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[Veteran Affairs Commission on September 8, 2022.]
UH, CALL THE CITY OF DALLAS VETERAN AFFAIRS COMMISSION TO ORDER.UH, THE TIME IS 1111 AND I AM INFORMED BY THE, UH, STAFF THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY, ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY TO WORK WITH US ON THIS.
SO WE WILL MOVE TO THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
UM, AND EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE MINUTES FOR THE AUGUST MEETING.
AND, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE, UH, PLEASE TAKE A FEW SECONDS TO REVIEW THE MINUTES AND LET ME KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED.
I REVIEWED THE MINUTES AND I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY DR.
ROBERTSON AND, UH, SECOND BY MR. MEZA.
UM, AND THERE ARE NO CORRECTIONS YOU WANNA SEE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T MISS THAT.
WE WILL THEN MOVE ON TO THE, UH, SECOND, UH, ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS THE, UH, THE REPORTS, UH, OFFICERS, BOARDS, STANDING COMMITTEES IN DISCUSSION.
UH, THE ONLY REPORT WE HAVE TODAY IS THE DRAFTED SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT.
UM, SO LET ME GIVE EVERYONE A BIT OF BACKGROUND BEFORE WE HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.
UH, WE DID A, UH, A REPORT AT THE END OF LAST CALENDAR YEAR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A FULL YEAR AS A COMMITTEE.
AND THIS IS A SUPPLEMENT THAT WILL FINISH OUT THE FISCAL YEAR THAT IS UP UNTIL AUGUST.
AND IT'S A REPORT OF OUR ACTIVITIES TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, AND I'M GOING TO KIND OF ABBREVIATE SOME OF THE, THE BIG ISSUES AROUND THAT WE IDENTIFIED AND WE BROUGHT UP AND CONCERNS.
WE HAVE, UM, THE FIRST ISSUE THAT, UH, THAT I IDENTIFIED IN THE REPORT THAT, UH, WAS BROUGHT TO US BY A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FOLKS FROM DIFFERENT VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS AND FROM, UH, THE FOLKS OVER AT THE BRIDGE WAS THE, UH, VETERANS BENEFIT ADMINISTRATION STAFF BEING MOVED OUT OF THE VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN DALLAS AND RELOCATED TO THE VETERANS CENTER IN ARLINGTON.
SO WE NO LONGER HAVE, UH, VA VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION STAFF LOCATED IN DALLAS COUNTY OR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP, SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS IN THERE.
ANOTHER ONE THAT CAME UP IS THE ISSUE OF THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY THE VETERANS COURTS AROUND, UM, THE NEEDS FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR VETERANS.
UH, THIS INCLUDES, UH, ASSISTANCE WITH, UH, DART PASSES, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, AND SO WHAT I DID, UH, IN PUTTING THAT INTO THE REPORT WAS IDENTIFIED.
HOWEVER, IN THE INTERIM, SINCE THE REPORT WAS WRITTEN, UH, DART HAS, UH, DONE SOME OUTREACH TO THE VETERANS COURTS AND THEY ARE WORKING WITH THE VETERANS COURTS TO GET GRANTS FOR TRANSPORTATION FUNDS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS THROUGH THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION.
SO THAT IS PROGRESSING AND OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE DO OUR NEXT REPORT, WE CAN SHOW THAT WE HAVE MADE SOME EFFORT ON THAT.
WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET, UH, FOLKS FROM THE VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION TO SPEAK WITH US, AND I'M HOPING THAT I WILL GET SOMEONE AT THE NEXT MEETING.
UH, SO, UH, THE THIRD ITEM THAT CAME UP THAT, UH, I, I FOUND TO BE MOST SIGNIFICANT WAS THAT I, UM, HAD, WE HAD A, UH, A VISIT TO, UM, THE, UH, OPERATION TINY HOUSES FOR VETERANS PROJECT.
AND SUBSEQUENT TO THAT VISIT, UM, THEY HAVE MET WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS AND HIS, UH, PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER BLAIR.
UH, SO THEY ARE PROGRESSING WITH
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THEIR PROJECT IN DALLAS COUNTY, UM, AND ACTUALLY IS RIGHT DOWN BY U N T DALLAS FOR THOSE WHO WENT ON THAT TRIP.UH, IT IS LOCATED, THE, THE PROPERTY THAT THEY ARE ACQUIRING IS ACTUALLY LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO THE CURRENT PROPERTY THAT THEY ARE, UH, DOING THEIR DEMONSTRATIONS AND VISITS TO.
SO, AND, UH, SO WE HAVE BEEN, UH, A BIT HELPFUL WITH THAT.
OBVIOUSLY, UH, THEY ARE ONE OF MANY VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS THAT NEED SOME LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY, AND WE WILL PROBABLY BE GOING BACK AND I WILL BE SPEAKING WITH THEM IN THE FUTURE ABOUT WHAT THOSE NEEDS MIGHT BE AND WHERE THE CITY CAN BEST ASSIST THEM.
UM, FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TINY HOUSES OPERATIONS, UH, THESE ARE GENERALLY DONE VERY SIMILAR TO THE WAY THAT WE DO A LOT OF SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR HOUSING, UH, HOMELESS AND, UH, OTHER, UH, LOW INCOME PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WE NORMALLY HAVE SOME KIND OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM THROUGH HOUSING AND SO FORTH, SO THAT, UH, WE ENSURE THAT THEY DON'T FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK OUT RIGHT NOW.
CAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH BUILDING INSPECTION.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ANY DESIGNS AROUND THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, WILL MEET ALL ZONING AND CODE REQUIREMENTS SO THAT, UH, THEY KNOW UPFRONT AS THEY'RE DOING THEIR DEVELOPMENT WORK EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
WE DON'T WANNA HAVE THAT HAPPEN.
SO WITH THAT SAID, UM, THOSE WERE THE THREE ITEMS THAT I HAD IDENTIFIED.
UM, SO I THOUGHT THE BEST THING TO DO MIGHT BE TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE, UH, ASK FOR ANY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.
UM, FOR THOSE WHO ARE ONLINE, PLEASE PUT YOUR QUESTIONS IN THE CHAT.
UH, FOR THOSE HERE IN PERSON, I'VE, I'VE GOT A COUPLE COMMENTS.
UH, WE WENT TO THE BRIDGE AND I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY THEM, THE WAY THEY WERE HELPING VETS, ET CETERA.
AND THEIR COMMUNICATION WITH THE VA.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A VA REP ON SIDE, ET CETERA, UH, ON THE TINY HOUSE.
UH, I AL I WENT ON THAT AND I INTERVIEWED THE, UM, THE HEAD OF IT, ET CETERA.
AND, UH, THERE WERE SEVERAL QUESTIONS THAT I SUGGESTED WE ADD TO, TO THE REPORT JUST FOR CONSIDERATION.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S NOT O CAN'T BE OVERCOME, BUT THERE ARE ISSUES THAT NEED, NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
UM, THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH THE, UH, HOUSING BOARD ON, ON, UM, SAFETY MEASURES AND STUFF FOR THE TINY HOUSE.
BUT I HAD POINTED OUT, UH, SO FAR THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HOUSE ANY EVENTS SO FAR.
UM, THEY HAVE HOMES THAT, THAT ARE DEMO HOMES THAT ARE BUILT, UH, THEY'RE USE, THEY'RE USING THEM, UM, UH, AS, AS SORT OF A, A, A ADVERTISING.
UH, BUT THEY, THEY'RE NOT HOUSING VETS YET.
AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS IF THEY'RE COSTING ABOUT 50,000 TO BUILD EACH ONE AND WHERE THOSE FUNDS WERE GONNA COME FROM.
BUT THE MAJOR CONCERNS I HAD, UH, WERE ONCE, LET'S SAY A VET WAS THERE, WHO'S GONNA PAY THE UTILITIES, WHO MAINTAINS THE STRUCTURE AND WHO'S GONNA COVER PROPERTY TAXES AND THOSE THINGS, THEY JUST NEED TO, TO ADDRESS THOSE AND GET AGREEMENTS ON THEM.
I THINK BEFORE THAT, YEAH, I, I AGREE.
IN FACT, UH, I WENT DOWN THERE, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND SPOKE WITH, UH, VALERIE BALLARD AS WELL.
UM, AND, UH, THERE ARE CERTAIN, THERE ARE CERTAIN PROPERTY OWNERSHIP STRUCTURES THAT A NONPROFIT CAN PUT IN PLACE THAT TAKE CARE OF MANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, AND FUNDING ISSUES, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S, THEY HAVE TO DO THEMSELVES.
UH, SO ONE OF MY TO-DOS THIS WEEK IS TO ACTUALLY INTRODUCE HER TO CHAD WEST, WHO HAS GONE THROUGH THIS, UM, IN CONSIDERATION OF, UH, TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OTHER PARTS OF DALLAS SO THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THIS AND THE RESOURCES.
NOW THEY ARE, UH, PART OF A CONSORTIUM OF TOWNHOUSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE DONE THIS IN OTHER CITIES.
SO THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT'S BEEN DONE.
AND, UH, SHE HAS ASSURED ME, AND ACTUALLY I'VE, I'VE TALKED WITH THE ENTIRE BOARD, THEY'VE ALL ASSURED ME THAT THEY ARE DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE ON THAT.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE ISSUES OF CONCERN.
HOW, UH, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT THE CITY CAN DO TO ENABLE THEM, I THINK THE, THE ZONING AND PLANNING PIECES ARE PROBABLY THE, THE ONES THAT WERE MOST IMPORTANT THIS TIME.
AND THEN WORKING THROUGH POSSIBLY THEIR BUSINESS STRUCTURE, INCLUDING CREATING A LAND TRUST OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE WOULD BE SOMETHING THEY WOULD HAVE TO INITIATE ON THEIR OWN.
BUT CHAD HAS, UH, SAID HE IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE HIS KNOWLEDGE AND, UH, HIS CONTACTS WITH THEM TO, TO HELP THEM WITH THAT.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I MEAN, THEY, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
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THEY HAVE NOT HOUSED A SINGLE PERSON YET.UM, AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE HISTORY OF SECTION EIGHT HOUSING IN DALLAS, AND EVEN IF YOU HAVE WILLING PARTNERS APARTMENT COMPLEX AS PROPERTY OWNERS, IT IS FREQUENTLY DIFFICULT TO GET PEOPLE INTO HOUSING SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE SPACE.
WHETHER WELL, THEY, THEY ACTUALLY EVEN HAD LINED UP, UM, THEY HAD LINED UP, DONATED LAND THROUGH THE VA, AND THE OLD DIRECTOR OF THE VA BACKED OUT OF IT SOME TIME AGO.
AND I GUESS THEY'VE SORT OF ABANDONED TRYING TO GO AFTER THAT.
AND SO FAR, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THEY'VE, THEY, I THINK THEY HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S WILLING TO DONATE LAND TO 'EM IN, IN SOUTH DALLAS.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE ACTUALLY GOT A, UH, UH, A MUCH BETTER SOLUTION RIGHT NOW THAT IS LOCATED PHYSICALLY RIGHT BY WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'RE CURRENTLY OPERATING.
UM, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT, BUT THEY'VE GOT THE MONEY LINED UP GOOD AND EVERYTHING ON THAT.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE PROGRESSING.
UH, BUT YES, IT, I THINK WE NEED THEIR SUPPORT.
WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM WITH WHATEVER WE CAN HERE AT CITY AND TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE TALKING TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO GET SOLUTIONS.
CUZ OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS. BUT, YOU KNOW, WISH, WISH WE HAD THAT MAGIC WAND, BUT WE DON'T.
UM, OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? UH, AGAIN, IT IS THE OWNERSHIP, I GUESS A PATTERN OF OWNERSHIP.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN, UH, A VETERAN, YOU KNOW, SEES YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT DE LIKE A DEED RESTRICTION OR, OR, UH, WHAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS FAMILY COME IN AND JUST MOVE THAT TRAILER OUT OR, OR TAKE POSSESSION OF IT? WELL, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE MOBILE.
SO THAT WILL BE PART OF HOWEVER THEY CREATE THE TRUST AROUND THE PROPERTY.
UM, NOW THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO MANAGE THESE TRUSTS.
YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE, YOU PUT THEM ON A LONG-TERM LEASE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THE PROPERTY, INCLUDING THE THE BUILDING IS PHYSICALLY OWNED BY THE TRUST, SO THAT THEY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, THEY HAVE NOT DONE THAT YET.
NOW, UM, ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF TINY HOUSES IS THAT IN THEORY THEY ARE PORTABLE.
THEY COULD BE MOVED TO DIFFERENT PROPERTY, ET CETERA, BUT THEN THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET SERVICES THEY NEED.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS, THE FOLKS OVER THERE AT OPERATION TINY HOUSES, WHERE THEY'RE WORKING TOWARDS IS A SERVICE REP TO INCLUDE, UH, TRANSPORTATION TO THE VA, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH VETERANS WHO HAVE NEEDS OF, UH, HEALTHCARE SERVICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THEY HAVE THOSE SERVICES AVAILABLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S JUST AS BAD AS SIMPLY STICKING SOMEBODY INTO A SINGLE BEDROOM APARTMENT IN THE MIDDLE OF WEST DALLAS.
YOU AND I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO GET TO SERVICES.
YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THE AREA VERY WELL, SO, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT.
AND THEY DO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS ALREADY WITH A LOT OF SERVICE PROVIDERS.
I, I MISSED THE, THE ORIGINAL TOUR.
I CAME A LITTLE LATER AFTER, AFTER Y'ALL DID THE TOUR, BUT, UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA AND I LOOKED AT 'EM AND I, I DID A WALKTHROUGH AND, UM, I THINK THE SERVICES THOUGH, IT WOULD BE MORE LIKE A, MAYBE LIKE A, LIKE A COMMUNITY CENTER OR, OR MAYBE A STRUCTURE BUILDING RIGHT ON SITE THAT WOULD YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE DESIGN THAT THEY, THEY SHOWED TO US NOW WITH THE NEW PROPERTY, THEY MAY BE DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT THEY'LL PROBABLY HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER OF SOME KIND, UM, A MEETING PLACE, AN AREA WHERE, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WASHER DRYERS, ALL THE USUAL FACILITIES ARE, ARE THERE AS WELL AS A, UH, UM, A, A PLACE WHERE YOU COULD GET, UM, COUNSELING SERVICES, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, UH, HEALTH CHECKS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND, AND THAT'S FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ON THE TOUR OUT THERE, THESE ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE WITH ANY SERVICE WRAP AROUND, UM, PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE HOMELESS AND TO THE INDIGENT, IS THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THEM IN A FIXED LOCATION WHERE THEY'RE HOUSED AND CAN UNDERSTAND AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE, THEN THE CONTACT IS FREQUENTLY LOST AFTER A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS.
AND SERVICES JUST CAN'T BE DELIVERED.
YOU CAN'T KEEP PEOPLE, UH, HEALTHY PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY.
UM, YOU CAN'T GET THEM INTO JOBS IF THEY DON'T HAVE STABLE HOUSING.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS IS SUCH A BIG DEAL.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IMPRESSED ME ABOUT THE BRIDGE.
UM, THEY WOULD GIVE 'EM TRANSPORTATION TO, TO THE VA.
UH, THEY LOOKED AT GIVING THEM, UH, HELPING THEM WITH PERMANENT HOUSING.
THEY HAD PEOPLE RIGHT ON SITE.
UH, THEY, THEY HAD A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS THEY, THEY DID THAT WAS NECESSARY, UH, TO, TO BASICALLY GET THEM
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OUT OF THAT SITUATION.AND, UH, THAT WOULDN'T BE A BAD PROBABLY PATTERN TO FOLLOW FOR SOME OF THESE OTHER PLACES ONCE THEY GET ESTABLISHED.
IT'S, IT'S CALLED THE, UH, COORDINATED CONTINUUM OF CARE.
SOMETIMES YOU'LL HEAR IT JUST CALLED THE CONTINUUM OF CARE.
UH, BUT THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO DO CASEWORK, THE BRIDGE, OF COURSE, YOU MET WHEN YOU WENT THROUGH TOURS THERE.
THE, THE CASEWORKERS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS IT BEING VETERANS, UM, THEY HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS AND, UH, AS MOST OF US HAVE FOUND, IF YOU ARE A VETERAN BUT DO NOT HAVE DOCUMENTED ELIGIBILITY THROUGH THE VETERANS AFFAIRS SYSTEM, YOU CANNOT RECEIVE MOST OF THOSE VETERANS BENEFITS, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH STUFF.
SO, UM, THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE OF IT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY TALKING TO THE FOLKS AT THE VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THAT, UM, THROUGH THE VA NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM, THROUGH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE BRIDGE OR, UH, THE DALLAS VET CENTER OVER THERE ON GREENVILLE.
ALL THESE THINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN PROBABLY WORK TOWARDS HERE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO SEEING IF WE CAN GET THAT COMMUNICATION ESTABLISHED.
UH, ONCE WE HAVE THAT, THEN WE CAN, WE CAN SEE IF WE CAN GET THEM TO PARTICIPATE MORE IN, IN, YOU KNOW, GETTING OUR VETS QUALIFIED FOR CARE IN DALLAS COUNTY.
WITH THAT SAID, UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? DO WE HAVE ANYTHING IN THE CHAT? UH, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DART, UH, TO GET THE, UH, I GUESS HOW THAT WOULD BASICALLY WORK IS THROUGH THE, THROUGH A VOUCHER PROGRAM, RIGHT.
TO GET ON KIND OF, UM, WHAT DART NORMALLY DOES, UM, IS THEY, UH, PROVIDE MONTHLY BUS PASSES AND THEY ARE PURCHASED AT A DISCOUNT BY THE ORGANIZATION.
UH, WE, WE HAVE TALKED, I'VE ACTUALLY TALKED WITH SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE DART BOARD ABOUT POSSIBLY CHANGING THAT FOR VETERANS, BUT, UH, FOR RIGHT NOW, YES, THE CORPORATE, RIGHT, IT'S, IT'S SAME IDEA EXCEPT THEY DO IT FOR NONPROFITS AT A BIGGER DISCOUNT, ESSENTIALLY, RIGHT.
AND THEY TREAT THE COURT SYSTEMS AS NONPROFITS, BUT THAT WAY THE COURT SYSTEM ACTUALLY MANAGES THE PASSES RATHER THAN DART MANAGING.
THEY, THEY GIVE THEM A BLOCK OF PASSES UNDER THE GRANT WHERE THEY PURCHASED THEM THROUGH.
SO THEN IT WOULD BE ONLY VETERANS IN THE VETERAN COURT SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE'S SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON WITH DART INVOLVING, UH, FINANCING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF DISCUSSING CHANGES TO THE CURRENT SYSTEM FOR STUDENT PASSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO AS THEY DO THAT, UH, I'VE ASKED THAT, UH, THEY ALSO CONSIDER PASSES FOR VETERANS AND IF THEY'RE WILLING TO DO WITH SOME CITIES, KANSAS CITY IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE, WHERE ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS PROVIDE AN ID TO SHOW THAT YOU WERE A VETERAN AND YOU COULD GET A FREE PASS ON THE TRANSIT SYSTEM.
UM, THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT FAR YET, SO THEY'RE IN DISCUSSIONS, BUT YEAH.
I WONDER, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN, LEMME THINK ABOUT HOW, UH, IN THE WAY THAT WE WANT TO SUPPORT THAT.
IS IT FOR ALL VETERANS OR MAYBE FOR A SPECIFIC WELL, I, I THINK THIS WAS THE EASY WAY TO GET IN TO TALK TO DART ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S WELL ORGANIZED, VERY, UM, CONTROLLED, AND THEN THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, WE, WE CAN LIMIT THE SCOPE.
UM, WHAT DART IS PROBABLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY SINCE STUDENTS ARE, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF VETERANS WHO ARE GOING TO BE TAKING BUSES AND TRAINS IS GONNA BE FAIRLY SMALL.
THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IS VERY LARGE.
THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE GONNA MANAGE ALL OF THAT.
SO IF WE COME UP WITH A PROGRAM FOR VETERANS, ODDS ARE VERY GOOD.
WE JUST NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY VETERANS MIGHT BE USING DART IN THE DART SYSTEM.
WITH THAT SAID, UM, I WILL PROBABLY HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION WITH, UH, PATRICK KENNEDY, WHO IS, UH, ON THE DART BOARD AND IS A NEIGHBOR OF MINE ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD, UH, YOU KNOW, SCOPE THIS OUT AS A PROPOSAL TO TAKE TO THE BOARD, UH, RIGHT WHERE WE WOULD DO THIS FOR ALL VETERANS.
NOW REMEMBER, WE STILL HAVE THE CHALLENGE THAT, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFYING A VETERAN AND ESTABLISHING ELIGIBILITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT, UM, EITHER RETIRED AND DON'T HAVE A MILITARY RETIREE ID OR NOT MEMBERS OF THE VA MEDICAL PROGRAM, OR THEY HAVE A VA MEDICAL ID, THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER VETERANS WHO WOULD QUALIFY.
SO HOW WOULD WE IDENTIFY THAT AND WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE TO BRING TO QUALIFY, FOR EXAMPLE, A DD 2 14 2 14 OR SOMETHING? YEAH.
SO, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND, AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WOULD WORK WELL FOR THEM AND HOW YOU WOULD DO IT.
UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN CHALLENGES TO PEOPLE HAVING TO COME IN BECAUSE IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET, FOR EXAMPLE, A DISABLED PASS.
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DART TO DO THAT AT THE HOSPITAL, BUT THEY STOPPED DOING THAT AS WELL.AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT HOW THEY WANT TO HANDLE IT.
AND OTHERWISE, YOU STILL HAVE TO GO TO DART HEADQUARTERS TO GET THAT PASS, WHICH IS RIGHT.
DIFFICULT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND THEN RIGHT.
IT'S SORT OF LIKE, YEAH, THERE'S A CHICKEN AND EGG PROBLEM INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THIS.
IT'S LIKE, IF YOUR PHONE DOESN'T WORK, CALL THIS NUMBER.
UM, I, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON OTHER THINGS RECENTLY, SO YEAH, NO, THAT'S, THAT'S ALRIGHT.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ONE THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, ESPECIALLY AS WE START LOOKING AT, UH, FOLKS WHO ARE, UM, NOT JUST VIETNAM VETERANS, BUT FOLKS WHO ARE VETERANS OF GULF WAR AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT OPERATIONS, WELL, FORMER OPERATIONS IN IRAQ, CURRENT OPERATIONS IN THIS AREA, AND FORMER OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN.
UH, AS THOSE FOLKS START HAVING MEDICAL NEEDS, THEY WILL NEED TRANSPORTATION IN MANY CASES.
THE CURRENT STATE OF G Y, THE, UM, EXACTLY.
UM, SO FOR THAT, IS IT JUST TRANSPORTATION? IF WE, I GUESS IF WE FIND OUT A WAY AND FIGURE ALL THAT OUT AND DART GETS US, IS THAT TRANSPORTATION SPECIFICALLY TO THE VA CENTER IN SOUTH DALLAS, OR DOES THAT ALSO INCLUDE GARLAND? ACTUALLY, IT WOULD INCLUDE ANY PLACE THAT DART ALLOWS YOU TO TRAVEL.
SO THIS, OKAY, THIS WOULD ENABLE A VETERAN TO GO FROM HOME TO WORK TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, ANYWHERE, UM, TO PAROLE MEETINGS, WHATEVER THEY NEEDED TO DO, IT WOULD GET THEM ONTO THE DART SYSTEM.
UM, BUT KEEP IN MIND, YOU KNOW, DART IS, IS VERY LARGE, NOT JUST DALLAS.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THEY WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE THEY WANTED TO DO AND GO THROUGH THEIR USUAL PHYSICAL RESPONSIBILITY THINGS AND SAY, OKAY, WELL HOW'S THIS GONNA IMPACT THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE? LIKE I SAID, UM, ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS COMPARED TO KIDS GOING TO SCHOOL ON DART, THIS IS RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE.
I I SUSPECT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PASSES.
WE'RE PROBABLY TALKING IN A FEW HUNDRED AT MOST.
AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS KIND OF GET A, AN IDEA OF WHAT THE, UH, CURRENT DISABLED PASS PROGRAM IS AND MAYBE MODEL IT AFTER THAT.
SO DART ALREADY HAS A MODEL THEY CAN USE, SO KIND OF INSIDE BASEBALL, BUT THAT'S THE INTENT BEHIND IT.
UM, SO WE HAD TO WORK THROUGH THE DART PROCESS.
OBVIOUSLY THEY OWN IT, UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND INFORMATION ONCE IT GETS IN PLACE.
AND, UM, I, I TALKED WITH, UH, UH, CHRISTINA ABOUT THIS BEFORE THE MEETING.
UH, THERE ARE SOME MAJOR REVAMPS OF THE CITY SECRETARY'S WEBSITE THAT ARE COMING AROUND.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE WILL NEED TO GET CLARIFICATION ON IS WHAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO POST INFORMATION ABOUT TO SITE.
AND IF IT'S POSSIBLE, ONCE A PROGRAM LIKE THIS IS UP AND RUNNING, WE WILL THEN BE ABLE TO REFER FOLKS TO THE DART SITE SO THEY KNOW ABOUT IT SO THEY CAN GET THOSE PASSES FROM DART AND THEY KNOW WHAT THE QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS ARE.
LIKEWISE, UM, ALL THE OTHER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE KIND OF GONE THROUGH IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED, AND THERE ARE A WIDE VARIETY OF 'EM THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY VETERAN SPECIFIC, BUT DO HAVE PROGRAMS THAT ARE PARTIALLY FUNDED BY, BY THE VA, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GET THEM INTO.
UH, SO A LOT OF THE HOMELESS RES SHELTERING PROGRAMS THAT ARE PAID FOR BY VA FUNDS GO THROUGH METRO DALLAS HOMELESS ALLIANCE.
SO WE REFER THEM TO M D H A AND THEIR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND THEY WORK THROUGH M D H A, LIKEWISE, YOU KNOW, THE BRIDGE, THEY WORK THROUGH M D H A AS WELL FOR CERTAIN SERVICES.
SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF HOW DO WE GET THAT, GET PEOPLE TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO GET THINGS DONE FOR 'EM AS OPPOSED TO SIMPLY SAYING, HERE, HERE'S A LIST OF PLACES YOU CAN CALL.
AND, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE, THE SECOND OR THIRD CALL, YOU DON'T CALL ANYMORE.
UM, SO OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHTY.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REPORTS? A MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPRO.
UH, SECOND, I GUESS YOU, YOU'RE GONNA SECOND.
UH, SO I HAVE ONE LAST ITEM HERE.
UH, LIKE I SAID, BECAUSE OF ALL THE CONFUSION, UNFORTUNATELY WE DID NOT BOOK SOMEONE FOR OUR NEXT, UH, FOR THIS MEETING.
UH, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS, PLEASE, IF YOU WOULD, UH,
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IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE OR AN ORGANIZATION YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING, UH, BEFORE THE COMMISSION TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DO FOR VETERANS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, PLEASE, UH, EMAIL CHRISTINA AND THAT WAY SHE, SHE NEEDS TO KNOW WHO TO CONTACT NAMES, PHONE NUMBERS, EMAIL IF POSSIBLE.AND THAT WAY WE WILL, UH, START WORKING TO GET THEM BOOKED.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, I AM GONNA TRY TO GET SOMEONE FROM THE DALLAS VETERANS CENTER, WHICH IS NOT THE SAME AS THE DALLAS VETERANS RESOURCE CENTER.
THIS IS UP IN NORTH DALLAS ON GREENVILLE, BUT IT'S PART OF THE VA SYSTEM TO COME SPEAK WITH US AT OUR NEXT MEETING ABOUT THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE BECAUSE THEY DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE REGULAR VA DOES, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY DO AND WHAT THEY HAVE CHALLENGES AROUND.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO GET THEM IN TO SPEAK AS WELL AS TRYING TO GET IN, UH, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE, UH, THE VAS, UH, I'D SAY IT GUARD GUARDIANS, THE GATEKEEPERS GATEKEEPERS, UH, TO, TO TELL US ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO MEET OUR NEEDS HERE IN DALLAS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NO LONGER OPERATING IN OUT OF DALLAS.
UH, SO WHAT, WHAT'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON THAT? LIKE I SAID, TRYING TO GET AHOLD OF PEOPLE AND GETTING THEM TO RESPOND HAS BEEN DIFFICULT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THE VETERANS BENEFITS FOLKS ARE ALL OUTTA WACO.
THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE HEADQUARTERED.
SO I THINK I'M GONNA HAVE MORE FUN WITH THEM.
UM, MR. YEAH, MR. CHAIR, UM, I WANTED TO, UH, JUST REITERATE THAT I, I DID SUBMIT A COUPLE NAMES AND I WAS WONDERING IF WE HAD HEROES FOUNDATION ON THE LIST AS WELL AS OUR FEDERAL CONTACT, DR.
JAMIE DAVIS OUT OF DC ARE THEY SCHEDULED AT ALL TO OKAY.
WE HAVE NOT SCHEDULED THEM YET, SO, UH, I'LL WORK WITH HER TO GET THEM SCHEDULED.
AND, UM, ONE THING THAT, UH, HAS COME UP THAT NOW THAT MOST OF US ARE COMING IN, IN PERSON, UH, BADGES, UM, I REALIZE WE ARE NOT GONNA PLAY TREASURER OF THE SIERRA MADRE FOR MUCH LONGER.
THAT ONE GOES OVER REAL WELL WITH THOSE OF US OF A CERTAIN AGE, BUT, UM, SO WE HAVE, WE CAN GET BADGES AS MEMBERS OF A BOARD OR COMMISSION, AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT HERE IN THE BUILDING.
UM, FOR THOSE WHO ARE REMOTE, UH, IF YOU DO COME IN IN PERSON, WE WILL NEED TO GET YOU A BADGE THAT WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO GO THROUGH, UH, AND PARK IN THE PARKING GARAGE AND TO, TO GET THROUGH SECURITY.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA WORK ON THAT AND UH, CHRISTINA IS GOING TO SEND OUT INFORMATION ABOUT IT.
SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE HERE TODAY WHO DO NOT HAVE A BADGE, WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN GET BADGES FOR THOSE WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT, UM, GET YOU INFORMATION ON HOW YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO COME IN AND GET A BADGE.
UM, AND THE OTHER ONE THAT, UH, CHRISTINA HAS EMAILED EVERYONE ABOUT IS, UH, PHOTOGRAPHS.
UM, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM HER WHEN SHE SENT OUT THE AGENDA ABOUT, UM, BOOKING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.
THE, UH, THE CITY HAS A LOCATION OVER AT FAIR PARK WHERE THEY DO THIS.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT IS GETTING TOWARDS TIME FOR THE STATE FAIR, SO MAYBE A GOOD TIME TO DO IT IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.
CUZ STATE FAIR STARTS AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
UM, I'M A VOLUNTEER OVER TEXAS DISCOVERY GARDENS, SO I GO OVER THERE ALL THE TIME, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT TOO FAR FROM TEXAS DISCOVERY GARDENS.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PARK OVER THERE.
UH, SHE'S GONNA GET US DETAILS ABOUT PARKING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO FOR THOSE WHO NEED TO GO IN OR HAVE NOT GONE IN YET, THAT THAT'S GONNA BE PROVIDED.
AND THE OTHER ANNOUNCEMENT I'VE GOT IS THAT THE NEXT MEETING DATE IS OCTOBER 13TH AT 11:00 AM SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU MARK YOUR CALENDARS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM ANY OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS? YES, GO AHEAD RYAN.
UH, OUR HIGH SCHOOL IS GONNA HAVE A, UH, NINE 11, UH, MEMORIAL SERVICE ON FRIDAY MORNING.
UH, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A PRETTY BIG EVENT.
THEY, IT IS BEEN ANNUAL, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, WE HAVE A NEW HIGH SCHOOL NOW, SO IT'S EVEN GONNA BE A LARGER EVENT.
AND I KNOW THERE'S A THING ABOUT ALL, ALL OF US BEING AT ONE PLACE AT THE SAME TIME, BUT EVERYBODY'S INVITED.
AND THERE IS ONE THING I FORGOT.
CHRISTINA, CAN YOU BRIEF US ON THAT PLEASE? I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT THE POSITION HAS CLOSED.
UH, IT WAS POSTED, UH, UH, FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS AND THANKS TO YOU ALL WHO HELPED SHARE THAT POSTING.
UM, WE, I, I'M WAITING NOW FOR THE FINAL LIST OF CANDIDATES THAT WILL BE SELECTED FOR AN INTERVIEW.
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WHAT I DO IS I DO LIKE A, A PHONE CALL, LIKE PRELIMINARY INV INTERVIEW, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GOOD WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF THE JOB AND ALSO THE PAY SALARY.AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT WILL BE A PANEL INTERVIEW AND THAT'S WHERE I HAVE TO CONFIRM WITH HR ABOUT WHAT THE RULES ARE WITH INVITING EXTERNAL INDIVIDUALS.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS TO SERVE ON THE INTERVIEW PANEL THAT ARE FROM THE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION, CUZ THIS PERSON WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE SERVING YOU ALL, SUPPORTING YOU WITH MEETINGS, UM, AND ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER EFFORTS YOU ALL WANT TO DO AS A COMMISSION, THAT PERSON CAN SUPPORT.
SO, UM, I'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH THAT INFORMATION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT UPDATE.
UM, I GAINED A LOT OF INSIGHT BY GOING OUT AND SEEING TINY HOUSE, GOING TO THE BRIDGE, THE PLACES WE'VE GONE.
AND, AND DON'T GET ME WRONG, I LIKE THE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE COME IN.
I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM THAT AS WELL.
ARE THERE OTHER GROUPS THAT WE WOULD BENEFIT FROM BY GOING OUT AND SEEING THEIR OPERATION OR INVITING THEM IN? DOES ANYBODY HAVE YEAH, ACTUALLY I THINK THERE PROBABLY ARE.
UH, RONNIE, WELL THERE'S TWO THAT I, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, UM, WE'RE WORK, WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, EXPAND AND, AND FIND A HOME REALLY.
UH, THE LAST PATROL, WHICH HAS TO DO A LOT WITH MORE OF THE VIETNAM, UH, ERA VETERANS.
UH, IT'S A, A FOOD PANTRY AND CLOTHING, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING LIKE THAT FOR THE FAMILIES.
AND THEN, UM, BUT IT'S ALSO PART OF THE GI FORUM, YOU KNOW, CUZ UH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR MORE MEMBERSHIP IN THAT.
SO, SO, UH, I HAVE INVITED HIM.
UH, I'M JUST WAITING FOR, UH, UH, MR. RA, UH, RAMIREZ, ROBERT RAMEZ AND, AND THEN, UH, HIS STAFF TO KIND OF PUT TOGETHER A PRESENTATION AND EXCELLENT.
YOU POINTED OUT THE VA IS SORT OF
UH, HAVE, WOULD IT HELP, DO YOU THINK, IN ANY WAY IF WE AS A GROUP MET WITH SOMEONE IN THE VA GETTING AN OFFICE IN THE DALLAS AREA THAT'S COMPETE? THAT IS, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS GET THE RIGHT PERSON.
UH, THE, UH, THE VA BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION IS OUT OF WACO AND THE DIRECTOR ACTUALLY JUST TOOK OVER THAT POSITION A FEW MONTHS AGO.
SO THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE CHALLENGES.
UM, THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS GOING ON WITH THE VA THAT PROBABLY HAVE MORE TO DO WITH BUDGETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO WE NEED TO HAVE THEM TELL US.
I I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY, THEY HAVE HAD REPRESENTATIVES AND THINGS IN PLACES LIKE THE VET CENTERS.
SO THERE'S ONE IN THE, THE VET CENTER IN TARRANT COUNTY IN ARLINGTON.
THERE'S ONE IN THE VA CLINIC IN FORT WORTH.
HAVING A REPRESENTATIVE IN AN OFFICE IN EITHER OR BOTH OF THE LOCATIONS IN DALLAS, THAT WOULD BE MOST BENEFICIAL.
ONE AT THE MEDICAL CENTER OBVIOUSLY WOULD BE THE BIG ONE.
OR IF THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO SPACE ONE OVER AT THE, UH, THE DALLAS VET CENTER ON GREENVILLE.
EITHER WAY, THAT'S, THAT'S THE REASON WHY.
UH, BUT IN GENERAL, YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM COME TALK TO US.
UM, AND I HAD UH, I'VE ALSO TRIED REACHING OUT TO COLIN ALLRED'S OFFICE AND HAD MEDIOCRE SUPPORT THERE, SO I'M GONNA TRY BOTH OF THOSE.
UM, BUT YES, SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? UM, I'VE GOT A NOTE FROM YOU BUT I'M GONNA FOLLOW UP WITH CHRISTINA CUZ WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO THIS, BUT OKAY.
UM, SO WITH THAT SAID, IF THERE ARE NO MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION? YEAH, MOTION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.