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January 29, 2016

Police open their new home to you at Jan. 30 open house

If you have been waiting to get an inside look at the new Burleson Police Department building, then Jan. 30 is your day. The Burleson Police Department will be hosting a come-and-go open house tomorrow, 12 p.m. -3 p.m., at 1161 S.W. Wilshire Blvd. (Wilshire at Elk Drive).

You can check out the different teams and divisions of the department, including the SWAT team with the Bearcat tactical vehicle; Crisis Negotiation team members with their vehicle; the Mobile Incident Command Unit that you see at some major events; traffic unit (Dodge Chargers and Harley Davidson motorcycles); the bicycle unit; Police Explorers; Citizens on Patrol; Burleson Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association; Community Resource Officers; Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force; and the department's communications staff. The Burleson Lions Club will be serving up free hotdogs and drinks, provided by H-E-B.

Be sure to take a tour of the new digs, which are more than twice the size of the former police station that officers and employees called home since 1983. Read more about open house.

This is a dance they'll treasure forever . . .

Dance with your daughter or son on Saturday, Feb. 13, as the City's parks and recreation department hosts the annual Father/Daughter & Mother/Son Valentine Dance at the BRiCk. There will be two times - 4 p.m.-6:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m.

The fun includes pictures, corsages, dinner (salad and pizza), dancing, and games. A DJ spins the tunes that multiple generations will recognize while children teach their parents the newest dance crazes. The most popular "game" is the limbo contest. How low can you go? Parents compete against parents and children compete against children. There's also a three-legged race so girls, shed those heels before you and your partner make a break for the finish line.

Pre-event tickets are $16 per couple ($8 per person) and are available at the BRiCk, 550 N.W. Summercrest Blvd., now. If you wait until Feb. 13 to buy your tickets, the cost is $25 per couple or $12.50 per person.

Sign up for March community disaster response team training

Nine confirmed tornadoes wreaked havoc on more than three Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex counties the day after Christmas 2015. If Burleson had been among the cities devastated by a tornado, would you know what to do to help your family and your neighbors?

Find out how you can be part of a community disaster response team. The Burleson Fire Marshal's office is hosting a 5-day CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training Tuesday/Thursday, March 1 & 3 and March 8 & 10, and Saturday, March 12. Training includes disaster preparedness and fire safety, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, CERT organization, disaster psychology and terrorism & CERT, and a disaster simulation. To apply, fill out the CERT application!

Don't miss out on the fun at the Senior Activity Center

Are you 50 or older? Don't miss out on all of the activities at the Burleson Senior Activity Center! There's something going on six days a week, from dancing to quilting, WII bowling, amazing lunches, and karaoke.

It's movie night on Tuesday, Feb. 2, with "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" starring Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. There's a free Mardi Gras Party, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Get in the mood for that party by taking the free Mardi Gras Mask Decorating Class on Feb. 2. And, make a date with your sweetheart for the Senior Valentine Dance, 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 12. Check out the senior center's February calendar.

The hours at the center at 216 S.W. Johnson Ave. (next to the post office) are Monday, Wednesday & Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Tuesday & Thursday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.; and Saturday, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. For more information about how you can get involved, call 817-295-6611.

Burleson hosts Vietnam Veterans Celebration March 26

The fifth annual Vietnam Veterans Celebration is slated for Saturday, March 26, at 1 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Plaza in Burleson. The Burleson Heritage Foundation and the City of Burleson are hosting the event.

In 2012, on the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, President Obama issued a proclamation declaring March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day. March 29, 1973, was the date that the last of the troops left Vietnam.

The site of the local celebration is Veterans Memorial Plaza, 298 E. Renfro St., near Renfro Street and I-35W.

Location has changed for May Household Hazardous Waste event

Start cleaning out your garage, the shed, and under the kitchen sink. The City's Household Hazardous Waste event is Saturday, May 14.

We're not just accepting household hazardous waste. We are also taking your old electronics and the paper you haven't shredded yet. The event is 9 a.m.-11 a.m.

NOTE: The location has changed. The event will be hosted at the Municipal Service Center, 725 S.E. John Jones Dr. (next to the Burleson Animal Shelter). This event is only open to residents who live inside the Burleson city limits (proof of residency including a City water or solid waste bill is required). We'll update the details in April!

Beatles fans, make a date for the BRiCk on March 12!

The Beatles are coming to Burleson!

Me and My Monkey is Dallas Fort Worth's only Beatles Tribute band. The band, and Beatles Biographer Aaron Krerowicz, are coming to the BRiCK (the Burleson Recreation Center) on Saturday, March 12, 1:30 p.m.-4 p.m. The stars are Rod Bollinger as John Lennon, Peter Paul Sacco as Paul McCartney, George Jara as George Harrison, and Michael Daniel as Ringo Starr.

Check out Me and My Monkey on Facebook and on their website.

Krerowicz is the only fulltime professional Beatles scholar. In November 2011, Aaron won a research grant through the University of Hartford to study the Beatles. This month, he launched a series of analytical videos titled THE BEATLES MINUTE. To learn more about Krerowicz and to see THE BEATLES MINUTE, go to his website. We'll post updates as the big day approaches!

BCPAAA donates Drug Take Back Box to the police department

Did you know that the new Burleson Police Department building on Wilshire Boulevard has a Drug Take Back box that was purchased and donated by the Burleson Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association?

If you can't wait for the National Drug Take Back events (the next one is April 30, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at the police department) hosted by the Burleson Police Department and DEA, you can drop your expired/unused prescription drugs off in the drug take back box in the police department lobby at 1161 S.W. Wilshire Blvd. (Wilshire at Elk Drive).

Unused, expired or unwanted medications, in both pill and liquid form - over-the-counter as well as prescription drugs - can be dropped off for safe disposal. If you have a large amount of medication, please wait for the April 30 Drug Take Back event.

For more information contact Sgt. Sherman at 817-426-9951 or email him.

Burleson Police thank those who made new home possible

The Burleson Police Department command staff, city management team, mayor and city council, and representatives from the Burleson Chamber of Commerce, Burleson Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association, and Citizens on Patrol, cut the ribbon on the Burleson Police Department building at 1161 S.W. Wilshire Blvd., (Wilshire at Elk Drive) on Jan. 22. The community Open House is slated for Saturday, Jan. 30, 12 p.m.-3 p.m.

The Wilshire Boulevard building, which was formerly owned by Huguley, is just over 23,000 square feet. It is more than twice the size of the former 10,000 square foot building at 225 W. Renfro St. that officers and employees called home since 1983. Dwight Newsome, the design build contractor, also spoke at the ribbon cutting.

The new building was part of a bond election approved by voters in November 2013. Voters approved $5 million for the police project. Burleson had 46 police department employees in 1995. As of January 2016, the department now has 64 certified police officers and 21 civilian employees. To see the rest of the pictures, go to the City of Burleson Facebook page.

How do you picture Old Town Burleson's proposed plaza?

The City is reaching out for your input on possible uses for the proposed 1-acre plaza for Old Town Burleson! The plaza is described as the "community living room" and a gathering place for special events. The plaza will have open space to accommodate the Old Town concerts and festivals, and it will include improvements as well. That's where you come in. The City is going to rely on the community to determine what the plaza should look and feel like. You can submit your feedback by filling out an online survey.

In his State of the City address on Jan. 21, Mayor Ken Shetter said City staff was authorized by city council to issue a request for proposals seeking a private sector partner, a master development team, to redevelop the Wood Shopping Center site and build a new multistory building (up to 5 stories) overlooking the plaza from its south side. The mayor said the City's vision is to build a classic plaza and expand higher education opportunities in the center of Old Town. Ellison Street would be closed between Wilson Street and Warren Street.

Wood Shopping Center is located directly across from city hall, on Ellison Street. The proposed building would include ground level retail, with a mixture of housing, in the form of loft apartments, and possibly office space above. While most of the building will be financed by the private sector partner, the mayor said the City is committing to fund approximately 28,000 square feet to be utilized for the expansion of higher education activities.

To learn more about the Old Town Project, please read the 2016 State of the City and then give us your input via the online survey.

Escape is coming back to headline Fourth of July!

Did you like Escape, the Journey Tribute band that played the Hot Sounds of Summer Concert Series in Old Town Burleson in 2015? They are coming back, but not to Old Town.

Escape will be playing the City of Burleson Fourth of July concert at Chisenhall Fields Sports Complex! Mark your calendars, 7:30 p.m., July 4th!

How do you stay in the loop on City news and events?

Do you know how to stay in the loop on City events and programs? This weekly E-Newsletter is one of your options. Sign up for it online.

The central hub of all City information is the City of Burleson website. Do you need to call staff? Click on the orange telephone at the top of the website. Do you want to be notified when we post public notices, Pet of the Week, City holiday or weather closures, job openings, the latest news releases, and calendar events? Click on the red Stay Notified icon in the middle of the homepage.

Is social media more your style? Check out the City's six Facebook pages, two Twitter pages, YouTube channel, Google+, and Instagram on the Engage With Burleson link at the bottom of the homepage. That link also includes a link to the City Focus newsletter that is sent to all City utility customers monthly, except for February and July.

The City observes seven holidays in 2016. You can find that list on the City Holidays page. If City facilities are closed, we post an alert at the top of every City website page at least one day in advance of the closure and for the duration of the closure. You can also find the holiday closures under the Recent News tab on the homepage.

Have questions? Call the Public Information Office at 817-426-9622.

Want to know what's being discussed and how the vote goes?

Are you looking for agendas for City meetings? You can still access them through the Public Notices page on the City of Burleson website, but now you can go straight to the agenda by using the Agendas & Minutes page.

You can see current meeting agendas as well as past meeting agendas, minutes, and video (Burleson City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission meetings are live streamed and archived). Minutes reflecting the outcome of agenda items are approved at the next regular meeting of the council, commission, boards and committees.

If you don't want to wait until the next meeting to read the minutes, you can view the video of the meeting by going to the Streaming Video page on the City website.

STAY NOTIFIED

Do you know what's going on in your City? Choose the form of communication that best suits your style by going to the Engage with Burleson page on the City's new website. We have Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, the City Focus monthly newsletter, this weekly E-Newsletter, streaming video of our public meetings, and a link to our City staff directory. If you want to keep up with the latest happenings, go to News Releases on the City website and, check out the Events calendar on the City Facebook. If you aren't signed up to receive the City's Everbridge emergency notifications (severe thunderstorm warning, tornado warning, mosquito spraying alert, etc.), you can do that now by going to the City of Burleson Alert System signup page. Thank you for being engaged with your City!

Sincerely,

Sally Ellertson
City of Burleson

City of Burleson
817-426-9622 | sellertson@burlesontx.com | http://www.burlesontx.com