May 08, 2024 City Council Agenda Meetings

[00:00:03]

GOOD MORNING. WE HAVE A QUORUM.

[CALL TO ORDER]

THE TIME IS 9:38 A.M..

I NOW CALL THIS MEETING OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER.

TODAY'S INVOCATION SPEAKER IS PASTOR RAYFORD BUTLER.

THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT CHAPLAIN.

YES, SIR. GOOD MORNING, SIR.

GOOD MORNING. FIRST OF ALL LET ME JUST ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL LADIES AND SAY TO YOU, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO YOU.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT FROM MY MOUTH.

AMEN. AND THEN WE READY TO PRAY.

FATHER GOD, WE COME THANKING YOU FOR ANOTHER DAY.

A DAY THAT WE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

AND ONE THAT WE ONLY CAN IMAGINE.

WE COME SUBMITTING OUR LIFE TO YOU COMPLETELY.

HELP US TO DO JUST WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE US TO DO.

NOT OUR WILL, BUT LET THY WILL BE DONE.

BLESS EVERY SUBJECT MATTER THAT'S COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL TODAY.

LET EVERYBODY BE MINDFUL THAT YOU YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A CHANGE.

BUT THE KIND OF CHANGE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, THE CHANGE THAT YOU MAKE HAPPEN THROUGH OUR OBEDIENCE TO YOUR WILL.

AND WE GIVE YOU PRAISE IN JESUS NAME.

AMEN. AMEN.

IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE RISE FOR OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES FLAG AND THEN THE TEXAS FLAG.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE.

TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU MAY BE SEATED.

WE HAVE A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS MORNING.

I HAVE ONE, AND I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHERS.

THE FIRST IS I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MONDAY WAS HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY, AND IT'S ON THIS DAY THAT WE REMEMBER THE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST.

THE STORIES OF RESILIENCE AND LOSS SHOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN, AND WE SHOULD HONOR THEIR MEMORY BY STANDING TODAY AGAINST HATRED AND DISCRIMINATION IN ALL OF ITS FORMS. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MONDAY WAS HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY.

FOR OUR NEXT ANNOUNCEMENT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY AND COLLEAGUES.

TODAY, MAY 8TH, 2024 MARKS THE 22ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF DALLAS HISTORIC CHAPTER 46 LGBTQ NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE BEING PASSED BY A VOTE OF 13 TO 2 ON MAY 8TH, 2002.

THIS ORDINANCE HAS HELPED PROTECT LGBTQ EMPLOYEES, RESIDENTS, VISITORS, AND JUST ABOUT ANYONE WHO IS JUST PASSING THROUGH OUR GREAT CITY.

THIS HISTORIC ORDINANCE WAS PASSED AT A TIME WHEN EVEN NEW YORK CITY HAD NOT YET PASSED SUCH A COMPREHENSIVE ORDINANCE.

THIS WAS BEFORE LAWRENCE V TEXAS WAS RULED ON BY THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, A HISTORIC RULING THAT LEGITIMIZED, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY, SAME SEX RELATIONSHIPS.

AND IN 2014, MR. MAYOR DALLAS VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY BY 77%, APPROVED TO RATIFY AN EXPANDED VERSION OF THIS ORDINANCE INTO THE DALLAS CITY CHAPTER. AND I THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES, BUT I HAVE TO GIVE A BIG SPECIAL SHOUT OUT AND A PERSONAL THANK YOU TO THE PIONEERS ON THIS COUNCIL.

BACK THEN IN 2002, THE HONORABLE JOHN LOZA, VIOLETTA FORSYTHE LIL, ELBA GARCIA, ED OAKLEY AND MAYOR LAURA MILLER, WHO ALL LED THE CHARGE IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS HISTORIC 20 NOW 22 YEAR OLD ORDINANCE THAT'S NOW RATIFIED IN OUR CITY CHARTER.

THE LAW OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.

IT'S A PERSONAL ONE FOR ME BECAUSE I AM A MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU TO THOSE PIONEERS.

AND I HAVE TO ADD ONE MORE, WHICH WAS FOR 20 YEARS BEFORE THAT, THERE WAS ONE PERSON IN THIS CITY WHO STARTED IT AND KEPT IT GOING AND DID NOT STOP FIGHTING UNTIL THIS COUNCIL DID SOMETHING. AND THAT WAS STEVE ATKINSON, WHO'S STILL AROUND KICKING TAIL, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT LGBTQ RIGHTS ARE EXPANDED.

UNTIL ALL PEOPLE ARE EQUAL IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND I WANTED TO GIVE HIM A SHOUT OUT AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT WAS A LONG TIME TO FIGHT FOR SOMETHING.

AND WHEN THAT HAPPENED.

BUT FOR THE REST OF US, AS WE CONTINUE OUR PLIGHTS AND OUR STRUGGLES, REGARDLESS OF WHAT PART IT IS WE'RE ALL TOGETHER, DALLASITES.

AND WE'RE ALL TOGETHER.

ONE DALLAS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AT THIS TIME.

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CHAIRMAN GRACEY FOR AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

I JUST WANTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT AS MANY OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, AND WANTED TO

[00:05:07]

IN THESE CHALLENGING TIMES, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS THE STIGMA SURROUNDING MENTAL HEALTH AND ENSURE ACCESS TO VITAL RESOURCES FOR ALL RESIDENTS. SO TODAY, I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND HARMONY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PARK COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO PROVIDE FREE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

SO I WANTED TO I SEE THEM THERE.

I WANTED TO TAKE A TIME TO RECOGNIZE MARK PORTER AND THE TEAM.

SO IF YOU COULD ALL STAND AND IF WE CAN COME DOWN AND JUST TAKE A QUICK PICTURE, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT AND THEN HAVE A PROCLAMATION TO READ, TOO, IF THAT'S OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. SO AS YOU MAKE YOUR WAY DOWN, I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS MENTAL HEALTH IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OVERALL WELL-BEING IMPACTING INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS DALLAS.

AND WHEREAS 1 IN 5 AMERICAN ADULTS EXPERIENCE A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION EACH YEAR, AND EVERYONE FACES CHALLENGES IN LIFE THAT CAN IMPACT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.

AND WHEREAS, DESPITE ITS PREVALENCE, MENTAL HEALTH REMAINS SHROUDED IN STIGMA, PREVENTING MANY FROM SEEKING HELP.

AND WHEREAS EARLY INTERVENTION AND ACCESS TO QUALITY CARE ARE CRUCIAL FOR MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AND IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE.

WHEREAS THERE ARE MANY MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, HARMONY CDC, WITH THE GRANT SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS, CURRENTLY HAS FUNDING TO PROVIDE NO COST COUNSELING SESSIONS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS RESIDENTS, WHEREAS MAY IS RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE AWARENESS, COMBAT STIGMA, AND PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES.

NOW, THEREFORE ERIC L JOHNSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, ON BEHALF OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL, DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 2024 AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH TO HARMONY YOUR TEAM AND THE WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO.

DOCTOR BRENDA RICHARDSON AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT ME TO DO THAT, BUT YOUR COMMITMENT, YOUR SACRIFICE AND ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE TO CONTINUE SERVING THIS COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND CONTINUE TO DO SO.

WITH THAT, WE'LL JUST TAKE A QUICK PICTURE.

COME ON DOWN. LET'S COME INSIDE THE RAIL, LET THEM INSIDE AND WE'LL TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH.

AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE KRISTEN MCNEILL BACK AT CITY HALL.

MY FORMER COMMUNITY LIAISON.

WELCOME BACK KRISTEN.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

WHILE EVERYBODY'S MAKING THEIR WAY BACK TO THEIR SEATS.

MADAM SECRETARY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR OPEN MICROPHONE SPEAKERS FOR THIS MORNING.

[OPEN MICROPHONE]

THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW HEAR ALL OF ITS REGISTERED OPEN MICROPHONE SPEAKERS.

I'LL RECITE THE SPEAKER GUIDELINES.

SPEAKERS MUST OBSERVE THE SAME RULES OF PROPRIETY, DECORUM AND GOOD CONDUCT APPLICABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

ANY SPEAKER MAKING PERSONAL, IMPERTINENT, PROFANE, OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS, OR WHO BECOMES BOISTEROUS WHILE ADDRESSING THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE ROOM.

YOU DO HAVE ONE VIRTUAL SPEAKER.

THAT SPEAKER WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE SESSION.

INDIVIDUALS WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.

YOU'LL NOTICE THE TIME ON THE MONITOR AT THE PODIUM WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.

PLEASE STOP FOR THOSE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS.

FOR THE VIRTUAL SPEAKER, I WILL ANNOUNCE WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

ALSO, SPEAKERS, PLEASE BE MINDFUL THAT DURING YOUR COMMENTS YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO REFER TO A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER BY NAME.

AND PLEASE ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS TO MAYOR JOHNSON.

ONLY YOUR FIRST SPEAKER, ROBERT CECCARELLI.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.

I'M TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED.

MY LAST SPEECH WITH THE BOARDING HOMES.

CITY LICENSED BOARDING HOMES.

I WAS ATTACKED BY A PERSON FROM HOUSTON.

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON.

WE DID NOT KNOW WHO HE WAS.

HE WAS MY ROOMMATE.

AND HE'S RIGHT NOW IS IN JAIL.

AND THE BOARDING HOMES DO NOT CHECK OUT WHO THE WHO COMES IN THE BOARDING HOMES.

[00:10:02]

THIS PERSON WHO CAME IN HIS NAME WAS NEIL HIGGINBOTHAM.

HE CAME IN MASS MURDER, A MURDERER IN HOUSTON.

AND WHEN HE ASSAULTED ME, I LOOKED HIM UP AND THERE'S A CHANNEL 26 NEWS, HOUSTON, NEIL HIGGINBOTHAM, WORST OF THE WORST.

YOU'LL SEE IT ON CHANNEL 26 ABOUT WHAT HE DID IN HOUSTON.

OKAY, I WAS GOING TO PLAY THE TAPE TODAY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE NOBODY WANTS TO LISTEN TO ME LIKE THE MAYOR ALWAYS DOES NOT.

MAYOR, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BAD HABIT OF NOT LISTENING TO PEOPLE.

ALSO, YOU HAVE A BAD HABIT OF PEOPLE NOT WANTING YOU TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL.

OKAY, SO WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU, MAYOR, IS THAT WITH THESE BOARDING HOMES, SERIAL KILLERS ARE ALLOWED.

THERE IS NO IDS.

ALL YOU NEED IS MONEY, OKAY? THE MONEY, THAT'S ALL THEY WANT.

THAT'S ALL THEY WANT. AND THEY CAN COME IN AND THEY CAN USE THESE PLACES AS HIDEOUTS.

I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING MR. MAYOR, YOU DO THIS ALL THE TIME WITH ME.

BUT I JUST TELL YOU THE TRUTH, SIR.

NOW, THERE'S ONE OTHER THING THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

THERE'S AN ELECTION GOING ON AND HAPPENED IN DISD.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE, BUT GOD FORBID, I HOPE IT'S NOT TRUE.

BUT WE'LL WAIT.

FOR WHAT? WE'LL WAIT ON THAT.

ON THAT ONE MORE THING ABOUT BOARDING HOMES, SIR.

ILLEGAL EVICTIONS.

PEOPLE CAN LEAVE IMMEDIATELY.

AND YOUR TIME, IS THAT IT? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU.

LINDA NEWLAND.

GOOD DAY, MAYOR LINDA NEWLAND, DISTRICT SEVEN.

SUMMARY OF MY SPEECH ON APRIL 3RD, I SPOKE OF THAT POISON HYDROFLUORIC ACID Y'ALL ADD TO OUR WATER TO RAISE THE FLUORIDE LEVEL AND HOW IT CAUSES NEGATIVE ISSUES WITH OUR BODIES.

I MENTIONED I WOULD TELL Y'ALL HOW TO PREVENT CAVITIES WITHOUT ADDING THAT POISON.

SO HERE IT IS FOUND IN A BOOK TITLED NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL DEGENERATION BY WESTON A PRICE, CHAPTER 22.

DOCTOR PRICE HAD FOLKS REPLACE ONE MEAL A DAY WITH VEGGIES, MEAT, FRUIT AND NOT MUCH SUGARS.

NO CARIES WERE.

WORK. SO CARRIE'S WAS CONTROLLED GOING BACK TO QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE ON NOVEMBER 7TH, WHERE A DENTIST, A DOCTOR AND A PROFESSOR SPOKE ABOUT FLUORIDATION.

THE THREE EXPERTS.

TOTAL PRESENTATIONS WERE ONLY 15 MINUTES, BUT D7 AND CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE REQUESTED SPEAKERS TO SPEED UP TO HAVE THEIR TIME FOR QUESTIONS.

THEN D7 CONCLUDED WITHOUT ASKING QUESTIONS.

THE PRO FLUORIDATION PANEL ON OCTOBER 16TH, WAS NEVER ASKED TO SPEED UP, AND D13 PANDERED CANDLE TO THE PANEL NOVEMBER 7TH.

WHILE D13 WAS DISRESPECTFUL TO THE PANEL CLOSE OF FLUORIDATION, SHE TOOK TIME TO SPEAK ABOUT JOHNSON AND JOHNSON'S MARKETING, WHERE SHE USED TO WORK.

I READ AN ARTICLE J AND J IS TO PROVIDE THOUSANDS TO CLAIMS. THAT'S YOUR TIME, JANE.

DID I HAVE THREE MINUTES? NO, I WANT. I'M SORRY, MISS.

I SHOULD HAVE POINTED OUT TO YOU.

WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS HERE THIS MORNING, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A MOTION.

I'M TOLD TO HAVE EVERYONE SPEAK, SO WE'RE GOING TO END UP HAVING TWO MINUTES TODAY INSTEAD OF THREE AHEAD OF TIME.

TWO MINUTES. THE FIRST PERSON HAD THREE MINUTES.

I SAW IT ON THE SCREEN.

THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY.. HE DID, HE SAID 2:59 I'M SORRY.

WHEN I LOOKED IT WAS HE GOT THREE MINUTES, SIR.

HE DIDN'T. HE DID.

OKAY, I SAW IT.

WE GOT TO ASK YOU. I SAW IT, SIR.

IF HE GOT THREE MINUTES, EVERYBODY ELSE DESERVED THREE MINUTES.

THAT WOULD BE TRUE. I DIDN'T IF IT WERE, SAY THREE MINUTES.

NO, I MENTIONED TWO MINUTES, MA'AM.

YEAH. IT'S OKAY, I UNDERSTAND, BUT IT'S NOT.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK. IT WAS TWO MINUTES.

[00:15:02]

SO IT LOOKED LIKE IT STARTED OFF WITH THREE, BUT IT WAS TAKEN IMMEDIATELY TO SAW THAT.

THANK YOU. I'M SORRY, I KNOW I HAD THREE.

I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

I DO, BUT THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

BUT IT'S TWO MINUTES FOR THE SPEAKERS TODAY BECAUSE THEY'RE SO MANY.

YOUR NEXT SPEAKER, MARK NUNLEY.

HELLO. THANK YOU MAYOR.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL, FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.

MY NAME IS MARTIN NUNLEY. I LIVE IN DISTRICT 13, PROUD RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 13.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE HOMELESS ISSUE AND HAVE A TEAM AND HAVE HAD A TEAM FOR THE LAST YEAR GOING INTO THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AND COUNTING HOMELESS TWICE A MONTH. WE CONTINUE THAT EFFORT.

WE HAVE A REAL CRIME AND HOMELESS PROBLEM IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS.

THERE ARE BIG COMPANIES THAT ARE LEAVING THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THESE ISSUES.

BIG COMPANIES LIKE BANK OF AMERICA THAT LEFT THE BIG 72 STORY TOWER ON MAIN STREET BECAUSE HOMELESSNESS AND CRIME, THEY DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES WORKING THERE.

SO THEY'RE MOVING.

THIS IS CREATING HUGE DROPS IN APPRAISALS, HUGE DROPS IN VALUES AND BIG REVENUE DROPS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.

WE NEED TO FIX THESE ISSUES.

IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR LAST WEEK FROM THE HOUSING BOARD FOLKS AND AND ALL THE TREMENDOUS WORK THAT SARAH AND HER TEAM ARE DOING.

WE WE APPLAUD THEIR EFFORTS AND WISH THEM CONTINUED SUCCESS.

THAT'S CRITICAL WORK THAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE.

HOWEVER, I'D LIKE FOR THE CITY TO FOCUS ON SUPPORT FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE TYPE CONCEPT IN DALLAS.

OUR MISSION WILL BE TO END HOMELESSNESS AND ENCAMPMENTS IN DALLAS.

THIS CONCEPT WILL COMPLEMENT THE EXISTING EFFORTS OF HOUSING FORD AND OTHERS.

WE RECOMMEND A MASSIVE CAMPUS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS, WHERE EVERY SERVICE THAT AN UNSHELTERED PERSON MIGHT WANT WILL BE AVAILABLE, AND CREATE A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS ACCESS TO THESE SERVICES.

IMAGINE A CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, CLEAN, CRIME FREE, WITH NO HOMELESS OR ENCAMPMENTS ANYWHERE.

WE CAN DO IT. IT'S ALL WITHIN OUR CONTROL.

THANK YOU.

ISABEL REDFIELD.

GOOD MORNING COUNCIL.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR JOHNSON.

THIS MORNING I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS SOME TROUBLING STATISTICS ABOUT CRIME I'VE DISCOVERED.

ARE YOU ALL AWARE THAT DALLAS RANKS 20TH IN MAJOR CITIES IN OUR CITIZEN TO OFFICER RATIO? DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE WERE FEWER DALLAS PD OFFICERS IN 2022 THAN IN 2012? AND THAT'S DESPITE AN INCREASE IN POPULATION OF OVER 10%.

THIS FAILURE TO ATTRACT TALENT AND KEEP UNIFORMED OFFICERS IN PACE WITH OUR POPULATION GROWTH PUTS CITIZENS AT RISK AND BOLSTERS CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.

FOR INSTANCE, I LEARNED THIS WEEK THAT THE AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME FOR LIFE THREATENING TIER TWO CRIMES IS 107 MINUTES.

DOWNTOWN DALLAS EXPERIENCES THREE TIMES MORE MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT PER SQUARE MILE EACH MONTH, COMPARED TO AUSTIN, FORT WORTH, AND HOUSTON COMBINED.

MANY OF THESE EXPERIENCES END WITH NO POLICE RESPONSE.

OUR ALREADY OVERBURDENED OFFICERS FACE UNREST AS OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY CONTINUES TO LOWER CRIMINAL PUNISHMENTS.

THE COUNCIL MUST TAKE CRIME SERIOUSLY AND YOUR ROLE TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY IN DALLAS, ESPECIALLY AS YOU PREPARE TO EVALUATE AND SUBMIT AMENDMENTS TO THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION REPORT.

I KNOW THAT PROCESS IS COMING UP QUICKLY.

ON A POSITIVE NOTE, I WAS OVERJOYED TO HEAR VOTERS RESOUNDING APPROVAL FOR THE NEW LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING CENTER AT UNT.

I HOPE OUR CITY WILL ATTRACT EVEN MORE POLICE TALENT BY CELEBRATING AND REWARDING LAW ENFORCEMENT SACRIFICES WITH MORE COMPETITIVE SALARIES THAT MATCH THE LIKES OF NORTH DALLAS. AS A STATE, TEXAS RECOGNIZES THAT LAW AND ORDER ARE ESSENTIAL TO NATIONAL PROSPERITY AND COHESION.

AS A LOCALITY, DALLAS IS POSITIONED TO STEP UP, SET THAT TONE, PROTECT OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN BLUE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, KELSEY MCQUALITY.

LET ME JUST BRING THIS DOWN REAL FAST.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR.

GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS KELSEY MCQUALITY AND I'M A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF DALLAS.

[00:20:03]

TODAY, I AM HERE TO APPEAL TO YOU ALL TO DETERMINE A PATH TO LEGISLATIVE PROTECTION AND SOLUTION REGARDING THE POSSESSION OF PEPPER SPRAY.

PEPPER SPRAY IS A NON-LETHAL TOOL THAT MANY PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY WOMEN, USE AS A MEANS FOR SELF-DEFENSE.

THE AVERAGE FULL EFFECTS LASTS FROM 20 TO 90 MINUTES, BUT EYE IRRITATION AND REDNESS CAN LAST UP FOR 24 HOURS.

I LIVED UPTOWN FOR FIVE YEARS AND I'M GOING ON MY THIRD IN OAK CLIFF.

I MET MY BEAUTIFUL GIRLFRIEND, BROOKE IN OAK LAWN, AND WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME OVER THERE TOO.

WHEN WE VISIT THESE DALLAS NEIGHBORHOODS, AMONGST OTHERS, SOMETHING THAT MAKES US BOTH FEEL SAFE IS KNOWING THAT I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY IN MY BAG OR MY PURSE IN THE EVENT SOMETHING TERRIBLE WERE TO HAPPEN DAY OR NIGHT, I HAVE IT ON ME.

I PERSONALLY KNOW MANY WOMEN AND PEOPLE THAT OPERATE AND FUNCTION THE SAME.

WHEN MY TWIN COUSINS GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL TWO YEARS AGO, I GIFTED THEM PINK RHINESTONE PEPPER SPRAY THAT THEY STILL CARRY ON THEIR KEYCHAINS.

THIS IS WHY I'M HERE TODAY.

WHEN ENTERING A LOCAL ESTABLISHMENT ACROSS DALLAS NEIGHBORHOODS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS INSTANCES THAT I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO REMOVE OR CHECK MY PEPPER SPRAY AT THE DOOR FOR EVERY TIME I'VE BEEN ASKED TO REMOVE PEPPER SPRAY FROM MY BAG, I HAVE NEVER ONCE BEEN PROVIDED A SECURE PLACE TO CHECK IT TO ENSURE THAT IT WILL BE RETURNED TO ME ON MY WAY OUT, I'VE COMPLIED AND RESORTED TO HIDING IT IN A NEARBY BUSH OR TREE SO I COULD GET INTO SOMETHING LIKE A SPORTS BAR TO WATCH SOMETHING LIKE A MAVS GAME, ONLY TO LEAVE A FEW MINUTES LATER BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FEEL GREAT NOT HAVING IT IN MY BAG.

IF BARS AND RESTAURANTS ARE ABLE TO HAVE A BAG OR COAT CHECK, IT IS A VERY REASONABLE ASK TO HAVE A DESIGNATED AREA FOR PEPPER SPRAY AND EXPECT ESTABLISHMENTS TO PROVIDE THIS.

IT'S UNSETTLING TO THINK ABOUT SOMEONE LOSING THEIR PEPPER SPRAY IN A SIMILAR SITUATION, AND THEN TAKING A RIDESHARE OR WALKING HOME ALONE AND NEEDING TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WERE ASKED TO CHECK THAT SMALL NONLETHAL SELF-DEFENSE TOOL AT THE DOOR BECAUSE WHEN THEY EXITED, IT WAS NO LONGER THERE.

I'M HOPING THAT THE CITY CONSIDERS..

THAT'S YOUR TIME..

A MEASURE, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND HAVE A BEAUTIFUL REST OF YOUR DAY.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. BAZALDUA YOU WERE GOING TO SAY SOMETHING, RIGHT? OKAY. FOR WHAT PURPOSE? CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA, I HAVE A MOTION.

STATE YOUR MOTION. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO HEAR THE REST OF THE SPEAKERS.

IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? HEARING NONE. IT'S SO ORDERED.

WE'RE GOING TO HEAR EVERYONE THIS MORNING.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO IT.

THANK YOU, GWENDOLYN SNEED.

GOOD MORNING.

I'M GWENDOLYN SNEED, A RESIDENT OF ZIP CODE 75233.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL TODAY.

I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE'S MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, 3119 PINE STREET, 75215 ABOUT A MILE OR SO EAST OF THE S.M.

WRIGHT FREEWAY.

TO EXPRESS OUR PROFOUND DISAPPOINTMENT AND CONFUSION ABOUT THE REMOVAL OF THE SM WRIGHT STREET SIGNS FROM A SECTION OF HIGHWAY 310 THAT RUNS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY, A COMMUNITY THAT DOCTOR SM WRIGHT SPENT HIS PASTORATE SERVING, AND WHOSE MEDIATION AND COALITION BUILDING SKILLS HELPED GUIDE THE CITY THROUGH THE TURBULENT 60S AND 70S OF RACIAL UNREST.

THE ENTIRE HIGHWAY WAS RENAMED IN JULY 1995 BY ACTION OF THE SENATE AND TXDOT AUTHORITY AND WITHOUT NOTICE.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, SOME OF THE SIGNS HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

I URGE THE COUNCIL TO HEAR AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY, TO MOVE SWIFTLY AND WITH ALL DUE DILIGENCE, TO RECTIFY AND RESOLVE THIS PERCEIVED SLAP IN THE FACE OF OUR COMMUNITY BY RESTORING THE REMOVED SM WRIGHT STREET SIGNS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU AGAIN AND GOD BLESS.

THANK YOU.

DAVID WILSON.

GOOD MORNING.

FIRST, GIVING HONOR TO GOD AND RESPECT TO MAYOR ERIC JOHNSON, MAYOR PRO TEM CAROLYN ARNOLD AND DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM OMAR AND DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS ADAM BAZALDUA AND THE ENTIRE DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP OF OUR DALLAS CITY COUNCIL.

[00:25:05]

REVEREND WRIGHT WAS OUR LEADER.

AND WE LOOK BACK AND THIS AS WE'VE COME TODAY IN PEACE, WE'VE COME SIMPLY ASKING THAT YOU EXTEND TO US, IN THE WORDS OF ARETHA FRANKLIN, RESPECT. WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT IT MEANS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY TO RESPECT US.

EXCUSE MY GRAMMAR, BUT SOME RESPECT, BACK ON OUR FORMER IMA ILLUSTRIOUS LEADER, REVEREND SM WRIGHT'S NAME, AND BRING DIGNITY TO THE REVEREND S.M.

WRIGHT FREEWAY AND SHOW SOME LOVE AND RESPECT TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

THAT'S MY HUMBLE REQUEST, AS THE PRESIDENT AND LEADER OF THE IMA, THE ORGANIZATION WHICH REVEREND SM WRIGHT LED WITH DIGNITY.

YOU KNOW, ON LAST SATURDAY, VOTERS APPROVED OVER $1 BILLION IN BONDS TO KEEP UP WITH THE CITY'S RAPID GROWTH.

OVER 3 BILLION WAS APPROVED TWO YEARS AGO TO BUILD A NEW CONVENTION CENTER.

IN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF FROM NOW, DALLAS VOTERS WILL BE TAXED AGAIN THEMSELVES.

I AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY LOVE DALLAS.

WE ARE LOVE TO GROW.

WE LOVE DALLAS GROWTH.

WE LOVE SAFE COMMUNITIES.

WE LOVE BETTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS MOST OF ALL..

THAT'S YOUR TIME. OKAY.

GOD BLESS. THANK YOU.

CAMILLE WHITE HAS CANCELED, DENNY DAVIS.

GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR, AND TO OUR CITY COUNCIL.

AS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, I CERTAINLY STAND WITH ALL OF THESE PASTORS AS WELL AS DOCTOR WILSON, TO EXPRESS, FIRST OF ALL, OUR DISAPPOINTMENT CONCERNING WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED WITH THE S.M.

WRIGHT FREEWAY.

I SERVED UNDER DOCTOR S.M.

WRIGHT AS A SON IN MINISTRY.

I SERVED AS A YOUTH PASTOR AND LATER AS HIS ASSISTANT PASTOR.

ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF PASTORING FOR SEVEN YEARS, RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM HIM IN THE FAIR PARK DISTRICT OF DALLAS, AND TO DRIVE DOWN THE STREET THE OTHER DAY AND TO DISCOVER THAT HIS NAME HAS BEEN REMOVED HAS BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTING AS WELL AS DISHEARTENING.

AND IT'S REALLY DISTURBING BECAUSE I TRY TO WRESTLE IN MY MIND WITH, HOW COULD THIS OCCUR, THAT ALL OF THE PLANNING THAT GOES INTO THE REDEVELOPMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, STREETS AND SIGNAGE AND DRAINAGE AND ALL, AND ON AND ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES AND THE LIKE, HOW COULD THE DETAIL OF A NAME.

THE STREET NAME BE CHANGED OR FORGOTTEN OR OVERSIGHT WITH SO MUCH WORK THAT GOES INTO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, I COULDN'T IMAGINE THIS OCCURRING WITH CESAR CHAVEZ.

I COULD NOT IMAGINE THIS OCCURRING WITH R.L.

THORNTON. I COULDN'T IMAGINE THIS HAPPENING WITH GEORGE BUSH FREEWAYS.

I COULDN'T IMAGINE THIS HAPPENING WITH SCHEPPS.

I COULDN'T IMAGINE THIS HAPPENING, NAME THE LIST.

I COULDN'T IMAGINE THIS, IT'S UNIMAGINABLE.

IT'S A DERELICT OF DUTY.

AND IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING, VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT 29 YEARS LATER, WE HAVE TO REVISIT SOMETHING.

IT WAS GEORGE BUSH WHO CAME FOR THE CEREMONY AND DECLARED THAT DOCTOR SM.

WRIGHT WAS A BRIDGE THAT CONNECTED THE SOUTHERN SECTOR WITH THE NORTHERN SECTOR.

AND NOW HERE WE HAVE A REPEAL OR A REVERSAL OF SO MANY OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS FROM THE 60S.

IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING.

THANK YOU. CYNTHIA BRYANT.

GOOD. GOOD MORNING.

I ASSUMED OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 5330 FREESTONE CIRCLE, DALLAS, TEXAS 75227, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT SEVEN.

ON NOVEMBER 8TH, 2021, THE PROPERTY HAD BEEN ABANDONED.

UPON ACQUIRING THE PROPERTY, I SECURED IT, CLEARED THE RESIDENCE OF VOLUMINOUS TRASH, AND PAID THE CITY TO DISPOSE OF IT.

I HAD ELECTRIC SERVICES CONNECTED IN DECEMBER 2021, AND PAID CIVIL CITATIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,744 AND 60 CENT TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.

IN SEPTEMBER 2022, I ENTERED INTO AN INSTALLMENT AGREEMENT WITH LINEBERGER, LINEBARGER, EXCUSE ME, GOGGIN, BLAIR

[00:30:06]

I BEGAN PAYING SIX 662.76 AFTER INITIALLY PAYING $400 IN OCTOBER 2022, AND I'VE PAID APPROXIMATELY $13,000 IN TAXES TO DATE, AS AGREED.

I'VE SPENT APPROXIMATELY $5,000 ON REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE, WHICH INCLUDED REPAIRING THE GLASS AND LOCKS IN THE PATIO DOOR VANDALS DESTROYED. I REPAIRED THE ROOF, I SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS REHABILITATING THE PROPERTY AND RESTORING IT TO AN INHABITABLE STATE.

I'VE MAINTAINED THE LAWN AND FOLIAGE, REMOVED TREES, TREE LIMBS AND OVERGROWN VEGETATION FROM THE ELECTRIC LINES, REPAIRED THE FENCES, POSTED NO TRESPASSING SIGNS, AND RENTED OUT THE PROPERTY.

MY FURNITURE, RESIDENTIAL AND OFFICE ARE STILL IN THE PLACE.

I CAN'T GET IT. I'M AN ENTREPRENEUR AND I CAN'T GET MY OFFICE FURNITURE.

ON NOVEMBER 26TH, I CALLED THE POLICE WHEN I DISCOVERED SQUATTERS IN THE PLACE.

THE POLICE WENT AROUND THE HOUSE, SAW THAT THE SQUATTERS HAD BROKEN INTO IT.

THE BACK PATIO DOOR IS BROKEN AGAIN.

THE LOCK IS AND THEY REFUSED TO PUT THEM OUT.

THAT'S YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

PRECIOUS SAULS HAS CANCELED.

CLAUDIA FOWLER.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

TAKE YOUR TIME. ARE YOU OKAY, CLAUDIA? YOU ALL RIGHT? YEAH. OKAY.

SO FAR. ALL RIGHT.

IF YOU NEED A MINUTE, WE'RE GOING TO LET YOU GO.

DO YOU WANT? ARE YOU GOOD NOW? YEAH. OKAY. AND THEN ANOTHER TWO MINUTES.

SOME KIND OF DEAL HERE.

ANYWAY, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR JOHNSON.

AND TO THIS ESTEEMED CLERGY THAT SITS HERE, COUNTED 25 PLUS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT SM FREEWAY 310 IS THE GATEWAY INTO THE JOPPA COMMUNITY.

THE S.M. WRIGHT FREEWAY HAS BEEN AROUND IN MY LIFE SINCE 1994- 95.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I HOPE, AND I AM HEARING THE RIGHT THING, THAT IT HAS BEEN SOLVED, IT HAS BEEN RESOLVED, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER BIG SIGN UNVEILING, AM I CORRECT? CAN I GET AN AMEN? ALRIGHT, SO AGAIN, HISTORY IS SO IMPORTANT TO THIS CITY.

I WANT MY GRANDSON TO BE ABLE TO ASK ME ONE DAY QUEENIE, YOU KNOW, HE DON'T CALL ME NANA, WE DON'T DO ALL THAT.

QUEENIE WHO IS S.M.

WRIGHT? NOW WILL BE ABLE TO TELL HIM HE WAS A LEADER IN THIS COMMUNITY, THE PASTOR OF THE PEOPLE'S MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, AND THAT HE DID SOME THINGS HERE IN THIS CITY.

SO AND THEN MY CITY COUNCIL DECIDED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO KEEP THE NAME WHEN THE SIGNS WERE REMARKABLY, THEY WERE TAKEN DOWN OVERNIGHT. I COME INTO JOPPY AND I THOUGHT I WAS SEEING THINGS.

I TURNED BACK AROUND ON THE BRIDGE.

I'M LIKE, THE SIGN IS GONE.

SO HOPEFULLY TODAY I SAID AFTER TODAY THAT THE SIGNS WILL BE BACK UP AND A PERIOD OF TIME, AND THAT AGAIN, WE WILL BE LOOKING TO A BIG SIGN UNVEILING.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

DARRYL BLAIR.

AND MAKE SURE SHE'S OKAY.

I MIGHT CHECK HER OUT.

YOU BE CAREFUL, BLAIR.

NOW, YOU SEE, I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, I KNEW.

GOOD MORNING TO THE COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS DARRYL BLAIR.

I'M A NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER.

I'M NOT A PREACHER, SO I KEEP IT ALL IN PRINT.

I WANT TO BE QUICK AND TO THE POINT.

THE REASON THAT WE'RE HERE IS BECAUSE S.M.

WRIGHT FREEWAY WAS A PART OF A CELEBRATION FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY SOLD US THE SIZZLE, BUT WE DIDN'T GET THE STEAK.

THE S.M.

WRIGHT FREEWAY, IF YOU GOT STOPPED ON THERE AND THEN YOU CALL 911, IT WOULD REGISTER AS CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY.

YEAH, EVEN FIVE MONTHS AGO, FIVE YEARS AGO.

AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE DON'T WANT SYMBOLISM.

WE WANT YOU TO WORK WITH THE STATE AND WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO NAME THAT FREEWAY SM WRIGHT.

SO WHEN WE DIAL 911, WE TELL THEM SM WRIGHT AND THEY SAY CENTRAL.

WE SAID NO SM WRIGHT THAT THEY GOT IT RIGHT.

I SHUDDER TO THINK THAT MY FATHER HAS A PARK NAMED AFTER HIM IN DALLAS, AND THAT I WOULD BE STANDING IN THESE SAME SHOES AT SOME POINT IN TIME BECAUSE SOMEBODY DID SOMETHING SYMBOLIC. I WANT IT TO BE SOMETHING OF SUBSTANCE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS SIMPLY A MATTER OF RESPECT.

[00:35:02]

LET'S TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER, YOU DO BETTER.

WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER, YOU DO BETTER.

YOU MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE GREATER GOOD.

YOU DIDN'T SET THIS IN PLACE, BUT YOU CAN CERTAINLY FIX IT.

AND YOU CAN PUT ALL OF THE CONSTRAINTS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN WITH ANY OTHER STREET OR ANY OTHER NAME.

GOD BLESS AND GOD KEEP.

THANK YOU. TOMMY BROWN.

AND YOU BE CAREFUL TOO, REV.

BROWN. NOW COME ON.

YEAH, TAKE YOUR TIME.

TO THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.

I WAS IN DENVER, COLORADO ON LAST WEEK, MOVING MY DAUGHTER FROM DALLAS TO DENVER AND RECEIVED A CALL OF THE REMOVING OF THE SIGNAGE OF DOCTOR S.M.

WRIGHT FREEWAY.

I WAS THERE ON JUNE 13TH OF 1995, AS A YOUNG PASTOR IN THAT CROWD, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO SIT THERE WITH THEN-GOVERNOR BUSH TO WATCH THE SIGNAGE GO UP TO APART THAT ENTIRE CEREMONY.

AS A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL, I LEARNED A QUOTE THAT SAYS, IF HISTORY NEVER FAILS TO REPEAT ITSELF, HOW INCAPABLE MAN MUST BE OF LEARNING FROM HIS MISTAKES.

AND WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF.

A MISTAKE WAS MADE NOT ON YOUR PART, BUT ON THE PARTS OF THOSE WHO SERVED PRIOR TO YOU.

BUT WE COME TODAY, FIRST OF ALL, TO SAY THANK YOU TO ADAM BAZALDUA TO CERTAINLY TO KIM TOLBERT FOR EVEN MEETING WITH US THIS MORNING.

WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE SWIFT ACTION THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN.

BUT WE MUST SAY THAT AS PASTORS WHO ARE STANDING AS WATCHMEN ON THE WALL, WE HAVE COME OVER A WAY THAT HAS BEEN WATERED WITH TEARS.

STONE IS THE ROAD WE TROD, BUT WE STAND TODAY AS WATCHMEN OF THIS CITY, APPLAUDING YOU FOR THE ACTION THAT YOU'RE TAKING.

AND WE TRUST THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE SAID YOU WOULD DO IN WRITING THIS WRONG.

AND SO WE APPLAUD YOU TODAY, CITY MANAGER I SHOULD SAY INTERIM CITY MANAGER.

COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE THAT THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID.

WE WON'T REPEAT OURSELVES, BUT IF THIS IS LBJ, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

IF THIS WAS THE BUSH TOLLWAY, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

BUT FOR SOME REASON, WHEN IT COME TO US, WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT PAPERWORK NOT BEING IN ORDER.

BUT TODAY AS WATCHMEN OF THE CITY.

WE'RE JUST HERE TO SAY WE APPLAUD YOU.

WE APPRECIATE YOU FOR YOUR SWIFT ACTION, AND WE WANT TO JUST STAND AND WORK WITH YOU TO SEE THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN, AND THAT THE SIGNS GO UP AND THAT THE HISTORY AND THE LEGACY OF THE LATE DOCTOR SM WRIGHT LIVE ON IN THIS CITY.

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.

THANK YOU. MARK SCHLENKER.

MAYOR. FOR WHAT PURPOSE? A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.

GO AHEAD. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR A MINUTE.

THANK YOU. MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE SPEAKERS WHO HAVE COME OUT FOR REVEREND WRIGHT'S STREET NAME AND LEGACY.

I'VE HAD INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS AND MEETINGS TO THIS POINT.

BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOUR CONCERNS HAVE NOT FALLEN ON DEAF EARS.

ACTIONS ALREADY BEEN IN MOTION.

THIS COUNCIL WILL BE COMMITTED TO TAKING THE NECESSARY STEPS TO ESSENTIALLY CHECK SOME BOXES, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE WILL OF A BODY TO TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD.

AND I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS CONTINUES TO BE ON.

I WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT AND EMPHASIZE JUST AS I TOLD REVEREND WRIGHT JUNIOR THAT IT'S A BLESSING IN DISGUISE FOR THIS TO OCCUR WHEN IT DID. REVEREND WRIGHT AND KELVIN ARE STILL ON THIS EARTH AND STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADVOCATE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS DONE CORRECTLY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

AND SO THE FACT THAT THIS WAS DONE WITH THE RECONSTRUCTION WITH TXDOT AND THERE WAS A CLEAR DISCONNECT BETWEEN PAPERWORK AT THE CITY LEVEL AND THE STATE LEVEL THAT WAS DAYLIGHTED BECAUSE OF THE RECONSTRUCTION, AND IT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED AT A BETTER TIME.

AND I'M GLAD THAT IT HAPPENED WHILE THEY WERE STILL ON THIS EARTH TO MAKE SURE THAT GOING FORWARD THIS IS GOING TO BE A LEGACY THAT'S HONORED IN THE RIGHT WAY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME IN OUR CITY. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S ADVOCACY.

THANK YOU ALL FOR SHOWING UP TODAY, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE PROCESS HAS ALREADY BEEN PUT INTO MOTION.

AND OUR CITY MANAGER, KIM TOLBERT, IS COMMITTED TO SEEING THIS THROUGH.

AND I LOOK FORWARD AS WELL TO A BIG CELEBRATION AND UNVEILING FOR AROUND TWO FOR S.M.

WRIGHT FREEWAY. SO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MAYOR.

THANK YOU. ONE QUICK SECOND PURPOSES PERSONAL.

A MINUTE, ONE MINUTE, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I WANT TO ALSO THANK THE PASTORS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO ASK THAT YOU IF YOU IT'S OKAY.

WOULD YOU ALL EXIT FROM HERE ON THIS FLOOR, THE FLOOR SO WE CAN GET YOU ALL OUT THE ELEVATOR AT ONE TIME, AND THEN WE CAN FINISH UP THE BUSINESS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE.

SO THEY'RE NOT GOING UP AND DOWN THE STAIRS.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THE HOUSEKEEPING THERE.

THAT'S VERY NICE. MAYOR PRO TEM, WERE YOU?

[00:40:02]

BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK CHAIRMAN ALAN BAZALDUA FOR YOUR TIMING.

YOU KNOW, CALLED ON THURSDAY WHEN YOU FIRST FOUND OUT ABOUT WEDNESDAY THAT YOU DID GET RIGHT ON.

AND ALSO THANK CITY MANAGER KIM FOR YOU WHAT YOU DID THIS MORNING ALSO.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

MADAM SECRETARY, WE'RE READY TO GO ON WITH OUR LAST FEW SPEAKERS.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

MARK [INAUDIBLE] WAS AT THE PODIUM.

YOU MAY COME BACK TO THE PODIUM.

YOU MAY BEGIN.

GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR.

DISTINGUISHED CITY COUNCILORS.

CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS MARK, AND I LIVE IN DALLAS.

I'M IN CAROLYN KING ARNOLD'S DISTRICT.

AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF TEXAS FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS.

I'M A VOLUNTEER WITH UNITED SOVEREIGN AMERICANS.

I'M NOT A SPOKESPERSON.

UNITED SOVEREIGN AMERICANS IS A NATIONWIDE ORGANIZATION WITH THOUSANDS OF ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS IN OVER 20 STATES.

TODAY, I COME TO YOU AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN SHARING ALARMING INFORMATION ABOUT OUR STATE'S VOTER DATABASE, UNCOVERED THROUGH THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY OUR HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND CREDENTIALED DATA TEAM.

WHILE THE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING AND SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND, ONE THING IS CLEAR THEY DON'T ADD UP.

OUR AUDIT OF THE 2022 ELECTION, USING ONLY OFFICIAL DATA PROVIDED BY STATE ELECTIONS OFFICIALS, SHOWS THAT THE 2022 ELECTION MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ACCURATE OR LEGALLY COMPLIANT. THIS MORNING, WE WILL PRESENT YOU WITH A RESOLUTION DEMANDING AN END TO THE INACCURACY AND UNCERTAINTY PLAGUING OUR ELECTIONS, ALONG WITH A SUMMARY OF OUR FINDINGS AND THE LAWS THAT APPLY.

WE ARE HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU TO GO OVER THIS INFORMATION, INCLUDING MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE SPECIFIC FINDINGS.

I WILL BEGIN THE RESOLUTION.

THE RESOLUTION FOR A LEGALLY VALID 2024 GENERAL ELECTION, WHEREAS IT IS A RECOGNIZED CIVIL RIGHT IN THE UNITED STATES.

FOR EVERY CITIZEN TO HAVE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS AND THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE CAN BE DENIED BY A DEBASEMENT OR A DILUTION OF THE WEIGHT OF A CITIZENS VOTE, JUST AS EFFECTIVELY AS BY WHOLLY PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE OF THE FRANCHISE AS REYNOLDS VERSUS SIMS FROM 1964.

WHEREAS IT IS THE DUTY OF OUR ELECTION OFFICIALS TO GUARANTEE OUR ELECTIONS ARE ACCURATE AND FREE FROM DISTORTION OR MANIPULATION, CONGRESS SEEKS TO GUARD THE ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AGAINST ANY POSSIBLE AND FAIRNESS BY COMPELLING.

AND IT GOES ON. THAT'S IN RE LACROIX FROM 1888.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, DAN CRAMER.

THANK YOU COUNCIL.

WHEREAS OUR CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT ONLY WORKS WHEN THE FOLLOWING FOUR TENETS OF AN ELECTION ARE UPHELD.

NUMBER ONE, THE VOTER ROLLS MUST BE ACCURATE.

NUMBER TWO, VOTES COUNTED MUST BE FROM ELIGIBLE VOTERS.

NUMBER THREE, THE NUMBER OF VOTES COUNTED MUST EQUAL THE NUMBER OF VOTERS WHO VOTED.

NUMBER FOUR, THERE CAN BE NO MORE THAN 1 IN 125,000 BALLOTS IN ERROR BY THE VOTING SYSTEM, AND THAT'S HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT 2002.

WHEREAS AN OPEN SOURCE AUDIT OF THE TEXAS 2022 GENERAL ELECTION, CONDUCTED BY TEXAS STATE CITIZENS, HAS UNCOVERED EVIDENCE OF MASSIVE INACCURACIES THAT VIOLATE BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS, INCLUDING 291,428 INELIGIBLE OR UNCERTAIN REGISTRATION VIOLATIONS FOUND WITHIN THE TEXAS STATE VOTER ROLL DATABASE, 196,490 VOTES CAST BY INELIGIBLE OR UNCERTAIN REGISTRATIONS 42,150 TOTAL DISCREPANCIES IN THE VOTE COUNT IN THE 2022 GENERAL ELECTION, AS RECORDED BY OFFICIAL CERTIFIED RESULTS.

THE OFFICIAL STATE VOTER ROSTER AND BY A COUNTY SUPPLIED OFFICIAL ROSTER.

NO ONE KNOWS WHICH OF THESE THREE LISTS, IF ANY, IS VALID BECAUSE THE STATE CANNOT TELL US WHO VOTED IN THE ELECTION.

THIS IS FURTHER EXEMPLIFIED BY THE FACT THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE LISTED IN THE COUNTY SUPPLIED ROSTER, WHICH THE STATE ROSTER HAS NO RECORD OF VOTING 196,425. APPARENT VOTING VIOLATIONS IN EXCESS OF THE LEGAL STANDARD OF SYSTEM ACCURACY FOR A VALID FEDERAL ELECTION.

MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE ERROR RATE FOR THE 2022 ELECTION IN TEXAS WAS 65.

CERTIFICATION AS DEFINED BY LAW AND ATTESTATION.

THAT'S YOUR TIME.

[00:45:02]

ELISE THOMPSON.

GOOD MORNING.

CONTINUING.. CERTIFICATION AS DEFINED BY LAW, AN ATTESTATION OF ACCURACY AND COMPLIANCE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN FRAUDULENT AND ILLEGAL.

WHEREAS THESE FINDINGS TRAMPLE LEGAL ACCURACY REQUIREMENTS OF THE VOTING SYSTEM DURING A FEDERAL ELECTION.

ACCURACY IS DEFINED AS THE ABILITY OF THE SYSTEM TO CAPTURE AND REPORT THE SPECIFIC SELECTIONS AND ABSENCE OF SELECTIONS MADE BY A VOTER WITHOUT ERROR, WHEREAS THE INTENT OF THE VOTERS MUST BE KNOWN FACTUALLY BEFORE CERTIFICATION CAN BE LAWFULLY CONDUCTED.

CERTIFICATION AND OF AN ELECTION THAT VARIES FROM THE LAW IS AN ABRIDGMENT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF THE CITIZENS.

A FRAUD AB INITIO UNITED STATES V THROCKMORTON, 1878.

FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, AN ELECTION TO PUBLIC OFFICE HAS BEEN IN POINT OF SUBSTANCE, NO MORE AND NO LESS THAN THE EXPRESSION BY QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THEIR CHOICE OF CANDIDATES.

UNITED STATES VERSUS CLASSIC.

WHEREAS TEXAS 2022 GENERAL ELECTION APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN INVALID, DEPRIVING US OF THE GUARANTEED PROTECTION OF OUR NATURAL RIGHTS UNDER A GOVERNMENT DULY AND PROVABLY CHOSEN BY US, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, RESULTING IN INCALCULABLE DAMAGE TO OUR FAMILIES, OUR WAY OF LIFE, AND THE FABRIC OF THESE UNITED STATES.

THEREFORE, WE CALL UPON OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO THE PEOPLE AND THE ASSURANCE OF DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY BY JOINING US TO DEMANDING A VALID 2024 GENERAL ELECTION THAT UPHOLDS THESE EXISTING LAWS AND EQUITABLE PRINCIPLES OF LAW.

NUMBER ONE PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP, IDENTITY AND ELIGIBILITY TO REGISTER AND VOTE, NOT ANONYMOUS.

ATTESTATION NUMBER TWO VOTER ROLLS CERTIFIED, ACCURATE AND AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.

THAT'S YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. YOUR NEXT SPEAKER, DEBORAH BAUM.

GOOD MORNING.

TWO, VOTER ROLLS CERTIFIED, ACCURATE AND AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND CHALLENGE 30 DAYS BEFORE THE START OF EARLY VOTING.

VOTERS ADDED AFTER THAT DATE MUST BRING PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP, IDENTITY AND ADDRESS IN PERSON TO A QUALIFIED OFFICIAL AT EACH POLLING PLACE.

THREE, HAND-MARKED SECURE BALLOTS SIMILAR TO CURRENCY, WHERE IMAGING TECHNOLOGY IS USED FOR TABULATION, THE SECURITY FEATURES MUST BE VERIFIABLE IN THE BALLOT IMAGE.

FOUR, SYSTEMS, MACHINES, SECURITY MEASURES, INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONDUCT ARE REQUIRED TO BE COMPLIANT WITH FEDERAL LAW FOR FRAUD PREVENTION REGARDING RISK ASSESSMENT, CERTIFICATION, TESTING AND IMPLEMENTATION.

FIVE, ADJUDICATION MUST BE SIGNED OFF BY PARTY CANDIDATE AND TRAINED CITIZEN WITNESSES.

AFTER BEING GIVEN FULL AND EFFECTIVE OBSERVATION RIGHTS, CANDIDATES AND TRAINED CITIZENS MUST BE ALLOWED IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO BALLOTS, BALLOT IMAGES AND CBRS.

SIX, BALLOTS, REGARDLESS OF ENTRY SOURCE ELECTION OPERATIONS AND SYSTEMS, MUST MAINTAIN END TO END CHAIN OF CUSTODY FROM VOTER TO VOTE COUNT TO FINAL CANVASS, INCLUDING AUDITABILITY AND WITNESS TRANSFER WITH PAPER RECORDS.

SEVEN, A NICE, COMPLIANT, RANDOMIZED, STATISTICALLY VALID END TO END AUDIT WITH A 95% CONFIDENCE LEVEL OF ALL ELECTIONS PURSUANT TO THE 14TH AMENDMENT, SECTION TWO MUST BE PERFORMED.

THESE AUDITS ARE TO BE CONDUCTED BY QUALIFIED, INSURED AND BONDED SECURITY, FORENSICS OR FINANCIAL AUDITORS, NOT PERSONNEL FROM WITHIN THE ELECTION SYSTEM.

RECONCILIATION WILL INCLUDE THE VOTE COUNT, REAL PHYSICAL BALLOTS, ADJUDICATION CVRS BALLOT COUNT, QUALIFIED VOTER COUNT, CUSTODY TRANSFER, AND ALL OTHER PAPER AND ELECTRONIC ELECTION SYSTEMS, INCLUDING LOGS.

EIGHT, IF THE TOTAL OF ALL UNIQUE VARIANCES ABOVE IS MORE THAN 10% OF THE MARGIN OF VICTORY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

DIANA DIANA.

CONTINUING ON WITH NUMBER EIGHT, A NEW ELECTION MUST BE HELD IN THE STATE FOR THOSE CANDIDATES AFFECTED, UNLESS THE ISSUES CAN BE PROVABLY CORRECTED BY A MANUAL HAND RECOUNT AND A FULL REVIEW OF RECORDS.

NUMBER NINE, WAIVER OF REQUIREMENTS IS NOT ALLOWED.

ONLY END TO END SYSTEM COMPLIANCE FROM REGISTRATION THROUGH CERTIFICATION CAN GUARANTEE THE INTENT OF THE PEOPLE IS ACCURATELY RECORDED.

[00:50:05]

THAT'S UNITE THE NUMBER FOUR FREEDOM DOT COM.

YOU JUST HEARD A POWERFULLY WRITTEN RESOLUTION OUTLINING MASSIVE INACCURACIES IN OUR 2022 ELECTION FROM REGISTRATION THROUGH CERTIFICATION.

IN IT, YOU HEARD US ASK FOR MEANINGFUL REMEDIES THAT WILL PROACTIVELY PROTECT THE VALIDITY OF THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION FOR ALL AMERICANS.

IN FACT, THE RESOLUTION CITED MANY US SUPREME COURT PRECEDENTS THAT SUPPORT THE NEED FOR SUCH ACTIONS.

LAWS ARE BEING IGNORED.

BOTTOM LINE, THE CHECKBOOK IS NOT BALANCING, AND WE NEED CERTAINTY.

THE VOTING SYSTEM WHICH CONTROLS OUR MOST VITALLY IMPORTANT RIGHTS, THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE OUR REPRESENTATIVES IS NOT PRODUCING AN ACCURATE, TRUSTWORTHY RESULT.

DO YOU THINK THAT THESE ANOMALIES WITHIN OUR ELECTION SYSTEM, WHICH ARE PART OF OUR NATIONAL SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE, SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE IGNORED? HOW MUCH IS IT COSTING US NOT TO FIX THE PROBLEM? HOW MUCH IS IT COSTING OUR GDP, OUR MILITARY, OUR FOREIGN POLICY, OUR HEALTH, THE SELF-ESTEEM OF EACH OF OUR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE? AT THE SAME TIME, GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES AT ALL LEVELS ARE NOT BEING TRANSPARENT OR RESPONSIVE TO WHAT OUR CITIZEN AUDITS HAVE FOUND.

WE REQUEST THAT THIS COUNCIL TODAY SIGNS OUR RESOLUTION.

IF YOUR PROCESS REQUIRES THAT AN ISSUE BE ON THE AGENDA TO VOTE ON IT, WE REQUEST THAT WE BE PLACED ON THE NEXT MEETING'S AGENDA.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THIS CONCLUDES YOUR OPEN MICROPHONE SPEAKERS FOR THIS MEETING, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT.

LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR VOTING AGENDA.

THANK YOU. WE WILL BEGIN WITH AGENDA ITEM 30.

[30. 24-1564 Authorize Convention and Event Services to provide a year-to-year subsidy for an amount not to exceed $296,000.00 per year to Fair Park First, c/o Global Spectrum, LP (dba “Oak View Group” or “OVG”), the Fair Park operator, to facilitate OVG to enter into an agreement with the professional sports team to conduct their season league game play at the Cotton Bowl Stadium - Not to exceed $592,000.00 - Financing: Convention Center Construction Fund (subject to annual appropriations)]

I'LL READ THAT ITEM INTO THE RECORD.

AGENDA ITEM 30.

AUTHORIZE CONVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES TO PROVIDE A YEAR TO YEAR SUBSIDY FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $296,000 PER YEAR TO FAIR PARK FIRST CARE OF GLOBAL SPECTRUM, L.P., DBA OAK VIEW GROUP OR OVG, THE FAIR PARK OPERATOR, TO FACILITATE OVG TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT.

TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM TO CONDUCT THEIR SEASON LEAGUE GAMES.

PLAY AT THE COTTON BOWL STADIUM NOT TO EXCEED $592,000.

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

EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES.

THE FIRST SPEAKER, STACY CHURCH.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS STACY CHURCH.

I AM A DALLAS RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE AND THE GENERAL MANAGER AT DALLAS FAIR PARK.

WHILE I AM NEWER TO THE FAIR PARK TEAM, I AM NOT NEW TO THE AREA.

I SPENT FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER WORKING WITH ROSA FLEMING AND THE CES TEAM.

I'M NOT ONLY FAMILIAR WITH THE TREMENDOUS EFFECT EVENTS HAVE WITHIN THE MARKET, I AM ALSO FAMILIAR WITH THE AUDITING AND CONTRACT COMPLIANCE EXPECTATIONS.

HAVING STARTED MY CAREER IN THE FINANCE WORLD, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING A PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM TO THE COTTON BOWL AT FAIR PARK IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THE PARK'S PROGRAMING AND EVENT OFFERINGS.

I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA ITEM 30.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU GERARDO SANCHEZ.

GOOD MORNING. I'M HIDALGO SANCHEZ.

I'M THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY IMPACT, EQUITY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT VISIT DALLAS, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF AGENDA ITEM 30.

WE WERE THRILLED AT THE ACTION THIS COUNCIL TOOK A FEW WEEKS AGO TO BRING THE DALLAS WINGS TO DALLAS MEMORIAL STADIUM.

EXCUSE ME. DALLAS MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM, AND EXCITED AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING A WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAM TO THE COTTON BOWL.

DALLAS HAS ALWAYS HAD A HUGE APPETITE FOR SPORTS, AND IT CONTINUES TO GROW.

IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, WE HAVE SECURED MORE THAN 570 SPORTING EVENTS, ATTRACTING MORE THAN 8 MILLION ATTENDEES TO THESE EVENTS AND AN ECONOMIC IMPACT IN EXCESS OF $4.3 BILLION.

TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS, DALLAS HAS SOLIDIFIED ITS REPUTATION AS A GLOBAL DESTINATION BY ATTRACTING FUTURE MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS, INCLUDING THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP, THE 2030 NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR AND THE 2031 WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR.

WHAT DIFFERENTIATES DIFFERENTIATES US FROM OTHER DESTINATIONS ARE THE VERY PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP OUR COMMUNITY.

[00:55:03]

SO IN CLOSING, WE KNOW THAT SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL NAMED DALLAS AS THE NUMBER ONE SPORTS CITY IN THE COUNTRY.

AND LET'S KEEP THAT DISTINCTION BY BRINGING THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO THE COTTON BOWL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.

DARREN JAMES.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

I'M DARREN JAMES. I'M PRESIDENT OF FAIR PARK FIRST.

I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 30.

I'VE BEEN PRESIDENT OF FAIR PARK FIRST SINCE WE PRESENTED THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE TO CITY COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION A FEW YEARS AGO.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE HOPING TO SEE IS BRINGING THESE TYPE OF ORGANIZATIONS TO THE COTTON BOWL.

THE CITY INVESTED WITH THE PROP A DOLLARS AND THE COTTON BOWL RENOVATIONS THAT WE CELEBRATED ON MARCH 28TH WITH THE GROUNDBREAKING.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE HOPING IS TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM IN THE COTTON BOWL.

SO I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 30, AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERS, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH CITY COUNCIL ON THESE THINGS IN THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU.

MONICA PAUL.

GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU.

I'M MONICA PAUL, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DALLAS SPORTS COMMISSION HERE TODAY, VERY MUCH SUPPORTIVE OF AGENDA ITEM 30.

I THINK WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE MOMENTUM BEHIND WOMEN'S SPORTS IS REALLY UNDENIABLE RIGHT NOW.

DALLAS IS REALLY AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS MOVEMENT.

WE'VE SEEN IT WHEN WE HOSTED THE NCAA WOMEN'S FINAL 4 IN 2023, ATHLETES UNLIMITED OVER AT FAIR PARK SINCE 2021, AND JUST RECENTLY THROUGH THE ENERGY OF THE WNBA AND THE DALLAS WINGS AS MORE ATTENTION INVESTMENT FLOWS INTO WOMEN'S ATHLETICS, INCLUDING A USL TEAM TO CALL FAIR PARK HOME, DALLAS WILL REMAIN AT THE EPICENTER OF EMBRACING AND POSITIVELY INFLUENCING WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SPORTS WITH THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP ON THE HORIZON, THE FUTURE OF SOCCER SHINES BRIGHTLY IN DALLAS.

THE DECISION TO MAKE HISTORIC COTTON BOWL STADIUM, HOME TO A USL FRANCHISE, UNDERSCORES THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO SPORTS AS A CATALYST AND ITS POTENTIAL TO UNITE COMMUNITIES, INSPIRE YOUTH, AND CAPTIVATE FANS OF ALL AGES.

DALLAS HAS A RICH HISTORY IN GIRLS SOCCER AND THRIVING YOUTH PROGRAMS, FROM THE PIONEERING DALLAS STING SOCCER CLUB TO OUR PRESTIGIOUS DALLAS CUP THAT STILL CALLS DALLAS HOME. OUR CITY HAS LONG BEEN A HUB FOR SOCCER TALENT.

THE ADDITION OF A USL FRANCHISE AT COTTON BOWL WILL NOT JUST ALLOW DALLAS TO WITNESS THE RISE OF WOMEN'S SOCCER, THE CITY WILL PROACTIVELY SHAPE THE FUTURE OF THE SPORT BY PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE SPORT AT ALL.

WITH US SOCCER NOW FOCUSING ON FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP BID FOR 2031, PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S SOCCER IN THE UNITED STATES IS AT THE EXACT RIGHT MOMENT TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE SOME OF THAT LONG TERM MOMENTUM, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RIGHT NOW.

WOMEN'S FOOTBALL FANS ASSOCIATE THESE WORDS WITH THE WOMEN'S GAME, ENTERTAINING, INSPIRING, GOOD ROLE MODELS, WHICH I THINK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR OUR LEADERS OF OF TOMORROW.

FAMILY FRIENDLY AND PROFESSIONAL, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WOMEN'S SOCCER IS.

SOCCER FANDOM HAS INCREASED BY 22% FROM 2019 TO 2022, EQUATING TO MORE THAN 21 MILLION FANS IN THE USA, FAR OUTPACING THE GROWTH OF OTHER MAJOR SPORTS INCLUDING BASKETBALL, BASEBALL AND AMERICAN FOOTBALL.

I SUPPORT THE USL TEAM COMING TO DALLAS AND AM EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OVER 150,000 MEMBERS OF THE NORTH TEXAS SOCCER ASSOCIATION ALREADY BEING ABLE TO TO EXPERIENCE SOCCER HERE.

BUT THEN YOU LOOK AT THE 42% THAT ARE FEMALE THAT HAVE THEIR MEMBERSHIP TO BE ABLE TO SEE THIS TYPE OF PRODUCT AND BE ABLE TO HELP THIS ORGANIZATION GROW.

I THINK THESE ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY THROUGH SPORT.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.

THANK YOU. THIS CONCLUDES YOUR SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM MR. MAYOR. CHAIRMAN GRACEY, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? EXCUSE ME. MR. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE ITEM 30.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED, AND I'M SURE WE HAVE PLENTY OF DISCUSSION, SO WE'LL START THAT IN JUST A MOMENT.

I WANTED TO SAY A COUPLE THINGS, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO OUR CITY MANAGER, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE SOME TIME TO HEAR FROM MEMBERS.

BUT ALSO, I THINK WE HAVE FOLKS HERE WHO MIGHT WANT TO ELABORATE ON THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT THIS IS YET ANOTHER EXCITING DAY.

[01:00:04]

IT'S ANOTHER GREAT DAY, AND I THINK DEMONSTRATES OUR COMMITMENT TO SPORTS AS A FORM OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND AS AN ENGINE FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH.

I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR THAT AGAIN.

WE VIEW SPORTS AS YET ANOTHER INDUSTRY THAT OUR CITY DOMINATES IN THAT CONTRIBUTES TO OUR ECONOMY.

IT'S NOT SPORTS FOR THE SAKE OF SPORTS, ALTHOUGH I LOVE SPORTS, BUT THE SAME WAY WE HAVE A HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY HERE AND A FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY HERE AND A TECH INDUSTRY HERE, AND SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY, AIRLINE INDUSTRY, ALL THESE WONDERFUL BUSINESSES.

SPORTS IS AN INDUSTRY, ENTERTAINMENT IS AN INDUSTRY, AND WE DOMINATE THERE TOO.

THAT'S THE POINT. SO I THINK WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE NEAL FAMILY HERE WHO WILL SPEAK MORE ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY, BUT I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND THEN TO THE MEMBERS TO TO EXPLAIN THIS ONE, BECAUSE THIS IS PRETTY COOL.

GO AHEAD. GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL TODAY WE ARE STAFF IS ASKING FOR YOU TO VOTE ON A RECOMMENDED TWO YEAR SUBSIDY AGREEMENT WITH FAIR PARK FIRST AND OAK VIEW GROUP, WHICH WILL HELP SOLIDIFY A CONTRACT WITH A PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM THAT WILL USE THE COTTON BOWL AS ITS HOME BASE.

THE CITY OF DALLAS IS COMMITTED TO INVESTING IN SOUTH DALLAS.

WE DEMONSTRATED THAT COMMITMENT WITH THE SUPPORT AND THE PASSAGE OF THE BRIMER BILL, WHICH IS PROVIDING FUNDING FOR INVESTMENTS IN SOME OF THE VENUES AT FAIR PARK.

THE CONTRACT WITH THIS TEAM WILL MARK ONE OF THE MANY OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FOSTER ECONOMIC GROWTH AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH DALLAS THROUGH OUR PARK SYSTEM.

THE SUBSIDY IS PART OF THE KAY BAILEY HUTCHINSON CONVENTION CENTER DALLAS MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS NOT JUST ABOUT RECONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS, BUT AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT ITSELF, INCLUDING POLICY GOALS LIKE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, GROWING TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS, NOT JUST WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN CORE.

IT IS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TODAY FOR APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM.

GAMES WILL THEN BEGIN THIS YEAR, PLAYED IN A SPLIT SEASON AT THE COTTON BOWL BEGINNING IN MID-AUGUST, RUNNING THROUGH DECEMBER AND THEN MID-FEBRUARY THROUGH THE END OF MAY.

AND TWO, WE HOPE EXCITING PLAYOFF ROUNDS.

WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE ANOTHER WOMEN'S SPORTS TEAM IN DALLAS PLAYING IN YET ANOTHER ICONIC AND A HISTORIC VENUE.

AS THIS MAYOR AND OUR CITY COUNCIL HAS REMINDED US, DALLAS IS TRULY A SPORTS CITY.

AND AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP TO THE PODIUM ROSA FLEMING, OUR DIRECTOR OF CONVENTION EVENT SERVICES, AND MISTER NEAL, TO PROVIDE COMMENT ON TODAY'S ITEM.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

HI. GOOD MORNING.

I'M ROSA FLEMING, DIRECTOR OF CONVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES.

SO AS INTERIM CITY MANAGER TOLBERT SAID THE ITEM TODAY IS A RECOMMENDATION FOR A SUBSIDY NOT TO EXCEED $296,000 A YEAR FOR TWO YEARS, WITH AN OPTION FOR A THIRD YEAR.

THE SUBSIDY IS ONE STEP WHERE IT ALLOWS FAIR PARK FIRST AND OBG TO ENTER INTO A USER AGREEMENT FOR THE COTTON BOWL WITH THE DALLAS USL WOMEN'S SUPER LEAGUE, AND SO THE SUBSIDY WILL WORK AS AN OFFSET.

CONVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES WILL RECEIVE AN ITEMIZED INVOICE WITH ALL OF THE BACKUP DATA AND REMIT PAYMENT FOR APPROXIMATELY $18,500 PER GAME AFTER APPROVING THE INVOICES.

SO WE'LL EXERCISE WITH THAT THE EXACT SAME LEVEL OF CONTRACT COMPLIANCE AND AUDITING AS WE DO WITH ALL THE INVOICES THAT CONVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES RECEIVES AND PAYS.

AND ADDITIONALLY, WE'LL REQUEST INTERIM AND ANNUAL REPORTS TO LOOK AT REVENUE AND EXPENSES IN TERMS OF RESEARCH AND DATA ANALYSIS.

YOU HEARD EARLIER WHERE MONICA PAUL WITH THE VISIT DALLAS SPORTS COMMISSION TALKED ABOUT THE GROWTH IN THE SOCCER WORLD.

AND SO WE LOOKED AT A SIMILAR LEAGUE AND THE IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE, WHICH DOUBLED OVER THE COURSE OF A COUPLE OF YEARS SINCE 2022. AND SO VIEWERSHIP AND BROADCAST HAS ALSO INCREASED, SO INCREASED BY 41% FOR TELEVISION, 83% FOR STREAMING JUST FROM 2022 TO NOW.

AND SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THIS SUBSIDY TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE OUR JOB IN CONVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES AND WITH OUR PARTNERS AND OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH

[01:05:07]

AND PART OF THAT IS TO SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TO CONTINUE TO INVEST AND TO RECONNECT WITH SOUTH DALLAS AND AND THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.

AND SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE MISTER NEAL, TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE INVESTMENT THAT HIS FAMILY HAS MADE AND WHERE WE GO FROM HERE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THANK YOU, MAYOR JOHNSON, CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE.

AND I GOT TO TELL YOU BEFORE I TELL YOU ABOUT THIS TEAM THAT THE STAFF AND THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SO EMBRACING OF THIS PROJECT, AND IT'S JUST BEEN TRULY REMARKABLE TO SEE ALL OF YOU EMBRACE THIS TEAM AND THIS NEW PROJECT.

AND MY FAMILY AND I ARE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT THAT WE HAVE.

SO I'LL GO QUICKLY.

IT'S A IT'S A BRAND NEW WOMEN'S SOCCER LEAGUE.

IT'S CALLED THE USL SUPER LEAGUE.

AND IT'S IN IMPORTANTLY, IT'S A DIVISION ONE SOCCER LEAGUE.

SO THAT MEANS WITHIN THE RANKS OF PROFESSIONAL SOCCER, IT'S AT THE TOP LEVEL THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

THE TEAM, THE LEAGUE WILL START PLAY THIS AUGUST.

THERE'LL BE EIGHT TEAMS. THEY'LL BE IN SPOKANE, LEXINGTON, BROOKLYN, CHARLOTTE, FORT LAUDERDALE, TAMPA, DC AND DALLAS.

IN THE SECOND YEAR, THEY'RE EXPECTING TO ADD ANOTHER 2 TO 4 TEAMS IN A VARIETY OF OTHER CITIES.

THE SEASON THAT WAS DESCRIBED AS SPECIFICALLY CHOSEN TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SEASON.

SO IT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN OTHER SOCCER LEAGUES THAT EXIST IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE PLAYING FROM MID AUGUST TO DECEMBER, MID FEBRUARY TO MAY, THAT MIRRORS THE INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE, WHICH IS INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO TRADE PLAYERS WITH INTERNATIONAL TEAMS AND AND BE PART OF THE, THE INTERNATIONAL SPORT.

ANOTHER DELIBERATE AND MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS LEAGUE AND OTHER LEAGUES THAT WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH IN IN THE UNITED STATES IS THAT THERE IS NO DRAFT.

IT'S 100% FREE AGENTS.

WHY THAT'S PARTICULARLY GREAT FOR US HERE IN DALLAS IS THAT WE HAVE THE BIGGEST AND MOST ROBUST POOL OF PLAYERS, OF WOMEN PLAYERS IN THE PROBABLY IN THE WORLD, BUT ABSOLUTELY IN THE COUNTRY.

AND WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL FREE AGENTS, DALLAS WOMEN THAT WOULD LIKE TO PLAY FOR THEIR HOMETOWN TEAM, GET TO PLAY FOR THEIR HOMETOWN TEAM, THEY GET TO CHOOSE WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY.

AND SO WE'RE PARTICULARLY EXCITED TO HAVE THAT BE PART OF WHAT GENERATES TREMENDOUS FAN INTEREST AS TO HAVE PEOPLE FROM OUR CITY PLAY FOR OUR TEAM.

I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED.

THIS IS A TIME WHEN WOMEN'S SPORTS YOU GUYS KNOW THIS AS WELL OR BETTER THAN I DO.

THIS IS A TIME WHEN WOMEN'S SPORTS IS ENJOYING ENORMOUS MOMENTUM IN THE UNITED STATES AND WORLDWIDE.

THE BEST EXAMPLE IS ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THE WITH THE WINGS AND BRINGING THEM TO DALLAS.

AND BY THE WAY, CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT GREAT PARTNERSHIP.

THE EXISTING LEAGUE THAT WILL BE A COMPETITOR OF OURS.

THE NWSL HAS 14 TEAMS IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.

THREE YEARS AGO THEY AVERAGED ABOUT 4000 FANS.

LAST YEAR THEY AVERAGED 10,500 FANS.

THIS YEAR, THEIR LEAGUE IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.

THEY'RE AVERAGING OVER 12,000 FANS A GAME.

SO THE INCREASE AND THE ATTENTION OF THE FAN AND SPONSORSHIPS AND AND THE BUSINESS ACTIVITY THAT THE MAYOR MENTIONED HAS JUST BEEN ABSOLUTELY ASTRONOMICAL.

SOCCER, AS YOU KNOW, IS THE NUMBER ONE SPORT IN THE WORLD.

WOMEN'S SOCCER IS THE NUMBER ONE WOMEN'S SPORT IN THE WORLD, AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BRING THAT TO DALLAS.

IT'S A PARTICULAR IMPORTANT THING FOR US THAT WE'RE DOING THIS ON THE WOMEN'S SIDE.

AN INTERESTING FACT.

THERE ARE 101 MEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAMS IN THE UNITED STATES.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY 14 WOMEN'S.

SO THERE'S TREMENDOUS ROOM FOR GROWTH IN THIS AREA.

WE WILL BE BRINGING THE NEXT EIGHT TEAMS IN THIS LEAGUE.

AND, AND, AND YOU'LL SEE IN SOME OF OUR ADVERTISING.

BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE A SUCCESSFUL SPORTS LEAGUE IF DALLAS DOESN'T HAVE A TEAM.

SO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.

[01:10:01]

WE TALKED ABOUT THAT THE WORLD CUP COMING TO DALLAS IN 26 THERE ALSO, AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW THIS, BUT THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL OTHER MAJOR INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENTS OVER THE NEXT 24 MONTHS THAT WILL BE PLAYED IN THE CITY.

COPA AMERICA COMING THIS SUMMER, CONCACAF GOLD CUP AND FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP IN 25.

ALL THAT I THINK WILL BE BUILDING MOMENTUM FOR THE SUCCESS OF THIS NEW FRANCHISE.

WE HAVE A SPECIAL EVENT, MY SON CHARLIE, WHO IS OUR PRESIDENT AND WILL BE RUNNING THE DAY TO DAY SITTING BEHIND ME, WAS ABLE TO VISIT WITH THE STATE FAIR PEOPLE.

AND WE WE ARE PLANNING TO DO AN INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY GAME, HOPEFULLY WITH A TEAM FROM FROM THE PROFESSIONAL MEXICAN LEAGUE ON THE LAST WEEKEND OF THE STATE FAIR TO HAVE A BIG GAME WITH A TEAM, HOPE AN INTERNATIONAL TEAM AND MAKE THAT, IN FACT A VERY BIG EVENT.

AND I THINK THAT THE THE LARGEST ATTENDANCE OF A WOMEN'S GAME IN THE US SO FAR IS ABOUT 36,000.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO SEE IF WE CAN'T USE THE STATE FAIR IN THAT EVENT TO TRY TO SET A RECORD FOR DALLAS.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US.

WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.

SO WE'RE WE'RE FEELING OUR OATS HERE.

BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THIS TEAM BE VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE CURRENTLY NEGOTIATING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OUR PRACTICE FACILITY BE A PARTNER WITH THE DALLAS COLLEGE SYSTEM.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROBABLY USING BROOKHAVEN JUNIOR COLLEGE AS OUR PRACTICE FACILITIES.

WE'VE PLEDGED TO THEM THAT WE WILL GET VERY INVOLVED IN ASSISTING THEM IN THE WHOLE COLLEGE SYSTEM, IN THEIR SOCCER PROGRAMS. WE WILL BE HIRING STUDENTS OUT OF THAT COLLEGE SYSTEM AS INTERNS AND GIVING THEM OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR FRONT OFFICE.

WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.

BUT WE PLAN TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, RUNNING CLINICS, RUNNING TOURNAMENTS HAVING OUR COACHES AND OUR PLAYERS BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE DALLAS AREA.

AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

OBVIOUSLY, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO US THAT OUR ENTIRE EMPLOYMENT BASE OF OUR TEAM BE REFLECTIVE OF THE VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY WE HAVE.

OVER HALF OF OUR EMPLOYEES WILL WILL CLEARLY BE WOMEN, AND WE WILL HAVE A VERY ETHNICALLY DIVERSE FRONT OFFICE STAFF AND WHOLE CLUB.

SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT DOING THAT.

THE OTHER THING AND I THINK IS REFLECTIVE OF THAT, IS THAT WE'RE VERY POINTED AS WE PUT TOGETHER AN INVESTMENT TEAM TO BE PART OF OUR INVESTMENT GROUP. THEY WILL BE SOME VERY SIGNIFICANT DALLAS WOMEN THAT WILL BE OWNERS PART OWNERS OF THE TEAM.

THE NEIL FAMILY WILL BE THE MAJORITY OWNER, BUT WE'LL HAVE SOME DALLAS WOMEN THAT WILL BE IN THAT OWNERSHIP, AS WELL AS PEOPLE FROM OTHER, OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE ETHNIC BASE IN DALLAS THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR OWNERSHIP.

AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING THIS BE A TEAM FOR DALLAS AND A TEAM THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS CAN BE VERY PROUD OF.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST REITERATE, I COULDN'T BE MORE THRILLED AND APPRECIATIVE OF ALL OF THE EFFORTS ESPECIALLY THE MAYOR WHO'S SUPPORTED US AND THE CITY MANAGER WHO JUST JUMPED IN AND MADE THIS HAPPEN.

COUNCIL, SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I WON'T MENTION YOU BY NAME, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S A BAD IDEA, BUT YOU GUYS KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE..

NO YOU CAN DO IT NOW..

TO MAKE THIS GUY. THAT'S ACTUALLY LITERALLY A RULE IN OUR RULES.

PRAISE HIM. BAZALDUA.

AND THEY RESPOND WELL TO THAT.

TRACY JUST DID A PHENOMENAL JOB OF HELPING US GET TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE.

AND MONICA PAUL REALLY HELPED ENGINEER WHO WE SHOULD TALK TO AND HAS BEEN A PHENOMENAL ADVISER THROUGHOUT THIS.

AND YOUR STAFF, I MEAN, I'M NOT USED TO TALKING TO THE PRESS, BUT THEY WILL KNOW THAT FOR ME THAT YOUR STAFF HAS BEEN AS GOOD AS ANYONE IN THE WORLD AT JUMPING ON THIS AND MAKING THIS HAPPEN IN RECORD RECORD TIME.

AND I COULDN'T APPRECIATE IT MORE.

SO I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

PLEASE ALL COME TO OUR GAMES.

I'M GOING TO START GOING AROUND THE HORN HERE.

BUT YEAH, NO, THAT RULE THE COUNCIL CAME UP WITH THAT RULE.

SO THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN GET YELLED AT DURING OPEN MICROPHONE TIME IS THE MAYOR.

YOU CAN'T YELL AT THEM. JUST JUST ME.

AND THEY LOVE THAT RULE. THAT RULE IS NEVER GOING ANYWHERE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE CHAIR OF OUR PROFESSIONAL SPORTS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN GRACEY, FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

AS THE CHAIR OF AD HOC COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL SPORTS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, I WANT TO SAY THAT I'M SUPER EXCITED THAT IN THE COURSE OF JUST ABOUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE'VE

[01:15:04]

SO IT BRINGS ME GREAT JOY TO NOT ONLY SAY, GREAT JOB, ROSA, AND TO BAZZ AND THE REST OF THE FOLKS AND EVERYBODY FOR FOR DOING THIS, BUT UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATING THE IMPACT THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAVE AND THE MESSAGE THAT IT'S SENDING TO, TO THE OTHER CITIES.

AGAIN, THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT SPORTS, BUT IT IS ABOUT THAT ECONOMIC IMPACT.

SO I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED TO DO THAT.

WE HAVE THE DALLAS WINGS.

AND NOW NOW A NEWLY FORMED LEAGUE IS RECOMMENDED FOR FAIR PARK.

AND AGAIN, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT IS GOING TO HAVE ON THE CITY AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY IS PHENOMENAL.

SO CONGRATULATIONS AND GREAT JOB.

SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

I JUST WANT TO START BY SAYING I TOLD MY COLLEAGUE COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON THAT THE FUTURE IS SO BRIGHT IN SUNNY SOUTH DALLAS, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF MOMENTUM THAT WE HAVE HERE.

I CANNOT THANK YOU, JIM AND CHARLIE, FOR Y'ALL'S LEADERSHIP, FOR Y'ALL'S PROACTIVENESS, Y'ALL'S AGGRESSIVENESS AND Y'ALL'S EAGERNESS TO BE A PART OF THE DALLAS COMMUNITY WITH THIS TEAM.

I ALSO CANNOT IGNORE THE FACT THAT THIS DEAL WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROKERED BY A BUNCH OF STRONG WOMEN.

AND I WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A WOMAN CITY MANAGER, A WOMAN DIRECTOR.

WE'VE GOT WOMEN ACM WHO JUST CAME FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE WONDERFUL MONICA PAUL.

AND TO KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT INCREDIBLE WOMEN THAT ARE MAKING THINGS HAPPEN FOR OUR CITY TO ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE DIVERSITY OF WOMEN, ATHLETICS.

TO ME IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

MY SISTER PLAYED COLLEGIATE SOCCER.

I HAVE A DAUGHTER, AND I AND I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN DAYLIGHTED THROUGH THE CAITLIN CLARK ERA, IF YOU WILL, IS THAT THERE'S SOME DISPARITY EXISTING IN OUR SPORTS AND FOR OUR CITY TO BE PROACTIVE IN TAKING THE APPROACH TO INVEST AND TO TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN'S SPORTS TO ME JUST SPEAKS TO OUR CITY BEING AS WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE AS IT IS.

I THINK THAT THIS IS A PROJECT THAT GOES WITHOUT SAYING IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN YEARNING FOR.

AT FAIR PARK. WE WANT TO SEE ACTIVATION, MORE ACTIVATION.

WE NEED TO SEE THE COTTON BOWL.

THE COTTON BOWL IS HISTORIC FOR SO MANY REASONS.

I MEAN, WE HAD THE GREAT ROGER STAUBACH WITH AMERICA'S TEAM PLAYING AT THE COTTON BOWL.

I'VE OFTEN TOLD THIS STORY.

MY DAD AND MY UNCLE USED TO GET DROPPED OFF AT THE COTTON BOWL TO SELL HOT DOGS AND COKES IN THE STANDS.

IT FAST FORWARD TO A TIME WHEN I GOT TO GO AND WATCH THE DALLAS BURN.

WHAT IS NOW FC DALLAS PLAY AT THE COTTON BOWL AND EAT DINNER AT OLD MILL INN INSIDE OF FAIR PARK.

FAST FORWARD TO MY DAUGHTER LEARNING HOW TO RIDE HER BIKE AROUND THE COTTON BOWL INSIDE OF FAIR PARK.

AND JUST SEEING WHAT WE HAVE SEEN.

THAT'S JUST MY OWN PERSONAL STORY.

AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT 1.4 PLUS MILLION PERSONAL STORIES IN THIS CITY OF WHAT THIS VENUE MEANS.

SO TO SEE IT COME TO ITS GLORY WITH A PROJECT LIKE THIS.

AND MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS PROJECT IS WHAT'S GOING TO BRING IT TO ITS GLORY.

AND SO WE CAN'T DO ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.

AND Y'ALL ARE A PART OF THE CATALYST MOVEMENT.

AND WHAT I WOULD SAY THE NEXT GENERATION OF WHAT FAIR PARK'S GOING TO BRING FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR SO LONG, THAT HAS BEEN A SYMBOL OF A DISCONNECT FROM A LARGE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, FROM A LARGE POPULATION IN OUR CITY.

AND THIS IS JUST SPEAKING TO THE MOMENTUM THAT WE HAVE, THAT THE FUTURE OF FAIR PARK IS MEANT TO BE AN ASSET FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL'S COMMITMENT TO DOING EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO.

THIS WAS PROBABLY THE FASTEST I'VE EVER SEEN GOVERNMENT WORK, LET ME JUST SAY.

AND IT ACTUALLY PUT SOME SOME FAITH IN ME MOVING FORWARD.

BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO PUT SOME PRESSURE ON YOU MISS TOLBERT BECAUSE NOW I KNOW IT CAN BE DONE.

AND I WANT TO SAY TO OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES THAT YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE BIG D, AND TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE, JUST AS YOU'VE MENTIONED, THE NEWEST OF AMERICA'S LEAGUE ABSOLUTELY HAS TO HAVE THE NEXT AMERICA'S TEAM.

SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR Y'ALL'S COMMITMENT.

THANK YOU ALL FOR AGAIN, NOT ACCEPTING NO FOR AN ANSWER, KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AND STAYING VIGILANT.

SO THAT WE CAN GET THIS TO THE FINISH LINE.

THIS IS BY FAR ONE OF THE PROUDEST THINGS THAT I FEEL TO BE A PART OF.

[01:20:04]

AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL PUT IN.

AND I'M REALLY, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BRAND UNVEILING TOMORROW AT KLYDE WARREN PARK AT 10:30 A.M..

AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ATTENDING YOUR GAMES.

I WILL BE THERE. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AGAIN.

THANK YOU ALL COUNCIL, FOR HELPING US GET THIS THROUGH.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MISS WILLIS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. WELL, THIS IS SUCH AN EXCITING DAY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN'S SOCCER, FOR WOMEN'S SPORTS.

AND TO BE SURE, WE ARE ANNOUNCING LOUD AND PROUD THAT DALLAS IS THE HOME TO PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS IN THIS AREA.

SO IT'S SUNNY NEWS FOR SUNNY SOUTH DALLAS.

THERE'S ONE LITTLE CLOUD THAT I WANT TO ADDRESS.

MR. O'CONNOR, IF YOU WOULD COME UP.

AND I'M LOOKING AT THIS THROUGH THE TAXPAYER LENS BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME RECENT HEADLINES.

THIS AGREEMENT IS WITH OVG.

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ALLEGATIONS, AND THE CITY IS UNDERTAKING AN AUDIT.

AND THEN LAST WEEK, WE HAD A REALLY CURIOUS AND UNORTHODOX PRACTICE WITH REGARD TO FAIR PARK FIRST AND THEIR CEO.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS AND ASK THE QUESTIONS THE TAXPAYERS WOULD ASK.

AND SO MISS FLEMING OUTLINED THE EXACTING INVOICE PROCESS.

I BELIEVE THAT IS MAY BE DIFFERENT OR THAT YOU GO THROUGH A CONVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES HERE.

YES, MA'AM. SO WE HAVE A PROCESS.

WE'VE LEARNED FROM THE PAST, OBVIOUSLY THE CONVENTION CENTER.

IF YOU GO BACK IN HISTORY, THERE WAS SOME THINGS WE NEEDED TO IMPROVE.

SO OVER THE LAST ALMOST FIVE YEARS WE'VE DEVELOPED A VERY ROBUST CONTRACT COMPLIANCE AND AND INVOICING REVIEW AUDITING PROCESS.

AND SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE DO AT THE CENTER, WHETHER IT'S A CLIENT AT CONVENTION CENTER, SOMETHING WE'RE DOING AT FAIR PARK OR ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY AND INCLUDES FUNDS FROM HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, ALCOHOL AND BEVERAGE OR EVENT REVENUES.

WE ENSURE THAT WE'RE SPENDING IT CORRECTLY AND THAT WE CAN HAVE A GOOD ACCOUNTING.

WE ASK FOR ALL OF THE BACKUP DATA AND BEFORE WE PAY AN INVOICE, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE DONE COMPARISONS.

IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS, THE INVOICING PROCESS STOPS.

WE GO BACK TO STEP ONE AND WE ASK FOR ADDITIONAL DATA.

AND IN-PERSON MEETINGS WERE NECESSARY.

SO I'M COMFORTABLE THAT THIS WILL GO WELL.

WE HAVE SIMILAR RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARK AND REC RIGHT NOW WHERE THEY ARE THE ACTUAL MAINTENANCE COMPONENT FOR THE GROUNDS AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER. SO THEY ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH HOW OUR INVOICING PROCESS WORKS.

OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I KNOW YOU'VE ANSWERED THAT QUESTION BEHIND THE SCENES FOR ME, AND I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT WE GOT THAT OUT THERE PUBLICLY SO THAT OUR TAXPAYERS KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT A PROCESS VERY STRINGENT, EXACTING, EXHAUSTIVE, THAT WILL BE GONE THROUGH ON THIS.

BUT SHOULD WE FIND THAT WE NEED TO EXIT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OVG.

MR. O'CONNOR, WHAT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THIS AGREEMENT? GOOD MORNING, MISTER MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL RYAN O'CONNOR, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION.

SO SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN TO THE EXISTING AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH FAIR PARK FIRST OVG 360.

THERE WOULD BE NO FUNCTIONAL CHANGE.

FROM THE TEAM'S PERSPECTIVE, THE CITY WOULD ASSUME THAT CONTRACT.

WE WOULD CONTINUE TO ADMINISTER IT JUST LIKE WE WOULD ANY OTHER CONTRACT ON THE CAMPUS.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TONS OF PARTNERS OUT THERE, SO THERE WOULD BE NO FUNCTIONAL CHANGE.

SO THAT'S THE SAFETY NET IS THAT THE CITY COULD COME IN AND BE ABLE TO MANAGE, MA'AM.

OKAY. WELL, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

WELL, MISTER NEIL, NEIL FAMILY, I APPRECIATE THE DEDICATION TO THIS AND TO BRINGING THIS TO DALLAS.

I WILL SAY THE DALLAS WINGS DO A FANTASTIC JOB OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND INVOLVEMENT.

AND SO IF YOU NEED A PLAYBOOK, I WOULD LOOK TO THEM, BUT REALLY EXPECT TO SEE THE SAME FROM YOU ALL AND ARE VERY EXCITED TO SEE THE GRAND UNVEILING.

THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM.

YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU MAYOR. I'LL GET A SHOUT OUT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND ALSO ROSA.

AND ALSO CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA AND ALSO CHAIRMAN GRACEY FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.

BUT MY MAIN CONCERN.

NUMBER ONE, I LOOK AT THE COTTON BOWL, THE AIRPORT, AND YOU THINK OF SOCCER.

WHEN I THINK OF SOCCER, I THINK OF ONE MAN, LAMAR HUNT.

YOU KNOW, THE DREAM OF SOCCER.

YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, MEN'S SOCCER IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT GENERATION OF SOCCER.

BUT I NEVER THOUGHT THE WOMEN AND THE FEMALE ARE GOING TO BE HERE TODAY ABOUT REAL SOCCER.

MY GRANDDAUGHTER PLAYED SOCCER AND SHE LOVED THE GAME.

AND I KNOW THE MANY PEOPLE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE.

YOU KNOW, THEIR CHILDREN PLAY SOCCER, KNOW BAZZ, CHILDREN, I KNOW, BUT BUT THE KEY IS THAT.

FAIR PARK NEED THIS INJECTION.

THEY NEED SOME NEW, YOU KNOW, WE PUT MONEY INTO THE FAIR PARK, BUT WE NEED SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE GET EXCITED ABOUT.

[01:25:03]

THE SALE TAX, THEY'RE GOING TO BE CHEER EVERYTHING GOING TO NEED AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE A GREAT, GREAT ECONOMIC IMPACT.

AND THAT'S WHY I LOVE THE MONEY GOING TO STAY IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.

AND AND THEY'RE GOING TO INVEST IN FAIR PARK.

BUT ONE THING I JUST WANT TO REALIZE THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PARTS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.

THERE ARE SO MANY PARKS, MATTER OF FACT, ON WHEATLAND, WE'RE BUILDING A PARK AT RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM CARTER HIGH SCHOOL.

IT'S A FOOTBALL FIELD.

BUT WE ALSO CREATING ALL OUR PARK TO BE A SOCCER FIELD, AND NOW WE GOT SO MANY PARTS OVER HERE IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE A SOCCER FIELD.

SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT COUNCILWOMAN STEWART, CHAIRMAN STEWART, AS OUR FOOTBALL FIELD, MAKE SURE THEY ARE WIDE ENOUGH TO PLAY SOCCER ON AND WE NEED TO DO THAT.

AND I'M GLAD THAT THIS BOND PACKAGE DID PUT ALL THIS MONEY INTO PARKS.

BUT WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB AND TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE MOST OF THE INNER CITY THEY COME IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, USE OUR PARKS.

AND I THINK THIS IS A GROWING BASE.

YOU KNOW, THIS ONE, YOU CAN DRAFT THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, WHO GO TO OUR PARKS AND LEARN WHERE THEY CAN PLAY AND WHERE THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SOCCER FIELD OR PARK FACILITY THAT WE HAVE.

CAN YOU ANYBODY FROM PARK TELL ME HOW MANY FIELDS THAT WE HAD? IS IT DESIGNED TO DO SOCCER RIGHT NOW? YES, SIR. SO WE HAVE DOZENS AND DOZENS.

OF COURSE WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL OUR COMPETITION SOCCER COMPLEX IS THE FLAGSHIP BEING MONEYGRAM, OF COURSE, WHICH HOSTS THE DALLAS CUP.

IT'S AN ANNUAL EVENT.

IT'S THE WORLD'S LARGEST YOUTH SOCCER EVENT TAKES PLACE IN A DALLAS PARK AT MONEYGRAM.

BUT BEYOND MONEYGRAM WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF SOCCER COMPLEXES.

WE HAVE KEYS, WE HAVE MOSQUES, WE HAVE SAMUEL GARLAND.

BUT THEN BEYOND THAT, WE HAVE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF RECTANGULAR FIELDS.

AND TO YOUR POINT, THEY SHOULD BE MULTI-PURPOSE.

THEY SHOULD BE FOR FOOTBALL AND SOCCER.

SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE MEETING THE DEMAND.

YEAH. I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT.

YOU KNOW, COLLEAGUES, I THINK EVERYONE GOT A FOOTBALL FIELD OF SOME KIND OF GREEN SPACE IN THEIR DISTRICT THAT COULD BE CONVERTED TO SOCCER.

AND WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, PAY A GOOD ATTENTION TO THAT BECAUSE YOU NEED TO DO THAT IN ORDER TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL TEAM THAT GIRLS LOOK GIRLS RIGHT NOW AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I CAN BE A PRO ATHLETE.

YOU KNOW, IF I GO TO THE SOCCER FIELD AND PLUS ONE THING IS IT'S NOT VERY EXPENSIVE.

AND THAT'S ONE THING ABOUT SOCCER.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY THE FOOTBALL HEAVEN ALL THE CLICKS.

YOU GO OUT THERE WITH A SOCCER BALL AND, THAT'S SOMETHING I LOOK AT THAT WE AS A CITY THAT WE DID INVEST IN THIS LAST BOND PACKAGE INTO PARTS, BUT WE NEED TO INVEST MORE INTO THOSE FIELDS, CONVERT THOSE FIELDS TO SOCCER FIELD BECAUSE THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE GROWING INTEREST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FEMALE RIGHT NOW IN THE WORLD. WE JUST SAID IT'S THE NUMBER ONE GROWING.

SO WHY WOULD WE NOT INVEST MORE INTO OUR FIELD.

AND I KNOW THAT THE OTHER SUBURBS COME TO THE CITY OF DALLAS BECAUSE IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE TO PRACTICE IT, TO HAVE FEES IN THE SUBURB, AND THAT'S WHY THEY USE OUR FIELDS. SO THEREFORE, I HOPE WE PAY A GOOD ATTENTION THAT OUR FIELDS THAT WE USE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS TO MAKE SURE OUR KIDS AND OUR RESIDENTS USING OUR FIELD INSTEAD OF SUBURBS, COMING IN AND TAKING OVER OUR FIELD.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU MAYOR, I COULDN'T BE MORE THRILLED TO BE HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER COMING TO DALLAS.

YOU KNOW, I USED TO HAVE TICKETS TO FC DALLAS PRE-KIDS, BUT THE DRIVE WAS JUST SO HARD TO GET UP THERE TO FRISCO THAT WITH LITTLE KIDS AT HOME, IT WAS HARD TO MAKE IT.

THIS WILL BE AWESOME.

IT'S A SHORT DRIVE OR A TEN MINUTE DART RIDE TO FAIR PARK FROM MY HOUSE.

THIS MEANS, YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES, SO MUCH TO, TO TO SOCCER FANS, BUT ESPECIALLY LITTLE GIRLS LIKE MY DAUGHTER AND ALL THE LITTLE GIRLS IN OAK CLIFF WHO PLAY SOCCER AT OUR VERY FEW NOT ENOUGH SOCCER FIELDS THAT WE HAVE.

AND SO FOR FOR THESE LITTLE KIDS, IT MEANS WHEN.

WOMEN'S SPORTS IS GETTING THE RESPECT, THE SPOTLIGHT THAT IT DESERVES IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.

I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE MAYOR.

FIRST OF ALL, THIS. YOU KNOW, THIS IS A LEGACY FOR YOU BRINGING TWO WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS TO THE CITY IN A VERY SHORT MONTH, I THINK.

BAZALDUA. COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA FOR PRIORITY.

YOU TOLD ME A LONG TIME AGO WAS ACTIVATING FAIR PARK, AND YOU JUST BROUGHT IT UP AGAIN.

AND THIS IS A WAY TO DO THAT.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, THIS IS GOING TO BE A CATALYST FOR MORE GOOD THINGS TO COME.

SO CONGRATULATIONS AND KEEP PUSHING.

KIM AND OUR POWERFUL LADIES THAT THAT PULLED THIS DEAL TOGETHER.

THIS IS THIS IS SO IMPRESSIVE.

TAMMY PALOMINO IS PART OF THAT TOO.

THE THE LADIES HERE ARE JUST MAKING THINGS HAPPEN.

I THINK PETER BRODSKY SAID IT BEST AT THE HOUSING FORWARD EVENT.

THE GSD CLUB GET STUFF DONE CLUB.

[01:30:01]

AND THEN THE NEIL FAMILY FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR BELIEVING IN DALLAS.

YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN THIS TEAM TO A SUBURB, BUT YOU WANTED TO BRING IT HERE.

SO I RESPECT THAT.

AND WE WANT TO SEE MORE TEAMS JUST LIKE YOURS COMING TO DALLAS.

OKAY, A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

I APPRECIATE COUNCILWOMAN WILLIS QUESTIONS.

YOU KNOW, ASKING KIND OF THE HARD, UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS UP HERE.

AND I DO WANT TO ASK A LOT OF US HAD THE BENEFIT IN CHAIRMAN GRACEY'S COMMITTEE TO HEAR HOW THIS PENCILS OUT TO THE TAXPAYERS.

BUT THAT WAS NOT PART OF THIS BRIEFING, NECESSARILY.

IT WAS TOUCHED ON.

IS THIS GOING TO BE A NET REVENUE POSITIVE FOR THE CITY? IS THIS GOING TO BE A DRAIN ON THE TAXPAYERS? CAN WE CLEAR THAT UP AND MAKE SURE THE TAXPAYERS UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE? SHARON, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A NET DRAIN ON THE TAXPAYERS.

WHAT THEY ARE REALLY PAYING IS THE USE OF THE FIELD AT COTTON BOWL, YOU KNOW, AND SO THEY'RE PAYING STAFF TIME, ETC..

AND SO THE SUBSIDY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT'S A NOT TO EXCEED 296, 296,000 A YEAR BREAKS OUT PER INVOICE.

SO WE WILL PAY APPROXIMATELY 18,500 PER GAME.

THE OTHER WILL BE OFFSET BY A PORTION OF TICKET SALES.

THERE'S A TICKET SUBSIDY THAT WILL GO TO FAIR PARK.

THERE IS ALSO A COMPONENT THAT WILL BE PAID BY THE TEAM.

AND SO THERE'S NOT A DRAIN ON THE TAXPAYERS.

AND IF YOU REMEMBER, WE'RE AN ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENT.

AND SO OUR FUNDS ARE NOT TAXPAYER FUNDS.

THEY'RE GENERATED FROM EITHER THE EVENT REVENUE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, ALCOHOL AND BEVERAGE FUND OR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.

SO NO DRAIN FROM OUR COMPONENT ON THE TAXPAYER.

THE OTHERS ARE ALL OFFSETS THAT COME FROM THE ACTUAL ACTIVITY THAT WILL TAKE PLACE THERE.

GREAT. I'LL MAKE THE SAME REQUEST TODAY THAT I MADE WHEN THE WINGS WERE HERE, THAT WE DO HAVE A ANOTHER BRIEFING IN THE FUTURE, JUST ON HOW THE REVENUE PENCILS OUT. YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THE GPFM COMMITTEE.

WE ALWAYS HAVE TO WATCH THAT.

SO YOU KNOW, A YEAR FROM NOW OR WHENEVER IT MAKES SENSE, WE JUST ASK THAT STAFF, BRING THAT BACK AND AND SHOW US, YOU KNOW, HOW THERE'S A POSITIVE TRAJECTORY. OKAY.

AND THEN I HAVE ONE MORE QUEST FOR EITHER CHAIRMAN GRACEY OR MONICA PAUL OR BOTH THAT WE.

ONCE THE WORLD CUP STARTS, WE START TO SEE MORE OF A SCHEDULE AND A MATERIAL, HOW THAT KIND OF MATERIALIZES OUT.

WE BRING IN THIS TEAM TO TO SEE HOW THEY, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN HELP PROMOTE THEM AND LEVERAGE THEM AND THEN BRING THAT TO COUNCIL SO WE CAN SEE THAT AND HELP, HELP YOU IN YOUR EFFORTS.

THANK YOU.

MISS BLACKMON, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, AND WELCOME TO DALLAS.

WE APPRECIATE YOU CONSIDERING US AND RELOCATING.

IT'S EXCITING. I HAVE BOYS, BUT WE DON'T PLAY SOCCER, SO I CAN'T EQUATE TO THAT.

BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS, I THINK WE HAVE THE MAKINGS FOR THE FEMALE VERSION OF TED LASSO.

IT ENDED WITH THEM LOOKING AT A FEMALE.

AND I THINK DALLAS IS SPECTACULAR ENOUGH.

AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD START LOOKING IN THAT DIRECTION.

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A LOT OF FUN.

SO WELCOME TO DALLAS AND LOOK FORWARD TO ATTENDING GAMES.

GOOD. GOOD JOB, GUYS AND THE GALS.

WAY TO GO. WAY TO BRING IT HOME.

SO IT'S NICE TO HAVE TEAM EFFORTS BECAUSE IN SOCCER IT'S NOT ONE IT'S ALL SO WELCOME AND LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING WITH YOU TOMORROW.

CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

AND AS YOU ALLUDED EARLIER TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A HISTORIC VOTE AND THAT WAS A BIG DEAL, AND I WAS JUST BEAMING WITH SMILES AND AND WAS ALL PREPARED AND READY. BECAUSE YOU GAVE ME THE MONIKER OF SUPER FAN.

AND THEN JUST PAST FRIDAY, WE HAD OUR SEASON OPENER OF THE DALLAS WINGS.

AND THAT FORMER IOWA PLAYER WAS IN TOWN, AND THE WINGS SHOWED A PERFECT DALLAS WELCOME TO HER.

AND NOT TAKING ANYTHING AWAY FROM THAT PLAYER BECAUSE SHE IS AMAZING.

BUT OUR DALLAS WINGS WERE JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER, SO YEAH, THE WINGS GOT A W.

AND SO MR. MAYOR, THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE'RE AT THE FOREFRONT OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS, WHICH WAS ALSO SAID.

AND AND THAT IS TRUE.

BUT I WILL ALSO SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SUPPORTING WOMEN'S SPORTS HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE WOMEN'S SOCCER, YOU KNOW, CHEERLEADING.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T SEE CHEERLEADING AS A SPORT, BUT IT IS A SPORT.

HAVE YOU WATCHED WHAT THOSE MAINLY GIRLS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME MEN, I MEAN, WOW, THE GYMNASTICS AND EVERYTHING THEY DO, IT'S INCREDIBLE.

BUT WHAT I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT IS MR. MAYOR, IS THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS NOW IS AT THE EPICENTER OF PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S SPORTS, NOT JUST IN THE NATION, BUT

[01:35:10]

AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT AFTER THAT VOTE TWO WEEKS AGO, I HAVE A NETWORK OF COLLEAGUES FROM ACROSS THE NATION, AS MANY OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES DO, AND I WAS GETTING PHONE CALLS AND TEXTS LIKE, WHOA, THAT WAS COOL.

LIKE, CONGRATULATIONS, HOW DO I GET A WNBA TEAM IN MY CITY? AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, THE WINGS HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A MINUTE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE THEY JUST THEY JUST POPPED IN.

SO THIS IS WHAT'S EVEN MORE EXCITING ABOUT THIS.

THIS IS BRAND NEW FROM THE BEGINNING.

WE GET TO START WITH THIS WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND WHAT WILL SOON BE KNOWN AS THE WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, MR. MAYOR. SO THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT DALLAS IS WE'RE NOT AFRAID TO LEAD.

WE'RE NOT AFRAID TO STEP OUT AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

AND I KNOW THAT YOU GET A LOT OF FLAK FOR TALKING ABOUT THE NFL AND ALL OF THAT, BUT IT'S LIKE YOU HAD TO START SOMEWHERE.

OKAY. IF YOU DON'T GO FOR THE BIGGEST, THE GIANT.

BUT WE DID THAT. WE WENT AFTER FIFA AND I.

I'M NOT SAD THAT WE DIDN'T WIN THE FINAL.

WE GOT THE MOST THE MOST GAMES OF ANY CITY, THE MOST, AND WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE THAT'S COMING WITH THAT, BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS IS THE BEST SPORTS CITY IN THE NATION.

NOW IN DISTRICT SIX, WE ARE HOME TO THE PREMIER SOCCER FIELD COMPLEX IN THE CITY MONEYGRAM PARK.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'M HOPING THAT THIS WILL HELP US BUILD, EXPAND THAT, MAKE THAT EVEN BIGGER AND MORE OF A GEM THAN IT ALREADY IS.

BUT WE DIDN'T WE CAN'T JUST EXPAND EVERY SINGLE FIELD.

WE CAN'T JUST BUILD SOCCER FIELDS ALL OVER THE CITY.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CRUNCHED FOR SPACE, BUT WE THOUGHT OUTSIDE THE BOX BACK WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL IN 2017 BEFORE YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KNEW I HAD THE CRYSTAL BALL OF WOMEN'S BASKETBALL AND I DIDN'T HAVE IT ON SOCCER AT ALL IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WE WERE JUST STARTING TO ASK OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT TO PLAY SOCCER AND NET GOALS IN PLACES THAT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH SPACE JUST TO PLAY A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, TINY GAME, YOU KNOW, JUST NOT A FULL GAME.

NOT FULL, FULL, FULL FIELD, BUT JUST PRACTICE SPACE, RIGHT? PITCHES ALL OF THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE.

YOU GOT TO KICK THE BALL AROUND, YOU GOT TO USE THE NET.

AND THOSE HAVE BEEN SO POPULAR IN THE PARKS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUILD THE WHOLE THING IN ORDER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE A PLACE TO STILL PLAY, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE EXPAND THAT.

RIGHT. THIS IS EXCITING NEWS, ROSA.

I CAN'T TELL YOU ENOUGH.

LIKE, YOU'RE JUST, LIKE, AMAZING.

YOU GOT THE CONVENTION CENTER, YOU GOT HIGH SPEED RAIL, YOU GOT THE DALLAS WINGS, AND NOW THIS NEW TEAM THIS NEW LEAGUE, THE USL.

AND YOU WERE DOING IT ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DID IT ALL, BUT YOU AND YOUR TEAM.

CONGRATULATIONS. THIS IS HUGE.

KIM. CITY MANAGER KIM TOLBERT.

APPLAUSE. YOU KNOW WHAT A WAY TO START.

TO THE REST, ROBIN BENTLEY, I KNOW YOU JUST GOT HERE PROMOTED, BUT TO THE TO THE TO THE LEADER GO THE SPOILS.

SO CONGRATULATIONS, ROBIN AND YOUR TEAM AND I WON'T LEAVE OUT OUR CITY ATTORNEY, TAMMY PALOMINO.

YEAH. JUST. OUCH.

YEAH. SHOTS FIRED.

IT'S NOT A COMPETITION, BUT IT'S ALWAYS A COMPETITION UP HERE.

AND THEN AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR FEARLESS LEADERS RIGHT NOW HERE IN THIS CITY.

AND I'M PROUD TO LISTEN AND GO FROM THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS MOST OF THE TIME.

RIGHT. WELCOME TO THE NEIL FAMILY, TO THE NEW TEAM, THE USL TEAM.

WELCOME WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TO THE CITY OF.

DALLAS THE BEST SPORTS CITY IN AMERICA.

I WAS CALLED A SUPER FAN.

I THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE COMPETITION WITH ADAM BAZALDUA AND ZARIN GRACEY ON THE SUPER FAN AND THE SWIM.

I'LL TAKE THIRD.

AND ALL I CAN SAY IS GO TEAM USL.

WELCOME TO DALLAS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MR. RESENDEZ, RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO ALSO ECHO A LOT OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE AND SHARED MY EXCITEMENT ABOUT THIS ITEM.

I THINK IT'S REALLY, REALLY AWESOME TO BE A MEMBER OF THIS BODY AS WE SHOW THE WORLD HOW MUCH HOW WE FEEL ABOUT NOT JUST SPORTS, BUT WOMEN'S SPORTS IN PARTICULAR.

AND, YOU KNOW, AS A GIRL DAD, SOMEONE WHO'S EVERY SATURDAY AT SOCCER PRACTICE BECAUSE MY, MY KIDS PLAY SOCCER.

I THINK THAT'S JUST A BONUS.

IT'S ALSO A TESTAMENT TO THE HARD WORK THAT STAFF HAS PUT IN.

AND CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

THE MEMBERS OF THIS BODY.

AND, MR. MAYOR, YOUR FOCUS ON SPORTS AS AN INDUSTRY, I THINK IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

NOT JUST THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M FROM SOUTHEAST DALLAS.

I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN SOUTH DALLAS.

I FEEL SO STRONGLY ABOUT THE NEED TO TO INVEST IN FAIR PARK IN SOUTH DALLAS.

AND I THINK THIS IS JUST ONE ASPECT OF IT.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T LIVE TOO FAR FROM FROM FAIR PARK.

NOT THAT THAT NECESSARILY MATTERS, BUT BUT IT DOES BECAUSE I PASS BY SOUTH DALLAS EVERY SINGLE DAY.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M DROPPING OFF MY KIDS OR I'M GOING COMING TO CITY HALL TRYING TO AVOID TRAFFIC.

[01:40:05]

HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT THE PLANS TO BE ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE HOW THIS CAN IMPACT DISTRICT FIVE.

POSITIVELY. AND THEN I WAS ALSO HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH DALLAS COLLEGE AS A, AS A PRODUCT OF DALLAS COLLEGE.

I KNOW ABOUT THE TALENT.

WITHIN THAT, THE ORGANIZATION AND THE DIFFERENT COLLEGES THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY AND CITY.

AND SO I'M HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THE TALENT IS NOT JUST RELATED TO SPORTS, BUT WE HAVE BRILLIANT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE AT DALLAS COLLEGE.

SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.

WELCOME TO DALLAS, AND AND I JUST THINK THIS IS GREAT TO CONTINUE THIS MOMENTUM AFTER THE DALLAS WINGS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIRMAN MORENO, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES.

GOING TO AGAIN, I SHARE THE SENTIMENTS AND THANK EVERYONE INVOLVED TO THE NEIL FAMILY.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE SPORT TO DALLAS.

GROWING UP, I SPENT NEARLY, ALMOST NEARLY EVERY SINGLE SATURDAY PLAYING SOCCER WITH MY TWO SISTERS AND JUST WISH THAT WE HAD SOMETHING LIKE THIS FOR MY TWO SISTERS GROWING UP.

AS MENTIONED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA, EVERYONE HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A STORY TO FAIR PARK.

I ALSO ATTENDED SEASON TICKET HOLDER TO THE DALLAS BURN.

AND REMEMBER GOING WALKING OVER WITH MY DAD.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO NOW DOING THE SAME THING WITH, WITH MY DAUGHTER AND GETTING SEASON TICKETS FOR FOR THIS GREAT TEAM.

THIS IS ONLY GOING TO BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM GEARING UP TO THE DALLAS WORLD CUP.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE PATHWAYS THAT THIS WILL PROVIDE FOR, IN PARTICULAR FOR FOR YOUNG WOMEN TO PLAY ON THE NATIONAL STAGE.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT, AND THAT'S THAT'S AMAZING.

THAT'S GREAT. WE NEED THOSE IN ORDER TO MAKE THESE DEALS WORK.

BUT WHAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR OUR YOUTH, OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, OUR COLLEGIATE STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO STEP UP INTO THAT NEXT OPPORTUNITY. AGAIN, WELCOME TO DALLAS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ATTENDING YOUR FIRST GAME.

SEE Y'ALL TOMORROW. THANK YOU.

DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. JUST QUICKLY, I WON'T REPEAT EVERYTHING THAT'S PRETTY MUCH SAID, BUT THANKS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK FROM THE ENTIRE STAFF.

MISS ROSA, I KNOW YOU PRETTY MUCH KNOW WHAT MY COMMENTS ARE GOING TO BE.

JUST IN TERMS OF THE FOCUS WOMEN'S SPORTS I CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT.

AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE HAD TO OVERCOME AND WE'RE STILL NAVIGATING OBSTACLES.

WE HAVE STILL HAVE NOT OVERCOME.

WE'RE JUST STILL IN THE PROCESS OF COMING SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO WELL, I THINK WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO STAY ON THAT MESSAGE BECAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS FALL BACK, JUST AS WE HAVE DONE WITH OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD JUST LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT THIS MORNING.

SO I WANT TO REMIND US THAT WE IT'S A GREAT DAY, BUT WE CANNOT LOSE OUR FOCUS ON THE EQUITY PIECE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IN TERMS OF SPORTS.

I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HONE IN ON THE QUESTIONS AROUND THE BENEFITS.

I KNOW THAT IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE SPORTS AND WE KNOW THAT WE WILL BE USING THE DOLLARS IN PERSONAL DOLLARS TO GO TO THE GAMES.

BUT ON IN TERMS OF THE MONIES THAT WE SPEND IN FAIR PARK, BECAUSE IT IS A JEWEL.

I'M EXCITED FOR THE FACT THAT THAT YOU HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S EXCITED ABOUT THE ABOUT THAT LOCATION, BUT IT IS A JEWEL IN THIS CITY.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO IF I COULD WAVE A MAGIC WAND AND JUST FIX EVERYTHING, I WOULD DO THAT BECAUSE IT IS A IT IS DEFINITELY AN EXPERIENCE.

HOWEVER, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MESSAGE OF THIS ECONOMIC FALLOUT WILL GO FROM SOUTH DALLAS TO SOUTHERN DALLAS. AND I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SPENT WE HAVE THE VOTERS HAVE GIVEN IN 2017, I BELIEVE, SOMEWHERE AROUND $50 MILLION, IF I'M CORRECT.

AND YOU, I NEED TO GET ALL THOSE FIGURES FROM YOU IN 2017.

NOT REALLY CLEAR ON THE BRIMER BILL IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE GETTING.

I THINK I READ SOMETHING ABOUT MAYBE 51 MILLION AND THEN WITH THIS PARTICULAR BOND, I KNOW THERE ARE SOME ALLOCATIONS.

AND SO WE'RE DEALING WITH TAXPAYERS DOLLARS AS WE SUPPORT THIS NEW VENTURE.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TO JUST FOCUS ON NUMBER ONE, THE EQUITY THAT WE SEE COMING DOWN THE PIPE ECONOMIC THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE ECONOMIC BENEFITS.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

BAZALDUA AND I SHARE A CORRIDOR, MLK THAT MOVES ACROSS THE BRIDGE, MLK BRIDGE, ACROSS THE CEDAR CREST CORRIDOR.

AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE WE HAVE ALREADY APPROPRIATED FUNDING FOR THE NEW ROLAND PARRISH PARK, WHICH WILL HOUSE WHAT WE'RE SHAPING INTERNATIONAL SPORTS COMPLEX. SO WE DO HAVE SOCCER THERE AS WELL.

AND WE WILL, OF COURSE, INVITE THE TEAM TO COME OUT AND MAYBE DO SOME THINGS WITH OUR COMMUNITIES.

BUT WE HAVE ROLAND PARRISH PARK THAT WE NEED TO ACTIVATE.

[01:45:03]

THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE GOLF COURSE HERE IN THIS CITY.

AND AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE BENEFIT OF THAT ECONOMIC FALLOUT.

WE KNOW THAT AS YOU LEAVE CEDAR CREST AND YOU HAVE CEDAR CREST CORRIDOR, AND YOU HAVE THE MARK CUBAN COMMUNITY CENTER THAT'S TRYING TO GROW THAT COMMUNITY.

AND THEN WE MOVE INTO THE ILLINOIS LANCASTER CORRIDOR, WHICH HOUSES OUR VETERANS HOSPITAL.

AND SO WE ARE WORKING NOW WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO BRING IN NEW ENERGY IN THAT CORRIDOR.

AND SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT DAY, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HONING IN ON THE FALLOUT AND CAREFUL PLANNING AND EXECUTING SO THAT THE SOUTHERN SECTOR BENEFITS.

BECAUSE WE KEEP ASKING, WE GO TO THE POLLS AND VOTE ON ALL THESE.

INITIATIVES, BUT WE DON'T SEE THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE ENERGY FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REALLY BEING ABLE TO STAND UP AND BE RECOGNIZED.

AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I TAPPED IN ON THAT CONVERSATION, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ECONOMICS.

BUT IT'S A GOOD DAY FOR EQUITY.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I KEEP FOCUSING ON THAT BECAUSE WE SUPPORTED IT.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT THIS IS A GOOD DAY, COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA.

BUT IT HAS TO BE HAS TO BE UNDERSTOOD COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WE EXCITED ABOUT EVERYTHING.

TAXPAYERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY WANTS TO SEE BENEFITS FROM THEIR INVESTMENT WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT AT FAIR PARK.

SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I WANTED TO TO MENTION THERE.

BUT THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

AND ONCE AGAIN, QUICKLY, IT'S ALL ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR SCHOOLS.

IT'S ALSO ABOUT ACTIVATING SMALL BUSINESSES IN THIS VENTURE.

AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT EDUCATING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS WHO WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS GREAT ECONOMIC FLOW HERE IN THIS CITY.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

SO A RECORD VOTE'S BEEN REQUESTED AND WE WILL HAVE A RECORD VOTE FOR SURE ON THIS.

I JUST WANTED TO CONCLUDE WITH A COUPLE MORE THOUGHTS.

Y'ALL HAVE COVERED PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THAT I WOULD HAVE WANTED TO SAY.

AND I APPRECIATE SO MUCH ALL THE THE COMMENTS THAT I JUST WANT TO REITERATE TWO THINGS, OR MAYBE BRING UP A COUPLE THINGS.

AGAIN, PORTFOLIO DIVERSIFICATION, THAT'S HOW I'M THINKING ABOUT OUR FOCUS ON SPORTS.

I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE FOCUSED AND THINK ABOUT ALL THESE DEALS WE'RE DOING, AND THAT WILL COME UP IN THE FUTURE AS A WAY TO RECESSION PROOF OUR CITY. WE WANT TO MAKE WE OUGHT TO WE OUGHT TO HAVE AS OUR GOAL TO MAKE DALLAS RECESSION PROOF.

AND YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, HOW DO YOU DO THAT? WE DON'T WANT TO BE A TOWN THAT'S SO HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON ANY ONE INDUSTRY THAT WHEN THE PRICE OF A BARREL OF OIL GOES A CERTAIN DIRECTION, THE CITY STARTS TO PANIC AND WONDER HOW IT'S GOING TO PAY ITS BILLS AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DO, AND WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO STILL HAVE JOBS.

WE WANT TO HAVE THE MOST DIVERSE ECONOMY POSSIBLE.

THAT MEANS WE DON'T TURN OUR NOSE UP AT INDUSTRIES THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ECONOMY, AND SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S A IT'S A MAJOR INDUSTRY AND WE OUGHT TO LEAD THE NATION, IF NOT THE WORLD.

AS CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ, I BELIEVE IT WAS WHO SAID A WORLD LEADER IN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT.

YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT, I'M SURE THAT CONVERSATION AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, I MAY NOT BE AROUND FOR IT.

SOME OF YOU MAY NOT BE AROUND FOR IT, SOME OF YOU WILL, BUT THAT THAT CONVERSATION WILL SHIFT TO GAMING AT SOME POINT.

THAT'S AN INDUSTRY, TOO.

THAT'S A DECISION AND CONVERSATION THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE HAD AROUND HERE.

BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BE LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION.

FOR LACK OF PREPARATION.

PEOPLE ASK ME, WHY DID YOU FORM THAT COMMITTEE? WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT? WELL, THIS IS WHAT IT WAS ABOUT.

IT'S ABOUT PORTFOLIO DIVERSIFICATION.

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT IS AN INDUSTRY.

AT SOME POINT, WE'LL NEED TO HAVE GAMING ADDED TO THAT AGENDA AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSED.

BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN THE OVERALL ECONOMY, THE DALLAS ECONOMY DOES WELL.

SO THAT'S THE FIRST POINT.

THE SECOND POINT I WANT TO AND THIS IS REITERATING SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP NUMEROUS TIMES, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT YOU ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT.

I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S A LADY IN THIS AUDIENCE, MONICA PAUL, WHO THERE'S NOBODY BETTER IN THE BUSINESS AT CRUNCHING THESE NUMBERS ON THESE DEALS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY AREN'T JUST FEEL GOOD SPORTS STORES, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOOD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STORIES.

AND ROSA FLEMING AND KIM TOLBERT ARE HER PARTNERS IN CRIME ON THIS.

I HAVE ASKED THEM EVERY WHICH WAY FROM TUESDAY DO THESE DEALS PENCIL DO THEY MAKE SENSE FOR DALLAS? THEY CAN'T JUST SORT OF MAKE US FEEL GOOD FROM A SPORTS STANDPOINT.

THEY NEED TO MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE.

AND THESE DEALS HAVE BEEN RIGOROUSLY ANALYZED FOR THAT IMPACT, AND THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE THAT IMPACT FOR OUR CITY.

SO JUST KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT VOTING WHEN YOU TAKE THIS VOTE IN A MINUTE.

ARE YOU VOTING FOR WOMEN'S SPORTS? YES. ARE YOU VOTING FOR EQUITY? YES. ARE YOU VOTING FOR, YOU KNOW, SPORTS AND CITY PRIDE AND HAVING THE TEAMS THAT HAVE DALLAS ON THEIR JERSEY PLAYING IN THE CITY OF DALLAS? YES. YOU'RE VOTING FOR ALL THOSE THINGS, BUT YOU ARE NOT DOING IT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE TAXPAYER.

[01:50:03]

AND THAT'S BEEN RIGOROUSLY DEMONSTRATED.

SO I WANT TO THANK ROSA AND MONICA AND KIM FOR DOING THAT ANALYSIS.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS JUST KNOW THIS.

THE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS WORLD IS WATCHING WHAT DALLAS IS DOING AND HAS BEEN DOING SINCE WE FORMED THAT COMMITTEE.

AND THERE IS A BUZZ AROUND DALLAS, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING THAT IT'S CREATING THE ACCURATE IMPRESSION THAT DALLAS WANTS TO MAKE DEALS. AND AGAIN, IT'S A BUSINESS FOR THESE FOLKS AND THEY'RE LIKE, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WILLING PARTNERS, SAVVY PARTNERS WHO WANT TO DO DEALS.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING SUCCESS IS STARTING TO MOUNT UP, STARTING TO ACCUMULATE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE IT.

SO REST ASSURED WE ARE NOT DONE HERE IN THE AREA OF SPORTS.

THERE'S THE BEST IS YET TO COME ON THIS.

SO WITH THAT, MADAM SECRETARY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND HAVE OUR VOTE.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

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

NO, IF YOU OPPOSE.

MAYOR JOHNSON.

YES. MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS.

YES. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM ARNOLD.

YES. COUNCILMEMBER WEST.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER MORENO.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GRACEY.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER, STEWART.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN IS ABSENT.

ONE VOTE TAKEN.

COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY.

YES. WITH ALL 14 MEMBERS OF PRESENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL VOTING IN FAVOR.

ONE ABSENT, ONE VOTE TAKEN.

THIS ITEM PASSES, MR. MAYOR. WONDERFUL.

NO OUTBURST.

JUST KIDDING. IT'S FINE.

THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL LET EVERYBODY WHO NEEDS TO LEAVE, LEAVE, AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM.

CAN WE GET A PICTURE? OH, ABSOLUTELY.

SORRY. IF YOU ARE WITH THE NEIL FAMILY AND THE GROUP THAT'S HERE ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, THE COUNCIL WOULD LOVE TO GET A PICTURE WITH YOU.

SO LET'S LET'S LET'S STAND AT EASE FOR FIVE MINUTES.

WE'LL COME BACK AT 11:36.

MONICA SAYS SHE'S NOT GOING BACK DOWN THE STAIRS.

ALL RIGHT, MADAM SECRETARY, I THINK WE ARE READY TO GO BACK ON THE RECORD.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

WE WILL NOW MOVE BACK TO THE TOP OF YOUR AGENDA, BEGINNING WITH AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE APRIL 24TH,

[MINUTES]

MOTION TO APPROVE. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT.

NEXT ITEM. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO YOUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

AGENDA ITEM TWO WAS PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN AND COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY.

I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE A FEW CORRECTIONS.

AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS BEING CORRECTED THAT THIS IS THE THIRD AMENDMENT, NOT THE SECOND, AND THE CONTRACT HISTORY WILL BE CLARIFIED IN THE RESOLUTION.

ITEMS NUMBER FIVE AND SIX, CONTRACT HISTORIES WILL BE CLARIFIED IN THE RESOLUTIONS AS WELL AND AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 24, THE GRANT TERM IS CORRECTED TO REFLECT THAT THE GRANT TERM STARTS ON THE DATE OF ACCEPTANCE BY CITY COUNCIL AND GOES UNTIL MAY 7TH, 2025.

THEREFORE, YOUR CONSENT AGENDA CONSISTS OF ITEMS THREE THROUGH 28.

THIS IS YOUR ITEM, MR. MAYOR. I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION ON CONSENT.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? CHAIRMAN RIDLEY RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 15.

THIS IS AN ITEM THAT PROVIDES FUNDING FROM THE ARPA DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FOR DISTRICT 14 AND DISTRICT SEVEN, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING EVICTED FROM THEIR HOMES WITH LEGAL ASSISTANCE.

WE ALREADY APPROVED EARLIER THIS YEAR A PORTION OF THESE FUNDS THAT WILL BE ADMINISTERED THROUGH LEGAL AID OF NORTHWEST TEXAS BECAUSE OF THEIR LIMITED CAPACITY.

A PORTION OF THESE FUNDS ARE BEING ALLOCATED THROUGH A NOFA PROCESS TO A PRIVATE LAW FIRM TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND SHORE UP THE EFFORTS OF LEGAL AID OF NORTHWEST TEXAS FOR PEOPLE OF LIMITED INCOMES WHO ARE OTHERWISE UNABLE TO RETAIN COUNSEL TO HELP

[01:55:02]

WE HAVE SEEN THE TREMENDOUS WORK DONE BY MARK MELTON ON A PRO BONO BASIS TO ASSIST PEOPLE, AND HE'S PROVIDED STATISTICS THAT 70% OF THE EVICTIONS WHERE THE TENANT IS REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL RESULT IN NO EVICTIONS.

AND THIS IS, I BELIEVE, A MAJOR INITIATIVE TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE THAT IS THE FREQUENT OUTCOME OF EVICTIONS.

SO I REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.

IT'S NOT COMING OUT OF GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.

IT'S COMING OUT OF ARPA.

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN MORENO.

YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON CONSENT.

THANK YOU MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 12.

THIS IS GOING TOWARDS EVALUATING AND RECONFIGURATION OF CESAR CHAVEZ STREET.

I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR THEIR WORK WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.

AND THIS IS A THOROUGHFARE THAT HAS WEEKLY ACCIDENTS.

I'M SURE WE ALL PASS BY THOSE.

WHAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

IT'S GOING TO GOING TO BE LOOKING AT TRAFFIC, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, PEDESTRIAN VOLUMES ON HOW WE REDESIGN THE STREET WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ROUNDABOUTS AS WELL.

AND SO LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THIS PROJECT STARTED.

THANK YOU.

MAYOR. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON CONSENT.

THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO CHIME IN ON ITEM 15 TO GIVE SUPPORT TO THE LEGAL SERVICES FOR SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE REAPED HARDSHIP.

WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSCORE THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE SOME GOOD LANDLORD PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE DOING, YOU KNOW, THEIR JOB AND DOING DUE DILIGENCE AND IS LEGAL.

BUT WE ALSO WANT TO PROTECT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BEING PUT OUT, AND THEY'RE ALREADY HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS BECAUSE THEIR PROPERTY IS MANAGED BY SLUMLORDS. AND SO I KNOW MOVING FORWARD, WE MUST HAVE MORE ATTENTION AROUND THESE EVICTIONS, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR SUPPORT OF THIS CITY TO BEGIN TO PROTECT SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MAKING ENDS MEET AS MUCH AS THEY CAN, BUT THEY'RE HAVING TO LIVE IN WITH WITH APARTMENTS THAT ARE NOT LIVING UP TO QUALITY OF LIFE STANDARDS.

AND SO IT'S A DOUBLE WHAMMY ON THEM TO JUST, YOU KNOW, BE EVICTED AND THEN PUT OUT.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.

BUT ALSO JUST KNOW THAT IT IS SO SERIOUS OUT HERE AS WE MOVE AS A CITY AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT WE'VE GOT TO DEVELOP SOME STRONGER PARTNERSHIPS SO THAT WE DON'T SEE THESE ILLEGAL EVICTIONS AND WE DON'T SEE THE PROLIFERATION OF THESE SLUMLORDS CONTINUING TO MAKE PROFIT IN THIS CITY OFF THE BACKS OF SOME OF THESE HARD WORKING INDIVIDUALS WHO SIMPLY WANT A DECENT PLACE TO LIVE.

THANK YOU, MISS WILLIS.

RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON CONSENT.

THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 11, WHICH IS AROUND PRESTON CENTER.

YOU KNOW, THE NORTHWEST HIGHWAY TOLLWAY INTERSECTION IS IS VERY CONGESTED AT TIMES, BUT IT'S RUN BY OTHER ENTITIES.

WE'VE GOT TXDOT, WE'VE GOT THE TOLLWAY AUTHORITY WE'VE HAD COVID.

SO TRAFFIC DATA COLLECTION ON THE CORRIDOR STUDIES HAS REALLY NOT BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD FOR A WHILE, BUT THOSE THINGS ARE PICKING BACK UP.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME, AND WITH THE DIRECTION OF OUR DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, KEN CARLEY, THE CITY OF DALLAS CAN MOVE FORWARD AROUND DOUGLAS AVENUE, WHICH IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRESTON CENTER, AT ALLEVIATING TRAFFIC AND HELPING WITH TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS.

SO JUST WANTED TO CALL THAT OUT.

THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA.

YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON CONSENT.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AS WELL ITEM 15.

I'M OFTEN ASKED ON COUNCIL OR AS IN MY TIME ON COUNCIL, WHAT IS MY PROUDEST PIECE OF POLICY WORK AND BY FAR THE EVICTION ORDINANCE THAT WE DID AS THIS BODY IS SOMETHING TO ME THAT SHOWS WHAT POLICY, HOW POWERFUL POLICY CAN BE.

WE'VE SEEN THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES WITH THE ABILITY TO STAY IN THEIR HOME.

WE'VE SEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL PRO BONO LAW FIRM MOUNTED, AND THAT GO INTO THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE EVERY DAY.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS THE TYPE OF POLICY WORK THAT REALLY CHANGES PEOPLE'S LIVES, THAT REALLY CHANGES THE TRAJECTORY OF ECONOMICS IN OUR CITY.

AND BY FAR, I BELIEVE THAT TO BE THE ANSWER THAT I WILL HAVE.

I DON'T THINK ANYTHING WILL SUPERSEDE THAT.

SO THIS BODY HAS MADE HUGE STRIDES, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO TO SUPPORT THAT LEGAL AID THAT'S NEEDED THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

A VERY TELLING PIECE OF DATA WAS TALKING WITH THE ATTORNEYS THAT OFFER THIS FREE LEGAL AID.

[02:00:04]

AND THAT JUST SHOWS THAT WHEN THOSE TENANTS WAKE UP AND DID NOT KNOW THAT THEY HAD LEGAL AID WHEN APPROACHING THE COURT 90% OF THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE REPRESENTATION ACTUALLY GO TOWARDS THE LANDLORD, AND IT JUST SHOWS THAT THERE IS AN INEQUITY IN THIS SYSTEM, AND WE ARE RISING TO THE OCCASION TO CLOSE THE GAP OF THAT INEQUITY.

AND ULTIMATELY, IT'S NOTHING BUT A POSITIVE FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED, INCLUDING OUR CITY, AS WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN A GROWING ISSUE OF OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THAT IS SOMETHING TO BE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT.

IN ADDITION TO THAT THERE'S A HUGE ITEM ON ON NUMBER 20 FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE LOOP TRAIL AND THE SANTA FE TRAIL.

AND I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO PUSH OUR CITY MANAGEMENT TO PRIORITIZE AND INVEST IN CONNECTING NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH OUR PARKS AND TRAIL SYSTEMS AND BEING MORE SPECIFICALLY INTENTIONAL ON THE MULTIMODAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE WE HAVE SEEN GROW YEAR OVER YEAR.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE OF A NEED AS WE CONTINUE TO, TO COMPLETE THESE TRAIL SYSTEMS. SO THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON FOR AGAINST THE CONSENT AGENDA TODAY? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? THE EYES HAVE IT. NEXT ITEM.

WE'LL NOW MOVE TO YOUR FIRST OR YOUR ONLY PULLED ITEM.

[2. 24-1242 An ordinance amending Ordinance No. 32554, previously approved on September 20, 2023, as amended by Ordinance No. 32663, previously approved on February 28, 2024, authorizing (1) certain transfers and appropriation adjustments for FY 2023-24 for the maintenance and operation of various departments, activities, and amending the capital budget; and (2) authorize the City Manager to implement those adjustments - Not to exceed $5,545,369,523 - Financing: General Fund ($1,840,372,470), Enterprise Funds, Internal Service, and Other Funds ($1,770,985,265), Capital Funds ($1,437,156,453), and Grants, Trust, and Other Funds ($496,855,335) ]

AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 32554 PREVIOUSLY APPROVED ON SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2023, AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCE NUMBER 32663, PREVIOUSLY APPROVED ON FEBRUARY 28TH, 2024, AUTHORIZING ONE CERTAIN TRANSFERS AND APPROPRIATION ADJUSTMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023-24.

FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS ACTIVITIES, AND AMENDING THE CAPITAL BUDGET, AND TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT THOSE ADJUSTMENTS NOT TO EXCEED $5,545,369,523.

THIS ITEM WAS PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN AND COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY.

MOTION TO APPROVE.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

ANY DISCUSSION? CHAIRMAN RIDLEY.

YOU PULLED IT. THAT'S WHY I ASKED IF YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE.

IT INVOLVES A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES, A LOT OF DIFFERENT LIGHT ITEMS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT DOLLAR AMOUNTS.

AND I HAVE PARTICULAR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT THE REMAINING FUNDS FOR REPROGRAMING OF ARPA FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $9.6 MILLION THAT I THINK NEEDS ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY AND REQUIRES ANSWERS FROM STAFF ABOUT JUST WHAT THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING TO BE GOING FOR AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE USED.

AS A RESULT.

I MOVED TO DEFER THIS ITEM FOR TWO WEEKS UNTIL THE MAY 22ND AGENDA.

IS THERE A SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

WE'RE NOW ON THE MOTION TO DEFER.

MR. RIDLEY, HAVE FIVE MINUTES ON YOUR MOTION TO DEFER IF YOU WANT IT.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS REFERRED BACK TO GPFM.

I'VE SPOKEN TO COUNCIL MEMBER WEST, AND HE IS OPEN TO THAT SO THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK STAFF IN AN OPEN FORUM ABOUT THE ANSWERS TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I, AND I SUSPECT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ABOUT THIS AGENDA ITEM.

CHAIRMAN SCHULTZ, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO DEFER? YES, I HAVE A QUESTION. FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF, PLEASE.

ABOUT THE ARPA IN PARTICULAR.

I HAVE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, PLEASE.

YEAH. GO AHEAD, STATE YOUR MOTION IS A DEFERRAL.

AND IT JUST WAS MENTIONED IN DISCUSSION ABOUT A REMAND.

AND I'M CONFUSED ON WHERE WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING.

MR. RIDLEY, MAYBE YOU COULD CLARIFY THEN.

WELL DOES THE REMAND TO GPFM NEED TO BE IN MY MOTION? YES, IT'S IN THE JURISDICTION.

I'M GOING TO LET THE PARLIAMENTARIAN ADDRESS THE QUESTION.

YES, IT SHOULD BE A COMMITTEE REFER IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR THE COMMITTEE TO TAKE THE ITEM BECAUSE IT BELONGS TO COUNCIL, THEN I'LL AMEND MY.

IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO HIM RETRACTING THE MOTION? REDO IT. NO OBJECTION.

SO ORDERED. GO AHEAD AND DO IT AGAIN, MR. RIDLEY, YOU CAN GO AHEAD STATE THE MOTION THE WAY YOU WANTED WITH THE I MOVE THAT WE DEFER THIS ITEM TWO UNTIL THE MAY 22ND AGENDA AND IN THE MEANTIME REFER IT TO GPFM FOR

[02:05:06]

IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT POINT OF ORDER? STATE YOUR POINT OF ORDER. I BELIEVE IT'S OUT OF ORDER OF A MOTION, IF WE ARE CURRENTLY AT THE FULL COUNCIL TO MAKE A MOTION THAT REMANDS IT, BUT HAS A DATE CERTAIN TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITHOUT ACTION TAKEN FROM THAT COMMITTEE BODY.

I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S ACCURATE OR NOT, BUT YOU ARE THE DEPUTY PARLIAMENTARIAN, SO IT'S A CHANCE WE'LL LET THE THE PAID ONE THOUGH FIGURE IT OUT. THUMBING THROUGH THE BOOK.

CAN I HAVE A MINUTE TO LOOK? WE'LL STAND AT EASE FOR TWO MINUTES WHILE YOU LOOK IT UP.

MIC] ALL RIGHT, WE'RE BACK. AND WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A RULE.

WELL, I'LL STATE THE RULING WHEN SHE EXPLAINS IT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS OUT OF ORDER.

IT IS COMMITTING IT TO THE COMMITTEE, BUT NOT ALLOWING THE COMMITTEE TO HOLD IT BEYOND A CERTAIN TIME.

OKAY, SO THE MOTION NOW IS THE BEEN RESTATED.

IT'S NOW A MOTION TO REMAND BACK TO COMMITTEE AND A DEFERRAL COMBO MOTION.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CHAIRMAN BAZALDUA, WE'RE BACK ON THE MOTION TO MR. RIDLEY'S MOTION AND TECHNICALLY WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY DISCUSSION ON IT BECAUSE IT'S NEW.

SO DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE ON IT? YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES IF YOU'D LIKE.

WELL, NO, I THINK I MENTIONED THAT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IN AN OPEN FORUM BEFORE THE COMMITTEE TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS SO THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE FULL TRANSPARENCY ABOUT JUST WHAT THE HANDLING OF THESE FUNDS IS GOING TO BE.

DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO SAY? GO AHEAD. YOU WERE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON THIS.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THIS IS FOR THE STAFF.

COULD YOU PLEASE SHARE HOW MANY TIMES WE'VE BEEN BRIEFED ON THIS WITH UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS ON THIS TOPIC? JEANETTE WEEDEN, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

SO WE INITIALLY BRIEFED CITY COUNCIL ON A REALLOCATION AND REPROGRAMING OF ARPA FUNDS ON FEBRUARY 21ST.

THE ACTION ITEM CAME BEFORE THIS BODY ON FEBRUARY 28TH.

SO YOU APPROVED THE REALLOCATION OF 159.3 MILLION.

THAT ITEM INCLUDE REPROGRAMING OF 28.1 MILLION.

YOU APPROVE 18.5.

AT THAT PARTICULAR COUNCIL MEETING, YOU ASKED THAT STAFF COME BACK TO GPFM AND FULL COUNCIL.

SO WE PRESENTED THE REMAINING BALANCE TO GPFM ON APRIL THE 23RD, AND THEN WE PRESENTED THE REMAINING BALANCE TO THIS BODY ON MAY 1ST.

AND WERE THERE QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL AT THAT TIME THAT YOU RECALL? ANY QUESTIONS? YES.

THERE WERE SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE USE OF FUNDS, SPECIFICALLY THE USE OF THE MONEY RELATED TO CONSULTING SERVICES.

THERE WAS ALSO A QUESTION ABOUT THE STEMMONS ITEM.

THANK YOU. AND ALSO, DO WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET WITH YOU OR SEND YOU EMAILS OR ASK YOU QUESTIONS AS WE HAVE AGENDA ITEMS THAT COME FORWARD? THAT'S CORRECT ALL THE TIME.

SO MR. MAYOR, I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION.

I FIND IT ACTUALLY CHALLENGING THAT WE ASK TO SPEND MORE STAFF TIME, MORE OF OUR TIME, MORE OF THE PUBLIC'S TIME, ALL OF WHICH EQUATES TO MONEY ON THINGS.

IF WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO DON'T DO THEIR HOMEWORK.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

OKAY. ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK ON FOR MISS BLACKMON? YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON THE MOTION BY MR. RIDLEY. THANK YOU.

AND I THINK THERE WAS A TIME THAT WE HAD THIS AT COMMITTEE.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

THE ITEM WAS PRESENTED TO GPFM ON APRIL THE 23RD.

AND IN FEBRUARY OR JANUARY IT WAS.

AND IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND I THINK ONE OF THOSE, WE HAD A HARD TIME KEEPING A QUORUM.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND SO WHERE WE DISCUSSED IT IN DEPTH.

AND SO I THINK WE'VE BEEN HAVING THIS DISCUSSION AND SO I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT IT EITHER.

I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE ON.

IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS.

AND IF WE DELAY IT, WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN? THERE'S NO IMPACT TO DELAY.

[02:10:02]

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, BUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT $9.6 MILLION IS AND MAYBE WE CAN GET THAT DISCUSSED HERE OR MAYBE EVEN HOLD IT TO THE END OF THE MEETING.

SO THAT WAY WE CAN COME BACK AND TAKE IT AT THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS.

BUT I SEE NO REASON WHY WE SHOULD HOLD IT UP, SO I WON'T BE SUPPORTING IT EITHER.

THANK YOU. AND JUST SO I CAN CLARIFY OF THE 9.8 500 OR 5 MILLION INCLUDED STEMMONS.

SO WHILE IT WON'T STOP US MOVING FORWARD IT'S PART OF THE ALLOCATION, SO I JUST WANTED TO CALL THAT OUT.

YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY, BEFORE I GO TO THESE FOLKS, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK FOR THE FIRST TIME? OH, YOU'RE ACTUALLY ON YOUR FIRST TIME.

SO YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES, CHAIRMAN.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I IF IF MY COLLEAGUE WILL ANSWER.

I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU COULD JUST SUMMARIZE WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH A DEFERRAL.

SURE. FIRST OF ALL, I'M NOT A MEMBER OF GPFM, AND SO I DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT DISCUSSION.

THEN LAST WEEK, WHEN IT WAS BRIEFED BEFORE THE FULL COUNCIL, WE DISCOVERED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT THERE ARE ALREADY PROPOSALS FOR CONSULTANTS TO UNDERTAKE THIS COMPLIANCE MONITORING.

I REQUESTED COPIES OF THOSE RESPONSES, BUT STAFF HAS DECLINED TO PROVIDE THEM BECAUSE THEY SAY IT'S STILL IN PROCUREMENT. SO I WANT TO AT LEAST BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT AND JUST WHAT TYPE OF SERVICES WERE PUT OUT FOR AN RFP, AND WHY STAFF CAN'T HANDLE THAT IN-HOUSE.

THANK YOU. SO IF I MAY IF I COULD HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE RESPOND TO THE ACTIVE PROCUREMENT COMMENT, BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY A REASON WHY WE'RE UNABLE TO RELEASE ALL OF THE PROPOSALS THAT WERE SUBMITTED.

WELL, JEANETTE, LET ME CLARIFY THAT THIS IS SIMPLY AN APPROPRIATION MOVING FUNDS FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.

THE ANY PROCUREMENT WILL COME BACK BEFORE COUNCIL.

AND SO IF IT'S ACTIVE AND OPEN, WE WOULD NEED TO KNOW WHAT DOCUMENTS AND WHAT PURPOSE THAT IS.

CORRECT. AND SO TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S POINT, THE 9.6 INCLUDES APPROPRIATION FOR 1.7.

WE DISCLOSED ON FEBRUARY THE 21ST AND ON MAY THE 1ST THAT THE 1.7 WOULD BE USED FOR CONSULTING SERVICES.

THE QUESTION WAS ASKED.

WE WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE ALL OF THE PROPOSALS THAT WERE SUBMITTED.

AND SO THE RESPONSE WAS THAT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT.

AND SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT WE'RE NOT REFUSING TO GIVE INFORMATION.

WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE IT.

OKAY. DID YOU WANT TO SAY, IF I MAY, FOR JUST A SECOND.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU, JEANETTE, FOR THE RESPONSE.

AND SO COUNCIL MEMBER, REALLY, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY.

AND JEANETTE SAID IT, BUT I WANT TO SAY IT A DIFFERENT WAY.

WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT PROCESS.

WE HAVE NOT SELECTED A BROADER RECOMMENDATION BEFORE THIS BODY.

SO WE DON'T TYPICALLY PROVIDE ANY TYPE OF RESPONSES OR COPIES OF PROPOSALS WHILE WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR NEGOTIATIONS TO BRING YOU A RECOMMENDATION AT ANY POINT IN TIME, WHEN WE POST THE ITEM TO BRING THAT RECOMMENDATION FORWARD, WE WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THAT IN MORE DETAIL, INCLUDING ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

BUT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT, AND IT IS YET TO BE DETERMINED AT THIS TIME.

BUT IT'S NOT STAFF'S REFUSAL, IT'S JUST THAT THAT IS NOT A PART OF OUR PRACTICE OR A PART OF THE PROCESS THAT WE USE IN DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS TO COME BEFORE THIS BODY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.

THOSE RESPONSES, I THINK THAT WAS HELPFUL.

I WAS LOOKING TO AMEND THE MOTION JUST FOR THE SPIRIT OF EFFICIENCY.

AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF PUTTING BACK TO A COMMITTEE THIS, IF ANYTHING, SHOULD COME TO THE FULL BODY, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT YOU'RE NOT ON THE COMMITTEE THAT YOU WERE REMANDING TO.

HOWEVER, I DON'T FEEL THAT THE EXTRA TIME IS GOING TO AFFORD YOU WHAT IT IS THAT YOU ARE LOOKING TO ACCOMPLISH WITHIN THAT TWO WEEKS. SO I FEAR THAT I WILL NOT MAKE AN AMENDMENT AND I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING TO PUSH THROUGH.

I AS AM I UNDERSTANDING IT CORRECTLY THAT BECAUSE IT'S STILL CONSIDERED AN OPEN PROCUREMENT, THERE ARE GOING TO BE LIMITATIONS TO HOW WE CAN GET

[02:15:04]

WELL, YES.

AND THE ISSUE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS SIMPLY THE MID-YEAR APPROPRIATION, MOVING FUNDS FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER AND SO THAT ANY PROCUREMENT REALLY SHOULDN'T ENTER INTO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE ACTION TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I FOR THAT I WILL NOT BE AMENDING OR SUPPORTING THIS MOTION.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE BEFORE I GO TO MR. RIDLEY FOR THREE MINUTES ON HIS MOTION, MR. RIDLEY RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES ON YOUR MOTION.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

THERE ARE STILL UNANSWERED QUESTIONS THAT DON'T DIRECTLY PERTAIN TO THE RFP PROCESS, AND THAT GOES TO WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD ALLOCATE $1.7 MILLION TO ADDITIONAL CONSULTANTS TO DO BASICALLY WHAT STAFF IS ALREADY CHARGED WITH DOING.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I HAVE MOVED TO DEFER THIS, SO THAT I CAN ASK THOSE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD BE ALLOCATING THESE FUNDS TO LOOK INTO THE SCOPE OF SERVICES THAT ARE NOT PRIVY TO THE RFP RESPONSES AND TO PROBE STAFF ABOUT WHY WE NEED TO SPEND THIS MUCH MONEY ON MORE CONSULTANTS TO.

I SEE IT AS A DUPLICATION OF WHAT STAFF HAS ALREADY CHARGED WITH DOING.

SO THAT'S WHY WAITING FOR THE TIME WHEN WE ARE PRESENTED WITH A CONTRACT WITH A CONSULTANT FOR $1.7 MILLION, IT WILL BE TOO LATE TO DECIDE.

WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.

NOW'S THE TIME TO MAKE THE DECISION ABOUT WHETHER WE WANT TO ALLOCATE THIS MONEY FOR THIS PURPOSE.

OKAY. CAROLYN KING ARNOLD, I DON'T THINK YOU'VE SPOKEN AT ALL.

SO ON THE MOTION TO ON MR. RIDLEY'S MOTION, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

YES. SO I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE MOTION.

BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO DO IS TO ASK THE QUESTION AS WE TALK WITH THE NARRATIVE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY HAS PAINTED, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT WITHIN THE LANGUAGE OF THE RFP AS IT RELATES TO THE CONSULTANTS, WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALWAYS COME BACK AND REFLECT AFTER WE'VE VOTED ON IT, UP OR DOWN, WHICHEVER WAY WE'VE DONE IT, BUT THAT SO THAT WE CAN COME BACK AS A COUNCIL TO SAY WE PROBABLY THIS IS PROBABLY NOT WORKING.

SO COUNCIL MEMBER ARNOLD, THAT IS CORRECT.

AS THE CITY ATTORNEY MENTIONED, TODAY'S ACTION IS THE APPROPRIATION.

ONCE WE COMPLETE THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, WE ARE REQUIRED TO COME BACK TO THIS BODY WITH A CONTRACT.

SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CONTINUED DISCUSSIONS RELATED TO WHICH CONSULTANT AND WHY WE SELECTED THAT PARTICULAR CONSULTANT.

ALL RIGHT. AND I'M I'M NOT I'M NOT ALWAYS JUST WILD ABOUT CONSULTANTS, BUT THERE'S A TIME AND PLACE FOR SOME OF THEM.

BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WE START TODAY WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM BECAUSE I SEE THE WORDS AUTHORIZE LET ME MAKE SURE THE CITY MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT ADJUSTMENTS, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED EARLIER, AS, WE ARE BEING WATCHED AS, AS HOW WE CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS AROUND THE WHETHER IT'S A SPORTS VENUES THAT WE ARE CREATING, BUT THEY ARE ALSO WATCHING US AS WE ARE HANDLING OUR BUSINESS.

AND I REALLY WANT US TO START OUT ON A GOOD FOOT, AS JAMES BROWN USED TO SAY, WE'RE ON A GOOD FOOT WITH THIS CITY MANAGER AND GIVING HER AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE JOB IN WHICH THE CHARTER HAS EMPOWERED HER TO DO.

AND SO LET'S NOT TRY TO TIE IT DOWN BEFORE SHE GETS STARTED.

AND THAT'S MY TAKE ON IT.

SO I SUPPORT THE LANGUAGE HERE AS IT IS, THE PROCESS AS IT IS.

IF WE KNOW THE PRODUCT IS GOING TO COME BACK, WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE THE POLICY MAKERS AND THAT'S THAT'S THE OVERSIGHT THAT WE HAVE.

BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AS A COUNCIL THAT WE ARE NOT POSITIONING OURSELVES TO HOLD BACK THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE WITH THESE DOLLARS GOING INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PACKAGES THAT WE HAVE ROLLED OUT HERE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BOND, AND FOLKS ARE LOOKING FOR DELIVERY.

AND I KNOW WE CANNOT WAIT.

WAIT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE IT BECOMES WAIT.

SO I WANT TO SUPPORT YOU CITY MANAGER KIM TOLBERT.

I WANT TO SUPPORT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WE VOTE ON VARIOUS ITEMS AROUND THIS COUNCIL.

BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T START OUT WITH THIS SUPPRESSION AND SHACKLES ON THE CITY MANAGER.

GIVE HER A CHANCE TO DO HER JOB.

THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING TO DO TODAY.

BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITIES.

WE'RE WAITING ON YOU, MS. KIM TOLBERT, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT MONEY THAT WE WANT TO HAVE RELEASED IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND WE'RE READY TO GO.

THANK YOU, STAFF. AND I, AS USUAL, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR WORK, BUT I WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU ALL ON QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT I ELABORATED ON THAT AND SUPPORT WHATEVER I CAN DO WITH THE CITY YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE HORSESHOE AND WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS WE MAKE.

[02:20:08]

SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THAT'S THOSE ARE ALL THE COMMENTS THAT I HAVE THIS MORNING.

MAYOR. OKAY.

ON MR. RIDLEY'S MOTION, I'M GOING TO GO TO MISS WILLIS FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU.

SO I RECALL IN ONE OF THE PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU ALL HAD MADE, I THINK CFO IRELAND HAD POINTED OUT THAT WHEN THE ARPA FUNDS CAME DOWN AND WE WERE ALL TASKED WITH DETERMINING HOW WE WOULD SPEND THAT COUNCIL DIRECTED MONEY IT WAS STILL BEING CREATED.

I REMEMBER WE WERE GETTING NEW LISTS ALL THE TIME OF THINGS THAT WOULD BE QUALIFIED, THAT WOULD QUALIFY FOR ARPA FUNDS.

AND SO IT WAS JUST I REMEMBER AT A CERTAIN POINT, IT ALSO GOT TO BE VERY VOLUMINOUS AND IT WAS A LOT TO TAKE ON.

AND SO WHILE I SHARE THE CONCERN OF COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY WITH HAVING A CONSULTANT, ETC., I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CONCERN ON THIS IS THAT THIS IS MAKING SURE WE ARE FITTING THESE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS AND THAT THERE ARE SOME HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH AND A LOT OF PROCESS THAT WE'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH THAT OUR STAFF PROBABLY DOESN'T TYPICALLY DO, BECAUSE THIS WAS BEING IT WAS EVOLVING AS THE THE PANDEMIC WAS HAPPENING AND AS THESE FUNDS WERE COMING DOWN.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT, BECAUSE I THINK IN THIS INSTANCE THIS WOULD BE DOLLARS WELL SPENT.

WE ALSO DON'T WANT ANY ISSUES THAT COULD TEE US UP FOR PROBLEMS WITH ANY OTHER FEDERAL MONEY THAT COULD COME OUR WAY.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT.

SORRY ABOUT THAT, CHAIRMAN MORENO, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. I'LL BE SUPPORTING RIDLEY'S AMENDMENT.

I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

IF THERE ARE CERTAIN ITEMS ON HERE THAT ARE STILL PENDING COUNCIL APPROVAL.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE ONE WE'RE JUST SPEAKING TOO.

IN THAT INSTANCE, IF THAT ITEM WERE TO FAIL AND NOT SUPPORTED BY THIS COUNCIL, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THOSE DOLLARS AT THAT POINT? SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

AT LAST WEEK'S BRIEFING, WE TALKED ABOUT COMING BACK BEFORE THIS BODY WITH AN END OF YEAR ORDINANCE.

SO IF YOU RECALL, WE STILL HAVE UNSPENT ARPA FUNDS WITHIN ARPA AND SO WE DISCUSSED BRINGING BACK A POTENTIAL REALLOCATION AT END OF YEAR.

SO THAT 1.7 WOULD BE PART OF THAT, IF YOU ALL DECIDE NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONTRACT.

AND THEN THERE'S OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED ON THIS LIST.

CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE APPROVING THESE SOME OF THESE ITEMS TWICE.

SO I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE ORDINANCE, AND IT HAS BEEN OUR PRACTICE THAT ANY TIME YOU AMEND THE BUDGET, YOU GET A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE THAT'S BEEN APPROVED.

AND SO WHAT'S BEFORE YOU AS THE ATTACHMENT IN THE AGENDA ITEM IS A STRIKETHROUGH, UNDERLINE, ASTERISK VERSION OF THE CHANGES.

SO YOU SEE WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED ON SEPTEMBER THE 20TH, BUT YOU ALSO SEE THE CHANGES HIGHLIGHTED.

SO THE ACTION BEFORE YOU TODAY YOU'RE JUST APPROVING THE CHANGES.

SO THE STRIKETHROUGHS THE UNDERLYING THE ASTERISKS.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

CHAIRWOMAN SCHULTZ RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

I REMEMBER AT THE LAST WEEK'S BRIEFING, WE HAD EXTENSIVE CONVERSATION, PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE CONSULTANT NEED.

AND YOU AND I DON'T I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHO ASKED THE QUESTION, BUT THERE WAS DEBATE.

THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND IT.

COULD YOU JUST VERY QUICKLY, AGAIN, FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT HAVE, YOU KNOW, BEEN QUITE AWARE OF THAT DISCUSSION WHY WE NEED THE CONSULTANT, PLEASE.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

THE THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS WAS LOOKING FOR A CONSULTANT TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL COMPLIANCE OF THE CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDS.

AND SO PART OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RELEASED THIS MONEY AND AS THEY RELEASED IT, THEY WANTED TO GET MONEY OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY QUICKLY.

AND SO AS THEY RELEASED THE FUNDING, THEY CAN CONTINUE TO UPDATE REGULATIONS, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE REGARDING REGULATIONS.

WE WERE ACTUALLY ON A CALL ON APRIL THE 22ND CLARIFYING WITH US TREASURY AND OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY LISTENING TO THEM PROVIDE CLARIFICATION REGARDING REGULATIONS.

AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN RELATED TO USING CONSULTING SERVICES.

BUT I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH A US TREASURY DESK AUDIT RELATED TO OUR CRF FUNDING. AND SO BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE WITH THAT PARTICULAR AUDIT, THAT'S WHY WE'RE MAKING THIS RECOMMENDATION REGARDING CONSULTING SERVICES.

THANK YOU. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO THIS A QUESTION.

SOMEONE WHO'S NOT ON A COMMITTEE ALLOWED TO ATTEND ANOTHER COMMITTEE'S MEETING.

[02:25:02]

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL HAVE WE ALL HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION IF WE NEED IT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. CHAIRMAN RIDLEY RECOGNIZED FOR ONE MINUTE.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. JEANNETTE, CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THAT NUMBER OF $1.7 MILLION WAS ARRIVED AT? WAS THAT JUST THE LEFTOVER FUNDS THAT YOU WANTED TO PUT TOWARDS THIS CONSULTANCY, OR WAS THAT BASED UPON SOME ANALYSIS OF THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT WAS NECESSARY? SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS ACTUALLY BASED ON THE PROPOSALS THAT WE RECEIVED.

AND SO WE OPENED THE PROCUREMENT IN JUNE OF 2023.

IT CLOSED JULY 28TH OF 2023, AND THERE WERE 14 PROPOSALS SUBMITTED.

AND SO LOOKING AT THE PROPOSALS THAT WERE SUBMITTED, THIS RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE MOST QUALIFIED, I GUESS, PROPOSAL.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE THE NUMBER COMES FROM.

AND YOU REFERRED TO A PREVIOUS DESK AUDIT OF THE ARPA FUND PROGRAM.

AND WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THAT AUDIT EXPERIENCE THAT CAUSES YOU TO WANT TO PUT THIS IN THE HANDS OF A CONSULTANT? SO THE THE PREVIOUS DESK AUDIT WAS RELATED TO THE CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDS.

AND SO AT THE TIME WE RECEIVED THE FUNDS THERE WERE THERE WAS A KIND OF THE SAME ISSUE WHERE REGULATIONS WERE CREATED AS WE WERE SENDING MONEY OUT OF THE DOOR.

AND SO AS PART OF THAT PARTICULAR DESK AUDIT, THEY COME IN AND THEY PULL ACTUAL TRANSACTIONS.

THEY GO THROUGH THE TRANSACTIONS, THEY ASK A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT PARTICULAR TRANSACTIONS AND NOTATE TRANSACTIONS THAT THEY DEEMED NOT ELIGIBLE.

AND SO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE FOR THE CONSULTANT TO DO IS TO DO THIS, THE A DESK AUDIT OF OUR TRANSACTIONS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE A DESK AUDIT.

SO WHY CAN'T CITY EMPLOYEES BE TRAINED ON THE ARPA FUNDING REQUIREMENTS SO THAT THEY CAN PROPERLY MANAGE THIS PROGRAM THEMSELVES? IF IT'S THE BODIES WILL THAT WE DON'T USE A CONSULTANT, AND WE DO IT INTERNALLY, WE WILL WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT DIRECTION.

AND WHAT WAS THE RANGE OF BIDS THAT YOU GOT IN RESPONSE TO THE RFP? WAS THIS THE LOWEST? I WON'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

WHY IS THAT? IF I'M IF I MAY, THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY, FOR THE QUESTIONS.

WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING THOSE PROPOSALS THAT WERE SUBMITTED, AND I DON'T MYSELF EVEN KNOW WHAT THOSE RANGES ARE.

THE HOPE WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD FINALIZE OUR REVIEW OF THOSE PROPOSALS AND BRING A RECOMMENDATION FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

AT THAT TIME, IT WOULD GIVE YOU THE DETAIL AROUND HOW WE SCORED THOSE PROPOSALS.

IT WOULD SHARE WITH YOU THE RANGE OF WHAT WAS SUBMITTED AS FAR AS DOLLARS.

AND AT THAT TIME, THE CITY COUNCIL CAN EITHER ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, MODIFIED OR REJECTED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST MR. RIDLEY'S MOTION? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? THAT WAS SO. YOU MEAN NAY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I THINK THE NAYS HAVE IT.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE ARE NOW BACK ON THE ITEM AS IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE AGENDA ITEM TWO.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST ITEM TWO.

MR. RIDLEY, YOU ALREADY SPOKE ONCE ON THAT.

NO ONE ELSE HAD, ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT, AND YOU NOTED THE NAYS.

NOTED, MR. MAYOR.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM, PLEASE.

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

[29. 24-1317 Consideration of appointments to boards and commissions and the evaluation and duties of board and commission members (List of nominees is available in the City Secretary's Office)]

AGENDA ITEM 29 IS CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

THIS AFTERNOON YOU HAVE INDIVIDUAL AND FULL COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS.

I'LL READ THOSE NOMINEES INTO THE RECORD TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.

RITA COX IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART.

MISS COX MEETS THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION SPECIAL QUALIFICATION TO THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR COMMUNITY CENTER BOARD, BETTY HUGHES BEING NOMINATED BY MAYOR JOHNSON TO THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION.

MIKE NORRIS IS ALSO BEING NOMINATED BY MAYOR JOHNSON.

MR. NOURI MEETS THE 55 PLUS YEARS OF AGE SPECIAL QUALIFICATION.

YOUR FULL COUNCIL NOMINEES ARE TO THE REINVESTMENT ZONE 14 BOARD SKILLMAN CORRIDOR.

[02:30:01]

SUSAN MORGAN IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART TO THE REINVESTMENT ZONE 18 BOARD.

MABLE MOCKINGBIRD, DAVID FULTON IS BEING NOMINATED BY MAYOR JOHNSON AND TO THE TRINITY RIVER CORRIDOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION.

GARY [INAUDIBLE] IS BEING NOMINATED BY MAYOR JOHNSON.

THESE ARE YOUR NOMINEES, MR. MAYOR. IS THERE A MOTION? IS THERE A SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT.

NEXT ITEM. MR. MAYOR, THIS CONCLUDES YOUR AGENDA FOR THIS SESSION.

WONDERFUL. ALL RIGHT THEN, IT'S DO WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AGENDA TODAY AT ALL?

[EXECUTIVE SESSION]

ENJOY YOUR LUNCH, EVERYONE.

IT IS NOW 1:20.

WE ARE BACK FROM THE AFTERNOON.

MADAM SECRETARY.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

WE WILL NOW BEGIN WITH YOUR ZONING CONSENT AGENDA.

[ZONING CASES - CONSENT]

NO ITEMS WERE REMOVED.

I'LL READ THOSE ITEMS INTO THE RECORD.

ITEM Z1 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING AN HISTORIC OVERLAY FOR THE WHITE ROCK CEMETERY GARDEN OF MEMORIES, 5700 CELESTIAL ROAD, ON PROPERTY IN AN AREA BORDERED BY CEDAR CANYON ROAD ON THE NORTH, EAST AND WEST, AND NORTH OF PRESTON OAKS ROAD.

ITEM Z2 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE IN AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A PA PARKING DISTRICT ON PROPERTY ON THE NORTHWEST LINE OF WORTH STREET, SOUTHWEST OF NORTH HASKELL AVENUE.

ITEM Z3 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR AN OFFICE SHOWROOM WAREHOUSE ON PROPERTY ON THE NORTH LINE OF SCYENE ROAD, EAST OF SOUTH BUCKNER BOULEVARD AND ITEM Z4 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ESTABLISHMENT LIMITED TO A BAR, LOUNGE, OR TAVERN ON PROPERTY ON THE NORTHEAST LINE OF SOUTH RIVERFRONT BOULEVARD, NORTHWEST OF SOUTH HOUSTON STREET.

YOU DO HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEM Z ONE.

EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES.

YOUR FIRST SPEAKER IS ANTONIO ANTONIA SUBER.

YOU MAY COME FORWARD.

YES. PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.

YOU'LL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES AND YOU MAY BEGIN.

GREETINGS TO EACH AND EVERYONE THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE HERE TODAY IN REGARDS TO WHITE ROCK GARDEN OF MEMORY CEMETERY.

I WANT TO EXTEND GRATEFUL THANKS TO EACH AND EVERYONE WHO HAVE WORKED SO HARD AND SO DILIGENTLY ON THIS PROGRAM AND THIS PROJECT HERE AND AT THIS MOMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE A FEW PEOPLE WHO HAVE REALLY WORKED HARD ON THAT.

FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK JAYNIE SCHULTZ FOR ALL THAT SHE HAS DONE, ANDREA HAMILTON FOR ALL SHE HAS DONE.

AND MOST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK SHANIQUA CUMMINGS FOR THE NARRATIVE THAT WAS WRITTEN FOR THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.

BOARD. I'D LIKE TO THANK RHONDA DUNN FOR ALL THAT SHE HAS DONE AS WELL.

AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO THANK REMEMBERING BLACK DALLAS.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MOST OF ALL THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION COMMITTEE.

THANKS TO EACH AND EVERYONE.

FOR THAT.

I WANT TO READ SOMETHING REAL QUICK HERE THAT I THINK IS VERY SIGNIFICANT TO THIS DESIGNATION OF THE CEMETERY BASED UPON THE FACT THAT BACK IN THE 70S, WE ALMOST LOST A CEMETERY.

AND FOR ANYONE THAT DOES NOT KNOW AND THAT IS NOT AWARE, I WOULD ASK THAT EACH ONE OF YOU ALL TAKE TIME OUT TO GO LOOK AT D MAGAZINE ARTICLE THAT WAS WRITTEN IN 1980 BY DAVID DILLON.

PLEASE TAKE A TIME TO READ THAT AND YOU IN YOUR HEART WILL FEEL THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS REASONING TODAY.

REAL QUICK, I JUST WANT TO READ THE UPPER WHITE ROCK COMMUNITY HAS STARTED OUT AS A FREEDMEN'S TOWN, SETTLED IN BY EX-SLAVES NEARBY THE COIT, CARUTH AND THE ORBITER PLANTATION, AS WELL AS MIGRANTS FROM OTHER STATES WHO HAD HEARD ABOUT THE ABUNDANCE OF CHEAP LAND AND THE DECENT LIVING CONDITION AND AT LEAST COMPARED WITH THE DEEP SOUTH.

FLETCHER ALLEN, A FORMER TRUSTEE OF THE WHITE ROCK GARDEN MEMORY CEMETERY, RECALLS TALKING TO SLAVES WHO HAD HID OUT ON THE BANKS OF WHITE ROCK CREEK FOR MONTHS, LIVING ON FISH, FRUITS AND WILD FRUITS IN THAT AREA UNTIL THE MASTER GOT TIRED OF LOOKING FOR THEM AND WENT HOME.

[02:35:11]

BY THE LATE 40S, FARMING HAD PLAYED OUT.

OWNERS HAD BEGUN TO SELL OUT THEIR LAND, FIRST TO OIL MILLIONAIRES LOOKING FOR COUNTRY SPREAD WHERE THEY CAN RELAX AND RUN A FEW HEADS OF COWS LATER TO SELL OUT TO REAL ESTATE AGENTS AS WELL AS DEVELOPERS IN THE FALL OF 1969.

OKAY, THAT'S YOUR TIME.

THAT'S YOUR TIME. I'M SORRY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. YOUR NEXT SPEAKER ON ITEM Z ONE IS LARRY OFFUTT.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS LARRY OFFUTT 6038 BRYANT PARKWAY, DALLAS 75206.

I'M HERE TODAY TO REMIND YOU THIS DESIGNATION IS NOT A SIMPLE CLICK OF THE SWITCH TO SAY, OKAY, THIS IS REALLY MUCH MORE IMPORTANT AND DEEPER THAN THAT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SACRED GROUNDS THAT WHISPER TALES OF RESILIENCE, STRUGGLE, AND A TRIUMPH OF OUR CITY'S CITIZENS EARLIEST BLACK PIONEERS IN DALLAS, CITIZENS AND FORMER SLAVES.

THIS CEMETERY IS NOT JUST A COLLECTION OF GRAVES.

IT'S A PROFOUND REPOSITORY OF OUR COLLECTIVE HISTORY.

NOTABLE FIGURES INCLUDE ANDERSON BONNER, GEORGE COIT, HENRY KELLER.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR, THINK OF COIT ROAD.

THINK OF KELLER SPRINGS.

THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO, AGAINST THE LITERAL OPPRESSIVE SHACKLES OF THEIR TIMES, CARVED PATHS OF FREEDOM AND LAID DOWN THE FOUNDATION STONES THAT WOULD BECOME THE THRIVING COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT DALLAS.

THE STATE HAS RECOGNIZED THE CEMETERY AS ACKNOWLEDGED THE SITE, BUT THAT DOES NOT PROTECT THAT LAND.

IT DOES NOT PROTECT THAT USE.

IT SIMPLY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT'S IMPORTANT.

THE DALLAS DESIGNATION WILL PROTECT IT.

AND PLEASE, SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER FREEDMEN'S TOWN CEMETERIES.

JUST DOWN THE STREET.

AND WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHERE THOSE BODIES ARE.

WE NEED TO PROTECT THIS FOR NOW AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

IT'S A POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT WE CAN SEND TO FUTURE GENERATIONS WHEN WE PRESERVE THESE GROUNDS, THAT WE VALUE THE LEGACY OF THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE US, WE HONOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS, AND WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A TANGIBLE CONNECTION.

THIS HISTORY THAT INCLUDES THE REMARKABLE STORIES OF PIONEERING BLACK FAMILIES IN DALLAS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY OF THE ZONING CONSENT AGENDA, ITEMS THAT WERE JUST READ IN THE RECORD? NO FURTHER SPEAKERS, MR. MAYOR. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED WITH END REMARKS, IF I MAY, MR. MAYOR. WE GOT A SECOND.

OKAY. CHAIRMAN SHULTZ.

THANK YOU. TODAY IS A GREAT DAY FOR DALLAS AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND ALL OF NORTH DALLAS.

ONE OF THE MOST COMMON MISPERCEPTIONS IN OUR CITY IS THAT OUR BLACK COMMUNITY WAS AND IS ONLY IN SOUTH AND SOUTHERN DALLAS.

THE LAND MARKING OF THE WHITE ROCK GARDEN OF MEMORIES IS A TESTAMENT TO THE LONG HISTORY AND DEEP IMPACT OF THE FORMER SLAVES OF DALLAS.

UNLIKE MOST OF OUR ANCESTORS, THESE STRONG AND BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN DID NOT CHOOSE TO MOVE TO DALLAS.

THEY WERE BROUGHT HERE BY PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO OWN THEM.

I'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO SHARE SOME OF THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF THIS SPECIAL PLACE, AND ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO READ THE CASE REPORT.

IT IS A FASCINATING PART OF OUR HISTORY.

FEW OF US WERE TAUGHT IT IS A STORY OF COMMUNITY COOPERATION, FIGHT, AND VICTORY.

THE WHITE ROCK CEMETERY IS BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST INTEGRATED CEMETERY IN TEXAS.

THE FIRST KNOWN OWNER OF THE LAND WAS THE WITT FAMILY, WHO CAME TO TEXAS FROM ILLINOIS IN THE 1840S.

PRIOR TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DALLAS COUNTY IN 1846, SIX YEARS AFTER THE FIRST BURIAL, SAMUEL MCGREGOR SCOTT PURCHASED THE LAND FROM WITT.

[02:40:06]

THE CEMETERY WAS THEN KNOWN AS THE SCOTT CEMETERY, AND THE SCOTTS BURIED THEIR LAST FAMILY MEMBER AFTER THE LAND WAS PURCHASED BY FORMER SLAVES CHARLES AND LOUISA SPEARS IN 1876.

AFTER EMANCIPATION ON JUNE 19TH, 1865, FREEDMEN'S TOWNS BEGAN TO FORM ALL AROUND DALLAS COUNTY.

LOCAL HISTORIANS HAVE DOCUMENTED MORE THAN 30 BLACK SETTLEMENTS IN EARLY DALLAS.

UPPER AND LOWER WHITE ROCK WERE EXAMPLES OF SUCH COMMUNITIES.

THESE TWO COMMUNITIES WERE SETTLED BY FORMER ENSLAVED PEOPLE FROM THE NEARBY KUWAIT, CARUTH, AND OBEAH PLANTATIONS, AS WELL AS MIGRANTS FROM OTHER STATES AND NEARBY PLANTATIONS WHO CAME TO DALLAS SEARCHING FOR WORK.

IN UPPER WHITE ROCK THE EARLY SETTLERS OWNED FARMS ALONG MIDWAY ROAD, PRESTON ROAD, NEAR ALPHA, MCSHAN, AND KELLER SPRINGS.

ALL THOSE STREETS WERE NAMED FOR BLACK PIONEERS AND COMMUNITIES.

THESE NEWLY FREED MEN AND WOMEN CONTINUED TO PURCHASE MORE LAND IN NORTH DALLAS COUNTY THAN ANYWHERE ELSE, INCLUDING THE GALLERIA AND MEDICAL CITY, BOTH SIDES OF NOW CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY, GOING PAST MOCKINGBIRD LANE.

SOME OF THE FORMER ENSLAVED PERSONS HAD CROSSED THE COLLIN COUNTY LINE INTO DALLAS, BECAUSE OWNERSHIP OF LAND BY BLACKS WAS FORBIDDEN IN COLLIN COUNTY.

FAST FORWARD TO THE 1960S AND 70S, WHICH BROUGHT HUGE EXPANSIONS OF GROWTH TO OUR CITY.

NEW BUILDINGS, APARTMENTS, AND CONDOMINIUMS WERE CROPPING UP ALL OVER THE CITY.

DALLAS HAD EXPANDED WELL BEYOND ITS POST-RECONSTRUCTION ERA BOUNDARIES TO ENCOMPASS A SPRAWLING METROPOLIS.

THE AREA IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING THE CEMETERY WAS NOT IMMUNE TO THIS GROWTH, WITH NEW DEVELOPMENTS OF APARTMENTS ENCROACHING UPON THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CEMETERY, THE LAND BECAME VALUABLE TO OTHERS.

IN THE FALL OF 1969, THE GATES TO THE CEMETERY WERE PADLOCKED BY OKC CORPORATION.

THE CEMETERY WOULD BECOME EMBROILED IN THE BIGGEST BATTLE OF ITS EXISTENCE.

OKC CORPORATION, A LARGE CONGLOMERATE, STARTED BUYING LAND IN THE AREA IN 1969.

THEY PURCHASED THE LAND KNOWN AS THE WHITE ROCK UNION COLORED GRAVEYARD.

THOUGH STILL AN ACTIVE GRAVEYARD, OKC CLAIMED THAT THE CEMETERY HAD BEEN ABANDONED.

A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER WAS FILED AGAINST OKC AND LOCAL CHURCHES TO FIGHT, TO PREVENT THEM FROM DENYING ACCESS.

IT TOOK TEN YEARS AND A BATTLE IN THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT TO HOLD ON TO THE CEMETERY.

DESPITE BEING COMPLETELY OBSCURED BY THE SURROUNDING APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND CONDOMINIUMS. AS OF 2023, BURIALS ARE STILL OCCURRING AT THE CEMETERY.

UPKEEP OF THE CEMETERY IS HANDLED BY THE CEMETERY ASSOCIATION.

THE WHITE ROCK CEMETERY GARDEN AND MEMORIES, INC, A NONPROFIT ASSOCIATION MADE UP ENTIRELY OF DESCENDANTS OF EARLY AFRICAN AMERICAN PIONEERS OF THE UPPER WHITE ROCK COMMUNITY.

HISTORY HAS ACCEPTED THAT AFTER EMANCIPATION, BLACKS WERE PERPETUALLY POOR, UNEDUCATED, AND LANDLESS, BUT PIONEERS WHOSE NAMES NOT ENOUGH OF US KNOW, LIKE BONNER, COIT, KELLER, WELLS, AND TARPLEY, DEFIED THOSE PERCEPTIONS AND ACHIEVED ECONOMIC EQUALITY, A STUNNING ACHIEVEMENT DURING THAT TIME, IN SPITE OF THE ENACTMENT OF JIM CROW LAWS.

WHITE ROCK CEMETERY GARDEN OF MEMORIES, MOSTLY COMPRISED OF AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO WERE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE NORTH TEXAS FARMING COMMUNITIES, IS THE RESTING PLACE FOR A STRONG, SELF-SUFFICIENT COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO WERE EXCEPTIONAL, ESPECIALLY DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.

WITH ITS RICH AND DISTINCTIVE HISTORY, THIS SPECIAL PLACE IS A HIDDEN TREASURE IN DALLAS.

IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO ASK YOU, MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM IN THE AGENDA.

IT'S A VOTE YOU CAN ALL BE ESPECIALLY PROUD OF, AND I WANT TO TAKE MY LAST SECONDS TO THANK SHANIQUA TONEY, EVERYBODY THAT WAS MENTIONED IN MR. SUBER'S REMARKS, AND WE'LL GET THOSE AND PASS THOSE OUT TO YOU AS WELL.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM ARNOLD.

THANK YOU MARY AND COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.

AND TO MISS JAYNIE SCHULTZ, COUNCILWOMAN JAYNIE SCHULTZ, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSCORE THE WELL, MY APPRECIATION FOR STANDING UP AS A REPRESENTATIVE IN THIS DISTRICT TO SUPPORT THIS COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS THEY NEED THAT VOICE TO CONTINUE TO STAND UP.

WHEN I FIRST GOT TO DALLAS, OF COURSE, I DIDN'T KNOW MUCH.

I KNEW THAT AN ATTENDING AT THAT TIME, MUNGER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH WHERE, YOU KNOW, WITHIN PROBABLY A COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER WE GOT HERE IN 79, ALL OF A SUDDEN WE LOOK UP AND EVERYBODY AROUND THE CHURCH IS BEING BOUGHT OUT, AND NEXT THING WE KNOW, CITY PLACE IS THERE, YOU KNOW? AND SO IT'S THE CONSTANT STORY AND IT'S SAD BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T REALIZE THIS, HOW WHERE THESE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES ACTUALLY

[02:45:02]

THE BLACK FOLKS GOT TO MOVE, BLACK MOVES WHEN GREEN COMES IN, BLACK MOVES AND WE MOVE FURTHER AND FURTHER SOUTH.

AND SO THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY THINKS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.

BUT WHEN YOU START DOING YOUR RESEARCH AND GO DOWN MLK BOULEVARD, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.

YOU KNOW, I HAVE THE CONVERSATION FROM CLIMATE ABOUT HOW HE USED TO LIVE OVER IN THAT COMMUNITY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WHO WENT TO SCHOOL DOWN MLK WAS NOT A LOT OF BLACK PEOPLE AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW? SO IT'S A LOT OF GOOD HISTORY IN DALLAS WHERE WE KIND OF JUST, YOU KNOW, WHITE FLIGHT COMES, THAT GOES ONE WAY, BLACK FOLKS MOVE IN ANOTHER, BROWN FOLKS MOVE IN.

SO IT'S A GREAT DIVERSE STORY.

BUT I THINK WHAT I REALLY LIKE IS THE FACT THAT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ALL COLORS, ALL BLENDS, ALL COLORS FROM THE CRAYOLA PALETTE, WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS HISTORY IS PROTECTED.

AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOR FOR DALLAS TO SURVIVE.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW EVEN MORE SO AS WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY, WE NEED TO BE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

AND YOU DIDN'T YOU DON'T YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY, YOU DIDN'T LET ANYTHING GET IN YOUR WAY ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU COME FROM AND ALL THAT.

YOU KNEW IT WAS A COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO AFTER ATTENDING THAT SESSION, OF COURSE, WITH GEORGE KEATON THAT EVEN THOUGH BLACK HISTORY MONTH, I MEAN, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING A LONG TIME WITH BLACK DALLAS REMEMBER, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

BUT YOU ALL, WE REALLY HAVE TO STAY WOKE BECAUSE WHEN ANOTHER GENERATION COMES IN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO PUSH BACK WHAT ONCE WAS.

AND SO WE'VE GOT TO PASS THIS MESSAGE ON.

SO WE CONTINUE THE FIGHT AND CONTINUE TO EDUCATE.

AND WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROGRESS AND GENTRIFICATION.

AND THERE'S A THERE'S REALLY A DIFFERENCE, YOU KNOW, SO WE KNOW WE WANT THINGS TO MOVE FORWARD.

BUT I JUST KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER NAMES THAT BESIDES GEORGE KEATON.

I HAVE ONE OF THE RELATIVES THROUGH IN-LAWS.

JESSE ARNOLD DID A LOT OF I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT MCSHAN ROAD.

ROBERT PRINCE. I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT UNTIL HE WAS ONE OF MY DOCTORS.

AND THAT'S HOW I BEGAN TO LEARN ABOUT DALLAS.

BUT I DO APPRECIATE.

BUT YOU MUST STAY WOKE, AND YOU MUST STAY ENGAGED.

AND WE MUST HAVE A PARTNERSHIP ACROSS THE CULTURES.

BECAUSE JUST AS I SEE THIS IN DALLAS, I'M FROM AUSTIN, AND I SAW HOW UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.

SORRY, SORRY, SIR CAME IN AND JUST TOOK EVERYTHING WE HAD IN EAST AUSTIN.

AND HAVE THE NERVE NOT TO EVEN WANT TO PUT OUR NAMES ON NOTHING.

YOU KNOW, AND SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE.

BUT I'M EXCITED THAT, THANK BROTHER ALFORD, WE APPRECIATE YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO GIVE US THAT SUPPORT AS WELL.

BUT THANK YOU MOST DEFINITELY.

COUNCILWOMAN SCHULTZ, FOR BEING ABLE TO STAND UP AND WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT THIS IS HISTORY IS NOT ERASED.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO SAY FIRST, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND SHARING WITH US THE HISTORY.

I WAS TODAY YEARS OLD WHEN I LEARNED ALMOST EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID TODAY.

SO THANK YOU. BECAUSE IT'S, I WANT, I'M A PROUD DALLAS SITE.

I WASN'T BORN HERE, BUT I GOT HERE IN 1998, AND I ACTUALLY MOVED IN FAR NORTH DALLAS ON MAPLE SHADE ROAD AND ALL THAT AREA LEFT OFF OF ARAPAHO. I LIVED ALL OVER THAT AREA AND HAD NO IDEA, ALL THOSE THINGS YOU JUST SAID.

SO THANK YOU.

BECAUSE WE NEED TO KNOW ALL OF OUR HISTORY, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ, THANK YOU FOR UNAPOLOGETICALLY ALWAYS RISING UP TO DEFEND OTHERS OR TO DO THE RIGHT THING WHEN IT COMES TO OUR HISTORIES.

I KNOW IN YOUR COMMUNITY YOU ALL USE THE WORD CALLED UPSTANDER, AND YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE.

AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE BEEN, AS FAR AS I'VE KNOWN YOU.

SO I APPRECIATE IT.

AND THANK YOU. BECAUSE YOU TODAY, THAT HISTORY YOU JUST READ WAS FASCINATING.

AND NOT BECAUSE IT IT WAS LIKE THE MOST DYNAMIC THING OR ANYTHING.

IT'S BECAUSE IT'S LIKE NOBODY'S TEACHING IT.

NOBODY'S PUTTING IT OUT. WELL, I'M A LIAR.

SOMEBODY IS TEACHING IT OUT THERE.

SOMEBODY IS KEEPING IT REAL FOR US.

BUT YOU HELPED BECAUSE YOU USED YOUR PLATFORM HERE.

AND INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING MOVE APPROVAL AND NOT SAYING A WORD, YOU ACTUALLY GAVE US EVERY BIT OF THAT HISTORY AND THAT FAST FIVE MINUTES.

AND IT WAS JUST SO DETAILED AND JUST DONE SO WELL.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

BECAUSE EVEN OUR COMMUNITY, ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES HERE HAVE SUFFERED JUST THINGS THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED AND WHO KNOWS WHAT DALLAS WOULD HAVE BEEN IF WE WERE THE PEOPLE WE ARE TODAY THAN THE PEOPLE THAT WERE AROUND BACK THEN.

EVEN FOR US IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY, LITTLE MEXICO, IT'S JUST HISTORY.

IT'S SOMETHING ON A PIECE OF PAPER.

AND THOSE OF US WHO GET ACCESS TO WHAT LITTLE IS WRITTEN ABOUT IT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, FOR ME, I'M VERY PROUD OF IT.

[02:50:04]

AND SO IT'S LIKE, SO I'M PROUD OF THAT, YOU KNOW, TO LEARN WHATEVER LITTLE BIT I CAN AND THEN TO SEE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AROUND TODAY STILL.

AND IT'S LIKE, OH MY GOSH, THAT PERSON, THAT PERSON, THAT PERSON.

SO COUNCIL MEMBER ARNOLD, I MEAN, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM ARNOLD, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

EVEN THOUGH YOU GET TO GIVE A DIG AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.

BUT THAT'S OKAY, BECAUSE THAT'S THE TRUTH.

AND WE NEED TO KNOW THAT TRUTH.

EVEN FOR US HERE, DALLAS LOVE FIELD AND THE ELM THICKET NORTH PARK NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOW IT ENCROACHED AND JUST TOOK AWAY, TOOK AWAY, TOOK AWAY.

AND BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW.

AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU JUST SHARED WITH US AS WELL.

DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS KEEP IT REAL WITH US.

YOU NEVER MOONWALK BACK ON ANYTHING YOU DID.

AND BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING YOU SHARED TODAY, I THINK I WANT TO BE A BRIGHT ORANGE CRAYOLA MARKER TODAY, SINCE WE'RE GOING TO PICK A CRAYOLA TO BE A PART OF.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND I WILL BE IN SUPPORT.

AND THANK YOU AGAIN CHAIRMAN SCHULTZ, FOR ALL OF THIS.

THIS WAS FASCINATING AND JUST MAKES ME PROUDER TO BE A DALLASITE TODAY.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. CHAIRMAN MENDELSOHN, THANK YOU.

I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.

BUT I FIND MYSELF THIS WEEK DOING A LOT OF CORRECTING OF FACTS.

AND I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT HENRY COIT IS ACTUALLY BURIED AT FRANKFORT CEMETERY IN DISTRICT 12.

SO JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT.

AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS IS A GROUP THAT WOULD ACTUALLY CELEBRATE SOME OF HIS ACTIVITIES.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CLARIFYING WHO HE WAS AND WHERE HE IS.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

SO ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE AYE. OH I'M SORRY, CHAIRMAN BAZ.

GO AHEAD. THANK YOU I WON'T BELABOR I JUST WANT TO ALSO HIGHLIGHT AND SAY THANK YOU TO OUR COLLEAGUE, BECAUSE YOUR COMMITMENT TO TRUE HISTORY AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY IN OUR CITY, I'VE TOLD YOU MANY TIMES, YOU AND ANOTHER COLLEAGUE, YOU'RE GAME CHANGERS IN OUR CITY TO HAVE A WHITE REPRESENTATIVE FROM NORTH DALLAS ESPECIALLY AT A POLITICAL CLIMATE WHERE WE HAVE LEADERS AT THE STATE LEVEL WHO WANT TO WHITEWASH OUR HISTORY. YOU HAVING THE STRENGTH AND THE THE LEADERSHIP TO TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT NEEDS TO BE HIGHLIGHTED TO UNAPOLOGETICALLY, AS MENTIONED BRING UP HISTORY BECAUSE THE CONTEXT MATTERS AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.

AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR WORK TO GET THIS DONE.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPEAKERS AS WELL.

OH. I'M SORRY. YOU.

MAYOR. DEPUTY MAYOR? YES. GO AHEAD.

I WANT TO SIMPLY SAY AMEN TO REVEREND BAZALDUA TODAY AND ALSO ASK FOR A RECORD VOTE.

THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, LARRY, FOR COMING IN.

YOU'VE BEEN A STEWARD FOR THIS, FOR THE CITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

OR WITH THAT, A RECORD VOTE HAVE BEEN ASKED AND RECORD VOTE BEEN GRANTED.

SO THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AND THIS IS THE RECORD VOTE ON THE ZONING CONSENT AGENDA.

WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE SAY YES IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR, NO IF YOU'RE OPPOSED.

MAYOR JOHNSON IS ABSENT WHEN VOTE TAKEN.

MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS.

YES. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM ARNOLD.

YES. COUNCILMEMBER WEST IS ABSENT WHEN VOTE TAKEN.

COUNCILMEMBER MORENO.

COUNCIL MEMBER GRACEY.

COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER.

STEWART. YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ.

COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN.

COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY.

YES. THANK YOU.

WITH ALL 13 MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT, TWO ABSENT, ONE VOTE TAKEN THIS ITEM, THE ZONING CONSENT AGENDA PASSES, MR. MAYOR. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM Z FIVE.

[Z5. 24-1238 A public hearing to receive comments regarding an application for and an ordinance granting a CR-D-1 Community Retail District with a D-1 Liquor Control Overlay on property zoned an LI-D-1 Light Industrial District with a D-1 Liquor Control Overlay, on the northeast corner of South Buckner Boulevard and Moberly Lane]

MISTER MAYOR, WE SENT 13 NOTICES TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 300FT OF THE AREA OF REQUEST.

WE RECEIVED ZERO REPLIES IN FAVOR AND ZERO REPLIES IN OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST.

THERE ARE NO REGISTERED SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM.

ARE THERE ANY INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? ITEM Z FIVE.

NO SPEAKERS, MR. MAYOR.

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION ON ZEE5?

[02:55:01]

IT'S BEEN MOVED IN. SECOND DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIRMAN. NO, SIR. ANY DISCUSSION? ANYONE SEEING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT.

NEXT ITEM. MR. MAYOR, THIS CONCLUDES YOUR AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS AT ALL BEFORE THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL? THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS, MR. MAYOR. WONDERFUL.

WELL, THEN, WITH THAT, IT'S 1:45 P.M.

IN THIS MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU MEMBERS.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.