[Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee on September 18, 2023.]
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THE TIME IS NOW 9:01 AND I WILL CALL TODAY SEPTEMBER 18TH QUALITY OF LIFE AND SEPTEMBER 18TH, IS THAT REALLY RIGHT? OH, SEPTEMBER 18TH QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE TO ORDER.OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS OUR MINUTES APPROVAL FROM JUNE 12TH, 2023.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. ALL RIGHT.
THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THE WORK THAT WE HAVE AHEAD OF US.
A COUPLE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE ON HERE TODAY ARE REALLY MEANT TO GET BEARINGS IF YOU WEREN'T A PART OF THE COMMITTEE BEFORE, BUT ALSO TO KIND OF RESET BASED ON PRIORITIES THAT WERE GIVEN TO US FOR EACH COMMITTEE BY THE MAYOR.
YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A MEMO AS WELL AT THE END OF LAST WEEK.
WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP IF ANYONE HAS ANY THING THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SAY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DIRECTOR PHILIPPE AND BENJAMIN ESPINO COME AND GIVE US THE PRESENTATION FROM THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
GOOD MORNING. BENJAMIN ESPINO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
MARTINE SHOULD BE HERE SHORTLY, SO, AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BRIEF YOU ALL ON THE UPDATE TO THE KALITA HUMPHREYS THEATER.
SO IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS BRIEFING IS TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE CURRENT STATE OF THE KALITA HUMPHREYS THEATER AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE REGARDING THE KALITA.
THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE WAS JANUARY 17TH, 2023.
SO WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND SO THE PURPOSE PRESENTATION OVERVIEW OBVIOUSLY LOOK AT HISTORY AND BACKGROUND OF THE KALITA HUMPHREYS THEATER FROM 1959 TO PRESENT. THE CURRENT STATUS AND NEEDS INCLUDING ITS STEWARDSHIP UNDER THE DALLAS THEATER CENTER SINCE 1973 AND A POTENTIAL BOND SCENARIO THAT THE CRITICAL FACILITY SUBCOMMITTEE COMPLETED ON AUGUST 29TH FOR CULTURAL FACILITIES, AND THEN, OF COURSE, MOST IMPORTANTLY, LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, OBVIOUSLY COMPLETION OF THE CURRENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT, AND THEN THERE WAS A MEMO A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO THAT CAME OUT FOR OBVIOUSLY CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES, AND THEN ALSO PRIORITIES SET OR PRIORITIES SUGGESTED BY THE MAYOR FOR EACH COUNCIL COMMITTEE, AND THEN A BRIEF TIMELINE OF WHAT STAFF SUGGESTS AND THEN A POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS.
SO IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO BACK IN 1959, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT ACTUALLY, LET'S GO BACK A LITTLE BIT.
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT ARRIVED IN DALLAS AT SOME POINT IN AUGUST 1955 IN A FULL LENGTH FUR COAT.
THE HEAT DID NOT SEEM TO OPPRESS HIM, IF YOU WILL, AND SO HE SAID HE PRETTY MUCH FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT WAS KNOWN FOR GOING OVER BUDGET. SO HE TELLS A LOCAL PHILANTHROPISTS, IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY, I'LL BUILD IT FOR YOU.
SO GOING ALONG IN 1968, AN APPRENTICE AT TALIESIN.
APPRENTICES WERE ACTUALLY ARCHITECTS AT TALIESIN, AND TALIESIN WAS HIS SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE DID THE FIRST ADDITION OR WHAT'S CALLED THE EDUCATION WING, AND THEN IN 1973, DALLAS THEATER CENTER DONATED THE BUILDING TO THE CITY AND DALLAS THEATER CENTER OPERATED UNDER A PRIVATE MANAGEMENT
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AGREEMENT, AND THEN FURTHER WORK WAS DONE TO THE BUILDING, INCLUDING THE INTERIOR OF THE LOBBY, ALTERED PARKING, AND THEN THE ADDITION OF THE HEALTH ANNEX BUILDING THAT IS NOW USED AS A BLACK BOX THEATER BY SECOND THOUGHT THEATER, AND THEN IN 1989, THE PORTE-COCHERE WAS ENCLOSED AND THE LOBBY WAS EXPANDED. IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.SO SOMETHING I DO WANT TO POINT OUT HERE IS THAT IN 2005, THE KALITA HUMPHREYS RECEIVED HISTORIC DESIGNATION BY LANDMARK, AND SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE PHOTO ON THE TOP RIGHT, THAT IS ACTUALLY LANDMARKED IS THE ORIGINAL 1959 STRUCTURE, AND THEN IN 2010, WITH BOND FUNDING FROM 2006, WE DID AN UPDATED MASTER PLAN THAT WAS NOT APPROVED BY COUNCIL, AND THEN IN 2019, DALLAS THIRD LEASE RENEWAL WAS EXECUTED AND IT CALLED FOR THE INCLUSION OF DALLAS THEATER CENTER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE TO UPDATE THE MASTER PLAN AND THEN DALLAS THEATER CENTER, AND I REMEMBER I WAS THERE WITH KEVIN MORIARTY ON DECEMBER 28TH, 2022.
WE WERE AT [INAUDIBLE] AND HE HANDED ME THE MASTER PLAN.
IN TURN, WE HANDED HIM THE NOTARIZED LETTER.
SO UNDER DALLAS THEATER CENTER'S CURRENT LEADERSHIP--STEWARDSHIP, IF YOU WILL, AND I WANT TO STRESS THIS FACT THAT DALLAS THEATER CENTER LEADERSHIP HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN PARTNERING WITH THE CITY.
IT ACTUALLY IT ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP THE MODEL, THE OPERATING MODEL OF THE DALLAS THEATER CENTER HAD HAD SINCE THE 1973 WITH THE KALITA HUMPHREYS AND PART OF THAT WAS THAT WE WERE INCORPORATING THE DALLAS CULTURAL PLANS PRIORITIES OF EQUITY AND SPACE, AND SO WE WITH DALLAS THEATER CENTER, OUR FORMER DIRECTOR, JENNIFER SCRIPPS, AND JEFFREY WOODWARD, WHO RETIRED FROM DALLAS THEATER CENTER, CAME UP WITH THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE DALLAS THEATER CENTER'S EQUITABLE ACCESS PLAN, WHICH BEGAN IN FY 23 AND ENDS IN FY 22.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GETTING IT CORRECTLY.
SO GOING ON, IN 2019, THE LEASE RENEWAL UPDATED THE ORIGINAL MAINTENANCE CLAUSE FOR DALLAS THEATER CENTER TO MAINTAIN THE KALITA AND THE HEALTH IN A CLEAN, SAFE AND GOOD ORDER AND REPAIR WHILE USING THE PREMISES.
SO WE DID CHANGE THAT SO THAT WHEN DALLAS THEATER CENTER [INAUDIBLE] RESIDENCE, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, AND I CAN'T STRESS THE NEED THAT THE CITY IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR CAPITAL NEEDS.
SO GOING ON UNDER CURRENT STATUS, THE KALITA IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY IMPORTANT CULTURAL ASSET WITH CRITICAL INVESTMENT NEEDS AND REPAIRS, AND SO, AS I SAID, BACK ON JANUARY 17TH OF THIS YEAR, DALLAS THEATER CENTER PRESENTED THE MASTER PLAN THAT THEY HAD FUNDED BY DILLER SCOFIDIO + RENFRO TO THIS COMMITTEE, AND THEN MOVING FORWARD, AS WE ARE OBVIOUSLY INTO PLANNING THE BOND PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY TOMORROW'S THE COMMUNITY BOND TASK FORCE, TO CONSIDER WHAT THE FOUR SUBCOMMITTEES ARE BRINGING TO US.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT, AND SO THE APPROXIMATE JUST SO YOU GET AN IDEA OF SCALE, THE APPROXIMATE FUNDING FOR CRITICAL FACILITIES UNDER WHICH THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE FALLS, WHICH IS DALLAS FIRE RESCUE, POLICE, CITY FACILITIES, LIBRARIES AND CULTURAL FACILITIES, IS SOMEWHERE IN THE LOW RANGE OF $224 MILLION IS THE LOW SCENARIO TO THE HIGH SCENARIO OF $267 MILLION.
IN APRIL OF 2023, DALLAS THEATER CENTER INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEEK FUNDING FOR THE MASTER PLAN IN THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM IN LIEU OF A PRIVATE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN. THIS IS SMALL PRINT, WHICH ARE THE ACTUAL ITEMS THAT WE HAVE SUBMITTED TO THE OFFICE OF BOND AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FOR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE FOR THE KALITA HUMPHREYS.
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IT TOTALS $5.9 MILLION IN TODAY'S DOLLARS WITH COSTS WITH THE OFFICE OF BOND AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT'S COST ESCALATOR, THAT FIGURE IS 7.7 MILLION, AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LOOK AT APPENDIX B WHEN I TALK ABOUT PREVIOUS BOND FUNDING TO THE KALITA HUMPHREYS THEATER.SO AS WE LOOK INTO THE FUTURE, THE FIFTH AMENDMENT FROM 2021 WILL EXTEND DALLAS THEATERS' LEASE TILL JUNE 1ST, 2025.
AT THAT POINT, THERE ARE NO MORE RENEWAL OPTIONS UNLESS EXPRESSLY GRANTED BY THE CITY IN WRITING AS EARLY AS I MENTIONED, AS WHEN THE MAYOR RELEASED HIS MEMO MAKING COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS AND GIVING POLICY PRIORITIES TO OUR STANDING COMMITTEES AND AD HOC COMMITTEES.
ONE OF THE MAYOR'S TWO POLICY PRIORITIES FOR THIS COMMITTEE WAS TO EXAMINE THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING AN INDEPENDENT, NONPROFIT ENTITY THAT CAN MANAGE, THAT CAN TAKE THE LEAD IN RESTORING THE KALITA HUMPHREYS THEATER AND MANAGE THE SITE.
SO STAFF HAS GONE BACK AND WE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT, BUT WE ARE HERE TO HEAR FROM YOU AND HOW THIS COMMITTEE FEELS THAT WE SHOULD PROCEED. SO SOME POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS ARE WHEN WE WERE INITIALLY WORKING ON THE UPDATED MASTER PLAN, PARK AND REC, THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE HAD WORKED IN TANDEM TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO.
SO THERE MAY BE SOME POSSIBILITY OF A CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH PARK AND REC TO HOPEFULLY THROUGH THE PARK AND REC BOND FOR SOME IMPROVEMENTS.
I CAN'T SPEAK FOR PARK AND REC, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED, AND JUST FOR A POINT OF REFERENCE, WHEN THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE WAS CREATED IN 1989, WE USED TO BE PART OF THE CITY ARTS DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
SO OAC OWNS THE BUILDINGS, BUT THE NINE ACRE CAMPUS, WHICH IS NOW DEAN PARK, OFFICIALLY COMPLETELY DEAN PARK, BECAUSE THERE ARE PARTS THAT WERE DEEMED PARK ON ONE SIDE OF THE CREEK AND NOT ON THE OTHER IS ACTUALLY UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF PARK AND REC.
OBVIOUSLY, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO REPORT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE QUARTERLY SO THAT YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF HOW WE ARE MOVING FORWARD, AND THEN LASTLY TO THE MAYOR'S POLICY PRIORITY.
OBVIOUSLY IDENTIFY A POTENTIAL PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP THAT CAN RAISE AND LEVERAGE FUNDS TO RESTORE AND MANAGE THE KALITA AND OBVIOUSLY BRIEF THIS COMMITTEE AGAIN BY THE THIRD QUARTER OF 24, AND WITH THAT, WE ARE HERE TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMITTEE.
NEXT STEP. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO WE ARE READY FOR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
BENJAMIN WE'RE GOING TO START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, MR. ESPINO. WITH REGARD TO THE MAYOR'S INITIATIVE TO IDENTIFY A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, HAS YOU'VE SAID THAT THE STAFF HAS THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT HOW THAT MIGHT BE STRUCTURED OR POTENTIAL CANDIDATES TO FULFILL THAT ROLE? WOULD THEY BE EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS OR WOULD IT REQUIRE THE FORMATION OF A NEW ONE? WE HAVE NOT EXPLORED THAT YET SINCE THE MEMO CAME OUT LAST MONTH.
SO WE WERE ALSO LOOKING TO YOU ALL TO SEE WHAT DIRECTION YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING THAT.
OKAY, WELL, IF THERE IS, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD SPEND SOME TIME LOOKING AT POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR THAT ROLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS, SO THAT WE CAN AVOID SOME START UP COSTS THAT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH CREATING A WHOLE NEW ENTITY.
IF THERE ARE NONE THAT ARE INTERESTED OR APPROPRIATE, THEN OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE TO MOVE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION BUT I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST DIRECTION THAT WE SHOULD MOVE IN AND PERHAPS WE COULD GET A FOUNDATION, SOME KIND OF COMMUNITY ENTITY THAT IS ADEPT AT FUNDRAISING, PARTICULARLY FOR ARTS PROGRAMMING AND ARTS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO REALLY JUMPSTART THE EFFORT HERE.
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HOW DO YOU ENVISION THAT COMMUNITY TASK FORCE BEING FORMED AND WHO WOULD SERVE ON IT? WELL, GOING BACK TO 2019, WHEN THE LEASE EXTENSION, THE THIRD LEASE EXTENSION FOR DALLAS THEATER CENTER WAS BEING CONSIDERED AND QUALITY OF LIFE, WE ACTUALLY DEVELOPED A TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP THE EQUITABLE ACCESS PLAN, AND SO THAT INCLUDED THREE COMMISSIONERS, THREE ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSIONERS, MEMBERS FROM THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, MEMBERS FROM THE PERFORMING ARTS COMMUNITY AND CITY STAFF.SO I WOULD SAY THAT WOULD BE A GOOD AND PRESERVATIONIST TO OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE AND NOW PROBABLY ALSO SINCE WE DO HAVE AN ENVIRONMENT AND TRAIL COMMITTEE, OBVIOUSLY TRAIL ENTHUSIASTS TOO.
SO WHO WOULD BE EMPOWERED TO CREATE THE TASK FORCE? I WOULD SAY THAT OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE STAFF WOULD TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT WITH OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THAT THOSE POTENTIAL MEMBERS TO THIS COMMITTEE.
OKAY. WELL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REPRESENT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT INTERESTS THAT YOU'VE JUST ENUMERATED SO THAT WE CAN GET ALL PERSPECTIVES AND POINTS OF VIEW ON THE FUTURE OF THE KALITA HUMPHREYS THEATER.
THERE IS SOME FEEDBACK COMING.
HEY, BENJAMIN, WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE AGREEMENT CURRENTLY SAY? I'M SORRY, MA'AM. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT EXACTLY THE AGREEMENT SAYS? THE AGREEMENT REGARDING DALLAS THEATER CENTER'S FOURTH OR FIFTH.
THANK YOU. SO YOU REFERRED TO THE AGREEMENT AND YOU JUST KIND OF TOUCHED THAT.
IT SAID THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BUILDING.
WHAT ELSE DOES IT SAY? IT CAN'T BE JUST ONE THING, AND IF YOU WANT TO GET ME THE AGREEMENT, THAT'S FINE, TOO, AND I GUESS THE CURRENT ONE IN WHICH WE ARE WORKING UNDER.
OKAY, SO UNDER THE CURRENT FIFTH LEASE AGREEMENT, THE TWO MAJOR ITEMS FOR DALLAS THEATER CENTER WERE TO, AS PART OF THEIR LEASE EXTENSION UNTIL JUNE 1ST, 2025 WAS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EQUITABLE ACCESS PLAN AND ALSO THE CREATION OF AN UPDATED MASTER PLAN.
I MUST STRESS THAT SUBMISSION OF THE MASTER PLAN WAS THE REQUIREMENT.
THE MASTER PLAN DID NOT HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THIS BODY AND OR COUNCIL FOR IT TO NEGATE THEIR LEASE AND I'M HAPPY TO GET YOU THE FIFTH AMENDMENT LEASE, MA'AM, IF YOU'D LIKE.
YES, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IN UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE'RE STARTING FROM BECAUSE I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO START FROM SCRATCH.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF EXAMPLES ALREADY OUT IN THE ARTS WORLD THAT WE CAN LOOK TO.
I MEAN, WE, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE NOT USUALLY GOOD AT MAINTAINING OUR BUILDINGS.
I'M JUST GOING TO PUT THAT OUT THERE, AND I THINK THAT IS THE ONE THING THAT WE HAVE TO IF WE'VE SAID WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, THEN WE NEED TO DO IT AND SO I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS SO IT SAYS AN INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT ENTITY THAT CAN LEAD IN RESTORING AND MANAGE THE SITE.
DON'T WE ALREADY HAVE THE MAKINGS OF ONE OF THOSE THAT'S ALREADY KIND OF BEEN INVOLVED WITH US ALONG THE WAY? WE HAD THE KALITA HUMPHREYS STEERING TASKFORCE, WHICH WAS MADE UP OF A DIVERSE BODY THAT I HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, FROM COMMUNITY LEADERS TO PHILANTHROPISTS TO THEATER PERFORMING ARTS PERSONNEL TO TRAIL ADVOCATES AND TO THREE DIRECTORS FROM CITY STAFF BUT THAT WAS FOR THE KALITA HUMPHREYS MASTER PLAN, THE ONE THAT WAS UPDATED BY DALLAS THEATER CENTER AND DESIGNED BY DILLER SCOFIDIO RENFRO.
WOULD THAT GROUP BE WILLING TO MORPH INTO A PROFIT ENTITY? I WOULD HAVE TO WE'D HAVE TO CHECK WITH CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF CITY STAFF COULD SERVE ON A NONPROFIT FOR KALITA.
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WELL, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT, BENJAMIN.I'M TALKING ABOUT. YOU'VE ALREADY GOT THE RECIPE AND THE PEOPLE ALREADY PARTICIPATING.
WOULD THEY BE WILLING TO BE THE [INAUDIBLE] TO MORPH INTO A NON-PROFIT CITY? DOESN'T HAVE TO SERVE ON IT, BUT TO MOVE INTO THAT NON-PROFIT ROLE TO HELP MANAGE THE BUILDING FUNDRAISE, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON TRACK.
COUNCIL MEMBER LIZ IS GOING TO RESPOND.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, CHAIR.
THIS BRIEFING IS INTENDED TO PUT OUT THE INFORMATION IN A VERY SUCCINCT MANNER AS TO THE CHAIR'S REQUEST, BUT WE REALLY WANTED TO SIT HERE AND GET FEEDBACK FROM FROM YOU ALL RELATED TO NEXT STEPS, AND CERTAINLY WE CAN EXPLORE THE IDEA OF INVITING PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY SERVED ON THE TASK FORCE HERETOFORE RELATED TO THE MASTER PLAN, AND THAT'S EXCELLENT FEEDBACK, AND WE CERTAINLY WILL FOLLOW UP ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS VALID TO SAY THAT WE'VE GOT THE ITEMS FOR A RECIPE.
WE JUST NEED TO PUT IT TOGETHER INSTEAD OF STARTING FROM SCRATCH.
SO WE NEED TO ACTUALLY SAY IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE OVER THE PROPERTY OR IF WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OVER THE PROPERTY OR KEEP IT, THEN WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO AND NOT IGNORE PEOPLE WHEN THEY EMAIL US AND CALL US BECAUSE IT IS NEEDED TO GET ANSWERED.
SO THAT'S MY FEEDBACK IS WHATEVER ENTITY TAKES THIS ON, WE NEED TO EITHER GIVE THEM THE BUILDING OR NOT GIVE THEM THE BUILDING, BUT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UPKEEP OF IT.
OR IF WE ARE AS A CITY ARE GOING TO DO IT, THEN WE NEED TO SAY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND WE NEED TO BE RESPONSIVE BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE TO IGNORE OUR PARTNERS.
WHEN YOU SAY THE BOND, SO ARE THEY COMING FOR BOND MONEY ARE NOT COMING FOR BOND MONEY WE SUBMITTED AS PART OF OUR NEEDS INVENTORY $5.9 MILLION FOR BOND FUNDING FOR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, MOSTLY WATER MITIGATION ISSUES, HVAC AND ADA ACCESSIBILITY, AND THEN SO THE.
YOU HAVE THIS MULTIPLIER THING OF 7.7.
WHY DID IT GO FROM 5.9 TO 7.7? THAT IS THE OFFICE OF BOND AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT'S COST ESCALATOR FOR WHAT WOULD BE TODAY'S DOLLARS $5.9 MILLION TO WHEN HOPEFULLY BOND PROJECTS BEGIN IN LATE 2025 OR EARLY 2026.
OKAY. THAT'S IT, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS BLACKMON.
I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON'S QUESTIONS.
SO AND JUST TO UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE I'M NEW TO ALL OF THIS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY IS IT THAT THE DALLAS THEATER CENTER DECIDED NOT TO SEEK FUNDING FOR THE UPDATED MASTER PLAN? KEVIN MORIARTY IS HERE AND I WILL DEFER TO HIM TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, SIR, I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT Y'ALL YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT LOOKS.
OH, YOU NEED TO SPEAK IN THE MIC FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING, AND WHAT I'M ASKING BECAUSE WHAT I'M SENSING FROM THIS IS THAT THERE WAS WORK DONE IN THIS MASTER PLAN, AND NOW WE'RE SAYING, NOPE, NO MASTER PLAN, WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH ANOTHER PLAN, AND SO PLEASE HELP ME MAKE SURE I'M NOT WRONG.
IN THE WINTER IT BECAME CLEAR WITH THAT THERE WAS MORE WORK THAT WE NEEDED TO DO WITH CITY STAFF FROM ARTS AND CULTURE AND FROM PARKS TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE PROPOSED MASTER PLAN THAT WOULD SERVE EVERYONE'S NEEDS.
THERE WAS A DESIRE FOR PHASING AND ALSO WE WERE EAGER TO EXPLORE WAYS TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE TOTAL SIZE AND SCOPE OF THE PROJECT, WHICH WOULD ALSO REDUCE COSTS FOR PRIVATE FUNDRAISING AS WELL AS ANY CITY PARTICIPATION.
SO AT THAT TIME, IT SEEMED CLEAR THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH TIME TO DO ALL OF THAT WORK AND ALSO MEET THE VERY THE STRICT TIMELINE NEEDED TO GET BOND FUNDING.
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SO RATHER THAN IN ANY WAY IMPEDE OUR ARTS COMMUNITY OR THE BOND OFFICE FOR MOVING FORWARD, WE SUGGESTED THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE CITY STAFF AGGRESSIVELY TO MAKE ANY CHANGES THEY WOULD WANT US TO MAKE TO THE MASTER PLAN THAT WE THEN WORK WITH THE APPROPRIATE ORDER OF BUSINESS, WHICH I UNDERSTOOD WOULD BE TO GO TO THE ARTS COMMISSION, THEN COME TO YOU ALL AT QUALITY OF LIFE AND A VARIETY OF OTHER BRIEFINGS WE'D NEED TO DO SO.SO FOR THOSE REASONS, WE SAID, RATHER THAN TRY TO ASK OAC TO HOLD A MEANINGFUL AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR A PLAN THAT WASN'T YET FINALIZED AND THAT HADN'T HAD THE FULL BUY IN IN THE APPROPRIATE ORDER AND WITH THE STEWARDSHIP OF OAC, THAT WE WOULD STEP BACK FROM REQUESTING BOND FUNDING WHILE MOVING FORWARD WITH IDENTIFYING A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE, AND THEN ONCE WE ALL HAVE THE BROAD OUTLINE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, PARTNERING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THAT.
THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
SO THE PLAN SO THE THOUGHT WAS THAT WE THIS PLAN STILL THE PLAN FROM THE MASTER PLAN, LET'S CALL IT THAT THE DILLER PLAN STILL NEEDED REFINING, AND IT WAS GOING THROUGH THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND THEN IT WAS GOING TO GO TO THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION AND THEN IT WOULD COME TO US AND THEN TO COUNCIL.
WAS THAT THE PLAN? THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING, YES.
SO, MR. ESPINO, WHAT CHANGED IN THAT? BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND ARTS AND CULTURE WERE NOT PART OF THIS.
SO COULD YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE TWO STEPS? WE CAME TO COMMITTEE FIRST.
WHEN WE HAD GONE WE HAD GONE TO THE ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION IN NOVEMBER, AND THEN WE CAME TO QUALITY OF LIFE AND WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE GONE BACK TO PARK.
I'M SORRY. WE SHOULD HAVE PROBABLY GONE BACK TO ARTS AND CULTURE AND THEN PARK AND RECREATION BOARD, SINCE OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THE ADDITIONS WERE GOING TO BE ON THE CAMPUS AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO THIS BODY.
YES, I BELIEVE I'D HAVE TO REVIEW THE VIDEO TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M CORRECT, BUT IT WAS BRIEFED TO THE ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION IN NOVEMBER 2022, BUT AT THAT POINT, I BELIEVE WE DID NOT HAVE COST ESTIMATES ON THE PLAN.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THIS STRAIGHT BECAUSE I'M NEW HERE.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THE STEERING COMMITTEE WORKED WITH WITH THE CONSULTANTS TO DEVELOP THIS MASTER PLAN, BUT ARTS AND CULTURE WAS BRIEFED BEFORE THE MASTER PLAN WAS FINALIZED BECAUSE YOU SAID JUST NOW THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE NUMBERS.
OKAY. SO WHAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING IS WE PUT ASIDE THE STEERING COMMITTEE, WE PUT ASIDE THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, AND WE CREATE A NEW COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT THIS IN AN ENTIRELY NEW WAY. PUTTING ASIDE THE MASTER PLAN, EVERYTHING.
IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY? I WOULD SAY THAT WOULD BE A WAY TO LOOK AT IT AND INCORPORATE PARTS OF THE MASTER PLAN THAT DEFINITELY WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE KALITA THEATER.
MAY I INTERJECT, CHAIR? YEAH. OH, I'M SORRY.
I THINK THAT FROM A CITY STAFF STANDPOINT, THERE IS NOT A RECOMMENDATION TODAY.
WE ARE HERE TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK AND INFORMATION FROM THE COMMITTEE AS TO NEXT STEPS.
GOTCHA. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO BECAUSE THESE NEEDS AND THEN THE FUTURE PLANS AND THE POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS, THOUGH, DON'T INCLUDE EVEN SPEAKING TO THE STEERING COMMITTEE THAT'S BEEN WORKING FOR FOUR YEARS AND YOU'RE CALLING THAT OUT AND CLARIFYING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDED.
IT PROBABLY IS NOT IN PROCESS.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE, IF I DON'T MIND, MR. CHAIR, IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS IF THERE'S A REASON TO SET ASIDE ALL THE PREVIOUS WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE AND START OVER, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE HEARING, WHAT THE LOGIC FOR THAT WOULD BE.
I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT IF I UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC BEHIND IT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LET ME JUST SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE.
NO, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, MISS SCHULTZ.
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THANK YOU.SO HAVING WORKED ON TURTLE CREEK EVERY DAY FOR NINE YEARS AT ARLINGTON HALL AND LEE PARK TURTLE CREEK PARK OAK LAWN PARK, I REALLY WANT TO BE SURE THAT WHEN THIS PROJECT IS LOOKED AT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE MASTER PLAN DIRECTIVE WAS ACTUALLY FOR THE WHOLE SITE, WHICH WAS EXCITING, CERTAINLY AT THE TIME, IS THAT WE LOOK AT TURTLE CREEK AS A WHOLE, BECAUSE I DEFINITELY SEE THIS AS A CITYWIDE IMPACT, NOT JUST I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S IN DISTRICT 14, CERTAINLY, BUT THIS IS REALLY A A CITYWIDE ENDEAVOR, I THINK, BECAUSE THAT WAS PART OF THE KESSLER PLAN, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE THAT BEAUTIFUL BOULEVARD AND TAKE THE CREEK AND THE CHALK BLUFFS AND ALL THE BEAUTY THAT IT POSSESSES, WHICH WE DON'T SEE IN A LOT OF DALLAS AND BRING THAT TO LIFE.
SO I THINK FOR A WHILE THIS WAS REALLY OWNED BY PARK AND OAC BECAUSE OF THE PASSION THAT WILLIS WINTERS AND JENNIFER SCRIPPS HAD FOR IT, AND I THINK WE WENT THROUGH TRANSITIONS AND KIND OF THE HANDS CAME OFF THE HANDLEBARS FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND I AM A BELIEVER IN HOLDING FAST TO THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE TAKE THIS TREASURE AND MAKE IT WHAT IT WHAT IT SHOULD BE.
I WAS AT THAT MEETING WHEN DILLER SCOFIDIO + RENFRO WERE IN TOWN, I THINK WHEN THE WORLD SHUT DOWN LATER THAT WEEK DUE TO COVID, BUT I WAS AT THE KALITA FOR THAT INTRODUCTION MEETING, SO DEFINITELY WAS INTERESTED IN SEEING ALL OF WHAT THIS COULD BE, BUT THE OR THE INSTRUCTION THAT CAME OUT IN THE MEMO WAS ABOUT EXAMINING THE POSSIBILITY, AND SO SURELY WE CAN ALWAYS EXAMINE A POSSIBILITY, BUT WHAT STRUCK ME WAS THAT WE'VE GOT SOME ORGANIZATIONS AND CERTAINLY DTC THAT HAS INVESTED SO MUCH TIME AND MONEY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS WELL, FOR MANY YEARS.
NOW, I ALSO KNOW THERE WAS KIND OF A BURGEONING KALITA HUMPHREYS CONSERVANCY ON TURTLE CREEK.
I DON'T KNOW I NEVER LIKED THAT NAME BECAUSE IT WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE NAME OF MY ORGANIZATION.
TO COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY'S POINT ABOUT WHO'S OUT THERE THAT COULD WORK ON THIS.
WHEN I SEE TASK FORCE, I FEEL LIKE WE TASK FORCE OURSELVES A WHOLE LOT.
HOWEVER, IN THIS CASE, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT MIGHT NOT BE A BAD EVOLUTION TO GO FROM STEERING COMMITTEE, WHICH THE CITY HAD A LOT OF REPRESENTATION ON INTO A DIFFERENT GROUP. THAT MIGHT BE THE CORE OF BRINGING THIS TO LIFE, AND I KNOW IN MEETING WITH MISTER MORIARTY AND OTHERS ABOUT THE GRAND MASTER PLAN THAT CAME OUT AND I THINK IT WAS JUST SORT OF OFFERED UP AS A WHOLE AND THAT SCARED EVERYBODY TO DEATH INSTEAD OF A MEASURED AND PHASED APPROACH.
THIS TOUCHES ON SO MANY THINGS THEATER, GREEN SPACE, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT ARCHITECTURE.
I MEAN, IT CHECKS SO MANY BOXES.
THAT MEANS THERE ARE A LOT OF WALLETS TO HIT OUT THERE.
SO I HAVE FAITH THAT SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO LEAD THAT EFFORT, BUT I AM SEEING VALUE IN HAVING A TASK FORCE IN CLEARING UP SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE PUT OUT THAT I FOUND CONCERNING WHEN I SAW THE MARKETPLACE GETTING FED INFORMATION AROUND LIKE A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE OR MAKING THIS A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE WHEN THE CITY HAS THIS ALL OVER TOWN, FAIR PARK, ARLINGTON HALL, I MEAN, THERE ARE LOTS OF ENTERPRISES THAT HELP DEFRAY THE EXPENSE OF TAKING CARE OF OUR PROPERTIES, AND THEY'RE VERY MUCH NEEDED BECAUSE TO COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON'S POINT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY DOESN'T ALWAYS DO A GREAT JOB OF TAKING CARE OF ASSETS.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS A BALANCING ACT.
I'VE OPERATED UNDER ONE OF THOSE CONTRACTS.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS AN OUT IN THE CONTRACT, AND SO THAT MEANS THERE'S GOT TO BE A GREAT YIN AND YANG PARTNERSHIP WITH THOSE NONPROFIT PARTNERS THAT WHEN THE CITY CAN'T DO IT, THE NONPROFIT'S GOT TO BE THERE, AND ON THINGS THE NONPROFIT JUST CAN'T DO.
THE CITY COMES IN, AND SO WHILE IT MAY BE IN BLACK AND WHITE, I FIND THAT THE PARTNERSHIP AND THE RESPECT OF THE PARTNERSHIP TOWARD THE BIG OBJECTIVE IS REALLY CRITICAL. SO I'M SAYING A LOT ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WATCHING THAT BUILDING FOR SO LONG DAY IN AND DAY OUT, AND IT IS SUCH A TREASURE.
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NEW LOOK AT A TASK FORCE THAT COULD TAKE THE MASTER PLAN THAT WAS DONE AND PHASE IT AND DETERMINE WHAT'S CRITICAL AND WHAT MIGHT BE NICE TO HAVE, AND THEN GOING TO THE BOND PROGRAM.IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMMUNICATION ON THAT.
I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS I THINK DTC MIGHT HAVE HAD ABOUT AN ELEVATOR PLACEMENT AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT ARE GETTING VERY INTO THE WEEDS, BUT I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE COMING FORTH WITH A COHESIVE, UNIFIED APPROACH ON THAT.
THANK YOU. ACTUALLY, DALLAS THEATER CENTER REACHED OUT TO US BEFORE WE SUBMITTED, AND IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY, REALLY QUICK TURNAROUND TIME, AS KEVIN WILL REMEMBER THAT THE BOND OFFICE WANTED FINAL NEEDS INVENTORY SUBMISSIONS, AND WE WORKED OVER THREE DAYS TO GET DALLAS THEATER CENTER'S PRIORITY LIST FOR THE KALITA HUMPHREYS THEATER FOR THIS NEEDS INVENTORY FOR THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM.
VERY GOOD. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.
THANK YOU FOR CLEARING THAT UP, AND THANK YOU.
MS. WILLIS COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ.
A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD HAVE ALREADY BEEN ASKED AND ANSWERED.
I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT THE STATUS OF THAT IS AND HOW THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FEELS ABOUT THAT.
I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU WITH YOU TO YOU WITH THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT INITIALLY THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR DIRECTOR JENKINS OR RYAN O'CONNOR, BUT THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED DEFINITELY IN TRAIL CONNECTIVITY, ENHANCED SECURITY LIGHTING AND SOME PARK UPGRADES TO THE SITE.
OKAY. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, [INAUDIBLE].
HAPPY TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE.
I'LL START BY JUST SAYING THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I DO HAVE SOME KIND OF TECHNICAL QUESTIONS REGARDING KIND OF WHERE WE DO GO FROM HERE.
I HAVE HEARD FROM ENOUGH MEMBERS THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE RECOMMENDATION OR POTENTIAL NEXT STEP OF A TASK FORCE IS DESIRED.
I WILL WORK ON THAT AFTER THIS MEETING TO START A NEXT STEP FOR US.
HOWEVER, I THINK THAT WE'RE MISSING A LOT OF CONTEXT ON WHAT THESE POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS COULD BE.
A LOT OF CONTEXT THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED, AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT I DID ASK FOR THIS TO BE ON MORE OF A KIND OF GET YOUR BEARINGS. WHERE ARE WE? WHERE ARE WE GOING FROM HERE? I DO FEEL IT WAS PRESENTED A LITTLE BIT MORE STRUCTURED, LIKE A BRIEFING THAT IS GIVING US RECOMMENDATIONS, AND ALL OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FROM STAFF AND THEY'RE ALSO POLICY, WHICH IS OUR DECISION, AND SO I DO THINK THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO US IN A DIFFERENT MANNER.
SO THAT THE CONVERSATION COULD BE CONSTRUCTIVE IN OUR INDIVIDUAL ROLES, AND I BELIEVE THAT BOUNCING A LOT OF THESE POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS OFF SHOULD BE A CONVERSATION DONE BY THE BODY ITSELF WITH SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES LIKE WE SAW FROM THE MAYOR'S MEMO, FOR INSTANCE, BUT WITH THAT SAID, SOME OF THE CONTEXT THAT'S MISSING HERE IS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, WE CONTINUE TO REFER TO THOSE IN CURRENT ROLES, BUT I'D LIKE FOR US TO HAVE A GOOD OUTLOOK ON WHAT THE PROCUREMENT NEEDS ARE GOING TO BE FOR THAT TO EVEN BE ACCOMPLISHED, BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE COMPARING THEM TO THE ARBORETUM, FAIR PARK, YOU KNOW, EVEN TRINITY, WE CAN LOOK AT DIFFERENT MODELS THAT EXIST THERE, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT WITH A PUBLIC ASSET, WE ARE GOING TO BE REQUIRED FOR THERE TO BE SOME TYPE OF COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS.
SO I'D LIKE FOR US TO KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN ORDER TO EVALUATE GOING FORWARD IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'M CURIOUS IF SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY BEING HAD WITH SOME OF THE ENTITIES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP, ONE IN PARTICULAR, PARKS AND REC AND WITH THE TRINITY LGC, THERE'S SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TIF.
SOME OF THE FEEDBACK I'VE GIVEN WHEN HEARING ABOUT THEIR PLAN AND HOW THEY CAN FUND IS, YOU KNOW, IN ALL HONESTY, I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S EVER GOING TO BE FRUITFUL FOR THE CITY TO ALLOW FOR SOMEONE TO MONOPOLIZE ANY OF THE INCREMENT THAT WE ACCRUE.
SO I DON'T LIKE THE PLAN THAT THEY ARE PRESENTING.
HOWEVER, THEY'VE STRUCK MY INTEREST IN US DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE UNCONVENTIONAL AND HAVING A NONCONTIGUOUS TIF TO OUR PARKS AND REC OR TO CERTAIN FACILITIES, WHETHER IT BE A COMBINATION OR INTER-DEPARTMENTAL ASSET LIKE THIS THAT COULD TAP IN, BUT THE
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AMOUNT OF INCREMENT THAT, FOR INSTANCE, THAT PARK ALONE COULD POSSIBLY POUR INTO ALL THAT WE'VE MENTIONED HERE, THE ARBORETUM, FAIR PARK, THE ZOO, AND POSSIBLY IF THIS IS ANOTHER PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP THAT WE EXPLORE, I'M CURIOUS IF WE COULD ALSO GET A MORE COMPREHENSIVE OUTLOOK ON WHAT FUNDING OPTIONS WE HAVE TO EXPLORE THROUGH OUR POLICY DECISIONS THAT WOULD HELP US TO ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS.THAT DOESN'T TOUCH OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET, AND I WANT TO JUST REEMPHASIZE THAT THIS MEETING WAS NOT TO SAY THAT WE ARE HEADED IN A DIRECTION.
WHAT I'VE GATHERED FROM THIS CONVERSATION IS THAT THERE IS A DEFINITIVE FIRST STEP THAT I AM WILLING TO TAKE, WHICH IS TO GET A TASK FORCE APPOINTED, CREATED AND START THE WORK THERE SO THAT WE CAN START FILLING IN SOME OF THE GAPS, I DO BELIEVE.
THOUGH, THAT THERE IS A LOT OF CONTEXT THAT IS MISSING AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG TERM DEAL.
I WANT TO HAVE A REGULAR CONVERSATION WITH THIS COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM WHO I BELIEVE SHOULD BE MAKING THESE DECISIONS WITH SUCH A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN THIS ASSET.
WITH THAT, I DO SEE MISTER RIDLEY HAS HIS MIC ON.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MISTER MORIARTY.
KEVIN, I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US AS TO ASK YOU, AS THE LEADER OF THE PRINCIPALLY CONCERNED NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATION HERE, TO GET YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE NOTION OF A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO RAISE FUNDS AND PARTICULARLY TO TAKE OVER MANAGEMENT OF THE KALITA HUMPHREYS THEATER FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE IDEAS? WE'RE SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA OF DALLAS THEATER CENTER STEPPING FORWARD TO MANAGE THE SITE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY'S VISION FOR THE FUTURE.
THE CULTURAL MASTER PLAN THAT THE CITY ADOPTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO CALLED FOR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE THE TENANTS IN THE BUILDINGS TO STEP FORWARD AND SHOULDER THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
WELL, THE THEATER CENTER CURRENTLY MANAGES THE BUILDING, CORRECT? WE MANAGE THE THEATRICAL PORTION OF THE BUILDING.
SO ALL THE THEATER EQUIPMENT, THE PAYING OF ALL THE ARTISTS, THE STAFF, THOSE ARE ALL THEATER CENTER PAYROLL, BUT THE BUILDING ITSELF AND THE LAND ON WHICH IT SITS IS CURRENTLY MANAGED BY THE CITY.
IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE PAID EMPLOYEES OF DALLAS THEATER CENTER TO VACUUM THE CARPET.
IF THE CARPET IS FRAYED OR TORN, THAT UNDER THE CURRENT AGREEMENT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY, PRESUMABLY LONG TERM VISION FOR THE SITE WOULD ADDRESS CRITICAL DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND WOULD THEN MORE CLEARLY ALIGN ALL THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES. WE'D HAVE MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL THE CARPET, BUT YOU PREFER TO, I ASSUME, RETAIN THE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE THEATER RELATED FUNCTIONS.
I MEAN, AGAIN, THIS WOULD I THINK THE STEPS THAT WE'D WANT TO DO WOULD BE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WHAT A MASTER PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF THE SITE AND HOW IT WOULD SERVE THE CITY'S NEEDS. WE WOULD NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
WE'D NEED TO ADDRESS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, BUT YES, WE ARE INTERESTED IN AND COMMITTED TO STEPPING FORWARD AND BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE BUILDING AND PARTNERS WITH THE CITY.
I WILL JUST SAY I DO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT MEMBERS FOR US TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. A DEFERRED MAINTENANCE NEEDS TO BE IN ITS OWN SILO AND THAT THE MASTER PLAN GOING FORWARD, AND I THINK THAT WITH THAT BEING CONVOLUTED IN
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CONVERSATION, IT'S PREVENTED US FROM BEING ABLE TO PRIORITIZE, AND ESPECIALLY WITH THIS CONVERSATION AND LOOKING AT POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS IN THE FUTURE, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD TAKE STRONG CONSIDERATION IN THIS BOND PROPOSITION IN CITY FACILITIES, FOR INSTANCE, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.THE LAST THING THAT I WANT US TO DO IS ENTER INTO A PARTNERSHIP THE WAY THAT WE DID WITH FAIR PARK FIRST WITH 250 MILLION PLUS OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND SETTING UP A GROUP FOR FAILURE, WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO REALIZE THAT WE HAVE THIS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE BECAUSE OF OUR NEGLECT TO A FACILITY AND THAT WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO STEP UP WHERE THAT'S NEEDED.
SO THE DIFFERENCE IN THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND A POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP SHOULD BE ON TWO SEPARATE TABLES AND I THINK THAT THEY COINCIDE WITH THE FACT THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE SETTING ANY POTENTIAL GROUP UP FOR SUCCESS BY MAKING SURE THAT WE STEP UP TO THE PLATE WHERE WE HAVE NEGLECTED TO IN THE PAST.
SO I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE SEPARATED IN OUR MINDS AND THAT WHEN WE START TO HAVE BOND CONVERSATIONS, WE LOOK AT WHAT DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, BECAUSE HERE WE ARE WITH A VERY OPTIMISTIC PACKAGE FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, AND I HAVE A REALLY BIG ISSUE WITH THIS THIS OPTIMISTIC PACKAGE FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT WE ARE IGNORING ALL OF THE NEGLECT THAT WE HAVE ACCRUED, AND BY PUTTING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO NEW SHINY FACILITIES, WE'RE PERPETUATING EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE.
SO I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO TAKE THAT LOOK AT HOW WE CAN, INSTEAD OF PUTTING SO MUCH INTO THE NEW SHINY STUFF, MAYBE SCALING BACK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AND TAKING CARE OF OUR ASSETS NOW SO THAT WE CAN SET UP A TRAJECTORY OF SUCCESS WITH THESE ASSETS.
THAT'S ALL I ASK MEMBERS TO CONSIDER AS FAR AS SEPARATING THE TWO CONCEPTS WITH.
WITH THAT SAID, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE FROM ANY MEMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE OUT THIS BRIEFING.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
KEVIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO COME COME TO THE MIC ON THE SPOT.
BENJAMIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THIS IS JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE.
THANK YOU, MEMBERS, FOR THIS AS WELL.
WE ARE NOT TRYING TO BUILD ANYTHING NEW.
THAT'S WHY I SAID THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, NOT YOURS.
SORRY. THANK YOU, BENJAMIN. THANK YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO ITEM B ON THE AGENDA SENIOR SERVICES PROGRAM UPDATE FROM JESSICA GALLESHAW AND BRITA ANDERCHECK.
HELLO. I'M JESSICA GALLESHAW, AND I'M GOING TO START THIS PRESENTATION OFF, BUT TO BE CLEAR, I AM DEFINITELY NOT THE ONLY PRESENTER, THE ONLY DEPARTMENT BEING REPRESENTED HERE. SO I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE, AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET US ROLLING THROUGH A FEW HIGH LEVEL UPDATES ON OUR DEPARTMENT AND OUR AGE-FRIE NDLY PLAN, AND THEN I'LL PASS IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES TO TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAMMING WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS.
SO STARTING WITH THE FIRST SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE OUR AGENDA FOR THE DAY HIGHLIGHTED.
SO IF WE NEED TO DIG DEEPER, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS ON IT.
WE'LL HAVE AN OVERVIEW ON DATA RELATED TO THE SENIOR POPULATION PRESENTED TO YOU ALL.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY OUR OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS THAT ARE RELATED TO OLDER ADULTS OR PRIORITIZE THAT POPULATION, AND THEN WE WILL OPEN THE DOOR FOR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION.
DO YOU ALL NEED ME TO HOLD OFF WHILE WE GET CAUGHT UP ON THE SLIDES UP HERE? WE'RE GOOD. OKAY. SORRY.
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THAT MAY NOT BE SPECIFICALLY OR EXCLUSIVELY FOR THAT POPULATION BUT SERVE THAT POPULATION IN A VERY HIGH LEVEL.SO YOU MAY BE AWARE THAT WE HAVE AN ADOPTED PLAN CALLED AGE-FRIENDLY DALLAS, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED UNDER KIND OF A COALITION LED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND THEN THE AARP AS ITS UNITED STATES KIND OF REPRESENTATIVE OR DESIGNEE.
THE GOALS OF THE PLAN WERE TO JOIN THE GLOBAL NETWORK OF AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES, WHICH WE DID TO ASSESS THE NEEDS OF THE GIVEN COMMUNITIES' RESIDENTS PLANNING ACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES TO HELP MEET THOSE NEEDS AND THEN EVALUATING OUR SUCCESSES.
SO OUR LOCAL PLAN IS ARRANGED AROUND SEVEN DOMAINS THAT CAPTURE THE EIGHT DOMAIN STRUCTURE THAT WHO HAD PUT TOGETHER, AND NEXT SLIDE IT WAS ACTUALLY ADOPTED IN 2019.
THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT ENGAGEMENT THAT WENT INTO CREATING THIS PLAN.
IT STARTED ALL THE WAY BACK IN ABOUT 2017 AND OUR SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION, AS WELL AS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS HERE IN THE CITY, WE'RE REALLY LEADERS IN THAT EFFORT, ALONG WITH OUR LOCAL AARP.
IT SET 23 TOTAL GOALS FOR THE CITY, AND OF COURSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS FOUR YEARS ON NOW.
THE NEXT SLIDE YOU'LL SEE HIGHLIGHTS THE DOMAINS OF AGE-FRIENDLY DALLAS THOSE ARE FAIRLY CONSISTENTLY ALIGNED WITH HOW YOU'LL SEE OUR SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION SUBCOMMITTEE STRUCTURED CONSISTENT WITH A LOT OF THE PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIES HERE WITHIN THE CITY AND OUR COMMITTEES BUT BASICALLY WE KIND OF LOOKED AT EACH OF THOSE SEVEN DOMAINS AND WE HAVE GOALS WITHIN EACH OF THEM, AND I CAN SHARE WITH YOU THE ACTUAL COPY OF THE AGE-FRIENDLY DALLAS PLAN AS A FOLLOW UP OF THIS IF YOU'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT.
MOVING ON, AS I MENTIONED, THE AGE-FRIENDLY DALLAS PLAN WAS, OF COURSE, ADOPTED IN 2019 AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS ON IT, BOTH THROUGH THE CITY PROGRAMMING AS WELL AS EXTERNAL PROGRAMMING.
IT WOULD TAKE PROBABLY AN ENTIRE BRIEFING JUST TO GO INTO THE DETAILS OF THE STATUS OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE GOALS, AND I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE SOME FOLLOW UP INFORMATION ON THAT, BUT LOOKING BACK TO 2019 AND IN WORKING WITH OUR SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION AND INTERNALLY, WE REALLY DO THINK THAT IT'S TIME WITH OUR NEW EQUITY LENS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE AGE-FRIENDLY DALLAS PLAN AGAIN, AS A PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS FOR OLDER ADULTS, AND LOOK AT THAT FOR MOVING FORWARD. SO AS WE'VE FRAMED THIS WITH AGE-FRIENDLY DALLAS, I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO DR.
GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, BRITA ANDERCHECK, DATA ANALYTICS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE.
ON SLIDE 11, I BELIEVE IS WHERE THIS INFORMATION BEGINS.
THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO GAIN ADDITIONAL INSIGHTS INTO THE NEEDS OF DALLAS' SENIOR POPULATION, AND WE LOOKED AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS, BOTH AT THE OVERALL CITY LEVEL AND AT THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL DISTRICT LEVEL.
WE INCORPORATED SOURCES SUCH AS THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, THE US CENSUS BUREAU'S BICENTENNIAL SURVEY, THE COUNTY TAX APPRAISAL DATA, AS WELL AS CRIME DATA FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND ON SLIDE 13 YOU CAN SEE THE INFOGRAPHIC THAT WAS CREATED FOR THE OVERALL CITY THAT FEATURED ELEMENTS SUCH AS SUMMARIZING THE BASIC DEMOGRAPHIC STATISTICS TO MAKE SURE WE HAD A GOOD SENSE OF WHERE TO GO, AND ONE OF THESE WAS DONE PER COUNCIL DISTRICT AS WELL, AND YOU COULD SEE THINGS LIKE POVERTY, HOME OWNERSHIP, HOME VALUE CRIME AGAINST SENIORS, THOSE WHO HAD DISABILITIES WHO WERE LIVING ALONE, THE SEX, THE RACE, THE ETHNICITY, AND THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR SENIORS IN OUR CITY.
ON SLIDE 14, WE ALSO PRODUCED A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE APPLICATION THAT HAD SOME MORE IN-DEPTH MAPS AND WAS INTERACTIVE SO THAT YOU COULD EXPLORE THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA THAT WE HAD FROM 2014 MOVING FORWARD INTO 2019.
IT COVERED THINGS SUCH AS POVERTY, CRIME, ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE, OTHER ELEMENTS OF WELL-BEING FOR SENIOR RESIDENTS IN DALLAS, AS WELL AS LIFE EXPECTANCY, AGAIN, THOSE WHO WERE LIVING ALONE, MARITAL STATUS, ETCETERA, AND THEN TO WHAT EXTENT SENIORS MAY HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING POVERTY, AND ON SLIDE 15, I CAN WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE KEY FINDINGS ABOUT THE SENIOR POPULATION.
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THE FIRST WAS THAT SENIOR RESIDENTS WERE THE FASTEST GROWING GROUP IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, GROWING AT LEAST TWO TIMES FASTER THAN OTHER AGE GROUPS BETWEEN 2014 AND 2019. THE SECOND WAS THAT THIS RESIDENT SENIOR RESIDENTS WHO WERE AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL INCREASED BY OVER 10%, WHILE NON SENIOR RESIDENTS IN THE CITY DECREASED BY 16% FROM 2014 TO 2019.SO WE WERE HAVING FASTEST SENIORS, OUR FASTEST GROWING GROUP, AND ALSO THE RATE AT WHICH THEY WERE LIVING IN POVERTY INCREASED WHILE THE REST OF OUR POPULATION, THE RATE AT WHICH THEY WERE LIVING IN POVERTY DECREASED.
WE ALSO FOUND THAT APPROXIMATELY 14% OF THE CITY SENIORS HAVE INCOME AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL, AND AN ESTIMATED 10% OF SENIORS OR APPROXIMATELY 21,000 OF SENIORS RESIDE IN CENSUS TRACTS THAT HAD BOTH A HIGH POVERTY RATE AND HIGH SENIOR HOMEOWNERSHIP THAT WAS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION AND OCC BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY HAS AROUND HOME REPAIR FOR SENIORS WHO MIGHT BE IN NEED.
SO WE PRESENTED THE INTERACTIVE APPLICATION TO THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION IN JUNE OF 2020, AND THE PRODUCT WAS WELL RECEIVED AND THEY WERE REALLY GLAD. I'M SORRY, 2022 MY APOLOGIES.
SO ON SLIDE 17, YOU CAN SEE THAT IN AUGUST OF 2022, DBI AND THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE AND THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION HOSTED A MEETING WITH A NUMBER OF SENIOR SERVING ORGANIZATIONS.
SO PARKLAND, DALLAS COUNTY, THE SENIOR SOURCE, AARP AND OTHERS TO SHARE THIS TOOL AND ALSO SEE WHAT DATA THEY WERE COLLECTING, WHAT DATA THEY HAD, AND SO CITY STAFF ARE WORKING WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING THAT DATA TOGETHER SO THAT WE HAVE ALL OF OUR INFORMATION ABOUT SENIORS IN ONE PLACE, AND SO WITH THAT, I BELIEVE I'M GOING TO HAND IT BACK TO JESSICA TO DO A SENIOR SERVICES PROGRAM REVIEW.
FIRSTLY, STARTING WITH YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
IT'S SO MUCH MORE ROBUST WHEN WE ALWAYS HAVE FOLKS IN ALL OF THOSE SEATS, AND THE ROLE OF THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION IN TERMS OF ITS MISSION IS TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE SENIOR AFFAIRS IN THE DALLAS COMMUNITY AND ITS PURPOSE IS AS AN ADVISORY BODY TO OUR CITY MANAGER AND CITY COUNCIL RELATED TO SENIOR SERVICES AND THE NEEDS FOR SENIOR PROGRAMMING.
YOU ALL WOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH OUR SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION, NOT JUST AS HAVING APPOINTED MEMBERSHIP TO IT, BUT AS ONE OF THE STRATEGIES THAT THEY IMPLEMENT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. OUR COMMISSION ACTUALLY MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS ON FUNDING PRIORITIES FOR CONSIDERATION OF CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF THE SENIOR COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS JUNE 20TH.
I FORGOT THE EXACT DATE. MAYBE IT WAS JULY 7TH, JULY 8TH THAT THEY ISSUED THE MEMO OUT AS A FRIDAY MEMO THROUGH MR. BROADNAX TO BE SHARED WITH MAYOR AND COUNCIL RELATED TO THEIR FUNDING PRIORITIES RELATED TO THE UPCOMING CITY BUDGET BIENNIAL.
SO THE DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION ARE, OF COURSE, TO RECOMMEND THE ROLE FOR THE CITY AND COMMISSION TO MAKE ADVICE TO CITY COUNCIL RELATED TO ELDERLY ISSUES, AND PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT I AM QUOTING HERE THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE TERMINOLOGY THAT I OR EVEN THEY WOULD TYPICALLY USE, BUT I AM QUOTING FROM THE FROM THE CODES PROVIDING ACCESS FOR CITIZEN COMMENT.
OF COURSE, THROUGH THAT COMMISSION IDENTIFYING PROGRAMS FOR OLDER ADULTS THAT ARE NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY AND OF COURSE OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED, AND SO THAT IS OUR SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION CHAIRED BY CURRENTLY, PETER KLINE.
SO MOVING ON, WELL, I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT OUR SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION ACTUALLY IS MEETING TODAY AT NOON DOWNSTAIRS IN THE AUDITORIUM.
SO MOVING ON, SENIOR SERVICES.
SO IN OUR DEPARTMENT, WE ALSO ADMINISTER A PROGRAM WE JUST GENERALLY CALL IT SENIOR SERVICES, BUT THE PRIMARY AVENUE IS OUR INFORMATION AND REFERRAL LINE THROUGH OUR SENIOR SERVICES HELP LINE, WHICH IS (214)Â 670-5227.
IT COULD BE NAVIGATING THE CITY SERVICES.
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THEM WITH VARIOUS RESOURCES INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY TO HELP THEM MEET THEIR NEEDS.SO WE HAD 151 UNIQUE UNDUPLICATED CLIENTS THAT WE SERVED THROUGH THAT INFORMATION AND REFERRAL LINE JUST DURING AUGUST, AND EACH SERVICE ACTUALLY REQUIRES MULTIPLE POINTS OF CONTACT.
THE LOWER PORTION OF THE SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT IN.
WE HAD SERVED ABOUT A THOUSAND FOLKS AT THIS POINT IN TIME IN THE YEAR, AND OF COURSE, THIS YEAR WE'RE NOW UP TO OVER 1400 UNDUPLICATED SENIORS THAT HAVE RECEIVED HELP JUST THROUGH OUR I&R LINE.
I SHOULD ADD, THOSE ARE INTERNAL STAFF MEMBERS.
SO WE HAVE A SUPERVISOR AND CASEWORKERS THAT ACTUALLY MANAGE THAT HELP LINE.
MOVING ON IS OUR SENIOR SERVICES DENTAL PROGRAM, AND SO THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH TEXAS A&M SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY, AND IT PROVIDES FREE BASIC DENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO OLDER ADULTS THAT ARE 60 AND OLDER, AND THAT'S IN TWO LOCATIONS.
NORTH DALLAS SHARED MINISTRY AND MC COOPER DENTAL CLINIC IN SOUTH DALLAS.
THESE COVER A LOT OF THE VERY BASIC AND CRITICALLY IMPORTANT NEEDS FOR DENTAL CARE FOR SENIORS, AND I WILL NOTE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE AWARE THAT MEDICAID AND MEDICARE, THEY DON'T ALWAYS COVER THESE THINGS IN FACT, THEY TYPICALLY DO NOT.
FOR OLDER ADULTS, THEY TYPICALLY HAVE A MUCH HIGHER RATES OF NEGATIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES RELATED TO DENTAL CARE, AND SO IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY CRITICALLY NEEDED SERVICE, AND IN FACT, DENTAL CARE ACCESS CAN ACTUALLY BE A KEY POINT OF IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL OTHER ISSUES, MEDICAL ISSUES AND REFERRALS TO DOCTORS FOR ALL SORTS OF DISEASES OR DISORDERS.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM THAT RIGHT NOW THE CITY AND FOR MANY YEARS THE CITY HAS BEEN ADMINISTERING THROUGH THAT CONTRACT AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE SERVE OVER A THOUSAND CLIENTS EVERY YEAR AND ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL SERVICES THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
I WILL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT PROGRAM, WHICH IS OUR SENIOR SERVICES EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM.
IN THIS PROGRAM, AGAIN, IT IS FOR SENIORS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE 60 AND OLDER, AND IT HELPS THEM TO GET THE SKILLS NEEDED TO OBTAIN AND ALSO TO MAINTAIN THAT EMPLOYMENT.
IT'S NOT ONE OF THE KIND OF LARGER PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
MOVING ON IS SENIOR SERVICES, OUR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH DART THAT IS FUNDED THROUGH MATCHED FUNDING FROM NCTCOG, AND THIS IS A GRANT THAT CAME OUR WAY SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
THE PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE DART RIDERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND IT PROVIDES ALL ON CALL TRANSPORTATION FOR SENIORS, AND THIS ONE HAS A AGE MINIMUM OF 65 AND OLDER, AND THIS PROGRAM BASICALLY PROVIDES A MATCH FOR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES THAT THEY CAN USE AND CALL UPON FOR THEIR OWN NEEDS. YOU CAN SEE THE DATA HERE, BUT WE HAVE A GROWING NUMBER OF USERS.
IT WAS UNFORTUNATELY, THIS PROGRAM KIND OF LAUNCHED LIKE MAYBE A MONTH AFTER THE PANDEMIC STARTED.
SO IT DEFINITELY WAS KIND OF EARLY, EARLY ON, A BIT OF A QUIETER PROGRAM, BUT AS THINGS HAVE NORMALIZED IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO ESPECIALLY, THOSE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN GROWING AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION INTERNALLY HERE TO TALK ABOUT AND STRATEGIZE WHAT THE FUTURE OF THAT PROGRAM WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE LONG TERM, 2024 AND BEYOND, AND THEN THE FINAL PROGRAM I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS OUR SENIOR SERVICES OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS JUST AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM.
I'M SORRY, I JUST LOVE THIS PROGRAM SO MUCH.
I'M SORRY. [CHUCKLING] OUR SENIOR PROGRAM OMBUDSMAN IS ACTUALLY A PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH THE SENIOR SOURCE, AND THE SENIOR SOURCE SERVES ALREADY ON BEHALF OF THE STATE AS AN OMBUDSMAN IN TERMS OF HAVING TO RESPOND TO VARIOUS CALLS OR COMPLAINTS OF INCIDENTS OF NEGLECT OR ABUSE OR NEGATIVE
[01:05:01]
OUTCOMES HAPPENING IN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES.HOWEVER, THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS INVESTED FURTHER IN OUR SENIOR POPULATION BY HELPING FOR THE SENIOR SOURCE TO BE ABLE TO HIRE A GROUP OF MANAGERS AND MORE VOLUNTEERS SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY BE PROACTIVE IN VISITING THESE FACILITIES, TALKING WITH RESIDENTS AND ADDRESSING ISSUES BEFORE THEY EVEN MAKE THEIR WAY ALL THE WAY UP TO A COMPLAINT AND SO THIS PROGRAM IS JUST SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, AND WE'LL TURN THE PAGE AND SHOW YOU SOME OF THE DATA, BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS EVERY YEAR, HUNDREDS OF VISITS TO THESE FACILITIES ARE MADE.
THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS ARE IMPACTED, THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS.
THIS YEAR THERE'S A HUGE NUMBER FOR VOLUNTEERS, YOU'LL SEE, AND WHEN THEY GET THERE, THEY ALSO CAN HELP THOSE RESIDENTS GET DIFFERENT TYPES OF GOODS OR SERVICES OR OTHER NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND THE UNFORTUNATE REALITY IS THAT FOR A LOT OF OUR OLDER ADULTS THAT ARE LIVING IN THESE FACILITIES, MANY OF THEM NEVER HAVE VISITORS, AND SO THIS CAN BE A LIFELINE FOR THEM, AND IT'S JUST SO IMPORTANT, AND CRITICALLY, JUST KNOWING THAT 85% OF THOSE RESIDENTS SAY THAT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE HAS IMPROVED BECAUSE OF THIS OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM AND THEY ARE ABLE TO RESOLVE WELL OVER 90% OF COMPLAINTS THAT THEY BECOME AWARE OF THROUGH THESE VISITS WITHIN A MATTER OF--I FORGOT HOW MANY DAYS--90 DAYS.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO CRYSTAL ROSS WITH OUR PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE BRIEFING, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THE PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES THAT ARE ADMINISTERED BY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS HERE WITHIN THE CITY.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR GALLESHAW.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION REGARDING OUR SENIORS.
SO I AM SPEAKING FROM THE ANGLE OF THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WHERE WE ARE CHALLENGED AND WE ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE BACK IN 2016 WITH PROVIDING A LOT OF RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES, HEALTH AND WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR SENIOR RESIDENTS HERE IN DALLAS.
SO WE APPROPRIATELY NAMED OUR PROGRAM ASAP BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S URGENT.
WE THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR SENIORS.
SPECIAL INTEREST PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL INTEREST PROGRAMS CAN BE THINGS SCAM FRAUD ALERT, COMPUTER TRAINING, TECHNOLOGY TRAINING, JUST ANYTHING THAT THE SENIORS HAVE EXPRESSED TO US THROUGH SURVEYS THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE MORE KNOWLEDGE ON, AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR SPECIAL EVENTS IN FISCAL YEAR 22-23, WHICH WE'RE CURRENTLY IN, WE'VE OFFERED OVER 63,000 PROGRAM HOURS JUST FOR SENIORS.
OUR SENIORS ARE DEMANDING MORE, AND SO WE'RE HERE TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.
WE ARE SERVING A LITTLE OVER 7000 REGISTERED SENIOR PARTICIPANTS THROUGHOUT OUR PROGRAMS. KEEP IN MIND, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 3300 THAT WE SEE AT OUR SPECIAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
OUR PROGRAM ASAP, OFFERED AGAIN AT 43 RECREATION FACILITIES, AND THAT'S THE 42 CENTERS, PLUS OUR WELLMED SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER IN REDBIRD SQUARE, AND WE ARE FOCUSED ON PROVIDING OUR PROGRAMS TO AGES 60 AND OLDER OR 60 AND BETTER, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A DEMAND FOR SOME FOLKS TO GET INTO THE PROGRAM A LITTLE PREMATURELY, BUT WE REALLY TRY TO STAY TRUE TO OUR 60 THRESHOLD TO KEEP THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DEDICATED SENIOR FACILITIES, AND SO IT'S INTERESTING.
EVERYONE SAYS, OH, THE SUMMIT, THE SUMMIT.
WE'VE EXPANDED OUR SENIOR FACILITIES THROUGH OUR RECENT BOND CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM FACILITIES.
SO WE HAVE SENIORS FACILITIES AT MARCUS ANNEX, SINGING HILLS REC CENTER, WILLIE B, JOHNSON, UMPHRESS, WELLMED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER, AGAIN, LIKE I MENTIONED AND REDBIRD, AND SO OUR ASAP PROGRAM PRIOR TO JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE WERE OFFERING IT MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY 9 TO 2, BUT OUR SENIORS SAID, WHAT, YOU DON'T THINK WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING ON FRIDAYS? [CHUCKLING] SO WE MADE SOME CHANGES.
AND SO 60 AND OLDER DALLAS RESIDENTS FREE, AND THAT IS IT THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP.
NEXT, I WANT TO LOOK AT THE SLIDES SHOWING OUR REGISTRATION OVER THE YEARS.
SO YOU'LL SEE THE FIRST TWO, FISCAL YEAR 19-20, FISCAL YEAR 20-21.
[01:10:02]
WE KNOW SOMETHING MAJOR HAPPENED DURING THAT TIME, A LITTLE THING CALLED THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE'RE GETTING OUR GROOVE BACK AND OUR NUMBERS ARE INCHING UP INCHING UP, AND SO LAST YEAR WE HAD JUST A LITTLE OVER 5000, AND AS I RECENTLY MENTIONED, WE HAVE 7005 REGISTERED.WE HAVE DROP INS, BUT THESE ARE REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS IN OUR DAILY PROGRAMS. THE GENDER BREAKDOWN ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS SOMETHING I JUST WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
SO YOU'LL SEE THE 68% FEMALE AND WE HAVE 8% UNDISCLOSED INFORMATION AND THEN YOU'LL SEE 24% MALE.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM, WE HAD 8% MALE.
YOU DIDN'T SEE THE FELLOWS WEREN'T COMING OUT.
THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED, BUT WE FOUND PROGRAMS THAT WERE OF INTEREST TO THEM, AND SO WE'RE INCORPORATING THEM ON A DAILY BASIS AND WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET THOSE NUMBERS UP, AND THEN ON THE RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE OUR AGE GROUPS.
I WANT TO NOTE THAT OUR LARGEST GROUP IS THE 75 AND OLDER.
SO OUR SENIORS ARE LIVING LONGER.
I ALMOST WANT TO SAY BECAUSE OF OUR PROGRAM, BUT I KNOW THAT'S NOT IT, BUT OUR SENIORS ARE LIVING LONGER [LAUGHTER] AND THEY ARE DEMANDING MORE, AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WE WANT TO KEEP GIVING THEM THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE GIVING THEM VITALITY AND ENERGY FOR THEIR LIVES.
WE HAVE A JOINT PROGRAM WITH THEM, OBVIOUSLY AT JUANITA CRAFT REC CENTER.
THEY ARE OUR MEAL PROVIDERS AT A NUMBER OF OUR FACILITIES, AND SO OUR SENIORS ARE AFFORDED MEALS AND IF, FOR INSTANCE, THERE'S A HOLIDAY WEEKEND, THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE THE MEALS HOME. THEY HAVE THE BOXED LUNCHES OR BOXED MEALS THAT THEY CAN TAKE WITH THEM.
THE NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK, THE SENIOR SOURCE, UNITED HEALTH CARE WELFARE, AND THEN, OF COURSE WELLMED, AND I WANT TO MENTION, WE HAVE TO DATE RECEIVED $600,000 IN CONTRIBUTION FROM WELLMED TO OFFSET THE COST OF SENIOR PROGRAMS, AND THAT'S NOT INCLUDING THEIR THEIR SUPPORT IN OUR SPECIAL EVENTS.
SO WE'VE RECEIVED A COMMITMENT ON FRIDAY THAT THEY WILL GIVE US ANOTHER CONTRIBUTION THIS FALL, I'M SORRY, THIS WINTER, AT THE FIFTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE WELLMED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.
DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY, OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE, AND THE LIST GOES ON.
WE OFFER A NUMBER OF SIGNATURE EVENTS.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT OUR SENIORS LOOK FORWARD TO EVEN DURING THE PANDEMIC WE HAD TO FIND A WAY TO OFFER THESE PROGRAMS IN A COVID SAFE, COVID FRIENDLY MANNER, BUT WE HAVE OUR FATHER'S DAY LUNCHEON.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE PROGRAMS DEDICATED TO THEM.
SO WE HAVE OUR FATHER'S DAY LUNCHEON, WHICH HAS ABOUT 215 MEN THAT ARE ATTENDING THAT.
OUR GOLDEN GAMES, WHICH IS WRAPPING UP NEXT WEEK.
WE HAVE ABOUT 300 ATHLETES THAT ARE REGISTERED FOR THAT EVENT.
GRANDPARENTS DAY IS THE ANNUAL THING 1200 HEALTH AND WELLNESS EXPO.
WE HAVE ABOUT 600 ATTENDEES FOR THAT.
OUR MOTHER'S DAY LUNCHEON, WHICH WE HELD AT THE WHERE WERE WE THIS YEAR? HILTON ANATOLE, I BELIEVE WHERE WE HAD 600 MOTHERS IN ATTENDANCE, AND THEN BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE HAVE SUMMER CAMP.
OUR SENIORS, THEY'RE OUR NEW KIDS AND THEY WANT TO HAVE PROGRAMS DURING THE SUMMER AS WELL.
SO THEY GO ON FIELD TRIPS. WE HAVE 400 SENIORS REGISTERED IN SUMMER CAMP THIS YEAR.
SOME OF ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A GREAT TIME, WE HAVE LITTLE CHALLENGES, RIGHT.
SO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING.
TRANSPORTATION, AND SO ALTHOUGH OUR SENIORS, MANY OF THEM ARE MOBILE AND THEY CAN GET TO AND FROM, WE ARE FACED WITH CHALLENGES AND WHAT I CALL LIMOUSINE SERVICE, MEANING PICKING THE SENIORS UP FROM HOME, BRINGING THEM TO THE RECREATION CENTER AND THEN TAKING THEM HOME.
SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO EXPAND THAT PARTNERSHIP OR EXPAND PARTNERSHIPS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE AT THE WELLMED CHARITABLE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER.
WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN RETAINING OUR STAFF.
OUR NEXT STEPS, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRAIN AND CERTIFY OUR STAFF.
[01:15:02]
WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT ALTHOUGH THEY MAY HAVE A PASSION, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A STRONG SKILL SET IN SERVING OUR SENIOR POPULATION.WE ARE GOING TO REDESIGN OUR ACTIVE SENIOR ADULT PROGRAM.
I MENTIONED TO YOU THAT IT'S 9 TO 2, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
IT WAS MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
SOME OF THE ASKS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE SENIORS, THEY WANT TO COME IN THE EVENING BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, SOME SENIORS ARE STILL WORKING AND SO THEY ARE MISSING OUT ON THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN WE ONLY STRUCTURE FROM 9 TO 2.
WE'LL CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIP RECRUITMENT.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR PROGRAM VISIBILITY AND ENROLLMENT.
THANK YOU. WE HAVE THIS DATA THAT SHOWS WE HAVE 140,000 SENIORS IN DALLAS.
WE ONLY HAVE 7,005 REGISTERED, SO WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF WORK TO DO.
SO THAT IS IT FROM THE PARK DEPARTMENT.
THE CHAIR I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE FOLKS HAVE THE LION'S SHARE OF SENIOR SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND I'LL BE QUITE FRANK WITH YOU, WITH, YOU KNOW, 60 SLIDES OF INFORMATION, I'M PRETTY PROUD TO BE PART OF A CITY THAT HAS SUCH A ROBUST CONTRIBUTION TO OUR SENIORS.
THERE'S LIBRARIES, HOUSING AND REVITALIZATION, OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURES, PUBLIC WORKS, CODE COMPLIANCE AND EVEN SANITATION HAS PROGRAMS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT TO BENEFIT OUR SENIORS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SIMPSON, AND THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'M A BIG FAN OF ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO AND THE DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU ALL REPRESENT.
SO THANK YOU ALL, BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY VITAL TO OUR CITY.
WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU. THIS IS SO WONDERFUL AND NEVER, EVER APOLOGIZE FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
IT'S A TREASURE THAT WE HAVE YOU AND I WANT YOU TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT ALWAYS AND YOUR ENTHUSIASM.
SO, DIRECTOR GALLENSHAW, COULD YOU SHARE WHAT ARE THE, IS THIS PROGRAM, ALL OF THIS EFFORT ON BEHALF OF THIS PARTICULAR POPULATION OF OUR CITY? DO YOU HAVE A COORDINATED TASK FORCE LIKE WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE SERVING THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S COORDINATION AND NOT DUPLICATION OR WHATEVER? SO I WOULD SAY THAT WE SOMEWHAT DO WE DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE GOT A LITTLE BIT LESS ALIGNED WHEN IT CAME TO THAT. SO WE HAVE HISTORICALLY HOSTED QUARTERLY MEETINGS WHERE WE BRING FOLKS TO THE TABLE THAT DO WORK, THAT IS SENIOR RELATED, THAT'S BEEN MANAGED.
IT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY BENEFICIAL.
WE HAD A TRANSITION IN OUR SUPERVISOR JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, SO WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT BACK, BACK IN PLACE AGAIN WITH THE NEXT QUARTERLY MEETING I THINK IS SCHEDULED TO I DON'T REMEMBER THE DATE, BUT I THINK IT'S SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE THIS FALL.
BUT YEAH, IT DID GET A LITTLE BIT LESS CONSISTENT DURING THE PANDEMIC, I WILL BE HONEST.
YEAH, AND I THINK IN ADDITION TO THE INTERNAL COORDINATION OF ALL OF THIS, WHERE IT CAN BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTFUL IS GIVEN THAT THIS IS THE FASTEST GROWING DEMOGRAPHIC, I THINK THERE'S TREMENDOUS SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, THAT IF IT'S COORDINATED SO THAT WE CAN GIVE COMPANIES A MENU OF OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT SENIORS, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRING IN A LOT MORE OUTSIDE FUNDING FOR THIS KIND OF THAT.
SO IF I MAY, I HAVE A COUPLE MORE VERY QUICK QUESTIONS ON THE INFORMATION AND REFERRALS SLIDE 23.
DOES THIS INCLUDE COUNCIL OFFICE INQUIRIES? DO WE TRACK THOSE? I KNOW OUR OFFICE, WHICH WE HAVE A LOT OF SENIORS IN OUR DISTRICT.
DO THEY SEND THOSE OVER? IS THAT PART OF YOUR ACCOUNT? SO IF THEY SEND THEM TO US AND IT COMES THROUGH OUR TEAM, YES.
[01:20:01]
MANY OF THEM DO, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY ALL DO, BECAUSE I WOULD THINK THAT THE NUMBER WOULD PROBABLY BE HIGHER IF EVERY SENIOR CONTACTING A COUNCIL OFFICE WAS DOING THAT.I MEAN, WE HAVE COMMUNICATED THAT BEFORE.
I THINK THAT WE PROBABLY JUST NEED TO BE MORE CONSISTENT AND SEND REMINDERS AND LET FOLKS KNOW THAT WE HAVE THIS SERVICE AND WE CAN DO THIS, BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY TRACK WHICH AMONG THEM ARE FROM COUNCIL OFFICE REFERRALS, BUT WE HOPE TO GET THERE IN THE FUTURE.
ON THE OMBUDSMAN DO WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS IN THAT PROGRAM WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING, YOU KNOW, DOING VISITS AND SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING THROUGH THE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM? YEAH. SO THE PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED BY THE SENIOR SOURCE.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE IN CONTRACT WITH THE STATE.
THEY DO THE TRAINING, THEY RECRUIT THE VOLUNTEERS AND THEY HAVE TONS OF PARTNERSHIPS.
I COULDN'T EVEN BEGIN TO SPEAK TO THE NUMBER OF PARTNERSHIPS.
I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS OUTSOURCED.
NO, NO, THAT'S GOOD. I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS OUTSOURCED ON PARKS AND REC ON OUR TRANSPORTATION.
ARE WE USING THE DART SYSTEM THE ON CALL.
THEIR REQUEST HAS BEEN TO MORE PICKUP FROM HOME AND BRING THEM BACK AND FORTH ON A DAILY BASIS.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT DART ON-CALL DOES.
SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING TO REALLY, REALLY PROMOTE AND REDUCE THAT OKAY, AND THEN ONE LAST QUESTION ON SLIDE 52 ON PUBLIC WORKS ON THE SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT, I FORGOT WHAT OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATION IS, BUT I KNOW THAT WE PAY THE CITY WILL PAY 100% OF THE COST, BUT DO WE HAVE THE MONEY TO MEET THE DEMAND? THANKS, COUNCILMEMBER. WE'VE GOT A MEMBER OF PUBLIC WORKS HERE.
HOPEFULLY HE CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
GOOD MORNING. ALI HATEFI DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
MA'AM, WE DO HAVE PROBABLY MORE THAN 170 APPLICATIONS SO FAR FOR SENIOR CITIZENS SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT PROGRAM, BUT WE RAN OUT OF MONEY BECAUSE ORIGINALLY THE MONEY FOR COST-SHARE WAS FUNDED THROUGH THE 2017 BOND PROGRAM, AND AS OF NOW, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY. WE HAVE INCORPORATED THIS FUNDING AGAIN IN THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM.
ALSO, WE HAVE RECEIVED $1 MILLION AS A PART OF THIS PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE COST SHARE.
BUT THIS IS NOT THE COST SHARE.
SO IS THAT A SEPARATE LINE ITEM OR IS IT PART OF COST? IT IS PART OF THE COST SHARE PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE.
SO DO SENIORS GET PRIORITIZED? PRIORITIZED IN TERMS OF? DO THEY IF I'M UNDER 65, I PUT IN AND SOMEBODY OVER 65 PUTS IN WHO GETS THE MONEY.
RIGHT. I GUESS THIS IS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, RIGHT? IF THERE ARE MORE THAN 65 YEARS OLD AND CONSIDERED AS SENIOR CITIZEN, THEY'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE 100 PERSON COST BY THE CITY, WHICH WE CALL IT SENIOR CITIZEN SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT WORK.
BELOW THAT THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THAT.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS WITHIN YOUR BUDGETING, WHO GETS PRIORITY SENIORS OR JUST A REGULAR HOMEOWNER? THE COST SHARE THE WAY IT WAS BROKEN UP IN THE 2017 FOR THE 50/50 AND SENIOR PROGRAM, THEY HAD A DIFFERENT KIND OF POT OF MONEY.
RIGHT? THE THING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, SINCE THIS SERVICE IS BASED ON THE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PRIORITY FOR SENIOR CITIZENS VERSUS COST SHARE, WHOEVER BECAUSE THIS IS ON DEMAND SERVICE ANYWAYS.
WHOEVER APPLIES FOR IT, THEY GO TO THE QUEUE.
OKAY. WHICH WE KNOW WE CAN'T MEET.
OKAY. VERY TOO QUICK, VERY QUICK THINGS.
ONE IS DO WE REQUIRE PRIVATE PROPERTIES WHEN THEY ARE PUTTING IN THEIR OWN SIDEWALKS TO PUT IN SIDEWALK RAMPS? THE SIDEWALK RAMPS TYPICALLY HAPPENS AT THE INTERSECTION.
SO LET ME JUST SAY, THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING IS THIS.
TOTALLY COINCIDENTALLY, I WAS WALKING TO SYNAGOGUE WITH A SENIOR CITIZEN THIS WEEKEND AND WE HAD TO LITERALLY WALK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET ON THE ROAD LIKE WE TOOK ONE LANE BECAUSE IT WAS ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THIS SENIOR CITIZEN TO WALK.
SO WE LITERALLY HAD TO WALK IN THE STREET, AND SO THIS IS NOW A NEW AWARENESS FOR ME TO BE WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S DISABLED OR DIFFERENTLY ABLED, IF YOU WILL, AND I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THIS IN A NEW WAY.
SHE YOU KNOW, IT WAS DANGEROUS FOR HER TO BE ABLE TO HAVE HER RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION.
SURE. SO THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY.
[01:25:06]
ABSOLUTELY WE DO. ACTUALLY BUILD.NO WE DON'T. WE DO BUILD RAMPS AS A PART OF OUR SIDEWALK.
YEAH. BUT YOU CAN'T CROSS A SIDEWALK.
IF IT'S ONLY IN THE CORNER, YOU CANNOT WALK ON THESE.
SO WE DON'T AS A CITY, AND I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE REALLY REEXAMINE THIS.
THERE'S THIS A SERIES ON, I BELIEVE IT'S NETFLIX, A CENTURION COMMUNITY, AND ONE OF THE PILLARS THAT THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT CONSISTENTLY ALL OVER THE WORLD WAS THE NEED FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY ACTIVITY AND CULTURE AND HOW THAT PROVIDES FOR THE LONGEVITY OF PEOPLE, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS PRESENTATION IS ALL ABOUT. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR EFFORTS THERE.
IF YOU ALL KNOW, ALL OF Y'ALL ARE LAUGHING AND SMILING.
SHE IS VERY VOCAL AND SHE'S DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB REPRESENTING DISTRICT THREE AND FORMED A SMALL COMMITTEE OF WHAT I CALL DISTRICT THREE MOTHERS, THAT SHE KEEPS INFORMED AND MAKES SURE THAT THEY'RE SPREADING THAT INFORMATION THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO PUBLICLY, MS. MITCHELL THANK YOU.
FOLLOWING ALONG WITH MS. SCHULTZ, QUESTION ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY EFFORTS MADE, JUST COORDINATED EFFORTS REGARDING DART? I THINK AARP HAS A PROGRAM, AND I KNOW DALLAS COUNTY HAS SOME PROGRAMS. CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT ANY EFFORTS BEING MADE TO KIND OF MORE EFFICIENTLY COORDINATE THOSE EFFORTS? SO I'LL TAKE IT FROM THE PARK STANDPOINT.
DART I'LL BE HONEST, FROM THE PARK DEPARTMENT STANDPOINT, WE NEED TO DO A GREATER JOB OF MAKING SURE OUR SENIORS ARE MADE AWARE OF THE ON CALL DART TRANSPORTATION SERVICES AND BRINGING OUT THE REPRESENTATIVES TO THE FACILITIES TO THE PROGRAM SO THEY CAN LEARN IT FIRSTHAND, BUT I WILL PASS IT TO DIRECTOR GALLENSHAW.
I THINK SHE WANTED TO CHIME IN.
SURE. THANK YOU. SO SPEAKING TO THAT, I WILL SAY ONE AREA THAT I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT WHEN I WAS TALKING WAS THE NUMBER OF OUTREACH EVENTS THAT OUR TEAM ENGAGES IN BUT YOU'LL SEE IN 2023, OUR SMALL TEAM OF THREE HAS ATTENDED, PARTICIPATED OR ENGAGED IN CLOSE TO 60 OUTREACH EVENTS THUS FAR THIS YEAR, AND A LOT OF THOSE ARE STRATEGIC OUTREACH EVENTS TO PARKS PROGRAMS OR OTHER PROGRAMS. SO WE DO MAKE A LOT OF EFFORTS TO DO SOME OF THOSE CONNECTIONS, SPEAKING TO THE COUNTY'S PROGRAM.
THE FUNDING THAT THE COUNTY RECEIVES IS FEDERAL FUNDING.
THAT IS THAT HELPS TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO FEED THOSE SENIORS.
I THINK THEY GET A MEAL AND TWO SNACKS A DAY.
I DO THINK THE RIDER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF IT BEING FUND MATCHED, IT IS A 3 TO 1 WHERE THE PROGRAM PAYS THREE AND THE PARTICIPANT PAYS 1, 1 A 3 TO ONE SHARE, BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A DAILY PARTICIPATION, I DO THINK THAT COULD ADD UP.
SO I THINK THAT MIGHT BE WORTH VISITING STRATEGICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, BUT YES, SO THERE IS DEFINITELY SOME ALIGNMENT, BUT I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE AND MAYBE SOME MORE LONGER TERM STRATEGIC THINKING ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GRACEY. MISS WILLIS.
SO I WANTED TO LOOK AT THE PAGE 25 ON THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN WITH OUR HR DIRECTOR, MISS ARIAS, ABOUT ARE WE DOING ENOUGH AS A CITY TO FILL VACANT POSITIONS WITH SENIORS? AND BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THIS AND YOU MENTIONED THIS AS $100,000 CONTRACT PER YEAR, YET WE HAVE 183 PEOPLE REACH I MEAN, THAT'S LIKE 540 BUCKS A PERSON.
SO IS THERE A PLAN TO GROW THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED BY THIS JOB PLACEMENT AND COUNSELING.
WELL, I THINK THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO GROW THE NUMBER MUCH BEYOND THAT.
[01:30:01]
KIND OF MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT IN OUR INTRODUCTION AND YOU'LL SEE SOME NOTES IN THE WRAP UP OF THE BRIEFING IS THAT FOR 2024, ONE OF OUR BIG GOALS IS TO REALLY DO A PRETTY BIG, COMPREHENSIVE AND COHESIVE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR OLDER ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER AVENUE WE CAN LOOK AT IS WORKING WITH HR TO PAIR THESE TYPES OF TRAININGS WITH EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT WITHIN THE CITY, LIKE KIND OF LIKE WE DO WITH FRESH START, MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT MAYBE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.OBVIOUSLY IT'S A DIFFERENT POPULATION, BUT YOU KNOW, PAIRING THOSE SERVICES COULD WORK, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE COULD NECESSARILY EXPECT TO SEE A LARGER NUMBER THROUGH THIS SPECIFIC CONTRACT JUST BECAUSE OF LIMITATIONS IN TERMS OF FUNDING AND CAPACITY.
OKAY, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKS, SO MAYBE WE CAN VISIT ABOUT THAT, BUT WHEN I SEE THAT WE'VE GOT 30,000 SENIORS LIVING IN POVERTY, I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE MORE THAN 183 BEING SERVED IN A PROGRAM OR SEE HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GROW THAT, AND LET ME JUST SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DATA.
I MEAN, MY SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION MEMBER, CHAIR PETER KLINE, WORKED WITH YOU, DR.
I MEAN, THIS IS SO INTERESTING.
I LOVE THESE GRAPHS. I REFER TO THESE ALL THE TIME.
SO LET ME GO BACK NOW TO PARK AND REC AND MISS ROSS ON.
IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE SUCH A BOOST IN THE REGISTERED SENIOR PARTICIPANTS TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT? I MEAN, YOU SHOT OVER THAT GOAL BY 2000 PEOPLE.
WE REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST MARKETING STRATEGY FOR US.
WE'VE SENT OUT BLASTS, WE'VE DONE NEXT DOOR, BUT WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT'S THE SENIOR OUTREACH.
WE HAVE SENIOR ADVOCATES AT EACH RECREATION FACILITY THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROMOTING THE WORK THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE, THE OFFERINGS THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT AT OUR REC CENTERS. SO I ATTRIBUTE IT TO THAT.
WELL, GOING TO THAT GOLDEN GAMES KICKOFF, I MEAN, THAT WAS A NETWORK MAN, BUT LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
OKAY. AS FAR AS THESE REGISTRANTS, BECAUSE I KNOW WE OFFER A LOWER PRICE FOR, I THINK, REGISTRATION OR I MEAN, IT'S FREE, THESE PROGRAMS, BUT I DO KNOW THAT MEDICARE DOES REIMBURSEMENT ON MEMBERSHIPS FOR THINGS LIKE HEALTH CLUBS OR THAT SORT OF THING.
HAS PARK AND REC LOOKED AT ANY WAY TO RECOVER COSTS WITH MEDICARE? SO IT'S BEEN A NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE WE'VE LOOKED INTO THE SILVER SNEAKERS PROGRAM, BUT WE HAVE NOT DONE IT AS OF LATE.
AND THEN DO WE KNOW, MR. SIMPSON? DO WE KNOW? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE COLLECT DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ON 311 CALLS, BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT SENIORS ARE CALLING THE CITY MOST FREQUENTLY ABOUT AND WHETHER WE CAN EDUCATE THEM TO HELP THEM IN SOME OF THESE CATEGORIES.
DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE OF WHAT THOSE TOP CALLS ARE? SO OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE COLLECT DEMOGRAPHIC DATA BASED ON AGE.
I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA PROVIDING PEOPLE WOULD PROVIDE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'D PROVIDE YOU MY AGE IF I WAS CALLING 311, BUT I'LL CERTAINLY CHECK WITH OUR DIRECTOR OF 311, BUT I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA AND IT MAY BE THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER WAY FOR US TO KEY IN ON THOSE SERVICES THAT PARTICULARLY SENIORS ARE LOOKING TO ACQUIRE.
MAYBE WE CAN SOMEHOW SOME OTHER WAY ISOLATE THOSE, AND I'LL GET WITH DR.
HOWEVER, I JUST THE COUNTY CREEP OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
I JUST WANT TO BE MINDFUL. WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR SENIORS, BUT THAT WE ALSO NEED TO DELINEATE WHAT BELONGS WITH DALLAS COUNTY VERSUS THE CITY BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF OTHER THINGS TO DO FOR OUR SENIORS, LIKE HELPING THEM WITH THIS GREAT SENIOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT WORD OUT THERE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS WILLIS.
MR. RIDLEY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, WHO STAFFS THE SENIOR SERVICES HELPLINE? OUR SENIOR SERVICES HELPLINE IS STAFFED BY CASEWORKERS WHO KIND OF SPECIALIZE IN WORKING WITH OLDER ADULTS.
SO THEY'RE CITY STAFF MEMBERS.
YES, THEY ARE, AND WHAT DO YOU DO TO PUBLICIZE THE HELPLINE? SO A LOT OF THOSE EVENTS THAT WE DO AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH PARTICULARLY SENIOR SERVING ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW, FLIERS, OUTREACH COMMUNICATIONS PRESENTATIONS, ATTENDANCE AT EVENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, I WOULD SAY THAT ONE GAP WE HAVE IS THE PEOPLE THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY AS CONNECTED.
THAT'S A BIG, BIG CHALLENGE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND THINKING ABOUT.
I MEAN, NOT JUST US. I KNOW PARKS THINKS ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME, TOO.
THERE'S DEFINITELY A COHORT OF SENIORS IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT ARE NOT ENGAGED WITH NONPROFITS OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS OR COMING TO THE REC CENTER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A CLEAR WAY TO REACH THEM, BUT WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO THINK ABOUT IT AND DO THAT, BUT WE ALSO DO A LOT OF OUTREACH
[01:35:01]
THROUGH PARKS AND REC, THROUGH THE LIBRARIES.THERE'S COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, SAC MEMBERS GOING OUT THERE AND SHARING THE RESOURCES.
I MEAN, WE GET EMAILS FROM EVERYWHERE, SO.
WELL, YOU HAVE SO MANY GREAT PROGRAMS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY IS MADE AWARE THAT YOU OFFER ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS, AND THIS HELPLINE IS A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT.
I'M GOING TO PUBLICIZE IT IN MY DISTRICT NEWSLETTER BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT IN MY DISTRICT, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT OPTIONS FOR INCREASING THE AWARENESS OF THAT HELPLINE SO THAT YOU CAN REACH YOUR GOALS OR EXCEED THEM.
I SHOULD ACTUALLY USE THIS OPPORTUNITY, SIR, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STATEMENT THAT YOU'VE MADE AROUND INCREASING OUTREACH AND AWARENESS, BECAUSE THAT IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE AREAS, ALONG WITH CENTRALIZED COORDINATION AND PLANNING, THAT OUR SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION HAS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS SAID THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO PRIORITIZE, AND SO PART OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO IN STRATEGIC PLANNING WOULD ALSO GO INTO TRYING TO DEVELOP SOME STRATEGIC OUTREACH PLANS, MODELS AND STRATEGIES THAT WE CAN UTILIZE TO BUILD AWARENESS OF THESE PROGRAMS AS WELL.
SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY ON POINT WITH THAT, AND I JUST WANTED TO NOTE HOW ALIGNED THAT IS WITH THE PRIORITIES THAT OUR SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION HAS ALSO PUT FORTH IN THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. GREAT.
HOW IS THE SENIOR DENTAL SERVICE PROGRAM FUNDED? SO THAT IS A PROGRAM THAT'S FUNDED THROUGH GENERAL FUND CONTRACT WITH TEXAS A&M DENTAL SCHOOL.
OUR PROGRAM ENABLES SENIORS ACROSS THE CITY OF DALLAS TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROGRAM.
SO DOES BAYLOR MATCH THE COST OF THAT PROGRAM IN SOME WAY, OR DO THEY PROVIDE LOW COST SERVICE UNDER THIS CONTRACT? YEAH. SO IT'S LOW OR NO COST SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.
IT IS THROUGH THEIR DENTAL SCHOOL.
SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR PROFESSORS, I GUESS, IS WHAT YOU CALL THEM, MANAGING THEIR FOLKS, GOING THROUGH THE DENTAL SCHOOL PROGRAM TO REACH A LOT OF RESIDENTS IN A WAY THAT COSTS THE RESIDENTS LITTLE OR NOTHING.
AND HOW MUCH DOES THE CITY FUND IN THAT PROGRAM EACH YEAR? THE PROGRAM IS $250,000 A YEAR IT HAD PREVIOUSLY.
IT'S BEEN A LITTLE ALL OVER THE PLACE, TO BE HONEST.
THIS PROGRAM WAS FUNDED UNDER CDBG SOME YEARS AGO.
SO NOW IN THIS LAST YEAR OR SO, OF COURSE, LAYERING IN THE COMPLICATIONS OF THE PANDEMIC AND A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT LAYERED IN, THEY'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO MEET AND ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS, AND IN FACT, I THINK THAT THEY COULD SERVE MORE CLIENTS THAN THEY EVEN DO.
I THINK THEY COULD TAKE ON A BIGGER CONTRACT AT THIS POINT, BUT RIGHT NOW, THE CONTRACT IS IN THE AMOUNT OF $250,000, AND THAT'S FROM THE GENERAL FUND. CORRECT? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. RIDLEY. I SEE MS. BLACKMON. JUST REAL QUICK.
YES, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN RIDLEY ABOUT PUTTING THIS IN OUR NEWSLETTER.
IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW FOR LIKE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT IN OUR PARKS SO GRANDPARENTS CAN PLAY WITH THEIR GRANDCHILDREN IN OUR PARKS.
AND SHE BROKE UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, SO I MISSED THE PART.
JUST CURIOUS ON IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MULTIGENERATIONAL PLAYGROUND SO GRANDPARENTS CAN BE AN ACTIVE PART WITH THEIR GRANDCHILD, WITH THEIR GRANDCHILDREN ON IN OUR PLAYGROUNDS OR ON OUR PLAYGROUNDS? THANK YOU. I PERSONALLY LOVE THAT IDEA.
I THINK AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PLAYGROUNDS A GREAT DEAL IN OUR BOND PROGRAM, I WILL DEFINITELY PASS THAT ON, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE A MULTIGENERATIONAL PLAYGROUND IN OUR SYSTEM AT THIS TIME.
SO THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO CONSIDER AND RESEARCH.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL DOING ALL THESE INITIATIVES.
[01:40:01]
SO ANYWHERE WE CAN HELP YOU, JESSICA AND CRYSTAL, AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF WHAT OUR SERVICES, WHAT WE HAVE, WOULD LOVE TO HELP YOU IN ANY WAY BE SUCCESSFUL.THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS BLACKMON.
I WILL SAY THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS, I GUESS, DESIGNATED AS MULTIGENERATIONAL, BUT WE HAVE PUT IN THE ALL ABILITIES AND ALL AGE EQUIPMENT AROUND SEVERAL OF THE WALK PATHS AND PARKS IN OUR DISTRICT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS, AND I KNOW THAT THE COMMITMENT IS THERE.
I WISH WE HAD MORE TIME TO GO FURTHER IN DEPTH WITH YOU ALL.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP IS THE ADVISORY ROLE OF THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION. WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT CHARTER REVIEW AND WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND I THINK THAT THERE'S AT TIMES WHAT FEEDBACK THAT I GET FROM MY COMMISSIONER THAT IT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A RUBBER STAMP AND THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE MUCH MORE INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSION.
I THINK PRIOR TO AND SO I WANTED TO JUST KIND OF LAY THAT OUT.
I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE CASE WITH A COUPLE OF OUR OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT ARE ALSO BEING EVALUATED A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A TEETH, BUT THEN ALSO IN COMMUNICATION THERE.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT IS REFLECTED IN WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED FOR OUR BUDGET, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME FUNDING ALLOCATED FOR THE ABILITY FOR OUR SENIORS AFFAIRS COMMISSIONERS TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO OUR AGING ADULT COMMUNITY, MANY OF WHOM ARE NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ESPECIALLY WITH THE REGISTRATION NUMBERS THAT WE JUST HEARD IN THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A HUGE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR US TO HAVE DOLLARS SET ASIDE SO THAT WE CAN GET PERTINENT INFORMATION AND OPPORTUNITY AND RESOURCES OUT TO SENIORS IN THEIR MAILBOXES.
THAT IS, OF COURSE, NOT VERY CHEAP, BUT WE I WILL BE IN BIG SUPPORT FOR THAT.
I WANT TO SEE US MAKE A BIGGER EFFORT, AND IT'S NOT DEPENDENT JUST ON OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST PIECE OF FEEDBACK THAT I'D LIKE TO GIVE IS IT SEEMS THAT WITH ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE DOING JUST AS CARL MENTIONED, I MEAN, I THINK IT IS INCREDIBLE. I AM VERY PROUD TO BE A PART OF A CITY THAT HAS MORE FOR THEIR SENIORS THAN WE HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH IN A COMMITTEE, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WHO NEED TO SEE HOW ROBUST OUR RESOURCES ARE HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF THEM.
LET'S SEE WHAT NEEDS ARE THERE.
YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO GIVE ME A NUMBER OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THE SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS TO INCLUDE THAT IN THIS BUDGET AND MAYBE TEST OUT A PILOT OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES QUARTERLY.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER.
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO BRIEFING ITEM C.
IT'S GOING TO BE BRIEF, BRIEF, AND WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM OUR OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CARRIE ROGERS, THE DIRECTOR, AND LILLIAN MAULDIN, SENIOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COORDINATOR.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I SAID YOUR NAME RIGHT.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
CARRIE ROGERS, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, AND LILLIAN MAULDIN WITH US, OUR SENIOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COORDINATOR OVER FEDERAL RELATIONS. WE'RE GOING TO BE EXTREMELY BRIEF.
LILLIAN IS GOING TO GO THROUGH WHAT WAS ADOPTED LAST YEAR, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A TIMELINE IN SCOPE, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH THE LEGISLATIVE CHAIR IS TO BRING FORWARD A STANDING ITEM ON EACH OF THE COMMITTEE AGENDAS FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT A PROGRAM WOULD BE ADOPTED IN EARLY CALENDAR YEAR 2024, AND SO THIS IS SORT OF THE KICKOFF OF IT.
THE FIRST COMMITTEE MEETING TO THEN START RECEIVING FEEDBACK FROM THOSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
YES. LILLIAN MAULDIN, SENIOR COORDINATOR WITH THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
[01:45:04]
SO, YES, WE'LL REVIEW THE CURRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES AND BRIEFLY TOUCH ON WHAT WAS ADOPTED LAST YEAR.WE'LL TALK ABOUT UPDATING THOSE PRIORITIES AND THE SUBMISSION PROCESS AND NEXT STEPS.
CITY COUNCIL WILL ADOPT A FEDERAL AND STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ON VARIOUS LEGISLATIVE ISSUES AND PUT A SOUGHT FOR MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP, CITY DEPARTMENTS AND EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND OF COURSE, THESE DOCUMENTS ARE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE CITY WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, CITY STAFF AND LEGISLATIVE TEAM. WHEN WE ARE MEETING WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THANK YOU. SO HERE IS THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS.
I BELIEVE YOU ALL HAVE COPIES THERE ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE, ALSO FOR FOLKS WATCHING AT HOME.
OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS WEBSITE, THE CITY OF DALLAS WEBSITE.
IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND THIS IS THE CURRENT TEXAS PROGRAM ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE. IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THE CURRENT PRIORITIES THAT WERE ADOPTED ON THOSE AFOREMENTIONED PROGRAMS, FEDERAL SUPPORT LEGISLATION TO SUPPORT CLEAN AND APPEALING NEIGHBORHOODS, INCREASED FUNDING FOR DALLAS PARKS, TRAILS AND PLAYGROUNDS, DECRIMINALIZED FENTANYL TESTING STRIPS, AND ON THE STATE SIDE, WE HAVE SUPPORT FOR LEGISLATION AGAIN FOSTERING CLEAN AND APPEALING NEIGHBORHOODS, RECREATIONAL, EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, INCREASING FUNDING FOR PARKS, TRAILS AND PLAYGROUNDS, INCREASING FUNDING FOR TEXAS CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS, CULTURAL DISTRICT GRANT PROGRAM, INCREASING FUNDING FOR THE TEXAS STATE LIBRARY ARCHIVES COMMISSION RELATING TO TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL INCLUSION, AND DECRIMINALIZING FENTANYL TESTING STRIPS.
IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE KEY DATES AND NEXT STEPS.
WE WOULD APPRECIATE HEARING BACK FROM COMMITTEES BY NOVEMBER 30TH FOR ANY UPDATED OR ADDITIONAL LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, AND THEN WE WILL RECONVENE WITH THE AD HOC LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE AND ADVANCE TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION OF THOSE FINAL PROGRAMS, AND OF COURSE, WE'LL ALSO BE COMMUNICATING TO STAKEHOLDERS AND GETTING THEIR FEEDBACK DURING ALL STAGES OF THE PROCESS.
IF YOU ALL HAVE QUESTIONS OR CARRIE IF YOU WANTED TO ADD ON TO THAT? THANK YOU. THAT WAS VERY BRIEF.
YOU SHOULD HAVE GOT IT ON FRIDAY FOR PRIORITIES FOR THIS COMMITTEE.
PLEASE SPECIFY IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THOSE PRIORITIES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO LEGISLATIVE WHENEVER YOU SUBMIT THOSE TO ME SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF KEEP TWO RUNNING LISTS, BUT WITH THAT SAID, I JUST WANT TO GIVE SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE HEARD HERE AND SOME OF THE DATES AND TIME LINE WITH EXPECTATIONS.
I KNOW THAT WE NEED TO GET THINGS IN AND I AM ALL ABOUT GETTING THINGS EARLIER.
HOWEVER, WHAT I WHAT I DON'T WANT IS FOR ANYONE TO FEEL AN ABRUPT SENSE OF URGENCY THAT PROHIBITS US FROM CONTINUING TO ALLOW THIS TO BE A WORKING DOCUMENT.
YES. CHAIRMAN, AND I WAS GOING TO ADD THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS IS EXPECTED TO MEET ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, AND ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE DRAFT AGENDA RIGHT NOW IS TO TALK ABOUT THIS TIMELINE OF APPROVAL OF LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, AND SO THIS IS VERY MUCH, I WOULD SAY, A NIMBLE, FLUID PROCESS RIGHT NOW WITH THE NUMBER ONE GOAL SIMPLY BEING TO START FAR SOONER THAN WE DID LAST YEAR.
THAT'S IT, AND SO I THINK LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE HAD DONE A CALL TO COUNCILMEMBERS AND DIRECTORS IN MAY, NOT LONG AFTER WE HAD COME TO GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, AND THEN THE COMMITTEES TOOK UP LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES DURING THE FALL, AND YOU ADOPTED YOUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS IN OCTOBER, WHICH LEFT ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS TO GO AND DO OUTREACH WITH LEGISLATORS PRIOR TO THE SESSION STARTING.
[01:50:01]
TO COUNCIL AND I APPRECIATE THAT.I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FINAL APPROVAL AT COUNCIL IS NOT TOO PREMATURE, AND I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE, QUITE FRANKLY, WITH A COMMITTEE OF ONLY FIVE OUT OF 15, THAT WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT AT A FULL COUNCIL TO WEIGH IN AT THIS TIMELINE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SMALL ENOUGH ISSUE FOR US TO ALLOW FOR FIVE MEMBERS TO TAKE THE REINS ON WORKING WITHIN THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES THAT ARE SET BY THE FULL COUNCIL, I BELIEVE IS MORE OF THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT LEGISLATIVE AD HOC COMMITTEE SHOULD BE DOING, NOT SETTING POLICY TIMELINES OR AGENDAS FOR THE ENTIRE BODY.
THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS? MISS SCHULTZ? JUST VERY QUICKLY, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR THIS WOULD ALSO GO FOR THE WE COMMITTEE AS WELL IS TO AS YOU DO YOUR SUCCESSES OF THAT LEGISLATIVE AGENDA SO WE CAN SEE WHICH ONES WE WANT TO RETURN TO AND THEN WHICH ONES NEED TO BE NEW? YES, MA'AM, WE WILL DO THAT.
I'M SORRY. THANK YOU, MISS SCHULTZ.
MISS WILLIS. I JUST WANTED TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE AND HOPEFULLY A SPIRIT OF AGILITY THAT WE WILL LAND ON SOME ITEMS I KNOW AS WE WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT ISSUES ARE POPPING UP ALL THE TIME AND THAT WE NEED TO STAY AGILE.
AND I RECALL LAST YEAR THE DISCUSSION AROUND THE HORSESHOE, AROUND FENTANYL TEST STRIPS AND IT HADN'T BEEN, YOU KNOW, VETTED THE WAY THAT WE HAD BEEN DOING IT BEFORE, BUT THERE WAS HEART FOR PUTTING THIS ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, AND NOW AS WE STAND HERE TODAY, I CAN'T IMAGINE NOT HAVING HAD THAT ITEM ON OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEWEST THING WILL BE THAT MAY POP UP BEFORE US.
CERTAINLY WE NEED TO KEEP STRESSING THIS ITEM, BUT I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT I HOPE WE CAN GAIN AGREEMENT AMONGST COLLEAGUES THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE CAN STILL ENTERTAIN NEW THOUGHTS AS WE MOVE TOWARD 2025.
MESSAGE RECEIVED, AND I WILL SAY, TOO, JUST SPEAKING IN REGARD TO THE INPUT FROM THE COUNCIL AND AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS, AS A MATTER OF PRACTICE IN OUR SHOP, WHENEVER WE SEND OUT LEGISLATIVE MATERIALS FOR THE COMMITTEE OR NOTICES FOR THE COMMITTEE, WE SEND IT TO THE FULL COUNCIL.
EVEN IF YOU DON'T SIT ON THAT COMMITTEE SO THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO BACK TO WHAT MS. WILLIS WAS SAYING IS, YES, FENTANYL TESTING STRIPS, BUT I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT, ESPECIALLY IN THAT SPACE, IS A WHOLE MENU OF STUFF. SO IT IS THAT HARM REDUCTION, AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS? YOU KNOW, FUNDING AND THAT SORT OF STUFF.
SO I GUESS WHAT I'M HEARING IS THIS IS AN ITERATION LIKE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION.
SO WE CAN ALL SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
I HAVE ONE REQUEST FROM YOUR OFFICE, AND THAT IS A FULL COUNCIL BRIEFING ON JUST THE OVERALL PROCESSES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM, FROM A LOT OF MEMBERS WAS THE LAST SESSION, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE GOING FORWARD THAT WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT TIMELINE TO INCREASE EFFECTIVENESS, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT PROCESS.
THE PROCESS WAS FLAWED IN MANY WAYS, AND I BELIEVE IT PREVENTED MEMBERS FROM GETTING TO SEE CERTAIN THINGS THROUGH THAT WAS APPROVED ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
SO WE NEED TO TAKE UP THAT CONVERSATION AS A FULL BODY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO YOU, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT MAY REQUIRE US TO ALSO TAKE UP POTENTIAL RULE CHANGES THAT ARE NOT BOUND BY THE CHARTER, BUT INSTEAD BY OUR CITY COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE WITH BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO THESE PRIORITIES, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAINTAIN THE FACT THAT WE ARE A BODY OF 15.
[01:55:07]
HAPPENED TOO OFTEN LAST TIME, AND THERE WAS TOO MUCH AUTONOMY GIVEN TO CHAIR SPECIFICALLY IN THE ROLE OF THE AD HOC.INSTEAD OF ALLOWING FOR THE BODY TO WEIGH IN ON THE PROCESSES THAT TOOK PLACE, WE HAD DELEGATION DOWN IN AUSTIN THAT WAS ASKING FOR OUR CITY TO TAKE STANCES ON CERTAIN THINGS, BUT INSTEAD WE HAD TO BYPASS SOME OF THE INNER POLITICS WITHIN OUR OWN BODY, AND TO ME, THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS PROGRAM SHOULD BE SET UP OR DESIGNED TO DO.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SET A TONE GOING INTO THE NEXT SESSION, ESPECIALLY WITH AN EARLIER TIMELINE THAT WE ALL HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE CAN BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS AS A BODY OF 15.
I WOULD SAY THERE'S OFTENTIMES A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ABOUT HOW COMMUNICATIONS SHOULD COME FORWARD, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REFLECT ON FROM STAFF AND WOULD LOVE TO VISIT THAT AND PRESENT THAT TO THE COMMITTEE AS WELL AND THE COUNCIL AS WELL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S BRIEFING.
IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE FROM MEMBERS, THE TIME IS NOW 10:57 AND THE MEETING OF QUALITY OF
LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.