[Veteran Affairs Commission on April 14, 2023.]
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AND WITH THAT, UM, SHOULD WE GO WITH THE, UM, WE'LL GO WITH THE, THE, THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE ONLINE OR, OR ON THE VIRTUAL PART OF THIS? SO, CHRISTINA, YOU WANT, DOES ANYONE WANNA START? THAT'S ONLINE? YEAH.
WE CAN START WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL.
WHAT?
I'M THE DISTRACTED TEACHER CUZ I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF CLASS RIGHT NOW TRYING TO TEACH AND DO THIS AT THE SAME TIME.
AND, AND THAT'S THEM GOING TO LUNCH.
IS THAT Y'ALL GOING TO LUNCH? THAT'S WHAT I'M DEALING WITH.
I, I'VE TAUGHT FOR 24 YEARS IN D I S D I WAS IN THE ARMY, NINE YEARS MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.
MY BEST PART WAS, UH, GOING IN PERSIAN MISSILES.
AND COMMISSIONER RAMOS? UH, MY NAME'S STEVE RAMOS.
I'M A LAWYER HERE IN DALLAS AND, UH, SERVED 34 YEARS IN THE MARINE CORPS.
UH, RETIRED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO IN THE RESERVES AS A COLONEL.
WAS IN THE ARMY FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS, MEDICALLY RETIRED ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, AND, UH, WAS IN, YOU KNOW, WAS IN THE ARMY.
COMMISSIONER PRECIADO, COMMISSIONER PRECIADO.
I DON'T THINK HE'S, HE'S BY HIS LAPTOP.
SO WE CAN MOVE TO THE PEOPLE IN PERSON.
UH, MORNING ACTUALLY, I GUESS.
I SERVED TWO YEARS IN THE MILITARY, UH, US ARMY.
I WAS TRAINED AS AN INFANTRY OFFICER IN THE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE OFFICER, BUT I, UH, SERVED AS A LEGAL OFFICER AT FORT LEE, VIRGINIA.
AND I'M HAPPY TO, UH, WELCOME MY FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR, UH, MARTY AERS.
UH, I'LL LET HIM INTRODUCE HIMSELF, BUT, UH, WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER 25 YEARS AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT HE'S HERE WITH US.
MY NAME'S MON AERS AND I AM A 22 YEAR VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
I, UH, SPENT, UH, MOST OF THAT TIME AS AN OFFICER AND RETIRED IN 1992.
I TAUGHT, UH, SCHOOL, UH, FOR 19 YEARS.
UH, I RETIRED FROM THAT AND NOW I'M RETIRED, SO I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.
FRED WALKER, I'M MATT SERVING KOREA.
I'M RETIRED NAVY, GOT 20 YEARS RETIRED, 98.
AND, UH, I'M THE INTERIM, UH, CHAIR FOR THIS COMMITTEE.
UH, AND I'M, THIS IS, UH, MY PASSION IS WORKING WITH VETERANS AND TRYING TO, UH, FIND A, A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THEM.
SO WE'RE WELCOME TO OUR GUEST.
SO WITH THAT, WE NEED TO APPROVE, UH, OR LOOK AT THE APPROVE.
THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT MOVE APPROVAL, SO WE'RE BREAKING THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
SO NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE AGENDA FOR TODAY.
AND WE HAVE OUR GUEST, UM, FROM THE, UH, DARK, DARK TRANSPORTATION OR DALLAS, A RAPID AREA OF TRANSPORTATION.
SO, UH, I KNOW, UM, WE NORMALLY DON'T, WE REALLY DON'T GO OVER A LOT OF HOUSE RULES, BUT I THINK THE ONLY ONE THAT WE REALLY, I THINK WE'RE GONNA TRY AND ABIDE BY DATE.
CUZ USUALLY WHEN WE HEAR SOMEBODY, THEY PRESENTATION RIGHT AWAY, OUR QUESTIONS POP UP.
SO WE'RE GONNA WAIT UNTIL THEY FINISH THEIR PRESENTATION, THEN WE CAN, YOU KNOW, ASK QUESTIONS OR, OR YOU CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US.
UH, BEFORE I START, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE, UH, PEOPLE THAT CAME WITH ME.
UH, I SEE MY NAME ON THE AGENDA, BUT WE HAVE, UH, MORE
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IMPORTANT PEOPLE WHO CAME.SO LET'S, LET'S START BY INTRODUCING MY NAME'S
I'M WITH DAR, UM, SERVICE PLANNING,
I'M THE A V P OVER DART SERVICE PLANNING AND SCHEDULING.
I WORK IN THE GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS DEPARTMENT.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS MORNING ABOUT, UH, THE SERVICE CHANGES THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING.
SO THIS, UH, PRESENTATION HAS BEEN DESIGNED FOR, UH, LARGE GROUPS AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN GIVEN ABOUT, UH, 10 OR 12 TIMES.
WE DIDN'T CHANGE IT TOO MUCH, BUT WE WILL BE GIVEN SOME SLIDES ON KIND ACCOUNT OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE JUST HAVING A, UH, MORE OF A INTIMATE CONVERSATION HERE.
SO MAYBE MRS. I'LL JUST SAY, I DON'T KNOW, NEXT SLIDE OR SOMETHING.
I HOPE THAT DOESN'T SOUND TOO, TOO RUDE.
YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO THANK YOU FOR, UH, UH, FOR PUTTING THAT OUT.
I'M NOT USED TO AMPLIFICATION, SO I'M HAPPY TO OH, YOU WANTED ME TO STAND UP THERE, DIDN'T YOU? YOU GONNA TAKE PICTURES? OKAY.
SO, UM, WE ARE HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, UH, SOME MOBILITY INITIATIVES THAT DART IS ENGAGING IN RIGHT NOW AND HAS ALREADY BEGUN.
IN SOME CASES, THEY WILL AFFECT EVERY ASPECT OF DART SERVICE, NOT JUST WHERE THE ROUTES RUN AND HOW OFTEN.
UH, AND SO IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE COME BACK TO DART AFTER THE, THE GENERATIONAL DISRUPTION OF COVID FOR THEM TO GET A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN ON THE NEW SERVICE AND, UH, FEEL LIKE THAT THEY'RE BEING INCLUDED IN THE FUTURE OF OUR SERVICE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU ARE REGULAR DART RIDERS, BUT 2022 WAS A, UH, BANNER YEAR FOR DART.
UH, WE CHANGED A LOT OF STUFF AND WE DID IT ALL IN ONE FELL SWOOP.
WE HAD STARTED A PROCESS IN 2015 TO REDESIGN OUR NETWORK TO BE MORE RELEVANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT THAT HAD OCCURRED, UH, IN AND AROUND DALLAS SINCE, UH, WE BEGAN SERVICE ABOUT 40 YEARS AGO.
UH, WE REDESIGNED SERVICE SLOWLY AS WE COMPLETED THE LIGHT RAIL LINES IN ORDER TO MAKE THE MOST OF THAT INVESTMENT, BUT WE REALLY HADN'T DONE ANYTHING COMPREHENSIVE EVER, AND THAT WAS COMPLETED AND AND IMPLEMENTED IN JANUARY, 2022 AT THE DIRECTION OF THE DARK BOARD OF DIRECTORY.
SO I CAN'T EMPHASIZE, UH, ENOUGH HOW MUCH OF A CHANGE THAT WAS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO NAVIGATE.
UH, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF, UH, IN INDICATIONS OF A POSITIVE IMPACT, BUT WE STILL GET A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT CONFUSION AND, UH, REQUESTS FOR THE GOOD OLD DAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
ANOTHER MAJOR CHANGE THAT WE IMPLEMENTED IN JANUARY WAS, UH, UH, UH, SYSTEM-WIDE EXPANSION OF OUR ON-DEMAND SERVICE, WE CALL GO LINK, AND WE DOUBLED DOWN ON THAT AS A STRATEGY IN JANUARY, 2023 BY EXTENDING THE HOURS AND THE, UH, DAYS OF OPERATION IN ALL 31 OF OUR GOING ZONES.
SO THIS SHOWS DART SERVICE IN OUR AREA.
UH, ACTUALLY I WAS, I STRUGGLED A LITTLE BIT WITH WHAT TO PUT ON THIS SLIDE BECAUSE I DOUBT YOU ALL LIVE DOWNTOWN, BUT THIS IS OUR SERVICE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
DOWNTOWN DALLAS REMAINS OUR MOST IMPORTANT, UH, MOBILITY HUB IN THE SYSTEM.
DO YOU SEE THE GOLDEN ZONE THERE AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER? SO I'LL TALK TO YOU NOW ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING, UH, START FROM, FROM THIS POINT AS A STARTING POINT.
SO MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING INTO A SECOND PHASE OF THE BUS NETWORK REDESIGN.
ONE THAT GOES OVER SOME AREAS WE MAY HAVE LEFT BEHIND SOME CHANGES THAT MAYBE NEED TO BE MADE, AND WE HAVE BEEN MAKING SOME OF THEM ALONG THE WAY, BUT WE WANNA DO SOMETHING MORE COMPREHENSIVE ACROSS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
OKAY, UH, I COVERED THIS ALREADY.
THIS IS NOT A JOB THAT IS COMPLETED.
UH, WE ARE JUST NOW BEGINNING TO REACH OUT TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE PROPOSALS THAT WE'VE INCLUDED IN IT, AND YOU'LL SEE TWO TIERS OF IMPROVEMENTS.
BASICALLY WHAT WE DID IS ASSUMED AN INCREASE IN INVESTMENT IN OUR SERVICE, UH, IN ONE TIER FROM FIVE TO 8% AND IN THE SECOND FROM 10 TO 15%.
AND THAT WAS BASED ON THE FACT THAT WHEN WE MADE THAT BIG CHANGE I TALKED ABOUT IN JANUARY, 2022, WE DID NOT INCREASE INVESTMENT IN SERVICE.
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REDEDICATED SERVICE, WE, UH, REORIENTED SERVICE BASED ON THE BOARD'S DIRECTION, BUT WE DID NOT ADD ANY NEW MONEY TO THE SERVICE.TIER ONE, LIKE I SAID, IS SOME OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WANTING TO MAKE.
WE'VE GOT A NEW GOLINK ZONE, WE'VE GOT SOME ADDITIONAL FREQUENCY ON BUS ROUTES THAT ARE DOING REALLY WELL, AND THEN TIER TWO TAKES THAT AND BASICALLY TURNS IT UP A LITTLE BIT.
UH, UH, DOUBLES THE INVESTMENT THAT WE MADE.
IT, UH, ALLOWS US TO, TO, UH, RETIRE AN ENTIRE, UM, CATEGORY OF SERVICE BECAUSE WE'RE INCREASING FREQUENCY ON SO MANY OF THOSE.
SO TIER TWO IS KINDA LIKE TIER ONE, BUT SUPER SNAPS.
UH, I'M SORRY, THE MAP IS SO SMALL, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO KNOW WHAT TO PUT ON THESE SLIDES, BUT, UH, BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS OUR PROPOSAL TO MOVE WELL PERFORMING ROUTES TO A BETTER FREQUENCY CLASS, WHICH INCREASED THE INVESTMENT IN THAT SERVICE A LOT.
ALSO EXTENDING OUR, UH, SERVICE HOURS ON THESE ROUTES.
ALL THESE ROUTES FROM 4:00 AM TO 1:00 AM IT ADDS THAT GOLING ZONE I TOLD YOU ABOUT IN PASSPORT PARK IN THE D F W AIRPORT AREA.
AND, UH, THERE ARE SOME MINOR ROUTE MODIFICATIONS INCLUDED AS WELL.
SO BASICALLY IT'S A, IT'S A MODERATE PLUS UP TO WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.
AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE NEXT SLIDE, THE IMPACT IS SHOWN THERE IN GREEN, THE INTENSITY AND THE PRESENCE OF GREEN INDICATES ADDITIONAL JOBS ACCESSIBLE BY THOSE RESIDENTS WITHIN 60 MINUTES.
AND SO THE INCREASE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH A 5% INCREASE IN OPERATING EXPENSES IS A 10% INCREASE IN JOBS REACH.
I THINK IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE CONCEPT BEHIND THE NEW NETWORK, UH, WHICH I CAN GO INTO MORE DETAIL, UH, IN, IN YOUR QUESTIONS IF YOU LIKE.
REMEMBER I SAID TIER TWO WAS TIER ONE TURNED UP A LITTLE BIT.
SO TIER TWO, YOU'VE GOT A LOT MORE SERVICE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY, A LOT MORE SERVICE ON THE WEEKEND.
WE DIDN'T CHANGE ANY ROUTES BESIDES WHAT WE DID.
UH, BUT WE ALSO, AND THIS IS A MAJOR THING, MADE LIGHT RAIL SERVICE 15 MINUTES ALL DAY ON ALL THE LINES.
RIGHT NOW THAT IS NOT THE CASE THOUGH.
YOU CAN APPROXIMATE IT ON CERTAIN LINES THAT OVERLAP, BUT, UH, THAT'S, UH, A MAJOR EXPENSE BETWEEN THIS, UH, HERE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE IMPACT IS MUCH GREATER.
UH, THE, THE MAGNITUDE OF THE GREEN CO-LOCATIONS ARE MUCH STRONGER AND THE PRESENCE OF GREEN IN GENERAL IS MUCH MORE THOROUGH.
I'D LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE FACT A LOT OF THIS BENEFIT GOES TO THE SUBURBS.
UH, THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE, EVEN FROM DALLAS, ARE GOING TO MAKE CONNECTIONS TO USE TRANSFERS TO GO TO THEIR JOBS.
AND SO, UH, THEIR SERVICE, UH, UH, WOULD, WOULD GREATLY IMPROVE.
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME YOU DO SEE SOME DALLAS AREA IMPROVEMENT POCKETS AS WELL, WE'RE PROUD TO REPORT THAT LAST BULLET.
ASSUMING THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE MAKE IN TIER TWO, WE WILL INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO CAN WALK TO FREQUENT SERVICE TO 31%, WHICH IS NIGHT AND DAY FROM WHAT WE DO, UH, TODAY AND WHAT WE DID IN 2021.
SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
IN ORDER TO TAKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS, OR EXCUSE ME, TAKE THESE PROPOSALS AND MAKE THEM RELEVANT TO THE, TO DART'S 13 MEMBER CITIES.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW THAT DART HAS 13 MEMBER CITIES.
UH, LATER ON IF YOU WANNA CHALLENGE, I'LL ASK EACH ONE OF YOU TO GUESS HOW MANY EACH CITIES THERE'S PLAY LITTLE GAME.
I'M JUST KIDDING, BUT, UH, I'M GETTING SOME STAIRS.
SO, UH, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS, UH, TAKE THOSE TIER TWO PROPOSALS AND, UH, RIGHT SIZE THEM FOR THE MUNICIPALITY.
SO IMAGINE YOUR FARMER'S BRANCH AND DART SAYS, HEY, WE COULD PROVIDE YOU GUYS WITH A LOT MORE CONNECTIONS AND A LOT MORE FREQUENCY.
AND, AND, AND THEIR RESPONSE IS, OH, WELL, WE'RE INVESTING IN THIS CORRIDOR, BUT THERE'S NO SERVICE THERE.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAXIMIZE OUR INVESTMENT WHILE SUPPORTING WHAT Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? THE CITY OF DALLAS, OF COURSE, IS SO BROAD, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT, UH, I WOULD SAY IMPOSSIBLE TO DO WORK LIKE THIS ON A CITYWIDE LEVEL.
SO WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING IS DOING LIKE A A QUARTER QUARTER SECTION OF THE CITY OF DALLAS OR SECTORS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UH, AND WE WOULD WORK WITH THE CITY STAFF TO MAKE SURE THOSE MAKE SENSE.
BUT WE'RE IMPLEMENT, WE'RE, WE'RE STARTING DOWN THIS ROAD NOW SO THAT, UH, EACH OF THE CITIES CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE OR, YOU KNOW, REQUEST CHANGES TO, UH, ANYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF PHASE TWO.
OKAY, WE'RE NOT DOING THAT UNTIL LATER, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT THE CHAIR SAID.
SO I THINK AT THIS TIME, IF MS. SHU IS READY, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO MY BOSS TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE CONFIDENTIAL CARE STATE.
UM, UM, SO, UM, HOW'S MICHAEL INTRODUCED, UM, A RANGE OF, UH, ADDITIONAL BUS SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS.
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UM, DART IS DOING RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHAT WE CALL THE MOVING CLASS, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THEM ON DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND HE ALREADY COVERED THE SERVICE EXPANSION PLUS NETWORK REDESIGN.AND I'M GOING TO COVER, UH, THE SECOND ONE OF TODAY'S TOPIC, WHICH IS THE COMPREHENSIVE FAIR STUDY.
SO I'LL JUST TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON THE BACKGROUND FIRST.
SO BASICALLY, DART HAS BEEN EVALUATING THE FAIR STRUCTURE FOR EVERY THREE YEARS, AND WE ARE DUE FOR A FAIR CHANGE IN 2023, BUT DUE TO THE CHANGE IN THE PANDEMIC AND ALSO THE CHANGE IN THE AGENCY.
SO WE DECIDED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND TAKE A FRESH RELOOK OF EVERYTHING, UH, COMPREHENSIVELY ON OUR FAIR PROGRAMS. UM, THERE ARE GONNA BE A RANGE OF ISSUES OR THEMES WE ARE TRYING TO LOOK, UM, FOCUSING ON FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE FAIR STUDY, INCLUDING THE ONES YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN.
UH, FIRST WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE AGENCY HAVE A STRONG AND HEALTHY REVENUE AND FAIR BOX RECOVERY.
UM, THE OTHER ISSUE IS WE WANT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING ON THE FAIR STRUCTURES AND ATION, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN HEARING A LOT OF, UH, WRITERS', UH, FEEDBACKS ON.
UM, THE THIRD THING IS WE WANT TO, UM, LOOKING INTO FAIR COLLECTION TECHNOLOGY AND, UH, INNOVATION.
PART NUMBER FOUR IS, UH, LOOKING INTO FAIR EQUITY.
UH, NUMBER FIVE IS, UM, INVESTIGATING, UM, THE SPECIAL FAIR PROGRAMS WE HAVE.
AND THEN OVERALL, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO REALLY ENHANCE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE WHEN INTO REACTING AND USING DART FAIR SYSTEM.
SO THE PROJECT KICKED IT OFF FROM LAST NOVEMBER, AND THEN, UH, US AND THE CONSULTANT HAS BEEN, UH, WORKING ON A RANGE OF THE EARLY TASKS IN THE FIRST, UH, FEW MONTHS, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, EXISTING CONDITION RESEARCH, KIND OF, UH, EVALUATING, UM, DART FAIR STRUCTURE AND POLICIES AND PROGRAMS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW AS A BASELINE RESEARCH.
AND THEN THE SECOND COMPONENT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IS THE PEER AGENCY REVIEW.
BASICALLY LOOKING INTO, UM, THE COUNTRY IDENTIFY 24 BENCHMARK PEERS AND 10 FOCUS PEERS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, UM, ON ABOUT THEIR FAIR RESEARCH POLICIES AND STRUCTURES, AND WANTING TO LEARN FROM THE BEST INDUSTRY PRACTICE AND LESSONS LEARNED, UH, FROM WHAT THEY DO AND SEE, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN, UM, UH, BE ABLE TO LEARN SOMETHING FROM THERE.
SO THE MAP ON THE TOP YOU SEE IS THE 24 BENCHMARK AGENCIES AND WITH THE SUBSET OF THE FOCUS PEER AGENCIES TO BE THE INC ONES.
UM, AND THEN THE THIRD EARLY TASK WE DO IS THE INTERNAL OUTREACH WITHIN DART.
UM, SO THAT HAPPENS DURING, YOU KNOW, JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH, EARLY MARCH TIMEFRAME.
AND BASICALLY WE TALKED WITH OUR BOARDS AND AS PRESIDENT AND CEO WE ALSO TALKED WITH OUR CORE DEPARTMENT'S.
LEADERSHIPS, UH, RELATES TO FAIR AND ALSO WE ENGAGE THE CUSTOMER FACING EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS LIKE DRIVERS AND POLICE FAIR ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO HAVE THE DAILY, UM, TASKS INTERACTING WITH FAIR, UM, WITH THE CUSTOMERS.
SO WE GET A LOT OF GREAT FEEDBACKS FROM THERE AND THAT HELPS SHAPE, UM, SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL TASKS THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW, UH, WHICH I'M GOING TO COVER IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES.
UM, SO THE VERY FIRST THING WE DO IS, YOU KNOW, BASED ON ALL THE FEEDBACKS WE GET FROM IN-HOUSE, UH, IDENTIFY THE PROJECT GOALS AND EVALUATION METRICS FOR THIS PARTICULAR, UM, STUDY.
SO, UH, TALKING WITH OUR BOARD, WE FINALIZE THE FOUR GOALS FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY IS EFFECTIVENESS, EQUITY, SIMPLICITY, AND EFFICIENCY.
AND EACH OF THEM WILL HAVE TWO PERFORMANCE METRICS.
WE WILL EVALUATE, UM, BASED ON THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS WE PLAN TO DEVELOP FOR THE NEW FAIR STRUCTURE OR POLICIES.
SO THEY WILL, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE METRICS.
WE'LL LOOK INTO THINGS LIKE FAIR REVENUE RIDERSHIP, UM, AND COST EFFECT, FAIRNESS, ACCESS, FAIRNESS AND PRODUCT SELECTION, PAYMENT PROCESS, AND FAIR COLLECTION AND SYSTEM INTEGRATION.
SO SOME OF THOSE EVALUATION METRICS ARE, UM, QUANTITATIVE.
SOME OF THEM ARE QUANTITATIVE.
UH, WE WILL HAVE LIKE A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH LOOKING INTO EACH OF THEM AND, YOU KNOW, RANKING, UM, ON THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS WE PLAN TO DEVELOP.
SO, UH, RIGHT NOW, UH, KEY COMPONENTS WE ARE FOCUSING ON IS DOING THE OUTREACH TO THE PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDERS.
AND LET'S GET STARTED FROM, UM, MID LATE MARCH AND IT'S KIND OF CARRY THROUGH, UM, THE EARLY SUMMER AS WELL.
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REALLY WE ARE TRYING TO TALK WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR WRITERS INCLUDING, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE WRITING NOW AND WHO USED TO WRITE BUT NOT WRITE AS MUCH AS, UM, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND EVEN POTENTIALLY CAN BE OUR WRITERS.SO IT'S VERY BROAD AND WE ARE ALSO TALKING WITH, YOU KNOW, LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, BUSINESS LEADERS, UH, TRANSPORTATION ADVOCACY ENTITIES, AND A LOT MORE.
UM, SO WE ARE USING A RANGE OF TECHNIQUES TO DO THIS, UM, BROAD REACHING OUTREACH PROCESS, INCLUDING A FAIR SURVEY JUST RECENTLY BEING GO LIVE, UM, TO CAPTURE THE COMMUNITY'S FEEDBACKS ON FAIR IN VARIOUS DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
AND AS YOU SAW, WE ALSO DO A RANGE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS, UM, STARTING FROM MARCH.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT MORE TO GO IN APRIL AND MAY AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE ACTUALLY WENT TO ONE OF OUR OPEN HOUSE, UH, A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND, UM, THAT'S KIND OF, UH, BRING US OVER HERE FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, ARRANGE SPECIAL EVENTS AND WE'RE GONNA POP UP OVER THERE TO, YOU KNOW, TALK WITH THE COMMUNITIES AND ALL THE THINGS WILL BE POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIUM TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THERE AS WELL.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE A FEW PHOTOS WE, YOU KNOW, IN THE PROCESS WE ARE ABLE TO, UM, CAPTURE WITH WHEN WE TALK WITH OUR WRITERS AND COMMUNITIES.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE AND SORT OF FIT INTO, YOU KNOW, THE TECHNIQUES I JUST MENTIONED, UM, THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN HEARING INTERNALLY AND HELP DEFINE THIS SURVEY CURRENTLY GOING LIVE RIGHT NOW.
SO IT'S CALLED DARK CARES ABOUT FAIR, AND, UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, CAN BE LINKED THROUGH OVER THERE.
AND ALSO YOU CAN USE YOUR PHONE TO SCAN THAT, THAT QR CODE.
IT'S GONNA TAKE YOU TO THE SURVEY AS WELL.
SO WE ARE BROADCASTING THAT, UM, THROUGH DIFFERENT PLATFORM RIGHT NOW, BUT REALLY APPRECIATE YOU CAN TAKE THE SURVEY AND SHARE WITH YOUR CONNECTIONS AND COMMUNITIES, UM, SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GET EVERY VOICE COUNTED INTO THE, UM, FEEDBACK PLATFORM.
SO, UM, THE GENERAL TIMELINE ABOUT THIS IS, UM, AS I MENTIONED, SPRING, SUMMER WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON THE FAIR SURVEY AND PUBLIC OUTREACH.
AND THEN ALL THOSE INPUTS GONNA HELP US DEFINE UP TO FIVE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS OF THE FAIR STRUCTURES, UM, DURING THE SUMMER.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL REPORT, REPORT BACK TO OUR BOARD AND GETTING THEIR FEEDBACKS.
UM, OUR GOAL IS TO GET THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE POTENTIAL NEW FAIR STRUCTURE FROM THE BOARD BY, UH, UH, SEPTEMBER OF 2023.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS, UM, AND MAY, UH, PREPARE THE BOARD TO ACT ON THE NEW FAIR STRUCTURE IN JANUARY OF 2024.
UM, IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANY FA FAIR CHANGE, UM, IT WILL BE AROUND SUMMER 2024 TIMEFRAME.
SO THAT BRINGS US TO THE CONCLUSION, YES, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE DAWN DOORMAN HERE WITH US FROM DARK COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
SHE'S GONNA, SHE'S GONNA JOIN US FOR THESE LAST COUPLE SLIDES.
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE THAT PORTION ON
SO IN CONCLUSION, WE ARE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND, AND MORE TO OBTAIN, UH, COMMENTS FROM, UM, OUR CUSTOMERS AND POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
UH, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, AND THAT THEY ARE GOING TO GIVE US THEIR INPUT.
UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SLIDES, WE DIDN'T DISCUSS HERE BECAUSE OF TIME, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR FACILITIES AND, UM, CREATING MOBILITY HUBS THAT WILL, UM, BRING OUR PASSENGERS THE ABILITY TO USE SOME OF OUR, UM, OUTLYING, UH, TRANSIT CENTERS.
SO SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY RECEIVING INFORMATION IS IF YOU GO ON ANY OF OUR BUSES OR TRAINS, YOU WILL SEE COMMENT CARDS.
AND SO PEOPLE ARE WRITING DOWN THEIR COMMENTS AND MAILING 'EM INTO ME, AND WE'RE SHARING THEM WITH OUR TEAM SO THAT THEY CAN EVALUATE AND SEE WHAT CHANGES WE CAN MAKE BASED OFF THE IDEAS.
WE, WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT WILL MAKE A BETTER SYSTEM, UH, WITHIN OUR SERVICE AREA.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR COMMENTS FROM, UM, THOSE WHO RECEIVE OUR COMMENT CARDS.
WE HAVE, UH, ABILITY FOR YOU TO RECEIVE, FOR US TO RECEIVE THOSE COMMENTS VIA EMAIL, UM, AT SERVICE PLAN DART.ORG.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A DEDICATED WEBSITE.
IF YOU GO ONTO DART.ORG, THE HOMEPAGE, YOU WILL SEE A LINK FOR THE SERVICE, UH, FOR THE SURVEY, EXCUSE ME.
AND THEN IF YOU GO TO OUR, UM, DART.ORG/FUTURE PROJECTS, YOU WILL SEE MORE ABOUT THE ENTIRE MOBILITY PLUS PLAN THAT WE, UM, ARE WORKING ON.
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UP THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR TURN IT TO THE CHAIR.AND I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND I APPRECIATE BEING HERE.
SO, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY I OF QUESTION THANK YOU.
UH, AS YOU CAN TELL, THIS IS A VETERAN'S AFFAIRS COMMISSION AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY, UH, PURPOSEFUL, UH, OUTREACH TO VETERANS AND OR, UH, THE VETERANS, UH, HOSPITAL, WHICH I ASSUME IS KIND OF A HUB FOR DART.
UH, SO DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY TOWARDS VETERANS? SO AT THIS TIME, WE DON'T HAVE DEDICATED DATES WHERE WE BE MAKING PRESENTATIONS BOTH TO THE VA IN, UH, ON LANCASTER, UM, EXCUSE ME, LEDBETTER, AND ALSO THE VA IN GARLAND.
UM, I AM WORKING WITH THE CONTEXT THERE TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF PRESENTATIONS WE CAN MAKE OR IF WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UH, UM, AT, AT COUPLE TIMES WE'VE HAD TABLES IN THE LOBBY SO THAT VETS CAN COME AND VISIT THE TABLE AND PROVIDE INFORMATION, UH, VIA, UH, TALKING TO US ONE-ON-ONE.
SO WE WILL MAKE THOSE, UM, OPTIONS AVAILABLE.
WELL, I GUESS I WAS A LITTLE MORE, I WANTED TO BE A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC, I GUESS, AND THAT IS, DO YOU HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE, THE HUB AT, AT THE VA HOSPITAL THAT LEADS YOU TO BELIEVE THAT THAT NEEDS MORE STUDY IN TERMS OF FAIR EQUITY AND OR MOBILITY OR, UH, MORE SERVICE? WELL, THE VA HOSPITAL, UH, IN SOUTHERN DALLAS IS DEFINITELY A PRIORITY FOR US, UH, NOT JUST BECAUSE THE LIGHT RAIL STATION'S THERE, BUT BECAUSE, UH, WE GET REQUESTS STILL FOR HOW TO, HOW TO ACCESS THAT LOCATION.
SO YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN IMPORTANT, UH, PLACE AND IT'S ONE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO CONSIDER VERY HIGHLY IN THE DESIGN OF OUR SYSTEM.
BY THE WAY, I I MEANT TO ASK, WHAT DOES GO LINK MEAN? WHAT, WHAT DOES THE GO LINK? UH, IT MEANS ON DEMAND.
SO INSTEAD OF THERE BEING A PUBLICLY PRINTED SCHEDULE THAT TELLS YOU THE BUS ARRIVES AT 1104 AND 1115 AND 1126, YOU CALL AND ASK FOR THE RIDE, OR YOU SEND IN A REQUEST VIA THE APP TO GO PASS IN.
AND IT'S A DOOR-TO-DOOR SERVICE.
IT'S, UM, SIMILAR TO UBER, SO IT'S AN ON DEMAND SERVICE.
UM, AND WE, UH, PLACE THOSE IN AREAS WHERE, UH, THERE WERE A LOWER BUS RIDERSHIP.
SO THIS WILL GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO CALL, INSTEAD OF WAITING ON THE BUS STOP, IT WILL COME TO THEIR FRONT DOOR AND TAKE THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO GO WITHIN A DEDICATED ZONE.
COMMISSIONER SMITH ON THE PHONE.
UH, I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE SPECIAL FAIR PROGRAMS. I KNOW THAT, UH, IT'S NOT LIKE STUDENTS AND, UH, SOME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, DEPENDING ON, I GUESS CERTAIN QUALIFICATIONS, WONDERING IF VETERANS IS ONE OF THEM, OR DISABLED VETERANS IS ONE OF THEM.
LIKE, IF THAT IS, IF YOU STUDIED SPECIAL FAIR PROGRAMS FOR A COMMUNITY LIKE OURS OR, UM, LIKE WONDERING ABOUT THAT.
SO BASICALLY, AS MENTIONED, THIS FAIR STUDY IS VERY COMPREHENSIVE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OPEN TO ALL NEW IDEAS, UM, AND PROPOSALS.
SO, UM, THE VETERAN, UM, RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIAL DISCOUNTS FOR VETERANS IN DART FAIR STRUCTURE.
UM, BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN EVALUATE AS PART OF THIS STUDY.
UM, IT'S BEEN BROUGHT IT UP A FEW TIMES BY SOME OF THE DART BOARD MEMBERS WHEN WE DO THE ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS WITH THEM AS WELL.
SO I DEFINITELY SEE THERE IS INTEREST OVER THERE.
UM, AND ALSO I KNOW THE CHAIR WENT TO OUR OPEN HOUSE AND SORT OF, UM, WE DISCUSSED ON THIS TOPIC A LITTLE BIT OVER THERE AS WELL.
SO THAT'S WHY WE COME OVER HERE TO, UM, WANTING TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE YOU ALL A LITTLE BIT DEEP DIVE ABOUT THE FAIR STUDY AND ALSO LETTING YOU KNOW THE CHANNELS TO SHARE YOUR FEEDBACKS, UM, THROUGH THE COMMUNITIES AND THROUGH YOUR CONNECTIONS.
UM, WE'LL BE HERE TO, WE'LL BE VERY HAPPY TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACKS REGARDING NEW IDEAS AND NEW PROPOSALS RELATES TO FAIR, SPECIAL, UM, VETERAN FAIR SPECIAL PROGRAMS AS WELL.
YEAH, I MEAN, IF I MAY JUST OPEN THIS UP SOME MORE OF LIKE A DISCUSSION, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE REASON THAT WE WERE CREATED WAS REALLY IN, IN CONSTITUENT SERVICES, RIGHT? LIKE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY FUNDING, WE DON'T HAVE ANY DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY ON THIS BODY, BUT WE DO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO, UH, CITY COUNCIL DIRECTLY.
SO ONE OF, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST, UH, FEW MONTHS, PRESENTATIONS FROM PEOPLE, UH, LEADERS AT THE VA, PEOPLE THAT, THAT RUN OTHER PARTS OR RUN ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT VETERANS IS A LACK OF TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE HOSPITALS, PARTICULARLY IN SOUTH DALLAS AND THE ONE IN GARLAND, UH, IN OUR CITY.
BUT THEN THERE'S OTHER OUTLYING
[00:30:01]
SITES AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY FORWARD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.UM, SO TRANSPORTATION BECOMES A REALLY BIG HINDRANCE FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO GET SERVICES.
SO AS WE ARE LOOKING AT IT, UH, PUT IN A PLUG, UH, TO DO, TO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, VETERANS AND, AND AS YOU WORK WITH THE VA, UM, LIKE THE ACTUAL VA, THEY DO REIMBURSE, UH, VETERANS FOR TRAVELING TO AND FROM.
TYPICALLY IT'S BASED ON MILEAGE FROM THEIR, UH, FROM THEIR PRIMARY RESIDENCE, THEIR HOME OF RECORD TO THE HOSPITAL THAT THEY'RE LOCATED AT, OR THEY GET THEIR SERVICES FROM.
UH, THAT OBVIOUSLY WOULD REIMBURSE YOU FOR MILEAGE ON YOUR OWN CAR.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN CAR.
AND ONE SERVICE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT OR THINKING VERY HEAVILY ABOUT ARE THOSE WHO ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, THO THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE HOMES, LIKE THEY LIVE AT THE BRIDGE OR THEY ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE A SHELTER THAT THEY, THAT THEY GO, THAT THEY LIVE AT AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL.
SO ALSO THINKING ABOUT LIKE THAT SECTION OF OUR ECONOMY THAT, UH, IS TRYING TO MAKE IT TO THE VA.
ONE IMPORTANT THING TO, TO REMEMBER WHEN CONSIDERING, UH, CONNECTIVITY FOR, UH, A POPULATION AS, AS BROADLY DISPERSED AS THIS IS TO REMEMBER THAT DART DOES NOT SERVE EVERY CITY IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.
SO, UH, UH, WE WANNA DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH THE PEOPLE WE CAN REACH, BUT WE ALSO, UH, WANNA BE CAREFUL PROMISING THINGS TO CITIZENS OF MESQUITE OR LANCASTER THAT WE CAN'T HELP.
UNLESS THEY COME TO THE SYSTEM.
WELL, IT JUST REALLY QUICKLY, YOU COULD DO A ZIP CODE STUDY OF PATIENTS AT THE VA AND FIGURE OUT WHERE THE, WHERE THE VETERANS LIVED, AND FIGURE OUT IF THERE NEEDS TO BE A GOAL LINK PROGRAM FOR THEM OR INCREASE SERVICE FROM THAT ZIP CODE.
JUST A SUGGESTION, IF I COULD CHIME IN HERE.
UM, FIRST ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU DART FOR COMING AND REPRESENTING HERE AT THE CITY OF DALLAS BEFORE THE VETERAN ADVISORY COMMISSION.
AND SECONDLY, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO ECHO THE SENTIMENT OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS SITTING AROUND HERE.
THIS IS THE VETERAN ADVISORY COMMISSION.
IT'S GREAT TO KNOW WHAT DART IS DOING.
HOWEVER, I GOT, UH, TWO QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS THE COMPREHENSIVE FAIR STUDY, HAS THAT STUDY BEEN COMPLETED? IS IT, IS IT ALL DONE? IT'S CURRENTLY GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
I KICKED IT OFF FROM LAST NOVEMBER.
AND WE EXPECT THIS STUDY GONNA GO THROUGH THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE FOCUSING ON, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC OUTREACH TO GET THE FEEDBACKS AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, USING THOSE FEEDBACKS TO DEVELOP UP TO FIVE NEW SCENARIOS, SCENARIOS.
UM, IT COULD BE NO CHANGE AS ONE OF THEM AS WELL.
UM, BUT UP TO FIVE SCENARIOS OF THE FUTURE FAIR STRUCTURES, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, USING THOSE, BASED ON THOSE SCENARIOS, GOING THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION PROCESS BASED ON THE GOALS AND PERFORMANCE METRICS OUTLINED IN PRESENTATION.
UM, AND RAISE ALL THOSE INFORMATION, BRING BACK TO OUR BOARD, UM, LET THEM DECIDE ON WHICH ONE THEY WANT TO PURSUE.
MY SECOND, SECOND PART OF THAT QUESTION.
I HAD SOME DIFFICULTY LOGGING IN, OTHERWISE I PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN AT THE OFFICE.
I SERVE, UH, UH, AT THE PLEASURE OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASEY THOMAS, DISTRICT THREE.
AND, UH, I APOLOGIZE FOR MY TARDINESS, BUT I DID GET TO SEE A, A GREAT DEPTH OF THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, AND I LOVE THE WAY IT'S PREPARED HERE.
UH, THE SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION IS, I SEE THAT YOU DO HAVE A SPECIAL PROGRAMS COMPONENT IN THAT SPECIAL PROGRAMS COMPONENT.
UH, JUST AGAIN, ECHOING WHAT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS ARE STATING, THIS IS THE VETERAN ADVISORY COMMISSION, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF UNDER THAT COMPONENT THERE WAS, UH, A SUBSECTION THAT IDENTIFIED THE KEY IMPACT AND BENEFITS OF WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE TO SERVICE THE VETERANS, VETERANS THAT HAVE SERVED.
AND I KNOW THIS IS A BIG ASK, BUT, UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU WOULD SAY THAT DART IS CONSIDERING, UM, FREE, FREE TRAVEL FOR VETERANS DURING CERTAIN HOURS DURING THE WEEK THAT ARE IN THE AREAS OF WHERE A ROUTE IS, WHERE THEY CAN GET TO THEIR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS AND BACK.
UM, BECAUSE TH THAT IS THE STRUGGLE AND A LOT OF VETERANS ARE HOMELESS OUT THERE WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
AND IF THEY JUST HAD THE TRANSPORTATION, AND IT'S NOT REQUESTING AT 6:00 PM BECAUSE THE VETERAN VA HOSPITAL IS CLOSED AT THAT HOUR.
[00:35:01]
LIKE FROM 0 7 30 TO, TO MAYBE 1300, UH, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY TO ACCOMMODATE VETERANS BECAUSE WE, WE DON'T KNOW.UM, AND ALSO TO PARTNER WITH THE DALLAS VA, UM, THAT WOULD BE IDEAL.
IT'S A BIG ASK, BUT I DO SEE A SPECIAL PROGRAMS COMPONENT DOWN HERE.
YES, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, EVALUATE ON.
WE HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK SOMEHOW.
AND I KNOW IT'S NOT A PROMISE, BUT IT, IT'S A, I KNOW IT'S A BIG ASK, BUT, UH, IT WOULD BE IF, IF YOU HAD US STOOD THERE AND SAID THAT, I THINK YOU WOULD'VE GOT A STANDING OVATION AND A HAND SALUTE.
I'M GONNA FOLLOW UP ON WHAT, UH, DR.
UH, I THINK THAT THAT AREA OF, UH, TRANSPORTATION TO THE HOSPITAL IS, IS IMPORTANT.
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING, BUT IT'S ALSO FOR OUR NEWER, UH, VETERANS THAT ARE BEING, UH, RETURNS TO THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE EITHER SEARCHING FOR JOBS OR, OR HAVING TO MAKE THE, THE VA TRIPS TO THE VA.
SO EVEN FOR EMPLOYMENT PURPOSES, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH THE, UH, HEAVY INDUSTRIES OR THE INDUSTRIAL PARKS.
I, AND I'M FROM ON DISTRICT, UH, SIX, SO WE HAVE TWO INDUSTRIAL PARKS, YOU KNOW, UH, WE HAVE ONE OFF, UH, WEST COMMERCE, AND THEN WE HAVE ONE DOWN ON, UH, JOHN HILL.
AND SO THE TRANSPORTATION, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, FOR, FOR VETERANS THAT ARE NEWLY, UH, BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, LOOKING FOR, UH, EMPLOYMENT, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY HAVE A PASS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I CAME TO THE OPEN HOUSE.
BUT ABOUT THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS, CAUSE I SAW THAT I MISSED THE COMMUNITY MEETING, BUT I CAME DOWNTOWN TO, UH, THE OPEN HOUSE.
AND I THINK I, I WAS REALLY, IT WAS, THERE WAS A LOT.
THERE WAS, THEY WERE HIRING, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS, UH, JUST A LOT GOING ON, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE OUT REACHING OUT.
WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO THE, BUT THAT, THAT, UH, THAT OTHER ASK ON MY PART IS FOR, UH, NEW VETERANS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT OR DOCTOR VISITS.
AND WE DO HAVE SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR VETS.
SO MAYBE WE CAN FORM A PARTNERSHIP WHERE OUR, UM, HR DEPARTMENT BE ENGAGED IN, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, REACH OUT TO YOUR NEW, UM, COMING HOME VETS.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO SHARE WHAT THOSE, UH, SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS ARE WITH US NOT BEING IN THE HR DEPARTMENT? I, I DON'T KNOW IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I, I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A VETS, UM, SPECIAL IDENTIFYING PROGRAM.
I, I CAN ALSO ADD THAT WITH REGARD TO INDUSTRIAL PARKS ITSELF, WE'VE FOUND, UH, WE'VE STRUGGLED TO SERVE THESE LOCATIONS PROPERLY.
PART OF IT IS THE HOURS, UH, AND, AND ANOTHER PART OF IT'S THE STREET NETWORKS.
A LOT OF THESE AREAS AREN'T DESIGNED FOR, UH, THROUGH ACCESS, YOU KNOW, BIG WAREHOUSES AND, UH, DEAD END ROADS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, UH, GOLINK HAS PERFORMED VERY WELL IN SOME OF THESE PLACES.
WE SERVE THE, UH, THE CHALK HILL PINNACLE PARK IS THE ONE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE SERVE THAT ONE WITH GOLINK, AND THAT IS, THAT'S DUE TO SPECIFIC CUSTOMER REQUEST.
UH, IN THE PAST YOU HAD TO GET OFF AT THE BUS STOP AND SOMETIMES WALK THREE QUARTER OR MORE OF A MILE TO GET TO THE EMPLOYEE ENTRANCE.
BUT WITH GOLINK, WE'RE ABLE TO DEVIATE FROM THE ROAD AND DROP YOU OFF RIGHT AT YOUR CLOCK IN.
HOW DO, HOW DO YOU PROMOTE GOLINK? THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA FOR CHALK.
I KNOW RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND YEAH.
THAT, THAT'S A, A GOOD, UH, AREA FOR A GOLD LINK, BUT HOW DO YOU PROMOTE THAT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THERE? SO, UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE USE TO PROMOTE IN SOME AREAS.
WE, UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, ASSURANCE WIRELESS, WHICH IS A DIVISION OF, UH, T-MOBILE.
AND WE USE THEM TO DISTRIBUTE CELL PHONES TO QUALIFY IN, UM, INDIVIDUALS AT OUR TRAIN STATION.
AND THEY ARE IN GO LINK ZONES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED WHEN YOU ARE, UH, RESERVING YOUR GO LINK IS A CELL PHONE TO EITHER MAKE THE PHONE CALL TO OUR DISPATCH OR TO USE THE APP.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE, UH, DRAW INDIVIDUALS TO OUR STATIONS.
AND WHEN YOU CAN EXPLAIN HOW THE GO LINK SERVICE WORKS, ADDITIONALLY, WE, UM, DO ONE-ON-ONE EDUCATIONS AT DIFFERENT, UH, REC CENTERS WHERE WE WILL GO AND, UM, JUST HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE WHERE PEOPLE WILL COME IN AND BECOME EDUCATED.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH, UM, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UM, WHO MAY BE, UH, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, UH, UM, SMALLER GROUPS, UH, THAT HOUSE, UH, HAVE PARTICULAR PROGRAMS THAT WE, UM, CAN SHARE AND PARTNER WITH AND ATTEND THOSE PROGRAMS. UM, SO WE CAN HAVE DEDICATED TIME TO SHARE WITH, UH, IN INDIVIDUALS AND GOLING ZONES ON HOW TO USE THOSE.
BUT IT'S, IT'S BEEN, UH, A LOT OF WORD OF MOUTH BECAUSE IT TAKES EDUCATION.
UM, SOME PEOPLE, UM, ARE USED TO THE BUS, AND IN THIS CASE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR A BUS, YOU CAN WAIT FOR DOOR TO DOOR SERVICE.
[00:40:02]
UH, SO, UH, UH, AN EXAMPLE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO USE IS OUR, UH, RESIDENTS IN ETTE.UM, THEY WERE SO, UM, HAPPY WITH THE GO LINK SERVICE THAT, UM, WHEN WE INTRODUCED IT IN THEIR AREA TO, UH, TO THEIR RESIDENTS, THAT THEY ACTUALLY WORKED WITH US TO PROVIDE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEIR SENIORS.
UM, THEY BOUGHT, UH, WHAT WE CALL OUR DAY PASS VOUCHER PROGRAM, THEIR PARTICIPANTS IN THAT, AND THEY GIVE THEIR SENIORS FREE PASSES, UH, TO USE ON OUR SERVICE.
SO ONCE THEY DID THAT, THE GOLING SERVICE JUMPED TREMENDOUSLY IN THAT AREA.
SO IT, IT'S OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT THAT HELP US, UH, EDUCATE PEOPLE ON HOW TO USE A GO SERVICE.
WELL, I, I THINK WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT TOO, CUZ THERE ARE VETERANS HELP GROUPS IN TOWN THAT WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A PRESENTATION AND I THINK GO TO PASSES OR WHATEVER WOULD BE VERY GOOD FOR THEM.
YEAH, WE HAVE A MOBILITY AMBASSADOR TEAM THAT GOES OUT TO THESE LOCATIONS O ON REQUEST.
WE KEEP THEM VERY BUSY AND, UH, I'M SURE A PRESENTATION AT ONE OF THESE, UH, GATHERINGS WOULD BE A POSSIBILITY.
I JUST WANT TO SHARE THE JOB FAIR, THE CHAIR EXPERIENCED A FEW WEEKS AGO, THAT'S ACTUALLY A MONTHLY EVENTS AT DART THROUGH END OF THIS YEAR.
SO THE NEXT ONE COMING UP WILL BE ON SATURDAY, APRIL THE 22ND.
AND TYPICALLY WE SEE, YOU KNOW, A FEW HUNDRED PEOPLE SHOWING UP, UM, SEEKING FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES WITH DART.
BUT IT'S A VERY POPULAR VENUE AND A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY, UM, TO GET TO KNOW THOSE JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND GET HIRED BY DART.
UM, YOU SAID THAT YOU DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC NUMBERS ON HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE VETERANS, BUT BUS DRIVERS KNOW THEIR CLIENTELE BETTER THAN ANYBODY.
HAS ANYONE EVER FORMALLY SURVEYED THE BUS DRIVERS? BECAUSE THE, YOU KNOW, THE CLIENTELE WILL TALK TO THEM, THEY GET TO KNOW THEM ABOUT WHAT VETERANS MIGHT NEED.
HAVE THEY TALKED TO Y'ALL? HAVE THEY BROUGHT IT UP? HAVE Y'ALL QUESTIONED YOUR BUS DRIVERS ON SPECIFIC ROUTES? YOU KNOW, GOING TO ALL THESE MEETINGS SINCE WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS WANT, WHAT HAVE THEY BEEN TELLING THE BUS DRIVERS OR THE DART TRAIN OPERATORS? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE THAT WAY? YES, WE'RE VERY ACTIVE IN OUR COORDINATION WITH OUR OPERATORS.
THEY, UH, THE SERVICE DEPENDS ON THEM.
SO, UH, I HOPE THERE'S NO TRANSIT AGENCY IN AMERICA THAT TRIES TO RUN TRANSIT WITHOUT INCORPORATING OPERATIONS.
UH, BUT WE MEET WITH THEM REGULARLY.
WE TALK WITH THEM DAILY, AND WE RESPOND TO THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
MANY OF THEM ARE VETERANS THEMSELVES, SO, UH, VETERAN, UH, TRANSPORTATION AND CARE IS AT THE TOP OF THEIR MIND MANY TIMES.
OH, ALSO THE, THE SURVEY, THE, UH, DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEY THAT WE'RE DOING, DOESN'T THAT INCORPORATE SOMETHING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE ARE VETERANS SO THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE BREAKDOWN ON THE CUSTOMER BASE? SO I, I THINK HA MICHAEL IS REFERRING TO THE REGIONAL ONBOARD SURVEY, UH, CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH, IT GOES TO ALL THE WRITERS, UM, WHO ARE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE.
AND, UM, IT'S GOING TO BE REACHED 20, OVER 20,000 WRITERS, UM, CURRENTLY GOING ON.
UM, THERE'S NO SPECIFIC TARGETS AT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHO THE WRITERS ARE, BUT WE ARE ACTIVELY SERVING WHO ARE WRITING IN OUR SYSTEM AND UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC FEATURES LOOKS LIKE, AND, UH, WHERE THEY COME ON, WHERE THEY GET GET OFF, AND KIND OF KNOWING THE, UM, TRANSPORTATION NEEDS FROM THERE.
SO THAT INFORMATION IS, UM, WE'RE COLLECTING THAT INFORMATION EVERY FIVE YEARS, UM, BASED ON F T A REQUIREMENTS.
AND THIS IS YEAR, WE PICKED IT UP FROM, YOU KNOW, 2020, WHICH WE GET STARTED, BUT HAVE TO PAUSE DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GET SOME INFORMATION FROM THERE, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A, A SPECIFIC QUESTION REGARDING IF YOU ARE A VETERAN OR NOT AT THIS MOMENT.
QUICK QUESTION ON ADVERTISEMENT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SLOTS AVAILABLE FOR ADVERTISING VETERANS BENEFITS OF VETERANS HOTLINES ON YOUR BUSES OR TRAIN? I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY, BUT, UM, WE CAN COORDINATE WITH OUR MARKETING DEPARTMENT YES.
TO SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO.
IS THAT AD SPACE, UH, REVENUE GENERATING FOR DART, DOES, DOES IT GO TO DART OR TO THE CITY, I GUESS IT'S REVENUE FOR DART IS DART FUNDED ENTIRELY BY THE CITY AND THEN IT GETS LIKE ANCILLARY REVENUE FROM MARKETING SPACE LIKE THAT AND SELL SALE
[00:45:01]
OR IS THAT LIKE A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP? THEY'RE, UH, I BELIEVE THE, UH, REVENUE FROM AD UH, ADVERTISING IS, IS LIKE YOU SAID, ANCILLARY.UH, MOST OUR FUNDING COMES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND FROM, UH, LOCAL, UH, SALES TAX.
THERE'S NOT MUCH UNFAIR DOES, I'M SORRY, SIR, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
COULD YOU REPEAT IT? THERE'S NOT MUCH STATE FUNDING.
THERE'S, THERE'S ZERO ZERO STATE FUNDING.
THE STATE OF TEXAS DOES NOT SUPPORT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN METROPOLITAN AREAS.
SO WHAT, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE DART BUDGET IS, UH, FAIR FROM FAIR INCOME? RIGHT NOW IT'S 6%.
UM, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC IT'S ABOUT 12%.
SO THE SALES TAX AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING IS PRIMARILY, SO WHAT THAT SEEMS TO ME TO SAY IS THAT YOU COULD GIVE VETERANS SOME SPECIAL FAIRS AND IT WOULDN'T AFFECT YOUR INCOME VERY MUCH.
UH, WE, AS PART OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS, WE WILL DO A MODELING EXERCISE TO BE ABLE TO TELL, YOU KNOW, IF WE DEFINE THE FAIR TO BE THIS LEVEL, THEN WHAT IS THE IMPACT TO RIDERSHIP AND WHAT IS THE IMPACT TO THE FAIR REVENUE.
UM, SO WE ARE GONNA NEED TO GO THROUGH THAT EXERCISE TO BE ABLE TO TELL.
UM, AND THAT'S ALSO, UH, WHY, YOU KNOW, THE FAIR REVENUE AND RIDERSHIP IS A KEY CONSIDERATION OF THIS FAIR STUDY AS WELL, UM, BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO, UM, THE AGENCY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A STRONG AND ROBUST RIDERSHIP BASE AND FAIR REVENUE RETURN BASED ON THE NEW FAIR STRUCTURE AS WELL.
SO WHAT WOULD BE THE, WHAT WOULD, WHAT WOULD BE THE HIGHEST NUMBER, UH, PERCENTAGE WISE OF FAIR INCOME VERSUS YOUR OVERALL INCOME? IS IT 6% NOW? YOU SAY THAT'S, IS THAT TRADITIONAL THAT IT'S NEVER GONE UP VERY HIGH, HAS IT? UM, IT'S NOT TRADITIONAL BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE ARE USUALLY AT ABOUT 12 TO 15%.
UH, BUT DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, IT'S, OUR RIDERSHIP ALSO DROPPED, UM, RIGHT NOW AT ABOUT 65% OF PRE PANDEMIC RIDERSHIP LEVEL.
SO THAT DEFINITELY HAS SOME IMPACTS ON FAIR REVENUE AS WELL.
WELL, I WOULD, I WOULD ALSO SAY THOUGH, IF IT'S 15%, UH, GIVING VETERANS BREAK ISN'T GONNA AFFECT YOU THAT MUCH.
BUT, UH, AND FAIR AND RIDERSHIP GO TOGETHER, BUT, UH, FAIR INCOME, IT'S NOT, SHOULDN'T BE YOUR, UH, GOAL.
UH, SO WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, FOR COMING AND I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY MORE QUESTIONS, BUT, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND I, I MAY EVEN GO BACK TO THE OPEN HOUSE AGAIN.
UH, IT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING, SO THANK YOU.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
UH, WE HAD THE, THE STANDING, UH, THE STANDING COMMITTEE FOR THE HOUSING.
UM, WE DID HAVE A MEETING, UM, TOOK SOME MINUTES.
UH, CHRISTINA WROTE DOWN SOME NOTES.
UH, IT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING, UH, UH, VERY, VERY, UM, I DON'T KNOW, VERY, UM, UH, FORGETTING THE WORD.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, WE, WE, UH, CAME UP WITH, UM, ACTION, UH, ITEMS. BUT, UH, I THINK WHAT WE ALL UNDERSTOOD IS, IS UH, IS JUST A LOT OF, OF, UH, WORK TO BE DONE TO, UH, REACH OUT TO THE VETERANS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HELP BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF MIXED NUMBERS FROM OUR HOMELESS.
UH, SOME ARE, YOU KNOW, HIGH, SOME ARE LOW, IT JUST, YOU KNOW, DEPENDS ON WHAT GROUP YOU SPEAK TO.
AND SO, UM, UH, FRED, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA SAY ABOUT THE MEETING OR? WELL, THE MEETING WAS A GREAT MEETING.
UH, WE, UH, HAD ALL TYPES OF SUGGESTIONS.
NOTHING WAS FINALIZED, BUT ONE SUGGESTION, UH, THAT, UH, CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WAS GO TO THE BRIDGE AND VISIT WITH THESE VETERANS, TALK TO THE VETERANS ONE-ON-ONE, AND SEE WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN, UH, THINGS THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.
AND I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AS A GROUP, THAT WE WOULD NOT DO IT AS A GROUP, BUT WE WOULD DO IT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IN SMALLER.
[00:50:01]
SO WE WOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED A, A, A QUORUM BECAUSE WE, WE HAVE TO THE GUIDELINES OF THE CITY, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR OUR, OUR COMMISSION.SO WE DO IT, DO IT IN SMALLER GROUPS AND UNANNOUNCED, YOU KNOW, JUST GO IN THERE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONESIES AND TWOSIES, UM, AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SEE WHAT'S WORKING AND THEN NOT TRYING TO REINVENT THE WHEEL.
AND I THINK WE USE THAT A LOT.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO REDUCE SOMEBODY ELSE'S JOB, UH, OR WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE DONE A LOT AND, AND I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE REALITY OF THAT.
IT, IT IS, IT'S GONNA BE, UM, IT'S HARD TO SOLVE.
BUT THE HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, IT HAS SO MANY ASPECTS TO IT, YOU KNOW, UH, MENTAL ISSUES, UH, JUST, JUST A LOT GOING ON.
SO, UH, MS. BIRDWELL, ARE YOU STILL WITH US? I AM, I'M ALSO TRYING TO CONDUCT MY CLASS AT THE SAME TIME.
I, I KNOW YOU HAD SOME, UH, PRETTY GOOD SUGGESTIONS AND UH, YEAH, YEAH.
UM, I, I DIDN'T BRING ANY NOTES.
YOU TALKING ABOUT THE MEETING FROM WEST DALLAS? YES, MA'AM.
YEAH, THE MEETING WAS GREAT BECAUSE ONE, HOW MANY PEOPLE, UH, WHO DON'T LIVE IN WEST DALLAS, DON'T GO TO WEST DALLAS AND TO FIND THAT LITTLE PLACE.
BUT WHAT I LIKED MOST WAS WE WERE JUST HEARING FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE SAYING EXACTLY EXACTLY WHAT MY KIDS ARE LISTENING IN, EXACTLY WHAT WE HEAR IN EVERY SINGLE MEETING FROM THE VETERANS.
THERE WAS, THERE'S, YOU WANNA TALK TO MORE VETERANS, BUT WE KEEP HEARING THE EXACT SAME THING EVERYWHERE WE GO.
WE NEED MORE JOB HELP, WE NEED MORE HELP WITH THE HOMELESS, WE NEED MORE MENTAL, UH, FACILITIES.
AND LIKE, I REMINDED Y'ALL AT THE MEETING, I NEED THAT FOR MY STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, AS WELL.
SO THESE ARE JUST QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
BUT THEY WERE GLAD, YOU KNOW, THE FEW THAT WERE THERE, MR. SILVA CAN ALSO CONFIRM.
THEY WERE GLAD THAT WE WERE LISTENING, THAT WE WERE TAKING NOTES AND SHE'S SO GOOD AT WHAT SHE DOES, SO THEY WERE JUST GLAD TO BE HEARD.
AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT, BUT I DIDN'T, I'LL BE HONEST, I DIDN'T LEARN THAT MUCH MORE THAN WHAT WE ARE DOING IS DEAD ON TRACK.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHEN WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE AN IMPACT OF MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM DART TO EMPLOYMENT TO HOMELESS SHELTERS, WE HAVE, OUR COMMISSION HAS A VERY GOOD FINGERS ON THE PULSE.
WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE OFF BY VERY MUCH AT ALL.
I WAS GONNA SAY, IF I CAN ADD ONE MORE THING, UM, THERE WAS A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS DISCUSSED.
IN ADDITION TO, UM, MAKING ARRANGEMENTS WITH HOMELESS SHELTERS, WITH COMMISSIONERS AND, AND DOING LISTENING SESSIONS, UM, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT, UH, IDENTIFYING COMMUNITY EVENTS WHERE COMMISSIONERS COULD GO AND SHARE INFORMATION WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO SEE IF WE COULD HAVE A TABLE CLOTH.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, AS COMMISSIONERS MAY BE AVAILABLE, BE ABLE TO SHARE INFORMATION AT COMMUNITY EVENTS.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT OUR OFFICE IS LOOKING INTO IS SEEING IF WE COULD HAVE THE BUDGET TO PAY FOR A TABLECLOTH FOR THE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
UM, THE OTHER THING TOO THAT WAS DISCUSSED WAS, UM, SINCE THERE IS A LOT OF AWARENESS AMONG THE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE, ALSO HOSTING A VETERANS HOMELESS SUMMIT THAT WOULD INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, PANEL DISCUSSIONS AND JUST INCREASED BROADER AWARENESS ABOUT THE NEEDS.
ONE OTHER THING WE DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING, GETTING THESE VETERANS AN ADDRESS, A PO BOX NUMBER, UH, THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY A GENTLEMAN WHO WORKS FOR THE POST OFFICE.
HE'S GONNA SHOW US HOW TO GET THIS, GET THIS DONE, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE HOMELESS VETERANS, THEY DON'T HAVE AN ADDRESS.
AND SO THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND LOCATIONS WE COULD GET THESE FUEL BOXES FOR THESE VETERANS TO, UM, GO AND SIGN UP.
YEAH, AND I, I BELIEVE THAT THE GENTLEMAN WAS A, A VETERAN WHO WORKED, HE'S, HE'S A VETERAN.
YEAH, HE WAS A VETERAN VETERAN.
SO WE INVITED, UH, THERE WAS THREE GUESTS THAT CAME.
UH, ONE WAS A, A POSTAL, A POSTAL EMPLOYEE, UH, VETERAN.
AND I INVITED TWO, TWO GUESTS FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT DEAL A LOT WITH HOUSING.
UH, AND, AND THIS IS, UH, UH, SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN, UH, DISTRICT ONE, I BELIEVE WITH CHAD WEST.
AND, UH, THEY HAD, UH, PARTNERED WITH THE CITY STREETS OR CITY LIGHTS, UH, WITH A PROPERTY TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, A A PERCENTAGE OF, UH, VETERANS IN THERE.
BUT, UH, THAT DEAL FELL THROUGH.
BUT THERE'S A PROPERTY THERE THAT CAN BE USED
[00:55:01]
AS A, AS A HOUSING AREA ONCE IT'S FINISHED, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING.BUT THEY NEED PARTNERS, THEY NEED PEOPLE, UH, DEVELOPERS THAT'LL INVEST IN THAT BUILDING.
YOU KNOW, THE CITY WILL COVER A PORTION OF IT.
AND, UH, THERE WAS SOME OTHER INFORMATION THAT THEY PASSED OUT AS FAR AS, UH, HOUSING, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, UH, TO HOUSING.
HOW, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE GET PROPERTIES, YOU KNOW, EITHER LAND BANKING OR, OR LAND TRUST, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, TO, UH, PURCHASE.
WE CAN MAKE, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU THERE.
YEAH, THEY HAD THE TEXAS VETERANS LAND BOARD, LITTLE FLYERS THERE.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT NOT JUST GETTING PROPERTY, BUT HOW TO STAY IN THE PROPERTY TO AGE OUT THAT VETERANS THAT ARE OLDER OR DISABLED NEED, IT'S CHEAPER FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR HOUSE, SPEND $20,000 MODIFYING THEIR HOUSE SO THEY CAN STAY THERE FOR FI ANOTHER FIVE OR SEVEN YEARS RATHER THAN PUTTING 'EM IN A NURSING HOME.
THAT, THAT WAS, UH, A PART OF THE, THE CONVERSATION.
UH, I KNOW THAT AT ONE TIME, EVEN WHEN THEY WERE DOING A GENTRIFICATION IN WEST DALLAS, AND I, I KEEP BRINGING THAT UP BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS MONEY ALLOTTED FOR THE HOMES THAT WERE GONNA BE PURCHASED TO, TO, YOU KNOW, BRING 'EM UP TO CODE.
YOU DON'T WANNA GET CODED OUT, YOU KNOW, SO, UH, THAT'S A ROUTE THAT WE CAN GO TO THAT'S HOUSING.
IT'S JUST NOT NEW DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT'S FIXING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE VETERANS THAT ALREADY HAVE PROPERTIES OR HOMES.
ANYONE ELSE? I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU GUYS CAN HEAR ME ONLINE AS WELL.
I THINK WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING, IT WAS VERY BRIEF, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT.
KIND OF LIKE WHEN WE START OUR MEETINGS, WE DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
SECONDLY, UM, CAN WE DISCUSS POSSIBLY AT LEAST MAYBE ONCE A YEAR, TWICE A YEAR THAT ALL OF US ACTUALLY MEET UP IN PERSON SO THAT WE'LL KNOW WHO EACH OTHER ARE AND THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE LIKE IN PRESENT, UH, IN, IN PERSON.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE ONLINE OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING ELSE ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SEE HIM AND HIM AND HIM AND HIM, RIGHT? SO I DON'T KNOW, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT THAT AND INITIATE THAT, VOTE ON THAT.
THAT'S ACTUALLY THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, IS THAT THE NEXT ITEM.
WE'RE, UH, GOING TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
GUESS WHO DIDN'T LOOK AT THE AGENDA? NO, NUMBER FIVE.
WHAT'D YOU SAY? WE WE'RE GONNA TAKE A VOTE.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A VOTE AND, UH, WE'LL MAKE A, A MOTION AT LEAST MEET, UH, WE'RE GONNA TRY IN MAY.
UH, AND WE CAN AGREE ON A, A DAY IN MAY.
THAT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION OF MAY, BUT, UH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS RECOMMENDED.
BUT IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ELSE.
SO WE, IT IS, IT COULD BE THAT WE VOTE, THIS IS NOT FOR ANOTHER DAY TO MEET.
UM, WE WOULD JUST NEED TO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND THEN HAVE A VOTE TO APPROVE THE DAY, THE TIME.
UM, AND IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ALSO DECIDE THE LOCATION, BUT WE COULD, WE COULD PROBABLY MAKE THAT, CHRIS, LEMME LEMME MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT IS, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO MEET AT 11 O'CLOCK ON A THURSDAY SOMEPLACE ELSE.
UH, COULD WE DO A DOODLE POLL AND FIND OUT WHEN WE'RE ALL AVAILABLE ON CERTAIN DAYS? AND MAYBE DO IT THAT WAY.
I MEAN, UH, THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T SHOW UP HERE TODAY HAVE HAVE DAY JOBS, AND I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE NOT HERE.
AND I THINK WE OUGHT TO TRY TO COME UP WITH A TIME WHEN EVERYBODY IS AVAILABLE AND NOT MAKE IT, NOT MAKE IT HARD ON PEOPLE TO GET OUT OF WORK OR GET OUT OF TEACHING OR WHATEVER.
SO, UH, I, I THINK, UH, CHRISTINA HAD MENTIONED WE COULD PUT ON SATURDAY BECAUSE MS. BIRDWELL, I KNOW SCHOOL UNTIL THE END OF MAY OR SUMMER BREAK OR WHATEVER.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING A SATURDAY.
IT'S JUST ANY DAY THAT IT'S JUST CONVENIENT FOR ALL OF US.
THE CHALLENGE IS WE DO HAVE TO HAVE A VOTE TO APPROVE VOTE.
ANY SUGGESTIONS ON THE, UH, ON THE, UH, THE VIRTUAL PART? THE, THE CHALLENGES.
WE DO HAVE TO HAVE A VOTE FROM THE COMMISSION TO APPROVE THE CHANGE IN THE SCHEDULE.
THE WAY THAT THE, UH, BYLAWS WORK.
DOES IT HAVE TO BE A SPECIFIC TIME AND DAY? NO, IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE TO BE TOGETHER TO VOTE.
IF WE DO LIKE A DOODLE POLL, IT'LL TAKE SOME TIME.
THEN WE COME BACK TOGETHER IN MAY TO DO THE VOTE ON WHEN THE DOODLE POLL IS.
ALSO, IF WE DO SOMETHING LIKE A DOODLE POLL, UM, WE HAVE TO GET THAT.
WOULD, THERE ARE SOME IMPLICATIONS ON THAT WOULD BE OPEN MEETING APP.
[01:00:02]
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO GET, SO WHAT WOULD BE, I'M SORRY.YEAH, I THINK I, I'M NOT SURE HOW THE, SO WE BASICALLY HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO COME TO TERMS TOGETHER AS A TEAM IN THIS MEETING RIGHT NOW, IF WE WANT IT TO AFFECT THE MAY MEETING.
OTHERWISE WE'RE GONNA DELAY THE MONTH BECAUSE OF PROCESS.
AND, AND MAYBE MAY, MAY ACTUALLY BE TOO SOON.
MAYBE IT COULD BE JULY AND WE VOTE TODAY THAT WE ALL AGREE TO COME TOGETHER IN PERSON IN JULY, BUT MAY AND JUNE WILL BE THE SAME.
BUT THE, THE MORAL OF THIS STORY IS IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE CAN ALL ACTUALLY GET TOGETHER IN ONE ROOM AND DISCUSS THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DISCUSS.
WELL, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, JULY, THAT IF WE, IF WE HAVE, IF WE DISCUSS THINGS, THEN IT BECOMES A FORMAL MEETING WITH ALL THE, THAT THAT ENTAILS.
IF WE JUST WANNA SOCIALIZE AND DON'T TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT COME BEFORE US BUSINESS, THEN WE'RE OKAY.
AM I CORRECT? WELL, THE GOAL WOULD BE TO HAVE THIS AS A FORMAL OPEN MEETING BECAUSE, AND IT CAN BE OPEN, COULD, WE COULD SCHEDULE IT FOR JUNE? I'M OPEN, I'M GONNA START THIS OFF.
AND WE CAN PUSH IT OUT FAR ENOUGH SO THAT WE CAN COORDINATE OUR SCA SCHEDULES WITH OUR FAMILIES, OUR FRIENDS, OUR WORK.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S JUST SOLELY TO, TO MEET IN PERSON, HAVE A FORMAL MEETING SO THAT WE CAN DO A DISCUSSION.
CAUSE WHEN I AM ONLINE, I KIND OF MISS STUFF.
AND WHEN I'M IN MY OFFICE, PEOPLE BUSTING IN AND I'M HAVING DUAL CONVERSATIONS AND NOT WHOLLY FOCUSED ON THE VETERAN ADVISORY COMMISSION, WHICH IT DEMANDS, REQUIRES AND, AND DESERVES MY UNDIVIDED ATTENTION.
SO, UH, IF, IF NECESSARY, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION OFFICIALLY THAT WE ALL COME TOGETHER, CONSIDER ALL COMING TOGETHER AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, UM, IN A CALENDAR YEAR, PERSON TO PERSON.
AND WE CAN IDENTIFY LATER THE LOCATION AND THE TIME.
YOU SAID ONCE A MONTH, BUT YOU MEANT ONCE A YEAR? UH, YES.
AT LEAST, AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR.
SO THE MOTION IS THE, THE VOTE IS THAT WE COME, COME TOGETHER ONCE A YEAR, UM, AND TO BE DETERMINED THE DATE.
DID YOU GUYS HEAR THAT ONLINE? YES.
I THINK WE HAVE, OKAY, SO WE HAVE TWO SECONDS.
WE'RE DO WE WANT NO, THAT MAKES IT VIABLE SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IT WHEN YOU HAVE A SECOND.
UH, COMMISSIONER SMITH, I BELIEVE THAT'S YOU.
UH, YEAH, I'M ON BOARD WITH MEETING IN PERSON ONCE A MONTH.
I THINK THAT THAT'S, LIKE, I LOVE THE IN, IN PERSON ASPECT OF IT, UH, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO COLLABORATE, UH, LIKE, AND ANNOTATING WHAT'S AGAIN, SPECIFIC? YEAH, THE SPECIFIC MONTH WE WOULD DO THAT.
SO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WE WOULD ALL KIND OF GET TOGETHER.
UM, AND I SEE IT MAYBE AT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
I THINK ONE IS WE HAVE NOT MET AS A GROUP.
THINK SEVERAL OF US HAVE BEEN ON THIS SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING OF IT, UH, IN 2018 OR 19 OR WHENEVER THAT WAS.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD A SINGLE, ACTUALLY HAD BEEN 21, 20 20.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD A SINGLE MEETING IN PERSON WHERE LIKE EVERYBODY HAS BEEN WHERE THERE IS NO LINK SENT OUT.
SO I'M TOTALLY ON BOARD WITH IT.
AND I THINK THIS MIGHT BE, AS IT RELATES TO NUMBER FIVE ON THE AGENDA, MEETING IN MAY COULD BE A GOOD ONE.
IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT THE RIGHT TIME.
MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE LIKE FRIDAY AFTERNOON OR SOMETHING SO IT DOESN'T INTERFERE TO WORK.
UH, BUT THEN ALSO SETTING AN AGENDA FOR LIKE EVERY JANUARY WE GET TOGETHER THINKING ABOUT TWO.
THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
UH, I THINK I HEARD MS. BIRDWELL, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? YEAH, A QUESTION ABOUT THAT IS IF WE MEET, I, I HAVE NO PROBLEM RELIGIOUS WISE.
I CAN GO ANYTIME, ANYWHERE THAT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT, I DON'T HAVE
[01:05:01]
A SET TIME WHERE I CAN'T BE SOMEWHERE EXCEPT SCHOOL.UM, BUT I DON'T WANT Y'ALL TO WORK AROUND MY SCHEDULE THAT MUCH.
BUT HERE'S THE THING, IF WE DO AGREE TO MEET, UH, IS IT POSSIBLE TO USE CITY HALL A MEETING ROOM OR, UH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT AFTER HOURS? DOES THE CITY ALLOW FOR THAT? BECAUSE IF SO, WE COULD BRING IN SOMETHING TO EAT WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT AND HAVE LIKE A WORKING DINNER.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IS SECURITY GONNA LET US IN THE PARKING GARAGE? THAT KIND OF THING.
MAYBE THAT KIND OF FREES US UP TO COME DOWNTOWN AND BE ALL TOGETHER USING THE FACILITIES AND, YOU KNOW, BRING IN THE GREAT OUTDOOR SUB SHOP KIND OF THING.
I ALREADY SEE, I ALREADY SEE A, A HEAD SHAKING.
SO I SEE THAT THERE'S NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
YEAH, THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY PROBLEM.
WE CAN MAKE THOSE ARRANGEMENTS.
AND I SEE, UM, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
UH,
IS THAT WHICH ONE? COMMISSIONER? UH, RAMEL.
UH, MY THOUGHT IS THIS, IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE PUT SOMETHING ON THE CALENDAR FAR ENOUGH IN ADVANCE, I THINK IT'S, WE CAN ALL WORK AROUND IT.
SO IF WE HAD A, A MEETING, YOU KNOW, WE, AND WE ASPIRATIONALLY SAY AUGUST, THAT'S GONNA BE OUR WHATEVER PICK A MONTH.
BUT IT NEEDS TO BE SUFFICIENTLY IN ADVANCE THAT, THAT WE ALL CAN PUT IT ON A CALENDAR AND, AND, AND MAKE THE TIME TO, TO MAKE FOR, FOR ME, FOR MY OFFICE DOWNTOWN, IT'S ABOUT 50 MINUTE DRIVE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE, THERE'S A, THERE'S A LOGISTIC LOGISTICS PART OF THIS.
SO WHATEVER WE DO, I WOULD JUST SUGGEST PUT IT FAR ENOUGH IN ADVANCE, THREE MONTHS, FOUR MONTHS, THAT WE CAN ALL JUST SAY, OKAY, WE SLAPPED THE TABLE.
AND THEN WE, AND THEN WE MAKE THAT OUR ANNUAL MEETING, OUR ANNUAL IN-PERSON MEETING.
FROM THAT WAY, FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, THE THIRD THURSDAY OF AUGUST, EVERY YEAR IT'S GONNA BE IN-PERSON.
AND, AND, AND THAT WAY IT'S ALWAYS ON THE CALENDAR.
WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE THIRD THURSDAY IS, AND FROM, FROM NOW UNTIL, YOU KNOW, THE END OF TIME UNTIL WE, IT GETS CHANGED.
SO THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION.
SO WE'VE HEARD FEEDBACK THAT, YEAH, I GUESS JUST TO CONFIRM, UM, THE, RIGHT NOW THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE IS TO MAKE AT LEAST ONE MEETING IN PERSON.
UM, AND THE CON THERE'S COMMENTS SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT NEEDS TO BE FAR ENOUGH ADVANCE.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE MORE OF Y'ALL, BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE WAY WE COULD DO IT WITH UNOFFICIALLY IS MY, UM, OPERATION MEET HERO THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT AT THE END.
SO I GUESS, SO I GUESS TO MOVE THINGS ALONG, DO WE WANNA CALL A VOTE FOR THE MOTION THAT WE WILL SCHEDULE A DATE AND MAYBE, UM, WHAT I CAN DO IS, UM, YOU ALL CAN EMAIL ME AVAILABILITY OR DAYS THAT WORK FOR YOU OR DAYS THAT DON'T WORK FOR YOU.
AND THEN THAT WAY I COLLECT THE INFORMATION, UM, AND THEN I CAN CONFIRM WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, I'M, I'M UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THE DAY THAT, UM, AND CONFIRM THIS IS THE DATE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE IN PERSON SINCE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GONNA CHANGE IT.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE WANT TO MOVE IT TO A SATURDAY OR FRIDAY AFTERNOON, THAT'S OUTSIDE OF OUR NORMAL MEETING SCHEDULE.
SO THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT TO APPROVE THAT MEETING SCHEDULE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HEARD HERE ON, ON, UH, THE VIRTUAL PART, BUT THE MOTION IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE, UH, A VOTE ON, UH, MEETING AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR AND DISCUSS THE SPECIFICS LATER ON.
BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW THE, THE MOTION IS TO, TO MEET ONCE A YEAR AS A GROUP IN PERSON.
AND THE LOCATION AND TIME DATE AND ALL THAT WILL BE, UH, CONFIRMED LATER.
OKAY, SO THE MO MOTION WAS MADE? YEAH, MOTION MADE.
SO NOW YOU AS THE CHAIR CALL, WHO APPROVES, YOU CALL AS A CHAIR WHO CAN APPROVE, WHO APPROVES WHO, WHO SAYS A WHO APPROVES.
SO WE'LL BE MEETING ONCE A YEAR AND THE INFORMATION WILL COME
[01:10:01]
OUT, UM, AS FAR AS THE SPECIFICS.AND THE NEXT AND FINAL ITEM IS THE STAFF, UH, REPORTS AND BRIEFING.
YEAH, I'LL SEND A A I'LL SEND THE INFORMATION TO EVERYONE FOLLOWING THIS MEETING.
WE, WE WERE A LITTLE SHORT STAFFED IN MARCH, SO WE GOT DELAYED WITH A VETERANS RESOURCE CARD, BUT THAT'S IN PROGRESS OF BEING UPDATED.
AND WE'LL BE SURE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL ONCE IT'S, IT'S PUBLISHED.
SO THE VETERANS RESOURCE CARD, IS IT APPROVED AND NOT PUBLISHED, OR HAS IT NOT BEEN APPROVED AND NOT PUBLISHED? UM, TECHNICALLY, UH, IN THE LAST MEETING, WE RECEIVED MORE UPDATES ON FEEDBACK.
SO WE'VE PROVIDED THAT TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS GRAPHIC DESIGN TEAM WHO WILL BE ADDING THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN, UM, I THINK WE'RE GONNA CONSIDER IT LIKE A LIVING DOCUMENT.
SO IF, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE IT PUBLISHED RIGHT AWAY.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY FUTURE SERVICES OR EDITS THAT NEED TO BE MADE, WE CAN MAKE THOSE EDITS, UM, AS NEEDED.
I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTOOD THE ANSWER, BUT I, I WOULD PREFER TO SEE THE CAR BEFORE IT'S PUBLISHED.
WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN FOR THE NEXT MEETING BEFORE IT GETS PUBLISHED.
SO, UH, MS. BERGER, IS THAT, SO THAT'S THE AGENDA.
SO MS. BERGER WILL, I THINK YOU WANTED TO, UH, SAY SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR EVENT? YEAH.
UH, JUST REAL QUICKLY, UH, MS. DEVA SAID THAT SHE WOULD SEND IT OUT FOR ME, UH, AND I'D MENTIONED IT AT THE WEST DALLAS MEETING.
UM, PLEASE PASS THIS OUT TO ANYONE, YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE.
I MEAN, JUST DON'T LEAVE IT ON A DART BUS STATION, BUT BECAUSE IT'S GOT MY PHONE NUMBER IN MY EMAIL.
BUT, UM, AS A VETERAN IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, A LOT OF THE KIDS I TEACH HAVE NEVER REALLY MET ANY VETERANS.
THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW ANY VETERANS OR RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE THE FIRST PERSON HISTORY HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS.
SO I STARTED A GROUP, UH, A THING HERE 23 YEARS AGO, OR 24 YEARS AGO AT ROOSEVELT AND THEN HERE CALLED OPERATION MEDIA HERO, WHERE I BRING IN VETERANS AND ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL, YOU KNOW, OF ALL TYPES, ALL, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING, ALL MOSS, ALL BRANCHES, ALL RACES, ALL AGE GROUPS, EVERYTHING.
BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO SEE THAT BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS, WE ARE AMERICA.
SO IT'S NOT TO GLORIFY WAR, IT'S NOT TO GLORIFY OR RECRUIT THEM INTO THE MILITARY, IT'S TO SAY, OKAY, MY PERSONAL THING, I WAS IN PERSHING, TWO MISSILES AT THE END OF THE COLD WAR.
I WAS PART OF THE I NF TREATY.
I WAS IN GERMANY, AND WE WENT ON FULL ALERT WHEN THE BERLIN WALL OPENED ON NOVEMBER 9TH, 1989.
I AM A WITNESS TO HISTORY AS MY FATHER WAS A WITNESS IN 1961 WHEN THE WALL WENT UP.
SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'LL ASK YOU ABOUT.
AND I ALSO TEACH 'EM HOW TO BE RESPECTFUL TO NEVER ASK IF YOU KILLED ANYBODY OR DID YOU SEE ANYONE DIE? I TELL 'EM, YOU DON'T EVER ASK ANYONE THAT.
UM, SO I'M TEACHING 'EM HOW TO DEAL WITH, UH, VETERANS AND ALSO FOR Y'ALL TO GET A LITTLE WINDOW INSIDE OF WHAT GOES ON IN THE D I S D HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, WE HAVE YOU COME INTO THE RTC ROOM, WE FEED YOU COFFEE AND CAKE, YOU KNOW, CUZ THAT'S WHAT YOU DO WITH VETERANS.
AND THEN WE PUT YOU IN THE CAFETERIA, YOU'LL SIT AT A TABLE, SIX OR EIGHT, UH, KIDS WILL INTERVIEW YOU FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
AND THEN WE BLOW A WHISTLE AND THEN THEY MOVE, AND THEN THEY'LL GO MEET ANOTHER VETERAN AND ANOTHER GROUP MEETS YOU.
THIS WAY MY KIDS GET TO MEET FIVE OR SIX VETERANS OF DIFFERENT RANKS AND STRUCTURES, MOSS, ET CETERA.
AND IT'S BEEN AWESOME, BUT WE SUSPENDED IT FOR THREE YEARS BECAUSE OF COVID.
AND I AM DESPERATELY TRYING TO REBUILD MY INVITATION LIST.
I'VE LOST A LOT OF PEOPLE TO MY WORLD WAR II GUYS ARE ALL GONE.
I'VE ONLY GOT, I THINK, ONE OR TWO LEFT, AND I DON'T THINK THEY CAN COME.
UH, BUT MY KOREAN GUYS ARE ALL DISAPPEARING ON ME.
MY VIETNAM GUYS ARE NOW IN THEIR SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES.
AND, UM, BUT I NEED EVERYBODY, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE WAR TIME.
UM, BUT THEY'RE GONNA ASK YOU, WHAT WAS YOUR MOS, WHAT WAS A TYPICAL DAY LIKE? WHY DID YOU JOIN? REALLY GOOD INFORMATION? AND THEN IF YOU HAVE PICTURES, BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE NAKED WOMEN PLAYBOY THINGS IN THE BACKGROUND.
SO
AND THE KIDS WALK AWAY WITH AN APPRECIATION OF MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT IT DID FOR US, FOR THE VA LOANS, FOR OUR COLLEGE EDUCATION, FOR OUR HOME OWNERSHIP, FOR PRIDE AND COUNTRY, OUR JOB TRAINING, ET CETERA.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, IT'S ON THE FLYER, PLEASE FEEL TO TALK TO ME OFFLINE.
UH, IT'S MAY 17TH AT BRIAN ADAMS HIGH SCHOOL IN FAR EAST DALLAS, NEAR CASLIN CASA VIEW.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE SUN RISES IN DALLAS.
AND, UH, IT'S A WONDERFUL EVENT AND I NEED 40 TO 50 VETERANS OR ACTIVE DUTY.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA TRY AND HIT A FEES.
I USUALLY G GOOD LUCK WITH THEM.
BUT IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE ELSE, PLEASE SHARE THE INFORMATION FOR ME.
[01:15:01]
HAVE, UH, INFORMATION ON HONOR FLIGHTS, UH, THIS SATURDAY AT, UH, 11 O'CLOCK AND I JUST LOST THE EMAIL.CHRISTINA, DO YOU HAVE THAT? I I, NO, THAT'S NOT IT.
UH, ANYWAY, IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN A, IN A MEETING ON SATURDAY, UH, GIMME A CALL.
IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, ABOUT THE HONOR FLIGHTS THAT THEY GO TO DC UH, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, VETERANS TO SHOW UP AND, UH, HAVE EXPLAINED TO, UH, WHAT, UH, THIS, UH, ORGANIZATION, UH, DOES.
AND IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING ELSE, UH, INCORPORAT READY TO CLOSE THIS OUT.
BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT, I WANNA JUST MAKE MENTIONS OF THE 2023 DALLAS VETERANS DAY PARADE.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T, UM, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN THIS YEAR.
ENCOURAGE ALL THE VOLUNTEERISM AND PARTICIPATION.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF DALLAS IS NOW CLOSED ON THAT AND RECOGNIZE IT AS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY, BUT THAT'S NOT GONNA STOP THE PARADE.
SO I'M GONNA ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO VOLUNTEER.
UM, REACH OUT TO ME DIRECTLY IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, AND I CAN CONNECT YOU WITH, UH, PAT TYPO.
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR, UM, POPPING IN ONLINE.
AND THAT IT'S, UH, 12, UH, 20, WHAT IS IT? 1221.
YOU KNOW, GUYS, THEY JUST HEARD YOU SNEAK.
OH, I WILL, I WILL VOLUNTEER FOR YOUR.