FY 2012 Popular Annual Financial Report FY 2012 Popular Annual Financial Report | Page 2
Mayor’s Message
Dear Reader,
The Arlington City Council and I are
pleased to present the 2012 Popular
Annual Financial Report. This
report is an opportunity to present
information about the work of our
municipal organization in an open
and transparent manner. We work to
conduct the business of the Council
and the larger corporation in this
same way, believing it is necessary as a
responsible governmental entity.
Arlington continues to flourish. We are
a surprise to many people who don’t
live here – but all of us have always
known what a treasure we have here in
Arlington. This year has been one of
challenge and achievement. I am so
proud of this community for what it has
accomplished.
Message From the Mayor . . . . . . . . . . . 2
City Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Message From the
City Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Strategic Performance Plan . . . . . . . . . 5
A Look Back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Strategic Planning Cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Community Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Neighborhoods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Economic Development. . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Capital Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Strategic Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Achievements in Service . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Financial Highlights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
A Look Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
2
Focus on Priorities
Some of the more memorable
moments from this past year include
another appearance in the World
Series by the Texas Rangers, two new
Arlington events - the Christkindl
Market and the Art on the Greene,
and Arlington’s 23rd annual “Sharing
the Dream” Martin Luther King
Jr. celebration. Arlington was also
challenged by a dangerous spring
tornado that destroyed 492 homes and
the West Nile Virus that affected the
health of many in our region. We are
thankful that neither event resulted in
any loss of life.
In 2012, Arlington continued to stand
out with innovative solutions and high
levels of achievement. A new and
money saving approach was used to
solve a water pressure issue by lifting
the Harwell Water Storage Tank in
North Arlington with hydraulic jacks
and then welding it back together. This
set a new standard for innovation and
saved a lot of money in the process.
The City was also recognized with
awards in several areas including
water, parks design and public safety.
Our online citizen survey shows that
overall, residents think Arlington is a
great place to live – with high ratings
for emergency response, water, and
libraries as well as the parks and
recreation programs.
As we look to the coming year, there
are many reasons to be optimistic. You
can see that the City’s property tax rate
of 64 point 8 cents (0.648) compares
favorably to our neighbors and other
Texas cities. The strength of our fiscal
standing is supported by the assignment
of the major rating agencies - Moody’s,
Standard & Poor’s and Fitch. Our bond
rating is AA+, a rating achieved by only
15% of cities nationwide.
We have achieved this because the City
Council and staff have worked hard to
implement conservative fiscal practices.
We manage our debt, and consistently
use one-time money for one-time
expenses. We stick to our financial
policies and make sound financial
decisions.
As we close the books on 2012, there
is a sense of optimism in the air. I’m
proud of the work that has been done
by Council and staff and offer this
report on the financial status of our
great city. I invite you to share your
feedback with us.
Sincerely,
Robert N. Cluck, M.D.
Arlington Mayor
[email protected]
817.459.6121