Northlake council approves consent items, DCAD ballot allocation and annexation; mayor recognized new police hires

At its November meeting, the Northlake Town Council approved routine consent items, cast the town’s official Denton Central Appraisal District (DCAD) board votes and approved a 57-acre voluntary annexation for industrial development.

The council approved five consent items by single motion; the mayor noted these items were previously budgeted and staff has already vetted purchases. The motion carried unanimously, 7-0.

On a separate motion, a councilmember moved to allocate all 14 of Northlake’s DCAD votes to Rob Altman; the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. Council then opened and closed a required public hearing and voted to annex about 57 acres (a development plan calls for four warehouses totaling just over 900,000 square feet). Council welcomed the property into town and approved the annexation, also by a unanimous 7-0 vote.

Earlier in the meeting the council paused for a ceremonial recognition. Police Chief Crawford introduced a long list of new employees hired in 2024 and noted the department’s staffing progress: he said the department lost two officers last year, is at about 26 now and expects to reach about 28 once open positions are filled. "We have a long list of new employees tonight," Chief Crawford said as he introduced new sergeants and officers and a civilian police support specialist.

Council entered executive session near the end of the evening under the attorney–client exception and other permitted sections but returned at 7:38 p.m. with no action taken and adjourned by general consent.