City of Burleson, Texas

June 20, 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.

Kick back tonight and enjoy some Beatles music in Old Town

Put the lawn chairs in the car then bring your love for Beatles style music to Old Town Burleson tonight, 7:30 p.m., for the City's Hot Sounds of Summer Concert featuring Sgt. Peppers Lonely Bluegrass Band. Get ready for a fiddle, double bass, banjo/mandolin and guitar and a playlist that includes "Here Comes the Sun," "Hey Jude," "Eleanor Rigby" and original songs "Right On Time" and "Here's to You." Check out Sgt. Pepper's website. Please, remember the ground rules for fun at a Hot Sounds of Summer concert. No glass bottles allowed, for safety reasons. You cannot carry alcohol out of an establishment in to the outdoor concert area. You are permitted to have alcohol but we ask that you be responsible and respectful to those around you. It is up to the parents whether they want to bring their children. Remember, you are sitting on the street with no shade (sidewalks must remain accessible). We do strongly recommend that you not bring pets to the concert. It is too loud, too hot, and too uncomfortable for our four-legged family members. Our police officers, Citizens On Patrol and fire department work the Hot Sounds of Summer concerts to ensure the safety of all who come out for 90-minutes of free fabulous Friday night music! Who else is headlining Hot Sounds this year? The schedule is on the City website. See you there!

Curbside recycling concerns welcome

Do you have a concern with the City's curbside recycling? You can go online and let us know by submitting your name and address and your specific concern. If you have any questions please call the Municipal Service Center at 817-426-9830.

It's Lego time at the BRiCk next week

Do your children love Legos? The BRiCk is hosting a Lego Mania and Lego Designer Camp for 4-7 year olds and a Lego Logo Camp for 8-12 year olds, June 23-27. The older group's class is 9 a.m.-11 a.m. They will build robots, race cars, 4x4 trucks, cranes, pulleys, levers and more with Lego kits not found in stores. The younger group meets 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. They will build dinosaurs, rockets, castles, airplanes, cars and more while they learn creativity, eye/hand coordination, problem solving and critical thinking. If this sounds like something your children would love, the fee ranges from $120-$130 per child for the week. Call the BRiCk at 817-426-9104 for more information!

Check for ID badges when solicitors knock on your door

What rules govern the actions of door-to-door solicitors in residential areas? Solicitors must register with the Burleson Police Department, provide two recent passport photographs (as well as driver's license information and Social Security number), description of the vehicle that will be used during the solicitation, and describe what will be sold or for which orders will be solicited. Solicitors must wear City of Burleson-issued solicitor ID badges. Who is exempt from the City registration? Alarm security companies and locksmiths are exempt because they fall under Section 1702.134 of the Occupations Code and hold state licenses from the Texas Department of Public Safety. It is not considered soliciting if handbills are placed on the door of a residence but no contact is made with that resident. Minors who are soliciting as part of fundraising for nonprofit, charitable, religious, or civic organizations as well as public or private schools or groups directly affiliated with those schools are exempt from City solicitation regulations. Always call the Burleson Police Department, 817-426-9903, to report any suspicious solicitor activity. Be sure to have the facts ready, including a description of the solicitor, description of the car, who the solicitor said he/she represented, what time they were at the home, and which direction they were headed when they left. Read More

Record attendance at Le Freak concert!

Le Freak, the City's third Hot Sounds of Summer concert, drew a record 5,000 people to Old Town Burleson June 13. To see the rest of the pictures from the City's free 90-minute concert series, go to the Blaze of Glory album on the City's Facebook page.

So you want to adopt a pet?

The cost for adopting a pet from the Burleson Animal Shelter is based on the age of the dog or cat. The typical fee is $55 for animals under four months old and $65 for animals over four months. The fee for adopting an animal may include the following: first set of vaccinations (DA2PP and Bordatella for dogs, FVRCP for cats), a heartworm test (for dogs over 6 months), a FeLV / AIDS test (for cats and kittens), and a rabies voucher. All adoptive pet owners must sign a legal consent agreeing to have the adopted pet spayed or neutered as required by state law. The expense is the owners' responsibility. Written verification of this procedure must be returned to the animal shelter. To see all of the current adoptable pets, go to the Burleson Animal Services page on Petango.

Talk Text Crash campaign says focus 100 percent on driving

Traffic Sgt. Brian O'Heren with the Burleson Police Department joined the Texas Department of Transportation and four other law enforcement agencies June 18 at a press conference for TxDOT's Talk, Text, Crash campaign. TxDOT urges drivers to focus 100 percent on driving when they are behind the wheel. Distracting behavior includes talking and texting, eating, reading, grooming, programming a GPS, or adjusting the radio. According to TxDOT, one in five vehicle crashes in Texas involve driver distraction. The majority of drivers involved in those crashes are between 16 and 24 years old and 45 and older. In Burleson, if you don't have a hands-free device you can't use your cell phone while driving through an active school zone. It is illegal to use a wireless communication device in a school zone unless the vehicle is stopped or a hands-free device is used. "Use of a wireless communication device" includes texting, reading or answering e-mails, and any and all other functions of a cellular telephone. Violating this law is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $200. Read More

It's not too late for Summer Reading Club and programs

You can still sign up for the Burleson Public Library's Summer Reading Club, and enjoy the special programs for children this summer! Hidden Creek Golf Course hosted the Fancy Nancy Party June 19. Every Thursday the Library is hosting a program at 10:30 a.m., including a Yo-Yo champion, the Burleson Fire Department, drumming, the "monster machines" from the Municipal Service Center, the Great Hankadeenie and Hagrid and his Magical Creatures. The finale is an End of Summer Reading Club Swim Party at the BRiCk on Aug. 1. Parents can still register themselves and their children online and keep track of their reading time from a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Summer Reading Club is for children, teens and adults. Read More

Check for leaks if water bill seems high

Does your water bill seem high? First, make sure you don't have any faucets that are dripping, inside or outside your home. Our public works department recommends you do a dye test on your toilets. Put some food coloring in the tank of the toilet, don't flush it, then go back in about 30 minutes. If any of the colored water from the tank is in the bowl of the toilet, your toilet is leaking. This is a major water waster because a lot of times people don't realize the toilet is leaking because the water isn't going in the floor. Third, if you have an irrigation system, check the settings. Customers have said that they have had more than one program on at the same time and didn't realize it until they checked their programs. Remember, we are on permanent landscape watering restrictions. If you still have a question regarding your bill, please call the City's Utility Customer Service office at 817-426-9601.

Starve those pesky mosquitoes!

It's OK to starve them . . . in fact, the City strongly recommends it and will work with you to make it happen. We are talking about mosquitoes. They love to feed on your family, friends and pets. But there is a way to starve them. Drain. Drain is the fourth D of the 4-Ds (DEET, dress, dawn/dusk, and drain), in combatting mosquitoes. Check for standing water around your home and business. The most common breeding grounds are buckets and garbage cans, ornamental ponds, wading pools, tree holes, gutters, tarps, toys, flower pots and saucers, water dishes for your pet, wheel barrows, rain barrels, bird baths, boats and tires. Mosquito season in Burleson typically runs from May to October, with peak activity in August. Residents should be on heightened alert during these months. Use insect repellents that contain DEET or any other EPA approved insect repellent. Wear long sleeves and long pants when you are outside. And, dusk and dawn are the times of day you should try to stay indoors. The mosquito that causes the most problem in this area has a short flight range, so if you are having a mosquito problem, look in your immediate area. The breeding ground may be closer than you think. Read More

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

AGENDAS AND MINUTES

Quorum Notices

Public Hearings

Capital Projects Bids

VIEW:

PUBLIC NOTICES

CALL:

817-426-9660

CITY OF BURLESON, TEXAS FACEBOOK

8,160-plus fans!

Comment on wall posts, the timeline and photo albums.

Follow the City of Burleson on

TWITTER

More than 1,225 followers!

STREAMING VIDEO

City Council meetings

Planning and Zoning Commission meetings

Specialty videos

Are you trying to find when a City event is scheduled ? Go to the News Releases page on the City website. Events are promoted at least one month in advance. Check the Events tab on the City of Burleson Facebook.

UPCOMING EVENTS!

Hot Sounds of Summer Concert

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Bluegrass Band (Beatles)

Friday, June 20

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

124 W. Ellison St.

817-426-9104

Hot Sounds of Summer Concert

Tejas Brothers (honky tonk country)

Friday, June 27

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

124 W. Ellison St.