JANUARY 2023
Branch Review C I T Y
O F
FA R M E R S
B R A N C H ,
T E X A S the official
city of farmers branch
NEWSLETTER
New City Leadership Team in Place
Mayor Bill Glancy
City Manager Ben Williamson
Deputy City Manager Michael Mashburn
Chief of Staff Jawaria Tareen
In November, the City Council voted unanimously to appoint Bill Glancy as Mayor and to select Assistant City Manager Ben Williamson as the next City Manager. Mayor Glancy will be sworn into office on December 13, replacing former Mayor Robert Dye for the last six months of the current mayoral term. Glancy previously served as the City’s mayor from 2011 to 2014, on the City Council from 1982 to 1986, and on the City’s Planning and Zoning Board. Mayor Glancy does not intend to run for another term. Williamson has been with the City since January 2017 and, during his time as Assistant City Manager, has supervised the Fire Department, Sustainability & Public Health, Community Services, Neighborhood Services, and Public Works. Prior to Farmers Branch, he worked in emergency management at the City of Southlake and the City of Garland. Williamson will start his new role as City Manager on December 3. His first action was to assemble his leadership team, appointing Deputy City Manager Michael Mashburn and Chief of Staff Jawaria Tareen. Mashburn was previously serving as Director of the Parks & Recreation Department. He started with the City in April 2018 as Assistant Director of the Department and, prior to that, worked in recreation management at the City of Keller. Over the years, Mashburn’s teams have won numerous awards across local, state, national and even international levels. The most notable being the 2021 Texas Recreation & Park Society Gold Medal award, which recognizes the top recreational agency in the state over a three-year period. Tareen joined the City in 2020 as the manager of Environmental Health and was promoted to the deputy director position of Sustainability & Public Health in early 2022. Prior to serving in municipal government, she worked in various capacities with the American University of Beirut and other international organizations such as the World Health Organization’s Regional Centre for Environmental Health Actions and the World-Wide Fund for Nature.
farmersbranchtx.gov
Upcoming Elections special Election: City Council Place 3 EARLY VOTING, JANUARY 4-17 Manske Library January 4-7 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. January 8 12 - 6 p.m. January 9-14 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. January 15 12 - 6 p.m. January 16 Polls closed January 17 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ELECTION DAY, JANUARY 21 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Manske Library The last day to register to vote is December 23, and you must apply for mail-by-ballot by January 10.
May 6 General Election
The positions of Mayor and City Council Place 2 will be on the ballot. Candidate packets will be available online and at the City Secretary’s Office beginning December 16, and candidates must file between January 18 and February 17.
City Holiday Hours SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, NEW YEAR’S DAY City facilities are closed MONDAY, JANUARY 2 Most City facilities are open Historical Park is closed Animal Adoption Center is closed City Hall is closed Garbage / recycling will be collected MONDAY, JANUARY 16 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY Library is closed All other City facilities are open Garbage / recycling will be collected
sign up now to make the Power Switch If your current electricity contract ends between February 8 and May 9, you have until January 17 to register for the group energy-buying program, Power Switch, comprised of 100% renewable energy. Power Switch allows residents to lower their electricity rates by purchasing higher volumes as a group. For more information, and to register, visit texaspowerswitch.com.
Earn Girl Scout BAdges at Historical Park A variety of Girl Scout programs are offered at Historical Park. Visit fbhistoricalpark.com. PATCH WORKSHOP: MAKE IT/TAKE IT SWAPS Monday, January 16 | 9 - 11 a.m. $15 per Scout, includes patch and all materials; space is limited, and pre-registration is required SWAPS, a Girl Scout tradition promoting friendship, stands for “Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere or Share With A Pal.” The workshop is recommended for Daisies, Brownies and Juniors. FLAG PROGRAM Monday-Friday | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $15 per Scout, includes all materials Adventures are available for all Girl Scout levels. BADGE WORKSHOPS $15 per Scout, includes all materials • Daisies: Good Neighbor and Outdoor Art Maker • Brownies: Celebrating Community, My Family Story and Outdoor Art Creator • Juniors: Flowers, Gardener, Inside Government, Outdoor Art Explorer, Playing the Past and Social Butterfly • Cadettes: Outdoor Art Apprentice
BULK PICKUP Week
january S
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
28
29
30
31
During Bulk Pickup Week, January 2-6, the Green Grabber will pick up bulk items such as furniture, large appliances, brush and other items that cannot be placed in a garbage bag. Please follow these guidelines: • The Green Grabber does not pick up glass or garbage bags. • Be sure items are not blocked by vehicles, trees, utility poles or other structures. • Artificial Christmas trees and trees with decorations — including tinsel, lights, ornaments or flocking — should be placed out with other bulk items. • Natural Christmas trees can be set out with brush if all decorations have been removed. • Do not place a Christmas tree of any kind in a City recycling bin. Visit farmersbranchtx.gov/brushbulky for more information and tips. Bulk items may also be taken to the Citizen Collection Center, located at 1399 Valley View Ln. The center is open Thursday-Saturday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 12:30 - 6 p.m. There is no cost to use the center, but you must provide proof of Farmers Branch residency.
Rec Center Update Phase 2 of the Community Recreation Center renovation, which primarily includes improvements to the second floor, began in October and is on track to be completed in early 2023. In addition to updating the second-floor aesthetics, new state-of-the art equipment will be installed.
Save the Date For more information about the status of the project and the center’s re-opening celebration, visit fbreccenter.com and follow @FarmersBranchCRC on Facebook.
escanear para español