[ Park, Trails, and Environment Committee on October 7, 2024.]
[00:00:08]
I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 906.OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, AS ALWAYS, IS TO APPROVE MINUTES.
WE ARE APPROVING SEPTEMBER 3RD MINUTES.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED. SECOND.
OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE QUICKLY INTO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SPECIAL RECOGNITION.
THANK YOU. CHAIR, I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS.
A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, THERE WAS A OIL SPILL FROM A SMALL BUSINESS IN NORTH OAK CLIFF.
THE OIL SPILL WASHED DOWN THROUGH STORM WATER INTO LAKE CLIFF PARK AND POLLUTED THE PARK, THE LAKE THERE, WHICH CAUSED A LOT OF CONCERN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. STAFF DID THEIR JOBS AND THEY DID IT REALLY WELL, AND THEY DID IT REALLY FAST, WHICH IS WHY THERE WAS ALMOST NO MEDIA COVERAGE OF THIS.
THERE WERE REALLY NO UPSET RESIDENTS.
AND IN FACT, THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS FOR LAKE CLIFF PARK BRAGGED ABOUT HOW WELL STAFF REACTED.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE RECOGNIZE STAFF AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THINGS GO REALLY, REALLY WELL.
AND IN THIS CASE, THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS.
IT WAS IMMEDIATE, RESPONSIVE, CUTTING DOWN SILOS TO ACTUALLY SOLVE A PROBLEM AND CLEAN UP THE LAKE BEFORE IT GOT WORSE AND STARTED KILLING THE FISH THERE AND TARNISHING THE LAKE FOR THE FUTURE.
SO I'M GOING TO WE HAVE SOME CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION.
I'VE GOT JAKE HERE. WHO'S GOING TO HAND IT TO THE DIRECTORS FOR PARKS, OEQS AND DWU.
AND I WILL JUST READ OFF THE NAMES OF ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE A PART OF THIS.
SO FOR PARKS DIRECTOR JOHN JENKINS, RENEE MARION JOHNSON, ROBERT ANDERSON, BRETT JOHNSON, EDWARD FATOUMA, ROSA MENDOZA, FRANCIS MCGEE, AND CHRIS MORRIS.
FOR OEQS WITH DIRECTOR CARLOS EVANS, WHO WAS ONE OF THE ONES WHO WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL.
PAUL WHITE, THE SECOND, SHERI RIOS, JESUS TRUJILLO DAVID CORTEZ, SARAH ZIEGENFUSS, BRIAN CARTER, KEAN MEGAHAN, JUDY SCHMIDT AND DWU, I CANNOT THANK DIRECTOR SARAH STANDIFER ENOUGH FOR HER QUICK ACTION AS WELL. SHE WAS MY MAIN POINT OF CONTACT ON THIS.
JORGE TORRES ARELLANO, JOAQUIN HERNANDEZ, RODRIGO LUCHETTI AND KEVIN HILL.
AND I WANT TO JUST THANK STAFF ONCE AGAIN FOR THEIR GREAT WORK ON THIS.
THAT'S AWESOME. THAT'S AWESOME.
THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OKAY. OK, UM OEQS IS GOING TO BE UP FIRST FOR THEIR PRESENTATION AND JUST A QUICK NOTE TO OUR GUESTS, FAIR PARK FIRST AND OAK GROUP 360.
AND SO WE MOVED YOU TO THE SECOND SPOT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT HEADS UP.
SO JUST TO, JUST TO KIND OF SET YOUR EXPECTATIONS AND STAGE ON THAT.
SO OUR FIRST BRIEFING ITEM IS AN UPDATE ON THE COMPREHENSIVE URBAN AGRICULTURE PLAN, AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO, TO DIRECTOR EVANS AND HIS TEAM AND THEY CAN WALK US THROUGH THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, CHAIR STUART.
CARLOS EVANS, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
I'M HERE WITH SENIOR CLIMATE COORDINATOR, OPPONG HEMMING.
SO WE HAVE TWO URBAN AG THINGS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
BUT OPPONG HEMMING, WILL WALK US THROUGH THE CUAP THE COMPREHENSIVE URBAN AG PLAN, TO REMIND US, WHAT THE PLAN SAYS AND THEN DISCUSS WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. SO WITH THAT MISTER HEMMING.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. I'M OPPONG HEMMING, SENIOR CLIMATE COORDINATOR WITH OEQS.
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THAT BECAME GOAL SEVEN OF THE EXISTING CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.THE PURPOSE OF THE URBAN AGRICULTURE PLAN IS TO SET FORWARD A PATH TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.
NOW, AS WE TALK ABOUT URBAN AGRICULTURE, WE'RE REFERRING TO FOOD GROWN WITHIN CITY LIMITS.
URBAN AGRICULTURE CAN TAKE MANY FORMS, INCLUDING VERTICAL FARMING, WAREHOUSE OR ROOFTOP FARMS, COMMUNITY GARDENS, OR ADVANCED TECHNIQUES SUCH AS HYDROPONICS, AEROPONICS AND AQUAPONICS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SOME KEY TIMELINE ITEMS LEADING UP TO THE CUAP.
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT WAS THE EPA LOCAL FOOD LOCAL PLACES GRANT IN 2016.
IN 2018, FOOD ACCESS WAS AGAIN IDENTIFIED IN THE CITY'S CRITICAL SECTOR OF THE CITY'S RESILIENCE PLAN, AND IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THE CITY MANAGER GAVE THE GO AHEAD TO HAVE A DEDICATED URBAN AGRICULTURE POSITION TO ADDRESS THE URBAN AGRICULTURE AS A CRITICAL ISSUE WITHIN THE CITY.
IN 2021, WE BEGAN WORKING WITH AGRICULTURE.
AND IN 2022, THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN ADDRESSED OR CREATED TARGETS TO SUPPORT THE INCREASE OF LOCAL URBAN AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION IN PRIORITY EQUITY AREAS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
IN PHASE ONE, WE CONDUCTED A STATE CURRENT STATE ANALYSIS BY IDENTIFYING ACTIVE ASSETS, REVIEWING PAST EFFORTS, AND CONDUCTING A MAPPING ANALYSIS, AND COORDINATING WITH COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
WE GATHERED INPUT THROUGH 56 ONE ON ONE INDIVIDUAL, ONE ON ONE INTERVIEWS WITH FARMERS, ACADEMICS, INDUSTRY LEADERS TO SHAPE THE DRAFT OF THE PLAN. IN PHASE THREE, AFTER LAUNCHING THE DRAFT PLAN IN OCTOBER 2022, WE SHOWCASED IT AT THE AT THE STATE FAIR, HOSTING 14 EVENTS AND ENGAGED WITH OVER 500 LOCAL RESIDENTS.
THE FEEDBACK FROM THOSE ENGAGEMENTS WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE EXISTING PLAN, WHICH WE PRESENTED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AT THAT TIME. UP UNTIL FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO INTEGRATE THOSE COMMENTS AND TRANSLATING THEM INTO SPANISH IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES TO HAVE BETTER ACCESS AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
NOW, THE COOP IS A KEY COMPONENT OF THE RESILIENCE EFFORTS WITHIN THE CCAP ACTION PLAN.
DURING 2020 COMMUNITY CLIMATE PROCESS.
THE COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLANNING PROCESS, ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD WAS A CRITICAL ISSUE AND THIS WAS ESPECIALLY HIGHLIGHTED DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHERE FOOD INSECURITY WITHIN DALLAS COUNTY ROSE TO 37% IN 2021.
THE GOAL OF THE CUAP IS FOCUSED WITHIN MANY DIFFERENT PLANS AND PAST EFFORTS WITHIN THE CITY, AND THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE CUAP IS TO INCREASE LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION, IMPROVE ACCESS, AND BOLSTER COMMERCIAL FOOD SOURCES THROUGH THE EXPANSION OF URBAN AGRICULTURE WITHIN THE CITY.
THE FIVE SECTORS ARE AS FOLLOWS.
AND NOW I WILL GO IN DETAIL WITH EACH INTO EACH RECOMMENDATION.
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NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION REDUCING REGULATORY BARRIERS.
THE MAIN SOLUTIONS IN THIS IN THIS RECOMMENDATION IS TO UPDATE THE DALLAS DEVELOPMENT CODE AND IDENTIFY AND ESTABLISH INCENTIVES FOR DEVELOPMENT TO INCLUDE URBAN AGRICULTURE INTO NEW DEVELOPMENTS BASED ON THE CURRENT DALLAS CITY CODE.
URBAN FARMERS AND GARDENERS OPERATE IN A LEGAL GRAY AREA, WHICH OFTEN HAS TO POSITION FOR EXEMPTIONS THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY COUNCIL OFFICE FOR DEVELOPMENT ON THESE LANDS.
IN MANY CITIES NAVIGATING THE ZONING AND PERMITTING PROCESS CAN BE A DAUNTING TASK FOR RESIDENTS.
THE PROGRAM IS IN PLACE TO SUPPORT THE EXPENSES OF NEW AND EXISTING STAKEHOLDERS TO EXECUTE URBAN AGRICULTURE FOCUSED PROJECTS WITHIN THE CITY, AND THIS PROGRAM IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DALLAS COUNTY.
RECOMMENDATION TWO SUPPORT LAND ACCESS.
THE FIRST SOLUTION IN THIS RECOMMENDATION INVOLVES VISUALIZING DALLAS URBAN AGRICULTURE LANDSCAPE.
THE TOOL PROVIDES INSIGHT ON CURRENT RESOURCES SUCH AS CITY OWNED VACANT LOTS, EXISTING COMMUNITY GARDENS, GREEN SPACES, FARMERS MARKETS, AND AGRICULTURE RELATED BUSINESSES.
IT IDENTIFIES OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESILIENCE, EQUITY AND CLIMATE ACTION IN URBAN AGRICULTURE.
THIS EXISTING MAP SERVES A PURPOSE TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY ON THE DALLAS URBAN AGRICULTURE LANDSCAPE, SUPPORT RESIDENTIAL ACCESS TO LAND AND EXPAND URBAN AGRICULTURE, AND TO PROVIDE A FOUNDATION FOR STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING POLICYMAKERS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND URBAN FARMERS.
ADDITIONALLY, IT HIGHLIGHTS DATA IN SUPPORTING VARIOUS SYSTEMS SUCH AS HYDROPONICS AND AQUAPONICS FOR ACADEMIC RESEARCH FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND POTENTIAL NEW OPPORTUNITIES. SO ON THE RIGHT THIS SLIDE SHOWS A SNAPSHOT TOOL OF THE CURRENT AGRICULTURE SCENE WITHIN THE CITY.
THE TOOL IS ACTIVE AND UPDATED REGULARLY ONLINE, AND WE USE IT AS A VITAL TOOL FOR ENGAGEMENT AND TO MAKE THE NEXT DECISIONS IN SOME OF OUR SOLUTIONS FOR THE CITY. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THE CITY OF DALLAS IS WORKING ON TAKING A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN PROMOTING EDUCATION, PROMOTING RESOURCES TO PROVIDE IN SUPPORT OF THE EXISTING AND GROWING URBAN AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY. THIS PROPOSED ROLE WILL INCLUDE CENTRALIZED PAGE OF RELEVANT REGULATIONS AND RESOURCES, AND THE FACILITATION OF PUBLIC PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS IN URBAN AGRICULTURE TRAINING PROGRAM TO HELP EDUCATE NEW GROWERS AND EXISTING GROWERS ON TECHNIQUES TO BETTER PRODUCE AND BOOST THE OUTPUT MADE WITHIN THE CITY.
COINCIDENTALLY, TODAY WE ARE HOSTING THE DALLAS INNER CITY GROWERS SUMMIT AT SMU CAMPUS.
IT IS A REGIONAL FORUM FOCUSED ON THE URBAN AGRICULTURE PROCESSES IN ORDER FOR US TO CONNECT WITH STAKEHOLDERS, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND LEADERS IN OTHER CITIES THAT ARE DISCUSSING AND PROMOTING URBAN AGRICULTURE IN A SIMILAR FASHION THAT WE ENVISION THE CITY OF DALLAS TO DO.
[00:15:05]
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE COOP.WE HAVE PARTICIPATED AND BEEN ACTIVE MEMBERS OF EVENTS, LARGE AND SMALL, WITHIN THE CITY AND WITHIN THE REGION TO PROMOTE A NEW CONCEPT OF URBAN AGRICULTURE WITHIN THE CITY, AND TO ENGAGE WITH EXISTING STAKEHOLDERS THAT HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO GROWING, WHETHER THROUGH FAMILY FARMS, LOCAL COMMUNITY EFFORTS, OR THE KNOWLEDGE SHARING THAT HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS AND MANY DECADES IN THIS AREA.
EXCUSE ME. RECOMMENDATION FIVE IS LOOKING AT BUILDING MARKET OPPORTUNITIES FOR URBAN PRODUCERS.
THIS SOLUTION INCLUDES REDUCING BARRIERS FOR OPERATING FARMERS MARKETS, SEEKING INCREASED FUNDING TO SEEKING FUNDING TO INCREASE SNAP PURCHASING POWER FOR LOCAL PRODUCE, AND FACILITATING CONNECTIONS WITH MID-TIER VALUE CHAIN SUPPLIERS SUCH AS WHOLESALERS AND RETAILERS.
IT WOULD BE A HUGE DRIVER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS IN TERMS OF NEW JOBS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES, WAGES PRODUCED AND ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE REGION. THIS IS SECONDARY TO THE FACT THAT THE CUAP IS DESIGNED TO HAVE TO PROVIDE DALLAS RESIDENTS ACCESS TO HEALTHY, LOCALLY GROWN FOOD.
I WOULD HAVE TO NOTE THAT RECOMMENDATION FIVE IS SLATED AS A LONG TERM IMPLEMENTATION IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS BUILD ON EACH OTHER, SO WE ARE FORECASTING THE BUILD OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MARKETS THAT WE ARE THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY.
SO THE CUAP OVERALL IS SLATED AS A TEN YEAR PLAN.
AND WE HAVE JUST CONCLUDED THE FORMAL FIRST YEAR OF THE PLAN.
IT'S A LONG TERM VISION LAID OUT IN THE STRATEGY.
ALL RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOLUTIONS BUILD OFF OF EACH OTHER IN A STEP BY STEP PROCESS.
WE HAVE JUST COMPLETED INTERNALLY OUR ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YEAR ONE TO SEE WHAT SOLUTIONS WE HAVE ROLLED OVER INTO YEAR TWO, WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY WITH THE STATUS, UNDERSTANDING OUR CAPACITY AND WHERE WE ARE GOING NEXT.
SO ACROSS THE FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO SOLUTIONS FOR EACH RECOMMENDATION.
THERE IS SIGNIFICANT ACTION PLANNED FOR SHORT TERM IMPLEMENTATION, AND WE ARE QUICKLY FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING THE SOLUTIONS WITH EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL EFFORTS. LONG TERM RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BASED ON THE PROGRESS OF THE SHORT TERM AND MEDIUM TERM PHASES.
SO SOME OF THESE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON CURRENTLY WILL HELP US BUILD AND BUILD AND MOVE FORWARD FOR SOME OF THE LONG TERM IMPLEMENTATIONS AND THE GOALS THAT WE ARE. WE HAVE STATED NOT ONLY IN THE CCAP AND THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN, BUT IN THE COOP AS WELL.
THE CURRENT CAPACITY OF THE TEAM IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION, FACILITATING PUBLIC REQUESTS.
THERE IS A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL EXISTING NETWORK OF URBAN AGRICULTURE GROWERS WITHIN THE CITY, SO ACCOMMODATING THEM WITH SOME OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED AND BEING THE CONNECTOR FOR SOME OF THE NEW OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE ARE, WE ARE CREATING INTERNAL COLLABORATIONS WITH CITIES AND DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF POLICY UPDATES.
AGAIN, THIS IS A NEW STRATEGY.
THIS CAN BE A A DIFFERENT NEW CONCEPT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND TO LEARN, AND PUTTING IT INTO AN EXISTING CITY STRUCTURE THAT HAS BEEN ALONG FOR QUITE SOME TIME IS GOING TO CALL FOR MORE COLLABORATION, UNDERSTANDING AND EDUCATION.
ONE OF OUR LARGE STANDING CHALLENGES IS ADDRESSING CITY OWNED LAND UTILITY FOR PUBLIC GOOD.
IT IS A IT IS A GROWING CHALLENGE.
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BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE FOCUSED ON TO BE ONE OF OUR FOCAL POINTS FOR OUR SHORT TO MID-TERM IMPLEMENTATION, TO ADDRESSING THAT.HAVING A DEFINITION AND CREATING A COLLABORATIVE PATH FORWARD TO DO SO.
AND AS THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOLUTIONS BUILD OFF EACH OTHER.
GROWING TO SCALE AND TO SCOPE TO ADDRESS CITY RESIDENTS ACROSS ALL DISTRICTS, ACROSS ALL SECTORS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO TODAY LOOKING FORWARD ON THIS SLIDE.
AND WE ARE PARTNERING WITH VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS IN PLACE TO OFFER WORKSHOPS, EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AND HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT GROWING CYCLES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THAT CONCLUDES THE UPDATE FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE URBAN AGRICULTURE PLAN WITH OEQS, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING THE PLAN AND ANY PROCESSES THAT WE'VE MADE SO FAR.
THANK YOU. I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
QUESTIONS? NO, THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
CHAIR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR Y'ALL'S WORK ON THIS.
I SEE THE CHALLENGES OR, LIKE THE FIRST, I GUESS, THE TIMELINE OF SHORT TERM IMPLEMENTATION.
REDUCING THE REGULATORY BARRIERS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN.
HOWEVER, THEN LOGISTICALLY, HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT I GUESS SOME SORT OF ASSISTANCE FROM OUR CITY SPECIFICALLY TO IRRIGATION? THAT SEEMS TO BE THE BIGGEST HURDLE, I THINK, THROUGH ANY OF THESE SUSTAINING.
AND WITH THE VARIOUS EXAMPLES THAT WE HAVE IN BONTON, JOPPY IN DOLPHIN HEIGHTS AND RESTORATIVE FARMS, WE'VE GOT SOME VERY SUCCESSFUL ONES, BUT THAT'S THE BIGGEST BARRIER THAT I'VE SEEN COME UP.
THE REGULATORY BARRIERS, AS YOU SAID, HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE.
ONE OF THE MAIN WAYS WE ARE ADDRESSING IT IS UNDERSTANDING THE PLANNING AND ZONING AND CODES.
AND PARTICULARLY YOU MENTIONED IRRIGATION.
SO THEY ARE PART OF OUR INTERNAL PLANNING TEAM TO DO SO.
ONE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON IS WHEN WE HAVE AN URBAN AGRICULTURE SITE.
THE WATER METERING PROCESS TO GETTING THAT PERMIT CAN IT TAKES SEVERAL STEPS TO DO SO.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE AUDIT, THE PLAN, THE EVALUATION.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON SIMPLIFYING THAT AND MINIMIZING THAT.
OUR URBAN AGRICULTURE INFRASTRUCTURE PILOT PROGRAM IS ADDRESSING THAT, THAT WE'RE LAUNCHING THIS YEAR TO HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR EXISTING GROWERS OR SOME EXISTING RESIDENTS THAT WANT TO GET INTO THAT PROCESS USING IT ESSENTIALLY AS A PILOT, AS A CASE STUDY TO UNDERSTAND THE AGRICULTURE FROM THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE OF WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES OF IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN AS WE DESIGNED IT? WE HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO IN YEAR ONE.
WE PLANNED IT. NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTING IT TO MOVE FORWARD IN YEAR TWO.
SO THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE MAIN ONES IS THE CODE WITH, WITH WATER, AS YOU MENTIONED, IS THE BARRIERS OF ENGAGEMENT AND GETTING THE METER ON LAND.
HOW LONG THAT PROCESS TRULY TAKES? WELL, I GET THE, THE REGULATORY PIECE.
[00:25:03]
I'M SAYING ONCE THAT HAS BEEN AMENDED AND MADE MORE ACCESSIBLE, THEN THE SUSTAINABILITY OF HAVING IRRIGATION, FOR INSTANCE.IF THIS IS MEANT TO ENCOURAGE URBAN AGRICULTURE TO HELP MITIGATE FOOD INSECURITY, FOR INSTANCE, THEN WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR FOR PROFIT ENTITIES TO BENEFIT FROM THIS TYPE OF A PROGRAM.
AND SO IF YOU LOOK EQUITABLY TO THE NON-PROFITS OR THE NEIGHBORHOODS SPECIFICALLY ON THE MAP THAT YOU GAVE US, THAT WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH THESE REGULATORY CHANGES, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO SUSTAIN A WATER BILL? WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A CITY TO KICK IN, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE OPERATIONS? NOW, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM BAZALDUA.
SO I THINK I THINK THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY PROVIDED FUNDING THROUGH YOUR BUDGET TO REDUCE THE COST OF THE WATER METER AND, YOU KNOW, MONTHLY FUNDS OF WATER.
RIGHT. BUT WE DO WANT TO REDUCE THAT COST.
SO, SO WE APPRECIATE THROUGH YOUR BUDGET PROCESS REDUCING THAT COST.
AND THAT HAS BEEN INTEGRATED INTO THE URBAN AG INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM.
AND SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT PROGRAM GOES.
IS THAT SUFFICIENT OR ARE THEY LOOKING, YOU KNOW, DO THEY NEED MORE OR LESS? BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY GET THAT UPDATE TO YOU.
WHAT ABOUT RAINWATER IRRIGATION SYSTEMS? HAVE WE LOOKED INTO POTENTIAL PACKAGES THAT WE COULD PROVIDE FOR THESE URBAN FARMS TO APPLY SO THAT WE CAN GET SOMETHING SUSTAINABLE? THAT IS BEYOND PAYING FOR WATER? YES. CAPTURING RAINWATER IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO.
THERE'S RESEARCH DONE BY TEXAS A&M.
AND I BELIEVE SMU AS WELL, TO STUDY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT IN AN URBAN LANDSCAPE.
THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, MADAM CHAIR. SURE.
OH, AND YEAH, LET ME DO CHAIR NARVAEZ.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THANK YOU FOR THE IN THE AG PLAN.
HOW MUCH MOVEMENT HAS BEEN MADE IN THE PAST YEAR? THAT'S BEEN REALLY DONE WELL.
THAT'S CALLED THE INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT PILOT PROGRAM.
JUST WANTED TO TELL THE URBAN AG DEPARTMENT.
YOU GOT A LOT OF WORK DONE IN A YEAR AND IN THAT LAST BUDGET AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN THIS NEXT YEAR.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
MISS WILLIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I THE QUESTION I USUALLY HAVE AROUND THIS IS BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN THIS SPACE LONGER AND AS SUCH, HAVE BEEN DOING IT BETTER IS WHAT DOES THIS SERVE THAT NO ONE ELSE IS DOING THAT THE CITY HAS TO SERVE? BECAUSE SOMETIMES I SEE THESE THINGS AND I SEE DUPLICATION, AND I FEEL LIKE SOME OTHERS ARE ALREADY DOING THIS, OR MAYBE ARE THEY BEING MAXIMIZED OR TAPPED INTO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE? AND WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE DOING THAT NO ONE ELSE IS DOING OR NO ONE ELSE CAN DO? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THE ROLE THAT THE CITY PLAYS IN THIS, IN THIS PLAN IS TO LET ME TAKE A STEP BACK.
THE ISSUE IS IT'S NOT TO SCALE TO ADDRESS THE FOOD INSECURITY THAT IS BEING EXPERIENCED IN SOME IN SOME AREAS WITHIN DALLAS WITHIN OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, IT'S BEEN HIGHLIGHTED THAT IT THAT IT IS A CRITICAL ISSUE FOR THE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND WHAT THIS PLAN DOES IS PROVIDE RESOURCES AND EDUCATION FOR THE ONES THAT ARE ONE EXPERIENCING THIS UNDERSTANDING THAT TO GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY AND AGENCY TO ADDRESS THEIR FOOD INSECURITY, TO HAVE ACCESS TO TO LOCALLY GROWN FOOD.
[00:30:02]
ACTION TO TO DO IT THEMSELVES.EXCUSE ME. AND THE PLAN, IN THE CASE OF ADDRESSING A MAJOR ISSUE THAT WE HAVE DONE THROUGH OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH RESIDENTS TO PROVIDE A PLAN OF SUPPORT BASED ON THE COMMUNITY INPUT. OKAY.
I'M SORRY. I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT.
RIGHT. WE HAVE SOME URBAN AGRICULTURE BUILT INTO OUR PLANS OR INTO OUR CODE.
BUT HOW CAN WE ADVANCE THE BALL WHEN IT COMES TO AMENDING OUR CODE? SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE SOME DATED DEFINITIONS OF URBAN AGRICULTURE.
YOU KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY, THAT THAT DOESN'T ALIGN WITH OUR SISTER CITIES.
AND SO HOW DO HOW DO WE WORK WITH OUR SISTER DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AMEND OUR CODE IN THE RIGHT WAY TO ADVANCE THE BALL, TO HELP OUR PARTNERS DO THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING? SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M GETTING AT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO THAT NOBODY ELSE CAN DO.
SO YES, I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT BUILDING CAPACITY, THAT WE HAVE A NETWORK IN THE CITY THAT EXISTS.
IT'S JUST THE CAPACITY ISN'T THERE TO ADDRESS THE INSECURITY, FOOD INSECURITY LEVEL THAT MAY EXIST IN CERTAIN AREAS AND SO, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WE APPROVED SOME MONEY TO GET AT THAT. AND I WAS AT THE FAIR AND I WENT BY THE COUNTY BOOTH AND THE A&M EXTENSION SERVICE, AND THEY DO THAT.
ON THIS OTHER SIDE, I JUST REALLY GET CONCERNED THAT WE'RE PICKING UP A BALL THAT OTHERS ARE ALREADY CARRYING, AND MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO WORK WITH THEM ON CARRYING MORE OF THAT OR HOW IT CAN WORK BEFORE WE JUST STEP IN TO SAVE THE DAY.
AND SO THAT'S THAT IS WHERE MY CONCERN IS, AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS.
I THINK YOU SEE THAT IF WE JUST RELY SOLELY ON OUR PARTNERS TO FUND THE ADVANCEMENT OF URBAN AGRICULTURE, THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET FAR BECAUSE URBAN AGRICULTURE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S A MARKET THAT THAT NEEDS ASSISTANCE FROM ALL.
RIGHT. IF THE IF THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE IN CITIES LIKE ATLANTA AND DETROIT AND AUSTIN.
YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT PROVIDING LOCAL AND HEALTHY FOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM QUOTE UNQUOTE FOOD DESERTS, THEN IT'S GOING TO IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT FROM US.
SO MAYBE THIS WOULD BE A GREAT THING TO ADD TO THAT LIST.
I BELIEVE DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM BAZALDUA HAS A FOLLOW UP.
YES. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO CHIME IN ON THE FINANCIAL PIECE OF THE CONVERSATION.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF WE COULD MAYBE GET A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF OUR INVESTMENT AS A CITY INTO FOOD INSECURITY AND I WANT TO KEEP IT BROAD AT FOOD INSECURITY, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WE ARE NOT CONSIDERING IN THIS CONVERSATION IS, YOU KNOW, FOR YEARS WE'VE HAD MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THE TABLE TO PROMOTE GROCERY STORES, IN MANY CASES THAT THESE BIG BOX STORES CONSIDER TO BE LOSS LEADERS.
SO IF WE ARE WILLING TO CONVENTIONALLY PUT MONEY TOWARDS CORPORATIONS TO BRING IN AND CLOSE IN GAPS OF FOOD INSECURITY, I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING AS AN ALTERNATIVE, AND UNCONVENTIONALLY, TO STILL INVEST IN FOOD MITIGATION THAT IS ACTUALLY MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.
THAT'S ACTUALLY HITTING THE TARGET OF WHAT THE MITIGATING FOOD INSECURITY LOOKS LIKE.
WE KNOW WE CAN'T ATTRACT THE BIG BOX STORES.
SO IF WE HAVE MADE THIS BED, WE HAVE TO LIE IN IT.
AND IF WE'RE WILLING TO INVEST IN CORPORATIONS TO COME AND DO THIS, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ALSO BE WILLING TO INVEST IN UNCONVENTIONAL WAYS THAT DIRECTLY MITIGATE FOOD INSECURITIES, AND I DON'T SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN GIVING A TOM THUMB OR ALBERTSONS MULTI-MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR
[00:35:06]
MULTI YEARS GOING FORWARD THAN US FIGURING OUT A WAY FOR THAT TO GO DIRECTLY INTO COMMUNITIES TO DO THE EXACT SAME GOAL.SO I'D LOVE TO SEE A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE IN THE PAST MAYBE TEN YEARS, HAVE INVESTED IN AND EVEN HAD ON THE TABLE THAT DIDN'T GET PUT FORWARD, THAT WE WERE WILLING TO INVEST IN, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO NOT SILO THIS URBAN AGRICULTURE INITIATIVE AWAY FROM THOSE OTHER INVESTMENTS. THOSE ARE STILL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S STILL PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY, AND THAT'S STILL CLOSING IN INEQUITY GAPS THAT WE HAVE AND THE DISPARITIES THAT BECAUSE OF OUR ZONING AND BECAUSE OF OUR CITY'S HISTORY, WE HAVE CREATED.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, YES, I THINK THIS IS COMPLEX IN DISTRICT TEN.
I HAVE A SPOT THAT I THINK WOULD BE GREAT.
SO I GUESS I HAVE TO GO GET THE SHOPPING CENTER REZONED, AND THEN I WON'T NEED THE PARKING SPACES, AND THEN I CAN TEAR UP THE CONCRETE AND THEN MAYBE WE CAN GROW SOME FOOD. SO I SEE THE COMPLEXITY IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY FOR WHAT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD BE VERY SIMPLE.
BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
CITY NEEDS TO ALWAYS LOOK AROUND AND SEE WHO CAN PARTNER WITH US ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
SORRY. WE'RE BRAINSTORMING UP HERE ABOUT HOW TO DO URBAN FARMING.
OKAY. SO LET'S MOVE ON TO PRESENTATION.
I DO WANT TO WELCOME THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF FAIR PARK FIRST, VELETTA LILL AND ALYSSA ARNOLD, THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE OAK VIEW GROUP THREE 60.
I ALSO WANT TO SET THE STAGE FOR THIS PRESENTATION AND THE SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION.
THIS PRESENTATION IS THE ANNUAL REPORT FOR FAIR PARK.
FIRST, THE MUCH ANTICIPATED AUDIT WILL NOT BE PRESENTED TODAY.
IT IS DUE TO THE CITY ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9TH, AND THERE IS MUCH DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET COPIES OF THE AUDIT, HOW WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED WITH MEETINGS AND BRIEFINGS, AND SO THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO ASK OUR QUESTIONS.
I WILL SAY THAT I KNOW WE ARE ALL EXPERIENCING PROFOUND DISAPPOINTMENT OVER THE REVELATIONS THAT HAVE COME TO LIGHT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS AND MONTHS, AS WELL AS THE DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE UNFULFILLED PROMISES MADE TO THE CITY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE DONOR COMMUNITY.
THERE WILL BE TIME TO ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS.
TODAY I WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO VELETTA LILL SPECIFICALLY FOR STEPPING INTO THIS COMPLICATED SITUATION AND TAKING AFFIRMATIVE STEPS THAT I BELIEVE WILL LEAD THIS ORGANIZATION TO A BETTER PLACE.
WHERE IS THE FLIPPER? WHERE'S THE CONTROLLER? I THINK YOU HAVE TO TELL HIM. NEXT SLIDE.
OKAY. NEXT SLIDE. THE OLD FASHIONED WAY I NEED TO TELL YOU.
I'M VELETTA FORSYTHE LILL AS MISS STEWART SAID, CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF FAIR PARK FIRST.
TODAY'S PRESENTATION WILL BE A LOOK BACK 20 2324 FISCAL YEAR.
[00:40:04]
WE BEGIN WITH.WE BEGIN WITH JUST A TIMELINE OF HOW THINGS HAVE DEVELOPED FROM 2019, WHEN WE TOOK THE CONTRACT FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS TO LAUNCHING OUR FREE PROGRAMING AT THAT TIME, 2020.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAD SOME LARGE SCALE EVENTS, INCLUDING THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE WINTER CLASSIC, BUT WE SOON BECAME DUE TO COVID A SUPERSITE FOR HUMANITARIAN NEEDS.
IN 2021, WE COMPLETED THE MASTER PLAN, APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL.
YOU HAVE AS A HANDOUT TODAY THAT TELLS YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS, COMMUNITY PROCESS THAT WENT INTO THE ADOPTION OF THAT MASTER PLAN.
WE ALSO BEGAN OUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN IN 2022.
WE CREATED A CULTURAL DISTRICT.
THIS IS DONE THROUGH THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE ARTS AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT.
WE SECURED THE LARGEST NAMING GIFT AT FAIR PARK FOR THE COMMUNITY PARK AT THAT TIME IN 2022, FROM THE REECE JONES FOUNDATION OF $5 MILLION AND A PROP A WAS APPROVED AT THAT TIME.
THEN THE ARCHITECTS IN 2023 WERE SELECTED FOR THE COTTON BOWL STADIUM.
WE SECURED A NUMBER OF GRANTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS JUST A RECAP OF VARIOUS THINGS FROM THE PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON, THE CONSTRUCTION THAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW OR HAS RECENTLY BEEN COMPLETED IN THAT YEAR.
COTTON BOWL, EVERYBODY'S HOTLY ANTICIPATED ITEM, IS BRIEFLY PAUSED ON ITS CONSTRUCTION FOR THE FAIR AND FOR TEXAS.
THE TOWER BUILDING WAS COMPLETE.
I HOPE IF YOU GO TO THE FAIR, YOU WILL TAKE A LOOK.
THAT WAS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN BOND FUNDS ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE FACADE, A PRIVATE DONOR PROVIDING THE FUNDING FOR THE BALL RELIEF AND THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, PROVIDING SOME RESTORATION MONEY FOR THE MEDALLIONS.
SO A COMPLETE PARTNERSHIP, OTHERS FUNDRAISING SUCCESS.
IN THE LAST YEAR, MONEY RAISED FOR CORONA PLAZA, WHICH WILL BE OUTSIDE THE COTTON BOWL, THE FAIR PARK LOOP TRAIL, THE SECOND AVENUE PARK WHICH WILL ACTUALLY BE THE FIRST COMMUNITY PARK TO BE DEVELOPED.
EVEN BEFORE THE COMMUNITY PARK, WE'VE BEEN RAISING MONEY FOR FUNDS FOR MAGNOLIA LOUNGE, ETC.
BETWEEN ANTICIPATED MONEY FROM PROP A, THE FUNDS WE HAVE RECEIVED IN CASH AND PLEDGES AND GRANTS AND BOND MONEY, ETC.
IT TOTALS ALMOST $400 MILLION TO GO INTO FAIR PARK.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT A LITTLE BIT LATER ABOUT THE FREE PROGRAMING WE PROVIDE.
ONE OF OUR MISSIONS IS CERTAINLY IS TO REACH OUT TO THE REGION AND THE STATE TO COME TO OUR BIG EVENTS, BUT EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT IS TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE THEM COME TO OUR SMALLER EVENTS.
I TOOK OVER AS CHAIR OF THE BOARD ON THE EVENING OF JUNE 24TH OF THIS YEAR, AND SINCE THEN I'VE ESTABLISHED I'VE DONE A NUMBER OF CHANGES REGARDING THE BOARD, ESTABLISHED AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WHICH DID NOT EXIST IN THE PAST.
MY VICE CHAIR IS JASON BROWN, WHO MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW FROM THE COMMUNITY.
JASON IS ALSO HEAD OF DALLAS CITY HOMES.
FIVE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, JOHN WOLKENSTEIN, FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR, RETIRED PARTNER FROM GRANT THORNTON AUDIT ACCOUNTING FIRM. ZAIDA BASORA, THAT MANY OF YOU KNOW AN ARCHITECT, HEAD OF THE LOCAL AIA CHAPTER AND FORMER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS WHO WILL BE WORKING ON OUR FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
[00:45:02]
AS YOU KNOW, THERE IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF BACKLOG OF WORK TO BE DONE ON THESE BUILDINGS, AND HAVING ZAIDA ON OUR TEAM HELPS US WITH PRIORITIZATION AND WITH THE CITY.DAN TORPEY, AUDIT COMMITTEE CHAIR, RECENTLY RETIRED PARTNER OF ERNST AND YOUNG SPECIALIZING IN FORENSIC ACCOUNTING.
LUBBOCK SMITH, THE THIRD ON OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE.
MATT ORWIG, WHO'S ON OUR AUDIT COMMITTEE.
I HAVE THREE ATTORNEYS ON THE COMMITTEE.
MATT, MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW IS THE FORMER UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT APPOINTED, WORKED UNDER SIX DIFFERENT JUSTICE DEPARTMENTS.
AS I INDICATED, I FORMED AN EXECUTIVE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE SIX BOARD MEMBERS THAT LIVE IN THE ZIP CODES IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING FAIR PARK.
AFRICAN AMERICAN 24% HISPANIC, 41%.
BIGGEST ISSUE OBVIOUSLY HAS BEEN WE HAVE NOT HAD OUR OWN BANK ACCOUNTS THAT WE OPERATE.
WE HAVE ESTABLISHED AN ACCOUNT AT PNC BANK, AND ALL CONTRIBUTIONS THAT ARE RESTRICTED WILL THEN BE SWEPT, SWEPT INTO THE DALLAS FOUNDATION, WHICH WILL MANAGE ALL OF THOSE FUNDS GOING FORWARD.
WE'RE DOING NEW POLICIES AND PROCEDURES RELATIVE TO FINANCIAL CONTROLS.
AND A NEW CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER IN THE FORM OF MISS ALYSSA ARNOLD.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ALYSSA FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT.
OKAY. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR.
COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE IN FRONT OF YOU.
YOU HAVE A OVERVIEW OF THIS YEAR'S COMMUNITY PROGRAMING, AS WELL AS OUR ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS AND A SUMMARY OF OUR COMMUNITY PARK SPECIFIC ENGAGEMENTS AS WELL. SO THANK YOU TO DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM BAZALDUA FOR HELPING ME GETTING THOSE HANDED OUT.
IN 2019, WE LAUNCHED OUR PROGRAMING SERIES OVER THE SUMMER WITH A FOCUS ON TRYING A PARK POP UP CONCEPT AROUND THE LAGOON, FEATURING A RECESS CART, ART WORKSHOPS, GAMES AND PLAY STRUCTURES, A SMALL SOCCER FIELD AND BASKETBALL COURT, AND YOGA AND DANCE CLASSES.
WE HAD TO TAKE A BREAK IN 2020 AND 2021 FOR THE COVID PANDEMIC ON OUR PROGRAMING SERIES, BUT WE DID CONTINUE TO OFFER ONE OFF SOCIALLY DISTANCED CONCERTS WITH THE DSO AND WRR 101.1.
WE ALSO DEVELOPED A DO IT YOURSELF FITNESS ROUTINE TO TAKE YOU AROUND THE PARK AND A BINGO CARD.
IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, WE RELAUNCHED WEEKLY SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR A TOTAL OF 57 PROGRAMS. WE FOCUSED ON WEEKENDS IN JUNE AND JULY, AND FURTHER DEVELOPED OUR POP UP PARK DAYS WITH ART IN THE PARK, RECESS, CART YOGA, DRUM CIRCLES, PUPPET SHOWS, BIRD WATCHING, AND TODDLER TIME. WE INTRODUCED NEW PARTNER EVENTS WITH THE MLK FOOD PARK, WHICH IS NOW KNOWN AS THE SUNNY SOUTH DALLAS FOOD PARK.
THE DALLAS OPERA AND ARTS JEWELRY.
AND IN FY 2022 TO 23, WE DECIDED TO PUSH OUTSIDE OF WEEKENDS AND SUMMER MONTHS.
WE LAUNCHED WEEKLY WELLNESS CLASSES ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS FROM MARCH TO JUNE.
WE HAD ART IN THE PARK, RECESS, ART, BIRDWATCHING, AND YOGA COME BACK AND WE DEVELOPED A NUMBER OF NEW PROGRAMS, INCLUDING ZUMBA, GIRLTREK, WHICH IS A NEW WALKING GROUP WE CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JUANITA J.
WE ALSO INTRODUCED A NEW SIGNATURE FOCUSED ON VENDORS AND PARTNERS IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR AND ON THE CAMPUS OF FAIR PARK, WHICH IS KNOWN AS PALOOZA IN THE PARK, AND WE CONTINUE TO HELP GROW THE SUNNY SOUTH DALLAS FOOD PARK.
WE ALSO ENTERED INTO A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TWO INSPIRE PEACE, AND CREATED THE OR I'M SORRY HOSTED THE SECOND ANNUAL ART INSPIRED HEALING FESTIVAL WITH SOUTH WITH THIS GROUP, AND WE ALSO HAD AURORA ART QUEST AS WELL.
IN TOTAL, WE HAD 7667 ATTENDANCE AND WE HAD 68 PROGRAM DAYS WITH 111 TOTAL PROGRAMS IN FY 22-23.
NEXT SLIDE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO THAT RIGHT.
[00:50:03]
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO A COUPLE OF SLIDES.IN FY 24 WE HELD A TOTAL OF 134 PROGRAMS OVER 75 PROGRAM DAYS.
AND WE SAW A 62% INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE.
AND WE ALSO SECURED AN UNDERWRITING PARTNER WITH TARGET, WHICH ALLOWED US TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAM AND IMPROVE OUR BELOVED LAGOON, BUT ALSO HIRE TWO NEW PARK ATTENDANTS, TWO YOUNG LADIES FROM THE IRMA LERMA RANGEL WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP SCHOOL.
IN ADDITION, RECOGNIZING THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS SOME OF THE UNHEALTHIEST ZIP CODES IN THE COUNTY, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO FINESSE OUR FITNESS AND WELLNESS OFFERINGS BY ADDING ANOTHER WEEKLY WELLNESS CLASS, HULA HOOPING WITH HEALING IN MY HOOPS, BRINGING US TO A TOTAL OF THREE WEEKLY WELLNESS CLASSES EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY.
WE ALSO HAD A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DALLAS ZINE FEST AND CAFE SIERRA FOR THEIR MARKET ZERO FEST.
THE WALLS PROJECT AS WELL FOR THE NEW JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL.
ALL IN ALL, THAT HAS LED TO US PARTNERING WITH DIRECTLY PARTNERING WITH OVER 60 CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES, WITH 65% OF THEM COMING FROM THE SOUTHERN TEXAS SECTOR.
I WILL GO QUICKLY OVER WHAT WE HAVE COMING UP.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE RETURN OF THE BULK OF THIS YEAR'S PROGRAMS FOR FY 24-25.
AND THEN WE ALSO ARE INTRODUCING A NEW WEEKLY RUN CLUB WITH RUN IT UP.
AND IT IS ACTUALLY STARTING ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT.
WE ARE EXPANDING OUR SATURDAY SOUNDS PROGRAM TO MAKE IT A STANDALONE EVENT.
WE'RE EXPANDING FARMER'S MARKET WITH EXPANDED PROGRAMING AND GREATER FOCUS ON FRESH PRODUCE.
AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A POSSIBLE SECOND DOG BOWL IN THE FALL.
WE WILL CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH ART INSPIRED HEALING FESTIVAL, A NEW FESTIVAL, AFRO AIR FESTIVAL, AND OUR PARTNERS AT CAFES HERE ARE GOING TO BE HOSTING A NUMBER OF MARKETS. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE DO HAVE A NEW PERFORMANCE PIECE WITH THE FOUR WEEK RUN WITH OUR PARTNERS IN WEST DALLAS ARTSTILLERY.
OKAY. CAN WE PROCEED TO THE NEXT SLIDE? AND I SHOULD SAY, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE, ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE PRIVATELY FUNDED.
BUT THESE ARE ALL PRIVATELY FUNDED, FUNDED AND TARGET.
I THINK THIS WAS THEIR FIRST ACTUAL CASH INVESTMENT IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.
SO THIS IS JUST A CHART FOR YOU ON WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM? THESE ARE CAPITAL FUNDS.
PROP A WE WILL WE ANTICIPATE ACCORDING TO THE CITY, AROUND 300 MILLION FROM THAT PHILANTHROPY, $17,115,625 HAS BEEN RAISED IN CASH AND IN THE DOOR AND OUT OF THAT IN THAT 29 MILLION, ALMOST 30 MILLION RAISED FROM PHILANTHROPY 2017 BONDS, ALMOST EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SPENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FOOD AND FIBER, WHICH WILL BEGIN AFTER THE FAIR.
2024 BONDS, WE ANTICIPATE $5 MILLION.
THIS IS $2,100,040 FEDERAL STATE DIRECT.
THESE 550,000, THIS IS FROM TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION AND TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS.
TO DO THINGS LIKE GET US A NEW CHILLER AS WELL AS DOING CULTURAL PROGRAMING.
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, $12 MILLION.
THAT'S IN TWO FORMS. ONE TEXAS TREES FOUNDATION, WHICH WILL BE BUILDING THE SECOND AVENUE PARK AND CONTRIBUTING THE TREES FOR THE COMMUNITY PARK. THE OTHER PIECE OF THIS IS THE LOOP TRAIL AROUND THE PARK THAT IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COUNTY.
AND THIS JUST FURTHER BREAKS THAT DOWN BY PROJECT 23 MILLION COMING IN FOR THE COMMUNITY PARK.
[00:55:08]
DAYS. THE CULTURAL DISTRICT 325,002ND AVENUE PARK 3 MILLION.AND THAT IS FEDERAL FUNDING COMING THROUGH TEXAS TREES.
WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR A NEW CHILLER.
WE'VE COLLECTED $1.3 MILLION AND THE LOOP TRAIL IS 8 MILLION.
I WOULD LIKE TO DO AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY FOR THE PARK.
THERE IS ONE FOR THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN ONE DONE FOR FAIR PARK.
AND JUST TO REMIND YOU IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF HUMANS THROUGH OUR GATES, THE STATE FAIR CONTRIBUTES SOMEPLACE BETWEEN 2.5 MILLION, TWO AND A HALF OR 2.7 MILLION.
THE BALANCE OF 5 TO 6 MILLION COMES ON OTHER DAYS.
I WANT TO DO A LONG RANGE BUSINESS PLAN.
WE DO HAND ONE INTO THE PARK DEPARTMENT EVERY YEAR, BUT THAT'S MORE SHORT RANGE.
WE NEED TO REDO OUR MANAGEMENT AND SUB MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS, THEN FUNDRAISING DIVERSIFICATION.
MUCH OF OUR FUNDRAISING TO DATE HAS BEEN CAPITAL RESTRICTED CAPITAL, AND WE NEED TO DIVERSIFY THAT.
SOME SELECT NAME OPPORTUNITIES.
WE ARE LOOKING AT HISTORIC TAX CREDITS FOR QUITE A BIT OF FUNDING IN THE FUTURE.
GENERAL OPERATING NON-RESTRICTED FUNDRAISING AND EVENT AND PROGRAM UNDERWRITING, SUCH AS WHAT WE RECEIVE FROM TARGET AND NEW REVENUE GENERATING INITIATIVES, MEMBERSHIPS, ONLINE OR GIFT SHOP WILL GO ONLINE, ETC.
AND FINALLY, NEW COMMUNITY PROGRAMING.
NEXT, NEXT SLIDE THE AUDIT THAT WE HAVE REFERENCED TODAY, THE INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS REPORT ON APPLYING AGREED UPON PROCEDURES PROVIDED BY MALLORY MCNEILL AND COMPANY IS THE THAT WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE LATER THIS WEEK.
REVIEW. WE REVIEWED DONATION INCOME AND EXPENSE TRANSACTIONS DURING THE TIME FRAME OF FUNDRAISING.
SO THAT WAS MARCH 2021 THROUGH APRIL 2020 FOR LITERALLY EVERY TRANSACTION HAS BEEN TRACKED AND CROSS-CHECKED, REVIEWED, DONOR PLEDGE AGREEMENT AND WRITTEN GIFT CONFIRMATIONS AND APPLIED EXPENSES TO THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS AS WERE ALLOWED AND APPLICABLE.
AND WE WILL REPORT THAT SHORTLY.
WE ARE DOING A OUR OWN BUDGET.
TYPICALLY YOU HAVE SEEN A BUDGET THAT IS FAIR PARK.
WE ARE WORKING TO CREATE OUR OWN BUDGET AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE FOR IN FRONT OF YOU, WHICH IS ABOUT A $3 MILLION BUDGET NEXT YEAR.
WE, AS I SAID, WE WILL BE TAKING OVER OUR PAYROLL MANAGEMENT OF OUR FUNDS.
OBVIOUSLY, ALL OUR INSURANCE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO THAT'S THE BUDGET YOU SEE BEFORE YOU.
THIS IS NOT THE COMPLETE BUDGET ON FAIR PARK.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME TO THE MIC STACY CHURCH, GENERAL MANAGER.
I'LL JUST QUICKLY START TO IF TO MADAM CHAIR AND TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M PRESIDENT OF VENUE MANAGEMENT FOR OAKVIEW GROUP.
WE'RE HERE TODAY, AND CERTAINLY STACEY WILL REPORT ON SOME RECAP AND SOME OF THE GREAT ACTIVITIES, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IN FACE AND JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO RESOLVING THESE ISSUES.
WE'VE HAD A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH VELETTA AND HER TEAM, WORKING WITH WANT TO WORK WITH PARKS AND REC? WORK WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AND MOVE FORWARD.
WE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT THIS PARK IS INTENDED TO DO.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE AND JUST WANTED TO SHARE OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU.
AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO STACEY FOR THE RECAP.
AS GREG SAID, I'M THE GENERAL MANAGER AT FAIR PARK.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE MET ALL OF YOU, SO I'LL JUST TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF.
I CAME WITH THEN SPECTRA TO BE THE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
[01:00:06]
I SPENT FOUR AND A HALF YEARS THERE WORKING WITH ANTHONY LOPEZ AND ROSA FLEMING AND HER TEAM AT CES, AND THEN CAME OVER TO FAIR PARK IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.I AM ALSO A DALLAS RESIDENT LIVING IN DISTRICT NINE.
FY24 HAS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL YEAR AT THE PARK AS WE LOOK AT EVENT ACTIVITY.
YOU CAN SEE HERE JUST A SNIPPET OF THE EVENTS THAT WE'VE HOSTED THIS YEAR.
WE'RE CURRENTLY FORECASTING 114 EVENTS FOR THE YEAR WHICH CONTINUES A GROWTH A GROWTH TREND YEAR OVER YEAR GROWTH TREND IN BOTH NUMBER OF EVENTS AND EVENT REVENUE.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK HERE, YOU SEE THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL 25 COVER.
NOT SURE HOW MANY OF YOU MIGHT PLAY VIDEO GAMES, BUT IF YOU HAVE SONS OR NEPHEWS OR GRANDKIDS AND GRANDDAUGHTERS WHO MIGHT PLAY VIDEO GAMES, THAT IS THE COVER FOR EA SPORTS THAT WAS ACTUALLY SHOT AT THE COTTON BOWL.
EVENT TO TAKE PLACE ON THE CAMPUS.
SO THIS IS A FINANCIAL UPDATE FOR FY 24 AND A DRAFT BUDGET FOR 25.
YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS HERE FOR 24 ARE THROUGH AUGUST.
YOU CAN SEE TOTAL REVENUES OF JUST UNDER $12.6 MILLION.
YOU DO SEE EXPENSES GREATER THAN THAT AT JUST OVER 13 MILLION.
THIS YEAR WE WERE FORTUNATE, AS I MENTIONED, TO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF EVENTS.
WE DID OUTPACE OUR REVENUE BUDGET IN TERMS OF EVENT INCOME.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE ALSO EXPERIENCED A VARIETY OF EMERGENCY REPAIRS.
HERE YOU SEE A DRAFT BUDGET FOR 25.
SO YOU SEE TOTAL REVENUES AT JUST UNDER $13 MILLION.
I DO THINK THAT'S A CONSERVATIVE REVENUE NUMBER.
YOU SEE EXPENSES JUST UNDER $15 MILLION, WHICH I THINK MAYBE ALIGNS WITH THE EXPENSES THAT THE AMOUNT THAT IT TOOK TO TO MANAGE THE PARK OR TO RUN THE PARK BACK IN 2017 OR 2018.
SO EXPENSES HAVEN'T GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THEN.
BUT YOU DO SEE EXPENSES GREATER THAN REVENUE.
WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO SCOPE POTENTIALLY, WHICH WOULD GET US BACK TO A PLACE WHERE THE BUDGET WAS BALANCED.
AND SO THOSE REVENUE AND EXPENSES WOULD, YOU KNOW, MATCH.
THIS YEAR, WE HOSTED 54 NEW EVENTS RANGING FROM COMMERCIAL SHOOTS TO OUTDOOR FESTIVALS.
WE HOSTED FC DALLAS VERSUS INTER MIAMI.
WE ALSO HOSTED TOGETHER MUSICALLY OR TOGETHER LAND MUSIC FESTIVAL, WHICH WAS A EXPANSION OF A FESTIVAL THAT HAPPENS IN ATLANTA EACH YEAR. AND THEN WE HOSTED OPAL LEE'S WALK FOR FREEDOM.
SO THAT WAS A PRETTY COOL EVENT THAT WE HOSTED AT THE PARK THIS YEAR.
SLIDES. SO CAPITAL INVESTMENT NEEDS.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE STILL SIGNIFICANT SHORT AND LONG TERM NEEDS AT THE PARK OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS AS OF TODAY ARE JUST OVER $12 MILLION, SO $12.4 MILLION IN CAPITAL NEEDS.
[01:05:07]
THIS TYPE OF INVESTMENT WOULD NOT ONLY ADDRESS ANY CURRENT DEFICIENCIES IN THOSE SPACES, BUT WOULD ALSO MAKE THEM MUCH MORE MARKETABLE AS EVENT VENUES.DO Y'ALL WANT ME TO STOP? I FEEL LIKE.
I WAS LIKE, I FEEL LIKE EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT I DON'T HAVE, SO.
MANY OF THESE COMMUNITY EVENTS MAKE FAIR PARK THEIR HOME ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, ALLOWING US TO CONSISTENTLY ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY WITH IMPACTFUL CONTENT AND EVENTS. ANOTHER WAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IMPACT THE COMMUNITY IS THROUGH SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESS PARTICIPATION.
YOU CAN SEE HERE IN FY 23, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T TALLIED OUR NUMBERS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, WE HAD 54% SMALL AND MINORITY ENTERPRISE PARTICIPATION. SO A PRETTY GREAT STATISTIC FOR US.
HOWEVER, THE COMMUNITY GIVE BACK DID NOT STOP WITH THOSE 19 HOSTED EVENTS.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT FROM A CORPORATE STANDPOINT, WE HAVE COMMITTED $500,000 TO DATE FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. THAT IS A PROGRAM THAT WE FUND AND MANAGE ALONG WITH FAIR PARK FIRST AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DISD, JAMES MADISON AND LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL. SO THIS IS THE FIFTH YEAR IN THE MAKING FOR THAT PROGRAM.
200,000 OF THAT TO LOCAL NONPROFITS THROUGH THE OVG HOSPITALITY VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, AND ANOTHER $800,000 HAS BEEN EARNED BY LOCAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE PARTNERS THAT WORK WITH OVGH.
NOW, I KNOW MANY OF YOU HOPEFULLY HAVE BEEN OUT TO THE COTTON BOWL TO WITNESS A DALLAS TRINITY FC GAME, BUT THAT'S OUR NEWEST TENANT PARTNER WILL BE HOSTING 14 GAMES.
YOU SEE HERE THAT WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND THE MAYOR OUT FOR THE HOME OPENER, BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OUT TO SEE THE TRINITY, I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO COME AND THAT IS MY PRESENTATION.
OKAY, I'M QUITE SURE WE HAVE QUESTIONS.
SO LET ME BEGIN WITH CHAIR WEST AND WE'LL THEN GO TO DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM BAZALDUA.
CHAIR NARVAEZ AND THEN WE'LL HEAD THIS WAY.
THANK YOU. CHAIR. AND I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA AND APPRECIATE THE BRIEFING, ESPECIALLY FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER FORSYTH LITTLE FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FULL SCOPE OF THE LOOP TRAIL.
THAT'S JUST A RANDOM SIDE THAT I WAS TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUE ABOUT, AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE, AFTER NOW HAVING GONE TO THE STATE FAIR TWO OUT OF FIVE TIMES THIS YEAR, A RECORD FOR MY FOR MY FAMILY.
AND NOW THAT WE'RE ALL BIKING IN MY HOUSE, I THINK THAT THAT COULD BE A FUTURE OPTION.
AND SO I'M GOING TO ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY ON THE PARAMETERS OF WHAT CAN I.
YEAH, PLEASE. WHAT CAN I ASK IN TERMS OF THE AUDIT? YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT IS AND IS IT NOT ON THE TABLE TODAY? CHRISTINE LANDERS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I'M SORRY. CAN YOU HEAR ME? CHRISTINE LANDERS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THE PARAMETERS FOR TODAY'S DISCUSSION IS THE 2024 FAIR PARK UPDATE.
THAT'S WHAT'S POSTED UNDER THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO THOSE ARE THE PARAMETERS, IF THAT HELPS ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
[01:10:03]
SURE. AND THAT IS A REFERENCE JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATIONAL AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION THAT IT IS AN UPCOMING ITEM.BECAUSE WE DON'T THE AUDIT IS NOT POSTED.
WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION.
SO THAT IS JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION BASICALLY SAYING IT'S FORTHCOMING, IT'S COMING IN THE FUTURE.
SO YOU CANNOT DISCUSS THE AUDIT TODAY.
ALL RIGHT. I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THE LEGAL BOUNDS.
AND OF COURSE, THE AUDIT IS GOING TO BE HITTING, I UNDERSTAND PUBLICLY WEDNESDAY.
SO THE QUESTIONS ARE GOING TO COME IN TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT THIS INFORMATION.
WE HAVE GOT TO HAVE IT AT OUR FINGERTIPS EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T APPEAR TO ADDRESS IT TODAY.
I'M NOT SURE WHO I'M LOOKING AT HERE.
I GUESS THE CHAIR. YOU KNOW, IF YOU WOULD SUPPORT THIS.
GOING TO A FULL COUNCIL FOR BRIEFING FOR NEXT WEEK? ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, THERE'S NO QUESTION WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MANY QUESTIONS.
AND IT IS VERY HARD FOR US TO HOLD BACK TODAY, WHICH I TRIED TO SET THE STAGE EARLIER ON THAT POINT, BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO NOT TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE AND NOT BE ABLE TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS.
I, I THAT'S YEAH, THAT'S THE BEST I CAN WAY I CAN EXPRESS THAT IS THAT IT'S DIFFICULT.
YOU KNOW WHEN PEOPLE CHIME IN, MAYBE WE CAN JUST LET THE CITY MANAGER KNOW.
YOU KNOW, THAT THAT THAT'S SOMETHING COUNCIL SUPPORTS IS A FULL COUNCIL BRIEFING.
SO I DO HAVE QUESTIONS ON IF WE CAN GO TO SLIDE EIGHT.
THIS WAS WHAT I HAVE DOWN AS THE FUNDING SOURCES SLIDE.
GREAT. ALL RIGHT. SO IT LOOKS LIKE A BIG PORTION OF WELL, FIRST OF THE 399.2 MILLION I SAW THAT THAT WAS FROM 2021 UNTIL NOW.
DOES WHAT'S THE CUTOFF DATE FOR THAT.
IS THAT THE END OF 23 OR IS THAT UP THROUGH TODAY? IT IS THIS IS DONE BY I'M SORRY JULY.
OKAY. SO 20 IT IS THE CUTOFF 2021 THROUGH JULY 2024.
THANK YOU. AND I SHOULD SAY THE AUDIT GOES THROUGH 4/30/24 BECAUSE IT WAS ORIGINALLY TO BE THROUGH 2023 UP TO THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND WE ASK THE BOARD, ASK THAT IT GO THROUGH 4/30/24, LARGELY BECAUSE WE TOOK IN A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT GIFTS BETWEEN OCTOBER 1ST OF 23 AND APRIL 30TH OF 24.
WITHOUT GOING INTO THE AUDIT, CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY UNDER THE PHILANTHROPY LINE AND ALSO UNDER THE FEDERAL STATE DIRECT LINE, WHERE YOU HAVE BOTH OVG AND FAIR PARK FIRST LISTED AS CO-MANAGED, HOW DO YOU DIFFERENTIATE THE DUTIES BETWEEN OVG AND FAIR PARK FIRST ON FACILITATING THESE FUNDING SOURCES? THANKS. AND IT'S PROJECT MANAGED BY.
SO IT'S NOT THEM MAKING THE APPLICATION.
IT IS THE THE TWO OF US MANAGING THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, 550,000 I BELIEVE 250,000 WAS STATE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, WHICH WE MADE THE APPLICATION AND IT IS TO GO INTO THE VISITOR CENTER, AND WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AT OVG REGARDING HOW WE COMPLETE THAT PROJECT, BECAUSE THEY WORK ON MAINTENANCE AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO THEY'RE NOT IN THAT CASE, THAT'S HOW THE PROJECTS ARE MANAGED.
OKAY. AND I ASSUME WHEN WE GET TO TALK ABOUT THE AUDIT, WE CAN REALLY DIG INTO IT.
YOU CAN ASK MORE QUESTIONS, AS I SAID, AS OF OCTOBER 1ST, WE ARE MOVING OVER THE MONEY COMING IN FROM SOURCES RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED FOR THESE PARTS WILL GO INTO A SEPARATE ACCOUNT THAT CAN WILL HAVE THE VIEWING CAPABILITY BY OVG, BUT NOT MANAGEMENT CAPABILITY BY OVG.
[01:15:04]
OKAY. THAT'S NEWS TO ME.THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. THANK YOU.
CAN YOU CLARIFY WHO THE LAST LINE UNDER PARTNER ORGANIZATION.
THE PROJECTS MANAGED BY PARTNERS.
WHAT IS THAT MONEY THAT'S COMING IN AND THE 12 MILLION.
THEN WHO ARE THE PARTNERS? GENERALLY, I MAY LET ALYSSA ANSWER THAT.
THAT GOES BACK TO YOUR LOOP TRAIL AND YOUR TEXAS TREES FOUNDATION.
YES. SO THOSE ARE THE THOSE EQUATE TO 8 MILLION FOR THE BEAR PARK LOOP TRAIL AND 4 MILLION FOR TEXAS TREES FOUNDATION, WITH 3 MILLION GOING TO THE SECOND AVENUE PARK AND 1 MILLION GOING TO TREES IN THE COMMUNITY PARK.
SO THOSE ARE OUR TWO PARTNERSHIPS WE'RE REFERRING TO IN THAT LINE ITEM.
GREAT. THEY WILL DO THE BIDDING AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.
THE FUNDS FOR TEXAS TREES WENT TO TEXAS TREES.
WE CO APPLIED IN THE CASE OF THE LOOP TRAIL.
AND WE'RE I THINK MR. O'CONNOR COULD ANSWER MORE APPROPRIATELY IN TERMS OF HOW THAT ACTUALLY COMES IN.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T THINK I NEED TO GO THAT DEEP ON THIS ONE.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHO THEY REFERENCED.
AND THIS FUNDING SOURCE, THIS IS MAINLY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, RIGHT? IT'S NOT YOUR ONGOING OPERATIONAL COSTS.
THE GREATEST PORTION OF THIS IS INDEED CAPITAL.
AS I INDICATED, WE RAISED SOME MONEY FOR PROGRAMING.
ALYSSA, DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS SPECIFIC? ALL RIGHT. MY LAST COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ARE ON A SLIDE THAT I THINK ALL THE SHUFFLING UP HERE WAS BECAUSE SOME OF US, FOR WHATEVER REASON, DIDN'T HAVE IT.
IT'S LISTED AS SLIDE 15, THE FINANCIAL UPDATE.
AND I NOTICED THAT YOUR FISCAL YEAR, CITY OF DALLAS.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS THE CITY OF DALLAS APPROPRIATION? IS THAT MONEY THAT WE BUDGETED FROM OUR GENERAL FUND OR WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? THAT IS MONEY THAT IS BUDGETED IN THE PARKS AND REC BUDGET.
RYAN. AND SO THAT'S THE OPERATING SUBSIDY THAT THE CITY REMITS TO THE PARK FOR OPERATIONS.
OKAY. IS THERE ANY CLARIFICATION YOU NEED TO MAKE OR IS THAT.
WHY IS THAT GOING UP THAT AMOUNT? THE CITY OF DALLAS APPROPRIATION FROM 25% OF YOUR OPERATING BUDGET THIS YEAR TO NEXT YEAR, IT'S GOING TO BE 31% OF YOUR OPERATING BUDGET, WHEREAS TENANT RENTS ARE GOING DOWN.
IN FY 25, I BELIEVE THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE TO THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT THE SCHOOLS WILL RECEIVE.
THE SCHOOLS BEING TEXAS-OU, PRAIRIE VIEW AND GRAMBLING STATE AND THAT MONEY FUNNELS THROUGH THAT CITY SUBSIDY AND THEN GETS REMITTED TO THE SCHOOLS.
SO IT COMES FROM THE CITY TO US AND THEN OUT TO THE SCHOOLS.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE REASON THAT YOU SEE AN INCREASE THERE IN THE CITY SUBSIDY.
OKAY. WHERE CAN WE SEE A BREAKDOWN OF HOW ALL OF THOSE FUNDS ARE SPENT UNDER THE CITY OF DALLAS APPROPRIATION? I CAN FORWARD IT ON TO WHOEVER THE APPROPRIATE PARTY WOULD BE THE FINANCIALS FOR THE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
YEAH. I MEAN, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE CITY'S FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED FROM THE CITY AND THEN HOW THEY'RE UTILIZED BY YOU AND JUST THE ONLY THE CITY ALLOCATED FUNDS BECAUSE THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REALLY RECORDED THAT WAY.
IT'S LIKE REVENUE AND EXPENSES OUT.
SO IF I WAS TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, ASSIGN THINGS TO THE CITY SUBSIDY, IT WOULD BE RANDOM.
LIKE, RIGHT, THAT MAKES SENSE.
I APPRECIATE THAT NOW. I GUESS I'LL JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE WHOLE THING.
THANK YOU. CHAIR. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM BAZALDUA.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK ABOUT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE KNOW HAVE TAKEN PLACE FROM 2017 BOND FUNDS AND I THINK REMAINING FUNDS FROM 2006 AS WELL, WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN TO A PLACE WHERE IT'S ALMOST 100% SPENT.
CORRECT. THE 2017 SHOWED A LITTLE OVER A MILLION.
THAT'S LEFT AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN CONTRACTED, AND IT IS FOOD AND FIBER BUILDING THAT WILL BE COMPLETED AFTER THE FAIR. THE 2024 BONDS.
[01:20:01]
AQUARIUM AND ANCILLARY SMALL OTHER THINGS.THANK YOU. WHEN THE CONTRACT CAME ABOUT, WE HAD A DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OF ABOUT 350 MILLION.
I NOTICED THAT THIS UPDATE DOESN'T SHOW WHERE WE ARE NOW WITH DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, AND I'D LOVE TO SEE THESE THIS LEVEL OF INVESTMENT THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN.
WHERE ARE WE? I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A CLEAR FINANCIAL PICTURE OF WHAT THE JOB UNDERTAKING WAS IN COMING INTO THIS MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT, THIS MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.
SO THE 277 ACRES OF FAIR PARK WAS CRUMBLING IN FRONT OF OUR EYES.
SO THERE'S TWO PRONGED APPROACH TO WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR WITH THIS MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.
IT WAS NOT ONLY TO HAVE A MORE EFFICIENT OPERATION AT FAIR PARK THAN WHAT THE CITY HAS SHOWN HISTORY OF DOING, BUT ALSO TO ADDRESS THE PAST MISTAKES THAT WE HAVE.
IS THAT ACCURATE TO SAY? IT'S COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA.
IT'S VERY ACCURATE BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE 300 MILLION, WE'LL USE THAT FIGURE FOR BACKLOG OF MAINTENANCE EVERY YEAR.
YOU PROGRESS WHEN THE MAINTENANCE DOESN'T GET DONE.
YOU UNDERSTAND FROM A STREET ANALOGY, FIRST YOU NEED TO RESURFACE.
IF YOU WAIT TEN YEARS, YOU NEED TO RECONSTRUCT.
AND THAT'S A THAT'S A 110 TO 1 DELTA.
SO EVERY DAY WE EVERY DAY WE DON'T INVEST IN THE PARK.
SO AND SECONDLY PLEASE RECOGNIZE THERE ARE CERTAIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN OTHER AREAS THAT ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO FAIR PARK, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, KLYDE WARREN PARK SITS ON TWO PIDS.
WE CAN'T HAVE A PID, IT WOULD BE TAKING FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SAME IS TRUE OF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT ZONES.
WE REALLY CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE GENTRIFICATION WOULD BE AN ISSUE.
IT WOULD ALSO FORCE THE MONEY OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND INTO THE PARKS.
SO THAT IS NOT AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL AVAILABLE TO US.
THE HISTORIC TAX CREDITS AND OTHER ONES THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT.
IN ADDITION, WE HAVE WE ARE TRIPLE OVERLAID IN TERMS OF WHAT PROTECTS THIS PARK. THAT ALSO ADDS TIME AND MONEY TO THE RESTORATION.
AND I WILL GIVE YOU ONE SLIGHT EXAMPLE.
THAT CHILLER FOR THE VISITOR CENTER IS $500,000 250,000 FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE HAD TO DETERMINE WE NEEDED IT AND IT WAS BROKEN.
AND WE PAID $9,000 A MONTH FOR A TEMPORARY CHILLER FOR TWO YEARS.
THEN WE HAD TO HAVE AN ARCHITECT AND AN ENGINEER REVIEW IT.
THEN APPLICATION NEEDED TO BE MADE TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.
THEN IT HAD TO GO TO THE TASK FORCE, THEN IT HAD TO GO TO LANDMARK COMMISSION.
THEN WE WILL GO TO THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
IF YOU WANTED A CHILLER FOR CITY HALL, YOU WOULD ORDER IT.
IF I WANT A CHILLER OR STACY WANTS A CHILLER FOR FAIR PARK.
IT'S A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT CONTEXT.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO ASK RYAN TO COME AND GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER WEST WAS ASKING ABOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS APPROPRIATION FOR COMPARATIVE CONTEXT.
CAN YOU PUT THAT INTO A DOLLAR AMOUNT INSTEAD OF WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO US AS A PERCENTAGE OF THEIR OPERATIONS? AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, CAN YOU GIVE US SOME COMPARATIVE NUMBERS ON, I WOULD SAY, OUR CLOSEST ALIGNED PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE
[01:25:02]
THE ZOO, FOR INSTANCE, ARBORETUM OR KLYDE WARREN PARK.CERTAINLY. RYAN O'CONNOR, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DALLAS PARKS AND RECREATION.
I KNOW THAT THE QUESTION WAS ASKING WHY THERE WAS AN INCREASE FROM 25 TO 31%, AND ME DOING THE MATH SHOWS THAT IT'S STILL ABOUT LESS THAN 4.5 MILLION, EVEN GOING UP TO 31%. SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD JUST CONTEXTUALIZE THAT INTO A DOLLAR AMOUNT INSTEAD OF PERCENTAGES? SURE. SO THE CITY STIPEND THAT IS PAID TO FAIR PARK FIRST IS APPROXIMATELY 3.4 MILLION.
IT ACTUALLY MAY GO DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW THAT THE GRAMBLING THE STATE FAIR CLASSIC GAME STIPEND IS GOING UP $350,000.
AND ALSO, WE RECEIVED A FEW ENHANCEMENTS FOR THIS COMING FISCAL.
WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY THIS FISCAL YEAR NOW RELATED TO MAINTENANCE.
IT'S ABOUT 1.8 MILLION IN AGGREGATE THAT WE WILL BE DEPLOYING IN COOPERATION WITH FAIR PARK FIRST ON THE CAMPUS, AND WE'LL BE DOING THINGS SUCH AS GROUNDS MAINTENANCE, MAINTENANCE AROUND MAJOR BUILDING SYSTEMS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO ENSURE THAT THE CAMPUS LOOKS REALLY GOOD AND THE BUILDINGS ARE BEING MAINTAINED IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY.
AND OH, SORRY, I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THE OTHER PARTNERSHIPS.
YEAH. SO AS, AS COMPARED TO THE OTHER SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE, THIS AGREEMENT, THE FAIR PARK FIRST AGREEMENT IS UNIQUE. I WOULD SAY IN MOST CASES, IN FACT, ALL CASES, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE ZOO, YOU THINK ABOUT THE ARBORETUM, YOU THINK ABOUT TURTLE CREEK CONSERVANCY.
THOSE ARE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH NONPROFITS DIRECTLY THAT THAT THE CITY HAS MADE THE DECISION TO OUTSOURCE THE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS TO THOSE PARTNERS DIRECTLY.
OF COURSE, THAT WAS FORMERLY SPECTRA, NOW OVG 360, SO WE'RE IN A POSITION THAT'S AGAIN UNIQUE, THAT THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DAILY OPERATOR OF THE PARK.
SO THAT IS UNIQUE IN RELATION TO OUR OTHER PARTNERSHIPS.
AND BUT IN RELATION TO THE FINANCIALS WHAT WE BUDGET ANNUALLY.
WE'VE GOT A DOLLAR AMOUNT NOW OF WHAT THE CITY OF DALLAS CONTRIBUTION IS.
WHAT ARE WE GIVING TO THESE OTHER ENTITIES? WELL, IT'S THERE'S A THERE'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT RANGE THERE.
I WON'T EVEN PUT YOU ON THE SPOT TO DO IT RIGHT HERE, BECAUSE I DIDN'T GIVE YOU A HEADS UP.
BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO PLEASE GIVE THAT TO ALL OF US.
I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT CONTEXT, AND THE REASON THAT I'M RAISING THIS CONTEXT IS BECAUSE WE I KNOW THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A DESIRE FOR US TO GO INTO A DIFFERENT PLACE WITH THIS CONVERSATION.
I THINK THAT THAT OVERSIGHT CONVERSATION HAS TO BE VERY BROAD SCALED.
WE HAVE NOT ONLY THE AUDIT THAT WE'VE ASKED.
NOW, MADAM CHAIR, TO BRING NEXT WEEK, WE ALSO HAVE THE CITY OF DALLAS AUDIT THAT IS A MORE EXPANDED SCOPE AND THAT MORE EXPANDED SCOPE, I THINK, IS GOING TO HELP US WITH PAINTING A PICTURE TO THE OVERSIGHT CONVERSATION.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S NOT CONVOLUTED HERE TODAY.
WHAT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT WE HAVE TASKED WITH THIS PARTNERSHIP FOR NOW.
FIVE YEARS, RIGHT, TO BRING THE FAIRGROUNDS TO A BETTER PLACE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE'VE SEEN ANY DATA THAT DEBUNKS THAT TASK.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IS THAT THIS WAS AN UPHILL BATTLE TO BEGIN WITH.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IS THAT THIS WAS AN UPHILL BATTLE BECAUSE OF THE CITY'S NEGLECT.
AND IT'S IT'S REALLY BEEN DISHEARTENING TO SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP IN IN THE MEDIA, IN THE PUBLIC EYE THAT IS TAKING AWAY FROM THE CONCENTRATION OF THE GOOD WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.
[01:30:07]
WHEN IT WAS UNDER OUR CONTROL, AND SEEING THAT THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SEEN A BLACK LINE AT THE END OF A FISCAL, A, P AND L IS IS ESSENTIALLY BEEN WHEN WE HAVE GONE THROUGH WITH THIS PARTNERSHIP.SO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ASKED FOR.
I KNOW THAT IF WE LOOK AT THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS PARTNERSHIP TO NOW, WE HAVE CHIPPED AWAY AT SOME OF THE NEED, IN ADDITION TO BRINGING IN SOME OF THE BIGGEST INVESTMENTS, BOTH THROUGH STATE LEGISLATION, WHICH WAS A HURDLE IN ITSELF, BUT ALSO WITH A LEVEL OF PHILANTHROPIC ENGAGEMENT THAT HAS NEVER EXISTED, NEVER EXISTED, NOT ONLY WITHIN THIS 277 ACRES, BUT ALSO WITH THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE THIS WAS PUT ON OUR AGENDA AS AN UPDATE, AND WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON IS LEADING UP TO THIS POINT, I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE HAVE SOME GREAT THINGS HAPPENING AT FAIR PARK.
WE HAVE CHIPPED AWAY AT THE NARRATIVE THAT THERE IS A DIVIDE IN THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE EFFORTS HAVE ALSO BEEN COUPLED WITH THE SUCCESSES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN OUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN OVER AT GATEWAY.
AND WITH THE DATA THAT YOU'VE SHOWN WITH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIFICALLY, I WANT TO JUST SAY I MEAN, THIS IS THIS IS NIGHT AND DAY FROM WHAT, WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE AND MY RESIDENTS HAVING A SAY IN SUCH A JEWEL OF OUR CITY.
I MEAN, IT IS A CITY WIDE ASSET BY, BY ALL MEANS, BUT IT ALSO SITS SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF A COMMUNITY THAT, FOR THE LONGEST, HAS NOT LOOKED AT THAT CITY WIDE ASSET AS EVEN THEIRS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN THEIR BACKYARD, NOW, THEY'VE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.
THEY'VE BEEN A PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS, AND I BELIEVE A LOT OF THIS PROGRAMING HAS BEEN RESOURCES DEVOTED TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AND A LOT OF THE PROGRAMING HAS ALSO BEEN TO UPLIFT FAIR PARK AS A WHOLE.
NOW WE NEED TO START LOOKING ABOUT INCREASING THESE EFFORTS BECAUSE THE DATA THAT I ASKED FOR WHEN IT COMES TO OUR PARTNERSHIPS IS GOING TO SHINE IN MY EYES.
IT'S GOING TO HIGHLIGHT WHERE WE HAVE HAD SHORTCOMINGS HERE ON OUR END AS A CITY.
AND IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK AT THIS UPDATE AND THE FUTURE AUDIT AS A MOMENT OF SELF-REFLECTION FROM OUR CITY, THEN WE ARE DOING THIS IN THE WRONG WAY, BECAUSE WE CAN CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS THAT HAVE SHOWN TO BE THE MOST FRUITFUL, THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OF ANY OF OUR PARK SYSTEM, AND THEN WE CAN TRY TO FIND POINTING THE BLAME.
THE REALITY IS, IS THAT WE HAVE TO COME TO GRIPS WITH WHAT IT IS THAT WE TASKED THE FAIR PARK PARTNERSHIP AS A WHOLE WITH EXECUTING AND WHAT IT IS THAT WE'VE INVESTED IN THE SUCCESS OF THAT EXECUTION.
THAT TO ME, THERE'S A TOO BIG OF A GAP.
WE'VE GOT TO COME FORWARD AND HELP GET US TO A PLACE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ASKED AND ARE, QUITE FRANKLY, IN THE MASTER PLAN AND READY TO ROLL. A HOTEL BEING CONSTRUCTED, THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE SURROUNDING AREA, THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS FROM BOTH THE COUNTY AND OUR NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, ALL OF THE ALIGN THE STARS ARE ALIGNING NOW FOR US TO ACTUALLY GET THINGS DONE.
THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS TO LOOK AT WHERE WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PLACE THAT WE'RE AT AND HOW CAN WE HOLD HANDS WITH THE ENTITIES THAT WE HAVE STARTED PARTNERSHIPS WITH TO GET US TO THE FINISH LINE? AND THAT'S WHERE I BELIEVE WE'VE BEEN LACKING IN THIS CONVERSATION.
SO I APPRECIATE THE UPDATE, AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE.
CHAIRMAN LILL, I CANNOT TELL YOU, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE HAD A ROLLER COASTER OF A TIME SINCE YOU'VE BEEN HERE, AND THAT'S REALITY.
THERE'S NO BIGGER FRIEND TO FAIR PARK THAN YOU, VELETTA.
THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE PUT IN, JUST BEING THERE FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING AT THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS LAST FRIDAY AND LOOKING BACK AT THE MAJESTIC ART DECO BUILDINGS THAT ARE THERE, THE SIGNIFICANCE THAT THEY HAVE FOR OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY, AND SEEING THEM COME BACK TO THEIR GLORY IS SOMETHING THAT WE CANNOT MISS AS A CELEBRATION.
[01:35:01]
AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE GOTTEN.AND LIKE I SAID, THAT'S GOING TO BE IN A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING THE PROGRESS.
AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PROGRESS.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT WE NEED TO LOOK FURTHER WHEN IT COMES TO THESE AUDITS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE OF A CONVERSATION, BUT ALSO AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO Y'ALL'S PLANNING IN THE FUTURE, HOW WE CAN STEP UP IN THE CITY'S ROLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING THE RIGHT RESOURCES TO CLOSE IN SOME OF THESE GAPS.
BECAUSE THE REALITY IS, SOME OF THESE GOALS THAT WE HAVE ARE GOING TO BE PIPE DREAMS. AS LONG AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO LOOK AT THIS AS A STEPCHILD, UNTIL WE GET SERIOUS ABOUT IT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THE IMPLEMENTATION FULLY SUCCESSFUL.
AND SO I WANTED TO JUST BRING SOME CONTEXT TO THE WHOLE CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR WHERE WE ARE, ALL THAT IS HAPPENING.
THANK YOU FOR THE ENGAGEMENT AND INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY.
AND AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, LET'S GO TO CHAIR NARVAEZ.
I WAS AND I WANT TO THANK DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM FOR SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HE MADE AND JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS IS AN ODD TIME BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FOCUSED ON THE UPCOMING AUDIT, BUT WE DID NEED THIS UPDATE, AND IT WAS IT'S HERE, AND I APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME WE HAD AN UPDATE AND OR IF I JUST DON'T RECALL IT.
AND I DO WANT TO SAY WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROGRAMING, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL SHARED CAME AS A BIG SURPRISE TO ME THE NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT YOU ALL HAVE HOSTED AND WAS HOPING THAT YOU ALL COULD EITHER EMAIL THOSE TO US, AS YOU KNOW EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT I AND HERE'S WHY IS MY OFFICE DOES A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER WHERE WE SHARE EVENTS THAT ARE UPCOMING AND IT HAS BECOME VERY POPULAR AMONGST OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT RECEIVE IT AND NOT COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT RECEIVE IT AS WELL, THANKING US FOR SHARING EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY.
AND I THINK THAT COULD HELP IF THAT'S AN EVENT THAT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND IT'S A SCHOOL DISTRICT SPECIFIC EVENT, OF COURSE WE YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED TO SHARE THAT ONE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE'S HEARTS DROP WHEN THEY'RE LIKE, OH, I CAN'T GO TO THAT.
BUT I'LL GIVE YOU ALL A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
YOU ALL DID SHARE WITH US ABOUT THE THE DAY WHEN WE WERE DOING WHEN THE ECLIPSE HAPPENED AND WE HAD A TON OF PEOPLE THAT DID GO TO FAIR PARK IN ORDER TO ENJOY THAT. AND I WAS TRYING TO GET THERE AND THEN REALIZED TRAFFIC WASN'T GOING TO WORK.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
SO IF YOU ALL CAN TELL ME IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU ALL COULD DO FOR US.
YES, THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN DO GOING FORWARD.
EXCELLENT. AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT I HAVE BEEN TO SEVERAL EVENTS AT FAIR PARK AND, WELL, TONS OF EVENTS OVER THE LAST YEAR WHERE THAT WOULD NOT HAVE EVER REALLY BEEN PART OF MY SELF-ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES OR LOOKING AT THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, GOING THERE FOR THINKING, OH, FAIR PARK IS A PLACE THAT THAT MIGHT, YOU KNOW, BE A GOOD PLACE TO GO.
BUT THEN WHEN CERTAIN THINGS COME UP, WE ALL OF A SUDDEN EMBRACE IT AS A CITYWIDE ASSET.
AND SO THAT IT GAVE ME GREAT THOUGHTS ON HOW WE CAN START CHANGING THAT.
BUT I WILL SAY THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TIME THE EVENTS ARE AMAZING AND THERE ARE ISSUES, RIGHT? LIKE PARKING GETTING, YOU KNOW, IN AND OUT OF FAIR PARK.
AND I KNOW EVERYBODY'S WORKING ON IT BECAUSE I'VE ASKED MICHAEL MORRIS AT THE COG.
I'VE ASKED YOU ALL, AND EVEN DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM BAZALDUA, AND HE'S BEEN ABLE TO GIVE ME UPDATES ON HOW THINGS ARE WORKING, HOW THINGS ARE GOING AND I'VE AS CHAIR OF TRANSPORTATION, I'VE ASKED HIM MORE THAN ONCE, AND HE SHARES WITH ME, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT NEED OR THESE ARE THINGS THAT I'VE ASKED FOR SO THAT WE CAN COME AND APPROACH THESE TOUGH VERY EXPENSIVE ISSUES AS A TEAM VERSUS AS, OH, IT'S JUST BELONGS TO DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM TO DO IT. OH, IT JUST BELONGS TO FAIR PARK FIRST.
[01:40:03]
AND NOW IT'S LIKE, OH, IT'S JUST IT'S JUST HONORABLE VELETTA HILL'S JOB AND THAT SHOULDN'T IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT WAY.THIS IS A HUGE ASSET AND A HUGE GEM FOR OUR CITY.
AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO TAKE THAT APPROACH AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
RIGHT? WHAT CHANGES YOU ALL HAVE MADE AND ALL OF THAT.
SO BUT COMING TO WHAT YOU ALL SAID, THE CONSTRUCTION ON THE BOND PROJECTS.
RYAN, YOU'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO ANSWER THIS ONE.
ARE ALL OF YOUR PROJECTS ON THE 2017 BOND DASHBOARD? THAT WAY PEOPLE HAVE A PLACE TO SEE WHERE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLETION OR HAS IT ALREADY BEEN CONTRACTED? HAS IT, YOU KNOW, COMPLETED OR ARE WE JUST WAITING TO PAY THE BILL BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE INVOICES YET? SIR, THEY SHOULD BE.
I HAVE NOT PERSONALLY PUT EYES ON THAT WEBSITE IN A LITTLE WHILE, BUT I THEY SHOULD BE.
PERFECT. AND I WAS TRYING TO OPEN IT UP, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, MY IPAD WOULDN'T OPEN IT UP.
BUT. SO THAT'S A PLACE WHERE FOLKS CAN ALWAYS GO LOOK FOR THOSE.
THAT WAS REALLY BIG FOR US TO ADD IN FOR THIS BOND.
FOR THE 2017 BOND PACKAGE NOW.
2024, WE WILL HAVE THAT AS WELL.
SO I WANTED TO GIVE THAT INFORMATION TO AND REMIND FOLKS THAT ALREADY KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT ALSO GIVE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU ALL, JUST IN CASE YOU ALL DIDN'T HAVE IT AT FAIR PARK FIRST OR FOR THE BOARD.
AND OF COURSE THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
OTHER THAN THAT JUST THANK YOU VELETTA I KNOW YOU HAVE A HEART BIGGER THAN TEXAS FOR FAIR PARK AND PROBABLY SINCE YOU, THERE HASN'T BEEN A BIGGER HEART THAN DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM.
BUT I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THANK YOU.
BECAUSE YOU STEPPED IN WHERE MOST OTHERS WOULD NOT WANT TO STEP IN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE IT WAS SAID, YOU CAME TO ALL THE PUBLIC EVENTS AND YOU'RE NOT SCARED TO PUT YOUR FACE THERE AND BE THERE, FRONT AND FORWARD.
AND I'M SURE YOU GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
YOU GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE TALKING TO YOU.
BUT I KNOW THAT YOU ARE SOMEBODY THAT WE CAN TRUST.
YOU ARE SOMEBODY WHO WILL GET THE JOB DONE, AND YOU WILL NOT STOP UNTIL IT'S COMPLETED.
AND ALL THESE PROGRAMS, ALL THESE DIFFERENT PROJECTS I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE IN YOU.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO FINISH AND THANK YOU TO YOU ALL FOR PRESENTING.
I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU ALL AGAIN WHEN WE HAVE THE NEXT BRIEFING.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY AND IN PARTICULAR TO FAIR PARK.
EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING TODAY AT FAIR PARK.
INCLUDING THOSE THAT YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT AND WHERE I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON, ON THOSE ISSUES WITH NOISE MITIGATION BUT TRULY EXCITED TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE SO CLOSE TO FAIR PARK, WHERE I CAN GO TO ANY NUMBER OF EVENTS AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE.
THE LOOP TRAIL, THE CULTURAL TRAIL, THE COMMUNITY PARK, ALL GREAT PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
AND SO I'M GOING TO START THERE WITH PAGE TWO AND THE COMMUNITY PARK.
AND IF YOU CAN, LET US KNOW WHAT THE TOTAL BUDGET IS FOR THE COMMUNITY PARK AND WHERE WE ARE SO FAR, BOTH WITH CITY DOLLARS AND ANY PRIVATE DOLLARS, I AM GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ALYSSA ARNOLD, OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER.
I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THERE ARE NO CITY DOLLARS IN THE COMMUNITY PARK.
THAT WAS THE WAY THE CONTRACT WAS STRUCTURED.
SO THE COMMUNITY PARK RECEIVED NO BOND DOLLARS AND NO GENERAL OPERATING DOLLARS.
MISS ARNOLD. SO TO DATE, WE HAVE RAISED 23 MILLION, I BELIEVE.
23 MILLION THAT IS IN CASH AND PLEDGES THAT ARE TO COME.
RIGHT NOW, OUR BUDGET FOR THE COMMUNITY PARK IS BEING FINESSED, I WILL SAY.
PART OF OUR DIRECTION WAS TO REDESIGN, THAT'S A SCARY WORD, BUT I MEAN IT THAT WE ARE INCORPORATING SOME MORE PARKING SPACES PER OUR CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENT WITH LIVE NATION AND I'M SORRY, LIVE NATION AND STATE FAIR.
SO WE ARE RECONFIGURING SOME OF THE SITE.
[01:45:07]
RESUME THE DESIGN EFFORTS ON THE COMMUNITY PARK UNTIL THAT IS DONE.WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR THE PARK TO BE DELIVERED? WE ARE WORKING TO DELIVER IT STILL IN 2026.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL.
AND I KNOW THAT WHEN I WAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON PARK BOARD, I HAD A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS IN THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OF THAT CONTRACT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO NEGOTIATE THAT CONTRACT.
AND SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, DO YOU HAVE ANY CURRENT HARDSHIPS OR BARRIERS IN TODAY'S CONTRACT THAT WE SHOULD BE EXAMINING? WE HAVE A NUMBER OF BARRIERS.
OUR ATTORNEYS BOTH OUR EXTERNAL ATTORNEY AND THOSE ON OUR BOARD HAVE BEEN REVIEWING THE MANAGEMENT AND SUB MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT TO AND BASICALLY REDLINE THE COPY.
WE HAVE HAD MEETINGS AND WILL HAVE FUTURE MEETINGS WITH OVG RELATIVE TO WHAT THEY WILL BE DOING AND WHAT THINGS NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CONTRACT.
THE BARRIERS WERE AT THE TIME OF THE CONTRACT, FAIR PARK FIRST WAS A NASCENT NONPROFIT, AND SO THE FUNCTIONALITY, THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS, THE FINANCIALS, THE INSURANCE, THE AUDITS.
CAN WE STAY GERMANE TO THE TOPIC AS AGENDIZED, PLEASE? YES. WE'VE BEEN CAUTIONED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY NOT TO GET TOO MUCH INTO THE SPECIFICS OF THE CONTRACT AND THE BARRIERS JUST BECAUSE THAT'S I MEAN, I DON'T I'M NOT GOING INTO THE AUDIT. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CONTRACT.
RIGHT. BUT I DON'T THINK THE CONTRACT WAS ON, NOTICED IT ON THE AGENDA.
SO, I FIND MYSELF, THOUGH VERY CURIOUS TO HEAR THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION.
SO I THINK WHAT WE MAY NEED TO DO AND I'LL CHECK I'LL, LET'S GET AN ANSWER TO THIS.
BUT WE'RE ASKING FOR THE BRIEFING ON THE AUDIT FOR THE 16TH.
I THINK WE MAY WANT TO INCLUDE THE CONTRACT AS WELL.
SO NOTED CHAIR. OKAY, SO WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
IT STATED THAT $500,000 WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM OVER FIVE YEARS.
IS THAT OGV? OKAY. AND IS THAT 500 MILLION ON TOP OF WHAT THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS HAS DONE, OR IS THAT IN TOTAL? THAT'S SEPARATE AND APART FROM IT'S DONE.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A HARD JOURNEY IN MANY WAYS.
AND SO I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
HOW ARE THESE ALL RELATED WHEN YOU CREATE YOUR BUDGETS? BECAUSE I SEE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF FLOW BETWEEN THE TWO, AND I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT, I GUESS, DOUBLE PAYING OR LOOKING AT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY FUNDING THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE FUNDED.
MUCH, I HAVE A FUNDRAISING BUDGET AND THOSE ARE BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE PARK, BUT THE MUCH BIGGER ISSUE. AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO STACY CHURCH.
IS SHE HER BUDGET RELATES TO THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS.
AND BEFORE SHE DOES IT, JUST TO CLARIFY, THEY ARE SEPARATE IN TERMS OF NO OVERLAP OF THE TYPES.
SO YOU DO MAKE SURE THAT DOES HAPPEN, CORRECT? OKAY. CORRECT. BECAUSE I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS BECAUSE YOU'RE UPSIDE DOWN EVERY YEAR.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU MAKE UP THAT UPSIDE DOWN.
AND WHAT IS SALARIES, TAXES, WAGES AND BENEFITS.
BECAUSE THOSE ARE YOU KNOW IT'S MOVING IT'S TRENDING UPWARD AND THAT'S PROBABLY YOUR BIGGEST POT RIGHT, AND IF WE'RE GOING TO STAY WITHIN A BUDGET YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRIM OFF.
[01:50:02]
AND HOW DOES THAT LOOK I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS YOU'RE UPSIDE DOWN.SO HOW ARE YOU JUSTIFYING BEING UPSIDE DOWN MOVING TWO YEARS INTO THIS.
SO I'M NOT JUSTIFYING BEING UPSIDE DOWN.
BUT THAT'S PART OF THE REASON FOR FY 25.
WE'RE WORKING WITH RYAN AND RENEE AND THE PARKS AND REC TEAM ON THAT CHANGE IN SCOPE.
AND WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THAT EXERCISE, THE GOAL IS TO BE BALANCED.
RIGHT? WE WOULD BE REVENUES WOULD BE MATCHING EXPENSES.
FOR FY 24 AND IN PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR A YEAR.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, SADDLED WITH, YOU KNOW, INCLEMENT WEATHER EXPENSES.
THAT HAVE CAUSED US TO OVERSPEND.
YEAH. AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE DO YOU CARRY THAT OVER THE OVERAGE EVERY YEAR.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IN OTHER WORDS, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR YOU WERE WHAT IS THAT 800,000.
THIS YEAR YOU'RE LOOKING AT BEING LIKE 2 MILLION.
IN OTHER WORDS, HOW MUCH ARE YOU IN THE HOLE.
YEAH IT DOESN'T IT'S A NEW BUDGET FOR THE YEAR.
WHAT'S HAPPENED IS THERE ARE, AND GET BACK TO ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ASKED, DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE ARE TRACKING IT SEPARATELY, THE SALARIES AND EXPENSES, WE WERE ALL WE WERE ALL MANAGING.
AND WHAT VELETTA REFERENCED EARLIER, THEY'RE NOW GOING TO GO ON THEIR SEPARATE PAYROLL, WHICH WE SUPPORT, AND WE'VE BEEN HELPING THEM SO THAT THEY HAVE THEIR SEPARATE SET OF BOOKS, EVEN FOR THE PAYROLL AND OVERHEAD EXPENSE.
IT'S NOT A CUMULATIVE IT IS A NEW BUDGET.
THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS WE ALSO NEED TO TRY TO DRIVE MORE REVENUE.
SO WE WILL HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET.
SO WHAT YOU SEE REFLECTED IS WHAT THAT OVERRUN WAS FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND THAT WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING NOW, AS WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH, TRYING TO CLOSE THAT GAP ON THE BUDGET. OKAY, SO BACK TO THE QUESTION, THOUGH.
DO YOU CARRY THE OFFS, DO YOU CARRY IT OVER EVERY YEAR? I MEAN, YOU CAN'T JUST WIPE IT OUT BECAUSE IT IS AN EXPENSE.
CORRECT. NO IT IS I MEAN IT'S JUST IT IS WHAT THE REPORTING IS FOR THAT YEAR.
AND SO WE WERE REFLECTING WHAT THAT LOSS WAS FOR THAT YEAR AND THEN WE'RE PROJECTING WHAT THE 25.
OKAY. SO YOU PROJECTED AS A LOSS.
AND SO WHAT AND YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO CUT COMMUNITY BUT WE WANT TO HAVE ROBUST COMMUNITY.
CORRECT. SO I THINK PART OF IT IS NOT ONLY WITH FAIR PARK, BUT AS WE REFERENCED WITH THE CITY, SOME OF IT WE DO THINK MAY REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL SUBSIDY UNTIL WE GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO DRIVE MORE REVENUE AND NOT HAVE.
IT MAY BE THE CASE, BUT JUST TO SHOW YOU HOW WE'RE CLOSING THE GAP.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO REDUCE THAT BY SERVICES AND TRY TO DRIVE MORE REVENUE.
BUT WE WILL HAVE A POSSIBILITY.
BUT THAT MAY BE PART OF THE SHORT TERM THAT WE MAY NEED SOME SUPPORT WITH THAT.
IS THERE A WAY TO SAY THAT YOU COME BACK WITH A NEW BUDGET AND SAY, YOU'VE GOT TO BE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF WHAT YOU KNOW, WITHOUT WITHIN YOUR SUBSIDY, BECAUSE YOU DO GET A LOT OF VARYING MONEY POOLS OF MONEY.
AND I DO THINK HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EACH POOL OF MONEY HAS BOUGHT US, WHETHER IT BE INFRASTRUCTURE OR WHATEVER IT IS, IS, I THINK, A BETTER THAN JUST LUMPING IT TELLS A BETTER STORY.
BUT I WOULD SAY I JUST HAD A FIGHT FOR A $500,000 LIBRARY AT THIS HORSESHOE.
AND IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR ANY MORE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO FIND IT.
I THINK WE WILL CERTAINLY WORK VERY HARD TO TRY TO CLOSE THAT GAP.
PART OF THE CHALLENGE, AS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, IS THAT WE HAVE SOME VERY OLD BUILDINGS AND PARTICULARLY WHAT HAPPENS AND WHAT HAPPENED THAT STACEY REFERENCED IS THAT YOU'LL HAVE AN EMERGENCY REPAIR.
THAT WILL TAKE A SIGNIFICANT CHUNK OF CHUNK OF YOUR EXPENSE IN ANY GIVEN YEAR.
BUT I'M SURE YOU'VE DONE AN INVENTORY OF WHAT SYSTEMS ARE ABOUT TO EXPIRE.
[01:55:03]
WE HAVE AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, SOME ARE BUDGETED AND PREVENTATIVE THAT WE TRY TO ADDRESS.RIGHT. AND WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK TO THE EARLIER QUESTIONS OR THE POINTS THAT WERE RAISED COLLECTIVELY BY YOU ALL, WHICH WE APPRECIATE, LIKE THE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT THAT'S NOW TAKING PLACE, YOU KNOW, ON THIS CAMPUS WILL TRANSFORM THIS CAMPUS, BUT ALSO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES WHERE WE DON'T WE DON'T HAVE THESE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT HAVE BUILT UP OVER TIME.
AND THAT WILL ALSO HELP US SUSTAIN A A PREDICTABLE BUDGET GOING FORWARD AS WELL.
OKAY. I DO WANT TO ADD ONE THING.
SO JUST BASED ON THE HISTORICAL EVENT PERFORMANCE, WE WERE NETTING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 500 AND $900,000 PER YEAR AND SO WITH THE CLOSURE OF THE COTTON BOWL, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET CREATIVE AND DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT, SUCH AS THE COMMERCIAL SHOOTS.
SO OKAY, THAT THAT IS AN INTERESTING DATA POINT.
AND SO WHEN WILL THAT BE BACK ONLINE NEXT.
SO THEN THAT'S WHERE THAT GAP CAN BE MADE.
THOSE DOLLARS HAVE BEEN REPURPOSED, AND SO THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO US ANYMORE FOR THOSE MAJOR CAPITAL EXPENSES OR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OR BUILDING SYSTEM FAILURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WERE THOSE DOLLARS PAYING FOR OVERHEAD? NO, THOSE DOLLARS ARE PAYING FOR THE WERE I SAID WERE YOU SAID THAT THAT'S NOW BEING REPROGRAMED.
SO WHEN THEY WERE COMING TO YOU WHAT WAS THAT CAPITAL PROJECTS.
IT WAS JUST FOR CAPITAL. JUST FOR CAPITAL.
BUT WE'RE MANAGING THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS NOW.
OR DID IT GET TOTALLY ABSORBED INTO OUR BUDGET? IT GOT ABSORBED INTO THE STATE FAIR EXCESS NET REVENUE GOT ABSORBED INTO THE COTTON BOWL PROJECT.
OKAY. SO IT'S STILL A COTTON BOWL RENOVATION.
I MEAN, IT'S STILL A STATE FAIR RENOVATION, RIGHT? BUT THAT'S ABOUT $4 MILLION A YEAR.
OKAY. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE THE ANNUAL ALLOTMENT THIS YEAR, FY 24.
SO THANK YOU. I KNOW WE'RE IN TIME.
I PREFACE BY SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, FAIR PARK IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
BUT IT'S THIS MORNING THE HISTORY.
AND IT'S JUST A PHENOMENAL PLACE.
BUT THIS CONVERSATION FOR ME IS PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S BIGGER THAN ME THIS MORNING.
I HEARD THE COMMITMENT AROUND THE COMMENTS AROUND THE OU TEXAS GAME.
WE'RE ALWAYS EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
BUT I ALSO CONTINUE TO BE A CHEERLEADER FOR THE GRAMBLING GAME AS WE CONTINUE TO INVEST, AND I CONTINUE TO APPLAUD MR. AL WYCHE FOR BEING COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS A SENSE OF EQUITY AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE AS IT IS.
BUT I WANT TO KEEP REMINDING PEOPLE OF THAT FACT THAT WE HAVE TWO GREAT GAMES THERE QUICKLY.
THIS CONVERSATION, I THINK, GETS DOWN TO THE PUBLIC AND THE PERCEPTION OF THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE BY A COUNCIL TO PRIVATIZE THIS PARK.
THE PUBLIC TRUST AT THIS POINT IS SHATTERED, IN MY OPINION, AND THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE GETTING.
THE HEADLINES HAVE IMPLIED THAT THERE IS A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, COMMUNICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
THEY SIMPLY WANT TO SEE CHANGES TAKING PLACE IN THE PARK.
BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, THEY'VE BEEN ASKED TO GO TO THE BALLOT.
THEY WERE ASKED IN 2017, I BELIEVE, TO COMMIT WAS IT $500 MILLION? HOW MUCH CAN SOME, MR. CAN YOU COME UP TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION? I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M CORRECT.
HE'S GOING TO TELL ME. I'M ASKING FOR TOO MUCH.
WHAT WAS THE 2017 ASKED OF THE PUBLIC ON THE BOND? YES, MA'AM. IN 2017 WAS $50 MILLION.
ALL RIGHT. IN 2022, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CONVENTION CENTER AND FAIR PARK WITH THE BRIMER.
DID WE DID WE ASK THE PUBLIC TO VOTE?
[02:00:02]
WAS IT 2022? YES, MA'AM.AND THE PROJECTION OVER 30 YEARS WOULD BE $300 MILLION THAT WE'RE ASKING THE PUBLIC TO SUPPORT OF THEIR OF THEIR PUBLIC DOLLARS? YES, MA'AM.
THOSE WERE GENERATED FROM HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES.
BUT. YES, MA'AM, THERE'S A PROJECTION OVER TIME.
AND I KNOW WE SAY THAT THE WE USE WE'RE NOT USING OUR OWN MONEY, BUT BRIMER BILL, BASICALLY.
WHERE IS THAT MONEY COMING FROM? IT IS PRIMARILY FROM HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES.
ALL RIGHT. BUT THROUGHOUT THE STATE, YOU'RE STILL DEALING WITH PEOPLE'S MONEY, AM I CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY. WHETHER YOU'RE VISITING HERE OR THERE AND OR WE'RE USING MONEY THAT COMES AROUND THE STATE THROUGH HOTELS, THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND ONCE AGAIN, I'M JUST REITERATING WHERE I AM.
THE BASIC CONVERSATION IS AROUND THE PEOPLE AND THE TRUST.
AND WE HAVE THAT SAME SET OF EYES THAT'S ON US IN TERMS OF DECISION THAT WE'RE MAKING.
I AM AGREEING, I AGREE WITH THE FACT THAT WE DO NEED TO HAVE A FULL COUNCIL BRIEFING.
WOULD YOU TELL US AGAIN IF THAT'S A PERMISSIBLE BY LAW? WHAT IS YOUR SHORTFALL THAT WAS PRESENTED IN THE NEWSPAPER, PROJECTED.
THAT WAS PRESENTED IN THE NEWS.
MY POINT OF ORDER, MADAM CHAIR, IS THAT THIS IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS THIS MORNING.
ABSOLUTELY. AND THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS IS BOUND BY THE STATE STATUTE OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
AND THAT HAS NOT BEEN AGENDIZED.
I'VE BEEN ADVISED BY CITY ATTORNEY.
WE'VE GOT TO STAY ON THE BRIEFING.
DID CHAIRWOMAN, I MEAN, CHAIRWOMAN BLACKMON JUST ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT DON'T MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT DON'T ASK US FOR ANY MORE MONEY OR SOMETHING TO THAT TO THAT EFFECT.
YES, BUT I BELIEVE IN THE CONTEXT OF ASKING SOME QUESTIONS WITH RESPECT TO SLIDE 12.
IS THAT RIGHT? LET'S GO TO SLIDE 12 BECAUSE I BELIEVE I HEARD THAT.
WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY OR THE CITY CONTRIBUTION? LET ME JUST REVISIT THAT.
WAS THERE A CONVERSATION AROUND THAT? WELL, CITY.
CITY. WHAT IS A CITY CONTRIBUTION TO THIS? JUST OVER $3 MILLION.
ALL RIGHT. IS THIS ORGANIZATION THAT YOU ARE REPRESENTING THIS MORNING? IS IT A NONPROFIT? NO. OVG IS FOR PROFIT.
ALL RIGHT. SO YOU ALL REPRESENT THIS MORNING.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THE PEOPLE'S MONEY STRAIGHT.
AND I'VE TRIED TO FUND A LIBRARY AND HAD CHALLENGES THERE.
SO I'M TRYING TO GET A GOOD POSITION FOR THE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND.
SO THE PARTNERSHIP IS BOTH WITH THE NONPROFIT AND OVG THE FOR PROFIT.
TO YOUR QUESTION, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BUDGET SUBSIDY THAT WE WERE PRESENTING.
ALL RIGHT. WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT? I DIDN'T HEAR YOU. THERE WAS A PROJECTED LOSS FOR $3 MILLION FOR NEXT YEAR OR 2 MILLION.
WOULD THAT IMPACT AND ASK FROM THE CITY? THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
WOULD IT IMPACT THE ASK? I'M SORRY. WOULD IT IMPACT WOULD THAT LOSS AFFECT OR PROMPT AN ASK TO THE CITY OF DALLAS? YES. YES, MA'AM. IT WOULD.
ALL RIGHT. IN WHAT YEAR WOULD THAT BE IN THIS YEAR FOR 2025.
ALL RIGHT. AND SO OUR GOAL THROUGHOUT THE CITY IS ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND IT'S GREAT WHERE IT IS IN THE SOUTH DALLAS.
AND WE WANT TO SEE THAT PROJECT FLOURISH, BUT ALSO BEING REALISTIC AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE'S MONEY, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE BEING ASKED TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR SUPPORT OF COUNCIL ACTIONS WHEN WE PREPARE FOR BUDGETS. AND RIGHT NOW, SINCE YOU MENTIONED THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE LIBRARY, I'M JUST GOING TO BRING UP THE FACT THAT WE ALSO HAVE A CHALLENGE WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
[02:05:03]
WE HAVE HOMES WITHIN THE CITY WHO, AS YOU TALKED ABOUT BUILDINGS HAVING STRUCTURAL ISSUES.I HAVE THOUSANDS OF SENIORS WHO ARE CALLING ME EVERY DAY ABOUT OR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
I SHOULD SAY NOT EVERY DAY FOR HOME REPAIR.
THEIR ROOFS ARE LEAKING, THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE IS SHATTERED.
YES, THE YES, FAIR PARK IS A JEWEL.
BUT AS WE TALK ABOUT MOVING FORWARD TO PRESENT TO THE TO THE WHOLE THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, I BELIEVE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT HAVE ANY OTHER RESTRAINTS IN TERMS OF WHAT IS GOING ON, BECAUSE WE HAVE ASKED THE PUBLIC TO PUT THEIR DOLLARS INTO THIS PROJECT. SO AS MR. NOT JENKINS, O'CONNOR, O'CONNOR, CAN YOU COME UP FOR A MINUTE? SO WE'VE HAD THE BOND, THE BRIMER, BUT THE PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE BOND.
THEY HAVE GOTTEN A BOMBSHELL IN TERMS OF THE FINANCIAL CONCERN, MR. O'CONNOR? YES, MA'AM.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY, AS WE MOVE FORWARD AS A CITY, WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY THAT TO THE PEOPLE WE SHOULD HAVE A NONPROFIT, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS PROFIT AND NONPROFIT? IF WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP AND A CONTRACT, THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING THAT NO ENTITY SHOULD HAVE CARTE BLANCHE CONTROL OVER A PUBLIC ASSET.
WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY THAT A CONTRACT SHOULD ALWAYS PROTECT THE CITY, IF IT IS INDEED THE CITY PROPERTY? OF COURSE. SHOULD WE? SHOULD WE HAVE A CONTRACT THAT THAT PROTECTS OR NOT SO MUCH PROTECTS? LET ME BACK UP, MADAM CHAIR.
WE'RE INTO THE CONTRACT AND I HAVE.
NO, NO, NO, NOT THIS CONTRACT, NOT THIS CONTRACT, A CONTRACT.
RIGHT. BUT SPEAKING ABOUT CONTRACTS, JUST CAN WE SAY ABSTRACT? I THINK WE'RE OFF.
WHERE IS THE ATTORNEY? DO WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY? I WANT TO MAKE SURE.
SEE WHAT HAPPENS. SHE'S BEEN WAIVING.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT WHEN WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE TRUTH, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
COULD WE TALK ABOUT AN AGREEMENT WHEN WE.
WHEN WE MOVE FORWARD TO RELATIONSHIPS THAT THAT CAN BE VIEWED AS AGREEMENTS? WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY THAT ANY AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH PARTNERS IN THIS CITY, BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE PARTNER, THAT WE SHOULD HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
ABSOLUTELY. IN GENERAL THAT IS FAIR.
BUT IN REGARD TO TODAY'S DISCUSSION.
TRANSPARENCY, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. IN REGARD TO TODAY'S DISCUSSION, WE'RE LIMITED TO THE 2024 BRIEFING.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS PROTECTED UNDER THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
ABSOLUTELY. YOU GUYS COULD TALK ABOUT THE DETAILS OF THE THANK YOU.
YOU'VE ANSWERED WHAT I NEED TO ANSWER, BECAUSE I'M HERE THIS MORNING, CHAIR AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, BECAUSE THE PUBLIC HAS SENT ME HERE TO ASK THE QUESTION THAT I'M ASKING.
BECAUSE TODAY, ONCE AGAIN, CHAIRWOMAN, THIS IS ABOUT AN ASSET IN THIS CITY WITH PUBLIC DOLLARS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IS THAT CORRECT, CHAIR? PUBLIC.
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC DOLLARS? WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A REVIEW OF 2024.
AND YES, PUBLIC DOLLARS ARE A ARE A PART OF THAT DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU. BUT I WILL SAY MY REQUEST NOW FOR THE BRIEFING OF NEXT WEDNESDAY WILL ALSO BE ON THE CONTRACTS SO THAT WE CAN GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THAT. SO I DON'T WANT SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
I'M NOT UNCOMFORTABLE ASKING QUESTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE.
SO IN CLOSING, MY COMMENTS WILL GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING.
THIS IS PROBABLY A GOOD START TODAY TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE, COLLEAGUES, WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT IS THAT ALL OF THIS THAT WE'RE GOING INTO, MOST PUBLIC MEMBERS WILL NOT KNOW IT.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO UNDERSTAND IT.
WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW IS, WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THEIR TAX DOLLARS? AND MISS LILL, I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP, BUT THE QUESTION WOULD BE TO YOU, WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT, THAT THE PUBLIC GENERALLY WANTS TO KNOW NO MATTER WHAT?
[02:10:08]
WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH PARTNERSHIPS, WHETHER NO MATTER.I THINK I HEARD THE QUESTION ABOUT OTHER NONPROFITS A FEW MINUTES AGO, WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY, MISS LILL, THAT THE PUBLIC WANTS TO KNOW AND HOLD COUNCIL MEMBERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEIR TAX POINT OF ORDER, CHAIR.
FOR ME, CITY ATTORNEY, THE ALL THESE QUESTIONS GO AROUND THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OF THIS ORGANIZATION AND THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES ARE WITHIN THE CONTRACT.
AND I THINK JUST TO COMPLY WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, AND WE WANT TO GO INTO DETAILS OF THE QUESTIONS AND ISSUES YOU HAVE WITH EITHER THE FAIR PARK FIRST CONTRACT OR THE SUB MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN FAIR PARK FIRST AND OVG THAT SHOULD GO ON A DIFFERENT AGENDA, BECAUSE TODAY'S AGENDA SPECIFICALLY SAID 2024 UPDATE AND IT DIDN'T REALLY GO INTO THE CONTRACT.
AND SO THAT IS WHY THE DISCUSSION HAS TO BE LIMITED TO THE 2024 UPDATE.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION.
IT READS FINANCIAL UPDATE 2024 AND 2025.
AND IT SAYS A BUDGET AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE FISCAL YEAR.
THE QUESTION BECOMES, CHAIR, IF YOU COULD GIVE US COULD GIVE ME AN ANSWER.
SO I WOULD FEEL LIKE I'M GETTING AN ANSWER.
IF THIS FINANCIAL UPDATE INCLUDES.
I THINK THERE WAS A REFERENCE EARLY ON ONE OF THESE OTHER SLIDES ABOUT THE BUDGET, ABOUT THE BOND.
SO THE QUESTION FOR ME IS THE BOND TAXPAYERS DOLLARS CHAIR.
YES, MA'AM. SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH ASKING THE QUESTION TO THE PRESIDENT ABOUT THE PERCEPTION? AND SOMEONE DID MAKE A COMMENT WITH YOUR PAST HISTORY AS A COUNCILWOMAN, WOULD IT BE FAIR TO JUST GIVE THAT EXPERIENCED RESPONSE THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR TAX DOLLARS.
IS THAT AN UNCOMFORTABLE OR ILLEGAL COMMENT? I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT, BUT THE PROBLEM IS, IS THE SUBJECT MATTER AND THAT IT JUST TAKES US TOO FAR OFF THE SUBJECT MATTER FOR THIS MEETING. ALL RIGHT. SO WHAT IS FINANCIAL UPDATE CHAIR, IF I COULD ASK YOU THAT BECAUSE I'M DEFINITELY WANT TO HAVE AN ANSWER BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO FEEL LIKE I'M BEING SHACKLED BY THOSE WHO ARE UNCOMFORTABLE.
WHAT DOES FINANCIAL UPDATE MEAN IN THIS IN THIS CONVERSATION TODAY? WELL, AS THE CITY ATTORNEY, THAT IF WE COULD.
AND IF I MAY, CHAIR LIZ CEDILLO-PERERIA, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, WE CERTAINLY HAVE TAKEN NOTE THAT A REQUEST HAS BEEN MADE FOR A BRIEFING ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
WE ARE WE'RE MAKING NOTES OF THE QUESTIONS AND THE COMMENTS THAT ARE MADE.
SO IF WE ARE LIMITED IN TODAY'S CONVERSATION DUE TO THE POSTING RULES, WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THAT INFORMATION BACK TO YOU SO THAT WE'RE BETTER SITUATED TO RESPOND TO ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS? THANK YOU. YEAH, I THINK I DO HAVE TO WEIGH IN AT THIS POINT AND SAY WE REALLY HAVE LIMITED OURSELVES TODAY.
WE DO, AS CHAIR ARNOLD HAS POINTED OUT, HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY AT THIS POINT.
AND WE'RE ALL FEELING THE WEIGHT OF THAT ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO NOT ASK THESE QUESTIONS.
WE ARE TRULY BITING OUR LIPS, HOLDING BACK, NOT SAYING WHAT IS ON OUR HEARTS, WHAT WE FEEL.
AS I THINK CHAIR ARNOLD IS TRYING TO SAY SHE FEELS AN OBLIGATION TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT OUR CITIZENS, OUR RESIDENTS ARE ASKING.
SO I DO HAVE TO GO ON THE RECORD OF SAYING THIS WAS VERY LIMITING.
[02:15:05]
AND TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT FINANCIAL UPDATE, I DON'T SEE YOU CAN ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT FINANCES AND BONDS AND FUNDING, BECAUSE THAT IS ON TOPIC ON THE FINANCIAL UPDATE.I WOULD DEFER TO STAFF TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
SO LEGALLY, THE INTERPRETATION OF SINCE YOU JUST MENTIONED A LITANY OF THOSE LIST OF THOSE TERMS, FINANCIAL UPDATE, THEN WHAT? WHERE IS THE QUESTION THAT POSES A PROBLEM, A LEGAL CHALLENGE OF ASKING ABOUT THE SOURCE OF THE FINANCES THAT ARE ON SLIDE 15? THE FINANCIALS, I DON'T SEE ANY.
I DON'T SEE ANY ISSUE. SO HOW SHOULD THAT QUESTION BE CRAFTED OR COUCHED.
SO THAT WE CAN ASK, IS THE SOURCE OF THIS FINANCIAL UPDATE? SURE. AND I THINK PUBLIC DOLLARS AND PARK STAFF, I WILL DEFER TO MR. RYAN O'CONNOR TO TALK ABOUT THE SOURCE OF THE FINANCIAL.
ALL RIGHT. NOW, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ALL ARE COMING FROM.
I DON'T FEAR ASKING THE QUESTIONS.
I'M SIMPLY ASKING IF YOU COULD COME HERE.
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO ESTABLISH THE FACT.
ARE THESE THE SOURCE OF THE FINANCIALS THAT ARE PROJECTED ON PAGE 15? SLIDE 15? IS A SOURCE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS? YES, MA'AM.
A PORTION OF THE FINANCES THAT ARE PRESENTED IN FAIR PARK FIRST UPDATE ARE CITY DOLLARS.
ALSO, WOULD YOU WOULD YOU AGREE.
IF YOU HEARD PART OF THE BRIEFING, THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO THE BOND.
I THINK IT'S ON ONE OF THE SLIDES IS THE BOND IS THE SOURCE OF THE BONDS FOR THE 2017 TAXPAYERS DOLLARS? ABSOLUTELY. YES, MA'AM.
YES. SO THE 2017 BOND DOLLARS THAT HAVE LARGELY BEEN IMPLEMENTED HAVE BEEN MANAGED BY THE CITY AND THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM THAT WE ALL KNOW IS APPROVED.
THOSE DOLLARS WILL BE MANAGED BY THE CITY TO IMPROVE FAIR PARK AS WELL.
OBVIOUSLY IN COOPERATION WITH FAIR PARK FIRST, BUT THOSE WILL BE CITY MANAGED DOLLARS AND PROJECTS.
SO THE QUESTION COMES BACK TO I'M WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY AS A THAT BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE HERE AT THE CITY HALL AND THE CITY, THAT TAXPAYERS EXPECT SOME TYPE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY WITH THEIR TAX DOLLARS? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL MEMBERS I DON'T.
IT'S ABOUT TAXPAYERS DOLLARS, TAXPAYER ACCOUNTABILITY.
TRANSPARENCY IS ALL I'M SPEAKING ON THIS MORNING.
NOW I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF LUCK BECAUSE I WANT THE TAXPAYERS TO GET WE WANT TO GET.
I'M A TAXPAYER, SO I WANT TO GET WHAT I PUT MY MONEY, WHAT WE'RE PUTTING OUR MONEY TO WORK FOR US.
IT MEANS A GREAT DEAL FOR OUR CITY.
SO I'M GOING TO CLOSE BY THAT.
I'M VERY, VERY TARGETED IN MY RESPONSE TODAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT I CANNOT SIT HERE AT THE HORSESHOE AND BE BOUND AND GAGGED WITHOUT ASKING QUESTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO THE PUBLIC AND MAYBE WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE AS WE'VE SEEN WITH SOME OTHER ACTIONS WE'VE TAKEN, WE SHOULD HAVE WEIGHED IN ON IT BEFORE IT WAS PUBLISHED OR POSTED, AND WE MIGHT HAVE HAD A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SHAPE THIS CONVERSATION THIS MORNING, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A LONG CONVERSATION AND WE'VE NOT GOTTEN FAR.
BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS ARE BEING DISCUSSED THIS MORNING, AND THEY HAVE A THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE, AND I HOPE I DIDN'T UPSET YOU ALL TOO MUCH, BUT YOU'LL GET OVER IT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR ARNOLD.
ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS, DID YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS? I DO THANK YOU.
AFTER THAT TUTORIAL 101 ON TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
I'D LIKE TO GET BACK TO THE PRESENTATION ON CHAIR 15.
I OBJECT TO THAT CONVERSATION, THAT COMMENT.
ON PAGE 15, THERE IS A REFERENCE TO SPONSORSHIPS.
AND I NOTICE IN INCOME IN 2024 AND 2025, SPONSORSHIPS ARE REPRESENTED AT.
OH, AND I'M SORRY. LET ME START, MISS LILL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND WILL DO FOR US.
SO BUT THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE A SMALL REPRESENTATION WHEN I SEE THAT IN 2025, 3%
[02:20:08]
OF THAT REVENUE IS ONLY $387,000.AND THEN I WOULD ALSO TURN TO OVG AND SAY THAT SPONSORSHIPS ARE $410,000 IN 2025.
AND SO WHAT AM I MISSING HERE WITH REGARD TO THAT OPPORTUNITY BEING MAXIMIZED? DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE IT? WE WERE DECIDING HOW TO EXACTLY ANSWER THAT.
YES. IT SAYS WE NEED MORE SPONSORSHIPS.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT NOMENCLATURE FOR THE SPONSORSHIP.
THERE'S UNDERWRITING, THERE'S SPONSORSHIP AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO I TALKED ABOUT THE MONEY THAT CAME IN FROM TARGET, FOR EXAMPLE.
LARGELY FAIR PARK FIRST HAS BEEN RAISING CAPITAL DOLLARS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
SPONSORSHIPS THAT OVG HAS A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY ON IS NAMING BIG NAMING RIGHTS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND I WOULD TURN TO MR. O'DELL OR MR. AHERN FOR THOSE.
I'LL JUST SAY YES, THAT IS ONE AREA THAT WE HAVE CERTAINLY MORE ROOM TO, TO IMPROVE.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I REFERENCED IS ALSO PARTICULARLY NAMING RIGHTS.
AND SO THOSE NAMING RIGHTS WOULD BE MANAGED BY YOU VERSUS FAIR PARK FIRST.
YES. AS IT RELATES TO THE TO THE COTTON BOWL AND FOR THE EVENT PROGRAMING OPERATIONS, WE WOULD MANAGE THOSE SPONSORSHIPS BUT THEY WOULD MANAGE THE ASSETS RELATED TO THE COMMUNITY PARK. SO THERE'S NAMING RIGHTS.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S ROOM TO DO THAT WHERE THERE WOULD BE REVENUE FOR YOU THAT COULD ALSO COME BACK TO FAIR PARK FIRST? YEAH, SURE. ALL REVENUES THAT WE RAISE COME INTO FAIR PARK FIRST TO SUPPORT THE OPERATIONS.
RIGHT. NOTHING GOES OUT OF TOWN.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHALLENGES, OBVIOUSLY.
AND IT KIND OF LIMITS SOME OF OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO DO CERTAIN SPONSORSHIPS.
BUT WE'VE MADE GREAT PROGRESS THERE.
COVID SLOWED US DOWN A LITTLE BIT, QUITE FRANKLY.
OKAY. AND WE ARE REFOCUSED ON THAT.
AND THEN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY DONOR OPPORTUNITIES.
THE FAIR PARK AND I LOOK AT DONORS AS SEPARATE.
YOU'VE GOT NAMING RIGHTS, YOU'VE GOT DONOR OPPORTUNITIES THAT PRIVATE CULTIVATION.
BUT THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.
AND GIVEN THE TYPES OF EVENTS AND THE WONDERFUL TARGETING AND SEGMENTS THAT THEY REPRESENT, IT JUST SEEMED LIKE WHEN I SAW THAT COMBINED, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT LESS THAN $1 MILLION. I WAS REALLY SHOCKED BY THAT.
LOOKING AT TENANT RENT, ARE, IS THAT FAIR? IS THERE A FAIR SHARE.
IS THE RENT BEING PAID IN LINE WITH WHAT IT SHOULD BE? WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE FAIR AND LIVE NATION IN THAT REGARD, I THINK IS VERY LUCRATIVE FOR US. LIVE NATION DID HAVE A RECORD BREAKING YEAR COMING OUT OF COVID.
THE AMP ON THE FAIRGROUNDS WAS THEIR NUMBER TWO PERFORMING AMP IN THEIR PORTFOLIO.
SO I DEFINITELY THINK THEY'RE PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE.
AND I WOULD SAY BETWEEN THE RENT AND THE STATE FAIR EXCESS NET REVENUE DOLLARS THAT THE FAIR COMMITS EACH YEAR, IT DEFINITELY FEELS LIKE THEY'RE DOING EXACTLY WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING IN TERMS OF THE PARTNERSHIP.
SO BUT THERE ARE OTHER OTHERS RENTING THERE TOO.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO RENT OUT SOME BUILDINGS THAT DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE TENANTS.
BUT WE ALSO ARE LOOKING TO, AS OUR CURRENT LEASES EXPIRE, TO MOVE SOME OF THOSE TENANTS TO, WELL, IDEALLY TO MOVE ALL OF THOSE TENANTS TO A DIFFERENT RENT STRUCTURE, KEEPING IN MIND THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING TENANTS AND KEEPING THE PARK ACTIVE.
OKAY, SO YOU ARE LOOKING AT IT AND THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY COMING UP TO EVALUATE.
[02:25:01]
THIS IS ON THE AUDIT REVIEW.SO IT SAYS ON THIS PAGE AUDIT REPORT FORTHCOMING.
AND MY REQUEST WOULD BE THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS NOT HAVE TO REACT IN REAL TIME WITH EVERYONE ELSE ON THE AUDIT, AND THAT IF THERE'S AN EMBARGOED COPY OF THAT, THAT OUR CITY MANAGER OR BUDGET DIRECTOR, COMPTROLLER, ETC.
THAT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
IT. THE ONLY THING WE ARE ASKING THAT OUR BOARD BE ABLE TO VOTE ON IT AND THAT IS THAT IS WEDNESDAY.
BEYOND THAT, WE ARE SENSITIVE TO WHATEVER YOUR WISHES ARE IN TERMS OF DISTRIBUTION.
OKAY. WELL, MAYBE WE SHOULD DISCUSS A DRAFT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I UNDERSTAND, BUT YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS AS WELL AND JUST.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
OR, IN FACT, I RESENT THE COMMENT THAT THERE IS A APPREHENSION TO ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS.
AND SO I WAS TRYING TO STAY WITHIN THE CONFINES.
AND THAT'S NOT IN ANY WAY WANTING TO GAG WHAT I BELIEVE ALL OF US WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ON.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS CLEAR.
YES, THAT I THINK THAT IS CLEAR.
SO, LET'S GET OUR REQUEST CLEAR FOR A COUNCIL BRIEFING, A FULL COUNCIL BRIEFING.
AND MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT WE WOULD WANT THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO THAT'S POTENTIALLY ON THE 16TH.
AND WHAT I HEAR THAT WE WOULD LIKE A BRIEFING ON IS THE FAIR PARK FIRST AUDIT THE CITY OF DALLAS AUDIT THE STATUS AND SCOPE OF CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND FAIR PARK FIRST, AND THEN THE SUB MANAGEMENT CONTRACT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND ANY ANTICIPATED CHANGES IN SCOPE THERE AS WELL.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO NEED IS MY FAVORITE COMMENT IS WE'RE ROLLING UP OUR SLEEVES AND DIGGING IN.
IT'S A BROAD OVERVIEW, BUT I THINK OUR QUESTIONS WILL BE FAIRLY SPECIFIC.
CHAIRMAN, MAY I ASK A POINT THERE? WRITING DOWN WHAT YOU'RE REQUESTING AND WOULD LIKE TO DEFER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE RELATED TO THE CITY OF DALLAS AUDIT.
I'M NOT SURE OF THE TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION ON THAT.
I BELIEVE I WAS TOLD THIS MORNING, IS IT THE 16TH? OKAY. IT'S NOT AVAILABLE.
OKAY. SO IF IT BECOMES AVAILABLE ON THAT DAY, CAN IT ALSO BE BRIEFED? I'LL CHECK IN WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CHAIR.
MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE THAT STRAIGHT.
OKAY. I JUST WANT I WANT THE SCOPE OF THIS BRIEFING TO BE BROAD SO THAT WE CAN GET INTO ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS THAT WE BELIEVE WE'RE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR.
AND AT THE OUTSET, I WAS ON THE PERIPHERY OF THIS.
AND THAT'S WHY I TALKED ABOUT PROFOUND DISAPPOINTMENT.
BUT THERE WAS A LOT PROMISED INITIALLY.
AND SOME OF THOSE EXPECTATIONS HAVE BEEN MET.
AND AS DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM HAS POINTED OUT, THERE IS GOOD ENERGY AND AND A LOT OF START OF MOVEMENT IN A FORWARD DIRECTION AND MAKING, MAKING GOOD PROGRESS.
SO I'M GOING TO GO ON THE RECORD AS SAYING THAT BRIEFING NEEDS TO BE AS BROAD AS POSSIBLE.
AND WITH THAT, I THINK WE'LL CLOSE OUT THIS BRIEFING.
SURE. ARE WE READY? OKAY. SO YOU GUYS ARE OFF THE HOOK FOR THE MOMENT.
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
YES. WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE JUST TO REVIEW QUICKLY.
YOU KNOW, CHECK THE THERE, I BELIEVE THERE IS ONE MEMO THAT YOU'LL WANT TO LOOK AT.
I DO WANT TO CALL EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION THAT NEXT MONTH WE GO TO THE KEYSTONE RECREATION CENTER.
[02:30:05]
INSTEAD OF BEING IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR A VAN, KEIST.WHAT DID I SAY? OH, YEAH. SO PLEASE AND WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A ITEM ADD TO THAT AGENDA, IF POSSIBLE.
YES. THE FORECAST IS ON THERE, BUT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT IN A PUBLIC MEETING REAL QUICK.
I BELIEVE I'VE TALKED TO MR. O'CONNOR ABOUT LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR ROWING CONTRACTS ON WHITE ROCK LAKE AND BLACKMON ON ANYWHERE, AND MAKING SURE A WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE, AND THAT B, WE LOOK AT HOW MOVING FORWARD LOOKS LIKE AS THESE CONTRACTS COME UP BASICALLY TO BE RENEWED AND LOOKING TO MOVE TO THE ROWING COMMUNITY INTO A BIGGER SPACE.
AND SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY WITH OUR RESOURCE ALLOCATION.
THANK YOU. AND I'LL PUT IT IN MEMO AS WELL.
OKAY. THAT'S GREAT. AND YES WE'RE WE'LL MAKE A NOTE OF THAT LIZ.
IS IT CHAIR. POINT OF INFORMATION.
CHAIR. EXCUSE ME, DO WE HAVE A WOULD LIKE WHAT? WE'RE ABOUT TO LOSE ONE.
AS PART OF A REDISTRICTING AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE AN UPDATE BRIEFING ON CHALK HILL TRAIL.
IT DOES ACTUALLY STRETCH THROUGH THREE DISTRICTS TWO OF WHICH ARE ON THIS COMMITTEE.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT AND MAINLY TO FOCUS ON THE FUNDING SOURCES TO COMPLETE THAT TRAIL.
IS ANYONE AWARE OF ANY FURTHER BUSINESS THAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH? OKAY. I'M LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM.
ALL RIGHT. MEETING ADJOURNED AT 11:38.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.