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As reported in the June 9, 2009 issue of The Irving Journal, DART held a meeting on June 17, 2009, at its downtown Dallas headquarters to take public input on the question of where and how the Orange Line will enter DFW International Airport. The Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce mobilized Irving residents to attend the meeting in a demonstration of community support for fulfillment of what many feel is the promise DART made to bring the Orange Line "directly" into DFW Airport to a station to be located between Terminals A and B in 2013. At its June 23 meeting, the DART Board of Directors did vote in favor of that plan. The following information describes the public input meeting and testimony that was overwhelmingly in favor of Irving's preferred route.

The meeting opened with a presentation by John Hoppe, DART’s Project Planning Manager of the Orange Line. Mr. Hoppe first discussed the 2030 Transit System Plan (TSP) a regional planning document that was unanimously approved by the DART Board of Directors in October 2006 (www.dart.org/2030plan/DART2030PlanJan2007.pdf) That document set forth the overall plan for regional transportation through the year 2030. Importantly to the DFW connection issue, the 2030 TSP shows the following rail alignment: (see photo).

Mr. Hoppe pointed out that while taking the Orange Line into DFW by way of a loop into Grapevine has been suggested as one alternative, it is not part of any TSP. He pointed out some of the other alternatives that have been suggested, including a tunnel to the center of the airport, and some of the pros and cons of those various alternatives. Ultimately, Mr. Hoppe concluded that the approach that seemed to have the most positive and the least negative attributes is the plan advocated by Irving, with a "phased-in" approach that will permit the diversion of every third train to Grapevine for a connection with the Cotton Belt line, a heavy rail route that will connect communities from southwest Tarrant County to Northeast Dallas County. Accordingly, Mr. Hoppe advised that DART Staff will recommend to the Board of Directors that the plan advocated by Irving, with the phased option, be adopted at the June 23, 2009, Board meeting.

As noted elsewhere, the "phased" approach does not carry with it any certainty that the Orange Line will ever connect directly with the Cotton Belt line. Such a connection would depend on the ability to find funding of $200 million or more, not to mention all the planning, impact studies and clearances that will be required.

Because the meeting followed an "Open Meetings" format, transcribed by a court reporter, the DART representatives would not be able to answer questions posed during the public comment phase. For that reason, the meeting included a separate opportunity for those gathered to ask questions.

After questions were asked and answered, the public comment phase opened with comments from elected officials including Texas Representative Linda Harper-Brown, County Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, Richardson Mayor Gary Slegel, and Irving City Manager Tommy Gonzalez. In total, about 20 individuals signed up to speak, including many Irving business leaders and citizens from around North Texas. Of those speaking, only two voiced any support for the Grapevine route and both of those individuals echoed Richardson Mayor Slegel’s proviso: that going to Grapevine should be an eventual goal that makes sense for regional transportation, but does not detract from or delay the entry plan advocated by Irving.

It therefore appears at least likely that the plan advocated by Irving, with DART’s phased variation, for the Orange Line connection with DFW will be adopted by the Board of Directors at their June 23 meeting.

All three incumbents were returned to the City Council for new three-year terms. Shown in the photograph, Lewis Patrick (right) was unopposed for the Place 4 slot; Rick Stopfer (left) and Joe Philipp (center) retained their Council seats, Place 6 and Place 8, respectively. All are beginning their last three-year service in those Places due to term-limits.

Although past elections have been contentious and drawn local and national attention, this year’s did not ignite any hot button issues—including the initiative to change Irving’s current at-large voting system to include single-member districts. A lawsuit against the City of Irving is currently before the Federal Court.

In Place 6, Rick Stopfer, a retired automotive consultant, easily defeated challenger Bola Ayanbule, a former insurance agent. Stopfer received 2,858 of the 3,228 votes cast (88.5%). Ayanbule had 370 (11.5%).

Don Van Slyke, a retired IBM employee and volunteer with the IISD, campaigned on the issue of more transparency in city government. Van Slyke lost in his bid to unseat incumbent Joe Philipp, a business management consultant, for Place 8. Philipp had 2,569 (78.2%) to Van Slyke’s 717 (21.8%).

Turnout for the May 9 election was low: 3,367 out of Irving’s 84,269 registered voters (4.0%) cast votes in this election either on election day or during the early voting period. Stopfer, currently serving as Mayor Pro Tem, credits the progress made by the city and City Council. "I think that the Council has made a decision to work together to tackle the problems and challenges we have in the city and because of that we have been very fortunate there aren’t a lot of the major issues as we have seen in the past. I attribute it to the mayor and the council and the city staff. We’re working well together and the citizens are being heard and I think that makes a difference. We’re seeing positive changes in our crime rate, positive results from the citizens survey returns, people are feeling safer in their communities, they’re feeling great about the parks. And because of all this we have less issues to argue about," Stopfer said.

Looking forward, he added, "I see a lot of challenges in the next three years. We’ve got to compete to keep the job market as it is, we have to compete to keep our great city employees, continue to compete to keep out tax rate low, but I am excited about it. As many challenges as there are, there are just as many opportunities."

All newly-elected Council members will be sworn in at the next Council meeting on Thursday, May 14.

School Districts

Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD

The C-FB ISD Board of Trustees will see two new faces. Both incumbents were defeated. Karin Webb bested incumbent Howard Fisher in place 3, taking 55% of the 5,472 votes cast.

The Place 4 race was a bit closer with challenger Richard Fleming garnering 52.5% (2,861 of 5,452) to John Tepper’s 47.5% (2,591).

Coppell ISD

Although Coppell ISD did not have any contested school board races, there were two propositions on the ballot.

Incumbents Cindy Warner, Place 6 and Bennett Ratliff, Place 7, were both returned to the Coppell ISD board of Trustees.

Both propositions passed easily. Proposition No. 1, which asked voters to okay almost $41 million in bonds for school buildings and equipment, passed by 73.4%. Proposition No. 2 received 73% of the votes cast. Prop 2 allows the issuance of $15 million in bonds to refund the district’s series 2008 tax and revenue notes.

Irving ISD

Because neither of the two places was contested, Irving ISD did not hold an election.

Place 3: Newcomer Heather Ashley was the only person who filed for Place 3 so joined the Board of Trustees when candidate filings closed.

Place 4: Incumbent Valerie Jones will serve another term on the school board.

For detailed results, visit the Dallas County Elections Department Web site at www.dalcoelections.org.

Art Williams

"As the owner and proud wearer, albeit to festive gatherings, of a red, flower-patterned suit once owned and worn in a performance by Sir Elton John, those who know me know that I march to the beat of a different drummer. Therefore, it was not a complete surprise to my family, friends and loved ones that my reaction to my recent diagnosis of stage four—inoperable and terminal—cancer would be unpredictable and different." 

~ Art Williams, The Irving Journal, November 25, 2008

Art Williams, a longtime resident of Irving, died peacefully on March 1 after spending his final days with his children and close family members. He was born May 7, 1929, the son of Arthur H. and Bessie Williams of Mingo Junction, Ohio.

He grew up in Mingo and worked briefly in a steel mill and on the railroad before joining the Air Force in 1949. Art was a great soldier and rose to the rank of Tech Sergeant in his four years of service. He was a radio operator on a B-29 bomber and his crew was one of the elite crews chosen to carry nuclear weapons. After his military service, he attended Ohio University and, with the help of the GI Bill and his accumulated savings from the service, he put himself through college and graduated with a business degree in 1956.

He started his career at I.B.M. as a salesman. By 1960, he was pursuing a career in financial planning and wealth management. He earned several professional credentials, including Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant. He enjoyed his career and was proud to have worked in the financial industry for 48 years. He offered a "no-questions-asked refund" to any client who was dissatisfied with his services, and the fact he was never asked for a refund is a testament to his expertise and integrity.

Art moved to Irving in 1983 from Dayton, Ohio. He was a proud member of the Irving community, and never missed a chance to tell people about Irving and what a great place it was to live. He enjoyed participating in civic and social activities and had many friends and acquaintances in the area. He was a member of the Irving Rotary Club and the Las Colinas Country Club and was a regular participant at the Wednesday morning Henry Holmes discussion group. Art was a voracious reader, and always strived for excellence in everything he did. He enjoyed and appreciated beauty in all areas, but especially clothes, art, architecture, home decor, nature, and members of the opposite sex. Art gave back to his community in many ways, even after he became ill. He wrote a three-part series published in The Irving Journal about end of life issues, wanting to help people focus on difficult matters and be better prepared to face them. He handled his own illness and the end of his life with the same dignity and class with which he led his life.

Art is survived by his three sons, Jeffrey of Cleveland, Ohio, Andrew of Verona, New Jersey, and Steven of Oklahoma City; grandchildren Claire Williams of Columbus, Ohio, Talia Williams of Verona, New Jersey, and Margaret Olivia Williams of Cleveland, Ohio. Art is also survived by two sisters, Maizelle Dunlap of Fort Worth and Ruth Haines of Hurst; four nieces and a nephew. His family is especially grateful to his niece, Charla, and grandniece, Mailynn, who were very loving and attentive to him.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Lyric Stage, Irving Symphony Orchestra Association or the Irving Healthcare Foundation.

Star Flower Installation Completes Original Design for IAC’s Sculpture Garden

"The Arts Center is not a museum. We definitely do not collect, however we have a design for the sculpture garden created 15 years ago and the last piece of the original design is Star Flower and we’re thrilled to have it with us now permanently," stated Irving Arts Center Executive Director Richard Huff as he began the official dedication ceremony of James Surls sculpture, Star Flower, which now rests in the reflecting pool at the Arts Center. Although the January 27 event was moved indoors to the Carpenter Hall lobby due to cold and icy weather, the crowd was excited to welcome the new sculpture to Irving and warmly greeted the artist.

Among the assembled group were former Irving Mayor Dan Matkin and his wife Earlene Matkin, former Arts board member; local artist George Tobolsky; as well as several current and past Arts Board members.

Mayor Herbert Gears presented a proclamation to Mr. Surls noting that Star Flower is one of only three commissioned sculptures at the Arts Center. Star Flower joins Jesús Moroles’ Fountain Columns, installed in 1998 and Michael Manjarris’ Benches, added in 1999.

Arts Board Chair Lorraine Taylor said, "The Irving Arts Board takes great pride in presenting Star Flower…which was commissioned by us for the Irving Arts Center Sculpture Garden. Star Flower was first proposed as a permanent piece and…completes the vision of the Sculpture Garden." She continued, "Art makes us stop and think about things in a different way and thinking about art is a great gift by James Surls."

When Surls stepped to the microphone, he said, "I do art everyday. Art has really been good to me, but the reality is, you don’t get to do something of this magnitude every day.

"To have [Star Flower] here in the reflecting pool is a very high honor and I am really proud of it." He described the undeveloped state of the site when he first began designing the piece in 1995 and how it felt to be on the ground floor because "you get to design around the area and not just stick your piece in the middle." He added, "I just had no idea it would take another 13 years" to come to fruition.

Surls currently has pieces in New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum and the Whitney Museum. His sculptures are also on exhibit in Fort Worth’s Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Fine Art in Houston and the Dallas Museum of Art. During his remarks at the dedication he announced that he is going to be placing seven major pieces along Park Avenue in New York from 50th to 57th streets. One will be placed in front of the Waldorf Astoria.

Star Flower was first proposed in more than a dozen years age at which time Surls created a maquette (model) of the piece. The large-scale version in the Sculpture Garden wasn’t created until 2007, when the Arts Board officially commissioned Surls to create the sculpture. "Bringing Star Flower to the Arts Center is something the Arts Board has wanted for quite some time. Although the piece was first proposed in 1995, it wasn’t until 2007 that the funds were available to go ahead with the project," said Huff.

The piece is approximately 13’ x 13’ x 13’ and weighs about 1,500 pounds. The supporting structure is brushed stainless steel and the leaves are cast bronze. It was installed in the reflecting pool in November, 2008. Surls wrapped and taped the leaves and drove the piece all the way from his home in Colorado.

When viewed in the daylight, the form of the flower and patina of the leaves beautifully complement the rest of the garden and aqua of the reflecting pool. When viewed after dark, the diffused light from the underwater spotlights dance across the leaves and almost bring Star Flower to life.

"James makes art accessible, which so often artists do not. His stories about ups and downs of a professional artist’s career are fascinating," observed Kass Prince, Assistant Executive Director, Operations and External Programs.

The Sculpture Garden is located on the grounds of the Irving Arts Center,
3333 North MacArthur Blvd. Irving, TX 75062.

In addition to the permanent sculptures, it features rotating exhibits, fountains and paths that meander through the lovely landscaping and around the art. It is accessible at all hours. For more information log on to www.irvingartscenter.org.

Mayor Herbert Gears took a unique approach to communicating to the incoming presidential transition team the needs of cities like Irving in this economic climate. On December 23, he issued a video statement via YouTube (www.youtube.com/theCityofIrving) to President-elect Barack Obama and his staff that highlights current and planned development in Irving. In the video, Gears appeals to the president-elect to have the federal government consider purchasing municipal bonds to support development initiatives for cities like Irving. This electronic communication was used by Mayor Gears in response to President-elect Obama’s YouTube messages to the nation.

In the video, Gears provided Mr. Obama with an overview of Irving: location and proximity to 

DFW Airport, rapid growth of the area and population (5.5 million people), 212,000 residents, top one percent in size of cities in the U.S., and the strong business base which includes the world headquarters of ExxonMobil.

He also described the history of Irving’s participation in DART and its integral importance to the future of the city. He noted that Irving has invested more than $700 million in DART over the past 24 years and recently another $60 million to keep the Orange Line moving forward.

In his appeal, he informed Obama’s team that the Orange Line will pull into the Urban Center station in 2011, an area of "prime real estate" that boasts six million square feet of office space and 3,000 residents. Additionally, the projects on the board for areas in Irving in proximity to rail stations add up to the largest transit-oriented developments in the United States—about $3.5 billion in projects.

To punctuate his points, the YouTube video includes a PowerPoint presentation that names several individual housing and mixed-use projects and shows their population and economic impact on the area. Among those singled out were a senior housing village, Water Street, and the Las Colinas DART station which is being developed in partnership with the City.

The centerpiece of the presentation, however, was the anchor project of the area, the Irving Convention and Entertainment Center on Lake Carolyn, which is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2010. This is where the mayor introduced the underlying theme of his presentation: opportunities for partnerships between cities and the Federal government. Speaking about the Convention Center, he said, "We are ready to go out into the bond market for about $350 million and this is where we believe we can form a partnership with the federal government."

The total cost of the project will be $600 million and promises an economic impact of $500 million per year and 3,000 new and sustainable jobs. It will serve needs of today and the future. The City already has a strategic partner in Live Nation, the nation’s largest entertainment promoter and producer.

In addition to private developers, Irving has formed partnerships with other entities including the state, county and DART, all of which have been beneficial when there is a shared vision.

As for the specific purpose of the video, Mayor Gears wanted to make the case for the Federal government becoming "bidders and buyers" of municipal bonds in the same manner they did in the "commercial paper market."

"We [could] get many of these projects done very, very quickly simply if we were in a customary credit market. We’ve had these projects planned and underway for some time and we never planned to have to ask the Federal government for any type of assistance—cash or otherwise," he stated, adding that the current financial atmosphere has been hard on municipalities. He said the Federal government’s participation would bolster the market and add credibility. Irving’s AAA ratings by both Standard & Poors and Moody’s make Irving’s bonds a stable investment.

"We have the revenues to pay the bills for these ambitious job-creating projects and in the normal customary credit market we’d be able to get them done. In fact, we’re moving now right now with uncertainty in the credit markets. We’re using the cash we have on hand to keep these projects going."

In conclusion, he vowed that "our community is ready to be an example of how those ideas can make a difference and how when people get together that have a shared vision for our future that we can create that vision."

Since the video was broadcast, The Irving Journal has received e-mails expressing concern about "allowing the Federal government to own cities" and the Federal government "buying into our cities by buying municipal bonds," and the Mayor taking action without the City Council’s approval.

In response to these questions, Mayor Gears said, "First of all, if we are fortunate enough to stimulate interest in our bonds, any such purchases would not give any bond holder an ‘ownership’ interest in the city. A bond is simply a loan with a fixed rate of return. A buyer doesn’t have any ownership. My job is to promote sales of these voter-approved bonds to everyone and anyone who has the ability to buy them."

As mayor, he is doing what he can to encourage the new administration to invest in cities like Irving with pending development that "is ready to go and will create real jobs." He plans to continue to elevate exposure for his ideas, including traveling to Washington D.C.

While Irving ISD is rated Acceptable by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the majority of our Irving ISD schools are much better than acceptable. The summary of important TAKS information about each school has been presented to the December meeting of the Irving ISD Council of PTAs for the last two years and I am scheduled to present again this year on December 2, 2008. My presentation about the summary sheet will be five minutes.

I have been studying the Irving ISD elementary schools for the last three years and have made many presentations to the Irving ISD School Board about science scores in elementary schools and how elementary schools have made a vast improvement in the TAKS Science scores. I believe that if Irving ISD PTAs understand this information, they could be one key factor in improving Irving ISD’s rating to Recognized.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) releases Accountability Ratings for Texas school districts and campus locations on August 1 of each year.

I produce a one-page two-sided PDF summary of Irving ISD’s TEA Accountability Ratings and underlying TAKS scores.

On the printed sheets, the Irving ISD four high schools, seven middle schools, and twenty elementary schools are shown in rows with the name of the school on the left side. The row for each school has fifteen columns with three numbers for each of the five measurements. The three numbers for each measurement are 2007 passing rate, 2008 passing rate, and year-to-year (Y-to-Y equals 2008 minus 2007) net change. The five measurements shown are all the student passing rates for Reading, Writing, Social Studies (includes History), Math, and Science.

Since there are more than 450 numbers that can be examined, the background behind the numbers is color coded for quick identification. The passing rate columns have the following color scheme:

A quick glance at the colors shows mostly EXEMPLARY and Recognized ratings for Reading, Writing, and Social Studies. In the elementary schools, even the Math scores are mostly Recognized. None of the passing rate scores shown are Academically UNACCEPTABLE. Shouldn’t the Irving ISD and more schools be rated Recognized?

The answer is that the TEA accountability rating tends to reflect the lowest group or even sub-group. Irving TEA ratings could be improved by:

(1) EXEMPLARY Math and improved Science scores in elementary schools.

(2) Improved Science scores in middle schools, and

(3) Improved Math and Science scores in high schools.

The five columns labeled Y-to-Y show year-to-year improvement in black numbers and year-to-year declines in red numbers. Numbers with a yellow background color indicate the most improvement for that measurement.

A quick glance at the Y-to-Y change columns shows mostly rising scores with better than four out of five rising. Rising year-to-year scores are important since

(1) schools/students can do better,

(2) the TEA requires it,

(3) the 670-page federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act signed into law on January 8, 2002 with bipartisan support requires Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). AYP will be explained in a future summary.

So what is the bottom line about the Irving ISD and schools?

Many Irving ISD passing rate scores are already at EXEMPLARY and RECOGNIZED levels.

Look at the lower right hand Y-to-Y average net change numbers for High Schools (1 in Math, 5 in Science), Middle Schools (8 in Math, 14 in Science), and Elementary Schools (5 in Math, 11 in Science). These Y-to-Y Math and Science average improvements are FANTASTIC. You can also see positive Y-to-Y average improvements in Reading, Writing, and Social Studies. Even small incremental Y-to-Y average improvements sustained over long periods of time can produce EXEMPLARY ratings.

What innovative teaching techniques led to the Most Improved numbers for High Schools, Middle Schools, and Elementary Schools shown with a yellow background? Improvements like these in Math and Science would allow the Irving ISD and a majority of Irving schools to be rated RECOGNIZED within one year.

A year later, Irving again did the right thing at the right time, as host to the premiere forum for discussing transportation issues. Named "Transportation’s Turning Point—Defining the Solutions," the four-day 2008 Transportation Summit was held at the Omni Mandalay Hotel.  

Over the course of the week of August 11, the City of Irving’s 11th Annual Transportation Summit, along with the Texas Senate Transportation & Homeland Security Committee Hearing, Joint Committee on Private Participation in Toll Projects Hearing, Texas House Appropriations Interim Sub-Committee on Transportation Issues, as well as the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ Regional Rail Town Hall Meeting, brought in over 1,400 attendees from 41 states and 14 countries including Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Korea, Panama, Spain, and Taiwan.

There were 41 sessions and 140 speakers including U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison; Sean Connaughton, Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration; James Simpson, Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration; John Horsley, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials; Alexander Kummant, President and CEO, AMTRAK; and Matt Rose, CEO, BNSF Railway Company.

The positive economic impact was approximately $369,000 in revenue to Irving in hotel, food and beverage spending.

David Dean, CEO of Dean International, Inc., a public policy consulting company that coordinates the Summit each year credited "Team Irving" with the continuing success of the Summit. Team Irving includes his company, the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce, City of Irving and Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Dean has been involved since the beginning. He said that Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson approached him in the mid-1990s with the idea of a seminar on transportation. That first year, it was a four-hour event attended by about 100 people and focused primarily on highways. It was policy oriented rather than a technical oriented meeting, and the feedback was so positive that a second summit was scheduled for the next year. The Transportation Summit evolved in length over the years from that half-day to a day, then two and one half days, and eventually to its current format of four days, Tuesday through Friday. It has also evolved in scope from a regional to a national and international focus. The summit offers its participants and presenters opportunities to attend presentations and panel discussions on a multitude of subjects, as well as hold meetings and do networking before and after the formal sessions.

In addition to the formal presentations, the summit held four open hearings on transportation-related topics that were open to the general public.

Although each mode of transportation has its own set of issues, there were several themes that ran through many of the presentations. Some of these themes were: the importance of educating the public, the public’s need for choices in mobility, and the message that leaders must lead on the issue of transportation and infrastructure and have to cooperate on regional and national levels. Above all, presenters communicated the message that much of the nation’s aging infrastructure is unable to support the growing population and that addressing these problems must be top priority.

Right: Sean T. Connaughton, Administrator in the U.S. Maritime Administration was keynote speaker on Wednesday.

As fuel costs have risen to record highs, the importance of finding long term solutions for economically and efficiently moving goods and people becomes even more urgent. And, according to many presenters, those solutions need to be addressed on both national and regional levels.

The rising cost of fuel has drastically affected car travel. Consumers are driving less, using mass transit more frequently, and they are purchasing more fuel-efficient vehicles. AMTRAK and DART, for example, have seen double digit increases in their passenger loads and revenue in the last several months. If fuel prices go back down to last year’s levels, it is expected that former habits may return.

However, the cost of fuel is only one of the problems that challenges the future of highway travel.

According to Matt Rose, CEO of Burlington Northern/Santa Fe, and a member of a national commission that studied these issues, by 2020 the population will grow to 338 million. The Commission estimated that the cost of highway congestion in 1993 was $39B and by 2003 it had grown to $63B. By 2020, it will be at $200B.

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, speaking at the Thursday lunch, stated that the population of Texas has grown from 11 million in 1972 to 24 million in 2008. According to Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, a participant in a panel including several local mayors, stated the DFW Metroplex is the fourth largest metropolitan area at more than six million residents, and is adding one million residents every seven years. By the year 2030, the area population will be at 10 million.

In the Metroplex, an area under-served by rail alternatives, the need to move this increasing population from home to work puts more and more cars on the road, creating a serious environmental impact. The growing number of cars and the compounding problem of congestion causes cars to spend more and more time on area roadways, adding to the bad air quality, frustration and growing costs due to loss of productivity.

Relieving this congestion and finding alternatives has been a regional effort. The Regional Transportation Council (RTC) is an organization comprised of local city council members and transportation experts that work together to plan for the future of regional transportation in northeast Texas. The group is committed to the principle that "A transportation system can best be planned on a large-area basis involving city, county, regional, and state jurisdictional responsibilities as well as a proper mix of various modes of travel."

On a national scale, highway travel is facing a very dire funding future. The Federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF), created in 1956, is the primary funding source for the national interstate system. The tax is based on gallons of gas sold, not on the price of the gas, so, as consumption goes down due to both the cost of fuel and the trend to more conservation, there are less funds available to the HTF, therefore, less funding for road maintenance and new roads.

According to an article by Richard Simon in the July 21, 2008 issue of the Los Angeles Times, "The federal highway trust fund could be in the red by $3.2 billion or more next year.

"The fund, set to finance about $40 billion in transportation projects next year, is increasingly strained. And the problem has taken on greater urgency as lawmakers face a backlog of projects to maintain the nation’s aging interstate highway system and ease traffic congestion."

The article continues, "‘The situation has only been exacerbated by rising fuel prices, which are causing motorists to drive less, resulting in less revenue for transportation improvements,’" said David Bauer, senior vice president for government relations at the American Road and Transportation Builders Assn., and a presenter at the Transportation Summit.

The resolution of these complex issues will not be short term and will require the continuing efforts and attention of local and national leaders and the support of consumers and constituents. Fortunately, the Transportation Summit presents an opportunity for so many people to convene and work together to share information and build networks that will move the discussions and progress forward.  

On Friday, August 15, the 53rd Annual New Teachers Luncheon was held at Nimitz High School. The event, sponsored by the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce, welcomes new teachers to the Irving Independent School District. This year there were 350 new teachers in attendance.

Chamber Board Chairwoman Peggy Masters welcomed the teachers and was followed by remarks from Chamber President/CEO Chris Wallace and IISD Board of Trustees President Jerry Christian.

Allstate was the presenting sponsor. Other sponsors included Comerica Bank, ExxonMobil, Cousins, TIAA-CREF, Aviall, Credit Union of Texas, DART, DeVry University, Flowserve Corporation, MicroSoft, NEC Corporation of America and Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club.

Irving City Council gets first peek at new Las Colinas facility; instructs staff to produce letters of intent for entertainment component, convention center hotel

The Irving City Council got its first view of the design of the soon-to-be developed Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas. A model, renderings and animated video of the center were presented by the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau, along with a construction schedule and estimated construction cost.

Slated to open in fall 2010, the facility is the first phase of a mixed-use entertainment complex on a 40-acre tract in the Las Colinas Urban Center. The development site is bound by Highway 114 on the west, Spur 348/Northwest Highway on the north, Las Colinas Boulevard on the east and Fuller Drive on the south.

Anchoring the site and serving as its first phase, the 275,000-gross-square-foot center will feature 50,000 square feet of column-free exhibit space, a 20,000 square-foot ballroom, and 20 break-out rooms, each approximately 1,000 square feet. The facility’s flexible design will allow it to serve high-end exhibitions, conventions, meetings and other events. The building’s unique architecture allows Irving to create a new niche in the marketplace. Estimated construction cost for the Irving Convention Center is $137 million.

"Architects are by their very nature artists," says Rick Bidne, president and general manager of the Las Colinas Association. "The freedom given to the architects associated with this project, RMJM Hillier, has led to the creation of a structure that will be seen by most as truly a piece of art, not just a building."

"It’s a structure unlike anything in the convention center industry and not seen anywhere else in this part of the country - a facility that encourages people’s interaction with space. Irving’s convention center will be nothing less than spectacular and a welcome addition to our city."

Under the direction of the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau, the center will be managed by SMG Worldwide, a leader in facility management, marketing and development. Pre-opening, SMG is serving as a project consultant. RMJM Hillier serves as the project’s architect, and is designing the convention center with a goal of achieving LEED certification. Other members of the development team include Austin Commercial, serving as construction manager at risk, with Dallas-based Beck Group serving the city as its owner’s representative.

The Irving CVB staff has begun preliminary sales and marketing efforts to fill the facility, primarily focusing on groups of 800 to 1,200 people, although the facility’s capacity could accommodate 4,000 attendees for a general session or sporting event. With the largest function space in Irving at just over 10,000 square feet today, the exhibit hall in the convention center will be five times that size, and allow many more groups to bring their meetings to Irving.

"This facility is right-sized for this market, and rightly thought out," said Maura Allen Gast, executive director of the bureau.

"We’re letting our customers, meeting planners and local corporations know that beginning in November 2010, their meetings and events will have a beautiful new home for consideration in Irving, Texas."

Components of phase two of the project include a 3,500-seat concert venue, 215,000 square feet of restaurants, retail and cinema, and a privately developed hotel, spa and condominiums. The passing of the Brimer election last November authorized the Irving City Council to implement a series of user taxes and fees to fund the concert venue; these include hotel occupancy, as well as ticket and parking taxes for events at the concert venue.

The Irving City Council has directed city staff to draft non-bind ing letters of intent with Las Colinas Group LP for the entertainment district and concert venue, and with Watermark Hotel Company for the retail, cinema, hotel, spa and condominium component.

"To have the bookends of the project as a high end convention center that any city would jump at the opportunity to have, combined with a concert venue that is first class and state of the art, is already exceptional," said Irving City Manager Tommy Gonzalez. "When you then factor in the high end boutique hotel, plus the convention center hotel, plus the condos, spa, restaurants and retail - well, then that really is a microcosm of what the future holds for this kind of development. And what our opportunity is for Irving’s future."

For more information on the Irving Convention Center or additional renderings, contact Diana Pfaff at (972) 252-7476 or dpfaff@irvingtexas.com. For more information on the entertainment complex, hotel and other components of phase two, contact Laurie Kunke at (972) 721-2321 or lkunke@cityofirving.org.

Code Enforcement Director Provides Status Report to Neighborhood Roundtable

New structure, focus areas maximize results

On July 29, Irving Code Enforcement Director Teresa Adrian presented the representatives of the Irving Neighborhood Roundtable with an update on the department’s accomplishments since October 1, 2007, the beginning of the city’s current fiscal year. It was also the date when the city organization chart was adjusted so that Code Enforcement reported up through the Irving Police Department. This change facilitated more rapid response to problems that required police intervention.

Left, Theresa Adrian.

Within the City’s Strategic Plan, Code Enforcement falls under Goal No. 2: Nurture and Promote Vital, Vibrant Neighborhoods, specifically, Goal 2.1, to "strengthen code enforcement initiatives".

Ms. Adrian stated that the desired outcomes of the department are:

• Vital Vibrant Neighborhoods • Thriving Economy • Opportunities • Recreational • Cultural • Educational

Teamwork is the key to accomplishing the goals. Without the concentrated efforts of both Code Enforcement and the IPD, the results wouldn’t be as good as they are, she stated.

Code Enforcement is focusing on nine target areas. They are:

• Strengthen ordinances • Main corridors • On-street parking enforcement
• Overflowing dumpsters • Tire shops • Abandoned signs

• Dangerous buildings • Tudor Lane • Multi family

As Ms. Adrian noted, ordinances are the teeth of enforcement. They are working toward processes that "make sense" and want "simpler, processes that remove unnecessary layers" of bureaucracy. In fact, at the July 24 City Council meeting, the Council authorized $475,000 for Clarion Associates to rewrite the ordinances that will take Irving into the future.

Ms. Adrian then identified the positive results in several of the focus areas:

• Corridor Enhancements: On main corridors, over 11,000 code violations were worked. The three main corridors in Irving that are high priority are O’Connor Road, MacArthur Blvd., and Beltline Road. Pocket parks are on the books or completed for many corners. One of the best examples of corridor enhancement is MacArthur and Shady Grove, the corner where the new North Lake South Campus is being built. The adjacent corners are all being enhanced.

• Community Service: Individuals with code or other violations and who have opted for community service have provided 667 hours and worked 54 projects.

• Great Days of Service: The faith-based annual initiative this year updated and renovated 25 addresses.

• Parking Enforcement: Violators of parking restrictions are receiving sanctions: there have been 277 tagged, seven towed and 760 citations have been written.

• Trash = Ticket: If a business ignores the trash ordinances and the dumpsters are not emptied, they will be ticketed. No questions asked.

• Tire Shop Enforcement: Irving has had many tire businesses that are performing work outside and leaving tires and cars outside. 87 of 97 businesses are now in compliance with the work having been moved inside the building. There are 10 businesses not in compliance and tickets are being issued.

• Outdoor Signage: 48 abandoned signs have been removed since February 2008.

• Dangerous Buildings: There have been great results in this area. Eight commercial buildings, 26 accessory structures, three fourplexes and one complete apartment complex have been demolished. And there are two more apartment complexes in progress.

• Tudor Lane: This consistently problematic area is being actively worked. Ten of 18 fourplexes are vacant and one has been demolished.

• Multi Family: Owners are being held accountable for the condition of their properties. In situations where owners are not complying with code, the property’s Certificate of Occupancy is being revoked.

For questions or further information about Code Enforcement, contact Teresa Adrian at tadrian@cityofirving.org or (972) 721-4891.

On Sunday, July 20, more than 500 women ranging in age from 13 to almost 70 participated in the 3rd Annual Aflac Iron Girl Triathlon held in and around Irving’s Urban Center.

Rather than the traditional starting gun, the event began with Aflac’s trademark duck quack "aaaaaaaflac".

The women swam a 500-meter course around Lake Carolyn, a 20K bike ride (approximately 12.5 miles) and finished with a 5K (3.1 miles) run through the Urban Center.

Finishing first with an astonishing time of 1:05 was 30-year-old Amy Marsh of Austin. Marsh is a pro-athlete and swim coach. This was her first Iron Girl and second women-only triathlon.

Second place finisher was Christine Shirer of Dallas, with 01:11:53, and third was Tori Irvine of Dallas, with 01:12:06.

Yolanda King, event coordinator for Aflac, commented that the area was perfect for an event like this. The lake was a perfect size for the swim portion, and the bike route was able to incorporate the advantages of Campion Trails. King also noted the safety of the roads around the UrbanCenter on Sunday morning.

According to publicist Steve Arocho, "Iron Girl is the fastest growing all-women’s event series. [The mission] is to empower women of all ages to living a healthy and active lifestyle."

Launched in 2004 with just two events, the Iron Girl brand has grown to now include ten events nationwide, varying in distance from 5K to duathlon and triathlon. To date, nearly 20,000 women have crossed an  Iron Girl finish line.

                                                                                                                 Overall winner Amy Marsh after crossing the finish line.

The brand recently re-launched an enhanced version of its Web site, www.irongirl.com, filled with training tips, guest columnists and nutrition information.

Iron Girl is supported by partners that include Aflac, Polar Heart Rate Monitors, Luna Bar, Celsius, Specialized Bicycles and PODS.

Water Street Update

Water Street Masterplan: Yellow: Retail, Blue: Restaurant.

The City Council was briefed on the progress of the Water Street development in the heart of the Urban Center at the June 25 Work Session.

The 300,000 square-foot project on Lake Carolyn will be located at the corner of Las Colinas Blvd. and O’Connor Blvd. by Urban Partners and Gables Residential. The mixed-use plan will feature retail, entertainment, dining district (including Capital Grill), luxury residences, modern office space, a movie theatre and a boutique hotel in an exterior environment of promenades, tree-lined streets, granite sidewalks and canals.

The location will be within one quarter mile of the DART light rail station set to open in December 2011. According to the update, completion of Phase I is scheduled for fall 2010.

For more information, visit www.waterstreetlascolinas.com

In 2006, the Irving Fire Department responded to 14,989 calls. Of those, 13,280 (more than 85 percent) were EMS calls.

How do I know this? Because I had the great fortune to graduate from the Irving Citizens Fire Academy, a 13-week course that not only educates participants about the number of trucks, engines and fire houses in Irving—as well as the many special teams available to residents of Irving and the greater area—it provides participants hands-on opportunities to don bunker gear and get a feeling for some of the challenges firefighters deal with every day.

The program was developed by Captain Mike Harris and is run by Captains Harris and James Malone. It typically has around 15 individuals per class, which allows everyone time to climb the ladders, run the pumps, and learn about fire safety. This was the 13th class.

I have been aware of the Academy for a few years, printing the photographs of the graduating classes in The Irving Journal, but had never considered attending until I had a half-day introduction last fall as part of the Leadership Irving program. I was so intrigued that I talked my reluctant husband into attending with me. I promised him he could climb the ladder and that clinched the deal.

So, on March 4 we headed to the Public Education Station at 1230 Glenwick for our first class, which covered the basics, including terminology such as numbers of alarms, flash-over, SCBA, truck vs. engine, etc.

Also on that first night, Chief Mike Evitts presented "Fire in History" which showed how fires have been fought since ancient times. He also described some of the most devastating fires in history including the Chicago Fire of 1871 (the one often credited to Mrs. O’Leary’s cow) that destroyed about four square miles and killed at least 300 as it burned from October 7 to October 10; and the tragic fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory on March 25, 1911 in New York City that killed 146 workers who were trapped in the building or jumped to their deaths.

History of the IFD

The next week, March 11, we were educated about the history of the Irving Fire Department from Senior Retired Captain James Malone (the father of James Malone mentioned above). Here are some of the highlights:

• The Irving Fire Department was formed in 1925 as a volunteer fire department after a fire started in the only schoolhouse. They started with 20 men; R.V. Leach was elected chief.

• Volunteers started with a four-wheeled pull-cart loaded with a 20-gallon water barrel, a hand pump, buckets, brooms, and a small ladder. The city was only one square mile at the time.

• In 1926, the volunteers got their first motorized equipment, a 1919 Model T Ford truck. The volunteers added a pump, water barrel, 250 feet of 21_2 inch hose, buckets, a ladder, and an axe. The truck had a top speed of 25 m.p.h.

• Volunteers were alerted about fires by a light and a siren on top of the old water tower downtown.

• The men used rubber raincoats and fishing waders as firefighting gear.

• In 1953, the city hired its first full-time paid fireman and fire marshal, James D. "Pistol" Mitchell. In 1954 they hired four more full-time men.

• The first full time paid fire chief, E.F. Cronan, was hired in 1955.

• In 1958, the volunteer firefighters were phased out.

• In 1967, the firemen went from 24 on/ 24 off to 24 on/ 48 off and the number of firemen almost doubled.

• The Central Fire Station was closed in 1984. Plans were to restore the building by the Irving Professional Fire Fighters Association as a museum. (See Letters on page 4 of the June 10 issue of The Irving Journal for an update.)

• The Citizens Fire Academy was started in spring of 2002.

• In December 2005, Captain Gene "Shakey" Holder celebrated his 50th anniversary as a member of the IFD. Captain Holder is also a member of the IFD Swift Water Rescue Team.

• There are currently 11 fire stations, as well as a training center at 2603 Esters Road, the Public Education Center, and Fire Administration at 845 W. Irving Blvd.

Each of the subsequent weeks focused on specialized teams, such as Haz-Mat, that provide first response to incidents, accidents and disasters. These will be covered in subsequent issues.

But, before we left on our first night, we did what all good firefighters need to do: we were fitted with our bunker gear.

Cimarron Family Aquatic Center Opens with a Splash

The Cimarron Park Family Aquatic Center is now open and ready for Irving families to jump in. The $3.6 million pool, located at 201 Red River Trail at Valley Ranch Parkway East, was dedicated on Saturday, May 24—just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.

After a ceremonial ribbon cutting, and welcome comments by City Manager Tommy Gonzalez, Irving Councilpersons Rick Stopfer and Beth Van Duyne, the game was on. The pool was inaugurated by Councilmen Stopfer and Allan Meagher who climbed to the top of the water slides and raced to the bottom. Meagher, in the enclosed slide, easily bested Stopfer in the first heat. In the rematch, Stopfer chose the enclosed slide and won that heat. (Note: in a race, choose the enclosed slide.)

Funded by a bond program in 1999, the Cimarron Park Family Aquatic Center represents the first outdoor seasonal pool built in Irving since 1979 and is the first outdoor public pool north of State Highway 114

.

"The opening of the Cimarron Family Aquatic Center features a variety of new amenities and will establish a new standard for city aquatic facilities," said Chris Michalski, parks and recreation director.

The new state-of-the-art park features a 9,500-square-foot main pool and 1,000-square-foot children’s pool with spray features. The larger pool includes a water playground unit, spray grounds, teaching area, water volleyball, lap lanes, and two large water slides—one closed tube and one open tube. Both the children’s pool and the main pool are zero-depth entry, which will allow parents to play with their children in any depth of water and provide an additional measure of safety.

Other amenities include multiple shade structures, restroom buildings and concessions. Admission for toddlers three and under is free, ages 4 - 17 is $2, adults 18 to 55 is $3, and adults 55 and over are free. Non-residents are $8. Seasonal passes are available for $25 (ages 4-17) and $50 for adults 18 to 55. Family passes are $100.

The passes for Cimarron Family Aquatic Center are valid only at this facility.

For more information, call (972) 721-2501

Residents, Businesses Participate in Irving Blvd. Enhancement Study

The official kick-off of the Irving Boulevard Enhancement Study took place at City Hall on Thursday, April 17. More than 150 residents, business owners and interested parties attended the reception, which was hosted by the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce. A presentation by the consultant team and a Q&A session, moderated by Paul Gooch, the City of Irving’s managing director for community services, followed the reception.

The study, Designs on the Boulevard, is focused on identifying opportunities to visually enhance the boulevard and foster new retail and commercial development. A team of consultants is assessing visual characteristics (signage, landscaping, lighting, gateway entries, etc.), along with traffic patterns, drainage systems and retail, commercial and residential developments, as they craft a vision for Irving Boulevard and make recommendations on future land use.

"This is a great opportunity to reflect on the Boulevard’s history and purpose, while creating a new vision for the future that will bring to life this important gateway," said Paul Gooch, managing director of community services for the City of Irving. "Through this study, and with the community’s input, we will develop a roadmap to help transform this area into a more vibrant and inviting destination."

        Greening the Pathways

Irving residents and business owners are encouraged to participate in the Designs on the Boulevard study. The City will host two additional public meetings, on Thursday, June 12, and Thursday, September 4, to solicit public input on the overall vision and recommendations as the study progresses. The community can also share its thoughts, concerns and ideas through the City of Irving’s web site.

                                                   Creating a Walkable City

For more information on the Designs on the Boulevard study, or to provide your input on the project, please visit the City of Irving web site at www.cityofirving.org.

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