Town of Double Oak Update — September 2023

Hello Double Oak Citizens,

As a town, Double Oak is fortunate to have our Double Oak Volunteer Fire Department. They perform many duties for the town.

• Provide Fire Coverage for Double Oak and the towns that surround us.
• Provide EMS coverage working with Flower Mound Fire Department
• Host the Annual Fourth of July Parade and Town Festival
• Bring Santa Claus to the town every Christmas.
• Clean up storm debris and monitor drainage in low areas of Double Oak when storms hit the town
• Train constantly to be the best Volunteer fire department in Texas

But they do more than that. The Double Oak Volunteer Fire Department has had three or more crews at separate times work some of the wildfires that are taking place in parts of Texas. The DOVFD is currently rotating shifts to support these wildfires.

Double Oak is GRATEFUL for its duties to our citizens, town, and neighbors.

Thank You, Double Oak Volunteer Fire Department!

2023-2024 Budget Process

The first pass at the 2023-2024 Budget is in process. The town is doing the budget differently than in the past. Earlier this week, the Town Administration, Public Works, Courts, DOPD, and IT were provided the worksheets to be filled out for the first pass at the budget.

The Town Council was also included in the communications so they could be ready for the compiled version of the first pass. The first pass of the budget was posted on 8/23.
The mayor and town council are now working on the second pass of the budget.

At the 8/21 council meeting, the town council certified the appraisal roll received from the Denton County Appraisal District. Council then approved the proposed Ad Valorem Tax rate and approved setting the public hearings on the Budget and Tax Rate. The tax rate and budget are posted on the town website: doubleoak.texas.gov/home/news/2023-2024-proposed-budget

Please add these dates to your calendars regarding the Double Oak budgeting process:

9/5 – Town council meeting public hearing on the proposed budget and tax increase

9/18 – Public hearing on the proposed budget and tax increase

9/25 – Approve the budget and tax rate.

Some terms will be repeated during these discussions, and the important ones are as follows.

One will be the No New Revenue Rate (NNR), which enables the public to evaluate the relationship between taxes for the prior year and the current year based on a tax rate that would produce the same amount of taxes (no new taxes) if applied to the same properties that are taxed in both years. When appraisal values increase, the NNR tax rate should decrease.

Getting to the NNR will be the goal of the town council working within the budget process. With rising costs in many areas of our budget, there is no promise that the NNR will be achieved, but there is a high level of confidence in this council that they will get to the rate or very close to it like last year’s budgeting process.

The voter-approval tax rate is the highest tax rate that a taxing unit may adopt without holding an election to seek voter approval of the rate. In most cases, the voter-approval tax rate exceeds the no-new-revenue tax rate, and towns will use it to set their next year’s budget. Double Oak Town Council will work hard not to use this rate for next year’s budget.

There will be a posting for a work session on the budget in the coming week or so. This is for the town council to finalize the numbers. Dates have not been sent, but there will be a 72-hour notice given to the public before the work session.

Message from the Double Oak Volunteer Fire Department

The DOVFD would like to help educate the citizens of Double Oak on the high fire danger level we are under. Here are some things you can do to avoid starting a wildland fire in your backyard:

Be careful of cigarette butts and ash (even while actively smoking)

Avoid parking and running a vehicle on the grass; the exhaust heat can start a fire.

Avoid grilling with charcoal.

DO NOT attempt to start a firepit (even for the fun of s’mores!)

Watch for anything left behind that could magnify the sun (e.g., glass bottles or broken glass parts)

Wildfires have started from as little as broken glass reflecting/magnifying the sun or sparks from minor automotive activity.

Thank you, Double Oak, for helping us all stay safe.

Double Oak Hazardous Waste Day September 16

Double Oak town administration has confirmed the date with Republic Services for our Hazardous Waste Day. It will be on Saturday, September 16th, from 9 a.m. to Noon at the Double Oak Town Hall.

Drop off:

• Household Hazardous Waste
• E-Waste
• Document Shredding

Please visit the Town of Double Oak website for a list of acceptable and unacceptable items.

Please bring a form of ID to show you are a Double Oak resident.

Double Oak Town Council Meeting Hawaiian Shirt Night – SUCCESS

Thanks to all the citizens who attended the Town Council meeting on Monday, August 7th, and participated in the Hawaiian Shirt Night. We had some fabulous Hawaiian shirts and dresses; one citizen even brought leis for the council, staff, and any citizens who wanted to wear one. More theme nights will follow at future Town Council Meetings.

Upcoming September Events

• Town Council Meeting – September 18 – 7 p.m.
• Double Oak Women’s Club – September 19 – 7 p.m.
• Jellybeans – Snack Bags – Drop Off – September 20 – 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• 50th Anniversary Committee Meeting – September 25 – 7 p.m.

Thank you for taking the time to read this update and, more importantly, being involved citizens in this Great Town called Double Oak!

Any opinions expressed in this update are my thoughts and not officially those of the Town of Double Oak or the Town Council. I welcome all comments and suggestions. Be sure to catch all exciting news or updates; please visit the Double Oak Town website at www.doubleoak.texas.gov. In addition to contacting Town Hall at 972-539-9464, Double Oak citizens may reach me at [email protected].