Monthly roundup of news from Lantana, TX as published in The Cross Timbers Gazette.
and Rayzor Road.
Pickleball courts took another small step toward reality in April.
Fresh Water Supply District (FWSD) #7 board members last month voted unanimously to financially support the proposed project contingent upon grants from Denton County Development District (DCDD) #4 and Lantana Cares totaling $900,000, along with an agreement from the Lantana Community Association to operate the facility.
The FWSD #6 board approved a similar motion last December.
Eight pickleball courts are proposed for a portion of 2.5 acres that FWSD #7 owns at Rayzor Road and FM 407, next to E.P. Rayzor Elementary.
Unlike most of the amenities in Lantana, the courts as proposed would be open to the general public due to a majority of their financing via sales tax revenue from DCDD #4 and assessment revenue from Lantana Cares via the Lantana Education/Charitable Foundation, which collects a half percent of the sales price of all real estate transactions within Lantana.
“If we don’t take advantage of those grants, that money is going to be eventually spent somewhere else, so why not have it directly benefit the residents that funded it?” said FWSD #7 board president David Ware.
FWSD #6 President Ross Ferguson first presented the concept in Dec. 2020, and worked to secure the grant commitments.
The districts’ share of the project, estimated to be around $250,000 each, would come out of reserve funds and should not adversely affect the operating budget or property tax rate, according to Richard Harned, FWSD #6 & #7 controller.
The land in question may also house a future office building for the districts, and Ware presented a financial analysis that showed how the pickleball courts would offset over $300,000 of infrastructure costs if they move forward on the building at a later date. The districts have been leasing office space in Bartonville Town Center since 2008.
There are still a lot of details to be worked out, and both boards will discuss next steps for the project at a joint public meeting tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. on June 7 at the Lantana Community Event Center.
Visit lantanatx.org or call 940-728-5050 for more information.
FWSD Election May 7
The closest thing Lantana has to a town council is the Fresh Water Supply District. There are two such entities in Lantana, and three residents are vying for two at-large seats on each FWSD board.
FWSD #6 board members and longtime residents Max Miller and Donna Robichaux are seeking to continue their service to the community. The pair were the first two Lantana residents elected to the board in 2006. Also on the ballot is Ed Veiga.
In FWSD #7, incumbents David Ware and Bob Hicks are on the ballot, along with newcomer Trippy Saxton. Ware was first elected in 2010 and Hicks was appointed to fill a vacant seat last June.
Board members terms are four years. Election Day is Saturday, May 7 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Harpool Middle School.
To find your water district, visit lantanatx.org or call 940-728-5050 for more information.
Briefly…
Due to a lack of credible bids from potential contractors, the project to reconstruct a portion of northbound Lantana Trail this year was tabled by the FWSD until summer 2023 with an expanded scope of work that will stretch from Bluestem Dr. to Branch Crossing.
The new splash pad at the Lantana Community Event Center should be complete by May 15, weather and materials permitting, according to the Lantana Community Association.
Fall registration for Lantana Wildcats youth flag football, tackle football, and cheer is open through June 1. Visit lantanawildcatsfootball.org to register.
Ladies League Hosts Amazing Race
This year’s Amazing Race was a huge success! Benefitting Refuge for Women and Bob’s House of Hope (Ranch Hands Rescue – RHR), the Lantana Ladies League hosted this popular event for members and guests in the surrounding community. These non-profit organizations specialize in care for those who have escaped human trafficking or sexual exploitation.
On April 19, the Ladies League hosted the event at the Lantana Community Event Center with 10 teams participating for a total of 98 “racers” plus 30 member & sponsor volunteers. Each team chose a name and a color to compete for points in 13 challenges.
Last year’s champions, the Hustlin’ Honeys acquired the most points beating out the competition with a final twist at the end. The team captain of the Honeys was called to roll the dice against the team captain of the last place team, the Disco Divas, to determine the final winner. The first to roll three of a kind walked away with bragging rights until next year.
Congratulations goes to the Disco Divas! But more importantly, congratulations and thanks go to all of the ladies and sponsors who came together to build friendships and raise funds to support this great cause, as in the end, we collectively raised $6,000 to be divided equally between both organizations.
For more information on joining the Lantana Ladies League, go to LantanaLadiesLeague.com or visit the Lantana Ladies League Facebook page.
-Submitted by Kathy Hummell, LLL Vice President
Travis Burnett
A pioneer in the flag football community, Travis helped co-found the Flag Football World Championship Tour, FlagSpin and USA Flag. Featuring 15+ years of content creation for the sport of flag football, creating and managing the largest flag football tournaments on the planet, coaching experience at the youth and adult level as well as an active player with National and World Championship level experience.
