Welcome to Plano City News , your weekly update
on what's happening in the City of Plano.
City Council Meetings Move to the Last Week of July
In July our City Council Meeting schedule shifts to allow Council Members time for summer vacations. Our bylaws require City Council to meet twice a month and we accomplish this by having both meetings in the last week of July. Please join us in person at Plano Municipal Center , 1520 K Ave., or watch online Monday, July 22 at 7 p.m. and Wednesday, July 24 at 5 p.m.

At the July 24 meeting, City Manager Mark Israelson presents the 2019-20 Recommended Budget and Community Investment Program (CIP). The Tax Rate and the Financial Forecast as it relates to the General Fund and the Water and Sewer Fund is presented as well. These documents are available on the City website shortly after the meeting. A budget schedule is posted with these documents to allow you the opportunity to provide input. The budget and CIP are not official until City Council votes in September. They serve as our guiding financial tools from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30 each fiscal year.

In August, Council Meetings resume the schedule of the second and fourth Mondays with the regular session beginning at 7 p.m. As always, you can watch Council Meetings live on planotv.org ; on television at Spectrum channel 16, Frontier FIOS channels 30 and 31, and AT&T U-verse channel 99 (choose Plano); or on the City’s Facebook page . Council Meetings are available at planotv.org for on-demand viewing normally within 24-hours.
What's on the Menu for Your Summer Barbecue?
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The sweet, smoky smell of grilled food and great times is upon us. Any gathering can turn ugly if you don't manage the menu appropriately. Warmer temperatures always increase the risk of foodborne illness. No one wants to be sick after the party, so keep yourself and your guests healthy with these food safety tips from Foodsafety.gov :

If you're taking food: 
  • Use an insulated cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs. Frozen food can also be used as a cold source.
  • Keep cold food cold. This includes raw meat, poultry and seafood; deli and luncheon meats or sandwiches; summer salads (tuna, chicken, egg, pasta or seafood); cut up fruit and vegetables; and perishable dairy products.
  • Reload the cooler. A full cooler maintains cold temperature longer than one partially filled.
  • Keep your cooler out of direct sun and avoid opening it repeatedly so food stays colder longer.

If you're making food:
  • Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat and ready-to-eat items like vegetables or bread.
  • Keep perishable food cold until it is ready to cook.
  • Stick with a food thermometer to keep meat and poultry cooked thoroughly to safe minimum internal temperatures:
  • Beef, pork, lamb and veal (steaks, roasts and chops): 145 F with a 3-minute rest time
  • Ground meats: 160 F
  • Whole poultry, poultry breasts and ground poultry: 165 F
  • Use a fresh, clean plate and tongs for serving cooked food. Never reuse items touched by raw meat to serve cooked food.

If you're hosting friends: 
  • Perishable food should not sit out for more than two hours. In hot weather (above 90 F), food should NEVER sit out for more than one hour.
  • Serve cold food in small portions and keep the rest in the cooler.
  • After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it hot (140 F or warmer) until served.
  • Keep hot food hot by setting it to the side of the grill rack, not directly over the coals where they could overcook.
More than 7,300 Residents Receive Weekly Collection Reminders
When we launched the collection reminder , we set a goal to have 7,100 subscribers (10% of our customer base) in the first year. We met our goal on May 31 - a month ahead of schedule. Most subscribers (82%) prefer text reminders, but we also send emails. The system is designed to adjust the date of the reminder with the holiday service schedule. The alerts are sent the night before your collection between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. (you pick the time).

We continue to fine-tune the system for peak performance. Most recently we updated the message to make it more clear when to put the recycling cart out. Our plans are to add more reminders for less frequent collections, such as household chemicals and on-call bulky waste. When those services come online, we'll let you know. Thanks for showing us that sometimes our crazy ideas just work.
Happenings

Are you looking for something fun to do next week? We've collected a list of City events and grant supported activities to help you celebrate Independence Day.


If Thursday, July 4 is your regular trash or recycling day, we'll be collecting on Friday instead due to the holiday.


As you gear up for a fabulous Fourth, Plano City News is taking the week off. Don't worry, the next edition arrives in your inbox on July 9.

Have a safe and happy July Fourth holiday!

June 29-July 7
23 locations across Plano
Times vary, 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

These City departments compete for the trophy and bragging rights, but the real winners are the patients receiving life-saving blood.


Get outdoors and see why Plano ranked first in Texas and 15th in the nation on the Trust for Public Land ParkScore Index. Share your photos on the Plano Parks and Rec Facebook , Twitter and Instagram using #PlayInPlano and #GameOnJuly.


Thursday, July 11
11 a.m.-1 p.m.

401 W. 16th St.

Are you age 60 or older, a caregiver of an older adult or a person concerned about aging issues? Attend the come-and-go Area Agency on Aging forum focused on senior services.

If you can't attend and wish to comment, contact Doni Green, director of aging programs, at 817-695-9193 or dgreen@nctcog.org .

Last week WFAA shared the story about how the City of Plano is taking a new approach to fixing potholes. Watch the video.
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