Page 341 - Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council

BENBROOK HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Throughout 2011, the City Council debated and pondered the prospect of designing a new logo for Benbrook. Work
sessions open to the public were conducted and various designs were considered. The Council decided to involve the
community by holding a contest to design a new logo for Benbrook.

On July 6, 2011, at a news conference at the Benbrook Public Library, the Mayor of Benbrook announced the City’s
partnership with a major developer of real estate services. The partnership is expected to facilitate the development
of a new regional shopping center in Benbrook – “The Trails Town Center.” Citing Benbrook as an ideal location for a
development of this magnitude, the initial conceptual rendering of the center includes 1.5 million square feet of open-
air shopping and entertainment opportunities for the region. The development team is working to recruit destination
and nationally-recognized retailers. Retail opportunities include home improvement, electronics, grocery, sporting
goods, and restaurant/entertainment. Located at the southeast corner of IH-20 and Winscott Road, the project is
predicted to generate as much as $375 million in annual retail sales, provide over 6,250 jobs, and serve as a gateway
to west Texas customers.

2012

Benbrook, the book created by City Staff, became available for sale on January 4, 2012. Copies are available at
Benbrook City Hall, the Benbrook Public Library, and the Benbrook Community Center/YMCA; the cost is $23.80 (tax
included). For the past several years, Benbrook Staff worked on compiling photographs, drafting narrative, and
organizing the information to produce a historical account of Benbrook. The City of Benbrook completed an “Images
of America” book entitled Benbrook. The historical publication depicts the early years of settlement and subsequent
growth of Benbrook, Texas. Thanks to the generosity of many former and current Benbrook citizens and organizations,
this publication offers insight to the founding people and places of the community.

In January 2012 the City Council adopted a resolution moving the Benbrook City Council general elections to the
November Uniform Election Date. The 82 Texas Legislature implemented the federal Military and Overseas Voter
nd
Enhancement Act (MOVE) in 2011 with the passage of Senate Bill 100. This act changed the primary and primary
runoff dates for the State of Texas, thus causing an overlay between the most commonly-used uniform election date
for municipal general elections - the second Saturday in May. Senate Bill 100 removed the requirement for County
Elections Administrators to provide local governmental entities assistance in elections through contract or joint
elections in even-numbered years. Tarrant County informed Benbrook that following the May 2012 election, the
County may not be able to provide the electronic voting machines that are required by the federal Help America Vote
CITY OF BENBROOK 2018-19 ANNUAL BUDGET
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