residents look out for one another. Crime is incredibly low because people know Wolfforth isn’t the place to be a criminal...pretty good chance we’ll catch you.” A recent milestone for the city was the transition from a volunteer fire department to a full-time fire department with 18 firefighters.“Our fire department had been volunteer-run since 1954, and this was a major step for us,” Tomlinson says. EXPANDING WITHOUT LOSING IDENTITY Maintaining Wolfforth’s small-town feel while embracing growth is a priority for city officials. “Every city struggles with this balance,” Criswell acknowledges.“But it’s at the core of everything we do. When developers come to us, we emphasize the importance of preserving that neighborhood feel.” The city’s Economic Development Corporation operates under the vision statement: “Communityfocused, future-ready.” This principle guides infrastructure planning, business recruitment, and neighborhood design. “We have ordinances that ensure our neighborhoods are built to be safe, even to the degree of having street design standards that minimize or prevent high-speed driving,” Criswell explains. It’s all part of keeping Wolfforth unique. SUSTAINING GROWTH AND THOUGHTFUL PLANNING Looking forward, Wolfforth has ambitious goals. “Retail development is my top priority,” Sweat says. 9 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 04 WOLFFORTH, TX
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