CITY & SCHOOLS
News from Collin County, Richardson & Richardson ISD
HIGHLIGHTS RICHARDSON After the
Proposed Richardson budget increases city employee pay RICHARDSON The city’s proposed budget allocates additional funding to street maintenance while keeping the same property tax rate. BY CONNOR PITTMAN tax bill will increase by $141 due to rising property values.
Richardson City Council meets Sept. 4, 11, 28 and 25 at 6 p.m. Due to a re at City Hall, council meetings have been temporarily relocated to the Richardson Police Department at 600 N. Greenville Ave. www.cor.net Richardson ISD board of trustees meets Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. at the RISD Administrative Building. The meetings are streamed online at www.risd.org. MEETINGS WE COVER retirement of previous Parks and Recreation Director Lori Smeby in June, Yvonne Falgout was named the new parks and recreation director starting Aug. 1. Falgout has served as Richardson’s assistant director of recreation services since 2016, part of her nearly 30-year career as a parks and recreation professional, according to a news release. Falgout will oversee the department’s functions in the city, including managing and maintaining 1,000 acres of parkland and 90 miles of trails, overseeing special events, managing the department’s recreation, athletic and aquatic programs. COLLIN COUNTY The demand for houses in Collin County continues to rise, even as the area recorded a 5.3% decrease in median sales price year over year in June. The county saw a median sales price of $539,580 compared to $569,500 in June 2022, according to a Collin County Association of Realtors news release. Despite the price drop, the county’s months supply of homes for sale indicates a strong seller’s market. More than two months of supply were available in June. A market is considered balanced when there is a six-month supply of homes for sale, according to the news release. Collin County saw a 22.7% decrease in new listings, while houses took 19 days longer on average to sell compared to 2022.
employees. “The focus on people is foremost,” Magner said. The tax rate is expected to remain the same at $0.56095 per $100 valuation, including the $0.34316 maintenance and operations rate and the $0.21779 interest and sinking rate. However, the average homeowner’s
To address infrastructure, the proposed budget allocates over $7.69 million for street maintenance and rehabilitation. City Council is expected to approve the budget Aug. 28, after publication of this article.
Based on city documents, the pro- posed budget has revenues of more than $381 million and expenditures of about $399 million. City o cials expect the shortfall to be o set by the timing of federal grant funding, certain expenditures and previously set aside funds. The big picture: City Manager Don Magner said there were three areas of focus: infrastructure, public safety, and recruitment and retention. To help ll vacancies and retain talent, Magner said city sta included a 6% compensation increase for all city
RATE INCREASES In addition to a likely property tax bill increase, Richardson residents will also deal with other annual increases related to water and waste.
$29
$14 $12
increase for water service for 8,000 gallons per
wastewater bill increase based on 98% of water usage increase for solid waste to be paid with a at $1 monthly
month usage between October and May and 18,000 gallons per month between June and September
bill increase
SOURCE: CITY OF RICHARDSON COMMUNITY IMPACT
Richardson ISD to hire new campus security
Election set for $683M Collin County bond
BY CECILIA LENZEN
BY SAMANTHA DOUTY
RICHARDSON ISD O cials are planning to hire 36 new campus secu- rity o cers who will mostly focus on elementary schools to comply with House Bill 2, which requires armed guards at every Texas school. To fund the e ort, districts have received $15,000 in state funding per campus, which equals about $825,000 for RISD per year, along with a 28-cent increase in the state’s safety and security allotment per stu- dent that brings it to $10 per student. The expected cost for RISD is about $2.4 million.
COLLIN COUNTY Residents will see a $683 million bond package with ve propositions on the Nov. 7 ballot. The details: Proposition A includes $261.86 million for justice facility projects. Proposition B includes $5.7 mil- lion for the county’s animal shelter. Proposition C includes $13.36 mil- lion for a medical examiner’s o ce at 2300 Bloomdale Road, McKinney. Proposition D encompasses $22.45 million for parks and open
A dog at the Collin County Animal Shelter. (Community Impact sta )
spaces throughout the county. Proposition E would dedicate $380 million for various road projects. Collin County last called a bond election in 2018, which was approved. The $750 million bond package funded roadways and park projects.
Sain Catholic is one of o schools in ICLE school Catholic C is one of o schools in ICLE school
WHY A CATHOLIC CLASSICAL EDUCATION? Encouraging children to seek truth, goodness and beauty in all things will ultimately lead them to walk with Christ. At SPCCS, our fundamental tenets are faith, wisdom and virtue; the devel- opment of these tenets in our students helps build a foundation in Christ while providing them an enriching education. a classical curriculum includes the liberal arts, grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy, and Latin. a classical curriculum includes the liberal arts, grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy, and Latin. see beautiful works of art on the walls, the great books on our shelves, and thriving gardens outside our windows. The Catholic Classical student is curious, asks questions, and approaches the exciting journey of learning with a sense of wonder. In addition to the pursuit of goodness, truth and beauty, exciting journey of learning with a sense of wonder. In addition to the pursuit of goodness, truth and beauty, see beautiful works of art on the walls, the great books on our shelves, and thriving gardens outside our windows. The Catholic Classical student is curious, asks questions, and approaches the
FAITH WISDOM VIRTUE FAITH WISDOM VIRTUE ONE OF ONLY SIX INSTITUTE FOR CATHOLIC LIBERAL EDUCATION MEMBER SCHOOLS IN TEXAS AND THE ONLY PREMIER MEMBER 972.235.3263 | SPSDFW.ORG | 720 S FLOYD RD RICHARDSON, TX 75080
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RICHARDSON EDITION • AUGUST 2023
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