Mayor Makes Appeal for More Parental Guidance

Pam King
Published 07/23/2009 - 12:14 p.m. CST

Eagle Scouts family Lance, Nathan (Scout), Stephanie, Catherine and Andrew Shurtleff, outside of Flower Mound Town Hall after receiving award.

Monday evenings Flower Mound Council Meeting started on an upbeat note, with compliments to Town staff for their responsiveness to the havoc wrecked by the tornado in June, thanks for the 2009 Fourth of July festivities, congratulations and pride on Forbes naming Flower Mound the sixth best place to move to in the nation and number one in Texas. And, Mayor Jody Smith continued the positive mood, presenting Eagle Scout Nathan Shurtleff, of local BSA Troop 709, with a Certificate of Achievement, then proclaiming July Recreation and Parks Month, underscoring the value of the towns parks and recreational opportunities and commending staff for providing well organized activities and for keeping the towns facilities safe and clean. Mayor Smiths tone turned somber, however, as she addressed the early morning traffic accident, involving two young people and claiming the life of one. We had a traffic accident involving youngsters, a 17- to 20-year old group, said Smith, and there was a fatality. [Flower Mound has] lost several of its youth in vehicular accidents due to situations beyond our control, perhaps partying or speeding. Ive got three teenage boys, continued Smith, 20, 16 and 14, and I think the reason this really hits home is because of the age of my kids and the fear that this could happen to any family. Weve also lost a child, Smith continued. Not from drinking and driving, of course, she was 7 years old, but I think Im extra sensitive. What I would like our community to do, not only myself, as mayor, our council and staff, but I would love us

as adults to come together, to be mentors for our youth, to be there for them, to be involved with them. My hope is that our community, as a whole, will reach out. These kids are our kids, lets all give them good guidance. The Council heard a report from Seniors in Motion Board President, Denis Toth, regarding membership, volunteers, programs and facilities. Toth commented on the difficulties of the Senior Center being part of Flower Mounds Community Activity Center, where neither the building space nor the parking seem adequate. The Golden Lounge is 1650 square feet, said Toth, smaller than the former Senior Center. It is very crowded and too small to conduct simultaneous programs. Discussions continue between seniors and staff for, a stand-alone center we can call home, as Toth put it, not just a room. In other business, the council unanimously approved the issuance of Certificates of Obligation totaling $3,655,000. $2,800,000 is needed to build Fire Station #4, at Bridlewood Boulevard and Windsor, the remainder is earmarked for the purchase of two fire engines and other equipment. Additionally, Council unanimously approved the refinancing of approximately $4,665,000 in General Obligation Bonds issued in the late 90s, taking advantage of lower rates and lowering the towns financial obligation. Issues for action regarding the Marcus Stadium plans kept council, staff, consultants, LISD representatives and concerned neighbors occupied for several hours, beginning with councils unanimous approval of a land swap at the base of the water tower on the property, technically an Interlocal Agreement between LISD and the Town of Flower Mound, for purposes of relocating and reconstructing certain facilities, said not to affect current school, water or carrier operations. Council was briefed and conducted a public hearing on the proposed replat of the Marcus High School addition, 5707 Morriss Road, which included a request for a reduction to the required minimum front yard setback from Morriss Road. With no opposition, council unanimously approved the replat, as did the Planning and Zoning Commission earlier this summer. Consideration of the site plan for the Marcus stadium, which includes a football stadium, athletic fields for soccer, track, football, other school uses, field house, accessory buildings and structures and exceptions, was much more time consuming and contentious, especially for the neighbors abutting the property to the west, primarily in the Lakemont Subdivision, which runs from Waketon Road on the south, to Dixon Road on the north. Lakemont neighbors voiced concern over the lack of sufficient barriers against sight, noise lights and inadequate parking, which they fear will clog or block their neighborhood streets, and a reduce property values. Lakemont resident, Petra Kirchstein, whose property backs up to the existing practice fields, told council, Wed like the Marcus campus to have the same standards Flower Mound High School has: Flower Mound High School looks like a country club, Marcus High School looks like a trailer park. Mayor Smith and several Council members seemed to agree on one thing: there was willingness among the development parties to positively address the issues at stake. Mayor Smith, said, A lot of work has gone into addressing resident issues. Council member Hayden, who was credited by Lakemont neighbors for his specific interest over their concerns, said, LISD has shown a willingness to meet us half way.