Happy New Year Northlake and all our wonderful neighbors! I hope that your Christmas celebrations were relaxing and rejuvenating and that you took the time to celebrate the reason for the season, Jesus Christ the Savior of the world!
Thank you to all our wonderful staff, first responders and others who have to work during the holiday season. They keep everything moving so we can take a moment to sit back and reflect on the year past and the one ahead. It has been an eventful year, full of significant accomplishments and wins for our town and our region.
Our second annual Christmas parade and tree lighting was a smash success. We had a funny little hiccup when the tree didn’t light after our countdown. It came on shortly after so all’s well that ends well! The rumor was that the reindeer we had at the event kicked the cord for the tree… not sure if that ended up being the issue but that makes for a great story so that’s what I’m going with!
Last month, our town council passed all the development agreements to move the StarCenter project forward, including new retail, restaurant and residential projects adjacent to the project and the land acquisition and public infrastructure investments required to bring the whole area online. More hotels to support the project are expected along 114 as the estimated tourism for the center is projected to be as high as 50,000 hotel room stays per year. The StarCenter is expected to open in 2025 around the time the mainline 114 expansion will be completed.
Inflation continues to be a major stress on everyone, and the cost of services through our municipalities is not immune to increases. Here are a few things to ensure you are taking advantage of to manage your costs.
First, remember just about everyone in all municipalities on city water are subject to winter averaging. If you irrigate during winter, you will be subject to very high sewer bills for the next year. Turn off those sprinklers and save dollars not just on the water but also on broken lines! If you feel the need to keep after your foundation, at least only run those zones briefly, or hand water as needed. Every gallon counts!
If you own your home, you should be seeing one or two thousand dollars of tax relief delivered by our state legislature. If you aren’t seeing the relief, double check that your homestead is active. If not, you can submit the paperwork to get it retroactively applied up to two years in arrears. Just make sure to put in the tax year in which you were living in your home as of Jan 1 each year. If this is your first year, get that paperwork in right after the first of the year.
As we begin a New Year, I hope that you continue to love our town and neighborhood and are proud of the place you call home. Times are tough, many people are ill, and the world is an uncertain place. It makes it all the more important to have a safe place to retreat to, in order to recharge and face the challenges ahead. Whatever this New Year brings you and your family, we pray that you will rise to it and grow closer together as families, communities, and as a nation. On to 2024!
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