[Veteran Affairs Commission on September 12, 2024.]
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HELLO, SEAT COMMISSIONER RAMOS.
JUST WANTED TO DO A, UH, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT YOU'RE HERE.
UM, IT'S, UH, 12 O'CLOCK STRAIGHT UP ON THE CLOCK.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS, UH, MEETING, UH, TO ORDER.
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WE NEED THE ROLL CALL OR, OKAY.WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL.
WELL, YEAH, WE, WE SHOULD DO THE PLEDGE FIRST.
TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH TO STAND ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY, JUSTICE.
ALL, UH, ON THE AGENDA, THAT'S GONNA BE THE ROLL CALL.
AND, UH, THE CO-CHAIR JUST STEPPED OUT FOR A MINUTE, BUT HE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
UM, SO, UM, DISTRICT TWO, UM, JUAN PRESIDIO, COMMISSIONER PRECIADO.
I THOUGHT I SAID COMMISSIONER ROEL.
THE NEXT, UH, ORDER OF, UH, ON THE, UH, AGENDA IS TO, UM, VOTE ON THE, ON THE MINUTES FOR THE LAST MEETING.
THERE WAS A MOTION, UH, BY COMMISSIONER CHASE THE MINUTES.
IT WAS SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL.
COMMISSIONER SHERMAN JUST ARRIVED.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS, UM, WELCOMING, UM, COUNCIL PERSON WITH, SO HE'S NOT ARRIVED YET, SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND, UH, WE CAN COME BACK TO THAT QUICK.
SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO THE VETERAN'S WELLNESS OR WELLBEING ASSESSMENT UPDATE.
AND, UM, THE CHAIR, COMMISSIONER COLE, SO PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG WITH ANY COMPONENT, BUT I, I BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN TURNED INTO THE CITY IN PROCUREMENT.
PROCUREMENT HAS PUT IT OUT ON THE STREET THROUGH THEIR BONFIRE, UH, PLATFORM.
AND, UH, THEY HAD, WAS IT TUESDAY THEY HAD, UM, UH, A CALL IN SO THAT ANYBODY WHO WAS INTERESTED COULD CALL IN AND ASK QUESTIONS AND ALSO
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MAKE THE POINT OF CONTACT WITHIN THE PROCUREMENT GROUP.AND SO, UM, UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GET TO THAT, BUT, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT WENT WELL.
COULD WE GET, COULD WE GET SOMEBODY WHO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED TO TELL US THAT? HOW MANY PEOPLE CALLED IN, IF ANY? NOW THAT I DO NOT KNOW, WE CAN FIND OUT THOUGH.
SO, AND I ATTENDED, AND I THINK THERE WERE ABOUT 14 PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS PRETTY WELL ATTENDED.
UM, AND, UM, VENDORS CAN STILL SUBMIT THEIR QUESTIONS UP UNTIL THE 13TH.
ALL OF THE QUESTIONS ARE POSTED PUBLICLY WITH THE ANSWERS SO THAT EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO SEE THE INFORMATION AND EVERYONE HAS A FAIR CHANCE TO, UM, PRE PREPARE A PROPOSAL.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET THAT WEBSITE SENT TO US WITH THE QUESTIONS ON IT AND THE ANSWERS? YEAH.
ONCE THEY'RE POSTED, UM, THEY'RE POSTED ON THE BONFIRE PAGE WHERE THE PROPO, THE PROPOSAL RFP IS, UH, POSTED.
SO, UM, WE CAN RESHARE THAT ONCE, UM, ONCE THE QUESTION PERIOD IS FINISHED, AND THAT WAY YOU GUYS CAN SEE THE QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS THAT ARE PUBLIC.
AND THAT SHOULD BE OVER BY TOMORROW, RIGHT? THAT'S THE DEADLINE.
IS TOMORROW THE 13TH, THE DEADLINE FOR THE QUESTIONS? MM-HMM.
ARE THEY GOING TO RESPOND WITHIN THE NEXT FOLLOWING WEEK OR WITHIN, YEAH, SO THE PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST COLLECTS ALL THE QUESTIONS AND THEN STAFF TRIES TO RESPOND.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ARE FOR PROCUREMENT TO ANSWER SOME OF THE, THE QUESTIONS ARE FOR STAFF TO ANSWER.
WE TRY TO TURN THAT BACK TO THE PUBLIC, UM, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE LESS THAN A WEEK, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE NEED THAT INFORMATION IN ORDER TO PREPARE A PROPOSAL.
AND I, I BELIEVE IT'S DUE, IT'S DUE BACK INTO THE CITY OCTOBER 14TH, IS THAT CORRECT? OR IS IT THE 10TH? UM, I THINK THE DEADLINE IS OCTOBER FOUR FOURTH, RIGHT? YEAH, OCTOBER 4TH.
WELL, I HAD ONE EXTRA GIG BEFORE.
BEFORE WE, SHOULD WE, UH, CAN WE PAUSE AND THEN, AND THEN COME BACK TO THE ASSESSMENT IF WE NEED TO? YES.
SO WE'RE GONNA PAUSE ON THIS, ON THIS PORTION OF THE, THE AGENDA, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO WELCOME OUR, OUR COUNCIL COUNCIL COUNCILPERSON, UH, MR. WEST.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
UH, CHAIR, UH, ERNESTO, THANKS FOR, FOR, UH, GIVING ME A COUPLE MINUTES TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERY, DO I HAVE TO HOLD THIS? I'VE NEVER ACTUALLY BEEN ON THIS SIDE, SO THIS IS INTERESTING.
UH, APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO, UM, THE CITY AND CONTINUING, I MEAN, YOU STARTED OFF WITH SERVICE AS A, AS A MILITARY PERSON.
AND SO, UM, YOU'VE CONTINUED YOUR SERVICE JUST LIKE, JUST LIKE I HAVE AND JAIME RESENDEZ, UM, WHO'S OUR, OUR OTHER VETERAN ON, ON CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO I WANNA THANK YOU FIRST.
UM, AND I'VE BEEN PROMISING, UH, COMMISSIONER IERS THAT I'D BE DOING THIS FOR A WHILE AND I'M A LITTLE OVERDUE, BUT I'M, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE AND DO THIS.
I WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE MAYOR, UM, INITIALLY, UM, WHEN HE LAUNCHED THIS BECAUSE I, I SEE THIS COMMISSION AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN COUNCIL AND FOR VETERANS ISSUES.
AND I WASN'T SURE EXACTLY WHAT ISSUES WOULD COME OUT OF IT, UH, OUT OF THIS COMMISSION.
BUT, UM, I ANTICIPATE THAT WE HEAR THINGS ABOUT, UM, JOB EMPLOYMENT, UM, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS, ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE.
UM, A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT'S REALLY A FEDERAL ISSUE, BUT WE ON THE CITY, WE CAN ACTUALLY IMPACT THAT AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE ASKED, UH, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER IERS TO, YOU KNOW, I THINK I'D LOVE FOR YOU GUYS TO EVALUATE OUR HOUSING POLICY AND PROGRAMS LIKE HOME REPAIR, UM, UH, HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE, UM, RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS TOO.
UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT AS OUR HOUSING PRICES, HOUSING'S A BIG PASSION OF MINE, AS IN, AS OUR HOUSING PRICES GO UP ACROSS THE CITY, UM, IT PUSHES PEOPLE OUT INTO THE SUBURBS.
AND, YOU KNOW, MY GOAL IS TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO WANNA LIVE IN THE CITY, UM, WHETHER THEY'RE HOMEOWNERS OR RUNNERS.
UM, SO, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, DOING THAT FOR US AS WELL.
WE DID HOST AND I KNOW, UM, UH, THE CHAIR WAS JOINED US, AND I THINK MON YOU DID TOO WHEN WE, AND MAYBE MAYBE SCOTT, WHEN, UH, UH, JAIME AND I HOSTED A, UH, A JOINT TOWN HALL, UH, FOR THAT WE WERE PUSHING OUT TO VETERANS.
WE SPECIFICALLY MARKETED TO VETERANS.
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THAT AGAIN NEXT TIME.WE, WE HAVE A BUDGET TOWN HALL NEXT YEAR, AND THEN WE, WE'VE STARTED DOING LUNCHES AT VETERAN-OWNED RESTAURANTS TO HIGHLIGHT VETERANS.
AND I, SEVERAL OF Y'ALL CAME TO THAT.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA KEEP DOING THAT AS WELL, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
MY PROBLEM IS, I DON'T KNOW ANY VETERAN OWNED RESTAURANTS EXCEPT FOR LIKE TWO.
SO IF Y'ALL KNOW OF PEOPLE IN YOUR DISTRICTS, LET ME KNOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GO VISIT 'EM, SHOW 'EM SOME LOVE.
SO, I'M, I'M, AGAIN, APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ME OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING I CAN TAKE BACK TO THE MAYOR OR CITY COUNCIL THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, HELPFUL, UM, FOR YOU AND YOUR MISSION, LET ME KNOW.
UM, WERE YOU GONNA GO FIRST, STEVE? OH, OKAY.
UM, YOU WALKED IN WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE VETERAN'S WELLBEING ASSESSMENT, UH, RFP THAT'S OUT THERE.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD HEARD ABOUT THAT OR NOT, BUT, UM, THAT WAS, UH, UH, INITIATIVE, UH, RAISED BY THIS, UH, COMMISSION TO EVALUATE THE PROGRAMS IN DALLAS FOR VETERANS.
UH, AND IT'S SOMEWHAT BASED ON ANOTHER ASSESSMENT THAT WAS DONE IN ANOTHER CITY.
AND SO THE RFP IS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, AND, AND I THINK IT, AS CHRISTINA SAID, IT'S, UH, BIDS ARE DUE OCTOBER 4TH, I THINK.
BUT WE HOPE TO GET A GOOD, UH, BIDDER THAT CAN EVALUATE, UH, THE VETERANS' POLICIES.
IS THIS LIKE A WHOLE HEALTH ASSESSMENT, LIKE JUST LIKE ABILITY TO LIVE, WORK, PLAY IN THE CITY, HEALTHCARE ACCESS? IS THAT THE, THE GOAL? WHAT'S THE GOAL? WELL, LET COMMISSIONER CALL.
IT, IT, IT'S AN ASSESSMENT GOING AFTER THE THREE PRIMARIES, WHICH IS YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, YOUR, YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH, AND YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE.
AND SO IF YOU CAN ADDRESS THOSE THREE, THEN YOU CAN ADDRESS MOST PEOPLE'S ANGST AT THAT POINT.
SO THE IDEA IS TO FIND OUT WHAT THE WELLBEING IS, WHICH IS A STATE AS OPPOSED TO WELLNESS, WHICH IS AN ACTION, UM, OF THE, OF THE VETERANS THAT ARE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
OUT OF THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THOSE THAT ARE HOMELESS, YOU'RE GONNA FIND THOSE THAT ARE NOT GOING TO THEIR, THEIR, UH, MENTAL HEALTH APPOINTMENTS.
YOU'RE GONNA FIND THOSE THAT ARE NOT, UH, THAT ARE NOT PHYSICALLY CAPABLE OF GOING AND DOING YOUR THING TO DO.
SO IT MAKES IT VERY HARD TO HAVE PURPOSE.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE DO I SEND THE CHECK? YOU LIVE IN YOUR CAR, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, IT'S HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL IDENTIFY WHERE THE STATUS IS OF THE VETERANS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEN TURN AROUND THOSE AND LINE THOSE UP WITH CITY SERVICES SO THAT WE CAN FIND OUT HOW THE CITY CAN ACTUALLY HELP THEM AND ENHANCE THEIR WELLNESS, THEIR WELLBEING.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS ENVISIONING, UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT WE WOULD SEE COMING OUT OF THIS COMMISSION.
SO I'M GLAD YOU GUYS ARE DOING THAT.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S ON ON POINT WITH COMMISSION.
HOW ARE, HOW ARE YOU ALL FUNDED? UM, THIS MIGHT BE FOR STAFF, LIKE WHERE DOES THE FUNDING COME FROM FOR THESE KIND OF INITIATIVES? THIS COMING OUTTA LIKE THE WE WORKFORCE EDUCATION BUDGET OR? YEAH, SO THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION COORDINATES THE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
UM, THE RFP IS BEING FUNDED THROUGH THE REPURPOSED ARPA GRANTS OKAY.
SO IT WAS AN ORIGINAL PROGRAM THAT WAS IDENTIFIED WHEN WE FIRST GOT ARPA.
AND WE'RE NOW GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH THE COMMISSION.
THEY PROVIDED EXCELLENT GUIDANCE FOR US TO DRAFT THE SCOPE OF WORK.
UM, AND, UM, YEAH, NOW WE'RE PUBLISH PUBLISHING IT.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY ACCESS TO ANY FUNDS.
I'VE BEEN ON THE PLAN COMMISSION.
I CAN SHARE THE, THE INFORMATION.
I THINK YOU'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT WE YEAH, NO, FOR SURE.
AND WHAT'S THE TIMELINE, SCOTT OR ANYBODY ON THAT OCTOBER 4TH, CORRECT? YEAH, SO THE DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS WILL BE OCTOBER 4TH.
AND THEN IT WILL BE A ONE YEAR CONTRACT.
SO THERE'LL BE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PROPOSALS, OBVIOUSLY WE'LL OUTLINE THE, THE MILESTONES AND UM, IT'S AN RFP.
SO WE'LL HAVE, UH, WE HAVE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE COMMISSION ESTABLISHED A CRITERIA, UM, THAT WILL GUIDE HOW THE EVALUATORS WILL SELECT THE VENDOR.
SO IT'LL BE BASED OFF OF THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS PROPOSAL.
YEAH, I WAS SPEAKING WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER COLE AND, UH, COMMISSIONER AYERS.
AND I ATTENDED ONE OF YOUR, YOUR MEETINGS THERE AT THE, THE CHURCH IN, UH, IN YOUR DISTRICT.
AND, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE HOUSING ISSUE WITH, WITH THE VETERANS AND THE WORKFORCE, UH, JOBS, THINGS THAT THE VETERANS ARE, ARE GETTING EMPLOYMENT, BUT THERE'S NO HOUSING.
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AND I THINK WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT WITH THIS FORWARD DALLAS PLAN.THERE'S NOTHING SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THROWN IN THAT LOOP, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO STAY IT SEPARATE FROM THE, THE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW THE WORD, BUT THE, THE POT WHERE EVERYBODY'S GONNA GET PLACED, THE HOMELESS, UH, WHATEVER.
BUT VETERANS ARE NOT, WE'RE THROWING THAT SAME POT.
WE WE'RE NOT GIVING THAT, THAT SEPARATION.
UM, AGAIN, WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING, UH, FOR THE FUTURE, UH, TRAINING CENTERS OR EVEN HOUSING FOR VETERANS DOWNTOWN OR, OR SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO THE TRANSPORTATION THAT I, I KNOW THAT'S PART, A BIG PART OF THIS, UH, FORWARD DALLAS PLAN.
IT'S TRYING TO BUILD NEAR, YOU KNOW, UH, FACILITIES THAT, THAT CAN MOVE PEOPLE FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.
UM, I'M JU I'M JUST, UH, I GUESS THERE'S NOTHING IN THAT FORWARD DALLAS PLAN THAT, THAT STATES THAT, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING YEAH.
AND WELL, I'M GONNA ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IN TWO PARTS 'CAUSE IT'S A GOOD ONE THAT, THAT, UM, TO DIVE INTO A LITTLE BIT.
SO WHAT I LEARNED TALKING ABOUT HOMELESS FOR A MINUTE, IS WE WERE, WE WERE TOLD BY A STAFF MEMBER LONG GONE, AND THE COMMUNITY WAS TOLD WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE MIRAMAR, UH, PROJECT THAT YOU CAME TO AT THE CHURCH TO, TO LEARN ABOUT AND TALK ABOUT, UM, THAT AT ONE POINT WE WERE TOLD WE COULD ACTUALLY DESIGNATE HOUSING THERE IN THAT FACILITY FOR VETERANS.
AND THAT WAS PROPOSED TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
WE LATER LEARNED, UM, CITY LATER LEARNED FROM HUD THAT YOU CANNOT HAVE BECAUSE OF FAIR HOUSING RULES, CAN'T HAVE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED HOUSING FOR VETERANS THAT'S FUNDED THROUGH HUD FUNDING, WHICH ULTIMATELY THIS WOULD BE, UM, HOWEVER YOU CAN PREFERENCE VETERANS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, YOU KNOW, IN THIS DISTRICT ONE PROJECT.
UM, SO HAVING OUR HOUSING POLICY THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE IT, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS WOULD TOO, PUTS VETERANS IN A SPECIAL CATEGORY OUTSIDE OF EVERYONE ELSE, WOULD PROBABLY RUN THE RISK OF HAVING SOME HUD VIOLATIONS.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE CAN ALWAYS DO A PREFERENCE FOR, FOR, UH, FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT.
SO IF WE'RE GONNA DO A-T-O-D-A TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, BUY A DART STATION, LIKE WE CAN CERTAINLY AS A CITY PUT IT IN OUR POLICY THAT WE, WE WANT TO PRIORITIZE RESOURCES FOR VETERANS.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT A STATEMENT COMING FROM THIS BODY, UM, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO DO THAT, OR EVEN IF IT'S JUST A PRO, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING YOU SAY HERE OR, OR A LETTER SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'D LIKE FOR ANY HOUSING INITIATIVES OR DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES TO, TO AT LEAST CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, UH, HOW IT COULD BENEFIT VETERANS.
I THINK THAT THAT COULD BE IMPACTFUL.
UM, AND I HAVE TO THINK MORE ABOUT EXACTLY HOW YOU COULD MAYBE BEEF THAT UP A LITTLE MORE TO, TO REALLY PUSH US.
I'M USED TO RUNNING THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS OR I CALLING PEOPLE.
NO, DON'T EVER, DON'T EVER APOLOGIZE.
UM, I, I GUESS THE, I GUESS THE KEY IS THAT I, I THINK THAT OUR MOST ADVANTAGEOUS COMPONENT IS TO DO THINGS WITHOUT HUD.
THERE ARE SO MANY, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT ARE NON-PROFIT, THAT ARE WILLING, IF YOU'LL GIVE 'EM THE LAND OR YOU'LL GIVE 'EM THE BUILDING, THEY WILL RAISE THEIR OWN MONEY AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL REFURBISH IT.
AND THEN IT IS EXCLUSIVELY FOR VETERANS THAT ARE HOMELESS OR DISABLED OR WHATEVER THEIR COMPONENT IS.
AND SO I THINK THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, ARE, ARE AVAILABLE TO US.
WHAT WE NEED IS BETTER CONTACTS INTO THE CITY'S, I GUESS NOT THE PLANNING GROUPS, AND ALSO WHAT PROPERTIES OF LAND AND OR BUILDINGS WITH LAND THAT THE CITY ACTUALLY HAS CONTROL OF.
THAT, THAT'S EMPTY, IF YOU WILL, EMPTY LAND.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT'S REALLY, I THINK, GONNA BE THE, THE QUICKEST AND EASIEST WAY TO, YOU KNOW, PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE TO MAKES ANYTHING HAPPEN.
BECAUSE THERE ARE, THERE ARE A VARIETY, THERE ARE FIVE OR SIX REALLY STRONG HOUSING GROUPS THAT DO NOTHING BUT NONPROFIT WITHIN, YOU KNOW, THE VETERANS UNIT AT THAT LUNCH AT DEEP ELLUM, WE HAD, UH, THAT VETERANS TINY HOMES GROUP HAVE, HAVE, HAVE THEY CON HAVE THEY CONTACTED YOU SINCE THAT TIME? YEAH, WE'RE TRYING TO SET UP A TOUR.
I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T HAD TIME YET, BUT I'M, I WANNA GO SEE 'EM.
WELL, THEY'RE VERY, UM, ASSERTIVE AND THEY'RE ALSO VERY, YEAH.
UH, WELL, FINANCES APPEARS TO BE A REALLY SILLY CLAIM.
SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE OUGHT TO REALLY, UH, FOCUS ON.
I THINK, UH, I HAD ONE QUICK QUESTION.
UH, IS THE CITY UNDERGOING A, UM, SOME KIND OF, UH, INVENTORY OF ITS EMPTY BUILDINGS AND EMPTY LOTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? THAT WAS, UH, EXACTLY WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO SAY.
THE, UM, SO I, I CHAIR THE GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE, UH, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
IT'S LIKE OUR AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY.
WE'RE LIKE ONE OF THE ONLY COMMITTEES THAT MEETS UP HERE.
AND WE ARE, THE MAYOR HAS TASKED US EARLY WHEN I TOOK THIS OVER OF
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GOING THROUGH THE CITY'S 50,000 ACRES OF REAL ESTATE.AND, UM, WE HAVE 50,000 ACRES THAT WE AS THE CITY OWN.
NOW, SOME OF THAT'S LIBRARIES, PARKS, FAIR PARKS IN THERE, STUFF THAT YOU'RE NEVER GONNA, WE'RE NEVER GONNA LIKE DO ANYTHING WITH OTHER THAN BE WHAT THEY ARE.
BUT THE, UH, THERE'S A LOT IN THERE THAT WE NEED TO COMB THROUGH.
WE'VE ALSO GOT A LIST OF ALL THE PROPERTIES.
WE'RE ON THE HOOK FOR LEASING.
YOU MIGHT'VE JUST SEEN THANKSGIVING SQUARE WHERE WE DISCOVERED WE HAVE A 45 YEAR, OR 75 YEAR LEASE FOR THEM FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS EVERY YEAR THEN.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE GET OUT OF IT.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF PROPERTY WE NEED TO ACTIVATE, SO WE'RE COMBING THROUGH THAT.
AND THERE'S NO REASON WHY, YOU KNOW, THE CHAIR, YOU CAN'T REQUEST, UM, DONELLE GIBSON, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THE REAL ESTATE OFFICE TO ACTUALLY COME AND PRESENT TO YOU ON ALL THE DIFFERENT LAND OPPORTUNITIES.
NOW THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA TELL YOU, WELL, THERE'S LIMITS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO THERE.
AND, AND THAT'S ALL I'M SURE VERY, VERY MUCH TRUE.
BUT IT'S, IT'S OUR JOB AS, AS ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS TO DIG INTO THAT.
AND YOU SHOULD CERTAINLY DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, ASK SOME QUESTIONS ON LIKE, WHY ARE WE PAYING A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH TO LEASE A WAREHOUSE FOR, UM, FIRE SUPPRESSION EQUIPMENT? THERE'S PROBABLY A GOOD REASON, BUT DO WE HAVE TO DO IT THERE AS OPPOSED TO SOMEWHERE ELSE? THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE A QUESTION THAT'S COMING UP.
SPOILER ALERT AND, AND GPFM SOON.
UH, BUT, UH, IT'S, IT'S OUR DUTY.
AND I THINK, UH, IT'S NO ONE ON THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, BUT IT FALLS ON THE DAYS OF OLD THAT WE DIDN'T COMB THROUGH THIS REAL ESTATE BOOK.
IS THERE ANY, ANYTHING THAT IS HOUSING IN THAT INVENTORY? I DON'T, I WOULDN'T THINK SO.
BUT HOUSING DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF LIKE, ITS OWN LAND OTHER THAN LIKE LOTS.
SO YOU'LL HAVE INDIVIDUAL ONE LOT HERE AND THERE AND THERE'S A LOT OF 'EM, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONSTANTLY ROLLING IN AND OUT.
SO YOU CAN LOOK AT THOSE, BUT YOU COULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON LIKE, ONE LOT VERSUS MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE FINE, LIKE 20 ACRES OR MORE THAT YOU CAN DO, YOU CAN DO BIGGER PROJECTS ON, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS WANT PUSH, UH, WE REALIZE YOU HAVE OTHER APPOINTMENTS TODAY, SO WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UH, WE REALIZE YOU HAVE SOME PLACE.
DON'T FORGET, I'M IN DISTRICT SEVEN FROM ADAM BEZEL DOA, AND NOT ALL VETERANS ARE HOMELESS, BUT WE ARE ON FIXED A LOT OF US, IF WE'RE RETIRED, WHICH I AM NOW, WE'RE ON FIXED INCOMES.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FORWARD DALLAS AND INFILL AND THE DRIVING UP OF COSTS MM-HMM.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WANNA LIVE IN DALLAS, DON'T FORGET THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF US THAT ARE ALREADY HERE AND WE DON'T WANNA HAVE MONSTROUS BOXES NEXT TO US.
OH, THAT IS A, UH, SO THERE'S A HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, WHICH FOR YOUR DISTRICT AND, AND DISTRICT ONE, WE ACTUALLY, UH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ARNOLD AND I, UH, WORKED WITH STAFF TO GET THE GATEWAY TIFF, UM, WHICH IS, UH, OUR, IT'S LIKE OUR TAX INCREMENT, UM, OVERLAY OVER THERE THAT BASICALLY ALL THE, THE NEW CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT AND BISHOP ARTS AND JEFFERSON BOULEVARD, THAT EXCESS TAX MONEY THAT'S COMING IN THAT'S INCREASING IN VALUE.
UM, WE'VE NOW PASSED, UH, ON THE COUNCIL LEVEL OR IT'S ABOUT TO COME, IT'S NOT THERE YET.
UM, A PROVISION THAT'S GONNA INCREASE BY MILLIONS, THE AMOUNT OF HOME REPAIR MONEY THAT PEOPLE CAN USE, UM, IN DISTRICT ONE AND DISTRICT FOUR, 'CAUSE THAT'S RIGHT AROUND THE TIFF.
SO WE THE FIRST, UM, FIRST TIFF TO DO THAT IN THE CITY.
NOW THERE'S TWO MORE THAT ARE GONNA DO IT AT THE SAME TIME AS US, BUT WE STARTED IT FIRST.
UM, AND THAT GOES TO, UM, COMMISSIONER BURWELL'S POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, KEEPING PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS BUILDING NEW HOMES.
AND A LOT OF MY, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE MEDIA, THEY PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT, WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR, BUT IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT WHAT I'VE SAID PUBLICLY, UM, IT'S A COMBINATION.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO WELCOME IN NEW PEOPLE, BUT WE DON'T WANNA DO THAT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WHO'VE LIVED HERE.
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MILITARY.ARE YOU, HAVE YOU BEEN TOLD WHEN THEY GET TOGETHER, IT'S A PROBLEM? FANTASTIC.
OKAY, EVERYONE, UM, PHOTO OFFICE IS OVER, BACK, BACK TO THE, UH, OKAY, SO WE'RE GOING BACK TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
UM, YEAH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, IF WE STARTED, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, COLE.
RIGHT? SO IF THERE'S ANY, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT, I MEAN, EVERYBODY KNOWS, AGAIN, THE STATEMENT OF WORK IS IN THE RFQ IS OUT, THEY'VE HAD THEIR FIRST PRELIMINARY, THEY'LL HAVE QUESTIONS BACK BY THIS FRIDAY.
IT'LL TAKE 'EM AT LEAST A, A WEEK TO, TO, UH, ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND, AND PUBLIC PUT 'EM IN A PUBLIC FORUM SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN SEE EVERYBODY ELSE'S QUESTIONS.
ALSO, TO KEEP THE, THE, THE PLAYING FIELD LEVEL.
AND THEN ONCE THEY TURN IN, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PROBABLY 30 TO 45 DAYS FOR THEM TO MAKE AN AWARD BECAUSE IT'LL TAKE THAT LONG FOR THEM TO HASH IT OVER.
AND AT THAT POINT, I THINK THAT'S WHEN WE GET TO SEE IT AND, AND WE GET TO HAVE OUR INPUT.
OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T GET THE FINAL SAY, BUT I WOULD THINK WE'LL PROBABLY BE INFLUENTIAL ON, ON HOW WE SAY, WELL, HERE'S, AS WE READ THE STATEMENT OF WORK, AND WE SEE HOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO APPROACH THE STATEMENT OF WORK, THE END RESULTS AND THE TIMELINES FIT WITH WHAT WE THINK WOULD BE BEST FOR THE BETTER COMMUNITY.
AND THEN, AND THEN, THEN THE PROCUREMENT WILL DO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.
SO I HAVE A, A QUESTION THAT RELATES TO WHAT SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN WEST SAID, AND IT IS ON THE HOUSING REVIEW.
DOES, DOES THE RFP TAKE INTO ACCOUNT HOUSING WELLBEING? I MEAN, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'LL HAVE SOME ANALYSIS OF VETERANS HOUSING NEEDS IN IN DALLAS FROM, FROM THIS STUDY, IT SHOULD, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BID ON THIS ARE GOING TO DO IT.
I KNOW HOW I WOULD DO IT FROM, AS A, FROM AN ACADEMIC STANDPOINT.
AND SO ALL OF THOSE QUANTITATIVE STATISTICS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE HOUSING COMPONENT THAT FALLS BASICALLY INTO PHYSICAL HEALTH.
AND SO THAT, THAT SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SUPPOSED IN MASLOW, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE WHAT, A PLACE TO LIVE, A PLACE TO EAT, AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND SO THAT SHOULD CO BE COVERED IN THAT.
BUT THAT'S ALL GONNA BE STATISTICAL DATA THAT'S READILY AVAILABLE WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY.
WELL, I THOUGHT THE SCOPE OF WORK WAS VERY WELL WRITTEN.
I DIDN'T GO INTO IN DEPTH, BUT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE LAST TIME BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T HERE TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON, ON WHAT YOU DID ON THAT RFP AND, AND YOUR SUBCOMMITTEE.
I KNOW YOU HAD ALL THE WORKERS ON IT TOO.
THE SUBCOMMITTEE DID ALL THE WORK.
I DIDN'T, I I I WAS JUST A GRAMMAR NAZI ON THE PHONE.
ARE, IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE'LL FOLLOW UP.
UH, WE'LL WAIT FOR THE, UH, I GUESS FOR THE VENDORS TO MAKE THEIR, THEIR PROPOSAL WHEN WE GET THE FINAL, WELL, AGAIN, IT'LL COME IN ON OCTOBER 4TH AND THAT POINT THEY'LL DISTRIBUTE, WE'LL GET TO SEE IT.
EVERYBODY WHO GETS A SAY IS GONNA GET THEIR SAY, RIGHT.
AND THEN HE GOES BACK INTO PROCUREMENT.
PROCUREMENT WILL, WILL MAKE THE AWARD.
BUT I WOULD, I WOULDN'T THINK THE AWARD HAVING, HAVING HAD A, A DAUGHTER WHO WAS AT ONE TIME WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PRIMARILY IN ZONING.
UM, THAT'S KIND OF INTERESTING.
UM, THE CITY TAKES A, TAKES A WHILE WITHIN PROCUREMENT TO MAKE THE EVALUATION.
'CAUSE IT, THEY WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S ABSOLUTELY FAIR AND TRANSPARENT.
AND SO EVERYBODY GETS A SAY IT'S TO WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY PULL THE TRIGGER AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO IT'LL TAKE 30 TO 45 DAYS, I'M SURE.
[00:35:01]
WAIT ON THE, THAT, THAT, UH, FINAL DRAFT, AND THAT'LL BE UP, I GUESS FOR OUR NEXT, UH, OUR NEXT MEETING OR OCTOBER MEETING.YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO, IF IF THERE WERE 12 PEOPLE THAT CAME TO THE MEETING, 12 VENDORS, POTENTIAL VENDORS, PROBABLY HALF OF THOSE ARE GONNA DROP OUT, MAYBE A THIRD OF THEM.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US ARE GONNA HAVE A, A SIX TO EIGHT, AT LEAST SIX TO EIGHT PROPOSALS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO EVALUATE AND LINE 'EM UP AGAINST EACH OTHER AND HOW THE STATEMENT OF WORK WAS WRITTEN ON HOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO APPROACH IT.
THERE'S GONNA BE, MOST OF THEM ARE NOT EVEN GOING TO TRY AND, AND DO THE QUALITATIVE, BECAUSE TO DO THE QUALITATIVE MEANS YOU GOTTA SEND PEOPLE OUT AND DO FIELD WORK.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND EVERYBODY THAT'S A VETERAN.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND US.
THEY'RE GONNA THEN TALK TO US EVERY SINGLE, YOU KNOW.
SO I, I'M A, I'M A I'M ANTICIPATING THAT, THAT MOST OF IT'LL BE QUANTITATIVE AND, UH, AND DONE VERY WELL.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF QUANTITATIVE STUDIES THAT ARE ALREADY OUT THERE.
THEY'LL HAVE TO MAKE THEM AND CALL THEM TO SPECIFIC INTO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UH, IN FACT, UM, I KNOW THAT ORIGINALLY WITHIN PROCUREMENT, I LEFT, I LEFT OVER, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHO, AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WHO ARE THE, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE IN THAT DO THEIR RESEARCH STUDIES.
AND SO THEY HAVE A LIST OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT DO THEIR STUDIES TOO.
AND SO ANYBODY WHO'S GONNA COME DO THIS IS MOST LIKELY, UNLESS THEY'RE JUST SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM, THEY'RE GONNA CONTACT THESE PEOPLE AND SAY, OKAY, WE'RE, WE'RE USING ALL OF YOUR STUDIES FROM THE LAST 10 YEARS.
AND, UH, AND THESE PEOPLE ARE OFTEN SAY, THE, THE YALE MEDICAL CENTER AND THAT DOES ALL THE FEDERAL STUFF.
SO THAT'S, I I THINK THE, THE QUANTITATIVE I'M GONNA BE, WE'RE GONNA BE VERY PLEASED WITH HOW THE QUANTITATIVE IS PUT TOGETHER.
THE QUALITATIVE, IF SOMEBODY SAYS THEY'RE GONNA DO QUALITATIVE, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE THE, THE CALL THAT YOU LOOK AT THAT AND YOU GO, WELL, THAT'S NOT QUALITATIVE IN NATURE.
AND THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT'S GOOD.
SO WE'LL SEE HOW IT TURNS OUT.
THAT'S WHY I, WE PUT IN THERE THE SUBCOMMITTEE PUT IN, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THE QU THE QUALITATIVE SIDE, YOU TELL US WHAT INSTRUMENTS YOU'RE GONNA USE TO GO MAKE THOSE INTERVIEWS.
YOU KNOW, AND THEY NEED TO BE IN INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE, THE PSYCHOLOGY WOR, YOU KNOW, WORLD OF ACADEMIA TO START WITH.
BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WELLBEING.
AND WHEN YOU TALK TO SOMEBODY, THEN YOU HAVE, FOR INSTANCE, IF, IF AN ACADEMIC GROUP COMES IN TO TRY AND DO THIS, THEY'VE GOTTA GO TO THE IRB SHOW THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA HARM ANY ANIMALS OR PEOPLE.
AND THEY'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO GO DO.
SO THEY'LL LOOK AT THAT AND GO, NAH, BUT, BUT WE KNOW THAT OUR STATISTICAL DATA IS GONNA BE PUT TOGETHER BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE'S.
SO THAT'S HOW THE EVALUATION WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO RUN
SO WE'LL WAIT ON THAT FOR OUR NEXT, UH, MEETING.
UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX.
AND THIS IS DISCUSSION AND A VOTE TO, UH, APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, KATINA ROBESON PROCLAMATION TO GO TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
I THINK, UH, YOU WORK ON THAT ONE.
SO I'M GONNA LET, UH, CHAIR, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, PRESIDIO, UH, THIS IS COMMISSIONER PRECIADO.
UH, SO WE, WE HAD, UH, THE CHAIR AND RAMOS, UH, DRAFT A, UH, PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF, UH, KATINA ROBERTSON.
UH, THIS IS WHY WE'RE PRESENTING IT NOW TO THE, UM, TO THE COMMISSION TO GET YOUR APPROVAL ON IT.
UM, AND MAKE ANY EDITS BEFORE WE HAVE TO SUBMIT IT TO, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, COMMISSIONER WALKER.
UM, ONE THING I WOULD RECOMMEND FOR THE, UH, PROCLAMATION IS THE DATE THAT SHE PASSED.
IT'S NOT IN THERE ANYWHERE TO SEE WHEN SHE WAS BORN, BUT IT DIDN'T WHEN SHE, WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY.
YEAH, I COULD DEFINITELY INCLUDE THAT IN THE PROCLAMATION.
I DON'T SEE AN, AN ISSUE WITH THAT.
SO THAT'S AN AMENDMENT TO WHAT, WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT HERE.
ANYONE ELSE? DID, DID EVERY, DID ANYBODY HAVE HAVE A CHANCE TO READ THIS BEFORE? YEAH, NO, I'VE READ IT AND I, I DON'T WANNA SEE IF YOU KNOW SCOTT HAD ANY CHANGES, BUT I DIDN'T,
BUT I WOULD, I WOULD THINK THAT IF WE INCLUDE HER DATE OF HER DEATH, IT'LL BE IN THE NEXT TO LAST.
IT'LL BE IN THE LAST WHEREAS, SO THAT'S THE MOURNING, THE LOSS OF WHO PASSED AWAY ON AND THEN GO THAT WAY.
[00:40:04]
ONLY IF SCOTT SAYS IT'S OKAY.YEAH, I AGREE ABOUT THE DATE OF DEATH.
UM, AND 'CAUSE IT'S GOT HER SURVIVORS IN THE THIRD TO THE BOTTOM.
AND, UM, I THOUGHT MAYBE THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD PLACE TO ADD THAT, UH, DATE OF DEATH.
I WOULD SUGGEST IF WE GO AHEAD AND PUT IT IN THE, IN THE ONE RIGHT BELOW IT, 'CAUSE IT, IT, AT THE ONE RIGHT BELOW IT SAYS THE CITY OF DALLAS WARNS THE LOSS AND THEN YOU HAVE LOSS AND, AND DATE OF DEATH.
SO I'M HAPPY TO SAY THIS TO COMMISSIONER COLE.
I HAVE NO GRAMMAR CHANGES ON THIS
I AM A, ALSO A FORMATTING NAZI KIND OF IN, I THINK WE OUGHT TO PUT THIS IN SQUARE, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU CALL IT, BUT, UH, ALRIGHT.
AND, SORRY, TOO MANY YEARS OF A PA, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST, I CAN'T HELP IT.
SO THIS, THIS WILL BE, UM, PRESENTED AT THE MAYORS, UH, UH, AT THE CITY COUNCIL.
OR DID WE DECIDE, UH, WHO WAS GONNA MAKE THE PRESENTATION? NA MAYOR.
SO THE PROCESS IS WE, UM, GET THE RECOMMENDATION FROM YOU ALL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE EDITS.
UH, IF, IF GET, IF IT'S VOTED TO BE APPROVED, AND THEN, UM, STAFF THEN WILL WORK WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UM, TO GET THE PROCLAMATION PRINTED AND SIGNED.
AND I THINK THE GOAL IS TO PRESENT IT ON THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OR THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE VETERANS DAY.
SO THE MAYOR WOULD ACTUALLY READ IT.
UM, AND OF COURSE YOU ALL WOULD BE MORE THAN WELCOME TO ATTEND.
AND I THINK NORMALLY WITH A PROCLAMATION READING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A READING AND THEN, UM, UM, IT'S USUALLY IN THE BEGINNING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, COMMISSIONER PER, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO WE WOULD WE VOTE ON APPROVING IT TODAY WITH THE MINOR EDITS AND THEN THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP? YEAH.
SO THE AGENDA SAYS, UM, YEAH, YOUR, UM, AGENDA ITEMS SAYS TO VOTE, UM, TO RECOMMEND.
AND WE CAN INCLUDE THE EDITS IN THE MOTION.
UM, AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE THE VOTE, THEN WE CAN, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH BRINGING IT TO THAT WAY IT COMES FROM YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
SO WE WILL, WE MAKE TO DO A VOTE ON IT NOW, SO, SO WE'LL MAKE THE MOTION, UH, SOMEONE MAKES THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROCLAMATION WITH, WITH THE AMENDMENTS OR THE EDITS ADDED TO THAT.
I MAKE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE, UH, THE, THE PROCLAMATION ALONG WITH THE AMENDED, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UM, HAVE IT SIGNED SEAL.
COMMISSIONER COLE, I, I SECOND THAT MOTION.
SO THE MOTION'S BEEN MADE TO, TO ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION WITH THE EDITS OR AMENDMENTS.
AND IT WAS, UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SHERMAN.
AND IT'S BEEN SECONDED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER COLE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO VOTE ON IT.
OH, THE WISH BEFORE, UH, VETERAN'S DAY.
MAKE SURE WE GOT, I CAN GET A SIX.
I I COULD DO THE EDITS TODAY AND THEN I COULD DO THE EDITS TODAY.
SEND IT TO YOU, UH, CHRISTINA.
WOULD IT BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR A CITY COUNCIL PERSON TO READ THE PROCLAMATION OTHER THAN THE MAYOR? UH, NORMALLY BECAUSE THE MAYOR IS THE CHAIR OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, UM, IT, IT, IT'S KIND OF UP TO THEIR DISCRETION NOW.
[00:45:01]
CHANGES BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DR. ROBERTSON, SHE WAS A REPRESENTATIVE OF A DISTRICT THREE, SO, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY DECIDE AMONGST THEMSELVES THAT IT WOULD BE, UM, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER READ IT OR, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S KIND OF A, IT'S KIND, YOU KNOW, WE SUBMIT THE, THE REQUEST AND THEN, UM, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL MAKES THE DECISION OF WHO WILL READ IT.I KNOW THIS WAS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WEST AND UM, UH, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER ARNOLD ACTUALLY, UM, SO, SO WE'LL PROBABLY WILL NEED TO GO BACK TO THEM ALSO AND JUST LET THEM KNOW WE'RE SUBMITTING THIS REQUEST AND, UM, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S, I MEAN, WE DON'T WANNA OFFEND THE MAYOR, BUT I REALLY THINK IT IS MORE APPROPRIATE THAT THE DISTRICT, I MEAN THE CITY COUNCIL PERSON THAT NOMINATED HER AND PUT HER ON THIS COMMISSION SHOULD BE THE ONE TO READ IT BECAUSE SHE REPRESENTED THAT DISTRICT.
BUT, UM, AND I USED TO THINK IT WAS THE CITY SECRETARY THAT READ THOSE THINGS.
I DIDN'T KNOW THE MAYOR WOULD.
SO IF, IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO PHRASE IT WHEN IT COMES FROM US TO ASK, UM, WHICH DISTRICT WAS SHE, GRACIE? SHE WAS DISTRICT THREE MM-HMM.
SO IF WE COULD ASK THE DISTRICT THREE COUNCIL PERSON TO BE THE ONE, IF THEY, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO ASK 'EM OFFLINE FIRST, MAKE SURE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING IT, THEN WE CAN GET BACK AND PUT THAT IN THERE AND REQUEST THAT.
AND I DON'T THINK THE MAYOR WOULD OBJECT.
I DON'T THINK HE WOULD CARE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
I MEAN, NOTHING AGAINST TINA, BUT JUST, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD MINE, BUT I JUST THINK IT'D BE RESPECTFUL TO LET THEM KNOW IT'S NOT A SNOB OF HIM ON THIS.
WELL, 'CAUSE PEOPLE HAVE, WELL, WE'LL LET THAT GO
WE'LL, WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO RELAY THAT INFORMATION AND, UM, YEAH.
WE'RE UP TO NOW NUMBER, UH, SEVEN ON THE AGENDA AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I JUST, UH, REAL QUICKLY, I JUST REMEMBER, UH, COUNCILMAN WEST SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE RESTAURANT BUSINESSES OWNED BY VETERANS.
I JUST SENT AN EMAIL TO CORY MOBLEY, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GREATER DALLAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, AND SAID, AND POLICE ASK 'EM IF THEY HAVE A LIST, IF THEY KNOW AMONG THEIR MEMBERS.
AND SO I'M TRYING TO TRIGGER THAT ALREADY.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT I WAS DOING.
I WASN'T CHECKING THE MAIL
SO IF I GET INFORMATION ABOUT THAT OR I GET A LIST, I'LL GIVE IT TO Y'ALL TO HAND OUT TO ALL OF US AND ALSO TO COUNCILMAN WEST.
UM, I KNOW THAT I WENT TO A MEETING, UM, AND IT WAS HAD SOME VETERANS FROM FORT WORTH AND THEY HAVE A VETERAN'S, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR FORT WORTH.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING WE COULD KIND OF LIKE LOOK INTO, YOU KNOW, JUST START, YOU KNOW, IF WE, YOU KNOW, KNOW RESTAURANTS THAT MAYBE NOT VETERAN OWNED BUT CATER TO VETERANS OR, YOU KNOW, WELL I DO TOO, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF 'EM THAT, THAT, THAT PRIORITIZE, UH, VETERANS, NOT, NOT JUST ON A VETERAN'S DAY, BUT, YOU KNOW.
IT'S JUST THAT RESTAURANTS RIGHT NOW, THE LOCAL ONES, THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY STRUGGLING IN SOME CASES.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE, 'CAUSE WHAT WE DID AT DEEP EL WHEN WE ALL WENT, THAT MADE THEIR WHOLE DAY.
I MEAN, I USED TO BE A WAITRESS AND THAT WOULD BE YOUR WHOLE SHIFT, THAT ONE BIG TABLE.
SO I THINK THAT IF WE CAN FIND OTHER RESTAURANTS, AND I KNOW THERE'S PLENTY OF RESTAURANTS IN THIS TOWN OWNED BY VETERANS, I MEAN L PHOENIX.
THE ORIGINAL FOUNDER OF L PHOENIX, HE JUST PASSED AWAY AT AGE 100 AND HE WAS A WORLD WAR II VETERAN.
SO WE KNOW THAT ESPECIALLY IN, UH, TEX-MEX OR MEXICAN RESTAURANTS IN DALLAS, ALL OF THOSE RESTAURANTS WERE FOUNDED BY VETERANS.
IT'S JUST WHETHER OR NOT IT'S BEEN ON, YOU KNOW, IN THE MODERN DAY.
OKAY, WELL THAT'S SOMETHING TO KEEP OUR EYES OPEN AND, UH,
BUT YEAH, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU KNOW, AT THE MEETINGS BOARD COMMISSIONER, BUT ANNUAL DUE, UH, THE ANNUAL REPORTS DUE ON FEBRUARY THE FIRST.
SEE DANNY, UH, THE WEBSITE, THERE'S A PART, UH, PORTION OF THIS, UH, UM, I GUESS THAT WOULD BE MORE LEGAL UPDATE ON THE WEBSITE.
SORRY, HE HAS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS.
[00:50:01]
OKAY.SO IT'S, UH, ABOUT THAT TIME AGAIN FOR THAT ANNUAL REPORT.
SO WE WANT TO TRY TO BE AHEAD OF THE CURVE.
I, SO, SO WITH REGARDS TO THE WEBSITE, WE'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT WHAT YOU JUST HAD MENTIONED, OF COURSE WITH REGARDS TO, UH, FOR YOURSELVES HAVING JUST YOUR NAMES AND THEN JUST THE BRANCH OF MILITARY.
SO, UH, I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THAT AS, AS ONE THING.
BUT THE OTHER IS WITH REGARDS TO THE SERVICE OF WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION THROUGH A PROVIDER CALLED FIND HELP.
AND WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS THROUGH EMAIL, I'M GONNA SHARE SOME OF THIS WITH YOU JUST SO YOU HAVE THE VISUALIZATION OF IT AND THE REFERENCE.
BUT THE POINT BEING ON OUR WEBSITE, WHAT WE HAVE IS SOMETHING THAT'S GENERAL FOR ALL OF DALLAS RESIDENTS, AND THEY HAVE TWO MEANS BY WHICH THEY CAN ACCESS A MULTITUDE OF SERVICES THAT ARE THERE TO HELP IN ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE.
ONE IS THROUGH THESE SIX TILES THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, MADE AS CATEGORIES.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, FAMILIES, UM, EDUCATION AND SO ON.
WHAT WE'RE GONNA WANNA DO IS HAVE TILES SPECIFIC FOR WHAT ARE PERTINENT TO VETERANS IN, IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE, AGAIN, WE'LL FIGURE OUT A PROCESS BY WHICH WE CAN HAVE USE, UH, DEMOCRATICALLY VOTE OR OTHERWISE, WHAT THOSE TILES ARE GONNA BE, HOW MANY THEY'RE GOING TO BE.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A SEARCH BAR WHERE THEY CAN GO IN THROUGH ENTERING THEIR ZIP CODE AND THEN PUT A SEARCH WORD IN THERE, AND THEN IT'LL LIST WHATEVER IT IS OF THE DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR THAT SPECIFIC, UM, ITEM THAT THEY'VE SEARCHED.
SO ONCE WE GET THIS INFORMATION FROM YOU, WHAT I'LL HAVE TO THEN DO IS ON THE BACKEND WORK WITH FIND HELP TO GO AHEAD AND BASICALLY, UM, RESEARCH THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND, AND BASICALLY THE STEPS THAT THEY HAVE, WHICH I'M STILL LEARNING BECAUSE IT'S A BIT NEW TO ME.
BUT THE END RESULT IS TO, TO PROVIDE FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE VETERANS, UM, ACCESS TO ALL THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF ASSISTANCE THAT ARE OUT THERE, WHETHER IT BE FOR HOUSING, WHETHER IT BE UTILITIES, UH, WHETHER IT BE TRANSPORTATION, YOU NAME IT.
AND SO AS I SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU THROUGH AN EMAIL, HOPEFULLY BY NEXT WEEK, THE END OF NEXT WEEK, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO START TAKING SOME CONCRETE STEPS IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO, UM, IF YOU HIT THE, IF YOU HIT VETERANS, UH, IN IN 2 7, 5 2 0 8, LET'S SAY, WOULD IT TAKE IT TO LINKS, UH, OF THOSE SERVICES? OR, OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU END UP SEEING ON THE SCREEN WHEN YOU HIT VETERANS? OR HOW DO YOU ENVISION THAT? ARE YOU SAYING CURRENTLY OR, OR IN, IN THE FUTURE? SO IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU KEEP IT GENERAL AND YOU WERE TO JUST TYPE IN VETERANS, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO GET ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT DEALS WITH VETERANS.
BUT IF YOU MAKE IT SPECIFIC, THEN YOU WOULD GET MORE SPECIFICALLY WHAT IT IS THAT'S BEING SAW.
SO IF YOU'RE GONNA LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY, UM, VETERANS BENEFITS, THEN IT'S GONNA SPECIFICALLY LIST FOR YOU THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES, THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, THE DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT DEAL WITH BENEFITS FOR VETERANS.
BUT IF YOU LEFT IT GENERAL, THEN YOU'RE GONNA GET EVERYTHING THAT DEALS WITH VETERANS, CLOTHING, FOOD, UH, YOU NAME IT, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
BUT ARE, ARE THEY LINKS OR JUST A LIST OF NAMES? SO, AND THIS IS WHAT I'LL SHARE WITH YOU JUST SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY VISUALIZE.
SO WHAT IT DOES SHARE IS MANY THINGS.
ONE, THE ORGANIZATION, THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION, THE ACTUAL SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE, AND CONTACTING THEM SO THAT THIS WAY YOU'RE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT THEIR OFFICE HOURS ARE, WHERE THEIR LOCATION IS, UH, CONTACTING THEM, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH EMAIL, THROUGH A PHONE CALL, THROUGH SETTING UP AN APPOINTMENT IN PERSON.
SO ALL OF THOSE DETAILS ARE IN THERE.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY VERY THOROUGH IN THAT SENSE.
I KIND OF SKIPPED, UH, I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER BIRD WILL MENTIONED IT, BUT THE ANNUAL REPORT, SO THE ANNUAL REPORT'S COMING UP, SO RIGHT, SO THAT ANNUAL REPORT, IF YOU RECALL FROM LAST YEAR, IT TOOK US, UH, QUITE A BIT OF TIME
SO WE'RE HOPING TO GET AHEAD OF THE CURVE.
AND SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, UM, THE INPUT THAT YOU WANNA PROVIDE FOR THAT, START SHARING IT, START SHARING IT SO THAT BY NEXT MONTH'S MEETING WE'LL HAVE A DRAFT.
AND I'LL ALSO SKIRT, YOU KNOW, SEARCH BACK THROUGH THE MEETINGS.
WE'VE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT I COLLECT EVERYTHING ELSE OF, YOU KNOW, PROVIDERS THAT CAME, OR AGENCIES THAT CAME AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO I'LL DO MY BEST TO INCORPORATE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT WILL THEN HAVE THAT DOCUMENT FOR USE TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW AND MAKE WHATEVER EDITS ARE NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE BEST OF MINE COLLECTION.
[00:55:01]
YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT FOR NOVEMBER YOU DON'T WANNA HAVE A MEETING BECAUSE OF IT BEING, UH, UH, THE VETERANS, UH, THE VETERANS PARADE AND ALL THE OTHER, UH, ENGAGEMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING.SO WE'LL NEED IN OCTOBER, THEN IT'LL BE DECEMBER AND, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.
SO WE WANNA TRY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION, UH, SOME OF THESE GAPS IN THE HOLIDAYS THAT ARE COMING.
BUT HOPEFULLY NEXT MONTH FOR OUR NEXT MEETING WE'LL HAVE A DRAFT FOR YOU.
SO THE SOONER YOU'RE ABLE TO GET THE INFORMATION TO ME, YOU CAN JUST DIRECTLY EMAIL ME AND I'LL DO MY BEST TO START INCORPORATING IT.
THAT'S INFORMATION FROM ALL OF US.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? UM, OKAY, WELL I'M GONNA CALL IT A DAY.
UM, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
COULD BE ASKED COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL FOR BOARD NATE FROM THE COMMISSION TO STAFF THAT COORDINATION FOR THE REPORT? YEAH, ANNUAL REPORT.
WHAT ABOUT IT? JUST BE THE POINT OF CONTACT INSTEAD OF TALK TO ALL OF US INDIVIDUALLY.
OH, WE WAIT A MINUTE, WHICH REPORTING WE
WHAT WE DID TALK, WELL, HE SENDS IT OUT AND THEN WE MAKE ANY CHANGES THAT WE WANT AND WE SEND IT BACK TO HIM.
YOU DON'T, WE HAVE ANY OF US ON IT INDIVIDUALLY, WHAT WE DO.
YOU KNOW, YOU DID IT LAST YEAR.
DID YOU SEE ANY PROBLEMS IN, THE PROBLEM WE HAD WAS WE DIDN'T TELL ANYONE OUR PROBLEMS UNTIL WE GOT TO THE MEETING AND THEN IT TOOK TOO LONG.
SO, UH, WELL THAT'S WHERE I WAS TRYING TO OVERCOME.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS YOU HAVE TO CLEARLY START TALKING.
LIKE IF I START TALKING TO EACH OF ALL THAT CAN BORDER ON THE WALKING FORM VIOLATION, YOU KNOW, IF I TALK TO THEM AND THEN I TALK TO YOU AND THEN I TALK TO HIM AND THEN WE TALK TO HIM, THAT'S HUG.