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[Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee on June 12, 2023.]
I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE JUNE 12TH QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE MEETING.MOVE APPROVAL. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAME SIGN.
LOOKS LIKE THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
WE HAVE ANOTHER SET OF MINUTES TO APPROVE FROM OUR MAY 10TH COMMITTEE MEETING.
SECOND. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
THE MINUTES FOR MAY 10TH PASSED UNANIMOUSLY AS WELL.
WE'LL GO STRAIGHT INTO OUR FIRST BRIEFING ITEM.
ITEM A FOR THE UNATTENDED DROPBOX REGISTRATION PROGRAM.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM MR. CHAUNCY WILLIAMS, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CODE COMPLIANCE, AND KATINA ROBERTSON.
GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMITTEE.
WE'RE HERE TO PRESENT UNATTENDED DROP BOX REGISTRATION PROGRAM.
MY NAME IS CHAUNCY WILLIAMS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CODE COMPLIANCE SERVICES.
IT IS MY ESTEEMED PLEASURE TO PRESENT TO HAVE THESE LOVELY YOUNG LADIES HERE NEXT TO ME THAT WORKED ON THE DRAFT ORDINANCE ALONG WITH THIS PRESENTATION.
WE'LL SPEAK ABOUT THE BACKGROUND HISTORY OF THE PROPOSED ACTIONS.
UNATTENDED DROP BOXES ARE DEFINED AS UNATTENDED DROP BOXES OR UNSTAFFED DROP BOXES, CONTAINERS, RECEPTACLES THAT ACCEPT TEXTILES, SHOES, BOOKS AND OR OTHER SALVAGEABLE PERSONAL PROPERTY ITEMS. ON AUGUST 15TH OF LAST YEAR WE BROUGHT THIS PROPOSAL BEFORE THIS BODY.
THE CHALLENGES WITH UNATTENDED DROP BOXES.
THEY CONTRIBUTE TO UNSIGHTLY NEIGHBORHOOD BLIGHT.
CONTRIBUTORS LEAVE UNREGULATED ITEMS. OPERATORS FAIL TO SERVICE THE UNATTENDED DROP BOXES.
OPERATORS RARELY OBTAIN CONSENT FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS BEFORE PLACEMENT AND DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY UNATTENDED BOX DROP OWNERS AND OPERATORS.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS OF THE PROPOSED UNATTENDED DROP BOX REGISTRATION PROGRAM IS TO ELIMINATE NUISANCES AND BLIGHT IN NEIGHBORHOODS, ESTABLISH OPERATOR OWNER ACCOUNTABILITY, REGULATING THE USE OF UNATTENDED DROP BOXES, RESTRICT UNATTENDED DROP BOX PLACEMENT IN COMMERCIAL ZONE DISTRICTS.
YOU CAN SEE SOME PHOTOS OF VARIOUS AREAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AT THE TIME OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT DEPICT WHAT THEY SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE SOME EXAMPLES THAT REPRESENT HOW THEY SHOULD NOT LOOK.
THROUGHOUT THE CITY WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 226 UNATTENDED DROP BOXES.
OF THE 226 DROP BOXES, WE RECEIVED 58 CONFIRMED VIOLATIONS.
UNATTENDED DROP BOX LOCATED BY COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE GRAPH HERE, IT SHOWS THAT DISTRICT 8, DISTRICT 11, AND DISTRICT 3 HAVE WAY PROPORTIONALLY MORE DROP BOXES THAN THE REST OF THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
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IN COMPARISON TO DALLAS.DR. ROBERTSON. I'LL TAKE THE NEXT SLIDE.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS A RELATIONAL SLIDE.
ALL THE BOXES DID NOT HAVE CONTACT INFORMATION.
ONLY ONE INDICATED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE COMMERCIALLY OWNED PROPERTY.
TWO OFFERED VERY LITTLE FEEDBACK.
SO IN TOTAL WE DID HAVE NINE OR WE IDENTIFIED NINE DIFFERENT OWNERS OF DROP BOXES.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCREEN IT SHOWS ON AUGUST 15TH WE WERE ASKED TO GAUGE WHICH DEPARTMENTS, IF WE COULD PUT IT, ON CITY PROPERTY. THE REOCCURRING THEME HERE WAS THAT NO WAS THE ANSWER.
AND THEN THERE WERE ONGOING CONCERNS REGARDING IMPROPER PLACEMENT OF GOODS.
OUR PROPOSED ORDINANCE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO REQUIRE APPLICATION FEE OF $248, AND THAT'S BASED ON OUR FEE STUDY REQUIRING AN OFFICIAL SITE PLAN NOTARIZED BY THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
REQUIRE AN ANNUAL RENEWAL OF $248.
REQUIRE WEEKLY PICKUPS FOR ITEMS THAT ARE STORED IN THE DROP BOX.
ALLOW NO MORE THAN TWO BOXES PER 100FT.
EACH BOX NOT TO EXCEED 48IN IN DEPTH, 48IN IN WIDTH AND 84IN IN HEIGHT FOR A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED 112 CUBIC FEET.
HERE'S A DEPICTION OF WHAT WE WOULD LIKE OUR APPLICATION TO LOOK LIKE.
WE'RE GOING TO ADD IT ON THERE UNATTENDED DROPBOX, WHICH SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED UP THERE.
THE APPLICATION WILL INCLUDE AN APPROVAL LETTER FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER.
THE PHYSICAL BOX LOCATION AND THE EMERGENCY CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SLIDE 15 SHOWS THE PERMIT A DRAFT, IT WOULD BE ADHESIVE AND IT WILL AFFIX ONTO THE DROP BOX.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. OUR NEXT STEPS FOR SUMMER 2023.
UPON COUNCIL APPROVAL, WE WOULD LIKE TO CREATE AN ONLINE APPLICATION AND PERMITTING PROCESS.
CREATE AND DEPLOY AN ONLINE PROCESS TO TRACK APPLICATIONS, BLOCK LOCATIONS AND COMPLAINTS BY WINTER OF 2023, WE WOULD LIKE TO INITIATE A MARKETING CAMPAIGN AND COLLABORATE WITH ITS REGARDING SOFTWARE ENHANCEMENTS TO DETERMINE THE PROGRAM'S GO LIVE DATE.
AND OUR NEXT STEPS AGAIN, IS TO SEEKING COMMENTS AND DIRECTIONS ON THE DRAFT ORDINANCE AND THE REGISTRATION PROGRAM FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE CULTURE BOARD. THANK YOU.
WE'LL START WITH MR. WEST, WHO REQUESTED FOR THIS ITEM TO BE ON.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME IN MY DISTRICT, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS, BUT WHEN YOU LIVE CLOSE TO THEM AND YOU SEE THEM EVERY DAY AND IT BECOMES A NUISANCE AND A BLIGHT, THOSE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE MOST AFFECTED ARE THE ONES WHO I CONSTANTLY HEAR FROM.
I WOULD SEE THE SAME ONES BECAUSE IT'S CLOSE TO MY HOUSE.
AND YOU MENTIONED THAT 58 ARE CONFIRMED VIOLATIONS.
IS THAT IN THE LAST YEAR OR WHEN WAS THE 58 NUMBER CALCULATED? AS OF AUGUST 2022.
LIKE WHAT'S THE TIME PERIOD, THOUGH? THAT'S APPROXIMATELY NINE MONTHS, EIGHT MONTHS.
SINCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SALESFORCE, WHICH WAS 2020.
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JANUARY OF 2020, WE WENT BACK AND WE IDENTIFIED THAT THERE WERE 200, WELL 58 CONFIRMED COMPLAINTS.58 CONFIRMED COMPLAINTS IN THAT TIME.
THAT'S THAT'S A LOT OF COMPLAINTS TO ME.
SO AND I KNOW THERE ARE GOOD ONES AND THERE'S BAD ONES.
AND I HAVE ONE INTERSECTION WHERE WE'VE GOT BOTH.
YOU HAVE ONE THAT'S THAT'S WELL MAINTAINED.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING THIS.
A COUPLE THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT IN THE ORDINANCE THAT I THINK WAS REALLY WELL DRAFTED, WHOEVER DID THIS, THE REGULATIONS ALLOWING A MAXIMUM OF TWO ON ANY SITE AND A SEPARATE PERMIT FOR EACH ONE.
I LIKE THE PROXIMITY DISTANCE OF 1100 FEET.
I'M NOT SURE HOW WE CAME UP WITH THAT NUMBER, BUT I LIKE IT.
THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE TO DISPLAY A PERMIT DECAL, I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
I THINK THERE'S NO REASON FOR THAT AND THAT JUST IS ADDING TO THE PROBLEM.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ANYONE LISTENING TO THIS VERY EXCITING ITEM IS THAT YOU REALIZE THAT THESE ARE FOR PROFIT BOXES.
THIS IS NOT NOW SOME OF THESE SUPPORT NONPROFITS LIKE I THINK SUSAN G.
KOMEN HAS ONE, BUT THERE'S ALSO FOR PROFIT BOXES.
SO PEOPLE ARE MAKING MONEY ON THIS.
SO THERE'S NO REASON WE SHOULDN'T REGULATE THEM AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
AM I CORRECT WITH THAT? THAT'S CORRECT.
GREAT. SO WHAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, LET'S SAY THIS IS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
AND I'M AND LET'S SAY I OWNED ONE OF THESE BOXES.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN LIKE PROCEDURALLY FOR ME, WOULD I BE NOTIFIED? I'VE GOT TO REGISTER WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEPS? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION COUNCILMEMBER WEST.
AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE NOT DONE THE ACTUAL PROGRAM APPLICATION PROCESS, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY ADD IN THERE IF COUNCILMEMBERS WANT TO BE ALERTED ABOUT AN APPLICATION THAT COMES IN FOR THE DONATION BOX, WE CAN PUT IN A TRIGGER OF SOME SORT IN SALESFORCE TO NOTIFY THE COUNCILMEMBER.
SO LET'S THINK THROUGH THAT BEFORE THIS GOES TO COUNCIL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. WEST. MR. CASEY. I MEAN MR. THOMAS. EITHER ONE WON'T BE COUNCIL MEMBER AFTER MONDAY, SO.
[LAUGHTER] BUT THANK YOU FOR REQUESTING THIS.
AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS ON.
I JUST RECEIVED A PHONE CALL MAYBE ABOUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO FROM ONE OF THE BUSINESSES IN MY DISTRICT THAT ONE OF THESE LOCATIONS HAD POPPED UP AND IT WAS NOT BEING VERY IT WASN'T CARED FOR VERY MUCH.
HE SENT ME PICTURES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO IT LEADS ME TO ASK THIS QUESTION WHAT IS THE CURRENT PROCESS IF SOMEONE JUST WANTS TO SET UP ONE OF THESE LOCATIONS, WHO DO THEY CONTACT? HOW DO THEY GO ABOUT DOING IT? CURRENTLY THERE IS NO PROCESS SIR.
OKAY. SO I UNDERSTAND FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT, DO WE KNOW THROUGH TALKING WITH SOME OF THESE OWNERS OF THESE PARTICULAR SETUPS, DO WE KNOW? I MEAN, DO THEY JUST SAY IT'S AN EMPTY SPOT? I THINK THIS WILL BE GOOD.
I'M GOING TO PUT ME A BOX OUT THERE.
THAT IS THE CASE THAT WE FOUND.
THAT IS THE CASE THAT WE FOUND FOR THE MOST PART.
OKAY. YES. SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF IT'S KIND OF AT RANDOM, THAT'S WHAT, UP TO NOW.
SO, YES, I'M DEFINITELY ON BOARD WITH THIS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THE KEY TO GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IS SAFE AND CLEAN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. RIDLEY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'M CURIOUS, HAVE YOU BECOME AWARE OF ANY 311 COMPLAINTS BY EITHER NEARBY RESIDENTS OR THE
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PROPERTY OWNERS THEMSELVES THAT THERE'S AN UNAUTHORIZED BOX ON THEIR PROPERTY? IS THAT A PROBLEM? IF STORMY GONZALES COULD COME UP, SHE'S OUR 311 EXPERT, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT.SO SHE ALSO RAN THE NUMBERS AND SHE'S ALSO THE DISTRICT MANAGER OVER THE CENTRAL CODE DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, SOMETIMES WHEN WE'RE ADDRESSING SOME OF THE LITTER OR THE GRAFFITI ON THESE BOXES, THE PROPERTY OWNER WAS NOT AWARE THAT THEY HAD THE AUTHORITY TO HAVE IT REMOVED OR THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT BOX.
SO THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS NO, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT 311.
I'M SURPRISED WE HAVEN'T HEARD MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT.
WHAT ABOUT THE AT TIMES ATTENDED BOXES AND AT TIMES UNATTENDED? FOR EXAMPLE, GOODWILL WILL PUT BIG VANS OUT IN SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOTS.
WOULD THAT BE REGULATED BY THIS ORDINANCE? YES, THOSE WILL BE REGULATED AS WELL.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO REGISTER, PAY THE FEE.
ET CETERA. IF THEY'RE PLANNING ON LEAVING IT THERE OR POSTING IT THERE.
HOWEVER, IF IT'S A TEMPORARY THING, THEN WE NEED TO REVISIT THAT.
WE HAVEN'T REALLY SPOKE ABOUT THE GOODWILL BOXES THAT JUST SHOW UP TEMPORARILY AND THEN ARE REMOVED.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE CAUSING LITTER PROBLEMS, BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THIS ORDINANCE AS TO WHETHER IT WOULD INCLUDE THOSE KINDS OF OPERATIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY, IF I COULD JUST ADD SOME CLARIFYING INFORMATION.
THE ORDINANCE, AS IS WRITTEN, IS TO ADDRESS UNMANNED OR UNSTAFFED DONATION BOXES.
IF IT'S MANNED FOR SOMEONE, THEN THIS ORDINANCE ISN'T WRITTEN TO ADDRESS THAT.
OKAY. SO EVEN IF IT REMAINS THERE AFTER THE PERSONNEL GO HOME, AS LONG AS IT'S MANNED SOME PART OF THE DAY, IT WOULDN'T BE GOVERNED BY THIS.
IF THERE'S LITTER ON A PROPERTY PERIOD, CODE COMPLIANCE IS ALREADY DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THAT.
OKAY? AT THAT POINT, IT'S THE PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY.
AND WHAT ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM OR PROCESS DO YOU ANTICIPATE FOR THIS? I NOTICED THAT TWO THIRDS OF THE PARTIES THAT YOU CONTACTED AND WHO PUT BOXES OUT DIDN'T EVEN RESPOND TO YOU.
SO IF AFTER THIS ORDINANCE IS PASSED, THEY LEAVE THE BOXES THERE AND DON'T REGISTER THEM, WHAT DO WE DO? IT WOULD BE UP TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
THEY WOULD BE ADDRESSED AS FAR AS ANY ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS.
SURE. AND THEN WILL THE CITY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REMOVE A BOX IF IT'S UNREGISTERED OR IF THE PROPERTY OWNER SAYS, I DIDN'T AUTHORIZE THIS THING, GET RID OF IT.
RIGHT NOW. THE ORDINANCE ISN'T WRITTEN TO IMPOUND BOXES.
HOWEVER, ORIGINALLY WHEN WE VISITED AFTER AUGUST 15TH, WE DID DO SOME RESEARCH TO SEE IF WE COULD IMPOUND A BOX AND WE DID NOT HAVE AN AREA TO PLACE DONATION BOXES SHOULD WE CONFISCATE THEM? HOWEVER, AFTER SPEAKING WITH SANITATION UNDER CHAPTER 18, THERE IS AN EMPOWERMENT PROCESS FOR WASTE RECEPTACLES.
WELL, I THINK IT MIGHT BE FORTUITOUS TO HAVE THAT ABILITY, BUT I THINK MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO PUT THAT RESPONSIBILITY UPON THE PROPERTY OWNER AS A MATTER OF MAINTENANCE OF THEIR PROPERTY.
AND IF WE SITE THEM AND SAY THIS BOX IS NOT REGISTERED, EITHER GET IT REGISTERED WITHIN X AMOUNT OF DAYS OR REMOVE IT, THEN THAT PUTS THAT RESPONSIBILITY ON THEM.
THAT'S CORRECT. AS IT'S WRITTEN IN THE ORDINANCE, A REVOCATION PROCESS.
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WE HAVE THAT WRITTEN OUT IN THE ORDINANCE ATTACHED TO THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION.OKAY. SO COULD WE REQUIRE WHEN WE CITE AN ILLEGAL BOX OR UNAUTHORIZED BOX THAT'S UNREGISTERED? COULD WE REQUIRE THE PROPERTY OWNER TO REMOVE IT? YES, SIR. OKAY.
OKAY. THEN I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY SUFFICIENT ENFORCEMENT.
AND THEN FINALLY, THESE BOXES ARE PLACED, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, BY FOR PROFIT COMPANIES WHO MUST RENT THEM OUT OR HAVE SOME KIND OF COMPENSATION FROM THE CHARITY THAT RECEIVES THE GOODS THAT ARE COLLECTED.
DID YOU CONTACT ANY OF THOSE CHARITIES THAT RECEIVE THE BENEFIT OF THESE BOXES TO ASK THEM FOR THEIR REACTION TO THIS KIND OF REGULATORY SCHEME? AGAIN, WE DID MAKE CONTACT WITH NINE DIFFERENT BOX OWNERS THAT WE DID IDENTIFY.
HOWEVER, THE FOR PROFIT AND NONPROFIT COMPONENT WAS A LITTLE STICKY.
SO I DID REACH OUT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, ATTORNEY MATT GREEN.
AND THERE WAS SOME DELIBERATION ABOUT HOW WE APPROACH NON-FOR PROFIT VERSUS FOR PROFIT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF ATTORNEY GREEN CAN COME UP HERE AND KIND OF CLEAR THAT UP FOR US.
GOOD MORNING. MATT GREEN FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
YES. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THE DEPARTMENT REACHED OUT TO THOSE CHARITIES.
NINE DIFFERENT ONES, BUT TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE PROFIT, NOT FOR PROFIT REGULATION.
AND IN THE FIFTH CIRCUIT SPECIFICALLY, WHICH HAS JURISDICTION OVER NORTH TEXAS, THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH FOR PROFIT VERSUS NOT FOR PROFIT ENTITY DISCLOSURES ON LABELING OR ON THE LABELS THAT GO ONTO THE UNATTENDED DROP BOXES.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD APPLY IN THIS SITUATION WHERE WE'RE JUST REACHING OUT TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE CHARITIES ON THEIR OPINIONS OF THESE REGULATIONS.
AND WE DID REACH OUT TO 9, BUT AGAIN, THEY WERE PRETTY.
WELL, YOU REACHED OUT TO NINE BOX OWNERS, BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THOSE ARE NOT THE PARTIES WHO RECEIVE THE GOODS, THE CHARITIES, RIGHT. THEY'RE JUST THE BOX OWNERS.
THAT'S CORRECT. SO I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER WE GOT ANY REACTION FROM THE CHARITIES THEMSELVES WHO PERHAPS RELY UPON THESE BOXES TO COLLECT ARTICLES FOR THE CHARITY AS TO THEIR OPINION ABOUT THIS KIND OF REGULATION? AT THIS TIME, NO.
THANK YOU, MR. RIDLEY. MS. BLACKMON. SO BACK TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER. I KNOW WE HAD A BRIEFING IN ALMOST A YEAR AGO.
WE CAN'T BAN THESE ALTOGETHER, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
OKAY. AND BUT CAN YOU STIPULATE THAT IT MUST BE FOR A NON PROFIT? I WOULD BE UNCOMFORTABLE DOING THAT JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO TREAT THE FOR PROFIT AS A NOT FOR PROFIT ENTITIES UNEQUALLY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S 22 OF THEM.
I'D LOVE A SOLUTION, ACTUALLY, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT BECAUSE I REALLY DO NOT LIKE THEM AND I DON'T LIKE THE ONES WHERE THERE ARE FOR BOXES THAT RECYCLE AND THEN THEY PILE UP AND IT RAINS AND IT'S.
SO I THINK AS TIGHT AND AS FAIR, OBVIOUSLY.
BUT TO MAKE IT REALLY HIT ON INDIVIDUALS THAT DO NOT THEY IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THEY DO NOT TAKE CARE OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING. AND SO HOWEVER WE CAN FIND THEM AND I WOULD SAY FIND THE INDIVIDUALS WHO PUT IT THERE, JUST NOT THE PROPERTY OWNERS, BECAUSE THERE'S A PARTNERSHIP HERE.
AND SO THERE'S AND I'M SURE THAT THERE'S PROBABLY A CONTRACT SOMEWHERE.
AND SO I SAY BOTH PEOPLE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
THANK YOU, MR. WEST, FOR ROUND TWO.
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YES, THANK YOU, CHAIR.JUST A COUPLE OF FOLLOW UPS. I AGREE WITH WHAT MR. RIDLEY WAS SAYING IN TERMS OF PUTTING IT ON THE OWNERS TO GET THE BOXES OUT OF THERE.
I WOULD ALSO SUPPORT TIGHTENING UP THE THE 1100FT REQUIREMENT AND MAKING IT TO CHAIR BLACKMON'S COMMENTS TO MAKE IT EVEN LESS OF THEM TO BE ABLE TO EXIST.
SO EXPANDING THAT TO 2000 OR 3000 FT OF EACH OTHER, 5000 FT, I MEAN, I'D BE OPEN TO THAT.
I WILL SAY THAT THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE WAS WOULD WE BE ABLE OR IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE LANGUAGE THAT WILL GIVE US THE AUTHORITY TO REMOVE THE BOX FOR FAILURE TO REGISTER AND FAILURE TO EVEN RESPOND TO THE CITY'S REQUEST FOR COMPLIANCE? CURRENTLY, AT THIS TIME, THERE IS NO LANGUAGE TO FOR THE CITY TO REMOVE THE BOX.
WE WOULD COMPEL THE PROPERTY OWNER TO REMOVE THE BOX, BUT BASED OFF OF COUNCIL MEMBER WEST, HE WOULD SUPPORT US TO PUT LANGUAGE IN THE DRAFT FOR THE CITY TO REMOVE THE BOX.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH WITH THAT PROCESS.
ALL RIGHT. I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK THE PROBLEM THAT WE ENCOUNTER AND SOME OF THESE OWNERS, YOU KNOW, ABSENTEE IS ALMOST LIKE THE SITUATION WE'RE DEALING WITH WHEN YOU HAVE ABSENTEE LANDLORDS, PROPERTY OWNERS, AND THEY HAVE THE MANAGERS THERE AND THEY'RE JUST GETTING PAID AND THAT'S ALL THEY DO.
SO THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO MATTER OF FACT, THEY'RE NOT EVEN TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A STAFF TO EVEN CLEAN UP WHEN THE CUSTOMERS WALK OUT OF THE STORE TO DROP TRASH RIGHT PASS BY THE TRASH CAN AND DROP IT ON THE GROUND.
SO THEY'RE NOT EVEN ENFORCING THAT.
SO BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GETTING PAID FOR THE MOST PART.
BUT WE AND SO NOW PERHAPS WITH US HAVING SOME REGULATIONS, MAYBE THAT WILL HELP.
I THINK THE COMMUNICATION ABOUT THE INITIATIVE WILL HELP.
I THINK THE ONLY WAY THAT SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ONE THAT I REPRESENT CAN GET SOME SUPPORT FROM THE CITY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE, PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT, BECAUSE IT REALLY IS NASTY AND FILTHY AND IT IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE AS WELL WHEN YOU HAVE DEBRIS SITTING OUTSIDE OF THESE BOXES AND PEOPLE ARE JUST RUMBLING THROUGH SOMETIME AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY THERE'S PROBABLY NO DEFINITIONS IN TERMS OF THE CONDITION OF THE CLOTHES.
SO SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE JUST DONATING STUFF THAT'S BEEN SITTING IN THE ATTIC FOR 13 YEARS OR JUST STUFF THAT IS MILDEWED, GOTTEN RAINED ON OR WHATEVER, AND IT'S DUMPED IN THEIR BOX. AND SO FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL AREA CONCERN, I'M DEFINITELY WANTING TO SEE US HELP TO CLEAN OUR COMMUNITIES UP AND STOP ALLOWING FOLKS BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING PROFIT, PROFIT PIMPERS, THEIR PIMPS.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE BEING NEGLECTED AS A COMMUNITY.
EVEN AS COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY STATED GOODWILL.
AND SO PERHAPS THE SAME THING SHOULD APPLY EVEN WITH THAT MOBILE UNIT.
SO I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK.
I THINK COUNCILMEMBER FOR BRINGING IT UP AND THE CHAIR FOR FOR ALLOWING THIS TO COME BACK UP.
BUT IT IS A PROBLEM IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND ALSO INVITING PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS INVESTORS TO COME TO THOSE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WHO CARRY BOLDLY THE STIGMA OF BEING NASTY AND FILTHY.
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AND WE DON'T WANT ANY INVESTMENTS.SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK AND PLEASE LOOK INTO THAT AND GIVE US SOME FEEDBACK ON THE LEGAL ABILITY FOR US TO REMOVE THOSE PRODUCTS BOXES THAT ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE.
DID WE NOT HAVE SOMEONE WHO THERE WAS A DEATH ATTRIBUTED TO ONE OF THOSE BOXES IN THIS CITY? DIDN'T SOMEONE FALL IN? DO YOU ALL REMEMBER? NO, I'M SERIOUS.
WELL, I GUESS WE DON'T HAVE ONE.
THERE WAS SOMETHING. I REMEMBER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE BOXES, AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT I DO RECALL SOMEONE DID PASS AWAY INSIDE OF A DONATION BUT I MEAN, IT IS THERE BECAUSE THERE IT COULD BE.
BUT ANYWAY, I'LL DOUBLE CHECK THAT.
BUT I REMEMBER SEEING THAT AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
I JUST WANT US TO TIGHTEN IT UP SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE OUR CONSTITUENTS TO KEEP SUPPORTING BUSINESSES, KEEP SUPPORTING THOSE WHO NEED OUR HELP, BECAUSE THAT'S THERE IS REALLY DESIGNED, I THINK, TO HELP THOSE WHO NEED IT.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S STILL ABOUT THE PROFIT.
THAT'S ALL IT IS ABOUT THE PROFIT.
SO CHAIR, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO ENGAGE IN DIALOG ON THIS TOPIC.
AND, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN? I KNOW THAT THERE'S NO PROCESS IN PLACE, BUT CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT PROCESS SOMEONE GOES THROUGH TO PUT ONE UP? NOT WITH THE CITY, BUT WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR, FOR INSTANCE.
SO I'M ASKING BECAUSE I THINK A FREQUENT BUSINESS THAT I SEE THESE IN ARE IN PARKING LOTS OF A WALGREENS AND IS IT WALGREENS THAT'S THE OWNER OF THE DONATION BOX OR IS IT SOMEONE THAT'S APPROACHED WALGREENS AND IS PAYING FOR THE SPACE THAT THEY'VE PUT THE BOX DOWN IN THEIR LOCATION? HOW DOES THAT RELATIONSHIP WORK? GENERALLY WE'VE SEEN BOTH.
WE'VE SEEN WHERE THEY'VE APPROACHED THE ENTITY THAT OWNS THE PROPERTY AND THEY SET THEIR BOXES ON SITE PROBABLY, AND I'M NOT FOR SURE ON THIS, PROBABLY FOR A NOMINAL FEE.
THERE WE GO. SO I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD TO THAT.
I RESIDE IN DISTRICT THREE, AND SO I JUST SO HAPPEN TO BE AT THE POLICE STATION AND AN OWNER CAME IN TRYING TO GET A ZTA AND I HER ADDRESS.
I WAS LIKE, I KNOW THAT ADDRESS.
SO WE HAD DID RESEARCH AND FOUND A BOX ON HER PROPERTY.
SO I MENTIONED YOU HAVE A BOX ON YOUR PROPERTY, THERE'S TRASH ALL AROUND IT.
DID YOU GIVE CONSENT TO THIS COMPANY TO PUT IT THERE? SHE SAID, NO, WHAT CAN I DO? I SAID, IT'S YOUR PROPERTY, THROW IT AWAY.
AND SHE DID. SO THAT'S HOW WE GOT ONE ELIMINATED.
SO IT'S JUST A MIXTURE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THANK YOU. AND IS THERE IS OUR IS THIS ADDRESSED AT ALL IN ZONING OR IS IT COMPLETELY MUTE IN LAND USE? WHAT? CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? IS THERE ANYTHING IN FOR RESTRICTIVE LAND USE IN CERTAIN ZONINGS THAT THAT THIS IS ADDRESSED IN? OR CAN THIS JUST BE ANYWHERE? IS YOUR QUESTION ARE THE UNATTENDED DROP BOXES CURRENTLY ADDRESSED IN ANY ZONING REGULATIONS? CORRECT. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY'RE TREATED AS AN ACCESSORY USES ON PROPERTY RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S HOW THEY'RE ADDRESSED IN THE ZONING REGULATIONS.
SO WE HAVE NO REQUIREMENT, THOUGH, FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER ITSELF TO NOTIFY THE CITY THAT THEY'VE GIVEN PERMISSION FOR THESE TO BE ON THEM IF THEY AREN'T THE ACTUAL OWNER.
NOT CURRENTLY. NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
OKAY. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND KIND OF WHAT I HEARD ON WHO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE.
I MEAN, THE BOX OWNER I WOULD LIKE ESPECIALLY WHEN LOOKING AT THE BEST PRACTICES, IT LOOKS LIKE 3 OF THE FIVE CITIES THAT WE'RE COMPARING OURSELVES TO HAVE AN IMPOUNDING MECHANISM IN PLACE.
[00:35:02]
I'D LIKE FOR US TO EXPLORE HOW WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL.I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR A MUCH LARGER PROXIMITY, GEOGRAPHIC PROXIMITY.
I'D BE OKAY WITH GOING UP TO 5000 FT.
AND THAT WOULD GIVE US A CLEAR INDICATION.
I THINK, THAT IF YOU COULD WHEN COMING BACK OR WHEN MEETING WITH COUNCILMEMBERS, MAYBE GIVE US A MENU OF OPTIONS OF WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF IT WAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AND IT WAS AT 1100 FEET VERSUS AT 2500 FEET VERSUS THAT OF 5000.
AND GIVE US AN IDEA OF IF EVERY OPPORTUNITY WITH THOSE PROXIMITIES IN PLACE WERE TO BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, WE WOULD END UP WITH X AMOUNT IN OUR CITY. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HELP CRAFT.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THE NUMBERS ARE ALL 100% ACCURATE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THOSE CAME ABOUT, BUT I SEE ONLY THREE IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
I THINK I HAVE THREE IN JUST ONE INTERSECTION.
SO I'M CURIOUS, HOW DID YOU ALL COME UP WITH THESE NUMBERS? WHEN WE INITIALLY RECEIVED THE REQUEST, WE DEPLOYED OUR OFFICERS OUT TO IDENTIFY AS MANY AS THEY COULD IN PREPARATION OF THE AUGUST 15TH PRESENTATION, AND THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP WITH THREE IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY SEND THEM BACK OUT AND HAVE THEM DO ANOTHER SURVEY.
I THINK I'M JUST CURIOUS ON HOW IT WAS FOUND, BUT I WANTED TO ALSO ASK ABOUT WHAT MR. RIDLEY WAS ASKING ABOUT.
I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCATION HE'S TALKING ABOUT UP ON ABRAMS AND MOCKINGBIRD.
SO THE TRUCK NEVER LEAVES LIKE IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT THE ATTENDANT IS NOT ALWAYS THERE.
HOW WOULD THIS IMPACT THAT MODEL? THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S BASICALLY LOOKS LIKE IT'S A TOOL SHED THAT SITS IN THIS PARKING LOT.
BUT WHEN IT'S MANNED, THE TOOL SHED DOOR IS OPEN.
SOMEBODY'S SITTING OUTSIDE OF IT AND THEY'RE TAKING THE DONATIONS.
BUT WHEN THEY'RE GONE, IT'S JUST A TOOL SHED.
BUT I ALSO AM CURIOUS IF WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING INTO PUTTING IN THE DIMENSION REQUIREMENTS LIKE THE OTHER CITIES AS WELL. IT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION COUNCIL MEMBER.
RIGHT NOW, RELATIVE TO THE STAFFED TRAILER, IT DOESN'T MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS ORDINANCE, AND THIS ORDINANCE DOES NOT ADDRESS MANNED DROP BOXES.
WHAT WE COULD DO IS TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS REGARDING THAT PARTICULAR TRAILER.
CAN YOU TELL ME AGAIN WHERE IT'S LOCATED? THAT ONE'S AT LAKELAND AND FERGUSON AND IT'S DIRECTLY ACROSS LAKELAND FROM THE POST OFFICE IS WHERE YOU'LL SEE IT IN THE CORNER OF THE PARKING LOT.
DO WE KNOW IF ANY OF THE CODE VIOLATIONS OR COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FROM MANNED BOXES? SALESFORCE WE WERE LOOKING UP LITTER.
WE DID LIKE A SEARCH QUERY USING DIFFERENT WORDS TO IDENTIFY THE BOXES.
WE LOOKED UP LITTER, WE LOOKED UP DONATION BOX, WE LOOKED UP UNATTENDED DROP BOX, ANYTHING ELSE? NOT THAT I CAN THINK OF.
AND I DIDN'T READ ANY NOTES IN ANY OF THE COMMENTS RELATED TO THAT TYPE OF VIOLATION.
SO WHEN WE DID OUR QUERY, THAT'S WHAT WE LOOKED FOR.
SO I CAN'T NECESSARILY SPEAK TO IF SOMEONE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED A STAFFED BOX.
WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME UNIFORM EXPECTATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO EVEN THE MANNED ONES.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S NECESSARILY THE SAME PROBLEM WE'RE SOLVING FOR, BUT AFTER THIS DISCUSSION, IT'S MADE ME REALLY THINK WHEN WE'VE GOT THE DIFFERENCE OF A FULL 18 WHEELER TRAILER AS ONE VERSUS A TOOL SHED VERSUS A BOX THAT WE'RE USED TO.
I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING IN REGULATIONS FOR THE DONATION BOXES.
YES. THANK YOU. ROUND TWO. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YOU RAISED AN IDEA IN MY MIND AND THAT PERTAINS TO SLIDE 13, THE SIZE REGULATIONS THAT YOU'RE SEEKING TO
[00:40:09]
IMPOSE ON THE BOXES, WHICH ARE FINE FOR THE UNATTENDED BOXES, BUT WOULD THOSE APPLY TO THE 18 WHEELER TRAILER THAT SALVATION ARMY AND GOODWILL USE? IF THEY DO, IT BASICALLY PUTS THEM OUT OF BUSINESS, I THINK.AND I THINK THEY PROVIDE A VALUABLE SERVICE.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE THE SOURCE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE ATTENDANTS OUT THERE EVERY DAY, EVEN ON THE WEEKENDS, SO THAT IF THERE IS ANY ACCUMULATED TRASH, THEY'LL PICK IT UP WITHIN 24 HOURS.
CAN WE MAKE AN EXCEPTION IN THE SIZE REGULATIONS FOR THIS SITUATION? TO ALLOW THE 18 WHEELERS.
THIS ORDINANCE DOESN'T ADDRESS THE 18 WHEELERS.
IT ONLY ADDRESSES THE SIZE OF THE UNATTENDED DROP BOXES.
THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR US TO PUT IN ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS.
HOWEVER, AS YOU SAID, THOSE DON'T POSE MUCH OF A RISK BECAUSE THEY ARE MANNED AND ONCE THEY'RE UNMANNED, THE FOLKS THAT SHOW BACK UP TO MAN THE BOX GENERALLY TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM.
CLEARLY NOTED. WE'LL TRY TO DO SO.
OKAY. OKAY, I HAVE A QUESTION AN LEGAL IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE BEST TO ANSWER THIS.
I KNOW THAT WE CAN'T BAN THEM FOR CONSTITUTIONALITY.
CAN WE REQUIRE THEM TO BE MANNED? I DO NOT THINK SO, BECAUSE THE THE KIND OF STRUCTURE THAT COURTS USE TO ANALYZE THIS, THEY LOOK AT THE RESTRICTIVENESS OF THE REGULATION AND THEY. COULD YOU GIVE ME A SECOND TO JUST GET MY NOTES? I JUST BROUGHT THE ORDINANCE UP HERE.
ONE SECOND. I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU ANYTHING INCORRECT.
ABSOLUTELY. AND WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT, I'LL JUST ADD THAT I WOULD PERSONALLY BE IN FAVOR OF THAT.
I THINK THAT WHAT DIFFERENTIATES THE TWO TYPES COULD BE A REQUIREMENT.
AND IF WE CAN REQUIRE THERE TO BE AN ON SITE ATTENDANT 24 HOURS, WHY WOULD WE NOT BE ABLE TO REQUIRE THERE TO BE A MANNED POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE BUSINESS MODEL? SO I WILL SAY IN MY RESEARCH ON THIS, FOR THE LEGAL OPINION THAT WE WROTE, I DIDN'T SEE ANY OTHER CITIES THAT HAD ANY OTHER COURTS THAT HAD LOOKED AT WHETHER HAVING A REQUIREMENT TO HAVE THE BOXES BE MANNED.
THAT HASN'T BEEN LOOKED AT BY THE COURTS YET.
AND SO IF THEY'RE CONTENT NEUTRAL, SO AN EXAMPLE OF CONTENT BASED WOULD BE IF YOU WERE JUST BANNING DONATION BOXES OUTRIGHT, THAT'S BANNING THE SOLICITATION OF THE DONATIONS AND THAT'S CONSIDERED CONTENT BASED.
AND THAT'S CONSIDERED STRICT WHAT'S CALLED STRICT SCRUTINY.
AND SO MY CONCERN WITH HAVING A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY BE MANNED IS THAT THAT IS NOT THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE WAY TO GET TO OUR GOAL OF PREVENTING COMMUNITY BLIGHT.
AND AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THAT HAVING THE MANNED REQUIREMENT WOULD COMPLY WITH THAT NARROW TAILORING.
I THINK THAT COURTS MIGHT LOOK AT THAT AS.
WHY DO YOU NOT BELIEVE THAT TO BE IN THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST OR PUBLIC'S BEST INTEREST? I THINK THAT THE COURTS WOULD SAY THAT THEY THERE WOULD BE OPTIONS THAT WOULD BE LESS RESTRICTIVE TO THE DROP BOX OWNERS OR THE DROP BOX OPERATORS, AND THAT THAT WOULD BE A FAIRLY ONEROUS REQUIREMENT.
[00:45:06]
I'M OKAY WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS SETTING PRECEDENT, BUT I'D LIKE FOR US TO EXPLORE THAT.SO I'M CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT TOOLS WE HAVE IN THAT REGARD.
I THINK THAT THAT WOULD ELIMINATE A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH THESE LOCATIONS THAT ARE JUST BEING DROPPED ON PROPERTIES THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER THEMSELVES HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BOX BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO BE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE A CONNECTION OF ADDRESSING THE LITTER AND THE ISSUES THAT COME WITH THEM.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO COME BACK TO COMMITTEE, BUT I'D LIKE FOR THE COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN WITH SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GIVEN YOU ALL AND THE RESPONSES FROM THAT BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION TO TAKE TO A VOTE, UNLESS I HEAR ANY OBJECTION TO THAT PLAN.
OKAY. FAST IS WHAT I WAS JUST TOLD.
MR. CHAIR. AND THEN MR. NARVAEZ.
THANK YOU FOR SAYING ABOUT BRINGING IT BACK FAST.
BUT CAN WE DEFINE FAST? CAN STAFF TELL US WHAT FAST IS TO THEM? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUILDING FOR SIX YEARS NOW, AND EVERYBODY'S DEFINITION OF FAST IS VERY DIFFERENT.
SO SPEAKING ON SOMETHING THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE LIKE ON YEAR FIVE NOW ON THAT.
SO IF WE CAN DO THAT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO WAIT FIVE YEARS ON UNATTENDED BOXES.
NO, I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT'S IT.
I THINK THAT IT'S MORE ABOUT JUST GETTING WE'VE ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS TODAY.
AND SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE REQUIRED.
I THINK JUST WITH THE TIMING ITSELF, I'LL GIVE YOU MY EXPECTATION.
THAT'S TO BE WHENEVER WE BASICALLY ARE RECONVENING BACK WITH OUR COMMITTEES.
SO THROUGH THE SUMMER BASICALLY WORK, I DON'T KNOW WHEN WE'RE GOING TO BE MEETING NEXT IN THE COMMITTEE AND IF Y'ALL'S PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO COME BACK HERE, I THINK THAT WE COULD SKIP COMING BACK TO COMMITTEE IS WHAT I WAS MENTIONING, THOUGH.
IS THAT IT. MR. NARVAEZ. THANK YOU.
AND THAT WILL CLOSE OUT OUR BRIEFING FOR ITEM A AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM B.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ITEM B AND C ARE BOTH EXCITING.
SORRY, GUYS, BUT VERY EXCITING.
[LAUGHTER] BUT I'M EXCITED TO BRING BACK.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE BOND PROPOSITIONS.
ONE REQUEST THAT WE HAD FROM THIS COMMITTEE WAS TO SEE THE PROPOSALS BROKEN DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE GRANULAR INSTEAD OF JUST CITY FACILITIES BLANKETED EVERYTHING TO HAVE ONE THAT IS SPECIFIC TO ARTS AND CULTURE.
AND THEN ALSO SEE THE SAME FOR LIBRARIES.
THAT WILL ALL BE INCLUDED INTO THE PROPOSITION OF CITY FACILITIES.
SO EXCITED TODAY TO HEAR FROM DIRECTOR PHILIPPE AND BENJAMIN ESPINO.
IF YOU ALL ARE READY, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
I'M MARTINE PHILIPPE, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ART AND CULTURE.
GOOD MORNING. I'M BENJAMIN ESPINO, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
OKAY, MR. CHAIRMAN AND HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, WE'RE HERE TO BRIEF YOU ON OUR CULTURAL FACILITIES 2024 PROGRAM BONDS NEEDS INVENTORY.
YOU SEE THE PRESENTATION OVERVIEW.
I JUST WANT TO SHARE BRIEFLY THAT THE PURPOSE OF OUR BRIEFING IS TO SHARE, OF COURSE, ABOUT OAC'S CULTURAL FACILITIES AND THE NEED FOR REALLY BOLD INVESTMENT IN THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM.
WE'RE USING THIS LENS OF EQUITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AS IT RELATES TO OUR FACILITY NEEDS, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT THESE PRIORITIES ARE REALLY MEANINGFUL.
A BIT OF BACKGROUND ON OUR OFFICE.
OUR VISION IS AN EQUITABLE AND DIVERSE AND CONNECTED COMMUNITY WHOSE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS THRIVE THROUGH A MEANINGFUL ARTS AND CULTURE EXPERIENCE, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THOSE TYPES OF EXPERIENCES ALL ACROSS DALLAS IN EACH AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD.
[00:50:04]
OUR CORE SERVICES INCLUDE STEWARDSHIP OF 19 CULTURAL FACILITIES, INCLUDING OUR FOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CULTURAL CENTERS, TWO PERFORMING ARTS VENUES, 12 PARTNER MANAGED VENUES.AND WHAT WE ARE ALWAYS EXCITED TO SHARE IS OUR NEWEST MEMBER TO OUR FACILITY GANG, THE JUANITA J.
CRAFT CIVIL RIGHTS HOUSE, WHICH OPENED LAST MONTH.
NEXT SLIDE. THE OFFICE AND OUR PARTNERS WELCOME OVER A MILLION DALLAS RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO OUR CITY OWNED CULTURAL FACILITIES EACH YEAR, AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF OUR SECTOR IS IN EXCESS OF $890 MILLION DOLLARS AND WE GENERATE OVER 30,000 JOBS.
NEXT SLIDE. A BIT OF BACKGROUND AS IT RELATES TO WHAT BENJAMIN WILL SHARE ABOUT OUR NEEDS INVENTORY.
OUR CULTURAL PLAN ANCHORS AROUND AN EQUITY FRAMEWORK AND COMPLEMENTS THE CITY'S RACIAL EQUITY PLAN.
AND WE WANT TO NOTE THAT OUR OFFICES FUNDING PROGRAMS AND OUR FACILITIES HAVE HISTORICALLY IN THE . EXCUSE ME. HISTORICALLY, THERE ARE DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE NOT BEEN IN RECEIPT OF FUNDING PROGRAMS. AND OUR OFFICE AND WE'VE PRIORITIZED THE FUNDING OF PROGRAMS LED BY ALAANA ARTISTS.
PROGRAMING THAT TAKES PLACE IN HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.
AND YOU'LL NOTE THAT IN PAST FISCAL YEARS, NAMELY FISCAL YEAR 21-22, OACS FUNDING PROGRAMS INVEST IN EXCESS OF $4 MILLION DOLLARS TO BOTH.
NOW, WITH REGARD TO INVESTING THROUGH THE LENS OF EQUITY, WE HAVE OVER 1.4 MILLION INDIVIDUALS WHO VISIT OUR CITY CULTURAL FACILITIES ANNUALLY. AND THOSE VISITORS INCLUDE OVER 100,000 YOUTH WITH FAMILIES FROM OVER 300 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE CITY.
OUR CULTURAL CENTERS PROVIDE SPACE FOR COMMUNITY, FOR LEARNING AND ENJOYMENT OF DIVERSE LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS AND MANY FACILITIES ARE HOME TO SMALL AND MID-SIZED DALLAS NONPROFITS, ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WHO NEED ACCESS TO REHEARSAL SPACE OR PERFORMANCE SPACE.
I WANT TO STRESS HERE THAT OUR PARTNERS LEAN ON US FOR THEIR ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, AND WE LEAN ON THE AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS ORGANIZATION TO HELP US SURVEY OUR COMMUNITY, TO ASSESS THEIR NEEDS.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE ENDURING THE ARTS AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY SIX.
AND BY THE END OF JUNE WE WILL HAVE COMPLETED THE SURVEY WINDOW.
SO FAR WE HAVE ABOUT 2700 ARTS PARTNERS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THAT SURVEY.
AND ONCE WE RECEIVE SURVEY RESULTS, WHICH WILL BE RELEASED IN OCTOBER, WE WILL HAVE SOME CLEARER ACCESS TO WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE AND HOW THEY'VE BEEN IMPACTED IN AND AROUND THE CITY.
AND WE USE THAT SURVEY DATA TO SPEAK TO HOW WE PLAN AROUND SPACE USE, HOW WE PLAN AROUND THE GUIDELINES THAT WE DEVELOP AND GET APPROVED BEFORE YOU AS IT RELATES TO OUR FUNDING PROGRAMS AND ON AND ON.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO ADDRESS AND TO LOOK AT AND COMPARE AT PAST BOND ALLOCATIONS.
ONE IN A BAR GRAPH AND THE OTHER ONE IS A CHART.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY POINTING OUT THAT ONE OF THE STRATEGIES OF THE CULTURAL PLAN FROM THE PRIORITY OF SUSTAINABLE ARTS ECOSYSTEM STATED THAT THE CITY WILL SUSTAINABLY FUND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE FOR CITY OWNED CULTURAL FACILITIES.
THAT BEING TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION OUR ANNUAL CULTURAL FACILITY MAINTENANCE ALLOCATION IN FY 22-23 IS APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION DOLLARS FOR MAINTENANCE.
FOR OUR 19 CULTURAL FACILITIES THE APPRAISAL VALUE IS $535 MILLION DOLLARS.
SO JUST SOME NUMBERS IN CONTEXT THERE.
AND LASTLY, RECENT BOND, THE LAST FIVE BOND PROGRAMS OF WHICH WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY FUNDING IN 2012 WAS OUR TOTAL WAS $114 MILLION DOLLARS OR APPROXIMATELY 2%.
[00:55:05]
IF YOU'LL TURN TO SLIDE NINE, THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT.IN THE 2006 BOND, IT INCLUDED $20 MILLION DOLLARS OF CONSTRUCTION THAT WAS FUNDING FOR THE ARTS DISTRICT AND ALSO FOR THE PROGRAM AND OUR ARCHITECT OF RECORD FOR THE MOODY PERFORMANCE HALL.
AND THEN IN 2006, 45 MILLION WAS ALSO FOR CONSTRUCTION, OF WHICH 40.2 MILLION WAS FOR THE MOODY PERFORMANCE HALL AND WE'LL GO TO SLIDE 10.
AND SO HERE WE HAVE OUR PRELIMINARY NEEDS INVENTORY.
ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT THESE FIGURES ARE CURRENT FIGURES THAT FOR OUR OAC CULTURAL FACILITIES, WE WORKED WITH BUILDING SERVICES TO DEVELOP THESE ESTIMATES AND OUR PARTNER MANAGED FACILITIES WORKED WITH INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS OR IF YOU WILL, OR CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES OR COST ESTIMATORS TO COME UP WITH THESE FIGURES.
I HAVE TO STRESS THAT PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE FIGURES REFLECT PRESENT DAY COSTS, AND OUR FRIENDS AT THE OFFICE OF BOND MANAGEMENT AND CONSTRUCTION WILL ADJUST THESE FIGURES ONCE PROJECTS AND ALLOCATION AMOUNTS ARE DETERMINED.
AND SO THAT TOTAL IS $49.2 MILLION DOLLARS.
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL NEEDS IN THAT OAC AND THE NEEDS INVENTORY.
ONE OF THEM BEING THE CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
CULTURAL DISTRICTS SUCH AS THE ARTS DISTRICT, THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK DISTRICT AND THE DEEP ELLUM DISTRICT HAVE REQUESTS RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION TO MAINTAIN VIBRANCY AND TO IMPROVE SAFETY FOR ALL RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
AND THERE'S A PROCESS, IT'S A LENGTHY PROCESS THROUGH THE STATE TO ESTABLISH A CULTURAL DISTRICT.
BUT IN TURN IT IS ACTUALLY WONDERFUL TO HAVE A CULTURAL DISTRICT BECAUSE THESE DISTRICTS POOL CULTURAL RESOURCES TO FOSTER ECONOMIC GROWTH AND COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION AS FOCAL POINTS FOR NEW FOR BUSINESS AND TOURISM.
AND SO AS WE TALK ABOUT TOURISM, CULTURAL TOURISM COMES INTO PLAY THERE.
WE ALSO HAVE NEW CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS LIKE THE COMMONWEALTH PROJECT THAT IS BEING THAT IS IN THE EARLY PLANNING STAGES BY THE SAMMON CENTER FOR THE ARTS, COMMONLY KNOWN AS SAMMONS TWO.
AND THEY'RE ALSO REQUESTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE THE MOST OF CITY OWNED LAND AND PRIVATE INVESTMENTS AND TH ESE REQUESTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION FOR THE NEEDS INVENTORY.
SO WHEN TALKING ABOUT TECHNICAL SCORE CRITERIA GUIDELINES, THE OFFICE OF BOND AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT ENSURES THAT EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS SCORING CRITERIA THAT WILL EQUAL 100 POINTS.
EACH DEPARTMENT'S BOND PROPOSITIONS ARE TO BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN GOALS.
AND THEN BACK ON MARCH 17TH, WHEN COUNCIL WAS BRIEFING WAS BEING BRIEFED ON THE LATEST ON THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM, WE USE AN OVERLAPPING DEPARTMENT.
IF THERE ARE OVERLAPPING DEPARTMENT PROJECTS, THEY ARE IDENTIFIED BY THE DATA ANALYTICS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE OFFICE USING A GIS MAPPING OVERLAY TOOL.
SO AND IT WILL GO TO SLIDE 13.
THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURES.
THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE NEEDS INVENTORY FALLS UNDER THE PROPOSED TECHNICAL CRITERIA FOR CRITICAL FACILITIES THAT AGAIN WILL BE BROUGHT TO CITY COUNCIL ON JUNE 21ST FOR APPROVAL. AND SO WE FALL UNDER THE MAJOR MAINTENANCE CATEGORY.
THERE ARE FIVE CATEGORIES RIGHT NOW, OBVIOUSLY PRIORITY LEVEL BASED ON BUILDING CONDITION, AND THE SECOND ONE IS IMPROVING OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE DESIGN PLAN STATUS IDENTIFIED ON THE 2017 FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT AND IMPROVES FACILITIES, RESILIENCE, SAFETY AND OUR CCAP GOALS.
AND I CAN'T STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF CCAP AS WE LOOK AT CLIMATE CHANGE AND IN ORDER TO MAKE OUR BUILDINGS MORE SUSTAINABLE AND ENERGY EFFICIENT, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THIS IS PART OF THE TECHNICAL CRITERIA.
AND THEN THE SIXTH COMPONENT IS THE EQUITY AND OVERLAY TOOL WITH 20 POINTS.
[01:00:01]
AS I DESCRIBED EARLIER, AND AS YOU ALL MAY RECALL FROM THE MARCH 17TH BOND BRIEFING, THE EQUITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT SCORE IS UP TO TEN POINTS. AND THAT IS BASED ON CITY CENSUS TRACKS THAT ARE RANKED FROM 1 TO 5 TO DETERMINE THE SCORE.AND THAT SCORE MULTIPLIES RANKING BY TWO POINTS USED.
AND FOR US, EQUITY BEING VERY IMPORTANT.
AND AS WE TALK ABOUT THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN AND THE DALLAS CULTURAL PLAN AND HOW THEY ANCHOR HOW WE LOOK AT THE BOND PROGRAM FOR OAC, WE HAVE DEVELOPED THESE TWO PROPOSED CRITERIA'S THAT WE BRING TO THE COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION.
FIRST, THE SECOND ONE IS HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES OR ALAANA CULTURAL FACILITIES, WHICH WOULD BE A SCORE A MAX SCORE OF UP TO FIVE POINTS.
AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, ACCESSIBILITY WITH FIVE POINTS.
THIS PROJECT BY PROJECTS, I MEAN THE CULTURAL FACILITY PROACTIVELY REMOVES PHYSICAL BARRIERS, WHETHER THEY'RE ONLINE INTERNET BARRIERS.
WE KNOW THAT WE STILL HAVE MANY RESIDENTS THAT DON'T HAVE READILY ACCESS TO THE INTERNET, FINANCIAL BARRIERS CONCERNING THE COST OF A TICKET TO ONE OF OUR CULTURAL FACILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO OUR CULTURAL FACILITIES. AND SO AGAIN, THE TOTAL EQUITY SCORE WOULD BE 20 POINTS.
AND I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH THAT MARTINE AND I SPENT A LOT OF QUALITY TIME WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION TO COME UP WITH THESE TWO EQUITY CRITERIA TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE REACHING AS MANY RESIDENTS AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THERE ARE 18, 2024 TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
THEY BEGAN LAST MONDAY AND THEY RUN THROUGH THE 29TH.
AND THEN MARTINE AND I WILL BE MAKING OUR PRESENTATION ON OAC'S NEEDS INVENTORY TO THE CRITICAL FACILITIES SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNITY BOND TASK FORCE ON AUGUST 15TH OF 2023.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS.
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT DO THE WORK.
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ENSURE THAT ARTS ARE QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE JOANNA SANANGELO AND CHARLES SANTOS AND MICHELLE AND WARREN TRANQUADA FROM THE AT&T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. AND WE WILL TAKE QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, MR. RIDLEY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FIRST, I WANT TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS HERE.
WHAT THIS PRESENTATION IS ABOUT IS SUPPORTING YOU IN YOUR EFFORTS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY WITH YOUR WONDERFUL ARTS AND CULTURAL PERFORMANCES AND EFFORTS TO INCLUDE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN WHAT YOU DO.
AND I APPLAUD THAT EFFORT, AND I WANT TO SUPPORT YOU FINANCIALLY.
AND SO I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE REQUEST OF THE OAC FOR BOND FUNDING.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON SLIDE 12, BENJAMIN, YOU MENTIONED OVERLAPPING DEPARTMENT PROJECTS ARE IDENTIFIED.
CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF AN OVERLAPPING DEPARTMENT PROJECT THAT WOULD INCLUDE OAC? SO THAT'S ACTUALLY A GREAT QUESTION.
SO I AT FIRST WHEN WE FIRST WERE LOOKING AT THIS, I THOUGHT, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE OVERLAPPING PROJECTS SINCE WE'RE JUST DOING MAJOR MAINTENANCE TO OUR FACILITIES BUT OUR INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF BOND AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND I BELIEVE JENNY'S HERE AND SHE CAN HELP ME WITH THIS.
SHE SAID, IF ONE OF YOUR PROJECTS IS WITHIN SIX FEET OF ANOTHER PROJECT, THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED PART OF THE OVERLAPPING EQUITY.
IT'S IN APPENDIX A AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JENNY.
SO THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED AN OVERLAPPING PROJECT.
[01:05:01]
SINCE IT'S WITHIN SIX.IS IT SIX FEET, JENNY? AM I CORRECT? YES, I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.
SO EXACTLY WHAT BENJAMIN WAS SAYING AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS, BUT THIS IS THE GIS OVERLAY TOOL WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT PROJECTS THAT ARE ON THE NEEDS INVENTORY AND HOW CLOSE THEY ARE TO TO EACH OTHER SO THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE ANY SYNERGIES IN COMBINING THOSE PROJECTS.
SO WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF IDENTIFICATION OF OVERLAPPING DEPARTMENT PROJECTS? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE ALLOCATION OF BOND FUNDING FOR EACH PROJECT? SO THAT'S REALLY GEARED MORE TOWARDS THE TECHNICAL CRITERIA AND SCORING ALLOCATIONS OF THOSE DOLLARS ARE KIND OF OUTSIDE THAT AT THIS POINT AT ANY RATE.
SO IT'S JUST IDENTIFYING HOW TO PRIORITIZE THOSE PROJECTS WITHIN THE NEEDS INVENTORY.
AND SO THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, RAISE THEM A LITTLE BIT ON THE NEEDS INVENTORY SCORING.
OKAY. WHERE WOULD THAT FALL UNDER THE CRITERIA? THAT'S IN THE PROJECT OVERLAY AND THE OVERLAY CRITERIA? I'M SORRY.
EQUITY AND OVERLAY CRITERIA EQUITY AND OVERLAY TOOL.
OKAY. SO THAT WOULD BE IN THAT 20 POINTS.
ALSO ON THAT SLIDE 13, ITEM THREE DESIGN PLANS STATUS.
WHAT IS MEANT BY THAT? THAT REALLY IS IF WE HAVE PLANS ON THE SHELF THAT ARE READY TO GO, THEN THAT PROJECT WILL GET ADDITIONAL POINTS.
OKAY. SO THERE'S A PREFERENCE FOR SHOVEL READY PROJECTS.
I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU.
MR. NARVAEZ. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'M FIRST.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND MR. CHAIR, I WANT TO SAY IS WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT THESE FACILITIES, THESE PARTNERS, RECEIVE A GOOD PORTION OF THE BOND.
I'M THINKING WE NEED TO, INSTEAD OF FOCUS ON PROJECTS, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON DOLLARS.
AND I'M GOING TO SUGGEST AND RECOMMEND THAT 6% OF THE ENTIRE BOND GO TO ARTS AND CULTURE.
AND WE KNOW WE TOLD YOU THAT IN THE LAST BOND, BUT WE GOT YOU ON THE BOND AFTER THAT.
AND HERE WE ARE, THE BOND AFTER THAT.
AND IT'S LIKE THE EXACT SAME THING AGAIN.
AND SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO PUSH YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO PUSH YOU TO THE NEXT BOND.
WHO KNOWS WHEN THE NEXT BOND IS.
WE'RE TALKING 2024 NOW, AND THAT WAS TWO BONDS AGO.
AND EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE DID A LOT IN ORDER TO GET A BRAND NEW CONVENTION CENTER.
AND WE HAVE TO TEAR IT ALL DOWN AND BUILD NEW ONES.
SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS WE CANNOT TEAR DOWN, THEY'RE HISTORIC IN NATURE.
I CAN'T IMAGINE OK COMING IN HERE AND TELLING US, GUYS, Y'ALL LET THE MAJESTIC GO TOO LONG.
WE GOT TO TEAR THE MAJESTIC DOWN, GUYS.
YOU KNOW, WE LET THE MEYERSON, WHICH IS A LOT OF HISTORY IN THIS CITY, GO TOO FAR.
NOW, OF COURSE, WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP AN A CONTRACT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT THERE, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO CATCH UP ON THE THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T DO BEFORE AND NOT EXPECT THE MEYERSON AND THE SYMPHONY TO DO ALL THAT FUND RAISING FOR IT.
THEY WANT TO FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR DOLLARS WORKING ON SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
SO PUTTING SOME I ALWAYS LIKE THIS, THIS PHRASE, I THINK MS. BLACKMON BROUGHT IT TO US, BUT IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
BUT SHE SAYS IT OFTEN THAT WE NEED TO PUT OUR SKIN IN THE GAME AND IT'S IMPORTANT.
SHE'S LOOKING AT ME LIKE, WHAT DID I SAY?
[01:10:03]
[LAUGHTER] BUT PUTTING THAT SKIN IN THE GAME SHOWS TO NOT JUST OUR PARTNERS, BUT IT SHOWS TO THOSE DONORS AND IT ALSO SHOWS TO OUR COMMUNITY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE THAT WE REALLY DO CARE ABOUT ARTS AND CULTURE.AND I KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL DOES, MR. CHAIR, BECAUSE WE HAVE DONE SO MANY POSITIVE THINGS FOR ARTS AND CULTURE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF LIKE INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE OF THE DOLLARS FUNDED THROUGH HOT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WHERE IN THE PAST WE WERE GETTING, I THINK, A PALTRY 3%.
BUT THIS IS THE BOND AND THIS IS WHAT I CALL, YOU KNOW, IT'S A ONCE AND A CHANCE EVERY SEVEN YEARS TO PULL OUT THE CITY CREDIT CARD AND SAY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON.
AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ARTS AND CULTURE ISN'T LEFT BEHIND.
BECAUSE IF WE HAVEN'T BEEN PROVEN YET, IF WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING YET, THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, THAT TAUGHT US A LOT HOW TO HAVE A MEETING VIRTUALLY WAS BECAUSE OF THEM, BECAUSE THE ARTISTS ARE SO ADVANCED AS FAR AS THE WAY THEIR BRAINS THINK, THAT THEY LEARNED HOW TO DO THINGS VIRTUALLY, THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN WE WERE ABLE TO GO, YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT'S WHEN WE HAD OUR BRADY BUNCH VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
AND I KNOW YOU WERE THERE FOR THAT FIRST ONE.
AND I MEAN, THEY WERE ROUGH AT FIRST FOR US.
AND BUT WE'VE GOTTEN WAY BETTER AT IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT FROM THEM.
THAT'S WHAT THEY RAN TO BECAUSE IT'S WHAT WAS AVAILABLE AND IT SHOWED IMPROVED.
WE WERE ABLE TO BRING JAZZ IN THE PARK TO LEDBETTER AND FAR, FAR WEST DALLAS AND FOLKS AT FIRST WERE LIKE, YOU'RE BRINGING JAZZ IN THE PARK TO A PREDOMINANTLY LATINO COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW? AND I WAS LIKE, YEAH, WHY NOT? LET'S TAKE IT TO PEOPLE WHO WE DON'T TYPICALLY THINK WILL SHOW UP.
LET ME TELL YOU, THAT THING HAS GOTTEN BIGGER AND BIGGER EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY SEES IT, SOMETHING GOING ON, WHAT IS IT? AND A WHOLE GROUP OF NEW PEOPLE WERE INTRODUCED TO JAZZ OR, YOU KNOW, OR LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, I NEVER THOUGHT I LIKED JAZZ, BUT I WENT TO ONE FREE EVENT AND I WAS LIKE, NOW I'M HOOKED.
AND SO THIS IS WHY ARTS AND CULTURE IS SO IMPORTANT.
IT'S ABOUT HOW DO WE IMPROVE THIS AND MAKE THIS BETTER ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY.
SO I'M ASKING US FOR A MINIMUM OF 6%.
WE'VE GOT TO STAY AT THAT FOCUS.
AND THEN WHEN WE KNOW WHAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE, THAT'LL REALLY HELP US FIGURE OUT.
BECAUSE WHAT I'VE LEARNED IN THIS PROCESS AND I'M SURE Y'ALL HAVE SEEN IT BEFORE AND NOW THIS TIME AROUND IS WE LIKE TO USE THAT MOVIE REFERENCE, THE HUNGER GAMES, OH ARTS AND CULTURE, RIGHT.
THE FEW WE HAVE IN THIS CITY THAT IT'S A MAJOR HUNGER GAMES PROCESS AND IT'S THE BIG DOGS VERSUS THE BABY DOGS TRYING TO GET MORE DOLLARS.
IT SHOULD BE THAT WE KNOW ARTS AND CULTURE IS GOING TO GET THIS CERTAIN AMOUNT.
WE CANNOT ROLL BACK ON ARTS AND CULTURE.
SO THE FIRST PLACE, EVERY ENTITY, WHETHER IT'S SCHOOL DISTRICTS, IT'S OUR OUR CITIES, THE STATE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHEN MONEY STARTS LOOKING TIGHT, THE FIRST PLACE THEY RUN TO GO CUT IS ARTS AND CULTURE.
ARTS AND CULTURE. ARTS AND CULTURE.
IT'S INTEGRAL FOR US ADVANCING OUR SOCIETY.
SO, MR. CHAIR, I WANT TO FOCUS ON DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, AND THIS IS A TIME WHEN WE JUST CAN'T DO THE BIG SHINY NEW PROJECTS, UNFORTUNATELY.
BUT LET'S LET THE DONORS FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT BECAUSE DONORS WON'T MIND DOING THE BIG SHINY NEW PROJECTS IF THEY KNOW THAT THAT BUILDING IS NOT FALLING APART IN, YOU KNOW, TEN YEARS, THAT WHAT THEY'RE INVESTING IN IS GOING TO BE GONE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF THOSE BASICS.
SO IF WE CAN DO THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. NARVAEZ. MR. WEST IS NEXT.
[01:15:10]
I REMEMBER I WAS SERVED ON THE LAST BOND TASK FORCE IN 2017, AND I SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER THE ARTS COMMUNITY BEING TOLD THAT THIS ISN'T YOUR BOND.AND SO THAT I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT TO STAFF THAT WE DO EXPECT TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT ALLOCATION FOR CULTURAL FACILITIES AND LIBRARIES IN THE NEXT IN THIS BOND.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M READY TO COMMIT TO A PERCENTAGE.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE ADVOCATES FOR BEING HERE TOO.
I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING.
I'VE SHOWN OVER YOU KNOW, ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS I'VE SHOWN TO THE ARTS COMMUNITY.
I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE AND SUPPORTER FOR ALL MY EIGHT YEARS HERE.
SO. BUT WHAT CAUSED ME TO SAY SOMETHING IS COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ HE HIS POINTS THAT HE MADE IN ABOUT BRINGING, YOU KNOW, THE JAZZ TO PREDOMINANTLY LATINO COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO HOST A NUMBER OF EVENTS DOWN AT DALLAS EXECUTIVE AIRPORT.
I THANK COLLEAGUES FOR COMING TO THAT EVENT, BUT AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE DID THAT IS BECAUSE DOWN IN THAT PART OF OAK CLIFF, WE DON'T WE DON'T HAVE A LOT. MY APPOINTEE WHO'S NOW THE CHAIR, ELLA GOODE JOHNSON, HAS REALLY EVEN PUSHED ME BEYOND THE THINGS THAT I EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT JUST BACK WHEN WE FIRST DID THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS DEPARTMENT AND HOW AT THAT POINT IN TIME, BEFORE THE CITY EVEN BEGAN HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT A RACIAL EQUITY PLAN, EQUITY WAS AT THE CENTER OF THAT PLAN.
I'VE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THAT PLAN AND HOW IMPORTANT EQUITY FROM THE STANDPOINT OF COMMUNITIES THAT HADN'T HAD CULTURAL EVENTS IN THAT PART OF TOWN, HOW MUCH HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO BRING THOSE TO THE COMMUNITY.
I REMEMBER WE HAD THE FIRST SESSION BREAKOUT SESSION ABOUT THE PLAN.
WE HAD SOME AFRICAN DRUMMERS THAT OPENED UP AND I MEAN, AND IT WAS REALLY, REALLY GREAT.
AND IT WAS SENDING A STRONG MESSAGE THAT CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND ARTS ARE IMPORTANT TO SOUTHERN DALLAS IS IMPORTANT TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
AND SO I WON'T BE HERE TO MAKE THE VOTE.
BUT I AM VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF MAKING SURE THAT THE ARTS COMMUNITY GETS WHAT THEY DESERVE.
SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MAYOR PRO TEM.
AND I WANT TO THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR CONTINUING TO TRY TO REACH OUT TO US.
AND I WASN'T HERE DURING THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE CULTURAL ARTS PLAN.
BUT BY 2018, I THINK WHEN THEY BEGIN TO HAVE THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS EARLY ON, WE DID NOT HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE IN THIS PLACE, IN THIS SEAT.
AND SO I CAME DOWN TO VOICE OPPOSITION TO THE PLAN BECAUSE THERE WAS NO AGGRESSIVE PLAN IN PLACE TO REACH THOSE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT 4 ABSENT OF A COUNCILMEMBER.
AND SO I CONTINUED TO PUSH AND SUPPORT YOUR TRYING TO GET WHAT I CALL ARTISTIC REPARATIONS BECAUSE WE TOOK US ALMOST, WHAT, 5 OR 6 YEARS AFTER I THINK PROBABLY IT'S LONGER.
I THINK IT'S LONGER THAN THAT.
MR. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS AND I FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO GET ARTHELLO BECK'S PROJECT IN TWIN FALLS AND COVID KIND OF HIT PART OF THAT, BUT WE JUST HAD A LOT OF I GUESS WHAT YOU SEE IS WHEN A COUNCILMEMBER LEAVES, IT'S LIKE SHE'S GONE.
AND SO I WANT US TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE.
I WANT US TO BE MORE CREATIVE, AND I'M GOING TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT.
[01:20:04]
AND ALSO JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I CONTINUE TO SUPPORT MY ARTS COMMISSIONER, JESSE HORNBUCKLE.AS COUNCILMAN AS DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM TALKED ABOUT BEING CREATIVE.
ALL I HAVE TO DO IS PICK UP THE PHONE AND SAY, MR. HORNBUCKLE, WE NEED WE'RE GOING TO DO WE WANT TO DO A JAZZ, WE WANT TO DO A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT WE WANT.
AND SO NOW, BECAUSE OF HIS COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS AND THIS IS NOT EVEN THAT EXPENSIVE, WE JUST HAD AND FORGIVE ME, THE GUYS WHO'S HELPING US STEP UP TO THE PLATE, BUT WE HAD ART PUT ON THE TRASH BINS AT ELOISE LUNDY AND THAT WAS PRESENTED ON SATURDAY.
IT JUST BRINGS ABOUT A WHOLE NEW FEELING WHEN YOU DRIVE DOWN DENLEY AND YOU LOOK AT THOSE BRIGHT COLORS AND THAT ART, AND THAT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH, BUT IT DOES, IT'S INVIGORATING FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE MIND.
I'VE BEEN TALKING TO MR. [INAUDIBLE] HE HAS A RECYCLING FACILITY AND HE'S BEEN TRYING TO HELP ME TO GET SOME MONEY BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH WE CAN DO WITH RECYCLING MATERIALS IN TERMS OF ART THAT WILL SPEAK TO ENLIGHTENMENT FOR OUR YOUTH.
AND SO AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE ALSO THIS IS MR. HORNBUCKLE AGAIN. I KNOW I'VE BEEN PUSHING TO GET A CENTER.
AND I'VE SHARED WITH THEM ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO COME OUT OF THAT IS SO MANY WAYS WE CAN EXPOSE OUR CHILDREN, BUT OUR CHILDREN NEED TO GET INVOLVED IN PROGRAMS THAT WILL HELP THEM WITH ALL CHILDREN DO; ARTS FROM THE SCHOOL TO HOME, BUT LEARNING HOW TO SPEAK, LEARNING HOW AND I LOVE THE MUSICALS. AT WOODROW WE USED TO HAVE MUSICALS, BUT SO MANY OF OUR CHILDREN ARE BLACK AND BROWN CHILDREN WERE NOT INVOLVED IN THE MUSICALS BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THOSE PRESTIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS WHERE THEY WERE NOT REALLY ALLOWED TO BE A PART OF IT UNTIL WE START PUSHING FOR EQUITY.
AND THAT WAS LONG BEFORE I GOT HERE.
SO WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO GET AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND OF COURSE WE DO HAVE A BUDGET AND WE'LL SPEAK TO THAT.
BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE UNDERSERVED, OVERLOOKED COMMUNITIES ARE PUT IN TOUCH WITH PARTNERS WHO REALLY WANT TO INVEST IN THE YOUTH.
AND I AM FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS, WHERE WE HAD ATTENDED BLACKSHEAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE HAD TEACHERS AND I HAD A TEACHER WHO MADE SURE WE WERE EXPOSED TO THE ARTS.
SOME OF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT MARY POPPINS AND SUPERCALIFRAGILISTIC EXPIALIDOCIOUS, BUT I HAD A TEACHER WHO MADE SURE WE SAW THAT MOVIE. AND SO THERE'S A WAY TO FOR US TO CONNECT WITH.
SO THE COST IS NOT SO ASTRONOMICAL, BUT WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE THE HEART AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TIED IN WITH EQUITY AND BEING SINCERE ABOUT THAT AND NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT IT.
SO I'M GOING TO KEEP PUSHING FOR THOSE ARTISTIC REPARATIONS THAT WE ARE DUE IN THAT COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE REPRESENTATION. AND SO, CHAIR, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS PARTICULAR BRIEFING AND DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE A COST WE NEED TO PUT THERE, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THAT ARE GETTING THE ABUNDANCE OF THE INVESTMENT DON'T CONTINUE TO GET IT AT THE EXPENSE OF THOSE WHO REALLY NEED IT.
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH YOU.
AND JENNIFER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
BUT WE WE WANT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE AN AGGRESSIVE STAND ON HOW WE CAN BE CREATIVE, NOT CHEAP.
AND I'M GOING A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN I WANT TO, BUT I KNOW THAT WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, AS I TALKED ABOUT DOWN IN THE BOTTOMS WITH THE TRASH CANS BEING JUST PAINTED, IT'S JUST A MENTAL UPLIFT.
WHEN YOU DRIVE IN AND YOU SEE THESE BRIGHT COLORS AND YOU SAY, WELL, MY GOD, THAT'S A TRASH CAN.
BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES.
AND HOW YOU CAN TAP INTO TEACHING AND EDUCATING AND JUST HELPING FOLKS ON DAY TO DAY.
[01:25:01]
BUT REMEMBER, ARTISTIC REPARATIONS IN THOSE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THAT NEED IT THE MOST.THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT WE STILL HAVE TWO BRIEFINGS AFTER THIS.
PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS CONCISE AND TO THE TOPIC.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO MS. BLACKMON. THANK YOU.
OKAY. TO BE CONCISE INTO THE CAN WE LOOK AT PREVIOUS BOND ALLOCATIONS? TELL ME WHEN WE MADE THAT FOCUSED AREA, OUR FOCUSED DECISION THAT WE WERE GOING TO BUILD OUT OUR ARTS DISTRICT WAS THAT UNDER THE 2003? YES, IT WAS 2003.
THE SASAKI PLAN, WHICH WAS THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE ARTS DISTRICT, WAS FROM 1983.
CORRECT. SO THE THE DMA BEGINS THAT IN 1984.
AND I THINK IT'S THE LATE 90S WHEN THEY STARTED PRIVATE FUNDRAISING.
BUT APPROACHING THE CITY FOR BOND FUNDING.
SO I KIND OF I'M LEANING WITH WHAT MR. NARVAEZ IS SAYING, AT LEAST A MINIMUM OF 6%.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. I THINK LAST 2017, IT WAS CONSIDERED A PARKS BOND.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE A LIBRARIES, ARTS AND CULTURE.
I MEAN, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO INVEST IN ITEMS THAT NOT ONLY GIVE US AN ROI BUT MAKES US THAT WORLD CLASS CITY.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT LONDON, YOU LOOK AT NEW YORK, EVEN CHICAGO, IT'S BASED ON ARTS AND CULTURE.
I'VE GOT ONE IN MY DISTRICT IF Y'ALL DIDN'T KNOW AND BUT THE.
A BEAUTIFUL ONE TOO. AND A CULTURAL IN THE PARK.
AND SO SO I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED IT.
WE NEED IF YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT, I MEAN IN 12 THERE WAS ZERO.
SO I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT, IT'S TIME.
I MEAN, I'M NOT JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE, BUT IT'S TIME.
AND LET'S NOT FACTOR LET'S FACTOR IN THE ROI THAT YOU GET.
SO IT'S GOING TO COME BACK AGAIN WITH OUR HOT TAXES.
OKAY. NOW BACK TO THIS MANAGEMENT FEE.
[LAUGHTER] DID WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO NOT CHARGE THEM? AND I THINK, JENNY, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THAT MANAGEMENT FEE THAT WE'VE SEEN TACKED ON, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT SOMETIMES OUR PARTNERS, ESPECIALLY IN ARTS AND CULTURE, DO THEIR OWN WORK.
AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE'RE SCRUBBING IT.
SO THAT WAY IT BECOMES FREE MONEY.
I WANT THE BOND MONEY THAT WHEN WE SAY WE GIVE THEM X AMOUNT, IT IS GOING IN THEIR HANDS.
AND. SO RIGHT NOW? I THINK SO THE INTERNAL MANAGEMENT FEES THAT THE OFFICE OF BOND AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, WE YOU KNOW, OUR TIME AND EXPENSE IS CHARGED TO BOND PROGRAMS. AND SO THAT WOULD CONTINUE UNLESS THERE IS A CHANGE FROM IN THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO BUDGET MOVING FORWARD.
AND WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THAT WOULD BE TO THE GENERAL FUND.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF IT AND THEN GO, OH, WAIT, WE HAVE MONEY LEFT OVER AND WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUTTING IT INTO THESE FACILITIES SO THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I SAW A REQUEST AND THERE WAS LIKE 13 MILLION IN JUST THE MANAGEMENT FEE.
WELL, THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY AND THAT COULD ACTUALLY BUY SOMETHING.
AND I KNOW STAFF IS IMPORTANT, BUT I'D RATHER PUT IT BACK INTO THE FACILITY.
SO THAT KIND OF IT BECAME LESS AND LESS AS THE YEARS WENT ON.
AND I DON'T SEE US MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION FOR THIS NEXT BOND PROGRAM.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S IT, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, MS. BLACKMON. SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS, I'LL JUST CLOSE WITH I WILL ECHO THE SENTIMENTS THAT I'VE HEARD HERE TODAY.
[01:30:03]
I DO ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO'S COME DOWN FROM THE ARTS COMMUNITY AND FOR YOUR ADVOCACY NOT JUST TODAY, BUT ALL THROUGH THE PROCESS.I KNOW THIS ISN'T THE LAST TIME WE'LL SEE YOU ALL AS WELL.
AND I LIKE THE PROPOSED PERCENTAGE OF 6% BEING ABOVE THE HIGHEST THRESHOLD THAT WE SEE IN OUR BOND HISTORY. SO I WOULD SAY THAT IF IT'S NOT 6%, IT NEEDS TO BE AT LEAST 5.1 TO BE OVER.
I THINK THAT WHAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT IS THIS BEING THE MOST INTENTIONAL AND ROBUST BOND PACKAGE FOR NOT ONLY THE ARTS, BUT FOR ARTS, PARKS, AND LIBRARIES. THAT'S WHAT MY GOAL IS FOR OUR BOND.
AND ONE THING THAT HAS FRUSTRATED ME AND THIS PREDATES ME WAS COMING INTO COUNCIL AND SEEING THAT WE HAD ALMOST $300 MILLION DOLLARS OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE IN FAIR PARK AND THEN WE WERE GIVEN $50 MILLION DOLLARS OF A PACKAGE LAST BOND. THIS IS JUST KIND OF INDICATIVE OF THE SAME SCENARIO.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US BE MORE PRUDENT.
WITH THAT SAID, AND SPECIFIC TO FAIR PARK, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF GRAY AREA AND WHERE SOME OF OUR CITY FACILITIES FALL WHEN IT COMES TO CULTURAL OR PARKS DEPARTMENT, FOR INSTANCE, IN THESE SCENARIOS.
WHY IS IT THAT WE ARE NOT ADOPTING, IF YOU WILL, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM INTO OUR ARTS AND CULTURE? SO AS PART OF WHEN FAIR PARK IN THE 2017 BOND, WHEN FAIR PARK WAS A STANDALONE ITEM, ALL THE BUILDINGS IN FAIR PARK WERE TRANSFERRED TO.
NOT ALL OF THEM. NOT ALL OF THEM.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE REVISITING THEIR CONTRACT WITH PARKS SOON.
SO I'M CURIOUS IF THERE IS THE WILL AND THE APPETITE.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE TO SEE IS AND I DON'T THINK IT'S INTENTIONAL, BUT IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF FAIR PARK, I DON'T LIKE SEEING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM GET THE SHORT END OF THE STICK. AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US HAVE A MORE INTENTIONAL FOCUS ON IT AS A CULTURAL FACILITY TO OUR CITY.
AND I THINK THAT THAT GETS LOST A LOT WHEN WE WHEN WE DISCUSS THIS.
SO I KNOW THAT THE MUSIC HALL IS KIND OF IN A SIMILAR SCENARIO.
AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT WITH SUSTAINABLE FUNDING GOING FORWARD.
WITH THAT, I WILL JUST CLOSE OUT.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR GETTING ALL OF THIS INFORMATION TO US.
IT WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL, I THINK, IN DISSECTING THE BIG FEET WE HAVE WITH THIS BOND COMING FORWARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES ITEM B.
IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE RECOMMENDED LIBRARY PROJECTS.
AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THE LIBRARY'S NEW FACILITY AND STRATEGIC PLAN.
NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS THE SLIDE I THINK WE'VE SEEN A FEW TIMES BEFORE.
[01:35:02]
FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT.PROJECTS ALREADY IDENTIFIED IN THE NEEDS INVENTORY INPUT FROM OUR DEPARTMENTS AND NEW NEEDS THAT MAY HAVE EMERGED SINCE THE LAST BOND OR THE FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT.
NEXT SLIDE. SO AGAIN, FROM THE 12.2 BILLION IN THE NEEDS INVENTORY, LIBRARY FACILITIES CONSIST OF 83.8 MILLION.
ADA UPGRADES AT 9 BRANCH LOCATIONS AND THE COST ESTIMATE MAJOR MAINTENANCE AT 17 LOCATIONS AND ALL COST ESTIMATES ARE BASED ON THE FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT, WHICH INCLUDES AN ESCALATION ADJUSTED TO 2027 FOR THIS PRESENTATION, THE RENOVATION AND REPLACEMENT PRIORITIES.
TWO PROPOSED FACILITIES AT NORTH OAK CLIFF AND PARK FOREST.
THE LAND ACQUISITION FOR BOTH OF THOSE LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT TO CLINTON.
SO WITH LEVERAGING THOSE INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE THROUGH THOSE PREVIOUS BOND PACKAGES FOR PRESTON AND NORTH OAK, CLIFF AND PARK FOREST, THE THREE PROJECTS THAT I JUST MENTIONED WOULD COMPLETE THE LIBRARY'S MASTER PLAN ADOPTED IN 2000.
IT WOULD PROVIDE SYSTEM WIDE AND UNIFORMITY AND DELIVERY OF PROGRAMING OF SERVICES.
IT WOULD MEET CCAP OBJECTIVES AND EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT AND IN COLLABORATION WITH BSD, OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO ADDRESS THOSE ADA COMPLIANCE AND MAJOR MAINTENANCE NEEDS AT THE 17 LOCATIONS.
PRESTON ROYAL HERE IS OUR OLDEST LOCATION AT 59 YEARS OLD.
THERE WAS A LAND ACQUISITION MADE IN PREVIOUS BOND PACKAGE, BUT THEN IT HAS BEEN LATER SOLD IN 2021, WHICH BROUGHT THE TOTAL NET PROCEEDS OF 3.8 MILLION.
WE WOULD LEVERAGE THAT AGAINST THE RENOVATION PROJECT, BRINGING TOTAL NEED FOR THE 2024 BOND OF 6.7 MILLION AND A TOTAL PROJECT COST OF 10.5.
NEXT SLIDE. AT PARK FOREST THIS IS, I BELIEVE, OUR SECOND OLDEST LOCATION AT 52 YEARS OLD.
LAND HAS BEEN ACQUIRED JUST DOWN THE STREET ON HIGH VISTA.
AND THE TOTAL PROJECT COSTS FOR REPLACEMENT HERE WOULD BE 13 MILLION.
AND THEN HIGH VISTA IS JUST ACROSS FROM MARSH.
IT'S LESS THAN A MILE AWAY FROM ITS CURRENT LOCATION WHERE THE PROPOSED REPLACEMENT SITE WOULD GO.
NEXT SLIDE. NORTH OAK CLIFF AT 36 YEARS OLD, LAND HAS ALSO BEEN ACQUIRED FOR THIS LOCATION TO EXPAND ITS FOOTPRINT.
OUR GOAL HERE WOULD BE TO ADD MORE GREEN SPACE AS PART OF THE REPLACEMENT AND TOTAL PROJECT COST THERE WAS ALSO ESTIMATED AT 13 MILLION.
THIS IS ANOTHER VISUAL HERE OF THE TWO LOTS THAT WERE ACQUIRED RIGHT AT BISHOP AND 10TH.
THAT PROVIDES US WITH A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FOOTPRINT TO REPLACE THE FACILITY AND ADD GREEN SPACE.
NEXT SLIDE. AND JUST A BRIEF UPDATE ON OUR NEW FACILITY AND STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH GROUP 4 SINCE DECEMBER OF 2022.
AND WE HOPE TO HAVE A DRAFT REPORT OF THEIR FINDINGS BY DECEMBER OF 2023.
AND NEXT SLIDE, WE'LL JUST OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
MR. WEST. THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND UPDATES.
[01:40:03]
LIBRARIES ARE A BIG PART OF MY FAMILY, AND READING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR MY KIDS AND FOR ME.AND YOU GUYS PROVIDE MORE THAN JUST THAT.
I KNOW IT'S A SERVICE FOR PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE CITY.
NORTH OAK CLIFF LIBRARY IS OBVIOUSLY VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME IN MY DISTRICT.
WELL, ONE OBVIOUSLY I SUPPORT THE RENOVATION AND THE.
OH IT'S NOT RENOVATION, THE COMPLETE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
HAVE WE LOOKED AT ACTUALLY MOVING THE FACILITY INTO WHAT IS NOW THE OAK CLIFF MUNICIPAL CENTER PERMIT OFFICE, WHICH IS BEING VACATED BY THE PERMIT OFFICE TO MOVE TO ANOTHER LOCATION? I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
I DON'T KNOW IF JOE HAS HAD OTHER CONVERSATIONS, BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT BEING.
SO I THINK IT WOULD MEET A COUPLE OF GOALS.
IT WOULD ALLOW THE LIBRARY TO EXPAND ITS FOOTPRINT.
THAT BUILDING IS TERRIBLE. WE KNOW THAT.
I'D LIKE YOU GUYS TO LOOK AT THAT AS PART OF THIS BOND DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU, MR. WEST. MS. BLACKMON. THANK YOU.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY WE'RE ACQUIRING NEW LAND AND NOT TEARING DOWN AND BUILDING ON THE SAME LOCATION? THE LAND FOR PARK FOREST WAS ACQUIRED WITH 2006 BOND FUNDING.
SO I KNOW FOR PARK FOREST AND SPECIFICALLY THE 2000 STUDY IDENTIFIED THAT SITE AS INADEQUATE TO EXPAND ON HAD INADEQUATE PARKING.
THE DESIGN OF THE INTERIOR WAS INADEQUATE.
OKAY. AND THEN DO WE PLAN TO SELL THE PROPERTY THAT IT WAS ON? WE COULD DO THAT LIKE WE DID WITH FOREST GREEN.
WE AUCTIONED THE FOREST GREEN SITE OFF ONCE WE BEGAN CONSTRUCTION ON THE NEW SITE OFF OF GREENVILLE.
WELL, THE LAST THING I WANT IS TO HOLD STUFF IN OUR INVENTORY THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE.
RIGHT. LET'S GET IT OUT BECAUSE IT JUST SERVES US NOTHING.
RIGHT. IT DOESN'T. I MEAN, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT.
PLUS WE THEN HAVE TO IT DOESN'T BRING IN TAXES.
SO IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE IT, GET IT OFF.
SO DO WE USE PROPERTY? SO WE ALWAYS HAVE THESE MATCH DISCUSSIONS, RIGHT? SO IF IT WAS PROPERTY ACQUIRED IN A PREVIOUS BOND, IS THAT CONSIDERED A MATCH? I DON'T KNOW. I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO THE SCORING CRITERIA, IT'S NOT.
IT'S JUST THAT THAT SITE HAS THE LAND ACQUISITION.
SO IT GETS YOU CAN GET SOME ADDITIONAL POINTS IF THE LAND IS ALREADY ACQUIRED.
BUT IS THAT GOING TO BE ACROSS THE BOARD ON THINGS INCLUDING LIKE IN PARKS? FOR FACILITIES? BECAUSE I CAN'T SPEAK TO PARKS, I'D HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT.
OKAY. IF NOT, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT BECAUSE I THINK IF WE HAVE CREATED A PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE PHASING IN A PROJECT, IT SHOULD NOT COME IT SHOULD ACTUALLY GO HIGHER BECAUSE THAT MEANS THERE HAS BEEN INTENT BY THE CITY TO MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION AND TO KEEP DELAYING IT IS NOT FAIR TO COMMUNITIES.
YEAH, AND WE DO HAVE A LINE FOR THAT WITHIN OUR FACILITIES.
WHERE IS IT IN THE LIFE OF A PROJECT? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. BLACKMON. MR. RIDLEY.
YOU'VE EXPLAINED WHY THE PARK FOREST BRANCH LIBRARY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
WHAT ABOUT THE NORTH OAK CLIFF BRANCH LIBRARY? WHY IS THAT BUILDING NOT SALVAGEABLE? WELL. IT ACTUALLY IN THE 2000 STUDY DID REVEAL THAT IT COULD BE RENOVATED ON THE
[01:45:06]
EXISTING BUILDING, BE RENOVATED.THE ADDITIONAL LAND WAS ACQUIRED TO POTENTIALLY RELOCATE THE FACILITY, SO IT FACES CLOSER ON BISHOP.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD TALK WITH AN ARCHITECTURAL CONSULTANT WHEN WE WENT OUT TO BID FOR THIS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE EXISTING BUILDING IS SALVAGEABLE AND EXPAND IN THAT SAME FOOTPRINT OR IF IT WOULD BE MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO RELOCATE IT.
THAT'S WHAT BUILDING SERVICES DID IDENTIFY FOR THAT PARTICULAR BUILDING.
SO IF WE WERE TO RENOVATE THE EXISTING, BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS WOULD BE ADDRESSED.
OBVIOUSLY WITH REPLACEMENT, THEY WOULD BE ADDRESSED AS WELL, BUT IT WOULD BE A NEW FACILITY.
SO THE PARKING IS SUFFICIENT AT THE CURRENT LOCATION.
THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING IS SUFFICIENT? NO. NO, THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING IS NOT IT DOES NOT MEET OUR NEW CRITERIA OF AT LEAST 18,000 FT².
OKAY. SO HAS SOMEONE LOOKED AT THE FEASIBILITY OF ADDING ON TO THE EXISTING FACILITY AS PART OF A RENOVATION, OR IS THERE NOT SUFFICIENT ROOM TO DO THAT? THERE WAS IN THE 2000 MASTER PLAN A FEASIBILITY STUDY DONE, AND THEY DO SHOW WHERE THE POTENTIAL FOR EXPANSION COULD BE WITH THE EXISTING FACILITY.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S STILL BEING CONSIDERED? I WOULD SAY YES.
OKAY. AND THAT CONSULTANT WILL BE HIRED WITH BOND FUNDING.
SO THERE'S NO FUNDS TO DO THAT NOW? NO. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DO AUCTION OFF SURPLUS PROPERTY? WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO? DOES THAT GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND OR DOES IT GO BACK TO THE LIBRARY SYSTEM? I BELIEVE IF IT'S NOT A PROPERTY PURCHASE WITH BOND FUNDS, IT GOES BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.
BUT IF IT WERE LIKE THE FOREST LANE PROPERTY OR PRESTON ROYAL THAT WAS PURCHASED WITH BOND FUNDS AND THAT WENT BACK TO BOND OFFICE FUNDING THAT WE'RE REALLOCATING TO AND LEVERAGING FOR THE RENOVATION OF THAT FACILITY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. RIDLEY. TO THE VIRTUAL WORLD WE'LL GO WITH COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS.
THANK YOU. SO I HAD A QUESTION ON PRESTON ROYAL AND LOOKING AT THE BONDS NEED OF 6.7 MILLION BECAUSE IF THESE PROJECTS ARE NOT REALIZED FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
HAS THAT BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT? SO FOR THIS PRESENTATION ON SLIDE FIVE, WE WORKED WITH OUR BUILDING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE SHOWING IN THIS PRESENTATION ARE FOR 2027.
SO THEY'VE BEEN ESCALATED UP TO THAT YEAR.
I MEAN, AS YOU POINT OUT, SOME OF THE NEEDS ARE MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL.
SO WHILE THOSE MAY BE FELT, THEY DON'T REALLY HELP THE SPACE MUCH.
BUT YEAH, WE CAN TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT, MAKE SURE THE 6.7 IS ADEQUATE.
[01:50:02]
WE'RE WAITING ON YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER.I THOUGHT Y'ALL WERE GETTING IT.
OKAY. AND I DON'T SEE ANY MORE COMMENTS, SO I WILL JUST SAY I LIKED THE QUESTION THAT MR. RIDLEY ASKED ABOUT THE SURPLUS PROPERTY AND WHERE THAT GOES.
I'D LIKE TO SEE IF Y'ALL COULD MAYBE GET THAT IN A MEMO TO US ON THAT.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT PROCESS BE STREAMLINED, ESPECIALLY IN CIRCUMSTANCES LIKE WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED WHEN WE KNOW THERE ARE REPLACEMENTS OR NEW CONSTRUCTIONS WHERE SURPLUS WOULD BE DEEMED AND THEN GENERATED SOME TYPE OF REVENUE.
I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE EXPECTING TO ROLL INTO AS A LEVERAGED FUNDING SOURCE FOR WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO A LIBRARY SOLD, I DON'T THINK SHOULD GO BACK TO OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET WHEN WE HAVE X AMOUNT OF NEEDS IN OUR LIBRARY SYSTEMS. I'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE ASSETS STAY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY'RE IN.
AND THEN I'D ALSO LIKE, IT WASN'T ON HERE, BUT IF YOU COULD PLEASE GIVE ME A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF WHERE THAT WORK WOULD BE WITH THE OTHER NINE LOCATIONS FOR THE ADA COMPLIANCE THAT YOU HAVE, AND THEN ANY OTHER UPGRADES BASED ON OR NOT BASED ON, BUT THAT SPECIFIES WHAT DISTRICT THE FACILITIES ARE IN AS WELL.
SO PER DISTRICT THAT WE COULD SEE THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I WILL ADD THERE IS AN APPENDIX THAT LISTS ALL THE MAJOR MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, BUT WE.
AND THAT'S INCLUSIVE IN THE 80 MILLION.
OH, OKAY. SO IT'S ALL INCLUSIVE.
IT IS INCLUSIVE OF JUST MAJOR MAINTENANCE.
SO WITH THE IDENTIFIED DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THOUGH WITH THAT $80 MILLION, IS THAT IN LIKE YOUR BEST CASE SCENARIO OR IS THAT LIKE BARE MINIMAL? I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE TOTAL ESTIMATES, BUT BUILDING SERVICES WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ESTIMATES OF MAJOR MAINTENANCE.
SO THOSE ARE BASED ON THE PRIORITIES THAT WE WORKED WITH THE LIBRARY WITH.
BUT I'M SURE THERE ARE MORE PROJECTS OUT THERE THAT WE COULD LOOK AT.
OKAY. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS WE APPROACH THE NUMBERS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE JUST SAID WITH THE ARTS BRIEFING THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THE NEED.
AND SO IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE COULD SEE KIND OF WHERE THOSE NUMBERS ACTUALLY ARE BY THIS WOULD GET US WHOLE VERSUS SOME MORE LUXURY ITEMS IF YOU WILL.
YEAH, WE CAN PUT THAT TOGETHER.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BRIEFING ITEM D DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES PERFORMANCE METRICS AND RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT PROCEDURES.
WE'RE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM THE DIRECTOR, MELISSA WEBBER.
I HAVE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PAUL RAMONE WITH ME HERE TODAY TO.
WE AT DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES ARE ENGAGED WITH THE VALUES OF SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS AS OUR CORE VALUES WITH EQUITY, ETHICS, EMPATHY, ENGAGEMENT AND EXCELLENCE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT STAFFING SOME.
[01:55:07]
MARY WILL BE OVERSEEING SHELTER OPERATIONS, WHICH INCLUDES FIELD, SHELTER AND MEDICAL, AND PAUL WILL BE OVERSEEING THE ADMINISTRATION REALLY, WHICH IS FINANCES, HR ALL OF THE ADMIN THINGS REALLY PLAYING TO HIS STRENGTHS WITH THE MOUS AND CONTRACTS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE CITY.NEXT SLIDE. YOU WANT TO GIVE US A QUICK STAFFING UPDATE? YES. GOOD AFTERNOON.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE SITTING AT A TOTAL VACANCY RATE OF 21%.
WE ARE AGGRESSIVELY WORKING TO IMPROVE IN OUR RECRUITING PROCESSES THROUGH JOB FAIRS, ASO ANIMAL SERVICE OFFICER HIRING INCENTIVES, HIGHER MINIMUM WAGES AND EQUITABLE RATE FOR TEMP STAFF.
OUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE RETENTION ARE THE RETURN TO HOME AND QUARTERLY BONUS, ADDITIONAL ENTERED DATA AND OPERATIONAL DISCUSSIONS AND SEVERAL OTHER MEASURES THAT WE'RE TAKING TO IMPROVE AND BUILD UPON THE CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS THAT WE HAVE.
ON THE STAFFING, WE WERE ONCE AT 66% DEFICIT.
NOW WE'RE AT 21% VACANCY RATE.
WE ARE AT A 67% SERVICE TIMELY SERVICE REQUEST RESPONSE RATE.
THAT'S MAINLY DUE TO STAFFING.
YOU'LL SEE OUR SERVICE REQUEST TYPES DOWN BELOW OUR LOOSE AND LOOSE OWNED SERVICE REQUESTS FOR DOGS ARE UP, BUT AS WE MEET IN AT NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND TOWN HALLS AND THINGS, WE DO ENCOURAGE ANYBODY THAT SEES A LOOSE DOG TO CALL 311.
SO IT IS GOING TO DRIVE THOSE NUMBERS UP.
AND IF I COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO LOOSE DOGS ARE, STRAY LOOSE DOGS ARE A PRIORITY 8 AND THEY GO TO A HEATMAP.
LOOSE OWNED DOGS ARE A PRIORITY 6 AND AGGRESSIVE OR DANGEROUS DOGS ARE A PRIORITY ONE.
AND YOU'LL SEE IT IN FURTHER SLIDES.
I'M JUST TRYING TO BE REALLY QUICK ON GO BACK ONE MORE SLIDE ON THE LOOSE DOG POPULATION.
I WANT ON THIS SLIDE THE MAIN THING THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT IS FROM 2016 TO 2022, WE DID HAVE A 58% REDUCTION OF LOOSE DOGS IN SOUTHERN DALLAS AND THAT'S THE SAME COMPANY THAT DID THE COUNT FOR THE SURGE IN 2016, AS DID IT IN 2022.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE HEAT MAP.
THAT'S WHERE THE STRAY LOOSE DOGS ARE NOTATED.
AND AS WE DO OUR PROACTIVE AND FOLLOW UP CALLS, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS OUR ATTENTION, IS WHERE WE SEE THE CALLS ON THESE HEAT MAPS. NEXT SLIDE.
RESPONSE TIMES AND PRIORITIES.
WE RESPOND TO ALL CALLS FOR SERVICE REGARDING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF CITIZENS.
ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICERS ARE ON 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND HOLIDAYS.
ANIMAL RESPONSE CALLS ARE DIVIDED INTO EIGHT PRIORITY LEVELS LISTED HERE, AND IF AN ASO CANNOT GET IN TOUCH WITH A PERSON CREATING A SERVICE REQUEST WE DO CALL AND LEAVE A VOICEMAIL IF WE'RE ABLE TO.
WE ALSO CALL THE THE RESIDENT ON THE WAY TO ATTENDING THE CALL AND WHEN WE'RE ENDING THE CALL.
NEXT SLIDE. HERE'S OUR DASHBOARD OF PERFORMANCE.
FOR OUR LIVE RELEASE RATE, YOU'LL SEE OUR DOGS AT 75%, CATS AT 85% CATS.
MOST OF THE CATS WE GET ARE SICK AND INJURED.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD.
AND I'M GOING TO GO BACK REAL QUICK ON THE CATS.
SO WHAT I MEAN BY WE DON'T TAKE HEALTHY COMMUNITY CATS.
SO MOST OF THE CATS THAT WE GET ARE SICK, INJURED OR OWNER SURRENDER.
SO THAT'S WHY EVEN WITH MOST OF THEM BEING SICK AND INJURED THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SAVE THAT RATE.
I'M NOT THAT'S WHY I'M CALLING THAT OUT.
NOT GREAT, NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE, BUT WE ARE TRENDING UP FROM 76% WHERE WE WERE.
THE NEXT SLIDE GOES OVER SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS.
[02:00:01]
YOU CAN READ THIS SLIDE ON YOUR OWN.AND WE USE THOSE FUNDS TO PROVIDE SPAY NEUTER SERVICES TO RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND THEN YOU SEE THE PET FOOD PANTRY AND THE VACCINE CLINICS WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR MORE FUNDING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUALLY ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES. NEXT SLIDE.
DANGEROUS AND AGGRESSIVE DOGS.
THE HIGHLIGHTS ON THIS SLIDE IS PEOPLE ARE OFTEN LIKE, WHY DIDN'T WE JUST TAKE AWAY THE DOG TOO? IF A RESIDENT CHOOSES NOT TO SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT FOR A DANGEROUS OR AGGRESSIVE DOG, WE CANNOT TAKE THE DOG AWAY WITHOUT DUE PROCESS AND WE NEED THAT AFFIDAVIT.
NOW IF A RESIDENT IS WILLING TO SIGN THE AFFIDAVIT, THEN WE MAKE IT BARRIER FREE.
OUR OFFICERS CAN BE THE NOTARIES SO THAT WE MAKE THAT PROCESS AS SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THIS AFTERWARDS, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME.
NEXT SLIDE. OVERCOMING ILLNESS.
WE'VE HAD CANINE INFLUENZA VIRUS IN THE SHELTER.
I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO GO WE HAVE A HARD STOP AT 11:10.
AND I KNOW I HAVE ONE MEMBER THAT REALLY WANTS TO ASK QUESTIONS.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET TO MR. WEST AND LET HIM ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE INVITING YOU BACK ONCE WE KNOW WHEN OUR COMMITTEES ARE COMING BACK.
I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THIS ON HERE.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, FOR THE BRIEFING.
AND I REALLY DON'T HAVE I'M NOT GOING TO ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
I'VE FORWARDED THE DEPARTMENT THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME INTO MY OFFICE, AND I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY JUST TO KIND OF ADDRESS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A GROUP OF ACTIVISTS WHO ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT PROTECTING ANIMALS AND WE YOU KNOW, WE HEAR FROM THEM.
YOU ALWAYS HEAR FROM THE LOUDEST PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, CERTAINLY.
YES. AND THEY ARE PASSIONATE AND ENGAGED.
HOW DO YOU KIND OF JUST RESPOND TO IN GENERAL THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE COME IN ON RESPONSE TIME AND ON THE ORDINANCE CHANGES ? ON THE RESPONSE TIME SO WE'RE STEADILY IMPROVING THE RESPONSE TIME AS WE HAVE MORE OFFICERS, BUT WE'RE ATTENDING TO THOSE HIGHER PRIORITIES, REALLY FOCUSING ON THOSE.
AND THEN ALSO AS THINGS GET ESCALATED, THEY BECOME A HIGHER PRIORITY.
WELL, WHAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT YOU GUYS FACE AS A DEPARTMENT OVERALL? IS IT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, OR ARE THERE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT YOU EXPERIENCE? FOR A WHILE IT WAS REALLY RECRUITMENT.
I DO THINK THAT WE'RE REALLY ON AN UPTICK OF BEING ABLE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN.
I MEAN, WE'RE CASTING A WIDE NET.
WITH HAVING AN ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER, THOUGH, THEY DO NEED SIX MONTHS OF FORMAL TRAINING BEFORE THEY CAN GO IN THE FIELD AND THEN THEY HAVE TO PASS SEVERAL TESTS BEFORE THEY CAN BE OUT ON THEIR OWN.
THERE'S GOT TO BE A YOU'VE GOT TO ELICIT PROOF THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED.
CORRECT? CAN YOU BRIEFLY TALK ME THROUGH WHAT'S REQUIRED IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH THAT THERE'S A MISTREATED ANIMAL? SO FOR DAS WE WOULD IF THE CALL CAME TO US BECAUSE A MISTREATED ANIMAL WOULD BE CRUELTY.
SO IF THE CALL COMES THROUGH 311 TO US, THOUGH, WE'LL DO A WELLNESS CHECK AND THEN WE'LL REACH OUT.
AND THEN THEY HAVE THEIR ANTI-CRUELTY TASK FORCE.
ANIMAL CRUELTY. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. WEST. AND THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE ARE GOING TO BE ASKING YOU ALL TO COME BACK IN FALL ONCE WE RECONVENE.
PERFECT. I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S WORK.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT IS EXTREMELY CRITICAL FOR OUR CITY.
AND IT'S ALSO ONE THAT IS VERY THANKLESS IN THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.
I KNOW IT'S ALSO VERY EMOTIONALLY TOLLING FOR YOUR STAFF.
I DO LOOK FORWARD TO A MORE ROBUST CONVERSATION.
[02:05:02]
I'M SORRY THAT YOU ALL ARE GETTING CUT SHORT TODAY.THANK YOU. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. WITH THAT, THE TIME IS NOW 11:09.
I'VE GOT A MINUTE TO SPARE AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THE QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS
AND CULTURE MEETING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.