Water Meter Replacement Project Begins this Month

As part of our ongoing stewardship and maintenance of the city’s infrastructure, starting this month the City of North Richland Hills will be replacing more than 21,000 aging water meters across our community. This project will begin in March 2024 and is expected to take around 15 to 18 months to complete. 

The new water meters, along with an app that will be available later this year, will provide hourly water consumption data and leak notifications to customers, giving you the ability to better monitor and manage your water use.

The new meters will be installed by Vanguard Utility Services, a contractor working on behalf of the City. Each Vanguard employee will wear a uniform with a visible company logo and their vehicle will be marked with the Vanguard logo. 

There will be a temporary service interruption while your water meter is replaced, but typically less than 30 minutes. Workers will leave a door hanger to notify you prior to installation of the new meter. You will not need to be home when the meter replacement takes place. Workers from Vanguard will do all of the work outside at your meter box and will have no need to go inside your house. There is no charge to you for the new meter. 

Check back for periodic updates about the meter replacement project and answers to frequently asked questions. If you have questions, please contact the NRH Public Works Utility Division at 817-427-6440 or by emailing nrhpw@nrhtx.com. 

City Council Meeting Highlights

Following are highlights from the March 4, 2024 City Council meeting. For more details and to watch the meeting video, visit www.nrhtx.com/agendas. You can also sign up to be notified by email when new meeting agendas are posted. The EZ Streets Program provides incentives to improve aging and underutilized commercial properties along Boulevard 26 and Davis Boulevard.

NRH EZ Streets Grant Awarded

The City Council awarded a $50,000 EZ Streets Program grant to Omega Billiards for improvements to the property at 7921 Boulevard 26. City permit fees will also be waived. A national leader in the billiards industry, Omega Billiards plans to renovate this location and relocate its showroom here. The EZ Streets Program provides incentives for revitalizing aging and underutilized commercial properties along portions of Boulevard 26 and Davis Boulevard.

Zoning Request Denied

A zoning change request in the 6800 block of Little Ranch Road was denied. The property owner intended to split one residential estate lot into two.

Change Order

The City Council approved a $57,100 change order for the Walker Branch Channel repair project. This project is repairing failing gabions along the west bank of the channel. During construction, it was found that repairs are also needed on the east bank. It is more cost effective to add the east bank repairs to the existing project scope, rather than establishing a separate project.

North Texas Anti-Gang Center Grant Application

The City Council approved an annual application for funding from the Texas Governor's Office Homeland Security Division to run the North Texas Anti-Gang Center. The center is a cooperative project among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to combat organized gang activity with an 11-county region. The City of North Richland Hills has served as the fiduciary for the center since its inception in 2015.

NRH to Honor Retiring City Manager & Assistant City Manager

Join us in honoring City Manager Mark Hindman and Assistant City Manager Karen Manila, both of whom are retiring this month.

We will celebrate and recognize Mr. Hindman on Thursday, March 14, with a retirement reception in the Grand Hall at the NRH Centre. Mr. Hindman is retiring after 39 years of public service including the last 14 years leading the staff of the City of North Richland Hills. His reception will take place from 3 to 5 p.m., with presentations starting at 3:30 p.m.

We will celebrate and recognize Ms. Manila on Friday, March 22, with a retirement reception in the City Council Chamber at City Hall. Mrs. Manila is retiring with more than 31 years of public service including nearly 25 years with the City of North Richland Hills. Her reception will take place from 3 to 5 p.m., with presentations starting at 3:30 p.m.

Not able to join us? Cards and emails are welcome and can be sent to NRH City Manager's Office, P.O. Box 820609, North Richland Hills, Tx 76182-0609 or communications@nrhtx.com.  

Public Comments Period Open for Subdivision Ordinance Revisions

Following the 2023 City Charter election, City Council directed staff to proceed with amendments to the Subdivision Ordinance to align with state law and streamline the development and plat approval processes. The draft is ready for public review and comment, and a webpage has been created at www.nrhtx.com/2024subdivision where residents can learn more, read the proposed ordinance, and provide questions and feedback to city staff. The public comment period is open until 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 29. 

Comments and questions may be emailed to planning@nrhtx.com or call the Planning Department at 817-427-6312. The amendments will be discussed at upcoming public meetings, including Planning & Zoning Commission meetings on March 21 and April 4 and City Council meetings on April 8 and April 22.  

Stay in the Loop About NRH Library Events

Spring has finally sprung! And the North Richland Hills Library has a brand-new seasonal program guide to keep you in the loop about fun events and classes from March to May. Grab your copy at the Library or browse online at https://bit.ly/3P6T6Zo. You can also find all of the Library's upcoming events on their online calendar at library.nrhtx.com/calendar. Additional events can be found on the city's website at www.nrhtx.com/calendar.

Upcoming Events

🙋🏽‍♂️ NRH2O Job Fair - Let the countdown to summer begin! NRH2O is holding a job fair March 11 - 15. Stop by NRH2O from 10 a.m. to noon or from 4 to 6 p.m. to learn more about each department and participate in on-site interviews.

💗 CPR Training - Learn CPR and save a life. The NRH Fire Department will hold a CPR training class on Thursday, March 21, from 6 to 10 p.m. Visit www.nrhtx.com/cpr to sign up.

🌱 Plant Prop & Swap - Add new plant varieties to your collection and chat with other plant lovers at a plant swap event on Thursday, March 21. This free event will take place in the lobby of the NRH Library from 4 to 6 p.m. Both rooted and unrooted cuttings are welcome. All plants should be pest-free and clearly labeled.

📚 Mid-Cities Teen Book Fest - Area teens are invited to hear from best selling young adult authors at the Mid-Cities Teen Book Fest on Saturday, March 23. The event will take place at the NRH Library from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

🐰Pop Up Egg Hunts - Kids get your Easter baskets ready! Pop-up egg hunts are coming to multiple NRH parks on:

• Wednesday, March 27 at 6 p.m.
• Thursday, March 28 at 6 p.m.
• Friday, March 29 at 2 p.m.

Park locations will be announced on the day of each event, at least 6 hours before the pop-up hunts. Keep a watch on NRH Parks Department's social media or webpage for the locations. Please contact NRH Parks at 817-427-6620 with any questions.

🚲👟‘Round the Town Bike or Hike

Entering its 11th year, ‘Round the Town Bike or Hike is a great opportunity to get outside, be active and enjoy time with friends and neighbors.  Join in on this monthly community event beginning in April. You choose to bike or hike. Everyone is welcome.

‘Round the Town recreational bike rides are 9 to 12 miles along routes that move through trails and on-road areas. The self-paced wellness hike is 1 to 2 miles on a looped trail with in the park. Both the ride and hike are led by park staff. Bring your water bottle. If participating in the bike ride, please wear safety helmet during the ride.

The 2024 schedule is listed below. Please note there will be no ‘Round the Town Bike or Hike in July. Thank you to the ‘Round the Town bike ride partner - Sunrise Bicycle Shop.

April 2 - 6 p.m., Start at Smithfield Station parking lot and return to visit Sunrise Bicycle Shop 

May 7 -  6:30 p.m., Cross Timbers Park

June 4 - 6:30 p.m., Richfield Park

Aug 6 - 6:30 p.m., Green Valley Park

Sept 3 - 6 p.m., NRH Centre

Oct 8 - 6 p.m., Northfield Park

City Employees Recognized

Congratulations to Brian Gibbs, winner of our R-SPIRIT Employee of the Year Award. Brian has worked for the City of North Richland Hills for two years and serves as Cybersecurity Analyst in the I.T. Department. Congratulations also to finalists Carolyn Skinner (Utility Services Billing Clerk), Dena Pierson (Senior Customer Service Assistant), and Ben Negrete (Detention Officer).

The R-SPIRIT award is presented annually to employees who exemplify the city’s core values of Respect, Service, Productivity, Integrity, Responsibility, Innovation and Teamwork. Nominations are submitted by city employees, with the winner and finalists selected by a committee of their peers.

Brian’s nomination stated, “He shows that he cares for employees, and also that he cares about doing an excellent job. He goes above and beyond in every situation and is awesome. He is a tremendous asset to the City.”

Service awards were also presented to employees who reached milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years with the City of NRH in 2023. This included: 

• 31 employees with 5 years of service
• 14 employees with 10 years of dedication 
• 8 employees who hit the 15-year mark
• 5 employees with two decades of commitment at 20 years
• 8 employees with an incredible 25 years of service

In total, we celebrated 715 years of combined service. A big thank you to all of our staff for making NRH a great place to live, work and play! Your hard work and commitment is appreciated.