Four recognized for innovative TIP

Four City employees received $125 each for a TIP that they submitted to save the City money. Honored at the Sept. 15 Burleson City Council meeting were Margie Kallmayer, accounting technician with the City's finance department, and Terry Hambley, Lee Westcott and CaShan Clark, city marshals with municipal court. Staff was asked to look at getting a courier service to replace the bank run service that has been provided by the city marshals. Two outside options were considered, but after taking a second look at the current process, the four were able to come up with a way to streamline the bank run service to minimize the time required by the marshals (no more waiting at the bank for the return of bags, deposit slips and requests for change). The TIPS program was developed in response to the council's desire to incentivize employees toward a leaner city government. More

Signal maintenance means lane closures on Renfro on Monday/Tuesday

If your weekday travels take you through the intersection of Wilson Street and Renfro Street in Old Town, there is a lane closure scheduled for next week. Weather permitting, a contractor will be doing maintenance on the signal light at that intersection next to Burleson City Hall on Monday, Sept. 22, and Tuesday, Sept. 23. The right lanes on Renfro will be closed starting at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Monday. More

Budget, tax rate, & rates get thumbs up

Everything passed unanimously (6-0) at the Sept. 15 Burleson City Council meeting. Council members approved revising budget figures for fiscal year 2013-2014 and adopting the 2014-2015 annual operating budget; setting the 2014 ad valorem tax rate at $.7400; setting a 6 percent increase in the base and volumetric water rates; and, increasing the current residential rate for solid waste and recycling from $18.10 per month to $19.20 and increasing the non-residential solid waste rates from $22.94 to $24 for minor collections and from $32.84 to $34 for major collections. Fiscal year 2015 starts Oct. 1, 2014. The FY 2015 budget is explained in a four-page budget brief. The tax rate was explained in a presentation at the Aug. 25 city council public hearing. For more about the water rates and the rates for trash and curbside recycling, go to Items 2E and 2F on the Sept. 15 council agenda.

 It's not too late to sign up for Trash Bash!

Come out and join the City of Burleson and Keep Burleson Beautiful with the Burleson Trash Bash on Saturday, Sept. 20. The event is 9 a.m.-11 a.m. You can register online now.  Volunteers will remove litter and debris from retail corridors, waterways, drainage channels, streets, parks, and other public areas. Volunteers of all ages are welcome, but youth participants are required to have adult supervision. After the cleanup, volunteers will convene at Warren Park, 301 S.W. Johnson Ave., for free pizza and some prize drawings. Read More

Tonight's the night for Parents Night Out

The BRiCk will be hosting Parent's Night Out tonight, Sept. 19, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. This is your chance to schedule a night out without your children (6-12 years old). They will be swimming, creating art projects, and watching a movie in a safe and fun environment while you're out on the town! Pizza is what's for dinner. September's Parent's Night Out theme is football, so dress your children up in their favorite jerseys. Admission is $10 for BRiCk members and $15 for non-members. Parents Night Out is on the third Friday of the month. Call the BRiCk at 817-426-9104 to register.

Are you prepared? Find out Sept. 20

Burleson High School will be the site for the second annual Johnson County Emergency Preparedness Fair on Saturday, Sept. 20. The event is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and coincides with National Preparedness Month. This is hosted by Johnson County Emergency Management. The Burleson Police Department, Fire Department, Fire Marshal's Office and Municipal Court will also be involved. The fair will take place in the east parking lot at the high school on Elk Drive. Attractions include fire trucks, ambulances, medical helicopters, a command post, and several business booths with preparedness information and supplies.

Stop when lights flash red at crossing

Flashing red lights at railroad crossings carry the same weight as a stop sign. A dozen drivers learned that lesson Sept. 17 when the Burleson Police Department joined forces with Union Pacific Railroad and the City marshals for a railroad crossing enforcement. The focus was on four crossings - Eldred Street, Ellison Street, Renfro Street and Alsbury Boulevard. The police department's traffic unit issued 12 citations at three crossings - Ellison, Renfro and Alsbury - between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Burleson Police Chief Billy Cordell was on the train. The six-member traffic unit was on the ground, watching the crossings. And two city marshals stepped in when they were needed. More

City awards $72,700 in hotel/motel funds

Six organizations received a boost for their events/programs Sept. 15 when the Burleson City Council approved $72,700 in funding through hotel/motel occupancy tax funds. An additional $17,500 was earmarked for sports tournament promotion, historic tourism and arts-related tourism. Receiving funds are the Salsa/Margarita Festival and 5K Run (April 18, 2015), Red Hot Balloon Festival (May 29-31, 2015), Honey Tour Bike Ride (May 23-24, 2015), Tourism Initiative (Burleson Area Chamber of Commerce), Whataburger Girls & Boys Basketball Tournament (three-day event in December 2014), AAU Track Meet (June 2015), Burleson Heritage Foundation, and Burleson Wine Crawl. Hotel occupancy tax revenue is generated by each hotel room stay in Burleson. The City levies a 7 percent tax that results in approximately $140,000 in revenue each year. The City received 10 applications from eight organizations that totaled more than $176,000. More

Connect with Council at Founders Day!

If you want to connect with your Burleson City Council members, we are making it easy! The next Connect with Council is Saturday, Oct. 11, at the City's Founders Day celebration in Old Town Burleson. Councilmembers Stuart Gillaspie and Matt Aiken will be at the event so be sure to bring your questions and comments and share with them your thoughts about the Burleson community. The Founders Day event is 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and Connect with Council is 10 a.m.-noon. Look for the councilmembers around the Burleson Visitors Center and Museum, 124 W. Ellison St. (at the corner of Ellison and Wilson streets).

Don't miss Yappy Hour Sept. 26

What are you doing Friday, Sept. 26? Make plans for Yappy Hour at Lost Oak Winery. The Burleson Animal Shelter and Lost Oak Winery are teaming up again, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. to host Yappy Hour. Everyone is encouraged to bring their own pets and check out the adoptable pets that the animal shelter staff will bring out for on-site adoptions. Adoption fees range from $55 to $65. The winery will be donating a portion of the evening's proceeds to the Burleson Animal Shelter. More

Flashing yellow arrow signal means

yield first, then you can turn left 

Have you seen the flashing yellow arrow signal lights on Hwy. 174? The new signals were active at Hwy. 174/Summercrest, Hwy. 174/Newton and Hwy. 174/Ellison and Tarrant intersections on Sept. 10. Weather permitting, the yellow arrow signal lights were going to be active at the Hwy. 174/Renfro and Hwy. 174/Hillery intersections by today, Sept. 12. The Texas Department of Transportation installed the new signals to improve traffic flow and left-turn safety on the state highway. If the yellow arrow signal is flashing, drivers may turn left after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians in the crosswalk. The green arrow means that vehicles turning left have the right-of-way. The red arrow means to stop and wait (do not enter the intersection to turn) and the yellow arrow means prepare to stop. See the detailed diagram for more clarification.