At their April 25, 2022 meeting, the City Council awarded a contract for the reconstruction of Bedford Euless Road to Quality Excavation, LLC, with construction expected to begin this summer. This project will reconstruct Bedford Euless from just east of Boulevard 26 to Strummer Drive with reinforced concrete pavement. Underground utility improvements will also be made and sidewalks will be added to the south side of the roadway where they are currently missing. Based on the Vision 2030 Transportation Plan recommendation, the roadway will be reduced from the current 5 lanes to a 3-lane configuration.

Access to businesses on Bedford Euless Road will remain open during construction. The project is expected to take about 14 months to complete. Prior to the street reconstruction work, Atmos Energy will be replacing a gas pipeline along Bedford Euless Road. Atmos' work is expected to begin this May and should be completed in July.

The City Council also approved a contract for engineering design services with Multatech Engineering, Inc., for the Lariat Trail Project. This project will reconstruct two segments of Lariat Trail from Meadow Lakes Drive to Riviera Drive and from Circle View Court to the dead end. We anticipate going out for construction bids for this project in 2023.

Visit the city's website for more information about the 2020 Street Bond Program.

Last week, the Tarrant Appraisal District mailed annual property value notices to Tarrant County homeowners and we know it caused sticker shock for many of you. Home prices have increased in recent years and if you’re not looking to buy or sell a home, you may not have realized just how high. It’s important to know that the Taxable Value is the number used to calculate your tax bill, NOT the Market Value. Look instead at the Taxable Value. Here’s a quick explanation of what the different terms on your property value notice mean.

Annual tax rates will be adopted by cities, counties, school districts and other taxing entities this summer. Public hearings for the City’s budget and tax rate will be held in August. You can sign up for City Council Meeting notifications at www.nrhtx.com/notify. Annual property tax bills are mailed each October. It’s important to know that in 2019, state legislators enacted Senate Bill 2, which requires cities and counties to get voter approval if they want to raise the annual property tax revenue they collect from existing properties by more than 3.5%. 

Residents who feel their property appraisal is too high may appeal or protest the value with the Tarrant Appraisal Review Board. The protest deadline for residential properties is May 16, 2022. For more information see the Notice of Protest on the Tarrant Appraisal District's website. 

Early voting for the May 7 Joint Election began this week and continues through May 3 at the North Richland Hills Library, 9015 Grand Ave., St. Paul Presbyterian Church, 4517 Rufe Snow Dr. and other locations across Tarrant County. Early voting hours are:

Please be aware that there will be no polling locations in North Richland Hills on Election Day. If you wait until May 7 to vote, you can do so at Watauga City Hall, Richland Hills City Hall, Haltom City Senior Center, Shady Grove Elementary School in Keller, or any other polling location in Tarrant County. Polling locations are determined by the entities that are having elections.

The ballot for this election includes school board races and two proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. Since NRH City Council candidates were unopposed, their election was canceled and will not appear on the ballot. Please visit Tarrant County’s election website to view your sample ballot and get more information.

The next phase of construction will include paving of streets south of City Point Drive, in addition to landscape and hardscape improvements. Construction of model homes and multifamily will likely begin in the 2nd quarter of 2022. Construction of commercial buildings should begin in late 2022. Homebuilders for City Point include Ashton Woods, CB Jeni and Mattamy Homes. You can find more information on Centurian American's website.

It is not uncommon in springtime to see wildlife in our community including rabbits, possums, armadillos, hawks, coyotes, skunks, snakes and other small animals. Wild animals become more active this time of year as they search for food, mates, and places to care for their young. To discourage wildlife from visiting your property, remove food sources. Secure garbage containers. Feed pets indoors whenever possible. Pick up any leftovers if feeding your pets outdoors and store pet food where it is inaccessible to wildlife. Don't feed strays. Clean up spilled bird seed from bird feeders; this may attract rodents, and the animals that prey on them. Block areas under porches, decks, and outbuildings where animals might choose to den or nest. Trim shrubbery that provides hiding cover for wildlife. Never allow your pets to run free. Small pets are easy prey for coyotes. Dogs should always be on a leash or in a fenced yard. Cats should never go outdoors. Find more information at www.nrhtx.com/wildlife.

Your NRH Library is going on the move! Each Tuesday from May 17 – June 14, they'll bring the fun of the library to one of our local parks where you can spend the morning enjoying stories and activities, checking out books, and learning about the Mayor’s Summer Reading Club. The first stop will be Linda Spurlock Park, 6400 Glenview Dr., at 10 a.m. on May 17. For the full schedule, please visit www.library.nrhtx.com/parks. Please contact the Library at 817-427-6800 with any questions.

Don't forget, the Sounds of Spring Concert Series continues each Friday night through May 20. Concerts are held on the City Hall Plaza, 4301 City Point Dr. starting at 7 p.m. Admission and parking are free. Seating is on the lawn, so don’t forget to bring a blanket or lawn chair. There will be food trucks with yummy cuisine on-site, or you are welcome to bring your own picnic, but please no glass containers. Visit our Sounds of Spring webpage for more details.