November marks the season to be thankful. Everywhere you go there are pumpkin flavored treats and drinks, the weather is cooling and we’re looking forward to time spent with family and friends.
We have much to be thankful for in Highland Village. We are one month into our new budget year and we have a lot planned. We have several capital improvement projects set to begin this winter including the overlay of Highland Village Road from Brazos Boulevard to the KCS railroad tracks, replacing a water line on Highland Village Road and continuing to work on completing the improvements to Sellmeyer Lane.
Public Safety will see improvements this year with the implementation of upgrades to our dispatch center and radios to better communicate with other Denton County agencies. We are also changing the dispatch and records management software to better technology which will allow us to link to other dispatch centers which means faster response times for our residents.
Despite the delays due to the spring and summer rains, we continue to make progress on Doubletree Ranch Park. This facility is going to be fantastic. I encourage you to visit the city’s YouTube page and check out the video updates for the park. Everyone who sees what is happening at the park is amazed at the transformation and beauty of the location.
Business is doing well in our city with DSW Shoes now open in the Marketplace at Highland Village and a multi-million dollar renovation underway at The Shops at Highland Village. I believe we are moving in the right direction to keep Highland Village a safe community that truly does “have it all.”
I hope you’ll join us this year for our second annual Fall Festival. The event will be held on Saturday, November 7, at Unity Park. The day begins with the Race Against the Odds 1K/5K benefiting the Cure Starts Now Foundation. This is truly a fun family event with a petting zoo, carnival games, activities for the kids, wiener dog races, vendor booths, food and drink and musical entertainment by Zane Williams. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Unity Park and promises to be a great time for all.
The City has partnered again with the Highland Village Women’s Club and the Shops at Highland Village to hold the annual Our Village Glows. Be sure to note this event is being held on a new date this year – Saturday, November 21. The renovations at The Shops at Highland Village will be complete and the center will be decorated with all new holiday decorations. I hope to see you at this festive event as we ring in the Christmas season with carols from our local school choirs, pictures with Santa and the lighting of the 54-foot Christmas tree.
We also have our annual Parade of Lights holiday lighting contest again this year. It is so much fun to see the creativity of our residents as they decorate their homes for the holiday season. The fire department will once again be escorting Santa through our neighborhoods, so be sure to check the website for the date he will be on your street. And mark your calendar to visit Santa at the Highland Village fire station on Saturday, December 19.
While we are enjoying the month of thankfulness, the local business owners are gearing up for the holiday season. This is the busiest time for our retailers and restaurants and it is the perfect time for you to see what we have to offer in Highland Village. You know we’ve long said we have it all in Highland Village and I truly believe we do. I hope you’ll always look to a Highland Village business first as you prepare for holiday gatherings and gift giving. Keeping our sales tax dollars at home not only benefits the business owners who have chosen to set up shop in Highland Village, it also benefits our local economy.
This month of Thanksgiving I would like to thank all of you for everything you do to make Highland Village a great place to live. Our community pulls together to help one another, we are friendly and encouraging to our neighbors and we believe strongly in the good that comes from giving. I am thankful to serve all of you as your Mayor. We do “have it all” in Highland Village because of each of you. I wish each of you a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends. Remember it is not happy people who are thankful; it is thankful people who are happy.
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