• Summary: "My mother taught me to leave things better than I found them, but we are not experiencing that from you guys." A good summary of the issues that are plaguing many of those who live along the latest Willow Park street construction project. But this time the voices are loud enough to get the City's attention. Add your name and concerns to the list of corrections. Note: Willow Park Civics is about Willow Park but is NOT associated with or managed by the City of Willow Park.
• Latest Update: updated 24 May 2024; posted 15 May 2024
• Added [14 May 2024 Council Review] Residents address council with construction complaints, The Community News, 17 May 2024, Excerpt
Willow Park citizens demand attention and correction in the current “nightmare” Streets Improvement Project. And they are getting results.
[#] source
Note: Quotes are anonymous in this article but available in the Council Meeting video.
"My mother taught me to leave things better than I found them, but we are not experiencing that from you guys."
A good summary of the issues that are plaguing many of those who live along the latest Willow Park street construction project, especially those who live on Crown Drive, Trinity Drive, Trinity Court, Sam Bass Drive, Sam Bass Court, and others tangential streets.
However, this time the combined voices were loud enough for the council to hear. "Return my yard to the way it was before you destroyed it."
"Our property needs to returned to pre-construction conditions."
During Council Member Comments [2b], every Council Member instructed the City Administration
• to start work immediately on collecting names, addresses, and specifics
• to start developing projects and solutions for each Citizen's concerns
• to report back to Council on progress.
Over the last two years, there has been a steady stream of Willow Park Citizens who have addressed the City Council and Administration concerning the current Street Improvement Project [*1]
However, during the 14 May 2024 Council Meeting [*2], over 30 citizens supported 16 fellow citizens who spoke for 45 minutes about the "nightmare" that has negatively affected their property and life quality.
In addition, these Citizens submitted a petition [in .pdf] with over 50 signatures.
Willow Park Citizens finally have the City’s attention focused on the this issue.
If your residence has been negatively affected by the City's street improvement projects, now it the time to contact the your City Council and add your specific concerns to the what the Council indicated will be an active list. Remember to ask for written confirmation that your concerns are on the "the list." Contact points below. [3]
Below are examples of Citizen demands during the Council Meeting Public Hearing.
• The first speaker brought a 4' foot tall potted plant of the marsh reeds the City has planted in the new bar ditch "moat" in front of her house; she explained her husband was using his riding mower to mow the bar ditch, as he had done for years, but his mower slid into the new moat and passing neighbors had to stop and rescue him.
• Lack of communication, lack of response from City
• "We have no idea what you guys are up to. It should be easier for those you are going to effect, to find out what's happening."
• The council agendas are posted late Friday evening before the Tuesday meeting, four pages into the City's website; you have to know when and where to find the council agenda. It needs to be broadcast more widely and earlier.
• "One morning, without notice, they tore up my driveway. I had to drive across my lawn, across my neighbor's lawn and out his driveway.
• "I met with the City Administration; they told me they would get back to me. It's been 90 days."
• "You never know when someone is going to tear up your drive way. We want and deserve better communication."
• Quality of workmanship and design
• Shoddy concrete work
• Already patching errors and redoing because of cracking concrete
• Flawed engineering
• The work crew are trashing personal property with personal trash and construction debris.
• "My 10 year old great grandson could have designed this better."
• "We were told you would put back what you took out. That did not happen."
• Driveway entrances are not being return to original size and shape.
• "Now I can't get my trailer in my driveway. And that is why I bought the property."
• Safety
• "It is dangerous to get my mail, now."
• "My mail box was suppose to be on a cement pad; it was stuck in the dirt and is now in the drainage ditch."
• These poorly designed roads are going to cause a tragedy.
• Speeding
• Inadequate policing and speed-calming, which forebodes tragedy.
• "The police said they had clocked the highest speeder at 85 mph on Crown Road, which has a 30 mph limit."
• "There are so many cars speeding on the new road that I can't safely back out of my driveway."
• Bar drainage ditches
• Dangerous conditions of the new bar ditch and driveway construction.
• Bar ditch was not built to contracted specs, too steep and too narrow.
• Drivers on the roadways and driveways are unable to see the edge of the drainage ditch and are falling into the ditch.
• "Already a delivery truck has fallen into our drainage ditch."
• "People can no longer park in the drainage ditch so they are parking in the road."
• "We are unable to mow the drainage ditch with a riding mower or even a push mower; we have to get down in the ditch with a weed eater."
• Sam Bass Drive construction has damaged the drainage between Sam Bass Drive and Stagecoach Drive.
• Negatively impacted Property Values
• "This has unquestionably lowered my property value."
• This is not why I moved to Willow Park.
A final story points to the tragedy of this street project's poor planning, construction, and implementation: [paraphrased] A older neighbor had to be picked up by an emergency vehicle, but the driveway entrance was so narrow and the drainage ditch was so deep, the ambulance employees, instead of caring for their patient, had to get out of the truck and slowly direct the ambulance in backing out of the driveway.
Sources and Resources
[1] Willow Park Civics > City Services > Streets and Roads > Street Improvement Project Index
• 2a. Public Comments: Council Meeting Facebook Video, video time 11;35.
• 2b. Council Comments: Council Meeting Facebook Video after Executive Session, video time :26.
• You do not need a Facebook account to watch this video
[3] Contact points
Since we elected our Council, and since City Administration and Employees work for the Council, who work for the Citizens, consider including at least one Council in your communication.
• City Administration
• Website
• 120 El Chico Suite A, Willow Park, Texas 76087
• (817) 441-7108
• Council and Mayor
• City Webpage Leave messages for elected officials.
• Council, Place 1, Eric Contreras
• Council, Place 2, Chawn Gilliland
• Council, Place 3, Greg Runnebaum
• Council, Place 4, Lea Young, Mayor Pro Tem
• Council, Place 5 Nathan Crummel, Mayor Pro Tem 2
• [14 May 2024 Council Review] Residents address council with construction complaints, Kings Gate Park programming, Election certification, Remembering former mayor, The Community News [online only], 17 May 2024, Excerpt
A group of residents from the Crown Road area addressed the Willow Park City Council with complaints related to the construction around them at its Tuesday, May 14, meeting,
The project is part of the city’s street and drainage improvement plan. However, several of the residents are unhappy with the changes and voiced their concerns on topics ranging from the growth of weeds in the bar ditches next to their yards to smaller driveways to speeders.
As evidence the council was listening, at the end of the evening's meeting Mayor Pro Tem Lea Young asked that the subject be put on an upcoming agenda in the near future. She suggested further discussions with departments such as engineering, police, and communications.
"It's probably going to take four or five staff members to cover these," she said.
Prior to that, however, 16 residents in the area took the opportunity to speak during the public comments section at the beginning of the meeting.
"I used to enjoy mowing my yard. Now it makes me mad," said John Lightman.
"I'm 84 years old and I'm not gonna weed eat my bar ditch," said Ned Hannah.
Teresa Palmer, who organized the group who addressed the council, complained of now having a slimmer driveway.
"Our ambulances and police can't get into our driveway," she said.
City Manager Bryan Grimes, while not able to address the citizens during the comments section per council rules, told The Community News after the meeting, "We've absolutely communicated and improved that area."
Grimes noted the difference in driveways might be connected to the new bar ditches. He explained that before, when a driveway had solid ground next to it, vehicles could easily pull in because there was no ditch for their wheels to fall into as opposed to now.
"We built them back to 12 foot driveways or better, depends on what they had before," he said, adding that even if a driveway wasn't 12 feet before the work, it was actually now widened to that as a minimum standard.
"The question is how do you keep the integrity of the drainage and still allow accessibility?"
Grimes also said concerning the weeds that the city has added those areas to their mowing contract. However, he could not tell those who addressed the council because each speaker is allowed three minutes and he, the council and mayor are not allowed to interact with them.
Grimes stressed that while the city paid for the construction and drainage work, some of the complaints, such as damage to mailboxes, etc. falls onto the contractors as "punch list" items. He said that the parts of the project that failed to meet the city's standards are being reworked at the cost of the contractor.
As for the alleged speeding in the area, Ruth Taylor, one of the residents, told the council, "If I'd had a choice I would have chosen not to turn it into the Indy 500."
Concerning the speeding complaints, Willow Park Communications Director Rose Hoffman said it is likely a case of that area being a thoroughfare in and out of the city that is now a much smoother road on which to travel. Simply put, less potholes mean cars can go faster.
"It will certainly be a more desirable road for motorists," she said. "If I had a choice between driving down pot hole alley and a nicely done concrete road, I'm gonna take the concrete every time."
Not all who addressed the council did so angrily. Several were, in fact, downright friendly and even complimentary.
"The road on Sam Bass is awesome. My driveway is awesome. The ditch is unacceptable," said Clifford Voorhees.
"I apologize I didn't bring any plants for you guys," said Ray Ramos, referencing an earlier speaker who brought some weeds she bagged up and plunked in the middle of the council chamber.
He did, however, state that he now has a "significantly narrower driveway."
Brad McCurley even extended a special invitation to the city leaders.
"We're thankful for how you serve. If you ever need a pool to come swim at, come on over," he said, adding. "We're just asking the city if they'll put back what we had previously."
Concerning the lack of communication, James Smith offered a contradiction to some of the other complaints, saying, "Gretchen (Vasquez, city engineer) has been awesome. I call Gretchen, she returns my calls."
Some others made note that Vasquez has visited the area and spoken with them.
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