Number 250, July 2024

Alex Bell selected 2024 Citizen of the Year

Alex Bell, founding partner of law firm Ziegler Gardner Bell and dedicated resident, has been selected University Park’s 2024 Citizen of the Year. 

Alex has fond memories of growing up in University Park, having spent most of his childhood living on Caruth and later playing football for Highland Park High School. He attended college and law school at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he started his career as a prosecutor and assistant district attorney.

“I moved back as quickly as I could,” Alex said, recalling his return to University Park in 2014. “This is the place where I knew I wanted to raise my family.” Alex and his wife Kimberly now live on Greenbrier and have three children, who attend Hyer and the Weekday School at UPUMC. 



While continuing his work with Ziegler Gardner Bell, Alex has remained a very involved member of the community. Alex began serving University Park as a member of the Public Safety Committee, helped plan for the future of University Park by serving on the Centennial Master Plan Steering Committee and most recently, he served on the Centennial Celebration Planning and Action Committee planning the City’s celebration events. When recalling his role on the Centennial Celebration Committee, Alex emphasized his great experience working under the guidance of current City Councilmember Melissa Rieman, who chaired the committee.

Alex has also given back to the community through his work with non-profit organizations. He served as the chair of the church council for University Park United Methodist Church, where he helped his neighbors through COVID-19 and the cleanup from 2021 Winter Storm Uri. He is currently the president of Connecting Point of Park Cities, an organization that provides an inclusive day program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Alex admires Connecting Point’s mission to foster independence and appreciates their focus on community engagement and programming for their Teammates.

When Mayor Tommy Stewart called him with the news, Alex recalls feeling “honored and humbled.” He mentioned that he works alongside many hardworking and inspiring volunteers, and feels privileged to hold the title this year. 

After riding in the Park Cities 4th of July Parade, Alex will be presented with a plaque during a brief ceremony at the Centennial Park Gazebo. The Citizen of the Year award was created by the City Council in 2005 to boost public awareness and appreciation for the many residents who work, often behind the scenes, to better the City’s quality of life.

2024 Park Cities 4th of July Parade & festival in Centennial Park

This year's parade will be held on Thursday, July 4. The parade will start at Highland Park Town Hall at 9 a.m., head north on Lakeside Drive, head west on Beverly, and proceed north on Preston Road to University Boulevard, heading east until ending in Centennial (formerly Goar) Park. 

For more information about the parade go to the Rotary Club of Park Cities July 4 parade page.

2024 Parade Route Map

Inclement Weather Policy

Post-Parade festivities in Centennial Park

As the parade winds down, join us for some fun activities in Centennial Park beginning at 9:30 a.m. The program at the Centennial Park Gazebo will begin at 11 a.m. The festivities in Centennial Park will end by noon.  



Activities will include - 

• Bounce houses 
• Craft with UP Public Library
• Pony rides
• Petting zoo
• Face painting      
• And more!  

Thank you to our storm recovery crews!

Following the May 28 severe storm, University Park Sanitation staff worked tirelessly to collect the extensive amount of storm debris that was scattered across the City, in addition to continued collection of residential and commercial garbage and recycling. Their efforts included accumulating 1,031.3 overtime hours from May 28 to June 21 to ensure that the bulk of the storm debris was collected and properly disposed of, collecting over 600 tons of debris. Additionally, Parks and Recreation and Infrastructure Maintenance staff assisted in the storm recovery efforts due to the enormous amount of debris. The dedication and hard work of our employees are greatly appreciated as they went above and beyond to serve the community!

Report coyote sightings to the City

Coyotes are most active in the spring and summer months, so sightings in the Park Cities are not uncommon around this time of year. Coyotes eat plants and animals including skunks, possums and raccoons. Since they prefer to find easy meals, they are also attracted to:

• Dog and cat food that is left outside
• Rotting fruit under trees
• Bird seed on the ground (position bird feeders so that coyotes cannot get feed)
• Trash that is accessible due to garbage containers that are not properly secured

Don't leave small pets outside overnight or let them run free. Accompany your pet outside, especially at night. Do not assume that a fence will keep a coyote out of your backyard.  If you see a coyote in your yard, make noise and wave your arms. You can also spray it with a water hose. The coyote is likely to leave the area quickly after any of these actions.  

If you see a coyote in your neighborhood, regardless of the time of day, you can report the sighting to UPPD dispatch by filling out a quick and easy online report, or by calling the non-emergency number 214-363-3000.  

The City keeps a list of the sightings so residents can see where and when sightings have occurred, and so we can send a compilation of locations to Texas Wildlife Services (Division of the USDA) if it becomes necessary to proceed with trapping or lethal enforcement.

City welcomes new Library Director

Following an extensive recruitment effort and interviews with a short list of qualified candidates, the City is excited to announce that Jackie Lott has been selected as the new Library Director. Her first day on the job in University Park will be July 15.

Lott joins University Park Public Library after a 13-year career with Shreve Memorial Library (SML) in Shreveport, Louisiana, where she served in multiple key roles including Branch Manager, Head Reference Librarian and Assistant Manager of the Main Library.

During her tenure at SML, the third-largest public library system in Louisiana, Lott demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to community engagement. As Branch Manager of the Hamilton/South Caddo Library, she spearheaded numerous outreach initiatives and partnerships, and supervised the provision of over 40 programs each month. Her expertise in research collections, resources and collection development has been widely recognized, along with her strategic planning acumen.

Lott is a two-time graduate of the City of Shreveport Leadership Academies and has received prestigious accolades including the Outstanding Public Service Award in 2019 and the Lifelong Learner Award in 2023. She has contributed significantly to SML’s Strategic Planning Service Priority Committees in 2017 and 2023, and currently serves as Treasurer for SML’s Friends of the Library group. Additionally, she is an active member of the Louisiana State Library Database Committee.

Jackie Lott succeeds Sharon Perry Martin, who retired in February 2024 after over 11 years of dedicated service as the City’s first Library Director. Since Martin’s departure, Amanda Hartwick has served as Interim Library Director.

“Amanda has done an excellent job as Interim Director,” said City Manager Robbie Corder. “We are grateful for all of her hard work during the past few months and are thrilled to welcome Jackie Lott to our community. Jackie’s extensive experience and dedication to public service make her an ideal leader for our library’s future.”

Lott’s appointment marks a new chapter for the University Park Library, and she is enthusiastic about bringing her vision and expertise to the role. “I am honored to join the City of University Park as the Library Director,” said Lott. “I look forward to working with the talented team here and continuing to build strong relationships with the community.”  

Centennial book sales deadline approaching, brick sales extended

The deadline to purchase your Centennial book is fast approaching! This is your opportunity to own the book specially commissioned to capture and commemorate ten formative decades of University Park. Books will be available to purchase until July 8, 2024. Centennial books will be mailed to purchaser's homes in late summer, so be on the lookout in your mailboxes in the next few weeks if you ordered a book!

The deadline to purchase your Centennial bricks has been extended through December 6, 2024. This is your opportunity to leave your mark and commemorate the City's 100th anniversary in a tangible manner, so don't forget to purchase your brick while there's still time!

This summer UP Public Library is packed with offerings on Wednesdays to entertain and inspire all age groups from kids to grandparents! Remaining program dates and performers are listed below. All programs begin at 3 p.m.

• July 10 - Bubble Adventure
• July 17 - David Chicken Music
• July 24 - Masai Maggie Puppet Show
• July 31 - Washi Tape Landscapes with Meadows Museum

Registration is not required. Doors will open at 2:50 p.m. Attendance is limited to 100 participants.

Since 1985, Park and Recreation Month has been celebrated in July to promote building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. This year's theme is "Where You Belong" which celebrates the many ways park and recreation professionals across the country foster a sense of belonging in their community by providing welcoming and inclusive programs, essential services for all ages and abilities, and safe, accessible spaces to build meaningful connections. 

University Park's Parks and Recreation Department has 24 staff members with 400 combined years of service to the City of University Park. The department maintains approximately 60 acres of green space, four baseball and 12 soccer fields, one basketball court, three ponds, the Holmes Aquatic Center, the John Roach Track, three and half miles of trails, 10 tennis courts, six pickleball courts six picnic areas, and nine playgrounds in the City’s eight major parks. 

The Parks Department has a lot of fun and exciting programs planned in July. Join us as we celebrate Park and Recreation Month!