>> [MUSIC] GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
[Transportation and Infrastructure on June 12, 2023. ]
[00:00:02]
THE TIME IS NOW 12:52 PM AND I CALL TO ORDER THE JUNE 12TH, 2023, CITY OF DALLAS TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING.OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MAY 15, 2023 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES.
WHERE DID HE GO? CAN WE GET A SECOND ON THE MINUTES, PLEASE? WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE COMMITTEE MINUTES? HEARING NO DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>>ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING NO.
THE AYES HAVE IT. AT THIS TIME.
WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING A TWO-MINUTE RECESS.
THE TIME IS 12:53 PM AND WE WILL CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER AT 12:55 PM. THANK YOU.
THE TIME HAS NOW 12:55 PM, AND I CALL BACK TO ORDER THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
OUR SECOND ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE DART BOARD APPOINTEE CANDIDATE INTERVIEWS.
IF WE CAN GET ALL OF OUR CANDIDATES THAT HAVE BEEN NOMINATED TO SIT AT THE DESK UP FRONT, WHATEVER ORDER YOU ARE ALIKE.
I CAN EXPLAIN HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THINGS.
COLLEAGUES I HAD TO CHANGE UP HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO TODAY BECAUSE OF THE ADDITION OF THE BRIEFING MEMORANDUM ON THE DART ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TO SERVICE, SINCE THE COUNCIL LOST QUORUM DURING THE MEETING LAST WEEK, NOT EVERYBODY WAS ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS, AND SO IN ORDER FOR US TO GET THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR WEDNESDAY CORRECTLY AND GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS.
I MADE THE DECISION TO ADD IT IN BRIEFING BY MEMORANDUM, SO THAT'S LATER AND I'LL EXPLAIN THAT.
BUT FOR THIS PORTION, IT WAS REQUESTED BY SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE A PUBLIC INTERVIEW OF THE CANDIDATES.
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A MAJORITY OF THE COMMITTEE THAT DID NOT, I WENT AHEAD AND LISTEN TO THE MINORITY ON THIS ONE BECAUSE TO BE FAIR TO ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME PRETTY BIG AGENDA ITEMS NOW THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED, WHICH I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO DO, ONE HOUR, WE'RE GOING TO ONLY HAVE ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO DO EVERYTHING, SO THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW ABOUT 5-6 MINUTES PER COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO BE ALLOWED FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO ASK QUESTIONS TODAY BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANY OUTSIDE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TIME.
IF WE CAN KEEP IT TO FIVE MINUTES, AND THAT MEANS APPOINTEES OR NOMINEES.
I APOLOGIZE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP YOUR ANSWERS QUICK AND BRIEF BECAUSE I LITERALLY MEAN FIVE MINUTES, SO THAT'S THEM ASKING A QUESTION AND YOU RESPONDING.
DO YOUR BEST AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HAVE THIS PORTION DONE BY 01:45 AT THE LATEST BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET TO THE OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA.
COLLEAGUES YOU ALL HAD TOLD US IN THE LAST MEETING THAT YOU ALL WOULD BE HERE AND WORK UNTIL WE GOT THE ENTIRE AGENDA DONE, SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO MOVE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TODAY FOR OUR LAST COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE MONTH.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE IN PERSON.
I KNOW THE NOTICE WAS QUICK AND FAST AND SO YOU HAD TO ADJUST YOUR SCHEDULES OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
IT STARTS TO SHOWING OF THE BEGINNING OF YOUR COMMITMENT TO SERVING THE CITY OF DALLAS ON THE DART BOARD.
AT THIS TIME, I'M NOT GOING TO DO OPENING STATEMENTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO GET TO THE QUESTIONS, AND I'M GOING TO START WITH OUR VICE CHAIRMAN AND CHAIR OF ECO DEV, MR. ATKINS, AND I'LL JUST GO DOWN THE ROAD.
>> VERY GOOD. THEN I GO TO CHAIR SCHULTZ.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, THIS IS A QUESTION FOR EACH OF YOU TO ANSWER IF YOU WILL JUST TAKE A MINUTE.
IF YOU'LL JUST SHARE WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE THAT'S UNIQUE AND WHY IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN REPRESENTING THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WHAT YOU BRING THAT WILL HELP ADD TO OUR STRENGTH AS A CITY ON THE DART BOARD?
>> WILL JUST START TO THE LEFT AND GO TO THE RIGHT.
SORRY, I SHOULD'VE SAID GO AHEAD.
>> HI COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS JOHN KILLEN.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 8 AT THIS POINT NOW I BEING BOTH THE ABILITY AS SOMEONE WHO IS
[00:05:03]
A WRITER OF THE SYSTEM AND WHOSE NEIGHBORS WRITE THAT SYSTEM THAT I TAKE SERIOUSLY THE IMPORTANCE OF GROWING OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM, MAKING SURE IT'S MOST EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE, AND THEN WITH THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, BEING ABLE TO BRING A POLICY LENS AND BE ABLE TO GET THINGS DONE IS WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE.>> THANK YOU. HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'D SAY BRING A COUPLE OF THINGS TO THE TABLE THAT FIRST OF ALL, MY PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND IN BUSINESS CONSULTING HAS DEVELOP THE MINDSET IN ME OF ANALYTICAL PROBLEM-SOLVING, AND I KNOW FROM BRIEF BACKGROUND IN A LOOSELY RELATED INDUSTRY, I WORKED FOR NORTHWEST AIRLINES AT THE BEGINNING OF MY CAREER RIGHT AFTER BUSINESS SCHOOL, I WAS AN ANALYST FOR THEM.
THAT BUSINESS, ALTHOUGH IT'S VERY DIFFERENT FROM DART'S, INVOLVES A LOT OF ANALYTICAL PROCESSING OF INFORMATION IN TERMS OF RIDERSHIP AND SO FORTH.
THAT'S A VERY MILD EXAMPLE OF THE OVERALL ANALYTICAL CAPABILITY THAT I BRING TOO.
THE SECOND PART THAT I'D SAY I BRING TO THE TABLE IS JUST MY INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY OF DALLAS, MORE RECENTLY IN CPC IN THE DALLAS GOVERNMENT.
THAT'S WHAT I HOPE TO BRING TO THE TABLE. THANK YOU.
I RESIDE IN DISTRICT 13, AND THIS WOULD BE IF REAPPOINTED MY SECOND TERM TO THE DART BOARD.
WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE IS THIS TENACITY TO EXACT EVERY PENNY THAT WE RECEIVE AND TRANSLATE THAT INTO SERVICE.
MY BACKGROUND IS DEFINITELY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
I'VE WORKED FOR A HOMELESS SHELTER.
I HAVE SERVED OUR COMMUNITY BY WORKING FOR A US SENATOR IN THE PAST, AND I'VE WORKED AT THE FEDERAL RESERVE ALSO, BUT MORE RECENTLY, I CHAIRED A NON-PROFIT.
I WAS THE BOARD CHAIR OF MI ESCUELITA.
MY FOCUS IS ON THE COMMUNITY AND AGAIN, BRINGING VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM PLEASED TO ADDRESS THIS QUESTION.
I'M A MEMBER CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT 12.
>> I BELIEVE THAT I BRING A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC TRANSIT, AND SPECIFICALLY, I'M AN ATTORNEY, AND AS PART OF MY SKILL SET, CRITICAL THINKING, LOGICAL THINKING, AND LOOKING AT THE WORDS ON THE PAGE, WORDS MEAN SOMETHING.
I'VE BEEN VERY INVOLVED AT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION, SO I DO BRING A NATIONAL VIEWPOINT ON TRANSIT TO TRENDS AND CHALLENGES ACROSS THE NATION AND WITH LEGISLATION AND OUR US CAPITAL.
I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN CITY OF DALLAS AND A NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER POSITIONS FROM DALLAS SHAKESPEARE TO THE LAW SCHOOL MAGNET BOARD OF DIRECTORS ALONG MANY MOONS AGO, AND THE OTHER CENTURY.
I ALSO BRING A KNOWLEDGE OF MY COMMUNITY, WHICH IS BOTH ASIAN AND HISPANIC, BOTH OF WHICH FACE LANGUAGE CHALLENGES IN BOTH COMMUNITIES.
EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, THEY STILL HAVE THAT LANGUAGE CHALLENGE WHEN WRITING DART.
I BRING THAT PERSPECTIVE OF BOTH COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I AM A PROFESSOR OF SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND PROFESSIONAL URBAN DESIGNER, AND I BOTH TEACH AND PRACTICE PRINCIPLES OF POLICIES THAT THE CITY HAS ADOPTED, SUCH AS THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, THE STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, AND I ALSO BRING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC SECTOR, WHETHER IT'S CITY STAFF, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE REST OF OUR BOARD AND OUR STAFF AND TRYING TO ALIGN ALL OF THESE VARIOUS GROUPS, CONSTITUENCIES, AND STAKEHOLDERS TO BUILDING A MORE SUSTAINABLE CITY WITH GREATER CHOICE FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS AND WRITERS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS D'ANGELO ALEXANDER.
I AM A DISTRICT 10 RESIDENT AND I SPENT THE LARGER MAJORITY OF MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER SERVING AS A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR SERVING PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I SPENT MANY HOURS TALKING TO PEOPLE AND LEARNING WHAT THEY NEED AND WHAT THEY CAN GET OUT OF OUR CITY SERVICES, AND THE DART WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR SERVICES THAT PROVIDED THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE NEED AND GOT THEM TO THE PLACES AND THE PEOPLE THAT THEY LOVE.
I HAVE A DEEP PASSION FOR GETTING THE SERVICES THEY NEED, THE PLACES THAT THEY LOVE SO THAT THEY CAN SERVE THEIR OWN FAMILIES, THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.
[00:10:01]
I HAVE SEEN HOW MUCH OUR CITY CAN GROW AND IMPROVE BY HAVING A GREAT TRANSIT SYSTEM, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT. THANK YOU.>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU, CHAIR WILLIS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR NOW.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING BEFORE US TODAY.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR SITTING DART BOARD MEMBERS AND THEN NEW PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS CAN APPLY THIS JUST IN A GENERAL SENSE.
BUT WE'VE GOT ON OUR JUNE 14TH AGENDA, AND INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN DART AND THE CITY COMING UP, WHICH I BELIEVE YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH AND I BELIEVE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY FOR.
MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS THAT IT WOULD BE RETROACTIVE AND APPLY TO RETROACTIVELY TO A SERIES OF EVENTS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE OCCURRED.
I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND FROM Y'ALL WHY YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF AN AGREEMENT LIKE THIS, APPLYING RETROACTIVELY.
>> I'LL GO FIRST ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES AND I WILL TRY MY BEST TO BE BRIEF GIVEN THE TIME.
I THINK THE BOARD APPROVED THE INITIAL ILA WITH THE HOPE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THE CITY OF DALLAS AND ALL THE OTHER MEMBER CITIES ALL THE MONEY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE GIVEN SOME BASIC PARAMETERS, AND BETWEEN THE STAFF, BOTH AT DART AND THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE FEEL THAT THIS MOST RECENT AGREEMENT IS ONE THAT DOESN'T QUITE MAKE EVERYONE HOLD, BUT WE FEEL LIKE IS A GOOD NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT THAT EVERYONE CAN LIVE WITH AND ADVANCE OUR RELATIONSHIP FORWARD BEYOND AFTER WHAT WE NEED TO DO ON THE SILVER LINE.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE A NEAR-UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT WITHIN THE BOARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU WILL BE BRIEFED ON AGAIN TOMORROW.
AS YOUR REPRESENTATIVES, WE MAY FEEL LIKE MORE COULD BE DONE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, BUT IN LOOKING AT THE ENTIRETY OF WHO THE BOARD IS AND WHAT WE FEEL IS BEST FOR THE ENTIRE REGION WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS A GOOD DEAL, IF NOT A GREAT DEAL.
I THINK IF THE CITY OF DALLAS IS INTERESTED IN CONTINUING TO NEGOTIATE, WE AS YOUR BOARD MEMBERS, WILL CERTAINLY LISTEN, NOT SURE HOW MUCH FURTHER THAT AGREEMENT CAN GO, BUT WE ARE HERE SERVING THE CITY OF DALLAS'S INTEREST ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE REGION, AND HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO WORK TO HOPEFULLY ADVANCE BOTH THE PROJECT AND OUR RELATIONSHIP.
>> IS THERE ANOTHER APPOINTEE THAT WANTS TO ANSWER?
>> IT CAN BE APPLICABLE JUST IN GENERAL TO THE TWO NEW, LIKE AN ILA THAT WOULD BE RETROACTIVE.
>> BECAUSE YOU HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF LEFT FOR THESE FOLKS TO ANSWER THIS.
>> COUNCILWOMAN I FOLLOWED THE ISSUE IN THE NEWS AND I'VE LISTENED TO SOME OF THE HEARINGS. [OVERLAPPING]
>> POINT OF INFORMATION. YOU'RE SAYING A MINUTE AND A HALF FOR ALL THE REST OF THESE PEOPLE?
>> WE HAVE TO BE DONE AT 1:45 WITH THIS INTERVIEW IS WHAT I HAD ANNOUNCED AT THE BEGINNING BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED ON WEDNESDAY, AND SOME REQUESTS THAT CAME IN, I ADDED BRIEFING MY MEMO FOR THE DART QUESTION.
>> TIMING-WISE, THIS HARD BECAUSE [OVERLAPPING]
>> I GET IT, BUT WE JUST HAD A GENERAL QUESTION ABOUT PHILOSOPHY AND EVERYBODY GOT TO TAKE MORE THAN A MINUTE AND A HALF ACROSS FIVE PEOPLE.
>> NO, I MEANT WE EACH HAVE FIVE MINUTES IN ORDER TO GET TO 1:45 AND THAT'S YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOUR ANSWERS.
YOU STARTED AT 1:03 THEY DIDN'T START ANSWERING UNTIL IT WAS ABOUT 1:05. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
THAT'S WHY I WAS SAYING BE VERY COGNIZANT.
I'LL LET THEM ALL ANSWER BUT COLLEAGUES, PLEASE, WE'VE GOT TO MOVE AS QUICKLY ON THIS AS POSSIBLE.
>> THIS IS A PRETTY CRITICAL QUESTION SO I WANT TO BE SURE THAT EVERYONE GETS TIME [OVERLAPPING]
>> I AGREE, CHAIR, THAT THIS IS VERY CRITICAL, BUT 90 MILLION DOLLARS IS ALSO VERY CRITICAL FOR US TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
UNFORTUNATELY, ON WEDNESDAY, FOLKS DIDN'T STAY.
>> YEAH, I GET IT. THIS IS STILL ABOUT 90 MILLION DOLLARS.
>> THANK YOU. I WAS JUST SAYING THAT MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUE, THE DETAIL IS LIMITED TO WHAT I READ IN THE PAPER AND TO THE EXTENT THAT I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE HEARINGS ON THE TOPIC AND THE BRIEFINGS.
I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN IF I WERE TO BE THERE AND TO THE EXTENT THAT I'M THERE AS THESE DECISIONS MOVE FORWARD, I UNDERSTAND THAT MY ROLE IN THE DART BOARD IS AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF DALLAS AND I WOULD DEFINITELY WAY THAT INTO WHAT DECISION OF WHAT I MAKE TO SAY THAT IT'LL BE SOMEWHAT PARTIAL TO DALLAS.
I CAN'T ELABORATE BEYOND THAT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS.
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THAT IT WAS, HINDSIGHT'S 2020.
I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS A GOOD DECISION THEN AND A GOOD DECISION NOW TO RETURN THESE MONIES TO CITIES.
IF THIS WAS A BOARD ACTION, DART STAFFED AND DON'T SAY,
[00:15:02]
LET'S INCENT TRAVEL WITHIN CITIES AND LET'S RETURN THESE MONIES TO CITIES TO DO IT.IT WAS THE BOARD THAT TOOK THAT ACTION.
AS SUCH, I'D LIKE TO JUST SHARE WITH YOU THAT I BELIEVE THAT ALL THE APPOINTEES IN THIS ROOM FOUGHT HARD FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
BUT YET, THIS SYSTEM IS NOT ONE CITY.
IT'S A REGIONAL SYSTEM SO WE HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS, AND I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE AND MY FELLOW DIRECTOR, MISTER KILLEN, THAT WE DID ACHIEVE THE BEST DEAL WE COULD.
AS YOU WELL, ARE AWARE MICHAEL MORRIS WAS INVOLVED AND I THANK YOU, MICHAEL MORRIS, IF YOU'RE WATCHING, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU HELPING BOTH DART AND THE CITY COME TO THIS AGREEMENT.
I DO BELIEVE IT'S A GOOD AGREEMENT GIVEN WHERE WE WERE AND WHERE WE ARE AND I SUPPORT IT.
TO JUMP OFF MR. HERNANDEZ'S POINT THE DISTRIBUTION OF DART'S REVENUE IS STRICTLY CONTROLLED BY OUR STATUTE.
IT'S CONSIDERED AN EXTRAORDINARY VOTE AND REQUIRES TWO-THIRDS.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S TWO BUCKETS, YOU HAVE BETTERMENTS AND THEN YOU HAVE DELAYS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE SILVER LINING PROJECT IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I THINK IT WAS REALLY MORE THE DELAYS THAT WERE THE EASIER TO DEFINE BECAUSE WE SEE THE DESIGN PACKETS BEING SUBMITTED AND THEN BEING OVER 250 DAYS BEFORE FORMAL COMMENTS WERE MADE AND THE SILVER LINE ILA WAS A 10 BUSINESS DAY TURNAROUND FOR COMMENTS.
THESE UNFORTUNATELY RESULTED IN HARD DELAY COST BEING PASSED ON FROM AWH TO DART.
SO FOR EVERY DOLLAR OF DELAY THAT DART HAS TO PAY, THAT'S ONE LESS DOLLAR THAT WE CAN PUT BUS SERVICE ON THE STREETS.
WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE BEING GOOD PARTNERS AND WE MOVED ON.
I THINK IT WAS VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE MICHAEL MORRIS BE THE MEDIATOR.
HE BRINGS GRAVITAS, HE BRINGS FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL, AND I THANK COUNCILWOMAN MENDELSOHN FOR THAT SUGGESTION BECAUSE IT REALLY MOVED. THANK YOU.
>> TO BE BRIEF AND JUST TO ADD TO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, I THINK THE RETROACTIVE NATURE OF THE AGREEMENT WAS NECESSARY TO START THE AUDITING PROCESS TO SEE WHERE THE CAUSES OF DELAY OCCURRED, WHO WAS TO BLAME FOR THEM WHETHER IT WAS CITY, WHETHER IT WAS DART, WHETHER IT WAS GENERAL CONTRACTOR.
ALL OF WHICH ARE PROBABLY DO A LOT MORE THAN THE PENALTIES THAT ARE BEING ASSESSED BECAUSE OF THE ACCURATE AUDITING AND THEN THE AGREEMENTS AND NEGOTIATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE SINCE SO I THINK HAS ENDED UP IN A PLACE WHERE EVERYBODY IS GETTING THE BEST DEAL POSSIBLE GIVEN THE SITUATION.
HAD IT BEEN HANDLED PERFECTLY, OF COURSE NOT.
BUT I THINK THIS IS A STARTING POINT FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR OTHER MEMBER CITIES AS WELL AS THE CITY TO IMPROVE THAT RELATIONSHIP AND IMPROVE SERVICE HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
>> THAT, OBVIOUSLY WAS MY PART OF THE NEGOTIATION HERE, BUT AS A COUNSELOR AND AS A PERSON WHO HAS WORKED AT A STARTUP FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, I UNDERSTAND THAT PERFECT CANNOT BE THE THING THAT HOLDS US UP FROM GETTING ROOM FORWARD.
I SUPPORT THE BOARD'S DECISIONS IN MOVING FORWARD AND GETTING THINGS DONE.
MAYBE NOT IN THE PERFECT WAY, BUT IN A WAY THAT IS DONE.
>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES, IF TIME ALLOWS, WE'LL REVISIT THE N TIME.
IT'S QUESTIONS I HAVE TO ASK YOU AS COMMITTEE MEMBERS SO WE CAN GO FORWARD WITH THAT, BUT LET'S TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS FIRST ROUND FIRST, MR. MORENO, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. PUBLIC SAFETY IS A PRIORITY OF MINE.
I THINK IT'S A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
HOW DO YOU EVALUATE AND GRADE SAFETY WHEN IT COMES TO DART? BUSES, PLATFORMS, RAIL CROSSINGS, AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SUCCESSES THAT WE HAVE HAD AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE GOING TO HOPEFULLY BEING INCENTIVIZING MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE ON OUR TRAINTED SYSTEM.
>> I THINK THERE ARE MULTIPLE ASPECTS TO [OVERLAPPING].
>> GO WHEN THEY SEND BACKWARDS BECAUSE IT'S UNFAIR TO MAKE YOU START EVERY SINGLE QUESTION.
I'VE BEEN IN A FORUM LIKE THAT AND IT WASN'T FUN.
I'M SORRY, MISS ALEXANDER BUT YOU HAVE TO START NOW.
>> I THINK THE WAY THAT I LOOK AT IT AND ONE OF THE BIG IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK TOWARDS IS MAKING DART PLACES.
I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT PLACE-MAKING AND SOME OF THEM ACTIVISM THAT I'VE DONE AND OTHER THINGS.
PLACE-MAKING MEANS HAVING ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED IN THAT PLACE.
THAT'S MAYBE AS SIMPLE AS COVERING A PLACE SO THAT IT'S NOT SUNNY, BUT ALSO HAVING A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN FEEL SAFE.
[00:20:01]
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE FOCUSING ON THE UTILIZATION OF FOLKS OF THE DART SYSTEM WHO ARE USING IT FOR NOT THE REASONS THAT IT'S NECESSARILY BUILT FOR.A LOT OF TIMES DART DOES FUNCTION AS THE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO BE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE HOUSING BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE OTHER SERVICES THAT THEY HAVE.
ONE OF MY BACKGROUND AS A THERAPIST AND HAVING WORKED IN THE COUNTY AND FOR GREENHOUSE HOSPITAL AND WORKING WITH A LOT OF PSYCHIATRIC POPULATIONS IN GENERAL IS THAT MAKING SURE THAT THE DART IS SERVING AS A PLACE FOR TRANSPORTATION AND TO GET THE PLACES AND THEN THE OTHER PLACES ARE SERVING THEIR FUNCTION, WHICH IS NOT THAT. THANK YOU.
>> TO ADD ON TO THAT, TO OUR NEW COLLEAGUE HERE, I THINK SHE'LL BE DELIGHTED TO HEAR WHAT THE DRAFT OF OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLAN THAT IS BEGINNING TO BE CIRCULATED AROUND, WHICH INCLUDES A CONCEPT OF FANTASTIC NEW SPACES AND PLACES, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON THAT IDEA OF PLACE-MAKING AND LEVERAGING OUR REAL ESTATE, OUR PLATFORMS TO REVITALIZE THEM, TO ACTIVATE THEM, TO ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO USE THEM, AND IDEALLY TO START TURNING THOSE THINGS INTO TAX BASE AND ROOFTOPS OVER PEOPLE'S HEADS.
I THINK THE REST OF OUR COLLEAGUES WILL FOCUS MORE ON THIS, BUT WE'VE ALSO MADE A PRIORITY OF SAFETY, SECURITY, AND RELIABILITY AND INCREASED FUNDING TOWARDS THOSE ENDS, BUT WHENEVER WE PRIORITIZE THOSE THINGS, I ALWAYS WANT THE REST OF THE BOARD TO REMEMBER FREQUENCY IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THOSE PRIORITIES AS WELL.
IMPROVED FREQUENCY WILL MEAN INCREASE RIDERSHIP AND INCREASED RIDERSHIP MEANS MORE EYES, NOT JUST ON THE STREET BUT ON THE BUS AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SAFETY HAS SEVERAL COMPONENTS AND IT'S NOT ONLY HAVING A POLICE OFFICER THERE THOUGH, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AT DART AND FARE REVENUE OFFICERS.
WE ARE BOOSTING OUR EFFORTS ON FILLING OUT ALL OUR POSITIONS AS YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT THERE'S STILL SOME CHALLENGES THERE.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE'VE COME UP AS A VERY INNOVATIVE SOLUTION THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE, WHICH IS THE CLEAN TEAM.
THE CLEAN TEAM IS AN ADDITIONAL PRESENCE ON THE RAIL CARS, WHICH IS NOT A POLICE PRESENCE, BUT IT IS A PERSON PRESENCE.
THERE IS MORE SAFETY AND PERCEPTION OF SAFETY BY HAVING SOMEONE THERE.
IN ADDITION, THEY'RE CLEANING AND MAKING IT SAFE.
IN ADDITION, I BELIEVE IT'S THE COMMUNITIES OF FAITH IS THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS DOING THIS CLEAN TEAM, AND WHAT THEY ALSO DO IS THAT THEY HIRE SOME OF THESE PREVIOUSLY UNHOUSED RESIDENTS TO WORK ON THE CLEAN TEAM AND PROVIDE A PATH ACTUALLY TO ALSO CONTINUE TO WORK TO DART.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS OF REACHING THAT SAFETY OTHER THAN JUST HAVING A POLICE OFFICER THERE. THANK YOU.
WELL, AGAIN, IF IT IS THE MEMBERS YOU SEE BEFORE YOU THAT CHOSE TO PUT CLEAN, SAFE, RELIABLE INTO PRACTICE AND NOT ONLY DID WE MAKE THAT A PRIORITY ON THE BOARD, BUT WE PUT FUNDS BEHIND IT.
IT'S NOT JUST HOPEFULLY AN EMPTY PROMISE AND IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
AS OUR CHAIR SAID, WE DO HAVE UNITED COMMUNITY OF FAITH.
THAT'S THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDING THE CLEAN TEAM SERVICE AND WE HAVE 24 ADDITIONAL CONTRACT CLEANERS THAT BOARD ALL LIGHT RAILS.
THERE ARE TWO SHIFTS, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY BETWEEN 06:00 A.M AND 10:00 P.M. THAT'S JUST ONE STEP.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SAFETY, WE DID RECENTLY ADD A SECURITY DETAIL.
IT'S A CONTRACT TO AUGMENT THE SERVICES OF POLICE OFFICERS WHILE WE RAMP UP AND HIRE MORE OFFICERS.
AS YOU KNOW, IN THE CITY OF DALLAS IT'S A CHALLENGE TO HIRE OFFICERS.
IT'S THE SAME CHALLENGE WE FACE SO WE'RE ALL COMPETING FOR THE SAME RESOURCES, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET MORE OFFICERS TO WORK AND ACTUALLY BE A PRESENCE ON OUR LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHERE MOST OF THE CHALLENGES ARE ON THE PLATFORMS AND ALSO ON THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM AS WELL.
THEN FURTHERMORE, WITH RELIABILITY COMES FREQUENCY.
WITH FREQUENCY, WE HOPE MORE RIDERS AND AGAIN MORE EYES SO THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE TO JOBS IN PLACES OF WORSHIP AND ALSO HOSPITALS OR CLINICS FOR SERVICES.
THAT'S OUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
>> MY PERSPECTIVE IS POTENTIALLY INCOMING MEMBER ONE IS FROM THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW IN MY CIRCLE WHO DON'T RIDE DART.
THE FIRST THING THEY'LL SAY IS THAT THEY DON'T THINK IT'S SAFE, BUT THAT'S A PERCEPTION ISSUE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE.
WHAT COMES TO MIND IS THAT PRINCIPLE.
YOU MAY OR MAY HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT THE BROKEN WINDOWS IDEA WHERE IF YOU CLEAN UP THE WINDOWS AND I THINK IT WAS DONE IN NEW YORK.
IF YOU WANT A PLACE TO BE SAFE, MAKE IT LOOK SAFE, MAKE IT LOOK CLEAN.
[00:25:02]
I HEAR FROM OUR CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS THAT PLUS ADDITIONAL EYES AND MR. KENNEDY SAID, INCREASING RIDERSHIP WOULD MAKE IT BETTER.THAT'S A PERSPECTIVE I CAN OFFER TO DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN ACTUAL SAFETY ISSUES AND PERCEPTION OF SAFETY.
>> THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE A TON MORE ADDITIONAL TO ADD OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, I THINK WE'VE CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED THAT WE'RE WILLING TO FUND A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS OF ACHIEVING SAFETY AND SECURITY.
WE HAVE A MIX OF OFFICERS, FAIR ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, SECURITY OFFICERS AND NOW CLEAN TEAM THAT ARE THERE PRIMARILY ON OUR RAIL STATIONS AND ON OUR RAIL VEHICLES TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE FEEL SAFE.
BUT WE'VE ALSO, OVER THE YEARS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE'S SOME LOGICAL LIMIT TO TRY AND TO SCALE AND MAKING SURE THAT THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY NEEDS TO ALSO BE MATCHED BY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SYSTEM.
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE WANT A SAFE SYSTEM FOR RIDERS AND NOT A STERILE SYSTEM WHERE NO ONE FEELS WELCOME OR COMFORTABLE TO RIDE. THANK YOU.
>> EXCELLENT. CHAIR MENDELSOHN.
>> THANK YOU. YOU HAVE HAD MASSIVE INCREASES IN SALES TAX REVENUE FROM ALL THE CITIES IN DALLAS.
IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE INCREASED OVER 122 MILLION PER YEAR.
IT'S A 40% INCREASE IN FOUR YEARS.
BUT CONVERSELY, YOU'VE HAD A DECREASE IN RIDERSHIP IN THOSE FOUR YEARS, WHERE YOU'RE STILL AT 39% DECREASE OF WHERE YOU WERE IN 2019.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU CAN RECONCILE THOSE AND HOW YOU HAVE OR HOW YOU WILL HOLD DART STAFF ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT HUGE GAP.
>> WE'LL START WITH MR. KENNEDY.
>> IF YOU DON'T MIND, I PREFER TO HEAR IT IN ORDER OF YOUR TENURE, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
>> WHAT WE'LL DO IS START FROM MR. KENNEDY AND GO LEFT SO WE'D STAY FAIR AND CONSISTENT WITH HOW WE'VE BEEN ASKING THE QUESTIONS.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR REQUEST. MR. KENNEDY.
>> THANK YOU, MS. MENDELSOHN. I THINK LOOKING AT 2019, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY DEALING WITH A PANDEMIC THAT DROPPED RIDERSHIP SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS THE WORLD, WHICH WERE SOMETHING LIKE 70% OR SO GIVE OR TAKE ON BOTH BUS AND RAIL.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND YOU LOOK AT THE UPWARD TRENDS SPECIFICALLY AFTER WE FINALLY DELIVERED ON THE PROMISE OF DART ZOOM 1.0 AS WE'RE WORKING ON 2.0.
WHEN WE FINALLY GOT UP TO FULL CAPACITY OF OPERATORS, THE FULL BUSES OUT, JUST THIS JANUARY.
WE'RE NOW STARTING TO SEE THOSE INCREASES TICK UP AND I BELIEVE I RAN THE NUMBERS COUPLE WEEKS AGO WHERE WE'RE ON COURSE TO GET A RAIL BACK TO FULL RIDERSHIP THAT WE WERE PREVIOUSLY IN ABOUT TWO YEARS IN CHANGE IN BUS AND ABOUT THREE YEARS IN CHANGE.
I THINK WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
ON TOP OF THAT, WE'RE AT A PLACE WHERE WE'VE BEEN GROWING OUT.
WE'VE BEEN DELIVERING ON THE PROMISE FROM THE 1980S OF WHAT WAS TO BE BUILT IN TERMS OF CAPITAL PROJECTS.
WE'VE GROWN OUT, NOW IT'S TIME TO GROW UP AND SO WE'RE MOVING AWAY FROM WHAT I WOULD SAY, CAPITAL-INTENSIVE PROJECTS AND OPERATIONS MORE TOWARDS SERVICE OPERATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
I THINK WE'LL SEE THAT AS WE START TO ROLL OUT THE ZOOM 2.0, WHICH IS ABOUT DELIVERING SIGNIFICANT FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH OUR MEMBER CITIES TO IMPROVE RELIABILITY THROUGH THINGS LIKE DEDICATED LANES, SIGNAL PRIORITIZATION AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.
I THINK WE'RE HEADED IN A REALLY EXCITED DIRECTION, BUT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR MEMBER CITIES TO ALSO INCREASE DENSITY AROUND OUR STATIONS IN LINES WHICH IS THE ONLY WAY TO REALLY DELIVER INCREASED RIDERSHIP.
>> I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY MY QUESTION IS HOW YOU'RE HOLDING DART STAFF ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT HUGE GAP? OF COURSE, ALL OTHER RIDERSHIP LEVELS HAVE RETURNED TO NORMAL BESIDES TRANSIT FOR DALLAS AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE CURRENT AS OF JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO FROM THE COG, WHERE YOU'RE STILL DOWN 40%.
>> I GUESS WE COULD ARGUE OVER FTA'S NUMBERS VERSUS COGS NUMBERS BUT THE TRENDS FROM FTA ARE LOOKING GOOD.
BUT WHAT WE INTEND TO DO. [OVERLAPPING]
>> COULD YOU ADDRESS THE ACCOUNTABILITY PART?
>> CHAIR MENDELSOHN, IF WE CAN LET THEM ANSWER THE QUESTION.
>> [OVERLAPPING] EXCUSE ME. I'M TRYING TO ASK THE QUESTION THAT I'M LOOKING AT THE ANSWER WHICH IS, HOW ARE YOU HOLDING STAFF ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT? NOT WHAT ARE THE PROGRAMS YOU'RE DOING, BUT WHAT'S THE ACCOUNTABILITY PIECE?
>> I THINK THE ACCOUNTABILITY IS THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN FOCUSING ON IMPROVEMENT OF OPERATIONS RATHER THAN MORE CAPITAL INTENSIVE PROJECTS THAT GROWING UP RATHER THAN GROWING OUT, AND SO IT'S BEING MORE EFFICIENT WITH OUR DOLLARS.
I BELIEVE THAT OUR CURRENT EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AGREES WITH THAT BECAUSE THEIR FOCUS IS ON RIDER EXPERIENCE RATHER THAN CONSTRUCTION OF PROJECTS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ACTUALLY DART DOES REFLECT THE NATIONAL NUMBERS ON POST-PANDEMIC RECOVERY.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT 99% RECOVERY FOR SUNDAY SERVICE, 80% RECOVERY FOR SATURDAY SERVICE, AND 60.
[00:30:01]
I BELIEVE 7% FOR WEEKDAY SERVICE.OBVIOUSLY, TRANSIT RIDERSHIP PATTERNS HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED SINCE THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE ALSO HAVE INCREASE IN WORKFORCE COSTS, THE INFLATION PRESSURES FOR OUR MATERIALS BUT ALSO WE TAKE A LOOK AND OUR CEO, WE HAVE METRICS THAT WE LOOK AT WHEN EVALUATING HER PERFORMANCE.
ONE OF THOSE IS NOT ONLY STRATEGIC PLANNING, BUT HOW TO IMPROVE RIDERSHIP.
HOW DO WE LOOK FINANCIALLY HEALTHY GIVEN THE SCENARIO THAT WE'RE IN? AGAIN, IT'S VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW THE NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE OF WHERE ALL OTHER TRANSIT AGENCIES ARE AND WE DO REFLECT THE NATIONAL RETURN TO RIDERSHIP, THE PERCENTAGE ACROSS THE NATION. THANK YOU.
>> THE BOARD DEFINITELY HOLDS OPERATIONAL INTEGRITY VERY HIGH.
THEREFORE, THESE WERE THE LATEST NUMBERS THAT WERE SHARED WITH US.
THEY MAY DIFFER WITH YOURS BUT AGAIN, THESE WERE NUMBERS THAT WERE SHARED WITH US BY DART STAFF.
SYSTEM-WIDE, WE HAVE RETURNED TO 70%.
I KNOW YOUR NUMBERS INDICATE THAT WOULD BE 61% VERSUS 70, BUT OUR NUMBERS INDICATE 70%.
AGAIN, THAT SYSTEM-WIDE, ALL MODES OF TRAVEL WITHIN DART AND THAT IS ON PAR WITH THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
OF COURSE, WE DON'T WANT TO BE JUST AVERAGE, SO WE WILL PUT WHATEVER WE CAN DO AS A BOARD BUT OBVIOUSLY, RIDERS PATTERNS HAVE CHANGED.
HYBRID WORK HAS BEEN A FACTOR ESPECIALLY WITH WEEKDAY TRAVEL AND ALSO SAFETY CONCERNS.
BUT THE BOARD CAN DEFINITELY ADDRESS THOSE.
OBVIOUSLY, HYBRID WORK PATTERNS WE CAN'T.
ALL WE CAN DO IS MAKE OUR SERVICE MORE ATTRACTIVE BY PROVIDING MORE FREQUENCY, MAKE IT CLEANER AND MAKE IT SAFER.
>> I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBERS AND DON'T HAVE THEM IN FRONT OF ME.
WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THE PLACES WHERE WE ACTUALLY INVEST IT AND SPENT OR PROVIDE A BETTER SERVICE TO PEOPLE IN THE DART ZOOM 2.0, DESPITE BEING A BUDGET NEUTRAL PROCESS, THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES RELATIVE TO THE NATIONAL NORMS WHEN IT CAME TO HERE LOCALLY IN DALLAS.
THE PLACES THAT GOT 15-MINUTE BUS SERVICE THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY GETTING 30-MINUTE SAW THE REQUISITE INCREASES IN RIDERSHIP.
THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN IS THAT WE'VE NEVER INVESTED MORE MONEY INTO THE BUS SYSTEM.
ALL THE SURPLUSES AND THINGS THAT YOU SEE, A LOT OF THEM ARE GOING RIGHT BACK OUT THE DOOR TO PAY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS OF WHICH WE ARE NOW AT THE TAIL END OF, BUT WE STILL NEED TO SERVICE ALL OF THAT DEBT FOR A LONG TIME.
WE'RE NOW AT A POINT WHERE WE'RE LOOKING INTO OUR FUTURE AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT REVENUE COMING IN TERMS OF HOLDING OUR EXECUTIVES ACCOUNTABLE.
WHAT I WOULD LOOK TO IS OUR LOCAL HISTORY SHOWS THAT WHEN WE INVEST INTO OUR BUS SERVICE, PEOPLE RESPOND AND RIDE THAT SERVICE MORE.
I WOULD BE HOLDING OUR CEO ACCOUNTABLE TO DELIVERING MORE ON THAT.
THIS WEEK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION AND WE'LL SEE THE FRUITS OF A LOT OF DISCUSSION WITH CONSULTANTS AND BOARD MEMBERS SUBMITTING THEIR SUPPORT, AND IT CALLS FOR SOME SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN FUNDING.
WHILE I'LL BE HAPPY TO PASS THAT PIECE OF PAPER AND I KNOW YOU ALL AT CITY HALL HAVE LOTS OF PLANS.
I WOULD BE HOLDING OUR CEO ACCOUNTABLE TO GETTING THAT DONE AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE FUNDING NECESSARY TO ACTUALLY MAKE MAKE GOOD ON THE PROMISES THAT'LL BE IN THE BINDERS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. ATKINS.
>> I JUST HAVE ONE LIVE QUESTION.
NUMBER 1, YOU LOOK AT DART AND YOU REPRESENT THE CITY OF DALLAS ON A DART BOARD.
MY MAIN CONCERN IS SOMEONE, I REMEMBER THAT THE LIGHT RAIL LINE OR FIRST ONE CAME IN A SUDDEN UPWARD OR DOWNWARD LINE CONCERN ISN'T A DISASTER IN RANDOM MIDDLE OF THAT OF THOREAU FOR THE SPLIT TO RESIDENT, WITH BUSES RIGHT NOW WE GO NORTH AND SOUTH.
IN MY BIGGEST COMPLAINT IS RIGHT NOW, EVEN THOUGH RADISHES DOWN BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
BUT ALSO RATA SHARE IS NOT UP BECAUSE THE BUS GO SPOKE IT THEY DO NOT GO EAST AND WEST.
MY IDEA IS TO YOU, IF YOU OWN THIS BOARD AND YOU WANT ME TO SUPPORT YOU, HOW ARE WE GOING TO SPEED THIS UP? BECAUSE I LEAVE RIGHT IN THE EDUCATION COURT OF PAUL QUINN COLLEGE UNT DALLAS AND SEE THE VALID, BUT WE'VE BEEN A REDBIRD MALL.
WE GOT UNT DALLAS GONE, BUT WE GOT TO GO EAST AND WEST.
I HAVE A GROCERY STORE RIGHT BY MY OFFICE, IS ON ONE HEADING GET TO THE GROCERY BY BUS.
THEY GOT TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN AND COME ALL THE WAY BACK AND TRANSFER.
IT TAKE AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GET THERE IN DAY LIKE YESTERDAY HOT.
[00:35:02]
YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO THE MALL.WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO SPEED THIS UP COLORADO SHIELD IS BUS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I KNOW WE TALK ABOUT LIGHT RAIL ONTO MY STRICTLY BUSES, EAST AND WEST TO CHANGE BECAUSE THE POPULATION IS MORE GREATER IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF DALLAS NORTHERN PART OF DALLAS.
>> THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE CHAIR KRAUSS.
THEN WE'LL JUST KEEP GOING TO THE LEFT.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO KEEP GOING ONE AND AROUND.
YES. I THINK BUSES ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR DART SERVICE.
I HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR MORE EAST-WEST SERVICE.
PART OF THE CHALLENGE THAT DART HAS IS THE GEOGRAPHICAL FORESTS AND WATERWAYS THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS ALLOW FOR FULL EAST-WEST CONNECTION WHERE WE CAN, ESPECIALLY LIKE IN, I BELIEVE OAK CLIFF, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S MORE EAST-WEST CONNECTIONS.
BUT PART OF THE DART ZOOM 2.0 IS LOOKING AT MORE EAST-WEST CONNECTIONS.
HOW DO WE OVERCOME THAT CHALLENGE OF THE GEOGRAPHY OF DALLAS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN.
IN THAT HUB-AND-SPOKE, WE ALSO HAVE MICRO TRANSIT THAT GOLINK, THAT'S UP 583%.
IT'S A POPULAR SERVICE FOR AREAS THAT DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH DENSITY TO SUPPORT FULL BUS ROUTES.
THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS THAT I EXPECT TO SEE FROM OUR STAFF FOR EAST-WEST CONNECTIONS. THANK YOU.
I'LL BE REAL BRIEF BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT SINCE MY FIRST DAY OF SERVICE.
I WAS ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH GOLINK.
THANKFULLY, THE BOARD SUPPORTED EXPANDING THE SERVICE HOURS AND NOW WE HAVE 5:00 AM TO MIDNIGHT FOR GOLINK AND THE INLAND PORT IS OUR MOST PRODUCTIVE ZONE.
I COMMIT TO YOU. THAT IS MY PRIORITY FOR INCREASED BUS SERVICE TO GO EAST-WEST OR AS COUNCIL MEMBER AND OUR VICE AND OUR CHAIR SAYS, WEST-EAST.
>> WE END WITH A COMMENT ON THIS ONE.
BEFORE I EVEN GOT INVOLVED HIS NOMINATION, IN READING ABOUT URBAN PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION, I'VE LEARNED THERE IS A WAY BACKUP A LITTLE BIT.
OBVIOUSLY ADDING ROUTES AND BUSES ENTAILS FUNDING.
I HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE IS A WAY TO USE SOME OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT IS ALLOCATED TOWARDS EXPANDING FREEWAYS.
THAT OF COURSE GOES TO THE STATE.
BUT TO REDIRECT THAT TOWARDS IMPROVING TRANSPORTATION, IF I GET ON THE BOARD, I INTEND TO RESEARCH THAT FURTHER AND FIND OUT WHETHER THERE IS A WAY TO GAIN ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO EXPAND PUBLIC TRANSIT.
IN MY MIND, IT'S A VERY SIMPLE ARGUMENT, $1 SPENT TOWARDS PUBLIC TRANSIT GOES A LOT FURTHER IN REDUCING CONGESTION IN OUR CITIES THAN A DOLLAR SPENT TOWARDS ADDING LANES TO FREEWAYS. THANK YOU.
>> THANKS. SURE. I THINK THIS IS REALLY A QUESTION OF FUNDING AND ARE THE WILL TO DO SO, WE KNOW NOW BOTH HAVING DONE THIS LOCALLY, AND SEEING AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT FREQUENCY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PREDICTOR IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO USE THE SYSTEM AND FIND IT USEFUL TO THEM.
NOW WE'RE AT A PLACE WHERE HAVING SEEN THAT IS, DO WE HAVE THE WILL TO MAKE THE INVESTMENT IN BUS? BECAUSE IT IS NOT THE MOST EXCITING THING TO DO.
THERE'S THE RAIL THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT AND GOLINK AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS.
BUT IF WE HAVE A DOLLAR TO SPIN, WE KNOW THAT THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO SPIN THAT AS ON BUSES BECAUSE THEY'RE THE MOST FLEXIBLE, YOU CAN MOVE THEM AROUND AND THAT'S WHERE MOST OF OUR RIDERS ARE IN.
MY COMMITMENT AS A BOARD MEMBER IS BOTH TO SUPPORT A BUDGET AND ANY STRATEGIC PLANS THAT COME FORWARD THAT CONTINUED TO MAKE AN INCREASED INVESTMENT IN BUS.
>> I'M JUST GOING TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MOST OF THE FOLKS HERE, IS THAT I THINK THAT FREQUENCY IS THE IMPORTANT KEY HERE.
EVEN IN THERAPY, PEOPLE WANT RELIABILITY, PEOPLE WANT THINGS THAT THEY KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAPPEN.
THIS IS AN EXPECTATION THAT PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE FOR THE EAST AND WEST.
[00:40:03]
I WOULD SUPPORT GETTING SOME FUNDING TO MAKE THAT RELIABLE AND FREQUENT FOR THOSE EAST OR WEST TRIPS.I'M REALLY FOCUSING ON PUTTING THOSE IN THE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE.
IF YOU LOOK AT CAR OWNERSHIP AND WHERE THOSE THINGS ARE, EAST-WEST TRIPS ARE MORE IMPORTANT WHEN PLACES WHERE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THEIR CAR OWNERSHIP.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY GOING FORWARD AND SOMETHING THAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HELPING.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU'RE 100% RIGHT THAT DUE TO THE RADIAL NATURE OF THE RAIL NETWORK, THE BUS SHOULD BE OPERATING IN A STRONGER, MORE INTERCONNECTED GRID SYSTEM TO BETTER INTERCONNECTS THE CITIES, AND OUR ARTERIOLES ARE ACTUALLY BEING A MILE GRID CREATE FOR A GREAT SPACING FOR TRANSIT SERVICE.
WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE THE BUSES OUT THERE ON THE ROUTES.
WHEN WE LAUNCHED 1.0, WE COULD ONLY GET IT THROUGH AS BUDGET NEUTRAL BECAUSE BUSES GENERALLY LOOKED AS A CITY THING.
WELL, THAT MEANS FOR 2.0, WE'VE GOT TO WORK WITH OUR MEMBER CITIES TO BRING THEM ALONG TO AND I FEEL THAT WE'RE DOING SO TO HELP FILL IN THE GAPS OF WHAT ONE POINT I DID.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INCREASE THOSE OPERATIONAL DOLLARS.
WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT WE'RE SEEING RIDERSHIP GAINS ON 15 MINUTES SERVICE.
WE'RE SEEING RIDERSHIP GAINS ON GOLINK SERVICE.
GOLINK CAN GET AWAY FROM YOU IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT CONTROLS THERE.
BUT SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO SOCIALIZE WITH THE BOARD IS THE IDEA OF NO BAD SERVICE.
POTENTIALLY TAKING THAT 30-MINUTE, 60-MINUTE SERVICE IN THE NETWORK AND STARTED PUSHING THOSE OPERATIONAL DOLLARS TO EXPANDED GOLINK ZONES ACROSS THE CITY AND ACROSS THE REGION, AS WELL AS MORE 15 MINUTES SERVICE AND TRYING TO PUSH ALL THOSE OPERATIONAL DOLLARS INTO STRICTLY HIGH-QUALITY SERVICE TO HELP FILL IN THOSE GAPS AND FILL IN THOSE GAPS WITH HIGH-QUALITY SERVICE.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. THAT COMPLETES OUR FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS.
COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE ABOUT 10 MINUTES LEFT.
I KNOW YOU JUST JOINED US MR. BASILDON, I'LL GET YOU IN.
OR DID YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT?
>> I WANTED TO GO ON FIRST ROUND.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ASK BEFORE WE COMPLETE YOUR FIRST ROUND BECAUSE WE HAVE 10 MINUTES LEFT, SO I CAN JUST MANAGE TIME CORRECTLY. PARDON?
>> YEAH. MR. BASILDON WHO WAS ON THE COMMITTEE.
EARLIER I HAD SAID THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW NON COMMITTEE MEMBERS JUST ASK QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE'RE SO LIMITED ON TIME.
I'M FORGETTING MY TIME IN ORDER TO HELP GIVE EVERYBODY MORE TIME, BUT I NEED IF WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND THIS A LITTLE LONGER BECAUSE I KNOW A FEW OF YOU ALL ARE ALREADY GIVING LOOKS AND YOU'LL WANT MORE TIME FOR THE INTERVIEWS.
I'M GOOD WITH THAT. AS LONG AS I CAN GET A COMMITMENT THAT WE DO NOT BREAK QUORUM BEFORE OUR BUSINESS IS COMPLETED.
Y'ALL MADE THAT COMMITMENT LAST MONTH, BUT I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO STAY HERE TODAY.
I KNOW MR. ATKINS HAS TO LEAVE AT A CERTAIN TIME, AND THAT'S TWO.
I GOT TO HAVE FOUR PEOPLE HERE TO COMPLETE TODAY'S BUSINESS.
CAN I GET AT LEAST SOMETIMES THEIR HEADS, WE'RE GOING TO COMPLETE THAT. WE'RE GOOD.
WE HAVE QUORUM. I'M GOING TO SAY WE SAY, LET'S GIVE IT ANOTHER ROUND AND THEN WE'LL REVISIT FROM THERE.
MR. BASILDON THIS IS YOUR FIRST ROUND.
IT'S ONE QUESTION FIVE-MINUTES FOR THAT BECAUSE WE CAN GET AND THEN WE'RE JUST GOING TO KEEP GOING AFTER THAT. DOES THAT SOUND GOOD COLLEAGUES?
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'LL BE REALLY QUICK.
YOU HAVE HEARD US I THINK TALK ABOUT THE PRIORITY DURING BUDGET SEASON AND ALSO WITH COMMUNICATION WITH DART ABOUT FREE RIDERSHIP FOR OUR YOUTH, SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS IS WILLING TO PARTICIPATE AND BE A PARTNER IN EXECUTING, DOESN'T SEEM THAT THE WILL WAS AS ROBUST ON Y'ALL'S BODY.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM Y'ALL ON WHETHER OR NOT Y'ALL ARE COMMITTED TO SEEING THAT PROGRAM BE IMPLEMENTED.
WHOEVER [OVERLAPPING] FIVE-MINUTES IF SOMEBODY [OVERLAPPING] HERNANDEZ TURN.
YEAH MS. HERNANDEZ, IS YOUR TURN.
>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
FIRST OF ALL, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS YOU'RE CORRECT.
CURRENTLY, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PROGRAM THAT IS APPROVED BY THE DARK BOARD FOR FARE LISTS, BUS PASSES, OR TRAVEL OR A PILOT PROGRAM OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
WHAT I'D ALSO LIKE TO STATE IS THAT WE'RE UNDERGOING A FAIR STEADY.
THAT IS THE POSITION OF THE BOARD THAT WE WANT TO ALLOW THAT TO MOVE FORWARD AND GET ALL THE DATA.
CONVERSELY, I WOULD SAY THAT I DO HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT SAFETY AND PARTICULARLY WITH OUR YOUTH.
OTHER CITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, LOS ANGELES AND OTHERS, HAVE NOT FOCUSED ON K, BUT RATHER NINE THROUGH 12.
[00:45:02]
OTHER TRANSIT AGENCIES HAVE DONE TO MITIGATE THE RISK TO OUR YOUTH.HOWEVER, AS I SAID, WE HAVE NO PROGRAM FOR IT AND WE SUPPORT THE CITY IF THE CITY CHOOSES TO UTILIZE SOME OF THEIR MONEYS THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING AND PURCHASE TRANSIT PASSES THAT'S ENTIRELY UP TO THE CITY AND HOWEVER YOU CHOOSE TO USE THE MONEY, THAT'S FINE.
ALSO LASTLY, I GUESS WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THAT IS THAT I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE CITY THAT LIKE THE CITY, WE HAVE BOND COVENANTS AND OUR ABILITY TO ISSUE BONDS IS MITIGATED BY OUR FARE BOX RECOVERY.
WE HAVE CERTAIN MARKERS THAT WE HAVE TO HIT IN ORDER TO KEEP ISSUING BONDS.
WE HAVE A CERTAIN FARE BOX RECOVERY THAT WE HAVE TO ACHIEVE.
THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY ABOUT THAT.
>> I GREW UP IN MEXICO CITY AND I RODE THE BUS THERE SINCE PROBABLY SEVENTH GRADE.
I WAS ONE OF SEVEN KIDS HAD NOT LEARNED HOW TO RIDE THE BUS SYSTEM THERE. I WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN AROUND.
FOR ME IT OPENED UP A WHOLE WORLD OF FREEDOM.
I'M BIASED ON THIS QUESTION AND SAYING THAT I WOULD ABSOLUTELY BE BIASED TOWARDS MAKING SURE THAT YOUTH ARE INCORPORATED INTO THE SYSTEM, IN LARGE PART BECAUSE IF YOU LEARN IT THAT AGE TO WRITE THE SYSTEM, YOU'LL BE A CANDIDATE TO CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE AS YOU GROW OLDER. YES.
>> I'M PRETTY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS TOPIC AS SOMEONE WHO ADVOCATED FOR IT.
IT BOTH DART AND BEFORE YOU HIT CITY HALL.
I'M EXCITED THAT THE CITY IS LOOKING TO USE SOME OF THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE TO THEN TURN AROUND AND HELP SUPPORT THE SYSTEM AS A PILOT SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT WORK HERE IN DALLAS.
IT'S WORKING IN AUSTIN AND OTHER CITIES.
JUST BECAUSE IT WORKS SOMEWHERE ELSE DOESN'T MEAN IT WILL WORK THE SAME WAY HERE, BUT I THINK THE FUNDING THAT YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING FORCE WOULD ALLOW US THE ABILITY TO DO THAT WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT OUR BOND COVENANTS OR ANY OTHER FINANCIAL METRICS FOR THE ABILITY TO TEST AND SEE.
DO WE NEED TO HAVE IDS FOR THE KIDS? IS THERE AN APP THAT THEY CAN USE? WHAT AGE IS THE RIGHT AGE? I THINK ALL OF THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET RIGHT BECAUSE ALL OF US CARE ABOUT GROWING OUR RIDERSHIP.
I THINK EVERYONE RECOGNIZES THAT AN INVESTMENT IN THE YOUTH IS AN IMPORTANT ONE.
BUT I THINK THERE WAS THE SAFETY ASPECT AND COST ASPECT THAT HELD US UP FROM US PUSHING IT FORWARD.
KNOWING THAT THE FINANCIAL PIECES NOW WOULD BE SUBSIDIZED IN PART BY THE CITY OF DALLAS IS REALLY HELPFUL AND I THINK OPENS THE DOOR FOR US TO STUDY MORE SERIOUSLY SO WE CAN GET THE SAFETY PART RIGHT AND LAUNCH THE PROGRAM. THANK YOU.
>> I AM A STRONG FAVOR OF GETTING YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO USING THE DART SYSTEM.
I ACTUALLY REMEMBER WHEN THEY PUT THE PARKER ROAD STATION NEAR MY HOUSE.
IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN MY CHILDHOOD.
I THINK THAT IF WE WANT TO GROW OUR RIDERSHIP IN THE FUTURE THAN WE HAVE TO HAVE KIDS ACCUSTOMED TO USING FEELING SAFE AND USING THE TRANSIT SYSTEM FOR THE FUTURE SO THAT THEY CAN STAY IN THIS REGION AND THEY CAN LIVE IN THIS REGION AND WORK IN THIS REGION AND GET TO THOSE PLACES BECAUSE THEY HAVE THAT STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO DO IT.
IF WE CAN GET FINANCES TOWARDS THAT, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY BIG INVESTMENT IN WHAT CITY OF DALLAS IS GOING TO BE LOOKING LIKE IN THE FUTURE.
>> THE QUESTIONING COUNCIL MEMBER, I ALSO SUPPORT FREE K THROUGH 12.
WE APPRECIATE THE FUNDING TO HELP GET SOME PROGRAM STARTED, BUT WE'RE GOING TO NEED LONG-TERM FUNDING SOURCE AFTER THAT.
I THINK WHERE LA IS HEADED COULD PROVIDE A PATHWAY FOR US AS WELL BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE VOTES THAN WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS TO KEEP THAT PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD.
BUT MAYBE I'M BREAKING NEWS, BUT LA IS GOING TO BE ROLLING OUT IN K THROUGH 12TH FREE PROGRAM.
THEIR INITIAL DATA HAS SUGGESTED THAT THE ATTENDANCE IS UP AND THIS IS COMING FROM THE ISDS REPORTING TO LA METRO.
THERE'S POTENTIALLY GOOD THINGS THERE AND IT'S COSTING THE ISD SOMETHING LIKE $3 PER STUDENT PER YEAR.
WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE THAT PROGRAM BUILT-IN.
HOPEFULLY IT COMES OUT OF THE FARE STUDY TO SHOW WHAT IT MIGHT COST DART, WHAT IT MIGHT COST ARE ISD PARTNERS AND LET'S WORK WITH OUR SUBURBAN MEMBERS TO TRY TO HASH THIS OUT AND GET THE VOTES TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AS MS. HERNANDEZ SAID, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A COMPREHENSIVE FARE ANALYSIS.
ONE OF MY PUSHES WAS TO ASK THE CONSULTANT TO LOOK AT WHAT OTHER AVENUES ARE THERE TO HELP FUND FROM DARTS PERSPECTIVE, THE FREE STUDENTS PROGRAM.
ALSO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AS WELL AND THOUGHTFULLY EVALUATE THE FARE BOX STREAM BECAUSE RIGHT NOW FOR OUR BOND COVENANTS, WE HAVE A MINIMUM OF 26 MILLION IN FARE BOX RECOVERY THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN.
ALSO THAT GOES UP IN 2030 TO 70 MILLION,
[00:50:03]
WHICH IS NOT TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD.THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE ON THAT.
I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH A CEO OF LA METRO LAST WEEK AND A LOT OF DETAIL EXACTLY ABOUT THEIR FREE STUDENT AFFAIRS.
THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM DIDN'T WORK WITH JUST TO LET ANYONE THAT LOOKS YOUNG TO GET ON THEIR VEHICLES TO RIDE.
THIS NEXT PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT AND THEY'VE ALREADY HAD SOME PILOT PROGRAMS THAT SHE BELIEVES WORKS BETTER IS TO HAVE THE PASSES BE DISTRIBUTED BY THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS AT THEIR SCHOOL.
NUMBER 1 IT ENCOURAGES THE STUDENTS, THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO STAY IN SCHOOL BECAUSE YOU DON'T GET UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO SCHOOL.
THAT'S GOOD, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME CONTROL AND WE KNOW WHO'S GOING TO BE ON OUR VEHICLES.
SHE WAS POSITIVE ON THAT PROGRAM.
AS FAR AS THE SCHOOLS WERE CONCERNED, THEY PAID LIKE $5 A YEAR OR $3 A YEAR FOR STUDENTS, SOMETHING VERY NOMINAL, BUT IT'S FREE TO THE STUDENT THAT'S DIFFERENT OR THE YOUTH AND THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM FREE, COMPLETELY FROM ANY AND ALL ENTITIES.
THERE IS SOME PAYMENT COMPONENT IN THE LA METRO PROGRAM. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR THE ANSWER. I KNOW NOTHING IS FREE.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK INDIRECTLY IMPACTS A LOT THAT YOU ALL ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS, NOT JUST FOR BUILT-IN RIDERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE, BUT ALSO THE LACK OF RIDERSHIP MAKES THE AVERAGE PATRON FEEL UNSAFE AND UNSETTLED.
IF WE CAN KEEP IT THE QUESTIONS BECAUSE OF THE TIME THAT WE HAVE JUST A BIT, I LOVE YOUR PASSION FOR THAT BECAUSE I'M WITH YOU THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK DOWN THIS WAY IN THE SAME ROTATION.
YOU'LL STILL BE SINCE YOU WEREN'T HERE IN THE FIRST ROUND, BUT YOU GOT YOUR FIRST SERMON.
I'M NOT PUTTING YOU LAST, SO YOU'LL BE RIGHT AFTER MS. WILLIS.
THAT WAY EVERYONE WHO IS MR. ATKINS ISN'T HERE RIGHT NOW, SO CHAIR SCHULTZ. CHAIR WILLIS.
>> THANK YOU. AS PROJECTS ARE UNDERTAKEN FROM TIME TO TIME, THERE ARE REQUESTS FOR BETTERMENTS.
MY QUESTION TO YOU WOULD BE IF A BETTERMENT RELATED TO SAFETY IS REQUESTED BY THE CITY, WOULD YOU BE INCLINED TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT OR ASK DART STAFF TO PUSH BACK ON CITY STAFF ABOUT THOSE BETTERMENT?
>> I'M GOING TO SKIP OVER, MR. MCGREGOR IS NOT TECHNICALLY ON THE BOARD.
>> YEAH, I THINK BETTERMENTS ARE TRICKY BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WE HAVE TO DO TO MITIGATE ANYTHING THAT'S AN ACTUAL SAFETY HAZARD BY FEDERAL LAW.
THE BETTERMENTS ARE TYPICALLY ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THAT.
NUMBER 1, WHERE ARE BETTERMENTS POLICY HAD NOT BEEN UPDATED IN A LONG TIME AND THE NUMBERS WERE VERY LOW.
WE WENT FAR BEYOND WHAT BETTERMENT BUDGET WAS.
I THINK IN A FUTURE PROJECT BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT WHERE THERE IS THE NEXT PROJECT, WE AS A BOARD NEED TO TAKE UP THE ACTUAL POLICY CONSIDERATIONS.
IT'S NOT A DISAGREEMENT OR FIGHT BY THE TIME THAT WE GET TO THAT PLACE, EITHER WE HAVE A POLICY AND WE STICK WITHIN THAT BUDGET.
BECAUSE WE ANTICIPATE BETTERMENTS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES FEEL WHOLE.
WE SHOULDN'T NEED TO DO THAT IN REAL TIME, WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE ON SILVER LINE.
GIVEN THAT THERE IS NOT IN MY ESTIMATION RIGHT NOW A KNOWN PROJECT, I THINK THE DIRECTION FOR THE BOARD SHOULD BE TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE POLICY RIGHT BEFORE WE GET BACK IN FRONT OF YOU ALL WITH SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR.
>> SOUNDS AND WE'RE GOING TO SKIP OVER YOU IN THE STREETS, MR. KENNEDY?
>> YEAH. I WOULD COMPLETELY AGREE WITH MR. KILLEN.
OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE SPECIFICS OF THE SITUATION, CONTEXTS AND REQUESTS THAT WE'D HAVE A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT IT IS A REASONABLE REQUEST, AND WE WOULD HAVE TO RELY ON OUR STAFF AS WELL AS OUR CONSULTANTS, AS WELL AS THE DELIBERATION WITH THE CITY STAFF TO ENSURE THAT IT IS REASONABLE BEFORE IT EVEN COMES TO US.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'LL NEVER IT'D BE HARD FOR ME TO EVER VOTE FOR DESIGN-BUILD CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
BECAUSE I THINK HAVING, AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, A BETTERMENT POLICY, IT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
BUT THE FEI, THE FEDERAL LAWS FROM FTA, FRA AND INDUSTRY STANDARDS TO ME PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR WHAT SAFE.
[00:55:03]
IF THERE ARE EXTRAORDINARY IN DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WARRANT SOMETHING OVER AND ABOVE WHAT THE FEDERAL LAWS AND AGENCIES INDICATE AS SAFE AND INDUSTRY STANDARD THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M CERTAINLY WILLING TO EVALUATE AND TALK WITH BOTH OUR STAFF AT DARDEN, ALSO STUFF WITH THE DALLAS. THANK YOU.>> AS OUR CHAIR STATED, I THINK PART OF THE ISSUES OR CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THE SILVER LINE HAS BEEN BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A DESIGN-BUILD PROPOSITION.
THE GOOD NEWS IS I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY CAPITAL PROJECTS SCHEDULED IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE AND I ECHO THE FACT THAT WE MAY NEED TO JUST REVISIT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE THE DEFINITION OF BETTERMENTS BECAUSE THAT ACTUALLY WHAT INFORMS BETTERMENTS COMES FROM THE MASTER ILA THAT WAS APPROVED BETWEEN DART AND THE CITY OF DALLAS IN 1991.
THAT'S THE LANGUAGE THAT SPELLS OUT BETTERMENT.
I THINK WE CAN TAKE IT BACK DEFINITELY TO OUR STAFF OR DART STAFF AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, BUT I THINK WE'RE GOOD BECAUSE AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY CAPITAL PROJECTS PLANNED IMMEDIATELY, SO WE'LL HAVE THE TIME HOPEFULLY TO GET WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE CORRECT.
>> I DON'T KNOW MRS. WILLIS, IF YOU WANTED THE TWO FOLKS THAT MIGHT BE COMING IN TO ANSWER SOMETHING IN THAT THAT'S A LITTLE SIMILAR.
PRETTY GOOD. I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO MR. ATKINS BECAUSE HE'S BACK. MR. ATKINS.
>> QUESTION. I GUESS TO THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS SPEAKING OF THE SILVER LINE, SPEAKING OF BETTERMENT, SPEAKING OF SALE TAX, SPEAKING OF THE ILA VERSUS THE MOU, AND SPEAKING OF TO THE POINT OR TRYING TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION WHICH COME TO THE COUNCIL ON THE 14TH UNDER 28 ABOUT OUR SALE TAX.
CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME IDEA IF YOU'RE ON THIS BOARD? SALE TAX IS A TAX THAT THE ENTIRE CITY PARTICULAR PAYMENT.
BETTERMENT IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER SUBURBS, THEY SIGN AN ALLEY, BUT THEY DID NOT SIGN AN MOU, BUT THEY DID AND WE ASSOCIATED DALLAS.
I FEEL I'M PUTTING MY OTHER COUNSELING ELSE THAT.
WE DON'T TRUST YOU AND YOU DON'T TRUST US AND THAT'S WHERE WE GOT AN MOU.
HOW DO WE BUILD A BRIDGE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET OUR SALES TAX THAT IS OWED TO OUR RESIDENT WHO NEED A SIDEWALK TO GET FIXED OR THEIR LIVES TO GET FIXED OR A ROAD TO GET FIXED? IF I VOTE FOR YOU AND PUT YOU BACK ON THIS DEAL, I DO HAVE AN ISSUE THAT HOW WE DEFINE THE SILVER LINE, SEPARATE FROM SALES TAX, SEPARATE FROM TRYING TO FIX OUR STREETS THAT OUR SALE TAX SHOULD GO TO AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DO GET OUR SALES TAX TO THE RESIDENTS WHO PAID FOR THE SALE TAX.
>> WE'LL START WITH MR. KENNEDY AND THEN GO DOWN WITH THE APPOINTED MEMBERS THAT ARE UP FOR RENOMINATION.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT ON TRACK IN RELATION TO THE QUESTION OF TRUST, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT IT'S GOTTEN TO THIS POINT, BUT THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF CONTRACTS, IS BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW IF YOU CAN TRUST THE OTHER PARTY.
WE HAVE TO IRON THOSE THINGS OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL KEEPING UP OUR ENDS OF THE BARGAIN.
I THINK THAT PROBABLY WASN'T NECESSARILY THE CASE TO BEGIN THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
HOPEFULLY, THIS IS THE STARTING POINT WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE THAT COLLABORATION.
I THINK WE ALL WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS GETTING THAT MONEY AS WELL BECAUSE THOSE LAST MILE CONNECTIONS, THOSE ADA IMPROVEMENTS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT THE CITY IS PROGRAMMING TO USE WITH THE SALES TAX REFUND IS NECESSARY FOR THINGS THAT ACTUALLY HELP OUR CITIZENS AND
[01:00:01]
HELP TRANSIT RIDERSHIP AS WELL BECAUSE IT'S PURE ACCESSIBILITY.>> THANK YOU. WELL, SALES TAX CONSTITUTES 61% OF DART'S REVENUE.
I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE TERMS OF THE MOU THAT WERE NEGOTIATED BETWEEN DALLAS AND DART STAFF AND MODERATED BY MICHAEL MORRIS.
I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS A COMPROMISE FROM THE POSITION THAT EACH SIDE STARTED AT.
IT CLARIFIES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BOTH DART AND THE CITY OF DALLAS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SEE CLEARLY WHAT THOSE MILESTONES ARE SO THAT THERE IS NO QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES AS DELINEATED IN THE MOU.
I THINK IT IS A GOOD COMPROMISE, AND I DO SUPPORT THAT AS IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS A LOT OF COMPROMISES GIVEN ON BOTH SIDES. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I BELIEVE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS ABOUT UNFULFILLED EXPECTATIONS AND BOTH FROM DART'S SIDE AND ALSO THE CITY OF DALLAS' SIDE.
I CAN DEFINITELY SAY THAT WE'RE DETERMINED TO REPAIR THAT ISSUE OR THE TRUST, IF YOU WILL.
I BELIEVE WHAT THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING DOES IS, IT OUTLINES HOW WE'RE GOING TO STAY AT THE TABLE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE FULFILLED BEFORE THE TRANCHES CAN BE RELEASED IN INCREMENTS OF SIX MILLION.
FRANKLY, I WOULD ASK JUST LIKE THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS CONSTANTLY WORK WITH DART STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HOLDING UP OUR END AND WITH THE CITY.
I JUST WANT TO COMMEND DR. PEREZ BECAUSE I CHECKED BEFORE COMING INTO THIS MEETING.
IF THE ILA WERE SIGNED TODAY, THE CITY OF DALLAS IS IN GOOD STANDING AND THAT'S LARGELY DUE TO I HAVE TO COMMEND TC, BUT ALSO DR. PEREZ BECAUSE WE'RE RECEIVING THE COMMENTS WITHIN 10 DAYS, WERE ABLE TO CURE THOSE COMMENTS, WERE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
THIS MOU SETS THAT FRAMEWORK TO STAY TOGETHER [NOISE] AND CONTINUE TO WORK SO THAT WILL GET THE SILVER LINE BUILT.
>> I WANT TO CONCUR WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
I THINK ULTIMATELY WE ARE HERE AND ARRIVED AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THERE WAS A FAILURE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO BETWEEN DART STAFF AND THE CITY OF DALLAS STAFF TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT HOW THIS AGREEMENT AND HOW THIS $111 MILLION WAS GOING TO BE SPENT.
TO NOW BE AT THIS POINT WHERE THE STAFFS HAVE AGREED IN THE MAJORITY OF THAT MONEY WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE CITY OF DALLAS, I THINK IS A TESTAMENT TO THE STAFF'S ABILITY TO ULTIMATELY WORK TOGETHER.
HOWEVER, I DO RECALL BEING BACK IN THIS CHAMBER MAYBE IT WAS IN FEBRUARY AND SOMETHING IN COUNCILMAN THAT'LL DO US THAT STILL RESONATES WITH ME, WHICH IS THIS ISN'T THE WAY PARTNERS SHOULD BE TREATING ONE ANOTHER.
KNOWING THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS IS OUR ANCHOR IN TERMS OF BOTH FUNDING BUT ALSO SUPPORTING PUBLIC TRANSIT.
I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULDN'T NEED TO HAVE TO SPELL OUT AND DO TRANCHES OR HAVE AN ILA OF THIS NATURE EVER AGAIN, BECAUSE THIS WON'T BE THE LAST TIME THAT CITY OF DALLAS MAY HAVE EXCESS FUNDING OR WE MAY NEED TO MAKE A SPECIFIC INVESTMENT OR TO GET SOMETHING FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I HOPE THAT WE'RE NOT IN THIS PLACE WHERE WE NEED TO PUT IN EVERY SINGLE DETAIL INTO AN MOU OR AN ILA BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE WE NEED DALLAS AND WE DO NOT NEED TO BE ON DALLAS'S BAD SIDE.
I THINK THE BOARD IS COMING AT FAITH AND STAFF IS COMING IN GOOD FAITH TO TRY TO GET THIS DEAL DONE SO THAT THE REST OF OUR RELATIONSHIP GOING FORWARD IS WHOLE.
MR. BASIL, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE SECOND ROUND?
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. I'LL JUST BRIEFLY ASK.
I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE HEARD FROM A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS FROM THE DIXON CIRCLE BUS ROUTE.
IT'S LEFT ME IN SOMEWHAT OF A WEIRD SITUATION BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY BUS THAT WAS ELIMINATED IN THE RESTRUCTURE.
WHAT I AM ASKING IS NOT FOR A COMMITMENT TO BRING THE BUS BACK,
[01:05:01]
THAT MAY NOT BE MOST FEASIBLE.BUT WHAT I AM ASKING IS FOR THAT COMMITMENT TO GET TO THE TABLE WITH THE RESOURCES THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT TO THE COMMUNITY.
IF THERE FEELS THAT THERE'S A VOID THEN GOLINK HASN'T FILLED IT.
THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE.
WE'VE DONE THE SAME THING WITH JOPY RYADS.
I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY FEEDBACK ON HOW WE CAN MAKE IT MORE ROBUST OF A RESOURCE THAT HAS BEEN USED TO SUPPLEMENT THE BUS THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY.
A, IF YOU COMMIT TO IT, BUT ALSO IF YOU COULD JUST EXPOUND A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT YOU SEE AS A GOOD OPTION ON MAKING IT MORE ROBUST.
>> I BELIEVE I'M GOING TO GO FIRST.
IS THAT RIGHT, CHAIRMAN? AS YOU CORRECTLY STATED, THERE IS GO WITH MICRO TRANSIT IN THE DIXON CIRCLE.
IT HOWEVER THERE, I THINK WHERE THE OPPORTUNITY IS IS MORE ONE-ON-ONE WORKING ON THE GOLINK MICRO TRANSIT USE.
I THINK SOME RESIDENTS PERHAPS DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, BUT HAVING I THINK DART STAFF GO OUT IN-PERSON AND PERHAPS RIDE WITH THEM, TELL THEM, THIS IS HOW YOU WORK, THE GOLINK.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAM THAT ALSO DOES THAT AS WELL, BUT IT'S ALSO COMPLICATED BY THOSE TWO GROUPS AT DIXON CIRCLE.
YOU HAVE DIXON CIRCLE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS THE ESTABLISHED, AND THEN YOU HAVE DIXON CIRCLE COMMUNITY ADVOCACY GROUP.
THEY BOTH HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS ON HOW IT SHOULD BE HANDLED.
IT CAN GET QUITE ENERGETIC BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS.
WE'RE HAVING CONFLICTING MESSAGES SOMETIMES FROM BOTH GROUPS, BUT I DO COMMIT TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON DIXON CIRCLE TO DO FIND SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO WORK FOR THOSE RESIDENTS.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO ASK IF DART STAFF REACHED OUT TO YOU AFTER OUR LAST BOARD MEETING? YES. NO. I WILL MAKE SURE.
>> NO, I HAVE HEARD FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVES, BUT I'VE NOT HEARD FROM ANY OF YOU ALL.
>> I WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO HEAR FROM DART STAFF ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE CHAIR AND OUR VICE WAS THERE AND SPOKE AT OUR BOARD MEETING AND IN SUPPORT OF THE WEST DALLAS SHUTTLE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, BUT THAT WAS THE NIGHT THAT I ASKED THAT DART STAFF FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
I WILL CONTINUE TO BRING FOCUS ON THIS ISSUE.
I DON'T KNOW ULTIMATELY WHAT THE SOLUTION WILL BE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE'LL WORK WITH BOTH GROUPS.
WE WILL FIND HOPEFULLY A SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR THE RESIDENTS.
>> COUNCILMAN, I THINK PROBABLY ONE OF THE SADDER THINGS ABOUT OUR DART ZOOM PROCESS THAT WE UNDERTOOK WAS IT WAS MORE PATERNALISTIC THAN WE ENVISION, BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC WHERE WE WANT IT TO ENGAGE DEEPLY WITH EVERY COMMUNITY IN PERSON AND HAVE LOTS OF ENGAGEMENT.
A LOT OF IT ENDED UP BEING ON ZOOM, AND AS A RESULT, WE DIDN'T CONTACT OR GET IN TOUCH WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE WANTED TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE WERE GOING TO REPLACE A BUS WITH GOLINK, THAT NEIGHBORS REALLY UNDERSTOOD HOW IT WAS GOING TO WORK AND THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT AS OPPOSED TO MAYBE FEELING LIKE IT FLIPPED OVERNIGHT AND THEY WEREN'T A PART OF THE SOLUTION, NOR DID THEY KNOW HOW TO USE THE TOOLS THAT WE HAD.
ONE OF THE THINGS AT A MINIMUM THAT I COULD COMMIT TO AS A BOARD MEMBER IS THAT, WE NEED TO COME TO THE TABLE BETTER AS A PARTNER IN DART.
PRIOR TO THE DART ZOOM, THE ONLY TIME WE WOULD COME TO COMMUNITIES IS TO TELL THEM ABOUT FARES GOING UP OR WE'RE REMOVING SERVICE BECAUSE WE PROVIDED BAD SERVICE AND YOU WEREN'T USING IT AND SO WE'RE TAKING STUFF AWAY.
COMING TO A COMMUNITY AND BEING RESPONSIVE TO THEIR ASKS IS SOMETHING I'VE SEEN US DO BETTER, AS EVIDENCED BY ADDING GOLINK AS A PILOT ZONE IN SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK AREA, WHEREAS BEFORE IT WAS ONLY IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES.
I THINK WE'RE CAPABLE OF DOING BETTER, AND I'VE SEEN SOME OF THAT, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SERVICE, MY BLANKET ANSWER IS YES BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE OPERATIONAL COST OF ADDING AN EXTRA ROUTE OR SOME MORE GOLINK OR EXPANDING HOURS IS RELATIVELY MINIMAL.
IF THERE IS A COHESIVE LIKE ASK AND COHERENT ASK FROM THE COMMUNITY, WE CAN DO IT.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT MY CHAIR WOMAN WAS SAYING WAS LIKE, WE'RE HEARING SOME COMPETING IDEAS, BUT IF THERE'S A CLEAR ASK FROM THE COMMUNITY, THE FUNDING WON'T BE THE ISSUE TO SERVE A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> YEAH, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE NEED STAFF TO COME TO US WITH IDEAS AND
[01:10:06]
OPTIONS AND THAT THEY NEED TO BE ENGAGED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE LEADERSHIP GROUP OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, INCLUDING YOURSELF, TO ENSURE THAT WHATEVER SOLUTIONS THERE ARE, ARE GOING TO WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY.BUT WE NEED TO BE UP AT THE PRINCIPLE OF THE SERVICE STANDARDS LEVEL.
DURING ZOOM, ONE POINT, WE KNEW SOME AREAS MIGHT SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS AND THAT'S THE POINT OF ZOOM 2.0 IS TO SOLVE SOME OF THOSE PROBLEMS IN THE LONG TERM AND TRY TO DELIVER THE DOLLARS TO HELP FILL IN THOSE CRACKS, BUT IN THE SHORT-TERM, MY GUESS IS THAT THE MOST FEASIBLE WAY TO SUPPORT THE AREA WOULD BE THROUGH OUTREACH AND EXPANDED GOLINK IN THE NEAR TERM JUST BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC PROCESS TO DELIVER NEW FIXED ROUTE SERVICE OUTSIDE OF ZOOM 2.0.
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. LIKE TO THANK CHAIR BAZALDUA FOR THAT QUESTION ACTUALLY SEGUES INTO MY NEXT QUESTION.
FIRST, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OUR CITY OF DALLAS.
I LOVE THE DIVERSITY THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD.
WITH THAT, HOW DO OR WOULD YOU COLLABORATE AND COMMUNICATE WITH DALLAS AS A WHOLE, AND DALLAS ELECTED LEADERS TO ENSURE THAT OUR GOALS AND PRIORITIES ARE BEING AT THE FOREFRONT?
>> WELL, WHAT I CAN SAY, COUNCIL MEMBER MORENO IS I KNOW I REACHED OUT TO MOST OF YOU.
I WOULD LOVE TO MEET INDIVIDUALLY, IF I COULD.
I KNOW OUR SCHEDULES ARE REALLY BUSY AND JUST HEAR WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE, BUT I THINK THAT EACH OF US COULD DO THAT, HOWEVER, WHAT WE NEED TO DO THIS OBVIOUSLY IN TANDEM WITH DART STAFF.
I CAN SAY THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO ALL CITIES TO PUT TOGETHER OR ASK THE TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR TO PUT TOGETHER A TRANSIT AREA PLAN THAT SUITS THIS EACH CITY.
THEREFORE, THAT WAY WITHIN THE CITY, THE CITY CAN PRIORITIZE WHAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
HOWEVER, THAT DOESN'T MITIGATE THE CONCERNS THAT EACH ONE OF YOU MAY HAVE IN YOUR AREA.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO US OR LET'S SET SOMETHING UP SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT DIALOGUE ABOUT MAYBE WHAT COULD BE WORKING BETTER IN YOUR AREA SO THAT WE KNOW.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A LONG-RANGE PLAN FOR DART AND FOR OUR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS FOR DALLAS.
AT LEAST THE DOCUMENTS THAT I HAVE RESEARCHED IN THE SHORT TIME THAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IT, I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT.
IF IT'S THERE, I LOVE TO FIND IT, BUT IF IT'S NOT, I WOULD LOVE FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP THAT PROCESS.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MORENO, I DON'T THINK WE DO GREAT.
I'VE SEEN IT GET BETTER IN THE SIX YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD.
I THINK IN THE LAST TWO YEARS UNDER OUR CHAIRWOMAN HAVING JOINT MEETINGS OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AND THE DART BOARD HAS BEEN HELPFUL.
IT'S ALSO BEEN HELPFUL TO HAVE OUR NEW GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PERSONNEL AVAILABLE TO HELP PROVIDE US SOME INSIGHTS TO WHAT YOU ALL NEED.
BUT I CONCUR WITH MY FUTURE COLLEAGUE, WHICH IS THAT, I THINK IT'D BE INCREDIBLY HELPFUL FROM COUNCIL NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW TERMS IN THE YEAR TO HELP US OUT WITH THE BIG PICTURE ITEMS THAT YOU ALL FEEL ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR US TO DRIVE FORWARD AS A DART BOARD.
THAT CAN SERVE AS OUR GUIDING STAR GOING INTO OUR NEXT YEAR SO THAT WHOEVER OUR CHAIR IS, UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE CITY OF DALLAS'S POSITION IS ON A LOT OF ISSUES, BUT ALSO US AS INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS, THAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO GO AND ACT KNOWING THAT WE'RE DOING THE WILL OF THE CITY OF DALLAS AS OPPOSED TO IN SOME CASES, HOPING THAT WE'RE GETTING IT RIGHT.
>> I'D LIKE TO JUST ADD ON THE POINT OF COLLABORATION AND JUST MAKING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS REALLY STRONG AND MAKING THOSE OKRS, AS WE CALL THEM IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, REALLY CLEAR AT THE BEGINNING.
WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT THOSE OBJECTIVES AND KEY RESULTS ARE FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
I THINK STARTING THAT CONVERSATION OFF AND HAVING THAT SET EVERY TIME WE CAN SET AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DRIVING TOWARDS THOSE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION IS KEY AND SOMETHING THAT I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO DO AS THE COMMUNICATION AND REBUILDING THAT TRUST THAT MAYBE DOESN'T EXIST.
>> I THINK THERE'S TWO PIECES OF LOW-HANGING FRUIT, ONE OF WHICH WOULD BE THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR AGENCIES, PUBLIC OUTREACH, SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, THINGS LIKE THAT, WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY HAS A MUCH MORE HUMANISTIC APPROACH AND MUCH MORE SOCIAL RATHER THAN A STANDOFFISH, CORPORATE JUST HERE'S THE BASIC INFORMATION.
BEING MUCH MORE ENGAGED ALSO WITH OUR OWN EMPLOYEE,
[01:15:01]
SOMETHING I CALL IN-REACH, HOW DO WE PROMOTE THEM ON THINGS LIKE YOUTUBE, THINGS LIKE THAT.THE OTHER IS SEVERAL OF US WITH OUR APPOINTMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY ADVOCACY COMMITTEE OR THE CAC IS WHERE WE APPOINT A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY TO SIT ON A BOARD.
THERE'S A REAL NEED FOR THEM TO STRENGTHEN THEIR ROLE IN BRINGING US IDEAS, BRINGING US THOUGHTS FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT THEN ALSO BRINGING THE BOARD SOME ISSUES OF BEST PRACTICES OR THINGS WHERE THEY THINK WE COULD APPROVE AS WELL.
I THINK THAT THE CAC IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN.
AS LONG AS ALL OF US FOCUS ON HAVING THOSE MEMBERS AND APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE FOCUSED AND WILLING TO BE THAT ROLE FOR US AS THE MIDDLE PERSON WITH COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. I WILL CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO THE INDIVIDUAL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ASK AS I HAVE DONE SO IN THE PAST FOR MEETINGS, IF THEY HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING DART, AND AS WELL AS START PERHAPS A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OR EVERY THREE MONTHS NEWSLETTER.
AT LEAST THERE'S A SUMMARY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT DART FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS PERSPECTIVE.
ALSO, I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE OUR QUARTERLY MEETINGS, JOINT MEETINGS BETWEEN THE DALLAS CITY APPOINTEES AND THIS COMMITTEE.
I THINK THAT HAS HELPED IMPROVE THE COMMUNICATION AND CERTAINLY WOULD COMMIT AND SUPPORT THAT CONTINUED COMMUNICATION SOURCE.
>> I THINK THAT WAS THE END OF THAT ROUND UP FOR THEM.
MS. MENDELSOHN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
>> THANK YOU. I ACTUALLY HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS I WAS GOING TO ASK, BUT I'M GOING TO GO FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRUST AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTRACTS, AND THE REALITY IS AN MOU IS NOT ENFORCEABLE.
IN FACT, GARY THOMAS LOOKED AT MY FACE AND LAUGHED AT ME AND TOLD ME HOW AN MOU IS A SUGGESTION.
YOUR OWN STAFF TODAY HAS SAID MOUS ARE SUGGESTIONS, SO MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS THIS, THE ILA IS WHAT IS LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE, THERE'S PROVISIONS IN THERE THAT ARE UNCLEAR.
THERE'S PROVISIONS IN THERE THAT ARE WAY TOO BROAD, UNDEFINED, SOME THAT ARE FRANKLY JUST OBJECTIONABLE, THIS IS THE DOCUMENT THAT ACTUALLY NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED IN MY OPINION.
WE HAVE AN ILA SUPPLEMENTAL 11 THAT YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING TODAY, AND THE CITY HAS AGREED TO LET YOU NOT FOLLOW IT, THE FTA HAS AGREED.
BUT THESE ARE THINGS THAT THE RESIDENTS AGREED WERE A CONTRACT AND EXPECTED, AND THEN WE HEAR THINGS LIKE ARCHER WESTERN WAS NEVER EVEN TOLD THAT THEY CAN ONLY CLOSE HILLCREST FOR 25 WEEKS.
THEY'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS A YEAR.
NOW THE CITY MANAGERS LET YOU DO IT FOR A YEAR.
THE MOU HAS NOT EVEN BEEN MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE TO DATE.
THIS IS NOT BEING DONE TRANSPARENTLY.
WOULD YOU AGREE THAT TO ESTABLISH TRUST, CONTRACTS MAKE GOOD PARTNERS BECAUSE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS ARE.
WOULD YOU AGREE TO ADJUST THE ILA TO MAKE IT LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE SO THAT WE COULD HAVE TRUST THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AS WE EXPECT?
>> I'M GOING TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
THE DART APPOINTEES DID YOU ALL BRING YOUR ATTORNEYS WITH YOU FROM DART IN ORDER FOR YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS [OVERLAPPING].
>> [OVERLAPPING] PLEASE ALLOW ME TO ASK MY QUESTION SIR.
>> I DID ALLOW YOU TO ASK YOUR QUESTION AND THEY WERE GETTING READY TO RESPOND, BUT BECAUSE THERE'S A LEGAL COMPONENT TO IT, I'M ASKING LEGAL [OVERLAPPING].
>> I WOULD LIKE TO REPHRASE MY QUESTION THEN.
>> AT THIS TIME I'M GETTING A LEGAL OPINION WHETHER YOUR QUESTION THAT YOU FIRST ASK TO [OVERLAPPING].
>> I WOULD LIKE TO REPHRASE MY QUESTION.
>> WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO DIRECTING YOUR STAFF TO AMEND THE ILA?
>> I'M ALSO GOING TO SAY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR LEGAL REPRESENTATION HERE FROM DART.
>> SORRY, I'M JUST ASKING YOUR OPINION.
>> BUT IN THIS INTERVIEW, SOME OF THESE OPINIONS COULD BE HELD TO THEM THAT THEY HAVE TO DO A CERTAIN THING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE [OVERLAPPING] LEGAL ADVICE FROM.
>> I'M ASKING, ARE YOU OPEN TO SOMETHING?
>> I'M GOING TO SAY THAT THE QUESTIONS OUT OF LINE, UNFORTUNATELY FOR THIS INTERVIEW PROCESS, I'M JUST GOING TO HAVE TO SAY IT TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE OUR ATTORNEYS DON'T REPRESENT THEM, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SET OF ATTORNEYS AND WE'RE GETTING INTO A LEGAL PLACE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE OUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ALSO PROTECT THE CITY.
I DON'T WANT THE QUESTION TO OPEN THEM UP TO SOMETHING THAT COULD END UP OPENING THEM UP TO SOMETHING TO DO TO US.
WE COULD VERY CAREFUL ON THIS ONE.
I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION, IT'S JUST IT'S A VERY FINE LINE THERE.
[01:20:02]
>> WELL, IN THAT CASE, I'LL ASK A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT QUESTION.
>> THE DART STAFF DETERMINED OF THE $111 MILLION THAT WOULD BE RETURNED TO DALLAS, THAT DALLAS WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR BETTERMENTS AND DELAYS OF $80 MILLION.
NOW, BETTERMENTS AREN'T PLANTING FLOWERS, THEY'RE THINGS LIKE ADDING IN A SMALL WALL IN ELEVATED SIDEWALKS SO PEOPLE DON'T FALL OVER INTO ACT OF TRAFFIC, BUT THAT BECAME WHAT DART STAFF SAID WAS A BETTERMENT.
THERE'S QUIET ZONES ALONG THE SILVER LINE IN DISTRICT 12, IN FACT, THERE'S QUITE A FEW OF THEM, AND THE RESIDENTS FOLLOW THE FEDERALLY REGULATED PLAN TO ALLOW CITIZEN INPUT TO TELL DART PLACES WHERE THEY FELT WHAT WAS MINIMALLY REQUIRED WAS UNACCEPTABLE.
THE MINIMALLY REQUIRED STANDARD IS APPROPRIATE IN RURAL AREAS, BUT DISTRICT 12 IS FULLY BUILT OUT RESIDENTIAL, HIGH DENSITY, WITH CHILDREN WHO WALK ACROSS THOSE GRAY CROSSINGS FOR SCHOOL UNACCOMPANIED.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU'RE SUPPORTIVE OF FUNDING ADDITIONAL MEASURES AT THOSE CROSSINGS THAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE REQUESTED TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY?
>> MS. MENDELSOHN, I APOLOGIZE, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO STEP IN ON THIS ONE AGAIN, THAT'S CONTRACTUAL, AND THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR ATTORNEY HERE TO GO THROUGH WHAT THE CONTRACT WAS WHEN IT COMES TO THE SPECIFICS ON THE SILVER LINE, WHICH IS WHAT THIS QUESTION IS IN REFERENCE TO.
>> YES. [OVERLAPPING] THERE'S A POINT OF INFORMATION, MS. MENDELSOHN.
>> I WILL JUST SAY THAT I WOULD THINK IT'S UP TO THESE CANDIDATES TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY CAN ANSWER OR NOT VERSUS YOU MAKING A CALL FOR THEM ON WHETHER THEIR ANSWER GETS THEM INTO LEGAL ISSUE.
IT'S NOT A CITY OF DALLAS ISSUE, IT'S I WOULD THINK UP TO THEM TO DETERMINE HOW THEY COULD ANSWER IT VERSUS [OVERLAPPING].
I'M NOT SURE WHAT INFORMATION YOU ARE REQUESTING THERE IF YOU WANT TO REPHRASE YOUR POINT OF INFORMATION.
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT IT IS THE CHAIRS DECISION TO MAKE REGARDING WHETHER A CANDIDATE WOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OR NOT.
I THINK IT'S THEIR CALL ON WHETHER THEY NEED LEGAL ADVICE.
>> VERY GOOD. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE TO MAKE A JUDGMENT BASED ON THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I FEEL THAT WITH THEM NOT HAVING LEGAL REPRESENTATION HERE, THAT THEY COULD SAY SOMETHING OR ANSWERS TO SOMETHING THAT COULD HOLD THEM TO WHERE THEIR LEGAL COUNSEL HAS DECIDED THEY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TOWARDS THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THEN OUR LEGAL COUNSEL, IT'S A GREAT AREA.
>> POINT OF INFORMATION. COULD OUR LEGAL TEAM WEIGH IN ON THIS?
>> CAN YOU GIVE US A MOMENT, PLEASE?
>> CHAIR THEY JUST ASKED FOR A MOMENT WHILE THEY CONFIRM.
>> ABSOLUTELY. JUST FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON, WE'RE WAITING FOR AN OPINION FROM THE LEGAL TEAM ON THE QUESTION THAT WAS A POINT OF INFORMATION THAT WAS REQUESTED BY CHAIR WILLIS.
LEGAL HAS RESPONDED BACK SAYING THAT YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO
[01:25:03]
ANSWER THIS QUESTION IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO SINCE YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR LEGAL REPRESENTATION, BUT YOU CAN ANSWER IT IF YOU SO CHOOSE TO WITHOUT YOUR LEGAL REPRESENTATION, SO IT'S UP TO EACH OF YOU.I THINK WE WERE ON MR. KILLEN.
>> CHAIR TRUTHFULLY, I FORGOT THE QUESTION IN THIS CASE.
[LAUGHTER] BUT IS IT THE FIRST QUESTION OR THE SECOND QUESTION?
>> WE ARE ON THE SECOND QUESTION.
>> COUNCILWOMAN MENDELSOHN, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND A BRIEF RECAP OF WHAT YOU WERE [OVERLAPPING].
>> THE RECAP IS THAT THE RESIDENTS WENT THROUGH THE FEDERAL PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE INPUT ON QUIET ZONES AND REQUESTED ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES SO THAT THEY COULD FEEL SAFE AS OPPOSED TO THE MINIMALLY REQUIRED SAFETY MEASURES THAT DART HAS SAID TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY WILL ONLY SUPPORT WHAT IS FEDERALLY REQUIRED, WHICH IS WHAT'S APPROPRIATE IN A RURAL AREA.
MY QUESTION IS, IF YOU WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION OR DIRECT STAFF TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE REQUESTS OF THE RESIDENTS SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE A SAFER CROSSING?
>> I THINK THE COMMITMENT THAT I CAN MAKE COUNCILWOMAN IS THAT IF THERE IS A REQUEST FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR DART TO LOOK AT OR INVESTIGATE THE COST OF AN IMPROVEMENT, WHETHER IT'S A BETTERMENT OR MITIGATION, I DON'T HAVE ANY PAPERWORK IN FRONT OF ME TO SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE OR I UNDERSTAND, BUT I THINK IT'S FAIR FOR ANY COMMUNITY TO ADVOCATE FOR WHAT THEY THINK IS A BETTER PROJECT, WHETHER IT'S FOR SAFETY OR CONVENIENCE OR WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
I THINK THAT'S FAIR AND I CAN COMMIT TO SUPPORTINGS OR DIRECTING STAFF IN THAT NATURE TO AT LEAST BE ABLE TO INVESTIGATE.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THEY'VE ALREADY INVESTIGATED AND HAVE COME BACK WITH AN ANSWER THAT'S NOT SATISFACTORY OR IF THIS IS A NEW REQUEST, BUT I THINK FOR A PROJECT THAT IS INTENDED TO LAST FOR DECADES, THAT IT'S FAIR TO A COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INVESTIGATE ALL OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE IT THE BEST PROJECT POSSIBLE.
>> TO CLARIFY YOUR ANSWER, THEY HAVE INVESTIGATED AND THEY'VE TURNED DOWN EVERY REQUEST TO THE COMMUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES.
>> MS. MENDELSOHN WERE ON THEM ANSWERING QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME?
>> JUST CLARIFYING. THANK YOU.
>> IF WE CAN GO TO MS. ALEXANDER AGAIN, YOU ARE FREE TO SAY YOU WANT TO ANSWER IT OR YOU'RE FREE TO SAY YOU DON'T WANT TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION WITHOUT YOUR LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
>> I'LL JUST SAY THAT I THINK THAT THE VOICE IS THE COMMUNITY IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT TO BE CONSIDERED.
THAT AS MUCH SO COMFORTABLE SAYING.
>> I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH OUR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO INTERPRET THE SPECIFICS OF ANY PARTICULAR QUESTION RELATED TO THIS ISSUE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I THINK IT'S ALWAYS A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS AND A BALANCING BETWEEN DIFFERENT FACTORS.
I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO IMPACT ANY MOU AGREEMENTS BY MAKING A COMMENT ON THIS, BUT CERTAINLY OVERALL COMMUNITY COMMENTS ARE ALWAYS IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU. WHAT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO STATE IS REGARDING BETTERMENT.
I KNOW THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SILVER LINE IN THE NORTH DALLAS AREA, BETTERMENTS ARE OVER AND ABOVE THE DESIGN AND MITIGATION REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN THE FES OR THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
ALSO, OVER AND ABOVE DART BOARD APPROVED VETERANS BUDGET AND ABOVE AND BEYOND, EVEN THE CITY OF DALLAS IS REQUIREMENTS FOR ITS OWN PROJECTS. THAT IS MY STATEMENT.
>> COUNCILWOMAN, I OF COURSE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE OF THE FACTS TO MAKE AN INFORMED ANSWER.
>> EXCELLENT, VERY GOOD. COLLEAGUES, WE'VE COMPLETED OUR SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS.
DOES ANYBODY NEED A THIRD ROUND OF QUESTIONS?
>> VERY GOOD. YOU HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU. THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF POLITICS AND CHALLENGES ON THE BOARD, AND I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EITHER CURRENTLY SERVING OR FOR OFFERING TO SERVE.
I THINK YOU'RE IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION IN A LOT OF WAYS AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT, BUT HOW ARE YOU WORKING TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU HEAR FROM THE CITY? FOR INSTANCE, WE DID SEND YOU A MEMO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER OF RESIDUE I REFERENCED ABOUT YOUTH TRANSIT.
WE'VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT OTHER PRIORITIES WE HAVE.
WILL YOU PLEDGE TO SUPPORT THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY IN YOUR SERVICE AS A BOARD MEMBER?
>> MS. MENDELSOHN, I APOLOGIZE, BUT PER OUR ETHICS RULES, ASKING FOR A QUID PRO QUO LIKE THAT IS NOT ALLOWED.
[OVERLAPPING] BY ASKING FOR A COMMITMENT TO THE CITY OF DALLAS WHEN THEY WILL SWEAR
[01:30:05]
IN AND RAISE THEIR HANDS AT THEIR OBLIGATION IS TO DART, WHICH IS A REGIONAL FOCUS.I'M AFRAID THAT THAT QUESTION IS JUST BORDERLINE A LITTLE TOO FAR FOR THEIR ETHICS AS WELL AS OURS WHEN IT COMES TO THEM BEING AND/OR POSSIBLY BEING BOARD MEMBERS REPRESENTING THE CITY OF DALLAS.
IF YOU COULD DE-REFERENCE YOUR QUESTION ABOUT MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING MORE LIKE DO YOU BELIEVE DALLAS IS YOUR PRIORITY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? BUT YOU JUST ASK FOR A PLEDGE AND UNFORTUNATELY, AMONGST OUR ETHICS, BECAUSE YOU'RE ASKING THEM FOR SOMETHING WHICH COULD BE SEEN AS A REQUIREMENT FOR YOU TO VOTE FOR THEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO OR NOT, BUT JUST IF YOU CAN REPHRASE THE QUESTION SO THAT IT'S FAIR TO THEM TO ANSWER AND FAIR TO YOU TO BE ABLE TO ASK THE QUESTION YOU'RE WANTING TO ASK AT PRIOR ETHICS POLICY.
>> NOT QUID PRO QUO UNLESS MY VOTE WAS CONTINGENT UPON IT, WHICH IT'S NOT, IT'S FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE.
THANK YOU. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SUBSTITUTE THAT WORD.
>> I'M SORRY, MS. MENDELSOHN, YOU NEED TO ASK THE QUESTION AS AND NOT ALLOW THEM TO INTERPRET AND SUBSTITUTES A WORD.
>> SUBSTITUTES, THE WORD PLEDGE FOR COMMITMENT, THAT WOULD BE FINE OR ANY OTHER WORD YOU'D LIKE.
BUT WHERE DO YOU FALL ON THE BALANCE OF ADVOCATING FOR DALLAS?
>> MS. MENDELSOHN, AGAIN, THEY CAN'T SAY COMMITMENT BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY THAT THAT IS A QUID PRO QUO.
IF YOU CAN TAILOR THIS QUESTION TO WHERE IT'S ACCURATE BECAUSE OUR ETHIC RULE IS VERY, VERY SPECIFIC ON WHAT YOU CAN ASK AND WHAT THEY CAN ANSWER AS FAR AS REPRESENTING THE CITY OF DALLAS IS US BEING ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OR THEM. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I WOULD LIKE TO ACTUALLY GET A LEGAL OPINION ON THAT.
BUT IT'S ONLY A QUID PRO QUO IF MY VOTE IS DEPENDENT UPON THEIR ANSWERS.
>> IT SOUNDS GOOD. I'LL ASK LEGAL LIKE THAT.
>> THE OPINION FROM LEGAL IS THAT THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO OPINE ON ETHICS AND SO IT'S UP TO YOU.
THEN IF SOMEBODY HAS AN ISSUE WITH IT, THEY CAN ALWAYS TURN IT TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO MAKE A DETERMINATION ON THAT.
IT'S UP TO YOU ALL AGAIN IF YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION DUE TO THE ETHICS RULES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS WHICH FIVE OF YOU HAVE SIGNED AND 1, 2, 3, 4 HAVE SIGNED AND TWO HAVE NOT SIGNED.
>> I WITHDRAW THAT QUESTION AND ASK A DIFFERENT ONE.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, YOUR TIME IS NOW UP.
WE'VE SPENT THE FIVE MINUTES FOR THAT ROUND.
>> I'D LIKE TO ASK TO BE OFFERED ANOTHER QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO CALL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE FOLKS AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM INDIVIDUALLY AS MANY OTHERS HAVE. WE'VE HAD THREE ROUNDS.
>> I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO OVERRULE YOUR RULING.
>> THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO OVERRULE THE RULING AND ALLOW MS. MENDELSOHN MORE TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> ALL THAT OPPOSE SIGNIFY BY SAYING NO.
NO. THAT'S FOUR VOTES IN OPPOSITION, TWO IN FAVOR.
THE RULING OF THE MOTION FAILS.
AT THIS TIME THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL OF OUR DART NOMINEES AND APPOINTEES.
WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR A MOTION IF WE WANT TO MOVE THESE NOMINEES FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATION.
>> THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO MOVE ALL THESE CANDIDATES FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATION. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> THERE WAS A SECOND. MOTION MADE BY CHAIR SCHULTZ, A SECOND BY CHAIR ATKINS.
>> CHAIR ATKINS MADE THE MOTION, CHAIR SCHULTZ MADE THE SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO MOVE THEM FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATION, MR. BAZALDUA.
>> I JUST DIDN'T HEAR THE MOTION THAT'S WHY I WANTED CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU.
>> VERY GOOD. IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MOVING THESE CANDIDATES FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATION, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING NO?
>> NO. THE MOTION PASSES WITH SIX IN FAVOR, ONE OPPOSED.
PLEASE NOTE IT WAS MS. MENDELSOHN AND WE WILL MOVE FORWARD. VERY GOOD.
THANK YOU TO OUR NOMINEES AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK ON WEDNESDAY.
[01:35:02]
THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE ACTION ITEM AUTHORIZATION OF A PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND SECTION 51A-7.308, DIGITAL DISPLAY ON CERTAIN DETACHED NON-PREMISE SIGNS.IF WE CAN GET STAFF TO COME UP, THEY HAVE A VERY SHORT BRIEFING AND THEN WE'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO QUESTIONS FROM OUR COLLEAGUES.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SAM ESKANDER AND I'M ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
HE'S THE MANAGER OVER THE SCIENCE DIVISION AND HE WILL BE GIVING YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW ON DIGITAL BILLBOARDS.
BASICALLY THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO OUTLINE THE CURRENT NON-PREMISE EXPRESSWAY OR BILLBOARD SIGN PROVISIONS WITH A FOCUS ON DIGITAL DISPLAYS.
WE'LL HIGHLIGHT THE OBSERVED PUBLIC CONCERN AND ANY OPERATIONAL ISSUES, AND WE'LL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE LED TECHNOLOGY TRENDS SINCE THE ORDINANCE WAS ORIGINALLY INCEPTED IN 2011, AND THE IMPACT ON THE ACTUAL DIGITAL BILLBOARD DISPLAYS AND WE'LL, COULD YOU GO BACK A SLIDE, DETAIL AN INDUSTRY PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE CURRENT DIGITAL BILLBOARD PROVISIONS THAT WAS PROVIDED BY ONE IN PARTICULAR ENTITY.
NEXT SLIDE. THERE IS A HIERARCHY OF PROVISIONS THAT DICTATE THE BILLBOARDS WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THEY START AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WITH THE HBA ACT AND THE FEDERAL STATE AGREEMENT.
THEN THE STATE REGULATIONS WHICH ARE IN TITLE 43.21.I, AND WE HAVE A CERTIFIED CITY PROGRAM.
BASICALLY, UNDER THIS CERTIFIED CITY PROGRAM, WE PROVIDE AN INVENTORY TO THE STATE.
WE PROVIDE REPORTS, WE PROVIDE LINKS TO OUR ORDINANCES AND CONTACTS, AND IN EXCHANGE, THEY ALLOW US TO COLLECT FEES AND REGULATE THE BILLBOARDS WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THE NEXT LEVEL IS THE CITY OF DALLAS PROVISIONS.
THESE ARE LOCATED IN CHAPTER 51A AND CHAPTER 52.
NEXT SLIDE. THE TOP-LEVEL REGULATIONS, THESE ARE THE FEDERAL AND STATE MAXIMUMS. THESE SIGNS ARE ALLOWED IN COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ZONES.
THE MAXIMUM SIZE IS 1,200 SQUARE FEET AND AN 85-FOOT OVERALL HEIGHT.
THEY DO HAVE A MINIMUM SPACING DISTANCE OF 500 FEET.
THIS IS BETWEEN SIGNS ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AS WELL AS FROM CERTAIN PUBLIC FEATURES SUCH AS PARKS OR DESIGNATED AREAS LIKE FOREST OR HISTORIC AREAS.
THEY DO NOT ALLOW FLASHING, MOVEMENT, OR GLARE AND MESSAGE DISPLAY IS LIMITED TO A MINIMUM OF EIGHT SECONDS AND ALL BRIGHTNESS MUST AUTO-ADJUST BASED ON AMBIENT CONDITIONS.
THERE ARE A FEW OTHERS, BUT WE'LL COVER THAT IN THE LOCAL REGULATIONS.
AGAIN, THESE ARE THE MAXIMUM ALLOWANCES THAT CAN'T BE EXCEEDED BY ANY LOCAL CODE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
BASICALLY THE DALLAS DEVELOPMENT CODE, WHICH IS CHAPTER 51A, PROHIBITS ALL BILLBOARDS AND ANY EXISTING ARE CONSIDERED NON-CONFORMING, WHICH MEANS WE DON'T ALLOW NEW ONES.
THIS IS DIGITAL OR STATIC ALIKE, AND ANY THAT ARE IN PLACE NOW ARE ALLOWED TO BE REPAIRED OR MAINTAINED, BUT THEY CANNOT BE EXPANDED OR CHANGED IN ANY WAY.
WE DO ALLOW THEM TO BE RELOCATED IF A GOVERNMENT ENTITY DOES COME IN AND TAKE THE LAND IN WHICH IT'S ON.
RELOCATIONS DO PROVIDE SOME PROVISIONS ON THOSE, THEY CANNOT BE MORE NON-CONFORMING THAN THEY ARE ORIGINALLY.
THERE ARE PROXIMITY LIMITS THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE STATE WHICH CONSTITUTE THE TRINITY RIVER OR NON-BUSINESS ZONING DISTRICTS, PUBLIC PARKS, HISTORIC DISTRICTS, AND A FEW OTHER AREAS, THE ESCARPMENT ZONE.
SOME OF THESE CAN BE CHANGED BY SUP, BUT ONLY FOR STATIC BOARDS.
THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL LIMITS IN TERMS OF LOCATION TOWARDS INTERSECTIONS OR RAMPS OR CERTAIN TRAVEL LANES OR THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IN GENERAL.
DALLAS LIMITS THE SIZE ON NEW RELOCATIONS TO 672 SQUARE FEET AND A 50-FOOT OVERALL HEIGHT.
THERE ARE PROVISIONS THAT ALLOW THEM UP TO 80.
NO NEW RELOCATIONS ARE ALLOWED ON THE GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
[01:40:05]
IN JUNE OF 2011, COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE USE OF DIGITAL DISPLAYS ON EXISTING EXPRESSWAY SIGNS.AGAIN, THESE ARE ON THE HIGHWAY ONLY.
IT REQUIRED A 3:1 EXCHANGE AND THE ELIMINATION OF THE EXCHANGE STRUCTURE, SO BASICALLY THEY TRADED IN THREE SQUARE FEET OF STATIC DISPLAY FOR ONE SQUARE FOOT OF DIGITAL DISPLAY.
IT LIMITED THE LOCATIONS OF THESE SIGNS TO 50 EXPRESSWAY STRUCTURES.
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL SPACING LIMITS ON SIGNS ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE ROADWAY.
AGAIN, THEY DO HAVE OTHER SPACING LIMITATIONS WHICH ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE RELOCATION BUT DO NOT ALLOW SUPS FOR THOSE.
THERE ARE SOME OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, THEY ECHO THE STATE.
THEY ARE REQUIRED TO AUTO-ADJUST FOR AMBIENT LIGHT CONDITIONS AND THEY'RE PROTECTED FROM END-USER MANIPULATION ON BRIGHTNESS.
WE REQUIRE A RAPID FAULT RESPONSE WHERE AN OPERATOR MUST RESPOND WITHIN AN HOUR OF NOTIFICATION AND THEY DO ALLOW EMERGENCY INFO DISPLAY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE AMENDMENT WAS REQUESTED BY CLEAR CHANNEL.
IT RESULTED IN THE INSTALLATION OF 49 DIGITAL STRUCTURES, REMOVAL OF 461 SIGN STRUCTURES THAT WERE TRADED IN, MOST WERE ON SMALL ARTERIAL STREETS AND 877 TOTAL NON-PREMISE SIGNS REMAINED IN THE CITY.
IT WAS ALLOWED TO SUNSET IN AUGUST 2016 WITH NO CHANGES.
THE SUNSET ESSENTIALLY PROHIBITED ANY NEW DIGITAL SIGNS.
AFTER THE SUNSET TOOK PLACE, NO NEW DIGITAL COULD GO IN.
WHAT WAS THERE WAS WHAT WAS ALLOWED.
NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF OUR CURRENT CERTIFIED CITY INVENTORY.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 811 TOTAL SIGNS IN THE INVENTORY, 772 ARE UP-TO-DATE ON ANNUAL REGISTRATIONS.
THERE ARE 49 DIGITAL STRUCTURES, 79 OF WHICH ARE THE FACES THEMSELVES, AND THERE'S A BREAKDOWN OF THE COMPANIES THAT CONTROL THE DIGITAL FACES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SOME OF THE PUBLIC CONCERNS IN DOING A 311 QUERY FROM 2018, USUALLY WHAT COMES UP HIS BRIGHTNESS, THERE WERE TWO CLUTTER AND LOCATION.
THERE WERE TWO MAINTENANCE, THERE WERE 10 CONTENT, THERE WERE FIVE.
SOME OF THE INDUSTRY-RELATED CONCERNS ARE THAT THESE PROVISIONS HAVE SUNSET, SO THERE'S NO OPTION FOR NEW OPERATORS OR NEW BOARDS IN GENERAL.
THE LOCATIONS ARE BECOMING LIMITED WITH FUTURE HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS AND CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON RAILROAD RIGHT-OF-WAY RELOCATIONS.
EXPANSION OPTIONS ARE VERY RESTRICTED.
THERE'S ALSO RESTRICTIONS IN 51A-7.702, WHICH IS OUR NON-CONFORMING MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR PROVISIONS.
BASICALLY, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO REPAIR STRUCTURES UP TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, BUT STRUCTURES THEMSELVES CANNOT BE INCREASED.
A LOT OF TIMES THIS RESULTS IN UNSAFE SIGNS, AND IT PROHIBITS THE ACTUAL DISPLAY OR REPLACEMENT OF A DIGITAL DISPLAY, WHICH GENERALLY NEED REPLACED EVERY 10 YEARS IF THE COST FACTOR ISN'T ALIGNED WITH THE ORDINANCE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. I DID THROW IN THE BRIGHTNESS.
THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION HAS RELEASED SOME REPORTS.
THESE ARE SUBJECTIVE AND HAVE BEEN USED TO INTERPRET BOTH SIDES.
GENERALLY, THEY INDICATE THAT THE IMPACT OF A DIGITAL BOARD ON A DRIVER IS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER THAN A STATIC SIGN.
I DID INCLUDE THAT CURRENT FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATIONS SPECIFY THAT LIGHTING INTENSITY CAN CAUSE GLARE AND THAT'S BASICALLY THE EXTENT THAT THEY PUT IN THERE.
WE GOT OUR INTENSITY STANDARD BASED ON AN ISA OR AN INTERNATIONAL SIGN ASSOCIATION STUDY. NEXT SLIDE.
SINCE 2011, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY, ALL LEADING TO LARGER, MORE VERSATILE DISPLAYS THAT OFFER ENHANCED INTEGRATION AND A WIDEN RANGE OF CREATIVE APPLICATIONS.
OVERALL, THEY HAVE IMPROVED IN THEIR EFFICIENCY AND THEIR POWER CONSUMPTION THEY'RE INCREASINGLY AFFORDABLE.
THEY HAVE ENHANCED RESOLUTION CAPABILITIES, WHICH MEANS SHARPER, BRIGHTER DISPLAYS.
THEY'VE REDUCED THEIR DISPLAY WEIGHT AND IN SOME CASES AS MUCH AS 75%, AND ADVANCES IN COMPUTER AND DATA CONNECTIONS, BASICALLY ALL OF THESE SIGNS HAVE COMPUTERS INSIDE OF THEM WITH DATA CONNECTIONS, THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY LARGE DISPLAYS.
NEXT SLIDE. BENEFITS OVER DIGITAL AND STATIC.
WITH DIGITAL, THEY DON'T HAVE A PHASE CHANGE OUT, SO THERE IS REDUCED WASTE.
THEY ARE ALLOWED TO BE REMOTELY FUNCTIONED, AND THEY'RE LESS PRONE TO FADING AND DAMAGE AS FAR AS STATIC GOES.
[01:45:03]
THERE'S NO BRIGHTNESS OR SOFTWARE ISSUES.MORE EXPOSURE TIME FOR EACH MESSAGE AND THEY DO USE LESS POWER SINCE THERE'S LESS LIGHTING. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE INDUSTRY HAS PROPOSED SOME CHANGES, BASICALLY JUST A GIANT OVERVIEW.
THEY SEEK TO ALLOW 25 NEW DIGITAL SIGNS THROUGH INITIAL FEE AND STRUCTURAL BEAUTIFICATION.
JUST AN INITIAL STAFF OBSERVATION, WE WOULD SUGGEST AN EXAMINATION OF THE NUMBER OF THE PROPOSED DIGITAL SIGN COUNT REQUESTS THAT BEAUTIFICATION SPECIFICS INCLUDE AN EMPHASIS ON ARTISTIC ENRICHING AND PUBLIC SERVING STANDARDS, ENCOURAGING ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS TO OPERATIONAL LIGHTING, THE MAINTENANCE OF NON-CONFORMING SIGNS, AND THE RELOCATION PROVISIONS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THESE ARE SOME POTENTIAL STRUCTURE BEAUTIFICATION CONCEPTS BASED ON THINGS WE'VE SEEN OUT IN THE PUBLIC.
A LOT OF THESE CAME FROM OTHER STATES OR EVEN OTHER COUNTRIES.
NEXT SLIDE. AGAIN, A FEW MORE INSTANCES. NEXT SLIDE.
THESE WE GENERALLY NOT RECOMMENDED STRUCTURAL BEAUTIFICATION.
ESSENTIALLY THESE ARE JUST MASONRY POLE COVERS. NEXT SLIDE.
NEXT STEPS WOULD BE TO PROVIDE STAFF WITH DIRECTION.
ONE OPTION COULD BE TO CONSIDER A MEMO FOR AN AUTHORIZED HEARING.
THIS WOULD BE TO AMEND ARTICLE 7 OF THE DEVELOPMENT CODE WITH A CONSIDERATION TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL DIGITAL NON-PREMISE SIGNS IN 51A-7.308, CLARIFY NON-CONFORMING SIGNED REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE IN 51A-7.700, EXAMINING OR RELOCATION PROVISIONS FOR SIGNS IN 51A-7.307, AND EXAMINE MINING PROVISIONS FOR DIGITAL DISPLAYS.
IF THIS ROUTE DID TAKE PLACE, STAFF WOULD DRAFT CONDITIONS.
IT WOULD BE HEARD WITH THE SPECIAL SIGN DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, CITY PLANNING COMMISSION, AND ULTIMATELY COUNCIL.
NEXT SLIDE. THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
COLLEAGUES, THIS IS MAINLY INFORMATIONAL, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE EMOTION AT SOME POINT, BUT WE WANT TO OPEN UP TO QUESTIONS SO YOU CAN ASK THEM AT THIS TIME.
CHAIR SCHULTZ, YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON ALREADY, SO I'LL LET YOU GET STARTED AND WE'LL LET EVERYBODY ELSE GO THROUGH THEIRS, AND WE DO HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES THAT MAYBE WOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS IF STAFF ISN'T AVAILABLE.
BUT MAINLY THIS IS ABOUT OUR PROCESS AS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN THROUGH THE CITY OF DALLAS IF WE WANTED TO ALLOW OR MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THIS.
THAT'S ALL THAT THIS IS. CHAIR SCHULTZ, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
>> THIS IS ACTUALLY FOR THE PLANNING STAFF BECAUSE IF THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER IS TO HAVE AN AUTHORIZED HEARING, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT PROCESS AND WHICH COMMITTEE WOULD GO THROUGH.
CAN I GO AHEAD AND ASK ARE YOU READY? FIRST OF ALL, IF IT'S AN AUTHORIZED HEARING, DO WE NEED A FULL CODE AMENDMENT? HOW DOES THIS FIT INTO THE OVERALL BACKLOG WITH AUTHORIZED HEARINGS?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
ANDREEA UDREA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A CODE AMENDMENT, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE RECOMMENDING THAT WE HAVE AN AUTHORIZED HEARING FOR A CODE AMENDMENT, THEY'RE SAYING SSDA, BUT WE WILL NEED TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH ZOAC IF IT'S A CODE AMENDMENT?
>> GENERALLY, CODE AMENDMENTS DO GO THROUGH ZOAC WITH SIGNS.
THEY TEND TO GO THROUGH SSDAC.
WE HAVE HAD IN OTHER INSTANCES WHERE CBC CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR, STRICTLY TO GO THROUGH ONE OR THE OTHER.
IN THE PAST WE'VE DONE SSDAC SIGNS, ALWAYS HAVE TO GO THROUGH SSDAC REGARDLESS.
>> I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT SSDA ALSO DID POLICY, I THOUGHT THEY JUST DO APPROVALS.
THAT'S GREAT THING, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE EXPERTS AT IT.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER, JUST TO PUT A FINAL POINT ON THAT, BECAUSE THE SIGN REGULATIONS ARE AN ARTICLE 7 IT WOULD GO TO SSDA, AS ARTICLE 4 STUFF WOULD GO TO ZOAC AND CBC OF COURSE.
>> GREAT. THEN I JUST WANT TO ALSO CLARIFY, SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR THIS, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THIS PROCESS WILL TAKE JUST TO MANAGE THE EXPECTATIONS FROM THE INDUSTRY?
>> GENERALLY, I WOULD BE THE ONE HANDLING THE ACTUAL AMENDMENT ITSELF.
I WOULD SAY SIX MONTHS JUST TO THROW OUT A BALLPARK, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE COMMITTEES LOOK LIKE AND WHERE IT GOES WITH THE COMMITTEES.
BUT GENERALLY, I THINK WE COULD BE ON IT RELATIVELY SOON.
>> THEN I HAVE TWO QUICK THINGS FOR YOU MR. WILL.
ONE IS FACES MEANING THE IMAGE CHANGES ON THE DIGITAL, SO WHAT THAT MEANS?
[01:50:02]
>> IN THE PRESENTATION, THE FACE IS MEANT ONE SIDE OF THE STRUCTURE VERSUS ANOTHER.
SOME STRUCTURES HAVE ONE FACE THAT'S DIGITAL, SOME HAVE TWO, SOME HAVE THREE FACES, ONE DIGITAL, TWO STATIC, LIKE IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE CONFIGURATION.
ANYTHING IN THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS REFERRED TO AS A FACE, IS ACTUAL FACE ON THE STRUCTURE.
>> THEN WILL THE AUTHORIZED HEARING ALSO INCLUDE THE FACT, WHAT HAPPENS NOW FOR THE 20% THAT I KNOW YOU SAID ARE STATIC BUT THAT ARE NOT REGISTERED.
>> WE HAVE CONDUCTED AN EXTENSIVE INVENTORY OF THOSE TO DETERMINE THAT NUMBER.
I THINK AT SOME POINT WE WILL LOOK INTO PURSUING AND GETTING THOSE UP TO SPEED AS FAR AS THEIR REGISTRATIONS GO.
IF THEY WERE TO WANT TO BE IN ON THIS CONVERSION, THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME TO CURRENT ON THEIR REGISTRATIONS.
>> WELL, AND I ALSO THINK THAT IF SOMEBODY IS NOT REGISTERED, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE NEEDS TO BE MAYBE THE OPTION OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY BE RECONSIDERED OF WHETHER THEY SHOULD EXIST.
CAN WE, AS SSDA'S LOOKING AT THAT, CAN WE LOOK AT ALL OF THE WHOLE THING ON SIGNS WHILE WE'RE AT IT?
IT'S WHATEVER YOU WOULD CHOOSE TO INCLUDE.
>> MR. CHAIR, IF WE DO CHOOSE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, WOULD WE DRAFT THIS MEMO? WHO DRAFTS THE MEMO FOR THE CONSIDERATION SSDA?
>> IT LOOKS LIKE STAFF IS GOING TO ANSWER THAT BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE DIFFERENT ELEMENT TO THAT.
>> THE RECOMMENDATION FOR ATTORNEYS IS IT SAYS CONSIDER MEMO.
WHO'S GOING TO DRAFT THAT MEMO AND THEN DOES IT GO THROUGH US? ARE WE NOW SAYING YES, SUDDEN THE MEMO FORWARD? WHAT ARE ACTUALLY ASKING FROM US?
>> IT LOOKS LIKE STAFFS CONFIRM.
THAT WAY THE GENERAL PUBLIC KNOWS THAT NOTHING HAS JUST PAUSED OR YOU JUST DIGITALLY DIDN'T FREEZE.
>> WHILE TYPICALLY STAFF CAN INITIATE CODE AMENDMENTS, WE WOULD RECOMMEND IN THIS INSTANCE TO HAVE EITHER A FIVE SIGNATURE MEMO FROM CITY COUNCIL OR THREE SIGNATURE MEMO FROM CITY PLANNING COMMISSION TO INITIATE THIS CODE AMENDMENT, AND WE WILL WORK WITH YOU ON THE LANGUAGE.
>> WELL, YOU ARE ASKING US TO DO IT.
YOU'RE ASKING US TO SEND THIS MEMO.
I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO SEND TO US WHAT THE LANGUAGE IS THAT YOU WANT US TO CONSIDER AND THEN COME BACK TO US WITH WHAT THAT SHOULD BE.
BECAUSE I DON'T SEE ANY SPECIFIC SPECIFICALLY, IF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT MEMO WOULD ALLOW THE ADDITIONAL 25 AND THEN ASK YOU TO EXAMINE THE CLARIFICATION OF REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE AND THEN THE RELOCATION.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IN TO BE THE CONTENT OF THIS MEMO?
>> YES. THAT WILL WORK WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE WILLING TO INITIATE A MEMO ON THE LANGUAGE.
WE WILL WORK WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE WILLING TO INITIATE A MEMO ON THE LANGUAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT ACCOMPLISHES AND IS WIDE ENOUGH TO ALLOW US TO EXPLORE ALL OPTIONS?
>> CORRECT. THEN WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDED INTO THAT MEMO WOULD BE ADDRESSING THE NON REGISTRATION, HOWEVER, YOU WANT TO PUT THAT, THOSE THAT CHOOSE NOT TO DO THEIR JOB.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
>> VERY GOOD. IF I MAY MR. WILLIS, HAVE A FOLLOW UP ON WHAT SHE SEEMS TO I UNDERSTOOD THE PROCESS AS WELL. WE JUST ANSWERED.
I GUESS THIS IS FOR THE ATTORNEYS BECAUSE THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM.
SINCE A MEMO IS REQUIRED, HOW DO WE HANDLE THE ACTION ON THIS? DO WE HAVE TO DO A DELAY OR DO WE JUST HAVE TO SAY, WE LIKE THIS AND WAIT FOR A MEMO TO COME UP?
>> COULD YOU BRING UP THE SLIDE 18? [BACKGROUND] I GUESS HERE, IF A MOTION GOES THROUGH TO AUTHORIZE A HEARING, THEN THE MEMO COMES THROUGH AND THAT ALLOWS FOR THEM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE AUTHORIZED HEARING.
>> THAT'S CORRECT CHAIR. I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS SOME DIRECTION AS TO WHAT THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO SEE IN IT,
[01:55:01]
AND THEN ACTION ITEM D IS THE ACTUAL AUTHORIZATION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.THAT WAS FOR PROCESS PURPOSES SO THAT EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE.
CHAIR WILLIS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR NOW AT THIS TIME.
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF EXPLORING THIS AND SEEING WHAT WE CAN FIND OUT ABOUT THIS.
I'M AN INDUSTRY VETERAN AND REMEMBER HOW EXCITING IT WAS GOING FROM PAPER TO VINYLS AND NOW I SEE VINYLS ON THE TOLL WAY THAT OUR DROOPING AND DRAGGING AND FADED AND REALLY DON'T LOOK GOOD, AND SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF BEING ABLE TO MOVE TO THIS AND JUST SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE ON IT.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ON SLIDE 9 TO UNDERSTAND THE INVENTORY MORE COMPLETELY BECAUSE I KNOW OUT FRONT MEDIA HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE IN HELPING THE CITY WITH MESSAGING AND SO I'M GOING TO INQUIRE WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS GROUP ABOUT WHAT CLEAR CHANNEL IS DOING SINCE THEY HAVE SUCH A LARGE SEGMENT OF THE MARKET, BUT THANK YOU.
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF MOVING THIS FORWARD.
>> OF COURSE, HAVING A DIGITAL BILLBOARD DO WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
>> WE CURRENTLY HAVE 49 STRUCTURES AND 79 PHASES ON THOSE STRUCTURES.
>> FORTY-NINE STRUCTURES AND 79 WHAT?
>> WE CAN PUT ANOTHER 30 PHASES, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? I WAS SAYING 79 PHASES AND 49 BILLBOARD OR WITH 30 PHASE SO WE CAN ADD TO IT. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
>> WELL, WITH THE SUNSET WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO ADD ANY DIGITAL PHASES.
IF THE SUNSET WEREN'T IN PLACE, THEN WE COULD POTENTIALLY ADD MULTIPLE PHASES TO THOSE 49 STRUCTURES.
SOME OF THOSE STRUCTURES HAVE THREE PHASES.
>> THREE PHASES, RIGHT. THEREFORE, SINCE IT'S A SUNSET ON THIS BILLBOARD, DO WE NEED TO REVISIT THAT SUNSET?
>> THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE CURRENT PROPOSAL BUT YES.
>> IS THERE A TIMELINE ON REVISITING THE SUNSET IN THIS PROPOSAL?
>> I BELIEVE THAT ORIGINAL PROPOSAL IT WAS EITHER A FIVE OR A TEN YEAR.
GENERALLY, THEY RUN ABOUT 5-10 YEARS AGO BUT IT DEPENDS ON INDIVIDUAL CASES.
>> AS A SUNSET, DO WE KNOW WHEN THE SUN SETS THAT WHEN WE FOUGHT A REVISIT? DO ANYONE CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION?
>> THE ONE IN THEIR PROPOSAL IS FOR 2028, JULY 31ST, 2028.
>> SO IT'S FIVE YEARS BEFORE WE CAN VISIT.
IS THAT CORRECT? IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN CHANGE TO REMOVE THAT UP?
>> AS AN AUTHORIZED HEARING, EVERYTHING'S ON THE TABLE.
THIS IS JUST SOMETHING SOMEBODY PROPOSED, WE WERE ASKED TO GIVE A BRIEFING OVER IT.
IF THE AUTHORIZED HEARING TAKES PLACE, WE'LL CONDUCT RESEARCH AND GIVE OUR BEST RECOMMENDATION.
>> I'M LOOKING AT BILLBOARDS NOW IN THE PAST WITH A BALANCE OF PAYMENT ON A BILLBOARD, YOU GOT TO CHANGE THEM SO MUCH AND IT'S OUTDATED.
YOU PUT SOME UP TODAY AND IT OUTDATED THE NEXT DAY.
YOU LOOK AT AN AMATEUR ALERT, WHAT'S GOING ON PUBLIC INFORMATION, PUBLIC HEARINGS GOING ON.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT CHAIRMAN TO FIND OUT HOW DO WE UNDO THE SENSE, THAT WAS A DIFFERENT DAY OUT.
THEY ARE NOT BILLBOARD AND LOOK CLUTTERED IN A FREEWAYS.
I KNOW ON 35 RIGHT NOW THE BILLBOARD IS DRY NOW, YOU CAN SEE ON.
THEY GOT TO BE CHANGED BECAUSE THEY'RE OBSOLETE BECAUSE I'LL KNOW WHEN WE DO THE DECK PARK ON CERTAIN A GATEWAY, YOU MIGHT HAVE CHANGE THOSE BILLBOARDS ALSO.
THEREFORE THE WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE GO TO THE 21ST CENTURY WITH A DIGITAL BILLBOARD BECAUSE I KNOW FIVE OR 10 YEARS AGO IT WAS A DIFFERENT STORY, BUT WE'VE GOT TO LOOK INTO THE FUTURE.
AS AUTHORITIES HERE, WE FEEL IT SHOULD LIKE AT HOW WE ADJUST TO SUNSETS ON SOME OF THESE BILLBOARDS TO GO DIGITAL. THANK YOU.
>> GREAT. GOOD. THANK YOU. MR. MORENO.
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. I'M READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS IDEA OF A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THOUGH OR COMMENTS RATHER IS ON BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE BRIGHTNESS WITH BIRD MIGRATION WOULD THESE BILLBOARDS HAVE THAT CAPABILITY TO LOWER BRIGHTNESS?
>> YES. CURRENTLY, WE REQUIRE THAT THEY HAVE A SENSOR THAT BASED ON THE AMBIENT LIGHTING CONDITIONS, IT DOES LOWER.
THAT CAN BE PROGRAMMED IN PROBABLY PRETTY MUCH ANY WAY.
IF THERE'S CERTAIN TIMES OF YEAR WHERE THAT WOULD BECOME A FACTOR, THAT I BELIEVE THEY CAN FACTOR THAT INTO THEIR ALGORITHM THAT ADJUST THE BRIGHTNESS ON THOSE BOARDS.
[02:00:03]
>> THEN AS FAR AS ALSO ADDRESSING CBD AREA, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT ALL CONCENTRATED IN ONE AREA WE'LL HAVE SPACING LIMITATIONS.
>> THERE ARE CURRENT SPACING LIMITATIONS AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE FURTHER EXPLORED IF NEEDED.
>> AS THE DIGITAL WORLD CONTINUES TO CHANGE, HAVE WE SEEN AN INCREASE IN DEVELOPMENT WHERE WE USED TO HAVE THE OLD SIGNS WHERE THOSE ARE COMING DOWN AND NOW DEVELOPMENT IS ABLE TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THOSE USED TO BE PLACED IN SUCH AREAS WHERE IT WOULD PREVENT BECAUSE OF THE LEASES WERE SO LONG, DO WE SEE THAT THERE'S MORE DEVELOPMENT WHERE THOSE USED TO BE?
>> I WOULD NEED TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH, BUT IN GENERAL I HAVE SEEN SOME AREAS WHERE SITES ONLY HAD SIGNS ON THEM AND NOW THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THEN THERE'S FRICTION THERE BECAUSE OF THE SIGNS AND THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES BETWEEN THE VISIBILITY IN THE BUILDING IN GENERAL PROBABLY SO BUT I NEED TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH.
>> THANK YOU. MR. CHAIR, I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE MORE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO GO, BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A MOTION ON US.
>> LET ME CHECK BECAUSE I DO HAVE ONE OUTSIDE COMMITTEE MEMBER.
MAYOR PRO TEM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> NO NOT AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU.
>> CHAIR BLACKMAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME?
>> THANK YOU. I MOVE THIS FORWARD TO AN AUTHORIZED HEARING.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND A SECOND TO MOVE THIS FORWARD TO AN AUTHORIZED HEARING.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS CHAIR CHU?
>> QUICK POINT OF INFORMATION AND THAT IS SO THEN WE GET A LIST OF WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE AUTHORIZE TEAM OR IS IT EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH SIGNS?
>> IT WOULD BE SPECIFIC TO THE BRIEFING THAT WE'VE HAD, BUT IT MAKES YOUR STAFFS.
>> WE CAN WORK UP A MEMO AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO ADD ADDITIONAL ITEMS, WE CAN WORK ON THE LANGUAGE ON THAT AS WELL.
>> GREAT QUESTION. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? VERY GOOD.
AT THIS TIME, THERE'S NO MORE DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MOVING THIS TO AN AUTHORIZED HEARING, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> ALL OPPOSED SIGNIFY BY SAYING NO.
THE AYES HAVE IT, THE MOTION IS ADOPTED.
COLLEAGUES WE DO HAVE TO DO THAT OTHER MEMO, BUT I'LL GET WITH STAFF TO FIGURE OUT HOW WHAT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO GET THAT DONE AND ACCOMPLISHED.
NEXT, WE ARE MOVING ON TO WE HAVE A REALLY PACKED AGENDA, BRIEFINGS BY MEMORANDUM.
I'M GOING TO JUST DO E BY ITSELF WHICH IS THE UPDATE OF THE DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TO THE SERVICE AREAS CITIES.
THIS IS WHAT I PUT ON HERE PROBABLY THE DAY BEFORE THE 72 HOURS BASED ON WHAT HAPPENED ON WEDNESDAY, THERE WERE CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT DIDN'T GET TO ASK QUESTIONS.
IN ORDER TO TRY TO BE FAIR, EVEN THOUGH THIS BELONGS TO THE FULL BODY, WE CAN DO IT.
I HAD TO ASKED QUESTIONS FIRST TO MAKE SURE IF WE COULD OR COULDN'T.
LEGAL DID SAY THAT WE COULD MOVE THIS FORWARD THROUGH A BRIEFING BY MEMORANDUM FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT IS INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES SO THAT FOLKS COULD ASK THEIR QUESTIONS PUBLICLY.
AT THIS TIME BASICALLY IT'S THE BRIEFING FROM WEDNESDAY, SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON IT CHAIRMAN ATKINS YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
>> MICHAEL MORRIS, YOU'RE STILL THERE?
>> THANK YOU. MICHAEL JUST BRIEFLY, LAST WEEK WE ALREADY HAD THIS BRIEF AND ALREADY MOVE THIS FORWARD IF WE HAD TO MOVE FORWARD.
CHAIRMAN I WILL LEARN TO MAKE A MOTION AND MOVE IT FORWARD TO THE 14, MICHAEL YOU HEARD A BRIEFING YESTERDAY AND YOU SOUND THAT THE DART BOARD HERE TODAY AND WE ASK COUNSELING YOU TRY AND NEGOTIATE A SALE TAX IN YOUR OPINION DUE RESPECT YOUR OPINION ON THIS MATTER, I THINK THEY WERE DOING EVERYTHING OUT HOW TO MOVE IT FORWARD AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING PARTICULARLY ON OUR BEHALF TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY DOES GET THE SALE TAX.
COULD YOU OPINE ON ANY OF THAT DISCUSSION THAT SINCE YOU WERE PART OF IT?
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS.
>> YES. I WASN'T THERE THAT DAY AND I WAS NOMINATED TO MEDIATE THIS.
YOU WERE DOWN $80 MILLION BY FIRST DAY, SO IT WAS 111.1 BILLION TO 31.6.
WE SIT HERE TODAY INCLUDING RTC COMMITMENTS AT 101 MILLION,
[02:05:02]
BUT WHAT BAD IT'S $70 MILLION BACK.I DON T THINK IT'S GOING TO GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS.
I WANT TO COMPLIMENT TC AND DR. PEREZ. MS. LEE AND D. I THINK THE STATS HAVE ALREADY LEARNED SOME VERY GOOD LESSONS AND HAVE ALREADY DEMONSTRATED THEIR CAPABILITIES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.
I HOPE THAT YOU AS POLICY LEADERS LOOK AT THIS AS POSSIBLY A NEW BEGINNING.
WE HEARD IN THE PREVIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE NEW BUS SYSTEM VERSION 2.0.
MY HOPE IS WE CAN NOT ONLY GET YOUR SUPPORT TO MOVE FORWARD, I THINK THIS IS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU'RE GOING TO GET BACK, WHICH WAS MY MOTIVATING FORCE, WAS TO GET BACK AS MUCH MONEY TO THE CITY, ESPECIALLY THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS THAT HAD NO IMPACT OR VOICE ON HOW THIS WAS INHERITED, BUT I WOULD HOPE YOU WOULD COMMIT TO EACH OTHER TO CREATE THIS MORE POSITIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH DART BECAUSE WE'RE NOW GROWING AT MILLION PEOPLE EVERY SEVEN YEARS AND I GET IT, I GOT TO GET AS MUCH DEVELOPMENT INSIDE TRANSIT SERVICE AREAS AND INSIDE ARE TWO CENTRAL CITIES, DALLAS AND FORT WORTH.
I GOT TO GET A GREATER PARTNERSHIP MOVING AHEAD BETWEEN ALL PARTIES, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR DIRECT QUESTION, WE'RE SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW AT 101 MILLION,100.7 AND I THINK THAT'S THE CLOSEST TO 111 MILLION YOU'RE GOING TO GET.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>> THANK YOU. CHAIR SCHULTZ AND I GET YOUR LIGHT ON. WE ASKED YOU TO CHECK IT OUT.
I'M SORRY CHAIR WILLIS, I KNOW YOU HAD YOUR LIGHT ON.
I'M SORRY. PLEASE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
>> THANK YOU. I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE SAME ITEM IS ON THE GPFM AGENDA FOR TOMORROW, SO I THINK THEY'LL WILL DIG INTO IT A LITTLE BIT MORE THERE, BUT JUST SOME POINTS OF CLARIFICATION.
TO UNDERSTAND UNDER 0.4 OF NEXT STEPS, ITEM B, THE TRANSFER OF $10 MILLION OF DART EXCESS SALES TAX REVENUE TO THE NCTCOG TO LEVERAGE 15.4 MILLION FEDERAL FUNDS, I FEEL LIKE THE WAY THE LANGUAGE HAS BEEN PRESENTED, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE GIVE 10 AND WE GET 15.4.
>> CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, YES, MA'AM.
THAT'S CORRECT. ROBERT PEREZ, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
>> WE GIVE 10 AND WE GET 15.4 OR DO WE GET 5.4?
>> WE WILL NET AN ADDITIONAL 5.4.
WE WOULD NET AN INCREASE OF $5.4 MILLION, WHICH GOES TOWARDS MR. MORRIS' NET OF 100.1 OR SO.
IT'S JUST IT'S THE WAY THAT THE LANGUAGE HAS BEEN.
IT JUST LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GETTING BACK MORE THAN WE'RE GIVING.
IN THIS CASE IT'S THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
>> WE'RE GETTING BACK MORE THAN WE'RE GIVING. THAT'S CORRECT.
WE GIVE $10 MILLION AND WE GET BACK 15.4.
WE'RE LEVERAGING AN ADDITIONAL $5.4 MILLION OFF OF A $10 MILLION INVESTMENT.
>> STILL AN INTERESTING PHRASING.
I THINK I'LL BRING UP MY OTHER QUESTIONS TOMORROW, BUT IT'S REALLY AROUND THIS FEELING THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THIS MAGNANIMOUS GIFT ON REDUCING THE COSTS AROUND DELAYS, BUT I'M JUST NOT CONVINCED THAT THE SHIFT AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AND THE WAY THAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY AGREED TO GET SUBMISSIONS ALL AT ONCE, SHIFTED TO PIECEMEAL SUBMISSIONS THAT CREATED CONFUSION AROUND WHAT MIGHT BE A DART DELAY OR A CITY DELAY.
THAT'S SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO EXPLORE MORE TOMORROW.
>> CHAIR SCHULTZ, ASK THEM TO TURN THEIR LIGHTS OFF EARLIER SO EVERYBODY KNOWS.
HE'S FINE WITH YOU, CHAIR SCHULTZ.
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
ONE, IS THIS RECOMMENDED USE OF FUNDS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE USES RECOMMENDED ON DECEMBER 8TH WHEN YOU GAVE US THE LAST BRIEFING ON THESE AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THEM HAD TO REDUCE BECAUSE WE WERE BASING IT ON THE ENTIRE AMOUNT, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WEREN'T IN THERE AT ALL AND HOW THIS STREETCAR GET ADDED IN? THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
>> COUNCIL MEMBERS SCHULTZ WITHIN THE LAST MAYBE 60-90 DAYS, DART HAS COME TO US WITH A REQUEST OF
[02:10:04]
THREE MILLION DOLLARS MINIMUM TO COMPLETE UPGRADES TO THE EXISTING STREETCAR.THERE ARE UPGRADES AND THEN ALSO COMPLETING STUDIES TO IMPROVE ITS EFFICIENCY.
AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S PROBABLY COME UP IN THE LAST, MAYBE 60-90 DAYS AND SO WE WEREN'T CONSIDERING THAT AS PART OF THE ORIGINAL USE OF FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR.
UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED TO FUND THIS, IT IS ELIGIBLE USE OF FUNDS AND SO IT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT WE FUND THAT THREE MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE STREETCAR.
>> WHY ARE WE FUNDING IT AND NOT DART?
>> DART AGAIN IS THE OPERATOR OF THE STREETCAR.
WE ACTUALLY OWN THE STREETCAR, SO YEAH.
>> THANK YOU. THEN ON THE PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE TALKED ABOUT DURING THE INTERVIEWS, BECAUSE IT WAS ORIGINALLY A MILLION 475, SO HOW LONG WILL THIS 500,000 LAST?
>> GOING BACK TO THE DETAILS OF THAT 250,000 OF THAT IS RECOMMENDED TO GO TOWARDS THE K-12 PILOT PROJECT AND THEN ANOTHER 250 IS RECOMMENDED.
>> IT'S ONE YEAR FOR THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE, THE K-12, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FULLY DEVELOPED THIS PILOT PROJECT, I CAN'T GIVE YOU A NUMBER AS TO HOW LONG THAT WOULD TAKE US.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ISD TO POTENTIALLY PARTNER WITH US ON THIS, SO IT MIGHT ACTUALLY EXTEND THE PROGRAM AS WE DEVELOP IT.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO WORK WITH.
BUT AT THE ONSET, WE DO HAVE A POTENTIAL PARTNER WITH THE ISD TO ACTUALLY STRETCH THOSE DOLLARS, MA'AM.
>> WELL, SINCE THE MOU WILL BE SIGNED BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVES, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE A NOTE ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE.
I'M VERY, VERY STRONGLY SUPPORTIVE OF ALL STUDENTS, FRANKLIN.
IF IT WAS UP TO ME, ANYONE WHO'S A STUDENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO RIDE FOR FREE REGARDLESS OF AGE.
THAT SAID, WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS OFFER SOMETHING AND THEN TAKE IT AWAY THE NEXT YEAR.
I THINK THAT THAT 250,000 SHOULD BE CONTINGENT UPON WHETHER WE DO A SMALL PILOT, HOW IT'S PLAYED OUT SO THAT IT'S NOT GIVEN AND THEN TAKEN AWAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PUT THAT INTO WORDS, BUT THAT'S MY OPINION ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.
I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE RECOMMENDED USES OF FUNDS IN SOME OF THE DETAILS.
I ALSO THINK THAT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING THIS FROM A RACIAL EQUITY PERSPECTIVE, OR SOME OF THE OTHER PLACES WHERE WE ARE INVESTING IN MUCH NEEDED RACIAL EQUITY THAT THERE'S SOME, I'D LIKE YOU TO EXPLAIN AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT NOW, BUT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE FUNDS ARE GOING TO BE USED SO THAT IT IS EQUITABLE IN TERMS OF NEED.
ESPECIALLY SINCE FRANKLY, A LOT OF VERY LITTLE OF THIS IS GOING TOWARD THE THINGS THAT THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS IN GENERAL ARE USING, LIKE THE SIDEWALKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO COULD YOU TALK TO THAT FOR A MINUTE, PLEASE?
>> YES, MA'AM. FOR SPECIFIC TO THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS, WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS THE HIGHLY TRAVELED OR PRIORITY CORRIDORS FOR DART AND THEN WE OVERLAID THE CONDITION OF OUR SIGNALS ALONG THOSE CORRIDORS.
GUS ACTUALLY HELPED US DEVELOP THAT LIST BASED UPON THE DART PRIORITY CORRIDORS AS WELL AS THE CONDITIONS OF THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS FOR THE SIDEWALKS.
WE TOOK JUST FROM THE SIDEWALK MASTER PLAN AND KEEPING IN MY MIND THAT THAT MASTER PLAN SOME OF THE CRITERIA INCLUDES PROXIMITY TO DART STATIONS OR TO DART STOPS.
THE 10 MILLION, WHICH IS FUN, I GUESS THE REMAINDER OF THE INITIAL $30 MILLION OF THE SIDEWALK MASTER PLAN, THE ADA RAMPS.
WE LOOKED AT CITY-WIDE PUBLIC WORKS AND ALL.
WE DEVELOPED A LIST ACCORDING TO THE $50 MILLION BASED UPON THE MISSING ADA RAMPS ACROSS THE CITY.
I CAN SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMITTEE EITHER TOMORROW THROUGH MEMORANDUM, AND SO WE HAVE THAT LIST AS WELL.
SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, THE TRAFFIC MARKETING'S WOULD BE CONDITION-BASED NEED WHEREVER WE NEED THEM, BUT THAT THEY'RE ALSO ALONG THE DART PRIORITY CORRIDORS.
BUT THE OTHER THINGS LIKE THE COG FUNDING FOR THE FIVE-MILE CREEK FUNDING, THERE'S JUST GOING TO BE A CITYWIDE, I CAN'T REALLY BREAK THAT DOWN.
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT. WELL, AND I THINK THAT ONE THING THAT YOU COULD DO ON THAT ONE IN PARTICULAR WOULD BE TO SHARE THE ULTIMATE OVERTIME.
[02:15:01]
WE'RE EXPECTING Y AND QUALITY OF LIFE AND THINGS THAT ARE MEASURABLE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE WHOLE AREA BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S A GREENBELT PROJECT OR A TRAIL PROJECT, IT'S GOING TO HAVE A MASSIVE IMPACT IN TERMS OF VALUE.ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MAYBE COULD HELP WITH SOME OF THAT AS WELL.
>> THE LAST THING I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY FOR MYSELF AND FOR THE PUBLIC IS MOVING FORWARD, THE CONTROLS AND THE SIGN OFFS FOR THIS IS STRICTLY BETWEEN OUR EXECUTIVES.
IS THAT CORRECT? WHAT OVERSIGHT, IF ANY, WILL COUNSEL HAVE ON THIS?
>> YOU ARE CORRECT, THE SIGN OFFS WOULD BE BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVES.
HOWEVER, IN DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER WHO WILL BE SETTING UP A SPECIAL FUND FOR THESE DOLLARS FOR TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES SO THE CITY COUNCIL AT ANYTIME CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY RECEIVING AND WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY EXPANDING.
THERE WILL BE A FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT, IF YOU WILL, OF THESE DOLLARS, BUT YOU ARE CORRECT.
GOING BACK TO THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THINGS, EXECUTIVES WOULD BE HANDLING THAT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S ALL, MR. CHAIR.
>> VERY GOOD. MR. MORENO, YOU NOW HAVE THE FLOOR.
>> THANK YOU. FIRST, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS ON TODAY'S AGENDA ITEM, BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR MAYBE STAFF OR OUR CHAIRMAN IS WHAT WOULD THE RATIONALE WAS BY PUTTING IT ON AN MOU RATHER THAN BRINGING IT BACK TO THE FULL BODY AS A FULL BRIEFING?
>> REGARDING THE MOU, SIR, WE'RE STILL DEVELOPING THAT.
>> THE BRIEFING BY MEMO THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US TODAY.
>> WE DID BRIEF THE ITEM TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL LAST WEDNESDAY, HOWEVER OUR QUORUM BROKE DURING THE QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PORTION OF THAT.
BEING THAT THE PRESENTATION AND ROY BEEN BRIEFED, I GUESS THE PURPOSE BEHIND PUTTING IT ON A BRIEFING BY MEMORANDUM WAS TO CONTINUE THE Q&A SESSION, GIVEN THAT COUNCIL HAS ALREADY BEEN BRIEFED ON THIS ITEM.
>> WHAT'S OUR TIMELINE TO GET THIS EXECUTED AND TURN BACK OVER TO DART, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT'S PREVENTING US FROM HAVING THIS AS A FULL BRIEFING?
>> AS FAR AS DELAYING, I WILL SAY AGAIN, WE'VE ALREADY BRIEFED IT FOR COUNCIL.
WE DO HAVE A FINITE AMOUNT OF TIME TO DELIVER THIS PROJECT, SO THAT'S GOING TO TAKE AWAY FROM SOME OF THE DELIVERY TIME.
TWO, ONE OF THE ITEMS, THE REVOLVER FUN, TO THE COG, TO GET BACK TO $15.4 MILLION, IF WE DON'T APPROVE IT THIS MONTH, THEN WE ESSENTIALLY WE DELAY THE TIP CYCLE, AS I UNDERSTAND.
THAT COULD DELAY FUNDING COMING BACK FOR THE FIVE-MILE CREEK PROJECT.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DELAY THIS.
THEN THE LAST THING TOO SIR, I WILL ALSO NOTE THAT GOING BACK TO THE BRIEFING, CITY OF DALLAS IS THE LAST CITY TO ACTUALLY SIGN THE ILA.
>> SURE. WELL, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO GO INTO SOME OF THE DEFINITIONS.
GOOD FAITH, DO WE HAVE A LEGAL DEFINITION ON GOOD FAITH?
>> I DO KNOW, I BELIEVE SO THAT WE HAVE A LEGAL DEFINITION ON GOOD FAITH.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE MOU THAT WE ARE TRYING TO EXECUTE, AND DEVELOP WOULD GIVE US A PLAYBOOK TO GO BY.
THINK OF THE ILA AS THE RULE BOOK, THINK OF THE MOU AS A PLAYBOOK AS TO HOW WE ACTUALLY EXECUTE THESE PROJECTS.
>> THEN ON DELAYS OF CONSTRUCTION, WHAT'S A REALISTIC TIME? BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN ALWAYS HAPPEN, AND SO HOW DO WE DETERMINE A DELAY THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT INTENTION I'LL SAY, THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY MOVING IT THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASONS, WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, HOW DO WE CALCULATE THAT?
>> IF YOU GO BACK TO THE ILA SPECIFIC TO THE SILVER LINE PROJECT, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A 10 DAY TURNAROUND ON REVIEW AND COMMENTS ON ITEMS THAT MAY COME TO US.
I THINK AS LONG AS WE MAINTAIN THE COOPERATIVENESS, THE PARTNERSHIP, AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE TURNING AROUND COMMENTS BACK-AND-FORTH, I THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE ONE OF THE MEASURABLES THAT WE GO BACK TO.
[02:20:04]
>> SURE. THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, IF WE ARE DOING THIS IN GOOD FAITH FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT AND WORKING WITH DART, THE WAY I READ THIS IS, DART MAKES THAT DETERMINATION IF WE'RE IN GOOD FAITH OR WE'RE CAUSING ANY DELAYS, HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT BRINGING SOMEONE IN AS A MEDIATOR OR SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH BOTH SIDES?
>> I THINK EARLIER THIS YEAR ON THOSE VERY GOOD EXAMPLE, AND I KNOW MR. MORRIS HE CAME IN AT I GUESS AT THE END OF THIS AND REALLY HELPED US TO GET TO THIS POINT, SO I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY IF WE REACHED AN IMPASSE TO POTENTIALLY ASK FOR GUIDANCE FROM AN OUTSIDE PARTY.
I WILL GO BACK TO THE MASTER ILA THOUGH AND SHARE THAT.
ULTIMATELY THE CITY MANAGER AND THE DART PRESIDENT AND CEO ARE THE LAST ONES TO MAKE THE DETERMINATIONS ON ANY IMPASSES.
>> THEN WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO ACTUAL PROJECTS, WHETHER IT BE SIDEWALKS OR TRAFFIC SIGNALS, DO WE HAVE A PRIORITIZATION LIST OF WHICH PROJECTS GET COMPLETED FIRST?
>> WE WILL ESSENTIALLY MOVE OUT ON ALL THE PROJECTS AS WE CAN.
I BELIEVE THAT 22 SIGNALS IS VERY MANAGEABLE TO MOVE FORWARD FOR DESIGN, 21 SIDEWALK PROJECTS ARE VERY MANAGEABLE AS FAR AS MOVING FORWARD WITH EXECUTION.
WOULD PROBABLY LOOK TO SEE IF WE HAD WORK IN ANY OF THOSE AREAS, IN STREET WORK, WITH PUBLIC WORKS, AND AS WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THOSE PROJECTS, IF THERE'S ONE OF THESE PROJECTS THAT'S CLOSE TO IT, WE'LL PROBABLY MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
BUT AS FAR AS THE PRIORITIZATION, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SET IN STONE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I THINK EVERYBODY IN HERE HAS ASKED QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY OUTSIDE COMMITTEE MEMBERS? [INAUDIBLE] YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
>> THANK YOU. I DON'T LIKE TO FEEL LIKE AN OUTSIDER, BUT I'M NOT ASSIGNED TO YOUR COMMITTEE.
[LAUGHTER] WELL, I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE BEEN HERE FOR SOME TIME.
BUT MY QUESTION IS GOING TO GO TO MR. MICHAEL MORRIS, BUT I WANTED TO FIRST OF ALL, THANK MR. MICHAEL MORRIS AND ALL THE TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY PARTNERS THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN TRYING TO GET THIS PROJECT SETTLED FOR US.
STAFF LOCALLY, I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE BEEN THROUGH QUITE A BIT.
SOME OF YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'VE EVEN GOTTEN SHORTER SINCE WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION, AND I THINK IT'S SO LONG NOW AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
FOR ME, MR. MORRIS, THE QUESTION BECOMES TWO PARTS.
MY GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS, CITIZENS WHO ARE PAYING, WE'RE ALL PAYING SALES TAX, THAT GOES INTO, I BELIEVE, AND YOU STRAIGHTEN ME OUT, BUT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT SALES TAX DOLLARS, MR. MORRIS?
>> YES. YOU HAVE A SPECIAL ALLOCATION FROM THE DART BOARD, AND THE ILA FOR ALL OF THE DART'S CITIES.
AS A TIMEFRAME, ILA HAS NOT BEEN SIGNED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS, SO DR. PEREZ HAS INDICATED IF THEY'RE GOING TO MEET THE DEADLINES, YOUR CITIZENS GET THE ITEMS THAT ARE IN THE ILA, PEOPLE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD PRETTY QUICKLY.
IN FACT, WE WENT TO THE RTC LAST WEEK AND GOT UNANIMOUS APPROVAL ON THE TRADE FOR THE LOCAL MONEY AND THE BICYCLE FACILITY ON MILE CREEK.
BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO SWAP THE FEDERAL FUNDS IN TIME.
IT'S CONTINGENT ON YOUR APPROVAL.
THAT ACTION IS NOT MOVING FORWARD AT THE RTC UNTIL YOU APPROVE THE PARTICULAR AGREEMENT.
YES, SALES TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING BACK FROM DART TO THE CITY ON THE PROJECTS THAT DR. PEREZ HIGHLIGHTED FOR YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK I HEAR YOU ON THIS PROJECT.
I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEVERAL LAYERS OF JURISDICTION FOR FEDERAL, STATE, AND CITY IS ALL ENGAGED IN THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS, WOULD THAT BE A FAIR STATEMENT TO MAKE?
>> YEAH. FORTUNATELY, THE RTC IS STEPPING IN TO HELP MITIGATE THE MAGNITUDE OF THE DOLLAR LOSS TO YOU AND AS A RESULT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARE NOW INVOLVED IN THE ALLOCATION OF THOSE REVENUES
>> I'M GOING TO WRAP IT UP BECAUSE I KNOW FOLKS ARE TIRED, AND IT'S A LONG CONVERSATION.
BUT I WANT TO GO ON RECORD AND THANK CHAIR FOR GIVING ME
[02:25:02]
AN OPPORTUNITY THOUGH I'M NOT ASSIGNED AS COMMITTEE.I REALIZE NOW THAT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON SO LONG.
MY CONSTITUENTS, I WANT TO HAVE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AND ALLOCATION OF DOLLARS, $90 MILLION IS NOT GOING TO BE WORTH $90 MILLION THREE WEEKS OR THREE MONTHS FROM NOW AND SO THE LONGER WE DRAG THIS OUT, THE LESS WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BUY WITH THOSE DOLLARS.
MY COMMUNITY NEEDS THOSE SIDEWALKS.
WE NEED A SOUND WALL SO THEY'RE NOT LISTENING TO ON LANCASTER ROAD, ALL THOSE HORNS BLOWING AND SO WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND WHATEVER WHOEVER'S DOING THIS POLITICAL POSTURING, I WILL SAY THAT TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IF YOU DON'T WANT YOUR DART DOLLARS, WE WILL TAKE THEM IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR, PARTICULARLY IN DISTRICT 4, SO THANK YOU, MR. MORRIS FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE, BUT I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I CAN WITH MY STATE PARTNERS AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE WE DO THE RIGHT THING WITH THIS MONEY SO THAT OUR TAXPAYERS CAN GET WHAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO WITH THEIR DOLLARS.
THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS AROUND THE HORSESHOE THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, BUT KNOW THAT IT IS TIMEOUT FOR WHOEVER IS TRYING TO BE GET AN ME BEHIND HOLDING UP THIS PROJECT AND DRAGGING STAFF AND OUR PARTNERS AND DISRESPECTING US PARTNERS BY DOING ALL TYPES OF THINGS.
CHAIR IS JUST TIMEOUT FOR THIS AND I THINK OUR CITIZENS DESERVE BETTER THAN THEY DID DESERVE MORE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE SENT HERE TO DO. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU AND YES, I WAS HERE TO THE END AND I APPRECIATE YOU FOLLOWING UP WITH AN EMAIL.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS INTO WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
YES, I LIVED ON A DARK LINE AND WE TOOK TOURS AND WE REALIZED SOME OF THE THINGS WERE NOT DONE WELL AND WHEN I WENT THROUGH COMMUNITIES IN THE SOUTH, AND SO YES, THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE SAFETY ISSUES, MORE BETTERMENT IN CERTAIN AREAS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, MR. MORRIS, I'M LOOKING AT WHAT COG HAS IN THEIR COLUMN AND I'M SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT THE HILLCREST PUMP STATION AND I WORKED AT DALLAS FULL DISCLOSURE FOR TWO YEARS.
YOU HAVE A $2,000,000 ALLOTMENT.
WE HAVE A 1.3 MILLION DART HAS 7.3.
IS IT CONSIDERED A BETTERMENT? IS IT CONSIDERED A NECESSITY AND SO I'M WONDERING WHY ISN'T DALLAS PICKING UP ALL OF IT? WHY IS COG HAVING TO PAY FOR A PUMP STATION? I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THAT LINE ITEM.
>> I'M GLAD YOU ASKED ME BECAUSE THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT'S GONE ON FOR OVER A YEAR.
DART HAS NO INTEREST IN BUILDING A PUMP HOUSE.
THERE'S THE PUMP STATION IS NEEDED TO IN ORDER TO MEET THE STORM-WATER RULES ASSOCIATED WITH THE THOROUGHFARE STREET, IT CAN'T GRAVITATIONALLY DRAINED, SO A PUMP STATION IS NEEDED.
THE COMMUNITY WISHES TO BUILD A PUMP HOUSE.
DART SAYS A PUMP HOUSE IS UNWARRANTED.
DART IS NOT INTERESTED IN THE PUMP HOUSE.
THERE WAS A SERIES OF ITEMS. SOME NOISE WALLS WERE WARRANTED.
SOME OTHER PROPERTIES DON'T TRIGGER A NOISE WALL BECAUSE THE PARCEL IS VACANT, BUT IT'S A FUTURE SCHOOL SITE.
IN THE INTEREST OF CREATING SOME COMMUNITY INTEREST AND SUPPORT, I VOLUNTEERED THE RTC AND THERE'LL BE BRIEFED ON IT NEXT MONTH.
I VOLUNTEERED THE RTC TO PICK UP SOME OF THESE ITEMS WHERE THE OTHER PARTNERS HAVE DISAGREEMENT.
I THOUGHT MAYBE AN ERROR NOW, I THOUGHT BY PICKING THEM UP, WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN TO CONSENSUS A LOT FASTER THAN WE ARE TODAY.
BUT I WANTED TO NOT GIVE UP ON MY PREVIOUS COMMITMENTS.
EVEN THOUGH THESE ARE COMMITMENTS I MADE A YEAR AGO IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE MOVING FORWARD, I'M GOING TO HONOR ALL THE COMMITMENTS WE MADE AND THESE ARE WALLS ALONG THE QUARTER THAT DIDN'T TRIGGER A FEDERALLY REQUIRED NOISE WALL AND A PUMP HOUSE THAT IS ACQUIRED BY I'M BEING TOLD IS OF INTEREST TO THE COMMUNITY.
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO MEET THEIR SCHEDULE, BUT YOU ARE CORRECT.
OUR OFFICE WOULD NOT NORMALLY BE BROUGHT IN TO FUND SUCH ITEM, BUT IT WAS AN ATTEMPT A YEAR AGO TO GET CONSENSUS AND MOVE THE PROJECT FORWARD.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDER, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT IS IT A PUMP STATION OR A PUMP HOUSE OR IS IT BECAUSE IT'S LABELED AS A PUMP STATION, BUT THEN IT HAS A PUMP STYLE HOUSE.
BUT MY QUESTION IS IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT,
[02:30:02]
DOES THE TRAIN CEASE TO WORK? IN OTHER WORDS, IS IT A NECESSITY OR IS IT A LUXURY?>> I DON'T WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THAT.
DART IS PUTTING THE PUMP CAPABILITIES UNDERGROUND.
THE COMMUNITY BELIEVES THAT IT'LL CREATE TOO MUCH NOISE.
DART DESIGNED SCREENING WALLS AND SOME OTHER ITEMS, THEY BELIEVE IT MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE COMMUNITY FEELS THAT DOESN'T MEET THEIR NEEDS.
THE INTERESTS AS I SAY OF A YEAR AGO, WE PICKED UP A SERIES OF ITEMS THAT SUM TO $5.3 MILLION.
DART WOULD PROBABLY SAY IT'S NOT WARRANTED, I'M SILENT ON IT.
I'M INTERESTED IN GETTING A RESOLUTION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE WHAT'S AT STAKE IS MORE THAN A TWO-MILLION DOLLAR AMOUNT.
>> THEN ALSO, IF YOU LOOK AT A PROTECTION WALL AND I SAID THE GRADE, AGAIN, I LIVED ON DART TRAIN RAIL RIGHT-OF-WAY.
HECK, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET SOMETIMES DART TO KNOW THEIR SPACE AND SO BUT I DO WANT IT TO BE FAIR ACROSS THE BOARD.
WHAT MAKES IT SAFE AND WHAT MAKES IT TOLERABLE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS AND SO I'M JUST CURIOUS ON ALL THESE AND I'M SURE THERE'LL BE MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
THE NEXT THING IS MORE TO STAFF AND WE TALK ABOUT THESE DELAYS OF 79.5 MILLION AND I DID WORK ON THE PERMITTING ISSUE FOR A HOT MINUTE, AND THEN IT CAME DOWN TO 15.9.
WHAT WERE THE DELAYS? I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW HE COULDN'T GET A PERMIT TO PEOPLE
>> CUSTOMER BLACKMAN, IN THE FEBRUARY 28TH SPECIAL CALLED MEETING WITH THE DART BOARD AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
THE PRESIDENT AND CEO DID START TO SHARE THAT THERE WERE SOME DELAYS.
I THINK SHE CITED SOMEWHERE AROUND 290 DAYS OF A PERMANENT REVIEW THAT DID NOT TAKE PLACE.
WE WOULD CONTEND THAT WHILE THERE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A FORMAL PERMANENT REVIEW, I GUESS ON A SYSTEM, THERE WERE INFORMAL REVIEWS AND COMMENTS PROVIDED BACK TO DART THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT.
WHETHER THEY BE HANDWRITTEN NOTES OR WHETHER THEY BE SOMETHING IN THE EMAIL AND SO I THINK THAT THERE WAS MISSTEPS ON BOTH SIDES AS FAR AS DOCUMENTATION, AS FAR AS TURNAROUND TIMES.
GOING BACK TO WHAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE ILA MENTIONED A 10-DAY REVIEW TURNAROUND.
IN SOME CASES, WE PROBABLY DID MEET THAT THROUGH INFORMAL COMMENTS.
BUT WHEN YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE DOCUMENTATION, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEBODY TO ARGUE THAT WE DIDN'T MEET THE 10 DAYS.
GOING BACK TO JUST MY OVERALL COMMENTS LAST WEEK, THERE WERE MISSTEPS ON BOTH SIDES.
THEN GOING BACK TO THE CONVERSATION EARLIER WITH THE DART BOARD, THERE IS SOME DISTRUST BETWEEN THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS.
HOWEVER, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE IN A BETTER TRACK AT THIS POINT TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER AND AS MENTIONED DURING LAST WEEK AS WELL, COUNCILMAN ATKINS HAD ASKED ABOUT THE PERMITS.
I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE PROBABLY ABOUT 95% THERE AND SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE A LOT BETTER COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION.
WE HAVE SENSE ALSO BROUGHT ON A CONSULTANT THAT'S HELPING US WITH THESE REVIEWS AND WE MEET ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
THAT WASN'T HAPPENING A YEAR-AND-A-HALF AGO.
THERE IS OR THERE WAS SOME MISSTEPS ON BOTH SIDES, MA'AM.
>> I GUESS LOOKING AT THE $60 MILLION DELTA THAT WE HAVE HERE, HAVE WE CLEARED UP SO THAT WE DON'T SEE THIS DELAY SITUATION.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, I SAY 60, 60 PLUS, OR 50, WHATEVER IT IS, I CAN'T DO MATH, ARE WE AT A POINT WHERE WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THIS AGAIN AND HAVE WE MADE IT CLEAR ACROSS THE BOARD ON BOTH ANYBODY INTERNALLY, THAT INCLUDES COUNCIL MEMBERS, THAT INCLUDES STAFF IN ANYBODY EXTERNALLY,
[02:35:01]
AND THAT INCLUDES THAT DART AND THEN HOPEFULLY WITH MICHAEL MORRIS' HELP CREATE THIS, I THINK, POSITIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO ENTITIES BECAUSE THE D IN DART IS DALLAS.THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING IS HAVE WE LEARNED HOW WE'RE GOING TO CREATE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS AND HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE SO WE DON'T GET HERE AGAIN? IN ANY STAFF, LIKE I SAID, ELECTED OFFICIAL, OUTSIDE ENTITY, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, WHATEVER IT IS.
>> AS WAS NOTED DURING THE DART BOARD NOMINEES DISCUSSIONS, THE MOMENT THAT WE EXECUTE THE ILA AND THE MOU, WE'RE UNDERSTANDING TODAY.
CAN THAT CHANGE OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW WEEKS? YEAH IT COULD.
BUT THE THING IS IS THAT WE ARE IN GOOD STANDING TODAY, THE CITY MANAGER HAS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT WE STAY THERE.
I'VE HEARD DIRECTION AS WELL AS OUR STAFF HAS HER DIRECTIONS SPECIFICALLY FROM THE CITY MANAGER THAT WE NEED TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
AS FAR AS ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT BUT THE DIRECTION IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO EXECUTE THIS PROJECT.
>> IN THAT VITAL COMMENT THE ISSUE IS I GUESS I'M HOPING THAT WE'VE LEARNED WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO MOVE FORWARD TO STAY IN GOOD STANDING.
IN OTHER WORDS, I DON'T WANT TO COME BACK HERE TWO YEARS FROM NOW AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING.
EITHER PUT PROCESSES IN PLACE AND PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES AND FOLLOW THEM OR LET'S JUST SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE SIGNED THIS DOCUMENT AND WE'RE IN GOOD STANDING FOR 24 HOURS AND THEN WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WAS PART OF A CITY MANAGERS ARGUMENT BACK IN FEBRUARY IS THAT TO COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS'S POINT.
WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT ANY OF THIS WAS GOING TO BE RETROACTIVE.
WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT DARK WOULD COME AFTER ROUGHLY $80 MILLION.
WE DIDN'T KNOW THE RULES GOING BACKWARDS.
HOWEVER WE DO BETWEEN THE ILA AND THE MOU, KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE GOING FORWARD.
AGAIN, JUST IN THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING THAT WE'VE HAD WITH DART, I DO SUSPECT THAT WE WILL HAVE EVERY INCENTIVE GOING AFTER ALL THE $90 MILLION BASED UPON THE RULES MOVING FORWARD.
THOSE WERE ACTUALLY SOME REALLY EXCELLENT QUESTIONS FROM EVERYONE ON THE COMMITTEE.
MR. MORRIS, I WANT TO [NOISE] THANK YOU FOR JUMPING IN WHEN REQUESTED TO HELP THE MEDIATOR.
IF YOU WANT TO SAY YOU MADE THE COMMENT ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO ABOUT HOW WE WERE IN A ALMOST LIKE A DIVORCE.
BUT YOU WERE THE PERSON WHO HAS PUT IN PLACE TO BRING US BACK TOGETHER MARRIAGE COUNSELING, I THINK IS WHAT YOU REFERRED TO IT AS.
WE'RE GETTING THERE AND THAT'S THANKS TO YOU AND THANKS TO A LOT OF WHAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DID IN ORDER TO HELP THEN AND NOW HELPING US WITH THIS NEGOTIATION.
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR PUTTING YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS AND THROUGH THE COG AND HELPING US TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN BALANCE THINGS OUT.
I GIVE YOU BIG PRAISE AND APPLAUSES, CHAIR, BUT ALSO JUST AS REPRESENTING DISTRICT 6 THAT THESE THINGS WERE TAKEN CARE OF.
TOO I ALSO WANT TO THINK CHAIRS SCHULTZ AS WELL AS BAZALDUA.
WHEN THIS CAME UP I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY MONTHS AGO, DURING BRIEFING HERE IN THIS COMMITTEE, I HAD REQUESTED THAT THESE TWO JOINS STAFF IN ORDER TO HELP NEGOTIATE SOME OF THIS.
NOW THEY COULDN'T BE PART OF THE ACTUAL DALLAS NEGOTIATIONS.
BUT WHAT THEY DID WAS ACTUALLY SOMETHING TO HELP US A LOT, WHICH WAS THEY MET WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE PARTNER CITIES ACROSS THE REGION AND THEY MADE SURE THAT THOSE FOLKS UNDERSTOOD WHERE DALLAS WAS COMING FROM SO THAT THEY COULD UNDERSTAND THIS A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND THEN ASK THEM AS WELL.
THAT ACTUALLY BROKE DOWN A LOT OF BARRIERS WHERE THE BIG DOG IN ALL OF THIS WE'RE JUST OVER HALF OF THE REGION.
SOMETIMES THE SUBURBS FEEL AS IF THE LITTLE PUPPY AND THAT WE HAVE THE BIG STICK AS FAR AS THE BIG DOG.
MAYBE THEY WEREN'T FEELING AS APPRECIATED OR THAT WE WEREN'T LISTENING TO THEIR CONCERNS AS WELL AS FAR AS DALLAS GOES.
THAT HELPED BRING IN SOME COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THOSE DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES AND OURS.
THEN THE OTHER THING THAT'S HELPED A LOT AS OUR DART POINT IS COMING AND MEETING ON IT, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD ON A QUARTERLY BASIS,
[02:40:03]
MAYBE JUST THREE TIMES A YEAR BASIS SO THAT THEY CAN BE IN FRONT OF US, WE CAN BE IN FRONT OF THEM AND HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS SO THAT THEY'RE NOT IN A SILO, WE'RE NOT IN A SILO.THIS IS JUST BREAKING DOWN THOSE BARRIERS.
I HATE TO SAY THAT THERE'S ABOUT 21 MILLION NOT IN HERE FROM THE ORIGINAL 111 BUT THAT WAS FOUNDED THAT WE WERE PART OF DELAYS.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO [NOISE] WHAT CAUSED THOSE DELAYS OR IF WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR FINGER-POINTING, WHAT WE HAVE TIME FOR NOW IS TO MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE SURE, AS MAYOR PRO TEM MENTIONED, THAT WE GET THIS MONEY AND WE GET THIS MONEY AS FAST AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE EVERY DAY THAT WE GO TRYING TO WORDSMITH SOMETHING OR GET THIS RIGHT OR GET THAT RIGHT IN LANGUAGE IS A DAY THAT WE DON'T GET AS MANY DOLLARS BACK BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING AGAIN, THE WHOLE REASON THAT WE'RE HERE IS CONSTANT DELAYS AND WE DON'T WANT ANY OF THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE TIED TO THIS 90 MILLION TO GET DELAYED BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US, OUR DISTRICTS, HAVE SOMETHING IN HERE FROM THAT $90 MILLION.
WHETHER IT'S A MAJOR PROJECT OR A BABY PROJECT, IT'S IMPORTANT SO THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE MORE SAFELY TO DARK STOPS, WHETHER THEIR BUS STOPS OR STATIONS OR LIGHT RAIL.
THIS IS A ONCE IN I BELIEVE, EVER DART HISTORY FOR THEM TO RETURN EXCESS SALES TAX TO US, THEY COULD HAVE EASILY FIGURED OUT HOW TO KEEP ALL THIS MONEY AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
I'VE NEVER BEEN A PART OF THE DART.
BUT ALL I KNOW IS THAT IT'S BEEN OFFERED AND WE NEED TO GET THINGS RIGHT, OF COURSE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, REALIZE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN DALLAS, THIS IS THEIR MONEY AND IT'S BEING GIVEN BACK TO US, SO IT'S OUR JOB OR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE GET THIS MONEY BACK INTO DALLAS INTO OUR HANDS SO THAT OUR TEAMS CAN GET TO WORK AND GET TO DO WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED BEFORE US.
I HOPE THAT WHEN WE GET TO VOTE ON THIS ON WEDNESDAY, THAT WE CAN GET THIS DONE AND FORDED.
JUST SO THAT I CAN MAKE SURE I SAY IT.
ON WEDNESDAY, WE HAD A BRIEFING.
THIS WAS BRIEFED, WE DID COMPLETE THE BRIEFING.
WE JUST DIDN'T COMPLETE THE Q&A.
I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE Q&A TO NON-COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT JOIN US TODAY SO THEY COULD ASK THEIR QUESTIONS.
SOME OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS CHOSE NOT TO STAY HERE FOR THE MEETING, AND THAT'S HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS, UNFORTUNATELY AND FORTUNATELY.
IT WILL BE A Q&A, I BELIEVE IN INFORMATIONAL SESSION IS ON THE AGENDA TOMORROW AT JPSM SO PEOPLE CAN ASK MORE QUESTIONS THERE.
YOU CAN STILL ASK STAFF QUESTIONS BETWEEN NOW AND WEDNESDAY, SO THAT YOU WILL HAVE HOPEFULLY HAD ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED SO YOU'RE COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO VOTE ON WEDNESDAY.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET THIS DONE ON WEDNESDAY SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE ANY MORE MONEY FROM ANY DISTRICT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE NOW CAN COMPLETE THIS AND MOVE FORWARD TO THE REST OF THE BRIEFING BY MEMORANDUMS F, G, H AND I.
ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS CHERISHED SCHULTZ.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FIRST OF ALL, I ALSO WANTED TO JUST ADD ONE MORE THANK YOU TO THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
KERRY ROGERS AND HER TEAM DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF BRINGING US TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER MEMBER, DARTS CITIES AND THEIR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, THEIR CITY MANAGERS, AND REALLY GIVING THEM A CHANCE TO BE HEARD.
I THINK THAT EXPEDITED THE PROCESS OF BEING ABLE TO GET TO THIS POINT, SO THANK YOU, CARRIE.
I HAVE QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER F, UPDATE TO THE STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN WITH DR. CONCURLY.
DR. CONCURLY, WHILE YOU'RE COMING UP? MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW THIS IS A YEAR TO IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY AND I KNOW YOU JUST WITH 40 ITEMS SO YOU HAVE A HUGE PLATE AND YOU'RE DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB IN YOUR LEADERSHIP OF THIS DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF THAT.
I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THERE'S SO MANY PROJECTS THAT HAVE NOT STARTED YET OR WHATEVER SO COULD YOU JUST SPEAK TO THAT? IS IT A MONEY ISSUE? SHOULD WE BE OUTSOURCING SOME OF THESE? SHARE WITH US YOUR THOUGHTS ON MOVING FORWARD WITH SO MANY OF THESE ITEMS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH VANESSA GUZMAN CARLY, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT TRANSPORTATION.
YES. SOME OF THEM ARE DEPENDENT ON OTHERS TO BE MOVING FORWARD.
[02:45:01]
FOR EXAMPLE, THE FREIGHT PLAN.WE'RE CURRENTLY HAVE SUBMITTED SEVERAL APPLICATIONS FOR POTENTIAL FEDERAL FUNDS TO GET THAT PROJECT GOING.
THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT BASICALLY ARE IMPACTING SOME OF THE PROGRESS ON SOME OF THESE INITIATIVES.
>> I DEFINITELY WANT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY MAYBE FOR ACTUAL BRIEFING WHERE WE CAN SPEND MORE TIME UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'RE FACING.
BECAUSE ON THE ONES THAT ARE NOT YET STARTED, THE LARGE MAJORITY OR THE LEAD AGENCY IS TRANSPORTATION.
I'M NOT TRYING TO THROW YOU UNDER THE BUS IN ANY WAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVEN'T STARTED SOME OF THESE AND IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS.
CAN YOU ALSO SHARE WHAT ARE TURNED BACK REQUESTS? THAT WAS IN THE MEMO.
I'M TRYING TO LOOK WHERE I WROTE THAT, WHAT IT'S FROM THAT I ASKED THAT QUESTION.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER IF I MAY, I THINK IT'S IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE TEXTS CONTROLLED RTO CANDIDATES RETURN BACK REQUESTS?
>> WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS, GARLAND ROADS, CYAN CURRENTS.
>> IS THAT LIKE YOU TURN WHAT ARE TURNED BACK?
>> THEY WANT TO GIVE IT TO US AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF WE WANT IT. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> SOME OF THOSE HAVE SOME SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS, I.E LOOKING AT THE LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE AND THE IMPACTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, I CAN SPEAK TO GARLAND ROAD BECAUSE ONE OF THOSE HAS BEEN FAIR TO THAT ROADWAY AND WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT IMPACTS THIS IS GOING TO BE ON THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE.
>> THANK YOU. THEN ALSO MY LAST QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE THE PERFORMANCE DASHBOARD INDICATORS SET UP YET?
>> SOME OF THE ITEMS ARE ALREADY SET UP BUT OTHERS ARE NOT.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT BECAUSE IT INVOLVES ALSO OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
>> I CERTAINLY DON'T KNOW THAT OUR COMMITTEE IS MEANT TO BE DOING SORT OF GPFM KIND OF WORK AS FAR AS REALLY UNDERSTANDING THIS.
WHAT I'LL LEAVE THIS FOR YOU, MR. CHAIR IS AS YOU TALK WITH THE DIRECTORS TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO A LITTLE DEEPER DIVE OR GET A DEEPER DIVE AT SOME POINT ON THIS OVERALL STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN. THANK YOU.
>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. TRAY WILLIS.
>> THANKS. STAY WHERE YOU ARE AND I TOO APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I ALSO HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON MEMO F AND [LAUGHTER] THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE NOT STARTED JUST TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TIMING MIGHT BE.
ONE WAS ON CONDUCTING A STAFFING AND SALARY STUDY TO IDENTIFY CORRECT STAFFING FOR THE NEW DIVISION IN THE STREAMLINE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
IT'S ON THE SECOND PAGE OF SECOND ITEM OF THE PROGRESS REPORT.
>> I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS LIKE I SAID, IS DEPENDENT UPON OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, HR IS CONDUCTING SOME OF THAT.
BUT THE WORK THAT STILL HAS TO BE DONE IS WHAT AREAS THAT COULD IMPACT US THE MOST.
FOR EXAMPLE, TECHNICAL AREAS LIKE ENGINEERING AND STUFF.
THESE ARE AREAS THAT WE NEED TO BE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT AS THIS IS AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE FOR ALL OF US.
>> JUST PRIORITIZING THE CURRENT NEEDS AND.
>> CORRECT. LOOKING AT WHAT THE MARKET IS AVAILABLE AND THE TYPE OF, FUTURE WORK WORKFORCE THAT NEEDS TO BE.
FOR EXAMPLE, AS WE START, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE AS WE START DEVELOPING AND GOING INTO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
I MEAN, THESE ARE SOME POTENTIAL FUTURE JOB DESCRIPTIONS THAT WILL HAVE TO HAVE IN THE CITY TO PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE.
THESE ARE SOME AREAS THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY BE WORKING WITH HR ON BOTH THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AS WELL AS THE COMPENSATION LEVEL.
>> ONE OTHER ONE IS ON THE NEXT PAGE AND IT'S AROUND THERE'S AN ITEM CREATE A MOBILITY MANAGEMENT DIVISION THAT INCLUDES PARKING, VEHICLE FOR HIGHER, DOC LIST MOBILITY UNDER ONE UMBRELLA AND SO GIVEN THE RETURN OF SCOOTERS, I JUST WAS CURIOUS AS TO WHEN WE THINK THAT MOBILITY MANAGEMENT DIVISION MIGHT COME ONLINE.
>> AS I MENTIONED AND YOU'RE CORRECTLY SO AS YOU POINTED THIS ONE OUT, IS THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO
[02:50:01]
START WORKING ON THE INDIVIDUALS AND SEE WHERE THEY ARE, AND THEN START WORKING ON WHAT THE FUTURE STRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE.CERTAINLY THAT SINCE WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN THE STEPS TO INTRODUCE THE MICRO MOBILITY, SO WE'VE GOT THE PARKING, THE MICRO MOBILITY AND THEN THAT IS THE VEHICLE FOR HIGHER REGULATION.
THIS IS SOMETHING MATTER OF FACT THAT WE ARE TALKING HERE EARLIER.
AS WE START GETTING INTO THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES SERVICES, WHERE DOES THIS FIT AND HOW DOES IT FIT? THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WILL HAVE TO GO INTO THE DECISION-MAKING ON WHICH DEPARTMENT WILL BE HANDLING IT, AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO STRUCTURE THAT.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. MR. MORENO, ANYTHING ELSE? CHAIR SCHULTZ, YOU'RE GOOD? I DO WANT TO BRING UP MR. ALI [INAUDIBLE] ON LETTER I.
THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP EVERY SINGLE COMMITTEE MEETING AND SINCE I GOT TO HEAR ABOUT IT EARLIER THIS LAST WEEK, I WANT YOU TO JUST GIVE US THE SOME OF THESE REALLY GREAT UPDATES THAT YOU HAVE IN HERE NOW AND IF YOU WANT TO JUST GIVE THE COMMITTEE A REAL QUICK UPDATE BECAUSE I THINK YOU DESERVE IT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. GOOD AFTERNOON I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
I'LL START WITH THE MEMORANDUM ON THE PERFORMANCE AND YOU CAN SEE FOR THE MAY 23 PERFORMANCE THAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THIS MEMO, WE HAVE WRAP-UP LOT OF PROJECT WE COMPLETED ALMOST 46% AT THE TIME THAT THE REPORT WAS PULLED IS PROBABLY CLOSER TO 50% AT THIS POINT.
WE ARE PROGRESSING VERY RAPIDLY ON THE PROJECTS.
I'M VERY POSITIVE THAT WE ARE GOING TO FINISH IT BY END OF THIS YEAR.
DID YOU SHARE THAT YOU MENTIONED ANOTHER MEMO? I CAN TALK ABOUT IT. SURE, ABSOLUTELY.
THE OTHER MEMO IS THE ILA WITH DALLAS COUNTY THAT ORIGINALLY WAS APPROVED, BUT AT THE TIME THAT WE APPLIED FOR EXTENSION WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS OF THE NEW MEMO IN NEW AGREEMENT.
APPARENTLY, THE NEW AGREEMENT HAS TWO CLAUSE TO PROVISION TO IT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING TO BASICALLY REDO THIS AGREEMENT AGAIN, TO ADD THE ADOPTION OF ORPHANED ROLES AND ALSO THE WATERSHED, THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE WATERSHED DAMS, WHICH CURRENTLY WE DON'T HAVE ANY WATERSHED DAMS, BUT WE HAVE TWO ROADS, IRVING BOULEVARD AND SAM HOUSTON, THAT IT'S IN NEED OF ANNEXATION BY CITY OF DALLAS.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. ON THE MONTHLY REPORT, 46%, WE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE WHERE WE WERE ALWAYS IN GOOD SHAPE AND CAUGHT UP BUT NOW YOU HAVE ENOUGH OF THE INFORMATION THAT NOW YOU'RE CAUGHT UP ON THIS REPORT.
>> THE COMPLETION, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS HAS BEEN COMPLETED, THAT THE FINANCE PART OF IT IS THAT IS ALWAYS LAGGING BECAUSE THE INVOICES AND IT'S TAKE TIME TO GET PAID AND FOR THE CONTRACTOR TO INVOICE US ALSO AT THE SAME TIME.
THERE'S A LAG FOR THAT, BUT YES, THE MONTH OF APRIL AND MAY, WE HAVE HAD MORE THAN 110 LANE MILES PER MONTH COMPLETING OF THEIR PROJECTS, WHICH IS VERY SIGNIFICANT COMPARED TO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE MONTH OF MARCH THAT I BELIEVE WE HAD LIKE 33 LANE MILES AT THAT MONTH.
THE PROGRESS IS PRETTY RAPID RIGHT NOW AS YOU CAN SEE.
I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP EVERY SINGLE COMMITTEE MEETING AND WHEN WE HAVE THE POSITIVE OUTCOMES, I THINK WE ALSO SHOULD SHOW THAT AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
COLLEAGUES, WE'RE ON LETTER J.
ANY QUESTIONS ON LETTER J? NOTHING THERE.
LETTER K, COMMITTEE FORECAST. THE COMMITTEE FORECASTS.
THIS IS OUR FINAL COMMITTEE MEETING AS THIS GROUP.
I'M SURE EVERYBODY SAW THE MEMO THAT CAME OUT TODAY FROM THE MARRISO EFFECTIVE ON THE 20TH AND SWEARING IN, ALL COMMITTEES MEMBERS ARE DISBANDED FROM ALL COMMITTEES CITYWIDE.
THAT'LL GIVE HIM TIME TO PUT THOSE BACK TOGETHER.
THEN UPCOMING AGENDA ITEMS, LETTERS L THROUGH AA.
ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE UPCOMING AGENDA ITEMS?
[02:55:03]
ON HERE, IT'S LETTERS L THROUGH AA.SEEING THAT THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS.
WELL, I GUESS I SHOULD SAY BEFORE WE FINISH I DID SAY IT EARLIER.
IT'S OUR LAST COMMITTEE MEMBER MEETING.
IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS CHAIR FOR THIS TERM WITH ALL OF YOU, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF REALLY AMAZING THINGS ACCOMPLISHED TO OUR STAFF. THANK YOU.
EVERY DAY WASN'T SUPER EASY, BUT WE MADE IT LOOK PRETTY SMOOTH, JUST THE WAY WE'RE SMOOTHING OUT A LOT OF OUR ROADS AND SIDEWALKS AND ALLEYS.
WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO, BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE AND THAT'S THANKS TO THE HARD WORK OF YOU ALL, AS WELL AS THIS COMMITTEE.
[OVERLAPPING] YES, MADAM CHAIR.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SHARE OUR APPRECIATION FOR YOUR CHAIRMANSHIP.
YOU LEAD THIS COMMITTEE IN A REALLY JUST AN OPEN WAY AND GAVE THOSE OF US WHO DIDN'T HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND YOU ARE TREMENDOUS ROLE MODEL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
WITH THAT, BUT TIME HAS NOW 3:49 P.M. AND I NOW CALL TO CLOSE THE JUNE 12TH, 2023 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. [MUSIC]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.