City of Burleson, Texas

May 30, 2014

Welcome to the free City of Burleson weekly E-Newsletter! There are more than 1,200 subscribers! Click here for archived issues. If you have questions or suggestions about City programs, services and events, call the public information office at 817-426-9622.

Whittington kicks off Hot Sounds tonight!

There's no place else to be but Old Town Burleson tonight, May 30, when Buddy Whittington kicks off the City's 2014 Hot Sounds of Summer concert series with his Eric Clapton blues! The free 90-minute concert starts at 7:30 p.m. at the intersection of Ellison and Wilson streets (124 W. Ellison St.). Come down early and eat at one of the more than half a dozen Old Town restaurants, then set up your lawn chairs and blankets in the street for the concert. What are you in for? Check out Buddy Whittington's website. Who else is headlining Hot Sounds this year? The schedule is on the City website. See you tonight!

Keep this handy if your power goes out

Did you know you can register with Oncor's "text Oncor outage" reporting tool before a power outage occurs? Text "REG" to 66267 to register your phone number to be able to notify Oncor of your outage and receive updates about restoration. You will need to have your ESI ID (on your electric bill) handy when completing registration. Once you are registered, all you have to do is text OUT to 66267 to report an outage. View a map of the Oncor service area. For our residents who are United Cooperative Services customers, to report an outage, call your local office (Burleson, 817-447-9292) or use the "Report an Outage" feature on the UCS website, which can be accessed via smart phone or tablet (eg. iPad). To expedite restoration efforts, have your account number handy.

Tell us what you think about parks

Are you interested in the future of Burleson's Park and Recreation System? Give us your opinion on the amenities and facilities you want to see in your parks. It's completely anonymous and takes less than five minutes.This is an online survey on the City's website. Thank you in advance!

Meet the chief June 4

Stop by city hall on June 4 to meet the Burleson Police Department's new chief, Billy Cordell. The reception is 3 p.m.-5 p.m. in the council chambers at 141 W. Renfro St. Cordell will be sworn in as police chief at the June 2 city council meeting. The swearing-in will take place at 7 p.m. at city hall. Cordell was one of 78 to apply when the position opened in December 2013. He has been with the Fort Worth Police Department since July 1985 and served as a deputy chief there since 2011. More

City's emergency operations team is calling with an emergency message

Do you remember 867-5309? If you have no idea you probably weren't a teen in the 1980s! The City's emergency operations team doesn't have a catchy tune, but this number, 817-426-9858, is the number to add to the contacts on your phone. If 817-426-9858 pops up on your Caller ID, that is your team calling you with an emergency message. Please answer, listen to the message, and confirm that you received the call. You won't get a call from the City's emergency operations team if you aren't signed up for the emergency notification system. The weather alerts are based on geographical districts inside the Burleson city limits. If you do not live in the city limits, opt-in and show the Burleson address where you work, where your children go to school, or where other family members live. Opt in to the City of Burleson Alert System online. Messages can be sent by cell phone, landline, email, text message, fax, pager, and more, but you must opt in to customize your notifications. Now who is going to come up with a catchy tune for 817-426-9858?

How do you rate animal services?

The Burleson Animal Services division wants to know how satisfied you are with their staff and the services provided to the community. Please take five minutes to give them your input with this online survey. If you take the survey, the Animal Services staff will enter you in a monthly drawing to win a free microchip for your pet!

Students who are entering the fifth grade in the fall of 2014 are invited to apply for a spot in the Burleson Fire Department's Junior Fire Academy. Class is Monday-Thursday, June 23-26, 8 a.m.-noon. The free academy is limited to 12. Participants receive their own bunker gear, tour the fire stations, and learn about disaster safety, extrication, fire safety, fire hydrants, fire hoses, and search and rescue. Applications will be available at Fire Station #1, 828 S.W. Alsbury Blvd., and online. Forms must be turned in by June 1.Contact Firefighter Jon Wheat or Secretary Kristie Menchaca at 817-426-9176 for more information.

The budget process has begun . . .

Did you watch the video from the May 21 Burleson City Council meeting concerning the Fiscal Year 2015 budget? If you missed viewing it live, you can watch the archived version. The department directors' presentations start with Item 4. Council heard from information technology, fire marshal, communications, human resources, golf course, police department, neighborhood services (animal services, environmental services and code enforcement), fire department, municipal court, parks, library, public works, development services, engineering, city secretary and finance.

Today's the deadline for Citizens Police Academy

Do you want an insider's understanding of the police department? Apply for the Burleson Police Department's Citizens Police Academy, which starts June 5. This is a 10-week program, every Thursday, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. The deadline to apply is today. You'll learn about the department's organization, recruiting process, the Texas Penal Code, criminal investigations, search and seizure, building searches, traffic law enforcement, narcotics investigation, SWAT, patrol procedures, and more. The free academy even includes a mock homicide that students have to solve. The packets are available at the Burleson Police Department, 225 W. Renfro St. and online. For more information, call 817-426-9881 or email Sgt. O'Heren.

Meet Summer Camp counselors June 4

It's almost time for Summer Fun Camp! The BRiCk will host Meet the Counselors Night on Wednesday, June 4, at 7 p.m. Campers will pick up their t-shirts that night. There are 11 weeks of camp, June 9-Aug. 22, for children between six and 12 years old. Camp times are 7 a.m.-6 p.m. You can pick your camp based on the field trip (Field Trip Tuesday). Trips include Globe Life Park (Texas Rangers Stadium), Fort Worth Zoo, Sandy Lake Amusement Park, Hawaiian Falls, Main Event, NRH20, Fort Worth Omni Theater, Ripley's Believe It or Not, Putt Putt, Splash Station, and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Fees range from $117-$133 each week. You can also opt for single day registration or Field Trip Tuesday. For more information call the BRiCk at 817-426-9104.

Summer Reading Club starts with a splash June 6 with kickoff at the BRiCk

Don't miss the Friday, June 6, Summer Reading Club Kick-Off Swim Party at the BRiCk.The fun is 8:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. The library will host or visit eight special guests every Thursday, June 12-July 31, at 10:30 a.m. They include a songwriter/author/performer, a Fancy Nancy party, a Yo-Yo champion, the Burleson fire station, drumming, "monster machines" at the City's public works department, the Great Hankadeenie, and Hagrid and His Magical Creatures. But what's the most important part about the Summer Reading Club? Reading! Parents, register yourselves and your children online by June 1 then keep track of reading time from a computer, tablet, or smartphone. There is a children's reading club, teen reading club and adult reading club. More

Be aware of wildlife

When you visit parks or any natural wildlife area, remember that those areas are home to wildlife. To learn more about wildlife, including those that could be harmful, please visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife page for tips on what to watch out for and how to co-exist. The City's parks maintenance staff takes care of more than 18 parks inside the city limits. To see what we have to offer, please check out our Parks and Amenities page on the City website.

Valuable information is available

thanks to grant resource center

The Burleson Public Library has a grant resource center! Nonprofit organizations and other grant seekers have access to a valuable new collection of databases and print resources at the library, which has become a Funding Information Network partner with the Foundation Center of New York. The library will offer free access to the Foundation Center's detailed information on grant makers and applying for grants. The Center's core collection of resources includes Foundation Directory Online, profiling more than 110,000 U.S. grant makers, Foundation Grants to Individuals Online, Philanthropy In/Sight, print directories, and proposal writing guides. Read More

Are you in 'the zone' on bulk trash?

Are you doing spring cleaning? Trimming the bushes and trees? Is it out with the old and in with the new on furniture and appliances? The offers special trash collections monthly, by zone. Place your large trash items at the curb the weekend before your scheduled week and crews will collect it during your Zone Week - Monday-Friday. Zone 1 is the week of the first Monday of the month. Zone 2 is the week of the second Monday. Zone 3 is the week of the third Monday, and Zone 4 is the week of the fourth Monday. For instance, Zone 1 week in June is June 2-6. Zone 1 week in July is July 7-11 because the first Monday in July is July 7. The crew will collect limbs, brush, lumber, wood, mattresses, furniture, carpet, regular kitchen appliances and appliances that have a sticker showing that the Freon has been removed by an appliance repair person, large toys, lawn mowers/weed eaters/edgers that have had the gasoline and oil drained, outdoor grills without the propane tank, and yard waste in paper lawn bags. See the Zone Week map. If you still aren't sure which zone you are in, call the Municipal Service Center at 817-426-9830.

Contact councilmembers, staff

Do you need to contact councilmembers, city manager's office, municipal court, environmental services, or utility customer service? The name, title, phone number and email for every councilmember and City staff member is on the City website. Simply click on Contact Us at the bottom of the home page.

City meetings are on video

Do you want to know how a vote or discussion went at a Burleson City Council meeting or budget workshop? View the video, live or at your leisure, on the City website. Click on the meeting date, then click on the item you are interested in. There is also a tab for streaming video of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Official minutes of council and commission meetings and workshops and work sessions are not posted on the City website until the city council and/or commission members have approved those minutes at their next scheduled meeting.

Be informed about City government

Do you know what's going on in your City? Choose the form of communication that best suits your style by going to the Communications page on the City website. We have City news releases, the City of Burleson Texas Government Facebook page, the City of Burleson Twitter page, weekly City E-Newsletter, monthly City Focus newsletter, and Everbridge emergency notifications.

Thank you for your interest in the City of Burleson's programs, services and events. Post this E-Newsletter on your Facebook profile and Twitter by clicking on the icons at the top of this E-Newsletter. Tell your friends about this E-Newsletter so they can stay in the loop too!

Sally Ellertson
City of Burleson

Public Information Officer

sellertson@burlesontx.com

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UPCOMING EVENTS!

Hot Sounds of Summer Concert

Buddy Whittington (Eric Clapton blues)

Friday, May 30

7:30 p.m.-9 p.m.

124 W. Ellison St.

817-426-9104

Hot Sounds of Summer Concert

Blaze of Glory

(Bon Jovi tribute)

Friday, June 6

7:30 p.m.-9 p.m.