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ROUND ROCK NEWS

The City of Round Rock is hosting its annual Sertoma Independence Day Parade and Frontier Days events this year on Saturday, July 3, with a day filled with patriotic festivities. The Sertoma Independence Day Parade will begin at 8:30 a.m. in Downtown Round Rock, and Frontier Days will begin at noon at Old Settlers Park.

New City Council Member Kristin Stevens and Place 3 Council Member Matt Baker were sworn in for three-year terms at the May 27 Council meeting. Stevens serves in Place 5 and Baker will remain in Place 3 after being elected May 1. City Council and the Round Rock community also bid farewell to outgoing Place 5 Council Member Writ Baese.

Round Rock’s largest park has a new area where families can experience a relaxing retreat. Yonders Point, located just southwest of the baseball fields in Old Settlers Park, is a place where families can picnic and enjoy an amazing view of Bright Lake. The plaza includes landscaping and trees, pergolas with swings, terraced seating and lounges.

The City's free Music on Main series will continue through June! Bring a lawn chair, blanket and the family to Prete Plaza in Downtown Round Rock from 7-9 p.m. every Wednesday. There will be face painting, balloon artists and more! View this month's music lineup and check ahead for any schedule changes due to weather at roundrocktexas.gov/musiconmain.

FEATURE STORY

Round Rock and many parts of Central Texas received several inches of rain last month, and it’s important to remember that your landscaping does not need additional water during rain and cool temperatures. It’s important to remember that overwatering can hurt more than it helps!

Too much water can:

To avoid overwatering during rainy weather, keep your sprinkler system turned off and wait until there is no rain for a few weeks and temperatures increase. You can also have a rain sensor installed at your property to automatically turn off your system. Rain sensors do not predict if rain is coming and only turn off irrigation while rain is present, so you will need to keep an eye on the weather to make sure you do not water before a storm. There are several weather-based controllers that use nearby weather stations and adjust your schedule according to the weather and other environmental factors.

You can also take advantage of all the rain that falls onto your property by collecting it for future use. Rainwater provides nutrients to plants and acts as a natural fertilizer. It has nitrogen, organic matter and is free of salts and minerals.

Rain barrels, rain sensors and weather-based controllers are proven to save water and are covered under the City of Round Rock’s rebate program! Learn more at roundrocktexas.gov/rebates.

Property values in Round Rock have increased dramatically over the past year despite the COVI9-19 pandemic, according to Alvin Lankford, Chief Appraiser of the Williamson Central Appraisal District. Based on preliminary data, 2021 taxable property values have risen more than 17 percent in Round Rock to $17.5 billion. 

The local economy is returning to pre-COVID levels, and fiscal year revenues to the City are higher than projected, Chief Financial Officer Susan Morgan told the Round Rock City Council at its May 13 meeting. National and state consumer confidence has increased, Morgan said, and the State of Texas’ revenue estimates continue to improve as the overall economy, as well as the oil and gas industry, rebounds. 

The City of Round Rock’s outdoor municipal pools are ready for a fun summer season! Rock’N River Water Park and Micki Krebsbach Pool opened Friday, May 28, and Lake Creek Pool will open Tuesday, June 8. Tickets for Rock'N River can be purchased in advance at roundrocktexas.gov/river and more information about all outdoor pools can be found at roundrocktexas.gov/pools.

There are over 20 miles of hike and bike trails currently in Round Rock, expanding to over 26 miles in the next several years. Come celebrate National Trails Day from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday, June 5, at the trail system near Rabb House (151 North A.W. Grimes Blvd.) with a cardio dance class, National Trails Day T-shirts and light refreshments.

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS