Week in Review, Aug. 14, 2026

Aug. 14, 2026

This is the latest edition of Week In Review - a series of weekly messages from the Mayor and City Council to help Richardson residents and businesses keep up to date on municipal events. If you would like to sign up to receive this in a weekly e-mail click here.

Throughout the year, the City Council or City Plan Commission will hold meetings on topics of significant interest to local neighborhoods or the community in general. Links to view all City Council or City Plan Commission meeting documents that may have topics of interest to you can be found here:

City Council | City Plan Commission

Proposed Budget Filed
The proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27 has been filed with the City Secretary and is scheduled to be presented to the City Council on Monday. The combined budget totals approximately $432 million and maintains the current property tax rate of $0.54218.

The proposal continues the $160,000 senior property tax exemption and includes employee compensation adjustments, additional public safety investments, a new water and wastewater rate structure, and continued implementation of voter-approved bond projects.

Residents can review the proposed budget online and participate in public hearings on the proposed tax rate Sept. 14 and the proposed budget Sept. 21. Final adoption is expected Sept. 21, with the new budget taking effect Oct. 1.

View the proposed budget

City Council Receives 13 Applications for Place 3 Vacancy
The City Council received 13 applications from residents seeking appointment to the Place 3 vacancy during the July 22-Aug. 7 application period.

Council members are reviewing the applications and will announce at their Aug. 17 meeting which candidates will be interviewed.

Remaining appointment timeline:

• Aug. 17: Council selects applicants to interview.
• Aug. 24: Applicants are interviewed in open session; deliberations may follow in executive session.
• Sept. 14: Council announces up to three finalists for interviews.
• Sept. 21: Council interviews finalists and announces a lone finalist in open session; deliberations may follow in executive session.
• Sept. 28: Council votes on the appointment and administers the oath of office.

Place 3 Council Member Dan Barrios announced last month that he will resign from the City Council to pursue another elected office. He will continue serving until a replacement is appointed.

View Submitted Applications

Council Receives Flock Camera Briefing
Members of the Richardson Police Department briefed the City Council on Monday about the use of Flock cameras. The department currently operates 20 cameras at 14 major intersections.

The stationary cameras photograph vehicles on public roadways and record information including license plate, date, time, camera location, vehicle color, make or type, and visible features such as damage or roof racks. The cameras do not use facial recognition, provide vehicle-owner information or demographic information about drivers or passengers, or track every movement a vehicle makes.

The Police Department reported on how the cameras help officers locate and recover stolen vehicles, identify and find suspect vehicles, and locate missing people. Richardson Police Department cameras have also aided in identifying and arresting suspects in cases involving murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, sexual assault, and burglary.

Flock data are stored for 30 days unless they are tied to an active investigation. RPD shares its data primarily with DFW-area law enforcement agencies and select federal agencies. The information is encrypted, access is limited to authorized personnel, and every RPD search is logged for review to help ensure compliance with laws and policy.

Following Council comments, the following steps are being prepared to improve transparency on their use:

• Publish a list of agencies that receive RPD data and establish clear requirements for other agencies' access and use.
• Review and update the audit policy, then post the policy and audit results online.
• Obtain written confirmation from Flock that data are deleted as required by contract.

View the Council presentation on Flock Cameras
View the City Transparency webpage

Tickets on Sale for Richardson Reads One Book Author Luncheon
Tickets are on sale for the annual Richardson Reads One Book Author Luncheon and Book Signing, featuring Kate Messner, author of the 2026 selection, "The Trouble with Heroes." The event will be held Wednesday, Sept. 16, at the Eisemann Center. Tickets are $38 and include lunch and parking.

Doors open at 11 a.m., and the program starts at 11:30 a.m. Guests will hear an interview with Messner, who will also answer audience questions and sign books after the program. Click here to purchase tickets for the luncheon.

A free author lecture and book signing will take place Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church Richardson, 503 N. Central Expy.

Free tickets will be available on the Richardson Reads One Book website beginning Aug. 25 at 9 a.m.

Click here to purchase tickets
Visit the Richardson Reads One Book website

City Manager Names New Director of Strategic Initiatives
Shayla Lee will become the City's new Director of Strategic Initiatives on Sept. 21, City Manager Don Magner announced this week.

The newly created position is part of the City Manager's Office and the City's leadership team. Lee will lead high-priority projects, advance strategic priorities, support public-private partnerships, and help turn major ideas into measurable community outcomes.

Lee currently serves as Director of Strategic and Government Affairs for the City of Sugar Land, where she helps City leadership translate organizational priorities into coordinated, cross-departmental initiatives.

Read the press release

RISD, PISD Fall Semesters Begin; UT Dallas Starts Aug. 24
Students are returning to classrooms across Richardson. Plano ISD students began school Tuesday, followed by Richardson ISD students Wednesday. School-zone speed limits and flashers are active, and drivers should use extra caution near campuses.

Traffic near the UT Dallas campus is also expected to increase as residence halls open on a staggered schedule beginning Monday, Aug. 17. The fall semester begins Monday, Aug. 24.

Polk Street Open to Eastbound Traffic Only in Parts of Downtown
Beginning Tuesday, Aug. 18, Polk Street in Downtown Richardson, between Interurban Street and Greenville Avenue, will close to traffic while crews remove a construction crane from the multifamily development south of the roadway. Digital message boards were installed this week to notify travelers of the closure.

The crane removal is expected to take approximately three days, weather permitting. Once that work is complete, Polk Street will reopen to eastbound traffic only to allow for the reconstruction of Polk Street including new water, wastewater and sanitary sewer lines from Interurban Street to Greenville Avenue. The work is expected to take about one year to complete.

The closure was scheduled after major work on Main Street and Belt Line Road was completed to help limit overlapping traffic impacts in the downtown area. Drivers should watch for signs, use caution near the construction area and allow additional time when traveling through downtown.

Fontana Avenue Utility Work Begins Monday, Additional Work on West Shore Drive Also Getting Underway Soon
Beginning Monday, Aug. 17, crews will begin installing a new water line on Fontana Avenue from Meadowview Drive to West Shore Drive. The work is part of the West Shore Drive project and will require lane closures on Fontana Avenue during the construction process.

Also scheduled to start next week is a new phase of sanitary sewer line replacement scheduled to on West Shore Drive between Warren Way and Woodland Way. The southbound lane of West Shore Drive will be temporarily closed in this area, with a detour in place.

Work also continues on westbound Arapaho Road, where crews are installing a new 8-inch water line from Woodland Way to West Shore Drive. Two westbound lanes between Floyd Road and Woodland Way will be closed daily from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Beginning at 3:30 p.m., at least two lanes will reopen to through traffic, with one lane remaining closed overnight.

Drivers should use caution near the work zones, follow posted detour signs and allow extra travel time while the utility improvements continue.

www.cor.net/Projects

To see what is coming up in Richardson, subscribe to our free weekly Things to Do newsletters. The newsletter comes out each Wednesday and will help you plan your weekend and find things to do locally.

Sign Up: Link

With School Back in Session, Make Sure Landscaping is Trimmed for Everyone's Safety
Overgrown vegetation such as low hanging tree limbs or tall shrubs can significantly impede visibility and prevent drivers from seeing pedestrians and people on bicycles. With school starting this week, residents should assess their property and identify any vegetation that may obstruct the view along streets, intersections or pathway that could lead to potential collisions or hazardous situations.

The City recommends that bushes, shrubs or ornamental plants near intersections be no taller than 2.5 feet and mature tree limbs hang no lower than eight feet from the ground. Any branch, hedge or plant that extends too far onto public spaces, could hinder the visibility of motorists, cyclists or pedestrians.

Ways to Help Your Garden Survive Summer in North Texas
With daily high temperatures in the triple digits and no end in sight, the Dallas County Master Gardeners have some tips on how to help your garden survive the heat.

What To Do

• Water deeply and with intention - Deep watering encourages roots to reach cooler, more stable soil layers.
• Refresh mulch - A two to four inch layer of organic mulch moderates soil temperatures, slows evaporation, and suppresses weeds. Keep mulch pulled back a few inches from trunks and crowns to prevent rot.

What Not to Do

• Don't fertilize heat stressed plants - Fertilizer pushes new growth, and tender new leaves demand water and energy plants simply don't have in extreme heat. Wait for cooler weather before encouraging fresh growth.
• Don't panic over a brown lawn - Warm season grasses such as bermudagrass often slip into temporary dormancy during prolonged heat or drought. Water the grass just enough to keep crowns alive, raise the mower height and avoid scalping. Healthy turf typically greens up again once temperatures drop and rainfall returns.

See more summer garden tips here

www.cor.net/EPI

Technical Theater Specialist - Lighting ($50,650-$71,731 Salary)
The Eisemann Center is looking for an individual who can, coordinate and supervise stage activities related to light production. Coordinates work of and assists part-time house technicians, contract stagehands, and volunteers involved in the setup, operation, and striking of presentations in and around the Eisemann Center. Assists in assuring that stage labor and equipment needs are met appropriately and cost-effectively. Operates a computer and software effectively for reports and correspondence. Performs other related work as required. One (1) year of college required in Theatre Arts, Technical Direction, Lighting Design or related field. Equivalent training may be substituted for education requirement. Certificates in lighting courses or rigging preferred.

Parks Maintenance Helper II ($43,680-$51,363 Salary)
The Parks and Recreation Department is looking for an individual who can perform manual labor tasks safely in all sections of the Parks Department. Perform other related work as required. Completion of 11th grade required; High School diploma or GED preferred. A Texas Drivers License Class C is required. A Texas Commercial Drivers License Class A or B will also be accepted.

Public Safety Officer PT ($21.85/hr to $25.13/hr)
The Police Department is looking for an individual who can perform non-emergency public contact functions within the Richardson Police Department. This job function will be performed both in the station and in the field. High School diploma required; GED acceptable if augmented with 60 college credit hours. Texas Driver's License without restriction (except "A") required. Must be a US citizen. Must be 18 years of age.

www.cor.net/Jobs

Pet of the Week
Meet Tucker, a sweet and friendly 2-year-old pitbull who resides at our shelter. Tucker is known for his gentle demeanor and his ability to make everyone around him feel at ease. Despite his size, he's a gentle giant at heart, always ready to offer a comforting nuzzle. Tucker is perfect for someone looking for a loyal companion to share in life's adventures. His kind nature and joyful spirit make him an ideal candidate for a loving home.

For information about animals available for adoption, visit the Animal Shelter's web page here.

City Council Links

Council Members
Meeting Agendas and Documents
Videos

To read previous Week in Reviews,

visit www.cor.net/WIR.