The Heath City Council embraced a hometown tradition seen in communities throughout America by voting to place the Rockwall-Heath High School logo on the water tower that is now under construction.

The vote during a Special Meeting on May 8 authorized Mayor John Ratcliffe to execute a change order to the construction agreement with the contractor of the north 1,500,000-gallon elevated water tower. The original agreement included placing the City of Heath logo in three locations on the bowl of the water tower. The change order replaces one of the City logos with the RHHS Hawk mascot and the trademark “H”.

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“Placing the public high school logo on the community’s water tower is a custom in towns throughout Texas and across the country, and we’ve had enormous support for doing so here in Heath,” said Councilmember Justin Holland. “I think it’s important that we continue this tradition with our new water tower to honor and support the students at Heath High School who make us so proud of their accomplishments both scholastically and in extracurricular athletics and activities.”

Mayor Ratcliffe also noted that RHHS has been identified as one of Heath’s primary economic engines by a planning and development expert assisting the Heath Economic Development Corporation.
“Heath High is a big part of what makes our community attractive to both residents and businesses. The daily student population plus the ongoing events and activities that draw guests from outside of Heath support current and future retail and restaurant establishments. The school is one of the amenities that make Heath a premier hometown and great place to visit,” said Mayor Ratcliffe.

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A local “specific-purpose” political action committee has surfaced in Heath, Texas in the wake of the city’s first referendum regarding the “legal sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption only.”

Heath F-O-R PAC is in favor of this measure which will appear on the May 12, 2012 ballot as a Special Election along with the Mayor place and two city council places.

The group’s main platform is bringing quality commercial and retail development to Heath. The group’s website declares that a successful passing of this measure will lead to the development of a grocery store, a town center, drug store, more restaurants and further professional retail.

“F-O-R” stands for “Future”, “Opportunity” and “Revenue.”

Heath is largely a residential community which gains most of its income from ad valorem real estate taxes. Heath has been able to maintain the same tax rate for the past 20 years. Increased retail and commercial development in Heath means a tax relief on the dependency of ad valorem revenues and increased revenue from sales tax.

When asked why beer and wine is the key to retail development, local citizen and supporter Justin Holland stated that, “Real estate developers and retailers such as grocery stores will not choose site locations that aren’t zoned for beer and wine sales. If we want to start developing quality commercial and retail in Heath, it’s crucial that our citizens vote for this measure. This election is the catalyst for future development in Heath.”

The Heath Economic Development Corporation recently approved the following declaration at their March 27, 2012 meeting: “Whereas, the Heath Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) has conducted numerous studies regarding ways to promote desirable avenues of development in the City of Heath; and Whereas, the results of those studies and communications with potential developers have indicated that approval of the measure to “legalize the sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption only” would greatly enhance the likelihood that grocery and other low impact retail would locate in the City of Heath; Now, therefore, the HEDC finds that the approval of the measure to “legalize the sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption only” will result in increased and enhanced economic development in the City of Heath.”

For more information, email info@heathforit.com, visit heathforit.com or see their Facebook page.

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