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ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 21ST, AND I'M CONVENING THE QUALITY OF ARTS, LIFE, ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE.
[Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee on October 21, 2024.]
OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.DOES ANYONE HAVE A MOTION? SECOND. ANY.
ANY COMMENTS OR CORRECTIONS? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
OUR FIRST BRIEFING AND ACTION ITEM IS THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM 24-3064 ON THIS WEDNESDAY, WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUNDING FOR THE CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS PROGRAM CONTRACTS.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR RIDLEY. THANK YOU AS WELL.
SO WE'VE PRESENTED A MEMO FOR YOUR REVIEW AND ESSENTIALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS SET BEFORE YOU PASSED UNANIMOUSLY AT THE ALLOCATION SUBCOMMITTEE LEVEL OF OUR ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY PASSED AT UNIT WITH A UNANIMOUS VOTE BY OUR ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION AS WELL.
SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S FURNISHED HERE IN THE MEMO, WE ARE HAPPY TO TAKE THOSE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON THIS ITEM? A? MISS WILLIS.
THANK YOU. SO IN LOOKING AT THE ALLOCATIONS WERE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT ON THE ALLOCATIONS THAT WERE MADE THAT THE COMMITTEE FOUND YOU COULDN'T THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS KIND OF LEFT ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR, SO THAT MAYBE YOU DIDN'T FULLY FUND THE REQUEST.
WE WERE ABLE TO FUND ALL RETURNING ORGANIZATIONS THAT REACHED A SCORE OF ABOVE AN 80% OF THE TOTAL SCORE OF TOTAL POINTS AVAILABLE, WHICH IS WHERE WE LIKE TO BE EVERY YEAR.
SO THAT WAS ALL RETURNING ORGANIZATIONS MADE THAT CUT.
WE ALSO HAD NEW ORGANIZATIONS APPLY, OF WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO FUND EVERYONE THAT REACHED A SCORE OF ABOVE A90, WHICH IS TYPICALLY WHAT WE'D EXPECT OF NEW ORGANIZATIONS.
SO EVERYBODY GOT THE MAXIMUM OF WHAT THEY REQUESTED IN THAT SCORING LEVEL.
THE MAXIMUM AWARD POSSIBLE IS MADE THROUGH TIER AMOUNTS THAT ORGANIZATIONS UP TO A CERTAIN SIZE CAN GET UP TO A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THEIR REVENUE.
AND THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR AS WELL.
OKAY, SO WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME IS THAT THESE.
THESE ALLOCATIONS ARE, ARE THE MAXIMUM OF WHAT THEY COULD BE GIVEN.
I'M NOT FOLLOWING ALL OF YOUR LOGIC, LIKE ON DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE A LARGER BUDGET.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THEIR AMOUNT.
I MEAN, WOULD THERE HAVE BEEN COULD THEY GO HIGHER? YES, MA'AM. THEY COULD.
THE FUNDING THAT WE GAVE THEM THIS YEAR ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE'D GIVEN THEM IN PAST YEARS.
BUT WE DIDN'T GRANT THE FULL FUNDING, ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM.
BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE 0.1% OF THE WHOLE MUSEUM'S BUDGET.
WHICH WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO WITHIN THE FUNDING RESTRICTIONS OF THIS PROGRAM.
OKAY. SO I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF THE CONCERNS AROUND THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER.
WHAT WAS THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE'S DISCUSSION AROUND THAT? I SEE THE FUNDING LEVEL HAS COME BACK AT THE SAME, SAME LEVEL, I THINK, AS THE YEAR BEFORE.
YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO TAKE THAT, GLENN? OR WOULD YOU LIKE? OKAY, I'M GOING TO PASS THAT TO MY SUPERVISOR, GLENN.
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ASSISTANT DIRECTOR GLENN AYERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.WILL YOU SPEAK UP A LITTLE AND PULL THAT MIC TOWARD YOU? RARELY DOES ANYONE ASK ME TO SPEAK LOUDER.
WHEN IT COMES TO ACTUALLY ON THE RECORD DISCUSSIONS SURROUNDING DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER DURING THE ALLOCATIONS PROCESS, IT REALLY DID NOT COME INTO THE DISCUSSION WHEN IT CAME TO HOW MANY DOLLARS WE WERE ALLOCATING TO THE PROGRAM FOR THAT PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION.
OKAY. SO IT WAS JUST PICK UP THE NUMBER FROM LAST YEAR.
OKAY. WELL AND I, YOU KNOW THE INSPECTOR GENERAL HAD GIVEN A REPORT TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND SO I'M CURIOUS AS TO MY COLLEAGUE'S THOUGHTS ON THAT.
I KNOW THAT THERE WEREN'T NECESSARILY FINDINGS, BUT IT WAS A CHRONOLOGY OF SOME EVENTS THAT HAD OCCURRED, AS WELL AS BEING ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME SALARY LEVELS AND SOME PRACTICES IN THE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK THAT I DON'T KNOW MY COLLEAGUES OPINIONS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING THAT.
BUT THAT SEEMED A LITTLE BEHIND THE TIMES.
AND SO THAT'S A CONCERN THAT I HAVE.
AND ONCE I HEAR FROM COLLEAGUES THINK ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR LINE ITEM.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN NARVAEZ.
BAZALDUA. I WAS JUST WAITING FOR OMAR.
GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS MEMO AND FOR YOUR WORK.
I KNOW THAT THIS IS CRITICAL FOR OUR ARTS COMMUNITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO PIGGYBACK, THOUGH, ON THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME ISSUE THAT WE'VE HAD RAISED, AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.
I MEAN, YOU BASICALLY SAID NONE OF THAT WAS CONSIDERED.
DO WE DO WE HAVE ANY I MEAN, WE HAVE THE AUTONOMY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT DISPERSING THESE FUNDS.
SO THE WAY THAT THE SCORING FOR THIS PROGRAM WORKS IS IT TAKES A, IT TAKES THE SUMMER, BASICALLY, THEY APPLY IN FEBRUARY AND IT'S DUE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT MONTH.
SO THEY PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSAL FOR THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR THEIR ENTIRE YEAR.
AND THEN IN EARLY SPRING, WE TAKE IT TO A PANEL OF VOTED IN CITY MEMBERS WHO READ, WHO ARE EXPERIENCED IN THE ARTS.
ARTS MANAGERS, ARTISTS THEMSELVES WHO READ THESE APPLICATIONS, AND IN FACT, LISTEN TO A TEN MINUTE QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION ABOUT THE APPLICATIONS WITH ALL OF THE APPLICANTS, AND THEN THEY ARE ALLOWED TO SCORE UP TO 70 POINTS ON THEIR IMPACT, THEIR LOGISTICS, THINGS THAT THEY FIND IN THE APPLICATION, AND WHETHER THIS IS A GREAT USE OF DALLAS RESOURCES TO FUND THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THEN THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE GETS A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THOSE SCORES, LOOK AT THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE FOR THE YEAR AND MAKE THOSE TWO THINGS MAKE SENSE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
SO EACH ORGANIZATION IS INDEED LOOKED AT INDIVIDUALLY.
IF THERE WERE ANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIDN'T MEET ALL THE CRITERIA AND SO GET A FUNDING DECREASE OR REALLY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND, THEY CAN GET AN INCREASE OF WHAT THEY GOT THE YEAR BEFORE. BUT EACH ONE IS LOOKED AT BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY.
AND BY THE TIME WE GET TO THIS FALL AND BOTH AND OUR CITY ATTORNEYS SAID, WELL, THEY DIDN'T BREACH ANY PART OF THAT CONTRACT AND ALL OF THE ALLOCATIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SET, AND THEY HAVE FULFILLED EVERYTHING THEY SAID THEY DO AND THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT THEY HAVE JUST TURNED IN MATCHES WHAT THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD DO IN APRIL THAT
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WE GRADED. SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE SITTING AS STAFF IS WHAT THEY HAVE PUT FORWARD NOW MATCHES WHAT WE GRADED BACK IN THE SPRING.THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
SURE. BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO BE DISTRIBUTING MONEY NOW WHAT EMPLOYMENT CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED IN THE ORGANIZATION? DIRECTOR PHILIPPE. GOOD MORNING, SIR.
SO OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE OF COMPANY MEMBERS.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY CHANGE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF.
OKAY. I WOULD JUST SAY, JUST AS YOU'VE MENTIONED I CAN'T REMEMBER THE WORDING THAT YOU SAID, BUT BASICALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS FOR THE BEST FOR THE CITY OR STANDS FOR WHAT THE CITY WANTS TO INVEST IN.
AND I THINK THAT THERE WAS A CLEAR DISPLAY OF UNION BUSTING WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
I THINK THAT IT'S ALSO A PRECEDENT I DON'T LOVE FOR AN APPLICATION TO COME IN FOR FUNDING AND THEN A RUG PULLED OUT FROM OUT ON THE ORGANIZATION, AND THEN AN EXPECTATION OF US TO JUST FULFILL OUR COMMITMENT WHEN CLEARLY THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO FULFILL THEIRS. SO I DEFINITELY DO NOT SUPPORT THE LEVEL OF FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN LAID OUT FOR THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN.
AND IF THIS TYPE OF OPPORTUNITY IS PROVIDED, I WOULD LIKE AND WE'VE SEEN SUCH AN ISSUE COME UP SO HIGH PROFILE, IT DOESN'T EVEN SOUND LIKE THERE'S BEEN EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR STAFF TO GIVE US UPDATES OF WHERE THEY ARE OR HOW THIS HAS BEEN CORRECTED FOR THAT. I THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY AS A RESET YEAR, TO SEE WHERE WE CAN GET BACK TO A COMMITMENT TO OUR LABOR FORCE.
BUT I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO REWARD OR EVEN HELP, I GUESS EXECUTIVE LEVEL SALARIES WHENEVER WE ARE LOOKING, IN THE END, TO OUR LABOR FORCE BEING IMPACTED AS MUCH AS WE'VE SEEN.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT CHANGING IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT THIS BODY WAS GOING TO.
MISS SCHULTZ. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE SCORING.
SO IF 80 IS THE MINIMUM FOR TURNING 90 FOR NEW.
CORRECT, IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? TYPICALLY. YES, MA'AM.
SO IF YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOST PART 70 IS ALMOST FREE, RIGHT.
SURE. SO WITHIN MY QUESTION IS REALLY ABOUT THE 30.
SO IF THEY HAVE THEIR MONTHLY REPORT SUBMISSIONS BUT THEY DON'T HAVE CASH ON HAND, LIKE, DO THEY HAVE TO HAVE ALL OF THOSE TO GET THOSE TEN POINTS WITHIN EACH SECTION? FOR EXAMPLE, THE MONTHLY REPORTS ARE FOUR POINTS ARE UP TO FOUR POINTS.
THE CASH ON HAND IS UP TO TWO POINTS.
AND SO YES, YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE CASH ON HAND UP TO TWO.
THE MONTHLY REPORTS UP TO FOUR, AND YOU CAN GET ANYTHING FROM 0 TO 10 WITHIN THAT RANGE.
SO I THINK JUST WITHIN THE SPIRIT OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA WAS JUST BRINGING UP.
JUST TO SEE, BECAUSE IT MAKES IT IF YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO GET THE THAT LAST TEN POINTS, ASSUMING THAT FIRST 70, IT'S PRETTY EASY. AND SO I THINK THAT MIGHT TAKE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE SCRUTINY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SCORING NEXT YEAR.
AND I THINK THAT PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SHOULD BE A CATEGORY ON THERE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THEIR EMPLOYEE TURNOVER, HOW ARE THEY MANAGING, HOW ARE THEY GROWING THOSE KINDS OF THINGS? I MEAN, I'VE DONE, YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS OF GRANTS MANAGEMENT FOR DIFFERENT NONPROFITS.
AND EVALUATION IS A KEY PART OF GRANTS MANAGEMENT.
FROM A PHILANTHROPIC PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO IN HERE FOR THEIR NEXT YEARS SCORING TO REFLECT ON THEIR SUCCESS AND SHOW WHAT'S THEIR ATTENDANCE, WHAT'S THEIR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY CHOSE TO PRESENT TO YOU AS THEIR METRICS FOR SUCCESS OUGHT TO BE EVALUATED IS
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AS PART OF THE SCORING IN HERE.AND THIS IS MORE SUCCINCT THAN, THAN PERHAPS IT IS.
BUT I THINK THAT FULL PROCESS MIGHT BE SHARED BEFORE NEXT YEAR, AS WELL AS TAKING MAYBE A DEEPER DIVE, BECAUSE IT REALLY SHOULDN'T BE THAT THAT THE REPEATS ARE SORT OF AUTO REPEATS.
THEY OUGHT TO BE VERY CLEARLY EVALUATED EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT SUGGESTION OF OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT.
THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN BUILD IN TO THE GUIDELINES.
THE ONLY THING THAT I THE ONLY TWO RESPONSES I MIGHT HAVE TO YOUR QUESTIONS.
ONE IS THE 70 POINTS ARE NOT AS AUTOMATIC AS YOU MIGHT THINK.
IN FACT, ALMOST NOBODY GETS A PERFECT 70 BECAUSE THE PANEL IS REALLY LOOKING AT THOSE IMPACT OUTCOMES AND PUBLIC BENEFIT OF THESE PROGRAMS. SO I DO I DO SAY THAT OUR PANELISTS ARE VERY THOROUGH, AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE BIGGEST AND BEST KNOWN ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVE THE HIGHEST GRADES IN THAT.
THE SECOND PIECE IS THAT TO RECEIVE THIS, THE FUNDING FOR THIS IS DELIVERED IN THREE INSTALLMENTS.
AND IN THAT FINAL REPORT, WE DO ACTUALLY GET A CHANCE TO ASK THEM, DID YOU MEET THE THREE GOALS THAT YOU PUT FORWARD THIS YEAR? WHAT WAS YOUR ATTENDANCE METRIC? HOW MUCH DID YOU SPEND ON? THERE ARE SOME PIECES THAT WE REPORT BACK TO THE STATE, LIKE MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES.
HOW MUCH DID YOU SPEND ON THOSE? WHAT DID YOU HAVE AN INTERN THIS YEAR? WE'RE ABLE TO ASK SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO US AS AN OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE TO KNOW, BUT WE MAY NOT HAVE HAD OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO ASK UNTIL THERE AND THEN IF WE SEE SOMETHING ON THAT FINAL REPORT THAT DOES NOT LINE UP WITH WHAT THEY ASKED FOR, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT BEFORE THE CONTRACT FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
IF SOMETHING DID NOT GO AS PLANNED.
THAT'S GREAT. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE YOU'RE AHEAD OF ME ON THAT.
SO THAT'S THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR.
I'D MUCH I'D ALWAYS RATHER HEAR THAT YOU ALL ARE AHEAD OF US IN THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE ASKING.
FOR REAL, BECAUSE THAT MEANS YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE CHAMBER HAVE FIRST ROUND COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE STAFF? MISS BLACKMON? YES. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU.
AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS AND AROUND SPECIFICALLY THE DALLAS BLACK THEATER DANCE THEATER.
CAN YOU COME DOWN AND EXPLAIN WHAT THE RATIONALE AT THE COMMITTEE WAS, AND THEN WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO DO MOVING FORWARD IN THIS SPACE REGARDING SITUATIONS LIKE WE'VE JUST COME UP AGAINST? THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON.
IT'S NICE TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.
I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH I CAN ADD TO WHAT THE OFFICE HAS ALREADY EXPLAINED TO YOU, EXCEPT TO SAY THAT WE ARE ALREADY WORKING, AS JULIA MENTIONED ON ADDRESSING THIS IN THE GUIDELINES.
IT'S A BALANCE FOR US TO STAY IN OUR LANE IN TERMS OF MAKING BIG DECISIONS LIKE THIS.
WE KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE AN ADVISORY COMMISSION.
AND SO AT THE PLEASURE OF THIS COMMITTEE OR AT THE PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL, WE WOULD CERTAINLY LOOK AT ANY SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT YOU WANTED US TO LOOK AT BECAUSE WE HAD THIS SITUATION ARISE THIS YEAR, WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN WORKING ON THE GUIDELINES, OUR CALENDAR, AND CORRECT ME IF I GET THIS WRONG, BUT WE ARE.
WE MAY BE THE ONLY COMMITTEE IN THE CITY THAT ACTUALLY WORKS ALL SUMMER, AND WE OFTEN MEET TWICE DURING THE SUMMER WITH PEOPLE COMING BACK FROM WHEREVER THEY ARE TO MAKE THE MEETINGS. THE TIMING ON THIS ONE WAS COMPLICATED, AND OUR CONCLUSION WAS TO STAY IN OUR LANE AS AN ADVISORY.
COUNCIL FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES WHICH HAD BEEN PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
WE TOOK OUR FIRST PASS AT THAT AT THE OCTOBER MEETING.
WE JUST INITIALLY LOOKED AT WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THE COMMITTEE SEES? IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR.
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BUDGET MINIMUM TO BE INCLUDED AND TO TAKE THEM OUT OF THE PROGRAM YOU KNOW, WOULD HAVE BEEN DEVASTATING.THIS SITUATION, QUITE FRANKLY, IS NOT ADDRESSED IN THE GUIDELINES.
AND SO WE'LL BEGIN LOOKING AT THAT.
AND THEN WE ALSO WALK A VERY FINE LINE.
WELL I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THAT FINE, BUT WE DO TRY REALLY HARD NOT TO MICROMANAGE OUR ORGANIZATIONS.
WE'VE HAD OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE HAD LAYOFFS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE ALL KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO GET AUDIENCES BACK INTO THE THE THEATERS OR THE CONCERT HALLS. AND SO WE HAVE SO WE'VE HAD OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE HAD LAYOFFS.
SO IT'S A IT'S IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE FOR US TO START MAKING JUDGMENTS ABOUT THE REASONS, ALTHOUGH THERE IS CERTAINLY CONCERN ON THE COMMITTEE WITH RESPECT TO THE THE TOPIC OF SUPPORTING ARTISTS.
IT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WE DO.
WE SO APPRECIATE THE TASK THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US.
SO WE WILL LOOK AT IT IN THE GUIDELINES AND WELCOME ALL OF THOSE, ALL OF THOSE COMMENTS.
AND WE ARE ALWAYS CONSTANTLY MINDFUL THAT WE ARE ADVISORY.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO STEP OUT OF OUR LANE TO RELEGISLATE RULES THAT YOU ALL HAVE GIVEN US.
BUT IF YOU ASK US TO LOOK AT SOMETHING AND YOU ASK FOR OUR OPINION ON IT, I CAN TELL YOU THERE IS NOT A HARDER WORKING COMMITTEE IN THE OFFICE AND WE WILL WORK ON IT AND WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU.
THANK YOU. HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
HOW DO YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD BALANCE THAT? BECAUSE IT COULD COME UP IN MANY AND NOT JUST IN ONE.
IT COULD COME UP IN ANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE LISTED.
AND SO THAT'S MY QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU ALL BEEN THINKING ABOUT THAT? WELL, OUR FIRST GO TO IS ALWAYS TO GO TO OUR OFFICE STAFF AND EXPRESS OUR CONCERNS AND LEAD FROM THAT STANDPOINT, ASK FOR THEIR GUIDANCE ON WHAT THE RULES ARE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT IN ANY WAY A COMMITTEE THAT JUST ACCEPTS WHAT THE OFFICE STAFF SAYS.
I THINK PROBABLY EVERYBODY AT THIS TABLE CAN ATTEST TO THAT.
WE'RE KIND OF A TOUGH COMMITTEE.
SO OUR FIRST GO TO IS TO ASK THE STAFF WHERE THEY THINK WE ARE.
AND OFTEN WE SEND THE STAFF TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES THIS SITUATION PARTICULARLY COMPLICATED FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE THERE ARE LEGAL DETERMINATIONS TO BE MADE ABOUT ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN. AND WHILE SOME OF US ON THE COMMITTEE ARE LAWYERS, WE'RE NOT FUNCTIONING AS LAWYERS FOR THE CITY IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE.
SO WE WILL ASK THE STAFF TO GO TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND BRING AN OPINION.
FROM OUR VIEW, THAT WAS NOT A PART OF WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE TIMING.
WE'LL DIG DEEP AND WE'LL COME BACK AND WE'LL MAKE A REPORT TO YOU.
SO, MICKEY, TO BE OR TO BE CLEAR, WHEN THE WHEN THE GRANT WAS RECEIVED, NONE OF THIS HAD HAPPENED OR BEEN PUBLICLY BROUGHT OUT. BUT YOU STILL CARRIED UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE RULES THAT HAVE BEEN SET FORTH.
LIKE YOU DIDN'T USE THE NEW INFORMATION IN A PAST GRANT REQUEST.
AND I'M GOING TO DEFER TO JULIA IF I GET ANYTHING WRONG.
BUT THE APPLICATIONS WERE IN BEFORE ANY OF THE ACTION THAT THAT HAS CAUSED CONCERN WAS TAKEN.
AND THEN THE COMMITTEE ITSELF DOESN'T DO THE ACTUAL SCORING THAT'S DONE IN THE OFFICE.
AND THAT SCORING THE I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY IN THE SECOND ROUND OF EVALUATION.
I'M NOT SURE MAYBE THE FIRST ROUND, BUT WE GET SEVERAL ROUNDS OF THAT SCORING WHERE WE LOOK AT IT AND YOU KNOW, TRY TO, TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE TO YOU ALL.
AND THEN THE SECOND POINT THAT'S IMPORTANT.
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CITY COUNCIL FOR THE 2024 YEAR, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN PASSED IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.AND SO THE THIS RECOMMENDATION COMES TO YOU UNDER THE GUIDELINES THAT ARE IN EFFECT RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT THE GUIDELINES FOR THE 2025 YEAR.
THAT'S THE OTHER BIG JOB THAT WE DO EACH YEAR.
THOSE WILL COME TO YOU IN JANUARY OF 2025.
AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE ADDRESSED EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANT US TO ADDRESS.
I WAS TAKING NOTES AS YOU ALL WERE SPEAKING.
THANK YOU AND THANKS TO YOUR GROUP FOR DOING THE WORK.
I KNOW THE SUMMERTIME IS TO TAKE OFF, BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT WORK, SO WE DO APPRECIATE IT.
THAT'S IT, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ROUND TWO. MISS WILLIS? YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE PLAN COMMISSION DOES WORK THROUGH THE SUMMER TOO, THOUGH.
I THINK SOMETIMES THESE THINGS GO THROUGH EACH YEAR AND YOU DON'T ALWAYS KNOW THE DEPTH AROUND THEM.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE.
AND WHY WOULD YOU? I MEAN, IT'S DIGGING INTO EMPLOYEE HANDBOOKS AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD AS EXHIBITS FROM THE INSPECTOR GENERAL CONTRACTS, PAYMENT, THAT SORT OF THING.
AND SO AS I BEGAN TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE SCENARIO IT DID SEEM A LITTLE OUT OF PRACTICE WITH TODAY AND NOT JUST THE WORLD, BUT WITH WHAT THE CITY OF DALLAS IS TRYING TO DO.
NOW, SINCE THIS ISN'T A CONTRACT PER SE, IT'S A GRANT.
BUT I THINK WE WANT TO LOOK AT ORGANIZATIONS AND FEEL LIKE OUR VALUES ARE ALIGNED IN THAT REGARD.
THERE ARE SOME TROUBLING CHRONOLOGY ISSUES AROUND WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA REFERRED TO.
AND I KNOW THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD IS TAKING A LOOK AT THIS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN REFERENCES TO PER DIEM RATES THAT WERE PAID FOR TRAVEL THAT SEEM WAY OUT OF LINE WITH WHAT THE IRS OUTLINES AND THAT OTHERS YOU KNOW, WHO ARE TRAVELING FOR THEIR BUSINESS.
AND THEN I GO BACK TO AND REREADING THROUGH KIND OF HOW EVERYTHING SEEMED TO SHAKE OUT WITH CONCERNS OVER A VIDEO THAT THE DANCERS POSTED AND IT HURTING THE IMAGE OF THE COMPANY.
I MEAN, I HAD THE NEW YORK TIMES CALLING ME LAST WEEK, AND IT WASN'T FAVORABLE.
AND SO THAT EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK OUTLINED BEHAVIOR AROUND PROTECTING A BRAND.
AND IT'S AN EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK.
SO I THINK THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS NEEDS TO HEAR FROM THIS COUNCIL AND THIS BODY THAT WE NEED AN EXAMINATION OF THE HANDBOOK, THE CONTRACTS, THE WAGES.
I THINK IT NEEDS A DEEP DIVE BY THAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
AND SO, MR. CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LINE ITEM FOR THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER, AND MOVE THAT ITEM TO $100,000 AND ASK THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON THOSE REMAINING FUNDS.
AND I HAVE A POINT OF DISCUSSION IF YOU.
IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY. HEARING IS SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION, MISS WILLIS? SO THE QUESTION BECOMES AND THIS IS WHERE WE DON'T WANT TO MICROMANAGE I CERTAINLY DON'T.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM OUR ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE ON WHETHER THIS GOES TO SUPPORT OTHER DANCE TROUPES, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE DECISION IS, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN IN THE WEEDS ON THE NUMBERS.
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AND SO I WANT TO RESPECT THAT.AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL ON THAT.
I THINK THE POINT IS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME SOME ACTION AND ATTENTION GIVEN TO ALL OF THIS BASED ON THAT REPORT AND WHAT AND THE EXHIBITS REALLY.
I THINK THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO.
THE MONEY FOR THE FUNDING FOR THE COP PROGRAM COMES FROM BOTH GENERAL FUND MONEY AND HOT TAX MONEY.
SO WE THAT MONEY COULD GO BACK INTO SOME OTHER PORTION OF THE OFFICE.
WE HAVE A MEETING IN NOVEMBER, AND WE COULD EVALUATE THAT AND COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO YOU THAT WOULD CONSIDER ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT THAT I MIGHT TALK ABOUT. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HOLD UP ANY OF THIS FOR ANY OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS.
AND SO THAT IS NOT THE INTENTION TODAY, IS TO LET ONE THING HOLD THAT UP.
IT IS TO HAVE A REDUCTION TO ASK THAT THAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS CLOSELY EXAMINE OUR CONCERNS AND LET EVERYONE ELSE MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR GRANTS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO GET THE MONEY FOR THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO GET THE MONEY.
IS THERE A TIME FRAME BY WHICH THESE GRANTS NEED TO BE APPROVED IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE SCHEDULE FOR FUNDING? YES, SIR.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO, FOR THAT PROPOSAL AND ESPECIALLY THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL ALLOCATIONS, CHAIRWOMAN FOR BEING HERE. IT'S SUCH A WONDERFUL THING TO HAVE SUCH AN ADVOCATE, NOT ONLY IN OUR CHAIRWOMAN, BUT THE REST OF THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL, THAT WORKS WITH STAFF VERY, VERY CLOSELY ALL YEAR ROUND.
THE TIMELINE FOR THIS IS SHOULD THE REST OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS BE PASSED ON WEDNESDAY, WE WILL START ORIENTATION FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND TUESDAY SO THAT WE CAN START THE CONTRACTING PROCESS WITH THEM SO THAT THEY CAN BE STARTING THEIR WORK.
SO IF WE WERE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH THE OTHER 55, THAT IS WHAT WE WOULD PROCEED IN DOING.
OKAY. SO IF WE WERE TO HOLD BACK THE ALLOCATION FOR THIS ONE ORGANIZATION WOULD THAT ALLOW TIME FOR THE COMMISSION TO UNDERTAKE CONSIDERATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS, TO COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE AND STILL BE ABLE TO FUND, IF THAT IS THE WISH OF THE COUNCIL, THIS ORGANIZATION, STARTING IN JANUARY.
FROM THE RECOMMENDATION THAT I BELIEVE WAS MADE FOR $100,000, WE WOULD STILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ORGANIZATION WITH THAT AMOUNT SO THAT WE COULD GET A CONTRACT IN WRITING FOR THAT AND START BEGIN PAYING THEM ON TIME WITH EVERYONE ELSE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT WE THEN MAY NEED TO DO IS ASK FOR AN AMENDMENT LATER TO THAT ONE ORGANIZATION, AND I WILL DEFER TO MY SUPERVISORS ON THAT.
WELL, I THINK PART OF THE MOTION, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WAS TO ASK THE COMMITTEE FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO REALLOCATE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE FUNDING, WHICH COULD AFFECT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
COULD THAT ALSO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY LATER AMENDMENT IF THAT IS THE DECISION OF THE COUNCIL.
IT CERTAINLY, GLEN AYERS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, IT CERTAINLY COULD.
BUT ALL OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN ON ALL OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN SCORING ADMINISTRATIVELY AND BY PANEL, WHAT IS HERE IN FRONT OF YOU IS ARE THOSE AMOUNTS KIND OF THAT CAME FROM THAT PROCESS? AND SO TO CHANGE ALL OF THAT AGAIN WOULD MEAN A FULL SORT OF RE REDO OF THAT PROCESS TO, TO REALLOCATE FUNDS INTO THE PROGRAM IN GENERAL.
I THINK WE'RE OVER COMPLICATING SOMETHING.
[00:35:08]
MAY COME BACK AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR FUNDING AND THINGS MAY BE WHATEVER OR NO FUNDING.AND SO I THINK IT GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THEIR WORK ABOUT THIS ONE ORGANIZATION.
BUT EVERYTHING ELSE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AS IT SHOULD.
SO THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY OF JUST RATHER THAN US MANAGING THE AMOUNT THAT THIS ORGANIZATION SHOULD GET, LET THE COMMITTEE COMPLETE ITS WORK ON THE ONE ORGANIZATION AND MOVE FORWARD WITH EVERYTHING ELSE, IF THAT'S AMENABLE.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, THE CONCERN IS THAT THERE'S MORE DATA THAT WILL BE COMING IN OR MORE INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD.
WE DON'T KNOW WHEN WE WILL RECEIVE THAT.
AS MUCH AS I'VE SEEN SOME DISTURBING PRACTICES, I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF NEEDS TIME TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER OUR REQUEST AND NOT NECESSARILY SHIFT INTO A SURVIVAL MODE, WHICH I SEE THIS AS 7% OF THE BUDGET.
THAT WOULD BE TOTALLY CRIPPLING, BUT I'M JUST NOT A BELIEVER IN GOING TO ZERO.
I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME SENSE OF CONTINUITY, BUT ALSO OF HAVING THE ATTENTION GIVEN TO PRACTICES, WAGES, ETC., BECAUSE NEXT YEAR IT MAY BE THAT THIS NUMBER IS ZERO IF WE DON'T SEE SOME SORT OF MEANINGFUL CHANGE. BUT THERE ARE SCHOOL CHILDREN WHO I THINK NEED TO SEE PERFORMANCES OF THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER, THERE ARE PATRONS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THIS ORGANIZATION AND ARE PROBABLY FEELING SOME ANGST RIGHT NOW, WHICH I DON'T LOVE.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DO BENEFIT FROM THIS ORGANIZATION AND ITS HISTORY.
AND SO IF THIS IS GOING INTO ACTION RIGHT AWAY AND FUNDS COULD BE DISTRIBUTED IN JANUARY, THEN THAT IS WHY I MOVED TO JUST REDUCE THIS FROM 248,000 TO $100,000, TO ALLOW THE COMPANY TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW WORK TO CONTINUE, BUT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE AN EXPECTATION THAT WE WILL HEAR SOMETHING BACK FROM THE BOARD THAT WILL HELP INFORM US AND THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE STAFF GOING FORWARD.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP MY MOTION AS IT IS.
THANK YOU. I CAN SUPPORT THIS, TOO.
AND I KNOW YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOUR MOTION AS IS, BUT I GUESS A RECOMMENDATION WITH THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS FROM ME, WOULD BE TO REALLOCATE THAT 148,000 OR SO TO SMALLER TIERED BLACK ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN KEEP IT MOVING.
I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY THERE ARE OR IF THAT CHANGES ANYTHING FROM THERE.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO TAKE THAT 148 AND REALLY POTENTIALLY REALLOCATE IT TO A SMALLER TIERED ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED FUNDING ON THIS LIST AND REALLOCATE IT THAT WAY.
I THINK THAT KEEPS IT MOVING FROM THERE.
SO IS THERE A SECOND FOR MISS SCHULTZ'S PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION? I SECOND IT.
OKAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT MISS SCHULTZ'S AMENDMENT? MR. BAZALDUA, THANK YOU.
CAN I JUST GET A POINT OF CLARIFICATION? DO WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT ON THE FLOOR? THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MISS SCHULTZ SAID, WHICH WAS TO.
WELL, SHE TRIED IT AS A FRIENDLY, AND IT WASN'T ACCEPTED.
YES. WELL, MISS SCHULTZ, CAN YOU CLARIFY? ARE YOU MAKING. YES. I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT AMENDMENT THAT WE HOLD THE ENTIRE AMOUNT, RATHER THAN DETERMINING THE AMOUNT THAT THEY SHOULD, AND LET THE COMMITTEE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO US OF WHAT THAT AMOUNT SHOULD BE.
MISS BLACKMON, SO DID YOU WISH TO DISCUSS THE AMENDMENT? YES. PLEASE DO. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I WAS ON THE SAME MINDSET WITH MISS WILLIS DESCRIBED, AND NOT REALLY WANTING TO GET TO A ZERO NUMBER.
[00:40:01]
AND SO I WOULD SEE THAT THERE'S A BENEFIT, I GUESS, IN KEEPING IT CLEAN AND MOVING THE ENTIRE AMOUNT.BUT I WOULD ALSO BE OKAY WITH LEAVING 100,000.
I GUESS MY ONLY HESITATION AT THIS POINT FROM HEARING THE DISCUSSION IS IF MAYBE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES BACK, THAT THERE WOULD BE NO FUNDING, AND IF WE HAD ALREADY AWARDED 100,000, I THINK THAT WE'VE KIND OF MAYBE SPOKE TOO SOON IN THAT REGARD.
I WOULD BE OKAY WITH GOING WITH MISS WILLIS'S AMENDMENT AS WELL IF THIS WERE NOT TO PASS.
BUT I BELIEVE JUST FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD AND THE WORK THAT YOU ALL NEED TO DO, REMOVING THIS COMPLETELY, LETTING Y'ALL GET BACK TO WORK, COME BACK WITH NEW RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD MAYBE BE THE CLEANEST WAY FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH THAT WITH NOT KNOWING WHAT THOSE FACTORS ARE THAT BEFORE THEY COME TO US. SO I WOULD SUPPORT THIS, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE IN A BAD PLACE IF THIS DOESN'T PASS FOR US TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION? MR. CHAIRMAN? YES, MISS BLACKMON.
MISS BRAGALONE OR EVEN MISS SCHULTZ.
DO WE HAVE A TIME FRAME ON THE AMENDMENT, OR IS THERE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN YOU COULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL OR TO YOUR COMMITTEE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION? IN OTHER WORDS, WE DON'T NEED TO DRAG THIS OUT.
MISS BRAGALONE, WHEN WILL THE COMMITTEE MEET? IN NOVEMBER? WELL, IT DEPENDS ON THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DO.
THAT DETERMINATION IS MUCH MORE COMPLEX THAN WHAT THIS COMMITTEE IS QUALIFIED TO DO.
SO IF THE SCOPE OF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING US TO DO IS COME BACK AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT WHETHER THIS PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION SHOULD BE FUNDED, WE WILL NEED HELP FROM THE LEGAL TEAM.
IF THE SCOPE OF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING US TO COME BACK AND DO IS TO SAY WE THINK YOU SHOULDN'T FUND IT UNTIL ANOTHER BODY, THE LEGAL UNTIL ALL OF THE LEGAL, THAT WOULD BE A FAIRLY SIMPLE THING FOR US TO DO.
WE HAVE WE MEET THE FIRST MONTH, FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
SO WE HAVE A MEETING COMING UP SHORTLY.
WE COULD CERTAINLY PULL EVERYBODY AND SEE IF WE COULD CALL A SPECIAL MEETING.
SO IF, IF THAT IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE SCOPE IS.
THAT ALSO COULD BE DONE FAIRLY QUICKLY.
I'D HAVE TO DEFER TO STAFF ON THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK JUST BRIEFLY TO THE IDEA.
JUST TO REMEMBER THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS BEGIN TO COUNT ON THE MONEY THAT THEY GET.
SO IF WE TAKE THAT 250 OR 150 AND AWARD IT TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION, WILL BE WILL EITHER BE IN THE POSITION OF HAVING TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU WITHDRAW FUNDS OR BEGGING YOU FOR MORE MONEY TO REPLACE THAT, WHICH I WILL TELL YOU THAT AS MUCH MONEY AS YOU GIVE US, WE HAVE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY WHO NEED IT, BUT WE ARE MINDFUL OF THE BUDGET OF THE CITY, SO THAT POSES SOME PROBLEMS FOR FUTURE YEARS.
GO AHEAD. I STILL HAVE THE FLOOR.
MR.. YES. MR. RIDLEY. SO THE I THINK WE WANT AN EXTRA SET OF EYES, GIVEN THIS NEW INFORMATION, TO SAY THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE MONEY OR NOT, BECAUSE AGAIN YOU'RE ADVISORY.
SO AGAIN ADVISE US ON WHAT THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE.
NOW IF IT'S NOT YOUR GROUP THEN I GUESS WE NEED TO NONE OF THE AMENDMENTS THEN HELP US BECAUSE WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHO THAT GROUP IS TO GIVE US THAT DETERMINATION. SO BUT I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT ANYWAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS BLACKMON.
SO A QUESTION, MISS BRAGALONE.
I AM MINDFUL OF THE LIMITED AUTHORITY THAT YOUR COMMITTEE HAS IN THAT IT HAS TO FOLLOW THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR BY THE COUNCIL GOVERNING YOUR ACTIVITY.
AND OBVIOUSLY, LABOR PRACTICES ARE NOT PART OF THAT CHARGE.
AND SO I'M CONCERNED IF WE REFER THIS, IF WE PASS THE BUCK BACK TO YOUR COMMITTEE AND YOU LOOK AT YOUR CHARGE AND SAY, WE CAN'T MAKE A DECISION ON THIS FOR THESE REASONS, THEN WE'VE JUST WASTED A MONTH.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT? I AGREE COMPLETELY.
I THINK THAT'S WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE.
[00:45:02]
IF WE IF THAT WEREN'T THE SITUATION, YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD A MEMO OR A REPORT OR A COMMENT THAT ACCOMPLISHED THIS, BUT I BELIEVE THE CHAIR THAT YOU'RE 100% CORRECT THAT THIS IS A DECISION FOR COUNCIL.NOW, IF YOU IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE THE COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT AND ADVISE YOU ON BECAUSE OF THE WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT, BUT IT IS ULTIMATELY BOTH A LEGAL AND POLITICAL DECISION.
WELL, I THINK WHAT WE COULD CHARGE YOUR COMMITTEE WITH OR REQUEST THAT THEY DO, IF THIS MOTION PASSES, IS TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THOSE EXCESS FUNDS ARE TO BE UTILIZED WITH REGARD TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR OTHER PURPOSES, AND THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN HANDLE AT YOUR NEXT MEETING, CORRECT? YES, SIR. I BELIEVE THAT IS WITHIN THE CURRENT SCOPE OF OUR CHARGE AS AN ADVISORY COMMISSION.
BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU'VE SAID ABOUT IF ALL ALLOCATION IS WITHHELD I'M JUST REALLY CONCERNED WITH THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HOBBLING TO AN ARTS ORGANIZATION THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A DEFINITIVE RESPONSE ON.
SO THAT'S WHY I PUT FORTH THE INTERIM STEP TO GIVE THEIR BOARD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE PRACTICES HANDBOOK, ALL OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED AND, MISS PHILIPPE, I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A CONVERSATION THAT YOU'D BE ABLE TO HAVE WITH THEM TO SHARE WHAT THESE CONCERNS ARE AND WHEN JANUARY COMES AROUND, I'D, I WOULD STILL LIKE TO KNOW THAT THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER, ITS MISSION, ITS CORE OF PERFORMING FOR PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, CAN GO ON WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE BUYING SOME TIME THERE TO GET FINDINGS FROM THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD AND BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ACTION AT THIS NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
WILL THIS BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND WILL IT BE DISREGARDED? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW.
AND SO I THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO PLAY OUT.
CERTAINLY BEFORE YOUR NEXT MEETING IS COMING UP.
AND THEN WE MAY COME BACK AROUND TO THERE BEING NOTHING, THE FUNDS BEING RESTORED, I'M NOT SURE, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE WE WOULD DEFINITELY WANT THE ADVICE OF THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE AT THAT TIME.
I'D LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE TO THE ENTIRE CITY.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS STRONG SUPPORT IN THE CITY COUNCIL FOR RIGHTS OF WORKERS TO ORGANIZE, AND FOR THE RIGHTS UNDER VARIOUS LABOR LAWS. I THINK THAT'S ALSO TRUE OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEND A MESSAGE TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT APPEARS NOT TO RESPECT SUCH RIGHTS, AND TO REQUEST THAT THEY RECONSIDER THEIR THINKING ABOUT THAT VERY SUBJECT.
I AM CONCERNED, PARTICULARLY IN THE LACK OF RESPONSE THAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM THIS ORGANIZATION'S LEADERSHIP SINCE THIS ALL CAME TO LIGHT OVER THE SUMMER IN HIRING REPLACEMENT DANCERS, NOT UNION MEMBERS, AFTER THE UNION HAD ORGANIZED THE DANCERS.
THAT, TO ME, INDICATES A RECALCITRANCE TO BOW TO COMMUNITY SENTIMENT AND THAT OF THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO THIS ORGANIZATION.
AS A RESULT, I AM STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS IN GENERAL AND THE RIGHTS TO ORGANIZE AS A LABOR UNION, AND I THINK THAT THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED BY THIS INSTANCE.
AND SO AS A RESULT, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OF THIS AMENDMENT? THEN I CALL A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MISS SCHULTZ'S AMENDMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[00:50:02]
GRACEY, WHAT WAS YOUR VOTE? THE VOTE IS 4 TO 2 IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT.THAT LEAVES US NOW WITH THE ORIGINAL MOTION AS AMENDED AND THAT JUST TO REVIEW IS TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE STAFF FOR FUNDING OF THE COP ORGANIZATIONS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER WHOSE FUNDING WOULD BE WITHHELD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, AND THE REQUEST THAT THE COMMITTEE CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE ALLOCATION OF THOSE FUNDS.
IS THERE ANYTHING I'VE LEFT OUT OF YOUR MOTION MISS WILLIS AS AMENDED.
OKAY. THEN, MR. CHAIR. YES, MR. BAZALDUA. I JUST WANT A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
MISS BLACKMON, WHAT WAS YOUR VOTE? OH, OKAY. OKAY.
I STAND CORRECTED. I VOTED FOR IT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CORRECTION.
ALL RIGHT. IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THE MOTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
I THINK WE'RE READY FOR OUR NEXT ITEM B.
MAY I ASK AN ITEM OF CLARIFICATION? AS YOU KNOW, THE ITEM IS ON COUNCIL AGENDA FOR WEDNESDAY 10/23 AND THE RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU HAVE FOR COUNCIL FOLLOWING THE VOTE OF RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU JUST OFFERED IS SOMETHING THAT STAFF IS PLEASED TO TAKE, BUT WE HAVE THAT ITEM ON.
SO I BELIEVE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS HOW YOU WANT TO PROCEED WITH THE ITEM ON WEDNESDAY.
YES, THAT WILL BE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THIS COMMITTEE TO THE FULL COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
SO WE NOW HAVE SOME BRIEFING MEMORANDA.
LET'S START WITH B, CODE COMPLIANCE, KEEP DALLAS BEAUTIFUL DASHBOARD.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ITEM? YES, SIR. MISS SCHULTZ.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE ROLLOUT TIMELINE FOR THE DASHBOARD, AND HOW IS IT GOING TO BE PROMOTED TO THE RESIDENTS FOR BOTH B AND C? AND THEN I HAVE A SEPARATE QUESTION FOR C WHEN WE GET TO IT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ.
BRITA ANDERCHEK, CHIEF DATA OFFICER SO FOR THE KEEP DALLAS BEAUTIFUL PRODUCT THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED, AND I WILL HAND THAT OVER TO CODE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
WE ARE HERE, OF COURSE, FOR ANY FEEDBACK THAT YOU ALL HAVE OR OTHER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
THE DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES DASHBOARD HAS BEEN RELEASED.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE TIMELINES WERE.
YEP. AND WE'RE GOING TO PROMOTE IT.
OKAY. SO THE I'M SORRY, THE SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION WAS WHAT IS THE ROLLOUT PLAN FOR? WE'LL START WITH B BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE STILL ON B.
WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE ROLLOUT PLAN AND HOW IS IT GOING TO BE PROMOTED ONCE IT'S MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC? OKAY. ABSOLUTELY.
GOOD MORNING. BRIAN MORRIS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CODE COMPLIANCE.
SO OUR ROLLOUT PLAN WOULD JUST BE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.
WE'LL BE DOING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE ROBUST PLATFORM THAT IT WILL PROVIDE.
SO MAY I ADD THAT I THINK CREATING SOMETHING THAT WE ALL CAN HELP PROMOTE, AS WELL AS THROUGH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYWHERE THROUGHOUT, NOT JUST SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT IN THE NEWSLETTERS, I'M SURE THE MORNING NEWS WILL WANT TO WRITE AN ARTICLE ABOUT IT.
IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S TERRIFIC FOR BOTH OF THEM.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON ITEM B? ITEM C.
HOW WILL SHELTER CAPACITY B ISSUES BE ADDRESSED IF THE DASHBOARD INDICATES OVERCROWDING? WELL, WE CONTINUOUSLY WORK TO AND THIS DASHBOARD IS GOING TO HELP WITH THAT BECAUSE IT'S PUTTING THOSE ANIMALS THAT ARE AT RISK UP FRONT AND FOREMOST IN THE PRODUCT TO ALLOW FOSTER RESCUE GROUPS TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THOSE ANIMALS, IDENTIFY THEM, GIVE US THE ID TAG, AND THEN COMMUNICATE WITH DAS ON WHAT AVENUE
[00:55:04]
THEY'D LIKE TO CHOOSE EITHER RESCUE, TAG, FOSTER OR ADOPT.AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE PRODUCT THAT DBE HAS PRODUCED FOR US.
THAT'S ALL, MR. THANK YOU, MISS SCHULTZ.
ANY OTHER. MISS WILLIS? SO I WAS LOOKING AT THE SITE LAST NIGHT.
BUT IS IT NOT ALL ACTIVE? BECAUSE I WAS TRYING I COULDN'T GET TO BITES AND ADOPTIONS.
MAYBE IT WAS JUST A CONNECTION ISSUE OR SOMETHING, BUT I IS THE WHOLE THING READY TO GO OR ARE THERE STILL SOME PAGES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ACTIVATED YET? ALL OF DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES SHOULD BE UP FOR THE DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES ONE, SO WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE IT WAS JUST A CONNECTION ISSUE.
BUT THE KEEP DALLAS BEAUTIFUL IS NOT YET UP.
SO YOU MAY HAVE HAD IMAGES THAT WEREN'T LINKED.
MISS BLACKMON, DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON ITEMS B OR C? OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM D, THE TIPTON PUBLIC ART PROJECT.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS CHOICE OF PUBLIC ARTIST FOR THIS PROJECT? SEEING NONE, LET'S MOVE ON TO E! ANOTHER PUBLIC ART PROJECT AT CROCKETT DOG PARK.
THE SELECTION OF AN ARTIST FOR THIS PIECE.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM STAFF OF STAFF? SEEING NONE, LET'S MOVE ON TO E! I'M SORRY F THE CITY FACILITIES PARTNERS UPDATE AT&T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
MISS PHILIPPE, COULD YOU COME BACK? MR. CHAIR, I HAVE ONE.
OKAY. AND MISS SCHULTZ, QUESTION.
GO FORWARD. THANK YOU, MISS PHILIPPE.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT REPORT.
IT'S ALL VERY EXCITING AND TERRIFIC.
I THINK WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN THESE REPORTS WOULD BE TO HAVE AN OVERLAY OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT, PARTICULARLY OF THESE LARGE INVESTMENTS. YOU KNOW, THE ASSESSMENT INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, TOURISM, JOB CREATION, ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT I KNOW ARE ALREADY THERE THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE WITH THIS IS ALL I'M COMMENTING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR FACILITY PARTNERS WHO ARE PRESENT TODAY, LEADERSHIP FROM [INAUDIBLE] AND CHRIS HEINBAUGH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THE POLICE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? I DO, MR. CHAIR. YES, MISS BLACKMON SO GIVEN THE AMOUNTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE USING FOR OUR BOND FROM THE BOND IS THERE GOING TO STILL BE OUTSTANDING ITEMS LEFT TO WORK THROUGH AT THESE AT THESE FACILITIES? IN OTHER WORDS, ARE WE MOVING THE NEEDLE WITH OUR NEEDS INVENTORY AND OUR COMMITMENTS TO THESE, TO THESE GROUPS, TO THIS GROUP.
WE NOTED ON THE FINAL PAGE OF THE MEMO THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND THE AMOUNTS ALLOCATED FOR THOSE PROJECTS. AND ALSO, IF THERE ARE ANY OUTSTANDING MATTERS, I WOULD INVITE STAFF TO ADDRESS THOSE.
BUT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A REALLY SIGNIFICANT BOND ALLOCATION FOR THE PROPERTY.
AND AGAIN, MOVING THE NEEDLE FORWARD ON REALLY SIGNIFICANT DEFERRED MAINTENANCE NEEDS.
YES. SO MISS PHILLIPE, IT ONLY REALLY HAS THE BOND AMOUNT.
I DON'T MAYBE I'M READING IT WRONG OR I HAVE IT LATE, BUT IT DOESN'T GIVE THE PROJECT.
I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE.
I KNOW THAT I'VE GOTTEN CALLED AND SO IS MR. RIDLEY ON A COUPLE OF, YOU KNOW, ITEMS. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING OUR COMMITMENT NET AND WE'RE MOVING AND THAT WE'RE GETTING THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ADDRESSED.
AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ON THIS ONE, BUT ON ALL OUR PROJECTS AND ALL OUR ARTS FACILITIES.
AND THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING IS JUST MAYBE WHEN YOU PUT BOND AMOUNT PUT WHAT PROJECT IT IS.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON THIS ITEM? I HAVE ONE.
WHY IS THE SYMPHONY NOT INCLUDED? THE DALLAS SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION, THE MEYERSON SYMPHONY CENTER IS NOT A PART OF THE AT&T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, SO IT HAS ITS OWN SEPARATE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY.
[01:00:06]
THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.ALL RIGHT. YES, MISS WILLIS? WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE IN THE AUDIENCE CHRIS HEINBAUGH AND WARREN TRUNCATA.
SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO.
IT'S JUST SO MUCH A PART OF OUR RICH CULTURAL FABRIC.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR KEEPING ISSUES IN FRONT OF US SO WELL AND EDUCATING US ON HOW WE CAN BETTER SERVE YOU SO THAT YOU CAN SERVE OUR PUBLIC WITH REGARD TO ARTS AND CULTURE.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU FOR BEING AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THE COMMITTEE'S QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FORECAST? OUR LAST ITEM OF BUSINESS.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A NOTE ON THE DECEMBER AGENDA.
THERE'S A CLERICAL ERROR UNDER THE MANAGING STREET CLOSURES ITEM.
THAT IS CLERICAL ERROR ON MY PART.
SO I'M ASKING THAT IT BE AMENDED IN THE NEXT MONTH.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
AND WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 10:03 A.M.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.