The board sanctioned the acquisition of a 1-acre plot located at 1410 Kreymer Lane, adjacent to district land.

For more on this story see the October 31, 2024 print, or digital edition of the Murphy Monitor. Subscribe today and support local journalism in your community.

“Our students and our staff shouldn’t have to worry about this,” Jennifer Branch, district chief of staff, told the board at its Monday, Sept. 16, meeting.

Wylie and other school district educators plan to take their ideas for discipline improvement to state lawmakers as they ready for the 89th Legislature, which begins in January. 

For more on this story see the September 19, 2024 print, or digital edition of the Murphy Monitor. Subscribe today and support local journalism in your community.

For the last seven years, the Murphy resident has provided Halloween costumes for local disadvantaged children, but now pandemic-related obstacles have forced her to restructure her community service project to meet new regulations. 

The challenge is doable for someone like Maier who witnessed the need for costumes firsthand almost two decades ago when she lived in Dallas. 

For the complete story, see the latest edition of the Murphy Monitor.

By Karen Chaney [email protected]

For the complete story, see the latest edition of the Murphy Monitor.

By Don Munsch [email protected]

At the Oct. 19 meeting, Murphy City Council approved a resolution opposing the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality application for a proposed wastewater treatment facility near the intersection of North Murphy Road and Rolling Ridge Drive in the county, near the cities of Murphy and Parker. 

For the complete story, see the latest edition of the Murphy Monitor.

By Don Munsch [email protected]

Students attending Dodd Elementary School in the future would switch to Smith Elementary as part of a rezoning change being considered by Wylie ISD.

The change would go into effect for the 2022-23 school year and beyond. Wylie ISD board members heard about the plans from Casey Whittle, assistant superintendent for human resources, at their regular meeting Monday night. No action was taken, as it was just an information item, but trustees will be asked to consider the change at a future meeting.

The change, which would affect 74 elementary students, would create classroom space for pre-k students and increase enrollment at Smith. The neighborhoods affected would be Parkside and Presidential Estates. When the district rezones neighborhoods, the district allows students and parents to stay at their current school if they choose, and the district does not change the high school they will attend. If current students decide to stay, transportation is not provided to the campus. Future students would be rezoned.

Whittle said the district uses two demographers’ data to evaluate growth and determine needs for additional facilities. Last year’s enrollment reached 17,482 students, and last year, Wylie grew by 1.5%, smaller than normal, with numbers provided going back to 2008. The pandemic affected growth last year, Whittle said. Wylie was 23rd in enrollment among school districts in DFW last year; this year, the district has 18,244 students. Also in his presentation, Whittle gave data on housing, including pricing and projected new homes.

Read more about the meeting in the Nov. 4 edition of the Murphy Monitor.

By Don Munsch [email protected]

After a trek that took the family from such places as Virginia to the Midwest to Maine, the family eventually made a stop in Texas. Williams attended San Antonio Madison High School before moving on to college. 

Williams’ journey now has taken him to McMillen High School, where he is in his first year as the principal and his first year as a campus head. October is National Principals Month. 

For the complete story, see the current edition of the Murphy Monitor.

By Don Munsch [email protected]

Arbor Day plantings will be conducted on the morning of Nov. 6, and signup deadline is Oct. 29, Murphy city officials said. 

For the complete story, see the current edition of the Murphy Monitor.

By Don Munsch [email protected]

She had a horse to feed. 

Steven B. Cole told that story about an employee’s grit to high school students gathered in a conference room Oct. 1 at Lone Star Circuits in Wylie during Manufacturing Day, an opportunity for students to tour and learn about Wylie manufacturers. Cole is the executive president, chief financial officer and chief executive officer for Best Circuit Boards (dba Lone Star Circuits) in Wylie. 

For the complete story, see next the current edition of the Murphy Monitor.

By Don Munsch [email protected]

Several people spoke out about the proposed plant in a hearing at the meeting.

The resolution stated “the discharge route will be from the plant site to Maxwell Creek,” with Maxwell Creek flowing through the city of Murphy. The plant would be near Murphy residential subdivisions. Any inadequately treated wastewater within such creek will “adversely affect the public health, safety and quiet enjoyment of the citizens and visitors of Murphy,” the resolution stated. Additionally, city officials stated they are “highly concerned” regarding the quality of water to be discharged from the proposed wastewater plant and adverse impacts on recreational activities of the residents of Murphy, and “therefore Murphy stands opposed to this new wastewater treatment facility.”

The TCEQ application would authorize the discharge of treated wastewater at a volume not to exceed a daily average flow of 200,000 gallons per day.

After council reconvened from an executive session, it approved having the city manager post information regarding the proposed Parker MUD with the TCEQ permit number and application and link for comments with contact info for state lawmakers from Collin County on the city website and social media pages. Council also directed staff to undertake engineering assessments broadly relating to the TCEQ permit application.  

Read more about the meeting in the Oct. 28 edition of the Murphy Monitor.

By Don Munsch [email protected]