* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] ALRIGHT. UH, IT'S, UH, 12 LITTLE AFTER, SO WE'LL GET STARTED HERE. EVERYBODY STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE THROUGH THE FLAG, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND DREW THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT SPANS ONE NATION. UN GOD INDIVISIBLE IS LIBERTY JUSTICE FOR ALL. I, I APOLOGIZE. UH, RONNIE HAS BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL AND, UM, JUST GOT OUT TODAY, SO HE'S NOT GONNA BE WITH US. SIR, WE GOT PUT UP WITH THE, HAVE A SEAT. OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS WILL BE TO, UH, HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE OR JUST APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING IN OCTOBER THE 10TH. ROLL CALL. VERY WELL. OKAY. I'M HERE TODAY. DISTRICT TWO COMMISSIONER PER PRESENT. OKAY. DISTRICT FOUR. WELCOME. DISTRICT FIVE, ABSENT DISTRICT SIX, ABSENT DISTRICT SEVEN, BIRDWELL PRESENT. DISTRICT EIGHT, ABSENT. DISTRICT NINE PRESENT. UH, DISTRICT EIGHT. I'M PRESENT. I'M SORRY, I COULDN'T TAKE IT OFF. UH, YEAH. DISTRICT 11, YOU SCOTT. SCOTT CHASE, PRESENT. OKAY. DISTRICT 12. COMMISSIONER COLE. PRESENT. DISTRICT 13. PRESENT. DISTRICT 14. OKAY, SO I TAKE IT WE HAVE A FORM, BUT WE'LL BEGIN AGAIN. OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO HEAR A MOTION TO EITHER APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE THE MINUTES OF OUR MEETING IN OCTOBER. RIGHT HERE, A MOTION WE APPROVE FOR DISAPPROVED. MR. CHAIR, I, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES. MOTION MADE. I'LL SECOND. SECOND, SECOND. MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING THE MINUTES. SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY. THE, UH, MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 10TH MEETING HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED. OKAY. UH, OUR VISITORS TODAY ARE FROM THE MILITARY ORDER OF WORLD WARS. UH, THEY HAVE A PRESENTATION TO MAKE TO US TODAY. AND, UH, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'LL PUT YOUR VIEW AS GOING TO BE THE SPEAKER. OKAY. UM, I DID OKAY. RAM, IT'S WORKING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING. UH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO SIT THERE OR YOU'RE WELCOME TO USE THE PODIUM. I'LL PROBABLY DO IT FROM HERE SINCE I SEE EVERYTHING JUST FINE WHERE I AM. SO LET ME START, UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, I WANNA START BY INTRODUCING EVERYBODY ONE BY ONE. SO FIRST I'M GONNA INTRODUCE, UH, COMMANDER NATHAN, CONTACT STAND UP NATHAN, AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF. YES. I'M NATHAN CONTACT. I'M THE CURRENT COMMANDER OF THE M DALLAS CHAPTER OF THE A-M-O-W-W. UH, HONORED TO BE HERE AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING US TIME FOR THIS. OKAY. AND THE NEXT ONE IS LIEUTENANT COLONEL GREG SCHMITZ. GREG SCHMITZ. I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE AT YLC THAT WE HAD EVERY YEAR AND DO PATRIOTIC EDUCATION. UH, MY BACKGROUND, I SPENT 24 YEARS IN UNITED STATES ARMY, UH, SIX ON ACTIVE DUTY IN 17 IN THE ARMY RESERVE. I RETIRED IN 90 MILLION. CHAIRMAN DALLAS DEPART 82. OKAY. IT'S MY TURN. SO BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T SEE ME. UM, I'M CHIEF WARREN, OFFICER THREE RAMON RAMOS. I AM THE NEW MEMBER OF [00:05:01] THE DALLAS CHAPTER AND I'M PROBABLY ONE OF THE FEW MEMBERS WHO HAS BOTH EXPERIENCE AS AN ENLISTED AND ALSO AN OFFICER BECAUSE MY FIRST FEW YEARS IN THE MILITARY, I WAS ENLISTED UNTIL I GOT ACCEPTED INTO FLIGHT SCHOOL. UM, I'VE BEEN WITH THE ORGANIZATION ABOUT SIX MONTHS NOW. I'M THE ADANT. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WHATEVER YOU NEED, YOU JUST CALL ME . ANYWAY, SO WE'RE GONNA GO INTO THE PRESENTATION, IF YOU DON'T MIND. UM, GO. NEXT SLIDE. I'M GONNA SIT DOWN NOW. SO, SO WHAT IS THE MO WW A WAR SALAD, MILITARY ORDER OF WORLD WARS WHERE A MILITARY ORDER IS A NATIONAL PATRIOT ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN MILITARY OFFICERS, WARING OFFICERS, FLIGHT OFFICERS. AND RECENTLY WE ADDED ROOM FOR SENIOR NCOS, INCLUDING THE DESCENDANTS OF ANY BRANCH OF SERVICE. AND WE HAVE A CRITERIA FOR THAT. AND, AND, AND, AND AS WE, I GO MOVE FORWARD, I'M NOT GONNA READ EVERY SLIDE FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE A COPY. I'M JUST GONNA TALK TO IT. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST LET ME KNOW. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO NEXT SLIDE, WHO WE ARE AGAIN? SORRY. SO ON THE FIRST TWO SLIDE, I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT WHO STARTED THE MOWW THAT WAS STARTED BY GENERAL PERSHING, IF YOU KNOW WHO HE IS. UH, THE ORGANIZATION IS OVER 100 YEARS OLD. AND I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO DETAILS, BUT IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE IS, YEAH, THIS IS THE NEXT ONE. OKAY. UM, HE HAS SOME PROGRAMS THAT, AND HE HEARS SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT WE DO. WE FOCUS ON PROMOTING LEADERSHIP PATRIOTISM. WE, UH, DO EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO JOTC PROGRAMS. AND WE ALSO HAVE A SPECIAL PROGRAM THAT HE WAS BORN RIGHT HERE IN DALLAS. IT'S CALLED THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES THAT GREG IS GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN HIS TURN. UH, ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALSO RECOGNIZED CHAPTER BY THE CONGRESS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND HERE IT TELLS YOU THE DATES WHEN IT WAS FUNDED IN 1919. WE, I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT ELIGIBILITY, UH, NCOS, WARING OFFICERS, UM, COMMISSION OFFICERS FROM ALL BRANCHES OF SERVICE. NEXT SLIDE. BUT I WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU. UH, NOT ONLY WE ARE HERE IN DALLAS, BUT WE, I JUST, AND I NEED TO UPDATE THIS CHART BECAUSE I JUST FOUND OUT LAST NIGHT THAT WE ARE NOT THE SECOND LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY, ACTUALLY NUMBER ONE IN THE COUNTRY. SO NEXT TIME I GIVE YOU THAT, UM, OH, GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE PLEASE. UH, WE'VE BEEN THE FASTEST GROWING CHAPTER IN THE COUNTRY FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. AND JUST SO FOR INFORMATION, OVER 75% OF OUR MEMBERS ARE EX-MILITARY. NEXT ONE, PLEASE. AND I'M GONNA JUST HIGHLIGHT THIS THINGS THAT WE DO. UH, AGAIN, I ALREADY TOLD YOU WE ARE A RECOGNIZED CONGRESSIONAL CHAPTER. WE DO PATRIOTIC EDUCATION FOR KIDS IN ROTC. WE SUPPORT ROTC PROGRAMS. WE ALSO HAVE PROGRAMS SUPPORTING BOYS AND GIRL SCOUTS. WE HAVE PROGRAMS SUPPORTING THE POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS. AND WE ACTUALLY, UH, WE DO SOME PROGRAMS RELATED TO VETERANS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY WE HAVE SOME, UH, ALIGNMENT WITH YOU GUYS HERE. WE DO SOME PROGRAMS FOR MASSING OF THE COLORS EVERY YEAR. AND AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN THE TOP CHAPTER FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. JUST FOR YOU TO LOOK AT IT. SOME OF US ARE HERE, JUST OUR LEADERSHIP, UH, MEMBERS, JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION. NEXT ONE. AND ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR ABOUT WHO WE ARE? NO. ALRIGHT. GREG, YOUR TURN. THANKS, . UH, NEXT SLIDE. WE GOOD? YEAH, I PUSHED THE BUTTON. IT'S LIT UP. WE GOOD? IT'S GREEN. IT'S GREEN. YEAH. OKAY. SO YOU GOOD? OKAY. THE, UH, BASICALLY THE THINGS WE STRIVE TO DO ARE MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY. OUR PATRIOTIC EDUCATION ACTIVITIES ARE WHAT REALLY DREW ME TO THE ORGANIZATION, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL ABOUT THOSE. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIREFIGHTERS, PARAMEDICS, LIKE RAMON MENTIONED, ROTC. AND, AND THE ACTIVITIES THAT THAT THEY DO. WE RECOGNIZE THOSE PEOPLE DURING THE YEAR. UH, NEXT SLIDE. THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE IS A FIVE DAY CONFERENCE THAT'S COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE TO [00:10:01] THE STUDENTS. WE SEND HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORES AND JUNIORS, UH, AROUND THE COUNTRY. THERE ARE 25 PROGRAMS IN SEVEN STATES. WE HAVE FOUR HERE IN THE TEXAS AREA, UH, ONE IN OKLAHOMA CITY, ONE AT TEXAS A AND M, ONE AT TEXAS WESTLAND AND ONE AT SCHNEIDER UNIVERSITY DOWN IN KERRVILLE. UH, DURING THAT FIVE DAYS, THE STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT DO ACTIVITIES AND LEARN ABOUT LEADERSHIP, UH, ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION, ABOUT PATRIOTISM AND THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM. UH, AN ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING PROGRAM. UH, WE GET THE SELECT PEOPLE FROM, UH, UH, HIGH SCHOOLS IN, IN THE AREA. UH, LAST YEAR WE SENT, UH, 30 STUDENTS FROM OUR CHAPTER THAT WE SPONSORED. UH, LIKE I MENTIONED, IT'S FREE OF CHARGE TO THE STUDENTS. SO, UH, AND THEN AT OUR OCTOBER MEETING, WE RECOGNIZED THE STUDENTS WHO WERE AT THE TOP OF THE CLASS, UH, IN THOSE CONFERENCES. THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'VE GOT SOME TESTIMONIALS AND WE'LL LEAVE THOSE WITH YOU. THESE ARE FROM PARENTS AND THE IMPACT THAT THE CONFERENCE HAD ON THEIR KIDS. AND I THINK THAT REALLY SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE LEVEL OF ACTIVITY THAT AND INVOLVEMENT THAT THOSE KIDS GET. UH, THEY GO IN THERE AS, YOU KNOW, A BUNCH OF COMPLETE STRANGERS WHERE THEY KNOW ONE KID AND THEY COME OUT HAVING FORMED RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL THE OTHER STUDENTS. AND THEY DO A LOT OF EXERCISES THAT WHERE THEY, THEY ROLE PLAY WAY A, WE HAVE THIS PROBLEM IN THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, HOW SHOULD WE FIX IT? AND THEY, UH, DO THAT. THEY LEARN, YOU KNOW, HOW TO LEAD THEIR GROUPS, UH, TALK ABOUT PATRIOTISM, UH, AND THE CONSTITUTION, WHICH IS NOT, NOT REALLY COVERED THAT IN DEPTH IN SCHOOLS. AND THE NEXT PAGE IS, UH, WHICH I'LL LEAVE WITH YOU. THESE ARE THE COMMENT CARDS THE KIDS WROTE AFTER THE CONFERENCE. AND YOU READ THROUGH THOSE AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY HEARTWARMING. MARK SMITH WHO COULDN'T MAKE IT TODAY ACTUALLY RUNS THE YLC DOWN AT TEXAS A AND M. AND HE SAID, IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY, YOU NEED TO JUST HANG AROUND WITH THESE KIDS FOR A WEEK BECAUSE THEY ARE REALLY SHARP AND THEY BOD WELL FOR LEADING OUR COUNTRY IN THE FUTURE. UH, THE YLC WAS WHAT SUCKED ME INTO THIS ORGANIZATION TO BE REAL HONEST. AND, UH, IT'S BEEN A GOOD MOVE. I'VE, I'VE REALLY ENJOYED IT WORKING. I'VE RECRUIT THE, WITH THE, FROM THE HIGH SCHOOLS TO GET THEM TO IDENTIFY THE OUTSTANDING STUDENTS AND THEN, UH, RECOGNIZING THE STUDENTS AND THE, AND THEIR PARENTS AT OUR OCTOBER MEETING. SO, NEXT SLIDE. YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF OUR RECRUITING PITCH THAT WE DO TO PEOPLE. WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN? UH, NEXT SLIDE. WE WE'RE LOOKING TO BETTER THE YOUTH AND BUILD LEADERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE. UH, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE KIDS THAT HOPEFULLY WILL BE OUR FUTURE VETERANS OR IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS WHERE THEY HAVE SENSITIVITY TO THE RE NEEDS OF OUR VETERANS AND THE RESPECT FOR WHAT THEY DO. UH, AND WE SUPPORT LOCAL TROOPS AND, AND BOY SCOUT COUNSELORS AS WELL, AND RECOGNIZE EAGLE SCOUTS. AND I'M THE PROUD GRANDFATHER OF A ALMOST EAGLE SCOUT, UH, WHO'S GOT EVERYTHING DONE EXCEPT THE FINAL PAPERWORK. SO, UH, THAT'S A PRETTY NEAT PROGRAM. UH, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE HAVE THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES AND, AND WE HAVE A SILVER PATRICK HENRY AWARD MEDAL THAT WE GAVE TO THOSE PEOPLE OR TO THOSE STUDENTS. UH, WE HAVE GUEST SPEAKERS EVERY MONTH, UH, FOR OUR MEETINGS. UH, ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS WE HIGHLIGHTED HERE, UH, JOHN LUCKY, HE WAS A WORLD WAR II FIGHTER PILOT, UH, PRETTY FAMOUS GUY. AND, AND HIS LAST NAME'S LUCKY. AND SO HE BECAME, HIS NAME WAS LUCKY. WELL, HE WAS ONE OF THREE PEOPLE OUT OF HIS, UH, SQUADRON THAT MADE IT BACK. AND HE'S NOW OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD AND CAME TO SPEAK AND HE IS SHARP AS ATTACK. UH, REALLY OUTSTANDING. UH, WE ALSO, UH, HAD THE DALLAS, UH, POLICE OFFICERS, UH, AWARD COMMITTEE COME IN AND SPEAK TO US AT A LUNCHEON, RECOGNIZING THE DALLAS POLICE OFFICERS WHO, UH, EACH MONTH THEY PICK A OFFICER. AND THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR FROM THOSE 12 OFFICERS, THEY PICK AN OFFICER OF THE YEAR. THAT OFFICER'S ACTUALLY RECOGNIZED THAT ANOTHER GROUP THAT I BELONG TO CALLED SUCCESSOR. SO, UM, THEY'VE BEEN RECOGNIZING THEM FOR, UH, I THINK ABOUT 25 [00:15:01] YEARS. SO THAT'S KIND OF A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE DO. AND I'LL TURN IT BACK TO RAMON NOW YOU CAN HEAR ME. SORRY, . UH, WHAT I DOWNLOADED IS A PAGE FROM THE VA WHERE THEY HIGHLIGHT SOME COMMON CHALLENGES DURING READJUSTMENT TO CIVILIAN LIFE FROM VETERANS. AND YOU HAVE A COPY. UM, AND I'M GONNA HAVE TO SOME THE SCREEN FOR YOU. SOME OF THOSE THAT STAND OUT FOR ME IS RELATING TO PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW OR UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MILITARY PEOPLE DO. NUMBER TWO, PREPARING TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE. NUMBER THREE, RETURNING TO A JOB, ADJUSTING TO PROVIDING NECESSITIES OR ADJUSTING TO DIFFERENT PACE OF LIFE AT WORK. I MEAN, THERE ARE SEVERAL IN THERE. AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS A FINAL, PLEASE, THIS IS LEAVE IT OPEN FOR DISCUSSION NOW. AND THAT IS, WE ARE HERE PRIMARILY TO TELL YOU WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE CAN DO. BUT WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THE VAC DOES, BECAUSE THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON A COMMON GOAL. SOME OF THE THINGS IS WE'RE WORKING ON THE PROGRAM THAT WE WANNA LAUNCH RIGHT HERE AT THE BEGINNING OF 2025, EXPANDING SERVICES TO VETERANS, INCLUDING ASSISTING RECENTLY SEPARATED VETERANS WITH TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN LIFE, HELPING THEM WITH SKILLS TO TRANSLATING THEIR SKILLS TO, TO CIVILIAN SERVICES, RESUME WRITING, JOB INTERVIEW, TRAINING THAT THEY NEED, AND ALSO JOB NETWORKING. I THINK YOU GUYS DO A LITTLE BIT OF THAT. AND, AND THAT'S ALL I GOT AND I'LL LET YOU GUYS SHARE IF YOU SEE SOME AFFINITY HERE OR IF YOU GOT ANY QUESTIONS FOR POSSIBLE, UH, OPPORTUNITY HERE TO WORK TOGETHER. ANYWAY, THAT'S WHAT I GOT. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ANY QUESTION OR COMMENTS? HI, COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL HERE. ARE Y'ALL, UH, I WAS GONNA SAY RELATED, ARE Y'ALL RELATED TO ALAN CLARK? YES, HE IS THE SAME ONE. HE IS. HE WAS, UH, MY IMMEDIATE PAST COMMANDER. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. UH, 'CAUSE HE AND, UH, LUCKY HAD AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MOWW HAD COME TO BRIAN ADAMS FOR MY OPERATION, MEET A HERO WHEN I WAS A TEACHER THERE. I JUST RETIRED FROM THERE IN JUNE. AND I WOULD BRING IN VETERANS. AND Y'ALL ALSO COME TO THE ROTC AWARDS BANK, UH, CEREMONY IN APRIL AND PRESENT AN AWARD TOO. SO I KNOW THAT THE DALLAS CHAPTER IS VERY INVOLVED, AT LEAST WITH BRIAN ADAMS HIGH SCHOOL OVER THE YEARS. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT SEEING LUCKY'S PICTURE UP THERE IS GREAT. UM, BUT YEAH, I'M GLAD TO SEE Y'ALL HERE IN DALLAS. AND ALSO FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE DALLAS, UH, VETERANS PARADE. UH, MOST OF OUR MEMBERS ARE ON THE, THE BOARD, THE COMMISSION. UH, RECENTLY WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL PARADE, UH, AT FAIR PARK. UM, I, I DON'T WANNA TAKE MORE OF YOUR TIME, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, WE ARE HERE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF WE CAN PARTNER WITH THE CITY BECAUSE THERE'S A, THERE ARE VETERANS OUT THERE THAT NEED HELP. THERE ARE VETERANS THAT ARE HOMELESS THAT YOU MENTIONED. UH, WE CAN HAVE SPEAKERS THAT COME AND SPEAK TO ANY GROUPS IN DALLAS OR THERE'S WAY THAT WE CAN HELP REACH OUT TO THOSE VETERANS IN NEED. UH, WE'D LIKE TO KNOW THERE'S A OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE'D LIKE TO, TO PARTNER WITH, UH, YOUR VAC. THANK YOU. AND, AND, AND TO ADD TO THAT, ON THE LAST SLIDE THAT I SHARED WITH YOU, THIS PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IN DEVELOPMENT THAT WE WANNA LAUNCH IN 2025, ISN'T IT? IT IS IN DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW, BUT MAYBE WE CAN LEARN FROM AN ORGANIZATION LIKE YOURS WHO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERIENCE AND GET SOME FEEDBACK TO IMPROVE IT BEFORE WE COME OUT WITH THE FINAL VERSION BEFORE WE START DELIVERING THESE CLINICS TO VETERANS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THAT WAS MY IDEA, BUT WE'RE OPEN TO ANY SUGGESTIONS. WELL, FIRST, LEMME EXPLAIN. WE'RE AN ADVISORY GROUP. WE ARE ADVISORS TO THE STUDENT COUNCIL. SO WE TAKE IN INFORMATION FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION, BUT FROM MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE SERVICE TO VETERANS ACROSS SPECTRUM. AND THEN WE PUT TOGETHER PROGRAMS, WE PUT TOGETHER, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS OF THOSE TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO BE INCLUDED EITHER IN THE CITY PROGRAMS WHERE, [00:20:01] UM, OTHER PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY DISSIPATES IT. SO WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY ACTORS AS MUCH AS COMMUNICATE. UNDERSTAND. ON THAT NOTE, AND THIS IS JUST FOR SUGGESTION, UM, I'VE BEEN BROWSING YOUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS VERY NICE. WE JUST RECENTLY UPDATED AND REVAMPED OUR OWN PERSONAL WEBSITE. YOU HAVE A BROCHURE IN THE FOLDERS I GAVE YOU. I RE I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND LOOK AT IT. UH, WE GETTING A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK BECAUSE OF THE UPDATES WE DID. BUT, BUT MAYBE ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID, SIR, MAYBE WE CAN START WITH A SMALL COOPERATION SHARING INFORMATION BETWEEN THE TWO WEBSITE WHERE WE TELL EACH OTHER ON THE WEBSITES WHAT EACH OTHER DO SOMETHING FROM CONSIDERATION. ANYWAY, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THIS INFORMATION AND DISCUSS IT LATER, BUT IF WE, THIS LEADS TO A FOLLOW UP, UH, MEETING FOR PLANNING, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HAVE IT. ANYTHING YOU WANNA ADD, GREG OR NATHAN? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. PLEASE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, TO WORKING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU. ARE Y'ALL, ARE Y'ALL GONNA STAY OR ARE Y'ALL LEAVING? UH, I HAVE TO LEAVE. WE, I HAVE ANOTHER I COMMITMENT. I CAN STAY IF YOU, IF YOU NEED ME TO, GREG, I DON'T KNOW YOU. YEAH, BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE USE. OKAY. I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE BEFORE I FINISH SAYING ANYTHING, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU GUYS NEED FROM US AS A FOLLOW UP OR WE JUST HAD THAT CONVERSATION ON THE SIDE? DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR THESE GUYS? IF YOU WANNA BE A MEMBER, YOU'RE WELCOME TO JOIN US. , I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE WILL. OKAY, PERFECT. WE'LL BE HAPPY TO. THANK YOU. WELL, THERE'S NO QUESTIONS THEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION . UM, HI EVERYONE, THIS IS CHRISTINA DESILVA WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY INCLUSION. WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE VETERANS WELLNESS ASSESSMENT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. UM, SO WE WORKED WITH PROCUREMENT TO HAVE THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS POSTED ON BONFIRE. UM, WE DID HAVE TO EXTEND IT A COUPLE TIMES SO THAT WE COULD GET, UM, SUBMISSIONS AND WE WERE ABLE TO CLOSE IT NOVEMBER 1ST. WE HAVE NOTIFICATION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED SEVEN SUBMISSIONS. OH. UM, SO THAT MEANS, UM, PROCUREMENT IS GOING TO, UH, I THINK THEY DO LIKE A PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF THE SUBMISSIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE SUBMISSIONS ARE COMPLETE. AND THEN, UM, WE HAVE CITY STAFF THAT WILL BE THE EVALUATORS THAT WILL SCORE THE SUBMISSIONS ACCORDING TO THE CRITERIA THAT WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSION. UM, AND SO ONCE THOSE, UH, ONCE THOSE SCORES ARE COMPLETED, THEN UM, PROCUREMENT WILL REVIEW THE SCORES AND THEN CONFIRM WHO IS THE TOP SCORED VENDOR. YEAH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT POSSIBLE. SO TECHNICALLY ONLY, UM, ONLY CITY STAFF CAN SCORE THE SUBMISSIONS. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT YOU KNOW, THERE IS, THERE IS AN OPTION. WE'RE PROBABLY MORE EXPERT AT THIS THAN THEY ARE. MONTY, COULD YOU SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE BETTER? I'M SORRY, COULD YOU SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE A LITTLE LOUDER? YEAH, I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY MORE EXPERT AT WHAT IS REQUIRED THAN THE CITY STAFF IS. I MEAN, THE CITY STAFF IS REQ, IS EXPERT AT EVALUATING THE PROPOSAL, GOING DOWN A LIST AND CHECK ON CHECKING IT OFF, BUT KNOWING WHETHER OR NOT SOMEBODY IS [00:25:01] QUALIFIED OR TO DO WHAT WE WANT THEM TO DO. YEAH. SO THE EVALUATORS INCLUDE, UM, COMMISSIONER PREGO, THE CITY STAFF, AND ALSO, UM, THE VETERANS EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP, KEVIN BELCHER. UM, AND I THINK THERE'S A THIRD PERSON THAT ESCAPES ME RIGHT NOW. BUT, UM, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION, ON THE EVALUATORS AT LEAST HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH EITHER THE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION OR IS A VETERAN THEMSELVES. BUT ALSO I WANTED TO SHARE, UM, MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN WHEN THERE IS A PROCUREMENT LIKE THIS, UM, THERE IS AN OPTION WHERE, UM, AN OUTSIDER, LIKE AN OUTSIDE GROUP, INCLUDING YOURSELVES, COULD, WE'RE NOT AN OUTSIDE GROUP, WE'RE PART OF THE CITY, RIGHT? I I MEANT TO SAY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ON CITY STAFF WHO, UM, COULD LISTEN TO A PRESENTATION GIVEN BY THE VENDOR. UM, AGAIN, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO OBSERVE AS, UH, COMMISSIONERS COULD, COULD WE THEN NOMINATE ONE OF OUR, YOU KNOW, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE REVIEW COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER WE FOLLOW. UH, YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY, I MUCH BE THAT PERSON. I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE CITY STAFF HAS THE, THE EXPERTISE TO DO THE, THE, UH, EVALUATION. UH, I WOULD SAY THAT IT WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T HAVE SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY WROTE THE STATEMENT OF WORK AS OPPOSED. 'CAUSE NOBODY IN THE CITY COULD WRITE THE STATEMENT OF WORK. ALL THEY COULD DO IS TELL YOU WHAT THE T'S AND C'S ARE GOING TO BE AND HOW YOU DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY. SO IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE, UH, PROBABLY FAVORABLE IF, UH, YOU KNOW, UNDER, I UNDERSTAND HOW THE CRITERIA IS GONNA BE DONE. I'VE SEEN PROCUREMENT A LOT OF THAT. AND, UH, ESPECIALLY IN, IN GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE CITY, UM, THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, DOES THE ACTUAL SUBMISSION COVER WHAT WAS REQUESTED? AND IF IT DOES, IS IT WITHIN THE BUDGET? AND AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOUR, YOUR, YOUR BEST PROPOSALS ARE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO BE WITHIN THE BUDGET. YOUR YOUR BEST PROPOSAL ARE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO BE EVALUATED AGAINST WHAT THE OBJECTIVE IS AT THE END. SO YOU, IN OTHER WORDS, IN IN, IN ACADEMIA, YOU CAN, YOU CAN TAKE OUT THINGS YOU SAY, OKAY, SO I'M NOT GONNA PAY FOR THAT BECAUSE I, I CAN SEE WHY I DON'T NEED IT. THAT MAKES SENSE. WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE, THE CHAIR IS GOING AFTER IS WE NEED TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT SAYS, OKAY, NOT TAKING ANYTHING AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE ON STAFF THAT ARE VETERANS. BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SURVEYS AND, AND QUANTITATIVE AND OR QUALITATIVE STUDIES, I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY A, IF THESE FOLKS ARE PHDS, THEN YEAH, THEY'LL, THEY'LL PROBABLY HAVE A BETTER FEEL FOR US. MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS IS, UH, SCOTT CHASE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. SCOTT. I, I THINK THAT YOUR IDEA OF HAVING SOMEBODY SIT IN ON THESE MEETINGS IS A GREAT IDEA. AND I THINK STEVEN OUGHT TO BE THE PERSON SINCE I THINK HE WAS KIND OF THE MASTERMIND OF THE PROPOSAL ITSELF. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED A FORMAL VOTE. IT, UH, CHRISTINA, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE, UM, THERE'S A PROHIBITION OF HAVING SOMEBODY SIT DOWN ON THESE MEETINGS. IS THERE, SO THE WAY IT WORKS IS THE EVALUATORS SCORE THE PROPOSALS ON THEIR OWN. AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A, A STEP WHERE THE PROPOSAL, THE SCORES ARE SUBMITTED FORMALLY TO PROCUREMENT. UM, ONCE THOSE SCORES ARE SUBMITTED, THERE IS AN OPTION WHERE WE CAN REQUEST A VENDOR TO PROVIDE A PRESENTATION AND WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS. I THINK IT'S, WELL, TO MY EXPERIENCE, I CERTAINLY LIKE THAT IDEA. UH, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE EVALUATING THIS, THEY PICK A CHECK SHEET, THEY'RE GONNA SAY, OKAY, CHECK, CHECK, CHECK, CHECK. WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE? THIS IS YOUR CHEAPEST, WE'LL GO WITH THEM. SO TAKING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THIS, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT HE'S SAYING. HE'S SAYING WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT EACH VENDOR THAT SUBMITTED BEFORE THEY CUT OUT. YEAH. SO THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH, WE DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE THE LOWEST BID. WE CAN CHOOSE THE HIGHEST QUALITY BID BASED OFF OF THE CRITERIA THAT WAS CREATED, UH, BY, THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION. SO THE EVALUATORS [00:30:01] WILL USE THE CRITERIA THAT YOU ALL PROVIDED AND USE THAT TO CONFIRM THE SCORES. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT FEEDBACK. BUT FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WANNA HAVE A MORE, YOU WANNA HAVE A BIGGER ROLE IN REVIEWING THE VENDORS. WE WANT SOMEBODY TO LOOK OVER THE PEOPLE'S SHOULDER THAT ARE MAKING THE DECISION. OKAY. SO I HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK WITH PROCUREMENT ON WHAT'S POSSIBLE. 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THESE SCORES ARE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AS A NON VOTING MEMO. HI, THIS IS, BUT HE JUST LOOKS OVER GUYS. LET'S REMEMBER. SHE IS NOT THE PROCUREMENT ONES. AND, AND LET'S REMEMBER, SHE'S JUST RELAYING INFORMATION HERE. THIS IS NOT HER JOB. HI, THIS IS ASSISTANT, ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY VERONICA BARBOSA. UM, I WAS JUST GOING TO CHIME IN. UM, I KNOW THAT STAFF IS HERE AT THE MEETING AND PROVIDING EXPLANATIONS, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE QUESTIONS BEING ASKED ARE, ARE PROCUREMENT RELATED QUESTIONS WHICH THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT WOULD BETTER BE SITUATED TO ANSWER? SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YEAH, BUT THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT, THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT WON'T COME AND MEET WITH US. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY NEED TO. WE'VE ASKED THEM. WE'VE ASKED THEM. RIGHT. AND THEY WON'T COME AND MEET WITH US. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS. HERE'S THE THING. UM, POOR WOMAN, SHE'S NOT GONNA GET A CHANCE. STAFF MAY NEED TO, UM, MAY NEED TO, UM, HAVE AN INTERNAL MEETING WITH PROCUREMENT TO GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. BUT, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE ASKING SPECIFIC PROCUREMENT QUESTIONS TO STAFF. AND STAFF IS NOT IN THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT. SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO CHIME IN, UM, THERE ON THAT NOTE, OKAY, WHAT FLOOR IS THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT ON AND CITY HALL, WHAT FLOOR ARE THEY ON? AND WHO'S THEIR, WHO'S THEIR BOSS? LET'S JUMP TO THE CONCLUSION HERE. AND IT'S NOT CHRISTINA'S FAULT, JUST BECAUSE IF WE ARE INVITING THEM AND THEY'RE NOT SHOWING GUESS WHO'S RETIRED AS A TEACHER AND CAN GO ANYWHERE SHE WANTS IN THIS BUILDING, I CAN GO MEET WITH THEM. I CAN REQUEST, I CAN GO BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AND ASK THAT THE MAYOR OR WHOEVER ASKS THEM, DIRECTS THEM TO MEET WITH US. BECAUSE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS, AND GENTLEMEN, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IF THEY CHOOSE A VENDOR WE DON'T LIKE, THAT'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE'RE NOT SHOWING FAVORITISM OUT THE GATE. WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A B, C ORGANIZATION OR WE DON'T LIKE DEF ORGANIZATION. ALL WE'RE ASKING, AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HER PRESENTATION. SHE'S JUST THE MESSENGER AND VERONICA TOO. THANK YOU. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR WHILE THEY ARE STILL GUARDING THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY, GOING BY CITY POLICY, GOING BY STATE LAW, NOT VIOLATING ANY FEDERAL DISCRIMINATORY LAWS, WE NEED TO GET ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC. AM I CORRECT COMMISSIONERS? YEAH. YES. OKAY. SO WHEN SHE'S THROUGH BLESS HER HEART WITH HER PRESENTATION, WE'LL LET HER CONTINUE, THEN WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AS A NEW BUSINESS ITEM IF IT'S ALLOWED ON THIS AGENDA. IF NOT, WE'LL DO IT FOR THE NEXT ONE. BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM COMING UP HERE TO CITY HALL, DRESS UP NICE AND PUT ON MAKEUP AND GO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN GET THIS DONE. NO, WE COME UP A SCHOOL WHEN WE SHOOT THE MESSAGE. UM, SO THE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT IS DANIELLE THOMPSON AND DANIELLE THOMPSON. AND THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S PUBLIC ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL. BUT I GUESS TO CLARIFY, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I CAN RELAY TO PROCUREMENT? ALL I'M GONNA FIND OUT, I'LL TALK TO THE OTHER GENTLEMAN HERE, BUT I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS. AND THE BENEFIT OF BEING SOMEONE NEW TO THIS IS THAT I GET TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO GET MY POINT ACROSS, UH, WITH THEM SO THAT WE CAN DRILL DOWN AND FIND OUT EXACTLY. AND I'M SORT OF GLAD THE MO WW GENTLEMEN ARE HERE TO SEE WHAT WE DEAL WITH BECAUSE WE ARE PURELY ADVISORY. WE GET INFORMATION AND THEN WE TALK TO THE CITY PEOPLE ABOUT HOW TO GET THINGS DONE. WE ADVISE THEM WE'RE A VOICE FOR VETERANS IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT NOW YOU SEE WHAT, WE HAVE NO POWER. OKAY. SO THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE BUREAUCRACY, BUT THEY HAVE RULES, YOU KNOW, FOR VENDORS AND MONEY AND EFFORT AND WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE RULES. BUT SCOTT AND EVERYONE ELSE AGREES [00:35:01] THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT. AND I'M KIND OF SADDENED TO HEAR THAT THEY HAVE NOT WANTED TO MEET WITH US BECAUSE IF I WAS DOING THEIR JOB, WHICH I USED TO DO IN THE MILITARY ON PROCURING THINGS FROM MY PEOPLE, THEN I WOULD ASK WHAT MY PEOPLE WANTED. SO I'M KIND OF A LITTLE NOT HAPPY, BUT I'LL GO IN WITH A SMILE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIANE, I GUESS TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, CHRISTINE, UH, YOU COULD ASK, YOU COULD TELL 'EM THAT WE WOULD LIKE A NON-VOTING REP TO BE THERE AT EVERY STAGE OF THE PROCESS. I THINK THAT'S WELL SAID, MONTE. AND, AND I'M RETIRED NOW, SO I CAN DO THAT. UH, MR. CHASE, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO, I JUST SAID YOU'RE WELL SAID. OKAY, THANK YOU. I'LL BE SURE TO RELAY THAT AND SHARE WHATEVER RESPONSE I GET. ALRIGHT. YOU COULD TELL HIM COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL IS COMING, OR YOU DON'T, IT'S UP TO YOU. I'M NOT SAYING, I'M NOT SAYING MAKE THAT A THREAT, BUT WITH THE DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, IT REALLY WORKED. , I CRAFTED IT, UM, WITH NOT ONLY THE RIGOR OF ACADEMIC REQUIREMENT, BUT I ALSO CRAFTED IT WITH THIS EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE CRITERION THAT WOULD BE LOOKING AT AS IF IT WAS A, A FEDERAL PROCUREMENT PROGRAM. I I DID THAT FOR ABOUT A LONG TIME. SO I THINK THE, I THINK THE KEY IS THAT BECAUSE I CRAFTED IT THAT WAY, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT CITY OF DALLAS PROCUREMENT IS GONNA UNDERSTAND IT THAT WAY. SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WE'RE ASKING. JUST SAY, WELL, THEY'LL SAY, WELL, WELL THIS IS MUCH HIGHER ON THE, YOU KNOW, RATING FOR THIS. AND YOU GO AND SO YOU GET TO ASK THE QUESTION, WHICH IS AN ALL IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR ALL OF LIFE, WHICH IS HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT'S THE ACTUAL BETTER THAN THIS? EXACTLY. SO IF YOU'LL GIVE ME THAT FOUNDATION OF WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE APPROACHING THIS WITH, THEN, THEN NOBODY HAS ANY PROBLEM. BUT IF, IF THEY HEAD OFF, I MEAN, MY DAUGHTER USED TO BE PART OF THE, THE OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY THERE AS AN ATTORNEY. SO I, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S A NEGOTIATION THAT, THAT GOES ALONG WITH UNDERSTANDING THIS. AND SO WE WANT TO GET THE VERY BEST FOR THE CITY WE CAN POSSIBLY GET. RIGHT. AND WE WANNA GET THE VERY BEST VENDOR THAT'S NOT GOING TO P PLAGIARIZE, IF YOU WILL, EVERYTHING THAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE, BECAUSE THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. OH, THAT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL I GUESS, UM, I, I RECEIVED MY MARCHING ORDERS, SO, UM, I'LL BE SURE TO RELAY THAT INFORMATION. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT BEFORE WE MOVE ON? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, EITHER SIX FOLLOW UP ON DR. KATRINA ROBINSON'S SPECIAL RECOGNITION. IT'S ME AGAIN. BACK TO YOU . UM, SO WE WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE THAT THE SPECIAL RECOGNITION WAS SIGNED AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WEST HAS AGREED TO READ THE SPECIAL RECOGNITION. THE, IT WILL BE READ AT [00:40:01] THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH WILL BE A TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH. IT'S A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING. SO IT'S ON TUESDAY. UM, AND IT USUALLY IS, UM, IN THE, IT'S USUALLY ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT HAPPENS. SO IT'S, WE RECOMMEND PEOPLE IF THEY WANNA ATTEND TO ARRIVE BY 9:00 AM. UM, SO IT'LL, IT'LL PROBABLY OCCUR BETWEEN 9:00 AM TO NINE 30. WHAT DO YOU MEAN A SPECIAL CALL INSTEAD OF HAVING IT ON WEDNESDAY? YEAH, I, SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING HAPPENING THAT TH WEDNESDAY THERE, HAVING THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH. THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THANKSGIVING THE 28TH, HI, THIS IS ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY VERONICA BARBOSA. SO ALL THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING IS, IT'S JUST THEY'RE HAVING IT ON A DIFFERENT DAY THAN THE ORIGINAL MEETING DAY. SO, UM, IT'S NOT EVEN NECESSARILY SPECIFIC TO THE TOPIC BEING DISCUSSED, IT'S JUST A SPECIAL CALL BECAUSE IT'S OUT OF THE, THE NORMAL DATE THAT THE MEETINGS ARE HELD ON. VERONICA, COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL, IS THERE A REASON WHY THEY WOULD WANNA HAVE IT ON A SPECIAL CALL MEETING INSTEAD OF ONE OF THE REGULAR MEETINGS? YOU, THEY PROBABLY DISCUSSED IT IN ONE OF THEIR PRIOR MEETINGS AS TO WHY THEY CHANGED. UM, OH, ARE YOU SAYING SPECIFIC TO THIS ITEM? YES, SPECIFIC TO THIS ITEM. UM, I KNOW THIS IS THE LAST MEETING IN, UM, NOVEMBER, SO I MAYBE THAT COULD BE THE, THE RATIONALE FOR HAVING IT THIS MEETING INSTEAD OF A REGULAR MEETING. I THINK THE NEXT MEETING AFTER THIS ONE WILL BE IN, IN DECEMBER. SO, UM, THAT'S THE ONLY RATIONALE THAT I COULD THINK OF, UNLESS IT WAS SOMETHING THAT NEEDED TO BE PUSHED BACK TO THIS DECEMBER INSTEAD OF DONE, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SO YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A MEETING ON WEDNESDAY THE 20TH OR WEDNESDAY THE 27TH? YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CALENDAR, BUT FROM WHAT WE KNOW, FROM WHAT THE GENERAL COUNSEL HAS SAID, THE LAST MEETING I THINK IS THIS UPCOMING MEETING THAT WE HAVE. OKAY, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION SHOULD ALSO BE ON THE CALENDAR TOO. UM, THIS, UM, THE CITY OF DALLAS CALENDAR. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, NUMBER SEVEN, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2324 ANNUAL REPORT. AGAIN, ACT TWO. THANK YOU EVERYONE. SO AS YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WE PUBLISH AN ANNUAL REPORT AND THIS ANNUAL REPORT IS DUE TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE FEBRUARY 1ST. SO WE TRY OUR BEST TO GET THE INFORMATION, UH, COMPILED IN ADVANCE SO THAT YOU ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE DRAFTS AND CONFIRM, UH, THAT IT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO BE PUBLISHED. SO I THINK WE'VE RECEIVED SOME EDITS, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARDS TO THE ANNUAL REPORT THAT'S BEEN DRAFTED SO FAR, AND APPRECIATE THAT. UM, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER CONTENT, FOR EXAMPLE, ANY EVENTS THAT YOU ATTENDED OR IF THERE WAS ANY PICTURES THAT YOU TOOK, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALSO CAN BE INCLUDED IN THE ANNUAL REPORT. UM, SO WHAT OUR PLAN IS TO PROVIDE A FIRST DRAFT AT THE NEXT DECEMBER MEETING, AND THAT WAY YOU ALL CAN REVIEW IF THERE'S ANY OTHER EDITS. WE'LL STILL HAVE THE JANUARY MEETING TO FINALIZE, BUT YOU KNOW, BASICALLY JANUARY'S THE LAST MEETING THAT WE WILL HAVE BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S DUE FEBRUARY 1ST AND WE MEET AFTER FEBRUARY 1ST AND IN FE IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY. SO, UM, THERE'S STILL SOME TIME, IF YOU HAVE ANY EDITS THAT YOU, OR ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE IN THE REPORT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL SO THAT WHEN WE PRESENT THE FIRST DRAFT, THAT'S, UM, OR GIVES US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? ARE YOU GONNA SEND US ANYTHING WHERE PEOPLE HAVE DONE PROPOSALS? I COLE OR SMITH OR ANYBODY WANTS TO PUT IN CHANGES THAT WE WOULD SEE THAT AT LIKE A WORKING DOCUMENT OR NOT? UM, WE CAN RECORD. LIKE I KNOW IN THE PAST I'VE MADE A, A SHEET OF THIS IS WHAT SOMEONE RE REQUESTED AND SO THAT IT'S KIND OF A RECORD OF WHAT THE FEEDBACK IS. WE CAN PROBABLY DO THAT. UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK SO THAT IT'S A CLEAN, IT'S SOMETIMES WITH EDITS IT'S A LITTLE HARD WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ADDITIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE CAN MAYBE CREATE ONE DOCUMENT WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE A NOTE OF THIS IS THIS IS WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED AND THAT WAY EVERYONE CAN SEE WHAT THE EDITS WERE AND BY WHOM. [00:45:03] ANYTHING ELSE? ALRIGHT, UH, ANNOUNCEMENTS. UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS IS, UH, SCOTT CHASE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? UH, WE, WE CAN HEAR YOU SCOTT. OKAY. I WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK REPORT ON SOMETHING THAT I ATTENDED FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS NOT TOO LONG AGO THAT, UH, I WAS ASKED TO BE A FACILITATOR AT A, UH, HUMAN RIGHTS PANEL FOR THE UPCOMING, UH, SOCCER, UH, WORLD CUP SOCCER THAT'S GONNA BE IN 2026 HERE IN DALLAS. AND, UH, IF YOU REMEMBER SOME TIME AGO, UH, THE, UH, WE WERE GIVEN A PRESENTATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS, UH, PANEL, UH, KIND OF AS A BRIEFING BECAUSE, UH, FIFA AND WORLD CUP HAD INSISTED THAT, UM, ITS HOST CITIES HAVE A HUMAN RIGHTS PANEL. AND WHAT I FOUND OUT AT THIS MEETING THAT I WENT TO WAS THAT, UM, IN, IN DUBAI, UH, THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS BECAUSE AFTER THAT, THE, UH, FIFA IS INSISTING THAT EVERY CITY, EVERY VENUE HAVE A HUMAN RIGHTS, UH, UH, PLAN, PRIMARILY AIMED AT, UH, CURBING HUMAN TRAFFICKING. BUT AS IT TURNS OUT, THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT GO ON TOO THAT, UH, DEALING WITH, UH, VENUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT ONE THING THAT WAS REALLY STRIKING TO ME IS THAT THIS WORLD CUP IS GONNA BE 39 DAYS HERE IN DALLAS. THERE'S GONNA BE NINE TEAMS THAT WILL BE HEADQUARTERED IN DALLAS, THOUSANDS OF ATHLETES. UH, THERE ARE COACHES, UH, SPECTATORS, UH, THERE'LL BE MEDIA PEOPLE HERE AND THERE. AND THE, UH, DALLAS IS TRYING TO GET THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CENTER 'CAUSE THE, UH, ALL THE GAMES ARE GONNA BE IN CANADA, MEXICO, AND THE US DALLAS JUST HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THE CITIES, BUT THERE WILL BE A CENTRALIZED MEDIA, UH, CENTER AND DALLAS IS TRYING TO GET THAT. SO THAT COULD MEAN ANOTHER 50,000 PEOPLE COMING WHO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT. BUT IT, THERE'S GONNA BE 39 DAYS OF LOTS OF ACTIVITY. AND THAT WAS REALLY WHAT I FOUND SO STRIKING, IS THAT IT'S A BIG, BIG DEAL AND THERE'S GONNA BE ALL KINDS OF PRESSURE ON TRAFFIC, ON HOUSING, ON CRIME, ON EVERYTHING. UM, SO I, I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I HAD BEEN AT THIS MEETING, NOT ON BEHALF OF THE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION, BUT KIND OF ALONG THE LINES OF THE FACT THAT I, UH, DEALT WITH, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL WHEN WE FIRST, UH, WERE PRESENTED, UH, THE, THIS IDEA THAT WE MIGHT, AND THE CITY COUNCIL ISN'T TRYING TO PUT ANYBODY INTO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, BY THE WAY. THAT'S, THAT, THAT WAS NOT PART OF THIS MEETING. IT WAS REALLY MEANT FOR ALL THE INTERESTED PARTIES ACROSS THE METROPLEX TO GET TOGETHER AND START PLANNING FOR ALL THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING IN 2026. END THE REPORT. THANK YOU, SCOTT. UH, ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? ANYONE? MR. WALKER? UH, I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS PAST MONDAY I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE, UM, VETERANS PARADE, WHICH WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. AND I WENT AS A VOLUNTEER FOR THE VETERANS AFFAIRS. SO WE WERE REPRESENTED. AND SO I LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT. THANK YOU. ANY, ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? UH, WHEN IS OUR DECEMBER MEETING? WELL, YEAH, SECOND THURSDAY. SO THAT WILL BE DECEMBER 12TH. ALRIGHT. IF THERE'S NO BAR ANNOUNCEMENTS, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN, MR. CHAIR? I, I BOTH, I SUGGEST THAT WE ADJOURN. SECOND. A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE. SECOND TO ADJOURN. I ALL THIS FEEDING ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.