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[ Dallas Park and Recreation Board on September 19, 2024.]
DANNYWE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE A SPECIAL RECOGNITION, UH, FOR RETIREE JUST HARPER, IF HE CAN COME FORWARD, GET YOU TO STAND RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE.
AND WE'RE GOING BACK UP SO EVERYONE, WE CAN SEE YOU ON TV AND CAMERA.
WE HAVE SPECIAL RECOGNITION TODAY, WHEREAS ON SEPTEMBER THE FIFTH, 2024, CARL HARTFORD RETIRED FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AFTER 23 YEARS ON SEVEN MONTHS OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE.
WHEREAS CAR HARTFORD WORKED AT SOUTH DALLAS COACHING CENTER AND THEN MOVED TO THE LATINO COACHING CENTER AND THEN CAME TO THE PARK DEPARTMENT IN 2010.
HAS BEEN SERVING ALSO IN DISTRICT THREE, SPENDING THE REMAINDER OF HIS CAREER AS A PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONAL.
WHEREAS CARL HARPER HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN IMPROVING THE MAINTENANCE STANDARDS THROUGH HIS PARTICI PARTICIPATION AS HIS CONTRIBUTION HAVE BEEN CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF DALLAS PARK AND RECREATIONAL DEPARTMENT IN EVERY ASPECT IN WHICH HE HAS SERVED.
WHEREAS FAR HAR HAS SERVED AS A COLLEAGUE MENTOR, NCE, MAKING PROFESSIONAL AND LEADER, AND WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS KINDNESS, TEAMWORK, AND HIS DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND THEREFORE BE RESOLVED BY THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD AND DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THAT SINCERE APPRECIATION IS EXTENDED TO CARL HARTFORD FOR HIS 23 PLUS YEARS, HAVE DEVOTED TIRELESS WORK SO GENEROUSLY GIVEN TO THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE CITIZENS OF DALLAS, THAT THE PARK AND REC RECREATION BOARD THE MEANS CALLED HARPER FOR ITS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AND WHICH ASSIST CONTINUED SUCCESS.
AND THEREFORE, I JOHN D. JENKINS, DIRECTOR ON BEHALF OF THE DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, YOU HEREBY EXTEND SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO CARD.
I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH AND UH, FIRST WOULD LIKE TO THANK TOMMY SUPERVISION COLLEAGUES.
I'LL READ THE SPEAKER GUIDELINES.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
PLEASE DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE CHAIR.
ONLY ANY SPEAKER MAKES PERSONAL PARTY OF PROCLAIM OR REMARKS OR, BECAUSE WHILE ADDRESSING THE PARK COURT WILL BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY, BARRED FROM HER SPEAKER IS SURRY SCHER ACKER, SORRY, HEAR ME.
I'M GONNA START OFF BY SHOWING YOU ALL OF THE VANDALISM, JUST THAT I WAS ABLE ON MYSELF TO GO AND CLEAR OFF
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THE BRIDGE TWO, TWO WEEKENDS AGO.SO WE CAN, I'D LIKE TO PASS THESE AROUND AFTERWARDS AND PROBABLY A HUNDRED OF THEM RIGHT HERE.
HAD I NOT HAD TAKEN THEM DOWN, THEY WOULD'VE BEEN THERE FOREVER.
ONE HOT SATURDAY IN TEXAS, THOSE WOULD BE JUST MELTED RIGHT INTO THE BRIDGE.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR DEVOTION TO OUR CITY, STATE, AND COUNTRY.
FOR THE RECORD, I LOVE THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS.
TEXAS AND, AND I'M PROUD TO BE RAISING MY FOUR CHILDREN HERE.
HOWEVER, AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN, I FEEL IT IS MY OBLIGATION TO SPEAK UP ABOUT WHAT I'M EX, WHAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED AND THE VANDALISM, INTIMIDATION, AND DESTRUCTIVE NATURE OF THE PRO HAMAS RIOT THAT WAS HELD LAST SATURDAY DOWN THE STREET FROM THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER AND WALKING DISTANCE FROM MY OWN HOME ON THE NEWLY FINISHED BIKE PATH.
I SEE THIS AS A DIRECT ATTACK ON OUR CITIZENS AND IN VIOLATION OF OUR AMERICAN RIGHTS.
I ALSO SEE LAW AND ORDER BEING DISREGARDED AND A LOOK AWAY SITUATION HAPPENING OVER AND OVER.
MY HUSBAND AND I ARE BIKERS AND I WOULD SAY BIKING IS ONE OF THE JOYS OF MY LIFE.
THIS PAST YEAR, MY HUSBAND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH PROSTATE CANCER AND MY 14-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WITH A LL LEUKEMIA, PLEASE GOD, THEY ARE BOTH ON THE WAY TO RECOVERY AT THE INCREDIBLE UT SOUTHWESTERN, BUT IT IS A DIFFICULT TIME FOR US AS A LONG AWAITED EXPERIENCE.
MY 10-YEAR-OLD AND I FINALLY HAD THE TIME TO DO A BIKE RIDE ON THE NEW BIKE TRAIL CROSSING NORTH HAVEN OVER CENTRAL.
AS WE APPROACHED THE BRIDGE, THERE WERE MASKED PEOPLE SCREAMING DEATH CHANCE AND GENOCIDAL CHANCE, AND BLOCKING US FROM PASSING.
FOR THE RECORD, THIS WAS THE SECOND VIOLATION THIS WEEK WITH NO REACTION AND ZERO ARRESTS MADE THAT WEEK FROM THE VIOLATIONS ON THE BRIDGE.
THE POLICE DID FINALLY GO AFTER MANY, MANY PHONE CALLS WERE MADE, BUT THE DAMAGE TO THE BRIDGE WAS DONE AND WAY TOO MUCH TIME WENT BY WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES.
I KNOW THAT VANDALISM IN BROAD DAYLIGHT PAINTING AND BAND ON THE BRIDGE, CLIMBING ON THE FENCING OF THE BRIDGE, OVER 75, BLOCKING ACCESS TO A PUBLIC BIKE PATH AND HAVING WORDS AND THINGS THROWN AT ME AND MY SON SAYING ADA REVOLUTION AND FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA, WHICH ARE GENOCIDAL CHANCE ARE FOR VIOLENCE, IS ILLEGAL AND MUST BE STOPPED.
AND WHEN I FOLLOWED UP WITH THE POLICE, I WAS TOLD ZERO ARRESTS WERE MADE.
WHEN I WENT BACK LAST SUNDAY TO CLEAN UP THE BIKE PATH, I WENT ALONE.
I SPENT AT LEAST AN HOUR CLEANING AND REMOVING VANDALISM AND SAMPLES OF SOME OF THEM TO SHOW AND PHOTOS OF ALL THE HORRIBLE THANK YOU MA'AM.
THAT'LL BE, THEY ATTACH, THEY ATTACH PERMANENT STICKERS TO EVERY SPACE THEY COULD FIND WITH OFFENSIVE WORDING AND REFERENCES TO HITLER.
ONE SLIP AND FALL AND SOMEONE UNDERNEATH WOULD HAVE A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT LOOSELY ATTACHED.
HUGE BANNERS OR PAPERS THEN COULD FALL DOWN ON CARS ALONG 75 AND CAN CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT IN TEXAS.
WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE ORDER BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT THAT MUST BE ENFORCED AND LAW AND ORDER MUST BE MAINTAINED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR CITY AND MAINTAINING ORDER, AND PLEASE KNOW THAT I HAVE MADE IT A PRIORITY TO LEAVE MY FAMILY IN NEED TO REPRESENT THE GREATER GOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY AND SPEAK UP FOR OUR SAFETY.
AND I'M HAPPY TO, TO, IF ANYONE WANTS TO HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT WAS LEFT UP THERE.
YOUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. CAROL BELL WALTON AND THIS SPEAKER ALSO HAD A HANDOUT THAT YOU ALL HAVE FOR THOSE FOR VIRTUAL.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, YOUR, FOR VOLUNTEERING FOR THE PARK BOARD.
I HAVE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR WHITE ROCK LAKE PARK FOR OVER A DECADE AND IT'S A REGIONAL PARK AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN ME IN BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR WHITE ROCK LAKE PARK.
LAST SPRING, I MADE THE PARK BOARD AWARE OF EROSION.
SO GREAT THAT I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A RISK TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
IT TOOK THE YEAR TO GET AN ANSWER, WHICH AS YOU KNOW, WAS FAR, FAR WORSE THAN I COULD HAVE COMPREHENDED AND MUCH WORSE THAN I COMMUNICATED.
LAST YEAR, THE FREEZING NICHOLS REPORT THAT THE PARK BOARD RECEIVED IN APRIL IDENTIFIED SIX AREAS OF HIGH EROSION RISK
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UNDER THE WHITE ROCK TRAIL ALONG GARLAND ROAD FROM WHITE ROCK LAKE.NOW THAT SOUNDS BAD, BUT IF YOU'LL LOOK, THERE'S FIVE AREAS OF IMMINENT EROSION RISK.
APPARENTLY THIS CAN BE ADDRESSED FOR $2.5 MILLION AND I HAVE NO IDEA OF ALL THE TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN THE STUDY, BUT THAT'S A FRACTION OF WHAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.
AND I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT THE PARK BOARD HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS AND HAS TAKEN NO ACTION TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE GO FORWARD AND SAY THIS ISN'T A PARKS ISSUE, THIS IS A DWU ISSUE.
THEY SHOULD BE CONTAINING THEIR RESERVOIR.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SPILLWAY, LIKE IT'S A FUNNEL.
THE RIGHT SIDE HAS THE SPILLWAY, THE LEFT SIDE HAS DIRT.
DWU BUILT A WALL RIGHT BY THE SPILLWAY IN THAT DIRT.
THEY JUST DIDN'T EXTEND IT FAR ENOUGH.
NOW YOUR COUNCIL PEOPLE SHOULD AGREE WITH THIS TOO.
THEY DO STORM WATER RUNOFF, THEY DO FLOOD CONTROL.
AND FOR THIS TO BE PUT ON DAR TO SOLVE THIS CRITICAL ISSUE, THIS DYNAMIC ISSUE JUST SEEMS LIKE THE WRONG ASSIGNMENT.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE WRONG SOURCE OF FUNDING.
THERE'S BEEN NO UPDATE IN THIS STUDY SINCE WE HAD THE SPRING AND SUMMER STORMS. AND I'M TELLING YOU, THIS IS SO DYNAMIC AND IT'S DANGEROUS AND IT'S IMMINENT.
THEY SAY IT'S IMMINENT, NOT MY WORD.
I I I READ OR INTERMEDIATE, UM, BUT IMMINENT.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD STRESS THAT YOU AT LEAST SCHEDULE A BRIEFING ON THIS MATTER.
I MEAN, I WAITED AND WAITED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND, UM, IF THE TRIAL, THAT'S YOUR THREE MINUTES.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? MR. SO MR. JENKINS, JUST A REAL QUICK QUESTION ON THIS IS MS. WALTON CAME AND SPOKE I THINK A YEAR AGO AND I ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT THAT TOO, THAT THE REPORT THAT SHE DID, WE GET THAT REPORT IN APRIL, BUT IN IN APRIL, DID WE GET IT OR WE GET IT LATER? THE WHOLE BOARD GOT IT.
SO MISS NOTE, WHERE TO COME TO YOUR TABLE? GOOD MORNING, SHARON MOORE.
WE DID RECEIVE A REPORT FROM RESA OLS IN APRIL.
UH, THE COURT WAS DISTRIBUTED THE ENTIRE BOARD, BUT IT MAY HAVE ONLY BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO AS
WE CAN RECTIFY THAT AND GIVE THAT TO YOU, TRIBUTED TO YOU.
I ALSO DID SEND YOU A MEMO YESTERDAY INDICATING WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF THIS.
WE ARE IN THE, IN THE, UM, STAGES OF HIRING IF YOU CONSULT TO DESIGN CHIEF PILOT OPTION, WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY RETAIN THE EROSION OF THE MOST ENT POT.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON AN INTERNAL MEETING WITH DALLAS WHITE UTILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, AND OURSELVES TO DISCUSS FUNDING OPTIONS AND HOW WE'RE GONNA FUND THIS
OKAY, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE BECAUSE IT, SHE SAID I, I DON'T REMEMBER GETTING THAT BACK IN APRIL.
SO I, THAT'S WHY I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY AND I THINK WE SHOULD GET THAT FOR A REGIONAL PART.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME THERE?
UH, I'M SPEAKING TODAY, NOT JUST AS A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 11, BUT AS AN AVID USER OF THE DALLAS TRAIL SYSTEM.
ON AN AVERAGE WEEK, I RUN 25 TO 30 MILES ON DALLAS TRAILS.
AS A FRIEND OF THE LATE MARNIE CANER, I HELPED GATHER SIGNATURES IN SUPPORT OF THE NAMING OF MARNIE CANER TRAIL.
I CO-FOUNDED ITS FRIENDS GROUP WITH HER WIDOWER AND OTHER LONGTIME FRIENDS.
I'M A MEMBER OF FRIENDS OF KATY TRAIL AND AFTER MONTHS OF ANTICIPATION, I JOYFULLY ATTENDED THE OPENING OF THE NORTH HAVEN TRAIL PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.
AND I'M THRILLED TO HAVE IT IN MY ROTATION FOR RUNNING DESTINATIONS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT'S OF ITS PROXIMITY TO MY OFFICE AND THOSE OF MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER.
IN RECENT MONTHS, MY ABILITY AND THAT OF OTHERS TO ENJOY THE TRAIL HAS BEEN HAMPERED BY THE USE OF IT AS A SITE FOR PROTESTORS
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TO ILLEGALLY AFFIX BANNERS TO THE STRUCTURE DURING PROTESTS.I UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN INSTANCES OF PROTESTORS THROWING OBJECTS OFF THE BRIDGE, ENDANGERING THE SAFETY OF MOTORISTS BELOW.
UNACCEPTABLE, ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.
IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO ENVISION HOW A POORLY TIMED PROJECTILE, EVEN SOMETHING SMALL COULD CAUSE A TRAGIC ACCIDENT AS TRAFFIC SPEEDS BY BELOW OUT OF CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF TRAIL USERS, I URGE THE CITY TO TAKE WHATEVER STEPS CAN BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT THE ABILITY OF CITIZENS TO USE THE BRIDGE FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE IS MAXIMIZED.
I BELIEVE THIS MEANS ENSURING THERE IS APPROPRIATE PRESENCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ON AND AROUND THE BRIDGE TO ENSURE THAT NOTHING IS BEING AFFIXED, THAT PROJECTILES ARE NOT BEING LAUNCHED BY PROTESTORS AND THAT RUNNERS WALKERS AND BIKERS DO NOT HAVE THEIR ACCESS IMPEDED BY PROTESTORS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS ENFORCEMENT SHOULD BE ISSUE NEUTRAL, NOT RELATED TO ANY SPECIFIC ISSUE, BUT JUST ENFORCED WITH CONSISTENCY.
OTHERS HAVE ADVOCATED FOR THE ADDITION OF AN OPAQUE BORDER TO LINE THE FENCE.
AND WHILE THAT WOULD CERTAINLY WORK, I BELIEVE IT WOULD DETRACT FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF USING THE BRIDGE.
THIS WOULD CERTAINLY BE A FUNCTIONAL AS RESORT, BUT I WOULD URGE THE CITY TO START WITH LESS INTRUSIVE SOLUTIONS.
OUR PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE WAS CREATED TO LINK EAST AND WEST TO ADD TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS WHO FREQUENT THE DALLAS TRAIL SYSTEM AND TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO UTILIZE THIS WONDERFUL RESOURCE.
THESE TYPES OF DEMONSTRATIONS IN CONTRAST ACTIVELY DETRACT FROM THE QUALITY OF LIFE CONTRIBUTING TO TRAFFIC, INTIMIDATING WALKERS, RUNNERS, AND BIKERS.
IN SHORT, USING SOMETHING INTENDED TO UNITE, TO INSTEAD DISRUPT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UH, MY NAME IS GLITTER ROSE, UH, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF BORN STRONG MARTIAL ARTS.
UM, MY REASON FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND SPEAKING WITH YOU ALL IS TO, UH, MAKE YOU AWARE OF OUR MISSION, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, OUR DESIRE TO WORK WITH THE DALLAS PARKS DEPARTMENT, UM, IN THE RECREATION CENTERS.
UM, BORN STRONG MARTIAL ARTS IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY BY OFFERING ACCESSIBLE MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING TO UNDERPRIVILEGED AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
UM, OUR MISSION IS TO INSTILL DISCIPLINE, MORAL FORTITUDE AND STRONG CHARACTER IN INDIVIDUALS BY TEACHING THEM CORE VALUES OF RESPECT, PERSEVERANCE, AND RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH MARTIAL ARTS.
UM, THROUGH STRUCTURED PROGRAMMING, UH, OUR GOAL IS TO EMPOWER PARTICIPANTS BY ENHANCING THEIR CONFIDENCE, UH, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SELF-DEFENSE SKILLS LIKE VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAMS AND FOSTERING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL GROWTH.
UM, BY REMOVING BARRIERS TO ACCESS, WE'RE AIMING TO MAKE A LASTING AND POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR YOUTH AND BROADER COMMUNITY.
UM, BY, UH, REMOVING BARRIER TO ACCESS, WE MEAN THAT WE HAVE AFFORDABLE MARTIAL ARTS FOR ALL, BUT WE ALSO HAVE, UH, APPLICATION PROCESS FOR FAMILIES TO EITHER GET SUPPLEMENTED TRAINING OR IN SOME CASES FREE TRAINING.
UM, WE ALSO DO NOT WANT OUR STUDENTS TO EVER HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY UNIFORMS OR GEAR.
THAT'LL ALL BE DONE THROUGH DONORS AND, UH, SPONSORSHIPS AND FUNDRAISING.
UM, BUT OUR DESIRE TO WORK WITH THE DALLAS PARKS DEPARTMENT COMES FROM MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HARRY STONE RECREATION CENTER.
UM, IN MY PREVIOUS, UH, COMPANY, PREMIER MARTIAL ARTS, I WAS THE GENERAL MANAGER FOR FOUR YEARS AND WORKED WITH HARRY STONE FOR A LITTLE OVER THREE NOW.
UM, ABSOLUTELY HAVE LOVED MY EXPERIENCE WITH HARRY STONE.
THEY'VE BEEN SUPER SUPPORTIVE OF OUR MISSION, UH, JUST TO TEACH MARTIAL ARTS IN GENERAL AND ALSO EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN HAVING MARTIAL ARTS PROGRAMMING.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY IN THE PAST I WAS IN A POSITION WHERE I COULDN'T PROVIDE THAT.
UM, BUT NOW WITH MY NEW ENDEAVOR AND NON-PROFIT, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DESIRE TO, UH, CREATE A PARTNERSHIP WITH.
WE ARE IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS NOW.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I JUST HAD A FEW PEOPLE AT DALLAS PARKS.
I WANTED TO THANK, UH, FOR THEIR HELP THUS FAR.
I WANNA THANK BRENDAN COLLINS AND STEVE BAKER.
UH, I ALSO WANNA THANK LASHINDA CALHOUN AND SANDRA ORTEGA.
UH, THEY'VE ALL BEEN SUPER RESPONSIVE AND HELPFUL.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK YESINIA VALDEZ FOR SETTING ME UP WITH TODAY'S, UH, SPEAKER SPOT.
UM, AND I WANNA THANK MELINDA
SO AGAIN, WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS AND UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS TO THE YOUTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN THE EAST DALLAS.
UH, I FEEL IT IS A PINNACLE TIME FOR THEM TO, UH, GET THESE ESSENTIAL CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROGRAMS AND, UH, BEING ABLE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AND MORE, MOST IMPORTANT, UH, VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN THE AREA.
I THINK THROUGH THIS TYPE OF TRAINING, UM,
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WE CAN BUILD A STRONGER COMMUNITY, UH, WITH LESS VIOLENCE AND MORE SUPPORT FOR EACH OTHER.UM, SO THAT WAS MY GOAL TODAY, WAS TO COME AND PRESENT TO YOU ALL WHAT OUR MISSION IS AND I THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY.
AGAIN, I'M GLITTER ROSE, UM, THE FOUNDER OF BORN STRONG MARTIAL ARTS.
MY NAME'S APRIL ALLEN AND I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF SOUTHERN GATEWAY PUBLIC GREEN FOUNDATION, THE NONPROFIT PARTNER IN THE SOUTHERN GATEWAY PARK PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
I WANNA THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE PARK BOARD AND PARK DEPARTMENT FOR YOUR SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO BUILDING THE BEST PARK SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY.
I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY TO CELEBRATE THIS AMAZING GIFT OF $23 MILLION FROM THE HELPER FOUNDATION.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT SINCE JOINING THE BOARD AS A VOLUNTEER IN 2019, AND I'VE SERVED AS PRESIDENT SINCE 20 10 20.
WHEN I FIRST STARTED WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, WE FACED MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE SKEPTICAL THAT THIS PROJECT COULD SUCCEED AT ALL.
THEY SAID IT COULDN'T HAPPEN IN SOUTHERN DALLAS, NOT INCLUDING THIS GIFT.
WE'VE RAISED OVER $165 MILLION IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMMITTED TO THE OVERALL PROJECT.
AND THE IDEA THAT WE COULD RECEIVE A GIFT OF $23 MILLION SEEMED ALMOST UNIMAGINABLE WHEN IT STARTED.
IN FACT, THIS $23 MILLION UNLOCKS AN ADDITIONAL SEVEN AND HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN CHALLENGE BRANDS FROM PRIVATE FUNDERS FOR A TOTAL IMPACT OF OVER 30 MILLION.
I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND IF I JUST TAKE A MINUTE TO LET THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS MILESTONE SINK IN BECAUSE AS I'VE SAID PREVIOUSLY, IT'S A MOMENT I TRULY HAVE PRAYED FOR.
IN ADDITION TO WORKING IN OAKCLIFF, I ALSO LIVE IN OAK CLIFF.
MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS AND MY CHURCH ARE ALL IN OAK CLIFF.
I LOVE ITS HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE.
I LOVE ITS RACIAL AND ECONOMIC DIVERSITY.
I LOVE IT'S CAN DO, WILL DO SPIRIT.
AND SO I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ASK THAT YOU APPROVE THE RENAMING OF SOUTHERN GATEWAY PARK TO HELP RENT PARK.
I WANNA ASSURE YOU THAT I DO SO AS PRESIDENT OF THIS ORGANIZATION AS AN OAK CLIFF RESIDENT, AND AS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN WHO PERSONALLY UNDERSTAND AND SHARES THE CONCERN THAT THIS PARK REFLECTS THE DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF OAK CLIFF.
THAT CONCERN IS REFLECTED IN ALL OF THE PLANS FOR THE PARK, THE PARK DESIGN WITH ITS CHANGES IN TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL FIELD.
IT'S MEANT TO EVOKE OAK CLIFF'S BEAUTIFUL SETTING OUR PLANNED OAK CLIFF WALK OF FAME, WHICH WILL HIGHLIGHT INDIVIDUALS WHO MADE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OAK OAKLAND, ON THE OAK CLIFF COMMUNITY.
AND A HISTORY EXHIBIT WHICH WILL TELL THE STORY OF THE IMPACT OF THE FREEWAY.
OUR PLANNED PROGRAMMING WILL ALSO SPOTLIGHT THE DIVERSE CULTURAL INFLUENCES THAT MAKE OAK CLIFF SUCH AN EXCITING AND DYNAMIC PLACE TO LIVE.
I WANNA ASSURE YOU THAT I WOULD NOT ASK THAT THE NAME HALPER PARK BE APPROVED.
I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS WORTHY TO REPRESENT A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I TRULY BELIEVE TO BE THE BEST IN DALLAS OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AS WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH THEM, AND AS THEY'VE LEARNED MORE ABOUT THIS BRAND, WE'VE LEARNED MORE ABOUT THEM, THE HALPER, THEIR GOALS AND THEIR CHARACTER.
AND I A HUGE PROPONENT OF THIS NAMING RIGHT, THE HAL GRINS ARE GOOD PEOPLE.
AND THIS IS NOT A TERM I USE LIGHTLY.
THEY UNDERSTAND AND SHARE OUR GOALS FOR THE WORK THAT IT WILL CATALYZE A MORE ECONOMICALLY VIOLENT, GREENER, AND MORE EQUITABLE OAK CLIFF, AND ULTIMATELY A MORE EQUITABLE GENERALIST.
WITH YOUR APPROVAL, WE WILL SECURE THE HELPERS AND MAKE GIFT TO $23 MILLION THE LI LARGEST PRIVATE DONATION IN THE HISTORY OF SOUTHERN DALLAS PARK.
AND WE'LL SECURE THE COMPLETION OF PHASE ONE OF THIS MAJOR COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY AMENITIES.
SO NOW I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO SHARE A FEW PERSONAL REFLECTIONS AS A GOD-FEARING WOMAN OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS OF UPS AND DOWNS AND TWISTS.
IN TERMS, WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE IS THIS PROJECT IS PART OF OUR SHARED DESTINY.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE IMAGES OF THE FREEWAY BULLDOZING THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY, I KNOW THIS PROJECT ISN'T JUST ABOUT PLAYGROUNDS AND PAVILIONS, IT'S ABOUT RESTORATION.
I THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN WHO'VE EXCITEDLY REFLECTED IN ON HAVING SAFE PLACES TO PLAY AND GATHER ABOUT MRS. BARRY, WHO IS 96 YEARS OLD AND LIVES ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE PARK.
HER PARENTS LIVED IN OAK CLIFF BEFORE THE FREEWAY CAME THROUGH, AND SHE MOVED HERE IN 1930.
IN 1963, SHE TOLD US SHE HOPES TO LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE THE PARK COME TO FRUITION.
AND I THINK ABOUT A CONVERSATION I HAD WITH THE LATE CONGRESSWOMAN, EDDIE GRICE JOHNSON HAD NO IDEA IT WOULD BE THE LAST, SHE WAS A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR THE PARK AND FOR RESTORATION OF OUR COMMUNITY, HELPING TO SECURE THE NECESSARY FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THIS PARK IS ABOUT RESTORING OUR COMMUNITY AND HEALING OUR CITY.
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THE RES WANNA BE A PART OF THAT RESTORATION AND HEALING WITH THEIR GIFT.AND SO TODAY ON NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY, I AM FONDLY ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE TO ACCEPT THIS HISTORIC GIFT WITHOUT DELAY.
SO WE CAN BRING THIS SIGNATURE PART FOR THE PURPOSE TO YOUR, I APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP AND THANK YOU FOR THE NEXT SPEAKER IS TANYA MEIR.
THANK YOU EVERYONE OF YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR CITY.
I'M THE LIFELONG DALLAS RESIDENT AND BUSINESS PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ALSO THE OWNERS OF THE INTERSECTION AT 75 IN ROYAL, WHICH IS THE, UH, INTERSECTION WHICH BEEN MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE, UH, PROTESTORS THAT HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE TO ALL OF YOU THAT ULTIMATELY THE THING THAT BRINGS US TOGETHER, ITS SAFETY AND SECURITY IN OUR CITY.
WHEN WE LIVE IN A SAFE CITY, IT'S GONNA BE A VIBRANT CITY.
IT'S A CITY THAT BUSINESS PEOPLE WANT TO INVEST IN.
IT'S A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES WANT TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN.
AND ULTIMATELY IT'S OUR FIRST RESPONSIBILITY.
THE FIRST RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS CITY BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE IS TO GUARANTEE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE CITIZENS THAT LIVE HERE.
NOW, THAT HAS TO BE BALANCED AGAINST OUR CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED RIGHT TO FREE SPEED.
AND I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO THAT, UH, TOPIC.
BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THESE BRIDGES IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF A DESCENT AND INTO CHAOS THAT NONE OF US WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.
UH, THE PROTESTORS BY COVERING THEIR FACES JUST SIMPLY PUT, ARE THREATEN JUST TO JUST MIRROR NOT KNOWING WHO YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHEN YOU'RE COMING ACROSS ANYONE AND ALL OF US WHO EXPERIENCES, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE SEEING, YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE 'CAUSE THEIR FACES ARE COVERED.
THERE'S A REASON WHY THOSE FACES ARE COVERED IS 'CAUSE THEY'RE ASHAMED OF THE BEHAVIOR THAT THEY'RE EXPRESSING.
WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION AS THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE SAFE.
UM, ANY OF THESE APPROACH A BANNER THAT, THAT FALL DOWN ONTO THE CARDS, IT COULD CAUSE A CATACLYSMIC ACCIDENT THAT'S A SECURITY VIOLATION.
UH, THE WORDS, WORDS ALONE ARE NOT ENOUGH TO STOP.
BUT, BUT THE WORDS THAT THESE FOLKS ARE SAYING ARE, ARE CAUSED TO ACTUAL VIOLENCE.
THERE'S A REASON WHY THIS PARTICULAR BRIDGE HAS BEEN SELECTED EXPRESSLY TARGETED AT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY WITH ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE IMPORTANT, UM, PARTICIPANTS IN THE ECONOMIC STRENGTH OF THE CITY.
WE INVESTED IN THIS INTERSECTION EXPRESSLY TO PROMOTE UNITY IN THE CITY, PROMOTE THE PARKS BOARD TO PROMOTE PARTICIPATION OF THE ENTIRE CITY AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THIS, THIS, THESE PROTESTS ARE A DIRECT ASSAULT ON OUR OUR CITIZEN RIGHTS.
I'M BEGGING YOU ALL TO DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN TO CUT THIS OFF AT THE PAST EARLY ON BEFORE WE DESCEND IT TO CHAOS.
THIS IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR TIME CONSIDERATION AND AS THE BUSINESS PERSON WAS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO THE CITY'S ECONOMIC VIBRANCY, UH, I I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE MAKE THIS A TOP PRIORITY ISSUE.
THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THIS CONCLUDE YOUR SO I MUCH WITH THAT, WE MOVE, UH, TO THE NEXT POINT.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER FIVE.
BUT DO I HAVE A MOTION ORDER THE SECONDED BY MR.
MS.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? FOR CHAIR? HAS SECONDED BY MS. COLLINS.
UH, MR. UH, GARY, WE CAN, UH, HAVE DISCUSSION.
YEAH, WE WILL HAVE DISCUSSION THEN.
I THINK THAT, SO, UH, WITH THAT, UH, SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FIELD TO APPROVE.
READY FOR DISCUSSION? MR. PLAN? SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, APRIL ALLEN SEVEN GATEWAY.
THANK Y'ALL FOR THE WORK WE PUT IN IN THIS PROJECT.
TO THIS POINT, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT POTENTIAL
[00:30:01]
NEW PARK COMING ONLINE.UM, I STILL, HOWEVER, HAVE SOME HESITATIONS.
AND THOSE HESITATIONS REALLY COME IN THE FORM OF THE CITY AND THE ORGANIZATION NEGOTIATING FOR A YEAR.
NOW WE ARE GONNA VOTE ON THIS.
I HAVEN'T READ A CONTRACT AND ANY STUDENT THAT SITS DOWN TO TAKE A TEST AND THEY HADN'T ACTUALLY STUDIED WITH A TEST, THEN SHAME ON YOU AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN IT.
AND I GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING UP TO US AT THE GROCERY STORE WHILE I'M TRYING TO COMPARE MILK AND EGGS.
AND THEY'RE ASKING, IS IT TRUE THAT SOMEBODY'S GOING TO COME AND PUT THEIR NAME ON THIS PART AND ERASE THE IDENTITY OF WHO WE ARE? AND I READ THE COMMUNITY LETTERS.
I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT HAS COME FROM PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYBODY WHO IS SUPPORTING WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN, WHO KNOWS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS ON THE COMMUNITY, UH, BOARD THAT IS ACTUALLY SUPPORTING THE PROJECT.
BUT THE PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO IN COMMUNITY ARE NOT VERY AWARE OF IT.
NOW, I THINK IT'D BE POLITICAL MALPRACTICE AND GOVERNANCE MALPRACTICE TO THUMB MY NOSE IS AT $23 MILLION.
UM, BUT I DO THINK IT'S PRUDENT TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND SEE ARE THERE ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO ACTUALLY GET ANY CONCESSIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WILL DRIVE BY THEIR PARK EVERY DAY? I APPRECIATE THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A WALK OF FAME AND THAT WE'LL GET TO WALK ON THE NAMES OF PEOPLE WHO WILL PROVOKE CLIFF AND WE'LL SEE THE PERSON WHO'S NOT PROMOTED WITH PROUDLY DISPLAYED.
AND IF NAMING RIGHTS DON'T MATTER, THEN WHY DID WE TAKE THE, THE STATUTE FROM, FROM LEE PARK AND WE NAME IT, IT MATTERS WHOSE NAME IS ON IT, IT MATTERS WHERE THAT SPACE IS AND IT CERTAINLY MATTERS TO ME.
AND I JUST WANT TO ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
FIRSTLY, UM, AND MAYBE THIS IS FOR CITY STAFF OR SOMEONE WITH ORGANIZATION.
HOW LONG WAS THIS DEAL IN PROCESS? IT TOOK OFF MORNING, MR. PRESIDENT FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, MR. BLAIR, YOUR QUESTION WAS HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN ONGOING? UM, AS WE MENTIONED IN THE, IN THE MEMO THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO THE BOARD YESTERDAY, AS YOU KNOW NOW, UM, PARK STAFF WAS CERTAINLY NOT ENGAGED IN THE KIND OF DIRECT DAY TO DAY PROCESS AND NEGOTIATION.
BUT SINCE OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL FOR SOME TIME IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE DONATION.
SO WHEN WAS THE CITY STAFF ACTUALLY ALERTED TO THE FACT THAT THIS DONATION OR THIS DEAL HAD BEEN IN THE WORKS? AGAIN, AS WE SAID IN THE MEMO, OF COURSE WE WERE AWARE THAT, YOU KNOW, PARTNERS SEEK NAMING RIGHTS IS A SUPER COMMON THING THAT HAPPENS IN THE SMART SYSTEM.
HOWEVER, WE WERE OFFICIALLY NOTIFIED OF THE FINAL DEAL TERMS LAST WEEK.
SO WHO SCHEDULED A PRESS CONFERENCE BEFORE WE WERE TO TAKE A VOTE ON IT AGAIN? I'LL TAKE THAT QUESTION.
UH, UH, WE SCHEDULED A PRESS CONFERENCE BECAUSE IT IS AS, AS IT'S BEEN FOR THE LAST TWO NAMES BEFORE IT HITS BEFORE THIS ONE.
UH, WE SCHEDULE A PRESS CONFERENCE 'CAUSE IT ALLOWS THE CITY, THE, THE MAYOR AS WELL AS IN THIS CASE, THE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT REPRESENTS THIS DISTRICT, THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THIS DONATION OF THIS MAGNITUDE.
AND THAT HAS BEEN OUR PRACTICE TO ALLOW THAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE IN THE PAST, TO BE, QUITE FRANKLY, WHEN WE DIDN'T ALLOW THAT, UH, IT CREATED, UH, ISSUES.
AND SO THERE'S NO RIGHT OR WRONG TO THIS PRESS CONFERENCE BEFORE OR AFTER.
WELL, AND LET ME ALSO JUST SAY IN THIS PROCESS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT I DON'T, IT IS POLITICAL MALPRACTICE TONIGHT.
AT LEAST TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT THIS.
BUT I DO THINK, UH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO, I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO DELAY FOR ONE WEEK AND WE COME BACK IN A SPECIAL CALL MEETING WHEN PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND WILL BE RESPONSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY WHEN THEY ARE ASKING QUESTIONS AND MAYBE WHEN THE MEDIA SHOWS UP.
WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH.
AND I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE A VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT I CAN'T STAND 10 TOES DOWN ON.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TERMS OF THE DEAL ARE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE MONEY'S DUE UP FRONT WHAT PETE HAS LONG TERM TO PAY IT OUT.
WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE AGREEMENT.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT THAT WE DELAY FOR A WEEK.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO IMPACT THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE.
SO I KNOW WE HAVE TO GET IT DONE WITHIN SEPTEMBER.
SO I'D LIKE TO LEAVE THAT MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
MR. BLAIR WANTS TO AMEND THE CURRENT MOTION OF MS.
NEED TO DELAY THE FINAL SECOND FROM OTHER DISCUSSIONS.
DON'T I THINK MOTION DISCUSS THAT? YES.
SO IT'S A MOTION TO DEFER THE SECOND ON MOTION TO DEFER.
AH, WE, IT DIFFER NOW WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION ON
[00:35:01]
MOTION TO DEFER.UH, WE CAN ANY UH, UH, MR GLAD YOU HAD TO SAY SOMETHING MORE ON MOTION TO DEFER BEFORE I OPEN AND THEN I'LL GIVE IT TO BILL.
I'LL JUST SAY I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE EVERY LETTER IS EXCITING.
EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE SOUTHERN SET NEEDS INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE DON'T WANT TO TURN THAT AWAY.
AND I KNOW SOUTHERN GATEWAY HAD WORKED TERRIBLY HARD ON THIS.
I DON'T KNOW WHO DROPPED THE BALL, BUT I KNOW IF SOMETHING'S IN THIS DEAL THAT'S NOT GOOD.
EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOMMATE PAYS.
IT'LL BE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO, AND I JUST READ THIS LAST LINE FROM WHAT PASTOR CARTER SAID.
RESPECTFULLY, THE EXCITEMENT DID NOT COME FROM THE NAME OF THE PARK.
WE KNOW WE WANT THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE REALLY ARE LOOKING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET A CONCESSION FROM THE DONOR TO SEE.
CAN WE JUST ADD SOUTHERN GATEWAY BACK TO OUR PARK SO THAT WE HAVE SOME ID IN A PLACE THAT WE ARE FROM? THAT'S MY 10 CENTS.
NO, WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING MS. HAMMOND FIRST.
MS. HAMMOND VAN, I NEED MY HOME.
RYAN, CAN YOU COME BACK PLEASE? SOME CONTRACTUAL QUESTIONS HERE? YES MA'AM.
SO, UM, I DON'T FEEL LIKE MR. HARRISON'S QUESTION WAS ANSWERED.
WHEN DID THE PARK DEPARTMENT KNOW ABOUT THIS? WELL, LIKE I SAID, WE ARE FREQUENTLY AWARE THAT PARTNERS CROSSED THE CITY SEEKING NANCE.
WE WERE OFFICIALLY NOTIFIED OF THE FINAL DEAL TERMS LAST WEEK, SPECIFICALLY MONDAY.
SO WHEN, UM, YOU ALL WERE MADE AWARE, WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR NOTIFYING, UH, THE PARK BOARD, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER WAS GONNA TAKE PART IN THAT, COMMONLY STAFF WILL REACH OUT TO BOARD MEMBERS TO KIND OF SHARE WHAT'S COMING UP ON AN AGENDA.
BUT IN THIS CASE IT WAS A COMBINATION BETWEEN STAFF AND THE ATION STAFF.
AND SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CONTRACT A LITTLE BIT AND LEGAL IF WE NEED TO.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE TO TAKE THIS OFFLINE, BUT I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONTRACT AT THAT FORM.
SO WITH THE CONTRACT, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FOUNDATION HAS FOUR PARK BLOCKS ON, UM, THE NAME ARREST, CORRECT? YES MA'AM.
BUT IS THERE SOMETHING THAT SPEAKS TO THE PARK BOARD IS THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY? WELL, IN THE CONTRACT, UM, IT PRETTY CLEARLY SAYS, AND OF COURSE THE ATTORNEYS CAN ELABORATE, BUT IT PRETTY PRETTY CLEARLY SAYS THAT THE PARK BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL OF GRANTED NAMING RIGHTS TO THE PARTNER AND IT'S THE PARK BOARD'S ROLE TO APPROVE OR NOT APPROVE THE NAME BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE PARTNER.
UM, ON THE TIME, WHAT I WILL SAY IS I BELIEVE THAT'S IN THE CONTRACT BECAUSE IT IS THE WILL OF THE CITY.
AND THIS IS BEFORE MY TOWN PARK.
SO I'M, I'M ASSUMING WITH ALL OF THIS, I WANNA JUST SAY THAT.
BUT IT IS MY ASSUMPTION THAT THOSE GROUPS ARE IN PLACE TO ENSURE TO MR. HARRISON'S POINT THAT WHEN OUTSIDE GREAT NONPROFITS GO DO THE WORK OF AND THE WILL OF GOD, I FEEL LIKE, UH, TO FUND THESE PROJECTS, THAT THERE IS ALSO A COMMUNITY PIECE AND THAT THERE IS SOME TYPE OF OVERSIGHT.
AND SO THAT IS THE REASON THAT IT COMES TO EITHER A PARK BOARD OR A CANCEL TO BE APPROVED.
UM, THE REASON I SECOND MR. HARRISON'S, UH, QUESTION IS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME DISCUSSION AND WE NEED TO HEAR ABOUT THE COMMUNITY'S INPUT.
AND BECAUSE THIS HAS HAPPENED SO FAST, LIKE MR. UM, JENKINS SAID, THIS HAPPENS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
BUT WHAT I AM IS EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED AS SOMEONE WHO'S WORKED IN SOUTHERN DALLAS AND WORKED ON SOUTHERN DALLAS FOR YEARS, PERSONALLY AS WELL AS PROFESSIONALLY, THAT THIS WAS HANDLED IN COMMANDER WAS HANDLED.
AND I NEVER WANTED TO LOOK LIKE THAT.
IT'S HARD TO DONATE MONEY IN SOUTHERN DALLAS OR IT'S HARD TO DO ANYTHING IN SOUTHERN DALLAS.
BUT WE DO KNOW THAT SOMETIMES OUR NEIGHBORS ARE NOT LISTENED TO AND OUR COMMUNITY IS TAKEN FOR GRANTED.
AND THIS IS A TIME WHEN OUR COMMUNITY HAS CONTAINED FOR GRANTED AND THAT I CANNOT SUPPORT.
UM, SO WE WILL DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
WE APPRECIATE THE DONATION, WE THINK IT'S WONDERFUL AND MORE PEOPLE SHOULD DONATE TO SOUTHERN DALLAS.
AND I WANT WHATEVER COMES THAT'S HAPPENED TODAY TO STAY IN THE VEIN OF THE PROCESS.
[00:40:01]
NOT ABOUT DONATING TO SOUTHERN DALLAS 'CAUSE IT'S ALWAYS THE DONATION IN MY OPINION, BUT IT IS ABOUT HOW WE DO THINGS, NOT WHAT WE DO.I KNOW NEIGHBORS LIKE THIS AND I JUST BELIEVE THAT, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE MORE TO SAY INTO WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, MR. SLAUGHTER, NEXT UP HAVE A NEW YEAR.
AND I MEAN THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M TO BETWEEN AROUND HERE.
LET'S GET THIS PERFECTLY CLEAR.
I SUPPORT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UM, THINKING THEN ALSO A REALIST.
UH, I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ONE PERSON IN THE AREA THAT DOESN'T WANT THE PART.
I'M LOOKING AT, WE JUST DID, UH, A CLASS OF CONDO CORONA FAMILY DONATING.
IT WASN'T JUST KIND OF SCRUTINY.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS SOME IDENTITY, SOMETHING THAT WE CAN HOLD OFF TO.
AND I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M SITTING WITH MY ATTORNEY, UH, JIM DICKEY, YOU TELL MY COLLEGE ROOMMATE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? THAT, UH, THIS, I FOUND THAT SOUTHERN GATEWAY WAS JUST A PLACARD.
AND WE GAVE THESE PEOPLE A CONTRACT TO GO OUT AND FIND A DONOR.
YOU KNOW, I, I'M PRO STAFF, I'M PROCEEDING, I DON'T WANT PUSH THIS ISSUE OF WHERE PEOPLE WILL SAY IF THEY'RE GONNA DO THIS LIKE THIS IN A CERTAIN EFFECT, WHY DO WE NEED TO PUT OUR MONEY OVER HERE? WE GOTTA LOOK AT THAT, BUT IT'S GONNA HOLD THE COMMUNITY.
I TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN THE BOTTOM DOWN THERE AND THEY WANT TO SMART.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, AND I AGREE YOU, IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T EVEN LIKE SO
SOUTHERN GATEWAY TO ME, LIKE GOING TO THE PLANT DICTION.
I'M JUST, I'M JUST BEING FRANK ISSUE.
AND I THINK HIS FAMILY GAVE US $23 MILLION EGO THING JUST PUT IN, I'M NOT GONNA GIVE $23 MILLION SO I CAN HAVE MY NAME.
I THINK THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY TOO.
UH, I I'M JUST, IT COULD BE YOU DON'T GET ANY BLACK AND ME, I LIVE IN THAT AREA.
I'M A PRODUCT OF THE STATE FOR THAT.
THIS IS, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE ON RENT AND I DON'T AT THE POINT NOW AND THE MOTION THAT YOU MADE, I WONDER WHAT WOULD THIS LADY GET US? HAVE WE LOOKED AT ALL THE OTHER CONTRACTS FROM THE DONORS THAT WE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
STAFF, ALL THE OTHER DONORS AND PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE.
WE WOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT THE CONTRACT BECAUSE WHEN WE HIRED SOMEONE, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE.
SO TO REITERATE WHAT I SAID EARLIER, UH, UH, WHATEVER MS. LONG AND FOR OUR STEP WITH HER, BUT NOT ONLY THAT, THAT WE, WE SHOULD NOT, THIS SHOULD NOT BE PUNITIVE DAMAGE TO THOSE DONORS AND DAMAGE TO THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW? AND HAVE BEEN NEW HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR DUE DILIGENCE TO REALLY SECURING SOME AMAZING
UM, I HAVE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR FOUR YEARS AND I CAN REMEMBER WHEN WE FIRST SPOKE, THE NAME WAS A PLACEHOLDER.
AND I'M SURE IT'S STILL ON THE VIDEOS THAT ARE CIRCULATE ON OUR CITY WEBSITE THAT YOU SAID, THIS IS THE PLACEHOLDER NAME.
I DO NOT LOOK AT THAT AREA AS SOUTHERN DALLAS.
UH, MY HUSBAND IS AN OAK CLIFF BOY.
UH, I KNOW THAT AREA VERY, VERY WELL.
UM, AND IF WHERE I LIVE IS NORTH DALLAS HIGH SCHOOL, SO, AND I'M OFF THE HENDERSON AVENUE, SO IS THAT NORTH DALLAS NOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
UM, AND THE, I MEAN, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IS BRIAN, CAN YOU DESCRIBE, WHENEVER WE HAVE EVER
[00:45:01]
MICROMANAGED A FOUNDATION THAT WE GIVE, WE GIVE THEM A CONTRACT, A SIGNED CONTRACT.WE, WE APPROVE A SIGNED CONTRACT.
AND THEN THEY SAY, OKAY, YOU GO FIND THE, THE, THE DONORS.
BUT THEN WHEN YOU COME UP WITH A NAME, WE'RE GONNA SCRUTINIZE IT.
HAS THAT EVER HAPPENED BEFORE? UH, AND HAS SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY EVER BEEN DONATED TO THE CITY OF DALLAS OR TO, UH, OR TO A PARK? WELL, AS ON, AS I MENTIONED IN A COMMITTEE THIS MORNING, WE ARE THE, THE BENEFICIARY, MANY VERY GENEROUS GIFTS.
AND OF COURSE WE'RE ALL VERY FORTUNATE FOR THAT.
THIS UNIQUE SITUATION, HOWEVER, I WOULD SAY IS VERY SIGNIFICANT GIFT.
UM, FOR PARK NAMING SPECIFICALLY.
OF COURSE WE RECEIVED VERY GENEROUS GIFTS TO HELP DEVELOP DOWNTOWN PARKS AND OTHER THINGS.
BUT I WOULD SAY THIS IS A UNIQUE IN THAT IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST GIFTS WE'VE EVER RECEIVED.
LET ME JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY, DO WE INSERT OURSELVES INTO THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATION? DO WE MICROMANAGE IT? YEAH.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT I GET FROM THAT QUESTION ANSWERS.
NO, WE DO NOT INSERT OURSELF AFTER ONE OF OUR PARTNERS HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATING WITH THE STATE DONOR, UH, FOR THE LAST YEAR OR TWO OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE, OR THREE MONTHS.
THE CONTRACT ALLOWS THEM TO DO ALL THE NEGOTIATION AND THEN THEY HAVE SECURED
AND AM I CORRECT ON SAYING THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THIS BEING PRESENTED TO US, THAT THIS NAME WAS A PLACEHOLDER? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, MY QUESTIONS ARE, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CONTRACT WE, SO AS A VOTE YES OR NO, THERE'S NO RENEGOTIATION OF THE NAME.
WE CAN'T HAVE ANY INPUT ON THE NAME.
SO MY QUESTION IS, UM, THE DELAY FOR A WEEK, LIKE WHAT IS, WHAT'S, WHAT IS WHAT? JUST I'M NOT CHALLENGING YOU ON THE DELAY.
LIKE WHAT DOES THE DELAY ACCOMPLISH? THE DELAY GIVES THE DEPARTMENT TIME TO GO BACK AND TALK TO THE DONOR.
IT GIVES US TIME TO ACTUALLY SEE WHAT'S IN THE CONTRACT, WHAT ARE THE TERMS, WHEN ARE THEY PAYING OUT.
WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN WHAT THE PROCESS WAS.
AND MAYBE WE DIDN'T DO, UM, THIS FOR ANOTHER RENAMING PROCESS FOR SOMETHING THAT HAD A DONATION ATTACHED TO IT.
BUT WHEN WE WERE WORKING WITH OUR WILLIAMS, A MAN WHO WAS ROUNDLY DESERVING NAMING OPPORTUNITIES AND RIGHTS, WE GOT ALL IN THERE.
THE RAISINS ARE ALL IN THAT POTATO SALAD.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, AND THAT'S THE NAME BLACK COMMUNITY.
WE HAD A HARD TIME AND SOME MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD COLLEAGUES TOLD ME, WELL, HARRISON, I JUST DON'T KNOW.
WE DIDN'T FOLLOW PROCEDURE WHEN IT WAS IN FACT A PART OF PROCEDURE.
THIS IS TOO, BUT IT'S QUESTIONABLE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT.
I'M THE PARK BOARD REP FOR THE DISTRICT AND WE JUST FOUND OUT, WE JUST FOUND OUT IT WAS GONNA BE A PRESS CONFERENCE.
AND I KNOW IT'S NOT REGULAR FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE TO BE BEFORE A VOTE.
YOU AT LEAST WANT TO KNOW YOU GOT YOUR DOORS THROUGH THE RACE BEFORE YOU GO OUT IN CIVIL COURT.
SO WE, WE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
AND LET ME SAY, I STARTED BY SAYING IT'D BE POLITICAL AND GOVERNMENT MALPRACTICE TO BOW MY NOSE WITH 23 MILLION BUCKS.
BUT I DO THINK THE DELAY AT LEAST GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO WRAP OUR ARMS AROUND IT.
I GET SOME TIME TO TALK TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE ACTUALLY VERY CONCERNED AND WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF WE CAN NEGOTIATE TO JUST HAVE SOUTHERN GATEWAY IN OUR PARK.
MAYBE IT DOESN'T MATTER TO OTHER FOLKS, BUT I'M FROM THE SOUTHERN SECTOR AND I'M A PART OF THAT NEW WAY WHO BOUGHT A HOUSE THERE.
SO I'M GOING BE UP IN THERE AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT WHEN I PASS BY THAT SOUTHERN GATEWAY EVERY DAY THAT IT HAS ID FROM A PLACE THAT I LIVE IN, I KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT SPACE.
I'M SURE THEY'RE GREAT FAMILY AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEM, BUT THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE PROCEDURE.
AND IF IT MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE AND YOU VOTE FOR IT, THEN SHAME ON YOU.
SO I THINK THAT THE DELAY WOULD GIVE US TIME TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
YEAH, DO SO FROM A, FROM A PROCEDURAL STANDPOINT, I GUESS IF, I DON'T KNOW WHO CAN SPEAK TO THIS, BUT DOES, I MEAN, IF THE CONTRACT'S BEEN NEGOTIATED AND WE'VE GOT A, IT'S GONNA BE DELAYED FOR, I MEAN I I'VE, I'VE DONE A LOT OF CONTRACTS.
$23 MILLION CONTRACTS IS A LOT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AMENDING A CONTRACT IN SEVEN DAYS TYPE OF VOTE.
IT IS THAT ENOUGH? I MEAN, IS THAT EVEN ENOUGH TIME? I LIKE, I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T, THIS IS NOT IN MY, WELL THIS IS NOT MY PART OF THE CITY.
SO I WANNA DEFER TO, TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE PART OF THE CITY BECAUSE I'M NOT INVOLVED IN THIS.
BUT FROM A CONTRACTUAL STANDPOINT, AND, AND I'M NOT SAYING I'M VOTING EITHER WAY NOW
[00:50:01]
I'M LIZ, I'M LEARNING ABOUT THIS.BUT LIKE WHAT DOES THIS DOES A WEEK DO ANYTHING? I UNDERSTAND YOUR FIRST COUPLE POINTS, BUT FROM THE CONTRACTUAL POINT, IS THERE ANYTHING THERE THAT WOULD EVEN BE DONE LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW THINGS LIKE THAT? COMPLETELY GIVE THAT TO YOU.
BUT SEVEN DAYS, REALLY FIVE DAYS.
'CAUSE IT'S THE WEEKEND, FIVE BUSINESS DAYS FOR $23 MILLION THAT SHOULD WE EVEN BE LITIGATING THIS AROUND THIS BODY? I DUNNO IF THAT'S OVER.
NO, I DIDN'T, DIDN'T ANY QUESTION OR IF THAT'S, UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE WHEN YOU ASK THE QUESTION, WHEN Y'ALL SAY TO DETERMINE, NEGOTIATE, MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR TOO.
IF THAT'S AN APRIL NEGOTIATE I YEAH.
THAT, THAT'S NOT THAT THE PARK DEPARTMENT, RIGHT.
WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO NEGOTIATE WITH THE DONOR.
OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE FOUNDATION WE HAVE THE CONTRACT WITH, THEY HAVE THE RIGHTS TO GO NEGOTIATE BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE NAMING RIGHTS.
THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO NEGOTIATE WITH DONORS TO GET TO THIS POINT, TO BRING IT TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE NAME.
THAT IS THE EXTENT OF OUR NEGOTIATION.
I MEAN, WE NEGOTIATE BACK, WE CAN ONLY MAKE A REQUEST BACK TO THE FOUNDATION.
THERE IS NO NEGOTIATION NEGOTIATION BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE
WHAT THE CONTRACT IS THERE POLICY.
SO I THINK BE COULD THAT, YEAH, WE CAN'T
SO, SO I THINK THAT THAT KIND OF I GOOD FOR.
SO, SO HAS THAT BEEN DONE BY THE STAFF IN TERMS OF TAKING THE DUE DILIGENCE OF THIS CONTRACT? THAT IT'S WITHIN OUR POLICY STRUCTURE? YEAH, WITHIN OUR POLICY STRUCTURE.
ACCORDING TO THE CONTRACT, WE HAVE DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE AS RELATES TO, 'CAUSE ONCE AGAIN, THE BOARD IS APPROVING THE NAME, NOT THE, AND THEN AS PART OF THE NAMING POLICY, YOU ALSO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION THE DOLLAR MA, BUT THIS IS NOT A DEPARTMENT LED NAMING.
WE GIVE OUR PARTNERS AS PART OF THEIR AGREEMENT WHEN WE GO STAND UP A FOUNDATION.
IN THIS CASE, MY UNDERSTANDING MANY YEARS AGO WAS MIKE LERS THAT APPROACHED MANY OF THESE BOARD MEMBERS ON SOUTHERN GATEWAY.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND UP A NONPROFIT TO SUPPORT BUILDING THIS ALMOST $200 MILLION PARK? AND WHERE YOU, AND, AND THEN THE NONPROFIT WHO AGREES, AND THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO AGREED TO STAND UP THIS NONPROFIT SAYS, WELL, IN ORDER FOR US TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WE HAVE TO HAVE RIGHTS TO DO CERTAIN THINGS IN ORDER TO GO OUT AND RAISE THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY.
BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONSTRUCT, OPERATE, AND MAINTAIN A PART OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND SIGNATURE PART IN EXCHANGE.
WE NEED TO HAVE THAT AUTONOMY TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND NEGOTIATE IN AUTONOMY WITH DONORS BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW, HOW THE DONOR COMMUNITY WORKS.
AND MOST DONORS DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANYTHING PUBLIC UNTIL THEY'RE READY TO PROCEED FORWARD.
BUT THEY HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATING TO GET SOMEONE TO AGREE TO THIS DOLLAR AMOUNT.
AND THEN FROM ONCE AGAIN, OUR DUE DILIGENCE WAS TO GO AND MAKE SURE, ACCORDING TO THE PART BOARD POLICY, IS FOR US TO MAKE SURE THE NAME IS BEING PROPOSED, THAT IT HAS MET THE STANDARDS, THAT IS THE EXTENT OF THE ROLE OF THE STAFF AS RELATES TO THE PART NAMING POLICY.
I SEE MR. BLAIR, IT SEEMS LIKE JUNE, BUT MS ON SCREEN.
OH, SO MS. ASMAN, YEAH, BECAUSE I SAW YOU AND THEN I SEE.
UM, AND THANK YOU AT THE BEGINNING, THIS IS REALLY SUCH A INCREDIBLY, I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD ALL BE DOING DANCES AND BALLOONS SHOULD BE FALLING FROM THE CEILINGS AT THIS POINT.
BUT FIRST WE GOTTA GET THROUGH SOME OF THIS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, I WANTED TO SPEAK TO YOUR POINT ABOUT PROCEDURE
[00:55:01]
AND THAT HAVE WE FOLLOWED A PROCEDURE AND WE NEED A WEEK TO MAKE SURE WE FOLLOW PROCEDURE.AND IN MY MIND, WE HAVE FOLLOWED PROCEDURE.
THERE'S VERY SPECIFIC CONTRACTUAL PROCEDURES THAT WE FOLLOWED AND THAT, UH, THIS PARTNER HAS FOLLOWED THAT ALL OF OUR PARTNERS FOLLOWED, WHICH IS THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO FUNDRAISE AND NAME, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO SEE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ON THOSE AS PART OF THEIR PROCESS.
SO I THINK, UM, STOPPING IN OUR TRACKS NOW AND SAYING WE DO NEED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON THIS IS OUTSIDE OF THE PROCEDURE THAT WE PUT IN PLACE FOR ALL OF OUR OTHER DONORS.
I THINK IT WOULD CREATE A, A STANDARD THAT WE MAY NOT WANT TO CREATE, TO HAVE TO HAVE COMMUNITY INPUT ON ANY DONATION THAT WE RECEIVE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE NAME.
BECAUSE THAT IS NOT THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT CURRENTLY.
SO I, I THINK WE HAVE ALL A PROCEDURE AND I THINK THAT IT, IT'S A LITTLE TRICKY NOW TO SAY, WELL, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT WANT SOUTHERN GATEWAY.
WELL, IS THAT REALLY TRUE? AND IF WE WERE GONNA GIVE THE PUBLIC THE NAMING RIGHTS TO THIS, THEN WE SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN THAT INTO THE CONTRACT.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, I, I DISAGREE WITH EXTENDING OR PUTTING ANY KIND OF EXTENSION BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, DIRECTOR JENKINS, OUR VOTE IS DO WE APPROVE THIS NAME OR DO WE NOT? DO WE ACCEPT THE DONATION THAT COMES WITH IT? WE FOLLOWED OUR PROCEDURES, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE THE NAME.
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T DICTATE HOW, HOW THEY NEGOTIATED THEIR CONTRACT THAT WASN'T THEIR RIGHT TO DO SO CONTRACTUALLY.
SO I THINK WE'RE BUTTONED UP IF COULD THERE HAVE BEEN MAYBE A LITTLE BETTER COMMUNICATION ABOUT SHARING THAT INFORMATION WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE PARK BOARD PERHAPS, AND LESSON LEARNED ON THAT GOING FORWARD WITH SOMETHING THAT BIG.
BUT I REALLY THINK, UH, WE CREATING A TERRIBLE PRECEDENT IF WE START, UH, CIRCLING BACK, CHANGING THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT AND ASKING COMMITTEE INPUT DONATIONS TO OUR PARTNERS HAVE RAISED.
UH, FIRST, UH, APRIL AND THE FOUNDATION TEAM, CONGRATULATIONS.
THIS IS AMAZING WORK FOR Y'ALL IN SECURING THIS GIFT AND ABSOLUTELY, UH, SHOULD BE CELEBRATED AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE DONE TO SECURE THIS AND, UH, REALLY, YOU KNOW, MAKE THIS A SIGNATURE PARK FOR THE CITY.
REALLY PLEASED WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED HERE SO FAR.
I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT OFF TOPIC ON THE MOTION, BUT I WANNA ASK STAFF SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THESE ARE CHRISTINE OR FOR RYAN, BUT, UM, CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY LIKE WHAT EX, I KNOW WE'VE TOUCHED ON SOME OF THIS, BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS OUR ROLE HERE RELATIVE TO THE IDENT, THE ITEM FIRST CONSIDERATION? SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE CONTRACT STATES THAT THE PARTNER HAS COURTS ROLE IS TO APPROVE OR NOT APPROVE BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE PARTNER.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF GO DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE ON THAT SHOULD BE EASY FOR ATTORNEYS, BUT THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE OBLIGATION.
SO IT, I MEAN, JUST WALKING THROUGH THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FOUNDATION AND THE CITY, WE HAVE CONTRACTED THEM TO DO THIS FOR.
UH, CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME EXAMPLES OF WHERE WE'VE DONE A SIMILAR THING IN THE PAST? WELL, WE HAVE MANY EXAMPLES AND, YOU KNOW, NAMING RIGHTS ARE A COMMON TOOL THAT'S USED, UM, BY THE CITY GIVEN TO PARTNERS FOR, TO HAVE A, A FINANCIAL TOOL TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR OBJECTIVES.
SEVERAL ITEMS HAVE COME BEFORE THIS BOARD RELATIVELY RECENTLY.
I CAN THINK OF SEVERAL, SOME IN FACT THAT THE SOUTHERN GATEWAY, SO, UM, SPECIFICALLY I CAN THINK OF CORONA PLAZA, I CAN THINK OF THE PRO FOUNDATION DONATION AND THE COMMUNITY PARK.
I CAN THINK OF REESE JONES FOUNDATION, I CAN THINK OF METHODIST HOSPITAL.
THERE'S, THERE'S A RELATIVELY LENGTHY LIST THAT PARTNERS COMMONLY NEGOTIATE WITH PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES OR NON-PROFITS, AND THEY COME BEFORE THE PARK BOARDS THROUGH APPROVAL.
UH, AND LAST QUESTION FROM ME, FROM STAFF PERSPECTIVE ON A DEFERRAL, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THINGS PROCEDURALLY? WELL, OF COURSE IT'S THE PREROGATIVE OF THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THAT OPTION.
UM, BUT TO ME IT'S, UM, WE HAVE FOLLOWED THE CONTRACT PARTNER HAS BROUGHT BOARD A NAME THAT THEY HAVE SPENT TIME.
SO THAT'S MY, SO THAT, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS.
MR. KINI, THIS IS, THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT.
[01:00:01]
I HAVE NO QUESTIONS.I JUST HAVE SOME POINTS I WANNA PUT ON THE RECORD AFTER, UH, SERIOUSLY STRUGGLING WITH ALL THIS FOR THE PAST SEVEN DAYS AND START BY SAYING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, UH, THE CONTRACTUAL STUFF AND THE NON-CONTRACTUAL STUFF IS BROKEN WHEN THE OUTCOME HAS THIS MANY GAPS IN IT, UH, THE GAPS THAT ARE ADDRESSED BY MR. BLAIR AND MS. HAMMOND, WHICH I SUPPORT.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT DESPITE WHAT THE PROCEDURES SAY FOR RIGHT OR FOR WRONG, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, A REAL BIG BIAS FOR ACTION WAS MISSED WHEN THE COMMUNITY IS GIVEN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME AND PROCESSES.
AND I WANNA BACK THAT UP BY SAYING, UM, I DON'T SEE HOW A PROCESS OF THIS SCALE AND THIS MAGNITUDE CAN TAKE A YEAR OR TWO TO DEVELOP AND FINALIZE.
AND IT'S WORTH REPEATING THAT THIS BODY AND THEN THAT THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU REPRESENT BE GIVEN A WEEK TO PROCESS IT ALL AND DELIVER THE BEST OUTCOME.
I'LL BE VERY BLUNT AS IT SITS RIGHT NOW.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS THE BEST OUTCOME.
I I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT AT ALL.
UM, BUT I WANNA CLOSE BY SAYING, I, I FEEL, I FEEL BADLY FOR ANY SOUTHERN DALLAS RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS CHANGE.
BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S WORTH ADDRESSING THAT THIS DEPARTMENT AND THIS BOARD, UM, HAS A JOB TO DO.
UH, THE JOB IS PROTECTING, UH, INNOVATING OUR PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES AND, UH, THAT ALSO CANNOT BE IGNORED.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. PRESIDENT.
AND WE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE MAX, MAX BUSY.
UH, MY QUESTION IS WHAT WITH DEFERRING I STAY ON, WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES IN WHAT WE'VE, THAT WHAT RYAN SAID THAT IS THE PREROGATIVE OF THE BOARD? YEAH.
ALL THE INFORMATION BEFORE YOU.
UM, SO JUST A COUPLE OF CLARIFYING POINTS FOR MY COLLEAGUES ON BOARD.
THIS HAS TO BE, I WOULD LOVE TO, I WANNA JUMP ENDING JUST BECAUSE WE GOT 23 MILLION BUCKS.
THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE BEFORE US TODAY.
AND I WANT THAT TO BE GREENLY CLEAR.
WE CONGRATULATE SUPPORT APRIL IN HER AMAZING EFFORTS TO RAISE $23 MILLION FOR THE PARK.
THAT IS NOT MY ISSUE, AT LEAST I CAN'T SPEAK FOR MR. HARRISON, BUT I WANNA SAY SOMETHING THAT, SO IT'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
ONE, ONE BUCKET IS THE, THE CONTRACTUAL AND WHAT HAPPENED IN US BEING AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHAT I'VE HEARD, EVEN AROUND IN THIS 20 MINUTES, WE'VE DISCUSSED IT.
JOHN SAYS, THERE'S NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY TO DO IT.
THEN SOMEONE ELSE COMES BACK AND SAYS, OH, THERE, THERE'S A POLICY.
AND THEN YOU EVEN SAID THERE'S RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.
AND SO AS A NEW PART WORKER, LIKE, DOES ANYONE REALLY KNOW IF THERE'S A POLICY, IS THERE SOME ENGAGEMENT? YES, THERE'S A CONTRACT AND WE KNOW WHAT'S IN THE CONTRACT AND ALL OF US THAT CAN READ CAN READ A CONTRACT.
BUT HOW THIS HAPPENS HAS HAPPENED SO MANY AND NO SHAME.
BUT I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S HARD FOR RYAN TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE ASKING BECAUSE EVERY PART, EVERY NAME, AND HAS LOOKED DIFFERENT IN THE CITY IN MY 15 YEARS, LET'S JUST KEEP IT REAL.
SO THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG ON WHAT, RIGHT MR. JU, THAT'S THE, YOU THINK THERE IS NO POLICY, THERE IS NO RULES OF ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE IT'S DEPENDING ON THE COMMUNITY AND WHO WAS DOING IT AND HOW THEY WERE DOING IT, THAT'S HOW THE DIFFERENT BODIES ACTED, WHETHER IT'S COUNCIL, WHETHER IT'S PARK BOARD.
SO WE GET TO DO THIS THE WAY THAT WORKS BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY YOU REPRESENT.
AND IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, MR. BLAIR REPRESENTS THAT COMMUNITY.
AND SO IF HE HAS A QUESTION, I'M GONNA SUPPORT HIS QUESTION BECAUSE I WANT HIM TO BE SUPPORTED IN HIS COMMUNITY.
BUT AS A BODY, IF WE DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT'S RIGHT, THEN I AGREE, I WANNA JUMP, I WANNA DANCE, I WANNA BE LIKE, YAY.
BUT IT WASN'T DONE THE RIGHT WAY.
SO NOW WE'RE STUCK HERE HAVING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS WE SHOULD HAVE ANSWERED BEFORE.
SO IF WE'RE VOTING, I, I WAS CONFUSED.
I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR A RECORD VOTE AND THAT WE DO IT THAT WAY BECAUSE I MADE A LITTLE MISTAKE.
I THINK A RECORD, BUT BE MORE CLEAR THAN REQUEST OF, OKAY, SO RECORD VOTE HAS BEEN REQUESTED.
AGAIN, TO CLARIFY, THIS IS, UH, MR.
[01:05:01]
BLAIR'S MOTION SECONDED BY MS. HAM TO DEFER, UH, THE NAMING BY ONE V.AYE, MR. BLAIR AND MR. SLAUGHTER
WELL WITH THIS FAILING MOTION, MR. BLAIR, I HAVE TO COMMEND YOU FOR STANDING UP FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
MOTION HAS FAILED, BUT I THINK YOU'VE DONE THE RIGHT THING.
I THINK YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UH, AMAZING, UH, UH, DONATION CONTRIBUTION WE GETTING FOR THE PARK.
AND YOU STOOD UP FOR YOUR COMMUNITY NOT COMING FOR WANT TO HAPPEN, THE RIGHT THING.
YOU KNOW, WHERE THE ARGUMENTS OF THIS WILL FAIL, WHEN THE DISCUSSIONS OF THIS WILL FAIL.
STILL, THIS PARK WILL BE STANDING THERE AS A TESTIMONY FOR A LONG TIME COMMUNITY.
BUT THANK, THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP WHAT YOU THOUGHT WAS RIGHT.
SO NOW WE ARE COMING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION OF, UH, APPROVE THE SEVEN GATEWAY FOR, UH, THE, OUR TITLE NUMBER THREE.
AND WE DID HAVE A MOTION BY MS. ASMAN, SECONDED BY THIS CONFERENCE.
ANY DISCUSSIONS ON THAT FOR NOW? MR. FULL? UH, YES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, MR. CHAIR AND, UH, TO OUR FOR APRIL.
UH, AND SO GATEWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND GETTING THIS DONATION.
IT'S HARD TO GET A DONATION THIS, OF THIS MAGNITUDE.
YES, WE ARE CELEBRATING, BUT YOU WANNA TELL MR. BLAIR THAT I DON'T THINK IN A WEEK WE'VE SOLVE ANYTHING THAT WE PASS OFF, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING THAT AND I APPRECIATE IT.
BUT WOW, WHAT, WHAT A GREAT DONATION.
AND IT'S, AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE MY BIGGEST FIGHT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, MAYBE EVEN THREE YEARS.
EVERY TIME I HEARD ABOUT BIG DONATIONS COMING TO THIS PARK SYSTEM, IT WAS NEVER FOR THE SOUTHERN GATEWAY PARK.
I THINK I SAID IT PUBLICLY ONE TIME, THAT NOBODY WANTED TO GIVE US ANY MONEY DOWN SOUTH, YOU KNOW, AND IT WAS A BIG ISSUE FOR ME.
AND I WOULD JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE FAMILY AND TO SOUTHERN GATEWAY BOARD, AND, AND, AND ALL PEOPLE DID ALL THE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES TO GET THIS.
'CAUSE IT'S HARD TO GET THIS KIND OF MONEY IN SOUTHERN DALLAS AND OAK CLIFF, WHATEVER.
I CALL IT OAK CLIFF, MYSELF, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'M FROM OAK CLIFF.
I DON'T COLLEGE SOUTHERN DALLAS.
I LIVED IN SOUTHERN DALLAS FOR A LONG TIME, FOR 21 YEARS HERE, BEAR PARK.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S HARD TO GET THESE KIND OF DOLLARS INTO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANNA BE GRATEFUL AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT WAS DONE BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND YES, THE PROCEDURES WERE KIND OF, IT FELT LIKE IT WAS RUSHING.
IT WAS, IT WAS IN OUR POCKET WITHIN SEVEN DAYS.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT'S GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUT I AM GRATEFUL TO HAVE THIS DONATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND CAN'T WAIT TO HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO SEE THIS PARK OPEN UP WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO AND, AND, AND BE OUT THERE WITH MY FAMILY.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK MR. BLAIR AGAIN.
UH, THAT SAID, I JUST WANT SALUTE YOU ONE MORE TIME.
YOU NEVER LOSE BY PUTTING PEOPLE.
UH, I JUST WANNA SAY IT END TO SOUTHERN ANYWAY.
THANK Y'ALL FOR WORK Y'ALL PUT IN.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE.
I DON'T KNOW WHO DROPPED THE BALL ON THE CONTRACT AND LETTING US KNOW, BUT IF IT DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT AND IT FELT FISHY, I STILL HAVEN'T READ THE CONTRACT.
I CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE VOTE IT.
I WILL BE DANCING AND I WILL BE CELEBRATING THE PART.
I WILL BE THERE WHEN IT OPENS 'CAUSE IT'S STILL IN MY COMMUNITY.
AND APRIL, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
SORRY THAT YOU HAD TO BE TANGLED AND ON BACK AND FORTH, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE BY COMMUNITY.
WELL, AS I, AS I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR SEVEN YEARS, AND WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS PROJECT FOR MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS.
I AM PROUD TO GET TO SAY THAT I'VE WORKED, I WORK, HAVE WORKED FOR TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE GIVEN SEVEN FIGURE GIFTS TO THIS PARK.
AND METHODIST HOSPITAL TOOK FIVE YEARS TO NEGOTIATE PEOPLE.
FIVE YEARS, THE LARGEST GIFT METHOD THEY'VE EVER MADE.
AND IN OUR BACKYARD, BECAUSE THIS PARK IS IN TWO COUNCIL DISTRICTS, DISTRICT ONE COUNCIL MEMBER WEST HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL CHAMPION OF THIS PARK AS YOU HAVE AS WELL.
AND, AND SO, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THAT IS KNOWN THAT THE FOLKS ON THE, ON THE WEST SIDE OF I 35 ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS JUST AS THOSE ARE ON THE EAST.
I DIDN'T PLAN TO USE THIS TODAY.
I ACTUALLY JUST BROUGHT IT TO SHOW MY COLLEAGUES.
I HAVE AN ORIGINAL COPY OF GEORGE KESSLER'S PLAN FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS
[01:10:01]
FOR THE PARKS.IT SHOWS WHERE THE PARKS WERE ORIGINALLY DESIGNED 110 YEARS AGO.
MY FATHER FOUND THIS IN AN ANTI STORE IN EAST TEXAS, AND HE BROUGHT IT FOR ME.
AND I TOLD JOHN RIGHT AFTER I GOT IT, AND THERE ARE VERY FEW GREEN SPACES SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS, IT WAS APPROPRIATE WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT IT TO GREEN.
AND I THOUGHT IT TOOK GEORGE KESSLER'S VISION.
IT TOOK CITY LEADERS DECADES AGO TO HAVE VISION.
AND IT TOOK THE BOARD OF SOUTHERN GATEWAY PARK GREEN FOUNDATION TO HAVE VISION.
AND MANY PEOPLE I WAS THERE IN THE EARLY DAYS, DID NOT BELIEVE IN THIS PROJECT.
AND THERE ARE GONNA BE PEOPLE THAT WILL STILL NOT BELIEVE IN THIS PROJECT.
YOU JUST GOTTA SILENCE THOSE DETRACTORS BECAUSE THIS, LIKE GEORGE KESSLER HAD GREAT VISION FOR DALLAS.
YOU ALL HAVE GREAT VISION FOR DALLAS.
JIM AND GAIL HALPERIN HAVE GREAT VISION FOR DALLAS, NOT JUST IN THE NORTH, BUT IN THE SOUTH TOO.
BUT THIS IS NOT A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
THIS IS A DESTINATION AND A REGIONAL PARK.
THIS WILL BE A GEM OF OUR PARK SYSTEM FOREVER.
JUST AS WE'VE BEEN SO PROUD OF CLYBOURN PARK, WE WILL BE JUST AS PROUD OF HALPERIN PARK.
AND I COMMEND THE HALPERIN'S DEARLY FOR THEIR GIFT AND THEIR, THEIR UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS ABOUT A RESTORATION OF A COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT HONORING THE HISTORY, WHICH ISN'T ALWAYS PRETTY OF THE WORLD.
NOT ALL DONORS ARE THAT THOUGHTFUL IN THEIR GIFTS.
I WORK IN PHILANTHROPY AND IT'S NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY.
SO I COMMEND EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED TODAY TOO.
BUT THIS IS REALLY ABOUT SOMETHING BIGGER THAN IN NAMING.
THIS IS ABOUT GIVING LIFE AND DESTINY TO THIS PARK THAT SO MANY DOUBTED FOR SO LONG.
SO APRIL, MIKE, YOUR BOARDS MAYOR RAWLINGS, MAYOR KIRK, WHO SAW THIS VISION SO MANY YEARS AGO, YOU ARE FOLLOWING GEORGE KESSLER'S WISHES FOR OUR CITY.
I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT DOING TODAY BECAUSE ONCE I GOT ON GOOD STEWARDS, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I'M SO EXCITED THAT WE HAD LIKE, BUT YOU CALLING YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR NEIGHBORS ASKING FOR A HUNDRED DOLLARS, YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANY.
AND I SPOKE MY PIECE EARLIER ABOUT HOW SUPPORT IT IS, AND I THINK IT SHOULD GO.
BUT ALSO SAID, I, UH, THE COUNCIL, THAT'S WHY THOUGHT YOU LIKE ME, DON'T MEAN YOU WITH ME, BUT IF YOU, I, THAT'S WHAT I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT, WHO I'M SERVING FOR.
WE APRIL AND SHE GOT MOTION THERE AND, AND I SAID, WHAT? SO I WISH Y'ALL GIVING MY
UM, THANK YOU AGAIN, MR. PRESIDENT.
I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING SO CHATTING ON THIS.
I JUST WANNA CLOSE WITH A REAL BIG CALL TO ACTION FOR STAFF TO REVIEW THIS PROCESS, THIS CONTRACTUAL NON-CONTRACTUAL STUFF THAT'S GOING ON THAT'S, UH, SOMETIMES IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A FOREIGN LANGUAGE TO A LOT OF US.
I WOULD LIKE THAT TO BE REVISITED.
I'D LIKE TO ADD A LARGER COMMUNITY PIECE INTO IT.
SO WRITTEN INTO THE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS.
SO IT'S NO LONGER GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND.
AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT VISITED AND HAVE IT THROUGH.
UM, SO FOR MY LAST ROUND HERE, I, I WANNA SPEND THIS TIME TO DO THE DANCES AND THE CELEBRATION OF THE GIFT AS A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF DALLAS IN CURRENT RESIDENT AS WELL AS OF SO MOVEMENT, I AM SUPER EXCITED FOR APRIL AND HER FOUNDATION AND WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN SOUTHERN DALLAS.
THAT IS A HUGE MOVE AND I HATE THAT.
UM, WE COULDN'T SEPARATE IT PROPERLY AT THIS TIME BECAUSE OF THE OVERSHADOWING OF THE PROCESS.
AND THAT REALLY DISAPPOINTS ME.
UH, BUT KNOW THAT WE SUPPORT YOU.
WHAT YOU DID WAS NOT A SMALL FEAT AS THE ONE WHO HAS HAD TO RAISE MONEY FOR SOUTHERN DALLAS.
[01:15:01]
FOR WORK THAT THEY DID AND THAT THIS KIDS WILL BE GREAT AND THE PARK WILL BE GREAT AND EVERYTHING WILL BE WONDERFUL.BUT, UM, HOW WE DO IT IS SOMETIMES
SO, UH, WE CAN BE MORE SUPPORTIVE AS A PARK BOARD AND A PART DEPARTMENT IN HOW, UH, YOU ALL MOVE FORWARD SOME WAY THAT YOU CAN CELEBRATE ALL THE TIME AND NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE HARD STUFF AT FIRST.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE THAT WE ARE SUPER EXCITED AND SUPER SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, THIS GIFT.
I WANNA CONGRATULATE THE FOUNDATION ON MS. MACY DONATION AND GETTING THE DONATION.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO SECOND, UH, WHAT SEVERAL OF MY FELLOW PARK BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SAID ABOUT THE PROCESS.
I MENTIONED THIS IN COMMITTEE, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE PROCESS AS IT RELATES TO COMMUNICATION.
THAT EVEN IN THINGS THAT WE DON'T DIRECTLY HAVE APPROVAL OVER WHEN WITH OUR PARTNERS, MAYBE WE CAN LET OUR PARTNERS KNOW THAT THERE ARE THINGS, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS OR OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT COME IN.
BUT I'D JUST LIKE FOR THERE TO BE AN AFTER ACTION REVIEW OF SOME KIND WITH THE STAFF AND JUST MAYBE THE BOARD AS WELL TO, UH, IMPROVE THE PROCESS OF, 'CAUSE I MENTIONED THAT COMMITTEE, THE THINGS IN THE PAST, IN MY EXPERIENCE IN SEVEN YEARS, UH, THE PROBLEMS WE'VE RUN INTO HAVE ALMOST ALWAYS BEEN, UH, WHERE THE PROCESS IS NOT FAULT.
AND SO JUST THAT WOULD BE THE LESSON HERE.
BUT IT, IT IS, WHAT I LIKE IS THAT WE HAVE ISSUES, WE WORK THROUGH THEM, AND IN THE END WE'VE COME TO A REALLY, A SOLUTION THAT'S NOT EVERYBODY LOVES, BUT IT'S GONNA BENEFIT THIS CITY.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE FOUNDATION FOR THE SUCCESS WE HAD IN GETTING THIS MONEY THAT, UH, APRIL, MIKE, THANK YOU.
I, I'M SO PROUD OF YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU ARE DOING, BUT I'M MORE PROUD OF THIS MONEY.
YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER WORKED WITH THE COLLEAGUES WHO ARE BETTER THAN THIS.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A DELIBERATION, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, COMING TO AN AGREEMENT.
AND I WOULD REPEAT, I THINK YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DISCUSSED TODAY, LITTLE BIT OF DISAGREEMENT WILL GO AWAY, BUT THIS PARK IS GOING TO STAND AS A TESTAMENT, TESTAMENT OF THE HISTORY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME FOR THE SUMMER DALLAS COMMUNITY, WHICH ARE, YOU SAID PEOPLE WERE SKEPTICAL.
YOU SAID PEOPLE WERE NOT SUPPORTIVE.
BUT I HAVE SEEN THIS BODY HAS, UH, STOOD BEHIND YOU IN YOUR EFFORTS BECAUSE WE ALL BELIEVE IN WHAT'S GOING HAPPENING THERE.
YES, LEARNINGS ARE THERE, WHICH MY COLLEAGUE SAID, WHICH IS I THINK WE DEFINITELY WILL HAPPEN.
BUT, UH, CONGRATULATIONS AND CAME FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, SEEMS LIKE AND FOR BETTER DAY TO HAVE IT ON 10.
SO MAYBE MIKE, YOU CAN MATCH THIS.
MIKE, YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE LEADERS WHO STAY IN THE BACKGROUND, NEVER COME IN THE FRONT, ALWAYS SUPPORTING WHAT IT DOES, NEVER HAVE THE LIMELIGHT.
THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THAT COMMUNITY, FOR THIS SPARK AND THIS FOUNDATION.
HOW CAN WE IGNORE YOU? SORRY, I'M THE ONLY ONE IT SEEMS THAT IS NOT THERE IN PERSON TODAY TO CELEBRATE.
I THINK THIS GIFT IS NO MORE BETTER SPENT THAN IN THE PARK SYSTEM OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO THANK YOU TO THE GENEROUS DONOR AND TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN GETTING THIS, UM, ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
UM, WELL HOPEFULLY IT'S OFF THE FINISH LINE IN JUST A SECOND HERE.
UM, BUT THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH AND HOW APPROPRIATE FOR THE GIVING NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY, UM, ONE OF THE LARGEST GIFTS.
I MEAN, I'M ASSUMING IT'LL BE THE LARGEST GIFT OF NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY.
UM, IF WE CAN QUALIFY IT TODAY, UM, LET'S DO IT.
UM, AND, AND I DO WANNA COMMEND MY, UM, FRIEND AND, UM, PARTNER IN CRIME, UM, HARRISON FOR STANDING UP FOR HIS VALUES, UM, AS HE ALWAYS DOES, UM, AND FIGHTING FOR HIS COMMUNITY.
UM, IT'S NOT ALWAYS, UM, THOSE OF US THAT ARE OUT THERE WITH THE LOUD MOUTHS THAT GET HEARD.
SO HE BRINGS SOME FOLKS THAT DON'T ALWAYS GET HEARD TO THE TABLE.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, ALWAYS ADVOCATING FOR, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T GET HURT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, THANK YOU AND IT'S A GREAT DAY TO
[01:20:01]
CELEBRATE, UM, THIS HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT AND I CAN'T WAIT TO, UH, SEE THIS PARK, UM, COME TO FRUITION.I THINK I HAVE ONE MORE PERSON TO GIVE SHOUT OUT IS COUNCIL
SHE DID HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT HER COMMUNITY, BUT SHE'S, YOU KNOW, SHE HAD MULTIPLE DISCUSSIONS WITH ME AND SHE ALWAYS SAID HOW HAPPY SHE WAS, OF COURSE, FOR THE PROCESS.
AND SHE WANTS HER COMMUNITY AND SHE'S ALWAYS STOOD FOR HER COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE HER A SHORT SHOUT OUT.
ALSO THAT GREAT PARTNER AND LEADERSHIP FOR THE CITY.
LET'S PUT IT TO THE VOTE ALL, LET'S PUT A RECORD VOTE.
SO MR. PI, SO, UH, AND, UH, WITH THAT WE PASSED THIS WITH 14 ONE VOTE AND CONGRATULATIONS.
AFTER WE MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT DISCUSS, I
FOR MS. JOHNSON, WHERE MS. JOHNSON MAKE HER WAY AND HAVE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
JUST MANY OF YOU, ALL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME TO EXPRESS EITHER CONCERNS OR YOU WANTED TO KNOW, UH, WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE BOARD, WHAT CAN YOU DO OR NOT DO AS RELATES TO POLITICAL ACTIVITIES? OR SOMEONE MAY BE BREAKING THROUGH ON THE PART, UH, WHAT IS YOUR ROUTE? AND SO TODAY I WANT IT TO BE MORE OF A DISCUSSION SO STAFF CAN HEAR FROM THE POOL THAT SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS ARE.
UH, I WILL WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD DO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE CONCERNS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP ABOUT PROTESTS.
IN PART, I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND DVD MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROTECTING EVERYONE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS FREE SPEECH.
THAT IS NUMBER ONE FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE ONLY THE PARK DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS IF ANY PART RULES ARE NOT BEING ADHERED TO.
OKAY? AND IT IS UP TO DPD AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ADDRESS ANY OTHER LAWS THAT MAY BE BROKEN OR NOT ADHERED TO.
SO TODAY IS REALLY MORE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE EXPERTS AT THE TABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
SO MOVE MS. WE ARE JUST HAVING MANY NAMES THAT YOU HAVE THAT'S EXPLAIN.
SO WITH THAT, I, FOR MS. HUSBAND
BUT THEN THERE'S SPECIFIC RULES WE APPLY BECAUSE TRAIL USE IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN PARK USE BECAUSE TRAIL USE IS IS MORE ABOUT, IT CAN BE PART OF MOBILITY.
IT'S PART OF AN INGRESS EGRESS.
THAT'S MY QUESTION BECAUSE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THE THING THAT I HEARD THAT WAS MOST DISCONCERTING, ONE OF THE MANY THINGS BY THAT IS MOST DISCONCERTING IS THAT PHYSICALLY BLOCKING A TRAIL, LIKE IT'S KIND OF HARD TO PHYSICALLY BLOCK A PARK PER SE, BUT IT'S VERY EASY TO PHYSICALLY BLOCK A TRAIL.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M, YOU KNOW, DO OUR ABILITY TO POLICE
[01:25:01]
IT PER SE.IS IT GONNA BE THE SAME IF IT'S ON A TRAIL AS IF, IF IT WERE A PARK? OR DOES IT GIVE US MORE LEEWAY TO ASK FOR SUPPORT FROM DPD? 'CAUSE IT IS EASY TO BLOCK A TRAIL.
SO IF, IF SOMEBODY'S, UH, MY NAME'S CHRIS HOKI, MAJOR OF DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, ASSIGNED TO NORTH CENTRAL, UH, PATROL DIVISION.
I'M HERE FILLING IN FOR, UM, CHIEF RICK WATSON, AND I'LL ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
SO IF SOMEBODY BLOCKING A PER, BASICALLY IT WOULD BE OBSTRUCTION OF A PASSAGEWAY, RIGHT? THAT INDIVIDUAL COULD BE ARRESTED FOR THAT.
SO OBVIOUSLY ABOVE WHAT OUR PARK RANGER COULD BE.
THAT WAS MY, THAT WAS MY QUESTION REALLY, WAS HOW MUCH WE COULD ENGAGE WITH DPD TO HELP US WITH THAT KIND OF IN THAT AREA.
WITH THAT, WE GO TO MR. PITNER.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, THANK SO MUCH.
I, WELL AS
SO I DO HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND A LOT OF THINGS TO, TO GO OVER HERE.
BUT, UM, THIS ALL GENERATED FOR ME WITH THE THINGS WE'RE SEEING ON THE BRIDGE ITSELF, THE LEGAL ACTIVITY, YOU KNOW, WHEN THESE PROTESTS STARTED, UH, THERE WAS, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, I DIDN'T SEE THE ILLEGAL ACTIVITY, BUT IT, IN RECENT WEEKS IT SEEMED THAT IT ESCALATED.
AND SO YOU'RE SAYING THINGS LIKE PROTESTORS ARE HANGING ON THE BRIDGE, THEY'RE HANGING THINGS ON THE BRIDGE THAT'S IN VIOLATION OF, YOU KNOW, SECTION SEVEN A DASH 16 OF THE CITY CODE, THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, BLOCKING THE TRAIL.
SO THIS IS WHAT I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT ON OUR TRAILS AND ON PARTICULARLY ON THE NORTH
UM, I ALSO, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA FOCUS ON THAT A LITTLE BIT, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO HAVE THIS BRIEFING TO TALK ABOUT, WHAT ABOUT LIKE BANDED SIGNS? SOMEBODY GOES AND PLACES A SIGN IN A PARK OR ON A TRAIL.
IF I REPORT THAT ON 3 1 1, IT TAKES A WEEK TO REMOVE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO WHAT AUTHORITY DO WE HAVE AS PARK BOARD MEMBERS TO REMOVE SIGNS? WHAT, UM, AUTHORITY DO WE HAVE TO CONTACT STAFF AND ASK THEM TO REMOVE SIGNS LIKE THAT? AND THEN RELATIVE TO HOMELESS ENC ENCAMPMENTS AS WELL, LIKE WHOSE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO REMOVE A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT IF ONE IS SEEN ON A PARK OR TRAIL.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS THAT REALLY, UH, PUSH ME TO WANNA HAVE THIS ON THE AGENDA.
AND I APPRECIATE STAFFING HERE TODAY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
AND SO LET ME, LET ME JUST START WITH THE BRIDGE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE TOP OF EVERYBODY'S MIND.
UM, IN TERMS OF, UH, WHAT CAN WE DO, WHAT CAN OUR BOARD DO RELATIVE TO LIKE AN ORDINANCE OR SETTING RULES AND REGULATIONS TO PROHIBIT BLOCKING TRAILS, BLOCKING BRIDGES, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
LIKE WHAT ARE WE ALLOWED TO DO? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE CITY CODE PROHIBITS CERTAIN THINGS LIKE HANGING THINGS ON THE BRIDGE, LIKE THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT ALLOWED.
YOU CAN'T HANG THINGS ON GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.
BUT WHAT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE THAT WAS RAISED ON BLOCKING TRAFFIC? LIKE WHAT ARE WE ALLOWED TO, AND I'M SORRY THAT TOOK US SO LONG TO DO MY QUESTION AND THAT, AND DEAR, LIKE I SAID, IT'S ONE THING, JUST ASK A QUESTION ABOUT DO THE BOARD HAVE AUTHORITY TO SET PART RULES? THE ANSWER? YES.
AT THE SAME TOKEN, WE GOTTA MAKE SURE WHETHER RULES THE BOARD APPROVES DOES NOT VIOLATE ANYONE'S RIGHTS.
SO WE WILL CONSULT WITH WHATEVER RULES THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE US TO PURSUE.
WE WILL CONSULT WITH LEGAL, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER RULES DO NOT VIOLATE ANYONE'S RIGHTS.
OFFICER, I'LL JUST ANSWER, TRY TO GIVE YOU SOME GENERAL INFORMATION.
HOPEFULLY I'LL ANSWER A QUESTION.
BUT, UM, I CAN TELL YOU THIS IS THAT, UM, DPD HAS TWO CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS OUT THERE THAT ARE UNDERCOVER AND CLOSED.
AND, UH, WE ALSO HAVE TWO, ONE MAN POLICE OFFICER FROM NORTH CENTRAL, UM, CITY OF MARCH FOR THE WORLD HAVE STAFF OUT THERE AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE EYES AND EARS ON THE PROTESTORS.
SO WE DO MONITOR THESE EVENTS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THESE PROTESTS ARE PEACEFUL AND THAT THERE'S NO, UM, ILLEGAL ACTIVITY OCCURRING, RIGHT? SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT, THAT ONCE THEY GET DONE PROTESTING, CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE WILL WALK THE BRIDGE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF ISSUE THAT, UH, SO WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, WE'VE HAD SOME, UM, WE'VE RECEIVED SOME CALLS SAYING THAT THE PROTESTORS WERE THROWING ROCKS FROM THE BRIDGE.
WE'VE HAD CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS THERE SAYING, HEY, THEM MONITOR THE, THE, THE RADIOS RIGHT? AND THEY SAY, WE'RE NOT SEEING THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.
SO THEY'LL DISREGARD THAT CALL.
[01:30:01]
I THINK THERE WAS AN INSTANCE WHERE SOMEBODY WAS TRYING TO CLIMB UP ON THE CHAIN LINK FENCE, BUT WHEN OFFICERS GOT THERE OR ONCE THEY NOTICED NOTICED THE OFFICER WAS THERE, THEY CAME DOWN.SO WE'RE NOT SEEING WHERE THAT'S SOMETHING ACTIVE OR REAL COMMON.
UH, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR TO, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT, UM, REGARDLESS SIGNS, RIGHT? SO THE SIGNS, UM, WE'LL GET WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT ORDINANCE, UM, THAT WE COULD BE THE ISSUE CITATION MORE, BUT WE'LL LOOK AT THAT.
OKAY? UH, SO SOMETIMES THERE'S LAWS ON THE BOOKS THAT WE DON'T REALLY ENFORCE BECAUSE A LOT OF IT JUST TAKES SO MUCH, UM, EFFORT AND, AND, AND MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT REALLY ENFORCE, UH, LOOK AT THAT.
BUT OBVIOUSLY, UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE PEDESTRIANS OUT THERE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO WALK OVER THAT BRIDGE OR TO CYCLE OVER THEM.
SO WE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE LAST PROTEST ON SEPTEMBER THE SIXTH, WE HAD 30 TO 35 TO 40, UM, ACTIVISTS THAT WERE OUT THERE.
UM, THEY WERE HANGING SIGNS ON THE BRIDGE, THEY WERE HANGING BANNERS, THEY WERE WAVING FLAGS, AND THEN THEY'RE CHANTING, UM, DIFFERENT CHANTS, RIGHT? AND ONE ACTIVIST DID HAVE A BULL WARRANT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE GOT FROM THE, ONE OF THE MOST RECENT, UH, PROTEST.
WE DO HAVE ONE SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW.
WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA MONITOR FOR THAT.
OKAY, SO THE SPECIFIC STATUTE BLOCKING, BLOCKING, BLOCKING THE, YOU SAID BLOCKING THE, YEAH, BLOCKING THE TRAIL IS A CONCERN.
AND SO IT'S ALSO IMPACTING A PEDESTRIAN OR CYCLIST'S ABILITY TO ENJOY THE TRAIL.
BUT ALSO YOU CAN GET ACROSS, LIKE SOME PEOPLE, THEY'RE NOT, THEY DON'T WANT TO USE IT ANYMORE.
IT'S THE SAME THING THAT I'VE HEARD ON LIKE COTTONWOOD CREEK TRAIL.
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO USE THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS ON THE TRAIL.
SO THIS IS JUST A DIFFERENT DETERRENT THAT WE ARE SEEING ON THIS PARTICULAR BRIDGE.
SO, SO IF THEY WERE TO BLOCK THE, THE BRIDGE, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PROTESTING, THERE'S
SENIORS TEND TO MEET WITH OUR CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS AND THEY WANNA, UM, FOLLOW ANY KIND OF RULES OR REGULATIONS.
THEY WANNA BE LAW ABIDING, RIGHT? SO THEY'LL MEET WITH 'EM AND SAY, HEY, WHAT CAN WE DO? WHY CAN'T WE, SO THEY'LL GIVE 'EM INFORMATION.
THE YOUNGER GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PROTESTING, THEY DON'T MEET WITH THE CRIMINAL.
SO WE HAVE TO MONITOR, UM, THEY'RE EITHER SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES OR, OR JUST DIFFERENT INTEL.
THEY HAVE TO GET INTELLIGENCE TO DETERMINE WHERE THESE EVENTS ARE CURRENT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE OFFICERS OUT THERE TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE PEACEFUL.
THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE WITH A YOUNGER INDIVIDUAL THAT ARE PROTESTING.
SO THEY HAVE MET WITH 'EM ONCE AND ONCE THEY TOLD 'EM THAT, HEY, THESE ARE THE, THE GUIDELINES, THEY DIDN'T WANNA MEET WITH EM AFTER THAT.
SO THEY DO UNDERSTAND THE RULES THAT ARE, THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
YEAH, AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE DPD AND THE MARSHALS AND THE ACTION THAT'S BEEN TAKEN RECENTLY.
I APPRECIATE DIRECTOR JENKINS SENDING THE MARSHALLS OUT LAST WEEK, THE LAST TIME THERE WAS A PROTEST, I KNOW MY TIME IS RUNNING SHORT, BUT IT'S, IT'S SECTION SEVEN A DASH 16 OF THE CODE, WHICH EXPLICITLY PROHIBITS POSTING ANYTHING OR HANGING ANYTHING ON GOVERNMENT BUILDING OR GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING HERE.
AND SO I JUST ASK LIKE, CAN WE ENFORCE THAT? BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING IS, AND IT'S, I MEAN, JOEL SCHWEITZER SAID IT EXACTLY RIGHT, IT'S ISSUE NEUTRAL, IT SHOULDN'T MATTER.
I CAN HANG UP A BANNER THAT SAYS BO SLAUGHTER IS THE BEST.
UH, IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THAT'S STILL IN VIOLATION OF THE CODE.
YOU CAN'T HANG THINGS ON GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING CONSISTENT HERE.
IS THAT SEVEN A DASH 16 OR 17 A SEVEN A DASH? CHRISTINE KNOWS, 'CAUSE SHE AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSSOHN SENT A MEMO ABOUT, UM, THIS SUBJECT EARLIER THIS WEEK OR LAST WEEK.
AND I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT, IT SEEMS LIKE DO IS TWO UNDERCOVER, TWO PEOPLE IN CARS, THE MARSHALS.
IT'S A LOT OF OVERHEAD AND MANPOWER BEING SPENT ON THIS, AND WE'RE ABOUT TO OPEN OTHER NEW BRIDGES WHERE THIS COULD ALSO HAPPEN.
SO THIS SOUNDS LIKE IT'S AN CONTEXTUAL PROBLEM RATHER THAN A MANPOWER PROBLEM.
SO THAT IS WHAT COUNCIL MENDELSSOHN ALLUDED TO IN HER.
SHE CALLED IT OUT IN HER EMAIL IN HER MEMO.
WHAT ARCHITECTURAL STEPS ARE WE TAKING TO BLOCK VISIBILITY FROM 75
[01:35:02]
TO THE NORTH HAVEN BRIDGE OR THE OTHER BRIDGES THAT ARE COMING ONLINE FROM MAJOR INTERSECTIONS? MAJOR ROADWAYS? YEAH.UH, I WOULD SAY FOREST, OUR NEXT, OUR, OUR NEXT COUPLE BRIDGES WE CONSTRUCTING THAT'S NOT ALREADY IN DESIGN.
UH, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT A DESIGN THAT THEY CAN ADDRESS ISSUES LIKE THIS.
BUT I THINK THE BIGGER ISSUE FOR ME, BECAUSE WE'RE JUST NOT USED TO THIS, WE'RE NOT USED TO SEEING A BRIDGE, HAVING THIS, HAVING AN ACTIVITY ON IT WEEK AFTER WEEK.
AND NOW READING THE PROBLEM AS RELATES TO AS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR TRAILS, OUR TRAILS IS A, A BRIDGE IS, IS STRICTLY OUR INGRESS AND EGRESS POINT.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE AS MUCH ROOM ON THE BRIDGE PASSAGE THAT YOU WOULD WHEN YOU OWN THE TRAIL.
BECAUSE IF SOMEONE MAY BE BLOCKING THE TRAIL, YOU CAN GO TO THE RIGHT AND YOU CAN GO TO THE LEFT.
BUT ONCE YOU GET ON THE BRIDGE AND YOU'RE ON A BIKE, AND WE HAVE LOST, SOMEONE HAD LOST THEIR LIFE BEFORE ON ONE OF OUR TRAILS AND, AND TO NOW HAVE THIS CONFINED SPACE WITH SO MANY PEOPLE ON IT AND PEOPLE TRYING TO PASS DOWN ON A BIKE OR RUNNERS JOGGERS, IT'S MORE OF A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ME.
AND SO WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT THE BALANCE BETWEEN SOMEONE'S, UH, FREE SPEECH AND BEING ABLE TO PROTEST, BUT ALSO HOW DO WE EXPERTS IT RELATES TO A, A PART TRAIL, KNOW THAT IT IS CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD.
AND SO THIS IS NEW TO US AND I GOT TWO MORE BRIDGES GOING IN AND WE GOTTA FIGURE THIS OUT.
SO BACK BACK TO THE ARCHITECTURAL QUESTION.
YEAH, THERE IS OF THE, OF THE, OF THE BRIDGES THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE BLOCKING THE PEOPLE BEING PEDESTRIANS ON THE BRIDGE, BUT THERE'S ALSO A VISIBILITY STANDPOINT AND PEOPLE, THEY'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE THERE'S X NUMBER OF CARS THAT TRAVEL ON 75 EVERY DAY AT 65 MILES AN HOUR.
UM, UH, SO, UM, BUT LIKE, HOW DO WE BLOCK? IS THERE, LIKE IS THERE WAYS TO PUT UP PANELS ON THAT BRIDGE SO PEOPLE CAN'T BE SEEN? 75? YEAH, THERE'S ALWAYS THE OPTION.
WE DESIGN BRIDGES ON A RETROFIT, A BRIDGE.
YOU COULD ALWAYS DESIGN IT THAT WAY.
BUT THE SAME TOKEN, THIS BRIDGE WAS DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT YOU WANTED IT TO BE ATTRACTIVE.
YOU WANTED IT TO BE A SIGNATURE BRIDGE.
SO THERE WAS AN ICON FOR THE CITY.
AND SO THAT'S THE DILEMMA AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND THEN THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S PART OF THE ORIGINAL DESIGN, IT PROBABLY WON'T BE SUCH A BIG EXPENSE AS FAR AS, UH, A GOOD DESIGN, BUT A REDESIGN, IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXPENSE.
AND WHO PAYS FOR IT? WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE CONSEQUENCE FOR BREAKING WHATEVER ORDINANCE KITNER'S TALKING ABOUT WHAT, WHAT'S THE CONSEQUENCE FOR GETTING MULTIPLE CITATIONS? THEY DON'T PAY GO IN JAIL, BUT, BUT IT'S FINE.
THAT'S, THAT'S LOOKING AFTER THIS BRIDGE FOR THE MOST PART.
IS THERE A HOLDING CELL? YOU ARREST SOMEBODY AT NORTH CENTRAL OR HOLDING CELL AT NORTH CENTRAL? SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE A, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEBODY GETS ARRESTED FROM NORTH CENTRAL AND IT'S ABOUT THE POLITICAL ACTIVITY.
IF SOMEBODY PUTS A SIGN ON A BRIDGE AND DOESN'T ENOUGH TIMES IT GETS ARRESTED.
WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS? BASICALLY WE WOULD TRANSPORT THAT INDIVIDUAL TO, UH, CITY TALK CALL JOE, AND THEN THEY'LL PROB WE'LL PROCESS 'EM THERE.
HOW LONG IS AN OFFICER OFF OUT OF COM? OUT OF COMMISSION OR OUT OF ROTATION AND, AND DEALING WITH AN ARREST? PROBABLY ABOUT MAYBE AN HOUR AND A HALF TO TWO HOURS.
SO THIS IS, AGAIN, GOING BACK, THIS IS A LOT OF RESOURCES.
BACK TO THE GETTING TO THE MY THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME LEVITY ON THIS.
YOU GO BACK TO THE POINT, THERE'S A LOT OF RESOURCES TO BE SPENT ON A, A PROBLEM THAT COULD BE FIXED A, I BELIEVE ARCHITECTURALLY, UM, AND POINT OF PRIVILEGE ON THIS MAJOR
HE'S OUR NEW, UH, MAJOR FOR NORTH CENTRAL.
WE SPENT A LITTLE TIME WITH MA MAJOR QUEZ, AND WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU, UH, CITY.
[01:40:01]
SCOTT.UH, MS. MOND, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, I AS WELL, UH, GET A LOT OF, UM, CALLS AND EMAILS.
I ALSO HAD A ROCK THROWN AT MY CAR.
MY CHILD WHO'S HERE SAID, MOMMY, REMIND, REMIND THEM WE GOT HIT BY A ROCK.
THIS CHILD ON THE BRIDGE, IF YOU HAVE OUT, IF YOU HAVE UNDERCOVER OFFICERS OUT THERE, WHY DID NOBODY TELL THIS KID TO COME DOWN OFF THIS BRIDGE? HE'S ON THE FENCE.
HAD HE FALLEN, HE WOULD'VE GONE INTO 75 NORTH CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY TRAFFIC.
I, I DON'T, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I'M VERY CLOSE WITH THE CENTRAL DIVISION AND I'M VERY CLOSE WITH A LOT LIEUTENANTS AND CHIEFS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'LL TAKE FOR US TO DO MORE DPV MORE DUE DILIGENCE ON REALLY SEEING THE ACTIVITY THAT'S HAPPENING AND LOOKING AT THIS CRIME.
UM, WHEN THERE'S A SLEW OF 9 1 1 CALLS A SLEW, UM, FROM LIKE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
UM, AND THEY WERE SAID, THEY WERE TOLD THAT THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD SUGGEST IF WE CAN GO BACK TO HEARING THOSE CALLS, SEEING THE, THE, THE OPERATOR'S RESPONSE, UM, AND REALLY KIND OF GETTING, GETTING TO A PLACE THAT IF THERE ARE, IF THERE'S UNDERCOVER, WHY DID NOBODY TELL THE CHILD TO, TO COME OFF OF THE FENCE THAT HE COULD HAVE LANDED IN THE FENCE OF DEALING CARE? WHOEVER'S WALKING HIM IN HERE, HE'S ON A FENCE THAT COULD HAVE GONE INTO NORTH, NORTH CENTRAL'S, REDWAY.
AND NOT THAT DAY, BUT WE HAVE BEEN HIT BY ROCKS.
WE GO BY THERE EVERY DAY FROM DOWNTOWN UP TO TOWARDS THAT AREA TWICE A DAY.
SO I DID LIKE YOU TO RESPOND TO YOUR, TO YOUR, TO YOUR STATEMENT.
SO, UM, DID NOT INDIVIDUAL THROW A ROCK FROM THAT BRIDGE AND HIT YOUR CAR? OH YEAH.
DID YOU MAKE AN OFFENSE REPORT? UH, CAN'T REMEMBER.
IF YOU WANNA MAKE A REPORT, JUST LEMME KNOW.
WE'LL MAKE SURE WE'LL MAKE A REPORT, RIGHT? THAT WHEN I CALL THE KEY, I, I'M, I PROBABLY MADE A CALL OR
SO OUR THING IS WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT, THAT IF SOMETHING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IS OCCURRING, WE WANT, FIRST OF ALL, PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DOCUMENTED AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE A REPORT IF POSSIBLE.
THE FACT THAT THAT OFFICER WOULD NOT RESPOND IS NOT A GOOD RESPONSE FROM COMMUNICATIONS OR THE DISPATCHER, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY DO, WE WILL, WE'LL ACTUALLY RESPOND TO THAT CALL, BUT IN THIS CASE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE OFFICERS THAT ARE THERE.
WE HAVE TWO INTEL OFFICERS, WE HAVE TWO, ONE MAN, AND THEN WE HAVE EITHER A SERGEANT OCCASIONALLY OR LIEUTENANT OCCASIONALLY TO BE THERE.
SO, UH, AND WE ALSO HAVE THE, THE CITY OF MARSHAL THAT ARE THERE.
SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE WHY THEY NEED TO TAKE FORTH ACTION WITH THE INDIVIDUAL ON THE, ON THE, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK AT THAT.
SO YEAH, I MEAN, IT WASN'T JUST A, I MEAN, IT WAS A LOT OF, LIKE, THAT CHILD WAS ON THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT, I'LL TELL MY TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THAT HAPPENS, THAT, UH, WE'LL ADDRESS THAT.
AND THERE WERE, WE JUST RECEIVED A BUNCH OF STICKERS THIS MORNING AND, AND THE, THE
UM, AND SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY NOBODY ELSE FROM YOUR TEAM WOULD'VE SEEN THAT EITHER.
SO, UM, WE DID HAVE TWO INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS AND THEY WA I'M NOT SURE IF THEY WALKED THE BRIDGE BEFORE, BUT THEY DEFINITELY WALKED IT AFTER.
UM, BUT SHE WAS UP THERE AFTER TOO.
SHE WASN'T GONNA BE PICKING HER WHILE SHE WAS BEING THREATENED AND NO, NO, I GET IT.
BUT, BUT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS, THAT THEY REMOVED TWO STICKERS, OKAY? AND I'M NOT GONNA RE I'M NOT GONNA SAY WHAT THEY SAID.
OUR PUBLIC SPEAKER SPOKE THIS MORNING.
HER AND HER SON PICKED ALL OF THOSE OFF THE BRIDGE.
BUT YEAH, SO, SO WE DO HAVE THE CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE THAT ARE OUT THERE, UM, MONITORING AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT, BUT I DON'T SEE, WE HAVE, I DON'T SEE THE ONE THAT, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT, I DON'T SEE THE ONE THAT THEY, THE TWO THAT THEY REMOVED.
SO MAY I HAVE A SLEW OF PICTURES WE CAN SEND YOU, BUT I TELL YOU, UM, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE MONITOR THAT RIGHT THEN THAT'S ALL I CAN DO.
WE'LL DO A BETTER JOB NOW THAT, NOW THAT I I'M THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THIS THING, THIS IS HAPPENING.
I HONESTLY, AS LONG AS I HAVE BEEN CLOSE WITH DPD, I FEEL LIKE IF WE WEREN'T ALLOWING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE IN THESE AREAS, YOU WOULD, YOUR RESOURCES WOULD BE BETTER USED SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW WE'D GET THERE.
BUT I MEAN, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IS THAT THERE ARE SO MUCH OTHER STUFF GOING ON.
I MEAN THAT, THAT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT IF WE JUST WERE ABLE TO NOT PERMIT THIS
[01:45:01]
AND, AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW WE, WE FIND A, A PLACE OF RESOLUTION THAT YOU GUYS COULD BE SPENDING OTHER TIME DOING OTHER THINGS THAT ARE REALLY MORE DETRIMENTAL THAN MONITORING THIS.UH, I, I'LL START WITH A SMALL THING.
UH, WE'RE IN THE POLITICAL SEASON NOW AND POLITICAL SIGNS AREN'T ALLOWED ON PARK PROPERTY.
AND I CAN JUST SAY FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE AUCKLAND RECREATION CENTER, THERE'S A LARGE POLITICAL SIGN ON OUR PROPERTY, UH, TO BE A CANDIDATE THAT I SUPPORT PROBABLY GO FOR, BUT THAT SIGN SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
I'D LIKE TO ASK STAFF TO BE AWARE OF THIS AND, UH, TO PERHAPS CONTACT THE CAMPAIGN BECAUSE THOSE THINGS ARE EXPENSIVE.
AND IT MAY BE A VOLUNTEER WHO DIDN'T KNOW, BUT WHERE THERE ARE LARGE EXPENSIVE SIGNS AND WE WANT THEM OUT TO, BUT TO BE AWARE OF THAT 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA INCREASE, UH, TO THE MAJOR ISSUE.
UH, I READ COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSON'S MEMO AND IT REALLY STRUCK ME, UM, THIS IS A THING.
I WAS RECENTLY ON INTERSTATE 25, THIS WAS 10 DAYS AGO, AND THERE WERE PEOPLE ON A BRIDGE ON THE INTERSTATE.
AND I'M LOOKING UP OUT ANOTHER LANE.
I'VE GOT ONE OF THOSE CARS AND STRUCK TO SHAKE YOUR WHEEL.
YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS WANDERING.
SO THIS, THIS THING ON CENTRAL IS AN, IT IS A DANGER.
ANYBODY ON THAT BRIDGE DOING THAT? I DON'T SEE IT'S GONNA GO AWAY.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN'S MEMO ASKED ABOUT RETROFIT RETROFITTING SHIELDS, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A AESTHETIC THING THAT WE'D BE VIOLATING.
THE INTENT WAS TO HAVE THIS BE A BEAUTIFUL BRIDGE.
BUT WHEN WE'VE GOT THIS GOING ON, THERE'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
I'D LIKE TO ASK STAFF TO LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF A RETROFIT THERE, EVEN AS UGLY AS IT MAY BE, TO KEEP IT SO THAT PEOPLE DRIVING AT 70 OR 65, SOMETIMES AT 80 MILES AN HOUR IN CENTRAL ARE AREN'T ENDANGERING THEMSELVES.
AND OTHERS, IT MIGHT NOT BE POSSIBLE.
BUT I KNOW THAT WITH COVID, A LOT OF PLEXIGLASS WAS PUT UP IN PLACES THAT IT WAS NEVER DESIGNED TO BE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSON WAS ASKING, UH, ANOTHER BUDGET FACTOR THERE.
BUT I THINK THIS IS AN ENORMOUS PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO SUPPORT THE POSSIBILITY OF, DESPITE THE MAKING IT LOOK BAD, THAT WE THINK THAT IN, IN THE INTEREST OF NOT HAVING MAJOR WRECKS ON CENTRAL THANK
UM, I'M, I JUST WANNA SHARE THE CONCERN PARTICULARLY BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT SPECIFIC GROUPS ARE A SPECIFIC COMMUNITY THAT, UM, IT GATHERS IN THAT AREA AND IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY INTENDED TO INTIMIDATE AND THREATEN SPECIFIC PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN IF WE PUT A BIG PICTURE OF BOW SLAUGHTER UP THERE, IT NEEDS TO COME DOWN.
SO REGARDLESS OF THE CONTENT, THIS SHOULD BE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE RUNNERS AND JOGGERS AND BIKERS.
AND SO I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S LAWS ON THE BOOKS.
WE DON'T NEED ANY NEW ORDINANCES OR LAWS IN YOUR OPINION, MAJOR TO MOVE THE PROTESTORS IF WE NEED TO.
IS THAT RIGHT? WELL, SO, SO YOU KNOW, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A RIGHT TO PROTEST, RIGHT? SO THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO BE THERE.
THE PROBLEM IS, IF THEY ARE OBSTRUCTING THE PASSAGEWAY, THEN WE CAN TAKE A ENFORCEMENT ACTION.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.
SO, AND, AND I'LL TELL YOU THIS, UM, I DIDN'T MAKE THE CORRELATION UNTIL I CAME IN TODAY THAT WHY THEY, THEY SPECIFICALLY PICKED THAT BRIDGE, RIGHT? SO NOW THAT I UNDERSTAND THE BACKSTORY BEHIND IT, I'M A LITTLE BIT MORE AWARE OF WHY THIS IS HAPPENING THERE.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION.
BUT, UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THEY ARE NOT BLOCKING OR PREVENTING PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS FROM USING THAT BRIDGE.
IF WE SEE THAT, LIKE I SAID, OUR CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE OFFICER WILL GO AND TELL 'EM, HEY, YOU CAN'T PREVENT, YOU CAN'T BE BLOCKING THIS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE THAT BRIDGE, UH, EITHER TO WALK ACROSS OR TO CYCLE ACROSS IT.
I MEAN, I HAVEN'T WITNESSED IT FIRSTHAND, UM, BUT SOME OF THE SPEAKERS TODAY, SO SPECIFICALLY THAT IT'S BEEN LOCKED.
UM, AND SO I MEAN IT'S, I KNOW IT'S A, IT'S A JUDGMENT CALL OF WHAT ACTUALLY CONSTITUTES FULLY BLOCKING IT.
BUT I WOULD JUST ASK RACHEL ABOUT IT.
I'M GONNA INSTRUC MY TEAM TO DO A BETTER JOB TO MONITOR THAT.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A, A GOAL OUT HERE AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT EVERYBODY HAS IT IS, FIRST OF ALL, THAT IS A PEACEFUL PROTEST AND THAT EVERYBODY HAS A RIGHT TO THAT, TO THAT PASSING AWAY.
[01:50:01]
SO I ALREADY HAVE A LIST OF THINGS THAT I WANT TELL MY TEAM TO BE LOOKING FOR, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE THEY'LL DO A BETTER JOB.AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE PROTOCOL IS, WHETHER IT'S A, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PLANNED PROTEST OR IT COMES ABOUT WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS COMMUNICATION THAT YOU GET, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES, YOU SEND INTELLIGENCE OUT THERE TO MONITOR IT.
I MEAN, IT PROBABLY DEPENDS ON THE HOURS AND THE DAYS AND WHAT THEY MONITORING.
SO THEY'RE THEORETICALLY BEEN OUT THERE FOR YES, THEY HAVE ALL OF THESE.
I ACTUALLY TALKED TO, I, I TALKED TO, UM, DETECTIVE MARTINEZ AND HIM AND, UM, UM, THE GUY THAT THEY, THEY ACTUALLY WORKED THAT EVENT.
UM, I TALKED TO HIM, I GOT FIRSTHAND INFORMATION FROM HIM EXACTLY WHAT, WHAT THEY WERE SEEING AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
UM, THEY SENT ME SOME COUPLE OF PHOTOS THAT THEY WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT WERE, MIGHT HAVE BEEN, UH, RACIAL, RACIALLY MOTIVATED.
UM, HE, THEY, THE INFORMATION THAT THEY GAVE ME REGARDING THE, THE GRAFFITI, IT WAS NOT ON THE BRIDGE ITSELF.
IT WAS LIKE MORE OF A SECONDARY BRIDGE, MORE PART OF THE TRAIL, AND THAT IT'S NOT, UM, POLITICALLY MOTIVATED OR IT'S NOT TARGETING ONE RACE, IT'S JUST GENERAL GRAFFITI.
SO THAT'S THAT I GOT, UM, I'M JUST, I'M NOT READY TO ADVOCATE FOR DESIGN CHANGES PARTICULARLY ON THIS BRIDGE.
UM, I DON'T YET WANT TO GO THAT ROUTE.
'CAUSE I JUST DON'T THINK, I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S MORE WE CAN DO ENFORCEMENT WISE.
I TOTALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE LACK STAFFING ON THE, ON THE POLICE SIDE AND, UM, THEY'RE HIGHER LEVEL EMERGENCIES.
BUT IF, IF THE PROTOCOL IS ALREADY TO THAT, WE'RE MONITORING THIS, WHICH I DIDN'T REALIZE THEN, I JUST THINK THERE'S FEWER POINT, I THINK MAJOR, THERE'S SOME MORE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO ENFORCEMENT WISE AND BE A LITTLE BIT MORE VIGILANT, PARTICULARLY GIVEN WHAT THIS, WHAT THESE, UM, ARE SPECIFICALLY TARGETING.
UH, JUST A UH, POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
I GREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN IN WISCONSIN, AND THERE'S BRIDGES THAT GO OVER HIGHWAY ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, WHETHER IT'S A 75 OR A ROAD THAT A OCCASIONAL CAR PASSES BY, UM, A BOWLING BALL GOING OVER THE SIDE OF A, UH, A BRIDGE NO MATTER IF IT'S A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OR NOT, INFLICTS ON DAMAGE.
AND IN THIS CASE, IT KILLED A GENTLEMAN AND THAT WAS ON A, A COUNTRY OVERPASS THAT ISN'T, AND THERE'S MY POINT BEHIND THAT IS THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO FEASIBLY PUT PLEXIGLASS UP ON EVERY BRIDGE THAT THIS COULD OCCUR ON.
UM, IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT'S FEASIBLE, UM, IN MY OPINION.
UM, AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE UNSIGHTLY.
UM, AND WE DID THESE BRIDGES, UM, FOR THE AESTHETICS.
AND I JUST THINK THAT IT WOULD BE, IT, IT, IT'S AN IMPOSSIBLE THING, I THINK, IN MY OPINION, TO TRY TO RETROFIT SOMETHING.
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T PREVENT FROM DOING THE WRONG THING.
UM, WE CAN DISCOURAGE THEM AND WE CAN REACT TO THEIR WRONG DOINGS.
WE CAN'T, UM, PREVENT THEM FROM DOING SOMETHING.
THIS IS THE SHORTEST COMMENT YOU EVER MADE
UH, AND LISTENING TO ALL THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE CONTROL IT? HOW DO WE PLACE IT? WHAT RULES ARE IN PLACE? DOES, UM, DOES THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAVE ANY RULES AROUND, UH, UNSAFE, UNSAFE ACTIVITIES ON BRIDGES THAT AFFECTS WHAT'S GOING ON BELOW THEM? IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU'RE HAVING SOME KIND OF, WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING ON A BRIDGE THAT IS VERY VISIBLE TO TWO-WAY TRAFFIC UNDERNEATH THAT IS ESPECIALLY HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC, DOES THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAVE ANY RULES ABOUT WHAT COULD BE CONSIDERED ANY KIND OF ACTIVITY THAT WOULD CREATE A SAFETY CONCERN FOR MOTORISTS THAT WE COULD TAP INTO TO APPROACH THOSE FOLKS AND SAY YOU'RE DOING, WHETHER IT'S A, I DON'T CARE IF THEY'RE DOING A DANCE SHOW OR WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING UP THERE, IF IT, IF THERE'S SOME KIND OF ACTIVITY THAT CREATES A SAFETY CONDITION FOR THE ROADWAY UNDERNEATH, DOES THAT ALLOW US TO REMOVE THAT ACTIVITY, WHETHER IT'S A PROTEST OR A DEMONSTRATOR OR A DANCE TROUPE? BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE MY FIRST QUESTION.
LIKE, CAN, IS THERE A LEGAL WAY FOR US TO REMOVE ANY KIND OF ACTIVITY UP THERE THAT COULD BE A VISUAL DISTRACTION, CREATING A SAFETY CONCERN FOR THE, FOR THE TRAFFIC UNDERNEATH IT? THAT WOULD BE MY FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S A WAY WE COULD REMOVE
[01:55:01]
ANY KIND OF GROUP.AND SECONDLY, WE SAY THEY'RE NOT BLOCKING THE TRAIL, BUT WHEN I HEAR YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY SAY, I WASN'T GONNA TAKE MY 10-YEAR-OLD ACROSS THAT TRAIL, WHEN I HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY HOSTILE, SO THEY MAY NOT BE PHYSICALLY BLOCKING THAT TRAIL.
BUT IF YOU'RE CREATING A CONDITION THAT'S SO HOSTILE THAT FOLKS DON'T WANNA USE THAT TRAIL, TO ME THAT'S BLOCKING A TRAIL.
SO I THINK THERE'S SEMANTICS IN HERE ABOUT WHAT IS BLOCKING A TRAIL PLUS 40 PEOPLE ON A BRIDGE, 40 PEOPLE ON A BRIDGE.
I WOULD BE, AS A SINGLE WOMAN, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T WANNA CROSS THAT BRIDGE.
SO I THINK THERE'S SOME, I THINK WE NEED TO FIND SOME, SOME WAYS TO UTILIZE THOSE TO FIX THAT.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE REMOVAL OF THE BANNERS.
LIKE, I'M SORRY, THE MINUTE I GET A 3 1 1 OR A 9 1 1 CALL, THAT THOSE BANNERS ARE UP AND OUR MARSHALS SHOULD BE OUT THERE TAKEN DOWN.
IT SHOULDN'T BE AN, IT SHOULDN'T BE THE NEXT DAY OR THE NEXT WEEK.
LIKE THAT'S AN IMMEDIATE, LIKE, I THINK THAT'LL HELP BRING DOWN THE, THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE PROTESTING IF THEY'RE IMMEDIATELY, ALL THOSE BANNERS ARE OUR FLAGS COME DOWN.
SO THOSE WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION.
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN FIND A WAY AND THEN, YOU KNOW, PUT SOME SIGNAGE UP THAT SPEAKS TO WHAT YOU'RE ALLOWED OR NOT ALLOWED TO DO ON THOSE BRIDGES.
NOT THE PEOPLE READ SIGNS, BUT AT LEAST IT'S STATED.
AND THEN LASTLY, I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY SOME KIND OF HAPPY COMPROMISE ON DOING SOMETHING TO THE INTERIOR OF THAT THAT DOESN'T ALLOW FOLKS TO CLIMB UP OVER THAT IF, IF THESE OTHER, WE CAN'T FIX IT THOSE OTHER WAYS.
I THINK WE COULD DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE AESTHETICALLY MINIMAL THAT WOULD MAYBE KEEP FOLKS FROM ACCESSING THE OTHER SIDE, AT LEAST TO START WITH.
KEEP THE BANNERS AND STUFF OUT THERE.
THANK, THANK YOU AGAIN, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, I WANNA START WITH A COUPLE OF THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, LIKE LOW HANGING FOR LIKE, WE SEE POLITICAL SIGNS, THERE'S A PROCESS.
CAN I GET A SHOUT OUT TO SOMEONE ON STAFF? OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTORS, MS. AQUINO.
MS. AQUINO, UH, RECENTLY, UH, WHAT SHE TOLD ME SHE DOES IS SHE JUST CALLS THEM, HEY, YOU GOT 24 HOURS TO TAKE THESE DOWN OR WE'RE GONNA HOLD 'EM FOR YOU.
THAT WORKED BEFORE I COULD TURN AROUND.
SO MR. DICKEY, REACH OUT TO YOUR COMMUNITY CONNECTOR.
UH, REGARDING FLYERS IN OUR PARKS, TC PARK, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, HAD THESE MISSING PERSONS FLYERS, GOT A PROCESS FOR THAT CALL OUR RANGERS BEFORE I COULD PERSONALLY GET OUT TO TC PARK RANGERS.
RANGER JONES WAS OUT THERE TAKING DOWN THE FLYERS.
UH, SO THERE'S THE PROCESS FOR THIS.
AND ALL THAT SAID, UM, SOMETHING MORE, YOU KNOW, JUICY HERE.
LIKE I'M, I'M LIKE A SOCIAL MEDIA.
I'M, UH, SOMEBODY CALLED ME A KEYBOARD WARRIOR.
SO GENERALLY I'M TOO LAZY TO GO PICK UP A SIGN AND GET OUT AND LIKE, YOU KNOW, GO, GO PROTEST IN PERSON.
UM, SO THERE'S SOME THINGS I DON'T KNOW.
SO NUMBER ONE, MY QUESTION IS, IF I SEEK A PERMIT TO PROTEST, LIKE RIGHT HERE ON YOUNG STREET, I GET THE SIDEWALKS AROUND THE STREET.
DO I GET THE STREET ITSELF? YEAH.
IT DEPENDS ON WHERE THE PERMIT IS.
SO I CAN TELL YOU THIS, WE HAD SOME PROTESTS DOWNTOWN.
THEY HAD A MAP AND WE FOLLOWED THEM.
THEY WALKED ALL OVER DOWNTOWN AND THERE'S LIKE 2000 PROTESTORS.
ARE THEY STAYING STILL THOUGH? OR ARE THEY MARCHING? NO, NO.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT, DEPENDS ON WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.
UM, OUR, OUR SPECIAL EVENTS, UH, WILL REVIEW THE PERMIT.
BUT YEAH, THEY COULD TAKE THE, THEY COULD TAKE THE STREET.
SO, BECAUSE THAT, IF THEY ASKED FOR THE STREET AND BECAUSE THEY'RE MARCHING, THEY'RE, AND, AND THEY'RE BEING ESCORTED, THE ESCORTS GENERALLY DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO BE STATIONARY TO BLOCK A SPACE FOR LONGER THAN THEY CAN MOVE IT TWO MILES AN HOUR AS THEY WALK.
SO THEY'RE NOT BLOCKING A PUBLIC SPACE LIKE A STREET.
SO YES, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM BLOCK.
I, I'VE SEEN FOLKS PEACEFULLY MARCHING AND THAT'S FINE.
I CAN GO AROUND OR I CAN JUST BE PATIENT, BUT I'M, I'M MOVING.
UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT WAY, UH, ON A, ON A TRAIL PARTICULARLY WHERE THERE'S A BOTTLENECK ON THESE NEW BRANCHES.
SO WE HAVE A PHYSICAL BOTTLENECK AND FOLKS ARE NOT MARCHING THROUGH.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME, THE SOLUTION, UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, SOME SOLUTIONS I'VE HEARD THAT I JUST DON'T AGREE WITH STAFFING THESE.
IT TAKES STAFF AND IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT, UH, IT TAKES THAT STAFF AWAY, THAT RESOURCES AWAY FOR ONE TO THREE HOURS.
UH, MONITORING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE GOT OTHER THINGS, MONITOR ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ARCHITECTURAL CHANGES.
THESE SOUND NICE, BUT IT ALSO SOUND EXPENSIVE.
AND HONESTLY, I'M IN THE BUSINESS OF USING THOSE DOLLARS TO KEEP COMMUNITY POOLS OPEN VERSUS MAKING UGLY UNSIGHTLY CHANGES TO THESE BRIDGES THAT WERE DESIGNED TO BE AESTHETICALLY BEAUTIFUL IN THE CASE OF NORTH HAVEN.
SO I DON'T REALLY NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THAT.
SO THE SOLUTION SEEMS TO BE THIS, UH, PROHIBIT PROTESTS ON FRAILS.
IF WE CANNOT PROHIBIT PROTESTS ON FRAILS, AT LEAST PICK WHERE THE BOTTLENECKS ARE AND SAY, I'M SORRY, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T PROTEST THERE.
YOU CAN HAVE ANYWHERE UP AND DOWN THE TRAIL.
[02:00:01]
BECAUSE IF I'M ON A BIKE, I COULD, I COULD GO AROUND YOU.I MEAN, UNLESS I'M ON A ROAD BIKE, THAT'S DIFFICULT TO GET OFF THE TRAIL.
BUT IF WE CANNOT PROHIBIT ALL TRAILS, BUT WE NEED TO AT LEAST AT A MINIMUM PROHIBIT WHERE THERE'S BOTTLENECKS AND THAT SEEMS TO BE AN EASY SOLUTION.
UM, OR JUST, YOU KNOW, ASK KINDLY TO PROTEST IN OUR PARKS.
DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING MS. LANIS? 'CAUSE I'M GONNA JUST SAY WE ARE, UH, YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT, MR.
LIKE I SAID, I KNOW THAT THE MAJOR, THEY HAVE A JOB TO DO AND, AND LEGAL HAS A JOB TO DO AS IT RELATES TO WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO TO VIOLATE SOMEONE RIGHTS.
BUT WE ARE IN CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW WITH LEGAL BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, AND I BROUGHT THIS UP EARLIER, WE HAD A PATRON LOSE THEIR LIFE ON ONE OF OUR TRAILS BECAUSE WE HAD A BIKER AND THEN A A A A, A WALKER JUST HAPPENED TO TURN AND THE, THE WALKER JUST TURNED AND THE BIKER HIT THEM AND THEY LOST THEIR LIFE.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT PROTESTS FROM THE PARK DEPARTMENT POSITION.
AND BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS IS A BOTTLENECK, WE KNOW WHAT CAN HAPPEN ON OUR TRAILS.
AND TO YOUR POINT, IS THIS THE BEST PLACE TO ALLOW A PROTEST? KNOWING THAT WE KNOW THE SAFETY RISKS AND WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE, THEN WE HAVE MORE FUEL TO OUR FIRE TO ELIMINATE PROTESTS ON TRAILS WITHIN OUR NETWORK.
WELL, ESPECIALLY BRIDGES, BECAUSE IT'S ALSO A TRAIL AND THEY'RE THE BOTTLENECK THERE.
SO WHY DON'T WE PURSUE THAT? WHY DON'T WE PURSUE THAT AND ELIMINATE ANY NEED FOR EXTRA STAFFING AT THESE THINGS? BECAUSE THEY WON'T EXIST ANYMORE.
THEY'LL BE LIMITED TO OUR PARKS AND OTHER PUBLIC SPACES.
UH, AND NO NEED FOR SOCIAL, WELL, LESS NEED FOR SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING AND, AND DEFINITELY NO ARCHITECTURAL CHANGES.
I'D LIKE TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON, ON MR. K'S POINT.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL EVENT OFFICE AT, SO THE CITY, BUT THE PARK DEPARTMENT DOES ALSO THAT MAYBE WE CAN PUT THIS AS A SPECIAL PER PERMIT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PERMIT, YOU CAN'T BE ON OUR TRAILS IN OUR PARK DOING THE PROTEST.
OR, OR WHATEVER THE ACTIVITY IS.
AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF POLICE 'EM AND THEN WE CAN SAY, WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE A SPECIAL PERMIT.
YOU GOTTA MOVE, YOU GOTTA MOVE ON.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL PERMIT FOR EVERYTHING.
WE, YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA GIVE OUT WATER AT OUR PARKS, YOU GOTTA HAVE A PERMIT.
YOU WANNA, YOU WANNA GIVE OUT WHATEVER IT IS.
IF IT'S NOT THE CITY DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A PERMIT FOR THAT, FOR EVERYTHING WE DO.
I KNOW THAT FIRSTHAND, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT I WANT TO FEED THE COMMUNITY FOR FREE.
I HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL PERMIT.
I WANT TO WHATEVER IT, IT'S, SO WHY NOT HAVE A, IN THE SPECIAL RESERVATION DEPARTMENT A PERMIT IF YOU WANNA PROTEST.
SO THEY HAVE TO FILL IT OUT AND THEN WE CAN EITHER DENY IT OR APPROVE IT, AND THEN THEY GOTTA HAVE OFFICERS IN PLACE JUST LIKE ALL OTHER PERMITS IF NEEDED.
YOU KNOW, EVERY PERMIT IS, IS HANDLED DIFFERENTLY AND EVERYTHING HAS A DIFFERENT POLICY ON WHETHER YOU HAVE TO HAVE LEASE OFFICERS, RESTROOMS AND ALL THAT.
SO THAT WE KIND OF PUT THAT IN THE, IN THE SAME WINDOW.
MAYBE WE CAN EITHER PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING OR THEY GET A PERMIT.
WE KNOW IT'S GONNA HAPPEN AND WE CAN ALERT OUR, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY THAT THIS WILL BE HAPPENING.
WHETHER IT'S ON THE BRIDGE, ON THE STREET, ON OUR PLAYGROUNDS, WHATEVER IT IS.
AT LEAST WE KNOW AND WE CAN BE READY PROACTIVE FOR IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS, THAT'S BEEN ALLOWED ON OUR TRAIL TO HAVE A, UH, FOCUS ON THE TRAIL NOW.
SO WE JUST KIND OF JUST LET THEM STAND THERE AND DO IT.
SO I KNOW THE MAJOR CAN RESPOND, BUT I CAN TELL YOU JUST FROM WHAT I KNOW IN WORKING IN THE PARKS SYSTEM, PROTESTS ARE ALLOWED IN PARKS.
BUT THEY WORK THROUGH THE, THE ONES THAT TELL DPD IN ADVANCE, THEY WORK WITH THEM ON THEIR PROTESTS.
SO THEN I, SO IT'S ALREADY A LONG PLACE TO SAY WE CAN TELL 'EM TO KEEP MOVING.
AS LONG AS THEY KEEP MOVING, WE'RE FINE.
I THINK, I JUST THOUGHT WE HAD NEW TERRITORY HERE WITH THIS, THIS PARTICULAR BRIDGE.
AND THIS IS WHY THIS CONVERSATION NEEDS TO CONTINUE NOW WITH DPD AS WELL AS ATTORNEYS TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THE BALANCE BETWEEN PROTECTING SOMEONE'S FREE SPEECH AND PROTESTING IN OUR PARKS VERSUS WE, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FROM THE EXPERTS IN THE PARK SYSTEM.
FOR YOUR RIGHT TO SAY AND PUTTING THEM OUT THERE, IT'S JUST YOUR RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY VALUE THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST.
BUT IF WE CAN DO A PER COME SOME KIND OF PERMITTING, PIGGY BACK ON WHAT MR. ING SAID, IT'D BE AWESOME.
WE CAN LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT THROUGH OUR RESERVATION DEPARTMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK AT, KEEPING A POLICY
[02:05:01]
IN PLACE.UH, AND I KNOW EARLIER WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BLOCKING TRAILS AND FOLKS FEELING THREATENED, AND THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
I HAVE GOTTEN MULTIPLE REPORTS FROM PEOPLE I KNOW.
THE FRIENDS OF NORTH HAVEN TRAIL AS WELL, PARTICULARLY THIS BRIDGE, HAVE GOTTEN REPORTS OF PEOPLE BLOCKING THE TRAIL, UM, PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS FEELING UNSAFE ON THE TRAIL BECAUSE OF THE PROTESTING ACTIVITIES.
SO WHENEVER THAT HAPPENS, I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CALL NINE ONE ONE OR CALL THREE ONE ONE AS APPROPRIATE.
AND I WILL REITERATE THAT HERE TOO.
PLEASE, IF YOU FEEL UNSAFE ON ANY CITY PARK OR ANY TRAIL OR A BRIDGE, PLEASE CALL 9 1 1 IMMEDIATELY.
SO THAT ALSO HELPS YOU ALL GET YOUR DATA AS WELL ABOUT THESE, UH, SORT OF ACTIVITIES.
UM, I, I THINK MR. CREAMY RAISED AN OUTSTANDING POINT, AND I HAVE A QUESTION.
STAFF, CAN WE BUY ORDINANCE? DO, CAN WE DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, AN ORDINANCE THAT PROHIBITS PROTESTS ON CITY TRAILS OR PROTESTS ON CITY TRAIL BRIDGES? UM, OR COULD WE DO AN ORDINANCE THAT YOU CAN'T IDLE ON A TRAIL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? LIKE WHAT ARE WE WITHIN OUR PURVIEW ALLOWED IT? SO I'LL TELL YOU HISTORICALLY, UM, THE
BUT HISTORICALLY, THE CITY DID HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN 2014 THAT PROHIBITED, UM, ANY KIND OF, UM, ACTIVITY THAT WOULD DRAW ATTENTION, UH, OVER OR AROUND HIGHWAYS.
WE WERE INVOLVED IN A LAWSUIT ABOUT THAT.
WE ENDED UP HAVING TO REPEAL IT.
IT COSTS THE CITY 270,000 BUCKS FEES.
SO THERE ARE INVITATIONS TO WHAT WE CAN DO, AND THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES IN THE PAST.
SO I GUESS FROM FROM STAFF PERSPECTIVE, NOT, NOT LEGAL, BUT OUR STAFF, LIKE, WHAT ARE WE AS A BOARD ALLOWED TO DO OR DO WE HAVE TO, LIKE, CAN WE DO AN ORDINANCE AND THEN IT'S REVIEWED BY LEGAL? LIKE HOW DOES THAT, JUST TO CLARIFY.
WELL, THE, THE PARK BOARD CAN'T CREATE A ORDINANCE, BUT THE PARK BOARD COULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
ORDINANCE PARK DEPARTMENT DO HAVE THE JURISDICTION OF CREATING FAR RULES.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, IF THIS, UH, MAY BE IN CONFLICT WITH, UH, SOMEONE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE TO RUN THAT THROUGH THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND SEE IF, IF THEY WOULD APPROVE THAT PARTICULAR RULE.
BUT YOUR POINT EARLIER, DIRECTOR JENKINS, WE'VE HAD A FATALITY ON THE TRAIL, AND I THINK WE WANT TO BE, KEEP PEOPLE SAFE, WHETHER IT'S FROM FEELING THREATENED OR FROM POTENTIAL DANGER OF BLOCKING FOR ANOTHER REASON OR JUST AN ACCIDENT LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
AND IF PREVENTING IDLING ON TRAILS WOULD HELP US SOLVE ALL OF THOSE ISSUES, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD PURSUE.
UH, I'M IN AGREEMENT A HUNDRED PERCENT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS A FAR PROFESSION, IT'S TOUGH ENOUGH WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE IN THE CONFLICT BETWEEN A WALKER AND A CYCLIST AND YOU'RE TRYING TO GET BY.
IT'S ANOTHER THING WHERE I'M IN THIS SMALL AREA, NOW I'M RESTRICTED AND NOW I, I GOT 10 OR 15 PEOPLE THAT I GOTTA GO AROUND.
THIS IS NOT A PROTEST ISSUE FROM PARK STAFF PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
AND LAST QUESTION, UM, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE OF DPDS MARKS AND THE PARK RANGERS IN THESE INSTANCES.
AND SO CAN SOMEBODY GIVE ME JUST AN UNDERSTANDING OF, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A PROTEST ON THE BRIDGE, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR, UM, MAINTAINING THE ORDER AND THERE'S NO LEGAL ACTIVITY ON THE BRIDGE, IF THERE IS, UM, ABANDONED TO SIGN THAT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, IF THERE'S A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT FIELD.
SO CAN SOMEBODY JUST WALK ME THROUGH DPD MARSHALS AND THE PARK RANGER'S RESPECTIVE ROLES ON EACH OF THESE ITEMS? I'M GONNA DEFER TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR RENEE JOHNSON TO WALK YOU THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
UM, LET'S START WITH THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT.
SO WE HAVE THESE PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE, UH, PRESENTED TO THE BOARD AS TO WHAT OUR PROCESS IS.
UH, ON SOME ENCAMPMENT SITES OR SOME SITES, UH, WE CAN IMMEDIATELY GO IN AND DO CLEANING ON THOSE SITES, RIGHT? ON SOME SITES WE ENGAGE WITH, UH, OHS
[02:10:01]
AND WE GO THROUGH A PROCESS AS FAR AS, UM, 70 HOURS OR SO BEFORE WE CAN ACTUALLY CLEAN ENCAMPMENT.WE WORK WITH OHS AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR MARSHALS THERE WHEN WE NEED TO CLEAN.
SO AS FAR AS ENCAMPMENTS, WE DO A LOT OF TIMES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MARSHALS RESPOND TO THOSE.
UH, WHEN WE SEE, UH, THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE, UM, UH, ON THE PARKS THAT MAY, WE MAY NEED LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE ACTUALLY, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT THE DISCUSSION ITEM IS REGARDING POLITICAL ACTIVITY.
NOT HOME AGAIN, YOU CAN COME BACK, MARSHALL.
AND THAT'S REALLY MY QUESTION.
JUST UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE ROLE OF EACH OF OUR DIFFERENT I, SO FOR DPD BASICALLY, UM, CITY MARSHALS AND DPD CAN TAKE ENFORCEMENT ACTION ON THE BRIDGE RIGHT NOW.
SO THE JURISDICTION FALLS UNDER, UNDER THE, THE MARSHALS, BUT DPD CAN ALSO TAKE ENFORCEMENT ACTION.
UM, WHAT WAS YOUR OTHER PART OF THAT QUESTION? I'M SORRY.
JUST UNDERSTANDING THE, THE ROLES OF DPD, THE MARSHALS AND THE PARK RANGER HERE.
SO BASICALLY OUR ROLES WOULD, WOULD BE ENSURE THAT, THAT THERE'S A PEACEFUL, THERE'S A PEACEFUL PROTEST, RIGHT? WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, FIRST OF ALL, THAT THERE'S NOTHING, NO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY OCCURRING.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE PEDESTRIANS WHO ARE USING THAT BRIDGE, LIKE, UH, SOMEBODY WALKING OVER THE BRIDGE OR A CYCLIST HAS EVERY RIGHT TO THAT BRIDGE, JUST LIKE THE PROTESTORS DO, RIGHT? SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
SO THOSE ARE OUR ROLES WHEN IT COMES TO THAT BRIDGE.
IF SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPEN, ANY KIND OF INFRACTION WOULD BE OBSTRUCTION, ROADWAY.
THEY CAN GET OBSTRUCTION OF, OF, UH, PASSAGEWAY.
THEY WOULD BE ARRESTED FOR THAT.
IF THEY WERE BLOCKING THE STREET, IT WOULD BE A OBSTRUCTION OF ROADWAY.
THEY COULD BE ARRESTED FOR THAT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD, AS FAR AS THE PROTESTS GOING ON, UH, THE RANGERS, USUALLY THEY'RE OUR EYES AND EARS MOSTLY.
AND SO WE WOULD CALL ON LAW ENFORCEMENT TO HELP US ENGAGE IN THOSE ACTIVITIES.
ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD REGARD, MARSHALL? WELL, BASICALLY OUR ROLE AT CITY MARSHALS, WE TAKE SECOND SEAT PROTESTS ARE, ARE USUALLY, UH, DBD TAKES THE FIRST SEAT BEING THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES, UH, INTELLIGENCE OUT WATCHING AS WELL AS, UH, THE CAPABILITY TO WATCH SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIFFERENT SITES.
SO WE TAKE THE, THE SECOND SEAT.
BUT AS FAR AS, UH, PERTAINING TO, UH, THE TRAIL, AGAIN, WE ARE, WE ARE OUT THERE WATCHING THE TRAIL OBSERVING AT THIS TIME, WE HAVEN'T, UH, BEEN PUT IN THE POSITION TOO, RIGHT, UH, CITATION OR MAKE ARREST, UH, WHAT WE'VE SEEN OUT THERE AS FAR AS PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OUT THERE.
UH, THE PROTESTORS AREN'T ON THE BRIDGE, BUT THEY'RE MOVING OUT OF THE WAY.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF IT, THAT THEY'RE MOVING OUTTA THE WAY BECAUSE THEY SEE THE, THE BLACK AND WHITE CARS AS WELL AS THE, THE OFFICERS IN UNIFORMS, BUT WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY INFRACTIONS WHILE WE ARE OUT THERE.
WELL, I KNOW WE'RE SEEING INFRACTIONS WITH CERTAINLY THINGS BEING HUNG ON THE GOVERNMENT PROPERTY, AND SO WOULD REALLY IMPLORE WHETHER IT'S DPD OR THE MARSHALS TO PLEASE AT LEAST START WITH ENFORCING THAT.
AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE BLOCKING IS MORE SUBJECTIVE.
I MEAN, I GET REPORTS THAT IT'S HAPPENING, BUT I SEE THAT THAT COULD BE MORE SUBJECTIVE, BUT CLEARLY THE LAW IS BEING VIOLATED ON THE HANGING OF THINGS ON GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT FORCED.
UM, THE POINT ABOUT PUTTING AN ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTION ON EVERY BRIDGE ISLE, UM, THE POINT THAT WAS MADE EARLIER, I MEAN, I'VE GOT A BRIDGE IN DISTRICT 12 THAT IS A BRIDGE OVER CREEK, AND I DON'T SEE PROTESTORS ON THAT, SO THERE'S NO REASON TO PUT AN ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTION ON THAT.
SO I DON'T ACCEPT THAT AT THAT POINT.
HEARD JOHN SAY EARLIER THAT WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION ON THIS PARTICULAR BRIDGE, AND HE SAID THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
UM, AND THEN TO MR. DICKEY'S POINTS ABOUT RESOURCES, MR. DICKEY BROUGHT GOOD POINTS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
HE SAID AT THE END OF HIS, HIS, WHAT HE WAS SAYING, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE PANELISTS AND OTHER PEOPLE SAID THIS ARE, ARE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE GONNA EXPEND THAT COULD BE EXP SPENT ON THINGS LIKE COMMUNITY POOLS.
HOW MUCH IS A DPD OFFICER STARTING SALARY? IT'S ROUGHLY 75,000 A YEAR.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE HAVE ON THIS PROBLEM RIGHT NOW? OH, LIKE PERSONNEL STATUS? YES.
INCLUDING, INCLUDING THE THREE PEOPLE SITTING IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'RE SHORT, SEVERAL HUNDRED PLUSERS.
UM, LAST YEAR WE HIRED, NO, I MEAN SPECIFICALLY ON THIS PROBLEM, THE TWO UNDERCOVER OFFICERS, THE TWO PEOPLE IN IN IN UNITS, THREE OF YOU SITTING HERE, FIVE TO ABOUT SEVEN OFFICERS OUT THERE.
WE HAVE FIVE TO $700,000 ISH BEING SPENT ON THIS PROBLEM RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF ANNUAL
[02:15:01]
SALARY BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM'S NOT GOING AWAY.SO AGAIN, ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY GOOD SOLUTION.
CAN SOMEBODY TELL ME HOW WIDE THE NORTH HAVEN, THIS, THE BRIDGES THAT WE'RE IN DISCUSSION BETWEEN HOW THE DESIGN, UH, TRAILS, NOW I WANNA SAY THE TRAIL IS 10 BECAUSE WE DESIGN 'EM NOW 10.
SO IF I'M RIDING WITH MY CHILD WHO'S HERE ON A BIKE, OR I'M WALKING, I'M PROBABLY TAKING UP FOUR FEET, RIGHT? AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE COMING ALONG IS TAKING ABOUT FOUR FEET.
AND SO IF WE ARE BOTH COMING AT EACH OTHER AT THE OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS OVER THIS BRIDGE, AND YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT THESE PROTESTERS ARE NOT BLOCKING US AS A PEDESTRIAN OR A VICE, A CYCLIST TO GO PAST EACH OTHER DIRECTION.
THOUGH THOUGH, I MEAN, HOW IS, I MEAN, ARE WE DANCING ON THIS? LIKE THEY'RE MOVING, THEY'RE MOVING, WE'RE MOVING, WE'RE STOPPING.
I MEAN, WHAT IT, I DON'T, DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS EVEN UP FOR DISCUSSION.
THAT THIS, THAT PROTESTING ON A BRIDGE OVER A STATE, FEDERAL, STATE HIGHWAY, IT'S ACCEPTABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE STOPPING TRAFFIC.
SO THEY WANT EVERYBODY TO SEE BELOW.
SO FOR THE DRIVERS, SO NOW YOU'RE SLOWING DOWN TRAFFIC.
WHERE, WHERE IS, WHERE IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY ON THE, THE FEDERAL LAW FOR THIS OR THE TEXAS STATE LAW? I, I CAN'T, I CAN'T SPEAK ON THAT.
I CAN ONLY SPEAK ON THE STANDPOINT OF, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE SAFETY CONCERN.
AGAIN, I SAID THIS IS, THIS IS NO TERRITORY AGAIN, RIGHT? BUT IMPACTING THE INTERSTATE AND THE TRAVEL ALONG THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY BECAUSE PEOPLE, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET ATTENTION, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THEY'RE DANCING WITH THE PEOPLE ON THE BRIDGE WHO ARE TRYING TO GET A WORKOUT OR TRYING TO CROSS OVER TO, YOU KNOW, ENJOY.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ANY OF THIS IS OKAY.
AND HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT IT LIKE, OH, WELL THERE'S NO VIOLATION OR THEY'RE NOT.
AND HOW NOBODY REALLY UNDERSTOOD THAT WHERE THIS LOCATION IS, IS SO CLOSE TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS NOT A BI, THAT THIS IS NOT A HATE ACT.
ARE, ARE YOU GUYS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE JEWISH FEDERATION AND FORMER LIEUTENANT HUMPHREY TO DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, THESE ACTIONS? I MEAN, YOU DO, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE SLOGANS THAT ARE AGAINST THE JEWISH PEOPLE? I MEAN, I REALLY HOPE THAT THERE'S A CONCERTED EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND FROM YOUR UNDERCOVERS, FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING THIS BRIDGE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS REALLY HATE CRIMES OR NOT.
ARE YOU? YEAH, SO I CAN TELL YOU THIS.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S A LEARNING, UM, IT'S A LEARNING PROCESS, RIGHT? SO THE FACT THAT THE STATEMENTS THAT YOU'RE MAKING, THE POINTS THAT YOU'RE MAKING, THEY'RE ALL VERY GOOD.
I'M GONNA TAKE 'EM BACK TO MY TEAM.
I'M GONNA ENSURE THAT WE LOOK INTO THOSE ISSUES TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND YES, WE'VE LOOKING TO SEE, I DON'T KNOW THE PROXIMITY OF, UM, THE JCC, HOW CLOSELY THEY ARE TO THAT, UM, THAT BRIDGE.
BUT I'M GONNA LOOK INTO THAT RIGHT? QUARTER OF A MILE.
WHAT'S, THAT'S PROBABLY LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE.
OKAY, WELL, I'LL, I'LL GO LOOK.
I'M GONNA, I WAS OUT THERE YESTERDAY.
I DID SEE THE, THE, THE CON SHOPPING CENTER.
I DID SEE THE, THE OFFICE COMPLEX TO THE RIGHT.
I DIDN'T GO TO THE, TO THE WEST.
I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE.
BUT YEAH, IT IS, TO ME, IT'S, IT'S, UH, I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT AND WE'LL LOOK INTO, WE'LL ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AND HOW ARE WE WORKING WITH THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY? UM, WE'RE NOT STOP.
SO WHEN IT SLOWS DOWN TRAFFIC, 'CAUSE EVERYBODY'S LOOKING UP WHAT'S HAPPENING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, THERE'S GOTTA BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY ON THAT.
AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT DATA.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT TO BE A PROBLEM YET.
SLOWING DOWN TRAFFIC, NOT BETWEEN FIVE AND, AND, AND SEVEN O'CLOCK THAT THEY'RE THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET HOME.
I'M SURE THERE MIGHT BE A FEW THAT MIGHT BE LOOKING AT IT, BUT THOSE GUYS ARE TRYING TO GO HOME.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY ISSUE WITH THAT.
BUT I, I CAN TELL YOU THIS, IS THAT IF WE DO SEE ISSUES, THEN WE'LL ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
BUT IT'S GONNA BE QUITE CHALLENGING FOR US TO MAKE A TRAFFIC STOP ON 75 NORTHBOUND SEVEN FIVE, BETWEEN FIVE AND SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE NIGHT, THE EVENING TIME.
UM, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SAFETY.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT MY OFFICERS MAKING A TRAFFIC STOP ON THAT FREEWAY.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE MAKING TRAFFIC STOP DURING THE TIME.
AND IF A BANNER FALLS ONTO THE HIGHWAY, IT'S A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW, WHO'S THEN, WHO'S ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT? WELL ADDRESS THAT ISSUE WITH, WITH THE PROTESTORS.
I'M, I'M REALLY SURE IF YOU COULD ACTUALLY PUT A BANNER OVER THE, THE WAY THAT THE BRIDGE IS DESIGNED.
I HAVE TO GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S, IF IT'S A ROUND
[02:20:01]
CIRCULAR FITS OR IF IT'S JUST, UM, VERTICAL.I JUST, I HOW ARE YOUR OFFICERS LOOKING AT THE WIDTH AND SAYING THE TWO-WAY TRAFFIC IS OKAY WITH, YOU KNOW, 20 PEOPLE, 40 PEOPLE ON THE BRIDGE.
WE'LL GO OUT THERE, WE'LL MONITOR THAT.
LET'S TRY TO WRAP THIS UP GUYS.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE IF WE HAD A MECHANISM THAT WE COULD SAY THAT WE CAN ENFORCE ON SAYING YOU CANNOT, YOU CANNOT HAVE ANY KIND OF ACTIVITY ON A TRAIL, WHICH IS TRANSPORTATION.
YOU CANNOT HAVE ANY KIND OF ACTIVITY ON A TRAIL ORGANIZED ACTIVITY ON A TRAIL WITHOUT A PERMIT.
I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE HAVING A HOPSCOTCH COMPETITION OR A BAND WALKING THROUGH PLAYING THE MARCHING BAND.
IT COULD BE A PRO DECK, COULD BE ANYTHING.
YOU CANNOT HAVE IT ON A TRAIL WITHOUT AN EVENT PERMIT.
'CAUSE THAT TO ME, IF WE COULD HAVE THAT MECHANISM, THEN YOU COULD IMMEDIATELY DISBAND IF THEY DON'T HAVE A PERMIT AND WE JUST WOULDN'T ISSUE A PERMIT FOR A LOCATION WITH SUCH A SMALL PASSAGEWAY THAT'S SO TIGHT.
CAN WE MAKE, CAN WE PUT THAT MECHANISM IN PLACE? THE BOARD CAN MAKE THAT REQUEST TO STAFF TO, TO PURSUE THAT AND LIKE SAY WE WILL WORK WITH LEGAL.
YOU CAN'T HAVE A, YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY KIND OF ACTIVITY IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET WITHOUT A PERMIT.
SO HOW IS IT, TO ME, A TRAIL IS A STREET JUST FOR PEOPLE WALKING IN ON CYCLES.
SO WHY COULDN'T WE JUST PUT THAT INTO OUR RULES, NOT OUR TRAILS.
WE, ONCE AGAIN, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE WE, WE, WE RUN IT ALL BY LEGAL AND MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE GOOD.
AND IT WOULD ALLOW US TO, TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE SAFETY ASPECT OF IT ON ANY PLACE ON OUR TRAILS, ANY BRIDGE, ANY, ANYWHERE ON OUR TRAILS BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION, IS WE VERY NEED TO VERY QUICKLY NEED TO PUT THAT IN PLACE THAT I TREAT IT, TREAT IT THE SAME WAY AS A STREET.
'CAUSE TO ME, IN MY ESTIMATION, IT IS A STREET.
SO LET'S, LET'S MAKE IT IT'S MOBILITY.
QUICKLY PUT THAT ON POINT, AND THEN WE CAN SEND DPD TO IMMEDIATELY HAVE THEM DISPA ANY PLACE IN OUR, IN OUR PARK SYSTEM, OUR TRAILS.
AND IT'S A, IT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE DOING JUST 'CAUSE OUR TRAILS ARE EXPANDING.
WE'RE GONNA BE ALL THE WAY TO FORT WORTH IN A MINUTE.
SO LET'S, LET'S FIND A WAY THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY RELEASE AND GET THE RESULT THAT WE NEED QUICKLY.
I 80 CONSTRUCTIVE MILES OF TRAILS AND WE HAVE ANOTHER 120 MILES PLANNED.
SO HOW, HOW WOULD I OR EXHIBITING ON THIS BOARD MAKE THAT HAPPEN? UH, YOU ALL CAN INSTRUCT STAFF TO, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM NOW, WE HAVE ON THE RECORD TODAY.
YOU CAN INSTRUCT STAFF WOULD YOU'D LIKE US TO DO? OKAY.
WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO INSTRUCT STAFF TO LOOK INTO A WAY TO MAKE A RULE AROUND, UH, NO TYPE OF ORGANIZED ACTIVITY ON ANY OF OUR TRAILS WITHOUT A PERMIT THROUGH OUR REGULAR PERMITTING PROCESS.
I GUESS WE'LL BRING IT AS A FORMAL POLICY.
UH, YEAH, WE'LL COME BACK, WE WILL WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND WE'LL COME BACK WITH A DRAFT POLICY FOR THE BOARD.
LET'S, MR. SLAUGHTER, SINCE YOU DON'T SPEAK ON THIS, MAKE IT BRIEF.
I THINK IT, IT'S A SAFE ISSUE AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S POLITICAL TOO.
AND ALSO, UH, WHAT MR.
IT'S BIBLICAL AND, AND LEAVING EYE LOOKING AT ME.
I'M JEWISH TOO, BUT I'LL SAY THAT.
YOU KNOW, I NEVER TAKE THREE ROUNDS, SO I'M THANK YOU, UH, MS. ASBY, I COMPLETELY A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID.
UH, AND I JUST THINK BACK TO THE WHITE ROCK CREEK TRAIL, WHICH IS EIGHT FEET WIDE.
I KNOW IT'S GETTING IMPROVED IN THE BOND, THE 2024 BOND, BUT THAT IS EIGHT FOOT WIDE TRAIL.
AND YOU ARE, IT'S JUST SAFETY CONCERNS THERE.
AND WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING THAT PREVENTS IDLING BLOCKING OUR TRAILS.
AND I SUPPORT WHETHER IT'S A RULE, AN ORDINANCE, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING, IT'S GONNA MAKE OUR TRAILS SAFER.
IT'S GONNA MAKE OUR BRIDGE TRAILS SAFER.
IT'S GONNA MAKE, IT'S JUST WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
MAKING NOTES IN THE BEGINNING.
YOU KNOW, I NEVER TAKE THE REASON.
[02:25:01]
ENFORCE THE LAW AND SAFETY AND THE RULE OF THE LAW IS THE HIGHEST RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY.IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALLY SCRUTINIZE THIS AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WALKING ON THAT BRIDGE OR RIDING ON THE, ON THE BICYCLES ARE SAFE.
WE DON'T EVEN ALLOW ELECTRIC SCOOTERS.
SO HOW ARE WE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO JUST STAND THERE? I, I I MEAN, AND JUST IDLE.
I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PURSUING THIS AND, AND MAKING, TAKING SOME LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THIS.
WITH THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND ANSWERING.
YOU CAN SEE IT IN A BOX ISSUE 5 25.
WE TAKE A QUICK 15 MINUTES BREAK.
WE HAVE YOU'RE WELCOME TO BRING IT BACK HERE AND COME BACK AT 1245.
WE NEED TO CLEAN OUR PARK AND RECREATIONS CODE.
WE, UH, ANOTHER VERY FIRST, UH, TO HEAR FROM
UM, EVERYONE, SO WE DO HAVE
UM, TODAY WE WILL HAVE A LETTER FORCE LOW, WHO IS THE, UM, THE BOARD CHAIR.
UM, SHE WILL BE BRINGING A PORTION OF THIS PRESENTATION AT A LATER POINT.
UM, WE'LL ALSO HAVE OBG 360, WHICH IS AN, I'M SORRY GROUP.
THE CHAIRMAN MANAGER, STACY CHURCH WILL ALSO BE HERE AT LATER TIME, BUT I WILL HAVE THEM HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE, UM, EVERYONE THAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT WITH THEM.
BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND LET, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY HEAR ME? ALRIGHT.
I AM VALLETTA FORSYTH WILL, I AM THE FAIR, UM, BOARD PRESIDENT AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
UM, YOU BRING BACK MEMORIES OF SITTING IN COMMUNION, UH, REGARDING, UH, IMPORTANT PUBLIC ISSUES.
DO ANOTHER LITTLE RECAP OF THE YEAR.
THE FIRST SLIDE YOU SEE IS JUST A TIMELINE REMINDING YOU OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE.
UM, WE BEGAN COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING, WHICH WAS IMPORTANT, BOTH, UM, MAYOR WELL TASK FORCE, AS WELL AS THE 2003 AIRPORT PLAN.
THEN IN 2020 WE STARTED A LARGE SCALE EVENTS WITH THE NHL GAME, AND THEN FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, WE GO TO A SUPER SITE FOR PERMISSION OF FOOD AND VACCINATION.
THEN 2021, WE COMPLETED THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY THE PARK BOARD END COUNCIL.
THEN WE STARTED IN 2021, OUR APPLE CAMPAIGN FOR THE COMMUNITY PARK, AND WE SELECTED THE ARCHITECTS FOR THE COMMUNITY PARK.
2022, WE CREATED THE FIRST CULTURAL STATE OF TEXAS CULTURAL DISTRICT IN THE SECTOR.
WE SECURED THE LARGEST NAMING GIFTS, TAKING NAMING GIFTS AND APPROVAL OF PROP A, WHICH IS
THEN 2023 OF TEXTBOOK COTTON BULL STADIUM, UH, BEGAN.
AND WE ALSO SECURE FIRST GRANT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS A SUMMARY AS WELL FOR THIS IS 2023.
2020, UH, SO OCTOBER ONE TO NOW, UH, $15 MILLION IN, UM, PRIVATE, UH, FUNDING AS WELL AS GOVERNMENT GRANTS.
THAT BRINGS US TO A TOTAL, IF YOU WOULD INCLUDE THE PROFIT A,
[02:30:01]
UM, WHICH IS ROUGHLY $400 MILLION WITH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC FUNDING.UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, IN OUR NAMING RIGHTS, WE ARE A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK.
AND SO THE OTHER BUILDINGS THAT ARE IN AVENUE A NAME, THEY STAY, THEY STAY IN.
SO PLAZA AT THEN TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, UM, SECURED TOWARD THE COMMUNITY PARK AS WELL.
UH, CONSTRUCTION IN 2024 COTTON BOWL STADIUM, I THINK PEOPLE'VE ALREADY TAKEN FOUR, WHICH IS GREAT.
WE'RE DOING SOME OF LA BOON IMPROVEMENTS AND THE TOWER BUILDING IS BEING COMPLETED, UH, AS WE SPEAK BECAUSE THE STEPS ARE BEING DONE.
BUT THAT WAS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN
SIGNIFICANT FUNDRAISING SUCCESS IN THE YEAR.
RUN A PLAZA WORKING ON PARK, UM, MAGNOLIA LOUNGE, THE SECOND AVENUE PARK.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THESE LITTLE MONEY FOR THE FAIR PARK VISITOR CENTER AND WORKED ON PARK PROBATION.
WE ALSO RECEIVED SEVERAL BOARDS FOR OUR PARK.
WE GET 128 FREE PROGRAMS. REMEMBER WE DO THE BIG AND SMALL.
WE WORK VERY, WE DO FOUR SIGNATURE EVENTS, UH, TO LOSE IT IN THE PARK, THE BAR HOLE FARMER'S MARKET AND TEXAS TURTLE DAY.
IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW SOME OF THE BIGGEST SPECIES OF TURTLE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS RESIDE IN, UH, THAT YOU HAVE 60 PLUS COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
I TOOK OVER AS BOARD CHAIR ON JUNE 25TH AND WE'VE BEEN MAKING SOME CHANGES, BUT I WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT.
MY NEW VICE CHAIR IS JASON BROWN.
MANY OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW HIM IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.
UH, HE DEVELOPS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, ADVOCATE FOR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, NEW BOARD MEMBERS, FIVE NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
JOHN WILKEN STATE, WHO IS A FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR.
UH, RECENTLY RETIRED PARTNER FOR
YOU MAY KNOW BECAUSE SHE NEEDS TO BE PUBLIC WORK.
SHE TO PUT, SHE'S AN ARCHITECT AND SHE'S PUT TOGETHER THE BOND PROGRAMS. SHE IS CURRENTLY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DALLAS AND OVER THEIR FOUNDATION.
DAN TOPE AUDIT COMMITTEE, FAIR RETIRED PARTNER, ERNEST YOUNG.
UM, HIS EXPERTISE IS IN RENTED AUDITS AND LUBBOCK SMITH II IS ON OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UH, AND MATT ORWICK HAS JOINED OUR BALL BOARD ON IT TO, YOU MAY KNOW MATT.
HE SERVED THREE PAST PRESIDENTS, FIVE ATTORNEY GENERALS, AND ONCE THE FORMER, UH, UH, US ATTORNEY FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT.
WE HAVE SIX BOARD MEMBERS LIVING, WORK AND WORKING IN SOUTH DALLAS IN THE ZIP CODE DESIGNATE.
SO WE HAVE 17 BOARD MEMBERS, UH, LIVE AND WORK IN THE SOUTH.
UM, SOME OF CHOOSE, YOU KNOW, UH, IS OUR DESIRE TO HAVE GREATER FINANCIAL CONTROL.
SO ON OCTOBER ONE FOR NEW OR PLEDGES NEW AND REFERRED, THEY WILL GO INTO ACCOUNT AT A PNC BANK.
WE WILL MAINTAIN OUR 10% ADMINISTRATIVE FEE, WHICH IS PART OF OUR GIFT POLICY.
AND THE BALANCE WILL GO INTO THE DALLAS FOUNDATION UNTIL WE RECEIVE SPECIFIC INVOICES.
NO SPECIFIC, WE'RE DOING NEW POLICY AND PROCEDURES
[02:35:01]
AND CHARTER FOR OUR COMMITTEES.UM, OTHER CHANGES WE CREATED AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR, FOR, AND ALYSSA ARNOLD, WHO IS NEXT TO ME, HAS BEEN YEAR OPERATING OFFICER AND SHE IS THE CURRENT, UH, CEO INTERIM.
NOW I'M GONNA TURN THIS TO ALYSSA BECAUSE HER, HER EXPERTISE IS ACTIVATION.
SHE'S GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. PRESIDENT AND SERVICE.
I'M APPOINTED CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AS WELL AS INTERIM CEO PARTNER IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE A
UM, SO I WANNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW COMMUNITY PROGRESS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
SO IN 2019 IS WHEN WE LAUNCHED OUR PROGRAMMING SERIES OVER THE SUMMER WITH A FOCUS ON TRYING A PARK POPUP CENTERED AROUND SATURDAYS IN THE LAGOON.
IT FEATURED A'S CARD ART WORKSHOPS, GAMES AND PLAY STRUCTURES, THE SMALL SOCCER FIELDS AND BASKETBALL COURT AND, AND YOGA AND DANCE CLASS.
UM, IN 20 20, 20 20 AND 2021, WE HAD TO TAKE A BREAK.
UM, BUT WE DID CONTINUE TO OFFER, UH, ONE OFF SOCIALLY DISTANCE, UH, PROGRAMS THAT ARE MUSIC.
UM, SO WE PARTNERED WITH THE DALLAS AND PEOPLE OFFICER AND W 1 0 1 1.
WE ALSO DEVELOPED A DO YOURSELF FITNESS ROUTINE AND TAKE YOU AROUND THE PARK AND
UM, WE GOT BACK UP AND RUNNING IN THE SUMMER OF 2020.
WE RELAUNCHED WEEKLY SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR
WE FOCUSED ON WEEKENDS IN JUNE, JULY, AND WE
WE PART IN THE PARK CART, YOGA, DRUM CIRCLES, PUPPET SHOWS, BIRD WATCHING AND COLLAR.
WE ALSO INTRODUCED, UH, PARTNER EVENTS.
UH, SO WE STARTED OFF WITH THE LOCATE FOOD PARK, WHICH IS NOW PARK, AS WELL AS PARTNERSHIPS WITH DALLAS OPERA AND ART DISTILLERY.
UH, WE DID ALSO CREATE OUR FIRST NEW SELF-PRODUCED S DRIVEN AS, UH, BLOOD ALLUDED TO TEXAS TURTLE DAY AND, AND YES, WE DO HAVE A LARGEST
SO, UH, THAT IS PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR, UM, IN THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2223, WE DECIDED TO PUSH OUTSIDE WEEKENDS, SUMMER MONTHS.
WE LAUNCHED WEEKLY WELLNESS CLASSES ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS FROM MARCH TO JUNE.
UM, WE ALSO UHTRAINING PROGRAMS THAT AREN'T PART YOGA.
WE DEVELOP NEW PROGRAMS AS WELL.
WE ALSO STARTED DISNEY NIGHTS BY RODEOS WITH
WE ALSO NEW SIGNATURE, UM, UH, PARTNERS IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR AND ON THE CAMPUS OF FAIR PARK, WHICH IS CALLED, UM, WE DID ALSO CONTINUING.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE ALSO HAD, UH,
THE ARTS, WHICH IS THAT NONPROFIT CALLS INSPIRE PEACE AREA AND AURORA AS WELL.
UH, FOR THAT SEASON, WE HAD
IN FISCAL YEAR 24, WE HELD A TOTAL OF 134 PROGRAMS OVER 75 DAYS, ONE 20 OF THEM OCCURRING IN YEAR.
WE SAW 30% INCREASE IN KIDS IN 2024 AND 60, AND WE SECURED UNDER, WHICH ALLOWED US TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAMMING.
IN ADDITION, UM, RECOGNIZING THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS SOME OF THE UNHEALTHY ZIP CODES AND CONTINUES TO FINESSE OUR FITNESS AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS. AND WE ADDED ANOTHER WEEKLY WELLNESS CLASS HULA HOOPING WITH LY IN MY GROUPS.
I
UM, THAT BRINGS US TO A TOTAL OF THREE WEEKLY WELLNESS CLASSES AND TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, AND SATURDAY.
UM, WE DID HAVE A NUMBER OF RETURNING PROGRAMS. WE ALSO DEVELOPED NEW PROGRAMS SATURDAY SOUNDS, WHICH WE DO.
[02:40:01]
MUSICIANS, PILATES.WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE FRIENDS OF THE PARK AND TOOK ON PRODUCTION OF THE DOCK BOWL.
WE CREATED A FARMER'S MARKET IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BONTON FARMS, BIG TECHS, URBAN FARMS, AND WE OVERVIEW FARM AT ALAND COLLEGE AND WE PARTNERED WITH THE DO Z FEST AND CAP ZERO ON A NEW CONCEPT CALLED MARKET.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE LOSS PROJECT ON FESTIVAL AS WELL.
OUR, UM, AND THEN OVERALL, WE ARE PART OF OVER 60
THIS IS OUR DIRECT INVOLVEMENT, UM, WITH OUR PROGRAMS THAT WE POST OURSELVES, UM, 60 SOUTHERN SECTOR.
UM, SOME OF OUR NETWORK PARTNERSHIPS HAVE ALREADY COVERED, BUT AS I SAY, WE, UM, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF, UH, PLANS ALREADY IN PROCESS FOR TWO FIVE.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
SO WE'LL HAVE A
AND WE'RE WORKING ON A NEW SIGNATURE CALLED
UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE, REMEMBER OUR PARTNER ZERO, UH,
UM, SO HOPEFULLY THOSE FLYERS WILL HELP SUPPLEMENT ALL THAT AS WELL.
THIS SLIDE IS JUST ABOUT FUNDING SOURCES.
I TALKED ABOUT THE ALMOST $490 THAT WILL SOME WAY TO FAIR PARK FROM PUBLIC SOURCES AND PRIVATE SOURCES AND MANAGING THINGS.
SO THE CITY OF DALLAS, UH, WILL MANAGE OBVIOUSLY PROP A AND THE BEGINNING OF THAT IS THE COTTON BOWL, WHICH I HAVE ALREADY HAD.
WE HAVE RAISED, UH, JUST SHY OF $30 MILLION WE HAVE COLLECTED, AND THIS IS TO THE PENNY, 17,000,115, UH, THOUSAND $625.
AND WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE DOLLAR, WE HAVE DOCUMENTED EVERY DEMENTIA FROM $25 TO FIVE.
SO I CONSIDER THAT, UH, 2017 BONDS, 50 MILLION.
YOUR, YOUR BIGGEST ONE THERE OBVIOUSLY WAS THE HALL OF STATE DEATH.
THE POLICY, UH, THIS IS ALL BUT DONE.
THE LAST PROJECT IS MADE FIRE, UH, THAT WILL BEGIN POST, UH, STATE FAIR.
WE HAVE 5 MILLION IN THE 2024 BONDS LARGELY THAT WILL BE, UH, IN THE AREA OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM, THE AQUARIUM AND TEXAS DISCOVERY GARDEN, A FEW OTHER SMALL.
WE ALSO GET, HAVE RECEIVED FEDERAL AND STATE DIRECT GRANTS AT TWO POINT.
UH, ONE 4 MILLION IS $850,000 GRANTS THROUGH CONGRESSWOMAN JASMINE CROCK AND 1.2, UH, 91.2 MILLION FROM TEXAS PARK.
UH, THEN THE FEDERAL STATE DIRECT THAT ROUGHLY 550,000.
THAT IS THINGS SUCH AS, UM, WE RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE, UH, TEXAS COMMISSION ON ARTS, UM, TO, TO SET A PART OF A CULTURAL DISTRICT AND SOME FUNDING, UH, THAT 3000 AND THEN TWO 50 WE ARE MATCHING, UH, TEXAS COMMISSION OR TEXAS HISTORIC COMMISSION MONEY WITH CITY OF DALLAS MONEY TO REPLACE THE CHILLER.
CHILLERS AT FAIR PARK ARE ONE OF OUR EXPENSIVE MAINTENANCE ITEMS. WE'VE HAD A TEMPORARY CHILLER AT THE VISITOR CENTER FOR TWO YEARS.
THAT COMES AT A COST OF $9,000 MONTH.
AND THAT'S NOT THE BIGGEST ONE.
THE BIGGER, THERE IS A LARGER ONE WHICH COMES COST OF $18,000 MONTH IN OPERATIONAL COSTS.
UM, THEN FINALLY, PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.
THAT IS A MIX OF $8 MILLION FOR THE EXTENSION OF TRAIL.
AND THAT IS CURRENTLY SIDING IN HALF THE COUNTY AND THE
[02:45:04]
COUNTY DESIGN THE BALANCE 4 MILLION IS, UH, WAS THE IFRA GRANT TO TEXAS FREEZE FOUNDATION, WHICH THEY BILL, UM, $3 MILLION SMALL PARK ON, UH, NEXT TO ARNOLD RIGHT NOW SCHOOL OVER BY TEXAS DISCOVERY GARDEN.THIS WILL GIVE THE, THE STUDENTS THAT RIGHT NOW A CLOSER GREEN SPACE FOR THEM.
SO IT'S UNDER TEXAS STREET FOUNDATION, UH, COOL SCHOOLS.
AND SO WE BROUGHT 208 MILLION IN HOUSE AND $399.
THEN THE FUNDING BREAKDOWN ON A HIGHLIGHTED PROJECTS.
THESE PROJECTS, AS I MENTIONED, COMMUNITY PARK.
WE, UH, RAISED 23, THE MAGNOLIA LOUNGE.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THAT BUILDING WAS
AND FOR HARRISON, I, THE WORKPLACE OF AMERICAN REGIONAL THEATER, UM, CORONA PLAZA THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THE CULTURAL DISTRICT, WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO MARKET IT.
UH, CULTURAL DISTRICT GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO
SO IT ALLOWS US TO ALLOW TO MARKET FROM A TOURISM STANDPOINT, THOSE $3 MILLION FOR THE SECOND AVENUE PARK THAT I MENTIONED, THE DISTRICT CENTER OF $500,000 ART RESTORATION, 1.332 MILLION, AND THE LOOP TRAIL.
AND YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT HOW THAT'S HERE, THAT OUR FUTURE PLANTS, UM, WE NEED AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY FAIR PARK.
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE WE DON'T HAVE ONE.
UH, YOU DID AN ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PARKS I BELIEVE IN 2016.
HOWEVER, HOWEVER, THE ONLY MENTION THERE, UH, WAS STATE FAIR NORMALLY, UH, ENTERTAIN, UH, STATE FAIR BRINGS IN ABOUT HALF OF OUR, UH, SO 2019, ABOUT 6 MILLION PEOPLE HOME.
AND BY THE WAY, ON THE IMPACT STUDY, I INTEND TO RAISE THE MONEY.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, UH, THE OFFICE OF THIS HISTORIC PRESENTATION WILL ECONOMIC IMPACT, UH, STUDY WITH HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS BY THE WELL KNOWN ECONOMIST ANMA.
HE, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR MEDIA AREA SUCH AS
AND WE PLUS, UH, SO THEY ALL WILL ALL BE PART OF THAT ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY SEPARATE.
WE, UH, OUR FRIENDS FROM OEG ARE HERE.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD AND HAVE PASSIVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT UPDATING THE MANAGEMENT AND SUB MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.
AS YOU KNOW, WHEN THESE AGREEMENTS WERE CREATED BACK LITERALLY IN 2018, WE WERE IN ANCE PROOF OF WORK.
WE, UH, A MORE EQUITABLE POWER BALANCE.
AND SO THAT WILL BE PART OF WHAT WE NEED.
FUNDRAISING, DIVERSIFICATION, RAISED CAPITAL, UH, AND SOME PROGRAMMING THAT STEWARD.
BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE SELECT NAMING OPPORTUNITIES.
I HESITATE TO BRING THAT UP AT THE MOMENT.
UM, AND HISTORIC AND HISTORIC TAX CREDITS, THAT IS SOMETHING I'LL BE TALKING, UH, BIDEN CONNOR MORE ABOUT, VERY FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
IT WILL REQUIRE SOME RETHINKING FROM THE PARK DEPARTMENT.
IT'S, UH, GENERAL OPERATING AND NON-RESTRICTED FUND RENTING.
WE'LL DOING THAT A LITTLE MORE BALANCE THAN WHAT WE RAISE MONEY FOR ABOUT PROGRAMMING, UNDERWRITING, UH, AND NEW REVENUE GENERATING INITIATIVES.
UM, WE DOING A MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM, MORE ONLINE
[02:50:01]
GIFTS, ET CETERA, AND NEW COMMUNITY PARKS.AND SO I KNOW YOU'RE ALL WAITING FOR THE AUDITS.
UH, IT WILL BE COMPLETED SHORTLY AND, UH, AND I WILL, WE'RE MEETING WITH ESTHER O'CONNOR THE EXACT DATE.
BUT THAT IS LIKE WHEN YOU EXPECT, IF YOU KNOW THIS IS, IT GETS LABELED IN THE PAPER SOME TIME AND THE BODY IS NOT THERE, UH, IT GETS LABELED SOMETIMES A FORENSIC BODY, TYPICALLY IT IS NOT A FORENSIC BODY.
OKAY? IT IS A APPLYING AGREED UPON PROCEDURE AUDIT BY MELANIE MCNEIL AND COMPANY.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY THROUGH BAKER TILL IS DOING THEIR OWN AUDITS.
UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW ABOUT HOW, WHY IT'S TAKING SOMEONE, WE'VE REVIEWED DONATION, INCOME AND EXPENSE TRANSACTIONS DURING THE TIMEFRAME.
THE ENTIRE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN FROM MARCH, 2021 TO APRIL 30TH, OH, 2020.
MS. ARNOLD FIRM HAS REVIEWED MORE THAN 2000 DOCUMENTS.
UM, WE'VE REVIEWED DONOR PLEDGE AGREEMENT, WRITTEN
WE HAVE INTERVIEWED, UH, CONTRACTORS, UM, UH, ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS.
YOU KNOW, YOU ARE BUYING EXPENSIVE EXPENSES TO THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS AS LOUD AND ORACLE.
SO THAT'S THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU WILL EVENTUALLY RECEIVE.
AND LET ME JUST SAY THE THING I NEED MOST, HARRISON.
ADAM, WHAT DO YOU NEED? UM, I'M WORKING EIGHT HOURS A WEEK, SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, WE ARE HAPPY TO, UH, ANSWER THEM NOW OR CERTAINLY WILLING TO TURN OVER THE MIC TO, UH, A TONE QUESTION.
I THINK LET'S FINISH FIRST FROM PG.
IT IS, IT IS AFTERNOON, MA'AM, RIGHT? YOU, I'M SORRY.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, SAY THANK, UH, FOR THE TIME INTRODUCTION.
UH, ONE I JUST WANTED TO REINTRODUCE OUR TEAM.
UH, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF VENUE MANAGEMENT FOR OUR VENUES AND MY
SHE'S BEEN OUR FOR JUST UNDER THE LAST YEAR IS A REMARKABLE JOB AND PROBABLY HAVING HERE, CERTAINLY, UH, TWO LEFT IS MIKE AVER, WHO'S OUR SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF ANY MANAGEMENT WHO HAS OVERSIGHT FOR THIS ACCOUNT.
SO JUST WANTED THANK TO THE BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, WE ARE APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION WITH YOU.
UH, WE KNOW, WE RECOGNIZE WE HAVE SOME THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
YOU HAVE OUR COMMITMENT TO DO THAT WITH YOU AND TO DO THAT WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH
SO AT THIS POINT I WILL TURN OVER TO SAFETY DEPARTMENT.
I SAID GOOD MORNING, BUT IS AFTERNOON.
SO I'LL, I'LL KEEP CHANGE THAT.
AS GREG SAID, I'M STACY CHIRP.
UM, I DID START AT FAIR PARK NEAR 11 MONTHS AGO, BUT I HAD BEEN IN THE DALLAS MARKET.
I SPENT FOUR HALF YEARS AT THE COMMITMENT, ET CETERA.
SO, UH, NEW TO FAIR PARK, BUT NOT NEW TO THE MARKET.
UM, AND DEFINITELY NOT THE COMPANY I'VE SPENT 16 YEARS WORKING ON.
WHAT IS
SO FY 24 HAS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR US AT THE PARK.
EVENT ACTIVITY, WE'RE CURRENTLY FORECASTING TO COMPLETE THE
[02:55:01]
14 EVENTS, UM, WHICH CONTINUES A YEAR OVER YEAR GROWTH TREND IN BOTH NUMBER OF EVENTS AND EVENT REVENUE.THE EVENTS LISTED HERE ARE JUST A SNIPPET OF THE FULL YEAR'S ACTIVITY, BUT ARE MEANT TO CONVEY THE VARIETY OF EVENTS HOSTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
YOU MAY NOTICE, UH, A FEW FOOTBALL PLAYERS UP THERE.
FOOTBALL MIGHT THINK THAT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH GAMES, BUT IT DOES NOT.
WE ACTUALLY WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WORK WITH EA SPORTS AND THAT'S THE COVER FOR ANYBODY THAT PLAYS VIDEO GAMES, THAT A KID THAT PLAYS THE
SO, UM, I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY COOL AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE, UH, TALK ENOUGH ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE
AS I SAID, OUTPACING THE BUDGET FOR THE YEAR AS SHOWN HERE IN THE FINANCIAL REPORT THROUGH JULY 30TH, 2024.
WE'VE EXPERIENCED HIGHER THAN EXPECTED EXPENDITURES, UNFORTUNATELY, PRIMARILY RELATED TO EMERGENCY REPAIRS.
SOME OF THOSE HAVE BEEN RELATED TO IMPLEMENT WEATHER EVENTS AND SOME OF THEM ARE JUST DUE TO THE AGE OF THE EQUIPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE PAR.
UM, THE DRAFT BUDGET FOR FY 25, IF YOU SEE UP THERE, IT DOES CURRENTLY SHOW A, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH, UH, THE PARK STAFF PRIMARILY RYAN O'CONNOR AND UM, RACHEL PERRY A LITTLE BIT WITH, UH, RENEE JOHNSON ON DEVELOPING A WORK PLAN TO REMEDY THE DEFICIT WITH A POTENTIAL SHIFT SCOPE.
AND WITH THE NEW FISCAL YEAR QUICKLY APPROACHING, WE EXPECT TO HAVE THE NEXT STEPS FINALIZED IN THE FUTURE.
WE DID THIS MEET WITH, UM, THE TEAM YESTERDAY.
SO THIS SLIDE IS TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW EVENTS THAT WE HOSTED THIS YEAR.
UM, OF THOSE 114 EVENTS THAT I TALKED ABOUT, WE HOSTED 54 NEW EVENTS.
UM, WE DID SEE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE DOWN THERE ON THE, UH, BOTTOM CORNER, WE HOSTED TOGETHER LAND.
IT WAS A, UH, MULTI-DAY MUSIC FESTIVAL.
WE WELCOMED OVER 30,000 GUESTS FOR THAT EVENT.
IT WAS OVER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.
AND I HAVE A NEW, UM, ADMIRATION I GUESS FOR FOLKS THAT ATTEND OUTDOOR FESTIVALS BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE IN DALLAS IN MAY.
AND THESE WERE FOLKS THAT SPENT TWO DAYS, I MEAN FROM LIKE NOON TO 11:00 PM UM, AT THE PARK, UM, WATCHING TALENT.
UH, THIS EVENT WAS ACTUALLY A SECOND SHOW.
IT'S WITH, UM, OSCAR JOINER WHO DOES THIS SAME EVENT IN ATLANTA.
IT'S CALLED MORNING MUSIC FEST.
SO THIS WAS PRETTY EXCITING, A FIRST TIME URBAN FESTIVAL FOR US AND WE WERE EXPECTING TO WELCOME THEM BACK.
WE ALSO, HOPEFULLY SOME OF Y'ALL ATTENDED, WE HOSTED DALLAS VERSUS INNER MIAMI.
THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION ON IF MESS WOULD PLAY OR NOT, AND HE ACTUALLY DID PLAY, HE WAS THERE, SO THAT WAS PRETTY
WE ALSO WELCOMED A NEW FOOD FESTIVAL CALLED FOODIE LAND, WHICH WAS AN OUTDOOR FOOD FESTIVAL WITH ALL SORTS OF UNIQUE FOOD ITEMS, UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SOMETIMES FIND AT THE FAIR, BUT, UM, IT WAS PRETTY WELL ATTENDED, UM, AS WELL.
AND THEN YOU HEARD ALYSSA MENTION A JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL.
WE ACTUALLY HOSTED TWO JUNETEENTH EVENTS THIS YEAR AT FAIR PARK, INCLUDING THE FESTIVAL THAT SHE MENTIONED AS WELL AS AL'S WALK FREEDOM.
SO THAT WAS PRETTY EXCITING AS WELL.
SO 54 NEW EVENTS RIGHT FROM, YOU KNOW, URBAN FESTIVALS TO COMMERCIAL CAPITAL NEEDS.
YOU SEE HERE, UM, WE, WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT WHAT FAIR PARK FIRST IS DOING ON THE FUNDRAISING SIDE.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE STILL SIGNIFICANT NEEDS, UM, BOTH FOR AND LONG TERM, UM, CAPITAL NEEDS AT THIRD PARK, THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
IMMEDIATE NEEDS AS OF TODAY, AND I SAY AS OF TODAY BECAUSE, UH, TOMORROW IT COULD BE A DIFFERENT NUMBER, UH, WITH A DIFFERENT
BUT, UH, THE NEEDS ARE JUST OVER $12 MILLION.
THAT'S WHAT WE PAIRED WITH, UM, THE CITY ON OUR FIVE YEAR CAPITAL FORECAST.
[03:00:01]
THAT BUCKET IS A MAIN STADIUM LINING UP ROOF.OTHER NEEDS INCLUDE BLOCK PAVING, ROOF WORK, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER EQUIPMENT AND BUILDINGS.
THIS NEEDS, WE WERE FORTUNATE THIS YEAR, UM, LATE IN THE YEAR TO FIND OUT THAT NURSING REC WAS ABLE TO COMMIT TO ABOUT, UM, $2 MILLION IN PROJECTS TO HELP REMOVE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE ON OUR LIST FOR NEXT YEAR OFF OF THE LIST.
THOSE REPAIRS THAT INCLUDE, UM, PRIMARILY LIKE HVAC REPAIR AND, UM, SYSTEM REPLACEMENTS AND
SO WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE, UM, THE, THE STAFF FINDING THE MONEY TO HELP US WITH SOME OF THOSE CAPITAL PRODUCTS.
UH, THE OTHER NUMBER YOU SEE THERE IS MUCH BIGGER THAN THE IMMEDIATE, IMMEDIATE NEEDS.
THOSE ARE THE LONG TERM CAPITAL NEEDS, WHICH EXCEED $200 MILLION.
THAT IS BASED ON AN ASSESSMENT THAT WE HAD COMPLETED, UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WHICH PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE, UM, HEAVILY USED, WHICH ARE LIKE CENTENNIAL AUTOMOBILE AND BARCA DERO, CREATIVE ARTS, FOOD AND FIBER, VITAL BUILDING BRAND PLACE, UM,
AND, UH, THAT ASSESSMENT WHICH FOCUSED ON MOST OF THOSE BUILDINGS THAT DID NOT INCLUDE THE
AND WE HAD OTHER ASSESSMENTS DONE IN THOSE BUILDINGS, BUT THAT WAS, UH, A AROUND $150 MILLION TO, UH, MAKE ALL NECESSARY REPAIRS AND ADDRESS EFFICIENCIES AS WELL AS BRING THOSE BUILDINGS UP TO A POSITION WHERE THEY WOULD BE MARKETABLE FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, TRADE SHOWS, CONSUMER CORPORATE EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THE BAND FELL AND THE COLISEUM, UH, THE ESTIMATE FOR THOSE BUILDINGS WERE ANOTHER OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
SO, UM, THAT'S NOT THE, THE COMPREHENSIVE MERC WIDE NUMBER, BUT THAT IS A NUMBER FOCUSING ON JUST THOSE, UH, HANDFUL ABILITIES, WHICH ARE THOSE THAT WE, UM, TYPICALLY DO BUSINESS IN.
AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE
THIS YEAR WE HOSTED 19 COMMUNITY EVENTS, WHICH INCLUDED EVENTS LIKE PIER PARK FOUR, UM, WHICH WELCOMES ALMOST 40,000 GUESTS.
AND THE MAYOR'S BACK TO SCHOOL DRIVE MANY OF THESE COMMUNITY EVENTS, MAKE FAIR PARK THEIR HOME ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, ALLOWING US TO CONSISTENTLY ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, UH, WITH IMPACTFUL CONTENT.
ANOTHER WAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IMPACT THE COMMUNITY IS THROUGH, UM, OUR MINORITY BUSINESS, UM, SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESS FOR PARTICIPATION, UH, COMMITMENT, WHICH IN FY 23 WE ACTUALLY HAVE 54%, UM, OUR SPEND WITH THOSE MINORITY VENDORS AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO WE'VE CONTINUED TO HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SUCCESS.
WE'VE MADE A COMMITMENT TO SPENDING DOLLARS WITH THOSE, UM, SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES.
UH, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE NUMBER THAT ELICIT PROVIDED EARLIER WAS I, I BELIEVE AN AVERAGE OF SEVERAL YEARS.
AND THIS IS JUST THE NUMBER FROM
WELL, IT WAS PRETTY WELL, I HOPE YOU EXPERIENCED THE EVENT.
I KNOW WE ALREADY BEEN IN DALLAS, BUT UH, I GOT TO GO UP ON THE ROOF AND IT WAS EXCITING AND I HAD SEVERAL FRIENDS WHO TEXTED ME TO SAY THAT THEIR KIDS WERE THERE BECAUSE WE DID HAVE SOME SCHOOLS WITH DISD COMMONLY WERE ABLE TO HANG OUT ON THE FIELD AND WATCH THE INPUT FROM THE
UH, ANOTHER WAY THAT WE ARE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IS THROUGH OUR HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.
HOPEFULLY YOU ALL ARE AWARE, THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, THAT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED SINCE WE BEGAN, UM, OPERATING THE PARK.
WE WORK WITH JAMES MADISON AND LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOLS AND THE CONTRIBUTION ANNUALLY IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SOME OF THE, UM, COSTS FOR THAT OR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE INVEST IN.
WE DO OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE KIDS TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAMS. UH, THIS WAS MY FIRST YEAR PARTICIPATING IN THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AND I HEARD A LOT FROM BEING IN THE MARKET AND WORKING FOR OPD BUT DIDN'T REALLY GET TO SEE HOW IMPACTFUL OR DIDN'T REALLY, WE HAVE CELEBRATION THIS YEAR WHERE I GOT TO LISTEN TO 14 OR 15, UM, HIGH SCHOOL RISING SENIORS AND SENIORS STUDENTS JUST GRADUATE, TALK ABOUT HOW GREAT IT WAS FOR THEM TO SPEND SEVEN.
IT IT'S REALLY IMPACTFUL PROGRAM.
THE OTHER NUMBER THAT YOU SEE THERE IS LARGE, IT'S A MILLION DOLLARS AND THAT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH OB G HOSPITALITY.
[03:05:01]
THINGS THAT THEY DO ANNUALLY IS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE EVER, UM, WORKED FOR A NON-PROFIT AND YOU'VE GONE INTO A STADIUM AND YOU'VE WORKED AT A CONCESSION STAND TO HELP GENERATE FUNDS FOR YOUR NONPROFIT, THAT IS A PROGRAM THAT OBG HOSPITALITY RUNS.AND UH, THIS YEAR THEY SHARED $200,000 IN, IN EARNINGS WITH THOSE NONPROFIT GROUPS.
THE OTHER NUMBER, WHICH IS MUCH LARGER, $800,000 EARNED BY, UH, 20 PLUS MINORITY PARTNERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT SUBCONTRACT WITH OBG HOSPITALITY.
SO THAT'S, UH, BUSINESSES LIKE FLETCHER'S AND CAFE SIERRA NINETIES BARBECUE, TONY'S TACO SHOP, YUMI PIZZA, AND, AND YOU KNOW, THE TON MORE.
BUT THOSE GROUPS ARE COMING OUT.
THEY'RE WORKING WITH OBH, THEY'RE RUNNING THEIR FOOD OPERATIONS AND THIS YEAR THEY EARNED $800,000 IN COMMISSION BASICALLY BY, WITH KELLY PARTNER.
SO THAT'S A REALLY GREAT THING AND YOU KNOW, A MILLION DOLLARS IS A GREAT WAY TO GIVE BACK REALLY MAKING, OKAY.
THE LAST THING I'LL TALK ABOUT, HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY'S BEEN OUT FOR A DALLAS TRINITY.
I SEE SOME, SOME HEADS NODDING.
UM, THIS YEAR WE JUST STARTED, WE HAD OUR FIRST GAME WITH THE DALLAS TRINITY ON SEPTEMBER 7TH.
THEY'RE, THE HOME OPENER WAS SEPTEMBER 7TH.
THEY DID PLAY, UM, BARONA WOMEN CLUB ON AUGUST 30TH, BUT THE HOME OVER WAS ON SEPTEMBER 7TH.
WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT, BUT WE'LL BE HOSTING THE DALLAS TRINITY AS A, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SORT OF A TEMPORARY TENANT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, ROSA FLEMING AND HER TEAM OVER AT PREVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO WELCOME THIS TEAM TO THE POT HALL STADIUM WHERE THEY WILL BE HOSTING 14 GAMES AND PERHAPS SOME POST-SEASON GAMES DEPENDING ON HOW THEY PLAY OVER THE NEXT TWO SEASONS.
SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNEW ABOUT THAT AND INVITE YOU OUT TO THE NEXT GAME, WHICH IS ON OCTOBER 5TH IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO COME AND SEE THE TEAM.
AND THAT'S IT FOR ABOUT, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION STACY, AND MAYBE YOU LET HAVE ANSWERED.
SO FOR THAT, SO I THINK AS I UNDERSTAND, YOU WORK FOR
WHY ARE YOU PRESENTING FAIR TENTION TO PERSON OR FAIR PARTNERS? BECAUSE THE WAY IT'S BEEN IS FROM THE BEGINNING THE WAY IT WAS CONSTRUCTED WAS THEY WERE COMPLYING.
AND SO AS PART OF OUR SORT OF DECOUPLING YOUR FUTURE, WE'LL SEE WHAT WENT ON IN THE PARK AND THEN ON THE PROCESS.
BUT THAT'S THE REASON AND THEY COMBINE FUNDRAISING DOWN AT THE BOTTOM.
BUT I HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES ON THOSE.
SO WE'LL HAVE OUR OWN BUDGETS IN THE FUTURE.
BUT THE LETTER THAT ITSELF, IT STARTS WITH A HUGE CONFLICT.
YOU ARE A NON-PROFIT WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH AND YOUR FOR-PROFIT PARTNER IS PRESENT, PRESENTING YOUR FINANCIALS IN PAST, THAT WAS NOT THE CASE, I THINK I'VE BEEN PART OF.
SO, SO THAT ITSELF MAKES ME QUESTION EVERY ONE OF IT THAT HOW THAT NONPROFIT FAIR PARTNERS SOMEONE WHO IS A FOR-PROFIT PARTNER PRESENTING ME THEIR FINANCIALS ANYWAY, I'M SURE THERE'LL BE A LOT MORE QUESTIONS, BUT THAT, THAT ITSELF STARTS AS A BIG CONFLICT TOO.
NO WONDER TODAY FAIR PARK IS, WHICH WAS PRIDE OF THE CITY IS THE CONTROVERSY OF THE CITY.
SO, BUT ANYWAY, LET'S START WITH, UH,
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS HOW MANY NEW EVENTS CAN ON A CONSISTENT BASIS, COULD YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? ARE THERE ANY, YOU, DO YOU, YOU HAVE
[03:10:01]
I'LL QUICKLY SPEAK TO MAYBE STACY AND, UH, I WOULD SAY JUST LOOKING AT OUR, UM, SHE REPORTED AND SHARED THIS 54 NEW EVENTS THAT, UM, THIS YEAR THAT, UM, I WOULD SAY WHAT, WHAT I'VE OBSERVED IS THAT THE NUMBER OF EVENTS HAVE, UM, PROBABLY BEEN CONSISTENT FROM YEAR TO YEAR, BUT THE TYPE OF EVENTS HAVE CHANGED PRETTY DRAMATICALLY.SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN BRINGING KIND OF MORE REVENUE GENERATING EVENTS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE DRIVEN MORE REVENUE.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WE'VE ALSO BEEN DRIVING, UM, MORE CONCESSION, MORE FUNDING, MORE ANTI REVENUE AS A RESULT OF THAT.
SO WE CAN SHARE, WE HAVE SOME PRETTY, UH, PRETTY GOOD INCREASE IN REVENUE.
UM, BUT THE, THE EVENT HAS STAYED, THEY CHANGED.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SHOWED THE 54 EVENTS.
WE CAN PROVIDE A DETAIL AS TO YOU IF YOU'D LIKE US TO.
BUT LET ME SAY SOMETHING AND THERE'S NO ONE IN THIS TOWN THAT DOESN'T WANT PART TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
SAY FOR PART, I'M A PRODUCT OF THE AREA, I'M A PRODUCT OF THE STATE FIRM WAS SO, ENTHUSIASM WAS SO HIGH THAT YOU GUYS REACHED OUT AND DID THAT THING FOR INTERNSHIP
AND I SAID I WAS JUST FORTUNATE, FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, WE OWN THAT AND IT LIVED A LANDLORD, IT'S KIND OF, IT WAS KIND LIKE BEATING THE HIT OF WITH WALL DOING FALLING APART AND YOU DO A CONTRACT WITH SOMEONE AND YOU'RE NOT FULLY FUNDED.
SO WE GO FROM HERE, CHIME ON THIS WITH ALL
THE CHALLENGE THAT THAT
SO WE GET LESS, WE LOSE, WE GET LESS MONEY FOR THE RENT AND AT THIS POINT, UH, HOPE TO TALK TO WHERE WE THINK
BUT ONE OF THE, I I DO WANNA BRING UP ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES THAT THAT IS RIGHT NOW WE'RE REDOING THE
AND AS OF ASSAULT, WE ARE HANDING OVER THE FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN MAINTENANCE MONEY, THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS
SO IT'S BASICALLY AN $11 MILLION HIT TO THE BUDGET.
SO WE BLEW FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS BUILDING, BUILDING MAINTENANCE REVENUE FROM EXCESS REVENUE FROM THE STATE FAIR OBJECTS.
AND THAT'S USUALLY ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF.
WE WON'T GET THAT FOR 10 YEARS.
SO WE CAN APPLY THAT FOR BOND.
THEN WE'RE DOWN TWO YEARS OF PROGRAMMING IN.
SO I, STACY, AM I CORRECT, IT'S ABOUT $11 MILLION.
UM, SO THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET GOAL FOR US.
WE HAVE 34 BUILDINGS, WHICH DON'T HAVE A SINGLE PARK THAT HAS ANYTHING CLOSE TO THAT.
WE ARE GOVERNED BY THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC CITY LANDMARK.
WE ARE GOVERNED BY THE STATE THROUGH THE TEXAS HISTORICAL CONVENTION.
IF ANYTHING GOES SUPER WRONG, GOVERNED BY A NATIONAL, UH, PARK SERVICE.
WE, WE ARE THE LARGEST PUBLIC ARTS COLLECTION OWNED BY THE CITY IS IN FAIR PARK.
WE ARE ALSO, WE WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURES OF ANYTHING
[03:15:01]
THAT CHANGES ONE OF THOSE ART PIECES HAVE TO GO SEE.SO WE HAVE AT LEAST SIX DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK ON.
SO I TOLD YOU I NEEDED A NEW CHILLER.
I PUT, I GOT A GRANT FOR 250,000 FOR CITY WITH THE PARTS DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO COME UP WITH A MATCH TO THAT.
THEN WE HAD TO GET AN ARCHITECT AND AN ENGINE DO THAT CHILLER.
THERE NEEDED TO BE AN APPLICATION TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.
THERE HAVE TO BE A TASK FORCE MEETING.
THERE WILL BE A LANDMARK COMMISSION.
SO NOTHING IN FARRELL PARK IS STRAIGHTFORWARD AND NOTHING IS EASY.
SO, AND I COMPLAIN ON THIS
I CAN'T GET MONEY FROM ME, I CAN'T USE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT MONEY.
THAT FORCING DEVELOPMENT INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE STATE HAS ASKED US NOT TO COME FROM AN MMV.
SO I HAVE, WE ARE CREATIVE, BUT I BELIEVE, BUT WE NEED MORE TOOLS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.
AND EXPLAINED THIS CONTRACT BACK 2018 AND I'M, I'M JUST NOW ANALYZING ON GOOGLE OTHER OPTIONS.
THE CITY HAD PETRA AT THAT TIME CAME TO THE CITY SAYING WE ARE GOING TO DO THE SAVINGS.
THEY KNEW THESE ARE A HUNDRED YEAR OLDS BUILDING.
THEY KNEW THERE WERE MAINTENANCE PROBLEM.
THERE WAS NO PROP A OR PROMISE TO AT THAT TIME THAT CAME AS A SHOT IN THE ARM.
SO NOW THAT HAS IT ALSO STILL, IF THEY KEEP ON COMING, NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE THE TIME CONTRACT WAS SIGNED.
SO THAT, UH, CLEARLY TELLS ME THAT THERE WAS A CONTRACT WHICH WAS FALSELY PROMISED TO THE CITY.
NOW WE KEEP ON REPEATING THE SAME THINGS AGAIN AND AGAIN.
NO CONDITION OF, UH, PARA PARK HAS CHANGED SINCE THE TIME SOME THINGS WERE PROMISED, AND NONE OF THEM, AND I THINK WE CAN GO OVER DETAIL ONE BACK AND PLEASE, IT'S NOT DIRECTED AT YOU.
YOU JUST TOOK OVER THIS CHAIR AND TALKING ABOUT THE CONTRACT IN GENERAL.
SO I THINK WHEN IT WAS SIGNED, THERE WERE OTHER OPTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW THEY WERE GOOD OR NOT, BUT I THINK FINALLY, YOU KNOW, CITY SAID WE NEED A NONPROFIT SPECTRA CREATED A NONPROFIT ON YOU.
THAT NONPROFIT IS NO GOOD BECAUSE THIS PROFIT IS, UH, CONTROLLING YOU TODAY.
THEY'RE PRESENTING ME YOUR FINANCIALS AND THEN ALL WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS CORRECT.
BUT THIS EXISTED THE DAY WE SIGNED THE CONTRACT, UH, WITH, UH, SPECTRA APAC.
FIRST SPECTRA WAS NOT PART OF A CONTRACT.
SO I REALLY WANT TO TALK TO FAIR PARK FIRST, AND I WANT THEM TO BE CONTROL OF THEIR DESTINY IF THIS NEEDS TO WORK.
SO, UH, AND I HAVE NUMBER OF OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE PROBLEMS YOU HAVE SAID THEY INVESTED.
NONE OF THEM ARE NEW SINCE THE TIME THIS CONTRACT WAS.
AND WE GAVE YOU A SHOT OF $300 MILLION BECAUSE OF CREATIVITY OF THIS MATTER.
SO I GET EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT FOR PARKS WHERE PARK IS KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT FOR THE PARKS.
I THINK, I THINK A LIVED HERE, AND THIS IS CERTAINLY VERY COMPLICATED ALL THE WAY.
GOING BACK TO HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW, TO YOUR POINT, SO WE HAD A UNIQUE CONCEPT, OUR BEST INTENTIONS TO HAVE THE FUNDRAISING ROOM.
AND I THINK
AND I THINK WE FIGURED OUT ALONG THE WAY THAT WE NEEDED TO TWEAK HOW THAT WORKED A LITTLE BIT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AN ACCOUNTANT, BUT I CAN SORT OF READ THESE FINANCIAL, AND FOR ME IT'S LIKE, WELL, IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE WASN'T A CLEAR LINE OF COMMUNICATION OR WAY THAT THAT, UH, INFORMATION WAS PRESENTED GOING BACK AND FORTH.
SO THAT FAIR PARK FIRST REALLY HAD AN UNDERSTANDING
[03:20:01]
OF THE FINANCIAL PART OF THE OPERATIONS.SO ONCE WE SEE THE AUDIT, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY ON YOU GUYS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE PUT IN PLACE BETWEEN THE TWO ENTITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S OVERSIGHT ON THE PART OF SARAH PARK FIRST.
'CAUSE ULTIMATELY THAT'S, I THINK WHO WE'RE GONNA GO TO, WHO'S HOPING.
SO IF SOMETHING GOES OFF THE RAILS, WE'RE COMING TO YOU TO EXPLAIN TO US.
SO I'M HOPING AS WE MOVE FORWARD THAT WE CAN, THROUGH YOUR WORK, PUT IN WHATEVER KIND OF
SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE I HOPE WE CAN GET HERE.
UH, I TOO AM A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HEARING ABOUT WE KEEP FINDING MONEY AND GIVING YOU MONEY AND, AND BONDS FOR MORE MONEY.
IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WE KEEP GOING.
LIKE, WHAT IS THE AMOUNT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE AMOUNT AND WHAT IS OUR STRATEGIC PLAN MOVING FORWARD TO FIND THAT AMOUNT? SO I'M HOPING WITH SOME OF THE STUFF THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS OR SO, THAT WE CAN SEE YOUR VISION FOR HOW TO FIX THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE FIXED INTERNALLY, AND THEN YOUR VISION ON HOW MUCH MONEY WE NEED TO GET, GET HOW WE'RE GONNA GET THAT GOING FORWARD.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
I THINK EVERYBODY WANTS THIS TO WORK BETTER.
I THINK FOR POISED FOR GREATNESS, WE JUST GOTTA FIX THE INTERNAL STUFF THAT, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.
IT LOOKS LIKE THAT ON PAPER AND THAT 300 MILLION, BUT AS I SAID, IT'S GONE, THAT'S GONE INTO 1 BILLION.
WE DON'T 75 MILLION, RIGHT? 140 MILLION AT MONTH AND 50,004 IN 2017.
SO IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY.
IT JUST ISN'T AS MUCH AS IT LOOKS LIKE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, AND, AND YOU KNOW, I'M A HUGE FAN OF YOURS AND I KNOW YOU CAN MAKE MAGIC HAPPEN WHEREVER YOU END UP.
AND I REALLY, IT'S MY HOPE THAT YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THIS NEW BOARD AND
AND I'M REALLY HOPING THAT THROUGH YOUR WORK YOU CAN HAVE VERY CLEAR EXPLANATIONS TO US AND TO THE PUBLIC OF WHAT OBG PART IS IN THIS FINANCIALLY.
BECAUSE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY DID HAVE A, AN EXPECTATION THEY DID FULFILL.
SO WHAT IS THAT GONNA BE GOING FORWARD? IS IT REALISTIC AND IT'S NOT REALISTIC AND WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND IF WE NEED MORE MONEY FOR OPERATIONS FROM OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT SO THAT WE'RE NOT BACK HERE LATER GOING, WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THAT? YOU'RE THINKING I NEED A $12 MILLION CHILLER.
SO I THINK WE NEED MORE TRANSPARENCY GOING BACK AND FORTH.
YOU NEED MORE TRANSPARENCY GOING BACK AND FORTH.
AND THEN THERE DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE SOMEBODY AT A HIGH LEVEL MAKING SURE THAT EACH PARTY IS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR PART.
SO I I APPRECIATE THE BOARD'S CONCERN, UH, AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHALLENGES WE'VE HAD IN UNDERSTANDING THE, THE HISTORY OF THE, OF THE, UM, STRUCTURE OF THE CONTRACT.
I WILL SAY A A COUPLE THINGS AS IT RELATES TO THAT ONE, YOU KNOW, FOR US, UM, I DON'T THINK EVEN AT THE ONFI, THIS CONTRACT, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, I KNOW I WAS NOT THERE THE ONSET, BUT, UH, NO ONE HAD ANY INTENT, NOR DID WE MISS OF ANYBODY ABOUT THE ENORMOUS INVESTMENT THAT WAS REQUIRED FOR THESE FACILITIES FOR THIS CAMPUS.
I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT OUR CONTRACT, WE WERE NOT STRUCTURED TO FULFILL A SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL INVESTMENT.
CERTAINLY THAT RELATES TO THE COLLECTIVE BODY OF FAIR PARK FIRST.
LIKE THERE WAS INTENT FOR, UM, FUNDRAISING BOTH FOR OBVIOUSLY THE OPERATIONS PIECE AS WELL AS THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN THAT DID NOT MATERIALIZE.
AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, BUT WE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT DID NOT MATERIALIZE.
WE, WE WELCOME THE TRANSPARENCY THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
LIKE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THERE'S CLEAR LINE OF SIGHT AS TO WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
AND FOR OURS, WE'RE ACTUALLY HELPING AND WE'RE SUPPORTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INDEPENDENCE IS THERE AND THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE TRANSPARENT.
AND WE ALSO WELCOME MODIFICATIONS TO OUR CONTRACT TO MAKE SURE WE DO THAT AND THAT THE BOARD'S SATISFIED.
SO I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR, WE, WE UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING DOING, OKAY, I'VE BEEN HEARING THIS.
I HAVE P BEEN AT THIS THREE YEARS EVERY YEAR I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR TRANSPARENCY.
WE ASK FOR A MANAGEMENT CHANGE, WHICH YOU GUYS TOOK MORE THAN A YEAR BECAUSE THAT WAS A BIG LINK.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING IT AGAIN, BUT I REALLY WANT THAT ACTION TO HAPPEN ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
I THINK EVERY TIME I THINK I'VE ASKED IN PERSON, I'VE ASKED YOUR OLD TEAM THAT YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE IS THIS TRANSPARENCY? I ASKED ABOUT THE AUDITS OF THE CONCERTS YOU HAD THAT, HOW MUCH MONEY DID DO YOU GET? HOW MANY DID OVG GET? WHAT WAS THE SPREAD
[03:25:01]
IN BETWEEN WHO MADE THAT MONEY? I STILL DON'T HAVE, AND THAT'S WHERE ALL THIS AUDIT AND ALL THIS STARTED, YOU KNOW, SO, SO NO, I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING IT, BUT LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN NOW.AND MARIA, YOU ARE CALLING A WAKE UP CALL.
NO, WE NEED A SHAKEUP CALL RIGHT NOW.
IF WE, IF WE NEED TO DO OUR JOB FOR CITY FAIR PARK IS WHERE WE NEED TO FIX THIS AS A BOARD BECAUSE WE INHERITED A CONTRACT, WHICH IS A HORRIBLE CONTRACT, WE REALLY NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE.
WE WILL, WE WILL FULFILL OUR DUTIES TO THE CITY IF WE DO THAT.
IF I MAY, MR. PRESIDENT, I JUST WANNA JUST SAY, UH, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF CHANGES RIGHT NOW.
UH, ONCE WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION, I'LL ASSURE YOU, THERE WILL BE DISCUSSION IN BETWEEN OBG 360 AND FAIR PARK FIRST ABOUT RESTRUCTURING THIS ENTIRE CONTRACT.
ONE, I'M ONLY HEARING THAT, UH, TALKING ABOUT RESTRUCTURING THE CONTRACT, WHICH MIGHT BE WITHIN THE PREVIEW.
I DON'T KNOW THAT, BUT I THINK IF THERE IS A, UH, ONE QUESTION I HAVE MY MINUTE.
SO THE AUDIT REPORT, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE REVIEW OF IT AS OB GF REVIEW OF IT, DOES OVG HAVE PREVIEW OF IT? UH, I I'M SORRY.
COULD YOU, THE AUDIT REPORT, WHICH YOU SAY IT'S TAKING FOREVER, 8,000 DOCUMENTS OR WHATEVER, WE DON'T HAVE REVIEW TO IT.
DOES OVG HAVE PREVIEW TO THAT? WHAT THEY HAVE IS, WE'VE BEEN GOING OVER SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT DO NOT.
IT IS OUR AUDITOR THAT'S WORKING ON THE AUDIT AND OUR AUDIT CHAIR.
WE'VE HAD MEETINGS WHERE WE SIT TOGETHER BECAUSE NOT ONLY WAS THERE CO-MINGLING OF FUNDS, THERE WAS A CO-MINGLING OF INVOICES.
SO IF IT SAID, LET'S SAY IT WAS AN ATTORNEY AND THEY BILLED US, SOMETHING MIGHT HAVE BEEN RELATED TO PARKING AND SOMETHING MIGHT HAVE BEEN RELATED TO A DONATION AND THAT HAD TO BE ALL PULLED APART.
SO I HAVE TO ASK THEM IN SOME CASES, AND THEY'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THAT WITH US, WHAT, WHAT IS IT SO THAT WE KNOW AND WE UNDERSTAND THERE WERE BIG CONTRACTS, TAX ENGINEERS, VERY BIG CONTRACTS.
AND SO IN SOME CASES I'VE LITERALLY GONE OUT AND INTERVIEWED THE ENGINEER TO GO OVER EACH EACH ITEM.
UM, SO THEY ARE PROVIDING FEEDBACK IN TERMS OF YES, THIS WAS OUR SPECIFIC ITEM AND I'M LOOKING AT HOW DOES IT APPLY TO THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS I RAISE MONEY FOR.
SO I HAVE THREE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.
I THINK THAT THOSE PROJECTS ARE, EXCEPT THE BIG DISCUSSION IS THE COMMUNITY PART WHERE WE RAISE A LOT OF MONEY AND A LOT OF CHANGES IN THE DESIGN THAT WE NEED TO BREAK APART ON WHO'S RESPONSIBLE.
SO, BUT IS IT THAT THE JOB OF THE AUDITOR, 'CAUSE ONCE YOU HAVE DONE IT, THEY SHOULD BE DOING IT FAIR PARK FIRST, NOT BE, THAT MEANS YOU ARE INTERFERING IN THE JOB.
YOU YOU SHOULD NOT BE DOING AUDITOR JOB, YOU'RE NOT LEAVING THEM ALONE.
LOOK, THE AUDITOR COMES BACK WITH QUESTIONS AND AUDITORS TYPICALLY SAMPLE TRANSACTIONS.
AND WE'RE NOT SAMPLING TRANSACTIONS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERY TRANSACTION.
AND I WILL SAY, YES, I'M WORKING A LOT AND ALYSSA'S WORKING A LOT AND WE'RE ASKING STACY A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND WE'RE ASKING THE CCFO, GIVE ME THIS, GIVE ME THAT THE AUDITOR, IT WOULD END UP COSTING US MORE MONEY.
AND SO IN SOME WAYS WE ARE TRYING TO DO THIS.
AND SO HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THAT TRANSACTION WAS.
SO IT'S NOT, IT MAY BE THE JOB OF THE AUDITOR AUDITOR, BUT IF HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT HE IS READING, I HAVE TO GIVE HIM FEEDBACK.
SO IT'S NOT SEPARATING THINGS I HAVE TO HELP HIM UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS I HAVE GONE THROUGH NUMBER OF AUDITS.
I RUN A BUSINESS BIGGER THAN FAIR PARK.
I'VE NEVER, BUT MAYBE WHAT YOU'RE DOING,
[03:30:03]
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AND HAVE IT NOT COUNT AGAINST MY TIME, BUT IF I DO INTEND TO USE ALL THREE ROUNDS, IF THAT POSSIBLE.
UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK BETTE A LITTLE, UM, FOR YOUR, NOT JUST YOUR SERVICES.
UH, I FIRST MET LET WILL 35 YEARS AGO WHEN WE SERVED TOGETHER ON THE PEOPLE SERVICE COMMISSION.
THAT WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND SINCE THEN, OF COURSE, HER CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE IS STORIED, UH, NOT PAID.
AND MY WIFE AND I TOLD HER THIS THIS MORNING, MY WIFE AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT YESTERDAY.
'CAUSE MY WIFE TENDS TO SAY ABOUT MY SERVICE ON THIS BOARD, IT'S A FULL-TIME JOB.
YOU GONNA GET THAT? I SAID, WELL, YOU GLAD I'M NOT GONNA LET EM KNOW I THAT AFTER ALL SHE'S DONE BEFORE THIS STEPPED UP AND TIME OF GREAT AND AND GIVEN 80 HOURS A WEEK.
AND I, AND THAT IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION 'CAUSE I'VE GOTTEN TEXTS.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING IN TO, TO, TO THE EXTENT THIS SHIP HAS GONE OFF COURSE.
I, I, I THINK YOU'RE THE PERFECT PERSON TO STEER US THROUGH THIS PERIOD.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT ON THE RECORD BECAUSE SHE DESERVES GREAT KUDOS, EVERYONE IN THIS CITY FOR EVERYTHING SHE'S DONE, IN PARTICULAR FOR WHAT, SHE'S IN THE MIDDLE NOW AND I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE AGREED TO TAKE IT ON, BUT SHE DID.
SO, OKAY, NOW I WOULD START WITH MY ROUND ONE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT VERY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY OF THIS GO BACK TO THE AUGUST 2ND, 2018 PARK BOARD MEETING THAT YOU CAN SEE ONLINE.
I'VE LOOKED AT THOSE FIVE HOURS MEETINGS,
AND IT IS, IT IS CLEAR THAT IN THAT MEETING WHEN O SPECTRA CAME TO US AND SAID, WELL, WE CAN DO IT FOR FOUR AND A HALF MILLION, EVEN THOUGH THE OTHERS HAD GONE FROM 15 TO 18 MILLION, THAT WE CAN DO IT.
AND ASSURANCES WERE MADE, PROMISES WERE MADE IN GOOD FAITH, I WILL SAY IN GOOD FAITH.
BUT PARK BOARD MEMBERS AT THE TIME HAD QUESTIONS THAT IN RETROSPECT ARE ABSOLUTELY PROPHETIC
I'M TALKING ABOUT BOBBY OF TAHI, RODNEY SCHLOSSER
THOSE FOUR ASKED QUESTIONS, SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASSURANCES WERE GIVEN BY SPECTRA.
AND I JUST WANNA MENTION A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT ONES BECAUSE, UH, THE, THE, THE QUESTION SEVERAL OF THOSE GUYS WERE ASKING WAS LIKE, HOW CAN YOU DO IT? JESSE MORENO SAYS SPECIFICALLY, LIKE, WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR 15 MILLION A YEAR, YOU SAID FOR FOUR AND A HALF WE'VE BEEN DOING SOMETHING WRONG.
OR WHAT IS IT? AND THE SPECTRA EXECUTIVES AT THE TIME HAD GREAT ASSURANCES WITH CLAIMS LIKE, WELL, WE'RE A MULTINATIONAL TEAM.
THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TRUST INVOLVED, WE AS TO TRUST US FACTOR.
AND SO THOSE QUESTIONS ABOUT CAN YOU DO IT PERSISTED WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS AND ASSURANCES WERE GIVEN ONE OF THE MAJOR ASSURANCES AS IS MR.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO ASK WHOEVER IS WANTS TO ANSWER THIS, WHAT DID HAPPEN? BECAUSE THAT MONEY NEVER CAME THROUGH.
AND THAT IS AN ENORMOUS PART OF HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, I BELIEVE.
SO WHAT HAPPENED? I KNOW THAT, UH, AT THE TIME ONE OF THE ASSURANCES WERE MADE, UH, BY MR. BEATERMAN WHO SAID, WELL, I WAS THE ONE ON OUR TEAM.
IT WAS NOT, NOT A DIFFICULT NUMBER TO RATE BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE, HE SAID AT CLYDE WARREN.
AND SO I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW, UH, IF ANYONE WANTS TO LOOK AT THE PART TWO OF TWO IN THE VIDEO, THAT'S AT SEVEN MINUTES AND 40 SECONDS.
SO WHAT HAPPENED, MR. I'LL TAKE THAT.
SO, UM, FROM YOUR, UH, RECOLLECTION IS TRUE ABOUT THE $3 MILLION, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE CONTRACT, UH, AND WE ALL WENT ENTITY, BUT AS THE CONTRACT HAD THE RESPONSIBILITIES, UM, SEGREGATE FAIR PARK FIRST WAS, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR FUNDRAISING.
WE DID HAVE, MR. EMMAN DID TALK ABOUT THE FUNDRAISING FOR OPERATIONS AT THAT TIME.
UM, WHAT HAS HAPPENED, UH, AND TRANSPIRED SINCE THAT TIME IS THAT WHEN WE WERE WORKING WITH THE FORMER LEADERSHIP, THE CEO AND THE, THE FORMER CHAIR PARTICULARLY WERE ASKED TO STAND DOWN ON DOING THE FUNDRAISING FOR OPERATIONS.
SO THERE WAS THE, THE PERCEPTION THAT THERE WERE BEING COMPETITION COMPETING
[03:35:01]
FOR GOING AFTER, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT FUNDRAISING EFFORTS.SO THAT'S WHAT A CONVERSATION WE HAD.
SO THAT'S IN PART WHAT HAPPENED.
BUT YOUR RECOLLECTION AT THE ONSET IS CORRECT.
THAT'S WHAT, UH, INITIALLY WAS PROVIDED BY MR. BE WHEN WE FIRST TALKED ABOUT, OKAY, 25 SECONDS LEFT.
THERE ARE TWO MORE IMPORTANT PROMISES MADE THAT WEREN'T KEPT OUR ASSURANCES MADE.
AND I WANT TO GET INTO, IN MY ROUNDS TO MR I'LL GIVE YOU FIVE MORE MINUTES.
SO ANOTHER THING THAT HAPPENED IN THAT MEETING, QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED WAS RELATED TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS BOARD ABILITY TO APPROVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
AND IN THE PART TWO OF TWO, AT BASICALLY ONE HOUR AND ONE MINUTE AND 41 SECONDS, UH, THE QUESTION CAME UP ABOUT SPECIFICALLY PAUL SIMS ASKED MR. AHERN, WELL ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS LIST THAT MUST THAT BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
AND BOBBY UPTAKE SAID, WELL, THERE IS A PROVISION THAT SAYS ANY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OVER 250,000 MUST COME BEFORE THIS BOARD.
AND THE COUNCIL, RIGHT AT THAT TIME, MR. AHERN SAID, THAT'S RIGHT.
AND HE ASKED THE THEN CHAIR OF THE FAIR PARK FIRST BOARD, DOES THAT REFER TO THE CITY MONEY ONLY OR THE PRIVATE MONEY TOO? AND THE ANSWER WAS, IT'S ALL THE SAME.
THERE WERE MAJOR CHANGES DONE AND MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE COMMUNITY PART WHERE THE SCOPE WAS BLOWN WAY UP.
THIS BOARD WAS NEVER ASKED ABOUT THAT.
WE HAD BEEN ASSURED BY STAFF THAT WE WOULD HAVE CONTROL OVER WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT PART.
AND I'VE GOT THE TIME CODE FOR THAT ONE AS WELL.
AND SO AS A BOARD MEMBER WHO'S THERE, I THINK IT IS, IT'S, IT IS SIGNIFICANT.
LIKE WHAT HAPPENED, IT'S WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.
BUT THERE, THERE ARE CERTAINLY AS WE TRY TO RECONSTRUCT AND GET OUT OF THIS MESSAGES AND, AND, AND THAT, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT CAME ABOUT, BUT I, IT DOES ALL GET BACK TO THAT SUB MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.
AND THE SUB MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT IS THE REASON FOR ALL OF THIS.
'CAUSE ESSENTIALLY THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE, THE SPECTRA, OVG, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT FAIR PARK AND THE CHAIR OF THE FAIR PARK FIRST BOARD AT THE TIME.
ESSENTIALLY THOSE TWO PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO ACT UNILATERALLY IF THEY CHOSE WITHOUT THE BOARD.
AND THIS HAPPENED, I, AND I CAN GIVE ANYONE OFFLINE, DON'T WANNA GO INTO IT AND TAKE OFF A LOT MORE TIME, BUT THEY DID THINGS UNILATERALLY.
THIS BOARD WAS NOT ASKED ABOUT THE FAIR PARK.
THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAIR PARK FIRST WEREN'T CONSULTED ABOUT THAT PUT US IN THIS BAD POSITION.
AND, UM, THE LAST BIG THING, THE BIGGEST THING, AND, AND I'LL SAY THERE'S PLENTY OF BLAME TO GO AROUND, AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THIS CITY HAS FOUGHT TO BLAME.
AND I'LL GET INTO THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, AT THE END OF THAT MEETING IN PART THREE OF THREE IN ONE MINUTE, ONE HOUR, 23 MINUTES ROUGHLY, ROB STEWART ASKED THE QUESTION, HAS THE, HAS THE THE COP, HAS THE SUB MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT BEEN FINISHED? AND IT, HE WAS TOLD, WELL, IT'S IN DRAFT FORM ALL, IT'S ALMOST FINISHED.
AND HE SAID, THERE ARE, IF WE WANT THIS TO MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY, I THINK THERE'LL BE PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD WHO WILL WANNA SEE THAT SUB MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT BEFORE WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT STEP PROVING THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND FAIR PARK FIRST.
THAT'S HUGE BECAUSE PRESIDENT, WELL, BOBBY
WELL, SO AT THE TIME HE WAS, THIS IS HOW, HOW CLEAR THE ASSURANCE WAS.
THE THEN CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF FAIR PARK FIRST SAID, WELL, WE'RE HAVING A, WE WILL HAVE A SPECIAL CALL FAIR PARK FIRST BOARD MEETING SO WE CAN APPROVE THAT DRAFT SUB MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT IN TIME FOR YOU TO SEE IT BEFORE YOU VOTE ON THE AGREEMENT WITH US.
AND HE SAID, AT ONE MINUTE, 21 HOUR, 23 MINUTES AND 56 SECONDS IN PART THREE OF THREE, WE WILL GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF, SIR.
BUT WHAT HAPPENED SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, WAS PRESIDENT OF TAHI, THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS HAD BEHIND THE SCENES, HE WAS TOLD IN VERY CLEAR TERMS, AND THIS IS WHERE IT GETS TO THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
YOU GUYS GOT NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS.
THIS IS ON US, THIS IS OUR THING NOW.
[03:40:01]
PARK DEPARTMENT, THE PARK BOARD, WE'RE NOT PRIVY TO THE SUB MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE BEEN PROMISED.WE COULD SEE ONLY BOBBY KNEW THAT IT DIDN'T, IT IT, BUT THAT'S HOW THAT HAPPENED.
AND SO WHAT THEN HAPPENED WAS IT WASN'T THE PARK DEPARTMENT FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT THAT WAS GIVEN, THE ONES WHO KNOW FAIR PARK, WASN'T WILLIS WINTER HAD ANY INPUT, WHO WAS THE PERSON WHO'S FORGOTTEN MORE ABOUT FAIR PARKING? ANYBODY EVER KNEW? IT WENT INTO THE CITY MANAGERS UNDER THE CITY, UNDER THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICE OF THEIR PROCUREMENT.
AND THE ATTORNEYS THAT WHO DRAFTED THE AGREEMENT WAS WORKING FOR BOTH SIDES.
AND THE AGREEMENT, THAT WAS THE DASTARDLY AGREEMENT THAT WAS SET UP, SET UP WHERE THE OVERSEER, THE INTENDED OVERSEER, THIRD PART FIRST WAS TOTALLY SUBJECTIVE TO THE ENTITY.
THEY WAS OVERSEE, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS ON THE CITY BECAUSE IT'S, WE SAVED $10 MILLION A YEAR, THE FIVE, FOUR AND A HALF MILLION THAT WE WERE GONNA PAY.
SO THAT SAVINGS, THE CITY CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, I GUESS, OR WHOEVER DID THAT, TOOK THAT MONEY AND CHUNK IT INTO THE MORASS OF THE GENERAL FUND DISAPPEARED.
AND EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN, WHATEVER WE'VE SAVED BY THIS AGREEMENT HAS GONE AWAY.
SO THE, THE IMPORTANT PART OF THAT IS THAT WE AS THE, AS THE PROBLEMS, EVERYONE'S IN GOOD FAITH, BUT AS THE PROBLEMS STARTED TO APPEAR, WE HAD NO, THERE WAS NOWHERE TO GET THE MONEY.
AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE TO THIS DAY WHERE YOU'RE ASKING, SO THAT'S WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.
BUT CITY COUNCIL, AND THIS IS MY QUESTION, WOULD CAUSE MAYBE WE SHOULD DO A RESOLUTION AT PARK COURT OR THE CITY COUNCIL TO ASK, WOULD YOU PLEASE GO BACK? WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE.
IT'S A MESS THAT NEEDS SUPPORT.
WE'RE SAVING, WE'VE BEEN SAVING ALL THIS MONEY.
WHY CAN'T YOU GIVE IT BACK? THOSE WERE HUGE STATES.
OKAY, BUT NOW'S THE TIME FOR US TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO THIS PARK, THIS OUR PARK.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS WRONG, EVERYBODY.
THERE'S FAULT EVERYWHERE, BUT DARN IT, THERE'S, WE HAVE TO FIX IT AND, AND IT'S OKAY, THIS BUDGET'S BEEN DONE PURPOSELY, BUT THERE'S GOTTA BE A WAY THAT OUR ELECTED LEADERS AND MAYBE ON THIS BOARD, DEPENDING ON WHO HAS THE PUR AND START TO PUT THE RESOURCES INTO THIS HISTORIC PART, THAT'S OUR PART.
MISTAKES WERE MADE, BUT WE'RE HERE NOW AND WE GOTTA GET THROUGH IT.
AND SO MY PLEA IS FOR THE CITY US COUNCIL TO CHANGE THE ATTITUDE BECAUSE THOSE 10 MILLION A YEAR IS STILL BEING SAVED.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S NEVER COME UP.
IT'S THAT FIRST YEAR, ONCE THAT WAS, ONCE THAT DECISION WAS MADE THAT WE DON'T GET ANY, THIS BOARD, THIS DEPARTMENT DOESN'T GET ANY BENEFIT TO HEALTH FAIR PARK FROM THE SAVINGS WE'VE GIVEN.
THE CITY THAT NEEDS SOMETHING, SOME FORM OF THAT NEEDS TO COME BACK.
AND THAT'S MY, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
THAT'S BUT NO, WHAT YOU HAVE SAID IS
I THINK THERE WAS A PROMISE BEING MADE THAT WAS A WRONG SALES, WHICH WAS MADE TO THE CITY.
AND I THINK HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE REBUILD THE TRUST IF WE DO THAT? OKAY, ANYONE WILL COME AND PROMISE THE CONTRACT LIKE OUR CHANGE ORDERS OKAY.
WITH THE VOICE, BETTER TAKE IT AND LATER NOT COME AND SAY GIMME FOR MONEY.
WELL, I JUST SAY THAT THIS IS A VOTING AGENDA ITEM.
I THOUGHT WE COULD SPEAK FREELY.
AND SO SOME, WHOEVER OBJECTS CAN SUE ME SAYING WHAT I SAY.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE WHO WASN'T THERE AT THE BEGINNING, AND I'VE GOT THE TRANSCRIPTS, HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
AND IF IT'S ILLEGAL, THEN I WILL, I WILL WALK OUTTA HERE IN HANDCUFFS IF I HAVE TO, I WILL WALK WITH YOU.
I SAY GOOD FRIENDS GAVE YOU ALL BEST FRIENDS, GOT TOGETHER WITH YOU UHHUH.
SO I, SO, SO, UH, I THINK IF, CAN I JUST ASK ONE FINANCIAL QUESTION SINCE I HAVE IT? I THINK IN YOUR OPERATING EXPENSE YOU ARE SHOWING, YOU ARE OVER THE BUDGET FROM FEES FOR SERVICE FROM 2.7 MILLION TO 4 MILLION ROUGHLY.
WHO WAS THIS FEE TO? UH, IT'S NOT ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT ACTUALLY A FEE FOR SERVICE.
UM, THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE SECURE, WELL, IT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE SECURITY SERVICES, UH, GROUND SERVICES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
I CAN GET YOU A BREAKDOWN OF ALL OF THE LINE ITEMS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THAT FEE FOR SERVICE.
[03:45:01]
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE I CAN PICK ONE CONSULTANT OR IT'S NOT AS SINGLE CONSOLIDATE.SO IF YOU WANT ME TO, UM, GIVE THAT INFORMATION I CAN.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, WITH THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR COMING, VALE.
I TOTALLY, UH, DICTATE WHAT, UH, TIM SAID.
I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE COME OUT BECAUSE YOU WERE LEADING IT, BUT YOU HAVE INHERITED THE MESS AS MOST OF US HAVE HERE.
AND IF ANYONE CAN LEAD US OUT OF IT, IT CAN BE YOU.
LET THE TRANSPARENCY BE THERE.
LET THAT, I THINK LET'S DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE CITY.
WE MADE THAT MISTAKE AND NOW LET'S NOT PUT IT UNDER THE WRAPS.
THIS IS THE TIME TO CLEAN UP THE MESS.
AND I THINK WE'LL COME OUT STRONG PAC IS IMPORTANT TO EACH AND EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AND THE CITIZENS AND WE HAVE TO MAKE IT RIGHT.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD MAKING THIS AND JUST A NOTE, FAIR BIG TEXT THAT'S NOT HAVE TO HEAR ME STAND UP FOR THAT.
WE, I THINK SOMETHING IS END UP.
NEXT UP IS THE BUDGET UPDATE OF DEVELOPMENT FROM RACHEL BARRY.
THIS JUST A VERY QUICK UPDATE.
SO, UM, NUMEROUS
UM, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE
THAT'S ALL I HAVE EXCEPT, UM, I DO ONE OF MY TEAM MEMBERS TOO.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE, OF MY TEAM MEMBERS.
NEXT, UH, WE HAVE A, IS IT DUPLICATE OR IS THIS REAL FAIR, RYAN? NO, WE DON'T HAVE TO STAND NOW.
I JUST HAVE ONE AND IT'S GONNA BE FOR TEACHER RANDALL NAMED ME.
I JUST WANTED TO COME MAKE A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT.
UH, SO I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THE YOUTH SPORTS TEAM ALONG WITH OUR GRANT TEAM.
WE WERE AWARDED BY THE TEXAS RANGERS BASEBALL SOFTBALL GRANT PROGRAM, A $10,000 GRANT.
SO WE ARE STARTING UP OUR NEW ISD ELEMENTARY BASEBALL PROGRAM THIS FALL BASED ON THIS PROGRAM, ALONG WITH OUR FULL OTHER SPORTS PROGRAM THAT ARE RUNNING.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO COME BY AND TELL YOU OUR GOOD NEWS STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1ST.
THAT IS, UH, BEFORE THE NEXT TIME WE ALL RECONVENE HERE AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THE BEST NATIONAL NIGHT OUT FOR THE ONES TO BUILD IN OUR PARKS.
SO IF YOU HAVE NATIONAL NIGHT OUTS IN YOUR PARKS, PLEASE GO HAVE A GREAT TIME.
[03:50:01]
THANK YOU, SIR.I JUST WANNA SAY THAT ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13TH FROM FIVE TO 7:00 PM THE TRINITY RIVER AUDUBON CENTER, THEY'RE HAVING THEIR ANNUAL FUNDRAISER, THE, UH, SONGBIRD SUPPER ON THE PLANE IN PRAIRIE.
IT'S AN AMAZING THING, GREAT CHEF OF DOING IT.
IT'S, IT'S A WONDERFUL TIME AND A WONDERFUL TIME.
SO A FEW, UH, YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THE INVITATION.
IT'S A FUNDRAISER, SO, UH, HOPE ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED COULD GO.
IT IS AUTUMN AT THE ARBORETUM STARTING SEPTEMBER 21ST.
SO IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN OUT THERE BEFORE, IT'S WHEN THEY BRING IN ALL OF THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PUMPKINS, IT'S GOING TO HAVE A FRONTIER THEME THIS YEAR.
UH, SUPPOSEDLY THEY'RE GONNA REMAKE THE JAIL YOU PUT YOUR CHILDREN.
IT'S PERFECT TIME TO GO THERE.
UH, BUT, UH, OTTOMAN THE ARRB STARTS ON THE 21ST OF SEPTEMBER.
UH, THIS SATURDAY FROM FOUR TO 10:00 PM FRIENDS OF THE COMMONS INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT IS HOSTING THE, UH, INTERNATIONAL NIGHT MARKET.
SO COME BY AND JOIN US THERE, FOUR TO 10 PRISM CENTER.
RESPONDER, THANK PRESIDENT, FIRST OF ALL, UH, DON'T ASK ME TO PUT ANY ING.
KNOW THAT YOUR PASS, YOU KNOW, YOU TEXT, JUST, UH, JUST TEXT ME AND, UH, SAY, OH, YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR PISTOL AT HOME.
UH, SO JUST, IT'S SUCH A BLESSING TO SEE WHAT YOU NEVER WANT TO DO.
SO, AS THEY SAY ON THE GREAT MOVIE THERE, YET, MY TEAM WILL FILM.
I I WAS SUPPOSED TO INVITE YOU GUYS OUT ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH.
IT IS THE KICK OFF OF THE FALL SOCCER SEASON WHERE WE HAVE OVER 120 TEAMS REGISTERED IN OUR YOUTH SOCCER PROGRAM.
AND SO WE WILL BE OUT AT CRAWFORD PARK, MONEYGRAM, AND EAST SOCCER SEASON.
HEY MS, CAN I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GET A CITY VEHICLE TO TAKE TIM DICKEY THE MONEY, RIGHT? SECOND, I GET THAT SECOND.
UH, ANY OTHER LIAISON REPORTS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM, ALRIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE? ALRIGHT, NEXT TO OUR PARK BOARD MEETING IS 10:00 AM THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17TH.
ARE WE GONNA TALK ABOUT ANOTHER PARK BOARD MEETING? EVERY THOUGHT? OKAY.
NEXT PART BOARD MEETING IS, UH, 10:00 AM THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17TH.
WITH THAT, WE PULL THE, UH, PART BOARD MEETING TO CLOSE AT 12:00 PM THANK YOU.