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[Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee on December 3, 2024.]
OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS APPROVAL OF THE NOVEMBER 12, 2024 QOL COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES.IS THERE A MOTION? IS THERE A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
MOTION PASSES. MEETING MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
OUR FIRST BRIEFING ITEM IS A NATIONAL TRENDS IN MULTI-USE LIBRARY FACILITIES.
WELCOME TO THE PODIUM, HEATHER.
GOOD MORNING, HEATHER LOWE, INTERIM DIRECTOR, DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT NATIONAL TRENDS AND MULTI-USE LIBRARY FACILITIES.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO THANK MY NATIONAL COLLEAGUES, PARTICULARLY COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY, FOR COMPILING A WEALTH OF DATA THAT HELPED ME PUT THIS PRESENTATION TOGETHER.
SO IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THERE'S JUST ABOUT A LIBRARY TYPE OF MULTI-USE FACILITY FOR ANYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE.
SO I'VE TRIED TO GROUP THEM INTO FOUR MAIN AREAS THAT ARE ARE THE LARGER TRENDS.
THE FIRST IS MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS.
SO THAT'S YOUR LIBRARY BUILDINGS THAT ARE GROUPED WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES, CULTURAL AND RECREATION FACILITIES THAT ALSO MAY HOST PERFORMANCE OR EXHIBITION SPACES OR RECREATIONAL SPACES.
HEALTH FACILITIES WHERE LIBRARIES HELP PROMOTE HEALTH AND EDUCATION SERVICES OR PREVENTATIVE CARE, AND THEN HOUSING AND RETAIL, WHERE LIBRARIES ARE INTEGRATED INTO HOUSING CENTERS.
SO MUNICIPAL FACILITIES ARE PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON, PARTICULARLY IN SMALLER CITIES.
THIS IS REALLY COMMON WITH SUBURBAN AND RURAL AREAS.
AND COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEMS OFTEN HAVE BRANCH BUILDINGS CO-LOCATED AND MUNICIPAL CENTERS LIKE CUYAHOGA COUNTY IN OHIO OR THE BURIEN BRANCH SHOWN HERE IS PART OF THE KINGS COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM IN WASHINGTON.
THIS IS VERY POPULAR BECAUSE IT HELPS EASE OF ACCESS FOR A LOAD, A HOST OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES.
OUR DALLAS WEST BRANCH WAS BUILT IN 1975 AND THE MULTI-PURPOSE THE WEST DALLAS MULTI-PURPOSE CENTER WAS BUILT BEHIND IT IN 1988. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR BRANCH IS PART OF THAT COMMUNITY CENTER THERE AND WAS ADDED TO THE SPACE IN 1974.
WE ALSO HAVE TWO LOCATIONS THAT WERE BUILT IN CONJUNCTION WITH DISD LOCATIONS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT'S OUR HAMPTON, ILLINOIS BRANCH, AS WELL AS OUR ARCADIA PARK BRANCH.
AND THOSE WERE BOTH BOND PROJECTS THAT WERE PUT INTO EXISTING DISD SITES BECAUSE SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND SCHOOL BUILDINGS PRESENT A PARTICULAR SECURITY CHALLENGES.
THESE ARE LESS FREQUENT TODAY THAN THEY WERE PERHAPS 20 YEARS AGO.
SO THE NEXT TYPE IS CULTURE AND RECREATION.
WE HAVE A REALLY BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE HERE IN NORTH BERGEN, NEW JERSEY.
THEY TOOK A SPACE THAT HAD BEEN A CAR, A USED CAR LOT THAT BURNED AND RENOVATED THE SITE AND BUILT A FIVE STORY LIBRARY AND RECREATION SPACE.
IT IS INCLUDED HERE BECAUSE IT'S REALLY UNIQUE.
THEY HAVE A, AS YOU CAN SEE, A ROOFTOP FIELD FOR PLAYING.
IT WAS A $19.5 MILLION FACILITY THAT WAS FUNDED IN PART THROUGH THE NEW JERSEY GREEN ACRES FUNDING, WHICH SUPPORTS BUILDING RECREATION SPACES.
WE ALSO HAVE A FEW LIBRARIES THAT ARE.
NEXT WE'LL SAY NEXT DOOR TO RECREATION FACILITIES IN OUR SYSTEM.
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AND THAT IS FRITZ PARK, WHEELER PARK, KLEBERG-RYLIE AGAIN, OUR MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR BRANCH, AS WELL AS TIMBER GLEN.SO A NEWER ARTS COLLABORATION EXAMPLE CAN BE FOUND AT THE DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM.
THERE IS A RINO ART PARK THAT IS A COMPLEX THAT HAS GALLERY SPACE, SATELLITE STUDIOS.
THEY HAVE A REALLY INTERESTING FOOD INCUBATOR AND CULINARY ENTREPRENEURSHIP NONPROFIT THAT'S THERE, AS WELL AS A PERFORMING ARTS SPACE.
THE LIBRARY ITSELF IS A 7000 SQUARE FOOT SPACE, AND IT'S REALLY DEDICATED TO INCREASING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND THE ARTS, AS WELL AS ART EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
THE BRANCH HERE IS A LITTLE MORE MINIMAL.
IT'S ABOUT 7000FT², SO THAT'S SMALLER THAN EVEN OUR SMALLEST BRANCH, WHICH OUR FULL SERVICE BRANCH, WHICH IS PARK FOREST, WHICH IS ABOUT 11,000FT².
BUT IT DOES HAVE A MORE SPECIALIZED SPACE.
AND MOST OF THE FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH A PRIVATE, NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATION.
THIS IS A PROJECT IN BROOKLYN THROUGH THE BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY AND NEW YORK CITY'S CULTURAL PROGRAM. SO THEY HAVE A 600,000 SQUARE FOOT DEVELOPMENT THAT HOUSES SEVERAL FACILITIES, INCLUDING THE BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC, THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN DIASPORAN ARTS, AS WELL AS AN ARTS INCUBATOR, 651 ARTS, AND THEY HAVE A BOUTIQUE BROOKLYN LIBRARY THERE THAT IS ALSO FOCUSED ON ARTS EDUCATION, SUPPORTING PRACTICING ARTISTS AS WELL AS ARTS ENTREPRENEURSHIP. AND NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND NOW WE MOVE ON TO THE HEALTH SPHERE.
THIS WAS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA AND THE LOCAL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL TO ENVISION A HOLISTIC WELLNESS CENTER AND A COMMUNITY THAT TRADITIONALLY HAD BEEN A DESERT FOR CLINIC SPACE.
THE PROJECT WAS FINANCED BY $30 MILLION IN OPERATING REVENUE FROM THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, AS WELL AS ONE POINT MILLION FROM THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA.
SOME TAX CREDITS AND THE CITY PUT IN $2.2 MILLION TOWARD THE CONSTRUCTION, AND HERE THE PARTNERSHIP IS REALLY WONDERFULLY SEAMLESS.
RESIDENTS WHO RECEIVE A DIAGNOSIS OR A CARE PLAN CAN THEN FROM THE CLINIC CAN THEN VISIT THE LIBRARY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT DIAGNOSIS OR LEARN HOW TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES.
AND IN TURN, PHYSICIANS OFFER CLASSES AND HEALTH LEARNING, HEALTH LITERACY OPPORTUNITIES.
AND YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE SUCCESSFUL.
WE ALL HAVE DOCTORS THAT TELL US TO LEARN THINGS ABOUT OUR HEALTH, BUT IT HITS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
IT ALSO CHANGES WHAT A DOCTOR'S VISIT MEANS FOR CHILDREN THAT ARE GOING IN FOR REGULAR CHECKUPS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO PLAY SPACE AS WELL AS LIBRARY SPACE SO IT CAN BECOME RATHER THAN A CHORE.
IT CAN BE A WONDERFUL DAY OUT FOR THE FAMILY.
AND SO WE'RE MOVING INTO AN UNREALIZED PROJECT NOW.
BUT THIS HAS MORE OF A RETAIL FOCUS.
SO THE WOODLAWN BRANCH IS A REPLACEMENT LIBRARY.
AND WE'LL HAVE A CHICAGO A SMALL CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY THERE.
BUT THE PROJECT IS REALLY AIMED AT BOOSTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP WITHIN A REDEVELOPING COMMUNITY, AND THERE HAS BEEN $15 MILLION IN STATE FUNDING SET ASIDE FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THIS BRANCH.
BUT IT HAS BEEN SLIGHTLY HELD UP AS THEY LOOK FOR A SPACE.
BUT IT SHOULD BE A MIXED USE SPACE WITH POTENTIALLY HOUSING AND RETAIL AS WELL.
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AND NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.THEY HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHICAGO HOUSING AUTHORITY.
ONE OF THEIR FIRST EXAMPLES IS THE INDEPENDENCE LIBRARY, WHICH CREATED PARTICULARLY SENIOR HOUSING ABOVE A 16,000 SQUARE FOOT LIBRARY SPACE.
AND SO THIS SPACE NOT ONLY HAS 44 HOUSING UNITS FOR RESIDENTS OVER THE AGE OF 62, BUT THE LIBRARY, IN TURN OFFERS SUPPORTIVE PROGRAMING, SOCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE RESIDENTS THERE, AS WELL AS EMBEDDED SOCIAL WORKERS THAT CAN HELP LOOK AFTER THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS.
37 WERE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CHICAGO HOUSING AUTHORITY.
ANOTHER 29 WERE AFFORDABLE UNITS AND THEN SEVEN WERE MARKET RATE.
AND HERE AGAIN THE LIBRARY SUPPORTS THE RESIDENTS.
AND SO THERE IS A TEEN MAKERSPACE AS WELL AS A HOST OF AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMING.
AND WHILE THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT WAS SOMEWHAT CONTROVERSIAL DUE TO THE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM, NOW THAT IT HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR FIVE YEARS, IT IS MUCH BELOVED AND CONSIDERED A TRIUMPH FROM THE RESIDENTS.
AS THE THEN MAYOR, RAHM EMANUEL SAID, BRINGING WORLD CLASS LIBRARIES TOGETHER WITH HOUSING, BUILD STRONG NEIGHBORHOODS AND PROVIDES A PLACE FOR ALL COMMUNITY RESIDENTS TO GATHER, SHARE AND SUCCEED.
AND NOW WE MOVE TO A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT MODEL IN DC.
SO THIS IS THE WEST END BRANCH.
AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A HIGHER RATE OF MORE MARKET RATE PROPERTIES ON TOP OF A LIBRARY BUILDING WITH A SMALL PORTION OF DEDICATED RETAIL SPACE.
SO A LITTLE OVER HALF OF THE APARTMENTS ARE 52 UNITS WERE SET TO BE AFFORDABLE, WHILE THE REST OF THE CONDOS WERE AVAILABLE FOR MARKET RENT OR PURCHASE.
ACTUALLY, ONE OF THESE BELONGED TO KAMALA HARRIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
THE PROPERTY WAS PART OF A LAWSUIT THAT EVENTUALLY WAS REJECTED BY THE COURTS.
HOWEVER A, ACTUALLY A LIBRARY SUPPORTING NONPROFIT ARGUED THAT THE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER HAD IT WAS TOO MUCH OF A SWEETHEART DEAL AND THAT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS YET ANOTHER PROJECT THAT, WHILE PERHAPS CONTROVERSIAL, THE RESIDENTS NOW FIND THE LIBRARY TO BE A WONDERFUL USE OF SPACE AND A WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENT INTEGRATED WITH LIVING SPACES.
AND THE PROPERTY HAS THE RESIDENTIAL PORTION ABOVE HAS BEEN SOLD AS OF THIS YEAR.
BUT THAT HAS NOT CHANGED THE RIGHTS THAT THE LIBRARY HAS TO THEIR SPACE BELOW.
AND THEN FINALLY, ANOTHER PROJECT THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IS IN SANTA CRUZ.
AND THIS WAS A PROJECT THAT WAS DEVELOPED IN OR BEGAN IN 2018.
AND IT IS GOING TO HAVE A MUCH LARGER LIBRARY FACILITY.
SO ABOUT 35 TO 38,000FT², WHICH IS ALMOST TWICE THE SPACE OF EVEN OUR LARGER LIBRARIES.
100. IT WILL HAVE 124 VERY LOW INCOME HOUSING UNITS AND ACTUALLY HAVE A CHILD CARE FACILITY.
IT IS PROJECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN 2026.
AND THERE WAS AGAIN, THERE WAS A UNSUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY BALLOT INITIATIVE TO END THE PROJECT.
SO I MENTIONED THESE CHALLENGES NOT BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAVE ULTIMATELY MADE THE REPRESENTED THAT THE PROJECTS ARE ULTIMATELY UNSUCCESSFUL, BUT THAT IT DOES REQUIRE QUITE A BIT OF COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY TO HELP THEM
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UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ULTIMATE PROJECT WILL LOOK LIKE.AND ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT I HAD QUITE A BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDING.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL TAX STRUCTURES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, AS WELL AS A VOTER APPROVED MEASURE S, WHICH IS A BOND TYPE MEASURE. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO OTHER ANTICIPATED FUTURE FUNDING SOURCES THROUGH STATE GRANTS, TAX CREDITS, PARKING, DISTRICT FINANCING, AS WELL AS OTHER TYPES OF HOUSING FINANCING AND THE FRIENDS OF THE SANTA CRUZ LIBRARY'S CAPITAL CAMPAIGN.
AND THEN FINALLY, JUST A RUNDOWN OF SOME OF THE FUNDING SUPPORT MODELS.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY MANY DIFFERENT TAX STRUCTURES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
LEVIES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT HERE WE ALSO SEE BOND PACKAGES, REDEVELOPMENT FUNDS, GRANTS, FEDERAL HOUSING FUNDS, TAX CREDITS AND INCENTIVES, AND ADDING ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES OR ASSETS TO A REAL ESTATE DEAL TO MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR DEVELOPERS, AND THERE ARE A FEW REFERENCES HERE FOR FURTHER READING.
AND THAT IS I WILL NOW TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, HEATHER THAT'S A VERY INTERESTING PRESENTATION.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY IS EXPLORING CREATIVE OPTIONS, INCLUDING CO-LOCATION WITH OTHER FACILITIES, TO BRING OUR LIBRARIES INTO THE COMMUNITY WHERE THERE ARE CO-LOCATED POTENTIAL PATRONS OF THE LIBRARY.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR HEATHER?MISS WILLIS, I THINK WAS FIRST.
BESIDES THE 2024 BOND PACKAGE THAT HAS NEW CONSTRUCTION IN D 1 AND D 13, ARE WE LOOKING AT ANY OF THESE MODELS FOR SOMETHING NEW IN ANOTHER LOCATION OR DISTRICT? I'M NOT SURE ON THE MASTER PLAN IF WE'VE GOT A STRUCTURE THAT'S JUST AGED OUT AND IT WOULD BE BETTER TO RECONSTRUCT, OR ARE WE LOOKING AT ANY OTHER LOCATIONS? SO CURRENTLY WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE BOND PROJECTS FOR RIGHT NOW.
WE RECENTLY HAD A MEETING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND FACILITIES AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT.
AND WE ARE DOING CURRENTLY DOING SURVEYS OF THE SITES, SOME TECHNICAL BACKGROUND TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT'S ACTUALLY POSSIBLE AT THOSE LOCATIONS.
WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION COLLECTED SOMETIME MID JANUARY AND WE CAN REPORT BACK ON THAT.
BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO BE LOOKING WE'RE SPENDING THIS FISCAL YEAR LOOKING AT HOW TO PRIORITIZE LIBRARY LOCATIONS IN THE FACILITIES PLAN, AS WELL AS WHAT POSSIBILITIES WE MAY HAVE IN PARTNERSHIPS.
THAT WAS A FORMER MULTI-FAMILY SITE, AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT BURNED AND I THINK IN 06.
SO THERE'S DEFINITELY, I THINK A NEED FOR THAT.
AND SO I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS AND I'D LOVE FOR US TO AT MID JANUARY WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL OF THAT, START PUTTING A LITTLE MORE TOGETHER IN THE FORM OF A TIMELINE AND ALSO EXAMINING WHAT IS THE GAP IN HOUSING THAT THE CITY NEEDS THAT IS JUST NOT GETTING ANSWERED ANY OTHER WAY, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT RESOURCES, AND IT MAY BE THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE, YOU KNOW, A HOUSING FUNDING OPTION, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH HFC BONDS OR WHATEVER THAT WE KIND OF SELF-CONTAINED TO ANSWER THE CALL ON THE HOUSING THAT JUST ISN'T GOING TO GET ANSWERED ANY OTHER WAY BUT THAT WE SO DESPERATELY NEED. SO I APPRECIATE YOU KEEPING THAT BALL MOVING.
AND ANYWAY, I'M VERY EXCITED THAT THE VOTERS PASSED THIS LIBRARY IN 2024.
I THINK WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN START SEEING THIS IN MORE AND MORE PRESENTATIONS, IS US AS A CITY, GETTING OUT OF OUR SILOS SO THAT THE SINGLE USE EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE RETHOUGHT.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU, AS WE IN EACH OF OUR WORK AS WELL AS CITY STAFF? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE AVERAGE SIZE NEEDED FOR A LIBRARY? IF WE WANTED TO JUST SORT OF THINK THROUGH THAT, THE LIBRARY LENS WHILE WE'RE WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS OR WORKING WITH DART ON TODS OR WHATEVER.
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SO THE FACILITIES PLAN MADE GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A MORE FOR A STANDALONE LIBRARY OR BETWEEN 20,000 TO 30,000FT².NOW, HERE IN THIS PRESENTATION, YOU'VE SEEN SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF MUCH SMALLER LIBRARIES.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE IN OUR SYSTEM OF I BELIEVE IT'S 3000FT² AT THE OR MAYBE 2000FT² AT THE NORTH PARK CENTER.
OUR BOOKMARKS BRANCH LIBRARY THAT SUPPORTS EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMING.
IT IS A MUCH SMALLER LOCATION, BUT IT HAS A MORE SPECIFIC PURPOSE.
AND I THINK THAT I WOULDN'T WANT TO SAY, OH, EVERY LIBRARY HAS TO BE X AMOUNT OF SQUARE FEET, BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN SEE EXAMPLES OF LIBRARIES LIKE THE, LIKE THE 7000 SQUARE FOOT LIBRARY AND THE RINO ARTS DISTRICT IN DENVER.
THAT AGAIN, HAS A VERY SPECIAL PURPOSE, IS FOR ARTS EXPLORATION, HAS A DIFFERENT COLLECTION INSIDE OF IT, DOESN'T NEED TO BE 30,000FT²? SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT IF AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS CREATIVELY, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SERVE EVERYONE LIBRARY A GENERAL PURPOSE, AS YOU SAID, THEN OBVIOUSLY IT NEEDS TO BE MUCH LARGER.
AND THAT'S SORT OF THE BASELINE THAT YOU SHOULD GET YOUR HEAD AROUND.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? RIGHT. AND I THINK IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, HAVING A MULTI-USE FACILITY THAT HAS EXTERNAL DEVELOPMENT CAN CREATE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BUILD A LARGER LIBRARY SPACE BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT ON TOP OF BOND FUNDS.
CAN I JUST ASK ONE MORE, IF I MAY, MR. CHAIR? AND THAT IS IN YOUR RESEARCH, AND THIS MAY BE A DIFFERENT AREA OF STUDY THAN EVERYTHING THAT'S VERY PLACE BASED.
HAVE YOU LOOKED AT ARE THERE WAYS THAT I COULD LOOK AT PORTABLE LIBRARIES FOR FACILITIES THAT DON'T HAVE EVEN, YOU KNOW, 2000FT² TO SHARE.
BUT WE WANT TO BRING LIBRARY SERVICES TO A COMMUNITY.
SURE. I MEAN, RURAL, RURAL COMMUNITIES HAVE EXCELLENT EXAMPLES OF BOOKMOBILES AND OTHER SERVICES THAT ARE MOBILE, THAT BRING LIBRARY SERVICES TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER TIME, EVEN SINCE THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY HAD BOOKMOBILES.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BOOK BIKE THAT WE CAN TAKE TO ENGAGE FOLKS AT COMMUNITY EVENTS AND, AND DO SOME LIGHT LIBRARY WORK AND MAYBE ENGAGE FOLKS THAT WOULD NEVER COME TO A LIBRARY TO COME TO A LIBRARY EVENTUALLY.
SO I THINK THIS, WHILE VERY OFTEN URBAN LIBRARIES ARE THE LEADERS AMONG SERVICES, I THINK THIS IS A CHANCE WHERE WE CAN TURN TO OUR RURAL AND URBAN OR SUBURBAN LIBRARIES FOR TIPS ON HOW TO BE MORE MOBILE AND NOT EXPECT PEOPLE TO COME TO US.
THANK YOU. I DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR PREDECESSOR AS TO THE BOND PROGRAM FOR THE NEW REC CENTER AT EXALL PARK AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ALTERNATIVE LIBRARY LOCATION, AND I WOULD SUGGEST THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A CO-LOCATION FACILITY THAT WOULDN'T INVOLVE CAPITAL COSTS OF ANY GREAT EXTENT ON THE PART OF THE LIBRARY, SINCE WE'RE ALREADY BUILDING A NEW FACILITY.
THIS WOULD BE A PERFECT TIME TO ENGAGE WITH OUR PARKS DIRECTOR, JOHN JENKINS, TO TALK ABOUT SETTING ASIDE SOME SPACE FOR A LIBRARY FACILITY, WHETHER IT BE AN AUTOMATED FACILITY, PART TIME STAFF, OR SOMETHING MORE.
ABSOLUTELY. I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, MISS LOWE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM B BRIEFING ON CITY OWNED NONCOMMERCIAL RADIO STATION WRR RADIO/KERA.
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GOOD MORNING MARTINE PHILIPPE.I SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, AND WE ARE PLEASED TO BRING YOUR PRESENTATION AND STATUS UPDATE ABOUT OUR MUNICIPAL RADIO STATION WRR, WHICH PROVIDES OUR DALLAS AND NORTH TEXAS AUDIENCE AND REGION WITH AN ENGAGING AND ENTERTAINING CLASSICAL LISTENING EXPERIENCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH KERA, WRR MUNICIPAL RADIO BROADCAST CLASSICAL MUSIC AND PROMOTES CULTURE AND ARTS ACROSS THE REGION.
I AM REALLY PLEASED TO INTRODUCE CHRISTOPHER WAGLEY, WHO IS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF KERA, AND JESSE GEIGER, WHO SERVES AS OUR WRR TRAFFIC AND BUSINESS ANALYST, AND MY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR GLENN AND I ARE HERE FOR QUESTIONS AFTER THE BRIEFING, IF YOU HAVE ANY, FOR THE OFFICE, BUT THEY WILL BE PRESENTING ON BEHALF OF KERA.
THANK YOU MARTIN. REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
SO AS MARTIN SAID, I'M CHRISTOPHER WAGLEY.
I'M THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT KERA.
I OVERSEE ALL OPERATIONS FOR THE ORGANIZATION, BUT ALL THREE RADIO STATIONS REPORT DIRECTLY TO ME.
THE TEAM HAS BEEN VERY EXCITED TO INCLUDE WRR AS A PART OF OUR FAMILY OF BRANDS, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS TO REBUILD THE WRR ENGINE, TO KEEP THE STATION HUMMING AND TO BRING IT UP TO BEST PRACTICE FOR A BROADCAST ORGANIZATION.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE WILL START WITH AUDIENCE METRICS AND TRENDS.
SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE A CHART THAT YOU CAN SEE HOW THE AUDIENCE METRICS HAVE TRENDED FROM A CUMULATIVE BROADCAST AUDIENCE IN 2022 THROUGH JULY OF 2024.
THAT SURGE HAS ESSENTIALLY ENDED.
THIS WAS A NATIONAL TREND, WITH MANY AND MOST CLASSICAL STATIONS EXPERIENCING AN AUDIENCE DECREASE.
WRR IS ALSO MONITORED BY NIELSEN RATINGS, AND ALL STATIONS ARE BEHOLDEN TO THE AUDIENCE PANEL SELECTION BY NIELSEN AND WRR EXPERIENCED A LACK OF INCOMING PANELISTS LISTENING TO THE STATION IN RECENT MONTHS, SO WRR HAS SEEN ABOUT A 9700 WEEKLY CUMULATIVE AUDIENCE DROP FROM THE NIELSEN AUDIENCE PANELS ALONE.
WRR HAS NO CONTROL OVER THE PANELIST CHOSEN BY NIELSEN.
HOWEVER, WE JUST RECEIVED OUR OCTOBER NOVEMBER RATINGS AND WRR'S WEEKLY CUME WAS 240,000 PLUS.
SO THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE NOW GONE BACK TO THE NUMBERS THAT WE SAW A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
THIS IS PARTLY DUE TO A CHANGE IN THE PANELISTS CHOSEN BY NIELSEN, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN AN INCREASE IN THE OVERALL CUMULATIVE AUDIENCE, BUT ALSO IN THE KEY AGE DEMOGRAPHIC OF 25 TO 54.
IT ALSO REFLECTS THE OTHER WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT IS STARTING TO CULMINATE INTO THE AUDIENCE METRICS THAT YOU'RE SEEING. SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE'VE BEEN COMBATING THAT RATINGS DIP.
SO WHILE WE'RE FOCUSED ON STABILIZING AND MAINTAINING THE RATINGS, WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING ON GROWING OTHER ASPECTS OF THE BUSINESS AND OUR SERVICE TO THE REGION TO BUILD AWARENESS AND AUDIENCE.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE REVENUE MODEL AS A NON PROFIT STATION.
MOST CLASSICAL STATIONS IN THE COUNTRY ARE NOW NON PROFIT.
IT'S JUST SIMPLY BEST PRACTICE TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN AND GROW THAT FORMAT.
BEFORE WE MOVED TO THE NON PROFIT MODEL, PAID PROGRAMING ON THE STATION WAS A DEPARTURE FROM THE FORMAT AUDIENCES CAME TO FOR, AND IT WASN'T A SUSTAINABLE WAY TO BE ABLE TO PROGRAM THE STATION FOR GROWTH.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WRR WE ARE SHARPENING OUR FOCUS ON LOCAL MUSIC AND REPRESENTATION.
SO ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, WRR IS NOW ALL CLASSICAL ALL THE TIME.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IT'S NOW WALL TO WALL MUSIC.
EVERY HOUR WE HAVE DURING OUR HOLIDAY AND HERITAGE MONTHS, WE ARE NOW PROGRAMING PIECES THAT GO INTO PERMANENT ROTATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE HAVE 766 PIECES THAT ARE NOW A PART OF OUR PLAYLIST THAT
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IS LISTENED TO BY ALL OF OUR AUDIENCES.ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I THINK I'M MISSING A COUPLE OF SLIDES.
LET ME. WE'LL GO ON AND THEN I'LL SEE IF WE'VE GOT THE OTHER STUFF IN HERE.
SO LET ME JUST SKIP AHEAD HERE.
SO WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON DIVERSIFYING AND LOCALIZING OUR PROGRAMING.
WE DO WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE REFLECT THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE.
WE ALSO HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH LOCAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.
SO IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR, WRR PARTNERED WITH THE RESOURCE CENTER TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND WE IDENTIFIED OR ADDED 2000 PIECES INTO OUR DIGITAL LIBRARY WITH AN LGBTQIA+ COMPOSER, CONDUCTOR OR SOLOIST.
WE HAVE ADDED THOSE 566 PIECES, WHICH I TALKED ABOUT.
OKAY. SO WE ARE SO OUR CONCERT HALL.
SO LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE DSO THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CITY SPONSORED ANNOUNCEMENTS ON WRR.
SO AS PART OF OUR WORK WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE SAID THAT WE WOULD WORK WITH THE ORGANIZATION TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ON AIR OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.
SO AS PART OF OUR MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT, WE STARTED AIRING ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR SELECTED GROUPS FOCUSED ON ORGANIZATIONS THAT REFLECT WRR AND THE CITY'S FOCUS ON THE DIVERSITY OF OUR REGION AND SMALL ORGANIZATIONS WITHOUT PROMOTIONAL BUDGETS.
WRR IN THE CITY OF DALLAS WE WITH IN CONCERT WITH THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE ARE SPONSORING UNDERWRITING FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR WRR CLIENTS.
SO THESE ARE SIMILAR TO PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ARE FREE TO SELECTED GROUPS.
SO IN AUGUST, THE CITY OPENED A TWO WEEK APPLICATION PERIOD APPLICANTS WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THEIR MISSION HISTORY AND AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHICS, ALONG WITH THEIR MARKETING GOALS AND A 15 SECOND SAMPLE SCRIPT.
THE PROCESS WAS PROMOTED ON VARIOUS PLATFORMS, INCLUDING THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE NEWSLETTER, NEXTDOOR, CITY OF DALLAS EMPLOYEE ANNOUNCEMENT EMAIL, AND THIS WAS DONE IN A WAY TO BE ABLE TO GET THE WORD OUT TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THIS IS A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM.
THE SELECTION PROCESS ON THE NEXT SLIDE INCLUDED THAT AS PART OF THAT SELECTION PROCESS, THERE WERE 36 APPLICATIONS THAT WERE RECEIVED AS PART OF THIS FIRST ROUND.
PRIORITY WAS GIVEN TO SMALL AND MID-SIZE DALLAS BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHOWCASE THE DIVERSITY AND THE VIBRANCY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE CITY STAFF SELECTED THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS.
KITCHEN DOG THEATER, SOUTH DALLAS CONCERT CHOIR.
ARTS MISSION, OAK CLIFF AND THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
THE FAIR HOUSING DIVISION AND AFTER ELIGIBILITY WAS CONFIRMED BY THE CITY, KERA THEN SIGNED OFF ON THE ORGANIZATIONS AND THE ON AIR ANNOUNCEMENTS BEGAN BROADCASTING ON OCTOBER 1ST.
SO I DO WANT TO THANK JESSE GEIGER, WHO IS HERE TODAY.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE ARE LOOKING AT FINDING NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH UNTAPPED AUDIENCES.
SO LET ME GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE.
AND SO HERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE WAY THAT WE ARE GETTING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
ONE OF THE FIRST ONES IS HOW WE ARE WORKING TO AMPLIFY YOUNG MUSICIANS.
THIS IS A GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO CELEBRATE J.S.
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BACH'S BIRTHDAY.THIS WAS A FREE PERFORMANCE IN MOCKINGBIRD STATION, AND IT FEATURED YOUNG MUSICIANS FROM BOOKER T.
WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE GREATER DALLAS YOUTH ORCHESTRA.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, THE MUSIC MEMORY PROJECT.
SO THE STUDENT COMPETITION IT WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DALLAS ISD AND THE DSO.
WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THE ORCHESTRA.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE ALSO LAUNCHED A SUMMER CLASSICAL SERIES, SO WE HAD FIVE FREE CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT MOCKINGBIRD STATION.
IT FEATURED LOCAL MUSICIANS AND COMPOSERS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, TO PROVIDE CLASSICAL MUSIC EXPERIENCES WITHOUT A COST BARRIER TO INTRODUCE NEW AUDIENCES TO CLASSICAL MUSIC.
WE HAD IT AT MOCKINGBIRD STATION TO ALLOW FAMILIES TO USE DART TO GET TO THERE, TO GET TO THE PERFORMANCES EASILY, AND ALL OF THESE EVENTS AND OUTREACH FULFILL OUR MISSION OF REACHING OUT TO NEWER, YOUNGER AND MORE DIVERSE AUDIENCES, NOT ONLY ON WRR , BUT AS WELL ON ALL OF OUR PLATFORMS THAT KERA SERVES.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE ARE I TELL YOU WHAT, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS TOO, THAT ARE NOT HERE ON THE SLIDE.
SO FIRST OF ALL, WE SPENT THE LAST TWO YEARS FOCUSED ON REBUILDING THE STATION'S OPERATIONS AND ENGINEERING PROCESSES WHILE MODERNIZING AND DIVERSIFYING OUR LIBRARY.
IT WILL ALSO BE A POTENTIAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN IN 2025, AS WELL AS SOME PARTNERSHIPS WITH ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND FOR AUDIENCE GROWTH. I ALSO JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND THE SUCCESS THAT WE'VE HAD ON THE MEMBERSHIP FRONT.
SO WRR IS NOW ALL CLASSICAL ALL THE TIME, AND I SAY IT'S NOW WALL TO WALL MUSIC EVERY HOUR.
WE HAVE ALSO BEEN GROWING OUR MEMBER BASE.
THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO NOW SUPPORT WRR WITH THEIR DONATIONS.
SO OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, MORE THAN 2300 PEOPLE HAVE BECOME MEMBERS OF WRR WITH NEARLY 50 DONORS GIVING AT THE $1,500 LEVEL AND ABOVE SHOWING THE INVESTMENT THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO MAKE IN WRR.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING ON SHARPENING THE FOCUS ON LOCAL MUSIC AND REPRESENTATION.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, WE HAVE REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON MODERNIZING THE PLAYLIST, BUT THE UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION THAT WRR HAS, WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER COMPETITOR IN TOWN THAT IS ANOTHER MUSIC CLASSICAL MUSIC STATION.
OUR COMPETITORS ARE STREAMING SERVICES, AND SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT OUR PLAYLISTS ARE MODERNIZED, BUT ALSO THAT WE ARE LOCALIZED THAT IS, OUR UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION IS FOR OUR AUDIENCES TO KNOW THAT WE ARE PROGRAMING LOCALLY WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AND DOING THAT TO ENSURE THAT WHEN THEY COME TO WRR THEY ARE GETTING A LOCALIZED EXPERIENCE DIRECTLY FOR THEM.
SO THOSE SLIDES WEREN'T IN HERE, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK WE'RE DOING ON THE LIBRARY, AS WELL AS THE INVESTMENT THAT THE COMMUNITY IS MAKING IN WRR AND NOW I WILL MOVE ON TO OUR IMPROVED DIGITAL EXPERIENCE.
SO IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THAT OTHER WORK THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES, WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING ON IMPROVING THE DIGITAL EXPERIENCE AND THE WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN ACCESS WRR. ON THE NEXT SLIDE OUR DIGITAL TEAM HAS LAUNCHED A NEW WRR WEBSITE WHICH FEATURES ENHANCED USER EXPERIENCE THAT INCLUDES AN EMBEDDED MUSIC PLAYER AND A USER FRIENDLY NAVIGATION FOR ANY MOBILE DEVICE.
IT ALSO INCLUDES SPECIALLY CURATED FEEDS OF STORIES FROM WRR, KERA, AND NPR MUSIC.
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THE UPDATED APP PROVIDES A MUCH BETTER USER AND LISTENING EXPERIENCE.WE'VE ALSO JUST COMPLETED A DIGITAL AUDIT OF WRR'S SOCIAL AND DIGITAL PLATFORMS TO FURTHER ENGAGE NEW AND EXISTING AUDIENCES, AND WE ARE BUILDING OUT THE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY NOW BASED ON THAT AUDIT, THAT WILL LAUNCH SOMETIME NEXT YEAR.
SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE FINALLY, WRR DOES HAVE A NEW TAGLINE AND THAT IS CLASSICAL FOR EVERYONE.
WHETHER YOU'RE A CLASSICAL NOVICE OR AN EXPERT OR SOMEONE IN BETWEEN, WE WANT TO EVERYONE TO FEEL WELCOME, INSPIRED, AND REJUVENATED EVERY TIME THAT THEY TUNE IN. AND FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS, WRR HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY TREASURE, AND WE WANT TO ENSURE IT REMAINS A CHERISHED PART OF OUR REGION FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. AND AT KERA, WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE AND INSPIRE AUDIENCES WHILE INCREASING OUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE SUCCESSES TO COME.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. WAGLEY. I ENJOYED YOUR PRESENTATION IMMENSELY.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WAGLEY OR STAFF? MS. SCHULTZ. THANK YOU.
YEAH, AND WHILE YOU WERE TALKING, I CHECKED ON MY APP AND IT'S GREAT LIKE I DID.
SO I THINK THAT PROMOTION THROUGH KERA IN GENERAL, I THINK, WOULD BE GREAT TO REMIND US THAT WE CAN LISTEN TO MUSIC THROUGH OUR APPS, NOT JUST NEWS AND AND TALK SHOWS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO. EXCELLENT. THAT, I JUST WANT TO SUGGEST THAT.
YOU MEAN THROUGHOUT THE DAY PARTS? YES. WE ARE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE OVERALL DEMO AND THE DEMOS TO SEE WHO'S LISTENING DURING DIFFERENT DAY PARTS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
SO IT IS BROKEN UP THAT WAY THROUGH NIELSEN RATINGS.
WE ALSO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT JUST GENERAL AUDIENCE FROM DIFFERENT RESEARCH THAT WE'VE DONE.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO LEVERAGE PARTICULAR SHOWS.
[LAUGHTER] THAT'S. THANK YOU FOR LAUGHING AT THAT VERY LAME JOKE.
ANYWAY, SO I THINK IT'S TREMENDOUS.
I THINK IT'S GREAT. AND THE MORE THAT YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH OUR SCHOOLS AND PARTNER WITH, I ASSUME, THE SYMPHONY AND OTHER CLASSIC MUSIC PROMOTERS IN OUR TOWN, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF BUILDING UP THAT NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS, OR LISTENERS RATHER I THINK IS EXACTLY THE WAY TO GO.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND I HOPE IT CONTINUES.
SO WE WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT SATURDAY MORNINGS BEING A FAMILY TIME THAT WE ARE WORKING TO HAVE YOUNGER AUDIENCES ENGAGED, AND BECAUSE KERA HAS A SIGNIFICANT EDUCATION TEAM.
WE ALSO ARE TALKING TO THEM ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE 112 SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN OUR BROADCAST FOOTPRINT MEANS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BUILD THAT NEXT WAVE OF WRR LISTENERS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF THEM RIGHT NOW ARE BACKSEAT LISTENERS WITH THEIR FAMILIES AS THEY'RE LISTENING TO THE MARCH OF THE DAY ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL.
MR. WAGLEY, I JUST WANTED TO OFFER A FEW COMMENTS.
I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE YOUR EFFORTS TO BROADEN THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF YOUR LISTENERS.
AND JUST GENERALLY, I AM CURIOUS, DOES THE NIELSEN RATINGS METRIC AFFECT ADVERTISING RATES OR YOUR SPONSORSHIP RATES? IT CAN, DEPENDING ON THE WAY THAT THE AUDIENCE GOES.
AND SO THE ONE THING THAT WE CAN SAY, THOUGH, ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOR PROFIT AND NOT FOR PROFIT MEDIA IS THAT WE ACTUALLY SELL THE AUDIENCE INSTEAD OF THE DAY PARTS OR THE NUMBERS. IT'S MUCH MORE ABOUT WHAT IS THE VALUE THAT IS, DOES AN UNDERWRITER GET FROM BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH OUR AUDIENCE? AND SO THERE'S ALSO WHAT'S CALLED THE HALO EFFECT FOR THOSE THAT ARE UNDERWRITING ORGANIZATIONS THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO SPONSORING AND SUPPORTING PUBLIC
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BROADCASTING STATIONS, OUR MEMBERS AND AUDIENCES TEND TO SUPPORT THEM MORE BECAUSE THEY REALIZE THAT WE'RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER.WELL, I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE TRANSITION TO THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND KERA IS PROCEEDING SMOOTHLY, AND HOPEFULLY WILL CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN YEARS TO COME.
HI. THANK YOU FOR THIS UPDATE.
SO THAT'S GREAT. SO REMIND ME, IN THIS AGREEMENT, SO THE CITY OWNS THE STATION, BUT THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT, WHAT KIND OF EXPENSES DOES THE CITY HAVE? HOW ARE WE JUST TOP LINE KIND OF RECOMPENSED FOR ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE ON THE TAXPAYER.
KERA HAS ASSUMED ALL EXPENSE FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO WE ARE MANAGING ALL THE EXPENSES.
WE ALSO ARE BRINGING IN ALL OF THE REVENUE AND MAINTAINING THAT.
SO THE PROCESS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE ON AIR PSA SPOTS FOR ORGANIZATIONS, THAT WAS ALSO PART OF THAT, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE VALUE BACK TO THE CITY SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO USE WRR STILL AS A PLATFORM TO BE ABLE TO PROMOTE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY, TO USE THAT AS A MEGAPHONE. BUT KERA IS MANAGING THE EXPENSES AND RECEIVING THE REVENUE.
SO THAT REVENUE IS THAT INVESTED BACK INTO THAT STATION, NOT ACROSS THE WHOLE KERA PORTFOLIO.
MAY I ASK OAC LEADERSHIP TO PROVIDE THAT INPUT AS WELL? SURE. I'M SORRY.
NO PROBLEM. I DID WANT TO RESPOND AND LET YOU KNOW FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THE EXPENSE LINE ITEM IS ROUGHLY $450,000, BUT THAT IS THAT REIMBURSABLE, AS NOTED BY MR. WAGLEY.
HAVE WE WORKED WITH YOU? WELL, ABOUT MAKING SURE YOU KNOW WHO THOSE FOLKS ARE, WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, SO PASSIONATE ABOUT KEEPING THIS STATION? WAS THAT A FERTILE FIELD TO PULL FROM OR DO WE NEED TO REVISIT? I SAVED THEM.
SO IF YOU NEED SOME MORE YOU KNOW, PROSPECTS.
SO WE MET WITH A LOT OF THEM DURING OUR PROCESS OF TAKING OVER THE STATION.
AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT WERE SO INVESTED IN KEEPING WRR CLASSICAL, IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM ACROSS THOSE GROUPS, THAT THEY ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING TO ENSURE THAT IT IS ALL CLASSICAL, ALL THE TIME, AND MAINTAINS THE CLASSICAL FORMAT FOR THE FUTURE.
ON THAT PUBLIC THE PSA WAS IT SAYS IT'S STAFFED WAS THERE ANY CITY STAFF REPRESENTED ON THAT? YES. OH, OKAY.
AND DO YOU HAVE AN UPCOMING ARTS CALENDAR AS PART OF YOUR BROADCAST? DO YOU HAVE.
IT'S GO SEE DFW AND ALL OF THE EVENTS THAT KERA HAS THAT COMES THROUGH.
OUR ORGANIZATION IS THEN POPULATED INTO THAT CALENDAR.
HOW WAS THAT SELECTED? HOW IS THE TAGLINE SELECTED? THAT WAS THROUGH ALL OF THE RESEARCH THAT WE DID ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE DID NEED TO BUILD NEWER, YOUNGER, AND MORE DIVERSE AUDIENCES, AND THAT WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS A BARRIER TO ENTRY BECAUSE PEOPLE LOOK AT CLASSICAL, OLDER, WHITER, NOT FOR THEM.
AND YOU HAVE IN A LITTLE MORE HIGH MINDED.
SO WE ALSO THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT, AS WE DO START A MARKETING CAMPAIGN REACHING OUT TO SPECIFIC DEMOS, THOSE NEWER, YOUNGER AND MORE DIVERSE AUDIENCES WHILE ALSO BUILDING LOYALTY AMONG EXISTING AUDIENCES, WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT IT FELT LIKE EVERYONE WAS WELCOME AND THAT WHEN WE START TO GO OUT TO THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS, THAT WE HAVE A WAY TO CONNECT WITH THEM, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND THAT WE WANT TO SUPPORT THAT.
AND YOU SAID, THIS IS YOUR NORTH STAR.
AND SOMETIMES A VISION DOES NOT MAKE THE MOST COMPELLING TAGLINE.
IT'S JUST NOT THAT COMPELLING.
AND THEN FINALLY, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AFFINITY GROUPS AND SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
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WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR THE LATINO AUDIENCE? BECAUSE THAT IS HALF OF OUR COMMUNITY.SURE. SO ACTUALLY, OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON HOW WE TAKE CLASSICAL AND BE ABLE TO INFUSE LATINX AND LATINO RHYTHMS INTO THAT MUSIC. OUR MUSIC DIRECTOR, EMILIO ALVAREZ, HAS BEEN VERY FOCUSED ON HELPING US TO BUILD IN A TEXAS FEEL FOR THE STATION.
AND SO THAT IS A LOT OF THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING.
IN ADDITION TO DURING HERITAGE, HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, ALL OF THE MUSIC THAT IS PROGRAMED DURING THAT TIME GOES INTO THE PLAYLIST AND IS THEN PLAYED THROUGHOUT OUR LIBRARY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
OUR BRIEFING MEMORANDUM C ON THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER.
UPDATED FUNDING ALLOCATION FOR THE NEW CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS PROGRAM FISCAL YEAR.
SO WERE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABOUT THE UPDATED FUNDING ALLOCATION FROM THE ALLOCATION COMMITTEE? MISS WILLIS? SO WHEN WOULD WE? I MEAN, I SEE A DEADLINE HERE OF APRIL 15TH I THINK IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY TO FUND.
SO ARE WE JUST PAUSING ON THIS MEMO? THIS IS WHAT THE ALLOCATION COMMITTEE, THIS IS WHAT THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED.
BUT WE'RE JUST SORT OF IN HOLD FOR RIGHT NOW.
WE DON'T HAVE TO REALLY MAKE A DECISION.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S MORE TO COME THROUGH ON THIS.
SO I WOULD SAY LET'S WAIT UNTIL WE KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
BUT WHAT'S OUR DEADLINE? SO, MA'AM, WE ARE RETURNING WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION.
THE RECOMMENDATION AS IT'S WRITTEN, HAS A FEW, YOU KNOW, IF THEN IF, ANDS IF YOU WILL.
AND SO AS STAFF, WE WANTED TO BE PREPARED IF THERE HAPPENS TO BE A DECISION MADE ON DECEMBER 9TH RELATED TO DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER HEARING THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD OR YOU ALL EXCUSE ME AS A BODY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT INFORMATION AND MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ON THE 11TH.
IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY FACTUAL INFORMATION TO WORK WITH AT THAT TIME THEN WE WILL DEFER TO THE BODY ON THE 11TH TO AGAIN MAKE A DECISION ROOTED IN WHAT'S NOTED IN THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION.
YOU'LL SEE THE DATE APRIL 15TH NOTED SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OUR FUNDING PROGRAMS DIVISION NOTED THAT AS THE LATEST DATE FOR THE FUNDING TO BE REALLOCATED EITHER WAY.
SO IF WE NEED TO ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE PROGRAMING NOTED ARTS, ACTIVATE CULTURAL VALUE AND ON AND ON IN ORDER FOR STAFF TO HAVE THE TIME TO DO THAT WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, THAT IS OUR DEADLINE.
SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE 11TH.
I MEAN, IF THERE'S A RULING ON THE 9TH THAT JUST GIVES US A COUPLE OF DAYS TO DIGEST THAT AND, YOU KNOW, NOT KNOWING WHAT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S NOT A REASON WHY WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT DAY, I'D LIKE US TO HAVE MORE TIME TO CONSIDER THAT.
DO I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION? YES. IF YOU WISH TO MAKE A MOTION, THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
WELL, I THINK AS A COLLEAGUE WHO MAY HAVE ANOTHER POINT OF DISCUSSION.
DO YOU MIND GIVING ME SOME CONTEXT ON THE NEXT STEPS BEYOND WHAT WE HAVE? WHAT HAS BEEN OUTLINED REGARDING POTENTIAL APPEAL PROCESS AND WHAT THAT TIMELINE LOOKS LIKE? AT OUR MOST RECENT ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING, WE ENTERTAIN PUBLIC COMMENT FROM REPRESENTATIVES OF THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER, AND WE SIMPLY LEARNED VIA THAT FORMAT THAT THE INTENT OF STAFF AND WITH BOARD SUPPORT, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY
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MAY APPEAL A DECISION IF THEY SO CHOOSE.AND OF COURSE, THE TIMELINE RELATED TO THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE BOUNDS OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, TO BE FRANK.
AND SO THAT IS AGAIN WHY WE SET THAT INTERNAL STAFF RELATED DATE OF APRIL 15TH, SO THAT WE CAN BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE FUNDING AND ALLOCATE THOSE RESOURCES TO ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE IN NEED NEVERTHELESS.
AND IS THERE IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT THERE'S CAPABILITY FROM BOTH PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE RULING TO GO THROUGH AN APPEAL PROCESS THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE BOUNDS OF MY KNOWLEDGE AT THIS TIME, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, ASSUMING I DON'T KNOW IF OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS AWARE I AM NOT.
I GUESS THE POINT THAT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF UNKNOWNS, AND THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO DO IS TO LET THIS ISSUE STRING ALONG.
THE REALITY IS, IS THAT WE HAVE SOME CONCERN, AND WE FEEL THAT THERE'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY WITH WHAT WE KNOW, REPRESENT THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO WHY A BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT WOULD BE TO JUST PULL THE PLUG AND PUT IT OVER ON THE SIDE AND ALLOW FOR THINGS TO WORK OUT THROUGH THESE PROCESSES THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, HAVE A LOT OF VARIABLES.
I THINK THAT WE WERE BROUGHT HERE TO MAKE A DECISION.
I THINK THAT WE'VE SEEN ALREADY SOME OF THE PROCESS PLAY OUT.
I HAVE HAD A BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH WITH HOW THIS HAS BEEN HANDLED.
QUITE FRANKLY, SINCE MEETING HERE, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SOME GOOD EFFORT, GOOD FAITH EFFORTS MADE TO NOT ONLY THE GOVERNING BODY WHO'S MAKING THIS DECISION, WHICH IT WASN'T, BUT ALSO TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED OUR DANCERS THAT ARE HERE, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SEEN THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME SORT OF EFFORTS MADE INSTEAD OF JUST DIGGING YOUR HEELS IN AND, AND ESSENTIALLY SAYING THAT EVERYONE ELSE IS WRONG EXCEPT FOR YOU ALL.
THAT'S NOT THE BEHAVIOR TO ME THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE REWARDED BY PUBLIC FUNDING THAT'S THE REALITY.
SO TO ME, JUST STRINGING IT ALONG IS HAVING AN EXPECTATION THAT I THINK ALSO IS A PRECEDENT THAT I'M NOT WILLING TO SET TO OUR OTHER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE DOING RIGHT.
THE REALITY IS, IS WE NEED TO SEE THIS WHOLE SCENARIO PLAY OUT THAT WE ARE NOT A PARTY OF WE'RE NOT INVOLVED IN THIS APPEAL PROCESS.
WE'RE NOT INVOLVED IN THIS CASE.
SO WHAT I BELIEVE WE SHOULD DO IS STAY IN OUR LANE AND FOCUS ON WHAT WE ARE INVOLVED WITH, AND THAT IS PROVIDING FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY ARTS ORGANIZATIONS. THAT'S THE DECISION THAT WE'RE MAKING HERE.
I WOULD MUCH RATHER PREFER FROM NOW UNTIL APRIL, TO SEE THAT THESE FUNDS BE MADE AVAILABLE TO OTHER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD HELP THRIVE AND GROW OUR ARTS COMMUNITY, INSTEAD OF THEM SITTING OFF INTO A PILE WAITING AND HOPE THAT IT COMES BACK IN THE FAVOR, THAT WOULD GIVE US AN EASY OUTCOME.
THE REALITY IS, IS DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT RESULT IS, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR NEXT MOVE WOULD BE.
AND I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR, I THINK, THAT WE SHOULD PULL THE PLUG WE SHOULD CHARGE YOU ALL WITH GETTING US NEW RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW WE CAN BETTER UTILIZE THESE ALLOCATED FUNDS, AND THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE DOING.
I WANT TO SEE US MAKE SOME DECISIONS, AND I WANT TO SEE THESE ARTS FUNDS GO TO WORTHY ORGANIZATIONS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BAZALDUA. MISS BLACKMON, THANK YOU.
CAN YOU TELL ME APRIL 15TH? IS THAT OUR OWN IMPOSED DEADLINE OR IS THAT SOMEBODY ELSE'S I CAN'T REMEMBER.
STAFF. SO WE COULD BE WE COULD STRIP A DEADLINE OUT, ACTUALLY, IF WE WANTED TO.
CAN YOU TELL ME? SO IN OTHER WORDS, WE PASSED THE RESOLUTION.
THIS COMES BACK AS SOMEBODY'S AT FAULT.
THE IMMEDIATELY BECOMES LIKE THERE'S NO WE DON'T GET TO SEE IT AGAIN.
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THE COUNCIL DOESN'T SEE IT AGAIN.OKAY, THAT IS BOTHERSOME TOO, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S SOME NUANCES IN ALL THIS DISCUSSION.
SO THERE'S SOME STUFF GOING ON THAT IS PROBABLY NOT APPROVED OF IN SOMEBODY'S COURT.
I JUST WANT TO STATE THAT EVEN THOUGH WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO, WE WOULD.
SO YOU WOULD KEEP US UPDATED? YES. OF COURSE. OKAY.
I ALSO WANTED TO NOTE THE LAST BULLET, THE IF NO RULING SECTION OF THE MEMO SEEMS IN A WAY ALIGNED, IF YOU WOULD, IN RESPONSE TO WHAT CHAIR BAZALDUA SHARED.
SO WE COULD TAKE ONE OF THESE BULLETS.
WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE ALL FOUR.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IF IT'S YOUR PLEASURE, WE COULD ENTERTAIN THAT IN AN EXPEDITED FORMAT AND NOT BE ENGAGED AT ALL WITH WAITING, IF YOU WILL.
SO I GUESS I'M WONDERING, HAS THERE BEEN DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS OF REMEDIATING THIS OR ARBITRATING OR WHATEVER? SO THAT WAY WE CAN THIS IS A VALUED PROGRAM IN OUR CITY, AND I THINK NOBODY DISPUTES THAT.
I THINK HOW WE MOVE FORWARD FROM THIS IS KEY.
AND SO WHO IN LEADERSHIP ON EITHER ORGANIZATIONS AND EITHER REPRESENTATIVES, ARE THEY COMING TOGETHER TO FIND MIDDLE GROUND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT FORWARD LOOKS LIKE? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN THE CITY WANTS TO SEE A HARM GO TO THIS INSTITUTION.
HOWEVER, THERE IS RULES AND LAWS THAT WE MUST ABIDE BY.
AND SO IS THERE AND I GUESS FROM YOUR LOOK, THERE'S PROBABLY NOT A LOT OF DISCUSSION HAPPENING.
COULD THAT BE PART OF THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH THEY GET MONEY? NOT BEING PARTY TO THESE PROCEEDINGS? OF COURSE, WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE [INAUDIBLE] FROM THE COUNCIL AND TO STAY FOCUSED.
RIGHT. NOT ON THE PROCEEDINGS NECESSARILY, BUT ON THE PROCESS THAT WE ARE CHARGED WITH OVERSEEING.
JUST SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT PARTY TO THOSE PROCEEDINGS.
[INAUDIBLE] OH NOT THAT WE CAN'T PUSH THE LEVER A CERTAIN WAY.
RIGHT. AND SO WE HAVE STAYED FOCUSED.
WE HAVE ASKED STAFF. WE'VE CHARGED STAFF WITH WORKING WITH THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE.
WITH WHAT'S BEFORE US, WITH WHAT'S BEFORE US THE RECOMMENDATION.
NOW IT'S AT YOUR PLEASURE TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION, TO CHANGE THE RECOMMENDATION.
WE HAVE AN ITEM COMING TO COUNCIL ON DECEMBER 11TH WHICH IS IN THIS FORMAT.
SO. SO WE'LL NEED GUIDANCE TODAY FROM YOU AS A BODY AS TO WHAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND TO TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS IN ITS CURRENT FORM THIS IS HOW IT'S COMING TO COUNCIL, BECAUSE WE MEAN THE ARBORETUM WENT THROUGH A SIMILAR SITUATION AND THEY EMBRACED THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME, YOU KNOW, TO MOVE FORWARD. AND I'M JUST HOPING THAT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE THESE TWO PARTIES CAN BE AT THAT PLACE, AND IF NOT, THEN WHAT IS A CITY WHAT CAN WE DO TO ENCOURAGE THAT? BECAUSE WE ARE GIVING ALMOST A QUARTER OF $1 MILLION TO AN ORGANIZATION.
CAN YOU REMIND ME HOW MUCH OF IT IS THEIR ANNUAL BUDGET? IT WAS 248, 7%, 7%, 7% OF DALLAS SO I MEAN, IT IS IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY.
IT MEANS A LOT TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT MEANS A LOT TO THE FOLKS WHO SHOW UP EVERY DAY.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT PEOPLE CAN FIND MIDDLE GROUND AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A VALUED INSTITUTION IN OUR CITY, AND WE VALUE THIS, AND WE WANT TO INVEST IN IT, THAT WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A PATH FORWARD.
BECAUSE I'M WITH THEM, I DON'T WANT THERE'S NOT A PATH FORWARD GOING TO BE HERE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.
AND SO WE'VE GOT TO GET SOME UNDERSTANDING OF HOW PEOPLE ARE TREATED, WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE, AND WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS FROM THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS THE GOVERNING BODY. THOSE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS.
SORRY FOR THE VOICE. MISS SCHULTZ.
I FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO COMMEND THE COMMITTEE.
I KNOW IT WASN'T EASY WORK, AND WE SENT IT BACK TO THEM TO SORT OF START OVER.
AND I, YOU KNOW, AT FIRST GLANCE, PEOPLE COULD ARGUE THAT THIS IS JUST KICKING IT DOWN, BUT I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY WELL THOUGHT OUT.
I THINK IT GIVES THE ALLOCATION OPTIONS.
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UP OR LESSENING IT OR WHATEVER.I THINK THAT STATEMENT FROM THEM OF SAYING, WE WANT TO KEEP THIS AMOUNT WHOLE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, THOUGH ON THE SURFACE IT'S A WIN LOSE SCENARIO.
I THINK TO MISS BLACKMON'S POINT, ONE OF THE THINGS, REGARDLESS OF THE RELATIONS BOARD OUTCOME, I THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT THE REPUTATION THAT'S BEEN SO TARNISHED BY THIS IN CREATING A WIN LOSE SCENARIO WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WITHIN THAT DANCE COMMUNITY, AS A WIN LOSE, I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT CAN BE DONE BETWEEN NOW AND THE RULING TO NOT HAVE THAT CONTINUE.
AND SO IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF HUMILITY THAT, YOU KNOW, ON BOTH SIDES, IT MAY TAKE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO MOVE PAST RIGHT OR WRONG.
WE'RE ALL LEARNING TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW IN OUR SOCIETY.
AND WE COULD TAKE SOME EXAMPLES FROM THAT AND USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY.
I ALSO THINK THAT SHOULD THAT KIND OF ACTIVITY HAPPEN WHERE THERE IS A COMING TOGETHER OF ONE WAY OR ANOTHER EVEN IF IT'S A WE AGREE TO DISAGREE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HOLD HANDS WHILE WE SAY IT, THAT WILL MAKE WHATEVER OUTCOME THERE IS MUCH EASIER FOR COUNCIL TO DIGEST AND MOVE FORWARD. AND SO THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION THAT I WANT TO MAKE TO OUR FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE CHAMBERS RIGHT NOW.
AND I'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
I TOO WANT TO COMMEND THE STAFF FOR THIS.
I THINK THIS IS A FAIR CONCLUSION.
SO AND SPECIFICALLY MEANING, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE LAST DAY, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY THAT WAS THE LAST DAY FROM A BUDGETING PERSPECTIVE, WE COULD ACTUALLY THE CITY CAN ACTUALLY HOLD OR THE MONEY NEEDS.
SO JUST EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT.
AND ENSURE THAT AT THAT TIME, IF IT COMES TO THE POINT WHERE WE DO HAVE TO REALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS THAT WE FOCUS ON PROGRAMING HIGHLIGHTED AS A LOT OF THE PROGRAMING.
AS WE HEARD YOUR MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR.
SO YOU'LL NOTE THAT APRIL 15TH, AS FAR AS STAFF IS CONCERNED, THAT'S JUST THE LAST POINT.
STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO ROLL THOSE PROGRAMS OUT BASED IN THE WAYS THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENTS HAVE TO BE MADE TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT FUNDING BEING AVAILABLE AND FOLKS APPLYING, PANELISTS REVIEWING, AND ON AND ON.
SO AGAIN, YOU'LL NOTE THOSE THREE VERY SPECIFIC BUCKETS THE COMMUNITY ARTIST PROGRAM, CULTURAL VALUE AND ARTS ACTIVATE BECAUSE THAT IS THE QUICKEST, SWIFTEST WAY FOR US TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS IN THOSE IN THOSE BUCKETS, WHERE WE HAVE HIGH PERCENTAGES OF ALANA ARTISTS RECEIVING FUNDING WITHIN THOSE PROGRAM BOUNDS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE.
SO AGAIN, IT'S REALLY ABOUT STAFF TIME, RIGHT? PROGRAM ROLLOUT. AND I THINK THAT'S THE POINT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THERE IN JUST THE LEVEL OF THOUGHTFULNESS THAT WAS PUT INTO THIS IN TERMS OF THAT APRIL 15TH DATE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.
THAT RIGHT. SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY KICKING ANYTHING DOWN THE ROAD.
NOW IT COMES TO TALKING TO BOTH THE DANCERS AND THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER TO SAY THE BALL NOW IS TRULY IN Y'ALL'S COURT.
WE CAN'T GET INTO THE BUSINESS OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE'VE HEARD CONVERSATIONS AND THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN BETWEEN.
BUT PERSONALLY, I'VE MADE THIS VERY CLEAR.
WHEN OUR PRIDE AND ALL OF THESE THINGS GET IN THE WAY, WE ALL END UP LOSING.
AND AT THIS POINT, IF THERE IS A RESOLUTION ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS, WHETHER IT'S IN JANUARY, APRIL OR JANUARY 26TH, WHENEVER THAT IS, IF YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO RECONCILE AND COME BACK TOGETHER THAT'S GOING TO BE $300,000 THAT YOU ALL ARE SHORT.
SO THIS IS THE PERSPECTIVE THAT I'M JUST TRYING TO KEEP AT THE FOREFRONT AS YOU ALL GO THROUGH THESE NEGOTIATIONS, AS YOU ALL GO THROUGH THE RECONCILIATION THAT I PRAY YOU ALL CAN COME TO SO THAT THESE DOLLARS DON'T GET LOST TO THE ORGANIZATION.
[01:10:07]
SO AGAIN, THAT IS TRULY MY PASSION.I'VE SAID THAT TO YOU ALL DIRECTLY AFTER THE LAST MEETING, I'VE SAID THAT TO YOU ALL AS WELL THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO RESOLVE AND RECONCILE THIS FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE.
BUT I JUST IMPLORE YOU, ALL THIS IS ABOUT US AS A COMMUNITY, US AS A DANCE COMMUNITY.
I CAN'T DANCE ALWAYS WISHED I COULD, BUT I CAN'T.
BUT IT'S JUST ONE OF THESE THINGS WHERE WE ALL LOSE IF WE CAN'T RECONCILE.
AND THAT'S JUST THE MESSAGE I'LL LEAVE TO YOU ALL.
IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT ONE AND I'M SURE IT COULD BE VERY PASSIONATE AS WELL.
BUT JUST THANK YOU FOR THIS WORK AND I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS ONE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENCE IN THE CHAMBER TODAY OF MEMBERS, FORMER MEMBERS OF DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER, THE PERFORMERS WHOSE LIVELIHOOD WE ARE DISCUSSING HERE TODAY.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A PASSIONATE INTEREST IN THE OUTCOME OF THE DECISION MAKING ABOUT THIS FUNDING, AND FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THE DALLAS DANCE COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO OFFER SOME CONTEXT TO THIS DISCUSSION THAT WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF OUR LAST MEETING WHEN WE REMANDED TO THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE.
AND I'D LIKE TO QUOTE FROM THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS THAT WAS QUOTING FROM THE NLRB STAFF THAT STATED THAT THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER, AMONG OTHER THINGS, UNLAWFULLY RETALIATED AGAINST EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR UNION ACTIVITIES AND THAT THE EMPLOYER THREATENED, RESTRAINED AND COERCED EMPLOYEES AND DISCHARGED AN EMPLOYEE FOR UNION ACTIVITIES.
BUT I THINK THAT INDICATES THAT A GOVERNMENTAL BODY HAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS UNLAWFUL AND WRONGFUL CONDUCT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE EMPLOYEES OF DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER, AND THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER OUR POSITION AS COUNCIL MEMBERS IN LIGHT OF THAT.
I'M VERY COGNIZANT OF THE NEED AND IN FACT, THE DUTY OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO ALLOCATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT OUR ARTISTS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ARTIST PROGRAM.
AS MR. BAZALDUA COMMENTED, I THINK WE NEED TO GET THIS MONEY OUT INTO ARTISTS HANDS.
I THINK THEY OBVIOUSLY GAVE A LOT OF THOUGHT AND MADE A THOUGHTFUL RECOMMENDATION.
THE ONE THING THAT I WOULD CHANGE IN IT IS TO THE SECOND BULLET POINT TO PROVIDE FOR DISCRETION ON THE PART OF THE COUNCIL IN THE EVENT THAT AN AGREEMENT OR SETTLEMENT IS REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES, SO THAT WE ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY BOUND BY WHAT THAT DECISION OR THAT SETTLEMENT MAY HAVE BEEN, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT AGREEMENT MAY BE AND IT MAY NOT BE SATISFACTORY TO THE COUNCIL.
AND SO I WOULD SUGGEST TO STAFF THAT THEY CONSIDER ADDING AN ELEMENT OF DISCRETION UPON AN AGREEMENT OR SETTLEMENT THAT CAN DETERMINE THE OUTCOME BASED UPON THE ACTUAL TERMS OF THAT AGREEMENT OR SETTLEMENT, WHICH NOW ARE UNKNOWN.
AT THE SAME TIME, I ALSO RESPECT THE OPINION THAT HAS BEEN VOICED THAT THIS MONEY NEEDS TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY AT A FUTURE DATE FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET FOR DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER TO APPLY AGAIN.
AND I'M SUBJECT TO, OF COURSE, FURTHER DISCUSSION BY THIS COMMITTEE.
[01:15:05]
SHOULD HAPPEN. SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MISS WILLIS? THANK YOU.AND SO WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS HOLD ARTS FUNDING, WHICH IS HARD TO COME BY AND IS SO OFTEN THE FIRST THING ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK. I DON'T WANT TO HOLD IT HOSTAGE TO LEGAL PING PONG, AND IT MAY NOT PLAY OUT FOR A WHILE, AND SO I'D LOVE TO JUMP TO THE FOURTH BULLET OF WHAT THIS ALLOCATION COMMITTEE AND OUR ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE SENT TO US.
AND JUST SAY THAT FOR NOW, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE SEND THIS BACK TO THAT COMMITTEE WITH THE DIRECTION TO REALLOCATE PER THEIR INSTRUCTION TO OTHER OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE PROGRAMS FOR THE 2025 FISCAL YEAR, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO COMMUNITY ARTS, COMMUNITY ARTIST PROGRAMS, CULTURAL VALUE, OR ARTS ACTIVATE WITH DIRECT INSTRUCTION THAT CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO FUNDING FOR ALANA PROGRAMING, WHICH IS AFRICAN, LATINX, ASIAN, ARAB AND NATIVE AMERICAN.
AND JUST IN THINKING ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, HAVING THIS HELD DOESN'T BENEFIT OUR RESIDENTS WHEN IT COMES TO EXPOSURE TO ARTS. AND I THINK WE NEED TO GET MOVE FORWARD IN THE NEXT STEP OF A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND FLOW THROUGH ARTISTS BACK TO OUR RESIDENTS, THE VALUE OF THE ARTS.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST STATEMENTS WE CAN MAKE.
AND IF FOR THIS TIME PERIOD YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR DONORS, I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS A NONPROFIT CEO, YOU'RE RESPONSIVE TO YOUR DONORS. IF THEY'RE EXPRESSING YOU KNOW, WHAT THEIR DESIRE IS OR WHAT THEIR OPINIONS ARE ON YOUR OPERATIONS OR YOUR PHILOSOPHY, YOU TAKE NOTICE.
AND SO I THINK MAYBE THIS COULD BE A GOOD EXERCISE IN THAT REGARD AS WELL.
BUT I'D LOVE TO HAVE ARTS EXPOSURE GOING ON JUST AS SOON AS WE CAN HAVE THAT HAPPEN.
AND IF IT COMES TO SOME PEOPLE, IF THESE DOLLARS CAN FLOW TO SOME WHO AREN'T NORMALLY RECIPIENTS OF THIS AND THAT CAN EXPAND THAT REACH, THEN THAT IS A WIN. SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE JUST GO ON AND GET TO THE REALLOCATION OF THE DOLLARS ACROSS THESE CATEGORIES, AND WE JUST KEEP TABS ON THIS AND MONITOR THAT FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT ACTION THAT WOULD TAKE SINCE WE CAN'T.
WE DON'T NEED TO SEND IT BACK TO THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE.
CORRECT. WE CAN AMEND WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE LIKE FOUR BUT DON'T LIKE THE DATE, WE CAN STRIKE THE DATE.
IT'S NOT THAT YOU'D BE SENDING IT BACK TO ALLOCATION, STAFF WOULD WORK WITH THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE NATURALLY TO REALLY TO, YOU KNOW, MOVE THROUGH THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS BECAUSE THAT'S THE NATURE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT COMMITTEE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A DIRECTIVE.
IT'S GOING TO. I MEAN, WE CAN TAKE ANY OF THESE, AMEND IT TO LIKE WE WANT TO, AND GO.
MOVE FORWARD. WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE AN ACTION TO SEND IT BACK TO GIVE US A RECOMMENDATION.
OKAY. SO MY QUESTION IS THEN SHOULD WE STRIKE THE DATE OF APRIL 15TH ALTOGETHER OR DO WE PUT IN A DATE OF JANUARY 1ST? GIVE THEM 30 DAYS TO TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS GIVE THEM.
GIVE THE TWO GROUPS TIME TO COME TOGETHER.
AND IF NOT, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK WE MOVE FORWARD. I WOULD LIKE.
I DEFINITELY THINK THAT APRIL 15TH SHOULD BE STRUCK.
AND I BELIEVE YOU KNOW, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE I KNOW THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM YOU.
CAN I ASK FOR A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER, IN ADDITION TO SOMEONE FROM THE DANCERS COMPANY TO COME DOWN? KC. YES, YOU CAN ASK THEM QUESTIONS.
I WOULD SAY THEY'D BE A DECISION OF THE CHAIR TO FILL OUT.
YES. I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THAT.
THANK YOU. SO IF A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH SIDE WOULD COME DOWN, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE I APPRECIATE THE SPIRIT THAT AND THE SENTIMENT THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP FROM MY COLLEAGUES TO SEE WHAT 30 DAYS WOULD GIVE.
[01:20:07]
HOWEVER, I'M VERY INTERESTED BECAUSE I'VE KEPT MY FINGER, YOU KNOW, PRETTY CLOSE TO THIS.AND SEEING THAT IN THE PAST 30 DAYS, NOT MUCH HAS BEEN DONE, NOT MUCH EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE.
AND SO THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS, YOU KNOW, PUT THIS ARBITRARY DATE OF EXPECTATION, 30 DAYS IS GOING TO BRING US TO ANYTHING IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY STARTED. AND IF WE'RE STARTING FROM NOW, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE HEARTBURN.
SO IF I COULD HEAR FROM BOTH SIDES WHAT EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO MEDIATE AND WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE WITH THOSE EFFORTS? IF I COULD HEAR FROM BOTH.
SMITH. I DANCED WITH THE COMPANY FOR 14 YEARS.
THAT IS WHY WE DECIDED TO BECOME UNION.
AND THEN EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE OBVIOUSLY ISSUES THAT LED TO THAT UNANIMOUS VOTE THAT WE HAD, THE MOST EGREGIOUS DECISIONS FROM MANAGEMENT HAPPENED AFTER THE FACT, INCLUDING TRYING TO SHORTEN OUR CONTRACTS AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY FIRING ALL OF ITS DANCERS, WHICH IS UNPRECEDENTED.
SINCE THEN, THERE HAS BEEN NO COMMUNICATION OR VERY LITTLE COMMUNICATION, I SHOULD SAY.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE WON'T BE A CONCLUSION ON DECEMBER 9TH.
I'LL BE AND WE'RE ALL IN PREPARATION FOR THAT AT THE MOMENT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE.
I'M SORRY. MY NAME IS GEORGIA SCAIFE AND I SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD FOR DALLAS BLACK THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO MAKE COMMENTS TODAY.
WE HAVE SHARED QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION WITH THE COUNCIL REGARDING WHAT'S HAPPENED MOST RECENTLY, A TIMELINE THAT WAS PRESENTED.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT FROM THE TIME THAT WE RECEIVED THE COMPLAINT FROM THE NLRB, WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY TALKING WITH THE NLRB ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS.
I CAN'T TELL YOU WHEN THIS WILL BE RESOLVED, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON IT IN EARNEST. WE ARE WORKING ON IT IN GOOD FAITH.
I THINK WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS COME TO A CLOSURE.
WE GAIN NOTHING BY DRAWING THIS OUT.
WE DISAGREE, OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE RULING.
WE DON'T THINK THE ACTIONS THAT WE'VE TAKEN WERE IN RETALIATION.
BUT AGAIN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE IS PROGRESS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING AND EXCHANGING POSITIONS.
I JUST I WANT TO JUST SAY, I THINK THAT Y'ALL'S ANSWERS KIND OF PAINTS EXACTLY THE PICTURE THAT I WAS TRYING TO PAINT, AND THAT'S THAT WE'VE HAD WE'VE HAD NO EFFORT FOR YOU ALL TO BE AT THE TABLE TOGETHER TO FIND A RESOLUTION.
I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT THAT HAPPENS VERY OFTEN, I THINK WE CAN ALL RELATE TO THIS AROUND THE HORSESHOE IS THAT THERE IS AN ENTITLEMENT OFTEN FROM INSTITUTES OR INDIVIDUALS WHO TAKE A STANCE TO ALMOST STRONGARM US BECAUSE THEY KNOW HOW PRIZED AN ORGANIZATION IS.
[01:25:01]
AND I WANT TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR.BUT THE ORGANIZATION AND WHO'S RUNNING IT AREN'T NECESSARILY THE SAME PRIDE.
AND SO WHEN WE HAVE A DIALOG AND A RESPONSE TO 7% PROPOSED, 7% NOMINAL TO BE FAIR, THAT Y'ALL'S REACTION TO IT WOULD BE CUTTING SOME OF THE MOST CRITICAL PROGRAMS THAT YOU ALL OFFER, MEANING THE PRIDE THAT WE HAVE IN WHAT YOU OFFER FOR THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THE PRIDE YOU HAVE IN WHAT YOU'RE OFFERING THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE TO MAKE 7% CUTS, WHENEVER I JUST SAW A BUDGET YEAR WHERE WE HAD TO MAKE 8% ACROSS THE BOARD, AND I KNOW HOW HARD THAT IS FOR EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT, THE LAST THING THAT OUR CITY MANAGER DID WAS PROPOSE SOMETHING TO US THAT WAS GOING TO SLASH SOME OF THE LIFELINES THAT WE WANT TO FIGHT FOR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE THAT YOU ALL HAVE WITHIN OUR YOUTH.
KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE YOU ALL HAVE WITH BRINGING DIVERSITY TO THE DANCE INDUSTRY IN OUR CITY, THAT YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO SLASH THAT BUT CONTINUE ON OTHER VENTURES THAT YOU DO IS WHAT REALLY SET THE TONE OF THE BAD TASTE Y'ALL PUT IN MY MOUTH, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE ULTIMATUMS TO US AT THE CITY TO MAKE US FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO GIVE YOU MONEY, OR WE'RE GOING TO LOSE SOMETHING.
TO ME, A GOOD PARTNER WOULD HAVE TOLD US HOW YOU'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER WHAT WE HAVE PRIDE IN MAKING SURE THAT THE REASON THE ORGANIZATION IS AS PRIZED AS IT AS IT IS BECAUSE OF THE ROLE THAT YOU HAVE PLAYED AS A PILLAR IN THE COMMUNITY, REMAINED AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE AGENDA. BUT FROM FOR ME, THE MESSAGE WAS CLEAR THAT Y'ALL WERE WILLING TO WIPE THAT AWAY UNLESS WE'RE GOING TO PLAY.
AND TO ME, THAT'S JUST NOT HOW WE DO BUSINESS.
AND SO I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR TO APPLY, TO CONTINUE TO SHOW THAT Y'ALL CAN BE THAT ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, BUT ALSO ALLOW FOR US TO STAND UP AND REPRESENT FOR THOSE WHOSE LIVELIHOOD, AS MR. RIDLEY MENTIONED, ARE AT STAKE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE WE'D BE DOING WITHOUT ANY DECISIONS BEING MADE.
AND JUST AS MENTIONED, WITHOUT EVEN HAVING MORE CONTEXT IN WHAT THESE DECISIONS COULD BRING ON JUST SAYING THAT THERE'S NO WRONGDOING WITH THE PROCESS THAT Y'ALL ARE COMING IN DOES NOT EXCLUDE US FROM STILL HAVING AN ISSUE WITH HOW CERTAIN THINGS WERE HANDLED.
SO I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWN THERE'S A LOT OF PROCESS THAT NEEDS TO BE PLAYED OUT.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO GO WITH OPTION NUMBER FOUR AND STRIKE THE DATE OF APRIL 15TH AND CHANGE THE WORDING THAT NO RULING TAKING IF OFF, NO RULING, DECISION OR RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MADE.
A POINT OF ORDER. STATE YOUR POINT OF ORDER, MR. GRACEY. I THOUGHT YOU SAID WE CAN'T EDIT THIS ITEM IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTOOD? WELL, THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS ADVISED THAT WE CAN'T MAKE A MOTION AS THAT WOULD ENTITLE THAT WOULD CONSTITUTE TAKING ACTION ON AN ITEM THAT WAS JUST NOTICED AS A BRIEFING ITEM.
SO I'LL GRANT THE POINT OF ORDER.
MR. BAZALDUA, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THE WORDING OF YOUR STATEMENT TO A SUGGESTION UPON WHICH WE MAY BE ABLE TO REACH CONSENSUS, RATHER THAN A MOTION THAT WOULD BE IN ORDER.
YES, SIR. MR. CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE RECOMMENDING TO STAFF, AFTER HEARING FROM THE REST OF THE BODY, THAT NO RULING OR DECISION HAS BEEN MADE TO THIS POINT. AND WITH THAT, THE FULL $248,435 FUNDING RECOMMENDATION WILL BE REALLOCATED TO OTHER ARTS, OTHER OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS FOR THE 2025 FISCAL YEAR, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE CAP, CULTURAL VALUE OR ARTS ACTIVATE AS LAID OUT BY STAFF.
TO STAFF IF THE COMMITTEE IS OF A CONSENSUS TO HAVE SUCH ACTION OCCUR, WOULD THAT OBVIATE THE NEED FOR THIS TO GO TO THE COUNCIL?
[01:30:03]
THE FULL COUNCIL ON THE 11TH.OR IS THAT A DATE SET ON THE DRAFT AGENDA THAT WE CAN'T VARY FROM.
AND SO IF THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION OR A CONSENSUS BY THE COUNCIL THAT CAN BE MADE ON THE FLOOR.
OKAY. WELL I THINK WE ARE BOUND BY THE DECEMBER 11TH DATE.
BUT I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE TO EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO THE SUGGESTED ACTION OR RECOMMENDATION BY MR. BAZALDUA. VICE CHAIR RESENDEZ.
THANK YOU. AND I'LL BE SUPER BRIEF.
I SUPPORT MR. BAZALDUA AND CHAIRWOMAN WILLIS'S COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? YEAH. OKAY.
WELL, THANK YOU, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE WERE GETTING AT.
IT WAS JUST WHETHER IT HAD TO GO BACK TO COMMITTEE OR WHETHER STAFF HANDLES IT.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE STAFF HANDLES IT.
SO THIS COULD MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY.
YES. MISS SCAIFE, WE'VE GOTTEN INFORMATION FROM DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER.
IT'S BEEN RELATED TO THE NLRB AND THE AGMA DISCUSSIONS.
IT HAS NOT BEEN RELATED TO OTHER ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED, AND I KNOW I HAD EXPRESSED CONCERNS IN LOOKING AT THE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK AND ASKING ABOUT WHETHER THE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK APPLIED TO DANCERS OR IF IT APPLIED TO EMPLOYEES, MEANING ALL STAFF.
AND SO WITH REGARD TO DAMAGING A BRAND.
AND SO I'M GIVING YOU INCREDIBLE INSIGHT HERE.
AND CHAIR BAZALDUA HAS GIVEN INCREDIBLE INSIGHT AS TO HOW TO GET TO RESOLUTION.
AND WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED HAS BEEN TONE DEAF.
AND SO I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT AT THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE BORED.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A RESUME BUILDING SHOW BOARD OR IF IT'S A WORKING BOARD, BUT THIS IS A CALL.
AND SO ANYWAY, I THINK WE'RE GETTING TO A RESOLUTION TODAY ULTIMATELY.
BUT I THIS IS A VALUABLE ORGANIZATION.
SO I HOPE THAT THAT CALL IS HEARD.
THANKS. THANK YOU, MISS WILLIS.
I AM NOT GOING TO LEAVE IT AT THAT.
THERE'S ANOTHER COMMENT THAT I NEED TO MAKE.
AND THAT IS IT IS NOT HELPFUL IN THIS KIND OF A CHARGED ATMOSPHERE FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER'S BOARD TO MAKE MISSTATEMENTS TO THIS COUNCIL AND IN PUBLIC.
I HAVE CHECKED WITH THE UNION.
YOU REPRESENTED THAT TO THIS FULL COUNCIL AT ITS LAST HEARING.
YOU ALSO ISSUED A PRESS RELEASE TO THAT EFFECT.
I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE WITHDRAWN.
OKAY. AM I ALLOWED TO RESPOND TO THAT? NO. THAT CONCLUDES OUR DISCUSSION OF ITEM C.
OH MR. GRACEY. SORRY. JUST GETTING BACK TO THE PRACTICALITY OF THIS ORIGINAL MEMO.
HAVE ALL OF THE ALLOCATIONS ALREADY BEEN AWARDED TO THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
FOR THE CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS PROGRAM? YES THEY HAVE. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN HISTORICALLY, WHAT'S THE LATEST THAT THOSE ALLOCATIONS HAVE BEEN AWARDED? HAS THERE BEEN SUCH INSTANCES WHERE THE MONEY DIDN'T GET OUT AND THERE WAS A DELAY OF SOME SORT? HISTORICALLY, CITY COUNCIL APPROVES THOSE ALLOCATIONS AT THE END OF OCTOBER AFTER THE BUDGET IS APPROVED.
AND WE CAN GET THE ITEM TO YOU.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I JUST PRAY THAT THE MESSAGE HAS BEEN HEARD HERE TODAY IN TERMS OF THIS FOUR MONTHS AGAIN, WHERE THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN HAD OR NOT.
I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
AND AGAIN, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT, A MEMO AS IT STANDS AND JUST TRULY IMPLORE BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY'RE SAYING, COME BACK AND APPLY LIKE THAT'S A REALITY.
[01:35:02]
THE CITY, WE DON'T HAVE $200 OR $300,000 SITTING AROUND TO ADD TO THIS PROGRAM.WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT TYPE OF BUDGET CYCLE WE'RE GOING INTO.
AND IT'S ONLY HURTING, THE ORGANIZATION AS A WHOLE.
AND I'M SAYING THAT WHETHER YOU DANCERS ARE THERE OR WHETHER YOU LEADERS ARE THERE, THAT ORGANIZATION WILL REMAIN IN THE 300,000 WILL NOT. THANK YOU, MR. GRACEY. THAT WILL CONCLUDE OUR ITEM C, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM D ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE BRIEFING MEMORANDUM ON THE CITY FACILITIES PARTNERS UPDATE DALLAS THEATER CENTER RAY KALITA, HUMPHREYS THEATER.
LIZ, DID YOU HAVE ANY PARTICULAR COMMENTS TO MAKE ABOUT THIS MEMO? THANK YOU. CHAIR. AND IT REALLY IS JUST A SERIES OF MEMOS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE BEEN BRINGING FORWARD IN RESPONSE TO YOUR INTEREST IN OAC'S PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS.
SO IF THE COMMITTEE HAS ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THIS PARTICULAR ONE DALLAS THEATER CENTER, REGARDING KALITA HUMPHREYS, WE'RE PREPARED TO TAKE THOSE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS NOW. ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM E WHICH IS THE FORECAST? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FORECAST? SEEING NONE, I ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 10:46 A.M..
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.