The Trinity Center opens
The grand opening of The Trinity Center was held Nov. 16. The new center will provide comprehensive information about the transformation of the Trinity River. Located at 1444 Oak Lawn, Suite 200, The Trinity Center will be a site for meetings, community events and workshops on the Trinity River Project, the largest public works program in Dallas history.

The plan to revitalize a 20-mile stretch of the river through the center of Dallas includes lakes, hiking trails, a whitewater course, promenades, recreational fields, an outdoor amphitheater and bridges designed by world-acclaimed architect Santiago Calatrava.

A 20-foot by 7-foot scale model of the Trinity River Project is expected to be completed and on display in the Trinity Center by summer, 2007. The center will also display models of the Margaret Hunt Hill and I-30 Bridges designed by Calatrava. The Trinity Trust is raising more than $150 million to help fund the many amenities approved in the "Balanced Vision Plan for the Trinity River Corridor", including bridges, lakes, trails, ball fields and performance venue.

The center will provide office space for the Trinity Trust and other organizations involved in the project, including the Texas Horse Park, the Trinity Strand Trail and Groundwork Dallas and meeting space for the Trinity Commons Foundation, Trinity Audubon Nature Center and the City of Dallas Master Lakes Design team.

Dallas Delivers
Quarterly, the City of Dallas delivers a newsletter to residents called "Dallas Delivers". It contains information about City programs, services, and departments.

Distributed as a special advertising insert in The Dallas Morning News, Spanish versions also appear in Al Dia and hard copies are available at your nearest branch library. For those who have Adobe .pdf software, you can also read the latest version here. It features fire safety and the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department.

You can't tell the players without a playbook
Ever wondered exactly how City Hall and City staff are organized? Who reports to whom and what the chains of command are?

You're in luck.

Here, for your use and enlightenment, is the latest City of Dallas organizational chart with contact information for each office.

We're in this fight together
You want a safer place to live and work?

The citizens of Dallas now have a very unique opportunity to help do something about it.

Thanks to community leaders, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised to supplement the Dallas Police Department budget.

With your help, hundreds of thousands more will be raised. Visit saferdallas.com.

City Tax Rate Lowered
For the first time in eight years, the Dallas City Council has lowered the city’s property tax rate.

With the adoption of the City’s 2007 fiscal year budget, the City’s property tax rate was lowered by 1.25 cents. The new rate is 72.92 cents per $100 valuation.

On September 14, The Dallas Morning News wrote: "Dallas' tax rate would drop by 1.25 cents per $100 in assessed property value ... the catalyst being better-than-expected city sales tax receipts and projected revenues from a newly approved red-light camera system, council member Ed Oakley said. That would amount to about $15 in annual savings on a $150,000 home. 'And we didn't have to cut a thing,' said Mr. Oakley, whom Mayor Laura Miller tapped in August to find ways to further reduce the rate."

Recycle and roll
City of Dallas Sanitation Services has expanded its recycling program to include Big Blue roll-carts. Dallas residents now have the option of registering to receive a Big Blue roll-cart or continue using the plastic bag method.

Delivery of the Big Blue roll-carts will begin this month and continue throughout the remainder of the year. The plastic bag method will continue in effect until the Big Blue roll-cart reaches your neighborhood.

A twice-monthly pickup will be implemented as part of the Big Blue roll-cart service. Residents participating in the residential recycling program whose collection days fall on Monday and Tuesday can begin using their Big Blue roll-carts on November 13, 2006.

Residents with recycling collection days on Thursday and Friday will receive their Big Blue roll-carts after November 13, 2006 and can begin using their Big Blue roll-carts on February 1, 2007.

What's happening in economic development?
As the region’s largest city, Dallas is committed to growth and prosperity. For 150 years, Dallas’ business and civic communities have worked in unison to make Dallas one of the best places to work, live and enjoy life. Whether your company is a small operation or a major manufacturing firm, the City of Dallas is working to provide a business infrastructure that helps your company grow.

The Office of Economic Development provides services to stimulate and assist economic development. Now the OED has a Web site that provides important information to help sell Dallas to investors. Check it out.

You'll find bargains galore at the Dallas Surplus Store
In the market for a (slightly used) parking garage gate? How about a silver place setting or an office desk? If so, get out your cash or credit card, because the City of Dallas Surplus Store could have what you're looking for. Those are a few examples of the merchandise arriving every week at the store, located at 1201 Turtle Creek Blvd. It's open to the public just one day a week: Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

" One of the more unusual items was a $1,000 bill," said manager Gloria McNac. The large bill, which the government no longer prints, was confiscated by police, and, never claimed, eventually found its way to the surplus store. "We ended up selling it on e-bay for about $1,600 dollars." Other unusual items include a Rolex watch, a mink coat, diamond bracelet and a number of city parking meters.

In addition to the more eclectic items, buyers can usually find a wide variety of more common merchandise, including jewelry, cell phones, car radios, mountain bikes, electronics, cameras, tools, televisions, clothing, backpacks, furniture, boots, tools, tables and office equipment, including computers, desks and chairs.The store receives a steady supply of inventory from city surplus material and property, as well as found or lost property and items that have been confiscated by the police department.

Visit dallascityhall.com
Take a tour of the new and improved City of Dallas web portal at www.dallascityhall.com.

The City's new includes many new features including new Community, Visitor, Info and "Dallas Kids" pages and an extensive topic oriented Services menu that allows users to see relevant services based on their area of interest. Other new enhancements include new news features and a section to highlight upcoming community and cultural events, both now on the home page.

Water e-Pay Service, Parking Tickets e-Pay Service and the Online GIS Map System are all available online. Other City sites including the City Auditor, Economic Development, Code Compliance, and the 311 System will be updated to adopt new features and better integrate with the main City web portal over the next several months.

The Spanish version of the web site is also now available.

Dallas Convention Center
If you'd like to stay informed about events planned for the Dallas Convention Center — or if you're interested in using the Convention Center — dallasconventioncenter.com is a new resource for you.

You can subscribe to their newsletter, review a calendar of all meetings and events scheduled (into 2009!), and learn more about this great Dallas asset.

Check it out.

Did you know you can volunteer ... for the City of Dallas?
ServiceWorks, the City of Dallas Volunteer Program, places volunteers as support team members in all city departments.

Volunteer opportunities are varied and include such diverse positions as office work, landscaping, customer service, and community ambassadors. For more information or to receive an updated listing of opportunities each month, please contact Celeste Sauls at visit the ServiceWorks Web site.