Posted on: September 17, 2019
How community input drives design of Allen’s favorite spots to play.
A bat sweeps through the humid air hovering over home plate. A softball meets the edge with a metallic thwunk. Cheers erupt from the concrete bleachers as the player rounds first. Lights illuminate the outfield as the ball bounces into a waiting mitt.
Thre...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: August 5, 2019
How Community Development staff protects Allen’s character and plans for its future.
Every time Allen racks up another accolade (such as CNBC’s “Best Suburb in Texas” or MONEY Magazine’s “#2 Best Place to Launch a Career”), Allen residents are delighted, but not surprised.“No wonder I love living here!” gushed one citizen on Facebook.“Shh...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: September 17, 2019
From automation to artificial intelligence, Allen’s Finance Department harnesses technology to keep costs in check.
If time is money, then wasted time is wasted money. And wasted money is something the City of Allen Finance Department can’t stand.
“We’re constantly on the hunt for savings,” said Eric Cannon, Allen’s Chie...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: September 17, 2019
Community Services puts heart and soul into Allen’s “dirty jobs.”
There are dozens of job titles in Allen’s Community Services department. Water Foreman. Pump Station Operator. Fleet Coordinator. Lead Custodian. But to succeed at any one of them, Director Steve Massey believes you must be part mechani...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: September 17, 2019
How Allen Fire Department empowers every citizen to save lives.
Allen Fire Chief Jon Boyd knows the value of special equipment. In fact, his department purchased $1.1 million of it last year alone—including extrication tools to free trapped drivers in seconds, thermal imagers to illuminate signs of life in a...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: September 17, 2019
Allen Police Department initiates a new program to help prevent every parent’s worst nightmare.
From Sandy Hook to Santa Fe, two words echo in the aftermath of nearly every school shooting. The simple refrain slices through debates about background checks and waiting periods, metal detectors and armed teachers, revealing a security gap no single pol...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: September 17, 2019
Allen Public Library holds a mirror to the community through programs, acquisitions and outreach.
Step into Allen Public Library any day of the week and you’ll be met with a hive-like hum of activity. Children flit from fish tank to finger puppets on the way to story time. Students swarm tables, study rooms and quiet patches of carpet, a web of laptop...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: September 17, 2019
Allen engineers find innovative solutions to keep traffic, waste and business moving.
Ask anyone in North Texas to name the worst thing about living here, and you’re bound to hear the same word over and over. Traffic. From 2018 to 2019, the North Central Texas Council of Governments estimates Collin County grew by more t...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: September 17, 2019
Allen’s City Secretary adds new features to help citizens access public records.
It’s perhaps the most misunderstood title in city government, but it’s one City Secretary Shelley George wears with pride and good humor.
“I once took a call from a longtime resident asking me to type a letter for her,&rdq...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: September 17, 2019
A dazzling hotel and convention center draws new visitors (and dollars) to Allen.
When the first guest checked in to the Delta by Marriott Dallas Allen and Watters Creek Convention Center on January 15, they weren’t just booking a room. They were ushering in a new era of Allen tourism.
“It changes the entire landscap...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: September 17, 2019
Streamlined hiring helps Allen snag top candidates before someone else does.
Economic booms, like the one rippling furiously across North Texas, give cities like Allen a lot to celebrate. Unemployment is low. Wages are up. People feel better about taking professional risks, such as starting a business or gunning for a new job.
The ...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: September 17, 2019
Allen Economic Development Corporation courts the employers of tomorrow.
In the early 90s, City leaders realized Allen had a problem. The population was booming, more than doubling to 18,000 residents within a decade. But with few businesses, homeowners were shouldering nearly all the tax burden.
“At the time, we were...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: September 17, 2019
Invisible networks, designed by I.T. staff, make Allen secure, agile and resilient.
When twelve of the world’s top Overwatch players took the stage in front of thundering fans at Allen Event Center, a municipal technology budget was likely the last thing on their minds. Yet as the match unfolded on the arena’s jumbotr...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: September 17, 2019
Allen’s Public and Media Relations Office uses creativity to inform and inspire.
From the pages of a favorite fairytale to the latest binge-worthy streaming series, we humans are captivated by stories. They instruct, influence, infuriate and inspire. They introduce us to new perspectives and help us investigate our world.
Whether posti...
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Stories of Service
Posted on: September 17, 2019
Mayor Stephen Terrell leaves his mark on Allen.
Mayor Stephen Terrell leaves his mark on Allen
When Mayor Stephen Terrell was first elected to Allen City Council in 1991, the city population had just crossed the 20,000 mark. As a small business owner, Terrell was driven to expand Allen’s economic tax ba...
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Stories of Service