September 2020
SunnyFest took on a new look this year Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SunnyFest looked a little different this year. On the basis of the CDC’s recommendations to avoid gathering in large crowds, Town administrators and the Town Council were forced to make the tough decision to cancel the Town’s normal annual Fourth of July celebration, SunnyFest. The decision was made with the health and safety of our community and Town staff members in mind. While we weren’t able to congregate at Town Center Park like we have done for years in the past, the Town had something BIGGER in mind. The decision was made to take the funding that was originally budgeted for activities at Sunnyfest, and put it into a bigger and brighter firework display. Photo Courtesy of William Kearney
Town staff also disseminated “party-in-a-bag” goody bags prior to the fireworks celebration to make the at-home experience a little brighter. They were a hit! While the Town is grateful for the positive feedback we received in regard to the “remote fireworks show,” we are looking forward to gathering together next July! SAVE THE DATE The Town will continue to monitor the Governor’s orders and the status of COVID-19 as we plan future events. Please do save the date for these upcoming events: Staff member Liz Stark hands out a “party-in-abag” to a local resident.
Veterans Day Recognition - Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.
Turkey Trot - Thanksgiving morning (Nov. 26) at 7 a.m.
Christmas Tree Lighting - Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m.
From the Mayor Dear Town of Sunnyvale Residents, We are quickly approaching the end of the Town of Sunnyvale’s fiscal year: Sept. 30. I can say unequivocally that 2020 has not been what we expected or planned for! Starting in February and continuing to today, we have adapted our operation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have taken many actions to not only help our residents through this crisis, but also protect the welfare of our employees and first responders. A few examples include:
Grants to Sunnyvale businesses to help get them through shutdowns;
Safety protocols in our facilities;
Curbside Library service;
Waiving of online payment fees; and,
A moratorium on water disconnections.
Sunnyvale Mayor Saji George
Through all of this we have tried to continue pursuing the goals we had set at the beginning of the year. It certainly has not been “business as usual;” but, I am proud that our team has been able to move forward with key projects that have been greatly needed in our community, including standing up our Police Department, moving forward with a new Fire Station, reconstruction of Collins Road, replacement of the sewer system in the Harris Addition, and design of major drainage projects. Conducting business remotely has been challenging. Our team quickly put in place the use of Zoom so that public meetings could continue, thanks to the actions of Texas Governor Greg Abbott who granted temporary suspension of certain rules to allow for telephone or videoconferencing of public meetings. We have also increased our use of our E-Newsflash and social media. If you are not registered to receive our notifications, I encourage you to do so at www.TownofSunnyvale/Communication. Finally, we have been working to develop our budget for the coming year. Knowing that many of you have been impacted by the pandemic, we have adopted a budget that will keep the tax rate the same as it is currently: $0.4567. Since June, we have had 12 public meetings to hear updates and allow input into the budget process. To formally adopt the budget, a public hearing was held on Sept. 14 and then the Council voted to adopt the budget on Sept. 17 and 18. Although this has been a challenging year for all of us, I am happy to see our families and our Town becoming even closer. Walking through our neighborhoods and parks, I have seen our residents out enjoying time together as a family – and we all know that Sunnyvale is the perfect place to do so! Blessings,
Capital Improvement Construction crews continue to make progress on North Collins Road from U.S. 80 to Tripp Road. The sewer lines are complete and the water lines and drainage are nearly complete.
Collins Road
The remaining water lines and drainage will be finished once the new pavement is poured. Stabilization is currently underway for the northbound lanes and once complete, permanent paving will take place. Construction on SH352 is also underway south of US 80.
Plans and bid documents for the Harris Addition Sewer and Alley replacement project are complete.
Harris Addition Sewer
Bidding is set to begin before the end of September. A recommendation for award of a construction contract will be presented to the Town Council in November. Construction is scheduled to begin after the contract is awarded. For information on this project, please contact Town Engineer Lyle Jenkins.
Jobson Road-Tripp Road: Survey and geotechnical work is complete; preliminary design should be completed and submitted to the Town for review in October.
Drainage Projects
Harris Addition along Tripp Road: Survey and geotechnical work is complete; currently in design. East Tripp (east of Collins Road): Survey and geotechnical work is complete; currently working on drainage maps and utility location drawings.
Upcoming projects: Tripp Road repaving, New Fire Station, New batting cages at Jobson Park.
Economic Development After serving as Interim Director since April 2020, Burton K. Barr was appointed as Economic Development Director for the Town of Sunnyvale on Aug. 13. Barr has been with the Town since September 2018, previously serving as the Parks Director. Barr holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is currently pursing his Master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus in Finance and Economic Development from the University of Texas at Arlington. He has more that 12 years of experience in local government, having served the City of Cleburne in multiple roles.
Economic Development Director Burton K. Barr
Development Services Charles Goff joined the Town of Sunnyvale on Sept. 17, holding a joint position of Assistant Town Manager and Director of Development Services. Charles comes to Sunnyvale from the Town of Addison where he previously served in multiple capacities, including the Director of Development Services from May 2019 - September 2020. Prior to his tenure as the Director of Development Services, Goff served as Assistant Director of Development Services and Assistant to the Town Manager.
Assistant Town Manager and Director of Development Services Charles Goff
Goff holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington, a Master’s Certificate in Development Review, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Economics, and International Studies from Baylor University. Please help welcome Charles to the Team!
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Town Highlights Senior Drive held for the class of 2020 Sunnyvale ISD partnered with the Town of Sunnyvale to host a Senior Drive on the morning of May 23. This event took the place of the traditional senior walk and provided an opportunity for Sunnyvale residents to celebrate seniors in honor of their upcoming graduation.
The Sunnyvale Class of 2020 graduated on June 26.
Town recognizes healthcare workers Headlights for Hope - an event to recognize and honor local healthcare workers, was held on Friday, May 15 in the Baylor Scott and White parking lot. Those in attendance made posters and celebrated healthcare workers by honking and flashing their headlights. The event ended with a parade of cars cheering on local healthcare workers.
Did you know… The Town of Sunnyvale partners with Dallas County and the Household Hazardous Waste Network to provide the citizens of the Town a hazardous waste collection program. This service is available to Sunnyvale residents at no charge. Household hazardous waste such as paint, pool chemicals, batteries, and more, can be disposed of at 11234 Plano Rd. Dallas, TX 75243. In order to dispose of household hazardous waste items, you will need to show proof of residency by presenting your driver’s license and a water bill or other utility bill. More information can be found on Dallas County’s website, under the Planning and Development department.
Doris Padgett Library We Are Open! Through all of the craziness of the last few months, the Doris Padgett Public Library is proud to be serving the people of Sunnyvale! Currently, the Library is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For the safety of our staff and patrons, only 10 patrons are allowed in the Library at any given time, and we ask that visits be limited to 30 minutes to allow others the opportunity to use our space. We also are not currently offering public computer services, but copy, fax, and printing services are still available for you; please call us for details. If you are still concerned about being in a public space, don’t worry! The Library is still offering curbside pickup service as well. To use it, place the books you’d like to check out on hold, using either our online catalog or by phone at (972) 226-4491. Once the Library notifies you that your items are ready, simply pull into a space in front of the Library during our public hours listed above and give us a call! Be sure to have your Library card ready so that you may be identified so that Library staff may check out your items and deliver them to your backseat or trunk. Your support during our closure was really appreciated, and we’re glad to be seeing you all again now that we’re back. If you haven’t been in the Library for a while, it’s a great time to come back in and bring a little bit of our Sunnyvale charm home with you again. We’re more than happy to get you everything you need to help you support your families as we navigate a unique school year. We can’t wait to help you. See you soon!
2020-2021 Budget On Sept. 18 the Town of Sunnyvale adopted the 2020/2021 fiscal year budget. The Town tax rate is .4567 per $100 valuation. Below, see how your total tax rate was distributed in 2019.
The number of public meetings held to discuss the budget.
The Town tax rate adopted for the 2020/21 fiscal year. This was the same tax rate as fiscal year 2019/20.
Sunnyvale Police Police Department nears takeover from Sheriff’s Office The launch of our own Town of Sunnyvale Police Department is almost complete. Sunnyvale PD is currently operational and will officially take over from DSO on Oct. 1. You have likely seen the Sunnyvale officers out patrolling and getting to know the Town. This has been a very complicated and arduous task – but we have accomplished it in one short year. Please help welcome our new Police officers to Sunnyvale!
SPD will host virtual National Night National Night Out (NNO) enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing a true sense of community. Due to COVID-19, SPD is encouraging you to participate in NNO virtually. A few ideas on how you and your family can participate include turning your porch light blue, decorating your lawn, or starting a food drive in lieu of a block party. Requests for a drive-by mini parade of police cars, junior officer stickers or a police car for pictures can be made to Chief@TownofSunnyvale.org. Please remember to wear a mask, social distance, and limit gatherings to immediate family members.
Sunnyvale Fire The Town of Sunnyvale has moved forward with the development of a more centrally located Fire Department. In examining 911 call data, it became apparent that the placement of the current station is not optimal. Our Citizens CIP committee also ranked constructing a new station as their #1 project last year. Many of you have participated in the discussions of where the station should be located. The Town consulted with a “response time” expert and ultimately voted to build it at the corner of Jobson Road and Tripp Road - the Glazer property. This location had many benefits, but most importantly, it offered quick access to the majority of our 911 calls. As this location has great visibility, it will be considered a quiet zone and the use of sirens will be limited. This land will also continue to be available to the horses currently boarded there. The 4B is working on a new barn project that will be similar in design to the fire station.
Town of Sunnyvale 127 N. Collins Road Sunnyvale, TX
Calendar of Events October 6
National Night Out
November 9
12 Town Council Meeting, 7 p.m. 13 4B Meeting, 5:30 p.m. 21 Planning and Zoning Meeting, 7 p.m. 26 Town Council Meeting, 7 p.m.
Town Council Meeting and Veterans Day Recognition, 7 p.m.
10
4B Meeting, 5:30 p.m.
18
Planning and Zoning Meeting, 7 p.m.
26
Thanksgiving Day and Turkey Trot (7 a.m.); Town Hall closed
December 4
Christmas Event, 6:30 p.m.
8
4B Meeting, 5:30 p.m.
14
Town Council Meeting, 7 p.m.
23
Planning and Zoning Meeting, 7 p.m.
24
Christmas Eve; Town Hall closed
25
Christmas Day; Town Hall closed
Dates and times are subject to change. Please visit TownofSunnyvale.org for current event/meeting information.