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THE TIME IS 1:04 PM AND I NOW CALL TO ORDER THE MARCH 26TH, 2024,
[Transportation and Infrastructure on March 26, 2024.]
CITY OF DALLAS TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING.THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
ALL THOSE, I MEAN, UM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES? ANY DISCUSSION, ANY DISCUSSION AND DISCUSSION? SEEING THAT THERE'S NO DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE SIGNIFY.
UM, OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS COLLEAGUES IS THE BOARD INTERVIEWS FOR DART APPOINTEE CANDIDATES.
UM, WE HAVE ONE CANDIDATE TO REPLACE A CASUAL VACANCY THAT CAME ON, UM, THE BOARD ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
UM, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE GET SOMEBODY IN THERE AS QUICKLY WE, WE POSSIBLY CAN.
SO THIS DID MOVE AT, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY LIGHTNING SPEED FOR CITY OF DALLAS TO GET NOMINATIONS AND, UM, GET US TO THIS, THIS MOMENT.
UM, IF THIS IS A MOVE FORWARD, UM, THE, THE NOMINEE THAT WE HAVE TODAY, UM, AGAIN, THERE'S ONLY ONE NOMINEE, AND IF THIS MOVES FORWARD, UM, WE WILL BE VOTING ON THIS AT THE, UM, 27TH, WHATEVER THE NEXT AGENDA MEETING IS.
I BELIEVE IT'S ON THE 27TH AT THAT DAY.
AND IF APPROVED, UM, THIS NOMINEE WOULD THEN BECOME A BOARD MEMBER THAT DAY.
UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, I'D LIKE TO BRING FORWARD MR. RANDALL BRYANT, WHO WAS NOMINATED BY OUR VICE CHAIR, MR. ZAIN GRACIE, UM, TO COME FORWARD.
THERE MAY HAVE BEEN OTHERS THAT CO NOMINATED, I'M NOT SURE.
BUT, UM, MR. GRACIE, YOU ARE THE LEAD NOMINATOR.
SO HOW WE WILL DO THIS, COLLEAGUES IS WE'LL START WITH OUR VICE CHAIR, AND THEN WE'LL JUST GO FROM THE END AND GO THIS WAY TO THE LEFT.
UM, EVERYBODY WHO'S ON THE COMMITTEE FIRST, AND THEN AFTER THAT, IF THERE'S ANY OUTSIDE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, IF THEY'D LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS, THEN THEY'LL ASK YOU QUESTIONS.
COLLEAGUES, IF WE CAN PLEASE KEEP YOUR QUESTIONS TO, UM, FIVE MINUTES OR LESS IF POSSIBLE.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET MORE TIME.
UM, WE JUST WANNA MAKE THIS MOVE AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS WE CAN.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF MEMOS, UM, THAT ARE BRIEFING BY MEMO, BUT DID KEEP THIS PORTION, UM, OPEN, UM, JUST FOR THIS PORTION.
SO KIND OF KEPT THE REST OF THE MEETING, UM, TIGHT IN ORDER TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO REALLY GET TO KNOW OUR NOMINEE FOR, UM, DART BOARD.
SO WITH THAT, UH, MR. VICE CHAIR, YOU'LL HAVE THE FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL GO DOWN TO MR. ATKINS AND GO TO THE LEFT.
UM, AND THANK YOU MR. BRYANT FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THIS.
AND, AND, AND I'LL JUST SAY THIS, UH, QUICKLY, UH, WITH MR. BRYANT, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOMINATE HIM.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF HE REMEMBERED THIS, BUT I NOMINATED HIM YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS ON STAFF TO THE DALLAS ISD, UH, MWBE ADVISORY BOARD.
UM, AGAIN, I NOM NOMINATED HIM TO THEN LEAD THE CHAIR, BECOME THE CHAIR FOR THE DALLAS BLACK CHAMBER.
UH, AND NOW I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOMINATE HIM TO BE ON THE DART BOARD.
UH, AND IN EACH ONE OF THOSE, HE NOT ONLY CAME IN AND PARTICIPATED, BUT HE CAME IN, STEPPED IN AND PROVIDED LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE.
UH, AND MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN HIM IN, IN ACTION AND HAS SEEN SOME OF THE WORK THAT HE DOES LOVE IT OR HATE IT.
HE MOVES THINGS, HE MOVES PEOPLE, AND HE BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER.
SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR, UH, MY NOMINATING HIM.
SO WITH THAT SAID, VERY BASIC QUESTION, WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE GOING ON, WHY DART? THANK YOU FOR, UM, THE QUESTION.
VICE CHAIR GRACIE, AND, UH, THANK YOU CHAIRMAN OMAR NORVAL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND TO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE.
UM, LEMME FIRST AND FOREMOST STATE.
UM, I'M A, I'M A NATIVE DALLAS SITE.
I GREW UP IN COUNCILWOMAN STEWART'S, UH, DISTRICT IN HAMILTON PARK.
UH, FOR MANY YEARS I LIVED IN OAK CLIFF IN COUNCILMAN GRACIE'S DISTRICT.
UH, AND NOW I'M A RESIDENT OF DOWNTOWN.
AND SO, UH, THIS SPEAKS TO NOT ONLY THE BROAD DIVERSE, UM, COALITION OF MEMBERS THAT NOMINATED AND CO NOMINATED ME, UM, BUT MY BROAD PERSPECTIVE OF OUR CITY, AND I LOVE OUR CITY.
UM, I'VE SERVED, UM, OUR CITY IN MANY CAPACITIES OVER THE PAST 13 YEARS.
I WAS THE FIRST APPOINTED, UM, TO THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK TRUST FUND BOARD AT THE AGE OF 23.
I'VE SERVING A TOTAL OF FOUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, FROM THEN TO NOW, MOST RECENTLY, THE VICE CHAIR OF THE BOND TASK FORCE.
UM, TO SUM UP MYSELF IN ONE WORD, I WOULD SAY, UM, SERVICE, UM, SERVICE IS NEAR AND DEAR TO ME.
UM, I EVEN ALSO, AS COUNCILMAN GRACIE HAS STATED, UM, CHAIRED A COMMITTEE FOR DALLAS, ISD.
AND I CURRENTLY SIT ON A, ON, ON A DALLAS COUNTY BOARD PRETTY MUCH AT THIS POINT.
IF YOU PAY TAXES IN THIS CITY, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, I'VE SERVED ON THE BOARD THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTS THOSE TAXES.
AND SO, UM, SERVICE IS NEAR AND DEAR TO ME.
UM, AND I TIRELESSLY PUT THOSE EFFORTS INTO EVERYTHING THAT I DO, UH, WHETHER THAT'S LEADING AN EFFORT, UM, UM,
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FOLLOWING AND OTHER PEOPLE'S PATHWAYS, UH, AS YOU KNOW, UH, JUST A MEMBER AND ENSURING THAT THE WORK OF, UM, THE TASK FORCE OR COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER WE'RE SERVING AND GETS DONE FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.UM, JUST SO COLLEAGUES, Y'ALL HAVE THE ORDER, UM, FROM HERE IT'LL GO ATKINS, RESENDEZ SCHULTZ, STEWART MENDELSOHN, AND THEN IF OUTSIDE, UM, NON COMMITTEE MEMBERS WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS, IT WOULD BE WES BEDU AND BLACKMAN IF Y'ALL WANT TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
AND THEN IF EVERY ANYBODY NEEDS A SECOND ROUND, JUST SIGNIFY SO I CAN CALL ON YOU.
UM, WITH THAT, WE HAVE, UH, MR. ATKINS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, MR. BRYAN FOR SERVING.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE A APPOINT YOU TO MANY BOARD, UM, MATTER OF FACT, AND KIND OF TELLING MY AGE, YOU WERE LIKE A LITTLE PUP
YOU KNOW, UH, I REMEMBER THE FIRST BOY I POINT, IT WAS A BUN BOY, YOU KNOW, AND AT, AT THE EARLY TWENTIES, DARREN, AND, AND ALSO HE WAS ON MY BOND BOARD AGAIN, YOU KNOW, UM, I I, THIS MAN, IF YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW HIM, I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST POINTED TO THE FIRST BOARD, AND HE WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST WORKERS, UH, DURING THE BOND COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, AND, AND HE DID.
HE IS A PERSON THAT DO HIS HOMEWORK.
UH, UH, YOU MIGHT AGREE WITH HIM.
YOU MIGHT HAVE DISAGREED WITH HIM.
HE A PERSON FEEL LIKE IF HE RIGHT, HE GONNA FIGHT HIS RIGHT.
UH, HE WILL COMPROMISE WITH YOU.
BUT HE ALSO, HE BELIEVES WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I ALWAYS HAD READ HIS AD HOC PEOPLE IN THE NEWSPAPER, EVEN THOUGH HE GOING TO STATE HIS OPINION.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, HE GOING TO STATE.
AND I THINK, ALL RIGHT, I THINK I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS BEST FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, UM, ALSO WITH THE PAST MONTH PACKAGE, YOU, YOU WERE MY POINTY DURHAM, UH, THE STATEMENT THAT YOU MADE, I READ THE NEWSPAPER, BUT I, I BELIEVE THAT AT THE DART THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU'RE GONNA DO, I THINK YOU'LL BE THE BEST OF DART.
WE DO NEED SOMEONE WHO AT DART, WHO IS GONNA FIGHT FOR THE CITY DOLLARS, WHO GONNA FIGHT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY THAT TAKEN CARE.
I DO UNDERSTAND THE REGION, BUT WE DO NEED SOMEBODY TO FIGHT FOR THE SOUTHERN PART OF DALLAS, ESPECIALLY THE SOUTHERN PART OF DALLAS, UH, WITH, UH, UH, BUSES.
BUT, UH, THE QUESTION I WANT TO ASK YOU IS, UM, THAT YOU DO UNDERSTAND THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH, UH, BUT BUSES IS MY MAIN CONCERN, UH, THE RIGHT FOR, FOR TRANSPORTATION.
IF YOU, YOU LOOK IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CAR, YOU REALLY IN TROUBLE.
YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T GET TO THE SCHOOLS, YOU CAN'T GET TO TO HOSPITALS.
YOU CAN'T DO GET ANYTHING IF YOU IN SOME POINT OF DALLAS.
SO WHAT WOULD BE YOUR MINDSET IN BUS SERVICE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF DALLAS? THANK YOU FOR THE, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE ACCOLADES.
UM, UM, WE GO BACK A LONG WAYS AS FAR AS COUNCIL AND AND, AND CITIZEN RELATIONSHIP AND, AND BOARD APPOINTMENTS.
AND I THANK YOU FOR ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU'VE GIVEN ME OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS OR YEARS.
UM, SO BUS SERVICES, IN MY OPINION, WE SAW THE REORG A COUPLE YEARS BACK.
UM, IT, IT, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WAS, WAS LACK.
IT WAS DURING THE COVID YEARS.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS TO, UH, A DETRIMENT, I THINK TO THE, THE IMPLEMENTATION, THE IMPACT.
UM, NORTH AND SOUTH, WE'VE, WE'VE FIGURED THAT OUT.
WE FIGURED THAT OUT, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO AS FAR AS THE CITY OF DALLAS.
BUT EAST TO WEST HAS ALWAYS BEEN, UM, THE, THE, THE, THE HARDEST THING TO FIGURE OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO, UM, EVEN WHEN I ACTUALLY LIVED IN OAK CLIFF AND COUNCILMAN GRACIE'S DISTRICT, I WAS DARK DEPENDENT AT THE TIME.
UM, AND THANK GOD I DID NOT HAVE TO GO EAST TO WEST.
I ONLY HAD TO GO DOWNTOWN TO WORK.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO KIND OF GO SOUTH WITH THE RED AND, AND THE BLUE LINES, BUT WE NEVER FIGURED OUT THE CONNECTIVITY.
UM, WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO GO THROUGH, WHAT, SEVEN CITIES, 26 MILES FROM EAST TO WEST THROUGH THREE RAILS FROM PLANO TO DFW, BUT HAVE NEVER FIGURED OUT HOW TO MOVE EAST OAK CLIFF TO WEST OAK CLIFF IN ONE CITY.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT 70 SOME ODD PERCENT OF DARTS, RIDER SHIPS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS ARE BUS, ARE SOLELY BUS RIDERS AND A LITTLE BIT HIGHER FOR DART RAIL LINES.
I MEAN, THEY'RE THE MOST, UH, NEEDED SERVICES FOR CITY OF DALLAS RESIDENTS IN PARTICULAR.
UM, THE SUBURBS KIND OF DEPEND ON THE GO LINKS AND, AND WHERE THE TRANSPORTATION DESERTS ARE.
AND SO ENSURING THE CONNECTIVITY, UM, THROUGH THE REORG, AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A VERY IMPORTANT MEETING TONIGHT THAT'S HAPPENING, UH, WHERE, UH, THE DART WILL TAKE UP, YOU KNOW, NOT INCREASING SERVICE MORE THAN 5% OR NOT, UH, THAT'S GOING TO SEVERELY IMPACT WHAT WE DO OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS AT DART.
UM, SO AS THE CHAIRMAN STATED EARLIER, GETTING THIS SEAT FIELD QUICKLY, UM, TO ENSURE THAT OUR REPRESENTATION HOLDS STRONG AT DARTS.
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CHAIR.UM, NEXT WE HAVE MR. RESENDEZ.
AND, UM, AND THANK YOU MR. BRIAN FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE ON, ON THIS BOARD.
I THINK IT'S, UM, INCREDIBLE TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND WILLING TO SERVE, CONTINUE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU.
I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW HOW YOU WOULD WORK TO BALANCE THE NEEDS OF DIFFERENT STAKE STAKEHOLDERS, UM, SUCH AS COMMUTERS, BUSINESSES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES AND, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND DECISION MAKING PROCESSES, UH, RELATED TO TRANSIT.
UM, LUCKILY MY BACKGROUND LENDS A LOT TO THAT EXPERIENCE.
UM, NOT ONLY EXPERIENCE WORKING, BUT THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE NUANCES IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES.
UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME IM COMMUNITIES ARE IMPACTED BY, UM, UH, LANGUAGE BARRIERS.
SOME IN COMMUNITIES ARE IMPACTED BY, UM, UH, BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THINGS ONLINE.
SO UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENT NUANCES, WHAT MOVES DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
I'VE DONE THAT WORK HERE, UH, IN OUR CITY FOR 15 YEARS.
UM, AND ENSURING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE THROW AROUND THIS WORD EQUITY A LOT, UH, AND, AND, AND WE, YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE USED IN A MINORITY CONTRACTING SPACE.
UH, IT CAN BE USED IN VARIOUS SPACES, BUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT TRUE EQUITY IS AND, UH, FOR THE LEAST OF THESE THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED, UH, ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE A, HAVE A VOICE AT THE TABLE.
UH, THAT'S JUST THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE HERE IN OUR CITY FOR 15 YEARS.
UH, THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
NOW WE HAVE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
AND THANK YOU, MR. BRIAN AND MY COLLEAGUES, ACTUALLY, ESPECIALLY MR. ATKINS SAID THE POINTS THAT I WOULD, UH, SUPPORT AS WELL AS ASK THE QUESTION.
BUT I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE DART BOARD ITSELF AND WHAT YOU SEE YOUR ROLE AS THE DALLAS REPRESENTATIVE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE EVER-CHANGING DYNAMICS OF US, UH, AS A CITY, UM, BEING SORT OF DILUTED FROM A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE.
SO I'D LET, THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE, SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR YOURS.
WELL, UM, I CAN JUST SAY THIS.
I HAD A, UH, I, LET'S CALL IT THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE LAST STAR BOARD MEMBER AS, AS A VISITOR, UM, FOR ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF HOURS.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE, THE POWER DYNAMICS, UM, THAT ARE, THAT, THAT ARE CURRENTLY AT DART.
UM, AND ALTHOUGH WE HAVE EIGHT OF THE 15 MEMBERS, I THINK FROM SPEAKING TO CURRENT DART BOARD MEMBERS, UM, THE STAFF AND SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS, I THINK THE, THE NUMBER ONE THING WE DON'T HAVE IS A, IS A AGREED UPON VISION AND A STRATEGIC PLAN TO GET US TO THAT VISION.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ISOLATED PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING ACROSS OUR CITY, UM, THAT SOME ARE IN FAVOR OF, SOME ARE NOT IN FULL SUPPORT OF.
AND SO WHEN YOU DON'T SEND THAT MANDATE TO THE DART BOARD MEMBERS, UM, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, BALANCING SHIFTS OF LONG-TERM MEMBERS, WE, WE KNOW WE DO A LOT OF CHANGE OVER HERE, EVEN WITH OUR DARTBOARD MEMBERS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
YOU HAVE SOME SUBURBS THAT HAVE DARTBOARD MEMBERS, HAS BEEN THERE 20 YEARS.
UM, AND SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, NO MATTER HOW, UM, OVERTLY EXCITED WE ARE TO GO MAKE CHANGE, UH, THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE OFTENTIMES IMPACTS THE DECISIONS AND THE INFLUENCE THAT THAT INDIVIDUALS HAVE OVER OTHER DART BOARD MEMBERS, EVEN THOSE THAT ARE FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND SO, AGAIN, UM, UTILIZING, WHEREAS, UM, CHAIRMAN GRACE, VICE CHAIRMAN GRACIE BROUGHT UP, UM, WHEN I CHAIRED THE DALLAS IS DALLAS ISDS, MWBE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THAT'S A HARD, I ONE TO SAY IT'S A LOT OF LETTERS, RIGHT? FOR ALMOST EIGHT YEARS PRIOR TO THAT, THERE WAS NEVER A PLAN OF ACTION OR ANY GOALS OR METRICS OR ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON POLICIES, UH, FROM THAT COMMITTEE TO THE TRUSTEES IN ALMOST EIGHT YEARS.
UM, AND THE FROM MINUTE ONE THAT I GOT ON THAT COMMITTEE, I WAS NAMED CHAIR, AND WITHIN ONE YEAR WE GAVE A 20 PAGE, UM, DOCUMENT TO DALLAS, ISD ON THOSE, THOSE THINGS MENTIONED.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF SKILL SETS AND QUALITIES THAT I BRING IN ENSURING THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, NUMBER ONE, WE CREATE A PLAN THAT'S THAT'S REPRESENTATIVE, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENTIRE CITY, UM, AND, AND HOLD EVERYONE TO THE, TO THE LINE ON, ON WHATEVER THAT PLAN IS, WHETHER I AGREE UPON IT OR DON'T, OR DON'T AGREE UPON IT.
WELL, I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR LEADERSHIP WILL BE A HUGE BOON, I THINK, TO OUR, OUR TEAM FROM DALLAS THE EIGHTH.
COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ, NOW WE HAVE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
UH, MR. BRYANT, WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING A FEW MONTHS BACK, AND I THINK WE JUST STARTED TALKING AND THEN LIKE 45 MINUTES LATER, I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS, I'VE MONOPOLIZED YOUR TIME.
UM, SO I, UM, AND I THINK THINGS I'VE LEARNED HERE AND JUST OTHER, OTHER AVENUES I HAVE, UM, I AM VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE,
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YOUR WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AT YOUR YOUNG AGE, AND I THINK, UM, YOU BRING A LOT TO THIS, TO THIS POSITION.SO, UM, MY QUESTION WOULD BE, UM, YOU'VE TOUCHED ON A FEW ITEMS ABOUT VISION OR THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN AT DART.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO, TO, UH, ANSWER OR DISCUSS? UM, SO FAR THIS AFTERNOON? UM, I THINK JUST MAYBE ONE PROJECT IN IN PARTICULAR, UM, I KIND OF STARTED WITH IT EARLIER, UM, BUT ENSURING WE FIGURE OUT EAST TO WEST CONNECTION IN OAK CLIFF.
UM, AND, AND IT'S, IT'S A, IT IS VERY SIMPLE ACTUALLY TO SOLVE IT.
I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE OF WAYS WE CAN GO ABOUT IT.
BUT IF, IF THE RED, IF THE BLUE LINE ENDS AT CAMP WISDOM AND THE RED LINE ENDS AT WESTMORELAND AND THE TRACKS ARE ALREADY THERE THAT EXTEND WELL BEYOND OUR CITY LIMITS, BEYOND CAMP WISDOM INTO DUNCANVILLE, WE JUST NEED THE OVERHEAD POWER LINES.
THAT'S, THAT'S NUMBER ONE YOUR STARTING POINT.
AND NOW YOU HAVE EAST TO WEST CONNECTION, AVAILABILITY, STRAIGHT DOWN CAMP WISDOM WITH THE RED BIRD AREA, WITH THE RED BIRD, UM, DEVELOPMENT COMING BACK, UM, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF A TROLLEY SYSTEM, I THINK WE TALKED, OR THE, THE, THE STREETCAR SYSTEM, UH, ENSURING THAT THE CITY HAS A MASTER PLAN FOR STREET, UH, STREET CARS IN OUR CITY.
UM, BUT INCLUDING THAT ONE AS WELL.
UM, STRAIGHT DOWN CAMP WISDOM, OR A DEDICATED CARVEOUT LANE TO MOVE PEOPLE EXPEDITIOUSLY FROM THE RED LINE IF EXTENDED DOWN TO CAMP WISDOM.
AND THAT WOULD ALSO CREATE A PARK AND RIDE, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN MOUNTAIN CREEK TO JOIN AT THE CAMP WISDOM AND COME STRAIGHT INTO TOWN, WHICH IS ONE OF THE, I MEAN, DISTRICT THREE THROUGH TWO CENSUSES I'VE STUDIED IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING AREAS AS WELL, UH, IN OUR CITY.
YOU'VE GOT A VERY SPECIFIC IDEA, SPECIFIC PLAN.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
I THINK YOU'RE GONNA DO A FABULOUS JOB.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE I HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR YOU, OTHER THAN I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU THIS PIECE OF ADVICE, WHICH IS YOU NEED TO FIGHT FOR DALLAS.
AND I THINK THAT WE ARE SEEING OUR, UM, DALLAS APPOINTEES AREN'T WILLING TO STAND UP TO SOME OF THE SUBURBS AS MUCH AS THEY SHOULD.
AND JUST 'CAUSE YOU'RE THE NEWEST PERSON DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE NOT THE RIGHT PERSON TO DO THAT.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE OUTSIDE FOLKS.
I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, I DON'T SEE MR. WEST ON, I JUST SEE HIS, UM, CAMERAS THERE, BUT HE'S NOT ON RIGHT NOW.
UH, MR. BAZEL DUA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, EN ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, WILLINGNESS, UM, TO SERVE IN, IN MANY CAPACITIES FOR OUR CITY.
UM, I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THE POINTS THAT I REALLY WANTED TO HONE IN ON HAVE, UH, BEEN ADDRESSED, BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TO WHAT MS. MENDELSON JUST MENTIONED.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE OFTEN CARRY FAR MORE OF THE WEIGHT THAN OUR SHARE IN REGIONAL APPROACHES.
UM, AND THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, I, I, UM, WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT I THINK, UH, DALLAS HAS BUILT OUR DART SYSTEM OUT.
UM, BUT NOW I FEEL WE'RE NOT GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH.
AND THAT'S JUST THE REALITY IF, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO IN FIRST FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE HAVE BEEN DART DEPENDENT, AND YOU REALIZE HOW DIFFICULT THAT IS FOR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT I SERVE, AS YOU'VE MENTIONED IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.
SO I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE TO YOU THE NEED TO HAVE, UM, UH, APPOINTEES THAT REALIZE THAT YOU'RE AN EXTENSION OF OUR FISCAL AND FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY.
UM, THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO PLAY BALL IN A REGIONAL ENTITY, BUT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON DALLAS SITES GETTING THEIR MONEY'S WORTH BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT LESS MONEY TO WORK WITH EVERY YEAR BECAUSE OF WHAT OUR CONTRACT IS WITH, UH, UH, DART.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO SOME OF, UH, OF WHAT I'M MENTIONING AS FAR AS THE NEED TO PRIORITIZE DALLAS IN THAT REGIONAL CONVERSATION.
I WAS ALMOST JUST GOING TO SAY I TOTALLY AGREE, BUT THEN YOU ASKED THE QUESTION SO I MIGHT ANSWER IT.
UM, I THINK THAT PART OF DART IS VERY EMBLEMATIC OF, OF HOW WE DO THINGS IN DALLAS AND THAT, UM, WE, WE TAKE ON THE, THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME AND THEN WE ATTACH, UM, LARGE SCALE KIND OF TALKING POINTS, BUT THEN THEY DON'T REALLY REACH THE MOST NEEDED PEOPLE, RIGHT? AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE SAY WE HAVE THE LARGEST LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM, UH, THAT'S 93 MILES, RIGHT? AND, AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE TRAINS AND THEY'RE EMPTY.
UM, AND I, SO I SAY THAT TO SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW IS, HOW CAN DART TRANSITION, THIS IS PART OF THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT THEY'RE VOTING ON TONIGHT, UM, FROM JUST BEING A SERVICE PROVIDER, BUT LIKE THE, THE GO-TO MODE FOR A MOBILITY PARTNER, RIGHT? UM,
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AND, AND KIND OF PULLING BACK ON LIKE THE GREAT GRAND TALKING POINTS OF, YOU KNOW, HYPING THE, THE SYSTEM UP VERSUS ENSURING THAT IT'S WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE.UM, AND SO AS A DALLAS RESIDENT, UH, LIFELONG, PRETTY MUCH DALLAS RESIDENT, UM, LIVING IN IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, SERVING IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, UM, THAT WILL ALWAYS BE MY NUMBER ONE GOAL AND MANDATE, UH, FROM YOU ALL GOING TO, GOING DOWN TO DARK.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SUPPORT YOU.
AND I'M EVEN MORE EXCITED SINCE I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT OUR STREETCAR NETWORK.
AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT MLK WHENEVER Y'ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER UA, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IF YOU LIKE.
AND, UM, I THINK GOING LAST, EVERYTHING GETS SAID AND ASKED, SO, UM, I TOO HAVE KNOWN RANDALL FOR QUITE A BIT AND, UM, AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING YOU, BUT I KIND OF DO WANNA HAVE A POLITICAL QUESTION BECAUSE YES, DALLAS IS FIRST.
HOW ARE YOU GONNA MANAGE THAT? LIKE, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AROUND PUTTING DALLAS FIRST? AND I MEAN, ONE THING THAT I, AS THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED, THE DART SYSTEM IS BUILT.
I MEAN, WE NEED TO ACTUALLY MAKE IT WORK.
UM, AND MAYBE THERE MAY BE SOME FUNDING LEFT OVER.
AND IS, ARE YOU WILLING TO EVEN ALLOCATE THAT BACK TO THE CITIES AND TALK ABOUT THAT? I MEAN, THAT'S A, THAT'S THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
SO ANYWAY, SO TALK ABOUT THE POLITICAL PART OF IT, AND THEN IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE, THE FINANCING OF IT.
THE, THE BEAN COUNTERING IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND SO I THINK I PROBABLY WANNA ADDRESS THE, THE, THE GIVE BACK, BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY TO THE POINT OF POLITICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, ONLY 60% OF THE FUNDING FOR DARK COMES FROM THE, THE CITY BUY-IN.
UM, THERE'S OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, FEDERAL FUNDS IN PARTICULAR.
UM, AND SO I ALSO SERVE ON THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION.
AND SO FLY INS TO DC AND ADVOCATING FOR DALLAS PROJECTS IS SOMETHING THAT IT'S NOT NEW TO ME.
SO ENSURING THAT OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS ARE INCORPORATED AND, AND, AND THAT OUR PROJECTS ARE TAKEN TO THEM FROM A POLITICAL LENS IS, IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, I'VE DONE WORK IN THE PAST AND CAN AND TRY TO ELEVATE HERE.
UM, AND ENSURING THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR MEMBERS, UH, UNDERSTAND THOSE, UH, THOSE, THOSE IMPACTS AS WELL.
AND SECOND ROUND, I KNOW MS. MENDELSON HAD A SECOND ROUND.
DO YOU HAVE LAURA? WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO BROUGHT UP THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF THINGS IN THAT STRATEGIC PLAN, STRATEGIC GOALS THAT THEY'VE GOT OUT THERE.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE THAT TALKS ABOUT FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, NO EFFICIENCY STATEMENTS AT ALL.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF WORDS FOR NOT HAVING THOSE IN THERE.
AND SO I HOPE THOSE ARE THINGS YOU'LL ADVOCATE FOR.
UM, YOU'LL HEAR FROM YOUR COLLEAGUES, UM, ONCE YOU'RE SEATED THAT MANY OF THE SUBURBS ARE ACTIVELY ASKING FOR THOSE THINGS.
AND SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT SURPRISING THAT THEY DIDN'T INCLUDE IT AT ALL.
UM, BUT I DO THINK IT'S FAIR FOR US TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE OUR MONEY'S GOING, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE USING IT, HOW IT COULD BE IMPROVED.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE EXPECTING, UM, MIRACLES, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE DON'T GET THAT I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND, UM, I HOPE YOU'LL HELP ADVOCATE FOR THAT.
YEAH, I'LL JUST SPEAK TO THAT REAL QUICKLY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S A MEETING TONIGHT WHERE TWO IMPORTANT VOTES ARE HAPPENING, UM, THAT ARE PITCHED AS SUBURBS VERSUS DALLAS.
AND WE'RE DOWN ONE PERSON RIGHT NOW.
UM, HOWEVER, TOMORROW, UM, IF THE COUNCIL APPROVES ME AT NINE O'CLOCK, 10 ISH, UM, THERE'S A BUDGET MEETING AT THREE O'CLOCK.
AND SO I PLAN TO GO RIGHT OVER TO DART, GET BADGED IN, AND SIT IN AS A, UM, OUTSIDE MEMBER OF THE BOARD ON THAT COMMITTEE TO JUST UNDERSTAND STARTING DAY ONE, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE BUDGET.
MR. THANK YOU, MR. MR. GRACIE.
SO COLLEAGUES, AGAIN, I, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, ONE, I, I'D BE REMISS TO, TO ONE, JUST SAY THANK YOU, UH, TO MR. JOHN, COLLEEN FOR HIS SERVICE ON DART AS WELL.
HE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB AND BROUGHT A FINANCIAL ASPECT, UH, TO THAT BOARD THAT WE CAN ALL APPRECIATE.
HE'S ALSO A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UH, BUT WE ARE EXCITED FOR, UH, HOPEFULLY IF WE GET THE SUPPORT TO MOVE YOU FORWARD.
'CAUSE I THINK EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THE VALUE THAT YOU BRING AND WHAT WE NEED IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR POSITIONS ARE REPRESENTED, NOT JUST REPRESENTED, BUT ACTUALLY FOUGHT FOR WHEN NECESSARY.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, THE NEXT VOTE.
GRACE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, JOHN KEAN, WHO, WHO WHO I APPOINTED TO THE DART BOARD, DID A GREAT JOB.
AND, AND RHONDA, I KNOW THAT YOU HAD SPOKE TO HIM ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, SO I KNOW Y'ALL, YOU UP TO SPEED, SO, SO I'M GLAD THAT Y'ALL DID HAVE A CONVERSATION.
[00:25:01]
A SECOND ROUND? UM, OKAY, I'M GONNA ASK.I USUALLY, I LIKE TO CLOSE OUT THINGS, SO IF YOU WATCH HOW I CHAIR, I TYPICALLY LET EVERYBODY GO AND THEN GO AT THE END.
UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I THINK THAT YOU AND I HAD A REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION.
UM, UM, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY.
LIKE WE, WE KEPT IT VERY HONEST.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT I LIKED ABOUT OUR CONVERSATION, UM, WHETHER WE AGREE OR DISAGREE, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE A, A VERY, A VERY GOOD DEBATE OR VERY GOOD CONVERSATION AND LEAVE WITH BETTER KNOWLEDGE ON MY END.
AND I THINK BETTER KNOWLEDGE ON YOUR END AS WELL, EVEN IF WE STILL DISAGREED ON CERTAIN ISSUES, AND THAT'S OKAY.
THAT'S WHY WE WANT DIFFERENT PEOPLE, UM, TO HAVE DIFFERENT VOICES ON, ESPECIALLY A BOARD LIKE DART, UM, THAT REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE CITY OF DALLAS, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, ONE END, YOU KNOW, OR THE OTHER.
AND WE TEND TO, THAT TENDS TO HAPPEN A LOT HERE, IS THAT WE END UP UNBALANCED WITH WHAT EVERY AREA OF THE CITY THINKS.
UM, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SUCH A BROAD ASPECT AND, YOU KNOW, IN CONNECTION TO THE ENTIRE CITY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS COME UP WITH THIS COUNCIL, UM, AND WITH DART THAT WE'VE HAD A BIT OF A TUG OF WAR WITH IS HOW DO WE GET TO FEARLESS RIDERSHIP FOR, YOU KNOW, NOT THE ENTIRE NETWORK YET, BUT JUST TO START, WHICH IS A, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE FOR STUDENTS AND HOW DO WE GET THERE AND GET THAT DONE AND ACCOMPLISHED? AND, UM, AND I KNOW THAT DARTA IS DRAGGING ITS FEET AND DOESN'T WANT TO DO IT.
I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING THAT OUR BOARD MEMBERS DON'T, I'M JUST SAYING AS IN GENERAL, AS AN ORGANIZATION, HOW, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT FEARLESS RIDERSHIP? UM, EVEN JUST STARTING AT STUDENTS OR, OR SOME ENTITY, SOME PORTION.
SO WE CAN SEE HOW IT GETS AND WHERE IT GOES.
'CAUSE YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST SAID IT, 6% IS DONE BY OUR, BY OUR PENNY OF THEIR TOTAL BUDGET.
SO HOW CAN WE GET THERE AND GET TO A PLACE OF EFFICIENCY THAT WE CAN HELP, UM, THOSE THAT REALLY NEED RIDERSHIP, THAT ARE BRIGHTER DEPENDENT, UM, IN ORDER TO HELP THEM OUT.
SO YOU, A FEW MEMBERS BROUGHT UP JOHN KILLEN.
UM, THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE ONLY ONE THING HE ASKED OF ME WAS TO CONTINUE ON THE WORK THAT HE LAID.
UM, UM, STARTING TO FIGURE OUT THAT, AND SPECIFICALLY ON THE, THE YOUTH, UM, WHO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT, THAT, THAT ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 17, I'LL TELL YOU A STORY REAL QUICK.
I ACTUALLY REMEMBER WHEN THE DARK RED LINE STOPPED, UM, AT PARK LANE.
UM, I WAS AROUND 12 YEARS OLD AND BACK THEN YOU CAN PUT A CHILD ON A DARK TRAIN BY THEMSELVES AND RIGHT ALL THE WAY TO OAK CLIFF.
I USED TO DO THAT EVERY OTHER WEEKEND GOING FROM MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS' HOUSE, UH, TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE IN OAK CLIFF.
UH, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE THE MOST ADVISED THING TO DO THESE DAYS.
UM, BUT, BUT IT'S STILL A, A REAL LIFE SITUATION FOR SOME PEOPLE, SOME CHILDREN THAT ARE THAT, THAT ARE OF THAT AGE.
UM, AND SO, UM, INSURANCE SAFETY NUMBER ONE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
BUT AS IT SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO THE FEARLESS RIDER PROGRAM, I FULLY SUPPORT THAT.
UM, DEFINITELY STARTING WITH, UM, YOUTH, AGAIN, THIS WAS THE ONE THING THAT JOHN KILLAN ASKED ME TO CONTINUE ON.
THIS GOES BACK TO WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE ARE SOME FEDERAL PROGRAMS OR SOME, OR SOME INITIATIVES THAT OUR GREAT CONGRESS MEMBERS HERE, UH, IN THE NORTH TEXAS REGION CAN AT LEAST START TO ADVOCATE FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH SOME FEDERAL PROGRAMS. UM, 'CAUSE I DON'T FORESEE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS COMING FROM THE CITIES.
I DON'T, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT ANY, UH, YOU KNOW, AN ADDITIONAL, UH, FAIR HIKES, UH, TO OFFSET THEM PROBABLY.
AND SO LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF FUNDING, UH, WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BEST PLACE TO START THAT.
AND, UM, YOU, I, I THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING NEW AND, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT FOR ALL OF US.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF CITIES THAT ALREADY DO THIS AND YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, FOLKS SAY LIKE, OH, THE SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN THIS, I'M LIKE, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO NEW YORK CITY? I MEAN, I'VE SEEN VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, THEY GET ON THE SUBWAY, THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM 'CAUSE IT'S A WAY OF LIFE.
AND, UM, OTHER CITIES ALSO, IT'S LIKE IF YOU TEACH AND TRAIN PEOPLE FROM A VERY, VERY SMALL, YOUNG AGE ABOUT UTILIZING, UM, PUBLIC TRANSIT, THEN IT'S NOT AS SCARY THING.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING BECOMES SCARY.
SO, UM, UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR MONGERING THAT GOES ON IN POLITICS ANYWAY, SO, UM, AND THAT'S ONE OF THEM THAT'S COME OUT AND REARED ITS, UM, UGLY HEAD WITH THIS, UM, POTENTIAL TO DO FOR STUDENTS.
UM, THE NEXT THING THAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT WAS, UM, AND I'M GLAD YOU TOUCHED ON IT, TWO VERY IMPORTANT VOTES GOING ON AT DART TODAY.
UM, ONE OF THEM IS, UM, A VOTE TO SEED POWER FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, A TWO THIRDS AND ADDING A TWO THIRD MAJORITY IN ORDER TO ADD, UM, TO ADD, ADD RIDERSHIP OR ADD PROGRAMMING, UM, ROUTES, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, IN ORDER TO EXPAND.
UM, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS IS CONSTANTLY HAVING TO DO BECAUSE WE'RE CONSTANTLY MORPHING, RIGHT? WE, OH, YOU NEED IT MORE OVER HERE, OR YOU NEED MORE OVER THERE WHERE WE'RE BUILDING DENSITY OR BUILDING GROWTH.
UM, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT GIVING UP THE SIMPLE MAJORITY
[00:30:01]
AND MOVING IT TO A TWO THIRD MAJORITY? WELL, SO AGAIN, I WATCHED IT HAPPEN LIVE LAST WEEK.UM, I THINK HAVING THAT FLEXIBILITY FOR A SIMPLE MAJORITY IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR A CITY LIKE DALLAS.
UM, AND, AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT, UM, IT'S A, IT'S A BIT UNFORTUNATE TO WATCH HOW THE VOTE IS GOING TO PROBABLY HAPPEN TODAY.
UM, I, I MAKE NO BONES ABOUT THAT.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE IDEA OF KEEPING IT A SIMPLE MAJORITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE EITHER WAY, WHETHER THAT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, REDUCTION IN, IN, IN, IN REVENUE FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS TO DART, WHETHER THAT'S ADDING A NEW SEAT, THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE, UM, THAT CHANGES THE DYNAMICS OF THAT BOARD.
AND SO ENSURING WE HAVE AS MANY PROTECTIONS IN PLACE FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE, UH, IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT AS SOMETHING MORE THAN LIKELY TRANSITIONS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
AND, AND I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.
UM, I'M ONE THAT, UM, NEVER VOTES TO SEE ANY POWER OR AUTHORITY OR WHATEVER I HAVE THAT'S BASED ON THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE, WE, WE, WE GUIDE, WE ARE GUIDED BY WHETHER IT'S ON COUNCIL, WHETHER I WAS ON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, WHETHER I WAS ON A BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR FOR WHATEVER REASON.
UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE JUST ALWAYS LIVED BY BECAUSE ONCE YOU SEE POWER, YOU NEVER EVER GET IT BACK.
UM, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I I THINK, UM, DO YOU THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN, LET'S SAY A CERTAIN VOTE LIKE THAT'S GOING ON, THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM THIS BODY, UM, CONTACT THEIR DART BOARD MEMBERS TO SAY, HEY, I HEARD ABOUT THIS, OR, CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THIS? AND, UM, IF ADVICE IS WANTED OR THOUGHTS ARE WANTED THAT THEY SHOULD BE CONTACTING AND CALLING THEIR, UM, YOU ALL, YOU BONG TO ALL OF US, RIGHT? BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY EIGHT OF YOU, UM, SEVEN RIGHT NOW, AS YOU JUST STATED, THAT THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT DALLAS WOULD AS A, AS A WHOLE, AS A CITY WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF.
DO YOU THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR, UM, MY COLLEAGUES TO DO EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE? IF, IF IT'S NEEDED? I THINK MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN THAT, DARTBOARD ME SHOULD BE REACHING OUT TO ALL OF YOU ALL.
UM, EVERYONE SITTING HERE CAN, CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT I MADE PERSONAL PHONE CALLS TO EACH AND EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU IN OUR ENTIRE COUNCIL, UM, TO ENSURE NOT ONLY THAT, UH, SOLICITATION OF SUPPORT, BUT TO GIVE AS MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT MYSELF AND WHAT I STAND FOR.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUALLY TO REACH OUT TO YOU ALL AND KEEP YOU ABREAST OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU KNOW, WE DO THOSE, UM, UH, JOINT COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UM, AND MAKING THOSE MORE FRUITFUL AND FIGURING OUT WHAT OUR PLAN IS TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND THEN WHEN WE COME BACK, ENSURING THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, THAT QUARTER, DID WE FOLLOW UP AND DO THE THINGS THAT WE SAID WE AGREED UPON TO DO.
UM, THAT'S HOW WE KIND OF MOVE THIS TRAIN DOWN THE TRACK.
AND, UM, I LIKE THE, I LIKE THE
'CAUSE I'M, I'M ALL, I'M A PUN GUY.
SO, UM, WE, WE NEED TO, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO KEEP DART ON THE RAILS AS WELL AS THE BUS SERVICE AND ALL THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, ONE, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE AND CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR CITY.
YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN AROUND THAT I CAN REMEMBER, UM, IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES.
AND THIS IS A REALLY BIG STEP UP AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO DO IT.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, HOPEFULLY WORKING WITH YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, IN TRANSPORTATION.
UM, AS LONG AS I'M THE CHAIR, OR EVEN IF I'M NOT, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S THIS, THIS AFFECTS DALLAS IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, UM, BEYOND, UM, JUST OUR CITY AND INTO THE REGION.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO SERVICE TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND, UM, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA END THE INTERVIEW TIME AND I'M OPEN FOR A MOTION IF THERE'S ONE THERE.
VICE CHAIR, GRACIE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE, UH, THIS NOMINATION FORWARD WITH THE FULL SUPPORT OF, UH, THIS, UH, COMMITTEE.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO MOVE THIS, UM, NOMINATION ONTO THE FULL COUNCIL WITH FULL SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT, ON THE DISCUSSION? ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION? I NOW, UM, CALL FOR A VOTE OF JUST THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UM, THOSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT ARE, UH, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR, AYE.
IF YOU ARE AGAINST, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING NO.
AND WE WILL BE MOVING THIS FORWARD TO FULL COUNSEL TOMORROW.
CONGRATULATIONS, MR. THANK YOU ALL, MR. BRYANT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU TOMORROW.
NEXT, ON THE AGENDA WE HAVE, UM, BRIEFING ITEM C, WHICH IS ONE THAT, UM, WAS ASKED FOR BY THIS COMMITTEE LAST MONTH.
AND I WANNA BRING FORWARD ENCORE, AND I THINK THEY'RE VIRTUAL, I THINK, RIGHT? THEY'RE VIRTUAL.
SORRY, I DIDN'T SEE ANYBODY JUMPING UP TO MOVE.
SO, UM, IF ENCORE WANTS TO COME FORWARD AND GO AHEAD AND GET SEATED, WE'LL GET YOUR COMPUTERS AND STUFF SET UP ALONG WITH OUR STAFF.
UM, THIS IS THE ENCORE STREETLIGHT AND UTILITY POLE DISCUSSION, UM, THAT KIND OF CUT BROUGHT UP LAST MONTH, UM, BASED ON A CONTRACT THAT
[00:35:01]
WE'RE EXPANDING OR POSSIBLY EXPANDING, AND A LOT MORE QUESTIONS WERE BROUGHT UP.AND, UM, AS CHAIR, I DECIDED THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM YOU ALL'S RECOMMENDATION THAT WE SHOULD DO THIS AND DO THIS QUICKLY.
AND SO WE'RE BRINGING DART BACK WITH A WHOLE LOT MORE, UM, INFORMATION TO PRESENT TO US.
SO ANDREA WITH, UM, UM, SAUNDERS WITH, UM, ENCORE WILL BE PRESENTING ALONG WITH, UH, GUS CONGAR, CARLY, THE DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND ALI HAT, THE DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, TO YOU ALL TO DO THE PRESENTATION, UM, AS YOU ALL HAVE PUT IT TOGETHER.
GOOD MORNING,
UM, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE PRESENTATION OF ENCORE STREETLIGHT AND UTILITY POLE.
THIS, UH, CAUTION, UM, WITH ME, I HAVE, UH, MS. ANDREA SANDERS FROM ENCORE ON MY LEFT SIDE, AND DR. CONLEY, UH, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION ON MY RIGHT SIDE, ALONG WITH, UH, KATE FROM TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
UM, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MR. KLEY TO START THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, GUEST, UNC CARLEY, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
SO, UM, FOLLOWING THE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY, UH, 20TH, 2024, AND THE CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON FEBRUARY 28TH, 2024.
SO THE INTENT IS TO, UH, AGAIN, TALK ABOUT THE, UH, ONCORE LED STREETLIGHT REPLACEMENT, UH, PROGRAM.
AND ALI WILL COVER THE A DA COMPONENT OF THE UTILITY POLE AND THE NEXT STEPS.
SO, AS BRIEFED THROUGH THE MEMORANDUM TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, UH, ENCORE HAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000 STREET LIGHTS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
APPROXIMATELY 11,000 OF THEM, UH, ARE LED AND THE OTHER 61,000 ARE NON LED.
THE, UH, FOLLOWING THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, UH, APPROVAL OF THE LED MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT, ENCORE, WILL BEGIN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE NON LED LIGHTING WITH LED LIGHTS ONCE THE UH, LIGHT IS OUT AND IN NEED OF, UH, MAINTENANCE AND REPLACEMENT.
UH, CURRENT ESTIMATE IS ABOUT, UM, UH, SIX TO 10 YEAR PERIOD TO, UH, COMPLETE THE FULL CONVERSION WITHIN THE CITY.
SO DURING THE DISCUSSION OF THE STREET LIGHTS, UH, THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR POTENTIAL, UH, UH, COST FOR THE ACCELERATION OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THE NON LED, UH, STREET LIGHTS.
SO IN RECENT YEARS, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ALLOCATED, UH, ABOUT ONE TO $2 MILLION IN EACH BUDGET CYCLE FOR LIGHTING ENHANCEMENT, UH, USING TARGETED APPROACH THROUGH THE COORDINATION WITH THE OFFICE OF INTEGRATED PUBLIC SAFETY SOLUTIONS TO IDENTIFY LOCATIONS FOR LED CONVERSIONS.
UM, CURRENTLY WE ARE PROJECTING THAT THE COST IS ABOUT $1,000, UH, PER LOCATION, UH, PER LIGHT BASICALLY, AND THEN A HIGH END COST OF, UH, 2000, UH, TO, UH, CONVERT THE NON LED LIGHTS TO THE LED, WHICH RESULTS IN A APPROXIMATE RANGE OF 61 MILLION TO 122 MILLION.
SO WHAT OUR FINDINGS ARE SHOWING IS THAT EVEN IF THE FUNDING IS IDENTIFIED, IT WILL STILL TAKE US ABOUT SIX TO SEVEN YEARS TO, UM, UH, TO COMPLETE THE CONVERSION.
AND THIS ISN'T, AGAIN, IN DISCUSSION WITH ENCORE, GIVEN THE, UH, YOU KNOW, RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS AND, AND WORK THAT IS INVOLVED.
AND THEN THE, UH, UM, UH, ALSO THE FINDINGS IS THAT A MINIMAL ELECTRICITY SAVINGS WILL BE REALIZED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS, THEREFORE, IT WOULD NOT REALLY OFFSET THE COST TO ACCELERATE THE CONVERSION.
SO, UH, DURING THE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF THE, UH, UH, FRANCHISE EXTENSION ON FEBRUARY 28TH, THE CITY, UH, TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, UH, UH, ALSO THE ITEM TO IDENTIFY THE A DA COMPLIANCE AND REQUIREMENTS.
AND I WILL TURN OVER TO ALI TO CONTINUE THAT PRESENTATION, UH, SINCE THIS PART IS UNDER THE PUBLIC WORKS, UH, PURVIEW.
UM, YES, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A DA COMPLIANCE OF UTILITY POLES.
UM, DURING THE CITY COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION OF ENCORE, UM, FRANCHISE EXTENSION ON FEBRUARY 28TH, 2024, CITY COUNCIL REQUESTED A PLAN TO IDENTIFY AND MITIGATE ENCORE'S NON A DA COMPLYING UTILITY POLES IN THE CITY OF, UH, DALLAS, UH, SIDEWALKS.
THERE ARE TWO, UH, REGULATION OF LAW THAT, UH, BASICALLY GOVERN THE SIDEWALK, UH, IN THIS CASE.
ONE IS THE A DA REQUIREMENT, WHICH IS, UH, REQUIRES THE SIDEWALK TO HAVE 36 INCHES OF CLEARANCE,
[00:40:01]
UH, FREE FROM ANY OBSTRUCTION.AND ALSO THERE IS ANOTHER ONE, UH, THEY CALL IT A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES OR PROVAC, WE CALL IT.
AND, UM, THE FINAL, UM, REVISION OF IT, UH, IS BACK IN 2023, WHICH IS PLANNED TO BE ADOPTED BY US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DOJ IN 2024.
THE TIMING OF IT IS NOT CLEAR, BUT PROVAC HAS A MORE, UH, STRICT GUIDELINES AND IT'S ASKED FOR 2 48 INCHES OF CLEARANCE IN THE SIDEWALK.
UM, ONCORE USUALLY SUBMIT THE PERMIT, UH, TO CITY OF THE DALLAS PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF ANY, UH, NEW UTILITY POLE.
UH, AS A PART OF THAT PERMIT, THEY TAKE A PICTURE OF THE EXISTING CONDITION.
THEY ON THE SITE PLAN, THEY, UM, USUALLY SHOW WHERE THE UTILITY POLE IS GOING TO BE INSTALLED AND THE CLEARANCE OF IT.
THAT IS THE MEASUREMENT AND ALL THESE THINGS.
UH, FOR OUR CAPITAL PROJECT OR, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, WE HAVE A MONTHLY, UM, COORDINATION MEETING WITH ALL THE UTILITY COMPANIES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ROADWAY PROJECTS, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE A CLEARANCE FROM ANY UTILITY CONFLICT, UH, WHETHER IT'S ONCO OR ATMOS OR ANY OTHER, UH, JUST THE COMPANY OUT THERE.
AND ALSO, UH, REGARDING THE EXISTING POLL, WHICH IS, WHICH ARE NOT PART OF THE CAPITAL PROJECT, UH, ENCORE HAS A PLAN TO ADDRESS THEM, UH, WHEN IT'S, UH, UH, BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION.
UM, PUBLIC WORKS USES THE 3 1 1 PLATFORM, UH, FOR IDENTIFYING THE VIOLATIONS.
UH, TYPICALLY, UM, THE CITIZENS ARE REPORTING, UH, SIDEWALK UTILITY OBSTRUCTION AS A PART OF 3 1 1 SYSTEM.
AND, UH, BASED ON THAT, WE PERFORM THE INSPECTION.
UM, FOR THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, 176 UTILITY POLES IN SIDEWALK HAVE BEEN REPORTED THROUGH THE 3 1 1 PLATFORM.
NOT ALL OF THEM WERE ACTUALLY IN VIOLATION.
UH, SOMETIMES WE GO AND CHECK AND SEE, OKAY, THERE IS ENOUGH CLEARANCE AND IT'S, UH, IS NOT ACTUALLY VIOLATION.
BUT THIS IS WHAT HAS BEEN REPORTED.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ENCORE HAS, UM, 218,000, SLIGHTLY OVER 218,000 UTILITY POLES WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
HOWEVER, WE DID SOME, UM, I GUESS ROUGH ESTIMATE OR BASED ON THE SPATIAL ANALYSIS THAT WE DID WITH OUR GIS TEAM, BECAUSE ENCORE PROVIDED US WITH THE LOCATION OF THE POLES THAT THEY HAVE IN THE CITY.
UM, WE ESTIMATED THAT SOMETHING AROUND 74,000 POLES OUT OF THESE, UM, 2, 2, 218, OR MAYBE 34% OF THEM ARE, UM, ADJACENT TO SIDEWALKS.
WE DON'T KNOW YET IF THEY ARE IN THE SIDEWALK, IF THEY ARE IN VIOLATION OR NOT, BUT THIS IS THE NUMBER THAT ARE KIND OF CLOSE TO THE SIDEWALK BECAUSE SOME OF THE UTILITY POLE POLES ARE IN ALLEYS OR WHERE THERE IS NO SIDEWALK.
SO THOSE ARE, WE DIDN'T COUNT FOR THOSE POLES.
OF COURSE, UH, SINCE 2019, ENCORE HAS RELOCATED, UM, 8,750 UTILITY POLES, ALTHOUGH THE EXACT NUMBER LINKED TO A DA VIOLATION IS NOT CLEAR AT THIS POINT.
WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MS. SANDERS.
SO ON ENCORE'S A DA PLAN, UM, CURRENTLY ENCORE, OBVIOUSLY THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, UM, INVOLVES USUALLY THE CITY WILL REACH OUT TO US AND LET US KNOW THAT THERE IS A POLE THAT IS BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK.
AT TIMES WE MAY GET A CALL FROM, UM, A, A CITIZENS, BUT MOST OFTEN IT'S OUR PUBLIC WORKS OR TRANSPORTATION.
AND, UM, OUR RESPONSE TO THAT IS OUR, OUR CREWS WILL GO OUT AND INSPECT AND DETERMINE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND, AND RELOCATE, UH, THAT POLE.
UM, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING GOING FORWARD IS WE HAVE OUR MONTHLY PARTNERSHIP MEETINGS WITH, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS, AND IN ORDER TO BE A LITTLE MORE PROACTIVE THAT THEY BRING US A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THAT MAY HAVE, UH, POLL ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO, TO LOOK AT THOSE, UH, AT THAT TIME.
UM, ALSO MOVING FORWARD, WHAT WE LIKE TO DO IS WE REALIZE, AS I STATED, MOST OF OUR, UH, I GUESS INQUIRIES COME FROM THE CITY, BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO REACH OUT TO SOME OF THE A DA ORGANIZATIONS, THE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ADVOCATE FOR, UH, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
AND IT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY THAT, UM, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS KNOW THAT THEY CAN CALL US AND THEY CAN REPORT IF THERE IS A POLL ISSUE.
SO WE WANTING TO, TO WORK WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE AT TIMES INDIVIDUALS MAY NOT
[00:45:01]
KNOW IF THEY, IF THEY'VE ENCOUNTERED A POLL, THEY MAY NOT KNOW THAT THEY COULD CALL SOMEONE AND HAVE IT RELOCATED.AND SO OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE SOME EDUCATION THROUGH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE NATIONAL A DA NETWORK, WHICH WE REACHED OUT TO, TO TALK TO ABOUT OUR, OUR PROCESS AND, AND WHAT WE COULD DO, UM, WHAT THEY'VE SEEN DONE.
AND SO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THEM AS WELL.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'LL, WE HAVEN'T TRACKED A DA ALI MENTIONED.
WE'VE NOT TRACKED THE A DA POLL RELOCATIONS, BUT WE WILL NOW INCLUDE THAT AS A PART OF OUR CONSTRUCTION PROCESS THAT WILL, WE WILL KEEP TRACK OF THE POLLS THAT WE WROTE THAT WE RELOCATE SPECIFICALLY DUE TO A DA VIOLATIONS, AND WE'LL TRACK THOSE AND THEN WE'LL REPORT THOSE BACK, UH, THROUGH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND, UM, MAKE THAT AVAILABLE FOR, FOR CITY COUNCIL.
SO, UH, COUNCILMAN NORVIS ASKED ME TO INCLUDE IN OUR PRESENTATION JUST A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AND THAT, UH, AS YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, VEGETATION MANAGEMENT IS, ITS IMPORTANT PART OF, OF WHAT WE DO.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE, UM, TREES ARE ONE OF THE PRIMARY CAUSES OF POWER OUTAGES.
SO MAKING SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN THOSE LINES, UM, IS A CRITICAL PART OF OUR, OUR BUSINESS.
AND, UM, AND SO WE CONDUCT TREE TRIMMING AROUND OUR DISTRIBUTION LINES ALL ACROSS OUR SERVICE AREA.
AND THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE LINES INTERFERING WITH OUR EQUIPMENT INTERFERE WITH POWER.
AND SO WE ALSO PROVIDE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT BOTH THROUGH OUR PLAN MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AND OUR REACTIVE TRIMMING.
AND SO WE HAVE A PLAN PROGRAM.
MANY OF YOU GET OUR SCHEDULES THAT WE PROVIDE EVERY MONTH TO SAY IF WE'RE GOING TO BE IN ONE OF YOUR DISTRICTS IN MAPS OF WHERE WE'RE LOCATED.
THAT'S A PART OF OUR PLAN PROGRAM.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE REACTIVE WHERE, UM, IF THERE'S A STORM OR, UH, ADVERSE WEATHER, THEN WE, UM, RESPOND TO THAT WITH OUR, OUR TREE TRIMMING, UH, CONTRACTORS.
AND THEN WE ALSO CONDUCT TREE TRIMMING AROUND OUR TRANSMISSION RIGHT AWAY, WHICH IS, REQUIRES A LITTLE MORE CLEARING, BUT CRITICAL TO THOSE HIGH VOLTAGE LINES.
UM, VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, OUR PLAN IS REVIEWED REGULARLY, WHICH IS ABOUT EVERY QUARTER WE REVIEW THAT, INCLUDING WHERE, WHERE THE POWER OUTAGES BEEN, WHERE HAD THE, UH, VEGETATION IMPACTED RELIABILITY AND HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE WE'VE BEEN THERE, THAT THOSE TYPE THINGS.
WE DO USE CERTIFIED LINE CLEARANCE CONTRACTORS TO DO THIS WORK.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOLKS TO KNOW THAT THE FOLKS THAT ARE DOING THE WORK, WHILE, WHILE IT'S SELDOM, UM, LOOKS VERY BEAUTIFUL WHEN IT'S DONE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE DOING THE WORK ARE LINE CLEARANCE CERTIFIED AND CONDUCT THAT THAT WORK.
PRUNING TREES NEAR POWER LINES.
OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW IT'S, IT'S DANGEROUS.
THE TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE DOES NOT ALLOW NON-QUALIFIED PERSONS WITHIN, UH, SIX FEET OF, UM, HIGH POWERED LINES.
AND SO WE REALLY ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO NOT TRIM THE TREES ONCE THEY'VE GOTTEN THAT CLOSE TO THE LINES.
AND OF COURSE, COMMUNICATION IS, IS IMPORTANT.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE REACH OUT TO, UH, COUNCIL TO KEY CITY STAFF, UM, AND THE CUSTOMERS ARE ALSO NOTIFIED WHEN, WHEN WE ARE GOING TO BE IN THEIR AREA.
WE PROVIDE DOOR HANGERS IN, IN OUR OFFICE, GO DOOR TO DOOR TO MAKE SURE INDIVIDUALS KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ON THEIR PROPERTY FOR OUR STREETLIGHT PROGRAM.
IN TERMS OF ADDING NEW STREETLIGHTS, WE'VE GOT THE PROCESS IS THE CITY INITIATES THAT REQUEST TO ENCORE, AND THEN WE PROVIDE A DESIGN, WE CONDUCT A DESIGN IN ORDER TO GET AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT THAT WOULD COST.
AND THEN ENCORE GENERATES WHAT WE CALL A SUPPLEMENT AGREEMENT.
AND ONCE THAT IS EXECUTED, THEN WE DO THE, THE INSTALLATION OF THE LIGHT AND FROM THE MAINTENANCE ASPECT OF IT THERE, ENCORE'S OWNS QUITE A FEW LIGHTS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, BUT ALONG WITH ENCORE, THE CITY OWNS LIGHTS.
WE HAVE DARK, OWNS THEIR LIGHTS, UM, TEXT DOT OWNS LIGHTS, AND THEN THERE'S SOME PRIVATE OWNERS THAT HAVE LIGHT LIGHTING RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND SO WE HAVE A STREETLIGHT STREETLIGHT OUTAGE SYSTEM WHERE CUSTOMERS CAN GO ONLINE AND THEY CAN REPORT AN OUTAGE.
AND IF ALL OF ENCORE LIGHTS ARE IN THAT SYSTEM, SO FOR CUSTOMER GOES ON THERE AND THEY CAN'T FIND IT, TYPICALLY IT WOULD BELONG TO, UH, THE CITY OR DOG OR TECH STEP.
[00:50:01]
AND, UM, OF COURSE REPORTING THROUGH THE SLOTS PROGRAM, CUSTOMERS CAN REPORT STREETLIGHT OUTAGES THROUGH, UM, GOING ON ENCORE.COM, CALLING OUR CALL CENTER AND EVEN CALLING THREE ONE ONE.AND SO THE TIMING FOR THE, THE THE REPAIRS, IT VARIES.
WE TYPICALLY GET A LIGHTS BACK ON WITHIN TWO OR THREE DAYS DEPENDING ON WHY IT'S OUT.
A LIGHT A A LAMP THAT'S OUT WILL TAKE MUCH TIME VERSUS A POLE THAT'S BEEN KNOCKED DOWN BECAUSE OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT COULD TAKE MUCH LONGER.
SO THAT, THAT VARIES AND THAT'S IT.
SO HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN TO ANDREA AND ENCORE FOR, UM, YOUR QUICK REACTION TO OUR REQUEST TO COME, UM, BRIEF US AGAIN AND, AND PRESENT BEFORE US.
UM, 'CAUSE YOU FOUND OUT LITERALLY LAST COMMITTEE MEETING AND HERE YOU ARE, NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, IT SHOWS THAT GOOD PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH YOU ALL TO REACT WHEN WE ASK FOR, UM, MORE INFORMATION.
AND THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF AS WELL BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, YOU ALL HAD TO REACT AS WELL TO US WANTING MORE INFORMATION AND SOME PRETTY INTENSE INFORMATION THAT WE WERE ASKING FOR JUST A MONTH AGO.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR, UM, MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
SO WE'LL START, UM, WE'RE GONNA DO IT BACKWARDS THIS TIME.
SO WE'LL START TO THE LEFT, UM, WITH OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, WITH UM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSON, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE LEFT AND THEN, UM, WE'LL DO THE SAME LIKE WE DID LAST TIME.
AND I'LL ADD, UM, MR. RIDLEY TO THE MIX, IF YOU ALL HAVE QUESTIONS, THEN NON COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THEN WE'LL GO, UM, FROM RIDLEY BLACKMAN, BASIL, DO A WEST, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS.
UM, SINCE YOU ARE HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR NON COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS.
UM, THERE'S A REASON YOU SHOWED UP, SO IF YOU WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS, THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO DO IT AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
SO MS. MENDELSON, UM, YOU NOW HAVE THE FLOOR.
UM, I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ASKING THESE EXACT QUESTIONS FOR ALL FIVE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, AND I FEEL LIKE, UM, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN THIS PRESENTATION, BUT I FEEL LIKE I ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWERS TO THEM.
UM, SO I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND EVERYONE CAN FAINT NOW IF YOU LIKE, BUT, UM, I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT.
I MEAN, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT IS WHY I HAVEN'T BEEN TALKING TO YOU FOR SO LONG, BUT I DO THINK YOU'RE ADDRESSING 'EM WHEN THEY COME UP.
AND I KNOW I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HOW THIS ALL WORKS FROM MANY, MANY MEETINGS INCLUDING RESIDENT MEETINGS.
AND YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU SHARE THIS WITH EVERYBODY, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
UM, SO ON SLIDE FOUR, SO I, AS, AS SERVING AS THE CHAIR OF PARKS TRAILS AND THE ENVIRONMENT, I'M GONNA FOCUS ON THE, OBVIOUSLY THE ENVIRONMENT SIDE OF THIS AND SWITCHING OVER TO LDD BULBS IS BETTER FOR ALL OF US.
SO I'D LOVE TO, UM, ACCELERATE THAT PROCESS A LITTLE BIT.
AND I NOTICED IT SAYS, SHOULD FUNDING BE IDENTIFIED? IS THAT SOMETHING, UM, I THINK, I DON'T KNOW WHO I'M ADDRESSING THE QUESTION TO, SO I'M JUST GONNA THROW IT OUT THERE.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT MY COMMITTEE COULD START WORKING ON AND WE COULD WORK WITH ENCORE TO TRY TO IDENTIFY SOME FUNDING SO THAT WE COULD REPLACE MORE PER YEAR? OR ARE WE JUST KIND OF LIMITED THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN DO AT THIS POINT? SO THERE ARE SOME LIMITATIONS.
UM, JUST, UM, OBVIOUSLY EVEN JUST GETTING THE, THE INVENTORY SO THAT THAT FACTORS IN, UM, HAVING THE, THE, THE SUFFICIENT CREWS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE, WHILE WE THEY WORK IN DALLAS, THEY ALSO WORK IN 409 OTHER CITIES.
BUT IN, IN TERMS OF SITTING DOWN TO TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH QUICKER VER HOW, HOW MANY PROACTIVE, UH, INSTALLATIONS, BECAUSE CURRENTLY THE WAY IT IS NOW, ANY LIGHT THAT GOES OUT IN THE CITY OF DALLAS WILL BE REPLACED WITH AN LED LIGHT.
SO WHAT WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT WOULD BE REPLACING THOSE THAT HAD NOT GONE OUT.
SO WE CAN DEFINITELY SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
I WILL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE DO HAVE SOME PROACTIVE PROJECTS IN TARGETED AREAS ACROSS THE CITY, UM, THAT I'M SURE OUR TRANSPORTATION FOLKS CAN, CAN SPEAK TO THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING, BUT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT, UM, IN, IN YOUR DISTRICT AS WELL.
UM, YEAH, I'M NOT SO MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT JUST MY DISTRICT.
UM, SO DO YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO REPLACE MORE THAN JUST THE ONES THAT ARE GOING OUT? IS THAT, I GUESS THAT'S WHERE WE START.
DO WE HAVE THE CAPACITY? YES, WE CAN REPLACE MORE THAN JUST THOSE THAT ARE GOING OUT.
SO I GUESS I JUST WOULD LIKE TO BE, I, I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING TO START MOVING THAT DIRECTION AND I DON'T, IF IT DOESN'T NEED TO COME FROM MY COMMITTEE, IT CAN BE FROM ANOTHER DEPARTMENT OR ANOTHER COMMITTEE, BUT I WOULD LIKE
[00:55:01]
SOMEBODY TO ADOPT THAT PROJECT, AS I SAY TO MY STAFF ALL THE TIME, HERE'S THE PROJECT, WHO WANTS IT? UM, SO I'M, I'M VERY, UM, INTERESTED IN FINDING THAT COMMITTEE, THAT PERSON WITHIN THE CITY TO THEN WORK WITH YOU GUYS BEING RESPECTFUL OF YOUR CAPACITY AND, AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I KNOW FACTOR IN.BUT EVEN IF WE WERE ABLE TO REPLACE A HUNDRED MORE A YEAR, YOU KNOW, EVERY, I MEAN AT THIS POINT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR WINS ANYWHERE WE CAN GET THEM.
AND SO I WOULD, I'LL, I'LL WORK ON THAT.
AND YOU AND I, MAYBE ANDREA COULD JUST HAVE COPY OVER IT AND TALK LOGISTICS AND, UM, AND WE'LL COME, WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
BUT IF IT'S, IF IT'S FUNDING, I THINK THAT WE COULD, WE COULD POTENTIALLY HELP WITH THAT.
LOOKING FOR OUTSIDE SOURCES, NOT SAYING CITY FUNDS.
UM, BUT I'M PUTTING MY HAND IN THE AIR VOLUNTEERING ON THAT PROJECT.
BUT WE'LL WORK WITH OUR, YOUR TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
THAT'S TYPICALLY WHAT WE, WE DO IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING, SO, ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE, YES, MR. CHAIR, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE SOME COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS THERE BETWEEN THE TWO COMMITTEES.
UM, AND THEN ON THE POLLS AND THE REPLA AND THE WE'RE, SO WE SHOULD JUST USE OUR 3 1 1 APP TO IDENTIFY THE POLLS THAT ARE, THAT NEED TO BE MOVED.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING? AND, AND I'M LOOKING AT SOME PEOPLE FROM THE UPTOWN PIT UP THERE.
ARE YOU MAKING NOTES? 3 1 1 OUT
THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO ACTUALLY, UM, INFORM US ON ANY POLL, WHICH ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE, UH, YET.
WELL, I'LL START MOBILIZING DISTRICT 10.
I FEEL SURE THAT DISTRICT 14 WILL BE MOBILIZED SHORTLY.
SO, UM, YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL WORK ON IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
AND NOW WE HAVE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
I'M GONNA START WITH THE SIDEWALKS.
UM, AND I WANNA THANK YOU AS WELL FOR YOUR WORKING HARD ON THIS AS WELL AS OUR, AS ALWAYS, OUR CITY STAFF.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL ON WHEN WE'RE PUTTING IN NEW SIDEWALKS WHERE THERE'S EXISTING POLES, HOW DO WE DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING TO PURCHASE RIGHT, RIGHT OF WAY ON PEOPLE'S PROPERTIES SINCE THE POLES ARE SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT'S NOW THE CITY'S RIGHT OF WAY, BUT THERE'S NO SIDEWALK THERE, SO THERE'S NOT AN A DA ISSUE.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION, MA'AM.
UM, IF THERE'S NO SIDEWALK AND THERE'S UTILITY POLE IN THE AREA, AND WE'RE GOING TO BUILD A SIDEWALK, IT REALLY DEPENDS.
IF WE STILL HAVE THE MINIMUM CLEARANCE, UH, PER DICTATED BASE ON A DA OR PROVAC, THEN WE ARE GOOD.
IF WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO ACTUALLY HAVE A CLEAR ENOUGH CLEARANCE, THEN WE HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH ENCORE TO RELOCATE THAT POLE IF IT'S POSSIBLE.
UH, SOMETIMES THERE ARE, I, I GUESS THE SHORTAGE OF RIGHT OF WAY, AND THE, THE ROOM IS NOT ENOUGH FOR, UM, I GUESS THE POLE TO BE RELOCATED OR MIGHT BE GOING TO THE PRIVATE SIDE, TAKING AN EASEMENT THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT ALSO.
BUT TYPICALLY WE COULD REACH OUT TO ENCORE FIRST OR TO ANY UTILITY POLE, UM, OWNER BASICALLY, AND ASK THEM TO RELOCATE IT FIRST.
AND THEN OTHERWISE, IF WE NEED TO, UM, 'CAUSE I'M HOPING THAT OUR CITY'S GONNA BE INVESTING A LOT MORE MONEY IN SIDEWALKS MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO THIS ISSUE WON'T BE UNCOMMON, IS MY GUESS, PARTICULARLY IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
UH, SO I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY IT MAY BE CHEAPER FOR ENCORE TO HELP JUST BUY SOME OF THE RIGHT OF WAY SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO MOVE THEIR POLE, YOU KNOW, TO HELP INVEST IN SOME OF THAT.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.
WE ALSO, UM, MS. SAUNDERS, YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE, BUT WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE AND STRONG DISABILITIES COMMISSION, SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE INCLUDED IN YOUR LIST OF, UH, CONSTITUENTS TO TURN TO.
YES, I, I, I AM AWARE OF THAT AND, UM, FRANKLY, THROUGH THIS, THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND AS WE WERE IDENTIFYING FOLKS THAT NEEDED TO BE INVOLVED.
UM, SO I, I DID, UM, SEE WHO'S A PART OF THAT AND, AND WHAT WE COULD DO.
SO YES, THEY, THEY ARE ON OUR LIST OF FOLKS TO, TO VISIT WITH AND ENGAGE.
IT'S THROUGH OUR OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
SO THAT WOULD BE WHO YOU REACH OUT TO.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LIGHTS FOR A SECOND.
UM, I SEE, YOU KNOW, ARE WE, ARE WE AS THE CITY, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY FROM THE LAST BRIEFING, ALL OF OURS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, RIGHT? OUR CITIES LIGHTS? UM, I THINK WE'RE AT 85% OR SO.
I MEAN, SO VERY, WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO A HUNDRED PERCENT.
IF WE COULD, IF YOU COULD AS WELL AS YOU DO IT JUST LIKE YOU'RE GONNA BE TRACKING THE, UH, 88, THE POLE REPLACEMENTS, IF YOU COULD, THERE'S A WAY TO TRACK THE LED LIGHT REPLACEMENTS.
[01:00:01]
A VERY HELPFUL EXERCISE.UH, PARTICULARLY AS WE'RE DEALING WITH EQUITY ISSUES, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
'CAUSE PUBLIC SAFETY'S AN ISSUE EVERYWHERE, AND THAT'S THE POINT OF THOSE LIGHTS PRIMARILY.
SO THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT, WILL THAT BE IN THAT ANNUAL COUNCIL REPORT THAT YOU MENTIONED? IT WAS NOT, BUT IT CAN BE INCLUDED.
UM, WE, I THINK THE TRANSPORTATION BROUGHT THAT UP, THE LAST MEETING, PARTNERSHIP MEETING THAT WE HAD.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON HOW TO INCORPORATE THAT DATA.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO REASON EVEN BY DISTRICT, WE COULD JUST SAY, HERE ARE THE LIGHT, HERE, ARE THE LIGHTS WE REPLACED THIS QUARTER? OR HOWEVER YOU ABSOLUTELY.
UM, THE, ON THE, UM, I THINK I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS, AND AS WE ROLL THIS OUT AS, UH, CHAIR STEWART MENTIONED IS 3 1 1 IS EQUALLY EFFECTIVE AS REACHING OUT DIRECTLY TO ENCORE WHEN THERE'S A LIGHT OUT.
IS THAT CORRECT? I'M, I'M SORRY.
SO WHEN THERE'S A LIGHT OUT, AND THAT'S SOMETIMES WHEN YOU GO AND REPLACE THEM, 3 1 1 IS EQUALLY EFFECTIVE AS GOING DIRECTLY TO ENCORE, IS THAT CORRECT? SURE.
UH, KATE MILLNER, BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
IF THERE IS A STREETLIGHT OUTAGE, RESIDENTS CAN REPORT IT THROUGH 3 1 1 UNDER THE, I THINK IT'S TITLED STREETLIGHT OUTAGE, UH, SERVICE REQUEST TYPE.
THEY CAN ALSO REPORT IT DIRECTLY THROUGH ENCORE'S WEBSITE.
THEY'RE SET UP WITH VERY SIMILAR FUNCTIONALITY WHERE YOU CAN CHOOSE THE LIGHT LOCATION.
UM, ONE CHALLENGE WE DO HAVE IS THAT, UM, WHEN YOU REPORT IT THROUGH 3 1 1, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE DO MAINTENANCE ON OUR OWN CITY OWNED STREETLIGHTS.
AND ENCORE DOES MAINTENANCE ON THE STREETLIGHTS THAT THEY OWN AND OPERATE.
AND SO WE, IF A, IF A RESIDENT SUBMITS A REQUEST FOR A STREETLIGHT OUTAGE THROUGH 3 1 1 THAT DOESN'T BELONG TO THE CITY, WE THEN LET ENCORE KNOW AND REPORT IT THROUGH THEIR SYSTEM FOR THEM, OR ASK THE RESIDENT, HEY, PLEASE REDIRECT YOUR REQUEST THROUGH ENCORE'S WEBSITE.
AND I WANNA COMPLIMENT YOU BECAUSE AFTER THE LAST BRIEFING I SENT IN TWO
THEY 'CAUSE THIS, THE AVERAGE RESIDENT DOESN'T KNOW, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO OWNS WHICH POLE.
AND SO, 3 1 1 IS A MUCH SIMPLER WAY TO GO AND THEN THEY CAN FORWARD IT TO ENCORE WHEN APPROPRIATE.
AND SO THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.
AND ENCORE WAS VERY RESPONSIVE.
AND THEN I GOT A NOTE BACK FROM 3 1 1 THAT SAID THE LIGHT HAS BEEN, UH, REPAIRED.
'CAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S NECESSARILY BEING REPLACED.
UM, NOW I WANNA MOVE FOR ONE QUICK SECOND, IF I MAY, TO, UM, TO THE, UM, TREE TRIMMING MY FAVORITE SUBJECT, AND YOURS OF COURSE.
I DO THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT, UH, AGAIN, TO CHAIR STEWART'S POINT THAT YOU WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH CCAP ON THIS BECAUSE OUR TREES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING VERY HARD TO MOVE TO A MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT TREE COVERAGE.
AND SOMETIMES THE DAMAGE, AS WE KNOW, AND PARTICULARLY RIGHT NOW WITH THE OAKS, UM, THAT WE ARE NOT TO BE REALLY EXTREME TRIMMING THEM EXTENSIVELY, BUT WE'RE DOING IT ANYWAY.
AND WE, AND ALTHOUGH YOU DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER ALL OF THE ARBORISTS WHO DO THE, THE TRIMMING FOR YOU, AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PAINTING THEM AND, AND GIVING THEM MEDICINE AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN THEY NEED IT, UM, I DON'T WANNA LOSE TREES, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE TRAGIC.
AND I KNOW YOU CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT THAT.
WE'VE DISCUSSED IT AD NAUSEAM.
UM, DID, BUT THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE ABOUT THAT IS, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE CON THE WORKING WITH CCAP, ARE WE, ARE YOU, WE, IS THERE AN IMPACT OR CAN WE FIND OUT IF THERE'S AN IMPACT? SORRY, THIS IS ABOUT THE LIGHTS.
I APOLOGIZE ABOUT THE BIRD INSECT MIGRATION.
I KNOW THAT OUR MAYOR HAS PUSHED OUT A WHOLE CAMPAIGN FOR PEOPLE DURING TIMES OF THE YEAR, NOT TO LIGHT CITY LIGHTS, YOU KNOW, AND NOT LIGHT OUR FRONT PORCHES DURING THE BIRD, YOU KNOW, AND SOME INSECT MIGRATIONS AS WELL.
SO I, I CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA TURN OFF STREET LIGHTS, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT YOU ALL HAD ANY RESEARCH ON THAT MATTER AS WELL.
I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH SPECIFIC, UM, RESEARCH ON THAT TOPIC.
I'M FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WITH ME, SO LEMME MAKE SURE THAT, WELL, AND I GUESS MY QUESTION REALLY IS ABOUT LED VERSUS THE TRADITIONAL LIGHTS IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT ON THOSE MIGRATION PATTERNS.
I'VE NOT, I'VE NOT HEARD THAT, BUT I CAN, I CAN FIND OUT, I THINK, YEAH.
'CAUSE IF LEDS ARE LESS IMPACTFUL, THAT'S YET ANOTHER REASON TO MOVE FORWARD TECHNOLOGICALLY.
AND I WOULD GUESS THAT IT PROBABLY IS.
SOME REALLY GREAT QUESTIONS THERE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BIRD MIGRATIONS AND THE INSECT MIGRATIONS.
UM, MR. SEN, I'M SORRY, MR. GRACIE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR NOW.
UH, MR. EZ, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AT THIS TIME? NO QUESTIONS.
MR. ATKINS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AT THIS TIME? YES.
[01:05:01]
UM, I KNOW LAST TIME WHEN THIS CAME UP, I'M TRYING TO GET CLARIFICATION THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, I THINK CHAIRMAN WEST BROUGHT IT UP A POSE, UH, IN THE SIDEWALK.AND, UM, AND I WAS GOING BACK AND, AND DOING SOME REVIEWING, UM, THE POLLS IN THE SIDEWALK.
UH, AND I LOOK AT MY COMMUNITY IN MY DISTRICT, AND I SEE A WHOLE LOT OF THE POLL WAS THERE BEFORE THE SIDEWALK GOT THERE.
SO WHO IS RESPONSIBILITY, IF YOU WANT TO REMOVE THE POLES NOW OUTTA SIDEWALK, WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY TO REMOVE THE POLE? I'LL START ON THEN.
UM, AND MAY WANT TO ADD MORE TO IT.
UH, IF YOU HAVE BUILT A SIDEWALK TO THE AREA THAT THERE WAS A POLE ALREADY, NO, THAT, THAT'S ONE OF MY QUESTIONS.
MY QUESTION WAS, THE POLE WAS THERE FIRST, AND YOU MOVED THE, YOU PUT THE SIDEWALK AND THE SIDEWALK WENT AROUND THE POLE, RIGHT? THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS ACTUALLY, UM, ALLUDING TO.
IF THE POLE WAS THERE ALREADY AND WE'RE BUILDING THE SIDEWALK AND THE, UM, I GUESS COORDINATION WITH ONCORE DIDN'T HAPPEN TO RELOCATE THE POLE, REGARDLESS IF THAT POLE IS NOW IN VIOLATION OF THE 80, THERE IS NO CLEARANCE, THE 36 INCHES MINIMUM, THEN, UM, ONCORE IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE TO, UH, RELOCATE THE POLE BECAUSE IT'S IN VIOLATION.
SO REGARDLESS, THE, THE POLE NOW IN THE EXISTING CONDITION IS VIOLATION.
UM, AND ANDREA, DO YOU WANNA ADD SOMETHING? RIGHT? SO IF THE, BECAUSE IT IS CITY, RIGHT? IT'S THE CITY'S RIGHT OF WAY, AND WE ARE, UH, ESSENTIALLY A GUEST, UH, IN YOUR RIGHT OF WAY.
IF SO, IF THE POLL IS THERE AND THE CITY POURS A, UH, A SIDEWALK AROUND THE POLE THAT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH A DA COMPLIANCE, THEN UH, THE CITY CAN HAVE US, UH, RELOCATE THAT POLE.
AND, AND THAT'S STRICTLY JUST IN THE A DA RIGHT AWAY, NOT IN THE JUST RECORD SIDEWALK.
THAT'S PER AADA A REQUIREMENT, RIGHT? SO WE ARE NOT REFERRING TO THE POLL THAT IS IN A, THAT THE POLE WAS THERE AND THE SIDEWALK WAS BILLED THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE POLL, WHICH IS NOT ON THE AADA A COMPLIANT, WE'RE NOT REFERRING, WE'RE NOT SPEAKING
IF IT'S NOT IN VIOLATION, WE'RE NOT, UM, ENFORCING THE A DA REQUIREMENT, BASICALLY.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, I THINK SOMEONE MENTIONED THAT WE WAS THE CITY LIGHTING, WE WERE 80, 85% OF, OF ALL LED LIGHTING ON CITY POLE, 85%.
SO COULD YOU GIVE ME A MAP AND TELL ME HOW MANY LIGHTS HAVE WE CONVERT? YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THE NUMBER, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT MIGHT BE CONFUSION BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CITY POLES AND WHAT IT IS, ONCORE POLLS.
SO DO WE HAVE A MAP TO SHOW THAT ALL CITY POLLS THAT WHICH ONE HAD BEEN CONVERTED TO LED? YES, SIR.
COULD WE GET THAT? WE DO HAVE THAT, AND WE CAN PROVIDE, OKAY.
UM, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRIMMING THE TREES, EVERYTHING, I KNOW SOMETIME THAT THERE ARE THE ARB BE SAYING THAT YOU DON'T WANT ANYBODY TRIMMING THE TREES IF THEY'RE NOT, UM, PROFESSIONAL AND NOT QUALIFIED TO TRIM THE TREES.
I I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR, I KNOW THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE TREES THAT HAD BEEN IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
UH, Y'ALL DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF YOU CUTTING THE TREES, TRIMMING THE TREES BACK BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY POWER OUTAGE OUT WHEN MOST PEOPLE IN THE OTHER PART OF THE CITY DID HAVE, BECAUSE YOU DID PRE, UH, CUT YOUR TREES.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
UH, MR. ATKINS, UM, NOW WE HAVE OUR NON COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MR. RIDLEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE BEFORE? YES.
CARLY, HISTORICALLY, WHY IS IT THAT THE CITY OWNS SOME STREETLIGHTS AND ENCORE OWNS OTHERS? I CANNOT SPEAK FOR THE TIME BEFORE MY TIME WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I CAN SPEAK FOR WHAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE IN SOME LOCATIONS.
THE OWNERSHIP OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, ALLOWS US THE FLEXIBILITY, ESPECIALLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN, IN THE FUTURE FOR LIKE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND WIFI CAPABILITIES AND SO ON.
WHEN WE OWN THE, UH, STREETLIGHTS, WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY AND THE ABILITY TO, UH, PUT WHATEVER ADDITIONS, UH, TO THE STREETLIGHTS TO MAKE THEM MORE, UH, UH, UH, TECHNOLOGY, UH, CAPABLE.
AND THERE ARE SOME LOCATIONS WHERE, UH, WE HAD ALREADY, UH, UH, OWNERSHIP THERE AT THOSE LOCATIONS, AND THEN WE CONTINUED,
[01:10:01]
UH, THAT IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE NEEDED TO DO THAT.AND THEN LASTLY IS IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE'RE, UH, LIKE THE RED CLOUD, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, WHERE WE, UH, IN DISTRICT FIVE WHEN WE, UH, UH, IT WAS A NEW AREA WHERE WE NEEDED TO PUT NEW LIGHTS, SO WE PUT IN OUR NEW LIGHTS, AND THAT HELPED IN THE, WITH THE EQUITY ITEMS BECAUSE WE NEEDED, UH, TO PROVIDE WIFI, UH, TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND SO ON.
SO ARE THERE CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS OR AREAS OF THE CITY THAT HAVE CITY OWNED STREETLIGHTS, LIKE THE OLDER AREAS OF TOWN? YES, WE DO HAVE THOSE.
AND THEN WE, LIKE, I, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE, UH, UH, A MAP WHERE, UH, WE OWN THOSE LIGHTS AND, AND SO ON.
IS THERE ANY WAY OF DISTINGUISHING BY LOOKING AT THE STREETLIGHT, WHETHER IT'S CITY OWNED OR ENCORE OWNED? GENERALLY, YES.
AND, UM, UM, UH, THE, THE POLES SHOULD HAVE AN IDENTIFIER ON THE ENCORE POLES.
AND, UM, OURS WILL BE, UM, UH, AGAIN, USUALLY, UH, DISTINGUISHED FROM THAT.
SO THE CITY POLLS HAVE NO DISTINGUISHING NUMBERS.
I BELIEVE THEY STILL DO, DO, WE STILL DO HAVE OUR OWN, UH, CODING ON IT.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
UM, THANK Y'ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR YOUR QUICK RESPONSE TO, UH, OUR FEEDBACK.
UM, I, I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE QUESTION ON THE CONVERSION, THE LED CONVERSION SPECIFICALLY.
I KNOW, UM, GUS AND KATE, Y'ALL KNOW, UM, THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PRIORITY OF MINE AND DISTRICT SEVEN.
UM, BUT I, I, I AM A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED, I GUESS, ON WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE AS FAR AS THE CAPACITY PIECE.
AND SO I'M, I'M WONDERING WHENEVER, UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, AND JUST SO MEMBERS WILL KNOW, I'VE, I'VE IDENTIFIED SOME USING DISCRETIONARY FUNDS THAT I WANT TO CONVERT.
UM, BUT THEN I WAS, I WAS, UH, CONFRONTED WITH A MAP FROM STAFF THAT ALREADY HAD QUITE A BIT THAT WAS IN THE PIPELINE THAT I'VE ALREADY BEEN FUNDED, THAT ARE JUST WAITING.
AND SO KNOWING THAT THERE'S A BACKLOG IN THE PIPELINE THAT WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED FUNDING FOR IT, IT WORRIES ME A LITTLE BIT TO PUT TOO MUCH AGGRESSION INTO THIS WITHOUT FIGURING LOGISTICS OUT FIRST.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF Y'ALL COULD GIVE SOME GUIDANCE ON HOW WE CAN MORE AGGRESSIVELY ADDRESS THESE CONVERSIONS, AND IF THERE IS A NEED FOR US TO EVEN PARTNER WITH ENCORE TO CONTRACT AND, UH, MORE HOLISTICALLY ADDRESS THESE, UM, WITH A THIRD PARTY.
BUT HOW, HOW, WHY ARE WE DEALING WITH THIS TIME? AND THEN I HEAR THAT OTHER MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, WANNA DO THE SAME AND THEN MAYBE EVEN CITYWIDE.
AND I JUST SEE IT, UH, BEING, UH, A BIG BACKLOG.
MAYBE I'LL START AND THEN HAND IT OFF TO ANDREA.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, FIRST TO, TO KIND OF GO BACK TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART WAS, UH, REFERENCING EARLIER, WE HAVE, UM, STARTING I THINK FOUR FISCAL YEARS AGO, UH, CITY COUNCIL STARTED ALLOCATING ONE TO $2 MILLION IN EACH BUDGET CYCLE FOR LIGHTING ENHANCEMENTS.
AND SO A GOOD CHUNK OF THAT FUNDING HAS GONE TOWARDS PROACTIVE CONVERSIONS OF ENCORE OWNED LIGHTING TO LED.
UM, AND SO I THINK I HAVE A COUPLE NUMBERS I CAN REFERENCE.
IN 2022, UH, I THINK WE HAD ENCORE CONVERT JUST OVER 4,500 LIGHTS AND IN 2023, UH, CLOSE TO 2000 LIGHTS.
UM, AND, AND THEN OTHER FUNDING WAS USED FOR SITTING ON LIGHTING PROJECTS AS WELL.
UM, BUT SPEAKING TO ENCORE'S, YOU KNOW, CAPACITY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TRIED TO TAKE A VERY TARGETED APPROACH.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT IN THE LAST, UH, MEETING.
UH, WE'VE WORKED WITH THE OFFICE OF INTEGRATED PUBLIC SAFETY SOLUTIONS AND WITH DPD TO IDENTIFY HIGH CRIME AREAS.
THOSE HAVE BEEN, UM, THE LOCATIONS WE'VE FOCUSED ON, UH, MOST, UM, UH, CRITICALLY TO GET CONVERTED TO LED, UH, WITH THE FUNDING WE HAD AVAILABLE.
UH, WE'VE ALSO BEEN LOOKING, UH, THROUGH OUR VISION ZERO ACTION PLAN AT, UH, WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE LED ENHANCEMENTS TO MAKE THE ROADWAY BRIGHTER AND TRY TO ADDRESS, UH, SOME SAFETY ISSUES THERE AS WELL.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE SCALED WHAT WE CAN DO IN TERMS OF, UM, PROACTIVE LED CONVERSIONS BASED ON FUNDING AVAILABLE AND ON ONCOURSE CAPACITY.
UH, WE'VE HAD TO DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ALL NEW PROCESSES TO ALIGN WITH THIS NEW FUNDING.
UM, AGAIN, I, I THINK FOUR, FOUR YEARS AGO MAYBE, IS WHEN WE FIRST STARTED GETTING FUNDING FOR, UM, LIGHTING ENHANCEMENTS.
AND SO, UH, AS PART OF THAT, WE AND, AND ENCORE, UM, HAVE HAD TO KIND OF SCALE AND DEVELOP NEW PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES.
UM, AND AS ANDRE MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'VE STARTED MEETING MONTHLY, UM, OR RESTARTED MEETING MONTHLY, UM, PICK THAT BACK UP, UM, TO REALLY COORDINATE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT THE STATUS OF THOSE PROJECTS AND WHAT'S BEEN SENT AND, AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
AND SO, UM, I THINK ANDREA OR GUS COULD SPEAK TO, YOU KNOW, CAPACITY ON EXACTLY WHAT CAN GET DONE IN EACH YEAR.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE WE, WE KNOW WE CAN DO MAYBE ONE TO $2 MILLION OF, UH, LED CONVERSIONS EACH YEAR.
WE KNOW THAT ENCORE PROBABLY CAN'T DO, YOU KNOW, $20 MILLION OF LED CONVERSIONS A YEAR.
SO SOME, SOME KIND OF SCALING THERE TO JUST UNDERSTAND THEIR CAPACITY, BOTH ON CONTRACTOR
[01:15:01]
AND ON SUPPLY CHAIN, YOU KNOW, WHAT MATERIALS CAN CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE.JUST, I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE QUICK NOTE IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ALSO, AS PART OF OUR MEETING MONTHLY MEETINGS, IS TO TRY TO TRIAGE IT AND, AND PRIORITIZE SOME OF THE LOCATIONS, UH, TO KIND OF HELP WITH THE BACKLOG THAT THEY HAVE.
SO WE HAVE THE, THE MONTHLY MEETINGS HAVE HELPED SIGNIFICANTLY FOR US TO, UM, BETTER COORDINATE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
YOU KNOW, WE VISITED BEFORE AND SO WE'VE KIND OF PULLED OUT THOSE SPECIAL PROJECTS TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT WORK WITH OUR, OUR TEAMS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW ON OUR SIDE'S, JUST KIND OF REVISITING OUR, UM, OUR PROCESS IN TERMS OF HOW WE GET THOSE, WHEN, WHEN WE RECEIVE THOSE, AND KIND OF HOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE HANDED OFF.
SO, UM, WE'RE OPTIMISTIC THAT KIND OF THE NEW SYSTEMS IN PLACE WILL ALLOW, UH, THINGS TO GO, UM, QUITE A BIT FASTER THAN THEY HAVE GONE.
AND I MEAN, Y'ALL HAVE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS.
UM, AND I MEAN, THROUGH THE HISTORY, ACTUALLY, I SEE FORMER MAYOR PRO TIM MADANO HERE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED FROM HIM, UH, IN OUR CROSSOVER TIME SERVING WAS TO LOOK AT THOSE LIGHTS WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING THROUGH THE DISTRICT AND, AND Y'ALL ARE ALWAYS VERY QUICK TO RESPOND.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, I, I, I REALLY AM MORE JUST ASKING, I, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE GIVING ME A LOT MORE WORDS THAN I NEED FOR Y'ALL'S CAPACITY NEEDS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, TO, TO KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE A SPECIFIC TIMELINE.
LIKE IF I WERE TO PUT REQUESTS IN, IF, UM, A COMMITTEE WERE TO TAKE, UM, SOMETHING UP, IF WE WERE TO ALLOCATE X AMOUNT OF, UH, LIGHTS FROM ACTION AT COUNCIL, UM, TO EXECUTION, UH, BETWEEN Y'ALL'S COLLABORATION, WHEN ARE WE GONNA SEE A LIGHT CONVERTED IN THE STREET? SO FROM OUR END, INTERNAL TO THE CITY OF DALLAS, AS SOON AS WE GET THE RESPONSE, WE PROCESS IT WITHIN LIKE TWO, THREE WORKING DAYS MAX.
AND THEN WE SEND IT OVER TO, UH, UH, ENCORE BECAUSE OF THE PROCESS, AS ANDREA MENTIONED, AND IT IS IN THE LAST SLIDE, IS WE HAVE TO GET ALSO THE CODE FOR THE LOCATION.
SO WE SEND THEM THE REQUEST, WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE GET THE CODE FOR HOW MUCH IT'S GONNA COST, BECAUSE EACH LOCATION IS DIFFERENT.
AND ONCE WE GET THAT, THEN WE ISSUE THE NOTICE TO PROCEED TO THEM.
AND THEN THAT'S WHEN IT GOES INTO THE INTERNAL PROCESS FOR THEM TO, UH, TO HANDLE IT.
AND THEN THE SCHEDULE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION WILL BE FROM ENCORE.
AND THAT'S WHY SOMETIMES WE CANNOT KIND OF PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION WITHOUT GETTING THE CONFIRMATION FROM ENCORE.
ONCE WE GET THAT, UH, IN, IN OUR OFFICE, THEN AS IT STATES THAT THE DESIGNER HAS TO GO OUT AND DETERMINE CAN, WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO CONVERT THAT LIGHT, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER, UM, CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY THAT TAKES PLACE, IS, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ONE LIGHT OR 20 LIGHTS? SO THAT ALL FACTORS INTO, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY, UM, HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE, UM, FOR, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY DOES DEPEND ON WHAT THAT DESIGN, UH, COMES BACK AT.
I, UM, I KNOW I'M NOT ON THE COMMITTEE, BUT I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO, UH, CONSIDER TAKING UP, UM, HOW WE COULD ADDRESS HOLISTICALLY OR, OR WHOEVER IN THE RESPECTIVE COMMITTEE.
UM, BUT IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY SO THAT WE'RE NOT IMPEDING ON THE CAPACITY OF OUR PARTNERS, UH, AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, A MORE OF A DESIRE AND FUNDING IDENTIFIED.
IF WE COULD MAYBE HAVE SOME SORT OF LIKE THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR, UM, THAT COULD WORK WITH BOTH ENTITIES AND GET THIS DONE FASTER FOR THE CITY, UM, TO SEE IF IT'S EVEN FEASIBLE FOR US TO LOOK AT MORE OF A HOLISTIC APPROACH.
AND WE WILL, UM, DEFINITELY ENTERTAIN IT AND SEE, UM, WE NEED TO REALLY HAVE A LOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES CONVERSATIONS AS FAR AS WHAT THAT COST WOULD BE AND IF IT'S EVEN COST EFFECTIVE.
UM, AND I, THAT'S WHERE THIS SECOND BRIEFING CAME OUT OF WAS HOW DO WE GET THERE FASTER, JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW THAT WEREN'T, UM, THAT AREN'T ON THE COMMITTEE AND, BUT YOU KNOW, MAY NOT HAVE BEEN HERE LAST MONTH, IS IT REALLY CAME OUT TO WHY CAN'T WE GET THERE FASTER SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS, BUT ABSOLUTELY LET'S CONTINUE THE TALKS.
UM, BUT IT WAS AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK FOR THEM TO, UM, BRING THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT TO US TODAY.
'CAUSE WE DID ASK WHERE IT LAST MONTH, UM, BUT IT'S, THERE'S A LOT MORE LIGHTS AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT SETS OF LIGHTS THAN WE CAN JUST GO AT IT AT ONE.
UM, IT'S, IT, I HATE TO SAY IT'S NOT JUST A FLICK OF THE LIGHT SWITCH TO DO IT.
TOLD Y'ALL EARLIER, I LIKE BAD PUNS.
SO, UM, AND UM, IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
'CAUSE ONE LIGHT FIXTURE COULD BE $15,000 CONVERT VERSUS THE NEXT ONE COULD BE 50,000.
SO, BUT THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THAT INFORMATION FOR US SO WE CAN GET A, LIKE YOU, LIKE YOU SAID, A, A GOOD HOLISTIC APPROACH TO WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO AND WHAT MAYBE WE CAN'T OFFER, UM, TO DO THAT COULD REALLY MAKE HAPPEN VERSUS WHAT WE COULDN'T.
JUST TO CLARIFY, I'M ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE CONVERSIONS THAT ARE ACTUALLY ONLY $350 EACH.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE NEW LIGHTS OR NEW INFRASTRUCTURE.
[01:20:01]
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CONVERSION OF BOLTS.WE, WE, I UNDERSTAND THAT PART.
UM, AND WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL TALK OFFLINE ON IT.
'CAUSE IT, IT'S NOT JUST $350, SO, UM, WE'LL, BUT WE'LL GO FORWARD ON THAT NOW.
WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL SHOW EACH OTHER WHAT WE KNOW.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A SECOND, UM, QUESTION? ALRIGHT, VERY GOOD.
I, AS YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH MORE CONVERSATION SOON.
UM, CAN YOU DO THEM IN LIKE TWO MINUTES PLEASE? SURE.
I WANNA, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA.
I WANTED TO LET ENCORE KNOW AND THE STAFF THAT I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT, UM, WE'VE GONE FROM 15 TO FIVE YEARS IN THE AGREEMENT.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ANDREA AND ENCORE, UM, STATING THAT THEY'RE GONNA BRIEF COUNCIL, UM, UH, YEARLY ON THE, THE UPDATE ON THE POLLS AND THE REMEDIATION TO GET THEM AN A DA COMPLIANCE.
UM, I'D LIKE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH, WITH ENCORE AND THEIR RESPONSE.
UM, AND OVER, OVER THE TIME ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, THEY ALWAYS ANSWER MY PHONE CALLS.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AGREEMENT AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ENCORE, YOU KNOW, CHAIR STEWART ASKED THIS, YOU KNOW, SO SHOULD WE JUST HAVE RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO CALL 3 1 1, UM, TO ASK QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, TRY TO REPORT POLLS.
UM, I'M HOPING STAFF HAS ANO A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE PLAN THAN THAT, RATHER THAN JUST PUTTING THIS ON RESIDENTS, UM, A PLAN, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE COMING UP WITH AS A CITY ON HOW WE'RE GONNA GET INTO A DA COMPLIANCE, UM, ACROSS THE CITY.
AND I JUST WANNA SEE IF ALI OR SOMEONE ELSE CAN COMMENT ON THAT.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE QUESTION.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE DID SOME, UM, YOU KNOW, BASIC, UM, SPATIAL ANALYSIS TO NARROW DOWN THE, UM, NUMBER OF POLES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY, UH, TO DEFINE THE UNIVERSE BASICALLY.
AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, OUT OF 218,000 POLES, WE HAVE 74,000 THAT ARE KIND OF CLOSE TO SIDEWALK.
UH, SO AT LEAST WE HAVE AT IN THE VERY, UH, LIMITED TIME THAT WE HAD.
THAT'S A THING THAT WE NEED TO AT LEAST KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE ARE WITH THE MAGNITUDE OF THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
UM, THE STAFF, UM, CAN DEFINITELY PROVIDE SOME SORT OF INSPECTION.
HOWEVER, UM, IN ORDER TO, UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS VISIT 74,000 POLLS WITH CITY STAFF, UH, THIS IS, UH, A VERY CHALLENGING TASK.
UH, IF WE WANT TO HIRE A CONSULTANT OR A VENDOR TO PERFORM THAT WORK FOR US, BUDGET HAS TO BE IDENTIFIED.
SO WE ARE, UM, CONSTANTLY DISCUSSING THIS INTERNALLY TO SEE WHAT IS THE PATH FORWARD WITH, UM, UM, HELPING WITH ONCOR TO SEE IF WE GET, UH, SOMETHING ON THAT.
SO YOU NEED A DIRECTIVE OR SOMETHING FROM US STATING THAT THIS IS A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY IN ORDER TO SEEK FUNDING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS MORE AGGRESSIVELY.
IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? WELL, I KNOW THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.
I'M SURE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO PUBLIC.
UM, THIS, THIS IS A PRIORITY FOR US, JUST A MATTER OF, UH, HOW WE GONNA, UH, DEFINE THE PATH FORWARD, RIGHT? WHETHER THERE'S A, I GUESS, FUNDING THAT WE CAN ALLOCATE TO HIRE SOMEONE OR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT WE CAN UTILIZE, BUT MORE DISCUSSION IS NEEDED INTERNALLY AND ALSO WITH ONCOR TO SEE IF WE CAN, UM, HAVE A CLEAR ANSWER ON THAT ONE, SIR.
I WOULD JUST ASK THE CHAIR, SINCE THIS IS AN INFRASTRUCTURE ITEM, IF WE COULD BRING THIS BACK, YOU KNOW, TO HEAR FROM STAFF IN THE COMING MONTHS ON WHAT THAT PLAN MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
AND SO THAT WE'RE NOT COMING BACK A YEAR FROM NOW WITH ENCORE'S UPDATE AND IT'S STILL, YOU KNOW, 70,000 POLLS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY, I KNOW IF THEY'RE IN VIOLATION OR NOT.
UM, WITH THAT, THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS.
UM, THANK YOU AGAIN, ENCORE, AND THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF FOR, UM, THE PRESENTATION AND, UM, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO OUR FUTURE CONVERSATIONS.
AND NEXT WE HAVE CHAIR, CHAIR.
CAN I, I'M SORRY, CHAIRMAN MENDELSON, THANK GO YOU SO MUCH.
UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD IN IT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WEST, YOU KNOW, GAVE SOME DIRECTION AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I WOULD NOT BE IN FAVOR OF ANY CITY FUNDS BEING USED FOR THIS.
IF THERE'S AN INTEREST IN ACCELERATING THE CHANGING OF BULBS IN THEIRS FEDERAL FUNDS OR STATE FUNDS, THAT'S LOVELY.
BUT, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A NAME FOR EVERY DOLLAR IN OUR BUDGET AND I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT WE CAN'T TAKE ON THINGS THAT ARE BEYOND OUR SCOPE.
UM, SO WHEN YOU DO BRING SOMETHING BACK, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDING ISN'T JUST CITY.
LIKE YOU NEED TO HAVE OTHER IDEAS, UM, IN, IN MY VIEW.
[01:25:01]
YOU.THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIRMAN MENDELSON.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, WE'RE THANK YOU ALL AND WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.
UM, WE NOW HAVE OUR BRIEFING BY MEMO, WHICH AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, YOU, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE AGENDA, AND I'M SURE MANY OF Y'ALL DID, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHY A LOT OF FOLKS ARE ATTENDING TODAY, THAT, UM, WHICH IS AWESOME TO SEE THAT FOLKS ARE STILL READING OUR, UM, BRIEFING BY MEMOS.
AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA DO ITEM D ALONE, UM, FIRST AND THEN THE REST OF THEM BECAUSE THE REST OF THEM ARE ONES WE DO EVERY MONTH.
UM, I WANNA START OFF WITH THIS ONE.
I TYPICALLY DON'T LEAD OFF, BUT I AM, I AM ON THIS ONE IS TO REMIND EVERYBODY WHETHER YOU'RE ON THE COMMITTEE OR YOU'RE NOT, THAT THIS ITEM, THIS BRIEFING BY MEMO IS ABOUT A PROCESS THAT WE ARE ENDING AND THAT WE'RE, THAT WE POTENTIALLY ARE STARTING AGAIN.
SO WE'RE NOT HERE TO DEBATE THE PAST.
WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO GIVE INFORMATION ON FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, SO THERE WILL NOT BE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT NATURE, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT VOTING ON ANYTHING.
UM, IF WE WERE, THEN WE WOULD BRING THAT UP.
THE STAFF IS GOING TO BE, UM, THIS RFP PROCESS WAS ENDED AT MY REQUEST.
SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO HAVE ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, THAT WAS MY REQUEST TO STAFF BECAUSE I HAD HEARD GRUMBLINGS WITHIN THE COUNCIL, NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION, NOT ENOUGH, UM, ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND I AGREE WITH THAT.
AND THEN MR. RIDLEY CAME TO ME AND ASKED FOR SOMETHING SIMILAR AND I HAD ALREADY PUT IN THAT REQUEST LIKE MINUTES BEFORE I THINK HE HAD CALLED ME.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS SOMEBODY FROM DOWNTOWN AND WHO'S ALSO NOT ON THE COMMITTEE.
BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S UNFAIR THAT WE DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT ON OUR COMMITTEE 'CAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND SO I WANT TO REINFORCE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A NEED FOR STAFF TO ENGAGE, UM, THE URBAN CORE, THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, BUT ALSO INCLUDE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS THAT HAVE CITYWIDE PERSPECTIVES ON DALLAS, UM, LIKE THE CHAMBERS VISIT DALLAS, LARGE RETAIL PROPERTY MANAGERS, UH, PEDESTRIAN CORRIDORS AND POTENTIAL VENDORS.
UM, AS TECHNICAL EXPERTS ON THIS, AS WE KIND OF START OVER, UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE THE ENGAGEMENT PERIOD TO TAKE, UM, PLACE WITHIN THE NEXT 60 DAYS BECAUSE A LOT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE BY OUR, OUR, UM, STAFF, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE IT MORE ROBUST AND WE NEED TO GET IT RIGHT AND WE DON'T WANT TO PUT ANYTHING OUT THERE THAT MAKES OUR STAKEHOLDERS, UM, OUR RESIDENTS, EVERYBODY ACROSS THIS ENTIRE CITY FEEL AS IF WE'RE SHOVING SOMETHING DOWN THEIR THROAT WITHOUT LISTENING TO THEM.
IF YOU'VE BEEN AROUND ME LONG ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, THAT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND ALL THE REST IS EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET A POLICY AND GET IT RIGHT.
THE NEXT THING IS THAT THE FINAL CONTRACT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED HOPEFULLY BEFORE COUNCIL RECESS.
THAT GIVES YOU ABOUT THOSE 60 DAYS.
IF WE CAN GET THERE, AGAIN, THE VAST MAJORITY OF WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT ENGAGEMENT FROM THE ROBUST CITY OF DALLAS AND NOT JUST, UM, THE URBAN CORE, THE VERY CENTER.
AND THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES GETTING TO SPEAK BECAUSE THIS IS A CITYWIDE PROJECT.
UM, MY ONE QUE AND THEN THE ITEM WILL COME BACK TO TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR US TO REVIEW LOOK AT.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY BEFORE THE RECESS, I MEAN IF WE HAVE TO TAKE TILL AFTER THE RECESS, WE HAVE TO, THIS IS JUST WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS TO, TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND UH, THAT'S ABOUT IT AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY AS FAR AS GETTING US STARTED.
SO THAT, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A DEBATE ABOUT THE PAST.
THIS IS STARTING FROM THE RFP HAS DONE AND THINGS THAT WE WANNA SEE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, CHAIRMAN GRACE, VICE CHAIRMAN GRACIE, UM, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL GO IN THE ORDER THAT WE DID THE FIRST ONE.
UM, UH, GRACIE ATKINS, RESENDEZ SCHULTZ, STEWART MENDELSSOHN.
AND THEN WE'LL GO BACKWARDS FROM THE NON-MEMBERS.
MR. GRACIE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
SO IF WE FOLLOW THE PROCESS THAT YOU'RE PLANNING, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT EITHER.
COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART, JUST A A QUICK QUESTION.
WHERE DID THIS IDEA ORIGINATE? DID IT ORIGINATE FROM OUR, FROM STAFF, FROM COUNCIL OR SOMETHING OUTSIDE THAT WAS BROUGHT TO US? THE IDEA OF THE KIOSK MA? THE KIOSK? YES.
I BELIEVE THIS IS, IT WAS ORIGINATED FROM THE STAFF.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING QUESTIONS, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSON, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
[01:30:01]
UM, WELL I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A CHAMBER THAT'S GONNA REPRESENT THE DISTRICT 12 OPINION.UM, EVEN THE NORTH DALLAS CHAMBER REALLY DOESN'T UNDERSTAND, UM, THE RESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCE IN DISTRICT 12.
WE HAVE THESE, THEY'RE ALL ON STREETS WITH 45 MILES AN HOUR.
AND WHAT THEY ARE IS AN IMPEDIMENT FOR THE PEDESTRIANS AND A VISUAL BLOCK FOR THE VEHICLES, FOR THE DRIVERS OF CARS.
UM, SO PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE HATES THEM.
UM, CAN YOU TELL US WHEN THESE ROUND ONES EXPIRE, THAT CONTRACT? I BELIEVE THE CONTRACT WILL EXPIRE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
UH, FOR THE STATIC KIOSK THAT YOU'RE REFERRING, THE ROUND SHAPE YES.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT DATE IS THAT YEAR? I CAN GET IT FOR YOU.
UM, I THINK IT'S 2026, BUT I NEED TO CONFIRM THAT DATE.
SO THEY'RE SAYING OVER HERE 2026, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BE INVITED TO A PARTY WHEN THEY'RE BEING REMOVED.
UM, SERIOUSLY, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA RING YOU IN JUST A LITTLE BIT, MS. MENDELSON, JUST 'CAUSE THANK YOU.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE KIOSK.
SO JUST, JUST BE VERY CAREFUL THERE.
WHERE I'M GOING IS THERE SHOULD BE NOTHING THAT REPLACES THEM.
THE KIOSKS, UM, I FIRST SAW THEM AT THE SMART CITIES CONFERENCE IN 2019 AND THEY WERE PRETTY COOL, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? NOW EVERYONE HAS AT LEAST ONE PHONE THEY'RE WALKING AWAY WITH AND THE KIOSK LITERALLY LOOKS LIKE A BIG PHONE.
AND EVEN OUR LOWEST INCOME PEOPLE ARE GETTING SMARTPHONES.
AND SO IF WE ARE INITI INITIATING A PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC WIFI IN SO MANY PLACES, EVEN SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE A PLAN WILL BE ABLE TO DO THE WAY FINDING THAT THEY NEED.
I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE PURSUING THIS ANYMORE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE US TO NOT PURSUE IT ANYMORE.
SO THAT'S MY INPUT, BUT SURE, GO ASK PEOPLE.
I'LL TELL YOU, I'VE RECEIVED OVERWHELMING, UM, COMMENTS, NOT JUST FROM DISTRICT 12, BUT FROM DOWNTOWN, FROM ALL OVER.
THESE ARE FAIRLY UNIVERSALLY HATED THE ONES THAT ARE HERE NOW.
AND NOBODY CAN SEE WHY WE WOULD DO THIS.
SO I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR WHO IS SUPPORTING IT.
AND UM, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHY, LIKE WHAT DO THEY THINK THEY WOULD ADD TO OUR CITY? I DON'T, I DON'T SEE A REASON THAT IT WOULD ADD.
SO WITH THAT, THAT'S SOME INPUT.
AND UM, AS YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT STAKEHOLDER INPUT, PERHAPS YOU DO A PUBLIC SURVEY AND PEOPLE CAN PUT IN THEIR ADDRESS AND TELL YOU WHAT THEY THINK BECAUSE I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR A LOT OF NEGATIVE INPUT ABOUT ADDING THINGS INTO OUR SIDEWALK.
AND HOPEFULLY SOON WE'RE REMOVING THEM.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ, UM, BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS AFTER ALL.
THESE ARE THINGS FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE DOING IN THE OUTREACH, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET INCLUDED.
AND FOR YOUR NEXT BRIEFING TO US ON THAT, COULD WE GET A COUPLE OF CASE STUDIES FROM OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE USED THEM AND, AND THEIR THOUGHTS ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE OF IS THAT WE REALLY GET A VERY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW BIG THESE ARE, WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE, THAT KIND OF THING.
'CAUSE WE'RE GETTING LOTS OF DIFFERENT INFORMATION ABOUT IT.
SO IF WE COULD GET A VERY CLEAR, MAYBE EVEN BRING ONE IN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UH, MR. GRACIE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? YEAH.
UM, JUST SOME, JUST SOME QUICK GET ME CAUGHT UP TO SPEED ON A LOT OF THIS.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN HEARING SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS, BUT THIS DOESN'T EXACTLY IMPACT, UM, MY DISTRICT, BUT, SO, UM, JUST TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF IT.
WHAT DOES THIS COST TO THE CITY? IS THERE A COST TO THE CITY OR IS THERE, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A REVENUE, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
ACTUALLY THEN THERE'S NO COST TO THE CITY.
THIS, THESE DEVICE ACTUALLY GENERATE REVENUE FOR THE CITY.
AND WHAT IS THAT ESTIMATED REVENUE? I BELIEVE IT WAS.
UM, YEAH, WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, ROBERT.
AND THEN AS FAR AS THE FEEDBACK, HAS THERE BEEN ANY, ANY CONVERSATIONS AT THIS POINT SINCE I KNOW WE, UH, UM, DEFERRED THIS OR, OR ACTUALLY I FORGET THE TERM, UH, FOR THE LAST ONE, BUT WHAT KIND OF CONVERSATIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE SINCE WE UH, MOVE THIS, UH, WHAT IS THE WORD, GEEZ, DELAY THERE THROUGHOUT THE CONTRACT? THE, THE, THE RFP THAT FROM THE LAST TIME, WHAT TYPE OF OUTREACH HAS HAPPENED HAS TAKEN PLACE SINCE THEN? WELL, SINCE THE RFP WAS ACTIVE, WE COULDN'T ACTUALLY REACH OUT TO ANYONE TO DISCUSS IT.
AND THAT'S ON THE MEMO ACTUALLY.
AND UM, THAT'S WHY WE ACTUALLY CANCELED THE RFP TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT THEY HAVE CONCERNS.
AND JUST FOR CONTEXT, COLLEAGUES, THE REASON THAT THE RP HAD TO BE CANCELED IS BECAUSE IT KIND OF CHANGED ON US, UM, THROUGH PROCUREMENT.
[01:35:01]
COULD NOT SPEAK TO APPLICANTS OR PEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING FOR THE RFP AND FOR WHATEVER REASON THINGS HAVE CHANGED.I DON'T KNOW IF A STATE LAW CHANGED OR WHATEVER, BUT, UM, IT CAME OUT THAT WE COULD NO LONGER SPEAK TO STAKEHOLDERS OR ANYONE ABOUT THE RFP.
AND, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, UM, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENGAGEMENT HAD TO STOP, WHICH TYPICALLY WOULDN'T HAVE, 'CAUSE WE TYPICALLY ENGAGED STAKEHOLDERS, RIGHT? WE ENGAGED THE PEOPLE THAT'S GONNA MOSTLY AFFECT, AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT ANY LONGER.
SO IT MADE THE MOST SENSE TO JUST END THIS BECAUSE WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO SOME OF OUR MOST, YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCED STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE RE THROUGHOUT THE, UM, CITY.
AND SO ANYWAY, JUST FYI ON THAT ONE.
SO, UM, IN ORDER TO GET THIS RIGHT, WE REALLY NEED, UM, THOSE STAKE, THAT STAKEHOLDER INPUT.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU HEAR ME TALKING ABOUT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, STAKEHOLDER INPUT, STAKEHOLDER, STAKEHOLDER, STAKEHOLDER, BECAUSE THAT'S THE FOLKS WHO THIS IS GONNA AFFECT THE MOST AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT RIGHT IF THERE IS A GET IT RIGHT, UM, TO MAKE SURE WE HEAR FROM EVERYBODY TO, TO HAVE THAT GOOD OPPORTUNITY.
SO THANK YOU MR. WELL THANK YOU THAT I WAS JUST GETTING THE CLARITY ON THAT, THAT WE, WE, WE STOPPED TO GO BACK AND GET FEEDBACK FROM THE SURE.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE ON THE COMMITTEE? UM, NOW WE'LL GO BACKWARDS, LIKE I SAID FROM THE LAST ONE ON NON COMMITTEE.
DO A BLACKMAN RIDLEY, MR. WEST.
UM, SO QUESTIONS ON THIS AND I GUESS AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH ANOTHER RFP, UM, HOW WAS PLACEMENT DECIDED ON WHERE THESE ARE GONNA GO? ONCE THE CONTRACT IS EXECUTED WITH THE VENDOR TO HAVE THE KIOSK READY IN THE CITY, THEN THE, UH, PLACEMENT OF IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO FINALIZE BECAUSE, UH, IN ORDER TO INSTALL THE DEVICES, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT IN VIOLATION OF A DA OR ANYTHING ELSE, RIGHT? UM, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE THE SIMILAR WITH THE 5G SMALL CELL NETWORK THAT THE TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANIES THEY INSTALLED IN THE CITY ORIGINALLY WHEN THEY CAME TO THE CITY BACK IN 2017 OR 18 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE A LOT OF UNKNOWN THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO PLACE HIM OR I, I ALSO REMEMBER, UH, AS A FUNNY JOKE THAT ONE OF THEM PROPOSED ONE IN FRONT OF JFK MEMORIAL THAT WE DENIED IT.
SO THE LOCATION, WE HAVE TO HAVE A GUIDELINES, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT, THAT HAVE MORE INCENTIVE FOR THE VENDORS TO INSTALL THE KIOSK AS A PART OF THEIR ADVERTISEMENT.
BUT REGARDLESS, WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE THE GUIDELINES ON WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR THE INSTALLATION AS A PART OF THE, UH, AFTER THE CONTACT WITH EXECUTIVE AS PART OF THE GUIDELINES FOR THE INSTALLATION.
WELL, YOU READ MY MIND ON WHERE I WAS GOING.
WE JUST HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, A DA ISSUES AND SIDEWALKS AND, UM, I'M GLAD THAT THAT'S BEING THOUGHT OF.
AND THEN THE SECOND PIECE IS, UH, I RECALL SEEING SOMEWHERE IN ONE OF THESE PREVIOUS DOCUMENTS THAT THERE FOR, AND THIS IS A DISTRICT SPECIFIC QUESTION, THAT THERE WAS A KIOSKS PROPOSED IN THE BISHOP ARTS AREA.
AND THEN I KNOW COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS A PIECE AS A PART OF THIS.
IS THERE CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO LIKE, HISTORIC AREAS AND THE FACT THAT THIS IS PUTTING SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S MODERN, THAT'S A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY GONNA COMPLY WITH SORT OF THE FEEL AND THE, THE HISTORY, UM, OF THAT AREA, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A, IT IS A CONSIDERATION WE NEED TO TAKE IN MIND, MR. WEST.
SO THAT'S WHY I SAID THAT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT DEBATING THE PAST AND ALL THAT.
WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE AND THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO ENGAGE ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS SO THAT THOSE TYPES OF QUESTIONS CAN BE ASKED.
AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS CAN BE PUT INTO WHAT THOSE, UM, COMPONENTS COULD BE.
SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DO THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT NOW.
WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE INSIDE OF THAT ENGAGEMENT.
SO I WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, RIGHT? NO, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO HEAR IS THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE, NOT HAS IT BEEN DONE.
THAT IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE ENGAGEMENT IS A CONSIDERATION FOR THE HISTORICAL ASPECTS OF WHERE THIS IS GOING TO BE PLACED, UM, AND ENGAGEMENT ON THAT PIECE.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER BASA.
UM, AND THANK Y'ALL FOR BRINGING THIS.
UH, I, I WOULD SAY THAT IT, I WISH THIS NEVER WOULD'VE BEEN ENDED.
UH, IT WOULD'VE BEEN GREAT FOR US TO HAVE THAT DEBATE AND THEN EVEN IF A HOLD NEEDED, WE DO ALWAYS HAVE THAT PROCESS.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US HAVE MORE OF, UH, UH, DEMOCRATIC, UM, APPROACH TO HOW POLICY IS DECIDED ON THIS BODY.
AND THAT SEEMS TO BE, UH, NOT THE PAR AND, UM, IT, IN ADDITION TO THAT, GOING FORWARD WITH WHERE WE ARE NEGOTIATING, I THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UH, WITH STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
AND I KNOW STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IS, IS IS, UH, BEING USED AS A, UH, UM, A, A WORD THAT IS REALLY ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS.
AND WE HAVE, UM, SOME OUTSIDE SOURCES WHO THINK THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO A REVENUE SHARE OF OUR RIGHT OF WAY.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT STAFF KNOWS THAT THE RIGHT OF WAY IS THE CITY OF DALLAS'S RIGHT OF WAY.
[01:40:01]
AND SO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN THE FUTURE, IT NEEDS TO BE BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.I AM A FAN OF THESE AND I'VE SAID THAT IN THE PAST THREE OR FOUR BRIEFINGS THAT WE'VE HAD OVER TWO YEARS, WHICH IS A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT I SHOULD ADD.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME STAKEHOLDERS WHO WANT MORE ENGAGEMENT THAT GAVE LETTERS IN 2023, LIKE DDI.
SO I, I I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO ACCOMPLISH, UM, BY HAVING AN YET ANOTHER PROCUREMENT THAT WILL RESULT PROBABLY IN THE SAME.
UM, BUT WHAT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THAT WE DON'T CONTINUE TO GIVE A PERCEPTION THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A HEADACHE TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE IS GONNA OFFER PUBLIC GOOD.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT FREE WIFI, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE MS. MENDELSON, JUST AS YOU MENTIONED, I AGREE, THEY ARE BIG CELL PHONES.
HAVING A DEVICE DOESN'T ALWAYS EQUATE TO HAVING SERVICE AND HAVING FREE WIFI IN THE AREA THAT YOU CAN USE YOUR WI YOUR, UH, DEVICE FROM THAT MAY NOT BE CONNECTED TO SERVICE TO ME IS HUGE.
AND WE'VE ALL SAID THAT WIFI ALONE IS A UTILITY, SHOULD BE A NECESSITY.
AND THIS IS ONE WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THAT.
HAVING THESE, I KNOW THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM STAKEHOLDERS OUTSIDE OF SOME PIS THAT WE HEARD FROM OPPOSITION OF LIKE, VISIT DALLAS, THEY LOVE THIS.
WE HAVE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS PUTTING INTO A NEW CONVENTION CENTER TRYING TO MODERNIZE OUR DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
IT'S, IT'S PROMOTING, UM, UH, MORE OF, UH, THE WHAT THIS CITY HAS TO OFFER IN, IN A WAY THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE TO ADVERTISE.
AND SO I I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE US TO LOOK AT THE BENEFIT AND YES, ABSOLUTELY THAT THERE'S BUY-IN FROM MEMBERS AND WHERE THESE ARE GONNA BE MOST APPROPRIATE.
BUT WHERE THESE ARE ALSO GOING TO IMPACT, UM, POSITIVELY THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE ADVERTISED THROUGH THIS.
THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT WE CAN UTILIZE THIS FROM AND JUST PROVIDING SOME SORT OF ASSET IN, UM, A FREE PUBLIC WIFI TO ME IS HUGE.
HAVING A COUPLE OF THESE IN THE 277 ACRES OF FAIR PARK AND PROVIDING FREE WIFI THROUGHOUT FAIR PARK, HAVING AN INTERACTIVE KIOSK THAT CAN HIGHLIGHT THINGS THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS WANTS TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THE 5 MILLION VISITORS THAT WE HAVE COME THROUGH THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, THAT ALONE TO ME IS SOMETHING TO FIGHT FOR.
AND SO I WANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS SOMETHING I WHOLEHEARTEDLY, UH, UH, SUPPORT.
I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN BRIEFED TO QUALITY OF LIFE TO, UM, TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
THIS HAS HAD THREE FULL BRIEFINGS.
WE'VE ALSO HAD A BRIEFING MEMO.
I PERSONALLY KNOW OF THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE NOT ONLY WITH THE PIS, BUT THE OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I JUST MENTIONED.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE THE BODY THAT HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND FOR US TO PUT ANYTHING ON HOLD BECAUSE THERE'S ANY QUESTION OF WHO IS ENTITLED TO OUR REVENUE, UM, TO ME IS ABSURD.
AND, AND WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
UM, ON ON ON OUR FOCUS BEING ON DALLAS, I PERSONALLY, BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF ENGAGEMENT THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME THIS HAS GONE ON BECAUSE OF THE, THE THINGS THAT VISIT DALLAS, WHICH I SIT ON THE BOARD OF, UM, TALKS QUITE FREQUENTLY ABOUT, WHICH IS IN PREPARATION FOR FIFA IN THE WORLD CUP.
I WANT US TO BE AGGRESSIVE IN THIS.
AND IF WE WANT TO HAVE A DEBATE AS A BODY AND THIS NOT BE SOMETHING THAT IS APPROVED, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO.
WE'VE ALREADY GI GIVEN TWO YEARS, 30 DAYS I THINK IS PLENTY.
A FULL MONTH OF APRIL FOR YOU ALL TO HAVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SHOULD, SHOULD RESULT IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TOUCH EVERY PERSON THAT Y'ALL NEED TO.
AND I ENCOURAGE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HOST THEIR OWN MEETINGS.
I KNOW I'VE HEARD THAT COUNCIL ME MEMBERS HAD HAD ISSUE WITH THE AMOUNT OF ENGAGEMENT, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE PUBLIC MEETING, UM, UH, THAT HAS BEEN PUT FORTH TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS.
SO WE'RE EITHER GONNA GET SERIOUS ABOUT THIS, THIS, UH, STALL BEING REALLY ABOUT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OR NOT.
BUT EITHER WAY, I BELIEVE 30 DAYS GIVES US PLENTY OF TIME TO POTENTIALLY HAVE THE OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT GIVE US THIS ITEM BACK BEFORE WE GET ON RECESS AND ALLOW FOR THOSE STAKEHOLDERS WHO HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THIS TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A, A PRODUCT THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO, UH, SUPPORT AND, AND INVEST IN IN ANY WAY, INCLUDING FIFA AND THE WORLD CUP.
I'D LOVE TO SEE THIS BE DONE ON A MORE OF AGGRESSIVE, UH, UH, TIME TRACK.
I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO, UH, NOT ALLOW FOR AN ELEPHANT TO BE IN THE ROOM AND TO BE VERY EXPLICIT TO STAFF THAT MY EXPECTATION IF THERE'S GONNA BE ANY REVENUE SHARE OR PROFIT SHARE IS GOING TO BE WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, NOT AN OUTSIDE SOURCE THAT DOESN'T HAVE A RIGHT TO OUR RIGHT OF WAY.
AND UM, JUST TO RE WE CLEAR UP WHAT I SAID EARLIER, 60 DAYS IS
[01:45:01]
WHEN I WANT IT BACK.SO YEAH, SO I I MAY HAVE SAID THAT IN A WAY THAT DIDN'T SOUND CORRECT, SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I CLEARED THAT UP.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
SO TO, TO SUM THIS ALL UP, I TOO HAVE THREE.
NO, I HAVE TWO IN MY DISTRICT AND I STOPPED BY YESTERDAY.
AND OF THE SIX PANELS, UM, NONE OF THEM APPLIED TO EAST DALLAS AND ONE WAS WHITE.
SO IT MEANS NOTHING'S HAPPENING.
IT MEANS THEY ARE STATIC AND THEY ARE UGLY AND THEY DON'T WORK.
SO WHAT I'M THINKING, IT'S LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.
AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHAT, HOW ARE YOU, WILL RFP DEVELOP A LOCATION RUBRIC IN WHICH, YOU KNOW, HIGH TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC CONNECTIONS WITH TRAILS, LIKE I COULD SEE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHITE ROCK LAKE, WE COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO WATER ACTIVITIES TODAY BECAUSE WE GOT STUFF IN IT.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING, WHERE DO YOU PLAN? IS IT GONNA BE IN THE RFP? DO YOU WORK AFTER IT? HOW ARE YOU GONNA MANAGE EXPECTATIONS FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GO? AGAIN, I'M HOPING THAT WE RECEIVE SOME CONCERNS AND FEEDBACK FROM, UH, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OKAY.
ON WHERE THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE THOSE DEVICES BASICALLY.
AND UH, WELL, CAN YOU DO IT THE OTHER WAY? PUT WHERE DO YOU WANT TO SEE THEM? NOT WHERE YOU GO SEE, I MEAN, IT COULD SEE THEM, IT COULD BE A TWO-WAY CONVERSATION.
UM, 'CAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO BE PROACTIVE IN THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE WE DO HAVE FIFA COMING.
WE DO HAVE MORE PEOPLE VISITING OUR CITY AND WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE MORE THINGS HAPPENING? MM-HMM,
AND SO WE NEED TO PROMOTE THAT.
SO I GUESS THE THING IS, IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, SET A RUBRIC OF THIS IS WHERE WE EXPECT THESE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES TO HAPPEN.
AND DO YOU AGREE INSTEAD OF TE I MEAN WE NEED TO ACTUALLY TRY TO CONTROL THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE PUTTING OUR INVESTMENTS.
WE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WHEN YES, WORKING WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE NEED, WE, WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE SAYING, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO.
I, YOU KNOW, UM, WHERE DO I BUY A TICKET TO GO TO THE ARBORETUM? YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO JUST WONDERING, LOCATION IS THE KEY AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING HERE.
UH, THE SECOND THING IS, UH, LET'S FACE IT, WE NEED TO MONETIZE OUR ASSETS.
UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OUR BILLS COMING DUE AND WE GOT A LOT OF 'EM.
AND SO WE NEED, THIS IS ABOUT MONEY.
LET'S JUST BE PURE AND SIMPLE.
YES, IT'S ABOUT GIVING A SERVICE, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO, SO PEOPLE NEED TO PAY FOR THAT SERVICE AND THEY NEED TO ACTUALLY HAVE A PRODUCT THAT ACT THAT GIVES INFORMATION BACK.
THESE KIOSKS THAT WE HAVE NOW DO NOT, THEY HAVE FAILED MISERABLY.
THEY'RE LIKE, I, FOR ALL THE REASONS SAID, SO MONETIZING THESE ASSETS ARE, ARE VERY KEY AND THAT IS PURE AND PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
UH, WE GOT BILLS
SO YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M LOOKING UNDER EVERY DAMN CUSHION.
UH, THE SECOND THING IS ABOUT CONNECTING COMMUNITIES.
SO SOMEBODY CAN BE ON THE KATY TRAIL, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY COULD ACTUALLY GET TO WHITE ROCK TRAIL ON THEIR BIKE AND MAYBE STOP AT MOCKINGBIRD STATION ALONG THE WAY IF, IF THEY'RE NEW TO OUR CITY.
AND SO THAT IS ABOUT, I'M SEEING THIS AS A WAY TO CONNECT NODES OF ENTERTAINMENT THAT IS EASY FOR THE CONSUMER.
YES, EVERYBODY HAS A PHONE, BUT HOW DO YOU, DO WE EVEN HAVE A PLATFORM WHICH SOMEBODY CAN SAY, OH, DO YOU GO TO GOOGLE MAPS? WELL, THEY'RE NOT GONNA, IT'S CUMBERSOME.
SO IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT MONETIZES OUR ASSET, GIVE IT IN A LOCATION THAT MAKES SENSE, THAT CREATES CONNECTIONS.
I DON'T SEE WHY WE SHOULDN'T ENTERTAIN THIS AS A MODERN CITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT, BUT I THINK IT'S COMING FROM THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO GIVE TO OUR CONSUMER, AND WE'RE WILLING TO WORK TO GET TO THAT POINT AND NOT BE HELD HOSTAGE FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.
SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS, UM, ON THIS.
I THINK IT IS, UM, ESSENTIAL THAT EVERYBODY COMES IN WITH OPEN MINDS AND WILLING TO WORK.
I HAVE BEEN CONTACTED FROM VARIOUS CLOSE FRIENDS SAYING, NO, I DON'T WANT THESE, BUT IT'S LIKE THEY'RE NOT THE SAME.
AND LET'S BE HONEST, WE ARE A MODERN CITY, AND IF WE WANNA BE A MODERN CITY, THEN WE NEED TO BE THAT.
IF WE WANT PEOPLE TO JUST GO TO THEIR PHONES AND HOPE THEY MAKE IT, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA RISK THAT IT'S A GAMBLE.
I WANNA BE VERY DELIBERATE IN WHERE I WANNA SEND PEOPLE AND WHAT THE EXPERIENCE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE AND MANAGE THAT EXPECTATION.
AND I KNOW VISIT DALLAS WANTS THE SAME THING.
WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE, I DUNNO HOW MANY PEOPLE COMING THIS WEEKEND FOR THE SWEET 16.
AND SO HOW DO YOU CONNECT THEM? HOW DO YOU GET THEM TO GO TO DOWNTOWN AND EAT AT OUR PLACES AND GO HAVE DRINKS AND EXPERIENCE OUR,
[01:50:01]
UH, NIGHTLIFE IN OUR OPEN AIR GOING DOWN TO THE, TO, YOU KNOW, THE AUDUBON CENTER.THIS IS ABOUT PROMOTING DALLAS, AND WE ARE ON STAGE NOW, BUT WAIT TILL FIFA COMES AND IT'S GONNA BE MAGNIFIED.
AND SO I WANT US TO BE PREPARED AND I, I'M HOPING THE TIMELINE YOU CAN MAKE IT AND IF WE CAN SHORTEN IT, WOULD YOU ENTERTAIN THAT MR. CHAIR, IF THEY CAN COME BEFORE AND LET'S GET THIS THING GOING AND HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
HAPPY TO TALK WITH PEOPLE SINCE WE CAN NOW.
AND, UH, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO COME WITH THIS MINDSET OF WE NEED TO MAKE THIS WORK IF WE ARE GOING TO BE A MODERN CITY THIS DAY AND AGE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. RIDLEY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND THEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU.
UH, ALI, WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON THIS ISSUE? COUNCILMAN? WE'RE STILL FINALIZING THE PLAN, BUT, UM, AGAIN, WE ARE IDENTIFYING ALL THE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, WE ALSO PLANNING TO HAVE A, TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INPUT.
AND WE HAVE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO SOME OF THE STAKEHOLDERS TO SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH THEM AND DISCUSS THIS.
YOU SAY IN YOUR MEMO THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY STARTED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS.
WHAT EFFORTS HAVE YOU ALREADY DONE? UH, WE HAVE, UH, ALREADY CONTACTED, FOR EXAMPLE, DDI, UH, DOWNTOWN DALLAS INCORPORATION TO SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH THEM TO DISCUSS THIS, UM, THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THIS KIOSK.
AND, UH, WE ARE CONSTANTLY REACHING OUT TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, UH, TO SCHEDULE A MEETING.
AND MAYBE FINALLY WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, UM, TO HEAR ABOUT FROM EVERYWHERE, EVERYONE IN THE CITY, BASICALLY.
AND WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME DURING WHICH YOU'LL BE UNDERTAKING THOSE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS? WE'RE HOPING TO WRAP UP THE COMMITTEE ENGAGEMENT, UM, MAYBE BY END OF APRIL.
AND I BELIEVE, UM, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE PLANNING TO HAVE THE, UH, STARTING THE RESUSCITATION IN MAY AND HAVING THE, UM, AND ALSO THE COUNCIL GROUPING IF IS NEEDED.
AND, UH, IN JUNE WE'RE PLANNING TO HAVE IT FOR THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.
SO, UM, YOU ARE COMMITTED TO BRINGING IT BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE FOR THE PURPOSES OF PROVIDING THE RESULTS OF THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT? ABSOLUTE CORRECT.
AND THEN WILL YOU TAKE IT TO A BRIEFING OF THE FULL COUNSEL? WE CAN PROVIDE THE BRIEFING FOR THE, FOR FULL COUNSEL.
I PROBABLY GONNA DEFER THAT TO DR. PEREZ.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT BEFORE WE START THIS RFP PROCESS AGAIN, BECAUSE ONCE THAT HAPPENS, ALL DISCUSSION HAS TO CEASE.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE FIRST PROCESS.
NO ONE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS BEFORE THE CURTAIN CAME DOWN BECAUSE THE RFP WAS STARTED PREMATURELY.
SO I'D LIKE SOME ASSURANCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS.
THE FULL COUNSEL BEFORE STAFF WASTES ITS TIME WITH AN RFP THAT MAY BE REJECTED.
HONORABLE CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
ROBERT PATTIS, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
UM, BUT GIVEN THE TIMEFRAME THAT WAS JUST DISCUSSED, UH, WE MAY HAVE TO FOREGO COMING TO THE COMMITTEE BEFORE WE GO TO A FULL COUNCIL BRIEFING.
WELL, I DON'T SEE WHAT THE RUSH, THE JUDGMENT IS HERE.
SO WHAT, WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M COMMITTED TO IS THAT YES, CITY COUNCIL WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN BEFORE WE RES SOLICIT.
UM, THERE IS SIGNIFICANT CONCERN, PARTICULARLY IN MY DISTRICT, WHICH I KNOW WILL BE THE TARGET FOR THESE KIOSKS.
UM, I HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST SIX LETTERS FROM SIGNIFICANT STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS OPPOSED TO THE WHOLE IDEA OF THESE KIOSKS.
AND SO THIS IS NOT JUST AN EXERCISE IN, UM, TICKING OFF THE BOXES.
THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS TO BE FULLY DISCUSSED AND VETTED BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND SO I HOPE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT AND WILL HONESTLY ENGAGE IN THE COMMUNITY INPUT THAT IS NECESSARY HERE.
I'M GONNA GO FOR THESE ROUND TWOS REAL QUICK.
UM, CHAIR STEWART, AND THEN, UM, CHAIR MENDELSON.
UM, SO THIS CON THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE REMINDING ME OF SCOOTERS AND WHICH BLOCK FACE THEY COULD GO ON AND WHICH, WHERE THEY WERE GONNA GO.
AND, UM, SO I REALLY HAVE A NUTS AND BOLTS QUESTION.
HOW WILL WE DETERMINE, LET'S SAY WE'RE GONNA HAVE 25 OF THESE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHO WILL MAKE THE DECISION ABOUT WHERE THE KIOSK WILL BE PLACED? EACH ONE? UM, CHAIR, UH, SO ALI ALLUDED TO IT EARLIER, MA'AM, THAT, THAT THE SELECTED VENDOR OR VENDORS WILL, THEY WILL SELECT THE LOCATIONS THAT
[01:55:01]
ARE MOST, UH, ADVANTAGEOUS FOR THEM.AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WILL HAVE TO DO A SEPARATE LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR EACH OF THESE.
SO WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE FINAL PLACEMENT, VERY SIMILAR TO THE 5G ROLLOUT.
AS, AS WAS REFERENCED BY ALI, WE, WE WORKED WITH THE INDIVIDUAL STAKEHOLDERS DOWN TO THE CORNER, UH, OF WHERE THESE LOCATIONS WOULD BE AT.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA JUST, I, I THINK WHAT I ENVISION HAPPENING IS THAT THERE WILL BE A TARGET AREA THAT THESE KIOSKS WILL GO INTO, AND WE'LL WORK WITH THE INDIVIDUAL, UM, ADJACENT, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS AND OR STAKEHOLDERS TO DECIDE THE, THE FINAL PLACEMENTS, EXACTLY WHAT WE DID WITH, WITH THE 5G ROLLOUT.
AND I ENVISION THAT BEING THE SAME CASE HERE, MA'AM.
I, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT THE DETAILED SELECTION, UM, IS IT'S BASED ON WHAT YOUR, YOUR, YOUR PROPERTY OWNERS, YOUR STAKEHOLDERS, THE WIDTH OF YOUR SIDEWALK, THE HISTORIC, YOU KNOW, NATURE OF THE, UM, OF THE COMMUNITY.
THERE'S, THERE'S JUST GONNA BE SO MANY FACTORS.
AND I REMEMBER THE SCOOTER COMPANIES PUSHING BACK, YOU KNOW, THEY REALLY WANTED THEM IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT IT JUST ABSOLUTELY DID NOT MAKE SENSE.
AND YOU HAD NEIGHBORS SAYING, NO.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION.
AND IT SEEMED TO ME I WOULD BE IN ONE MEETING AND WE WOULD'VE DECIDED IT WAS THESE PARTICULAR BLOCKS, AND THEN I'D COME BACK, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE WEEKS LATER TO THE MEETING.
AND SO I GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I, THE, THE PROCESS THERE WAS, UM, CONCERNING AND, AND CHANGES GOT MADE, AND STAKEHOLDERS JUST HAD TO BE VERY, VERY DILIGENT IN WATCHING THAT PROCESS BECAUSE IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T, ONCE WE GAVE OUR INPUT, WE COULDN'T COUNT ON THE FACT THAT THAT INPUT WAS REALLY BEING CONSIDERED AND THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE PUT 16 OR 18 SCOOTERS AT A PARTICULAR CORNER THAT EVERYONE THERE SAID THAT WAS NOT A WISE CHOICE.
SO I WANT TO BE VERY RESPECTFUL OF THE AREAS WHERE THESE GO.
AND I AGREE, THERE WILL BE NEIGHBORHOODS AND PARTS OF OUR CITY THAT WILL EMBRACE THEM, AND THAT'S PERFECT AND GOOD, AND WE SHOULD GO FOR THAT BECAUSE IT IS NECESSARY.
BUT THERE WILL BE PLACES IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHO WILL SAY, THIS IS NOT APPROPRIATE.
AND IN DISTRICT 10, FOR EXAMPLE, I, I'M GONNA REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHERE THEY WOULD BE, WHERE THERE WOULD BE THE ENGAGEMENT NECESSARY.
UM, I, I JUST, THAT'S GONNA TAKE SOME THOUGHT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AT A, IN A, AT A WRECK CENTER OR ALONG A TRAIL, BUT YOUR AVERAGE STREET, YOU JUST, WE HAVE VERY, VERY FEW PEDESTRIANS IN, IN A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT ANYWAY, THE LOCATION AND HOW THAT GETS DECIDED IS MY BIGGEST CONCERN.
CHAIR STEWART AND CHAIRMAN MENDELSON, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
UM, I, I DO HAVE A QUESTION THAT I WANT TO, BUT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART BROUGHT SOMETHING UP ABOUT BEING ABLE TO GIVE THE INPUT ON WHERE IT WOULD GO SHOULD IT EVEN HAPPEN.
I MEAN, I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU THIS EXAMPLE.
THERE'S TWO ROUND ONES ON PRESTON ROAD.
THE SPEED LIMIT'S 45 AT THAT LOCATION.
THE ACTUAL DRIVING IS ABOUT 60.
AND SO IT'S JUST COMPLETELY WORTHLESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I LOVE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMAN LOOK TO SEE WHAT WAS IN THERE.
AND I'VE PROBABLY DRIVEN BY BOTH OF THOSE AT LEAST TWO DOZEN TIMES IN THE PAST WEEK.
I JUST KNOW IT'S SUPER ANNOYING.
UM, QUAY ROAD HAS MULTIPLES, THEY'RE CLOSE TO BUS STOPS, WHICH, UM, IN SOME CASES DON'T EVEN HAVE A BENCH.
IN FACT, I THINK ONLY ONE OF THOSE DOES.
AND SO IF IT DOES HAPPEN, WHICH I HOPE IT DOESN'T, AND IF IT DOES HAPPEN OUTSIDE OF THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, WHICH I HOPE IT DOESN'T, THEN I STILL WOULD LIKE THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SAY, HERE'S SOME PARAMETERS, WHICH I THINK WOULD LIMIT IT ALTOGETHER, IN LEAST MY DISTRICT.
BUT THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE, BECAUSE I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER BAA BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT ABOUT WIFI ACCESS.
AND I AM INTERESTED IN, UM, HELPING PEOPLE HAVE WIFI THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, AREN'T WE ABLE TO ADD WIFI TO OUR STREETLIGHTS THAT WE OWN? YES, WE ARE.
UM, BUT HOWEVER, KEEP IN MIND, COUNCILMEMBER, THAT, I MEAN, IT IS NOT JUST AS SIMPLE AS, AS PUTTING A WIFI, UH, ACCESS POINT OR SOME EQUIPMENT ON A STREETLIGHT.
YOU HAVE TO RUN THE FIBER TO IT.
YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, LIGHT IT UP.
AND SO, UM, YES, WE CAN ADD IT, UH, TO ANY OF OUR STREETLIGHTS, BUT, UH, THE DISTANCE, UH, TO, UH, A SOURCE SUCH AS THE FIRE STATION, UH, LIBRARY OR THE CITY FACILITY WHERE WE'VE TRADITIONALLY RUN THE FIBER FROM, THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL COST.
[02:00:01]
IS NOT JUST AS SIMPLE AS, YOU KNOW, UH, ADDING EQUIPMENT TO A STREETLIGHT, WELL, YOU ALREADY HAVE THE POWER THERE.SO I'M, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE OF THE TECHNICAL PART.
AND MAYBE BOTH OF US NEED TO CHECK THAT.
UM, I MEAN, UNLESS YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS YOUR WHEELHOUSE, I I THINK THERE MIGHT, I THINK IT MIGHT BE SIMPLER THAN WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING ACTUALLY.
IF, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN LTE CONNECTION SUPER SLOW YEAH, WE, WE CAN DO THAT PROBABLY.
BUT, UH, IN ORDER TO SUPPORT LIKE, UH, ACTUAL USAGE FOR THE AREA AROUND THAT LIGHT, THEN YOU TYPICALLY NEED A, A FIBER BACK HAUL TO SUPPORT THAT.
SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT FREE WIFI NEEDS TO BE THE FASTEST GENERATION, BUT IF WE CAN PROVIDE ACCESS FOR FOLKS, I THINK WE OUGHT TO.
AND IN PLACES, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE HAVEN'T REALLY HAD A POLICY STATEMENT.
I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE ALREADY DOING THIS, BUT LIKE, WE OUGHT TO HAVE A POLICY STATEMENT THAT SAYS WE'RE GONNA PUT CONDUIT IN EVERY SINGLE TIME, RIGHT? THAT WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON A SIDEWALK, WE'RE WORKING ON A, ON A STREET.
AND THAT WOULD HELP YOU GET TO THE PLACE THAT I THINK WE EVENTUALLY WANNA GET TO, WHICH IS HAVING ACCESS TO ELECTRICITY AND FIBER AT THE PLACES THAT WE WANT IT.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, YOU CAN SOLVE THIS ISSUE EVEN IF WE DIDN'T HAVE KIOSK, RIGHT.
YOU COULD SOLVE THE ISSUE OF, OF HAVING WIFI.
UM, WE COULD, BUT I, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, THAT WOULD BE A COST THAT THE CITY WOULD BE INCURRING AND THESE KIOSKS WE WOULD NOT BE PAYING FOR WOULD ACTUALLY BE GENERATING REVENUE.
SO THERE, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.
WE, WE COULD SOLVE IT OURSELVES ON, UM, CITY'S COST, UH, VERSUS THIS AS, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY BEING A FREE WIFI SOURCE.
COULD YOU FIND OUT IF YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE COST WOULD BE TO ADD THAT AT, ESPECIALLY TARGETED LOCATIONS.
THE PLACE THAT THERE'S ONE OF THESE ROUND HORRIBLE KIOSKS IS VERY CLOSE TO A CORNER BAKERY THAT HAS FREE WIFI.
THAT AREA DOESN'T NEED A WIFI.
BUT THERE MAY BE A CORNER, YOU KNOW, JUST OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL, WHICH IT DOESN'T BECAUSE WE HAVE FREE WIFI.
BUT LET'S JUST SAY THAT WAS A SITUATION, WELL THAT WOULD BE A PLACE WE MIGHT WANNA ADD IT.
I MEAN, WE WOULD ADD IT IN PLACES THAT WE KNOW TO HAVE PEDESTRIANS AND WE KNOW THERE'S NO FREE ACCESS.
AND I SUSPECT, I MEAN, AS I HAVE WALKED AROUND UPTOWN IN A LIMITED SCOPE, THERE'S A LOT OF FREE WIFI 'CAUSE IT POPS UP ON MY PHONE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S HOTELS OR BUSINESSES, RESTAURANTS, THERE'S, THERE'S ACCESS.
SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE NEVER LOOKED FOR THAT MAP, RIGHT? LIKE, WHERE IS THE FREE WIFI? I BET WE HAVE MORE COVERAGE THAN WE THINK WE DO IN THE PLACES THAT WE NEED IT.
WE PROBABLY DON'T NEED ANYTHING BUT ALONG THE TRAILS, I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO KNOW HOW MUCH OF THAT DOES HAVE WIFI.
SO ANYHOW, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IT WOULD COST TO ADD IT TO ONE OF OUR STREETLIGHTS IF ENCORE WOULD HOST IT ON ANY OF THEIRS.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
DO YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT FOR YOU, MA'AM.
SO WHAT IT WOULD COST, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE GO OUT AND ASK OUR COMMUNITY, IS THERE A PLACE, A PUBLIC PLACE THAT WE NEED WIFI, THAT IT'S NOT AVAILABLE AND YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, 30 LOCATIONS THAT NEED IT AND WE MAKE THAT VERY TARGETED INVESTMENT THAT COULD GREATLY IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIVES.
BUT, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THESE THINGS ON OUR SIDEWALK, I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S A, A NON, AN INDIRECT COST TO WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, LIKE HOW THAT IMPACTS.
I I'M BEING TOLD THAT I NEED TO PULL YOU BACK 'CAUSE WE'RE THAT'S FINE.
YOU, YOU'VE GONE A LITTLE BIT BEYOND, UH, THE SCOPE.
I WAS LETTING YOU GO AS FAR AS I COULD LET YOU AND THEN THE ATTORNEYS CAME OVER, SO, UM, I WAS ABOUT TO SAY ANYBODY ELSE? VERY GOOD.
UM, MR. BA, CAN YOU DO IT IN ONE MINUTE? YEAH.
SO NOW YOU STILL NEED TO GIVE MY QUESTION VERY QUICK.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THOSE WERE GREAT POINTS, I THINK, UM, BROUGHT UP BY, UH, OUR COLLEAGUE.
I THINK THAT THE PLACEMENT AND THE COLLABORATION IS SOMETHING THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR THIS TO BE A SUCCESSFUL VENTURE.
JUST AS YOU SAID MS. STEWART AS WELL.
I THINK THAT JUST AS ANY ADVERTISEMENT, IT'S GONNA HAVE TO MAKE SENSE FOR WHERE THEY ARE ANYWAY.
THIS IS NOT FOR, FOR ROADWAY, UM, UH, UH, PEOPLE DRIVING ON THE ROADWAY.
THIS IS FOR INTERACTIVE PEDESTRIAN, UM, OPPORTUNITY.
AND I JUST WANT TO LEAVE WITH ONE THING.
WHEN I, I WAS FIRST, I FIRST SAW THESE WHEN I WAS IN SAN ANTONIO FOR NLC AND IT WAS, THEY WERE, THEY HAD IT RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND I PICTURE THE AMOUNT OF CONVENTION BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE AND HOW MUCH IT WOULD HELP OUR VISITORS BUREAU
[02:05:01]
JUST TO BE AN INTERACTIVE CITY OTHER THAN WHEN YOU'RE AT A CONVENTION AND YOU DON'T HAVE A CAR AND YOU'RE WITHIN A FEW BLOCK RADIUS.I DON'T KNOW REALLY WHERE ELSE.
AND JUST BEING ABLE TO MAKE A COUPLE CLICKS ON THIS INTERACTIVE KIOSK AND THEN I COULD ORDER MY UBER STRAIGHT FROM THE DEAL, IT GOES STRAIGHT ONTO MY PHONE.
SO IT WAS A LOT MORE INTERACTIVE.
THERE'S JUST, THERE'S MORE MODERNIZATION THAT, THAT WE COULD BE ENCOURAGING AND BEING A SMART CITY.
AND THAT'S WHEN THIS FIRST CAME UP WAS WHEN IT WAS ABOUT SMART CITIES.
UM, UH, IT IT FOR OUR FIRST BRIEFING.
SO I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP AS, UM, UH, POINTS OF CONTENTION AND HOW WE CAN WORK THROUGH THOSE WITH THE GROUP BEFORE, UM, ANY RFPS COME OUT WITH STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, THAT OUR VOICES ARE BEING HEARD AND MAKING SURE THAT THE PLACEMENT, UH, IS NOT GOING TO BE THE THING THAT PULLS US BACK.
I, I JUST CAN'T SAY THAT ENOUGH.
I THINK THAT WE HAD REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION HERE TODAY AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET THIS THROUGH.
THANK YOU MR. BA AND I, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR POINTS AND ALL, ALL EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS ARE, ARE IMPORTANT.
THAT'S WHY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WHETHER YOU AGREE, DISAGREE, WHATEVER IN BETWEEN, UM, HEARING THESE I THINK HELPS STAFF A LOT TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO YOU HEARD A LOT OF REALLY GOOD STUFF.
I WANT TO THANK, UM, FOLKS FOR THE ARGUMENT FOR MIDDLE MILE.
UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS EXCELLENT AND THANK YOU FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE POINTS 'CAUSE UM, YAY.
UM, BUT THE NEXT THING IS IN ALL SERIOUSNESS IS, UM, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REINFORCE THIS ENGAGEMENT PERIOD, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, I THINK YOU'VE HEARD IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, UM, WE NEED TO, UH, MAKE SURE WE HAVE IT THIS FINALIZED TO WHETHER THIS IS GONNA BE A DIRECT PARTNERSHIP IN OUR LOCAL AGREEMENT.
DO WE WANT TO DO ANOTHER RFP? UM, YOU KNOW, IS IT A UM, UM, PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP, WHATEVER THIS IS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO IN ORDER TO GET THIS RIGHT AND MOVE THIS EXPEDITIOUSLY AND MOST EFFICIENTLY FOR US? UM, THERE ARE OTHER CITIES, UM, REALLY QUICKLY IN TEXAS THAT I KNOW HAVE THESE BECAUSE, UM, I, LIKE MANY OF YOU TRAVEL THIS STATE AND THIS COUNTRY AND, UM, IN ORDER TO LEARN MORE, LEARN AND GET EDUCATED ABOUT A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.
I MEAN, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO, YOU KNOW, PUT A LOT OF TIKTOKS AND THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA OF THINGS THAT THEY'RE SEEING AND WHY THEY'RE ADVOCATING FOR A CERTAIN THING AND THEY GO AND SEE IT AND THEY PRODUCE IT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO HEAR AND LEARN ABOUT IT.
AND THEY ARE AMAZING AT DOING THAT KIND OF, UM, OF PUSH IN ORDER TO GET WHAT THEY LIKE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT BEING IN THE CITIES OF HOUSTON AND SAN ANTONIO THAT I HAVE SEEN THESE JUST LIKE MR. BASIL DO IT HAD MENTIONED.
AND UM, IT IS REALLY WILD TO THINK LIKE WHEN YOU'RE GOING UP TO IT, 'CAUSE I HAVE UTILIZED THEM AND DIDN'T REALIZE EVEN WHAT I WAS, WHAT IT WAS.
I JUST SAW THE BIG OLD GIANT PHONE LOOKING THING AND YOU START TOUCHING IT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S LIKE, OH, I CAN USE PUBLIC TRANSIT AND TO SEE, AND MY, MY PHONE IS THIS BIG.
I'VE GOT A BIG OLD GIANT IPHONE 15 PRO MAX.
AND TO LOOK AT THE, YEAH, FANCY, RIGHT? BUT THEN TO LOOK AT THE MAP OF THE, OF TRYING TO GET AROUND THE CITY IN A, WHETHER IT'S A SUBWAY, A BUS LINE, WHAT HAVE YOU, I CAN'T SEE ENOUGH 'CAUSE I'M CONSTANTLY HAVING TO GROW IT AND LIKE TRY TO GO IN THE, OH, NOW I'M LOST BECAUSE I'M GOING THIS WAY THAT WAY.
BUT ON THIS KIOSK I WAS ABLE TO GO, OH, I WANNA USE PUBLIC TRANSIT.
I WANT TO GO FROM A TO B2C TO D.
OKAY, THIS IS WHERE I COULD GO AND I'M ON ONE MAP AND I'M ABLE TO SEE MY ENTIRE TRIP AND DISTANCE.
AND THOSE ARE TYPES OF THINGS THAT I CAN'T DO ON A SMARTPHONE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, UM, ANYBODY WITH THE SMARTPHONE CAN PRETTY MUCH FIND OUT WHERE TO GO EAT AND WHATNOT.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE SMALL THINGS THAT, UM, LIKE OUR VISIT DALLAS OR ANOTHER GROUP THAT'S INSIDE OF THAT ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT CAN BE PROMOTING THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IS GOING ON LIKE A-W-N-B-A FINALS GAME THAT I WAS IN ANOTHER CITY, UM, IN MINNESOTA AND THEY WERE HAVING A GAME.
I LOVE THE WNBA AND IT'S LIKE, OH, THEY HAVE A GAME GOING ON NOW, BOOM, TICKETS, BOOM, I'M DONE.
I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN THAT 'CAUSE IT DIDN'T POP UP ON MY PHONE.
UM, THINGS LIKE THE NCAA UM, SWEET 16 THAT'S GOING ON, THANK YOU MONICA.
PAUL AND, UH,
THE WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR, I MEAN, RIGHT NOW THE MEN'S SWEET 16, UM, NCAA A YEAR AGO, THE WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR, FIFA, UM, THE WORLD CUP.
WE ARE ON THE WORLD STAGE AS WE SPEAK AND WE'RE ARGUING OVER SOME TECHNOLOGY THAT IS IN OTHER MAJOR CITIES ALREADY.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GONNA BE THE FIRST, WE'RE NOT THE PIONEERS.
WE ARE FOLLOWERS IN THIS ONE, UH, CITY OF LOS ANGELES I GO TO EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE BECAUSE I LIKE TO GO TO DISNEYLAND AND THEY HAVE THESE IN THEIR DOWNTOWN AND IN THEIR AREAS.
THAT GIVES ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, SEE WHAT'S GOING ON THAT I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY KNOW BECAUSE MY PHONE DOESN'T DO IT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE WANNA HAVE THIS ENGAGEMENT.
LEARN MORE ABOUT IT COLLEAGUES, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, TRAVEL TO ANOTHER CITY IF YOU'RE ABLE TO, WHETHER IT'S ON YOUR OWN TIME OR YOU'RE YOU'RE GOING FOR SOMETHING ELSE AND MAKE IT A POINT TO GO FIND OUT AND SEE IF THEY HAVE ONE OF THESE KIOSK.
[02:10:01]
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE ALL OF THOSE THINGS.UM, LET'S END THIS WITH A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT IF WE CAN GET THERE.
UM, BECAUSE THIS IS, AS, UM, MS. BLACKMAN MENTIONED, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, WE GOT A LOT OF BILLS TO PAY AND THIS IS ABOUT REVENUE SOURCES AND WE ALL SAID THAT WE WERE GONNA LOOK AT DIFFERENT TYPES OF WAYS TO BRING REVENUE INTO OUR CITY SO THAT WE COULD PAY SOME OF THESE BILLS.
AND THIS IS, THIS COULD BE WORTH MILLIONS AND NOT SAYING WE'RE GONNA DO IT AND DO IT THE WRONG WAY.
WE NEED TO DO IT AND DO IT THE RIGHT WAY BECAUSE THE SINS OF THE PAST WITH THOSE BIG GIANT ROUND KIOSKS, I'M IN AGREEMENT.
AWFUL, TERRIBLE, DISGUSTING MENTION.
WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER DONE THEM.
I, I KNOW I'M NOT MENTIONING THEM, BUT I'M MENTIONING THEM.
BUT THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY KNOWS IS WHERE I'M TRYING TO GET TO.
AND JUST LIKE MS. STEWART MENTIONED ABOUT THE SCOOTERS, WHEN WE GOT RID OF THEM AND WE BROUGHT 'EM BACK, IT'S WHAT EVERYBODY KNEW.
AND BECAUSE OF HER EXPERTISE AS THEN BEFORE SHE WAS ON THE COUNCIL, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A POSITIVE, EXCELLENT, UM, PROGRAM FOR SCOOTERS AND THEY'RE BACK AND WE'RE NOT HEARING ANY COMPLAINTS REALLY ABOUT THEM AT ALL.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE CAN GET TO AND THAT'S WHY STOPPING THIS RESETTING, HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND THEY'RE HARD CONVERSATIONS AND THEY'RE NOT ONES WE ALL WANT TO HEAR, BUT WE NEED TO HEAR THEM SO THAT WE CAN GET THIS RIGHT.
SO, UM, TO THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE OUT THERE IN OPPOSITION, IN, IN, IN, UM, FAVOR, WHATEVER WE'RE GONNA WORK TOGETHER, WE'RE GONNA GET THIS RIGHT SO THAT IT COMES OUT TO BE A POSITIVE OUTCOME FOR EVERYONE.
UH, AND ESPECIALLY OUR ENTIRE CITY, THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH WITH THAT COLLEAGUES.
UM, WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS BRIEFING BY MEMO IF THERE'S ANYTHING ON THAT.
IS IT OKAY IF WE MOVE FORWARD OR THE AGENDA ITEMS? GO AHEAD MS. MENDELSOHN.
UM, WELL I WANNA SAY ITEM G, WHICH IS THE DROUGHT, UH, PLAN IS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING THINGS I'VE READ IN A LONG TIME.
AND WHILE THERE'S NO CHANGES RECOMMENDED, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR WATER EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT PROPOSING CHANGES.
I THINK IT WAS VERY INTERESTING AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT GOES INTO DEVELOPING THAT.
UM, I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, MEMO H AND THIS IS ABOUT THE BOUNDARY WITH ADDISON.
SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS IF THIS BOUNDARY INCLUDES THEM, UH, TAKING CARE OF PANHANDLING ISSUES AND HOMELESSNESS ISSUES, UH, YES MA'AM.
THAT HAS BEEN PART OF THE DISCUSSION, YES.
WE'RE, WE'RE SIMPLY TRYING TO DAY LIKE THIS, UM, AS IT IS A RECENT REQUEST FROM THE TOWN OF ADDISON.
UM, AND UH, I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE TALKING TO THEIR COUNCIL SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR COUNCIL IS AWARE OF THIS AS WELL.
UM, SO IT'S VERY PRELIMINARY, UH, STAGES OF DISCUSSIONS AND, BUT YES, IT HAS BEEN PART OF IT.
WELL I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH THEM TAKING CARE OF THE HOMELESSNESS AND UM, PANHANDLING ISSUES, BUT OF COURSE ALL THEY'RE GONNA DO IS PUSH IT INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, WHICH IS WHAT THEY ALREADY DO.
SO I'M NOT SURE WE'RE ACTUALLY SOLVING ANYTHING.
THEN THAT LITTLE TINY STRIP, WHICH PS ALMOST EVERYBODY ON THE ADDISON COUNCIL LIVES ON WYNWOOD OR OFF OF WYNWOOD AND THAT'S WHY THEY ARE CARING ABOUT THIS.
THE SECOND THING I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
WHY WOULD WE GIVE UP CONTROL OF THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL AGAIN, PART OF THE DISCUSSIONS.
DON'T WE NEED TO CONTROL THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS? ESPECIALLY, I MEAN WE'VE GOT VERY BIG ISSUES ALONG PRESTON, VERY BIG ISSUES ALONG THE SERVICE ROAD.
UM, MONTFORD, NOLL TRAIL, WHATEVER WE WANNA CALL IT.
'CAUSE IT'S FLIPPING NAMES THERE.
I MEAN THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONTROL THESE LIGHTS, OTHERWISE ALL OF OUR TRAFFIC WE'RE AT THEIR MERCY.
WHY WOULD WE GIVE THAT UP? THE POINT WILL TAKE HIM.
UH, GUS UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU AND GUS HAVE ESP ALMOST, UM, SAME THOUGHTS.
HE SHARED THE SAME THING AND UH, I HAVEN'T TALKED TO GUS ABOUT THAT.
NO, NO, I'M I'M JUST TELLING YOU YOU'RE SMART.
HE'S, HE'S, HE SHARED THE SAME THINGS AND AGAIN, VERY PRELIMINARY IN THE DISCUSSIONS POINT NOTED AS WELL.
AND THEN WITH ALL THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED THERE, THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED FOR THAT AREA, HOW WILL THAT BE IMPACTING THIS CONVERSATION THAT'S HAPPENING ABOUT THIS AREA? I MEAN IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S AT LEAST A STREET, UM, FROM THE JANIE YOU CAN HELP ME.
THE NAME THE OLD PRESTON DEL NORTE, THE EXIT THAT'LL GO ONTO BELTLINE BY THE GOLF COURSE THAT WOULD THEN BECOME THEIR STREET, RIGHT? I THINK RATHER THAN DIGGING YOUR, SORRY.
I THINK WHAT I THINK THAT YOUR SORRY, GO AHEAD.
I WAS GONNA SAY THIS IS ALL NEW TO ME ALSO AND SO I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE YOU TO BE PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
SO I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS THAT STAFF IS GONNA MEET WITH THEM AND ACTUALLY FIND OUT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANT AND THEN BEFORE ANY RECOMMENDATION, ANY, ANYTHING COMES FOR ANY
[02:15:01]
KIND OF ACTION, THEY NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH US, HAVE US, AND THEN BE ABLE TO GO BACK WITH ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS BACK TO IT.IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, MADAM.
AND IF I MAY REALLY QUICKLY, UM, IF, IF, IF, IF YOU TWO ARE OKAY WITH IT, UM, THAT UM, MI MS, UM, SCHULTZ AND MS. MENDELSON BE THE ONES THAT YOU ALL WORK WITH AND DO THE DISCUSSIONS WITH WITH THAT CITY WHEN WE GET THERE TO THAT, TO THAT POINT SO THAT ALL OF THEIR CONCERNS CAN BE BROUGHT UP BECAUSE IT DOES AFFECT THEIR DISTRICTS THE MOST, BUT AS WELL AS AFFECTING THE CITY OF DALLAS.
BUT YOU TOO ARE THE ONES THAT ARE REALLY MOST IMPACTED BY THIS.
AND SO IF THAT'S OKAY WITH BOTH OF YOU'ALL AND Y'ALL ARE IN AGREEMENT, I WOULD ASK STAFF TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN IF THAT'S GOOD WITH YOU GUYS.
I JUST HAVE A FINAL COMMENT PLEASE.
WHICH IS TO SAY I ASKED FOR THE MAP AND SO I'VE SEEN IT AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS AS A REAL CONVERSATION, I MEAN THERE MIGHT BE OTHER AREAS THAT I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO SAY MAYBE THIS INTERSECTION SHOULD BE ADDISON AS WELL.
AND YOU KNOW, WE ARE CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL THERE WHO ARE WONDERFUL PEOPLE.
I MEAN REALLY WE'VE HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP BUT WE HAVE VERY SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES.
UM, IT'S 11 AT ARAPAHO IN THE TOLLWAY.
IT'S 12 AT NOLL TRAIL, I'M SORRY, AT, AT KELLER SPRINGS IN THE TOLLWAY.
AND WE COULD USE A LITTLE HELP.
I MEAN MAYBE SPRING VALLEY, EVEN IN THE TOLLWAY.
I MEAN THIS IS RIGHT ON THE BOUNDARY.
SO I'M GLAD THAT THERE'S THE BEGINNING OF A CONVERSATION.
I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AND IT'S, IT'S A INNOVATIVE IDEA TO ADDRESS THINGS, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANNA LOSE CONTROL OVER A COUPLE THINGS.
AND I THINK STAFF WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL ARE IN THERE.
'CAUSE YOU TWO ARE OBVIOUSLY THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA HAVE THE MOST CONTENT EXPERTISE WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE AREAS BECAUSE YOU DO REPRESENT THEM.
UM, WITH THAT WE HAVE OUR BRIEFING BY MEMOS, UM, REALLY QUICKLY, COLLEAGUES, ANYTHING ON ANY OF THE UPCOMING AGENDA ITEMS WE HAVE TO GET GOING VERY SOON 'CAUSE THERE IS A THREE 30 SPECIAL CALLED MEETING IN THIS SPACE IN LIKE FIVE MINUTES.
SO ANYTHING ON THOSE, UM, UPCOMING AGENDA ITEMS? ANYBODY, ANYBODY, ANYBODY? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.
THAT IS THE END OF OUR MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, EVERYBODY FOR SPENDING A LITTLE EXTRA TIME.
UM, WE DID GO ABOUT 20 MINUTES PAST, BUT WE HAD SOME PRETTY PRESSING ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THIS TIME AROUND.
UM, SO AT THAT, THE TIME IS 3:21 PM AND I NOW CLOSE TO CLOSE THE TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, MARCH 26TH, 2024.