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A P R O D U C T O F S TA R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R S
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AUGUST 2012 EXPERIENCE MCKINNEY
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A letter from McKinney Mayor Brian Loughmiller It is amazing to think that half of 2012 has already passed us by and we are now looking to 2013 budget issues as a city council. Before moving forward with next year’s budget process, we can reflect back on the first six months of 2012 and look to what is in store for us for the remainder of the year. McKinney has been blessed this past year with positive news about our community despite slow economic recovery nationwide. As we move into the second half of 2012, we see that there is continued improvement based on economic indicators. Statistics show that new housing permits, commercial permits and sales-tax receipts are all higher than this time last year, indicating positive growth in revenues. We also have worked diligently to keep our expenditures down and have seen through last year’s budget process an increase in our reserve fund without any tax increase. Just like last year, we see McKinney listed among the fastest-growing cities in America once again. We have also continued to maintain our rating as one of the safest cities in the country, and with the help of some of our private-sector partners like Baylor Health Care, Cooper Aerobics Center and Medical Center of McKinney, we are becoming known as one of the healthiest cities in the Metroplex, if not the country. Recently, we were named by D Magazine as one of the top communities in the DFW Metroplex. This past year, we have also garnered national attention through the talents of residents like Hollie Cavanagh on “American Idol” and Bree Hafen on the Fox television show “So You Think You Can Dance.” Based on the deep local talent pool here in McKinney, we will continue to see our residents shine in the national spotlight in the future. Our city council continues to work on economic development projects in 2012, as we focus on resolving continued negotiations regarding the Gateway development, and we 2012 4 AUGUST EXPERIENCE MCKINNEY
look to other areas of the community for commercial opportunities, including the corporate center designation at Craig Ranch along the Sam Rayburn Tollway corridor, future development at Collin County Regional Airport, and ancillary development surrounding the new Baylor Medical Center at McKinney. We also are proud of the expansion projects under way, as we see groundbreaking on Emerson Process Management, expansion of Encore Wire and construction of the TRAXXAS corporate center. We continue to explore opportunities with international companies seeking to locate in the United States. Our primary goal is to bring business to McKinney that will employ McKinney citizens. While economic development is one of our primary areas of concern, the city council is mindful of the quality-of-life issues that bring so many residents to the city. We are moving forward with parks projects that have been budgeted, and we continue to evaluate our community needs from a quality-of-life standpoint, recognizing the budget constraints that we operate under in order to be fiscally prudent stewards of our tax dollars. With all of this new growth and opportunity
also come the challenges of managing infrastructure projects and mitigating negative impacts of new construction. The expansion of U.S. Highway 75 through McKinney has been an essential need for our city for many years. However, now that it is here, we understand surrounding businesses can be negatively impacted. We are doing what we can to keep everyone informed regarding schedules and alternative access routes. Updates are posted regularly on the city website, and if you have a business in the area of new construction, you may contact the city to be placed on an email list to receive up-to-theday updates on the project. Looking forward to the remainder of this year and first quarter of 2013, we will begin the budget process in the next several weeks, and we also will begin interviewing for new board members on our volunteer boards. Many of the initiatives that we work on as a council require the support of volunteer boards like that of the McKinney Community Development Corporation, McKinney Economic Development Corporation, the Collin County Airport Development Corporation, the Parks, Recreation and Open Space board
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and the McKinney Convention and Visitors Bureau. As a council, we respect and appreciate the importance of selecting qualified board members to help enact the policies that you have entrusted to us. If you are interested in becoming more involved in your city, I encourage you to seek volunteer opportunities. McKinney continues to be looked upon as one of the top cities in the country. I believe that our community spirit exhibited through our citizens is one of the reasons people who visit here ultimately decide to live here. As you travel the country this summer and throughout the year, think of yourselves as ambassadors for your city. As a resident, you have the opportunity to help create a quality vision for the city as you talk to friends, relatives and business contacts throughout the United States. I am proud to tell people I am a resident of McKinney, Texas. With your help, we will continue to strive to be a city that we can all be proud of. SINCERELY, MAYOR BRIAN LOUGHMILLER
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Historic Downtown McKinney AUGUST 2012 EXPERIENCE MCKINNEY
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DAN EAKIN/STAFF PHOTO
CITY BECOMES INTERNATIONAL CRAPE MYRTLE DESTINATION
Bloomin’ attraction This is the perfect time of the year to experience crape myrtles in McKinney. People looking for crape myrtle trees won’t have to go far. They’re all over town. They began to bloom in June and will show off their true colors into September. There are murmurs that McKinney be officially registered as “America's Crape Myrtle City.”
Their development’s history goes at least as far back as 1998, when the newly-formed not-for-profit CMTM planted 15 crape myrtles at McKinney High School. The CMTM Foundation was formed, and the following year, large numbers of the Tuscarora variety were planted along Eldorado Parkway, still the major thoroughfare for those who wish to glimpse the crape myrtle trails.
And for good reason. The city has more than 5,000 crape myrtles, and last year opened the Crape Myrtle World Collection Park at Craig Ranch, the only site in the world that has each of the 120 known crape myrtle varieties. Phil Wheat, vice president of the Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney (CMTM) board of directors, said the crape myrtles’ peak season speaks for itself. “This year's bud count is staggering, and the crape myrtles are drop-dead gorgeous,” he said. That the city’s now home to thousands of crape myrtles is not by accident. City fathers, Crape Myrtle Trails board members, Horticulture Committee members and a long list of interested citizens have helped create some of the globe’s most beautiful crape myrtle trails. 2012 6 AUGUST EXPERIENCE MCKINNEY
The CMTM and city staff work together to care for the crape myrtles throughout the city. The Horticulture Committee, which includes some CMTM members and some non-members, oversees the plants’ needs. Neil Sperry, well known for his radio shows about gardening, serves as chair. Non-CMTM members on the Horticulture Committee are Greg Church of the Texas AgriLife Extension, Joe Covington of Covington's Nursery in Rowlett, Johnette Taylor of Roundtree Landscape in Dallas, Rob Weir of the Shades of Green Nursery in Frisco, Jimmy Turner of the Dallas Arboretum, Steve Huddleston of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, arborist Scott Keller and nursery consultant Sharon McCants. Mike Merchant, an entomologist, and Xinwang Wang, a horticulturist specializing in crape myrtles, also serve as advisers to the CMTM.
The CMTM Foundation raises funds each year with a Fun-Run the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving. Last year, 21 local businesses and one family sponsored the event. The McKinney Community Development Corporation (MCDC) also provided funding for the run. Crape myrtles in McKinney have already attracted attention from people far beyond the city. In addition to publicity given to it on Sperry's radio show, speakers from around the nation attended a symposium hosted by the CMTM several years ago. Margaret Pooler, research horticulturist for the U.S. National Arboretum, has spoken twice in McKinney, and for a while, the Crape Myrtle Society of America was based in McKinney. Currently inactive, the society may soon be revived. “With our citizenry's commitment to featuring the South's premier flowering plant in our landscapes,” Wheat said, “we add one more piece to McKinney being one of the very best residential and business communities in the country.” For more information about CMTM, and to see a map of trails, go to www.crapemyrtletrails.org. ■
Dan Eakin, deakin@starlocalnews.com
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Go for Gateway
This partly finished structure at one time embodied an economic and touristic vision that could further push McKinney to the destination forefront. Almost four years after construction stalled, through a new plan for the site’s hotel and conference center, that vision has returned.
CITY’S FRONT DOOR REOPENS WITH ECONOMIC EXPECTATIONS For nearly four years, as passers-by drove into McKinney, they were met with a less-than-impressive heap of concrete, remnants of a vision gone awry.
constraints. After months of study, numerous outside consultations and constant citizen complaint, construction may resume by the end of the year.
That vision – Gateway – is again in focus.
“This is a missing piece that we need to fulfill,” McKinney Mayor Brian Loughmiller said. “We have a structure out there that’s unfinished, which is, quite frankly, an eyesore.”
In June, the city approved a plan that gives the go-ahead for developers Champ Hospitality and Beck Development to move forward with the long-awaited project at McKinney’s southern entrance. Resting on the projected $35 million undertaking – a 185-room, full-service hotel and adjoining 20,000-square-foot conference center – are hopes for extensive surrounding retail and residential development. The city will invest another $18 million into the project, which stalled in 2008 due to financial
The McKinney City Council and McKinney Community Development Corporation (MCDC), owner of the Gateway property, heard several other development options in recent months: a state house, which would include a full-service hotel with converted executive suites, about 10,000 square feet of meeting space, and would cost roughly $45 million; a 200-room luxury fullservice hotel that would cost between $45 and $50 million; or, a 175-room, limited-service
hotel that would cost about $5 million. The recently approved plan, which calls for a four-floor, Sheraton-quality hotel, will be built using the partly finished “eyesore,” and paid for with $6.5 million in MCDC funds, $6 million in CO debt money, and $5.5 million of the city’s cash funds. Though the plan is just its first big step in picking up where it left off, the city has regained momentum. Its front door seems to have reopened. Likely soon, the McKinney that passers-by see will be much clearer. “We’ve spent, literally, hundreds of hours to figure out a way to move forward,” City Manager Jason Gray said. “And I think we have.” ■
Chris Beattie, cbeattie@starlocalnews.com
The Best Family Outing in McKinney! Mark your calendars for year-round family fun at Chestnut Square
Public Tours of the Houses offered Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. Trolley Tours of the Historic District, 2nd and 4th Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. Group tours, teas and birthday parties by reservation April - October
Shop the old-fashioned way every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon at the Historic McKinney Farmers Market
June 8
Get your first taste of Summer at the 18th Annual Killis Melton Ice Cream Crank-Off
June-July
Travel back in time at Prairie Adventure Camp.
September 21-22 Celebrate the Spirit of the Cowboy October 20 & 27 Join the Legends of McKinney Ghost Walk. Hear the stories, see the sights... ghostly spirits not guaranteed! December 1 & 2
Visit historic homes decorated for the holidays in our Holiday Tour of Homes!
Check on our website for additional fun events!
Hold your next historic moment at Chestnut Square Historic Village! Facility and Grounds Rentals Available
www.chestnutsquare.org for more dates and information.
Call 972-562-8790 AUGUST 2012 EXPERIENCE MCKINNEY
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Seeding the way MYERS PARK HOME TO NATION’S LARGEST EARTH-KIND PLANT PROGRAM Roses and perennials cover the hillsides in full bloom. Their colorful spectacle shouts constant upkeep with water, fertilizer and pesticide. But the research gardens at Myers Park and Event Center sprout, for the most part, without. They are Earth-Kind gardens, and horticulturists all over Texas and the country have taken notice. “We take the best organic and traditional horticulture practices and put them to the best possible use,” said Greg Church, Collin County’s Texas AgriLife Extension agent in charge of the park’s Earth-Kind décor. “The goal is to have a beautiful landscape with minimal maintenance and protection for the environment.” Earth-Kind principles have been around for nearly two decades, Church said, but as eco-friendly practices gain momentum, so does the landscape and
gardening trend, particularly in McKinney. The 158-acre, county-owned park is home to separate Earth-Kind research gardens for Kordez roses, crape myrtles and 111 perennial plant species – the largest Earth-Kind undertaking in the nation. Church, a horticulturist and plant pathologist, since 2010 has headed a team of AgriLife Extension agents and Collin County Master Gardeners in developing and studying the gardens. The AgriLife Extension service, based out of Texas A&M University, has extension offices in every Texas county. “Our mission is to improve the lives of Texans any way we can,” Church said. “With the horticulture program, we’re trying to make it easier on them to
landscape and garden.”
CHRIS BEATTIE/STAFF PHOTO
And, at least in Collin County, the preferred method for ease rests on Earth-Kind practices. The Earth-Kind Environmental Stewardship Program is an American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS)-recognized educational program focused on protecting the environment and conserving natural resources through research-based landscaping, gardening and agricultural production techniques. Research protocol for the program excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and limits supplemental irrigation, Church said. Roses were the first large-scale test subject, and an ongoing state and national effort in recent years has yielded 23 rose cultivars as Earth-Kind – able to bloom and flourish using program protocol. Church and Steve George, leader of the AgriLife Extension team that last year named the most recent Earth-Kind rose varieties, expanded the principles to other plant species, including the herbaceous and flowering perennials that beautify the Myers Park landscape. Phase I of the Earth-Kind study began in May 2010, but perhaps its most-telling test came last summer during the state’s intense drought. Church and his AgriLife agents and volunteers watered the research gardens once, the first week of August, and the Earth-Kind plants passed the test with flying colors – literally. “It was a great year to test them and see how drought-tolerant they are,” Church said. “We had at least 36 plants that performed very well; some were even blooming without any rainfall for two months. That’s pretty impressive.”
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Soil management is a simple key to such success, he said. Earth-Kind practices call for landscapers and gardeners to amend the soil by adding three inches of compost, tilling, planting and topping with three inches of mulch. Church said the mulch, which must be maintained over time, acts as a slow-release fertilizer. “If we have healthy soil, we’ll have healthy plants,” he said. The Collin County crew then installed a research garden to evaluate 25 crape myrtle varieties, replicated 25 times, and another to study 19 Kordez Rose varieties, which were developed without pesticides, a rarity for roses. Church will present the area’s Earth-Kind findings thus far to the ASHS this year in Miami, in an effort to stretch the program’s reach beyond Texas soil. “We’re getting more scientists throughout the country to follow our guidelines in testing plants,” he said. “The hope is that other people will catch onto this idea.” For now, the research gardens will at least serve as an aesthetic attraction to Myers Park visitors, many of whom take them in during monthly tours. The park’s Basic Ag Field Day events teach amateurs the basics of agriculture through demonstrations and exhibitors. “We want everyone to benefit from these beautiful gardens, aesthetically and scientifically,” said Judy Florence, park manager. Trials for a research vineyard, vegetable garden, fruit and pecan orchards, and a turf-grass research area are all in the works, Church said. Aesthetic attraction may be nice, but that’s not the AgriLife vision. “All the principles and practices of Earth-Kind can really be applied to all areas of agricultural production,” he said. “The extension service was created to take the research-based information and bring it to the public so they can use it.” Myers Park and Event Center is located at 7117 County Road 166 in McKinney. For more information about the research gardens and tours, contact the AgriLife Extension office at 972-548-4233. ■
Chris Beattie, cbeattie@starlocalnews.com AUGUST 2012 EXPERIENCE MCKINNEY
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KELSEY KRUZICH/ STAFF PHOTOS
Farmers markets offer ‘taste’ of history
LOCALFLAVOR Local vendors from in and around McKinney show off their wares, which include local and organic meats, dairy and produce, every Thursday and Saturday during spring and summer months.
2012 10 AUGUST EXPERIENCE MCKINNEY
Farmers live for them. Others live to eat and buy from them. Every week during prime growing-and-selling season, vendors from around North Texas offer their local wares at the McKinney farmers markets, located at Chestnut Square Historic Village near downtown and at Adriatica in western McKinney. "At Chestnut Square, we usually have between 35 and 40 vendors, and at Adriatica, we usually have seven to 10 vendors," said Cindy Johnson, Chestnut Square executive director. Vendors at both markets offer organic and local foods, as well as crafts and entertainment for visitors. Wares come from within eight miles of McKinney, and include meats, eggs, yogurt, cookies, coffee, mushrooms, Texas olive oil, nuts, bread and rolls, salsa, pies, tamales, jams and jellies, canned pickles, gluten-free baked goods, honey,
cakes, toffee and wine. And the Chestnut Square market couples with a unique taste of McKinney history. Though not as diverse as the old Jockey Lot that operated downtown in the mid-20th century, the market lives on in the Historic Village, a collection of old-time homes and buildings just south of downtown, including a blacksmith shop and a chapel, with architecture that dates as far back as 1854. Dixie's Store is one such piece of history preserved at Chestnut Square. Originally built in 1918 off Rockhill Road, it was moved to the Village in 1996. Dixie, the store’s namesake, used to give students candy as reward for a straight-A report card. During farmers markets, the store sells old-fashioned items like candy, ice cream, crafts and toys, as well as timeless cold drinks like Root Beer, Coca-Cola and Dublin
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Dr. Pepper. "I think it's a combination of our interesting setting and our vendors that make us so unique," Johnson said. "Our vendors are true farmers who are very customer-orientated and outgoing, and I think that people really appreciate that." This year, the Historic McKinney Farmers Market at Chestnut Square again has new vendors, like the crafter who makes aprons and purses using old overalls. "We have a new salsa vendor that makes preservative-free fresh salsas," Johnson said. "We also have a new crafter who makes things out of old wine barrels. A lot of our crafters are recyclers, so that is a really neat concept." The Chestnut Square market continues to draw large crowds every
week. After completing customer surveys last year, Johnson found that one-third of market customers were from outside Collin County. "We will get 1,500 people through here on a Saturday," Johnson said. "We are getting people into the city, and that really means a lot to Chestnut Square and the downtown economy." Chestnut Square garners constant positive feedback from customers about the market, she said. "Everyone really loves the vendors and loves coming here," Johnson said. "Over and over again, we hear about how everyone is so friendly and helpful." They love it so much that the Chestnut Square market again aims to be named one
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of the Top 20 farmers markets in the nation by American Farmland Trust, which annually holds the “America’s Favorite Farmers Market” contest. The historic market was voted No. 2 in Texas and No. 5 in the U.S. during last year’s contest. "We have a farmers market that is historically charming and locally grown that really reflects McKinney and Collin County," she added. "We view it as preserving the heritage of Collin County by having farmers here selling their goods." The Chestnut Square market is open 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday during spring, summer and fall months. The Adriatica market is open 3 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays. For more information on McKinney farmers markets, visit www.chestnutsquare.org. ■
Lexie Morrison, staff writer
1424 S. Tennessee St. McKinney, Texas 75069 www.sunriselc.net JAN & RICKIE LAFON sunriselc@sbcglobal.net OWNERS/DIRECTORS
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MCKINNEY FIRE DEPARTMENT CELEBRATES
Y
E
A
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The McKinney Fire Department (MFD) this year is noting 125 years of service to the community. The fire department has a rich history, from the late 1800s when it used hand-pulled carts to fight fires, to the modern 72,000-pound trucks that firefighters use today. Stacie Durham, MFD public information officer, said, “The history of the McKinney Fire Department is multi-faceted, and it is impossible to mention all of the milestones and achievements.” Among the most memorable are the burnings of the downtown square on three separate occasions. “On Jan. 27, 1887, the McKinney square was burned to the ground,” Durham said. “We lost 15 businesses, and the town was devastated. One month later, on Feb. 15, the McKinney Volunteer Fire Department was organized. This included two companies: the H.C. Herndon Hook & Ladder and the Throckmorton Engine and Hose.” C.T. (Todd) Warren, who was serving as city mar-
S shal, also assumed fire chief duties. He was appointed for a one-year term as fire chief, but left the office after 11 months. A.L. Jones was named the second fire chief of the town and served from 1887 to 1890. “Two more companies were organized as McKinney grew,” Durham said. “The Fred & Roy Hook & Ladder was formed on Jan. 2, 1892, and the Sam Burks Hose Co. #2 on Jan. 18, 1894. During that time, Sam Burks was appointed fire chief as well as city marshal. He remained fire chief until he was accidentally shot on June 11, 1902, in the line of duty. He died of his wounds the following day.” During the first 15 years of fire service for McKinney, many changes came upon the McKinney Volunteer Fire Department. The first carts were pulled by hand, but eventually two horses, named Buddy and Old Glen, were bought for $150 each and were used to pull the carts. After fires were doused using bucket brigades for the first 15 years, the volunteer department obtained a steamer engine that the local newspaper said was “one of the finest fire engines in the state.”
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125 A new fire station was built in conjunction with city offices on Kentucky Street across from the Collin County Prison. It housed fire apparatus with a bunk room and meeting room on the second floor. A pool table was added to the top room around 1909. The pool table is now located in the museum at the Central Fire Station. The museum contains apparatus and photographs from the past that chronicle the fire department’s history. Around the turn of the 20th century, several men served short terms as fire chief until J.S. McKinney took the post and served as fire chief for 35 years, after 11 years as a firefighter. He also served as city marshal most of that time. He was voted Fire Chief for Life by the men he led back in the 1920s and 1930s. He also led two state conventions in McKinney in 1907 and in 1924. “The men and women of the McKinney Fire Department know and understand the sacrifices made to begin this wonderful organization and want to keep the history alive,” Durham said. People are welcome to visit the MFD museum at the Central Fire Station, located at 301 N. McDonald St. in McKinney. To schedule a tour for a group, or for other information, call the MFD Fire & Life Safety Education office at 972-5472893, or go to www.mckinneyfire.org. ■
Dan Eakin, deakin@starlocalnews.com
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School joins global movement to fight world hunger “If you cannot feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” Mother Teresa’s words this year resonated with McKinney North High School student council members, albeit more the “hundred” than “just one.” Inspired by Mary’s Meals, a global movement that sets up school feeding projects in the world’s poorest communities, the students raised more than $11,000 to fund another school kitchen in poverty-stricken Malawi in southern Africa. “People ignore the fact that millions of children are starving and being deprived of an education,” said Abigail Gibney, the McKinney North student who orchestrated her school’s participation in the movement. “We value our education so much, so it just seemed right.” Their project, “A Simple Solution,” began with World Porridge Day, during which students and staff sat on the floor and ate a sparing lunch to better understand how those in poverty eat every day, if at all. Student council (STUCO) sold bracelets and T-shirts promoting the Mary’s Meals mission: “a simple solution to world hunger.” The group received a Top 10
Project award at the state STUCO convention, and was one of 12 STUCO groups in Texas to receive the National Association of Student Councils’ Gold Council of Excellence Award. But perhaps their most welcomed recognition came in April. Mary’s Meals founder Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow came all the way from Scotland just to applaud their efforts. “Every time we’ve made a plea on behalf of people suffering, we’ve just been overwhelmed with kindness all over the world,” Magnus told students, staff and parents in the McKinney Performing Arts Center’s Courtroom Theater. “I couldn’t believe what I was hearing about the amazing things happening here.” That says a lot coming from a world icon who has extended Mother Teresa’s words to “thousands” for more than a decade. In 2010, CNN recognized Magnus as a World Hero for his continuous aid in the face of global poverty. Motivation for Mary’s Meals came in 2002 through an encounter with an AIDS-stricken family in Malawi, an African country hit hard by famine. Soon, Magnus and volunteers were setting up school kitchens all over.
Mary’s Meals (named after Jesus’ mother), grew village by village, nation by nation. Mary’s Meals began by feeding 200 children in Malawi, and now, daily feeds more than 600,000 children in 16 countries across the world. Through Mary’s Meals, it costs just less than $17, on average, to feed one child for an entire school year, and only $11 to feed a Malawi child, which is why McKinney North STUCO members sold shirts that read “Eleven Dollars.” The movement is starting to build up in the U.S., and McKinney North “wanted to start it here in Texas,” Gibney said. Few recognize that more than Magnus. One school working together for one kitchen may seem insignificant. But in Mother Teresa’s and Magnus’ experience, “just one” is often all it takes for true change. “When I think about Mary’s Meals, I always think about it as just a series of lots of little acts of love,” Magnus said. “It’s only when you put all those small things together that you create something beautiful.” ■
Chris Beattie, cbeattie@starlocalnews.com
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healing B Y
CHRIS BEATTIE/STAFF PHOTOS
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NEW HOSPITAL INSTALLS ART PIECES TO BENEFIT PATIENTS, FAMILIES Nothing says “heal” like a historic flour mill. Or like flower petals, leaves and landscapes. Hospital art, when scattered all around, distracts and detracts – quite healing for a patient lying in agony. “Sometimes it helps to change their perceptions of pain,” said Lydia deJong, director of nursing at Baylor Medical Center at McKinney. “When things are not going their way,
they get the ability to escape.” The 95-bed, full-service hospital, which opened July 6 at U.S. Highway 380 and Lake Forest Drive in McKinney, prides itself on state-of-theart design and amenities, like its neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) private suites. But its décor may stand out most, at least to its temporary residents. “It just creates that positive distraction, makes the patient and family feel like they’re not in that clinical, institutional environment,” said Dori Mommers of RTKL Associates, Inc., the facility’s architecture and interior design firm. “You don’t feel like you’re in a hospital.” Rather, you step into an art gallery filled with paintings, photos and sculptures. With aid from Select Art consultants, Mommers picked out 800 pieces of art to adorn the hospital’s walls, lobbies and rooms.
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More than 100 works were commissioned to local and Texas artists, tasked specifically for hospital corridors. Floral art – paintings and photography of abstract flowers – dot the walls of the second floor, where women and infants receive treatment. “It reminds me of life and growth,” deJong said. “Flowers bloom, and babies are being born.” Seasonal landscapes and Texas scenery cover the third floor, reserved for medical and surgical patients of all ages. And more than a dozen photographs, many that Mommers and her husband captured around downtown McKinney, line the walls around pre-operational and post-surgery waiting areas, just inside the healing garden. Images stand out from metal, jutting details toward onlookers and passers-by. They feature old and new McKinney landmarks, including the McKinney Performing Arts Center, the Heard-Craig House and the Flour Mill.
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“It brings us back to what McKinney used to be,” deJong said. “And now, we’re the future, going forward.”
the recent opening, and many took notice of the artwork’s prominence around the hospital, deJong said.
Blown-up metal leaves descend behind the entrance desk in the main lobby, a backdrop to “The Nurturing Dancers” sculpture that promotes its name to incoming patients and families. Glass art welcomes elevator riders to each floor, providing them beauty and direction, and nature themes dominate throughout.
“Every time I go to a new hospital, the artwork surprises me,” she said. “The art reminds me of a hospital that’s on the cutting edge. They come to get better; it’s not where they come to die.”
Where there’s canvas, there’s color. Where there’s pain, there’s aesthetic pleasure.
Yet the art may bring relief even in death. Mommers once selected for another facility artwork of a butterfly on a flower, which happened to decorate the room of a mother who lost her baby. The picture touched the mother so much, she had a
butterfly put on her baby’s gravestone. Whether in pain, shock or sadness, it sometimes doesn’t take much to lift one’s spirits. There’s healing in the hues. “I never saw the benefits art has,” deJong said. “But being here, I understand.” ■
Chris Beattie, cbeattie@starlocalnews.com
“There is art in every space in the hospital,” Mommers said. “When you’re in the hospital and waiting for a patient in surgery for six hours, it helps ease your mind and pass the time.” The McKinney location is just the newest of Baylor medical facilities containing purposeful artwork, and joins a trend widespread in modern hospitals, said Susan Hall of Baylor Health Care System. Baylor Medical Center at Plano and Baylor’s Fort Worth and Dallas centers all have such art. Nearly 400 employees were on-site prepping for
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MISD Board of Trustees The McKinney ISD Board of Trustees is formed by seven members who are elected every May for overlapping three-year terms. Board members represent the entire school district, yet run for Place 1 through Place 7 on the board. Trustees elect a president, vice president and secretary of the board every year. Board members are not compensated for their service and are expected to provide the best possible education for McKinney ISD students. They make final decisions on district policies, priorities and personnel as well as adopt a yearly budget for
DR. J.D. KENNEDY MISD SUPERINTENDENT
Kennedy began his role as McKinney ISD Superintendent of Schools in January 2010. Currently in his 37th year as an educator, Kennedy serves with the board trustees at every board meeting. Before coming to McKinney, he was superintendent for Midlothian ISD for seven years. During his tenure there, many of the schools in the district earned “Recognized” or “Exemplary” status. Kennedy initiated the Midlothian Education Foundation, which awards funds to district staff for innovative teaching grants. He has also served as superintendent for Decatur ISD and assistant superintendent for Waco-Midway ISD. Kennedy acted as head of individual schools before entering the top district position. He was a principal and assistant principal in Allen ISD, a teacher and counselor in Richardson ISD and a teacher and coordinator in North East ISD in San Antonio. He received his Doctorate in Education Administration from Texas A&M University-Commerce, a college McKinney ISD partnered with this year to open the Harold Murphy Counseling Center in McKinney. Kennedy earned a Master of Arts in Counseling from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science and Secondary Education from Baylor University. He and his wife, Pam, have two sons, who are also Baylor University alumni, and one granddaughter. MARIA MCKINZIE, P L A C E 1 S E C R E TA R Y
McKinzie was born and raised in McKinney, graduating from McKinney High 2012 16 AUGUST EXPERIENCE MCKINNEY
maintenance and operations at every school.
1,000 students over the next several years.
Due to lack of public education funding across Texas, the board must help provide students with the same level of education with a smaller district staff and a much lighter budget.
Unless otherwise noted, as in the case of a specially called meeting, the board holds a regular meeting the fourth Tuesday of each month in the MISD Board Room at No. 1 Duvall St. in McKinney. It typically holds work-study sessions on the Tuesday prior to the fourth Monday of each month, during which trustees discuss specific personnel and budget items with district staff.
The board is in the process of directing the administration of funds from a $191 million bond that passed by citizens’ vote May 14, 2011. Much of the bond will go toward expanding McKinney High School and McKinney North High School to accommodate a projected increase of more than
School in 1977. She is a supply chain specialist for the Raytheon Company in McKinney, where she’s worked for more than 20 years. McKinzie and her husband, Johnny, have been married for 23 years. She raised a son who graduated from McKinney North High School as well as a niece and nephew, who both also graduated from McKinney ISD schools. McKinzie’s term expires in 2013. BOBBY AMICK, PLACE 2
The McKinney ISD trustees appointed Amick to the board in July 2011 to replace former Place 2 trustee Mark Rude, who had resigned June 20. Amick, a 13-year McKinney resident, is an attorney with local law firm Francis Orr & Totusek, LLP, a practice that focuses on commercial disputes and transactions. As a member of the Dallas and Collin County Bar Associations, and as an associate in the newly formed Curt B. Henderson Inn of Court, Amick combines his vocation and avocation – assisting area junior-high school students in Collin County’s annual mock trial competition. “I think I bring a different approach and background to the board,” Amick said of his legal experience when appointed. He is an active member at Crosspoint Church, and serves as a mentor through the school district’s affiliation with 3e McKinney, a local nonprofit. Amick earned a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from Northwestern University, then spent two deployments to the Middle and
The board attends continuing education courses throughout the year.
Far East as an officer in the U.S. Navy. Following his military service, he later attended law school at Baylor University, where he received his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude. He and his wife Mindy have three children, all of whom attend McKinney schools. Mindy serves as a campus secretary at a Title I elementary school in McKinney. Amick was appointed to serve the remainder of Rude’s term, which would have ended this year had the city and school district not shifted their election cycle dates. Amick’s term thus expires in 2013. K AT H I L I V E Z E Y, P L A C E 3
Livezey was elected to the board in 2010. Though she’s now retired, Livezey spent much of her youth and professional career in McKinney ISD. She graduated from McKinney High School and received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Southern Methodist University. Livezey earned a Master of Library and Information Science from Texas Woman’s University. Livezey taught fourth and fifth grade at J.W. Webb Elementary School in McKinney for seven years. She spent more than 23 years as the library media specialist at McKinney High School. She served on the McKinney Ex-Students Association board from 2003-2009 and is a member of First Christian Church in McKinney. Livezey and her husband, Mike, have been married for 32 years and have two daughters, Katie and Kara. Livezey’s term expires in 2013.
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AMY DANKEL, PLACE 4
Dankel is the second-newest addition to the board, elected in May 2011 when voters chose her over incumbent Dick Stevens for the Place 4 seat. “I’m excited to have been elected and honored to be able to serve the students of McKinney ISD in this capacity,” she said when elected. “I’m looking forward to working with our board members and superintendent to ensure our school district continues in excellence.” Dankel and her husband, Roger, moved to McKinney in 1997. Dankel spent 10 years teaching at Finch Elementary and Eddins Elementary in McKinney and has been an educator for 22 years. Her son, Nick, graduated from McKinney North High School in 2008, and her daughter, Stephanie, graduated from McKinney Boyd High School in 2010. Dankel said she ran for a position on the school board because she felt it was the best way to give back to a school district and community that’s given so much to her and her family. She wishes to help the board “explore options for meeting the needs of students who are dropping out of school” and keep excellence in classroom instruction as a top priority. Dankel earned a Bachelor of Science in education from Millsaps College before obtaining a Master of Education, with an emphasis in curriculum and instruction, from Virginia Tech University. Her term expires in 2015. LY N N S P E R R Y, PLACE 5 BOARD PRESIDENT
Sperry is a constant in McKinney ISD education, serving as a board trustee for more than 26 years. She was re-elected to the board last year after running unopposed. Her fellow trustees again elected her as board president for this past school year. Sperry is a graduate of the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Leadership program, designated Master Trustee for the class of 2000. She previously served 12 years as a director for TASB. She received a bachelor’s degree in music education from The Ohio State University and taught vocal and instrumental music for grades 1-8 for several years. Her community involvement includes roles as the founding and current board member emeritus for the McKinney Education
Foundation, board member for the Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney, and McKinney ISD liaison to the advisory board for Serenity High, an alternative campus for students with past substance abuse issues. She and her husband, Neil, own Neil Sperry’s GARDENS Magazine, and her three children all attended McKinney ISD schools. Sperry said that the board’s biggest challenges for the next few years will be dealing with a reduced budget and a quickly increasing student population. Her term expires in 2015. WADE JOHNSON, P L A C E 6 – AT L A R G E
Johnson is a former board president whose family has grown up with a McKinney ISD education. All five of his children have graduated from or are attending McKinney schools. Johnson has worked for Allstate Insurance for more than 20 years and now owns an Allstate agency. He is former chairman of the McKinney Chamber of Commerce board and the McKinney Convention and Visitors Bureau board. Johnson played football at Southern Methodist University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology. His interest in mentoring students served as his motivation to get involved with the school board. He and several other men also founded the organization, Christian Men of Vision and Principle, to provide positive male role models for children who need them. Johnson said that the board continues to make hiring and retaining quality teachers a top priority each year. He consistently pushes board trustees to figure out ways to provide quality education for students from all different backgrounds, realizing the board’s ability to make that happen. “The McKinney community has high expectations for their children,” he said. “And with that comes high expectations for their education and learning environment. We see this as a positive and work hard to provide the high standard of education that the board, district and community at large expect for all students.”
CURTIS RIPPEE, P L A C E 7 ( A T- L A R G E ) VICE PRESIDENT
Rippee came to McKinney later than his fellow board trustees, but he’s already made a mark with his involvement. They elected him as vice president for this year, just eight years after he moved to the city. With more than 20 years of financial management experience, Rippee is the Managing Partner and chief financial officer (CFO) of ACIS, Inc., a commercial HVAC and plumbing service company. Before joining ACIS earlier this year, he was the founder and principal of StratiFi Partners, LLC, a consulting services firm. Before starting the firm, he served as the CFO for several small- to mid-sized private companies, and as chief accounting officer and vice president of finance and administration for a publicly traded company. But his professional career began at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, an accounting firm, after he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from the University of Missouri and earned his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license. “I believe my background and experience as a financial professional and business owner, as well as my perspective as a parent of elementary and middle school children, give me the tools needed to represent the citizens of McKinney on the MISD Board of Trustees,” he said. Rippee serves on the McKinney Education Foundation board and on the finance committee for First Baptist Church of McKinney, where he and his wife, Deeann, are members. He and Deeann have three daughters, Emma Grace, Abigail and Ellie, who attend Faubion Middle School and Walker Elementary School in McKinney. Though he’s only lived in the city for about 10 years, Rippee commends the education that his children and others receive in McKinney schools. “McKinney ISD is well-known for its excellence and innovation,” he said. “My family came to McKinney specifically because of its heritage and reputation as a community and its outstanding school system.” His term expires in 2013.
Johnson’s term expires in 2015. AUGUST 2012 EXPERIENCE MCKINNEY
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SCHOOL LISTINGS E L E M E N TA R Y SCHOOLS
Bennett Elementary 7760 Coronado Drive McKinney, Texas 75070 Phone: 469-742-5400 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/bennett/ Burks Elementary 1801 Hill Street McKinney, Texas 75069 Phone: 469-742-6200 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/burks/ Caldwell Elementary 601 W. Louisiana McKinney, Texas 75069 Phone: 469-742-5500 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/caldwell/
http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/finch/ Glen Oaks Elementary 6100 Glen Oaks Drive McKinney, Texas 75070 Phone: 469-742-6400 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/glenoaks/ Johnson Elementary 3400 Ash Lane McKinney, Texas 75070 Phone: 469-742-6500 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/johnson/ Malvern Elementary 1100 Eldorado Parkway McKinney, Texas 75069 Phone: 469-742-5300 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/malvern/
Eddins Elementary 311 Peregrine Drive McKinney, Texas 75070 Phone: 469-742-6600 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/eddins/
McClure Elementary 1753 N. Ridge Rd. McKinney, Texas 75071 Phone: 469-742-9450 http://mcclure.mckinneyisd.net/
Finch Elementary 1205 South Tennessee St. McKinney, Texas 75069 Phone: 469-742-5600
McGowen Elementary 4300 Columbus Drive McKinney, Texas 75070 Phone: 469-742-7500
http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_ websites/mcgowen/ McNeil Elementary 3650 S. Hardin Road McKinney, Texas 75070 Phone: 469-742-5200 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/mcNeil/ Minshew Elementary 300 Joplin Drive McKinney, Texas 75070 Phone: 469-742-7300 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/Cam puses/school_websites/minshew/ Press Elementary 4101 Shawnee Drive McKinney, Texas 75071 Phone: 469-742-7600 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/press/ Slaughter Elementary 2706 Wolford Avenue McKinney, Texas 75071 Phone: 469-742-6100 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/slaughter/ Valley Creek Elementary 2800 Valley Creek Trail
McKinney, Texas 75070 Phone: 469-742-4800 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_ websites/valleycreek/ Vega Elementary 2511 Cattleman Drive McKinney, Texas 75071 Phone: 469-742-5100 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/vega/ Walker Elementary 4000 Cockrill Drive McKinney, Texas 75070 Phone: 469-742-4600 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/walker/ Webb Elementary 810 E. Louisiana Street McKinney, Texas 75069 Phone: 469-742-6000 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/webb/ Wilmeth Elementary 901 LaCima Drive McKinney, Texas 75069 Phone: 469-742-7400 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/ Campuses/school_websites/ wilmeth/
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Wolford Elementary 6951 Berkshire McKinney, Texas 75070 Phone: 469-742-4700 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/Campuses/school_ websites/wolford/
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MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Dowell Middle School 301 South East Ridge Rd. McKinney, Texas 75070 Phone: 469-742-6700 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/Campuses/school_ websites/dowell/
Cockrill Middle School 1351 N. Hardin Road McKinney, Texas 75071 Phone: 469-742-7900 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/Campuses/school_
Evans Middle School 6998 W. Eldorado Parkway McKinney, Texas 75070 Phone: 469-742-7100
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http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/Campuses/school_ websites/evans/ Faubion Middle School 2000 Doe Rollins McKinney, Texas 75069 Phone: 469-742-6900 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/Campuses/school_ websites/faubion/ Johnson Middle School 3400 Community Drive
McKinney, Texas 75071 Phone: 469-742-4900 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/Campuses/school_ websites/sjms/ HIGH SCHOOLS
McKinney Boyd High School 600 North Lake Forest Dr. McKinney, Texas 75071 Phone: 469-424-5400 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/Campuses/school_ websites/boyd/
McKinney High School 1400 Wilson Creek Pkwy McKinney, Texas 75069 Phone: 469-742-5700 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/Campuses/school_ websites/mhs/ McKinney North High School 2550 Wilmeth Road McKinney, Texas 75071 Phone: 469-742-4300 http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/Campuses/school_ websites/mnhs/
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McKinney City Council The McKinney City Council has seven members. Four council members are elected to single-member districts, while the other two council members and the mayor are elected at-large. Council members serve overlapping four-year terms. The council meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays every month in the City Hall Council Chambers, located at 222 N. Tennessee St. in downtown McKinney. Regular council meetings, work sessions and special meetings can be viewed on the city website, www.mckinneytexas.org. BRIAN LOUGHMILLER, M AY O R
Loughmiller was elected as mayor in May 2009, after representing District 4 on the city council from 2002 to 2008. He was appointed mayor pro tempore for three of his six years on the council. During his tenure on the council, he served as the liaison to the McKinney Community Development Corporation board, McKinney Airport Board, McKinney Parks Board and the McKinney Housing Authority. Loughmiller is managing partner at Loughmiller Higgins P.C., a McKinney law firm that specializes in family law. He is also president of the Collin County Bar Association and a fellow with the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
Month” in McKinney to encourage citizens to live a healthier, exercise-oriented lifestyle. “The wellness of our community and its citizens is very important,” he said, “and being on a path to good health makes everyone feel good.” His work in the community began long before he served on the city council. Loughmiller and his wife, Donna, moved to McKinney with their three children in 1989. Before his 2002 election to the council, he served on the McKinney Board of Adjustments and served on the McKinney Independent School District Community Redistricting Committee. Loughmiller is in the final year of his term as mayor. D AV I D B R O O K S , AT L A R G E
When he’s not involved with city governance or managing his law firm, Loughmiller volunteers at church and participates in city athletic events. He competes in annual races such as the Historic McKinney Kiwanis Triathlon and Run Races, started five years ago, and the Bike the Bricks downtown bike race.
Brooks was elected in May 2009 as one of two at-large representatives on the city council. He is chairman and CEO of the McKinney-based Independent Bank group, which operates 20 Independent Bank locations across north and central Texas.
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the Independent Bankers Association of Texas and served as the chief financial officer (CFO) at Baylor University from 2000 to 2004. His financial experience has proved a vital asset for community and civic involvement. Brooks served three years on both the McKinney Economic Development Corporation board and the McKinney Chamber of Commerce board. He is a former McKinney Rotary Club president, and his family was one of 17 families that founded Crosspoint Church in McKinney in 1996. Brooks has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business from Baylor. He and his wife, Carolyn, have two sons, Reece and Ryan. His hobbies include marathon running, skiing and mountain climbing. Brooks is serving the final year of his term in the at-large seat. D O N D A Y, DISTRICT 1
Day, elected in May 2009 to represent District 1 on the council, owns DFA, LTD, a real estate investment and holding company. A builder for more than 45 years, Day maintains a special interest in preserving Historic Downtown McKinney. He assisted in the renovation of 22 commercial historic buildings and invested in several downtown businesses including Sauce on the Square, Rick’s Chophouse, Uptown and The Grand Hotel. Day has also served on eight city boards and commissions. He is the former chairman of the McKinney Planning and Zoning Commission.
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He received a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of North Texas and has lived in McKinney for 13 years.
council elected him to serve this year as mayor pro tem, designating him to act as mayor in the absence or disability of Mayor Loughmiller.
Kever received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Texas A&M University and her M.A. degree in international management from the University of Texas at Dallas.
“I’m certainly honored and extremely humbled,” he said after his designation. “I’ve been fortunate to serve on this council, so I look forward to continue doing so in this position.”
He is also in the final year of his term. G E R A LY N K E V E R , DISTRICT 2
Kever is in her second-straight term as District 2 representative on the council. She was re-elected to the seat after winning the May 14, 2011 election over opponent Tracy Rath. First elected in 2008, Kever remains eager to help carry McKinney through the economic downturn. “As I look ahead, I do see us at sort of a tipping point,” she said. “I’ve served in a recession, and I’m ready to serve in a recovery.” Kever began her public service in McKinney in public education. She was elected to the McKinney ISD Board of Trustees in 1997 and re-elected in 2000 and 2003. She served as board president for six of her years as a trustee.
Her education led to a career at Hewlett Packard, with a focus on telecommunications. She works as a corporate communication consultant, helping clients develop communication strategies and manage complex issues in high-risk situations.
A McKinney High School graduate, Ussery is a second-generation council member in McKinney. His late father, Leon, served as mayor pro tem and mayor in the 1960s.
Before her election to the city council, Kever served multiple terms on the McKinney Economic Development Corporation and McKinney Arts Commission boards. She represents the city on the Regional Transportation Council.
After graduating from Texas Christian University, Ussery returned to McKinney to work for his father’s accounting business. He now owns the business, Travis Ussery CPA, located in District 3.
Kever has lived in McKinney with her husband, Mark, since 1982. They have three children, Megan, Matt and Erin.
Ussery has used his financial experience to serve the city for nearly 21 years. He’s spent time as chairman for the McKinney Planning and Zoning Commission and the McKinney Parks Board, and was a member of the McKinney Main Street Design Committee in 2004. Ussery has also served on the Chamber of Commerce Finance Committee.
T R A V I S U S S E R Y, DISTRICT 3, M AY O R P R O T E M
Ussery was elected in 2009 to represent District 3, the same district where he was born and raised. In June, the
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He enjoys history, reading classical literature and playing golf in his time away from work and city governance. R AY R I C C H I , DISTRICT 4
Ricchi is representing District 4 on the city council for a second straight term after citizens re-elected him to the seat in the May 14, 2011 general elections. Currently the executive vice president and general manager of The Ballfields at Craig Ranch in McKinney, he is glad to be serving a city that is quickly expanding. “I think the next three years are going to be some of the most exciting,” he said. “Timely events are going to happen in McKinney that are going to set us on course for the next 30.” Ricchi, the father of three children who attend McKinney ISD schools, has been a resi-
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ROGER HARRIS, AT L A R G E
Harris became the newest council member when he won the June 18, 2011 runoff election, defeating his opponent and former McKinney City Councilman Steve Bell to secure the other at-large seat. Harris remains eager to join the city’s wellestablished governing team. “Our city council has made tremendous progress in many areas which I believe will yield great results in the near future,” he said. “I want to work with our new city manager's office to make McKinney a citizenfriendly, development-friendly city we are all proud of.” Harris has owned and operated the linen company, Metro Linen, since 1987. His public service began in 1992, when he started serving on the McKinney Airport Board (now the McKinney Airport Development Corporation board). He was on the board for six years, including two as board chairman. Harris is has served on the McKinney Chamber of Commerce board and on the McKinney Economic Development Corporation board. Harris has fairly large shoes to fill as the replacement for former Councilman Pete Huff, who served three straight terms in the District 2 and at-large seats. Harris is confident the entire council can together continue moving the city in the right direction. “McKinney is very poised to be one of the leaders coming out of this economic downturn,” he said.
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AUTO • HOME • LIFE • HEALTH ALL LINES OF COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY • WORKERS COMP • COMMERCIAL AUTO • BOND Jim, Almeta & Tony Nichols over 54 years combined experience 2414 W. University Suite 125-A • (972) Metro (972) fax (972)
McKinney 548-0978 569-8875 548-2805
www.nicholsinsurance.net
2012 24 AUGUST EXPERIENCE MCKINNEY