4 City Council Members Begin New Terms

At their May 17 meeting, the City Council canvassed the results of the May 6, 2023 election and the oath of office was administered to returning Council Members Tito Rodriguez, Suzy Compton, Blake Vaughn and Kelvin Deupree. Each was re-elected to serve a 2-year term. 

Results of the May 6 City Charter election were also canvassed by the Council. Voters approved all propositions to amend the City Charter, except for Proposition G to remove the requirement that Planning & Zoning Commissioners own property within the City.

Go online to watch the Council Meeting and learn more about your NRH City Council Members.

Mike Young Named Interim Police Chief

Mike Young, a 38-year veteran of the North Richland Hills Police Department, will serve as the city’s Interim Police Chief following the retirement of Police Chief Jimmy Perdue, City Manager Mark Hindman announced on Thursday. 

“Chief Young has extensive knowledge of the department’s operations and policies and the utmost respect and care for his colleagues and the community he serves,” said Mr. Hindman. “I have confidence in his ability to lead the North Richland Hills Police Department in continuing to be the best and most professional department it can be.”

Chief Young began his career with the North Richland Hills Police Department in 1985 and was promoted to Sergeant in 1997. Early in 1999, he promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and later in the same year was promoted to Captain. In 2013, he was promoted to Assistant Chief. 

During his tenure, he has overseen every division of the department include patrol, traffic, SWAT, criminal investigations, internal affairs, training, hiring, range master, dispatch communications, jail, records management, logistics, fleet, budget, and evidence preservation. In 1989 he received the Medal of Honor, the department’s highest award.

Chief Young holds a Master Peace Officer’s License with the State of Texas. He is a graduate of the 206th Session of the FBI National Academy, the Advanced Management College at the Institute for Law Enforcement Administration, and the 38th session of the PERF Senior Management Institute for Police. He earned a Bachelor of Arts and Science Degree from the University of North Texas and a Master’s Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at Arlington. 

Prior to joining NRHPD, he served four years in the United States Air Force. Mike and his wife, Tanya, have been married for 41 years. They have two children and six grandchildren.

May 17 City Council Meeting Highlights

🚧 The City Council approved a $2.46 million contract with XIT Paving and Construction, Inc., for construction of the Iron Horse Blvd West Project. This project will reconstruct Iron Horse Blvd from Rufe Snow Drive to Browning Drive. The existing 4-lane roadway will be replaced with reinforced concrete pavement and sidewalks will be added where currently missing.  Work is expected to begin this summer. This is one of 27 street reconstruction projects funded by the 2020 Street Bond Program. Text Ironhorse to 888777 to receive lane closure and construction updates. 

👮‍♂️ The City Council approved a five-year, $2.16 million agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc., for body-worn and vehicle-mounted camera systems. The cameras are used by all NRH police officers and city marshals to record their activity and interactions with the community. They are necessary to support compliance with state laws, as well as to enhance public trust, transparency, accountability, training, and criminal investigations and prosecution. Axon has provided service to the city since January 2018. Following a competitive review process, it was determined that Axon continues to provide the best value to the city. 

🍔 The City Council approved an updated Mobile Food Unit Ordinance that regulates when, where, and how food trucks are able to operate in order to assure proper safety standards are met. The ordinance continues the annual permitting process established in 2021, so that food trucks are inspected at least once a year by the City’s Consumer Health Division. The cost of the annual permit was decreased from $250 to $180 to better align with neighboring cities. A permitted truck will have an NRH Mobile Food Unit permit sticker clearly visible to patrons. You can learn more about the ordinance and view a list of food trucks that are permitted to operate in NRH on our website.

🏬 During their work session, the Council discussed the creation of a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) and Enterprise Zone (EZ) along Davis Boulevard south of Mid Cities Boulevard and along Boulevard 26 south of Harwood, north of Loop 820. These programs would help encourage the revitalization of existing commercial property and vacant property along the two corridors. City staff will develop specific plans for the Reinvestment and Enterprise Zone for future consideration by the Council.

For more meeting details and to watch the meeting video, visit www.nrhtx.com/agendas.

Reminder: Protest Deadline Extended

Don't forget, the Tarrant Appraisal District extended the deadline for protesting 2023 property values. Any protests filed before May 30, 2023 will be considered a timely filed protest this year. Annual property value notices were mailed to all Tarrant County homeowners in April. If you need help understanding your notice, please review the city's website for helpful information. For more information about protesting your property value, visit tad.org or contact the Tarrant Appraisal District at 817-284-0024.

Memorial Day Closings

City Hall and other non-emergency city offices will be closed Monday, May 29, for the Memorial Day holiday. The Municipal Court, Library, Animal Adoption & Rescue Center and Tennis Center will also be closed.

The NRH Centre, NRH2O Family Water Park, and Iron Horse Golf Course will be open and Public Safety operations will continue. Garbage and recycling will be collected as normally scheduled.

Water Safety Month

May is Water Safety Month! Please take time before the month ends and summer begins to teach your family the ABCs of drowning prevention. Whether you are at the pool or the lake, remember to always designate a water watcher to lifeguard your child. Life vests on lakes are like seatbelts in cars --everyone needs to wear one! Visit www.nrhws365.com for more information.

NRH Health and Building Inspectors are busy this month helping public pools open safely for swimming season. The city's inspectors regulate 82 different public aquatic facilities in North Richland Hills, visiting each one at least seven times per year. They look for hazards that might contribute to drowning or waterborne illness risk and to ensure that safety and rescue equipment is in place and functional. These facilities include apartment and hotel pools, the NRH Centre, and NRH₂O. 

Texas leads the nation in the number of fatal child drownings, and in the DFW area 23% of these deaths occur in an apartment, hotel, or community aquatic facility. By inspecting these facilities and educating property managers, we reduce the number of hazards and the risk of injury or drowning. 

Since 2016, the City has taken several steps to address swimming pool and spa safety, including updating safety codes related to pools, spas and aquatic facilities. The success of these ordinances can best be measured in tracking reinspection rates for public aquatic facilities. If an inspector finds an issue on site that is critical to health and safety, the inspector closes the facility and requires a reinspection before the facility may reopen to the public. The inspection data over time show a significant increase in the number of facilities fully in compliance and a reduction in the number of facilities requiring multiple re-inspections per year.

We appreciate all that our Health and Building Inspectors do keep our community safe!

Police K-9 Receives Donation

Earlier this week, North Richland Hills Police K-9, Luka Dogcic, was formally presented with his ballistic vest that was purchased via a private donation. The Duke and Oliver Foundation and the Grubbs Family of Dealerships sponsored Luka's vest, which cost nearly $1,500. Through a social media campaign, they raised enough funds to pay for the vest in full.

The North Richland Hills Police Department is thankful for the generosity and support of the donors and sponsors of the K-9 program. You can read more about the donation on the city's website.

Upcoming Events

Library in the Park

Are you ready for some fun in the sun? Join us at Library in the Park for an awesome time filled with fun stories, take-home crafts, and the chance to join The Mayor's Summer Reading Club! Plus, you can hang out with other families and have a blast at one of the City's great parks. Don't miss out on the fun, Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m. from May 30 to June 20!

May 30 • Linda Spurlock Park

June 6 • Adventure World

June 13 • Faram Park

June 20 • Linda Spurlock Park

Senior Health Fair

In recognition of National Senior Health & Fitness Day, the NRH Senior Center is hosting a free Health Fair on Wednesday, May 31. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Grand Hall at the NRH Centre. It is open to all ages. Visit www.nrhseniorcenter.com/health-fair or contact the Senior Center at 817-427-6695 for more information.

Summer Reading Club Kick Off Party

Join us for a bubble bash to kick off the NRH Library's Summer Reading Club on Saturday, June 3! All ages are invited to the Library's parking lot from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for some bubble fun, face painting, music, snow cones, hula hoops, and more. Plus, as a special treat, the first 200 people will receive a free Kiddie Kona from Kona Ice!

DIY Sprinkler Repair

If you haven’t checked out your sprinkler system lately, there might be some issues that are easily fixed. Join our free workshop on Thursday, June 15 to learn all about the basics of a home sprinkler system and how to fix the most common issues on your own! The workshop will take place at 6 p.m. in the Community Room at NRH City Hall. Register at NRHSprinkler-repair.eventbrite.com.