Sanger Sentinel January 2022

SANGER SENTINEL

CONNECTING THE CITY, RESIDENTS, AND BUSINESS JANUARY 2022

“Ask your City” - Page 17 Economic Development Update - Page 14-15 Sanger History Page 16

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:

Sangertexas.org

Facebook: @SangerTexas

The City of Sanger hosts multiple events throughout the year. Check our home page later this month for complete details. Be sure to follow the City Facebook page for complete details on all events.

Upcoming Closures Martin Luther King Day President’s Day

January 17, 2022 February 21, 2022

SANGER SENTINEL - January 2022

CONTENTS

8-9 Community Development

10-11 Meet Your Fire Department

16 Sanger History

Connect with us

pg. 2

Note from City Manager

pg. 4

City Council pg. 5 Utilities pg. 6 Tips for Cold Weather

pg. 7

Community Development

pg. 8

Meet the Fire Department

pg. 10

Meet the Police

pg. 12

Economic Development

pg. 14

Sanger History

pg. 16

Ask Your City

pg. 17

Sanger ISD pg. 18 Sanger Library

pg. 20

Chamber of Commerce

pg. 22

Note from City Secretary

pg. 24

SANGER SENTINEL

N

OTE FROM THE CITY MANAGER

John Noblitt Sanger, City Manager

H

appy New Year, Sanger! It is hard to believe that another holiday season is winding down, and 2021 is in the rear-view mirror. I hope you had a joyful holiday season with your loved ones and that you are feeling energized and recharged for 2022.

As we enter a new calendar year and close the book on 2021, I can’t help but reflect on the changes we made last year that will ultimately shape our future. The City underwent a change in leadership last August. Additionally, we brought in a new Director of Marketing, Donna Green, to help tell our story, grow events, and increase communication and transparency for the City. By mid-December, we hired a Parks Superintendent, Ryan Nolting, to develop our parks programs, and most recently, Chief Rhodes has joined the Sanger family to lead our Police Department.

With the new year comes a fresh start.

A new chapter is just waiting to be written. For the last twelve months, we have worked with an outside agency and sought public opinion through surveys and public meetings to define the future of Sanger. The Comprehensive Plan document outlines the vision for Sanger’s growth over several years. It is a living document that defines the vision and puts guidelines in place to help us achieve our

goals. For each decision we make about the City, we go back to the Comprehensive Plan and ask ourselves if what is being proposed meets the vision of the City. City Council was presented the Comprehensive Plan on December 20th. Adoption of the Plan is anticipated for late January. Once the plan is finalized, it will be posted on the City’s website for your reference.

City Administration is constantly striving to improve transparency. We are implementing an “Ask Your City” program to assist our efforts. Please see all the details on page 17. Let us know your thoughts.

As we enter this new year, the City of Sanger wishes all of our residents and businesses a Happy New Year filled with good health and prosperity!

-John Noblitt

SANGER CITY COUNCIL City Council meets the first and third Monday of each month.

Location: Sanger Historical Church 403 N. 7th Street Time: 7:00 PM

Thomas Muir Mayor

Marissa Barrett Place 1

Gary Bilyeu Place 2

Dennis Dillon Place 3

Allen Chick Place 4

Victor Gann Place 5

SANGER SENTINEL

UTILITY SERVICES TRASH & RECYCLING SERVICE

UTILITY CUSTOMER SERVICE Contact Number: 940-458-7930 EMAIL: utilitybilling@sangertexas.org Start/Stop Utility Service Click Here Click Here for online utility payments To report a water issue after hours, call: 940-299-5358

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.

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 online at SangerTexas.org for more information.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Click the links below for answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.

Apply for a Building Permit Garage Sale Permit Pay a Municipal Court Fee Report a Concern Report a Code Violation Request Public Information Request a Vehicle Accident Report Reserve a Parks facility View Public Notices Employment Opportunities

SANGER SENTINEL

COLD WEATHER ENERGY-SAVING TIPS Cold Weather Energy-Saving Tips: • Set your thermostat at 68°F or lower - every degree of extra heating will increase energy usage six to eight percent.

• Dress warmly.

• Use more blankets at night.

• Set ceiling fans on reverse to re-circulate the heat that builds up near the ceiling.

• Cover windows on winter nights with insulated curtains.

• Open interior blinds, drapes, or shades during the day to let the sun warm your home during cooler months.

FOR MORE TIPS VISIT THE PUC WEBSITE

SANGER SENTINEL

COMMUNITY DEVE I-35/ FM 455

Project is ongoing. The plans are at 60%. Full plan design is expected to be complete by October 2022. According to the TXDOT report from November 2021, there are 115 parcells for acquisition. Two of the parcels are in negotiations, one is in appraisal, 20 are in eminient domain (ED), and 92 are in possession for the -974 CSJ. The -116 are nearly all in possession.

FM 455

For maps and complete details on all Denton County Prec

ELOPMENT UPDATE Current project is ongoing. Plans are anticipated to be completed in January with the project going out to bid in August 2022. All 30 parcels of land needed for the project have now been acquired. Aso the TXDOT report in November, utiloity relocations are underway. Relocation project is expected to be ongoing through April 2022 or later.

I-35 North

Current project is ongoing. The completed plans are anticipated in January of 2022. The Let date (the day the project becomes open to bids) is August 2022. As of November’s report from TXDOT, movement of all utilities is ongoing.

cinct 1 highway projects, visit the Denton County website.

SANGER SENTINEL

Sanger Fire Department

Michelle Wiesner Williams

D

id you know that we have a famous actress that works for the City of Sanger Fire Department?

When I say “Michelle Wiesner Williams,” most people’s minds go to a whole list of movies and television shows such as Pageant Perfect, Skintight, CSI, Walker Texas Ranger, JFK the movie, or one of many other movies and shows.

Say the name Michelle around the Sanger Firehouse, and most will tell you that she is just one of the guys.

Michelle was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. She attended an all-girls private school up through graduation. She then moved to

Texas when she was 17 years old. She has more than 30 years of experience in acting. Check out her IMDB page or Google her to see all she has done. So, how does one go from being a famous actress to a firefighter? I sat down with her recently and asked her that very question.

“It all started with a need to volunteer and give back,” Michelle told me during our interview. “I had encountered some volunteer firefighters at an event I attended and thought it looked interesting. So, I was in Sanger, walked into the Firehouse, and just asked them what it took to do all this.” She motioned her hands around the station as she talked. From there, she told me it had just happened. “I volunteered a few years, took a couple of EMT positions, and then the full-time opportunity came up in Sanger.”

That was 12 years ago, and she is still here and loves it.

“

“

I don’t think of myself as a girl. Here in the Fire Department, I am just one of the guys.

Things are changing, and more and more women are becoming firefighters. Even with this thought in mind, I had to know why someone, especially a woman, would choose to run into a burning building. For Michelle, she says she doesn’t think about it. She has a desire to help. When I inquired about how tough the job is and the physical demands necessary to be a firefighter, she just shrugged her shoulders.

She says she never “plays the woman card.”

“This is a job where everyone has to pull their weight. We depend on each other to stay safe.

I know that when I do a rescue and have to go into dangerous situations, that my team has my back. They need to know that I have theirs as well”. And know it, her team certainly does.

Any of them are more than happy to work with Michelle.

each other’s company. She had convinced her husband to move to California so she could pursue a full-time acting career. However, life has a way of happening. Michelle and her husband ultimately decided that a family was more important, so they decided to have a baby.

She has no regrets after thirty years of marriage and a wonderful son. He recently graduated and is working for a major airline company and working toward his commercial pilot’s license.

She still gets calls and considers the occasional role, and she maintains all of her acting relationships. However, when the call comes over the radio for fire rescue, her eyes light up.

She is right where she wants to be.

Michelle’s advice for anyone considering becoming a firefighter. “ Volunteer first! Make sure this is something you really want to do. Visit your local firehouse and ask questions.” She says, “This is nothing like what you see on television.

This stuff is real. You see real fires and have to go into them. You see people get hurt, and unfortunately, not everyone makes it. That can be hard on a person. For those of us who love it, the positive far outweighs the negative.”

I asked Michelle about her acting career again.

I wanted to know if she still acts and what ultimately led her to full-time firefighting vs. full-time acting. Michelle told me that she met her husband shortly after getting to Texas. He is also in the business. However, he prefers the EMS side of things vs. the fires. They married and spent the first part of their marriage enjoying Article by City staff - Donna Green

Waylan Rhodes

Chief Rhodes began his career in law enforcement with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in June 1982. Over the course of his time in Harris County, he held several positions including patrol officer, warrant officer, crime suppression unit, community service officer, patrol sergeant, and S.W.A.T.

“

I am honored to serve as the next Police Chief for the City of Sanger”, said Rhodes. “I believe this is a place where I can have an immediate and positive impact. My experience has prepared me to lead this Police Department through the growth it will experience over the next five years and beyond.

“

Sanger Police Chief

O

n November 30, 2021, the City of Sanger, TX, announced Donald Waylan Rhodes as their new Chief of Police. Chief Rhodes was chosen from a pool of 38 qualified applicants from across the nation in a search for a successor to 36-year Sanger Veteran Chief Curtis Amyx.

In late 2002, Rhodes accepted a School Resource Officer position with the Little Elm Police Department. In late 2003 he was promoted to Chief of Police where he served for nearly 12 years growing the department from 14 officers to 42 while the city population grew from 8,000 to 33,000 by 2015.

By mid-May of 2015, the Chief announced his retirement and moved back to Humble, Texas. After only a couple of months, he was coaxed out of retirement to serve as Interim Chief of Police for the Bastrop Independent School District. He later went on to serve as Chief of Police for the City of Silsbee, Texas, and as Captain with the Manvel Police Department in 2019.

Most recently he was appointed as Interim Chief of Police for the City of Beeville as they conducted their search for a new full-time Chief.

Rhodes attended McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA, where he studied Criminal Justice. He holds certifications from Texas Law Enforcement Management Institute, FBI National Academy, FBI Command College, and TPCAF Executive Leadership.

Chief Rhodes has a beautiful wife that he credits much of his success to her support. Additionally, he has three children of his own (two boys and one girl) plus one step-daughter and the light of his life, a 12-year-old granddaughter. Chief’s first official day in Sanger was January 3.

WELCOME TO SANGER

CHIEF WAYLAN RHODES

anger Business Recognition Congratulations to M&B Tiny Shop on their oneyear anniversary in downtown Sanger! M&B Tiny Shop is located at 205 N. 4th Street and they have beautiful handbags, home décor and clothing from Guatemala and Mexico.

Pepper Belly BBQ is celebrating their eight-year anniversary in Sanger! Their menu features ribs, chicken, pulled pork, sausage and brisket. They are located at 203 E. Chapman Drive so make sure you stop by for some of their delicious award-winning BBQ. They also provide catering.

Sales Tax Sales tax collections in December for sales in October were $192,580.23 sales tax totals for FY 2021-2022 are $614,681.43 as compared to $620,243.86 for the same period last FY. 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 matching grants to reimburse commercial property owners or business operators for Eligible Enhancements made to their properties. 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.

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!

Help Support Our Sanger Businesses When you invest money in your local economy you’re not just helping local business owners – you’re helping yourself. You’re making Sanger a better place to live in, with a rich character, a thriving economy, and a tight knit community. The more local businesses prosper, the more new ones will open – making it easier to continue shopping locally in the future. Shop local and support our local businesses in SANGER! #ShopSangerTX Let’s keep our local businesses thriving! The Sanger Economic Development Corporation challenges you to write a positive review about a local business or restaurant where you’ve had a good experience over the past month, and tag it with #ShopSangerTX. We need our Sanger businesses and they need us!

Job Listings If your company is hiring, send your job postings to Sbradshaw@sangertexas.org, and we will post them on our social media.

The City of Sanger is a proud partner of the Sanger Area Chamber of Commerce. Visit the Sanger Chamber Area Chamber of Commerce; a valuable resource when establishing or growing your business.

S

ANGER SANTA FE RAILROAD STATION EMPLOYEES

S

anger originated in 1866 as a water stop on the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railroad for the steam engines pulling the train cars. The Chisholm Trail ran west of Bolivar with cattle herders taking their livestock to Kansas for the market, and with the railroad arrival, a side track, cattle pens, and a depot were built. Livestock owners began using the railroad for hauling the cattle to market. The town of Sanger sprang up around the railroad stop.

For many years, Fred Scheu was station agent for the newly named Santa Fe Railroad and spent two separate duties in the Sanger location. Scheu served in Sanger from 1916 to 1917 and from 1930 to 1946. He and his wife, Ida, lived at the northwest corner of Peach and 7th Streets with his children Freddie and Idaleene. Idaleene is still living and reached the age of 98 in October 2021. She resides in Denison currently. The photo of Scheu beside the Sanger depot was taken by his daughter when she was a young girl.

Ella Shultz Hall was a “Santa Fe Railroad girl.”

Ella grew up in Krum and was employed at the railroad depot in Sanger performing the different duties of a railroad girl, including one of the most difficult; climbing the pole to hang the “Stop or Go” lantern to give notice to the approaching train if there was a passenger waiting to board, or the train could keep going without a stop. In the early years, the ladies didn’t wear pants, but Ms. Ella convinced the station agent it would be more lady-like to wear pants because of their duties of climbing the poles. Ella Schultz Hall and Francis Flitten

Submitted by the Sanger Area Historical Society and Museum

Hollingsworth were two of the station ladies.

Francis Flitten married a local man, Cecil Hollingsworth, and Ella married a local man, Jack Hall. Ella retired from her duties with the railroad, and they had two daughters, Connie and Jacqueline. Ella’s daughter, Jacqueline Hall Campbell, provided the photo of her mother at the depot, and her daughter Connie passed away in 2003.

Ella is shown riding her bike to work. Note the cart in the background next to the railroad depot, possibly used for hauling the luggage or goods being delivered to town via the train.

Those were indeed the good old days and especially in Sanger, Texas.

Sanger lost its depot building in 1985 as the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad company no longer had Sanger on its stops route. The City of Sanger was requested to move the building from the railroad platform area. The station depot was moved behind Wilson Lumber Yard until 1999, when the depot building was sold and moved to Tioga to be converted to a commercial building. The building is still located just south of the main area of Tioga on the west side of Highway 377.

A Texas Historical Marker designating the arrival of the railway through Sanger was dedicated in September 2010 and is located near the railroad tracks on east Bolivar Street.

YOUR CI K TY AS One of the goals of the City of Sanger is to improve our transparency to businesses and our residents. To help us achieve this goal, we are implementing a new program called, Ask Your City.” The intent of the program is to allow business owners and resicents to submit questions to the City and have them answered monthly in our Sanger Sentinel. We will do our best to answer as many questions as we can each month with our focus and attention on topics that receive the most inquiries.

To submit your questions, please email us at Marketing@SangerTexas.org. Where appropriate, we will provide answers on our social media channels. Check the Ask Your City page of the Sanger Sentinel monthly for answers to the frequently asked questions.

SANGER ISD

SANGER ISD INFORMATIONAL BROCHURE

LOOKING FOR A REWARDING CAREER?

S

ANGER IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS

NOW HIRING!

The City of Sanger is hiring! To apply, please fill out this application and submit it to Applications@SangerTexas.org

• Facilities-Grounds Maintenance for Parks FT • Firefighter-Paramedic PT. • Library Assistant PT 2 of these positions.

• Maintenance Worker for Streets FT • Police Officer FT • Utility Worker I for Water FT

For complete job description details, please visit https://www.sangertexas.org/page/hr_employment

Starting the New Year with e-Power at the Library!

On January 11th you’ll have a perfect opportunity to: 1) Learn about the library’s e-resources, 2) Get one-on-one assistance with your e-devices, and 3) Check out the new study room. If you stop in the library between 3:00-5:00 pm that day, it’s possible you can do all of the above simultaneously!

The library has three eBook & eAudio services, as well as the Texshare collection of research databases. Like the Internet at large, Texshare provides a mind-boggling amount of information, but unlike many sources on the Internet, these services are more reliable. From journal articles on Native American tribes in North Texas to small engine repair guides, Texshare offers a wealth of resources.

With a Sanger Public Library card, you can use the Overdrive, Freading, and Hoopla services to check out eBooks, e-audiobooks, music, movies, episodes of TV series, and magazines.

The three services each have their own strengths, and library staff members can help you to get acquainted with them. They can also provide assistance with your smartphone, tablet, or laptop, particularly in how to use them to take advantage of the library’s e-services!

During the library’s recent renovation, a former staff work area was converted to a study room. It is available to the public on a first-come-first serve basis during the library’s normal hours of operation. The eBooks & More program on the 11th will be held in the library, with one-on-one assistance in the study room.

We look forward to seeing you in the library on January 11th, or anytime we’re open!

January 11, 2022

Reading Room

By Audrey Tolle, Library Director

SANGER AREA

Click here to visit the Chamber website.

Click here to become a member.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

from the City Secretary’s desk

Happy New Year, Sanger. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season.

I have some important information to share with you as we start the new year. First is our new web-based software for records requests, and secondly, we have the details around the upcoming general election.

The City will begin using JustFOIA to process Public Information Act requests. JustFOIA is web-based software for the submission of records requests. It automates the submission of the request and provides a user-friendly portal for the Requestor to manage and track the status of their request.

Additionally, this new software provides an efficient method and a central location for the City Secretary’s Office to gather responsive information electronically from various departments throughout the City. JustFOIA will continue using workflow automation to process requests and requestors will be notified once their request is complete.

Submit a request now.

GENERAL ELECTION INFORMATION SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2022 The City of Sanger General Election will be held Saturday, May 7, 2022, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. to elect a Mayor, Councilmember for Place 2, and Councilmember for Place 4 of the City Council.

Applications will be available for pick-up for filing a place on the ballot on January 19, 2022, at Sanger City Hall, 502 Elm Street, Sanger, Texas.

No applications will be accepted until January 19, 2022, at 7:30 a.m.

• The first day to file for a place on the ballot is January 19, 2022, at 7:30 a.m.

• The last day to File for a place on the ballot is February 18, 2022, by 5:00 p.m.

Notice of Deadline to File an Application for a Place on the Ballot Additional information, including Qualifications/Eligibility to file, can be found on the City’s website on the Election page.

This month’s housing report provided by: