[00:00:08]
SHE WORKS FROM, SHE JUST STAYING ON THE PHONE.
HOW YOU DOING, ATTORNEY? NO, YOU'RE NOT.
THE FIRST TIME PAUL DIDN'T CALL ME.
THE FIRST TIME MY FRIEND THAT WAS DOING, AND THEN HE CALLED.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AND I'M GETTING RID OF STUFF AND THERE'S SOMETHING I NEED TO DO.
WELL, WE'RE STILL TOO SHORT OF A FORM.
ISN'T IT WARM? THE MAJORITY? NO, WE HAVE NO HALF PLUS ONE.
WELL, DEBBIE IS NOT, UM, HOLD ON A SECOND AND LET ME, WHOEVER SAID I WASN'T HERE, I AM HERE.
NO, UH, I JUST SEE MY NAME ON THE SCREEN BECAUSE I SEE MY NAME ON THE SCREEN.
AND I SAID, WELL, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FLY BACK TO
CAUSE I CAN'T TAKE, SO I THOUGHT I MIGHT SEE HER THIS WEEK, BUT LOOK LIKE GOING TO DEBBIE.
WE DON'T SEE THERE RECENTLY DOWN THERE, THE BEGINNING.
AND SO MAYBE IT WAS APRIL, BUT MAYBE SEE IF I CAN SEND, WELL, I HAD MY MOTHER-IN-LAW BEFORE YOU GO ON THE CAMERA.
LET
THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES.
I HAVE, YOU CAN PUT IT WHEREVER YOU WANT.
[00:05:01]
CAN, I THINK YOU CAN PROBABLY SIT WHEREVER YOU'D LIKE THIS SIT.MY KIDS WERE HERE FROM LIKE, GOTTA GO.
IT'S GONNA BE CANCELED FOR TOMORROW.
AM I SUPPOSED TO BE HERE NOW? I DON'T KNOW WHAT I READ.
SO HE SAID, NO, I GOT MEET TODAY.
WHY DANCE TO BE A HOLIDAY, BUT PEOPLE OUTTA TOWN, WE'VE BEEN SO MUCH OH, NO.
SAID I CAN'T MAKE JERRY BACON.
IS THAT YOUR MEETINGS FOR THIS? EVERY ONE OF THEM? NO, I KNOW, RIGHT.
AND HE SAYS, SEND IT TO ME NOW.
OH,
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, I SAY THAT AND I DON'T SEE IT.
IT IS ON THE, I WOULDN'T PUSH IT.
I WOULDN'T GOOD EMAIL ADDRESS.
AND THEN THE KIDS WHO CAME BACK MORE HALF.
HOW YOU DOING ONE THERE? GET YOU A CHAIR OR SPACE.
WHAT DID YOU, WHAT DO YOU DO? I'M HAVE, IT'S JAMES, DO YOU HAVE ANY LUCK? ANY YOU HAVING ANY LUCK? ANY BURN ON? YES, I HAVE BUG.
I HAD THIS ONE PRETTY BUSY BEFORE THE MEETING STARTS.
[00:10:01]
THE, YOU HAVE TO BE ON SCREEN ALL THIS TIME AND EVERYTHING, BUT I HAVE MY, UH, POST-OP SURGICAL, UH, FOLLOW UP TODAY AND IT'S AT 1 45.SO WHAT IS THE EARLIEST I CAN LEAVE HERE? UM, I, WE DON'T HAVE ANY REAL OUTSIDE SPEAKERS TODAY, SO I'M, I'M THINKING THAT WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY FINISH EARLY ANYWAY.
BUT, UH, WHAT'S THE, YOU HAVE TO BE HERE FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE MEETING BE CONSIDERED PRESENT.
SO IF, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU LEFT AT ONE O'CLOCK, YOU'D BE SAFE.
HOW ARE YOU? HAD NO MOTHER-IN-LAW AND I'M SORRY, HUSBAND'S.
IT JUST, SOMEBODY CAME AND GOT IT.
GO GREEN AND THEN GO RED AGAIN.
OH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY, YEAH, WE'RE SUPPOSED
[Senior Affairs Commission on May 15, 2023.]
OH TWO.UH, I KNOW THAT BERNA MITCHELL IS PLANNING TO GET HOME REMOTELY AND HAS NOT GOTTEN THERE YET.
UM, FIRST THING UP WOULD BE, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
IS ANYBODY HERE FROM THE PUBLIC? YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TODAY? ANYBODY ONLINE? NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UH, EVERYONE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL MEETING? UH, A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
UH, ANY CONVERSATION OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MINUTES? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
THE, UH, QUICK, QUICK COMMENTS ON THE, UM,
EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT YOU NEED TO BE VISIBLE IN, UH, BOTH AUTO AUDIBLE AND VISIBLE IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED PRESENT FOR THE MEETING HERE ONLINE.
THE, UH, COUPLE OF QUICK UPDATES.
UH, AT THE, UH, LAST MEETING I MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE ELECTIONS AND, UM, THE ELECTIONS ARE OVER, WELL, ALMOST OVER.
DISTRICT THREE, UH, IS STILL OPEN BECAUSE THERE'S RUNOFF IN THAT DISTRICT.
BUT ALL OF THE OTHER COUNCIL RACES WERE, I TOOK A LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO VOTED IN COUNTYWIDE.
THEY SAID THERE WAS AN 8.8% TURNOUT OF REGISTERED VOTERS.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO VOTED IN THE CITY COUNCIL RACES IN DALLAS WAS 53,000.
ROUGHLY 53,000 PEOPLE, WHICH IS 3.8% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION, WHICH IS PRETTY EMBARRASSING.
UM, AND IT'S, AND IT'S ABOUT 37% OF THE TOTAL SENIOR POPULATION.
ALTHOUGH ALL THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED WERE OBVIOUSLY NOT SENIORS.
BUT THE POINT BEING THAT I THINK WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GET MORE FOCUS PLACED ON SENIORS.
AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT IF 50% OF THE SENIORS WERE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND SHOWED UP, THEY WOULD'VE A HUGE VOICE RELATIVE TO WHAT THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY DOES.
AND I THINK KEEPING IT, KEEPING THAT IN MIND AS WE FULFILL OUR ROLES
[00:15:01]
AS COMMISSIONERS AND TALK TO SENIOR GROUPS, THEN THAT TYPE OF THING.UH, IF IF SENIORS WANT A VOICE, THEY HAVE IT.
AND, AND IT WOULD'VE A HUGE IMPACT, I THINK, ON HOW COUNCIL RESPONDS TO THE THINGS THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT.
ANOTHER THING THAT, UH, JUST TO THROW A THROW OUT A, UH, THOUGHT, JESSICA AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING A, CAN CALL IT A RETREAT OR A SPECIAL MEETING THAT WOULD BE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH ONE OF OUR SCHEDULED MEETINGS, PROBABLY.
BUT, UH, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WAS RECEPTIVE TO THE IDEA OF COMING TO CITY HALL AND SPENDING AT LEAST A HALF A DAY.
UH, AT SOME POINT, PROBABLY AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER WOULD BE THE EARLIEST WE'D BE ABLE TO DO IT.
BUT, UH, THE THOUGHT BEING THAT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE ON THE COMMISSION AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES AT CITY HALL AS WELL.
AND JUST HAVING MEMBERS OF THE VARIOUS PARTS OF THE CITY THAT ARE PROVIDING SENIOR SERVICES BRIEF EVERYONE ON WHAT THEY DO WITHIN THEIR REALM, UH, WOULD BE A, I THINK A VERY PRODUCTIVE, UH, VERY PRODUCTIVE EXERCISE.
AND AS IF, IF WE TRIED TO DO THIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH A REGULAR MEETING IN THE FALL OR LATE SUMMER FALL, IS EVERYBODY RECEPTIVE TO THE IDEA OF DOING THAT? HI.
SO WE, WE WILL WORK ON THAT AND TRY TO COME UP WITH BOTH AN AGENDA FOR THAT TYPE OF THING.
AND WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE CONVERSATION BEFORE, UH, BEFORE WE GET TO THE, UH, ACTUAL TIME.
BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY PRODUCTIVE.
UH, ANOTHER THING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS EVERYBODY'S TO BE SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH THE RACIAL EQUITY, UM, ACTIVITIES OF THE CITY AND ALL.
AND ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING IS THE CONCEPT OF SENIOR EQUITY.
UH, AND I, I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY INVITE, I DON'T KNOW THE PROPER TERMINOLOGY.
HELP ME, UH, OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
YEAH, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
IF WE, WE WILL HAVE THEM JOIN THIS MEETING, NOT TODAY, BUT, UH, AT A, AT A FUTURE MEETING SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF GET IT A SENSE OF WHAT THEY'RE, HOW THEY VIEW IT, AND ALSO WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS WHAT WE THINK ABOUT IT.
UH, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING.
UH, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR WAYS TO, WE WILL HAVE AT A FUTURE MEETING, UH, A MORE FORMAL PRESENTATION ON WHERE WE STAND WITH THE AGE FRIENDLY DALLAS PLAN IN TERMS OF WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE SINCE THAT PLAN WAS ADOPTED IN 2019.
AND FINALLY, UH, THE AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE TRIED TO GET ON THE CITY WEBSITE LATELY, BUT, UH, YOU CAN'T.
AT LEAST I COULDN'T THIS MORNING.
UM, AND SO THERE'S ACCESS TO INFORMATION FROM WITHIN THE CITY.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HAD FOR THIS MEETING.
UH, THE INFORMATION SIMPLY ISN'T AVAILABLE YET BECAUSE IT CAN'T BE ACCESSED.
BUT AS THEY RECOVER FROM THE, UH, RANSOMWARE ATTACK, ALL THAT WILL COME BACK INTO PLACE.
BUT THAT, THAT DOES INFLUENCE SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE ONLY OTHER THING I'VE GOT IS I DISTRIBUTED A, UH, THE COUNTY, UH, PARKLAND HOSPITAL'S, UH, COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR 2022.
EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN EMAIL WITH A LINK TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THAT.
IT'S REALLY AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT.
THERE IS A SECTION ON, UH, OLDER, OLDER, UH, POPULATION WITHIN THE REPORT.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE FOR YOU TO, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO, UH, DISTRICT UPDATES.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING FROM THEIR DISTRICT THAT THEY'D LIKE TO REPORT ON? RENEE? UH, NOT NECESSARILY MY DISTRICT, THOUGH.
UM, THIS IS REALLY, I MEAN, FOR SOME OF US, I CAN'T DO THIS, BUT PARTICULARLY IF, I WONDERED IF THE STAFF KNEW ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS THE S V P, UM, LUNCHEON ON MAY 31ST.
[00:20:01]
BUT IT'S CALLED HIDDEN AND PLAIN SIGHT, COMBATING FINANCIAL ELDER ABUSE AND HELPING VULNERABLE SENIORS AFFECTED BY FINANCIAL SCAMS. AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS, THEY'RE CHARGING FOR IT IN, UM, BUT I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS REALLY, DEFINITELY IT'S ON MAY 30 WEDNESDAY, MAY 31ST AT 1130.UH, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND IT TO PETER.
SO WHAT DID I SEND IT TO? I THINK IT'S REALLY LOOKS LIKE SAYING THAT MAY HAVE SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION.
MAKE SURE THAT GETS DISTRIBUTED TO CAN, IF SHE SAYS IT TO YOU.
CAN YOU MAKE THAT SURE THAT THAT GETS DISTRIBUTED? YEAH, THAT MIGHT BE, BUT YOU JUST SENT IT TO LATER.
IS IT, UH, SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS HAVE SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS.
ANYONE ELSE WITH DISTRICT LEVEL PLEASE? CHAIR.
UM, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS, I WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT IN D 10 WE HAD FOUR CANDIDATES AND I POLL GREETED FOR MY CANDIDATE A LARGE NUMBER OF HOURS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS SAID BY BOTH THE CANDIDATE AND OTHERS IS BECAUSE I COULD SEE, I COULD IDENTIFY HOW MANY FROM LAKE HIGHLANDS AND HAMILTON PARK, OLDER ADULTS WERE VOTING.
UM, I HAPPENED TO BE AT THE LIBRARY, THE ADELE ROAD LIBRARY, AND MY CANDIDATE MADE A MENTION OF THE FACT THAT IT WAS SO NICE TO HAVE A, AN OLDER ADULT THAT WAS POLL GREETING SO THAT THE VOTERS HAD SOMEBODY WHO LOOKED JUST LIKE THEM.
AND I WAS SCARED TO DEATH THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A RUNOFF WITH FOUR CANDIDATES.
BUT FORTUNATELY, MY CANDIDATE WAS THE WINNING CANDIDATE BY 61%.
SO I WAS THRILLED THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO, UM, BECOME, UM, SHE HAD BEEN HANDPICKED, INVITED TO RUN BY COUNCILMAN MCGOO, AND SHE HAD BEEN ENDORSED BY POLICE, FIRE, YOU NAME IT.
SO IT WAS A REALLY WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE IN D 10.
THIS IS DEBBIE AUSTIN, COMMISSIONER AUSTIN.
I WANTED TO REPORT ON THE OUTCOME OF THE SENIOR HUNGER ASSIGNMENT.
UM, IT WAS, WE WERE EXPECTING 200 PARTICIPANTS.
THERE WERE OVER 200 PARTICIPANTS.
IN FACT, THERE WERE AROUND 220 PRESENT, AND THERE WAS SOME ONLINE, UH, WE HAD, UH, COMMISSIONER JOHN WILEY PRICE WAS ONE OF OUR GUESTS.
QUINN, WHO IS MS. SENIOR TEXAS, WAS OUR GUEST SPEAKER.
AND SHE SPOKE ON, UM, NUTRITIONAL HEALTH.
UH, SHE'S A BREAST CANCER SPECIALIST, AND SHE SPOKE ON NUTRITIONAL HEALTH FOR, UH, SENIOR ADULTS.
PLUS THE HUNGER SUMMIT ALWAYS ADDRESSES NUTRITIONAL HEALTH, AND THEY PASS OUT A FOLDER THAT HAS, UH, RECIPES AND IDEAS ON, UH, HOW TO EAT HEALTHY TO, UH, PROLONG YOUR, HE YOUR LIFE AND YOUR HEALTH.
UM, THERE WERE LOTS OF VENDORS AND THERE WAS ALSO, THE MOST WONDERFUL THING WAS THE FREE LEGAL CLINIC.
AND THE SENIORS WERE REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT BECAUSE THEY CAN GET FREE LEGAL ADVICE IF THEY MEET THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
AND SOMETIMES THAT'S A REALLY STICKY AREA BECAUSE EITHER YOU'RE QUALIFIED OR YOU JUST DON'T MEET.
AND I'VE HEARD THAT FROM A LOT OF SENIORS.
I, UM, THERE WERE DOOR PRIZES GIVEN BY THE VENDORS, BUT, UH, IN THE NAME OF THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION, I SPONSORED THREE DOOR PRIZES.
I DO NOT EXPECT TO BE REIMBURSED.
AND I DID TAKE PICTURES OF THE RECIPIENTS OF OUR DOOR PRIZES, AND THEY WERE HAPPY.
I JUST LIKE TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY.
SO ANYHOW, ALL LIKE I SAID, THE EVENT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL, WENT OFF VERY WELL, AND, UH, WE HAD ENTERTAINMENT FROM SOME OF THE CENTERS AND IT WAS GREAT.
AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
AND WE HAVE TO THANK ELLA HENDERSON GREEN OF THE BAYLOR HUNGER GROUP FOR PUTTING THIS ON.
AND THERE WILL BE A DALLAS HUNGER SUMMIT IN THE FALL.
BUT I AM NOT ON THAT PLANNING COMMITTEE, BUT I DO PARTICIPATE.
ANYONE ELSE? CAN I ADD ONE MORE THING? UH, CHAIRMAN KLEIN, I HEARD YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, UH, THING.
[00:25:01]
UH, SOMEONE IN THAT DEPARTMENT THIS SPRING AT THAT SPRING FEST I TALKED ABOUT THAT WE HAD IN DISTRICT EIGHT OVER AT THE RED BIRD MALL AREA.AND, UM, SHE AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS, AND SHE IS WILLING TO BE ONE OF MY SPEAKERS AT MY, UH, ONE OF OUR SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS.
AND SO IF POSSIBLE, I MIGHT SHARE HER BUSINESS INFORMATION, HER CARD AND CONTACT INFORMATION.
I THINK SHE'S THE DIRECTOR OF THAT DEPARTMENT BECAUSE SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT EVENT WITH YOU.
AND, UH, JESSICA, SHE IS A, UH, COHORT OF, UM, COUNCILMAN ATKINS, AND HE INTRODUCED HER TO ME.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE TO THE, UH, EXCUSE ME.
I DIDN'T WANNA JUST HOLLER OUT, BUT MY HAND HAS BEEN UP.
I DON'T, IF I DON'T SEE ANYBODY WHO'S ONLINE SPEAK UP BECAUSE IT'S JUST VERY DIFFICULT TO, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SEE THAT FAR AWAY.
I DID WANNA SHARE JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UH, BOTH, UM, UH, UH, THE TWO COMMISSIONERS, DANIELS AND MITCHELL DID ATTEND THE SENIOR MOTHER'S LUNCHEON AT THE HYATT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND WERE RECOGNIZED AS, UH, SENIOR COMMISSIONERS.
AND IT WAS A VERY NICE, UH, EVENT.
UH, ENJOYED ATTENDING IT VERY MUCH.
UH, I DID PARTICIPATE IN A FAITH AND FITNESS, UM, SYMPOSIUM AT FRIENDSHIP WEST BAPTIST CHURCH THAT WE, WE HELD FOR SENIOR, UH, WOMEN.
WE HAD A, UH, PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, A MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST, UH, ON HAND, UH, TO SPEAK TO, UH, THE LADIES AND JUST SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, PHYSICAL FITNESS, THE KIND OF, UH, UH, HEALTH, UH, SCREENINGS THAT SENIOR WOMEN SHOULD HAVE ANNUALLY.
AND THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD LOOK, SHOULD LOOK FOR, UH, IF WE ARE HAVING ANY KIND OF CONCERNS ABOUT OUR, UH, PHYSICAL AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH.
UH, THE MENTAL SPECIALIST DID ADDRESS ISOLATION, AND I THOUGHT THE FORUM WENT VERY WELL.
UH, THE THIRD THING IS THAT WE ARE LOSING OUR COMMISSIONER, UH, THAT HAS SERVED DISTRICT 3, 4, 8 YEARS.
UH, CASEY THOMAS AND THE SENIOR WOMEN AT, UH, OUR AWARDS, UH, DINNER DID PRESENT HIM, UH, WITH A GOING AWAY GIFT AND LETTING HIM KNOW THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO, UH, LEAVE HIM.
THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HIM IN WHATEVER VENTURES HE MAY HAVE.
WE ARE HAVING A RUNOFF IN THAT, UH, IN DISTRICT THREE.
UM, JOE TAVE, UH, AND, UM, OH GOLLY, MY MIND HAS JUST GONE BLANK.
Z ZEN AND I CAN'T THINK OF ZEN'S LAST NAME RIGHT NOW.
UH, BUT HE'S THE YOUNG MAN THAT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED BY CASEY, UH, THOMAS AND I WILL BE HOLDING, UH, MEETING AND GREET FOR HIM AT MY HOME, UH, ON THE 24TH FOR THE SENIORS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, CHAIR KLEIN AND COMMISSIONER MITCHELL.
IT WAS COMMISSIONER AUSTIN AND YOU THAT WERE AT THE MOTHER'S DAY APPRECIATION AT THE HYATT, NOT COMMISSIONER DANIELS.
I SAT AT THE TABLE WITH, YOU REMEMBER MY MIND, MY HEART, NOT MY MIND.
COMMISSIONER DANIELS FORGIVEN.
NO, IT'S, IT'S STILL COMMISSIONER AUSTIN.
UH, COMMISSIONER OFFICER AUSTIN AND I DID ENJOY SPENDING THAT AFTERNOON WITH YOU.
AND, AND COULD WE REMIND, UH, THAT, REMIND THE, UH, COMMISSION THAT THE INVITATION WAS TO ALL COMMISSIONERS, YOU DID NOT HAVE TO R S V P AND THAT IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT, UH, THEY EXPECTED US ALL TO BE THERE AND THAT THEY THANKED US ALL INDIVIDUALLY BY DISTRICTS, AND THERE WERE ONLY TWO OF US THERE.
WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL, BUT THE EMAIL SAID YOU HAD TO RSVP AND YOU DID NOT.
THE PARKS DEPARTMENT GAVE US A RESERVE TABLE AS IN THE PAST BEFORE COVID, BUT THE EMAIL WAS JUST WORDED, UH, DIFFERENTLY.
YEAH, WE, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO FIND A BETTER WAY TO COMMUNICATE WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT, INSTEAD OF JUST EVERYTHING
[00:30:01]
THAT GETS PASSED ON, IF THERE ARE PRIORITY EVENTS, UH, SOMEHOW WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT BETTER KNOWN.BUT I, I WAS UNAWARE THAT THEY HAD ANY KIND OF A DEDICATED TABLE.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE IS PARKS AND RECORD DOES NOT REPORT TO US MONTHLY.
SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THEM.
SO IF YOU'RE AWARE OF THESE THINGS IN THE FUTURE AS TO THOSE, BRING IT UP AT, AT THIS MEETING AND WE CAN, UH, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY WILL HEAR IT.
UH, CHAIRMAN, UH, JUST THE CLARIFICATION, I, I RECEIVED IT.
UH, THE, THE INFORMATION THAT I RECEIVED CAME FROM THE SENIOR AFFAIRS OFFICE AND NOT FROM ANY OUTSIDE SOURCE.
I THINK MCIL, UH, SENT THE, UH, THE EMAIL.
UH, I'M, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT I, MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT IT DIDN'T, IT DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING IN THERE INDICATING THAT THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION AS A WHOLE WAS EXPECTING TO BE REPRESENTED THERE BY EVERYBODY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I I POINT POINTS WELL MADE, AND I THINK WE'LL NEED TO, UH, TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE ADDRESS THAT IN THE FUTURE.
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS THAT WERE HELD LAST WEEK.
WERE THE CHAIRS OF EACH OF THE COMMITTEES, UH, REPORT OUT ON WHAT, HOW THEIR MEETING WENT.
AND WHY DON'T WE START WITH DEBBIE AUSTIN AT OUR MEETING? I INTENDED TO GO, WELL, I DID GO OVER THE GOALS OF OUR SOCIAL CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND ISOLATION SUBCOMMITTEE FOR THIS COMING YEAR.
AND OUR AGENDA INCLUDED, UM, ASK EVERYBODY TO BRING IDEAS FOR SPEAKERS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS THAT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL FOR, TO MEET THOSE GOALS.
WE GOT OFF TRACK, UNFORTUNATELY, AND WE DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO COMPILE A LIST PER SE.
I DID MENTION SOME NAMES THAT I HAD MADE A LIST OF, BUT I DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO COLLECT ANY FROM THE OTHER MEMBERS THAT WERE PRESENT.
MAINLY, UH, THE SUBJECT WAS, UH, TURNED TO, UH, ADDRESSING CENTRALIZING INFORMATION LIKE A CHAIR KLINE JUST SAID ABOUT INFORMATION COMING IN ABOUT SENIOR EVENTS, HOW TO CENTRALIZE THAT INFORMATION SO THAT WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING FOR SENIORS IN THE CITY, SO THAT WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING EVERYWHERE BY EVERY ORGANIZATION, DEPARTMENT, AND WHATEVER AT ONE TIME.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ONCE UPON A TIME, AND, AND, AND CHAIRMAN BAKER CAN ADDRESS THAT, IF SHE KNOWS BETTER THAN ME, THAT ONCE UPON A TIME IT WAS CENTRALIZED AND THAT, THAT ALL, IF THAT INFORMATION DID COME INTO THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION AND THAT WE WERE AT CENTRAL POINT, OR THAT INFORMATION WAS DELIVERED TO US AND THEN CIRCULATED TO US BY SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
SO, UM, CHAIR KLEIN SAID THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A, UH, CONSULTANT HIRED BY THE CITY TO ANALYZE THIS, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS AND OUR MEETINGS.
CAN I, LEMME INTERRUPT, COMMISSIONER SECOND.
I DIDN'T, I'D LIKE FINISH MY THOUGHTS.
I DIDN'T SAY THERE WAS GOING TO BE ONE.
I SAID THAT ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUNDING PRIORITIES WAS GOING TO BE TO SET ASIDE SOME MONEY TO BE ABLE TO RETAIN ONE.
AND I DO THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA SOLVE SOME OF THESE COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS WITHOUT SOME OUTSIDE HELP.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO MAKE HAPPEN.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE BUDGET OR AUTHORITY FOR THAT.
WELL, AS I WAS SAYING IN THE PAST, WE WERE THE CENTRAL POINT WHERE ALL THAT INFORMATION WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN DELIVERED BY THOSE OTHER OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AT THAT POINT, UH, COMMISSIONER CANTRELL SAID THAT, UM, SHE FELT LIKE THAT MONEY SHOULD BE USED FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE SENIOR ORIENTED.
AND SHE ADDRESSED THE FACT THAT IN THE SURROUNDING CITIES, THERE WERE SENIOR CENTERS AND THAT DALLAS DID NOT HAVE ITS OWN SPECIFIC SENIOR CENTER.
AND WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR YEARS BECAUSE D EVEN THE SMALL CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE HAS THE SUMMIT.
I DON'T KNOW IF SOME OF YOU ARE AWARE OF IT, THAT EVEN SMALLER CITIES LIKE RICHARDSON HAS A SENIOR CENTER.
WHY DOESN'T DALLAS BIG, BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL DALLAS HAVE
[00:35:01]
A COMMITTED SENIOR CENTER WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE, WHERE YOU CAN GO AND EXERCISE AND, AND ENJOY AND SOCIALIZE AND NOT BE SURROUNDED BY LITTLE TINY PEOPLE IN BIKINIRIGHT? AND SO WE WERE, WE WERE NOT, UH, BEING ARGUMENTATIVE TO CHAIR KLEIN, BUT WE WERE SAYING THAT MONEY COULD BE DIRECTED IN A MORE RESOURCEFUL WAY TO BENEFIT OUR SENIORS.
AND SO I, I APOLOGIZE IF I HAD MISSED THE PART THAT IT WAS PROPOSED AND NOT ALREADY ADOPTED.
BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED IN OUR MEETINGS.
SO THAT WAS WHY WE GOT OFF TOPIC AND WE DID NOT COMPLETE, UM, ALL OF THE AGENDA THAT WE HAD PROPOSED TO COMPLETE.
AND SO, UM, SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT I, I RECOMMENDED AS FUTURE SPEAKERS WERE LIKE, UH, VIVIAN ARMSTRONG, WHO IS WORKING ON THE ISOLATION PROJECT.
VIVIAN WORKS FOR VISITING NURSES ASSOCIATION.
UM, I HAD MET, UH, UH, TERESA DANIELS, WHO IS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER, AND, UM, SHE SAID SHE WOULD BE WILLING TO COME AND SPEAK.
I, UM, LINDA ENDER, WHO IS RETIRED NOW FROM, UH, THE SENIOR SOURCE, LINDA WAS OUR, UH, LEGISLATIVE CONTACT AT THE SENIOR SOURCE.
AND WE ATTENDED A LOT OF HER MEETINGS.
AND SHE USED TO CARRY A BUS OF PEOPLE DOWN TO AUSTIN TO RALLY AND, AND PICKET AND COMPLAIN.
AND LINDAS AGREED TO BE, UH, A SPEAKER AT ONE OF OUR MEETINGS.
AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON CUZ I, I KNOW A LOT OF MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN THE SENIOR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I HAD COMPILED A LIST, BUT WE WILL TRY TO GO OVER THAT NEXT TIME.
AND I HAVE INVITED THEM TO, TO THINK OF MORE PEOPLE AND TO BRING THOSE IDEAS TO US.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
BUT I JUDGE CHAIR KLINE FOR THAT MISTAKE.
BENA, YOU WANNA REPORT OUT ON YOUR COMMITTEE, PLEASE? BENA, YOU'RE MUTED.
I DIDN'T KNOW YOU'D CALLED ME.
UM, WE DID MEET ON, UH, LAST WEEK.
UH, THERE WERE, UH, THREE OF US, UH, AS WELL AS CHAIRMAN KLEIN, UH, AT THE MEETING.
UM, JERRY MISSED, WE MISSED YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
UH, WE, UH, DID NOT, UM, DEVELOP OUR GOALS.
UH, AT THE REQUEST OF OUR CHAIRMAN, WE, UH, WERE SENT BACK TO REVIEW, UH, THE PLANS THAT ARE PART, UH, THAT ARE IN OUR HANDBOOK, UH, THAT THE CITY HAS FOR OUR, UH, COMMITTEE REGARDING HEALTH AND SAFETY.
AND SO EACH, UH, MEMBER WAS ASKED TO GO BACK AND REVIEW THAT BY THE 22ND OF THIS MONTH.
UH, CHAIRMAN KLEIN WAS GOING TO CHECK WITH JESSICA TO SEE IF THERE'S A, A SITE THERE, UH, WHERE WE COULDN'T MEET, UH, AFTER THE 22ND, UH, BUT AS SOON AFTER THE SENATE 22ND IS POSSIBLE.
UH, AND IF NOT, THEN WE WOULD MEET AT AN OFFSITE, UH, SO THAT WE COULD GO ON AND MOVE FORWARD WITH SETTING OUR GOALS.
WE FELT THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO, UH, ACTUALLY RE REVIEW THE CITY PLAN AGAIN BEFORE ACTUALLY SETTING THOSE GOALS.
UH, I DID JUMP AHEAD AND, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING SOMEONE FROM THE, UH, DALLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT COME AND GIVE US AN UPDATE ON COVID.
UH, SHE DID NOT REALLY SHARE, UH, WHAT WE NEEDED FOR HER TO SHARE.
AND THAT IS HOW, UM, COVID, UH, HAS HAD A LONG-TERM EFFECT ON SENIORS.
AND SO SHE'S GOING TO FURTHER DEVELOP THAT AND GET THAT INFORMATION TO ME.
AND I WILL SHARE THAT WITH YOU IF THE COMMITTEE DEEMS NECESSARY.
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT.
WELL, THE HOUSING COMMITTEE MET AND, UM, IT WAS JUST, UH, I DON'T MEAN JUST, BUT LISA, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, RIDLEY AND I, AND THEN, UM, RILEY, I'M SORRY.
AND, AND, UH, CHAIRMAN, UH, WE'RE ON THE COMMITTEE.
WE, I THINK WE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT IN THAT, UH, MEETING.
AND WE CAME UP WITH LIKE FIVE, I WROTE UP SOME NOTES AND WE CAME UP WITH LIKE SIX THINGS TO ADDRESS.
BUT, UM, I THINK ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE WANNA DO IS STUDY THE AGE, AGE-FRIENDLY DALLAS PLAN AND FOCUS ON THE, THE HOUSING, UH, UH, THINGS IDENTIFIED IN THERE.
UM, WE NEED TO, UM, COORDINATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND I SEE MR. COLLINS IS HERE AND WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING, CONTINUING TO WORK WITH HIM AND, AND THE PROGRAMS HE'S, UM, GETTING IN PLACE.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, THE, TRYING TO REMEMBER, WELL, THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT 20,000
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SENIORS THAT NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, IN POVERTY IN THE CITY.AND WE ALL KNOW AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS CONSTANT ISSUE, UM, THAT I THINK THE CITY IS ADDRESSING.
I TRY TO KEEP UP ON NOT KEEPING UP WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT'S NEVER GONNA BE ENOUGH.
UM, WE MAY COORDINATE WITH THE HOUSING, UH, WITH THE DHA, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AS FAR AS THEIR PERCEPTIVE OF PERCEPTION OF THINGS.
AND THEN JESSICA, WE EXPECT TO ASK YOU TO HELP US ALSO IDENTIFY, UH, SOME OF THE NEEDS AND RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO U TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
UH, I THINK ANOTHER PART OF THAT IS LOOKING AT EVICTIONS OF SENIORS IN DALLAS.
I, UM, HOPE IT'S NOT REAL BAD, BUT I KNOW THAT THE HOMELESS SENIORS DON'T CONSTITUTE A LARGE NUMBER OF THE HOMELESS, BUT THEY DO.
I MEAN, I, I'M SORRY PERCENTAGE, BUT THEY DO.
WELL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OVERREPRESENTED.
I'M SORRY, WHAT? IT'S OVERREPRESENTED IN THE HOMELESSNESS POPULATION.
I MEAN, I DON'T MEAN, THAT'S GREAT.
I'M GLAD YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
CAUSE YEAH, OUR HOME, WE COULD, AND OUR HOMELESS SOLUTIONS OFFICE HAS PRESENTED, UH, TO THIS COMMITTEE A COUPLE YEARS AGO ON THAT DATA TOO.
THEY HAVE REALLY GOOD INFORMATION.
AND THEN, UM, I THINK THE OTHER AREA WE WE WANNA LOOK AT IS THE IMPACT OF CODE ENFORCEMENT AND WHAT RESOURCES, HOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY KEEP ANY STATS ON SENIORS, BUT I KNOW LISA HAS AGREED TO WORK ON THAT PART OF IT.
BUT CERTAINLY DO THEY STILL HAVE SOME PROGRAMS? I KNOW IN THE PAST THE CITY HAD PROGRAMS, BUT WHAT DO THEY HAVE AND HOW EFFECTIVE, SO THAT'S ALL GOOD.
UH, WE'RE THE TRANSPORTATION AND OUTDOOR SPACE SPACES COMMITTEE AND WE HAD OUR COMMITTEE WAS THERE IN FULL, EXCEPT NOW WE HAVE AN OPENING AND HOW THAT'LL HANDLE IF WE BRING SOMEONE ELSE OR IF MS. MINGLES SOME POINTS, SOME.
IS THAT THE WAY THAT, YEAH, I DON'T WAIT FOR IT REAL QUICK.
UM, RENEE FISE, MYSELF AND THE CHAIRMAN, WERE IN OUR MEETING.
WE ARE GOING TO, UH, GENERALLY WE DID THE SAME THING, TRY TO SET OUR GOALS AND WHAT OUR FOCUS WOULD BE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE TAKE REFERRING TO MY NOTES AS WELL, DART FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, IF YOU'RE IN THE TRANSPORTATION WORLD.
UM, AND WE HAVE A SUGGESTION OF NOAH BERLIN TO COME AND SPEAK TO US AS WELL AS ON MAY 25TH, UH, AT FAIR PARK.
UH, DART'S HAS THEIR ZA, WHATEVER IT'S CALLED.
IT'S, IT'S A BIG EVENT, 2,500 PEOPLE.
AND JAMES SWEARS HE'LL BUY ME A SOFT DRINK IF I COME OUT
HE DIDN'T, YEAH, HE DIDN'T YELL COKE.
UM, UNDER THE, UM, SITUATION ANOTHER ON TRANSPORTATION, WE'VE ALREADY HAD SOMEONE APPROACH A COMMITTEE.
JONATHAN, I DIDN'T GET HIS LAST NAME, BUT PHOENIX MOBILITY, THE PROBLEM THERE IS SPONSORED A R P, BUT THERE'S A FEE CHARGE THERE.
SO WE NEED TO TIGHTEN UP, MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND SO WE CAN COMMUNICATE TO YOU FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WHAT THE DART PROCESS IS AND PROCEDURE AND PROGRAM FOR THAT AS FAR AS THAT GOES.
UM, BUT AGAIN, BOTH MIHAIL AND JAMES REPORTED THAT WE SHOULD, UM, CONCENTRATE ON GOING TO THIS EVENT ON MAY 25TH AT DART PUTS ON, IT'S SORT OF THEIR BIG SHOW OF THE YEAR, BIG, UH, TURNOUT.
AND, UH, WE SH AS, UH, COMMISSIONER SHOULD ATTEND THAT AS FAR AS OUTDOOR SPACES.
I DON'T REMEMBER WHO BROUGHT IT UP, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT SENIOR PLAYGROUNDS AS WELL AS IF THERE WERE SOME WAY TO EXTEND THE BUILDINGS TO HAVE A MINI IN I AND I SENIOR CENTER THAT'S, I BROUGHT THAT UP ON, ON THE FACILITIES.
MOST OF OUR REC CENTERS HAVE A LITTLE MORE ROOM.
THIS IS FORWARD THINKING, BUT YOU KNOW, BACK TO THE FUTURE, LET'S, MAYBE WE CAN DO THAT.
BUT I LIKE THE SENIOR, UH, PLAYGROUNDS.
DID YOU FIND THE GROUP CALLED KABOOM? YEP, THEY DO.
AND HAVE DONE 53 SENIOR PLAYGROUNDS AROUND THE COUNTRY ALREADY.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE, BUT IF I DON'T GET HURT FALLING OFF THE MONKEY BARS, I'M READY.
SO I THINK WE CAN SORT OF POKE AROUND.
WE'LL FIND THAT AGAIN, WE'RE ON OUR INITIAL MISSION AS FAR AS THAT GOES.
AND DID I LEAVE ANYTHING ELSE LADIES OUT THAT Y'ALL THINK OF THAT? THINK THAT WAS IT.
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS TO REVIEW THE DRAFT THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED LAST THURSDAY TO EVERYONE, UH, FROM THE AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT
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WE JARVIS.SO I, THE PLEASURE TO, UH, CHAIR THE AD HOC COMMITTEE.
CAN THIS JUST KIND OF, IT COMES AND GOES AS WE NEED THIS AD HOC THING.
SO OUR FIRST, UH, ISSUE OF ORDER WAS TO, UM, TALK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE AS A SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION TO PROVIDE SOME INPUT TO THE CITY ON, UM, THE UPCOMING BUDGET PROCESS.
AND AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, WE HAD ASKED YOU TO MEET WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THEIR BOARDS TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO JUMP ON.
AND ALSO, UH, RECOMMEND IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN, UM, SOMETHING FOR SENIORS AS A PRIORITY.
UM, SO, UM, PORSCHE KENTRELL WAS ON THIS COMMITTEE.
KAREN ROBERTS WAS ON THE COMMITTEE AND MYSELF.
AND WE BASICALLY APPROACHED IT FROM LOOKING AT LAST YEAR'S REPORT, WHAT AREAS WERE STILL, UM, VIABLE, WE'RE STILL PRIORITIES FOR SENIORS AND VIRTUALLY THE TOP ONES STILL MADE IT TO THAT.
UM, WITH THE ADDITIONAL INPUT OF, UM, OUR CHAIR PETE LINE, HE ALSO, UM, I GUESS ELABORATED AND, UH, ACCENTUATED THE NEED THAT THE CITY HAS FOR SOMEBODY TO BE RUNNING THE SENIOR SHOW, UM, FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS THAT THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ENOUGH FUNDS, UM, APPROPRIATED TO SENIORS.
THERE HASN'T BEEN ENOUGH DEDICATION IN COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, AND THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN ENOUGH DEDICATION OF, UM, DATA COMING OUT ON WHAT OUR SENIORS NEED AND HOW THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THEIR MOST NEEDS.
CERTAINLY A, UM, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ON THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMUNITY CARE, I'M SORRY, JESSICA.
IN THE, IN THE WORK THAT THAT COMMITTEE IS DOING OR THAT OFFICE IS DOING, THEY'RE HANDLING A HUGE NUMBER OF, UH, SENIORS.
IN FACT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED IN MIKE'S, UM, UH, MEETING BOTH JAMES AND UH, MICHAIL DID A GREAT JOB OF LETTING US KNOW THAT ONE TELEPHONE CALL MAY TURN INTO 20, UH, ENCOUNTERS WITH ONE PERSON BECAUSE THEY NEED SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES.
AND SO OFTENTIMES THE DATA THAT WE'RE GETTING ISN'T NECESSARILY REFLECTIVE OF THE KIND OF WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.
UM, SO AGAIN, I THINK THAT WE, UM, AS A COMMITTEE DEFINITELY, UM, SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE.
UM, IF YOU'VE READ THE REPORT, YOU WOULD SEE THAT WE BELIEVE THAT THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT NEED TO BEEF UP THEIR PROGRAMS TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS AND TO ASSURE THAT THE METHOD OF COMMUNICATION TO THOSE SENIORS ARE THERE.
UM, I THINK THAT WE WERE, UH, VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS DONE, BUT WE RECOMMEND THAT IN ADDITION TO THE 1 MILLION THAT WAS KIND OF A GIFT FROM ABOVE, UM, THAT WE, UM, TRY TO GET AT LEAST A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR FROM THE HOUSING'S AUTHORITY FOR, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO SENIORS HOUSING.
UM, AND TO ALSO CONTINUE TO HAVE TARGETED ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS AS WE DO ALREADY.
UM, BUT THAT KIND OF OVERVIEW, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT I, I TOUCHED ON MOST OF THE, UM, ASPECTS OF THIS, UM, WORKING DOCUMENT AND WOULD ASK FOR ANY COMMENTS OR, UH, INSIGHTS THAT ANYONE ELSE MIGHT HAVE BASED ON WORKING WITH THEIR OWN DISTRICT SO THAT WE CAN GET THIS TOWARDS A FINAL DOCUMENT.
UM, SO ON THE SENIOR DART PROGRAM RIDES, UM, I'M, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER, AND I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE, I DID NOT GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK IT OUT.
SO WHERE THERE ARE FOOD DESERTS, WHICH WE HAVE QUITE A FEW, AND THOSE HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE, BUT YET THERE'S STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE.
UM, HAS ANYBODY THOUGHT ABOUT, UH, UNTIL WE GET ANOTHER SUPERMARKET IN SOME OF THESE AREAS ABOUT WORKING WITH DART TO PROVIDE A SHUTTLE IN THE UNDERSERVED AREAS SO THAT ONCE A WEEK OR TWICE A WEEK OR WHATEVER IS DEEMED APPROPRIATE AFTER SOME STUDY, COULD SOMEBODY GO TO THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, PARTICULARLY MAYBE A DARK SHUTTLE AND TAKE PEOPLE SHOPPING? SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LIVE IN A
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SE AN EXCLUSIVE SENIOR C COMMUNITY, THAT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY TAKE THE RESIDENCE SHOPPING.UM, WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT IS FAR, UM, MORE ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN HOMES.
SO IF WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT LIKE A SERVICE, LIKE, ALL RIGHT, SO THEY DON'T HAVE A GROCERY STORE THAT THEY CAN GET TO AND THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION, MAYBE WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THAT AND EXPERIMENT WITH THAT IN TERMS OF SOME AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY STUFF.
WELL, UM, YOU KNOW, DART USED, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY STILL DO, THEY USED TO HAVE DART ON CALL, RIGHT? OF COURSE.
I WILL SAY THAT WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THAT, THAT WAS CENTERED AROUND A SHOPPING AREA, BUT I MEAN, IT'S IS THE SAME KIND OF THING THAT WAS AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, LIKE FIVE, SIX OR SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FROM, I DON'T KNOW, SEVEN TO SEVEN OR SOMETHING.
BUT THAT KIND OF SYSTEM, THEY WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO TRAVEL FARTHER BECAUSE THE SHOPPING CENTER IS NOT THAT CLOSE, BUT RIGHT.
SO RATHER THAN ONE PERSON CALLING WITH THE DART CALLING SAYING, TAKE ME GROCERY SHOPPING.
I THINK WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF THAT CONVERSATION LAST WEEK WITH TRANSPORTATION.
I MEAN, THEY HAVE DONE SOMETHING IN THE PAST.
I'M SAYING SAYING, SAY THAT WHAT, WHEREVER WE'VE DISCOVERED WHERE THERE IS A FOOD DESERT MM-HMM.
THE TRANSPORTATION WILL WAIT IN THE SHOPPING CENTER, GIVE YOU TWO HOURS OR WHATEVER.
BUT I WANNA TELL YOU IT WAS A FLORIDA CITY, BUT I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE THEY DID A PROGRAM LIKE THAT.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GREAT PROGRAM.
I, I, I REVIEWED THIS ENTIRE REPORT, THE DRAFT, AND YOU SAID THIS IS A, A WORKING, A WORK IN PROGRESS.
IT HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED YET.
WE HAVE, WE DO THIS AND THEN BECAUSE THIS DOES NOT ADDRESS LGBTQ SENIORS TO THE POINT, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT NEEDS TO, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, UM, IT'S GIVEN OFF THE FEELING THAT WE ARE A SUBGROUP MM-HMM.
SO THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS THAT I FEEL IN ALMOST EVERY PARAGRAPH OF THIS REPORT, LGBTQ SENIORS NEED TO BE MENTIONED.
BECAUSE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THE COUNCILMEN READ THESE REPORTS IS THEY'RE GOING TO SKIM THROUGH AND THEY'RE GOING TO MISS THE ONE PLACE THAT L G B T SENIORS ARE MENTIONED.
AND I'M SETTING UP APPOINTMENTS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I'VE ALREADY STARTED SETTING UP APPOINTMENTS TO MEET WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL PERSON, AND HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE ENOUGH OF MY COCOM COMMISSIONERS WHO WILL BE ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE, HOPEFULLY WITH THEIR COUNCIL COUNCILMEN ALSO, BECAUSE WE'RE JUST REHASHING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
AND CHE, WHERE WOULD, I'M NOT, I'M NOT DONE.
I HAVE THE SAME QUESTION, SO I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, WHAT I FEEL NEEDS TO BE DONE IS WHOEVER IS WRITING THIS RETORT, WHOEVER IS WRITING THIS, UM, ALL OF THIS, YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT MM-HMM.
AND SO I, I WROTE SOME OF THE REPORT.
PETE WROTE SOME OF THE REPORT, YOU AND I MET AND TALKED TWO OR THREE TIMES ABOUT IT, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING OF ME IN HERE.
AND THAT'S THE, THAT'S WHAT THE PROBLEM.
WE HAVE ADDED SOME VERY SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO LGT.
AND THERE'S SPECIFIC, MY PROPERTY, VERY PORSCHE VERY SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED OUT AS A GROUP.
NOBODY BREAKS OUT EXCITED TO SEE THAT AD HISPANICS OR AFRICAN.
I MEAN, IT SAYS RIGHT HERE, CLEARLY PAGE SIX IS EIGHT.
IT'S ALL THROUGH HERE CLEARLY.
AND THEN, SO I THINK THAT, SEE MY ISSUE WITH THE PORSCHE, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING CAUSE LITERALLY WE'VE TALKED MANY TIMES, BUT AS, UM, AS A CITY, I DON'T THINK THAT THE CITY CAN COUNT THE HISPANICS AND TELL WHAT THE ISSUES ARE WITH THE HISPANICS
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ARE, WITH THE BLACKS OR WITH THE WHITES, OR WITH THE WHITE RICH PEOPLE, UM, THAT ARE SENIORS AND WITH THE L LGBTQ COMMUNITY AS WELL.AND SO I THINK THAT WHAT THE REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION IS A REQUEST OF INFORMATION FOR EVERY SENIOR, NOT JUST FOR THE FOUR SENIORS IN DISTRICT THREE OR EIGHT OR FIVE, BUT FOR ALL SENIORS.
WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE WORKING AND NOT WORKING? WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? THE ALIVE AND KICKING SUMMIT WAS 200 PEOPLE THAT WERE MAINLY COMING FROM, UH, THE CENTERS THAT THE DALLAS COUNTY, UH, COMMUNITY HUMAN SERVICES TAKES CARE OF BECAUSE THEY HAD THE TRANSPORTATION.
WELL, WHAT HA WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION, WHO HAVE THOSE EXACT SAME NEEDS? HOW DO WE GET TO ALL OF THEM IN INCLUSIVE, NOT EXCLUSIVE, BUT INCLUSIVE OF L G BT, UH, BT PLUS.
UM, SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO, AS A, AS A COMMISSION, TAKE THE SMALL STEPS OF GETTING THE CITY TO RECOGNIZE WE NEED OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS THAT CAN HELP US IDENTIFY.
AND ONCE WE CAN GET THAT, THAT, UM, COMMITMENT FROM THEM, THAT WE CAN THEN ENGAGE OUR CONSULTANTS TO SAY, OKAY, NOW HOW DO YOU COUNT THESE OTHER PEOPLE? HOW DO WE COUNT THE LOW END ECONOMIC? HOW DO YOU COUNT THE TQS? HOW DO YOU COUNT THE HISPANICS THAT DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE ILLEGAL, EVEN THOUGH ALL THOSE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE AND DOCUMENTS.
THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE PARTLY ADDRESSING MY POINT.
WHAT? I DON'T HAVE ANY PROOF OF THAT.
DON'T, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MACRO, THIS IS THE SENIOR POPULATION.
BUT CUZ FOR ONE THING, WHAT I'M HEARING, YOU STILL TALKING, YOU'RE COMPARING, I'M SORRY.
YOU'RE COMPARING RACE TO, UH, GENDER.
I'M, PORSCHE IS STILL TALKING.
I'M ON PORSCHE'S SIDE RIGHT HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE COMPARING RACE TO GENDER FINISH AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
YOU CAN'T COMPARE RACE TO GENDER.
I WOULD LIKE HAVE SOMETHING INCLUDED, NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU SPECULATE ABOUT THE SENIOR COMMUNITY, THE SEN L G B T SENIOR COMMUNITY, NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU BELIEVE OR FEEL SOMETHING THAT YOU HEAR FROM ACTUAL L G B T SENIORS AND TO HOW DO I PROVIDE THAT SAME KIND OF VOICE TO EVERY SENIOR PORTION BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL SITTING RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM.
WE HAVE WHITE SENIORS, WE HAVE BLACK SENIORS ON THIS CONVENTION.
WE HAVE, UH, HISPANIC SENIOR, WE HAVE A GAY SENIOR, BUT MY VOICE IS NOT BEING HEARD.
AND OF COURSE, LET ME, LET ME, LET ME JUST SAY YOU, YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ANYWAY.
AND THE EXCUSE HAS BEEN FOR YEARS THAT WE CANNOT PRIORITIZE ANYTHING FOR THE GAY COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEN WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NEGLECTING ALL SENIORS.
BUT GAY SENIORS ARE WHITE, BLACK, HISPANIC, JEWISH MUSLIMS. YEAH.
BUT WE ARE NOT HAVING OUR VOICES HEARD AND WE'RE NOT HAVING OUR NEEDS MET.
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WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT.LIKE I SAID, I'M ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE WITH EACH COUNCILMAN INDIVIDUALLY.
BUT JUST LIKE MY COUNCILMAN ASKED ME, WHAT IS THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDING OR DOING ABOUT THIS? THAT'S THE SAME THING EVERY COUNCILMAN THAT I MEET WITH IS GOING TO ASK.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT THEY SUPPORT MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE LIVES AND UNDERSTAND THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF LGBTQ SENIORS.
IF THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE, A I CAN'T SAY I DIDN'T TRY.
SO PORTIA, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? THANK YOU.
CAN I, SO I GREW UP IN A HOUSEHOLD THAT WE WERE TAUGHT BEFORE WE COMPLAINED, BETTER BE PREPARED TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH WAS.
RIGHT? SO I READ THIS REPORT AND I WAS NAIVELY VERY PROUD THAT THIS PARAGRAPH WAS IN THERE.
HOW WOULD WE EVEN KNOW RIGHT, WITHOUT SOMEBODY DOING THE WORK AND IF YOU ARE A PART OF THAT COMMUNITY.
SO WHAT ARE THE UNIQUE NEEDS THAT WE'VE SEEM TO BE MISSING? CAN YOU CREATE A DOCUMENT? NOT TAKE THE TIME HERE NOW CAUSE WE'RE ON UNLIMITED TIME.
CAN YOU CREATE A DOCUMENT THAT SAY THIS IS THE PERCENTAGE OF THE L B T Q COMMUNITY, UM, THE, THESE ARE THEIR NUMBERS, THIS IS WHERE THEY ARE FINDING, UH, THEIR NEEDS NOT BEING MET SO THAT WE COULD ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE ISSUE, UM, OR WHAT THE ISSUES ARE.
I'M SO GLAD YOU, I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED THAT BECAUSE THAT BRINGS ME TO MY SECOND POINT.
YOU CANNOT IMPROVE WHAT YOU CANNOT MEASURE.
WE DO NOT HAVE AN L LGBTQ SENIOR LIAISON.
WE HAVE NO ONE IN, IN THE, IN THIS, IN THE CITY TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE HAVE NO ONE WHO COLLECTS DATA.
WE HAVE NO ONE WHO GETS IN TOUCH WITH OR ASKS QUESTIONS OF THE VARIOUS L G B T GROUPS OR ORGANIZATIONS LIKE RESOURCE CENTER, UH, COALITION FOR AGING, UH, HECK EVEN CIVIL PRIDE PROJECT.
WE HAVE NO ONE WHO IS ATTEMPTING TO GET ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND IF WE HAD A SENIOR LIAISON, AN L G B T SENIOR LIAISON, OH, IT WOULD BENEFIT ALL SENIORS.
ANYTHING THAT BENEFITS A SMALL GROUP IN THE LONG RUN IS GOING TO BENEFIT THE GREATER COMMUNITY.
AND I CAN SEND YOU THE INFORMATION.
I I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL.
BUT SOME OF WHAT YOU'RE RAISING IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF CLEAR BINGO US.
THIS IS, IN OTHER WORDS, I DON'T, I THINK THAT IF THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH CITY COUNCIL, AMEN.
BUT I THINK WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T SOLVE THAT HERE.
WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT THIS GROUP COULD SOLVE? AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THOSE LARGER NUMBERS ARE, I THINK PORSCHE, UM, UH, FEIS MADE THE POINT THAT OUR GOAL IS TO SERVE AS MANY SENIORS AS POSSIBLE.
RIGHT? I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO PETE TALK ABOUT THERE'S SO MANY OUT THERE WHO WERE NOT, WHOSE NEEDS WE ARE NOT MEETING, BUT JUST TO EVERY MEETING JUST COME UP AND GENERALIZE THE SAME THING IS REALLY NOT HELPFUL.
SO THIS IS WHY I'M SAYING WE NEED AN L G B T SENIOR LIAISON, SOMEONE WHO CAN BE IN CONTACT WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND CAN HELP GET THIS DATA FAR TOO LONG.
YOU'RE USING THAT'S AN EXCUSE.
WE CANNOT, ALL WE HEAR, ALL I HEAR IS WHAT WE CANNOT, WHAT WE CANNOT, WHAT WE CANNOT DO.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR SOMEBODY SAY WHAT WE CAN DO, WHAT WE WILL DO WELL, CAN DO THIS RECOMMENDED FUND.
CAN I PROVIDE A FEW POINTS OF CLARIFICATION? UM, SO FIRST I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY HAS AN LGBTQ TASK FORCE.
WELL, AND AGAIN, IT DID AND PERHAPS THAT GROUP NEEDS TO BE REVISITED, BUT I THINK THAT THAT COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO OR GET UPDATES ON WHAT HAD HAPPENED OVER THAT TASK FORCE BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
UM, THIS COMMISSION, OF COURSE IS A SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US FROM LOOKING AT INTERSECTIONALITY
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OF VARIOUS POPULATIONS AND OLDER ADULTS.OF COURSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CERTAINLY CAN DO.
UM, SO I THINK THAT THERE'S A COUPLE AVENUES THAT WE CAN LOOK AT.
SO WE HAVE A HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER AND STAFF.
IN FACT, I BELIEVE SHE'S ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO YOU A COUPLE OF TIMES.
I'M PRETTY SURE I WAS CC'D ON THE EMAILS.
BUT LET ME FIND THAT AND I CAN SHARE IT WITH YOU AND GET YOU CONNECTED WITH LATOYA.
UM, BUT SHE'S OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD PLACE TO START THIS TYPE OF A CONVERSATION IF WE FEEL LIKE THE TASK FORCE NEEDS TO BE REVISITED.
BUT ONE OF THE AREAS THAT OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER REALLY LOOKS AT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING ALL OF THOSE CATEGORIES, UM, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, BUT NOT IN AN SERVICE TO ALL WILL MEET EVERYBODY'S NEEDS, BUT IN A, LOOKING AT INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF INDIVIDUAL POPULATIONS.
SO I CANNOT MAKE ANY TYPE OF A COMMITMENT PER SE ABOUT THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT THAT IS A CONVERSATION THAT'S GREAT TO HAVE HERE, BUT IT'S ALSO LARGER THAN THIS COMMISSION.
SO IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT COULD PUT FORWARD.
UM, I WILL ALSO SHARE WITH YOU THAT WHENEVER A BOARD OR COMMISSION VOTES ON ANY TYPE OF A DOCUMENT THAT YOU WANT TO PUBLISH, THERE'S ALWAYS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A MINORITY REPORT THAT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO FEELS THAT THE DOCUMENT DOES NOT REPRESENT THEM OR THAT THEY DO NOT AGREE WITH THE MAJORITY OPINION ON SOMETHING OR THE MAJORITY OF A VOTE CAN DRAFT THEIR OWN, UH, MINORITY REPORT AS WELL AND PUT THAT FORWARD.
SO THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME WAYS THAT WE CAN SPEAK ABOUT THAT.
AND I'M JUST SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH YOU.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE A LOT TO COVER.
SO I WOULD LOVE IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION, UM, WITH LATOYA, OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW WE CAN FIND A WAY TO UTILIZE THE INTERSECTIONALITY OF THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION OF THE WORK THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DONE BY THE L G B T TASK FORCE IN THE PAST AND REALLY TRY TO COME UP WITH SOME GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE REASONS WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA IS CUZ IT REALLY JUST DOESN'T EXIST.
THEY DON'T ASK THAT QUESTION WHEN THEY'RE DOING CENSUS, WHEN THEY'RE DOING REPORTING.
AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE DATA THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO EXISTS.
IN ORDER TO GET THAT DATA, WE'D ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO OUT AND SEEK IT.
AND SO WE'D HAVE TO GO OUT, WE'D HAVE TO DO A SURVEY, WE'D HAVE TO DO A SAMPLE, WE'D HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE CAN OR CAN'T DO IT, BUT I AM SAYING IT'S A REALLY BIG TASK.
UM, AND IT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING IT CORRECTLY.
IF IT WASN'T SUCH A HUGE TASK, I WOULD BE DOING IT MYSELF.
BUT THAT IN ITSELF MEANS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE PASSED ON TO CITY COUNCIL.
BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO REMAIN INVISIBLE IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T SPEAK UP AND SPEAK OUT.
I AM TIRED OF WHATEVER MY THOUGHTS ARE AND MY ISSUES ARE, ARE BEING REFRAMED OR SANITIZED OR JUST TOTALLY IGNORED.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO YOU OR DOESN'T HAPPEN TO YOU OR IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH, THAT IT'S EASY FOR YOU TO IGNORE.
I AM THESE PEOPLE AND NOBODY ELSE IS SPEAKING UP FOR MY COMMUNITY AND I AM GOING TO, SO IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION THEN THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR THERE TO BE MORE DATA COLLECTED ON THIS OLDER ADULT POPULATION THAT IS LGBTQIA PLUS? IS THAT YOUR ONE RECOMMENDATION? I HAVE.
SO THAT I BELIEVE IS VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK THAT WE CAN UTILIZE WHEN WE'RE, WHEN THE COMMITTEE I, I DIDN'T WRITE THE REPORT AT ALL, I JUST RECEIVED IT AND REVIEWED IT AS WELL.
UM, BUT THAT IS, THAT'S VERY VALID FEEDBACK AND I THINK THAT THAT COULD ACTUALLY STRENGTHEN SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE IN THERE THAT CAN ADD A LAYER INTO THE REQUEST THAT YOU ALL HAVE DRAFTED FOR CONSULTATION SAYING THAT ONE AREA OF SPECIALTY WOULD BE THE LACK OF DATA ON THIS CRITICAL POPULATION AND HOW WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING THOSE NEEDS.
SO I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
SO THAT'S, SO THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER THAT YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT TODAY OR CAN WE I I HAVE A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT.
SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO BE LEAVING.
BUT I ALSO HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU INCLUDE IN THIS REPORT THE NEED FOR THERE TO BE AN L G B T Q SENIOR LIAISON.
I SEE WHERE YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THERE'S A SENIOR LIAISON, BUT YOU, YOU SEE HOW THIN THAT PERSON'S, UH, SPREAD WOULD BE GETTING AROUND TO THE
[01:10:01]
L G B T COMMUNITY WOULD BE NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE.SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED JUST ON THE L G BT Q COMMUNITY SITTING HERE WITH OR OR MEETING WITH 15 INDIVIDUALS FROM ALL DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
AND YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT I HAVE TO SAY AND YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT I HAVE TO SAY AND I MIGHT NOT LIKE WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY.
IT'S JUST GONNA TURN INTO A BIG HODGE MODGE AND WE ARE STILL GOING TO BE INVISIBLE.
SO WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO CAN MAKE SURE THAT, UH, DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ARE EDUCATED ABOUT THE NEEDS OF THE L G B T COMMUNITY.
SOMEBODY WHO CAN MAKE SURE THAT ANY INFORMATION REGARDING ANY KIND OF SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT THIS, THIS, THIS CITY HAS TO OFFER THAT INFORMATION GETS TO THE L G B T Q COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT DOES NOT.
OH MY GOD, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW OFTEN I'M HERE AND SO MUCH STUFF DOESN'T EVEN REACH ME.
BUT AREN'T YOU GETTING INTO THE GRANULAR, WE'VE GOT A, IT'S A RECOMMENDED FUNNY PRIORITIES.
I APPRECIATED IT WAS IN THERE.
I WAS SURPRISED IT WAS IN THERE.
BUT WE'RE JUST LOSING SIGHT AND YOU'RE HIJACKING IN THIS MEETING MORE PAROCHIALLY, WHICH YOU'VE MADE YOUR POINT.
THE THINGS YOU'VE RAISED ARE GREAT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THIS NEW SENIOR CHAIRMAN KLEIN INSTITUTE, CHAIRMAN KLEIN YES.
THIS IS, THIS IS COMMISSIONER AUSTIN.
THE THINGS THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER TANTRA IS SPEAKING OF FALL UNDER THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, UM, ACT AND THEY FALL UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.
AND I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD TREAD LIGHTLY AND LEAVE THIS UP TO HER AND THEM TO IRON THIS OUT.
AND I I FULLY SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
ALL LIVES MATTER AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD KEEP OUR PERSONAL OPINIONS TO OURSELVES.
THIS IS A PUBLIC RECORDED MEETING AND I FULLY SUPPORT YOUR ISSUES AND YOUR VALUES.
AND I'M SO SORRY THAT THIS MEETING HAS TURNED THAT WAY.
CAN I OFFER SOMETHING? THANK YOU.
THAT'S POSITIVE THAT I GOT, I I I GET THE, UH, NEWSLETTER FROM DISTRICT TWO EVEN THOUGH I LIVE IN DISTRICT 14.
AND THIS MORNING THERE WAS, UH, UH, AND I'LL SEND, SEND THIS ON SO IT CAN BE SENT TO THE WHOLE GROUP.
I MEAN, YOU'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE DISTRICT TO EMAIL, BUT, UH, BREAKING GROUND ON A SECURE FUTURE FOR L G B LGBTQ SENIORS.
AND THERE'S A, A PLACE CALLED THE OAK LAWN PLACE IN DISTRICT TWO AND THEIR BREAKING GROUND ON THAT, THE RESOURCE CENTER STAFF WILL BE ON SITE TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
I WAS ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN THIS BECAUSE I'M CONSIDERED CONCERNED ABOUT HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I MEAN, I JUST THINK WE NEED TO HEAR IT TODAY AND I'LL FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO MCKAY TO BE SHARED WITH YOU ALL.
IT'S REALLY FROM DISTRICT TWO NEWSLETTER.
I, I, I'D LIKE TO MAKE BEFORE YOU LEAVE PORTION TWO, TWO THINGS.
ONE IS IF YOU WOULD REVIEW THE DRAFT AS IT STANDS AND GIVE SOME SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS OF WORDING, ADD ADDITIONAL WORDING IN THERE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDRESSED.
THAT I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST STEP.
WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE AVOID IS THE PROCESS FOR THIS.
IT'S NOT INTENDED TO BE A FINAL DRAFT.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR EVERYBODY'S INPUT ON THAT AND, AND ASK FOR THAT.
THIS WILL GET REVISED OVER THE NEXT MONTH.
IT WILL BE REDISTRIBUTED IN ADVANCE OF THE JUNE MEETING.
AND AT THE JUNE MEETING, WE WILL BE APPROVING THE MEMO THAT WILL GO TO CITY COUNCIL.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THIS KIND OF A CONVERSATION AT THAT MEETING AT THE JUNE MEETING.
EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED THEIR INPUT AND YOU'RE ON THE COMMITTEE THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCING THE REPORT.
LET'S GET THESE, LET'S GET WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, FIGURED OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS RATHER THAN TURNING THE NEXT MEETING INTO ANOTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
THE OTHER THING I I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS THAT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY IS VERY VALID.
I ALSO THINK THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, YOU ARE PROBABLY ONLY WITHIN
[01:15:01]
SENIOR AFFAIRS, ONLY SERVING MAYBE 5% OF THE SENIORS THAT ARE LIVING IN CITY OF DALLAS AND MOST OF THE SENIOR POPULATION IS BEING OVERLOOKED AND IS IN AND IS INVISIBLE.AND THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S THE HUGE GLOBAL ISSUE.
AND I THINK YOUR ISSUE IS, IS A SUBCATEGORY OF A HUGE ISSUE FOR THE CITY.
AND THAT'S, EXCUSE ME, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO GET A STRATEGIC PLAN PUT INTO PLACE.
THAT IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN IF IT'S DONE PART-TIME BY PEOPLE HAVE ALL KINDS OF OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES.
WE NEED TO GET SOME OUTSIDE CONSULTING HELP IN TO GET BETTER DATA AND THEN TO COME UP WITH SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT WHAT THE CITY.
SO, UH, CHAIRMAN, CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THIS REPORT? SO, WOULD IT BE PREMATURE TO MEET WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE ON THIS ISSUE? WOULD YOU RATHER WAIT UNTIL WE FINISH IT? AND, AND WHICH ISSUE ON, ON THE WHOLE REPORT? LIKE, I THINK WHAT YOU GUYS DID, I MEAN, I, I LOVED THIS REPORT AND I WENT THROUGH IT AS IT APPEARS MOST OF US DID HERE.
UM, SO I WROTE MYSELF A NOTE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH MY CITY COUNCIL PERSON.
BUT IS THAT, IS THAT PREMATURE? SHOULD WE WAIT UNTIL, BECAUSE THIS IS A WORKING DRAFT, WOULD IT BE INAPPROPRIATE? YES.
I MEAN, YOU, I, I THINK EVERY COMMISSIONER HAS A RELATIONSHIP OF SOME SORT WITH THEIR CITY COUNCIL PERSON.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK THE PRIORITIES ARE.
SO YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND IF YOU COME UP WITH NEW INFORMATION, IT CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS REPORT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S, NO, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY YOU CAN'T HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
SO, BECAUSE JUST DON'T PRESENT THIS AS THE FINAL REPORT.
I'LL BE CAREFUL NOT YEAH, I KNOW HOW THAT GOES.
BUT I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY RIGHT.
TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR, UM, OH, THANK YOU WORDING.
UM, I SEE THIS DOCUMENT AS BEING A START AND, UH, OR A SKELETON, UH, PER SE.
I SEE A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE SEE YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
THERE'S ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS A PART OF THE DOCUMENT.
WE'VE TALKED THIS MORNING ABOUT DATA, DATA, DATA.
I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME DATA, UH, OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE, US SHOWING THE NEED FOR THESE PARTICULAR PROGRAMS AND WHAT THE USE OF THESE, THESE PROGRAMS, UH, HAS BEEN.
THEN I THINK THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS AND, AND IN, IN MY MIND OF THE IMPLEMENTATION MIGHT BE DIFFERENT IN EACH DISTRICT BASED UPON THE NEEDS OF THAT DISTRICT.
UH, AND SO I WOULD NOT WANNA SEE US LOOKING AT A COOKIE CUTTER KIND OF IMPLEMENTATION THAT I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST BECAUSE THAT COOKIE CUTTER DOES NOT WORK FOR ALL DISTRICTS AND IN, IN MANY INSTANCES, EXCLUDES, UH, PARTICIPATION OF SOME DISTRICTS.
UH, I THINK IT'S A, A WONDERFUL REPORT.
UH, YOU ALL DID A GOOD JOB ON IT.
THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF MY COMMENTS.
SO TO DEGREE, ANYONE HAS SPECIFIC EDITORIAL COMMENTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDED TO THIS.
I'M GONNA ARBITRARILY SAY, SPEAK OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE.
IF WE DON'T HEAR SOMETHING FROM PEOPLE WITHIN A WEEK, WE'RE GONNA ASSUME YOU DON'T HAVE ANY INPUT.
AND, YOU KNOW, BY, BY NEXT WEEK WE NEED TO BE WORKING ON THE REVISIONS THAT WILL BE REQUIRED TO CREATE A FINAL VERSION OF THIS DOCUMENT.
AND SO, BUT LET'S ARBITRARILY SAY NEXT MONDAY'S THE DEADLINE TO GET INFORMATION TO US IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING TO ADD AND EVERYBODY'S WELCOME AND, AND ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE THAT INPUT.
BUT I, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT IT IF WE DON'T HEAR FROM YOU.
[01:20:01]
INFORMATION SHOULD GO TO, AND VERNA, I'LL PROBABLY CALL YOU TO GET MORE SPECIFICS ON WHAT YOU'VE SAID.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I THINK SHE'S NOT HEARING RIGHT.
UH, REESE HAS BEEN VERY PATIENT OVER HERE.
LET'S, LET'S MOVE TO, UH, HOUSING REPORT.
SORRY, AL'S STILL KIND OF MESSING WITH ME A LITTLE BIT.
UH, SO JUST TO GIVE YOU UPDATES ON SOME KEY THINGS THAT ARE, EXCUSE ME, THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS THE UPDATE ON THE SENIOR HOME AFFAIR PROGRAM.
AND I SPOKE WITH EVERYONE LAST MONTH, UH, TOLD YOU WE HAD OUR 500 APPLICATIONS.
WE ALSO REPORTED THAT TO COMMITTEE.
UH, WE HAVE COMPLETED INPUTTING ON THE APPLICATIONS AND WE ARE OVER 700.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY HOT ON THAT NUMBER.
I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I DID RECEIVE AN EMAIL FROM SOMEBODY, UH, ASKING FOR THE INFORMATION OUTLINING BY COUNCIL DISTRICT, UH, WAS TRYING TO PROVIDE INFORMATION.
THE RANSOMWARE ATTACKED HAS CREATED SOME ISSUES ON US BEING ABLE TO PULL AND ACCURATELY DEPICT THAT INFORMATION ON TOP OF MAY 6TH.
THEY UPDATED THE COUNCIL DISTRICT LINES, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION CORRECT BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE'S SOME THAT ARE RIGHT THERE ON THAT.
SO THAT IS WHY I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO RE UH, DO EVERYTHING TWO TIMES.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RESPECTFUL OF THAT.
UM, THE BIG THING THAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS JUST LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, IS DOING A LOTTERY, WORKING THROUGH THOSE FIRST SET OF APPLICATIONS AND MOVING TOGETHER IN THOSE WAVES THAT WE RECENTLY DISCUSSED.
UM, IN RELATIONSHIP TO THAT, UH, THIS THURSDAY AND NEXT THURSDAY, WE ARE HOSTING CONTRACTOR EVENTS.
WE ARE ACTIVELY RECRUITING CONTRACTORS.
AND I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU SINCE I'VE BEEN COMING WITH THOR.
UM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS WHO ARE BIDDING.
UH, AGAIN, WE DO GET PEOPLE WHO SIGN UP WHO START TO COME THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT THEY DON'T ACTUALLY SUBMIT BIDS OR INCLUDE RESPONSE BIDS WHERE THEY ARE REASONABLE IN IMPACT.
UM, IF THEY'RE EXTREMELY HIGH OR EXTREMELY LOW, WE AUTOMATICALLY PUT THEM AS AN OUTLIER.
UH, CAUSE WE DO HAVE A BASELINE OF COST OF WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO FAIR PRICING FOR THAT.
WHEN YOU HOST A A CONTRACTOR EVENT, THAT'S WHEN, WHAT, WHAT, TELL ME AGAIN.
YES, THEY'RE BIDDING ON WEATHER.
SO, UH, THURSDAY AT DALLAS EXECUTIVE AIRPORT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER FLYERS, UM, TO ENCOURAGE CONTRACTORS TO COME OUT TO LEARN ABOUT BECOMING A CONTRACTOR OKAY.
UM, I CAN ACTUALLY SEND, UH, AN EMAIL OUT TO THE GROUP, UH, WITH THAT FLYER.
UH, ESSENTIALLY THE WHOLE OBJECTIVE IS TO NOT ONLY TELL THEM ABOUT BECOMING A CONTRACTOR WITH THE CITY, IT'S ALSO TELL 'EM ABOUT THE PRIORITIES AND THE LUXURIES OF BEING A CONTRACTOR WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
UH, BECAUSE YOU CAN GET PERMITTING PRIORITY IF YOU ARE ON THAT END.
CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE MISCONCEPTIONS OF WHAT THE PROCESS IS COMING IN.
AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO DE UP THOSE.
YES, IF YOU WOULD, I ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEONE I'M TRYING TO TALK INTO CONTRACT AND I KNOW SHE'S LOOKED AT IT IN THE PAST, BUT, OKAY.
AND I'VE BEEN HAVING PEOPLE REACH OUT.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THEM FOLLOW THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UM, SO TODAY IS GONNA BE AN EVENING EVENT.
AND THEN THE FOLLOWING THURSDAY WILL BE A MORNING EVENT IN THE FLAG ROOM.
UM, I'M KIND OF CALLING IT DONUTS WITH THE DIRECTOR.
UM, CAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO LEVERAGE JUST THE PEOPLE AND HAVING OPPORTUNITY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS IS HELPING TO PUSH THIS AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
SO, UH, THESE ARE THE STEPS THAT WE ARE TAKING.
UM, IT'S A NEVER ENDING, ENDING THING WITH CONTRACTOR.
LIKE I TOLD YOU GUYS FROM THE BEGINNING SURE.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE ALL AWARE OF THAT COMPONENT.
AND THOSE ARE THE BIG THINGS I HAD, UH, LAST MONTH WE TALKED ABOUT JUST, UH, THE APPROVAL OF EVERYTHING HAPPENING WITH THE NEW POLICY AND ALL THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH THE PROGRAM AS A WHOLE.
UH, THERE IS THE POLICY ITSELF THAT TALKS ABOUT ESSENTIALLY THE OVERVIEW OF THE PATH FORWARD FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN WE HAVE A TOOLKIT THAT IS LIKE A, A PART TWO OR, OR ONE B, WHICH HOLDS ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS SO THAT WE CAN STAY UP TO DATE WITH DIFFERENT CHANGES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE.
WE CONSTANTLY REITERATE THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT HAPPENED DURING COVID.
UH, WHEN COVID CAME INTO TO PLAY MATERIAL, PRICES SHOT UP.
IT CHANGED ON WHAT IT TOOK FOR CONTRACTORS TO MOVE FORWARD AND TO QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM.
[01:25:01]
OLD POLICY, WE HAD TO GO BACK TO COUNCIL TO MAKE CHANGES.WE DON'T, WE CAN GET APPROVAL IN DIFFERENT MANNERS AND NOT HAVE TO GO IN.
AND THEN EVERY SO OFTEN WE COME BACK TO THE TABLE WITH, WITH OUR COMMITTEE.
I'LL PROMPT THAT IN YOUR PRESENTATION TO THAT IS, BUT THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, WHERE WE ARE NOW IS JUST WORKING THROUGH THE LOTTERY AND WORKING THROUGH GETTING BIDS OUT.
UM, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, UM, YOU'RE, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA GET WITH THE APPLICANTS ON HOW FAST THEY RESPOND ON THE DOCUMENTS.
UM, IF YOU REMEMBER, WE ONLY ASKED FOR A FEW ITEMS. WE DIDN'T ASKED FOR ALL THE ITEMS. UM, WE HOPE THAT THERE AREN'T MANY, UM, BUT MOST OF OUR APPLICANTS ARE LIKELY ON DISABILITIES, SO THEY SHOULD JUST BE ABLE TO SHOW THEIR AWARD LETTERS AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE FAST.
BUT YOU NEVER KNOW UNTIL YOU GET INTO IT.
SO, SO, AND YOU'RE EXPECTING TO DO DRAW 10.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY APPLICATIONS DO YOU EXPECT TO AT LEAST INITIALLY? YES.
THE FIRST GROUP IS 10 THAT WE WANT TO TAKE TO ACTUAL BID WALK.
WE WILL PULL MORE THAN 10 IN THE FIRST LOTTERY.
ACTUALLY THE NUMBER OF STEPS THAT CAN PUSH THAT TOMORROW.
JUST BECAUSE YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHO'S GONNA FOLLOW UP, WHO'S NOT, WHO'S NOT GONNA RETURN DOCUMENTS BACK.
WE DON'T WANNA GO BACK TO THAT PLATFORM.
AND AS WE GET TO A PHASE TO WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO GET TO THE BID WALK AND GET MOVING, WE'LL START THE NEXT GROUP.
SO IT'S A CONSTANT WAVE THAT'S GOING.
AND THE FACT THAT THEY ONLY TURNED IN THREE ITEMS, THEIR APPLICATIONS SHOULD NOT GO INVALID FOR AT LEAST A YEAR.
AND SO THAT WAY WE HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO RESTART AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
WELL, WE'RE INCLUDING THIS INFORMATION IN OUR DOCUMENT.
I MEAN, I THINK 700 APPLICATIONS YOU COULD ADDITIONALLY DO 10.
AND I KNOW THERE'S ANOTHER, UH, PROJECT SHOWING COMING UP, BUT STILL MM-HMM.
MY MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT FOR THE LOTTERY PURPOSE OF THE LOTTERY, IF YOU'RE OVER 75, IS IT CORRECT, YOU GET AN EXTRA TICKET MM-HMM.
AND IF YOU'RE DISABLED, IS THAT WHAT, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT ARE THE THINGS TO GET YOU EXTRA TICKETS? SO FIRST IS 65.
UM, THAT'S JUST TO GET PRETTY MUCH APPLY.
IF YOU'RE OVER 75, YOU GET AN EXTRA ONE.
AND IF YOU'RE IN NEED OF ACCESSIBILITY, REPAIRS GET LOCKED UP.
SO ACCESSIBILITY CAN BE RAMPS.
IT COULD BE AN 88 ACCESSIBLE BATHROOM.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN FALL UNDER THAT.
IT COULD BE EXPANSION OF DOORS.
UH, AND SO IF THOSE THINGS WERE OUTLINED ON THE APPLICATION, WHICH AT LEAST HAVE SELECTED THAT WE CAN SEE OKAY HERE THE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE THEY PUT IN THERE.
SO WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE JUST TO TRY TO CREATE SOME TYPE OF, UH, ONE THING THAT I'LL ALSO ADD IN THERE, UH, WE'RE STARTING TO PLAN FOR OUR STANDARD HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, UH, TO COME BACK AVAILABLE IN AUGUST, SEPTEMBER.
AND WE'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE WORK THAT WE PUT FORTH WITH THE SENIOR HOME REPAIR APPLICATION WHERE WE, UH, WENT OUT TO ALL THE LIBRARIES AND HAD IT AVAILABLE AS WELL.
WE FEEL LIKE IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY PRODUCTIVE.
UH, WE'RE NOW TRYING TO RIGHT SIZE THAT, UH, THERE'S JUST BEEN QUESTIONS ON WHAT IS THE HEALTHY TIMELINE TO HAVE AVAILABLE, UM, IF WE'RE GOING TO ASK FULL APPLICATION OR JUST A PORTION OF THAT, UH, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT.
AND AS WE FINAL THE DETAILS WE'RE OBVIOUSLY THE MAKING SURE EVERYONE'S AWARE OF THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE SENIORS CAN'T APPLY FOR THAT AS WELL.
UH, MARY IS SNOWE ANY QUESTIONS? GREAT JOB.
WHO IS DOING THE REPORT FOR THEIR UNION
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF CHAIR KLEIN SHARED, AND ANNA MAY HAVE REACHED OUT, BUT ANNA HAS ACTUALLY DECIDED TO RELOCATE BACK TO HER HOME TOWN IN PUERTO RICO.
UM, SO UNFORTUNATELY SHE'S NO LONGER WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, JUST AS OF AS RECENTLY AS LAST WEEK.
UH, WE MISS HER TERRIBLY, LIKE SO MUCH
UM, BUT WE'RE ALSO REALLY HAPPY FOR HER IN HER PERSONAL LIFE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SHE WAS, SHE, SHE MADE A PERSONAL CHOICE AND SHE WANTED TO, TO GIVE BACK TO HER HOME.
UM, AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, ANNA DID WORK CLOSELY WITH, UH, JAMES MCKAYLA, WHO'S OUT TODAY, AND LYNN WHO'S RIGHT THERE, UH, TO PULL TOGETHER THE REPORT.
UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS MENTIONED DURING REESE'S PRESENTATION, BUT WE ARE, THERE ARE SOME PLACES THAT WE CAN'T GET SOME OF OUR OLD STUFF RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT'S BEING REMEDIED AS WE SPEAK.
WE'VE GOT ACCESS TO MOST EVERYTHING,
[01:30:01]
BUT SOME OF IT WE JUST WEREN'T ABLE TO GET AHOLD OF TO CREATE THE REPORT.SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THIS BECAUSE JAMES HAS TO RUN THE COMPUTER BACK THERE MORE THAN ANYTHING.
BUT IF I MAKE A FALSE STATEMENT ABOUT ANY OF THE EVENTS, PLEASE DO CORRECT ME, JAMES OR LYNN, WHOMEVER KNOWS BETTER.
SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THE TOP OF IT.
UM, IN APRIL THERE WAS THE, UH, EATING WELL WITH SNAP, RIGHT? YEAH.
UM, SO THERE WAS ONE OF, UH, YES.
SO WITH THE, UH, AN OUTREACH EVENT AT THE MARCUS ANNEX CENTER, UH, THERO, UM, OUTREACH WAS COMPLETED.
UH, THAT'S AN EVENT THAT WAS HOSTED BY OUR LATINO CULTURAL CENTER WHERE THEY DID SOME REALLY COOL, UM, MOVIES AND, UM, HAD A LOT OF VENDORS OUT THERE.
UM, OUR TEAM DID A PRESENTATION AT THE FRETZ PARK LIBRARY ON BOARDING, UH, COMMUNITY.
THEY PARTICIPATED IN A COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE HEALTH FAIR IN THE SOUTHWEST, SOUTHWEST ISH, SOUTH SOUTHERN SOUTHWEST DALLAS AREA.
UM, THEY PARTICIPATED IN, UH, THE LEGAL AND FINANCIAL, UM, CAREGIVING, UH, EVENT, WHICH WAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SENIOR SOURCE.
AND THAT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENT.
UM, THEY PARTNERED WITH THE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA FRATERNITY TO, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, REPORTING
UM, AND THEY ALSO ATTENDED THE FAMILY FIT FEST.
UM, FOR MAY, THEY'VE ALREADY DONE A COUPLE OF THINGS.
THE SENIOR HUM HUNGER SUMMIT, WHICH, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, WHAT'S WHO COMMISSIONER AUSTIN HAS HIGHLIGHTED AS WELL.
BUT WE HAD STAFF THAT WAS PARTICIPATING, UH, HAD A BOOTH AND WAS ALSO PART OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE.
UM, THEY'LL BE AT A, UH, SENIOR OUTREACH EVENT ON, IN A COUPLE DAYS ON WEDNESDAY OF THIS WEEK, THEY'LL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE, UH, A A R P BLOCK PARTY, UM, AT OUR WEST DALLAS MULTIPURPOSE CENTER ON FRIDAY.
UM, OF COURSE THEY'RE PARTICIPATING IN THE DART OLDER AMERICANS MONTH MEGA PARTY ON THE 25TH OF THIS MONTH.
AND THEN THEY'VE GOT A FEW PRESENTATIONS ALREADY PLANNED FOR JUNE AS WELL.
SO, UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE LISTED MOVING THROUGH THE POPULATION OR THE, UH, PROGRAM INFORMATION.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE, UH, TOTAL, I'LL JUST BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS RIGHT NOW CUZ IT CAME UP EARLIER, BUT AS YOU SEE, IT WAS 162 ON DUPLICATED CLIENTS, BUT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF COMMUNICATIONS WAS 849.
AND SO THAT ACTUALLY IS KIND OF MEANT TO HELP TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THOSE CLIENTS REQUIRE MORE THAN ONE, UH, CONTACT MOST OF THE TIME.
SOMETIMES IT'S JUST ONE AND SOMETIMES IT'S A LOT MORE THAN ONE.
UM, SO THAT INFORMATION IS KIND OF SHARED, UH, THERE.
UM, AND OF COURSE WE LAY IT OUT AND SIMILAR TO OFTEN OUR TOP NEEDS ARE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND STUFF TO DO WITH HOUSING, WHETHER IT'S HOME REPAIR OR JUST HOUSING, UM, INFORMATION.
AND I THINK WE PROBABLY GET A LOT OF OLDER ADULTS COMING THROUGH OUR GENERAL, UM, ASSISTANCE LINE AS WELL THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW ARE OLDER ADULTS THAT ARE ASKING FOR INFORMATION TOO.
SO IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY EVEN MORE THAN THAT NEED.
AND THIS IS CAPTURED BECAU UH, THROUGH OUR SENIOR SERVICES HELPLINE SPECIFICALLY.
UM, THE, UH, SORRY, THERE'S THE UPDATE ON THE PROGRAM GOALS YEAR TO DATE.
COMPARISON IS UP NEXT, UM, AND THEN BROKEN DOWN, UH, THROUGH MARCH BY DISTRICT.
SO, UH, WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP THAT INFORMATION AND TRY TO KEEP REPORTING THAT INFORMATION AS WE CAN.
DART WRITER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
OUR TOTAL PERFORMANCE TOWARDS THE GOALS, UM, WE'RE I GUESS ABOUT A LITTLE PAST HALFWAY.
UM, AND THEN THE REPORT FOR THAT, WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE THE MARCH INFORMATION.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THAT IN OUR APRIL MEETING.
SO WE HAVE THE MARCH INFORMATION NOW INCLUDED THERE.
AND SO WE HAVE THE SUM FOR THE QUARTER AND WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION BY DISTRICT.
UM, MOVING ON THE, UM, UNEMPLOY OR EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, FY TO DATE IS AT 1 67.
THE, UH, WHICH IS INAC ACCESS OF THE TARGET, BUT OF COURSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT A HUGE, UH, NUMBER.
UM, MOVING ON, HERE'S THAT INFORMATION BY DISTRICT.
YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DISTRICTS WHERE YOU HAVE A LOT MORE, UH, RESIDENTS.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY TO DO WITH THE LOCATION OF THE FACILITY PROBABLY.
UM, NEXT UP IS THE DENTAL PROGRAM.
SO WE'VE GOT UPDATED DATA THERE.
WE DO HAVE MARCH AND APRIL INFORMATION IN HERE FOR YOU.
NOW, UM, FOR THE, UM, PROGRAM, I WILL SAY THAT THE CONTRACT, THE FORMER CONTRACT WAS THE THIRD YEAR RENEWAL.
SO IT'S THE SECOND RENEWAL, BUT THE THIRD YEAR OF WHAT WAS A THREE YEAR CONTRACT.
THAT CONTRACT ENDED IN JANUARY OF 2023.
THE NEW CONTRACT THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH RIGHT NOW WAS DELAYED SLIGHTLY THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, UM, BECAUSE IT HAD TO KIND OF CHANGE AVENUES AND PROCUREMENT.
IT STARTED OUT AS A PUBLIC AND THEN IT MOVED TO A SINGLE BIDDER, UM, PROCUREMENT AND IT TOOK A LITTLE LONGER.
[01:35:01]
CONTRACT NEGOTIATION TOOK A LITTLE LONGER AND THEN IT HAD TO GET TO COUNCIL BEFORE IT COULD BE AUTHORIZED.AND SO THAT IS THE REASON YOU DON'T SEE ANY CLIENTS SERVED IN THOSE MONTHS BECAUSE THEY HAD ACTUALLY, EVEN THOUGH THEIR CONTRACT WAS EXTENDED INTO JANUARY, 2023, THEY HAD FULLY EXTENDED THEIR FUNDS BY THE END OF DECEMBER AND THERE WAS NOT A CONTRACT IN PLACE DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
THIS IS THE NUMBERS THAT THE CITY'S FUNDS THAT OUR CONTRACTOR PAYING FOR.
THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE PROGRAM WAS NOT DELIVERING SERVICES DURING THOSE MONTHS.
UM, LIKE ALL NONPROFITS, THEY HAVE A TRICKY BALANCE OF FUNDING SOURCES, UH, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO PULL FROM.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN THEY KNOW AND THEY KNEW THAT THIS LITTLE GAP WAS COMING, YOU CAN SOMETIMES YOU CAN KIND OF PLAN FOR THAT.
UM, OF COURSE AN EXTENDED, UM, GAP IN CONTRACTS PROBABLY WOULD'VE CREATED A PRETTY DIFFICULT SITUATION FOR THEM.
BUT I'M GLAD WE DIDN'T, UM, END UP THERE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, STARTING IN MARCH, THAT CONTRACT WAS AUTHORIZED ON THE EIGHTH.
IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GET TOTALLY FINALIZED AND THEY WERE KIND OF RIGHT BACK AT IT.
SO JESSICA, ON THIS, UM, ON THAT PARTICULAR SPREAD THAT SHOWS OCTOBER 22ND MM-HMM.
SO THERE'S TWO CONTRACTS THAT HAPPENED DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR, RIGHT? LIKE THE LAST CONTRACT WENT THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR, AND THEN THE NEW CONTRACT STARTED HALFWAY THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO, UM, YEAH, SO I, I GUESS A LOT OF TIMES I, THAT IS A LITTLE CONFUSING.
SOMETIMES I REPORT ON CONTRACTS, SO I MEAN, WE COULD, WE COULD KIND OF HONESTLY JUST ADD THAT UP.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, 284 WOULD BE THE PROGRAM TO DATE FOR THE CURRENT MM-HMM.
SO IT IS A LITTLE CONFUSING, BUT THIS IS LIKE THE ACTUAL NUMBERS TO DATE.
THOSE NUMBERS FROM STARTING FROM OCTOBER TO NOW, BUT NOT NECESSARILY FROM THE CURRENT CONTRACT.
AND, AND THE INTENTION ON THESE, FOR THE MOST PART, ARE TO RENEW THE CONTRACTS BEFORE THEY EXPIRE.
AND IT'S, UH, THAT'S WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN GENERALLY.
SO, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE THE, UM, PROCUREMENT PROCESS, IT, IT TAKES SOME TIME AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO PLAN THAT, UM, IN ORDER TO MEET THAT WE, IT JUST DIDN'T, IT DIDN'T MAKE IT IN TIME.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN IDEAL IF IT WOULD'VE GONE TO CON COUNCIL IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY.
SO THEN LET ME MOVE ON TO OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE GOT THE APRIL DATA.
WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO GET THE APRIL DATA FOR ALL OF THESE SURPRISINGLY.
UM, SOMETIMES IT CAN BE HARD WHEN YOU HAVE AN EARLIER, UH, COMMISSION MEETING.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THE RECORDING THERE, THIS PROGRAM, THEY'RE ALWAYS PRETTY OUTSTANDING IN TERMS OF THEIR PERFORMANCE.
UM, BUT THEY DO REALLY IMPORTANT WORK.
AND I WILL JUST TELL YOU GUYS, I ACTUALLY CALLED ON THEM LIKE JUST THIS MORNING WHEN I CAME ACROSS AN OLDER ADULT WHO IS FACING A POSSIBLE SITUATION OF HOUSELESSNESS OR HOMELESSNESS.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE PLACE THAT THEY WERE PLAYING.
AND SO NOW THAT BENJAMIN ARE GONNA, THEY'RE LOOKING INTO THAT, SO HOPEFULLY, UM, THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
I WAS ABLE TO ABLE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION VERY, VERY EASILY, DIRECTLY TO THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS AGREEMENT RATHER THAN HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE STATE.
AND WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THAT WOULD'VE TAKEN AND IF THEY WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO INTERVENE IN TIME.
SO, I'M SORRY, WHAT KIND OF FACILITY WAS THE, AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY? IT WAS A RESIDENT OF AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY THAT RAN INTO AN ISSUE.
IS THIS DONE WITH A SENIOR SOURCE OBU? YES, SIR.
THEY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP, OR I GUESS YOU COULD CONSIDER IT LIKE AN APPOINTMENT FROM THE STATE TO SERVE AS THE OMBUDSMAN FOR THIS AREA, FOR THIS LOCATION.
THERE'S NO OTHER OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM, NOT IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY.
AND SO WHAT OUR CONTRACT DOES IS THEY ALREADY HAVE THIS REQUIREMENT AND THEIR STATE FUNDING, WHICH REQUIRES THEM TO BE RESPONSIVE TO COMPLAINTS OR REQUESTED INVESTIGATIONS.
WHAT OUR CONTRACT DOES IS IT ENABLES THEM TO HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF AND ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS TO BE FASTER IN THEIR RESPONSES AND TO HAVE PROACTIVE VISITS AND RESPONSES AND TO WORK WITH PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSELY WHEN THEY RUN INTO SITUATIONS.
SO THEY CAN DO BEYOND KIND OF THE BARE MINIMUM OF WHAT THAT STATE CONTRACTOR REQUIRES.
THEY CAN GO OUT AND VISIT SITES, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR WITHOUT EVEN HAVING TO BE RESPONSIVE TO A COMPLAINT.
SO, UM, THAT OUR AGREEMENT ENABLES THEM TO DO.
[01:40:02]
AND THEN OF COURSE THE DISTRICT STATE, OH, SORRY.I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THE DISTRICT DATA, I WANNA POINT OUT ON THIS DISTRICT DATA THOUGH, THAT A BIG PART OF THE DRIVER OF THE DISTRICT DATA IS THE EXISTENCE OF THESE FACILITIES IN THE DISTRICT.
SO LIKE WHERE YOU'RE SEEING ZERO, LIKE UNLESS A NEW FACILITY COMES IN, YOU'RE NOT GONNA SEE A NUMBER COME THROUGH.
SO, UM, JUST WANNA EXPLAIN THAT IN CASE THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.
THE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM IS A FEDERALLY MANDATED PROGRAM.
THAT ALL NURSING HOMES AND ALL ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES IN THE COUNTRY ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE AN OMBUDSMAN SERVE THEIR POPULATIONS OF WHO'S THERE.
THE MONEY GOES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THE STATE AND THEN FROM THE STATE TO EITHER, I DON'T KNOW IF, DOES IT COME THROUGH, UH, AA A OR DIRECTLY? I BELIEVE IT DOES.
IT'S, I THINK THE STATE, I THINK IT'S THE SAME THING OF THE, THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING AND THEN THEY CONTRACT WITH CONTRACTORS OR IN SOME CASES, WELL, EVEN WHAT, ACTUALLY, I DON'T THINK IT COMES THROUGH IT, I THINK IT GOES STRAIGHT FROM THE STATE TO THE SENIOR FORCE FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
BUT, BUT ANYWAY, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START HEARING ABOUT THE CUTTING OF THE BUDGET AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THE, UH, YOU KNOW, DNA AND, AND YES, I'M FIXING THE SPACE AND, AND YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE SERVICES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT KIND OF, YOU THINK IT'S REALLY STATE MONEY OR IT'S ONLY STATE MONEY BECAUSE THE FEDERAL MONEY WENT THERE.
AND SO ALL, A WHOLE LOT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT, THAT WE'RE ENGAGED WITH HERE AND THE PROGRAMS THAT EVEN THAT WE'RE NOT ENGAGED WITH THAT RELY ON THAT FUNDING WOULD HA IT WOULD'VE A DEVASTATING EFFECT IF THEY STARTED CUTTING THOSE THINGS.
SO THEY ALREADY HAVE, IN THE CASE OF FOOD, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SNAP PROGRAM AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS, THEY WERE RAMPED UP DURING COVID, UH, COVID IT THEN SCALED BACK AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN ISSUE.
IT'S VERY, YOU SAW, I SAW THAT IN YOUR REPORT, P IN PORTION, THIS REPORT THAT YOU WORKED, YOU GUYS WORKED ON, I SAW THAT THE, THE FOOD PIECE WITH, UM, THE SNAP MONEY AGAIN, KYLE, RIGHT? THE COVID WHO, RIGHT.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER AUSTIN IN REGARD TO THE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM.
IT'S ASSIGNED TO THE SENIOR SOURCE HERE IN DALLAS.
THE, UH, STAFF M BUSMAN WHO ARE SALARIED BY THE SENIOR SOURCE MAKE MONTHLY VISITS, THE VOLUNTEER OMBUDSMANS, WHICH I AM ONE, MAKE WEEKLY VISITS AND OUR REPORTS ARE TURNED INTO OUR STAFF OMBUDSMAN.
THEY TURN THEM INTO THE STATE ON A MONTHLY BASIS AROUND THE FIRST OF THE MONTH.
AND OUR, OUR DUTIES ARE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE VISIT EVERY RESIDENT AT LEAST WITHIN THE MONTH.
I ALWAYS TRY TO VISIT EVERY RESIDENT ON EVERY VISIT IF THEY HAD CONCERNS OR PROBLEMS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE NOTED AND TURNED IN.
AND EVEN THE NON-VERBAL ONES, THE STATE MM-HMM.
THE, THE VOLUNTEER COMPONENT WAS ESSENTIALLY SHUT DOWN TOTALLY DURING COVID.
YEAH, IT WAS SHUT DOWN DURING COVID.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE REBUILDING IT NOW, BUT IT'S A, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF THE OVERALL, I GUESS SO PROGRAM.
IT WAS SHUT DOWN DURING COVID AND THEN IT WAS RE INSTITUTED AND WE HAD TO GO THROUGH SPECIAL TRAINING.
AT FIRST WE HAD TO WEAR P P E TO GO IN, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THAT NOW.
YOU ONLY REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK.
UM, UH, KUDOS TO JAMIE AND TO JESSICA THIS REPORT.
I MOVED TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING.