Mayor's Message - May 2020
Hello from Town Hall,
I want to begin this month’s column with a poem from our recently retired USPS mail carrier, Teresa White.
April 10, 2020
By Teresa White
Retired Double Oak USPS Mail Carrier
(with love and affection)
I started at the post office in 1983,
A sub was I, but a Regular my goal to be.
And a Regular I became in February of ‘86, With a set of twins thrown into the mix.
Life became busier, as it usually does,
Raising babies and working, YES! Blessings from above.
My first Regular Route was R.R.5,
A route very different from the one I would retire.
I came to Double Oak in 1991,
To start a new Route, A new adventure had begun.
Rural Route 4, the Route of my choice,
Not knowing all the friends I would make, a family of sorts.
Double Oak became my home away from home, Witnessing graduations and weddings and even babies for some.
Thirty-six years have flown by so fast,
In the blink of an eye, those years now in my past.
My 29 years in Double Oak have been a blessing to me, All the love that was shown, As I became a retiree.
The many gifts and signs left in mailboxes for me, I’m shedding tears of thanks for my Route family.
I can’t thank you enough for all your love and kindness, As I retire from your town with a heart full of sadness.
This is not a goodbye, but a I’ll see you later, With no mail to deliver, I’ll have time to savor.
So, if you see me visiting in your neighborhood, Sorry I don’t have stamps on me, I’m RETIRED YES, Life is good.
Teresa
This month’s column is being written on Friday morning, May 1, 2020. Governor Gregg Abbott’s Open Texas plan starts today.
Double Oak’s current Declaration of Local Disaster Order is in line with the State of Texas and Denton County‘s Orders. The Town’s Order will remain consistent with the State of Texas and Denton County’s future Orders.
Double Oak is known as the town of volunteers. Please continue to check on your neighbors and assist them if able to do so in a safe manner. If you need help from town hall, let us know and we will do our best to assist.
Town Hall remains closed to the public at this time. Continue to contact town administration by phone and email.
Town Council Swearing-Ins
Congratulations to Anita Nelson, Joe Dent, and Billie Garrett who were unopposed on their re-election to two-year terms and to Von Beougher who was unopposed on his re-election to a one-year term. Town Secretary Eileen Kennedy is planning to administer the oath of office on Monday, May 18, 2020 at 7:00pm.
National Police Week May 10 – May 16
Please show your appreciation and thanks to our Double Oak Police Department especially during this week. You are welcome to send emails to Police Chief Derrick Watson on the police contact form and he will share with the officers.
Memorial Week Flag Display
As a sincere token of appreciation for those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, Ashley Hart ( on behalf of the Town of Double Oak) invites you to participate by placing a flag in honor of your friend, family member, or neighbor. Participation is FREE but Reservations are Needed!
Flags will be acquired, labeled and installed on your behalf. Please send reservations to ashleyhart@kw.com by Monday May 4th. Drive by Town Hall and give thanks from May 16th to May 26th, 2020.
TCEQ MS4 – Double Oak Spring Cleaning Tips
Spring weather can make a mess of your yard and our local waterways. Here are a few tips for getting your landscape back in shape and keeping local lakes, streams and rivers clean:
Avoid putting any permanent structures in flood prone areas of your yard and try to keep those areas clear during the spring. Spring storms can create standing water and voluntary streams that wash loose dirt and debris out of your yard and into creeks and roadside ditches where they are carried downstream to local waterways.
Keep grass clippings, leaves and debris out of local streams and wetlands. Compost your yard waste or dispose of it in your street-side pick-up. Yard waste that ends up in wetlands or streams contributes to algae growth in the summer, making the water green and smelly.
Stabilize your soil and increase infiltration by planting deep-rooted native plants or trees. The roots of turf grass extend only two to three inches into the soil, giving it little ability to hang on when the water flows. Native flowers and grasses, on the other hand, can have root systems four to twelve feet deep! These deep roots anchor the plants and keep soil from washing away. They also increase the amount of water the soil can absorb, meaning that more water sinks into recharge groundwater aquifers and less ends up in the storm drain.
If you live along a stream or wetland, it is important to maintain a healthy un-mowed buffer along your shoreline. A shoreline or stream bank planted in trees and native plants will hold the soil steady when it rains. Buffers also catch and filter many of the pollutants found in storm water runoff.
Message from Code Enforcement
Double Oak property owners, the town asks for your help.
Code Enforcement actively implements the Town’s Code of Ordinances and responds to concerns and complaints regarding a variety of potential code violations relating to property standards, illegal signage, etc.
Abiding by the Town’s Code of Ordinances helps all of us to be good neighbors and encourages pride in neighborhoods and the Town. The codes are in place to establish and maintain standards for the health, safety, and aesthetics of the community.
The weather forecast for the next two weeks looks nice. The town asks all property owners to please check your property and ensure:
1) tall grass and weeds are completely mowed
2) tree limbs which go across a town street are kept higher than 12ft
3) ground vegetation and/or tree branches are cut back from a town street sign and/or traffic sign
4) check your property from the street view to ensure no vegetation is growing into the public street. If it is close, please cut the vegetation back from the street
5) property is maintained and clear of debris, junk and old signage
The Town reminds all residents to remove your Republic Services cart from the street after they have been serviced.
Please refer to the Town’s Code of Ordinances regarding the posting of garage sale and political signage.
Property owners are responsible for your bar ditch drainage.
Double Oak is known as the town of volunteers. The town sincerely appreciates individuals and neighborhoods for keeping the medians mowed and trimmed. If you know of a neighbor who may need some help, kindly reach out to them. If your children need community service hours, they are welcome to mow, weed eat and pick up litter and the town will be happy to write them a letter.
Double Oak residents are the best and always help out when asked.
History made with online council meeting and announcement of new town website:
The town added to its history with the first ever online council meeting which was held on Monday, April 20, 2020. The council meeting video may be viewed by visiting the town website on the Town Council Minutes page.
Double Oak is preparing to roll-out a new and improved website. Residents will be notified during the month of May when the new website goes live. Residents will be able to sign-up with your email address to receive town communications. There will be a list of alerts and messages you can choose from. If you currently receive town communications from Town Secretary Eileen Kennedy that communication tool will be phased out. You will need to sign-up through the new website once it goes live.
Our sincere thanks to our amazing staff member Brian Shults. Besides his normal duties as Town Clerk, Brian has worked tirelessly to ensure the town council zoom webinar meeting went well and he has put in a tremendous amount of time working with our vendor and staff on the new website. Brian, on behalf of the council and town, thank you sir.
Waketon Road Improvement Project
Double Oak and Flower Mound have approved an Inter-local Cooperative Agreement (ICA) for this project. We anticipate the engineers putting this project out to bid late Spring/early Summer 2020. Stay tuned for further information.
Republic Services plans to replace carts
Republic Services is making plans to swap the Waste Management carts with new Republic Services recycle and trash carts. Republic Services personnel will conduct an account audit during the cart replacement. At some point in the future, Republic Services will only service their carts and no other carts. Stay tuned for further information.
Food Bank Opportunities
Double Oak is known as the town of volunteers. During this COVID-19 crisis, we are enormously grateful that neighbors are helping neighbors and nonprofits. Many residents and organizations continue to contact town hall to ask, “how can we help even more”?
Here are some additional ways:
Christian Community Action better known as CCA.
Double Oak Preferred Storage located at 8301 Justin Road is a drop off point for this CCA Food Drive CCA Food Drive Flyer
How can you help?
- Bring any food item that you presently have and will likely not use, or would not mind donating,
- Pick up a few extra items for the Food Bank when you grocery shop,
- Donate to the CCA Food Bank.
CCA Donation Center – 900 Lakeside Pkwy, Lewisville, TX, or
Preferred Storage – 8301 Justin Rd., Double Oak, TX - Share this information with your friends and neighbors.
Mission Moms
The key contact is Kathryn Flores. Kathryn can be reached at 214-734-5783 or kathryn.flores@missionmoms.org.
They provide meals for local children in need. They need boxes of cereal, pancake mix and syrup, pasta and cans of sauce, peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, boxed pasta meals and snacks. Please click on the link for a full list of items needed Mission Moms Mobile Meals.pdf. Their drop off location is Lantana Community Church at 2200 Jeter Road. It is the church behind the Kroger shopping center. You may drop off donations Monday - Friday from 4:00pm to 6:00pm in the church lobby.
Love Thy Neighbor
Operates through a partnership with Lewisville Salvation Army. The key contact is Judy Carrico. Judy can be reached at judycarrico@verizon.net.
Love Thy Neighbor was formed ten years ago by some Double Oak families. They provide meals Monday – Friday and also provide clothing, infant supplies and pet assistance without charge. Please click on the provided link for information https://www.ltnlovethyneighbor.org/
Execution of Goals
Neighbors select nutritious food and snacks from suggested items listed below. Children write a note or draw a picture, signing their first name only and help fill plastic grocery bags. Filled bags will be taken from car trunks by a volunteer in the parking lot and placed in the delivery vehicle. This maintains safe handling and social distancing during Covid-19. Snack bags, food and monetary donations will be accepted in the Double Oak Town Hall’s parking lot by the Love Thy Neighbor volunteer on the first and third Wednesday of the month from 2pm-4pm, come rain or shine. Excess donations will be shared with Mission Moms.
Suggested Items
Each bag must contain a drink, at least one protein, a piece of washed fruit and a piece of candy for a sweet treat. All items must be wrapped. We regret we are not able to accept homemade food because of allergies.:
- Drinks: water, juice box, protein drinks
- Fruit: washed apples, clementine, oranges, fruit cups, applesauce cups with spoons.
- Breakfast & granola bars
- Cheese crackers, peanut butter crackers
- Single serving tuna packets, macaroni & cheese, cereal bowls with spoons.
- Boxes of dried fruit, raisins, mango, etc.
- Single serving of goldfish, cookies, pretzels, trail mix
- Loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter, and jar of jelly
- Piece of candy, for "sharing life's sweetness through acts of kindness"
The Town of Double Oak is glad to share information regarding these food drives and thanks everyone for your consideration and donations.
Memorial Day
On Memorial Day, please pause and remember those who have died in service of our nation.
Congratulations to all of our Graduates
Happy Mother’s Day