Prosper officials hosted the town’s annual State of the Community on Jan. 22, highlighting major projects and milestones from the past year.
What happened
Mayor David Bristol focused on the Town Council’s strategic vision, emphasizing accelerating infrastructure improvements, advancing public safety and encouraging intentional development along the Dallas North Tollway corridor.
“We're going to continue to work on that strategic vision as we continue to grow the town of Prosper out,” Bristol said.
He noted the town’s fourth fire station is set to open in late March or early April with phased staffing.
“We’re going to start off with just a paramedic unit while we continue to build into that,” Bristol said.
Bristol also highlighted recent public safety initiatives, including the Drone as a First Responder program and efforts to address dangerous e-bike and e-motorcycle use.
“We have an e-bike problem here,” Bristol said.
Bristol noted the issue is mainly among middle school students and encouraged residents to register their e-bikes.
Looking ahead
Bristol also discussed the town’s next steps after several of its bond propositions failed in the November election. Residents voted down nearly $100 million in funding for police headquarters improvements, a new library, parks and a new public works and parks service center.
“This will be the last series of park money that we have, and this is from our 2020 bond,” Bristol said. “The impact of bond failures has repercussions. Not right now, but in the future years.”
Bristol said town officials are exploring alternative methods of funding park improvements or new parks, which could include increased fees for usage of some of the parks.
Bristol also highlighted future development in Prosper, particularly along the Dallas North Tollway corridor, which he said will be the “economic generator” for the town.
“We only have three miles of [tollway],” Bristol said. "It has to be done right. We only get one chance at it.”
