Sep 20, 2023 Council Briefing

OTHER ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? ITEM THREE. MR. MAYOR, THERE ARE NO FURTHER SPEAKERS.

THANK YOU.

A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING AT THIS POINT.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

ANY DISCUSSION IS NECESSARY ON THAT, RIGHT? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE? ANY OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. THE HEARING IS CLOSED.

NEXT ITEM, MR.

[3.A. 23-2291 FY 2023-24 Budget discussion and potential amendments *For Briefing A budget purposes, the City Council will be sitting as a Committee of the Whole. 23-2291]

MAYOR, YOUR BRIEFING BRIEFING CONTINUES.

WONDERFUL. I THINK WE TURNED IT OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER NOW, MR. CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL CHOCOLATE SUIT.

YOU GO FOR IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING.

YOUR FIRST BRIEFING TODAY IS THE FINAL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET PRIOR TO YOUR APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET ORDINANCE LATER THIS MORNING. IT HAS BEEN A LENGTHY PROCESS, AND I WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT, THE DIALOG, AS WELL AS THANKING THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ENGAGED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

AND THANK YOU TO THE STAFF THAT HAVE WORKED ON THIS BUDGET UP TO THIS POINT.

WE HAVE RECEIVED FIVE ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS MORNING.

MAYOR, I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO YOU TO WORK THROUGH THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND THEN WE WILL HAVE SEVERAL ACTION ITEMS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.

MAYOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. CITY MANAGER. OKAY.

SINCE THERE ARE SO FEW, I DON'T THINK WE NEED ANY SPECIAL PROCESS.

WE CAN JUST GO IN THE ORDER THAT THEY ARE PRINTED ON THIS DOCUMENT THAT I JUST RECEIVED THE LATEST VERSION OF THIS.

THAT HAS AT THE BOTTOM OF FY 24 AMENDMENTS FOR NINE 2023.

THAT'S THE ONE I'M WORKING FROM.

SO WE'LL JUST GO IN ORDER.

AND IF YOU ARE THE AMENDMENT AUTHOR, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR PROPOSED AMENDMENT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION.

IF THERE IS A SECOND FOR IT, THEN YOU WILL HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THE NORMAL FIVE THREE, ONE WILL DO THAT.

AND SO THAT'S HOW WE'LL PROCEED.

SO AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE.

MR.. CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR A MOTION.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. MOTION TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT.

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I COULD END UP WITHDRAWING THIS.

BUT I AT THIS POINT, BASED ON THE INFORMATION I HAVE, I DON'T THINK THAT I'M GOING TO DO THAT.

SO I'LL START WITH MR. IRELAND. MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS AMENDMENT, ACTUALLY OF THE BUDGET ITEM AS IT WAS PRESENTED ON PAGE 146 OF THE BUDGET BINDER, IS IT A REALLOCATION OF $190,000 IN COST SAVINGS FROM SOME OTHER PART WITHIN OAC? AND IT IS TO PAY FOR A MOVE AND FOR SIX MONTHS OF RENT IN A FACILITY THEY WOULD BE MOVING INTO? IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING? THANK YOU, MR. WEST.

JACK IRELAND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND YES, SIR, THAT WAS THE INTENT IN THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION TO RELOCATE FROM THE MAJESTIC THEATER TO IDENTIFY SPACE.

THERE WAS FUNDING INCLUDED IN THE $190,000 FOR RENT.

I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES AND I WOULD ASK THAT EITHER LIZ OR MARTIN MIGHT WANT TO ADD TO THAT ABOUT THE CURRENT STATUS.

OKAY. IF YOU WOULD ALLOW.

NO, I WOULD WELCOME THAT.

AND. BUT SINCE I'VE GOT YOU UP HERE ALREADY.

SO IF THE SIX MONTHS OF RENT WAS INCLUDED IN THE 190,000, WHAT WAS CONTEMPLATED FOR RENT AFTER THAT? SO THEN IT WOULD GO INTO THE NEXT YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 25, WHERE THERE WOULD BE FUNDING FOR A FULL YEAR.

OKAY. SO THE WAY THIS WAS LIKE IT WAS LAID OUT, EXPECTING TO MOVE HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO IDENTIFY A LOCATION TO MOVE TO GO THROUGH THE MOVE, ANY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NEW SPACE THAT MIGHT BE NECESSARY, ETCETERA.

SO IT WAS ANTICIPATED A HALF YEAR OF RENT.

BUT AGAIN, I BELIEVE THE PLANS HAVE CHANGED AND WOULD DEFER TO THE DEPARTMENT.

OKAY, GREAT. GOOD MORNING, MARTIN PHILIPPE, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.

IS THAT BETTER? ALL RIGHT.

SO, YES, OUR PLANS HAVE CHANGED.

AT THE TIME WHEN WE WERE CONSIDERING THE NEED TO RELOCATE, THERE WERE SEVERAL ISSUES THAT CAME TO BE.

OUR STAFF HAS GROWN OVER TIME.

THE MAJESTIC THEATER IS CURRENTLY CONFIGURED FOR 19 BODIES AND WE'RE HOVERING RIGHT AT 30.

AND SO, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE DON'T FIT THERE.

AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO BE REALLY STRATEGIC AND FLEXIBLE ABOUT THE WAY WE APPROACH WORKING TOGETHER IN THAT OFFICE SPACE.

[01:10:06]

SOME OF YOU ARE ALSO AWARE THAT THE MAJESTIC THEATER HAS SOME NOTED IMPROVEMENTS VERY NECESSARY RELATED TO ADA REPAIRS AND THE LIKE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY OUR ADMIN FLOORS, THE THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH FLOORS, WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT OF THE FACILITY. THAT ASSESSMENT TOOK PLACE IN 2020.

OF COURSE, I WAS NOT PRESENT AND HAD I BEEN, OF COURSE I WOULD WANT THE ENTIRE BUILDING TO HAVE BEEN FOLDED UP AND ROLLED UP INTO THAT ASSESSMENT.

WHEN WE INQUIRED WITH BSD AND THE REAL ESTATE DIVISION, WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOT CURRENTLY SUITABLE SPACE FOR OUR STAFF AND THAT WE WERE IN LINE BEHIND SEVERAL REQUESTS, WHICH WE UNDERSTOOD AND AT THAT TIME HAD TO DO A BIT OF SCENARIO MODEL PLANNING.

WORST CASE SCENARIO, BEST CASE SCENARIO, WE DO HAVE A CITY FACILITY AND HOME TO LAND IN AND THAT WILL TRANSPIRE IN ABOUT THREE FISCAL YEARS.

AND SO OUR INTENT OVER THE NEXT FEW AND WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THIS BIENNIAL BUDGET HAVE TO DO WITH, NUMBER ONE, ADDRESSING THE ASSESSMENT AND VALUATION THAT'S NECESSARY ON THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE FLOORS BECAUSE WE DON'T FIT.

WE HAVE TO REALLY BE CONSIDERATE ABOUT HOW WE USE THOSE FLOORS TO BETTER SUIT OUR CULTURAL ARTS STAKEHOLDERS.

SO THE VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE MAJESTIC ADMIN FLOORS IS THAT WE PREPARE THEM FOR THE USE OF OUR CULTURAL ARTS STAKEHOLDERS WHO NEED MAKERSPACE EXHIBITION SPACE, OFFICE SPACE.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S NOTED AND ROOTED IN THE CULTURAL PLAN.

SO THAT'S THE FUTURE FOR THE SPACE.

AND AGAIN, WE INTEND TO LAND IN A CITY FACILITY AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING THE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THE ADMIN SPACE AS IT IS, IS READY TO RECEIVE THOSE CULTURAL STAKEHOLDERS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE CONTEXT.

THANK YOU. IS SO IS THE BUDGET THE 190,000 AND PART OF THAT WAS GOING TO GO TO THE SIX MONTHS OF RENT.

WAS THAT ANTICIPATED TO PAY FOR RENT AT A CITY FACILITY OR A DIFFERENT FACILITY? SO WE NO LONGER INTEND OR PLAN TO INCUR RENT.

INSTEAD, WE HAVE A THREE FOLD APPROACH TO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO WITH THAT $190,000.

THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T OFFICE AT THE MAJESTIC MAY NOT KNOW THAT OUR STAFF INCURS AN EXPENSE OF RIGHT AROUND $150 A MONTH TO PARK AT THE LOCAL LOTS.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PARKING DECKS AND A SURFACE LOT, AND THAT ROUGHLY LANDS US AT 150 BUCKS A MONTH TO PARK COMPARED TO OUR COLLEAGUES HERE AT CITY HALL WHO PAY ABOUT 30 BUCKS.

SO WE INTEND TO USE ABOUT $42,000 TO OFFER A TRANSPORTATION STIPEND OR PARKING STIPEND JUST TO COVER US FOR THESE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AS WE WAIT TO TRANSITION OUT.

SO THAT'S ONE FOLD.

THE NEXT FOLD HAS TO DO WITH ROUTINE MAINTENANCE.

WE HAVE SOME HVAC AND WATER INCURSION ISSUES THAT WE'D LIKE TO ADDRESS.

WE DO WANT TO PAY.

SOME OF YOU ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE SOLE ELEVATOR ISSUES AT THE MAJESTIC AND WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ASSESSING.

THE FUNCTIONING OF THAT SOUL ELEVATOR TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.

BECAUSE IF YOU'VE EVER SCHEDULED TIME TO COME VISIT US, THERE ARE TIMES WHERE YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT FIVE FLOOR HIKE BECAUSE ALMOST BI MONTHLY THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THAT SOUL ELEVATOR AND WE WANT TO ADDRESS THAT BEFORE WE MAKE OUR ADMIN FLOORS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE SOME COSTS AND EXPENSES THAT WILL BE INCURRED RELATED TO THE RECONFIGURATION OF THE SPACE, WHETHER THAT'S RELATED TO THE NETWORK AND JUST ENSURING THAT THE SPACE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, INCREASED SETTINGS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE ONLY RECONFIGURING, WE'RE ONLY CONFIGURED FOR 19.

OKAY. WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE DEFINITELY PUT SOME THOUGHT INTO IT.

AND THE 190, I MEAN, IT'S JUST DIFFERENT NOW THAN IT WAS WHEN IT WAS PRESENTED TO US.

SO I'M TRYING TO ABSORB THIS AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE.

AND IF WE COULD, BEFORE I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE JUST SAYING, OKAY, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW THIS.

TO GO INTO A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU BROUGHT UP AND WE DEFINITELY MAJESTIC'S A BEAUTIFUL SPACE AND WE WANT YOUR OFFICE TO HAVE ADA ACCESSIBILITY AND GOOD PLACE TO WORK, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DESERVES IN THE CITY.

AND SO I AM SYMPATHETIC TO THAT TO TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THE MAJESTIC ELEVATOR.

I THINK WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO FIX THAT.

THAT'S. IT NEEDS TO WORK AND BE BE ADA ACCESSIBLE FOR SURE.

YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAVE NIGHT SPACE FOR 19 PEOPLE AND IT'S HARD TO FIT ALL 30 IN THERE.

HOW WHAT'S YOUR BREAKDOWN OF PEOPLE WHO WORK VIRTUALLY VERSUS IN PERSON? AND THEN WHAT'S THE I MEAN, HOW OFTEN DO YOU HAVE ALL 30 IN YOUR OFFICE? IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE.

YOU KNOW, I'M ABOUT NINE MONTHS OLD NOW AS DIRECTOR OF THAT OFFICE.

AND WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED ARE TWO SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES.

[01:15:02]

WITH REGARD TO THE 30 FOLKS, WE ONLY HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE WHO HAS A DESIGNATION OR PERMISSION IN A SENSE TO WORK FROM HOME. THE REST OF US ARE ESSENTIALLY OFFICE STAFF.

I'VE HAD TO BE FLEXIBLE IN TRANSITION AS A LEADER TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE SCHEDULING AND MAKING IT WORK, BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T SUIT US BEST TO NOT BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM.

AND MY VISION IS THAT WE HAVE A SPACE THAT ENCOURAGES THE TYPE OF COLLABORATION THAT IS NECESSARY FOR US TO SEE THIS CULTURAL PLAN THROUGH.

I JUST, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW YOUR DEPARTMENT LIKE YOU DO, BUT I JUST ENVISION HAVING THE FOLKS WHO WORK IN THE CULTURAL ARTS SHOULD BE OUT IN THE PUBLIC MEETING WITH THE ARTISTS AND ON SITE AND NOT NECESSARILY IN AN OFFICE.

THAT'S KIND OF THE STRUGGLE I'M HAVING RIGHT NOW.

IF. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THIS 190,000 WAS NOT ALLOCATED TO YOUR OFFICE FOR THE MOVE AND INSTEAD IT WAS GIVEN TO ARTISTS FOR GRANTS? I MEAN, WOULD YOU JUST CONTINUE OPERATING AS YOU CURRENTLY DO? WELL, IF I COULD DOUBLE BACK TO THE SOURCE OF FUNDS AND THAT COST SAVINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE, THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS DIRECTED TO INCREASE OUR FUNDING PROGRAMS, ARTS, ACTIVATE THE COMMUNITY ARTISTS PROGRAM.

AND ALSO WE'RE HOPING WITH YOUR APPROVAL THAT WE CAN LAUNCH A CAPACITY BUILDING COHORT.

SO AGAIN, THE 190 IS REALLY A SMALL PORTION OF THAT LARGE SOURCE OF FUNDS, AND WE PRIORITIZED OUR CULTURAL ARTS STAKEHOLDERS AND ENSURING THAT THE MAJORITY OF THAT WOULD GO TO THEM AND THAT WE COULD USE THAT SMALL PORTION.

I THINK IT'S AWESOME THAT YOU FOUND THE COST SAVINGS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR DOING THAT AND ALSO KUDOS FOR GIVING THAT THE LARGE PORTION TO ARTISTS.

I THINK IN THE STRUGGLING COMING BACK FROM COVID, I KNOW ARTS HAVE HAS STRUGGLED WITH THAT AND JUST EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE CAN FIND AVAILABLE FOR ARTISTS AND FOR GRANTS I WOULD WANT TO PUSH OUT THERE VERSUS AN OFFICE MOVE THAT'S GOING TO END UP I UNDERSTAND EVENTUALLY YOU'LL END UP IN THE CONVENTION CENTER PROBABLY OR IN SOME OTHER LOCATION.

SO HAVING A MOVE NOW AND ANOTHER MOVE LATER.

I JUST DON'T SEE IT AS A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE USE.

AND THAT'S JUST THAT'S JUST ME.

SO I WANT TO HEAR MY COLLEAGUES QUESTIONS ON THIS AND THOUGHTS.

AND MAYBE I'M MISSING SOMETHING, BUT I'LL SAVE IT FOR THE NEXT ROUND.

MS.. BLACKMON, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. OKAY, SO I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED.

ARE YOU MOVING OR ARE YOU NOT MOVING? WE WILL BE MOVING, BUT NOT WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THIS BIENNIAL BUDGET SEASON.

NOT IN THESE TWO FISCAL YEARS.

OKAY, SO YOU ARE MOVING, BUT YOU'RE NOT USING THIS MONEY TO MOVE.

YOU'RE USING THIS MONEY TO MAKE A CHANGES IN YOUR CURRENT CONFIGURATION.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY. DID THAT JUST KIND OF CHANGE IN THE LAST WEEK? NO. OKAY.

SO BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS THAT THERE WAS A MOVE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN WITH THIS.

SO THERE'S A LITTLE CONFUSION.

THE CONFIGURATIONS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO MAKE, WILL IT ALLOW ALL 330 PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN YOUR SPACE OR IS IT JUST TO GET THE ELEVATORS RUNNING? WE INTEND TO MAKE THE ADMIN FLOORS AVAILABLE FOR OUR CULTURAL ARTS STAKEHOLDERS TO USE.

YEAH, I'M TALKING ABOUT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

AND SO WE WANT TO INVEST THOSE FUNDS TO PREPARE THE SPACE FOR THOSE FOLKS TO USE.

WE DON'T INTEND TO STAY IN OFFICE AT.

I KNOW THAT. BUT YOU JUST SAID YOU'RE NOT MOVING FOR TWO YEARS, SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE SITTING THERE FOR TWO YEARS.

SO ARE YOU CONFIGURING THE SPACE FOR Y'ALL TO SIT THERE FOR TWO YEARS? WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BE STRATEGIC ABOUT HOW WE FIT INTO THAT SPACE UNTIL OUR NEXT CITY FACILITY IS READY, BECAUSE, AS I NOTED, 30 OF US DON'T CURRENTLY FIT THERE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK IN A HYBRID FORMAT IN A SENSE.

SO THIS 190,000 IS NOT GOING TO GET YOU ALL 30 IN THE SPACE.

NO. OKAY.

SO THEN AND I'M KIND OF WHAT ARE YOU BUYING WITH THE 190? SO $42,000 WILL AFFORD THE STAFF WHO OFFICE AT THE MAJESTIC WITH A TRANSPORTATION OR PARKING STIPEND TO AT LEAST BUILD IN THAT EQUITY SO THAT THEY'RE NOT PAYING ANY MORE THAN OTHER STAFF MEMBERS.

WE'VE CARVED OUT ABOUT $58,000 TO ADDRESS SOME MAINTENANCE NEEDS.

ON THOSE ADMIN FLOORS.

AND THEN THE REMAINING WE WANT TO PUT TOWARD, NUMBER ONE, EVALUATING AND ASSESSING.

LIKE I MENTIONED, WE WERE LEFT OUT OF THAT ADA EVALUATION THAT WAS CONDUCTED ON THE PUBLIC FACING WHAT FOLKS REFER TO AS THE PUBLIC, FACING SPACES OF THE MAJESTIC, ENSURING THAT ASSESSMENT IS COMPLETE AND ENSURING THAT WE CAN MAKE ANY NECESSARY RECONFIGURATION TO THE SPACE IN PREPARATION FOR

[01:20:05]

CULTURAL STAKEHOLDER USE.

SO TRYING TO FILL OUT SO 90,000 TO THE EVALUATION.

FORGIVE ME. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. SORRY.

90,000. OKAY.

SO AND THIS SHOULD BE AND THIS IS WHAT'S TAKING PLACE FOR THIS WITH THIS 190.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY.

NOW BACK TO THE WHERE WE'RE GETTING THE MONEY, I GUESS IT WAS IN IN A REPORT OF MEDIA REPORT THAT IT'S FROM THE MIOCENE SAVINGS.

ARE WE AWARE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE MEYERSON AND THE LACK OF OR FORTUNATELY, I GET PEOPLE DO LIVE IN MY DISTRICT AND I GET STOPPED WHEN I GO EAT AND THEY'RE ASKING ME, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET, YOU KNOW, THE THERE'S CERTAIN THERE'S A LIST OF ITEMS. SO I'M WONDERING HOW CAN THAT I MEAN, HOW HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO MOVE FROM THE SAVINGS OF THE MEYERSONS WHEN WE STILL HAVE TO GET THOSE LIST OF ITEMS DONE, BUT THEN TRANSFER IT OVER TO WHICH ARE NEEDED INTO THIS SPACE? I'M GOING TO BEGIN TO RESPOND AND I HOPE THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WILL STOP ME IF I OVERSTEP BECAUSE WE ARE ENGAGED WITH THE.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A LAWSUIT, THOUGH, BUT JUST I DON'T WANT TO OVERSTEP.

HOWEVER, I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT, OF COURSE, THE CITY HAS A CONTRACT WITH THE MEYERSON TO TRANSITION THAT THAT FACILITY.

CORRECT. AND THERE'S A SIX YEAR PLAN TO TRANSITION OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT FACILITY TO THAT ORGANIZATION IN A WAY FROM THE CITY.

SO WE'RE APPROACHING YEAR THREE AND OUR COST SAVINGS ROOTED IN THAT CONTRACT IS A SOURCE OF FUNDS THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING.

SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE MATTERS THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO ARE RELATED TO 2017 BOND AND NOT RELATED TO THIS CONTRACT AT ALL.

COMPLETELY SEPARATE MATTER.

I THINK THERE'S ONLY ONE.

OKAY. COMPLETELY SEPARATE MATTER AND NOT RELATED TO THIS BUDGET OR THAT PARTICULAR CONTRACT BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S SOME FLOODING THAT'S HAPPENING BETWEEN THE PARK AND THERE AND THEN THE VALET ISSUE, WHICH IS ANOTHER ISSUE.

BUT I GUESS IF YOU'RE SAVING MONEY, BUT WE HAVEN'T FULFILLED THE CONTRACT IN WHICH WE'VE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO AND WE'RE IN YEAR THREE.

WHAT IS THE PLAN TO GET IT ALL IN COMPLIANCE ON THE CITY SIDE? SEPARATE FROM WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING RELATED TO THE BUDGET AND THE COST SAVINGS WE'RE IN DISCUSSION.

WE NEED TO REIN IT IN JUST A BIT.

COUNCILWOMAN I'M SORRY.

OKAY. BUT THE SORTS OF FUNDS THAT SHE'S USING HERE DOES AFFECT THIS.

AND SO EITHER I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, ARE WE PLANNING TO COMMIT OUR OUR END OF THE BARGAIN WITH THESE SORTS OF FUNDS AT A FACILITY, AS I'VE NOTED, COUNCILWOMAN, THEY ARE TWO SEPARATE MATTERS, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S UP FOR INTERPRETATION BASED ON FOLKS OPINIONS AND PERSPECTIVE.

BUT THESE ARE VERY SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT MATTERS AND WE ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS THAT THE MEYERSON HAS ABOUT THE CONTRACT AND THEIR UNDERSTANDING.

AND WE'RE DEEPLY ROOTED IN AND EXCITED ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR OUR BUDGET AS IT RELATES TO THE PHASED OUT FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TIED TO AND NOTED THROUGHOUT THAT CONTRACT.

SO IF THIS FAILS, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET YOUR PARKING YOUR AND THE REST OF THE MONEY? WHERE WOULD YOU GO FIND IT? WHERE WOULD I GO FIND IT? BECAUSE IF THIS OR IT PASSES, I'M SORRY.

IF IT MOVES TO IF THE 190 ACTUALLY GOES BACK TO ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND YOU'VE STILL GOT TO PAY FOR PARKING AND YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK FOR AN EVALUATION PLAN AND SOME MAINTENANCE, WHERE WOULD YOU FIND THAT MONEY? I MEAN, IT WOULD PUT US REALLY IN A NEGATIVE SPACE.

I'M COMING TO YOU TO PRESENT WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE.

AND AS A SOLE REPRESENTATIVE AND DIRECTOR OF MY OFFICE AND I STAND IN DEFENSE OF WHAT OUR EMPLOYEE NEEDS ARE CLEARLY STATED AS NEEDING THAT EQUITY AND PARKING TO REDUCE THE BARRIER TO OFFICE IN THE INTERIM AT THE MAJESTIC.

AND OF COURSE THE NEED FOR THOSE ADMIN FLOORS TO BE WHAT I WOULD ASSUME RIGHTFULLY INCLUDED IN THAT ADA EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT.

AGAIN, IF I WAS PRESENT AT THE TIME IN 2020 WHEN THAT EVALUATION WAS CONDUCTED, I WOULD HAVE ENSURED THAT THE ENTIRE FACILITY WAS EVALUATED AND ASSESSED.

THAT JUST HAPPENED TO NOT TRANSPIRE.

AND I FEEL LIKE A DUE DILIGENCE OF MINE IS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THE COMPLETE FACILITIES NEEDS IN THAT REGARD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

MS.. WILLIS DRAGONESS FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. SO I'M HEARING SOMETHING NEW HERE, CONSIDERING ANOTHER AMENDMENT I HAVE REGARDING THE PARKING STIPEND BEING PART OF THIS.

SO I'M JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED BY THIS.

AND THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE FOR FOUR DAYS.

SO I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED A DISCUSSION AROUND THAT.

BUT. SO.

[01:25:03]

THE GOOD NEWS IS I LIKE THE PLAN I HEAR FOR WHERE THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE COULD BE IN 2 TO 3 YEARS.

THREE YEARS. WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS, HAVING PART OF THAT RENOVATION INCLUDE THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, I WAS PRETTY EXCITED BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE RUNNING $1.2 MILLION OR NOT DOLLARS BUDGET DAY, 1.2 MILLION PEOPLE THROUGH THAT SITE AND OPEN UP CITY HALL PLAZA TO FARMERS MARKET AND HAVING MORE OF THAT STOREFRONT, I COULD I COULD GET THAT BECAUSE WE WANT OUR DALLASITES TO ENJOY THAT NEW SPACE AS WELL.

BUT IN THE INTERIM, IF YOU'VE GOT LIMITED SPACE AND TALKING ABOUT CONVERTING INTO MAKER SPACE AND ALL THAT, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BIGGER PLAN TO ME.

AND THIS IS JUST SORT OF KNEW I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE HEARD FROM MY ARTS COMMISSIONER ABOUT A BIGGER PLAN.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF DIG INTO THE WHOLE MOVE ISSUE.

NOT THAT THEY NEED TO DICTATE ANYTHING, BUT YOU KNOW, OF ALL OF OUR BOARDS, I MEAN, THIS BOARD IS VERY COMMITTED TO THE ARTS COMMUNITY AND BOY, DID WE AWAKEN THEM WITH THIS DISCUSSION BECAUSE I'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF FOLKS IN THAT COMMUNITY.

BUT WHAT I TYPICALLY HEAR FROM THAT COMMUNITY IS THE NEED FOR FUNDS AND THE NEED FOR PERFORMANCE SPACE, WHICH I DON'T KNOW THAT THE THEATER OFFICE IS RECONFIGURED RIGHT NOW WOULD WOULD REALLY SOLVE EITHER OF THOSE.

SO I'M I'M OBVIOUSLY A CO-SPONSOR OF THIS AMENDMENT.

SO I'M IN FAVOR OF TRAINING THIS MONEY BACK TO THE ARTISTS FOR NOW WITH THE LOOK AHEAD OF HOW THIS CAN EVOLVE.

I TO I BELIEVE COUNCILMEMBER WEST BROUGHT UP THE THE NEED TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY.

I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE A DISTRICT OFFICE.

I GO TO COFFEE SHOPS, GAS STATIONS, GROCERY STORES.

THAT'S WHERE I HANG OUT. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK BEING OUT IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY AND USING SOME OF OUR LIBRARY SPACE AND OTHER SPACES THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR MEETINGS AND MAKING IT EASIER FOR OUR ARTS COMMUNITY TO NOT COME DOWNTOWN, I WOULD SEE AS A BENEFIT TO THEM AS WE MOVE TOWARD WHATEVER THIS NEXT MOVE IS. I KNOW THAT'S FRUSTRATING.

I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT TO WORK IN A TIGHT SPACE, BUT I JUST I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS.

THOUGHT THROUGH COMPLETELY AND OPTICALLY AS WELL.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS AROUND THIS AND COMING FORTH WITH THIS AMENDMENT.

SO I OBVIOUSLY AM SUPPORTING IT.

THE CITY MANAGER HAS SOMETHING HE WANTS TO SAY.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND ONE THANK YOU.

MARTIN AND I THINK THE COUNCIL IS CORRECT.

OBVIOUSLY, AS WE'VE EVOLVED FROM THE INITIAL REPRESENTATION AND OR DESCRIPTION OUTLINED IN THE BUDGET AROUND WHAT THE DOLLARS WOULD BE UTILIZED FOR. AND I THINK MARTIN HAS TRIED TO CLARIFY, I THINK THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT THE REEVALUATED PURPOSE OF THE FUNDING IS.

AND I THINK AND I CAN APPRECIATE OBVIOUSLY PUTTING MORE RESOURCES OUT ONE INTO THE PUBLIC AND TALKING ABOUT CREATING ADDITIONAL SPACES OUT, PARTICULARLY CONSISTENT WITH OUR CULTURAL PLAN WITH THESE RESOURCES.

BUT I THINK TO THE POINT THAT MARTIN WAS TRYING TO MAKE THAT I WOULD HOPE PEOPLE AROUND THIS DAIS APPRECIATE THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT FROM THE FACILITY DEFICITS TO TO WHAT WASN'T LOOKED AT AND RECEIVED.

I THINK IT'S FOR HER TO ARTICULATE THAT AND SHARE THAT.

AND I THINK FOR THAT TO FALL, I GUESS, TO THE WAYSIDE BECAUSE AGAIN, OF THE OPTICS OF WHAT THIS MAY BE AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN WE NEED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS, I GUESS, IN THIS BUILDING ON CERTAIN FLOORS THAT INCLUDE FOUR AND FIVE, THE DISCUSSION ABOUT MAKING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS AND THE NEEDS FOR OUR STAFF AND THE SPACE FOR THEM IS NOT THEN I GUESS, INTERTWINED WITH OTHER NEEDS IN THE CITY, I WOULD SAY.

AND SO I THINK FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF HER 30 STAFF MEMBERS AND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THEY COULD LOCATE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE SAY IT IN THE SAME SENTENCE THAT THERE IS NO SPACE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, EVEN FOR THE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS TO ACTUALLY WORK IN.

AND AGAIN, I THINK PERSPECTIVE AROUND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS.

IF YOU SAY FROM A POLICY POLICY PERSPECTIVE, HEY, WE NEED MORE MONEY AND FUNDING FOR ARTS, I THINK SHE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED THAT DOES EXIST.

I THINK THE DISCUSSIONS THE COUNCILWOMAN BLACKMON RAISED ARE DEFINITELY THINGS, PARTICULARLY IF WE COMMITTED TO THEM AS PARTS OF AGREEMENTS THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE FULFILL THOSE. AND AGAIN, UNRELATED SPECIFICALLY TO THIS 190.

AND SO I THINK THE DISCUSSION AND HOPEFULLY THE CONCLUSION OF THE DISCUSSION IS, YOU KNOW, DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THE FUNDS ARE NOW AS INTENDED? DO YOU SUPPORT THOSE THINGS? AND YOU CAN'T SAY YOU SUPPORT DOING THOSE THINGS AND NOT THEN PROVIDING THE RESOURCES TO GO AND DO THEM.

[01:30:01]

AND THE QUESTION ABOUT WHERE WOULD SHE FIND THAT MONEY? MONEY IS JUST NOT FOUND.

IT HAS TO COME FROM ANOTHER PLACE AND OR FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IN THEIR ORGANIZATION OR SOMEWHERE MORE BROADLY IN THIS ORGANIZATION.

AND SO THIS WHOLE BUDGET CONVERSATION, NOT JUST TODAY, BUT THE ENTIRETY OF IT, I THINK HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT AS IT RELATES TO PRIORITIES AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT AND WHAT'S NOT.

AND I OFTEN HEAR ABOUT ADA IMPROVEMENTS, I GUESS, FOR FOLK TO TRANSITION AROUND THE CITY, AROUND SIDEWALKS AND CURB CUTS.

BUT WHEN OUR OWN EMPLOYEES MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET INTO THEIR OWN BUILDING TO DO WORK, THEN I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY TAKE STOCK IN THE FACT THAT WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO THAT AND FIND A WAY IF WE NEED TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE THEM.

BUT AGAIN, I THINK TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $190,000.

EITHER YOU WANT TO FUND THE ARTS MORE OR YOU WANT TO ALLOW STAFF TO LAY OUT THEIR PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM WHAT THEY SEE AND WHO THEY OPERATE AND WHO WORK WITH, WHO KNOW BEST WHAT THE NEEDS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE.

WE NEED TO GIVE SOME, I GUESS, BIT OF APPRECIATION FOR THE DIRECTOR AND HER TEAM'S UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS OR IS NOT HAPPENING AND WHAT SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.

AND I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONERS, I APPRECIATE ARTICLES, I APPRECIATE THE WORLD'S SENTIMENT ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD DO WITH THOSE RESOURCES.

BUT THEY DON'T WORK IN THE SPACE.

THEY DON'T DEAL WITH THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES THAT THE STAFF DOES.

AND THEY DIDN'T SPEND THREE MONTHS LOOKING AT THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR BUDGET TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE DOLLARS MIGHT NEED TO GO.

AND SO, AGAIN, I THINK AS WE TALK TODAY, AT LEAST LET THAT BE SOME UNDERSTANDING THAT I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RIGHTFULLY ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS ARE DOING THE BEST THAT THEY CAN TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPEND THEIR RESOURCES ON.

AND ULTIMATELY IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, NO ONE ALONG THIS DAIS, EVEN ME, SIT BEHIND THE DESK OR HAVE TO TALK TO EMPLOYEES WHO WON IN THIS CASE, HAVE TO WALK UP FIVE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS AND OR CAN'T AFFORD TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO PARK.

AND IT'S COMING DIRECTLY OUT OF OTHER AREAS IN THEIR LIFE.

SO AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IN CONTEXT AND WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME OBVIOUSLY ON $190,000.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHEN WE GET TO THE MUCH LARGER ISSUES, BUT WE'RE INTO OPERATIONAL ISSUES AND EXECUTIVE DECISIONS IN THE POLICY MATTER IS DO WE WANT TO SPEND MORE MONEY OUT WITH ARTS ORGANIZATIONS? BUT DRILLING DOWN INTO WHO SITS WHERE, HOW THE OFFICE IS CONFIGURED, I THINK IS WAY, WAY, WAY DOWN IN THE WEEDS.

AND I WOULD JUST APPRECIATE IT IF WE COULD ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION OR AT LEAST DIRECT THOSE QUESTIONS TO ME SO THAT I'M PROBABLY UNABLE TO ANSWER THEM, JUST LIKE MANY FOLK MIGHT BE, EXCEPT FOR THE DIRECTORS BEING ABLE TO ANSWER THEM.

BUT SHE'S ANSWERED THOSE QUESTIONS AND.

I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD GIVE HER THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.

ONE SINCE SHE'S NINE MONTHS NEW, BUT HAS A GRASP OF WHAT SHE BELIEVES THE ORGANIZATION NEEDS AND OBVIOUSLY HAS DONE THIS IN OTHER PLACES AND HAS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ARTS COMMUNITY AT A BROAD LEVEL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

CHAIRMAN MORENO, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK CHAIRMAN WEST FOR THE QUESTION.

I DID HAVE ABOUT HOW MANY EMPLOYEES WERE HIRED AND HOW MANY WERE WORKING IN THE OFFICE.

WHEN IT COMES TO PARKING, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE CURRENT PARKING SITUATION? WHERE ARE STAFF MEMBERS PARKING CURRENTLY? SO THERE ARE TWO PARKING DECKS ON ELM STREET AND A SURFACE LOT ALSO OFF OF ELM STREET.

SURROUNDING AND ADJACENT TO THE MAJESTIC THEATER, SOME NEWLY ONBOARDED STAFF MEMBERS AT TIMES ARE ENCOURAGED AND INVITED TO SIGN A CONTRACT WITH THOSE ADJACENT PARKING GARAGES, AND THAT'S TO THE TUNE OF SOMETIMES $1,500 ANNUALLY. AND WE JUST WANT TO MOVE AWAY FROM HAVING FOLKS PAYING SUCH A LARGE EXPENSE.

RIGHT. AND THAT INCLUDES OUR LATER TRANSITION, TOO.

WE'RE LOOKING AT ENSURING THAT THERE IS NO INCREASE UPCHARGE IN COMPARISON TO OUR COLLEAGUES HERE AT CITY HALL.

SO THE SURFACE LOT, I BELIEVE, IS FOR THE FULL DAY, $10 PER DAY IF YOU WERE JUST GOING TO PAY DAILY.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S ROUGHLY $150 A MONTH FOR FOLKS.

SURE. THANK YOU. AND I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS.

BUT WHAT I WOULD ASK IF THIS HASN'T BEEN DONE ALREADY IS TO HAVE AN EVALUATION.

THERE ARE SEVERAL SURFACE PARKING LOTS WITHIN THE TWO THREE BLOCK PROXIMITY TO THIS THEATER IF THERE IS ANY SORT OF.

CONTRACT THAT CAN BE EXECUTED IF WE HAVE AN EXCESS OF 30 EMPLOYEES THAT WE'RE GETTING RATHER THAN ONE OFFS.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD THOSE NEGOTIATIONS ARE INITIATING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ENTITIES THAT OWN SOME OF THOSE LOCAL PARKING GARAGES AND SURFACE LOTS, EVEN FOR FUTURE USE, TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME DEDICATED PARKING SPACES DOWN THE LINE FOR THE THEATER IN SUPPORT OF NOT ONLY CITY STAFF, BUT ALSO THE CULTURAL ARTS STAKEHOLDERS WHO WILL HAVE ACCESS, REGULAR ACCESS TO THE BUILDING IN THE FUTURE.

[01:35:06]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

CHAIRWOMAN SCHULZ THANKING US FOR FIVE MINUTES.

I WILL NOT BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS AMENDMENT FOR SEVERAL REASONS.

FIRST OF ALL, FOR THE ISSUES REGARDING THE MYERSON, THIS ISSUE, THIS AMENDMENT DOES NOT SOLVE ANY OF THOSE CONCERNS THAT WE MAY HAVE GOTTEN FROM SUPPORTERS OF THIS.

SO THAT'S OFF THE TABLE.

IT HAS ITS OWN CHALLENGES.

WE WILL DEAL WITH IT OR IT WILL COME FORWARD.

SECOND, THIS ACTUALLY LEVERAGES FUNDING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND LATER WHEN THE OFFICES OF THE MAJESTIC ARE GOING TO BE TRANSITIONED INTO THE EXACT KIND OF ART SUPPORT THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING DOUBLE OUR MONEY ON THIS.

THIRD, WE HAVE TO FIX THE ELEVATOR.

WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS ADA COMPLIANT.

IT'S WE CAN'T NOT DO THAT.

FINALLY, ON THE PARKING PIECE, WE ANY EMPLOYER IN TOWN IS PROVIDING PARKING FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.

WE TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME IN TERMS OF CURB MANAGEMENT.

AND TO HAVE A BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE OFFICE, THE DISCRIMINATION WITHIN OUR OWN CITY EMPLOYEE BASE OF WHAT SOME EMPLOYEES PAY AND OTHERS DO NOT, I THINK IS INAPPROPRIATE.

AND I'VE HEARD SOME QUIPS OF, YOU KNOW, WE'LL LET THEM TAKE DART, WE'LL LET THEM WALK OR WHATEVER.

THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF EMPLOYEE SUPPORT THAT I BELIEVE THAT THIS COUNCIL SHOULD STAND FOR.

SO BOTTOM LINE IS, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THERE'S THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, REALLY SCRUTINIZING THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT, BUT I DO NOT THINK IT'S A GOOD AMENDMENT, NOR IS IT A MESSAGE OF SUPPORT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, NOR IS IT A MENTION, NOR IS IT FORWARD THINKING, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO BE GETTING THE SPACE THAT WE WILL HAVE FOR OUR FUTURE ARTS USE AT THE MAJESTIC.

THANK YOU. KEVIN BAZALDUA IS RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS REGARDING, I GUESS, WHERE THE OPPOSITION IS.

I FIRST WILL JUST START WITH SAYING I DON'T SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT.

I THINK THAT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF MICROMANAGEMENT VERSUS ACTUALLY DEALING WITH OUR JOB AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.

VERY, VERY SELDOM DO WE SEE AMENDMENTS DIG DOWN INTO THE WEEDS LIKE THIS INTO DEPARTMENTS.

AND WHEN WE SEE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITH THIS PROPOSED BUDGET TO PASS, HAVING, FOR INSTANCE, $50,000 BUDGETED FOR FURNITURE FOR THE DEPARTMENT, WHY WE ARE PICKING THIS OUT IS BEYOND ME.

BUT SUPPORTING OUR ARTS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT I AM COMMITTED TO AND I WANT TO STICK WITH THAT.

WITH THAT SAID, CAN WE TALK ABOUT WHERE THE OPPOSITION IS COMING FROM, THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HURT OUR ARTISTS? CAN YOU TALK A BIT ABOUT YOUR BUDGET THERE AND WHERE THAT COMES FROM, PLEASE? THERE SEEMS. YES, SIR.

AND THANK YOU. THERE SEEMS TO BE A MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE SOURCE OF FUNDS AND OUR OFFICES HAS BEEN IN RECEIPT OF CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT.

AND ONCE WE'RE ABLE TO FURNISH THE CLARIFICATION, OUR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT OUR STAKEHOLDERS ARE UNDERSTANDING AND CLEAR ABOUT OUR INTENT TO USE THAT POCKET OF FUNDING IN THE WAY WE INTEND TO USE IT.

SO THE CONFUSION HAS BEEN THAT WE ARE TAKING FUNDS THAT WERE HISTORICALLY GIVEN AS GRANT FUNDS, FOR EXAMPLE.

AND DECIDING TO REALLOCATE AND USE THEM IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

AND THAT IS NOT THE CASE.

AND WHEN THAT MIS REPRESENTATION OF WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED WAS WAS BROUGHT FORTH, WAS THAT REALLY REFERRING TO THE 10% OF HOT TAX THAT WE WOULD BE ALLOCATING TO THE ARTS? NO, THE COMMUNICATE, THE CONFUSION SEEMED TO COME FROM THE PHRASE CONTRACTUAL ARTS SERVICES AND THAT NOT BEING AS CLEAR TO THE LAYMAN, FOR EXAMPLE, AS IT MIGHT BE TO INTERNAL STAFF.

THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

I KNOW YOU ARE STILL NEW HERE.

THIS IS YOUR FIRST BUDGET SEASON, SO I GUESS IT'S A RITE OF PASSAGE FOR YOU TO COME THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF A BEATING DURING THIS PROCESS.

HOWEVER, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALLY REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE TO INVEST IN PEOPLE.

THIS IS THESE ARE THIS IS THE LIFELINE TO ALL OF THE ARTISTS THAT THAT THE OPPOSITION IS EXPRESSING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF.

IF WE'RE NOT SUPPORTING THE STAFF THAT IS THE ARM THAT'S SUPPORTING THESE ARTISTS, WE CAN HAVE AS MUCH FUNDING AS WE WANT.

BUT THIS IS MICROMANAGEMENT AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE GETTING INTO.

IF WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THAT, I'D LIKE TO SEE US HAVE THE REAL HARD CONVERSATIONS.

[01:40:02]

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BLOATED POLICE OVERTIME BUDGET THAT IS GOING UP TO ALMOST $50 MILLION.

NOBODY'S TOUCHING THAT. BUT WE'RE GOING TO SIT HERE FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND TALK ABOUT $190,000.

THIS IS INSANE.

AND I JUST WOULD HOPE THAT WE CAN STICK TO THE COMMITMENT THAT WE'VE TOLD THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS THAT WE SUPPORT OUR ARTISTS, AND THAT'S FULL STOP AND AT THE EXPENSE OF $190,000 TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE A COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO SPEND $1,200 MORE THAN ANY OTHER CITY EMPLOYEE TO PARK FOR A YEAR.

THIS IS A NO BRAINER.

WE CAN COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS ALL DAY LONG.

I'M THE CHAIR OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE.

IF ANYBODY HAS ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHAT WE CAN DO DIFFERENTLY GOING FORWARD TO CUT COSTS IN THIS REGARD, LET'S TAKE IT UP THROUGH POLICY, BUT LET'S NOT USE OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP TO DIG INTO EACH DEPARTMENT AND MICROMANAGE THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE.

OUR CITY MANAGER HAS PUT IN PLACE AS THE EXPERTS IN THESE FIELDS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I TRULY BELIEVE IS JUST UNPRODUCTIVE IN THIS PROCESS.

AND IT'S IT'S ULTIMATELY ENDING IN US TAKING A STANCE BETWEEN THE STAFF THAT IS SUPPOSED TO SUPPORT OUR ARTISTS AND I GUESS ARTISTS IN THEORY WHEN I BELIEVE SUPPORTING OUR STAFF THAT IS HERE TO SUPPORT OUR ARTISTS IS INDIRECTLY SUPPORTING THEM NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU LOOK AT IT.

SO I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET TO THE REAL WORK TODAY.

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ.

RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

AND THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA, FOR ASKING A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

THAT CLEARED UP A LOT FOR ME JUST NOW.

I THINK THAT IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THERE ARE SOME OUTSIDE INFLUENCES THAT ARE TRYING TO USE A NARRATIVE THAT ARTISTS ARE NOT GOING TO GET FUNDED, AND THAT'S FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.

THE BUDGET BOOK LITERALLY HAS THIS $190,000 WRITTEN IN FOR EXACTLY WHAT IS IS BEING PROPOSED, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE.

MR. CHAIRMAN, BAZALDUA SAID IT PERFECTLY, MR. MAYOR, ABOUT INVESTING IN OUR STAFF, MAKING SURE THAT OUR STAFF HAVE A REASONABLE, AT THIS POINT PLACE TO WORK.

AND I GET IT.

YOU KNOW, YOU WORK WITH ARTISTS AND YOU ALL ARE ARTISTS AS WELL, AND YOU ALL ARE.

YOU ALL HAVE AN ABILITY TO MAKE SPACE AND MAKE IT WORK.

BUT WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE IF IT'S RAINING AND IT'S RAINING ON YOUR DESK, THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING.

IF YOU GET TO WORK AND YOU CAN'T GET UP ON THE ELEVATOR AND WE'RE EXPERIENCING THAT HERE IN CITY HALL, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T EVER DECIDE DO I TRY READ OR DO I TRY GREEN BECAUSE I'LL GET STUCK IN IT. I'VE BEEN STUCK IN IT MORE THAN ONCE, AND IT'S NOT WORKED MORE THAN ONCE IN THE LAST 6 OR 7 MONTHS.

SO. SO I FEEL YOUR PAIN AS FAR AS THAT GOES.

EXCEPT THAT WE HAVE FOUR ELEVATORS IN EACH WELL, AND YOU HAVE ONE.

AND SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE SAYING, THINGS LIKE, OH, WELL, LET'S JUST HAVE THE STAFF PARK AT CITY HALL AND THEN MAKE THEM WALK ACROSS TO GET TO THEIR JOB BECAUSE THAT ADDS MORE TIME.

AND, YOU KNOW, AND THEN IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE DURING THIS PAST SUMMER, I THINK THAT WOULD JUST BE CRUEL TO SAY YOU HAVE TO WALK ACROSS DOWNTOWN TO GET TO WORK.

THE ARTISTS ARE NOT GOING TO LOSE ANY FUNDING BECAUSE OF THIS.

WHAT WAS IN THE BUDGET? THE ARTISTS. MARTIN IF YOU CAN TELL ME THE BUDGET AS FAR AS THE FUNDING FOR ARTISTS AND ARTS GROUPS AND ALL OF THAT IS ABOUT THE SAME.

IS IT A LITTLE MORE WHAT WE'RE SET TO INCREASE, WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IN SUPPORT OF OUR ARTISTS ROOTED IN INCREASES TO OUR FUNDING PROGRAMS. COP ARTS ACTIVATE CULTURAL VALUE, CAP THE COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAMS ALL WILL WITH YOUR APPROVAL, OF COURSE, AND THEN WITH THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX PROJECTIONS, THERE COULD BE MORE IS THAT IT WILL BE MOVING FROM 10 TO 12.5% AND THEN EVEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO 15.

AND SO OUR OFFICE WILL BE POSITIONED TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE SUPPORT TO OUR CULTURAL ARTS STAKEHOLDERS WHO DEPEND ON US.

VERY GOOD. AND AND COLLEAGUES, I THINK MR. ATKINS AND I DON'T KNOW IF MS..

ARNOLD WAS HERE WHEN WE REDID THE ARTS CULTURAL PLAN, AND IT WAS I WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING A LOT OF THOSE CHANGES THAT ARE POSITIVE FOR ARTISTS AND ART GROUPS AND TO GET THE FUNDING THAT THEY NEEDED.

AND ALSO WE SPEARHEADED GETTING THAT SHOT INCREASED FOR THE ARTS BECAUSE I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS A PALTRY 3% OR 4%, WHATEVER IT WAS, IT WAS EMBARRASSING IN COMPARISON TO THE REST OF THE STATE AND WE COMPROMISED AND DID IT LITTLE BY LITTLE.

[01:45:08]

AND SO EVERY YEAR IT'S INCREMENTAL SO THAT WE COULD WORK WITH VISIT DALLAS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WEREN'T HIT OVERWHELMINGLY AS WELL.

AND SO IT'S IT'S BEEN A GOOD IT'S BEEN A GOOD PARTNERSHIP NOW.

AND SO EVENTUALLY IT DOES GO UP TO 15%.

WELL, HOPEFULLY 15%.

WE HAVE TO DO THAT IN THE NEXT CONTRACT.

BUT I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN FOLKS.

AND IF THERE'S SMALL THINGS THAT MAKE PEOPLE NOT WANT TO WORK FOR YOU, WHICH IS THE CITY OF DALLAS AND OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR ARTISTS, THEN THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING AND WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THEM.

AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE ALL EVERYBODY SITTING IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW SURVIVED A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.

AND IT WAS ARTISTS WHO SHOWED US AND TAUGHT US HOW TO DO A LOT OF THINGS, INCLUDING HOW TO HAVE VIRTUAL MEETINGS, BECAUSE THEY WERE DOING VIRTUAL PERFORMANCES. AND IT WAS THE ARTISTS THAT HELPED US FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE ABLE TO BE VIRTUAL.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO BE I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS AMENDMENT.

I LIKE THE EXTRA 190,000 FOR ARTISTS.

BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, LET'S FIND A DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND NOT HURT OUR OUR STAFF, OUR BUILDINGS.

AND WE GOT TO FIX THESE THINGS.

WE'VE GOT TO WE'VE GOT TO WE'VE GOT TO FIX THESE THINGS.

WE ARE IN A WE ARE WE ARE IN A PLACE WHERE.

THERE IS NO MORE TIME TO DEFER THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT'S BEEN DEFERRED AND DEFERRED AND DEFERRED FOR DECADES.

WE'RE HERE, GUYS.

WE'RE HERE. COLLEAGUES, WE'RE HERE, MR. MAYOR. AND WE'VE GOT TO FIX THESE THINGS OR I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET UP ALL THE IN ORDER TO GET EVERYBODY TO WORK.

SO I'M GOING TO BE IN OPPOSITION.

AND NO OFFENSE, BECAUSE I DO LIKE THE NEW FUNDING SOURCE WHERE THE FUNDING WOULD GO, BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR STAFF AND BE ABLE TO FUND ARTISTS AT THE SAME TIME.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

AND I WILL BE BRIEF IN THE POSITION THAT I'M IN NOW.

MY COMMISSIONER, ARTS COMMISSIONER IS SUGGESTING IS RECOMMENDING AND WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR LEADERSHIP OF THIS PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT. YOU'VE NOT BEEN HERE AN ENTIRE YEAR AND YOU'RE CORRECT TO HAVE MADE THE COMMENTS ABOUT POLITICS.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

SO IT'S ABOUT.

WELCOME TO DALLAS.

SO I WILL NOT SUPPORT THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT.

I WILL SUPPORT YOUR LEADERSHIP.

I WILL SUPPORT THE PROGRAMING THAT WE KEEP TALKING, REFERENCING.

AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I WAS NOT HERE DURING THE TIME WHEN MY COLLEAGUE NARVAEZ PUSHED FOR THE EQUITY THROUGH ARTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT DOING MORE IN FOUR BECAUSE FOUR DID NOT HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE AT THAT TIME.

BUT COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M GOING TO ASK A VERY SIMPLE QUESTION OF MRS. MARTIN. AND THE QUESTION IS AND I THINK HOWEVER WE CAN CRAFT IT.

WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM AND YOUR PROFESSIONAL POSITION? AS YOU STAND HERE TODAY ON THIS PARTICULAR MOTION.

SO I'VE BEEN PARTICULARLY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHAT'S NOTED IN THE DALLAS CULTURAL PLAN AS IT RELATES TO SPACE.

AND WITH THIS.

I WANT TO SAY SMALL, BUT NOT TO OFFEND ANYONE.

BUT WITH THIS SMALL BUCKET, I BELIEVE THAT I AM ACHIEVING WHAT'S NOTED IN THESE INITIATIVES SPECIFICALLY.

THE INTENT TO EXPAND THE USE OF OUR CITY FACILITIES TO SUPPORT OUR CULTURAL ARTS STAKEHOLDERS.

MY INTENT IS FOR US, AS WE DON'T FIT AS AN ADMIN STAFF IN THAT SPACE, TO FIND A HIGHER AND BETTER USE FOR THAT SPACE, TO PREPARE THAT SPACE FOR THOSE FOLKS IN THE FUTURE.

THOSE CULTURAL ARTS STAKEHOLDERS WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO FREE OR AFFORDABLE OFFICE SPACE EXHIBIT SPACE MAKER, SPACE MEETING SPACE.

TO ME, THAT'S THE BEST USE VERSUS TAKING A GROUP OF 30 AND FORCING US TO FIT IN A SPACE THAT ISN'T NECESSARILY SUITABLE FOR.

US AS A STAFF.

SO THAT'S ONE.

AND AGAIN, I STAND IN SUPPORT OF MY STAFF AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME TO REDUCE BARRIERS FOR FOLKS TO TO GET TO WORK SIMPLY AND ALSO TO ENCOURAGE COLLABORATION AND FOSTER A BETTER SENSE OF COMMUNITY AMONG OUR TEAM.

I INHERITED A TEAM THAT.

THE BEST WAY TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE IS THAT COULD OUR TEAM COULD USE A BETTER SENSE AND A BETTER ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL HELP US FOSTER THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY

[01:50:04]

AND THE PLANS BEFORE YOU WILL SUPPORT US IN MOVING FORWARD TO THAT END.

SO ON THIS ITEM.

IF YOU AND I WERE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL POSITION.

NOW YOU'RE ASKING THAT WE NOT THAT I NOT SUPPORT THIS PARTICULAR MOTION.

YES, MA'AM. I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD NOT.

THANK YOU. SO I WILL NOT SUPPORT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.

I WILL THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN, SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE YOUR TALENT, YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS CITY.

AND I BELIEVE WHEN WE WELCOME YOU TO THIS CITY, I WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM RECEPTION.

IT WAS YOU WILL, OF COURSE, RECEIVED, APPLAUDED, SUPPORTED AND YOUR WORK UNDERSCORED AS BEING THE TYPE OF WORK AND AND DEFINITELY THE LEADERSHIP.

AND I TOO AM ONE OF THOSE WHO DEPENDED SO MUCH AND I DO DEPEND A GREAT DEAL ON THE ARTS AND IT'S DOCUMENTED.

THE ARTISTS KNOW THAT.

AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE NEED MORE OF IN TERMS OF SPREADING THE WINGS HERE IN THIS CITY.

AND I REALLY LIKE THE THE NOTION OF YOU GETTING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO I WANT TO LEAVE IT AT THAT.

AND JUST AS LONG AS, YOU KNOW AND THE EMPLOYEES KNOW AND THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY AND THE ARTS COMMUNITY SHOULD KNOW THAT I SUPPORT YOU AND I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR LEADERSHIP SO THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAVE, TO LEAD AND TO LEAVE AN IMPACT OR A FOOTPRINT IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR WHICH YOU WERE HIRED.

SO THANK YOU FOR SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

YOU JUST HAVE TO STAY GROUNDED AND POSITION YOURSELF FOR THE HEAT.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GETTING.

BUT YOUR LEADERSHIP, I THINK, WILL TRANSCEND ALL OF THAT AND JUST KNOW THAT HERE, RIGHT HERE IN FOUR, WE'RE GOING TO PUSH FOR MORE INFO.

BUT THROUGH THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE NEED TO WRAP OUR ARMS AROUND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD, AS WE DO SO MANY OTHERS WHO COME IN THIS CITY.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN RIDLEY RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

MARTIN THE SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR THIS AMENDMENT, THE $190,000, IS NOT COMING FROM ANY CAP PROGRAM, GRANT FUNDS OR OTHER SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

IT IS COMING FROM WHAT WAS REQUIRED UNDER THE 2019 AGREEMENT WITH THE MEYERSON TO TRANSFER MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY FROM THE CITY TO THE MEYERSON.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR.

NOW, I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS OFFICE AND THE ARTS IN GENERAL.

I VISITED YOUR OFFICE LAST WEEK TO INSPECT THE FACILITIES THERE FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES.

I DID IDENTIFY SOME ADA NEEDS IN TERMS OF NON-ACCESSIBLE RESTROOMS, WHICH DO NEED TO BE REMEDIED.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE SECOND GUESSING YOUR JUDGMENT IN TERMS OF THE NEEDS FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE.

I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS RESONATED WITH ME, AT LEAST THAT THIS IS NOT REALLY A POLICY ISSUE.

THIS IS A MANAGEMENT ISSUE.

WHILE I WOULD PREFER THAT WHEN THE ORIGINAL BUDGET CAME OUT IN AUGUST THAT WE HAD BEEN TOLD THAT THIS MONEY WOULD GO TO WHERE YOU'RE NOW SAYING IT'S GOING TO RATHER THAN TOWARDS A MOVE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT MAY HAPPEN THREE YEARS FROM NOW, I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE LIMITED OR MADE UNNECESSARY A LOT OF OUR DISCUSSION TODAY IF WE WEREN'T HAVING AN EVOLVING, MOVING TARGET HERE.

BUT THIS IS WHERE WE ARE.

AS A RESULT, I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION.

I THINK THAT MONEY SHOULD STAY WHERE IT IS AND BE USED, AS YOU HAVE DESCRIBED IT, FOR PURPOSES OF IMPROVING WORKING CONDITIONS IN YOUR OFFICES AND PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE, AND THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT WE SHOULD DEFER TO YOU IN THAT REGARD. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. CHAIRMAN GRACIE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION EITHER.

THIS AMENDMENT EITHER.

AND REALLY, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THAT REALLY JUST ADDRESSES THE PRACTICAL NEEDS OF STAFF.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TO OR PERHAPS I AM JUST BECAUSE PROBABLY MOST OF THE RECENTLY EMPLOYED BY THE CITY, BUT I JUST KNOW THESE THIS IS ONE OF

[01:55:01]

THOSE DECISIONS THAT HAVE A REAL IMPACT ON THE MORALE OF THE EMPLOYEES.

AND AS WE'RE ALREADY FACING TURNOVER ACROSS ALL OF THESE DEPARTMENTS, THIS SIMPLE $190,000 CAN GO A LONG WAY FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES. AND IT'S NOT JUST THOSE THAT ARE IN THE CULTURE ARTS DEPARTMENT.

OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE WATCHING THIS.

AND I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU THERE'S A FEW OF THEM THAT ARE SITTING THERE WITH THEIR FINGER ON SEEING WAITING TO SEND THEIR RESUME OVER THESE TYPE OF DECISIONS.

THESE DECISIONS GO A LONG WAY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SO FOR THAT REASON, I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS AMENDMENT.

THANK YOU, SIR. MAYOR PRO TEM.

I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM.

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST WE'VE BEEN WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR OVER AN HOUR FOR $190,000, AND WE GOT A $1.7 MILLION BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET DONE.

BUT THE ISSUE THAT I'M SEEING HERE THAT IT KIND OF BROUGHT UP A GUY BY THE NAME OF BILL LIVELY.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO BILL LIVELY WAS.

HE RAISED OVER $100 MILLION FOR THE ART DISTRICT, AND BOEING WAS TRYING TO MOVE TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.

AND AND GUESS WHAT THEY SAID? WHAT WOULD MY FAMILY DO? WHAT WOULD WE DO DOWNTOWN WITHOUT ARTS? AND BILL WENT OUT AND RAISED THIS $100 MILLION AND STARTED THE MARATHON AND EVERYTHING.

YOU GOT THE ART DISTRICT NOW TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WOULD COME TO SEE THE DALLAS AND MAKE SURE THE CORPORATION WOULD COME TO THE CITY OF DALLAS TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE IN ART.

ALSO, MIKE ROLLINS, WHEN HE WAS HERE, HE STARTED THE ART COMMITTEE AND I WAS CHAIR ON THE ART COMMITTEE.

AND WE ARE SITTING HERE AND PEOPLE ARE WATCHING US.

AND WE ARE A CAN DO CITY.

ARTS IS GREAT.

ART IS LIFE.

ART IS SOMETHING DURING THE.

THE THE DEPRESSION.

DOING COVID, DOING THE THINGS THAT YOU CANNOT DREAM OF.

BUT YOU LOOK AT GO TO THE THEATER OUTSIDE, INDOORS OR WHATEVER.

BUT WE HAVE TO THINK CONSIDERATION OF EVERYONE'S TIMES HERE TODAY.

AND I THINK EVERYONE IS GOING TO SPEAK BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THE PASSION ABOUT ART.

BUT PEOPLE ARE WATCHING US.

WE ARE ONE OF THE BEST CITIES IN AMERICA.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO COME TO DALLAS.

BUT WE COME TO DALLAS.

WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO SEE? THEY'RE GOING TO SEE.

AREN'T THEY GOING TO GO TO THE MARATHON? THEY'RE GOING TO GO. TO DOWNTOWN.

ENJOY. SO WITH THIS, I HOPE, GOING FORWARD.

ALL RIGHT. AILS THE CITY OF DALLAS.

ART BRING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

ART BRING QUALITY OF LIFE.

ART BUILD DOWNTOWN DALLAS WHEN DOWNTOWN DALLAS WAS DYING.

SO JUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT WE DO NEED TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THE MEYERSON ALSO.

AND I'M SAYING THE. MEYERSON BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MEYERSON IT CAME UP, BUT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE CAME UP.

BUT IT DID COME UP.

SO SO I KNOW I GOT MY EYES ON HER, BUT I LOVE THE.

MEYERSON, YOU KNOW, BUT BUT THE POINT IS THAT JUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.

I DO I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT.

BUT THE POINT IS THAT LET'S GO FORWARD AND HOPE WE DON'T SPEND THE NEXT FIVE HOURS ON ON $125,000 BY.

YEAH, WE GOT SOME GERMANENESS HAWKS ON THIS ON THIS DAIS.

KEEPING ME HONEST.

CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. JACK, CAN YOU TELL US, IS THE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF ELEVATORS USUALLY PART OF A DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET? THANK YOU. IN SOME CASES, YES, MA'AM.

IT IS INCLUDED IN THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A SINGLE USE FACILITY WHERE CITY HALL ELEVATOR REPAIR WOULD BE IN BUILDING SERVICES BUDGET.

BUT FOR A LIBRARY OR CULTURAL AFFAIRS WHERE IT'S A SINGLE USE BUILDING, IT MAY BE WITHIN THEIR BUDGET.

SO IF THE ELEVATOR AT THE LIBRARY ACROSS THE STREET WAS IN DISREPAIR, IT WOULD FALL UNDER THE LIBRARY BUDGET.

POTENTIALLY. I MEAN, IF WE PLANNED IT THAT WAY, IF WE PLANNED TO MAKE UPGRADES, TRADITIONALLY, WE'VE DONE IT BOTH WAYS, MA'AM.

I MEAN, IT JUST SERVICES OVER AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

YES, MA'AM. WE WOULD SEEK FUNDING FROM DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND.

OKAY. SO.

[02:00:01]

HOW MUCH HAVE WE SPENT ON ELEVATORS? DO YOU KNOW THIS YEAR? I HAVE NO IDEA.

BUT IF JOHN JOHNSON MIGHT BE AROUND, HE.

I'M SURE HE. POINT OF ORDER.

I'M SORRY. THE POINT.

WE HAD A POINT OF ORDER. WHO WAS IT? I DID. OH, YEAH. CHAIRWOMAN SCHULTZ.

STATE YOUR POINT OF ORDER. I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.

ARE WE EQUIVALENT? ARE WE? I'M SORRY. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE $58,000? AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO EVERY DEPARTMENT.

HOW MUCH AN ELEVATOR COST TO REPAIR? IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING? THAT'S NOT EXACTLY A POINT OF ORDER, BUT IT SAID THAT IT WAS $48,000 FOR THE ELEVATOR.

AND SO I'M ASKING, OKAY, SO WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT GOING TO ENGAGE IN DEBATE ACROSS THE HORSESHOE.

GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE YOUR QUESTIONS.

BUT AGAIN, THE GERMANENESS HAWKS ARE OUT TODAY, Y'ALL.

YOU GOT TO REALLY WORK ON THE GERMANENESS, EVERYONE.

GOOD AFTERNOON, JOHN JOHNSON, BUILDING SERVICES.

WE WILL HAVE TO GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THAT PARTICULAR LIST OF WHAT WE SPENT THIS ENTIRE FISCAL YEAR ON ELEVATOR REPAIRS.

HOW MANY ELEVATORS DO YOU THINK YOU'VE WORKED ON SO FAR THIS YEAR? I COULD NOT EVEN GIVE YOU THAT.

WE HAVE 504 FACILITIES THAT HAVE MULTIPLE ELEVATORS IN EACH OF THEM.

SOME ARE IN GREAT CONDITION.

SOME ARE IN DEPLORABLE CONDITION.

OKAY. SO STAY SEATED.

MY NEXT QUESTION IS FOR YOU IS ABOUT ADA COMPLIANCE.

IS THAT TRADITIONALLY IN A DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET OR IS THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE? IT'S A MIXTURE. SO ADA COMPLIANCE IS HANDLED, PARTICULARLY IN THIS CASE BY THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION.

THEY'VE BEEN COMPLETING THE ASSESSMENTS FOR EACH OF THE FACILITIES SO THAT IF AND WHEN FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE, THEY TURN THOSE PLANS OVER TO BUILDING SERVICES AND OR BOND OFFICE, AND THEN WE COMPLETE THE CONSTRUCTION TO BRING THE FACILITY INTO COMPLIANCE.

SO WHEN WE HEAR THAT THE BUDGET AMENDMENT, THE BUDGET IS ACTUALLY FOR $48,000 WORTH OF MAINTENANCE AS DESCRIBED BY THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO HAVE MAINTENANCE IN THAT BUDGET? CERTAINLY. I THINK WE COULD USE ALL THE MAINTENANCE MONEY THAT WE COULD GET IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.

BUT IS THAT TRADITIONALLY WHERE WE WOULD FUND MAINTENANCE? TRADITIONALLY, IT'S ALL OVER.

I'M GOING TO LET JACK ANSWER. SO TRADITIONALLY, IT'S ALL OVER.

IT DEPENDS. SOME STUFF IS CENTRALIZED IN BUILDING SERVICES.

YOU ALL HAVE DONE AMENDMENTS BEFORE WHERE YOU PUT ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR MAINTENANCE OF FIRE FACILITIES THAT WAS PUT INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET AS AN AMENDMENT. SO WE'VE DONE IT BOTH WAYS.

IT'S BUILDING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

SOMETIMES IT'S A CAPITAL EXPENDITURE THROUGH BOND, ETCETERA.

SO WOULD YOU AGREE THE BULK OF OUR EXPENSES FOR MAINTENANCE OF ELEVATORS AND FOR ADA IS NOT IN THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET? PROBABLY THE BULK.

YES. MORE THAN 50%, MOST LIKELY.

THANK YOU. I AGREE.

I THINK TERM BAZALDUA IS RIGHT.

WE REALLY SHOULDN'T EVEN BE TALKING ABOUT THINGS AT THIS LEVEL.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE BUDGET ITEM WAS SO EGREGIOUS THAT ALL OF OUR APPOINTEES REACHED OUT TO US.

AND SPOTLIGHT IT.

SO YOU'RE RIGHT.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TYPICALLY DONE.

AND, YOU KNOW, HOORAY FOR OUR COMMISSIONERS THAT ASK THESE QUESTIONS.

190,000 IS MINUSCULE IN OUR BUDGET.

AND. THE PROBLEM, THOUGH, IS IT'S EXTRAORDINARY FOR A SMALL ARTS ORGANIZATION.

THAT WOULD BE AN EXTREMELY MEANINGFUL GIFT.

I'M KIND OF FLABBERGASTED ABOUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ITEMS ON THIS.

THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT ALL THE PARKING COMMENTS.

WE'VE HAD VERY ROBUST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PARKING, AND I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU WANT IT TO BE WALKABLE ALL OVER DALLAS, BUT ESPECIALLY IN THE CBD AND FROM HERE TO THE MAJESTIC, IT'S 0.6 MILES, 15 MINUTES, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM.

I MEAN, ISN'T THAT AGAINST EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT? YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT TRANSIT, TRANSIT ORIENTED DESIGN? THERE'S A BUS STOP RIGHT IN FRONT.

ARE WE REALLY GOING TO SAY THAT IT'S IT'S TERRIBLE TO PARK HERE AND WALK OVER TO THE MAJESTIC? THAT'S SURPRISING.

THE WHOLE ISSUE ABOUT THE ELEVATOR, SHOCKING TO ME BECAUSE THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOUR BUDGET.

FRANKLY, THIS IS ABOUT THE CITY NOT MAINTAINING ITS ASSETS.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE FUNDAMENTALLY TALKED ABOUT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AND WE HAVE TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THE ASSETS THAT OUR TAXPAYERS EITHER WERE GIFTED IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE OR THAT WE PURCHASED AND DEVELOPED.

AND WE'RE NOT DOING THAT.

WE'RE GOING AFTER THE NEXT SOCIAL PROGRAM.

WE'RE GOING AFTER THE NEXT WAY.

WE CAN DO A JOB THAT ANOTHER TAXING ENTITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.

WHEN WE'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ACTUALLY OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO FIX THIS ELEVATOR.

NOBODY ELSE IS GOING TO DO ADA COMPLIANCE FOR US.

THAT IS OUR JOB.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK ACTUALLY ABOUT OFFICE SPACE IN GENERAL.

WE ALL HAVE THREE STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE SITTING IN OFFICE SPACE MEANT FOR TWO, AND IT WAS ALREADY VERY TINY.

SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MOVE WHERE THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAS GONE WITH HOTELS? I THINK WE THE ABOUT THE SEVEN.

[02:05:02]

YEAH. I MEAN BUT I MEAN IT'S IT'S GOTTEN IT'S GOTTEN SO GENERAL NOW THAT IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT THE SPECIFIC SITUATION WITH THE LOGISTICS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO WE GOT TO REIN IT BACK IN.

WE'RE ON AMENDMENT ONE, FOLKS.

SO, I MEAN, I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO TRY TO TAILOR THE COMMENTS TO THE PARTICULAR ITEM AND NOT EXPAND OUT 25,000FT.

HAVE WE LOOKED AT DOING HOTELING AT THE MAJESTIC FOR THE EMPLOYEES THERE? THAT QUESTION. TO ME, IT IS ONE I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE TERM.

SO YOU NEED TO DECLARE IS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE DEDICATED OFFICE SPACE FOR EVERY SINGLE MEMBER, YOU HAVE COMMON SPACE THAT ANYBODY COULD COME PLOP DOWN WITH THEIR COMPUTER AND START DOING THEIR WORK AND IT'S SCHEDULED OUT.

SO MAYBE I WORK MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY, MAYBE.

COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY WORKS TUESDAY, THURSDAY IN THAT SAME SPACE.

NO, NO, WE HAVE NOT.

AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE COULD LOOK AT, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING I'D PROBABLY RECOMMEND.

MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY I ADD TO THAT LIST TO THE OPERATOR? ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.

AND I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT TERMINOLOGY, BUT THANKS FOR THAT.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN PRACTICE IS THAT THEY'RE IN A HYBRID MODE AT THIS POINT BECAUSE IT WAS CONFIGURED FOR A SMALLER NUMBER OF PEOPLE.

SO SO REALLY THIS AMENDMENT OR THIS THIS ITEM, RATHER, IS IS ROOTED IN BEING COMING A PUBLIC PREMIER SERVICE ORGANIZATION. AND SO THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

IF IT WAS AN ARTFUL IN THE WAY WE CONSTRUCTED THE ITEM, I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT AND I CERTAINLY WILL REACH OUT TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'VE ATTEMPTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU TODAY, WHICH IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TO SEEK TO REPAIR BECAUSE OUR CITY MANAGER HAS INSTRUCTED US THAT WHENEVER WE CAN, WE SHOULD BE ADDRESSING ADA. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEKING TO DO WITH THIS ITEM, AS WELL AS MAKE THE ACCOMMODATIONS OR THE OFFICE SPACE SUITABLE FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE OFFICE.

THERE. WELL, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT WE'RE SAYING THAT THERE IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS WAS NOT ARTFULLY DONE WHEN COMMISSIONERS ASKED THESE VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND WERE GIVEN VERY DIFFERENT INFORMATION THAN WHAT WE'RE HEARING TODAY.

AND I MEAN, I THINK THERE MAY EVEN BE EMAILS THAT I'VE BEEN FORWARDED THAT DOCUMENT, SOME OF THIS THAT ARE NOT LINING UP WITH THE WORDS THAT WE'RE HEARING TODAY.

I WILL JUST ADD THAT WE HAVE SHIFTED SOME OF OUR CONVERSATION AROUND HOW ARE WE GOING TO SUITABLY RELOCATE? AND AND THAT'S FROM HEARING RESPONSE, HEARING FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY, FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS YOURSELVES AND THE INDEPENDENT VISITS AND CONVERSATIONS.

SO WE HAVE APPRECIATED THAT INPUT FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT.

I AM NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS.

I DO THINK WE NEED TO PUT MONEY INTO THE BUDGET TO FIX THE ELEVATORS.

I DO THINK WE NEED TO PUT MONEY INTO THE BUDGET TO BECOME ADA COMPLIANT.

I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO COME OUT OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE BUDGET AND THOSE DOLLARS SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY FUNDING THE TERRIFIC WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR ARTS ENVIRONMENT.

THANK YOU. AS WILLIS RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO TAKE IT BACK TO WHY I THINK WE'RE HERE AND HAVING THIS MUCH DISCUSSION.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE GONE BY AND WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS GONE BY IS WHAT THE BUDGET BOOK SAYS, AND THAT IS REALLOCATE $190,000 FROM CONTRACTUAL SERVICES FOR OAC HEADQUARTERS, RELOCATION FROM THE MAJESTIC THEATER TO ENSURE THE ADA ACT.

ACCESSIBILITIES. SO.

WE MENTIONED THIS WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY THE ARTS COMMUNITY AND BY SOME OF OUR ARTS COMMISSIONERS.

AND SO I JUST I DON'T WANT TO SLIGHT THEM.

AND I FEEL LIKE THEY WERE SLIGHTED AND, YOU KNOW, POOR ARTS AND CULTURE.

THIS IS THE FIRST PLACE THAT HITS THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR IN THE BUDGET.

AND IT'S THE, YOU KNOW, BRINGING UP THE REAR AND THE CITIZEN SATISFACTION SURVEY.

BUT BOY, IF YOU TOOK THIS AWAY FROM OUR COMMUNITY, HOW IT WOULD CHANGE.

I MEAN, IT'S SOME OXYGEN.

I DON'T THINK WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE.

AND SO AND WE DON'T FUND IT.

AND THE WHO FUNDS IT IS OUR PRIVATE DOLLARS, OUR ARTS COMMUNITY.

AND THEY FILL A GAP FOR THIS CITY LIKE NO OTHER.

WE JUST DON'T HAVE PRIVATE DOLLARS FLOWING IN THIS WAY LIKE WE DO IN THIS CATEGORY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS SET OFF ALARM BELLS.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WHAT WAS IN THE BOOK HAS SHIFTED AND IT SEEMS TO BE SHIFTING UP TO THE MOMENT.

BUT SO I JUST WANT TO RECAP WHAT THIS $190,000 IS NOW FOR 48,000 FOR AN ELEVATOR.

MAINTENANCE FOR 58.

I'M SORRY. 58.

OKAY. MAINTENANCE AND THEN 42 FOR A PARKING STIPEND THAT WAS IN THE OTHER IN THE OTHER AMENDMENT THAT WE DIDN'T TOUCH ON

[02:10:03]

YESTERDAY. AND THEN THE REMAINDER IS FOR.

EVALUATING AND ASSESSING THE ADA TENANTS THAT I EXPRESSED AND ALSO PREPARING FOR NECESSARY RECONFIGURATION TO THE ADMIN FLOOR SPACES.

OKAY, SO IT WON'T ACTUALLY RECONFIGURE, IT WON'T GIVE THE EMPLOYEES THAT SPACE.

IT'S JUST THE PLANNING FOR ALL THAT.

AND THEN ASSESSING ADA FOR FLOORS THREE THROUGH FIVE.

CORRECT. AND SO WE KNOW THAT'S $90,000.

IT'S A THAT'S AN ESTIMATE BASED ON OUR INITIAL PLANNING.

OKAY. AND SO THE OTHER THING I HEARD BROUGHT UP WAS ABOUT EMPLOYEE MORALE.

AND OBVIOUSLY, WE KNOW IN THIS HIRING MARKET, I MEAN, EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO FOR EMPLOYEES IS IMPORTANT.

SO WE WILL BE SENDING A MESSAGE BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE AT COURTS WHO ALSO PARK ON SURFACE LOTS AND PAY FOR PARKING.

SO TODAY WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A STIPEND.

BUT YOU OVER THERE IN COURTS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT.

SO I THINK THAT WILL SEND A MESSAGE TO EMPLOYEES, AND I THINK IT COULD REALLY DO SOME DAMAGE EMPLOYEE MORALE WISE.

AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD SNICKER AT OUR GOALS AS FAR AS WALKABILITY AND TRANSPORTATION AND THAT SORT OF THING.

SO I WANT TO BE SURE THAT THAT POINT THAT WAS RAISED WAS ACTUALLY A PRETTY GOOD ONE BECAUSE WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THAT TOO.

SO. OKAY, WELL, THIS HELPS ME CLARIFY SOME THINGS, BUT I JUST WANTED THE ARTS COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT WE UNDERSTAND THEIR ALARM.

WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE FOR THIS CITY AND WE SUPPORT OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL.

AND I THINK IT'S WORTH LOOKING INTO PARKING FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE IT'S NOT EQUITABLE.

BUT TODAY WE'RE WE WHAT'S BEFORE US IS TO MAKE A MOVE ONE DIRECTION FOR SOME EMPLOYEES, BUT NOT FOR OTHERS WHO ARE IN EXACTLY THE SAME SITUATION.

ALL RIGHT. CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

SO THE I GET THE 42,000 PARKING STIPEND AND HOW YOU WOULD COME UP WITH THAT.

LIKE MATHEMATICALLY, WHERE DID WE GET THE ESTIMATE FOR THE $58,000 ELEVATOR REPAIR IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR SENIOR MANAGER OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS STAFF MEMBERS, SOME PAST REPORTS THAT WERE FURNISHED ON EVALUATIONS THAT BBSD CONDUCTED ON THE BUILDING IN RECENT YEARS AND ESTIMATING THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS IN THE FUTURE FISCAL YEARS THESE NEXT TWO.

SO IT WAS AN ENGINEER THAT CAME UP WITH THAT ESTIMATE.

WELL, WE DO HAVE SOME REPORTS THAT WERE FURNISHED.

THERE WAS A MODERNIZATION DONE TO THE SOUL ELEVATOR, FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2019, AND SOME OF THE INFORMATION WAS ROUTED IN REPORTS FROM THAT EXPERIENCE. AND THEN WE DO HAVE THE ASSESSMENT FROM OE RELATED TO SOME OF THE NOTED IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED ACROSS THE PUBLIC FACING SPACES.

SO AS WE PREPARE TO HAVE THE REST OF OUR BUILDING ASSESSED AND EVALUATED, OF COURSE WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE I WANT TO SAY AND FORGIVE ME IF I'M WRONG, ACCESS OLOGY MAY BE THAT ORGANIZATION'S NAME, BUT WE'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THEM TO BEGIN INITIATING PLANS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PREPARED FOR WHAT IT WILL TAKE.

OKAY. AND THE $90,000 EVALUATION OF THE ADA OF ADA AND CONFIGURATION, WHERE DO WE COME UP WITH THAT NUMBER THAT HAS THAT COST? AN ESTIMATE CAME AGAIN FROM OUR INTERNAL BUILDING SERVICES STAFF AND ASSESSMENTS AND ESTIMATES RELATED TO THE WORK DONE AND THE WORK THAT WILL NEED IN ADDITIONAL EVALUATIONS.

SO IT'S INCREDIBLY SERENDIPITOUS THAT THE AMOUNT FOR ALL OF THIS IS EXACTLY THE AMOUNT THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE COST OF THE MOVE.

I'M NOT QUITE. ACTUALLY.

WE WERE TRYING TO BE THOUGHTFUL AGAIN IN SCENARIO PLANNING AND THINKING ABOUT WORST CASE SCENARIO AND BEST CASE SCENARIO.

AND AGAIN, I'M SOMEONE WHO'S ROOTED IN WHAT'S NOTED IN THE CULTURAL PLAN AND ENSURING THAT ANY DECISION WE MAKE REFLECTS THE INITIATIVES NOTED THERE.

SO THE WORST CASE SCENARIO WOULD BE THAT WE PACKED OUR BOXES AND MOVED OUT TOMORROW FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE WOULDN'T INTEND TO DO THAT, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE WORST CASE SCENARIO AND THAT IS THE COST IT WOULD TAKE.

SO WE HAD TO BREAK THAT UP AND FIND A BETTER USE FOR THAT FOR THAT POCKET OF FUNDING.

OKAY. I GUESS.

I MEAN, FOR ME, THIS COMES DOWN TO TWO QUESTIONS, WHICH IS WHY I'M NOT GOING TO WITHDRAW THE AMENDMENT.

YOU KNOW, THE FIRST ONE IS HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE NEW OFFICES FOR STAFF OR IN THIS CASE, SOME EVALUATION, SOME NUMBERS THAT SEEM PUT TOGETHER IN THE LAST WEEK OVER FIXING OUR CURRENT VENUES THAT ARE CULTURAL FACILITIES OR FOR GRANTS FOR ARTISTS.

I MEAN, YOU COULD DO SIX $30,000 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE GRANTS FOR THIS.

[02:15:06]

THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.

AND IT'S NOT IT'S RHETORICAL.

THE SECOND ONE IS, IS AN ACTUAL QUESTION WHAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH ARTISTS HAS GIVEN STAFF THE INDICATION THAT THIS IS THEIR PRIORITY FOR THIS MONEY VERSUS.

MORE FUNDING FOR ARTISTS.

I KNOW THAT THE CULTURAL PLAN ON PAGE 25 SAYS WE TALKED WITH 9000 RESIDENTS TO PUT TOGETHER THE CULTURAL PLAN.

DID THAT COME OUT OF THAT DISCUSSION THAT THIS IS A PRIORITY FOR OAC TO HAVE RENOVATED OFFICES? SO FIRST, LET ME ANSWER THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION.

THE PRIORITIES NOTED IN THE CULTURAL PLAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU WERE PRESENT, ARE A FUNCTION OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND A RESPONSE TO OUR CULTURAL ARTS STAKEHOLDERS DESIRES AND THEIR NEEDS.

AND OUR OFFICE IS STAFFED TO IMPLEMENT THE WORK STRATEGIES THAT WILL HELP US ACHIEVE THE GOALS NOTED THROUGHOUT.

IN MY NINE MONTHS, I'VE HAD TO ASSESS WHERE THE GAPS ARE LIKE WHERE WHERE ARE WE NOT MAKING PROGRESS AS IT RELATES TO THIS FIVE YEAR OLD NOW FIVE YEAR OLD PLAN? AND HOW CAN OUR OFFICE WORK BEST IN THE COMING FISCAL YEARS TO BEGIN TO ACHIEVE THOSE INITIATIVES AND GOALS? AND NOTED THROUGHOUT THIS HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THE WAYS ONE PREPARING THE SPACE THE MAJESTIC THEATER ADMIN FLOORS FOR FUTURE USE. WE HAVE A PRIORITY OF SERVING HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND SPACE AGAIN IS ONE OF THE WAYS WE OWE THEM THAT SERVICE.

AND SO PREPARING A SPACE WHERE AGAIN, OUR STAFF DOES NOT FIT, IT'S NOT THE BEST USE FOR US TO OFFICE AND ON AND ON IS A SIDE I'M FOCUSED ON A HIGHER AND BETTER USE FOR THOSE ADMIN FLOORS IN SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A GRANT FUND DOLLAR.

IT MIGHT NOT LOOK LIKE $30,000 TO SIX PEOPLE AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT IT SURELY WOULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE FOR THOSE ARTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO NEED ACCESS TO SUCH SPACE.

AND WE'VE HEARD IN INFORMAL AND FORMAL WAYS THAT THIS IS A NEED AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY DOCUMENTED IN THE PLAN.

AND AS IT RELATES TO OUR OFFICE STAFF, WE INTEND TO OFFICE IN A CITY FACILITY THAT HELPS US BETTER DELIVER ON OUR MISSION AND VISION. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSITION TO THAT SPACE IN THE FUTURE.

AND I HOPE THAT.

YOU'LL GROW TO UNDERSTAND AND EVEN BE WILLING TO WITHDRAW IF YOU KNOW THAT EVERY INITIATIVE I INTEND TO SHARE BEFORE YOU IS ROOTED IN THE CULTURAL PLAN. I HAVE NO DESIRE TO TAKE FROM OUR CULTURAL ARTS STAKEHOLDERS, BUT TO PLAN FORWARD TO ENSURE THAT EVERY MOVE WE MAKE WILL BENEFIT THEM, WHETHER THAT'S IN THE SHORT TERM OR THE LONG TERM.

I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST CHAIRMAN WEST'S MOTION, WHICH IS AMENDMENT ONE IN YOUR PACKET? RECALL VOTE. THERE WAS NO RECORD VOTES, ACCORDING TO MY ACCORDING TO MY DEPUTY PARLIAMENTARIAN, ADAM BAZALDUA.

AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WE'RE ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY STRAW VOTING AT THIS POINT AND SEATING AND SEATED AS A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.

SO THE DEPUTY PARLIAMENTARIAN HAS RULED CORRECTLY ON THAT.

AND SO WE'LL NEED TO SEE CARDS, NO RECORDS, CARDS.

SO IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR, SHOW A CARD.

THERE ARE NO MORE RED CARDS.

REMEMBER, WE ARE MINDFUL OF PEOPLE'S FEELINGS AROUND HERE.

WE DON'T RED CARD PEOPLE ANYMORE.

I'D HAVE A YELLOW CARD FOR SURE ON THIS ONE IF I KNOW.

BUT YES, WITH FOUR CARDS RAISED IN FAVOR, THIS AMENDMENT FAILS.

MR. MAYOR. OKAY.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME TO TAKE A LUNCH BREAK, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

SO IF THERE ISN'T ANY ISSUE WITH THAT, THEN WE'LL TAKE A RECESS AND RECONVENE AT 1 P.M.

AND PICK UP WITH AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO.

OKAY. WE'LL STAND AT RECESS UNTIL 1 P.M..

ALL RIGHT. IT'S 1:17 P.M..

WE'RE BACK IN REGULAR SESSION.

AND, MADAM SECRETARY, I BELIEVE WE ARE STILL MEETING AS A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.

WE'RE STILL ON THE CITY COUNCIL AMENDMENT PACKET THAT WE WERE ON BEFORE THE BREAK ON AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO.

SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA TO MAKE HIS AMENDMENT IN FORM OF A MOTION.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

SO THIS IS GOING TO OR IT IS BEING PROPOSED TO TO USE A SOURCE OF FUNDS THAT WE AMENDED TWO

[02:20:07]

WEEKS AGO THAT WAS PUT INTO PUBLIC WORKS FOR STREET MAINTENANCE.

THE USE OF THESE FUNDS IS TO PROVIDE AN AFTER HOURS VET CARE FOR DA'S CODE COMPLIANCE SERVICES.

THERE WAS DISCUSSION LAST TIME ON ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR DEMOLITION THAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE BUDGET AFTER REVIEWING SOME OF THE NUMBERS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS IN THAT DEPARTMENT.

I BELIEVE THE THESE DOLLARS TO BE WARRANTED, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING COMMUNITY PROSECUTION, WITH AN EXPECTATION OF THEM TO ABATE MORE NUISANCE PROPERTIES.

AND SO LOOKING AT THE HISTORY IN THE DEMOLITION DEMOLITION BUDGET OVER THE YEARS, IT LOOKS LIKE THE PROJECTION IS A VERY FAIR TRAJECTORY OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED IN THAT NEED.

BY TAKING THAT OUT, WE'RE EITHER GOING TO ABATE LESS PROPERTIES THAT WE COULD REMEDIATE BLIGHT FROM IN OUR COMMUNITY OR WE ARE GOING TO END UP PUTTING SETTING A DEPARTMENT UP FOR BEING OUT OF BUDGET AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

THE BIENNIAL MARKET STUDY IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A TOOL FOR US TO USE TO NOT ONLY INCREASE OUR MINIMUM WAGE STANDARDS, BUT ALSO FOR US TO PROVIDE EQUITY ADJUSTMENTS WHERE NEEDED.

I THINK ESPECIALLY WITH A PRICE TAG AT $75,000, THAT WE SHOULD BE PRIORITIZING HAVING THE MOST COMPETITIVE AND THE BEST WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW WE'RE UP AGAINST IN AN UPHILL BATTLE TO COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, I AM JUST NOT A FAN OF US TO REMOVE ANY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, ESPECIALLY, AGAIN, AT SUCH A LOW PRICE TAG.

BUT INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FROM A POOL OF WORKFORCE WITHIN OUR OWN COMMUNITY IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE INVESTING IN BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S DEFINITELY A RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT.

OVERALL, IT'S $525,000 TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE FOUR THINGS.

THE $525,000 AGAIN WAS EXTRA, NOT ORIGINALLY BUDGETED, BUT WAS MONEY THAT WE PUT IN OUR FIRST WORKSHOP TOWARDS STREETS.

AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IF ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ROBERT PEREZ WILL COME OUT.

PLEASE, IF YOU COULD PLEASE JUST GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT $525,000 WOULD PAVE US? YES, SIR.

ROBERT BETTIS, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, COUNCILMAN BAZALDUA $525,000 WOULD PROBABLY GET US ONE MILE OF RESURFACING.

HOW? HOW MUCH? WHAT? ONE LANE MILE OF RESURFACING.

YEAH, ALMOST ONE LANE MILE.

THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.

SO BUT IN IN TERMS FOR THE PUBLIC TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT ONE LANE MILE, ARE YOU MEANING BOTH ONLY ONE SIDE OF A TWO LANE ROAD OR.

THINK THINK MAYBE TWO.

TWO NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCKS.

OKAY. WELL, I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO, OF COURSE, BE PRUDENT WHERE WE CAN.

AND AND BUT I THINK THAT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONSIDER ALL CONTEXT TAKING AWAY THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO PAVE.

A FRACTION OF A STREET TO ME IS REALLY SPINNING OUR WHEELS.

IT'S REALLY UNPRODUCTIVE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE VERY NEXT CONVERSATION WE ARE GOING TO BE PICKING UP HERE AS A BODY IS OUR 2024 BOND.

2024 BOND HAS ALREADY GONE THROUGH ONE BIG PART OF THE PROCESS THAT HAS SHOWN A HUGE PRIORITIZATION FOR STREET MAINTENANCE.

AND WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR RESIDENTS WITH WITH SURVEYS AND THAT ALIKE.

BUT WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS TRY AND TELL OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING TOWARDS THAT PRIORITY.

IF IT'S DISINGENUOUS AND THIS IS IT'S $500,000, WE KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THERE BEING SUBSTANTIAL.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THIS NEXT BOND FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH A GOAL THAT IS FAR EXCEEDS WHAT THIS AMENDMENT IS GOING TO ACCOMPLISH.

SO I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT, AGAIN, FOR US TO LOOK AT OUR ROLES WITH OVERSIGHT, BUT ALSO THAT OF THE MANAGER THAT WE HIRE.

AND THIS WAS A PART OF THE BUDGET THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WITH HIM AND THESE PROGRAMS, I BELIEVE, TO BE VITAL FOR OUR CITY.

SO I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND I BELIEVE THAT $525,000 WILL EASILY BE MADE UP WHENEVER WE GET OUR BOND PACKAGE FINALIZED.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MISS WILLIS RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

[02:25:03]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN A PROPONENT OF ADVOCATING FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS WHO IN OUR CITIZEN SATISFACTION SURVEY RANKED INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE.

NUMBER ONE. MR. PEREZ, COULD YOU COME BACK OR MAYBE, ALI, BECAUSE I HAVE SOME COSTS FROM SOME OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TREATMENTS THAT WE USE ON OUR STREETS, SLURRY SEAL, MICRO SURFACING AND ONYX.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEIR LANE MILES, 20,000 PER LANE MILE FOR SLURRY SEAL MICRO SURFACING AT 28,000 PER LANE MILE ONYX FOR 18,000 PER LANE MILE TWO. THOSE COSTS SOUND RIGHT.

YES, MA'AM. THAT DOES SOUND RIGHT.

I JUST PICKED RESURFACING AS AN EXAMPLE.

OKAY. SO WHAT YOU CITED RUNS A LITTLE DIFFERENT WHEN YOU RUN THESE AMOUNTS UP AGAINST THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONE MILE.

IT IS OF SLURRY.

WE COULD DO 26 MILES.

WE COULD DO MICRO SURFACING, 19 MILES.

WE COULD DO 30 MILES OF THE ONYX SURFACING.

SO I THINK WHERE WE'RE DISINGENUOUS HERE IS JUST SAYING YOU COULD ATTRIBUTE IT TO THIS ONE MILE.

BUT TO SOME PEOPLE, I MEAN, THIS COULD MEAN 30 MILES OF STREET IMPROVEMENTS.

THAT IS ACCURATE. YES.

THE NUMBERS YOU PUT OUT.

YES, THOSE ARE ACCURATE AS WELL.

OKAY. SO I JUST WANT TO BE SURE WHEN WE'RE CONSIDERING IT THAT ACTUALLY THIS COULD GO A LOT FARTHER THAN WHAT WHAT WAS JUST PRESENTED.

AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE I MEAN, I SAT THROUGH THE BOND COMMITTEE MEETINGS LAST NIGHT, AND SO I KNOW WE'RE IN A MINDSET OF TALKING ABOUT REALLY BIG NUMBERS AND BIG DOLLAR AMOUNTS AND BIG PROJECTS THAT WHERE THE MONEY IT TAKES A BIG AMOUNT OF MONEY TO GO VERY FAR.

AND SO THIS IS DIFFERENT.

I MEAN, NOW WE'RE IN THE GENERAL FUND, SO THIS IS WHERE AN AMOUNT LIKE THIS ACTUALLY CAN GO PRETTY FAR.

SO YOU ALL PROBABLY ALL GOT THE LETTER FROM THE CHAMBER YESTERDAY.

I JUST WANT TO TAKE A SECOND TO HIGHLIGHT THAT SIX OF THE LAST 11 FORTUNE 500 HEADQUARTERS RELOCATIONS IN DFW HAVE BEEN IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND THAT HAS MEANT 400,000 ADDED JOBS MORE THAN ANY OTHER US MARKET.

AND ACCOMPANYING THAT WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENT IS A REQUEST TO INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE CORE OF NORTH TEXAS.

I MEAN, WE'RE A BIG CITY. WE'VE GOT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN NEEDED MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS AND INVESTING IN THE CITY'S ROADS, BRIDGES AND WATER IS ESSENTIAL.

AND SO THIS IS OUR NUMBER ONE CHAMBER IN THE US SAYING DON'T OVERLOOK INFRASTRUCTURE.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW. I TALK ABOUT THE SURVEY.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL GOT INTO IT AND READ THE VERBATIMS, BUT THIS IS OUR PEOPLE, NOT ONLY CHECKING A BOX ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THIS ITEM, IT IS THEM TAKING THE TIME TO WRITE COMMENTS D ONE INEQUALITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT.

D THREE POTHOLES.

QUALITY OF STREETS.

THERE IS NO MAINTENANCE ON THE PART OF DALLAS THAT I LIVE IN.

D FOUR WORST ROADS EVER D FIVE.

IT'S SCARY TO DRIVE IN DALLAS D SIX WOULD LIKE TO SEE INFRASTRUCTURE DOLLARS D EIGHT LACK OF BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE D SEVEN FIX ALL THESE POTHOLES, INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES AND NINE POTHOLES AND ROUGH STREETS.

POTHOLES IN THE CITY ARE HORRIBLE.

THAT WAS A D 13 D 14 QUALITY OF ROADS.

WHY ARE OUR STREETS FALLING APART AND FULL OF SUSPENSION DESTROYING POTHOLES? WHY CAN'T WE HAVE DECENT ROAD UPKEEP? SO I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS AS MUCH AS WE'RE MINIMIZING IT, WE'RE MINIMIZING THE VOICES OF OUR PEOPLE WHO SAID THIS WAS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE AND THERE ARE OTHER PLACES THAT FUNDS COULD BE FOUND.

AND I JUST DON'T LIKE GOING TO THIS TROUGH.

WHEN WE AGREED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO TO PUT MORE IN THIS BUCKET TO JUST HELP US GET A LITTLE BIT FARTHER DOWN THE LINE, 30 MILES, IN FACT.

SO I JUST WANT YOU TO GIVE CONSIDERATION TO THAT AS YOU LOOK AT THIS AMENDMENT.

THANK YOU ALL. CHAIRMAN WAS RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

WANT TO SUPPORT THIS IN CONCEPT, BUT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND A COUPLE OF THINGS.

AND I AGREE WITH WHAT CHAIRMAN WILLIS SAID, TOO.

LIKE MY MY CONSTITUENTS ARE YELLING FOR STREET REPAIRS.

THAT'S A THAT'S A COMMON THING THAT I HEAR ABOUT.

AND I JUST DO WE ON THE 250 FOR CODE COMPLIANCE, DO WE DO WE NEED THE MONEY OR DO WE NOT NEED THE MONEY? SO I'VE NOW I'VE HEARD I'VE HEARD TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

CHRIS CRICHTON, DIRECTOR OF CODE COMPLIANCE.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. COUNCIL MEMBER WE DO INDEED NEED THOSE FUNDS.

OKAY. WHAT CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN FOR THE COMMUNITY? BECAUSE WE CUT THIS BEFORE BECAUSE WE, WE UNDERSTOOD WE DIDN'T THINK WE NEEDED IT.

SO YOU DO NEED IT? YES, SIR. IT WAS AN OVERSIGHT ON MY PART, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH MY BUDGET TEAM AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, WE REALIZED THAT CERTAIN FUNDING WE THOUGHT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ROLL OVER WOULD NOT BE.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAVE, WE SPENT 586,000 THIS YEAR ON THE SAME 226 BUDGETED.

[02:30:01]

SO WE WENT OVER SIGNIFICANTLY.

AND ON AVERAGE IT'S 472 ACROSS FIVE YEARS.

AND SO THAT FUNDING CONTINGENCY WOULD PUT US WHERE WE THINK WE NEED TO BE.

GOT IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THE NEXT ONE IS FOR HUMAN RESOURCES.

ON THE FOURTH ITEM ON THIS FOR INTERNS, I KNOW WE'RE HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME HIRING PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS RIGHT NOW AND FOCUSING ON AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.

I'VE BEEN AN INTERN AS A AS A KID IN HIGH SCHOOL, IN COLLEGE, TOO.

I KNOW THE BENEFITS OF IT FOR THEM.

BUT AS A CITY THAT'S HAVING TROUBLE HIRING PEOPLE, DO WE NEED TO BE SPENDING TIME FACILITATING AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM? I JUST WANT TO HEAR FROM HR ON THIS.

GOOD AFTERNOON. DEPUTY KIMBERLY BIZOR, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER WEST.

I STARTED MY CAREER AT THE CITY OF DALLAS AS AN INTERN, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO DO WITH THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS, BOTH FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS AND FOR OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS, IS REALLY USE THAT FOR THE PIPELINE.

WE HAVE HAD MUCH SUCCESS WITH A LOT OF THE STUDENTS THAT COME THROUGH THOSE PROGRAMS. THEY END UP STAYING AND THEY ACTUALLY GO INTO JOBS AT THE CITY.

AND SO IT'S A WONDERFUL WAY FOR US TO BUILD A PIPELINE.

I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS ASKED US TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT AS OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY NOT ONLY PROMOTE CITY GOVERNMENT BEING A COOL PLACE TO WORK, BUT WE'VE GOT BRAND NEW EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS THAT ARE WITH US NOW.

I THINK WE ADDED OVER EIGHT DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES IN THIS LAST YEAR AND SO THAT ALLOWS FOR US TO BRING THOSE STUDENTS IN AND ACTUALLY PUT THEM IN JOBS LONG TERM.

GOT IT. THANK YOU. THE PIPELINE FOR EMPLOYMENT AT THE CITIES THAT THAT SOLD ME ON THAT.

THANKS. THAT'S ALL MY QUESTION.

CHARM. SCHLOTTERBECK FOR FIVE MINUTES.

I'LL START WITH DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR WEBER.

COULD YOU SHARE WITH US WHAT THIS FUNDING WILL DO? MELISSA WEBER, DIRECTOR FOR DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES.

THIS FUNDING WILL ALLOW US TO ENTER TO A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL TO IDENTIFY VETERINARY SERVICES, CONTRACTUAL VETERINARY SERVICES AFTER HOURS SO LIKE EMERGENCY HOSPITALS.

AND SO I KNOW THAT THAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE YOUR ANIMAL TO.

SO WHAT HAVE YOU IN TERMS OF THE NEED? COULD YOU SHARE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE OF WHAT THIS WILL DO IN TERMS OF ENHANCING PUBLIC LIFE? SO CURRENTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE CALL ON CALL, WE START WITH ON CALL MANAGERS, AND THEN WE GET VETERINARIANS INTO THE SHELTER FOR CRITICAL CASES.

AFTER HOURS.

THOSE SAME VETERINARIANS WILL THEN HAVE TO COME IN THE NEXT DAY AND CONTINUE THEIR THEIR SERVICES AND THEIR DAILY DUTIES.

THIS WILL ALLOW US TO USE THOSE PRIVATE PRACTICES FOR THOSE CRITICAL CASES.

SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT ULTIMATELY IF IF A IF A VET DOESN'T HAVE TO COME IN TWICE, IT JUST SAVES MONEY FOR THE CITY ULTIMATELY BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING THEM TO COME ONCE AND THEN COME BACK? OR HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

IT WOULD ALLOW US A LINE ITEM TO PAY FOR THOSE PRIVATE VET PRACTICES THAT WOULD DO THAT CRITICAL CARE AFTER HOURS AND IT WOULD SAVE ON TIME. SO RIGHT NOW, THE ANIMAL IS COMING TO THE SHELTER.

WE'RE CALLING OUR ON CALL FOLKS.

IT'S TAKING TIME TO ADDRESS THOSE CRITICAL NEEDS, WHEREAS THIS WAY WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE THEM DIRECTLY TO A VETERINARY HOSPITAL SO IT COULD SAVE ANIMAL LIVES AS WELL AS. CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

COULD WE GET BACK, MR. CHRISTIAN, BACK UP FOR A SECOND, PLEASE? THANK YOU. MR. CHRISTIAN, COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE BENEFIT OF SOME OF THESE DEMOLITION THROUGH THE LENS OF PUBLIC SAFETY, PLEASE? SO DEMOLITION IS TYPICALLY REQUIRED AFTER WE'VE GONE THROUGH OUR INTENSIVE CASE RESOLUTION PROCESS.

WE'VE REFERRED TO PROPERTY TO COMMUNITY PROSECUTION BECAUSE WE HAVE EITHER AN OWNER THAT'S UNRESPONSIVE OR THE PROPERTY IS NOT MAKING ANY REPAIRS OR PROGRESS AT COMING INTO COMPLIANCE. AND SO THESE ARE OFTEN SUBSTANDARD, DILAPIDATED PROPERTIES THAT ARE DANGEROUS LIFE HAZARDS AND CAN PRESENT A POTENTIAL NUISANCE IN COMMUNITIES AND DEVALUE HOMES AND ALL OF SUCH.

SO SO YOU ALREADY HAVE YOU ALREADY HAVE IDENTIFIED THE 23 PROPERTIES THAT.

OH, SORRY, THAT'S 2023, THE 23 PROPERTIES THAT YOU'RE LIKELY TO HAVE TO DEMOLISH THAT.

SO 23 IS WHAT WE DID THIS THIS YEAR CURRENTLY AND WE HAVE FOUR CURRENTLY IN THE PIPELINE READY TO BE DEMOLISHED FOR THE COMING YEAR.

[02:35:06]

AND SO THAT WOULD BE ROUGHLY ABOUT 100,000 OF THAT BUDGET.

AND SO OF THE 226, WE WOULD BE LEFT WITH 126 REMAINING RIGHT AFTER THE START OF THE YEAR.

GOTCHA. OKAY. SO IT'S A OKAY.

AND THEN ON THE HUMAN RESOURCES QUESTIONS, PARTICULARLY THE BIENNIAL MARKET STUDY, COULD YOU PLEASE IF STAFF COULD JUST EXPLAIN WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THAT ON OUR WORKFORCE? KIMBERLY BIZOR TOLBERT, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

SO THE BIENNIAL MARKET SURVEY ALLOWS FOR US TO CONTINUE TO ACTUALLY COMPARE OUR SALARY STRUCTURE WITH BOTH THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR. AND WHAT IT ALLOWS FOR US TO DO IS TO THEN MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH ISSUES LIKE PAY EQUITY COMPRESSION ACROSS ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. AND THEN IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR US TO ENSURE THAT AS WE GO INTO PERFORMANCE MERITS, WHERE ARE WE WITH WITHIN THE MARKET? SO IT REALLY DOES GIVE US THE BENCHMARK.

SO WHEN WE COME AND WE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT CHANGES THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MADE IN OUR STRUCTURE, WE HAVE THE DATA TO SUPPORT THAT.

SO TWO QUICK QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.

ONE IS, IS THIS GENERAL PRACTICE AMONG GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO DO? ABSOLUTELY. AND WE RECOMMENDED IN 2020 THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD DO EVERY OTHER YEAR TO KEEP US OUT THERE IN THE MARKET, COMPARING THE SALARIES.

SO SO WE DID THE LAST 1 IN 2022.

SO WE SKIP A YEAR AND THEN WE DO IT IN 24.

GOT IT. AND WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T DO IT? IT'LL BE DIFFICULT FOR US TO REALLY KNOW BASED ON THE BENCHMARKING AND BEING ABLE TO.

WE'VE GOT SEVERAL POSITIONS ACROSS THE CITY THAT WE KNOW ARE HARD TO REACH AND REALLY KIND OF SEEING HOW THE MARKET IS SHIFTING.

SO IT REALLY ALLOWS FOR US TO BE A STEP AHEAD AND AGAIN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SALARY STRUCTURE IS COMPETITIVE AS WE CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH ISSUES AROUND RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. OKAY.

THANK YOU. SO, YOU KNOW, MY CHALLENGE IS I TOTALLY SUPPORT THE PREMISE THAT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS BRINGS FORWARD IN TERMS OF TRYING TO GET AS MUCH MONEY AS WE CAN INTO OUR BUDGET FOR STREETS.

THE CHALLENGE IS, OF COURSE, THE USE OF FUNDS AND THE SACRIFICES THAT WE'D HAVE TO MAKE IN ORDER TO GET THESE ADDITIONAL LANE MILES.

SO THAT'S, I THINK, A CHALLENGE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE POTENTIALLY US BEGIN TO LOOK AT PERCENTAGE BUDGETS, YOU KNOW, AND WE AS A COUNCIL BEGIN TO LOOK AT THE POLICY LEVEL TO GO WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR BUDGET WE KNOW WE'RE LOCKED IN AT PUBLIC SAFETY TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, BUT WHAT PERCENTAGE DO WE WANT FOR THESE OTHER ITEMS? OUR STUDY THAT WE DID OF OUR RESIDENTS, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE ASKED ABOUT ANIMAL SERVICES OR HR FOR THE CITY OR DEMOLITIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO IT'S NOT REALLY APPLES TO APPLES AND SAYING WE DON'T WANT THESE THINGS.

AND SO I THINK PART OF AS WE DO OUR BUDGET TOWN HALLS NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER YEARS AGO IN SOME OF MY NONPROFIT WORK, WE WOULD HAVE TO DO A PROJECT WHERE WE'D HAVE TO SEE WHAT WE ACTUALLY WOULD GIVE UP, RIGHT? AND I KNOW WE SAID, WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT DO YOU NOT WANT? I'M NOT SURE THAT'S NECESSARILY I THINK MAYBE WE IF WE ACTUALLY LISTED IN SOME OF THE BIGGER BUCKETS THAT COME TO THE MORE NUANCED ITEMS THAT ARE BACK OF THE HOUSE, IF YOU WILL, ABOUT OUR OWN EMPLOYEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING IF WE DID THAT FAMOUS YOU KNOW, $100 EXERCISE KIND OF THING WITH WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE.

SO IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT I WAS ELECTED TO REPRESENT NOT ONLY OUR OUR RESIDENTS VOICES, BUT ALSO TO BE A LEADER AND A VOICE OF LOGIC IN THAT REPRESENTATION.

I WON'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS, THAT I AM SUPPORTING THIS AMENDMENT.

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN RIDLEY RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

FIRST, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE SOURCE OF FUNDS IN THIS AMENDMENT.

IT WAS ARGUED THAT WE DON'T NEED TO PUT AN ADDITIONAL 525,000 INTO STREET MAINTENANCE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THE UPCOMING BOND PROGRAM.

BUT BOND FUNDS ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR STREET MAINTENANCE FUNDS.

THEY CAN ONLY BE USED AS A CAPITAL EXPENSE FOR ROAD RECONSTRUCTION, NOT FOR RESURFACING, NOT FOR FILLING POTHOLES.

AND SO WE DO NEED MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR STREET MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS NOT GOING TO BE DISPLACED BY BOND FUNDING.

IN ADDITION, THERE'S ALSO A TIME ELEMENT HERE.

[02:40:03]

IF WE WAITED FOR THE BOND FUNDS, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ARRIVE FOR A MINIMUM OF ONE YEAR FROM NOW AND PROBABLY MORE LIKE 2 OR 3 YEARS FOR ALL OF IT.

AND CONSEQUENTLY, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT STREET MAINTENANCE IN THE NEXT CALENDAR YEAR OR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.

WITH REGARD TO THE USE OF FUNDS, I MY GENERAL QUESTION IS, IF THESE ARE ALL SUCH IMPORTANT PRIORITIES, WHY WEREN'T THEY INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET? DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES ADD FUNDING FOR AFTER HOURS.

VET CARE 150,000.

COULD WE HAVE ANIMAL SERVICES COME BACK UP? AND MY QUESTION IS, HOW DID WE ARRIVE AT THE FIGURE OF 150,000? THE 150,000 WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF ONE VETERINARIAN.

IF WE COULD HIRE A VETERINARIAN FOR THOSE AFTER HOURS, THAT WOULD BE IDEAL.

BUT THERE IS A VETERINARIAN SHORTAGE IN THE NATION AND SO ALL OUR VETERINARIANS WE NEED FOR DAYTIME SERVICES.

SO THAT'S HOW WE CAME TO THAT AMOUNT.

AND SO YOU DON'T HAVE VETERINARIANS WORKING EVENING HOURS NOW, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. THEY'RE ON CALL.

OKAY. AND SO I ASSUME THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE ON NON CALL, THAT INDICATES THAT THERE ISN'T A CONSTANT DEMAND FOR THEIR SERVICES IN THE EVENING HOURS. THAT'S.

THAT'S NOT ENTIRELY ACCURATE.

THERE'S THERE IS A DEMAND AND THAT'S THAT'S PART OF WHY WE WANT THESE AFTER HOURS SERVICES TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO THE ANIMALS WITHOUT ALLOWING TIME FOR A VETERINARIAN TO COME TO THE SHELTER ON CALL.

IF WE HAD MORE VETERINARIANS, WE WOULD HAVE THAT OVERNIGHT SERVICES.

WELL, WHY NOT JUST HAVE AN EVENING SHIFT? CURRENTLY WITH THE VETERINARIAN SHORTAGE.

WE NEED THOSE VETERINARIANS TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF OUR DAY TIME SERVICES OF THE ANIMALS.

MOST OF OUR ANIMALS DO COME IN BETWEEN IN THE DAYTIME HOURS.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WHERE THE MAJORITY OF ANIMALS ARE COMING, THAT WE HAVE THE MAJORITY OF OUR SERVICES.

SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR WELL, THIS AMENDMENT ASKS FOR 150,000 AS THE SALARY ONE YEAR SALARY FOR A VETERINARIAN.

BUT YOU'RE NOT VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT YOU CAN HIRE ONE.

SO WHAT WOULD THE FUNDS ACTUALLY BE USED FOR? THAT'S HOW WE CAME TO THAT AMOUNT.

THAT WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT.

WHAT WE WOULD DO IS DO A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR VETERINARY SERVICES SO THAT WE COULD BE HAVE A VENDOR, A PRIVATE VETERINARIAN, THAT WE CAN TAKE THOSE CRITICAL CASES IN THE AFTER HOURS DIRECTLY TO THEM.

WITH REGARD TO CODE COMPLIANCE SERVICES, I FRANKLY FEEL WHIPSAWED ON THIS ISSUE.

I'VE HEARD SO MANY CHANGES OF POSITION BY THE CITY STAFF.

I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS.

FIRST, WE'RE TOLD NO, IT'S NOT NEEDED.

JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, ON SEPTEMBER THE 6TH, AND NOW WE'RE WE'RE TOLD, OH, YES, IT IS NEEDED.

SO I JUST IF IT WAS SUCH AN IMPERATIVE, WHY WEREN'T WE TOLD THAT TWO WEEKS AGO? WITH REGARD TO HUMAN RESOURCES, THE BIENNIAL MARKET STUDY AND TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE BUDGET THAT THE CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDED $1,400,000 FOR TALENT, ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT.

SO WHY, IF THESE ARE IMPERATIVES, WEREN'T THEY INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL BUDGET AND WHY CAN'T THEY BE INCLUDED IN THAT MILLION DOLLAR $400,000 ALLOCATION? I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY WE HAVE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THESE, PARTICULARLY THE BIENNIAL MARKET STUDY WHICH WE'VE JUST HEARD KIM SAY WAS SOMETHING WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO DO EVERY TWO YEARS.

WE DID THE LAST 1 IN 22.

SO WHY WASN'T IT INCLUDED IN THE 24 BUDGET? I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT USE OF FUNDS, SO I WILL BE OPPOSED TO THIS MOTION QUICKLY.

COUNCILMAN AND I THINK THIS HAS BEEN STATED MAYBE A COUPLE OF TIMES ON TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES AROUND WHAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.

IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN THIS AMENDMENT THAT TECHNICALLY WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, I WOULD SAY IT IS THE ANIMAL CARE OR ANIMAL SERVICES ITEM, WHICH WAS AN ITEM, AS MELISSA SAID, WAS REALLY TO ADDRESS A NEED THAT OBVIOUSLY WE PARTICULARLY PROBABLY HAD HISTORICALLY.

BUT I THINK IT WAS RAISED AS A CONCERN BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, SHORT OF THE ON CALL NATURE AND OR THE TIMELINESS OF GETTING A VET TO COME IN ON CALL, I THINK STAFF HAS HAD TO RESORT TO, PARTICULARLY ON WEEKENDS, SIMPLY DOING PAIN MANAGEMENT AT A POINT FOR MANY ANIMALS THAT COME IN AFTER HOURS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT.

[02:45:09]

AND IN SOME CASES WHEN THAT PAIN MANAGEMENT IS NOT REALLY A VIABLE STRATEGY, THEN THEY END UP HAVING TO EUTHANIZE THE ANIMAL.

AND SO, AGAIN, AS IT WAS RAISED IN DAYLIGHTED TO US, PROBABLY OVER THE LAST 2 OR 3 MONTHS, I THINK WE TOOK AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, OKAY, WELL WHAT WOULD IT COST? AND I THINK SHE UTILIZED THE COST OF A VETERINARY SERVICE PERSON ANNUALLY TO COME UP WITH AT LEAST WHAT IT WOULD TAKE IF WE COULD HIRE SOMEONE TO THEN USE TO AUGMENT AND SAY THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD THEN GO OUT AND CONTRACT AND WORK TO HAVE A PRIVATE SECTOR PERSON DO THAT IN A MUCH MORE READY FASHION.

BUT THE OTHER ITEMS IDENTIFIED IN THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT WERE BUDGETED AND A PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 24 RECOMMENDATION.

BUT VIA AN AMENDMENT, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WERE CHANGED AND MOVED TOWARDS THE STREETS AREA, FOR WHICH THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT PRIOR TO THAT THAT HAD ALREADY ELEVATED AND MOVED AN ADDITIONAL $2.5 MILLION TO THAT MARK.

AND SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO REALLY CORRECT THAT.

THE ONLY NEW THING THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT WAS THE DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES ITEM RELATED TO HOW WE WILL DEAL WITH ANIMALS AFTER HOURS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION FOR COUNCIL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.

MORENO, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WE CAN HAVE SOMEONE FROM ANIMAL SERVICES COME UP.

THANK YOU. MAKING SURE THAT THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF OUR PETS ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS BEFORE US.

CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND IF THIS HAS BEEN A NEED IN PRIOR YEARS OR IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS SURFACED? NOW MORE THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS.

THIS HAS BEEN A NEED.

ONE OF THE DRIVERS FOR THIS IS WE HAVE THREE FULL TIME POSITIONS.

THREE TIME FULL TIME VETERINARIAN POSITIONS AND THREE PART TIME VETERINARIAN POSITIONS.

AND WITH THAT VETERINARIAN SHORTAGE, WE ARE DOWN TO ONE FULL TIME, TWO PART TIMES AND WE'RE ONBOARDING A FULL TIME.

SO WE'VE WE'VE HAD A HARD TIME BRINGING VETERINARIANS ON BOARD.

SO THE ON CALL HAS TRADITIONALLY WORKED BETTER FOR US THAN IT'S WORKING NOW, BECAUSE NOW THAT WE'RE DOWN TO THAT ONE FULL TIME VETERINARIAN AND THAT ONE ONBOARDING, HAVING THEM IN THE OVER AFTER HOURS TIME IMPACTS THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE DURING THE DAY.

AND SO AND THE THE ABILITY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SUCH A LARGE POOL OF VETERINARIANS TO BE AVAILABLE AFTER HOURS IS WHY IT'S COMING TO THE SURFACE. MORE NOW, THOUGH IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A NEED.

SO RIGHT NOW, IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY.

IN THE EVENING, A STAFF MEMBER HAS TO DRIVE AN ANIMAL TO A NEARBY VETERINARIAN.

OR DO THEY COME INTO THE CENTER? THEY COME TO THE SHELTER.

THEY CALL THE ON CALL MANAGER.

THE ON CALL MANAGER CHARGES.

AND THEN IT'S DECIDED WHETHER A VETERINARIAN WILL COME IN OR NOT.

OKAY. VETERINARIANS NEEDED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHRISTIAN.

WE CAN COME UP, PLEASE.

THANK YOU, SIR. WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK CLOSELY ON SOME HOMES THAT NEED TO BE DEMOLISHED DUE TO NEGLECT OR JUST NUISANCE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

HOW LONG OF A PROCESS DOES IT TAKE FOR A HOME TO GET TO THE DEMOLITION PROCESS? IS IT A COUPLE OF WEEKS? MONTHS? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER.

IT'S A TRICKY QUESTION.

WE START THE PROCESS WITH OUR CODE COMPLIANCE PROCESS, AND SO WE TRY TO WE NOTICE THE PROPERTY OWNER, WE TRY TO GIVE THEM A PERIOD OF TIME TO COME AND COMPLIANCE, WE ISSUE CITATIONS. IF WE ARE UNABLE TO OBTAIN COMPLIANCE, THEN WE START OUR TRIAGE PROCESS TO THE COMMUNITY PROSECUTION OFFICE.

THAT COULD TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 30 TO 60 TO 90 DAYS ONCE COMMUNITY PROSECUTION HAS IT.

I COULD HAVE IF I COULD HAVE SOMEONE FROM CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE COME UP AND SPEAK ABOUT WHAT THEIR PROCESS LOOKS LIKE, THE COMMUNITY PROSECUTION TEAM, IS THERE ANYONE? HERE? WELL, THEY THEY SEEK A COURT ORDER THROUGH THE COURTS TO REQUEST DEMOLITION OF THE PROPERTY IF IT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS.

SO THEY'LL GO OUT AND PERFORM A WORTHINESS INSPECTION, GO TO THE COURTS AND GET A JUDGE'S ORDER TO DEMOLITION, EITHER AT THE PROPERTY'S OWNER'S EXPENSE OR THE CITY WILL DO IT.

BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHEN THE CITY DOES DEMOLISH A PROPERTY THAT'S COST RECOVERABLE, WE DO LEAN FOR THOSE CHARGES AND PUT IT ON THE PROPERTY OWNER'S ESTATE.

AND SO IF THAT PROPERTY WERE TO CHANGE HANDS OR SELL, THE CITY WOULD RECOUP THOSE DOLLARS.

UM, CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ, YOU'RE ONLINE, RIGHT? OKAY. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

[02:50:06]

AND I WANTED TO JUST START WITH THANK YOU TO CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA FOR BRINGING THIS AMENDMENT FORWARD.

I WORKED WITH HIM ON A COUPLE OF THINGS TO GET SOME OF THESE ITEMS THAT WERE CUT THAT WERE ACTUALLY VERY NECESSARY TO GET THEM BACK INTO THE BUDGET. THE DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES ITEM WAS AT MY REQUEST FROM HEARING FROM ANIMAL RIGHTS ADVOCATES THAT I LEARNED FROM THEM THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT EMERGENCY VET CARE AT DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES.

SO SOME ANIMALS THAT MAY NEED EMERGENCY CARE OR THAT DO NEED EMERGENCY CARE SOMETIMES HAVE TO BE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE MORNING UNTIL THE OR AN ENTIRE WEEKEND UNTIL A VETERINARIAN THAT IS SCHEDULED COMES INTO DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES AND THAT'S KIND OF CRUEL TO MAKE AN ANIMAL WAIT.

AND THEN WHAT COULD END UP HAPPENING FOR A LOT OF THESE ANIMALS IS THEY END UP HAVING TO BE EUTHANIZED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET THE CARE THAT THEY NEEDED AT THAT TIME.

SO THIS WAS AT MY REQUEST.

AND THANK YOU TO MELISSA AND HER CREW FOR TAKING A LOOK TO SEE IF IT WAS EVEN NECESSARY.

I ASKED IF THEY COULD LOOK AT IT AND IF WE COULD FIND IF WE NEEDED IT AND WHAT HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST.

AND THEY DID DETERMINE THAT THEY DID NEED IT.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM THEM WHEN IT COMES TO CODE COMPLIANCE SERVICES FOR ESPECIALLY FOR SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT SOME OF US REPRESENT, WE HAVE THE BLIGHTS.

WE NEED THESE DOLLARS TO BRING DOWN BUILDINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DEMOLISHED.

AND IT'S UNFAIR.

IT'S NOT EQUITABLE TO LEAVE BLIGHT INSIDE OF SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

250,000 IS A SMALL AMOUNT WHEN IT COMES TO DEMOLITION.

A LOT OF PLACES THAT WHEN DEVELOPMENTS ARE HAPPENING, IT'S MILLIONS IN ORDER TO DEMOLISH HUMAN RESOURCES, THE BIENNIAL MARKET STUDY, WE'RE CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET NEW STAFF AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HIRE AND RECRUIT.

AND IF WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT OUR PAY SCALE SHOULD BE AT THAT TIME, IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP US BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE STUCK AT TWO YEAR OLD WAGES OR WE MIGHT BE STUCK AT FOUR YEAR OLD WAGES DEPENDING ON IF AND WHEN WE EVER GET SOMETHING BACK.

AND THIS IS ONLY AN ITEM THAT HAS TO BE DONE EVERY OTHER YEAR AND IT WAS LAST DONE IN 22, SO IT'S RIGHT ON TIME.

THE 2324 BUDGET.

SO 24 IS WHEN IT HAPPENS THAT WE GET READY FOR 25 HUMAN RESOURCES THAT I THINK I THINK CHAIRMAN WEST SAID IT PERFECTLY AS FAR AS THE STUDENTS AND HOW WE CAN GET THESE INTERNSHIPS FOR THESE COLLEGE STUDENTS AND THE MENTORING PROGRAMS. IT IS CRUCIAL AT THESE YOUNG AGES THAT PEOPLE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE, STUDENTS GET TO GET A TASTE OF WHAT IS GOING ON.

AND I KNOW A LOT OF OFFICES, EVEN IN OUR DISTRICTS, BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM AND OR A LOT OF CITY STAFF.

AND I'VE SEEN SO MANY OF THESE YOUNG, BRIGHT, AMAZING STUDENTS END UP GETTING HIRED, WHETHER IT'S FOR TWO, THREE, FIVE YEARS OR IT'S A LIFETIME, THEIR ENTIRE CAREER, AND IT'S REALLY VALUABLE.

AND $50,000 IS A VERY SMALL INVESTMENT TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH AND BRING IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT STUDENTS.

I PUBLIC WORKS, WE DID ADD THIS MONEY BACK IN, AND IT'S A PLACE WHERE WE WE WE ARE FOR THE SECOND YEAR, EVEN IF WE CHANGE THIS BY WHAT WE ADDED. BUT EVEN IF WE DO TAKE THIS AND REMOVE IT, WE ARE STILL FULLY FUNDED FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW TO NOT TO TO ACHIEVE ZERO DEGRADATION WHEN IT COMES TO OUR STREETS.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE AT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THINGS GET BETTER.

AND IF WE ALL OF THIS WORKS HAND IN HAND WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.

SO WE'VE GOT TO KIND OF DO THIS ONE PART AND THE 525,000, EVEN THOUGH I WOULD WISH THERE WAS A DIFFERENT PLACE, IT'S MONEY THAT WAS ADDED THAT WASN'T ACTUALLY PUT INTO THE BUDGET FOR PUBLIC WORKS UNTIL THE LAST MEETING.

SO COLLEAGUES, I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT.

IT WILL REALLY BENEFIT A LOT OF FOLKS.

AND IT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S AN INVESTMENT THAT WILL IMPROVE AND INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AS WELL AS TAX REVENUES AND THE LONG TERM THAT WE'RE GOING TO DESPERATELY NEED AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MAYOR PRO TEM RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

[02:55:02]

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. TALKING ABOUT DEMOLITION, CHRIS, WE COME BACK FORWARD.

I WAS LOOKING AT 2019.

WE HAD ROUGHLY ABOUT 118.

DEMO PERFORMED.

SO WHY DID IT REDUCE TO 23? I SEE IT WAS A BIG REDUCTION.

CAN YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS.

YES, YOU'RE CORRECT.

IN 2019 IT WAS A 1,399,000 BUDGET, OF WHICH WE SPENT 914,118 PERFORMED.

THAT WAS PRIOR TO MY TIME IN CODE COMPLIANCE, SO I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO WHY WE HAD SO MANY DEMOLITIONS AT THAT TIME, BUT I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE TO WHY IT TAPERED OFF AND THAT WAS DUE TO THE RESULTS OF THE COVID PANDEMIC AND THE COURTS SLOWING DOWN AND THINGS GETTING SLOWER AT THE COURTS AS WE BEGIN TO EMERGE OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, THE COURT STARTED TO PICK BACK UP AND DEMOLITION STARTED TO PICK BACK UP AS A RESULT.

OKAY, SO WHEN WE DO DEMOLITION, IT'S A COST RECOVERY.

IT'S COST RECOVERY CODE DOES LEAN FOR THOSE THOSE DOLLARS.

OKAY. SO SO THEREFORE, ON LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HIGHER BUDGET IN 2019, YOU ALSO HAD A HIGHER BUDGET IN 2021, ALSO IN 2020 OR 2021 AND 20.

AND I LOOK AT THE AVERAGE DEMOLITION COST IS GOING UP, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE THAT MORE MONEY WE HAVE IN THE BUDGET FOR DEMOLITION MORE WE CAN DO.

IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT? THAT IS A FAIR STATEMENT.

MAYOR PRO TEM. SO SO THEREFORE, WE NEED TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO DEMOLITION IN ORDER TO TO MAKE SURE WE GOT BLIGHT AND MAKE SURE WE GOT SAFETY THERE.

SO IT IS A COST RECOVERY.

IT'S NOT COSTING THE CITY AND THE MONEY.

THE TAXPAYERS. THE MONEY. IS THAT IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

WE CAN'T CONTROL WHEN WE ACTUALLY GET THAT FUNDING BACK.

YOU KNOW, IF THE PROPERTY OWNER IS UNABLE TO PAY FOR THE DEMOLITION AND THE CITY FUNDS IT, WE WILL LEAN FOR THOSE EXPENSES.

IF THE PROPERTY SALES ARE CHANGING HANDS, WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN.

IT COULD BE A YEAR LATER, IT COULD BE TWO YEARS LATER, IT COULD BE FIVE YEARS LATER.

BUT WHENEVER IT HAPPENS, THE CITY WILL RECOUP THOSE DOLLARS.

AND AND AND WHEN YOU SAID LEAN DO DO THE COUNTY HAD LIENS ALSO ON THOSE PROPERTIES.

THESE ARE THESE ARE DALLAS CODE LIENS.

WE FILED THEM THROUGH OUR REVENUE AND COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT.

ANIMAL SERVICE. SOMEONE FROM ANIMAL SERVICE COME FORWARD, PLEASE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. NUMBER ONE, I KNOW FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, DISTRICT EIGHT HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE THE DISTRICTS HAVE MORE ISSUES WITH ANIMAL SERVICE BECAUSE WE ARE WIDE, LARGE AREA.

WHEN WE HAVE MORE VETERINARIANS IN PLACE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE DAYTIME.

DO YOU SEE A NEED FOR THE EVENING TIME FOR AFTERNOON VETS? YES, THERE IS DEFINITELY A NEED FOR THE AFTER HOURS VET SERVICES.

RIGHT. SO THEREFORE, HOW MANY VETS DO WE HAVE WORKING DURING THE DAY? SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE ONE FULL TIME POSITION FILLED, TWO PART TIME POSITIONS FILLED AND ONE FULL TIME ONBOARDING. SO DEPENDING ON THE DAY, WE COULD HAVE ANYWHERE FROM RIGHT NOW, EITHER 1 OR 2.

WITH THE ADDITION OF THE NEW VET, WE WILL HAVE THREE SOMETIMES.

SO WHEN YOU DO SERVICE, ARE YOU SERVING ALL OF THOSE ANIMALS IN THE SAME DAY? IT'S A TWO DAY TO GIVE A SERVICE OF THREE DAYS OR FOUR DAYS OR FIVE DAYS.

SO TELL ME, HOW MANY ANIMALS DO THE VET SERVICE IN ONE DAY? YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE NUMBER THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF? SO CURRENTLY WE'RE SEEING OVER 20,000 ANIMALS ANNUALLY.

SO DIVIDING THAT UP BY 365, THE ONLY DAYS THAT WERE CLOSED ARE THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS.

SO THAT'S KIND OF WITH AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 60 PETS COMING IN A DAY.

RIGHT. SO THAT MEAN THAT YOU HAVE EACH VET IS TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF AT LEAST TEN ANIMALS A DAY.

IS THAT RIGHT? RIGHT. SO.

THE. I'M SORRY.

I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING. NOT SURE THAT I'M CLEAR ON THE QUESTION.

SO WE HAVE OUR VETERINARIANS, OUR SCHEDULED SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE A PART TIME VET WHO'S WORKING SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

WE HAVE A FULL TIME VET THAT'S WORKING TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

WE HAVE ANOTHER VET THAT'S GOING TO BE ONBOARDING, THAT'S GOING TO BE COVERING THE WEEKENDS.

AND THEN WE HAVE A PART TIME VET WHO HANDLES OUR FOSTER PETS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE OVER 800 PETS IN FOSTER.

[03:00:07]

I THINK WE NEED A NEED FOR THAT ALPHA OUT OF VETERINARY, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF DALLAS.

I THINK KIMBERLY TOLBERT, I THINK SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE THE INTERNSHIP COLLEGE INTERN PROGRAM.

COULD I SPEAK TO YOU, PLEASE? YES. QUESTION.

THE TRAINING.

FUNDAMENTAL PROGRAM AND COLLEGE HIGH STUDENT INTERNSHIP.

HAVE A BUDGET ALWAYS BEEN $50,000 HAVE WENT UP.

WENT DOWN OR WHAT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, KIMBERLY BIZOR CHOPRA, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.

THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS.

WE ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE IT WAS IN 2020, WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL COMPONENT.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM KIND OF AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, BUT WE ADDED THE COLLEGE INTERNSHIP, PAID POSITIONS TO ACTUALLY CREATE.

WHAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER WAS THAT PIPELINE.

SO WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A BUDGET FOR IT.

WHAT THIS BUDGET, WHAT THAT LINE ITEM ALSO INCLUDES THAT TRAINING.

THAT'S ACTUALLY THE TRAINING FOR ALL OF OUR SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EXECUTIVE TEAM.

SO THAT'S NOT JUST THE TRAINING FOR THE INTERNS.

THAT'S FOR ALL OF OUR TRAINING, FOR ALL OF OUR SENIOR LEVEL EMPLOYEES.

SO THE INTERN IS JUST FOR THE TRAINING OF THE INTERN, BUT NOT PAYING ANY MONEY FOR THE INTERN, IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S THE ACTUAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE THE SALARIES FOR THOSE ACTUAL POSITIONS THAT SIT IN HR TO BE ABLE TO DO THE PROGRAMS. BUT THE TRAINING DOLLARS, THAT'S THE EXECUTIVE TRAINING FOR ALL OF OUR SENIOR LEVEL AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM.

IT'S NOT JUST FOR THE INTERNS, IT'S ALL OF OUR TRAINING.

SO THE INTERNS DO NOT GET PAID? THAT'S CORRECT. YES, WE DO.

WE ARE WE ARE PAYING THE COLLEGE INTERNS.

OKAY. AND THE REASON WHY I SAID I LOVE THE PROGRAM AND I MAY BE SPEAKING OUT OF TURN ON THE BUDGET.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE 3 OR 4 INTERNS WHO CAME THROUGH MY OFFICE.

I GOT ONE NOW WHO WHO WORKED FOR ME NOW AND HAD 2 OR 3 MORE.

BUT I HAVE BEEN PAYING INTERNS OUT OF MY OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNT, SO FOR THE LAST 8 OR 9 YEARS.

SO I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE NEED TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THIS BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE MORE MONEY IN MY OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNT TO TO DO OTHER THINGS.

BUT I'M GLAD TO STILL COME UP COLLEAGUES.

BUT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT THAT INTERNS RIGHT NOW IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET INTERNS TO WORK FOR YOU.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY GOT TO COME HERE, THEY GOT TO EAT LUNCH, THEY GOT TO FIND THE TRANSPORTATION, HOW TO GET HERE.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE DO. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ONCE YOU FIND A GOOD INTERN, YOU LOOK AT ALEXANDRA.

SHE WAS AN INTERN. NOW SHE'S A FULL TERM PERSON HERE.

SO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE SHOULD NOT CUT THIS OUT OF THE BUDGET.

THANK YOU. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL.

THOSE MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE.

I WILL ADVOCATE FOR THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT I HAVE TO GET A PLUG IN FOR MY DISTRICT, WHICH IS DISTRICT FOUR.

WE RECENTLY LOST A FACILITY ON VILLAGE VILLAGE FAIR THAT SERVED SOME OF OUR OUR FURRY COMMUNITY.

I GUESS I'LL CALL THEM FURRY MEMBER FAMILY MEMBERS.

AND I WAS SO SURPRISED BY THE OUTBURST IN TERMS OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE JUST CONCERNED ABOUT IT BEING CLOSED BECAUSE IT WAS A GREAT LOCATION.

SO I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT NOW AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET A PARTNER.

BUT I THINK I NEEDED TO PLUG IN.

I DON'T THINK I KNOW I HAVE TO PLUG IN NOW SO THAT THOSE OF YOU AROUND THE HORSESHOE REALIZE THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE DEALING WITH THE CHALLENGES THAT THAT I KNOW DISTRICT EIGHT FACES WITH THE DUMPING AND THE ABUSE OF ANIMALS, BUT WE TOO HAVE A NEED FOR SERVICES.

AND SO THE EMERGENCY, WHETHER EMERGENCY OR EVENTUALLY DAYTIME, WE DO NEED THOSE SERVICES FOR OUR ANIMALS.

SO I WANTED TO MENTION THAT CANNOT.

CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING CODE.

AND I KNOW SOME OF THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT CODE AND DEMOLITIONS IS COMING OUT, BUT I THINK EVEN MORE SO AROUND THE HORSESHOE TODAY.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHEN WE STARTED IN 2015, THE NATIONAL GUARD WAS ASSISTING WITH SOME OF THOSE DEMOLITIONS.

AND I HAVE BEEN ASKING AND I'M LOBBYING EVEN MORE SO ON OUR STATE LEVEL TO TRY TO GET THOSE FUNDS BACK TO ASSIST US WITH THESE DEMOS.

I RECENTLY THIS JUST LAST WEEK WHEN CODY AND I WENT OUT WITH A TOUR DISTRICT FOR WE ARE BRINGING ON PROBABLY SOME NEW PROPERTIES THAT WILL HAVE TO BE DEMOED BECAUSE WE'RE

[03:05:03]

TRYING TO EXPAND OUR ECONOMIC FOOTPRINT IN, IN THAT LANCASTER CORRIDOR.

AND SO ULTIMATELY I FOUND OUT AND JUST IN IN JUST A FEW DAYS AGO THAT ONE OF THE OWNERS SAYS, MA'AM, I'M GETTING TOO OLD.

I CAN'T DEAL WITH THE PROPERTIES.

BUT WE DO KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY GOING ON IN THOSE BUILDINGS.

AND SO AS THE POLICE WORK WITH US TO TRY TO ERADICATE SOME OF THOSE CRIMINAL BEHAVIORS, IT LEAVES THE BUILDING STANDING THERE IN THE WAY OF PROGRESS.

AND SO THIS COMES ABOUT PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY.

THE MORE WE GO OUT INTO THE FIELD, THE MORE WE WORK WITH CODE, THESE THINGS BEGIN TO GET UNCOVERED.

SO I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE I STRESS THE NEED TO SUPPORT TODAY CODE AS IT RELATES TO COMMUNITIES THAT ARE BEGGING FOR EQUITY.

AND I WOULD SAY WE ARE BEGGING FOR EQUITY IN TERMS OF THE REMOTE REMOVAL OF BLIGHT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN TO MARKET A CORRIDOR. IN THIS CASE, I'M TALKING I'M GOING TO BACKTRACK TO THE TO THE LANCASTER CORRIDOR BECAUSE LANCASTER CORRIDOR HOUSES THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION, THE VETERANS HOSPITAL, I SHOULD SAY THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION, BUT THE VETERANS HOSPITAL.

AND WE HAVE OUR VETERANS SITTING IN A CORE CORRIDOR THAT DOES NOT SPEAK TO THE PRIDE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS COUNTRY. AND SO MY GOAL AND OUR GOAL AS A COMMUNITY IS TO SUPPORT THE VETERANS IN SPIRIT AND IN INVESTMENT.

SO WHEN THEIR FAMILIES COME HERE, THEY'LL BE BE SERVED BY THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THAT CORRIDOR.

IF IF FAMILY MEMBERS WANT TO RELOCATE CLOSE TO THEIR LOVED ONES, THEY CAN DO THAT IN THAT LANCASTER CORRIDOR.

SO THAT'S WHY WE CONSTANTLY WORK WITH CODE BECAUSE WE ARE FIGHTING FOR EQUITY, EQUITY, EQUITY, EQUITY.

MR. CRICHTON YOU KNOW, I JUST TALKED TO YOU AGAIN TODAY ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AND SOMETIMES I KNOW YOU MAY THINK I'M BEING A HOG ABOUT IT, BUT WE NEED YOU AND I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO CHURCH WITH YOU, BUT WE NEED YOU EVERY HOUR.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND, YOU'LL CATCH IT BY THE TIME YOU GET HOME BECAUSE SOMEBODY WILL EXPLAIN IT TO YOU.

SO WE NEED THEM IN DISTRICT FOUR.

WE NEED MORE THERE.

I CAN'T. I KNOW WE ALL NEED IT, BUT RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THE EQUITY THAT WE NEED.

SO WE NEED THE ANIMAL SERVICES.

WE NEED CODE.

WE NEED TO INVEST IN OUR FUTURE IN THIS CITY.

AND OF COURSE, IT COMES WITH RESEARCH AND DATA.

WE TELL ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IT'S ALL ABOUT DATA OR DATA, WHICHEVER WAY YOU CHOOSE.

SO I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS, SUPPORT THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT AND HOPE WE CAN GET MORE SUPPORT SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THE NEXT ITEM.

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.

ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO.

CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THE ONLY THING I'M GOING TO SAY ABOUT THIS IS THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT STREET MAINTENANCE.

I DON'T KNOW.

I DRIVE VERY FAR TO GET TO CITY HALL EVERY DAY.

I WAS JUST COMMENTING TO MY NEIGHBOR HERE AROUND THE HORSESHOE, HOW TERRIBLE FIELD STREET IS, HOW TERRIBLE EVERY STREET DOWNTOWN IS.

I GOT A TEXT.

TWO MINUTES AGO FROM A RESIDENT WHO JUST HAD AN ACCIDENT WHILE HE WAS CYCLING BECAUSE OF THE STREET REPAIR, MEANING THE STREET WAS IN SUCH BAD CONDITION, IT CAUSED HIS HIS HIS BICYCLE TO FALL OVER.

I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULD TAKE MONEY FROM THE SOURCE.

SO I ABSOLUTELY THINK THAT THERE'S A CASE TO BE MADE FOR ANIMAL SERVICES, AND I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST QUESTION ANSWER SESSION WE'VE HAD WITH DIRECT ANSWERS WITH WITH A CLEAR MISSION.

I TRULY APPRECIATE IT.

IF WE NEED TO FUND THIS, WE SHOULD FIND ANOTHER SOURCE.

BUT I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND TAKING STREET REPAIR MONEY AS A SOURCE OF FUNDS.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON, FOR OR AGAINST.

OKAY. THREE MINUTES THIS TIME.

GO AHEAD. I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT THESE ARE FUNDS THAT WERE MOVED.

THIS IS NOT TAKING ANYTHING AWAY.

THAT'S WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED.

THIS IS A BUDGET EXERCISE, JUST AS IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WHEN THOSE WERE MOVED AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE MOVES DON'T HAVE AN IMPACT TO CRITICAL THINGS THAT WERE ALSO PROPOSED IN THIS BUDGET IS ALL THAT THIS AMENDMENT IS SOUGHT OUT TO DO.

SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE THE SUPPORT GOING FORWARD, AND I WILL ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT OF THE MONEY THAT WAS ADDED TO STREETS, THIS AMENDMENT DOES NOT REMOVE ALL THAT WAS ADDED AND SO WE STILL ARE LEFT WITH MORE THAN WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON FOR AGAINST AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO BY MR.

[03:10:01]

BAZALDUA. SEEING NONE, PLEASE SIGNIFY YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE AMENDMENT BY SHOWING A GREEN CARD.

MAYOR. I DON'T HAVE A GREEN CARD.

BUT THEN YOU DON'T.

THEN YOU DON'T COUNT. SIR, YOU DO NOT COUNT.

I'M JUST KIDDING. NO, WE GOT YOU.

YOU. YOU SAID. YEAH, I'M SORRY.

YOU SAID YOU WOULD SHOW IT.

I DO SUPPORT THIS.

OKAY, SO WE GOT A GREEN CARD.

VIRTUAL WITH NINE MEMBERS VOTING IN FAVOR OF THIS AMENDMENT MOVES FORWARD.

MR. MAYOR. OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO.

MISS WILLIS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR A MOTION.

AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE IF YOU WANT TO.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO MOVED.

IS THERE A SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND.

DO YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES? MS.. WILLIS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO I THINK WE'VE ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE IN THE FIRST AMENDMENT THAT WE DISCUSSED TODAY.

ACTUALLY, I WAS GOING TO WITHDRAW THIS MOTION, AND I'M STILL GOING TO WITHDRAW THIS MOTION OR THIS AMENDMENT.

HOWEVER, I DO WANT TO MAGNIFY NOW THE FACT THAT WE'VE MADE A DECISION OR MOST OF THE BODY HAS MADE A DECISION TO GIVE AN ADVANTAGE TO SOME EMPLOYEES THAT OTHERS WILL NOT HAVE WHO STILL PARK ON SURFACE LOTS.

AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP THAT THIS SEEMS TO MERIT EXPLORATION IN THE WORKFORCE COMMITTEE.

I WOULD THINK, TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE FUND DART PASSES, HOW WE HAVE FIDELITY TOWARD OUR OWN PROGRAMING AROUND TRANSPORTATION AND WALKABILITY AND CONNECTIVITY, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT WE DEMONSTRATED THAT TODAY.

AND ANYWAY, SO I WANTED TO MAKE THAT REQUEST AND THEN WITHDRAW THIS AMENDMENT.

IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO HER WITHDRAWING THE AMENDMENT? SEE NOT SO ORDERED AMENDMENTS WITHDRAWN.

SO AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE WITHDRAWN.

CAROLYN MENTALLY RECOGNIZED FOR A MOTION.

THANK YOU. I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER NUMBER FOUR, WHICH REDUCES THE TAX RATE BY 5.3 $0.03 USING AS A SOURCE OF FUND DATA ANALYTICS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY STAFFED AS THE LARGEST MUNICIPAL.

YOU CAN JUST MOVE IT AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS IT.

IT'S A LONG LIST. PART OF MY MOTION YOU'RE GOING TO READ THROUGH THE WHOLE LIST OF THINGS AS PART OF THE MOTION.

WHICH USES AS A SOURCE OF FUNDS DATA ANALYTICS, THE LARGEST MUNICIPAL US DEPARTMENT.

HUMAN RESOURCES COMMUNICATION OUTREACH MARKETING.

OFFICE OF EQUITY INCLUSION.

BUDGET MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.

CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

CIVIL SERVICE.

OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.

PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN.

SMALL BUSINESS CENTER PROCUREMENT SERVICES.

OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOOKS FOR THE LIBRARY.

RETURNING TO THE 2023 BUDGET LEVEL TEMPORARY HELP WHERE IT REMOVES HALF TEMPORARY HELP, REMOVING SALARY CONTINUANCE, FORGIVABLE LOANS, ADVERTISING OFFICE SUPPLIES AND OFFICE SUPPLY CHARGEBACK OFFICE FURNITURE, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT, RISK MANAGEMENT, CABLE TV, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.

SUBSCRIPTIONS. CIVILIAN OVER TIME.

OTHER SUPPLIES.

MISCELLANEOUS SPECIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS THAT ARE THE DOMAIN OF THE COUNTY, STATE, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR TRANSIT AGENCY.

REMOVAL OF HALF OF THE FTES AND HALF OF THE BUDGET SALARY THAT HAVE BEEN OPEN FOR 6 TO 12 MONTHS, AS PROVIDED BY THE CITY MANAGEMENT AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE REDUCED EXPENSES OUTLINED IN THE NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET WITH WITH SOME CAVEATS, AN ADDITIONAL $2 MILLION OF REVENUE FROM SALES TAX, AS WELL AS A REDUCED CIVILIAN SALARY AND COMMENSURATE BENEFIT EXPENSES ACROSS GENERAL FUNDS OF 32 MILLION.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS WANT TAX RELIEF.

I'M PROPOSING A FINAL TAX REDUCTION AMENDMENT THAT WILL PROVIDE IT.

IT ALSO INCLUDES CUTS TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT PUTS OUR TAX RATE AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

PEOPLE WHO'VE STUDIED THE BUDGET UNDERSTAND A NO NEW REVENUE RATE BUDGET ACTUALLY INCREASES THE TOTAL BUDGET BECAUSE EVERY YEAR OUR CITY ADDS NEW PROPERTY TO OUR TAX BASE AMONG SEVERAL OTHER REVENUE SOURCES THAT WILL INCREASE THIS FISCAL YEAR.

BUT A NO NEW REVENUE RATE MEANS EXISTING TAXPAYERS WILL SEE LIKELY NO CHANGE OR A DECREASE IN THEIR TAX BILL.

CONTRARY TO THE NARRATIVE SOME HAVE PROMOTED, THIS RATE DOES NOT HAVE DRASTIC CUTS THAT MEAN A SCARCITY OF SERVICES.

MOST OF THE AMENDMENT IS COMPRISED OF DOLLARS THAT REMOVE INCREASES THAT HAVE ACCUMULATED FOR FAST GROWING DEPARTMENTS.

SERVICES OR EXPENDITURES.

MOST RESIDENTS AREN'T AWARE THAT THESE AREAS HAVE GROWN QUICKLY, NOR WILL THEY REALIZE WHEN THEY SHRINK BACK A BIT.

NOTICE IN THIS AMENDMENT THERE IS NO CUT TO POLICE FIRE.

[03:15:03]

NOT TO THE IT DEPARTMENT, NOT TO SANITATION, NOT TO THE WATER DEPARTMENT.

NO CHANGE TO PUBLIC WORKS, TRANSPORTATION OR OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS.

ALL AREAS THAT ARE VITAL TO CITY HALL, DIRECT SERVICES TO RESIDENTS ARE MAINTAINED AND IN SOME CASES EVEN INCREASED.

I CAN THINK OF OVER THE TOP COMMENTS ABOUT DRASTIC CUTS THAT ARE NOW SHOWN TO BE INCORRECT AND OVERBLOWN.

THE FACT IS WE CAN HAVE BOTH LOWER TAXES AND BETTER SERVICES.

IT'S MISGUIDED AND NAIVE TO THINK THAT ALLOCATING MORE DOLLARS OR MORE STAFF FIXES THE BUREAUCRACY AND INEFFICIENCIES WE SEE AT CITY HALL EVERY DAY.

IN THIS AMENDMENT, THERE IS NO RESIDENT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK AT OUR BUDGET AND SAY, GOSH, I WISH THEY HAD SPENT MORE ON FURNITURE OR CABLE TV.

BUT THEY MAY WONDER WHY THERE'S MORE PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE OF DATA ANALYTICS THAN THERE ARE HOMICIDE DETECTIVES.

OR THEY MAY WONDER WHY THERE'S ITEMS IN THE BUDGET FOR A DEPARTMENT TO MOVE FROM A CITY FACILITY TO PAY ONGOING RENT AND OFFICE BUILDING.

ALL THE SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS LISTED ARE IMPORTANT, BUT MANY HAVE GROWN QUICKLY AND NEEDS TO BE SIZED IN A WAY THAT MATCHES OUR POPULATION GROWTH AND INFLATION.

LOOK CLOSELY AT THE AMENDMENT AND YOU'LL SEE THE ITEMS ARE NOT SLASH AND BURN.

WOULD IT CUT ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO REDUCE SUBSCRIPTIONS, OFFICE SUPPLIES OR CIVILIAN OVERTIME? SIMPLY AGREEING WITH EVERY INCREASE PRESENTED AS SOME SORT OF VISIONARY FUTURE IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND ABDICATES THE GOVERNANCE FUNCTION THAT WE WERE ELECTED TO PROVIDE. IT'S THE PIE IN THE SKY SPENDING PHILOSOPHY THAT BROUGHT THIS CITY COUNCIL AND THIS CITY BUDGET TO THIS POINT.

THE COUNCIL'S CONTINUED TO INCREASE TAXES TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AND IT'S ENDANGERING DALLAS AS BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS CHOOSE OUR NEARBY CITIES.

DALLAS HAS SOMETHING SPECIAL TO OFFER.

BUT WE MUST REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND WE MUST NOT BECOME THE ABUNDANT BANK OF DALLAS.

FOR EVERY IDEA THAT'S LOOKING FOR FUNDING, STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS SHOULD BE CENTERED ON EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF SERVICES THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES EXPECT.

NOT FUNDING SERVICES ALREADY PROVIDED BY OTHER TAXING ENTITIES.

THE REALITY IS WE CREATE.

WE COLLECT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAXES FROM RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.

BUT ARE WE DELIVERING WHAT THEY EXPECT? THE RESIDENTS SURVEY SAYS NO, NO, THEY SAY WE'RE NOT GETTING A GOOD VALUE FOR OUR TAX DOLLAR.

BECAUSE OF INFLATION, IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR A BUDGET TO GROW WITH TIME.

BUT OUR CITY OF DALLAS BUDGET HAS FAR OUTPACED THE POPULATION AND INFLATION GROWTH WE'VE EXPERIENCED.

THE POPULATION GROWTH OF DALLAS IS MINIMAL ALL AROUND US.

IT IS BURSTING WITH NEW RESIDENTS.

SO AGAIN, I'M GOING TO SKIP THAT.

THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO LOWER OR RAISE THE PROPERTY TAXES IN DALLAS, AND THAT'S WITH YOUR VOTE.

HOW LONG DO YOU THINK YOU CAN TELL THE RESIDENTS THAT THEIR TAX RATE WENT DOWN, BUT THEY'RE STILL GETTING A BIGGER TAX BILL? OUR RESIDENTS ARE SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING.

IF YOU VOTE FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, YOU'RE SIMPLY VOTING TO, AGAIN INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES ON OUR EXISTING PROPERTY OWNERS AND AGAIN, RAISE TAXES ON TENANTS.

WHEN YOU SEE THE ICEBERG AHEAD, YOU DON'T TAKE AN OPTIMISTIC POSTURE.

YOU TAKE A REASONABLE AND RESPONSIBLE ACTION TO CHANGE COURSE.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WE SHOULD SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR? YOU KNOW, I DON'T LIKE TO.

OVERLOOK ANYONE.

OKAY THEN, JACK, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

IT'S THE SAME THAT I ALWAYS WANT TO KNOW ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE IMPACT? DOLLARS AND CENTS WISE.

ON. WHAT CAN MOST TAXPAYERS EXPECT TO SEE OR IF YOU WANT TO ANSWER IT, IN TERMS OF AN OWNER OF THE MEDIAN PRICED HOME IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, WHAT'S THE NET IMPACT OF THIS AMENDMENT? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

STAFF WILL ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

JEANETTE. WILL. JEANETTE WHEATON, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

COMPARED TO THE PROPOSED RATE OF 0.7357, A PROPERTY OWNER WILL SAVE $142.72 ANNUALLY.

OKAY, SO AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR ABOUT THIS.

THIS IS THAT'S.

ACTUAL REDUCTION IN THEIR EXPECTED CITY PORTION OF THEIR TAX BILL AS OPPOSED TO.

THAT'S NOT A PERCENTAGE.

THAT'S NOT A A RATE.

THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECT THAT PERSON TO PAY IN TAXES FOR THE CITY PORTION OF TAX BILL.

THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S THE CITY PORTION OF THE TAX BILL.

AND TO YOUR POINT, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THIS COMPARES THE MEDIAN VALUE IN FISCAL YEAR 23 OF 320,900 TO THE

[03:20:10]

MEDIAN VALUE FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 OF 334,007 TEN.

PERFECT. THAT'S.

THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR ALWAYS BEING ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN THINK ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON.

AND THAT'S TO ME ALSO THE QUESTION THAT I LIKE TO ASK, BECAUSE I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NET IMPACT IS GOING TO BE ON THE ACTUAL BILL.

I'VE NOT BEEN I'VE NEVER HIT THE BALL ABOUT THAT.

THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK IS IMPORTANT.

SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALWAYS BEING ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION SO QUICKLY AND CLEARLY.

SO I WON'T BELABOR THIS POINT AND I WON'T BELABOR THE DAY.

I SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT BECAUSE I ACTUALLY HAVE ONLY SEEN ONE AMENDMENT TODAY AND I DON'T SEE ANOTHER ONE IN THE PACKET THAT WOULD HAVE THAT EFFECT, THAT NET EFFECT ON THE TAX BILL, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW WITH INFLATION BEING WHAT IT IS, INTEREST RATES BEING WHAT THEY ARE, THE UNCERTAINTY IN THE ECONOMY, GEOPOLITICAL RISKS AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE THE SMARTEST PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY, FRANKLY, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RUNNING VERY COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS, EVEN MORE COMPLEX, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAN THIS ONE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A VERY LARGE AND COMPLEX ORGANIZATION THAT YOU RUN.

MR. BROADNAX BUT THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE.

THEY ARE VERY CAUTIOUS RIGHT NOW.

THE THE.

THE SORT OF THE RULE OF THE DAY RIGHT NOW.

AND THE LARGEST, MOST COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD IS WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH INTEREST RATES.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FED'S GOING TO DO WITH THAT.

INFLATION IS NOT WHERE THE FED WOULD LIKE IT TO BE.

PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING A LOT OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY.

AND THE GENERAL RESPONSE TO THAT, I THINK BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP RECENTLY DID A SURVEY OF MOST OF THE CEOS OR THE LEADING CEOS IN THE COUNTRY OR AROUND THE WORLD.

AND THEY SAID CAUTION IS SORT OF THE RULE OF THE DAY.

PEOPLE ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THEIR COMPANIES, BUT THEY ARE PRACTICING COST CUTTING MEASURES.

THOUGHTFUL, COST CUTTING MEASURES AND CAUTION.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ADVOCATE HERE.

SO WITH THAT, LET'S SHOW THE CARDS ON AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR.

WITH THREE CARDS RAISED IN FAVOR.

THE AMENDMENT FAILS, MR. MAYOR. VERY GOOD.

OKAY. AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE.

CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN THAT YOUR YOU ARE RECOGNIZED FOR A MOTION.

THANK YOU. THIS AMENDMENT IS TO REMOVE $10 MILLION FROM THE ARPA FUNDING THAT WE PUT TOWARDS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND UTILIZE IT FOR AN INCENTIVE FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ANYWHERE SOUTH OF I 30.

THERE A SECOND. SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE. THANK YOU.

IN JULY, CHAIRMAN MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS AND I WROTE A MEMO TO THE CITY MANAGER WITH CONCERNS ABOUT THE.

PROPOSAL THAT HAS BEEN ADVANCING AT CITY HALL TO DEAL WITH THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN THERE.

WE ALSO EXPRESSED OUR CONCERN ABOUT NOT HAVING HAD A BRIEFING.

I UNDERSTAND THAT'S UPCOMING.

MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, WE WERE TOLD WE'D HAVE A BRIEFING 90 DAYS OUT, BUT NO LATER THAN THE END OF 2022.

BUT WE STILL HAVEN'T HAD IT.

AND THESE DOLLARS, MY UNDERSTANDING, JACK, IF YOU COULD CORRECT.

THEY MUST BE ENCUMBERED BY THE END OF 2025.

IS THAT CORRECT? THE ARPA FUNDS REQUIRE TO BE ENCUMBERED BY SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 2024.

OKAY. AND SPENT BY 2026, THE END OF 26 CALENDAR YEAR.

OKAY. SO.

FOR THIS PROJECT.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT EVEN WITH THE MEMO, EVEN WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SUPPORTED THE WORDS IN THE MEMO.

THERE SEEMS TO HAVE NOT BEEN A SHIFT IN WHAT'S HAPPENING.

I'M SORRY, CITY MANAGER, YOU'RE SHAKING YOUR HEAD.

DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? HAS THERE BEEN A SHIFT? HAS THERE BEEN A SHIFT IN YOUR STANCE ON THIS? YOU CAN FINISH YOUR STATEMENTS.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT. I'M HAPPY TO DEFER TO YOU.

YOU CAN FINISH YOUR STATEMENT.

ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. WE'RE ALL AWAKE NOW.

SO. SO WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THERE'S AN RFP WITH THE COUNTY THAT PROBABLY WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKED TO JOIN IN AND WITH DALLAS ISD.

AND IT'S FOR A DUPLICATIVE FIBER NETWORK, WHICH IS.

IN MY OPINION, THE WRONG COURSE FOR THE CITY.

OUR GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ AND I THINK WE STARTED THIS IN 2019 TALKING ABOUT THE NEED FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY BE CONNECTED

[03:25:03]

AND THE CONVERSATION ABOUT ADOPTION VERSUS AVAILABLE CONNECTIONS IS AN IMPORTANT ONE.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO SOLVE IS THAT LAST MILE, NOT A CONTINUING.

DUPLICATE OF NETWORK, LAYING FIBER IN THE SAME EXACT PLACE THAT ALREADY EXISTS.

SOLVES NOTHING.

AND ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY, WE'VE SEEN INSTANCES WHERE THIS PROCESS IS HAPPENING AND IT'S NOT PAYING OFF AS EXPECTED.

NUMBER TWO, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS HAVE THE TRAINING THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO USE EQUIPMENT.

NUMBER THREE, WE NEED TO HELP THEM GET THAT EQUIPMENT AND HELP GET OVER ANY OF THE FEARS THAT MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH HAVING THE TECHNOLOGY.

BUT. WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT.

BROADBAND ACCESS.

IN TERMS OF EDUCATION, MAYBE IN TERMS OF HEALTH CARE, IN TERMS OF REMOTE WORK.

IT'S NOW EVEN AT THE AT THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AS TRANSPORTATION, BECAUSE WE KNOW YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO TAKE TRANSPORTATION IF YOU CAN GET ON THE DIGITAL HIGHWAY.

SO ALL OF THAT TO SAY WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE DOLLARS AVAILABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS THAT WE ARTICULATED, BUT INSTEAD, WE SEEM TO CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH WITH THIS FIBER NETWORK BY TAKING THE $10 MILLION OUT.

I THINK IT SENDS A MESSAGE TO STAFF, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THAT.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS FIBER RING.

WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT THE ACTUAL ASSISTANCE FOR ADOPTION OF OUR RESIDENTS OF BROADBAND AND DIGITAL ACCESS.

BUT THE OTHER THING THAT 10 MILLION DOES IS IT ALSO SHIFTS A LITTLE BIT ON OUR HOUSING POLICY, WHICH HAS BEEN HIGHLY FOCUSED ON MULTIFAMILY.

AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT, WE'RE WE'RE OVER AND OVER AGAIN APPROVING PROJECTS THAT ARE IN SOUTHERN DALLAS FOR MULTIFAMILY VERY OFTEN, INCLUDING A LOW INCOME ASPECT.

AND PEOPLE ARE REPEATEDLY SAYING TO US, WE NEED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN SOUTHERN DALLAS.

AND SO THIS FUND DOESN'T MATTER WHAT DISTRICT IT'S IN.

THERE'S SO MUCH UNDEVELOPED LAND.

THIS FUND WILL HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

I HOPE IT WILL HAPPEN.

YOU KNOW, CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU OFTEN TALK ABOUT SMALLER LOTS.

I AGREE WITH YOU. SMALLER LOTS FOR SINGLE FAMILY.

MAKE IT AFFORDABLE, MAKE IT ATTAINABLE, AND LET THIS BE A WAY FOR GENERATIONAL WEALTH AND PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP TO OCCUR.

SO THAT'S WHAT THE AMENDMENT IS.

I HOPE YOU'LL SUPPORT IT.

THANK YOU. CHAIRWOMAN SCHULZ RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THIS IS, I GUESS I GUESS THINGS REALLY ARE STARTING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH WHERE YOU WANT TO GO WITH THIS.

SO ONCE AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS TWICE IN ONE WEEK.

WE AGREE. I LOVE THE IDEA OF SERIOUSLY INCENTIVIZING SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING, PARTICULARLY IN OUR SOUTHERN SECTOR.

THE USE OF FUNDS, HOWEVER, WOULD TOTALLY PREEMPT NOT ONLY OUR COMMITTEE PROCESS, BUT OUR STAFF PROCESS.

WE HAVEN'T EVEN REMOTELY BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS.

THERE IS WE HAVE UNTIL SEPTEMBER TO ENCUMBER THE FUNDS.

SO WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A SENSE OF URGENCY, BUT TO PREEMPT THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH IN ORDER TO FULLY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM WITHOUT THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED.

I MEAN, YOU'RE BRINGING FORWARD INFORMATION.

MY COLLEAGUE IS BRINGING FORWARD INFORMATION THAT MAY BE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

AND WE MAY ABSOLUTELY DECIDE NOT TO GO WITH THE WAY THAT THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING OR DID RECOMMEND LAST YEAR.

WE HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN UPDATED INFORMATION.

AND SO I DON'T THINK IT'S AT ALL APPROPRIATE TO USE THIS FORUM TO WORK THROUGH SOMETHING THAT OUR COMMITTEE PROCESS NEEDS TO WORK THROUGH.

AND THEN WE AS A COUNCIL NEED TO WORK THROUGH WITH PLENTY OF TIME TO DO SO.

SO I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY IN THE IN THE FUTURE.

AND I THINK THAT THERE IS MONEY COMING THROUGH IN THE BONDS FOR HOUSING ABSOLUTELY SUPPORTIVE.

BUT TO TO UNDERMINE THE WORK OF OUR COUNCIL AT THIS POINT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I CAN SUPPORT.

SO THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU.

MR. RESENDEZ RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO ECHO CHAIRWOMAN SCHULTZ'S COMMENTS.

COMPLETELY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID.

AND SO FOR THOSE REASONS, THERE'S NO WAY I COULD SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON FOR AGAINST AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE.

SEEING NONE. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT BY RAISING A GREEN CARD.

WITH FOUR CARS RAISED IN FAVOR, THE AMENDMENT FAILS, MR. MAYOR. OKAY.

LET'S TALK PROCESS, MR. CITY MANAGER. THAT'S ALL THE AMENDMENTS I SEE IN THE PACKET.

I SUPPOSE IT'S IN ORDER TO ASK IF THERE'S ANY TECHNICAL IF ANYBODY HAS THAT WEREN'T PRE FILED THAT THEY WANT TO PUT OUT THERE NOW BECAUSE YOU PROCEDURALLY YOU

[03:30:01]

COULD NOT SAYING THAT'S ADVISABLE, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE.

I DON'T SEE ANYONE WHO'S GOT ANY LAST MINUTE ONES.

SO I THINK.

NOW WE THROW IT BACK TO MAYBE.

WE NEED A BREAK SO YOU GUYS CAN DO SOME RECALCULATION YET OR.

NO, NO, THERE WAS NO CHANGE TO THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE BUDGET.

ALL RIGHT. SO, MR. CITY MANAGER, WHAT DO WE WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO NEXT HERE? IT DOESN'T BREAK. SO I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE THROUGH THE NUMBERED ITEMS FOR APPROVAL RELATED TO THE BUDGET. IF COUNCIL IS SO WILLING AND READY TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND THEN WE CAN GET TO OUR LAST BRIEFING, WHICH WE DEFERRED LAST WEEK, IF WE CAN GET THROUGH THE ACTUAL BUDGET ORDINANCE ADOPTIONS THAT BILLY RAY, I BELIEVE, OR THE CITY SECRETARY WILL READ.

OKAY, SO NOTHING LEFT FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER.

THIS BRIEFING ITEM.

AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON NOW TO THE ACTUAL BUDGET ITEMS TO VOTE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. OKAY. YOUR NEXT ITEM IS AGENDA ITEM FOUR.

[4. 23-2315 Final reading and adoption of the appropriation ordinance appropriating funds for the FY 2023-24 City of Dallas Operating, Capital, and Grant & Trust Budgets - Not to exceed $4,898,376,958 - Financing: General Fund ($1,837,576,470), General Obligation Debt Service Fund ($420,687,511), Enterprise Funds ($1,401,626,306), Grants, Trusts, and Other Funds ($166,427,152), Capital Funds ($797,119,446), Internal Service, and Other Funds ($268,266,846), and Employee Retirement Fund ($6,673,227) 23-2315]

AGENDA ITEM FOUR IS THE FINAL READING AND ADOPTION OF THE APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE FY 20 2324 CITY OF DALLAS OPERATING CAPITAL AND GRANT AND TRUST BUDGETS NOT TO EXCEED 4,898,000,376 MILLION.

$376,958. YOU DO HAVE FOUR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.

YOUR FIRST SPEAKER IS JAMAR JEFFERSON.

JAMARI JEFFERSON IS NOT PRESENT.

LET ME PAUSE.

YEAH, WE CAN USE THAT MICROPHONE.

OKAY. JAMARI JEFFERSON IS NOT PRESENT.

LINDA NEWLAND. MISS NEWLAND, WILL YOU COME FORWARD? HOWDY. NOW YOU CAN SAVE MONEY BY STOP FLUORIDATION.

Y'ALL ARE A HALF $500,000 OUT THERE FOR FLUORIDATION, BUT THAT PROBABLY DOESN'T COUNT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU EMPLOY TO DO THAT.

SO. BRUSHY CREEK MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT.

ROUND ROCK JUST SENT A LETTER TO ITS RESIDENTS.

THEY ARE TERMINATING FLUORIDATION.

AND THE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY COST EFFECTIVENESS.

MAINTAINING A WATER FLUORIDATION PROGRAM INVOLVES SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES.

BY ELIMINATING WATER FLUORIDATION, WE CAN ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS TO OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES THAT HAVE PROVEN EFFICIENCY AND CAN BENEFIT A WIDER RANGE OF INDIVIDUALS.

ANOTHER REASON SCIENTIFIC CONCERNS.

EXTENSIVE SCIENTIFIC STUDIES HAVE RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF POTENTIAL RISK.

WITH WATER FLUORIDATION.

ANOTHER REASON.

PERSONAL CHOICE.

WE RESPECT THE INDIVIDUAL'S RIGHT TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF THEIR FAMILIES. THOSE PEOPLE WANTING FOR FLUORIDE CAN USE DENTAL PRODUCTS OR OTHER CHOICES. ANOTHER REASON THEY'RE STOPPING.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR COMPOUNDS USED IN WATER FLUORIDATION CAN HAVE UNINTENDED ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES.

SO. I DON'T HAVE A TIME HERE.

IT'S REALLY NOT TRULY FLUORIDE.

FLORISTIC ACID.

A BYPRODUCT OF THE FERTILIZER.

ALUMINUM INDUSTRY IS A POISON.

Y'ALL ARE POISONING THE CITIZENS, MAKING US SICK.

[03:35:02]

STOP SPENDING THE MONEY.

SAVE IT FOR OTHER GOOD CHOICES.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANKS. THANK YOU.

TOXIC. TOXIC.

THANK YOU. REGINA IMBURGIA IS NOT PRESENT.

IN JAMES MAYFIELD.

MAYFIELD, THE SECOND HAS CANCELED.

THESE ARE YOUR SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM, MR. MAYOR. THIS ITEM WILL REQUIRE A RECORD VOTE.

ALL RIGHT. I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

MAYBE. MR. WEST? I DON'T KNOW. YES, MAYOR.

CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR A MOTION.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. I MOVE TO APPROVE THIS ITEM WITH THE RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $4,898,376,958. MEMBERS, YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION HAS BEEN SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, CHAIRMAN WEST? JUST A COMMENT.

AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR FOR THE PUBLIC.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND I WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING THE FANTASTIC STAFF THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US TODAY FOR REALLY PUTTING TOGETHER AN AMAZING BUDGET BINDER AND FOR ANSWERING, I WOULD GUESS, THOUSANDS OF QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FIELDED AT YOU OVER THE LAST MONTH.

YOU KNOW, JACK, YOUR TEAM IS IS A TRUE GROUP OF TRUE PROFESSIONALS.

AND YOU'VE GOTTEN US HERE THROUGH POLITICAL WINDS, THROUGH HARD QUESTIONS AND AND HAVE DONE IT WITH GRACE AND AND PROFESSIONALISM.

AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND SO AND I DON'T WANT TO JINX THE VOTE, BUT I DID WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS AND NOT MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

AND THEN I'LL JUST MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS, TOO.

YOU KNOW, THE YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN MAYOR JOHNSON GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE CHAIR FOLLOW UP WITH CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN ON AS THE GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, YOU KNOW, I TAKE THIS ROLE VERY SERIOUSLY AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I EXPECTED AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING I'VE REALLY FOCUSED ON.

AND IT WAS A COMMITTEE THAT, YOU KNOW, MISS MENDELSOHN DID A GREAT JOB OF DRIVING THE TRAIN FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

AND SO BIG SHOES TO FILL THERE.

BUT IT IS A IT'S ONE THAT I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY AND TAKE THE CHARGE OF THE MAYOR AND OF OUR CITIZENS AND FINDING TAX RELIEF WHERE WE CAN.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT MY DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS IN OAK CLIFF.

AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN YOU SEE A TAX RATE INCREASE, IF YOU'RE LIVING IN MOST NEIGHBORS IN KESSLER PARK, WHEN THEY'RE SITTING AROUND THEIR KITCHEN TABLE, THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT, DO I GO ON SUMMER VACATION OR SPRING VACATION THIS MONTH? IF YOU'RE IN WEST OAK CLIFF, PARTS OF WEST OAK, CLIFF AND SOUTHERN PARTS OF MY DISTRICT, YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT, DO I DO I HAVE TO MOVE? YOU KNOW, AM I AM I GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE OUT OF MY DISTRICT? AND SO IT HITS PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS WHEN WE SEE TAX RATE INCREASES.

AND SO FOR ME, IT'S IT'S IT'S A STRUGGLE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED TO GET DONE IN THE CITY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT OUR TAXPAYERS AT THE END OF THE DAY. AND THAT BRINGS ME TO MY SECOND POINT, FOCUSING ON THE BASICS.

YOU KNOW, LOOKING BACK AT WHAT IS YOUR CORE MISSION AS A CITY? WHAT ARE OUR TAXPAYERS TELLING US THAT'S IMPORTANT? AT MY CAR WASH, I CONSTANTLY ARGUE WITH WITH MY DAD, WHO'S AN INVESTOR IN TWO OF MY SITES ABOUT WHETHER OUR EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE MOWING THE GRASS AND WEED, EATING THE GRASS, OR WHETHER THEY SHOULD JUST BE FOCUSING ON CARS.

AND HIS ARGUMENT IS WE PAY TOO MUCH FOR OUR COMMERCIAL LAWN SERVICE AND I FIGHT WITH THEM ABOUT ONCE EVERY TWO MONTHS ABOUT THIS.

LIKE, NO, WE WANT OUR CAR WASH EMPLOYEES FOCUSING ON PROVIDING GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND DOING CLEAN CARS, AND WE NEED TO OUTSOURCE EVERYTHING THAT DOESN'T SUPPORT THAT MISSION, INCLUDING MOWING, PICKING UP TRASH, YOU KNOW, EMPTYING TRASH, ALL THAT STUFF WE OUTSOURCE BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR CARS IN THE CITY.

WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE AS REFLECTED BY OUR CONSTITUENTS.

AND AND I THINK WE GET AWAY WITH THAT OR WE GET AWAY FROM THAT WHEN WE CONTINUE TO GROW AND WE WE DON'T REALIZE WE NEED TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT.

AND WITH 2015 COMING UP AND CAPS ON HOW MUCH WE CAN SEE IN INCREASES IN PROPERTY TAXES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THOSE HARD DISCUSSIONS.

I'M MORE THAN WILLING TO DO IT IN GBFM AND IN ALL THE OTHER COMMITTEES AS WELL.

SO I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THIS, OBVIOUSLY.

BUT IT'S IT'S WITH A HEAVY HEART BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE GOT A HARD YEAR AHEAD OF US WHERE WE ALL NEED TO SIT DOWN AND AND AND NOT DO THIS AT THE BUDGET, NOT DO THIS ALL RIGHT HERE NEXT YEAR, BUT ACTUALLY DO IT THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR WHERE WE EVALUATE THE DEPARTMENTS AND OUR MISSION.

[03:40:07]

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ IS RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

I FIRST WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING TC AND HIS ENTIRE STAFF, EVERY SINGLE PERSON, JACK IRELAND, ALL THE WAY TO EVERY DEPARTMENT FOR GIVING US A GOOD PLACE THAT WE COULD START WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND YOU PUT A LOT OF ENERGY, HEART AND BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS, I'M SURE, INTO GETTING THAT BIG OLD GIANT BINDER TO US EVERY YEAR.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, MR. MAYOR, AND AS WELL AS YOU, FOR A GREAT IN-DEPTH, OPEN AND HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS BUDGET.

PROBABLY WE'VE SPOKEN MORE ABOUT THIS BUDGET THAN ANY OTHER BUDGET THAT I'VE VOTED ON IN MY CAREER AS A COUNCIL MEMBER SO FAR.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE PUT IN, THE THINGS WHETHER WHETHER YOU WON THE VOTE OR YOU DIDN'T WIN THE THE STRAW POLL OR DIDN'T WIN THE STRAW POLLS ON AMENDMENTS.

THIS WAS AN EXCELLENT EXERCISE AND IT REALLY EXCITED ME TO HEAR PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS AND WHAT THEY WANTED FOR THEIR WHAT THEY FELT WAS THE OPINIONS OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FOLKS, WHICH IS OUR RESIDENTS.

AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT PARTICIPATED IN A BUDGET TOWN HALL, THAT PARTICIPATED BY EMAILING PHONE CALLS, WHATEVER IT WAS, WHATEVER.

HOWEVER THIS BUDGET GOES, THIS IS A BIG, IMPORTANT VOTE THAT WE TAKE EVERY YEAR.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALWAYS SAY THAT IT'S ABOUT OUR VALUES WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUDGET.

AS A CITY, WE IT HASN'T BEEN VERY LONG THAT WE'VE PUT EQUITY INTO THE BUDGET.

IT HASN'T BEEN VERY LONG THAT WE'VE DONE RACIAL EQUITY IN OUR BUDGET.

IT HASN'T BEEN VERY LONG THAT WE HAVE REALLY BEEN LOOKING AT HOW WE FUND ISSUES.

IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN WE HAD FOR DECADES AND DECADES AND DECADES AND DECADES BEFORE.

IT'S A DIFFERENT EXERCISE.

IT'S A LITTLE HARDER. IT'S A MUCH MORE INTENSE.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE ONE DALLAS AND WE WILL MOVE FORWARD.

AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS, EVEN THOUGH IT DIDN'T ACHIEVE THE TAX RATE DECREASE THAT SOME WANTED, BUT IT DIDN'T HAVE A TAX RATE DECREASE. AND THAT'S PART OF COMPROMISE.

I GUESS THERE'S NO LOSERS HERE.

THERE'S ONLY WINNERS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, AS OUR PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO GO, AS OUR STAFF IS ABLE TO GET STRONGER AND IMPLEMENT MORE AND MORE, THE BIG WINNERS ARE OUR RESIDENTS AND DALLAS.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN, EVERYBODY, FOR A WONDERFUL BUDGET PROCESS.

IT WASN'T AS HUNGER GAMES AS IT TYPICALLY IS, IN MY OPINION, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND LET'S GET TO WORK.

CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. THE TEENY TINY TAX RATE DECREASE THAT HAS BEEN PASSED BY THIS COUNCIL, 0.35 OF A CENT IS NOTHING SHORT OF AN 8% PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.

RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES HAVE INCREASED OVER 10%.

NEARLY EVERY PERSON AROUND THIS HORSESHOE'S PRODUCED A BUDGET AMENDMENT OR MADE A STATEMENT THAT WE DO HAVE A NEED TO REDUCE TAX RATE OR EVEN PARTICIPATE IN A MEDIA INTERVIEW NOTING THE NEED TO REDUCE THE TAX RATE.

THE SAME SERVICES PROVIDED TODAY COULD BE DELIVERED AT A LOWER COST.

HAS MANAGEMENT PUT IN THE EFFORT TO CREATE THE KIND OF EFFICIENCY THAT REDUCES HEADCOUNT OR PROVIDES BETTER SERVICES? OR WE FACED EVERY YEAR WITH INCREASING COSTS AND MORE POSITIONS ADDED TO PAYROLL.

THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION TO THIS STATEMENT.

SINCE 2019, THERE HAS BEEN ESSENTIALLY NO CHANGE IN THE NUMBER OF UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICERS.

AS SERVICE IMPROVED IN DEPARTMENTS THAT EXPERIENCED A 50% INCREASE IN FIVE YEARS? OR COULD IT BE THAT SOME DEPARTMENTS HAVE STRUGGLED TO DELIVER REGARDLESS OF THE DOLLARS ALLOCATED, THE NEW POSITIONS ADDED OR EVEN OUTSOURCING OF FUNCTIONS THAT HAS OCCURRED? TELLING PEOPLE YOU VOTED FOR A TAX RATE REDUCTION AND SENDING THEM A HIGHER BILL IS MISLEADING TO THE RESIDENTS.

THEY'RE SMART ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THEIR VALUE HAS GONE WAY UP.

THE RATE NEEDS TO GO WAY DOWN OR THEY'RE GOING TO PAY A LOT MORE.

WHEN YOU VOTE FOR THIS BUDGET.

I HOPE YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO THINK ABOUT SENDING YOUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS A THANK YOU NOTE FOR THE $1 BILLION INCREASE IN OUR BUDGET SINCE 2019.

THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE ON THIS COUNCIL THAT CARE ABOUT HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, BUT THIS VOTE WILL ACTUALLY INCREASE THE RENT FOR OUR TENANTS ACROSS THE CITY BECAUSE IT

[03:45:06]

WON'T BE THE LANDLORDS THAT ARE GOING TO ABSORB THE 8% TAX INCREASE.

RENTERS PREPARE YOURSELF.

WE SHOULD CONGRATULATE THE SURROUNDING CITIES FOR THEIR LOW TAX RATE, MOST OF WHOM HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER TAX RATES THAN DALLAS.

AND WE WONDER WHY WE'RE THE ONLY CITY IN THIS AREA WITHOUT A SIGNIFICANT POPULATION GROWTH.

I HOPE YOU'LL REALIZE HOW SOME OF THE WELL-INTENDED PROGRAMS AND POLICIES THAT WE'VE PASSED HAVE HARMED THE COMMUNITIES YOU'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO HELP.

BEYOND THE MORAL ISSUE OF OVERTAXING PEOPLE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOOMING BUDGET PROBLEM.

THE CURRENT BUDGET BOOK SHOWS THE ISSUE IN THE FIVE YEAR OUTLOOK.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COURSE CORRECTION, BUT WE DIDN'T TAKE IT.

THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE WHAT'S COMING WITH OUR PENSION.

JUST YESTERDAY WE WERE TOLD WE COULD HAVE UP TO $60 MILLION A YEAR WE WOULD NEED TO PAY.

IT'S LONG PAST TIME FOR THE CITY TO REEVALUATE HOW EVERY SINGLE PROCESS IN EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT IS CARRIED OUT WITH AN EFFICIENCY AUTOMATION AND STAFF REDUCTION GOAL. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO SAY YOU LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND BELIEVE A 0.35 OF A CENT REDUCTION WON'T HARM THE SERVICES.

WELL, YOU'RE RIGHT, BECAUSE NEARLY EVERY DEPARTMENT IS GETTING AN INCREASE.

IF YOU LISTENED CAREFULLY TO THE RESIDENTS, YOU'D HEAR ABOUT THE DIRE FINANCIAL SITUATION MANY ARE IN AND THEY CAN'T AFFORD AN INCREASE.

IF YOU WISH TO REVIEW EACH DEPARTMENT FOR EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS, I SAY WHY? OUR ROLE IS GOVERNANCE.

IT'S POLICY SETTING.

IT'S APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET.

IT'S HIRING AND FIRING OF OUR DIRECT REPORTS.

THE TASK OF MANAGING THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS BELONGS TO THE POSITION OF THE CITY MANAGER, AND I LEAVE IT TO YOU TO DECIDE IF THAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING.

A SMART BUDGET ISN'T YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASES LIKE WE'VE SEEN IN OUR CITY.

A SMART BUDGET INVESTS IN THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT ARE THE ROLE OF THE CITY AND DELIVERS THEM IN AN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE MANNER.

I KNOW HOW THIS GOES.

YOU'RE GOING TO SAY IT'S JUST $100 AND IT WON'T MATTER ON THE TAX BILL.

BUT MAGICALLY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FCC'S PUBLIC FACILITY, CORPORATIONS, THOSE SAME DOLLARS THAT WOULD BE COMING OFF OF RENT, IT IS SO MEANINGFUL FOR YOU THAT WE GIVE UP 75 YEARS OF TAX REDUCTION.

I DON'T THINK THAT IF YOU DON'T THINK A TAX INCREASE MATTERS TO OUR RESIDENTS, AGAIN, I DON'T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE RESIDENTS ALL AROUND US.

THE CONTINUED INCREASE IN TAXATION IS COMPLETELY UNSUSTAINABLE.

THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS WILL LEAVE AND GO TO ANY CITY THAT SURROUNDS US FOR A MUCH LOWER RATE AND FREQUENTLY BETTER SERVICES BASED ON THE DATA.

ONE HAS TO QUESTION IF WE'RE ADDING MORE CITY STAFF THAN WE ARE RESIDENTS IN THE ENTIRE CITY OF DALLAS.

BY NOT PULLING BACK SPENDING TODAY.

YOU'RE MAKING A BIG STATEMENT.

THIS BUDGET WILL OBVIOUSLY PASS TODAY.

I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING IT.

CHAIRWOMAN SCHULTZ RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I BELIEVE THAT CHAIR NARVAEZ EXPLAINED A LOT ALREADY, SO I WON'T REPEAT THAT.

BUT WHAT I THINK WHAT'S CHANGED IN THIS BUDGET THAT MAYBE HADN'T HAPPENED IN THE PAST AND WHY OUR BUDGET CONTINUES TO GROW IS BECAUSE WE'RE HEARING PEOPLE THAT WE NEVER HEARD BEFORE AS A CITY, PEOPLE THAT WE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO INVEST IN NEW AREAS LIKE THE EQUITY AND AND OUR OWN.

WE NEVER INVESTED IN OUR OWN NEARLY 15,000 EMPLOYEES.

AND SO WE ARE WE ARE ACTUALLY MAKING POLICY CHANGES IN THOSE INVESTMENTS, WHICH IS PART OF THE REASON THAT OUR BUDGET IS GROWING.

AND THE INCREASE IN THE VALUE OF OUR HOMES IS BECAUSE WE'RE SUCCESSFUL AS A CITY.

IF WE WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL AS A AS A CITY, THEN THOSE HOME VALUES WOULD NOT CONTINUE TO RISE AT THE RATE THAT THEY ARE.

AND SO OUR RESIDENTS, THOSE SAME RESIDENTS THAT WILL IN FACT END UP PAYING MORE IN TAXES, NOT DUE TO THE RATE, BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY GETTING MORE BECAUSE OF THIS CITY.

AND THE WAY IT'S DONE AND THE WAY WE'RE DOING THINGS IS THE REASON THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE IN THIS TREND.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO CONTINUE IN IT.

WE CAN'T TALK OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF OUR MOUTHS AS POLICY MAKERS.

WE CAN'T SAY WE'RE GOING TO CUT STAFF, CUT SERVICES AND THEN EXPECT A BETTER CITY.

WE ALSO CAN'T CUT AND CUT IN ORDER TO GIVE PEOPLE A FLAT TAX RATE AND EXPECT THEIR HOME VALUES TO GET TO GO UP BECAUSE THINGS WILL NOT GET BETTER AS A CITY, THEIR HOME VALUES WILL GO DOWN.

WE WILL BE ACTUALLY HURTING OUR RESIDENTS IF WE DO THOSE CUTS.

WE HAVE THE VERY BEST STAFF AND EMPLOYEES THAT ANY CITY COULD HAVE.

WE NEED TO INVEST IN THEM.

WE NEED TO INVEST IN THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER, EVER BEEN HEARD IN THIS CITY SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY AS MUCH AS SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE

[03:50:06]

IN OUR CITY.

AND SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SUPPORT THIS BUDGET.

AND I WANT TO JUST FOR ONE MINUTE STOP AND I KNOW EVERYONE HAS SAID THANK YOU, BUT CAN YOU GUYS JUST I WANT TO JUST SEE YOUR FACES FOR A SECOND BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE EXHAUSTED, BUT I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU.

I KNOW YOU'VE WORKED 24 OVER SEVEN FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS, MAYBE EVEN LONGER, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT.

BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE THANK YOU.

AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THE DIRECTORS AND YOUR STAFFS FOR BEING PUTTING UP WITH OUR BARRAGE OF THE SAME QUESTION BEING ASKED IN 15 DIFFERENT WAYS AS WE GOT THINGS THROUGH OUR OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING.

AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR CITY MANAGER AND HIS EXECUTIVE TEAM FOR THE VISION THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT WITH THIS BUDGET AND THE HOPE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN FOR SO MANY PEOPLE WHO NEVER HAD HOPE, NOT ONLY RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY, BUT OUR OWN EMPLOYEES.

AND I'M JUST JUST THRILLED TO BE A PART OF THIS BODY.

THANK YOU. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT SO VERY MUCH.

JUST TO CAP, JUST TO TO TO BE ABLE TO TO JOIN THE FORCES OF THOSE FORCES.

COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THIS BUDGET.

I WANT TO ADD MY NAME TO THAT.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT EVERYTHING WE DO.

I THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR PATIENCE AND YOUR STRENGTH THROUGH THESE SEASONS THAT WE OFTEN GO THROUGH EVERY, EVERY YEAR.

BUT FOR THE FOLKS WHO DON'T REALLY KNOW ON THE OUTSIDE, WHEN YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO REALLY, FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'RE NOT SLEEPING, NOT SLEEPING WELL, PROBABLY WORKING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, EVEN THOUGH WE ENCOURAGE THEM NOT TO DO THAT.

BUT WE HAVE A CITY AT STAKE AND WE ARE PROUD.

WE SAY WE ARE PROUD OF DALLAS AND WE STILL WE KEEP CREATING NEW VENTURES AND NEW ADVENTURES FOR US TO ENCOURAGE OTHER FOLKS TO COME TO DALLAS.

THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM. THEY'RE COMING BECAUSE WE MARKET OURSELVES AS THE PLACE TO BE BIG D WE'RE THE NINTH LARGEST CITY AND OF COURSE OUR BUDGET SHOULD BE GOING UP. WHY WOULD IT GO DOWN WHEN WE'RE ATTRACTING FOLKS TO COME HERE DAILY? AND SO WHAT I WOULD SIMPLY SAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HERE WORKING FOR US, DELIVERING SERVICES.

AND AS I HEAR THIS NOTION ABOUT CUTTING BACK AND TO BE MORE EFFICIENT, WHAT I BELIEVE I'M FEELING IS THAT WE'RE CUTTING AND WE'RE STABBING ONCE AGAIN AT THAT VERY THE VERY WORD THAT WE SIGNED ON, AT LEAST 13 OF US.

IT WAS ABOUT EQUITY.

EQUITY IS UNCOMFORTABLE.

WE ARE NOW PAYING FOR EQUITY BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF INVESTMENT OVER THE YEARS.

AND SO I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TODAY, STAND UP, STAND STRONG, BE ABLE TO DELIVER THE CONVERSATION.

THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE CUT BACK ON SERVICES.

THE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WILL CONTINUE TO BE UNDERSERVED.

EQUITY IS A VERY STRONG WORD.

IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE FOR SOME FOLKS WHEN YOU REALLY TALK ABOUT WALKING THE WALK, TALKING, THE TALK, IMPLEMENTING.

IT'S A GOOD POLITICAL STATEMENT WHEN YOU SAY, OH, I'M ABOUT EQUITY.

WE WANT TO SUPPORT THE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED OR THE UNDERSERVED.

IT'S GOOD WHEN YOU'RE CAMPAIGNING, BUT WHEN YOU BEGIN TO PUT THE DOLLARS BEHIND THE PROGRAMS, THEN FOLKS START DOING THE MOONWALK.

YOU WANT TO BACK IT UP? WE'RE NOT GOING TO BACK IT UP.

DALLAS IS THE NINTH LARGEST CITY.

YES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PROBLEMS THAT COME WITH PUBLIC SAFETY.

WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING HERE DAILY.

THEY NEED HOUSING.

THE HOMELESS NEED THE HEART TEAM.

WE NEED ENVIRONMENTALISTS.

ENVIRONMENTALISTS. FOLKS WE NEED.

WHAT ARE THE VETERINARIANS AND VEGETARIANS TO, IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT THAT WAY? ALL RIGHT. BUT BECAUSE THERE'S AN ECONOMY, IT'S AN ECONOMIC DECISION THAT THEY'RE MAKING.

BUT WHAT WE CANNOT DO TODAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE CANNOT LET OUR PEOPLE DOWN.

LET US HOLD HANDS TOGETHER.

WHETHER YOU'RE IN DISTRICT 12, 12, 11, TEN, NINE, EIGHT.

WE NEED YOU.

THE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES NEED YOU.

I JUST SPOKE ABOUT OUR VETERANS IN THE CORRIDOR DOWN LANCASTER CORRIDOR.

WE'RE NOT EVEN GIVING THEM ENOUGH RESPECT TO SIT THERE, LOOK OUT THEIR WINDOW AND WONDER, WHERE ARE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HAVE GIVEN OF OURSELVES TO? SO LET'S VOTE FOR THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET.

LET'S HANDLE UPON OUR BUSINESS.

WHOEVER SAID HERE A FEW MINUTES AGO, LET'S WORK THROUGH IT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

BUT LET US NOT TODAY BACKTRACK ON PEOPLE WHO NEED US.

[03:55:04]

CITY MANAGER YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF YOUR BUSINESS, I'M GOING TO KEEP READING THIS BOOK.

I'M GOING TO KEEP WORKING WITH THIS BOOK.

I'M GOING TO KEEP WORKING WITH MY CONSTITUENTS, AND I WILL KEEP WORKING WITH THE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL.

BUT MEMBERS, LET'S NOT MOONWALK TODAY.

LET'S HANDLE UP ON OUR BUSINESS, SUPPORT THIS BUDGET SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO TAKE CARE OF THE BUSINESS OF DALLAS, THE NINTH LARGEST CITY THAT WE SAY WE ARE SO VERY PROUD OF. THANK YOU.

AND I BELIEVE THAT'S MY TIME.

YOUR. ARE GOING TO MAKE ME LAUGH OUT LOUD.

OKAY? MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. YOU KNOW, WE SIT AROUND HERE AND.

AND THIS IS PROBABLY MY.

1415 BUDGET AND WE DON'T LOWER THE TAXES FOR THE LAST 6 OR 7 YEARS.

AND TO LOWER THE TAX RATE.

I JUST WANT YOU TO JUST DREAM ABOUT THIS CITY.

WE CAN LOWER THE TAX RATE.

THAT'S GREAT. LOWER THE TAX RATE.

BUT WE DO NEED TO LOWER THE VALUE OF THE SOUTHERN PART OF DALLAS OR THE VALUE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.

FOR OVER A DECADE.

OVER A DECADE.

WE ALWAYS SAID THAT 15% OF THE PROPERTY VALUE IS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF DALLAS, 85% OF THE NORTH.

ALMOST 50% OF THE POPULATION IS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE DALLAS.

AND FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS WE HAVE GROWN NO MORE THAN 2 OR 3 DECIMAL POINTS.

WE PROFIT BY 80% OF THE PROFIT VALUE IN THE SOUTH.

IN ABOUT 82 IN THE NORTH.

SO LET'S LOOK AROUND AND SAY, WHAT HAVE WE DONE THAT WE ARE THE STEWARD? AND WHEN WE HAVE OUR TOWN HALL MEETING, WE ALWAYS GO AND SAY, HERE IS THE CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION.

AND I SEE THE RESIDENTS COME DOWN, I SEE THE PHONE CALL, I SEE ALL THE TEXTS I GET.

AND THEY SAID, LOWER THE TAX RATE.

YES, WE DID LOWER THE TAX RATE.

BUT WHEN YOU LOWER THE TAX RATE, YOU GOT TO REMEMBER YOU'RE CUTTING SOMEBODY ELSE OFF SOMEWHERE.

THE VALUE. IF WE DON'T INVEST IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF DALLAS, WE'RE GOING TO GO BROKE.

YOU. WE DON'T INVEST IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE DALLAS.

WE'RE GOING TO GO BROKE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE LIKE DETROIT.

WE'LL BE LIKE OTHER CITIES.

BECAUSE WE GOT TO GROW THE PROPERTY VALUE AND TO GROW THAT ITS INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

WE PUT INFRASTRUCTURE POLICY IN PLACE TO GROW, THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO OUTPERFORM.

WE HAVE TO OUTPERFORM MONEY.

WE WOULD NOT HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE DALLAS WITHOUT THAT MONEY.

WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE ON SEPARATE TANK, STILL ON SEPARATE TANK.

IN DALLAS, TEXAS.

THERE ARE NO SEPARATE TEAMS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF DALLAS.

WE STILL HAVE DIRT ROADS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF DALLAS.

WE STILL GOT ALLEYS.

DO NOT HAVE PAVEMENT.

SO IF WE'RE GOING TO GROW AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS, HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS? INSTEAD OF SAYING THAT THE NORTH BETTER THAN THE SOUTH, THE EAST AND THE WEST.

IF WE LOOK AT THIS BUDGET AND TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS AS A WHOLE, NOT AS INDIVIDUAL DISTRICT.

BE CALLED A DISTRICT WHEN THEY CUT UP.

THE PIE IS NOT DIVIDED EQUAL.

YOU CUT OF THE PIE IS NOT DIVIDED EQUAL.

I GOT 58MI².

SOME PEOPLE GOT 20MI².

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET, THE BUDGET IS NOT DIVIDED UP IN 14 SLICES.

EQUAL SLICES.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE KEEP SAYING.

IT'S NOT EQUAL.

AND WHEN WE DO THE BUDGET, WHEN WE CUT IN THIS BUDGET.

WE SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO CUT INFRASTRUCTURE.

ARE WE GOING TO CUT STREETS? BUT WHEN YOU CUT THOSE STREETS, I'M GOING TO SAY I GOT 50 ACRES.

I GOT 1000 LANE MILES.

BUT YOU MIGHT GET 500 LANE MILES.

YOU CANNOT SAY WHAT GOES AND WHAT DISTRICT.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, WE TALK ABOUT THE CITY AS A WHOLE, THE CITY AS A WHOLE, NOT INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS.

AND I SUPPORT THIS BUDGET AND I SUPPORT LOWERING TAX RATES.

I SUPPORT THAT AREA BECAUSE EVERYONE NEEDS A FAIR CUT, BECAUSE, NUMBER ONE, A PERSON SITTING THERE ON A FIXED INCOME.

WHO MAYBE GETTING $100 LESS A MONTH ON HER SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK, WHATEVER THAT SHE NEED ABOUT HER MEDICATION, WHATEVER SHE WANT, THAT $100 OR $200. WE DO KNOW THAT.

BUT GRANTED, WE DO A WHOLE LOT OF SERVICE.

THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE IN THE BUSINESS OF WE GIVE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY AWAY THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE GIVING THE MONEY AWAY.

WE DO OTHER THINGS.

THE OTHER PART THE PART WE SHOULD BE DOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.

SO WITH THAT.

THE CITY GOT TO GROW.

WE GOT TO LOWER THE TAX RATE.

[04:00:01]

AND MS..

MILLS MADE ONE STATEMENT.

WE GOT TO PUT MONEY BACK.

WE GOT TO THINK ABOUT THE PENSION.

AND WE GOT TO THINK ABOUT THE PENSION BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A SAFE CITY.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A CITY.

SO THINK ABOUT.

GONE TOMORROW OR GO ON TODAY THAT WE PASS THIS BUDGET.

LET'S THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN RIDLEY, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

I HAVE BEEN BESIEGED WITH COMMUNICATIONS FROM MY CONSTITUENTS WHO HAVE BEEN PLEADING FOR TAX RELIEF IN THE FACE OF BUDGET INCREASES YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.

THESE INCREASES ARE ULTIMATELY UNSUSTAINABLE.

WE'VE BEEN ADVISED BY STAFF THAT WE ARE GOING TO FACE REVENUE, REDUCED REVENUE INCREASES IN COMING YEARS, AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO CUT THE BUDGET.

WHILE I DON'T SUPPORT THE DRACONIAN CUTS IN CITY SERVICES THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE A NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE, I DO SUPPORT CUTTING THE BUDGET IN AREAS OF PARTICULARLY DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE INCREASED AT UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH RATES IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

TO THAT END, I INTRODUCED 14 AMENDMENTS, ONLY TWO OF WHICH PASSED THIS BODY TO CUT OUR TAX RATE.

WE STRUGGLED MIGHTILY TO REDUCE OUR TAX RATE AND WE PRODUCED $0.01 PER $100 VALUATION OF TAX REDUCTION.

LAST YEAR WE DID 2.7 $0.05 WITH NOT MUCH DISCUSSION.

WHY COULDN'T WE DO THAT THIS YEAR? IN LIGHT OF THESE UNPRECEDENTED INCREASES, I THINK WE NEED GREATER OVERSIGHT OF DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE GROWN BY 50% OR MORE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

THAT'S A TASK FOR OUR COMMITTEE STRUCTURE, AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SERIOUSLY NEED TO UNDERTAKE TO EXAMINE WHY PARTICULAR DEPARTMENTS HAVE INCREASED AT SUCH INCREDIBLE RATES AND WITH A FOCUS ON ACHIEVING GREATER EFFICIENCY AND, YES, EFFECTIVENESS IN THE DELIVERY OF CITY SERVICES.

SO I'M NOT ADVOCATING THAT WE CUT ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICES, FAR FROM IT, BUT THAT WE LAUNCH AN EFFORT TO ACHIEVE MORE PERFORMANCE BASED BUDGETING SO THAT WE CAN TELL OUR CONSTITUENTS EXACTLY WHAT THEIR TAX MONEY IS GOING TO AND WHAT SERVICES ARE BEING PERFORMED THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT THEIR LIVES AND HOW WE'RE DELIVERING THOSE SERVICES IN AN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE MANNER.

AS A RESULT OF THE LIMITED TAX CUTS THAT HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED INTO THIS BUDGET, I CANNOT SUPPORT ITS APPROVAL.

MISS WILLIS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU.

THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS IN THE BUDGET.

THERE ARE ALSO SOME THINGS THAT ARE LEAVING ME WITH QUESTIONS.

AND I KNOW WE HAVE ALL ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS IN MANY MEETINGS AT THE HORSESHOE.

JACK AND JANETTE AND YOUR TEAM, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND STAFF.

EVEN WITH ALL THE QUESTIONS, I JUST DON'T HAVE A COMFORT LEVEL WITH WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THE TAX RATE REDUCTION.

I THINK SOME OF THIS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE POSITIONS AND SERVICES THAT ARE DUPLICATIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THIS IS JUST NOT THE PLACE TO HASH ALL THAT OUT. SO IT'S REALLY GOING TO CALL FOR SOME EXPLORATION AND EXAMINING OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCIES.

AND IT'S JUST GOT TO HAPPEN OVER THIS NEXT YEAR.

WE HAVE TOO MUCH COMING OUR WAY AS A RESULT OF, I THINK, LEGISLATION AND A NOVEMBER VOTE.

BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY FOR US TO DO THIS EXPLORATION.

SO THIS IS MR. CITY MANAGER AND YOUR STAFF, BUT.

I THINK WE SHOULD EXPECT TO BE REPORTED TO, AND I WOULD HOPE IN Q ONE, THE END OF Q1 2024, BECAUSE WE START THIS WHOLE CYCLE OVER AGAIN AND THAT'S WHEN THIS CAKE STARTS TO BE BAKED. SO WE NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT DUPLICATION AND OPERATIONS AND WHERE WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT.

I. I THINK SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED ARE WORTH EXPLORATION.

THE CITY IS PROVIDING SERVICES THAT SHOULD BE UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE COUNTY OR THE STATE OR OF DART.

LET'S GIVE THEM A YEAR'S NOTICE AND JUST SAY YOU NEED TO WORK ON FUNDING FOR THIS BECAUSE EVERY YEAR WE HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.

AND SO IF WE GIVE NOTICE NOW AND SAY, YOU'VE GOT A YEAR TO FIND OUT HOW TO COVER THIS, THIS SERVICE THAT BELONGS UNDER YOUR PURVIEW THAT LIVES IN YOUR

[04:05:09]

DOMAIN, LET'S DO IT.

LET'S GIVE THEM A YEAR'S NOTICE.

I DO APPRECIATE THE THE WORK OF STAFF.

I THINK YOU'LL BE CALLED UPON AND LEANED UPON HARD.

I'D LIKE I THINK THIS IS GOING TO GO TO THE FEET OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE, TO THE WORKFORCE, EDUCATION AND EQUITY COMMITTEE AND CERTAINLY TO GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.

SO THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF WORK TO DO TO DIG INTO SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS THAT ARE JUST REMAINING, THAT KEEP ME FROM HAVING THE COMFORT LEVEL WITH VOTING FOR THIS BUDGET. I APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE STAFF.

I KNOW THIS TAKES SO MUCH DEDICATION, BUT YOU KNOW, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO DO MORE FOR STREETS AND TAX RATE REDUCTION.

AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I JUST CAN'T PUT A STAMP OF APPROVAL ON THIS.

CHAIRMAN GRACIE.

ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE RIGHT. YOU'RE.

ALL RIGHT. JUST PUBLICLY, JUST WANT TO SAY AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL TO THE STAFF AND ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE IN GETTING US TO THIS POINT, THIS STARTING THIS JOURNEY.

I KEPT A I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I KEPT AN OPEN MIND IN TERMS OF WHAT THOSE OPTIONS ARE AND REALLY GOT TO A POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, TOO BIG OF A OF A TAX DECREASE REALLY HURTS THE THE THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED NOT JUST IN SOUTHERN DALLAS, BUT REALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.

AND FOR THOSE REASONS, I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE COULD HAVE A COMPROMISE.

AND I THINK THIS IS A GOOD COMPROMISE THERE.

I WANT TO AGAIN, ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE HORSESHOE, WITH THIS BEING MY FIRST BUDGET AND THE TIME THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SPEND AND ANSWERING SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT AS WELL.

SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS AND THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR EFFORT.

MS.. BLACKMON REQUEST FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU.

I DO WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR REALLY, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT TAKES A LOT TO PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

AND SO THANK YOU.

AND I DO WE DO APPRECIATE THE WORK.

ALL OF YOU DIRECTORS, EVERYBODY, EVEN THE ONES WHO CREATED THE COVER.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE A LOT.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT GOING BACK TO THE BASICS.

BUT I MEAN, I'VE BEEN AROUND THIS PLACE FOR A WHILE AND THERE'S ALWAYS A SACRED COW.

EVERYBODY'S GOT ONE.

THE QUESTION IS, ARE WE WILLING TO TAKE IT TO THE ALTAR? BECAUSE I CAN PROBABLY EVERY ONE OF US HAVE ONE.

AND SO WE TALK ABOUT BACK TO THE BASICS, BUT ARE WE GOING TO DO IT? AND THAT MEANS WE GOT A BOND COMING UP TO DO.

WE GO BACK TO THE BASICS ON THE BOND? AND NOT BUILD AND NOT EXPAND.

AND YOU'VE BEEN TO THE TROUGH ONCE.

HAVE THAT COURAGE TO SAY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COME AGAIN.

SO I GUESS I'M CHALLENGING ALL OF YOU TO SAY, YEAH, WE HAVE SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES.

WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR CORE ACTIVE ACTIVITIES ARE AND STICK TO THEM.

I HAD MY CORE, I HAD MINE AS GOING THROUGH IT AND I HAD TO KEEP REMINDING SOME OF MY FOLKS EVERYTHING'S ON THE TABLE, SO WE SAY IT, BUT ARE WE GOING TO DO IT? AND THAT'S HOW YOU GET A BUDGET WITHIN THE MEANS.

AND A TAX RATE REDUCTION IS OKAY.

IT'S GOOD.

AND BUT WE SHOULD ALSO LOOK AT IT AS WE'VE GROWN OUR CITY.

I MEAN, JACK, WE'VE BEEN HERE IN 2009 WHEN WE WERE GOING BACKWARDS AND WE CHALLENGED OUR STAFF, OUR MAYORS.

WE HAD THESE INITIATIVES TO GROW THE PIE AND WE DID GROW THE PIE.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY AT THE TABLE AND EAT THE PIE THAT WE'RE GIVEN AND NOT GO OUT OF IT.

AND I DO THINK STAFF HAS HAD THAT AND WE CAN ENCOURAGE MORE.

BUT EVERYBODY SHOULD ENJOY THE PIE.

EVERYBODY. AND SO THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LIVE IN FAR EAST OR IF YOU LIVE IN SOUTH DALLAS, EVERYBODY SHOULD BE AT THE TABLE TO ENJOY THE FRUITS OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AS A CITY IN.

I MEAN, YOU CAME IN 2017.

THAT WAS IT WAS A HARD TIME.

AND I MEAN, WE WE YOU HAVE GROWN IT.

YOU HAVE SHOWED US A WAY TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY AND TO BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES.

AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T THINK WE'RE AT A CLIFF OR AN ICEBERG OR A CACTUS.

I JUST THREW THAT OUT THERE FOR WEST TEXAS.

BUT I DO THINK THAT OUR BEST DAYS ARE AHEAD OF US, AND I REFUSE TO THINK THAT WE ARE IN A DOOM AND GLOOM.

I REFUSE TO BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE THE STAFF THAT IS MONITORING THAT.

WE HAVE FIVE YEARS.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHEN YOUR KID STARTS HIGH SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, IN FOUR YEARS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COUGH UP MONEY TO GO TO COLLEGE.

[04:10:01]

SO YOU START PLANNING FOR IT.

AND I, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE, JACK.

I'VE BEEN AROUND YOU LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT YOU DO HAVE THAT IN YOU.

SO I'M NOT TERRIFIED OF THE NEXT YEARS.

I'M NOT TERRIFIED OF THE PENSION BECAUSE WE ARE SMART PEOPLE SITTING AROUND THIS HORSESHOE TO MAKE GOOD, HARD DECISIONS TO GET IT DONE.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS BECAUSE I FEEL THAT IF YOU VOTE AGAINST IT, YOU VOTED AGAINST THE ADDITIONAL 250 OFFICERS, YOU VOTED AGAINST THOSE EXTRA LANE MILES BECAUSE YOU VOTED AGAINST A BUDGET.

AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.

EVERY ITEM IN HERE, YOU EITHER SUPPORT IT OR YOU DON'T.

THAT'S HOW THIS VOTE GOES.

WE DON'T GET TO DO A LINE ITEM.

SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING IT.

AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU.

AND I THINK I'VE TALKED TO THE CHAIRMAN THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE? BRING EVERYBODY IN AND SEE.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT ARE WE DUPLICATING? I KNOW I'VE PUT THINGS IN THE IN THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE NOT FOUND AN OUTSIDE SPONSOR FOR THAT THEY NEED TO CUT BE CUT.

BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT THE INTENT OF CITY GOVERNMENT.

AND SO IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE'RE TAKING THAT AWAY FROM YOU, BUT LET'S BE PARTNERS AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE ARE BUYING WITH OUR MONEY AND WHAT'S THE ROI. AND I THINK THAT IS A THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION TO ASK.

BUT THEN WE NEED TO DECIDE AS A BODY, IS THE ROI ENOUGH AND HAVE THE COURAGE TO ACTUALLY SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE SUNSETTING IT, WE'RE PUTTING IT IN THE PARKING LOT OR WE'RE GOING TO JUST TAKE IT OUT ALTOGETHER.

SO WITH THAT, YES, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS BUDGET.

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ, YOU ALREADY SPOKE, SO I GOT YOU COVERED FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST ROUND. I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE.

IN THE QUEUE. CHAIRMAN BASIL DULY RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

I THINK THAT THIS IS A LOT OF WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY HAS BEEN SAID.

I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF.

I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE AND GIVE STAFF A BIG THANK YOU, NOT JUST TO THOSE OF YOU IN BUDGET, BUT ALL OF STAFF.

I KNOW ALL OF THE BUDGET TOWN HALLS ARE PRETTY DEMANDING ON YOU ALL, SO THANK YOU FOR THE EXTRA WORK THAT YOU ALL GIVE EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME.

BUT I ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THOSE TOWN HALLS I THINK ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND WE GET TO HEAR, BUT THEN WE ALSO GET TO MEET WITH STAFF AND HEAR WHAT THEY'RE HEARING ACROSS THE CITY.

WE GET TO TALK TO COLLEAGUES AND HEAR WHERE THERE IS A CONTRAST.

I BELIEVE THAT THIS THIS DOCUMENT THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO PASS IS REFLECTIVE OF THE PRIORITIES AND THE DIRECTION THAT WE HAVE SENT STAFF ON WHERE OUR PRIORITIES ARE AS A CITY.

IN FACT, THE NARRATIVE THAT IS OPPOSING TO PASS AND APPROVE THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET HAD A COORDINATED CAMPAIGN, ASKED PEOPLE TO TELL US TO GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

IN FACT, THEY WERE BEING KIND OF PUSHED TO TELL US TO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

AND I THINK THAT IT SHOWS HOW MUCH THAT CAMPAIGN DOES NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES OF OUR CITY TO SEE, EVEN WITH A COORDINATED CAMPAIGN, FOR INSTANCE, HOW MANY SPEAKERS WE HAD SIGNED UP TODAY TO TRY TO SAY THE SAME MESSAGE.

I HAD CONSTITUENTS TELLING ME ABOUT TEXT MESSAGES THAT WERE GIVEN TO THEM.

SOMEONE'S PAID FOR THEM, PROBABLY A POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE WHICH HAS NO BUSINESS IN THIS NONPARTISAN REALM.

BUT THAT DIDN'T CHANGE THE PRIORITIES OF MY CONSTITUENTS, AND IT ALSO DIDN'T CHANGE THE VOTES AROUND THIS BODY WHEN WE WENT THROUGH AMENDMENTS.

SO I THINK THAT THE EXERCISES THAT WE DO THROUGH THIS BUDGET WORKSHOP IS DEFINITELY REFLECTIVE OF WHERE THE PRIORITIES ARE OF ALL OF THE RESIDENTS ACROSS THIS VERY UNIQUE AND DIVERSE CITY THAT WE LIVE IN, WHICH IS WHY THE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT BODY IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT FORM OF GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DOCUMENT THAT DOES GET PASSED OVERALL IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT TOUCHES THOSE PRIORITIES OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE 14 DISTRICTS THAT WE ARE HERE SERVING AS A BODY.

BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL AREN'T GOING TO GET WHAT WE WANT.

THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF BEING A PART OF A BODY.

AND THAT'S ALSO A SPIRIT OF A COMPROMISE.

BY MAKING ANOTHER CENT REDUCTION IN THIS TAX RATE, WE ARE PROVIDING RELIEF TO OUR RESIDENTS.

TO SAY OTHERWISE IS DISINGENUOUS.

WE ARE 29% OF OUR TAX BURDEN TO THE RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY, WHICH MEANS IT WOULD REQUIRE US TO DO A GREAT DEAL OF CUTS IN ORDER TO COMPENSATE FOR THE OTHER TAX ENTITIES THAT ARE ALSO BURDENING OUR RESIDENTS.

THE FACT THAT THE VALUES OF OUR PROPERTIES ARE WHAT'S REALLY DRIVING THE TRAIN ON THE INCREASES THAT WE ARE SEEING NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED NOT ONLY HERE AND NOT ONLY PUT ON THE BACK OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE TALKED TO AND WITH COLLECTIVELY WITH THE OTHER TAX ENTITIES THAT

[04:15:05]

ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AND A ROLE IN THE OVERALL BILL THAT OUR RESIDENTS PAY TO PUT THAT ONLY ON THE CITY AND TO MAKE THE SACRIFICES NECESSARY IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THAT IS ABSOLUTELY AGAINST EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE DIRECTED STAFF TO GET TO WORK TO AND PROVIDE THIS TYPE OF A DOCUMENT FOR US TO CONSIDER.

SO I AM PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS AND I DO BELIEVE THAT IT REFLECTS PRIORITIES AND FEEDBACK FROM COLLEAGUES WHO REPRESENT EVERY CORNER OF THIS CITY.

AND IT'S NOT PERFECT.

IT'S NOT EXACTLY HOW I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT.

I WOULD HAVE BEEN OKAY NOT MAKING ANY MORE OF THE REDUCTIONS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED MORE OF THE SERVICES THAT ARE HELPING MY CONSTITUENTS.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE.

THAT'S NOT THE SPIRIT OF WORKING AS A BODY.

IT CAN NEVER BE A ZERO SUM GAME.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO REALIZE THAT THIS DOCUMENT REFLECTS THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.

AND I'M PROUD TO PASS IT, AND I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE PUT IN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS TO GET TO THIS POINT.

SO THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

WE'LL CHECK IN TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT MISSING ANYONE.

I DON'T SEE ANYONE.

SO BEFORE WE GO TO THE VOTE, I ACTUALLY WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING.

I DON'T HAVE ANY PREPARED REMARKS, SO I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING.

BUT BUT I ACTUALLY I'M GOING TO SAY SOMETHING NOW.

NOT BECAUSE I THINK I'M GOING TO CHANGE ANYBODY'S MIND ABOUT THIS.

THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT MY GOAL HERE.

I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S REALLY ANYBODY AT THIS POINT WHO HASN'T FIGURED OUT WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO DO WHEN THEY WHEN THEY PUSH THEIR BUTTON, SO TO SPEAK.

BUT SOMETIMES I FORGET.

I DON'T REALLY FORGET, I GUESS SOMETIMES.

SOMETIMES I DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER.

MAYBE THAT I'M THE ONLY PERSON IN THE ROOM WHO'S ELECTED BY THE ENTIRE CITY.

TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF THE ENTIRE CITY.

AND TO THINK ABOUT THE ENTIRE CITY WITH EVERY SINGLE THING I DO.

DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU CAN'T CARE ABOUT THE ENTIRE CITY IF YOU REPRESENT A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT.

THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT WHAT I JUST SAID.

THAT'S NOT THE SAME STATEMENT.

DIDN'T SAY YOU. YOU CAN'T.

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

YOU REPRESENT A DISTRICT.

AND THAT DISTRICT HAS INTERESTS AND HOPEFULLY YOU REPRESENT THOSE INTERESTS WELL ENOUGH TO KEEP GETTING REELECTED TO COME BACK.

BUT. I HAVE NO CHOICE.

MY JOB IS TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE WHOLE THING.

DISTRICT 15 HAS THE FEWEST PEOPLE WHO COME DOWN HERE AND SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE THAT DISTRICT DOESN'T SHOW UP ON ANY LIST BECAUSE IT'S EVERYBODY. DISTRICT 15 IS EVERYBODY.

AND SO I'M THINKING AT ALL TIMES ABOUT THE INFORMATION I'M GETTING FROM ALL OF YOUR DISTRICTS.

ALL THE TIME, EVERY DAY.

AND I'M THINKING ABOUT THE RELATIVE POSITION OF THE CITY COMPETITIVELY.

IN THE REGION AND HOW WELL WE COMPETE WITH OTHER CITIES AND OUR BACKYARD.

I'M THINKING ABOUT HOW WE COMPETE WITH THE OTHER CITIES IN THE STATE.

I'M THINKING ABOUT HOW WE COMPETE WITH THE OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

AND OCCASIONALLY I'M EVEN ASKED TO GO AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE COMPETE GLOBALLY AROUND THE WORLD, BECAUSE INCREASINGLY DALLAS IS ACTUALLY BEING THOUGHT OF IN THAT LIGHT.

AND IT'S A REAL PRIVILEGE.

AND I DON'T GET THE LUXURY SOMETIMES, EVEN THOUGH I WANT TO.

TO NOT SAY SOMETHING HERE BECAUSE YOU GUYS DO A REALLY GOOD JOB.

YOU'RE VERY ELOQUENT, YOU'RE VERY PERSUASIVE, YOU'RE SMART, AND YOU ACQUIT YOURSELVES VERY WELL REPRESENTING YOUR DISTRICT.

AND I HAVE TO DO MY JOB, TOO.

SOMETIMES, EVEN THOUGH I MIGHT NOT WANT TO, I MIGHT WANT TO JUST GO HOME AND SAY IT'S ALL BEEN SAID ALREADY, BUT IT REALLY HASN'T ALL BEEN SAID ALREADY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 15.

SO LET ME SAY THIS, THE IDEA.

THAT WE SHOULD LOWER THE TAX BURDEN ON DALLAS RESIDENTS, NOT LOWER.

AN IMAGINARY NUMBER, A RATE, A VARIABLE AND A CALCULATION.

DIDN'T JUST COME TO ME FROM NOWHERE.

IT CAME TO ME FROM THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.

IT'S ACTUALLY WHAT THE RESIDENTS WANT.

IT'S WHAT THEY NEED.

THEY'RE NOT MAKING IT UP.

INTEREST RATES ARE A REAL THING.

INFLATION IS A REAL THING.

AND THAT'S WHAT I HEAR ABOUT.

AND EVEN BEFORE THIS, IT'S NOT BEEN IT'S NOT A NEW THING.

[04:20:01]

ACTUALLY, FOR FOUR YEARS YOU'VE BEEN HEARING ME SAY IT.

IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE CITY OF DALLAS AND HOW IT COMPARES TO OTHER PLACES.

PEOPLE COULD BE IN, OTHER PLACES PEOPLE COULD INVEST.

SO THAT'S WHY I KEEP BRINGING IT UP.

THAT'S WHY I KEEP PUSHING IT.

I ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT WE OUGHT TO BE DOING NOW.

I'LL ALSO SAY THAT I HAVE SEEN DATA.

AND I HAVE TO SAY THIS NOW.

THAT SUGGESTS THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO WANT TAX RELIEF THE MOST.

OR ACTUALLY OUR MOST ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED RESIDENTS.

IT'S THE PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THE CITY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AT A HIGHER RATE THAN DALLASITES OVERALL.

IT'S AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LATINOS WHO ARE BEGGING FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.

BECAUSE IT REPRESENTS A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THEIR INCOME.

AGAIN, JUST FACTS.

SO. THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, I THINK, FOR US TO THINK ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS.

SERVICES ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

IT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.

BUT THERE DOES NEED TO BE AND I AGREE WITH EVERYONE WHO HAS SAID THIS THERE REALLY DOES NEED TO BE AN HONEST RECKONING AND COMING TO SOME UNDERSTANDING AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE RESPECTFULLY. AND NEEDS TO BE DONE.

HONESTLY, IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE DONE WITH CASTING ASPERSIONS AT EITHER SIDE ABOUT WHAT WE REALLY THINK.

ARE THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF CITY GOVERNMENT.

THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO AND THAT WE HAVE TO DO AT A HIGH LEVEL, OR WE REALLY WILL LOSE OUR COMPETITIVE EDGE.

AND THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE NICE TO DO IF ALL OTHER THINGS WERE EQUAL AND PERFECT.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT THAT.

I THINK. CHAIRWOMAN SCHULTZ, I THINK YOUR ARTICLE OR YOUR OP ED WAS WAS VERY THOUGHTFUL.

AND I AND I DON'T AGREE.

PHILOSOPHICALLY WITH WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM IN A LOT OF WAYS, BUT I APPRECIATE THE ARTICULATION OF THAT POINT OF VIEW.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING MORE AND MORE THINGS FOR MORE AND MORE PEOPLE.

THAT I THINK ARE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I THINK THE CITY SHOULD BE DOING, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'VE EXACTLY MASTERED THE THINGS THAT THEY ALL AGREE WE SHOULD BE DOING.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE PUBLIC SAFETY.

IT'S SANITATION.

IT'S IT'S STREETS.

IT'S THAT TYPE OF THING.

SO. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US HAVE THAT CONVERSATION IN EARNEST WITHOUT CALLING ANYBODY ANY NAMES OR CASTING ANY ASPERSIONS OR QUESTIONING ANYBODY'S MOTIVES, AND THEN LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THE VOTES FALL ON THAT.

THAT'S WHERE THEY FALL.

BUT ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS DISTRICT 15, I CAN'T LET THEM GO UNREPRESENTED TODAY.

THEY CAN'T HAVE THEIR ONE ADVOCATE NOT SAY SOMETHING TODAY BECAUSE WE ALL WANT TO GO HOME, OR AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, SOME OF US HAVE THINGS WE GOT TO DO WITH OUR FAMILIES AND THINGS. I HAVE TO SUCK IT UP.

AND SAY SOMETHING FOR THEM.

AND I'M TELLING YOU.

THIS TAX RELIEF STUFF.

IT'S NOT PIE IN THE SKY AND IT'S NOT A CALCULATION.

IT'S REAL CHOICES THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE.

ABOUT RENT.

IN ABOUT CABLE AND ABOUT OTHER STUFF.

THAT HOW MUCH THEY PAY IN PROPERTY TAXES MATTERS AND THAT'S WHY THEY KEEP ASKING FOR IT.

SO. I WON'T BE SUPPORTING.

MAYBE NOT A SURPRISE THIS BUDGET, BUT NOT BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT WASN'T WORKED ON HARD AND THAT STAFF DIDN'T DO THEIR BEST AND THAT THE CITY MANAGER DOESN'T GET IT.

AND PHILOSOPHICAL DISAGREEMENT, I SUPPOSE, IS THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE WHERE I THINK WE ARE RIGHT NOW AS A CITY.

I DO THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS MORE ON DOING THE THINGS THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE THE CITY SHOULD BE DOING BETTER AND WE NEED TO REALLY TAKE A LITTLE TIME OUT TO ASK OURSELVES WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE THE BEST PLACE TO BE DOING SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS.

AND IN PARTICULAR, WE SHOULD BE ASKING THAT QUESTION IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE INTEREST RATES ARE WHERE THEY ARE AND INFLATION IS WHERE IT IS AND WHERE YOU HAVE THAT MUCH UNCERTAINTY. SO I DON'T AGREE WITH THE PROPOSITION I HAVE.

THIS IS NOT MY FIRST CITY BUDGET AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT MY FIRST BUDGET PERIOD.

I WROTE BUDGETS AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR 30 MILLION TEXANS AND HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

YOU DON'T AGREE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH EVERY LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET TO VOTE FOR IT.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH EVERY LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET TO VOTE AGAINST IT.

A VOTE FOR A BUDGET IS NEVER MEANT FULL AGREEMENT WITH EVERYTHING IN IT, AND A VOTE AGAINST THE BUDGET HAS NEVER MEANT DISAGREEMENT WITH EVERYTHING IN IT EITHER.

[04:25:06]

AND SO I'LL BE VOTING AGAINST THIS BUDGET EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SOME GOOD THINGS IN IT BECAUSE IT'S, I THINK, WRONG FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, PARTICULARLY AT THIS TIME.

SO WITH THAT, MADAM SECRETARY, LET'S HAVE THE RECORD VOTE THAT'S REQUIRED BY LAW ON THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ONE SECOND.

PLEASE START VOTING.

COUNCIL MEMBER. NARVAEZ.

WILL YOU PLEASE STATE FOR THE RECORD, HOW WILL YOU BE VOTING ON THIS ITEM? YES. THANK YOU.

WITHOUT 15 MEMBERS VOTING.

WITH TEN MEMBERS VOTING IN FAVOR, FIVE OPPOSED.

THIS ITEM PASSES, MR. MAYOR. VERY GOOD.

NEXT ITEM, PLEASE.

[5. 23-2325 An ordinance setting the tax rate at $0.7357 per $100 assessed valuation, which includes $0.5317 for the General Fund and $0.204 for the Debt Service Fund, and levying ad valorem taxes for the City of Dallas, Texas, for FY 2023-24 - Estimated Levy: $1,458,687,770 (see Fiscal Information) 23-2325]

AGENDA ITEM FIVE.

IS AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE TAX RATE AT 73.5 $0.07 PER $100 ASSESSED VALUATION, WHICH INCLUDES A 53.17 CENT, 53.1 $0.07 FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND 20.4 CENTS FOR THE DEBT SERVICE FUND AND LEVYING AD VALOREM TAXES FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, TEXAS FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 2324.

THIS ITEM WILL REQUIRE A RECORD VOTE AND A.

IN A VOTE OF A SUPERMAJORITY VOTE FOR APPROVAL.

IS THERE A MOTION FROM THE CHAIR? YES, MAYOR.

YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR A MOTION.

I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.7357 PER $100 ASSESSED VALUATION, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 7.97% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIRMAN? YES.

FIVE MINUTES, SIR. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THIS IS A REALLY WONKY WAY TO HAVE THIS THIS WORDED.

AND SO I WOULD LIKE FOR MR. IRELAND TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS WORDING IS THE WAY IT IS.

AND THIS IS IT'S EVERY YEAR THAT IT'S THIS COMES UP.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. WEST. JACK IRELAND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.

THE MOTION THAT MR. WEST READ IS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.

THE WORDING IS BY STATE LAW.

WHAT IT IS SAYING IS THAT THE TAX RATE THAT YOU ARE VOTING ON IS AN INCREASE ABOVE THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE.

IT IS 7.9 $0.07 ABOVE THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE.

HOWEVER, YOU ALL KNOW THAT YOUR TAX RATE THAT YOU'RE VOTING ON IS 1.20 CENT LESS THAN THE CURRENT YEAR TAX RATE.

YOU WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET IT TO OVER A $0.01 REDUCTION FROM THE CURRENT YEAR.

THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING.

BUT STATE LAW REQUIRES US TO COMPARE TO THE NO NEW REVENUE.

MR. NARVAEZ. ANYTHING FROM YOU? ANYTHING FROM ANYONE HERE.

SEEING? NONE.

A RECORD VOTE IS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW, I'M TOLD.

SO, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL OR INITIATE THE PROCEDURES.

I SHOULD SAY. THANK YOU.

ONE SECOND. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, SUPERMAJORITY IS NINE MEMBERS VOTING IN FAVOR? NINE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL VOTING IN FAVOR.

PLEASE START VOTING.

COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ.

WILL YOU PLEASE STATE FOR THE RECORD HOW YOU WILL BE VOTING ON THIS ITEM? I'LL BE VOTING YES.

NOTED. THANK YOU. WITH ALL 15 MEMBERS OF COUNCIL VOTING.

WITH TEN MEMBERS VOTING IN FAVOR, FIVE OPPOSED.

THIS ITEM ALSO PASSES, MR. MAYOR. VERY GOOD.

[6. 23-2333 A resolution ratifying the increase in total property tax revenues reflected in the FY 2023-24 budget - Estimated Revenue: $120,472,041 (100 percent collection rate) 23-2333]

NEXT ITEM. AGENDA ITEM SIX.

IS A RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE INCREASE IN TOTAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUES REFLECTED IN THE FY 20 2324 BUDGET.

THIS ITEM ALSO REQUIRES A RECORD VOTE, WITH JUST MAJORITY VOTING IN FAVOR FOR PASSAGE.

MR. MAYOR. IS THERE A MOTION? MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX.

IT'S MOVED IN SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIRMAN? AND DISCUSSION? ANYONE. ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NO MORE DISCUSSION. MADAM SECRETARY, GO AHEAD AND MAY I GET A CLARIFICATION ON THE SECOND? I HAVE BAZALDUA.

THANK YOU. ONE SECOND.

[04:30:04]

AND AGAIN, A RECORD VOTES REQUIRED ON THIS.

BUT IT'S A SIMPLE MAJORITY, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT, MR. MAYOR. PLEASE START VOTING.

COUNCIL MEMBER. NARVAEZ.

WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE FOR THE RECORD, HOW WILL YOU BE VOTING ON THIS ITEM? YES, THANK YOU.

14 MEMBERS HAVE VOTED.

15 MEMBERS HAVE VOTED.

WITH 11 MEMBERS VOTING IN FAVOR, FOUR OPPOSED.

THIS ITEM PASSES, MR. MAYOR. VERY GOOD.

LET'S MOVE ON.

[7. 23-2328 An ordinance amending Chapters 2, 7, 8A, 12B, 15D, 16, 18, 27, 42B, 43A, 48B, 49, 50, 51A and 52 of the Dallas City Code to (1) adjust fees related to consumer affairs; (2) adjust rates and charges for sanitation collection and disposal of solid waste services; (3) adjusting fees for garage sale permits; (4) adjust rates and charges for floodplain and drainage management, and stormwater drainage; (5) adjust fees for animal adoption, breeding permit, dangerous dog registration, and aggressive dog registration; (6) adjust the registration fee and reinspection fee for boarding home facilities; (7) adjust the convenience store fee and inspection fee; (8) adjust the transport fee for emergency ambulance services; (9) adjust fees for open burning, public assembly fire inspection, hazardous materials, and high-rise building/residential inspections; (10) adjust the fee for tire businesses; (11) adjust the registration fee and reinspection fee for rental properties; (12) adjust the short-term rental registration and reinspection fee; (13) adjust the certification of manager of operations fee for swimming pools; (14) adjust the registration fee for vacant buildings and vacant lots; (15) adjust rates and charges for treated water service, wastewater service, wholesale water, and wastewater service to governmental entities, additional water meters, untreated water service, service connections, and fire hydrant usage; (16) adjust fees for wood vendors; (17) adjust the license fee for electronic repair establishments; (18) adjust the license fee for motor vehicle repair establishments; (19) adjust fees for home repair; (20) adjust the registration fee for credit access business; (21) adjust the municipal setting designation fee; (22) adjust the certificate of occupancy inspection fee; (23) providing a penalty not to exceed $2,000; (24) providing a saving clause; (25) providing a severability clause; and (26) providing an effective date - Estimated Revenue: General Fund ($3,578,603), Dallas Water Utilities Fund ($23,617,429), Sanitation Operation Fund ($6,016,297), and Stormwater Drainage Management Fund ($7,660,230)]

AGENDA ITEM SEVEN.

AGENDA. ITEM SEVEN IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTERS 278.

A 12 B 15 D 1618 2742.

B 43.

A 48.

B 49 5051 A AND 52 OF THE DALLAS CITY CODE TO ONE ADJUST FEES RELATED TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS.

TWO ADJUST RATES AND CHARGES FOR SANITATION COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE SERVICES.

THREE ADJUSTING FEES FOR GARAGE SALE PERMITS FOR ADJUSTING RATES AND CHARGES FOR FLOODPLAIN AND DRAIN AND DRAINAGE MANAGEMENT AND STORMWATER DRAINAGE.

FIVE ADJUST FEES FOR ANIMAL ADOPTION, BREEDING PERMIT, DANGEROUS DOG REGISTRATION AND AGGRESSIVE DOG REGISTRATION.

SIX ADJUST THE REGISTRATION FEE AND REINSPECTION FEE FOR BOARDING HOME FACILITIES.

SEVEN ADJUST THE CONVENIENCE STORE FEE AND INSPECTION FEE.

EIGHT ADJUST THE TRANSPORT FEE FOR EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICES.

NINE ADJUST FEES FOR OPEN BURNING, PUBLIC ASSEMBLY, FIRE INSPECTION, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND HIGH RISE BUILDING RESIDENTIAL INSPECTIONS.

TEN. ADJUST THE FEE FOR TIRE BUSINESSES.

11 ADJUST THE REGISTRATION FEE AND REINSPECTION FEE FOR RENTAL PROPERTIES.

12 ADJUST THE SHORT TERM RENTAL REGISTRATION AND REINSPECTION FEE.

13 ADJUST THE CERTIFICATION OF MANAGER OF OPERATIONS FEE FOR SWIMMING POOLS.

14 ADJUST THE REGISTRATION FEE FOR VACANT BUILDINGS AND VACANT LOTS.

15 ADJUST RATES AND CHARGES FOR TREATED WATER SERVICE, WASTEWATER SERVICE, WHOLESALE WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICE TO GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.

ADDITIONAL WATER METERS, UNTREATED WATER SERVICE SERVICE CONNECTIONS AND FIRE HYDRANT USAGE.

16 ADJUST FEES FOR WOOD VENDORS.

17 ADJUST THE LICENSE FOR ELECTRONIC REPAIR ESTABLISHMENTS.

18 IS JUST THE LICENSE FEE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIR ESTABLISHMENTS.

19 ADJUST FEES FOR HOME REPAIR.

20 ADJUST REGISTRATION FEE FOR CREDIT ACCESS BUSINESS 21 ADJUST THE MUNICIPAL SETTING DESIGNATION FEE 22.

ADJUST THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY INSPECTION FEE 23.

PROVIDE A PENALTY NOT TO EXCEED $2,000.24.

PROVIDE A SAVING CLAUSE 25.

PROVIDE A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND 26 PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

THIS ITEM DOES NOT REQUIRE A MAJORITY VOTE, NOR DOES IT REQUIRE.

I'M SORRY. IT REQUIRES A RECORD.

IT DOES NOT REQUIRE A RECORD VOTE.

THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. WEST. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I MOVE TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

WE MOVED IN SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION AND DISCUSSION? ANYONE HEARING.

OH, GO AHEAD.

CHAIRWOMAN SCHULTZ, GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON THESE FEES, IF I MAY.

AND I APOLOGIZE TO STAFF FOR NOT ASKING THESE IN ADVANCE.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHY ON THE VACANT LOT THERE'S NO FEE ON THE VOLUNTARY IS THAT THAT WAS PART OF THE ORDINANCE THAT WE PASSED.

IS THAT RIGHT? THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY FEE IF YOU VOLUNTARILY REGISTERED YOUR VACANT LOT? I JUST WANT TO REMEMBER THAT.

AND THEN I WAS ALSO JUST CURIOUS ALSO ON THE ON THE ANIMALS WHY WE CHARGE SO MUCH TO GIVE UP AN ANIMAL.

SO JEANETTE WEEDEN, DIRECTOR, BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

CORRECT. THERE'S NO FEE FOR VOLUNTARY REGISTRATION FOR VACANT LOTS.

YEAH, I KNOW THAT. I KNOW.

THAT'S WHAT. BUT THAT'S WHY WE DID IT, BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO REGISTER.

IS THAT WHY? OKAY. AND THEN ON THE ANIMALS, I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHY WE CHARGE SO MUCH FOR SOMEONE TO GIVE UP AN ANIMAL BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO GIVE UP AN ANIMAL RATHER THAN LET IT BE LOOSE. SO ALL OF THE FEES ARE BASED ON A FULL COST RECOVERY.

BUT I'LL LET DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT THE RECOMMENDED FEE.

THANK YOU. MELISSA WEBBER, DIRECTOR OF DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES.

AND LIKE JEANETTE SAID, IT IS BASED ON THE FEE STUDY, THOUGH WE DO OFTEN WAIVE THOSE FEES TO ALLOW FOR MORE

[04:35:09]

FOLKS TO GIVE US OUR PETS IF THEY'RE PETS.

IF THAT'S SO, WE DON'T JUST SAY, SORRY, YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.

NO, NO. OKAY. THANK YOU.

AND THEN I GUESS, IS IT THE SAME IN TERMS OF FULL COST RECOVERY FOR THE DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE MATERIALS? IT SEEMS VERY LOW. SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THAT'S ALSO BASED ON JUST WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO CHARGE.

SO THAT IS A SANITATION FEE.

SO I'LL ALLOW SANITATION SERVICES TO COME AND RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION.

CLIFF GILLESPIE, DIRECTOR SANITATION.

I'M SORRY, MA'AM. I DID NOT HEAR THE QUESTION.

SURE, SURE. AGAIN, TO ALL OF YOU AND STAFF, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT ASKING THESE EARLIER, BUT THIS IS THE CHARGE FOR DISPOSABLE SOLID WASTE MATERIALS.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL FEES ARE THOSE BASED ON COST RECOVERY.

IT JUST SEEMS RATHER LOW.

ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE $2 LANDFILL ENVIRONMENTAL FEE? YES. AND ALSO THE MINIMUM CHARGE FOR ANY LOAD? LESS THAN A TON.

CORRECT. THE $2 ENVIRONMENTAL FEE FOR LANDFILL AND TRANSFER STATION COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS GOES TOWARDS OUR CLOSURE, POST CLOSURE, LIABILITY, LONG TERM LIABILITY COSTS FOR THE LANDFILL.

IT'S NOT ASSESSED TO RESIDENTS DISPOSING OF WASTE FROM THEIR OWN HOME.

I KNOW. I'M WONDERING WHY WE'RE CHARGING SO LITTLE.

SO THAT THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.

WE'RE WE'RE STARTING SOMEWHERE.

THERE'S CURRENTLY ESTIMATED TO BE STILL A 30 YEAR LIFESPAN LEFT ON THE LANDFILL SITE.

SO WE STILL DO HAVE SOME TIME.

THIS BUDGET ALSO INCLUDED AN ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM OUR LANDFILL GAS REVENUE TO DEDICATE TO LANDFILL CLOSURE, POST CLOSURE COSTS AS WELL.

SO WE DO THINK WE HAVE A GOOD NEST EGG, IF YOU WILL, FOR THE FUTURE.

SO I'M SORRY, WHICH COMMITTEE DOES SANITATION IS IT? GBFM, PARKS, TRAILS AND ENVIRONMENT.

SO I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION FOR THE CITY TO REALLY LOOK AT IN TERMS OF WHETHER WE WANT TO DISSUADE PEOPLE FROM HAVING SO MUCH TRASH, YOU KNOW, AND THAT HAPPENS OFTEN THROUGH FEES, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S GOING TO COST US MILLIONS TO HAVE A NEW LANDFILL.

YES. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

MR. MAYOR, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR STATEMENTS ON FOR OR AGAINST NUMBER SEVEN? ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. SEEING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR. SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. NEXT ITEM.

[8. 23-2317 An ordinance amending Sections 2-38, 2-39, and 2-53 of Chapter 2, “Administration”; amending Sections 9B-6 and 9B-7 of Chapter 9B, “Building Security”; amending Sections 13-7, 13-8, 13-9,13-10, and 13-11 of Chapter 13, “Courts, Fines and Imprisonments”; amending Section 28-130, 28-130.7, and 28-130.12 of Chapter 28, “Motor Vehicles and Traffic,” of the Dallas City Code; adding new Sections 2-175, 2-176, and 2-177 to Chapter 2, “Administration”; (1) assigning historic preservation duties to the Department of Planning and Urban Design; (2) creating the Office of the City Marshal; (3) renaming the Department of Court and Detention Services the Department of Dallas Municipal Court; (4) providing a saving clause; (5) providing a severability clause; and (6) providing an effective date - Financing: No cost consideration to the City.]

AGENDA ITEM EIGHT.

AGENDA. ITEM EIGHT IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTIONS 238239 AND TWO, DASH FIVE THREE OF CHAPTER TWO ADMINISTRATION AMENDING SECTIONS NINE B, DASH SIX AND 9B-7 OF CHAPTER NINE B BUILDING SECURITY AMENDING SECTION 13 DASH 713 DASH 813 DASH NINE, 13, TEN, 13 AND 1311 OF CHAPTER 13 COURTS FINES AND IMPRISONMENTS AMENDING SECTION 20 8-1 3020 8-1 30.7 AND 28 130 .12 OF CHAPTERS CHAPTER 28 MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC OF THE DALLAS CITY CODE ADDING NEW SECTIONS 2-1752176 AND 2-177 TO CHAPTER TWO ADMINISTRATION ONE ASSIGNING HISTORIC PRESERVATION DUTIES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN.

TWO CREATING THE OFFICE OF THE CITY MARSHAL.

THREE. RENAMING THE DEPARTMENT OF COURT AND DETENTION SERVICES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DALLAS MUNICIPAL COURT.

FOUR. PROVIDING A SAVING CLAUSE FIVE PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND SIX PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

THIS ITEM DOES REQUIRE THREE THREE FOURTHS VOTE FOR APPROVAL.

MR. MAYOR, ONE OF THOSE WEIRD ONES WHERE IT DOESN'T REQUIRE A RECORD, BUT IT REQUIRES A I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ASSESS THAT WITHOUT A RECORD, BUT I IF SOMEONE REQUESTS THE RECORD, WE CAN GET IT. IS THERE A MOTION, MR. WEST? YES, MAYOR.

I MOVE TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.

IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I'M RECORD VOTE.

AND THEN THIS IS A CHARTER ITEM THAT REQUIRES THIS WEIRD THREE FOURTHS AND BUT BUT NOT RECORD.

AND SO THIS IS JUST ONE THING I WOULD RECOMMEND THE CHARTER COMMISSION LOOK AT JUST COMBING THROUGH ALL OF THESE VOTES TO SEE WHAT WHAT MAKES SENSE AND DOESN'T.

YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.

OKAY. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST ITEM EIGHT? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, THE RECORD VOTE'S BEEN REQUESTED.

SO, MADAM SECRETARY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THE PROCEDURE FOR THE ELECTRONIC VOTING.