From concept to reality

From concept to reality

Written by Kara Vaught Thursday, 07 June 2007

Pflugerville and Round Rock organizations motivated by community aspirations rely on dedication of leaders and volunteers to improve and sustain local quality of life

Round Rock’s Momentum

While many cities use a half-cent sales tax to fund economic development activities, Round Rock puts its pennies toward transportation infrastructure. Thus, the chamber of commerce in Round Rock officially established Momentum in 2004 as the economic development office’s funding arm.

Businesses and individuals join Momentum by committing to contribute funds for five-year increments, and the city matches those monies almost 2-to-1. Momentum already exceeded its goal of $1.25 million raised by 2009 by raising $1.6 million, to which the city added $2.5 million. A quarterly meeting between Momentum members and the economic development office keeps the investors informed.

“We’re probably the best example of a city and chamber working together on the same page,” said Joe Vining, vice president of economic development for the chamber. “We all have the shared vision for the community to succeed by increasing the tax base and decreasing reliance on sales tax.”

The first goal of the economic development office and Momentum is to strengthen existing business because the majority of jobs created in Round Rock are from existing firms, said chamber president Charlie Dromgoole.

A team led by Charley Ayres, the chamber’s director of business retention and expansion, is in constant communication with Round Rock business leaders to determine and address their needs and challenges.

“Sometimes they get really global requests and sometimes it’s as simple as putting up a stop sign,” said Landy Warren, chamber chairperson, former Momentum chair and vice president of First Texas Bank. “Charley and staff are able to take that and get it into the right area for consideration for city hall.”

While maintaining a strong foundation, the economic development office also seeks out new business opportunities by marketing nationally and sending Round Rock representatives to meet with interested industries, legislative delegations and educational facilities.

As a result, Warren said, Round Rock is competing on a national scale.

“There’s very much a can-do attitude here, and that’s what’s driven us beyond other communities near state capitals,” he said.

Successes of the economic development office, through funding from Momentum, include bringing retail developments such as IKEA, Round Rock Premium Outlets and two hospitals, Scott & White and Seton to the city. But the economic development team emphasized that they and Momentum were not solely responsible for the growth.

It’s been a community effort, they said.

Momentum

• The funding arm of the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce’s economic development group.
• Scott & White: Recruited with the help of Momentum
• 260,000 sq. ft.; 151 beds
• Investments/Jobs: $105,000,000

Projects that involved Momentum

• Round Rock Premium Outlets
  • More than 100 retail stores
  • Investment: $85-95 million
  • Jobs: 800 - 1,000
  • $15.2 million potential sales tax revenue
• Seton Medical Center
  • 320,000 sq.ft.; 180 beds
  • Investment:
  • $117 million Phase I
  • $354 million Phase II
• IKEA
  • 252,000 sq.ft. retail store with restaurant
  • Investment: $24 million
  • Jobs: 300

For more information about becoming a Momentum member, call Charlie Dromgoole at 255-5805 or e-mail dromgoole@roundrockchamber.org

Pfriends Pfor Pflugerville’s Pfuture

Pf4 is a 100 percent volunteer effort to provide funding for community needs that might otherwise fall by the wayside. Grant monies exist for almost any project imaginable, but many are available only to non-profit groups, not cities, which creates the need for a group like Pf4.

“This was a dream for a long time,” said Pflugerville City Manager and Pf4 President David Buesing. “It’s been in existence for four years now, and we did it all on a shoestring.”

Among Pf4’s projects are the Summer Opportunities program, wooden fishing piers at Lake Pflugerville and a memorial to local armed forces members.

With a $5,000 grant from Applied Materials for the summer opportunities program, Pf4 provided day camps and recreational center memberships for children who would have otherwise been left to care for themselves during the day.

Funds for the fishing piers were donated by neighborhood associations, the Pflugerville Community Development Corporation and private donations, and volunteer labor was donated by many civic and community groups to help complete construction.

The Fallen Warrior Memorial, located in Pfluger Park and dedicated in November 2005, is a life-size depiction of three generations of American armed forces. The names of local warriors who gave their lives are engraved in the memorial’s granite pentagon. Donations for the memorial came from numerous public and private donors.

Pf4 has also found grants for things such as video equipment to tape and broadcast public meetings, planting trees and upgrading community trails and sidewalks.

Buesing sought the help of the city’s grant writer, Michelle Pundt, as Pf4’s secretary. She has the task of assembling Pf4’s grant applications in a way that will make the group stand out among numerous competitors.

“Lots of folks don’t understand what is involved in writing a grant,” Buesing said. “They are hard to find; you have to search and be creative. It’s all in the wording.”

Many grants also require matching funds from the recipient, although some will accept volunteer labor.

“It’s often just our sweat match that we’re going to be able to give, but that’s one of best things you can give,” Buesing said.

Sometimes volunteering doesn’t require much sweat, but more hours.

The Friends of the Pflugerville Library, the Genealogy Society, the Heritage House Partners and others recently spent more than 2,400 hours recording and transcribing excerpts of 24 interviews of Pflugerville’s founding history, Pundt said. This $50,000 project ultimately cost less than $5,000 due to in-kind donations and volunteers. The resulting book, Pflugerville: A Heritage to Remember, sold out within 10 days and is in reprint.

The next Pf4 project is a KIDFish Tournament with the parks and recreation department from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Pflugerville.

“Pf4 assisted with the fundraising for the fishing piers, so it is always good to see the anglers enjoying the outdoors,” Pundt said.

“This is our contribution to the world,” Buesing said.

Pfriends Pfor Pflugervile’s Pfuture

• A nonprofit dedicated to fulfilling unmet community needs.
• The Fallen Warriors Memorial: Project supported by Pfriends Pfor Pflugerville’s Pfuture
  • Raised: $100,000

Projects that involved Pfriends Pfor Pflugerville’s Pfuture

• Piers at Lake Pflugerville
  • Raised $59,400
• Old Town Pflugerville Pocket Park
  • Raised $30,000

To volunteer or donate to Pfriends Pfor Pflugerville’s Pfuture, call Michelle Pundt at 990-4363 or e-mail mpundt@cityofpflugerville.com