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All about story
In this "information age," everyone's ability to tell their story in whatever manner they choose is more prevalent than ever before.
At City Hall, my challenge is to be sure that one Mayor, five Council members, a dozen department directors, about 30,000 residents and thousands more businesspeople are kept as fully informed as possible. And, it's not that the information age has made that job easier to perform. Paradoxically, the wide selection of information channels presents unique challenges in conveying the City's story to our audience, utilizing something that they will see, hear, watch, post or tweet.
On top of that, we endeavor mightily to be sure that accurate information is out there, not misstatements, inaccurate facts or assumptions that can be posted and repeated from the Internet and other sources.
As such, our strategy involves getting our message out on as many different media as possible in a concerted effort to be sure you are kept "in the know."
That is why we use eNewsletters and eNews blasts; social media like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube (watch for more); traditional methods like cable TV and print newsletters; the all-new City website, with multiple features still to be rolled out. We talk to the news media and, frankly, bombard them with information about Farmers Branch services, events and activities. Even the City Council now has a legislatively-authorized online message board on the City's website.
Our bi-annual Citizen Satisfaction Survey in 2012 underscored the variety of preferences in receiving information and the curious mix of old versus new - 78 percent of you told us you enjoy having the print newsletter in your hands, but the number of you that use our eNews services was up from 24 to 67 percent. That's an astounding, and very telling, increase.
And, we're constantly conferring with colleagues, doing research and finding out what's next, trying to stay ahead of the curve with the best possible ways to communicate with you.
Thomas Jefferson thought a well-informed electorate was a prerequisite for democracy.
He's right.
And that's why we will continue to work as hard as we can to get our message out to you, our one Mayor, five Council members, 12 department directors, 30,000 residents and many more in our business community.
Proof? Right now, the Communications Director and I are both out of town for the holiday week. Yet, this message in this eNewsletter is making it to your in-box, for the 144th consecutive week (without missing an issue).
Happy Thanksgiving.
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City offices to close for Thanksgiving holidays
FARMERS BRANCH ~ All City of Farmers Branch offices and facilities will be closed on Thursday, November 28 in observance of Thanksgiving Day. On Friday, November 29, most offices remain closed;
however, the Farmers Branch Community Recreation Center and Historical Park are both open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. There will be no garbage collection either day.
  
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Light 'em up
New kickoff event to launch Tour of Lights, assist Santa's Helpers
 GUSSIE AMPHITHEATER ~ While all forms of turkey leftovers are still in the fridge, a new event will usher in the 2013 Christmas Tour of Lights on Saturday, November 30, while also offering the opportunity to support WFAA's Santa's Helpers. The amphitheater at Gussie Field Watterworth Park, near City Hall, will be the setting for the event starting at 6:30 p.m. with live entertainment, sweet treats food trucks, hayrides through the Tour of Lights and costumed holiday characters. Admission is free but everyone is asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to help Santa's Helpers make the season a bit brighter for less fortunate kids in north Texas. The 300,000+ twinkling lights will first come on Friday, November 29, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. and continue nightly through December 30, closed only December 7 and 25.
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Tree Lighting Ceremony set for Saturday, December 7
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Fireworks will light the night sky at the annual Farmers Branch Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, set for December 7 at 7 p.m. at the Farmers Branch Historical Park.
Celebrate the season with Santa and activities for the family. Slide down a real snow hill, pet a live reindeer, and warm up with a cup of hot chocolate and treats in what has become a holiday tradition.
Admission is free. The Farmers Branch Historical Park is located at 2540 Farmers Branch Lane, between Denton Drive and Ford Road and a short walk from the Farmers Branch DART Green Line Station.
Parking is available at the MetroSquare Business Park, two blocks south of the Historical Park on Ford Road with a free shuttle to the gate. For more information, visit www.farmersbranchtx.gov or call 972.919.2620. |
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Town Hall Meeting poll
FARMERS BRANCH ~ A dozen questions on potential bond elections, posed to the November 14 Town Hall Meeting audience, are now available online for public participation, through December 15 at www.farmersbranchtx.gov.
The questions deal with public preferences concerning any potential bond election including choice of dates and how much of a property tax increase could be acceptable.
The cumulative results from the Town Hall Meeting polling and the additional online survey will be released to the City Council at a later date. A replay of the Town Hall Meeting is available on FBTV at 3 p.m. seven days a week, also through December 15.
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City Council in December
FARMERS BRANCH ~ The Farmers Branch City Council plans to meet in regular session only once in December, on Tuesday, December 17 at 6:30 p.m. at Farmers Branch City Hall.
Meetings can be seen live on FBTV, cable channel 16 in Farmers Branch, and on replay at 6:30 p.m., seven days a week.
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Fats, oils & grease
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Especially during the holiday season but otherwise year-round, the Farmers Branch Public Works Department reminds residents to properly dispose of F.O.G. (fats, oils and grease) in order to avoid costly plumbing or sewer repairs. For more information, call the Public Works Department at 972.919.2597.
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Volume 3 | Edition 48| Number 144 
is published weekly by the Communications Office
of the City of Farmers Branch, TX.
Two-time TAMI Award Winner for Best eNewsletter in Texas
Given by the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers
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NOVEMBER
Nov 28-29
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS
THU - All facilities closed.
FRI - Most closed, Rec Center & Historical Park open 8-5.
NO GARBAGE COLLECTION
Nov 30
TOUR OF LIGHTS KICKOFF
6:30 pm @ Gussie Field Watterworth Park Amphitheater near City Hall
972.919.2620
DECEMBER
Dec 5-8
Regular Hours @ Library
972.247.2511
Dec 6
REC CENTER OPEN HOUSE
6:30-8:30 pm @ Rec Center
972.247.4607
Dec 7
CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING
7 pm @ Historical Park
972.919.2620
No Tour of Lights
Dec 11
SANTA & COOKIES
6-8 pm @ Library
972.247.2511
Dec 13-24
SANTA MAKES HOUSECALLS
Call Rec Center
972.247.4607
Dec 14
FLAPJACKS w/ SANTA
8-10 am @ Rec Center
972.247.4607
BROOKHAVEN COLLEGE CLASSICAL GUITAR ENSEMBLE
2 pm @ Library
972.247.2511
DR PEPPER STARCENTER WINTERFEST
5-8 pm @ StarCenter
DEC 24 & 31
CHRISTMAS & NEW YEARS EVES
Some facilities closing early
Call for details
DEC 25 & JAN 1
CHRISTMAS 7 NEW YEARS DAYS
All facilities closed
NO GARBAGE COLLECTION
No Tour of Lights Dec 25
DEC 30
LAST NIGHT of TOUR OF LIGHTS
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Happy Thanksgiving from Branch Bulletin & the City of Farmers Branch |
VIDEO  GALLERY
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Chimney Safety
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Fire Department Dinner Brigade
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Dr. Gilbert's Diary
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Farmers Branch Business: Anything but Usual
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Check the latest weekly report on the five-year reconstruction of Interstate 635 that includes:
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Check the latest information on the 28-mile, $1.4 billion reconstruction of Interstate 35E from LBJ, through Farmers Branch, to U.S. Highway 380 in Denton County.
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About the City of Farmers Branch 
An historic community in the geographic center of the DFW Metroplex, Farmers Branch boasts a residential population of 28,800 and a daytime employment population of 66,000. Located on the northwest border of the City of Dallas, the City's 27 parks and lush greenbelts feature nationally-acclaimed, award-winning soccer fields, football facilities as well as baseball and softball complexes. The city's location in the center of the Metroplex and only 15 minutes away from both DFW Airport and Love Field, along with the 2,200 hotel rooms within the city, make Farmers Branch an ideal location for residents and for business. For more information on the City of Farmers Branch, visit farmersbranchtx.gov, visitfarmersbranch.com, lovethebranch.com or call 972.247.3131.
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