The Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization’s 2023 Carbon Reduction Program call for proposals is now open via MPO’s online application system. Proposals will be accepted until 5 p.m. Monday, May 1.
CRP was established by the federal government’s 2021 bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The goal is to reduce transportation emissions nationwide, according to a MPO release. At least $550,000 is expected to be allocated within the Waco MPO planning area annually over the next five years.
“CRP funds present an opportunity for the implementation of low-cost, high-impact projects which reduce transportation emissions while benefiting communities,” MPO Director Makesh Kumar said in the release. “Applicants are encouraged to think both strategically and holistically while considering those projects which reduce transportation emissions while also increasing quality of life. “
Submitted proposal overviews will be presented by applicants at the MPO Technical Advisory Committee meeting 2 p.m. Thursday, May 4. Selected project proposals will be announced 2 p.m. Thursday, June 1, during the MPO TAC meeting. Both TAC meetings will be held at the Waco Transit Administration Building, 301 S. 8th St., in Waco. These meetings will be open to the public and the meeting room will be arranged for physical distancing.
Information regarding CRP and the application form may be found on the MPO website at https://www.waco-texas.com/Departments/Metropolitan-Planning-Organization/Forms#section-4.
The Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization is accepting comments on annual performance targets proposed for the Waco Metropolitan Area regarding:
1) roadway safety,
2) public transportation safety, and
3) public transportation asset condition.
Transportation Performance Management is federally required by Congress through the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, according to a release from Mukesh Kumarm WMPO director. “It is a strategic approach that uses goals, measures, and data to make better informed decisions about how to invest transportation funding and improve the performance of the national transportation system.”
The Waco MPO is proposing to support 2023 roadway safety targets established by the Texas Department of Transportation and to support 2023 public transportation safety and asset condition targets established by Waco Transit System, the release said.
MPO is requesting public review and comment on the proposed targets. Information regarding these proposals is available on the Get Involved section of the MPO website: https://www.waco-texas.com/Departments/Metropolitan-Planning-Organization. Comments will be accepted for performance targets through 5 p.m. Feb. 8. Comments should be submitted through the website or directed to the Waco MPO at [email protected] or (254) 750-5650.
The MPO hosted a public informational meeting Tuesday, Jan. 31.
If you were unable to attend the live meeting, a video recording and PDF of the staff presentation are available on the website listed above until the comment periods close.
By Ferrell Foster
Act Locally Waco, from its start, has sought to promote involvement in our community. The below screenshot is of the City of Waco’s public meetings page. If you would like to get more involved in or knowledgeable about our city, this is a great place to start.
Many people do not attend a public meeting until they have a complaint or a personal financial reason. Good government requires much broader involvement.
If you go to the City page you will notice there are a lot of meetings. No one can attend them all, but you can pick out one or two of special interest. It could be parks and recreation, building standards, zoning, libraries, civil service (police and fire), the city council, or something else.
When you go to your first meeting you might be a little lost, but if you go a few times you will be surprised at how quickly you become something of an expert on the subject. And if you show genuine interest in the common good of our community, you may even be asked to become more involved officially.
Also, if you or someone you know is thinking about running for a city council spot, be more than a candidate — be a knowledgeable candidate. And the only way is to look under the covers of city government and find out what is really going on.
Anyone who looks closely at how are city operates is liable to be impressed by the dedication and hard work that so many people are bringing to the task of city government. That doesn’t mean you will agree with every decision, but you will learn even more by listening to those you disagree with.
Please don’t go to these meetings with an attitude of “I know more than these people” or “I could fix this if they would let me” or some other negative approach. Go with a desire to listen and learn so you can be highly informed when the time comes for input.
Also, you don’t have to be a professional journalist to “cover” a public meeting. Anyone can attend and write about what they hear and observe at meetings. Do that “reporting” through your own social media or you can even share it with Act Locally Waco and we will consider publication. If you write for ALW, just be careful to get the facts right and keep your opinions out of it. Just share the facts.
Texas law protects the openness of public meetings to keep decisions from being made in the proverbial “smoke-filled rooms” of the past. If the public doesn’t attend, our officials might just as well be behind closed doors.
Another note, the law allows some items to be discussed in closed or executive sessions. They usually consist of legal, personnel, property, financial contracts, and security matters. That may seem like a lot, but usually our public officials do not want to be seen as trying to act secretly. They know their integrity is at stake.
And, by the way, if you live in one of our neighboring cities, please get involved in their meetings. Or in county government. Our governmental bodies have to operate separately, but our region will become an even better place to live in all of our officials are operating in the public interest for the common good.
Ferrell Foster is director of communications for Act Locally Waco and president of Kortabocker LLC: Communications Built on Caring.
The application filing period has begun for the District IV Waco City Council vacancy. It will end at 5 pm Tuesday, Jan. 3.
Eligible applicants must have resided in the City of Waco for 12 months and in District IV for at least six months. The City Council will interview applicants Tuesday, Jan. 10.
Vacant seats on City Council are filled by a majority vote of the remaining members for the unexpired term or until the next City general election. The oath of office for the appointee is planned for Jan. 17 during the City Council’s regular meeting.
Applications should be filed with the city secretary at 300 Austin Ave., first floor of City Hall. Contact the City Secretary’s Office 8 am-5 pm Monday-Friday at 254-750-5750 to schedule an appointment, or the applications can be scanned and emailed to [email protected].
Join the 2022 Waco Wonderland Parade and help spread some holiday cheer!
The City of Waco announced that entries are now being accepted for the annual holiday parade, which returns to downtown Waco Saturday, Dec. 3. If you know a group or organization that would be interested in this opportunity, please let them know. There is no cost to participate.
Presented by the Family of Faith WC Waco, the parade begins at 10 a.m. and travels down Austin Avenue, from 11th Street to 3rd Street.
Registration forms are due by Monday, Nov. 28, and can be downloaded at wacowonderland.com/parade.
By Ferrell Foster
The people are beautiful and colorfully dressed. The landscape is a luscious green of vegetation. But as I rode recently along the highways and roads of rural northern Ghana in West Africa, I asked myself, What makes this place different from home?
The answer that came to my mind surprised me. I do not normally concentrate on the subject, but suddenly out of some deep place in my mind it occurred to me that the difference is infrastructure.
This thoroughly unsexy subject is not something we often think of, but it has come to dominate my thoughts upon returning to Waco.
Jackson, Miss., is providing us the essential lesson in the importance of a city’s infrastructure. Jackson’s water system has failed, and it is extremely difficult for that city and state to navigate the situation.
We all know that every human needs plenty of clean water to drink, and a turn of the faucet delivers it readily to each of our homes. Until it doesn’t.
Water is only one part of a city’s infrastructure. There are roads and bridges, sewers and drainage, electricity and cable, safety and security, zoning and rules. Life in cities is simply unmanageable without great attention to these important matters, and yet most of us think so little about them.
We may think The Silos and Baylor and Amazon and the Brazos are what make Waco special, but none of those things suffice to make group living possible and good. Cities need solid infrastructure.
It’s easy to complain about the poor quality of streets, but we are not so keen to pay the taxes needed to pave and maintain them. It makes me think about the city budget, which, unfortunately, I haven’t even looked at. Shame on me. Shame on all of us who want to make Waco great.
The City has adopted a $694.58 million budget for 2022-23. That’s a whole lot of money, and yet I suspect most of us didn’t study it during the month between its proposal and its adoption.
There’s a nice graphic on the City’s budget web page that shows the major categories of the budget. We can all see that we are expecting the City to do a lot on our behalf:
Infrastructure is there in the midst of lots of things the City will do. I guess all of them are important, and I suspect all of us have our views on levels of importance..
I come home from Ghana thanking my City government for the things we call infrastructure. We have great leadership here in Waco, and they are trying to do what the people of Waco think is important. Maybe all of us should get more into the details — $694.58 million can go a long way.
Ferrell Foster is directing communications for Act Locally Waco. He is president of Kortabocker LLC: Communications Built on Caring. Ferrell also does communications work with Prosper Waco and TBM: Texans on Mission.
WACO, TEXAS (February 11, 2021) – The City of Waco is pleased to announce the selection of Michelle Hicks as the City Secretary, joining the City on May 2, 2022. Michelle began her career in municipal government with the City of Lacy Lakeview in 2003 and brings experience in a variety of government departments, including her most recent role as the Assistant City Manager/City Secretary.
Michelle is a member of the Central Texas Municipal Clerks Association, Texas Municipal Clerks Association, and International Institute of Municipal Clerks. Additionally, she is a Trustee for the TMCA Executive Board and served as the President of the Central Texas Municipal Clerks Association for two years. Michelle obtained her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration through Tarleton State University.
Michelle received her certification from the University of North Texas through the Texas Municipal Clerks Association in January 2015 and completed the CPM (Certified Public Manager) program through Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for Public service in 2017.
The City Secretary is responsible for the maintenance of all official City records, manages the community’s annual municipal elections and is a critical member of the City leadership team; providing guidance to the Mayor, City Council, and staff throughout the organization.
City Mayor Dillion Meek said, “I am excited to announce the hiring of Michelle for this key leadership role with the City of Waco. Michelle brings expertise in ensuring open and transparent municipal government, and we look forward to having her work collaboratively with elected and appointed city leaders in serving the community.”
From the City of Waco
Five Waco’s have filed for the May 7 City Council election. Positions on the City of Waco ballot include City of Waco Mayor, Council District I and III. Also, the District II special election filing period began Feb. 2 and will differ from the general election filing.
Listed below are the names of those who have filed as of 5 p.m. Feb. 2.
| Mayor Date Filed: 1/19/2022 Dillon Meek 3317 Castle Ave. Waco, TX 76710 Phone: 361-782-8480 Occupation: Attorney | |||
| District I Date Filed: 1/25/2022 Andrea Jackson Barefield 2205 Lindsey Hollow Rd. Waco, TX 76708 Phone: 254-307-9407 Occupation: Executive Director | |||
| District II Date Filed: 2/2/2022 Armando Arvizu 1705 Park Ave. Waco, TX 76706 Phone: 254 413-3417 Occupation: Caregiver | District II Date Filed: 2/2/2022 Tiffany Vidaña 3001 Mildred St. Waco, TX 76706 Phone: 254 717-3987 Occupation: Substitute Teacher | District III Date Filed: 1/19/2022 Josh Borderud 3115 Austin Ave. Waco, TX 76710 Phone: 254 710-4244 Occupation: Attorney |
The last day to file for the General Election is Friday, Feb. 18, at 5 p.m. The last day to file an application for the Special Election will be Monday, March 7, at 5 p.m. Applications should be filed with the city secretary at the City of Waco City Secretary’s Office, 300 Austin Ave., 1st floor of City Hall. Contact the City Secretary’s Office during normal business hours of Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 254-750-5750 to schedule an appointment.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email the ALW team — [email protected].
Four Waco residents filed for places on the City of Waco ballot in the May 7 general election. Positions on the ballot include mayor and council member for Districts I and III. Also, a special election will be included to select someone to fill an unexpired term for District II.
The following candidates filed by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 19:
Mayor — Dillon Meek, attorney
District II — Armando Arvizu, caregiver, and Tiffany Vidaña, substitute teacher
District III — Josh Borderud, attorney
The last day to file is Friday, Feb. 18, at 5 p.m. to have the name of the candidate placed on the ballot, should be filed with the City Secretary in the City of Waco City Secretary’s Office, 300 Austin Ave., 1st Floor of City Hall. Because City Hall is closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, call the City Secretary’s Office during normal business hours of Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 254-750-5750.
By Natalie Galindo
The Waco Convention Center is turning 50 years old in 2022. A come-and-go reception will be held 3-6 p.m. Jan. 26, in the center’s Brazos Ballroom. Remarks and a retrospective of the center’s history will take place at 4 p.m. The public is invited. Light refreshments will be served.
The convention center’s original grand opening celebration took place in January 1972 and featured a week’s worth of entertainment, with top headliner Peter Nero. The original building, consisting of a much smaller footprint and cost almost $2.6 million to build.
In 1988, McLennan Hall, Bosque Theater, and DeCordova Rooms were added to accommodate larger events, at a cost of $1.2 million.
The building enjoyed a $17-million top to bottom renovation in 2012, which added a new wraparound foyer for McLennan Hall, more lobby space, escalators, and more.
“The Waco Convention Center has been the place for so many Wacoans to make memories over the years,” said Dan Quandt, Waco’s interim conventions and tourism director. “Weddings, graduation ceremonies, quinceañeras, dances, and of course conventions have all been held here. These events become part of our lifelong memories. We look forward to serving Waco for the next fifty years and beyond.”
The public is invited to share their memories through photos of events held at the Waco Convention Center over the years, for possible inclusion in the slide show. Please visit wacocc.com/share-your-memories or drop them by in person at the Waco Convention Center, 100 Washington Avenue. Offices are on the right inside the main doors. For more information, contact Carla Pendergraft, (254) 750-5806.
The Waco Convention Center is a department of the City of Waco.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email the ALW team — [email protected].