideal addition if you already have furry friends at home. Her zest for life is contagious, and her playful antics are sure to bring a smile to your face. Missy’s energy and friendliness will make her a great companion for active families. 

For information about animals available for adoption, visit the Animal Shelter’s web page here.

City Council Links