[00:00:02]
[Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee on November 7, 2023.]
THE TIME IS NOW 9:04 AND I WILL CALL THE QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE FOR NOVEMBER 7TH TO ORDER.I'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ONE ITEM UP OUT OF ORDER AND HEAR FROM MELISSA WEBER.
WE HAVE A BRIEFING BY MEMORANDUM, THE DANGEROUS AND AGGRESSIVE DOGS AUDIT AND ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS.
WANTED TO GIVE MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR GIVE DIRECTOR WEBER ANY FEEDBACK.
I BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE MEMO IN FRONT OF YOU.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN ANSWER OR ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED US TO POINT TOWARDS.
MS. WILLIS? SURE. THANK YOU. SO, I APPRECIATE THE RESPONSE.
I MEAN, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY IN RESPONSE TO THE AUDIT THAT WAS DONE EARLIER THIS YEAR.
I BECAME AWARE PRIOR TO THE AUDIT OF SOME OF THE HOLES IN THE SYSTEM THAT KIND OF KEPT US FROM RESOLVING SOME ISSUES WITH REGARD TO AGGRESSIVE AND DANGEROUS DOGS.
AND SO, HE'S REALLY BEEN MY TOUCHSTONE ON HOW THE PROCESS HAS BEEN WORKING.
AND SO, I WANTED TO SHARE YOUR FINDINGS WITH HIM ON THE WAYS THAT THE AUDIT HAD IDENTIFIED SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THAT KEPT SOME ISSUES FROM BEING RESOLVED, AND HOW YOU'VE GONE ABOUT CLOSING THAT UP.
AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, HE FELT LIKE IN HIS SITUATION AND FOR OTHERS, THIS WOULD HELP GET AT RESOLUTION TO JUST HELP MAKE NEIGHBORHOODS SAFER AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PETS WHO NEED A HIGHER LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY.
THANK YOU. AND I THINK THE EXCUSE ME, THE MAIN TAKEAWAYS ARE WE HAVE OUR TIMELINE.
WE FIRMED UP THE LANGUAGE FOR OWNERSHIP.
WE FIRMED UP THE LANGUAGE FOR COMPLIANCE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE IT FOR AGGRESSIVE DOGS.
WE SHORED THAT UP AND CHANGE SOME LANGUAGE THAT THE CAO RECOMMENDED REGARDING TIMES FOR COMPLIANCE TO HAVE THEM MATCH WITH STATE LAW.
THE GREAT THING ABOUT OUR PROCESS IS THESE CAN BE ENACTED.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. WILLIS. ANY OTHER MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THIS UPDATE.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S GOOD WORK AS WELL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
JILL HENNING, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY OVER COMMUNITY PROSECUTION.
[00:05:04]
GOOD MORNING.ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. CHAIR.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
I AM THE CHIEF OF COMMUNITY PROSECUTION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I ALSO HAVE HERE WITH ME TODAY, ANDREW GILBERT.
HE'S THE CHIEF OF COMMUNITY PROSECUTION LITIGATION.
NEXT SLIDE. SCHOLARS SAY THAT BLIGHT IS CAUSED BY A FAILURE TO MAINTAIN, REPLACE AND RENEW THE CAPITAL HANDED DOWN FROM THE PAST. BLIGHT USUALLY MEANS UNSOUND AND SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS, OR CHRONIC VACANCY AND OR ABANDONMENT.
THEY ARE OFTEN OWNED BY ABSENTEE OWNERS OR A COLLECTION OF HEIRS, AND THEY ARE ENCUMBERED BY LIENS, OFTEN OUTWEIGHING THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY ITSELF, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND ITS CONSTITUENTS ARE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED.
NEXT SLIDE. IN DALLAS, WE HAVE ENACTED INNOVATIVE LAWS, ADVANCED STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT AND APPLIED THE NECESSARY FUNDING TO DO SO. IN 2022, DALLAS AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY COMMISSIONED THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS TO IDENTIFY BLIGHTED AREAS OF DALLAS, AND THE NEW STUDY UPDATED RESEARCH FROM 2011.
THE STUDY CONCLUDED THAT THE NUMBER OF CENSUS TRACTS CATEGORIZED AS BLIGHTED FELL FROM 51 IN 2011 TO 31IN 2022, AND THAT'S AWESOME.
BUT THERE'S STILL 31 CENSUS TRACTS FOR US TO ADDRESS.
IN 2011, ACCORDING TO THE BLIGHT STUDY, DALLAS HAD 28,000 VACANT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, 8% OF ALL PROPERTIES ZONED RESIDENTIAL, AND IN 2022, THREE QUARTERS OF THOSE PROPERTIES REMAINED VACANT.
NEXT SLIDE. THE CITY ADDRESSES ABANDONED AND VACANT PROPERTIES THROUGH AN ESCALATED ENFORCEMENT PRACTICE, USUALLY EDUCATION NOTICE OF VIOLATION, CITATION, AND REFERRAL TO OUR OFFICE FOR ESCALATED ENFORCEMENT.
WHILE THESE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO THE CITY ARE SIGNIFICANT, THEY'RE NOT WITHOUT LIMITATIONS.
WE'RE MANAGING COMPETING PRIORITIES WITH LIMITED CAPACITY.
WE'RE OVER RELIANCE ON LIENS AND FEES, LEADS TO OVERBURDENING PROPERTIES, AND USUALLY IT'S ENTIRELY FUNDED BY CITY RESOURCES.
NEXT SLIDE. TODAY, THERE IS NO COUNCIL ACTION REQUIRED.
WE REALLY JUST WANT TO INFORM YOU ALL OF THE TOOL AND TO GET ANY FEEDBACK OR RECOMMENDATIONS.
NEXT SLIDE. SECTION 214.003, ONE OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, AUTHORIZES A HOME RULE MUNICIPALITY TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST OWNERS OF A PROPERTY THAT ARE NOT IN SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE WITH CITY CODE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR OFFICE COMMUNITY PROSECUTION DOES.
THE STATUTE ALSO ALLOWS AN ELIGIBLE NONPROFIT HOUSING ORGANIZATION TO DO SO AS WELL.
THIS IS THE ASPECT OF THE TOOL THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY AND THAT WE'RE WORKING TO DEVELOP.
NEXT SLIDE. THE STATE LAW STATES THAT A NONPROFIT HOUSING ORGANIZATION IS ELIGIBLE TO BE CERTIFIED IF THE NONPROFIT CAN DEMONSTRATE A RECORD OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND THAT THE CERTIFICATION FURTHERS THE CITY'S GOAL TO REHABILITATE HAZARDOUS PROPERTIES. THIS IS THE FLOOR WE EXPECT TO FURTHER REFINE THIS PROPERTY TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING A PROCESS THAT EMULATES THE VALUES THAT OUR CITY HOLDS DEAR.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING, ALONG WITH CODE COMPLIANCE, TO WORK WITH STAKEHOLDERS LOCALLY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACROSS THE NATION THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED SIMILAR PROCESSES. NEXT SLIDE.
[00:10:05]
IF AN ORGANIZATION IS CERTIFIED, STATE LAW AUTHORIZES THE ELIGIBLE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN DISTRICT COURT, AND THEY CAN ASK THE COURT FOR ONE OF TWO THINGS OR BOTH A COURT ORDER REQUIRING THAT A PROPERTY OWNER REPAIR THE PROPERTY TO CODE, OR THAT THE COURT APPOINT A RECEIVER TO TAKE POSSESSION AND CONTROL OF THE PROPERTY TO ABATE THE CODE VIOLATIONS.AGAIN, THIS IS THE KIND OF WORK THAT WE DO AS WELL.
THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE.
ONE IS THAT THERE IS AN EXEMPTION THAT EXCLUDES SINGLE-FAMILY OWNER-OCCUPIED PROPERTIES.
AND THREE, THE REALITY IS, IS THAT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ABANDONED PROPERTIES, THEN THE APPOINTMENT OF A RECEIVER OR RECEIVER IS LIKELY INEVITABLE. NEXT SLIDE.
THIS AUTHORITY IS NOT UNIQUE TO CODE VIOLATIONS.
THE STATE LAW, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE CITY TO ABATE CRIMINAL NUISANCES REQUIRING PROPERTY OWNERS TO IMPLEMENT REASONABLE CRIME PREVENTION MEASURES, ALSO AUTHORIZES AN INDIVIDUAL TO FILE THOSE LAWSUITS.
THIS IS THE STATE LAW THAT ADVOCATES FOR COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION ACT, THE NONPROFIT HOUSING ORGANIZATION THAT REPRESENTS RESIDENTS TO ADDRESS CRIMINAL NUISANCES HAS BEEN SO INSTRUMENTAL IN NEXT SLIDE.
THIS TYPE OF AUTHORITY AND REMEDY IS ALSO NOT UNIQUE TO TEXAS.
STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE IMPLEMENTED THESE TYPES OF POLICIES AND LAWS.
PENNSYLVANIA, MARYLAND, CALIFORNIA, TENNESSEE, MASSACHUSETTS, TO NAME A FEW ALL HAVE SIMILAR PROGRAMS, AND THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS OF PROPERTIES A YEAR.
NEXT SLIDE. VACANT PROPERTIES IMPOSE SIGNIFICANT COST ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM A LOSS IN TAX BASE.
THE CLEANUP OR RELATED LIENS, AND THEN THE REQUIRED RESPONSE AND ENFORCEMENT.
THERE'S ALSO THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNERS.
UTILIZING THIS TOOL, ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF VACANT AND ABANDONED PROPERTIES, HAS GREAT POTENTIAL TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY TO ABATE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS.
MAYBE MORE INCREDIBLY, IT ALSO HAS THE POWER TO EMPOWER RESIDENTS AND THEIR STAKEHOLDERS TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE BLIGHTED CONDITIONS THAT ARE AFFECTING THEM ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
THEY'VE PROVIDED US WITH RESOURCES, APPLICATIONS, BEST PRACTICES.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN IN TOUCH WITH LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PURSUING THIS PROCESS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM TO FURTHER REFINE AN APPLICATION AND PROCESS. THAT BEING SAID, OUR PROPOSED PROCESS IS THAT AN APPLICANT WOULD SUBMIT A REQUEST TO BE CERTIFIED TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THAT WE WOULD EVALUATE IT TO ENSURE IT MEETS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND THEN CONSULT WITH CITY STAFF.
AND ONCE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS, WE ISSUE THE CERTIFICATE AND THEN MONITOR ANY ENFORCEMENT ACTION THAT SUBSEQUENT. LAST SLIDE.
FOLLOWING TODAY'S BRIEFING, WE WILL CONTINUE TO EDUCATE NONPROFITS AND RESIDENTS AND HOPEFULLY START RECEIVING, REVIEWING AND ISSUING CERTIFICATIONS. WE'LL ALSO BE PREPARED TO COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE US.
AND WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M AVAILABLE.
THANK YOU, JILL, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S WORK ON THIS.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED IN THE CHAMBERS.
AND I HAVE MR. RIDLEY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JILL, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M CURIOUS, WHY IS THIS COMING TO US NOW? SINCE THIS CHAPTER 214 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, I ASSUME.
WHY ARE WE NOW JUST STARTING THIS CERTIFICATION PROCESS?
[00:15:04]
GREAT QUESTION.YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS, YOU KNOW, TO BRAG ON US AND CODE COMPLIANCE AND YOU ALL I MEAN, I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE A ROBUST CODE ENFORCEMENT PRACTICE, AND WE ARE, YOU KNOW, PRETTY ADVANCED.
THERE IS NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF ANOTHER CITY IN THE STATE THAT IS UTILIZING THIS PRACTICE.
SO, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MAKING IT WELL, DEVELOPING IT, AS I WOULD SAY THAT ANTICIPATED.
MY NEXT QUESTION IS THE OTHER CITIES THAT YOU LISTED THE FOUR IN THE PRESENTATION? HAVE YOU DETERMINED IF THEY ARE EXPERIENCING ANY NONPROFITS TAKING UP THE MANTLE TO ADDRESS THE BLIGHT ISSUE? HOW EFFECTIVE HAS IT BEEN IN THOSE CITIES? YEAH, THEY DO HAVE.
IN THOSE CITIES, THEIR STATE LAW IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN OURS.
BUT THEY DO HAVE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FILING THESE TYPES OF LAWSUITS.
SOMETIMES IT'S MORE RELATED TO TENANTS AND TENANT'S RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S KIND OF LEGAL AID TYPE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE MOVING THESE CASES FORWARD.
WELL, I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU, WHAT MOTIVATION WOULD THE TYPICAL NONPROFIT HAVE TO TAKE ON A FUNCTION THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING PERFORMED BY THE CITY, WITH THE ANTICIPATED COST OF HIRING ATTORNEYS GOING THROUGH POTENTIALLY PROTRACTED LITIGATION? I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I SUSPECT A LOT OF NONPROFITS ARE NOT WELL EQUIPPED TO HANDLE.
WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GET THE FUNDING FOR THIS? AND ARE THEY GOING TO BE ABLE TO RAISE THAT KIND OF FUNDING WHEN DONORS ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE CITY AND SAY, THIS IS THE CITY'S JOB? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
IT'S AN IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
AND SO THERE'S NOT REALLY BEEN A SPACE IN WHICH A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION IS GOING TO DEVELOP THIS CAPACITY WITHOUT THE CERTIFICATION. I MEAN, WE HAVE SEEN IN OTHER STATES THAT THE CREATION OF THIS SPACE, PEOPLE DO FILL IT.
AND SOMETIMES WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION THAT THEY'RE IN, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET TO THE SPECIFIC PROPERTY WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY OR THE CAPACITY IN THE SAME WAY THAT ADVOCATES FOR COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION HAS RESIDENTS AND CLIENTS AND RESOURCES, WE WOULD IMAGINE THAT A SIMILAR RELATED PATH HAPPENS FOR OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
I'M IN FAVOR OF US PURSUING THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
I'M JUST WONDERING HOW MANY NONPROFITS ARE GOING TO TAKE THIS UP.
ONE FINAL QUESTION ON SLIDE 13.
YOU MENTIONED STEP FOUR CAO TRACKING SUBSEQUENT ENFORCEMENT.
HOW WILL YOU DO THAT? WILL THE NONPROFITS BE REQUIRED TO REPORT FILINGS OF LITIGATION TO THE CITY? YEAH, WE EXPECT THAT WE WOULD MAKE A CONDITION OF THE CERTIFICATION THAT A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WOULD NOTIFY US AHEAD OF ANY ENFORCEMENT ACTION.
SO, ONCE THEY IDENTIFY A SUBJECT PROPERTY, BEFORE THEY ISSUE NOTICE, BEFORE THEY FILE, AND THEN ONCE THEY'RE FILED, THEN WE CAN GET NOTIFICATION OF ALL ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN IN THE COURT.
AND WE THE STATE LAW DOES AUTHORIZE US THE POWER TO INTERVENE IN A LAWSUIT.
I WOULD THINK THAT KIND OF COORDINATION IS ESSENTIAL SO THAT YOU DON'T DUPLICATE THE EFFORT OF THE NONPROFIT THAT MAY BE POISED TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN YOUR OFFICE IS POISED TO DO THE SAME THING.
THERE'S SOME DUPLICATION OF EFFORT THERE.
SO, I THINK COORDINATION WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
YEAH. AND WE DEFINITELY IF WE DUPLICATE, THEN WE'RE NOT INCREASING OUR CAPACITY.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO THAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. RIDLEY. THE MIC DROP.
WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH MR. GRACEY. ALL RIGHT.
[00:20:02]
JUST A COUPLE OF SIMPLE QUESTIONS.FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THIS.
SO, THANK YOU FOR THIS PROGRAM.
JUST A COUPLE OF VERY SIMPLE QUESTIONS, AND SOME WILL PROBABLY NEED TO TAKE OFFLINE.
SO, THAT WILL BE COMMON SENSE AND UNDERSTANDABLE.
BUT WHAT IS THERE A HOW DO YOU DEFINE ABANDONED.
AND THEN HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUBSTANTIAL? OKAY. GREAT QUESTION.
THE ORDINANCE ACTUALLY TELLS US WHAT TYPES OF CODE VIOLATIONS ARE GOING TO MEET THE THRESHOLD.
AND SO FIRST WE WOULD HAVE TO PROVE THIS AS WELL.
AND. WE WOULD LEAVE IT TO THE ATTORNEYS FOR THOSE NONPROFIT HOUSING ORGANIZATIONS TO BE ABLE TO MEET THAT THRESHOLD, BUT THAT THE STATE LAW DOES KIND OF LIMIT IT TO A SERIES OF CODE VIOLATIONS THAT REALLY HELP DEFINE ABANDONED AND SUBSTANTIAL ABANDONED IS NOT NECESSARILY A REQUIREMENT OF THE STATE LAW.
THE ONLY THE ONLY LIMITATION ON THE TYPE OF PROPERTY THAT THE STATE LAW HAS IS THAT IT CAN'T BE A SINGLE-FAMILY OWNER-OCCUPIED PROPERTY, RIGHT? WE'VE JUST IDENTIFIED, BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE, THAT THE SPACE THAT MIGHT BE THE MOST PRODUCTIVE, MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE WOULD BE VACANT AND ABANDONED.
ABANDONED WAS IN UNTIL BLIGHT STUDY.
THEY CHARACTERIZE ABANDONED AS A PLACE WHERE MAIL WAS RETURNED FOR MORE THAN 90 DAYS.
BUT THAT'S NOT A TERM THAT'S DEFINED BY THE STATE LAW.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION, LIKE I SAID, THIS MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OFFLINE.
OKAY. SO THEN OFFLINE, THE ELIGIBILITY RIGHT NOW IS JUST THOSE TWO REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU LISTED.
GOT IT. UNDERSTOOD. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH I APPRECIATE IT.
NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU, MR. GRACEY. MS. SCHULTZ. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I SEE THIS AS WE HAVE.
THERE'S KIND OF TWO NORTH STARS IS BUILDING HERE.
ONE IS ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF THE PROPERTIES THEMSELVES, AND THE OTHER IS POTENTIALLY BUILDING UP THE CAPACITY OF OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO BUILD THE STRENGTH OF THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.
WHAT'S OUR NET ROI IF THIS THING IS SUCCESSFUL, BOTH FINANCIALLY AND THEN ALSO JUST IN TERMS OF STAFF CAPACITY AND IN YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH CODE COMPLIANCE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SPENDING HUNDREDS OF HOURS ON THESE PROPERTIES, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, I WOULD SAY I MEAN, I WE DON'T ENVISION THAT THIS CERTIFICATION PROCESS WILL CONSUME A LARGE AMOUNT OF TIME.
I MEAN, THAT MAYBE THAT'S NAIVE AND WE'LL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT ONCE IT'S LAUNCHED.
AND SO, OUR ASSUMPTION IS KIND OF THAT ANY ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENS IN THE NONPROFIT SPACE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN CAPACITY, NOT THAT NECESSARILY IT WOULD TAKE CASES AWAY FROM US, BUT THAT IT WOULD INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS.
AND THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WHAT YOU SAID.
I WAS LOOKING AT IT TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.
ONE IS WHAT'S OUR CURRENT COSTS IN MANAGING THIS PROCESS? AND THEN I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO WHAT THIS WILL BRING.
I KNOW SINCE THE TORNADO IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WE'VE GOT A FEW ABANDONED PROPERTIES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I GET CALLS ALL THE TIME WHEN SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THESE PROPERTIES.
RIGHT. SO THAT'S ONE THE OTHER QUESTION.
SO NOW THOUGH GOING TO THE NONPROFIT SIDE AND THE FUNCTION OF THAT I THINK THAT I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS WORKED ON A CAPACITY BUILDING GRANT THROUGH OUR BUDGET A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
[00:25:02]
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S STILL MONEY IN THAT, BUT I THINK LOOKING HOLISTICALLY, AS WE LOOK AT BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF ALL THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN DALLAS, IT MIGHT BE WORTH IT. REGARDLESS OF THEIR MISSION, BUILDING UP THAT CAPACITY AND HELPING THEM GET THE RESOURCES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO TO COURT.AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU ALL DIDN'T OPERATE IN A SILO ON THIS NECESSARILY.
I KNOW OUR SO THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE HAS TREMENDOUS ABILITY TO WORK WITH THE NONPROFITS.
MY OTHER QUESTION IS ON THE RECEIVERS, DO WE? WELL, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS.
LIKE WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE COMPANIES? WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW WOULD THEY END UP WORKING IF, WOULD THE NONPROFITS THEN BECOME, OR WOULD THEY BE POTENTIALLY POSITIONED TO BE THE RECEIVER? SO, THE STATE LAW UNDER THIS SPECIFIC PROVISION, IT CREATES THE, IT SETS OUT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE RECEIVER.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER STATE LAW PROVISIONS THAT TALK ABOUT RECEIVERS GENERALLY.
BUT THERE'S A SPECIFIC RECEIVER PROVISION HERE THAT, YOU KNOW, STATES OUT WHO WHAT IS NEEDED TO BE PROVED TO BE ABLE TO FOR THE COURT TO BE AUTHORIZED TO APPOINT A RECEIVER.
WHAT THE RECEIVER, WHAT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THE RECEIVER HAS TO BE ABLE TO MEET.
I MEAN, IT IS SO THE COURT CAN APPOINT A RECEIVER IF THIS IS KIND OF DUPLICATIVE OF WHAT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT. BUT IF THE CODE VIOLATIONS EXIST, IF IT CONSTITUTES SERIOUS IMMINENT PUBLIC HEALTH OR SAFETY HAZARD, AND IT'S NOT AN OWNER OCCUPIED, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE UP TO THE COURT TO DECIDE IF THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ADDITIONAL THRESHOLD.
SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, OUR RECEIVERS THAT WE REQUEST ARE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ESCALATED THAT WE GIVE PROPERTY OWNERS AN OPPORTUNITY SOMETIMES EVEN ONCE WE GET TO COURT.
AND THEN WHEN THEY FAIL TO COMPLY WITH A COURT ORDER, WE ASK FOR A RECEIVER.
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRED IN THE LAW.
AND SO, THE NONPROFIT HOUSING ORGANIZATIONS COULD CERTAINLY ASK FOR AN UPFRONT TO BE ELIGIBLE, AN ENTITY HAS TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT THEY HAVE SUFFICIENT CAPACITY AND EXPERIENCE REHABILITATING PROPERTIES AND SUFFICIENT RESOURCES AND EXPERIENCE REHABILITATING PROPERTIES. THAT'S REALLY ALL THE STATE LAW SAYS.
RIGHT. AND SO, IF WE STAY TRUE TO THOSE THINGS, THEN THE OTHER BENEFITS WILL COME.
MY FINAL QUESTION, IF I MAY, MR. CHAIR, IS I DIDN'T SEE ANY OPPORTUNITY WITHIN OUR CURRENT PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE ANY INCENTIVES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO ACTUALLY REPAIR AND MAKE AVAILABLE FOR HOUSING THOSE PROPERTIES.
DO WE HAVE ANY INCENTIVES AT ALL TO HELP PEOPLE RATHER THAN HAVING TO BE PUNITIVE ONLY? YES. I MEAN, I KNOW HOUSING, OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT, HAS A NUMBER OF RESOURCES THAT COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO PROPERTY OWNERS, WHETHER THEY LIVE IN THE PROPERTIES OR NOT.
I WOULD HATE TO GET TOO FAR INTO THAT.
I WOULD LEAVE IT TO THEM. BUT I DO THINK WE HAVE SOME INCENTIVES.
YOU KNOW, ANOTHER REALLY INTERESTING CONVERSATION THAT I HAD RECENTLY WAS WITH BUILDERS OF HOPE.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A MILL CITY PROJECT WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS VACANT PROPERTIES, VACANT LOTS, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, CLEANING AND GREENING, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE RUNNING INTO ISSUES WITH PROPERTY OWNERS THERE THAT DON'T EVEN WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROGRAM.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF IF WE WERE TO TIE THESE TWO THINGS TOGETHER AND THEY SAID, I COULD SAY THIS, THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THIS, THIS PROGRAM AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS CERTAINLY A CARROT AND AN INCENTIVE TO, YOU KNOW, HERE WILL HELP MANAGE THIS PROPERTY.
[00:30:01]
BUT IF YOU DON'T, THERE'S ALSO THE STICK, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE MORE WE LOOK AT THIS HOLISTICALLY WITH ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THAT IT WILL HELP IT BE A MUCH STRONGER, BETTER PROGRAM.SO, KUDOS TO YOU FOR DRIVING, AND I HOPE THAT OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND CODE AND ALL THAT ARE WORKING WITH YOU HAND IN HAND, AS WELL AS THE EXISTING NONPROFITS THAT THE POTENTIAL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, MS. SCHULTZ. MS. WILLIS? THANK YOU, MS. HANNING. SO, I THINK WHEN WE PROBABLY ALL READ OUR PRESENTATION TO SEE THAT IN TEN YEARS, WE STILL HAD 73% OF THESE VACANT PROPERTIES OUT THERE.
THAT GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HEARTBURN.
SO, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO US.
YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT GROWING OUR TAX BASE.
THIS CAN HELP SOLVE OUR HOUSING SHORTAGE.
THIS CAN STRENGTHEN NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT STRONG NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU'VE GOT GOOD PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE CITY.
SO THAT MAKES IT GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.
SO, MY QUESTIONS ARE AROUND BUILDING ON SOME OF THE OTHER COMMENTS ON SLIDE 14.
YOU TALK IN TERMS OF EDUCATING RESIDENTS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THIS PLAN IS TO ACTIVATE THIS AND HOW WE GO ABOUT TARGETING AND MAKING THIS HAPPEN? I WOULD LOVE TO.
REALLY. WE'VE HAD KIND OF INDIVIDUAL ONE ON ONE MEETINGS WITH ORGANIZATIONS.
WE'VE MET WITH DALLAS AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, BUILDERS OF HOPE, ADVOCATES FOR COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION, AND THEN THE RECEIVERS THAT HAVE THAT HAVE BEEN APPOINTED IN OUR CASES AND THE LENDERS THAT HAVE FUNDED SOME OF THOSE RECEIVERSHIPS.
AND THEN, ANDREW, JUST ALONG WITH SOME PEOPLE FROM CODE COMPLIANCE, JUST WENT TO A CONFERENCE IN MEMPHIS THAT THE UNIVERSITY OR MEMPHIS SCHOOL OF LAW PUT ON ALL AROUND KIND OF THIS TOPIC.
SO, WE HAVE KIND OF A BASELINE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE WILL DEVELOP A MORE FORMALIZED PLAN, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.
OKAY. ANOTHER QUESTION WOULD BE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF SITUATIONS.
AND THEN THERE'S THE OTHER SIDE WHERE YOU MAY HAVE PROPERTIES THAT JUST IT MIGHT BE LESS OF A LEGAL RESISTANCE TO GO ON AND PURSUE THAT BY A NONPROFIT OR BY THE CITY.
AND SO, IT SEEMS LIKE THOSE ARE TWO AREAS THAT CODE COULD HELP WITH PRIORITIZATION ON.
ARE WE ALLOWED? IS THAT LEGAL TO SAY OF THE 21,000 OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE HERE, CODE COMPLIANCE OR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WOULD SAY, LET'S TARGET THESE.
THAT WOULD BE EASY. TURNAROUNDS AND THESE THAT MIGHT HAVE LESS LEGAL RESISTANCE, THAT WE COULD ALSO ACTIVATE AND GET UP ON THEIR FEET SO THAT WE'VE JUST GOT SOME SORT OF PRIORITY SYSTEM GOING.
YES. THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENT.
WE DID MEET WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO AGO, AND THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT THEY HAD TO US WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THE CASES THAT WE'VE HAD WITH RECEIVERSHIPS, YOU KNOW, THEIR COMMENT WAS.
THOSE ARE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE WHO ARE PRESENT BUT ARE REALLY CONTENTIOUS AND BAD ACTORS IN OUR ACTIVELY REFUSING TO COMPLY WITH CODE. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHEN WE LOOKED BACK AT WHERE, WHERE DO WE SEE CASES THAT HAVE LESS RESISTANCE? THAT'S THE SPACE IN THE ABANDONED PROPERTIES, THE VACANT PROPERTIES.
AND THEY'RE ALSO MUCH THE CODE VIOLATIONS ARE MUCH MORE VISIBLE, CLEARER, CLEAR TO SEE, ESPECIALLY FROM THE EXTERIOR OR THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY. AND SO THAT THAT'S THAT WAS KIND OF OUR THOUGHT IN FOCUSING ON VACANT AND ABANDONED.
[00:35:06]
THAT WORK WITH THE HOMELESS.WE'RE TRYING TO HELP SPREAD OUR WINGSPAN ON WHAT WE CAN DO THERE.
SO, I THINK THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT WOULD BE OUT OF SCOPE OF THAT.
HOWEVER, IF WE FIND THAT THAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED, I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO ENTERTAIN DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR IN THIS SPACE, BECAUSE I THINK THE WAY IT PAYS BACK THE COMMUNITY IS JUST MASSIVE.
IF YOU'RE SEEING THAT KIND OF GAP IN WHAT IT'S TAKING TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. WILLIS. MS. BLACKMON.
THANK YOU. SO, I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
AND THANKS FOR BRINGING THIS, BECAUSE THE DATA IS REALLY GOOD.
COUPLED WITH THAT, YOU'RE TRYING TO MOVE US IN A IN A DIRECTION TO GET A BETTER RESULT.
SO WHY WOULD A, A ORGANIZATION WANT THIS DESIGNATION? YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT COME TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ABOUT A PROPERTY AND WANT IT TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND, YOU KNOW, USUALLY OUR, OUR ANALYSIS IS THAT ONE OF ESCALATED ENFORCEMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO WANT A DEPARTMENT TO HAVE WORKED AT FIRST.
AND THEN ONCE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO GET GAIN COMPLIANCE, THAT IT COMES TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
ALSO, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT I CALL THE WORST OF THE WORST.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE RECEIVING COMPLAINTS ON SHOULDN'T BE ADDRESSED AND THAT THEY DON'T MEET THE THRESHOLD FOR ENFORCEMENT ACTION.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR THOUGHT IS THAT THE NONPROFITS WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRIORITIZE ISSUES THAT THEIR RESIDENTS, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE, THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH, THAT THEY'VE PRIORITIZED WITHOUT HAVING TO FOLLOW KIND OF OUR ANALYSIS OF WHICH PROPERTY COMES FIRST.
SO, I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION COMES IN TO BE CERTIFIED, BUT WHAT DOES IT GET THEM WHEN THEY GET THIS CERTIFICATION? THE CERTIFICATION REALLY ONLY GETS THEM THE ABILITY TO FILE THE LAWSUIT.
IT MAKES THEM ELIGIBLE TO BE A PLAINTIFF BUT THEY'RE SORRY.
NO. GO AHEAD. THERE ARE PROVISIONS IN THE STATE LAW.
YOU KNOW, AS CHAIR SCHULTZ MENTIONED, THAT WOULD ALLOW THE PLAINTIFF TO POTENTIALLY BECOME A RECEIVER, TO POTENTIALLY BECOME THE BUYER OF A PROPERTY IF IT WERE TO SELL THAT.
YOU KNOW, I SAID THAT REALLY QUICKLY, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT IS A QUICK PROCESS.
BUT. YOU KNOW, JUST TO BE TRANSPARENT, THAT THAT KIND OF LINE OF TRANSITION DOES EXIST.
WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION.
THAT'S WHY SOMEBODY WOULD WANT THIS DESIGNATION.
OKAY. AND SO, BACK TO GET THE CERTIFICATION.
IT SAYS THAT IT HAS TO HAVE A RECORD OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
IS THAT REAL SUBJECTIVE, OR DO YOU HAVE A RUBRIC OR HOW IS THAT HOW IS THAT DETERMINED? THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE STILL KIND OF WORKING OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTEN FEEDBACK FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD DEMONSTRATE IT.
AND SO, OUR THOUGHT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING THIS BRIEFING, THAT WE WOULD GO BACK TO THE STAKEHOLDERS AND DEVELOP AND REFINE THAT CRITERIA AND THEN HEAR BACK FROM EVERYBODY ABOUT, YOU KNOW.
WHETHER WE'RE SATISFYING THAT ELEMENT ACCORDING TO STATE LAW, BUT REALLY MORE IMPORTANTLY, LIKE, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY? OKAY. AND THEN LOOKING AT THE DATA.
SO, IN 20 YEARS, WE BROUGHT AROUND A LITTLE OVER 7500 UNITS.
WE STILL HAVE ABOUT 21,000 STILL LEFT.
IS THAT DOES THAT SOUND ABOUT RIGHT? LAWYERS. THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO MATH.
I MEAN, I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS, HAVE WE?
[00:40:02]
IS THIS PART OF OUR STRATEGY TO GET THOSE, I MEAN, 21,000 ONLINE AS UNITS? BECAUSE THAT'S STILL A, THAT'S QUITE A BIT.AND IF THEY'VE BEEN DETERIORATING SINCE 2011, IT COULD BE I MEAN, WE REALLY NEED TO GET ON THIS.
SO, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW THAT 28,000 I MEAN UNT WOULD PROBABLY BE ABLE TO SPEAK BEST TO THIS, BUT THAT 28,000 MAY NOT MEAN THAT ALL OF THEM ARE BLIGHTED, BUT IT DOES MEAN THEY'RE ALL VACANT, AT LEAST.
AND SO, WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ADDRESS, FROM A CODE ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE, ALL 21,000, AS YOU SAID, BUT CERTAINLY A LARGE AMOUNT OF THOSE WOULD FALL INTO THIS BLIGHTED CATEGORY.
AND SO, IF ANY PERCENTAGE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE CARVE OUT OF THAT 21,000 WILL BE IMPACTFUL.
AND SO, I MEAN, A NUMBER OF TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE, I THINK, TO US TO CAPTURE ALL OF THEM.
BUT I'M NOT I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT I'M SAYING THAT THIS TOOL, OR ANY CODE ENFORCEMENT TOOL WILL BE ABLE TO CAPTURE ALL 21,000, RIGHT? CORRECT. SO, BUT ARE YOU HOPING TO BRING THAT NUMBER MORE IN LINE WITH A 50% RETURN? OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE METRIC TO SHOW THAT THIS COULD ACTUALLY BE A TOOL THAT IS ACTUALLY GETTING US TO A PLACE THAT WE WANT TO BE? AND I GUESS YOU COULD FIGURE THAT OUT IN YOUR WORK PLAN.
BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO MEASURE THIS SOME WAY, BECAUSE THAT'S PRETTY WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS 20 YEARS AND WE'VE ONLY GOTTEN, YOU KNOW, 7000 ALMOST, YOU KNOW, 7500 IN THE, YOU KNOW, BACK TO ONLINE.
AND SO, THIS COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY IF WE WORK IT RIGHT, THAT IT COULD HELP US WITH.
NOT THAT IT'S THE SILVER BULLET.
RIGHT. BUT IT COULD BE A PART OF THE WHOLE HOUSING STRATEGY.
AND EVEN IF WE BROUGHT OF THE 21,000, 5000 BACK ON, THAT'S A THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GOOD RETURN.
AND SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT, WHILE, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, COULD THERE BE DUPLEXES PUT ON, YOU KNOW, TO IN PLACE WHERE IT MAKES SENSE.
SO THAT WAY WE CAN MAYBE GET TWO FAMILIES IN A PLACE OR, YOU KNOW, TOWNHOMES BECAUSE WE NEED, YOU KNOW, UNITS ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY AT ALL TYPES AND ALL PRICE POINTS.
SO THOSE ARE JUST MY COMMENTS.
I'LL JUST, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND WE'LL CLOSE.
ONE IS, I GUESS IF YOU COULD KIND OF RUN THROUGH WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
I'VE HEARD WHY IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.
OF COURSE. BUT WHY? WHY GO THROUGH THESE STEPS OF THE CERTIFICATION WHEN CHAPTER 125 ESSENTIALLY WOULD ALLOW ANYONE WHO RUNS A NONPROFIT TO DO THE SAME. SO, CHAPTER 125 IS GOING TO BE LIMITED TO THE CRIMINAL KIND OF NUISANCE CASE.
AND THE OWNER FAILS TO ABATE, IMPLEMENT THE REASONABLE CRIME PREVENTION MEASURES.
THIS IS KIND OF A RELATED BUT DISTINCT AUTHORITY FOR CODE VIOLATIONS AND FOR KIND OF THE STRUCTURAL NUISANCES. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
AND SO, I GUESS I'D LIKE TO ASK REGARDING THE COLLABORATION WITH ORGS AND INDIVIDUALS TO GET THIS DONE, I WOULD ASSUME THAT THAT THIS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY FOR ANY OF THOSE ATTEMPTS TO HAVE AS MANY RESOURCES AS POSSIBLE, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.
I GUESS FROM THE EYES OF THE COURT, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN BURDEN OF PROOF THAT AN ORGANIZATION VERSUS A TAX ENTITY WOULD HAVE IN THESE TYPES OF VIOLATIONS THAT ARE ATTEMPTED TO BE SUBSTANTIATED? YOU KNOW, IN THE CLASSIC LAWYER ANSWER, IT DEPENDS.
[00:45:01]
THIS PROPERTY OWNER.BUT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT.
AND IT CAN DEPEND, YOU KNOW, IT CAN DEPEND ON WHAT JUDGE WE GET.
IT CAN CAN DEPEND ON THE SPECIFIC PROPERTY AND THE PROPERTY OWNER.
YOU KNOW, WE DO GENERALLY SEE, YOU KNOW, AND EVEN IN OUR OWN CASES WE LIKE TO HAVE KIND OF THIS COMMUNITY CONNECTION OF RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE VALUABLE ASSET THAT THE NONPROFITS BRING AND THEIR CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY IS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IMPACTS THEM ON A VERY DAY TO DAY BASIS.
AND SO, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT ALWAYS DEPENDS.
BUT I DO THINK THERE IS A HUGE VALUE TO BEING ABLE TO REPRESENT THAT AS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPACTING ME, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT ACT IS ABLE TO DO WITH THEIR RESIDENTS AND HIS CLIENTS.
I AGREE THAT THAT THERE'S A BUILT-IN BENEFIT WITH THIS MODEL.
I JUST WOULD ASK THAT THERE BE, JUST AS WE DO HAVE RESOURCES FOR LIKE HOME REPAIR AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THAT THERE IS SOME TYPE OF PROPOSAL BROUGHT FORWARD FOR US TO LOOK AT POTENTIALLY FUNDING A DEPARTMENT OR A DIVISION OF Y'ALL'S DEPARTMENT TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THESE CASES.
WE DON'T FALL VICTIM TO A LACK OF RESOURCES FROM CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE CASE, AND IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE, IF CASES ARE BROUGHT FORWARD AND WE'RE SEEING IT HAPPEN, IT'S GREAT THAT IT'S TAKEN AWAY FROM THE CAPACITY WITHIN THE OFFICE.
BUT IF WE HAVE ANY ABILITY TO LEND LEGAL ASSISTANCE OR TO JOIN WITH THE CASE, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT KIND OF MORE FIRMED UP THAN IT BEING A HOPE OF WHAT THIS PROCESS WOULD BRING, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.
YES. AND MOST OF OUR CASES RESOLVE AT THE NOTICE AND DEMAND SPACE.
SO, FOR THOSE CASES WHERE THERE IS A PROPERTY OWNER THAT HAS THE CAPABILITY OF GETTING INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, MEANING LIKE THEY EXIST OR THEY'RE LIVING, THEN YOU KNOW, THAT THAT WOULD BE THE BENEFIT OF AN ORGANIZATION LIKE HABITAT OR BUILDERS OF HOPE.
YOU KNOW THAT THEY ALSO HAVE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO OFFER ASSISTANCE.
BUT CERTAINLY, WE WILL TAKE THAT FEEDBACK AND WORK TO DEVELOP THAT.
I DO WANT TO ADDRESS ONE THING THAT WAS MENTIONED FROM MS. SCHULTZ ABOUT THE RESOURCES FOR REMEDY.
AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE KIND OF TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH, ESPECIALLY I CAN SPEAK FROM DISTRICT SEVEN IS WHAT I WOULD HOPE THAT THIS DOESN'T TURN INTO IS THOSE WHO.
WHO WOULD QUALIFY FOR THIS CERTIFICATION PROCESS TO BE TAKING AWAY FROM THE RESOURCES OF THOSE WHO ARE WORKING WITH, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE. IF IT'S GOTTEN TO THIS LEVEL, THEN I PERSONALLY KNOW WHAT THOSE TYPES OF PROPERTIES IN MY DISTRICT ARE, AND THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH A LOT OF HOOPS TO GET TO THIS POINT.
AND THE LAST THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS SOME TYPE OF DIVERSION REMEDY PROGRAM THAT DIVERTS RESOURCES TO THOSE WHO WE'VE BEEN BEATING OUR HEAD UP AGAINST THE WALL FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME VERSUS THAT OF THOSE WHO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, WORK WITH THE CITY COLLABORATIVELY, WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND ISN'T A NUISANCE AND DOESN'T GET US TO THE POINT OF EXPENDING RESOURCES TO ADDRESS IT.
WE WERE ACUTELY AWARE OF THAT AS WELL.
AND SO, WE WILL ALWAYS BE KIND OF MINDFUL OF THAT.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S ALSO THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WORK ON THIS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE A RECORD OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND THAT ARE REALLY, YOU KNOW, INTERWEAVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS IS THAT THEY ARE ALSO GOING TO BE AWARE OF THE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE EXISTED AS PROBLEMATIC, AND HOPEFULLY THEY'RE ALSO AWARE OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND THEIR IMPACT.
SO, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE AWARE AND BE COGNIZANT OF THAT.
[00:50:09]
ESPECIALLY FOR AN OWNER WHO'S BEEN ABSENT, HASN'T INVESTED ANYTHING IN.SO, I THINK IT ALSO GIVES LEVERAGE FOR SETTLING IN MANY CASES.
AND IN THAT REGARD, I WOULD HOPE THAT THERE'S SOME TYPE OF COLLABORATION WITH HOUSING TO SEE.
IT'S NOT ONLY THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE, BUT IT'S ALSO FASTER AND PRODUCTIVITY FOR THE RESULTS.
WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR THAT.
IN ADDITION TO WHAT I JUST MENTIONED ABOUT THE RESOURCES GOING TO THOSE WHO ARE WILLING, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT HOUSING HAS SOME TYPE OF PROGRAM ESTABLISHED THAT WOULD FAST TRACK A DEVELOPMENT ON THOSE SITES AS A REMEDY OPTION.
WE DON'T HAVE TO GO STRICTLY THROUGH THE COURT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO GO STRICTLY THROUGH AN ABATEMENT PROCESS.
IF IN THE END, WE HAVE LEVERAGE TO SETTLE AND GET AN OWNER ON BOARD TO WORK WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT SO THAT UNITS WOULD COME UP FASTER IN THAT PROPERTY THAN IT EVER WOULD IF IT'S HELD UP IN THE COURTS.
SO, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT BE FORMALLY A PART OF.
I SEE CYNTHIA COMING HERE NOW.
GOOD MORNING. IT IS STILL MORNING, RIGHT? CYNTHIA ELLICKSON, INTERIM DIRECTOR OF HOUSING.
I THINK WE STILL NEED TO WORK ON A LOT OF LOGISTICS ON HOW TO GET OUR NONPROFITS INVOLVED.
THIS THIS PROCESS IS EXPENSIVE FOR OUR NONPROFITS.
THIS WAS DONE, I WANT TO SAY, AT LEAST SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO.
AND OUR NONPROFIT THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS GAVE US FEEDBACK AND SAID, IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AND IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME KIND OF SUPPORT TO DO IT.
THANK YOU. I THAT WAS MY LAST POINT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE IF YOU ALL COULD COME BACK HERE BEFORE MIDYEAR REVIEW.
WHAT? I GUESS THERE'S ALWAYS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM OF FUNDING.
BUT WHAT I DON'T WANT IS TO GET PRESENTED A GREAT PLAN THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO EXECUTE.
AND SO, IF THERE ARE GOING TO NEED TO BE, FOR INSTANCE, FTES WITHIN COMMUNITY PROSECUTION TO MAKE THIS AS PRODUCTIVE AS POSSIBLE, OR IF THERE ARE PROPOSED PROGRAMS OR RESOURCES THAT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WOULD ADD TO THIS.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THE PLAN PRESENTED TO US AND WITH YOU ALL COLLABORATING, INCLUSIVE OF THOSE DOLLARS, ANY TYPE OF FUNDING IMPACTS THAT WE CAN THEN TAKE UP FOR CONSIDERATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER FOR MIDYEAR REVIEW.
ABSOLUTELY. WE WILL CERTAINLY LOOK AT THOSE RESOURCES AND THE PARTNERSHIP.
AWESOME. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING, JOE? NO THANK YOU. NO THANK YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR Y'ALL'S WORK ON THIS.
I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE HUGE NOT ONLY FOR DISTRICT SEVEN BUT THE CITY.
BUT I KNOW WE HAVE PLENTY OF CASES THAT THIS WILL COME UP VERY SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY. NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP ITEM C311 UPDATES DIRECTOR DAISY FAST.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
I'M DAISY FASS, DIRECTOR OF 311.
AND JOINING ME TODAY IS SHEILA GRAY, CONFIGURATION MANAGER FOR 311.
TODAY I'LL BE PROVIDING SOME INFORMATION ON 301.
[00:55:06]
I'LL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ENVISION DALLAS.AND FINALLY, SHEILA WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION AND A DEMO OF THE NEW ONLINE PORTAL AND MOBILE APP.
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE A 24 HOUR, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR MULTILINGUAL CALL CENTER.
NEXT SLIDE. THIS SLIDE SIMPLY JUST PROVIDES A GRAPHIC ON THAT SHOWS THE LIFE OF A SERVICE REQUEST.
OUR RESIDENTS CAN EITHER CALL 311, OR THEY CAN USE THE ONLINE PORTAL OR THE MOBILE APP TO SUBMIT THEIR SERVICE REQUESTS THAT ARE IMMEDIATELY ROUTED TO THE RESPONDING DEPARTMENT.
ON THE FOLLOWING SLIDE, YOU'LL FIND A SERVICE REQUEST DATA FOR FY 23 FOR OVER 460,000 SERVICE REQUESTS WERE SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, WITH 60% OF THOSE CALLED IN AND HANDLED BY 311 AGENTS.
YOU'LL SEE ON THE TOP RIGHT THAT THE TOP FIVE SERVICE REQUESTS ARE CODE, SANITATION AND PARKING RELATED, AND THE GRAPHIC ON THE BOTTOM PROVIDES INFORMATION ON HOW MANY SRS WERE CLOSED ON TIME, LATE, AND THE AVERAGE DAYS TO CLOSE, WHICH MEANS THAT THE DEPARTMENT MARKED THE SERVICE REQUEST AS RESOLVED IN THE SYSTEM. ON THE FOLLOWING SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE CALL VOLUME HISTORY.
WE ALWAYS AVERAGE ABOUT A MILLION CALLS A YEAR.
THE AVERAGE HOLD TIMES ALONG THE BOTTOM ARE LISTED FOR EACH DISCIPLINE THAT WE HANDLE.
WE ARE STILL NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE.
OUR GOAL IS TO ANSWER ALL CALLS WITHIN ONE MINUTE AND 30S.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE NOT MEETING THAT GOAL.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE ARE THE STAFFING LEVELS, AND WE HAVE 111 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS.
NOW, I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, I'M IMPLEMENTING A NEW HIRING MODEL CHANGE.
AND SO, WE GOT 20 NEW CALL AGENT POSITIONS AUTHORIZED FOR THIS BUDGET.
WE WILL NO LONGER HIRE TEMPORARY CITY EMPLOYEES.
WE'RE GOING TO ONBOARD EVERYBODY AS A PERMANENT CITY EMPLOYEE.
THE NEXT SLIDE PROVIDES SOME HIGHLIGHTS ON OUR FY 23 YEAR END.
WE INCREASED CUSTOMER SATISFACTION POST SURVEY RESULTS BY 2% WITH AN OVERALL SCORE OF 89%.
OUR CITY HALL ON THE GO TEAM HAD A RECORD-BREAKING YEAR AND ATTENDED OVER 600 EVENTS.
AS MANY OF YOU AS MANY REFER TO IN IVR AS A PHONE TREE.
SLIDE NINE PROVIDES AN UPDATE ON OUR ENVISION DALLAS PARTNERSHIP.
ENVISION DALLAS PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED, AND THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP, ENVISION DALLAS PROVIDES SEVEN DEDICATED CALL AGENTS TO HANDLE THE DALLAS MUNICIPAL COURT CALLS THAT ARE ROUTED THROUGH THE 311 CALL CENTER.
GOOD MORNING, I'M SHEILA GRAY.
GOOD MORNING. I'M SHEILAH GRAHAM, THE CONFIGURATION TEAM MANAGER FOR DALLAS 311.
WE MY TEAM AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO TEST THE NEW MOBILE APP AND PUBLIC WEBSITE.
THE PLANNED ROLLOUT IS DECEMBER OF 2023.
SOME OF OUR KEY ENHANCEMENTS INCLUDE SPANISH TRANSLATIONS, A NEW MODERN LOOK AND FEEL TO THE WEBSITE AND THE APP, AND IMPROVED MAP FUNCTIONALITIES WHICH I WILL SHOW SHORTLY IN THE DEMO.
[01:00:03]
DALLAS 311.SO, OUR REBRANDING CAMPAIGN FOR FIRST QUARTER OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE ARE DOING A SOFT LAUNCH WITH PRESS RELEASES THAT INCLUDE ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND SOME PSAS FOR QUARTER TWO.
WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON SOME 32ND VIDEO SPOTS THAT WILL BE IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.
AND NOW I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF DEMO OF THE NEW WEBSITE.
CAN WE SEE THAT? OKAY. OKAY, GREAT.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS A NEW LOOK AND FEEL FROM THE CURRENT WEBSITE.
SO, IT'S NOT PERFECT BUT THE FUNCTIONALITY IS THERE.
SO, AT THE TOP IT GIVES YOU AN OPTION TO LOG IN.
AS YOU SCROLL DOWN YOU CAN SEE THE POPULAR SERVICE REQUEST.
THIS SECTION IS UNIQUE AND INTERESTING BECAUSE THESE ARE ACTUALLY POPULATED BASED ON AN ALGORITHM.
SO THIS IS A TEST ENVIRONMENT.
THESE ARE THE THREE THAT WE'RE USING MOST COMMONLY TO TEST THE WEBSITE.
BUT ONCE WE GO LIVE, YOU'LL SEE THINGS LIKE CODE CONCERN AND THE SERVICE REQUEST YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE UNDER POPULAR SERVICE REQUEST, USERS OF THE WEBSITE ARE ABLE TO TYPE IN A SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER.
HERE. THEY CAN ALSO TYPE IN A SERVICE REQUEST TYPE IF THEY KNOW THE NAME.
THERE ARE SOME STEPS, SOME LITTLE DIRECTIONS ON THE BOTTOM HERE.
AND ALSO, YOU CAN SEE THE MOST RECENT SERVICE REQUESTS.
SO, IF I GO IN HERE TO CREATE A SERVICE REQUEST, I'LL USE CITY HALL ON THE GO.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THERE IS A SERVICE REQUEST TO HAVE A VISITOR FROM 311.
IT GIVES ME AN OPTION HERE TO ADD A PHOTO.
OF COURSE, IF THIS WERE A POTHOLE, FOR EXAMPLE, OR HIGH WEEDS OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, YOU WOULD WANT TO ADD YOUR PHOTO TO HELP THE CITY STAFF FIND THE ISSUE YOU'RE REPORTING. NOW AS I CONTINUE HERE.
LET ME TYPE IN AN ADDRESS FOR YOU.
I CAN EITHER TYPE IN AN ADDRESS OR I CAN SEARCH THE MAP.
AND HERE'S WHERE THE GREAT NEW FUNCTIONALITY OF THE MAP COMES INTO PLAY.
I CAN CLICK ON THIS LITTLE ICON HERE FOR LAYERS.
AND I CAN ADD DIFFERENT LAYERS OR CHANGE THE EXISTING LAYER.
I PREFER STREET VIEW, WHICH THAT'S JUST ME.
IF YOU CHOOSE SATELLITE VIEW, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU'RE ABLE TO ZOOM IN AND ACTUALLY SEE CITY HALL OR WHATEVER BUSINESS, THE MCDONALD'S, YOU CAN ACTUALLY IDENTIFY IT IN THE SATELLITE VIEW.
ALSO, THERE ARE DIFFERENT LAYERS HERE AVAILABLE FOR THE USERS OF THE WEBSITE, LIKE TRAIL MARKERS.
YOU SEE, I JUST CLICKED ON TRAIL MARKERS, AND THEY'VE APPEARED ON THE MAP.
SO, YOU CAN SEE NOW THAT THE LIBRARIES ARE IDENTIFIED ON THE MAP.
SO, IT TELLS ME HERE THAT THIS IS BETWEEN TRAIL MARKER 150 AND 151.
AND THEN THERE'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WHICH IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON EVERY SERVICE REQUEST.
[01:05:05]
YES. THANK YOU.SO, THIS REQUEST REQUIRES A NAME AND A PHONE NUMBER.
WHICH THE INTERNET IS SLOW, BUT THIS THE BUTTON FOR.
BUT IF YOU CLICK ON THE SPANISH BUTTON, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE WEBSITE IS TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR DEMO AND OUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. GRAY. AND THANK YOU MS. FASS AS WELL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S WORK.
THIS IS DEFINITELY EXCITING UPDATES TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
I WILL I HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN REQUESTS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBER TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE DOING, BUT WITH OUR STAFF, IF WE COULD HAVE SIT DOWN SCHEDULED WITH EACH OF OUR COUNCIL STAFF AND EACH OFFICE SO THAT THERE IS A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT TO EXPECT, AND THEN ALSO FOR OFTENTIMES OUR STAFF WILL HELP THE TROUBLESHOOTING WITH RESIDENTS.
AND THAT WOULD ALSO KIND OF HELP, I THINK TAKE AWAY FROM YOU ALL.
SO THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF WE COULD GET THAT SCHEDULED.
WITH THAT I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. RIDLEY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I AM STILL GETTING COMPLAINTS FROM CONSTITUENTS THAT WHEN THEY CALL 311, THEY HAVE EXTENDED WAIT TIMES AND THEY END UP ABANDONING THE CALL. SOME OF THEM ARE NOT CONVERSANT WITH THE ONLINE OR THE APP SYSTEM, AND SO THEY END UP CALLING MY OFFICE.
I'D LIKE TO SHORT CIRCUIT THAT BY HAVING A MORE RESPONSIVE 311 SYSTEM.
YOU ARE AN INVALUABLE SERVICE TO THE CITY.
THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
THE OTHER COMPLAINT THAT I GET IS THAT PEOPLE WHO DO SUCCESSFULLY FILE A SERVICE REQUEST GET A CLOSURE WITHOUT THE PROBLEM BEING RESOLVED, AND THEY'RE WONDERING, WHY IS THIS CLOSED? THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
CAN YOU ADDRESS THOSE TWO ISSUES? SURE. SO, REGARDING THE FIRST POINT ABOUT THE WHOLE TIMES, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR WHOLE TIMES ARE UNACCEPTABLE, AND WE ARE WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY TO ONBOARD AS MANY NEW CALL AGENTS AS POSSIBLE.
WE DO HAVE A ROBUST TRAINING PROGRAM.
AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE 20 TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES THAT WILL GRADUATE BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND SO, WE WILL NOTICE OUR CUSTOMERS WILL NOTICE A BIG IMPROVEMENT REGARDING HOLD TIMES.
NOW REGARDING THE SECOND POINT REGARDING THE CLOSURES.
SO THE RESIDENTS DO HAVE THE OPTION TO OPT IN TO RECEIVE TEXT MESSAGES AND EMAILS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT EXISTING TECHNOLOGY OR EVEN NEW TECHNOLOGY TO JUST IMPROVE THE LOOK AND THE ABILITY TO ADD MORE INFORMATION ON THE EMAILS BECAUSE AS YOU ALL KNOW, YOU GET PROBABLY A LOT OF EMAILS FORWARDED AND THE CURRENT TEMPLATES JUST REALLY AREN'T WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS TO IMPROVE THOSE COMMUNICATIONS WITH BETTER TECHNOLOGY.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS, EDUCATING OUR DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THE EMPLOYEES THAT GO OUT IN THE FIELD ADD ENOUGH DETAIL TO THE SERVICE REQUESTS SO THAT WHEN THAT EMAIL IS GENERATED OR THE TEXT MESSAGE, THE INDIVIDUAL CAN EITHER LOOK ON THE ONLINE PORTAL AND READ THE LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT WAS PROVIDED, OR RECEIVE THE EMAIL WITH HOPEFULLY A LOT MORE INFORMATION THAN THEY'RE CURRENTLY RECEIVING.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S THE PRIMARY ISSUE, IS A LACK OF COMMUNICATION AS TO WHY THE SR WAS CLOSED.
WHEN THEY DON'T SEE A RESOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM, THERE MAY VERY WELL BE LEGITIMATE REASONS.
SO, IS THAT AN ISSUE THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON? YES. SO THAT IS JUST WORKING WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS, OUR COLLEAGUES AND JUST ENSURING THAT THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE FIELD, THAT WE EXPECT THEM TO PROVIDE THE NARRATIVE AND JUST CONTINUING TO WORK WITH, WITH, WITH THEM ON THAT ASPECT OF IT.
[01:10:02]
OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. RIDLEY. MS. WILLIS, THANK YOU.AND JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME START.
AND CLEARLY YOU HAVE A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM AND OTHER LEADERSHIP UNDER YOU.
AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO AN EVEN BETTER PLACE.
SO JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU IN THAT WAY.
THANK YOU. BUILDING ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY SAID, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE CLOSED MESSAGE.
WE'VE HAD THIS GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM WITH THE PROVIDER THAT THE NOTES ARE THERE FROM CODE.
THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, BUT IT IS NOT MAKING IT TO THE RESIDENT, WHICH JUST COMPOUNDS THEIR FRUSTRATION AND SOMETIMES ANGER WHEN THEY SEE THE WORD CLOSED AND THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE GREAT NOTES.
I THINK WE BROUGHT THIS UP A MONTH AGO OR MAYBE TWO MONTHS AGO.
HAS ANY PROGRESS BEEN MADE ON THAT? ABSOLUTELY. SO, I KNOW.
OKAY, WELL, I'D LIKE TO FEEL A LITTLE BETTER ABOUT THAT, BUT.
WE'LL BE ASKING ABOUT THIS REGULARLY.
I THINK WE SHOULD ASK ABOUT IT EVERY MONTH.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A LOT CLEARER.
I'M A FAN OF CLEAR COMMUNICATION AND I HAVE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
IN ADDITION TO JUST EXPLAINING HOW TO USE 311, LET'S TAKE OUR TOP 311 CALLS THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE PUTTING IN AND DO EXPLAINER VIDEOS ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S CALLS ABOUT WHEN TO PUT OUT BULK TRASH.
OR DOES THIS CONSTITUTE A HIGH WEED SITUATION OR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH SANITATION PICKUP OR ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT I THINK COULD HELP REDUCE THE VOLUME OF CALLS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE BEING EDUCATED IN A FUN, QUICK WAY.
SO, I'M A BIG FAN OF THAT, AND I THINK THAT WILL HELP US USE OUR RESOURCES MORE WISELY.
WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO SPEAK CITY, SPEAK GOVERNMENT, SPEAK TO OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE CONSUMERS.
AND I JUST WOULD ASK THAT WE REVIEW SOME OF THOSE LABELS AND WHAT IT IS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO LET THEM OR GIVE THEM ACCESS TO AND PUT IT IN THEIR LANGUAGE, LIKE JUST CITY HALL ON THE GO MAY NOT TELL THAT WE KNOW WHAT THAT IS, BUT IS THAT BRING CITY BRING 311 TO YOU? I MEAN, IS THERE A DIFFERENT WAY TO SAY IT THAT WOULD HELP CUT THROUGH THAT CLUTTER AND THEN FINALLY GETTING INTO THE LOCATION SERVICES.
I'M A FREQUENT USER OF OUR DALLAS APP, AND IS THERE A WAY THAT IF YOU'RE DROPPING IN A PHOTO THAT THE GIS OR THAT LOCATION FROM THE PHOTO COULD GO INTO THAT SYSTEM? BECAUSE SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DRIVING, YOU'VE GOT TO PULL OVER AND SAY, HEY, I SAW THIS ISSUE, AND THEN YOU MAY NOT BE AT THAT SAME LOCATION, BUT IF YOU'VE GOT A PHOTO OF IT THAT THAT INFORMATION COULD BE PULLED FROM, IT WOULD MAKE IT A LOT EASIER TO TARGET FOR STAFF WHO GOES OUT TO FOLLOW UP ON IT.
OKAY, SO YES, THAT'S ACTUALLY THE REASON WHY THE PHOTO IS THE FIRST THING, BECAUSE ON THE APP, IT'S GOING TO TRY TO HELP GEO LOCATE WHERE THAT PHOTO WAS TAKEN.
SO IT'S THE FIRST STEP ON THE APP AS WELL AS THE ONLINE PORTAL.
SO YES, THAT FUNCTIONALITY WILL BE THERE.
GREAT. THAT'LL SAVE A LOT OF CONSTERNATION AS WELL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH.
I'LL JUST CLOSE WITH THE KIND OF PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT MR. RIDLEY WAS DISCUSSING AND ALSO TOUCHED ON BY MISS WILLIS, THE CLOSING, I THINK, WITH THE NEW DASHBOARD FOR, FOR INSTANCE, THERE BEING SOME ANALYZED DATA TO REALLY WORK WITH THAT, THIS NEW APP, I'VE REQUESTED IT AS WELL WITH DATA ANALYTICS TO SPEAK TO IN TECHNOLOGY TERMS, EACH OTHER SO THAT THERE IS AN INSTANT NOTIFICATION.
I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT EMAIL IS PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON.
I THINK THAT THERE IS ALSO A LACK OF OR THERE'S A SHUFFLE IN THE IN THE COMMUNICATION.
IT'S NOT AS DIRECT, IT'S NOT AS REAL TIME.
AND THERE BE PUSH NOTIFICATIONS TO PEOPLE'S PHONES LIKE INSTANTLY IF IT IS A DUPLICATE, IF THE SAME.
[01:15:02]
AND I KNOW THAT WE CAN'T CATCH ALL OF THEM BECAUSE OF WHATEVER THE DROP BOX CHOICE IS IF THEY'RE NOT EXACTLY THE SAME, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS DUPLICATE, ET CETERA.BUT IF THERE ARE ADDRESSES ASSOCIATED WITH CERTAIN, THERE ARE PROBABLY QUITE A BIT OF THOSE DUPLICATES THAT GET CLOSED OUT THAT THE PERSON DOESN'T REALIZE THAT IT'S BEING REFERENCED NOW TO THE ORIGINAL SERVICE REQUEST.
AND ALL THEY SEE IS THAT IT'S BEEN CLOSED BY AN EMAIL.
AND SO THERE IS A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND COMMUNICATION THAT I THINK COULD BE NIPPED IN THE BUD WHEN THINGS ARE BEING CALLED TO OUR OFFICE, OUR OFFICE IS CALLING YOUR STAFF. IT REALLY DOES DRAIN CAPACITY IN MANY FRONTS JUST TO GIVE AN ANSWER OF IT'S BEING WORKED ON WITH THIS OTHER ONE.
AND SO THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS APP BE AN EVOLUTION OF WHAT WE CAN EXPECT TECHNOLOGY TO BRING TO THAT LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION, INSTEAD OF US CONTINUING THE SAME AND JUST ADDING THIS INTO THE FOLD, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT TECHNOLOGY TO TELL HOW THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT BE A MORE INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE ON THIS APP AND FOR THE APP TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO, IF THERE'S REPRESENTATIVES ABLE TO PUSH OUT A MESSAGE ONCE IT'S CLOSED AND THAT COMES UP TO SOMEONE'S PHONE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, I THINK THAT THAT IS WHERE WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO HEAD WITH THIS AS A RESOURCE.
AND WE JUST HAD TIMELY DISCUSSIONS AND MEETINGS WITH IT REGARDING DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS AND WHAT'S CURRENTLY OUT THERE TO IMPROVE THE LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION TO OUR RESIDENTS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
ALSO ECHO THAT YOU DO HAVE A LOT OF FANS UP HERE.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR Y'ALL'S WORK AND HELPING IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR DALLAS RESIDENTS.
NOW WE WILL MOVE TO BRIEFING ITEM D COMMUNITY FLUORIDE COMMUNITY WATER FLUORIDATION IN DALLAS.
SARAH STANDERFER, OUR DIRECTOR, WILL GET US STARTED.
AND THEN IF OUR PANELISTS COULD ALSO MAKE THEIR WAY DOWN TO THE TABLE AS WELL.
YOU CAN GET STARTED WHENEVER YOU WOULD LIKE.
I WILL SAY THAT I WANT TO HEAR THE FULL PRESENTATION.
WE DEFINITELY SAVED THE BULK OF THE TIME FOR THIS, BUT LET'S BE COGNIZANT OF THE TIME THAT WE SPEND ON PRESENTING VERSUS ALLOWING FOR QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK, BECAUSE I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK.
SO GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER SET IT UP, WE'RE BACK HERE ON ROUND TWO OF OUR PANEL DISCUSSION.
WE'VE BROUGHT IN ANOTHER SET OF EXPERTS TO TALK WITH YOU ALL ABOUT DATA RELATED TO FLUORIDE.
GIVEN OUR TIME CONSTRAINTS, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GO TO THE VERY END OF WHAT FOR WHAT YOU'LL EXPECT AFTER THIS PANEL PRESENTATION, AND WE ARE KEEPING A RUNNING LOG OF QUESTIONS AND INPUT THAT YOU'VE ASKED AT THE PANEL.
THE FIRST PANEL AND THE SECOND PANEL.
WE WILL COME BACK WITH A BRIEFING MEMO IN DECEMBER.
AT THIS TIME, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M GOING TO PASS THIS OFF.
WE ARE GOING TO GO VIRTUALLY FIRST TO PROFESSOR LANPHEAR.
IF THE PROFESSOR IS ON AND ABLE, AND IF NOT, WE WILL PASS IT FORWARD.
DO WE KNOW IF HE'S ON VIRTUALLY? THE VIRTUAL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING.
I BELIEVE THAT'S YOU. CAN YOU HEAR US? YES, I CAN HEAR YOU.
OKAY. WE ARE GOING TO HAND IT OFF TO YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO JOIN YOU THIS MORNING.
I'M A PHYSICIAN CERTIFIED IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE.
IT WAS A VERY FORMATIVE PERIOD OF MY LIFE.
[01:20:06]
RISK FOR BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS LIKE ADHD AND AUTISM.MOST OF MY STUDIES WERE ON LEAD POISONING IN CHILDREN, AND THEY WERE THE KEY STUDIES USED BY THE EPA AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT TO SET FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR LEAD IN WATER AND DUST.
THIS WAS A COHORT THAT I HELPED TO START WITH OVER 2000 PREGNANT MOMS. FOLLOWING THE CHILDREN OUT TO NOW ABOUT TEN YEARS OF AGE.
THIS PARTICULAR COHORT, THIS GROUP OF MOMS AND CHILDREN, IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT FLUORIDE, BECAUSE THE CITIES THAT WE STUDIED, TEN CITIES ACROSS CANADA INCLUDE FLUORIDATED AND NON-FLUORIDATED COMMUNITIES.
I'D LIKE TO SHARE THE RESULTS OF THREE OF THE STUDIES THAT WE'VE COMPLETED SO FAR.
IN OUR FIRST STUDY, WE FOUND THAT THE IQ SCORES OF BOYS WERE FOUR POINTS LOWER IF THEIR MOTHERS HAD HIGHER AMOUNTS OF FLUORIDE IN THEIR URINE DURING PREGNANCY. THE AMOUNT OF FLUORIDE IN URINE IS A GOOD WAY TO MEASURE HOW MUCH A PERSON IS EXPOSED TO FLUORIDE, BUT IT VARIES DAY TO DAY.
IF THEIR MOTHERS HAD HIGHER LEVELS OF FLUORIDE IN THEIR DRINKING WATER DURING PREGNANCY.
AN OP ED IN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, SAID THAT THIS STUDY WAS DEEPLY FLAWED.
WE USE THE SAME METHODS IN THE FLUORIDE STUDY THAT I USED IN MY STUDIES ON LEAD POISONING.
IN ADDITION, THE NATIONAL TOXICOLOGY PROGRAM, WHICH IS A PROGRAM OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, CONCLUDED THAT OUR STUDY, OUR FLUORIDE STUDY, WAS A HIGH-QUALITY STUDY.
IN FACT, OUR RESULTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH MOST OTHER HIGH-QUALITY STUDIES.
18 OUT OF 19 HIGH QUALITY STUDIES REVIEWED BY THE NATIONAL TOXICOLOGY PROGRAM SHOWED THAT CHILDREN EXPOSED TO HIGHER AMOUNTS OF FLUORIDE DURING EARLY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. HAD DIMINISHED IQ SCORES.
THAT LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY ACROSS.
18 OF 19 STUDIES IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL IN RESEARCH AND SHOULDN'T BE DISMISSED.
IN THE SECOND STUDY, WE FOUND THAT WOMEN WHO DRANK TAP WATER WITH HIGHER LEVELS OF FLUORIDE WERE AT HIGHER RISK FOR HYPOTHYROIDISM, A LOW FUNCTIONING THYROID GLAND.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE PARTICULARLY SURPRISING.
IN THE PAST, FLUORIDE WAS USED TO TREAT PATIENTS WITH HYPOTHYROIDISM THAT IS, A HYPERACTIVE THYROID.
HYPOTHYROIDISM. HYPOTHYROIDISM IN ANY WOMAN IS A PROBLEM, BUT IT'S ESPECIALLY PROBLEMATIC FOR PREGNANT WOMEN BECAUSE THE DEVELOPING FETUS IS WHOLLY DEPENDENT ON THEIR MOTHER'S THYROID HORMONES.
THEY DON'T MAKE THEIR OWN THYROID UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND TRIMESTER.
IN THE THIRD STUDY, WE FOUND THAT BOYS WHOSE MOTHERS HAD HIGHER FLUORIDE AND LOWER IODINE DURING PREGNANCY DID EVEN MORE POORLY ON IQ TESTS THAN BOYS WHOSE MOTHER HAD HIGHER FLUORIDE AND NORMAL IODINE.
IODINE IS ALL OF, YOU KNOW, IS A CRITICAL VITAMIN FOR THYROID HORMONE.
SO, WHAT CAN WE CONCLUDE? NOT ALL STUDIES SHOW THAT CHILDREN WHO ARE EXPOSED TO HIGHER LEVELS OF FLUORIDE DO MORE POORLY ON COGNITIVE TESTS, BUT OVER 90% OF HIGH-QUALITY STUDIES DO SHOW THAT FLUORIDE RESULTS IN IQ DEFICITS IN CHILDREN.
I APPLAUD DALLAS CITY COUNCIL FOR ASKING THESE TOUGH QUESTIONS.
[01:25:07]
THESE QUESTIONS, LIKE WHETHER PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN SHOULD BE EXPOSED TO FLUORIDE, ARE SIMPLY TOO IMPORTANT TO LEAVE UP TO SCIENTISTS AND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS.GUYS, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP ORDER IN THE CHAMBERS SO WE CAN CONDUCT BUSINESS AS EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE.
AND LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT PANELIST, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL FOR HAVING US HERE.
SO, THERE IS ACTUALLY 55 STUDIES THAT THEY GOT.
THEY JUST TOOK THE ONES THAT DIDN'T MEET THEIR RIGOROUS STANDARDS FOR A SCIENTIFIC METHOD.
SO 52 OF 55 STUDIES AND ALL OF THEM FOUND DECREASES IN CHILD IQ WITH INCREASED FLUORIDE.
THIS IS A DIRECT QUOTE FROM THAT REPORT.
THE DATA SUPPORT A CONSISTENT INVERSE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FLUORIDE EXPOSURE AND CHILDREN'S IQ.
NEXT. GO TO THE NEXT ONE, PLEASE.
SO, THERE'S A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT ALL OF THESE.
STUDIES WERE SHOWING IQ PROBLEMS AT HIGHER THAN OUR NORMAL FLUORIDE LEVELS.
AND THAT'S NOT TRUE. AND IN FACT, ALL OF YOU HAVE A COPY THERE IN FRONT OF YOU.
LAST COMMENT THE AP CITED THE REPORTS GRAPH SHOWING A STEEP DROP IN IQ OF ABOUT SEVEN POINTS OVER A FLUORIDE RANGE FROM 0.2 TO 1.5MG/L. NEXT, PLEASE.
I KNOW THAT THE CHAIR ASKED LAST TIME, CAN YOU COMPARE SOME STATES AND TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON? SO, I WANTED TO SHOW YOU SOME HERE.
SO, STATES WITH THE LOWEST CHILDHOOD DECAY ARE NEW HAMPSHIRE AND VERMONT 35% AND 37%.
THEY ARE TWO OF THE LEAST FLUORIDATED STATES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, 43RD AND 39TH, RESPECTIVELY.
WASHINGTON, DC 100% FLUORIDATED 60%.
SO, MY BIGGEST POINT HERE IS THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT WATER FLUORIDATION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY THE OPPOSITE.
WE'VE GOT LOTS OF STUDIES SHOWING THAT'S NOT TRUE.
AND THIS WAS IN OUR OWN JOURNAL, THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION.
FLUORIDE, INCORPORATED DURING TOOTH DEVELOPMENT IS INSUFFICIENT TO PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN CARIES PROTECTION AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, FLUORIDE IS PREVENTIVE ACTION IS TOPICAL, RUBBING IT ON YOUR TEETH RATHER THAN SYSTEMIC DRINKING IT.
HERE'S A PICTURE OF MILD TO MODERATE FLUOROSIS.
SO, THE CDC AND HHS HAVE BEEN PROVEN INCORRECT OVER THE YEARS.
FOR YEARS WE WERE TOLD THAT UP TO 1.2 PARTS PER MILLION IS THE RIGHT LEVEL FOR WATER FLUORIDATION.
IN 2015, THEY LOWERED IT DOWN TO 0.7 BECAUSE THE RATES OF FLUOROSIS WERE GOING UP.
THEY LOOK AT A LOT OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA.
THEY DO ACTUAL PHYSICAL EXAMS AND QUESTIONNAIRES.
SO HERE IT IS NHAEN'S WHICH IS A PART OF CDC.
[01:30:01]
THEY HAD ONLY DONE THREE SURVEYS UP TO THIS POINT.AND UP TO 2011 AND 12 THEY HAD ONLY DONE THOSE THREE SURVEYS.
SO, IF YOU LOOK THERE, THERE WAS ABOUT 22% OF KIDS IN THAT AGE RANGE HAD FLUOROSIS ON THEIR TEETH.
AND THAT'S THE 86 TO 87 SURVEY.
AND THEY DID A FIVE YEAR ONE AFTER THAT, 99 TO 204.
NOW THEY DID THE 2011 AND 2012 AND IT WAS 65%.
WE'VE DONE TWO SINCE AND NOW WE'RE GETTING BETWEEN 70 AND 87%.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND LOOK AT THIS.
AND THE FINDINGS CORROBORATE EXACTLY WHAT I JUST SHOWED YOU ON THAT LAST SLIDE.
IN FACT, THEY ACTUALLY QUOTE OUR RESULTS ALIGN WITH THOSE OF NEURATH, NEURATH, LINEBACK, AND OSMUNDSON DID A, THEY WROTE THIS UP IN 2019 IN THE JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH.
SO, THEY WERE SHOWING WHAT IS NHAEN'S DOING, WHAT ARE THEY FINDING? AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND OUT BECAUSE IT WAS PUBLISHED.
AND JAMA JUST CORROBORATED THIS JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO.
SO, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU A FEW FACTS HERE ON THIS PAGE.
AND I FIND THIS ONE TO BE ALL THESE TO BE VERY IMPORTANT.
THAT'S THE GOLD STANDARD. NOW, THAT CAN'T EVEN BE DONE NOWADAYS BECAUSE FLUORIDE IS IN EVERYTHING.
BUT BACK THEN IT COULD HAVE BEEN YOU COULD HAVE ACTUALLY HAD A DOUBLE BLINDED STUDY.
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A LONG TERM FOLLOW UP STUDY TO PROVE THAT IT ACTUALLY WORKED.
WITH ONE EXCEPTION JUST SOUTH OF HERE SAN ANTONIO.
TO THEIR CREDIT, THEY DID NOT FLUORIDATE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
THEY FINALLY GAVE IN IN 2009 YEARS LATER THEY SAID, WELL, LET'S SEE IF THIS IS WORKING.
AND METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY LOOKED INTO THE POORER SECTIONS OF SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS TOLD THAT'S WHAT THIS IS FOR, RIGHT? THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO CARE, THOSE WHO MAYBE CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY SPRING WATER.
SO THEY LOOKED AT ALL THOSE AREAS AND GUESS WHAT THEY FOUND AFTER NINE YEARS OF FLUORIDATING.
THEY FOUND A 13% INCREASE IN DECAY, NOT A DECREASE.
NEXT CLICK. AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS COUNCILMAN BLACKMON ASKED A VERY SIMPLE QUESTION WHAT'S ADDED TO OUR WATER? IT TOOK ABOUT A MINUTE TO GET THE ANSWER, BUT IT'S HYDROFLUOROSILIC ACID, PERIOD.
IT'S NOT SODIUM FLUORIDE THAT WE FIND IN TOOTHPASTE.
IT'S NOT NATURALLY OCCURRING CALCIUM FLUORIDE.
IT IS AN ACID BYPRODUCT FROM THE FERTILIZER INDUSTRY.
AND THEY WERE NEVER PROVEN SAFE PRIOR TO DUMPING IN OUR WATER SUPPLY.
IT COMES FROM THE FERTILIZER INDUSTRY, AND THE EPA DOES NOT ALLOW THEM TO PUT IT IN THE GROUND.
YOU CANNOT PUT IT IN LANDFILLS.
IT'S HARMFUL. YOU ALSO CAN'T LET IT GO UP INTO THE AIR.
SO, THEY REQUIRE THEM ALL TO INSTALL SCRUBBING STACKS TO CAPTURE THIS ACID.
SO, IT'S NOT SAFE IN THE GROUND AND IT'S NOT SAFE IN THE AIR.
AND IN FACT, NEXT SLIDE THAT WAS DISPROVEN BACK IN 1975 BY JOHANNES WESTENDORF WHO WAS STUDYING THIS WAS COMPARING SILICA FLUORIDES TO NATURALLY OCCURRING CALCIUM FLUORIDE.
AND NOT ONLY DID HE SEE INCOMPLETE DISSOCIATION OF THE SILICA FLUORIDES UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, BUT HE ALSO SAW THAT WE WERE BLOCKING CHOLINESTERASES, WHICH AFFECT THE REGULATION OF OUR NEUROTRANSMITTERS.
SO, WE WERE SEEING A LOT OF THINGS HAPPEN IN THIS STUDY.
HE STARTED OFF JUST LOOKING AT THE ANTI-CARIOGENIC EFFECT OF FLUORIDE.
HE WAS STARTING OFF WITH A SIMPLE PREMISE AND GOT VERY DEEP INTO IT AND FOUND THOSE RESULTS THERE.
AND NOW WE'RE SEEING THAT IT BLOCKS A VERY IMPORTANT ENZYME FOR OUR NEUROTRANSMITTERS.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
LOOK AT THIS. MASTERS AND COPLAN.
IN 2000 NEUROTOXICOLOGY PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL.
THEY WERE NOW SEEING HIGHER VENOUS BLOOD LEAD LEVELS IN CHILDREN BIRTH TO SIX.
THEY LOOKED AT A LARGE RANGE THERE, AS YOU CAN SEE IN 105 COMMUNITIES.
AND THE RESULTS THE AVERAGE BLOOD LEAD LEVELS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER IN CHILDREN LIVING IN COMMUNITIES WHERE WATER IS TREATED WITH SILICA FLUORIDES, SO IT DOESN'T READILY DISSOLVE IN WATER.
NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS BACK IN 2011, IN AUSTIN, WE WERE HAVING A VERY THIS SAME DISCUSSION.
[01:35:07]
AND SO I WAS DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH FOR MY PRESENTATIONS THEN, AND I FOUND THIS ON THE ADA WEBSITE, WHICH YOU CAN'T FIND ANYMORE.I'VE TRIED. GO AHEAD AND CLICK IT AGAIN.
SO THIS WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FLUORIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY.
BASICALLY, THIS MAY BE BECAUSE NO ONE HAS SYSTEMATICALLY PERFORMED IN VITRO STUDIES THAT SEPARATE THE SIGNIFICANT FACTORS UNDER CONDITIONS THAT CLOSELY MIMIC THOSE OF THE ORAL ENVIRONMENT, AND THEN VALIDATED THOSE FINDINGS IN INTRAORAL STUDIES.
THIS WAS JUST THIS IS IN 2005.
SO, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE STUDY THAT IS NOT DOUBLE BLINDED.
BUT THIS WAS THE LARGEST STUDY IN 1986-87.
IT WAS 39,000 PLUS CHILDREN IN 84 COMMUNITIES.
AND THE RESULTS AS THEY TOUTED WAS AN 18% DIFFERENCE IN DECAY RATE.
SO, THEY SAID, LOOK, THESE CHILDREN WHO ARE DRINKING FLUORIDATED WATER HAVE 18% LESS DECAY.
BUT THAT IS THE RELATIVE DIFFERENCE.
AND I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN THAT IN A SECOND.
THE ACTUAL DIFFERENCE WAS ONLY 0.6 TOOTH SURFACES LESS THAN ONE TOOTH SURFACE.
JOHN YAMANAS, WHO WAS WITH THE SAFE WATER FOUNDATION, DID HIS OWN LOOK AT THE DATA, AND HE WAS LOOKING AT JUST THE TEETH, AND HE FOUND A RELATIVE DIFFERENCE OF 4%, WHICH IS SMALL, BUT AN ABSOLUTE DIFFERENCE OF LESS THAN ONE TENTH OF A TOOTH.
SO, ON THE X AXIS, THAT BOTTOM HORIZONTAL AXIS THAT'S THE AGE OF THE CHILDREN.
AND THE Y AXIS THAT'S THE VERTICAL AXIS IS THE DIFFERENCE IN DECAY RATES.
AND IF YOU LOOK THERE'S ONE AS HIGH AS 32 AND THERE'S ONE AS LOW AS EIGHT.
AND THE AVERAGE WAS 18 IS WHAT THEY SAID.
BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THE RELATIVE VALUES ARE THE AVERAGE OF ALL SAMPLES IN EACH AGE GROUP.
SO YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN.
YOU'RE TAKING SAMPLES OF ALL OF IT AND MIXING IT TOGETHER.
THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE DIFFERENCE.
SO, THE GRAPHS LOOK RELATIVELY SIMILAR.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THAT Y AXIS THOSE NUMBERS ARE MUCH LOWER.
SO, I'M GOING TO PUT THEM ON THE SAME GRAPH FOR YOU.
NEXT SLIDE. THERE'S YOUR DIFFERENCE.
SO THAT RED LINE AT THE BOTTOM, THAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE IN DECAY RATES.
AGAIN 0.6% OR LESS THAN ONE TENTH OF ONE TOOTH SURFACE.
SO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING AN ACID THAT WE ALREADY KNOW DOESN'T DO WHAT ITS INTENDED FUNCTION IS POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS TO SAVE LESS THAN ONE TENTH OF ONE TOOTH SURFACE.
NEXT SLIDE. I BROUGHT THIS UP BECAUSE I KNOW THIS WAS MENTIONED LAST TIME.
SO, I WANT TO JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE BACKGROUND ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT.
SO, IN 2011 IS WHEN CALGARY STOPPED WATER FLUORIDATION.
AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE NOTICED WILL DECAY.
RATES WERE GOING UP AFTER A FEW YEARS.
SO, THEY WERE WORRIED IS BECAUSE THEY STOPPED FLUORIDATION.
SO, IN 2019, THE CITY COUNCIL AND PRO FLUORIDATION ASKED THE O'BRIEN INSTITUTE, WHICH IS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY, TO CONDUCT A REVIEW OF FLUORIDATION AND PRESENT IT TO US.
THIS WAS THE GROUP THAT THEY HIRED TO REVIEW FLUORIDATION.
CLICK. THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED 13 TO 1 TO CANCEL THAT PRESENTATION.
THEY DID EVENTUALLY SEE IT THOUGH.
NEXT SLIDE. AND THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
AND IN FACT, BRITISH COLUMBIA, WHICH ONLY FLUORIDATED, I THINK 1.2% OF THEIR POPULATION, 1.2%, HAS FAR LESS DECAY. NEXT SLIDE.
SO, I WANT TO SHOW YOU THIS BECAUSE THIS IS HOW WE SORT OF PLAY WITH GRAPHS.
NOW I'M SHOWING YOU THE WHOLE GRAPH.
BUT WHAT THEY HAD DONE IS SHOWED YOU JUST THE RIGHT SIDE WHERE IT SAYS FLUORIDATION ENDS.
AND LOOK AT LOOK AT THESE DECAY RATES GOING UP.
OR YOU CAN SEE DECAY WAS ON A STEADY INCLINE.
THEY'RE ENDING FLUORIDATION HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH DECAY RATES GOING UP.
SO, YOU CAN PLAY WITH GRAPHS A LITTLE BIT THERE.
THIS IS THE BOTTOM LINE RIGHT.
SO, 0.7 PARTS PER MILLION IS THE, THAT'S THE CONCENTRATION, BUT IT'S NOT THE DOSE.
[01:40:04]
HOW DO WE CONTROL THE DOSE.SO, A BABY THAT'S BEING BOTTLE FED IS GETTING 80 PLUS PERCENT OF HIS OR HER DIET.
IS THIS HYDRO FLUOROSILICIC ACID WATER SO NORMAL.
MOTHER'S MILK HAS VERY LOW NATURAL FLUORIDE.
RIGHT. 0.004 PARTS PER MILLION.
SO NOW WE CAN PUT THAT TO 0.7.
A BABY CAN GET 250 TIMES THE LEVEL OF MOTHER'S MILK.
AND ONE LAST THING, BECAUSE I KNOW MR. CHAIR BROUGHT IT UP AND I BELIEVE IT WAS COUNCILWOMAN BLACKMON AS WELL.
WE KEEP CALLING EVERYTHING FLUORIDE.
YOU KNOW, FLUORINE, WHICH IS THE ELEMENT NATURALLY OCCURRING IS NEVER ALONE.
IT'S EXTREMELY ELECTRONEGATIVE.
IT WANTS TO JOIN TO SOMETHING.
CALCIUM FLUORIDE IS NATURALLY OCCURRING FLUORIDE.
OKAY. THAT'S THE STUFF THAT OUR BODY ACTUALLY DOESN'T READILY ABSORB.
WE ELIMINATE HALF OF IT VERY QUICKLY.
SODIUM FLUORIDE AND STANNOUS FLORIDA ARE WHAT THEY ADD TO TOOTHPASTE.
VERY DIFFERENT. JUST TO GIVE A QUICK APPLES TO APPLES.
AND THEN I'LL FINISH CALCIUM FLUORIDE NATURALLY OCCURRING FLUORIDE BODY DOES NOT ABSORB IT WELL.
WE GET RID OF HALF OF IT VERY QUICKLY.
THE ACUTE LETHAL DOSE THE ENOUGH.
HOW MUCH CALCIUM FLUORIDE IS NEEDED TO KILL SOMEBODY IS 3750MG/KG OF BODY WEIGHT.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE ACUTE LETHAL DOSE OF IS OF HYDRO FLUOROSILICIC ACID 125.
IT'S NOT EVEN THE SAME ANIMAL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME I APPRECIATE IT.
I WILL NOW OPEN IT UP TO MEMBERS FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
OH, YOU'RE PRESENTING AS WELL.
YEAH. OKAY. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU GUYS TO SPEED IT UP.
WE'VE ALREADY SPENT 25 MINUTES ON PRESENTATION ALONE.
I ASKED YOU ALL THAT IN THE BEGINNING.
WE HAVE 15 MINUTES LEFT OF THE MEETING, TECHNICALLY, AND I NEED MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
I'LL TRY AND SPEED THROUGH THIS.
I'M A MEDICAL DOCTOR SPECIALIZING IN FAMILY MEDICINE.
I'VE BEEN PRACTICING IN FORT WORTH FOR 27 YEARS.
ALSO, THE TEAM DOCTOR AT UNIVERSITY OF ARLINGTON.
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON.
THERE. I'M ORIGINATE FROM CANADA.
CAME DOWN HERE BECAUSE I WANTED TO GET INTO THE GO.
YOU HEARD DR. LANPHEAR AND DR.
COLE TALK ABOUT NEUROTOXIC EFFECTS AND THAT WITH FLUORIDATION AND THAT I WANT TO TALK MOSTLY ABOUT PART OF THE BODY THAT'S, THAT AFFECTS EVERY OTHER PART OF THE BODY THAT CAN BE SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED BY THE FLUORIDE, AND THAT'S THE THYROID.
YOU MIX THOSE TWO TOGETHER AND THEY'LL DISPLACE EACH OTHER.
IT'S THE ACTUALLY THE MAJOR METABOLIC AND THE HORMONE IN THE BODY.
IT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING US UP OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING.
THAT KEEPS OUR BODY TEMPERATURE AT 98.6.
IT REGULATES THE RATE AT WHICH OUR BODY BURNS CALORIES, AFFECTS CARDIAC OUTPUT, AND AGAIN AFFECTS BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MORE CONCERNING THINGS ABOUT THIS TO THE HYPOTHYROIDISM, UNFORTUNATELY, IS RAMPANT IN OUR SOCIETY AND ITS WOEFULLY.
AGAIN, FLUORIDATION IS NOT THE CAUSE OF ALL OUR PROBLEMS, BUT IT'S A COMPONENT THERE.
BUT IF WE IF WE IGNORE FLUORIDATION, THAT'S TO OUR DETRIMENT.
THERE'S BEEN A STUDY, I BELIEVE.
I HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO I DIDN'T THINK MUCH ABOUT FLUORIDE EITHER.
BUT DIFFERENT THINGS HAVE OCCURRED IN MY LIFE THAT KIND OF BROUGHT THAT MORE TO THE FOREFRONT.
AND AS I AS I LOOK MORE AND MORE INTO IT, THE PROBLEMS ARE MORE AND MORE APPARENT.
[01:45:05]
APPROXIMATED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FLUORIDATION AND NON-FLUORIDATION, WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A REDUCTION IN CHILDREN'S IQ BY AN AVERAGE OF 5 TO 6 POINTS. IN 2019, ANOTHER NIH FUNDED STUDY SHOWED THAT BABIES FED WITH FORMULA MIXED WITH FLUORIDATED WATER AVERAGED SIX IQ POINTS LESS THAN THOSE MIXED WITH NON-FLUORIDATED WATER.LOSSES OF NONVERBAL IQ WERE EVEN MORE SERIOUS AND AN AVERAGE OF 13 POINTS.
WHILE IT'S PREPARING TO DO THIS TALK, EVERY TIME I LOOK, I FIND MORE INFORMATION IN THAT.
ALL THESE PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE GETTING KNEE REPLACEMENTS AND ALL THAT.
MAYBE IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A 2023 STUDY.
VERY RECENT TITLED COMMUNITY WATER FLUORIDATION IN PEDIATRIC BONE FRACTURES SHOWED THAT US STATES WITH THE HIGHEST PROPORTION OF FLUORIDATED WATER HAD TWO TIMES THE RATE OF FRACTURES, COMMON TYPES OF CHILDHOOD BONE FRACTURES, AS OPPOSED TO THE STATES WITH VERY LITTLE FLUORIDATION.
AND ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE DEALT WITH OLDER PEOPLE AND ALL OF US, YOU KNOW THAT A HIP FRACTURE IS OFTEN THE START OF THE DECLINE OF ELDERLY PEOPLE AND OFTEN TRANSLATING THROUGH TO DEATH.
THERE ARE MORE STUDIES OUT THERE, BUT I WON'T GO INTO THAT.
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SIMILAR TO MY AGE, WHICH I'M 63, I HATE TO ADMIT THAT, BUT WE'LL RECALL IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE'S BODIES WERE FAILING, BUT THEIR MINDS WERE SHARP.
THESE DAYS, IT'S TURNING AROUND.
THE BODIES ARE DOING A LITTLE BETTER.
YES, BUT THE MINDS ARE FAILING AND THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT CAUSES FOR THAT.
AGAIN, FLUORIDATION IS NOT THE ONLY CAUSE FOR THAT, BUT IT IS A COMPONENT.
AND IT'S SHOWING MORE AND MORE.
YOU. COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE CITIZENS OF DALLAS, AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONSIDER WHAT YOU'VE HEARD HERE TODAY AND LOOK YOURSELVES FOR MORE INFORMATION IF YOU NEED IT.
UNFORTUNATELY, GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES HAVE TOLD US IN THE PAST THAT, YOU KNOW, LEADED PAINT, LEADED GAS, DDT, DYES, TOBACCO, ASBESTOS WERE ALL SAFE UNTIL THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE SHOWED THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS THERE.
AND THEN THEY STARTED BANNING THINGS AND RESTRICTING THEM.
WE'RE KIND OF IN THE EXACT SAME POSITION WITH FLUORIDATION RIGHT NOW.
YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY.
AND I THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL, ALL OF YOUR PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
I'LL OPEN IT UP NOW FOR ANY MEMBERS.
WHAT BECAME VERY CLEAR IN THE LAST PRESENTATION AND IN THE RESEARCH THAT YOU'VE SENT IS THAT IF WE HAD ADEQUATE PEDIATRIC, PARTICULARLY PEDIATRIC.
AND SO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT THAT'S VERY CLEAR THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT FLUORIDE IS SOMETHING THAT'S FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE OF THE HIGHER SOCIOECONOMIC, IN THE SENSE THAT THEY GET BETTER DENTAL CARE, THEY CAN AFFORD TO HAVE BETTER DENTAL CARE.
THEN IT'S THEN THAT THE LEVELS OF FLUORIDATION, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED.
IF I REMEMBER FROM THE LAST PRESENTATION, THE DOCTOR SAID THAT THAT MAY BE TRUE.
AND LET'S MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND THEN WE CAN DEAL WITH WHETHER OR NOT WE CONTINUE IN THIS SENSE.
BECAUSE IF EVERYBODY GETS PROPER DENTAL HYGIENE, DO WE STILL NEED THIS? I DON'T KNOW, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MS. SHULTZ. MS. WILLIS, THANK YOU.
AND TO BUILD ON THAT POINT, WHEN WE RECEIVED THE PRESENTATION, I DID SOME RESEARCH ON SOME OF THIS AND A COUPLE OF THE AREAS CITED, LIKE NORTH DAKOTA AND KENTUCKY, THEY HAVE COVERAGE THROUGH MEDICAID OR WHATEVER.
BUT THERE ARE SO MANY BARRIERS TO RECEIVING DENTAL HEALTH CARE THAT CONTRIBUTED TO IT.
[01:50:05]
SO, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF OTHER FACTORS.JUST BECAUSE IT'S AVAILABLE DOESN'T MEAN SOMEONE CAN GET THERE.
SO GOING BACK TO THE PRESENTATIONS ON PAGE SIX, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN PULLED OUT FROM A DRAFT META-ANALYSIS MANUSCRIPT ON FLUORIDE IN APRIL 2023.
SO I WENT AND FOLLOWED YOUR FOOTNOTE, AND I WAS REALLY CONCERNED TO SEE A LETTER FROM DR.
KATHLEEN GRAY, THE CHAIR OF THIS BOARD OF SCIENTIFIC COUNSELORS, WHO CALLED OUT SOMETHING FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE THAT IS CONSIDERED THE GOLD STANDARD FOR PROVIDING INDEPENDENT AND OBJECTIVE ADVICE ON COMPLEX SCIENTIFIC ISSUES, WHO HAVE ASKED SPECIFICALLY THAT THINGS LIKE THIS NOT BE PULLED OUT AND PUT FORTH AS FACT, AND SAID IGNORED THE RECOMMENDATION INSTEAD, THE LATEST VERSION IS FULL OF NON-CONTEXTUALIZED STATEMENTS ABOUT POTENTIAL ASSOCIATIONS AND THE EVIDENCE OF BEING UNCLEAR.
TO SUPPORT THIS CLAIM, YOU HAVE GOT THE LEADING AUTHORITY IMPLORING THIS GROUP TO NOT PUT THIS FORTH BECAUSE IT HAS NOT ACHIEVED THE PEER REVIEW THAT IT SHOULD.
YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT TO SAY THAT IN COMING BEFORE A GOVERNING BODY OF THE NINTH LARGEST CITY IN AMERICA AND NOT FOOTNOTING SOME OF THESE THINGS IS SO DISAPPOINTING.
I MEAN, THIS WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THE A GAME.
NOW, MY COLLEAGUES MAY NOT KNOW THAT IN MY FORMER LIFE IN MARKETING, I WORKED WITH JOHNSON AND JOHNSON MEDICAL ON WOUND CARE AND HAVE HELPED THEM PREPARE THEIR MEDICAL POSTERS FOR A GLOBAL AUDIENCE.
AND YOU DON'T CHERRY PICK THINGS.
YOU LOOK AT RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE YOU START.
THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THE INFORMATION.
AND SO, TO USE THOSE STUDIES YOU CALLED OUT ON CALGARY AND EDMONTON WHERE IT'S A GREAT EXPERIMENT.
IT WAS ACTUALLY DONE IN 2021 THAT PREVALENCE OF CARIES IN THE PRIMARY DEFINITION WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER IN CALGARY, WHERE FLUORIDE WAS STOPPED, THAN IN EDMONTON, WHERE IT'S STILL FLUORIDATED.
AND THE CONCLUSION, WHICH IS WHAT WE SHOULD ALL BE LOOKING AT, IS OUR FINDINGS ARE CONSISTENT WITH AN ADVERSE IMPACT OF FLUORIDATION, CESSATION ON CHILDREN'S DENTAL HEALTH IN CALGARY, AND TO POINT TO THE NEED FOR UNIVERSAL, PUBLICLY FUNDED PREVENTION ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FLUORIDATION.
FLUORIDE, THE KEY AGENT IN BATTLING CARIES, WORKS PRIMARILY VIA TOPICAL MECHANISMS. BRUNEL AND CARLOS.
THE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT THE WATER FLUORIDATION HAS PLAYED A DOMINANT ROLE IN THE DECLINE IN CARIES, AND MUST CONTINUE TO BE A MAJOR PREVENTION METHODOLOGY, SO IT GOES ON AND ON.
WE'VE ALSO GOT SOMETHING THAT WAS SHOWN IN OUR LAST ROUND OF THIS ABOUT IN AMERICA, IN ALASKA, IN JUNEAU AND ANCHORAGE, WHERE ONE CITY DECIDED TO END FLUORIDATION, AND NINE YEARS LATER, THE EXPENSE ON CAVITY TREATMENTS HAD INCREASED 47% IN JUNEAU, WHILE IT INCREASED ONLY 5% IN ANCHORAGE, WHERE THERE WAS FLUORIDATION.
SO, YOU KNOW, TO COME BEFORE US AND PULL-OUT LITTLE PIECES HERE AND THERE WHEN THIS WAS YOUR MOMENT IS JUST DISAPPOINTING TO ME. AND SO IT FORCED ME TO GO IN AND DO A LOT OF RESEARCH THAT DIDN'T EVEN START WITH A FOOTNOTE THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS HAVE.
AND SO I JUST WANT MY COLLEAGUES TO UNDERSTAND THIS, BECAUSE I DO FEEL LIKE WE'VE EXPLORED THIS.
I TOOK IT VERY SERIOUSLY TO DIG INTO THIS.
I THINK DR. WONG MIGHT BE ONLINE.
I DON'T KNOW, HE'S NOT I'M NOT SURE.
OKAY. ANYWAY, I JUST I HAD TO CLARIFY THIS.
MS. WILLIS, WAS THERE ANY RESPONSE? YEAH, I CAN RESPOND TO ALL OF IT.
I MEAN, WHAT I MEAN, I HAVE 15 MINUTES.
I CAN TALK ABOUT THIS ALL DAY WITH YOU.
ADDING HYDROFLUORIC ACID DOES NOT PREVENT DECAY.
AND THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR ON THIS.
AND JOHN FEATHERSTONE, HE WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
I DIDN'T CHERRY PICK ANYTHING.
THAT'S WHY I GAVE YOU NUMBERS, ACTUAL NUMBERS.
[01:55:02]
INSTEAD OF SAYING IT'S 25% LESS DECAY.I'M SHOWING YOU 2.79 SURFACES.
IS WHAT THE NON-FLUORIDATED KIDS.
WHAT THE FLUORIDATED KIDS HAD 3.25 IS WHAT THE NON-FLUORIDATED.
THAT IS LESS THAN ONE TOOTH SURFACE.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL BASED ON THAT HUGE STUDY IN 8687.
WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT NUMBERS IN THOSE STATEMENTS.
THAT'S FROM THE AP, THAT'S FROM THE PROGRAM.
AND BY THE WAY, THAT REPORT WAS BLOCKED FOR A YEAR BY GUESS WHO, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
THEY KNEW IT WAS DAMAGING TO WATER FLUORIDATION.
SO, WE CAN GET INTO ALL THIS IF YOU WANT.
I'M HAPPY TO. I'LL ADDRESS ANY QUESTION YOU HAVE, BUT LET'S NOT.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS ALL DAY.
AND TO BE FAIR, SHE'S DULY ELECTED MEMBER OF THIS BODY.
AND HER OPINION OF EXPECTATION OF THE TYPE OF MATERIALS WE SHOULD BE GIVEN TO PREPARE FOR ANY TYPE OF BRIEFING IS SUBSTANTIAL TO HEAR. SO, I IN NO WAY FAULT HER FOR GIVING YOU THOSE OPINIONS.
THERE'S NO REASON TO GO INTO A TIT FOR TAT.
YOU WERE ALL PROVIDED WITH SOME SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES IN FULL, AND I CAN'T I MEAN, WE CAN'T MAKE COPIES OF ALL OF THEM, BUT I DID GIVE YOU SOME FULL ARTICLES, NOT JUST THAT FIRST PAGE. ALL OF YOU GOT THE TEN STUDIES THAT WERE NIH FUNDED SHOWING EXACTLY WHAT WE SAID ABOUT THE IQ DEFICITS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO THIS ALL DAY.
AND TO BE AND TO BE FAIR, THE SOURCES THAT WERE CITED JUST BY COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS WERE FROM THE SAME REPORTS THAT THAT YOU WERE REFERENCING. SO, I THINK THAT THERE'S JUST A SIMPLE REQUEST FOR THERE TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT CONTEXT TO WHAT IS BEING CITED IN.
AND I BELIEVE I MENTIONED THIS EVEN LAST WEEK OR LAST MONTH.
THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK ON ANY ONE PARTICULAR, BUT IF WE'RE MEANT TO BALANCE OUT TWO OPPOSING SIDES TO AN ARGUMENT, AS POLICYMAKERS, WE SHOULD BE GIVEN AS MUCH TRANSPARENT RESEARCH TO SIFT THROUGH TO DO THAT.
AND IF WE DO SOME SIFTING OF OUR OWN TO FIND THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF CONTEXT IN WHAT WAS CITED, INTENT IS, OF COURSE, GOING TO BE QUESTIONED.
SO, I THINK THAT THAT THERE'S SOME VALIDITY IN HEARING THE STATEMENT THAT THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN WHERE THE A GAME WAS, AND INSTEAD OF ALLOWING FOR THERE TO BE THIS WASTE OF TIME IN TALKING ABOUT WHAT AN EXPECTATION WAS AND WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED, WE COULD BE TALKING ABOUT THE MERIT AND THE SUBSTANCE OF WHAT YOU PUT INTO YOUR REPORT.
AND THAT'S NOT WHAT'S OCCURRING NOW.
SO THAT SHOULD BE THE TAKEAWAY THAT YOU GET FROM THIS FEEDBACK.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE HAS BEEN ANY TYPE OF DISPUTE FROM ANY OF THE OPPOSITION THAT FLUORIDE, FLUORIDE NATURALLY OCCURRING, I WOULD SAY PLAYS A ROLE ESPECIALLY TOPICALLY IN ITS IMPACT TOWARDS TEETH DECAY.
IS THAT AN ACCURATE STATEMENT? CALCIUM FLUORIDE. YOU MEAN NATURALLY OCCURRING FLUORIDE? YES. SO, AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC AND WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SIFT THROUGH FROM HEARING FROM MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT, IS THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE THE MOST CONCERN WITH THE ACTUAL SUPPLEMENT THAT IS USED TO HIT THOSE NATURAL NUMBERS.
I THINK THAT WHEN I DUG FURTHER IN, AND I'VE TALKED WITH SARAH ABOUT THIS IN DWU, THAT THERE THE CITIES THAT WE'VE SEEN TAKE ACTION TO TAKE IT OUT OF THEIR WATER HAVE A NATURAL OCCURRING LEVEL OF FLUORIDE THAT'S MUCH HIGHER THAN THOSE WHO HAVE FAILED TO BE.
I GUESS DEPENDENT ON A SUPPLEMENT.
IS THAT ACCURATE AS WELL? YEAH. SO, YOU'RE SAYING WHERE THERE'S HIGH AMOUNTS OF NATURALLY OCCURRING FLUORIDE.
OKAY. AND SO, WITH THAT SAID, I'M CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT OTHER PRACTICES ARE BEING USED WITH THE RESEARCH THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE, THAT THAT IS NOT WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A BYPRODUCT OR BE CONSIDERED HYDROFLUORIC OR NOT.
HYDROFLUORIC ACID, HYDROFLUORIC ACID.
SO, A MOUTHFUL. WHAT ALTERNATIVES ARE THERE, I GUESS, AND WHAT OTHER PRACTICES ARE SEEKING A NATURAL OCCURRING FLUORIDE CALCIUM FLUORIDE, IF I KNOW IT HAS TO BE BOUND TO SOMETHING, WHAT OTHER PRACTICES ARE BEING
[02:00:05]
USED IN PLACE OF WHAT I REALLY HEAR, THE BIGGEST CONCERN FROM ANY OPPOSITION IS THE FACT THAT IT IS THE PARTICULAR SUPPLEMENT THAT'S BEING USED.SO, ARE YOU SAYING, LIKE IN ORGANIZED DENTISTRY, WHAT ARE THEY DOING? OR JUST IN GENERAL WHAT CAN BE DONE? I WOULD SAY, I GUESS IF THIS IS AN ADDITIVE, IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE ADDITIVE THAT IS A NATURAL OCCURRING OR SOMETHING THAT'S COMPARABLE TO A CALCIUM FLUORIDE? NO, I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO ADD ANYTHING TO THE WATER IS THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS.
THEY ARE WORKING ON THINGS THAT ARE THAT HAVE NO FLUORIDE AT ALL, NOT EVEN TOPICALLY.
BUT I'D LIKE TO JUST PUSH BACK ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME THAT IT WAS ACCURATE TO STATE THAT THERE IS A HIGHER LEVEL OF NATURAL OCCURRING FLUORIDE IN PLACES THAT DON'T SEE IT NECESSARY TO SUPPLEMENT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I SAID AT ALL.
I SAID THERE IS THERE ARE PLACES THAT HAVE HIGH AMOUNTS OF CALCIUM FLUORIDE.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND, IT MAKES IT MORE BRITTLE.
YOU CAN CHIP IT AWAY WITH JUST A SIMPLE EXPLORER INSTRUMENT.
SO NO, I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO ADD ANYTHING TO THE WATER SUPPLY TO HAVE GOOD ORAL HEALTH.
IT'S UNNECESSARY DIET, HOME CARE.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT.
WE DON'T NEED TO ADD AN ACID TO THE WATER.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. THAT'S WHERE YOUR STANCE IS.
THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T ASK YOU THAT, BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY MADE THAT CLEAR.
WHAT MY QUESTION IS, IS THE FACT THAT THERE IS CORRELATION BETWEEN CITIES WHO HAVE OPTED OUT OF ADDING FLUORIDE SUPPLEMENT THAT HAS A HIGHER LEVEL OF NATURAL OCCURRING FLUORIDE IN IT, WITH THAT SAID, ALONE.
THERE'S SOME TRUTH TO THE FACT THAT IT BEING PRESENT, WHETHER IT'S NATURAL OCCURRING OR NOT.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BYPRODUCT.
THE NATURAL OCCURRING FLUORIDE THAT EXISTS IF IT NEEDS TO BE SUPPLEMENTED TO HIT THE SAME RESULTS THAT WHAT WE'VE SEEN FROM THOSE.
THE REASON I'M BRINGING THIS UP IS THAT I THINK THAT IT, ON THE SURFACE, BEGS THE QUESTION AND RAISES SOMEWHAT OF A VALID ARGUMENT THAT WE'VE GOT CITIES WHO HAVE DECIDED NOT TO HAVE THIS.
WELL, THEN IT MAKES YOU WANT TO WONDER WHY.
HOW CAN THEY GET AWAY WITH IT? WHY DON'T NUMBERS SHOW FROM WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM? AND THEN WHEN YOU SEE THAT THERE IS A HIGHER LEVEL OF NATURALLY OCCURRING FLUORIDE IN THEIR WATER, THAT THEY ARE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT IT.
THAT'S WHY WHAT I'M ASKING IS THAT I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM Y'ALL, OR FROM LAST MONTH'S PRESENTERS, THAT THERE IS A BENEFIT TO FLUORIDE ON YOUR TEETH.
TOPICALLY. YES, TOPICALLY, TOPICALLY.
AND THERE'S NOT BEEN A DISPUTE THAT NATURAL OCCURRING FLUORIDE BEING INGESTED IS THE ISSUE.
NOW, THERE'S STILL A DISPUTE ON THAT.
WE STILL DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE EXPOSED TO HIGH AMOUNTS OF NATURALLY OCCURRING FLUORIDE.
YOU STILL GET FLUOROSIS; YOU STILL HAVE DAMAGE TO THE TEETH.
THAT THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS.
SO, WHEN CITIES LIKE SAN ANTONIO, THEY DIDN'T FLUORIDATE FOREVER.
THEY FINALLY DID. LOOKED AFTER NINE YEARS, HIRED A GUY, HIRED CAVITIES.
SO, WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THAT EXPERIMENT? IT DIDN'T DO WHAT YOU INTENDED IT TO DO.
YOU CAN HAVE HIGH, HIGH, NATURALLY OCCURRING FLUORIDE AND HAVE FLUOROSIS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S A GOOD THING TO YOUR TEETH.
AND SO, IF A CITY SAYS, WELL, WE HAVE LIKE SAY IN DALLAS, IT'S I THINK 0.3 PARTS PER MILLION.
SO, YOU WANT TO SUPPLEMENT IT UP TO 0.7 OR DO ALREADY.
IT HAS NO BENEFICIAL EFFECT TO THE TEETH WHEN TAKEN SYSTEMICALLY.
IF IT'S NATURALLY OCCURRING AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S NO PLACE FOR IT AT ALL, IS YOUR SUGGESTION TO NOT DRINK WATER? NO, NO, YOU HAVE NO CHOICE, RIGHT? IF IT'S NATURALLY OCCURRING, YOU DRINK IT, YOU GET THE FLUOROSIS.
THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS. THAT'S WHERE YOU LIVE NOW.
YOU CAN HAVE FILTERS AND ALL THAT, OR DRINK SPRING WATER.
IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THAT, YOU CAN AVOID IT IF YOU CAN AFFORD TO DO IT.
BUT NO, I'M NOT SAYING THAT AT ALL.
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE AT THAT POINT.
IF THAT'S WHERE YOU LIVE AND YOU HAVE TO DRINK TAP WATER.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I SEE.
THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR AUDIO, DOCTOR.
NOW. NO, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE AUDIO.
AND SO I APOLOGIZE, BUT IT SOUNDS VERY BROKEN UP.
[02:05:02]
I'M GOING TO REACH OUT TO YOU, DOCTOR, AFTER THIS AND SEE IF I CAN GET ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO PUT ON RECORD.I'LL ALSO SPEAK WITH SARAH STANDERFER, WHO IS GOING TO PREPARE AN OVERALL SUMMARY FROM BOTH LAST MONTH'S PRESENTATION AND THIS MONTH.
I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL'S TIME.
I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY FOR THE PUBLIC THAT I THINK THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT.
I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR ANY POLICY WORK.
I 100% DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY POLICY MAKING SHOULD BE DONE IN A VACUUM.
I SEE WE HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR LAST MONTH'S PRESENTATION.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AS WELL.
I THINK THAT THIS GIVES US THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED AS POLICY MAKERS TO REALLY SIFT THROUGH THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOME DIGGING OF OUR OWN INTO THE RESEARCH AND TO MAKE AS EDUCATED OF A DECISION AS WE CAN.
I KNOW THAT THIS REGULARLY HAS COME UP IN THE PAST.
IT JUST HASN'T WITH US SITTING IN THESE SEATS.
SO, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE ALL OF THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.
SO, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S CONTRIBUTION TO TODAY'S PANEL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR STANDERFER.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I WILL NOW MOVE ON.
AND THIS IS FOR THE CULTURAL ORGANIZATION PROGRAM CONTRACTS WITH OUR OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MEMBERS? MS. WILLIS. THANK YOU.
DO WE GET AN ANNUAL REPORT FROM EACH OF THESE 60 SOME ODD AGENCIES, OR HOW DOES YOUR OFFICE FOLLOW UP ON THIS? HI THERE, GLENN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ARTS AND CULTURE.
IS IT CONSOLIDATED? AND THEN YOU ALL TAKE THAT AND REPORT BACK.
AND I JUST MAY NOT REMEMBER GETTING THIS REPORT.
YEAH. SO USUALLY AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR WE SORT OF CONSOLIDATE ALL OF THOSE MONTHLY REPORTS, SEND THOSE BACK TO THE ORGANIZATIONS TO KIND OF CLEAN UP AND FINALIZE, AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO USE THOSE AS SORT OF OUR FINAL STAMP FOR THE YEAR AND REPORT OUT ON THOSE.
TYPICALLY, THOSE REPORTS ARE SENT OUT FOR OUR COMMISSION MEETINGS THAT WE'LL HAVE WITH OUR ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO GIVE THOSE NUMBERS TO YOU AS WELL. WELL, AND IT MAY BE FINE TO HAVE IT LIVE AT THE COMMISSION, BUT THEN THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHEN PEOPLE RE-UP OR REAPPLY, IS THAT USED AS A FACTOR IN GAUGING WHO WE ARE AWARDING OUR CONTRACTS TO? YES. SO, WE DO.
AND THEN WE KIND OF GO FROM THOSE METRICS.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU.
THANK YOU. MR. GRACEY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT.
YOU KNOW, CLIFF, WHEN I WAS WITH THE CITY, THIS WAS ONE THAT WAS NEAR AND DEAR.
AND HOW TO CONTINUE TO SEE THE EVOLUTION AND THE INCLUSION IN THIS PROGRAM.
SO, I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THIS MEMO.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. THANK YOU.
SEEING. IS THERE ANYTHING? ANYONE VIRTUAL THAT HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, I'LL JUST ECHO.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, I THINK, FOR NOT ONLY THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT IT BENEFITS, BUT THE PUBLIC THAT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS BENEFIT.
SO, ALLOWING FOR THIS EQUITABLY TO BE AN INVESTMENT IN MAKING ARTS MORE AVAILABLE IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK THE BODY THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEFORE YOU ALL NOW IS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF.
[02:10:03]
SO, THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S WORK AND LOVE TO SEE THIS CONTINUE.WITH THAT, THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS FOR TODAY'S COMMITTEE MEETING.
THE TIME IS NOW 1114 AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE, ARTS AND CULTURE IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.