City Connections - October Edition

November 4, 2008 Election

The Denton County Election Office will conduct the November 4, 2008 General Election.  Registered voters of Denton County may cast their ballot during early voting between October 20 and October 31, 2008.  The Highland Village Municipal Complex will be an early voting location; however, Highland Village residents may cast their ballot at any early voting location.  Additional early voting locations are listed below; for a complete listing, please refer to Denton County’s webpage (http://elections.dentoncounty.com) and select November 4, 2008 General Election.

Early Voting Polling Locations

The above locations will be open during the following days and hours:

October 20 - 24........................8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
October 25..............................7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
October 26..............................1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
October 27 - 31........................7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Election Day

On Election Day, Highland Village residents must vote at their respective precinct polling location.  Highland Village is comprised of four precincts (302, 313, 316, and 322).  Your precinct number can be located on your voter registration card.  You may also contact the Denton County Election Office at 940.349.3200.  On Election Day, please go to your appropriate polling location. 

Precinct	Polling Location	Address
302	Briarhill Middle School (Library)	2100 Briarhill Boulevard
313	Highland Village Municipal Complex	1000 Highland Village Road
316	Briarhill Middle School (Library)	2100 Briarhill Boulevard
322	Heritage Elementary School (Library)	100 Barnett Boulevard

Vote by Mail (Absentee Ballot)

Applications for Ballot by Mail must be received by the Denton County Elections office by October 28, 2008.  The Denton County Elections Office will reject applications received after October 28, 2008.  Applications may only be faxed from outside the county to 940.349.3201; otherwise, applications shall be mailed to P.O. Box 1720, Denton, TX 76202 or 401 W. Hickory, Suite 112, Denton, TX 76201.  A registered voter is eligible for early voting by mail if the voter meets at least one of the following criteria:

1. 65 years of age or older
2. Disabled
3. Confined in jail
4. Will be out of town on Election Day and during the early voting period

Fall Clean Up

Date: Saturday, October 18, 2008
Location: Copperas Branch Park
1-35E and Highland Village Road
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
FREE to all RESIDENTS
Please bring your driver’s license showing a Highland Village address to be admitted to the collection site.  We are offering the following services for residential waste.  No commercial waste disposal will be allowed.

• Onsite document shredding
  
• Electronics disposal
  
• Household hazardous waste – 50 lb. limit per household
  
• Tree and Lawn Clippings
  

Visit the city web site for details on what is accepted at this clean-up event.

Fall Festival & 1K/5K Run

Date:  Saturday, October 25, 2008
Location: Unity Park at 9 a.m.
On Saturday, October 25, 2008 the City of Highland Village, Medical Center of Lewisville, the Highland Village Parks Foundation, Studio B and the Lion’s Club are partnering to host a Fall Festival at Unity Park.  Refreshments will be sold by the groups at the event.
1K and 5K run from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. – Visit the city website for registration details
Hogwarts Kastle begins at 2:00 p.m. and runs to 10:00 p.m.
Please bring unwanted, prescription and non-prescription glasses and sunglasses to donate to the Lion’s Club, Sight First Campaign.

Flu and Pneumonia Vaccines

Sponsored by the Highland Village Senior All-Stars
Date: Saturday, October 11, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Anyone 9 years and over)
AND
Monday, October 13, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Anyone 55 years and over)
Location: Highland Shores Community Center
#1 Community Center Drive
Highland Village, TX 75077
Cost: Flu Injection $25, Pneumonia Injection $38, Free with Medicare Part B, Cash or Check Only.

Highland Village Veterans Luncheon

The Highland Village Business Association dedicates their November luncheon to honor our area veterans. The 6th Annual Salute Our Veterans Luncheon is scheduled for November 11 this year and will be held at Celebrations Grand Ballroom. As in past years, the HVBA takes donations from residents and local businesses to provide lunch for every veteran in attendance. Each year the luncheon has grown and something new has been added. Last year a slide show of pictures of our area veterans was shown and we’d like to add to that presentation. If you are a veteran and have pictures from your time in the service or if you have a relative you’d like honored we want those pictures. You can scan them and send them to us via e-mail or call to schedule a time to come by and we’ll be happy to scan your picture for you. Contact Sandy McCoy at 972-899-5091 for more information on sponsoring a veteran, to make your reservations or to schedule a time to scan your picture. If you’d like to e-mail us a picture, please send it to smccoy@highlandvillage.org and include the name, rank and branch of service.

Halloween Safety Tips

Trick-or-Treating

• Smaller children should always be with an adult.  It’s best to take little ones out early.
• If older children are going out without you, go over the ground rules first!
• Know what neighborhoods they will be in.
• Don’t allow them in areas with which you are not completely comfortable.
• Have the children stay in a group.
• Let them know what time to be home.
• Give them change to use the telephone if necessary.
  

Instruct Children To:

• Use sidewalks.
• Cross only at the corners - never dart out between parked cars.
• Cover one side of the street at a time.
• Never go inside someone’s home unless it’s a friend.
• Never accept a ride in a car.
• Only approach houses where the outside lights are on as a signal of welcome.
• Bring their bags home to be checked by an adult before eating a single treat.
  

Costumes:

• Children should carry a flashlight and their costumes should be bright-colored or have reflective tape to highlight them.
• Be sure all parts of the costume are labeled and flame retardant.
• Costumes should not have trailing materials or tails long enough to cause falls.
• Pointed objects such as swords should be made of soft material.
• If you child wears a mask instead of make-up, double check that the eye holes are large enough to see through clearly.
• Children should wear sturdy shoes and temperature appropriate clothing underneath their costumes.
  

Decorations:

• Use a small flashlight in pumpkins instead of a candle.
• Only use flame-proof crepe paper.
• Keep dried leaves and cornstalks away from all flames and heat sources.
  

Checking Treats:

• Throw out anything that appears tampered with, home made foods or home packaged foods unless you are certain of the source.
• Inspect fruit closely and take away treats that may not be age appropriate.  Young children may choke on things like hard candy or peanuts.
• When in doubt, throw it out.
  

CPR Classes

Learn to save a life! The Highland Village Fire Department conducts monthly CPR and Health Care Provider courses for our residents.  Training covers Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for Adults, Infants and Children and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training.  Participants learn how to perform CPR and care for breathing and cardiac emergencies in adults, how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) and learn how to prevent, recognize and provide basic care for breathing and cardiac emergencies in infants and children under the age of 12. The next CPR-Healthcare Provider class will be held on October 2, November 6 and December 4 from 6:00-9:00 pm. CPR costs are $25 for residents of Highland Village and $45 for non-residents.  Healthcare Provider costs are $35 for residents and $55 for non-residents.
Please contact the Highland Village Fire Department at (972) 317-0890 to sign-up.  Class size is limited!!

Landscape Water Management

A person commits an offense if he or she allows exterior plumbing leaks to exist, allows the irrigation or watering of lawn or landscape located on property owned leased or managed by that person in such a manner that causes a constant stream of water onto a street or alley in excess of fifty (50) feet from the property line, irrigating a lawn or landscape during any form of precipitation, this includes automatic sprinkler systems, or irrigating lawn or landscape when the ambient temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sprinkler Heads and System Maintenance Requirement

A person commits an offense if he or she operates a lawn or landscape irrigation system or device on property that he or she owns leases or manages that has broken or missing sprinkler heads or has not been properly maintained to prevent the waste of water.

Rain Sensors and Freeze Gauges Requirement

Any new irrigation system installed within the City of Highland Village customer service area on or after October 1, 2007 must be equipped with rain and freeze sensing devices designed to prevent operation of the irrigation system during any form of precipitation or when the ambient temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Please visit our website to view the complete ordinance.

Water Main Flushing Program

During the fall months, it is not uncommon to see fire hydrants open and water flushing through the lines.  This is a standard operation to circulate water, so the disinfection is maintained at the required levels.
We want you to call and report other unusual circumstances that may need our attention.  Please don’t hesitate calling us.  Our operations office’s telephone number is 972-317-2989.  After hours, please call the emergency telephone number 972-317-6551.   

Weather Tips

Please be reminded of the location of your meter, especially when autumn leaves fall to the ground.  All the different temperatures, continually mixing could cause pipes to burst and flooding would occur if one’s meter weren’t easily located.
Please keep your meter box uncovered, cleaned off and easily accessible, so we can locate it in the event of an emergency.  It is especially important during the fall months when temperature fluctuations occur.
We provide you 24 (twenty-four) hour emergency service with a 30 (thirty) minute response time.  If you do not have your own water shut-off valve, keep your meter box uncovered, maintained and exposed.

DCTA’s A-Train: Traveling at the Speed of Life

The Denton County Transportation Authority continues to advance its rail program towards revenue service in December 2010. The A-train, which parallels I-35E along the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas corridor, is the central element of DCTA’s service plan and has been strongly endorsed by Denton County voters. The project includes single-phase construction of 21-miles of regional rail, five rail stations, a bicycle/pedestrian trail, and a regional rail operating and maintenance facility. DCTA has also launched a new website to keep the community informed of the A-train progress. Visit MyAtrain.com for project updates and information.

On-Going Projects

Parks and Recreation

Project	Location	Phase	Comments
FM 2499 Pedestrian Tunnel	North of the KCS RR and within the electric utility easement.	This project is in the design development phase and will be constructed as part of the FM 2499 project.	The construction schedule is dependent on the timing of the roadway improvements.
Copperas Trail	Murray Park at Sellmeyer to Copperas Branch Park	Design and development phase – An initial public input forum was held on April 24, 2008, and resident input is being taken into consideration as the design phase progresses.	Additional public input will be solicited as the City moves forward with this project.  Watch for announcements on the City’s website, with your utility bill and/or per door hangers.
Victoria, Market and Village Park Trails	VILLAGE PARK TRAIL – runs from Village park to Chinn Chapel Road via easements in the Rolling Hills subdivision. MARKET TRAIL – runs from City Trail under KCS Railroad, through Silverthorne Park and over to Village Park at FM 2499. VICTORIA TRAIL – runs from City Trail to Medina Drive, via electric utility easements and Gayle Lane.	The design and development phase is complete for these trails. Construction on the Village Park and Market trails began in March 2008 and is well under way.  By now, residents can see a beautiful new trail taking shape. Construction has begun at Victoria Trail and the concrete work is about 80% complete. For trail routes, see the Parks Department on the City’s website under the City Department link (click link to Inland Trail Map)	Please note:  When construction is taking place adjacent to your property - kindly refrain from watering, as this can complicate or delay construction efforts. The City and the construction contractor are very appreciative of our residents’ patience and cooperation in this regard. Completion of all three trails is forecast for mid January 2009.

Highland Village Road Trail	This trail will run along the east side of Highland Village Road, from Willow Creek Estates Drive, south to the KCS Railroad tracks.	This trail is in the design and development phase. Construction is pending authorization for pedestrian easements along the properties that front Highland Village Road.
Soccer Practice Field	LISD property at Harlington Drive and Millington Drive near the Chapel Hill subdivision.	The design and development phase is complete. Construction is complete..	This is a soccer practice field with no lights. The fields will be available for use the 2009 Fall season to allow time to establish turf.

Utility Department

2008 Wastewater System Restoration Project

As a result of the process of examining and evaluating the wastewater system, several facilities have been identified that require attention at this time.  They include: manholes on the 24"/27" gravity sewer around the shoreline in the north part of the City (including some erosion protection around certain manholes), Lift Station No. 4 (electrical, guide rail, structure protection, etc.), Lift Station No. 5 (piping, etc.), Lift Station No. 6 (electrical, guide rail, structure protection, etc.), point repair on existing sewer line (identified by recent infiltration/inflow analysis).
Currently the City has contracted with BW2 Engineers, Inc. to design a construction project to address all the issues as stated above.  Staff & engineers have been locating existing infrastructure and inspecting all manholes as part of the design process.

AC Water Line Replacements

This project consists of replacing the water lines on a portion of Highland Hills Lane, Pebble Knoll and Post Oak Dr.  The City has implemented a program to replace the older water lines in the water system.  The older water lines consist of pipelines made of asbestos cement (A/C) pipe which is susceptible to breaking and cracking, requiring significant repair work.  These pipelines will be replaced with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe, which is a more dependable and durable pipe.  This construction project is the second phase of this water line replacement program.
Bids were received on June 17, 2008 for the project from general contractors.  Seven contractors submitted bids.  The low bidder is Dowager Utility Construction, Ltd. with a bid in the amount of $233,653.00.  The low bid has been reviewed and evaluated and is considered a good bid.  Dowager Utility Construction, Ltd. has sufficient resources and, based on the contractor’s work history, is considered qualified to accomplish this project. The contractor completed the water line on Post Oak Dr., the contractor has installed the water line on Pebble Knoll and is loading and testing it.  Switch over & clean will start next week.

2008 Inflow & Infiltration Project

As the City gets older, the City’s infrastructure is aging and requires continued maintenance and restoration in order to provide dependable service to the City’s residents.  As a part of this maintenance program the City’s wastewater system needs to be evaluated on an annual basis.  Therefore, a comprehensive study of a portion of the City’s wastewater system needs to be conducted in order to evaluate a particular part of the system as related to deficiencies that could lead to infiltration and inflow into the system.  It has been determined that this year's effort should be concentrated on several subsystems of the wastewater system which are located near the lake, with more emphasis on manhole inspection.  Much of these parts of the wastewater system were inundated by the lake during heavy rainfall last year, which re-emphasized the vulnerability of these parts of the system to infiltration and inflow.
Currently a Task Order has been approved for BW2 Engineers, Inc, to provide professional services required for this project.  Pipeline Analysis, LLC will assist BW2 with the field work.

Oak St. GSR painting / Pump Station Rehab Project

This project is a CIP project that will consist of repainting the Oak St. ground storage reservoir and replacing the existing pump building with a new building that will meet the current TCEQ mandates. Currently the City has instructed BW2 Engineers to submit a task order to take before City Council in October, 2008.

Transportation

FM 2499, Section 4 through Highland Village from FM 407 to FM 2181

The bid for the construction of FM 2499 was awarded to Ed Bell Construction Company and the "notice to proceed" has been issued. Construction for FM 2499, Section 4 began in July 2008 with the majority of the work taking place at the north end. Beginning in October 2008 Ed Bell Construction will begin clearing the FM 2499 Right of Way (ROW) from Poindexter Creek to Hickory Creek. Clearing of the ROW will continue throughout the project as well as the installation of the storm sewer in the southern portion of the project. We will continue to provide the project updates we receive from TxDOT. FM 2499 Section 4 is estimated to be complete in July 2011. 

Wayside Horns

In 2005, the citizens of Highland Village approved a bond measure to provide for wayside horns at three crossings within the city limits. As a result of the bond measure, a resolution was approved by Council authorizing the city manager to enter into an agreement with Kansas City Southern Railroad for the installation of wayside horns.  Staff has been in contact with Kansas City Southern Railroad and Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool (city’s insurance) regarding such agreement and is finalizing the details to address insurance and indemnity provisions.  An agreement has been entered into with Railroad Controls Limited, Inc. to install the wayside horns and they are in the process of obtaining insurance.  Once insurance is obtained and the agreement is executed, it will take approximately 90 days to complete installation of the wayside horns.

Click here for a map of transportation projects and estimated time lines.