Popular Annual Financial Report

A Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) is a document that consolidates information from the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) to create an easy-to-read report for citizens. This report is designed to provide a summary of the City’s overall financial condition in a user friendly format providing citizens with the City activities completed over the prior year.

Although this report is largely derived from the City’s 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), it is not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The report is presented in a summarized manner and certain financial statements, discretely presented component units and note disclosures required by GAAP are omitted. A copy of the City’s audited 2022 ACFR, which is prepared in accordance with GAAP and contains more detailed information, is located on the City's website at www.cityofazle.org. The City’s website also includes a wealth of information about the various activities of City departments, job opportunities, budgets, council members, agendas and meetings, community events, and much more.

Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has given an Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting to the City of Azle for its Popular Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. The Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting is a prestigious national award recognizing conformance with the highest standards for preparation of state and local government popular reports. This is the seventh year the City has received this prestigious award.

In order to receive an Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting, a government unit must publish a PAFR, whose contents conform to program standards of creativity, presentation, understandability and reader appeal.

An Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting is valid for a period of one year only. We believe our current report continues to conform to the Popular Annual Financial Reporting requirements, and we are submitting it to GFOA to determine its eligibility for another award.

Council Meetings

City Council generally meets in the City Hall Council Chambers on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, occasionally these dates are changed due to conflicts such as elections and holidays.

City Council Members

The Azle City Council is composed of a mayor and six council members, all elected at-large for twoyear terms by qualified voters within the city limits of Azle. The Mayor and Council Places 3, 4 and 6 are elected in odd numbered years and Council Places 1, 2, and 5 are elected in even numbered years (unless there are resignations in other positions).

Administrative Staff

Tom Muir

City Manager

Lawrence Bryant Assistant City Manager

Renita Bishop Finance Director

Yael Forgey City Secretary

Ben Hall Police Chief

David Hawkins Director of Planning & Development

Will Scott Fire Chief

Rick White Public Services Director

About Azle

Azle is a suburban community with a rural quality of life. Eagle Mountain Lake is the eastern border and the outer edges of Cross Timbers Golf Course make up the western border of the City. Fort Worth is just 14 miles southeast of the City and is home to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, museums, Bass Performance Hall, theaters, a variety of shopping options, and the Fort Worth Stockyards.

Azle is a Home Rule city with a council and boards dedicated to protecting the quality of life in the City. It is truly a full-service municipality committed to caring for the community and serving the citizens. Horses and cattle still have room to roam and residents have their choice of a variety of housing options.

History

The area in and near Azle was initially settled by a group of pioneers from Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kentucky. Records are not clear on when the first settlers arrived, however, Dr. J. G. Reynolds was one of Azle’s first settlers and came to the area in 1846. The community was first known as Elizabeth Town, however the name was later changed to Mooresville after the owner of the only store in town. At that time there was no post office and there were only 664 settlers in all of Tarrant County.

As time went on, more settlers came and more homes were built. In 1891, a man by the name of O’Bar came to the area and was instrumental in establishing the first post office in the community, thus the settlement’s name was changed to O’Bar. Dr. James Azle Steward, one of the few doctors in the area, owned much of the land where Azle is now. Dr. Steward was a great benefactor of the community. He donated land for a variety of purposes that served the local settlers, including land for businesses, schools, and churches. Dr. Steward deeded enough land for a town site and the name was changed from O’Bar to Azle.

Azle became an incorporated city on April 23, 1957 as a general law community. In 1969, the population of the City reached 5,000 and was then eligible to become a home rule city, which allows the City to have more control over its own affairs. At that time, the Council-Manager form of government was adopted. The current City Charter was adopted on April 16, 1971 and has been amended over the years to meet the changing needs of the City.

Today, Azle is a suburban community with a rural quality of life. Azle is 14 miles northwest of Fort Worth, which provides the conveniences of the big city without compromising Azle's small town charm. The City is 25 miles from Alliance Airport and 35 miles from the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.