Thanksgiving is a cherished American holiday filled with beloved traditions. It is a time when loved ones gather together and reflect on all they are grateful for. When I look back over the years I have served as Mayor, there have been many changes and challenges. Through all of this, one thing has remained steadfast, and that is the kindness and caring nature of our community. We may all come from different walks of life and have different beliefs and aspirations, but we all come together in the end. We all strive for a community that is loving and supportive of one another. It is a tremendous honor to serve such an amazing community, and there is much for which to be thankful.

I am thankful that we live in a free nation. A nation where we can express our opinions openly, respectfully, and without fear of retribution.

I am thankful to our police for continuing to serve, protect, and safeguard our neighbors. I am also grateful for our Volunteer Fire Department, who willingly give their free time and risk their lives to keep our community safe.

I am thankful for our City employees who do an exceptional job, striving to meet the needs of our city and continually working to enhance the quality of life of our residents.

I am thankful for our elected officials and those who serve on committees and boards. It takes a special person to give up their time to volunteer and serve the community they live in and love.

Finally, I am thankful for our citizens. Our citizens are eager to help one another in times of need. We are a strong community that shows patience, kindness, and flexibility during any change that comes our way. I am proud to call Robinson home and am equally pleased to serve you as Mayor.

From my family to yours, we wish you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

Bert Echterling

City Mayor

Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Click here to find voting locations.

Councilmember Steve Janics (Place 3) submitted his resignation at the September 6th City Council Meeting. A Special Called City Council Meeting was held on September 13th, where two prospective replacements were interviewed by Council. Jim Mastergeorge was selected to fill the vacancy left by Mr. Janics.

Election results will be available on the McLennan County Election page starting on the night of the election.

The City of Robinson and The Greater Robinson Chamber of Commerce have an exciting announcement!

The Annual Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting will be on December 1st at 6 p.m. The parade will begin at Robinson High School and end at Peplow Park for the annual Christmas Tree Lighting. We look forward to seeing all the festive floats that go along with the theme each year. This year’s theme is Cowboy Country Christmas. You can register your float here. The deadline to register your float is November 29th at 5 p.m. Floats that are not registered will not be allowed to participate.

We have finally seen rain again! While it’s definitely something to celebrate, we still have not received enough rain to bring us back to normal water levels. Due to this, we are asking everyone to continue their efforts in conserving water. Check out the graphic to the left for a reminder of the voluntary water restrictions.

Solid waste will run as normal on Veterans Day.

Solid waste will run ONE DAY LATE on Thanksgiving and the Friday after. The schedule for the week of Thanksgiving (November 21 - 25) will be as follows:

Monday - Wednesday: Run as normal

Thursday: No collection

Friday: Collect Thursday’s route

Saturday: Collect Friday’s route

What's the best part about the holiday season? All of the fantastic food! When cooking these delicious meals, DO NOT pour fats, oils, or grease down the drain. These are collectively known as FOG and can damage pipes and affect water quality. Instead, let FOG cool, pour it into a sealable container, and toss it in the trash. In addition to the grease, you might end up with lots of scraps left over. It may seem the easiest thing to do is to throw them down the garbage disposal. However, some foods should NEVER go down the garbage disposal because they can cause damage to your pipes if place down the sink. So what are the top eight things you should never put down your garbage disposal?

The City Council will meet in person and virtually for their monthly City Council Meeting.

The meeting agenda and packet can be found online here. Para la agenda en español, visite este sitio web, aqui.

Individuals have the option to participate in the meeting in person or virtually, either by telephone or video through GoToMeeting. The City has set up a section on our website to provide instructions on how to both view and submit a public comment for the meeting and navigate the virtual event. The access code and toll-free number will be provided in the agenda.

Public comment will only be allowed via telephone or video conference via GoToMeeting if choosing to attend remotely. All speakers must register to speak at least two hours in advance of the meeting. All public comments will occur at the beginning of the meeting under the public comment item. Speakers must join the meeting at least 15 minutes prior to it starting in order to speak. Written comments may also be submitted two hours in advance of the meeting. To register to speak or to submit written comments, please email the City Secretary, Misty Cryer.

Council meetings are now being live streamed to the city's YouTube account, the link to the streaming will also be shared on the city's Facebook page. All live streaming is for viewing purposes only, viewers wanting to participate virtually will have to do so via GoToMeeting. Meetings can be viewed live on YouTube, but meeting recordings will only be available on YouTube.

There will be a Special Called City Council Meeting on November 15th. The meeting will be in person and virtual.

The meeting agenda and packet can be found online here. Para la agenda en español, visite este sitio web, aqui.

Refer to the information above to find how to participate, submit comments, an how to live stream the meeting.

Bulk/Brush Day is November 5th from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 5158 South 12th Street, Robinson, TX. City staff will NOT be available to help place bulk items in the containers so make sure to bring enough help to get items in the 40-yard roll-off.

Reminder: customers have the option to set bulk/brush items at their curb to be collected weekly, during their normal collection day. For hazardous materials, customers may use the At Your Door Special Hazardous Waste Collection offered monthly with their Waste Management services.

Through the SeeClickFix mobile app and web tools, Robinson residents will now be able to provide city staff with pictures, specific descriptions, and more — valuable information needed to get the job done efficiently. In addition, the SeeClickFix platform provides city staff with a centralized service request management system to manage issues from creation to resolution — engaging residents throughout the process.

Download the SeeClickFix app to your phone today!

For more information on the jobs, and to apply, visit our website.

Did you know that the city can send alerts directly to your phone about road closures and water shutoffs? We partner with the Waco-McLennan County Office of Emergency Management to be able to notify our citizens by text or phone call in case of these events. Click here to sign up.

It is truly a pleasure for the Robinson High School Future Career & Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) and our Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) department to honor the Senior Citizens of our community and show our thankfulness with a luncheon in their honor.

The luncheon will take place at the Robinson High School Fine Arts Rooms/Band Halls on November 17th, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Please RSVP with the number of senior citizens attending by Wednesday, November 16th, by calling (254) 662-3840.

In compliance with the Child Find regulations, RISD must locate, identify, and evaluate children with suspected disabilities. If your child lives in the Robinson school district boundaries and you suspect that they have a disability, please contact the RISD Office of Special Programs by phone at (254) 662-4621.

Communications: communications@robinsontexas.org

Utilities: utilities@robinsontexas.org

Dispatch: dispatch@robinsontexas.org

Permits/Inspections: d.hale@robinsontexas.org

Code Compliance: m.brownlow@robinsontexas.org

Municipal Court: court@robinsontexas.org