Resident Update Oct Nov 212021
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
RESIDENT UPDATECITY OF DENTON
IN THIS ISSUE
• Solid Waste Service Improvements
• New Way to Get Emergency Alerts
• Quick Facts About 2021-22 Budget
• Halloween Safety Tips
• Five Things to Do This Fall
• and more! www.cityofdenton.com
Sunset at North Lakes Driving Range
Just a few weeks ago, another annual budget
was passed by Council. But what should this
budget tell you, our residents? In fact, beyond
the numbers, funds, and financial charts, our
City’s budget gives us not only a look into the next
year of our operations, but the future of our community:
OUR LOCAL ECONOMY
Our local economy is rebounding well from the pandemic and primed for
future growth. Nothing illustrates this more than the increases in property
values and sales tax revenues. People are building and improving structures,
and making their purchases in Denton, and we can expect for this economic
growth to continue. Put simply, this is a place where people want to build
and spend their life.
SAFETY AND WELLBEING
Police and Fire are the cornerstone of public safety, but this year’s budget
shows that the Council is not only supporting our first responders, but, as
you can see below, we’re viewing safety more broadly by adding positions
to impact homelessness, neighborhood and housing vitality, and animal
services to not only keep us safe, but also improve the welfare and
wellbeing of our community members.
SUSTAINABILITY AND CONSERVATION
This budget makes several clear statements about our intention to preserve
our natural assets for future generations. We’ve dedicated $500,000 as seed
funding for a new fund that will drive sustainability initiatives throughout the
City. We’ve also updated our water rate structure, creating one simple set of
rates that incentivize residents to practice reasonable conservation.
Much more about the budget is contained within this issue. I hope you give
it a read and tell your Council members what you think.
Denton City Council ....................................................2
From the Mayor ............................................................2
Solid Waste Service Updates in Effect Oct. 1 .........3
City Launches New Emergency Notifications .......3
City Adopts Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget .................4
2020-21 Budget Highlights ........................................5
Tree Up, Denton! ..........................................................6
Halloween Safety Tips .................................................6
We Care to Share .........................................................6
Five Things to Add to Your Fall To-Do List ..............7
Connect With Us to Stay Updated............................8
IN THIS ISSUE FROM THE MAYOR GERARD HUDSPETH
DENTON CITY COUNCIL
Gerard Hudspeth, Mayor
Gerard.Hudspeth@cityofdenton.com
Vicki Byrd, District 1
Vicki.Byrd@cityofdenton.com
Brian Beck, District 2
Brian.Beck@cityofdenton.com
Jesse Davis, District 3
Jesse.Davis@cityofdenton.com
Alison Maguire, District 4
Alison.Maguire@cityofdenton.com
Deb Armintor, At Large Place 5
Deb.Armintor@cityofdenton.com
Paul Meltzer, Mayor Pro Tem,
At Large Place 6
Paul.Meltzer@cityofdenton.com
Not sure who your Council Member is?
Visit www.cityofdenton.com/council, click on
“Find Your Council Member” in the menu bar,
and enter your physical address.
City of Denton offices will be closed
on Nov. 25 & 26 in observance
of the Thanksgiving holiday.
2
2 Street Outreach Positions
3 Community Services Coordinator Positions
1 Sworn Officer and 5 Civilian Police Positions
1 Emergency Management Position
1 Animal Control Position
FY 2021-22 BY THE NUMBERS
Number of taxable properties: 56,634
Average increase in value for the properties: 7.9%
Total taxable value: $14.4 billion
Entities contributing sales tax: 11,000+
Estimated sales tax revenue: $46 million
Estimated sales tax revenue increase over previous year: 5%
3
SOLID WASTE SERVICE UPDATES IN EFFECT OCT. 1
The City’s Solid Waste & Recycling
Department recently made a number
of updates to yard waste, extra trash
bag, and bulky item residential
curbside collection services. As of
Friday, Oct. 1, the following updates
are in effect:
YARD WASTE
COLLECTION
The subscription
fee for yard waste
and the requirement
to request brush pickup has been
discontinued. You no longer need
to opt in to receive the City’s yard
waste collection services. The monthly
fees for yard waste ($1.00 kraft bags;
$0.50 yard waste cart) will be removed
from your utility bill automatically.
All yard waste must be contained in a
kraft paper bag or a City-issued yard
waste cart—no plastic bags will be
collected. Yard waste carts can be
purchased for $20. Please call
Customer Service at (940) 349-8700
if you would like to purchase a cart.
Uncooked vegetative waste, such as
peels, cores, tops, and loose coffee
grounds can still be placed in your
yard waste cart or kraft bags.
Additionally, you no longer need
to call and request brush piles for
collection. Brush must be cut to
4 to 8 feet in length and stacked with
the cut ends facing the street. Brush
should be at the curb no later than
7 a.m. on your collection day and at
least 4 feet away from other carts and
objects. Brush piles that are more than
4 cubic yards (about the size of
4 washing machines), will have
additional fees assessed. If applicable,
overage charges will automatically be
applied to your residential utility bill.
EXTRA TRASH BAG
COLLECTION FEE
Trash bags left outside of trash carts
will no longer be picked up as
bulky items. Instead, you can have
extra bags picked up for $5 per bag for
each bag left outside of your trash cart.
Charges will be
automatically
applied to your
utility bill and there
is no need to call
ahead to have
extra bags collected.
BULKY ITEM COLLECTION
Bulky item collection must be
requested through Customer Service
at (940) 349-8700. Scheduled
service includes two bulky items
per week; $5 per extra item.
Additional fees may apply if items
collected exceed scheduled service.
Bulky items are normal household
items that won’t fit in a trash cart.
Items NOT eligible for pickup through
the bulky item service include
construction/remodeling materials
and trash bags.
For additional information, visit
www.cityofdenton.com/solidwaste.
The City launched a new emergency notification system, Alert Denton, for
residents on Monday, Oct. 4. The system is powered by Everbridge and will
replace the current CodeRED platform to communicate with residents and
businesses during emergencies or other critical events.
All residents, including those who currently receive text or email alerts
through CodeRED, are encouraged to register at www.cityofdenton.com/
alertdenton to receive emergency communications through Alert Denton.
The new platform will alert residents about various events, ranging from
severe weather, fires, floods, critical public safety messages, and other
emergencies. In the future, the City has the capability to allow users to sign
up for non-emergency or routine announcements, such as road closures,
utility maintenance, or major event notifications.
Residents listed in the City of Denton 911 database will be automatically
subscribed to alerts by phone, but Alert Denton allows citizens to self-
register, provide additional contact information, or opt out. To ensure
real-time access to potentially lifesaving information, residents should sign
up to receive messages according to their preferred contact method—
cell phone, SMS, home phone, email, fax, pager, and more.
“Like CodeRED, messages can be tailored to specific geographic areas
to help ensure that the right residents receive the right message,” said
Chief Kenneth Hedges. “We hope all of our community members will take
five minutes and sign up for this potentially lifesaving service.”
SIGN UP FOR THE CITY’S NEW EMERGENCY
NOTIFICATION SYSTEM: ALERT DENTON!
4
CITY ADOPTS FISCAL YEAR 2021-22 BUDGET
On Sept. 21, the Denton City Council officially adopted the Fiscal Year 2021-22 annual budget. The City of Denton budget
represents an investment in our community—an investment made by taxpayers, ratepayers, residents, and businesses—
to make Denton a great place to live, work, and play.
The City budget process is long, and sometimes complicated, but it’s important for all residents to know the value of their
tax dollars. As you can see below, the average Denton homeowner pays $129.84 in property taxes each month, which helps
to provide funding for critical services and infrastructure in our great city. Listed below are just a few of the enhancements
funded by this year’s budget that will help us to serve you even better in the coming year.
The average Denton
homeowner pays
$129.84 per month
in property taxes to the
City of Denton.
Parks & Recreation capital
improvement projects.
Reinstatement of
six positions, and new and
existing park maintenance
for Parks & Recreation.
One new sworn officer
position, five civilian
positions, and two
outreach positions for the
Denton Police Department.
One new full-time and
two part-time positions
for Denton Public Library.
Street
improvement
projects.
One new Records
Management position for
the City Manager’s Office.
One new Emergency
Management position
for the Denton Fire
Department.
Closed captioning,
translation services, and
one new position for
Customer Service &
Public Affairs.
Public safety capital
improvement projects.
Three new positions for
Community Services to
assist with neighborhood
and housing services.
CITY ADOPTS FISCAL YEAR 2021-22 ANNUAL BUDGET
Additional capital
improvement projects,
including vehicle
replacements, facility
improvements, and
the design of Fire Station 9.
One new intern position
for Internal Audit.
One new position
for Municipal Court.
One new Animal
Control Officer for
Animal Services.
5
Produced by the City of Denton • ADA/EOE/ADEA • TDD (800) 735-2989 • www.cityofdenton.com
SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS
•Design for new Fire Station 9 ($750,000)
•DTV closed captioning, live Spanish translation,
and one new public meeting attendant ($130,400)
•Bond funds issued for street improvements ($36.64 million)
•Investment in parks approved in the 2019 bond program ($2 million)
•One new Emergency Management position ($95,000)
•Three new Community Development positions ($270,678)
The FY 2021-22 budget includes a
new rate structure, which will result in a
RATE DECREASE
for the average residential
customer for water services, and
NO INCREASES
for wastewater, solid waste,
and electric services.
TAX RATE
$0.565 for every $100
of property value.
TAX RATE HISTORY
$0.6898 $0.6898 $0.6898 $0.6898 $0.6833
$0.6379
$0.6205
$0.5905
$0.54
$0.56
$0.58
$0.60
$0.62
$0.64
$0.66
$0.68
$0.70
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020Total Tax RateFiscal Year
Total Tax Rate Per $100 of Valuation
$0.5905
$0.565
2021 2022
TAX RATE
DECREASE
UTILITY RATE HISTORY
Electric (1,200 kWH/month)
Water (7,600 gallons/month)
Wastewater (5,400 gallons/month)
Solid Waste - Standard Cart
Total
FY 2021-22 BUDGET
For additional information, visit www.cityofdenton.com/budget.
BETTER
TOGETHER
BETTER
TOGETHER
FY 19-20
$124.80
$49.94
$31.52
$21.51
$232.01
FY 18-19
$124.80
$49.94
$31.52
$24.51
$235.01
FY 20-21
$124.80
$46.62
$31.52
$20.51
$229.93
FY 21-22
$124.80
$44.22
$31.52
$20.51
$223.38
6
HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS
One of the most anticipated days of the upcoming fall season, especially for
kids, will be Halloween on Sunday, Oct. 31. Help us keep Halloween safe for
pedestrians and trick-or-treaters by keeping the following safety tips in mind:
Slow down. Be especially
alert when driving in
neighborhoods. Take
extra time looking for
pedestrians.
Make sure your child’s
costume fits properly
to prevent trips and falls.
Masks should not obstruct
their vision.
Turn your headlights on
earlier in the day to spot
pedestrians from greater
distances.
Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers.
Wear light colors if possible.
Last but not least, don’t drink and drive.
TREE UP, DENTON!
By participating in Denton’s urban
forestry programs, you enhance our
city’s urban tree canopy and help
Denton thrive environmentally and
economically.
The Tree Rebate Program was
designed to both incentivize and
reduce the price of tree planting for
Denton residents. This year, we’ve
added new species to the list of
qualifying trees! To learn more about
the program, including step-by-step
instructions, a list of qualifying trees,
and to apply for rebates, visit
www.dentontreerebates.com.
To prioritize plantings in response to
tree loss due to winter storm Uri and
the Emerald Ash Borer, Keep Denton
Beautiful (KDB) and City of Denton
have added incentives for planting
larger trees, with tiered rebates.
Tree rebate applications are accepted
annually from Oct. 1 through May 15.
This year, Texas Arbor Day is on
Friday, Nov. 5. and Denton will
celebrate its 30th year as a Tree City
USA. With the help of volunteers,
Denton Parks and Rec and KDB will
plant 170 seedlings along the North
Lakes Wildflower Trail. The trees of
native species will provide shade
along multiple sections of the trail. In
addition to shade, trees boost oxygen
levels and beautify our public spaces.
To learn more about Texas trees, visit
texastreeid.tamu.edu.”
TREE REBATES ARE AVAILABLE
in the following gallon-size
increments:
5-gallon - $50*
15-gallon - $100*
30-gallon - $250**
*Rebate amounts are per tree for
up to five trees per property.
**Limit two trees per property. Rebates are
applied to eligible Denton utility accounts.
7
FIVE THINGS TO ADD TO YOUR FALL TO-DO LIST!1
2
Maintain your drain.
During the holidays, nothing
is better than a home-cooked
meal. However, these meals can
have an adverse effect on your
pipes if you dispose of excess fats, oils,
or grease (FOG) down the drain. FOGs
harden and cling to the walls in your
household pipes or city sewer lines,
which can reduce water flow
and cause a sewage backup into
your home or neighborhood. Visit
www.maintainyourdrain.com
for helpful tips on how you
can better maintain your drain
and to learn more.
3
Turn your pumpkins into Dyno Dirt.
When you’re ready to dispose of your fall pumpkins,
place them at the curb to be picked up with your yard
trimmings. The pumpkins will be mixed with your leaves,
tree branches, and grass, and composted into Dyno Dirt
products by the City’s Beneficial Reuse Division. You can
place your pumpkins in your brown cart, kraft bags, or
simply place your pumpkins on the curb to be
picked up with your brush. As stated on
page 3, you no longer need to schedule
brush pickup. To learn more about the
City’s Solid Waste & Recycling services,
visit www.cityofdenton.com/solidwaste.
To learn more about Dyno Dirt products,
visit www.cityofdenton.com/dyno.
5
Prepare your fire safety plan.
October is Fire Prevention Month. Help ensure that
your home and family have a plan and are ready
for the unexpected. Fire Prevention Month is
the perfect time to talk with your family about
fire safety. Make it a family activity by testing
alarms, changing the batteries, learning how
to use a fire extinguisher, and
planning your escape route.
For safety tips and more,
follow the Denton Fire
Department on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/dentonfire.
4 Shop Denton.
Celebrate Shop Small Saturday
on Nov. 27 by visiting or going
online to your favorite Denton
small business and knocking out your
holiday gift-shopping list (and treating
yourself, too!).
When we make the conscious decision
to shop in Denton, we are saying “yes”
to a strong, vibrant, and local economy.
Attend a community event.
Oct. 14, 6-8 p.m. | Denton
Animal Shelter Trunk-or-Treat
Grab your costumes and kick
start your Halloween festivities
with outdoor fun and bags of
candy from City departments!
Oct. 16, 6-8 p.m.
Halloween Harvest
Free Halloween
festivities, including
carnival games and
lots of candy, at
Denia Rec Center.
Oct. 29, 6 p.m.
Movie in the Park
Bring your blankets & lawn
chairs and enjoy “Hocus Pocus”
at Quakertown Park.
Oct. 30 | Halloween Carnival
and Haunted House
Enjoy a carnival in the morning
(10 a.m.-noon) and a haunted
house in the evening (7-10 p.m.)
at MLK Jr. Rec Center.
Oct. 30, 2-4 p.m.
Día de los Muertos
Celebrate this beautiful
Mexican holiday during the
day at the MLK Jr. Rec Center.
CONNECT WITH US TO STAY UPDATED!
A publication of the City of Denton • 09/21 • ADA/EOE/ADEA • TDD (800) 735-2989 • www.cityofdenton.com
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