City of Roanoke, TX Newsletter- September 2023

Message from Mayor Gierisch

What an amazing summer! My family and I enjoyed welcoming new businesses, celebrating newly elected state representatives, and soaking up the sun in beautiful Roanoke.

Our staff worked very hard to present the 2023/2024 fiscal year budget, which was approved by the Roanoke City Council during the August 21st meeting. We are excited about some of the upcoming projects and are proud of the fiscal responsibility of our staff. Roanoke has maintained amongst the lowest property tax rates in the state. I am proud to announce a new LOWER tax rate for Roanoke citizens. The new rates result in a 9.34% decrease, and allow us to boast of our 2^nd year lowering property taxes. You can learn more about the 2023/2024 budget here.

Northwest ISD schools are back in session. The Roanoke Police Department celebrated students and teachers during their back to school celebrations. Be sure to drive carefully and be aware of children walking and biking to and from school.

The Roanoke Citizens Police Academy applications for the 2023 class are now open. Click here to learn more about this awesome program and to complete the application.

We had a great time welcoming over 100 people to City Hall Selfie Day! To celebrate our City Hall, we opened the doors to visitors to tour the building, and welcome our SWAT, Public Works and Fire Department trucks. Thanks to all who joined us.

The Denton County Historical Commission wrote a great article about our City of Roanoke, Texas Visitor Center & Museum! Click here (Roanoke is featured on page 5).

Our 26th annual Celebrate Roanoke street festival is right around the corner! Join us October 14th for a day filled with FREE family fun. This year the festival will feature a rodeo, country music star Jack Ingram, pony rides, vendors, and much more. Click here to learn more about all of the fun.

Our website is full of important updates and tips to maintain safety during these hot Texas summer months. Please visit the website, or call any of our talented departments, for assistance. You can also follow our social media pages for up to date information. Links to those pages are: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, NextDoor. I hope to see you soon enjoying Roanoke's beautiful amenities.

Message from City Manager Cody Petree

The City of Roanoke continues to grow in incredible ways! As we grow, we look for new and innovative ways to serve the community. Our staff looks forward to continued excellence in customer service, and dedication to the community.

Roanoke is a great place to own a business. We offer low taxes and excellent location. We offer several incentives to businesses to open, and remain, in Roanoke. Visit our Economic Development webpage to learn more about opening a business in Roanoke.

We have had an incredibly busy summer! From street repairs to special events, I am continually impressed with the hard work and professionalism of our staff. There are plenty of projects underway in Roanoke. Some highlights include:

Communications: The Roanoke, TX Connect App has launched! The app allows residents to quickly access our most frequently used sites and services. Learn more about the app here.
Finance: The Roanoke City Council has approved a 2023/2024 fiscal year budget. You can read more about the budget here.
Information Technology: The IT Department partnered with the Library to install faster internet for public use. The Library now offers free to the public internet at 1 GB per second.
Parks & Recreation: Country Acres Park is under construction and new playground equipment, as well as a shade cover, are being installed. The project should be complete soon. In addition, turf is being installed at Fairplay park.
Police Department: Applications for the 2023 Roanoke Citizens Police Academy are now being accepted. Click here to learn more.
Public Works: The Public Works Department recently completed a comprehensive water quality report.
Senior Center: The Senior Center's "We Picture You Here" campaign has launched. The campaign encourages Roanoke's senior citizen population to join the growing community of active seniors at the Roanoke Senior Center.
Visitor Center & Museum: The Roanoke Visitor Center & Museum brick sales are now open. Click here to learn more about the brick paver program.

Our staff has welcomed several new additions to the team including:

Kevin Buchanan, Police Department Officer
Tommy Johnson, Fire Department Fighter/Paramedic

The City of Roanoke is a great place to work! If you are interested in joining the team, click here to learn more and apply.

Employee Spotlight: Jessica Wheeler

Each month we wish to introduce you to one of our incredible staff members. This month, our spotlight is on Jessica Wheeler, Senior Customer Service Representative.

Jessica has worked with the City of Roanoke for just over 2 years. When asked what she loves most about her job, Jessica responded, "Working with the public, hands down! I truly enjoy interacting with our residents, contractors, business owners, etc. Working in permits is rewarding because I get to play a small part in the growth of our beautiful city. "

Outside of work, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family, and eating out at one of Roanoke's great restaurants.

A fun fact about Jessica: She loves snow and the sound of trains. They remind her of her small hometown in Illinois. She graduated with a class of 48 students and loves small town life.

Please stop into City Hall and thank Jessica for all of her hard work.

Coming Up

The City of Roanoke has plenty of free family fun! Coming up:

September 16: Farmers Market, Dance Day
September 23: Farmers Market, Library Card Sign Up Day
September 30: Farmers Market, Hispanic Heritage Day/Last Day of the Market Season
October 7: Fire Department Open House
October 10: National Night Out Against Crime
October 14: Celebrate Roanoke