Wednesday, October 12, 2016
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Bloomin' Bluegrass
Chili for Charity a new feature of this weekend's event
FBTX ~ The distinctly American sounds of Bluegrass music will waft through the air on the aroma of fresh chili as the Farmers Branch Historical Park hosts the annual Bloomin' Bluegrass free music festival and Chili Cookoff, this Thursday
and Friday, October 14 & 15.
The two-day festival kicks off Friday with gates opening at
4:30 p.m. Music for the evening includes Gold Heart, Texas & Tennessee, and Rhonda Vincent & The Rage.
On Saturday, activity goes on all day with morning music in the rose garden, featuring Pickin' in the Garden with Gold Heart and complimentary lunch with Augusta Road. Music on the main stage starts at 12 noon.  Entertainers will include Herrins, Sister Sadie, Tim O'Brien, Band of Ruhks, Jerry Douglas & Earls of Leicestar and Del McCoury Band & David Grisman. In addition, at the Historical Park there will be an Arts & Crafts Marketplace and a free Kidzone, featuring bounce houses, rock climbing wall, inflatable slide and more. New this year will be a Farm to Table area, featuring cooking demonstrations, master gardeners, and petting zoo.
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Then, there's chili. Lots of chili. The annual Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI)-sanctioned Chili Cookie will start at 12 noon on Saturday. Competitive cooks from around DFW and Texas will be cooking their best chili to earn CASI points. There will be 150 tickets available at $10 each for guests to try competition chili and vote for People's Choice. Chili for Charity starts at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. Farmers Branch non-profits will decorate booths and serve samples of chili from local restaurants. Tasting cups are $3. Admission and parking are free. Blankets and lawn chairs are recommended for lawn seating.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. Bloomin' Bluegrass is also a quick five-minute walk from the Farmers Branch DART Green Line light rail station. For more information on any aspect of this annual festival, visit bloominbluegrass.com.
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Roses to be celebrated in style at Saturday's annual event
FBTX~ The annual Celebration of Roses rounds out the trifecta of events on Saturday, October 15 with activities going on from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  The day begins with registration at the Gussie Field Watterworth Pavilion, adjacent to Farmers Branch City Hall, 13000 William Dodson Parkway. First up is "Picking in the Garden" where a Bluegrass jam session with "Gold Heart" will serenade participants as they select blooms for the Hands-On Floral Design Workshop. "Gardening Talk" will cover how to garden in the shade by extension specialist Daniel Cunningham, along with presentation favorite horticulturist Stephen Chamblee with stories of inspiration, enlightenment and humor.  There will be opportunities to take home a plant or two throughout the day. Girl Scouts will learn about the "Power of the Pollinator" and try their hand at creating a bouquet. The "Garden Passport" to all corners of the rose gardens of Farmers Branch promises to be fun for all ages. "Art Trading Cards" is an opportunity to be creative under the guidance of the Lewisville Art League. The Dallas Rose Society Rose Show will be held at City Hall. A complimentary hot dog lunch will be served next to Rawhide Creek with entertainment by "Augusta Road." Shuttles will provide easy access to the rose gardens and to the Bluegrass music at the Historical Park. For more information, visit fbroses.com.
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Head start on holidays begin
 at Saturday's Craft Fair
FBTX~ More than 100 crafters, quilters and artists will offer their handmade wares at the annual Craft Fair, coming Saturday, October 15, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Farmers Branch Senior Center.
More than 135 tables will be stocked with one-of-a-kind, unusual and unique items including holiday items, wreaths, ceramics and yard art.
In addition, there will be hand-thrown pottery, homemade jellies, jams, baked goods and candy, quilts, unique jewelry, woodworking and much more. Admission is free.
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No property tax rate increase included in new fiscal year budget
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Following the October 1 start to the new fiscal year, Farmers Branch City Manager Charles S. Cox and his staff have embarked on executing the 2016-2017 fiscal year, $97 million City budget.
Coming in about 1 percent lower than the previous fiscal year, the new budget includes a flat City property tax rate of 60.22 cents for every $100 of valuation, which continues to be ones of the lowest rates in Dallas county. 
The new budget does include a 9 percent increase in water and swer rates. This is required to offset rising costs for treated water from the City's supplier, Dallas Water Utilities, as well as increased expenses for wastewater treatment from the Trinity River Authority. A residential water consumer, using 10,000 gallons of water, is expected to see an increase of $7.91 on their monthly bill.
To reduce attrition, increase employee retention and attract exceptional job applicants to the Farmers Branch staff, the budget includes a 5 percent increase to all employee pay ranges, to adopt a philosophy of 5 percent over median salaries of comparable positions in other cities.
Only three new positions were added, including an administrative assistant in Building Inspection, a Special Projects Manager in Solid Waste and a Marketing Specialist for Special Events.
Capital Improvement Program projects for this budget include a continuation of the 10-year street bond program, Justice Center security upgrades, southbound Marsh Lane bridge replacement, joint Fire Training facility construction, Park & Trail improvements, utility system improvements and upgrades to the Farmers Market area.
Fixed asset purchases for this year will include a new ladder truck for the Fire Department, a number of replacement Police vehicles, Library materials, new City monument signage and a outdoor digital marquee.
A Council-appointed Citizen Bond Committee is currently developing a Quality of Life bond package that they will recommend to the City Council in the near future. More information on that will be brought forward as it is made available.
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Upcoming Calendar
OCT 14 & 15
BLOOMIN' BLUEGRASS AND CHILI COOK-OFF
@ Historical Park, 2540 Farmers Branch Lane
Fri 4:30 - 10 pm, Sat 11:30 am - 10 pm
OCT 15
CELEBRATION OF ROSES
@ Farmers Branch Rose Gardens in Gussie Field Watterworth Park
OCT 15
CRAFT FAIR
@ Farmers Branch Senior Center 9 am to 4 pm
OCT 24 - NOV 4
EARLY VOTING
@ Farmers Branch City Hall, 13000 William Dodson Parkway
OCT 27 & 28
MURDER & MAYHEM TOURS
@ Farmers Branch Historical Park, 2540 Farmers Branch Lane
5 to 7:30 pm
OCT 29
HALLOWEEN IN THE PARK
@ Farmers Branch Historical Park, 2540 Farmers Branch Lane
5 to 10 pm
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Volume 6 | Edition 42 | Number 295
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
is published weekly by the Communications Office of the
City of Farmers Branch, Texas since March 5, 2011
Five-time recipient of TAMIO & 3CMA Awards for Excellence in eNewsletters, recognized by
the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers (state) &
the City-County Communications & Marketing Assn (national)
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Text to 911 option now available in Farmers Branch
DENTON ~ The Denco Area 9-1-1 District has announced that it has implemented text-to-911 service for all of Denton Count and the City of Carrollton, including the North Texas Emergency Communications Center, serving public safety dispatch for Farmers Branch, Carrollton, Addison and Coppell.  This results in wireless customers in any NTECC-participating-city, including Farmers Branch, can now utilize technology that allows a text (of up to 140 characters) to 911 in an emergency.
However, officials emphasized that Text to 911 should only be used in an emergency situation when placing a voice call is not possible.
Citizens who find themsleves in an emergency situation and are unable to make a voice call to 9-1-1 should remember:
- Don't text and drive.
- When sending a text to 911, do not include dashes or any other characters.
- In the first text message send the location and type of emergency.
- Text in simple words - Send a short text message without abbreviations or slang.
- Be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions from the 9-1-1 call taker.
- Photos and videos cannot be sent to 911 at this time.
- Text-to-911 cannot include more than one person.
- Do not send your emergency text to anyone other than 911.
Voice calls to 9-1-1 are always the best and fastest way get help. Like any cellular area, there could be coverage gaps and the service may not be available outside the City.
If there is no response to a Text-to-911 operator, make a voice call to 9-1-1.
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Beware new squirrel scam making rounds
FBTX ~ Believe it or not, there's a squirrel scam that has come to light in the past few days from a Farmers Branch church.
Scammers are targeting the elderly by telling them they saw a squirrel scamper into their attic and for a couple of hundred dollars they'll find it and kill it for them.  They then return from the attic with a dead squirrel and collect for a job well done. Of course, the squirrel was already dead and had never been in the attic.
Anyone that is approached by this scam is encouraged to, first, decline the offer, then call Farmers Branch Police at 972.484.3620 with as much descriptive information about the scammer(s) as possible.
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Oncor is tree trimming in certain neighborhoods
FBTX ~ Continuing their regular maintenance of trees in the area of transmission lines, Oncor contractors will be in Farmers Branch neighborhoods in the coming weeks.
Areas involved include the Denton Drive corridor from Squire Place to the south City limits, along Farmers Branch Lane from Denton Drive to Ford Road and the Ford Road area from Danny Lane south to LBJ.
Additionally, work will take place in an area generally bounded by Josey Lane to the east, Bay Meadows Circle to the north, Ford Road to the west and Villa Creek Drive to the south.
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Atmos is upgrading natural gas lines in the area
FBTX ~ Atmos Energy will be working in Farmers Branch in October to replace existing natural gas lines that connect to residential gas meters generally between the area of Rosser Road to Kerr Trail.
According to information provided by Atmos, replacement of pipes means "it may be necessary to dig on or around your property. If this happens, Atmos Energy will make temporary repairs to yards, sidewalks and pavements until the work is completed.
"We will then make arrangements with you to restore the affected areas," the Atmos door hanger explains.
Customers with questions are invited to call Atmos Energy at 469.346.9361 or 888.286.6700.
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 In the Banner
FBTX ~ World-class Bluegrass musicians will be on stage throughout the weekend at the Bloomin' Bluegrass free music festival and Chili Cookoff. More at bloominbluegrass.com.
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CODE CORNER
Holiday Decorations
With the holidays quickly approaching, the Farmers Branch Code Enforcement staff would like to remind residents that holiday decorations may be displayed beginning on November 1st and must be removed no later than Feb 1st.
For any other national holidays, appropriate decorations may be displayed beginning two weeks prior to the holiday and must be removed by the first Monday following the holiday.
RECYCLING CONTAINER SCREENING REMINDER
Code Enforcement staff reminds residents that blue recycling containers must now be stored out of sight from the street - either in a fenced back yard, inside a garage or
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Click image to play video
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street - either in a fenced back yard, inside a garage or behind a screening fence if stored beside the house.
Code Enforcement has provided a helpful video tutorial of how to construct a simple screening fence at youtube.com/fbtv16. A sample screening fence and recycling container can be seen in the lobby at City Hall. If any resident is unable to construct, or afford to construct, a screening fence, there may be assistance available from local civic agencies (as resources are available). For more info, call Code Enforcement at 972.919.1414
TO REPORT A CODE ISSUE:
972.919.1414
MyFBTX mobile app
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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
lovethebranch.com or call 972.247.3131.
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