C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T S C O M M I T T E E

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1 Vol.4 Issue 11 November 2016 Shady Shores News C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T S C O M M I T T E E Happy thanksgiving

2 P a g e 2 NOTES FROM TOWN HALL Notes From Town Hall By Wendy Withers November has been a busy month for town staff and council. The Town Council met in regular session on November 14, Some items discussed included a follow-up discussion of internet service for the town. The code enforcement process was discussed. The investment committee met earlier in the evening and council reviewed and approved the report. In addition, the Zoning Board of Adjustment heard two requests for variances. The Planning and Zoning Commission is currently reviewing the subdivision ordinance and making updates as needed. A conditional approval of the final plat for Adkisson Ranch was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission on November 17, The Town Council will meet in a special called session on November 29 th, 2016 to consider and take action on the plat. Town Hall will be closed November 24 th and 25 th in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Amber and I wish each of you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving! Dear Residents: Letter to Residents Concerning Billing Statements It has come to our attention that some of the billing statements for your solid waste account may have gone out with an incorrect due date on them. The current bill is due December 15 th that bill will cover the months of January, February and March If you have a past due amount, you must pay the past due amount as soon as possible to avoid a disruption in service. We have noted your concerns about the billing statements and are working diligently to improve the look of the invoices and statements that we send. We thank you all for your patience as we work through the details of providing this service. If you have any questions, please don t hesitate to contact us at any time. Thank you Wendy Withers, TRMC, CMC Town Hall Staff

3 P a g e 3 SSshadS SHADY SHORES CHRISTMAS December 3 rd from 2-7 pm Shady Shores Community Center Schedule of Events 2:00-7:00 Vendors with handmade Gifts 2:30-4:00 Hay Rides & Games 4:00-6:00 Santa & Mrs. Claus Free Pictures 6:00 Stephens Elementary School Choir 6:15 Santa & Mrs. Claus will light the Town Tree Jingle Bells Jingle Bells Jingle all the way Oh what fun it is to shop and play in Shady Shores today *Hey* Come on out, Bring the Kids there s lots of games to play Santa s here with all the gear, you can shop and eat all day *Hey* Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way December 3rd starts the fun For A Shady Shores Christmas Day

4 P a g e 4 LAKE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICES SURVEY In an effort to better serve the residents of Shady Shores, the Lake Dallas Public Library staff would like you to take a few minutes to let us know what types of services you would like the library to provide. Please bring or mail the completed survey to Shady Shores Town Hall/Community Center at 101 S. Shady Shores Road, Shady Shores, TX by Friday, December 2 nd, You can also fill the survey out online. Thank you for your time. PROGRAMS 1. What days would fit your schedule? Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 2. What times would fit your schedule? Other 3. What type of program(s) would you like the library to provide? Circle all that apply Basic computer instruction Health/nutrition/exercise Movies Book club Employment resources Personal finance Arts/crafts Children s Other 4. How often would you attend a program? Weekly Twice a month Once a month Every other month Other 5. What types of services would you like the Lake Dallas Public Library to Provide to the residents of Shady Shores? Programs for Adults Basic computer instruction Movies Programs for teens Reference and Referral (Ask a Librarian) Employment Resources Programs for children Homebound Services Other

5 P a g e 5 Wild Side of Shady Shores American Coot Photos & Article by Rebecca Morgan The red-eyed, dark-gray to black birds with bright white bills & foreheads swimming in the lake are American Coots [aka mud hens or marsh hens ]. For many, the word Coot brings to mind nothing more than doddering old codgers and curmudgeons. Nature lovers see them as a collection of charming charcoal wading birds, and a good example that not all water birds are ducks. Unlike ducks, when swimming, Coots propel themselves through the water by pumping their heads back & forth. On land, they are more like chickens. Their yellow-green legs do not include webbed feet. In fact, they have big feet with lobed toes. Their lobed toes plus their short rounded wings make taking flight from the water rather awkward & often clumsy. Coots cannot take-off from a dead start. They must get a running start across the water, flapping their wings furiously to build up enough speed to lift-off. Once airborne, they can fly as well as any other bird. Coots are tough, adaptable water birds. You can find them grazing on plants in, or around, almost any body of water; they also feed on various insects, tadpoles, fish, worms & snails by up-ending and by diving in shallow water. Plus they will steal food from other birds. American Coots mate for life and are highly territorial during the breeding season with both males & females fighting with neighbors to maintain a small territory where they obtain all their food. Hidden in the reeds, where they are not easily reached by land predators, the male & female work together to build three floating nests of dead cattails & reeds. The first nest is for roosting; the second is the egg nest & the third is a brood nest. The female then lays 8-12 eggs. Plus, if the opportunity presents itself, the female will lay an egg or two in another coot s nest. But, facing the reality that they won t be able to find enough food to satisfy all the chicks, the coots identify other parents eggs based on differences in color & patterns pushing foreign eggs to the sides.

6 P a g e 6 Both parents incubate the eggs for days. When the chicks hatch, they pay attention to the hatching order. Coots reason that the first egg in their own nest is theirs, so the first chick is probably theirs. Any chick that doesn t look like the first chick is probably not theirs. So as not to waste precious resources on a chick that s not carrying their own DNA, chicks not identified as theirs are killed. Chicks have bald red heads with orange tipped plumes called chick ornaments. The parents preferentially feed the largest chicks with the brightest plumes first, at the expense of the smaller ones. If a smaller one does manage to survive, they go from ignoring that chick to treating it like royalty. It has proven itself to be genetically strong. Within 6 hours of hatching, the chicks can swim & leave the nest. They can fly at about 7-8 weeks. Coots have a reputation for being mean-spirited, which is where the epithet You old Coot! originates. They have been known to discipline their chicks by grabbing them by the head and thrashing them around. Adults Coots are prey to eagles, hawks & owls. In fact, Coots comprise approximately 80% of the Bald Eagle s diet. Eggs and nestlings fall prey to raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes, & snapping turtles. The average coot lives about nine years with the oldest know coot having lived over 24 years. Although the American Coot can be found in our area year-round, they are migratory birds and, as such, are protected by the "Migratory Bird Treaty Act of Coots migrate in large noisy flocks called covers or rafts, but their migration is highly irregular and contingent upon the weather, not the length of day as in most migratory birds.

7 P a g e 7 December 3 Community Events Calendar Bazaar 2:00 7:00 pm. Tree Lighting 6: 15pm. Community Events Committee meets monthly at 9:00 am in the Town Hall on the Thursday following the Town Council Meeting. The CEC meeting will be followed by the Keep Shady Shores Beautiful Committee. Interested residents are welcome to attend one or both committee meetings. SEE PAGE 3 FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT A SHADY SHORES CHRISTMAS COMPLETE WITH LYR- ICS TO JINGLE BELLS BY MINDY GRIMES. Happy Mother and daughter at the Chili Cook-Off. It was a great family time. Good food, relaxing atmosphere, and a chance to visitwith neighbors. Plan now to attend next year. I heard one young man say it was his favorite event of the year. Special thanks to the Community Events Committee for all their hard work. It was GREAT. Photo of: Wruschka Gerber andamelda Kamstra

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9 P a g e 9 H e l p f u l n u m b e r s Town Office S. Shady Shores Rd Shady Shores, Tx Service Providers Charter Cable Co Serve Gas or (24-hour) Oncor Electric (24-hour) Community Waste Disposal or Century Link (Telephone) Denton County Household Hazardous Waste Lake Dallas Public Library Lake Cities Municipal Utility Authority Corinth Police Department Non- Emergency Lake Cities Fire Department Animal Control (All American Dogs) Code Enforcement (All American Dogs) Lake Dallas Post Office Atmos Energy (Gas) These numbers are copied directly from