City Council candidate filing ends Friday

Last call! Those interested in running for the Keller City Council have until 5 p.m. this Friday, Feb. 17, to submit their paperwork. 

Candidacy packets are available for download on the city website or from City Secretary Kelly Ballard's office at Keller Town Hall, 1100 Bear Creek Pkwy. The City Secretary's Office will be open to assist applicants from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday.

Learn more at www.cityofkeller.com/election.

Library receives state recognition for excellence

The Keller Public Library has once again been recognized by the Texas Municipal Library Directors Association for exceptional programs and services with its Achievement of Library Excellence Award.

To receive this award, our library staff had to exhibit excellence in these areas:
- Services to underserved populations
- Innovative and effective marketing materials
- Collaborative efforts with community organizations
- Enhanced service to the public during the past year
- Literacy support for all ages (including summer reading programs)
- Support for digital inclusion
- Support for workforce development
- Cultural, topical, and educational programming for adults and families
- Professional training for staff at all levels

Of the hundreds of Texas libraries, only 73 received this honor. Kudos to our stellar library team, its director Jana Prock and the Library Board.

Free fitness event pulls families together

Break from your row-tine and join us for an hour of family-friendly fun at next week’s Family Fit Night!

Parks & Rec’s monthly program starts at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20. And don’t worry about the cold, rain or whatever else Texas throws at us that day; we will work out indoors at the new Keller Senior Activities Center, 640 Johnson Road, Bldg. C.

Row House Keller will lead the class, so come prepared to sweat; bring a towel, mat and water. Ages 5 and up are welcome to attend. The rowing exercises are reserved for ages 12 and up, while the younger children will enjoy other movements.

Oh, and be sure to arrive early! The first 10 people will get a free Keller Parks and Recreation blanket.

Mural project to brighten up incoming Tale Trail

City Council last week approved the Public Arts Board’s recommendation for a new piece of public art! This mural will soon grace the western wall of the old Keller Senior Activities Center as part of the Tale Trail project being unveiled this spring, a partnership between Public Arts, the Keller Public Library and Keller Parks & Recreation.

For those who missed our initial announcement about this project last year: the planned trail circling the back of the library will feature rotating children’s stories in 20 stationary mounts — with new pages to explore at each stop along the way — providing an opportunity for self-directed, experiential early learning that promotes physical activity and family fun.

The trail will also be colorful, thanks to the use of a thermoplastic coating on the path, and enhanced with additional landscaping, seating areas and three whimsical sculptures. This project honors the memory of Lisa Harper Wood, who served as Keller’s library director for 20 years. She died in 2021.

We hope you love the plans for the mural component of this partnership as much as we do! “Planting a Seed” is an original work by artist Mila Sketch. Passers-by will see Mila working on this project starting in March; she expects it to take roughly 120 hours to complete.

(And yes, the trees in this mockup photo will see some selective pruning to ensure the incoming mural has a chance to shine!)

City recognizes 35-year public servant

Battalion Chief Doug Haas was just 16 years old when he started working on behalf of Keller residents. The year was 1985, and when a call came in about a fire in town, Doug and his friends would leave class at Keller High School and jump into action as part of the city’s all-volunteer department.

“One time the fire was at the school,” Haas remembers, “so I left class, drove to the station to get the fire truck, and then we drove the truck back to campus to fight the fire.”

Two years later, he started his official work as a city employee as a meter reader with the water department while still serving with the Fire volunteers. And in 1988, he became one of Keller’s first full-time firefighters when the city transitioned to a paid department.

“I’m 13 — lucky Number 13,” he says, referring to his department badge number. “Now we’re up in the 240s.”

So, is this a retirement announcement? Nope!

“I just like it here,” Haas said. “I grew up here; it’s a peaceful town; I like the people I work with; the city’s great. This is family.”

Haas was recently honored at the city’s annual Employee Recognition Ceremony for reaching his 35-year milestone as a Keller employee, and he’s not done yet.

“My goal was to go as high as I could while staying on shift,” he said. “I accomplished that, what, 12 years ago now? But I still love the job. It’s something different every day.”

While the job has changed over the decades, the heart of Keller Fire-Rescue is still service, Haas said: service to one another and the residents. In some ways, the job is easier now than when he was younger; when Keller was smaller, he says, it wasn’t uncommon for him to know the people he was trying to save. Now, he’s just hoping he doesn’t finish his checklist of calls he had hoped to avoid before retirement.

“The three calls I never wanted to run were a chemical fire, a fire at a nursing home, and an airplane crash,” he said. “Over the last year and a half, I’ve run the first two. Fingers crossed we don’t catch that third before I put in my notice.”

So what’s his advice to the next generation of firefighters? Go to school, he said; having a bachelor’s degree will help you move through the ranks.

“And just remember that this job is about others — it’s not about you,” he said. “If you’re not in it to serve others, you won’t make it.”  

Congrats on the big 3-5, Chief Haas!

Traffic Update: Atmos project on Keller Parkway 

Eastbound drivers on Keller Parkway continue to encounter a lane closure just ahead of the Pearson Lane intersection. We’ve touched base with Atmos about the repair project they had hoped would only take a few days, and they’ve confirmed that between weather issues earlier in the month and uncovering some unknown assets, they are now significantly behind their initial projections.

Their current goal is to finish the project by the end of next week, though they cautioned that the availability of parts and materials may still impact that timeline. Drivers will continue to see daily lane closures for the sake of the construction crew’s safety until they’re wrapped up.

KPD arrests suspect in package theft cases

Valentine's Day may have passed, but we’re thinking about all the things we love. Two big ones? Quick-thinking officers and quality home surveillance systems!

Keller Police recently arrested Victoria Mbagwuh on Theft of Property charges related to cases involving package thefts from residents’ porches.

Officers were able to use the footage from one of our victim’s home security systems to identify the vehicle, then link that video to a traffic stop, and match the body-worn camera footage of the suspect from the traffic stop to the suspect in the home security video.

A total of five cases from Keller were cleared with this arrest, and several more from other cities are now being connected to this porch pirate. 

COMING SOON: Huckleberry's Breakfast & Lunch

Stuffed French toast, andouille sausage and shrimp-topped Skillet Hotties and scratch-made soups? Count us in! A new breakfast and brunch spot with a Cajun flare is on its way to Keller Parkway.

Huckleberry's Breakfast and Lunch is a California-based eatery that offers "Southern Cookin’ with a California twist.” The restaurant prides itself on three things: great food, great people and a great atmosphere. When you enter Huckleberry’s, you are transported to the bayou, where the zydeco music plays and weeping willow trees swing in the breeze.

Their menu is packed to the gills with favorites like creole catfish, chicken-fried steak, fried green tomatoes, shrimp po-boys and more. If that’s not enough, how about a Mardi Gras beignet sitting on vanilla cream and topped with fresh fruit? Pair that with a bayou bloody mary, signature mimosa or espresso, and you’ll be all set. So, are you ready to go to N’awlins yet?

The Huckleberry’s location at 711 Keller Pkwy. will be their first in Texas. They plan to open in early June and operate from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. To view their menu, visit huckleberrys.com. 

Tickets on sale now for local FWSO concert

The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra returns to Keller for its annual concert hosted by Keller Public Arts at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 1, at Keller High School's Fine Arts Center, 601 Pate Orr Road.

Tickets, $5 per person, may be purchased at the door or in advance at one of the following locations: The Keller Pointe (405 Rufe Snow Drive), Keller Town Hall (1100 Bear Creek Pkwy.) and the Keller Senior Activities Center (640 Johnson Road, Bldg. C). Tickets are also available online at the link below.

Want to make a night of it? FnG Eats in Keller Town Center will once again offer a "Dinner & Symphony" deal that evening featuring a special menu. Call 817-741-5200 for reservations.

For additional information about the Public Arts Program or the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra performance, please contact the City of Keller at 817-743-4000 or [email protected].  

Purchase Tickets

Animal Services offers tips to avoid egret nesting 

Egret season has arrived! Between February and June, North Texas will see thousands of these migratory birds flock in to build their nests. It’s an essential part of the circle of life, but it also comes with lots of bird poop, noise, falling plumage, and other cleanup.

As a reminder, egrets are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which means that once they begin nesting and producing eggs, they cannot be harassed or moved.

Residents can, however, work to keep them from setting up house in their neighborhood in the first place. Now is the time to take these steps if you have encountered egret issues in the past (or happen to notice scout birds in your area):

- Trim back and thin trees
- Hang reflective streamers in trees
- Set up scary “eye” balloons filled with helium (to fly above the trees)
- Make loud noises using tools like air horns, bells, or banging pots and pans
- Remove any old/abandoned nests
- Shine lights into trees at night
- Check daily for early nesting material in your trees and knock it down

- Now Hiring -

The City of Keller is searching for talented people! Click on any position below to learn more and submit your application.

Animal Control Officer I
Dispatcher
Facility Maintenance Worker
Maintenance Worker - Parks
Maintenance Worker - Streets
Planning Technician
Police Officer
Program Coordinator
Water/Wastewater Maintenance Worker
Water/Wastewater Maintenance Worker II

The Keller Pointe
Building Maintenance Technician

Seasonal Positions
Childcare Attendant
Customer Service Assistant
Customer Service Representative I
Customer Service Representative II
Lifeguard
Recreation Assistant
Recreation Coordinator
Summer Camp Coordinator
Summer Camp Counselor

The City of Keller is an Equal Opportunity Employer

- Upcoming Public Meetings -

Feb. 20
Economic Development Board

Feb. 21
Keller City Council

Feb. 28
Planning & Zoning Commission

March 1
Senior Citizens Advisory Committee

March 6
Library Board - CANCELED

March 7
Keller City Council

March 8
Public Arts Board

March 9
Parks & Recreation Board

March 14
Planning & Zoning Commission

Public meetings take place at Keller Town Hall
unless otherwise noted.

- Pets Of The Week -
These pets are looking for their new forever homes now at the Keller Regional
Animal Adoption Center at KPD, 330 Rufe Snow Drive.