CTroyMathis
13 January 2003, 12:11 AM
2003 to bring choices, changes
New water source, efforts to keep Cowboys, key city decisions ahead
01/09/2003
By LEE POWELL / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/city/irving/stories/010903dnirvlookahead.2325f.html
This is the year Irving will celebrate its 100th birthday, gain its own water supply and try to hang on to America's Team.
But 2003 will also bring choices – about whether to build a hotel and convention center complex, how the city spends its money and who sits on the City Council.
•
The commemoration of Irving's centennial actually began in 2002. A series of events marking the occasion will last all year, including an all-day celebration at Texas Stadium in April and a re-enactment of Irving's founding.
The city is chipping in about $1.8 million for the fete, along with $9 million in improvements to downtown Irving approved by voters in a recent bond package.
•
By the middle of the year, water should be flowing through a city pipeline stretching across Collin County, bringing water from Lake Chapman (formerly Cooper Lake) in East Texas to Lewisville Lake.
"Parts of it are already being tested," said David Ryburn, the city's water utilities director. "We're continuing to final it out and get it ready."
The pipeline will lessen Irving's dependence on Dallas for water – a goal of city leaders since the 1950s.
Water from Lewisville Lake will be treated by Dallas and sent to Irving's water supply system.
Between building a pipeline and upgrading its existing water system, the city has spent more than $200 million, making it the largest public works project in city history.
•
The end of 2002 brought a flurry of discussion on the possibility of building a new stadium for the Dallas Cowboys in Las Colinas. Team representatives said a site near State Highway 114 and Northwest Highway could work for what they want to build. City officials agreed.
The team is expected to seek taxpayer help in building a new stadium. The Cowboys have not said how much this might be, and Irving city officials have not said how much they are willing to give.
Mayor Joe Putnam said he is not sure where discussions are.
"I don't know if anybody is waiting on anybody right now," he said. "If anything happens, it will have to come from the Cowboys."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said he wants a 75,000- to 100,000-seat, all-weather stadium capable of hosting the Super Bowl. Surrounding development would include a hall of fame, hotels, shops and restaurants.
•
Just south of the proposed Las Colinas stadium site, the city wants to build a $178 million convention center and hotel complex. City Council members should learn next month whether a financing package has come together for the hotel portion.
The council's audit and finance committee has given the hotel developer until Feb. 15 to finalize a deal.
The entire project has effectively been on hold while the city seeks private dollars for the 450-room hotel, seen as integral to the success of the convention center.
It will target trade shows and corporate gatherings that typically head for medium-size markets.
With hotel financing, the convention center is expected to open in 2005.
•
It could be another trying budget year for the city of Irving.
Slumping tax revenues forced city officials to slice millions of dollars from the 2002-03 budget now controlling Irving's spending.
Most city functions are supported by a $144 million operating budget.
No city employees lost their jobs, but no one received raises, and few open positions were filled.
Still, City Manager Steve McCullough has warned council members that Irving may not have such an easy time in the 2003-04 budget if times do not improve.
The next cuts may be programs and people, he said.
In addition to a drop in sales tax revenue, the city could see a hit in property tax numbers if office vacancy rates remain high. More vacant space means lower property valuations, leading to less revenue for city coffers.
•
Three seats on the nine-member City Council come up for a vote in May. All three officeholders -- Lewis Patrick, Joe Philipp and Rick Stopfer -- say they will seek new terms. Mr. Patrick and Mr. Philipp have served on the body since 1996 and Mr. Stopfer since 1998.
Council members serve three-year terms and are paid $450 a month.
•
Linda Harper-Brown heads to Austin as the state representative for the newly created District 105. This will be the first time in 10 years that an Irving resident will be an advocate for the city in the Texas Legislature.
Last November, Ms. Brown defeated three other candidates to win the seat. In the past, Irving was split among five state representatives, none of whom lived in the city.
E-mail lkpowell@dallasnews.com
New water source, efforts to keep Cowboys, key city decisions ahead
01/09/2003
By LEE POWELL / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/city/irving/stories/010903dnirvlookahead.2325f.html
This is the year Irving will celebrate its 100th birthday, gain its own water supply and try to hang on to America's Team.
But 2003 will also bring choices – about whether to build a hotel and convention center complex, how the city spends its money and who sits on the City Council.
•
The commemoration of Irving's centennial actually began in 2002. A series of events marking the occasion will last all year, including an all-day celebration at Texas Stadium in April and a re-enactment of Irving's founding.
The city is chipping in about $1.8 million for the fete, along with $9 million in improvements to downtown Irving approved by voters in a recent bond package.
•
By the middle of the year, water should be flowing through a city pipeline stretching across Collin County, bringing water from Lake Chapman (formerly Cooper Lake) in East Texas to Lewisville Lake.
"Parts of it are already being tested," said David Ryburn, the city's water utilities director. "We're continuing to final it out and get it ready."
The pipeline will lessen Irving's dependence on Dallas for water – a goal of city leaders since the 1950s.
Water from Lewisville Lake will be treated by Dallas and sent to Irving's water supply system.
Between building a pipeline and upgrading its existing water system, the city has spent more than $200 million, making it the largest public works project in city history.
•
The end of 2002 brought a flurry of discussion on the possibility of building a new stadium for the Dallas Cowboys in Las Colinas. Team representatives said a site near State Highway 114 and Northwest Highway could work for what they want to build. City officials agreed.
The team is expected to seek taxpayer help in building a new stadium. The Cowboys have not said how much this might be, and Irving city officials have not said how much they are willing to give.
Mayor Joe Putnam said he is not sure where discussions are.
"I don't know if anybody is waiting on anybody right now," he said. "If anything happens, it will have to come from the Cowboys."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said he wants a 75,000- to 100,000-seat, all-weather stadium capable of hosting the Super Bowl. Surrounding development would include a hall of fame, hotels, shops and restaurants.
•
Just south of the proposed Las Colinas stadium site, the city wants to build a $178 million convention center and hotel complex. City Council members should learn next month whether a financing package has come together for the hotel portion.
The council's audit and finance committee has given the hotel developer until Feb. 15 to finalize a deal.
The entire project has effectively been on hold while the city seeks private dollars for the 450-room hotel, seen as integral to the success of the convention center.
It will target trade shows and corporate gatherings that typically head for medium-size markets.
With hotel financing, the convention center is expected to open in 2005.
•
It could be another trying budget year for the city of Irving.
Slumping tax revenues forced city officials to slice millions of dollars from the 2002-03 budget now controlling Irving's spending.
Most city functions are supported by a $144 million operating budget.
No city employees lost their jobs, but no one received raises, and few open positions were filled.
Still, City Manager Steve McCullough has warned council members that Irving may not have such an easy time in the 2003-04 budget if times do not improve.
The next cuts may be programs and people, he said.
In addition to a drop in sales tax revenue, the city could see a hit in property tax numbers if office vacancy rates remain high. More vacant space means lower property valuations, leading to less revenue for city coffers.
•
Three seats on the nine-member City Council come up for a vote in May. All three officeholders -- Lewis Patrick, Joe Philipp and Rick Stopfer -- say they will seek new terms. Mr. Patrick and Mr. Philipp have served on the body since 1996 and Mr. Stopfer since 1998.
Council members serve three-year terms and are paid $450 a month.
•
Linda Harper-Brown heads to Austin as the state representative for the newly created District 105. This will be the first time in 10 years that an Irving resident will be an advocate for the city in the Texas Legislature.
Last November, Ms. Brown defeated three other candidates to win the seat. In the past, Irving was split among five state representatives, none of whom lived in the city.
E-mail lkpowell@dallasnews.com