Friday, June 20, 2025, officially started the summer season along with warmer weather and the longest daylight of the year. Two weeks prior we held our first retreat with our new executive team and Council. Discussions surrounded the town’s future goals, a more effective organizational structure, Council priorities and the annual budget timeline to name a few. The retreat was intended to be a kick-off meeting with the new executive team, which included Mike Sims, our new town manager, and Erika McComis, our town secretary.
Argyle is a General Law Type A town and identifies the mayor as the budget officer who prepares the town budget for approval by the voting members of the Town Council. My directive to staff was to freeze operational expenditures to what was budgeted in 2024-2025 and instead focus any excess revenues toward capital improvements like roads and drainage.
Argyle’s roads are gradually deteriorating and efforts need to be made towards maintenance or replacement. Staff will be directed to prioritize the road projects and timelines. The first road project will be the replacement of about 400 feet of pavement on Frenchtown Road east of Hwy 377, which should begin in the next three months. We continue to set aside $500,000 annually toward the construction of the new police station, which will total $1.5 million by the end of this fiscal year.
Also during June, our independent auditor presented the audit results for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The outcome was an unmodified opinion, or clean audit. The audit also identified that the town has over $23 million in various fund balances, including the Road & Maintenance and Capital Improvements funds. Argyle continues to benefit from its superior A++ credit rating and has access to over $13 million in bond capacity should we need funds to capitalize projects in the future. Notwithstanding, I strongly believe that any future debt should be brought to the voters of Argyle for approval.
Argyle also gained several new businesses, including The Green Room, an indoor golf range, located in The Oaks building. It is designed for all ages and skill levels, and is open 24/7. Argyle Station, the new two story building south of the Shell station at Hwy 377 and Frenchtown added Argyle Fine Wine and Spirits, Argyle Cigar and Smoke Shop, State Farm, Frenchtown Salon Suites, and of course Dan’s Bagels, which is scheduled to open in the next 30 to 60 days. Also, The Real Estate Station has relocated to the shopping center. Current discussions of other tenants include an Asian Fusion restaurant, which was presented to the Municipal Development District during the June meeting. Lastly, and certainly not least is the addition of Little Joe’s ice cream shop, which is anticipated to open early in July. The Argyle Business Association received a $5,000 grant from the Town of Argyle to help further the growth of the association, which has now exceeded 115 members since the founding of only three months ago.
The town appropriated $75,000 at the last council meeting toward the design of the Argyle Nature Trail. This will serve as a road map to bring the park to a useable state, to include walkways, lights and the Argyle Veterans Memorial.
I would be remiss not to mention the stellar job our police chief and his team did with the 5th annual Child Safety Fair on June 7. It was bigger and better than in years past and included first responders such as the Denton Sheriff’s Department and even the Secret Service. About 2,000 visitors were in attendance with over 40 businesses and vendors. These vendors donated many child safety devices including 200 life jackets, several hundred infant sleep sacks, 50 booster seats, and over 100 gun cable locks. Kids got to enjoy free snow cones and ice cream, while parents learned about child safety. The event raised over $11,000 which will be donated to the Denton County Friends of the Family, an organization that serves survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
In closing, please note that I am always accessible to the citizens of Argyle that we serve. Mike, our Town Manager and I, have made a goal to drive our Town together every Friday morning in an effort to identify what we need to focus on and to interact with our great citizens. Starting in August, this column will also include a six-part series about the governance of Argyle and how it differs from some other municipalities.
