Gary's Commitment
I asked for your Help and Support five years ago. I made a pledge to you and the voters of Precinct 3 that I would work toward change in a number of areas. I said that we would lower the tax rate, and we DID. We also lowered the tax rate for the Tarrant County Hospital District.
We are now in the midst of a Transportation Transformation in Northeast Tarrant County. Projects that many of us have been working on for decades have been funded. These include the DFW Connector and the North Tarrant Express. The total cost of these two projects exceeds $4 billion. When completed, our mobility will greatly increase as will our quality of life. It will be much easier to get from home to work, shopping, entertainment and family activities.
Healthcare improvements are very important to the citizens of Northeast Tarrant County. We have worked with JPS Health System to improve access for all, and the quality of care for our patients. Precinct 3 area facilities include the JPS Northeast Clinic on Brown Trail in Bedford and JPS Gertrude Tarpley Clinic at Rufe Snow Boulevard and Watauga Road Both clinics are full service.
We also have five school-based clinics, located in Hurst, Grapevine, Fort Worth and North Richland Hills. These serve school age children on the campus (over 2,000 per week). We have worked with our local school districts to provide this valuable service. These clinics serve children at the first sign of illness and hopefully can prevent them from visiting the emergency room.
With the start of our Northeast Senior Task Force, we will continue to provide needed resources to assist seniors in their everyday lives. This includes healthcare needs, transportation issues, senior isolation, prevention of scams, senior employment and many other areas. The Task Force’s diligent efforts led to the creation of Empowering Seniors. Started back in 2009, this event now draws over 1,000 seniors and baby boomers each October.
Quality economic development is key to providing the continued positive growth we enjoy in Northeast Tarrant County. When you demand quality, you receive long-term value. Our Economic Development Department works with all the cities in Precinct 3 to enhance their ability to attract development that fits the needs of their citizens.
I made a commitment to you, the voters…I’ll continue working to fulfill that promise.
Gary Fickes