Civil Municipal Magazine Aug 2023

186 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 8 to residents. That includes Mayor Blake Margolis, a lifelong Rowlett resident, who is updating city processes to increase the flow of efficient services. Short-term goals highlight big plans Among the city’s pending goals is updating its Downtown Strategic Plan with stakeholder input to help drive core efforts through the next half-decade. Part of that strategic plan will be an active effort to recruit new businesses to the downtown area that will be a good fit for its growing population base, Tucker says. As that population grows, addressing the needs of residents living near downtown continues to remain critical. Bartram says there are roughly 800 housing units within a five-minute walk of downtown Rowlett which will require future service and infrastructure investments. The ongoing work to finish the Sapphire Bay development will have a significant economic impact. Once future light industrial employers are added to the mix, the circle will be completed, says Tucker. “These efforts will help us become a regional destination community. She adds, “We want to create opportunities for residents to also be able to work right here in Rowlett.” PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n Dallas College www.dallascollege.edu Looking to grow your business? Dallas College can help! We are dedicated to supporting your success by delivering in-demand programs and training to help you achieve your goals and elevate your business to greater heights. n Garland Independent School District garlandisd.net n Holt Cat www.HoltCat.com n Neel-Schaffer, Inc. www.neel-schaffer.com n Rowlett Chamber of Commerce www.rowlettchamber.com n Tiseo Paving Company www.tiseopaving.com