2020 City of Tyler Annual Report by cityoftyler

2020 ANNUAL REPORT

CALLEDTOSERVE

OUR VISION

To SERVE the community to make a positive difference.

To be the standard of excellence in local government.

DEPARTMENT DIRECTORY

OUR MISSION

City Information Line................................ (903) 531-1100 City Mayor................................................... (903) 531-1250 City Manager.............................................. (903) 531-1250 Airport.......................................................... (903) 531-2343 Animal Control........................................... (903) 535-0045 Animal Shelter & Adoption...................... (903) 426-7317 Communication.......................................... (903) 531-1272 Environmental/Code Enforcement........ (903) 531-1312 Fire (non-emergency)............................... (903) 535-0005 Gallery Main Street................................... (903) 593-6905 Inspections/Permits................................. (903) 531-1151 Liberty Hall.................................................. (903) 595-7274 Library.......................................................... (903) 593-READ (7323) Municipal Court......................................... (903) 531-1266 Neighborhood Services........................... (903) 531-1303 Parks & Recreation................................... (903) 531-1370 Planning....................................................... (903) 531-1175 Police (non-emergency).......................... (903) 531-1000 Solid Waste................................................. (903) 531-1388 Solid Waste 24-Hour Information......... (903) 531-1392 Traffic Engineering.................................... (903) 531-1201 Tyler Transit................................................ (903) 533-8057 Water Business Office.............................. (903) 531-1230 Water: After-Hours/Emergency............. (903) 597-6541

Your City In The Palm Of Your Hand. @CityofTyler

@CityofTyler

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TABLEOFCONTENTS 05 From Our Mayor 06 City Council 08 From the City Manager 09 Leadership Team 10 Financial Report 12 Awards

PUBLICSAFETY 14 COVID-19 Response 16 Fire 20 Police and Community 22 Services 24 Severe Weather

PUBLICWORKS 26 Capital Projects Report 28 North End Revitalization 30 Affordable Housing 32 Water 34 Sewer 36 Streets and Drainage

QUALITYOFLIFE 38 Solid Waste 40 Transportation 42 Parks and Recreation 44 Library 45 Development Services 46 The Arts

“

The Rose Complex is vital to our economic recovery from COVID-19. It will revitalize the entire area surrounding our City’s crown jewel, the Tyler Rose Garden.” Mayor Don Warren

ROSE COMPLEX

FROM OUR MAYOR DON WARREN Dear Neighbors, I am honored to be elected your new Mayor. My highest priorities will be to protect our quality of life, ensure our health and safety, and look toward the future to keep all of Tyler on track for continued growth and positive economic opportunity. Importantly, I will listen to you and work to bridge community divides. I believe anything is possible when we work together. Never has teamwork been more evident or important than this past year. While we experienced delays on our economy and workforce due to COVID-19, we took significant strides on key projects identified in our Tyler 1st Master Plan, which are important to our entire community’s health and well-being. Notably, we began the implementation of the Traffic Improvement Project, a $12 million project designed to modernize our traffic light system over 10 years. We also finished the sidewalks and readied to break ground on the Hidden Palace Project, an affordable-housing development that will add 11 new homes on the north end behind the new Fire Station No. 1. Finally, I am pleased to report that the City will move forward with the construction of our new Rose Complex Conference Center in the summer of 2021. The pandemic has not been our only challenge. We continue to experience severe weather events that test our infrastructure, and (in some cases) have found it wanting. This illustrates why it is so important that we continue to work quickly and invest heavily in the maintenance and repair of our streets, water, wastewater and drainage systems. This has been our Council’s priority for the last six years, and will continue throughout my term. The last several months have been unimaginably hard, but Tyler 1st means people first. I believe that our city will emerge from the pandemic stronger, wiser and more compassionate than before. This belief drives us and comforts us all as we navigate our new normal. Never doubt that through sacrifice, cooperation and kindness we can and will endure. Together, we will make Tyler a city that we can all be proud to call home.

Don Warren Mayor | City of Tyler, Texas

CITY COUNCIL

Left to Right: Bob Westbrook, District 5; Shirley McKellar, District 3; Brad Curtis, District 6; Don Warren, Mayor; James Wynne, District 4; Linda Sellers, District 1; and Broderick McGee, District 2.

Called To Serve All Of Tyler 06

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District 3 is located on the northwestern bounds of the city limits. Rich in history, it is home to the Texas College campus, the oldest institution of higher education in Tyler.

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DISTRICT 2 WEST District 2 is located on the west side of Old Jacksonville Highway between Districts 1 and 3, and includes the annexed Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. It is home to Tyler’s burgeoning tech sector and our vibrant downtown entertainment district.

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District 4 is located on the northeastern side of Tyler between East Fifth Street and East Gentry Parkway. It is home to Tyler’s historic Azalea District, Bergfeld Park and Amphitheater, Brick Street Village, and the newly renovated Hillside Park. FM 276 7

District 4 Northeast James Wynne

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District 1 Central Linda Sellers

District 5 is located south of East Fifth Street and east of Paluxy Drive. It houses both The University of Texas at Tyler and Tyler Junior College, which bring more than 10,000 students to Tyler annually. 84

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District 6 South Brad Curtis

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District 5 East Bob Westbrook

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District 1 is located between Old Jacksonville Highway and South Broadway Avenue in the southern part of the city. It is home to several miles of hiking and biking trails, including those at Faulkner Park and the newly developed Legacy Trails trailhead.

DISTRICT 1 CENTRAL

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ALTHOUGH THIS MAP IS BASED ON THE LATEST INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE CITY OF TYLER, NO WARRANTY, GUARANTEE, OR REPRESENTATION IS MADE BY THE CITY OF TYLER AS TO THE ABSOLUTE CORRECTNESS OR SUFFICIENCY OF ANY REPRESENTATION CONTAINED IN THIS MAP. THE USER IS ENCOURAGED TO CHECK WITH THE CITY TO VERIFY THAT THE MAP BEING USED IS THE LATEST, MOST CURRENT ONE AVAILABLE. (903) 531-1257

DISTRICT 6 SOUTH

Map Date: 3/18/2021 Map Projection: NAD 1983 StatePlane Texas North Central FIPS 4202 Feet Map So urce: R:\Projects\Publish ed\Cou ncil_Districts_8.5x11.m xd This product is for informational purposes and may not have been prepared for or be suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes. It does not represent an on-the-ground survey and represents only the approximate relative location of property boundaries.

Council Districts Central

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69 S Hwy Hwy THIS MAP WAS PREPARED BY THE CITY OF TYLER AND MAY BE REVISED WITHOUT NOTIFICATION TO ANY USER.

City of Tyler

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District 6 is located between Paluxy Drive and South Broadway Avenue. It is home to the Village at Cumberland Park, Tyler’s newest restaurant and retail destination. It houses the popular Southside Park and Rose Rudman Recreational Trail, one of the most utilized trails in Tyler.

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FROM THE CITY MANAGER EDWARD BROUSSARD Dear Honorable Mayor, City Council Members and Residents of Tyler, This has been an incredible year of change for our organization, our community and our world. At the cusp of a new decade, we continue to combat the greatest challenge of our lifetime: the COVID-19 pandemic. When the first case of COVID-19 was detected in a neighboring county, the City of Tyler coordinated a multiagency response with Smith County; the Northeast Texas Public Health District; and 30 communication professionals from the state, local hospitals, schools, universities and representatives in the outlying communities. We then adapted our internal operations, taking many of them to virtual workspaces, so that we could continue to provide essential services safely to our community while leading the community-wide fight against COVID-19. While we have so much to celebrate in the following pages, this has been a year of hard decisions. Crises like the coronavirus pandemic and Winter Storm Uri highlight and accelerate the ways in which our community needs are changing. Municipalities must also evolve. Just as the City of Tyler has spent the last six years focused on revitalizing, reinvesting and renewing our infrastructure, we will also make sure that our service delivery is future-ready with the capacity to serve all of Tyler. Even within this evolution, there are constants. I have been humbled to see our community pulling together to protect and care for one another daily. The phrase I heard most often this last year was “how can I help?” This is what it means to live in Tyler. This is what it means to be Called to SERVE.

Edward Broussard City Manager | City of Tyler, Texas

LEADERSHIP TEAM

STEPHANIE FRANKLIN

MANAGING DIRECTOR

HEATHER NICK

DAVID COBLE

BENNY YAZDANPANAHI

DEBORAH PULLUM

RUSS JACKSON

DAVIS DICKSON

LISA CROSSMAN

ASHLEY TAYLOR

CHRIS LENNON

JIM YANKER

NICOLE JOHNSON

JULIE GOODGAME

REGINA MOSS

MANAGING DIRECTOR

KEIDRIC TRIMBLE

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

CIT Y ENGINEER

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION

SHAWN MARKMANN

ANIMAL SERVICES MANAGER

RENISSA WADE

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

CIT Y LIBR ARIAN

DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

DAN ALLEE

DIRECTOR OF BUILDING SERVICES AND GIS

CIT Y ATTORNEY

CODE ENFORCEMENT MANAGER

LEROY SPARROW

DIRECTOR OF SOLID WASTE, TR ANSIT AND VES

AMBER VARONA

MAIN STREET DIRECTOR

FIRE CHIEF

PARKS DIRECTOR

CONTROLLER WATER BUSINESS OFFICE

LEANNE ROBINETTE

SENIOR MANAGER OF PARKS, RECREATION AND TOURISM

SHERRY PETTIT

PURCHASING MANAGER

JIMMY TOLER POLICE CHIEF

AIRPORT MANAGER

COURT ADMINISTR ATOR

GARY SMITH

FACILIT Y SERVICES COORDINATOR

SARA MCCRACKEN RISK, STREETS AND TR AFFIC MANAGER

FINANCIAL REPORT 2020 General Fund Revenue

2020 General Fund Expenditures

$78,195,572

$71,692,876

$11,000,728

$31,110,808

$5,900,366

$3,532,015 $5,670,115

$2,455,224 $434,261 $4,611

$10,492,386 $22,732,268 $6,311,698 $1,724,413

$346,120 $267,834 General Sales Taxes

Property Taxes

Income from Other Agencies Licenses and Permits

Franchise Fees

Fines and Penalties

Miscellaneous Income

26¢ tax rate

$47,905,596 Public Safety

Transfers In

Current Service Charges

Municipal Court Service

Public Services

Tourism

General Government

Use of Money and Property

√

AAA Bond Rating

DEBT COMPARISON (GENERAL OBLIGATION)

Zero Tax-Supported Debt

PROPERTY TAXES (SIMILAR-SIZED CITIES) 0.8%

$700,000,000

0.7% $600,000,000

0.6% $500,000,000

0.5%

$400,000,000

0.4%

$300,000,000

0.3%

$200,000,000

0.2%

$100,000,000 0 Fr is c P o L u lan bb o o W ck ac D Ri e o ch nt a o M rds n cK o in n K ne C a ille y Ro r ro e n u n ll t d on R M o Co B cA ck e lle au lle ge m n S t on a t A b ti o n Le ile w n Lo isv e ng ille M vi S u id ew ga lan rL d an Ty d le r

W a K i co lle en A W ic bil hi e n ta e B e Fa au lls m on Ri Den t c h to a n Ca rds rr on M oll t cK on in Lu ne b y Lo bo ng ck vi ew P C o M la lle c no ge Al S t len at O ion de ss F a Le r is c Ro wis o u n vil d le R M oc S u idl k ga an rL d an d Ty le r

0.1%

COVID-19 AND SALES TAX Sales Tax Forecast $30,600,000.00 $30,400,000.00 $30,200,000.00 $30,000,000.00 $29,800,000.00 Stay-at-home order

$29,600,000.00 $29,400,000.00

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$29,200,000.00

TYLER’S HISTORICAL TAX RATE ENSURING THE BEST CITIZEN VALUE 0.50% 0.45% 0.40% 0.35% 0.30%

0.259

0.244452

0.23

0.22

0.25% 0.20% 0.15%

0.08865

0.077 0.22

0.10%

0.2599

0.24

0.22

0.05%

-2 1 20 20

20 19 -2 0

20 18 -1 9

20 17 -1 8

20 16 -1 7

20 15 -1 6

20 14 -1 5

20 13 -1 4

20 12 -1 3

20 11 -1 2

20 10 -1 1

Called To Serve 11

AWARDS

Finance team accepts the 14th Consecutive Distinguished Budget Presentation Award.

RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE

PLANNING AWARD

The City of Tyler was awarded two Texas Municipal League Awards in 2020: Texas Municipal League Awards of Excellence in Public Works for Hillside Park and Communication Programs for the Friendly Neighborhood Thief video series

•2 020 American Planning Association – Texas Chapter Planning Excellence Recognition

SOLID WASTE •O ur locals loved the City of Tyler’s Solid Waste Department for the seventh year in a row!

GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION •3 4th Consecutive Certificate of Achievement Award for Excellence •1 4th Consecutive Distinguished Budget Presentation Award

TEXAS DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION •F itzpatrick Architects was named the Texas Downtown Association’s 2020 Best Downtown Partner. •P laza Tower received the People’s Choice Award in the category of Best Economic Game Changer. •L iberty Hall’s series, Liberty Live: Concerts from the Couch, was a finalist for the 2020 Resiliency Award.

FIRE • Public Protection Classification 1 rating from State Fire Marshall’s Office and the Insurance Services Office

POLICE • CBS19 Be Remarkable: Tyler Police Department Officer Chuck Boyce

BEST CITIES FOR BLACK WOMEN 2021 • Tyler ranks #20 in the U.S. for Best Cities for Black Women.

The City of Tyler was awarded two Texas Municipal League Awards in 2020.

PARKS • 11th consecutive year as Tree City USA •1 4th consecutive Gold Star Affiliate Award from Keep Texas Beautiful and the Texas Department of Transportation •2 020 Governor’s Community Achievement Award from Keep America Beautiful •2 020 President’s Circle Recognition Award from Keep America Beautiful

MAIN STREET •N ational Accreditation from the Texas Main Street Program and Texas Historical Commission

PUBLIC SAFETY | COVID-19 RES COVID-19 SENDS EOC INTO ACTION In March 2020, our world changed. As COVID-19 first began to spread, the City of Tyler, Northeast Texas Public Health District and Smith County established a joint Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to respond. The EOC, a centralized command and control facility, coordinates emergency response at a strategic level during an emergency and ensures continuity of operations. Each day, more than 80 people representing numerous stakeholders met with the goal of limiting the spread of the coronavirus. This group ensured that first responders and medical staff had the proper funding, resources and facilities available to fight the pandemic. Keeping those first responders safe became a top priority of the EOC. N95 masks were secured through retailers who distributed to first responders before selling them to the public. COVID-19 tests were expedited when needed to give first responders comfort and security, so they could do their work safely.

The EOC set up the Joint Information Center (JIC), consisting of about 30 public information and communication specialists from the city, county, state, local hospitals, schools, universities and representatives in the outlying communities.

Officer David Russ standing guard, protected with PPE for his safety and others’.

The City’s Communication Office also went to work and immediately implemented its crisis communication plan. The goal of the department was to get the most up-to-date and accurate information to the public as soon as possible. Fire Chief David Coble said that when a crisis happens, all of the competing tasks get put aside. Your team has a singular focus, and that focus becomes the mission of the organization.

“

Fire Chief David Coble leads daily EOC meeting.

The special thing about Tyler is we take care of each other. We go above and beyond to make sure the community is safe, healthy and whole.”

SPONSE RETHINKING THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT IN LIGHT OF COVID-19 The City of Tyler is transforming how we do business to meet the needs of both residents and employees in our increasingly connected world. New collaboration technology, along with the growing limitations on revenue generation and unfunded mandates from the State, compels cities like Tyler to find solutions that reduce costly overhead, provide greater flexibility for their workforce, and offer more opportunities to connect with constituents. As a lean organization serving a rapidly expanding regional hub, we recognized the need for a software solution to replace outdated email and paper workflows. A unified communication and collaboration platform that could integrate with the existing products and scale to the entire organization was selected, followed by the implementation of virtualization software to provide remote access. It was predicted that a full transition by all departments would take many months. Then, something completely unexpected occurred: a worldwide pandemic.

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The coronavirus pandemic catapulted the adoption of these platforms. The rollout, which began with 400 users, accelerated to more than 800 of our 1,100-member staff — without a spike in email. A 328% increase in messaging and a diminished reliance on email produced both time and cost savings. Virtual meetings offered remote access, with residents able to join online or by downloading an app. Meetings were much more efficient, and several departments have reported increased productivity due to virtualization. Moving forward, built-in analytics features will be used to better understand workforce behavior, and identify future opportunities for meaningful culture change. THE USE OF MESSAGING OVER EMAIL SAVES TIME AND INCREASES PRODUCTIVITY.

JOINT INFORMATION CENTER

The City of Tyler created a cross-organizational workspace to collaborate in partnership with Smith County; the Northeast Texas Public Health District; and 30 communication professionals from the state, local hospitals, schools, universities and representatives in the outlying communities. They utilized the platform to coordinate the Joint Information Center.

Virtual communication and collaboration have also been vital to our regional emergency response to the virus. Because the solution we chose allows anyone with an invitation and an email address to collaborate within the platform, we coordinated a multiagency response with no additional cost to our residents.” Julie Goodgame

PUBLIC SAFETY | FIRE

Tyler City Council and Fire Department throw water on Fire Engine 9.

NEW FIRE ENGINE CELEBRATION City of Tyler officials and firefighters celebrated the addition of a new fire engine by giving it a brief wash and pushing it into Fire Station No. 9. Members of the fire station, located at 9111 Paluxy Drive, then wiped down the engine. The ceremony held on January 11, 2021 commemorated 150 years ago when firefighters used horse-drawn carriages to respond to fires. Back in those days, the

firefighters had to hand-wash their engines and push them back into the station because they couldn’t get the horses to back up. City leadership and firefighters pushed the engine into its new home at Station No. 9. Chief David Coble said this engine cost $640,000 and replaced an engine that was over 15 years old. The older engine is going into the department’s reserve fleet.

Features of the new engine include 50% greater water tank capacity and all LED lights to light up the engine’s surrounding area better and save energy. “In Tyler, we try to be sensible with the residents’ money,” said Coble. “We don’t shoot for the stars. We try to make sure we have adequate equipment for them to do their job, but still look really good.”

City Manager Ed Broussard said, “Your Tyler Fire Department is here ready to go at a moment’s call, and they need the ability to get the job done when they come to serve you.”

TYLER FIRE FIRST CLASS RATING RETURNS COMMUNITY INVESTMENT After a decade of preparation and assessment, the new Class 1 rating by the Insurance Services Office (ISO) puts Tyler Fire in the top two percent of all rated fire departments in Texas and the top one percent of about 46,000 communities in the U.S. The rating is a stimulus for homeowners and business owners in the City of Tyler because it affects the price of insurance premiums. This improved score leads to a reduction in insurance premiums for both residents and businesses within the City. The ISO ratings assess the readiness of local fire departments by classifying a community’s ability to suppress a fire.

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This improved score leads to a reduction in insurance premiums for both residents and businesses within the City.”

PUBLIC SAFETY | FIRE RETIRING FIREFIGHTER REUNITED WITH GIRL HE SAVED 27 YEARS AGO Saving lives is at the core of everything firefighters do. For one group of Tyler firefighters, a rescue also changed their lives. Early during the morning of May 8, 1993, the Tyler Fire Department was called to a structure fire. Jim Mullicane and his fellow firefighters frantically searched the burning home for Raniqua Franklin, age 3. Mullicane went into the burning home a second time. He found Raniqua motionless and not breathing. Firefighter Mike Willis ripped a curtain off a nearby window and wrapped little Raniqua Franklin as Mullicane

shared his oxygen tank with her as they escaped. After bringing her to safety, he heard, “She has a pulse!” Mullicane has never forgotten Raniqua and often thinks of her. Raniqua has never forgotten Mullicane and the heroes who saved her life. Fast-forward 27 years later, Mullicane is ready to hang up his helmet. As part of Mullicane’s impending retirement, a reunion was arranged under the guise of a meeting at Tyler’s Station 1.

Raniqua Franklin and Jim Mullicane embrace during their reunion 27 years after he helped rescue her from a house fire.

Mullicane walked into Station 1 and began wondering if they were up to something. When he looked into a conference room and saw a video camera, he was overwhelmed. Raniqua and several of Mullicane’s colleagues who had helped make the rescue possible were all there to celebrate Mullicane’s retirement and a long-awaited reunion.

Mullicane refused to take all the credit though. When he retold the story, he pointed out how each of his fellow firefighters had worked to save Raniqua. Afterward, three generations of the Franklins celebrated with the families of the firefighters who had changed their lives all those years ago.

Called To Serve Your Family 19

PUBLIC SAFETY | POLICE AND OUR CITY UNITED FOR A COMMON GOAL meetings to address race relations within the City of Tyler. Tyler Police Officers coordinated with organizers and worked overtime to protect the rights of demonstrators to peacefully gather.

Councilman Broderick McGee joins demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter march on the Downtown Tyler square.

Officials and residents gathered on the downtown square in Summer 2020 to pray for the city and the nation as protests erupted across the country following the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd. Smith County Commissioner JoAnn Hampton, who organized the vigil, said: “We are here because of what happened in Minneapolis after the killing of George Floyd. We came together as a community because we want people to know that Tyler stands together.”

“We stand for solidarity. We did not have the heart to watch what happened on that TV and not come together and pray for that family and the nation for healing,” she continued. “This is what it’s all about: people coming together, black and white sitting down and talking about those issues and resolving those issues. This community is united for a common goal.” This was the beginning of many community conversations, peaceful demonstrations and town hall

Former Mayor Martin Heines said at the time: “We have a responsibility to acknowledge hurt and anguish of decades of prejudice. We have a responsibility to denounce injustice in all of its forms, and wherever it exists, we have a responsibility to listen to our neighbors when they come to us hurting. Nelson Mandela said ‘no one is born hating another person for the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they learn to hate they can be taught to love.’”

Police Chief Jimmy Toler addresses the crowd with a message of support and unity during a prayer vigil following the death of George Floyd.

Called To Serve And Protect 20

D COMMUNITY FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD THIEF As a result of several reported property thefts in Summer 2019, the City of Tyler Communication Department launched a public service awareness campaign called “The Friendly Neighborhood Thief.” The team produced eight short, clever videos about how thieves benefit from simple mistakes, such as leaving the car running while going in a store, leaving personal belongings in plain sight and failure to lock doors. After the auto-burglary episode made its debut, auto-burglaries dropped by 35 percent in the City of Tyler. The campaign was a huge success, and it garnished a lot of national attention for their novel messages regarding crime prevention. The Friendly Neighborhood Thief series has more than 100,000 views across all social media platforms with more than 600 shares on Facebook.

SAFETY FIRST • 200 total authorized police officers. Tyler Police Department hired 19 officers in 2020 and maintained a staffing level above 95%.

Scan the QR code to watch a video now.

Like “The Friendly Neighborhood Thief” for more tips on how you can protect your property and your loved ones.

•P ersonal Protective Equipment (helmets and face shields) was provided to every officer. TPD purchased 28 duty firearms to issue to officers. • TPD redeveloped the Crime Scene Unit.

PUBLIC SAFETY | SERVICES MUNICIPAL COURT PROVIDES RELIEF DURING COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be one of the most financially difficult seasons of recent years past. Many Tyler residents suffered from illness, unemployment and other unimaginable burdens. In order to help those under tremendous stress, the City of Tyler created a new short-term program to offer relief to residents. In the fall of 2020, the

Tyler Municipal Court rolled out a new plan to reduce the cost of certain fees and fines. According to Judge Amy McCullough, compliance has increased, and the costs have decreased since the plan’s debut. McCullough has been able to reduce fines or costs up to $1,000 for some defendants, depending upon

how many cases they have open in court. The City believes this has been a very productive plan. This program has not only helped its people, but has also helped the court in clearing up warrants dating back to the ‘90s. In order to qualify for a reduced price, people had to speak either with Judge McCullough or a clerk to discuss their financial situation, as well as

plead guilty or enter no contest for their charges. The City of Tyler’s COVID-19 relief program ended on December 31, 2020. However, the court plans to reevaluate the situation with the pandemic, and decide whether to implement new, more creative programs for 2021.

ANIMAL SERVICES ABOUT OUR FURRY FRIENDS: 7,119

Total number of dispatch calls

304

Adoptions

432

Returned to Owners

370

Transferred

925

Microchips

2,827

Total Sheltered

259,693

Pounds of Food Given

Animal Services provides a safe, healthy environment for animals. Residents can look to Animal Services as a source of knowledge and education for responsible animal ownership. Proper treatment of animals is their standard of care.

PUBLIC SAFETY | SEVERE WE WINTER STORM URI While Winter Storm Uri caused many Tyler residents and East Texans to stay indoors, City of Tyler employees worked nonstop to provide services and emergency assistance during the storm. Tyler Water Utilities employees worked day and night to repair water main breaks that jeopardized residents’ access to water. Water and wastewater treatment plant operators spent many nights at the plants to make sure systems recovered and changes in pressurization were immediately addressed, which in turn allowed area hospitals to remain open.

The community rallied together as well, with several churches and community groups opening their doors as warming centers and large groups of volunteers working through Tyler Transit and NDMJ, Ltd. Transportation to provide safe transportation to individuals without power and water. Many individuals and groups temporarily housed vulnerable populations and provided essential care like bottled water, hot meals and more.

The Tyler Street Department treated and cleared roadways to allow essential workers and emergency responders to travel in Tyler. Both the Tyler Police Department and the Tyler Fire Department responded to emergency calls and conducted welfare checks, while also providing aid to many warming centers by delivering supplies and generators.  “Crews worked 24/7 to make sure life and safety were protected,” said Public Information Officer LouAnn Campbell, at the time of the storm. “It was a team effort.”

“All over the community, we saw people helping people,” said Mayor Warren. “I’ve always said what makes our community so special is the people living here. This is proof. You don’t have better neighbors anywhere else in the world.”

EATHER Tyler Pounds Regional Airport was instrumental for the delivery of necessary resources to residents affected by Winter Storm Uri.

Prior to the storm, Mayor Don Warren and City Manager Ed Broussard spoke with other local, county and state officials to share resources for preparing for one of the worst storms in Texas history. “One of the worst storms in Texas’ history knocks out power to the entire state during the worst pandemic of a century,” said Mayor Warren. “It is a nightmare scenario.”

Following the storm, Mayor Warren presented several churches, businesses and individuals with the Mayor’s R.O.S.E. Award recognizing service excellence for partners outside of the City of Tyler organization who went above and beyond the norm to serve their community. Those who were recognized played a crucial role in the City’s emergency response.

PUBLIC WORKS | CAPITAL PR HALF-CENT SALES TAX PROJECTS In 2020, the City of Tyler invested about $32.9 million in capital improvements to streets, drainage systems, parks and critical public facilities, including the completed construction of two new fire stations and improvements to airport runways. The City plans to invest more than $154 million into 56 capital improvement projects over the next decade for public safety, parks, streets, traffic, drainage and the Tyler Pounds Regional Airport.

TRAFFIC BARRIERS

PUBLIC SAFETY

• $50K – $1.5M

• $2.9M

SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT

DRAINAGE

• $5.7M

• $400K

• $7.1M

STORM DRAINAGE

• $400K

AIRPORT

PARKS

• $100K

• $3.3M • $7.3M

CHANNEL IMPROVEMENTS

STREETS AND TRAFFIC

• $250K

• $7.6M • $14.5M

• 2019 – 2020 Projects • 2020 – 2021 New Projects

ROJECTS REPORT THE 10-YEAR PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENTS $154 million into 56 capital improvement projects, through the Half-Cent Sales Tax Fund:

$7.8M

Public Safety

$10.6M

Parks 4

$105.7M

Streets and Traffic

Legend Capital Improvement Program

Type

$15.1M Drainage

$15.1M

Airport

Drainage Parks Sewer Streets Traffic

$12.3M

Water City Limits

Council Districts

Traffic System

District ID 1 2 3 4 5 6

City of Tyler THIS MAP WAS PREPARED BY THE CITY OF TYLER AND MAY BE REVISED WITHOUT NOTIFICATION TO ANY USER. ALTHOUGH THIS MAP IS BASED ON THE LATEST INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE CITY OF TYLER, NO WARRANTY, GUARANTEE, OR REPRESENTATION IS MADE BY THE CITY OF TYLER AS TO THE ABSOLUTE CORRECTNESS OR SUFFICIENCY OF ANY REPRESENTATION CONTAINED IN THIS MAP. THE USER IS ENCOURAGED TO CHECK WITH THE CITY TO VERIFY THAT THE MAP BEING USED IS THE LATEST, MOST CURRENT ONE AVAILABLE. (903) 531-1257

Map Date: 4/6/2021 Map Projection: NAD 1983 StatePlane Texas North Central FIPS 4202 Feet Map Source: R:\Projects\Engineering\ArcG IS Projects\3.31.2021 CIP 2020.mxd Th is produ ct is for info rm at io nal p urpose s an d m ay no t h ave b ee n pre pa re d fo r o r be suitab le for leg al, e ngine erin g, or surveying purpo ses. It doe s no t represe nt a n o n-the -g ro und survey a nd rep re sen ts on ly t he app ro xim ate relative lo ca tion of p ro pe rty bou nda ries.

1 inch = 7,500 feet

Capital Improvement Program 2020

Various improvements to the traffic system will be made over the next 10 years. A total of $12.3M will be invested. New technology will be applied to remodel the Traffic Management Center; and improve school zones, communication, electronic signage, system software, data and analytics, and equipment.

PUBLIC WORKS | NORTH END RECENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS T.J. Austin Sidewalk Project

In 2015, fourth-graders from T.J. Austin Elementary School wrote former Councilman Ed Moore a letter expressing a need for sidewalks near their school. Their efforts paid off and construction for two quarter-mile-long sidewalks began in 2019. The project was paused momentarily in 2020, but progress is ramping back up! We are excited to provide a safe space for our children to travel to and from school.

Hillside Park The new and improved Hillside Park includes a 200-foot art wall and a 27,000-pound concrete slide. The concrete slide is about 7 feet tall and 6 feet wide. It is the largest concrete slide in the State of Texas and the second largest in the United States!  The renovation was designed to create a renewed sense of community and enhance the quality of life in one of Tyler’s most vibrant and diverse neighborhoods. This $350,000 project was paid for in cash, thanks to the donations from key community partners and the City of Tyler’s Half-Cent Sales Tax Program. Tyler Water Utilities donated time and labor to repair water and sewer issues on-site, and we smoothed down the slope of the hill to provide better drainage and water flow.

REVITALIZATION Fire Station No. 1

Fire Station No. 1 opened its doors in 2020. The new facility was paid for through the City’s Half-Cent Sales Tax Program. The station sits on a beautiful six acres located at the corner of West Gentry Boulevard and Palace Street, and is approximately 18,000

Emmet J. Scott Park Through the use of Community Development Block Grant Funds, the Neighborhood Services Department and Parks and Recreation completed a $714,013 renovation of Emmett J. Scott Park. The renovations included making the park ADA accessible, a new playground voted on by the community, a quarter-mile walking trail and a basketball court.

square feet. Station 1 is staffed with nine firefighters (including the battalion chief). It also houses the City’s Emergency Operations Center, which has been an ongoing operation since March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gassaway Park In honor of Parks Service Day, Keep Tyler Beautiful, Blue Cross Blue Shield and KaBOOM! partnered to renovate Gassaway Park. This renovation created a renewed sense of community and provided much-needed equity and enhanced the quality of life for all Tyler residents through teamwork and volunteerism. More than 300 volunteers from across the City joined together to transform the empty lot into a state-of-the-art playground.

PUBLIC WORKS | AFFORDABLE For the last seven years, the City of Tyler has worked toward adding 3,000 mixed-income households to the north side of town and the downtown area. The long-term goal is to have all 3,000 homes completed by 2041. The City achieves this goal through capital

improvement projects, providing assistance to residents and by providing incentive programs to home builders and developers who choose to build homes in the North End Revitalization area.

Since the adoption of the Tyler 1st Comprehensive Plan in 2007, roughly 586 homes have been added to benefit the community.

E HOUSING HIDDEN PALACE

What once was an empty piece of property is becoming a showpiece neighborhood on the north side of the City. Located behind Tyler’s new Fire Station No. 1, The Hidden Palace neighborhood addition will boast 11 affordable homes with a shared green space built to be occupied by low to moderate-income households. The project is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), which provides grants to states and local communities. Construction for this new neighborhood is set to begin in 2021.

Called To Serve our Neighbors 31

PUBLIC WORKS | WATER MAKING AN IMPACT INVESTING IN WATER From Lake Tyler and Lake Palestine to the faucets of more than 37,000 residences and almost 3,500 businesses, Tyler Water Utilities (TWU) works around the clock to provide clean, safe water to the City of Tyler. Water-treatment plant managers and operators produce an average of 30 million gallons of water per day. Water flows through about 690 miles of pipes to provide homes and businesses. Our goal is to provide our residents with water that meets and exceeds state and federal standards. Tyler’s 40,000 utility customers have helped the City invest more than $17.6 million in the City’s water system since 2016

through their monthly payments. TWU plans to invest more than $22 million into the water system in the next five years. Tyler’s water infrastructure, like many cities across the country, is aging. In 2016, Tyler City Council pledged to aggressively invest in our water system and to create a plan to add capacity as Tyler continues to grow. The Water Service Center plans to replace about 3.5 miles of water lines during 2021 to modernize, increase system capacity and loop dead-end lines, allowing a continuous flow of water through the system and improving water quality.

30 million gallons of drinking water produced daily for 40,000 customers!

COMPLETED WATER IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS 2016

$51.5K

2019

2018

$44.6K

$3.14M

2020

2021

$6.3M

$2.1M

IN THE WORKS

$745K

Water Utility System Inventory

$500K

Water Utility System Model and Master Plan

$2.4M

GRWTP Filter Media and Underdrain System, and LPWTP Caustic Feed System

$866K

$263K

“

Since 2016, the City has invested more than $17.6 million in Tyler’s water system. This includes about $1 million for a water utility system inventory, model and master plan; $16 million in improvements; and about $616,000 for routine maintenance and repairs to system components. We plan to invest more than $22 million in our water system throughout the next five years.”

Old Bascom Road Waterline

Glenwood Elevated Storage Tank

2016

$51,536: Water line capacity upgrades at Guinn Farms Addition

2018

$3.14 million: Troup Highway Booster Pump Station

2019

$44,623: Water line capacity upgrades at Hollytree South Addition

2020

2021

$5.4 million: GRWTP backwash pump station and clearwell baffle; and $936,000: Troup Highway standpipe rehabilitation project $2.1 million: Water line replacement project

PUBLIC WORKS | SEWER SAVING THE CITY, ONE MANHOLE AT A TIME Rehabilitating the City’s wastewater system is nothing short of challenging, but the benefits to the community and the environment prove their value. The City has rehabilitated more than 900 manholes and over 41,000 linear feet of pipe, and made 230 point repairs under budget and on schedule since the City entered into a Consent Decree in 2017. The work is a team effort that started with the development and implementation of a capacity,

management, operation and maintenance program for the City’s wastewater system. To meet those requirements, the City partners with national firms, local contractors and other sub-consultant firms for design, engineering services, field support and construction inspection. This year, the City will rehabilitate about 1,019 sanitary sewer manholes and perform about 376 sanitary sewer cleanouts across the City. The work also includes rehabilitating and repairing about 168 sewer mains; and replacing about 17,373 linear feet

of pipe by pipe-bursting, open-cut methods or cured-in-place pipes. Contractors will also perform about 153 sanitary sewer main point repairs, construct 43 manholes and install 12 access chamber assemblies. The 10-year consent decree required the condition assessment and rehabilitation of 690 miles of sewer mains and 11,000 manholes in the City’s sewer system.

REHABILITATE 1,019 sanitary sewer manholes

REPAIR 168 sewer mains

PERFORM 376 sanitary sewer cleanouts

UPCOMING PROJECTS 34

Legend Consent Decree City Manhole Repair Consent Decree City Sewer Main Repair Consent Decree Contractor Manhole Repair

Consent Decree Contractor Sewer Main Repair

Council Districts District ID 1 2 3 4 5 6 City Limits

Map Date: 4/7/2021 Map Projection: NAD 1983 StatePlane Texas North Central FIPS 4202 Feet Map Source: R:\Projects\Engineering\ArcG IS Projects\4.7.2021 Consent Decree.mxd Th is produ ct is for info rm at io nal p urpose s an d m ay no t h ave b ee n pre pa re d fo r o r be suitab le for leg al, e ngine erin g, or surveying purpo ses. It doe s no t represe nt a n o n-the -g ro und survey a nd rep re sen ts on ly t he app ro xim ate relative lo ca tion of p ro pe rty bou nda ries.

PERFORM 153 sanitary sewer main point repairs

1 inch = 7,500 feet

Consent Decree Work 2020

INSTALL 12 access chamber assemblies

CONSTRUCT 43 manholes REPLACE 17,373 linear feet of pipe

PUBLIC WORKS | STREETS AN CITY INVESTING $17 MILLION IN STREET IMPROVEMENTS The City completed $3.1 million in asphalt enhancements in 2021 and plans to do another $1.6 million in crack sealing, pavement sealing and ONYX seal coating to seal cracks, add strength to the roadway, and improve the smoothness of the streets.

signals at Palace Avenue and repairing a drainage issue. The extensive $8.5 million Cambridge Road project got underway in January 2021, and is expected to be completed in April 2022.

The major street improvement projects in the City include the Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard Corridor Enhancements, Tyler Bike Stripes and the Cambridge Road Improvement Project.

The street distress ratings and the final pavement condition assessment report will be completed in 2021. The Pavement Condition Index is used in addition to physical evaluations of the streets to determine the need for crack sealing, overlay work or street reconstruction.

With 80 percent of the work complete on MLK Jr. Boulevard, the remaining work includes replacing traffic

TYLER CITY: 653 MILES OF STREETS

IN THE WORKS

$207K

School Beacon System

Pavement Assessment

$109K

Bike Stripes

$108K

Traffic Signal Retiming

$1.5M

MLK Jr. Boulevard

$3.1M Pavement Enhancements

$1.2M

Melinda & Donna Drive

Citywide Traffic Study

$8.5M

Cambridge Road

$1.2M

In seal work on 142 streets

COMPLETED PROJECTS 36

$621K

$223K

ND DRAINAGE MORE THAN $8 MILLION INVESTED IN DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS

UPCOMING PROJECTS $500K

Stormwater Masterplan

$914K

College Ave. Drainage Project

$1.4M

Arbor Oaks Channel Repair

$2.9M

In 2020, the City completed a $1 million drainage improvement project to upsize and reroute the underground storm drainage system on Robert E. Lee Drive between Beth Drive and Jeffrey Drive. These improvements mitigated flooding risk to hundreds of homes on Jeffrey Drive, David Drive and Pam Drive.

Cloverdale Drainage Improvements

About $2.8 million in projects got underway in 2021 with the College Avenue Drainage Improvement Project and the Arbor Oaks Channel Repair. Work on the finalized report for the Comprehensive Stormwater Masterplan has begun, as 98 percent of the curb inlet assessments are complete and 88 percent of the drainage solutions are available.

Pabst & Bow Drainage Repair

$552K

Flat Rock Drainage Repair

$375K $194K

West Mud Creek Channel Reconstruction

$187K

3521 S. Broadway Storm Sewer Repair

Upcoming drainage improvement projects include $4.4 million to repair drainage infrastructure and minimize localized flooding during heavy rains.

$157K

Briarwood Estates Channel Improvements

QUALITY OF LIFE | SOLID WAS HEROES AT WORK FOR ALL RESIDENTS The men and women who work on this team follow the remarkable leadership of Solid Waste Director Leroy Sparrow. Leroy is known to roll up his sleeves when the team is short-staffed. One particular afternoon, a resident contacted us, informing us that his trash was not picked up. In true “called to SERVE” spirit, Leroy responded immediately. He went out of his way to make it right. All other staff had already gone home for the day, so he drove the truck himself to pick up the resident’s bin. Leroy and his team are the perfect examples for young Carson, who is learning the importance of making a positive difference in the community. We are all thankful for the work they do and for inspiring future public servants.

On the back of all Solid Waste vehicles, residents can find a message that reads “Heroes at Work.” This is certainly true. Rain, shine, snow or during a pandemic, Tyler Solid Waste employees are hard at work for all residents. One resident is Solid Waste’s biggest fan. Three-year-old Carson Howard loves both toy and real garbage trucks. Twice a week, the driver honks the horn to let him know they have arrived. Carson rushes out to and brings all his neighbors’ trash cans to the truck. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the Solid Waste team worked tirelessly to create new guidelines that kept employees, Carson and all Tyler residents safe. Hours shifted for the Recycling Center to allow for cleaning and disinfecting and all other CDC guidelines to be followed. When Winter Storm Uri hit in February, trash and recycling services were paused for a week. The week after, Solid Waste staff worked overtime and made sure no trash bag was left behind.

STE KEEPING TYLER TIDY 20

residential routes

4,367

recycling customers

commercial routes

tons of litter picked-up from parks and streets

102,877

tons of garbage hauled to the landfill

30,706

Solid Waste customers

1,366

tons of recycling

QUALITY OF LIFE | TRANSPOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS FOR ALL TYLER RESIDENTS After being diagnosed with epilepsy in August 2020, Tyler resident Jacob Mauldin found himself suddenly in need of transportation. Unable to drive, this young college student needed a safe transportation option for school and work within a limited budget. Jacob was introduced to the City of Tyler’s Paratransit service by his grandmother, a Tyler Transit rider. Paratransit is a demand-response transportation service for eligible passengers who are unable to utilize the regular Tyler Transit Fixed Route services. This curb-to-curb service

costs only $1.50 per one-way trip, and takes passengers anywhere within the City of Tyler.

“It made me feel better that there was a service that allowed him to still be independent.”

“Whenever I needed to go, I just went outside, and they were there,” said Jacob.

Jacob utilized the service for seven months. In March 2021, he was able to get his condition under control, and was cleared to drive again. He still appreciates everyone that helped him through those hard times.

If Tyler Transit could not accommodate his trip for some reason, they would set up the service through a local partner company for the same rate. “It was a challenge not just for the people that helped him, but for him as a young man just starting out,” said his father, Bob Mauldin.

“I never thought that public transit would be a need or an option for me in Tyler,” said Jacob. “I hope to see more people become riders on Tyler’s bus system.”

Called To Serve your Community 40

RTATION TYLER’S BIKE STRIPE PROJECT Tyler’s Bike Stripe project is a key component of the Regional Trail Plan connecting several regional parks, hospitals, schools, business complexes, residential subdivisions and downtown. This $900,000 project will be completed in 2021, and is paid for in cash through the grant and the City of Tyler’s Half Cent Sales Tax Program. This project will eventually lead to the development of a Hub-and-Spoke Bicycle lane network that will connect the entire City of Tyler!

HOW IT STARTED:

In 2015, a group of engineering students from UT Tyler were approached by members of the Bicycle Advisory Committee. The students worked with Mena Souliman, PhD, and began brainstorming ideas and plans to create a network of

bicycle lanes connecting all higher-education institutions in the City with preexisting bicycle lanes. The group was awarded $50,000 through donation funding due to the importance of their project.

PEDAL TO THE METAL 36.6 miles

of bike lanes added with Tyler Bike Stripes project

41.4 miles of bike trails in the area

$8.5 million

spent on hike and bike trail extensions over the last decade

RIDE THE FOUR PEDALS NOW! Earn your “I rode the Four Pedals of the Rose” decal, and let everyone know you rode, ran, walked or hiked your way through 37.2 miles of award-winning trails showcasing Tyler’s natural beauty and urban landscape. Send your information to the Tyler Parks and Recreation Department and the Tyler Bicycle Club to receive your free decal.

QUALITY OF LIFE | PARKS AND WE SPENT THE PANDEMIC AT THE PARK beautify our community and enhance quality of life and accessibility for all! Previous projects include Gassaway Park, built in just six hours by the community; Hillside Park with its beautiful art wall and giant concrete slide; and Southside Park, a playground for kids of all abilities. Many other parks benefited from the City’s investment as well. In addition to the previously mentioned parks, Tyler added their very own Skate Park in the last few years! This park was first added in 2019 with phase two construction completed in Spring 2021, adding more than 14,000 square feet of skating space. The new phase includes expansive street terrain with ledges, rails, ramps, traditional street features, a lazy river-style skate park in a circular shape and Jersey barriers. Tyler, Texas, is known for its beautiful green scenery and its iconic roses. Without the Parks and Recreation Department and their utmost attention to detail, none of these things would be possible. The Tyler Parks and Recreation Department keeps Tyler beautiful by maintaining all of its 28 parks, including a pool, several splash pads, sports fields and more! The various parks in Tyler offer safe, organized and open areas for recreation. As the state locked-down during the pandemic, outdoor spaces became even more necessary to encourage mental and physical health and well-being. The Parks Department staff was determined to give residents options for activities they could do safely. They quickly brainstormed and created multiple programs to promote outdoor play and to still maintain social distancing. During this time, the City continued to make significant investments to improve local parks and public spaces. These improvements are the latest in a series of parks projects to

D RECREATION PARK IMPROVEMENTS

Park Construction Projects in 2020

$4,321,445

invested in projects

45,277

hours maintaining parks and medians

$461,848

invested in maintaining parks and medians

Last but not least, the 2013 Bergfeld Park Master Plan will be completed in June 2021. After overhauling the amphitheater, creating a new children’s play space and enhancing the famous Splasher spray ground, the city plans to renovate the tennis courts next. This park is the most centrally located and one of the most heavily used parks in the City of Tyler. Bergfeld Park is located at 1510 S. College Ave. The Tyler community loves this park. It is commonly used for concerts, fairs, movies and many other types of public events.

The City has completely rebuilt Fun Forest pool at North Glenwood Boulevard and Garden Valley Road. The 50-meter Olympic-sized pool originally built in 1938 was long overdue for a renovation. The new pool features beach-style access to accommodate people of all abilities, a new spray ground, and new bathroom and locker room facilities. After a long two-year wait, the pool opened for the first time in June 2021. Fun Forest Pool is one of the many free activities and places you can explore in a Tyler park!

Thanks to the community and then resident, now Mayor Don Warren, the dream of enhancing the beautiful space was made a reality. Local private donations funded 75 percent of the project. “I’ve watched this project every step of the way,” said Mayor Don Warren. “To see the master plan just about finished is incredible. This park is going to be there for over 50 years and generations to come. It was done to fit with the neighborhood where it is located, the historic Azalea District. These are the kind of projects that make you want to run for City Council and make you run for Mayor.”

TO BE COMPLETED NEXT Bergfeld Park Master Plan | Fun Forest Soccer Fields Faulkner Park & Lindsey Park Restrooms

QUALITY OF LIFE | LIBRARY TYLER PUBLIC LIBRARY RESPONSE TO COVID-19 Providing access to high-speed internet was crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 19% of Tyler’s population does not have internet access, making working or studying from home, job searching, and obtaining updates to the latest news and information a staggering issue. With limited capacity and masking rules, the Tyler Public Library was dedicated to staying open during the pandemic. The Library increased the number of wireless access points and Wi-Fi strength to help accommodate the extra demand from patrons. Staff developed curbside service procedures for material checkout and information access, and began to translate usual programming into virtual and take-home activities for children, teens and adults alike. Adult and Youth Services worked together to provide community

resources for those needing an extra hand in their job search, transforming their previously planned Job Fair into a take-home kit distributed to 150 people. Other take-home programming kits were distributed to over 2,500 youth and 300 adults between reopening in June 2020 and the end of September. The Library also canceled membership fees for Tyler Independent School District students residing outside of the City Limits to provide access to a wide variety of materials and digital resources to students who were unable to check out materials from their schools.

Marina Martinez, Circulation Technician

These efforts saw a 31% increase in digital circulation, which is a significant jump from previous years. Library cardholders also increased by 5.97%, exceeding our goal of 5%.

INCREASED SERVICE OFFERINGS DURING COVID-19

Almost 8,000 computer sessions occurred utilizing the Library’s computers.

The e-Card services saw a drastic increase of 107%. Total count for wireless access was 11,092.

Rosalinda Guana, Circulation Technician

DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEVELOPMENT SERVICES REPORT Development Services is a one-stop shop for homeowners, builders and developers supported by the latest technology and a highly trained professional staff. We are committed to providing a service that focuses on assisting our customers to achieve their project goals. We support our customers in building a better community. During the global pandemic, we had to find innovative solutions to adapt our services to guarantee the safety of our customers and employees. We offered virtual inspections, permit applications and meetings with developers.

1,036 Electrical

1,295

New Commercial Permits

Plumbing

Inspections

Single-Family Homes

1,036

Subdivision Proposals

150 Signs

New Duplexes and Townhomes

Planning Applications

18,094

341

1,094

1,043 Building Final

Offices

QUALITY OF LIFE | THE ARTS CONCERTS FROM THE COUCH COVID-19 placed heavy restrictions on the entertainment and arts industry in 2020. Our response to the pandemic has been to ensure that the arts remain alive and permeating throughout our community in the safest way possible. Liberty Hall theatre and the Main Street Department created two programs in 2020, “Liberty Live: Concerts from the Couch” and Art Alley, that allowed the arts to flourish even during lockdowns. Each program provided spaces for artists to be in their element and share their gifts and passions with the community. “Liberty Live: Concerts from the Couch” was created as a space for local performing artists. It is a concert series that takes place once every month on the second Saturday as part of the wider Downtown “Hit the Bricks” celebration. “Hit the Bricks” is a program designed to encourage economic revitalization and community engagement with Downtown through events, promotions and deals from businesses located in the downtown area. “Concerts from the Couch” is the historic Liberty Hall theatre’s contribution toward this goal. Our program takes the form of a Facebook livestreamed concert featuring local musicians in 30 minutes to one-hour sets. As a performing arts facility, we believe it is our responsibility to lead and support the arts community in any way possible, especially during crisis like the pandemic. Through social-media engagement, “Concerts from the Couch” keeps the Liberty Hall brand alive, as well as those of the many talented artists in the East Texas community. During the livestream, musicians call for donations through virtual tip jars and share their social media links and merchandise sales. Our monthly program began in May 2020, and has since supported 48 different local artists and received 31,625 views on Facebook. The program’s beauty is that given the recording platform is Facebook Live, the show is not over once it has ended. The show is saved for future watching capabilities and continuous sharing.

ART ALLEY Likewise, to create Art Alley, 40 local artists braved the elements all winter to paint a massive outdoor canvas in Downtown Tyler. Together, they transformed a 280-foot span of concrete and picket fence alleyway into a beautiful installation. Roses painted on the surrounding sidewalks lead the way to Tyler’s Art Alley. The installation includes an empty white space for the public to freely create art and a QR code on each mural that directs visitors to the artists’ profiles and information. The project is already stirring interest among private-property owners who are contemplating hiring some of the artists to create artwork on their buildings, and local workers, shoppers and residents are enthusiastic. Visitors and residents alike are stopping by to admire the art and to take pictures. “It’s a great connective alley, but it was a blighted one,” said Amber Varona, Main Street Director. “Now, it is art! People love it! They can’t believe that Tyler is creating something like this. I really enjoy watching pedestrians stumble onto it and take a detour to watch the murals come alive.” Both of these programs allowed our community’s artists to shine and truly showcase how talented East Texas is!

“

I love that Tyler is supporting local artists, especially right now,” artist Lauri Thomas said. “It’s very difficult for artists, and this is a way to bring hopefully some joy and beautification to the city.”

P.O. Box 2039 Tyler, TX, 75710 cityoftyler.org