STATE OF THE CITY

Happenings at Home - State of the City

by Craig Kelly

The drone of the Wylie Pipes and Drums Corp sounded and the joint Honor Guard comprised of members from Wylie Fire Rescue and Wylie Police Department entered the Collin College Event Center to post the colors, signaling the start of the State of the City Address. The packed room stood at attention as Pastor Jake Vicknair from New Hope Christian Church led the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance by Representative Candy Noble.

Mayor Matthew Porter then took the stage to deliver his annual update on City projects, activities, and milestones over the past year at the special Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

After thanking those in attendance, he began the speech looking at Wylie’s tremendous growth of 40% over the past decade, bringing Wylie’s current population to just over 60,000 residents. The 560 residential permits issued last year reflect our continued growth.

Porter reiterated that planning for quality development on the City’s remaining land was a high priority with an update of the City’s Comprehensive Plan, a document that captures the community’s vision for growth, development, and preservation, and acts as a guidebook for decision-makers. He thanked the planning committee for their hard work and dedication to the project and encouraged those in attendance to get involved in the process.

Following praise of City Staff and the public for their response to the most recent winter storms, Porter touted an 11% drop (8 cents) in the tax rate over the last four years. He noted the City Council decreased taxes 2.8 cents to .64 cents per $100 assessed valuation this past year. Citizens can get a snapshot of where property taxes go and how they are spent using the Property Tax Calculator at WylieTexas.gov/Budget.

Future projects then took the center stage including the passage of three bond proposals last November focused on improving infrastructure in neighborhoods, on city streets, and throughout our Historic Downtown. Porter thanked the 14-member Citizens Bond Committee and community groups that helped shape the $51 million package the City Council finalized and presented to the public. For a complete look at the bond program go to WylieTexas.gov/Bond.

Traffic due to growth is always a challenge, and those in attendance were no doubt happy to hear about intersection improvements at Country Club Road/FM 544, McCreary Road/ FM 544, and Brown Street/Hwy. 78. Watch for reconfiguration of through lanes and additional turn lanes. Eubanks Lane. from Hwy. 78 to the North Texas Municipal Water District entrance drive is also scheduled to be widened and reconfigured.

Porter then provided an update on $6.6 million of special projects paid for by excess funds, one-time expenditures that have no impact on the tax rate. Headlining the list are two quality-of-life items that citizens have been asking about for many years, two splash pads and a dog park. A Senior Center remodel, two new Quints (fire trucks) and a fire utility truck, $600,000 in sidewalk repairs, drainage upgrades, library book sorter, and Lifepak 15 heart monitors round out the list. Follow Facebook.com/WylieTexas for ongoing updates on these exciting projects.

Despite COVID over the last two-plus years, Porter reported that sales tax receipts topped $15 million, up 18% from 2020. Driving sales tax numbers are the many new businesses that have, or plan, to call Wylie home. The list was long, but highlights include, Dutch Brothers Coffee, Wild Fork Foods, Pei Wei, Hillside Fine Grill, New York Pizza & Pints, Chipotle, and Fuel City.

A positive downward trend is the Crime Rate, and Porter reported that Wylie’s dropped by 12% in 2021, a 10% decrease. He thanked the outstanding work of the men and women of the Wylie Police Department. Not to leave out Wylie Fire Rescue, he gave an update on the construction of Fire Station #4, scheduled to open in late spring with a large community celebration. Station #4 will serve the west side of town and goes a long way in helping maintain the city's ISO-1 Insurance Rating status.

Following an update on the rollout of our new water meters and WaterSmart software, several Parks projects, a recap of many City awards, and our partnership with the Wylie Independent School District, Porter ended his State of the City with a call for residents to get involved in their city.

Consider applying for Boards and Commissions at WylieTexas.gov/Boards, view streaming video of Council meetings and agenda packets at WylieTexas.gov/Agenda, and watch Facebook live Mayor updates 2 p.m. the Friday after Council meetings.

Watch Mayor Porter’s presentation in its entirety at Facebook.com/WylieTexas.