[2. 24-772 Consideration of appointments to boards and commissions and the evaluation and duties of board and commission members (List of nominees is available in the City Secretary's Office)]

[00:35:06]

THIS MORNING YOU ONLY HAVE INDIVIDUAL APPOINTMENTS.

WE HAVE NO APPOINTMENTS. YES, TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

JULIE HIRAMOTO IS BEING NOMINATED BY MAYOR JOHNSON.

MISS HIRAMOTO MEETS THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TECHNICAL PANEL.

WHITNEY STRAUSS AND THERESA CHUMNEY.

TAMMY TUMMINIA IS BEING PRESENTED BY CITY MANAGER BROADNAX.

THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS ARE NON VOTING MEMBERS AND MISS STRAUSS MEETS THE FOOD ACCESS SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND MISS TUMMINIA MEETS THE ZERO WASTE SPECIAL QUALIFICATION TO THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD.

OLIVER ROBINSON IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN TO THE JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION.

RICHARD BREEN IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART TO THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD.

ALICIA MCCLUNG IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ AND TO THE VETERAN AFFAIRS COMMISSION.

STEPHEN COLE IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN.

MISTER COLE MEETS THE PREVIOUS MILITARY SERVICE.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATION.

THESE ARE YOUR NOMINEES.

MR. MAYOR, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOVE TO APPROVE.

SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE AND OPPOSED IS CARRIED.

NOW ON TO OUR BRIEFING AGENDA, MR. SECRETARY. MADAM SECRETARY, MADAM CITY MANAGER.

THAT IS CORRECT, MR. MAYOR.

YEAH, YEAH. LIBRARY.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

[A. 24-931 Dallas Public Library: Library Strategic & Facilities Plan]

YOUR FIRST BRIEFING IS ON THE DRAFT PUBLIC LIBRARY STRATEGIC AND FACILITIES PLAN.

AS YOU MAY KNOW, FOR MORE THAN 120 YEARS, THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS BEEN AN ESSENTIAL PARTNER FOR DALLAS COMMUNITIES.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS DRAFT PLAN IS TO HELP GUIDE THE LIBRARY'S SERVICES AND OPERATIONS.

DURING THIS PROCESS, THE LIBRARY SOUGHT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AND USED THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN TO GUIDE THE APPROACH FOR THIS DRAFT FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE 20 YEAR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN LIBRARY FACILITIES.

THROUGH THE PLAN, THE LIBRARY REAFFIRMS ITS ROLE AS A CRITICAL COMMUNITY INSTITUTION, PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY, AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE PLAN IS NOT A STATIC ROADMAP.

RATHER, IT IS INTENDED TO HELP THE LIBRARY TO ADAPT TO EVOLVING CIRCUMSTANCES AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMING YEARS.

WE WANT TO THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR YOUR TIME TODAY, YOUR FEEDBACK ON THE PLAN.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, HEATHER LOWE, DIRECTOR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES, AND SHE WILL INTRODUCE OUR SPECIAL GUEST JOINING US THIS MORNING, HEATHER.

THANK YOU. HEATHER LOWE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY I'M JOINED IN PERSON BY OUR TWO OTHER ASSISTANT DIRECTORS, KIRSTEN NIELSEN AND SEAN MCGREW.

AND VIRTUALLY I AM JOINED BY JILL AYERS OUR LEAD CONSULTANT FOR GROUP FOR ARCHITECTURE, AND BENJI FEEHAN, WHO IS FROM BUILDING COMMUNITIES WORKSHOP.

AND I WILL ACTUALLY TURN THE PRESENTATION OVER TO JILL.

THANK YOU, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR LOWE.

GOOD MORNING. I'M JILL AYERS.

I'M AN ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL WITH GROUP FOUR ARCHITECTURE.

I'M SO SORRY. I CAN'T BE THERE IN PERSON TODAY, BUT I'M VERY PLEASED I WAS ABLE TO BE THERE MONDAY FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR THE PURPOSE AND THE PROCESS, AND THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS OF OUR STRATEGIC AND FACILITIES PLANNING PROCESS.

NEXT. AND THEN NEXT SLIDE AGAIN PLEASE.

GROUP FOR ARCHITECTURE IS THE PRIME CONSULTANT FACILITATING THE PLANNING PROCESS.

DALLAS BASED BUILDING COMMUNITY WORKSHOP IS OUR LOCAL PARTNER FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

AND AS WELL AS THE ARCHITECTURAL ASSESSMENTS OF POINT OF ORDER.

CAN IT DO SOMETHING WITH THE VOLUME PLEASE? THE POINT OF ORDER IS RESPECTFULLY SUSTAINED.

SHOULD I KEEP GOING? SEE, SEE SEE WHAT I MEAN? I THINK YOU CAN GO AHEAD.

JILL. OKAY. SORRY.

SORRY IF IT'S SUPER LOUD.

AND THEN WE ALSO WANT. OUR TEAM HAD NATIONALLY RENOWNED CONSULTANT SUSAN KENT AND CARSON BLOCK FOR THE LIBRARY STRATEGIC PLAN AND TECHNOLOGY PLAN, RESPECTIVELY.

NEXT SLIDE. OKAY.

WE WERE ASKED TO LET'S LET'S DIAL IT BACK JUST A LITTLE BIT, GUYS.

JUST A LITTLE BIT. I'M MAKING UP FOR THE DISTANCE WITH EXTREME VOLUME.

[00:40:03]

I APOLOGIZE, WE GOT TO DIAL IT BACK A LITTLE BIT MORE.

JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.

I APOLOGIZE, EVERYONE.

I'M SORRY. WE WERE ASKED TO FACILITATE A LITTLE BIT MORE, A LITTLE BIT MORE, JUST ABOUT BACK, A LITTLE BIT MORE.

TO REPLACE THE LIBRARY'S LAST STRATEGIC TOUCH.

MORE. JUST TO TOUCH MORE.

I'M SORRY.

JUST A SMIDGE.

MISS BLACKMON SAYS A SMIDGE MORE.

LET ME KNOW WHEN WE'RE GOOD.

YEAH, YEAH.

RIGHT THERE, RIGHT THERE.

I'LL TRY TO SPEAK QUIETLY.

WE WERE ASKED TO FACILITATE A COMPREHENSIVE NEW PLAN TO REPLACE THE LIBRARY'S LAST STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED IN 2018 OR SO, AND THE LAST FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, WHICH HAS BEEN GUIDING THE CITY'S INVESTMENT IN FACILITIES SINCE THE EARLY 2000.

NEXT SLIDE.

OUR APPROXIMATELY YEAR LONG PROCESS BEGAN IN EARLY 2023.

I WILL LET BENJI FROM BUILDING COMMUNITY WORKSHOP TELL YOU ABOUT OUR ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT OUR PROCESS AFTER THE PRESENTATION IS OVER.

SO NEXT SLIDE.

BENJI. THANK YOU JILL.

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.

OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY WAS REALLY A STRONG COLLABORATION BETWEEN ALL THE PARTIES, ALL THE CONSULTANTS WITHIN THEIR SPECIALTIES, AS WELL AS, OBVIOUSLY, THE DALLAS CITY LIBRARY AND LEANING HEAVILY ON THEIR STRONG CONNECTIONS INTO THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE STARTED OUTREACH FEBRUARY 2023, WITH THE SHARING OF DIGITAL AND COMMUNITY SURVEYS FOLLOWED UP REASONABLY QUICKLY BY FIVE IN SESSION.

SORRY, FIVE IN-PERSON KICKOFF MEETINGS HELD IN THE DALLAS BRANCH LIBRARIES, BLACK BOX THEATERS AROUND THE CITY IN UNDERSTANDING KIND OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND THE DIGITAL SURVEYS THAT WE THAT WERE SENT OUT BCC COLLABORATED AND FABRICATED 30 ANALOG FEEDBACK STATIONS THAT WERE PLACED IN EACH OF THE BRANCHES.

THIS WAS CRITICAL TO TO CAPTURE FOLKS THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE DIGITAL SURVEYS.

ANALOG QUESTIONS WERE POSTED ON THOSE FEEDBACK STATIONS, INFORMATION COLLECTED VIA THAT WITH THE BRANCH MANAGERS UPDATING QUESTIONS AND COMMUNITY RESPONSES MONTHLY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

THROUGH THE COLLECTION OF THAT INFORMATION AND THOSE IN-PERSON SESSIONS, WE BEGAN TO GATHER INFORMATION THAT OBVIOUSLY BEGAN TO INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STRATEGIES, ALONG WITH STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WITH LIBRARY STAFF, KEY STAKEHOLDERS, FRIENDS OF GROUPS, CITY DEPARTMENTS, ETC.

ALL THAT WAS GATHERED AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIES WERE THEN PRESENTED THROUGH A LARGE VIRTUAL FEEDBACK SESSION.

SORRY, PRESENTED IN A NUMBER OF LANGUAGES.

I BELIEVE IT WAS FIVE.

THROUGHOUT THEIR PLAN, RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MADE.

WE DID PRESENT TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE ON MONDAY AND NOW THIS HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO COUNCIL HERE.

IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE CAN KIND OF TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT NUMBER OF RESPONSES.

SORRY. YEAH. THANK YOU.

KIND OF NUMBER OF RESPONSES HERE.

SO THERE ARE ABOUT 2800 COMMUNITY SURVEY RESPONSES, INCLUDING ABOUT 420 FROM STAFF.

THE ANALOG FEEDBACK STATIONS.

AGAIN, THERE WERE 30 PLAYS, ONE FOR EVERY BRANCH ACROSS THE CITY WHERE WE COLLECTED ABOUT 500 SURVEY RESPONSES THROUGH THAT, AS WELL AS IN COLLABORATION WITH CITY SORRY, LIBRARY BRANCH MANAGERS ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL KIND OF OUTREACH BOARD RESPONSES.

THERE WAS A NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS AND MEETINGS THERE, TOTALING ABOUT 14 WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS WORKSHOPS.

THE FIVE INITIAL KICKOFF MEETINGS, 69 EDITION SORRY, 69 PARTICIPANTS THERE, INCLUDING SIX STAFF WORKSHOPS, A NUMBER OF FOCUS GROUPS AND LISTENING SESSIONS. AGAIN, WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE THE LIBRARY MANAGER'S REALLY STRONG RELATION AND CONNECTION TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY WORK.

AND THEY WERE THEY WENT OUT, VISITED WITH A NUMBER OF ASSOCIATIONS THERE FOR ONE ON ONE FOR SHARING OF KIND OF STATUS OF THE PROCESS.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THERE THE, THE SCORES OF OUTREACH THERE THAT THE DALLAS BRANCH LIBRARY DID.

SO ALL IN ALL, WE LOOK WE TOTALED ABOUT 65 COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WITH CLOSE TO 5000 RESPONSES.

THANK YOU. SO NEXT SLIDE.

[00:45:05]

THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS ENGAGEMENT, WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR THAT DALLAS COMMUNITIES HAVE A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF RESPECT FOR THE LIBRARY.

NEXT SLIDE.

THE LIBRARY INSPIRES CURIOSITY AND SETS DALLAS COMMUNITIES UP FOR A LIFETIME LOVE OF LEARNING.

NEXT SLIDE. THE LIBRARY IS A PLACE TO BUILD STRONG, DYNAMIC AND CONNECTED COMMUNITIES.

NEXT SLIDE. PEOPLE THROUGHOUT DALLAS, AS WELL AS THE LIBRARY COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE NATION, SEE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY AS A MODEL OF WELCOMING, INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE SERVICE.

NEXT SLIDE. WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR THAT THERE'S A GROWING NEED IN DALLAS FOR PEOPLE, PLACES THAT ARE FREE AND OPEN TO EVERYONE.

NEXT SLIDE. AND THE LIBRARY HAS HELPED MANY PEOPLE ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN THEIR EDUCATION AND THEIR CAREERS.

SO NOW, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR LOWE WILL SHARE HOW WHAT WE'VE HEARD HAS HELPED SHAPED THE LIBRARY'S NEW STRATEGIC PLAN.

NEXT SLIDE. AND SO WE HAD VERY SLIGHT CHANGES TO OUR MISSION STATEMENT, BUT WE ACTUALLY RETAINED OUR VISION STATEMENT FROM THE LAST STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH IS LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES START AT THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY.

THIS VISION REALLY REFLECTS HOW OUR STAFF FEEL ABOUT THE SERVICE THAT THEY PROVIDE AND THE FACT THAT THE LIBRARY IS AN INSTITUTION WHERE WE DON'T DETERMINE THE QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE ASK.

IT'S LIBRARIES ARE REALLY CENTERS OF LEARNING, BUT SPECIFICALLY SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING.

AND SO WE WANT THE LIBRARY TO BE THE PLACE THAT YOU GO WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE TO ASK THE QUESTION.

WE DID HAVE A SLIGHT CHANGE TO OUR MISSION STATEMENT.

WE REALLY KEPT THE SPIRIT OF IT, BUT WE MOVED EQUITY TO THE FOREFRONT.

THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THROUGH TWO URBAN LIBRARY COUNCIL TOP INNOVATOR AWARDS FOR OUR USE OF AN EQUITY LENS. AND SO OUR NEW MISSION STATEMENT READS, DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES AND BUILDS EQUITY BY CONNECTING PEOPLE AND INSPIRING CURIOSITY AND ADVANCING LIVES.

WE ALSO FOCUSED ON FOUR KEY VALUES TO HELP GUIDE OUR WORK, AND THOSE ARE COMMUNITY LEARNING, ACCESS AND INNOVATION.

AND NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND SO WE'VE COME UP WITH EIGHT STRATEGIC GOALS.

AND I WILL GO THROUGH THESE BRIEFLY AND HIGHLIGHT JUST A FEW IN DEPTH.

THESE ARE PRESENTED HERE IN PRIORITY ORDER.

AND FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHAT WE ARE KNOWN FOR IS CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING AND DISCOVERY.

AND WE PLAN TO CONTINUE DOING THAT AND MEETING SPECIFIC COMMUNITY NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SECOND IS PROVIDE CUSTOMER RESPONSIVE TECHNOLOGY, CULTIVATE A VIBRANT MATERIALS COLLECTION.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE MATERIALS COLLECTIONS IN THE COUNTRY, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT GOOD WORK AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THOSE MATERIALS.

WE'RE LOOKING TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO ACCESS.

AND WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT ACCESS, I MEAN ALL KINDS OF ACCESS, WHETHER THAT IS PHYSICAL ACCESS THROUGH CREATING IMPROVING EIGHT LIBRARY LOCATIONS THROUGH ADA IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSED IN THE BOND OR THROUGH WHETHER IT'S THROUGH LANGUAGE ACCESS.

NEXT IS PROVIDE INSPIRING AND WELCOMING FACILITIES.

AND THIS GOAL REALLY ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING THAT JILL IS GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU NEXT IN OUR FACILITIES PLAN.

BUT IT'S EVERYTHING FROM VERY MINOR COSMETIC AND MAYBE INTERNAL CHANGES TAKING DOWN SHELVES, CREATING MORE PHYSICAL SPACE TO, YOU KNOW, WHOLESALE RENOVATIONS OF LIBRARY SPACES.

AND WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO DO THAT THROUGH THE LENS OF STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, AND LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN PARTNER WITH OTHER MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS.

NEXT IS MAKE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS.

AND IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT LIBRARIES, YOU KNOW THAT PARTNERSHIPS ARE REALLY HOW WE GET OUR WORK DONE.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS ARE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AND REALLY PROVIDE A MEANS OF AMPLIFYING OUR SERVICES. I THINK A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THIS IS OUR STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH WCIA AND OUR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE SERVICES THROUGH THINGS LIKE OUR MEGA CITIZENSHIP WORKSHOPS THAT ARE HELD AT OUR CENTRAL LIBRARY.

THIS IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FREE SPACE TO OUR ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO GOOD WORK, BUT ALSO TO INTRODUCE NEW AMERICANS TO WHAT A PUBLIC LIBRARY IS IN THIS COUNTRY. NEXT IS COMMUNICATE THE LIBRARY'S VALUE.

AND THAT'S NOT JUST TO STAKEHOLDERS LIKE YOU ALL.

THAT'S ALSO TO OUR RESIDENTS.

SO WE PLAN TO REALLY SPREAD THE MESSAGE OF WHAT A LIBRARY IS AND WHAT A LIBRARY DOES, SO THAT OUR RESIDENTS KNOW WHAT THEY CAN COME TO US FOR.

[00:50:03]

AND FINALLY, WE HAVE DEVELOPED FUTURE READY STAFF.

WE HAVE A GREAT IN-HOUSE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR NEW EMPLOYEES, MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, BUT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO STRENGTHEN OUR WAYS THAT WE SUPPORT STAFF.

AND NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND WE DID TAKE A HARD LOOK AT MAKING SURE THAT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WAS ALIGNING WITH CITY GOALS.

HERE YOU CAN SEE SPECIFICALLY HOW THEY ALIGN WITH EQUITY INDICATORS AND CITY PRIORITIES.

I THINK THERE'S THERE'S ALSO MANY PLANS THAT WE LOOKED AT THAT AREN'T CALLED OUT HERE.

ONE OF WHICH WOULD BE THE DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN.

THE LIBRARY IS VERY MUCH A STOP GAP MEASURE FOR GETTING DEVICES AND INTERNET ACCESS TO PEOPLE AS WELL.

AS, YOU KNOW, WE WORK CLOSELY ON, ON C-CAP TO EXAMINE WHAT, WHAT SPACES THE LIBRARY HAS AND HOW WE CAN BETTER UTILIZE THOSE TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT AND OFFER BETTER GREEN SPACE IN THE CITY.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND FINALLY, WE DID HAVE A TECHNOLOGY PLAN THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO YOU.

IT NEEDS A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK, SO WE'VE REMOVED THAT OFFICIALLY.

BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO BETTER PARTNER WITH OUR IT'S DEPARTMENT.

WE KNOW THAT WE PUT A LOT OF STRAIN ON THEM.

WE HAVE ALMOST 900 OVER 900 PUBLIC COMPUTERS AND THAT'S A VERY HEAVY LIFT FOR THEM.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN BE REALLY CUSTOMER RESPONSIVE BUT BE BETTER PARTNERS OURSELVES TO ITS AND WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THAT PROCESS THROUGH IMPROVING OUR WI-FI NETWORK THROUGH THE FEDERAL E-RATE PROGRAM.

AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO JILL.

THANK YOU. NEXT SLIDE.

SO WHAT IS THE VISION FOR INSPIRING, WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE LIBRARY SPACES AND FACILITIES? NEXT SLIDE.

LIBRARIES IN DALLAS WILL ALWAYS BE ESSENTIAL PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO READ, WORK AND STUDY.

NEXT SLIDE. THEY WILL ALSO PROVIDE PLACES FOR MEETING AND COLLABORATING WITH OTHERS.

NEXT SLIDE. THE LIBRARY IS AN EXCITING DESTINATION FOR LEARNING AND DISCOVERY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.

NEXT SLIDE. AND A PLACE FOR THEM TO ENGAGE AND DEVELOP BOTH STUDY AND SOCIAL SKILLS AS THEY GROW INTO TWEENS AND TEENS.

NEXT SLIDE. THE LIBRARY IS A PLACE TO CREATE AND SHARE WONDERFUL CULTURAL ARTS AND EXPERIENCES.

NEXT SLIDE.

AND WE CONSIDER THE SPACES OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY TO BE AS IMPORTANT AS THE SPACES INSIDE THE LIBRARY TO MAXIMIZE SPACE, CAPACITY AND REACH.

NEXT SLIDE.

DALLAS CURRENT BRANCH LIBRARIES PROVIDE A REALLY STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THIS FUTURE VISION.

THEY ARE GENERALLY IN GOOD CONDITION.

THEY'RE WELL LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY FOR GOOD ACCESS TO LIBRARY SERVICES, AND YOUR LARGER BRANCHES IN PARTICULAR, PROVIDE GOOD BREADTH AND DEPTH AND DIVERSITY OF SERVICE. NEXT SLIDE.

BUT WE HEARD ONE OF YOUR SPEAKERS EARLIER MENTIONED THE TREMENDOUS GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING IN DALLAS.

AND WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONTINUE TO KEEP UP WITH THAT BY ADDING MORE LIBRARY SPACE.

TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, THE PLAN RECOMMENDS EXPANDING SOME OF YOUR SMALLER AND OLDER BRANCHES TO INCREASE THEIR SPACE AND CAPACITY FOR SERVICE, WHERE THOSE LIBRARIES CAN'T BE EXPANDED THROUGH AN ADDITION OR REPLACEMENT ON THEIR CURRENT SITE, THE CITY CAN EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES TO STANDALONE LIBRARY FACILITIES FOR IMPROVED COMMUNITY OUTCOMES THAT MAY BE PARTNERSHIPS FOR JOINT USE FACILITIES WITH COMPLEMENTARY PARTNERS SUCH AS PARKS THE CITY CAN ALSO LOOK AT MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL. NEXT SLIDE.

THE J. ERIK JONSSON CENTRAL LIBRARY ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOU, THERE IS ONE OF ONLY TWO DALLAS LIBRARIES ASSESSED BY THE CITY TO BE IN LESS THAN GOOD CONDITION.

DESPITE THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE LIBRARY AND THE FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY TO KEEP THE INDIVIDUAL FLOORS LOOKING FRESH.

MANY OF THE BUILDING'S KEY SYSTEMS ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, ELEVATORS ARE AT OR BEYOND THEIR EXPECTED USEFUL LIFE, AND WITHOUT UPGRADE OR REPLACEMENT, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO FAIL.

CENTRAL LIBRARY IS ALSO DUE FOR MODERNIZATION OF LIBRARY SERVICES, TECHNOLOGY, OPERATIONS, AND CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS, ALL OF WHICH HAVE EVOLVED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THE BUILDING FIRST OPENED MORE THAN 40 YEARS AGO.

AT MORE THAN 600,000FT², YOUR CENTRAL LIBRARY IS ONE OF THE LARGEST MAIN LIBRARIES IN THE NATION, AND THIS WOULD NOT BE A SMALL PROJECT.

HOWEVER, RENOVATION OF THIS BUILDING HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR GREATER POSITIVE IMPACT OUTSIDE ITS WALLS ON GREATER DOWNTOWN DALLAS, AS WELL AS WITHIN THE LIBRARY BUILDING ITSELF. JUST LAST WEEK, A STUDY WAS PUBLISHED ABOUT WASHINGTON DC'S RECENT REINVESTMENT IN ITS MAIN LIBRARY WITH NEW AND EXPANDED SPACES FOR MEETINGS, CONFERENCES, GATHERINGS AND EVENTS THAT IS PAYING BIG DIVIDENDS FOR ITS DOWNTOWN ECONOMY.

[00:55:02]

VISITORS COME FROM FAR AND WIDE TO VISIT THE LIBRARY, AND THEN THEY STAY DOWNTOWN TO SHOP AND DINE, ATTEND CULTURAL EVENTS AND MORE.

NEXT SLIDE. LIBRARIES ARE AMONG THE CITY'S BUSIEST BUILDINGS, AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WILL NEED SOME LEVEL OF WORK OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS. I WILL SAY THAT THIS.

THIS LIST OF IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDES THE PROJECTS THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR THE NEXT BOND, SO SOME OF THESE MAY ALREADY BE TAKEN CARE OF IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

THE LIST SHOWS SOME LIBRARIES IN GREEN.

THESE ARE YOUR NEWEST AND OR MOST RECENTLY RENOVATED LIBRARIES THAT ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN WONDERFUL THROUGH THE NEXT 20 YEARS WITH CONTINUED GOOD, PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE.

THE PURPLE LIBRARIES ARE THE ONES THAT, LIKE CENTRAL LIBRARY, ARE RECOMMENDED FOR MORE ROBUST RENOVATION REINVENTION TO ADDRESS THE ITEMS ON THE CITY'S NEEDS, INVENTORY OF MAINTENANCE, AS WELL AS TO REALIGN THOSE LIBRARY SPACES WITH THE COMMUNITY'S VISION.

AND THEN THE LIBRARIES THAT ARE SHOWN IN ORANGE ARE THOSE THAT ARE RECOMMENDED FOR EXPANSION, WHICH MAY IN SOME CASES BE AN ADDITION TO THE EXISTING BUILDING, AND IN OTHER CASES MAY BE SUGGESTED A NEW SITE IS REQUIRED, BUT AGAIN, THOSE MAY BE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOINT USE, MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT HAS IMPROVED COMMUNITY OUTCOMES AS WELL.

SO NEXT SLIDE.

WE ARE ENDING OUR PRESENTATION ON THIS SUMMARY LIST OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND WE NOW WELCOME QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.

ALL RIGHT, CHAIRWOMAN SCHULTZ, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

WE'RE ON ITEM A.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

I WANT TO GO. THIS IS A GREAT PLAN.

WE HAD A FANTASTIC BRIEFING ON IT ON MONDAY ON QUALITY OF LIFE.

SO I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PLAN.

WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S NOT IN THE PLAN.

AND COULD YOU TALK FOR A MINUTE? AND WE CAN BRING UP GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS IF WE NEED TO, JUST TO TALK ABOUT OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE PLANS FOR THE POTENTIAL SHARED LIBRARY AT THE INTERNATIONAL STEAM ACADEMY.

SURE. AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

WE WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO LOCATIONS, ARCADIA PARK AND HIGH AND HAMPTON, ILLINOIS, THAT ARE CO-LOCATED LOCATIONS WITH DISD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

THOSE LOCATIONS WORK REALLY WELL.

THEY'RE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL.

WE GET TO SERVE AS A SCHOOL LIBRARY AND A PUBLIC LIBRARY.

IT GIVES US UNIQUE ACCESS TO, TO SERVE CHILDREN, BUT ALSO TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR PARENTS.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT OUR MISSIONS ARE COMPLETELY ALIGNED.

THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY AND DISD THEY ARE LOOKING AT, AGAIN, A MULTI-USE FACILITY AND THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT, AND WE ARE IN PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, BUT WE THINK IT WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY.

GREAT. OKAY. THANK YOU.

AND FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, COULD WE TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS WE BUILD OUT THIS SORT OF NEW COMMUNITY IN DALLAS AND NORTH DALLAS, IS THAT IT BECOMES A COMMUNITY LIBRARY AS WELL AS FOR THE SCHOOL.

AND I KNOW THE SCHOOL HAS BUILT INTO THEIR BUDGET THE MONEY FOR THE LIBRARY.

AND I KNOW THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, SIGNED A LETTER OF SUPPORT, BUT I'D LIKE TO FIND OUT HOW WE AT THE CITY WOULD PLAN ON GETTING OUR SIDE FUNDED FOR THIS LIBRARY. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE QUESTION.

KERRY ROGERS, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.

THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS ACTUALLY PARTICIPATES ON THE PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THIS PARTICULAR LIBRARY, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE AN EARMARK REQUEST IN AND THIS YEAR'S COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUEST TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.

THAT'S GREAT. AND I THINK I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE LIBRARY IN THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, AND THE CLOSEST ONE IS AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, WELL OVER TWO MILES IN ANY DIRECTION, MAYBE 3 OR 4 MILES, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE TO IT.

SO I THINK IT COULD BE A GREAT ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY IF WE'RE ABLE TO FIND WAYS TO GET THIS FUNDED.

AND I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT BOTH OF OUR LIBRARY STAFF, AS WELL AS THE DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN MORENO YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES? THANK YOU. MAYOR. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION THIS MORNING.

I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PLANNING AND THE PROCESS AND THE OUTREACH THAT OCCURRED.

I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAD OUTREACH TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UTILIZING THE LIBRARIES, HAVING THE KIOSK INSIDE THOSE CENTERS.

BUT HELP ME UNDERSTAND, HOW ARE WE TARGETING? HOW ARE WE UNDERSTANDING THOSE THAT AREN'T VISITING THE LIBRARY? AND THERE'S A REASON THEY'RE NOT COMING TO OUR LIBRARIES.

RIGHT. AND SO HOW ARE WE ENGAGING WITH THAT POPULATION? ABSOLUTELY. SO PART OF OUR WE WE DO A LOT OF SURVEYS AT THE LIBRARY.

AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE LIBRARY LOVE THE LIBRARY, AND THEY MAY NOT GIVE US AS VALUABLE FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO BETTER IN THE COMMUNITY.

[01:00:06]

SO PART OF OUR OUTREACH STRATEGY WAS TO REALLY CAPITALIZE ON OUR MANAGERS WHO KNOW THEIR COMMUNITY REALLY WELL, AND WE TRAIN THEM TO LOOK AT LOCAL DEMOGRAPHICS TO UNDERSTAND WHO'S NOT COMING TO THE LIBRARY.

AND SO THEY WENT OUT AND DID FOCUS GROUPS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS OTHER, OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS THAT MAY NOT BE, YOU KNOW, THAT WEREN'T MEETING INSIDE THE LIBRARY.

AND SO THAT WAS OUR MAIN STRATEGY TO TRY TO REACH PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY.

WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO CHALLENGE US TO GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER WITH THAT.

AND IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE ON COMMUNITY GROUPS OR ORGANIZATIONS, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THOSE TO YOU ALL.

ONE, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU ALL DO EACH AND EVERY SINGLE DAY.

MY FAMILY AND I APPRECIATE OUR LIBRARIES.

THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING FUN AND EXCITING TO DO WHEN WE WALK IN.

AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PICKING UP A BOOK.

THERE'S ARTS AND CRAFTS.

THERE'S THEMES.

BUT THE CHALLENGE ALSO, I BELIEVE, IS LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT ALL THE AMAZING THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING INSIDE OUR LIBRARY.

YOU KNOW, I TALKED TO FOLKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS PONIES AT THE LIBRARY DURING LAST SUMMER.

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHICH OTHER LIBRARY DOES INTERACTIVE WORK LIKE THAT.

AND SO LET'S JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE POSTING GREAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT WE NEED TO JUST EXPAND ON THAT NETWORK TO ENSURE THAT THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON. THANK YOU THAT FOR THAT.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT COMMUNICATING THE LIBRARY'S VALUE IS ONE OF OUR STRATEGIC GOALS, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT NOT WHILE WE ENJOY DEEP TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND A GREAT REPUTATION.

NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT REPUTATION.

AND SO WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EVOLUTION AND THE VISION WHERE OUR LIBRARIES HAVE BEEN, WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO.

AND SO SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO SEE ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN AT OUR CENTRAL LIBRARY TO HELP ACTIVATE THAT IS PERHAPS A COFFEE SHOP, CO-WORKING AREAS SO THAT WE CAN ENGAGE THAT WELCOMING APPROACH FROM THE PLAZA.

AND YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT OUR PARTNERS.

SO OBVIOUSLY WORKING WITH OUR PARKS AND REC, WORKING WITH OUR ISDS AND OUR SCHOOLS, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY IN ORDER TO ONE WORK TOGETHER, BUT ALSO TO HOPEFULLY KEEP COSTS DOWN.

I REALLY WANT TO DIVE DEEP INTO OR ACTUALLY, BEFORE I DO THAT, ON PAGE 26, YOU'RE TALKING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE AND CONTINUING TO ADD BRANCH SPACE FOR OUR GROWING POPULATION.

CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT STUDY YOU MEASURED POPULATION GROWTH? I WILL ACTUALLY TURN THAT OVER TO JILL TO ANSWER.

THANK YOU. WELL, WE USED AND I APOLOGIZE.

I CAN'T CITE THE EXACT SOURCE, BUT WE DID USE THE CITY'S OWN PROJECTIONS FOR FUTURE POPULATION FOR THAT.

AND SO WHERE WE STARTED WAS LOOKING AT THE AMOUNT OF LIBRARY SPACE THAT WAS ADDED THROUGH THE LAST MASTER PLAN OVER THE LAST 20, 24 YEARS.

LOOKING AT WHERE YOU ARE TODAY AND HOW MUCH SPACE THERE IS.

AND IT'S FOR THE CURRENT POPULATION, IT'S IT'S PRETTY GOOD.

SO LOOKING FORWARD, IT'S REALLY ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT YOU KEEP UP THAT LIBRARY CAPACITY AS THE POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW.

OKAY. THE.

ON PAGE 27.

AND I UNDERSTAND THIS IS JUST A PRELIMINARY.

IT'S JUST A RENDERING.

BUT IS THAT A CANOPY? IS THAT A SHELTERED STRUCTURE OVER THE FRONT OF THE PLAZA? THIS IS A FUN STUDY THAT ONE OF OUR DESIGNERS DID.

IF YOU'RE BUILDING JUST TO KIND OF TEASE OUT SOME IDEAS.

AND YES, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY SUGGESTED COULD HELP PROTECT THAT PLAZA, PROVIDE SOME SOME SHADE, BUT ALSO MAKE IT THAT SPACE THAT I BELIEVE YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT WELCOMING PLAZA APPROACH TO THE BUILDING.

OKAY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR PERHAPS A HIGHER GRADE OF WINDOWS AT OUR DOWNTOWN LIBRARY. I KNOW WE HAVE CONSTANT WINDOWS THAT ARE BROKEN ON OUR FRONT OF THE LIBRARY AND ON THE BACK SIDE, AND WE END UP WITH PLYWOOD FOR MONTHS ON END.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING PROACTIVE IN LOOKING AT PERHAPS I DON'T KNOW.

A BROKEN WINDOW RESISTANT.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE CAN LOOK AT THERE, BUT REALLY WANT TO NOW TUNE IN TO OUR DOWNTOWN LIBRARY SPECIFICALLY.

AS YOU MENTIONED, IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST FACILITIES IN THE COUNTRY.

AND SOMETHING THAT I KEPT SEEING WAS ENHANCING THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE VIBRANT AND EXCITING LIBRARY SERVICES WITHIN, ACTIVATING THE EXTERIOR PLAZA TO MAKE THEM MORE WELCOMING AND INVITING, AS WELL AS USABLE FOR OUTDOOR PROGRAMING.

UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT NOW, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE HAVE.

[01:05:02]

AND WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING INTO OUR RESTROOMS AT DOWNTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY USING THOSE FOR FOR SHOWERS, PEOPLE SLEEPING ON OUR OUTDOOR PLAZA AREAS.

AND SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE HOW WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT AND MAKING IT A WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE PLACE, UNDERSTANDING THAT IT IS A PUBLIC SPACE.

SURE. I THINK I MEAN, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HAVE A REALLY WONDERFUL WORKING RELATIONSHIP, NOT ONLY WITH THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, BUT ALSO OUR HOMELESS SERVICES PROVIDERS.

WE MEET MONTHLY WITH THEM.

WE, YOU KNOW, ARE ABLE TO CALL THEM PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL IF WE NEED IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE.

I THINK ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT LIBRARIES IS THAT THEY'RE SPACES THAT ARE TRULY PUBLIC.

THEY'RE FREE. NOBODY ASKS YOU TO BUY ANYTHING WHEN YOU COME IN.

NO ONE ASKS YOU WHY YOU'RE THERE.

AND SO OUR, OUR UNHOUSED RESIDENTS ARE AT THE LIBRARY FOR THE SAME REASON THAT EVERYONE ELSE IS AT THE LIBRARY.

IT'S AN INVITING SPACE.

IT'S CLIMATE CONTROLLED.

YOU CAN DO ENGAGING THINGS WHILE YOU'RE THERE.

SO I THINK WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE AN UNHOUSED POPULATION THAT THAT UTILIZES THE LIBRARY AS A LIBRARY.

I THINK IT'S MORE AROUND HOW DO WE USE THE PARTICULARLY THE EXTERIOR OF THE LIBRARY TO COMMUNICATE THAT WE ARE WE ARE A PUBLIC PLACE AND ATTRACT MORE ACTIVITY FROM PERHAPS YOU KNOW, YOUNG FAMILIES BRINGING BRINGING THEIR KIDS TO THE LIBRARY.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN THEMES THAT GROUP FOUR LOOKED AT.

WELL, I KNOW THAT'S A CHALLENGE.

CURRENTLY ON OUR KIDS FLOOR IS ENCOURAGING MORE FAMILIES TO COME DOWN.

I WAS JUST AT A COMMUNITY MEETING WITH ONE OF OUR DOWNTOWN FARMER'S MARKET STAKEHOLDERS YESTERDAY.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS IS WE WOULD LOVE TO UTILIZE OUR LIBRARY.

WE HAVE SOME AMAZING PROGRAMING GOING IN, BUT THE ENVIRONMENT IN AND OUTSIDE IS UNWELCOMING.

AND SO I WANT TO KNOW WHAT WHAT COLLABORATION IS HAPPENING WITH OHS AND THE LIBRARY AND HAVING CLEAR IDENTITY. IS OUR LIBRARY A LIBRARY OR IS OUR LIBRARY A HOMELESS PROVIDER? AND SO MAYBE WE CAN HAVE, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT.

AND MAYBE SOMEONE FROM OHS CAN COME UP AS WELL.

SURE. I MEAN, I THINK THE WAY I WOULD ANSWER THAT IS WE ARE DEFINITELY A LIBRARY AND NOT A SERVICE PROVIDER, BUT I THINK THAT THAT PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THIS COUNTRY, PARTICULARLY, PARTICULARLY LARGE URBAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES LIKE DALLAS, LIKE SEATTLE, LIKE SAN FRANCISCO, LA, ALL ARE PART OF THE HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE ARE A PROVIDER.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT OUR STAFF ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE NECESSARILY SOCIAL WORKERS OR FIRST RESPONDERS.

BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT AGAIN, WE ARE A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE UNHOUSED FOLKS IN OUR BUILDINGS.

ARE YOU ALL CURRENTLY PROVIDING ANY SERVICES TO OUR UNSHELTERED? WE PROVIDE NO DIRECT SOCIAL SERVICES TO TO ANY OF OUR UNHOUSED POPULATIONS.

WE DEPEND ON OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, THE BRIDGE CITY SQUARE ARE OUR PARTNERS TO COME IN.

WE THE THE FUNCTION OF THE LIBRARY IN THIS KIND OF ECOSYSTEM IS REALLY WE ARE A NEUTRAL SPACE.

I MEAN, THIS IS WHY PRE-PANDEMIC, WE WERE THE LOCATION OF THE HOMELESSNESS DIVERSION COURT.

BECAUSE BECAUSE A LIBRARY IS A PLACE THAT ISN'T STIGMATIZED LIKE SOME OF THOSE, THE SERVICE PROVIDERS.

AND WHERE I'M GETTING AT IS THAT YOU GUYS ARE PROFESSIONALS WITHIN OUR LIBRARY INDUSTRY.

OHS ARE OUR PROFESSIONALS WITHIN OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION.

AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE IS ANY COLLABORATION THAT IT'S HAPPENING AND THAT WE'RE NOT DOING THINGS IN SILO.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TO QUALITY OF LIFE.

I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE SOME OF THE POINTS THAT I MADE AT THE COMMITTEE.

AND MADAM CITY MANAGER, IF I COULD JUST EMPHASIZE TO YOU THAT GOING INTO BUDGET SEASON, I THINK THAT THESE GOALS ARE GREAT, AND I WANT TO SEE AS MUCH INVESTMENT AND SUCCESS IN OUR LIBRARY SYSTEMS, BUT I WANT US TO REALLY FOCUS ON THE BASICS.

THE FACT THAT ALL OF OUR LIBRARY BRANCHES CLOSE AT 5 P.M.

IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE A REALLY BIG PROBLEM WITH, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE LOOKING AT STRATEGIC GOALS TO INVEST MORE IN EXPANSIONS AND NEW BUILDINGS, ETC.. AND MY INDEPENDENT RESEARCH, I LOOKED AT MUNICIPALITIES, THAT NEIGHBOR, OUR BORDER OUR CITIES BORDER, AND EVERY ONE OF OUR MUNICIPALITY NEIGHBORS HAVE THEIR MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES OPEN PAST 5 P.M..

I THINK WE'RE EXCLUDING AN ENTIRE POPULATION, MANY OF WHOM ARE IN THE WORKFORCE BY CLOSING AT 5 P.M.

[01:10:04]

AND COULD VERY EASILY BE BIG USERS OF OUR LIBRARY SYSTEMS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT I THINK THAT THAT'S ALSO INVESTING IN EQUITY.

IT'S SPEAKING TO THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN, WHICH I KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE ALIGNING WITH.

THAT THAT TO ME IS IS A HUGE PRIORITY.

AND I'D LIKE FOR US TO, TO NOT HAVE CART BEFORE THE HORSE AND SEE THAT WE ARE REALLY INVESTING IN THE PROGRAMING COMPONENT OF OUR LIBRARY SYSTEMS TO ITS FULLEST POTENTIAL.

BEFORE I MENTIONED TWO STAFF AT THE COMMITTEE BRIEFING THAT THEY'RE, IN MY OPINION, ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS OR MORE FORMALIZED RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR PARTNERS AT DISD AND DALLAS COLLEGES.

I THINK WITH OUR LIBRARIES UNIQUELY PLACED WITHIN NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS OUR CITY THAT THEY ARE MORE CONVENIENT THAN THE RESPECTIVE CAMPUSES, IF YOU WILL, OF OUR DALLAS COLLEGE SYSTEMS. THESE COULD BE ASSETS THAT ARE LEVERAGED FOR OUR OTHER ENTITIES AS WELL, NOT JUST FOR THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS AS A AS A CITY FUNCTION.

ALSO WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT SEVERAL OF THEM ARE CLOSE TO OUR CAMPUSES.

THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO NOT EVEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE STAFFING OF IT, AND MAYBE SEEING IF THERE'S A PROGRAM THAT CAN BE PUT IN PLACE TO OFFER A SECOND JOB OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR EDUCATORS WITHIN DISD TO LEAVE A CAMPUS AND GO TO A, A LIBRARY SYSTEM TO STAY OPEN A LITTLE LATER.

BUT I JUST REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON THE HOURS PIECE, THE PROGRAMING PIECE.

I THINK THAT YOU ALL DO AMAZING STUFF.

THERE'S OFTEN TIMES THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE PROGRAMING IN THE EVENING HOURS.

AND OF COURSE, SUNDAY SUNDAY WAS A BIG DEAL.

THIS LAST BUDGET SEASON, I MEAN BUDGET CYCLE.

AND I THINK THAT WE DELIVERED FOR THE RESIDENTS, BUT WE DELIVERED WITH JUST ONE BRANCH.

AND I, I HAVE PERSONALLY HEARD FROM SEVERAL DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENTS WHO WISH THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DRIVE TO VICKERY MEADOW ON SUNDAY IN ORDER TO USE THE LIBRARY.

SO JUST A SLIGHT CORRECTION AND IT IS A RECENT DEVELOPMENT.

BUT AS OF JANUARY 30TH, WE DO HAVE SEVEN SUNDAY LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

ALL OF OUR LIBRARY LOCATIONS EXCEPT FOR TWO ARE DO YOU HAVE THEY'RE OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK, AND THEY ARE.

THEY DO HAVE TWO LATE NIGHTS UNTIL 8 P.M..

I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CONSISTENCY THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM.

SURE. THANK YOU.

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

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

ON PAGE 28.

COULD YOU GIVE ME AN UPDATE AT, I GUESS, CLEAVER RALLY.

IT SAYS SPAN AND REPLACE THAT 25,000FT² TO 30,000FT².

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT CONSISTS OF? I'M JILL. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A STAB AT THAT FIRST.

FOR KLEBERG RILEY RECOMMENDATION.

SURE. SURE.

THE. AND THEN BENJI.

MAYBE BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY VISITED KLEBERG.

RILEY. MAYBE YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT SITE.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, YOUR LARGER LIBRARIES ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICE IN THAT, THAT 20 TO 30,000 SQUARE FOOT RANGE.

SO WHERE WE HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT YOUR SMALLER LIBRARIES BE EXPANDED, THAT'S WHERE THAT TARGET SIZE COMES FROM.

SO, BENJI, CAN YOU SHARE ANYTHING ABOUT THAT SITE SPECIFICALLY? PERHAPS JUST THAT WE SAW THAT AS A POTENTIAL LOCATION TO FURTHER THE CONVERSATION AND DIALOG AROUND THE CO-HOUSING OF ACTIVITIES WITH THE REC CENTER DOWN THERE.

I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY.

THERE WAS A LOT OF DIALOG ABOUT FURTHERING DEEPER PARTNERSHIPS WITH PARKS AND REC AND THE LIBRARY BRANCH SYSTEM, WHICH IS NOTICING, YOU KNOW, RALEIGH HAS THE REC CENTER DOWN THERE. POTENTIALLY THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SHARED FACILITY TO EXTEND THE VALUE OF OF BOTH DEPARTMENTS. AND JUST FROM THE LIBRARIES PERSPECTIVE, I CAN SAY THAT WE'VE SEEN SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN ATTENDANCE AND PROGRAMS AT THE KLEBERG RILEY LIBRARY.

AND BENJI IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT REC CENTER THERE.

THERE'S WE DO PROGRAMING TOGETHER.

THE REC CENTER BRINGS OVER CHILDREN FOR SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS FOR AFTER SCHOOL LUNCHES AND SUMMER MEALS.

AND SO EXPANDING THAT FACILITY GIVES US A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY HAVE COMMUNITY MEETING SPACE, BUT TO INCREASE THINGS LIKE CLASSROOMS FOR OUR.

WE HAVE REALLY ROBUST ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES THAT ARE THERE AS WELL.

I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SECURITY AT THAT PARTICULAR LIBRARY.

HAVE WE LOOK INTO TRYING TO EXPAND SECURITY? CERTAINLY. IS THAT IN THE PLAN? CAMERAS. THERE'S AI, THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC SECURITY RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PLAN.

[01:15:06]

THE PLAN DOESN'T GET TO THAT LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY.

BUT I THINK AS PART OF THE GOAL OF CREATING WELCOMING BUILDINGS LOOKING AT OUR SECURITY CAMERAS, AS WELL AS OUR ON SITE SECURITY OFFICERS IS, IS PART OF ACHIEVING THAT GOAL? I KNOW THE GOAL OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I KNOW CURRENT TODAY THERE IS A LACK OF SECURITY RIGHT NOW.

AND WE HAVE MANY INCIDENTS AT THAT LIBRARY.

AND SO I'M LOOKING FOR THE PRESENT, NOT FOR THE FUTURE.

SEAN MCGREW, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

WE ARE GOING THROUGH ALL OF OUR BRANCHES AND LOOKING AT ALL SECURITY SYSTEMS, THE CAMERAS THEMSELVES, MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THEM ARE IN GOOD CONDITION, THAT HAVE THEY HAVE GOOD ANGLES AND HAVE GOOD VISUAL.

AS FAR AS THE GUARD PRESENCE THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE ALSO ALWAYS LOOKING TO ENSURE THAT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE RIGHT RESOURCES WHERE WE NEED THEM THE MOST.

TO YOUR POINT IN THE EVENT A BRANCH NEEDS MORE THAN ONE GUARD, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT.

IF THERE'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

WE'VE EVEN GONE FURTHER AND PARTNERED WITH OUR INTEGRATED PUBLIC SAFETY SOLUTIONS DEPARTMENT TO COME UP WITH OTHER ALTERNATIVES, TO HELP WITH US TO HAVE A MORE ROBUST, COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO SECURITY.

SO SPECIFIC TO KLEBERG WE WILL BE LOOKING TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT COVERAGE, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS IN PLACE.

THANK YOU. THE REASON WHY I ASK THAT, BECAUSE THIS THIS CONVERSATION THAT CAME UP MANY TIMES, MONTHS AND MONTHS AND, AND THAT HAD HAPPENED THERE AND, AND THE RESIDENT THERE IN KLEBER, THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE NOT PART OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.

THEY FEEL LIKE THEY LEFT OUT.

AND THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE THERE IS A LIBRARY.

LOOKING AT OURS AND LOOKING AT SECURITY, YOU KNOW, AFTER SCHOOL TO USE THAT.

AND SO IT'S URGENT TO ME IN, IN THE RESIDENTS OF KLEBER THAT WE SHOULD BE AT A PRIORITY.

I DO WE KNOW OTHER LIBRARIES THAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR SAFETY.

NUMBER ONE, PUBLIC SAFETY FOR CHILDREN THERE WHO USE THEIR LIBRARY IS NOT ONLY JUST THE RESIDENT OF KLEBER, BUT ALSO THE RESIDENT OF SEAGOVILLE AND BALL SPRINGS USE THAT LIBRARY ALSO AND ALSO AT OUR OURS.

WHAT IS THE HOURS NOW? HAVE THEY CHANGED THE HOURS? THEY ARE OPEN TO KIRSTEN NIELSEN, LIBRARY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

THEY'RE OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

THERE ARE TWO LATE EVENINGS WILL BE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.

I BELIEVE THEY'RE RIGHT AT 52, 53 HOURS A WEEK.

WE REPEAT THAT AGAIN, PLEASE.

THEY'RE OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

THEY HAVE TWO LATE EVENINGS, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY EVENINGS UNTIL 8 P.M..

THEY'RE OPEN 52 HOURS A WEEK.

AND WE HAVE VIBRANT ENGLISH AND CITIZENSHIP CLASSES THERE THAT ARE INCREDIBLY WELL ATTENDED.

OKAY. AND WHEN DID THE 52 HOURS WHEN DID IT GO TO 52 HOURS? JANUARY 30TH.

JANUARY. IT JUST WENT TO IT JUST WENT IN.

THAT WAS PART OF THE LAST YEAR'S FOR WHAT YOU APPROVED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WE IMPLEMENTED ON JANUARY 30TH IS IS THE REASON WHY THEY JUST OPENED ON TUESDAY AND THURSDAY AT EIGHT THE LATEST AT EIGHT IS THERE WAS A SURVEY DONE TO TO DO THOSE DAYS.

WHAT WHAT ABOUT YOU KNOW, IT WAS BASED ON THEIR CURRENT EVENINGS.

WE WERE THEY WERE CURRENTLY OPEN UNTIL 7 P.M.

ON THOSE EVENINGS.

AND WE HAD ESTABLISHED PATTERNS AS WELL AS ATTENDANCE AND CLASSES.

SO IN ORDER TO NOT DISRUPT USAGE PATTERNS AND WE TRIED AS BEST WE COULD, WE COULDN'T DO THIS FOR EVERY BRANCH.

BUT WHERE WE COULD NOT INTERRUPT USAGE PATTERNS, WE KEPT TO THE SAME NIGHTS BECAUSE WE HAD WORKED TO GET PEOPLE TO COME.

BUT THIS ALLOWS US TO DO OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING GED CLASSES LATER INTO THE EVENING TO SHIFT MORE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING.

SO IT WAS THAT PIECE OF IT.

AND WE WILL EVALUATE THOSE AS WE COME INTO THE NEW YEAR, BUT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AT LEAST A YEAR'S WORTH OF DATA TO LOOK, TO SEE USAGE AND GET FEEDBACK FROM BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND THE STAFF ABOUT USAGE PATTERNS.

WELL, WHEN YOU DO, YOUR VALUATION, IS THAT BASED ON ATTENDANCE? HOW MANY CHILDREN COME IN VISIT THE LIBRARY? YES, WE WILL USE IT IN ATTENDANCE.

WE WILL ALSO WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO BE ACCESSIBLE.

AND SO SOMETIMES WE MIGHT HAVE HOURS THAT ARE NOT AS BUSY.

BUT IT'S ABOUT HAVING ACCESS, ALLOWING PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO COME IN LATER IN THE EVENING AND GROWING.

AND IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN OUR NEW HOURS.

SO AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT TO CHANGE ALL THE TIME BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE CHANGE, IT TAKES TIME FOR PEOPLE TO ADJUST TO THAT.

AND HOW DO YOU PROMOTE THE HOURS CHANGED IN THE LIBRARIES AT KLEBER?

[01:20:04]

HOW DO YOU PROMOTE THE INFORMATION OUT? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY OUR FIRST LINE ARE OUR PUBLIC SERVICE STAFF THAT SPEAK TO THE FOLKS THAT USE THE LIBRARY, BUT WE ALSO UTILIZE OUR CITY DEPARTMENT PARTNERS AS WELL AS EMAIL, YOU KNOW, NORMAL MARKETING, EMAIL OUTREACH, SOCIAL MEDIA, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

DO YOU COORDINATE WITH THE SCHOOL? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH EVERY SCHOOL IN EACH OF OUR SERVICE DISTRICTS.

AND SO THAT THOSE MESSAGES ARE DEFINITELY COMMUNICATED TO THE SCHOOLS.

OKAY. JUST MAKE SURE YOU COORDINATE WITH SICKLERVILLE SCHOOL BECAUSE THOSE WHO USE THE LIBRARY.

BUT THOSE MIGHT BE DALLAS, BUT THEY USE IT.

OKAY. HIGHLAND HILLS LIBRARY MAINTAIN KEEPING FRESH.

WHAT? WHAT DO THAT MEAN? SO FOR FOR THE LOCATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MARKED, MAINTAIN AND KEEP FRESH.

OUR CONSULTANTS HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE THE SIZE OF THE LIBRARY IS REALLY SUFFICIENT FOR THE PROGRAMING NEEDS OF OF THE COMMUNITY.

I MEAN, HIGHLAND HILLS HAS A REALLY WONDERFUL AUDITORIUM THAT GETS USED ALL OF THE TIME BY THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CONSULTANTS.

SO I KNOW WHEN WE DID KLEBER, WE I MEAN HIGHLAND HILLS LIBRARY, WHEN WE DID HIGHLAND HILLS LIBRARY, WE DID IT WITHOUT A BOND PACKAGE.

AND WE BOUGHT ASSETS LAND AROUND THE LIBRARY.

WE'RE NOT USING THE OUTSIDE LAND OF LIBRARY.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE CHILDREN TO OUTSIDE TO USE THE.

SURE. WE'RE ACTUALLY ACTIVELY IN TALKS WITH PARKS ABOUT HOW WE UTILIZE OUR OUTDOOR SPACE TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE GREEN SPACE AND PLAY SPACE FOR, FOR KIDS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY TO USE.

WE'RE ALSO PART OF THE SMART SERVICES SMART SURFACES INITIATIVE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN BEST UTILIZE OUR GREEN SPACE TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT IN EACH OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO SO THEREFORE EXPLAINING IN LAYMAN TERM, MAINTAIN AND KEEP FRESH.

CAN YOU BREAK IT DOWN? MAINTAIN WHAT YOU MEAN BY MAINTAIN.

JILL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THIS ONE? ABSOLUTELY. SO THE CITY'S BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB OF MAINTAINING THE FACILITIES SO THAT THE CARPETS LOOK GOOD, THE LIGHTS WORK, THE ROOFS DON'T LEAK.

AND HIGHLAND HILLS IS ONE OF THOSE THAT HAS HAD GOOD WORK OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, 20, 25 YEARS.

BASICALLY JUST KEEP UP THAT THAT GOOD WORK.

AND YOU KNOW, THIS LIBRARY SHOULD CONTINUE TO SERVE OVER THE LIFE OF THIS PLAN.

OKAY WITH THAT? KEEP FRESH. WHAT DO THAT MEAN? KEEP FRESH. MAKE SURE IT'S PAINTED WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE PAINTED.

MAKE SURE THE FURNITURE IS, YOU KNOW, CLEANED AND REPLACED SO THAT IT FEELS LIKE IT'S GOT THAT HOSPITALITY TO IT.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WALK IN AND THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S A WELCOMING, COMFORTABLE, FRESH KIND OF A PLACE THAT SHOULD BE AUTOMATIC, SHOULDN'T IT? YOU KNOW WHY? I MEAN, IT SHOULD BE AUTOMATIC.

AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT MEANS.

BUT IT TAKES WORK TO KEEP THE LIBRARIES THAT WAY.

OKAY, SO THE HOURS HIGHLAND HILLS.

WHAT IS THE HOURS? THEY ARE SIX DAYS A WEEK.

THEY ARE TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, AND THEY ARE OPEN 9 TO 4 ON SUNDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, AND THEIR EVENINGS ARE TUESDAY AND THURSDAY EVENINGS UNTIL 8 P.M..

OKAY. AND HOW MANY HOURS THEY ALLOCATED PER WEEK? THEY ARE AT 53 HOURS BECAUSE OUR SUNDAY LOCATION AND THOSE HOURS ARE BASED ON ATTENDANCE, RIGHT.

IT'S BASED ON ATTENDANCE.

BUT WE ALSO, WHEN WE LOOKED AT AND WHEN WE KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF SUNDAY LOCATIONS, WE LOOKED ACROSS THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT. AND WE LOOKED AT THE CITIES SERVICE AREAS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD ONE IN EVERY SERVICE AREA.

SO HIGHLAND HILLS WAS CHOSEN AS THE LOCATION FOR THAT PARTICULAR AREA BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO HAVE ONE THAT WAS AT LEAST DRIVABLE WITHIN MOST DISTRICTS OR WITH MOST PEOPLE.

SO THAT'S HOW HIGHLAND HILLS WAS CHOSEN.

AND LOOKING AT THAT PLUS ALSO DEMAND AND ENSURING THAT WE HAVE WEEKEND SERVICE.

SO THAT IS 52 HOURS A WEEK AT IS THAT THE MAXIMUM AT A LIBRARY IN THE CITY OF DALLAS? YES, THAT'S WITH OUR CURRENT STAFFING.

THAT'S ABOUT WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE 52 HOURS.

RIGHT. AND ON SUNDAY, WHAT TIME IS ON SUNDAY?

[01:25:01]

9 TO 4.

9 TO 4. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

WE'RE ON ITEM A EVERYONE.

THANK YOU. ON ITEM A JUST TO BE VERY POINTED AND QUICK ON THE ITEMS LISTED ON THE FACILITIES PLAN.

YOU HAVE THE LIBRARY THAT WE REFER TO AS LANCASTER KEAST.

SO WHAT I WOULD REQUEST AND WE NEED TO HAVE A MEETING THAT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST.

SO WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO YOU.

WE NEED TO WORK ON BRANDING BECAUSE IT'S CONFUSING WHEN YOU SAY LANCASTER KEYS.

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR, AND IN PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR LANCASTER KEAST.

AND SO WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT BRANDING PIECE SO WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.

NOT ONLY WE'RE USING THAT LIBRARY FOR FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, YOU KNOW, FROM A FROM A POLITICAL STANDPOINT, IT'S ALSO USED AS A POLLING PLACE.

AND SO WE NEED TO GET SOME DEFINITIVE ON DEFINITE UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE FOLKS ARE SUPPOSED TO GO.

NEXT IN TERMS OF PARTNERSHIP, WHICH WE NEED TO STRENGTHEN.

AND I DO WANT TO GIVE SUPPORT TO MY COMMISSIONER, MR. STAN AYTON OR ATTEND SOME CALL HIM BECAUSE OF HIS AGGRESSIVE SUPPORT FOR LIBRARY EVERYTHING.

LIBRARY. HE'S NOT A DISTRICT SPECIFIC.

IT'S ABOUT LEARNING AND LIBRARIES UNIVERSALLY.

AND SO AND THAT'S MY POSITION AS WELL, BECAUSE I COME FROM A BACKGROUND IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH SCHOOL LIBRARIAN WHO INGRAINED IN US THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ABLE TO READ AND JUST FALLING IN LOVE WITH BEING IN THE LIBRARY.

I MEAN, THAT WAS REALLY WHAT WE HAD AT THE TIME.

AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME EVEN THOUGH PROBABLY SOME THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE SOME, SAY, A PREACHER, SOME THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE A LIBRARIAN, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU THAT I HAD COULDN'T LIVE UP TO OTHER FOLKS DREAMS. BUT I KNOW I LOVED BEING EVERYTHING LIBRARY.

BUT KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIPS, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DEFINITELY WORK WITH ON, ON DALLAS ISD SO QUICKLY, CAN YOU TELL US HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT.

WORKING WITH DISD TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING, ESPECIALLY IN THAT LOCATION WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE COMING IN AFTER SCHOOL, SITTING ON OUR SIGNAGE, DESTROYING THE VEGETATION.

SOME ARE COMING IN TO LEARN, BUT SOME WE NEED TO GET SOME TYPE OF UNDERSTANDING OF HOW PRECIOUS THAT CENTER IS AND NOT TO BE DESTROYED.

YEAH. SO THE MANAGER THERE AND WE ARE IN WE ARE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE SCHOOL RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE UNDER RENOVATION.

SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.

AND WE HAVE A PROGRAM SPECIALIST THERE THAT FOCUSES ON TEEN PROGRAMING AND ENGAGING THOSE STUDENTS AFTER SCHOOL.

SO WE'RE DOING A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

WE'RE DOING SOME DRONE PROGRAMING, SOME TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMING WITH THEM TO ENGAGE THEM AND CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

AND AS SCHOOL COMES BACK IN AND WHEN THEY REOPEN, WE WILL ENGAGE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

WE REALLY WORK TO GREET THE KIDS AT THE DOOR, TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE EXPECTATIONS.

AS SEAN MENTIONED, IF WE NEED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL SECURITY THERE, WHICH WE HAVE DONE, WE WILL AS WELL.

AS WE START THE SCHOOL YEAR AT ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS, WE REALLY ARE ALL HANDS ON DECK AS STUDENTS ARE COMING IN TO SET THOSE BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS.

BUT WE ALSO KNOW AFTER SCHOOL AND SITTING STILL ALL DAY LONG THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE SLIGHTLY MORE ACTIVE.

SO OUR STAFF ARE PREPARED FOR THAT, BUT ALSO TO MAKE IT ALSO COMFORTABLE FOR EVERYONE ELSE IN THE LIBRARY.

AND I HEAR YOUR CONCERNS.

WE DO NOT WANT THEM DESTROYING OUR LANDSCAPING AS WELL.

SO AGAIN, THAT'S ABOUT ALL HANDS ON DECK STAFF BEING OUTSIDE WATCHING, GREETING OUR GREETING THEM AS THEY'RE COMING THROUGH.

ALL RIGHT. NOW I APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT WHAT WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO ALSO LEARN ABOUT ME IS THAT WHEN I SPEAK IT, THAT'S BECAUSE I'VE EXPERIENCED IT AND I'M LOOKING AT IT.

SO I DO KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL IS CHANGING THE DIRECTION, BUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE THOSE PARENTS WHO WHOSE CHILDREN STAY OVER TO THE LIBRARY UNTIL THEY CAN PICK THEM UP. AND, YOU KNOW, THEN YOU HAVE THOSE WHO GATHER SO THEY CAN HAVE THIS SOCIAL INTERACTION.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING, WHO ARE YOU SPEAKING TO? BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVE TO BECOME MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT DISD.

YOU GOT TO HOST HOLD THESE KIDS ACCOUNTABLE.

SO I THINK WITH NOW WE HAVE CHIEF MARTINEZ THERE, I THINK WE'LL HAVE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT ABOUT SECURITY.

SO ONE QUESTION QUICKLY, CAN YOU GIVE ME THE RESOLUTION? I CAN'T FIND IT IN TERMS OF THE COUNCIL VOTE THAT CHANGED THE NAME OF THE LIBRARY FROM PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR, I MEAN, FROM LANCASTER KEYS TO WHATEVER TO PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR.

COULD Y'ALL TRY TO FIND THAT FOR ME? THAT WAS ACTUALLY A LIBRARY BOARD ACTION.

AND AND WE WILL PULL THAT FOR YOU.

OKAY. PULL THAT. BECAUSE WE HAVE AN OLD CENTER WHERE THE OLD LIBRARY IS, WHERE WE ARE NOW PREPARING A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

[01:30:06]

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT REFERRING WE'RE REFERRING TO THE PROPER PLACE.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I THINK THAT THE MAIN THING WE WANT TO LOOK AT WITH THIS LIBRARY IS THAT WE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REPROGRAM AND REIMAGINING.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AT THE TABLE AS WE TALK.

AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU DIDN'T SAY THAT YOU WERE GOING TO USE THIS.

MAINTAINING AND KEEPING FRESH, BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GROCERY STORE.

DESIGN. AND TRUE ENOUGH, WE WANT TO MAINTAIN.

AND AS DEPUTY AND MAYOR PRO TEM SAID, WE SHOULD BE DOING THAT ALL ALONG.

CLEANING THE CHAIRS, CLEANING THE RESTROOMS. THE PAINT SHOULD ALWAYS BE INTACT.

VEGETATION SHOULD BE INTACT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH ON THAT BECAUSE CENTRALLY, THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE WE HAVE.

BUT WE NEED THAT MEDIA CENTER TO WORK BECAUSE YOU'RE IN A VERY VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ZIP CODE WHERE THE SCORES ARE NOT REPRESENTING WHERE THEY SHOULD BE IN EFFICIENCY AND PROFICIENCY IN TERMS OF THEIR READING, WRITING AND PERFORMANCE SKILLS.

AND SO WE HAVE A WAYS TO GO AS WE PREPARE THEM.

AND THEY NEED THIS PLACE AS THEY COME TO LOOK FOR WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES, OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPLETE A RESEARCH PROJECT, OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER WITH FRIENDS, TO COMPLETE ASSIGNMENTS. SO THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION HAS TO WORK BECAUSE IT'S IN A VERY VULNERABLE AND UNDER-RESOURCED AREA, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO THE BROADBAND ACCESS AS WELL.

SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS AS AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. AND JUST TO RESPOND A LITTLE BIT, I WILL REITERATE THIS IS A 20 YEAR FACILITIES PLAN.

AND SO, I MEAN ANY ANY LIBRARY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A REALLY HYPER LOCAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE EACH NEIGHBORHOOD IS VERY DIFFERENT.

AND SO ANY INTERVENTION WE WOULD HAVE IN A BUILDING, WE WOULD VERY MUCH INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY IN THAT DISCUSSION BEFORE WE EVER GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE WERE EVEN PUTTING PEN TO PAPER TO CREATE A DESIGN.

OKAY, CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM A.

THANK YOU.

SO I LOVE THE LIBRARIES, BUT I AM GOING TO ASK YOU SOME DIFFICULT QUESTIONS.

OKAY. I THINK YOU'RE PREPARED FOR THAT.

SO WE HAVE 30 LIBRARIES, 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE AND 385MI².

HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO OUR OTHER LARGE CITIES IN TEXAS? I KNOW GROUP FOUR DID DID A STUDY ON THE CAPACITY OF OUR LIBRARIES AS COMPARED TO OTHER LARGE CITIES.

JILL, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE THE LIBRARY LOCATION COVERAGE IN TERMS OF GEOGRAPHY FOR THE CITY.

SURE. AND I'M YOU'RE PUTTING ME ON THE SPOT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER LIBRARIES IN TEXAS.

SO I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO HELP YOU OUT THEN I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.

I NEVER WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.

OKAY. BUT IN HOUSTON, WITH 637MI², THEY HAVE 32 LIBRARIES.

SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE LIBRARIES PER SQUARE MILE.

IN AUSTIN.

IT'S 305MI² AND THEY HAVE 21 LIBRARIES.

AND IN SAN ANTONIO 500MI², 29 LIBRARIES.

SO LIKE WE'RE WAY FAR OUT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF LIBRARIES PER SQUARE MILE FOR THE REST OF THE LARGE CITIES IN TEXAS.

AND I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW WE'RE DECIDING WHERE LIBRARIES GO, IF THERE SHOULD BE NEW LIBRARIES.

YOU KNOW WHAT'S REASONABLE? I ACTUALLY, AS INTERIM CITY MANAGER, I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOUR TITLE IS YET, KIM.

BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A PROPOSAL TO EVEN PUT A LIBRARY ACROSS THE STREET FROM AN EXISTING LIBRARY.

AND, I MEAN, I THINK I LOST MY MIND AT THAT MOMENT, BUT, LIKE, WHERE'S THE LIMIT ON HOW MANY MORE LIBRARIES THERE WOULD BE? I MEAN, I THE PLAN DOES NOT SUGGEST ANY NEW LIBRARIES.

SO I THINK THE PLAN DOES REFLECT THAT WE HAVE, BUT THAT OUR LIBRARIES ARE IN LOCATIONS THAT ARE PRETTY ACCESSIBLE PHYSICALLY FOR, FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

SO THERE IS NO THERE IS NO RECOMMENDATION FOR NEW LIBRARY LOCATIONS.

SO HOW ABOUT THE EVALUATION OF DO WE NEED AS MANY LIBRARIES AS WE HAVE.

SO THERE IS NOTHING THAT I SAW AND I'M SORRY I WAS NOT AT THE QUALITY OF LIFE PRESENTATION.

AND I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY SEEN THE STRATEGIC PLAN BOOK THAT APPARENTLY YOU DID DROP OFF.

BUT WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT CIRCULATION IN THE LIBRARY OR THE NUMBER OF VISITORS AS WELL AS PARTICIPANTS IN A PLANNED EVENT OR OTHER ACTIVITY THAT YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY HOSTING, LIKE, I KNOW YOU DID A REALLY COOL HARRY POTTER THING AT RENDER FRANKFURT.

HOW DO THOSE WEIGH INTO WOW, WE PROBABLY DON'T NEED THIS LIBRARY.

IT'S NOT THAT FAR FROM AN EXISTING ONE.

[01:35:02]

IT'S NOT DRAWING THE ATTENDANCE, IT'S NOT DRAWING THE CIRCULATION.

AND AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU FINANCIAL QUESTIONS IN A MINUTE.

BUT HOW IS THAT EVALUATION HAPPENING.

SO WE IT'S IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO HAVE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH TO EVALUATING A LIBRARY.

SO SOME OF OUR LIBRARIES ARE EXTREMELY HIGH CIRCULATION.

BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IN PRACTICE IS THAT YES, THEY HAVE A TON OF PEOPLE THAT COME IN, BUT THOSE FOLKS COME IN, THEY PICK UP 15 HOLD REQUESTS, THEY USE SELF-CHECKOUT, AND THEY LEAVE. SOME OF OUR OTHER LOCATIONS MIGHT ONLY HAVE 200 PEOPLE THAT COME IN, BUT OUT OF THOSE, 290% OF THEM SIT DOWN AND SPEND HALF AN HOUR AN HOUR WITH STAFF WALKING ONE ON ONE THROUGH A JOB APPLICATION.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON IS, YOU KNOW, INTERNALLY TRYING TO ARTICULATE THE DIFFERENT SORT OF SERVICE MODELS THAT REFLECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS AND TRYING TO MAKE PROJECTIONS AROUND STAFFING AND SERVICE MODELS FOR THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIBRARIES.

BUT SO THE PERSON THAT COMES IN FOR ASSISTANCE WITH JOBS AND OTHER RESEARCH THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB HELPING THEM WITH, COULD THEY NOT HAVE GONE TWO MILES MORE TO THE NEXT LIBRARY? IF THAT IS NOT A HIGH VOLUME LOCATION, I THINK YOU COULD PROBABLY ASK ANY OF YOUR COLLEAGUES.

AND I THINK FOR A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS SIMPLY NO, THEY REALLY COULDN'T.

IT'S IT'S EITHER A, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY DON'T HAVE A VEHICLE THAT THEY CAN USE THEMSELVES SO THAT THAT TWO MILES MIGHT MEAN AN EXTRA HALF HOUR, AN EXTRA HOUR USING PUBLIC TRANSIT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT CAN REALLY BECOME A BARRIER TO ACCESS IF SOMEONE'S TRYING TO GET OFF WORK AND THEN USE PUBLIC TRANSIT TO GET TO A LIBRARY.

HAVING A LIBRARY TWO MILES CLOSER MIGHT REALLY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.

AND IS THERE ANY DATA ABOUT THE VISITORS IN TERMS OF DRIVING THEIR OWN VEHICLE VERSUS TAKING PUBLIC TRANSIT OR WALKING? WE DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO COLLECT THAT DATA.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

DO YOU HAVE THE DATA ON CIRCULATION AT EACH LOCATION THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH EVERYONE? WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE THAT AND WE CAN SHARE THAT.

AND ALSO ON VISITORS VISITORS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE COUNTERS HAVE NOT BEEN FUNCTIONAL.

BUT I AM OVERJOYED TO SAY THAT RIGHT NOW, AS WE SPEAK, THEY THEY ARE BEING INSTALLED IN ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS.

AND SO WE SHOULD HAVE THAT DATA VERY SOON TO REPORT.

AND. AFTER A FEW MONTHS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE PROJECTIONS ON WHAT VISITORSHIP HAS BEEN BEEN LIKE IN RELATION USING OTHER DATA TO MAKE ESTIMATIONS LIKE PROGRAM ATTENDANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

YEAH, WELL, AFTER YOU HAVE LIKE SIX MONTHS, I, I APPRECIATE BEING INFORMED OF THAT.

ARE THERE ANY LIBRARIES THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU FEEL ARE ALREADY AT CAPACITY? LIKE WE CANNOT SERVE ANY MORE RESIDENTS AT THIS LOCATION.

WE'VE GOT TO, LIKE, OFFLOAD PEOPLE TO ANOTHER PLACE.

I THINK I MEAN, I THINK IN TERMS OF OF THE CAPACITY OF THE ROOMS RIGHT NOW, I WOULD SAY FRETZ PARK IS PROBABLY OUR, OUR LIBRARY LOCATION THAT HAS THE MOST UTILIZATION OF THEIR ROOMS AND WHERE SCHEDULING IS, IS A CHALLENGE.

I THAT IS THE ONE THAT COMES TO MIND.

KIRSTEN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE FURTHER THOUGHTS.

YEAH. I THINK WE'RE EXPERIENCING SOME OF THAT AT HIGHLAND HILLS AS WELL.

IT DEPENDS ON THE DAY.

VICKERY PARK, WE ALSO ARE AT HIGH CAPACITY.

AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT MEETING ROOM USAGE AND SCHEDULING, COMMUNITY USAGE AND BALANCING OUR OWN PROGRAMING NEEDS INTO ALL OF THAT.

IT REALLY IS.

IT'S HARD TO SAY IT.

I THINK SOME DAYS IT'S HARD TO FIND A SEAT IN SOME OTHER LOCATIONS AS WELL.

YEAH. I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS FRETZ PARK.

OBVIOUSLY IT'S IN DISTRICT 11, BUT IT'S A POLLING LOCATION FOR DISTRICT 12 AS WELL.

AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, HAVING STOOD IN THAT PARKING LOT, THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE GOING IN FRETZ PARK FOR THE LIBRARY ARE FROM ADDISON, AND THEY'RE USING IT FOR THEIR COWORKING SPACE.

AND I AM GOING TO HAVE A VERY, VERY HARD TIME SUPPORTING AN ADDITIONAL LIBRARY SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SPACE FOR ADDISON, WHO I DON'T BELIEVE EVEN PAYS TO GET A DALLAS LIBRARY CARD.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS ACTUALLY NOT CORRECT.

I PAID $250 PER ADDISON RESIDENT FOR A DALLAS LIBRARY CARD.

ANNUALLY. ANNUALLY.

YES, MA'AM. AND HOW MANY ARE THERE? WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.

YEAH, I DIDN'T SEE THAT IN THE BUDGET FOR YOUR REVENUE.

IS IT DEDICATED TO LIBRARIES OR IS IT JUST GO TO GENERAL FUND? IT GOES STRAIGHT INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

YES. OKAY.

WELL, ESPECIALLY IF IT MEANS WE HAVE TO BUILD A NEW LIBRARY.

WE MIGHT NEED TO RECONSIDER THAT, BECAUSE IT'S A WHOLE LOT CHEAPER TO SAY, ADDISON, BUILD YOUR OWN LIBRARY, WHICH THEY HAVE A MASSIVE BUDGET COMPARED TO THE 15,000 PEOPLE THAT LIVE

[01:40:10]

THERE, COMPARED TO DALLAS RESIDENTS HAVING TO TAKE ON THAT EXPENSE.

I AGREE COMPLETELY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA ABOUT THE HOURS AND DAYS I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ALL OF OUR LIBRARIES EXPAND THEIR HOURS AND DAYS AND PROVIDE THAT ACCESS.

IF WE'RE INVESTING IN THE BUILDING AND THE STAFF AND THE RESOURCES, I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE THEM AVAILABLE.

YOUR BUDGET IS $37.7 MILLION FOR THE DEPARTMENT.

IF YOU WERE TASKED WITH HAVING TO CUT YOUR BUDGET FIVE, 10%, WHERE'S THE FIRST PLACE YOU'RE GOING TO CUT? I MEAN, HONESTLY, WE ARE A VERY EFFICIENT.

WE'RE A VERY EFFICIENT DEPARTMENT AND THERE REALLY IS NOT A PLACE TO CUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HURT.

I DIDN'T ASK IF IT WOULD HURT THOUGH.

YOU'RE FACED WITH, YOU MUST CUT 5 TO 10%.

I MEAN, WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT HOURS REDUCTIONS OR CLOSING A LOCATION.

OKAY, WELL, I THINK YOU SHOULD AT LEAST PLAN FOR THAT.

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED HAVING THE NPO'S, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PATROL OFFICERS FOR THE POLICE EMBED AT THE LIBRARIES? MANY OF THE LIBRARIES HAVE VERY SIGNIFICANT FLOOR SPACE THAT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THE RESIDENTS.

AND 1 OR 2 NPOS COULD POTENTIALLY BE AT THOSE LOCATIONS, HELP IMPROVE SOME OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE INTERACTION.

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THAT? I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE HAD DIRECT CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT, BUT THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA.

WE DO HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICERS, SO I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA.

MY NEXT QUESTION AND I SEE I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME, SO IT'LL BE MY LAST ONE FOR THIS ROUND IS AGAIN ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.

THERE'S BEEN A LONG TIME GUY WHO IS CAMPED OUT BEHIND RENNER.

FRANKFURT. HE ACTUALLY DOESN'T DISTURB ANYBODY, BUT HE IS THERE.

THERE SEEMS TO NOT BE ACTION.

AND I DROVE IN THIS MORNING.

THERE WERE MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF OUR ERIC JOHNSON LIBRARY, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE.

AND WHILE YOU NEED TO BE WELCOMING WITHIN YOUR SPACE, I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A SERIOUS CONSIDERATION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ACTUALLY MAKE THE PLACE WELCOMING FOR ANY RESIDENT TO WALK IN.

AND IT'S NOT WELCOMING TO WALK PAST 50 PEOPLE.

THAT'S YOUR TIME. HOMELESS. THANK YOU.

DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY IN RESPONSE? YOU'RE GOOD. OKAY.

MISS WILLIS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. AND I WAS AT QUALITY OF LIFE ON MONDAY, SO THIS IS A REPEAT.

BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING BACK AND BRIEFING THE WHOLE COUNCIL.

AT THAT MEETING, I HAD SHARED WHAT I ALWAYS SAY ABOUT LIBRARIES.

AND WHEN PEOPLE SAY, OH, IT'S BOOKS.

AND AREN'T THERE SO MANY OTHER ALTERNATIVES TO BOOKS IS THAT LIBRARIES ARE OUR REC CENTERS FROM THE NECK UP.

SO WE WOULD NEVER SAY DALLAS DOESN'T NEED THE GROSS MOTOR SKILL BUILDING AND THE TEAM SPORTS AND ALL THAT OUR REC CENTERS BRING TO US.

AND SO WE HAVE TO FLIP THE NARRATIVE ON WHAT OUR LIBRARIES ARE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS YOU'VE HIGHLIGHTED, IT'S GED.

AND THANK YOU, ATMOS, FOR COMING IN AS A PRIVATE PARTNER TO HELP SPONSOR THAT AT SO MANY LOCATIONS ACROSS THE CITY.

I'D LOVE TO SEE US GROW THAT.

HOW DO WE INFUSE THOSE PRIVATE DOLLARS AND GIVE THEM THE KUDOS THEY DESERVE PUBLICLY FOR PARTNERING WITH THE CITY AND HELPING UPSKILL SKILL OUR WORKFORCE? THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WAS PARKS IS UNDERGOING A MASTER PLAN ON FACILITIES, AND LIBRARIES IS UNDERGOING THIS THIS MASTER PLAN ON FACILITIES AND HOW THOSE CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER.

THE REMARKS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN HAD MADE REGARDING OTHER TEXAS CITIES MADE ME WONDER, WELL, MAYBE THEY JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH IF THEY'RE TWICE OUR SIZE AND THEY HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF LIBRARIES.

BUT I WAS CORRESPONDING WITH A COLLEAGUE OF MINE ON THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL, AND SHE SAID THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON REBUILDING, MAYBE GROWING SOME OF THE SIZES, BUT MAYBE NOT ADDING A WHOLE LOT.

HOWEVER, SOMETHING THEY ARE DOING IS PARTNERING WITH THEIR PARK AND REC DEPARTMENTS AND WITH HARRIS COUNTY ON HEALTH SERVICES AS WELL.

SO IT'S MORE OF A JOINT VENTURE LOCATION.

AND AS I LOOK AT.

PAGE. I'M NOT SURE WHICH PAGE IT IS THAT OUTLINES THE LIBRARY'S FACILITIES PLAN.

28. YOU KNOW, IN THE UPCOMING PROPERTY AND THE BOND, WE'VE GOT TWO NEW LIBRARIES AND THEN ONE MAJOR RENOVATION.

BUT I SEE THAT WE'VE GOT NINE MORE LIBRARIES LISTED.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS OPPORTUNITY TO THINK DIFFERENTLY.

AND IT ALSO IS A WORD TO ALL OF US ON COUNCIL WHEN BUDGETING COMES UP.

WHAT CAN WE PUSH INTO THE GENERAL FUND TO HELP US TAKE BETTER CARE ON THE MAINTENANCE SIDE OF THIS, BECAUSE WE KNOW NEW CONSTRUCTION IS PROBABLY ALWAYS GOING TO BE A BOND ISSUE. I MEAN, IF THEY'RE COSTING US $17 MILLION TODAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WOULD COST IN FIVE YEARS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THE OPPORTUNITY

[01:45:07]

TO PARTNER PRIVATELY IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEW FACILITIES.

WE KNOW PARK AND REC IS UNDERTAKEN A SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT WITH AN AGENCY TO HELP INFUSE PRIVATE DOLLARS THAT SHOULDN'T JUST STOP AT OUR SPORTS FIELDS.

THAT COULD BE NAMING OF A LIBRARY OR A ROOM.

I KNOW OUR FRIENDS GROUPS OFTENTIMES UNDERWRITE THIS, BUT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE US BLOW THAT UP AND GO BIGGER ON THAT BECAUSE WE NEED IT.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO OVERLOOK THAT, AS YOU ALL ARE PLANNING AND THINKING ABOUT THIS, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT THE STAFF DOES. THIS IS SUCH A HARD WORKING STAFF.

IT AMAZES ME HOW FAR THEY MAKE THEIR TIME GO, BECAUSE I DO LOOK AT OUR UTILIZATION NUMBERS AND OUR PROGRAMING, AND HOW MANY NEW CARDS ARE SIGNED UP FOR EACH MONTH OR EACH QUARTER, HOW YOU REPORT THEM.

AND THAT IS REALLY REALLY IMPRESSIVE WITH HOW MUCH THEY, THEY ACCOMPLISH FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

JUST REITERATING THOSE THOUGHTS FROM MONDAY.

BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHERE THIS GOES.

THANKS. THANK YOU.

WAS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION WHO HASN'T ASKED ONE BEFORE I GO TO ROUND TWO? OKAY. CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. HAVE YOU CONSIDERED SORT OF REBRANDING A LITTLE BIT THE LIBRARY TO REALLY DRIVE HOME THAT? IT'S A TECH HUB, THAT IT'S A DIGITAL CENTER FOR PEOPLE.

WE ARE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT BRANDING.

I MEAN, ONE OF AGAIN, ONE OF OUR, OUR STRATEGIC GOALS IS COMMUNICATING THE LIBRARY'S VALUE.

AND AND THAT MEANS TELLING OUR STORY BETTER.

AND MAYBE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT USED THE LIBRARY HOLD ON TO THEIR CHILDHOOD MEMORY OF A LIBRARY, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY STORY TIME OR, YOU KNOW, GOING TO THE LIBRARY AND PICKING UP BOOKS FOR SUMMER READING.

AND THAT'S REALLY NOT THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE.

AND SO, ABSOLUTELY, I MEAN, ONE OF OUR OUR BUDGET ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS IS AROUND HAVING A AROUND HAVING A, A MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO, TO TEACH PEOPLE WHAT IS AVAILABLE AT THE LIBRARY.

I THINK OUR RESIDENTS THAT NEED ACCESS TO DIGITAL SERVICES KNOW FULL WELL THAT THAT WE HAVE FAST WI-FI, THAT OUR STAFF KNOW HOW TO USE COMPUTERS AND CAN HELP YOU.

BUT IT'S IT'S OUR RESIDENTS THAT FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T NEED THE LIBRARY THAT HAVEN'T VISITED THAT DON'T KNOW.

SO I WAS AT UPS MAILING SOMETHING OUT LAST WEEK.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT ALL THESE COMPUTERS THAT PEOPLE ARE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY PER MINUTE TO USE.

AND I'M SAYING THEY'RE THINKING, BOY, THEY COULD JUST GO OVER TO THE LIBRARY.

AND, I MEAN, YOU CAN PRINT SOMETHING FOR, YOU KNOW, $0.10 OR I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS ANYMORE.

FOR FREE. FOR FREE.

OKAY. UP TO A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PAGES, I REMEMBER.

YES. SO ANYHOW, I JUST I'M NOT SURE PEOPLE REALIZE THAT.

AND CERTAINLY THE PEOPLE THAT WERE SITTING IN UPS DIDN'T.

SO MY NEXT QUESTION IS, AND IT'S MY LAST QUESTION IS, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PRIORITIZE THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THIS PLAN? SO ONCE IN TERMS OF THE FACILITIES PLAN OR THE STRATEGIC PLAN FACILITIES.

SO I MEAN, I THINK THAT THAT WILL BE A DISCUSSION WITH COUNCIL.

IT WILL OBVIOUSLY BE DEEPLY INTERTWINED IN HOW WE CAN HARNESS THOSE PARTNERSHIPS.

I MEAN, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THANKS TO BSD, WE HAVE A NEEDS INVENTORY ASSESSMENT, WE HAVE FACILITIES CONDITION REPORTS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO RELY ON BSD TO HELP US IDENTIFY BUILDINGS THAT MIGHT NEED INTERVENTIONS FIRST.

BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSING DISCUSSING LIBRARY SERVICES WITH THE COMMUNITY.

AND A COMBINATION OF WHAT PARTNERSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE THAT MIGHT HELP US REALIZE SOMETHING MORE QUICKLY THAN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ON OUR OWN.

SO THE MOST BASIC OF REPAIR ITEMS, I HOPE, ARE IN YOUR REGULAR BUDGET.

I HOPE THEY'RE IN, YOU KNOW, EBS, THEY'RE IN BUILDING SERVICES.

YOU KNOW, RENTER FRANKFURT HAD A ROOFING PROBLEM.

IT WASN'T ADDRESSED.

WE ENDED UP HAVING VERY SIGNIFICANT LOSS DURING THE BIG FREEZE BECAUSE OF THAT AND UNNECESSARY EXPENSES.

HONESTLY, NOW IT TURNED OUT GREAT BECAUSE SOME THINGS GOT REMODELED BECAUSE OF IT.

BUT THE LIBRARY WAS CLOSED FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE BORE A HUGE EXPENSE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T FIX SOMETHING SMALL.

BUT WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT EXPANSION PLANS, YOU KNOW, I HOPE YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS THROUGH DATA AND YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE CIRCULATION, AND YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF VISITORS, AND YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WHERE THERE AREN'T GEOGRAPHICALLY OTHER OPTIONS.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO TELL YOU, I THINK THAT'S IN DISTRICT 12, AND I THINK IT'S AT RENNER, FRANKFORT, WHERE WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO MEET.

[01:50:07]

WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE PLAN IS EXPANSION OF THE LIBRARY, WHICH IS LOVELY.

BUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS SAID OVER AND OVER IS THEY WANT A BLACK BOX THEATER, AND THEY WANT A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN MEET AND, AND HAVE MEETINGS THAT ARE COMFORTABLE. SO AT THE TIME, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW YOUR LIBRARY STAFF AT RENNER IS FANTASTIC.

WE GO IN, WE MOVE FURNITURE WITH THEM, THEY HELP US, BUT WE DO IT.

WE SET UP CHAIRS, BUT THERE'S NO SOUND EQUIPMENT.

OUR OLDER RESIDENTS CAN'T HEAR BECAUSE THERE'S NOT EMBEDDED TECHNOLOGY FOR THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY USING A KARAOKE MACHINE FOR SOUND.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADD A JOB REQUIREMENT TO WORK IN THE DISTRICT 12 OFFICE THAT YOU CAN MOVE CHAIRS AND STACK THEM.

AND SO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY I APPRECIATE THAT IT'S IN THERE.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY VERY, VERY NEEDED.

BUT IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE THING THAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR.

THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ.

SORRY WE DIDN'T SEE YOU BEFORE.

YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I, I DIDN'T HAVE MY BUTTON PUSHED BECAUSE I WASN'T SURE IF I WANTED TO MAKE COMMENTS, BUT I DO NOW.

THANK YOU. SO ONE.

NO, I DON'T WANT TO CUT HOURS TO THE LIBRARY.

IT SEEMS LIKE ANY TIME WE START LOOKING AT BUDGETS THE FIRST PLACES THAT GET CUT ARE ARTS, CULTURAL FACILITIES LIBRARIES AND LIBRARIES ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

I THINK MY COLLEAGUE COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS, ONCE TALKED ABOUT THE NEW LIBRARY THAT WE BUILT AND OPEN THAT.

IT'S A CULTURAL CENTER. IT'S THE ONLY PLACE THAT THAT COMMUNITY HAD AT VICKERY MEADOW.

AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN SHE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, IT CHANGED MY IDEA OF SOMETHING THAT HAD VOTED ON EARLIER, YOU KNOW, A FEW WEEKS PRIOR BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK OF IT IN THAT WAY AS FAR AS THE LIBRARY FACILITY WENT FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE MISSING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR DISTRICTS REALLY WELL, BUT SOMETIMES WE DON'T KNOW EVERY SINGLE AREA OF THE CITY.

RIGHT. AND I ALSO LIKE THE COMMENT ABOUT MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LIBRARIES IN THOSE OTHER CITIES.

BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE LIBRARIES SHOULD BE VERY ACCESSIBLE AND THEY DON'T ALL HAVE TO BE BIG AND HUGE, RIGHT? SOME OF THEM CAN BE VERY SMALL OR VERY, VERY TAILORED TO WHAT YOU KNOW, THAT COMMUNITY NEEDS MAYBE NOT EVERY SINGLE AMENITY IS INSIDE OF IT, BUT, YOU KNOW THINK ABOUT LIKE, WE HAVE THE WE I DON'T KNOW IF WE STILL HAVE THE ONE AT NORTH PARK MALL THAT WAS THERE, BUT I KNOW THAT THAT WAS A VERY POPULAR PLACE.

AND WE HAVE THE BUS, THE BUS THAT DRIVES AROUND, YOU KNOW, PERIODICALLY.

AND THOSE ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT GETS ACCESSIBILITY TO SOMEBODY WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET THAT LIBRARY HELP.

AND THEN THANK YOU FOR SHARING ALL THE DIFFERENT LAUNDRY LIST OF OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMING THAT YOU ALL PROVIDE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, IT'S LIKE YOU CAN TAKE CELLO, I DON'T KNOW, CELLO OR VIOLIN CLASSES ACROSS THE STREET.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, THAT'S PRETTY COOL.

IT'S FREE FOR YOU.

LIKE I TELL RESIDENTS ALL THE TIME, I GO, WELL, YOU PAID FOR IT, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE YOUR TAXES HELP PAY FOR ALL OF THESE.

SO PARTAKE, PARTAKE, PARTAKE.

AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT I WAS ABLE TO MEET A LOT OF REALLY FAMOUS LATINA AUTHORS BEFORE I WAS ON COUNCIL BECAUSE OF A BOOK CLUB AFFILIATION.

THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY HAD WITH A NATIONAL BOOK CLUB THAT I WAS A PART OF.

AND SO WE GOT TO COME AND MEET ONE OF THOSE AUTHORS HERE AT THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHICH WAS REALLY, REALLY COOL TO BE ABLE TO DO.

AND SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS AND I DO AGREE THAT MAYBE WE NEED LIKE, IF Y'ALL CAN GET US THE LIST OR WHEN THINGS ARE HAPPENING SOME, SOME DEPARTMENTS ARE BETTER AT IT THAN OTHERS BECAUSE A LOT GOING ON. RIGHT.

AND SOME OF US HAVE ROBUST NEWSLETTERS THAT WE SEND OUT.

WE SEND ONE OUT WEEKLY.

SO ANYTHING THAT'S COMING OUT LIKE I KNOW DALLAS WEST BRANCH LIBRARY ALWAYS SENDS US WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US. RIGHT.

AND NOW THE BLACKMON LIBRARY IS DOING THE SAME BECAUSE AS IN DISTRICT.

BUT THERE ARE SOMETIMES THINGS GOING ON IN, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN OR ANOTHER LIBRARY THAT, HEY, THAT SOUNDS REALLY COOL.

I MIGHT WANT TO DO THAT, OR I MIGHT WANT TO BE PART OF THAT.

AND, AND AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS, WHO I MENTIONED ATMOS AND, YOU KNOW, HELPING US WITH THOSE ENGLISH LEARNING CLASSES BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS REALLY DO BENEFIT FROM THAT.

AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST DRIVERS OF POVERTY IS NOT KNOWING ENGLISH IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND SO BY US HAVING THOSE CLASSES FOR FREE FOR THEM, BECAUSE ATMOS IS SPONSORED, IT HELPS IS HELPING SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN OUR CITY NOT BE DRIVEN INTO POVERTY.

AND THAT'S THANKS TO YOU ALL. AND IT'S LIKE THAT'S PEOPLE JUST DON'T REALIZE THEY KNOW.

IT'S NOT JUST BOOKS AND MAGAZINES AND VIDEO TAPES, RIGHT? OR I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE USE NOW BECAUSE DOES ANYBODY HAVE A CD PLAYER, YOU KNOW, AND A, YOU KNOW, A BLU RAY ANYMORE, BUT, YOU KNOW, BUT STILL IT'S LIKE THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. AND THEN DURING THE PANDEMIC, YOU ALL WERE THE ONES THAT HELPED US WITH THE HOT SPOTS.

[01:55:05]

AND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE REALLY QUICKLY? THEY STILL LIKE SUPER POPULAR AND THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY POPULAR.

THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS CHECKED OUT.

I THINK THAT DEMAND FOR THEM WOULD PROBABLY INCREASE JUST ABOUT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE COULD PURCHASE AND MAINTAIN THEM.

WONDERFUL. I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S LIKE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE NEVER PROBABLY THOUGHT LIKE, OH, I CAN GO TO THE LIBRARY AND GET A HOT SPOT AND SAY, YES, YOU CAN.

AND AND YOU ALL HAVE THEM NOW.

THE RULES ARE GOOD ON THEM.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ONLY HAVE THEM FOR SO LONG, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO TURN THEM IN SO SOMEBODY ELSE CAN HAVE A CHANCE.

NOT LIKE YOU CAN KEEP CHECKING OUT A BOOK BECAUSE I WAS NOTORIOUS FOR IT.

LIKE, I WANT TO GET TO IT TOMORROW.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THREE WEEKS LATER, I'M LIKE, I'LL RECHECK, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT WAS AND, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY ELSE HAD ALREADY REQUESTED IT.

RIGHT. BUT THIS IS WHAT'S REALLY GREAT ABOUT THE LIBRARY.

AND YOU ALL DO SUCH AN AMAZING JOB.

AND EVEN WHEN THERE'S ADVERSITY GOING ON WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO BOOKS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE YOU ALL JUST STEP UP AND JUST MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OKAY.

AND THE DALLAS LIBRARY IS A PLACE THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF.

AND I'M DEFINITELY PROUD OF ALL OF YOU.

ALL BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE VERY COMMITTED TO WHAT YOU ALL DO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAYOR.

CHAIRMAN RIDLEY, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM A.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR CREATING THIS STRATEGIC AND FACILITIES PLAN.

I WAS VERY PLEASED TO SEE IT.

I THINK YOU HAVE A VISION FOR THE LIBRARY SYSTEM, WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE ACCESS TO, TO ALLOCATE THE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOUR TREMENDOUS EFFORTS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FACILITY PLAN.

I NOTE THAT ON PAGE 25, YOU STATE THAT BRANCH SPACE HAS KEPT UP WITH POPULATION GROWTH OVER TIME, THAT THE 29 BRANCHES ARE WELL DISTRIBUTED FOR CITYWIDE ACCESS.

AND SO, IN LIGHT OF THOSE STATEMENTS, I SEE THE PLAN FOR 11 COMPLETELY NEW OR EXPANDED LIBRARIES AS BEING AMBITIOUS OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.

AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT CRITERIA OR METRICS YOU UTILIZE TO IDENTIFY THE NEED TO EXPAND OR REPLACE THAT MANY BRANCHES.

JILL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT? I WOULD LOVE TO SPEAK TO THAT.

THERE IS.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

THE IDEA OF KEEPING UP YOUR SPACE PROPORTIONATE WITH POPULATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE SEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE. WE KNOW THAT DEMAND FOR LIBRARY SERVICES TENDS TO TREND POSITIVELY WITH POPULATION GROWTH.

THE MORE PEOPLE THERE ARE, THE MORE PEOPLE COME TO THE LIBRARY AND WANT THINGS.

AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THE VISION HERE FOR DALLAS IS FOR SPACES FOR PEOPLE IN THE LIBRARY, I MEAN, I THINK THE BLACK BOX THEATER IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THAT KIND OF THING THAT LIBRARIES CAN PROVIDE.

SO THE IDEA OF MAKING SURE THAT THE SPACE IS.

PROPORTIONATE TO THE POPULATION IS SOMETHING THAT WAS PART OF THE PLAN.

WHERE YOU ARE NOW, I THINK I MENTIONED EARLIER, SEEMS TO BE FAIRLY GOOD, AND SO IT WAS ABOUT GROWING THAT PROPORTIONATE OVER TIME AS WELL.

ONE OF THE OTHER STRATEGIES THAT WE LOOKED AT FOR BUILDING SPACE TO KEEP UP WITH YOUR POPULATION WAS ADDING MORE LIBRARIES WE COULD TAKE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU ADD 5 OR 10 MORE LIBRARIES TO YOUR SYSTEM.

BUT WE DIDN'T THINK BECAUSE WE'RE OF WHERE YOUR LIBRARIES ARE NOW AND THEY SEEM TO BE PRETTY ACCESSIBLE, THAT THAT WAS NEEDED.

AND WHAT EACH OF THOSE NEW LIBRARIES BRINGS WITH IT IS AN ADDITIONAL WHOLE LIBRARY COSTS.

IT'S THE COST OF ANOTHER 52 TO 53 HOURS A WEEK FOR STAFFING AND HOURS.

IT'S THE MATERIALS TO FILL IT.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE UTILITIES AND ALL THE THINGS THAT COME WITH ONE EXTRA LIBRARY.

SO THIS THIS STRATEGY OF EXPANDING WHERE THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITIES TO WHERE THERE'S A SMALL LIBRARY THAT DOESN'T, ISN'T ABLE TO PROVIDE THE RANGE OF SERVICES OR THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT PEOPLE WANT.

THAT WAS THE STRATEGY THAT WE HAD YOUR LIBRARY CHOSE TO RECOMMEND.

SO I DIDN'T HEAR YOU MENTION ANY PARTICULAR METRICS OTHER THAN JUST POPULATION PER NUMBER OF BRANCHES THAT YOU WOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IN DECIDING THAT WE NEEDED 11 NEW BRANCHES, ESSENTIALLY.

IS THERE AN INDUSTRY WIDE STANDARD FOR NUMBER OF PEOPLE OR NUMBER OF BRANCHES PER 1000 PEOPLE OR MILLION PEOPLE? AND IF THERE ISN'T A STANDARD METRIC FOR THAT, WHAT ARE YOU UTILIZING IN MAKING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS?

[02:00:07]

THERE IS A METRIC THAT HAS BEEN USED FOR A LONG TIME IN LIBRARY PLANNING, AND IT'S SQUARE FEET PER CAPITA.

ESSENTIALLY THE AMOUNT OF SPACE GROSS LIBRARY BUILDING LEVEL PER PERSON THAT LIVES IN THE COMMUNITY THERE.

THAT IS A METRIC THAT'S VERY COMMONLY USED.

THERE IS NO STANDARD THAT APPLIES TO ALL LIBRARIES.

YOU KNOW, THE THE STANDARD THAT FORT WORTH USED IN THEIR MASTER PLAN IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE THAT CINCINNATI PUBLIC LIBRARY IS USING FOR THEIRS.

CHICAGO. LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

EVERYONE USES IT HAS A DIFFERENT STANDARD BECAUSE THEIR COMMUNITIES ARE DIFFERENT.

THEIR LIBRARIES ARE DIFFERENT.

THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THAT THEIR LIBRARIES HAVE IS DIFFERENT.

SO IT'S SOMETHING FOR DALLAS THAT WE WE LOOKED AT AND I CONFESS, I CAN'T TELL YOU THE EXACT NUMBER RIGHT NOW.

BUT IT WAS DETERMINED THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT GENERAL PROPORTION OF SPACE RIGHT NOW IS PRETTY GOOD.

AND THEN HOW DO WE KEEP UP WITH THAT GROWTH IN THE FUTURE? SO DID YOU LOOK AT POPULATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS TO DETERMINE THAT WE NEEDED THIS MANY EXPANDED BRANCHES? WE LOOKED AT THE PROJECTION TO UNDERSTAND THE GROSS ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE OF SPACE THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT DALLAS OVERALL ADD TO ITS LIBRARY CAPACITY FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS.

AND THEN WE LOOKED FOR WHERE THE OPPORTUNITIES WERE TO ADD THAT SPACE SENSITIVELY, KEEPING IN MIND THE OPERATING COSTS AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE THE SMALLER LIBRARIES THAT RIGHT NOW MAY HAVE A HARDER TIME PROVIDING THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT THE COMMUNITIES WANT.

SO THAT WAS WHERE WE CHOSE TO RECOMMEND YOU FOCUS THE EXPANSION.

SO DALLAS AS A CITY IS NOT GROWING VERY FAST BASED UPON THE 2020 CENSUS.

AND SO I'M WONDERING, INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT OVERALL POPULATION TREND OF THE CITY, DO YOU LOOK AT A SERVICE AREA FOR EACH OF THE BRANCHES TO SEE HOW FAST THAT THOSE AREAS AROUND THE BRANCHES ARE GROWING? THAT'S THE WAY THAT IT CAN BE DONE.

AND WE CAN CERTAINLY GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT AGAIN.

WE DIDN'T TAKE THAT APPROACH HERE, PARTLY BECAUSE OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT DALLAS IS A VERY MOBILE COMMUNITY.

SO THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE PROBABLY USING MORE THAN ONE LIBRARY AND ARE ABLE TO ACCESS SOMETHING AT ONE LIBRARY THAT THEY CAN'T GET AT ANOTHER.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE FOUND OVER TIME IS THAT TRYING TO PLAN BRANCHES RELATIVE TO THE POPULATION THAT'S AROUND THEM, WHEN YOU GET 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND A COMMUNITY HAS DEVELOPED, YOU KNOW, PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS DEVELOPED FASTER THAN YOU THOUGHT OR SLOWER THAN YOU THOUGHT, THEN YOU GET THESE IMBALANCES AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL THAT CAUSE PROBLEMS LATER.

PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY'VE BEEN INEQUITABLY TREATED.

ONE COMMUNITY HAS GOTTEN MORE THAN ANOTHER, AND SO HAVING THAT HIGHER LEVEL IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE FOUND GIVES CITIES AND COMMUNITIES A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY OVER TIME IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT OVERALL GROWTH AND CAPACITY.

SO WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY THAT THE BRANCHES THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED FOR EXPANSION OR REPLACEMENT ARE.

THAT DECISION WAS DRIVEN BY THE CURRENT SIZE AND AGE OF THAT FACILITY RATHER THAN DEMOGRAPHICS.

GENERALLY, I WOULD SAY THAT'S FAIR FOR TAKING MLK, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THE TWO FACILITIES THAT BY THE THE CITY'S FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT WAS JUDGED TO BE IN LESS THAN GOOD CONDITION.

I THINK IT'S EITHER FAIR OR POOR, DEPENDING ON WHERE IT FELL.

SO WE TAKE WE LOOK AT THAT BUILDING, WE LOOK AT ITS SIZE.

DO WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU RENOVATE IT, REINVEST IN THAT BUILDING? COULD OR IS THAT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A NEWER FACILITY THAT'S A LITTLE BIT BIGGER, THAT MEETS THE GOALS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE LIBRARY'S STRATEGIC GOALS FOR PROVIDING SERVICE? BUT IS THAT ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY THEN TO PARTNER WITH PARKS OR ONE OF THE OTHER PARTNERS THAT'S THERE AT THAT SITE TO DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT'S YOU KNOW, GETS THAT SORT OF REC CENTER FROM THE NECK UP AS WELL AS FROM THE NECK DOWN.

GETS THAT, THAT ONE STOP COMMUNITY DESTINATION FOR ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

WE'VE SEEN GREAT PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THAT AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND THEY'VE JUST REALLY WORKED VERY WELL.

THE COMMUNITIES REALLY LOVE THEM.

THEY OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT OF SPACE.

YOU CAN SAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE THAT WAY, AND THE OPERATING COSTS CAN BE MODERATED AS WELL.

BUT THAT'S SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE THE IDEA FOR MLK AS AN EXAMPLE.

[02:05:01]

SO IS THERE A TREND NATIONALLY FOR CITIES TO EXPAND THE RATIO OF SQUARE FOOTAGE PER CAPITA TO MEET AN EXPANDED ROLE FOR LIBRARIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES? I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SAY THAT OVERALL, THERE'S A TREND TOWARD THAT.

IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY ARE NOW.

WE WE WORKED IN LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY A FEW YEARS AGO, AND THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD A GOOD AMOUNT OF SPACE THEY WERE HAPPY WITH, AND THEY WANTED TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE KEEPING UP WITH GROWTH SO THEY WEREN'T SETTING A HIGHER TARGET.

THEY WERE JUST TRYING TO MAINTAIN THEIR CURRENT TARGET OR WHERE THEY ARE RELATIVE TO POPULATION GROWTH.

THEY WERE HAPPY WITH WHERE THEY ARE, WANTED TO KEEP UP WITH GROWTH A LITTLE BIT.

AND SO THAT FED THE RECOMMENDATIONS THERE.

TRYING TO THINK OF AN EXAMPLE WHERE ANYBODY WENT DOWN.

I'M NOT SURE THAT I HAVE MET A LIBRARY YET THAT FELT THAT IT HAD WAY TOO MUCH SPACE, AND SO SET A LOWER TARGET.

OKAY, WELL, IF YOU COULD PROVIDE THE SQUARE FOOT PER CAPITA METRIC THAT IS CURRENTLY PREVAILING IN THE DALLAS LIBRARIES, AND ALSO A COMPARISON OF OTHER LARGE CITIES LIBRARY SYSTEMS ON THAT METRIC, THAT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.

HAPPY TO DO IT. THANK YOU.

DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, IF YOU'RE READY.

DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, IF YOU'RE READY, YOU'RE.

IF YOU'RE READY, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

THANK ITEM A YOU'RE RIGHT.

I DIDN'T HAVE MY GLASSES ON, SO I COULDN'T HEAR YOU.

SO. SO REALLY JUST QUICKLY THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE ABOUT THE CENSUS, AND I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSCORED THE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL.

AND I WOULD IMAGINE AS YOU LOOK AT THOSE TOTALS, WE HAVE TO REALIZE IN 2020 WE HAD A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES WITH THE CENSUS.

AND SO SOME WOULD SAY WE WE WERE UNDERCOUNTED, SOME WOULD SAY WE WERE COUNTED PROPERLY.

BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER ALWAYS THAT THAT, THAT DURING THAT PERIOD WE WERE DEALING WITH QUITE A BIT OF CHALLENGES.

AND SO I WAS JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF MY CENSUS DATA AS WE MOVE TO 2030.

AND SO THE PROJECTIONS OF WHAT I'M READING IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DEFINITELY SEE AN INCREASE IN HISPANIC AND AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATIONS AND IN ACCORDING TO WHAT I'M LOOKING AT. AND YOU ALMOST HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH THE SOURCE.

THERE'S AN INDICATION THAT PERHAPS SOME OF THE WHITE POPULATION WILL DECREASE.

NOW, IF INDEED WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN INCREASE WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HISPANIC POPULATIONS, THEN THE QUESTION BECOMES, ARE WE READY? ARE WE NOW EVEN IN SYNC WITH EQUITY OFFICE SO WE CAN PREPARE FOR THOSE DEFICIENCIES, BECAUSE THE RESOURCES ARE NOT GOING TO BE ALLOCATED.

IF THERE'S NO DOCUMENTATION OR CONNECTION TO AN INDIVIDUAL OR A COMMUNITY OF FOLKS, YOU GET WHERE I'M GOING.

SO IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU DIDN'T, IF YOU DIDN'T TAKE TIME, IF YOU DIDN'T TAKE TIME TO COMPLETE THE FORM, YOU DON'T COUNT.

AND SO IF YOU DON'T COUNT, THEN YOU REALLY DON'T COUNT WHEN IT COMES TO DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICES.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PUT THE EQUITY FORMULA PRINCIPLE THERE AS YOU TALK ABOUT PREPARATION.

SO IF WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME NOW.

BUT I WILL DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP WITH MISS LIZ PEREIRA AND SEE, I HOPE I'M PRONOUNCING THE NAME CORRECTLY, MISS LIZ, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE ALL, ALL OF US SO SUPPOSED TO HAVE THIS CONCEPT IN OUR MIND THAT THE EQUITY FORMULA HAS TO WEIGH IN.

SO REMEMBER, WE CANNOT TOTALLY DEPEND ON TOTAL ACCURACY OF THE CENSUS.

AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.

NOW, AS WE MOVE TO THE NEXT CENSUS TO BEGIN WORKING ON WAYS TO MAKE PEOPLE COUNT SO WE CAN COUNT THEM SO THAT IT MATTERS DURING THE TIMES THAT WE ARE ENGAGING DURING THE BUDGET SEASON AND MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT DELIVERY OF SERVICES, BONDS AND THOSE ALL THINGS FINANCIAL, I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO A NEW, NEW, NEW CENSUS PERIOD.

THANK YOU. AND I APPRECIATE THOSE THOSE COMMENTS.

WE RELY REALLY HEAVILY ON THE WORK THAT THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION DOES, PARTICULARLY IN THE GIS MAPS THAT THEY PROVIDE.

I WAS PERSONALLY ON THE CITY'S CENSUS TASK FORCE, SO I FULLY UNDERSTAND HOW MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS WERE WERE UNDERCOUNTED.

THERE'S THE US CENSUS IS NOT THE ONLY ENTITY THAT MAKES POPULATION PROJECTIONS.

THERE'S OTHER SCHOLARS THAT MAKE OTHER, OTHER PROJECTIONS THAT ARE OFTEN CONSIDERED TO BE PROBABLY MORE ACCURATE.

AND SO THE LIBRARY LOOKS AT ALL OF THAT DATA.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

AND I DEFINITELY DO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.

I DON'T WANT TO GO WITHOUT SAYING THAT, BUT WE DO.

WE DO NEED TO MUSCLE UP IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING THE EDUCATION AND THE KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE, YES, A MIND IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE.

[02:10:05]

IT'S ALSO A TERRIBLE THING FOR US TO OVERLOOK IN TERMS OF OUR NEEDS TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY.

BECAUSE AFTER ALL, IT IS, AS COUNCIL MEMBER NAVARRO SAID, IT IS OUR MONEY.

AND SO WE SHOULD HAVE A SAY SO AS TO HOW OUR MONEY IS BEING SPENT.

THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN MORENO.

YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD YOUR YOUR EFFORTS IN ALL THE PROGRAMING THAT YOU ALL DO ON A ON A DAY TO DAY MY FAMILY AND I TRULY APPRECIATE THE MANY OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES THAT YOU ALL HAVE.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OUR FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE AND FEEL WELCOME WHEN THEY'RE GOING INTO OUR FACILITIES.

I HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION ON HOW DO YOU ALL MEASURE FOOT TRAFFIC? SO AS AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE NOT HAD FUNCTIONING PEOPLE COUNTERS IN, IN ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS, BUT AS WE SPEAK RIGHT THIS MOMENT, THEY ARE BEING INSTALLED. AND SO AND THEY ARE THERMAL TRAP.

PEOPLE COUNTERS. SO THEY HAVE A LIFETIME THAT IS ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO 30 YEARS.

SO IT REALLY IS AN INVESTMENT.

AND THEY HAVE A MUCH MORE GRANULAR ABILITY TO COUNT PEOPLE LIKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADULTS AND CHILDREN, FOR EXAMPLE.

SO WE'LL HAVE BETTER DATA OVERALL.

SO THAT IS GOING INTO PLACE RIGHT NOW.

AND AS I MENTIONED, AFTER, YOU KNOW, 4 TO 6 MONTHS OF DATA, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME SOME PROJECTIONS BACK FOR FOR SOME OF THE TIME THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THEM.

AND Y'ALL CURRENTLY USE BOOK CIRCULATION TO MAYBE GIVE US SOME PRELIMINARY NUMBERS.

WE WE DO.

SO WE COUNT FIRST TIME CIRCULATION, WHICH IS SOMEONE CHECKING OUT A BOOK THE FIRST TIME.

NOT WHEN IT RENEWS AUTOMATICALLY, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL TIMES.

IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, I HAVE LIBRARY BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN ON MY SHELF FOR MONTHS.

SO WE LOOK AT THAT, WE LOOK AT COMPUTER SESSIONS, PROGRAM ATTENDANCE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS GO INTO HELPING US TELL THE STORY OF THE TYPE OF SERVICE EACH LOCATION PROVIDES.

AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, A BIG SUPPORTER OF OUR CENTRAL LIBRARY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S UTILIZED TO ITS FULLEST AND HIGHEST AND BEST USE.

YOU KNOW, I JUST AN OBSERVATION, YOU KNOW, I GO DOWN TO OUR LAKEWOOD BRANCH LIBRARY AND SEE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE UTILIZING THAT.

UNFORTUNATELY, THOUGH, WHEN I GO DOWNTOWN, I DON'T SEE THE SAME USAGE.

I WOULD SAY PER SQUARE FOOTAGE VERSUS USERS.

SO WE HAVE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY DOWNTOWN.

AS WE ARE EVALUATING THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY, I ASK YOU TO PLEASE REACH OUT TO OUR PARTNERS SUCH AS D, THE DEEP ELLUM FOUNDATION, THE CEDARS, OR DALLAS FARMERS MARKET STAKEHOLDERS AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON WHAT THEY LIKE ABOUT OUR CURRENT LIBRARY, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE.

WE NOW HAVE OVER 15,000 RESIDENTS LIVING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA WITH TONS OF PROJECTS ON THE LINE.

THAT'S GOING TO ADD A FUTURE GROWTH.

WHAT IS. I KNOW THAT THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY ACTS AS THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, BUT WHAT IS THE SERVICE AREA FOR THE IMMEDIATE RESIDENT THAT YOU ALL ARE TRYING TO CAPTURE? SO THE SERVICE AREA FOR CENTRAL COVERS WITHIN THE HIGHWAYS THAT SURROUND CENTRAL, BUT THEN GOING INTO THE CEDARS UP THROUGH ABOUT CAROL ON ROSS AND THEN COMING UP, BEN MILAM ON FITZHUGH.

FITZHUGH. I'M TRYING TO SORT OF MAKE SURE.

FITZHUGH. AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OVER ON THE WESTERN SIDE MAINLY KEEPING 35 AS THE BOUNDARY ON THAT SIDE, BECAUSE THEN WE GO INTO WEST DALLAS AREA FOR OUR BRANCH.

SO THAT'S THE AREA.

SO WE DO A LOT OF OUTREACH TO THOSE SCHOOLS.

AND WORKING IN THAT AS WELL.

THANK YOU. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU ALL.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO HAD ANY COMMENTS ON ITEM A? SEEING NONE. MADAM SECRETARY.

MADAM SECRETARY. MR. CITY MANAGER, LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM B.

[B. 24-1344 City Manager’s Proposed FY 2024-25 HUD Consolidated Plan Budget Briefing]

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

AND WE WILL NOW PRESENT YOUR SECOND AND YOUR LAST BRIEFING OF TODAY.

IT'S THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED FY 20 2425 HUD CONSOLIDATED PLAN BUDGET.

THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION REVIEWED THE RECOMMENDATION IN BOTH MARCH AND APRIL.

AND NOW THE BUDGET IS BEING SUBMITTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR REVIEW AND AMENDMENTS, IF ANY.

JEANETTE WEEDEN, OUR DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AND SHANE WILLIAMS, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, DISCUSSED THE NEXT STEPS, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE FINAL PLAN ON THE JUNE 12TH CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.

JEANETTE, GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU, MISS TOLBERT.

AGAIN, MY NAME IS JEANETTE WEEDEN, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

[02:15:02]

I'M JOINED THIS MORNING BY WITH SHANE WILLIAMS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AND WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 25 HUD CONSOLIDATED PLAN BUDGET.

THIS IS OUR THIRD BRIEFING THIS YEAR.

AND REGARDING THE HUD CONSOLIDATED PLAN.

SO WE WILL BE BRIEF.

IN OUR FIRST BRIEFING IN OCTOBER OF 2023, WE DISCUSSED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMITTING A NEW FIVE YEAR PLAN.

AND SO ON JANUARY 31ST, WE REVIEWED THE CITY MANAGER'S APPROACH FOR DEVELOPING THE NEW FIVE YEAR PLAN.

AND TODAY WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT THE CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THAT APPROACH.

THIS RECOMMENDATION WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION ON MARCH THE 3RD.

SO MOVING ON TO SLIDE NUMBER TWO.

AS I MENTIONED, WE WILL QUICKLY REVIEW THE BACKGROUND ON HUD AND THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN.

WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS PREVIOUSLY.

AND SO WE'RE ADDING THE BACKGROUND JUST AS CONTEXT FOR THE BRIEFING.

TODAY WE WILL REVIEW THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET DISCUSS WHERE WE ARE IN THE FEDERAL FUNDING PROCESS.

QUICKLY PROVIDE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GRANTS DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY.

TALK ABOUT THE CDC DELIBERATIONS AND THE NEXT STEPS.

ON SLIDE NUMBER THREE, WE PROVIDE THE BACKGROUND THAT WE SHARED BACK IN OCTOBER AND JANUARY FOR THE LISTENING PUBLIC.

WE DO RECEIVE FOUR GRANTS FROM HUD ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

IT'S PART OF THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN BUDGET.

HUD DETERMINES THE AMOUNT OF EACH GRANT BY A STATUTORY FORMULA.

THAT FORMULA IS BASED ON POPULATION DATA AND OTHER OBJECTIVE MEASURES OF THE COMMUNITY.

ON SLIDE NUMBER FOUR, YOU SEE THE LIST OF FOUR FORMULA GRANTS THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THE CITY OF DALLAS, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT, AND HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS.

SO TOGETHER, THESE FOUR GRANTS MAKE UP WHAT WE REFER TO AS A CONSOLIDATED PLAN.

ON SLIDE NUMBER FIVE, WE TALK ABOUT THE THE ROLE OF THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN.

IT IS A STRATEGIC PLANNING DOCUMENT.

IT IDENTIFIES COMMUNITY NEEDS, IT PRIORITIZES THOSE NEEDS.

AND THEN IT LAYS OUT HOW WE WILL ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS ON SLIDE NUMBER SIX, IN ORDER FOR US TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FUNDING, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH HUD REQUIREMENTS, PREPARE A FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN.

THIS PLAN IS DUE TO HUD ON AUGUST 16TH.

OUR CURRENT PLAN WILL EXPIRE AT THE END OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.

AND SO THE NEW PLAN WILL COVER FISCAL YEARS 2025 THROUGH 2029.

ON SLIDE NUMBER SEVEN, THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET THAT IS BEFORE YOU TODAY IS DUE AT THE SAME TIME AS OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN.

AND SO AS I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE BRIEFED THE CITY COUNCILS OR THE CITY MANAGERS RECOMMENDED APPROACH.

AND SO THAT APPROACH WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 28TH.

AND SO THIS RECOMMENDATION INCLUDES THAT APPROACH.

ON SLIDE NUMBER EIGHT, WE JUST PROVIDED A GRAPHIC DEPICTION OF WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF OVERALL CURRENT STATUS.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR OF OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN.

IT IS DUE TO HUD ON AUGUST THE 1ST.

ON SLIDE NUMBER NINE, WE PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF.

THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS BY GRANT TYPE.

TODAY'S RECOMMENDATION REFLECTS THE CITY MANAGER'S APPROACH AND ADDRESSES THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE DISCUSSED AND RECEIVED FEEDBACK ON THE RECOMMENDATION AND THE USE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICES FUNDING.

THE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY, AS WE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WILL BE USED TO INVEST IN THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY.

THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON REDUCING AND OR ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO WORK AND CLOSING THOSE DISPARITY GAPS FOR RESIDENTS WITH THE GREATEST NEEDS.

YOU WILL HEAR LATER IN THE PRESENTATION THAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION DID PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO EDIT THE LANGUAGE OF THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY, SO THIS RECOMMENDATION WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET.

THE RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE THE COMMUNITY COURTS IS A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR THE GENERAL FUND, BECAUSE IT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE BEYOND THE CURRENT LIMITATIONS OF THE GRANT. NOW, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO SHANNON WILLIAMS, WHO WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF OUR CURRENT FUNDING STATUS.

BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE GRANT HIGHLIGHTS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED THE CITY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION IN THE NEXT STEPS. THANK YOU.

JEANETTE. I AM SHANNON WILLIAMS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF GRANTS, DIVISION OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

SO THE TRANSPORTATION, HUD, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATION BILL, REFERRED TO AS T HUD, WAS SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT ON MARCH 9TH.

THIS BILL PROVIDES FUNDING FOR THE CITY'S 20 2425 CONSOLIDATED PLAN GRANTS.

FOLLOWING. HUD HAS UP TO 60 DAYS FOLLOWING THE DATE THAT THE PRESIDENT SIGNS THE APPROPRIATION BILL.

[02:20:01]

HUD HAS UP TO 60 DAYS TO GIVE US OUR ACTUAL GRANT AMOUNT, AND WE EXPECT THOSE GRANT ALLOCATIONS SOMETIME AROUND MID MAY FOR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES. WE ASSUMED LEVEL FUNDING FOR ALL OF OUR GRANTS.

IN ORDER TO MEET THE STATUTORY DEADLINES THAT IS REQUIRED BY HUD.

HOWEVER, ONCE THE FINAL ALLOCATIONS ARE RECEIVED ON SLIDE 11.

YES THE CITY MANAGER WILL PROPOSE INCREASES AND DECREASES AS NECESSARY TO BALANCE THE BUDGET WITH THOSE AVAILABLE RESOURCES.

THE NEXT SLIDE JUST PROVIDES A CHART WHERE YOU CAN SEE THAT FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, 2324, WHAT THE ACTUAL GRANT AMOUNTS WERE FROM HUD.

AND THEN FOR 2425, WE HAVE ASSUMED THOSE LEVEL FUNDINGS.

NEXT SLIDE. SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS DURING DEVELOPMENT OF THIS BUDGET INCLUDED BEING CONSISTENT WITH THE NEW FIVE YEAR PLAN STRATEGIES THAT WILL COVER FISCAL YEAR 2425 UP THROUGH 2829.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO COMPLY WITH THE HUD GUIDELINES FOR OUR CDBG CAP CATEGORIES.

PUBLIC SERVICES IS 15%, PROGRAM ADMIN 20% ADHERE TO THE CITY'S AND HUD'S TIMELY EXPENDITURE.

CONTINUE THE MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE THERE REQUIRED IS OUR SOURCES OF FUNDS.

AND THERE AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE PRESUMING LEVEL FUNDING FOR THE GRANTS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY RECEIVING FROM HUD.

THE NEXT SECTION PROVIDES THOSE OTHER FUNDS THAT WE DO USE FOR BUDGETING PURPOSES PROGRAM INCOME THAT IS GENERATED BY OUR HOUSING ACTIVITIES LAST YEAR FOR 20, FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THERE WAS ONE TIME REVENUE OF $1 MILLION THAT IS NOT CARRYING FORWARD.

HOWEVER, OUR CDBG REPROGRAMING PROCESS WAS COMPLETED IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, AND THOSE FUNDS WERE USED AS A SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT AMOUNT WAS 1,067,000.

SO THAT LITTLE INCREASE WILL GO FORWARD AS A USE OF FUNDS ON OUR NEXT SLIDE.

THE NEXT PRESENTATION IS THE USE OF THE THE FUNDS BY THE HUD CATEGORIES.

AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THAT 69,000 INCREASE IS BEING ADDED TO OUR CDBG CATEGORIES THAT ARE NOT CAPPED, WHICH ARE OUR HOUSING ACTIVITIES AND PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.

IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, WE'LL GO THROUGH JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THOSE ACTIVITIES BY THOSE HUD CATEGORIES.

IN OUR PUBLIC SERVICES, WE ARE ASSUMING LEVEL FUNDING.

SO OUR PUBLIC SERVICES CATEGORY REMAINS LEVEL FOR THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WERE FUNDED THERE.

YOU'LL SEE A DECREASE FOR OUR COMMUNITY COURTS.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT NEW PROGRAM ADDED TO ADDRESS THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY.

AND OUR HOUSING HIGHLIGHTS AGAIN, THERE LEVEL FUNDING FOR OUR PROGRAMS. AND WE'LL HAVE A SLIGHT INCREASE FOR FULL YEAR FUNDING FOR STAFF.

AND OUR OTHER OPERATING COSTS HIGHLIGHT MOVING TO OUR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.

THERE'S A SLIGHT INCREASE THERE UNDER OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS DUE TO THAT, THE REPROGRAMING FUNDS FROM PRIOR YEAR, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE UNCAPPED CATEGORIES THERE.

ELIGIBLE PROJECTS INCLUDE THOSE THAT SUPPORT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, COMPLY WITH ADA REQUIREMENTS, AND FUNDING FOR PROJECTS ELIGIBLE PROJECTS THAT ARE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THE NEXT CATEGORY IS OUR FAIR HOUSING AND PROGRAM OVERSIGHT.

THAT IS A CAPPED CATEGORY LIMITED BY THE AMOUNT OF THE GRANT, AND WE'RE ASSUMING LEVEL FUNDING THERE.

MOVING TO OUR HOME GRANT AGAIN, ASSUMING LEVEL FUNDING FOR THE HOME ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES THERE, YOU'LL SEE A SLIGHT DECREASE IN THE TOTAL DEVELOPMENT LOAN BECAUSE LAST YEAR WE WERE FUNDED MORE THAN THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.

SO THERE WAS A SLIGHT DECREASE THERE WITH AN INCREASE FOR OUR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT LOAN PROGRAM.

EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANTS SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THERE.

AGAIN, REGULATIONS REQUIRE THAT WE CONSULT WITH THE CONTINUUM OF CARE.

AND SO WE'RE ASSUMING A SLIGHT SHIFT IN FUNDING FOR OUR RAPID REHOUSING.

BUT THERE ARE OTHER TO TO COVER THE INCREASED STAFF COSTS, BUT WE ANTICIPATE NO IMPACT TO THE SERVICE LEVEL DUE TO OTHER RAPID REFUNDS AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THOSE SERVICES.

MOVING TO OUR HOPWA GRANT FUNDING ALLOCATIONS THERE ARE MADE CONSISTENT WITH OUR RYAN WHITE PLANNING COUNCIL AND THEIR NEEDS ASSESSMENT, THE LAST ONE CONDUCTED IN 2022.

AND WE'RE MAINTAINING LEVEL FUNDING THERE PENDING NOTICE OF OUR FINAL GRANT AMOUNTS FROM HUD.

SO THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION ON MARCH 7TH.

DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH, THE COMMITTEES MET WITH STAFF IN THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND REVIEWED EACH OF THE BUDGET ITEMS LINE BY LINE AND ADDRESS ANY PROGRAM QUESTIONS THAT

[02:25:09]

THEY HAD. ON APRIL THE 4TH, THE CDC CONCURRED WITH THE CITY'S MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION WITH ONE AMENDMENT.

THE AMENDMENT WAS TO AMEND THE DESCRIPTION FOR THE NEW DRIVERS OF POVERTY PROGRAM TO INCLUDE CHILD CARE.

FOR OUR NEXT STEPS.

FOLLOWING TODAY'S PRESENTATION, WE WILL ASK THE COUNCIL IF THERE ARE ANY PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.

WE WOULD ASK THAT THOSE BE SUBMITTED TO OUR BUDGET OFFICE BY APRIL 25TH.

ON MAY 1ST, WE WILL RETURN TO DISCUSS ANY OF THOSE COUNCIL AMENDMENTS THAT WE RECEIVE AND CONDUCT STRAW VOTES.

MAY 8TH, WE WILL ASK PRELIMINARY ADOPTION OF OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN AND CALL A PUBLIC HEARING FOR OUR 2425 CONSOLIDATED PLAN BUDGET. MAY 9TH BEGINS THAT 30 DAY PUBLIC REVIEW.

MAY 22ND WILL HOLD THAT PUBLIC REVIEW BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.

AND AS I'VE SHARED ALREADY, WE DO KNOW THAT WE EXPECT THE FINAL NUMBERS FROM HUD.

SO WE WILL BE COMMUNICATING THAT INFORMATION TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE COMMISSION ONCE WE ACTUALLY KNOW, GET THAT DATE OF WHEN WE RECEIVE THOSE FUNDS ON JUNE 12TH, WE'RE FINAL ADOPTION OF THE NEW FIVE YEAR PLAN, ALONG WITH THE FY 2425 CONSOLIDATED PLAN BUDGET.

AND WE'LL SUBMIT OUR BUDGET TO HUD ON BY AUGUST 15TH, WITH IMPLEMENTATION TO BEGIN OCTOBER 1ST.

AND WE DO HAVE AN APPENDIX THAT ATTACHED TO THE BRIEFING WITH ALL OF THE LINE ITEM BUDGETS.

AND THAT COMPLETES THE PRESENTATION.

AND WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS.

WE'RE ON ITEM B EVERYONE.

MISS WILLIS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU.

AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN WALKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS TOGETHER AND I'VE HAD SOME FEEDBACK ALONG THE WAY, BUT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND MORE AROUND THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY PROGRAM.

SO YOU ON PAGE 16, IT SAYS A NEW PROGRAM ADDED TO ADDRESS THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY.

CAN YOU FRAME THAT UP A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR ME? SO THE APPROACH IS THERE WAS A STUDY BACK IN 2016 THAT LAID OUT NINE DRIVERS OF POVERTY, AND THE APPROACH FOR OUR PUBLIC SERVICES CATEGORY WAS TO USE THAT DATA AND THOSE IDENTIFIED DRIVERS TO FOCUS THE FUNDS IN OUR CONSOLIDATED PLAN.

SO THE DESCRIPTION FOR THE DRIVERS OF FOR THIS NEW PROGRAM IS TO FOCUS ON REDUCING AND OR ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO WORK.

AND THE COMMISSION'S AMENDMENT WAS TO ADD AND CHILD CARE THAT IS SPECIFICALLY ON PAGE TWO OF THE ATTACHMENT LINE THREE.

OKAY. SO IT'S THAT'S THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROGRAM, BUT THE ACTUAL PROGRAM HASN'T YET BEEN DESIGNED.

SO LET ME ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION DIFFERENTLY.

SO THE QUESTION IS WHAT ARE THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY? AND SO THE RECOMMENDATION IDENTIFIES THOSE DRIVERS THAT WERE INDICATED IN THE MAYOR'S STUDY.

SO THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CDC IS TO FUND ONE OF THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY, WHICH IS CHILD CARE.

SO THAT DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

SO IT'S SOUNDING LIKE WE WOULD HAVE A POOL OF MONEY TO HAVE AN RFP.

I MEAN, HOW HOW IS IT GOING TO HAPPEN IS WHAT I'M ASKING.

SO THE YOU COULD WE HAVE AN EXISTING TWO EXISTING PROGRAMS RELATED TO AFTER CARE CHILD CARE PROGRAMS SO WE COULD EXPAND THOSE PROGRAMS, IF IT'S COUNCIL'S WILL TO DO SOMETHING BEYOND CHILD CARE.

THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR OTHER DRIVERS OF POVERTY.

THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR OTHER PROGRAMS THAT COULD SERVICE OTHER NEEDS BEYOND CHILD CARE.

SO IT MAY BE THAT WE'VE ALREADY PROCURED THESE PROVIDERS WHO PROVIDE CHILD CARE.

I'M GETTING A NOD ON THAT.

OR IT MAY BE THAT WE EXPAND OTHER PROVIDERS.

SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT SOME PROGRAM WE'RE CREATING.

IT'S WE'RE ADDING TO SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING.

IT SAYS NEW PROGRAM.

AND SO THIS THREW ME OFF.

SO THE NEW IS THE FACT THAT WE'RE ALLOCATING THIS FUNDING TO THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY.

SO THAT'S THE NEW PIECE IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL PROGRAMS THAT WILL BE DELIVERED WITH THE FUNDING.

THEN WE HAVE EXISTING PROGRAMS WITHIN THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE THAT WE CAN EXPAND.

IF IT'S THE COUNCIL WILL, TO DO SOMETHING BEYOND THE CURRENT PROGRAMS, AS LONG AS THEY MEET THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY, THEN THOSE PROGRAMS WOULD BE ELIGIBLE AS WELL.

[02:30:01]

OKAY, I WANT TO SHIFT GEARS NOW TO PAGE 21, WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CONTINUUM OF CARE AND THE EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANTS AND SHIFTING FUNDS TO STREET OUTREACH FROM RAPID REHOUSING.

I MEAN, THE THINKING IS THAT THE MORE STREET OUTREACH WE HAVE, THE MORE WE HAVE A CONDUIT TO GET PEOPLE INTO THE RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM.

BUT MY QUESTION IS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS IN ADDITION TO THAT AROUND TEMPORARY HOUSING.

AND SO WHAT IS THE ROLE FOR THAT METHOD OF HOUSING IN THIS? RIGHT. SO THE RECOMMENDATION BEFORE YOU IF IT IS COUNCIL'S WILL TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT BEYOND STREET OUTREACH, THEN A AN AMENDMENT CAN BE MADE TO THE PLAN IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE WHATEVER THE RECOMMENDATION STOP YOU.

BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M ASKING.

SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS GREAT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE STREET OUTREACH.

AND THAT, I MEAN, AS WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CONTINUUM OF CARE AND HOUSING FORWARD, THEY'RE SENDING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE INTO RAPID REHOUSING.

AS A CITY, WE ARE LOOKING AT ANOTHER FORM OF A HOUSING READINESS, LET'S SAY KIND OF WAY STATION TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND STOP USING THEM AS A WAITING ROOM.

BUT BEFORE THEY MAY BE ABLE TO GO TO PERMANENT HOUSING OF SOME FORM OR AN APARTMENT WITH A VOUCHER, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.

AND SO MY QUESTION IS, BECAUSE THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY FALL DIRECTLY UNDER THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, I WANT TO BE SURE THAT THESE STREET OUTREACH PEOPLE THAT WE WOULD BE FUNDING, HAVE THE WHOLE MENU AVAILABLE TO THEM TO HELP GET PEOPLE OFF OF THE STREETS.

SO WOULD THERE BE ANY KIND OF FRICTION ON THAT? IS WHAT I'M WONDERING.

OKAY, THAT WOULD BE A PROGRAM SPECIFIC QUESTION I CAN.

THIS IS CHRISTINE CROSSLEY.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

THANK YOU.

BACK ON. SO THE ESG IS JUST FOR ONE OF OUR STREET OUTREACH WORKERS, AND THEY DO ALL MANNER OF OUTREACH.

IT IS NOT JUST SPECIFICALLY FOR RAPID REHOUSING.

SO THIS WOULD APPLY TO ALL OF THOSE POTENTIAL SORRY, CHRISTINE INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I THINK WE NEED YOU TO TURN YOUR CAMERA ON IF YOU CAN.

YOU WERE ON BEFORE.

I'M TRYING TO GET IT. THERE YOU ARE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. YES.

OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES GRANT FOR OUR STREET OUTREACH WORKERS DOES NOT DICTATE THE TYPE OF HOUSING THAT THEY PUT PEOPLE INTO.

SO THIS COULD BE UTILIZED FOR SOMEONE WHO IS DOING ALL OF THAT WORK.

IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY FEED INTO JUST ONE PROGRAM OR ANOTHER.

OKAY, THAT ANSWERS IT.

THANK YOU. MAYOR.

I'M DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM.

YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

WE'RE ON ITEM B. THANK YOU.

REALLY, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS JUST.

AT THIS TIME THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS INFORMATION.

AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH ME AND MY STAFF SO WE CAN BECOME MORE PROFICIENT IN UNDERSTANDING HOW IT CAN BEST HELP THE, THE COMMUNITIES THAT, OF COURSE, WE SERVE.

BUT JUST QUICKLY, I KNOW SOMETIMES FOLKS WOULD SOMETIMES YOU YOU YOU'RE SUPPORTING STAFF.

I'M GOING TO ALWAYS SUPPORT STAFF WHEN STAFF IS TRANSPARENT AND HONEST.

AND I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK MISS CHAN WILLIAMS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HER LONGER, PROBABLY THAN ANYONE ELSE HERE.

BUT JUST THE FACT OF LEARNING AND WHEN YOU HAVE A PROFICIENCY IN CONTINUATION, IT STRENGTHENS.

I THINK ANYWAY, IT STRENGTHENS THE PROGRAM AND EVERYTHING.

CDBG AND HUD I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE JUST COMMEND YOU FOR IT, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WAKE UP AND THINKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND DREAMING ALL THINGS HUD OR CDBG ETC.

BUT YOU HAVE BEEN A VERY GOOD RESOURCE.

YOU'RE YOU ARE PRETTY MUCH TIED INTO DATA AND YOU NEVER LET ME SLIP.

EVEN IF I COME WITH ALL THESE IDEAS, YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, BRING COME ON BACK DOWN TO THE COME ON, BACK DOWN TO THE DATA AND WHAT WE CAN DO BY THESE STANDARDS.

SO I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LEAN ON YOU MORE AND LEAN ON THIS PROCESS BECAUSE AS STATED, WE'RE WE'RE GOING INTO THAT BUDGET SEASON AND EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THAT MEANS. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THE BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCKS AS MUCH AS WE CAN THROUGH THESE DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR US.

SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME CAREFUL PLANNING AND ADVOCACY FROM OUR AND REQUEST TO YOU.

AND OF COURSE, MRS. WEED AND I BEGIN TO WORK WITH YOU EVEN MORE HERE RECENTLY.

BUT I DID WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW, ONCE AGAIN YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO

[02:35:05]

SERVICE IS TO BE IDENTIFIED, RECOGNIZED AND CONGRATULATED.

YOU SHOULD BE CONGRATULATED FOR THAT.

AND I'M DOING THAT BECAUSE IT MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO US AND OUR COMMUNITY WHEN WE HAVE STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO TO THEIR AND THIS IS NOT JUST A JOB. AND SO I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE PUSHING, PULLING ON YOU THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

I SEE WE HAVE SOME DEADLINES COMING UP, BUT I DO SERVE AND ALL OF YOU KNOW THAT.

BUT I HAVE TO SAY IT FOR THE RECORD, TARGETED AREAS WHERE WE WILL NEED TO GET SUPPORT IN THESE AREAS FOR TO UNDERGIRD THE EQUITY POLICY AND JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REPRESENTED IN THE COUNT.

SO AND ALSO TO YOU, MR. JACK IRELAND, YOU KNOW, YOU AND I HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR FOR A TIME, BUT YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN A RESPONSIVE AND PROFESSIONAL AND CARING AND NOT THIS IS WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GET ANY SPECIAL MEETINGS OR ANYTHING WITH YOU, BUT JUST KNOW IT'S APPRECIATED, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME WHEN EVERYBODY IS PULLING ON YOU AND THEY WANT TO HAVE 45 HOURS WITH YOU AND YOU.

YOU CAN ONLY GIVE SO MUCH.

BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT WE WILL BE CALLING ON YOU ALL AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS BUDGET SEASON AND FOR THE DISTRICT, OF COURSE, THAT I REPRESENT. BUT WHAT YOU DO FOR THIS ONE DISTRICT CAN BE IS GOING TO IMPACT OTHER DISTRICTS BECAUSE TOGETHER WE KNOW AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, NOT GOING WE'RE NOT GOING TO START SINGING WE ARE THE WORLD, BUT IT WILL MAKE US STRONGER DALLAS IF WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER.

BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IN FOUR HITS SEVEN, IT HITS THREE, IT HITS EIGHT, IT HITS ONE, IT HITS WE.

IT'S A IT RIPPLING EFFECT.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE GET TO GROW STRONGER WE CAN DO THAT.

AND SO I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE I TOOK THAT OPPORTUNITY TO LET YOU KNOW HOW WE FEEL AS AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS PROCESS AND AS WE.

I THINK SOMETIMES YOU CALL IT THE HUNGER GAMES.

COUNCIL MEMBER OMAR.

SO BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR FOR FOR THAT.

AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE.

YOUR DEPARTMENT IS THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND MY TIME IS UP.

THANK YOU. MAYOR AND COUNCIL CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU.

CAN YOU SHARE WITH US WHAT WE CURRENTLY SUBSIDIZED CHILD CARE, WHAT THAT ANNUAL ALLOCATION IS? 600 $650,000.

CORRECT. FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, AND IT HAS BEEN FOR THE PAST PREVIOUS FOUR YEARS AS WELL.

AND THAT'S COMING OUT OF CDBG.

THAT'S CORRECT. AND THE PROPOSAL WOULD PUT HOW MUCH MONEY FOR CHILD CARE? 735,000 ADDITIONAL DOLLARS.

APPROXIMATELY 736,000.

FIVE 45,000.

MAN. YOU KNOW IT. DOWN TO THE DOLLAR.

IT'S AMAZING. OKAY.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ALREADY SAID THIS.

I'VE ALREADY SAID THIS AT THE LAST MEETING, WHICH IS MY CONCERN IS THAT BY PUTTING THE CHILD CARE INTO CDBG, WE'RE LOCKED INTO A NUMBER.

AND YOU'VE TAKEN OUT THE COMMUNITY COURTS.

AND SO COMMUNITY COURTS ARE COMPLETELY PAID FOR BY CDBG, RIGHT? THESE THREE COURTS. YES.

YEAH. AND SO BY PULLING THEM OUT AS WE FACE A NEW REALITY OF FALLING UNDER SB TWO, OUR GENERAL FUND IS GOING TO HAVE ENORMOUS PRESSURE.

RIGHT? SO IT'S 3.5% THAT WE CAN GO UP.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER PENSION PAYMENT.

WE'RE COMMITTED BY CONTRACT TO PAY MARKET RATE FOR POLICE AND FIRE.

AND YOU KNOW, I JUST MONITOR THOSE NUMBERS.

IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT A 7% INCREASE, IF NOT MORE.

AND YOU KNOW, I JUST KEEP SEEING OVER AND OVER DEPARTMENTS COMING WITH THESE ASPIRATIONAL GOALS FOR ADDING STAFF WANTING TO DO BIG PROJECTS. THIS IS NOT REALISTIC.

AND THE QUESTION IS, WHEN WE GET DOWN TO THE NUMBERS, ARE WE GOING TO CUT COMMUNITY COURTS IN FAVOR OF SUBSIDIZING CHILD CARE, OR ARE WE GOING TO CUT LIBRARIES, OR ARE WE GOING TO I MEAN, LIKE THINGS ARE GOING TO GET CUT.

AND THIS IS A PLACE WHERE IF I HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN KEEPING COMMUNITY COURTS, WHICH HAS BEEN A PROVEN BENEFIT TO OUR RESIDENTS AND ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT SOCIAL JUSTICE WAYS, RACIAL EQUITY WAYS, QUALITY OF LIFE WAYS, IT'S THE RIGHT THING.

IT'S A FABULOUS, FABULOUS PROGRAM.

I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT PUTTING THAT PROGRAM AT RISK BY MAKING THIS SHIFT.

[02:40:03]

AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY I DON'T THINK CHILD CARE IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AND DIFFICULT FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

IT IS. SOME OF THE NUMBERS I THINK THAT WERE PRESENTED, THOUGH, WERE THE TOTALITY OF ALL THE CHILDREN IN THE CITY.

WHEN THERE ARE PARENTS THAT CHOOSE TO STAY HOME WITH THEIR CHILDREN, THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR CHILD CARE OR THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR CHILD CARE FIVE DAYS A WEEK.

THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SUBSIDIZED JUST AUXILIARY CARE.

RIGHT. SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING THIS SHIFT.

I CONTINUE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

AND I JUST FEEL LIKE I NEED TO SAY THAT AGAIN.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

THE SECOND PART TO COUNCIL MEMBER WILSON'S POINT ABOUT STREET OUTREACH.

HOW MANY STREET OUTREACH POSITIONS DO WE ADD IN JUST THIS LAST BUDGET? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. I CAN ADDRESS THAT FOR THE OUTREACH STAFF THAT WE ADDED TO HELP US WITH OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM IN THE CURRENT BUDGET WAS A TOTAL OF 16, BUT THOSE WERE NOT CITY EMPLOYEES.

WE BROUGHT THE MONEY, AND THEN WE ACTUALLY PROVIDED THAT MONEY OUT TO BE ABLE TO BE PROVIDED BY THIRD PARTY.

BUT THERE WAS A TOTAL OF 16 FUNDED IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET PAYING FOR THEM.

YES, IT'S IN CURRENTLY IN THE GENERAL FUND.

SO THE ISSUE IS HOW MANY STREET OUTREACH PEOPLE ARE WE GOING TO HAVE? I MEAN, NO OFFENSE, BUT WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY SEEING A HUGE AMOUNT OF RESULTS FROM STREET OUTREACH.

AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS, WELL, WE OFFERED SERVICES, BUT THEY DIDN'T WANT THEM.

THAT'S WHAT'S BEING SAID EVERY TIME.

AND PS MORE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS AT FRANKFURT AND THE TOLLWAY TODAY, TRINITY MILLS AND THE TOLLWAY AS WELL.

AND LIKE WE CAN'T SEEM TO GET RID OF IT.

WHY? BECAUSE YOU ARE SENDING THEM OUT AND I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE.

BUT THEY DON'T WANT SERVICES.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY ON ISN'T GETTING THE RESULTS THAT WE'RE SEEKING.

AND SO AGAIN, I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT.

PLACE FOR US TO BE PUTTING THOSE DOLLARS, AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE I'M GOING TO GO WITH IT, BUT I NEED TO CONTINUE TO GIVE YOU THAT FEEDBACK BECAUSE I THINK THE INTENT IS RIGHT. WE WANT TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.

THE INTENT IS RIGHT.

WE KNOW THAT CHILD CARE IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE, ESPECIALLY TO A SINGLE MOM, AND IT WOULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO DO THAT OR THAT THIS IS THE PROGRAM TO DO THAT.

AND SO JUST AS PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING COMING FROM CITY DOLLARS, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS A GREAT PROGRAM.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM, BUT IT'S A FEDERAL PROGRAM, NOT A LOCAL PROGRAM.

SO I'M JUST EXPRESSING MY CONCERNS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE SOME TIME TO PUT FORWARD AN AMENDMENT TO YOU.

PERHAPS I'LL DO THAT, BUT I DO THINK MY COLLEAGUES NEED TO BE VERY AWARE ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS.

AND IT IS A FIVE YEAR PLAN, AND IT'S A VERY BIG DEAL TO HAVE TO CHANGE THIS.

LOTS OF HEARINGS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THAT.

CORRECT? CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN SCHULTZ.

YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

JUST CARRYING ON WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSON'S POINT THAT ARE WE ASSUMING, SINCE THIS IS A FIVE YEAR PLAN, THAT THE BUDGET WILL GO BE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THROUGH 29? YES, MA'AM.

OKAY. I JUST WANT TO GET THAT.

AND ALSO REGARDING THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY, BECAUSE IT'S AN ESTABLISHED PROGRAM, IT'S NOT JUST A, IT'S NOT JUST A PHRASE.

I THINK IT MIGHT BE WORTH IT TO GET A LITTLE MEMO ABOUT IT AND HOW IT WORKS.

AND PERHAPS I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO SPRING ANYTHING AT THE LAST MINUTE, SO IT MIGHT BE WORTH IT TO LOOK AT THE ALIGNMENT OF THAT CONCEPT WITH OUR RACIAL EQUITY PLAN AND THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN THAT, BECAUSE IT ALL TIES TOGETHER IN THAT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS AND TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S LIVES WITH, YOU KNOW EARLY CHILDHOOD VERSUS AND IN THIS CASE, IT WOULD BE A VERSES COMMUNITY COURTS LIKE, WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S LIVES AS A RESULT OF THAT? AND HOW DOES THAT ALIGN WITH OUR PLAN, THE ADOPTED PLANS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AS A COUNCIL? I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US ALL TO UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS IN THAT AREA, BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, COUNCIL MEMBER TO COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSON'S POINT, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO RISK THE THE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IMPACTED BY OUR COMMUNITY COURTS SYSTEM.

BUT I'D LIKE OUR CITY MANAGER MAYBE TO WEIGH IN ON JUST GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER.

YOU MADE A GOOD STATEMENT EARLIER ABOUT THE LOGIC MODEL FOR THAT MOVE, BUT MAYBE IF THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE YOU COULD EXPLAIN OF HOW AND WHY YOU FEEL.

IT'S VERY SECURE WITHIN OUR ANNUAL BUDGET SO THAT IF THINGS DO GET ROCKY, WE KNOW THIS WOULD BE SECURE.

[02:45:01]

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST CLARIFY A COUPLE OF THINGS.

FIRST OF ALL, THE RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE THE COMMUNITY COURTS FUNDING OF THE MAJORITY OF IT INTO THE THE GENERAL FUND.

THERE'S SOMETHING IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT DOES GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE MORE.

I THINK WE'VE HEARD FROM MANY THAT THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM.

IT REALLY DOES ALLOW FOR US TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.

IT KEEPS THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THAT SYSTEM VERSUS HAVING THEM HAVE TO GO IN AND DO SOMETHING AT A GREATER LEVEL THAT SOMETIMES IS MORE IT'S NOT A COST EFFECTIVE.

SO IT REALLY DOES HELP US EVEN IN OUR EQUITY GOALS.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THAT FLEXIBILITY THAT ALLOWS US TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE WILL ALSO GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS TO GO GET ADDITIONAL FEDERAL MONEY.

RIGHT NOW, WE CAN'T DO THAT WITH THE GRANT DOLLARS.

YOU THEN CAN'T GO LEVERAGE THOSE GRANT DOLLARS TO GO GET MORE FEDERAL DOLLARS.

SO WE DO SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL ALLOW FOR US TO CONTINUE TO SERVE.

AND I WILL JUST SAY, AS IT RELATES TO THE CUTS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS THE CITY COUNCIL'S FINAL DECISION.

WHAT GETS CUT IN THE BUDGET.

WE CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU CAN EITHER ACCEPT, MODIFY OR REJECT.

SO I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HEAR ABOUT HOW YOU'D LIKE FOR US TO PRESERVE CERTAIN TYPES OF PROGRAMS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT FINAL DECISION IS A DECISION OF THE CITY COUNCIL. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CLEAR.

AND WHILE WE'RE MAKING THIS RECOMMENDATION, WE BELIEVE IS AN ADVANTAGE FOR US GOING FORWARD, ALTHOUGH WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT WAYS TO CONTINUE TO FUND IT, BUT IT WOULD ALLOW FOR US TO GO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE BELIEVE THAT WE WILL NEED, AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO EXPAND SERVICES FOR THAT SEGMENT OF OUR POPULATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IF I MAY TAMMY PALOMINO, CITY ATTORNEY.

I JUST WANT TO ADD ON TO THAT THAT SOMETIMES THE HUD CONSTRAINT CONSTRAINS WHAT WE CAN DO, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND COMMUNITY COURTS LOOKING FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMS. AND SO, YES, THERE IS A RISK THAT WE WILL BE CUT IN A, IN A GENERAL FUND BUDGET, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE AND NOT HAVE THOSE HUD CONSTRAINTS. AND I WOULD JUST ALSO SAY THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR OTHER GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.

AND SO WE'RE NOT JUST ASSUMING THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE STRAIGHT GENERAL FUND.

GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I APPRECIATE THAT CONTEXT AND ALSO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S ON US IF WE WANT THESE PROGRAMS TO THRIVE AND GROW OR IF WE WANT THEM TO BE DIMINISHED.

I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT PROCESS.

COULD YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THAT WAS USED AND HOW WERE THOSE PRIORITIZED? SO THE COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT PROCESS WAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AT THE BEGINNING HELPED DEVELOP A TOOL TO GET FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS.

AND SO THROUGHOUT THE PUBLIC MEETINGS, IT WAS POSTED ONLINE THAT DATA WAS BROUGHT IN AND LOOKED AT AND EVALUATED.

PRIMARY FOCUS WAS OUR CHILDCARE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS. IN OTHER WORDS, WE ASKED MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.

AND THEREFORE IT'S IT'S ALMOST AS A, YOU KNOW, YOU WHAT YOU ASK, YOU'RE GOING TO GET BACK.

AND SO AND DID YOU GO IN THAT ROUTE BECAUSE YOU WERE WE WERE EXPLORING WHETHER OR NOT TO USE IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THE COMMUNITY COURTS, THEN WHAT SHOULD WE SPEND THIS EXTRA MONEY ON? OR WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO GO THAT ROUTE? SO THE HUD RULES REQUIRE THAT WE HAVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK FROM OUR RESIDENTS BEFORE RECOMMENDING THE SURVEY TOOL THAT WAS USED, JUST LAID OUT THE ELIGIBLE SERVICES.

THIS IS WHAT THE CITY IS CURRENTLY DOING.

TELL US WHAT IT IS THAT YOU LIKE.

WE DO. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU SEE THAT'S NOT THERE? AND THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THAT.

THEN ONCE WE GOT ALL OF THAT BACK, IT WAS THE PERCENTAGES AND I CAN ANSWER THAT PART.

SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS TO CONTINUE SHARON'S THOUGHT ASKED HOW IT ASKED RESIDENTS IF THE GRANTS WERE ALLOCATED TO ADDRESS HUMAN AND SOCIAL NEEDS, WHAT WOULD THEY PREFER? AND SO THE OPTIONS WERE AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE AFTER SCHOOL, OUT OF SCHOOL PROGRAMS OR COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES FOR ADULTS.

SO 49% OF THE RESPONDENTS SELECTED AFTER SCHOOL OUT OF SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND 24% FOR AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE, 27% FOR COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES FOR ADULTS.

AND SO THE RESPONSES TO THE SURVEY QUESTIONS LED INTO THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

THEY HEARD FROM THE RESIDENTS, AND SO THEY WERE SUPPORTIVE OF THE RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED FEEDBACK BASED ON THE SURVEY.

EXCELLENT. AND WE KNOW FROM THE DEBATES THAT WENT ON REGARDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGE, ABOUT, I MEAN, ABOUT EARLY

[02:50:06]

CHILD CARE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE, CHILD CARE IN GENERAL.

WE DON'T NEED TO DEBATE THOSE FACTS THAT WE ALREADY DELIBERATED, I THINK, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO ON THAT.

SO THE VALUE OF THAT IS UNDISPUTED.

I THINK THE QUESTION IS MAKING SURE FOR US AS A COUNCIL, TO MAKE AN EQUAL KIND OF COMMITMENT TO, TO OUR COMMUNITY COURTS AS WELL AS WE MAKE THAT MOVE. SO THAT'S ALL I HAD.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

MISS WILLIS, YOU RECOGNIZED WELL, ACTUALLY, MR. RIDLEY, I GOT TO GO TO YOU FOR FIVE MINUTES FIRST.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL RATIONALE BY STAFF FOR MOVING THE COMMUNITY COURTS FUNDING OUT OF THE HUD GRANT PROGRAM AND INTO THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET? SO I'M NOT SURE OF THE COMMENT OF THE ORIGINAL RATIONALE.

AS I MENTIONED, OR AS WE MENTIONED, PART OF THE FIVE YEAR PLANNING PROCESS REQUIRES THAT WE GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY DO OUTREACH, SURVEY THEIR NEEDS, AND BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM THE RESIDENTS, THE RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE TO EXPAND THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY PROGRAM AND MOVE COMMUNITY COURT INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

SO IT'S REALLY BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM THE RESIDENTS.

SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT RESIDENTS, INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS SAID THEY WANTED TO MOVE COMMUNITY COURTS INTO THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET? AND NO. SO PUBLIC SERVICES IS A CAB CATEGORY.

SO WHEN WE'RE GOING OUT TO SURVEY THE RESIDENTS ABOUT THEIR DESIRES AND USE OF HUD FUNDING, THE FEEDBACK WAS THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN PROGRAMS SPECIFIC TO THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY COURT PROGRAM, IT'S THERE'S REALLY NOT A TRUE DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY.

COURT PROVIDES REFERRALS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND THAT THAT IN TURN IMPACTS THEIR LIVES AND IMPACTS THE DRIVERS OF POVERTY.

BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT TRUE SERVICE DELIVERY PROGRAMS, WE WERE RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THE COMMUNITY COURT PROGRAM IS A WELL ESTABLISHED PROGRAM.

IT STARTED OUT AS A PILOT.

WE HAVE COMMUNITY COURT IN THE GENERAL FUND.

WE HAVE IT IN THE HUD PROGRAM.

AND SO THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO MOVE IT INTO THE GENERAL FUND PROGRAM.

AS WE'VE MENTIONED, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE THOSE FUNDS FOR OTHER GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.

SO I DON'T SEE IT AS A NEGATIVE THING FOR THE HUD PROGRAM OR THE GENERAL FUND PROGRAM.

ULTIMATELY, IT IS A RECOMMENDATION.

STAFF IS PREPARED TO IMPLEMENT WHATEVER DIRECTION COUNCIL PROVIDES.

WELL, HOW WAS THE DECISION MADE TO USE THE 736,000 THAT IS NO LONGER GOING TO BE USED FOR COMMUNITY COURTS AND INSTEAD USE IT FOR CHILD CARE SUBSIDY.

SO AGAIN, THAT RECOMMENDATION WAS BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM THE RESIDENTS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE SURVEY DATA, THE ONE OF THE QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY ASKED RESIDENTS ABOUT THEIR INTEREST IN GRANT FUNDS TO ADDRESS HUMAN AND SOCIAL NEEDS, INCLUDING AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE, AFTER SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES FOR ADULTS.

SO THE SURVEY QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY ASKED THEM, WHAT ARE YOU INTERESTED IN? AND SO, BASED ON THE RESPONSES FROM THE RESIDENTS, WE ALSO HAD A TELEPHONE TOWN HALL MEETING LOTS OF ENGAGEMENT ON THAT CALL.

I WANT TO THANK THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE BECAUSE THEY DID A GREAT JOB FIELDING QUESTIONS.

BUT THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE FROM THE COMMUNITY WAS THEY WANTED PROGRAMS SPECIFIC FOR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND CHILD CARE PROGRAMS. YOU ALL RECENTLY APPROVED AN AMENDMENT TO CHANGE THE PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION FOR CHILD CARE FACILITIES, LOTS OF EMAILS AND COMMENTS RELATED TO THAT PROGRAM.

SO THERE IS A NEED IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO I THINK THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS JUST A RESPONSE TO THAT.

WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU SOLICITED RESIDENT INPUT ON THAT, BUT THAT INPUT DIDN'T INCLUDE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THOSE PEOPLE FELT SHOULD BE ALLOCATED TO CHILD CARE SUBSIDIES AS OPPOSED TO COMMUNITY COURTS, DID IT? THAT'S CORRECT. BUT AGAIN, PUBLIC SERVICES IS A CAP CATEGORY.

I THINK IN ONE OF THE PRESENTATIONS WE SHARED WITH YOU ALL THE HISTORY OF FUNDING FOR THE CDBG GRANT.

AND SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT BACK IN IN 2005 WE RECEIVED $21.2 MILLION IN THAT CAT IN CDBG.

AND SO WE HAD THE ABILITY TO FUND MORE SERVICES IN THE PUBLIC SERVICES CATEGORY.

[02:55:06]

OUR FISCAL YEAR 24 FUNDING IS 13.8 MILLION.

AND SO THAT GRANT CONTINUES TO SHRINK.

AND SO AS IT CONTINUES TO SHRINK AND WE FIGURE OUT WAYS TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICES, WE ARE TRYING TO BE RESPONSIVE BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE FACT THAT THIS IS FEDERAL FUNDING.

WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THE ALLOCATION OF SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNTS IS A DECISION THAT THIS BODY MAKES, IS IT NOT? IT IS CORRECT. SO AGAIN, THIS IS THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.

AND SO STAFF IS PREPARED TO IMPLEMENT THE DIRECTION PROVIDED BY CITY COUNCIL.

VERY GOOD. SO IS THERE A MIDDLE GROUND HERE WHERE WE COULD KEEP SOME FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY COURTS IN THE HUD GRANT PROGRAM AND SOME OF IT FUNDED THROUGH THE.

GENERAL FUND SO AS TO AT LEAST PROVIDE SOME INSULATION AGAINST THE VAGARIES OF BUDGET ALLOCATIONS FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

CERTAINLY THAT IS AN OPTION.

THE GRANT IS 736,000.

IT FUNDS EIGHT POSITIONS.

IF YOU WANTED TO SPLIT THE FUNDING, KEEP FOUR POSITIONS.

REALLY, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU ALL TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.

PREPARE AN AMENDMENT SEND IT TO OUR OFFICE.

AND AGAIN, WE ARE I KEEP SAYING THE SAME THING, BUT WE ARE PREPARED TO IMPLEMENT THE DIRECTION PROVIDED BY CITY COUNCIL.

AND IF WE DID THAT, WE WOULD STILL HAVE THE STATED ADVANTAGE OF BEING ABLE TO PURSUE GRANT FUNDING FROM OTHER SOURCES TO MATCH THE PORTION OF COMMUNITY COURTS THAT IS IN THE GENERAL FUND.

THAT IS CORRECT. AND SO JUST A REMINDER, WE DO HAVE AN EXISTING WE HAVE EXISTING COURTS IN THE GENERAL FUND.

SO YOU WOULD BE ADDING FUNDING TO LEVERAGE THOSE DOLLARS MORE, BUT CORRECT THAT YOU CAN DO THAT.

THANK YOU. NOW SORRY, MISS WILSON, I GOT TO GO TO CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ FOR FIVE MINUTES BEFORE WE GO TO THE SECOND ROUND. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

I I'VE KNOWN SHANNON FOR QUITE A WHILE.

I USED TO SERVE ON THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION BACK IN THE DAY, AND AND AND AND I REMEMBER EVERY TIME WE GET A NEW SET, INCLUDING ME, WHEN I FIRST STARTED, THIS WAS THE HARDEST PART FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WAS HOW CDBG IS FUNDED AND WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO WITH CDBG.

AND THE HARDEST PART IS THE CAPPING, BECAUSE IF YOU CAP, SOME PROGRAMS HAVE CAPPED AT A CERTAIN NUMBER AND YOU CAN'T GO UP, AND IF YOU GO DOWN, THEN YOU HAVE TO BALANCE IT SOME OTHER WAY.

AND THAT MEANS EITHER TAKING AWAY FROM ANOTHER PROGRAM OR DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

IT'S BASED ON THE CATEGORIES.

AND SO THAT'S THE HARDEST PART FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND.

AND SO THIS IS ACTUALLY A BRILLIANT IDEA, ACTUALLY, IN ORDER FOR US TO LEVERAGE MORE DOLLARS TOWARDS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET MORE DOLLARS FOR, AND THEN YOU CAN LEVERAGE FOR THE COMMUNITY COURTS, THE ABILITY AND YOU JUST HEARD OUR CITY ATTORNEY SAY THAT SHE WILL BE HER OFFICE, HER TEAM WILL BE ABLE TO GO SEEK GRANTS TO HELP US WITH THOSE THOSE THOSE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE FOR COMMUNITY COURT, BECAUSE THERE ARE FUNDS OUT THERE THAT WE CAN'T LEVERAGE, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T USE THE CDBG GRANT DOLLARS TO LEVERAGE FOR MORE DOLLARS.

SO THAT'S THE THAT'S WHERE THIS GETS IT'S VERY NUANCED WHEN YOU GET INTO THIS REALM.

AND 13.1, DID YOU SAY SIX IS 13.6 MILLION IS NOT A LOT OF MONEY FOR THESE TYPES OF SERVICES.

AND I REMEMBER EVERY TIME IT WAS LIKE, AND I THINK WE HAD MORE BACK THEN AND IT WAS ALWAYS SO HARD TO PICK WHAT PROGRAMS WE WANTED TO FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN ORDER TO GET FUNDED BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH NEED.

AND SO SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS ARE, YOU KNOW, VERY FEW PEOPLE, BUT IT'S THE MONEY THAT WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE BACK.

WE DON'T WANT TO GET RID OF IT. SO THIS IS A DIFFICULT CHOICE, OBVIOUSLY.

BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A I WISH WE HAD THOUGHT ABOUT THIS BACK, BACK IN THE DAY, BUT IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE BACK THEN FOR US TO DO BECAUSE COMMUNITY COURT WAS NEW.

IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I DEFINITELY ADVOCATED FOR.

THAT WAS THE OPENING OF THE WEST DALLAS COMMUNITY COURT, BECAUSE THE OTHER ONE WAS ALREADY THERE.

AND JUST FROM SEEING THE AMOUNT OF SUCCESS AND AND I SEE IT EVERY YEAR WHEN WE GO BACK TO WEST DALLAS FOR COMMUNITY COURT DAY, IT'S LIKE, LIKE HOW PROUD THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS OF THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE IT JUST SO MUCH.

AND SO I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK LIKE, OH, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ALL OF A SUDDEN IS GOING TO LET IT GO BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE.

IT'S JUST THIS IS WHERE THE FUNDING FOR SOME OF IT CAME THROUGH, WAS THROUGH THE CDBG GRANTS.

SO AND WE CAN GET MORE CHILD CARE HELP AND STILL GET THE SAME FOR COMMUNITY COURT, IF NOT MAYBE EVEN MORE DEPENDING ON WHAT GRANTS ARE OUT THERE AND AVAILABLE FOR US TO GO AFTER.

SO I'M DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF THIS AND JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, PUT MY PAST, PAST, PAST EXPERIENCE AS FAR AS WORKING ON THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION FOR THE

[03:00:03]

CITY. IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE, AND I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT RUNNING CITY GOVERNMENT OR HOW BUDGETS WORKED.

AND MAN, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY SPACE TO MOVE, IT'S THE HARDEST THING POSSIBLE.

AND YOU HAD TO MAKE TOUGH CHOICES AND Y'ALL ARE AS WELL.

Y'ALL HAVE A RECOMMENDATION AND I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH IT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND KEEP DOING THE GREAT WORK BECAUSE SOMEBODY SAID IT EARLIER.

THIS IS THIS IS ABOUT YOU.

YOUR INSIDES LIKE YOU BREATHE, LIVE AND THIS IS YOUR WORLD BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THE SPOT WHERE YOU BELONG.

AND SO THANK YOU AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

THANK YOU. MR. MAYOR, MISS WILLIS, NOW, OVER TO YOU FOR FOR THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. YES, I REMEMBER SERVING ON CDC AND HAVING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND HOW THE MONEY HAS TO MOVE BECAUSE OF CAPS AND ALL OF THAT SORT OF THING.

SO I APPRECIATE LOOKING FOR HOW.

WE CAN OPTIMIZE OUR SOURCES OF FUNDS.

I GET THAT, BUT I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THE STREET OUTREACH.

SO WHEN WORKING WITH RESIDENTS CERTAINLY IN MY DISTRICT ON, YOU KNOW, RAISING ISSUES AROUND HOMELESSNESS AND WHAT THEY'RE SEEING, I MEAN, THEIR CONCERNS, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S TROUBLING, IT'S FRUSTRATING.

IT'S IT'S CONCERNING.

AND SO FRAMING THINGS THE WAY THAT WE'VE EVOLVED TO WHICH IS NOT WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU, BUT RATHER WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU.

IS AN IMPORTANT WAY TO LOOK AT THIS.

AND SO IN TALKING TO OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS, WHILE WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO REFUSE SERVICES, AND WE HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE NEED TO DIAL UP THE ENFORCEMENT PART OF OUR COMPASSION PLUS ENFORCEMENT PHILOSOPHY.

THAT THERE'S ALSO A VERY TRAUMATIZED POPULATION THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.

AND FOR THAT REASON, FOR RIGHT NOW, WE MAY NEED TO REALLY PULSE HIGHER ON STREET OUTREACH WORKERS, BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING AND I COMMUNICATED WITH DANIEL ROBY AT AUSTIN STREET SHELTERS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY OFFER RESOURCES AND THEY'RE REFUSED, WHAT ARE THEY OFFERING? I MEAN, IT MAY NOT BE THE FIT IN THAT MOMENT FOR THAT PERSON.

THIS PERSON MAY NOT HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS PERSON WHO'S COMING IN TO OFFER THESE RESOURCES.

SO IF TRUST HAS BEEN VIOLATED ON EVERY LEVEL, WHY ARE THEY JUST GOING TO TAKE YOU UP ON RESOURCES RIGHT THEN? SO EXPANDING THE THE BREADTH OF THOSE WHO CAN GO OUT AND BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND BECOME MORE ATTUNED TO THAT INDIVIDUAL AND KNOW WHAT TO OFFER AT THE TIME, I SEE A LOT OF VALUE IN THAT.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO THAT.

I THINK IF SOMEONE IS A HABITUAL RESOURCE, REFUSER, I THINK THE FUNNEL NEEDS TO TIGHTEN ON THAT FOR SURE.

BUT AS FAR AS JUST CARTING PEOPLE AWAY, THAT'S EXPENSIVE AND TIME CONSUMING.

AND WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON OUR VIOLENT CRIME PLAN THAT'S WORKING, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO DEPLOY RESOURCES AND MANAGE OUR HOMELESSNESS SITUATION A DIFFERENT WAY. AND I THINK HAVING THE RELATIONAL ABILITIES TO MOVE PEOPLE TO RESOURCES, SOMETIMES IT JUST TAKES MORE TIME THAN WE WOULD LIKE.

BUT THE MORE I'M LOOKING AT THIS AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT CAN REALLY DO ON THE GROUND, I LIKE GOING THIS DIRECTION.

I THINK IT WILL HELP US GET TO MOVING THE NEEDLES AND MOVING PEOPLE INTO HAVING A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD AND NOT LIVING OUT ON OUR STREETS.

THANKS. ALL RIGHT.

I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE.

SO, MADAM CITY MANAGER, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ON ITEM B BEFORE WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT'S THE CONCLUSION OF ALL OF OUR BRIEFING SCHEDULE FOR TODAY.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

MEMBERS OF THE GAME PLAN WILL BE WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND WE'LL COME BACK JUST FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADJOURNMENT.

[Closed Session]

SO IT IS 12:19 A.M.

ON APRIL 17TH, 2020 FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WILL NOW GO INTO CLOSED SESSION UNDER SECTION 551 .071 OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT ON THE FOLLOWING MATTER DESCRIBED ON TODAY'S AGENDA. SEEKING THE ADVICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING CITY OF DALLAS VERSUS EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT FUND OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.

AND WE STAND AT RECESS UNTIL WE'LL SAY 1:00.

BUT. ALL RIGHT.

THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS COMPLETE.

IT'S CLOSED SESSION UNDER SECTION FIVE, 51.071 OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

AT 1:18 P.M.

ON APRIL 17TH, 2024, WE RETURNED TO OPEN SESSION.

MADAM SECRETARY, IS THERE ANYTHING LEFT TO ADDRESS TODAY? MR. MAYOR, THERE IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS FOR THIS MEETING.

THEN WITH THAT, IT'S 1:18 P.M.

AND THIS MEETING OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL STANDS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.

Apr 17, 2024 Council Briefing

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