City of Terrell, Texas - City News and Press Releases

The City Of Terrell wants to keep you, our citizens, informed about the latest changes and developments in your city government. You can sign up to receive periodic emails whenever a news item or press release is posted to this page.

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City Newsletter

City Council Election Packets
for District 2 & 4 are Now Available

On May 12,2012, the citizens of Terrell will be electing persons to District 2 and District 4 for a three (3) year term of office.

The City Secretary's Office will accept applications for the above-mentioned places beginning Saturday, February 4, 2012 though Monday, March 5, 2012.

The City Charter, Article II: Section 2.01. (b), outlines the eligibility to file for office and an excerpt of this section is provided below for you.

(a) Eligibility - Each council member including the mayor shall have the following qualifications:
(1) Must be a citizen of the United States.
(2) Must be a qualified voter of the State of Texas.
(3) Must have resided at least six (6) months next preceding the election within the corporate
limits of the City of Terrell and where applicable in the district he wishes to represent.
(4) Must not have been convicted of a felony.
(5) Must not be disqualified by reason of any provision of any other section of this charter.

A member of the council ceasing to possess any of the qualifications enumerated in this section while in office shall immediately forfeit his or her office.

The City Secretary's Office will receive applications during the business week, Monday-Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

City of Terrell Initiates Stage 3 of the Terrell Drought Contingency and Water Emergency Response Plan

(October 28, 2011) Terrell city officials announced that Stage 3 of the Terrell Drought Contingency and Water Emergency Response Plan measures go into effect November 1, Residents are urged to continue water reduction efforts. NTMWD reaches record water usage. Under Stage 3, the city will accelerate efforts to reduce water use by 10%, and is urging residents to conserve water.

The implementation of stage 3 comes at the request of the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD), the city’s water supplier. NTMWD will initiate Stage 3 of the NTMWD Water Conservation and Drought Contingency and Water Emergency Response Plan, March 2008, as a result of the temporary loss of Lake Texoma raw water supply due to invasive zebra mussels, the continued drought condition:

The City of Terrell requests that Customers implement the following additional water conservation strategies:

Extending the water supply during Stage 3 through the efficient use of existing water resources is crucial to meeting the long-term water needs of the customers and to possibly delay the implementation of Stage 4 water reductions.
More information and tips on water conservation can be found at www.wateriq.org. and www.ntmwd.com.

City of Terrell Initiates Stage 2 of the Terrell
Drought Contingency and Water Emergency Response Plan

(August 12, 2011) Terrell city officials announced that Stage 2 of The Terrell Drought Contingency and Water Emergency Response Plan measures go into effect today. Residents are urged to continue water reduction efforts. NTMWD reaches record water usage. Under Stage 2, the city will accelerate efforts to reduce water use by 5%, and is urging residents to conserve water.

The implementation of Stage 2 comes at the request of the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD), the city’s water supplier. NTMWD initiated Stage 2 of the NTMWD Water Conservation and Drought Contingency and Water Emergency Response Plan, March 2008, as a result of the temporary loss of the Lake Texoma raw water supply due to invasive zebra mussels, the continued drought conditions. NTMWD’s Lake Chapman water supply capacity is at 47% and peak water usage has been 554 million gallons per day.

“We’ve already exceeded last year’s peak which was not reached until late August of 2010,” said Jim Parks, executive director of NTMWD. “We have just entered what is traditionally the hottest month of the year so it is imperative to conserve every drop and limit watering your lawns to no more than two days a week.”

The City of Terrell requests that Customers implement the following additional water conservation strategies:

Extending the water supply during Stage 2 through the efficient use of existing water resources is crucial to meeting the long-term water needs of the customers and to possibly delay the implementation of Stage 3 water reductions.

Texas Giant Salvinia Effort Reaches Boaters, Raises Awareness

AUSTIN – Survey results show last year’s giant salvinia public awareness campaign by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department reached more than half of boaters living within 60 miles of four East Texas lakes targeted in the effort and that 96 percent of those boaters said they were “more likely to clean their boat, trailer or gear as a result of seeing information or advertising.”

Giant salvinia is usually spread unknowingly by people moving their boats from lake to lake. The plant “hitches a ride” on boats, motors and trailers. The invasive plant was first discovered in Texas in a small pond near Houston in 1998. It has been reported in 17 Texas lakes, including some of the state’s most popular recreational water bodies: Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn, Caddo Lake, Sheldon Lake, Lake Texana and Lake Conroe.

Last spring’s “Hello Giant Salvinia, Goodbye Texas Lakes” campaign media buy generated more than 28.5 million audience impressions amongst boaters, anglers and the general public. Efforts included floating messages on buoys near key boat ramps, fish measuring rulers with campaign messages, online web banner ads, social media, gasoline “pump toppers” and billboard ads near key lakes, and even an amusing TV ad featuring “salvinia monster” trying hitch a ride with a hapless boater.

Given the success of the salvinia awareness effort, the department is now considering a similar initiative for zebra mussels, another serious invasive threat that is not yet widespread in Texas. The non-native mussels multiply rapidly and attach themselves to boats, piers, cables and other objects. Zebra mussels can block water treatment plant intakes and pipes, as well as cause declines in fish populations, native mussels, and birds.

“We are actively seeking partners to help make a zebra mussel awareness campaign a reality,” said Carter Smith, TPWD executive director. “Although currently only established in Lake Texoma in Texas, this exotic invader is on the doorstep of the Metroplex region and could eventually spread throughout the Trinity River system toward Houston.”

FEMA Publishes New Flood Maps for City of Terrell

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has presented preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM’s) to the City of Terrell.

The FIRM’s assist city officials and local residents to identify flood risk and are used for insurance, lending and development decisions.

The preliminary maps revise and update information on the existence and severity of flood hazards in the City’s corporate limits. The maps are based on updated topographic data and decades of rainfall and storm gauge information.

Residents, property owners and business owners who believe the flood maps contain errors have until March 16, 2011, to file a protest or appeal by submitting information to FEMA through their local floodplain manager. After all comments are resolved, FEMA will notify the City, insurance companies, and residents of the effective date of the final maps.

“Flooding is the most common disaster in the U.S., and I urge Terrell residents to review the maps and be familiar with the flood risk for their property”, said Steve Rogers, City Engineer and Floodplain Administrator for the City. “The FIRM maps can assist residents, business owners and developers make informed decisions about insurance and flood protection.”

The City will host a meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 24, 2011, in the Council Chambers of City Hall. A representative from FEMA will be present to discuss the new FIRM maps and flood insurance options.

Kaufman County Crime Stoppers Hotline

Terrell residents now ways to help thwart illegal activity in the community.

Kaufman County Crime Stoppers provides a simple way for citizens to supply important information to help law enforcement agencies fight crime. The Crime Stoppers Hotline and Web Tips (online tip reporting) allow residents to remain anonymous while reporting suspicious activity or giving facts pertinent to specific cases.

Callers are eligible to receive cash rewards if the information they give leads to an arrest or a grand jury indictment of a felony offender.

The Kaufman County Crime Stoppers Hotline number is 877-TIPSKCC (877-847-7522). Submit a tip online at this site

When submitting a tip, residents are urged to provide as much detail as possible, including the date, time, location, descriptions or names of persons, and details of the incident. A license plate number and description are also helpful if a vehicle is involved.

City News and Press Releases

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