Oct 11, 2023 City Council Agenda Meetings

CHAIRWOMAN SCHULTZ, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM 27.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I HAD A CONVERSATION YESTERDAY WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

I'D LIKE YOU TO SPEAK TO THIS IN PARTICULARLY WITH CHAIR BAZALDUA CONCERNS.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THIS LANGUAGE IS AMENDING THE PREVIOUS LANGUAGE WHICH WAS STRUCK DOWN.

THIS LANGUAGE IS NOT VAGUE.

IT IS NOT ARBITRARY.

AND IT APPLIES TO THE BUYER OR THE SELLER AND THE PANDERER.

WE HAVE IMPROVED THE DEFINITIONS.

WE'VE ADDED A LOCATIONAL REQUIREMENT.

AND WE HAVE CLEARLY OUTLINED THE FACTORS THAT MUST BE PROVEN FOR THIS OFFENSE.

AND SO WE WERE ASKED TO DO THIS TO TO PROVIDE THIS TOOL FOR DPD.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A VERY SOLID APPROACH TO THE AMENDMENTS TO THIS.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ON STAFF WHO PARTICULARLY WORKS WITH THE SEX TRAFFICKING AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE THAT ALSO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING CHAIR BAZALDUA AS CONCERNS.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE'S HERE ON STAFF.

I DIDN'T ASK FOR IT. SO I APOLOGIZE IF YOU'RE NOT READY, BUT BUT WHETHER IT'S SOMEBODY ON OUR OWN STAFF OR ANYONE HERE WHO CAN ADDRESS THAT, I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW OUR HOW OUR

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SUPPORTING AGENCIES ALSO FEEL ABOUT THIS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE.

NO, COUNCIL MEMBER. I DO DEAL WITH MANY OF OUR NGO PARTNERS WHEN IT COMES SPECIFICALLY TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

YOU KNOW, FAMILY VIOLENCE IS ANOTHER GROUP, BUT I, I DON'T HAVE ANY ANY RESPONSE FROM ANY OF OUR NGO PARTNERS ON THIS.

SO YOU DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE SUPPORTIVE OR THEY FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT THIS? HAVE YOU HEARD YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THEM? I HAVE NOT, MA'AM. OKAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM 27.

THANK YOU. AS CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, I'LL JUST SAY THIS ITEM WAS ON OUR AGENDA AND AND PASS THROUGH.

WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY TAKE A VOTE ON IT AS WE DID IN ANY OF THE ITEMS YESTERDAY THAT WOULD BE COMING TO COUNCIL TODAY, BUT NOBODY HAD QUESTIONS.

WANT TO THANK OUR INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY? I THINK THAT'S THE LAST TIME I'M GOING TO BE SAYING THAT FOR HER HARD WORK ON THIS.

WE'VE ASKED YOU TO DO THAT WORK.

I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR VICE DEPARTMENT.

I WAS REALLY HONORED TO HAVE A TOUR TO GO ON A RIDE ALONG.

IT WAS VERY EYE OPENING.

IT WASN'T AT ALL WHAT I EXPECTED, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

AND I LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU.

THE THING ABOUT THE PROSTITUTION, AND I THINK THAT MY COLLEAGUE HAS THE RIGHT HEART FOR THIS, AND I THINK THAT THE ISSUE IS ABOUT WANTING TO PROTECT WOMEN AND NOT CRIMINALIZE THIS.

HOWEVER, THE REALITY IS THAT PROSTITUTION IS NOT PRETTY.

WOMEN WITH JULIA, WITH JULIA ROBERTS.

IT'S SEXUAL SLAVERY AND IT'S ABUSE.

IT'S EXPLOITATION.

IT'S HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

THE POTENTIAL FOR VIOLENCE IS ALWAYS PRESENT HEALTH RISKS.

AND IT'S THE CONTINUED VICTIMIZATION LARGELY OF YOUNG WOMEN.

OF COURSE, IT'S BEYOND THAT, BUT LARGELY IT'S YOUNG WOMEN.

AND THAT YOU NEED THIS TOOL TO HELP THE YOUNG WOMEN.

WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE IT FOR YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD.

THANK YOU, INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY, FOR FOR DOING THE WORK TO HELP PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

THANK YOU. MISS WILLIS RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM 27.

THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, MAJOR PARK, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.

AND I APPRECIATE THE UPDATES THAT WE HAVE ON THIS.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFICULT SITUATIONS ALL OVER THE CITY.

I HAD A RESIDENT SEND ME PICTURES AT 9:00 ON A SUNDAY MORNING OF A COUPLE OF WOMEN.

I'M NOT GOING TO SHARE THESE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE.

I DON'T GET THE SENSE THEY'RE THERE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE.

AND SO WOULD YOU SAY THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS, YOU'VE CALLED IT A TOOL.

ONE OF MANY IS A POINT OF ENTRY TO BEING ABLE TO GIVE SOME OF THESE WOMEN COVER TO SHARE WITH YOU MORE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES.

I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.

WE HAVE HAD INSTANCES WHERE WE'VE HAD ENCOUNTERS WITH WOMEN AND THEY DIDN'T TAKE SERVICES.

THEY WEREN'T ARRESTED, ESPECIALLY UNDER THIS TIME WHERE THE ORDINANCE HAS BEEN BEEN BANNED AND WE'VE HAD SOME LESS THAN DESIRABLE OUTCOMES FROM THAT DUE TO THEM BEING ATTACKED BY THEIR TRAFFICKER.

SO IT IS ABOUT ONE TOOL AND IT'S, AS ATTORNEY PALOMINO MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT JUST UTILIZED WITH WITH THE PROSTITUTES THEMSELVES, BUT IT'S ALSO THE JOHNS.

IT CAN ALSO BE USED AGAINST THE PIMPS.

WE OF COURSE WOULD LIKE HIGHER CHARGES.

AND THAT IS OUR OUR END GOAL, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PIMPS.

BUT SOMETIMES THIS IS THAT THAT TOOL TO START THAT INVESTIGATION.

SO. WHILE WE LOOK AT THIS AT FACE VALUE AND THINK THAT THIS IS PUNITIVE ON A CERTAIN POPULATION, IT ACTUALLY GIVES YOU A POINT OF ENTRY TO BE ABLE TO ULTIMATELY ACHIEVE WHAT WE WOULD WANT, WHICH IS PUTTING AN END TO THIS, THE ABUSE, THE SLAVERY.

AND SO I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

AND THANK YOU, MS..

PALOMINO, FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS AND CLARIFYING THIS, BECAUSE IT WAS A LEGAL MATTER THAT CAME UP THAT ACTUALLY SHOWED HOW THIS WASN'T WORKING AS HARD FOR US AND FOR CERTAIN POPULATIONS AS IT COULD.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK.

AND I SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I THINK YOU NEED THIS TOOL TO HELP GIVE COVER AND TO HELP OPEN A DOOR TO GET.

THE FACTS, THE DETAILS THAT YOU NEED TO HELP BRING SOME OTHERS TO JUSTICE ON THIS.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? BEFORE I GO BACK TO CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA FOR A SECOND ROUND?

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DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM REYNOLDS FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM 27.

THANK YOU. TRYING TO MANIPULATE THE EQUIPMENT.

WILL NOT BELABOR THE POINT.

I WILL SUPPORT THIS ITEM.

I DO APPRECIATE, AND I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA DOES HAVE A HEART, AND HE DOES ARTICULATE QUITE A BIT ON HELPING FOLKS WHO SOMETIMES THEY ARE MISTREATED. BUT I WILL SAY THIS THIS MORNING, AFTER SPEAKING WITH AT LEAST THREE COMMUNITIES WHO ARE ASKING FOR HELP JUST RECENTLY WITH SOUTH CENTRAL, WHICH WE ARE GOING TO START WORKING MORE INTENSELY, ESPECIALLY AFTER OVER A DECADE OF ASKING FOR HELP WITH WITH STREETWALKERS, PROSTITUTES, THE STREET.

I'M CALLING THIS A STREET SEXING.

AND I'VE WITNESSED SOME OF THESE FOLKS AND THEY I MEAN, THEY'RE IN FRONT OF A STORE.

MOSTLY WHAT I'M DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW IS DELI MORALE, SO I CAN PUT IT ON THE RECORD.

PASTOR HENDERSON AT GREATER MOUNT PLEASANT TRYING TO HAVE CHURCH DART IS TRYING TO DO TO FILL, FACILITATE, FACILITATE MOBILITY ON THE DART RAIL.

BUT YOU HAVE ALL OF THIS ACTIVITY GOING ON AND THEY ARE ABOUT TO PULL THEIR EYEBALLS OUT.

AND SO NOW WE'RE HAVING TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO ADDRESS THIS BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF HAND.

ALSO JUST CADILLAC HEIGHTS.

AND SPEAKING TO THAT COMMUNITY, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO CONTINUOUSLY MONITORS AND REPORTS, I CALL HER MY UNOFFICIAL CRIME WATCH CHAIR THERE, BECAUSE WE HAVE INSTANCES WHERE VICTIMS ARE BEING THROWN OVER IN CADILLAC HEIGHTS AND AROUND THAT AREA.

PROSTITUTION, SEX AND ACTION IS BEING ALSO WITNESSED.

SO WE DEFINITELY NEED TO TO REV UP THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO ERADICATE SOME OF THIS DISEASE.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THIS MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS I PREPARE FOR THIS MEETING, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT SECRETARY BECAUSE SHE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE FROM THE PRINCIPAL AT MARK TWAIN WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE OKAY AFTER HAVING MEETING MET THERE LAST NIGHT, BECAUSE THERE IS AN INCREASE NOW THAT THEY'RE SEEING AND THEY'RE CAPTURING ON CAMERAS OF OF THIS, THESE BEHAVIORS, WHETHER THEY'RE PROSTITUTES, PIMPS, JOHNS, WHATEVER YOU IT'S ABOUT STREET SEXING.

AND WE CANNOT HAVE THIS AROUND OUR SCHOOLS.

AND SO THEY'RE TELLING ME NOW FROM THIS, THIS, THIS MORNING, THEY'RE ALSO CAPTURING IMAGES OF THESE INDIVIDUALS COMING TO THE SCHOOL DOORS AND BEGINNING TO PULL ON THOSE DOORS TO SEE IF THEY CAN COME INTO A VERY ACTIVE SCHOOL.

SO I WAS VERY SHOCKED THIS MORNING TO HEAR THAT.

SO THAT MEANS THERE'S A BEHAVIOR CHANGING THAT WE'VE NOT SEEN BEFORE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO WE NEED ALL THE TOOLS ONCE AGAIN DENTAL AND MORALE.

GREEN, COLD BROOK VALLEY, OAK PARK AND CADILLAC HEIGHTS, CEDARCREST CADILLAC HEIGHTS AREAS.

WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE.

AND SO WE'RE WELCOMING WHATEVER TOOLS AND PARTNERS THAT WE CAN PUT TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, ESPECIALLY TO PROTECT.

YOU TALKED ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT ZEROING IN ON OUR CHILDREN AND OUR SENIORS AND JUST OVERALL INDIVIDUALS WHO WHO ARE SOMETIMES MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CALL 911 OR 3 ONE ONE.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY'VE GIVEN UP HOPE.

SO HOPEFULLY THIS TOOL WILL HELP.

BUT YOU CAN REST ASSURE THAT WE WILL BE CALLING, WHETHER IT'S A PRIORITY THREE OR WHETHER IT'S A PRIORITY ONE.

PLEASE KNOW THAT WE WILL BE CALLING, AND WE DO EXPECT PARTNERSHIPS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AS WE PUSH FOR AN ENHANCEMENT OF OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND I WILL SUPPORT THIS ITEM BECAUSE WE NEED IT IN ORDER TO GET THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN TERMS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

WE CAN'T GET IT, WE CAN'T GET DECENT HOUSING, WE CAN'T GET THE LEVEL OF EQUITY THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR WITHOUT HAVING SOME SENSE OF STABILITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN RIDLEY.

YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM 27.

MAJOR, IS IT DPD'S POSITION THAT YOU NEED THIS ORDINANCE TO COMBAT PROSTITUTION AND TRAFFICKING? YES. THANK YOU.

I WILL SUPPORT THIS.

I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN YET, SO I'M GOING TO CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA FOR THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AS MUCH AS I APPRECIATE SOME OF WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM COLLEAGUES, I CHOOSE NOT TO GOVERN ON ANECDOTE.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THEORY, IT'D BE GREAT FOR THIS TO BE USED AS A POINT OF ENTRY.

BUT IN REALITY, VICE UNIT IS COMPRISED OF SOME HIGHLY TRAINED INDIVIDUALS TO INTERACT WITH THESE VICTIMS. IS THAT ACCURATE? YES. OKAY.

IS THAT TRAINING OFFERED TO ALL OF THE PATROLS THAT YOU MENTIONED COULD POTENTIALLY USE THIS TOOL, OR IS THIS GOING TO PUT HEAVY HANDED

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OFFICERS IN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED TO DEAL WITH, SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE NEED FOR RIGHT CARE, AND WHY THERE WASN'T THE PROPER TRAINING TO ENFORCE MENTAL HEALTH CALLS.

SO IN REGARDS TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING, THERE'S STATE MANDATED TRAINING ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING AS WELL AS DEPARTMENTAL TRAINING BY DETECTIVES DO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL TRAINING.

AND ALSO IN THESE AREAS, WE TRY TO REACH OUT AND MAKE THOSE THOSE CONNECTIONS WITH PATROL OFFICERS BECAUSE THEY REALLY ARE A OUR EYES AND EARS.

YOU KNOW, MY HUMAN TRAFFICKING SQUAD IS NOT LARGE.

I WISH IT WAS BIGGER, BUT IT'S THOSE PARTNERSHIPS.

AND WORKING WITH PATROL IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE GET OUR JOB DONE.

SO DOES THE PATROL GET THE TRAINING THAT THE UNIT DOES? YEAH. SO IN REGARDS SPECIFICALLY TO THIS ORDINANCE, WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A ROLL CALL TRAINING BULLETINS.

SO THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL TRAINING SPECIFICALLY ON THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE OF THE THE CHANGES DUE TO THE COURT CASE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE REACHING OUT WITH SOME OF OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS TO GET ADDITIONAL TRAINING ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING FOR OUR PATROL OFFICERS.

OKAY. AND I'D LIKE FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO EXPAND ON MY ORIGINAL QUESTION THAT I DON'T THINK HAS BEEN ANSWERED AT ALL, WHICH IS, CAN YOU DIFFERENTIATE THE NEED FOR THIS VERSUS WHAT'S ALREADY AFFORDED IN THE TOOL FOR THE STATE STATUTE OF SOLICITATION? THIS IS A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO WITNESS THE THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE PART OF THE EXCHANGE OF THE THE PROCUREMENT OF THE SERVICES.

SO THEY CAN ENFORCE BASED ON ANECDOTE AS WELL.

NO, THERE'S THE ORDINANCE IS VERY SPECIFIC AS TO THE FACTORS THAT THEY HAVE TO PROVE IN ORDER TO ISSUE THE CITATION.

VERY SPECIFIC.

AGAIN, THIS IS A TOOL THAT IS JUST PROVIDING FURTHER PROBABLE CAUSE TO HARASS AND VICTIMIZE THOSE WHO ARE VICTIMS. AND THIS IS THIS IS NOT GETTING TO THE ROOT CAUSE.

THIS IS NOT SETTING OUR OFFICERS UP FOR SUCCESS.

WE'VE SEEN THE CAPABILITY OF SENDING THEM OUT TO RESPOND TO CALLS THAT THEY'RE NOT PROPERLY TRAINED FOR.

AND THAT RESULTED IN US NEEDING A CITY WIDE EFFORT, WHICH IS CALLED RIGHT.

CARE TO RESPOND TO MENTAL HEALTH? IF WE ARE GOING TO BE SERIOUS AND AGGRESSIVE ABOUT ADDRESSING HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE WAY THAT DOESN'T VICTIMIZE AND CRIMINALIZE THOSE WHO ARE VICTIMS, THEN THIS IS NOT THE ROUTE TO GO.

AND ALL THIS IS, IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE TO CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE A VICIOUS CYCLE OF VICTIMS FALLING VICTIM TO THE SYSTEM.

WHEN THE PIMPS, AS YOU'VE MENTIONED, AND AS OUR SPEAKER DID, SITS BACK IN THE BACK AND WATCHES IT ALL OCCUR.

SO AGAIN, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE DPD TO LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO.

THAT ACTUALLY IS GOING TO BE A TOOL TO HELP ERADICATE THE ISSUE, NOT JUST APPEASE THE PUBLIC THAT DOESN'T LIKE TO SEE WHAT THEY SEE, BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE RESIDENTS IN NEED WHO ARE BEING TRAFFICKED.

AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS MAYOR AND I CALL FOR A RECORD VOTE.

NOT JUST YET.

UNLESS YOU'RE. UNLESS YOU'RE DROPPING OUT.

CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN, ARE YOU OUT? I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO ASK FOR A RECORD VOTE AS WELL.

THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 27? SEEING NONE. RECORD VOTES BEEN REQUESTED.

RECORD VOTES BEEN GRANTED. MADAM SECRETARY, GO AHEAD AND INITIATE THE VOTING PROCEDURE AND LET'S VOTE ON THIS DEAL.

I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY THE MOTION IN THE SECOND ON THIS ITEM.

ON ITEM 27, THE WHO PUT FORWARD THE WHO MENDELSOHN MOTION TO APPROVE.

RIGHT. OKAY.

I WANT TO THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I HAD COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS, IS THE MOTION MAKING THE MOTION? MENDELSOHN. I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. THAT'S MENDELSOHN.

AND SCHULTZ AS THE SECOND.

PLEASE START VOTING.

12 OF 13 HAVE VOTED.

WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ.

ABSENT WITHOUT TAKEN.

I'M SORRY. IT'S 12 VOTING IN FAVOR, ONE OPPOSED AND TWO ABSENT.

AN VOTE TAKEN. THE ITEM PASSES.

MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM SECRETARY.

LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.

AGENDA ITEM 33.

[33. 23-2195 Authorize an increase in the construction services contract with Archer Western Construction, LLC for the emergency repair of a 60-inch diameter wastewater pipe at the Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant - Not to exceed $1,992,677.85, from $44,842,152.04 to $46,834,829.89 - Financing: Wastewater Construction Fund]

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AGENDA ITEM 33 AUTHORIZE AN INCREASE IN THE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES CONTRACT WITH ARCHER WESTERN CONSTRUCTION, LLC FOR THE EMERGENCY REPAIR OF A 60 INCH DIAMETER WASTEWATER PIPE AT THE SOUTH SIDE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, NOT TO EXCEED $1,992,677.85 FROM $44,842,152.04 TO $46,834,829.89. THIS ITEM WAS PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN LOOKING FOR A MOTION.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN, I'D JUST LIKE TO REQUEST A RECORD VOTE, PLEASE.

THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.

OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST ITEM? WAS IT 33? CHAIRMAN RIDLEY, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM 33.

A QUESTION FOR STAFF AT DWU.

SARAH, HAS THIS EMERGENCY WORK ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED? YES, SIR. SARAH STANDIFER, DALLAS WATER UTILITIES.

THE WORK WAS COMPLETED IN JUNE WHEN THE PIPE COLLAPSED.

AND THIS IS BASICALLY A RATIFICATION.

REFERENCES. EMERGENCY CHANGE ORDER AND THE BALANCE OF THE PROJECT WAS BID BY LOW BID AND AWARDED ON SEPTEMBER 27TH.

AGENDA. AND WHAT IS THE GENERAL NATURE OF THE UNDERLYING CONTRACT WITH ARCHER WESTERN AT THE $44 MILLION LEVEL? WHAT SERVICES DO THEY PROVIDE? THEY ARE DOING CONSTRUCTION, SCADA AND OTHER ELECTRICAL UPGRADES AND SOME PIPE UPGRADES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SOUTH SIDE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

THAT CONTRACT WAS AWARDED.

THEY WERE THE QUALIFIED CANDIDATE ON SITE WITH THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE THAT WE COULD NOT ADDRESS IN HOUSE.

SO ARE THEY THE CONTRACTOR OF CHOICE TO ADDRESS EMERGENCY BREACHES OF MAINS LIKE THIS, OR DO YOU HAVE A RANGE OF CONTRACTORS WHO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES? WE TYPICALLY WILL LOOK AT WHO IS AVAILABLE ON SITE WHEN AN EMERGENCY REPAIR EXCEEDS OUR ABILITY, AND THEN WE WILL GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

THIS JUST HAPPENED TO BE, IN THIS CASE, THE AVAILABLE CONTRACTOR ON SITE, WITH RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO ADDRESS IT RIGHT THEN, AND GIVEN THE EMERGENCY NATURE OF THE BREACH, THIS DIDN'T PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RECEIPT OF BIDS OR RFPS, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. WE THAT IS CORRECT.

WE HAD ALREADY DESIGNED THE LINE FOR A REPLACEMENT AND UPGRADE AT THAT LOCATION AND THIS PIECE COLLAPSED.

WE COULD NOT WAIT. AND SO WE WENT WITH THIS PIECE.

AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED, Y'ALL AWARDED THE BALANCE OF THE PROJECT BY LOW BID ON SEPTEMBER 27TH.

AND DID THAT CONTRACT GO TO ARCHER WESTERN OR ANOTHER SUPPLIER? I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE.

I DON'T RECALL I DON'T BELIEVE IT DID THOUGH.

OKAY, BUT DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS $2 MILLION EXPENDITURE WAS REASONABLE FOR THE SERVICES PERFORMED BY ARCHER WESTERN? YES, SIR. THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 33? I DON'T SEE ANYONE.

AND DID WE GET A.

WAS THERE A REQUEST FOR A RECORD ON THIS ONE, MADAM SECRETARY? RECORD VOTE'S BEEN REQUESTED.

SO LET'S INITIATE THAT VOTING PROCEDURE ON THIS ONE TOO.

I'M SORRY, MISTER MAYOR. BECAUSE OF TECHNICAL ISSUES, MAY I CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE? SURE. OKAY. WE'RE HAVING SOME TECH.

WE HAVE A NEW SYSTEM. EVERYONE WHO'S WATCHING AND LISTENING.

SO WE HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH OUR VOTING MACHINE RIGHT NOW.

SO WE'RE GOING TO DO A VOICE VOTE.

EVERYONE BUT A ROLL CALL VOTE.

THANK YOU. SO GO AHEAD MADAM SECRETARY.

THANK YOU. WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME PLEASE SAY YES IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR.

NO. IF YOU'RE OPPOSED, MAYOR JOHNSON.

YES. MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS.

DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM ARNOLD.

YES. COUNCILMEMBER WEST.

YES. COUNCILMEMBER RESENDEZ IS ABSENT.

MORENO. YES.

COUNCILMEMBER. GRACEY.

ONE VOTE TAKEN. COUNCILMEMBER NARVAEZ IS ALSO ABSENT.

ONE VOTE TAKEN.

COUNCILMEMBER BAZALDUA.

COUNCIL MEMBER. BLACKMON.

STEWART. YES.

COUNCILMEMBER SCHULTZ.

MENDELSOHN. NO.

COUNCILMEMBER. WILLIS.

RIDLEY. WITH 12 VOTING IN FAVOR, ONE OPPOSED, TWO ABSENT.

ONE VOTE TAKEN. THE ITEM PASSES.

MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MADAM SECRETARY. THE NEXT ITEM, PLEASE.

WE'LL NOW MOVE TO YOUR ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.

[34. 23-2509 Consideration of appointments to boards and commissions and the evaluation and duties of board and commission members (List of nominees is available in the City Secretary's Office)]

AGENDA ITEM 34.

DURING ITEM 34 IS CONSIDERATION OF YOUR APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

THIS MORNING YOU HAVE INDIVIDUAL FULL COUNCIL AND AN OFFICER APPOINTMENT.

I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE OFFICER APPOINTMENT WILL BE SEPARATED FOR A SEPARATE VOTE, AS THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS TO BE APPOINTED TO THE BOARD FIRST

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BEFORE BEING APPOINTED AS AN OFFICER OF THE BOARD.

THEREFORE, YOUR NOMINEES FOR INDIVIDUAL APPOINTMENTS ARE TO THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.

JOE JOHN JAY GONZALEZ IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS.

MR.. GONZALEZ MEETS THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATION TO THE ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION.

JOE PRISCILLA IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN.

MS.. PRISCILLA MEETS THE VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE SPECIAL QUALIFICATION TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.

JARED SLADE IS BEING NOMINATED BY MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS.

DAVID NEWMAN IS BEING NOMINATED BY MAYOR JOHNSON.

RACHEL HAYDEN IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON, KATHLEEN DAVIS IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WEST, AND MICHAEL HOROVITZ IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCILMEMBER MENDELSOHN TO THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.

ADJUNCT MEMBERS JOHN HAZELTON IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS.

MR. HAZLETON MEETS THE FIVE PLUS YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN BUSINESS.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATION TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES STARLET RAMIREZ IS BEING NOMINATED BY MEMBER NARVAEZ TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

ZEIN BARRIENTOS IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA TO THE COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD.

DEIDRE WADSWORTH IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN, AND JOSE RIVAS IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA TO THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD.

KEVIN HINTON IS BEING NOMINATED BY MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.

REAGAN ROTHENBERGER IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN.

MR. ROTHENBERGER MEETS THE URBAN PLANNER SPECIAL QUALIFICATION ALSO TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.

EVELYN MONTGOMERY IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORENO.

MS.. MONTGOMERY MEETS THE HISTORIAN SPECIAL QUALIFICATION AND ALSO TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.

LARRY OPHARDT IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCILMEMBER RESENDEZ.

MR. OFTEN MEETS THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION SPECIAL QUALIFICATION TO THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD.

TIMOTHY DICKEY IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ, AND DANIEL WOOD IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCILMEMBER BAZALDUA TO THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK OPPORTUNITY BOARD. CRISTIAN MARQUEZ IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCILMEMBER NARVAEZ.

MR. MARQUEZ MEETS THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL QUALIFICATION, ALSO TO THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK OPPORTUNITY FUND BOARD.

CARLA MCKENZIE IS BEING NOMINATED BY MEMBER WEST.

MS.. MCKENZIE MEETS THE NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS SPECIAL QUALIFICATION TO THE VETERAN AFFAIRS COMMISSION.

RONNIE MESTAS IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ.

MR. MESTAS MEETS THE SERVED IN US MILITARY SPECIAL QUALIFICATION TO THE YOUTH COMMISSION.

RACHEL JENNINGS IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN DARREN SATCHER.

SACHER. DARREN SACKER IS BEING NOMINATED BY MAYOR JOHNSON.

MARGARITA HERNANDEZ IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ AND ANDREA MERCADO.

CRUZ IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY.

YOUR NOMINEES FOR FULL COUNCIL APPOINTMENT TO THE NORTH OAK CLIFF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, AMANDA BENAVIDEZ IS BEING NOMINATED BY MEMBER WEST, AND CHUCK NORCROSS IS ALSO BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WEST TO THE REINVESTMENT ZONE 13 BOARD.

GRANT PARK SOUTH JASON BROWN IS BEING NOMINATED BY MEMBER BAZALDUA TO THE REINVESTMENT ZONE 15 BOARD, FORT WORTH AVENUE.

JOSE RIVERA IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WEST AND COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ TO THE REINVESTMENT ZONE 21 BOARD UNIVERSITY.

CARLOS SALCIDO IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN.

THESE ARE YOUR NOMINEES FOR INDIVIDUAL AND FULL COUNCIL APPOINTMENT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM SECRETARY.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I HEARD A MOTION AND SEVERAL SECONDS.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I DON'T SEE ANY. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? THE EYES HAVE IT. NEXT ITEM, YOUR OFFICER APPOINTMENT.

DAVE NEWMAN IS BEING NOMINATED CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT BY MAYOR JOHNSON.

THIS IS YOUR NOMINEE.

MR. MAYOR, IS THIS ONE OF THOSE DEALS WHERE I NEED TO BE PRESENT? BUT I CAN'T VOTE. ARE WE BACK TO THAT AGAIN? THAT IS CORRECT. ALL RIGHT.

BY THE RULES, I CAN'T VOTE.

SO I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION A SECOND AND I WON'T VOTE.

BUT IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE DAVE NEWMAN SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED IN. SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, NOTE THE NAMES.

I BELIEVE THE TWO NAYS.

OKAY. THANK YOU. BUT THE AYES HAVE IT.

AND ALSO NOTE MY ABSTENTION.

PLEASE NOTE THAT, MR.

[01:00:01]

MAYOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'LL NOW MOVE TO YOUR NEXT INDIVIDUAL ITEM.

[35. 23-2413 Authorize adoption of the 2024 City Calendar - Financing: No cost consideration to the City]

AGENDA ITEM 35 IS THE AUTHORIZED ADOPTION OF THE 2024 CITY CALENDAR.

THIS IS YOUR ITEM, MR. MAYOR.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? CHAIRWOMAN BLACKMON, YOU HAVE A MOTION.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.

YOUR MICROPHONE. I MOVE TO APPROVE THIS ISLAND WITH THE FOLLOWING EDIT.

MOVE ALL COMMITTEE MEETINGS ON OCTOBER 20TH 8TH TO OCTOBER 22ND.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? IT IS TO GIVE US THE FULL FIFTH WEEK.

IT IS A FIFTH WEDNESDAY AND IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO PUT THEM ALL IN THE PRECEDING WEEK.

SO THAT WAY THAT WHOLE WEEK IS NO MEETINGS BY COUNCIL.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON FOR AGAINST THE MOTION? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. NEXT ITEM PLEASE.

AGENDA ITEM 36.

[36. 23-2573 Consideration of (1) qualifications and appointment of Tammy L. Palomino to the position of city attorney; (2) adopting a resolution appointing Tammy L. Palomino as City Attorney; (3) approving the terms of the Agreement of Appointment; and (4) authorizing the City Manager to execute the Agreement of Appointment of the city attorney - Financing: Salary information is included in the Agreement of Appointment]

CONSIDERATION OF ONE.

QUALIFICATIONS AND APPOINTMENT OF TAMMY L PALOMINO TO THE POSITION OF CITY ATTORNEY.

TWO ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPOINTING TAMMY L PALOMINO AS CITY ATTORNEY.

THREE APPROVING THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT OF APPOINTMENT AND FOUR AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT OF APPOINTMENT OF THE CITY ATTORNEY.

THIS IS YOUR ITEM, MR. MAYOR.

I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT.

I'VE HEARD A MOTION AND SEVERAL SECONDS.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE CLARIFY ONE THROUGH.

I WOULDN'T FINISH IN ONE MOTION.

YOU WEREN'T FINISHED? NO.

WELL, YOU TOOK TOO LONG.

SOMEBODY. SOMEBODY JUMPED.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO BACK IT UP, FOLKS.

YEAH, AND I HAD THE MOTION.

SO WE'LL LET YOU LET YOU GO AHEAD AND READ IT.

OKAY. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF TAMMY PALOMINO AS THE CITY OF SECRETARY WOULD HAVE SERVED A THREE.

NO NO NO NO NO. CITY ATTORNEY.

THERE YOU GO. WE WANT TO KEEP BILLY RAY JOHNSON.

WE GET BILLY RAY. YEAH.

OH, MY GOSH, MAYBE I SHOULDN'T LET YOU READ IT AFTER ALL.

LET'S JUST APPROVE WHAT WE WERE DOING.

NO. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. GOOD.

SORRY ABOUT THAT, BILLY RAY.

I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF TAMMY PALOMINO AS CITY ATTORNEY.

WITH A SALARY OF 325,000, ACCORDING WITH AGREEMENT OF APPOINTMENT.

ALL RIGHT, NOW, WE GOT A MOTION IN A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? YES. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SORRY ABOUT THAT, SECRETARY PALOMINO.

YOU ARE AN ATTORNEY, BUT OVER THE PAST YEAR, SHE'S BEEN SERVING AS AN ATTORNEY.

AND I THINK SHE DID A MARVELOUS JOB.

I THINK THAT, COLLEAGUES, I THINK Y'ALL CHOSE A GREAT CITY ATTORNEY.

I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO EACH INDIVIDUAL ONE ON ONE TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES.

I THINK THAT SARAH IS IN LINE WITH EVERYONE ELSE.

I THINK THAT WHEN CHRIS WAS THERE, HE WAS AT THAT NUMBER, SO WE MADE SURE SHE STAYED RIGHT AT THAT NUMBER.

SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND SORRY I MISSPOKE IT.

IT'S ITEM 36, ITEM 36.

ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 36 BEFORE WE HAVE THIS RECORD VOTE? OH, I'M SORRY, I DON'T SEE ANYONE.

SO, MADAM SECRETARY, I'M SORRY I WAS IN.

OH. MAYOR PRO TEM, ARE YOU IN OR ARE YOU TRYING TO GET IN? THERE YOU GO. YES. FIVE MINUTES.

ITEM 36.

FOLKS, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC.

AND OF COURSE, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TO WITNESS THIS GREAT DAY IS WHAT I WOULD REFER TO IT.

I NEED TO ASK ONE QUESTION JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE ACTUALLY, AND I GUESS I WOULD DIRECT THIS MAYOR TO TO STAFF OR TO THE ATTORNEY PALOMINO.

HAVE WE HAD AN ATTORNEY, A FEMALE ATTORNEY IN THIS POSITION? I KNOW WE HAVE. HOW LONG AGO HAS IT BEEN? MADELINE JOHNSON HIRED ME, AND SHE RETIRED IN 2005.

ALL RIGHT, SO IT'S BEEN SOME TIME, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I GOT CLARIFICATION BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WE DON'T HAVE MANY.

WE HAVEN'T I DON'T THINK WE'VE HISTORICALLY WE HAVEN'T SEEN MANY, MANY, MANY LEAD ATTORNEYS IN THAT POSITION.

BUT IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT TODAY I NEED TO GET THAT CLARIFICATION.

BUT WE WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING SOMEONE AT THE HELM WHO IS QUALIFIED, BONA FIDE, CERTIFIED TO LEAD US IN THIS ARENA.

AND SO I DO SUPPORT HER WHOLEHEARTEDLY.

BUT IT IS NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT SHE'S A WOMAN.

SHE'S QUALIFIED.

I'VE WATCHED HER, I'VE WORKED WITH HER.

SHE'S VERY STRONG IN HER FIELD.

SHE'S VERY CONFIDENT IN WHO SHE IS AND HER ABILITY TO LEAD US IN THIS IN THE LEGAL ARENA.

BUT I THINK WHAT I APPRECIATE ABOUT HER SO MUCH, IT JUST REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU ARE, SHE'S GOING TO TELL YOU EXACTLY WHERE SHE STANDS ON THE ISSUE.

[01:05:06]

AND AS MOST ATTORNEYS WILL TELL YOU, YOU CAN TAKE MY ADVICE OR YOU CAN LEAVE IT.

BUT I'M VERY I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT SHE'S VERY CONFIDENT IN WORKING WITH US, REGARDLESS OF WHO WE ARE, WHICH DISTRICT WE COME FROM, AND I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THIS CALL, THIS APPOINTMENT, AND WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED TO SPEND ANY TIME LOOKING FOR SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF THIS CITY OF DALLAS TO COME IN TO DO WHAT SHE'S BEEN DOING PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE TIME THAT I'VE KNOWN HER.

SHE'S BEEN PRETTY MUCH THE BACKUP FOR THE ATTORNEY, THE CITY ATTORNEY.

SO IT'S ALWAYS BEEN MRS TAMMY PALOMINO.

SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GET ANY BROWNIE POINTS.

ANY ADDITIONAL CAKES TODAY FROM FROM YOU, MS..

PALOMINO. BUT I NEED YOU TO KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE THERE PRETTY MUCH SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, IF YOU HAVE TO BE, BUT THANK LET YOU KNOW TODAY THAT I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU.

I KNOW I DO, BUT I DID WANT THIS COMMUNITY TO KNOW THIS IS ALL ABOUT QUALIFICATION, LEADERSHIP, THE ABILITY TO DELIVER, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HER WHEN WE ARE FACED WITH SO MANY CHALLENGING DECISIONS AND CALLS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE.

YOU JUST SAW A FEW MINUTES AGO WHEN SHE HAD TO GO IN AND DRILL DOWN IN ON THE QUESTION REGARDING THE ISSUE OF THE TOOLS USED FOR THE DALLAS POLICE. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE FOLKS UNDERSTOOD, UNDERSTAND WHERE I AM, AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. WE NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S ARMED, GIRDED UP AND READY TO GO.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

AND I DO SUPPORT YOU.

100 AND I'M GOING TO ADD 4% FOR DISTRICT FOUR.

THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA.

YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY I'M EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH THIS DECISION.

OUR BODY IS MAKING.

THE TAMMY HAS BEEN NOT ONLY AN INCREDIBLE ASSET TO OUR CITY, BUT I'VE ALSO REALLY ENJOYED WATCHING THE MOTIVATION FROM THE AMAZING ATTORNEYS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

IT SPEAKS A LOT TO YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE YOU AT THE HELM.

I WILL PERSONALLY SAY AS WELL, I AM A LITTLE BIASED BECAUSE I CAME IN WITH NO LAW EXPERIENCE AND NO GOVERNING EXPERIENCE, AND I KNEW THAT I NEEDED TO LEARN ROBERT'S RULES IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

UP HERE ON THIS HORSESHOE.

I WORKED CLOSELY WITH MISS PALOMINO AND AND SHE WAS A GREAT TEACHER, AND SHE'S BEEN A GREAT RESOURCE IN THE ALMOST FIVE YEARS NOW THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL.

SO I WILL SAY THAT I AM EXTRA EXCITED BECAUSE SHE IS A WOMAN AND MY MY DAUGHTER, WHO ALREADY SAYS SHE WANTS TO GO TO LAW SCHOOL, SAYS OFTEN THAT SHE LOOKS UP TO HER AS A ROLE MODEL AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I ABSOLUTELY CAN'T, CAN'T REPLACE.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR CITY.

I THINK YOUR DUES HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN PAID AND THE TIME IS FOR YOU NOW, AND IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLE.

ANYTIME WE HAVE AN INTERIM POSITION AND WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE NEVER BEEN WITHOUT.

AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD WITH YOU.

BOB, I WAS YOUR DAUGHTER'S ROLE MODEL.

I'M STILL A LAWYER, TOO.

YOU KNOW, CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM 36.

THANK YOU. MAYOR, I'LL BE QUICK.

FULL SUPPORT. I HAVE AND I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ABILITIES.

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN RIDLEY, ALL THESE LAWYERS WEIGHING IN.

GO AHEAD. CHAIRMAN, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

WELL, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I THINK THAT'S MOST APPROPRIATE.

I'D LIKE TO, FIRST OF ALL, COMMEND TAMMY FOR THE JOB THAT SHE HAS DONE OVER THE NUMBER OF YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY, GOING BACK TO AT LEAST TEN YEARS AGO ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHEN SHE WAS COUNSEL AND HELPED SHEPHERD A VERY IMPORTANT GAS DRILLING ORDINANCE THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL.

IN ADDITION TO THAT LENGTH OF EXPERIENCE, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE HER A PUBLIC ACCOLADE FOR WHAT I DID PRIVATELY THIS MORNING, WHICH IS TO COMPLIMENT HER AND HER TEAM OF ATTORNEYS WHO OBTAINED A T.R.O.

THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS ARTICLE JUST THIS MORNING THAT RIGHTED A WRONG IN A WEST DALLAS APARTMENT BUILDING THAT WAS VICTIMIZING ITS TENANTS, THAT WAS TRYING TO EVICT PEOPLE WHO COMPLAINED ABOUT CONDITIONS THERE.

AND IT SIMPLY UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RIGHT PERSON IN THIS JOB.

[01:10:02]

IT CAN BE A VERY POWERFUL AND IMPACTFUL POSITION IN THE RIGHT HANDS TO DO JUSTICE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I COMMEND HER AND HER TEAM FOR ACCOMPLISHING THAT GOAL AND WISH YOU SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE.

GENTLEMEN. STEWART, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES AGAIN.

ITEM 36.

WELL, I THINK THIS WAS A CALL, MR. MAYOR, FOR ALL THE ATTORNEYS TO SPEAK UP.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY REMEMBERS.

I, TOO, AM AN ATTORNEY.

AND MOSTLY I WANT TO SAY, TAMMY, YOUR GUIDANCE IN MY EARLY TENURE, YOUR GUIDANCE, YOUR STEADY HAND, JUST TAKING A CONFUSING SITUATION THAT I CAN'T WRAP MY HEAD AROUND AND GIVING ME THE CLARITY TO MOVE FORWARD HAS BEEN INVALUABLE.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO BE GONE FOR AGAINST ITEM 36? SEEING NONE RECORD VOTES BEEN REQUESTED.

SO LET'S GO FORWARD WITH THE VOTING PROCEDURE.

THANK YOU. WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE STATE YES IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR.

NO IF YOU'RE OPPOSED.

MAYOR JOHNSON.

YES. MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS.

YES. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM.

COUNCILMEMBER. GRACEY.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ ARE ABSENT WITH VOTE TAKEN.

COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA.

COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART.

BLACKMON. HECK YES.

YES. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULTZ WITH THE LIGHT.

MENDELSOHN. COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS.

AND COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY.

WITH 13 VOTING IN FAVOR.

IN FAVOR. NO OPPOSED TO ONE VOTE TAKEN.

THE ITEM PASSES, MR. MAYOR.

CONGRATULATIONS, BILL.

I'M NOT STANDING BECAUSE I NEED TO TALK IN THE MICROPHONE HERE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY JUST A COUPLE WORDS? I'LL LET YOU DO THAT BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THIS NEXT ITEM, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE WHILE.

YOU JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE IN OUR OFFICE.

WE HAVE AN AMAZING GROUP OF ATTORNEYS WHO ARE VERY DEDICATED TO THIS CITY AND DO AN AMAZING JOB, AND SO WITHOUT THEM, I WOULDN'T BE HERE.

BUT WE ALL APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT VERY, VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MADAM SECRETARY, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.

YOUR NEXT ITEM IS AGENDA ITEM 37.

[37. 23-2658 Consideration of a resolution unequivocally condemning Hamas for the deplorable and unprovoked attack on Israel; standing with Israel in its fight against Hamas; calling for the swift return of all hostages and a lasting resolution - Financing: No cost consideration to the City]

ITEM 37 IS CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION UNEQUIVOCALLY CONDEMNING HAMAS FOR THEIR DEPLORABLE AND UNPROVOKED ATTACK ON ISRAEL.

STANDING WITH ISRAEL IN ITS FIGHT AGAINST HAMAS, CALLING FOR THE SWIFT RETURN OF ALL HOSTAGES AND A LASTING RESOLUTION.

YOU DO HAVE 34 INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.

YOUR FIRST SPEAKER, SHERRY GOLDBERG.

GOOD MORNING. ARE WE ON? WE'RE ON. MAYOR JOHNSON, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND GUESTS.

THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY.

MY NAME IS SHERRY GOLDBERG.

I'M ONE OF THE CO-CHAIRS OF MAYOR JOHNSON'S ANTI-HATE ADVISORY COUNCIL.

WE ARE NOW BEGINNING OUR THIRD YEAR AS A COUNCIL, AND WE ARE COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY LEADERS REPRESENTING ALL BACKGROUNDS, ALL FAITHS, NATIONALITIES, ALL RACES, AND ALL ETHNICITIES.

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT KEEPING DALLAS SAFE AND FREE FROM HATE.

MY HUSBAND IS A DALLAS NATIVE.

I'M A TRANSPLANT, BUT I'M A GREAT TEXAN, LOVE MY TEXAS, AND HAVE LIVED HERE SINCE 1976.

MY HUSBAND IS CO-CHAIR, IS CHAIR OF THE TEXAS HOLOCAUST, GENOCIDE AND ANTI-SEMITISM COMMISSION FOR THE STATE.

AND BETWEEN THE TWO OF US, I HOPE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE PASSION IN OUR HEARTS, BOTH OF OUR HEARTS ON THE CITY AND STATE LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS REMAIN SAFE.

WE HAVE RAISED OUR THREE CHILDREN HERE, ALL OF WHOM ARE NOW MARRIED AND RESIDE HERE WITH THEIR CHILDREN.

WE HAVE RAISED OUR CHILDREN WITH RESPECT TO ALL PEOPLE, ALL FAITHS, ALL BACKGROUNDS.

[01:15:05]

IT WAS MY PRIORITY AS A PARENT TO RAISE THEM IN OUR DALLAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS SO THEY WOULD KNOW, MEET AND JOIN FRIENDSHIPS WITH CHILDREN WHO REPRESENTED EVERYTHING THAT IS DIVERSE ABOUT OUR CITY.

DALLAS HAS EVOLVED.

OUR COUNTRY HAS EVOLVED.

THE WORLD HAS EVOLVED.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.

HOW WE GOT TO THIS CURRENT STATE, IT'S HARD TO KNOW.

BUT WHAT I SAID WHEN OUR COUNCIL WAS FORMED ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO AND I STAND BY IT NOW, THAT IS, STRENGTH IS WITH NUMBERS.

WE MUST ALL COME TOGETHER TO SAVE AND PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

YOUR TIME. AND THE FUTURE FROM THE HATE THAT IS EVERYWHERE.

IF YOU AND I DON'T DO IT NOW, I'M AFRAID OF THE CONSEQUENCES.

THAT'S YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. WE HOPE WE CAN SEE A CONSENSUS AMONG AMONG ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. EVERYBODY KNOWS WE'RE LIMITING THE REMARKS TO TWO MINUTES.

NOT THE NORMAL THREE, BUT TWO MINUTES, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY.

SO JUST SO YOU'LL KNOW, PREPARE YOUR REMARKS FOR TWO MINUTES.

AMY BERGER, YOU MAY COME TO THE PODIUM, BUT ALSO TO MAKE THIS PROCESS A LITTLE SMOOTHER.

WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME FOR THOSE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS, WILL YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD AND HAVE A SEAT IN THE FIRST TWO ROWS IN THAT CENTER SECTION? DANA AL SARJANA AND FORGIVE ME IF I MISPRONOUNCE YOUR NAME.

MARISSA RODRIGUEZ, MARVIN CRENSHAW, JOE HARGIS, ELI KAUFMAN, MATTHEW LAYDEN, YASH KHALIQ, STUART GRUND, MICHAEL GONZALEZ, MUSTAFA CARROLL, LAUREN TINNEY, AND GRACE STOKER AT THIS TIME.

MY SONG. NO VIDEO, JUST IN PERSON.

OKAY. OKAY, MS..

BERGER, YOU MAY GO.

THANK YOU. MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS AMY BERGER.

I AM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE HERE IN DALLAS AND A DISTRICT 14 DALLAS SITE.

THIS PAST SATURDAY, THE IRAN BACKED TERRORIST ORGANIZATION HAMAS CARRIED OUT AN UNPRECEDENTED SURPRISE ATTACK ON THE JEWISH STATE.

INVADING ISRAEL BY LAND, SEA AND AIR WITH THE SINGULAR GOAL OF SLAUGHTERING JEWS.

AS OF TUESDAY AFTERNOON, HAMAS TERROR HAS RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF 1100 ISRAELI CIVILIANS, 2800 INJURED CIVILIANS AND 300 CIVILIANS TAKEN HOSTAGE TO A TINY COUNTRY 31 TIMES SMALLER THAN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

THIS WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO 44,000 AMERICAN LIVES.

THE SCALE OF THE ATROCITY IS HARD TO OVERSTATE.

HAMAS'S UNPROVOKED ACTS OF WAR ARE NOT IN THE NAME OF FREEDOM, LIBERATION OR THE WELFARE OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, OR EVEN OVER TERRITORY, BUT BY TERRORISTS WHO SEEK THE DESTRUCTION OF THE JEWISH STATE AND GENOCIDE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE AS OUTLINED IN THEIR CHARTER.

HAMAS IS LEGALLY DESIGNATED A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION BY THE US, EU, CANADA, JAPAN, MORE.

BY VOTING ON THIS RESOLUTION, DALLAS IS TAKING A STAND AGAINST TERRORISM AND FOR DEMOCRATIC VALUES.

I'VE SEEN THE HORRIFIC VIDEOS.

I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE TOO, INCLUDING MOST RECENTLY RECORDING OF 40 BABIES THAT WERE MURDERED, MANY OF WHOM WERE BEHEADED.

NOW, HAMAS IS THREATENING TO EXECUTE THE CIVILIANS AND PUT THOSE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

THE LEVEL OF DEPRAVED INDIFFERENCE TO INNOCENT LIFE IS UNCONSCIONABLE.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THE CITY OF DALLAS PASS THIS RESOLUTION AS A DEMONSTRATION OF MORAL CLARITY.

OVER THE MILLENNIA, WE HAVE SEEN EMERGE AS AN ANTI SEMITISM WHEN THERE'S CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

THERE IS ANTISEMITISM IN THE US AND PROTECTION OF YOUR JEWISH COMMUNITY, YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. MUCH APPRECIATED.

THANK YOU. DANA.

ASHER. ASHER.

JAYNIE. DANA AND ALICIA JAYNIE.

AND WHILE WE'RE CALLING FOLKS, I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE, IF YOU HAD THREE MINUTES WORTH OF REMARKS PREPARED, PREPARE FOR THEM TO BE DONE IN TWO MINUTES.

MARISSA RODRIGUEZ.

HELLO. GOOD MORNING.

WE CAN HEAR YOU. HOWEVER, YOUR VIDEO NEEDS TO BE DISPLAYED.

GOOD MORNING. I'M SORRY, MR.

[01:20:02]

RODRIGUEZ. WE STILL CANNOT SEE YOU.

OH, LET ME FIX THAT.

OKAY. WE CAN SEE YOU. YOU MAY CONTINUE.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MARISSA RODRIGUEZ.

I AM IN DISTRICT ONE AND I REPRESENT THE PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION ALONG WITH OTHERS.

I URGE AND WE URGE THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO REJECT.

THE MAYOR'S RESOLUTION TO STAND WITH ISRAEL.

THE RESOLUTION IS ACTUALLY NOT A REFLECTION OF THE DALLAS COMMUNITY AND IT WILL NOT KEEP US SAFE.

SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION WOULD EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR 75 YEARS OF SETTLER COLONIAL VIOLENCE, ETHNIC CLEANSING, DISPOSSESSION, MILITARY OCCUPATION, AND APARTHEID.

I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT LAST POINT.

APARTHEID. THIS RESOLUTION WOULD ENFORCE A DOUBLE STANDARD AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN AND ARAB COMMUNITY IN DALLAS.

THE RIGHT OF PALESTINIANS TO PROTECT AND DEFEND THEMSELVES IS ENSHRINED IN INTERNATIONAL LAW.

SO THAT IS INTERNATIONAL LAW, WHICH SUPERSEDES FEDERAL LAW, OF COURSE, AND IT CERTAINLY SUPERSEDES LOCAL.

I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF DISINFORMATION.

IN FACT, THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF BABIES BEING BEHEADED.

THAT IS SCANDALOUS AND WILDLY INAPPROPRIATE.

FAKE INFORMATION.

AND AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF A LOCAL ORGANIZATION HERE IN DALLAS, I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS THAT ONCE AGAIN, THIS RESOLUTION DOES NOT REPRESENT DALLAS, AND IT DOESN'T REPRESENT A COMMUNITY WHO IS IN DIRE NEED OF SAFETY, WHICH IS THE PALESTINIAN DIASPORA HERE IN DFW.

AND THANK YOU. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.

THANK YOU. MARVIN CRENSHAW.

MARVIN CRENSHAW NOT PRESENT.

VALERIE EATON.

MY NAME IS VALERIE AND I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH THE PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION.

THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION CLAIMS THAT THE ATTACK ON ISRAEL WAS UNPROVOKED.

AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT IT WAS ANYTHING BUT UNPROVOKED.

THIS CONFLICT BEGAN DECADES AGO, WHEN ZIONIST PARAMILITARY GROUPS BEGAN THE ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINE BY MASSACRING AND OCCUPYING THE LANDS AND HOMES OF PALESTINIAN MUSLIMS, PALESTINIAN CHRISTIANS AND PALESTINIAN JEWS WHO LIVED THERE IN PEACE WITH EACH OTHER.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW MORE ABOUT GAZA, THE AREA WHERE MOST OF THE CONFLICT THIS PAST WEEK IS HAPPENING.

IT IS AN OPEN AIR PRISON, ABOUT THE THIRD THE SIZE OF DALLAS, WHERE MORE THAN 2 MILLION PEOPLE, HALF OF WHOM ARE LITERAL CHILDREN, ARE BEING IMPRISONED BY ISRAEL.

BEFORE THIS PAST WEEK, ZIONISTS HAVE PUT GAZA'S PEOPLE ON WHAT THEY CALL A STARVATION DIET, ONLY ALLOWING ENOUGH FOOD INTO BARELY FEED THE POPULATION AND THEIR WATER IS KEPT UNDRINKABLE. AND NOW THEY'VE CUT OFF FOOD, WATER, ELECTRICITY AND FUEL ENTIRELY.

DENYING FOOD AND OTHER BASIC NECESSITIES TO A CIVILIAN POPULATION IS A WAR CRIME UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW.

ISRAEL BOMBS GAZA CONSTANTLY BOMBS HOMES AND HOSPITALS, KILLING HUNDREDS OF PALESTINIANS.

THEY CALL THESE BOMBING RAIDS MOWING THE LAWN.

THEIR SNIPERS ROUTINELY TARGET NURSES, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS WHO PROTEST THEIR IMPRISONMENT DURING THE NONVIOLENT GREAT MARCH OF RETURN, GREAT MARCH OF RETURN PROTESTS THAT STARTED IN 2018.

MANY THOUSANDS OF THESE PROTESTERS WERE KILLED OUTRIGHT OR MADE AMPUTEES AFTER THE ISRAELI MILITARY SHOT THEIR LEGS AND ANKLES.

TODAY, ISRAEL IS A LITERAL APARTHEID STATE.

DALLAS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

YOU WOULD FIND IT UNTHINKABLE TODAY TO PASS A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE SUPPORT OF APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA.

SO PLEASE THINK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR DALLAS TO BACK THE RACIAL SEGREGATION AND THE GENOCIDAL STATUS QUO IN ISRAEL.

AFTER 75 YEARS OF SILENCE FOR THE ETHNIC CLEANSING OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, ASK YOURSELVES WHY DALLAS NEEDS TO COME OUT NOW WITH A RESOLUTION AGAINST THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RESISTING THEIR ANNIHILATION BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY, WHICH THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW.

I REJECT THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION AND URGE YOU TO DO THE SAME.

THANK YOU. JOE HARGIS.

MY NAME IS JOE HARGIS AND I AM A MEMBER OF FREEDOM ROAD SOCIALIST ORGANIZATION IN DALLAS.

ANTI-WAR COMMITTEE. AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL.

THE PATH TO PEACE IS ONLY POSSIBLE BY ENDING THE BRUTAL OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE.

AS JOURNALIST GIDEON LEVY OF ISRAELI PAPER HAARETZ SAID THIS WEEK, QUOTE, ISRAEL CAN'T IMPRISON 2 MILLION GAZANS WITHOUT PAYING A CRUEL PRICE, UNQUOTE. THERE WILL NEVER BE PEACE WHILE PALESTINIANS ARE IMPRISONED IN GAZA, WHILE THEY ARE DEPRIVED OF ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER, TO ELECTRICITY, TO FOOD.

THESE BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE ARE CUT OFF ARBITRARILY IN AN ONGOING ISRAELI WAR CRIME, AND THEY HAVE BEEN CUT OFF AGAIN, NOW LEAVING 2 MILLION PEOPLE WITHOUT WATER, FOOD, GAS, ELECTRICITY. THIS COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT IS A WAR CRIME.

THE BOMBING OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMPS, OF SCHOOLS, OF CIVILIAN APARTMENT HIGH RISES, FULL OF PEOPLE IS A WAR CRIME.

[01:25:01]

VIDEOS ONLINE SHOW HEARTSTOPPING IMAGES OF PALESTINIAN BABIES IN PIECES IN THE RUBBLE.

GAZA, THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED AREA ON EARTH, WERE FULLY HALF OF THE POPULATION ARE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 IS A PLACE WHERE THERE ARE NO BOMB SHELTERS.

BECAUSE THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION FORBIDS THEIR CONSTRUCTION, CITIZENS OF GAZA ARE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE, HEMMED IN ON ALL SIDES, BY WALLS AND BY MILITARY BLOCKADE.

WHEN ISRAEL TARGETS CIVILIANS IN THE DENSELY POPULATED OPEN AIR PRISON OF GAZA, THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE TO GO.

AS ISRAELI OFFICIAL YOAV GALANT PUT IT, QUOTE, WE ARE PUTTING A COMPLETE SIEGE ON GAZA.

NO ELECTRICITY, NO FOOD, NO WATER, NO GAS.

IT'S ALL CLOSED.

WE ARE FIGHTING ANIMALS AND WE ARE ACTING ACCORDINGLY, UNQUOTE.

THAT IS THE RHETORIC OF GENOCIDE.

WE CANNOT STAND WITH ISRAEL WHILE THEY COMPOUND THEIR CRIMINAL OCCUPATION WITH FURTHER WAR CRIMES.

WE CANNOT STAND WITH ISRAEL WHILE THEY COLLECTIVELY STARVE 2 MILLION PEOPLE.

WE MUST STAND UP TO DEMAND THAT OUR COUNTRY STOP FUNDING THIS OCCUPATION TO THE TUNE OF $3 BILLION A YEAR, AND WE MUST DEMAND OUR OFFICIALS STAND UP TO DEMAND THAT THIS OCCUPATION ENDS, BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY PATH TO PEACE.

THANK YOU. OKAY, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF FIRST TIME VISITORS TO OUR CITY COUNCIL, AND YOU'RE ALL WELCOME.

WE'RE GLAD EVERYONE'S HERE, BUT WE DO HAVE RULES ABOUT OUTBURSTS FROM THE AUDIENCE, SO WE HAVE TO ASK THAT YOU NOT.

MAKE LOUD NOISES OR OUTBURSTS AFTER THE DIFFERENT SPEAKERS, OR WE'LL HAVE TO ASK YOU TO LEAVE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMPLYING WITH THAT RULE OF OURS TO HELP OUR MEETINGS GO EFFICIENTLY AND WITH DECORUM.

SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.

THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, MADAM SECRETARY.

NEXT SPEAKER IS ELIYAHU KAUFMAN.

MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM IS OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER NINE DIVIDED BY 11.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE. WHERE WERE YOU STANDING MOMENTS? WE ALL REMEMBER THE HORRIFIC SCENES OF INNOCENT PEOPLE LEAPING OFF OF A BURNING BUILDING, AND THE EVIL ENEMIES OF THE UNITED STATES PARADING AROUND IN THE STREETS OF THEIR COUNTRIES, CELEBRATING OVER THAT INNOCENT DEATH.

AND IF YOU THINK BACK, WHAT DID THE UNITED STATES DO? HOW DID WE FIGHT? WE CAME TOGETHER.

THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS PATRIOTISM, A TREMENDOUS UNITY IN THE COUNTRY.

SAW AMERICAN FLAGS EVERYWHERE.

THE ONLY WAY TO FIGHT EVIL IS WHEN GOOD UNIFIES TOGETHER.

THIS IS ISRAEL'S NINE OVER 11.

WE'VE ALL SEEN THE PICTURES.

THE BEHEADED BABIES, THE NAKED BODIES BEING DRAGGED THROUGH THE STREETS OF GAZA.

HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE.

CHILDREN AT A MUSIC FESTIVAL BEING SHOT DEAD.

THIS IS ISRAEL'S NINE OVER 11.

THE ONLY WAY TO FIGHT THAT IS WITH GOOD.

WHEN GOOD COMES TOGETHER, WHEN THE WHOLE WORLD STANDS UP ON THE SIDE OF WHAT'S GOOD.

THIS RESOLUTION IS GOOD.

AS THE MAYOR POINTED OUT.

THIS RESOLUTION REPRESENTS A MORAL CLARITY THAT IS NECESSARY IN THIS ISSUE.

THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD COME TOGETHER AND THEY RECOGNIZE THIS IS WRONG.

THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAVE 4000 YEARS OF HISTORY.

WE REMEMBER OUR ENEMIES, BUT WE ALSO REMEMBER OUR FRIENDS.

YOU TODAY IN THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE WRITING ANOTHER PAGE IN JEWISH HISTORY BY STANDING UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT AND FOR WHAT'S GOOD.

THIS IS NOT PREPARED BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THIS.

BUT I'M GOING TO MAKE ONE MORE REQUEST.

PLEASE MAKE A ROLL CALL.

VOTE BECAUSE THAT MACHINE IS BROKEN FOR A REASON.

GOD DID THAT FOR A REASON.

EVERY ONE OF YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE YOUR VOICES, NOT JUST PRESS A BUTTON AND SAY YES TO WHAT'S GOOD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MATTHEW LEYDEN.

MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS MORNING.

MY NAME IS MATTHEW LAYDEN.

I'VE BEEN IN NORTH TEXAS FOR FOUR DECADES, AND I'VE BEEN IN THE CITY OF DALLAS FOR OVER TWO.

SOME WILL SAY THIS RESOLUTION IS A POLITICAL ONE.

IT IS NOT.

SOME WILL SAY THIS IS ABOUT A LAND DISPUTE.

IT IS NOT.

SOME WILL COME AND JUSTIFY THE SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS AS THE ONLY HOPE THEY HAVE.

IT IS NOT.

SOME WILL SAY THIS IS ABOUT PALESTINIANS AND THEIR GRIEVANCES TOWARDS ISRAEL.

THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD AT LARGE.

BUT NO MATTER THEIR GRIEVANCES, TERRORISM AND THE SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE TACTIC UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

PERIOD. FULL STOP.

THIS RESOLUTION IS ABOUT ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY.

[01:30:01]

MORAL CLARITY.

THE MORAL CLARITY TO SAY SHOOTING BABIES IN THEIR CRIBS IS WRONG.

THE CLARITY TO SAY THAT RAPING, LYNCHING, AND THE SLAUGHTERING OF CIVILIANS IN THE STREETS AND IN THEIR HOMES IS WRONG.

THAT SHOOTING A MOTHER POINT BLANK WHILE SHE COVERS HER CHILDREN IN DESPERATION TO SAVE THEIR LIVES IS WRONG.

THE CLARITY TO SAY, UNITED AS HUMAN BEINGS, THAT WE DENOUNCE TERROR IN EVERY FORM AND HOLD SACRED LIFE, THAT WE WILL NOT TOLERATE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, PURE AND SIMPLE.

THIS IS THE MOMENT OF MORAL CLARITY.

THE WORLD HAS A CHOICE TO MAKE.

EITHER STAND WITH ISRAEL ON THIS ONE TOPIC DENOUNCING TERRORISM.

THAT IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.

ONE TOPIC DENOUNCING TERRORISM, OR STAND WITH THE TERRORISTS OF HAMAS AND EMBOLDEN THEIR BARBARITY.

THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND.

DESPITE WHAT SOME OTHERS MAY HAVE SAID ABOUT ISRAEL AND ITS POLICIES, THIS IS ABOUT THE MORAL CLARITY TO STATE THAT TERRORISM AND THE SLAUGHTERING OF INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IS NOT ACCEPTABLE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

THOSE THAT THINK IT IS ARE MISGUIDED, IMMORAL AND LIKE THE BASIC TENETS OF HUMANITY THAT WE CHERISH AS A CIVILIZED SOCIETY.

DALLAS IS AN INTERNATIONAL CITY WITH TIES ACROSS THE WORLD.

WE MUST STAND UP AND WITHOUT EQUIVOCATION, SAY TERRORISM IS WRONG.

MY NAME IS STUART BLOMGREN AND I AM PRIVILEGED TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE DALLAS CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE.

CLICK, CLICK.

YES. IT'S NOT PRESENT.

STUART BLACKMON.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MAYOR JOHNSON, I WANT TO THANK YOU PERSONALLY FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR YOUR ELOQUENCE AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN COMING TO STAND WITH THE JEWISH COMMUNITY LAST NIGHT AT TEMPLE EMANUEL.

AND FOR YOUR WORDS, THEY WERE VERY IMPACTFUL.

AS YOU KNOW, HAMAS IS AN IRANIAN BACKED TERROR GROUP THAT CONTROLS GAZA.

IT HAS REJECTED PEACE PROCESS WITH ISRAEL.

WHEN THE PLO RECOGNIZED ISRAEL IN 1993 AND ENTERED INTO THE OSLO ACCORDS WITH ISRAEL.

IT WAS HAMAS THAT STARTED TO LAUNCH SUICIDE BOMBINGS INTO ISRAEL.

ITS CHARTER CALLS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL.

AND WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS PURE, UNADULTERATED ANTI-SEMITISM, JEW HATRED.

CALL IT FOR WHAT IT IS, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IT IS.

WE HAVE ONE CHOICE.

AS MR. MADDEN SAID, YOU STAND WITH ISRAEL OR YOU STAND WITH THE TERRORISTS.

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO MIDDLE GROUND.

DALLAS IS AN INTERNATIONAL CITY.

I URGE YOU TO CONDEMN HAMAS IN THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE WORDS.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT PALESTINIAN SELF-DETERMINATION.

THIS IS ABOUT JEW HATRED AND THE SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENT PEOPLE.

THANK YOU. MICHAEL GONZALEZ.

EDDIE. I AM URGING CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE NO TO RESOLUTION 37, SIMPLY BECAUSE IN THIS MOMENT, STANDING WITH ISRAEL MEANS SUPPORTING A GENOCIDE THAT HAS BEEN 75 YEARS IN THE MAKING.

I DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE I CAN ADD THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SAID AND WILL BE SAID LATER.

THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN FELT, BEEN EXPRESSED, BEEN BEGGED, BEEN SHOT, BEEN BEATEN, BEEN TORTURED, BEEN STARVED, SET ON FIRE AND MURDERED.

PALESTINIANS HAVE HAD THEIR VOICES, LAND, AUTONOMY AND LIVES SYSTEMATICALLY STRIPPED AWAY FROM THEM FOR THE PAST 75 YEARS.

HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS CALL THE GAZA STRIP THE WORLD'S LARGEST OPEN AIR PRISON, AND THAT'S FOR A REASON.

HOW WOULD ANY OF YOU FEEL ANY OF YOUR DONORS FEEL, ANY OF YOUR CHILDREN OR LOVED ONES FEEL TO BE STARVED, TO HAVE ARMED DRONES FLYING OVER YOUR HEAD AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY? TO BE TOLD TO LEAVE YOUR HOME ONLY TO HAVE ONLY TO BE BLOWN OUT OF THE WATER BY ARTILLERY.

KNEECAPPED BY A SNIPER, OR SIMPLY EXECUTED FOR DOING JUST THAT.

TRYING TO LEAVE AN OPEN AIR PRISON.

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN CONDEMN THE ACTIONS OF HAMAS WITHOUT CONDEMNING THE EVEN WORSE, PROLONGED US TAX FUNDED ACTIONS OF A FAR RIGHT GOVERNMENT THAT HAS OPENLY CALLED FOR GENOCIDE.

HOW ARE PEOPLE SUPPOSED TO RESPOND TO ANNIHILATION WHEN THEY HAVE HAD THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE STRIPPED AWAY? THE RIGHT TO PROTEST CONDEMNED THE VOCAL OPPOSITION TO APARTHEID.

PUNISHED. IF WE MUST STAND FOR SOMETHING, LET US STAND FOR AN END TO VIOLENCE.

LET US STAND FOR SHARED HUMANITY.

LET US STAND FOR AN END TO APARTHEID.

I URGE YOU ALL TO VOTE NO TO RESOLUTION 37 AND STAND FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, WHICH IS WHAT YOUR VOTERS, THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS, STAND FOR AS WELL.

GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR JOHNSON.

[01:35:04]

MUSTAFA. CAROL.

IT'S MY. HOW ARE YOU? OKAY. I THOUGHT I WAS LOUD ENOUGH.

GOOD MORNING. MAYOR JOHNSON, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

AND THANK YOU. COUNCIL.

CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN ADD MUCH MORE THAN WHAT'S BEEN SAID, EXCEPT THAT I AGREE WITH SEVERAL THINGS.

I AGREE THAT YOU SHOULD STAND, BUT YOU SHOULD STAND FOR WHAT'S RIGHT.

IT SHOULDN'T JUST BE ONE SIDED OR LOP SIDED THAT TARGETING CIVILIANS IS WRONG, WHETHER THEY ARE ISRAELI OR PALESTINIANS. WE KNOW THERE'S BEEN OVER 11, 700 ISRAELIS AND 20 CHILDREN KILLED.

A MASS BOMBING CAMPAIGN HAS KILLED AT LEAST 830 PALESTINIANS, INCLUDING 100 CHILDREN.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT'S STANDING ON A MORAL PRECEDENT OR STANDING FOR SOMETHING, WE NEED TO STAND ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS AND NOT JUST ONE SIDE. TAKING A LOP SIDED POSITION ON THIS ISSUE IS NOT GOING TO HELP BRING PEACE TO THE TO THE ISSUE AT ALL. AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME.

WE'RE CALLING ON YOU, MAYOR JOHNSON, TO REJECT THIS AND TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE A FAIR AND EQUITABLE STATEMENT CALLING FOR A CEASE FIRE BETWEEN THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND AND HAMAS, AND CONDEMNING THE KILLING OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS ON ALL SIDES.

WE DON'T JUST WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT'S BEEN KILLED, ISRAELIS.

THE PALESTINIANS HAVE BEEN SUFFERED FOR 75 YEARS OF A VERY BRUTAL OCCUPATION AND OPPRESSION.

THEY'VE HAD 16 YEARS OF A BLOCKADE.

AND IT CONTINUES.

IT'S NOT JUST EDUCATE YOURSELVES ON THIS ISSUE.

THIS IS NOT JUST A LOPSIDED AND NO ONE HATES JEWS.

I ALMOST HATE TO EVEN COME UP HERE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE STEREOTYPE AND THAT THE, THE WHAT PEOPLE WILL SAY IS, OH, WELL, YOU JUST DON'T LIKE YOUR ANTI-SEMITIC.

WE'RE THE PALESTINIANS ARE SEMITES.

I'M NOT ANTI-SEMITIC WITH JEWS OR PALESTINIANS, ETCETERA.

BUT WE HAVE GOT TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE THAT CONTINUES TO GO ON IN THIS COUNTRY.

SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, LAUREN TENNEY.

HI. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.

MY NAME IS LAUREN TENNEY AND I'M A DECADE LONG RESIDENT OF DALLAS.

I AM HERE TODAY ON NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR CITIZENS WHO LIVE IN FEAR AND DANGER THAT THE CURRENT WORLD STAGE IS FACING.

I AM TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO URGE YOU, MAYOR JOHNSON, TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

IT'S VERY HARD TO STAND BEFORE THESE PEOPLE WHO I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR, WHO CAN'T SEE BOTH SIDES OF CIVILIAN MASSACRES.

I'M TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO URGE YOU TO REJECT ANY AND ALL FURTHER SUPPORT OF THE ISRAELI ARMY AND GOVERNMENT'S CALL FOR FULL GENOCIDE.

THAT'S GROSS.

HOW CAN WE EVEN LIVE IN THIS TIME? HOW CAN WE SIT AND BE CALLOUSLY ALLOWING THIS TO OCCUR IN OUR WATCH? I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M AS UPSET TODAY AS I WAS FIGHTING FOR A WALKING CITY SIX YEARS AGO.

CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW LAME THAT IS? THAT THAT'S WHAT WE WERE DOING SIX YEARS AGO.

WALKING TOGETHER TO FIGHT FOR THE CITY.

THE STATE. AND NOW THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE CALLING FOR.

I'M SORRY TO BE SO EMOTIONAL, BUT IT IS AN EMOTIONAL THING WHEN WE'RE KILLING CIVILIANS WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS, HOW CAN YOU STAND WITH US? HOW DO YOU EVEN SIT HERE SITTING? WHY AREN'T YOU STANDING? I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I'M SORRY.

I'M SORRY.

BECAUSE THIS IS AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE.

WHEN DEATH OF PEOPLE IS INVOLVED, WE HAVE DEATH HERE IN THIS CITY, HOMELESSNESS AND HUNGER.

AND YET WE'RE GOING TO STAND HERE AND WASTE TIME ARGUING THAT CIVILIANS SHOULDN'T BE KILLED IN WAR.

IT'S WAR CRIMES. WE KNOW THAT INTERNATIONAL LAW PROHIBITS THIS.

DO NOT STAND WITH THIS RESOLUTION.

PLEASE. MAYOR JOHNSON, CHANGE YOUR MIND.

THANK YOU, GRACE STOKER.

NOT HERE. THANK YOU.

GREYSTOKE IS NOT PRESENT.

I'M GOING TO CALL THE NEXT GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS.

YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN PERSON AND HAVE A SEAT ON THE FIRST COUPLE OF ROWS IN THE CENTER SECTION.

MEGAN HYMAN.

MEGAN HYMAN, YOU MAY COME UP TO THE PODIUM.

[01:40:02]

FAIZAN. SAEED.

SOUMYA. SCHONWALD.

HANINE. WADI.

LION AL-SHAYKH SALAMA.

MOHAMMED. EIICHI.

ARAKI. ASHRAF.

KUSARI. SAYYID HUSAIN SAYYID.

AGAIN. MY APOLOGIES IF I MISPRONOUNCE YOUR NAME.

MEGAN. HYMAN.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS MEGAN HYMAN.

I AM THE CEO AND PRESIDENT OF THE DALLAS JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.

I CAME TO JUDAISM AS A CONVERT.

IN MY ROLE AS A JEWISH PROFESSIONAL.

I SEE EVERY DAY HOW JUDAISM AS A RELIGION.

THE JEWISH CULTURE AND THE STATE OF ISRAEL ARE INEXTRICABLY CONNECTED.

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT FROM A LOVE LETTER TO JEWISH PEOPLE BY ZOE BUCKMAN.

THE FACT THAT YOU EXIST IS ASTOUNDING.

YOU COME FROM A LONG LINE OF SURVIVORS EXILED, DISPLACED, AND PERSECUTED.

A PEOPLE THEY TRIED TO ERADICATE IN CAMPS AND POGROMS. FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS AND AROUND THE GLOBE, THEY KICKED YOU OUT OF YOUR MOTHERLAND.

AND EVERYWHERE YOU ENDED UP, THEY EVENTUALLY MADE IT UNTENABLE FOR YOU TO STAY WITHOUT FEAR.

MANY OF YOU HAD TO HIDE, WERE FIRST FORCED TO CONVERT OR CHANGE YOUR NAME, AND TOO MANY WERE MADE TO FEEL SHAME FOR THEIR JEWISHNESS.

BUT YOU'RE STILL HERE AGAINST ALL THE ODDS.

YOU'RE ACTUALLY OUT HERE PASSING DOWN CULTURE AND TRADITION, TEACHINGS AND JOKES.

I LOVE YOU.

I DON'T AGREE WITH ALL OF YOU.

AND YOU KNOW HOW DEEPLY EMBEDDED DEBATE IS IN OUR CULTURE.

SO IT WAS NEVER EXPECTED THAT WE WOULD ALL AGREE.

BUT WE ARE UNITED IN OUR RESILIENCE AND IN OUR BRILLIANCE.

OUR IMPRINT ON THE WORLD IS AS BRIGHT AND DIVERSE AS WE ARE PEOPLE.

IT'S FRIGHTENING OUT THERE AND YOUR FEARS ARE VALID.

THIS PROCLAMATION TODAY ADDS VALIDITY TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE OF DALLAS AND TO OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL.

WE ARE SUFFERING, WE ARE HEARTBROKEN, AND WE NEED THE SUPPORT AND FRIENDSHIP OF OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN DALLAS.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR JOHNSON AND THE CITY COUNCIL.

FAIZAN SAEED.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING US THE TIME TO ADDRESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TODAY ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.

I WANT TO PUT YOU ALL IN THE LIVES AND THE SHOES OF PALESTINIANS.

SURROUNDING US ARE THESE HUGE WALLS, ALMOST 40FT TALL.

THAT IS THE LIFE OF A PERSON IN GAZA.

IMAGINE BEING SURROUNDED BY THIS WALL ON ALL SIDES, NOT BEING ABLE TO ESCAPE.

IMAGINE YOUR ELECTRICITY ONLY BEING ON FOR 11 HOURS A DAY.

IMAGINE YOUR HOSPITAL BEING BOMBED AND DEVASTATED AND DESTROYED.

IMAGINE CHILDREN, WE HAD BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN IN THIS HALL.

IMAGINE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 NEVER BEING ABLE TO ESCAPE, NEVER BEING ABLE TO SEE FREE.

AND JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL YOU SEE ELECTRICITY.

YOU SEE PEOPLE LIVING COMFORTABLE LIVES.

YOU SEE PEOPLE HAVING EDUCATION, ACCESS TO A COMFORTABLE WAY OF LIVING.

WHAT DID YOU DO WRONG? WHAT IS THE MAJOR SIN OF THE GAZANS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE TREATED IN THIS INHUMANE, APARTHEID DEVASTATING, DISASTROUS MANNER? MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY, WE AS A CITY OF DALLAS, A DIVERSE COMMUNITY WHO ARE HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE WE HAVE SAFETY, BECAUSE WE HAVE SECURITY.

WE CANNOT SUPPORT A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THE TREMENDOUS SUFFERING AND DEVASTATION THAT ISRAEL HAS DONE AGAINST THE GAZANS.

WE CANNOT PASS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT'S LOPSIDED AND ONE SIDED.

WE HAVE TO BE A PEOPLE THAT COURAGEOUSLY UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION, THIS RESOLUTION, IGNORES TRUE SUFFERING THAT'S HAPPENING.

EARLIER TODAY, WE HAD SOMEBODY TALK ABOUT THAT.

THERE'S A TIME AND TODAY IS A TIME AS YOU, AS THE AMAZING CITY COUNCIL LEADERS TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND STAND COURAGEOUSLY AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SOUMYA SHANHOLT.

[01:45:09]

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SAMIA SHENAULT.

I'M A BUSINESS OWNER IN DALLAS AND A PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN, AND I WANT TO ADD THAT MY GRANDPARENTS WERE EXILED FROM PALESTINE WHEN THEY WERE CHILDREN, AND I'VE NEVER SET FOOT IN THE VILLAGE THAT THEY CALLED HOME.

I URGE THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO REJECT THE MAYOR'S RESOLUTION STANDING WITH ISRAEL.

THE RESOLUTION IS NOT A REFLECTION OF THE DALLAS COMMUNITY AND WILL NOT KEEP US SAFE.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO SITUATE WHAT IS HAPPENING CURRENTLY.

SUPPORTING THE RESOLUTION WOULD EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR 75 YEARS OF SETTLER COLONIAL VIOLENCE, ETHNIC DISPOSSESSION, ETHNIC CLEANSING, DISPOSSESSION, MILITARY OCCUPATION AND APARTHEID BY ISRAEL.

AS AMERICANS, OUR TAX DOLLARS GO TO SUPPORTING THE ISRAELI ARMY, NOT TO ANY PALESTINIAN FACTION, TO THE TUNE OF $3.4 BILLION A YEAR.

THE REAL QUESTION IS, WHY DOES THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND DEFEND ISRAEL? WE SUPPORT THE RIGHT OF PALESTINIANS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES FROM INHUMANE BESIEGEMENT, COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT AND COLONIAL VIOLENCE, WITH ALL OF THE MEANS AVAILABLE TO THEM ACROSS THE WORLD, FROM SOUTH AFRICA TO VIETNAM, COLONIZED PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS RESISTED THEIR OPPRESSION.

WHY WOULD IT BE ANY DIFFERENT FOR PALESTINIANS? THE RIGHT OF PALESTINIANS TO PROTECT AND DEFEND THEMSELVES IS ENSHRINED IN INTERNATIONAL LAW UNDER UN RESOLUTION 4530.

WE SHOULD BE MAKING A RESOLUTION FOR US TO DEMAND AN END TO ISRAEL'S BRUTAL BLOCKADE ON GAZA, WHICH IS FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED BY THE US AND WHICH HAS KEPT PALESTINIAN PEOPLE IN AN OPEN AIR PRISON FOR NO CRIME.

I WANT TO SAY A QUOTE BY A JOURNALIST IN JERUSALEM NATIVE MOHAMMED EL-KURD.

THE SIEGE ON GAZA IS THE PROVOCATION.

FORCING PEOPLE TO LIVE IN AN OPEN AIR PRISON IS AN ESCALATION.

OCCUPATION, COLONIZATION AND LAND THEFT ARE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE CONFLICT.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS RETALIATION.

WE URGE THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE NO ON THIS.

THAT'S YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. HANEEN.

WADI. IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE ENTIRELY MERCIFUL, ESPECIALLY MERCIFUL.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.

MAYOR JOHNSON AND CITY COUNCIL.

I'M HERE. MY NAME IS HONEY, AND I'M REPRESENTING AMERICAN MUSLIMS FOR PALESTINE.

THE DALLAS CHAPTER. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S A HUGE INJUSTICE TO TO EQUATE CRITICIZING ISRAEL WITH ANTI-SEMITISM.

ACTUALLY, IT'S AN INSULT TO JUDAISM AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE TO TIE THEM TO THE ETHNIC CLEANSING, APARTHEID STATE OF ISRAEL.

I HAVE COPIES OF REPORTS FROM TWO REPUTABLE HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND B'TSELEM, WHICH BOTH CONCLUDED THAT ISRAEL'S SYSTEM OF DOMINATION AMOUNTS TO APARTHEID.

THERE'S ACTUALLY STILL 100 MORE PAGES OF THIS, BUT I RAN OUT OF PAPER, SO I'LL BE SENDING THAT OVER TO THE SECRETARY.

AS A PALESTINIAN WHOSE GRANDPARENTS EXPERIENCED FIRSTHAND CRUELTY OF THE OCCUPATION, MY GRANDPARENTS WERE FORCED OUT OF THEIR HOMES, HOMES AND WALKED ON FOOT TO JORDAN TO LIVE IN REFUGEE CAMPS. I'M ANGRY AND VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THE CITY IS SIDING WITH A TYRANNICAL REGIME WHICH HAS DISPOSSESSED THOUSANDS FROM THEIR HOMES AND MURDERED MANY CIVILIANS, INCLUDING BABIES AND SMALL CHILDREN.

AS A NATION THAT STANDS FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, I IMPLORE YOU, MAYOR JOHNSON AND THE CITY COUNCIL, TO RETHINK THE CITY'S CITY'S RESOLUTION AND ALLOW FREE SPEECH FOR THE OPPRESSED PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

DEAR RESPECTED OFFICIALS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE WAY THIS CONFLICT IS BEING PORTRAYED IN THE MEDIA IS IS AS IF IT'S BETWEEN TWO EQUALLY POWERFUL SIDES, WHEN THE REALITY IS IT'S NOT.

LION AL-SHEIKH SALAMA.

IT'S BETWEEN OPPRESSOR AND OPPRESSED, OCCUPIER AND OCCUPIED.

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE REALITIES OF LIFE IN GAZA AND SET THE STAGE FOR HAMAS'S DEVASTATING ATTACK.

GAZA IS A CONCENTRATION CAMP.

THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT PUTS A CALORIE COUNT ON PALESTINIANS IN GAZA, LEAVING 90% OF GAZA FOOD INSECURE, WITH 1.1 MILLION HAVING LESS THAN ONE MEAL A DAY.

ALSO, LET'S TALK ABOUT ENERGY.

THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT'S BAN ON FUEL ENTRY INTO GAZA MEANS THAT GAZANS ONLY GET SIX HOURS OF ELECTRICITY A DAY.

THE BLOCKADE HAS ALSO LED TO HOSPITALS LACK OF BASIC SUPPLIES, LEAVING THEM UNABLE TO HANDLE SEVERE HEALTH CONDITIONS.

IMAGINE THE SITUATION NOW WITH EVEN FURTHER RESTRICTION AND FURTHER RESTRICTION OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT POWER.

IMAGINE LIVING LIKE THAT.

[01:50:01]

WOULD YOU RATHER BE A VICTIM ON THE GAZAN SIDE OR THE VICTIM ON THE ISRAELI SIDE? ISRAEL JUSTIFIES ITS WAR CRIMES AGAINST GAZANS BY CLAIMING THEY ARE IN PURSUIT OF HAMAS OR PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE.

YET IT TARGETS CIVILIANS AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS, HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS WATER TREATMENT PLANTS, MAKING LIFE IN GAZA EVEN MORE UNBEARABLE.

IF ISRAEL REALLY VALUED HUMAN LIFE, WHY NOT LET YOUNG CHILDREN AND WOMEN OF GAZA OUT OF THE BORDER THAT ISRAEL CONTROLS BETWEEN GAZA AND EGYPT? THE WEST BANK, WHICH IS RULED BY PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, UNLIKE HAMAS, IS IN FULL COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL GOVERNMENT.

AND THE SITUATION FOR PALESTINIANS THERE IS JUST AS BAD AND IF NOT WORSE.

I DO NOT HATE JEWS AS A PALESTINIAN AMERICAN THAT HAS FAMILY IN GAZA AND IS FROM GAZA.

I DO NOT HATE JEWS AND I HATE USING RELIGION AND RACE TO JUSTIFY OPPRESSION.

ALL HUMAN LIFE IS VALUABLE REGARDLESS WHETHER PALESTINIAN OR ISRAELIS.

AND AS AMERICANS, WE NEED TO STAND FOR THAT.

GOOD MORNING. I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY SAYING THAT I GREW UP IN THIS WONDERFUL CITY OF DALLAS, AND I HAVE ATTENDED PROTESTS EVERY SINGLE TIME THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN ATROCIOUS ACT DONE BY THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT TO THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

MOHAMMED AYACHI.

IT'LL WORK. OKAY.

AND NEVER ONCE DID I SEE ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL.

DO WE NOT MATTER TO YOU? DO WE NOT COUNT? YOU GUYS WANT TO CALL THE ANTI-SEMITIC CARD EVERY SINGLE TIME, NOT KNOWING THAT WE STAND BEFORE YOU AS SEMITES OURSELVES? ARE WE NOT EVEN GOOD ENOUGH TO FALL UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF BEING SEMITES? YOU WANT TO STAND HERE AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO HAVE UNEQUIVOCAL SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL AND STAND AGAINST TERRORISM? BUT YOU GOT TO ALSO UNDERSTAND IS THAT BY STANDING FOR ISRAEL, YOU ARE STANDING FOR TERRORISM, BECAUSE IN ACCORDANCE TO OXFORD DICTIONARIES DEFINITION OF TERRORISM, IT IS A NOUN. THE UNLAWFUL USE OF VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION, ESPECIALLY AGAINST CIVILIANS IN THE PURSUIT OF POLITICAL AIMS. THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF TERRORISM.

AND YET, ODDLY ENOUGH, HAMAS NEVER DID THAT.

ODDLY ENOUGH, NO PALESTINIAN HAS DONE THAT.

BUT ISRAEL HAS CONSISTENTLY DONE THAT BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL TO USE PHOSPHORUS, WHICH IS WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

I HEARD MENTION OF NINE DIVIDED BY 11 THE AUDACITY.

YEAH, ISRAEL'S NINE OVER 11 IS WHAT'S BASICALLY HAPPENING EVERY DAY IN GAZA.

LOOK AT THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.

I'VE SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE COME OUT HERE AND SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC, SOME SUPPORTING ISRAEL AND SOME SUPPORTING THE INNOCENT PEOPLE OF PALESTINE.

BUT THERE'S ONE THING THAT DIFFERENTIATES THE TWO.

PROOF. THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR.

IF YOU JUST HEAR SOMEBODY TELL YOU SOMETHING, THEN YOU HAVE FAILED THE PEOPLE.

THIS IS DALLAS, THIS IS DALLAS SHOWING UP.

THIS IS THE PEOPLE THAT YOU GUYS REPRESENT.

I'VE NEVER ONCE SEEN ANYBODY COME UP AND COMFORT US.

WHENEVER THERE WAS AN ATTACK ON GAZA IN THE TIME OF RAMADAN.

I'VE NEVER ONCE SEEN OR HEARD ANYTHING FROM DALLAS.

THAT'S YOUR TIME WITH THE WITH THE LEADERSHIP.

THAT'S YOUR TIME. I APOLOGIZE.

I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING FROM DALLAS LEADERSHIP.

BUT DALLAS IS HERE TODAY.

PLEASE DO NOT LET US DOWN. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. ASHRAF.

GOOSEBERRY. IN 1948, ISRAEL WAS BIRTHED WITH FULL SUPPORT OF FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMAN AS UNCERTAINTY FUELED THE HEARTS OF MILLIONS OF PALESTINIANS.

THEIR VOICES WENT UNHEARD.

75 YEARS LATER, ALL WE'VE SEEN IS CONFLICT, VIOLENCE AND SUPPRESSION.

THAT TAKES US TO TODAY, AS PALESTINIANS LOOK TO THE WORLD FOR A RESPONSE TO THE OPPRESSION THAT THEY'VE SUFFERED.

ALL ANYONE HAS MET THEM WITH IS SILENCE.

NOW, EVERY SINGLE PROPOSITION SPEAKER THAT HAS COME UP HERE TELLS YOU THAT ISRAELIS WOKE UP ONE DAY TO AN ATTACK.

HERE'S THE PROBLEM.

PALESTINIANS WAKE UP 365 DAYS A YEAR, WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT THEY'LL SEE THE SUNSET THAT EVENING.

I FIND IT QUITE IRONIC THAT A STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE ISRAELIS IS TRYING TO BE MADE, BUT NEVER HAS ANYTHING THEY'VE DONE BEEN CONDEMNED.

THEY'VE CONTINUOUSLY COMMITTED CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, BUT THOSE CRIMES ARE DEEMED OKAY.

HERE'S THE THING.

IT'S NOT A TWO SIDED CONFLICT.

THE UN REPORTS JUST A FEW DAYS AGO THAT 300 ISRAELIS HAVE DIED SINCE 2008, BUT 6407 PALESTINIANS HAVE DIED IN THE SAME TIME PERIOD DUE TO ISRAELI FORCES.

THAT 6407 STORIES THAT HAVE BEEN CUT SHORT.

[01:55:02]

THEY CONTINUE THAT 81% OF THE POPULATION IN GAZA LIVES IN POVERTY, WITH FOOD INSECURITY PLAGUING 63% OF CITIZENS.

FOOD AND WATER ARE DEEMED INACCESSIBLE WITHIN PALESTINIAN TERRITORY.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, JUSTICE WILL NEVER BE SERVED UNTIL THOSE WHO ARE UNAFFECTED ARE JUST AS OUTRAGED, OUTRAGED AS THOSE WHO ARE.

IF YOU BELIEVE IN THAT BASIC PRINCIPLE OF BREAKING THE SILENCE AND SERVING JUSTICE, THEN YOU'LL THINK OF THE PALESTINIANS BEFORE YOU PERPETUATE THE SAME SUPPRESSION THAT THEY'VE HAD FOR 75 YEARS.

FAIL. THANK YOU.

ZIAD HUSSEIN.

HELLO. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

SO LET US USE COMMON SENSE FOR TODAY'S SPEECH.

LET US USE COMMON SENSE BECAUSE COMMON SENSE IS WHEN SOMEONE KNOCKS YOU DOWN, YOU PROTECT YOURSELF.

YOU DEFEND YOURSELF.

THOUGH FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, DEFENDING THEMSELVES IS NOT AN OPTION.

STANDING AGAINST 70 YEARS OF OPPRESSION, GENOCIDES, MOTHERS WAILING, CHILDREN DYING AND WAKING UP IN THE RUBBLE OF THEIR HOME WITH NO ONE TO CALL FAMILY.

ACCORDING TO THE UN, FROM THE TOTAL DEATH TOLL OF THE CONFLICT, 80% OF IT IS PALESTINIAN LIVES.

HOW MANY LIVES DO YOUR COUNCIL HAVE TO DIE FOR US TO MATTER? HOW MANY LIVES OF THE PALESTINIANS NEED TO GO FOR US TO BE LISTENED TO? ALTHOUGH EVERY LIFE IS PRECIOUS, IT SEEMS LIKE ONE ISRAELI IN LIFE IS EQUAL TO THAT OF A THOUSAND PALESTINIANS FOR ONE LIFE.

ONE LIFE IS TAKEN FROM THE OTHER SIDE.

IT'S ON EVERY NEWSLETTER AND EVERY SCREEN.

AND AS WE CAN SEE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IT TODAY.

BUT WHEN A PALESTINIAN LIFE IS GONE, NO ONE SHEDS AN EYE.

SO, DEAR RESPECTED COUNCIL, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, IT'S ABSOLUTELY HYPOCRITICAL OF YOU TO GO OUT OF YOUR WAY AND CONDEMN TO MENTION THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND STAND WITH THEM.

IN TODAY'S MEETING.

WHILE PALESTINE PALESTINE WAS BEING BOMBARDED LAST YEAR, WHILE THEY WERE PRAYING IN THEIR PLACES OF WORSHIP, OR IN GAZA WHEN MISSILES ARE SENT DOWN OVER INNOCENT FAMILIES, WHY WASN'T THIS ON THE AGENDA? WHY WASN'T THIS MENTIONED? WHY WASN'T THIS STATED? AND IF WE GO BACK IN TIME AND WE STAND ON THE PORCH OF PALESTINE, YOU WILL SEE BOATS OF JEWISH REFUGEES COMING.

AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE JEWISH COMMITTEE HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE HATE THEM.

BUT HE FORGOT THAT US HE FORGOT THAT WE WELCOMED THEM INTO OUR HOMES.

BUT WE WERE WE WELCOME INTO OUR HOMES.

WE WERE KICKED OUT AND WE WERE KICKED OUT OF THE HOMES OF OUR ANCESTORS.

SO ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

WHEN WE'RE STOMPED ON AND STEPPED ON, WE'RE STOMPED ON AND STEPPED ON, AND WE FINALLY MANAGED TO STAND UP AND HOLD OUR FLAGS HIGH AND HOLD OUR FLAGS HIGH.

WE'RE CALLED TERRORISTS.

WE'RE LABELED TERRORISTS.

WHEN WE HOLD OUR FLAGS HIGH.

HOW IS THIS FAIR? DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, HOW IS THIS FAIR? THAT'S YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SAEED HUSSEIN.

ALL RIGHT. SAEED HUSSAIN.

YES. BEFORE.

BEFORE YOU CONTINUE, I'M JUST GOING TO ASK YOU GUYS ONE MORE TIME.

NO MORE OUTBURSTS, PLEASE, BEFORE WE HAVE TO CLEAR THE ROOM.

SAEED HUSSAIN IS NOT PRESENT.

YES. THIS IS. I'M SORRY.

I'M SO SORRY. YES.

YOU MAY CONTINUE. YEAH.

I AM HERE TO ADDRESS THIS AS I REJECT THE RESOLUTION AND URGE ERIC JOHNSON TO PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING.

YOU KNOW, I STRONGLY CONDEMN THE ACT OF ANY TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, APARTHEID, ISRAELI GOVERNMENT AND OCCUPIER, YOU KNOW, OF PALESTINE SINCE 1967, 56 YEARS NOW OF OCCUPATION.

OKAY. THE SETTLER TERRORIST ATTACKS IN WEST BANK EVICTED TONY.

TONY COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, IN THE ACT OF ETHNIC CLEANSING, 248 PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS KILLED BY ISRAELIS, YOU KNOW, ATTACK ON THE MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIAN HOLY SITES BY ISRAELI, YOU KNOW, EXTREMIST.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WHY THEY ARE SO HATEFUL TO EVEN TOWARD THE CHRISTIAN, INCLUDING MUSLIMS. YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS WHAT WE SAY MANIPULATION IS WHEN WHEN THEY BLAME YOU FOR YOUR REACTION TO THEIR TOXIC BEHAVIOR, BUT NEVER DISCUSS THEIR DISRESPECT AND TRIGGERED YOU.

THAT'S WHAT IS HAPPENING BASICALLY RIGHT NOW WHEN THE HAMAS WENT IN AND, YOU KNOW, SHOOT OUT TO THE ISRAELI ARMY POST, YOU KNOW, SO THE FALSE ACCUSATION HAS BEEN TOLD HERE IN THIS ROOM BY OUR JEWISH BROTHERS.

WE NEVER HAD JEWS, BUT WE ALWAYS HATE THOSE ZIONISTS WHO ARE AGAINST, YOU KNOW, THE PEACE.

[02:00:06]

SO PEACE CAN NEVER BE ACHIEVED BY THE WAY.

YOU KNOW, PEACE CAN NEVER BE ACHIEVED.

BY THE WAY, IF YOU DO NOT END THIS OCCUPATION, TO STOP ANY VIOLENCE, TO END THE TO END THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION. SIMPLE THAT YOU KNOW.

SO I WILL GIVE YOU THE.

WHAT'S YOUR TIME? THEY ALREADY GAVE. THANK YOU.

NAUGHTY.

MY FAMILY IS FROM THE ETHNICALLY CLEANSED VILLAGE OF MAZRA'A, PALESTINE, AND WHILE I DON'T LIVE IN DALLAS, I WORK IN DALLAS AS AN ATTORNEY.

IN FACT, I WAS ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS ON MAYOR JOHNSON'S ETHICS REFORM COMMISSION, WHICH SOUGHT TO REFORM OUR CITY CODE TO ENSURE OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF ETHICS AND INTEGRITY.

SO I KNOW VERY WELL THE VALUES THAT THE CITY STANDS FOR, AND THIS PROPOSED RESOLUTION IS FAR FROM THOSE VALUES FOR THREE KEY REASONS.

THE FIRST, IT CLAIMS THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS STANDS WITH ISRAEL IN AN UNWAVERING SHOW OF SUPPORT.

BUT THIS GOES AGAINST OUR CITY'S VALUE OF ACCOUNTABILITY, OUR GOVERNMENT'S INABILITY TO STAND UP TO INJUSTICE, TO HOLD ISRAEL ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS COUNTLESS VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW, IS WHAT MAKES THE CURRENT SITUATION IN PALESTINE POSSIBLE.

SECOND, THE RESOLUTION REFERS TO THE ATTACKS OF THE PAST WEEKEND AS UNPROVOKED, WHICH GOES AGAINST OUR CITY'S VALUE OF HONESTY.

TO USE THE WORD UNPROVOKED IS TO PRETEND THAT THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE STARTED LAST WEEKEND AND TO COMPLETELY AND DISHONESTLY DISREGARD THE DECADES OF ISRAELI ABUSE, INCLUDING THE PAST 18 YEARS OF ISRAEL'S SIEGE AND BLOCKADE OF GAZA, WHICH HAS TURNED THE AREA INTO AN OPEN AIR PRISON.

FINALLY, THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION GOES AGAINST OUR CITY'S VALUES IN THAT IT MAKES NO MENTION OF THE MURDERS OF PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS IN GAZA THAT IS HAPPENING AS WE SPEAK BY THE HUNDREDS, AS ISRAEL COLLECTIVELY PUNISHES 2 MILLION PEOPLE, INCLUDING LESBIAN BABIES AND THEIR MOTHERS.

THIS GOES AGAINST OUR CITY'S VALUE OF EMPATHY.

ISRAEL IS ESSENTIALLY FLATTENING GAZA, COMMITTING UNSPEAKABLE ATROCITIES AGAINST ITS PEOPLE.

AND THIS RESOLUTION GIVES THOSE WAR CRIMES A RUBBER STAMP OF APPROVAL.

SO WE URGE YOU TO VOTE NO, OR EVEN BETTER, WITHDRAW THE RESOLUTION AND INSTEAD PRESENT ONE THAT REFLECTS OUR DIVERSITY AND OUR VALUES BY ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING THE SUFFERING AND INHUMANE CONDITIONS THAT PALESTINIANS HAVE FACED AND CONTINUE TO FACE AT THE HANDS OF ISRAEL.

FATIMA AL BABA IS NOT PRESENT, I'M TOLD.

THE ALIBABA.

THAT WAS OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

HI, I'M KIM ZOLLER, AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE AJC DALLAS REGIONAL BOARD.

TODAY, I AM SPEAKING TO YOU AS A PROUD MOM OF TWO MEN, BENJI AND SAMMY, AGES 26 AND 24, BOTH BORN AND RAISED IN DALLAS, BOTH SERVING AS RESERVE SOLDIERS IN THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES IN THE WAR IN ISRAEL.

I AM ALSO THE PROUD MOTHER IN LAW OF AN INCREDIBLE YOUNG WOMAN, LEAH, ALSO A SOLDIER WHO IS MARRIED TO MY OLDER SON, BENJI.

WE RAISED OUR BOYS IN A HOME WITH THE VALUE OF LOVING THEIR FELLOW MEN, NO MATTER WHO THEY WERE, WHAT THEY WERE, AND WHAT THEIR BELIEFS WERE.

WE RAISED OUR BOYS IN A JEWISH HOUSEHOLD, LOVING ISRAEL.

FROM THE TIME MY BOYS WERE YOUNG, THEY LOVED ISRAEL.

AND WHAT STOOD FOR A JEWISH STATE WHERE EVERY JEW IS ACCEPTED AND ALL OF ITS INHABITANTS ARE RESPECTED, WHERE THEY KNEW THAT NO MATTER WHAT, THEY HAVE A HOMELAND. THEY GREW UP WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT LOVING ISRAEL MEANT SUPPORTING ISRAEL IN ANY CAPACITY.

BOTH OF MY BOYS LEFT DALLAS AND WENT TO ISRAEL AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY FELT COMPELLED TO JOIN THE IDF AS LONE SOLDIERS, SOLDIERS WITH NO FAMILY IN ISRAEL.

ON SATURDAY, THE SIRENS WENT OFF AND THEY WERE CALLED TO THEIR BASES.

THEY LEFT THEIR DAILY LIVES IN JERUSALEM TO DO THEIR DUTY, WHAT THEY CONSIDER A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AND PROTECT THEIR PEOPLE, THEIR JEWISH HOMELAND.

ISRAEL DEFENDS.

IT DOES NOT ATTACK.

THE ATTACK BY HAMAS, A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, WAS NOT PROVOKED BY ANYTHING BUT HATE.

THE ATROCITIES ARE INCOMPREHENSIBLE.

CAN YOU IMAGINE YOUR BABY RIPPED FROM YOUR ARMS, YOUR BROTHER, SISTER, MOTHER, FATHER, GRANDMOTHER TAKEN, BEATEN, RAPED, OR YOUR TWO YEAR OLD PUT IN A CAGE WHILE THE PERPETRATORS ARE LAUGHING AND JUSTIFYING THESE HORRENDOUS ACTS?

[02:05:04]

DON'T BE MISTAKEN.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT LAND.

IT'S NOT ABOUT LIBERATION.

IT'S ABOUT KILLING JEWS.

AS A JEW, I AM ASKING YOU TO BE STRONG IN YOUR RESOLUTION TO UNEQUIVOCALLY CONDEMN HAMAS.

THANK YOU NAVEEN.

GUYS WORK WITH ME HERE.

I'M ASKING EVERYONE TO HOLD THE OUTBURST.

WE CAN'T HAVE THAT.

OKAY? WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE A A DECOROUS MEETING.

OKAY? SO THANK YOU.

NEXT. NAVEEN BAWA.

TEST. HELLO EVERYONE.

I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO ASK DALLAS LEADERS TO SUPPORT, TO STAND IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINIANS IN GAZA AND TO HOLD THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DECADES OF VIOLENCE THEY HAVE SUBJECTED PALESTINIANS TO.

SINCE 2005, PALESTINIANS IN GAZA HAVE BEEN LIVING IN AN OPEN AIR PRISON, WHAT SOME MIGHT EVEN CONSIDER A CONCENTRATION CAMP.

PALESTINIANS IN GAZA TELL US, AND I QUOTE, AT THE END OF ALL OF THIS, WE WILL EITHER BE KILLED OR WE WILL BE FREE, AND EITHER IS BETTER THAN BEING CAGED. CALLING WHAT HAPPENED ON OCTOBER 7TH? AN UNPROVOKED ATTACK IS FALSE.

SINCE 1948, WE HAVE CALLED ON THE UNITED NATIONS TO SUPPORT PALESTINIANS AND HOLD THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE.

CALLED ON INTERNATIONAL LAW, CALLED ON INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE, SAT IN NEGOTIATIONS.

WE HAVE CALLED FOR DIVESTMENTS.

WE'VE CALLED FOR BOYCOTTS, AND WE HAVE CALLED ON THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND NO ONE HAS RESPONDED.

SO FOUR DAYS AGO, WE ENTERED INTO A NEW ERA OF THE PALESTINIAN STRUGGLE FOR LIBERATION.

EVERY SINGLE DAY, PALESTINIANS ARE BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION.

BUT THAT IS NOT NEWS TO AMERICANS.

PALESTINIANS ARE ONLY TALKED ABOUT IN THE US WHEN WE RESPOND TO VIOLENCE AND INJUSTICE.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN PALESTINE IS A GRAVE INJUSTICE.

WE WANT TO SEE AN END TO THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE.

WE CAN NO LONGER STAND IDLY WHILE PALESTINIANS ARE SUBJUGATED AND KILLED AT THE HANDS OF ISRAELI FORCES.

I IMPLORE THE CITY OF DALLAS TO TAKE A PRINCIPLED STANCE ALONGSIDE PALESTINIANS.

I IMPLORE YOU ALL TO LOOK AT THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND ANALYZE THE POWER STRUCTURES AT PLAY BETWEEN THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT AND PALESTINE.

ISRAEL HAS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL MILITARIES IN THE WORLD, AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY WITH VERIFIED REPORTS OF ISRAELI FORCES USING INTERNATIONALLY PROHIBITED WHITE PHOSPHORUS POWER ON HEAVILY OCCUPIED AREAS, AND AS OPPOSED TO THE CLAIMS OF BEHEADING BABIES AND RAPING WOMEN, WHICH ISRAELI'S OWN GOVERNMENT HAS GONE ON RECORD TO SAY IS UNSUBSTANTIATED. THANK YOU.

NURA BOAB.

HELLO. OKAY.

AS A PALESTINIAN AMERICAN IN THE DFW COMMUNITY, I AM URGING THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO REJECT THE MAYOR'S HARMFUL RESOLUTION.

THE CITY OF DALLAS WEBSITE BOASTS THAT OUR CORE VALUES AND EMPATHY ARE EMPATHY, ETHICS, EXCELLENCE, ENGAGEMENT, AND EQUITY.

AND IF THIS RESOLUTION WERE TO MOVE FORWARD, IT WILL BECOME CLEAR TO THE CONSTITUENCY THAT THESE ARE SELECTIVE VALUES THAT ONLY APPLY TO SOME.

IN THIS RESOLUTION, THE MAYOR NAMES RECENT EVENTS AS UNPROVOKED.

SOMETHING PALESTINIANS KNOW ALL TOO WELL IS A FALSE CLAIM, AS THEY HAVE ENDURED 75 YEARS OF SETTLER COLONIAL VIOLENCE, ETHNIC CLEANSING, DISPOSSESSION, MILITARY OCCUPATION AND GENOCIDE.

THIS IS THE PROVOCATION TO SITUATE THE VIOLENCE OF THE PAST FEW DAYS IN A VACUUM WITHOUT CONTEXT IS DISINGENUOUS AT BEST, AND OPENLY GENOCIDAL AT WORST. THE MAYOR OF DALLAS DID NOT BAT AN EYE, AS PALESTINIANS ENDURED THEIR BLOODIEST YEAR IN THE PAST TWO DECADES.

THIS YEAR. NOT, NOR WHILE ISRAELI POLITICIANS CHEERED ON THE ATROCITIES OF THE ISRAELI MILITARY AND SETTLER VIOLENCE, CALLING FOR GENOCIDE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. A WAR BETWEEN A MILITARY FUNDED BY THE WORLD SUPERPOWERS AND A STATELESS OCCUPATION OCCUPIED PEOPLE WITH NO MILITARY IS NOT A WAR, A WAR ON AN OPEN AIR PRISON THAT IS ESSENTIALLY A CONCENTRATION CAMP, ONE WHERE THE OCCUPYING POWER CONTROLS WHAT GOES IN AND OUT LIKE WATER, FOOD AND ELECTRICITY IS NOT GENOCIDE.

GAZA HAS BEEN CUT OFF FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD FOR 16 YEARS, AS ISRAEL HAS TRAPPED OVER 2 MILLION PALESTINIANS IN UNLIVABLE CONDITIONS IN ONE OF THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED AREAS ON EARTH.

WHERE WERE YOUR RESOLUTIONS WHEN THIS WAS HAPPENING? PALESTINIANS HAVE BEEN RESISTING FOR DECADES, USING ANY AND ALL TACTICS TO NO AVAIL.

[02:10:02]

WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO? PALESTINIANS HAVE A LEGAL AND MORAL RIGHT TO RESIST BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY, AND THIS IS AFFIRMED BY THE UN RESOLUTION 3246, WHICH REAFFIRMED TIME.

HELLO, MY NAME IS ALEX TELEKI.

ALEX TELEKI.

I'M A NORTH TEXAS RESIDENT SINCE I WAS THREE YEARS OLD AND A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF NORTH TEXAS.

I'M HERE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE AND THE IMPRISONED PEOPLE OF GAZA, NOW FACING A GENOCIDE TO SPEAK AGAINST MAYOR JOHNSON'S PROPOSED STAND WITH ISRAEL RESOLUTION.

THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE OF GAZA AND THE WEST BANK HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY SUCH SOLIDARITY FROM THIS CITY AS THEY SUFFER UNDER AN APARTHEID SYSTEM, AS THEIR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN ARE KILLED BY THE ISRAELI MILITARY, AND GROTESQUELY DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBERS.

WHEN PALESTINIANS ARE BOMBED WITH WHITE PHOSPHORUS, CRUSHED UNDER COLLAPSING BUILDINGS AND SHOT BY IDF SNIPERS WHILE PEACEFULLY PROTESTING.

WE IN THE UNITED STATES DO NOT RESPOND WITH HORROR AND EMPATHY.

WE IN DALLAS DO NOT PASS RESOLUTIONS IN SOLIDARITY.

THE DEATH OF PALESTINIANS IS TREATED MUCH LIKE MURDERS OF US CIVILIANS BY THE POLICE, SPOKEN OF IN PASSIVE VOICE, A CRIME WITH NO PERPETRATOR IN THE WORDING OF THE US NEWS HEADLINES.

ISRAELIS ARE KILLED.

PALESTINIANS SIMPLY DIE TO PASS A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING UNQUALIFIED SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL, NOW REFERRING TO SO-CALLED UNPROVOKED ATTACKS, AS THOUGH THE ONGOING OPPRESSION AND ROUTINE MURDER OF PALESTINIANS DID NOT EXIST IS TO GRANT CARTE BLANCHE TO THE GENOCIDAL ATTACK ON GAZA UNDERWAY AS WE SPEAK.

GAZA IS RIGHT NOW BEING FLATTENED WITHOUT WITHOUTRILLIONEGARD FOR CIVILIAN CASUALTIES.

AS THE WORLD WATCHES, THE UNITED STATES OUTRIGHT SENDS MONEY AND TROOPS IN SUPPORT.

THE CITY OF DALLAS MUST NOT ADD OUR VOICE IN FURTHER UNQUESTIONING SUPPORT OF THE HARD, RIGHT WING ISRAELI GOVERNMENT'S WAR OF EXTERMINATION.

THE ONLY WAY TO PEACE IN PALESTINE IS THE END OF THE ISRAELI APARTHEID SYSTEM, AND THE END OF US SUPPORT AND FUNDING FOR THIS APARTHEID SYSTEM.

HELLO, MY NAME IS PATRICIA MURPHY.

PATRICIA MURPHY.

I'M A MEMBER OF THE DISTRICT 14.

I'M ALSO BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT SINCE THE EARLY 60S.

WELL, SINCE THE MID 60S, I SHOULD SAY.

WHEN NEIGHBORS AND BROTHERS AND RELATIVES WERE DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY.

AND EVER SINCE 1975, WHEN I WAS INVOLVED WITH VOLUNTEERING WITH OPERATION ORPHAN BABYLIFT IN SAN FRANCISCO, WHERE I WAS LIVING AT THE TIME, I VOLUNTEERED WITH REFUGEE FAMILIES.

I WOULD HAVE EVEN BEEN THERE TODAY VOLUNTEERING, EXCEPT THAT I WANTED TO BE HERE INSTEAD.

SO I'VE SEEN AND HEARD THE DEVASTATION THAT WAR BRINGS THAT IS DONE WHEN INNOCENT VICTIMS ARE KILLED OR OR JUST DISMEMBERED OR WHATEVER ON BOTH SIDES.

AND SO IT'S HEART WRENCHING.

IT'S GUT WRENCHING TO HEAR ALL THESE STORIES TODAY.

BUT I'D LIKE TO DALLAS I'D LIKE THE MAYOR TO THINK ABOUT TAKING PULLING THAT WHOLE PROPOSITION OUT AND INSTEAD IN STATING THE UNIVERSAL INSTEAD OF STATING THAT DALLAS WOULD BE BECOME A CITY OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

THE COUNTY OF DALLAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO DECLARED THEMSELVES A HUMAN RIGHTS CITY IN SUPPORT OF THE UN DECLARATION OF UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS.

WHAT I'M SEEING HERE AND HEARING HERE, IS COUNTLESS STATEMENTS THAT SAY THAT HUMAN RIGHTS ARE BEING VIOLATED.

AND I'M THINKING, OKAY, THAT'S A GIVEN.

WE'RE SEEING THAT ESPECIALLY WITH BLOCKADES IN THE GAZA, THAT WILL CONTINUE.

IT'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF WAR, BUT IT CONTINUES WAR AND IT CONTINUES HAVING INNOCENT VICTIMS DIE.

SO INSTEAD, I'D LIKE TO HAVE OUR CITY SAY, HEY, WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF THE UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS.

WE WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A CITY OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

IMDADUL KARIM NOT PRESENT.

MS ABDUL KARIM.

MR. MAYOR, THIS CONCLUDES YOUR SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM.

[02:15:03]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THANK YOU, EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TODAY TO MAKE THEIR OPINIONS KNOWN.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL RECOGNIZE CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN FOR A MOTION.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MOTION TO ACCEPT THIS RESOLUTION.

THE RESOLUTION HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT SINCE IT'S POSTED.

MAY I READ IT? YOU NEED TO GET A SECOND PORT FIRST.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

SO YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

I BELIEVE I WAS ABLE TO READ THIS WITHOUT USING MY FIVE MINUTES.

IF YOU HAD CHANGED.

THAT SOUNDS RIGHT.

THE PARLIAMENTARIAN SAYS THAT'S CORRECT.

SO GO AHEAD. THANK YOU.

IT SAYS WHEREAS ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2023, DURING THE SACRED JEWISH HOLIDAYS OF SHEMINI ATZERET AND TORAH, HAMAS TERRORISTS LAUNCHED A COORDINATED, UNPROVOKED ATTACK ON ISRAEL FROM THE GAZA STRIP.

AND WHEREAS HAMAS HAS FIRED THOUSANDS OF ROCKETS TOWARDS ISRAEL'S MAJOR POPULATION CENTERS, BREACHED ISRAEL'S BORDERS, INFILTRATED ISRAELI COMMUNITIES AND KIDNAPED CIVILIANS, KILLED HUNDREDS OF ISRAELIS AND WOUNDED THOUSANDS MORE.

AND WHEREAS THIS IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ATTACK ON ISRAEL SINCE THE YOM KIPPUR WAR, WHICH WAS LAUNCHED 50 YEARS AGO AND ONE DAY TO THE DAY OF THE ATTACK.

AND WHEREAS ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU DECLARED THAT ISRAEL IS AT WAR TO DEFEND ITSELF AND ITS CITIZENS AND GAVE THE ORDER TO COMMENCE OPERATION SWORDS OF IRON.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, SECTION ONE, THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS UNEQUIVOCALLY CONDEMNS HAMAS FOR THIS DEPLORABLE AND UNPROVOKED ATTACK ON ISRAEL.

THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS STANDS WITH ISRAEL IN ITS FIGHT AGAINST HAMAS, PRAYS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS, CALLS FOR THE SWIFT RETURN OF ALL HOSTAGES, AND HOPES FOR A LASTING RESOLUTION THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS ATTESTS, AND AFFIXES THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF DALLAS TO THIS RESOLUTION, AND THAT A COPY BE TRANSMITTED TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE, THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER DALLAS, AND THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE OF DALLAS, THAT THIS RESOLUTION SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY FROM AND AFTER ITS PASSAGE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND ITS ACCORDINGLY SO RESOLVED.

YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES IF YOU WANT.

THANK YOU, I DO. THIS IS SO PERSONAL THAT I'M ACTUALLY NOT GOING TO GIVE MY PERSONAL COMMENTS.

USUALLY WHEN YOU QUOTE A PRESIDENT, THE PRESIDENT'S LONG GONE, BUT MY COMMENTS TODAY ACTUALLY BEGIN WITH THE PRESENCE OF JOE BIDEN, DELIVERED YESTERDAY.

IT WAS A REMARKABLE SPEECH, AND I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO LISTEN TO IT IN ITS ENTIRETY.

I WILL READ JUST A PASSAGE, QUOTE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S MOMENTS IN THIS LIFE AND I MEAN THIS LITERALLY WHEN THE PURE, UNADULTERATED EVIL IS UNLEASHED ON THIS WORLD.

THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL LIVED THROUGH ONE SUCH MOMENT THIS WEEKEND, THE BLOODY HANDS OF THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION HAMAS, A GROUP WHOSE STATED PURPOSE IS TO KILL JEWS.

THIS WAS PURE, I'M SORRY, SHEER EVIL.

MORE THAN A THOUSAND CIVILIANS SLAUGHTERED, NOT JUST KILLED, SLAUGHTERED IN ISRAEL.

AMONG THEM, AT LEAST 14 AMERICAN CITIZENS BUTCHERED PARENTS USING THEIR BODIES TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN, STOMACH CHURNING REPORTS OF BABIES BEING KILLED, ENTIRE FAMILIES SLAIN, YOUNG PEOPLE MASSACRED WHILE ATTENDING A MUSIC FESTIVAL TO CELEBRATE PEACE.

TO CELEBRATE PEACE, WOMEN RAPED, ASSAULTED AND PARADED AS TROPHIES.

FAMILIES HID WITH FEAR FOR HOURS AND HOURS, DESPERATELY TRYING TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN QUIET TO AVOID DRAWING ATTENTION AND THOUSANDS OF WOUNDED ALIVE, BUT CARRYING WITH THEM THE BULLET HOLES AND THE SHRAPNEL WOUNDS AND THE MEMORY OF WHAT THEY ENDURED.

YOU KNOW, THESE TRAUMAS NEVER GO AWAY.

THERE'S STILL SO MANY FAMILIES DESPERATELY WAITING TO HEAR OF THE FATE OF THEIR LOVED ONES, NOT KNOWING IF THEY'RE ALIVE OR DEAD OR HOSTAGES, INFANTS IN THEIR MOTHERS ARMS, GRANDPARENTS AND WHEELCHAIRS, HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS ABDUCTED AND HELD HOSTAGE HOSTAGES WHOM HAMAS NOW HAS THREATENED TO EXECUTE IN VIOLATION OF EVERY CODE OF HUMAN MORALITY.

IT'S ABHORRENT.

THE BRUTALITY OF HAMAS, THE BLOODTHIRSTINESS, BRINGS TO MIND THE WORST, THE WORST RAMPAGES OF ISIS.

THIS IS TERRORISM.

AND SADLY FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE, IT'S NOT NEW.

THIS ATTACK HAS BROUGHT TO THE SURFACE PAINFUL MEMORIES AND THE SCARS LEFT BY MILLENNIA OF ANTI-SEMITISM AND GENOCIDE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

SO IN THIS MOMENT, WE MUST BE CRYSTAL CLEAR.

WE STAND WITH ISRAEL.

WE STAND WITH ISRAEL, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE ISRAEL HAS WHAT IT NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF ITS CITIZENS, DEFEND ITSELF, AND RESPOND TO

[02:20:10]

THIS ATTACK.

THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR TERRORISM.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE.

HAMAS DOES NOT STAND FOR THE PALESTINIANS PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO DEFEND, I'M SORRY TO DIGNITY AND SELF DETERMINATION.

ITS STATED PURPOSE IS THE ANNIHILATION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND THE MURDER OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE, END QUOTE, PRESIDENT BIDEN.

THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE SPEECH, AND I KNOW AMERICAN JEWS AND ISRAELI ARE ARE ABSOLUTELY COMFORTED BY THESE STRONG WORDS OF SUPPORT.

AND I THANK OUR PRESIDENT.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR ELECTED LEADERS IN WASHINGTON.

BOTH SENATORS, TEXAS SENATORS, HAVE SAID STRONG WORDS.

OUR TEXAS HOUSE, OUR TEXAS SENATE UNANIMOUSLY VOTED IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL, A GOVERNOR RELEASING ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO SECURE OUR JEWISH INSTITUTIONS IN TEXAS. AND EVEN I WANT TO CALL OUT OUR SPECIAL FRIENDS, SUPPORTERS LIKE CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR ISRAEL, INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS, AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PASSAGES.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE WONDER WHAT THEY MIGHT HAVE DONE DURING THE HOLOCAUST.

IF THEY WERE ALIVE.

WOULD THEY HAVE SPOKEN UP? WOULD THEY HAVE BEEN AFRAID TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THEMSELVES? WOULD THEY HAVE HELPED THE JEW WHO WAS BEING PERSECUTED? WELL, NOW IS THAT MOMENT WHERE YOU'LL FIND OUT WHAT YOUR ANSWER IS.

AND I HOPE YOU'RE THE PERSON WHO WILL STAND UP FOR TERRORISM AND AGAINST EVIL.

I SAID THAT INCORRECTLY.

STAND UP AGAINST TERRORISM AND EVIL.

VERY OFTEN AROUND THIS HORSESHOE.

WE TALK ABOUT OUR DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY.

MY DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY HAS THE LARGEST JEWISH POPULATION IN NORTH TEXAS.

THERE ISN'T ONE PERSON IN MY COMMUNITY THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO THAT DOESN'T HAVE A DIRECT CONNECTION WITH SOMEBODY LIVING IN ISRAEL, WHETHER IT'S A RELATIVE, A FRIEND, A TOURIST, A BUSINESS ASSOCIATE.

THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE.

THESE ARE OUR PEOPLE.

THE STORIES I'VE HEARD HAVE BEEN SO ROUGH, SO PERSONAL, SO TRAGIC.

I CAN'T BRING THEM TO THIS HORSESHOE.

I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THEM PUBLICLY.

I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT UNANIMOUSLY OF THIS RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM 37.

POINT OF ORDER.

YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER, AND YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK AT THIS POINT.

WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF DEBATE.

A POINT OF ORDER CAN BE CALLED DURING DEBATE.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE NOT A MEMBER OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL.

SO PLEASE, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO GO SIT DOWN AT BEST.

CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. MAYOR.

MY HEART IS TRULY BROKEN, NOT ONLY FOR THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, NOT ONLY FOR JEWS OR FOR PALESTINIANS, BUT FOR MANKIND.

THE ATTACKS LAST WEEKEND FROM HAMAS WERE NOTHING SHORT OF TEXTBOOK TERRORISM.

THIS WAS UNPROVOKED, WITH NO WARNING AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS, BUT INSTEAD WAS AN ATTEMPT TO DO HARM TO AS MANY JEWS AS POSSIBLE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE JEWS. MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS WAS NOT ABOUT A TWO STATE SOLUTION.

THIS WAS NOT A RESPONSE TO PAST SETTLEMENTS OR ISRAELI OCCUPATION.

THIS WAS A METHODICALLY PLANNED ATTACK TO CAUSE CARNAGE, FEAR AND SUFFERING OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS, MANY OF WHOM WERE WOKEN TO THIS TERROR FROM THEIR SLEEP.

I UNEQUIVOCALLY CONDEMN THIS ATTACK BY HAMAS.

HAMAS, NOT PALESTINIANS.

WHICH NOT ONLY TOOK SO MANY JEWISH LIVES DIRECTLY, BUT ALSO INDIRECTLY, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SO MANY PALESTINIAN LIVES AS WELL.

I CONDEMN ALL TERRORIST ATTACKS ON ANY CIVILIANS.

WITH THAT SAID, I DO STAND WITH ISRAEL AND SUPPORT THEIR RIGHT TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.

DO YOU SUPPORT TERRORISM? BUT I ALSO STAND WITH THE HUMAN RACE.

NOW, MORE THAN EVER, WE MUST STAND TOGETHER AGAINST ACTS OF HATE AND TERROR.

ALTHOUGH I AM NOT EVER A FAN OF WAR, I KNOW THAT IT IS A REALITY AND UNFORTUNATE ONE.

AND I REMEMBER THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FOR OUR COUNTRY WHEN WE WERE SENSELESSLY ATTACKED ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001.

WE MUST HAVE THE SAME PASSION AND SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL AS THEY FIGHT BACK TO PROTECT THEIR CITIZENS.

LAST SUMMER.

OKAY. HOLD ON. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT ISRAEL.

BAZALDUA. HOLD ON ONE SECOND.

WE'RE GOING TO PAUSE YOUR TIME.

WE'RE GOING TO START CLEARING THE GALLERY OF ANYONE WHO WANTS TO MAKE OUTBURSTS.

WE HAVE WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A DEBATE NOW ON A POLICY MATTER, AND WE'RE ABOUT TO VOTE ON THIS ISSUE.

AND WE NEED YOU GUYS TO LET US DO OUR JOB IF WE HAVE ANY MORE OUTBURSTS.

I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW WE'LL START CLEARING THE GALLERY.

[02:25:01]

OKAY. SO PLEASE, I DON'T CARE WHO'S MAKING THE OUTBURST.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THE NOISE IS COMING FROM BECAUSE I'M PAYING ATTENTION.

BUT WE CAN'T HAVE IT.

THAT'S NOT HOW WE CONDUCT BUSINESS DOWN HERE.

AGAIN, I KNOW SOME FOLKS HAVE NOT WATCHED OUR MEETINGS BEFORE, BUT WE TRY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR BUSINESS AND WE TRY TO ADHERE TO DECORUM HERE.

SO PLEASE WORK WITH ME.

WE DON'T WANT ANYONE TO HAVE TO LEAVE.

WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO SIT THROUGH AND HEAR ALL OF THIS.

BUT IF THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR YOU, THEN DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND JUST LEAVE NOW VOLUNTARILY, BEFORE WE HAVE TO HAVE YOU ESCORTED OUT.

OKAY. THANKS.

LAST SUMMER I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT ISRAEL AND THE WEST BANK.

I VISITED WITH MEMBERS OF THE KNESSET, WHILE ALSO GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH LEADERS AT THE PLO AND PALESTINE.

I ALSO VISITED WITH RESIDENTS OF KIBBUTZ KFAR AZA, WHICH WAS SADLY COMPLETELY WIPED OUT OVER THE LAST THREE DAYS, INCLUDING THE SLAUGHTERING OF OVER 40 JEWISH BABIES.

I LEARNED ABOUT THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE AND FEARS OF THOSE LIVING ON THE BORDER OF THE GAZA STRIP BECAUSE OF HAMAS.

AND LITTLE DID I KNOW, THEIR FEARS WOULD QUICKLY TURN INTO THEIR HELL OF A REALITY.

I WAS IN TEL AVIV AT THE BEACH WHEN ROCKETS WERE RANDOMLY LAUNCHED FOR GAZA WHILE I WAS THERE, BUT INTERCEPTED FROM ISRAEL'S IRON DOME.

THEN I LEARNED FIRSTHAND ABOUT THE ROUTINE SIRENS THAT ISRAELIS EXPERIENCE WITH KNOWN TIMES TO MAKE IT TO A BOMB SHELTER IN TEL AVIV.

WE HAD 1.5 MINUTES, BUT IN KFAR AZA WE HAD.

IMMEDIATELY, I MET WITH SEVERAL NGOS WHOSE MISSIONS ARE TO PROMOTE PEACE BETWEEN ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS, AND EVEN HAD BEERS WITH A RESTAURANT CREW AFTER CLOSING THAT WAS COMPRISED OF PEOPLE FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER.

THEY WERE ALL OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION AND ALL COLLECTIVELY DISCUSSED CONFLICT, FATIGUE AND A HOPE THAT THEIR COUNTRIES WILL ONE DAY GET ALONG LIKE THEIR GENERATION ALREADY DOES.

I TELL THESE STORIES TO PAINT A PICTURE THAT HAMAS DOES NOT STAND FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE, AND THEY ARE NOT RESPONDING TO DECADES OLD CONFLICT OF BORDER POSITIONING AND ISRAEL OCCUPYING PALESTINIAN LAND.

AS SOMEONE WHO IS SECULAR AND NOT BIASED TO ONE RELIGION OVER ANOTHER, I RECALL A SENSE OF PEACE AND EVEN LOVE WHEN I FIRST STEPPED INTO OLD CITY JERUSALEM. THIS IS THE RELIGIOUS MECCA OF OUR ENTIRE WORLD, AND I SAW PEOPLE FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE GLOBE EXCITED TO SEE THE ROOTS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RELIGIONS. IT WAS FASCINATING AND IT RESTORED MY FAITH IN HUMANITY.

AS LEADERS, IT'S ON US TO HELP UNITE PEOPLE AT TIMES LIKE THESE AND NOT FOLLOW AND NOT ALLOW FOR DIVISIONS TO BE PERPETUATED.

I'LL END WITH A SIMPLE, YET PROFOUND QUOTE THAT WAS SAID BY RABBI DAVID STERN LAST NIGHT AT TEMPLE EMANUEL.

WE MUST NOW BE AGENTS OF HOPE, NOT AGENTS OF DESPAIR.

CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM 37.

THANK YOU. MAYOR.

I WANT TO THANK MAYOR JOHNSON FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION TO COUNCIL.

IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE WORLD TO SEE THE UNITED STATES, FROM OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO OUR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS, STAND WITH LIBERAL DEMOCRACIES LIKE ISRAEL AND AGAINST TERRORISM, LIKE HAMAS AROUND THE WORLD.

TO MY COLLEAGUES JAYNIE SCHULTZ AND CARA MENDELSOHN, I THINK THE ENTIRE COUNCIL OWES YOU OUR GRATITUDE AND STANDS WITH YOUR EFFORT TO SUPPORT DALLAS JEWISH AND ISRAELI IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.

I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO STATE, FOR THE RECORD, TO DALLAS PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY THAT THIS RESOLUTION IS NOT AGAINST YOU.

YOU CAME TO DALLAS TO FIND PEACE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

DALLAS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS SHOULD CONTINUE TO VALUE YOU AS NEIGHBORS AND BUSINESS LEADERS, AND REMEMBER THAT YOU BEAR NO FAULT FOR HAMAS ATROCITIES HALF A WORLD AWAY.

FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD TAKE ACTIONS AGAINST ISRAELI, PALESTINIAN, JEWISH OR MUSLIM HOMES, BUSINESSES OR PLACES OF WORSHIP KNOW THAT IT IS A HATE CRIME AND OUR CITY WILL NOT TOLERATE SUCH LOWLY ACTIONS.

AS A COMBAT ARMY VETERAN, I KNOW WHAT THESE TYPES OF WARS CREATE A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.

I WOULD ASK THAT AFTER WE APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE REACH OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DALLAS TO WELCOME REFUGEES ISRAELI, PALESTINIAN, JEWISH, MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN TO OUR CITY.

WHAT'S THE POINT OF WORKING TOWARDS A SAFE AND ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT CITY IF WE CAN'T SHARE IT WITH THOSE MOST IN NEED? THANK YOU. CHAIRWOMAN SCHULTZ, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

ITEM 37.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I KNEW OUR CITY WOULD RESPOND WITHOUT HESITATION.

AND I THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, FOR RUNNING TOWARD THIS IMPORTANT STATEMENT THAT MAKES ME SO PROUD.

[02:30:02]

AND I THANK MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED WHO WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE RALLY LAST NIGHT.

I WANT TO TAKE MY TIME TODAY TO HELP YOU SEE HOW INCREDIBLY PERSONAL THIS IS.

YOU SEE, I'M AN ISRAELI CITIZEN AND AS MY AS IS MY HUSBAND AND ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, OUR FIRST CHILD WAS BORN THERE, AND WE HAVE HUNDREDS AND FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO LIVE THERE. THERE ARE FEW JEWS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHO ARE MORE THAN ONE DEGREE SEPARATED FROM RESIDENTS OF ISRAEL.

ASK ANY OF US AND WE'LL TELL YOU STORIES OF OUR CONNECTION.

MANY OF US HAVE BEEN THERE AND UNDERSTAND THIS AND UNDERSTAND THIS IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

AS A RESULT, YOU KNOW THAT EVERY DAY OF SURVIVAL FOR ISRAEL IS A STEP FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE HOLOCAUST.

THE US TURNED US AWAY.

ALMOST EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD MADE IT CLEAR THAT JEWISH REFUGEES FROM THE NAZI REGIME WERE NOT WELCOME.

FROM THE ORIGINAL ASHES OF THE ROMAN EXILE 2000 YEARS AGO TO THE REBIRTH IN 1948, JEWS AROUND THE WORLD HAD NO HOME OF OUR OWN AND WERE CONSTANTLY AT RISK OF INQUISITION, EXILE AND DEATH.

AFTER THE UN DECLARED A TWO STATE SOLUTION IN 1947, THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP ACCEPTED THE OFFER AND THE ARAB LEADERS REJECTED IT.

AFTER WORLD WAR TWO, ISRAEL WAS CREATED AT THE SAME TIME AS INDIA, PAKISTAN, NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA, LEBANON, JORDAN, IRAQ, CHINA, EAST AND WEST GERMANY, AND OTHERS. TO THIS DAY, ONLY ISRAEL REMAINS THREATENED, DESPITE BEING THE ONLY DEMOCRACY IN THE ENTIRE MIDDLE EAST.

WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED SATURDAY MORNING.

WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THAT THE BRUTALITY OF HAMAS IN ATTACKING OLD PEOPLE, THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, ALL THE PEOPLE WE'VE MENTIONED BEFORE TAKES AWAY MY ABILITY TO SAY, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PALESTINIANS? NOTHING JUSTIFIES THIS BEHAVIOR.

NOTHING. A MILITARY WAR DOES NOT PROVOKE OUTRAGE.

INHUMANITY DOES THAT HERE AROUND THE HORSESHOE.

WE WORK TIRELESSLY TO REPAIR THE INJUSTICE DONE TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND OTHER PEOPLE IN DALLAS WHO WERE DEHUMANIZED AND DISALLOWED FROM PARTAKING IN THE GROWTH AND BOUNTY OF THIS CITY.

NOW WE WORK TIRELESSLY TO HELP EVERYONE PARTICIPATE AND HAVE EQUAL AND EQUITY.

NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND.

THIS RESOLUTION IS NOT ABOUT THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

IT IS ABOUT THEIR LEADERS AND THE WILLINGNESS OF THOSE MONSTERS TO MURDER INNOCENT JEWS AND PUT THEIR OWN FELLOW MUSLIMS AT RISK.

WE HAVE RECEIVED EMAILS AND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS FROM PEOPLE CLAIMING THE WHAT ABOUT ARGUMENT AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION? WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DAMAGED FOR 75 YEARS BY NOT HAVING A STATE OF THEIR OWN? WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THAT ISRAEL HANDED OVER GAZA AS A PEACE OFFERING, ALONG WITH 21 SETTLEMENTS, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN GREENHOUSES AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES. WITH THE OFFER OF ASSISTANCE IN PARTNERSHIP.

INSTEAD, THEY ELECTED HAMAS.

IT'S TRUE THAT ISRAEL SUCCEEDED.

IN FACT, IF YOU USE WAYS I FIREWALLS, DRIP IRRIGATION AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER ISRAELI INVENTED PRODUCTS, YOU WILL SEE THE SUCCESS OF A COUNTRY WHO CHOSE TO INVEST IN HER OWN PEOPLE.

AT THE SAME TIME, NEITHER HAMAS NOR THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY HAVE WORKED TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THEIR PEOPLE.

IT'S TRUE THAT ISRAEL HAS MADE MANY MISTAKES REGARDING THE PALESTINIANS.

MANY OF US EMPATHIZE, SUPPORT AND BELONG TO ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE WORKING TOWARD BETTER LIVES FOR PALESTINIANS AND EVEN CRITICIZE ISRAEL FOR NOT CREATING AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.

BUT SATURDAY CHANGED EVERYTHING.

THERE IS NO COMPARISON HERE.

NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING JUSTIFIES THE POGROM THAT HAMAS PERPETRATED.

NOTHING. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING JUSTIFIES THE RAMPANT ANTI-SEMITISM ON DISPLAY IN OTHER CITIES, IN OUR SCHOOLS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, HERE IN DALLAS AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

NO OTHER PEOPLE MUST SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR SIMPLY TO SECURE THEIR SCHOOLS AND PLACES OF WORSHIP.

HERE IN DALLAS, NO OTHER PEOPLE IS MET AT THE DOOR OF THEIR PLACE OF WORSHIP WITH AN ASSAULT RIFLE CARRYING SECURITY GUARD.

I PRAY FOR THE SAFE RETURN OF THE HOSTAGE AND THE FEWEST NUMBER OF CASUALTIES IN THIS WAR.

I PRAY THAT AS MANY INNOCENT GAZANS ARE ALLOWED TO ENTER EGYPT WHILE ISRAEL ELIMINATES HAMAS.

FOR ALL OF OUR SAKES.

I PRAY THAT THOSE WHO ARE DEDICATED TO BETTER LIVES FOR PALESTINIANS DO NOT MISTAKE INNOCENT JEWS FOR MILITANTS ANY MORE THAN THEY WANT US TO MISTAKE THEM FOR HAMAS. THEY SAY THAT JEWS ARE THE CANARIES IN THE COAL MINE AS ABUSE TOWARD US GOES, SO IT GOES TO OTHER PEOPLE.

WE SAW THAT WITH THE PROTESTS OUTSIDE THE CATHEDRAL OF HOPE HERE IN DALLAS.

WE SEE THAT WITH THE GROWING ANTI-SEMITISM AROUND THE WORLD, WHO IS NEXT? IF WE DO NOT STAND UP LOUDLY AND PROUDLY, THERE IS NO.

TELLING WHO'S NEXT.

WE OWE IT TO OUR CHILDREN TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO STOP BULLIES, WHEREVER AND WHOEVER THEY ARE.

AS WE NOD IN AGREEMENT, PLEASE KNOW THAT THE MURDER OF JEWS IN PALESTINE.

I'M JUST ABOUT FINISHED AND SORRY, IN PITTSBURG, CALIFORNIA.

[02:35:03]

AND THE ATTEMPT HERE IN COLLIERVILLE IS SIMPLY AN EXTENSION OF ANY HATE WE ALLOW.

PLEASE STAND BY YOUR JEWISH FRIENDS HERE AND FOLLOW.

AS GOLDA MEIR FAMOUSLY SAID, THIS WILL ONLY END WHEN THEY LOVE THEIR CHILDREN MORE THAN THEY HATE US.

PLEASE SUPPORT DEMOCRACY IN ISRAEL.

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM 37.

YOU SAID SOME WORDS LAST NIGHT AT TEMPLE EMANUEL THAT REALLY RESONATED WITH ME, WHICH WAS EVIL IS EVIL.

AND YOUR SPEECH LAST NIGHT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST I HEARD YOU EVER GIVE, SIMPLY BECAUSE IT CAME FROM YOUR HEART.

AND WHEN WE SPEAK FROM OUR HEART, YOU REALLY GET A SENSE OF WHAT PEOPLE FEEL.

TODAY. I HAVE HEARD FROM TWO SIDES OF PEOPLE THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND PEOPLE, PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

HAMAS IS NOT PALESTINE.

PALESTINE IS PALESTINE.

AND THE PEOPLE HERE THAT I SEE THAT ARE PALESTINIAN, I SEE PALESTINIANS.

THE JEWISH PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE.

I SEE ISRAELIS, I SEE JEWISH PEOPLE, BUT I DON'T SEE TERRORIST GROUPS IN HERE.

I SEE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A VERY, VERY ROOTED DIFFERENCE IN WHAT I'M HEARING IS AN AGE OLD ISSUE.

WE'VE HEARD 75 YEARS, HUNDREDS OF YEARS, THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE IT WITH A RESOLUTION TODAY.

BUT WHAT WE ARE HERE ABOUT TODAY IS ABOUT TERRORISTIC ATTACKS ON REGULAR, EVERYDAY HUMAN BEINGS LIKE YOU AND I, AND I COULD NOT FATHOM FROM THE STORIES THAT I HEARD LAST NIGHT, AND THAT I'VE SEEN ON THE NEWS, THAT SOMEBODY WERE TO WALK UP TO MY TO MY PARENTS AND MY KIDS AND MY NEPHEWS HOMES AND RIPPING MY NIECES AND NEPHEWS OUT OF THEIR HOMES.

HOW DO ANY OF US SAY THAT THAT IS OKAY? NO YOU CAN'T.

AND SO THIS RESOLUTION TODAY IS NOT ABOUT IS NOT ABOUT.

PALESTINE, OR ABOUT ANYTHING AGAINST ANY DECENT, REGULAR HUMAN BEING THAT LIVES ON THIS PLANET, THAT BELIEVES IN PEACE AND WORKING TOGETHER AND SPEAKING WITH EACH OTHER, SUPPORTING GENOCIDE.

AND SO, MR. MAYOR, YOU KNOW, HAMAS IS EVIL.

WHEN YOU SET UP TO DESTROY A PERSON BECAUSE OF SIMPLY WHO THEY ARE.

THAT IS EVIL. SEE I'M AN OPENLY GAY PERSON.

AND I DON'T GET TO JUST WALK ANYWHERE IN THIS WORLD AND THIS PLANET AND GET TO BE WHO I AM, AUTHENTICALLY AND FREE.

THERE ARE LAWS IN SOME COUNTRIES THAT IF I WAS THERE AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT I WAS GAY, THAT I WOULD BE EXECUTED. THERE ARE PLACES IN THIS WORLD WHERE YOU JUST DON'T GET TO BE WHO YOU ARE BECAUSE OF LAWS, AND THOSE ARE WRONG.

THE UNITED STATES WERE NOT PERFECT.

JUST RECENTLY, LATINAS AND LATINOS WHO ARE TRYING TO GET TO THIS COUNTRY HAD THEIR CHILDREN RIPPED OUT OF THEIR ARMS AND PUT INTO CAGES BY OUR OWN GOVERNMENT.

SO I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.

I KNOW THE ATROCITIES WHEN NOBODY STANDS WITH YOU OR FOR YOU.

I HAVE BEEN LUCKY.

BLESSED EVEN.

TO HAVE A WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT WORKED WITH ME.

SO TO YOU ALL THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY WITH THIS VOTE TODAY, PLEASE DON'T QUIT COMING TO TALK TO US.

I CALL MAYOR. MR. MAYOR, PLEASE LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO ANOTHER RESOLUTION THAT CALLS FOR PEACE, THAT CALLS FOR US WORKING TOGETHER, THAT CALLS FOR US UNITING.

BECAUSE WHEN WE STAY UNITED AND WE WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN UNDERSTAND OUR DIFFERENCES AND UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER BETTER.

[02:40:06]

WE HAVE TO CALL FOR PEACE.

WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER TO ANYTHING.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY IS WHAT WE ARE FORCED TO DO WHEN ACTIONS ARE SO HEINOUS THAT YOU MUST PROTECT YOURSELF.

MR. MAYOR, DALLAS IS A WELCOMING CITY.

I HATE THAT WE'RE HERE, BUT HAMAS CAN NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO ATTACK AND TERRORIZE THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.

I WILL STAND IN FAVOR AND VOTE FOR THIS RESOLUTION.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 37 AND THE OCCUPATION? RECORD VOTE PLEASE.

STOP FUNDING ISRAEL.

I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST THE RESOLUTION.

I'LL JUST SAY THIS IN CONCLUSION BEFORE WE GO, WE'LL HAVE A RECORD VOTE.

I OBVIOUSLY INTRODUCE THE RESOLUTION, SO IT'S NOT A SURPRISE THAT I'M IN FAVOR OF IT.

THAT'S NOT NEWS TO ANYONE.

AND PEOPLE HAVE HEARD ME SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT THIS, BUT NOT EVERYONE WHO IS IN THIS ROOM TODAY HAS HEARD ME SAY THIS.

I'LL SAY THIS IN SUMMARY.

I THINK THE OPERATIVE PART OF THIS RESOLUTION IS SECTION TWO.

I'LL DIRECT EVERYONE'S ATTENTION TO IT AND I'LL JUST READ IT.

IT SAYS THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS STANDS WITH ISRAEL IN ITS FIGHT AGAINST HAMAS.

PRAISE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS.

CALLS FOR THE SWIFT RETURN OF ALL HOSTAGES AND HOPES FOR A LASTING RESOLUTION.

THAT'S THE OPERATIVE LANGUAGE OF THE RESOLUTION.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR WHAT IT.

DOES. I BELIEVE EVERY WORD OF THAT.

I STAND FOR EVERY WORD OF THAT.

AND IT'S REALLY JUST THAT SIMPLE FOR ME.

IF SOMEONE HAS AN ISSUE WITH.

BEING AGAINST.

HAMAS. OR PRAYING FOR PEOPLE.

FOR THOSE JUST AS THOSE WHO'VE LOST FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS, OR IS AGAINST THE SWIFT RETURN OF HOSTAGES.

OR IS AGAINST A LASTING RESOLUTION TO THIS SITUATION.

THEN. THEN OKAY, THEN WE ARE JUST ON DIFFERENT, WE'RE ON DIFFERENT PAGES AND WE NEED TO PRAY ABOUT THAT AND WORK ON THAT AND TRY TO GET THROUGH THAT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LIVE TOGETHER HERE IN DALLAS.

LIKE I LOVE EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM.

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM.

BUT I DO HAVE A PROBLEM I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH.

HAMAS. WHAT ARE WE SAYING HERE? KIDNAPING CIVILIANS.

AND KILLING HUNDREDS OF ISRAELIS.

IT SAYS IN THE WHEREAS IS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT I THINK IS A VERY CLEAR.

EVIL PERPETUATED BY A PARTICULAR GROUP.

THE GROUP THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE RESOLUTION.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A BIGGER GEOPOLITICAL DEBATE THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG, LONG TIME THAT SOME PEOPLE WANT TO USE THIS RESOLUTION AS A PROXY FOR.

THAT'S NOT WHAT THE RESOLUTION SAYS.

SO IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH WHAT THE RESOLUTION SAYS, THEN I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH YOU.

AND WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION CIVILLY AND IN LOVE.

ANYTIME YOU'D LIKE TO, BUT WHAT THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL IS VOTING ON TODAY ARE THE WORDS OF THIS RESOLUTION THAT DEALS WITH WHAT I JUST SAID IN SECTION TWO.

AGAINST HAMAS.

I'M READING KEY WORDS.

PRAY FOR THOSE WHO'VE LOST FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS.

SWIFT RETURN OF ALL HOSTAGES AND HOPES FOR A LASTING RESOLUTION.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.

IF IN YOUR MIND WE'RE VOTING ON SOMETHING DIFFERENT, THEN THAT'S JUST WHAT IT IS, IT'S IN YOUR MIND.

BUT WE ARE VOTING ON A PIECE OF PAPER THAT HAS WORDS ON IT THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT FOR US TO SAY AS A CITY ABOUT WHAT WE STAND FOR.

AND WITH THAT, MADAM SECRETARY, WE'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL.

[02:45:04]

VOTE. IT'S BEEN REQUESTED.

WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE STATE YES IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR.

NO, IF YOU OPPOSE.

MAYOR JOHNSON.

YES. MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS.

YES. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM.

ARNOLD. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER WEST.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ IS ABSENT WHEN VOTE TAKEN.

MORENO. YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER. GRACIE.

COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER.

NARVAEZ. YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER. BAZALDUA.

BLACKMON. COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART.

YES. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULTZ.

COUNCILMEMBER. MENDELSOHN.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS.

COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY. YES, WITHOUT 14 MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING IN FAVOR, ONE ABSENT VOTE TAKEN.

THIS ITEM PASSES.

MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I'LL ALLOW A LITTLE TIME FOR THE GALLERY TO CLEAR OUT.

THE OUTBURSTS ARE STILL NOT APPROPRIATE.

THEY'RE STILL NOT APPROPRIATE.

BUT I'LL LET THE GALLERY CLEAR.

AND WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF, I THINK.

DO WE HAVE ANY MORE ITEMS TO TAKE UP BEFORE WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? MR. MAYOR, THERE ARE NO FURTHER ITEMS FOR THIS SESSION.

OKAY. WELL, THEN IT IS 12:08 P.M.

[EXECUTIVE SESSION]

ON OCTOBER 11TH, 2023, AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WILL NOW GO INTO CLOSED SESSION UNDER SECTION 551 .071 OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT ON THE FOLLOWING MATTER DESCRIBED ON TODAY'S AGENDA. LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO THE LAWSUIT STYLED VICKI TIMPA AT ALL VERSUS DUSTIN DILLARD AT ALL.

AND WE WILL RECONVENE AT 1 P.M..

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

AS MEMBERS GET BACK TO THEIR SEATS.

IT'S 1:21 P.M.

ON OCTOBER 11TH.

ACTUALLY, THE LET ME READ THIS REQUIRED LANGUAGE.

FIRST, THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS A COMPLETE IT'S A CLOSED SESSION UNDER SECTION 551 .071 OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

AND NOW, AT 1:21 P.M.

ON OCTOBER 11TH, 2023, WE'VE RETURNED TO OPEN SESSION.

MADAM SECRETARY.

MR. MAYOR, AT THIS TIME, COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA WOULD LIKE TO BE RECOGNIZED ON ITEM Z FOR CHAIRMAN BASIL, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR A MOTION.

[Z4. 23-2122 A public hearing to receive comments regarding an application for and an ordinance granting a Planned Development District for WMU-5 Walkable Urban Mixed Use District uses on property zoned an IR Industrial/Research District, on the southwest line of South Haskell Avenue, southeast of Interstate 30 Recommendation of Staff: Approval, subject to a Frontage and Open Space Exhibit and conditions Recommendation of CPC: Approval, subject to a Frontage and Open Space Exhibit and conditions Z212-287(MP)]

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ZONING CHANGE AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION WITH THE FOLLOWING CHANGE.

THE SUP EXPIRES IN TWO YEARS WITH NO AUTO RENEWAL.

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIRMAN? VERY BRIEFLY.

YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THE APPLICANT FOR DOING THEIR PART TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND TO HEARING AND COMMITTING TO SOME UPGRADES THAT CAN HELP US GO FORWARD.

I LOOK FORWARD TO IT BEING A LONGER SUP THE NEXT TIME IT COMES UP, WHICH IS WHY I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S COMING BACK WHEN I'M STILL HERE.

BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S A COLLABORATION WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND BEING WILLING TO ALLOW THIS PROCESS TO BE A TRUE TOOL FOR OVERSIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WILL YOU REMIND WHAT NUMBER THAT ONE WAS? ZZ4. 4Z4.

NO, THAT WAS Z1Z1.

OKAY. NO.

ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST THE MOTION? NO. POINT OF INFORMATION.

WHICH ITEM IS THIS? IT WAS Z ONE.

I'M TOLD IT'S Z ONE.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

4Z4Z4 IS DEFERRAL.

I'M TOLD IS A DEFERRAL.

OH, YEAH, I HAVE A DEFERRAL.

OH, WE NEED TO DO THAT DEFERRAL Z FIRST.

NO, NO, WE DIDN'T CALL Z FOUR.

YEAH OKAY. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, SO I HEARD I, I HEARD THE CITY SECRETARY SAY Z ONE.

SO SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU DIDN'T, BUT THAT'S WHAT I HEARD.

ALL RIGHT. SO IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION TO HIM WITHDRAWING THAT MOTION AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW THAT MOTION.

MR. MAYOR, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? I DON'T HEAR ANY.

SO IT'S SO ORDERED. SO WE'RE GOING TO BACK UP AND YOU'RE GOING TO DO YOUR DEFERRAL FIRST.

I MOVE TO DEFER THIS ITEM UNTIL NOVEMBER 8TH, 2023.

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

AND THIS IS ITEM Z44 OKAY.

ITEM Z FOUR. THE MOTION IS TO DEFER.

IT'S BEEN SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIRMAN ON THIS. YES I JUST FIVE MINUTES ON THE DEFERRAL TO JUST HAVE YOU ALL SUPPORT TO DEFER THIS.

I'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH THE GROUP HOPING THAT THIS PROJECT WILL BE COMING BACK WITH SOME EXCITEMENT TO PASS AS A PFC DEAL.

THEY NEED TO GET IN FRONT OF THE PFC BOARD FIRST.

THIS WAS A DEAL THAT FIRST CAME UP IN FRONT OF US AS A 10% AFFORDABILITY, AND THEY'VE BEEN MORE THAN WILLING TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT MAINTAINING MORE AFFORDABILITY IN THE AREA AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT ADDITION TO SOUTH DALLAS.

SO I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO THIS COMING BACK WITH WITH MORE CONTEXT.

THANK YOU. MR. MAYOR. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THE MOTION BY MR. BAZALDUA? I DON'T SEE ANY.

SO ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

[02:50:02]

ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. THE MOTION PREVAILS.

ITEM IS DEFERRED. MADAM SECRETARY.

GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. NOW WE'LL MOVE TO YOUR ZONING CONSENT AGENDA.

[ZONING CASES - CONSENT]

YOUR ZONING CONSENT AGENDA CONSISTED OF ITEMS Z ONE AND Z TWO.

ITEM Z ONE IS BEING PULLED BY COUNCILMEMBER BAZALDUA.

THEREFORE, YOUR ZONING CONSENT AGENDA CONSISTS OF ITEM JUST ITEM Z TWO.

I'LL READ THAT ITEM INTO THE RECORD.

Z TWO IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A-3, A TOWNHOUSE SUB DISTRICT, AND A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE DEED RESTRICTIONS VOLUNTEERED BY THE APPLICANT ON

[Z2. 23-2500 A public hearing to receive comments regarding an application for and an ordinance granting a TH-3(A) Townhouse Subdistrict and a resolution accepting the deed restrictions volunteered by the applicant on property zoned an R-5(A) Single Family Subdistrict within Planned Development District No. 595, the South Dallas/Fair Park Special Purpose District, on the west corner of Hancock Street and Wellington Street Recommendation of Staff: Approval, subject to deed restrictions volunteered by the applicant Recommendation of CPC: Approval, subject to deed restrictions volunteered by the applicant Z223-190(LG)]

PROPERTY ON THE WEST CORNER OF HANCOCK STREET IN WELLINGTON STREET, YOU DO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, AFTER WHICH WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS.

NEIL DECIDED TO SAY HE'D BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.

HELLO. HI, I'M NEIL DESAI.

I'M WITH DALLAS GROUP.

I BELIEVE ALL QUESTIONS AND DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, SO I'M JUST HERE AS A FORMALITY.

IF THERE ARE ANY LAST MINUTE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, I'M HERE TO ANSWER THEM.

THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ZONING CONSENT? ITEM Z TWO.

NO FURTHER SPEAKERS, MR. MAYOR. IS THERE A MOTION? IS WHO MADE THE ORIGINAL MOTION.

I NEED A CONSENT.

SO SO MY SECOND IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND IS THERE.

THIS IS WE'RE ON THE OKAY GUYS.

WE'RE ON THE ZONING CONSENT AGENDA.

WE NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

WE HAVE THAT. NOW IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION HEARING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? THE ZONING CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED.

NEXT ITEM.

WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM Z ONE.

[Z1. 23-2499 A public hearing to receive comments regarding an application for and an ordinance granting an amendment to Specific Use Permit No. 2215 for the sale of alcoholic beverages in conjunction with a general merchandise or food store 3,500 square feet or less on property zoned an RR-D-1 Regional Retail District with a D-1 Liquor Control Overlay, on the southwest corner of North Jim Miller Road and East R.L. Thornton Freeway Recommendation of Staff: Approval for a three-year period, subject to revised conditions Recommendation of CPC: Approval for a three-year period, subject to revised conditions Z223-151(LG)]

ITEM Z ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING AN AMENDMENT TO SPECIFIC USE PERMIT NUMBER 2215 FOR THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN CONJUNCTION WITH A GENERAL MERCHANDISE OR FOOD STORE 3500FT² OR LESS ON PROPERTY ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF NORTH JIM MILLER ROAD AND EAST R.L.

THORNTON FREEWAY.

MAYOR. I'M SORRY, MR. MAYOR. WE SENT 20 NOTICES TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 300FT OF THE AREA OF REQUEST.

WE RECEIVED ZERO REPLIES IN FAVOR AND ZERO REPLIES IN OPPOSITION.

THERE ARE NO REGISTERED SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM.

ARE THERE ANY INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ITEM Z ONE? NO SPEAKERS, MR. MAYOR.

IS THERE A MOTION ON ITEM Z ONE? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ZONING CASE AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION, WITH THE FOLLOWING CHANGE.

ESSER EXPIRES IN TWO YEARS WITH NO AUTO RENEWALS.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? OKAY, GREAT. CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

JUST A QUESTION.

I MEAN, AND I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS.

I'LL SUPPORT MY COLLEAGUE ON THIS.

BUT IT'S THESE STEPS FOR THESE BUSINESSES.

I MEAN, THIS IS IT IS A HUGE UNDERTAKING TO FILE, RENEW AND SHOP THAT IT TAKES SIX MONTHS TO NINE MONTHS TO GO THROUGH IT.

I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE ME YOUR REASONING.

I'M GOING TO SUPPORT YOU. BUT IT'S JUST THEY'RE BASICALLY GOING TO BE BACK IN A YEAR TO ASK FOR A RENEWAL AGAIN WITH A HUGE COST.

SO. I MEAN, THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION, MR. WEST. I GUESS I GUESS I'M JUST MY MY POINT MOVING FORWARD IS I THINK WE WE OVERREGULATE IN SOME OF THESE SUPS AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST I'LL SPEAK FOR MY DISTRICT ON THIS, THAT IF WE HAVE A GOOD OPERATOR, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE WELCOME IN DISTRICT ONE TO COME DOWN HERE BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE IN PUTTING YOU THROUGH THE, THE, THE WRINGER, YOU KNOW, SO TO SPEAK, ON, ON GOING THROUGH A NEW RENEWAL EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST Z ONE? YES, MR. MAYOR. SORRY, CHAIRMAN.

NARVAEZ RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK THANK YOU. I'M SORRY.

I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN USED TO THESE TWO THINGS.

I DON'T KNOW WHY I CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT.

UM, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU. I'M STANDING, AND I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTING MR. BAZALDUA MOTION.

ESPECIALLY WHEN THE TWO YEAR SUP.

WHEN THERE'S NEW BUSINESSES COMING IN OR THE COMMUNITY HAS ALREADY WORKED WITH.

THERE WAS A PUBLIC MEETING FOR THIS.

THE RESIDENTS ASKED FOR IT, AND THE APPLICANT IS OBVIOUSLY AGREED TO IT.

I DON'T SEE IT AS AN OVERREGULATION OF BUSINESSES.

I SEE IT MORE AS A PARTNERSHIP.

AND SOMETIMES YOU JUST IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT NEW BUSINESS OR THAT GROUP COMING INTO WE'VE DONE THE TWO YEAR SUP QUITE OFTEN IN DISTRICT SIX.

AND YES, THEY DO HAVE TO COME BACK QUICKLY, BUT IN THAT YEAR'S TIME, THAT BUSINESS GETS TO PROVE TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE RESIDENTS, AND THEN WE BASICALLY GIVE THEM LIKE BONUS TIME BECAUSE OF THEM DOING THE TWO YEAR INSTEAD OF DOING JUST ANOTHER TWO YEAR, WE'LL DO LIKE 4 OR 5 YEARS IN ORDER TO HELP THEM OUT.

SO I SEE THIS AS A GOOD THING.

I DON'T SEE IT AS A NEGATIVE, YOU KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME FOLKS ARE VERY IN TUNE WITH MAKING SURE BUSINESSES CAN DO ALMOST WHATEVER, ANYTHING THEY WANT.

[02:55:09]

BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I CAN STAND FOR, ESPECIALLY WHEN RESIDENTS HAD A PUBLIC MEETING.

YOU KNOW, THEY SPOKE OUT IN PUBLIC AT THAT PUBLIC MEETING AND MADE SURE DURING THAT PUBLIC MEETING THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY WANTED.

SO I'LL BE STANDING IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, BECAUSE I WANT TO STAND WITH THE RESIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC MEETING.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. CHAIRMAN BASIL DULY RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. I'LL JUST SAY THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ, FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON IT.

AND JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE.

I THINK THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE DEALS ON WHY OUR SINGLE MEMBER FORM OF GOVERNMENT IS SO IMPORTANT.

I HAVE A DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCY THAN YOU DO, AND I ALSO HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

AND AND QUITE HONESTLY, I'VE HAD A LONG HISTORY OF COMPLACENCY OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SAT IN MY SEAT AND WITHOUT UTILIZING TOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN AFFORDED TO US TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE OVERSIGHT AND TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR BUSINESS OWNERS, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SOMEWHAT OF A FREE FOR ALL, THEN WE ARE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF REALLY MAKING ZONING CASE THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS REALLY ABOUT.

AND IF WE HAVE SOME NUISANCE ABATEMENT, THAT IS NOT AT THE FAULT OF THE APPLICANT.

BUT AGAIN, A COMBINATION OF DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES, WHAT I'VE EXPRESSED TO THE APPLICANT AND WHAT I WILL ALWAYS BE COMMITTED TO DO IS TO WORK WITH THEM, SEE HOW THE CITY CAN ASSIST IN BRINGING IN MORE RESOURCES AS WELL TO COMBAT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP AT THIS PLACE.

I ACTUALLY LIVE ABOUT A QUARTER MILE AWAY FROM THIS LOCATION, SO I FREQUENT IT OFTEN MYSELF AND PERSONALLY HAVE SOME ISSUES THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE GET RESOLVED AS WELL.

AND SO I DO HAVE THAT COMMITMENT FROM THIS APPLICANT.

THIS ISN'T ABOUT A TIT FOR TAT OR MAKING YOU JUMP THROUGH HOOPS.

THIS IS ABOUT, AGAIN, UTILIZING THE TOOLS THAT ARE AFFORDED TO US.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WITH THE UNIQUE CONSTITUENCIES THAT WE HAVE FOR US TO USE THESE TOOLS WHEN NECESSARY.

SO I WOULD APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FROM THE COUNCIL.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST Z ONE? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? EYES HAVE IT. NEXT ITEM PLEASE.

ITEM Z THREE IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT FOR MU DASH THREE MIXED USE DISTRICT USES AND A VEHICLE

[Z3. 23-2501 A public hearing to receive comments regarding an application for and an ordinance granting a Planned Development District for MU-3 Mixed Use District uses and a vehicle display, sales, and service use on property zoned an MU-3 Mixed Use District, on the north line of West Northwest Highway, east of Shady Trail Recommendation of Staff: Approval, subject to a development plan and staff’s recommended conditions Recommendation of CPC: Approval, subject to a development plan and conditions with changes Z223-178(LG)]

DISPLAY. SALES AND SERVICE USE ON PROPERTY ON THE NORTH LINE OF WEST NORTHWEST HIGHWAY.

EAST OF SHADY TRAIL.

MISTER MAYOR, WE SENT 25 NOTICES TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 500FT OF THE AREA OF REQUEST.

WE RECEIVED ONE REPLY IN FAVOR AND ZERO REPLIES IN OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST.

THERE ARE NO REGISTERED SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM.

ARE THERE ANY INDIVIDUALS? I SEE AN INDIVIDUAL COMING FORWARD? YOU'LL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

TOMMY MAN 500 WINSTEAD BUILDING, REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT.

THE SITE IS OWNED BY THE AVONDALE DEALERSHIPS, WHICH RUN THE EXISTING MASERATI, ROLLS-ROYCE AND ASTON MARTIN DEALERSHIP THAT'S ON THE STREET.

THIS WILL BE A SMALL EXPANSION RELATED TO THAT DEALERSHIP.

WE WORKED WITH. THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON TREE PRESERVATION AND PLANNING ISSUES RECEIVED THE UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.

WE ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE SHOPPING THERE.

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

MR. MAYOR, IS THERE A MOTION ON ITEM? WHAT IS THIS ZZ3? YES. MR. MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ZONING CHANGE AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION.

IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIRMAN? NO, SIR.

ANY DISCUSSION? ANYONE HEARING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE EYES HAVE IT. NEXT ITEM.

Z5Z5 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR A HANDICAPPED GROUP DWELLING UNIT AND A RESOLUTION

[Z5. 23-2123 A public hearing to receive comments regarding an application for and an ordinance granting a Specific Use Permit for a handicapped group dwelling unit and a resolution terminating Specific Use Permit No. 552 for a foster home use on property zoned an R-5(A) Single Family District, on the southeast line of Prosperity Avenue, west of Stanley Smith Drive Recommendation of Staff: Approval of a Specific Use Permit for a handicapped group dwelling unit for a five-year period with eligibility for automatic renewals for additional five-year periods, subject to a site plan and conditions; and approval of the termination of Specific Use Permit No. 552 for a foster home Recommendation of CPC: Approval of a Specific Use Permit for a handicapped group dwelling unit for a five-year period with eligibility for automatic renewals for additional five-year periods, subject to a site plan and conditions; and approval of the termination of Specific Use Permit No. 552 for a foster home Z223-130(JM) Note: This item was deferred by the City Council before opening the public hearing on August 9, 2023 and is scheduled for consideration on October 11, 2023.]

TERMINATING SPECIFIC USE PERMIT NUMBER 552 FOR A FOSTER HOME.

USE ON PROPERTY ON THE SOUTH EAST LINE OF PROSPERITY AVENUE, WEST OF STANLEY SMITH DRIVE.

MISTER MAYOR, WE SENT 49 NOTICES TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 300FT OF THE AREA OF REQUEST.

WE RECEIVED ZERO REPLIES IN FAVOR AND ONE REPLY IN OPPOSITION DUE TO 20% OPPOSITION.

THE ITEM REQUIRES A THREE QUARTERS VOTE TO PASS.

YOU DO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM PHILIP BANGS.

MR. BANKS.

OKAY, BANKS, WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW.

YOU MAY CONTINUE. HELLO, I'M PHILIP BARNES, OWNER AND REPRESENTATIVE OF 2826 BERRY AVENUE, DALLAS, TEXAS.

75216. I'M HERE ASKING FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE SOUP TO BE DROPPED

[03:00:10]

FOR FOSTER HOME, AND THEN HAVE A SOUP ADDED FOR THE HANDICAPPED GROUP DWELLING FOR A FIVE YEAR EXTENSION.

I MEAN ELIGIBILITY WITH AUTOMATIC RENEWAL.

ARE YOU? I'M SORRY.

MR. BANKS, HAVE YOU.

ARE YOU FINISHED SPEAKING? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? ITEM Z FIVE.

NO FURTHER SPEAKERS, MR. MAYOR. THE MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU HAVE A MOTION ON Z FIVE.

YES, SIR.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ZONING CHANGE AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION WITH THE FOLLOWING CHANGE.

THE SUP EXPIRES IN TWO YEARS WITH NO AUTOMATIC RENEWAL.

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN.

SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, THE PRIMARILY FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. I'LL JUST BE REAL BRIEF.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS MOTION, PRIMARILY BECAUSE THIS IS SOMEWHAT OF A COMPROMISE.

THERE'S TWO OWNERS INVOLVED, AND THERE IS SOME SOME, SOME EASINESS, I GUESS, ON ONE OWNER TO THE NEXT.

BUT I BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE THE BEST RESOLUTION IS TO GIVE THEM TWO YEARS TO TRY TO WORK IT OUT AND THEN COME BACK IF THEY HAVE ANY OTHER.

I GUESS. MADE ANY OTHER PROGRESS.

SO I'M ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM Z FIVE.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. I UNDERSTAND I'LL SUPPORT SUPPORT THE REQUEST.

AND BASED ON THE EXPLANATION AND TO SUPPORT MY COLLEAGUE HERE, IT'S I'VE JUST RENEW MY CONCERN ON THESE SHORTER SWAPS.

CAN I ASK STAFF HOW LONG IS IT TAKING NOW, ON AVERAGE, TO GET AN RENEWAL THROUGH THE CPC AND THROUGH COUNCIL? CAUSE I KNOW WE JUST KEEP, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GIVEN YOU GUYS A LOT LATELY WITH ALL THE REFORMS WE'RE PUSHING AND EVERYTHING ELSE, SO.

YEAH. REGARDLESS OF THE REFORMS, SUBS OR SUBS.

YEAH, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

WE'RE GETTING THERE.

THE NORMAL PROCESS IS FOUR MONTHS.

I THINK WE'RE AT SIX MONTHS RIGHT NOW FOR SUB RENEWALS.

NEW SUB. DEPENDING ON THE COMPLEXITY, WE TRY TO LIKE DO A LITTLE BIT OF ASSESSMENT WORK HOW TO ASSIGN.

BUT WE'RE ALMOST FULLY STAFFED.

OH THAT'S THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.

SO I GUESS JUST MY CONCERN HERE IS THIS IS A YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE HANDICAPPED GROUP DWELLING HOMES.

AND AND IT'S GOING TO PUT A FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THEM TO COME BACK IN A YEAR AND A HALF.

AND IT'S NOT AUTOMATIC WHICH WAS RECOMMENDED BY CPC.

SO THAT'S JUST CONCERNS I HAVE BUT I WILL SUPPORT IT.

THANK YOU. THANKS, GENTLEMEN.

SCHULTZ, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON MS FIVE.

THANKS. I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND AS WELL, BECAUSE OF THIS PARTICULAR USE.

AND PEOPLE MAY BE, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGED IN, YOU KNOW, BY THIS PROCESS.

AND I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING REALLY HARD TO WORK IT OUT.

DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM AND I ABSOLUTELY WANT TO SUPPORT THE COMPROMISE THAT YOU'VE HAMMERED THROUGH.

MY ONLY QUESTION IS SO IF IT SO IF THEY GET APPROVED TODAY FOR TWO YEARS.

SO YOU'RE SAYING IN BASICALLY IN 18 MONTHS, THEN THEY HAVE 18 MONTHS TO WORK THROUGH THESE DIFFICULTIES SO THAT THEY THEN CAN REAPPLY FOR A LONGER SUP. IS THAT CORRECT? I WOULD SAY THEY HAVE TWO YEARS WITHOUT A DATE.

THEY CAN APPLY THE DAY BEFORE THE EXPIRATION.

OKAY. SO THEY HAVE A TWO FULL YEARS TO WORK OUT WHATEVER CHALLENGES IT IS WITHOUT ONE TWO DAYS.

YEAH YEAH YEAH. GOTCHA. OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MAYOR PRO TEM RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES, I SEE FIVE.

YEAH. THANK YOU.

DOES IT GET CLARITY? IS TWO DIFFERENT OWNERS OR TWO DIFFERENT PIECES OF PROPERTY.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

AND AND THE DIFFERENT ONE OWNER AGREED TO AND ONE OWNER TO DISAGREE WITH IT.

YES. ONE OF THE OWNERS OF ONE OF THE PROPERTIES SUBMITTED A LETTER IN OPPOSITION.

BUT WHEN WE ACCEPT THE ZONING APPLICATIONS, WE DO HAVE THE CONSENT FROM THE OWNERS.

SO IN BETWEEN THE APPLICATION AND CPC, ONE OF THE OWNERS SUBMITTED AN OPPOSITION.

AND THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE THREE QUARTER TO VOTE.

YES. OKAY.

AND SO AND WHAT MAYOR PRO TEM IS SAYING IS TRYING TO GET A CHANCE TO WORK IT OUT IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS TO COME BACK.

I UNDERSTAND THAT IF THEY WANT TO THANK YOU, ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST THE MOTION ON ITEM Z FIVE SEEING.

OF COURSE YOU'RE BACK FOR THIS.

THREE MINUTES. YES, MY LIGHT IS ON FOR REAL.

[03:05:02]

BUT LET ME JUST SAY THIS.

ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE TRIED TO DO AND AND I WOULD LOVE TO, I'M GOING TO TALK WITH ALL MY COLLEAGUES THAT WANT TO DO THAT.

BUT I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING, IMPORTANT THAT WE GO OUT OFTENTIMES AND LOOK AT THE SITE BEFORE WE VOTE.

AND I'VE BEEN OUT THERE, I WENT OUT THERE ON A, ON A, ON A CONCERN FROM A, FROM A CONSTITUENT ABOUT JUST THAT, THAT COMMUNITY IN GENERAL AND THAT, THAT AREA.

SO I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ALREADY ABOUT THE OPERATIONS, BUT I'M HAVING TO TO MAKE SURE I'M FOCUSED ON THE REQUEST, WHICH IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

NOW, I KNOW THERE'S A DIVISION BETWEEN THE TWO.

I THINK I FIRST ASKED YOU ALL TO DO A DELAY SO WE COULD CONTINUE TO DELVE DEEPER.

THEN I'M LIKE, OKAY, MAYBE INSTEAD OF DELAYING, MAYBE WE DENY IT.

THAT WAS ANOTHER OPTION.

BUT I THINK JUST TO GET IT WORKED OUT, AND PERHAPS THIS WILL HELP THEM TO AT LEAST GET THE BALL ROLLING TO GET IT DONE.

BUT JUST IN GENERAL, WHAT WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF AND I'LL SPEAK OF MYSELF, I DO HAVE BUSINESSES AND NOT TO SPEAK JUST ON THIS ONE WHERE THEY MAY START OUT ONE WAY, THEN THEY SELL TO AN OWNER, AND THEN YOU END UP WITH SOMETHING THAT YOU DIDN'T, THAT WE DIDN'T VOTE ON AROUND THE HORSESHOE.

AND THEY BUY INTO THAT AND THEY FIT THAT.

AND I SEE A LOT OF THAT IN MY DISTRICT.

BUT ON THIS PIECE, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HAS PUT EYES ON THE PROPERTY AND HAS BEEN IN THAT COMMUNITY, I'M JUST ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST GET THE BALL ROLLING AND GIVE THEM SOME SUPPORT ON THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INQUIRIES.

BUT I DO BELIEVE THIS IS THE BEST DECISION IN THIS SITUATION.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST ITEM Z FIVE SEEING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? EYES HAVE IT. NEXT ITEM PLEASE.

ITEM Z SIX IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING AN MU DASH ONE MIXED USE DISTRICT ON PROPERTY ON THE SOUTH LINE OF FORDHAM ROAD,

[Z6. 23-2193 A public hearing to receive comments regarding an application for and an ordinance granting an MU-1 Mixed Use District on property zoned a CR Community Retail District, on the south line of Fordham Road, west of South Lancaster Road Recommendation of Staff: Approval Recommendation of CPC: Approval Z223-165(LG) Note: This item was deferred by the City Council before opening the public hearing on August 23, 2023 and is scheduled for consideration on October 11, 2023.]

WEST OF SOUTH LANCASTER ROAD.

MISTER MAYOR, WE SENT 22 NOTICES TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 200FT OF THE AREA OF REQUEST.

WE RECEIVED ZERO REPLIES IN FAVOR AND TWO REPLIES IN OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST.

YOU DO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

SO DOT PRASAD.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS SIDDHARTH PRASAD.

I'M THE APPLICANT, 1830 FORDHAM ROAD.

I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE.