FY 2009 Popular Annual Financial Report FY 2009 Popular Annual Financial Report | Page 18

2009 Achievements in Excellence
Andrew Hayter
is known to
be one of the
earliest settlers
in an area that
became known
as Arlington,
Texas. In
2009, the City
of Arlington
unveiled the
Andrew Hayter Historical Marker in Founders Plaza. Hayter is
considered to be the father of Arlington, and his bronze sculpture and
marker imprint tell the story of his efforts to establish Arlington along
the railroad tracks in 1876.

In 2009, Arlington was the host city for the Barbara Jordan
Media Awards Luncheon, held at Cowboys Stadium. The event
celebrated the contributions of media organizations that encourage
the accurate and progressive portrayal of people with disabilities. This
event was hosted by the Arlington Mayor’s Committee on People with
Disabilities. The awards luncheon also featured tours of the Cowboys
Stadium to showcase accommodations for stadium guests with
disabilities.
The City of Arlington continues a commitment to people with
disabilities through its partnership with Push America/Journey
of Hope. Since 1996, Arlington has been a host city for teams of
cyclists on a 4,000-mile cross-country trek to raise funds and support
for programs that serve people with disabilities. Their journey of
hope begins in San Francisco and Seattle, and ends in Washington,
D.C. Arlington is near the midway point for the southern route. The
cyclists’ two-day stay in Arlington includes water park activities with
children with disabilities and a championship game with the Movin’
Mavs wheelchair basketball team.

In 2009, the Arlington Historical Society unveiled historical
signage in Founders Plaza to honor the descendants of six families
who were instrumental in the early development of the Arlington
community. Some of Arlington’s major streets, an elementary school
and golf course currently bear the names of these individuals and
their families. The honorees included the Collins, Cooper, Ditto,
Rankin, Rogers and Rose families.

Arlington’s Victim Assistance Program received an Excellence
in Victim’s Assistance Award for innovative approaches to
providing services to crime victims. The award was presented at the
International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Denver.
In 2008, the victim assistance program provided crisis intervention,
criminal justice support, assessment, referral and follow-up services
to more than 14,000 crime victims.

The USTA National Open Championship returned to the Arlington
Tennis Center for a ninth consecutive year in 2009. The five-day
tournament featured top tennis players from around the country in
the girls’ age 14 division to compete in singles and doubles.

The new Arlington Urban Design Center opened in 2009. A
collaborative program
between the City of
Arlington and UTArlington, this project
gives design students
hands-on experience on
real time development
projects at City Hall.
The program facilitates
public dialogue about urban design and its impact on the community.

The Office of Communication earned two First Place Awards from
the National City County Communications and Marketing
Association for the in-house production of economic development
videos that market Arlington as a premier destination for business.
The awards were presented in Phoenix, Arizona.
Mayor Robert Cluck was elected to the Advisory Board of the U.S.
Conference of Mayors. This board consists of mayors from across
the nation who are active in advocating policies that impact urban
America and metropolitan areas.

Popular Annual Financial Report for 2009

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