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[Environmental Commission on September 11, 2024.]
A QUORUM.TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH, AND THE TIME IS NOW 5:38 PM I AM CHAIRWOMAN CATHERINE GUANO, AND I CALL THIS MEETING OF THE DALLAS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO ORDER.
WE WELCOME YOUR PARTICIPATION IN OUR MEETINGS, IN THE LANGUAGE OF YOUR PREFERENCE, AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST TRANSLATION OR OTHER ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE CALL 4 6 9 9 3 4 7 3 8 2 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING WILL BE ON OCTOBER 9TH AT 5:30 PM WE'LL BEGIN WITH OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS EVENING.
FIRST, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 11TH, THE 23RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE 2001 ATTACKS ON OUR COUNTRY.
AND WE'RE GONNA BEGIN BY PAUSING FOR A MOMENT OF REMEMBRANCE.
ALRIGHT, PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING GREG MICHELSON, WHO BRIEFLY BUT VERY ENTHUSIASTICALLY SERVED AS OUR DISTRICT 13 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER, UH, FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE COMMISSION, HIS FAMILY HAS DECIDED TO RELOCATE.
SO IF THERE'S ANYONE IN DISTRICT 13 YOU THINK MAY BE INTERESTED IN SERVING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, PLEASE DO LET US KNOW.
UH, WE ALSO WANT TO WELCOME A NEW DISTRICT ONE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER, UM, CATHERINE HOMAN.
WE WILL GIVE, UM, MS. HOMAN AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE HERSELF HERE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY WELCOME.
UH, NEXT, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION HAS BEGUN PLANNING THEIR EQUITY INDICATORS SYMPOSIUM FOR JANUARY, 2025.
AND THE TENTATIVE THEME IS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE INPUT, PLEASE REACH OUT TO NATALIE IN THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE EMAIL, BUT IF NOT, THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY HAS ALSO BEGUN SOLICITING INPUT FOR THE FY 25 CCAP IMPLEMENTATION WORK PLAN.
THERE'S A FORM THAT STEPHANIE SENT OUT THAT SPECIFICALLY ASKS YOU TO IDENTIFY THE MILESTONES THAT YOU WOULD SUGGEST BE INCLUDED AND THEIR CORRESPONDING CCAP GOAL, SO WE CAN HAVE STAFF SEND THAT EMAIL BACK OUT TO EVERYONE.
SO EVERYBODY HAS THE FORM LINK AND HAS THE CHANCE TO PROVIDE SOME INPUT.
THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR ROLL CALL.
WHEN I CALL YOUR DISTRICT, PLEASE, UH, STATE YOUR NAME, DISTRICT ONE.
DISTRICT FIVE, TRACY WALLACE, DISTRICT SIX.
RUNNING JUST A LITTLE BIT LATE TODAY.
I THOUGHT I SAW COMMISSIONER DURRELL.
PAULINE MURRAY, DISTRICT SEVEN COMMISSIONER GER.
I SEE THAT DISTRICT THREE HAS JUST JOINED THE MEETING.
DISTRICT 12, UH, BARRY LACKMAN.
MOVING ONTO OUR TECHNICAL PANEL.
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MS. OAI.MS. EVANS, IS SOMEBODY ON MUTE? NO.
MS. REAGAN, NOW MS. THOMAS HERE.
MEMBERS, JUST A REMINDER THAT IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE, VIRTUALLY YOU NEED YOUR CAMERA ON FOR THE DURATION OF THE MEETING.
LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
LET'S GET TO OUR REGISTERED SPEAKER.
I'M GONNA RECITE OUR SPEAKER GUIDELINES.
SPEAKERS MUST OBSERVE THE SAME RULES OF PROPRIETY DECORUM AND GOOD CONDUCT APPLICABLE TO MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION.
ANY SPEAKER MAKING PERSONAL IMP PERTINENT PROFANE, OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS, OR WHO BECOMES BOISTEROUS WHILE ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE MEETING.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK WHEN YOUR TIME HAS ENDED.
PLEASE CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS.
OUR SPEAKER IS MR. GREGORY JACKSON.
PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS AND THEN BEGIN YOUR COMMENT.
HELLO, CITY OF DALLAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
ON THIS 23RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE MOST TRAGIC DAY IN US HISTORY, I AM HERE TODAY SPEAKING AGAIN FOR THE FOURTH TIME, TRYING TO GET THIS COMMISSION TO MAKE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF A TORMENTING AND DEADLY AIR INTOXICATING PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS.
TO START THE PROCESS FOR THE PERMANENT RESOLUTION OF THIS AIR INTOXICATING CRISIS THAT IS PROVOKING TRAGIC ATTACKS SUCH AS THE ATTACKS ON NINE 11, MANY ATTACKS BEFORE NINE 11 AND MANY ATTACKS SINCE NINE 11.
A GREAT MAJORITY OF THESE ATTACKS ARE IN THE FORM OF MAD STUDENTS, BOMBINGS, WARS, ARSONS, CYBER ATTACKS, URBAN RIOTING, ET CETERA.
TO DATE BACK MANY DECADES, A GREAT MAJORITY OF THESE ATTACKS HAVE BEEN COMMITTED BY NON-MUSLIMS. IT IS ONLY HUMAN NATURE FOR MORE ATTACKS TO OCCUR AGAIN AND AGAIN, AS LONG AS THE INJUSTICE BY PUBLIC OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO ALLOW TORMENTING DEADLY AIR, INTOXICATING PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS TO NEVER CEASE, CONTINUE WITHOUT TAKING ANY ACTION TO RESOLVE IT.
PEOPLE WILL BEHAVE REBELLIOUSLY WHEN THERE'S NO JUSTICE.
PEOPLE WILL BEHAVE REBELLIOUSLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS NO JUSTICE TO SERVE AND PROTECT THE PUBLIC SAFETY FROM TORMENTING IN DEADLY AIR.
ENVIRONMENTAL INTOXICATING CRIMES DURING THE MONTH SINCE I LAST SPOKE HERE FOR THE THIRD TIME, NUMEROUS SHOCKING EVENTS OF VIOLENT ATTACKS, ALSO KNOWN AS TERRORISM HAVE OCCURRED.
THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL MASS STABBINGS IN EUROPEAN NATIONS.
THERE HAS BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS FOR ARSON RIGHT HERE IN THE US THAT HAS BURNED THOUSANDS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF FOREST LAND, AND HAS BURNED MANY BUSINESS IN MANY PEOPLE'S HOMES, ET CETERA.
THERE HAS BEEN AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON A FORMER PRESIDENT.
THERE HAS BEEN ANOTHER TRAGIC SCHOOL SHOOTING JUST LAST WEEK.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, BUT UH, ALSO JUST LAST WEEK, THERE HAS BEEN ANOTHER AMBUSH ATTACK ON POLICE OFFICER RIGHT HERE IN DALLAS THAT HAS LEFT ONE DALLAS POLICE OFFICER DEAD AND LEFT OTHER POLICE OFFICERS WOUNDED.
AN ABU ATTACK OCCURRED A FEW YEARS AGO THAT LEFT FIVE POLICE OFFICERS DEAD AND MANY MORE POLICE OFF DALLAS POLICE OFFICERS WOUNDED DALLAS CITY EMPLOYEES BEING KILLED.
MERITS IMMEDIATE ACTION INFORMATION IS SPREADING VIRAL THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS ARE ABUSING EXCUSES TO REFUSE RESOLVE THIS AIR INTOXICATING CRIMES.
THIS INFORMATION IS PROVOKING, VIOLENT, VIGILANT ANTI ACTIVISM, ALSO KNOWN AS TERRORISM.
I HAVE MAILED YOU VOTING MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION SEVERAL TIMES, EMAILED YOU RECENTLY REQUESTING THAT YOU TAKE NOTICE OF THE UNDENIABLE SYMPTOMATIC SENSATION THAT I IDENTIFY THE AIR INTOXICATING CRISIS BASED ON THE STARK AND UNDENIABLE SYMPTOMATIC SENSATION THAT I KNOW ALL OF YOU COMMISSION MEMBERS HAVE NOTICED SUFFERING FROM, SUCH AS THE INSOMNIA, THE CHRONIC URINATION DURING NIGHT, OVERWHELMING DROWSING AND SLEEPINESS.
ALSO, BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE AIR INTOXICATING CRISIS IS FAR TOO DEAD SERIOUS TO ABUSE EXCUSES TO TAKE NO ACTION.
THEREFORE, PUBLIC DISCLOSURE IS VITALLY NEEDED TO START A PROCESS FOR THE PERMANENT RESOLUTION OF IT.
IT IS MY REQUEST THAT THIS COMMISSION ADVISE US OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, CHAIRWOMAN MS. CAROL MENDELSON, TO SPONSOR MAKING PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
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OF THIS AIR INTOXICATION CRISIS.IF YOU'LL CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE.
UM, MAY I SAY ONE MORE THING? GO AHEAD AND WRAP IT UP.
I SENT ALL THE VOTING, UM, MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION, THIS IN ENTIRETY.
I JUST HAVE MAYBE A HALF A PAGE HERE LEFT, AND IT IS MY UTMOST REQUEST THAT YOU READ IT AND PERHAPS MAKE THE PROPOSITION TO MS. CAROL MENDELSON, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, TO CONSIDER THE CITY OF DALLAS SPONSORING PUBLIC DISCLOSURE.
THAT IS THE ONLY THING THAT'S GOING TO GET THE PROCESS STARTED FOR THE PERMANENT RESOLUTION.
ALL 50 STATES, I'M FROM PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.
I MOVED BACK TO DALLAS HOME OF MY SCHOOL DAYS WHERE IT IS MORE RACIAL MINORITIES THAT ARE IN PUBLIC OFFICE, HOPING THERE WILL BE A DIFFERENT RESOLUTION.
SO AGAIN, UM, I REQUEST THAT YOU READ IT IN FULL AND CONSIDER, UM, MAKING A PROPOSITION TO MS. CAROL MENEN, OR WE GONNA HAVE MORE TRAGIC PROBLEMS BECAUSE IT'S JUST HUMAN NATURE FOR PEOPLE TO BE REBELLIOUS TO INJUSTICE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES.
WE'RE GONNA APPROVE OUR AUGUST 14 COMMISSION MINUTES.
THE AUGUST MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
WE HAVE A VERY BRIEF AGENDA THIS EVENING, SO WE'RE GONNA JUMP RIGHT INTO IT.
OUR FIRST ITEM IS A BRIEFING MEMORANDUM, UH, ON EPA BROWNFIELD'S REVOLVING LOAN FUND AND A SUPPLEMENTAL GRANT THAT'S BEEN AWARDED TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE HAVE, UH, MR. WHITE WITH THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
UM, I'M JUST PROUD TO SAY, UM, THAT WE HAVE SOME VERY HARDWORKING, UH, STAFF MEMBERS.
I WANT TO, UM, CONGRATULATING IN GOES NSU AS WELL AS A MANNY.
UM, THEY HAVE WORKED HARD IN ORDER TO, UM,
UH, THIS GRANT WILL ALLOW US TO PROVIDE LOANS TO, UH, TO DEVELOPERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO, UH, REFURBISH AND CLEAN UP BROWNFIELD.
UM, NGOZI IS ON THE LINE RIGHT NOW, AND SHE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ABOUT THE BROWNFIELD PROGRAM.
YEAH, WE JUST SENT A REQUEST TO UNMUTE.
UM, MY NAME IS
DO YOU GUYS HEAR AN ECHO? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
ANYWAY, WE, WE, YOU'VE HAD SOME GREAT PROGRESS WITH OUR BROWNFIELD PROGRAM WHERE WE INTEND TO TURN SITES, UH, BEING LOOKED AT AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY AND TURNING THAT INTO, UM, AN ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY THAT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY, AS PAUL SAID.
UM, REALLY PLEASED FOR THE SUPPORT THAT WE ARE GETTING FROM THE EPA, GETTING FROM THE COMMUNITY AND GETTING FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
VERY RECENTLY, IN ADDITION TO WINNING THE AWARD, HOSTED THE BROWNFIELD WORKSHOP AT THE SOUTH DALLAS CULTURAL CENTER, UH, WITH THE EPA, THE STATE AND, UM, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AGENCIES.
AND, UM, THAT WAS VERY WELL, VERY WELL RECEIVED.
AND, UM, WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT CLEANUP AND ALSO CONNECT, CONNECT WITH, UH, OUR
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INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS TO SUSTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.UH, DIRECTOR REV, UH, CARLOS EVANS
I JUST WANT TO, UH, JUST GIVE KUDOS TO OUR, OUR TEAM.
UH, THESE ARE COMPETITIVE GRANTS THAT EPA GIVES OUT.
UM, WE'RE NOT PROMISED THESE GRANTS, AGAIN, THEY'RE COMPETITIVE.
UH, THEY'VE ALREADY RECEIVED, UH, LAST YEAR, OR LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE, OR TWO YEARS AGO, $1.5 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR ASSESSMENT AND CLEANUP, UH, FOR THE ASSESSMENT GRANT AND THE RLF GRANT REVOLVING LOAN FUND GRANT.
SO, UH, AGAIN, WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY IDENTIFY, UH, GET OR OBTAIN $250,000 THIS GO AROUND FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL REVOLVING LOAN FUND GRANT.
SO I JUST WANNA, UH, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO NGOZI NSU, WHO YOU JUST HEARD, AMNY, UH, HIGLEY, WHO'S ALSO, UH, THE OTHER MEMBER OF THE BROWNFIELDS TEAM, AND ALSO THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, WHO HELPS US WITH THE, UH, GRANT APPLICATIONS.
SO, THIS, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON MS. BROWNSFIELD BROWNFIELD'S ADDITIONAL AWARD? ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER RELL, GO AHEAD.
UH, LIKE SHE JUST MENTIONED THAT THEY HAD A WORKSHOP IN DISTRICT SEVEN ABOUT THE BROWNSFIELD, UH, AT THE SOUTH DALLAS CULTURE CENTER.
I HAVE, UH, SUGGESTED THAT ANYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN DISTRICT SEVEN ABOUT THE, UH, BROWNSFIELD THAT I BE INFORMED, AND I WOULD'VE LOVED TO COME, CAME TO THAT WORKSHOP BECAUSE MOST OF THE BROWNSFIELD ARE IN MY DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENT.
SO, MOVING FORWARD, IF Y'ALL HAVEN'T ANY MEETINGS OR ANY WORKSHOPS THAT'S DEALING WITH BROWNSFIELD IN DISTRICT SEVEN, CAN Y'ALL PLEASE INFORM ME? BECAUSE I WILL COME TO THE MEETINGS AND THE WORKSHOPS AND TO BE THE REPRESENTATIVE AND SEE THE COMMUNITY THAT CAME OUT ON BEHALF OF THE BROWNSFIELD? I DIDN'T HAVE A QUESTION.
I THOUGHT Y'ALL HAD GOT, UH, WE CLEARED THIS UP LAST TIME WHEN IT CAME TO THE BROWNSFIELD WITH LAURIE, BUT I SEE WE'RE STILL DROPPING THE BALL AT, I CAN'T BEAT THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR MY DISTRICT IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND WE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, THIS IS NOT, WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO ENGAGE COMMISSIONERS, UH, IN ALL OF OUR EVENTS.
I THINK WE SAW THE SAME ISSUE WITH OUR AIR SENSOR PROGRAM, WHERE WE'RE INSTALLING AIR SENSORS AND, AND DISTRICTS AND NOT ENGAGING YOU ALL.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING TO TRAIN OUR STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ENGAGING YOU BEFORE WE DO THESE TYPES OF EVENTS.
SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM US, SO GET READY.
UH, JUST A QUICK QUESTION, JUST BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS A GRANT, IT COMES FROM A REVOLVING LAW ON FUND, JUST
IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT CORRECT? UM, CAN YOU REPEAT YOUR STATEMENT? I COULDN'T HEAR IT.
IS, I'M JUST TRYING TO BE CLEAR.
THIS IS A GRANT, NOT, IT'S OUT OF THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND, BUT IT'S A GRANT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO REPAY ANY OF IT.
I WANNA BE CLEAR AND BE, BE SURE.
SO, SO JUST, SO, SO THE, SO THE, IT'S CALLED A REVOLVING LOAN LOAN FUND, OR REVOLVING LOAN GRANT, BECAUSE WE CAN, WE CAN LEND, WE'RE ACTUALLY LENDING MONEY TO OWNERS OR DEVELOPERS, UH, SO WE CAN LEND MONEY OUT AND OR GRANT MONEY OUT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO WE'RE GRANTED THE MONEY, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING THE MONEY FROM EPA TO LEND AND OR GRANT THE MONEY OUT.
SO, SO CARLOS, SO WE THEN, THE CITY HAS THEN THE, THE, UH, CONTROL AT THIS POINT TO DETERMINE WHICH OF THOSE WAYS WE USED THE MONEY.
UM, BUT IT HAS TO BE, IT HAS TO BE EAR, IT'S DEFINITELY BEING FOR, UH, UH, A DESIGNATED UNDERSTOOD BROWNFIELD SITE.
AND THERE ARE RULES ABOUT HOW MANY, HOW MUCH OF IT WE CAN LEND VERSUS HOW MUCH WE CAN GRANT.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON THIS ONE? ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING WITH US TO SHARE THIS EXCITING NEWS AND GREAT JOB ALL.
AS MAY, OH, SORRY, WHAT WAS THAT?
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OH, IT WAS OKAY.UM, AS YOU MAY RECALL, LAST MONTH WE DID NOT HAVE QUITE ENOUGH TIME IN OUR AGENDA TO GO AROUND AND TALK ABOUT OUR, UM, MONTHLY UPDATE FROM COMMISSIONERS.
SO WE'VE GOT THAT ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH OUR, UH, MONTHLY SUBCOMMITTEE UPDATES AND OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. SO, LET'S START WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CHAIR.
ROBERSON, DO YOU HAVE AN UPDATE? I DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE, BUT I, WE NEED SOME HELP.
'CAUSE WE'RE GROSSLY BEHIND THAT MEMORANDUM FOR VAPING, UH, IS, YOU KNOW, JUST NOT BEING DEALT WITH.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START TO PUT IT BACK ON THE RADAR FOR CITY COUNCIL.
AND IF YOU SAW THE NEWS, DID YOU SEE WHERE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT? UH, JUST WHEN WE WERE POINTING OUT THAT THE KIDS ARE GETTING YOUNGER, SOME OF 'EM WERE AS YOUNG AS 12, AND, UH, THE REPORTERS WENT OUT AND BUSTED SOME PLACES THAT WERE SELLING VAPING EQUIPMENT, AND IT HAD MORE THAN THE LEGAL AMOUNT, WHICH IS 0.3.
SO BASICALLY THEY'RE PEDALING THIS STUFF TO OUR KIDS.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I WANT, I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO 2025 WITH IT, BUT IF YOU COULD GUIDE ME AS TO HOW TO GET IT BACK ON THEIR RADAR.
SO IT WENT TO THE PARKS, TRAILS, AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE AND YOU BRIEFED THEM.
SEND IT TO WHO? PARKS, TRAILS AND ENVIRONMENT.
DID WE BRIEF THEM? NO, I HAVEN'T.
WE WERE ON THE AGENDA TO BRIEF THEM.
AVI, DO YOU WANNA ADD, I'M SO SORRY.
WE BRIEFED THEM AND IT'S GONNA GO BEFORE CO COUNSEL, AND I THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE ON THE EMAILS.
I DON'T, IT'S GONNA GO, I DON'T HAVE A TIME OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S GONNA GO BEFORE COUNSEL NEXT WEEK.
UH, SO YEAH, WE'RE BRIEFING COUNSEL, UH, NEXT WEDNESDAY, UH, ON THE 18TH.
AFA LOBBY, UH, HELPING US BRIEF ALONG WITH DR. WONG FROM THE COUNTY.
WE'LL BE HELPING THIS BRIEF AS WELL.
UM, I THINK, UH, IT'LL BE A GOOD CONVERSATION.
UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS TO, UH, TO HELP WITH THE TRANSITION PLAN AS WELL AS, UH, OTHER EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS LIKE THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.
WE HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM TOMORROW TO TALK ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IF THIS ORDINANCE HAS PASSED THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THEM.
ARE WE CONSIDERED TO BE IN PHASE ONE OR PHASE TWO? REMEMBER AS WE CLOSED OUT, PHASE TWO WAS THAT PHASE ONE WAS THAT WE WERE GONNA GET INTO THE SCHOOLS AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE WERE SI THERE WAS SIGNAGE THAT INCLUDED VAPING AND E-CIGARETTES.
SO THIS WOULD BE, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, SO PHASE ONE, BASED ON THE BRIEFINGS OF THE PTE WAS CHANGING, UM, CLOSING THE REGULATORY GAP SO THAT ANYWHERE YOU CAN'T CURRENTLY SMOKE TOBACCO, YOU CAN, YOU WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO VAPE AS WELL AS CHANGING OUT THE SIGNAGE TO SAY, UH, NO, NO SMOKING OR USE OF AN ELECTRONIC SMOKING DEVICE.
AND THEN PHASE TWO, I THINK, I THINK WAS, UH, ADVANCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORENO, UH, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, UM, TRYING TO OPEN UP, UH, WHERE YOU CAN OR CANNOT SMOKE.
UH, 'CAUSE I THINK THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER YOU'RE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU CAN'T SMOKE IN A PARK.
SHOULD WE CONTINUE BEING ABLE TO NOT SMOKE IN A PARK? UM, ARE THERE OTHER PLACES WHERE YOU SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT SMOKE? SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE PHASE TWO, IF REEVALUATING, UH, WHERE YOU SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT SMOKE.
SO WE WE'RE STILL IN PHASE ONE AND WE STILL HAVE NOT OPENED UP PHASE TWO IF AN EMAIL WENT OUT, I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED IT.
I'M HELPING WITH, UH, THE POLLS AND GETTING PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE.
AND I HAVE SO MANY EMAILS THAT THINGS ARE GETTING VARIED.
SO NO, I, YOU KNOW,
SO WE, WE CAN DEFINITELY INCLUDE YOU IN THE, IN THE FUTURE.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL ITEMS AS, UH, AS, UM, VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE? I'D LIKE TO BE INCLUDED ALSO.
LET WE MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING VARY ON THOSE EMAILS.
AND THEN AS WAS THERE ANY OTHER UPDATES FROM THE COMMITTEE? ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT WORK.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
UM, WE HELD OUR LAST MEETING TO DISCUSS OUR EVENT ON FOOD ACCESS ON SEPTEMBER 21ST AT THE WEST DALLAS MULTIPURPOSE CENTER.
JUST HANDLING SOME LOOSE DETAILS.
UM, APPRECIATE EVERYONE WORKING HARD, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE OUR RESOURCE IN WEST DALLAS WITH ASHLEY HATTO.
UM, SHE IS OFFERING LOTS OF INSPIRATION FOR OUR NEXT YEAR 2025 VISION PLAN AND THE PROJECTS WE WANNA ADOPT.
IF ANYONE HAS TIME TO VOLUNTEER TO SIT AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TABLE ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST,
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COME ON OVER FOR AN HOUR OR TWO.UM, ON NOVEMBER 6TH, 2023, OUR SUBCOMMITTEE, UM, ISSUED A BRIEFING MEMO ON THE IMMEDIATE ADOPTION OF SOLAR APP PLUS, AND IT'S 10 MONTHS LATER AND THERE'S BEEN NO ADOPTION OF SOLAR APP.
PLUS WE'VE HAD, UH, MEETINGS, UH, WITH STAFF THAT INCLUDED TEXAS SOLAR ENERGY SOCIETY.
AND, UM, WE, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD DO AT THIS POINT TO GET, UM, PTS ATTENTION.
SO I, SO I THINK, UM, SO WE'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH AT LEAST ONE CONVERSATION, NOT MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I'M FORGETTING THEIR NEW NAME.
BUT, UH, AND, AND I THINK THEY HAVE CONCERNS WITH, UH, THE, THE TOOL AND, UM, WHETHER IT WOULD WORK EFFICIENTLY WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, AND I KNOW PEOPLE LIKE, UH, VERNON YOUNG RAISED SOME CONCERNS DURING THE TOWN HALL MEETING.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, THE EXAMPLE THAT HE GAVE WAS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE SAYING THAT SOLAR APP WORKS WELL IN HOUSTON, BUT HOUSTON DIDN'T HAVE ZONING.
THE, SOME OF THE ZONING PROBLEMS THAT ARE CONCERNS THAT ARE RAISED ARE, ARE AN ISSUE WITH THE CITY OF, WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO I, I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS, I THINK PERHAPS SOME, SOME MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH VERNON, UH, TO VET TO, TO RESOLVE THOSE CONCERNS IN SUCH A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE CONVERSATION TO MOVE FORWARD EITHER YES, UH, THE CITY WANTS TO USE IT OR NO, AND THESE ARE THE REASONS WHY.
AND THEN WE CAN GO FROM THERE.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT EXISTING SOLAR, UH, PER THIS EXISTING SOLAR PERMITTING PROCESS IS WORKING RELATIVELY WELL.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY'RE SAYING THAT, UH, IF THE APPLICANT PROVIDES ALL OF THE INFORMATION NEEDED, THAT, UH, THE PROCESS CAN MOVE, UH, MOVE TO COMPLETION WITHIN FIVE TO 10 DAYS.
UM, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TELLING US.
UM, THERE'S NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
UM, BUT I, I THINK PERHAPS SOME MORE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS TO, TO GET AT THE SPECIFIC ROOT OF THE, OF THE PROBLEMS IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS, SO THAT WE CAN EITHER ADOPT SOLAR APP OR, OR NOT.
AND IF WE DON'T, THEN WE'LL HAVE SPECIFIC REASONS WHY DIRECTOR.
HERE'S MY FRUSTRATION IS THAT WITH NREL WHO DEVELOPED THE APP IN THE, IN ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS, IT WAS OFFERED, UH, TO VERNON YOUNG TO SET UP AN ACCOUNT AND MESS AROUND WITH IT.
SO I DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN TURN DOWN A TOOL IF YOU HAVEN'T ACTUALLY GONE IN AND TRIED TO USE IT.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY TRY TO, AGAIN, WITH TEXAS SOLAR ENERGY SOCIETY AND NRL, BUT HE HAS SET THROUGH THE DEMO, WE ARE STILL HEARING FROM SOLAR INSTALLERS THAT IT'S TAKING A LONG TIME TO GET PERMITS.
AND SO THAT, I MEAN, I GUESS THAT'S A, HE SAID, SHE SAID SITUATION IF HE BELIEVES IT'S NOT THAT LONG, AND WE ARE HEARING FROM INDUSTRY THAT IT IS THAT LONG.
AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT IT IS RARE THAT YOU GET A FREE TOOL THAT REQUIRES NO INVESTMENT, NO MONETARY INVESTMENT FROM THE CITY.
IT BENEFITS BOTH BUSINESS AND THE HOMEOWNER.
AND IT, IT REQUIRES NO NEW STAFF.
SO ALL THOSE CONCERNS WERE ADDRESSED IN THE MEETING.
SO, UM, FEELING PRETTY FRUSTRATED WITH THIS.
AND, UM, I'M OPEN TO ADVICE ON WHERE TO GO FROM HERE.
SO LET, LET, LET ME, I'LL REACH OUT TO, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO SEE IF WE CAN SCHEDULE ANOTHER MEETING TO GET A LITTLE MORE SPECIFICITY, SPECIFICITY AS TO WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE, WHAT THE TRUE CONCERNS ARE, UH, AND THEN WE CAN MOVE FROM THERE.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY OTHER WAY I, I CAN IMAGINE MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT JUST CONTINUING TO BE FRUSTRATED.
WELL, NREL MUST BE PRESENT AND, UH, IN MY OPINION, SINCE THEY DEVELOPED IT, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS THEY ALREADY DID IN THE ONE MEETING.
AND, UM, TEXAS SOLAR ENERGY SOCIETY.
SO OTHER EXAMPLES WERE GIVEN BESIDES HOUSTON, THAT OF CITIES OF SIMILAR SIZE TO DALLAS DURING THAT MEETING.
UM, SO WE, WE NEED TO GET SOMEWHERE.
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THIS RECOMMENDATION, THIS BRIEFING MEMO WAS SENT TO PERKS, TRAILS, AND ENVIRONMENT, AND THEY NEED TO TAKE ACTION.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STAYING ON THAT.
UM, ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT, MR. MARTIN? I'M SO SORRY.
I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE.
UH, FIRST OFF, UH, I JUST WANNA COMMEND AND THANK, UH, TRACY FOR HER PERSISTENCE ON THIS BECAUSE, UM,
AND, UM, THERE ARE DOZENS OF CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY USING IT.
THOSE THAT HAVE VARY, OPERATIONS DOES, AND IT'S TAILORABLE.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A HARD PIECE OF CODE TAILORED TO FIT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, CARLOS, I'M JUST WONDERING, I'M CURIOUS TO ASK WHO ULTIMATELY MAKES THE DECISION ON THIS AND SAYS, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
'CAUSE I HEAR SOMEBODY THAT IS BUSY AND JUST DOESN'T WANT SOMETHING NEW.
I'VE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT, UH, IF THE DECISION IS TAKEN, THEN WE JUST NEED TO IMPLEMENT IT.
I MEAN, THE DEBATE NEEDS TO END BECAUSE IT WILL.
AND, AND I WILL TELL YOU MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THIS SPRING WITH SOLAR PERMITTING IN DALLAS, UH, A DISASTER.
SOMEBODY, I'M JUST, THIS IS WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND, WHO IN THE CITY CAN SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, PLEASE IMPLEMENT IT.
YOU HAVE 30 DAYS, YOU HAVE 60 DAYS, WHATEVER IT IS, UM, AS OPPOSED TO IT JUST CONTINUING TO GO BACK AND FORTH AND WASTE A LOT OF PEOPLE'S TIME.
WELL, IT'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT, BUT I, I HAVE TO SAY THAT, LET, LET'S GIVE, I WOULD SAY LET'S GIVE THE DEPARTMENT GRACE, UH, TO SOME DEGREE, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF TRANSITIONING GOING ON.
WE'RE REIMAGINING OUR DEPARTMENTS, AND SO THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, TEAMS ARE BEING MERGED TOGETHER, PULLED APART, REEVALUATED.
AND SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PRIORITIES FOR CITY STAFF RIGHT NOW, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO CITY OPERATIONS AND HOW JUST WE'RE GONNA DO BA SERVE, BA BASIC, HOW DO WE'RE GONNA MANAGE BASIC FUNCTIONS, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, LET, LEMME JUST GO BACK WITH TO, UH, TO THAT DEPARTMENT TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME MORE DETAILS AS TO WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE.
AND IF THERE, IF, IF THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC CONCERNS, THEN WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHY THERE ARE NO CONCERNS AND, AND, AND GO FROM THERE.
UM, I CAN TALK TO, TO THE DIRECTOR, TO, TO, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, UM, TO, TO MOVE THE CONVERSATION GOING.
BUT I, I THINK WE DO NEED TO GIVE A THEM A LITTLE GRACE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A DIFFICULT BUDGET SEASON.
SO THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF PRIORITIES AT PLAY, UM, RIGHT NOW.
A HUNDRED, A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE.
UM, I HADN'T HEARD THAT WAS THE REASON, UH,
UH, THAT'S A, THAT'S, YES, WE KNOW HOW REORGS ARE, SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT AND, UH, LET US KNOW WE CAN DO TO HELP.
I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT WE WOULD ALWAYS PREFER TO HAVE END, END USER BUY-IN ON ANY OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, IF WE NEED TO GET INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES TO COME AND SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AND WHAT THEY BELIEVE THIS APP COULD POTENTIALLY RESOLVE, UM, BOTH FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE, THE, UM, APPLICANTS, I THINK THAT COULD BE A, A PATH FORWARD TOO.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, HELPING US WITH THAT.
UH, ON OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S US.
AND SO WE HAVE SENT OUT AN EMAIL WITH A QUESTIONNAIRE, I WANT TO SAY A BIG THANKS TO, UM, LINDSAY THOMAS AND REBECCA REAGAN FOR, UH, PUTTING THIS SURVEY TOGETHER.
WE HAVE NINE RESPONSES AND 33 MEMBERS.
SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE EVERYBODY JUST A FEW MORE, UH, DAYS TO RESPOND BEFORE WE START, UH, CONNECTING ONE-ON-ONE TO TRY TO SIT SOME TIME ON YOUR CALENDAR TO DISCUSS, UM, OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT IN YOUR RESPECTIVE, UH, DISTRICT OR AREA OF COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, IT'S A VERY SHORT, UH, UM, SURVEY.
UM, AS YOU RECALL, THIS WAS PART OF OUR ANNUAL STRATEGIC PLAN, AND WHAT WE ALL VOTED TO SUPPORT IS THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO, UH, TARGETED OUTREACH IN EACH OF THE COMMISSION DISTRICTS THIS YEAR.
UM, AND SO TO THAT END, UM, I WANNA APPRECIATE THE DISTRICT 6, 8, 11, AND 12 FOR HOSTING EVENTS.
IF YOU'RE ON THE FENCE AND YOU JUST DON'T, UH, HAVE A TOPIC FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, WE HAVE A BASIC GENERAL, UH, CCAP OVERVIEW PRESENTATION THAT MOST COMMUNITY MEMBERS FIND BENEFICIAL AND INSIGHTFUL.
UM, IT JUST TALKS ABOUT THE CITY'S CLIMATE ACTION GOALS.
UM, IF YOU WANT TO NARROW IT DOWN TO A MORE TARGETED, UH, DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, AND A TOPIC THAT YOU FIND INTERESTING OR YOUR COMMUNITY MIGHT FIND INTERESTING, WE CAN HELP YOU PUT THAT TOGETHER AS WELL.
[00:35:01]
THE MEETING PLACES ARE, WHAT FORMAT YOU PREFER, AND WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU IN ENGAGING YOUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THE DALLAS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.SO LET US KNOW BY RESPONDING TO THIS SURVEY, AND WE WILL BE REACHING OUT IF WE HAVEN'T, HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YOU.
WE'VE HEARD FROM, UH, MS. GILL, MR. MARTIN, MS. TIMIA, COMMISSIONER DAY, AND COMMISSIONER HARIMOTO.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THOSE RESPONSES AS WELL.
WE ARE GONNA BE MEETING, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO TO DISCUSS THE SURVEY RESPONSES.
IT WOULD BE SO GREAT IF WE HAD, UM, MORE THAN ABOUT 20%, UM, BY THE TIME WE, WE GET AROUND TO OUR MEETING.
UM, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND INNOVATION CHAIR, HARIMOTO.
UH, I WANT TO SHARE WITH THIS GROUP, UH, ROUND OF APPLAUSE, UH, THE BOND RESOLUTION THAT WE WERE PUSHING FORWARD TO INCORPORATE THE CA, UH, PERFORMANCE INTO THE $1.25 BILLION WORTH OF CAPITAL INVESTMENTS THE CITY WILL MAKE, UH, IN THIS NEXT SERIES WAS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AS A REMINDER, THERE WERE FIVE, UH, SIMPLE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THIS COMMISSION, UH, RECOMMENDED THIRD PARTY CERTIFICATION LEAD GOLD FOR BUILDINGS AND SITES, OR ENVISION CERTIFICATION FOR PARKS AND, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, UM, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, UH, THROUGH, UM, SPECIFYING ONLY THE TOP 20% OF ENERGY STAR, UH, APPLIANCES AND EQUIPMENT MONITORING THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE OF THESE PROJECTS, UH, USING DOE TOOLS TO PUBLICLY, UH, DISCLOSE AND BENCHMARK PERFORMANCE OF THESE PROJECTS.
AND THE FOURTH ONE WAS TO, UH, UNDERSTAND EMBODIED CARBON OF THE MOST, UH, BURDENSOME MATERIALS.
UH, AND THERE WERE FIVE THERE, UH, AND TO HAVE THIS INFORMATION BEFORE THE MATERIALS ARE ACTUALLY PURCHASED.
UH, THE LAST RECOMMENDATION, NUMBER FIVE, WAS FOR EACH PROJECT TO PICK A STRETCH GOAL THAT WAS RIGHT FOR THAT PROJECT, FOR THAT, UM, COMMUNITY NEED.
UH, AND TO USE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE CITY OF DALLAS'S COMMITMENT TO HIGH PERFORMING, UH, DESIGN, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE HERE.
AND A BIG KUDOS TO DIRECTOR EVANS AND, UH, NATALIE WHO, UH, LIFTED ALL THOSE VOTES ON THE STAFF SIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT THE VOTES AND EVERYBODY HAD THEIR NEEDS ADDRESSED.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS TO THE COMMITTEE ON NETWORK.
ALL RIGHT, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ABOUT THAT, UM, PLEASE DO LOOK AT THOSE ON LINKEDIN AND HELP AMPLIFY THAT MESSAGE.
A LOT OF THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS THAT WE ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE HAVE BEEN PICKING THAT UP AND SHARING IT WITH THEIR NETWORKS.
SO LET'S, LET'S USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRAG ON DALLAS AND GOOD WORK WE'RE DOING HERE.
LEMME JUST BRAG ON COMMISSIONER KOMOTO, WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
UH, UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE IN-HOUSE, UH, TECHNICAL STAFF TO, TO DEVELOP THESE RECOMMENDATIONS OR EVEN EXPLAIN THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
NOW, WE'VE HIRED A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE SUSTAINABLE BACK THE SUSTAINABILITY BACKGROUND.
UM, BUT THIS WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN DONE WITHOUT, UH, COMMISSIONER HI MOTO OR THIS BODY.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
UH, WHAT, BECAUSE OF THIS, WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO LEAD, UM, BY EXAMPLE IN, UH, IN THE, THE CONSTRUCTION OR IN, IN THE, IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE SPACE, RIGHT? AND SO, REALLY APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK.
ITEM B IS OUR MONTHLY DISTRICT UPDATES FROM COMMISSIONERS.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO, UH, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, OUR NEW COMMISSIONER HOLMAN IS HAVING SOME ISSUES WITH THEIR CAMERA.
SO WE'RE GONNA REVISIT THIS NEXT, UM, MEETING, UM, AN INTRODUCTION.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO, UH, SEND OUT AN INTRODUCTION, UH, VIA EMAIL TO THE COMMISSIONERS SO THAT COMMISSIONER HOLMAN CAN BEGIN, UH, CONNECTING AND, UH, BEGIN WORKING ON A SUBCOMMITTEE AS WELL.
ANY UPDATES? APPARENTLY MY RIGHT HEADPHONE DOESN'T WORK.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? THERE YOU GO.
YEAH, I HAD NO UPDATES THIS MONTH.
DISTRICT THREE, COMMISSIONER COOK,
[00:40:01]
STILL ON.ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO DISTRICT FIVE.
JUST ATTENDED BUDGET WORKSHOPS LIKE MANY OF US DID.
UM, AND ENCOURAGED FURTHER PURCHASING OF EVS, UH, INCLUDING HEAVY DUTY EVS.
THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME CONFUSION THERE ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO.
UM, ANYWAY, UM, JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT, UM, ON ITEMS TO BRING FORWARD AT THE BUDGET, UH, TOWN HALL.
AND, UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
I ATTENDED, UM, THE EAGLE FORD COMMUNITY GARDENS NEIGHBOR NIGHT LAST NIGHT, AND GOT TO MEET A LOT OF COOL NEW PEOPLE WHO ARE ROWING CULINARY MUSHROOMS AT ELMWOOD FARM.
THAT IS EVERY OTHER TUESDAY IN EAGLE FORD NEIGHBORHOOD IN WEST DALLAS.
I DID WANT TO INVITE YOU ALL TO THE DIG SUMMIT.
REMEMBER DIG IS OUR URBAN AG PHILLIPS DALLAS INNER CITY GROWERS SUMMIT AT SMU, OCTOBER 6TH THROUGH SEVEN.
UM, I'LL ALWAYS BE, I'LL BE SPEAKING THERE.
REBECCA SEABERT WILL BE THERE, EVERYONE WILL BE THERE.
UM, EARLY BIRD SPECIAL PRICING FOR THAT TO ATTEND THAT SUMMIT.
I THINK, UH, IT'S BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL WEDNESDAY, SO CHECK IT OUT.
I'VE BEEN BUSY IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
UH, I ATTENDED THE, UH, ENFORCEMENT HEARING FOR AUSTIN, UH, FOR A TEXAS READY STAR IN AUSTIN IN JULY, UH, WHERE T-H-T-C-E-Q DID, UH, ENFORCE THE, UH, THE, UH, THE VIOLATIONS OF TEXAS READY STAR.
SO MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE JUST WAITING ON TEXAS READY STORE TO APPLY FOR THEIR AIR QUALITY PERMIT, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA, UH, FIGHT AGAINST THAT.
THEN I ATTENDED, UH, THE DALLAS FOR WORTH AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLANNING SESSION WITH, UH, COG.
UH, I DID A BIKE RIDE, UH, IN MY DISTRICT OF DISTRICT SEVEN.
UH, I RODE FROM BUNTON ALL THE WAY UP TO, UM, UH, DADE, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND BACK TO BUNTON ON ALL OUR BIKE TRAILS IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND I CAN CONTEST THAT BIKE TRAILS IN DISTRICT SEVEN ARE VERY USEFUL AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET AROUND ON ALL OF THEM.
UH, I ATTENDED THE DOLPHIN HEIGHTS GARDEN WORK, UH, EVENT IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
IT'S A COMMUNITY IN EAST DALLAS.
THEY HAVE, IT IS CALLED DOLPHIN HEIGHTS.
UH, AND HILL IS THE, UH, COMMUNITY PRESIDENT.
SHE HAD A, SHE HAS A GUARDIAN OVER THERE, MEN AND COUNCILMAN ADAM BAS.
I DID THE HEAT STUDY IN JULY FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I VOLUNTEERED WITH THAT WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER ROBESON, UH, AND SOME MORE COMMISSIONERS.
AND THEN I ALSO ATTENDED THE TEXAS WATER POLICY ADVOCACY HUB.
I WAS INVITED TO A ROUND TABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE TEXAS WATER.
UH, WHAT ELSE HAVE I DONE SO FAR IN AUGUST? I'M WORKING ON, I'M STILL WORKING ON A LANE PLATING.
WE WE'RE IN THE REMEDIATION OF, UH, OF THAT.
AND THEN DISTRICT SEVEN, UM, WHAT WE GOT GOING.
THAT'S WHAT REALLY WE GOT GOING.
UH, WE'RE WORKING ON AIR QUALITY.
UH, I WANNA, UH, WORK WITH, UH, OPCQ, UH, TO IMPLEMENT ANOTHER AIR QUALITY MONITOR IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
SO, SO FAR THAT'S ALL DISTRICTS.
THE, I HAVE BEEN DOING IN DISTRICT SEVEN, AND I TOOK A BUS RIDE FOR THE ONE NEED CRAFT, UH, HOME IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
THE JUANITA CRAFT HOUSE SITS IN DISTRICT SEVEN ON WARREN STREET.
UH, UH, LAST MONTH, UH, THEY GOT A BUS AT FUR PARK AND WE RODE TO AUSTIN AND WE PUT A, UH, HEADSTONE ON ONE ANITA'S CRAFT GRAVE SITE.
AND I ALSO GOT TO SEE AARON IN AUSTIN.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO, JUST SHOWING UP FOR THE COMMUNITY AND LEARNING, ATTENDING A LOT OF WORKSHOPS AND BEING, BEING ABLE TO SIT AT TABLES TO DISCUSS CHANGE IN THE CITY.
UM, I PARTICIPATED IN THE HEAT INDEX STUDY,
[00:45:01]
AS SHE SAID, AND I'M WAITING FOR, UM, MARISSA SAID IT WOULD TAKE, UH, MAYBE FOUR WEEKS FOR THE RESULTS TO COME OUT, AND I'D LIKE TO PRESENT THAT TO THE COMMUNITY AND KEEP WORKING WITH THE AIR QUALITY MONITORS, UM, IMPROVING THE DASHBOARD SO THAT AVERAGE PEOPLE CAN JUST, YOU KNOW, CLICK INTO IT.AND THEN I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE WITH, UH, SAND BRANCH.
AS YOU KNOW, SAND BRANCH HAS NO RUNNING WATER.
SO WE, I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR DONORS FOR THEM TO HELP HIM OUT.
UM, UH, SOUTHERN SECTOR RISING PROVIDES A LOT OF THINGS FOR THEM MONTHLY, BUT THEY, THEY, IT'S NEVER ENOUGH IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE LITTLE SIMPLE THINGS THAT YOU DO WITH WATER.
UM, JUST NOT TOO LONG AGO, I THINK THAT WAS LAST WEEK, UH, IT WAS AT GRAND PRAIRIE THAT WAS ON THE NEWS FOR THEIR BOIL BAND.
AND THERE, EVERYBODY WAS ALL IN THE UPROAR, AND RIGHTLY SO.
BUT THE PEOPLE OF SANDWICH LOOK LIKE THAT EVERY DAY.
THEY, THEY HAVE NO, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT, I'M GOING IN THE KITCHEN TO MAKE A CUP OF TEA.
WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE.
THEY HAVE TO, UH, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ENOUGH BOTTLED WATER, YOU KNOW, TO DO THINGS.
AND THE REAL, THE REAL ISSUE WITH THAT ALSO IS THAT THE COMMUNITY BECOMES STAGNATED.
IT WILL NOT GROW BECAUSE YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING FOR THAT.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA MOVE INTO A COMMUNITY WITH THOSE KIND OF HARDSHIPS.
SO WE'RE WORKING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP HIM IN PARKLAND, HIS OFFICE, TO DO SOME HEALTH THINGS THERE.
UM, I'M GONNA BE PARTICIPATING.
UM, UH, THERE'S AN UPCOMING PLAY AT THE AT AND T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, BROUGHT TO US BY WATERING HOLE COLLECTIVE, CALLED I AM AN ISLAND.
UM, IT RUNS FROM SEPTEMBER 19TH THROUGH 22ND, AND THERE'S A TALK BACK FOLLOWING, UM, THOSE EVENTS.
SO, UH, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, REACH OUT AND WE CAN SHARE SOME INFORMATION, UH, ABOUT THOSE EVENTS.
UM, AND THEN WE HAD REQUESTED FROM OEQS, UH, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WHICH COMMUNITY, UM, AIR QUALITY SENSORS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED.
IF WE COULD GET INFORMATION ABOUT WHICH ONES WE HAD MEETINGS FOR AND WHICH ONES WE DIDN'T, WE COULD START ENGAGING COMMISSIONERS ABOUT POTENTIALLY HOSTING, UM, THOSE SORTS OF EVENTS.
AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO, TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION FROM, UH, DIRECTOR EVANS ABOUT THE EJ SCREEN TOOL.
WE WANTED TO MAYBE PARTNER THOSE EVENTS, SO EDUCATION ABOUT THE USE USING THE EJ SCREENING TOOL, UM, WHICH MAY TAKE US A FEW MORE WEEKS TO, TO DO.
BUT, UM, COUPLING THAT WITH, UH, COMMUNITY MEETINGS ABOUT HOW TO ACCESS THE AIR QUALITY DATA THAT OUR SENSORS, UM, ARE COLLECTING.
SO, UM, IF WE COULD GET SOME INFORMATION ON THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
DISTRICT 10, I HAVEN'T SEEN JOIN, SO WE'LL GO WITH DISTRICT 11.
I DID PARTICIPATE IN THE HEAT ISLAND STUDY.
UM, I ALSO HAD A REALLY, UH, NICE MEETING WITH THE, UH, CEO OF THE ARBORETUM, SABINA CARR.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE MATURE CANOPY OUT AT THE AR, AR ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THEY USE OUT THERE.
THEY'VE ALSO TRANSITIONED AS MUCH OF THEIR LAWN EQUIPMENT TO BATTERY POWERED AS THEY CAN, WHICH WAS NICE.
UM, AND THEN EARLIER THIS SUMMER, I HAD A REALLY GOOD MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY AT THE ZOO, AND WE TALKED CAP.
NEITHER ONE OF THEM WERE AWARE OF, UM, BOTH OF THOSE POSITIONS.
AND I BECAME, UH, AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THE DALLAS ZOO MAKES ITS OWN COMPOST, WHICH IT'S CALLED ZOO POO, AND IT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AND EVERY GARDEN CENTER, I BELIEVE, AND I THINK PEOPLE WOULD BUY IT, HOMEGROWN.
UM, THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT INITIATIVES THERE TOO AT THE ZOO, THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON AIR QUALITY, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DOES IT IMPACT US, BUT IT IMPACTS THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE THERE.
SO JUST SOME REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS MAKING US AWARE OF WHAT THE OTHER PERSON IS DOING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER MURRAY.
UM, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO COMMISSIONER SIEGEL.
WE HAVE SO MANY VIRTUAL PARTICIPANTS TONIGHT THAT HAD TO SCROLL THE SCREEN OVER.
UM, I'VE BEEN, UH, HOSTING A BUNCH OF E-WASTE EVENTS.
UM, I HAVEN'T DONE ONE ACTUALLY IN MY DISTRICT YET, UM, BUT I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS TO HOST THEM, UH, VERY SUCCESSFULLY HELPING PEOPLE GET THE STUFF DOESN'T GO IN THE LANDFILL.
UM, I ALSO DID WANT TO MENTION, UH, LAST YEAR AROUND THIS TIME I MENTIONED THE NORTH DALLAS CHAMBERS, UH, TOUR OF SOUTHERN DALLAS BUS TOUR IS COMING.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE INTERESTED, BUT I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT TOO LATE
[00:50:01]
IS COMING UP ON OCTOBER 8TH.IF YOU WANT INFORMATION ON IT, SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION VIA EMAIL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER SIEGEL.
UH, WELL, UM, I HAVE, UM, UH, HA HAPPEN TO HAVE A CHANCE MEETING, ACTUALLY TWO OF THEM WITH, UH, MY COUNCIL PERSON.
ONE WAS IN MY OTHER OFFICE KNOWN AS LOVE FIELD AND THE
AND, UH, WITH CA COUNCILPERSON MENDELSON.
AND THE OTHER ONE WAS, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE, UH, GETTING TOGETHER TO DO SOME PLANNING FOR 2025 IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, I'VE BEEN DOING, UM, A LOT OF WORK, UM, WITH DALLAS AREA INTERFAITH RELATED TO THE APARTMENT SITUATION IN BACHMAN LAKE.
AND WE HAVE SEVERAL SUCCESSES.
THE, UM, LANDLORD, UH, TRIED TO, UH, NOT RENEW THE LEASE FOR THE LEAD TENANT, AND WE GOT AN INJUNCTION TO PREVENT HER LEASE FROM BEING TERMINATED.
AND, UM, AFTER, UH, SEVERAL MEETINGS, UH, IT, ONE OF WHICH WE RELEASED THE TWO, THE, UH, CITY, THE ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, THE TAPE OF THE MANAGER SAYING, THE REASON YOUR LEASE IS NOT BEING RENEWED IS BECAUSE YOU COMPLAINED TO THE CITY.
UH, AND WE HAVE A RETALIATION COMPLAINT THAT'S BEEN FILED.
UH, WE'RE WORKING ON A DOCUMENT BECAUSE, UM, THE CITY STAFF ARE WORKING REALLY HARD.
THE SYSTEM NEEDS A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT SO THEY CAN DO THEIR JOBS WELL.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON A SERIES OF SUGGESTIONS FOR THAT IMPROVEMENT.
UH, THAT PAPER, I BELIEVE IS FINISHED, SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE IT SOON.
UH, AGAIN, THESE ARE SUGGESTIONS AT THIS TIME, SO WE'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH THE CITY STAFF AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STUFF IS REALLY, UM, DOABLE.
UM, AND, UM, UH, I'VE BEEN WORKING IN, UH, UH, URBAN AGRICULTURE AREA.
UH, I, EVERY SUNDAY MORNING, MY WIFE AND I ARE IN THE GARDEN OF TEMPLE SHALOM, THE ONLY PLACE IN THE WORLD I KNOW WHERE I CAN SLING DIRT, AND IT'S A GOOD THING.
AND, UM, UH, I HAVE, UM, LATELY BEEN DOING A LOT OF THE DELIVERY.
SO I'VE BEEN RIDING ALL OVER THE DA OLIVER DALLAS, UH, HANDING OUT BASIL
WE'RE REALLY PRODUCING LARGE AMOUNTS AT THIS POINT IN DISTRIBUTING IT.
SO IT'S A VERY SUCCESSFUL EFFORT.
UH, WE'RE ATTRACTING MORE FUNDS AND WE, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, EPA GRANT HAS BEEN THE, UH, UH, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE GRANT.
UM, THE, THE SITUATION IN BACHMAN LAKE WAS FEATURED ON THE OP-ED PAGE OF THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS THREE WEEKS AGO IN A TWO PAGE ARTICLE, INCLUDING A LEAD PAGE.
AND THERE WAS A PICTURE OF ME STANDING IN THE APARTMENT WITH A COLLAPSED CEILING ON THE SECOND PAGE OF IT.
UH, SO THAT'S A LOT, UH, GOING ON.
AND THEN FINALLY, I HAVE BEEN, UH, WORKING, UH, WITH FOLKS TO TRY AND DEVELOP A, UH, EPA COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GRANT.
AND WE THINK WE HAVE A COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION TO SERVICE SPONSOR.
SO I, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND STUDY, AND THAT WAS THE EXTENT OF MY ACTIVITY LAST MONTH.
DISTRICT 15, JOINING YOU ALL THIS EVENING FROM A HOTEL ROOM IN MONTREAL, CANADA, I AM ATTENDING THE GLOBAL COVENANT OF MAYORS FOR CLIMATE AND ENERGY.
UM, ANNUAL CONFERENCE INNOVATE FOR CITIES.
THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION, UH, THAT WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH UN HABITAT, UH, TO HELP EMPOWER CITIES, UH, WITH DATA, WITH SYSTEMS CHANGE STRATEGIES, WITH BEST PRACTICES TO, UM, ACCELERATE AND ADOPT CLIMATE ACTION STRATEGIES THAT ARE RIGHT FIT FOR THOSE MUNICIPALITIES AND LOCALITIES.
UM, A LOT OF REALLY GREAT THINGS GOING ON HERE.
UH, I WAS ABLE TO PRESENT ON BRAIN HEALTH BRAIN CAPITAL, AND SOME OF THE AMAZING WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN DALLAS WITH CCA, UH, BUT I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO HAVE A LOOK AT
[00:55:01]
MY LINKEDIN FEED.THERE ARE A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT I'M SHARING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DALLAS DATA IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THESE GLOBAL DATABASES, SO THAT WE CAN HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, UH, THE AMAZING PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING HERE.
UH, AND ALSO TO HELP INFORM THE DECISIONS THAT THE CITY IS MAKING WITH ROOTED IN EVIDENCE AND, AND DATA AND ACCESS TO THE OTHER DATA SETS THAT OTHER CITIES ARE USING.
UM, I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THAT FOLKS CHECK OUT THE GLOBAL COVENANT OF MAYOR'S, UH, WEBSITE.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS THAT ARE PRE-EXISTING THIS CONFERENCE THAT ARE NOT NEWS, SO THEY WEREN'T SHARED.
UM, BUT JUST A REALLY EXCITING GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT SYSTEMS CHANGE WORKING, UM, MULTILATERALLY, CROSS DEPARTMENT CROSS DISCIPLINE, AND ALSO EXPRESSING HOW HARD THIS WORK IS.
SO, AGAIN, I JUST WANNA GIVE, UM, A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO OEQS.
THE TEAM HAS SUFFERED A LOT OF ATTRITION, AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW, BUT Y'ALL ARE DOING GREAT WORK PULLING ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY TOGETHER TO REPORT ON OUR ANNUAL CA MILESTONES.
UH, AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS HAS THEIR OWN AGENDA AND THEIR OWN PRIORITIES.
SO YOU ARE THE GLUE THAT'S HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE AND REPORTING BACK TO CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND I HOPE THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS, UM, IN THIS CONFERENCE THAT ARE, ARE HELPFUL TO THE TEAM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR HERMO.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO ANY OF OUR TECHNICAL PANEL MEMBERS.
UH, I KNOW THAT MS. BEV IS NOT WITH US THIS EVENING, BUT I WILL REMIND YOU THAT WE DO HAVE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND THAT YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR BILL ALERTS FOR THE, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION COMMITTEE TO SEE WHAT PROPOSED BILLS ARE BEING CONSIDERED AND VOTED OUT OF COMMITTEE.
UM, THAT'S AN EASY THING TO DO ON THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE ONLINE WEBSITE.
AND IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE DOING THAT, UM, JUST TO GET THOSE QUICK SUMMARIES, UM, I'M GLAD TO, UH, HELP YOU OR SEND YOU TO MS. BEVIN WHO WOULD ALSO BE VERY GLAD TO HELP YOU WITH THAT.
ANY OF OUR OTHER TECHNICAL PANEL MEMBERS, DR.
JACK AND THEN MR. MARQUIS, ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME OR NO? SOME PEOPLE CAN, YES, GO AHEAD.
SORRY, I HAD SOME AUDIO ISSUES EARLIER, SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO GIVE AN UPDATE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION THAT WAS ALREADY SHARED, UM, BY COMMISSIONER RE I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE HER.
WE WERE BOTH AT THE WATER POLICY HUB, AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH, UM, THE COMMISSIONERS, WHAT MORE ABOUT THAT HUB, BECAUSE I THINK THERE WILL BE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES AND HOPEFULLY OTHER COMMISSIONERS MAY, UM, MAY PARTICIPATE AS WELL AND BRING THAT INFORMATION BACK, UM, TO THEIR DISTRICTS.
SO THE, I'M JUST GONNA READ A QUICK SUMMARY.
THE TEXAS LIVING WATERS, UM, WHICH IS A COALITION OF CONSERVATION FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS, IS DEVELOPING SOMETHING CALLED A TEXAS WATER POLICY ADVOCACY HUB.
AND THE PURPOSE IS TO STRENGTHEN AND ENHANCE WATER POLICY EFFORTS ACROSS THE STATE.
BUT WHAT WAS INTERESTING FOR ME FROM THAT DAY WAS THAT THEY INVITED, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST AS THE FIRST MEETING, IT WAS A REGIONAL MEETING, AND THEY HELD THEM ALL OVER THE STATES TRYING TO ENGAGE FOLKS WHO MAY NOT NORMALLY BE INVOLVED WITH WATER POLICY AS THEY COME UP WITH WHAT KINDS OF RESOURCES AND HOW, HOW CAN THEY START TO BRING OPPORTUNITIES TO INFLUENCE WATER TO COMMUNITIES WHO MAY NOT NORMALLY BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN INFLUENCING WATER POLICY.
UM, SO IT WAS JUST THE FIRST SORT OF SESSION THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER THIS HUB, AND I THINK THERE'S ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES.
AND I, I THINK ALSO, UM, DAVID, IT'S GOAL SIX.
I MEAN, GOAL FIVE IS OBVIOUSLY A BIG FOCUS, CCAP GOAL FIVE OF THIS ADVOCACY HUB.
I WAS THERE, UM, LOOKING AT THE INTERSECTION OF NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS IN WATER, BUT I, I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO SEE COMMISSIONER DERO THERE AND SHE, UM, WAS A GREAT REPRESENTATIVE FOR HER DISTRICT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, LET EVERYONE KNOW, UH, SO THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER DERO FOR JOINING US FOR THE, UH, WE WERE THE FREEDOM RIDERS GOING DOWN TO AUSTIN, TEXAS, UM, HONORING, UH, MS. JUAN CRAFT, WHO HAD BEEN WITHOUT A HEADSTONE FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS.
AND SHE WAS A CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER HERE IN DALLAS, AND SHE HAD SERVED OUR CITY IN A NUMBER OF CAPACITIES.
AND SO IT WAS, IT WAS AN HONOR TO, TO BE THERE WITH A BUSLOAD OF 55 HEADING DOWN TO AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND WE HAD LUNCH IN THE, IN THE STATE CAPITOL.
AND SO, UH, MANY HANDS MADE LIGHT WORK AND MADE THAT, UH, SUCCESSFUL, UH, THROUGH SOME SPONSORS, BUT ALSO, UH, COMING UP LATER IN THIS FALL.
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AND SO ANYONE ON OUR COMMISSION WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED, I WELCOME THEM.BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT HOSTING AN ENVIRONMENTAL POETRY JAM, AND THIS WOULD BE FOCUSED ON MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, UH, IN, IN, IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR CCAP GOALS.
AND SO WE WILL BE ASKING THEM, UH, TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO CREATE A, A POEM OR, UM, A VISUAL, UM, ART, UH, YOU KNOW, IN SUPPORT OF THE CCAP GOALS AND TO PUT THEM ON DISPLAY AND TO, UH, AND TO PERFORM.
AND, UH, AND, AND THEY WILL BE AWARDED, YOU KNOW, UM, FOR EACH GRADE LEVEL.
SO THAT'S SIXTH, SEVENTH, AND EIGHTH, AND THEY WILL BE A WINNER FOR FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD PLACES.
AND, UM, BUT WE WANNA BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION MAKE, UM, MAKE ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, CONVERSATIONS AND, AND CLIMATE ACTION, UM, AND EVERYDAY CONVERSATION IN OUR, OUR, FOR OUR YOUTH.
AND SO THAT THEY ARE EQUIPPED, UM, TO BE THE CHANGE MAKERS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE BECOME.
IF YOU'LL SEND THAT TO OUR BOARD COORDINATOR, WE'LL MAKE SURE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMISSION.
SO I AM CURRENTLY IN DENVER AND I'LL BE MEETING WITH GRACE RINK.
SHE'S THE, UM, THE DENVER CLIMATE ACTION, UM, CHIEF OFFICER HERE, AND THEY HAVE A WASTE NO MORE PROJECT.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE, I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH MEMBERS FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION THAT'S CAMIKA MORRIS AND ANTHONY
ACTUALLY, ACCOM
BUT, UM, WE'D LIKE TO SEE IF THAT WE COULD MIMIC THERE, THERE, WASTE NO MORE PROJECT.
UM, AND THEN ENGAGEMENT WISE, WE'VE BEEN IN SAN BRANCH AS WELL.
SO COMMISSIONER ROBINSON, I WOULD LOVE TO RECONNECT WITH YOU ON THAT.
WE DID ORIGINALLY REMOVE POUNDS OF
SO WE DID THAT JUST THIS PAST WEEK.
SO NOW THE FACILITY WHERE THEY DO SHOOT THE WATER AND SOME OF THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION, THERE IS NOW A CLEAN THAT WE CAN START FROM, WHICH WILL MAKE IT COMPLIANCE AND SAFE FOR THEM TO HAVE AN ACTUAL FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND, UM, AND WATER DISTRIBUTION THAT THEY HAVE.
UM, SO AGAIN, THAT THANK AGAIN TO COMMISSIONER, UM, MICHAEL FOR COMING OUT ON THAT FIRST, ON THAT FIRST SATURDAY THAT WE WERE OUT THERE AS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
WE HAVE SINCE, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN THIS LAST SATURDAY, AS OF LAST SATURDAY, THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL SEVEN NEW VOLUNTEERS THERE.
SO THE VOLUNTEER SIGNUP PROGRAM IS WORKING, UH, IT'S SLOW, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, SURELY WORKING.
SO, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, THE MEETING WITH IKA, UH, MORRIS AND THOSE AND THE OTHER PEOPLE, ANTHONY SULLIVAN ARE, BECAUSE WE ARE DOING ENGAGEMENT FOR ZERO WASTE, WHERE WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO COME ONTO BLOCK PARTIES OR THINGS LIKE THAT, AND WE'RE SETTING UP OUR BOOTHS THERE.
BUT I'LL KEEP YOU GUYS ALL INFORMED ON THOSE AS THEY'RE, AS THE FLYERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT COME OUT.
UH, MS. TAMIA, UH, YOU BROKE UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WANT THE COMMISSION TO HEAR, UM, TELL US THE AMOUNT OF WASTE THAT WAS REMOVED FROM THE SAND BRANCH COMMUNITY.
THERE WAS A TOTAL OF, UH, JUST UNDER 1600 POUNDS OF WASTE THAT WAS REMOVED.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT EFFORT.
AS I'VE SHARED WITH YOU ALL BEFORE, UM, WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO ON OUR ZERO WASTE GOALS, UM, THE CCAP AND I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT THERESA IS PLUGGED IN WITH THE ZERO WASTE TEAM AND IS SUPPORTING.
AND, UM, WE NEED TO SUPPORT, UM, MS. TOIN.
SO IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND VOLUNTEER, UM, PLEASE, LET'S, LET'S, UM, HELP, UM, IN THAT EFFORT.
ALL RIGHT, MR. MARQUIS AND THEN MR. MARTIN.
EXCUSE MY VOICE, THE FULL ENERGY HAVE KICKED IN, BUT I WON'T YOU TAKE A MOMENT AND, UH, OVER A FEW THINGS.
UH, ONE IS IN THE LAST MONTH I'VE BEEN TO AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, AND AUSTIN MET WITH THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD ABOUT CREATING A PERMANENT WATER FUND FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS IN SAN ANTONIO.
KEYNOTE A CONFERENCE, UM, THE INSTITUTE FOR LEADERSHIP AND CAPITAL PROJECTS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY.
AND, UH, ALSO HAVE A SERIES OF READINGS I'VE BEEN DOING WITH MY NEW BOOK, COMMISSIONER HARRY MOTO, MR. MARTIN, A READING AT THE INTERBANK BOOKSTORE RECENTLY AND WHOSE BOOK'S ALSO
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NEXT WEEK.I THINK MOST OF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS INVITATION ALREADY.
IF NOT, WE'RE GONNA SEND IT OUT AGAIN TO A READING AT THE TOTAL CREEK CONSERVANCY.
HE PERFORMED AT THE DENISE LEE BAY.
SO WE'LL BE READING, I'VE GOT READING FROM NOW UNTIL NEXT APRIL.
SO WE, PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES ATTEND.
AND ALL THESE COURSE ARE DEVOTED TO WATER AND JUSTICE AND, UH, RIVER.
ONE IS, UM, RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE'S AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WORK GOING INTO LONG-TERM WATER POLICY, WATER POLICY HUB, THE, UM, TEXAS WATER ACTION COLLABORATIVE.
THERE'S ANOTHER ORGANIZATION DOING REALLY GOOD WORK THAT'S TIED IN WITH THE TEXAS BY NATURE ORGANIZATION.
SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEING INVOLVED IN THE WATER NOW, IT'S A GOOD TIME TO DO IT.
'CAUSE ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF TIME AND EFFORT GOING IN TO TRYING TO SECURE WATER FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS IN THE FUTURE.
AND TO KEEP WATER CLEAN, WE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO WATER'S A MAJOR TOPIC RIGHT NOW ALL OVER THE STATE.
I ALSO WILL BE, UM, PARTICIPATING IN THE PANEL DISCUSSIONS ON THE I AM AND ISLAND PROJECT.
SO, UH, VERY BUSY TIME WITH, UM, A LOT OF PERFORMANCES, A LOT OF READINGS.
SO WE'LL LOOK FOR YOUR INVITATIONS AND HOPE YOU'LL, UH, BE SURE TO COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE 'CAUSE WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT THINGS LINED UP.
SAVE THE REST OF THAT VOICE,
ALL RIGHT, MR. MARTIN, GO AHEAD.
UH, A FEW WEEKS AGO I MET WITH THE DALLAS, UH, PRESIDENT, CEO OF THE DALLAS REGIONAL CHAMBER.
DALE PETROSKY, WHO'S A FRIEND OF MINE, I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR MANY YEARS.
AND, UH, ALL I WANNA JUST EXPRESS IS THAT, UM, BECAUSE OF SOME THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN OUR COMMUNITY IN THE PAST YEAR OR SO, WITH BIG INVESTMENTS FROM CLEAN ENERGY MAKERS, SOLAR PANEL COMPANIES THAT HAVE DECIDED TO START MANUFACTURING THINGS HERE.
THESE ARE BIG GLOBAL COMPANIES.
THESE ARE BIG DECISIONS, UH, INDICATIVE OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN OUR REGION.
SO, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN A VARIETY OF THINGS, AND I JUST WANNA OFFER IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHO OR WHERE OR WHEN IT MIGHT BE TAKEN UP.
I, YOU KNOW, IN OUR CITY LEADERSHIP, BUT, UH, I, I, YOU KNOW, I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME WHEN WE'RE GATHERED THAT, UM, OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THE, THE MORE WE GET THEM INVOLVED, THE BETTER SUCCESS MOVING CCAP GOALS FORWARD WILL HAPPEN.
UH, AS FAR AS I KNOW, DALE'S NEVER BEEN APPROACHED BY THE CITY TO BRAINSTORM HOW THAT MIGHT WORK WITH HIS MEMBERSHIP, THE TOP CHAMBER IN THE COUNTRY, MASSIVE IMPACT THEY COULD HAVE.
SO I'M JUST OFFERING, I WILL HELP TRYING TO ARRANGE THAT IF, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEREVER IN OUR CITY LEADERSHIP THAT THAT WOULD BE, UH, A GOOD DISCUSSION TO HAVE AND EXPLORE THAT KIND OF COLLABORATION.
UM, SECOND TODAY I DID A, UH, LED A, A LUNCH DISCUSSION WITH, UH, OUR LOCAL CONSCIOUS CAPITALISM CHAPTER ON SUSTAINABILITY.
PART OF THAT INCLUDED DISCUSSION OF THE CITIES DOING WHAT IT CAN AND SHOWING LEADERSHIP RATING, INCENTIVES, ET CETERA.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE FORM OF CCAP AND TRYING TO HELP MY, UH, LOCAL CONSCIOUS CAPITALISM, UH, CORPORATE FRIENDS KNOW THAT, UH, THE CITY'S DOING STUFF.
AND, AND SO LET'S, LET'S DO OUR PART IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND RETHINK THE WAY WE'RE RUNNING OUR BUSINESSES, REDUCE WASTE AND POLLUTION, UH, AND LOOK TO SEE HOW WE CAN, UH, BE BETTER PLAYERS AND CITIZENS, UH, RESPECTING ALL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING NATURE, WHICH CAPITALISM AND BUSINESS HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF KIND OF IGNORING HISTORICALLY.
SO, UM, BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF VERY POSITIVE RESPONSE TO THAT.
AND AGAIN, THE NATURE OF THE AUDIENCE AND THE, THE GROUP WAS, UM, AS I SAY, CONSCIOUS, UH, BUSINESS LEADERS.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS FUN TO DO.
UM, SO ANYWAY, JUST A COUPLE QUICK UPDATES THERE TO SHARE.
I WOULD JUST SAY, OH, GO AHEAD DOC.
I WOULD JUST SAY, UH, THANK YOU MR. MARTIN, UH, FOR THAT CONVER FOR THAT, UH, SUMMARY CONVERSATIONS RELATED, UH, TO BUSINESS OR CONVERSATION WITH DALE.
UH, FEEL FREE TO INCLUDE ME AND, UH, ONG HEMING.
UM, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF REEVALUATING YET AGAIN HOW WE WANT TO ENGAGE BUSINESSES, AND I THINK THAT'LL BE HELPFUL, THAT THAT'LL BE A HELPFUL CONVERSATION TO HAVE FOR US.
YES, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT DALLAS COLLEGE HAS, UM, STARTED THE ACADEMIC YEAR.
WE'RE UP TO ALMOST A HUNDRED THOUSAND STUDENTS AGAIN AFTER COVID.
I, UM, THE SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM THAT I LEAD IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE WANT THEM TO SERVE FOR 15 HOURS.
SO AS YOU SEE EVENTS, UM, THAT ARE COMING UP, I WOULD LIKE TO BE INFORMED, UH, WHERE STUDENTS COULD, UH, PARTICIPATE AND THAT WAY THEY COULD GRADUATE WITH THEIR, UM, SERVICE LEARNING CORD.
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I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO CHANNELIZE THIS, BUT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BE INFORMED WHAT YOU'RE DOING AT THE DISTRICTS.IF YOU HAVE A TABLE, YOU NEED STUDENTS, WE HAVE BILINGUAL STUDENTS, WE HAVE, UM, EDUCATION STUDENTS THAT WANNA WORK WITH CHILDREN.
WE HAVE STUDENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE BY AND, AND EVERYTHING THAT'S STEM.
SO IF, UM, IF YOU COULD CHANNEL THOSE, UM, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE ON THE ACADEMIC SIDE OF THE HOUSE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO DO A REFLECTION PAPER OF WHAT THEY LEARNED, I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
THAT WAY WE CAN, UM, BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND OF COURSE, THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND THE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE WILL BE CONNECTING WITH YOU.
SO, ALL RIGHT, MR. MARQUIS AND MS. THOMPSON, YOU STILL HAVE HANDS RAISED.
ARE THESE NEW QUESTIONS? ONE MORE, MORE COMMENT.
UM, APPRECIATE MICHAEL MENTIONING THE REGIONAL CHAMBER.
REMEMBER THAT THE REGIONAL CHAMBER DID SIGN ON LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR CC, AND SO THEY WERE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS HERE AND GRIFFIN AND SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS THAT WORK ON SUSTAINABILITY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH US.
SO THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE IN THE PAST AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM.
ANOTHER NOTE TO EVERYBODY, UH, DIRECTOR EVANS MENTIONED THIS A MINUTE AGO, BUT REMEMBER WHEN TC BROUGHT THAT BECAME CITY MANAGER SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE BEGAN TO RESTRUCTURE THE CITY, UH, IN A RATHER, UM, ONGOING MANNER.
AND NOW HE HAS LEFT TO GO TO AUSTIN.
WE'RE GOING TO ANOTHER SET OF RESTRUCTURING, UH, ITEMS WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AS A RESULT, THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SUPPORTED YOU, APPOINTED YOU, AND ALSO TO, UM, KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON WHAT'S GOING ON THERE BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO AFFECT OUR WORK, WELL, OUR WORK TO CONTINUE TO MOVE OEQ AND S FORWARD AND, UM, MAKE SURE WE'RE AWARE OF THE RESTRUCTURING GOING ON SO WE CAN SEE HOW IT IMPACTS US AND THAT WE CAN BE IN FRONT OF THAT INSTEAD OF BEHIND THAT.
BUT THERE IS A SECOND SET OF RESTRUCTURING GOING ON IN JUST THE LAST FEW YEARS.
SO JUST KNOW THAT'S A FRUSTRATION FOR EVERYBODY IN DALLAS CITY.
ITEM C IS OUR UPCOMING MEETINGS.
THE PARKS, TRAILS AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE WILL MEET, UH, MONDAY, OCTOBER 7TH AT 9:00 AM OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WILL BE WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9TH AT 5:30 PM AND I'VE BEEN TOLD BY OAQS STAFF THAT THERE WILL BE FOOD.
THERE'S A LOT OF FOOD LEFT OVER HERE TODAY, SO IF YOU DIDN'T GET SOMETHING ON YOUR WAY IN, PLEASE GRAB SOMETHING ON YOUR WAY OUT.
WE WANT MS. THOMPSON, ZERO WASTE.
ZERO WASTE THE MEETING THAT SHE DOESN'T ATTEND.
THE DAY I DIDN'T COME IN, THEY GOT FOOD.
IT'S A LOT OF VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION TODAY.
THIS CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS AND I WILL TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
THANK YOU FRIENDS FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.