Page 320 - Benbrook FY20 Approved Budget

CITY OF BENBROOK 2019-20 ANNUAL BUDGET

The autumn of 2016 ushered in additional honors for the City through the gold level recertification from the Texas Scenic City Certification
program and the Best Practices Achievement Award for the Benbrook Police Department. Heritage Fest was a rousing success and provided
great opportunities for Benbrook’s young and old to celebrate the City’s heritage and prepare for the future. The Police and Fire Department
partnered to host “National Take-Back Initiative” for safe disposal of prescription and over-the-counter medications. In November, the Benbrook
Veterans Memorial was dedicated at Dutch Branch Park. As winter approached, Mr. and Mrs. Claus visited Benbrook to promote Winter
Wonderland.

2017

In January, Council kicked off a year of infrastructure improvements and new projects by approving a street light project for Bellaire Drive using
Community Development Block Grants funds. February featured the awarding of a design contract for the new animal shelter; the construction
contract was awarded in September. In April Council approved a ground lease agreement with a local church for construction of South Benbrook
Park; the new park was dedicated in November. Also, in April, Council approved a contract for construction of Benbrook Field Drive; this new
thoroughfare was completed before year’s end to provide improved access to commercial land west of Benbrook Boulevard. In June a
construction contract was awarded for the Sundown Drive drainage project; another drainage project was approved in November for Timberline
Drive. Engineering and construction plans were developed for the extension of Vista Way from Mercedes Street to the Interstate 20 frontage
road – just west and parallel to Benbrook Boulevard; this roadway is another project to improve and to encourage commercial development.

The year 2017 marked a significant uptick in the Benbrook housing market with new homes constructed in five new subdivisions. The new
subdivisions feature high-quality housing, concrete streets, and masonry retaining walls. A 2017 housing report ranked six Tarrant County cities
among the healthiest housing markets in Texas; of these six cities, Benbrook ranked first.

Towards the end of 2017, residents and visitors witnessed the substantial completion of the widening and improvement of Benbrook Boulevard
by the Texas Department of Transportation. Wider and expanded traffic lanes combined with the removal of unsightly overhead utility pole
and lines add to the aesthetic enhancement of Benbrook’s primary thoroughfare. Landscaping and new monument signs are scheduled upon
construction completion. Benbrook welcomed several new businesses in 2017 to serve as a gateway into Benbrook from Interstate 20.

Community spirit gained momentum in Benbrook in 2017. The City and community partners hosted a myriad of special events that focused on
family-friendly celebrations and gatherings. In March the City hosted the American Veterans Traveling Tribute Wall, an eighth-percent scale
replica of the Viet Nam Veterans Memorial in our nation’s capital; residents and visitors honored veterans and active members of America’s
armed forces. In April the Benbrook Police Officers Association held their annual Easter Egg Hunt at Dutch Branch Park. Dutch Branch Park
served as the gathering place for Benbrook’s Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society’s annual event that supports the fight against cancer,
honors cancer survivors and their caretakers, and remembers those who lost their battle. In May and again in November, the City hosted a

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