News from Double Oak Town Hall — February 2024

Hello Double Oak Citizens,

It’s hard to believe we have already exhausted one month of 2024. Some say time never slows down, and that can be confirmed.

In January, the town lost a great person, mother, wife, and citizen when Jill Glover passed away.

In 2018, Jill became the State Republican Executive Committeewoman for the Republican Party of Texas, representing Senate District 12. In that role, she advocated for voters and the Republican Party platform with grace and tenacity. Jill was instrumental in implementing the Legislative Priorities at the state level as the Legislative Priorities Committee Chair and worked tirelessly with legislators on issues facing Texas. Jill’s constant strength and faith bolstered everyone in her presence, and she never missed a chance to encourage those around her. Her mentorship, humor, and love for the Lord will be missed by those blessed to know her. Thank you, Jill, for all your contributions to Double Oak and its citizens.

By the time this is printed, the Town Council will have reviewed our annual town audit. The town’s finances performed exceptionally well in the fiscal year Oct. 2022-Sept. 2023. During this period, Double Oak was able to offer its citizens a No New Revenue Rate, the same rate as 2021-2022, and was still able to cover all the costs of the town and then some. The town council works diligently to prepare financial plans that take care of the town and ensure that we can improve what services the town can offer its citizens.

Upcoming items for the town council will consist of our annual list of crack sealing of our Double Oak streets and roads and the same for the targeted Mill and Overlay projects.

Town Hall needs some repairs, which will be in front of the council this month. Specifically, the septic system that handles the town hall and Double Oak Volunteer Fire Department is grossly undersized and has backed up a few times in the past month. Due to this issue, a Town Council meeting had to be postponed in January. This will be an unbudgeted but necessary expense for the town. Thank goodness that Double Oak has a fund balance to cover such emergencies.

The mayor and public works have initially discussed the drainage study the town purchased in 2023 with our town engineer. The scope of this study is quite large, and once the final version of the study is prepared on a high level, it will be presented to the town council, followed by a town council workshop, and then up to four public meetings to present its findings. This is not a quick-fix study but will span multiple years, councils, and mayors if these town drainage challenges are to be addressed. And these fixes will not be inexpensive.

There will also be a committee that will begin to review some of our outdated town ordinances. Over the years, our state government has introduced and passed legislation that changes some of what local town governments can govern. A great example of this is that Double Oak has a town ordinance that states that if you build a second building on your property, it must match in design and materials precisely what your home is made of. In 2022, Governor Abbott passed statewide legislation that changed this, and now, our local design ordinances can no longer be enforced by Double Oak. So, it will be the town council’s responsibility to work with the town attorney to begin to bring our ordinances up to date. These will become agenda items for discussion, consideration, and action when brought in front of the committee and council.

Braums is coming along nicely. It is still targeted for the March opening. However, the town will provide more detailed updates in the Double Oak Friday Updates in February.

Have a Wonderful short Month of February!

February 2024 Events

Town Council Meetings – February 5 & 20 – 7 p.m.

Jellybeans Food for Kids Drop Offs at Town Hall –February 7 & 21 – 9-11 a.m.

Monthly Siren Testing – February 7 – 12 p.m.

Municipal Court – February 7 – 5 p.m.

Double Oak Women’s Club – February 21 – 7-10 p.m.

Thank you for taking the time to read this update and, more importantly, being involved as a citizen in this great town called Double Oak!

Be sure to catch all exciting news or updates; please visit the Double Oak Town website at doubleoak.texas.gov. In addition to contacting Town Hall at 972-539-9464, Double Oak citizens may reach me at [email protected].