SANGER SENTINEL
CITY MANAGER HIGHLIGHTS
Dear Residents of Sanger,
As we approach the final quarter of 2024, I want to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful events we’ve shared this year and give you a glimpse of what’s to come in the months ahead.
I hope many of you were able to join us downtown for the Old Bolivar Station Songwriter Festival. This year’s event was a tremendous success, with artists from all over the country gracing our stage. We were especially thrilled to have Jordan Sheppard and the Cypress Knees as our headliners. The festival truly brought our community together, and we look forward to building on this success in the years to come.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to invite you to our annual Christmas on the Square and Holiday Parade on December 7th. This festive day will be filled with holiday cheer, featuring craft vendors, the joyful sounds of the season, a Kidz Zone, photos with Santa, and special activities with Mrs. Claus. The evening will culminate with our Holiday Parade, and this year’s theme, “Gingerbread and Candy Land,” promises to be a visual treat for all ages. There’s still time to get involved—whether you’d like to sponsor, become a vendor, or enter your float in the parade. For more details, visit www.discoversanger.com/christmasonthesquare.
We’re also thrilled to announce that Sanger has once again been chosen by Santa to host his special Letters to Santa mailbox in the Downtown Park gazebo. Starting December 2nd, your child can drop their letter—no postage required—into this magical mailbox. Be sure to include your return address, and Santa will send a personalized letter back! The mailbox will be available until December 17th, so don’t miss this chance to add some holiday magic to your family’s season.
Beyond the holiday celebrations, we have several exciting projects in the works. The proposed
Downtown Park will be a destination gathering space designed to enhance the heart of our community for both visitors and residents. We’re also moving forward with Phase 2 of the Porter Park project, which will further enrich our local amenities. To stay updated on these and other future projects, please visit our website at sangertexas.org under the “Residents” and “Future Projects” sections.
We encourage you to stay connected with us throughout the season. All the ways to stay informed about city news and events can be found on our website under “Marketing/Stay Connected.”
As we head into the holiday season, I wish each of you a safe and joyful time with your loved ones. Thank you for being a part of what makes Sanger such a wonderful place to live.
Warm regards,
John Noblitt City Manager, Sanger, Texas
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
STAY CONNECTED
Did you know that Sanger has many ways to stay connected to what is happening in the City? Below, we feature all the ways to keep you connected.
Websites
Sangertexas.org
DiscoverSanger.com (City Tourism Site) Sangertxedc.org (Sanger Economic Development)
The City of Sanger launched the official podcast of Sanger, TX, The 266 Express.
Listen Here!
City Government Social Media
City of Sanger TX
Sanger Texas
Sanger Economic Development
City of Sanger TX
Sanger Texas
Department Social Media
Sanger, TX Parks and Recreation
Sanger Police Department
City of Sanger Texas Fire Department
UTILITY SERVICES
Customer Service
Contact Number: 940-458-7930
EMAIL: utilitybilling@sangertexas.org
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 Republic Services. 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 Republic Services and are billed by the City of Sanger monthly on your utility bills.
For missed collections or service issues, contact Republic Services at 972-316-0789
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.
The Sanger City Council meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 7:00 PM.
Location:
Sanger Historical Church 403 N. 7th Street
City
of Sanger City Council Members
The City of Sanger is a “Home-Rule Municipality” governed by a Mayor and six City Council members who are elected by the residents.
Thomas Muir Mayor
Gary Bilyeu Mayor Pro Tem
Marissa Barrett Place 1
Dennis Dillon Place 3
Allen Chick Place 4
Victor Gann Place 5
SANGER CITY COUNCIL
For a list of upcoming meetings and to download agendas, click here.
SANGER
The Sanger EDC mission is to expand the local tax base, creating a diversified, vibrant, and sustainable economy and enhancing the quality of life for residents and the business community. Our primary focus is on business attraction, business retention, and marketing/tourism for the City of Sanger. We love to help businesses achieve their goals. To learn more about how we serve the community, drop by our office or schedule an introductory meeting.
Please contact sbardshaw@sangertexas.org for more information or to schedule a meeting.
SANGER EDC Local Business Programs
Property Enhancement Incentive Program
• All businesses in the City of Sanger are eligible.
• This program provides grants in the form of reimbursement for up to $10,000 for eligible improvements to business facades.
• Participants are eligible for up to one grant in a twelve-month period from completion of the previous grant.
• Find the guidlines online at www.sangertxedc.org Click here for the application.
Business Spotlight Videos
• All business owners and entrepreneurs in the City of Sanger are eligible to participate.
• The Sanger EDC will produce one free video within a twelve-month timeframe.
• Videos are shared with the business owner and posted on the EDC social pages.
• Business owners are encouraged to use them to promote their business.
• To have your business featured, send an email to sbradshaw@sangertexas.org.
Talent Tuesday
• Are you struggling to find employees? Let the EDC help.
• All Sanger businesses are eligible to participate.
• The Sanger EDC will create and post an ad for your open positions. These openings will be advertised across Facebook to all of Sanger plus twenty-five miles.
• Ads run for 7 days.
• For more information or to participate, send an email to sbradshaw@sangertexas.org.
Welcome New Business
• Autozone – 1604 W. Chapman Drive
• Whistle Stop Tea Room – 308 Bolivar (Inside Vintage Variety)
Economic Development 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.
City of Sanger Approves Incentive Package to Bring Tom Thumb Grocery Store to Sanger. Sanger, TX – October 1st, 2024 – The City of Sanger is pleased to announce that the Sanger Economic Development Corporation and the City of Sanger City Council have approved an economic development incentive package to support the development of a new full-service Tom Thumb grocery store. This major retail addition will be located at the southeast corner of FM 455 and I-35 within the Sanger Crossing Retail Development, developed by Malouf Interests. Read on
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES UPDATE
BELZ RD. RETAIL
• Retail site including grocery - working through platting.
• Plans are set for breaking ground in the fall.
• Multi-Family - 582, Townhomes - 18, Duplex - 12, Single
• Residential - 296, Commercial - 12 lots
• Self-storage site preparing to final plat.
• Multi-family site preparing to final plat.
LANE RANCH
• Phase 1 Preliminary and Final Plat approved.
• Moving to construction.
• The remainder of Lane Ranch is in the platting process
• Single Residential - 956, Townhomes - 130, Commercial 4
SANGER BUSINESS
• Retail development south of FM 455 and west of Sable Avenue
• In Platting Process.
SANGER INDUSTRIAL 2
• Industrial Development east side of I-35 and north of Lois Road east.
SANGER SCHOOLS
• All schools (Sanger High School, Clear Creek Intermediate, and Ag Barn) are under constructions.
PUBLIC WORKS
The utility relocation for the I-35 project continues to move forward. Currently crews are working to bore under I-35 for the water and sewer relocation just south of Lois road.
2024 Street Projects:
• The summer streets repair project is wrapping up. The final streets are being completed to include the repavement of Brooke, Laney, and Benjamin along with Rising Star, Duck Creek west of Keaton, Brook Glen, Fairfield, and Duck Creek east of Keaton.
• The parking spaces in Downtown are being restriped along with the crosswalks.
Water Meter Replacement Project:
• The crew is awaiting the delivery of the 2 inch + water meters.
• Meters are scheduled to arrive the 1st week in October.
• Once they are received, installation will begin.
FUTURE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SITE
• The city purchased the property in early 2023.
• A site on the property has been identified as a possible regional wastewater plant. This could be the last plant needed in Sanger.
• Areas have been identified to remain as open spaces for parks and trails.
• Additional water storage/system improvements may be located at the site.
• Finalizing the public purpose for the remainder of the acquisition.
• Property will be annexed, providing a larger future tax base over which the City tax burden can be spread
• Unused property will be sold for development, recouping much of the cost.
ELECTRICITY
• The City has entered into a long-term power agreement (16 years) with LCRA.
• No electricity cap on a fixed rate.
• No ancillary fees.
• The agreement is expected to save the City significant dollars, which allows further reinvestment in capital improvements within the electric system.
• Additionally, the City engaged with Brazos Electric for substation improvements and expansion in 2025.
• These upgrades and expansion will position Sanger to have consistent and reliable electricity well into the future.
FUTURE PROJECTS
PORTER PARK PHASE 2
The Porter Park Phase 2 Expansion will include:
• Miracle League Field
• Baseball Fields
• Walking Trails
• Green Space
• Playground
• More
FUTURE PROJECTS
DOWNTOWN PARK
The goal for Sanger Downtown Park is to create an extension of the current downtown that would be flexible for both large events and daily use. Working from the Sanger 2040 Comprehensive Plan and the location of the site, the long-term vision for the project is to be a catalyst for future downtown development.
THANKFUL FOR THE
The History of Sanger is what we do at the Sanger Area Historical Society and Museum. We have been an organization since 1999, and a 501(c)3 non-profit organization which was formed to document the rich history of Sanger. The society in years past met at the Sanger Public Library which displayed our history binders in the library, and in one-half of a closet in the meeting room was our space to keep our supplies.
In 2014, the City of Sanger offered our organization the building where the museum is housed at 211 North Fifth Street. The history is still intact within those museum walls which also include many years of school annuals. In 2023, we reported to the City Council that since our museum opened in 2014, we averaged 8.46 people visiting the museum on Saturdays. We are most appreciative to the City for providing this building and support to keep and record the history of Sanger.
Along the way we are often rewarded for our work by people of Sanger providing us with family information, and photographs that picture the many years of Sanger and its growth; and most of all, the really old history. Early September 2024, Kaaran King Corbin visited our museum. She is the daughter of Billie Dean Sullivan King and Harold B. King; and granddaughter of Bob and Minnie King and Gordon “Speedy” and Billie Cowling Sullivan. Kaaran brought photographs to our museum that are priceless. Some of the photographs are from very early years of Sanger. These pictures lead to the following information about Johnny Chambers.
One of our former members of SAHS, Johnny Chambers, was the son of one of Sanger’s first historians, Alma Lain Chambers. He often told the story of being a very young boy in grade
school with sad reflections as he told this story and written in his words as follows:
“In my early years there were many personal incidents I remember well. One was in 1928 when I was in the second grade. I was 7 and madly in love with Billie Dean Sullivan, age 6. Several of the mothers decided to put on the production “Wedding of the Painted Doll.” I was cast as the preacher, Billie Dean was the bride and George Burks, the groom because he was the only boy having a suit with long pants. Sonny Wheeler was the father; Dorothy Hall was the mother and Isla Ruth Pate was Little Red Riding Hood. I was devastated. I knew I should be the groom and kept telling my mother I was mis-casted. All the time she kept working on my costume. All she would say, “Johnny, you will make a fine preacher.” I didn’t give up. She didn’t change. The fateful day finally came. We were on stage in the assembly hall. The whole school was there. No one knew how pained I was; but I had to carry on. You know the outcome. Standing before 400 students I was forced to marry the woman I loved to another man.”
Johnny was asked if he had photographs of this “wedding” and he said he did not.
Recently Billie Dean Sullivan’s daughter, Kaaran King Corbin,
George BurksBillie Dean Sullivan
Johnny Chambers
Cast of “The
HISTORY OF SANGER
By Sanger Area Historical Society and Museum
arrived with photographs. As the folder was opened, the first of the photographs showed a wedding in grade school! The thrill of seeing pictures of the event Johnny often spoke about was elation to our museum as we have known about this event, but only imagined in our minds. Now we had the proof of the occurrence.
Johnny passed away in 2015 at the age of 83 and the Sanger Area Historical Society lost a long-time member and historian with a wealth of Sanger knowledge.
The uncle of Billie Dean Sullivan, Dean Sullivan, was an undertaker with Gordon “Speedy” Sullivan. The family owned a funeral home located on Peach Street just east of Fifth, which later burned, and a furniture store was located in the block between Elm and Bolivar Streets facing Fourth Street. We now have photographs of the outside of the store taken at night, and a photograph of the inside of the furniture store with Gordon “Speedy” Sullivan, Dean Sullivan, and employee, Jeff Cornett in the photograph.
Bob and Minnie King, along with son, Harold B. King, owned the King Grocery which was located in the WOW building on Bolivar Street between 3rd and 4th Streets. Our museum
now owns a photograph of the inside of this grocery business showing Harold B. and his mother, Minnie. During these years there were always several grocery stores in the downtown
locations. These were “mom and pop” stores with typically one aisle going in, and one aisle coming out.
The City of Sanger offices were having work done in the attic of the old First National Bank building and a banker’s box of cancelled checks and booklets were found which date back to 1900-1918. These are being cleaned from dust and residue but each one tells a story about the early years of our beloved community. A future article will discuss the findings of these old bank records, long stored in the attic of the old bank building.
Groom, Sullivan - Bride, Chambers - Preacher
“The Painted Doll
Harold B. King and mother, Minnie King; King Grocery
UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, October 5th, 2024 4:30 - 10:00 PM Downtown Christmas on the & Holiday Parade
Saturday, December 7th, 2:00 - 8:30 PM Downtown
Sanger Clean Up Day - Fall
Saturday, October 19th, 2024
8 am - 11 am
Railroad park
SANGER PUBLIC LIBRARY
City of Sanger Approves Incentive Package to
Sanger, TX – October 1st, 2024 – The City of Sanger is pleased to announce that the Sanger Economic Development Corporation and the City of Sanger City Council have approved an economic development incentive package to support the development of a new full-service Tom Thumb grocery store. This major retail addition will be located at the southeast corner of FM 455 and I-35 within the Sanger Crossing Retail Development, developed by Malouf Interests.
The new 50,000-square-foot Tom Thumb store will feature a full array of services, including a pharmacy and drive-thru service window and departments for fresh produce, deli, bakery, meat, seafood, and floral. In addition to in-store shopping, customers will enjoy the convenience of shopping online for delivery or store pickup via the DriveUp & Go™ service.
In addition to the grocery store, this development will include 582 multi-family homes, 18 townhomes, 12 duplex units, 296 single residential units, and 18 commercial lots, providing significant growth opportunities for the Sanger community.
Tom Thumb, Division President Wes Jackson, stated, “We are honored and grateful to the City of Sanger and excited about this opportunity.
The approval of the incentive package is an important step in the process of bringing the potential new store to life. The new Tom Thumb store will not only bring meaningful jobs to the area but will also provide residents with convenient access to fresh food, pharmacy services, and exceptional customer care. We look forward to serving this vibrant community.”
Mayor Thomas Muir shared his excitement about the project, saying, “The Sanger community has long expressed its desire for a quality grocery store, and it has been one of our biggest priorities. We are thrilled to welcome Tom Thumb to Sanger, and we believe this development will serve as a cornerstone for continued growth and provide our residents with convenient access to the services they need.”
A special thank you goes to Shani Bradshaw, our Director of Economic Development, for her relentless efforts over the past four years. Shani’s dedication to promoting Sanger’s growth and negotiating an incentive package that benefits everyone has been key to making this a reality. Also, a big thank you to our City Manager, John Noblitt, for his instrumental role in pushing this project forward.
The Economic Development Incentive Package includes a $1 million grant from the 4B Economic Development Board, provided in the form of a forgivable loan. The City of Sanger has committed to a one-time construction completion grant of $750,000, contingent upon
to Bring Tom Thumb Grocery Store to Sanger
Tom Thumb securing a Certificate of Occupancy by December 31, 2026. Additionally, the City will offer up to $56,250 per full month for early occupancy and operation, up to 8 months before the agreed-upon date, for a total incentive package of up to $450,000 for early completion.
The Tom Thumb store is predicted to be a cornerstone in the ongoing growth and development of the City of Sanger, enhancing both the economic landscape and the quality of life for residents. It is anticipated that Tom Thumb will be announcing a groundbreaking ceremony in the coming weeks.
