Number 217, September 2021
City of University Park, Texas, 3800 University Blvd.
Message from Mayor Stewart
As a lifelong resident, I’ve been proud to say that University Park is my home on countless occasions. During the multiple challenges that have tested us during the past 18 months, the care and compassion you and your neighbors have demonstrated has strengthened my belief that this is truly a special place to live and raise families. As we continue to battle COVID-19, I’m encouraged by our overall vaccination numbers, and thankful that so many of our residents have decided to get vaccinated. One shot at a time, we are reducing the spread of the virus and making our community a healthier place to live and work. Having achieved full approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Pfizer vaccine has joined an impressive list of mass-inoculation drugs that are safe and effective. As we await full approval of the Pfizer vaccine for those 12 and younger, and full approval by the FDA of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, if you have not been vaccinated yet, I hope you will share your concerns with a physician soon. I will continue to respect every individual’s right to make their own choice.
 
As we continue to closely monitor COVID-19 numbers in North Texas, below is some helpful information and a few click-on resources. This content has been reviewed and approved by medical doctors with the Dallas County Health and Human Services Department and City of University Park Emergency Medical Services. Please consult your physician on any medical decisions. 

Thank you for your time and attention - Mayor Tommy Stewart
Now that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted full approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for those 16 and older, here is a quick Q&A, and a few helpful links.

What did FDA approval of the Pfzier vaccine involve?

  • Never in history has a drug had such a large sample size before reaching full approval.
  • Before granting full approval, FDA scientists evaluated “hundreds of thousands of pages” of vaccine data from 40,000 trial participants.
  • During review the vaccine was found to be 91% effective in preventing Covid – slightly lower than the 95% efficacy rate trial data showed when the shot was authorized late last year and before the delta variant became dominant throughout the U.S.
  • Since the vaccine was granted emergency use authorization from the FDA last December, more than 204 million Pfizer shots have been administered, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


What about the use of the Pfizer vaccine for those under 16?

The Pfizer vaccine remains under emergency use authorization for children 12 to 15 as the company continues to collect data. Pfizer is expected to submit data this fall to support the shot's emergency-use authorization for children under 12 based on smaller doses. 

What is the status of FDA approval for the other two widely used vaccines?

The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines are still operating under emergency use authorizations. Moderna has completed a submission filing for full FDA approval of its COVID-19 vaccine in individuals 18 and up. Johnson & Johnson says it plans to do so before the end of the year.

How long has the Federal Government used a system for developing, testing and regulating vaccines?

Although vaccines had been developed for humans at the end of the 19th century for smallpox, rabies, plague, cholera and typhoid, legislation to control the quality of drugs wasn’t passed by Congress until 1902. Since then, the same review process has been used to safely protect people of all ages from other diseases including Hepatitis, Measles, Meningitis, Mumps, Polio, Rubella, and various Influenza strains, just to name a few.


What’s the COVID-19 short term outlook in North Texas?

According to UT Southwestern models, the total number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 in North Texas is expected to increase over the next several weeks. In Dallas County, where self-reported masking levels in public have risen to nearly 80 percent, there has been a modest drop in new daily hospital admissions, but weekly admission volumes among younger age groups have exceed their January peaks.

On the plus side, that same analysis finds that although hospitalizations continue to climb, rates are not increasing as steeply and new admission rates are relatively flat. UT Southwestern believes those trends can likely be linked to increases in indoor masking and physical distancing as well as early benefits of increased vaccination rates.

Mask wearing is currently required when you visit UP City Hall, the Peek Service Center, UP Public Library and the City’s Waste Transfer Station. For your safety and employee safety, masks and hand sanitizer products are available inside all City facilities. We recommend monitoring the City's website and social media platforms for the latest updates on policies and procedures.

Other helpful links
Council to consider proposed 2022 Budget
On Tuesday, September 7 and Tuesday, September 21, the City Council will hold public hearings so that the public may comment on the City’s FY2022 proposed budget and tax rate. The Council will vote to adopt the FY2022 budget and tax rate during its Tuesday, September 21 meeting. Both Council Meetings will begin at 5 p.m.

When Department Directors first started working on operational budgets last spring, the COVID pandemic outlook was improving on a daily basis. With the availability of a COVID vaccine and anti-viral medications, consumer activity improved at the national, state and local levels. Economic activity in the City of University Park also increased with improved sales tax revenue and property valuations. Recently, the pandemic outlook has grown bleaker with a surge in cases dominated by viral mutations and inflationary pressures challenging a growing economy.  

Within the past year, February’s winter storm, social unrest, and the continuing pandemic have heightened our awareness of municipal governments and the essential services they provide. These events have also reshaped the American workforce and work environment for both the public and private sectors. Telecommuting, virtual meetings, and safety protocols are now engrained in our daily lives. Given these concerns, the proposed budget establishes a baseline for post-COVID municipal services that is both cautious and sustainable. 

The proposed budget for FY2022 totals $56,301,727 across all budgeted funds. The total expenditures in the FY2022 budget represent a 1.9 percent increase from the previous year, which results in a small tax rate decrease.

The Dallas County Appraisal District certifies the taxable value for all property within University Park. Based on proposed expenditures and the taxable value of all property in University Park, the FY2022 budget recommends a tax rate of 26.4388 cents per $100 of taxable value, which remains one of the lowest municipal property tax rates in the state. The average single-family homeowner with a homestead exemption will pay approximately $6 more per month in City property taxes. The City remains one of the smallest overall percentages of the combined tax bill. When including the other taxing entities, the City’s portion of the tax bill is just under 13 percent. 

Highlights of the FY2022 Budget include:

  • Increased funding for capital projects
  • Reduced costs for health insurance and other benefits
  • New Parks & Recreation programming
  • Funding that fulfills the City’s compensation philosophy of paying in the 50th percentile of our benchmark cities
  • Increased funding for pension liabilities
  • Implementation of a new internal service fund for Information Technology services.

For much more on the FY2022 proposed budget, click here.

Comments about the proposed budget

If you want make your comments in person on either of the dates listed above, you are welcome to do so. If you would like to register to speak before you arrive at City Hall, here is the online form.

All Council Meetings are streamed live on the City's website at uptexas.org. If you want to comment remotely or have comments included in the Public Comments portion of a Council Meeting, you can use our website’s eComment feature, or you can contact Christine Green, City Secretary, at cgreen@uptexas.org or 214-987-5302. Please note that the Mayor will acknowledge receipt of written comments, but written comments are not always read aloud.
Look for property tax statements in November
The Dallas County Tax Office has advised the City that this year's property tax bills will not be placed in the mail until November. Seeking approval to raise additional revenue for teacher and staff compensation, the HPISD Board of Trustees recently decided to hold a voter-approval tax rate election on November 2. Understandably, property tax bills can not be compiled or mailed until the results of the election are known. Customarily, property tax statements are mailed in October.
9/11 Memorial Event - Friday, September 10 at 8:45 a.m.
On Friday, September 10 at 8:45 a.m., the Police and Fire Departments will participate in the annual Memorial Service honoring firefighters and police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. SMU is hosting the event, and representatives from SMU Police and Highland Park Public Safety will also take part in the ceremony. 
 
The ceremony will include:
 
  • Posting of Colors
  • Ceremonial ringing of the bell for those killed in the line of duty
  • Comments from SMU President Gerald Turner
  • Bagpipes
  • Prayer led by Highland Park Fire Chaplain Scott Ferguson
 
The ceremony will take place at the main flag pole on the SMU campus, just north of Bishop Blvd and south of Dallas Hall.
Register for Doggie Splash Day
Your dog will have a howling good time at the Holmes Aquatic Center during Doggie Splash Day! The fun takes place on Saturday, October 2 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

To participate you must be a University Park/HPISD resident and you must register. The registration fee is $10 per dog. Humans are free. You will need to complete a form for each dog that will be coming to the event. Space is limited to the first 100 dogs, so sign up early!
Holmes Aquatic Center customer satisfaction survey
We are coming to the end of another summer season at the Holmes Aquatic Center, and we have enjoyed seeing each and every one of you! We hope that your smiling faces were in part due to the efforts of our HAC team members!

We would love to hear from you about your experiences this pool season. Additionally, if there are areas that you think we can improve on, please share your thoughts with us.

Please take a few minutes to complete the customer satisfaction survey concerning your visits this season. Feedback from our patrons is the best way we can continue to provide you with positive experiences, and set goals for improvement and growth.
UP Public Library Card - now's the time to get one!
September is national Library Card sign-up month. If you don’t already have one, the staff at UP Public Library suggests this is the perfect time to unleash the power of discovery and learning through the use of your library card. Library cards are free to all residents who live within the Highland Park ISD boundaries. 

Your library card makes it easy to check out books, DVDs, and downloadable ebooks and audiobooks. To get a card for you and your family members, drop by the library during business hours, or go online.

Throughout September, all children who sign-up will receive a small thank you gift!
Waste Wizard - Can I recycle that?
Where do I dispose of unwanted electronics? Can I recycle a greasy pizza box? Where do I take old paint cans? If residents have questions, the Waste Wizard has answers! Use this valuable feature to find out what bin it goes in! To access Waste Wizard, visit the Sanitation/Recycling page on the City’s website. The Waste Wizard widget is located in the middle of the page. Type the waste item in the search bar and Waste Wizard will explain where to properly dispose of it. 

Click here to access Waste Wizard.