McLendon-Chisholm celebrates grand opening of new city hall

(MCLENDON-CHISHOLM, TX – April 25, 2016) The McLendon-Chisholm community gathered to celebrate the grand opening of its new city hall with a ribbon cutting ceremony and dedication on Saturday, April 23. In what amounted to a citywide collaborative effort, many community members donated money, items and services towards the completion of the 5,000 square foot facility located at 1371 W FM 550.

“Today I want to dedicate this city hall to the citizens of McLendon-Chisholm; It’s their city hall, no one else’s,” said McLendon-Chisholm Mayor Gary Moody. “The long road to its completion has been an affiliation of many people’s efforts and love in this city, and I cannot think of a greater blessing for this city to have.”

Mayor Moody, city council members and city staff welcomed many Rockwall County officials and locals during the dedication, as well as State Senator Bob Hall who read a proclamation in recognition of the new city hall:

Whereas residents of McLendon-Chisholm are gathering on April 23, 2016, for the grand opening of their new city hall;

And whereas McLendon-Chisholm was established separately in the late 1800s, and in 1969 they incorporated as a single community in order to preserve the area’s unique rural lifestyle, and in recent years the town’s population has expanded to more than 2,000 inhabitants;

McLendon-Chisholm Mayor Gary Moody (left) and State Senator Bob Hall

And whereas under the leadership of Mayor Gary Moody and city council members Gary Lovell, Jack Pullen, Patrick Short, Steve Hatfield and Jerry Klutts, the City has completed a new 5,000 square foot municipal complex to better provide for the needs of the city government, and the building compliments the facilities owned by the volunteer fire department which the city council has been sharing;

And whereas this handsome new structure includes a community room as well as a city council chambers, and its construction benefitted from approximately $250,000 of donations or discounted items from members of the community;

And whereas the citizens of McLendon-Chisholm are working to secure their town’s special character while building towards an even brighter future, and the completion of the new city hall represents a significant milestone in the rich history of this community;

And now therefore it be resolved that the dedication of the new McLendon-Chisholm City Hall be commemorated and that all those in attendance be extended sincere best wishes for an enjoyable memorial event in the state of Texas.

Hall added that the facility represented a true participation of the McLendon-Chisholm citizens in their local government.

“That’s the kind of way it’s nice to do things, is when the community comes together and says, ‘we are part of the government,’ because we are a government of the people and by the people, and that’s what I call real participation,” Hall said.

The facility embodies the hard work and expertise of many area residents, including local mosaic artist Barbara Dybala who designed the city seal and Karen Laughlin, a local interior decorator responsible for all the interior décor found within the facility.

“It’s really been a blessing to me,” Laughlin said, addressing the many in attendance of the dedication. “I look at all of you and I hope that you enjoy this facility, and know that a lot of people put in a lot of long, hard hours to make this possible for all of you to enjoy, and to have something to be proud of.”

Story and photos by Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News editor.

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