Spring is officially here, even though some days have felt like the middle of summer! Here in municipal government, the spring season often means it is election season. This year, Places 1 (Mayor), 2, 4, and 6 are up for election. Council member Shawn Nelson filed for re-election to Place 4, and I filed for re-election as your Mayor. Both of us are running unopposed. Hogan Heathington and Misty Sedillo have both filed for Place 2. Dan Jaworski and Lorri Hill have filed for Place 6. I appreciate their desire to commit their time to serve our City. If you’d like to learn more about the candidates, The Cross Timbers Gazette hosted a candidate forum on April 9 at the Highland Village Municipal Complex. We thank Max Miller for providing this opportunity and hosting these forums each year.
Early voting begins on April 20 and ends on April 28. The Highland Village Municipal Complex is a polling location for early voting. Registered voters can vote at any Denton County polling location during early voting. Highland Village residents will vote at the Municipal Complex on Election Day, which is May 2.
Our Parks and Recreation department has several family fun events planned this spring. Movies in the Park will take place on the first two Saturdays in May at Doubletree Ranch Park. The Movies in the Park are free, and food trucks will offer food and drinks for purchase. Movies this year are “Zootopia 2” and “How to Train Your Dragon.” If you are looking for a summer camp experience, we have teamed up with KidVenture for Camp Highland Village. This program offers nine unique weeks of summer day camp held at Doubletree Ranch Park. Check out hvparks.com for all the details.
The 11th Annual Highland Village Art Festival is Saturday, May 2, at The Shops at Highland Village. You won’t want to miss the gallery-quality artists, an interactive kids’ art area, live music, and demonstrations. Bring the family between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and enjoy a meal and shopping while you’re at The Shops.
This year, we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Highland Village Business Association. The HVBA is the City’s version of a chamber of commerce and is managed by the City’s marketing and communications department. Its mission is to promote business networking and raise awareness of our local businesses. Thirty years ago, the HVBA began as a way to provide transportation updates to the businesses along FM 407. The organization hosts quarterly community coffee events and lunches, offering opportunities for networking and City updates. The HVBA is funded by the City as City Councils have felt it important to promote and support our local businesses – when the local economy does well, the City does well. A 30-year anniversary would not be possible without the continued support of our business community, and we are grateful for their continued attendance, referrals and involvement. Every November for the last 20 years, the HVBA has held the Salute Our Veterans luncheon to honor our local veterans. Sponsorships from our community allow veterans and their guests to attend at no charge. Our local businesses are listed on an online business directory at thehvba.com, as well as the calendar of events and news about Highland Village businesses. We produce videos for Highland Village businesses and use Facebook and Instagram to promote our business community. If you are a local business, I encourage you to check out the HVBA and become involved. We will be celebrating our 30th anniversary at the April 14 luncheon. Registration and details can be found at thehvba.com.
Our police and fire departments are also helping support our local business community by hosting Public Safety Pop-In events. On Wednesday, May 6, join us at Froyo Joe’s from 4 to 6 p.m. for some tasty treats and an opportunity to gather with the community and talk with fire and police in a comfortable setting. I hope to see you there!
As we head into the warmer seasons and a time when we enjoy the outdoors, please remember the City’s Micro-mobility ordinance, which provides regulations for safe use of bikes, scooters, and all Micro-mobility devices. We have always encouraged parents to teach their children the rules of the road and the City’s regulations. HVPD has provided education through our public schools and by interacting with our youth on the trails. As part of the HVPD Community Policing model, the goal is enforcement through education. Our officers have begun enforcing the ordinance and will continue doing so to support a safe community. Remember, those under 18 are required to wear a helmet, ride with one rider per device, walk the device through crosswalks, no phone, earbuds or headphones while riding, and to yield right-of-way to pedestrians.
Did you know the City has programs for those 55 and up? If you are looking for an opportunity to gather with a community of 55+ active adults then you should check out the Senior All-Star programs. There are so many activities including fitness classes, Lunch & Learns, Bingo, parties, trips and lots more. Check out hvparks.com/seniors or call 972-317-7430 to learn more. You can stay up to date on all Senior All-Star activities by asking to be added to the newsletter, which is mailed every two months and outlines all scheduled events and programs.
As you can see, a lot is happening in Highland Village! I hope to see you around town!
