As a new year and a new decade begin, it is important to take stock of what goals we would like to achieve.
Denton County continues to manage the challenges of being one of the fastest growing in the country. Therefore, it is important for us not only to increase services for our residents but also to do it while keeping our tax rate low. It is the low tax rate that helps attract more development – and potentially more high-paying jobs – but also keeps it manageable for our residents.
In 2020, we also want to continue to make our county services more accessible to everyone – whether it is our veteran services for the more than 40,000 who live in Denton County or ensuring that residents can easily register their motor vehicles. Accessibility is key to making sure your county government serves the needs of all residents.
We will also continue to improve on our Denton County roadways and, this year, I’m looking forward to completing road projects for Hickory Creek and Lake Dallas. In particular, we’ll be working on Shady Shores Road, which has been damaged by years of flooding from the heavy rains we’ve seen in recent years.
In support of the Denton County sheriff’s initiatives, we will continue to provide resources to the sheriff’s department in the opioid and human trafficking prevention efforts as well as other crimes.
And, finally, we hope to provide a better education to the State Legislature and the public on the value of county government. We also will work with our legislative delegation to ensure that local governments continue to have the tools necessary to work in partnership with the state in building and maintaining our infrastructure.
These are just a few of the initiatives I will be working on as the calendar year rolls into a new decade – a decade where Denton County will continue to be the best place to work, live and raise a family.
Ellen M. Painter to Receive Humanitarian Award
In January, a longtime volunteer and philanthropist will be recognized as the seventh recipient of the Dr. Bettye Myers Humanitarian Award.
Ellen M. Painter will receive the special award during United Tribute gala, an annual event benefitting United Way of Denton County.
Ellen, who has worked with Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton for years, has served on numerous boards from the Denton Chamber of Commerce to the Texas Woman’s University Founder’s Day luncheon committee not to mention her 25 years with our local United Way.
Ellen has long been known for her commitment to excellence, her passion for helping the community and for being a fun person to have around.
The Dr. Bettye Myers Humanitarian Award was established by the board of directors and lifetime members of United Way of Denton County in 2014 to recognize the highest level of community leadership and philanthropy. Past recipients include Dr. Bettye Myers, Janet and Joe Mulroy, Stan Morton, Debbie and Mark Merki and Bill Patterson. I am truly humbled and honored to have been the sixth recipient last year. It is an award I will always cherish.
In addition to Ellen’s award presentation, one of Denton County’s own – Economic Development Director Michael Talley – will be one of the dancers during the annual gala’s dance competition.
If you haven’t bought a ticket yet, you’d better hurry. With an estimated 1,000 people attending last year’s event, tickets are a hot commodity this year. You can buy them online at www.unitedwaydenton.org.
United Way is committed to not only working with social service agencies across the county but also in developing targeted initiatives that focus on solutions for social issues ranging from homelessness to mental health.
In fact, the United Way of Denton County is gearing up for the 2020 Point-In-Time (PIT) Count on January 23. If you are interested in volunteering to help survey individuals experiencing homelessness, visit www.unitedwaydenton.org/point-time-count. You can also share this information with your networks and donate $5 gas or grocery gift cards that are provided to survey participants.
The Point-in-Time Count provides a snapshot of those who experience homelessness throughout the year. It helps our community understand what is happening with the homeless and allows United Way of Denton County to apply for funding to increase available resources.
Connect With Us: Be sure and connect with Denton County on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DentonCountyTX and on Twitter @DentonCountyTX.
If you have any questions or comments, please let me hear from you. My email is [email protected] and my office number is 972-434-4780.
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