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[ Charter Review Commission on March 4, 2024. ]
UH, GOOD EVENING.LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE? THANK YOU.
UH, WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, THEREFORE, I CALL THIS MEETING OF THE DALLAS CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION TO ORDER, UH, AT 6:31 PM ON MONDAY, MARCH 4TH, 2024.
UH, WE WILL BEGIN, UH, TONIGHT'S MEETING WITH PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UM, AND JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, WE'RE GONNA OPEN IT UP.
SO ANYONE THAT WANTS TO COME AND SPEAK TO US, THEY CAN.
BUT WE'RE GONNA GET INTO THE AGENDA, UH, AT WHICH YOU'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME TO TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
SO, UM, JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS AS WE GO FORWARD AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING, UH, SINCE WE TRY TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT QUICKER, UH, WITH THE INTRODUCTION SESSION AND HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO FOCUS ON THE PARTICULAR AMENDMENTS.
UH, SO WE'LL START WITH OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE RAPHAEL AND SHEA HERE WITH US.
CAN YOU COME UP AND TALK TO US, PLEASE? AND I THINK YOU MAY HAVE A PRESENTATION AS WELL, RIGHT, SIR? WHEREVER YOU WANT.
LEMME KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR ME.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK WITH YOU.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS, UH, ON ALL THE GOOD WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING.
UH, I REMEMBER, AND I KNOW SOME OF, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS WHOM I HAD THE EXTREME GOOD FORTUNE OF SERVING WITH, WHO ARE HAPPEN TO BE HERE TODAY, TOM PERKINS AND ALAN WAL.
UM, WE ALL SERVED ON THE, UH, 2014, UM, UH, CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.
UH, I KNOW THAT, UM, THAT WE'RE ALL GRATEFUL FOR, FOR THIS WORK.
IT'S HARD SOMETIMES, IT'S, UH, TIME CONSUMING, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT WORK.
AND, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO, WHO LIKE THE INNER WORKINGS OF, OF POLICY, IT'S OFTENTIMES VERY FUN AND REWARDING AFTER IT'S ALL OVER.
COMMISSIONER HUNT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO TALK TO YOU, UH, REVISIT REDISTRICTING LIKE WE, UH, DISCUSSED AT THE OUTSET, UH, OF YOUR WORK AND, AND THE PRESENTATION I MADE.
UH, YOU'LL RECALL THAT THE REDISTRICTING REGIME THAT WE SET UP IN THE CITY CHARTER WAS REALLY A THREE LEGGED STOOL.
THERE WERE THREE IMPORTANT BUCKETS.
THE FIRST PART IS WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO SERVE ON THE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION? UM, THE, THE, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS MADE A, UH, OVERWHELMING RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME THAT THERE SHOULD BE A LIST OF PERSONS, UM, PROHIBITED FROM SERVING ON THE REDISTRICT FIRST REDISTRICTING COMMISSION, NAMELY INSIDERS IN THE PROCESS.
THE SECOND ONE WAS THE PROCESS.
THE PROCESS, WHICH WAS, UH, ULTIMATELY HIGHLIGHTED BY THAT CONE OF SILENCE THAT WE PUT IN THE, IN THE PROCESS WHERE, UM, UH, COMMISSIONERS DID NOT SERVE AS PROXIES OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND RATHER, UH, REQUIRED COMMUNICATION IN OPEN SESSION JUST LIKE OTHER MEMBERS, UH, OF, UM, OR OTHER DALLAS SITES WERE FORCED TO DO.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE CREATED A HURDLE, UH, TO PRESERVE THE, UH, IT WAS A, A A THREE FOURTHS HURDLE, UH, TO PRESERVE THE WILL OF THE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION AND PERMIT CHANGES TO THE MAP ONLY WHEN THERE WAS A BROAD CONSENSUS.
AND THAT WAS, WAS BORNE OUT IN, UM, IN THE LAST REDISTRICTING PROCESS.
SO IN THE, OF THOSE THREE, UH, VERTICALS OR THOSE THREE BUCKETS, I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE FIRST ONE.
'CAUSE THAT'S, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT DID NOT GET INTO THE, UM, REDISTRICTING REFORM LAST TIME AROUND.
AND, UM, AND I, I THINK THERE IS A PRESENTATION, UH, IN FRONT OF YOU, I WON'T REFER DIRECTLY TO IT, BUT THERE WAS A LIST OF PERSONS WHO SHOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS WHEN THEY HAD OTHER, UH, INTERESTS AND NAMELY THE SPOUSES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, CAMPAIGN MANAGERS, UH, PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS WITHIN A TIME, CERTAIN OF THE END OF THEIR PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND, UH, WE, WELL, THE, THE GOAL THERE WAS TO SAY THAT THIS IS TRULY GOING TO BE A CITIZEN LED EFFORT.
THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT CITIZENS WHO DO HAVE, WHO HAVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN MIND AND NOT INSIDERS IN THE PROCESS, WHO HAVE OTHER OUTCOMES, POTENTIALLY, THAT CONFLICT WITH THE PUBLIC INTEREST, WE DIDN'T WANT THEM SERVING.
AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE CONSIDERING, UH, THOSE, UH, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND, AND YOU HAVE THE LIST IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO, UH, LET'S SAY SPOUSES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, EMPLOYEES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, CAMPAIGN MANAGERS, REGISTERED LOBBYISTS.
I THINK THAT ULTIMATELY PEOPLE IN THAT, IN THOSE CATEGORIES HAVE, OTHER THAN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, UH, UH, IN MIND POTENTIALLY, AND WHETHER IT'S REAL OR SIMPLY, THE APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY
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SHOULD BE DISQUALIFIED FROM SERVING ON A REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.THERE ARE PLENTY OF AMAZING D DALLAS SITES WHO DO NOT HAVE, UH, POTENTIAL, UH, CONFLICTS LIKE THIS.
AND I THINK THE ADOPTION OF THESE CHANGES THAT DID NOT OCCUR LAST TIME, BUT UM, MAYBE BEFORE YOU, IN THE FORM OF AN AMENDMENT IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS, DESERVE YOUR CAREFUL CONSIDERATION BECAUSE THEY WOULD FURTHER STRENGTHEN, UH, THE CITIZEN LED, UM, WORK OF THE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION AND ELIMINATE THE, UH, POSSIBLE INFLUENCE OF INSIDERS IN THE PROCESS.
W WITH THAT, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, UH, I'M OUTTA MATERIAL, SO IF, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER.
BUT, UH, WANT, AGAIN, REITERATE MY THANKS FOR YOUR WORK AND ALSO, UM, A FAVORABLE CONSIDERATION OF INCREASING TRANSPARENCY AND INDEPENDENCE OF THE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION, WHICH REALLY WOULD PUT THIS CITY, UH, ON THE MAP AS A LEADER IN THIS PROCESS.
YOU, I, I THINK, UH, THIS CITY HAS, HAS DONE IMPORTANT WORK THROUGH YOU, THROUGH YOUR COMMISSION AND THE 2014 COMMISSION TO MAKE SURE THAT REDISTRICTING, UH, AT CITY OF DALLAS IS THE MOST OPEN, TRANSPARENT, AND INCLUSIVE OF ANY CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
DO, DO YOU, DID YOU OFFER UP AN OPINION ON THE TWO THIRDS VERSUS THREE QUARTER VOTE? UH, UP TO OVERTURN WITH THE RE I CAN SAY IT, BUT YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL.
AND, AND JUST TO, TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT.
THERE, THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THE, THE PROPER HURDLE SHOULD BE, THE BAR THAT WOULD HELP MINIMIZE THE INFLUENCE, UH, BY THE, THE POLICYMAKERS WHO UNDER THE CHARTER ARE REQUIRED TO ADOPT THE MAP, BUT ARE PREVENTED FROM BEING ON THE COMMISSION.
RIGHT? SO THERE'S THAT TENSION THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE, AT THE OUTSET.
AND CANDIDLY, WE, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT TWO THIRDS.
WE TALKED ABOUT OTHER, UH, BARS, BUT WE THOUGHT THAT THE WORK OF THE CITIZEN LED REDISTRICTING COMMISSION WAS SO IMPORTANT, AND WE WANTED TO INCREASE THE TRANSPARENCY PROCESS FURTHER THAT WE DECIDED ON A VERY HIGH BAR.
SO IT IS, IT IS ACTUALLY A FEATURE OF THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS AND, AND NOT A BUG.
NOW YOUR QUESTION IS, HEY, DOES THAT SORT OF TIE THE HANDS OF THE COUNCIL AND, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN'T DO THE WORK THAT THEY NEED TO DO? I, I, I WILL HIGHLIGHT THAT, UH, DURING THE WORK, UH, DURING THE PROCESS, ONCE THE POLICY MAKERS OR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS GOT A HOLD OF THE MAP, THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE CHANGES.
IN FACT, OF THE 16 CHANGES THAT WERE PROPOSED BY THE MAP, ULTIMATELY 15 WERE ADOPTED, ONLY ONE WAS NOT ADOPTED.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE IT WAS IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER CHANGE THAT WAS ADOPTED.
AND IN REDISTRICTING, IT'S KIND OF A ZERO SUM GAME.
IF, IF SOME, IF MEMBER A WANTS A LINE MOVED IN THIS DIRECTION, AND MEMBER B WANTS A LINE MOVED IN THIS DIRECTION, IT CAN ONLY GO IN ONE DIRECTION, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE THREE FOURTH STANDARD DID NOT INHIBIT THE WORK OF THE POLICYMAKERS IN ADOPTING THE MAP.
WHAT THEY REQUIRED WAS, UH, A GREAT DEAL OF COMITY, A GREAT DEAL OF COLLABORATION TO HIT THAT, UH, THREE FOURTHS BAR YOU NEEDED A LOT OF BUY-IN.
THE OTHER FEATURE WAS THAT THESE AMENDMENTS NEEDED TO BE PRESENTED IN PUBLIC WITH A LAYOUT PERIOD, SO THAT THE PUBLIC COULD EXAMINE THESE THINGS.
AND, AND, AND IT IS THOSE FEATURES THAT ULTIMATELY BOLSTER THE WORK OF THE, UH, OF THE REDISTRICTING COMMISSIONERS.
UH, AND I THINK, I THINK THE COMMISSION, UH, AND CREDIT TO THE COMMISSIONERS HERE AND ALL THOSE WHO WORKED IN 2014 STRUCK THE RIGHT BALANCE.
THANK YOU, MS. HUNT, REPRESENTATIVE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD RELATED TO WHAT WE JUST SAW ON OUR SCREEN, AND IT WAS THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN FOLKS, UM, FROM SERVING, UH, AND IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE.
SOME OF THE PARTICULAR ITEMS ARE LIMITED TO A TIMEFRAME AND SOME ARE NOT.
UM, AND, AND MY, MY DESIRE WOULD BE TO PERHAPS HAVE A TIMEFRAME FOR ALL OF THOSE PIECES SO THAT THERE, THAT FURTHER LIMITS AND CREATES LESS AMBIGUITY.
WHAT, WHAT ARE WOULD BE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? I, I, I THINK THAT'S A, A WISE APPROACH.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, I AM LESS HUNG UP ON THE TIMEFRAMES, YOU KNOW, WHETHER, WHETHER SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE OUT OF, UM, OUT OF OFFICE FOR A, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS VERSUS THREE YEARS, YOU KNOW, VERSUS WHAT WE TRIED TO DO IS, IS STRIKE A BALANCE SO THAT, UM, WHEN YOU HAD AN ALUMNUS OF THE COUNCIL, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, UH, THAT IS BEING APPOINTED, THAT IT IT BE FAR ENOUGH REMOVED FROM THEIR PRIOR SERVICE THAT, UM, THEIR, THAT, THAT THE, THE INTEREST THAT THEY HAVE IN THE OUTCOME OF THE PROCESS WOULD BE MORE ALIGNED WITH THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND LESS ALIGNED WITH THEIR MM-HMM.
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AND, AND WE KNOW THIS, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES, AND, AND WE'VE SEEN THIS ALL MANIFESTED AT DIFFERENT TYPES.SOMETIMES THERE ARE PECUNIARY INTERESTS, SOMETIMES THERE ARE PERSONAL, UM, UH, THERE'S PERSONAL SCAR TISSUE THAT DEVELOPS THROUGH PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS MANIFEST.
ITS THEMSELVES IN REDISTRICTING.
AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS, IS, IS HAVE ENOUGH TIME LAPSE FROM THOSE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, UM, AND, AND ONES SERVICE OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST IN REDISTRICTING.
AND I, BUT I'M NOT HUNG UP ON THE ACTUAL TIMEFRAMES.
AND, AND I WAS THINKING TOO, ON HAVING SOME TYPE OF CONTRACT WITH THE CITY.
I THINK WE WANNA PUT A TIMEFRAME ON THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S FIVE YEARS.
THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO, I JUST WOULDN'T WANT SOMEONE TO NOT HAVE A CONTRACT, RIGHT? THAT THE DAY THAT THEY'RE BEING APPOINTED, BUT THEY JUST HAD ONE OR THEY WILL HAVE ONE.
THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE MINCHI, WE APPRECIATE YOU AS ALWAYS COMING TO ENLIGHTEN US AND, AND ASSIST US WITH THIS PROCESS.
YOUR KIND, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU COMMISSION FOR YOUR WORK.
WE HAVE A, A LIST OF PUBLIC SPEAKERS WHO, UH, WILL NOW COME AND ADDRESS US, UH, IN THE BEGINNING PART OF, UM, THIS MEETING.
UH, I'M GONNA ASK EVERYONE IN, IN THE THE FIRST PART WHERE IF YOU'RE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TO, PLEASE, UH, LIMIT YOUR DISCUSSION WITH US OR YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS TO US TO TWO MINUTES.
BUT AS I SAID, UH, ONCE WE GET INTO THE AGENDA, IF YOU'RE HERE TO TALK ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM, YOU'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME LATER IN OUR MEETING TO TALK ON THAT PARTICULAR ITEM.
OKAY? UH, SO WITH THAT IN MIND, OUR FIRST, UH, SPEAKER WHO SIGNED UP IS SCOTT GOLDSTEIN.
I'M PROUD TO SERVE AS THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD MEMBER FOR DISTRICT 10, LAKE HIGHLANDS, REPRESENTING COUNCIL MEMBER KATHY STEWART.
I'M ALSO THE CHIEF OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR DOWNTOWN DALLAS, INC.
A NONPROFIT THAT MANAGES 12 DOWNTOWN PARKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DALLAS PARK RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND I PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS THE CHIEF OF POLICY AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR MAYOR MIKE RAWLINGS FROM 2015 TO THE END OF HIS TIME AS MAYOR.
IN 2019, I'VE WORKED WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IN ALL THESE CAPACITIES.
I COULD DEVOTE MY TIME SPEAKING FROM ANY OF THEM.
INSTEAD, I'LL SPEAK TONIGHT FROM THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSPECTIVE I HAVE AS THE FATHER OF THESE TWO GIRLS, SADIE AND SAWYER.
MY WIFE AND I HAVE CHOSEN TO RAISE OUR FAMILY IN DALLAS, IN PART BECAUSE OF OUR PARK SYSTEM.
SOME OF MY BEST MEMORIES WITH MY GIRLS INVOLVED DALLAS PARKS, WALKS AROUND WHITE ROCK LAKE, CHASING 'EM DOWN, MY AMID THE DOZENS OF KIDS AT THE ALL ABILITIES PLAYGROUND AT FLAGPOLE HILL, PUSHING STROLLERS OR RIDING BIKES ALONG LAKE HIGHLANDS TRAIL AND BRINGING THEM TO GRAND OPENING EVENTS AT THE NEW DOWNTOWN PARKS.
IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, DALLAS PARKS AND TRAILS MAKE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN HAPPY EVERY HOUR OF EVERY DAY.
LIKE MOST MAJOR AMERICAN CITIES, DALLAS HAS ITS SHARE OF CHALLENGES, AND THE DALLAS PARK SYSTEM IS NOT AMONG THEM.
AMENDMENTS 70 85 AND 1 0 3 ARE SOLUTIONS IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT EXIST.
IN CONSIDERING THESE PROPOSALS TO UNDO NEARLY 120 YEARS OF DALLAS PARKS INDEPENDENCE, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT WILL BEST SERVE THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS.
I BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE ANSWER IN YOUR EMAIL INBOXES AND IN THE CHAMBERS TONIGHT.
NEXT WE HAVE GARRETT BOONE, MR. CHAIRMAN AND COMMISSIONERS.
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT THREE OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY CHARTER AMENDMENTS 70 85 AND 1 0 3.
THAT WOULD RADICALLY CHANGE THE LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
I'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH DALLAS PARKS FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS AND HAVE GAINED THE GREATEST RESPECT FOR THE TOP LEADERSHIP IN THE STAFF AT EVERY LEVEL, INCLUDING AL JOHN JENKINS AND HIS STAFF.
THEY HAVE A STRONG INTERNAL CULTURE THAT IS THE BENCHMARK OF ANY FINE ORGANIZATION.
PUTTING PARKS IN THE CAULDRON OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY IS, IN MY MIND, A BAD IDEA.
I'VE ALWAYS FOUND THAT PARKS DEPARTMENT IS A BASTION OF HOPE, EFFECTIVELY DELIVERING RESULTS TO THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS.
REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE CHANGE OF MAKEUP TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR EACH ELECTION, IT IS BECAUSE OF THE STABILITY THAT PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY HAS GIVEN OVER $350 MILLION TO PARKS PROJECTS IN THE PAST 10 YEARS.
AND THAT HAS RESULTED IN $450 MILLION IN CHALLENGE GRANTS, $800 MILLION TO PARK PROJECTS THANKS TO THE STRONG PARTNERSHIP OUR PARK SYSTEM HAS BLOOMED IN A SPECTACULAR FASHION LEADING TO TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS SUCH AS CLAIBORNE
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PARK, THE FOUR SIGNATURE PARKS OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS, SOUTH OAK CLIFF, RENAISSANCE PARK, UNDER CONSTRUCTION SOUTHERN GATEWAY PARK.THE PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD DISRUPT THAT IMPORTANT SOURCE OF FUNDING.
THREE AMENDMENTS WOULD REPRESENT, REPRESENT A RADICAL CHANGE IN HOW THE PARK DEPARTMENT IS LED AND MANAGED.
THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS BUILT ON NEARLY A HUNDRED MILE YEARS.
A PRECEDENT HAS YIELDED CONSISTENTLY HIGH RESULTS.
WHY INTRODUCE UNNECESSARY CHANGES THAT WOULD ONLY EXPOSE THE DEPARTMENT TO INSTABILITY AND NET POORLY, NOT NOT UNFOCUSED MANAGEMENT.
IT IS SOLVING A PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT EXIST AND CREATING A MAJOR PROBLEM IN DOING SO.
IF IT'S NOT BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.
THANKS TO YEARS OF STRONG LEADERSHIP FROM THE PARK BOARD AND PARK DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, THE DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION PARK IS ONE OF THE BRIGHT SPOTS FOR OUR CITY.
IT HAS AN APPROVAL RATE OF 75%.
THAT MEANS IT'S MEETING THE NEEDS OF ITS CITIZENS.
PROPOSAL TO CHANGE DEPARTMENT'S LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE WOULD THREATEN TO UNDERMINE NEXT SUCCESS.
URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 70 85 AND 1 0 3.
NEXT WE HAVE BOBBY ABTA, ABTAHI.
UM, I HAD SOME OTHER PREPARED REMARKS, BUT I THINK YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT, UH, ABOUT OUR PARK SYSTEM.
I WANNA FOCUS MY COMMENTS ON PROCESS AND TRANSPARENCY.
I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT, UH, CHARTER AMENDMENT PROPOSER, CHRIS LUNA, DID NOT SHOW UP TONIGHT BECAUSE AS THE PUBLIC IS HERE AND READY TO HEAR FROM THE PROPOSAL HE'S MADE TO THIS COMMISSION, IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE TO HEAR FROM HIM DIRECTLY.
I DID GET A COPY OF THE LETTER HE SUBMITTED TO YOUR COMMISSION.
SO I WANNA RUN THROUGH SOME COUNTER ARGUMENTS ON SOME OF HIS POINTS.
UH, HIS FIRST COUNTERPOINT SAYS, DUPLICATION OF WORK BY CITY STAFF ISSUES PRESENTED TO VOTED ISSUES, PRESENTED TO AND VOTED ON THE PARK BOARD, AND THEN PRESENTED TO AND VOTED ON BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
THIS IS TRANSPARENCY AT ITS HEART.
THAT'S WHAT THIS COMMISSION DOES.
IT MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL.
THE PARK BOARD IS VITAL FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE A DIRECT INPUT AND IMPACT INTO THEIR PARK BOARD MEMBERS.
THEY CAN COME AND SPEAK TWICE A MONTH, EVERY THURSDAY BEFORE THE PARK BOARD MEETING, AND MAKE SURE THAT PLANS ARE FULLY VETTED BY THE COMMUNITY THAT SURROUNDS THEM AND IMPACTS THEM.
MR. LUNA TALKS ABOUT ALIGNING MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS OF THE PARK DEPARTMENT UNDER THE CITY MANAGER, LIKE ALL OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
I CHALLENGE YOU TO READ THE PRESS THIS BUILDING HAS GOTTEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND TELL ME, WOULD YOU LIKE THE PARK DEPARTMENT TO BE MORE LIKE PERMITTING? WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE MORE LIKE 9 1 1 RESPONSE TIMES? WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE LIKE THE STREETS? WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE LIKE MR. MILLS? WHO'S ON ZOOM? WHO'S MY COMMISSIONER? WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE LIKE THE STREETLIGHTS THAT WERE HIT BY A TORNADO OVER FIVE YEARS AGO AND STILL HAVEN'T BEEN FIXED? WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE LIKE THE LOOSE DOG PROBLEM IN SOUTHERN DALLAS? WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE LIKE THE HOMES OF MY NEIGHBORS WHO GOT STRUCK BY A TORNADO OVER FIVE YEARS AGO AND STILL HAVEN'T HAD THEIR PERMITS, UH, APPROVED TO FIX THEIR HOMES? MR. LUNA TALKS ABOUT TWO OTHER COMMISSION, TWO OTHER DEPARTMENTS, LIBRARIES, AND THE HOSPITALS FROM MANY YEARS AGO.
HE SAYS THIS IS AN OUTDATED POLICY.
HE SAYS, LOOK AT LIBRARIES FROM A LONG TIME AGO.
LOOK AT THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT.
LIBRARIES WENT UNDER THE CITY MANAGER LIKE I WANNA DO TO PARKS THE POS.
THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT WENT INDEPENDENT.
IT'S MORE OF A REASON TO MAKE THE PARK BOARD MORE INDEPENDENT, NOT LESS INDEPENDENT.
PARKLAND HOSPITAL WENT INDEPENDENT.
IT'S GOT A STATE-OF-THE-ART HOSPITAL DONE THROUGH PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP.
IT RAISES OVER $20 MILLION A YEAR IN PUBLIC, UH, MR. PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY.
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARIES RAISE $1 MILLION PER YEAR.
SO IF YOU WANNA STRENGTHEN THE CITY'S PARK DEPARTMENT, MAKE IT MORE INDEPENDENT, NOT LESS INDEPENDENT.
MR. ABBI, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE FOR YEARS IN THIS AREA.
UM, CAN YOU TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JUST THE NEED OF THE PARKS TO HAVE ITS OWN STRUCTURE AND, AND YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THAT SPACE? YEAH.
SO, UM, YOU RECEIVED A LETTER FROM US.
UM, IT SIGNED BY FIVE OTHER FORMER DALLAS PARK BOARD PRESIDENTS.
UM, I CAN GO THROUGH THIS ROOM AND I, FIRST OF ALL, I I'M, I'M THE FATHER TO TWO YOUNG KIDS TOO.
THEY ATTEND, MY DAUGHTER ATTENDS SOLAR PREP WITH COMMISSIONER ALISA'S DAUGHTER, THANKS TO MS. BERNARDINO'S SUPPORT IN GETTING THAT SCHOOL RUNNING.
WE SEND OUR KIDS TO THE SCHOOLS, WE SEND THEM TO THE PARKS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF YOU DON'T VISIT OUR PARKS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT MS. CLAP, IF THE, IF THE PARK DEPARTMENT WASN'T INDEPENDENT, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THAT LAKE HIGHLANDS AQUATICS CENTER, MR. MILLS, YOU WOULDN'T SEE THAT BRIDGE OVER NORTH, THAT NORTH HAVEN TRAIL OVER 75.
MR. MAGOO REPRESENTS FAR NORTH DALLAS.
I THINK, UH, DISTRICT 12, YOU WOULDN'T SEE THE HILLCREST VILLAGE GREEN, WHICH IS REVITALIZING THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
MS. HUNT, I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU ABOUT TITI PARK.
YOU WERE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE
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TO SAY, I'M GONNA RAISE MY YOUNG KIDS IN DALLAS AND I'M GONNA REINVEST IN MY NEIGHBORHOODS.MR. CAMPBELL, REPRESENTATIVE CIA CAN TELL YOU, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE AN INDEPENDENT PARK DEPARTMENT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE PARK BOARD MEMBERS LOBBYING IN AUSTIN FOR THE BRIMER BILL, WHICH IS GONNA SEE $300 MILLION INVESTED INTO FAIR PARK.
I'M SORRY, MR. FRANKLIN AND MR. STEIN.
I'M NOT SURE WHICH DISTRICTS YOU REPRESENT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT KEITH PARK IS IMPORTANT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT LAKE CLIFF PARK IS IMPORTANT.
UH, DISTRICT EIGHT, MR. GATE, THE UNIVERSITY'S THE SINGING HILLS RECREATION CENTER, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL RECREATION CENTER IN THE CITY.
MR. MEDRANO, SAMUEL GRAND, MS. BERNARDINO, I'M SORRY, I DON'T KNOW WHICH DISTRICT YOU REPRESENT, BUT I CAN GO THROUGH EVERY DISTRICT IN THIS CITY AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT PEOPLE HERE BEHIND ME FOUGHT TOOTH AND NAIL, AND WE WERE BACK HERE FIGHTING AGAIN.
AND I'M DISAPPOINTED TO SEE MR. MADANO HERE, AND I'M DISAPPOINTED TO SEE MR. MILLS ON THE SCREEN BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK ON THE 26TH BECAUSE THESE AMENDMENTS WERE SPLIT UP BECAUSE IT WAS TOLD TO US THAT CERTAIN COMMISSION MEMBERS WOULDN'T BE HERE.
SO I FEEL THE WEIGHT OF THIS BUILDING, THIS BUILDING THAT WAS DESIGNED TO SHOW YOU WHAT BUREAUCRACY AND CITY GOVERNMENT CAN DO TO THE MAN SITTING AT THE FRONT STEP.
THESE PEOPLE BEHIND ME FEEL THE WEIGHT OF IT.
AND I CAN TELL YOU IF THESE ARE PUT ON THE BALLOT, WE WILL BE ORGANIZED.
WE WILL RAISE MONEY AND WE WILL FIGHT THEM.
WE WOULD RATHER BE FIGHTING TO FIX OUR PARKS, TO INVEST IN OUR PARKS, TO CLEAN UP OUR PARKS.
BUT IF WE HAVE TO KEEP COMING DOWN HERE, WE WILL.
GOOD EVENING CHARTER COMMISSIONERS.
UH, MY NAME IS RUDY CARMI, PROUD COUNCIL DISTRICT 14 RESIDENT AND EVEN PROUDER PARK DEFENDER.
I'M STRONGLY OPPOSED TO A COUPLE OF THE AMENDMENTS ON THE DOCKET TONIGHT, 85 AND 70.
I'LL START WITH NUMBER 85 AND, UH, CONNECT SOME DOTS FOR YOU.
AMENDMENT 85 WAS AUTHORED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE DALLAS THEATER CENTER BOARD OF TRUSTEES, THE SAME DALLAS THEATER CENTER THAT IN 2023 PROPOSED A KALITA HUMPHREY'S MASTER PLAN AND TAKEOVER OF WILLIAM B. DEAN, MD PARK IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 14, WITH AN ASTONISHING $308 MILLION PRICE TAG, OF WHICH $50 MILLION WOULD'VE BEEN REQUESTED IN THE 2024 PARK AND RECREATION BOND.
HAD IT MOVED FORWARD, $50 MILLION ONE PROJECT, NOT EVEN A PARK PROJECT.
THE PROPOSAL WAS HEAVILY CRITICIZED BY MYSELF.
A FEW OF MY PARK BOARD COLLEAGUES, CITY COUNCIL'S, QUALITY OF LIFE, SUBCOMMITTEE, THE MEDIA, AND NEVER CAME BACK TO THE BOARD.
FAST FORWARD TO THE NEXT BOND CYCLE, 2030 OR 2031, THE AUTHOR IS WELL AWARE THE ELIMINATION OF THE PARK BOARD GREATLY IMPROVES HIS GROUP'S CHANCES AT ANOTHER ATTEMPTED TAKEOVER AT DEAN PARK, WHILE ALSO TAKING A LARGE BAG OF MONEY WITH IT IN THE NEXT BOND.
AMENDMENT 85 IS COMPLETELY SELF-SERVING AND FULL OF DIRTY DALLAS POLITICS THROW OUT IMMEDIATELY ONTO AMENDMENT 70.
I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT INEQUITIES IN OUR PARKS, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THE AUTHOR UNDERSTANDS THAT A STRONG PARK BOARD MEMBER ACTUALLY DRIVES EQUITY ACROSS OUR CITY.
I REPRESENT ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST COUNCIL DISTRICTS ON THE BOARD, AND EVEN I AM KNOWN TO PUSH BACK ON VANITY PROJECTS IN MY OWN DISTRICT.
IN FACT, MANY BOARD MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT HAVE MADE EQUITY THEIR PRIMARY INITIATIVE MUCH MORE THAN ANY OTHER LAYER OF CITY GOVERNMENT, WHERE VANITY PROJECTS ARE MUCH MORE PREVALENT.
REMEMBER, PARKS ARE FOR THE PEOPLE.
REMOVING A PARK BOARD ALSO REMOVES THE SINGLE BIGGEST CONNECTION PEOPLE HAVE TO THE PARK DEPARTMENT, LEAVING VIRTUALLY NOBODY HERE AT CITY HALL TO FIGHT FOR THEM AND THEIR NEEDS.
PLEASE ELIMINATE NUMBER 85 AND 70 FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
OH, I'M SORRY, MR. MR UH, MR. ACTUALLY, I MADE A MISTAKE HERE.
OKAY, THAT'S WHAT, I GUESS THAT WAS WHAT? GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS ROBERT KENT, AND I'M THE TEXAS STATE DIRECTOR FOR THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND.
A NATIONAL NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT IS WORKING TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS A PARKER TRAIL WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK OF HOME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE ON THEIR CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.
I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS OUR ORGANIZATION'S SUPPORT FOR THE CURRENT GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OF THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
TPL HAS A NEARLY 30 YEAR HISTORY OF WORKING WITH DALLAS PARK AND REC ATTRITION BACK TO 1995 WHEN WE HELPED THE CITY OF DALLAS PURCHASE FOUR ACRES FOR ELIA PARK AND FAR NORTHEAST DALLAS.
SINCE I JOINED TPL IN 2014, WE'VE CONTINUED TO GROW OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARK DEPARTMENT HUBBING TO ACQUIRE OVER 400 ACRES OF LAND LEADING CONSTRUCTION FOR TWO PARKS, CREATING MASTER PLANS FOR THREE PARKS AND A
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17 MILE TRAIL, CREATING DATA MAPS TO HELP GUIDE PARK INVESTMENTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND MORE.I WANT TO START TONIGHT WITH THE GOOD NEWS.
DALLAS PARKS HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER SINCE I STARTED A TRUST REPUBLIC LAND.
IN 2014, THE PERCENTAGE OF DALLAS RESIDENTS HAVE A PARK TRAIL WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK OF HOME HAS GROWN FROM 54% TO 73%.
THE NUM THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE DALLAS PARK DEPARTMENT SPENDS PER RESIDENT IN THAT SAME TIME PERIOD HAS INCREASED FROM $81 A RESIDENT TO $124 A RESIDENT.
AND JUST IN THE LAST YEAR ALONE, OUR SCORE ON TRUST REPUBLIC LANDS PARK SCORE JUMPED TO 10 SPOTS.
BASED ON OUR ORGANIZATIONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE DEPARTMENT, TPL HAS FOUND THAT THE CURRENT GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE IS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.
THE CITY CHARTER PLACES THE GOVERNANCE OF THE PARK DEPARTMENT IN THE HANDS OF THE PARK BOARD, A DEDICATED BODY OF VOLUNTEERS AND ADVOCATES WHOSE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR CITY'S PARKS, TRAILS, AND GREEN SPACES ARE WELL CARED FOR AND RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY NEEDS.
I HAVE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT.
JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, MY FAMILY WAS VISITING A PLAYGROUND AT ARAPAHOE PARK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE LIVE IN DISTRICT 11 IN NORTH DALLAS.
I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE SWINGS WAS BROKEN, AND I IMMEDIATELY REACHED OUT TO JEFF KITNER, OUR PARK BOARD REP, WHO'S SITTING BEHIND ME.
HE ASKED ME TO FILL OUT A 3 1 1 REQUEST AND ALSO OFFERED TO FLAG THE ISSUE WITH PARK MAINTENANCE.
I RECEIVED NOTIFICATION SIX DAYS LATER THAT THE SWING HAD BEEN REPLACED.
CONSIDERING THAT MANY 3 1 1 REQUESTS CAN TAKE WEEKS OR MONTHS TO RESOLVE, I CAN THINK OF EMAILS THAT GO LONGER THAN SIX DAYS FROM GETTING RESPONDED TO.
THIS WAS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW EFFICIENT AND RESPONSIVE OUR PARK DEPARTMENT IS.
KEEPING THE DEPARTMENT INDEPENDENT IS THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE OUR PARKS, TRAILS, AND GREEN SPACES CONTINUE TO THRIVE AND BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. MR. SISE.
MR. KENT, CAN'T, HE WALKED ALL THE WAY BACK UP THERE.
YOU, YOU CITED MR. KENT A FEW STATISTICS THAT SORT OF JUMPED OUT AT ME.
UM, THE FIRST ONE WAS SOME REFERENCE TO THE IDEA OF A 10 MINUTE WALK TO A PARK.
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN THAT FOR ME A LITTLE BIT MORE? CERTAINLY TRUST REPUBLIC LAND KNOWS THAT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE A PARK OR TRAIL WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF HOME ARE HAPPIER, HEALTHIER, MORE CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER, MORE CONNECTED TO NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
WE HAVE A GOAL THAT EVERY RESIDENT OF A CITY SHOULD HAVE A PARKER TRAIL WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK OF HOME.
REALLY PLEASED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS SHARES THAT GOAL.
UM, MR. OTAKI WHO SPOKE EARLIER HELPED SIGN THE CITY UP FOR THAT GOAL IN 2017.
UM, AND THEN THAT HAS SINCE BEEN ECHOED BY THE FOLLOWING PARK BOARD PRESIDENTS, MS. CALVERT, COLLINS, BRATTON, MR. ARUN AGARAL AS WELL, AND OF COURSE ENDORSED BY THE MAYOR.
THE SECOND SET, I'M GONNA COME BACK TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT THE SECOND STATISTIC THAT YOU PUT OUT THERE WAS THE ID 54% AND THEN I THINK YOU SAID 73%.
SO, UM, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED WORKING IN DALLAS, THAT FIGURE WAS VERY LOW.
JUST 10 YEARS AGO IT WAS 54% OF THE CITY HAD A PARKER TRAIL WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK OF HOME.
SO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DALLAS RESIDENTS NOW HAVE A PARKER TRAIL WITHIN A WALKING DISTANCE OF THEIR HOUSE THAT DIDN'T HAVE IT JUST 10 YEARS AGO.
SO NOW I WANNA COME BACK TO THE FIRST THING YOU SAID, AND YOU SAID THAT THE, THE CITY SHARED THE GOAL OF HAVING A 10 MINUTE WALK FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR, UM, FROM EVERY RESIDENT IN THIS CITY.
WHAT IS THE GOAL OF THE CITY? IS THERE A PARTICULAR STATISTIC? IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT.
SO 54% TO 73% OVER THE ESSENTIALLY A DECADE.
UH, LAST THING I WANT TO ASK YOU, AND I'M ASKING YOU THESE QUESTIONS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GONNA SAY A LOT OF THINGS TONIGHT, BUT YOUR NAME STUCK OUT TO ME BECAUSE YOU ALSO HAVE SORT OF A NATIONAL VIEW ON THINGS.
UM, WHAT IS, WHAT HAS THE EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE FOR YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION WORKING WITH A PARK BOARD VERSUS OTHER EXPERIENCES FOR YOUR COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE NATION, PERHAPS WORKING DIRECTLY WITH EITHER A CITY MANAGER OR A MAYOR OR FORMER GOVERNMENT? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SPEAK FOR MY COLLEAGUES, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU HERE WITH THE PARK BOARD IS THAT THE PARK BOARD MEMBERS ARE DEDICATED.
THEY KNOW THEIR DISTRICTS LIKE THE BACK OF THEIR HAND.
YOU KNOW, THERE WERE 35, 40 MILLION PARK VISITS LAST YEAR.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THAT LEVEL OF GRANULARITY REQUIRES SOMEONE WHO IS COMPLETELY DEDICATED TO THEIR PARK SYSTEM.
YOU SEE MANY OF THOSE PARK MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE BEHIND US, UM, AND DAY IN AND DAY OUT, THAT'S ALL THEY THINK ABOUT.
AND SO TO BE ABLE TO GO TO A PARK BOARD MEMBER WITH A QUESTION OR A NEED ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY, ABOUT A PARK WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD, UM, INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE, UM, AND MAKES OUR WORK EASIER.
MR. KEN, THANK YOU FOR VISITING WITH US.
ALRIGHT, RIGHT NEXT WE HAVE TED ELLIS.
Y'ALL ARE JUST TRYING TO THROW ME OFF BALANCE, AREN'T YOU? UM, I'M TED ELLIS.
I LIVE IN COUNCILMAN BLACKMAN'S DISTRICT.
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I'M A LIFETIME RESIDENT OF DALLAS AND HAVE SERVED AS A CHAIRMAN FOR 10 YEARS OF THE WHITE ROCK LAKE FOUNDATION.I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR 28 YEARS OF THAT FOUNDATION.
AND THE SAME WITH ANOTHER ENTITY OUT THERE.
THE WHITE ROCK LAKE TASK FORCE.
THE FOUNDATION IN OUR 34 YEAR HISTORY HAS RAISED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR WHITE ROCK LAKE PARK.
IN FACT, THE DREDGING PROJECT THAT WAS DONE IN THE NINETIES WAS SPEARHEADED BY OUR VERY ORGANIZATION.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THESE AMENDMENTS, 70 85 AND 1 0 3.
I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT THIS FUNCTIONING, VERY WELL FUNCTIONING GROUP WOULD BE TRY TO BE PLACED UNDER CITY COUNCIL PURVIEW.
AND THE SAME WITH, UM, IF IT WAS TRIED TO PUT UNDER THE CITY MANAGER.
I HAVE A HUGE, HUGE, UH, CONCERN ABOUT THAT.
I'VE WORKED WITH DIRECTOR JENKINS FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND PRIOR TO THAT WILLIS WINTERS, AND IN FACT, TODAY WILLIS POSTED ON HIS FACEBOOK PAGE HOW CONCERNED HE WAS ABOUT THIS AND HIS VIEW THAT PARKS SHOULD REMAIN AUTONOMOUS COMPLETELY FROM THE REST OF THIS GROUP OF, OF INDIVIDUALS AT CITY HALL.
I'M CONCERNED THAT IF WE PUT IT UNDER THERE, JUST AS PREVIOUS PERSONS HAVE SPEAKERS HAVE MENTIONED THAT WE'RE GONNA END UP WITH THE SAME ISSUES, WITH PERMITS, WITH STREETS, ET CETERA.
I CAN PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL DIRECTOR JENKINS OR EMAIL HIM.
HE GETS BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY.
HIS ASSISTANT RENEE ANDERSON IS THE SAME WAY.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS AND QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH DIRECTOR JENKINS ABOUT WHITE ROCK LAKE PARK.
HE ALWAYS TAKES TIME TO MEET WITH US AND DISCUSS THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON OUT THERE.
AND YES, I ONLY SPEAK FROM ONE PARK, BUT IT IS THE LARGEST PARK IN THE CITY.
AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, IT'S THE BEST.
UM, THE FOUNDATION JUST THIS PAST YEAR RAISED $151,000 TOWARDS THE RENOVATION OF WINFREY POINT AND ANOTHER 35,000 TO PUT IN TRAIL MARKER SIGNAGE AT THIS PARK.
I MEAN, WE ARE HANDS ON DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND TRYING TO MAKE A BETTER, A BETTER PLACE.
AND I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE THE SAME RESPONSES QUICKLY IF I WAS TRYING TO DEAL WITH DIFFERENT ENTITIES OTHER THAN DIRECTOR JENKINS AND HIS STAFF, THEIR OUTSTANDING.
UH, MR. ELLIS, YOU'VE DESCRIBED YOUR CREDENTIALS AS A WHITE ROCK LAKE PARK ADVOCATE.
IN YOUR OPINION, DO THE MAJORITY OF YOUR COLLEAGUES AS ADVOCATES FOR THE PARK SHARE THE VIEWS THAT YOU'VE EXPRESSED TONIGHT? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
UH, QUITE A FEW OF OUR, OUR MEMBERS FROM THE FOUNDATION ARE HERE.
WELL, THAT LEADS TO MY NEXT QUESTION.
IT'S TRUE, IS IT NOT THAT THERE IS A WHITE ROCK LAKE PARK MASTER PLAN MEETING GOING ON EVEN AS WE SPEAK? THERE IS A WHITE ROCK LAKE MASTER PLAN MEETING GOING ON THIS EVENING.
BASICALLY THAT MASTER PLAN IS MERGING MULTIPLE PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE AT WHITE ROCK LAKE FOR MANY YEARS.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE HAS A SPOT AT THE TABLE.
THE BIGGEST ISSUE, I'D LIKE TO HAVE BEEN AT THAT MEETING THIS EVENING ALSO, BUT I FEEL LIKE THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT, UH, IF THERE WERE NOT THIS SCHEDULE CONFLICT, THERE WOULD BE MANY MORE WHITE ROCK LAKE PARK ADVOCATES DOWN HERE EXPRESSING THESE VIEWS? ABSOLUTELY.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT WAS, WHY THAT WAS SCHEDULED IN THAT.
WELL, IT WAS, IT'S A LONG STORY, BUT UHHUH
NEXT WE HAVE YOLANDA WILLIAMS. I'LL MAKE THIS QUICK.
I SERVED ON THE PARK BOARD FOR FIVE YEARS.
I WAS IN DISTRICT FIVE, SO I LIVE IN SOUTHERN DALLAS PLEASANT GROVE.
SO I'M HERE TO ASK YOU ALL TO PLEASE NOT, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THE FORGOTTEN TELL OF THE CITY PLEASANT GROVE.
BUT I WILL LIKE TO SAY, WHEN I WAS ON THE PARK BOARD, WE DID WORK TOGETHER.
WE GOT ALONG AND WE WERE THE BEST PARK BOARD AND WE WERE ARON 2017.
I DON'T KNOW, YOU CAN ASK MR. JENKINS TO EXPLAIN.
WE GOT THE PARK BOARD ACCREDITATION.
AND THEN FOR US, WE, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.
OUR KIDS, OUR BABIES HAD TO GO TO MESQUITE OR BOX SPRING.
SO ON AUGUST WHEN WE DID THE FIRST AQUATICS, THE COVE AT AQUATICS, I CRIED.
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REC KID.SO TO GROW UP AND ADVOCATE FOR THE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT MEANS A LOT.
AND SO I THINK, UH, I HATE MR. MEDRANO WALKED OUT.
'CAUSE I ASKED HIM WHY WOULD HE WANT TO PUT THE PARK BOARD DIRECTOR UP UNDER THE CITY, UH, UH, COUNCIL.
BUT THE, WHEN HE WAS WORKING FOR THE PARK BOARD, THE PARK BOARD HELPED HIM KEEP HIS JOB.
IT'S NO SUCH THING AS NO POWER.
I'M NOT GONNA INSULT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, MS. HUNT, I LOVE YOU MS. WILLIAMS ON COUNCIL.
MS. WILLIAMS, CAN I HOP IN A MINUTE PLEASE? AND, AND THIS IS FOR THE ENTIRE AUDIENCE IN GENERAL.
WHEN OKAY, WHEN YOU'RE ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION, YOU CAN'T CALL OUT NAMES OF THE OKAY, WELL LEMME ADDRESS YOU THEN.
WELL, THE PERSON WHO MADE THE COMMENTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE.
OKAY? SO I THINK IT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO WALK OUT, BUT UM, TO SAY THAT IT'S MORE POWER, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK AND NOT TO SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SERVED.
LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT WHERE WE AT.
THE TAXPAYER'S GONNA PAY CLOSE TO A HUNDRED, WHAT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO MR. BRONA FOR FAILED HOMELESS.
WE ARE NOT GONNA GO OVER THAT.
AND THEN LET'S TALK ABOUT THE $55 MILLION THAT THE TAXPAYER IS GONNA HAVE TO PAY.
BUT THESE ARE CITY MANAGERS WHO WAS HIRED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO WE'RE ASKING YOU ALL TO PLEASE HEAR 'CAUSE MR. TAHI SAID IT BEST.
NOW, MY COMMUNITY MAY NOT HAVE THE MEANS, BUT I WILL PUT MY HARD EARNED DOLLARS TO FIGHT FOR OUR BABIES IN THE SOUTHERN SECOND PLEASANT GROVE.
AND I THINK THE PARK DEPARTMENT IS THE MO IS A WONDERFUL DEPARTMENT.
IF IT'S NOT BROKE, WHY ARE WE TRYING TO FIX SOMETHING? WHY ARE WE TRYING TO FIX SOMETHING THAT IS NOT BROKE? AND TO TAKE AND SAY, YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE THE DIRECTOR REPORT TO COUNCIL.
LOOK AT OUR STREETS, LOOK AT EVERYTHING WE HAVE GOING ON.
A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS HUD AND WE STILL HAVE MORE HOMELESS PEOPLE ON THE STREET.
SO WE'RE ASKING YOU ALL TO PLEASE LISTEN, LISTEN TO WHAT THE CONSTITUENTS ARE SAYING.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHO IS THE COMMISSIONER FOR FIVE, MS. WILLIAMS FOR 10 MINUTES.
MY NAME IS TIFFANY DIVIS AND I'M CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF TURTLE CREEK CONSERVANCY.
WE OVERSEE TURTLE CREEK PARK IN ARLINGTON HALL, BUT ONCE WAS LEE LEE, UH, PARK.
AND I AM ALSO WOULD LIKE TO, UH, JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE 100% AGAINST THIS NEW PROPOSITION.
WOULD LIKE TO ELIMINATE 70 85 AND 1 0 3.
AND APPRECIATE YOUR CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION BOARD, UH, LISTENING AND THINKING THROUGH WHAT THIS OPTION IS.
UH, I LIVE IN DISTRICT 13, BUT I WORK IN DISTRICT 14.
THE DALLAS CITY CHARTER SAYS THAT OUR DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE PARK AND RECREATION DIRECTOR UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD.
EARLY DALLAS LEADERS WISELY RECOGNIZE THAT THIS SPECIALIZED DEPARTMENT REQUIRES ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT FROM A CITY COUNCIL APPOINTED PARK BOARD OF VOLUNTEERS.
FOR NEARLY A HUNDRED YEARS, THIS HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE THE IDEAL MODEL, HELPING US TO BUILD AN AWARD-WINNING PARKS DEPARTMENT THAT IS THE ENVY OF BIG CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
TODAY, ALMOST EVERY PARKS MEASURE OF CONSEQUENCE IS THOROUGHLY VETTED BY BOTH THE PARK BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE CITY COUNCIL MAINTAINS FINAL AUTHORITY IN THAT THE PARK BOARD MEMBERS ARE NOMINATED AND APPROVED BY THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL EVERY TWO YEARS.
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THIS IS A STRUCTURE, IS A KEY REASON WHY THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAS NOT SUFFERED FROM THE SAME CHALLENGES AND TYPICAL CITY DEPARTMENTS UNDER THE BUREAUCRACY OF THE CENTER CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
UH, PERSONALLY, I FEEL THAT THE PARK BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE STRUCTURE THEY HAVE IN PLACE WORKS EFFECTIVELY, EFFICIENTLY, AND IT'D BE A TRAVESTY TO LOSE WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE AS THE BEST PRACTICES SET IN PLACE.
ALSO, UM, JOHN ARUN, JOHN JENKINS, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTORS ARE AN RYAN O'CONNOR RENEE.
THEY ARE AN AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WORK LIKE A MACHINE.
YOU CAN GET TO ANYONE YOU NEED TO.
THEY HAVE AN OPEN DOOR POLICY FOR ESPECIALLY, I MEAN, 24 7 IF OUR PARK NEEDS ANYTHING.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT HAVING MEETINGS WITH THEM, THEY ABSOLUTELY CARE ABOUT EQUITY.
THEY ABSOLUTELY CARE ABOUT EVERY PARK IN EVERY DISTRICT OF THIS COMMUNITY AND ARE FIGHTING TO MAKE EVERY PLACE AND EVERY PARK OUTDOOR ACTIVITY BETTER FOR EVERY RESIDENT IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT YOU WOULD THINK TO UNDO THE, AGAIN, THE SYSTEM THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE THAT IS WORKING SO WELL WITH AMAZING PEOPLE THAT CARE SO MUCH EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIFE.
THEY COME TO WORK CARING ABOUT THEIR PARKS, THE NEIGHBORHOODS,
[00:40:01]
AND DOING THE BEST THEY CAN WITH WHAT THEY HAVE.AND THEY HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN OUR SUCCESS AND OUR GROWTH FOR TURTLE CREEK PARK AND TRYING TO REACH OUT TO, WE'RE TWO MINUTES, MA'AM.
AND THANK YOU ALL TO THE COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
MY NAME IS JENNIFER SCRIPPS AND I'M PROUD TO SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS INC.
DOWNTOWN ON BEHALF OF DDII URGE YOU TO REJECT AMENDMENTS 70 85, AND I GATHER YOU'RE TAKING UP 1 0 3 IN TWO WEEKS.
UH, DDI HAS BEEN THE LEAD ADVOCATE FOR DOWNTOWN DALLAS FOR MORE THAN 65 YEARS.
FOR NEARLY HALF OF THOSE YEARS, DDI HAS SERVED AS THE MANAGER OF THE DOWNTOWN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, PROVIDING ENHANCED SECURITY, CLEANING AND HOMELESS OUTREACH SERVICES FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK, AND VISIT THE CORE.
OUR DUTIES TODAY INCLUDE CONTRACTING WITH THE DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT FOR ENHANCED MAINTENANCE SERVICES AND ACTIVATION OF 12 DOWNTOWN PARKS.
FOR MUCH OF OUR TIME MANAGING THE PIT, OUR DUTIES DID NOT INTERTWINE MUCH WITH PARKS BECAUSE DOWNTOWN HAD A LOT MORE CONCRETE AND PARKING LOTS THAN GREEN SPACE.
BUT OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, DOWNTOWN HAS EXPERIENCED TO PARKS RENAISSANCE, ADDING MORE THAN 20 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE.
THIS IS A FEAT UNMATCHED BY ANY OTHER MAJOR AMERICAN DOWNTOWN, AND IT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE CLOSE COORDINATION OF THE DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
OUR GENEROUS DONORS, THE DALLAS PARK, DALLAS PARKS CONSERVANCY, PREVIOUSLY PARKS FOR DOWNTOWN DALLAS AT DDI.
MY TEAM WORKS EVERY DAY WITH THE DOWN DALLAS PARK AND RECREATIONS TEAM ON MATTERS LARGE AND SMALL.
WE WORK WITH THEIR FANTASTIC TEAM MEMBERS ON MAINTENANCE ISSUES, BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS, AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND CURRENTLY WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THEM AND THE DOWNTOWN DALLAS PARKS CONSERVANCY ON LONG-TERM PLANNING TO ENSURE OUR NEWEST SIGNATURE PARKS ARE WELL TAKEN CARE OF IN PERPETUITY.
I SUBSCRIBE TO THE OLD MANAGEMENT ADAGE THAT IF IT AIN'T BROKE, PLEASE DO NOT FIX IT.
THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ISN'T BROKEN.
PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE CITY OF DALLAS CHARTER TO FIX SOMETHING THAT IS WORKING.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE.
MR. CHAIR, DO I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. FRANKLIN? YES.
UH, THANKS FOR FOR, UH, PRESENTING THAT, UH, TO US TODAY.
I I DO HAVE A QUESTION, UH, IN, IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT OF ADOPTING, UH, AMENDMENT EIGHT TO FIVE ON PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS? OH, I THINK ON PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS, YOU WOULD SEE, UM, IT REALLY SEIZE UP.
AND I, I SPEAK FROM TWO VANTAGE POINTS.
WE'VE HAD TREMENDOUS SUCCESS IN DOWNTOWN WITH PRIVATE SUPPORT, UM, NAMELY FROM THE DOWNTOWN DALLAS PARKS CONSERVANCY.
UM, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE IMMEDIACY FROM WHICH THEY GET SERVICE FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
EVERYTHING FROM DESIGN TO A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, THE WORKING WITH THE PARK BOARD MEMBERS, WORKING WITH THE STAFF.
IT'S JUST A, IT'S A, IT'S A MORE DIRECT LINE.
AND I ALSO DO NEED TO ADD, I USED TO BE THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE
UM, WE HAD TO SET UP SIDE FOUNDATIONS TO GET MONEY TO SUPPORT THE ARTS.
THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ALREADY HAS THOSE IN PLACE WITH A LOT OF PARTNERS, WHETHER IT'S THE ZOO OR THE WHITE ROCK LAKE GROUPS OR DOWNTOWN PARKS.
AND THAT PHILANTHROPIC TRUST OR THE TRUST RIPPLE PLAN, THAT PHILANTHROPIC TRUST IS VERY MUCH, I THINK, IMBUED IN OUR CURRENT GOVERNANCE MODEL.
AND THE, THE SUCCESS ON OUR PARK SCORES ON OUR NEW PARKS, ON THE SUCCESS FOR THE SUPPORT AND THE RECENT BOND PROPOSITIONS, WHICH I THINK IS GOING TO DO REALLY WELL IN MAY, IS BECAUSE OF OUR CURRENT GOVERNANCE MODEL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. SCRIPPS.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE TIMOTHY DICKEY.
I LIVE AND WORK IN DISTRICT 14.
UH, I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR A NO CHANGE TO THE, UH, HEY SIR, CAN I STOP YOU ONE SECOND? OR YOU SAID CHRIS DENNY? PARDON? UH, TIMOTHY.
TIMOTHY DICKEY IS WHO I CALLED.
HEY, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, SINCE YOU'RE HERE, GO AHEAD AND WE'LL JUST TAKE A OUTTA ORDER.
UH, I'M, I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR NO CHANGE TO OUR GOVERNANCE.
I'VE SEEN THE PARK DEPARTMENT AT WORK, UH, AND THE WORK THAT I DO, UH, AT TURTLE CREEK CONSERVANCY.
AND IT'S AMAZING THEIR EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVENESS AND THEIR AVAILABILITY AND THE PASSION THAT THEY HAVE FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE PARKS THAT THEY OVERSEE.
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IMAGINE THAT INSERTING, UH, ONE PERSON TO BE OVER THAT, UH, PARK DIRECTOR WOULD BE EFFECTIVE.UH, IT IS A LITTLE BIT COUNTERINTUITIVE TO THINK THAT MAKING THE CITY MANAGER THE PERSON WHO'S GONNA OVERSEE THE PARK DEPARTMENT, UH, WOULD BE VERY EFFECTIVE, UH, GIVEN THE RECENT NEWS AROUND PERMITTING AND ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE ARISEN RECENTLY WITH THE CURRENT MANAGER'S DEPARTURE.
SO, UH, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO LISTEN TO THE, THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE HEARING TONIGHT AND, UH, AND NOT APPROVE THOSE AMENDMENTS.
AND NOW WE HAVE TIMOTHY DICKEY.
UH, I'M TIM DICKEY, THE DISTRICT SIX PARK BOARD REPRESENTATIVE, UH, COUNCILMAN OR VICE.
UM, YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2007, I WENT TO WORK IN THE CAPITOL FOR MY STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, ACTUALLY IT WAS REPRESENTATIVE ENCA WHO WAS HERE.
I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS GONNA BE HERE.
AND I, I WORKED FOR HIM FOR THREE SESSIONS IN THE LEGISLATURE.
AND THE FIRST WEEK I WAS THERE, HE SAID SOMETHING TO ME.
HE SAYS, HERE'S SOMETHING YOU GOTTA REMEMBER.
AS YOU LOOK AT THESE BILLS THAT COME THROUGH, EITHER OUR BILLS OR THE ONES THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO SPONSOR, YOU ASK TWO QUESTIONS.
WHAT PROBLEM DOES IT SOLVE? AND WHAT POSSIBLE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES COULD IT HAVE IF THIS THING MAKES IT ALL THE WAY? AND I THINK THOSE THAT, THAT SERVE ME WELL FOR THREE SESSIONS.
AND IF I THINK IT, IT IS VERY APPLICABLE HERE.
AS FOR WHAT PROBLEM? THESE AMENDMENTS TO PUT THE PARK DEPARTMENT UNDER THE CITY MANAGER AND MAKE THE PARK BOARD AN ADVISORY BOARD INSTEAD OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD.
I AM, UH, I'M A TOTAL LOSS AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THAT.
AS FAR AS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, UM, I CAN TELL YOU ONE FOR SURE IS THAT WITH THESE CITIZEN MEMBERS AND THESE MEMBERS WHO ARE ALL VERY, UH, EXPERIENCED POLICY PEOPLE, COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS OF VERY LONG TIME, THAT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND KNOW CITY HALL AND SPENT YEARS WORKING IN CITY HALL, GIVING ALL OF THEIR TIME, UM, THAT'S A VERY SPECIAL BREED OF PERSON.
AND I JUST BELIEVE IF YOU HAVE JUST AN ADVISORY BOARD AND THESE FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS ALL THEIR LIVES AND HAVE A CHANCE TO SIT AT THE TABLE AND ALL THEY CAN DO IS JUST HOPE THE CITY MANAGER GOES ALONG WITH IT, YOU'RE GONNA LOSE.
AND ONE THING YOU'LL LOSE IS VISION CITY MANAGER'S JOB IS NOT VISION, IT'S EXECUTION.
VISION IS THE COUNCIL AND PARK BOARD.
AND THE WAY THIS STRUCTURE IS NOW, I BELIEVE IS PERFECT.
AND I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF QUICK EXAMPLES OF THIS.
NORTH HAVEN TRAIL PARK BOARD MEMBER, LOIS FINKELMAN THOUGHT IT UP.
SHE BECAME A CITY COUNCIL PERSON, WAS ABLE TO START TO CARRY IT THROUGH HER SUCCESSOR, LYNN KLEIMAN PARK BOARD MEMBER, THEN CITY COUNCILMAN CARRIED IT, PASSED THE BATON TO PARK BOARD MEMBER JEFF KITNER.
AND WITHOUT THOSE THREE PARK BOARD MEMBERS AND THEIR VISION AND WHAT THEY DID, THERE'S NO NORTH HAVEN TRAIL AS WE KNOW IT TODAY.
AND I'LL JUST CLOSE ON A REALLY BIG ONE, WHICH IS THE $300 MILLION WE'RE ABOUT TO INVEST IN FAIR PARK.
100% THAT CAME OUT OF THE PARK BOARD.
YOU DON'T HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE PARK BOARD, YOU'VE GOT NO BRIER BILL FOR FAIR PARK, YOU'VE GOT NO TEXAS O YOU GAME TILL 2039.
AND THAT'S BEEN REPORTED IN THE NEWS THAT THAT WAS THE REASON THEY CAME, THE COMMITMENT WE MADE.
SO WITHOUT ALL OF THAT, WHAT DO YOU GOT? YOU HAVE A CITY MANAGER WHO'S AN ADMINISTRATOR AND THE VISION DISAPPEARS.
I LIVE ON CARIBOU TRAIL IN, IN DALLAS, UH, DISTRICT 10.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU THIS EVENING AND WE'LL START WITH THE THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEVOTION OF TIME, UH, FOR OUR CITY.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON AMENDMENTS 70 AND 85 REGARDING A CHANGE TO THE CHARTER REGARDING THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT BEING PUT ON THE CITY MANAGER RATHER THAN THE PARK BOARD.
I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING OUR CITY AS A PARK BOARD DISTRICT 10 REPRESENTATIVE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD, DISTRICT 10 C COUNCIL MEMBER CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION WITH MINISTER AN CHIA, UM, THE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.
AND CURRENTLY IS THE DALLAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD MEMBER.
SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE FROM MANY ANGLES HOW OUR CITY WORKS
[00:50:01]
AND DOESN'T.A SIMILAR AMENDMENT WAS OFFERED WHEN I SERVED ON THE CHARTER COMMISSION AND IT FAILED AND I BELIEVE SHOULD FAIL NOW FOR THE SAME REASONS.
SIMPLY, THERE IS NOTHING TO BE GAINED.
THE MANAGER HAS PLENTY ON THEIR PLATE AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THE CITIZENS ARE SERVED BETTER UNDER THE CURRENT SYSTEM.
PARK BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ONE FOCUS PARKS.
THEY'RE AVAILABLE IN THEIR DISTRICT.
THEY REPRESENT TO HEAR CONCERNS ABOUT PARKS AND THEN TAKE IT TO THE DIRECTOR FOR AN ANSWER.
QUICK AND SIMPLE, NOT COMPETING WITH ALL THE OTHER ISSUES THE CITY MANAGER ALREADY HAS.
LET'S LEAVE ALONE WHAT WORKS AND SPIT OUR, SPIN OUR ENERGIES ON WHAT IS NOT OPERATING AS IT SHOULD.
THE CITY MANAGER HAS THE POWER, THE POWER OF THE PURSE.
THE MANAGER CONTROLS THE BUDGET AND THE COUNCIL MUST VOTE ON PARK DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS.
THE MANAGER CURRENTLY HAS THE POWER THEY NEED.
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS VERY HIGH IN THE CURRENT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION.
PLEASE VOTE THESE AMENDMENTS DOWN.
MR. STEIN HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU, SIR.
WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE OF BEING ON THE PARK BOARD AND ON THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD BEFORE, WHAT IMPACT WOULD THIS AMENDMENT HAVE, IF ANY, ON PUBLIC PRIVATE CONTRACTING WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS AND HIS PARKS? YOU KNOW, I, I, I DIDN'T MENTION, I I I WAS ON THE, UM, I'M ACTUALLY ON THIS, THE, UH, STATE FAIR BOARD.
I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS FOR FOUR YEARS, AND THAT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THE PARK DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, FAIR PART, THE, UH, STATE FAIR AND THAT PARTNERSHIP IS VIABLE, I THINK BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT EXIST, THE SUCCESS FOR THE STATE FAIR, THE SUCCESS THAT WE HAD IN, IN MAKING THE EXTENSION ON THE TEXAS OU GAME.
THE FACT THAT MR. DICKEY AND AND OTHERS MADE THEIR TRIP TO AUSTIN AND CAME UP WITH MONEY FOR THE COTTON BOWL TO BE RENOVATED IS WHAT SAVED THAT GAME IN BEING HERE.
NOT JUST FOR THAT GAME, BUT ALSO SO THAT FAIR PARK FIRST CAN NOW TAKE THAT FACILITY AND HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO CONVERT THAT INTO A YEAR ROUND FACILITY, WHETHER IT BE SOCCER, CONCERTS, OTHER THINGS, BUT THE AMENITIES THAT NEED TO BE THERE NEED ARE, ARE NOW GONNA BE TAKEN CARE OF.
THAT'S THE KIND OF PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS HAPPENED.
AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE FOCUS, IN MY OPINION.
I'M A CITY, I'VE BEEN A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
THERE'S A LOT GOING ON AND TRYING TO FOCUS ON ONE PARTICULAR THING.
BUT PARKS HAVE HAD THIS UNIQUE SITUATION WITH, YOU GOT A BODY OF 15.
THE CITY PARK DIRECTOR I HAVE GREAT ADMIRATION FOR BECAUSE THE, THE PARK DIRECTOR HAS 15 BOSSES AS A, AS A PARK BOARD AND THEY GOT 15 BOSSES OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT JOB, BUT THAT, THAT, THAT DIRECTOR KNOWS THAT HE'S GOTTA MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY 'CAUSE HE CAN MAKE HIS PARK BOARD HAPPY, BUT IF THE MANAGER SAYS, I'M NOT FUNDING IT, THEN HE HADN'T WON.
SO IT'S A, THERE'S A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE GOING ON AND I, I DO BELIEVE THE PHILANTHROPIC SIDE OF THINGS, YOU WILL, YOU WILL DEFINITELY NOT SEE PEOPLE FEELING AS COMFORTABLE GIVING THEIR MONEY TO THE CITY.
UH, IF IT'S NOT CONTROLLED AS IT HAS BEEN BY THE PARK BOARD.
I JUST DO NOT, WELL, UH, ONE MORE QUESTION, SIR.
IS IT, IS IT MORE PROFITABLE FOR THE PRIVATE ENTITY OR IS IT MORE PROFITABLE FOR THE CITY AND ITS CONSTITUENCY? I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR THE LAST PART.
THE PROFIT PART, BECAUSE I THINK THE DALLAS ZOO IS UNDER THE CITY, UH, PARKS DEPARTMENT ALSO, RIGHT? WELL, THE DALLAS ZOO IS, IS ANOTHER PRIME EXAMPLE.
UM, MY WIFE WAS ACTUALLY THE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE PAR OF THE, UH, ZOOS.
BUT, UM,
THEY KNOW THEY'RE GONNA END UP WITH A, A MUCH BETTER FACILITY THERE.
AND IT, IT WAS RUN BY THE CITY FOR YEARS, DIDN'T DO A BAD JOB, BUT DIDN'T DO A GREAT JOB SINCE IT'S BEEN TURNED OVER ON A PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP NOW.
UH, I THINK YOU'RE SEEING THE BENEFITS OF THAT AND YOU'RE GETTING READY TO SEE A LOT OF BENEFIT FROM IT FROM THIS NEXT BOND ISSUE AND THE PHILANTHROPIC SIDE THAT THEY'RE RAISING CURRENTLY FOR THAT PROJECT.
IF I MAKE, DOES ANY LIKE THE FAIR PARK, UH, THE ZOO, UH, IN THESE OPERATIONS, DO THEY EVER BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT? WHAT THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE TO PUT MONEY INTO 'EM? WELL, BECAUSE IT'S A PARTNERSHIP, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE EVER GONNA HAVE A SITUATION WHERE FAIR PARK'S NOT GONNA HAVE TO HAVE SOME, UM, CITY MONEY GOING INTO IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE PARK.
NOW AS IT APPLIES TO THE STATE FAIR, THE STATE FAIR ACTUALLY OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS HAS GIVEN AN AVERAGE OF $4 MILLION OUTTA EXCESS REVENUES BACK TO FAIR PARK TO
[00:55:01]
BE SPENT IN FAIR PARK.SO, SO THAT'S A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT BODY, BUT AS IT APPLIES TO THE MAINTENANCE, THE BUILDINGS, I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT BUILDINGS ARE OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD OUT THERE AND THEY, THEY NEED A LOT OF LOVE AND CARE AND IT'S GOOD THAT WE'VE GOT THE BRIER BILL THAT'S GONNA FUND A LOT OF IT, BUT IT'S ONLY TAKING CARE OF EIGHT OF THE BUILDINGS.
YOU GOT ALL THE OTHER BUILDINGS OUT THERE, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE CARED FOR IN OTHER WAYS.
SO I DO BELIEVE THAT AS THAT MATURES WITH FAIR PARK FIRST AND OVG, BEING ABLE TO BRING IN THE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT VENUE TYPE THINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN, KEEP TO MAKE THAT A YEAR-ROUND DESTINATION, I THINK WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THE CITY NOT HAVING TO SPEND A WHOLE LOT MORE MONEY VERSUS WHAT THEY WOULD'VE HAD TO SPEND HAD THEY NOT HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE.
IF I COULD, BEFORE I GET INTO MINE, IF I COULD REAL QUICKLY GO TO COMMISSIONER STEIN AND SAY, FROM THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW AND THE CONSTITUENTS THAT I HAVE, UH, BEEN WORKING WITH AND RAISE MONEY FOR DIFFERENT THINGS OF THE PARK DEPARTMENT, THEY WOULD BE VERY MUCH AGAINST OR VERY ADVERSE OR HESITANT TO GIVE MONEY IF IT WASN'T GOING DIRECTLY TO PARKS.
I THINK YOU WOULD FIND THAT, THAT, THAT THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WOULD BE AFFECTED TO SOME DEGREE, PROBABLY TO A LOT, TO A BIG DEGREE.
ANYWAY, I, I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT REAL QUICKLY BEFORE I GOT INTO, UH, ME AND, UH, MY INVOLVEMENT.
EVERYBODY HAS GIVEN A LOT OF GREAT FACTS AND FIGURES.
UM, I DON'T SEE ANY REASON TO REITERATE THOSE.
UM, SO I'M JUST GONNA TALK ABOUT MY INVOLVEMENT.
I'VE BEEN VERY, VERY INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING IN DALLAS AND MANY, MANY ORGANIZATIONS.
BUT SPECIFICALLY WITH, UM, THE WHITE ROCK LAKE FOUNDATION, I'VE BEEN ON THAT BOARD FOR 28 YEARS.
UM, PAST PRESIDENT, SECRETARY TREASURER.
I'M CURRENTLY THE EVENT AND FUNDRAISING CHAIR FOR THAT COMMITTEE.
AND WE RECENTLY GAVE A BIG CHECK TO THE PARK DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE GIVEN A LOT OF MONEY TO THE PARK DEPARTMENT FROM THE WHITE ROCK LAKE FOUNDATION.
LITERALLY, UH, THE LIST OF, UH, PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE DONE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THREE PAGES LONG AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
UM, WE HAVE HAD A FANTASTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARK DEPARTMENT AND WITH THE PEOPLE, UM, ON THE PARK BOARD.
UH, I'VE ALSO, I'M ALSO CURRENTLY THE CHAIR OF THE WHITE ROCK LAKE TASK FORCE.
I'M NOT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THAT ORGANIZATION BECAUSE I'VE ONLY SPOKEN TO A FEW PEOPLE.
EVERY SINGLE PERSON I'VE SPOKEN TO ON THE TASK FORCE IN EVERY MEMBER OF THE WHITE ROCK LAKE FOUNDATION BOARD IS AGAINST AMENDMENT 70 85 AND 1 0 3.
WE VERY MUCH WANT TO SEE THE, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT WE WORK WITH CURRENTLY REMAIN INTACT.
WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM.
UM, TED AND I HAVE BEEN ON THE WHITE ROCK LAKE FOUNDATION BOARD FOR 28 YEARS.
WE HAVE, UM, SEVERAL MEETINGS A YEAR WITH KEY STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE PARK DEPARTMENT TO GO OVER THEIR NEEDS TO GO OVER WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THEM.
THOSE ARE RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED BECAUSE OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE THAT THE PARK DEPARTMENT HAS NOW, AND BECAUSE OF HOW WE ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM NOW.
UM, WE HAVE A PARK LIAISON ASSIGNED TO WHITE ROCK LAKE THAT WE WORK WITH ALL THE TIME.
THESE ARE, THESE ARE THINGS THAT THE PARK DEPARTMENT SAW AND STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND MADE SURE THAT HAPPENED.
AND THAT'S THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT WE WANNA WORK WITH.
WE WANNA CONTINUE THAT GROWTH.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL OVER YEARS.
IT'S, IT'S, UH, AS, UH, JENNIFER SAID EARLIER, IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.
AND, UM, WE ALSO HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL THE PARK BOARD MEMBERS.
I, I WAS WORRIED THAT I WAS GONNA TALK TO TOO MUCH, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE.
SO, NEXT WE'LL MOVE TO JOHN BOFI.
THANK Y'ALL FOR VOLUNTEERING YOUR TIME TO BE DOWN HERE.
I AM A FIFTH GENERATION PROUD DALLASITE.
I AM AGAINST THESE PROPOSALS, 85 1 0 3 AND 70.
UH, I THINK WE'VE ALL SEEN THE VOLATILITY OF THE PAST WEEK OR SO WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND I LOVE THAT THE PARK DEPARTMENT IS OUT OF THAT CONVERSATION AND WILL REMAIN OUT OF THAT IN NOVEMBER WHEN WE HIRE A NEW CITY MANAGER.
I BELIEVE THAT AUTONOMY THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT
[01:00:01]
HAS SHOULD REMAIN AS IT IS.UM, I CAN GO IN AND TALK, UH, ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE, HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT FOR ALL THE GOOD REASONS NOT TO PASS THESE PROPOSALS, BUT I KNOW MY PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT BEGAN, UH, IN, IN CITY POLITICS WITH BEING A VOLUNTEER FOR FRIENDS OF SANTA FE TRAIL.
UH, IT WASN'T THE MONEY THAT WE RAISED.
IT WASN'T, UM, THE POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS.
IT WAS THE COMMUNITY PRIDE WE HAD AND DIGGING NEW TREES AND PARKS.
UM, IT BROUGHT US, BROUGHT ME A SENSE OF PRIDE FOR MY CITY THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A PART OF AS A VOLUNTEER.
AND I SINCE VOLUNTEER HERE FOR THE WHITE ROCK FOUNDATION ON THAT BOARD, A FEW OTHER BOARDS, GOOD LOCAL MARKET.
I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF, UM, MANY OTHER, UH, VOLUNTEER BOARDS, WHICH I LOVE THAT BRINGS SO MUCH TO THE CITY.
AND THAT'S ALL DUE TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE, THE SYSTEM WE HAVE SET UP RIGHT NOW.
UM, I THINK THIS SYSTEM WAS, WAS BUILT, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TRULY BUILT THIS CITY A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
THIS SYSTEM WAS PUT IN PLACE BY MY GRANDMOTHER'S GRANDFATHER, UM, WHO IRONICALLY, UH, HIS PUBLISHING COMPANY AND, UH, HOUSE IS NOW HARWOOD PARK.
AND THAT SYSTEM SINCE THEN HAS BUILT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, BUILT OUR BOULEVARDS.
IT'S BEEN A PLAN THAT HAS, UH, MADE THE CITY WHAT IT IS AND I DON'T SEE WHY WE SHOULD CHANGE IT.
WHEN I READ IN THE PAPER TODAY FROM ONE OF THE AUTHORS THAT SAYS, QUOTE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
WE SHOULD NOT BE EXPERIMENTING WITH A SYSTEM THAT'S WORKING.
SO ONCE AGAIN, I'M AGAINST 85 1 0 3 AND 70.
I ACTUALLY COME TO GIVE THE CITY OF DALLAS A COMPLIMENT AND FROM A PERSPECTIVE FROM OUTSIDE OF THIS MARKET.
I SPENT 35 YEARS WORKING AT THE PGA TOUR AND PART OF THOSE DUTIES WAS PUTTING TOGETHER GOLF TOURNAMENTS AND A LOT OF THOSE INSTANCES INVOLVED PLAYING AT MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES IN DIFFERENT CITIES.
SO THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF INTERACTION WITH DIFFERENT PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENTS.
UH, I MOVED HERE IN NOVEMBER OF 2018.
THREE GRANDCHILDREN NOW, AND A DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW.
AND I QUICKLY BECAME A PARKS AND RECREATION CONSUMER, WHITE ROCK LAKE.
I PLAYED TENNIS, I PLAYED PICKLEBALL.
I USED TO RUN, BUT I POWER WALK AND I BIKE AND IT GOES ON AND ON.
AND I DISCOVERED THE GOLF COURSES, PARTICULARLY CEDAR CREST IN SOUTHERN DALLAS.
AND I STARTED WORKING, DOING SOME CONSULTING WITH THE I AM A GOLFER FOUNDATION.
THIS PAST YEAR I SERVED AS THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR FOR THE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES SHOWCASE AT CEDAR CREST.
WE GENERATED 24 HOURS OF NATIONAL COVERAGE FOR THIS CITY, FOR SOUTHERN DALLAS, FOR PARKS AND RECREATION ON GOLF CHANNEL.
ENDED UP WORKING CLOSELY WITH JOHN JENKINS AND HIS STAFF AND THE PARK BOARD STAFF.
AND WHEN I GOT SO FAMILIAR WITH IT, I CALLED TWO OF MY FRIENDS IN JACKSONVILLE, MY HOMETOWN THAT LIVED THERE 60 YEARS AND SAID, YOU GUYS, THEY'RE ON CITY COUNCIL.
I SAID, I'VE GOT THE MODEL FOR YOU, THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC IN JACKSONVILLE.
I WON'T MENTION HIM BY NAME, BUT IT'S A NIGHTMARE.
WHAT HE HAS TO GO THROUGH REPORTING INTO CITY HALL.
A NEW MAYOR COMES IN, HE'S GOTTA OFFER HIS RESIGNATION AND HE HOPES HE GETS REHIRED.
'CAUSE HE SERVES AT THE MERCY OF WHOEVER THE MAYOR IS.
HE GETS CHERRY PICKED ALL THE TIME BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
IN SUMMARY, I WOULD TELL YOU, IF YOU WANNA BE LIKE ALL THE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE THAT MODEL, THEN PASS THE AMENDMENTS.
IF YOU WANT TO BE THE DALLAS AND HAVE THE PARKS AND RECREATIONS DEPARTMENT AND BE THE CITY THAT EVERYBODY ELSE OUTSIDE OF THIS MARKET THINKS YOU ARE, I'D LEAVE IT ALONE.
SO SIGNED UP NEXT WE, WE HAVE THREE INDIVIDUALS, UH, CLINT KNUCKLES, UH, TOM LETTER BARRY AND CARRIE MITCHELL.
AND I'M, I'M JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE I KNOW EACH OF YOU HAVE AMENDMENTS OR THE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
AND WHEN YOU SPEAK ON THOSE AMENDMENTS, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES EXCLUSIVE OF QUESTIONS OR, UH, FROM COMMISSIONER.
SO IF, IF YOU WANNA SPEAK NOW, YOU CAN COME AND TALK TO US.
IF YOU WANNA WAIT TILL THEN YOU CAN DO THAT.
'CAUSE WE'RE, WE'LL, WE'VE GOT ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE MORE SPEAKERS BEFORE WE GET TO THE AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU MR. CHAIR.
WE'LL RESERVE OUR TIME WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE SPECIFIC EVENTS.
IS THAT THE SAME AS CARRIE MITCHELL HERE? YES.
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WITH THAT TOO? YES.I'M DANNY OBERST, A HOMEOWNER IN DISTRICT 14, AND I'M HERE TO OPPOSE AMENDMENTS 70 85 AND 1 0 3.
THERE SEEMS TO BE A THEME HERE TONIGHT,
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, I'VE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH THE PARK DEPARTMENT AND THE PARK BOARD ON SEVERAL ISSUES RELATED TO EXEL PARK, WHICH IS NEAR MY BRIAN PLACE COMMUNITY.
I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED WITH THE RESPONSIVENESS TO MY CONCERNS AND THAT OF THE FRIENDS OF EXILE PARK ORGANIZATION.
I'M A PART OF THE CURRENT GOVERNING STRUCTURE OF THE PARK DEPARTMENT WORKED VERY EFFECTIVELY WITH ME AND MY NEIGHBORS.
AND I'VE HEARD THIS SEVERAL TIMES TONIGHT, BUT I FIRMLY BELIEVE IN THE ADAGE, IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.
WHY? SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT ON SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN WORKING FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS FOR THE LAST A HUNDRED YEARS, TAKING AWAY THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE PARK BOARD TO ADDRESS THE MYRIAD OF ISSUES LARGE AND SMALL AT THE PARK DEPARTMENT SEEMS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO ME.
I AM HOPEFUL THAT CITY STAFF HAS BIGGER FISH TO FRY.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN OPPOSING 70 85 AND 1 0 3.
MY NAME IS DAVID MARLIS OF 31 10 WEST KEITH BOULEVARD IN BEAUTIFUL OAK CLIFF STIC THREE.
GREAT, GREAT TO BE MAD WITH SO MANY FRIENDS TONIGHT AND BACK HERE AT THIS HORSE.
YOU, I'VE SPOKEN WITH SO MANY TIMES.
MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME, UH, PREACH MORE THAN ONCE IN THIS SPOT, BUT I'M NOT GONNA PREACH TONIGHT.
WE'VE HAD SOME WONDERFUL COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE, UM, ABOUT THESE THREE AMENDMENTS.
I'M HERE TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAINTAIN THE CITY'S STRUCTURE REGARDING PARKS AS IS.
BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WANTED A BRIEFING ABOUT, UH, CARBON CREDITS, THEY ASKED ME TO COME AND DO THAT.
THE FOUND CLE NATION RESERVE WORKED, HAD NEW GLOBE WITH, UH, MR. YOUNG ON THAT, UH, OVER 20 YEARS AGO.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN CIVIC LIFE IN DALLAS FOR 48 YEARS SINCE I MOVED HERE IN 1976.
THAT'S TWO, TWO THIRDS OF MY LIFE.
IN THAT HALF CENTURY, I'VE BECOME CONVINCED ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE CAN DO IS MAINTAIN THE CITY STRUCTURE AS THIS.
BUT HERE'S THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE.
WHEN WE DID OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, WHICH I KNOW SOME OF YOU VOTED ON UNANIMOUSLY, WHEN WE PASSED THAT WE BEGAN TO GET NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM FOR THAT.
WHEN PEOPLE FIND OUT WE HAVE THE LARGEST URBAN FOREST IN AMERICA, WE GET NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL CLAIM FOR THAT.
WHEN THEY FIND OUT THAT WE HAVE A PARK SYSTEM THAT IS INDEPENDENT AND WORKS AS IT DOES, WE GET NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL CLAIM FOR THAT.
WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IS FROM THESE, UH, IN THIS IS WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS IN THIS GREEN WHITE, IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME TO UNDERSTAND THE CITY OF DALLAS IS IN A POSITION TO PROVIDE CLIMATE RESILIENCE ON NOT ONLY A LOCAL, BUT A REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL BECAUSE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS MANY, MANY EXIT OF LAND IN ADDITION TO THE FOREST, IN ADDITION TO A WATERSHED THAT RUNS IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN IN TRINITY.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT FOR THE SAKE OF OUR GRANDCHILDREN REMAINS INTACT.
AND ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO DO THAT IS TO PRESERVE THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE PARTS DEPARTMENT.
UH, LAST YEAR IN MONTREAL, THERE'S INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE.
192 NATIONS CAME TOGETHER AND THEY CAME AWAY WITH THREE WORDS.
EVERY ACRE COUNTS RIGHT NOW WITH 8 BILLION PEOPLE ON THE PLANET.
THE DEMANDS BEING PLACED ON OUR LAND AND OUR WATER AND OUR RESOURCES.
IT BECAME VERY CLEAR THAT EVERY ACRE COUNTS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS A WAY TO DEAL WITH THAT AND MAKE SURE IT CONTINUES TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.
AND THAT IS TO PRESERVE THE STRUCTURE OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AS IS BECAUSE DALLAS IS NOW THE POSITION OF LEADERSHIP, NOT JUST LOCALLY, BUT NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.
[01:10:01]
COUNTS.THE CITY OF DALLAS PARKS DEPARTMENT CAN MAKE THAT REAL.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE OUR STRUCTURE AS IS.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE KEVIN PFEIFFER.
MR. MR. CLARK'S ONLINE, I BELIEVE.
MR. CLARK, CAN YOU HEAR US OKAY? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
WE CAN SEE YOU, YOU CAN PROCEED.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE AMENDMENT IN SUPPORT OF RANK CHOICE VOTING.
I BELIEVE THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
I'M A VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VERY INCONVENIENT FOR PEOPLE TO GO FROM A PRIMARY ELECTION FOR A RUNOFF ELECTION FIVE WEEKS AWAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN AT A BOARD OPERATING BASE ALL OVER THE WORLD.
UM, TIED TO THAT ARE EFFICIENCY CONCERNS, UM, BOTH IN USE OF PUBLIC DOLLARS, BUT ALSO IN MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHOWED UP TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINION ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE THAT OPINION REGISTERED AND COUNTED IMMEDIATELY, UH, AND EFFECTIVELY.
UM, THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THE MOST OF PEOPLE'S OPINIONS, RANK THOSE OPINIONS AND, UH, GET RID OF THE WHOLE NEED FOR A RUNOFF ALTOGETHER.
IT'S MORE EFFICIENT, IT'S BETTER FOR DEMOCRACY, INCREASES TURNOUT.
UM, AND THE LAST THING I WANTED TO MENTION ON THIS IS I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR CIVILITY.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY VERY HARD TO SEE THE POLARIZATION IN THIS COUNTRY.
ADDING IN RANKED CHOICE VOTING WOULD CREATE AN INCENTIVE FOR CANDIDATES FOR ANY OFFICE TO WANT TO CURRY THE FAVOR OF THE SUPPORTERS OF OTHER PEOPLE RUNNING.
UM, WHERE WE'VE SEEN THIS IMPLEMENTED IN OTHER STATES, UM, AND OTHER CITIES, THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN GOOD AND THEY HAVE, UM, TAMPERED DOWN ON, UM, EXTREMISM AT A TIME WHEN THIS COUNTRY IS DEALING WITH THAT ON IN SPADES AND ON ALL SIDES.
I THINK WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO ENCOURAGE, UM, THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CITY OF DALLAS' TURNOUT RATES ARE SO POOR, UM, BOTH IN COMPARISON TO OTHER AMERICAN CITIES, BUT ALSO JUST FOR THE WORLD.
UM, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY OF AMERICANS TO LEAD THE WAY FOR DEMOCRACY.
AND SO I THINK THE COUNCIL, UH, THE COMMISSION FOR THE TIME, AND I HOPE YOU CONSIDER AND APPROVE AMENDMENT ON RANKED CHOICE VOTING.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TERMINATION.
THANK YOU MR. CLARK FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR VISITING WITH US.
GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR COMMISSIONERS JEFF KITNER REPRESENTING DISTRICT 11.
I'M THE PARK BOARD REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT ELECT 11, SERVING COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ, LIKE MANY HAVE SPOKEN TODAY, I'M HERE TO, UH, OPPOSE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS 70 85 AND 1 0 3.
I OPPOSE THESE AMENDMENTS BECAUSE THE PARK BOARD, AS IT'S CURRENTLY STRUCTURED, IS A SUCCESSFUL MODEL OF GOVERNANCE WITHIN THE CITY.
IT PROVIDES RESIDENTS WITH ACCESSIBILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO OVERSEE THIS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT DEPARTMENT.
QUITE SIMPLY, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS BETTER BECAUSE OF PARK BOARD OVERSIGHT.
UNDER THE CURRENT MODEL, PARK ITEMS ARE CONSIDERED BY BOTH THE PARK BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
THIS STRUCTURE IS A KEY REASON WHY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL DEPARTMENTS.
CONSTITUENTS PREFER THIS MODEL TOO.
I GET CALLS AND TEXTS AND EMAILS ALL THE TIME FROM DISTRICT 11 RESIDENTS WHO HAVE A PARK NEED THAT I CAN TRY TO ADDRESS QUICKLY.
YOU HEARD FROM ONE OF THEM EARLIER TONIGHT, ROBERT KENT, HAVING A BOARD MEMBER WHO YOU CAN, WHO CAN DEDICATE THE TIME TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES THAT ARISE AND NOT PUT EVERYTHING ON THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS A MODEL THAT WORKS.
I SEE THIS DAILY WITH FRIENDS GROUPS WITHIN DISTRICT 11, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
FRIENDS OF NORTH HAVEN TRAIL, FRIENDS OF WHITE ROCK CREEK TRAIL, FRIENDS OF HILLCREST VILLAGE, FRIENDS OF VALLEY VIEW PARK.
THESE ARE ALL GROUPS THAT I INTERACT WITH DAILY, WEEKLY, GETTING THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
THIS DOES NOT WORK IF THE PARK DEPARTMENT IS STRUCK CI ANOTHER WAY.
MR. DICKEY, TIM DICKEY FROM DISTRICT SIX GAVE ME A SHOUT OUT ON THE NORTH HAVEN TRAIL PROJECT.
I'M GONNA RETURN THE FAVOR ON HIM FOR HIS WORK ON THE BRIMER BILL.
[01:15:01]
GET DONE.IF NOT FOR SOMEBODY LIKE TIM DICKEY BEING ON THE PARK BOARD.
IF ANYTHING, WE SHOULD BE GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THESE AMENDMENTS AND LOOKING AT WAYS TO IMPLEMENT THIS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL STRUCTURE IN OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS LIKE ARTS AND LIBRARIES DEPARTMENTS THAT WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, I CALL THE TERM THAT MR. LEE KLEINMAN CAME UP WITH THE MINISTRY OF HAPPINESS.
THERE'S REALLY NO REASON TO CHANGE SOMETHING THAT HAS OPERATED SO SUCCESSFULLY FOR A HUNDRED YEARS.
I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO REJECT AMENDMENTS 70 85 AND 1 0 3.
AND I BRIEFLY WILL ADD THAT I DO SUPPORT THE RANK CHOICE VOTING AMENDMENT AS WELL.
I WORKED WITH COMMISSIONER DE LA FUENTE ON THE AMENDMENT TO MOVE ELECTIONS FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER.
AND I SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT BRINGS HIGHER TURNOUT IN VOTING.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE RANK CHOICE VOTING AMENDMENT WOULD DO THAT.
UH, SO I SUPPORT THAT AS WELL.
I THINK I'M THE LAST ON THE LIST.
UH, MY NAME IS MARIE EARLY AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRIENDS OF XL PARK.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK TONIGHT IN OPPOSITION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS 70 85 AND 1 0 3.
OUR GROUP IS A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT MADE UP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO SUPPORT THE CITY OF DALLAS THROUGH MAINTENANCE AND BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS IN XL PARK.
THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE THE ADDITIONAL FLOWER BEDS AROUND THE PARK, EXTRA SIZE EQUIPMENT, PARK BENCHES, UH, SUNSHADES WATER FOUNTAINS AND MORE.
WE HAVE CLEANUP DAYS AND HOLIDAY IN THE PARK EVENT.
OUR PARK BOARD REPRESENTATIVE RUDY CREAMY, HAS BEEN AN INDISPENSABLE LIAISON FOR US, UH, HELPING US NAVIGATE THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT COME WITH CITIZEN BACK PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
HE DOES THIS FOR EVERY PARK AND DISTRICT 14 AS AN APPOINTED MEMBER OF THE DALLAS PARK BOARD, AND HE DOES IT BECAUSE HE LOVES OUR PARKS.
BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH RUDY, REMOVING AUTHORITY FROM OUR CITIZEN LED PARK BOARD WHOSE ONLY MISSION IS THE TO BETTER OUR PARK SYSTEM WOULD BE HARMFUL TO CITY GOVERNMENTS AND TO GROUPS LIKE MINE.
THAT'S WHY PLEASE OPPOSE AMENDMENTS 70 85 AND 1 0 3.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE, UH, PRESENT IN THE AUDIENCE, UH, WHO DIDN'T GET THE CHANCE TO SIGN UP FOR THE, TO ADDRESS THIS IN THE INITIAL PART OF THE MEETING THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? UH, YES MA'AM.
IF YOU'LL PLEASE COME DOWN AND STATE YOUR NAME.
IF YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, UH, NEEDING TO ADDRESS THIS.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR WHAT YOU DO.
I'M AT 27 59 MEADOW DAWN, UH, LANE, DALLAS, TEXAS.
I'M COUNCILMAN ATKINS, THE GREAT DISTRICT EIGHT PARK BOARD MEMBER, A APPOINTEE ON THE PARK BOARD.
I'M A PRODUCT OF OUR PARK SYSTEM AND I LIKE TO SAY A FEW THINGS.
THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE WOULD HAVE CLADE WARNER PARK.
THERE'S NO WAY WE WOULD HAVE THE TEXAS OU GAME.
THERE WAS NOT A PARK DEPARTMENT.
CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO GET A CONTRACT FROM A, UH, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, JUST LIKE PEOPLE THAT TRY TO WORK FOR THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, LIKE WE LOST THE COWBOYS WE HAVE AT THE PARK DEPARTMENT.
I'VE BEEN WITH COUNCILMAN ATKINS ALL HIS LIFE, NEVER WANTED TO COME DOWNTOWN.
HE APPOINTED ME ON THE PARK BOARD AND IT WAS SUCH A BLESSING.
USUALLY I HANG OUT ALL NIGHT, BUT WHEN I KNOW I HAVE TO GO TO THE PARK BOARD, I'M LIKE A LITTLE KID.
THOSE PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH ARE AWESOME.
AND I GOTTA CREDIT THAT TO EACH CITY COUNCIL PERSON THAT APPOINTED HIM.
AND I AM GONNA LEAVE YOU WITH THIS IF YOU MISS WITH THE STATE FAIR.
IF YOU MISS WITH THE ZOO AND YOU MISS WITH THE STAFF OF THE PARK DEPARTMENT, YOU MISS WITH ME.
WILL YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND UH, GIVE US YOUR ADDRESS AND YOU CAN PROCEED.
AMY MEADOWS, DISTRICT 13 5 5 4 5 MILLENNIAL LANE DALLAS.
UM, I AM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE DOWNTOWN DALLAS PARKS CONSERVANCY.
A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT HAS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS THROUGH THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP, WE HAVE
[01:20:01]
OPENED FOUR NEW PARKS IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS PACIFIC PLAZA, WESTON SQUARE, CARPENTER PARK, AND HARWOOD PARK.THIS WAS FUNDED WITH 4.4 MILLION IN 2006 BOND DOLLARS 35 MILLION IN 2017 BOND DOLLARS.
AND WE PUT IN $52 MILLION OF PRIVATE MONEY.
THIS PROCESS TO FORM THIS PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP BEGAN IN 2014 AND CULMINATED IN THE ADDITION OF MORE THAN 14 ACRES OF ADDITIONAL PARKLAND, WHICH HAS HELPED TRANSFORM DOWNTOWN DALLAS INTO A VIBRANT CITY CENTER WITH A GROWING RESIDENTIAL POPULATION.
THE DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE PARK DEPARTMENT AND THE CONSERVANCY.
REVIEWING PARK DESIGNS AND PARTICIPATING IN THE PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS THAT THE CONSERVANCY LED THIS ENGAGEMENT OF THE PARK BOARD ENSURED THAT THE NEW PARKS WERE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN DOWNTOWN.
BECAUSE PARK BOARD MEMBERS ARE SOLELY FOCUSED ON THE NEEDS OF THE DALLAS PARK SYSTEM, THEY SERVE AS STEWARDS AND ADVOCATES FOR THE PARK DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE, BUT ALSO FOR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS ALONG WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
THEY VET MULTIPLE PARK PROJECTS.
AND THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THESE TWO GOVERNING BODIES MEANS THAT THE PARK DEPARTMENT UNDERGOES A MORE THOROUGH AND RIGOROUS REVIEW PROCESS THAN THE MAJORITY OF OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THE DALLAS PARK DEPARTMENT HAS MORE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAN ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTRY.
THE SUCCESS OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE OVERSIGHT, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY THAT THE CITY CHARTER HAS GIVEN TO THE PARK BOARD.
THIS STRUCTURE ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO THE PHILANTHROPIC SECTOR'S WILLINGNESS TO PARTNER WITH THE PARK DEPARTMENT.
WHEN MANY PHILANTHROPISTS AND FOUNDATIONS ARE WARY OF PARTNERING WITH GOVERNMENT.
BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE, WE ARE OPPOSED TO AMENDMENT 70 85 AND 1 0 3.
AND WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE CURRENT STRUCTURE OF THE PARK BOARD IS THE RIGHT WAY TO CONTINUE FOR SUCCESS FOR OUR FUTURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MINISTER DO ALEXANDER, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF THE NEXT GENERATION ACTION NETWORK.
AND I AM THE AUTHOR OF ITEM NUMBER 70.
I COME TO SPEAK BECAUSE THERE IS A CERTAIN CUTOFF TIME THAT I HAVE TO LEAVE OR WHATEVER.
SO I DO WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT I GIVE REPRESENTATION TO MY ITEM THAT I'VE PROPOSED IN FRONT OF YOU.
UH, LET ME SAY THIS, UM, AS THE PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF PROBABLY THE LARGEST SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION IN THIS CITY, I'VE BEEN IN THIS CITY AND SO MANY DIFFERENT FIGHTS, SO MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES.
AS A PERSON WHO HAS EXPERIENCE OF NOT ONLY PASSING FEDERAL LEGISLATIONS, STATE LEGISLATIONS, SUCH AS THE CLEAR ALERT, I ACTUALLY SERVE AS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE DALLAS ISD $3.5 BILLION BOND.
I'M A PROUD FATHER OF A NINE AND A 7-YEAR-OLD WHO DEALS AND LITERALLY GOES AND CELEBRATES PUBLIC PARKS.
BUT MY AMENDMENT WASN'T ABOUT WHETHER I SUPPORT A PARK OR NOT.
MY AMENDMENT WAS THE STRUCTURE AND THE GOVERNMENT AND THE LEVELS OF TRANSPARENCY OF IT.
WHETHER I THINK THAT HARDWOOD PARK, THE NEW DEVELOPMENT OF HARDWOOD IS A BEAUTIFUL PARK.
I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PARK.
AS I ORGANIZED, AS MANY OF YOU GUYS WAS ON THE COUNCIL, I REMEMBER THAT OUR ORGANIZATION A COUPLE YEARS AGO WAS THE ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTED, THAT ACTUALLY RALLIED PEOPLE IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL FOR THE DECK PARK THAT IT'S GOING OVER 35.
I BELIEVE I WAS THAT PERSON THAT DID THAT.
IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THIS COUNCIL, WHEN IT VOTES ON RACIAL EQUITY, WHEN IT VOTES, VOTES ON REDLINING, THAT IT ACTUALLY STANDS UP TO THOSE PRINCIPLES AND NOT JUST SAY IT.
WHAT WE SAW EVEN JUST RECENTLY FROM THE CITY'S BOND, WHERE YET AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER MILLIONS OF DOLLARS GOES TO HOUSING VERSUS PUBLIC PARKS.
I BELIEVE SOMEONE SAID SOMETHING EARLIER ABOUT SOCK RENAISSANCE PARK.
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE PUT THAT PARK THERE IF IN 2015 I DID NOT ORGANIZE THE KIDS TO WALK OUT OF SAFFO CLIFFE HIGH SCHOOL THAT LED A MOVEMENT FOR MORE THAN $62 MILLION IN THAT SCHOOL AND $400 MILLION IN A RACIAL EQUITY LENS.
IT'S THE SAME THING THAT I'M ASKING THIS CITY TO LIVE UP TO.
THIS PARK DEPARTMENT, ACTUALLY, EVERYTHING IT PROVES GOES TO THE COUNCIL.
IT, IT HAS A PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT HAS THE SAME FUNCTIONALITY.
YOU WOULD BELIEVE THAT THIS PARTS DEPARTMENT HAS IT OWN
[01:25:01]
HR.AND I'LL, I'LL COME WHEN MY ITEM IS UP.
I I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. MR. ALEXANDER.
MR. ALEXANDER, IF YOU HAVE TIME, ONE OF 'EM, HAVE YOU SEEN ANY, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO GLENDALE PARK? NO.
IT'S IN JUST JUST YEARS OF PROMISES.
AND IT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, GLENDALE PARK SITS ON LUKE 12, WHICH IS IN TWO DISTRICTS.
IT'S IN FOUR AND THREE, IS THAT CORRECT OR IS IN FOUR EIGHT? YES.
AND, AND BE FULL TRANSPARENT, I KNOW THEY ARE CURRENTLY GOING OVER A PROCESS RIGHT NOW IN THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
UH, BUT I KNOW THAT THAT HAPPENED AFTER YEARS OF THEREOF.
HOW MANY BONDS HAVE WE HAD SINCE WE HAD ANY IMPROVEMENT OVER THERE? DO YOU KNOW? I BELIEVE IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT TWO CITY BONDS.
IF I'M DIRECTLY, MY, MY LAST QUESTION, THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE PARK BOARD BROKERING DEAL TO GET, UH, THE TEXAS OU GAME.
I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYONE MENTION ABOUT THE PRAIRIE VIEW GRAMBLING GAME AND HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IT BRINGS TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? NO, SIR.
ALRIGHT, NOW OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO APPROVE THE MEETING ME MINUTES FOR OUR FEBRUARY 6TH MEETING.
I'M SORRY, MR. OH, I'LL MAKE, I SEE YOU MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER MOTION.
ALRIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION? WE HAVE A SECOND ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES.
UH, YOU PULL YOUR MOTION BACK FOR A SECOND.
I DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD SOMEBODY ELSE WANTED TO SPEAK.
ALL RIGHT, SIR, IF YOU'LL, UH, TELL US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS BRIT WILLIAMS. I LIVE AT 8 3 2 BLAYLOCK DRIVE DALLAS IN DISTRICT ONE.
I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO URGE YOU ALL TO ADVANCE AMENDMENT TWO TO, UH, ADVANCE RANK CHOICE VOTING, ALSO KNOWN AS INSTANT RUNOFF VOTING IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, UH, DALLAS, TEXAS IS LUCKY IN THAT TO BE ELECTED TO OFFICE IN OUR GREAT CITY, YOU HAVE TO RECEIVE A MAJORITY OF THE VOTE.
UM, THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN EVERY CITY OR EVERY CONSTITUENCY, BUT IN DALLAS, YOU HAVE TO RECEIVE A MAJORITY.
AND IF YOU DON'T RECEIVE A MAJORITY IN THE FIRST ROUND, YOU GO TO A RUNOFF THE NEXT MONTH.
THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF RUNOFFS FOLLOWING THE NEXT MONTH DOESN'T WORK.
IT COSTS THE CITY FAR TOO MUCH MONEY AND CITIZENS DON'T HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD.
IN 2017, WE SPENT A MILLION DOLLARS ON THE FIRST ROUND GENERAL ELECTION.
WE SPENT OVER $300,000 THE FOLLOWING MONTH ON THE RUNOFF.
IN 2021, WE SPENT ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS ON THE GENERAL AND 800,000 ON THE RUNOFF.
AND IN THE LA IN THE MAYORAL ELECTION IN 2019, WE SPENT $625,000 IN THE GENERAL AND $1.1 MILLION IN THE RUNOFF.
BUT FOR ALL THIS MONEY, WE DON'T SEE THE RESULTS.
IN 20 21, 6 OF 14 COUNCIL RACES WENT TO RUNOFF AND OF THE SIX, THREE OF THE WINNERS ENDED UP WINNING THEIR ELECTIONS WITH FEWER VOTES THAN IN THE FIRST ROUND BECAUSE SO FEW PEOPLE TURN OUT TO VOTE.
SO INSTANT RUNOFF VOTING, IT SAVES THE CITY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EACH ELECTION.
IT INCREASES THE POWER OF VOTERS TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD, AND IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO, UM, TO SET UP THE AMENDMENT, UH, TO TAKE EFFECT ONCE THIS VOTING SYSTEM IS ALLOWED IN TEXAS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
OH WAIT, WE HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER.
MY NAME'S LIZ WALLY AND, UM, I CAME RUSHING DOWN.
UH, 'CAUSE THEY SAID, CAN YOU GET DOWN THERE AND TALK ABOUT THE RANK CHOICE VOTING? SO VERY QUICKLY, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I SUPPORT THAT.
UM, AND DID YOU KNOW THAT THE OSCARS ARE ACTUALLY BEEN, HAVE BEEN USING RANK CHOICE VOTING FOR CENTURIES, FOR DECADES.
UM, AND THEY JUST ADDED TO THIS WAY THAT THEY CHOOSE THEIR BOARD AS THE FINAL PLACE.
SO IT'S A, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
AS A PRECINCT CHAIR, I HATED SEEING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS WHEN ALMOST NOBODY SHOWED UP IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND THEN YOU HAD A RUNOFF WITH REALLY NOBODY SHOWING UP.
UM, RANK CHOICE VOTING WOULD SAVE THE, UH, MONEY FOR THE RUNOFF AND IT WOULD ALSO, UH,
[01:30:01]
GET MORE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION.SO BRIEFLY THAT, AND JUST BY ACCIDENT BEING HERE, I WANT YOU TO KNOW MY MIDDLE NAME IS XAL, AND SO I SUPPORT ALL THE PEOPLE, UM, WHO WERE SUPPORTING THE PARK DEPARTMENT.
ANYBODY ELSE THAT DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THE INITIAL PART OF THE MEETING THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS BEFORE WE MOVE ON, ON THE AGENDA ITEMS? ANYBODY? I DON'T KNOW.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM P HAVING TO DO WITH THE OMBUDSMAN.
I THINK THAT WE REALLY HAVE A SITUATION THAT REQUIRES THE TYPE OF ACTIVITY WHERE THE CITIZENS AND THE STAFF CAN GET THINGS DONE.
RIGHT NOW, THERE'S TOO MUCH OF A HOT POTATO SITUATION.
WE HAVE OMBUDSMAN AND NURSING HOMES.
WE HAVE OMBUDSMAN AT THE NORTH TEXAS TOLLWAY AUTHORITY.
WE HAVE OMBUDSMAN AT MANY CITIES ACROSS THE NATION.
I SUGGESTED THAT THIS BE WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR.
PERHAPS THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT PLACE, BUT I DO THINK THAT THE CHARTER IS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR SOME SORT OF OFFICE TO EXIST TO AID AN EVERY SINGLE CITY COUNCIL PERSON AND THE CITIZENS OF DALLAS.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING HERE AND JOINING US EVEN AND EVENINGS WHERE WE JUST HAVE NOBODY.
YOU'RE ALWAYS HERE WITH US, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE THAT DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THE INITIAL PART OF THE MEETING THAT WANTS TO ADDRESS US NOW? DON'T SEE ANYBODY.
MO UH, HE'S MOVING FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 6TH MEETING.
WE HAVE A SECOND FOR MS. CLAPP.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
NOW, I, I WAS JUST GONNA ASK LEAVE OF CHAIR OF THIS BODY TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE, PARK HIS SHOES UP QUICK, SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE AND CAN DEAL WITH THAT.
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA MOVE AND TAKE UP A, UH, I THINK IT'S J OKAY.
IT'S ITEM J ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS WHAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF EVERYONE'S HERE, UH, TO TALK ABOUT.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, I JUST WANT TO, UM, LAY OUT, AS WE MOVE INTO OUR, OUR VOTING PORTION OF THE AGENDA, WE'LL GIVE EACH PERSON WHO, UH, SUBMITTED THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT THREE MINUTES TO TALK ON IT.
IF THERE'S SOMEBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO DIDN'T GET TO SPEAK EARLIER, UH, TO THE EXTENT THEY WANTED TO, THAT WANTS TO TALK ON THAT SPECIFIC AMENDMENT, UH, I'LL, WE WILL GET TO DO THAT TOO.
AND FOLLOWING THAT, WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE TO INCLUDE OR EXCLUDE, UH, EACH ITEM.
UM, SO WITH THAT IN MIND, UH, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL, UM, ITEM J ON THE AGENDA.
FOR AND J IS THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, UH, TO AMEND THE WAYS IN WHICH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS OVERSEEN.
IT INCLUDES AMENDMENT 70 85, WHICH WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HERE TONIGHT.
UH, THESE, UH, WERE PROPOSED BY MINISTER DOMINIQUE ALEXANDER AND CHRIS LUNA.
MR. ALEXANDER, UH, YOU WANT TO COME DOWN AND TALK TO US AGAIN? YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UM, SO REAL QUICK, I ACTUALLY SHOWED UP TO, UM, ACTUALLY DEFEND MY ITEM.
UM, I DON'T KNOW CHRIS LUNA, EVEN THOUGH CERTAIN PEOPLE, UM, WOKE UP THIS MORNING TO MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I DID KNOW HIM.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO REMIND PEOPLE I'M 35.
I STARTED WHEN I WAS 25, SO I DON'T KNOW ALL OF DALLAS HISTORY.
KNOW, KNOW, OFFENSE TO WHOEVER MR. CHRIS LUNAR IS.
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, CONTRAST THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ITEM THAT I PROPOSED.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT IT'S STILL RESERVED OVERSIGHT TO THE PARK BOARD.
UM, I THINK IT CLEARLY SAID THAT WHAT THE DIRECTION OF IT BEING, UM, THE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPERVISION OF IT BEING UNDER THE CITY MANAGER, THAT IS A DIFFERENT CONTRAST IN REGARDS TO WHAT WAS SAID MANY TIMES ON THIS PODIUM IN REGARDS TO,
[01:35:01]
UM, I STILL BELIEVE THE UNIQUENESS OF THE BOARD, BUT I BELIEVE THERE HAS ALSO BEEN, UH, MANY PRIVATE AGENDAS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED THE BOARD IN OTHER WAY.I WILL SAY, SINCE SOMEONE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT CEDAR CREST, WHICH IS A COMMUNITY THAT I LIVE IN, UM, I ACTUALLY WENT TO THE CEDAR CREST NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND I ASKED THE PRESIDENT AND I SAID, HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF PICKLEBALL? AND HE SAID, NO.
THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT PEOPLE THAT DO NOT LIVE IN THESE COMMUNITIES WANT TO PLAY EXPERIMENT ON COMMUNITIES THAT, THAT LOOK LIKE ME.
AND I ASK THEM ALL THE TIME, OUR CHILDREN LIKE TO PLAY FOOTBALL AND DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT THINGS.
IF YOU WANT TO ACTUALLY PUT SOMETHING THAT ATTRACTS THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY, HAVE A FOCUS GROUP IN THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE, NOT SOMEBODY'S IDEA OF OUR COMMUNITY ACTUALLY COME IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ACTUALLY ASKED US WHAT WE WANT.
I HEAR ALL THE TIME, LAKE LAKEWOOD AND WHITE ROCK AND ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THESE VOICES IN THEIR PARKS, BUT WHEN IT COMES SOUTH OF 30, WHEN IT COMES TO 4, 3, 7, AND EIGHT, IT JUST LACKS IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
RIGHT? SO WHEN DO WE GET OUR FOCUS GROUP TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? I BELIEVE SOMEBODY ASKED ME ABOUT GLENDALE.
AS LONG AS I FOUGHT FOR SOUTH OAK CLIFF, THEY HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT GLENDALE SINCE 2015.
AND YET NOT ONE THING HAS BEEN LAID IN GLENDALE.
IT'S BEEN FOCUS GROUPS AFTER FOCUS GROUPS.
THAT CONVERSATION WAS GOING ON IN DECEMBER OF 2015.
AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I JUST SAY THAT WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
WE TALK ABOUT A A DEPARTMENT NOT BEING OVER, UH, JUST, JUST FORGETTING THE COMMITMENT OF THE CITY.
UM, I THINK IT'S A DISGENUINE TO A KNOCK ALL OF THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES OF THIS CITY AND COMPARE THEM TO PARKS AND RECREATIONS.
UM, I THINK THAT'S MISLEADING IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
UH, THIS PARK BOARD'S, AUTHORITIES AND DIFFERENT THINGS HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER AND DIFFERENT THINGS THROUGH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND PART, UH, PROCUREMENT, HR, AND SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
THIS IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT IT ALIGNS WITH THE TRUE VALUES OF THE CITY AND NOT JUST ITS SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS.
MR. MCGEE, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION OR COMMENT? I, WELL, I THINK MY COLLEAGUE HAS A MOTION FIRST, AND THEN I'LL GO FROM THERE.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE NO QUESTION FOR ME.
MR. MR. FRANKLIN HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU.
MS. ALEXANDER, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, MR. ALEXANDER OR MR. ALEXANDER, UH, FORGIVE ME.
UH, UH, BASED ON YOUR, YOUR, YOUR ASSERTION EARLIER, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR KEY COMPONENT, THE, THE KEY REASON WHY YOU'RE HERE IS BECAUSE YOU WANT MORE TRANSPARENCY.
HAVE YOU EXPLORED ANY ALTERNATIVES TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY IN ADDITION TO HAVING THE PARK AND REC BOARD UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE CITY MANAGER? OR DO YOU BELIEVE THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO CREATE THE TRANSPARENCY THAT WE NEED IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR? I BELIEVE THAT UNIQUE, THERE IS A UNIQUE PART OF OVERSIGHT.
I BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU CREATE SYNERGY IN THE CITY, I THINK IT WILL INCREASE THE TRANSPARENCY IN REGARDS TO THE CITY IN REGARDS TO THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE CITY.
UH, CITY MANAGER'S DEPARTMENT I'VE HAD WHERE I'VE LITERALLY HELD THE SFO CLIFF HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AND WENT AND ASKED FOR A PERMIT TO DO THIS PARADE IN THREE DAYS AND WENT THROUGH AND LET ME MAKE THE WORD SO I DON'T GET CUT OUT FROM, IT WENT THROUGH HELL WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS PARK DEPARTMENT TO DO A PARK AND GIVE A RESPONSE TO A PARK.
I WENT THROUGH SO MANY LAYERS OF BUREAUCRACY THAT WHEN I WENT THROUGH THE CITY OF DALLAS SPECIAL EVENTS DEPARTMENT, EVERYTHING WAS WALKED THROUGH.
THIS WAS A CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATION IN THE HEART OF 7 5 2 1 6.
I WAS TOLD THAT THE PARK THAT I WAS A PART OF HELPING WITH THE SOCK RENAISSANCE PARK, THAT WE COULD NOT HOST AN EVENT IN THAT PARK UNTIL I HAD TO GO THROUGH DIFFERENT LAYERS IN ORDER TO GET THAT DONE RIGHT.
AND SO I'VE HAD FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE, NOT ONE TIME, TWO TIMES, WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT THAT, SO THAT'S JUST A, A REAL LIVE EXPERIENCE OF HOW IT SERVES NORTH AND HOW IT SERVES A LOT DIFFERENTLY IN THE SOUTH.
UH, MY ONLY CONCERN IS TRYING TO OBTAIN THAT LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY THAT YOU SEEK, WOULD PUTTING IT UNDER THE SUPERVISION
[01:40:01]
OF THE CITY MANAGER MAKE THE PROBLEM WORSE THAN WHAT IT ALREADY IS? UM, BUT I, I, I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I'M REALLY TAKING THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION BECAUSE I HAVE, YOU KNOW, BEING A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT A I, I FEEL YOUR FRUSTRATION, BUT JUST TRYING TO THINK IT THROUGH, HOW DO WE GET TO THAT TRANSPARENCY WITHOUT MUDDYING THE WATERS AND MAKING THE SITUATION WORSE IF THE CITY MANAGER, UM, SO WHAT WE'VE HEARD TODAY, OTHER ASPECTS OF THE CITY MANAGERS, DEPARTMENTS THAT HE OVERSEES, OR SHE, WHOEVER IT IS IN THE FUTURE, UH, MAKE IT LESS EFFICIENT THAN WHAT IT ALREADY IS FOR ALL OF THE REASONS THAT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.I CAN'T SPEAK FOR NOTHING, NO OTHER ITEM, BUT MY ITEM CLEARLY STATES, UM, OVERSIGHT FROM THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD, BUT ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES FROM THE CITY MANAGER, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT ALIGNS.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, EVEN BOARDS CPC, UM, THE O OVERSIGHT IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, DIFFERENT BOARDS THAT ARE INSIDE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, THAT OPERATES IN THAT FORM, UM, FORM OR FASHION.
UM, SO I JUST BELIEVE THAT, UM, IF WE HAVE A CITY THAT IS TALKING ABOUT RACIAL EQUITY, WE TALKING ABOUT WE HAVE PLANS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS PASSED ADDRESSING RED LINE, AND THEN WE HAVE A WHOLE DEPARTMENT THAT HAS NOT EMBODIED THAT WHATSOEVER.
UM, AND I'M NOT FINNA GO BACK AND FORTH BECAUSE IT'S NOT ENOUGH TIME TO TALK ABOUT EVERY ISSUE BY CASE, BY CASE, RIGHT? UM, BUT WE KNOW THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THE PARKING DEPARTMENT, AND PARTICULARLY BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES PARTICULARLY, OR WHATEVER.
AND SO, UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE AMENDMENT THAT I OPPOSED TO YOU, I BELIEVE IS IN THE BEST INTEREST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO THIS DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU, MR. ALEXANDER, FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING IN SOUTH OAK CLIFF.
MR. CHAIR, MS. HUNT, I HAVE A QUESTION.
I, MR. DEAN, I'LL COME BACK TO YOU IN A SECOND.
I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION IN JUST A SECOND.
MR. UH, MR. STEIN, IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD.
FIRST YOU SAY, I'M GONNA MAKE A, A MOTION AND OH, I'M GONNA MAKE A COMMENT THERE, SO IF, IF HE WANTS TO MAKE A COMMENT, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO, MR. YOU GO AHEAD FIRST, PLEASE.
UH, MR. ALEXANDER, UH, YOU WAS TALKING ABOUT EXPERIMENTS AND UH, WE HAD A GENTLEMAN SPEAK BEFORE YOU THAT REALLY TALKED ABOUT CEDAR CREST GOLF COURSE.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND.
CEDAR CREST IS ONE OF THE NICEST COURSES FOR A GOLFER IN DALLAS.
IT MIGHT NOT BE THE MOST EXPENSIVE, BUT IT'S NICE.
AND, UH, WE TALK ABOUT EXPERIMENTING AND I THINK WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET TO IS NOT TRANSPARENCY, BUT TRANSPARENCY AND EQUITY.
BECAUSE IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE PARK BOARD SPEND, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BUILDING TRINITY GROVE, WHICH WAS AN EXPERIMENT THAT COST PEOPLE LIKE ME AND YOU, $500,000 FOR MEMBERSHIP.
AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, UH, AS COMMISSIONER FRANKLIN WAS SAYING, IS THERE ANOTHER AVENUE WE CAN TAKE TO GET YOU THAT TRANSPARENCY AND EQUITY THAT YOU WANT? 'CAUSE IT DON'T LOOK LIKE THAT PARK BOARD WANTS TO CHANGE WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE HUNDRED YEARS.
'CAUSE IF YOU DO THE MATH, A HUNDRED YEARS AGO WAS 1924.
AND THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF NOT CHANGING IN, IN A HUNDRED YEARS.
AND WE GOT THE SAME THING, BUT WE ASKING FOR, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT OUTCOME.
SO IS THERE ANOTHER WAY TO GET TO WHERE YOU TRYING TO GET TO COMMISSIONER STEIN? ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE GREAT TRINITY UH, GOLF COURSE THAT'S OFF OF LUKE 12? RIGHT.
WE'VE GOT A SPEAKER WHO'S SPEAKING TO US NOW.
WE GOTTA FOLLOW RULES AND PROCEDURES.
I CAN'T, I CAN'T, UM, I CAN'T SPEAK TO RAY TRINITY.
I KNOW THAT WAS A PART OF THE FOREMAN'S MAYORS, UM, UM, GROSS SOUTH TASK FORCE WHERE THERE WAS PRIVATE DOLLARS AND SO MANY DIFFERENT DOLLARS THAT SPENT MONEY FOR THAT.
UM, I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT WAS TESTIFIED.
UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I BELIEVE SOMEONE USED THE REFERENCE OF THE CITY MANAGER.
IF I LOOK USED MY, MY, UH, HISTORY, I BELIEVE JOHN, WE SERVED MULTIPLE CITY MANAGERS.
I BELIEVE MARY SIMS HEARD MULTIPLE CITY MANAGERS, AND I BELIEVE TSA NIK SERVED TWO MAYORS.
UM, SO AT THE END OF THE DAY TO SAY THAT, OH, SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TO RESIGN BECAUSE NEW ADMINISTRATION COMES, I DON'T THINK, WE HAVE NEVER HAD THAT IN ANY DEPARTMENT
[01:45:01]
IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.UM, PRETTY MUCH OUR STAFF KIND OF GETS EXEMPT FROM THAT.
UM, BUT IN REGARDS TO THIS, THIS IS ALL ABOUT TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WHO SIT ON THE PARK BOARD.
UM, I BELIEVE THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PASSED IN PRESENT THAT FIGHT VERY HARD FOR THEIR PARTICULAR DISTRICT.
UM, THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE PARK DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT SERVES ALL THE CITY, NOT JUST A CERTAIN, UH, LEVEL, A CERTAIN, UM, INCOME BRACKET.
UM, AND SERVE A, A SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU CAN GET A $1 MILLION FOR A DONATION.
THE CITY'S PARK DEPARTMENT IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING IN AN EQUITABLE WAY.
UM, AND IN SOME OF THE PARK BOARD MEETINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN PRESENT TO, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT A LOT OF THOSE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN DONE THAT WAY.
UM, A LOT OF THE AUDITS THAT I'VE DONE IN THE PAST, AND YET AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME, UM, YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS AND GOING FORWARD, I'M ALWAYS OPEN.
MY DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN TO HAVE CONVERSATION ABOUT NO, I'M SAYING HOW CAN WE GET YOU WHAT YOU WANT? WELL, WHAT YOU ASKING FOR IN THIS AMENDMENT IF THE AMENDMENT DOESN'T PASS? WELL, YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING ABOUT IT, THE BEAUTIFUL PARTY IS THE CITY CHARTER SAYS THAT WE GOT ONE MORE STRIKE AT IT.
SO I'LL TAKE THAT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER AMENDMENT 1 21 TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
AND IF I GET A SECOND, I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN THAT SECOND.
SO WE'RE ON, WE'RE ON SECTION J OF THE AGENDA RIGHT NOW.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION MR. CHAIR, IF I MAY? YES.
UH, TONIGHT WE HAVE THREE ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA RELATING TO HOW OUR PARK BOARD AND PARKS DEPARTMENT RELATE TO BOTH THE CITY MANAGER BUT ALSO THE CITY COUNCIL.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS 1 0 3 THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED, UH, WHICH WOULD AFFECT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, IS GOING TO BE ON OUR NEXT AGENDA.
I WOULD PROPOSE THAT TONIGHT WE HEAR THE ITEMS THAT AFFECT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY MANAGER, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, AND PARK BOARD.
AND THEN AT OUR NEXT MEETING, SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE ONE ITEM THAT'S GOING TO BE ADDRESSING, UH, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE DEFER THE ITEM THAT'S ON OUR AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.
UH, IN RELATION TO THE BUDGET BEING APPROVED DIRECTLY BY THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO MARRY THAT, TO LISTEN TO THAT.
IT'S GONNA BE A SEPARATE DISCUSSION.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
AND WE DID HAVE A SECOND ON THAT, DIDN'T WE? YEAH.
THAT MOTION CARRIES MR. CHAIR YES.
WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO EXCLUDE AMENDMENT 70 AND 85.
ANY DISCUSSION? AND I KNOW YES, SIR.
MR. YOUNG, IN MY 40 YEAR CAREER AS A CIVIC ACTIVIST IN THIS BUILDING, UH, I HAVE DEALT WITH THE PARK DEPARTMENT AND THE PARK BOARD ON MANY, MANY OCCASIONS AS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE WHITE ROCK LAKE TASK FORCE AS A MEMBER OF INNUMERABLE, UM, ADVISORY BODIES REGARDING WHITE ROCK LAKE, AS PRESIDENT OF THE WHITE ROCK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND AS AN OFFICER OF THE WHITE ROCK LAKE MUSEUM, AND AS A BOARD MEMBER OF THE FRIENDS OF FAIR PARK DURING THAT TIME, I'VE SEEN PARK DIRECTORS COME AND GO.
I'VE SEEN PARK BOARD MEMBERS COME AND GO, BUT WHAT I HAVE SEEN THROUGHOUT THAT TIME IS A HIGH DEGREE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
AS YOU HEARD FROM THE MANY SPEAKERS HERE TODAY, UH, THAT ACCOUNTABILITY IS ON ACCOUNT OF THE FACT THAT THERE IS A DIRECT CONDUIT TO OUR CITY COUNCIL PERSON THROUGH THE PERSON OF THAT COUNCIL MEMBER'S PARK BOARD APPOINTEE.
I HAVE NEVER FAILED TO RECEIVE
[01:50:01]
A RETURN PHONE CALL OR RETURN EMAIL FROM A PARK DEPARTMENT STAFF MEMBER, FROM A PARK BOARD MEMBER, OR FROM MY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ON A PARK BOARD ISSUE.NOW, IT MAY BE THAT SEPARATION OF THE PARK DEPARTMENT FROM THE OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY WOULD NOT GAIN ONE A GOOD GRADE IN A HIGH SCHOOL CIVICS CLASS.
BUT THAT DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE REALITY OF DALLAS, TEXAS, BOTH AT THE TIME THIS PROVISION WAS FIRST PUT IN.
AND TODAY I WAS VERY INTERESTED TO SEE, UH, MR. LUNA'S, UH, ATTACHMENT WITH EXCERPTS FROM THE HISTORY OF THE DALLAS PARK DEPARTMENT.
AND IT CONCLUDES THAT THE, UH, PARK, THE, UH, CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME OF THE CHARTER AMENDMENT IN 1930, UH, DID NOT FEEL POSITIVE ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT.
HE THOUGHT IT WOULD, UH, DIFFUSE HIS AUTHORITY, UH, AND YET MAKE HIM RESPONSIBLE FOR THINGS HE HAD NO CONTROL OVER.
BUT IT CONCLUDES ACTUALLY, HOWEVER, UNDER EDIE'S 1931 TO 35 TERM, THE INDEPENDENCE OF THESE CIVIC-MINDED BOARDS, INCLUDING THE PARK BOARD, CAUSED HIM LITTLE TROUBLE.
AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS WAS SLOWED ONLY BY THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ARISING OUT OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION.
THIS WASN'T A PROBLEM A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
I SYMPATHIZE WITH MR. MINISTER ALEXANDER'S CONCERNS, BUT I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER FRANKLIN THAT THE CURE IN THIS CASE WOULD BE WORSE THAN THE DISEASE.
AND I THINK THE FRUSTRATION LEVEL WOULD RISE SIGNIFICANTLY IF WE WERE TO ADOPT THESE AMENDMENTS.
SO I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE MOTION.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? MR. MCGILL? UM, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
UH, COMMISSIONER YOUNG AND I JUST PERSONALLY ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL THOSE THAT CAME DOWN SPECIFICALLY, UH, MR. GOLDSTEIN, UM, ROB STEWART, ALAN WALL, AND JOAN WALL, WHO SERVED IN THESE ROLES, VERY IMPORTANT ROLES.
BOBBY ABTAHI, MR. DICKEY, UM, MR. MR. WHITAKER, MR. WILLIAMS, MS. WILLIAMS. UM, WE HAVE THE COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE THAT CAME AND SPOKE TO US TONIGHT, AND PART OF WHY THAT BOARD HAS WORKED SO WELL IN THE PAST IS BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY AND THE DEDICATION OF THOSE THAT HAVE SERVED IN THIS ROLE.
AND, UM, I CAN'T SAY MORE STRONGLY HOW THANKFUL I AM THAT IT HAS BEEN SET UP THIS WAY AND NOT, UM, UNDER THE CITY MANAGER THUS FAR, UM, DUE TO A LOT OF THE REASONS THAT WE'VE SAID SO FAR.
BUT, UM, I WAS EXTREMELY, UM, PERSUADED AS I'M LISTENING TO MR. ABTAHI, AS HE, UM, RATTLED OFF THE LARGE NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT HAVE COME FORTH IN OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD TO DEAL WITH, UM, FROM OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, WHEN ISSUES CAME UP, IT WAS A COMFORT TO ME TO KNOW THAT IT WAS COMING THROUGH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND NOT THROUGH CITY MANAGEMENT, AND GAVE ME SOME CONFIDENCE THAT THINGS WOULD BE DONE IN A, IN A, IN THE RIGHT WAY.
AND SO, UM, I CERTAINLY OPPOSED TO THESE AMENDMENTS AND THANKFUL FOR ALL THOSE THAT HAVE CAME DOWN AND ADVOCATED AND LOOK FORWARD TO PUTTING THIS BEHIND, UM, BEHIND US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UH, I MADE A PRESENTATION FOR Y'ALL, AND I'M NOT GONNA BORE YOU WITH THOSE FOUR SLIDES.
UM, I THINK WE'VE HAD SO MANY ELOQUENT SPEAKERS TONIGHT.
I THINK WE SHOULD ALL AROUND THIS HORSESHOE.
TAKE JUST ONE MOMENT TO APPRECIATE HOW WONDERFUL IT IS THAT WE HAD PEOPLE TURN OUT IN DROVES FROM ACROSS THE CITY TO TELL US HOW WONDERFUL, HOW GREAT ONE OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS IS.
THAT IS RARE, AND THAT IS MEANINGFUL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE, UH, TONIGHT.
I'LL JUST MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS.
UM, ONE TO, THERE'S A, A QUOTE FROM THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS FROM LAST YEAR THAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING AND PUTS A FINE POINT ON WHAT A NUMBER OF OUR SPEAKERS, UH, HAVE SAID.
WHILE SYSTEM BREAKDOWNS PILE UP THROUGHOUT CITY HALL, MOST RECENTLY, TECH AND DATA MELTDOWNS AND GARBAGE COLLECTION, CALAMITIES, THE PARKING RECREATION DEPARTMENT GIVES TAX PAYERS OUR MONIES WORTH.
WE HEARD FROM, UH, THE TRUST FROM PUBLIC LAND.
WE JUMPED 10 SPOTS IN 2023 IN THE RANKING OF PARK SYSTEMS ACROSS THE NATION.
WE'RE NOW SECOND IN THE STATE FOR PARK ACCESS.
WE HEARD ABOUT 10 MINUTE WALKS TO THE PARK.
OF ALL THE CITIES ACROSS OUR STATE WE'RE SECOND.
[01:55:01]
AMAZING.AND WE'VE RISEN DRAMATICALLY, AND I'M NOT SURE IF, IF THIS WAS MENTIONED, WE'RE RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE TOP FOUR LARGE PARK SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY BY THE NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION IN 2020, TOP FOUR.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BENEFITS OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT IS THE LONGEVITY OF OUR DIRECTORS.
THIS HAS BEEN NOTED THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT.
OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS CREATED THE WAY IT WAS IN 1905.
IT WAS FURTHER, UH, AMENDED ALONG WITH THE ORGANIZATION OF OUR CITY STRUCTURE IN 1930.
BUT WE'VE HAD OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OF A PROVEN PARK SYSTEM.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD CHANGE IF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WERE UNDER THE CITY MANAGER, WE WOULD NOT SEE THE LONGEVITY OF THE DIRECTORS OF OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT.
IF YOU LOOK AT ANY OF THE CITY MANAGERS AND HOW THEY ENSURE THAT THERE IS CROSS TRAINING AMONG DEPARTMENTS, YOU WILL SEE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND EXECUTIVES AND THE DEPARTMENTS MOVED, MOVED TO THE LIBRARY, WILL BE MOVED OVER TO STREETS, MOVED OVER TO PUBLIC WORKS.
AND IT'S A THOUGHTFUL WAY TO ENSURE YOU'VE GOT CROSS TRAINING.
BUT IF THAT IS DONE IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE WILL LOSE THE INCREDIBLE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT OUR PARKS DIRECTOR AND UPPER ECHELON OF MANAGEMENT HAVE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
WE'VE HEARD TODAY FROM THE FOLKS WHO ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND MAKE OUR CITY BETTER.
IF IT AIN'T BROKE, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO FIX? SO I'M STRONGLY OPPOSED TO THESE, UH, PROPOSALS.
I THINK THEY WILL BE TO THE DETRIMENT OF OUR CITY.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION, MR. SOLIS? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
UH, WE'VE REFERENCED THE DIRECTOR MULTIPLE TIMES, THE POSITION OF THE DIRECTOR.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE DIRECTOR HERE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
I'D LOVE TO ASK THE DIRECTOR PERHAPS A QUESTION OR TWO BASED ON SOME STATISTICS THAT WERE CITED A LITTLE EARLIER, AND ANY ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBER THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO THE DIRECTOR IN ANSWERING A FEW OF MY QUESTIONS.
I'LL TRY TO KEEP THIS BRIEF OKAY.
YOU RECOGNIZE MR. ALI, MR. JENKINS, WILL YOU RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND WIG? I JUST CAN'T.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING, MR. JENKINS.
UH, AND IF YOU, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND YOUR NAME, SIR, I APOLOGIZE.
I'M AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION.
RYAN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AS WELL, RYAN.
UM, SO THERE A COUPLE STATISTICS THAT WERE CITED A LITTLE EARLIER THAT I MADE A POINT, UH, TO, TO CALL OUT THE IDEA OF, I THINK IT WAS 54% ROUGHLY, UH, 10 YEARS, UH, PRIOR TO I THINK A GOAL BEING SET OR THE GOAL WAS SET THEN, OR MAYBE I'M JUST CONFUSED, BUT THERE WAS A NUMBER, 54%.
54% WAS TIED TO 10 MINUTE WALKING DISTANCE, UH, FROM SOMEONE'S HOME TO A PARK.
UH, TODAY THAT NUMBER IS, I BELIEVE 73% AS IT WAS CITED.
FIRST OFF, THAT WAS SAID FROM SOMEBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE.
SAID AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS CHECK OUT.
UM, THERE HAS BEEN A, A, A, UH, AT LEAST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, UM, BY SPEAKERS ABOUT, UM, THE NEED IN CERTAIN PARTS OF DALLAS FOR ACCESS TO PARKS.
UH, AND HISTORICALLY THESE PLACES IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE NOT JUST LACKED PARKS, THEY LACKED A LOT OF OTHER AMENITIES, UH, THAT MANY TODAY TAKE FOR GRANTED BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT ACCESS WITHIN 10 MINUTES.
UM, CAN YOU GIMME A GENERAL SENSE AS TO WHERE THOSE AREAS ARE THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO PARKS WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF THEIR HOME? YEAH.
WELL, I WILL SAY IT'S THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
UH, WE CAN FIND THOSE PARKS IN THE NORTHERN PART, THE SOUTHERN PART, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
I CAN SAY IN THE NORTHERN SECTOR, WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL A, A PARK DESERT.
WE HAVE VERY FEW PARKS UP THERE.
IT'S JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE CITY GREW EARLIER IN THE EARLIER YEARS.
SO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ACQUIRE A LOT OF PARKLAND, YOU KNOW, 30 OR 40 YEARS AGO.
UH, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PARKLAND IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR AS WELL.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND DID A STUDY.
THERE'S A HEAT MAP THAT ACTUALLY SHOWS US EXACTLY
[02:00:01]
WHERE THOSE AREAS ARE THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM.WE WANNA MAKE SURE WHEREVER THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE CITY, LOW INCOME, HIGH INCOME CHALLENGE AREAS, DISINVESTED AREAS OVER THE CITY, HISTORICALLY, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE IN THIS CITY.
AND THROUGH THAT PLAN, WITH THE TRUST REPUBLIC LAND, WE ARE ACHIEVING THAT EQUITY THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE CITY.
IF WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY, THE PARK SYSTEM IS EQUITY.
WE, WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UH, GLENDALE PARK.
THERE WAS, THERE WAS, BACK IN 1981, THERE WAS A SO-CALLED MASTER PLAN THAT REFERRED, REFERRED TO THE PART AS THE NEGRO MASTER PLAN.
WELL, GUESS WHAT? SINCE THAT TIME, KNOW THE PARK DEPARTMENT AND THE PARK BOY HAS INVESTED IN GLENDALE PARK.
UH, WE PUT IN A NEW TRAIL, WE PUT IN NEW LIGHTS.
WE, WE DID THE TENNIS COURTS THERE HAS, AND IN THIS LAST BOND PROGRAM, THERE'S $9 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR GLENDALE PARK, THE PARK SYSTEM AND THE PARK BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
YES, WE DO FOLLOW THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN.
WE DON'T HAVE, WE, WE HAVE A PROCUREMENT.
YES, WE DO, BUT IT'S NOT SEPARATE FROM THE CITY.
PROCUREMENT IS JUST WHEN IT'S SPECIALIZED TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE CONTRACTS WHO HAVE MORE CONTRACTS THAN ANYONE DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY, IT'S THE PARK SYSTEM.
ALONG WITH DALLAS WATER UTILITIES, WE HAVE THE MOST CONTRACTS IN THIS CITY.
SO THERE'S A NEED JUST LIKE MENTIONED ABOUT HR.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A HR BECAUSE WE HAVE OVER 900 PART-TIME AND SEASONAL EMPLOYEES TO HAVE TO GET HIRED IN LIKE A FOUR, SIX WEEK TIME PERIOD.
BUT WE ARE NOT SEPARATE FROM THE CITY, BUT SPEAK OF EQUITY, WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE WE ARE PROVIDING EQUITY THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PARK SYSTEM.
AND RYAN CAN TOUCH ON IN PARTICULAR AS IT RELATES TO THE HEAT MAP THAT IDENTIFIES THOSE AREAS THAT WE NEED TO GET MORE PARK LAND AS WELL AS ACCESS.
SO DIRECTOR JENKINS IS RIGHT IN SAYING THAT THERE ARE NEEDS ALL OVER THE CITY, BUT A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC EXAMPLES WOULD BE, UM, THE VALLEY VIEW AREA NORTH OF 6 35 IN DISTRICT 11.
UM, REALLY IN DISTRICT 12, THERE'S NOT MANY PARKS OR CITY FACILITIES ANYWHERE.
AND ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE IN DISTRICT EIGHT, PARTICULARLY SUPER SOUTHEAST DALLAS, THERE'S KLEBERG, BUT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THAT, THERE'S REALLY NOT MUCH.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SPECIFIC AREA, THOSE WOULD BE THREE CANDIDATES.
UH, MAYBE I'LL KIND OF BRING THIS TO A CLOSE REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, UH, IT WAS, I THINK IT WAS EDWARDS DEMING WHO SAID EVERY SYSTEM IS PERFECTLY DESIGNED TO GET THE RESULT THAT IT GETS.
UM, KNOWING THAT AT, AT A POINT IN TIME, NOT TOO LONG AGO, ONLY 50 SOMETHING PERCENT OF RESIDENTS HAD ACCESS TO A PARK WITHIN TENANTS WALKING DISTANCE IS QUITE HONESTLY PRETTY PATHETIC.
UH, AND THE, THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WAS THE SAME ONE THAT WE HAD BACK THEN.
AND YET THERE'S BEEN A HECK OF A LOT OF FOCUS ON TRYING TO ENSURE THROUGH THE CURRENT SYSTEM THAT THAT IMPROVES.
SO THE SYSTEM TO ME SEEMS AS IF IT'S WORKING A LOT MORE EFFECTIVELY TODAY FOR WHATEVER REASON.
AND I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE CROWD KNOW A LOT OF THOSE REASONS WHY.
UM, BUT TO CHANGE THAT TO ME, WHEN WE ARE GETTING REAL CLOSE TO A HUNDRED PERCENT AND KNOWING THAT WE JUMPED 20 PERCENTAGE POINTS OVER THE COURSE OF A DECADE, THIS IS ABOUT WRITING RULES FOR THE GOVERNMENT FOR ANOTHER DECADE.
SO MY HOPE IS THAT IF WE KEEP THE SYSTEM THE WAY IT IS, WE'LL GET TO THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT DECADE.
AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY TO COMMISSION MEMBERS, THIS IS ALL PERSONAL FOR US.
THE AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE THIS, AND I, I ACTUALLY, SOMEBODY TEXT ME THE MAP AS I WAS ASKING THIS QUESTION.
UH, IT IS ALL ACROSS THE CITY, BUT THERE ARE HEAT, HEAT MAPS THERE, THERE ARE HEAT POCKETS OF PLACES THAT HISTORICALLY YOU, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO SEE THE MAP.
YOU'RE GONNA KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE, BECAUSE HISTORICALLY THEY JUST DON'T GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY DESERVE.
I HAD A LITTLE GIRL WHO WALKED IN HERE, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN HER, SOME OF YOU MAY NOT HAVE.
IT WAS MY DAUGHTER WITH HER BEST FRIEND, AVA MORENO, WHO'S, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, JESSE MORENO'S DAUGHTER.
SOME OF YOU, MAYBE MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT MY DAUGHTER HAD A, HAVE A HEART TRANSPLANT WHEN SHE WAS THREE MONTHS OLD.
WHY AM I BRINGING THAT UP AS IT RELATES TO PARKS? BECAUSE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE, MY DAUGHTER AND I GET TO WALK ACROSS THE STREET AND GO PLAY AT A DALLAS CITY PARK.
UH, AND I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH I ENJOY BEING ABLE TO DO THAT WITH MY DAUGHTER WHO HAS A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE.
AND TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT
[02:05:01]
OF PEOPLE IN THIS CITY WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE PARK THE SAME WAY THAT REALLY STRIKES ME AS A THING THAT WE GOTTA CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON.SO IF WE'VE GOT WHERE WE GOT TODAY WITH THIS SYSTEM, UH, I'M, I'M OF THE IMPRESSION, UH, WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO MOVE DOWN THAT DIRECTION SO THAT EVERY KID, NOT JUST MY DAUGHTER HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS, UH, THIS MOTION.
SO WE HAVE PENDING THE MOTION TO EXCLUDE, UH, AMENDMENT 70 AND 85.
WE HAVE A SECOND ON THE MOTION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE A CALL FOR A VOTE? HEARING NONE.
MOVING ON WITH OUR AGENDA, WE WILL GO TO AGENDA ITEM A.
THAT IS TO ESTABLISH THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL IN THE CITY CHARTER WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL BEING APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL.
THIS AMENDMENT 83, UH, WE WILL BEGIN WITH INVITING MR. TIM POWERS AND MR. TOM PERKINS TO SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.
UH, MR. POWERS CHAIRED THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE ON TASK FORCE ON ETHICS REFORM.
UH, HIS REPORT TRIGGERED SIGNIFICANT AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY'S CODE OF ETHICS.
HE'S ALSO THE FORMER CHAIR OF LOST MY PAGE HERE, THE CITY'S ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UH, MR. PERKINS CURRENTLY CHAIRS THE CITY'S ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UH, MR. POWERS, MR. PERKINS, I'LL LET YOU TALK TO US NOW.
AND THANK YOU AND THE COMMISSIONERS FOR HAVING US BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
I WE'RE ALSO JOINED, UH, IN CASE THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BY THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY TO PRESENT THIS JOINT PROPOSAL OF THE ETHICS REFORM TASK FORCE AND THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION, WHICH I UNDERSTAND NOW ALSO ENJOYS THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
MR. PERKINS AND I ARE HERE TO SEEK THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMISSION FOR RECOMMENDING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY CHARTER THAT WOULD ESTABLISH THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AS AN INDEPENDENT DIVISION OF THE CITY, SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY AUDITOR, THE CITY SECRETARY, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY.
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT FOLLOWS THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE ETHICS REFORM TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATION TO CREATE AN INDEPENDENT OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AT THE TIME OF THE COUNCIL'S UNANIMOUS ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN THE ETHICS REFORM TASK FORCE REPORT IN DECEMBER OF 2021, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY CHARTER WOULD BE REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL AS A NEW INDEPENDENT DIVISION.
AND THAT SUCH CHARTER AMENDMENT PROPOSAL WOULD BE MOST EFFICIENTLY DONE AS PART OF THE WORK OF THE 2024 CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.
THE PROPOSAL, THIS PROPOSAL FOLLOWS THAT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, MOVING THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO AN INDEPENDENT DIVISION OF THE CITY UNDER THE CHARTER PROVIDES THE BENEFITS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE FAIR RESULTS AND BUILD PUBLIC CONFIDENCE AND ADHERES TO BEST PRACTICES UNDER THE NATIONAL STANDARDS SET FOR INSPECTORS GENERAL AND FOLLOWS SUCCESSFUL CITY PRACTICES OF MANY OF OUR PEER CITIES LIKE ATLANTA, BALTIMORE, NEW YORK, AND PHILADELPHIA.
IT MAXIMIZES THE INDEPENDENCE AND ELIMINATES CONFLICTS OF INTEREST FOR OPERATIONS PROGRAMS, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES OVER WHICH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL HAS AUTHORITY.
IT FREES THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL FROM INTERFERENCE IN INVESTIGATIVE CASES THAT CAN OCCUR WHEN THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF ANOTHER BODY.
IT ALSO ALLOWS THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL TO FULLY EXERCISE ITS JURISDICTION FOR INVESTIGATION OF FRAUD AND CORRUPTION THAT COULD BE IMPAIRED BY COMPETING INTERESTS.
IF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF ANOTHER BODY, IT ENSURES THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF INVESTIGATIONS AND THE INVESTIGATION PROCESS AND ITS INDEPENDENCE CREATES BOTH A REAL AND A PERCEIVED DETERRENT.
IN IMPLEMENTING THIS PROPOSAL, WE BELIEVE THAT WE'LL PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AND INSTILLS THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE OF OUR CITIZENS.
MS. MORRISON, WHO YOU WORK WITH AS AS YOUR, UM, CITY ATTORNEY LIAISON, HAS PREPARED AN INITIAL DRAFT OF THE ORDINANCE TO CREATE THIS NEW INSPECTOR GENERAL DIVISION.
WE WOULD PLAN TO WORK WITH HER, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON GENERAL INVESTIGATIONS AND ETHICS TO DEVELOP A DETAILED PROPOSAL AND ORDINANCE FOR THE COMMISSION TO PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL.
SHOULD YOUR COMMISSION APPROVE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROPOSAL AND NO.
YOU WANNA SPEAK TO MR. PERKINS? YES, MR. MR. CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
UH, I'M GOING TO BE VERY BRIEF.
[02:10:01]
I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT WHAT MR. POWERS HAS ALREADY SAID.UH, I, I JUST, THE, THE ROLE OF THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION IS TO TRY THE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO THE, THIS, UH, THE COMMISSION, UH, AFTER THE INVESTIGATION BY THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
UH, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ENSURE HIS INDEPENDENCE.
I THINK IT SENDS A REAL MESSAGE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HIGH ETHICAL STANDARDS, UH, BY THE CITY OF DALLAS AND ITS EMPLOYEES, UH, THE PUBLIC OFFICIALS THAT, UH, THAT SERVE AND THE, THE BUSINESSES THAT DO BUSINESS, OR THE COMPANIES THAT DO BUSINESS WITH THE, UH, WITH THE CITY.
SO I WOULD URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF THE INDEPENDENT, UH, INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE.
SIR, DID YOU WISH TO ADDRESS THOSE? I THINK WE, WE INVITED THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO JOIN US.
FIRST, IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET MR. POWERS, WOULD YOU JUST TURN YOUR MIC ON? THANK YOU.
UM, WE INVITED THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IN THE EVENT THAT YOU HAD SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR HIM NOT TO MAKE A PRESENTATION SEPARATELY.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
THE, UM, THE REPORTING TO THE COUNCIL IS THAT YOU, YOU MENTIONED OTHER CITIES NATIONALLY THAT HAVE AN IGA, DO THOSE, UH, INSPECTOR GENERALS APPOINT, I MEAN, REPORT TO THE COUNCIL IN THOSE CITIES? THAT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING.
I, AND PERHAPS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION DIRECTLY, BUT IN, BUT IN FACT, AS WE WERE PREPARING THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR AN OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, THAT WAS THE INTENT.
AND AGAIN, THE REASON THAT WASN'T CREATED AT THE TIME WAS WE WEREN'T IN A POSITION TO PROPOSE A CHARTER AMENDMENT THE TIME.
BUT LET ME, YEAH, I WOULD JUST BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IF THAT IS HOW IT'S DONE IN OTHER CITIES, IT SEEMS. AND WAS THERE SOME THOUGHT ABOUT IT GOING, SOMEBODY MENTIONED ABOUT BEING UNDER THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
WAS THERE SOME THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? COULD, COULD YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN? WAS THERE ANY THOUGHT ABOUT THE IIG UH, REPORTING TO ANOTHER BODY AT THE CITY BESIDES THE COUNCIL? THE, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE AUDITOR, IT, IT CURRENTLY SITS UNDER THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND, UM, AND IT WAS DONE THAT WAY BECAUSE WE COULDN'T CREATE THE SEPARATE DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME.
MOST, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AS WE STUDIED WITH THE ETHICS REFORM PROPOSALS, OUR PEER CITIES, THE OFFICE IS TOTALLY INDEPENDENT AND PROPO AND IN MANY INSTANCES WILL REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE MAYOR AS OPPOSED TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS A WHOLE.
BUT IN OTHER INSTANCES, WE'LL REPORT TO THE, TO THE CITY COUNCIL, INCLUSIVE OF THE MAYOR AS A WHOLE.
SO IS IT TOTALLY INDEPENDENT THEN, IF IT REPORTS TO THE COUNCIL? WHAT IF IT'S REPORTING ON THE COUNCIL? UH, I MEAN, IS IT, IS IT INDEPENDENT BODY TRULY, IF IT'S, IF IT'S REPORTING TO THE CITY COUNCIL, IN YOUR OPINION? IT, IT IS INDEPENDENT IN CONDUCTING ITS INVESTIGATIONS.
AND I, I THINK THE, IT, IT'S DIFFERENT IN SOME RESPECTS FROM OTHER CITY, APPOINT OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES IN THE SENSE THAT HE SERVES FOR A FIXED TERM.
HE CAN ONLY BE REMOVED BY CAUSE, BY, UH, FOR CAUSE, BY THE, BY THE CITY, UH, CITY COUNCIL.
SO THERE'S SOME PROTECTIONS BUILT INTO THE, UH, PROPOSITION TO CREATE THE INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT THAT TRIES TO ENSURE THAT KIND OF INDEPENDENCE THAT GIVES HIM THE, THE AUTHORITY TO DO HIS JOB OR HIM OR HER.
MR. CAMPBELL, CAN YOU GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE PROTECTIONS THAT YOU WERE JUST DETAILING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE STA THE STATUS OF THE OFFICE? LIKE SHE, THE PROTECTIONS? YEAH.
CAN YOU GO, WELL DETAIL SOME OF THOSE PROTECTIONS AS OPPOSED TO A CITY EMPLOYEE.
UH, HE DOES SERVE FOR A FIXED TERM.
SO IF THE COUNCIL OR THE COUNCIL WOULD CHOOSE TO MAKE A DECISION, UH, FOR HIM TO, OR HER TO DEPART, UH, THERE'S GOING TO BE, HAVE TO HAVE TO BE A FULL VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO THAT.
HE CANNOT JUST BE REMOVED WITHOUT THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, MAKING THAT AS A MAJORITY DECISION AND, AND REMOVED FOR CAUSE.
SO YOU USE THE TERM FOR CAUSE, WHICH IS A LEGAL TERM OF ART.
DOES THAT DEFINE SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY CHARTER OR IS THAT JUST GENERAL FOR CAUSE AS IT AS IT APPLIES TO LIKE THE NORMAL EMPLOYMENT WHEEL OF LIKE FIELD, I THINK IT'S ESTABLISHED AS, OKAY.
[02:15:01]
ON WHAT MS. LEMASTER SAID.SO IF THE INSPECTOR WAS INVESTIGATING SOMETHING ON THE CITY COUNCIL, THEN THAT REPORT WOULD COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
WELL, THE, AND PERHAPS WE OUGHT TO LET THE INSPECTOR GENERAL ANSWER THE QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO, TO, UH, HOW, HOW IT SHOULD BE DONE.
UM, BUT THERE CAN BE AN INVESTIGATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S A, IT'S A PRIVATE INVESTIGATION THAT'S GOING ON WHEN IT, WHEN IT'S BEING DONE.
THE REPORT IS, IS THE REPORT OF THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE INVESTIGATION.
IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS OVERSEEING ON A DAILY BASIS WHAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS DOING, BUT, BUT THE REPORTS TO THEM.
UM, BUT LET ME, LET ME ASK THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, IF HE WILL, JUST TO REPORT ON THIS INDEPENDENCE PRINCIPLE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
WHEN YOU CONDUCT INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS, IT'S INDEPENDENT OF, OF PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.
AND IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR PEOPLE IN AN INSPECTOR GENERAL ROLE TO INVESTIGATE EITHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYORS, CITY OFFICIALS, UH, AND PEOPLE THAT ARE HIGH UP IN A CITY STRUCTURE.
WHEN THAT INVESTIGATION GOES ON, IT'S MAINTAINED, THE CONFIDENTIALITY IS MAINTAINED UNTIL YOU REACH A POINT WHERE YOU'RE GONNA CLOSE THE CASE.
UH, IN THOSE CITIES THAT HAVE CRIMINAL JURISDICTION, YOU CAN ALWAYS REFER THAT TO A CRIMINAL PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IF IT'S ADMINISTRATIVE IN NATURE.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHO IS IT THAT PROSECUTES IT? SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR THAT TO GO ON.
AND IT'S, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE I, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT IS DO, DO THEY HAVE TO TELL THE, IF THEY REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE CITY COUNCIL, DO THEY HAVE TO TELL THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THEY'RE BEING INVESTIGATED? IF THAT'S YOUR QUESTION, THE ANSWER'S NO.
MR. STEVEN, I'LL GO, I GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU.
I FILED ETHICS CHARGES AGAINST MERRILL MIKE ROWLINGS WHEN HE WAS MERRILL, AND WHEN HE WENT THROUGH THE ETHICS BOARD, THEY USED CITY ATTORNEYS TO DEBUNK MY CHARGES.
SO NOW HOW IS THAT GOING TO DIFFER WHEN IT COMES? WELL, MR, WE HAVE A PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.
WE CAN'T DISCUSS SPECIFIC INVESTIGATIONS HERE AT THIS COMMISSION MEETING.
WELL, LET ME LET ASK THIS RIGHT HERE.
IF, UH, ETHICS CHARGES IS CHARGED, I MEAN FILED AGAINST STATE OF MAYOR, THEN
SO DO Y'ALL WORK AS A PROTECTIVE AGENT FOR THAT PERSON, OR DO Y'ALL DO AN INVESTIGATION TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS THE TRUE INVESTIGATION GOING ON? I'M TRYING TO SEE WHO Y'ALL GOING TO FIGHT FOR.
IF IT COMES DOWN TO SOMEBODY FILING FOR SOMETHING, LIKE THEY WERE SAYING, UH, WHETHER IT BE CITY COUNCIL OR CITY MANAGER OR THE MAYORAL, IF CHARGES ARE FILED AGAINST THEM BY A CITIZEN
I MEAN, IF IT'S, IF IT HAS TEETH, IF IT HAS TRUTH, I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE, SINCE YOU WORKED FOR THE CITY, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE CITY, UH, ATTORNEY, IT'S THEIR JOB TO ACTUALLY PROTECT THE CITY OR THE CITY OFFICIALS.
SO WHAT ROLE WOULD Y'ALL PLAY? WE DON'T HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT ANYBODY.
WE PURSUE THE TRUTH ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
WHEN SOMETHING COMES IN, IT MAY BE TRUTHFUL, IT MAY NOT.
UH, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CREDIBILITY OF THE PERSON THAT FILED IT.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE THAT'S THERE.
YOU HAVE TO INTERVIEW WITNESSES, YOU HAVE TO GATHER DOCUMENTS, AND IT DEPENDS ON THE NATURE OF WHATEVER COMPLAINT THAT COMES IN.
BUT JUST BECAUSE THE COMPLAINT COMES IN DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE JUST GONNA AUTOMATICALLY BELIEVE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GONNA DISMISS IT EITHER.
WE TAKE EVERY CASE AND TREAT IT JUST THE SAME.
IT COMES IN, WE DO A TRIAGE PROCESS.
WE LOOK AT IT, WE LOOK AT IS THERE ENOUGH INFORMATION HERE FOR US TO DO A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION WHEN WE DO A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION THAT INVOLVES
[02:20:01]
DIFFERENT TYPES OF INVESTIGATIVE ACTIVITIES, SOME OF THOSE WARRANT MOVING FORWARD INTO A FULL SCALE INVESTIGATION.AND WHEN YOU SEE A FULL SCALE INVESTIGATION, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THINGS THAT YOU'RE TYPICALLY, MOST FOLKS ARE TYPICALLY USED TO.
YOU'RE GONNA SEE INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED IN THE FIELD, SURVEILLANCE GOING ON, YOU'RE GONNA SEE, UH, DOCUMENTS GATHERED, MAYBE BANK RECORDS SUBPOENAED, AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
THOSE TYPES OF EVENTS AND THINGS THAT WE ENGAGE IN ARE TYPICALLY AND GENERALLY SPEAKING, MORE ASSOCIATED WITH FULL SCALE INVESTIGATIONS.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T DO THAT OCCASIONALLY IN A PRELIMINARY STAGE.
I, I THINK MAYBE IF I CAN JUST ELABORATE ON THAT, UH, MR. STEAM FOR JUST, JUST A MOMENT.
THIS INDEPENDENCE PROCESS AND, AND AS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL SAID, THE INVESTIGATIONS LOOKING FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY IS THE REASON FOR IT TO BE TOTALLY INDEPENDENT AND NOT UNDER ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WHERE THERE WOULD BE A CIRCUMSTANCE, AS YOU'VE CORRECTLY POINTED OUT, THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S CHARGED WITH REPRESENTING THE CITY, UH, IN, IN AND IN, AND, AND IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IN THOSE INSTANCES, IF, IF THAT CITY ATTORNEY HAS THAT OVERSIGHT DURING AN INVESTIGATION, IT COULD HAMPER THE INVESTIGATION.
THE, THE, THE INDEPENDENCE THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL UNDER NATIONAL STANDARDS THAT, THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND WE FOLLOW AND UNDER MANY OF OUR PEER CITIES, IS TO GIVE THE INSPECTOR GENERAL THAT LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE, TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT A FULL SCALE INVESTIGATION, IF IT'S NEEDED, CAN BE PURSUED AND NOT BE HINDERED BY SPECIAL INTEREST.
UH, CONVERSELY, AND GOING BACK TO PERHAPS THE ORIGINAL POINT THAT YOU ARE MAKING, ALSO, IF A CLAIM IS FILED, WHETHER IT'S AN INVESTI, WHETHER IT'S AN ETHICS VIOLATION OR ANYTHING ELSE SIMILAR TO THAT, UM, FOR FRAUD, WASTE OR ABUSE OR ANYTHING, AND THE INVESTIGATION'S COMMENCED AND THEY DETERMINE THAT THROUGH THAT CONFIDENTIAL INVESTIGATION, THAT IN FACT THE COMPLAINANT, UH, IS THE COMPLAINT IS ERRONEOUS, THEN THE INSPECTOR GENERAL HAS THE ABILITY TO DISMISS THAT CASE AND TAKE IT NO FURTHER.
NO ONE EVER KNOWS ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S ALL BEEN DONE CONFIDENTIALLY, AND IT DOESN'T, AS HISTORICALLY BEFORE THE CHANGES WERE MADE.
IT DOESN'T GO BEFORE THE, THE, UH, ETHICS COMMISSION JUST BECAUSE THE CLAIM HAS BEEN FILED.
IT HAS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND BROUGHT BY THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AS A VALID CASE AT THE TIME.
UH, WE HAVE ANOTHER AMENDMENT BEFORE US TODAY, UH, INVOLVING AN ON OMBUDSMAN.
I HATE THAT WORD, BUT, UH, IT'S AGENDA ITEM P AND, UH, I'M SURE THERE'S DIFFERENCES, BUT I DON'T KNOW THEM.
UM, AND SO CAN YOU ANYBODY ON THE PANEL, UH, ELABORATE ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT AN OMBUDSMAN MIGHT PROVIDE COMPARED TO AN OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, AT LEAST SO FAR IN THE CHARTER? I, I, I THINK WHAT YOU SEE WITH AN OMB OUD UH, OMBUDSMAN IS HE'S A PERSON THAT IS CHARGED WITH A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
THAT WHERE, WHERE, WHERE THERE'S A LOG JAM TO BREAK THAT LOG JAM TO MAKE IT GO FORWARD, TO TRY TO GET THE RESULTS, TO HAVE THINGS MOVE AND WORK SMOOTHLY.
THE DIFFERENCE WITH REGARD TO WHAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL WOULD, WOULD DO IS IT IS, IT IS TRYING TO ENSURE THAT OUR, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OUR CITY EMPLOYEES ADHERE TO THE STANDARDS THAT OUR CITY HAS SET FOR THEM, UM, BOTH ON THE ETHICAL SIDE OF THINGS AND, AND WITH REGARD TO THEIR OTHER MEANS OF CONDUCT.
AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE ARE ANY ISSUES WITH THOSE, TO BE ABLE TO INVESTIGATE THEM.
ALL OF US HAVE, WITH, WITH THE HISTORY IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, KNOW WE'VE HAD ISSUES WITH REGARD TO FRAUD AND CORRUPTION, AND, AND SOME OF THOSE COULD HAVE BEEN EITHER DETERRED OR UN UNCOVERED, UH, WELL BEFORE THEY EVER GOT TO THE, THE FEDERAL PROSECUTION LEVEL.
AND, AND, AND, AND THAT WAS A BIG DRIVER WITH THE ETHICS, UH, REFORM TASK FORCE IN MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION FOR ESTABLISHING AN INSPECTOR GENERAL WAS SO THAT THE CITY COULD POLICE ITSELF.
CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH, SAY THIS AMENDMENT PASSES, UM, AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, I, IT SOUNDS LIKE I'M, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF IT, UH, BUT SAY THIS, THIS PASSES AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE GET THROUGH NOVEMBER AND THIS IS ON THE BALLOT AND, AND IT SUCCEEDS.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO THEN APPOINT THE CURRENT INSPECTOR GENERAL? HOW DOES, WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS IF THIS SUCCEEDS? I, WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE THIS, THE SUPPORT OF THE ORIGINAL PROPOSING BODY, WHICH, WHICH I CHAIRED
[02:25:01]
THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION, WHICH MR. PERKINS NOW CHAIRS.UM, WE, WE NOW AND HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SUPPORTS THIS.
AND, UM, SO WE, I THINK WE HAVE THIS CONSTITUENT BODIES THAT ARE NECESSARY TO PUT THE OPERATIONAL PARTS TOGETHER.
UH, MS. MORRISON FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS ALREADY PREPARED AN INITIAL DRAFT THAT, THAT WE WOULD WORK ON.
THERE'S ALSO THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON, UM, THE AD HOC TASK FORCE, UH, COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON GENERAL INVESTIGATIONS AND ETHICS THAT WE WORKED WITH IN PASSING THE ORIGINAL, UM, THE, THE ORIGINAL, UH, REFORMS THAT HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS AND, AND WHEN THEY WERE ADOPTED, UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS, IT WAS ALWAYS GONNA BE AN EVOLVING PROCESS THAT WE WERE WORKING FOR TO TRY TO TRY TO GET TO PERFECTION IF ONE CAN GET TO PERFECTION.
AND, AND SO I THINK THE STARTING PROCESS WOULD BE ASSUMING THAT YOUR, UM, CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION AGREES THAT THIS CONCEPT SHOULD MOVE FORWARD.
THAT, THAT, THAT THIS GROUP WOULD WORK TOGETHER WITH THE CITY'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER, UM, THE APPROPRIATE ORDINANCE THAT WOULD CREATE IT.
A LOT OF IT'S ALREADY THERE, BUT THE APPROPRIATE ORDINANCE THAT WOULD DO IT AND WOULD JUST MOVE OUT OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE INTO ITS INDEPENDENT DIVISION.
CAN YOU PLEASE SUMMARIZE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING AN INDEPENDENT, AN INSPECTOR GENERAL RATHER THAN ONE THAT IS EITHER UNDER THE CITY AUDITOR OR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICES? I, I, I, I THINK THE KEY WORD THAT WE'VE USED MS. HUNT THROUGHOUT OUR PRESENTATION TODAY IS, IS THE INDEPENDENCE THAT THERE, THERE, THERE ISN'T A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
LET'S JUST SAY WE'RE A COUNCIL PERSON'S BEING INVESTIGATED, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S AWARE OF IT BECAUSE UNDER THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL HAS TO REPORT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND THE CITY ATTORNEY SAYS, AND NOT THAT THIS, ANY OF THIS HAS HAPPENED, BUT, BUT JUST AS A, UH, HYPOTHETICAL, THE CITY ATTORNEY COULD SAY, WELL, NO, WE NEED TO SHUT THAT DOWN.
AND I, I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU, THOUGH, WE HAVE AN ITEM LATER IN OUR DISCUSSION, ITEM K.
AND IT'S TO REQUIRE THAT THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT AND THE COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE CITY COUNCIL RATHER THAN THE CITY MANAGER.
I THINK THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES WITH A BOARD, UH, AND THAT DEPARTMENT REPORTING DIRECTLY TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND I'D LIKE FOR YOU ALL, IF YOU DON'T MIND, TO STAY FOR JUST A LITTLE WHILE, BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU HOW THAT OVERSIGHT BOARD AND DEPARTMENT MAY POSSIBLY WORK WITHIN AN INSPECTOR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT UNDERNEATH THAT, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE, THEY'RE BOTH INVOLVED IN, UH, INVESTIGATIONS, UH, ASSESSMENT.
THERE'S INDEPENDENCE THAT'S CRITICAL.
UM, AND IT SEEMS VERY DIFFERENT FROM, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPLANATION OF A POTENTIAL OMBUDSMAN.
SO DO YOU MIND STICKING AROUND JUST FOR A LITTLE WHILE TO, TO TALK ABOUT THAT POINT, PLEASE? NO.
MR. MAGOO, I, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE INCLUDE AMENDMENT 83 I A SECOND DISCUSSION.
MR. YOUNG QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, DOES YOUR DRAFT INCLUDE THE CONCEPT THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL CAN BE REMOVED ONLY FOR, CAUSE UH, THE THOR MORRISON CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, THE DRAFT LANGUAGE MIRRORS THAT OF THE, SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, COUNCIL APPOINTEES LIKE THE CITY SECRETARY, THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE CITY AUDITOR.
IT DOESN'T MENTION FOR CAUSE, BUT IT, SO THERE, THERE WOULD HAVE TO, THERE WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE CAUSE SHOWN, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A MAJORITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO APPROVE THAT VOTE, TO REMOVE THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
MAY I SUGGEST COMMISSIONER MAGOO THAT, UH, REMOVAL FOR CAUSE BE INCLUDED IN THE MOTION? I THINK SO.
DOES THE CITY ATTORNEY HAVE A, UH, ISSUE WITH THAT? EMPLOYMENT AT THE CITY IS SUPPOSED TO BE AT WILL? YEAH.
FOR, FOR THESE APPOINTED POSITIONS.
WHAT ABOUT, CAN I ASK MR. PERKINS FOR YOUR ANALYSIS? FIRST? I'M GOING TO, FIRST I'M GOING TO DEFER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, UH, ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
UH, AND HER RESPONSE TO THAT QUESTION, UH, THE,
[02:30:02]
TELL ME AGAIN WHAT, WHAT I'LL DEFER TO, TO COMMISSIONER YOUNG TO CLARIFY THIS PARTICULAR, I'M SORRY.I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER YOUNG.
UH, THE DRAFT AS PRESENTED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DOES NOT INCLUDE THE CONCEPT THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS REMOVABLE ONLY FOR CAUSE.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE STATUS QUO.
UH, IF A MOTION TO ADOPT IS MADE AS IT HAS BEEN MADE, THE QUESTION IS, SHOULD REMOVAL BE LIMITED TO REMOVAL FOR CAUSE? WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT THAT? YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER, I, I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT THIS, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY KIND OF A POLICY CALL.
WHETHER THE CITY COUNCIL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO REMOVE BASED UPON, UH, A MAJORITY VOTE.
AND FOR CAUSE I BELIEVE THAT AS AN ADDITIONAL ELEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE COUNCIL'S AUTHORITY TO REMOVE, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ESTABLISH THAT THERE WAS SOME VIOLATION OF SOME STANDARD THAT YOU BELIEVE JUSTIFIES REMOVAL FOR A CAUSE.
SO I THINK IT ADDS A HIGHER STANDARD THAN SIMPLY JUST REMOVABLE BY MAJORITY VOTE OF CITY COUNCIL.
AND MR. YOUNG, IF, IF I CAN JUST ADD TO ADD TO THAT, IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME TO DO THAT, THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION OF THE ETHICS REFORM TASK FORCE, WHICH MR. MR. UM, PERKINS WAS KIND ENOUGH TO SERVE ON AS WELL, DID HAVE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT REMOVAL ONLY BE FOR CAUSE.
AND THAT, UM, THAT THE, THE, UM, UH, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL WILL BE APPOINTED FOR A TERM.
AND, UM, WE UNDERSTAND, AND MS. MORRISON HAS MADE MORE THAN CLEAR ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THAT, THAT, THAT ARE, UM, THAT, THAT EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY ARE EMPLOYEES AT WILL.
AND, AND I THINK THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE AN EXCEPTION AND IT WOULD REFLECT WHAT OUR PEER CITIES DO WITH RESPECT TO THIS.
SO THAT, SO THAT A COUNCIL COULD NOT JUST BE UPSET AT SOME INVESTIGATION THAT'S GOING ON, WHICH MAY BE THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT, UM, UH, MAKE A CHANGE BECAUSE, OR DISMISS THE PERSON BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY AN INVESTIGATION WAS GOING.
NOW, IF THERE WAS, IF, IF IT WAS AN IMPROPER INVESTIGATION OR RULES WERE BROKEN OR ANYTHING ELSE RELATED TO THAT, YOU HAVE CAUSE, BUT, BUT IN A, IN A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE THERE THERE'S JUST A MOOD SWING OR A CHANGE OR THEY, A A MAJORITY DOESN'T LIKE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING ON, UM, IT WOULD, IT'S, IT'S NOT WHAT THE NATIONAL STANDARDS WOULD BE, NOR WHAT OUR, OUR PEER, UM, THE PRIMARY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE OUR, OUR, OUR PEER CITIES WOULD HAVE WHEN, WHEN THEY WERE INTERVIEWED BY THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF, OF WHAT, WHAT THEY WOULD REQUIRE.
AND, AND, AND ONE OF THEM WAS APPOINTED FOR A TIME REMOVAL ONLY FOR CAUSE, UM, A, A BUDGET.
UM, AND, AND THERE THERE'S A LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE, THE REFORM TASK, THE ETHICS REFORM TASK FORCE REPORT.
I'LL DEFER TO THE MAKER OF THE MOTION.
WELL, AND I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I'M KIND OF INDIFFERENT IN THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, DOES IT, WELL, LEMME ASK A QUESTION TO, TO SHOW, CAUSE DO WE HAVE TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF SOME KIND OF QUA QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING WHERE WE'RE PRESENTING EVIDENCE AT THAT TYPE OF A DISCUSSION? I, I, I, I, MS. MR. MAGDA? I DON'T THINK WE, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT NOW.
I, I, I THINK WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ALLUDE TO EARLIER, UM, WITH REGARD TO WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND PUTTING ALL OF, ALL OF THIS TOGETHER APPROPRIATELY SO THAT IT COULD BE PASSED ULTIMATELY BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND APPROVED BY THE VOTERS, WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD WORK TOGETHER TO GET SOMETHING THAT WORKED FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO I, I WOULD REALLY KIND OF JUST OPEN IT UP TO THIS BODY.
IF ANYBODY FEELS STRONGLY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, I WOULD SAY THE EASIEST IS GETTING IT PASSED, IS JUST LEAVING IT AS IS.
UM, BUT IF, IF THERE'S, UH, WHOEVER FEELS STRONGLY ABOUT IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, I'M CERTAINLY, I FEEL VERY STRONGLY OF ADDING THE FLOOR COST PROTECTIONS.
THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING ORIGINALLY ABOUT HOW WE WERE GONNA LEGALLY DEFINE THAT.
BECAUSE COMING FROM A LITTLE BIT OF AN EMPLOYMENT LAW BACKGROUND, I KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, RIGHT? THERE'S A VERY SPECIFIC DEFINITION OF IT.
AND SO, UH, AGAIN, I WOULD TO FAVOR MORE INDEPENDENCE OF THE INDEPENDENT OFFICE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD SOME PRETTY STRONG FOR CLAUSE LANGUAGE IN THE CHARTER ITSELF.
[02:35:01]
CONSIDERING THAT I, I, WELL, I'LL, I WOULD SAY AS ON THE MOTION IS TO INCLUDE FOR CLAUSE LANGUAGE, AND OBVIOUSLY THE CITY COUNCIL CAN WORK THAT OUT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO SECONDED IT, BUT WHOEVER SECONDED IT,SO WE HAVE A, A MOTION, UH, PENDING TO ADOPT, UH, THIS AMENDMENT WITH THE CHANGE THAT IT HAVE FOR CAUSE UH, TERMINATION FOR THE POSITION.
WE HAVE A SECOND FOR MR. CAMPBELL.
AND ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? LEMME JUST ASK ONE QUESTION, MR. CHAIR.
YOU ALRIGHT, MS. HUNT? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
I WHOLLY SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF AN INDEPENDENT, UH, INSPECTOR GENERAL WHO CANNOT BE FIRED AT THE WHIM OF POTENTIALLY CORRUPT OFFICIALS.
UH, MY MY CONCERN IS THE EXECUTION OF THAT.
UM, AND I'M NOT GONNA STAND IN THE WAY OF THIS MOTION BECAUSE I THINK IT'S, IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT ONE, BUT I, I WOULD PUT OUT FOR DISCUSSION, UM, I THINK PERHAPS A, A A WAY TO BALANCE THESE ISSUES.
WE DON'T WANNA BE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE CAN'T REMOVE AN INEFFECTUAL INSPECTOR GENERAL THAT MAY NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF FOR CAUSE THAT FOR CAUSE WOULD, UM, SO PERHAPS RATHER THAN, UH, GO THROUGH THE, THE LEGAL MACHINATIONS THAN CHALLENGES THAT THAT ROUTE WOULD TAKE US PERHAPS JUST A, A THREE QUARTER VOTE OF CITY COUNCIL TO REMOVE, UH, AN INSPECTOR GENERAL.
BUT I, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION REGARDLESS.
I JUST LEAVE THAT TO THE BODY TO CONSIDER.
AND, AND I, I GUESS I WOULD SIMPLY SUGGEST TO THE COMMISSION THAT, THAT, UM, WE ALL WORK IN GOOD FAITH FOR WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND WE TRY TO PUT TOGETHER FOR THE COMMISSION TO RECOMMEND TO THE COUNCIL THE BEST WE CAN GET THAT, THAT, THAT WORKS FOR THE CITY, WHICH IT MAY BE FOR, CAUSE IT MAY BE THREE QUARTERS, IT MAY BE A MAJORITY AT, AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY.
I, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE, THERE'S GONNA BE, MS. MORRISON'S GONNA BE VERY INVOLVED.
AND, UM, THERE, I THINK THERE'LL BE A LOT OF DISCUSSION BETWEEN, BETWEEN NOW AND THEN AND A LOT OF COMPARISON TO WHAT OUR PEER CITIES DO AND, AND, UM, WHAT'S WORKED AND, AND WHAT THE NATIONAL STANDARDS ARE.
AND THAT IF WE'RE FOCUSED ON DOING WHAT, WHAT IS RIGHT AND BEST FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS THAT GETS THE BEST RESULTS FOR ITS CITIZENS, I THINK WE'LL COME UP WITH A, WE'LL COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT WILL WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
I SUPPORT EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID AND EVERYTHING MS. HUNT SAID.
I, I JUST HAVE TO ASK, ARE WE REALLY READY TO VOTE ON THIS TONIGHT? I MEAN, DO WE HAVE IT? WE'RE BEING ASKED TO VOTE ON SOMETHING.
WE WE'RE GONNA WORK IT ALL OUT LATER ABOUT WHAT IT'S GONNA SAY.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE MAYBE THIS ONE NEEDS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I, I, I THINK WHAT WE'RE, BUT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO, IF, IF, IF, IF THE, IF THE COMMISSION IS NOT WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH JUST THE CONCEPT, THEN, THEN THERE'S, THEN THERE'S NO REASON FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THESE GROUPS TO GET TOGETHER AND, AND, UM, YEAH, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO VOTE ON WHAT WE ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO IF WE'RE, LOOK, IF WE'RE FUZZY ON WHAT THAT IS, I'M JUST SAYING ARE WE, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO HEAR ALL THE IDEAS ON HOW TO BE STRUCTURED.
COMMISSIONER LEMASTER, THIS IS LAURA MORRISON, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M SORRY FOR THE INTERRUPTION, BUT WE DO HAVE THE CHARTER LANGUAGE READY.
IT HAS BEEN THROUGH THE REVIEW PROCESS IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND IT'S PART OF, UM, WHAT WAS SENT OUT TO THE COMMISSION ON SATURDAY, UM, WITH ALL OF THE ATTACHED, UM, CHARTER LANGUAGE.
SO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS READY TO GO ON THIS ITEM.
AND, AND CITY COUNCIL CAN OBVIOUSLY DO WITH IT AS, AS THEY WANT WHEN THEY GET IT.
I, I ALSO, AS COMMISSIONER HUNT, I DON'T, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE PERSON IN THAT POSITION.
SO I DON'T WANNA MOVE IN A DIRECTION THAT MAKES THAT PERSON NOT SUBJECT TO, UH, SOME CHECKS AND BALANCES FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY.
SO WHATEVER WE MOVE FORWARD, I THINK NEEDS TO BE COGNIZANT OF BOTH SIDES OF THAT EQUATION.
MR. MR. CHAIRMAN, THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS SENT OUT TO US TALKS ABOUT, UH, COULD NOT BE DISCHARGED DURING HIS OR HER TERM, EXCEPT UPON A MAJORITY VOTE OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
MAY, MAY I HOLD UP ONE SECOND, PLEASE.
SO I, I WAS JUST GONNA SUGGEST MAYBE WE PASS
[02:40:01]
THIS IN CONCEPT OF YES, WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE OFFICE AND ALLOW FOR THE COLLABORATION AND WHATEVER OTHER ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS.FINALLY, WHEN IT COMES BACK TO OUR BODY AT THAT LAST VOTE.
SO THAT GIVES US, IT SAYS YES, WE WANT IT, AND IT'S HAPPENING, AND THEN GIVE CLARIFICATION TO THE LANGUAGE BY THE TIME WE SEE IT AGAIN.
SO IS IT PENDING RIGHT NOW? WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT WITH THE CHANGE THAT IT HAVE A GOOD CAUSE STANDARD OR SUBJECT TO FINAL? FINAL ORDINANCE? YEAH.
OR I, I COULD, IF I SEE A LOT OF, HE, I WOULD JUST WITHDRAW THE MOTION AND REMAKE THE MOTION AS I JUST STATED IT.
SO LEMME WITHDRAW THE ORIGINAL MOTION AND MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE AMENDMENT, WHATEVER NUMBER IT IS, 83.
83 FORWARD SUBJECT TO FINAL LANGUAGE OF APPROVAL TO BE REVIEWED UPON OUR LAST VOTE.
ANY DISCUSSION? DISCUSSION? SO WE'RE REPEATING AT LEAST TEMPORARILY FROM THE FOUR CAUSE STANDARD WE ARE, UH, I SAID RETREATING, BUT, BUT WOULD YOU CLARIFY FOR US WHICH DIRECTION YOU, I THINK WE'RE RETREATING AND JUST GOING WITH THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS PRESENTED AND THEY, I'VE HEARD THE DISCUSSION AND CAN COME BACK WITH THAT OPTION FOR US.
UM, MR. YOUNG, I THINK THEY'LL, THERE'LL BE PLENTY OF DISCUSSION ON THAT POINT.
I JUST, ONE OPERATIONAL QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK, AND IT'S BASED ON THE LANGUAGE THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY.
IT'S THE LAST, UH, CLA CLAUSE, I GUESS UNDER SECTION THREE.
NUMBER NINE, PERFORMING SUCH OTHER DUTIES AS THE COUNSEL MAY DIRECT OR REQUEST WHO, TO ME, THAT'S EXTREMELY AMBIGUOUS AND I'D BE INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING HOW, HOW, HOW IS THAT ULTIMATELY DIRECTED TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL? DOES THAT TAKE A MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL TO REQUEST THAT? OR ANY COUNCIL MEMBER HAS ANYTHING THEY WANT INVESTIGATED? I, I, I, I, AGAIN, I, OUR, OUR, THE MR. PERKINS AND I JUST SAW THIS ON, ON FRIDAY AFTER AFTERNOON, WHICH IS, IS GREAT BECAUSE WE JUST, IT WAS PERFECT TIMING.
WE JUST HAD AN AGREEMENT ON IT.
I THINK OUR UNDERSTANDING WAS THIS WAS, THIS WAS THE INITIAL PROPOSAL AND THAT AS HAS BEEN, UH, MOTIONED AND SECONDED THAT WE WOULD THEN WORK TOGETHER TO FINALIZE IT, UM, AND, AND COME TO AN AGREEMENT TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION WITH FINAL RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU WOULD THEN PASS ON TO THE COUNCIL.
I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO GETTING TO THIS POINT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK OVER MANY YEARS.
UH, AND I APPRECIATE YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ALONG THE WAY.
I THINK FOR ME TO FEEL COMFORTABLE, ASIDE FROM WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN STATED ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MATTER WITHIN THIS, I WOULD JUST BE INTERESTED IN BETTER UNDERSTANDING, A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AROUND SUCH OTHER DUTIES AS THE COUNCIL MAY DIRECT OR REQUEST, UH, WHENEVER WE GO TO TAKE THAT UP AT THE END.
AND PERHAPS MS. MOORE, I I, I THINK SOME OF THE LANGUAGE WAS, WAS ATTEMPTED AS PULLED TOGETHER TO BE ADOPTED TO LOOK AT AS IT CAME FROM OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO IT COULD BE THAT, THAT LANGUAGE, THE FINAL LANGUAGE DOESN'T HAVE THAT IN THERE.
I THAT'LL, THAT'LL BE ONE THAT I'LL BE PAYING ATTENTION TO, I GUESS WHEN WE GO TO THE END.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT, THAT WE ALL WOULD HAVE AND COME TO A FINAL AGREEMENT THAT EVERYBODY APPROVES.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? WE HAVE, UH, THE MOTION TO ADOPT, UH, AMENDMENT 83.
ALL SAY AGAIN, IT'S A MOTION TO, UH, INCLUDE AMENDMENT 83 IN THIS.
AND I, I WOULD SAY SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE, CONSIDERING THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD HERE TONIGHT TO BE BROUGHT BACK.
WE NEED MORE SPECIFICITY THAN IT'S TO INCLUDE, TO INCLUDE, TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE.
ANYBODY, ANY TAKERS THOUGHT I'D SAY TO, TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE IN RELATION TO THE FOUR CAUSE ISSUE OR THREE QUARTER VOTE ISSUE? IT'S, IT'S THE REMOVAL QUESTION, RIGHT? THAT I THINK WE WANT TO COME BACK UP.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
SO WE'RE INCLUDING IT AND WE'RE HOLDING IT SO WE CAN REVISIT THE LANGUAGE OR YOU JUST WANNA SEE THE LANGUAGE WHEN WE PRESENT THE FINAL REPORT TO YOU, IS THAT, I GUESS MAYBE TO CLARIFY, GIVE US BOTH LANGUAGE FOR A 3, 4, 3 QUARTERS VOTE AND FOR, FOR CAUSE LANGUAGE WHEN IT COMES BACK UP THE NEXT TIME.
AND WE CAN PICK FROM THAT THEN.
BUT I HOPE THERE'S AN ANSWER FROM OUR PANELISTS BY THEN THAT SAYS THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD
[02:45:01]
DO.I, I I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A HIGHER STANDARD FOR A VIOLATION.
WHETHER IT'S A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE OR WHETHER IT IS A FOR CAUSE DETERMINATION.
AND HOW DO YOU ARRIVE AT A FOR CAUSE DETERMINATION.
AND IF WE CAN EXPLORE THOSE OR, UH, DISCUSS THAT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, I THINK WE'RE GETTING SOME DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL, I MEAN FROM THE COMMISSION ON THAT.
AND COUNCILMAN, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE? UH, I THINK JUST FROM A, A PROCESS CLARITY STANDPOINT, UH, THE PLAN AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW ON MARCH 26TH IS TO HAVE A FINAL LIST OF AMENDMENTS THAT YOU'VE INCLUDED FOR, FOR THE FINAL CONSIDERATION.
UM, AND I, OUR, OUR QUESTION, UM, AND I BELIEVE THE QUESTION THAT CITY ATTORNEYS ARE ASKING IS WHETHER YOUR MOTION WOULD, UM, UH, HAVE THAT LANGUAGE AS PART OF THE FINALIST FOR INCLUSION, OR IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT NEEDS TO BE HELD AS A SEPARATE AGENDA ITEM TO BE TAKEN UP BEFORE THAT FINALIST, THE MOTION IS TO HAVE IT INCLUDED.
AND, UH, THERE'S A QUESTION OR THERE MAY BE A COMMENT FROM INSPECTOR GENERAL.
WHEN I BEGAN TWO YEARS AGO, OUR CITY ATTORNEY WAS CHRIS CASO AND WE HAD LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO ADOPT GREEN BOOK STANDARDS.
WE MADE THAT DECISION TO IN FACT DO THAT.
AND ON PAGE SIX OF THE GREEN BOOK STANDARDS THAT WE ADOPTED TWO YEARS AGO, IT SPECIFICALLY STATES FOR CAUSE.
SO WE DID, WE ADOPTED THAT WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
SO WE HAVE THE MOTION PENDING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UM, WE ARE ABOUT TO HIT HOUR THREE OF THIS MEETING AND WE ARE NOT VERY FAR INTO OUR AGENDA.
SO ONCE WE GET TO, I WANT TO JUMP TO AGENDA ITEM K.
'CAUSE I KNOW THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS ARE HERE, OR I BELIEVE IT WAS REFERENCED, THEY MAY HAVE SOME INPUT ON THOSE AND THEY WERE ASKED TO STAY FOR THAT.
SO I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM K.
AND AT THE END OF THAT, I'M GONNA RESPECTFULLY ASK SOMEBODY, MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE THE ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEMS TILL A FUTURE MEETING.
I KNOW WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE PERSON THAT HAS TO GET THERE EARLY.
I'M SURE THERE'S MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE A LOT GOING ON TOMORROW WITH ELECTION DAY.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE WILL GO TO AGENDA ITEM K.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
UH, AGENDA ITEM K IS REQUIRED THAT THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT AND THE COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE CITY COUNCIL RATHER THAN THE CITY MANAGER.
UH, THIS WAS SUBMITTED BY MINISTER DOMINIQUE ALEXANDER.
WAIT, ARE YOU, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THEIR AMENDMENT? WHAT NOW? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THEIRS? FOR THE THREE? THAT THREE THAT NOW, NOW ACTUALLY WE NEED TO DO BOTH OF THOSE.
BUT YOU SAID IT WAS K, RIGHT? OKAY.
SO WE WANNA TAKE THAT ONE UP REAL QUICK AND THEN WE'LL, WE WILL DO THEIRS SINCE, YEAH.
WHICH ONE IS THAT? THAT'S TOWARDS THE END.
SO, UM, MR. ALEXANDER WAS HERE WITH US EARLIER.
IS THERE ANY, UM, IS THERE A MOTION ON AMENDMENT 1 0 1 MOVE TO EXCLUDE SECOND DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
I CAN'T SEE MS. ALRIGHT, MS HA, IT'S LATE.
UM, I, I WANTED TO ASK OUR, OUR PANELISTS WHO WERE JUST UP HERE ABOUT THE POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD, THEY PERFORM SUCH A CRITICAL FUNCTION, UH, AT OUR CITY.
I THINK THERE'S A CHALLENGE IF THEY'RE IN THE SAME, UM, UH, STRUCTURE, UM, AS EMPLOYMENT STRUCTURE, UM, IF THE DEPARTMENT IS AS THE POLICE, BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY THAT DEPARTMENT, UM, AS I UNDERSTAND IT REPORTS TO THE CITY MANAGER.
OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTS TO THE CITY MANAGER.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THERE COULD BE A BENEFIT TO HAVING THE POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD UNDER THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S PURVIEW RATHER THAN THE CITY MANAGER.
CAN I PLEASE GET YOUR INSIGHT ON THAT? AND, AND, AND WE MAY NEED NOT BEING PREPARED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION TONIGHT, BUT WANTING TO GIVE YOU A, A GOOD ANSWER, A A VALUABLE ANSWER.
UM, WE, WE MAY NEED TO COME BACK TO, TO REPORT ON THAT AND, AND PERHAPS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL HAS, HAS AN, AN IDEA.
BUT THE IDEA OF KEEPING THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE SEPARATE AND DOING THE INVESTIGATIONS, IF I UNDERSTAND THE POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD, IT IS, IT IS A, UM, APPOINTED CITIZENS THAT, THAT OVERSEE THE POLICE AND, UM, AND, AND DO INVESTIGATIONS INTO, INTO THE POLICE BEHAVIOR
[02:50:01]
AND, AND ANY, ANY TYPE OF, OF, UM, DISCIPLINE THAT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.UM, I, I THINK AS WE SAW THE JURISDICTION ORIGINALLY, THE, THE JURISDICTION OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL WAS PRIMARILY TO FOCUS ON ETHICS VIOLATIONS, FRAUD, WASTE, ABUSE, CORRUPTION, AND NOT SPECIFICALLY TO FOCUS ON POLICE DEPARTMENT BEHAVIOR.
BECAUSE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AGAIN, NOT ONLY DOES IT REPORT TO THE CITY MANAGER, BUT IT'S, IT'S MANAGED BY ITS OWN POLICE CHIEF.
IT'S GOT ITS OWN STANDARDS THAT IT FOLLOWS WITH REGARD TO THAT.
AND YOU WOULD, AND IT'S GOT ITS OWN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION UNITS AS, AND I'M, I'M SPEAKING FROM WATCHING TOO MUCH TV HERE, BUT, BUT, BUT IT'S GOT ITS OWN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION UNIT THAT WOULD DO WHAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL DOES SEPARATELY WITH REGARD TO CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CITY EMPLOYEES WITH RESPECT TO ETHICS VIOLATIONS, FRAUD, WASTE, ABUSE, AND CORRUPTION, AND, AND NOT SPECIFICALLY THE, THE CONDUCT OF POLICE OFFICERS.
AND, AND THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
I WOULD JUST ASK IF YOU ALL WOULDN'T MIND, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS? SURE.
AND JUST GIVE US SOME ADVICE, SEE IF ON IT, IF IT'S APPROPRIATE.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE OF MR. ALEXANDER WHEN HE DRAFTED THIS AMENDMENT.
BECAUSE THE CITY OVERSIGHT IN THE OFFICE OF THE OVERSIGHT OF POLICE, THEY, THEY SOUND JUST LIKE TWO OF THE SAME OFFICE, BUT THE CITY MANAGER WAS OVER BOTH OF 'EM.
SO IT IS LIKE, UH, IT IS NOT ENOUGH TRANSPARENCY FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S JUST LIKE THE POLICE INVESTIGATING THE POLICE WITH THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
YOU KNOW, YOU FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AT CHANNEL AFFAIRS COME IN, SO YOU GETTING NOWHERE AFFAIRS.
SO I THINK THAT GRANTED THE CITY COUNCIL TO LOOK AT IT, YOU CAN GET YOUR ELECTED OFFICIAL TO KIND OF OVERSEE YOUR CASE, UH, LOOK INTO YOUR CASE VERSUS THE CITY MANAGER.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROBABLY AIN'T GOING TO PASS, BUT THAT'S WHAT HE'S, HE'S ASKING FOR TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CITY MANAGER IS OVER, THE POLICE CHIEF, AT FIRST, THE POLICE CHIEF WAS OVER THE OVERSIGHT BOARD AND THE OVERSIGHT BOARD HAD TO REPORT TO THE POLICE CHIEF, BUT THEY CHANGED THAT.
SO IT'S STILL LIKE A WHOLE LOT OF NOTHING GOING NOWHERE FAST BECAUSE WE GOT A OVERSIGHT BOARD THAT DOESN'T HAVE SUBPOENA POWER.
SO THE POLICE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO COME SUBJECT TO THE BOARD IN THE FIRST PLACE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? MS. HUNT? UH, JUST TIME-WISE, MR. CHAIR.
WE TALKED ABOUT MOVING SOME OF THESE ITEMS, UH, THE REMAINDER OF THESE ITEMS TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
I, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AGENDA ITEM V, WE HAVE THREE INDIVIDUALS WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN THE BEGINNING.
AND THEY WERE HERE ALSO TO PRESENT ON UNDERSTOOD AMENDMENT HAD.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO THOSE AND THEN I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION TO TABLE.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE PENDING THE, UH, UH, PENDING MOTION HAS BEEN SECONDED.
I HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION.
'CAUSE I, I DO, SUPPORT COMMISSIONER HAS SAID.
I I DON'T REALLY WANT TO JUST RUSH THIS, UH, BECAUSE WITH THE RIGHT LANGUAGE CHANGES, UM, MAYBE WE CAN GET THE TRANSPARENCY, UH, THAT WE NEED.
AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED ON, UH, THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL, UH, MAY BE OPPOSED TO THIS.
BUT MY, MY MY QUESTION FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEFORE, UH, WHAT WOULD BE THE ISSUE OF HAVING THE COMMUNITY, UH, POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD REPORT DIRECTLY INTO THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL AND FURTHER DISCUSSION OF WHERE DO YOU THINK THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE? BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, THE ISSUES THAT COME UP MAY NOT BE GIVEN THE, THE, THE, THE LIGHT THAT IT NEEDS FOR CHANGE TO BE EFFECTUATED.
AND I JUST OPEN THAT QUESTION UP TO, TO THE COMMISSION, AND I JUST DON'T BE TOTALLY DISMISSIVE AND JUST MOVE PAST THIS, JUST BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT'S LATE.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO US IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.
MR. MCGILL? SO, UM, BACKING UP A LITTLE BIT, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CITIZEN POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD TOOK A LONG TIME AND A LOT OF WORK, AND WE, UM, UH,
[02:55:01]
MR. ALEXANDER WAS INVOLVED.WE HAD PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW, 55 PEOPLE, EVERY GROUP REPRESENTED COMING TO THE TABLE AND NEGOTIATING AND ESTABLISHING THIS WHEN WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO GET IT ESTABLISHED.
AND THERE WAS LOTS OF BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN WHERE IT SHOULD REST, WHAT KIND OF POWERS IT SHOULD HAVE, WHO WAS IN CONTROL, ALL ALL THE DIFFERENT PIECES, HOW IT RELATED WITH THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS HAS BEEN MENTIONED.
AND, AND IT, IT HAD, IT FORMED ITS WAY INTO THIS PARTICULAR FORMATION.
AND SOME PEOPLE ARE, ARE OKAY WITH IT, SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE WORKINGS OF IT.
IT, IT STILL IS BEING DISCUSSED AND CAN BE DISCUSSED AND COME TO COUNCIL FOR THOSE KIND OF CHANGES.
I'M NOT SURE WE NEED IT IN THE CHARTER.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, YOU HAVE, UM, WE ALSO HAVE STAFF ASSOCIATED WITH THAT POSITION AND WHO THAT STAFF REPORTS TO CURRENTLY AS A CITY MANAGER.
AND IT WOULD NEED TO STAY THAT WAY.
AND SO I, IT JUST FEELS LIKE MAKING THESE CHANGES IS GOING TO OPEN UP SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD CAUSE MORE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS. SO IN, IN YOUR OPINION, AS IT SITS TODAY, IS IT AN EFFECTIVE BOARD, UH, GIVEN THE, THE CURRENT GOVERNING STRUCTURE? UH, YOU, AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO DEFINE EFFECTIVE FOR, AND EVERYBODY'S GONNA HAVE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
IS IT, IS IT PROCESSING COMPLAINTS MORE THAN IT EVER THAN WE EVER HAD BEFORE? YES.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SUCCESSES THERE.
IT CERTAINLY HAS GOTTEN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH, WITH PEOPLE NOT EVEN BEING ABLE TO FIND HOW TO MAKE COMPLAINTS AND THOSE COMPLAINTS BEING PROCESSED AND THOSE BEING LOOKED AT, AT A SEPARATE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS HAPPENING.
COULD IT BE MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE? YES.
A LOT OF THAT IS IN LEADERSHIP AND, UM, HOW THAT'S ESTABLISHED.
I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM BY HAVING A REPORT TO THE COUNCIL.
IN FACT, IT COULD GET WORSE BECAUSE IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT THINGS GOING TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HAS BEEN INEFFECTIVE AND WE'VE OPPOSED SIMILAR AMENDMENTS, REORGANIZING BODIES TO REPORT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
UH, BUT FOR, FOR THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, WE'RE SAYING THAT IT'S OKAY.
WELL, IT'S ONLY ONLY EFFECTIVE TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY PROCESS.
BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING WHERE THINGS ARE ACTUALLY BEING ADDRESSED, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY NEED TO.
SO THERE IS A PROBLEM, UH, THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING AS A BODY TODAY, THAT IT'S OKAY TO KEEP STATUS QUO, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY IT'S MS. HUNT.
AND COMMISSIONER FRANKLIN, I AGREE WITH YOUR POINTS.
UM, I THINK THAT THIS OVERSIGHT BOARD IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IN OUR CITY.
I I THINK THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
I DON'T THINK THAT PUTTING IT UNDER CITY COUNCIL DOES WHAT WE'RE INTENDING IT TO DO, BECAUSE IT, WHAT IT REALLY, WE'RE IN THE SAME POSITION.
I THINK I, I, I DISAGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE.
I THINK WE'RE ACTUALLY WOULD BE IN THE SAME POSITION THAT WE'RE IN TODAY.
BECAUSE FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, THE CITY MANAGER IS GONNA BE IN CHARGE OF THE STAFF FOR THAT BOARD, AND YOU'LL HAVE THE COUNCIL SIMPLY APPOINTING THE MEMBERS, WHICH I BELIEVE THEY DO NOW.
SO I, I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO EXPLORE HOW TO, HOW, AND AND I, I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO WORK WITH YOU BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT WE DO MAKE THAT BOARD MORE INDEPENDENT OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, WHICH IS IN THE SAME STRUCTURE AS THE, AS THE POLICE.
SO, SO IF, IF WE HAVE A MOTION TO EXCLUDE THIS, SO WE CAN'T TAKE THAT UP LATER.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE PENDING RIGHT NOW IS A MOTION TO EXCLUDE, UNLESS THAT IS WITHDRAWN AND, UH, HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE AND THAT'S NOT WITHDRAWN.
SO, UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION THEN ON THE MOTION TO EXCLUDE? I HAVE MR. STEIN, UH, ONE PROBLEM WITH THIS WHOLE BOARD IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS SOME PEOPLE SITTING ON THE COUNCIL APPOINTED PEOPLE THAT SAID THAT WE DIDN'T NEED THE BOARD IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO THAT CREATED AN INTERNAL PROBLEM WITH THIS BOARD BECAUSE THE PEOPLE SITTING THERE SAYING, WE DON'T EVEN NEED THIS BOARD.
WHAT ARE WE HERE FOR? BUT WE KNOW WHAT WE NEEDED BECAUSE IT ALL, THIS STEMS FROM A WHOLE LOT OF RACIAL TENSION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH BACK THE BLUE.
AND WE SUPPORT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE SUPPORT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE NEED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT WE NEED FOR THEM TO DO THEIR JOB IN A FAIR WAY.
AND I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER FRANKLIN, WE TAKING ALL THE POWER THAT WE CAN AWAY FROM
[03:00:01]
THE CITY MANAGER.BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE ONE THING THAT WE SAY, WELL, I LEAVE THAT OVER THERE WITH HIM.
AND, AND MR. FRANKLIN, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF THESE AGENCIES WITHIN THE CITY GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? WE HAVE THE ONES THAT PROVIDE SERVICES.
FOR EXAMPLE, AS MR. STEIN, UH, SORRY.
AS MR. FRANKLIN POINTED OUT, WE VOTED TODAY, UM, ON A, A DEPARTMENT, THE PARTS DEPARTMENT THAT PROVIDES DIRECT SERVICES TO CONSTITUENTS, RIGHT, TO RESIDENTS AS OPPOSED TO THE OVERSIGHT BOARD, WHICH IN ITS NAME BY DEFINITION ISN'T OVERSIGHT.
IT, IT'S FUN, IT'S PURE, IT'S ONLY FUNCTION IS TO INVESTIGATE AND PROVIDE OVERSIGHT.
UH, IN THAT REGARD, THERE'S NO, IN MY OPINION, THERE'S NO BETTER BODY POSITION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THEN THE DIRECTLY ELECTED OFFICIALS TO PROVIDE THAT OVERSIGHT, NOT AN ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY.
AND SO MY ORIGINAL IDEA, UH, HAD THE MOTION TO EXCLUDE NOT BE MADE BEFORE MINE.
AND THAT'S NOT A SLIGHT, THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, PROCEDURALLY WHAT HAPPENED WAS TO HAVE THE OFFICE NOW, NOT THE BOARD, BUT THE OFFICE.
SO, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF, OF THE, UH, OFFICE OF COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT BE APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL, RIGHT? UH, NOT GO THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, BUT BE APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL BY A MAJORITY VOTE THAT PROVIDES THE ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE VOTERS AS TO WHO SELECTS OR HOW AS TO HOW THE OFFICE FUNCTIONS AS OPPOSED TO HAVING IT GO FROM CITY COUNCIL WHO HIRES, WELL, I WAS GONNA SAY TC, BUT CITY MANAGER AND CITY MANAGER CHOOSES THE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE.
I THINK IT MAKES WAY MORE SENSE TO HAVE THE HORSESHOE, THE CITY COUNCIL, WHO'S DIRECTLY RESPONDED TO ITS CONSTITUENTS BY THE VOTE, BY THE BALLOT BOX, CHOOSE WHO IS ON THAT, UH, WHO, I'M SORRY, WHO OVERSEES THAT OFFICE.
SO IF THIS MOTION FAILS, UH, WHICH I, I'M GOING TO BE VOTING AGAINST IT, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND MR. ALEXANDER'S MOTION TO INCLUDE, UH, LANGUAGE THAT WOULD HAVE COUNSEL DIRECTLY OVERSEE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE DIRECTOR.
NOT, UH, BUT NOT OVERSEE THE BOARD AS IT AS MR. ALEXANDER HAS IT CURRENTLY WRITTEN.
MS. LOWERY, A QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN OFFICE OF, ACCORDING TO THE CHARTER OFFICES ARE UNDER THE CITY MANAGER'S PURVIEW.
IS THAT NOT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, UH, WE HAVE THE MOTION TO EXCLUDE PENDING HAS BEEN, HAS A SECOND.
IN FACT, RAISE YOUR HANDS ON THIS ONE AS THIS MAY BE CLOSE.
NAY NAYS HAVE IT? THE MOTION DOES NOT PASS.
IS THERE ANOTHER MOTION ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? YES, CHAIR.
MY MOTION WOULD BE, AS I STATED PREVIOUSLY, TO AMEND THE, THE CURRENT, UH, PROPOSAL, UM, FOR MR. ALEXANDER TO, UH, TO AMENDMENT 1 0 1, UH, TO SAY THAT CITY COUNCIL SELECTS THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT.
AND WOULD YOU LEAVE THE BOARD DISCUSSION? MR. CHAIRMAN, WOULD YOU LEAVE THE BOARD REPORTING TO THE CITY COUNCIL? I'M SORRY? WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU LEAVE THE BOARD REPORTING TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS THE AMENDMENT STATES? NO, WE'RE JUST, NO.
SO MINE WOULD JUST HAVE THE AMENDMENT THAT I, I'M OFFERING TODAY IS, SORRY, THE MOTION ON THE AMENDMENT WOULD JUST BE TO HAVE CITY COUNCIL APPOINT THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE.
I MEAN, I WOULD LOVE INPUT FROM OUR PANEL IF THAT'S, I SEE SOME PUZZLED LOOKS.
SO IF THERE IS DISCUSSION, I WOULD HAPPILY PLEASE ADVISE.
SORRY, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ANY REAL ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS WITH REGARD TO THAT, UH, O OTHER THAN THE ONE THAT THE RESPONSE WE GAVE, UH, UH I GAVE ORIGINALLY TO, TO MS. HUNT, UM, REGARDING THE, THIS OVERSIGHT BOARD OVERSEEING ALREADY THE INVESTIGATIVE WORK THAT WOULD'VE BEEN DONE BY, BY THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF, OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND, AND THE JURISDICTION OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL WHEN IT WAS SET UP.
SPECIFICALLY DIDN'T INCLUDE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR, UM, IT, IT, IT FOCUSED ON FRAUD, WASTE, ABUSE, ETHICS VIOLATIONS, CORRUPTION,
[03:05:02]
UH, MS. MS. HUNT.I, I AGREE IN SPIRIT WITH, WITH THE MOTION, I, I NEED MORE INFORMATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND SOME BEST PRACTICES OF POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARDS THAT WORK EFFECTIVELY, UM, AND IN OTHER CITIES.
AND I, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE VOTING FOR THIS PARTICULAR CHANGE TONIGHT.
I WOULD MOVE TO DEFER THIS ITEM TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, CARRIE ROGERS, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TO COMMISSIONER HUNT.
WE WERE HERE AT THE TIME THAT THE PROCESS WAS MADE, AND I KNOW THERE WAS A LOT OF COMPARATIVE DATA THAT WAS GATHERED AT THE TIME.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO ADD IS I BELIEVE THE CITY MANAGER HAD CIRCULATED A MEMO EARLIER, AND JUST FOR CONTEXT AND COLOR TO THE CONVERSATION, UM, THE COMMISSION IS TALKING A LOT ABOUT, UM, THE APPOINTMENT OR THE HIRING OF, UM, THE DIRECTOR WHO RUNS THAT OFFICE.
AND I THINK FROM, UM, THE CURRENT CITY MANAGER'S POSITION AT THE TIME IS HE THE, UM, POLICE CHIEF REPORTS UP TO HIM.
AND SO IF THERE WAS ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION THAT CAME OUT OF SOMETHING THAT WAS ASCERTAINED THROUGH AN INVESTIGATION OF THE POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD, THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY FALL ON HIM, UM, THROUGH THE POLICE CHIEF AND THEN THE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT SOME OF THE, UM, STRUCTURAL THINKING WAS ON WHY, UM, THE POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD AND THE POLICE OVERSIGHT OFFICE REPORTED TO THE CITY MANAGER AND NOT THE CITY COUNCIL.
IF THERE WAS CORRECTIVE ACTION NEEDED, IT WOULD BE THE CITY MANAGER WHO WOULD IMPLEMENT THAT AND BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EXECUTING IT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT MOTION.
MR. STEIN, UH, I'D LIKE FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY TO CLARIFY SOMETHING BECAUSE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT AND THE POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD.
ONE OF 'EM USED TO REPORT THE POLICE CHIEF AND THE OTHER REPORTED TO THE CITY MANAGER.
THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT REPORTS TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE DIRECTOR OF THAT OFFICE REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE CITY MANAGER OR HIS DESIGNEE.
DOES SHE HAVE, DO THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT? IS SHE THE PRESIDING, LIKE, UH, OFFICIAL OVER THE BOARD? UM, SHE'S NOT THE, UH, PRESIDING OFFICER.
THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD IS THE PRESIDING OFFICER, AND SHE IS THE EXECUTIVE STAFF, UM, SIMILAR TO THE CITY MANAGER WHO SITS ALONGSIDE THE MAYOR, WHO'S THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF CITY COUNCIL.
DO THEY REPORT TO HER? DO THE BOARD REPORT TO HER? THE BOARD DOES NOT REPORT TO HER.
UM, THAT POSITION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR, UM, THE COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD, BUT THEY DON'T REPORT TO HER.
THE MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M, THAT'S MY ARGUMENT IS THAT WE ARE RUNNING THESE BOYS TOGETHER, LIKE THEY ARE THE SAME THING AND THEY'RE NOT.
SO WHEN WE MAKE A MOTION THAT THE CITY MANAGER OR EITHER THE CITY COUNCIL APPOINTS THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT OR POLICE OVERSIGHT, IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT WHOLE, UH, ITEM GOING ON THERE.
WE'RE NOT REALLY GETTING DOWN TO WHAT MR. ALEXANDER IS TRYING TO GET TO.
WE MOVING THE SAME PERSON AROUND ON THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
I MIGHT SUGGEST THAT, UM, AND PLEASE PARDON ME IF I'M ERRANT HERE AND OUT OF MY GUARDRAILS, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THE STRUCTURE IS, UM, WOULD GET TO SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT I'VE HEARD MR. ALEXANDER EXPRESS.
IT'S MORE ABOUT THE AUTHORITIES OF THE, THE BOARD OR THE COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT OFFICE ITSELF AND NOT, UM, TO WHOM OR WHERE IT REPORTS MR. MR. MCGILL.
UH, I'D LIKE TO JUST VOICE A QUESTION TO MR. PERKINS AND HIS EXPERIENCE IF HE HAS SOME GUIDANCE FOR US.
YOU HAD THAT LOOK LIKE MISS, UH, COMMISSIONER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I I, I MEAN I, WE CAME PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT, OKAY.
I, I JUST MISREAD WE WERE GOING INTO POLICE OVERSIGHT AND I I'M GOTCHA.
I I'M JUST, ILL, ILL-EQUIPPED AT THIS POINT TO MAY HAVE ANY, SO THE LAST THANK YOU, MR. PERKINS.
THE, THE LAST CONCERN I WOULD JUST BRING UP IS, IS SOME OF
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THIS, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE GETTING INTO A TENUOUS PLACE.SO IF YOU WANT THE BOARD TO BE EFFECTIVE AND TO BE EFFECTIVE, YOU ALSO HAVE TO SET UP A, A SITUATION WHERE EVERYBODY HAS BUY-IN THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT IT'S A, A VALID BOARD.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE, THERE'S SOME CONCERN FROM OUR POLICE OFFICERS THAT IT'S THAT ON THAT SIDE OF IT, THAT THEY NEED TO IN INVOKE THEIR OWN LEGAL RIGHTS, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'RE NOT EVEN PARTICIPATING IN THE BOARD.
AND THERE'S ALL SORTS OF OTHER ISSUES THAT START RAISING UP.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S CONCERNS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S THE CHARTER AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
WAS THERE A MOTION, UH, ON THE FLOOR TO DEFER? THERE'S A MOTION TO INCLUDE ON THE FLOOR THAT HAS A SECOND ON TO NO, WE HAD A MOTION TO INCLUDE MR. CAMPBELL MADE THE MOTION.
SO MR. CAMPBELL OR MR. CAMPBELL HAS PENDING A MOTION TO INCLUDE, UNLESS HE WANTS TO WITHDRAW THAT AND MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER.
I, I THINK THE MOTION TO, WITH, WITH, SORRY TO DEFER, SUPERSEDES MY MOTION, BUT, UH, JUST FOR EASE HERE, I'LL WITHDRAW MY MOTION AND, AND THROW MY SUPPORT BEHIND MS. HUNTS.
SO MS. HUNT HAS A MOTION TO DEFER THIS AMENDMENT.
IS THAT RIGHT? IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND.
MR. YOUNG, UH, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THE MOTION, BUT I WOULD POINT OUT AN ISSUE IF WE HAVE THE COUNCIL APPOINTING THE DIRECTOR.
THEN WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WE ADDRESSED A FEW MEETINGS AGO WITH THE CITY SECRETARY AND THE CITY AUDITOR, BECAUSE THE MANAGER WILL APPOINT THE DIRECTOR'S SUBORDINATES.
SO THAT'S, UH, AN ITEM OF DETAIL THAT WOULD NEED TO BE WORKED OUT DURING THE DEFERRAL.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? AYE.
UH, GENTLEMEN, THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE AND, UH, TALKING ON THINGS YOU WEREN'T HERE TO TALK ON.
THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, APPRECI.
I HOPE I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR GREAT WORK.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO NEXT WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, AGENDA ITEM V.
AND, UH, EARLIER WE HAD, UH, CLINTON, UH, KNUCKLES, UH, TOM BERRY AND, UH, CARRIE MITCHELL, WHO KINDLY AGREED TO WAIT A LITTLE BIT TO TALK TO US.
SO I'LL ASK YOU TO COME DOWN AND TALK ON THIS, WHICH IS TO BROADEN, TO BROADEN THE CITY'S NOTIFICATION PROCESS TO INCLUDE OTHER MEDIA OPTIONS IN ADDITION TO NEWSPAPER PUBLICATION IN CHAPTERS THREE, SECTION 19, CHAPTER FOUR, SECTION 13, A AND B, AND A FEW OTHER SECTIONS.
UH, I'M A STUDENT AT SMU DUDMAN SCHOOL OF LAW.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT CLINIC.
I'M HERE WITH TOM LEATHERBERRY, THE DIRECTOR OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT CLINIC AT SMU AND KERRY MITCHELL, THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DALLAS FREE PRESS.
UH, THE NOTICE REQUIRED BY STATE LAW HAS BECOME LESS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE OF THE DECLINE IN NEWSPAPER READERSHIP AND THE EXISTENCE OF PAYWALLS.
MANY DALLAS RESIDENTS ARE LEFT OUT OF THE CIVIC PROCESS PROCESSES BECAUSE PUBLIC NOTICES AREN'T REACHING THEM IN A TIMELY AND INCLUSIVE MANNER.
IN AN EFFORT TO BETTER REACH THE TARGET AUDIENCE AND PROVIDE A MORE EQUITABLE NOTICE METHOD, WE HAVE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS WHICH REVISE THE LANGUAGE IN THE CHARTER OF HOW NOTICE IS TO BE PROVIDED.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED SEVEN SECTIONS IN THE CHARTER, WHICH CURRENTLY ONLY REQUIRE THAT NOTICE BE PROVIDED IN A NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION, WHICH IS THE STATE MINIMUM.
WE BELIEVE THAT A CHANGE TO THESE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS IS A NECESSARY UPDATE FOR THE REASONS I HAVE STATED.
AS COMMISSIONER MILLS MENTIONED AT THE PREVIOUS CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION MEETING, THERE'S A NEED TO PROVIDE NOTICE IN BOTH PRINT AND DIGITAL MEDIA.
AND IN DEVELOPING THESE PROPOSALS, WE HAVE MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE CITY'S COMMUNICATIONS, OUTREACH AND MARKETING DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS MEMBERS FROM THE CITY'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WITH CONSTANTLY CHANGING TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL PREFERENCES.
WE UNDERSTAND THEIR NEED FOR FLEXIBILITY, AND WE BELIEVE THE LANGUAGE THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED ACCOMPLISHES THIS RATHER THAN MANDATE PUBLICATION ON ADDITIONAL SPECIFIC MEDIA AND ONLY IN CERTAIN LANGUAGES.
THE AMENDMENTS WE HAVE PROPOSED ALLOWS FOR GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN COMMUNICATING WITH THE TARGET AUDIENCE AND IS NOT BOUND TO ANY PARTICULAR COMMUNICATIONS METHOD OR TECHNOLOGY.
WE BELIEVE THIS WILL ALLOW THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO USE THE TOOLS IT HAS AT ITS DISPOSAL TO PROVIDE NOTICE IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE MANNER BASED ON THE TARGET AUDIENCE.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROPOSAL WOULD ALLOW NOTICE REQUIREMENTS TO EVOLVE AS THE CITY'S COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT'S POLICIES EVOLVE AND AVOID THE NEED TO AMEND THE CHARTER TO ACCOUNT FOR CHANGING TECHNOLOGY.
THIS CHANGE WOULD BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS BY EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF METHODS BY WHICH
[03:15:01]
RELEVANT COMMUNITIES CAN BE REACHED AND IN TURN WOULD LIKELY INCREASE TO ACCESS TO AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE RELEVANT INFORMATION AS WELL AS INCREASING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.THIS WOULD ALSO BENEFIT THE CITY CHARTER AS IT PROVIDES MORE TRANSPARENCY AND BUILDS TRUST THAT THE CITY'S KEEPING CITIZENS INFORMED OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE MANNER.
THANKS FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
UH, I LIVE AT 7 0 0 7 LA VISTA DRIVE, AND I AM, AS CLINT SAID, THE FOUNDER OF A PUBLICATION CALLED DALLAS FREE PRESS.
I'M SO APPRECIATIVE OF MY COLLEAGUES AT THE SMU FIRST AMENDMENT CLINIC AND THEIR HARD WORK ON THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT.
I'M ALSO APPRECIATIVE OF THE TIME AND INTENTIONALITY GIVEN TO THIS BY JENNIFER BROWN IN THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND BY THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
IT TRULY HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK ON THIS AMENDMENT WITH THE CITY.
AND AS AN 18 YEAR VETERAN JOURNALIST IN DALLAS, I HAVE TO HONESTLY SAY THAT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE.
I SINCERELY BELIEVE THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THESE HALLS AND MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE APPOINTED AND ELECTED TO SIT BEHIND THAT DAIS WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE CITY AND THE WELLBEING OF ITS PEOPLE.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE PEOPLE SITTING IN THE SEATS OF THESE OFFICES IN THE SEATS BEHIND THAT DAIS ARE CONSTANTLY IN FLUX.
THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS GIVES US PLENTY OF EVIDENCE.
LIKEWISE, THE JOURNALISM INDUSTRY IS IN FLUX, ESPECIALLY THE QUESTION OF HOW LOCAL JOURNALISM FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD WILL BE SUSTAINABLE.
SOME OF THE BEST MINDS IN THE NATION HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR YEARS TO ADDRESS THIS QUESTION AND STILL DON'T HAVE SOLID ANSWERS.
WHAT IS STABLE AND FOUNDATIONAL, HOWEVER, IS OUR CITY CHARTER, NO MATTER WHO IS SITTING IN THE SEATS AT HI CITY HALL OR HOW LOCAL JOURNALISM SHIFTS, THE CHARTER CAN CONTINUE TO GIVE DIRECTION ON HOW CIVIC INFORMATION SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED BY THE CITY TO THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS.
THE WORDING WE ARE PRESENTING GIVES FLEXIBILITY AS INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY CONTINUE TO SHIFT, BUT PROTECTS THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS BY ENSURING THAT NO MATTER THE SHIFTS IN THE NEWS ECOSYSTEM OR THE CHANGES IN THE SEATS AT CITY HALL, PEOPLE WILL RECEIVE INFORMATION THEY NEED AND DESERVE AND EQUITABLE ACCESSIBLE AND INTENTIONAL FORMATS.
MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS AMENDMENT, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I'M SORRY TO BE ONE OF THE LAST THINGS TO STAND BETWEEN YOU AND ADJOURNMENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENDURANCE AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 13 AND I'M, UH, AN ATTORNEY IN PRACTICE.
I'VE BEEN THE DIRECTOR OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT CLINIC AT SMU LAW SCHOOL SINCE 2020.
UM, THE AMENDMENTS IN, UH, REFERENCED IN PROPOSAL V ARE 1 10, 1 18, 1 19, AND ONE 20.
BUT WE TOOK THE LANGUAGE, UH, FROM THOSE AMENDMENTS AND IN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CAME UP WITH SUBSTITUTE LANGUAGE THAT I BELIEVE HAS BEEN FURNISHED, UH, TO, TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
UM, AND IT IN SUMMARY, IT, IT REQUIRES THE CITY CHARTER TO KEEP THE CURRENT, UH, REQUIREMENT OF STATE LAW PUBLISHING IN A NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION.
IT ADDS FLEXIBILITY TO, UH, UH, REQUIRE PUBLICATION IN DIGITAL AND OTHER PRINT FORMATS ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S COMMUNICATION PLANS AND ACCORDING TO THE LANGUAGE ACCESS PLANS THAT THE CITY COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, UH, DEVELOPS, I THINK IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY.
I THINK WE ALL SHARE THE SAME GOALS, UH, IN ADVOCATING FOR THESE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
UH, AND IT'S A WIN-WIN BECAUSE IT MAXIMIZES THE NUMBER OF DALLAS RESIDENTS THAT RECEIVE NOTICE OF VARIOUS PROPOSED CITY ACTIONS.
IT MAXIMIZES THE INPUT THAT CITY DECISION MAKERS WILL RECEIVE ABOUT PROPOSED CITY ACTIONS.
IT UPDATES THE PUBLIC NOTICE PROVISIONS BECAUSE OF DRAMATIC CHANGES IN THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE AND HOW DALLAS RESIDENTS RECEIVE THEIR NEWS ABOUT CITY BUSINESS.
IT CONTINUES TO COMPLY WITH ALL STATE LAWS REQUIRING PUBLICATION OF, OF NOTICE, AND IT PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY TO CITY STAFF TO UPDATE THEIR COMMUNICATIONS POLICIES WITHOUT NEEDING TO CONTINUALLY CHANGE THE CHARTER.
SO WE BELIEVE THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ACCOMPLISH ALL THESE GOALS AND PROVIDE THE COMMISSION WITH A SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE SELLING POINT FOR THESE PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENTS BY INCREASING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
UH, MEMBERS WITH REGARDS TO AMENDMENTS 1 10, 1 18, 1 19 AND ONE 20, CAN I GET A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO INCLUDE SECOND, SECOND
[03:20:02]
DISCUSSION.UM, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND THANKS STAFF.
UH, I, AT THE LAST MEETING THAT WE DISCUSSED THIS, I ASKED FOR LANGUAGE THAT WOULD ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH WITHOUT ACTUALLY PUTTING THAT, UH, IN THE CHARTER.
AND I THINK WE CAME TO A GOOD PLACE WITH WHAT WAS WRITTEN.
UH, I KNOW HE'S NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TONIGHT, BUT I WANT TO CONGRATULATE AND THANK COMMISSIONER MILLS FOR HIS WORK ON THIS.
UH, AND LASTLY, I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT, UH, BY MY, UH, MY TRACKING OF AMENDMENTS, I THINK MS. PAULA HUTCHINSON, WHO WAS A CO-AUTHOR OF THIS AMENDMENT, WILL BE THE FIRST DALLAS RESIDENT WHO LIVES SOUTH OF I 30 TO GET AN AMENDMENT PASSED AT THIS BODY, AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE HER ON THAT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION MR. CAMPBELL? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ECHO, UH, COMMISSIONER DE LA FUENTES COMMENTS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS, THIS IS FANTASTIC.
UH, SPECIFICALLY THE, THE LAW CLINIC.
I I'M KIND OF JEALOUS I DIDN'T GET THAT EXPERIENCE WHENEVER I WAS IN LAW SCHOOL.
SO GOOD JOB AND THANK YOU FOR DOING ALL, ALL THIS HARD WORK AND FOR STICKING WITH US THIS LATE TONIGHT.
MR. SLIS, JUST VERY QUICKLY, SIR, I DON'T KNOW YOU, BUT IT'S, THANK YOU FOR BEING INVOLVED.
I DO KNOW CARRIE AND TOM AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS CITY AND OBVIOUSLY FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? AYE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ACCOMMODATING US AND STAYING LATE AND, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND YOUR HARD WORK ON THESE AMENDMENTS AS WELL, UH, MEMBERS.
SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S, IT'S LATE AND AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, I'D BEEN ASKED FOR A, A MOTION TO TABLE THE OTHER AMENDMENTS THAT WE HAVE, UH, PENDING, UH, TONIGHT FOR A, A FUTURE MEETING.
WHEN STAFF AND I MET BACK IN AUGUST, WE TRIED TO BUILD OUT A CALENDAR THAT WOULD GIVE US TIME IF WE NEEDED TO ADD A MEETING.
AND I HOPE WE DON'T, BUT I GUESS WE'LL KNOW MORE AFTER OUR NEXT MEETING.
BUT WE BUILT OUT TIME WHERE WE'D HAVE, UM, WHAT WE NEEDED TO ADD A MEETING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL HAS TO HAVE THIS IN ORDER TO MEET THE DEADLINES THEY GOT FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.
SO, UM, WITH THAT SAID, CAN I GET A MOTION TO TABLE THE REMAINING AMENDMENTS UNTIL A LATER DATE? I, I HAVE A POINT OF INFORMATION ACTUALLY, OR MAYBE A QUESTION, UM, AT, AT THIS POINT, WOULD IT BE WISE TO LOOK INTO ADDING ANOTHER MEETING IN MARCH? UM, BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE NEED TO BE DONE BY APRIL 2ND, CORRECT? WE, WE CAN BE DONE AFTER APRIL 2ND.
THAT WAS OUR INTERNAL GOAL TO GET IT DONE.
AND IF WE COULDN'T, THEN WE HAD A FAIL SAFE TO GIVE US MORE TIME.
BUT AGAIN, I HOPE WE CAN BE DONE WITHOUT ANOTHER MEETING.
MR. CAMPBELL, BEFORE, I'LL HAPPILY MAKE THAT MOTION TO TABLE, BUT BEFORE I DO MAKE THAT MOTION TO TABLE REPRESENTATIVE, AN IN HIS, IN HIS CLOSING REMARKS, UH, REFERENCED, UH, A PLAN FOR ME TO MAKE THIS MOTION TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE NEXT AGENDA AS MR. STEIN DID AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
AND IF THE CHAIR ALLOWS IT, I'D LIKE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, RECOGNIZE, UH, I MOVE TO PLACE THE FOLLOWING ITEM ON THE MARCH 26TH CHARTER REVIEW AGENDA.
THAT ITEM IS CONSIDERATION OF AMENDING SECTION FIVE, CHAPTER, UH, FOUR OF THE CITY CHARTER, ADDING ELIG, ADDING ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SERVING ON THE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.
Y'ALL REMEMBER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN I WAS SICK, UH, AND I DIALED IN, I WAS HERE VIRTUALLY, I MADE A MOTION THAT WAS VERY POORLY WORDED IN RELATION TO CIVIL SERVICE AND IT'S KEPT ME UP SEVERAL NIGHTS.
I'D LIKE TO REVISIT THAT I'M, I'M WORKING WITH THE ATTORNEYS AND WITH THE UM, UH, PERSON WHO SUBMITTED THAT AMENDMENT TO TRY TO GET THAT RIGHT.
UH, SO IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF, IF, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO PLACE AMENDMENT 15 RELATED TO POSITIONS EXEMPT FROM CIVIL SERVICE ON THE MARCH 26TH CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION AGENDA SO THE COMMISSION CAN CONSIDER ALTERNATE CHARTER WORDING FOR THE ITEM.
IS IT, ARE YOU, IS CITY CLEAR ON WHAT THAT IS? OKAY, WELL, PARDON ME.
NOW CAN I GET A MOTION TO, UH, TABLE THE OTHER AMENDMENTS OF MS. POLICE? OH, OKAY, SECOND.
DISCUSSION MR. YOUNG? UH, YES, I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION, BUT I THINK WE OUGHT TO HAVE NO ALLUSIONS THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE
[03:25:01]
TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL MEETING.YES, WE WERE SCHEDULED ON MARCH 26TH TO REVIEW THE CONSOLIDATED DRAFT OF ALL OF OUR WORK.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT ON THAT DATE AND CONSIDER ALL THE VARIOUS AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE, WHICH IN TURN WILL LEAD TO MORE DRAFTSMANSHIP THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE REVIEWED AT A LATER DATE.
SO IF WE HAVE A MEETING ON MARCH 26TH, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THAT BE DEVOTED TO SUBSTANTIVE CHARTER AMENDMENTS AND THAT THE REVIEW OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S DRAFT OCCUR AT A LATER MEETING, UM, WITH A FINAL OPPORTUNITY AFTER THAT TO, UH, TO MAKE OUR FINAL UP OR DOWN VOTE.
AND JUST AS AN ITEM OF PERSONAL INFORMATION, I HAVE A 6:15 AM FLIGHT TO SAN ANTONIO ON THE 27TH.
SO I HOPE EVERYBODY WILL BE BRIEF ON THE 26TH STEPS.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? AYE.
UH, OUR NEXT, UH, MEETING IS ON MARCH 26TH AT 6:30 PM UH, AND WE'LL SEE YOU ALL THEN FOR THOSE OF YOU GETTING UP EARLY TOMORROW FOR ELECTION DAY, GOOD LUCK TO YOU.
AND THE TIME OF THIS MEETING ENDED IS 9:57 PM HEY, GREG.