City Manager’s Weekly Report To: Mayor and City Council From: Robert Ranc, City Manager
OCTOBER 23, 2026
UPCOMING EVENTS October 24: Beware! of the Square (4:00 - 9:00 PM, Downtown Square) October 27: City Council/CDC Joint Meeting (5:00 PM, Council Chambers) October 28: Elm Street Public Meeting (6:00 PM, Council Chambers) October 29: Smothermon Elementary School Trunk-or-Treat (5:00 PM, Smothermon Elementary School)
CITY UPDATES BEWARE! OF THE SQUARE RETURNS TO DOWNTOWN CELINA
The City will host its annual Beware! of the Square presented by Sinacola on Saturday, October 24, from 4:00 9:00 PM on the Downtown Square. This award-winning, family-friendly Halloween celebration continues to be one of Celina’s signature community events, bringing residents and visitors together for an evening of Halloween festivities in the heart of Downtown. This year’s event will feature trick-or-treating throughout the Downtown Square, a haunted house presented by the Celina ISD Theatre Department inside Two29 on the Square, a free Kid Zone, Cirque-style entertainment, a pumpkin decorating contest, family photo opportunities, craft activities, and more than 60 market and specialty vendors. The event is free and open to the public. In preparation for the event, parking restrictions will begin on Friday, October 23, with the closure of the AT&T Parking Lot, located across from Valley Vines and LSA Burger, and the Church of Christ Parking Lot. Additional road closures throughout the Downtown event footprint will begin at 6:00 AM on Saturday, October 24, to allow City staff, vendors, and event partners to safely prepare the area ahead of the 4:00 PM start time. Beware! of the Square remains a longstanding Celina tradition and provides an opportunity to showcase Downtown Celina while offering a safe, festive, and memorable Halloween experience for families.
E. ELM ST IMPROVEMENTS PUBLIC DESIGN MEETING The City’s Engineering Department will host a Public Design Meeting for the E. Elm St, S. Texas Dr, and E. Oak St Improvements on Wednesday, October 28, at 6:00 PM in the Celina City Council Chambers, located at 112 N. Colorado St. The meeting will provide residents, property owners, businesses, and other interested stakeholders with an opportunity to review the proposed design and preliminary plans for the upcoming infrastructure improvements. City staff and the project team will present an overview of the project, discuss proposed improvements and key
design elements, and answer questions from attendees. Public participation will be an important component of the meeting, providing those who may be affected by the project with an opportunity to learn more about the proposed improvements and provide comments and feedback as the design process continues.
CELINA SHOWCASES PLACEMAKING LEADERSHIP AT TEXAS APA CONFERENCE The City was represented at the annual Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) Conference, where Dusty McAfee, Director of Development Services, and Madhuri Mohan, Assistant Director of Development Services, served as presenters during one of the conference’s professional development sessions. McAfee and Mohan presented “Advanced Placemaking for Cities,” sharing Celina’s perspective and experiences related to creating distinctive, engaging, and community-focused places. The presentation provided an opportunity to highlight the City’s approach to thoughtful planning and placemaking while sharing strategies and lessons learned with planning professionals and municipal leaders from communities across Texas.
N. OKLAHOMA DR IMPROVEMENT PROJECT NEARS COMPLETION The N. Oklahoma Dr Improvement Project is nearing completion, marking another significant milestone in the City’s continued investment in Downtown infrastructure. SYB Construction Co., Inc. has substantially completed the roadway improvements, and N. Oklahoma Dr is now fully open to traffic from E. Pecan St to E. Malone St. With the roadway open, the contractor is completing the remaining project elements, including landscaping and lighting improvements throughout the corridor. These final enhancements will complete the overall project and further improve the appearance and functionality of N. Oklahoma Drive.
CELINA POLICE DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES BLUE SANTA PROGRAM
The Celina Police Department’s Blue Santa Program is officially underway for the 2026 holiday season. The annual program brings the community together to help provide Christmas gifts and holiday support to local families experiencing financial hardship. This year, nearly 100 families in need are available for adoption through the program. Residents, businesses, organizations, and community groups are encouraged to participate by adopting a family and helping ensure children and families throughout Celina can experience the joy of the holiday season. [ CLICK HERE TO ADOPT A FAMILY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON ]
DALLAS NORTH TOLLWAY PHASE 4A PROJECT: LANE CLOSURE NOTIFICATION As part of the continued progress on the DNT Phase 4A project, construction crews will soon implement targeted lane closures to support key project activities. These closures are necessary to facilitate the transport of topsoil, conduct mass haul operations, perform area cleanup, and set structural beams. It is important to note that full closure of the left lanes is not anticipated. Monday, October 19, through Tuesday, October 20: •
All lanes of southbound Dallas Pkwy from Light Farms Way to Frontier Pkwy will be closed overnight from 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
Tuesday, October 20, through Wednesday, October 21: •
All lanes of southbound Dallas Pkwy. from Frontier Pkwy. to Prosper Trl. will be closed overnight from 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
Wednesday, October 21, through Thursday, October 22: •
All lanes of southbound Dallas Pkwy. from Prosper Trl. to First St. will be closed overnight from 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
Thursday, October 22, through Saturday, October 24: •
All lanes of southbound Dallas Pkwy from First St to U.S. 380 will be closed overnight from 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
Monday, October 26, through Saturday, October 31: •
The northbound and southbound left lanes of Dallas Pkwy from First St to FM 428 will be closed daily from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM.
ROAD CLOSURES RESIDENT MAP The City‘s Road Closures Resident Map serves as a crucial tool for residents to remain informed about ongoing projects and associated road closures within the city. This comprehensive resource empowers individuals to plan their travel routes effectively, minimizing disruptions caused by construction activities. By clicking on the map or accessing the link above, residents gain access to the full interactive map, ensuring easy navigation and timely updates on the evolving infrastructure projects throughout Celina. [ CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ROAD CLOSURES MAP ]