Sanger Sentinel August 2023

SENTINEL

CONNECT WITH US

City Hall Address

502 Elm Street

Sanger, TX 76266

Hours: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM M-TH 7:30 AM - 11:00 AM F

Phone: 940-458-7930

Online: Sangertexasorg

Facebook: @SangerTexas

STAY CONNECTED

Follow us on all of our social media accounts to stay up to date on everything Sanger!

@CITYOFSANGERTX | @SANGERPARKSANDRECREATION

@SANGERPOLICEDEPARTMENT | @CITYOFSANGERTEXASFIREDEPARTMENT

@SANGERPUBLICLIBRARY

The City of Sanger is launching the official podcast of Sanger, TX, The 266 Express. Watch our FB feed for the 1st episode featuring our Old Bolivar Station Songwriter Fest headliner, Buddy Jewell.

HIGHLIGHTS CITY MANAGER

Greetings, Sanger! Happy August Soon all of our kids will be headed back to school! Before the first day, please bring them to our Back 2 School Bash on August 12 at Switzer Park. We have a great event planned full of water slides, activities, and a couple of food trucks. Bring your chairs and blankets; we will close the evening with a family-friendly movie at the dark.

I want to thank everyone who supported us for our annual Freedom Fest Celebration Also, thank you to everyone who has provided feedback. The staff has taken all of your comments and has already begun planning for next year's event. Watch our social channels for the big announcement of our headliner for 2024!

Sanger is overflowing with great events Please join me on September 23rd for our first Old Bolivar Street Songwriter (OBS) Festival We have over 50 performers across two main stages and four venues. This promises to be a great event.

Watch our social channels for the announcement of the 255 Express Podcast. This will be the official podcast of the City of Sanger. Our first episode will air at the end of August. Buddy Jewell, our headliner for the OBS Festival, will be our first guest

You will see many road construction and repairs going on in the City. We have kicked off our annual maintenance and repair program. Please bear with us as we make these improvements. Additionally, we are happy to announce that Belz Rd. and Marion Rd. are on the list with the County for reconstruction. As a part of the bond package that passed several months ago, these roads were included in the repairs Now, your City Council is prepared to pass funding so we can begin engineering for both projects This will be a long-term project. watch our Facebook feed for further updates.

Thank you for your time.

John Noblitt City Manager

Click the Video for the Monthly Update with the

SANGER CITY COUNCIL

Meetings

UTILITY SERVICES

Customer Service

Contact Number: 940-458-7930

EMAIL: utilitybilling@sangertexasorg

Start/Stop Utility Service

Click Here

Click Here for on line utility payments

To report a water issue after hours, call: 940-299-5358

Sanger Utilities

The City of Sanger provides water service to City residents. The City also provides electric services to some areas of the community. Please contact our Utility Customer Service to confirm your provider

Trash and Recycling services are provided through Waste Connections

To start or stop service, please contact the City of Sanger Utility Billing Department or visit us on line at SangerTexas.org for more information.

Trash & Recycling

Trash and recycling services in Sanger are provided by Waste Connections and are billed by the City of Sanger monthly on your utility bills

For missed collections or service issues, contact Waste Connections: 800-909-9061.

For billing questions, contact Sanger Customer Service in City Hall at:940-909-9061 or email utilitybilling@sangertexas.org.

For more information, CLICK HERE.

For a list of frequently asked questions visit this site.

City of Sanger Bulk Pickup Guidelines

Bulk Pickup will be on your second pick-up service day

Up to three (3) cubic yards can be set out on your service day. See picture below of an estimate of what 3 cubic yards measures.

For tree limb pick up please add your address to the pick-up list on Sanger Connected or call 940-458-7930 For more information regarding tree limbs, please see our Brush Removal Service

Upcoming Events

Back 2 School Bash

August 12, 2023

Sanger Clean-up Day

October 7, 2023

Sanger Sellabration

October 23, 2023

Christmas on the Square

December 2, 2023

Water Conservation

With the hot summer months arriving, we want to remind you that is is important to conserve water. Here are some tips to help you conserve water.

ENERGY CONSERVATION

One step outside reminds us that it is summertime in Texas. Mother Nature has turned up the heat and we don't have any relief insight for the foreseeable future. This excessive heat causes a major strain on the power grid. Please help us reduce the strain by following these energy-saving tips.

S A N G E R E D C

Property Enhancement Incentive Program

Are you a business in the City of Sanger that is looking to enhance your existing site visually or in ways that increase the viability of your property for business use? This program provides grants in the form of reimbursement up to ten thousand ($10,000) for eligible improvements to facades in the City of Sanger. Participants are eligible for up to one (1) grant in a twelve (12) month period from completion of the previous grant The Program’s grant application process is administered by the City of Sanger’s Economic Development Corporation – applications and program guidelines are available online at www.sangertxedc.org. You can also call 940-458-2059 to speak directly with the Economic Development Office about the program, find out if your proposed improvement may be eligible for consideration, or with any questions or comments

Job Listings

Is your business hiring? Let us help you advertise your open position! Every Tuesday, we will spotlight job opportunities that are available in our business community. All we need from you is your company name, the position(s) available, and if the position is full or part-time.

SANGER EDC

LET'S CONNECT

Our focus is assisting Sanger businesses with their needs and developing a working relationship to connect them with resources and programs that will improve the business climate and achieve economic success.

We want to get to know you and your business! If you would like to schedule an on-site meeting, please contact Shani Bradshaw at 940-458-2059 or by email at sbradshaw@sangertexas.org to arrange a time that is convenient for you. We look forward to hearing from you!

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

The Sanger Economic Development E-Newsletter aims to make it easy for you to know what development projects are going on in Sanger. Stay connected with news, updates and opportunities that will help our Sanger business community. Click here to subscribe

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

VIDEOS

Check out the new spotlight video below:

Gibson Insurance Agency is Open for Business

In Sanger, we are passionate about business and even more passionate about local business. This is why we like to shop and promote local as much as possible. To help support and promote Sanger’s growing community of business owners and entrepreneurs, the Sanger EDC will produce free videos for our local businesses every year. These videos are shared across Sanger’s social media pages, and businesses are encouraged to share and use the videos to help promote their business.

Interested in having your business featured?

Send us an email at sbradshaw@sangertexas.org with “Business Spotlight Video Request” as the subject line. Please include the following information in your email:

·Your name

·Your organization’s name and street address

·Your phone number

·A note about why your business is exciting or unique!

SANGER PUBLIC LIBRARY

SANGER PUBLIC LIBRARY

CHIEF TYSON CHEEK SWEARING IN

On July 17th, Chief Cheek was publically sworn in as the Interim Police Chief for the Sanger PD.

Pictured with his wife and daughter outside the Sanger Historic Church.

STORY TIME WITH SANGER PD

In June, Lt. Lewis visited the City of Sanger Library for a special story time. After he finished reading to the children, he took them outside so they could explore his cruiser.

Department Highlights

Development Services Permits

New Residential –16

Residential Remodel –62

New Commercial - 2

Commercial Alterations – 3

Miscellaneous- 1

Certificate of Occupancy - 0

Emergency Responses

The Sanger Fire Department responded to 210 emergency incidents during the month of April. The top four busiest incident types:

89

Planning & Zoning

Staff conducted the following meetings relating to development (this does not include walk-in or front counter meetings with applicants/citizens or phone calls)

Pre- Application/Construction - 2

Meetings with Developers/Landowners - 9

Meetings with Builders/Building Owners - 3

Organization Meetings (NTCOG, ICC, etc.) - 1

Internal Meetings – 10 Training – 2

Code Enforcement

Cases open - 60

Complaint received - 9

Cases closed - 57

Average # of days to close case - 9

Citations issued - 5

Worker orders issued 5

Liens filed - 0

Signs pulled - 81

Upcoming Street Projects for the Summer

7th Street between Willow and Houston

Oak Street between Wood and Dead End

Wood Street between 10th and I-35

Church Street between 7th and 10th

Denton Street between Houston and Marshall

Bolivar Street between 2nd and 5th

South Manor Ct between South Meadow Dr and cul-desac

We are also making preparations to install new back up electrical generators at Utility Road water well site, Well #6, City Hall, Fire Station and Police Station.

“Lost Soldiers of Sanger World War I & II & Vietnam” By Sanger Area Historical Society and Museum

The soldiers lost during world wars were numerous for the small population of the Sanger community in the early years. Most notable is the death of Tillman Guinn in World War I. He was the first soldier in Denton County to be lost during the war and was the only young man from Sanger to lose his life during this war.

The young men from Sanger who served and sacrificed for their country were:

World War I

Tillman Guinn

World War II

Cordell Blakeley

Alvin Cowling

Leland Dawson

J.C. Boley Jones

Clyde Kelly

Ellsworth Lewis

Kenneth Lynch

Jack Melton

J.W. McWilliams

Virgil Miller

Wallace Pace

Korean Conflict

John Doyle

Billy Payne

Billy Joe Stice

Vietnam

Santos Dominguez

The Veterans Memorial marker is located on the northwest corner of the downtown park in Sanger between Bolivar and Elm Streets off Fifth Street. The Wednesday Study Club was instrumental in providing the Veterans War Memorial.

One young man was from a family of soldiers who fought in WWII There were seven sons and three daughters of Ollie Garfield and Jennie Belle Melton:

Seaborn

Thomas “Buck” Alfred

Linnie Mae

Luther Lee

Lillie Belle

Alvin Ben

Ollie Jack

John Lewis

Elmer Dwayne

Ruth

Ollie Jack Melton lost his life fighting in the war for the Marine Corps as a Corporal rank. Ollie Jack was born December 17, 1921, and died March 19, 1945, at 23.

A photo of Mr and Mrs Melton shows the dedicated parents of these ten children. Mrs. Melton is shown with a photo of her and her five sons that fought in WWII with a star on the image of Ollie Jack, who sacrificed his life

Jennie Bell Melton with framed photographs of five of her sons in the military. They all came home except for Jack, whose picture is in the middle with the star in the upper left corner

The article is copied below from an article written by one of Sanger’s historians, Eunice Gray, who wrote about Corporal Jack Melton for the “Sanger Courier ”

“Corporal Jack Melton of Sanger received the Silver Star for gallantry posthumously. He died on Iwo Jima on March 19, 1945. The Navy Citation for this Marine reads: “The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal posthumously to Corporal Jack Melton, United States Marine Corps, for service outlined in the following Citation:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Company H, Third Battalion, Twenty-seventh, on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 19 March 1945. Waging an attack with his company against a stubborn pocket of Japanese resistance deeply entrenched on the commanding group and fortified by heavily armed pillboxes and caves, Corporal Melton voluntarily took over a rocket launcher when its operator fell under the enemy’s furious barrage and, fearlessly braving intense machine-gun fire, advanced to a highly vulnerable position with complete disregard for his safety, fired three rockets upon the hostile emplacement and destroyed it before he was mortally wounded by fire from a neighboring enemy machine gun. His indomitable fighting spirit and outstanding courage always inspired his squad and reflected the highest credit upon Corporal Melton and the United States Naval Service He gallantly gave his life for his country For the President, by James Forestal, Secretary of the Navy

“Jack Melton also received the Purple Heart and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal posthumously.

“One of ten children, Ollie Jack Melton was born east of Sanger on December 17, 1921 He was the son of Mr and Mrs O G Melton, a graduate of Sanger High School and a Union Hill Baptist Church member.

“Melton was with the Civil Service for one year in Alaska before entering the Marine Corps on January 6, 1943. He reported for boot training at Camp Gillespie, San Diego, California

“He went overseas in the First Marine Paratroops division and made jumps at Vila LaValle, Choiseul Guadalcanal, and Bougainville. He returned to the United States in January 1944 and went overseas again in August 1944 with the 3rd Battalion, Co. H 27th Marines, 5th Division from Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California.

“On November 8, 1943, Jack Melton received a commendation for action on Choiseul Island, British Solomon Islands. ‘On the night of October 27, 1943, the Second Marine Parachute Battalion (Reinforced) landed at Voza on Choiseul Island and, for seven days, conducted vigorous attacks against the Japanese forces on that island. They were withdrawn from Choiseul on the night of November 4-5, 1943, after having successfully carried out their mission against incredible odds

“A series of raids by your Marine Parachute Battalion destroyed several hundred tons of Japanese supplies, the capture of Japanese documents of great value to our nation, and the devastation of an enemy barge and staging area at Sangigal During the period on Choiseul, one hundred and forty-three Japanese were killed and an undetermined number wounded, with a loss of only eight killed and thirteen others injured in your battalion.

“Those highly commendable and aggressive actions on the part of the Second Parachute Battalion (Reinforced) contributed significantly to the success of the current operations in the South Pacific Area and were carried out in conformity with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps. A.A. Vandergrift, Commanding General, IMAC.

“In a folder held dear by his parents and family is the picture of the grave of Cpl. Jack Melton, American Hero He was buried in the 5th Marine Division Cemetery, Iwo Jima The cemetery was in the shape of a cross, set on a base, and this location is near the base of Mr. Suribachi.

“A message from K.E. Rockey, Maj. Gen. U.S. Marine Corps, Commanding 5th Marine, says, “Of the many heartbreaking tasks a fighting man must face, the most trying is the time he must leave a comrade who has made the supreme sacrifice on the field of battle The United States Marine Corps and the officers and men of this division want you to know that in your hours of bereavement, they have not forgotten his valor and sacrifice.

“A memorial service was held in the First Baptist Church of Sanger that Spring of 1945 in April, conducted by the Rev Fred Fisher, pastor Later the body of Jack Melton, 23, a hero, and Sanger man, was returned to the United States for burial His body arrived aboard the United States Army Transport Dalton Victory on the East Coast. Funeral services were held in the First Baptist Church of Sanger, with the Rev. L.C. Greer officiating. Burial was in the Sanger Cemetery with the Sanger America Legion in charge of military services.

“Pallbearers were: Alton Lee Johnson, Royce Harper, Kenneth Frady, James Ready, Jack Gheen, and Dick Ready.

“The Melton family resided in Sanger on Bolivar Street. They had six sons in the service of their country. In the same block was the Dawson family. They had seven sons in military service Each family lost one son in the service of his country

“The 23-year-old American hero, Cpl. Jack Melton was survived by his parents and the following brothers and sisters: Seaborn, Buck, Luther, Alvin, John, and Dwayne, and sisters Ruth Harper, Linnie Mae Hulsey, and Lillie Belle Horst

“Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13.

“The name of Jack Melton will appear on the Memorial Monument to the War Dead, which will be unveiled in the City Park on July 4, 1979 ”

Note:

We must pay tribute to Sanger’s previous historians who have kept history alive for the Sanger community. Without these great women who have captured history in many different forms, articles about Sanger may not have been possible Most of this information is found in the Sanger Area Historical Society Museum at the southwest corner of Fifth and Bolivar Streets.

There may have been a previous historian in earlier years, but there is nothing to refer to in our collections that has given a name to whom that may have been. Alma Lain Chambers was The first historian published in many writings, newspaper articles, and speeches over time She was instrumental in capturing the early years of Sanger’s history. Eunice Sullivan Gray was the second prolific historian for the community publishing a book and recordings with the history. When Mrs. Gray passed away, she left her extensive Sanger history portfolio at the TWU library. And finally, Idaleene Scheu Fuqua provided Sanger’s unwritten history in newspaper articles, books, and the personal touch of “down-home” stories Ms Fuqua lives in Denison, Texas, and will turn 100 in October 2023 We have much to be thankful for these ladies