[* A portion of this meeting is without audio *]
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[Veteran Affairs Commission on December 12, 2024.]
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I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME, AND I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND, AND EDUCATE YOU GUYS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.I JUST MIGHT BE TALKING NOT VERY LOUDLY, NOT USED TO HAVING A MICROPHONE.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF HOMELESSNESS, HEALTH AND SPECIAL INITIATIVES AT CATHOLIC CHARITIES.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING IN HOMELESS SERVICES FOR ABOUT, UH, 14 OR 15 YEARS NOW, AND WORKING IN THE, IN, IN HOMELESS SERVICES AND SHELTERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR A WHILE HERE IN DALLAS.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND TALKING ABOUT OUR WORK NEXT.
SO, CATHOLIC CHARITIES HAVE BEEN AROUND, UM, REALLY SINCE 1941, BUT WE BECAME INCORPORATED IN 1997, AND WE HAVE QUITE A BROAD REACH.
UM, WE SERVE NEARLY 5 MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS, UH, NINE DIFFERENT COUNTIES, AND ALL THE PEOPLE WE SERVE HAVE SOME LEVEL OF NEED.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TYPES OF SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT WE PROVIDE.
IT'S QUITE A, A WIDE BREADTH, BUT WE ARE ABLE TO SERVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WITH THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE AND THE PROGRAMS.
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UM, AND WE ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON SERVING EVERYONE.SO, UH, IT'S REALLY ABOUT LOW BARRIER SERVICES, WHO COMES TO OUR FRONT DOOR THAT NEEDS SOMETHING WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, WE SERVE FAMILIES, SENIORS, CHILDREN, ADULTS.
UM, WE HAVE 325 EMPLOYEES AND 48 PROGRAMS. UM, THOSE 48 PROGRAMS BELONG TO 12 MISSIONS THAT ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON HOMELESSNESS, EDUCATION, ENDING HUNGER, HEALTH SERVICES, FINANCIAL EDUCATION, QUITE A FEW THINGS.
YOU MAY KNOW US BEST FOR OUR WORK IN IMMIGRATION AND LEGAL SERVICES AND REFUGEE SERVICES, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE DO QUITE A BIT ACROSS ALL SPECTRUMS. SO AS IT RELATES TO HOMELESSNESS, WHICH IS WHAT I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TODAY, UM, I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD MANY, MANY THINGS ABOUT IT.
IT'S QUITE A COMPLEX PROBLEM IN OUR, IN OUR CITY AND STATE, ACROSS OUR NATION.
UM, AND HOW PEOPLE BECOME HOMELESS OR ENTER HOMELESSNESS CAN BE A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS.
IT'S USUALLY COMPLEX BARRIERS THAT GET PEOPLE THERE, BUT ONE OF THE MOST COMMON EXPERIENCES THAT WE SEE IS THAT IT'S REALLY A RISE.
IT'S A RISING OF HOUSING COSTS COUPLED WITH LOW WAGES.
AND SO OVER THE MANY, MANY YEARS, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD FOLKS TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S LIVING WAGE VERSUS, YOU KNOW, MINIMUM WAGE.
TEXAS, AS YOU KNOW, HAS A MINIMUM WAGE OF 7 25.
THAT'S IN KEEPING WITH, UM, OUR FEDERAL, UH, UM, UM, WAGE.
UH, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LIVING WAGE.
HOW MUCH DOES IT ACTUALLY COST TO LIVE IN OUR CITY, IN OUR COUNTY? UM, AND THAT NUMBER IS QUITE HIGHER.
WE SAY IT'S 15, BUT IT'S EVEN MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT.
WE FIND THAT FOLKS WHO ARE, UM, OFTENTIMES, UM, LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK ARE IN SOMETHING CALLED ALICE, WHICH IS ASSET LIMITED INCOME, RE CONSTRAINED, EMPLOYED.
THOSE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING ONE OR TWO JOBS LIVING IN AN APARTMENT OR A HOME PAYING RENT.
UM, THEY MIGHT HAVE A SMALL SAVINGS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH THAT'S GONNA KEEP THEM OUT OF CRISIS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THINGS LIKE SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH, ALSO JUST FAMILY CRISIS, MEDICAL EMERGENCIES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS CAN LEAD TO A PERSON FACING INSTABILITY AND THEN ULTIMATELY SOMETIMES END IN HOMELESSNESS.
UM, TEXAS STILL RANKS 11TH, UH, IN THE US FOR HIGHEST POVERTY RATE.
WE ARE NOT IN THE TOP 10, BUT WE'RE ALSO IN THE TOP 20, WHICH ISN'T GREAT.
SO WE KNOW WE HAVE A WIDE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO CAN BECOME HOMELESS IF THEY FACE A CRISIS.
50% OF FOLKS, UM, WITHIN DALLAS COUNTY.
ACTUALLY, THE 20 20, 20 24 NUMBERS IS ACTUALLY 43% OF PEOPLE THAT ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ALICE, WHICH IS WORKING, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, WORKING FOR, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY HOMELESS, BUT THEY'RE MAKING MONEY, PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.
OH, THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTION.
OKAY, WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PERSON ENTERS CRISIS? YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT CRISIS INCLUDE AN UNEXPECTED ILLNESS.
YOU KNOW, YOU COULD BE WORKING TWO JOBS TO TRY TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
YOU END UP GETTING AN ILLNESS, END UP IN THE HOSPITAL, LOSE TWO PAYCHECKS WORTH OF MONEY.
YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE IN SAVINGS.
THAT CRISIS ALONE CAN CAUSE YOU INTO HOUSING INSTABILITY.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY HOMELESSNESS.
YOU KNOW, YOU COULD GIVE UP YOUR PLACE TO LIVE, TO TAKE CARE OF A LOVED ONE, AND THEN THAT LOVED ONE PASSES OR GETS SICKER, AND THEN YOU DON'T HAVE A, A SAFETY NET RELATED TO THAT.
IT CAN ALSO LOOK LIKE ADDICTION OR MENTAL HEALTH, WHICH WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT IN HOMELESSNESS, JOB LOSS, AND IT CAN ALSO LOOK LIKE LOSS OF TRANSPORTATION.
AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION ON A REGULAR ROUTINE BASIS IMPACT PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY, UM, INCOME LIMITED.
SO THESE TYPES OF THINGS ARE WHAT GET PEOPLE INTO CRISIS.
COUPLED WITH THAT RIGHT, IS, IS HIGH, UM, HOUSING RATES, THE FACT THAT HOUSING IS NOT NECESSARILY AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE AND LOW WAGES.
SO THOSE TWO THINGS IN COMBINATION COUPLED WITH A CRISIS CAN GET YOU IN A REALLY BAD SPOT AND A PERSON CAN ENTER HOMELESSNESS JUST BASED ON THOSE THINGS ALONE.
SO WHAT DO WE FIND THAT OFTEN HELPS PEOPLE TRANSITION FROM INSTABILITY, BE IT HOUSING OR FINANCIAL INSTABILITY OR HOMELESSNESS, UM, INTO A PLACE OF STABILITY? WELL, DEPENDING ON THE PERSON'S EXPERIENCE, THEY MAY NEED A WIDE VARIETY OF SERVICES.
AND HERE'S JUST KIND OF A, A SMALL SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN BENEFIT FROM.
UM, AND THAT WE PROVIDE A CATHOLIC CHARITIES IN OUR HOMELESS SERVICES PROGRAM.
SO THEY INCLUDE THINGS LIKE INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, UM, IN ALL OF OUR ST.
JUDE PROPERTIES, WHICH WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT.
FOLKS GET INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT THAT'S REALLY DESIGNED TO HELPING PEOPLE ADDRESS THEIR BARRIERS AND MOVE THE STABILITY.
THEY ALSO GET COMMUNITY BUILDING THE ABILITY TO MAKE, MAKE, UM, A A NEW COMMUNITY, A NEW SET OF FRIENDS, A NEW SAFETY NET WHEREVER THEY LIVE.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE LITERACY AND JOB SKILLS LOOKS LIKE HEALTH SERVICES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, COUNSELING, PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL
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ACCESS, TRANSPORTATION, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.JUDE PROPERTIES THAT WE OPERATE, UM, OFFER ALL OF THESE SERVICES AND THEY'RE REALLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SURE FOLKS CAN ACCESS THESE SO THAT THEY DO NOT ENTER CRISIS AGAIN.
SO TO START, UM, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF THREE.
THE FIRST ONE THAT WE BUILT WAS, UM, THE ST.
JUDE FOREST LANE PROPERTY, WHICH IS LOCATED ON FOREST LANE IN 6 35.
IT HOUSES 104 RESIDENTS WHO ARE FORMERLY HOMELESS, WHO ARE 55 AND ABOVE.
AND THEY ARE PROVIDED WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF SUPPORTS.
BUT THIS, UH, PROPERTY PARTICULARLY, WE HAVE TWO CASE MANAGERS ON SITE WHO HELP PEOPLE WHO MOVE IN AND BASICALLY GET THEM TO STABILITY.
SO FROM THE POINT THAT THEY MOVE IN WITH US, WE ASK, WHAT DO YOU NEED? IF IT'S FOOD, IF IT'S CLOTHING, IF IT'S HIGHER STUFF LIKE FAMILY REUNIFICATION, HEY, I WANNA BUY A CAR.
IT'S ALL OF THAT WORK THAT STARTS FROM THE POINT OF, OF ADMISSION INTO, INTO THE HOUSING PROGRAM.
AND THEN IT GOES UNTIL AS LONG AS THEY LIVE WITH US AND FOLKS CAN LIVE WITH US FOREVER.
OUR PERMIT, IT'S CALLED PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR A REASON.
WE PROVIDE THE SUPPORT, BUT IT'S ALSO PERMANENT.
NOT EVERYONE ENDS UP TRANSITIONING.
NOT EVERYONE CAN RE GET A JOB AND MOVE IN WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY OR GET THEIR OWN PLACE.
SO IN THAT WAY, FOLKS ARE ABLE TO STAY WITH US FOR AS LONG AS THEY NEED.
YOU'LL SEE THERE THAT FIGURE 58,000 TO KEY.
THAT'S THE COST OF RENOVATING ONE UNIT.
JUDE PROPERTIES IS THAT WE DO SOMETHING CALLED ADAPTIVE REUSE.
UH, WE'VE CO WE'VE PARTNERED WITH, UM, CHI CATHOLIC HOUSING INITIATIVE TO HELP FIND PROPERTIES THAT CAN BE, UM, RENOVATED.
AND THEN WE RENOVATE EACH PROPERTY TO MAKE IT A SINGLE USE PROPERTY.
SO THEY HAVE A, A, A BATHROOM, UM, A BEDROOM, AND A KITCHEN.
THE SECOND PROPERTY WE HAVE IS ST.
SO, UM, THIS IS MORE UNITS, 202 UNITS AND, SORRY, UM, 202 UNITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO SINGLE ADULTS.
SO ANYONE OVER THE AGE OF 18 IS ABLE TO LIVE WITH US.
IF YOU NOTICE AT FOREST LANE, IT'S 55 AND ABOVE.
THIS HAS NO, UM, BARRIER ON AGE OTHER THAN YOU HAVE TO BE AN ADULT.
UM, THE COST OF RENOVATION FOR THIS UNIT WAS 85,000.
WE'RE KIND OF GIVING YOU SOME FIGURES TO SHOW KIND OF THE EXPENSE RELATED TO THIS, BUT ADAPTIVE REUSE IS ACTUALLY MORE COST EFFECTIVE THAN BUILDING A PROPERTY FROM THE GROUND UP.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO GET HOUSING TO PEOPLE IN CRISIS QUICKLY.
AT THIS PROPERTY, WE HAVE FIVE CASE MANAGERS THAT ARE ALL FOCUSED ON SERVING THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE HERE.
AND ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE AT ALL OF OUR ST.
JUDE PROPERTIES IS THAT WE WORK WITH PARTNERS VERY INTENTIONALLY.
SO WITHIN OUR NETWORK OF PARTNERS, WE HAVE PEOPLE LIKE METROCARE, UM, IPS, THE VA HOSPITAL, UM, UH, THE BRIDGE, AUSTIN STREET, MANY O OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE PLACING PEOPLE INTO OUR PROPERTY.
AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH HOUSING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING THE MOST VULNERABLE OUT OF THE COORDINATED ACCESS SYSTEM, WHICH IS OUR, OUR, OUR CITY'S AND OUR COUNTY'S WAY OF TRACKING PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND NEED HOUSING.
UM, WITHIN THIS PROPERTY, WE ALSO DO, UM, COMMUNITY, UM, ENGAGEMENT JUST LIKE WE DO AT PARK.
FOREST LANE, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT OLDER, 55 AND OLDER.
SO WE HAVE PEOPLE LIKE PARKLAND, A A RP, PEOPLE OUT THERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU.
UM, HERE WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL, SUBSTANCE ABUSE CLASSES COUPLED WITH EMPOWERMENT.
SO WE REALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT DOES EMPOWERMENT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU.
WE HAVE GED CLASSES FOR FOLKS THAT WANNA GET THEIR EDUCATION.
UH, WE PARTNERED WITH DALLAS COLLEGE ON SOME THINGS.
SO IT'S REALLY UNIQUE TO THE PROPERTY, MAKING SURE THAT THE CLIENTS ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED AS IT RELATES TO STABILITY.
IT IS, YEAH, BOTH, UH, ALL THREE ARE, ARE, UM, OLD HOTELS THAT THEY END, WE ENDED UP RENOVATING.
JUST TO REMINDER EVERYBODY, PLEASE SHOW, OH, SORRY.
WHEN YOU ARE, WHEN YOU ARE SPEAKING, TO HAVE THE MICROPHONE ON SO THAT EVERYONE'S ABLE TO HEAR CLEARLY.
UH, THE QUE MY QUESTION WAS, UH, ARE THESE PROPERTIES, UH, CITY OWNED PROPERTIES OR ARE THIS YOU, YOU OUT, YOU PURCHASED? UH, I GUESS FOR PRIVATE, UH, THESE, THESE WERE NOT CITY OWNED PROPERTIES AND, AND PARK AND PARK CENTRAL WILL NOT CITY OWNED PROPERTIES.
SO WHO OWNS THEM? I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS ON WHO OWNED THEM BEFORE.
I MEAN, LIKE, I CAN TELL THAT WAS A LAQUINTA, BUT, UH, I MEAN, OH, WHO OWNS THEM NOW? YES.
CHI, UH, CATHOLIC HOUSING INITIATIVE IS OUR, IS OUR PARTNER AND DEVELOPER.
UM, VANTAGE POINT IS OUR LAST PROPERTY JUST OPENED, UH, IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
IT'S OUR NEWEST PROPERTY THAT WE'VE OWNED, UH, OPENED.
AND IT'S ALL THE SAME, UM, SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THAT WE PROVIDE AT OTHER ST.
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WE HAVE TWO CASE MANAGERS HERE ON SITE, AND WE TAKE SINGLE ADULTS AND WE WORK WITH HOUSING FORWARD AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO HOUSE PEOPLE.UM, I KNOW THIS IS A VETERAN SPECIFIC, UH, GROUP HERE, SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WE PARTNER VERY CLOSELY WITH THE VA AND OF ALL OF OUR PROPERTIES ACROSS THREE OF OUR PROPERTIES, WE HOUSE 102 VETERANS.
UM, AND THAT NUMBER CONSTANTLY KIND OF GROWS.
UM, THAT'S THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP AND THEN ALSO WITH JUST THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE IN GENERAL.
THE, UH, CITY OWNS PROPERTY OVER IN FORT WORTH AVENUE.
THE OLD MIRAMAR WAS A CITY OWNED PROPERTY THAT THEY HAD FOR A WHILE, THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO GET, UM, SOMEONE TO TAKE ON ALL OF THAT.
UM, AND SO THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, WE WERE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH CHI ONCE AGAIN AND GET THAT PROPERTY.
AND WHAT, UH, IS THE TIMEFRAME? SO THEY ARE LOOKING TO START, UM, RENOVATING IN JANUARY WITH A PLAN TO PROBABLY START MOVING PEOPLE IN END OF JANUARY, JANUARY, BEGINNING OF END OF 25, BEGINNING OF 26TH.
WOULD THAT BE YOUR FOURTH LOCATION IN YOU DON'T, THESE ARE ALL THE ONLY LOCATIONS YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW? ONLY SITES.
JUDE PROPERTY, WHICH IS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
WE HAVE TWO OTHER PROPERTIES, UM, THAT COME FROM CITY SQUARE, UH, FORMERLY WHEN THEY WERE AROUND.
THAT'S, UM, CITY WALK AND THE COTTAGES.
UM, THOSE ARE NOT CONSIDERED NECESSARILY PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, BUT THEY ARE HOUSING AND THEY COMPRISE THAT NU THAT 700 NUMBER.
HOW, HOW MANY UNITS ARE IN THE MIRAMAR, BY THE WAY? OH, PROBABLY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I DO HAVE IT.
WHILE SHE'S DOING THAT, UM, WE DO HAVE QUO, UM, SO SHE CAN LOOK UP THAT INFORMATION.
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND, UH, I GUESS CALL IT, CALL IT FURNITURE, MISS.
I THINK YOU'LL FIND AN ANSWER TO HIS QUESTION.
IT, IT'S, THE M HAS BEEN, UH, ON THE BOOKS FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE YOU GUYS CAME ON BOARD, SO WE ARE ANXIOUS TO SEE THAT COME ONLINE.
WELL, WE'RE HA, WE'RE EAGER TO DO IT.
SO IS THERE SOMETHING THIS COMMISSION COULD DO FOR YOU THAT WOULD, IN TERMS OF VETERANS TO GET MORE VETERANS TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR SERVICES? OR ARE YOU PRETTY SATISFIED WITH THE WAY THE VA AND OTHER, UH, GROUPS GETS VETERANS TO YOU? I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE VA AND THEY'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY RESPONSIVE AND REALLY RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE VETERANS IN OUR PROPERTIES.
UM, AND WE ALSO WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH HOUSING FORD, WHICH WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE VA AS WELL.
SO, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A VERY GOOD COLLABORATIVE SYSTEM, UM, AND THEY MOVE PEOPLE IN VERY QUICKLY.
UM, AND THEY REALLY WRAP AROUND THE VETERANS THAT ARE WITH US.
SO IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE THAT HAS QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, THIS IS COMMISSIONER PRECIADO DISTRICT TWO.
UH, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T CATCH YOUR NAME IN THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION.
SARAH, OH, NICE TO MEET YOU, SARAH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING, UH, TO THE COMMISSION, UH, TO SPEAK ABOUT, UH, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, UH, DALLAS.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
SO YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAVE A FEW VETERANS THAT, UH, USE, USE YOUR, UH, FACILITIES.
UM, SO WHAT KIND OF RESOURCES, UH, DO YOU PROVIDE TO THESE VETERANS WHEN THEY COME IN? UM, I KNOW YOU DIRECT 'EM TO THE VA, UM, BUT LIKE, ARE, ARE YOU PROVIDING ANY KIND OF CASEWORK WITH DISABILITIES OR ARE YOU PROVIDING, UM, ACCESS TO LIKE THEIR DD TWO 14 OR WHAT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HELP CAN YOU GIVE VETERANS THAT COME SEE YOU? UM, THANK YOU FOR ASKING.
JUDE PROPERTIES, WE HAVE, UM, CASE MANAGEMENT ONSITE.
SO EVERYBODY THAT STAYS AT OUR PROPERTY GETS ACCESS TO CASE MANAGEMENT AND WE CALL IT INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT.
SO FROM THE POINT THAT THEY ENTER, UM, DEPENDING ON KIND OF WHAT PROGRAM THEY'RE ATTACHED TO, THEY'RE ABLE TO MEET WITH A CASE MANAGER AND TALK ABOUT WHAT DOES STABILITY LOOK LIKE FOR THEM.
UM, AND IT CAN BE LIKE, HEY, GETTING THEM RECONNECTED WITH THE VA OR GETTING THEM CONNECTED WITH ANOTHER RESOURCE.
BUT OUR ONSITE CASE MANAGERS DO THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT COME IN.
SO WE HAVE PLACES LIKE, UM, METROCARE, IPS, THE VA ALSO COMES ON SITE AND VISITS THEIR FOLKS AS WELL.
SO WE PARTNER WITH ALL THOSE AGENCIES TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING THEIR NEEDS MET.
BUT IT'S UNIQUE TO THE PERSON, AND WE ARE INTENTIONAL ABOUT SERVING THAT.
BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE, IN THIS FACILITY TO GET THOSE SERVICES.
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AN INTAKE OFFICE? WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE AN INTAKE OFFICE.UM, IN ORDER TO GET SERVICES AT OUR ST.
JUDE PROPERTIES, UM, THROUGH THIS PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY, UM, THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT OF OUR, ONE OF OUR ST.
BUT WE HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS. UM, THAT'S WHAT I'M, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
HOW DO YOU, YOU SAID YOU SERVE 5 MILLION PEOPLE.
HOW, HOW DO THEY GET TO CATHOLIC CHARITIES? RIGHT.
ANY NUMBER OF THOSE PROGRAMS. SO THEY CAN COME THROUGH OUR FOOD PANTRY, THEY CAN COME THROUGH OUR IMMIGRATION AND LEGAL SERVICES.
THEY CAN COME THROUGH NEXT GEN WEALTH ACADEMY, WHICH IS FINANCIAL EDUCATION.
WE SERVE VETERANS IN ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. UM, BUT AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THIS, YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING, THIS IS HOW WE SERVE THEM.
AND, UM, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
SO, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED, UH, YOU HAVE A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS AND THE BRIDGE.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THE CITY CAN DO TO STRENGTHEN THAT RELATIONSHIP OR TO HELP WITH, UH, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? I SHOULD HAVE COME MORE PREPARED ABOUT ASKING THE CITY FOR HELP
UM, I, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY DO HAVE A VERY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL THOSE FOLKS.
I MEAN, WE ARE, IT'S AN OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION.
WE'RE ON THE PHONE CONSTANTLY PROBLEM SOLVING, THINKING THROUGH THINGS.
WE'VE BEEN VERY BLESSED TO HAVE THAT.
UM, AND SO THERE IS LIKELY SOMETHING THE CITY CAN DO.
MORE, I THINK THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS GONNA BE MORE MONEY.
AND KEEP US ON THE FRONT OF YOUR MIND, YOU KNOW,
DISTRICT SEVEN HERE, DIANE BIRDWELL, UM, BECAUSE I'M, SO, I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE.
I FORGOT THE PARKING THING WITH, UH, THE, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT, THAT MARATHON FOR TOMORROW? UM, WHEN Y'ALL ARE LOOKING FOR MORE HELP, IS IT YOUR BOARD THAT GOES OUT AND HOLDS EVENTS TO GET THE INFORMATION? HOW DO Y'ALL NORMALLY LET PEOPLE KNOW TO DO, HOW DO YOU DO YOUR FUNDRAISING AND YOUR, UH, COORDINATION WITH DIFFERENT PROGRAMS? IF YOU CAN SPEAK ON THAT FOR JUST A MINUTE.
I MEAN, WE HAVE A GREAT, WE HAVE A VERY, VERY ROBUST NETWORK OF, UM, FUNDRAISERS.
UH, WE HAVE A GREAT CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER WHO DOES A GREAT JOB AT ENGAGING FOLKS IN OUR, IN OUR WORK.
UM, SO PART OF IT IS COMMUNITY AWARENESS.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S THE THERE NETWORKING PIECE I THINK EVERY NONPROFIT DOES WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU ARE RAISING MONEY ON A REGULAR AND ROUTINE BASIS.
IT'S ALSO APPLYING FOR GRANTS AND FUNDS TO HELP SUPPORT YOUR WORK AND BEING VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND THEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNITY BUILDING, DOING THINGS LIKE THIS, TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT OUR MISSION AND OUR WORK TO TALK ABOUT KIND OF HOW WE'RE SO IMPACTFUL.
SO I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF ALL THOSE THREE, THOSE THREE THINGS THAT HELP US BRING IN ATTENTION IN DONORS AND FINANCES, UM, AS IT RELATES TO SUSTAINABILITY.
I THINK THE FUNDING PIECE AND THE FUNDRAISING PIECE, I THINK WE ARE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK Y'ALL BECAUSE OVER THE YEARS, I, I SPENT 25 YEARS IN DISD AS A TEACHER, AND WE AT BRIAN ADAMS, WE HAD REFUGEE AFTER REFUGEE AFTER REFUGEE AND CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND THE INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE AND A COUPLE OTHERS.
Y'ALL WERE THE ONES THAT HELPED THE FAMILIES THE MOST.
WE WOULD SEE YOUR NAME ON ALL KINDS OF ENTRANCE PAPERWORK ON HELPING THEM WITH HOUSING AND LANGUAGE, UH, ISSUES AND SUCH.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT.
COMMISSIONER WALKER, DISTRICT FOUR SIDE BEING HOMELESS, UH, WHAT ARE THE OTHER QUALIFICATIONS TO QUALIFY FOR THESE SERVICES FOR HOUSING SPECIFICALLY? UM, REALLY THAT'S IT.
YOU JUST HAVE TO BE A FORMALLY HOMELESS, UH, INDIVIDUAL.
AND, AND THEN WE WORK WITH, BASICALLY, WE GET YOU INTO THE, THE CASTE SYSTEM OR INTO AN AGENCY THAT CAN HELP YOU AND THEN PRIORITIZE YOU FOR HOUSING.
BUT THE ONLY ADMISSION CRITERIA IS TO BE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
COMMISSIONER SHERMAN, DISTRICT FIVE.
UH, THANKS FOR JOINING US, SARAH, AND, UH, INFORMING US ABOUT YOUR PROGRAM.
UH, SPECIFICALLY I HAVE A COUSIN THAT'S IN IT, UH, I GUESS THE ST.
AND, UH, I THINK IT'S REALLY GREAT, UH, IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE TO GO VISIT SOME OF THESE PLACES, THEY REAL, THEY'RE REALLY NEAT.
JUDE AND I USED TO LIVE OVER IN THIS OTHER AREA NEAR THE VANTAGE POINT MM-HMM
AREA, RIGHT NEAR THE, UH, THE TRAIN STATION.
SO, I MEAN, MAN, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY CONVENIENT NEAR TI AND ALL THAT AREA.
SO, UH, ESPECIALLY THE, THE ONE, THE VANTAGE, I MEAN, THIS, UH, ST.
JUDE, THE, THE OLD HOTEL, I KNOW THEY DO THE IN AND OUT BURGERS ONE.
AND I BEEN, UH, AND THEY ALSO HAVE LIKE THE FOOD PANTRY THERE, NOT ONLY FOR, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT'S IN THERE, BUT ALTHOUGH ALSO MY COUSIN, HE IST A VETERAN.
HE'S BEEN THERE MAYBE TWO YEARS.
AND SO I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR Y'ALL, UH, FINDING HIM A PLACE.
I THINK HE WENT THROUGH THE SALVATION ARMY THROUGH THE VETERANS PART PORTION, SO THAT'S WONDERFUL.
AND SO THEY HAVE A BIG VETERAN, UH, COMMUNITY FIELD.
THEY HAVE A VETERAN, UH, LIKE PEER SUPPORT.
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UH, I'VE BEEN, I GO THERE A LOT.SO I SEE A LOT OF THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT PROGRAM DOES.
AND IT'S VERY, UH, NOT ONLY JUST FOR VETERANS, BUT, BUT JUST THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, UH, RIGHT IN THAT AREA, REALLY.
UH, YOU'RE, UH, LIKE TI, THEY HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE A LOT OF, A LOT OF BUSINESSES THERE IN THAT AREA.
SO IT'S, IT WAS REAL, REAL HIGH, YOU KNOW, HIGH UP END AREA IN NORTH DALLAS, SO, AND SO, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY NEAT, UH, THAT Y'ALL DO THAT.
THE MEDICAL, THE, JUST, EVERYTHING'S RIGHT IN THAT AREA.
UH, MEDICAL CITY, UH, IT'S RIGHT IN THAT AREA.
THE BUS STATION COMES THROUGH THAT AREA.
SO, AND THEY ALSO DO A LOT OF THINGS TRANSPORTING THEM TO LIKE, WALMART AND DIFFERENT PROGRAMS LIKE THAT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT, UH,
AND SO, UH, THAT'S VERY, UH, NEAT.
AND I GO BY THERE A LOT, SO I'M VERY GLAD.
WELL, YOU MIGHT HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB AT TALKING ABOUT SOME OF OUR SERVICES THAT I FORGOT TO MENTION, BUT WE DO HAVE A FOOD PANTRY AT OUR PARK CENTRAL LOCATION.
THAT'S OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND RESIDENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, I GUESS I COULD ASK YOU JUST ONE OTHER, UH, THERE'S A, A MODEL AND I THINK I, I, UH, CAN'T REMEMBER THAT MEETING THAT WE WENT TO.
I ASKED, UH, THE GENTLEMAN THERE ABOUT THE, THE MODEL FOR A JEREMIAH PROJECT WHERE I KNOW THAT YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE THESE BROKEN UP INTO THE AGE BRACKETS.
UM, I VISITED ONE IN, IN, UH, IN AUSTIN.
AND THEY, THEY HAVE A, UH, A MODEL WHERE, WHERE THEY BRING IN SINGLE, YOU KNOW, HOMELESS OR, OR PARENTS OR, OR SINGLE PARENTS OR, OR, OR, YOU KNOW, EVEN A COUPLE, BUT THEY GIVE 'EM A PLAN, YOU KNOW, LIKE FOR EDUCATION OR, OR WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU GONNA BE AT IN FIVE YEARS INSTEAD OF JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVING SOMEBODY SITTING THERE IN THEIR, UH, FACILITIES.
UH, DO Y'ALL MODEL THAT? OR, OR, YEAH, THAT'S THAT CASE MANAGEMENT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S, TO YOUR POINT, DO UNIQUE TO THE PERSON, UM, AND ABOUT WHAT THEIR GOALS ARE AND WHAT THEY WANNA ACHIEVE.
BUT THAT IS THE IMPORTANT, SUCH A CRITICAL PIECE OF HELPING PEOPLE KIND OF JOURNEY OUT OF HOMELESSNESS, IS THEN BEING ABLE TO SAY, WHAT DOES YOUR LIFE LOOK LIKE? AND HOW CAN WE HELP YOU GET THERE? UM, SOME PEOPLE, LIKE I MENTIONED, MAY END UP LIVING WITH US FOR THEIR, THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR LIVES, AND SOME PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT IDEA.
IT MIGHT BE FAMILY REUNIFICATION OR GETTING THEIR OWN PLACE.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THAT CASE MEANS.
SO IT'S THAT INDIVIDUALIZED PLAN THAT HAPPENS AT THE POINT OF ADMISSION THAT WE REALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT DOES YOUR FUTURE LOOK LIKE? OKAY.
I JUST, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN.
IF WE CAN, CAN WE JUST POSE FOR A GROUP PICTURE BEFORE OUR GUEST LEAVES? IF WE COULD HAVE A GROUP PICTURE, PLEASE.
DO THEY KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING? I HOPE THEY HEARD.
UH, UH, WE'RE FIXING GONNA TAKE A GROUP, UH, PICTURE HERE, UH, AT CHAMBERS, AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
WE'RE GONNA WANT TO DO THAT BASED ON
I, LET'S TAKE A FEW SHOTS HERE.
[00:35:16]
FOR THOSE ONLINE.WHILE THEY'RE WAITING TO GET EVERYONE SETTLED, I, I'LL LET YOU KNOW.
I, CHAD WEST AND I HAD TALKED WHEN, WHEN HE WAS HERE ABOUT FINDING OUT IF THERE WERE RESTAURANT LISTS, A LIST OF RESTAURANTS OWNED BY VETERANS, AND I TALKED TO THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.
THEY DON'T COLLECT THAT KIND OF DATA, AND I STILL HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND A WAY TO FIND OUT.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY IDEAS, LET ME KNOW.
UH, WE, WE, WE DO HAVE QUORUM, SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND, AND, UH, CALL THIS MEETING OF DECEMBER, UH, THE 12TH TO ORDER.
AND, UH, THE FIRST BUSINESS COURSE IS OUR PLEDGE.
COMMISSIONER SHERMAN ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TWO, THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
DISTRICT EIGHT ON COMMISSIONER HASKET.
COMMISSIONER RAMOS, DISTRICT 11.
COMMISSIONER CHASE PRESENT? DISTRICT 12.
COMMISSIONER RAY A SMITH PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER PETER G. SMITH, DISTRICT 14.
AND THE NEXT ORDER, DID WE GET COMMISSIONER RAMOS? UH, HE, HE PUT A NOTE SAYING THAT HIS AUDIO WASN'T WORKING.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT HIM PRESENT.
UM, YEAH, I, I DIDN'T HEAR HIM.
HE IS PRESENT, BUT HE SAYS AUDIO'S NOT WORKING.
COMMISSIONER RAMOS, UH, PRESENT.
UM, USUALLY I THOUGHT WE USUALLY VOTE ON THE APPROVE THE MINUTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
HAS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER? I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE MINUTES FROM THE NOVEMBER MEETING AS WRITTEN.
WAS THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER CHASE?
[00:40:01]
COMMISSIONER CHASE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.OPPOSED? PROPOSED? I JUST HAVEN'T, UH, WE JUST WENT THROUGH THE, UH, PRESENTATION FOR, UH, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, UH, BY MISS, UH, SARAH MA MAI MAI.
UM, THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS FOR HER.
UM, SHE DID A VERY GOOD JOB ANSWERING MOST OF THEM.
UM, I THINK, UH, THERE'S SOME, I GUESS THERE'S SOME INTEREST, SOME REAL INTEREST IN THIS MIRAMAR PROJECT WITH THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS OR ANY INTEREST IN THAT, WE CAN GO THERE.
UH, IF NOT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO, UH, ITEM FIVE.
UH, IT'S THE VETERAN'S WELLBEING ASSESSMENT, REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, AN UPDATE.
UH, COMMISSIONER PRECIADO, I THINK YOU WERE ON THAT, UH, THAT SUBCOMMITTEE WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER COLE? UH, YES.
UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH I'M ABLE TO SPEAK ON ON THAT.
UM, DO YOU KNOW IF, IF I'M BOUND LEGALLY TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT LIKE, THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS OR WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO SO FAR? MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, THIS IS COMMISSIONER CHASE.
THE, THE AGENDA CALLS FOR MS. DE SILVA TO GIVE A REPORT, WHICH I THINK WAS AN UPDATE FROM OUR RE REQUEST FROM LAST MEETING.
SO, UH, I THINK SHE SHOULD GIVE THAT REPORT AND THEN WE CAN COMMENT ON THAT.
WHO'S GONNA GIVE I, I I CAN, IT'S ON THE AGENDA.
I CAN JUST MAKE, START US OFF.
UM, I KNOW THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, THE EVALUATION PROCESS AND WHAT ROLE THE COMMISSION CAN PLAY.
UM, WE DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT AND SHARED, UH, SOME OF THE CONCERNS.
UM, AND I THINK FOLLOWING THAT, UH, THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT SET UP A MEETING WITH COMMISSIONER STEPHEN COLE, WHO WAS THE CHAIR OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT HELPED US WITH THE WHOLE DRAFTING OF THE SCOPE OF WORK AND THE EVALUATION CRITERIA.
UM, I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THAT MEETING, BUT COMMISSIONER PRODO, YOU WERE THERE AT THAT MEETING, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN SHARE BECAUSE, UM, OH, IT WASN'T PART OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS.
YEAH, I, I, I WASN'T THERE AT THAT MEETING EITHER.
SO IS COLE, IS COLE NOT THERE? BUT TODAY? NO, NO.
IT WAS, IT WAS A CALL WITH COMMISSIONER COLE.
UM, SO, UH, COMMISSIONER COLE DID RAISE A FEW, UH, OF THE ISSUES THAT WE WERE TRYING TO PROJECT AS A COMMISSION.
UM, ESSENTIALLY WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WHOEVER THE COMMITTEE OR THE PANEL SELECTS WOULD BE FOCUSED ON PROVIDING A, A SURVEY OR A, UH, REPORT THAT IS, UH, SOLELY FOCUSED ON THE QUALITY INSTEAD OF QUANTITY, UM, FROM THE NUMBER OF VETERANS THAT, THAT ARE INTERVIEWED OR, UM, OR WHEN ASSESSING THE WELLNESS ASSESSMENT.
UM, SO THAT WAS WELL RECEIVED.
UM, AND THE PANEL WENT, UH, ONE BY ONE TO, UM, PROVIDE THEIR BACKGROUND ON, UH, THEIR RESEARCH METHODS, WHAT EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE, AND, UH, AND ENSURING TO COMMISSIONER COLE THAT, UH, AND THE REST OF THE COMMISSION THAT THEIR CONCERNS WERE HEARD AND THEY WILL BE ADDRESSED WHILE SELECTING AS A PANEL FOR, UH, WHO WOULD GET THIS, UH, AWARD.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PANEL, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A PROCUREMENT PANEL? DEPARTMENT PANEL? YES.
SO,
I THOUGHT THEY SAID THAT WE COULDN'T DO THAT.
I'M, I AT A WEIRD POSITION WHERE I'M ALS UH, I WAS SELECTED AS A, A CITY EMPLOYEE.
I DON'T THINK AS A COMMISSIONER.
SINCE, UH, I'M A VETERAN, UH, WORKING WITH THE CITY.
UM, YEAH, SO, UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS ABOUT, UM, WHO COULD SIT ON THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE AND THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT REITERATED THAT ONLY CITY STAFF CAN BE THE ONES THAT SCORE THE EVALUATIONS.
UM, UH, SO THAT'S WHY WE HAD THAT MEETING WITH COMMISSIONER COLE
[00:45:01]
AND ALL OF THE EVALUATORS.SO, UH, JUST TO ALSO LET EVERYONE KNOW, COMMISSIONER PERELLO IS ONE OF THE EVALUATORS SPEND IS ONE OF THE EVALUATORS, AND KEVIN BELCHER, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE VETERANS EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP, HE WAS ALSO, UM, HE'S ALSO AN EVALUATOR AND ALSO, UM, WAS AT THE CONVERSATION WITH COMMISSIONER COLE.
UM, AND SO, UM, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UH, NOW THAT THE EVALUATION PROCESS HAS STARTED, UM, THE EVALUATORS ARE NOW REVIEWING THE SUBMISSIONS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHY COMMISSIONER PERELLO WAS A LITTLE HESITANT TO TALK BECAUSE THEY ARE BOUND TO, UM, REVIEW THINGS, UM, AND, UH, REVIEW THE SUBMISSIONS AND, UM, THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT THEIR SCORES.
UM, AND, UH, BASED OFF OF THOSE SCORES, THEN THE PROCUREMENT DEVELOPMENT, THE, THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT WILL REVIEW THE SCORES, THEY'LL IDENTIFY WHICH WAS THE TOP SCORED VENDOR.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, THERE IS A PROCESS IN WHICH WE CAN NEGOTIATE, UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT WAS PROPOSED, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO TWEAK OR ADJUST TO THE PROPOSAL.
UM, SO THERE IS THAT PROCESS WHERE, UM, CITY STAFF CAN, UM, NEGOTIATE WITH THE VENDOR.
AND THEN FROM THERE, UH, IF THE VENDOR AGREES TO THE CONDITIONS THAT, UM, THE CITY AGREES TO AS WELL, THEN WE WOULD START THE CONTRACTING PROCESS.
SO, UM, SO YEAH, I THINK THERE'S, UH, STILL A LOT OF THIS PERIOD SEEMS, I THINK, KIND OF TEDIOUS 'CAUSE IT'S SORT OF, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF STEPS TO IT.
UM, BUT THAT'S ALL TO SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, UM, THE EVALUATORS ARE FINISHING THEIR REVIEW AND SO THEY ARE LIMITED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNEW THAT COMMISSIONER COLE, WHO I THINK, UM, YOU ALL KNOW, WAS THE CHAIR OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE WHO DRAFTED THE WHOLE, UM, SCOPE OF WORK AND EVALUATION CRITERIA.
UM, I THINK HE, I WISH HE WAS HERE TO KIND OF SHARE HIS EXPERIENCE, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE APPRECIATE THAT HE WAS ABLE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH THE EVALUATOR.
SO I, I HAVE ONE COMMENT, I GUESS, AND THAT IS, I, I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT THERE WAS A PANEL COMPOSED OF THE THREE PEOPLE, UH, WE HEARD.
BUT I'M VERY GLAD THAT THERE WAS A PANEL TO DO THAT.
IT MAKES HIM FEEL MUCH BETTER ABOUT THE EVALUATION PROCESS.
YEAH, AND I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR COMMISSIONER COLE, BUT, UM, I'LL LET HIM, UH, SPEAK NEXT TIME WE MEET, BUT HE WAS PRETTY SATISFIED WITH KNOWING WHO WAS ON THE PANEL.
AND, UM, OUR BACKGROUND, UM, AS A, FOR, AS A SELECTION COMMITTEE, CHRISTINA, WAS THAT, IS THAT STANDARD TO HAVE A PANEL THAT'S COMPOSED OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE ON AN EVALUATION PROCESS FOR AN RFP.
UH, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF THREE STAFF.
UM, AND ONE OF THE STAFF HAS TO INCLUDE, UM, SOMEONE FROM THE DEPARTMENT THAT'S ISSUING THE RFP SODI IS ONE OF THE EVALUATORS.
UM, HE WAS ALSO AT ALL OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS, SO, AND, YOU KNOW, COORDINATES THIS, UH, BODY.
SO, UH, UM, SO HE'S, UM, FULFILLING THAT ROLE.
BUT, UM, IN GENERAL WITH RPS, YOU HAVE AN EVALUATION COMMITTEE THAT USES THE EVALUATION CRITERIA AS THEIR GUIDE FOR SCORING THE, UM, SUBMISSIONS.
SO THAT'S WHY IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL WHEN WE WERE DRAFTING THE SCOPE AND CONFIRMING THE EVALUATION CRITERIA, BECAUSE THAT WAS BASICALLY GONNA BE THE GUIDE FOR THE EVALUATORS.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL WERE COMFORTABLE WITH THE SCOPE OF WORK AND THE EVALUATION CRITERIA SO THAT THEY KNEW KIND OF WHAT THEIR INSTRUCTIONS WERE.
WELL, I THINK WE WERE ALWAYS HAPPY WITH THE, WITH THAT.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHO WAS GONNA BE THE ULTIMATE SCOREKEEPER.
PROBABLY SHOULD, WELL, I, I, I KNOW I, I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER COLE AND, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER PERIA ON THAT, ON THAT COMMITTEE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT OVERSIGHT.
YOU KNOW, AND IF I MAY, I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, A UNIQUE PROCESS WE'RE GOING THROUGH WHERE, UM, NORMALLY WITH RFPS, DEPARTMENTS KIND OF DO THEM A LITTLE BIT IN ISOLATION.
UM, AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU ALL, ESPECIALLY ON THE FRONT END, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REFLECTIVE OF WHAT IS NEEDED TO BE DONE.
SO I'M EXCITED FOR THIS PROCESS.
I THINK, UH, IT'S, I THINK IT'S A MODEL FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO FOLLOW, SO, UM, I'M EXCITED FOR US TO START THIS WORK.
[00:50:03]
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.AND, UM, I GUESS YOU'RE STILL IN THE HOT SEAT, SO, UH, YOU GOT THE, THE NEXT ITEM TOO.
UM, SO FOR THE NEXT ITEM, WE HAVE THE ANNUAL REPORTS.
UM, AND JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE, EVERY YEAR COM COMMISSIONS, AUTHORITIES, BOARDS WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT.
AND THIS ANNUAL REPORT FOLLOWS THE FISCAL YEAR OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING 'CAUSE WE'RE FINISHING IT AT THE END OF DECEMBER.
BUT REALLY THE TIME PERIOD THAT WE'RE REPORTING ON IS BETWEEN OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 TO OCTOBER, UH, SORRY, SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024.
'CAUSE IT'S THE FISCAL YEAR THAT WE'RE REPORTING ON.
UM, AND WE START OUR FISCAL YEAR BETWEEN OCTOBER AND OUR LAST MONTH OF THE FISCAL YEAR, SEPTEMBER.
SO THIS IS REPORTING ON ALL THE, UM, UH, EVENTS, ACTIVITIES THAT THE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION DID THIS PAST YEAR.
UM, WE TRIED TO ALSO INCLUDE EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES THAT YOU ALL REPRESENTED AT.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE, WE ALSO GOT A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK, UM, ON HOW TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS REFLECTIVE OF, UM, WHAT YOU ALL WANTED TO INCLUDE.
SO WE HAVE THE DRAFT HERE AND, UM, THIS DRAFT, THIS, UH, ANNUAL REPORT IS DUE THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY.
SO WE WANTED TO GET IT TO YOU ALL THIS MONTH BECAUSE USUALLY THE DEADLINE IS BEFORE OUR, OUR MEETING IN FEBRUARY, RIGHT? SO WE USUALLY MEET THE SECOND MONTH, SECOND WEEK OF THE FEBRUARY.
AND THIS REPORT IS DUE THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY.
SO WE WANTED TO KIND OF WAS GREAT IN GETTING US AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND MAKING SURE YOU ALL, UM, HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THIS IS GOING TO, UH, YOU ALL HAVE TO CONFIRM THAT THIS IS WHAT YOU WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH AND APPROVE IT.
UM, A COPY DOES GO TO THE CITY MANAGER, AND, UM, IT'S ALSO SENT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, AS WELL AS WE'VE PUBLISHED THESE ONLINE ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO IT'S, IT'S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, SO YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, IT'S REFLECTIVE OF WHAT YOU WANNA INCLUDE.
AND WITH THAT, UM, OR IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I HAVE A, A QUESTION, I GUESS.
AND THAT IS, IF WE HAVE CHANGES TO THIS, CAN WE DO IT WITHOUT A MEETING OR JUST SEND IT TO YOU? OR WHAT, WHAT, UM, OR DO WE HAVE TO APPROVE IT IN WITH A OFFICIAL MEETING? UM, SO IT HAS TO BE APPROVED, THAT OFFICIAL MEETING, BUT, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY EDITS, YOU CAN TALK, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT NOW.
UM, WE DO HAVE ONE MORE MEETING IN JANUARY THAT WE COULD LIKE APPROVE IT, BUT I THINK, UM, I THINK, UH, IF THERE'S, IF YOU ALL HAVE SOMETHING YOU SEE NOW, IF YOU WANNA POSTPONE, WE COULD POSTPONE, UM, TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT OUR, OUR HARD DEADLINE IS JANUARY MEETINGS TO APPROVE IT.
SO WOULD, THAT WOULD BE A BETTER DATE TO, UH, TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE ALL OUR EDITS OR WHATEVER'S IN AND, AND, UH, TAKE THE VOTE IN JANUARY.
DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT NOW THEN? OR, OR, UM, YOU DON'T NEED TO VOTE ON IT.
YOU AS THE CHAIR HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO, UH, TABLE THE VOTE.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN, UH, IF YOU ALL, ANY QUESTIONS ONLINE, IT LOOKED LIKE WE LOST NO QUESTIONS ON MY END.
UH, I READ THE REPORT AND, UH, I, I'M, I'M READY TO APPROVE IT AS IS.
DO WE NEED TO APPROVE IT NOW TO, 'CAUSE WELL, THE MEETING, OUR SCHEDULE MEETING THAT JANUARY WILL BE TOO LATE.
IT WILL BE THE LAST MEETING THAT WE WOULD HAVE, UH, BEFORE THE DEADLINE, SO, SO WE COULD POSTPONE THE VOTE UNTIL THEN.
OR, YOU KNOW, ALSO, UH, IF THERE IS A MOTION AND YOU ALL WANNA DISCUSS IT AND APPROVE IT TODAY, THAT'S ALSO A POSSIBILITY AS WELL.
WHATEVER, WHATEVER YOU HELP WITH RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GO INTO A SIDEBAR
AND THEN, UH, I THINK, UH, THAT WAS, UH, COMMISSIONER SCH SMITH, UH, SUGGESTED WE GO AHEAD AND, UH, TALK ABOUT THIS, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO, UH, DISCUSS.
AND IF NOT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, TAKE A VOTE NOW.
AND THE ONLY, THE ONLY, THE ONLY THING I HAVE
[00:55:01]
IS THE PICTURE OF ME WITH THE, UH, UKRAINIAN, UH,THE ONLY WANNA SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS, UH, I KNOW WE ALL HAD OUR DIFFERENT, SO, UH, OR SOME OF US MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT, UH, VIEW OF, OF, UH, WHAT WAS GOING ON OVER THERE.
UH, THIS WAS JUST TOTALLY A CULTURAL TOUR, AND THAT'S WHAT IT WAS ABOUT, IS MUSIC, UH, UH, THESE, UH, VETERANS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I, UM, I, I, UM, PROVIDED TRANSPORTATION BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, TO ALL, ALL THEIR LITTLE SITES.
SO, BUT I, TO ME, IT, IT WAS, IT WAS AN EXCELLENT, UH, JUST OPPORTUNITY TO MEET, YOU KNOW, VETERANS FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY THAT I HADN'T BEEN TO BEFORE.
YOU KNOW, MEANT TO QUITE A FEW, LIKE THE REST OF US WOULD, UH, NEVER WENT TO UKRAINE OR RUSSIA.
I LIKE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE, I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT WE HAVE SO MANY PHOTOGRAPHS IN THERE TO KIND OF DOCUMENT
I THINK IT BRINGS US TO LIFE BECAUSE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OUR REPORTS HAVE BEEN VERY DRY AND DULL.
NOT BECAUSE OF ANYONE'S WRITING OR ANYTHING, BUT JUST BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE APPROVED IT.
AND I THINK THIS IS A MUCH BETTER WAY TO EXPRESS HOW WE'RE DOING THINGS.
AND, BUT IT ALSO SHOWS HOW MUCH OF A NEED THERE IS TO GET THINGS DONE AND HOW WE'RE JUST STILL SCRATCHING THE SURFACE A COUPLE OF YEARS INTO THIS, AND WE STILL HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REALLY HELP ACCOMPLISH MUCH YET.
I THINK IF YOU READ BETWEEN THE LINES, YOU SEE THAT WE NEED A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WE LEARN A LOT OF STUFF, BUT WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN A LOT DONE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR GOALS, I MEAN, WE KEEP HOPING
I, I, ONE, ONE LAST COMMENT I HAVE IS I, I, I AM SO PROUD TO BE AROUND, UH, I'M REALLY DEDICATED VETERANS, YOU KNOW, THIS GROUP HERE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS ARE REALLY EYE-OPENER FOR ME.
SO I THINK WE'VE ALSO, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY.
I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO COMPLIMENT OUR STAFF SUPPORT WHO'VE DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB TO, THIS IS REALLY A GOOD REPORT.
THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE REALLY WELCOME EDITION.
THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH BOTH OF Y'ALL.
OKAY, SO WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE VOTE NOW.
SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER SCHMID, I, WE JUST TAKE A VOICE VOTE? YEAH.
AND, UM, I, I, YOU KNOW, I, I FEEL LIKE MAYBE YOU ALL FEEL LIKE YOU'RE JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE, BUT I, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'T SEE OUR DAY TO DAY, BUT YOU REALLY DO MAKE AN IMPACT ON WHEN YOU COME AND PROVIDE YOUR INSIGHTS AND QUESTIONS.
SO, UM, I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK AHEAD, SO THANK YOU.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, TO BOTH OF YOU.
UM, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER IF WE GET A STAMPED COPY BACK.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY THE OFFICIAL COPY, UM, THAT WE GET.
AND I, I DON'T REMEMBER IF WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL JANUARY OR IF WE COULD DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO I'D HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK.
BUT ULTIMATELY, BY THE END OF JANUARY, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE STAMPED COPY, THE OFFICIAL COPY THAT EVERY, UM, ELECTED OFFICIAL HAS RECEIVED HERE AT THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND WE DO PUT IT ON OUR CITY OF DALLAS VETERANS AFFAIRS WEBSITE.
YEAH, BECAUSE IT, IT WOULD HELP US, I THINK COMMISSIONERS, IF Y'ALL WOULD AGREE TO THIS, THAT IT HELPS US IN A FINDING PEOPLE THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO TALK TO IF SOMEONE COMES ACROSS IT, IF WE PUBLICIZE NOT TO, YOU KNOW, TO PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK, BUT IF WE SAY, HEY, LOOK, THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN I MEET ONCE A MONTH, THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE DO.
THIS MIGHT HELP US GET MORE ATTENTION FOR THE VETERANS.
BUT DON'T SAY SO IN OTHER WORDS, DON'T POST ANYTHING YET.
JUST WAIT FOR Y'ALL TO TELL US WHEN IT'S OKAY.
WE WILL GIVE YOU THE OFFICIAL, I GUESS MM-HMM
AND THEN THAT WAY, UM, YEAH, THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING FOR YOU ALL TO SHARE OUT.
AND, UM, UH, YEAH, IT'S, IT'LL BE A PUBLIC RECORD, SO THANK YOU.
UH, SO MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON
[01:00:01]
THE AGENDA, UH, NUMBER SEVEN, THAT'S, UH, ANNOUNCEMENTS.ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OTHER THAN HAPPY HOLIDAYS? EVERYONE? I WOULD LIKE TO, I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, PROPOSE THAT WE HAVE LIKE A LITTLE FUN THAT WE CONTRIBUTE TO, AND CHRISTINA OR WHOEVER CAN HOLD ONTO THE MONEY FOR, LIKE, WHEN RONNIE GOES, WENT IN THE HOSPITAL, OR, UH, COMMISSIONER ROBERSON DIED.
MAKE IT BUY A CARD IN OUR NAME AND SEND IT.
WELL, I WORK FOR AMERICAN GREETING CARDS.
IF YOU GO TO THE GREENVILLE AVENUE, KROGER, I CAN YEAH, YEAH.
JUST, BUT ONCE YOU START TALKING ABOUT MONEY AND HANDING MONEY, THEN THEY START GETTING REALLY TWITCHY BACK BEHIND US HERE.
AND THAT'S WHEN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS COMES AROUND AND IT'S JUST EASIER IF I JUST DONATE SOME CARDS OR WHATEVER, WHENEVER WE NEED THAT.
WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT ON OUR OWN, BUT IT'S A GOOD IDEA THAT WE DO IT.
THIS IS, UH, COMMISSIONER PRECIADO.
UH, SO ON SATURDAY IT'S GONNA, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER HEARD OF THE ORGANIZATION RE ACROSS AMERICA.
THEY'RE GONNA BE HOLDING A CEREMONY AT THE DFW NATIONAL CEMETERY THIS SATURDAY AT 11:00 AM AND WHAT THEY DO IS PRETTY MUCH, UM, THEY PLACE, UH, CHRISTMAS REEF ON EACH GRAVE, UH, HEADSTONE FOR EVERY VETERAN.
AND THIS YEAR THEY HAVE ENOUGH RES TO PLACE, UM, UH, ONE ON EACH HEADSTONE.
SO RIGHT NOW THEY'RE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO COME OUT AND HELP, UM, PLACE THOSE WRE ON THE HEADSTONES.
UH, THEY RECOMMEND GETTING THERE BETWEEN EIGHT AND NINE FOR PARKING CEREMONY STARTS AT 11.
AND THEN, UM, PLACING THE RACE ON THE HEADSTONES WOULD START AT 12.
SO IF YOU GUYS ARE FREE ON SATURDAY, UM, IT'LL BE AT THE DFW NATIONAL CEMETERY.
DID THEY HAVE BATHROOMS OUT THERE? I CAN'T REMEMBER.
THEY, THEY HAVE PORTA-POTTIES AND THEY, I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE THEY HAVE, UH, AN ADMIN BUILDING BECAUSE I WAS YEAH, BUT WOULD IT BE OPEN THAT DAY? YEAH, THE, THE BUILDING.
THE BUILDING, YEAH, IT'S, I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER LOCKED.
THE MAIN, THE MAIN ADMIN GUYS GOTTA GO TO.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ANNOUNCEMENTS? COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER SHERMAN, UH, PHY.
I KNOW THE BIG ARMY NAVY GAME, UH, THIS WEEKEND AS WELL, SO I KNOW THAT'S GONNA BE GOOD.
ARMY'S LOOKING REAL STRONG, BUT I'M PULLING FOR THE NAVY THOUGH.
BUT YOU KNOW, ARMY'S GONNA BE REAL STRONG.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, THEY HIGHLY RANKED, SO IT'S GONNA BE REALLY, I SAW THAT LAST ARMY GAME.
YEAH, THEY WERE, THEY WERE ALONG WITH SOME, UH, LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL GAMES.
I'M A SOUTH OAK CLIFF GOLDEN BEAR, AND SO I, MY HIGH SCHOOL GO GOLDEN BEARS.
UH, UH, DESOTO LOST TO, UH, WHAT WAS THAT SCHOOL? UH, LONGVIEW AND LONGVIEW GONNA PLAY SOUTH LATE SATURDAY.
UH, SOUTH OAK, CLIFF'S GONNA PLAY, UH, WHAT'S THAT SCHOOL OUT IN? UH, DENTON.
UH, I USED TO UNTI USED TO LIVE OUT THAT WAY.
UM, IT START WITH A, A NO, IT'S A HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, IT'S, UH, IT'S AR WEST OF ARGYLE.
YEAH, ARGYLE, RIGHT WEST OF, UH, DENTON.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE A PRETTY GOOD GAME AS WELL.
UM, WE'RE HE'S GOTTA MOVE WHEN? SECOND.
UH, THERE'S A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL.
I WENT TO A AND M SO IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT THE FOOTBALL TEAMS DO AT THE.