Mayor's Quarterly Update

October 2009

By Mayor Charles Platt

To All Citizens of Little Elm,

Did you know that the Town has kicked off the Annual Street Maintenance Contract? These projects are funded in large part by the ¼ cent street maintenance sales tax revenues which voters approved in 2005 and renewed this past May.

During the next few months, the Town's contractor will be performing maintenance and major repair on the following streets: Castleridge Drive, Lakeside Lane, intersection of Lakeshore and Main, Hampton Drive, Walker Lane, Wynfield Drive, intersection of Walker Lane and Eldorado Parkway, Creekbend, Debbie Street, Douglas Street, Allen Street, Bill Street, Bay Ridge Drive, Garden Way, Moonlight Drive, Black Street, Black Circle, Alice Street, Marion Drive, Wynfield Drive, Hart Road, and the Park Streets. The work to be performed varies depending on the type street and need for maintenance and repairs. Residents of these streets will receive a door notice in advance of the construction to provide information about the project and special parking and driving instructions during construction.

Have you been wondering, what’s the latest on the three bond propositions that were passed in May along with the other projects that were funded?

Eldorado Parkway Water and Wastewater Replacement Project – Construction start date October 2009; anticipated completion date; June 2010.

East Eldorado Wastewater Line & Lift Station Project – Construction beginning in December 2009 and anticipated completion date; June 2010.

King Road (East) Paving and Drainage – South lanes are complete; north lanes under construction, completion date January 2010.

Waste Water Treatment Plant Expansion – Construction is 25% complete.

Witt/Woodlake Realignment – Currently in design; anticipated construction start January 2010; anticipated completion, September 2010.

Main Street (East) & Lakeshore Realignment – Design in progress, anticipated construction start date yet to be determined.

Eldorado Parkway Pedestrian Tunnel – Design at 90%: construction will be included with Eldorado Parkway construction by TXDOT.

Lobo Lane Paving & Drainage Project – Design in progress; anticipated construction start in fall 2010.

Community / Recreation Center & Senior Center – Design in progress; anticipated construction start in fall 2010.

Public Safety Facility & Animal Shelter – Design in progress; anticipated construction start in fall 2010.

Witt Road Bridge Replacement – Design to begin in December 2009.

Cottonwood Ball Park Irrigation Well – Construction at 75%; anticipated completion date December 2009.

Main Street (West) Paving and Drainage – Currently in design; anticipated construction start January 2010; anticipated completion, September 2010.

FM 423 Water & Cottonwood Creek Trunk Sewer – Currently in design; anticipated construction start date January 2010; anticipated completion, fall 2010

Eldorado Parkway Street Lighting – Design 95% completion: construction will be included with Eldorado Parkway construction by TXDOT.

Eldorado Parkway Streetscape and Gateways – Phase I design is at 50% completion; anticipated construction start date yet to be determined.

Please visit our website at www.littleelm.org under Public Works and Engineering for more updates.

I know most of you wonder why we raise taxes and why is it good for the citizens of Little Elm? Property Taxes are raised in growing communities like Little Elm generally for services that are expanding such as Public Safety.  In addition to the demand for expansion of services, there is a public need for infrastructure improvements such as streets and facilities which is related to growth.  The Town Council has various venues to gain public support to raise revenues. 

Over the past two years, the Town has adopted a Comprehensive Plan which engaged community support and input on a plan to build out our community.  In concert with the Comprehensive Plan, the citizens of Little Elm through the ballot venue, voted to cause various street and facility improvements to be made.  It goes without saying that these services and projects require funding and the only dependable and less vulnerable source of funding is a property tax.

The primary source of revenue for the core operations of the Town of Little Elm are property taxes.  We have seen a surge in growth in Little Elm over the last few years.  Even though we have seen growth in new businesses, the Town’s primary source of revenue is property taxes.  The ideal for a community is to be more diversified in its revenue stream with property taxes being about 60 percent of revenue while sales tax and other sources making up the other 40 percent of the revenues to operate the Town.  Currently, the Town is heavily dependent on property tax which is at about 85 percent of its total revenues to operate the core services of the town such as Fire, Police, Parks, Streets and Administration.  This diversification will come with the hard work that our Council and Economic Development Corporation is putting forth to bring more business development to the Town of Little Elm. 

I am always looking out for the best interest of the Town and the citizens of Little Elm.

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