Councilmembers meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 4, did not vote on the increases, but City Manager Aretha Adams won preliminary approval for increasing the city budget by $4.3 million to $67.4 million.

Adams proposed adoption of the voter approval property tax rate of $0.361832 per $100 of assessed valuation, an increase of $0.004318 or 1.2%. 

Read the full story in the August 13th edition. Stay informed — subscribe to Murphy Monitor.

Within 24 hours, a tiny hole in a buried copper pipe sprayed more than 15,000 gallons of water into the dirt 4 feet below the sidewalk in a Murphy neighborhood.  

Once the leak was detected, it took more than two hours for a four-man crew from the Murphy Public Works Department to dig down and fix it.

The aging copper service lines that connect water mains with meters are a big reason that Murphy lost 13% of water in the municipal system, more than 168 million gallons, Public Works Director Donald Reese says.

Read the full story in the August 13th edition. Stay informed — subscribe to Murphy Monitor.

Thousands of Plano ISD students and their families swarmed the Plano Center for the district’s annual Back to School Fair.

Working in triple-digit heat, Plano police officers controlled access to the Wednesday, July 29, event — funneling cars to park on the grass. Overflow crowds parked across Jupiter Road at the Oak Point Recreation Center.

PISD students could pre-register for a free Trailsport backpack and there were a variety of other services available including Toni&Guy haircuts, Constant Eye Care vision screening and dental screening by Family Smiles.

Lovepacs and Minnie’s Food Pantry had food boxes and Passport Health/Staying Healthy Medical Services operated a vaccination clinic with immunizations for chicken pox, diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis (whooping cough), mumps/measles/rubella, polio, pneumonia, meningitis and hepatitis.

District resources on site provided school enrollment and registration, food and nutrition services support, language services, transportation information about bus routes and eligibility, and help with school details or programs like the Head Start Early Childhood Campus. There was also a PISD recruiting booth for jobseekers.

Titan Robotics club students set up displays in the courtyard so visitors could operate robots that threw balls and Toyota had an inflatable soccer goal for students to practice free kicks. 

Community vendors manned tables offering information about health, wellness, social services, sports and after-school programs and enrichment opportunities. 

There was a long line for Cane’s chicken fingers; Bed Start, a local ministry of sharing, asked, “Do you need a hand up?” and a playful squirrel puppet enticed young readers to sign up for a Plano Public Library card.

Plano ISD campuses serving Murphy students include Boggess, Hickey, Hunt and Miller Elementary Schools, Murphy Middle School, McMillen High School and Plano East Senior High School.

Most campuses have “Meet the Teacher” events on Monday, Aug. 10, prior PISD’s first day of school on Tuesday, Aug. 11.

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Murphy police officials say the department’s four Flock Safety automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras have become a valuable investigative tool, helping detectives recover stolen vehicles, identify suspects and develop leads in criminal investigations.

But Detective Kris Riebschlager, who manages the program for the Murphy Police Department, said they capture less information than many residents believe. He emphasized that the cameras are designed to photograph license plates rather than people.

“They are literally nothing more than a still picture of a license plate,” Riebschlager said. “They don’t identify pedestrians. It doesn’t do bicyclists but can capture a license plate on a motorcycle.”

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After receiving a report on July 24, the officer was placed on administrative leave while the department conducted an internal investigation, the release said.

“Following the completion of that investigation, the officer’s employment with the city of Murphy was terminated effective July 29,” the release said. The Texas Rangers were then asked to conduct an independent criminal investigation.

“Protecting our community and maintaining the public’s trust are among our highest responsibilities,” Gibson said “We take these allegations extremely seriously and are committed to ensuring they are addressed thoroughly, fairly and with full accountability.”

The release said, “The city made an employment decision based on its findings and applicable personnel policies. The Texas Rangers are responsible for the criminal investigation, and any determination regarding criminal charges or guilt will be made through the criminal justice process.”

No additional information about the alleged misconduct was released.

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“The overall value of the county increased by 4.43% while the average home value decreased from $603,190 in 2025 to $588,119 in 2026,” Swanson said as CCAD released 2026 certified taxable values as of July 23. 

“We continue to see significant growth in the northern part of the county with Celina and Melissa, and now more in the east side of the county in Lavon, Nevada, and Princeton,” he said.

CCAD said Collin County certified taxable values increased to $280.17 billion, with $7.7 billion in new property added to tax rolls as of July 23, 2026.

In the city of Murphy, CCAD data shows a 3.25% increase in total certified taxable value, up from $3.95 billion to $4.07 billion with $32 million in new construction. 

The 2026 average market value of a home in Murphy is $615,856. Last year’s figures showed the value of a home at $611,297.

Murphy residents pay property taxes to the city, county, Wylie or Plano Independent School District and Collin College.

Wylie Independent School District had a 0.35% decrease in taxable value to $10.7 billion with $174.6 million in new construction. The average value of a home within WISD is $471,442, compared with $484,637 in 2025.

Plano ISD showed a 1.91% increase from $74.36 billion to $75.77 billion with $700.5 million in new construction. The average value of a home in the PISD is $614,707, compared with $613,290 in 2025.

The numbers for Collin College show a 4.68% increase to $251.2 billion, with $7.4 billion of new property added to the tax rolls.

In nearby Parker, the certified taxable property value was $2.3 billion, a 9.47% increase with $67.3 million of new property. The average value of a home in Parker in 2026 is $1,183,182, compared with $1,133,599 last year.

Certified values in Lucas increased by 7.74% to $2.9 billion with $71.9 million in new construction. The average market value of a home in Lucas increased from $1,140,526 in 2025 to $1,180,774 this year.

Lovejoy ISD saw a 5.55% increase to $4.9 billion, with $101.5 million in new construction added to the tax rolls. The average market value of a home in the Lovejoy ISD is $1,090,233 compared with $1,076,142 in 2025.

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There was a lot of noise and confusion at a crime scene. A manikin, bleeding badly from a head wound, lay on the floor near a bloody crowbar. Two women were shouting and fighting with each other. A man nearby was banging on a barbecue grill while another man was parked in a truck blaring loud music. What to do first?

The scenario, staged in the garage of the Murphy Police Department, was part of the crime scene exercise for members of the Youth Citizens Police Academy.

Working in teams of two, students attempted to gather information and secure the scene.

“He’s not dead!” a training officer yelled. “You’re not trained to treat him, but you can’t call the medics until those women are in handcuffs!”

One of the women who had been fighting, a Police Cadet playing the role, picked up the crowbar and began bashing the manikin. “That’s aggravated assault; tell her to drop the weapon!” the instructor barked.

In the debrief, an instructor said, “This scene is overwhelming … oh my God, this guy’s head is bashed in! But am I a medic? Do I know how to do surgery? I’m a police officer. I sure should have known how to put on handcuffs. I sure know how to give commands.”

The students nodded in agreement. 

“What would I need to do in order to me be able to focus and do what I need to do?” the instructor said. “Tell that one to quit banging on stuff. Tell him to turn his music off and the other one to sit down.”

The scenario was part of the Murphy Police Department’s free academy held in two, one-week courses starting July 20 and July 27 in conjunction with Murphy Fire-Rescue. 

Events included a helicopter landing and K-9 demonstration. Students learned basic laws, the use of force and how calls are received and dispatched. Hands-on training included traffic enforcement, clearing buildings, CPR/first aid and extrication of victims from traffic crashes.

During the course, students were issued equipment belts, handcuffs and non-functioning sidearms and were drilled in their use. They learned how to recognize dangerous drugs, search vehicles and survive high-risk traffic stops. 

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Reese told the Tuesday, July 21, meeting of the Murphy City Council that the bids opened April 30 ranged from $5.6 million to $6.5 million.

“During bid review, the Engineer of Record, Neal-Schaffer, Inc., determined that all bids were considered non-responsive,” Reese said.

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