City of Roanoke, TX Newsletter- August 2023

Message from Mayor Gierisch

Roanoke is on the move! This summer has been packed with welcoming new businesses, celebrations, and growth. I am always impressed with Roanoke's small town charm and big city heart.

Over the next few weeks, the Roanoke City Council and I will finalize our 2023/2024 fiscal year budget. We are proud of the accomplishments and fiscal responsibility of our staff and look forward to another banner year. Here are a few department updates I think you will be interested to know:

Roanoke has maintained amongst the lowest property tax rates in the state. I am proud to announce a new LOWER tax rate for Roanoke citizens. The new rates result in a 9.34% decrease.

2022 Rates: $.339779 per $100 of Value
NEW 2023 Rates: $.308039 per $100 of Value

Learn more about the new rates by visiting our website.

As part of the 2022/2023 budget, the Roanoke Fire Department purchased a new brush truck. The Roanoke Fire Department has deployed multiple teams, and the brush truck, this year including:

March 2023: The brush truck and team were deployed to the Lubbock to assist with severe weather.
April 2023: The brush truck and team were initially deployed to Merkel to assist with the Valley Fire. Then, the truck and team deployed to Alpine and Big Springs where they were assigned to the Pine Fire.
June 2023: A fire engine and team were deployed to Perryton to assist after a tornado caused large destruction. The team was reassigned to Matador after the area was hit with another tornado. The deployment team was then called to East Texas to assist with evacuations of nursing facilities due to widespread weather related power outages. Beginning June 28th, the Roanoke brush truck and team were deployed to assist with the fire at Possum Kingdom.
July 2023: The Roanoke Fire Department deployed a Wildland Paramedic Unit to support wildland fire operations in the Stephenville area. During the assignment, the Roanoke team was responsible for the medical care and transport of firefighters working on the fire line.

We thank our Roanoke Fire Department team for their continued hard work, dedication, and committed excellence.

The Roanoke Police Department received and installed 11 new Toughbook Laptops. The Roanoke Information Technology Department worked diligently to find a new laptop lease that would have a cost savings for the City of Roanoke. The new lease includes multiple incentives and savings.

We are excited to announce our Roanoke TX Connect app is now available in your app store! The app allows access to our most frequently used City pages and services. Simply search "Roanoke TX Connect" in your app store, or visit our website, add the app to your device.

July was National Parks & Recreation Month. We celebrated all month with a variety of events and staff highlights. One of my favorite days was spent celebrating our Parks & Recreation Maintenance team. These unsung heroes keep Roanoke beautiful. Be sure to wave and say hello next time you see the team maintaining one of Roanoke's 9 beautiful parks, taking care of our landscaping, and cleaning debris.

The Roanoke Public Library recently opened the Little Oak Street Play Learning Center. The space invites children, ages 2 - 6 years old, and their caregivers, to practice play learning. Little Oak Street features five different play areas, which will change seasonally. Visit Little Oak Street at the Roanoke Public Library Monday through Saturday from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, and 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM.

Our website is full of important updates and tips to maintain safety during these hot Texas summer months. Please visit the website, or call any of our talented departments, for assistance. You can also follow our social media pages for up to date information. Links to those pages are: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, NextDoor. I hope to see you soon enjoying Roanoke's beautiful amenities.

Message from City Manager Cody Petree

The City of Roanoke continues to grow in incredible ways! As we grow, we look for new and innovative ways to serve the community. Our staff looks forward to continued excellence in customer service, and dedication to the community.

The City Hall Plaza fountain has been repaired and is ready for you to visit! The fountain is activated with a motion sensor. When you arrive to the plaza, look for the pole with clear activation markings, swipe your hand over the sensor, and enjoy.

During the July 11, 2023 Roanoke City Council meeting, the Roanoke City Council approved a grant funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) to fund a beautification project. The project will be used to add landscaping on Highway 377 medians between Parish Lane and Denton Street in Roanoke. That project should begin in the near future.

City of Roanoke staff enjoyed visits from Heart of Texas Therapy Dogs. Buddy (King Cavalier Spaniel) visited City Hall, and Sky (Great Pyrenees) visited the Police Department. Both of our visiting four legged friends received pup-cakes, handmade by Roanoke's Human Resources team.

On August 1st, we celebrated the grand opening of the Roanoke Outdoor Fitness Court! We were proud to welcome elected officials, representatives from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, City of Roanoke staff, and many of our community members. We hope you are able to enjoy the new outdoor court, located near the soccer complex at 505 Roanoke Rd.

The fall recreation and activities guide is now available. Visit the Parks and Recreation webpage to learn more, review the guide, and plan your fall sports and activities.

Our staff has welcomed several new additions to the team including:

Kevin Buchanan, Police Officer
Dan Dearborn, Parks Maintenance Superintendent
Bailee Sandoval, Part Time Recreation Aide Supporting Special Events

In addition to our new staff, we are proud to announce the following promotions:

Thomas Osborn: Promoted from Police Officer to Police Sergeant
Michael Maclean: Promoted from Police Officer to Police Corporal

The City of Roanoke is a great place to work! If you are interested in joining the team, click here to learn more and apply.

Employee Spotlight: Megan Simons

Each month we wish to introduce you to one of our incredible staff members.

This month, our spotlight is on Megan Simons, Roanoke Public Library, Youth Services Technician.

Megan has worked with the Roanoke Public Library for nearly a year. When asked what she loves most about her job, Megan responded, "The people! I have some absolutely incredible coworkers who both support and encourage me to have a healthy work-life balance. These same coworkers are also a lot of fun to spend 40+ hours a week with. I also love working with the teens. I don't know if anyone realizes, but the teens in this community are more motivated to be involved in their community than any I've seen at other libraries. They are engaged, pleasant to work with, and all around a really great group. It makes me want to put in 110% for them!"

Outside of work, Megan loves to play games, read, and spend time with her pets and husband. A fun fact about Megan: Prior to choosing her current career path, Megan aspired to be "the first female astronaut to step on Pluto". While she has changes her path, she still loves to look at the starts and hopes to someday have the opportunity to visit space.

Please stop into the Library and thank Megan for all of her hard work.

Coming Up

The City of Roanoke has plenty of free family fun! Coming up:

August 15: City Hall Selfie Day, Free Ice Cream & City Hall Tours
August 18: Family Movie Night, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
August 19: Farmers Market, Aviation Day
August 26: Farmers Market, Hot Dog Day
September 2: Farmers Market, Eat an Extra Dessert Day
September 9: Farmers Market, Gem and Mineral Day
SAVE THE DATE: October 14, Celebrate Roanoke