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WE, WELL, LET'S DO ROLL CALL.IS EVERYONE HERE? NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
[Senior Affairs Commission on June 26, 2023. ]
MIKE, I SEE THAT YOU'RE HERE.CARMEN, ARE YOU ON, UH, VIDEO? I DON'T SEE.
PORSCHE IS SITTING NEXT TO ME.
VERNA, YOU'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE, SO LIKE TO SEE YOU.
MARILYN DANIELS, WHERE ARE YOU OUT THERE? YES.
RIGHT? HELLO? I THOUGHT I SAW MARION DANIELS.
AUSTIN, ARE YOU OUT THERE? MM-HMM.
ARE YOU ON THE VIDEO, RENEE? NO.
UM, DISTRICT 12 IS STILL VACANT.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SHARON ROBERTS ARE, YOU'RE NOT HERE, BUT YOU'RE HOME.
SO AS A REMINDER, UH, YOU WERE SENT WITH THE, UH, MEETING REQUEST TO THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW THE TOMA REQUIREMENTS.
AND SO AGAIN, IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE, UH, I NEED TO BE PRESENT.
YOU NEED TO BE, UH, PRESENT BY PARTICIPATING IN THE VIDEO CONFERENCE.
YOUR FACES MUST BE VISIBLE, YOUR VOICES MUST BE AUDIBLE, UH, AT THE PHYSICAL LOCATION HERE.
UM, YOU'RE CONSIDERED ABSENT FROM THE MEETING IF, FOR SOME REASON, ANY PORTION OF THE MEETING WHERE YOUR AUDIO OR VIDEO IS LOST.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT, MIKE? MICAL, ARE WE PRETTY GOOD WITH THAT? OKAY.
SO, UM, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY AS PART OF OUR, UH, PRESENTATION? WILL YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, PLEASE? UH, PEJA.
P E TTT, J D A N ONE WORD, PLEASE, MA'AM.
THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM IS FOR APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SO, MOVE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.
DO I HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES THERE BEING NO, UH, DISCUSSION OR INDICATION OF DISCUSSION? I WOULD LIKE TO VOTE FOR AN APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
EVERYONE WHO IS A A OKAY WITH THAT SAY I OR RAISE YOUR HAND OUT THERE.
ANYONE IN DISSENT OF THAT? I THINK WE'RE ALL UNANIMOUS ON THE MINUTES.
UH, LAST MONTH PETE MENTIONED THAT HE WANTED TO HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING IN.
WELL,
IF WE HAVE A PUBLIC SPEAKER, DO THEY GO AHEAD AND DO WHAT THEY WANNA DO OR THEY JUST LISTENING? IS THE
YOU, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE PUBLIC SPEAKER SPEAK NOW.
THEN THE CHAIR WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE RON.
THEY WILL NEED TO COME HERE TO BE THIS, YOU WILL NEED TO COME OVER TO THIS.
UM, ONE OF, YEAH, THIS SEAT WOULD PROBABLY BE PERFECTLY PODIUM.
IS THE PODIUM VISIBLE ON SCREEN? YES, IT IS.
SO, UH, THE PUBLIC, I CAN DO A TIMER AND WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO GIVE YOU A WARNING AT A CERTAIN, I THINK I ARRANGE WITH, WITH PORSCHE TO GIMME SOME FINGERS ON OKAY.
I'M AN INVADER, SO I'M USED TO FINGERS,
I'M PET JEAN PJ, IF YOU WOULD.
I ORIGINALLY CAME HERE, BROUGHT HERE BY SMU ON A BOB FELLOWSHIP IN 1970, UH, ALONG WITH A WORLD OF BRIGHT AND INTERESTING ATYPICAL TO DALLAS YOUNG PEOPLE.
I THEN SOLD COMMERCIAL SUPPLIES TO THE ADVERTISING AGENCY FOR ABOUT A DECADE.
THEY'RE TOO A RAREFIED PART OF DALLAS.
I TO SAY THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ME IS REDUNDANT BY A LOT OF ME.
WE'RE NOT PARTICULARLY OUT THERE, BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT IN THERE EITHER.
I, UH, THEN WENT BACK TO SCHOOL, GOT A MA UH, BACHELOR'S IN MATH, AND I TAUGHT IN PLEASANT GROVE FOR 20 YEARS.
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LONG AND BEHOLD, THOSE YEARS THAT I REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAKING MORE MONEY, I KIND OF GOT CHILDREN BECAUSE MOST GAY PEOPLE OF MY GENERATION DO NOT HAVE CHILDREN.I WENT TO GREAT EXPENSE NOT TO HAVE A CHILD BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK I COULD BURDEN THAT CHILD WITH ME AS A FATHER.
THINGS HAVE CHANGED THAT MUCH.
AND I SEE ONE PERSON WITH THE, WITH THE GRAY HAIR THAT IS ALLOWED, NOD, ET CETERA.
BUT THE CHANGE HAS BEEN THAT RADICAL.
I WAS LUCKY WHEN THE HARD TIMES HIT IN THE, UH, DURING THE, UH, QUARANTINE.
I ALSO HAD WHAT IS REALLY NOT SERIOUS.
IT'S ONLY NAUSEA, BUT IT'S ONLY NAUSEA EVERY DAMN DAY FOR TWO YEARS.
AND IT AIN'T ONLY NAUSEA WHEN IT'S HAPPENED.
I WAS LUCKY BECAUSE, UH, AND I, I BACKTRACK TO SAY I BOUGHT IN MUNGER BACK WHEN FANNIE MAE, YEAR 1 76.
I BOUGHT IN MUNGER BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF WHAT MUNGER PLACE WAS LIKE.
THEN THERE WAS A FRATERNAL, UH, KINSHIP BY NECESSITY.
WE HAD TO WATCH EACH OTHER'S BACK BECAUSE OUR VACCINATED WATCHING.
LONG STORY SHORT, THERE WAS A LOT OF ME IN THAT CROWD TOO.
A LOT OF US IN TERMS OF TAX BASE.
WE WENT, WE WENT FROM NON-EXISTENT TO EXORBITANT.
WE, AND I FORGET TO SAY MUNGER PLACE BECAUSE NOW I LIVE IN MUNGER PLACE.
LONG STORY SHORT, I'VE LIVED IN A SLIGHTLY RAREFIED PART OF THE WORLD.
IT'S PROFOUNDLY MORE GAY IN THIS CITY THAN YOU THINK IT IS, BUT IT'S WITH THE QUIET PEOPLE.
UH, AND I'VE NEVER BEEN ACCUSED OF BEING QUIET BEFORE.
LONG STORY SHORT, WHEN I GOT SICK, I HAD KIDS THAT BECAME ETERNAL.
I HAD NEIGHBORS THAT BECAME ETERNAL.
MOST OF US WILL NOT HAVE THAT.
AND IF YOU NOTICE THAT THE ATTITUDES TOWARDS US IS PROFOUNDLY GENERATIONAL, PROFOUNDLY, DON'T ASK ME AT 80, 85 WHEN I NEED HELP OR JUST SOMEONE TO TALK TO.
DON'T ASK ME TO GO PUT UP WITH SOME BUBBLE FROM GARLAND.
DON'T PUT ME IN AN OLD HO WITH SOME OLD LADY THAT THINKS ACCEPTING ME IS HER GREAT REACHING AND, AND, AND CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE OF LIFE.
LET ME BE AROUND PEOPLE THAT HAVE SHARED EXPERIENCE THAT CAN EDUCATE ME, THAT MAYBE I CAN HELP.
WE TOOK CARE OF EACH OTHER IN AIDS AND I THINK WE CAN TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER IN OLD AGE.
THANK YOU MEAN FOR MY TIME TO BE SO RUDE.
MARK, ARE YOU ALSO GOING TO SPEAK AS WELL? PLEASE MAKE YOUR STATEMENT TO THE PODIUM.
HOW LAST SUMMER, I FOUND OUT THAT I HAD DIFFUSE LARGE B-CELL LYMPHOMA.
I HAD TO GO THROUGH THREE MONTHS OF CHEMO AND 15 ROUNDS OF RADIATION.
THIS WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS I'VE HAD TO GO THROUGH IN MY LIFE.
AND IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THAT I REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE A NETWORK OF PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR OLDER LGBTQ ADULTS WHO ARE AGING IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY ARE A MINORITY.
HAVING SUPPORT FROM FAMILY MEMBERS OR CHILDREN CAN BE HIGHLY ESSENTIAL.
HOWEVER, NOT ALL LGBTQ ADULTS FEEL SAFE AROUND THEIR FAMILY AND CLOSE RELATIVES.
THIS LACK OF SUPPORT FROM FAMILY OR CHILDREN MAKES THE CREATION OF A DEDICATED SENIOR CENTER FOR LGBTQ SENIORS.
ALL THE MORE CRUCIAL SENIORS WOULD BE BENEFIT FROM THE FOLLOWING FOUR SERVICES.
AN LGBTQ Q SENIOR CENTER IS A SPACE WHERE OLDER LGBTQ Q ADULTS CAN MEET OTHER INDIVIDUALS THEIR AGE, WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES AND CHALLENGES.
THIS ENHANCES A SENSE OF COMM, COMMUNITY ACCEPTANCE AND PURPOSE, AND PREVENTS SOCIAL ISOLATION CAUSED BY A LACK OF COMPANIONSHIP AND SUPPORT.
THE AGING PROCESS CAN BRING ABOUT PHYSICAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.
HOWEVER, IT CAN ALSO BRING CHALLENGES OF ISOLATION AND LONELINESS, WHICH CAN WORSEN MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING.
COUNSELING AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN AN LGBTQ SENIOR CENTER WOULD HELP ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AND PROMOTE BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES.
RESOURCES SUCH AS HOME HEALTHCARE, LEGAL ASSISTANCE, FINANCIAL GUIDANCE, TRANSPORTATION SERVICES AND HOUSING CAN ADDRESS SIGNIFICANT NEEDS.
LGBTQ SENIOR CENTERS HELP OLDER ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY CONNECT WITH THESE SERVICES IN A WAY TAILORED TO THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS AND EXPERIENCES WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION.
FOUR, ENHANCE SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR MANY OLDER L GT Q INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT FAMILY SUPPORT, VIOLENCE, ABUSE, AND CONTINUED DISCRIMINATION AFFECT THEIR THOUGHT PROCESSES IN THEIR DAILY LIVES.
BT Q SENIOR CENTERS FOCUS ON INCREASING THEIR SAFETY THROUGH VARIOUS STRATEGIES AND BY PROVIDING A SAFE SPACE AND A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT TO PROCEED THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT JUDGMENT.
OVERALL, AN LGBTQ SINGER CENTER WOULD PROVIDE A SAFE AND NON-THREATENING SPACE
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FOR OLDER L G LGBTQ Q ADULTS TO FIND SUPPORT, ACQUIRE COMPANIONSHIPS, AND HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES THAT ALIGN WITH THEIR UNIQUE EXPERIENCES, ALL OF WHICH SUPPORT THEM IN ACHIEVING A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.IN CONCLUSION, I'D LIKE TO THANK Y'ALL FOR THE TIME AND ENERGY YOU PUT INTO HELPING NOT ONLY THE LGBTQ SINGERS IN OUR AREA, BUT ALL THE SINGERS THAT CALL THIS PART OF TEXAS HOME.
AND I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER HOW MUCH A DEDICATED CENTER FOR GT SINGERS IN OUR AREA WOULD BENEFIT SO MANY PEOPLE AND IN SO MANY WAYS.
SO WE WILL GET TO OUR AD HOC FUNDING PRIORITIES REPORT, WHICH HAS BEEN, UH, ADVISED AND, UM, CERTAINLY AS ADDRESSING SOME OF THE CONCERNS OF THE LGBTQS COMMUNITY.
AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TO EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS.
UM, SO NOW, UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A SPECIAL MEETING IS THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IN OUR, UH, AGENDA HERE.
UH, PETE MENTIONED BACK IN MAY THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING SOMETIME THIS YEAR.
UM, ONE TO REALLY GET MORE INFORMATION, UH, INTO OUR HANDS ABOUT WHAT EVERY DIVISION WOULD THAT WE INTERACT WITH MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP US WITH, TO USE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
AND, UH, SO THAT WE COULD WORK, UM, MORE CLOSELY AT LEAST KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER.
UM, ANYWAY, SO HE HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING WITH THAT YET.
UM, AND PROBABLY WON'T FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE TO SEND ME WHAT YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT TOPIC SO THAT WE CAN, UH, PUT, START PUTTING TOGETHER A GOOD MEETING.
AS MOST OF YOU ARE AWARE, WE WILL NOT HAVE A MEETING IN JULY.
SO THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME FOR YOU TO USE THAT HOUR OR TWO OF YOUR TIME IN JULY TO COME UP WITH ANY THOUGHTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
AND PLEASE, IF YOU WILL FORWARD THEM TO ME, I WILL MAKE SURE THAT KEITH GETS THEM AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN UPDATE ON THE SENIOR DATA PROJECT ON THURSDAY OR FRIDAY.
MCDONALD SENT YOU GUYS ANOTHER COPY OF THIS BEAUTIFUL COLORED DECK, UH, THAT HAS WITHIN IT THE CITYWIDE POPULATION PROFILE OF OUR SENIOR POPULATION AS WELL AS EACH OF THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
THIS REPORT IS, UH, HAS ALREADY BEEN UPDATED NOW AND REFLECTS THE US CENSUS BUREAU, AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY AS OF 2021.
THE PREVIOUS REPORT WAS AS OF 2019, SO IT HAS BEEN UPDATED IN THAT AREA.
ADDITIONALLY, IT HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT THE NEW, UH, BOUNDARIES OF EACH OF OUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
SO IT IS A MUCH, UH, MORE CURRENT, UH, DOCUMENT AND FEEL FREE TO SHARE IT WITH YOUR COUNCIL OR WITH OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY HAVING THIS INFORMATION.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT QUESTIONS? NO.
I, I JUST FELISE I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I FOUND THAT INFOR THAT INFORMATION AMAZING.
AND I, I COMPARED COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND IT'S FASCINATING.
SO, UH, I'M REALLY THRILLED AND I DO PLAN TO SHARE THAT WITH MY COUNCILMAN, SO THANK YOU.
UM, I ALSO, UH, KAREN MADE A PRESENTATION TO A A R P SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, AS YOU KNOW, AND, UH, GAVE THEM A COPY AND IT WAS REALLY, THEY WERE LIKE, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS.
SO, UM, IF, FEEL FREE TO GO BEYOND JUST THE COUNCIL AND TO SHARE IT WITH OTHER PEOPLE THAT IT WOULD HELP THEM IN THEIR, UM, OWN ENDEAVORS OF NONPROFIT RAISING OR NOT.
UH, QUICK REMINDER, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, WHEN YOU SPEAK, WHETHER ON CAMERA OR HERE, PLEASE ANNOUNCE YOUR NAME JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF, OF THOSE WATCHING.
SO FELICIS IS DEBBIE AUSTIN, DISTRICT EIGHT COUNCILING KINS.
UM, IN REGARD TO THE DOCUMENT, I NOTICED THAT, UM, A SMALL PORTION OF IT WAS DEDICATED TO THE AGE FRIENDLY DALLAS PLAN.
AND I, AND, UH, SOME MEMBERS OF COUNCILMAN ATKINS STAFF HAD MET ON MARCH, I MEAN ON MAY 18TH WITH ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UM, PADIO PAD.
I'M SORRY, I'M MISPRONOUNCING HER NAME.
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NAME, BUT, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, LIZ FEDRA.AND IT WAS IN REGARD TO THE, UH, WAY THE, UH, SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION HAD BEEN INEFFECTIVELY CARRYING OUT THEIR PART OF OUR, OUR PROMISE TO WORK WITH THE AGE FE DALLAS PLAN.
AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THE CITY OF DALLAS PART, I'M WORKING WITH THE AGE FRIENDLY DALLAS PLAN.
AND WHEN I TALKED TO HER AND IN OUR MEETING, SHE WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE.
SHE TALKED, UH, I FROM JESSICA THAT, UM, PETE WAS LISTENING IN.
SHE PROMISED THAT, UM, SHE WOULD BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF US, THAT SHE EXPECTED MORE OF US, THAT WE WERE TO GET WITH OUR PARTNERS.
AND THERE WERE MANY PARTNERS INVOLVED IN THAT PLAN WHEN IT WAS IMPLEMENTED.
MY COUNCILMAN IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE AGE FRIENDLY DALLAS PLAN.
HE'S VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ALL SENIORS IN DALLAS COUNTY, DALLAS CITY AND DALLAS COUNTY.
AND, UH, ON THE DOCUMENT THAT PETE SUBMITTED TO US, THERE WAS VERY LITTLE MENTION ABOUT THAT PLAN.
IN FACT, PETE SAID THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REVISITED.
I DON'T SEE WHY IT NEEDED TO BE REVISITED.
IT HAD ALREADY BEEN LAID OUT COMPLETELY.
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
WHY DOES IT NEED TO BE REVIEWED? UM, THANK YOU.
UH, ED, LAST, LAST, UH, MEETING THAT WE HAD, PETE DID MENTION THE DALLAS FRIENDLY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT HIS REVISITING OF IT WAS TO GO THROUGH IT TO MAKE SURE THE THINGS THAT THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION WAS TASKED WITH DOING HAD IN FACT MADE PROGRESS.
AND IF IT HADN'T TO AGAIN, RE-LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO NEXT? SO I THINK IT WAS NOT A COMING UP WITH A NEW PLAN, BUT RATHER BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT VISITED THAT PLAN IN THESE MEETINGS, AT LEAST IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE WAS A TIME TO REVISIT IT, RE-LOOK AT IT, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WAS FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THE PLAN SAID.
AGAIN, WE'RE ALL NEW TO THIS JOB.
AND MAKE SURE IF THERE WERE OTHER THINGS THAT WE THOUGHT COULD BE ADDED, SHOULD BE ADDED TO MAKE DALLAS MORE FRIENDLY PLACE THAT WE THEN SUBMITTED THOSE KINDS OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE, UH, COUNCIL.
SO I THINK, UH, DEBBIE, THAT WE WILL PROBABLY ADDRESS THAT WHEN WE HAVE THIS SPECIAL MEETING IN 2023, OR WE WILL ADDRESS IT IN THE NEXT UPCOMING MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE.
SO YOUR POINT IS VERY WELL TAKEN AND I THINK THAT WE, UM, CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH DOING SOMETHING WITH THAT PLAN.
WELL, NO, LET ME, LET ME, UM, GET BACK TO THIS POINT.
THE POINT WAS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTS, CERTAIN DOMAINS WERE SET FORTH FOR CERTAIN, UH, CI, CERTAIN CITY DEPARTMENTS, CERTAIN CITY ORGANIZATIONS.
AND WE ALREADY HAVE OUR ASSIGNMENTS AND WE'VE JUST NOT MET THEM.
AND IN THAT MEETING, PETE WAS NOT IN THE MEETING.
LIKE I SAID, HE WAS LISTENING IN, BUT THE CHARGES WERE SET TO THE SAC.
THE SAC DOES NOT WORK FOR JESSICA.
THE SAC WORKS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND SO OUR OBLIGATIONS ARE TO THE AGE-FRIENDLY DALLAS PLAN AND TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND SO IF WE HAVE NOT IMPLEMENTED THE, THE GOALS AND THE ASSIGNMENTS THAT WERE SET FORTH TO US, THEN WE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT DOING THOSE.
AND I THINK THAT IN THE DOCUMENT THAT WE ARE SUBMITTING TO THE CITY COUNCIL, WE SHOULD EXPLAIN WHY WE HAVEN'T DONE THOSE AND WE CAN'T BLAME IT ALL ON COVID.
I'M UNABLE TO FOLLOW YOU ON THE AGENDA.
UM, DEBBIE, I BELIEVE THAT THE ITEM THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT UP IS NOT COVERED IN OUR CURRENT AGENDA.
HOWEVER, I WILL MAKE NOTE THAT WE NEED TO, IT MIGHT NOT BE COVERED, FELICE, BUT UH, YOU BROUGHT UP THE DOCUMENT AND IT IS IN THE DOCUMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ADDRESSING.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK OUT AS SOMEWHAT, BUT I'D LIKE YOU TO BE RECOGNIZED.
CAUSE I CONTINUE TO HOLD MY HAND UP.
UM, DEBBIE, I, I, I THINK, AND THIS IS JUST ONLY MY INTERATION.
AFTER MEETING WITH PETER AND AFTER, UH, INTERACTING WITH THE HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE, WE WERE ASKED TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENT AND COME UP WITH THE GOALS THAT WE PLAN TO IMPLEMENT
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AS A COMMITTEE.THIS PARTICULAR YEAR WE'VE DONE THAT.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME GOALS THAT ARE REALLY TOO MANY, BUT WE INCLUDED WHAT EVERYBODY SUBMITTED AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TOGETHER AS A COMMITTEE TO DECIDE THOSE THINGS THAT WE WILL ADDRESS THIS YEAR FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY.
SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING BACK, CHANGING ANYTHING.
IT'S JUST LOOKING AT THE NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW AND ZEROING IN ON SPECIFIC THINGS FOR, UH, EACH OF OUR COMMITTEES TO COVER FOR THIS YEAR.
BE FIRST SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE WANTING TO DO AND THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE ARE WANTING TO BRING IN TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH US ABOUT THEIR LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION WITH THESE PARTICULAR PARTNERSHIPS.
COMMISSIONER MITCHELL, YOU ARE NOT IN THE MEETING WITH ME AND COUNCILMAN ATKINS STAFF.
AND SO I WAS ADDRESSING WHAT WE COVERED IN THAT MEETING.
I WAS, I WAS ADDRESSING WHAT WE COVERED IN THAT MEETING.
AND I'M NOT GONNA ARGUE IN THIS MEETING, BUT I WAS REFERRING TO WHAT WE COVERED IN THAT MEETING.
COMMISSIONER AUSTIN, MAY I SUGGEST A SHORT RECESS? YES.
DID SOMEONE MOVE FOR A RECESS? WILL SOMEBODY MOVE FOR A SHORT RECESS? CAN I HAVE A SECOND MOTION? SECOND.
IS EVERYONE IN AGREEMENT FOR A SHORT RECESS? WHY? YES.
WHY? BECAUSE WHY? CAUSE SOMEBODY HAS AN OPINION'S DIFFERENT FROM THEIRS.
WE WILL TAKE A SHORT TWO MINUTE RECESS.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID IS WHAT OUR COMMITTEE, WE GOT WORK TO DO.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING.
AND ITEM FOUR, RIGHT NOW, YOU ALL COME IN HERE EVERY MONTH AND YOU PRESENT DOCUMENTS.
WE ARE NOT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY HELPING PEOPLE FIND HOMES.
EXCUSE ME, HELPING PEOPLE GET FOOD.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE HUNGRY.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WITHOUT CLOTHES.
THERE PEOPLE THAT NEED, I KNOW YOU'RE IN RECESS, BUT YOU DON'T WANNA HEAR THOSE THINGS AND YOU GET UPSET WITH US THAT GO OUT AND PUSH UP OUR SLEEVES AND FEED PEOPLE.
PEOPLE FIND HOMES IN AIR CONDITIONING AND STUFF.
AND YOU CAN CUT MY MIC OFF, I DON'T CARE.
BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU GET UPSET ABOUT WHEN PEOPLE SAY THESE THINGS.
CAUSE SANCHEZ, HELLO, THIS IS WILLOW SANCHEZ WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND IN ORDER TO BE COMPLIANT WITH STATE LAW, WHEN THE COMMITTEE IS COMMISSION IS IN RECESS, THERE CAN BE NO DISCUSSION AMONGST A QUORUM.
OTHERWISE, WE ARE VIOLATING THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE LOTS OF POINTS TO BE DISCUSSED, BUT PLEASE REFRAIN FROM DISCUSSING SO THAT THE COMMISSION IS NOT IN VIOLATION OF STATE LAW UNTIL THE MEETING HAS BEEN, UM, BACK UP AGAIN.
WHAT IS THE POLITE TERMINOLOGY TODAY? TUESDAY? I APOLOGIZE.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU BABE, YOU YEAH, BECAUSE YEAH, THAT'S, YEAH.
IT WAS A PROFOUND NUMBER FOR GAY PEOPLE SCHOOL.
THERE WAS LIKE ONE CHILD WERE CHILD DISTRICT AND THAT'S WHY OKAY.
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IF WE CAN ADJOURN AGAIN.CAN YOU GUYS TELL I'M NOT GOOD AT THIS? I'LL BE FINE.
SO, UM, DEBBIE, YOU'RE, UH, YOU ARE ACTUALLY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, THEY WILL BE FORWARDED ON TO PETE.
UM, THOSE, UH, COMMENTS, HOWEVER, ARE RELATED TO THE FUNDING PRIORITIES REPORT, WHICH WE HAVE NOT YET COME TO ON THIS AGENDA.
SO WE WILL NOT, UH, ENTERTAIN ANY MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT AT THIS POINT.
UM, I WOULD ALSO, UH, WILL TAKE THE MOMENT AT, AS REQUESTED BY SOME OF MY, UH, COMMISSIONERS TO, I IDENTIFY THAT WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST WITH US TODAY WHO IS WITH DALLAS, UH, OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND ST I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE NAME IS CORRECTLY, STEVE.
I KNOW YOUR NAME IS STEVE, BUT WHAT'S THE I'M ACTUALLY, I, I WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND WE SERVE AS PARLIAMENTARIANS TO YOUR COMMITTEE.
SO WHEN YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER OR OUT OF RULE, I'M GONNA BE TRYING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION TO BRING, YOU ARE THE PARLIAMENTARIAN.
OH, THEY KNEW I WOULD NEED HELP.
SO THEY SENT HIM HERE TO MAKE SURE, I MEAN, I EVEN HAVE A COPY OF ROBERT'S RULES RIGHT.
BUT OBVIOUSLY I HAVEN'T MEMORIZED THEM JUST YET.
WE'LL, AND DO WE, DO WE USE ROBERT'S RULES? DO, IS IT ROBERT'S RULES? WHO YOU GUYS USE? WE WERE GOVERNED BY ROBERT'S RULES.
WE ARE GOVERNED BY ROBERTS RULES.
SO JUST SOMETHING REAL QUICK, UH, I'M PHY LEE, DISTRICT FOUR.
AND I JUST WANT TO ADD, CAUSE I'M SITTING HERE LISTENING, AND IF YOU, UM, MEETING WHOEVER'S IN CHARGE OF THE MEETING, OPEN THE DOOR FOR SOMEBODY TO SPEAK AND THEY START SPEAKING.
BUT IF THEY GO TOO FAR, YOU LETTING 'EM KNOW WE'RE NOT ON THAT PORTION YET.
BECAUSE I THOUGHT SHE WAS SAYING, YOU ALREADY ASKED IF ANYBODY HAD COMMENT AND IF I HAD A COMMENT, THEN YOU GONNA TELL ME I'M OUTTA ORDER THEN I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT.
IS THAT WHAT I HEARD? THAT'S NOT WHAT'S GOING ON.
I WAS REQUESTING A COMMENT ON THIS DATA REPORT JUST ON THAT DATA REPORT, NOT UPON ANY OTHER REPORTS.
SO WE HAVE COVERED STATE REPORT AND DON'T GO INTO EXACTLY.
SO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER DISTRICT DATES.
UH, IF YOU ARE WANT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE FOR YOUR DISTRICT, IF YOU WOULD LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO LESS THAN TWO MINUTES SO THAT WE CAN HEAR EVERYONE AND STILL HAVE TIME TO DO THE REST OF OUR MEETING.
UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES RENEE.
SO I'VE BEEN HAVING AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION.
SOMETHING WAS SENT TO JANIE COUNCIL, MY CITY COUNCIL PERSON ABOUT WHY DALLAS, UM, DOES NOT HAVE, UH, AN, YOU KNOW, ALL OVER THE PLACE.
UM, UH, AND I CAME IN LATE, UH, SENIOR CENTRIST IN OUR CITY.
SO I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT HEARING YOUR FULL REPORT.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING CONVERSATION, RIGHT? I'M, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT TO ANSWER HER.
AND I'VE SCHEDULED A PHONE CALL FOR NEXT WEEK, SO ANY HELP BUT OFF, OFF THE TABLE, I, I WOULD APPRECIATE.
SO BECAUSE I'M NEW, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE BACKGROUND THAT I AM AWARE.
UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES BERNA MITCHELL.
UH, IN, UH, DISTRICT THREE, AND I MAY BE SAYING DENIED TO YOU ALL BECAUSE WE HAVE A NEW, UH, COUNCIL PERSON IN DISTRICT THREE.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, NOT SURE WHETHER I WILL BE REAPPOINTED, UH, FOR DISTRICT THREE, BUT HAVE MET WITH HIM AS WELL AS OUR OUTGOING, UH, COMMISSIONER ABOUT SEVERAL, UM, THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY.
ONE OF WHICH IS THAT WE HAD A RESTAURANT AT, UH, THE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, AND THEY HAVE MOVED OUT AND WE WERE HEARING ABOUT A, OH GOLLY, I CAN'T THINK OF THE NAME NOW, BUT LIKE A BAR.
AND IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE ATTACHED TO THE BAR.
AND OUR COMMUNITY IS KIND OF A QUIET COMMUNITY, AND WE DID NOT WANT ANYTHING THAT WAS COMING IN TO, TO CHANGE THE, THE TONE OR THE CULTURE OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS AND NOT THE COMMISSIONERS, THE COUNCIL PERSON, AND COMING, WELL, HE'S NOW COUNCIL PERSON.
HE LEFT, NO, HE WAS COUNCIL PERSON.
UH, AFTER INAUGURATION AND, UH, THE NEW OWNERS OF THIS RESTAURANT, UH, TO GET A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT THEY, WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE WITH
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AND WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE.AND WE KIND OF CAME TO AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD ON, ON WHAT THAT WOULD, WOULD, UH, WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND SO WE ARE PLEASED ABOUT THAT.
UM, ALSO, UH, WORKING ON OUR BUDGET MEETING WITH THE DIFFERENT, UM, PRESIDENTS OF THE, UM, HOAS.
AND MOST OF US, MOST OF US ARE SENIORS BECAUSE IT IS AN OLDER COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, WORKING ON OUR BUDGETS FOR THE UPCOMING, UH, 2024 BUDGET SEASON.
I THINK THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I WOULD WANT YOU.
UH, WE HAVE A GROUP AND WELL, THAT WILL BE DISSOLVED AND I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE CALLED OURSELF THE SENIOR LADIES OF DISTRICT THREE.
UH, WE MEET, UM, WELL WE, ALL OF US, BUT WE, UH, MEET WITH THE COMMISSIONER, UH, ON A REGULAR, NOT THE COMMISSIONER, THE COUNCIL PERSON ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT WILL, UH, WILL CONTINUE.
AND WE DO PARTICIPATE, UH, IN THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT ARE DISTRIBUTING FOODS AND WHATEVER.
WE PARTICIPATED IN ONE ON SATURDAY, DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY ON SATURDAY FOR YES.
I HAVE A, A FEW COMMENTS THAT I'VE PREPARED SINCE THIS IS MY LAST MEETING.
WHEN FARMER D 10, COUNCILMAN ADAM MCGOO INTERVIEWED ME FOR A POSSIBLE APPOINTMENT TO THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION, HE STATED HIS DESIRE FOR SOMEONE WHO WOULD SHOW UP.
IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO SHOW UP FOR THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION IN D 10.
A APPRECIATION IS EXPRESSED TO THE STAFF, ESPECIALLY MR. HART.
I HAVE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED SERVING ON THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION, AND I WISH YOU FUTURE SUCCESS AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THE SENIOR ADULT POPULATION OF DALLAS.
UM, I MET WITH MY COUNSEL WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE BUDGET.
HE SAYS HE IS GONNA MAKE SURE YOU RECOGNIZE HIS, UM, CONCERN FOR THE SENIORS.
LAST, WELL, THIS PAST SATURDAY WE HAD A BRUNCH AND SENIORS WERE INVITED IN OUR AREA AND IT WAS ON WHEELS DEVELOPING WHEELS TRUST.
UM, LEARNING ABOUT THE, UH, ATTORNEYS THAT WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH SENIORS AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH LOW INCOME OR PEOPLE WITH WAGES THAT WOULD MATCH THAT WE ARE GIVING OUT WATER, UM, COLD WATER IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN I HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE SENIOR PROGRAMS AT, IN THE CASE CENTER, THE TWO, THERE'S A CITY ONE AND THERE'S A COUNCILING ONE.
AND I HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT IT CAUSE UH, I WENT, TRIED TO MEET AND THERE WAS SOME CONCERNED.
UH, THOSE LEE ES LEE DISTRICT FOR MAYOR PRO AND ARNOLD, MY COUNCILPERSON, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I HAVE, UH, MET WITH, UH, SOME PEOPLE AT MY AREA AND WE HAVE OPENED UP A URBAN THEATER CENTER TYPE DEAL.
IT WAS AN OLD CHURCH IN HISTORICAL, UH, HISTORICAL AREA.
AND THEY, THE CHURCH WAS LOSING THEIR FUNDING.
AND THIS GUY, AND I'M NOT PRONOUNCING THIS NAME CORRECTLY, GILES WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE CHURCH.
AND WHAT I LIKED ABOUT WHAT HE WAS SAYING, HE SAID THEY CAN STILL HOLD CHURCH THERE AS LONG AS THEY WANT WITH NO CAUSE.
BUT THE MOST INTERESTING PART IS THE ARTS.
THEY BRING IN MUSIC, DANCE, THE EIGHT, OR VISUAL ARTS, AND U N T IS HAVING A PROGRAM AND THEY ARE PAYING FOR CERTAIN KIDS IN CERTAIN ZIP CODES TO ATTEND FREE OF CHARGE.
NOW IT'S ABOUT 15 HOUSES FROM WHERE I LIVE.
AND I WAS, UH, DOWN HERE AT THE SAME BUILDING ON JUNE THE SEVENTH, UM, FOR OUR DISTRICT AND OUR CHILDREN CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO GO AND MEET SOME OF THE ACTRESS ACTRESSES, SINGING, DANCING.
[00:35:01]
SAY MY LITTLE GRANDSON LIVES IN CEDAR HILL, BUT HE'S IN MUSIC.AND IF I GET A CHANCE, I WANT HIM TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT, UM, UH, UH, UH, UH, ARENA AS WELL.
BUT THE POINT IS THAT WE HAVE NOW IN MY COMMUNITY BY THE DALLAS ZOO, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, AND THE 10TH STREET FOR THE 19TH OF JUNE, I ALSO HAD AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, THEY HAD A 10TH STREET HISTORICAL DAY.
IT WAS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WENT ON IN 10TH STREET FROM THAT TIME UP TO THIS TIME.
AND WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE TO TALK ABOUT THE 10TH STREET AREA, WHERE IT'S GOING AND WHERE IS IT BEING AND WHERE WE GOING TO IN THE FUTURE.
SO I THINK DALLAS, AROUND MY AREA, 10TH STREET BOTTOM DISTRICT IS DOING GREAT THINGS UNDER, UH, COMMISSIONER KING ARNOLD.
AND SHE WAS IN ATTENDANCE AS WELL.
AND WE ARE JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD.
AND THE LAST PIECE, I WANT TO SAY, I WAS INVITED, AND I DON'T THINK IT SOMETIME IN AUGUST, AND I'M GONNA NEED THE HELP OF THE SENIORS TO HELP ME, UM, PUT TOGETHER WHAT CAN OUR SENIORS BE INVOLVED IN THAT'S ISOLATED, LIKE THE DIFFERENT RECREATION CENTERS.
I CAN GIVE THEM THAT INFORMATION, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO DETAILS AND TELL ME WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
BUT IT IS, WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, GET TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THAT THE SENIORS NOT BE SO ISOLATED.
SO I WAS GONNA SPEAK ON THAT WITH THE VA BECAUSE I TOLD 'EM I WAS, UH, PART OF THE, UH, SENIORS AFFAIRS AND THEY WERE SAYING WHAT'S, WHAT, WHAT PROGRAMS THEY HAVE.
I DIDN'T KNOW ALL OF THEM, BUT GO AHEAD.
WELL, THAT'S, I CAN NEED HELP.
I HAVE A, UH, DISTRICT FIVE HAS THAT SAME NEED, PHYLLIS.
SO I THINK THAT WE CAN GET TOGETHER WITH SOME OUR, UH, EXPERIENCED COHORTS.
JUST WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION.
THE BENA, UM, PROGRAM THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT WOULD BE AT, LIKE WAS ONCE WAS A CHURCH.
WILL THEY HAVE PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS AS WELL? THAT PART I DON'T KNOW AS OF YET, BUT I WILL BE FINDING OUT BECAUSE I AM FINDING CERTAIN YOU'LL INITIATE THAT.
I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY, WE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S FOR THE COMMUNITY.
BUT I AM GONNA MAKE SURE, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UH, DISTRICT UPDATES? KAREN, I SEE YOUR HAND RAISED IF YOU WANT TO UPDATE US.
I, I I WANT TO SECOND, UH, RENEE'S SUGGESTION ABOUT THE SENIOR CENTERS.
I, UH, ASSISTED MY NEIGHBOR IN, UH, TRYING TO GET HER INTO ONE OF THE SENIOR CENTERS HERE.
I HAVE TO SAY IT WAS A VERY DISAPPOINTING EXPERIENCE ON A LOT OF LEVELS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST HAD A PHONE CALL WITH HER SON WHO WAS SAYING, WHY ISN'T DALLAS DOING MORE? HE LIVES IN A, UM, SUBURB THAT HAS QUITE, QUITE A GOOD SENIOR CENTER.
SO I, I'M GONNA ADD THAT TO MY LIST FOR OUR MEETING.
UM, AS FAR AS DISTRICT 14, UH, I DID ATTEND AND PARTICIPATED IN THE HEARING ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS, WHICH I KNOW HAS TWO SIDES TO THE STORY.
BUT, UM, DISTRICT 14 IS, HAS THE MOST, UH, OF THESE IN, UH, IN, IS IN ANY DISTRICT.
AND DISTRICT TWO IS SECOND, WHICH IS WHERE MOST OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS.
UH, MY APPROACH TO IT ALL REALLY IS TO PRESERVE OUR HOUSING FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN AND NOT JUST, UH, UH, HAVE IT BE A COMMERCIAL MOTEL KIND OF THING.
SO I WAS REAL PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME OF THAT.
I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY NOT THE END OF THE STORY, BUT, UM, AS THE CHAIR OF THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, I SAW THAT AS CERTAINLY PART OF MY ROLE.
AND, UH, I HAVE TO SAY COUNCILMAN, UH, RIDLEY REALLY MASTERFULLY LED THAT, UH, THAT WHOLE, UH, THING.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S MY COMMENTS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I WANNA RESPOND IS DEBBIE AUSTIN SENIOR? KAREN, YOU HOLD ON JUST A MINUTE.
UH, UH, KAREN, CAN YOU AND I HAVE A CONVERSATION, MAYBE IN MY CASE, TWO HEADS ARE DEFINITELY BETTER THAN ONE.
SO TO FIGURE OUT SOME OF THE SENIOR, UH, CENTER STUFF, RIGHT.
I'M HEARING EXACTLY THE SAME THING YOU ARE RIGHT.
ALL THE SUBURBS HAVE THESE PLACE.
UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES DEBBIE AUSTIN, YOUR DISTRICT UPDATE.
DEBBIE, THIS IS DEBBIE AUSTIN, SENIOR FIRST COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT EIGHT.
WE HAD A PARKS CONCERT AT QUIN COLLEGE ON JUNE THE 13TH.
WE HAD A JUNETEENTH EVENT IN OUR DISTRICT ON JUNETEENTH WEEKEND.
WE HAD, UM, UH, FOUR OAK CLIFF FEEDS KIDS DURING THE SUMMER, AND THAT'S GONNA BE GOING ON THROUGH FROM JUNE 5TH THROUGH AUGUST 11TH,
[00:40:01]
UM, AT, UM, CITY SQUARE.AND IT'S IN INA COMBINATION WITH FOUR OAK CLIFF.
AND ALSO, UM, I SENT OUT INFORMATION FROM DALLAS COUNTY AND THE SENIOR SOURCE ABOUT FREE AIR CONDITIONING FOR SENIORS WHO ARE 60 PLUS YEARS OF AGE.
AND WE HAD A HELP TO CLEAN UP OUR COMMUNITY EVENT IN THE LEDBETTER AREA OF DISTRICT EIGHT THIS MONTH.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO THEIR DISTRICT? UH, THAT BEING THE CASE, I THINK THAT WE WILL MOVE ON TO, UH, SOME STAFF REPORTS AND BRIEFINGS.
AND, UH, FIRST OFF WILL BE OUR LOVABLE, UH, RECE COLLINS.
I SAID LOVABLE, NOT LAUGHABLE.
AFTERNOON RECE COLLINS REDEVELOPMENT MAN, THE HOUSE OF DEPARTMENT.
UM, I ONLY HAVE A FEW UPDATES.
UM, ONE WAS JUST REFERENCE THAT THERE ARE, THERE IS A, UM, AC PROGRAM THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR SENIORS.
UM, AND I SENT THAT OVER TO MIKHAIL SO HE CAN SEND IT OUT TO YOU GUYS SO THAT EVERYONE'S AWARE OF THAT.
UM, IN REFERENCE TO THE MOST COMMON THING WE'VE HAD IN THE PREVIOUS MONTHS IN REGARDS TO THE SENIOR HOMER BEAR PROGRAM, UH, YOU KNOW, WE EXPERIENCED SOME DELAYS DUE TO THE RANSOMWARE ATTACK.
UH, BUT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CATCH UP WITH THAT SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND START THE PROCESS, UH, WITH THAT FIRST GROUP OF APPLICANTS.
UM, SO WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS WITH THAT.
UH, YOU SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT WE DID COMPLETE MULTIPLE, UH, CONTRACTOR RECRUITMENT SESSIONS AND WE HAD, UH, VERY HEALTHY ATTENDANCE.
IT WAS OVER A HUNDRED, UH, SEVERAL CONTRACTORS THAT DID ATTEND, UH, WHICH HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
UH, THE, THE POSITIVE TO THAT IS THAT WE'VE HAD ABOUT 40 OR SO APPLICATIONS, UM, THAT HAVE THE MAJORITY OF THE INFORMATION IN.
WE REALLY HAVE ABOUT 70, BUT ALL OF THEM HAVE THEIR DOCUMENTS IN.
SO, UH, BUT WE'RE HAPPY ABOUT THE AMOUNT THAT WE DO HAVE BECAUSE IT'S ALLOWING US TO DO MORE WORK, UM, IDENTIFYING NEW CONTRACTORS SO THAT WE CAN MOVE MORE PROJECTS AT ONE GIVEN TIME.
UM, IF YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE FIRST, UH, OPENED THIS PROGRAM, OR IN THE PROCESS OF OPENING IT, WE TALKED ABOUT DOING THE LOTTERY IN WAVES SO THAT WE WOULD DO 10, 15 AT A TIME.
BUT BY GETTING MORE CONTRACTORS IN WILL ALLOW US TO EXPAND THAT SO THAT WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE MORE CAPACITY.
SO WE COULD MAYBE TAKE THE NUMBER TO 2025 AT A TIME.
SO THAT IS THE GOAL AS WE GO THROUGH DATA THEM, WE'VE VETTED ABOUT 13 SO FAR, SO WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE A HEALTHY PIPELINE COMING IN AND TRYING TO JUST PRETTY MUCH SET A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR THAT.
UM, THE LAST THING THAT I WILL SAY IS THAT SINCE WE ARE FORWARD WITH THE FIRST GROUP OF APPLICANTS GETTING AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF CALLS ASKING IF THEY WERE APPROVED OR NOT APPROVED, UM, A LOT OF SENIORS, UH, UNDERSTAND THIS.
SO I'VE FORGOTTEN THAT THEIR APPLICATION IS STILL VALID FOR A FULL YEAR.
AND SO THEY ARE STILL IN THAT POOL FOR THE NEXT ROUND THAT'S COMING THROUGH.
UM, IF YOU REMEMBER, WE ONLY ASKED FOR THREE ITEMS. SO THEIR APPLICATION SHOULD NOT BE DENIED FOR AT LEAST A YEAR AT A MINIMUM, GIVING THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO WE ARE MOVING ALONG, UH, SLOWLY BUT SURELY, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS SOME SETBACKS, BUT WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO TACKLE THAT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT, UH, I CAN ANSWER? DOES ANY OF THE COMMITTEE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR REESE? NO, NOT SEEING ANY QUESTIONS.
CAN I JUST THANK RENEE CLARK? CAN I THANK REESE? HE DOES SUCH A GREAT JOB UPDATING US AT ALL OUR MEETINGS.
COME FROM KAREN, NOT FROM, RIGHT, RIGHT.
I DO HAVE ONE THING THAT I JUST TOTALLY SLIPPED.
WE ARE TAKING METRICS AND IDENTIFYING COUNCIL DISTRICT AND DIFFERENT DATA, RIGHT? SO THAT WE CAN'T COMPILE THAT.
UM, A LOT OF THAT IS HAVING TO GET UPDATED AS WE WORK THROUGH EACH APPLICANT, BECAUSE YOU DO GET A GROUP PEOPLE WHO JUST DON'T RESPOND BACK.
AND OF, OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO MOVE OUT APPROPRIATELY.
CAN I SAY SOMETHING? I, I, I CAN'T LET RENEE OUTDO ME.
I, I, THIS IS KAREN, JUST 14 AND RE AND I REALLY DID SIT HERE THINKING I JUST AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THE JOB THAT IS BEING DONE.
UH, I'M REAL THRILLED THAT YOU'RE GETTING SO MANY MORE CONTRACTORS, CUZ I KNOW THAT'S, THAT'S HAD A HUGE, UH, CHALLENGE TO SOME OF THE, YOUR PROGRESS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK.
AND UH, JESSICA, ARE YOU DOING THE, UH, SENIOR SERVICES PROGRAM, UH, CONTRACTS UPDATE OR, WELL, I CAN DO, I'LL DO THE CONTRACTS PORTION, BUT I'D LIKE JAMES TO START WITH THE, UM, EVENTS, THE OUTREACH SUMMARY, UNLESS YOU'D ARRANGED FOR KY OR LYNN TO DO THAT, BUT I THINK JAMES WAS DOING THE OUTREACH.
[00:45:01]
THE EVENTS? JUST YEAH, THE EVENTS AND OUTREACH.THIS IS JAMES AND I'M, UH, WITH SENIOR SERVICES AND I'M GONNA BE, UH, COVERING THE SENIOR SERVICES UPDATE, UH, FOR MAY, WE HAD, UH, SENIOR YOUR HUNGER SUMMIT AT THE BRISCOE UH, CENTER.
WE ALSO, UM, ATTENDED MOUNTAIN VIEW SENIOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
APART FROM THAT, WE HAD THE A A R P BLOCK PARTY PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE PARTNERED WITH A A R P, UH, THROUGH THE AGE FRIENDLY EVENT AT WEST DALLAS MULTIPURPOSE CENTER.
THEY ALSO PARTICIPATED IN, UH, LATE MAY WITH THE DART OLDER AMERICANS MONTH HEALTH FAIR AT FAIR PARK.
AND WE ALSO PARTICIPATED AS A VENDOR IN JUNE, UM, EARLY PART OF JUNE.
ON JUNE THE THIRD, WE PARTICIPATED WITH DALLAS COLLEGE RESOURCE FAIR.
WE ALSO PARTICIPATED WITH EATING WELL AS A SNAP.
WE DID OUTREACH AT ONE OF THE SENIOR CENTERS THERE, UH, ON JUNE THE 10TH, PARTICIPATED WITH ZEL CHURCH COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
UH, ON THE 14TH, UH, WE PARTICIPATED WITH THE VETERANS OUTREACH THROUGH A WEBINAR.
AND THEN ON THE 17TH, UH, MR. HART PARTICIPATED IN THE JUNETEENTH FORTE WALK FESTIVAL.
AND THEN LOOKING AHEAD, WE HAVE, UH, EATING WELL AS A SNAP IN JULY, DOING ANOTHER PRESENTATION WITH, WITH ANOTHER SENIOR CENTER ON THE 20TH.
WE'LL BE PARTICIPATING WITH THE NORTHEAST DIVISION ANNUAL WELLNESS AND SAFETY OUTREACH ON THE 20TH.
UM, WE'LL BE PARTICIPATING ONCE MORE WITH EATING WELL AS A SNAP AT CARPENTER'S, CARPENTER'S POINT COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND THEN FINALLY ON THE 20TH, ON THAT SAME DAY, WE WILL ALSO BE PARTICIPATING WITH THE, UH, A A R P THROUGH A HOUSING WEBINAR.
AND THOSE ARE THE EVENTS FOR SENIOR SERVICES.
UM, I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE MEAN BY PARTICIPATION, FIRST OF ALL.
CAUSE THEY'RE DIFFERENT EVENTS.
AND SO, UH, I'M WONDERING IF, IF AT SOME POINT THAT AS COMMISSIONERS WE RECEIVE PRIVY TO SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT YOU'D BE PARTICIPATING IN, ESPECIALLY I HEARD SEVERAL THAT WERE RELATED TO HEALTH AND SAFETY, THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, GO TO THOSE PARTICULAR EVENTS AND ACTUALLY SEE WHAT PARTICIPATION LOOKS LIKE FOR US.
IS THAT POSSIBLE? YES, WE CAN DO, YES, THAT IS POSSIBLE.
WHEN I, WHEN I MENTIONED PARTICIPATION IS, UH, SOME OF THESE EVENTS, UH, WERE SPECIFICALLY AS TO PRESENT, UH, INFORMATION AND REFERRAL, UH, PRESENTATIONS AT THESE, UH, SOME OF THESE EVENTS.
AND, UH, THEY ARE, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
SOME OF THESE COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN HAVE MAYBE 15 TO 25 SENIORS THAT PARTICIPATE.
AND SO, UH, THEY'LL ASK US, WE'LL PUT IT ON THE CALENDAR, AND THEN WE FILL UP AT THE EVENT AND PAR AND PRE PRESENT SENIOR SERVICES INFORMATION AND REFERRAL.
BUT WE, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT FOR YOU.
THIS COMMISSION, THIS IS COMMISSIONER AUSTIN.
UH, UM, DID YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE HOUSING FAIR? I DID.
UH, ON THE 20TH THERE'S A HOUSING WEBINAR WITH A A R P.
IS THIS THE HOUSING 1 0 1 RESOURCE FAIR THAT THE SAC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR? UH, KYLE, ARE YOU, ARE YOU, UH, CAN YOU HELLO? I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
WILLOW SANCHEZ FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND I'M TURNING ON MY VIDEO, BUT MR. RAMIREZ, YOUR VIDEO IS NOT VISIBLE.
IN ORDER TO, UH, SPEAK AND ATTEND, YOU HAVE TO, THERE WE GO.
SO, YES, UH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE CAN SEND THAT INFORMATION OUT.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS TO THE, UH, THE, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, YES.
IT, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, AUSTIN.
THIS IS, UH, USED TO BE HOUSING ONE ON ONE, BUT WE PARTNERED THE LAST THREE YEARS WITH A R P.
THIS IS CONSIDERED HOUSING WEBINAR CONSIDERED WITH WEB.
UH, WE'RE GONNA BE PARTICIPATING WITH, UH, A R P ME BE, UH, WEBINAR.
[00:50:01]
OKAY.ONCE I RECEIVE A FLYER, EACH COMMISSIONER WILL RECEIVE A FLYER.
IT HASN'T ALREADY OCCURRED? NO, MA'AM.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT'S GONNA BE PRESENTING MYSELF, MS. WILLIAMS, UH, REESE, AND SOMEONE FROM, ALSO FROM, UH, DALLAS HOUSING AUTHORITY.
AND SO WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE INFORMATION TO THE SENIORS IN OUR DISTRICTS.
I WILL, ONCE I RECEIVE THE FLYER, I WILL SEND IT OUT TO EVERY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT.
SO, SO JAMES ON THE 19TH, THE A R P BLOCK PARTY, I THINK IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE WEST DALLAS MULTIPURPOSE CENTER,
SO YES, WE MOVED, WE MOVED IT INSIDE, UH, EVENT.
YEAH, THERE WAS, I WAS TO HEAD DOWN AND THEN I THOUGHT, OH, NO, I'M NOT RIGHT.
IT DID OCCUR, YES, WE DID, WE DID FINISH THE, UH, THE EVENT.
WE TOOK IT INSIDE AND IT WORKED OUT PERFECT.
I'LL JUST ADD ON THE A R P EVENT AT THE BLOCK PARTY AT WEST DALLAS, IT WAS DEFINITELY CHANGED.
SO IT WAS A LOT LESS PEOPLE THAT SEVERAL OF THE DIGNITARIES THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO LIKE BE THERE OR SPEAK WERE NOT ABLE TO COME.
BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAD GONE ANYWAYS.
PROBABLY A MUCH SMALLER NUMBER THAN WOULD HAVE, WERE NOT THE SOURCE, BUT, UM, IT DID, IT DID GO ON IN, IN AN ALTERED FASHION.
SO THE NEXT SECTION, UM, YOU HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT I'LL JUST NOTE, UM, IF YOU CAN SEE, UH, A BIT OF AN INCREASE WHEN COMPARING LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR FOR MAY IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS AND THE NUMBER OF FALLS.
UM, IF YOU DO THE MATH ON THAT, IT'S ABOUT FOUR, FOUR CONTACT POINTS PER CLIENT, ALTHOUGH THAT'S JUST AN AVERAGE.
SOME CLIENTS ARE LIKE 12 AND SOME CLIENTS ARE ONE.
BUT, UM, IT'S AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT FOUR CONTACTS AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR CLIENT SERVED.
UM, MOVING ON, UH, THE, THIS, UH, SHOWS OUR INFORMATION AND REFERRAL, WHICH IS THE WORK THAT, UH, LYNN MICHAIL AND, UH, PREVIOUSLY ANNA WOULD SUPPORT SOMETIMES AS WELL AS JAMES.
UM, WHEN WE HAVE SENIORS CALLING OUR SENIOR HELPLINE LOOKING FOR RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ON JUST A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS.
SO, UH, THAT IS, THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS FOR OUR SENIOR SERVICES.
AND THEN, UH, BROKEN DOWN BY DISTRICT FOR EACH MONTH, UM, THROUGH THE, FROM THE START OF THE FISCAL YEAR THROUGH DATE.
UM, THE NEXT SECTION IS OUR WRITER'S ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UM, A BIT OF AN INCREASE IN REGISTERED USERS.
UH, PRETTY BIG GROWTH HAS BEEN SEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR IN TERMS OF ACTUAL RIDERSHIP.
SO THE NUMBER OF RIDES THAT ARE TAKEN.
UM, THE RIDERSHIP RIDE NUMBER HAS GROWN MUCH MORE THAN LIKE THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED USERS, WHICH IS INTERESTING.
BUT I JUST THINK THAT THAT IS ALL REFLECTIVE OF COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC OVER THE LAST YEAR AND PEOPLE FEELING MORE COMFORTABLE GETTING OUT AND ABOUT.
UM, SO HERE'S THE INFORMATION.
YOU CAN SEE AGAIN, WE'VE GOT IT BROKEN DOWN BY DISTRICT HERE, UH, FOR THE CURRENT QUARTER, THIRD QUARTER OF 2023.
UM, MOVING ON SENIOR EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM HERE, EXCUSE ME.
UM, THE NUMBER OF SENIORS SERVED MONTHLY IS RELATIVELY SMALL, BUT I WILL REMIND YOU THAT THIS IS A PRETTY SMALL INVESTMENT.
IT'S JUST ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
UM, AND THEIR TARGET IS ONLY ABOUT 140, I THINK FOR THE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO THEY ARE ACTUALLY ON TRACK, UM, TO FULFILL THEIR OBLIGATION TO MEET THEIR GOALS.
UM, THE NUMBERS BROKEN DOWN BY DISTRICT ARE UP NEXT HERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, UM, 1 0 8 TO DATE FOR THE YEAR.
SO GETTING PRETTY CLOSE TO GOAL.
UH, NEXT STEP IS OUR, UH, PROBABLY IN TERM OUTSIDE OF INFORMATION AND REFERRAL IN TERMS OF NUMBERS, OUR BIGGEST PROGRAM, WELL, NO, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT TRUE ON
PROBABLY MORE, WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M COMPARING PROGRAMS ANYWAYS, UM,
UM, SO YOU'LL SEE OUR YEAR TO DATE FOR 2023 IS 4 28.
UM, WE'RE ALL AWARE THAT DUE TO THAT, UH, THE DELAY IN GETTING THE CONTRACT RENEWED FROM THAT PROCUREMENT ISSUE, IT'S MISSING A COUPLE OF MONTHS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
UM, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT THEY'RE ALREADY MORE THAN MAKING UP FOR THAT IN TERMS OF GETTING FOLKS THROUGH THE DOOR.
UM, AND, BUT THAT DOES KIND OF ACCOUNT FOR SOME OF THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT YOU'D SEE HERE TO DATE HERE.
IT'S, IT IS MISSING A LITTLE BIT OF THE YEAR.
UM, MOVING ON PATIENT VISITS, UM, AND THEN THE NUMBER OF
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, WE HAVE THE BREAKDOWN BY THE DISTRICTS, UM, IS THE NEXT PORTION.
AND THEN FINALLY THE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM.
[00:55:01]
THIS ONE, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THESE, UH, THE FACILITIES ARE LOCATED, YOU TEND TO SEE MUCH LARGER NUMBERS IN CERTAIN DISTRICTS THAN OTHERS BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE ONE OF THOSE SENIOR HOUSING FACILITIES.AND SO THEY'RE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO HAVE, UH, RESIDENTS, UH, UH, SERVE FOR THE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM.
SO I DO WANNA PUT THAT EXPLAINER OUT THERE WHEN LOOKING AT THE DISTRICT NUMBERS.
UM, BUT THEY ARE, UH, A GOOD BIT ABOVE LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS, UM, COMPARING, UM, MAY TO, MAY TO MAY I BELIEVE.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, CONTINUED GROWTH TOWARDS MEETING AND ACHIEVING OUR TARGETS FOR THE OMBUDS SPIN PROGRAM, UM, SERVICE DELIVERY.
SO, UH, HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, BRIEF QUESTIONS, UM, ANYTHING MORE IN INTENSIVE, I MIGHT HAVE TO DO SOME RESEARCH SO THAT I'LL DO MY BEST.
I THINK EASY ON THE SENIOR OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM, THE TARGET ON THE VERY FIRST ONE WOULD KEEP IT SIMPLE.
SO IS IT YEAR TO DATE THEY'VE DONE NURSING HOME VISITS OF 471 VERSUS THAT TARGET? YEAH, SO THAT TARGET'S FOR THE FULL YEAR.
AND SO WE WERE 4 71 OUT OF OUR BUSINESS AS OF MAY 7, 25, END OF MAY.
WHAT I WANTED BE JUST A LITTLE AS OF THE END OF MAY.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE CONTINUED WORK AND EFFORT IN ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE DATA BY DISTRICT.
AND I KNOW THAT'S, THAT'S HARD AND IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE WE HAVE WORKED, WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR COUNCIL PERSONS, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT WE, THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.
AND WE HAVE WORKED, AND I SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT REALLY IT'S, UM, JAMES IN PARTICULAR, BUT IT'S THESE THREE WONDERFUL FOLKS THAT DO A LOT OF THE HEAVY LIFTING AND PULLING THIS TOGETHER AS WELL AS OUR CONTRACTS TEAM, WHICH IS, I'M HERE IN THIS MEETING, BUT THEY'RE UPSTAIRS WORKING HARD ON CONTRACTS, COMPLIANCE WORK, AND, UH, EXCELLENT TEAM MEMBERS THERE AS WELL.
UH, UH, IT IT STRIKES ME THAT EVERY DISTRICT IS REPRESENTED HERE.
AND THE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM, I, EVERY, EVERY DISTRICT HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM.
SOME OR ANOTHER'S WORTH NOTING, RIGHT? I MEAN, CLEARLY AS YOU SAID, SOMEWHERE THAN OTHERS.
BUT EVERY DISTRICT HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF IT.
IT'S GREAT TO THE SENIOR SOURCE TOO, TO THEIR OWN NO, GREAT MARKETING PR.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK MACAU FOR CONTINUOUSLY.
IT'S A PLETHORA OF INFORMATION THAT WE GET EVERY MONTH AND THAT HE
HE JUST RESPONDS LIKE HE'S SITTING BY HIS COMPUTER OR SOME SOMEWHERE ALL THE TIME.
AND WANNA THANK YOU FOR AN EXCELLENT JOB, WHICH IS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF INFORMATION AND WHENEVER HE RECEIVES SOMETHING.
AND THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR INFORMING US AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE WAITING.
UM, ARE THERE, THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS PIECE? GREAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH JESSICA.
SO, UM, WE'VE GOT ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR LEFT TO GO THROUGH OUR, UH, SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION FUNDING PRIORITIES.
UM, LAST MONTH, UH, I PRESENTED A DRAFT REPORT OF THE CITY OF DALLAS SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION RECOMMENDED FUNDING PRIORITIES.
I BELIEVE THAT SOMEBODY SAID WE WERE A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER MAYBE.
SO, UM, HOWEVER, UH, ONE OF, AS, AS A RESULT OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT OCCURRED IN THAT MEETING, WE, UM, HAD OFFERED THE, SOME OF THE OPINIONS OF, UM, OUR COMMISSIONERS TO BE REPRESENTED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND SO AS SET FORTH IN THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, I BELIEVE STEVEN, WE HAVE THE ABILITY FOR A COMMISSIONER TO MAKE A MINORITY OPINION KNOWN ON ANY ISSUE THAT WE ARE PUTTING A REPORT TOGETHER ON.
AND SO WE HAVE HAD A COMMISSIONER THAT HAS DONE SO AS IT RELATES TO, UM, OUR FUNDING, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND, UH, IT WOULD BE, UH, MY HONOR TO MAKE A MOTION TO REVIEW THE MINORITY VIEWPOINT PUT FORTH BY PORSCHE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY AGREE TO INCLUDE IT AS AN AMENDMENT TO OUR REPORT.
UM, SO I WILL MAKE THE MOTION, UM, I WILL NEED A SECOND IF ANYONE NEEDS TO SECOND, SECOND.
SO, UM, JESSICA HAS A COPY OF THE MINORITY VIEWPOINT.
IF YOU HAVE READ THE WHOLE REPORT, UM, YOU WILL, YOU WILL SEE HOW THIS,
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UH, DOVETAILS INTO THAT REPORT.AND I WILL, UM, PORTIA IF YOU WANNA READ IT FOR US WHILE EVERYONE IS ALONG, AND THAT'LL GIVE US KIND OF TIME TO DIGEST REPORT RECOMMENDATION TO MEMBERS OF THE DALLAS CITY, DALLAS CITY COUNCIL.
I'M WRITING THIS REPORT AS THE ONLY OPENLY GAY SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER IN DALLAS TO ADDRESS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF LT Q SENIORS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
AS A MARGINALIZED GROUP, L G T Q SENIORS OFTEN FACE DISTINCT CHALLENGES THAT REQUIRE SPECIALIZED DETENTION AND SUPPORT.
ONE OF THE PRIMARY OBSTACLES IN ADDRESSING THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF LGBTQ SENIORS IS THE LACK OF AVAILABLE DATA REGARDING THEIR NUMBERS.
IN DALLAS, THIS GAP IN INFORMATION MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO ACCURATELY ASSESS THE SIZE OF THIS POPULATION AND SUBSEQUENTLY ALLOCATE RESOURCES EFFECTIVELY.
BY CONDUCTING COMPREHENSIVE SURVEYS AND STUDIES, WE CAN GATHER VALUABLE DATA THAT WILL ALLOW US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF CONCERNS OF LGBTQ SENIORS TO ENSURE, ENSURE THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD AND THEIR NEEDS ARE MET.
I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN L G B T Q SENIOR LIAISON POSITION WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL WITH DEDICATED ROLE WOULD SERVE AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN LGBTQ Q SENIORS AND THE COUNCIL ADVOCATING FOR THEIR RIGHTS AND PROVIDING THEM WITH A PLATFORM TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS.
THE G B T Q SENIOR LIAISON COULD ALSO COLLABORATE WITH EXISTING OR ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES TO COORDINATE SUPPORT SERVICES AND INITIATIVES FOR THIS VULNERABLE POPULATION.
FURTHERMORE, I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN L G B T Q SENIOR CENTER IN DALLAS, SUCH AS CENTER WOULD PROVIDE A SAFE AND WELCOMING SPACE FOR LGBTQ SENIORS TO SOCIALIZE, ACCESS RESOURCES, AND RECEIVE SERVICES CATERED TO THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS.
THE CENTER COULD OFFER A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMS, INCLUDING HEALTH WORKSHOPS, LEGAL ASSISTANCE, AND INTERGENERATIONAL ACTIVITIES, FOSTERING CONNECTIONS WITH YOUNGER GENERATIONS.
BY CREATING AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES SOCIALIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT, WE CAN ENHANCE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE FOR LGBTQ Q SENIORS IN DALLAS.
THE BENEFITS OF HAVING AN L G B T Q SENIOR CENTER AND AN L G B T Q SENIOR LIAISON CANNOT BE OVERSTATED.
THESE INITIATIVES WOULD NOT ONLY DEMONSTRATE DALLAS'S COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY AND EQUITY, BUT ALSO FOSTER A GREATER SENSE OF BELONGING AND WELLBEING AMONG LGBTQ SENIORS.
BY PROVIDING THEM WITH RESOURCES, SUPPORT, AND A PLATFORM FOR THEIR VOICES TO BE HEARD, WE CAN EMPOWER THEM TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I SINCERELY URGE THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO PRIORITIZE THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF LGBTQ SENIORS AND TAKE PROACTIVE STEPS TO ADDRESS THEM.
BY DOING SO, WE CAN CREATE A MORE COMPASSIONATE AND INCLUSIVE CITY THAT VALUES AND SUPPORTS ALL ITS RESIDENTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
SINCERELY, PORTIA CANTRELL, RN, SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT TWO.
SO THIS, UM, REPORT THAT PORSCHE HAS PUT TOGETHER, UH, SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT OUT TO YOU WHEN I SENT OUT THE, UH, FINAL APPROVAL DRAFT OF OUR FUNDING PRIORITIES.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU GUYS THE OPPORTUNITY TO, IT HAS TO BE VOTED ON TO BE INCLUDED OR NOT.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, BEFORE WE APPROVE THE FULL REPORT, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A VOTE ON WHETHER THIS MINORITY VIEWPOINT WILL BE ATTACHED AS AN ADDENDUM ONLY TO OUR FULL REPORT.
UM, ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE WE GET INTO A VOTE ON THAT? AND I WILL TAKE DISCUSSION FOR FIVE MINUTES ONLY.
MIKE QUICK, UH, IS THIS AN ATTACHMENT? HOW DID YOU SAY? I MEAN, I JUST SAID IT WAS BE AN ATTACHMENT.
IT WOULD BE AN ATTACHMENT TO WHAT WE'VE SEEN.
NUMBER ONE, JUST, AND I'M FAIR TO SAY, DOES THE CITY NOT HAVE A SUB LIAISON FOR THE LGBTQ AT ALL? NO, IT DOES NOT.
IT DOES NOT FACT COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THAT COMMUNITY.
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THE CITY CURRENTLY DOES NOT HAVE AN LGBTQ SENIOR ANYTHING.AND FURTHERMORE, THERE WAS PRIOR TO COVID A FUNCTIONING L G B T Q L G B T, NOT Q L GBT, WELL THAT'S BEEN IT TASK FORCE, BUT TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT HAS BEEN NON-FUNCTIONING AND NON-VIABLE FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.
NUMBER TWO, AS FAR AS THE CENTER, WE TALKED ABOUT USE OF THE, UH, REC CENTERS.
CAN THAT NOT BE DEVELOPED PLUS DISTRICT SEVEN? UH, THE RI ORGANIZATION IS PUSHING HARD AND FAST FOR THIS.
THEY'VE CARRIED THIS BANNER FOREVER AND I THINK MS. MARTIN'S GONNA FALL ON HER SWORD DOING IT, WHICH IS ALL TO HER CREDIT.
BUT THEY WANNA PUT IN A NEW SENIOR CENTER, WHICH OUR DISTRICT, I DON'T, BUT THE NEW DISTRICT TWO DONE THEN, UH, WE'RE OPPOSING THAT BECAUSE WHY WOULD YOU PUT ONE IN THERE, BUT WHY COULD WE MAKE THAT THE SENIOR CENTER CORNER OF HIGHLANDS AND FERGUSON? LITERALLY HALF QUARTER OF A MILE OFF OF 30.
AND THAT COULD BE THE SENIOR CENTER FOR THE WHOLE UH, AREA.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THESE GENTLEMEN MUNGER PLACE.
MY POINT THERE IS MAYBE WE COULD GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS AND UTILIZE THAT.
I WAS THINKING THE CHURCH COMMUNITY HAS GOTTA DO MORE.
WE HAD THE OWEN WOOD CHURCH, IF I MIGHT INTERRUPT YOU.
UH, MY, WE REALLY DON'T NEED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM WHETHER, HOW WE DO SENIORS.
IT REALLY IS A MATTER OF DO YOU SUPPORT THIS IDEA OF HAVING LBT I'M SORRY, EXCUSE ME.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY DO YOU SUPPORT THE IDEA BECAUSE THIS IS BEING ADDED AS AN ADDENDUM AND A MINORITY OPINION THAT IS REFLECTED AND SUBMITTED BY OUR COMMISSIONER AND OUR CITY CODE DOES ALLOW FOR THAT.
FOR REPORTS THAT ARE SUBMITTED, UM, IT WAS SOME CONFUSION.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE ORIGINAL AND IT'S AN ADDENDUM.
SO IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THE COMMISSION IS ADOPTING THE IDEAS WITHIN THE DOCUMENT, BUT WE ARE PROPERLY AS A COMMISSION ALLOWING THIS TO BE ADDED AS AN ADDENDUM TO YOUR REPORT, WHICH A DOCUMENTS THAT THE COMMISSION IS SUPPORTING THAT THE MINORITY OPINION B HEARD.
NOT THAT THEY SUPPORT THE OPINION OR NOT, IT'S NOT TAKING A STAND ON THE OPINION, IT'S JUST ALLOWING IT TO BE HEARD, UM, AND BE KIND OF CORRECTING THAT MISTAKE IN THAT WE SHOULD HAVE ATTACHED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TO, I MEAN, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DEBATE THE IDEAS AND I HOPE THAT THERE IS LONG AND CONTINUED DEBATE AND DISCUSSION ON THE IDEAS, NOT NECESSARILY THE DAY, BUT LIKE INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, BUT THE, THE DISCUSSION TODAY IS REALLY AROUND KIND OF PROPERLY GETTING THIS MINORITY OPINION INTEGRATED AS THE ATTACHMENT THAT IT SHOULD BE SO THAT THAT OPINION CAN BE HEARD AND DOCUMENTED.
I THINK THAT, UH, DOES THAT VERY MUCH CLARIFIES THAT YES, WE DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH THE OPINION.
IT IS JUST THAT WE ARE ALLOWING OUR COMMISSIONER TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD AND TO SPEAK COLLECTIVELY.
UH, YOU KNOW, PUTTING IT TOGETHER.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND TO THIS QUESTION BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS REPEATEDLY COME UP.
THE REASON IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE A FACILITY SPECIFICALLY NOT INCLUSIVELY, BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR L G B T SENIORS, IS BECAUSE HISTORICALLY WE HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND WE HAVE BEEN TAUNTED.
UNFORTUNATELY, I CANNOT GIVE A HISTORY LESSON IN THIS BODY.
I JUST DID THAT LAST WEEK FOR THE DALLAS COUNTY AREA ON AGING.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BENEFIT YOU.
BUT THE REASON IT'S SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE JUST LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, I LIVE WALKING DISTANCE TO A SENIORS, UH, RESOURCE, UH, A REC CENTER IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I'M A NURSE AND WHEN THEY NEED SOMETHING, THEY CALL ME.
BUT WHEN I GO INTO THAT CENTER TO ENJOY THE THINGS THAT THE SENIORS AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD ENJOY, THEY LOOK AT ME AS THOUGH I'M SOMETHING THAT THEY WANNA SCRAPE OFF THE BOTTOM OF THEIR SHOE.
OKAY, SO PORSCHE IN, IN, UH, RESPECT OF THE TIME AND OTHERS, UH, UH, QUESTION ABOUT INCLUSION OF THIS, I WOULD TO CALL, I, I'M SORRY, I NEED TO SAY SOMETHING.
AND THAT IS, IS THAT WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT SENIOR CENTERS
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TOGETHER AND UM, I'M A RETIREE OF THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY.AMONG MANY PHYSICIANS I HELP WAS LIBRARIAN FOR OLDER AMERICANS.
ONE OF THE THINGS I AM MOST PROUD OF DURING MY TENURE ON THIS COMMISSION IS ADVOCATING FOR THE WILLIE B. JOHNSON RECREATION CENTER IN MY SERVICE AREA.
IF YOU WANT MORE SENIOR CENTERS, IT'S A BUDGET THING.
I ENCOURAGE YOU, I ADVOCATED FOR THE WILLIE WILLIE B. JOHNSON CENTER.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND THE BUDGET MEETINGS WHEN I WAS A CITY EMPLOYEE, THE BUDGET MEETINGS WERE IN AUGUST WHEN THE BUDGET WAS ALREADY COMPLETED.
I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW OVERJOYED I WAS WHEN THEY STARTED HAVING BUDGET MEETINGS IN MARCH.
GO AND LECTURE PEOPLE BE HEARD.
OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS? UH, INCLUSION, THIS MINORITY CHAIR? I MOVE THAT THE INCLUSION STATEMENT BE INCLUDED WITH THE ORIGINAL, I SWEAR.
DOES ANYONE JUST SECOND YOU SECOND IT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS THAT WE WILL VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE THEIR HAND.
NICOLE, ARE YOU COUNTING? 4, 6, 7, 9, 9, 10 PEOPLE? I BELIEVE WE HAVE, I CAN'T SEE IT.
EVERYONE ELSE OKAY HAND? YOU GOT IT? I BELIEVE YES.
DID YOU GET THE COUNT AL? NO, WE CAN RE-WATCH IT IF WE NEED TO, BUT IT WAS, I MEAN IT WAS ON, IT LOOKS LIKE FOUR O O'CLOCK ON THE SCREEN, FOUR ON THE SCREEN, ONE UP THERE EXCEPT, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, EVERYONE APPEAR EXCEPT FOR A JURY.
SO THE SECOND ORDER OF BUSINESS WOULD BE, UH, SOMEBODY WOULD MOVE FOR THE APPROVAL OF THIS, UH, LARGE DOCUMENT.
THE CITY OF DALLAS SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION RECOMMENDED FUNDING PRIORITIES FISCAL YEARS 2023 AND 24.
SO I TO APPROVE IT, MIKE, SECOND IT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THIS REPORT AGAIN? OH MY GOD, I CAN'T BELIEVE
SHALL WE TAKE A VOTES? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND PLEASE.
SO THIS, UH, REPORT FUNDING PRIORITIES HAS BEEN APPROVED AND UH, WE WILL FORWARD IT WITH A TRANSMITTAL LETTER THAT PETE HAS ALREADY PUT TOGETHER.
IT WILL GO OUT LATER THIS WEEK TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALONG WITH THIS OTHER MINORITY VIEWPOINT ATTACHED TO IT.
AND, UH, ONCE THAT HAS HAPPENED, I WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE SENT A COPY SO THAT YOU MAY ALSO CONTINUE TO SHARE IT WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DISCUSS IT AS WELL.
UH, THERE BE NO OTHER BUSINESS AT THIS POINT.
DOES, IS THERE A MOTION ADJOURNED? THERE IS A MOTION ADJOURNED.