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City of Woodway
Welcome to Woodway! We are best known for our outstanding services, schools, & beautiful amenities.
“The red and white and starry blue is freedom’s shield and hope.” —John Philip Sousa![]()
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The City of Woodway wishes all of our residents a safe and celebratory Independence Day!![]()
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We extend our gratitude to those who are working today while others enjoy this holiday, and to those who have served or are serving in our Armed Forces to preserve this day and the freedom it represents. Finally, thank you to the first responders- police, fire, EMS, lifeguards, doctors, & nurses - who are charged with keeping us safe as we celebrate.
City of Woodway offices will be closed on Friday, July 4th, in observance of Independence Day. All scheduled trash pickups will be delayed by one day for the second trash day.![]()
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If you need assistance during this time, please call our non-emergency number at 254.772.4470.
This is the perfect opportunity for the young explorer in your life! Get them out and about in nature with the Carleen Bright Arboretum’s Explorers Camp this summer.
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Join the Woodway Family Center in Keeping Cops Cool this summer! ![]()
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The Woodway Family Center is collecting bottled water and Gatorade now through July 14, and you can help!![]()
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Let’s support our incredible Woodway Public Safety Officers as they work hard to keep us safe in the Texas heat. Every donation goes directly to the officers to help keep them cool, hydrated, and mission-ready.![]()
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📍Drop off your donations in the Woodway Family Center foyer during normal business hours.
ROOTS AND WINGS: Family Trees and Lasting Legacies![]()
Part 2: Donald J. Baker![]()
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As you enter the lobby of Woodway’s City Hall building and turn to the right, you will see a set of double doors that, when open, provide visitors with access to the Council Chambers. To the left of those doors is a large display with names and photos of current City Councilmembers, updated shortly after each new member is elected. One name from the past will never be forgotten, however, as while Donald J. Baker’s photo is no longer on the plaque, it is now prominently displayed above the door. ![]()
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Don Baker was born April 1, 1940, in Austin, Texas and moved to Waco in 1949. His graduation from Waco High School in 1958 marked only the first in a litany of educational achievements. He majored in business at Baylor University, earning his bachelor's degree in 1962 and his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification two months later. He went on to graduate from Baylor Law School and be admitted to the Texas Bar in 1964, and then to obtain a Master of Laws in Taxation from New York University Law School in 1965. Baker’s 50-year law career would see him appointed to practice in multiple courts throughout the United States and Texas; US Court of Appeals, US Tax Court, US District Court, and the Supreme Court of Texas.![]()
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Beyond his successful career, Don Baker still made time to serve as an active member of his community, including as President of the Northwestern Little League (now known as Lake Air Little League), Commissioner of the Texas Teenage Baseball League (District 14), Boy Scouts of America, Downtown Waco, Goodwill Industries, and a Lifetime Member of Ducks Unlimited, to name a few. ![]()
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In the early 1980s, Baker was serving on Bankruptcy Court and Paul Hubbard (Mayor from 1983-1985) recruited him to serve on the Planning and Zoning Commission. In a statement written for Woodway’s 50th anniversary celebration, then-Mayor Baker wrote, “He said that it would only take me one night a month. Although I had no idea what Planning and Zoning was or did, Paul talked me into it.”![]()
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Baker was already beginning to make his mark on city government when, in 1991, there was a vacancy on City Council and, again, the current mayor approached him. Don Moes, who was elected to Council in 1988 and served as Mayor from 1990 to 1994, encouraged him to run, saying that it was easy and would only take two nights a month. In his 50th anniversary statement, Baker recounts the conversation, adding that he “found that it takes far, far more than that.”![]()
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Donald J. Baker would be elected to City Council in 1991 and, upon the departure of Don Moes in 1994, was selected by fellow Council members to succeed him as Mayor. As a child, he watched the city grow from a few houses, a cement plant, and a two-lane Highway 84. He was 15 when Woodway was incorporated, and 33 when the charter was drafted for a home-rule form of government. At 54, he was chosen to lead, and he would continue to do so for more than two decades. His integrity, professional demeanor, and knowledge of law and finance made him an excellent choice to guide the still-expanding community.![]()
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Mayor Baker retired after 23 years as Mayor and, as a new charter introduced term limits in 2012, he will likely forever remain the longest serving mayor in Woodway’s history. Much of the Woodway our residents enjoy today came about under his guidance, including the Arboretum and the City office complex which, when he was elected, was located at 200 Sharron. His mark is also found throughout our city ordinances, which he and his fellow Councilmembers continued to develop and improve over the years to protect and preserve the community they loved. So great was his impact that, in 2013, the City Council Chambers were renamed in his honor. ![]()
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Don Baker passed away on Thursday, June 13, 2019, with his wife of 52 years, Charlie, and family by his side. However, his name lives on with the Donald J. Baker Council Chambers, appearing not only above the door, but at the top of every public meeting agenda, and his wisdom will continue for generations with the many organizations, city projects, and ordinances to which he selflessly dedicated his time and energy. ![]()
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If you have been enjoying this type of historical content, please stay tuned! Though the official 70th Anniversary celebration has passed, we will honor our community and the legacy of all who came before by continuing these brief glimpses into the history and foundation of Woodway.
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