May 23, 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

Memorial Day Trash, Recycling Schedule Changes

For the Memorial Day holiday Monday, May 26, City services and facilities will operate according to the following holiday schedule.

TRASH / RECYCLING / BRUSH AND BULKY ITEM COLLECTION (BABIC) 
There will be NO trash, recycling or Brush and Bulky Item Collection (BABIC) services provided Monday, May 26. Make-up days for recycling will follow the schedule below. There will be no make-up days for trash or BABIC.

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

For more information, visit www.cor.net/HolidaySchedule.

Memorial Day Municipal Facilities Schedule 

Public Facility Operating Hours 

For more information, visit www.cor.net/HolidaySchedule.

City Council Elects Mayor Pro Tem
Newly re-elected City Council Member Ken Hutchenrider has been chosen by his peers on the Richardson City Council to serve as Mayor Pro Tem for the 2025-27 City Council term. The vote took place at Monday’s City Council meeting (May 19). Hutchenrider represents Place 5 and has served on the City Council since 2019.  

Council information: www.cor.net/CityCouncil  

No City Council Meeting Monday 
Due to the Memorial Day holiday, there will be no City Council work session or meeting May 26. The City Council will next meet Monday, June 2 beginning at 6 p.m.  

Council meeting dates and agendas: www.cor.net/CityCouncil

AT&T to Expand into Richardson’s Lakeside Development 
The City of Richardson is working with Provident Realty Advisors on a building modernization grant and permit fee waivers to support a planned relocation and expansion of an AT&T call center office, to be located at 2221 Lakeside Blvd. AT&T is leasing approximately 186,000 square feet across seven floors of the property under a 12-year lease agreement. The move will include a $15.8M investment by Provident to accommodate building improvements. 

The announcement of its new Richardson-based location is the latest of a series of announcements made in recent months from major companies and innovators relocating to, or expanding their presence in, Richardson. 

Provident, a privately held real estate and investment firm, purchased the Lakeside campus last November. It was originally built as the 807,354-square-foot Tower and Lab building for Nortel, and currently serves as the home to RealPage, among other tenants.  

Full press release: Click here 

Traffic Project Earns International Recognition for Richardson, UT Dallas 
A pioneering traffic management partnership between the City of Richardson and researchers at UT Dallas has earned international recognition from Smart Cities Connect, a leading organization dedicated to advancing municipal innovation.  

The partnership and its resulting AI-based software, called Distributed Agent-based traffic Lights (DALI) Nexus traffic infrastructure, was named a Smart 20 Award winner at the 2025 Smart Cities Connect Spring Conference and Expo and was further distinguished as one of the top 3 best-of-class projects worldwide.  

After being deployed at 15 intersections in Richardson, DALI led to traffic delay reductions of up to 40 percent at untimed signals and 25-30 percent in the overall traffic management system. 

A proposed next phase of the project is to expand DALI Nexus to 50 signals citywide, pending funding. Funding for the project’s previous phases were made possible thanks to a grant from the North Central Texas Council of Governments. 

Full press release: click here 

2025 Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival Cleanup Completed 
Crews worked daily this week to clean streets and plazas at Galatyn Park Urban Center and take down tents, stages and all the rest of the apparatus that shaped the City’s annual three-day Wildflower! Arts & Music festival last weekend. All streets in the area have been reopened to regular traffic.  

National Public Works Week Recognized 
This week, May 18-24, is National Public Works Week. The American Public Works Association has been sponsoring National Public Works Week since 1960 to educate people on the importance of public works in improving everyday life.  

Public Works employees are officially recognized as first responders, as they work to clear streets and debris during and after weather disasters and respond 24/7 to all things that interrupt the normal operation of water, sewer, street and storm water systems.  

Get to know Richardson’s Public Works staff through the video link below. 

Video: Click here  

Heights Family Aquatic Center Open This Weekend! 
Heights Family Aquatic Center will open tomorrow, Saturday, May 24 through Monday, May 26, from noon-8 p.m., weather permitting. All pools will open for the season on Saturday, May 31.   

Season pool passes are available for purchase at Heights or Huffhines Recreation Centers or online, click here. You will need to pick up your physical pass(es) before going to the pools. We encourage you to buy your passes early to skip waiting in line!   

Daily admission to Heights Family Aquatic Center (for both swimmers and non-swimmers) is $4 for residents and $8 for nonresidents; children ages 3 and under are admitted for free. Photo ID verification for resident rates is required.   

Coolers with food and beverages are allowed. No glass or alcohol allowed on the property. 

More information: www.cor.net/aquatics  

Sign-ups Open for Next Weekend’s Free Landscaping Workshop; Part of City’s New “Home Sweet Home” Program 
The City’s new educational workshop series and neighborhood awareness campaign, called “Home Sweet Home,” kicks off next weekend with the first of two free landscaping workshops.  

Join Certified Arborist Kevin Dillard for an insightful session on how smart landscaping choices can transform your home’s look and increase its value. Discover how trees, shrubs, seasonal color, lighting and more can enhance your home’s curb appeal. 

The “Home Sweet Home” program is focused on helping make Richardson a city of pride, belonging and community by inspiring homeowners to keep their homes and neighborhoods beautiful and safe through landscaping and basic maintenance, while connecting them to City resources and programs that build a thriving, inclusive community. 

Details:
“Curb Appeal” Landscaping Workshop
City Council Chamber, 2360 Campbell Creek Blvd., Ste. 525 
Admission: Free (RSVP needed; click here)
Saturday, May 31
10 a.m. 

A second workshop will be held in the fall.  

Website: Click here 

Sales Tax Holiday this Weekend for Water Conserving, Energy Star Items 
Texans can save on the purchase of certain water-efficient and water-conserving products (including plants) as well as energy-efficient appliances during two annual sales tax holidays taking place Saturday-Monday, May 24-26. 

1. The Water-Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday allows for no tax to be charged on products that display a WaterSense^® label or logo. These include certain shower heads, bathroom sink faucets, toilets and landscape irrigation controls. The sales tax holiday also applies to certain other water-conserving products (even without a WaterSense^® label) if used at a residence, including soaker or drip-irrigation hoses; mulch; rain barrels; and plants, trees and grasses. 
2. The ENERGY STAR^® Sales Tax Holiday allows tax-free purchase, rental or lease of the following products if they display the ENERGY STAR^® logo:

• air conditioners priced at $6,000 or less 
• refrigerators priced at $2,000 or less 
• ceiling fans 
• incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs 
• dishwashers 
• dehumidifiers 
• clothes washers (clothes dryers not included)  

There is no limit to the number of qualifying items purchased.  

More information: Water-Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday (texas.gov), ENERGY STAR Sales Tax Holiday (texas.gov)  

Silver Line End-to-End Testing Begins Next Week 
The DART Silver Line Regional Rail Project will begin end-to-end test runs next week, with trains leaving Plano and ending at DFW Airport Terminal B while making stops at stations in cities along the route, including Richardson (no passengers on board). Construction along the route is 90 percent complete; facilities/projects still underway include the UT Dallas station and miscellaneous work on the US 75 bridge. 

The test runs will occur regularly throughout the rest of May and in June, up to seven days a week between 9 a.m.-4 p.m., though the vehicles may be moved for repositioning during other time frames. Trains will run with lights and horns; signal arm bars will come down and traffic will be halted at Silver Line crossings until the train passes and the bars are lifted. The heavy volume of testing is necessary to ensure systems are functioning properly, so that quiet zones can go into effect during revenue service, which is now expected by the end of this year. 

More information: www.dart.org/silverline 

Silver Line hotline (for questions/concerns): 972-833-2856 

Atmos Work Closes Lanes on Eastbound and Westbound Arapaho near US 75 
The right and center lanes of westbound Arapaho Road between Greenville Avenue and the west side of Central Expressway, and the right and center lanes of eastbound Arapaho Road between Civic Center Drive and Central Expressway may be closed to traffic from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. as a gas leak is investigated and repaired. The work is expected to be complete by late May.    

www.cor.net/projects

PM Pints Next Thursday 
The IQ^®HQ, 1302 E. Collins Blvd.
Admission: Free (RSVP here)
Thursday, May 29
5-7 p.m.  

This quarterly evening event features networking, beverages/hors d’oeuvres and short presentations from entrepreneurs, small business owners and subject-matter experts. Thursday’s guest is Jagada Krovvidi, Associate Vice President and Principal Technology Architect for Infosys Living Labs Center of Emerging Technology Solutions, who will be discussing “Driving Innovation: Corporate-Startup Collaboration and Thought Leadership” with Richardson Economic Development Director Chris Shacklett.  

Bike-Friendly Driver Awareness Class Thursday 
Richardson Senior Center, 820 W. Arapaho Rd.
Admission: Free (open to everyone, Senior Center membership not required)
Thursday, May 29
10-11 a.m.  

Richardson’s Transportation and Mobility Department is hosting a driver-focused training to educate motorists on safely sharing the road with cyclists. Participants will learn why cyclists use the roadway, common cycling behaviors and tips to safely interact with cyclists. The class promotes a shared understanding among all road users and supports safer travel for everyone. 

Game On! Board Games at the Library for Adults Tomorrow 
Spring Creek Room
Admission: Free (No registration required)
Saturday, May 24
3-5 p.m.  

Adults are invited to adventure to the beyond with a librarian-led game time. Lots of options will be available for solo or group play such as Settlers of Catan, Pandemic, Sagrada and more!    

At the Eisemann Center:

• “America’s Diamond- The Neil Diamond Legacy Concert Tribute” Sunday
  Hill Performance Hall
  Tickets: $45-$70 (tickets)
  Sunday, May 25
  3 p.m.
  
  Jay White and his dynamic band authentically recreate the look, sound, power and passion of Neil Diamond in concert, featuring the Diamond classics you love. Songs include “Cherry Cherry,” “Sweet Caroline,” “America,” and many more!
  
  
• “ABBAFAB: The Premier ABBA Experience” Sunday
  Bank of America Theatre
  Tickets: $45-$65 (tickets)
  Sunday, May 25
  3 p.m.
  
  ABBAFAB, a tribute to the music of ABBA, is a multimedia production that brings together talented vocalists and musicians (that have previously toured the world as solo artists and band members) to perform some of the biggest hits of the 70s and 80s. Songs include “Waterloo,” “Fernando,” “Honey Honey,” “Dancing Queen” and countless others.  

Richardson Community Band Opens Outdoor Concert Season Sunday Evening 
Huffhines Park Pavilion, 1500 Apollo Rd.
Admission: Free
Sunday, May 25
7 p.m.  

Enjoy the shady part of Huffhines Park while remembering those who have died in service to our country. With a special nod to the anniversary of World War II, the band promises to get your feet stomping and get you flag waving! Special guest vocalist Billy Bonner will be present to sing some patriotic favorites. www.richardsoncommunityband.org  

Classic Comedy “She Stoops to Conquer” Opens at The Core Theatre Next Friday
518 W. Arapaho Rd., Ste. 115
Tickets: $15-$20 (Ticket link: click here)
May 30-June 15
8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays
No Friday show June 13; Special Industry Night show Monday, June 2  

Written in 1773, “She Stoops to Conquer” embodies timeless themes—identity, love and the chaos of miscommunication. In this modern adaptation, the story unfolds in a contemporary setting, as Kate Hardcastle takes charge, using wit and disguise, to win over the shy Charles Marlow, proving that sometimes you have to bend the rules to find real connection. www.thecoretheatre.org  

Free Seeds Available Year-Round at “Seed Library” 
The Richardson Public Library offers a variety of store brand and open-pollinated seeds free of charge at its Seed Library, with packets of seeds located in labeled, vintage card catalog drawers across from the Adult Services information desk. The collection includes vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers, with inventory changing throughout the year based on donations and popularity. A nearby binder/notebook includes planting instructions for each kind of seed.  

No library card is needed to “check out” seeds—gardeners are asked to take no more than 10 packets at a time. If you’d like to donate seeds, a donation box and forms are located on top of the seed library. 

DIY Paper Shreds Belong in the Trash 
Did you know that most recycling centers, like the one that serves Richardson, do not accept home-shredded paper? This is because the tiny fragments can clog machinery and are hard, if not impossible, to separate by hand from other recyclables.  

If you have your own paper shredder, be sure to place the shredded remains in trash bags and not with recyclables, as they will “contaminate” a recycling bag so that nothing in the bag gets recycled. Home-shredded paper that’s plain, non-glossy, and free of a lot of ink may also be used as a “brown” part of composting.  

Or, take the shreds to a community shredding event—these events (like the one at Richardson’s Trash Bash each spring) usually involve a shredding company that bales the shreds before they’re sent to a recycling facility, which accepts the bales as they arrive ready for sale, to be made into other products.  

The City offers a link on its Residential Recycling page to a local year-round commercial shredding service.  

More information: Residential Recycling | Richardson, TX 

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. 

Heavy Equipment Operator ($48,661 – $66,830 Salary) 
The Public Services Department has multiple job openings for Heavy Equipment Operator for individuals with experience operating heavy motorized equipment. Depending on department, a Class A or Class B Texas Commercial Drivers License will be required or obtained within six months.  

Gymnastics Instructor PT ($17.82/hr to $26.50/hr) 
The Parks and Recreation Department is looking for individuals with who enjoy working with people in groups of various sizes and has a passion for teaching. 

www.cor.net/jobs

Pet of the Week
Meet Duke, the sweet, friendly and slightly goofy Anatolian Shepherd. At 4 years old, he's fully grown and has a big heart that matches his age. His favorite activities include playing fetch, rolling over for belly rubs and making everyone around him laugh with his adorable antics. Duke is a social butterfly who loves to be around people. His warm, welcoming nature makes him a joy to be around. Duke is a true companion, always ready to give love and receive it in return. His playful personality will bring a smile to your face every day. 

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

City Council Links