Jan. 9, 2026

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

First Public Hearing for Possible Bond Program Held; Second is Monday
The City Council held the first of two public hearings last Monday so residents can have an opportunity to speak about projects for a possible 2026 bond election. The second hearing will be held this Monday, Jan. 12.   

At its Dec. 15 meeting, the City Council was presented projects to include in a $223.4M bond program, with 59.2 percent funding street projects, 16.1 percent funding public buildings and the rest dedicated to parks, sidewalks and drainage projects. The Council has until Feb. 9 to decide on whether to call an election. If called, Election Day will be May 2.     

Upcoming Hearing Details: 
Dates: Monday, Jan. 12  
Time: 6 p.m.  
Location: Richardson City Hall, 2360 Campbell Creek Blvd., Suite 525   

Watch video of past Council meetings or view meetings live at www.cor.net/CITV.  

Renner Road Opens with Final Phase of 825 Project
Crews lifted westbound lane closures along Renner Road near Custer Parkway earlier this week, marking the start of the final phase of the 825 Pressure Zone Project. The work is part of a joint effort between the City of Richardson and North Texas Municipal Water District to increase water system capacity in northwest Richardson.  

The project includes the installation of a 42-inch water transmission line designed to strengthen long-term water service reliability in the area.  

Remaining work on Renner Road will include pavement restoration and landscaping. This phase may require temporary rolling lane closures during non-peak traffic hours to minimize impacts.  

In addition to the waterline installation, the project included construction of a new ground storage tank and pump station near Point North Park, both of which are now in the final stages of construction and system testing.   

Website: www.cor.net/projects  

Day Surgery Center Opens 
Health care services in Richardson expanded earlier this week with the opening of a new ambulatory surgical center (ASC) at 3001 E. President George Bush Hwy., on the Methodist Richardson Medical Center campus. Focused on same-day procedures, it is one of several ASCs planned for North Texas by Methodist Health System to give patients more options for care that are more cost-effective and closer to home. It will boost Methodist Richardson’s surgical capacity and create the foundation for a higher trauma designation. 

Richardson’s new ASC is part of a broader pattern of healthcare and life sciences growth in the Renner/Bush Turnpike area, which now includes a range of providers specializing in oncology, surgical care, dermatology and other medical disciplines. 

Citizens Fire Academy Applications Open 
Enrollment is now open for the next Citizen Fire Academy (CFA) class, which begins March 25 and graduates May 27. The academy is held once a year and is a free, 10-week program open to persons ages 21 and older who live or work in Richardson or the RISD area. Class participants meet Wednesday nights from 6-9 p.m., with dinner provided between 6-7 p.m.    

The intent of the CFA is not to train people to become firefighters, but to provide participants with an inside view of the Richardson Fire Department and its operations so that they can use their knowledge to create a safer home and work environment and educate others. The program includes live demonstrations, classroom learning and hands-on experiences. Meetings take place at the Fire Training Center, 1621 E. Lookout Dr.   

Note that class size is limited, and applications will close as space is filled.   

Contact: 972-744-5750  
Website: Click here  

“Cease the Grease” 2025 Concludes 
The City’s annual “Cease the Grease” holiday grease collection ended this week, and the numbers are in: 257 gallons of cooking oil plus 10 gallons of solid grease were dropped off by the community. The total is more than double past collection amounts thanks to two collection events held between November 2025-January 2026 instead of the traditional single collection around Thanksgiving. In addition, 85 gallons were collected in March during the City’s Trash Bash event, bringing the grand total to 352 for the entire year.  

Richardson’s Health Department coordinates the collection each year to help divert holiday cooking oil and grease from being poured down kitchen drains, which can create buildup in sewer pipes and cause unwanted wastewater backup. The oil/grease collected is recycled into biofuels by Texas-based American BioSource. 
 
Website: www.CeaseTheGreaseNTX.com  

West Shore Project Utility Work to Temporarily Close Lanes, Street Section Near Arapaho/West Shore 
The right and center lanes of eastbound Arapaho Road between Newberry Drive and West Shore Drive may be closed to traffic from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. as new utility construction takes place as part of the West Shore Project. The work is scheduled to begin the end of next week. Beginning at 3:30 p.m. there will be a minimum of two lanes open to through traffic; one lane may remain closed overnight as needed. In addition, southbound West Shore Drive just south of Arapaho Road may be fully closed and detoured to southbound Newberry Drive and/or southbound Floyd Road. The work related to the closures is expected to be complete by late January.  

Utility Work to Close Lanes on Coit near Promenade North and South Shopping Centers 
Utility work over the next few weeks is expected to close the following sections of Coit Road near the Promenade North and South Shopping Centers, between Arapaho Road and Belt Line Road:  

Both utility projects are expected to wrap up by late February, weather permitting. 

Richardson Projects: www.cor.net/projects. 

2025 City Photo Contest Best of Division Winners and Judges Exhibits Begin Tomorrow 
Huffhines Recreation Center 
200 N. Plano Rd. 
Admission: Free 
Jan. 10-30
Open during Huffhines Recreation Center normal hours (listed here)   

The Best of Show and Best of Division Winners Exhibit from the City’s 2025 Photo Contest, as well as the 2025 Photo Contest Judges Exhibit, will be on display. The Best of Show and Best of Division Exhibit features the work of Sapphire Hao, Rita Johnston and Kellie Carter, while the Judges Exhibit features the photographs of Robin Thompson, Garry Ackerman and Janne Ackerman. 

The IQ^® Brew Next Thursday 
The IQ^® HQ, 1302 E. Collins Blvd.
Admission: Free (reserve a spot here)
Thursday, Jan. 15
8:30-10 a.m.  

Attend this quarterly networking, coffee and learning event for "BLAST Breakthroughs: What Really Happens Inside a Wind Tunnel" with Giacomo Valerio Iungo, wind tunnel director, and Wasi Uddin Ahmed, wind tunnel engineer. Go behind the scenes of the Boundary Layer and Subsonic Wind Tunnel (BLAST) facility located at the University of Texas at Dallas as they explain how BLAST is powering cutting-edge research there on aerodynamics, wind energy, urban flow and airflow physics.  

Website: Event Link

3D Printing Demo Tomorrow Afternoon 
Library’s Business Center, near Library entrance
Cost: Free; no registration required
Saturday, Jan. 10
4-4:30 p.m.  

See how the Library’s 3D printer works and how you can utilize it!  
 
More information: 972-744-4355  

Cricut Heat Press/Tote Bag Class Next Friday Morning 
Spring Creek Room
Cost: Free (registration required; call 972-744-4395 to register)
Friday, Jan. 16
10:30 a.m.-noon  

Embellish and customize your designs, then apply them to a take-home tote bag with a Cricut Heat Press. For adults and teens; all supplies provided. 

For a full list of library events, visit www.cor.net/calendar. 

www.cor.net/Library

At the Eisemann Center:

Repertory Company Theatre Hosts Auditions Tomorrow for 2026 REP Company
770 N. Coit Rd.
Cost: Free
Saturday, Jan. 10
1-5:30pm  

Audition for Repertory Company Theatre’s REP Company 2026—the RCT directors cast all main stage shows from the Company, which last year numbered 84. Call Backs will be held Jan. 11 beginning at 1:30 p.m. Note that Repertory Company Theatre is a non-equity theater; no stipends are given to performers in main stage shows.   

More information/audition requirements: click here  

“To Kill a Mockingbird” Opens Next Friday at The Core Theatre
518 W. Arapaho Rd. Suite 115
Tickets: $15-$20 (tickets) 
Jan. 16-Feb. 15
Thursdays-Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m.  

The classic novel comes to life on stage, a coming-of-age story narrated by a young girl named Scout Finch who lives in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. Scout and her brother, Jem, learn about prejudice, morality and empathy as their father, lawyer Atticus Finch, represents a black man who is falsely accused of a crime.  

Free Sprinkler Checkups Still Available 
Did you know that the City of Richardson began a pilot program with the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) last spring that offers free residential sprinkler system evaluations? The program is continuing in 2026 and is part of conservation efforts to protect our future water supply through more efficient water usage.   

Who Can Participate:   
Utility account holders with residential systems that have one controller and no more than 12 zones. Evaluations may be requested once every 12 months by homeowners or tenants.  

How it works:   
Richardson residents submit online requests for an evaluation and are then contacted by DFW-area company M&M Irrigation and Illumination for appointment scheduling. After the evaluation, a report is generated that will provide suggested irrigation system repairs (if needed); suggested controller settings; and estimated weekly gallons of water saved if you implement all listed recommendations (the inspector will not make repairs to your system; you may hire a licensed irrigator for any repairs needed).   

Note that if the online request form does not allow you to enter information, all appointments for the month are taken. The request form is unlocked at 8 a.m. on the 20th of each month for future appointments.   

More information/request form: Click here  

Eight Items to Keep Out of Your Recycling Bag 
If you want to meaningfully participate in Richardson’s recycling, it’s important to avoid being a “wish-cycler,” i.e. throwing something into the blue bag without being sure it can be recycled—just one wrong item can contaminate the whole bag, sending its entire contents to the trash.  

Here are the most common recycling contaminants according to the recycling managers at Republic Services, Richardson’s recycler:

• Plastic bags- Return them to the store where you got them, reuse them or throw them in the trash
• Toys - Donate toys for reuse, or throw them in the trash
• Clothing - Donate to local nonprofits that operate clothing closet programs such as Network of Community Ministries, or look up textile recyclers online
• Furniture and Mattresses
• Disposable Diapers - Just because they’re made of plastic doesn’t mean they can be recycled!
• Soiled (grease-stained) Pizza Boxes - If the top half is oil/food-free, tear it off and recycle it; throw the rest away
• Foam Takeout Containers
• Yard Debris – belongs in the trash or composting bags 

Website: click here 
Website: Brush and Bulky Item Collection (BABIC) (for larger items and yard debris) 

Crisis Intervention Program Manager ($75,488 - $102,378 Salary) 
The Police Department is looking for an individual to coordinate mental health programs by providing outreach, education, and services to people who are in crisis and/or have known mental health diagnosis. Must possess one of the following licenses: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licenses Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate (LPC-Associate), or Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW). Work requires professional level of knowledge of a discipline equivalent to that which is acquired in a Master’s degree-level of study in a human services field (sociology, psychology, etc), or public health. Valid Texas Class C Driver license 

Construction Inspector II ($53,329 to $83,058) 
The Engineering-Capital Projects Department is looking for an individual who can assist in inspecting construction of street/alley paving, water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, parking lot and sidewalk projects. Assist in administration of Urban Storm Water Program and Sidewalk Replacement Program. Perform technical and informational inventories and surveys, line and grade surveys, design work, and general administrative work. Perform other related work as required.  

www.cor.net/Jobs

Pet of the Week
Meet Tinkerbell, a delightful 10-month-old Shepherd mix with a heart full of love. This young pup is known for her sweet and friendly nature, making her a joy to be around. Tinkerbell enjoys playing and has a gentle disposition, which makes her great for families or anyone seeking a loyal companion. Her enthusiasm and affectionate ways are sure to bring a lot of happiness to her new home. If you're looking for a devoted friend, Tinkerbell is the perfect addition to your family. 

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

City Council Links