Summary: Willow Park City Council Meeting reviewed by the City of Willow Park newspaper of record, The Community News: Topics • City hires new police chief • Receives clean audit • Beall-Dean Utility Extension Project • Engineering services related to street and infrastructure improvements in the Squaw Creek Estates West subdivision.
• Latest Update: posted 13 March 2024
• Tags: #EMSFirePoliceAmb#DevelopmentSouth #DevelopmentNorth #Finance
• Note: Willow Park Civics is about Willow Park but is NOT associated with or managed by the City of Willow Park.
• Reprinted with written permission.
[11 March 2025 Council Meeting Review] Willow Park: City hires new police chief, The Community News, 12 March 2025 in .pdf / Subscribe
Topics:
• City hires new police chief
• Receives clean audit
• Beall-Dean Utility Extension Project
• Engineering services related to street and infrastructure improvements in the Squaw Creek Estates West subdivision.
Excerpt:
City hires new police chief
Following an executive session at its March 11 city council meeting, the council voted to hire Ray Lacy as the city’s new police chief.
Lacy was most recently the interim police chief in Jourdanton, Texas (south of San Antonio).
Parker County, however, is closer to home and family. Lacy grew up in Mesquite before embarking on a 39-year law enforcement career.
Lacy said he was already familiar with Willow Park due to his long-time friendship with council member Chawn Gilliland.
“We've known each other for a long time and I've been up here many times visiting him and coming to police schools so when this position opened and we talked, I knew it's a great place,” Lacy said.
Lacy also served in the University Park area of Dallas.
“I'm all about community service, community care, taking care of our citizens and our business owners,” Lacy said. “We did that in University Park and I think that fits perfectly with what they want to do here, too.”
While technically retired, Lacy said he never intended to stay retired, and in retirement has been doing contract police work.
Lacy graduated from Dallas Baptist University and holds masters certification and an advanced instructor certification in addition to other credentials.
He also graduated from the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT), which he said “is the premier place that we send all of our executives.”
He is a graduate of the Texas Municipal League leadership program as well.
His wife, Andrea, is a registered Nurse, and she approved the move to Willow Park.
“She's the one that blesses where we would go before I even apply and she likes it out this way,” he said, adding that she has family in the area as well.
Willow Park City Manager Bryan Grimes said the target date for Lacy to begin his duties is March 24.
Other council action
Reba Long, an audit senior manager with Snow, Garrett Williams, presented the results of the firm’s audit of city finances.
Long highlighted that the city’s assets and deferred outflows exceed liabilities and deferred inflows by $20,654,118.
All in all, it was a good audit,” Long said. “It's always a good audit out here.”
The council also approved a bid of $1,446,565 from Southern Contractors Group for Phase 1 of the Beall-Dean Utility Extension Project. / The project will extend water and sewer service to the Dean-Beall property of about 317 acres located on the southwest corner of Interstate 20 and Highway 1187.
In other heavy equipment matters, the council voted to approve a contract with Jacob & Martin for engineering services related to street and infrastructure improvements in the Squaw Creek Estates West subdivision.
The city anticipates the following projects:
• Water Line Replacement: Approximately 7,950’ of 8” line along Squaw Creek Road
• Water Line Replacement: Approximately 6,180’ of 8” line along Yucca, Mesa, Cactus, and Verde Roads
• Squaw Creek Road Reconstruction: Ranch House Road to Sam Bass Road (7,950’)
• Yucca Road Reconstruction: Verde Road to Squaw Creek Road (1,775’)
• Mesa Road Reconstruction: Verde Road to Squaw Creek Road (1,450’)
• Cactus Road Reconstruction: Verde Road to Squaw Creek Road (1,100’)
• Cactus Court Reconstruction: Cactus Road to End of Cul-de-Sac (250’)
• Verde Road Reconstruction: HOA Entrance to Yucca Road (1,605’)
• Ditch and culvert improvements along and crossing Squaw Creek Road
• Drainage improvements along and crossing Yucca, Mesa, Cactus, and Verde Roads
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