This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
End of dialog window.
[Park, Trails, and Environment Committee on January 6, 2025.]
[00:00:08]
I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 907.OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO APPROVE DECEMBER 2ND MINUTES.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED. I HAVE A SECOND.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE QUICKLY TO OUR FIRST BRIEFING ITEM.
DIRECTOR EVANS, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU AND LET YOU INTRODUCE WHO IS WITH YOU TODAY.
AND I'LL SAVE MY COMMENTS ABOUT YOUR DEPARTURE UNTIL MAYBE AT THE END OF THE BRIEFING.
CARLOS EVANS, DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
I HAVE WITH ME PERFECT TIMING ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PAUL WHITE.
OPPONG HEMMING, SENIOR CLIMATE COORDINATOR AND ROSA CISNEROS, CLIMATE COORDINATOR.
AND FEEL FREE TO REVIEW THE COMPREHENSIVE REPORT IN THE ATTACHED MEMO.
BUT WE'LL GO THROUGH SOME HIGHLIGHTS THROUGH THE POWERPOINT.
SO I'LL HIGHLIGHT THE FY 25 FY 24 ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
OPPONG AND ROSA WILL SPLIT THE DISCUSSION RELATED TO THE FY 25 I'M SORRY.
SO I'LL HIGHLIGHT THE FY 24 ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
SO FY 25 WAS ANOTHER PRODUCTIVE YEAR.
17 DEPARTMENTS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADVANCING THE CAP.
OVER THE YEAR, DEPARTMENTS WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE 200 OF THE 212 MILESTONES FOR THE YEAR.
SO I'LL RUN THROUGH SOME OF THE FY 24 ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY TOPIC.
SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE ON THE SLIDE IN FRONT OF YOU.
STARTING WITH THE BUILDING'S GOAL.
COUNCIL ADOPTED THE CAP BOND RESOLUTION.
AS YOU KNOW, THANKS TO THE RECOMMENDATION BY THIS COUNCIL, THE DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION HAS ACHIEVED LEVEL FOUR OF THE AIRPORT CARBON ACCREDITATION PROGRAM FOR OPERATIONS AT DALLAS LOVE FIELD.
OEQS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SOUTHERN DALLAS PROGRESS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON, COMPLETED A WEATHERIZATION PROOF OF CONCEPT PROJECT THAT WEATHERIZED 7 LOW INCOME HOMES IN THE 75210 AND 75215 ZIP CODES.
UNDER THE ENERGY GOAL, THE FACILITIES AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT ADVANCED THE BACHMAN RECREATION CENTER SOLAR AND BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE PILOT PROJECT BY UPGRADING THE ELECTRICAL SWITCHGEAR EQUIPMENT IN ALIGNMENT WITH UPDATED BUILDING CODES, AND FRM ALSO PROCURED A VENDOR TO MAINTAIN AND REPAIR EXISTING FAILED SOLAR EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON CITY FACILITIES.
SO AGAIN, WE DON'T JUST WANT TO INSTALL SOLAR, BUT WE WANT TO MAINTAIN IT.
EFM IS ALSO EXPANDING EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR FLEET BY BEGINNING TO INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL 32 LEVEL TWO STATIONS AND LEVEL THREE DC FAST CHARGING STATIONS AT CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST SERVICE CENTERS.
REGARDING ZERO WASTE, THE DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION WON A $163,000 GRANT FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE CITY COMPOSTING FACILITY.
THEY ALSO HELD 112 COMMUNITY CLEANUP EVENTS.
REGARDING WATER RESOURCES, OEQS WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM REDUCED WATER USAGE BY APPROXIMATELY 84 MILLION GALLONS, WHICH IS 8 MILLION GALLONS MORE THAN OUR ANNUAL GOAL OF 76 MILLION GALLONS.
COUNCIL ADOPTED THE 2024 FIVE YEAR WATER CONSERVATION WORK PLAN AND THE 2024 WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY THE STATE, AND THE $2.8 MILLION INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS TO CONTINUE THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INITIATIVE.
REGARDING DALLAS' ECOSYSTEMS, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DIVERTED 580 CUBIC YARDS OF WOODCHIPS FROM THE LANDFILL THROUGH ITS TREE CYCLING PROGRAM.
[00:05:09]
AND PARKS CONTINUES TO MONITOR EMERALD ASH BORER, HAVING ASSESSED OVER 1400 ASH TREES AND IDENTIFYING APPROXIMATELY 75 ASH TREES FOR TREATMENT.REGARDING HEALTHY AND LOCAL FOODS, OAQS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DALLAS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, IMPLEMENTED OUR URBAN AG INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH ASSISTS FARMERS AND FOOD GROWERS IN THE PLANNING, DESIGN, INSTALLATION AND RENOVATION OF URBAN AG INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND FINALLY REGARDING CLEAN AIR, OEQS INSTALLED 19 OF 24 AIR SENSOR PODS FOR THE DALLAS COMMUNITY AIR MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, OR D-CAMP, AND WE'VE ALSO COMPLETED OUR URBAN HEAT ISLAND STUDY BY MAPPING APPROXIMATELY 245MI² TO RECORD AMBIENT TEMPERATURES.
AND WE HELD OUR ANOTHER AIR SUMMIT.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2024 CECAP ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
AND WITH THAT I'LL PASS IT TO OPPONG.
CECAP IS CURRENTLY SPANNING OPERATIONS ACROSS 16 CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO YOU MAY SEE A DIFFERENCE IN SOME OF THE FIGURES IN THIS PRESENTATION.
RECOGNIZING THAT POLICY, ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND EXTERNAL ELEMENTS MAY EVOLVE OVER TIME, WE HAVE INITIATED AN INTERNAL ASSESSMENT TO EVALUATE THE EFFICIENCY OF EACH MILESTONE.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS YEAR, FY 25, WITH THE COMPLETION OF OUR GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY, WILL PROVIDE US VALUABLE DATA AND PROVIDE US VALUABLE DATA TO EVALUATE THE PROGRESS TOWARDS OUR EMISSION REDUCTION GOALS.
AND NOW I'LL PASS IT TO ROSA TO DISCUSS OUR GOALS IN DEPTH.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DIVE IN WITH CECAP GOAL ONE.
DALLAS' BUILDINGS ARE ENERGY EFFICIENT AND CLIMATE RESILIENT.
UNDER THIS GOAL, AS WE KNOW, THE COMBINED BUILDING AND ENERGY SECTORS ACCOUNT FOR THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN DALLAS AND IN THE CECAP THEY'RE DIVIDED INTO TWO.
THAT WAY, WE CAN EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDINGS AND THEIR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND THEN FOCUS MORE ON RENEWABLE ENERGY IN THE SECOND GOAL.
SO WITH GOAL ONE, WE HAVE ACTIVATED 11 OF THE 16 ACTIONS THROUGH 19 MILESTONES.
SO A FEW OF THE KEY GOAL ONE MILESTONES WE'LL START OFF WITH FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF FACILITIES AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT LIKE CARLOS HAD MENTIONED, THEY'RE WORKING ON AN ENERGY RELATED PROJECT.
[00:10:03]
MANAGER. SO THIS WILL LEAD TO A TOTAL OF 195 CITY BUILDINGS BEING BENCHMARKED.ADDITIONALLY, OEQS HAS PARTICIPATED IN A SOLSMART COHORT HELD BY THE NORTH CENTRAL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AND THE WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE. AT THE MOMENT, THE CITY OF DALLAS DOES MEET THE CRITERIA FOR BRONZE DESIGNATION, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND SEE IF WE CAN MEET THE SILVER DESIGNATION AS WELL.
AND IN FISCAL YEAR 24, OEQS COLLABORATED WITH SOUTHERN DALLAS PROGRESS CDC AND UTA TO COMPLETE THE WEATHERIZATION PROOF OF CONCEPT PROJECT THAT CARLOS HAD MENTIONED.
SO THROUGHOUT FISCAL YEAR 25, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS PARTNERSHIP SINCE UTA SEAR, THE SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES LAB WILL BE REVIEWING ENERGY BILLS FROM THOSE HOMES THAT RECEIVED THE WEATHERIZATION UPGRADES FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
THAT WAY, WE CAN ANALYZE THE DATA AND SEE IF THERE'S A QUANTIFIABLE METRIC OF HOW MUCH THE WEATHERIZATION UPGRADES HELP THE HOMEOWNERS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
ON TO GOAL TWO, DALLAS GENERATES AND USES RENEWABLE, RENEWABLE, RELIABLE AND AFFORDABLE ENERGY.
UNDER THIS GOAL WE HAVE NINE ACTIONS ACTIVATED THROUGH 13 MILESTONES.
SO NOW THAT OEQS HAS COMPLETED ITS SOLAR SITING STUDY CONDUCTED BY AMERESCO CONSULTANT TEAM, WE NOW HAVE A LIST OF PRIORITY SITES THAT ARE RECOMMENDED FOR SOLAR DEVELOPMENTS.
WE PLAN TO UTILIZE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FUNDING TO INSTALL SOLAR ON ONE SITE.
AND ANOTHER EFFORT GOING ON IN FISCAL YEAR 25 IS FRM IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THEIR SOLAR AND BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE AT BACHMAN REC CENTER.
CURRENTLY, THE ELECTRICAL SWITCHGEAR IS BEING UPGRADED TO MEET THE CURRENT ELECTRICAL CODE, SO ONCE THAT IS COMPLETE, THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROCESS WILL CONTINUE.
THERE ARE 13 ACTIVE ACTIONS AND 24 MILESTONES.
NEXT SLIDE. THE NCT COG IS LEADING REGIONAL EFFORTS FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF PUBLIC FACING EV INFRASTRUCTURE, SO OUR CURRENT PROGRAMS FOCUS THEIR CURRENT PROGRAMS, FOCUS ON REPAIRING EXISTING CHARGING STATIONS AND DEPLOYING NEW EV STATIONS AS WELL.
SO THIS PAST YEAR, THE NCT COG WAS AWARDED $15 MILLION TO DEPLOY UP TO 100 EV CHARGING PORTS ACROSS THEIR SIX THE 16 COUNTIES IN THE REGION, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON UNDERSERVED AREAS TO PREPARE FOR OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THESE, OEQS CONDUCTED AN EV INFRASTRUCTURE SITING STUDY WITH MODERN GEOSCIENCES.
OUR CONSULTANT ANALYZED THE CITY PORTFOLIO AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE 90 PRIORITY SITES THAT ARE FEASIBLE FOR DEPLOYMENT OF EV INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THOSE WERE KIND OF FILTERED THROUGH PRIORITIZING JUSTICE40 AREAS, PROXIMITY TO MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND LOCATIONS WHERE VISITORS CAN STAY FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES, LIKE LIBRARIES AND REC CENTERS.
SO GO FOR DALLAS IS A ZERO WASTE COMMUNITY.
UNDER THIS GOAL, THERE ARE SIX ACTIVE ACTIONS AND 20 MILESTONES.
NEXT SLIDE. SO ON APRIL 2024, CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE ACCEPTANCE AND EXECUTION OF A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE NCT COG TO FUND A COMPOSTING SITE FEASIBILITY STUDY.
AH, SANITATION IS IN THE PROCESS OF SECURING THE SERVICES OF A SOLID WASTE ENGINEERING FIRM TO CONDUCT THIS STUDY AND FINALIZE A COMPOSTING SITE LOCATION.
SANITATION ANTICIPATES THE COMPLETION OF THIS GRANT BY THE GRANT PERIOD ENDING IN AUGUST 2025.
[00:15:03]
ADDITIONALLY, UNDER THIS GOAL, IN FISCAL YEAR 25, THE CITY WILL LAUNCH AN ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP FEE TO ADDRESS LITTER NUISANCE ABATEMENT FROM PUBLIC PROPERTIES, STREET CLEANING, AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES.EXCUSE ME. DALLAS PROTECTS ITS WATER RESOURCES AND ITS COMMUNITIES FROM FLOODING AND DROUGHT.
THIS YEAR, WE HAVE 13 ACTIVE ACTIONS AND 45 MILESTONES.
KEY WATER RESOURCE MILESTONES INCLUDE.
DALLAS WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM THAT WILL CONTINUE ITS ANNUAL CITY LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT GRANT PROGRAM, WHERE CITY DEPARTMENT IS AWARDED A GRANT NOT EXCEEDING $200,000, AND THESE FUNDS ARE AWARDED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WATER EFFICIENT UPGRADES WITHIN THEIR FACILITIES.
ANOTHER EFFORT BY DALLAS WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM IS TO CONTINUE TO OFFER PUBLIC FACING REBATES AND INCENTIVE BASED PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS.
THE TARGET IS TO ACHIEVE SAVINGS OF 82 MILLION GALLONS IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
GOAL NUMBER SIX, DALLAS PROTECTS AND ENHANCES ITS ECOSYSTEMS, TREES, AND GREEN SPACES THAT IN TURN IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH.
UNDER THIS GOAL, THERE ARE SEVEN ACTIVE ACTIONS AND 28 MILESTONES.
IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024, CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED A SERVICE CONTRACT WITH DAVIE RESOURCES GROUP TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE, CITY WIDE PUBLIC TREE INVENTORY THROUGHOUT A TERM OF FIVE YEARS.
THIS EFFORT WILL BE LED BY PARKS AND RECREATION.
ADDITIONALLY, OEQS WILL CONTINUE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
THE BROWNFIELD'S TEAM WILL EXPAND THEIR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS BY HOSTING QUARTERLY BROWNFIELD WORKSHOPS FOR STAKEHOLDERS AND ORGANIZING BROWNFIELD TOURS.
AND WITH THAT I WILL PASS IT BACK TO OPPONG.
SO GOAL SEVEN ACCESS TO HEALTHY AND LOCAL FOOD.
THIS GOAL ALIGNS WITH 19 OF THE 179 MILESTONES, AND 11 OF THE 14 ACTIONS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED SO FAR.
SOME KEY MILESTONES ACHIEVED THIS PAST YEAR, AND WE SUPPORTED THE GROWERS, EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM, PARTNERING WITH DALLAS COUNTY TO PROVIDE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL GROWERS.
WE COMPLETED THE URBAN AGRICULTURE INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM, OFFERING ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITY FARMS AND GARDENS, ESPECIALLY THOSE LOCATED IN HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED AREAS. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE HAVE PROVIDED FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO MAINTAIN, RESTART AND EXPAND THEIR COMMUNITY GARDEN OPERATIONS, WHICH ARE OUTLINED WITHIN THE COMPREHENSIVE URBAN AGRICULTURE PLAN AND CAP AS WELL.
GOAL EIGHT ALL DALLAS COMMUNITIES BREATHE CLEAN AIR.
WHILE NORTH TEXAS AIR QUALITY IS GENERALLY IMPROVING, WE ARE STILL NON-ATTAINMENT.
WE'RE STILL HAVE NOT MET THE 2008 FEDERAL AIR QUALITY CRITERIA FOR GROUND LEVEL OZONE.
IN RESPONSE, THE DALLAS COMMUNITY AIR MONITORING PROGRAM CREATION AND OPERATION IS FOCUSED ON ENGAGING, ENGAGING RESIDENTS WITH ACTIONS AND MILESTONES TO EDUCATE AND UNDERSTAND THE AIR QUALITY IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE D-CAMP DASHBOARD ALLOWS DATA TO BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE 24 OVER SEVEN, AND TO CONVEY THE NON-REGULATORY AIR MONITORING DATA FOR USE ACROSS ALL ENTITIES, ACADEMIA, PRIVATE SECTOR AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR NON-ATTAINMENT AIR QUALITY IN THE PROCESS OF COLLECTING THAT DATA.
UNDERSTANDING THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT AND ACTIVATING ACTIONS AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL.
TO ADDRESS BOTH THE AWARENESS AND THE PRACTICE OF CLEAN AIR AND MONITORING AIR QUALITY.
[00:20:03]
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO TRACKING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.SO THERE IS NUMEROUS THERE IS A NUMBER OF ACTIONS AND MILESTONES UNDERWAY.
AND THERE ARE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACTIONS, THE GOALS AND THE MILESTONES FOR BOTH THE CAP, THE AIR MONITORING PROGRAM IN THE URBAN AGRICULTURE PLAN THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON DALLASCLIMATEACTION.COM.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ENGAGING WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS IS A CRITICAL, CRITICAL FOR OUR SUCCESS AS WE STRIVE TO LIST OUT THE KEY STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT WE REGULARLY WORK WITH AND ENGAGE WITH TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND VALUABLE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OUR PROGRAMS. NOW, I'LL PASS IT TO PAUL WHITE, THE SECOND TO DISCUSS NEXT STEPS AND BUDGET.
THE SUSTAINABLE PORTFOLIO ENCOMPASSES SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS AND ACTIVITIES, WITH THE FY 25 BUDGET ALLOCATION OF 154.7 MILLION AND GENERAL FUND DOLLARS TO SUPPORT THOSE ACTIVITIES.
SPECIFICALLY, OEQS HAS 1.2 MILLION TO ADVANCE THE CECAP, WHICH INCLUDES 500,000 FOR CECAP IMPLEMENTATION, 500 FOR CECAP MULTIMEDIA OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, 100,000 FOR GREEN JOBS AND 100,000 FOR URBAN AG INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT.
WE ALSO HAVE 3.5 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL MULTIYEAR FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS LIKE THE BROWNFIELD PROGRAM, LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT TRANSITION PLAN, AND SOLAR INSTALLATION, AS WELL AS OUR AIR SENSOR PROGRAM.
ADDITIONALLY, WE PLAN TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR SISTER DEPARTMENTS TO BRIEF YOU MORE FREQUENTLY ON THE VARIOUS FOCUS AREAS, PARTICULARLY KEY PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS BEING IMPLEMENTED BY OUR SISTER DEPARTMENTS.
AND WE'RE CURRENTLY DISCUSSING THE FREQUENCY OF THOSE BRIEFINGS.
I REMEMBER THAT FROM LAST YEAR.
THIS REPORT HAS A LOT BAKED INTO IT.
SO LET ME OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
ON GOAL THREE, WHEN IT COMES TO CHARGING STATIONS, I HAD A QUESTION AT A PRIOR BRIEFING ON THE COST ASSOCIATED TO THE CITY FROM CHARGING STATIONS, HAVE WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CALCULATE THAT? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR FLEET CHARGING STATIONS? THE PUBLIC, THE ONES THAT ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON CITY PROPERTY.
WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
OKAY. AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO GOAL SEVEN AND HEALTHY FOODS, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ON PARK PROPERTY, COMMUNITY GARDENS ARE NOT PERMISSIBLE.
AND THEN I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S ALSO THE SAME FOR CITY PROPERTY WHEN IT COMES TO THE CURBS.
AND THERE MIGHT BE ONLY A SMALL LIST OF FRUIT TREES THAT ARE ACTUALLY ALLOWED ON, ON THE CURBS, AND THERE'S A FEE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT FOR THE RESIDENTS TO GET A WAIVER IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PLANT ON THEIR RIGHT OF WAY.
[INAUDIBLE] WORRY ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
OKAY. AND THEN GOAL SIX READS.
DALLAS PROTECTS AND ENHANCES ITS ECOSYSTEMS. IS THAT A GOAL OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL WE'RE CURRENTLY ACHIEVING THAT THAT IS A GOAL.
[00:25:03]
ONE OF EIGHT GOALS WITHIN THE CECAP WITH ITS OWN TARGETS.AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE ADVANCING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO MOVING FORWARD IS REASSESS WHERE WE ARE.
SO ONCE WE FINALIZE OUR GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY, WE PLAN ON REEVALUATING WITH OUR SISTER DEPARTMENTS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT MILESTONES WE'VE COMPLETED, WHAT ACTIONS ARE ONGOING.
YOU KNOW WHAT, WHERE ARE WE IN ADVANCING THOSE ACTIONS AND THEN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT, DO WE DO WE KEEP ALL THE ACTIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY LISTED? DO WE TAKE SOME OFF THE LIST? DO WE ADD ADDITIONAL ACTIONS THAT ARE NOW PRIORITIES THAT MAY NOT HAVE NECESSARILY BEEN PRIORITIES IN 2020? BUT WE NEED TO DO THAT THOUGHT THAT THOUGHT EXERCISE WITH COUNCIL AND WITH OUR RESIDENTS TO FIGURE OUT WHERE ARE WE, WHAT IS THE STATUS AND THEN WHAT ACTIONS DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD.
SO I DO BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A PRIORITY.
HOWEVER, I DON'T FEEL THAT WE'RE MEETING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GO DOWN TO ANY CREEK BEDS, ANY WATERSHEDS, AND THE AMOUNT OF DEBRIS OUT THERE IS, IS PRETTY BAD.
AND SO, CHAIR, MAYBE WE CAN DO A TOUR OF SOME OF THESE CREEK BEDS TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON.
HAS THAT BEEN IS THAT BEING IMPLEMENTED CURRENTLY? I'M NOT SURE. I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL FEE? YES, MA'AM. YES, IT'S UNDERWAY.
OKAY. AND IT'S BEING LED BY PUBLIC WORKS.
YES. AND SO I BELIEVE WE HAVE A BRIEFING COMING UP ON THAT MORE SPECIFICALLY, AND TO THAT POINT, CHAIR, IF I MIGHT ADD THAT THE PURPOSE OF OUR TEAM TODAY FROM OEQS, WHICH IS THE NUCLEUS OF THE CECAP, IS TO GIVE A BROAD OVERVIEW, BUT IN THE COMING MONTHS, WHAT WE INTEND TO DO IS TO IS TO INVITE THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. YOU SEE THE CONTRIBUTING DEPARTMENTS ON THE BOX OF THE OF THE INTRODUCTION SLIDES TO BRING THEM IN AND TO HAVE A MORE IN-DEPTH, ROBUST REVIEW OF ISSUES LIKE THE ENVIRONMENTAL FEE CLEANUP, ETC., THE CREEK BEDS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, ETC..
SO WE'RE DOING BROAD OVERVIEW, BROAD BRUSH TODAY, BUT CERTAINLY WANT TO GET INTO THAT DEEP DIVE.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING INTO YEAR FIVE OF THE CECAP.
CHAIR ARNOLD, DO YOU? EXCUSE ME, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO JUST COMMENT ON.
AND THE OTHERS. CITY MANAGER PEREIRA, WE WILL GET TOGETHER ON SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT THEY'RE PRESENTING TODAY SO THAT WE CAN, CAN, CAN CRAFT A PATH FORWARD THAT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE ON SOME OF THESE ITEMS THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS MORNING.
SO THANK YOU, OF COURSE, FOR YOUR WHAT IS BECOMING YOUR EXPERTISE IN THIS TOPIC.
AS YOU ALL MOVE ON EDUCATION PLAN, I THINK IT'S BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THE RESOURCES TO EDUCATE, CONTINUE TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY.
WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TREES AND IMPORTANCE OF GREENING.
WHEN WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS OVER IN 75232, I'LL SPEAK OF IN PARTICULAR WHERE WE HAD TREES THAT HAVE BEEN HAD BEEN PRETTY MUCH INVESTED IN BEFORE MANY OF US ARRIVED, BECAUSE MOST OF OUR HOMES ARE WELL OVER 60 YEARS OLD. BUT I THINK WHAT WE DIDN'T KNOW IS COMING INTO THE OWNERSHIP OF HOMES IS THAT MOST OF THOSE TREES WERE ALREADY 20, 30 YEARS OLD AND WE NO ONE TALKED US ABOUT BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU TALK ABOUT IN CLASS THAT THE REAL ESTATE AGENT DOESN'T TALK TO YOU ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR A PLAN, CRAFTING A PLAN SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE A HAVE A BACKUP WHEN THOSE TREES BEGIN TO AGE OUT, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE LIKE, OH MY GOD, THE TREE HAS FALLEN. OH MY GOD, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE TREE? BECAUSE WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T HAVE THAT.
[00:30:02]
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.BUT I THINK THIS IS A LONG TERM EFFORT.
I LIKE WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
BUT I JUST THINK LONG TERM IN PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT, WE'VE GOT TO STRENGTHEN THAT EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY. BUT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING STARTS AT A YOUNGER AGE.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU, IT JUST IT PAINS ME WHEN I SEE MY I HAVE ABOUT 3 OR 4 TREES AND I'M LIKE, GOD, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? I SHOULD HAVE STARTED PLANTING WHEN WE GOT HERE.
AND THEN WHEN THEY BEGIN TO FALL AND CRACK AND HERE I AM UP HERE CRYING.
I MEAN, WHAT AM I GOING TO CRY FOR? I NEEDED TO HAVE A PLAN TO REPLACE THOSE TREES.
AND THE OTHER THING MOVING FORWARD AND THIS IS GOOD FOR THE CITY TO KNOW.
AND THEY PROBABLY KNOW THAT THAT IT IS NOT WISE FOR DEVELOPERS TO BUILD, TO PLANT TREES NEAR OUR SEWER LINES, OUR SIDEWALKS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN SOME OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND YOU LOOK UP AND THE TREE IS UPROOTING THE SIDEWALK, AND YOU DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A VOLCANO COMING THROUGH OR WHAT, BUT WE NEED TO I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE THAT MESSAGE OUT. SO SOME WAY WE NEED TO GET THAT MARKETING THAT INFORMATION OUT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A HEALTHY OZONE MOVING BEYOND JUST WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO I'M JUST ONE OF ONE OF THOSE.
AND I LOVE TREES AND I LOVE TO DO ALL, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING TREES AS MUCH AS I CAN WITHIN REASON.
BUT I DO KNOW IT JUST IT PAINS US TO HAVE THESE TREES, THESE BEAUTIFUL TREES START DYING OFF ON US.
AND WE DON'T HAVE A GAME PLAN.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE A GAME PLAN BEHIND US.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE GARDENS AND FOOD GARDENS, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT, TOO TODAY.
CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
AND WE ARE I'M HEARING AND I'VE HEARD IT AND YOU'VE HEARD IT.
AND WE MUST STRENGTHEN THE PARTNERS THAT ARE THERE TRYING TO PROVIDE.
NOT EVERYONE IS TRYING TO PROVIDE THESE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, BUT WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET PERHAPS PARTNER UP WITH SOME OF THESE PLACES THAT WE HAVE ALREADY IN OUR COMMUNITIES SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF DELIVERING A FRESH PRODUCT AS OPPOSED TO NOTHING AT ALL. AND AS OPPOSED TO OUR PEOPLE BEGGING THE CITY TO DO RIGHT BY THEM AND OPPOSED TO OUR COMMUNITIES BEGGING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE INTO A GOING TO A CLEAN GROCERY STORE OR A CLEAN FACILITY THAT'S PROVIDING FOOD THAT'S NOT OUTDATED.
WE WE CAN NO LONGER BE CONTINUE TO BE DISRESPECTED BY THOSE.
BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING STILL IS SEEING FOLKS EITHER NOT HAVE AN OPTION FOR THE FRESH FOODS, OR THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE TRUCKS, OR THEY'RE HAVING TO CONTINUE TO TRAVEL 15 TO 20 MINUTES JUST FOR SOME FRESH LETTUCE AND TOMATOES AND MEAT THAT THEY CAN RECOGNIZE AS BEING PACKAGED.
SO I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.
WE TALK ABOUT CLEANING UP THE ENVIRONMENT.
THIS MORNING I HEARD A COMMERCIAL AND I LAUGHED AT IT BECAUSE THEY TALKED ABOUT CHICKENS AND HOW THE HEALTH OF THE CHICKEN ALSO AFFECTS YOU IF YOU EAT THE EGG.
AND SO MOST OF US DON'T GO INTO THAT.
I DON'T REALLY WE HAVE WE HAVE A PROPERTY DOWN IN BUFFALO, TEXAS.
AND I LOOK AT THE CHICKENS, I'M LIKE, WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO EAT? THEY DON'T EAT MEAT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T PRESCRIBE A HEALTHY DIET FOR THEM, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THAT IS PROBABLY IMPACTED BY THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO JUST HOLISTICALLY, ALL I'M SAYING ALL OF THESE THINGS BECAUSE IT'S WE'RE AFFECTED BY ALL OF THIS HERE IN SOME OF THESE ZIP CODES THAT I REPRESENT, SUCH AS 16 75216 AND 7241.
AND SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT THIS MORNING, AND THEN WE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU AS WELL.
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO ADD ON THAT.
AND THE URBAN AG COMPONENT IS ONLY ONE REALLY ONE ACTION OF MULTIPLE ACTIONS WITHIN THE PLAN.
[00:35:07]
AND OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH TRYING TO BRING IN GROCERY STORES AND YOU KNOW, AND AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL GROUP HAS BEEN ADVANCING THE URBAN.SO, YEAH, SO WE'RE TRYING TO BRING IN GROCERY STORES AND DO A LOT OF WORK.
OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE IS TRYING TO WORK TO INTEGRATE FOOD ACCESS TO THEIR PROGRAMS. SO I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS ARE IN THAT SPACE.
MAYBE, MAYBE IN ONE, IN ONE BRIEFING, IF THAT WORKS ON THE TREE SPACE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO WORK ON THE TREE INVENTORY THROUGH THE URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN, AND I THINK A PART OF THE LARGER URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN OUTREACH IS A COMPONENT OF THAT.
AND SO WHEN WE CAN GET, YOU KNOW, START CHECKING OFF THE LISTS, SOME OF THE ACTIONS ON THE URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN, INCLUDING THE TREE INVENTORY, I THINK WE CAN START DOING A BETTER JOB OF OUTREACH.
AND I THINK PARKS AND DWU THEY'RE ALREADY DOING OUTREACH AS A COMPONENT OF THEIR BRANCHING OUT, DALLAS AND BRANCHING OUT PROGRAMS. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN EXPAND THAT AS WE, AGAIN, START MAKING MORE PROGRESS UNDER THE URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN.
AND I THINK JUST HOLISTICALLY, THIS IS WHAT I'M GETTING TO.
MOST OF OUR IMPACT IS GOING TO BE MADE AT AN EARLY AGE.
SO YOU HAVE TO START THAT CONVERSATION WITH DAYCARE CENTERS AND THOSE BASICS.
SO THEY BEGIN TO THEY TAKE THE MESSAGE.
ONCE YOU TRAIN THEM, THEY BEGIN TO TEACH THEIR PARENTS.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST HOW LIFE WORKS.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO START EARLY.
I'M SIMPLY SAYING WE MUST BE MORE AGGRESSIVE.
WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TREES.
AND SO IT SHOULDN'T TAKE US A $20,000 DOLLARS STUDY TO DETERMINE WHERE WE NEED TO GO TO EDUCATE.
I THINK SOMETIMES WE GET IN OUR OWN WAY AND I'VE SEEN THAT.
WE NEED TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE AS A CITY.
AND SO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PIECE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, EXCUSE ME, WE WANT TO SEE THE PRODUCTION OF HEALTHY GARDENS AND HEALTHY FOOD SERVICES AS WE GROW IN OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WE MUST BE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND EDUCATED, BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING WORSE THAN WAKING UP IN THE MORNING LOOKING AT A HEADLINE THAT SAYS, THERE'S A RECALL ON ALL THIS ORGANIC FRUIT THAT VEGETABLES THAT YOU'VE JUST PURCHASED, YOU'RE LIKE, WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON? LAST BUT NOT LEAST, AND I'LL WRAP THIS UP ON THE NEED TO PARTNER WITH I GUESS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WITH SANITATION CODE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S STILL IN YOUR PURVIEW AS WELL, BUT WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE AND MODIFY OUR POLICY AS IT RELATES TO BULK TRASH, THE CONTENT PLACEMENT AND MARKETING COMPONENTS, WHETHER IT'S THE CURRENT OR THE PROPOSED CHANGES.
I'M LOOKING AT A LOT OF POLLUTION THAT'S TAKING PLACE BECAUSE OF HOW FOLKS ARE THROWING THEIR BULK TRASH OUT ON THE SIDEWALKS AND THE GRASSES AND THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PERMEATING.
WE I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT A AT A POLICY THAT CHANGES, THAT'S MORE CONSERVATIVE, WHERE WE'RE PRETTY MUCH FORCING INDIVIDUALS TO PACKAGE UP SOME OF THIS DEBRIS BECAUSE TO CONTAMINATE OUR GRASSES AND TO CONTAMINATE THE ROOTS OF WHETHER IT'S THE GRASS, THE TREES OR FLOWERS IS VERY IMPORTANT, ALONG WITH THE CONTAMINATION THAT'S GOING INTO THE SOIL.
SO I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT AND THAT WE'D BE MORE AGGRESSIVE, BUT IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO EDUCATE BECAUSE SOME FOLKS DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THE OIL THAT'S COMING OUT OF THOSE CANS THAT THEY'RE THROWING RIGHT THERE ON THE GRASS ON THE SIDEWALK BECAUSE, QUOTE, THE CITY OF DALLAS IS GOING TO PICK IT UP.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I CONTINUE TO BE ADDRESSED BY MY COMMUNITY ON.
BUT LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I JUST THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THANK YOU, MR. CARLOS, FOR YOUR SERVICE AS WELL.
AND I'M BEING A LITTLE BIT SELFISH, BUT I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ANYONE ELSE'S COMMUNITY AT THIS TIME.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT WHAT HAPPENS IN IN DISTRICT FOUR ALSO IS REPLICATED IN OTHER DISTRICTS AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU ALL.
AND I'VE SEEN THAT SECTION HERE ON LUNG DISEASES AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T KNOW WHEN WE'RE IN COMMITTEE MEETING.
SO I'LL LEAVE IT THERE UNLESS I HAVE TO COME BACK.
[00:40:02]
BUT THIS IS A SENSITIVE TOPIC BECAUSE I KNOW MY DISTRICT ALSO IS ONE OF THOSE THAT IS WRITTEN BY HEALTH ISSUES, AND ESPECIALLY THAT WAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT DURING COVID. SO I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PUT THAT ON THE RECORD.CHAIR BLACKMON, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION NOW? YEAH. AND THEN THANK YOU.
SO ONE QUESTION I DO HAVE IS I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT BUILDINGS AND CREATING MORE GREEN BUILDINGS, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN KIND OF A CONTENTIOUS TOPIC. WHAT IS THAT GOING FORWARD? SO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.
SO WE OF COURSE WILL CONTINUE.
SO WE HAVE THE SOLAR SITING STUDY WHICH IS A LIST OF CITY FACILITIES THAT WE CAN INSTALL SOLAR ON.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH FACILITIES TO DO THAT.
FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO THAT IN A STRATEGIC WAY.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR WHOLE BOND PROGRAM.
BUT I'M SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT THE REHABBING AND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIAGRAM, MOST OF THE POLLUTION IS COMING FROM BUILDINGS THAT ARE NOT. ENERGY EFFICIENT.
SO I THINK FACILITIES, THEY'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON BOTH INCREASING ENERGY EFFICIENCY OR INSTALLING ENERGY EFFICIENCY TECHNOLOGY AND SOLAR. SO AND ACTUALLY, I THINK YOU KNOW, NOT TO SPEAK FOR FACILITIES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HERE, BUT I THINK, I THINK THEY, THEY WANT TO WE GET OFTENTIMES MORE BENEFITS IN INSTALLING ENERGY EFFICIENCY TECHNOLOGY AS OPPOSED TO JUST SOLAR.
SO THEY'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON BOTH.
AND WE CAN GET WE CAN PROVIDE MORE DETAILS ON THEIR STRATEGY MOVING FORWARD.
ARE WE UPDATING OUR GREEN ENERGY POLICY LIKE FOR BUILDINGS? I GUESS I'M LOOKING AT THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
NOT NECESSARILY PRIVATE BUILDINGS.
YES. SO WE HAVE BEEN PARTNERING WITH THE DALLAS REGIONAL CHAMBER AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO ADVANCE THAT CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S MORE WORK TO DO TO GET THAT BALL ROLLING.
SO MOVING FORWARD, WE PLAN ON AS WE ADOPT INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION CODE STANDARDS.
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THEM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR YOU ALL TO ADOPT WHEN IT COMES TO ADVANCING ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES IN THE CODE AMENDMENTS MOVING FORWARD.
SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING ARE MOVING FORWARD.
AND OF COURSE, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THEY'VE ALREADY FOR YEARS FOUND THE FISCAL AND ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS TO SWITCH TO LEAD AND, VISION INSIGHTS AND THOSE TYPES OF GREEN CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS BECAUSE IT HELPS THEM TO SAVE WATER AND REDUCE ENERGY USAGE IN THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT. ONE THING THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT IS HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE IT INSTEAD OF PENALIZING FOLKS, HOW DO WE MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY BECOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT? BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIAGRAM, THAT IS WHERE A LOT OF OUR EMISSIONS IS HAPPENING, IS IN OUR BUILDINGS, AND WE'VE GOT TO JUST LOOK OUTSIDE OUR WINDOW.
AND SO I THINK THAT MAY BE INNOVATIVE, TRYING TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT THINGS, LOOK AT THE WAY DIFFERENT CITIES, BRINGING PEOPLE TO DON'T GIVE UP ON IT, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M SAYING, BECAUSE THAT IS A KEY COMPONENT OF WORKING IN BRINGING OUR EMISSIONS DOWN.
AND I'LL JUST SAY, I KNOW THE CITY MANAGER IS INTERESTED IN HEAT PUMPS.
SO THOSE TYPES OF TECHNOLOGIES AND TO THE EXTENT THAT COUNCIL WANTS TO ADOPT SOME SORT OF PROGRAM THAT INCENTIVIZES THE USE OF HEAT PUMPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. AND THEN REAL QUICK, NOW THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, FREEZING COLD OUT, WE'RE TALKING GRID AGAIN.
WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE HAVE SOLAR.
BUT THE CONVERSATION IS THE PORTFOLIO OF RENEWABLES.
AND NUCLEAR IS BECOMING MORE OF A TOPIC.
ARE WE GOING TO EVER ADDRESS THAT IN OUR CAP? BECAUSE THAT'S LOOKING AT SUSTAINABILITY MORE SO THAN WHAT WE'RE DOING INDIVIDUALLY.
BUT ARE WE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SUSTAINABILITY IN ADDING NUCLEAR TO THE PORTFOLIO OF THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PROMOTE WHEN WORKING WITH OUR STATE LEGISLATURE, OUR GRID, ERCOT, ETC..
YEAH, I MEAN, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I MEAN, RIGHT NOW THE CITY HAS THE A CONTRACT WITH OUR ENERGY PROVIDER THAT ALLOWS US TO USE 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY THROUGH RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDITS.
I DO THINK NUCLEAR IS GETTING MORE DISCUSSION NOW, AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED SOMEWHERE.
[00:45:07]
I MEAN, SOLAR IS STILL A A RENEWABLE, THAT IS EVERYBODY'S GOT FEELINGS ABOUT.BUT I THINK NUCLEAR IS ONE THAT PEOPLE, WHETHER YOU'RE FROM WEST TEXAS, EAST TEXAS.
IT IS GETTING MORE CONVERSATION AND I JUST THAT'S RIGHT.
JUST HAVE IT THAT SOMEWHERE IN THE PARKING LOT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT SOMETIME.
SO WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BUDGET.
WE ALL COME BACK TO US WHEN YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR NEXT BUDGET IS GOING TO BE SOMETIME.
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S I MEAN, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY YOU TOUCH, EVERY DEPARTMENT AND PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE THAT THAT WHILE YOUR DEPARTMENT BUDGET MAY BE X, YOU TOUCH EVERYTHING.
TALKING ABOUT OEQS BUDGET OR BUDGETS OR DEPARTMENTS THAT SUPPORT THE FULL CECAP THAT SUPPORT THE WHOLE FUNDING CECAP, YEAH, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A BIGGER STORY THAN JUST WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT BUDGET IS.
AND THEN LOOKING AT WHAT IS THE COST BENEFIT OF ALL THIS THAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO IT'S NOT JUST SAVE MONEY, IT'S BETTER AIR QUALITY, BETTER WATER QUALITY, ALL THOSE THINGS. I THINK THE CITY MANAGER IS WITH YOU.
SHE ONE OF THE TASKS THAT SHE'S PROVIDED US IS TO CREATE A TOOL OR ESSENTIALLY FIGURE OUT HOW DEPARTMENTS ARE FUNDING THE CAP MORE STRATEGICALLY.
AND YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE BUDGET FOR THE CAP WITH USING MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS FOR THE NEXT FIVE, TEN, 15 YEARS, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE CECAP.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE PLAN TO DO MOVING FORWARD.
CHAIR NARVAEZ. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU TO CARLOS AND THE TEAM FOR THE PRESENTATION.
HAVING BEEN THE FIRST CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT FIVE YEARS AGO, WHEN WE PASSED THIS CECAP THERE WERE A LOT OF COMPROMISES THAT HAD TO BE MADE BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY WAS ON BOARD, WHETHER IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF, STAKEHOLDERS.
IT WAS THE CRAZIEST, MOST INTENSE TIME OF MY CAREER AT THAT TIME TO GET THIS ADVANCED.
AND WE ENDED UP PASSING IT 15 ZERO.
THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE ON THE COUNCIL BACK IN 2020 WHICH WAS LIKE UNHEARD OF.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF CREDIT THAT GOES TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, AND THEY ALL KNOW WHO THEY ARE BECAUSE WE SPENT COUNTLESS NIGHTS FOR WEEKS TRYING TO GET THINGS ACROSS THE BOARD. I WANTED TO GO INTO THE PORTION ON THE COMMUNITY GARDENS AND FARMS. AND ALSO KIND OF TOUCH SOMETHING THAT I LOVE, THAT MISS MY, MY, MY COUNTERPART, MY COLLEAGUE CAROLYN KING ARNOLD, COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT FOUR, MENTIONED THAT YOU KNOW, USING EDUCATION.
A FEW OF US GOT TO GO TO JAPAN TO TALK ABOUT AND LEARN ABOUT HIGH SPEED RAIL.
AND THAT WASN'T THE MAIN THAT WAS THE MAIN FOCUS.
BUT WE GOT TO LEARN SO MUCH MORE AND I'M SURE DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM BAZALDUA KNOWS BECAUSE I, I KIND OF LIKE WENT ON AND ON ABOUT THERE WERE NO TRASH CANS ANYWHERE IN TOKYO OR NAGOYA.
THESE TWO DIFFERENT MAJOR CITIES THAT WE, WE GOT TO VISIT AND I WAS JUST LIKE WHERE DO I THROW MY BOTTLE AWAY THAT I JUST BOUGHT FROM A VENDING MACHINE? BECAUSE IT'S LIKE YOU GOT TO DISPOSE OF IT.
I, YOU KNOW, CREATED TRASH AND THERE ARE NONE.
AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS STARTED EDUCATION WISE.
SO I ASKED MR. WATANABE AND I SAID, HEY, I GO, I'VE NOTICED NOW, THREE DAYS INTO THIS, THERE'S NO TRASH CANS ANYWHERE.
WHAT'S WITH THAT? HOW DO YOU HANDLE. AND THERE'S NO TRASH ANYWHERE, LIKE ON THE GROUND OR AND IF THERE IS, SOMEBODY PICKS IT UP LIKE A REGULAR RESIDENT, JUST LIKE YOU OR ME WALKING DOWN THE STREET, YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT WAS LEFT ON THE GROUND, AND YOU PICK IT UP AND YOU WALK ON.
AND HE SAID, ABOUT 25, 30 YEARS AGO, THEY STARTED EDUCATING THE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO THEY WERE GOING TO IMPLEMENT NO LONGER HAVING TRASH CANS IN THEIR CITIES BECAUSE OF THE COST OF SANITATION FOR THE CITY.
BUT YES, IT WAS FOR SAVINGS, BUT IT ENDED UP BEING A HUGE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENT THAT THE ENTIRE SOCIETY, OVER TIME QUIT DUMPING THEIR TRASH JUST ON THE GROUND OR THROWING IT OUT IN ORDER TO KEEP THINGS CLEAN.
SO SAME THING WITH LIKE COMMUNITY GARDENS, GROCERY STORES THESE OTHER POINTS IN OUR CECAP, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE GET OUT TO THE EDUCATION SYSTEM WITH THAT.
THEN THAT GOES INTO THE NEXT THING, WHICH IS COMMUNITY GARDENS.
[00:50:05]
BUT I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A COMMUNITY GARDEN AT THE WEST DALLAS MULTI-PURPOSE CENTER.SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ONE THING.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST LIVE OFF OF SQUASH.
BUT IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE WHEN THAT TIME COMES.
AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO SO FAR.
I CAN'T TELL YOU IF WE KEEP TRACK OF THAT OR KEEP UP WITH THAT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT AND NOTATE.
THE OTHER THING IS, WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATION, WHEN WE START TEACHING YOUNGLINGS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND WHY CERTAIN THINGS ARE YOU JUST SHOULDN'T DO.
THAT WAS I MEAN, I'M AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT, AND THAT WAS 40 SOMETHING YEARS AGO.
AND PEOPLE MY AGE STILL, YOU KNOW, WILL SAY, DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS.
LIKE, WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO THROW THAT OUT YOUR WINDOW? OR WHY ARE YOU DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT? AND THAT'S ALSO WHEN SEAT BELTS WERE MANDATORY THAT YOU, CLICK IT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE THE CLICK IT OR TICKET THING.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS AN EDUCATIONAL THING THAT STARTED.
AND THEN THEY KIND OF STOPPED THESE EDUCATIONAL TYPE CAMPAIGNS.
I'M NOT SAYING WE NEED TO DO THE CAMPAIGN.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT WHERE MY COLLEAGUE WAS GOING IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE, THAT IF WE START YOUNG WE, WE GAIN SO MUCH MORE OUT OF IT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT CAN TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
IN FACT, THOSE KIDS WILL TURN AROUND AND TELL THEIR PARENTS OR THEIR GRANDPARENTS OR AN AUNT AND UNCLE, WHOEVER ADULT THAT'S IN THEIR LIFE LIKE, HEY, LET'S NOT DO THAT BECAUSE OF WHATEVER REASON, RIGHT? AND THEN ADULTS START TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE SOME REALLY BIG PORTIONS THAT YOU KNOW, WHERE WE CAN MAYBE HAVE A SMALL IMPACT.
I MEAN, A COUNCILWOMAN BLACKMON FOR THE, THE PORTION ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND BUILDINGS.
AND THAT WAS A HUGE COMPROMISE FIVE YEARS AGO.
THE DEVELOPERS WEREN'T READY, QUITE READY FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO PUT IN THERE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, ALL ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THE WEATHERIZATION, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND WE EVEN HAD A HUGE DEBATE ON EV CHARGING PORTS AFTER THE C CAP.
AND, YOU KNOW, THESE WERE HARD ONES THAT HOW DO YOU BALANCE THEM? AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
CARLOS, AS WE CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, LET'S NOT DROP THOSE.
BUT DEFINITELY, LIKE, WHERE ARE THE DEVELOPERS? WHERE CAN WE MOVE THEM TO AND WHAT BONUSES CAN WE GIVE? WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPMENT, I KNOW IT'S NOT YOU GUYS, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ECO DEV.
BUT IT'S LIKE, CAN WE GIVE A DENSITY BONUS? CAN WE GIVE SOME KIND OF A BONUS TO THE BUILDERS SO THAT THEY WANT TO PUT THESE MORE GREEN TYPE BUILDING STANDARDS INTO WHAT THEY'RE DOING? AND I'LL SAY WHERE WE DID HAVE A BIG WIN THERE WAS WE CHOSE NOT TO PUT EV CHARGING STATIONS AS SOMETHING THAT WAS REQUIRED FOR BUILDINGS OF MULTIFAMILY. I LIVE IN MULTIFAMILY.
I DON'T OWN AN EV VEHICLE, BUT I KNOW IT WAS IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY BEING RIGHT HERE, AS CLOSE TO 30 AS WE ARE WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY BEFORE AND SINCE THEN WITHOUT THE REQUIREMENT JUST BECAUSE OF FOLKS HAVING THESE EV VEHICLES.
AND PEOPLE ARE THAT ARE MOVING INTO APARTMENT BUILDINGS OR MORE DENSE SIT THERE AND GO, WELL, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO HAVE A CHARGING STATION BECAUSE I OWN AN EV VEHICLE. AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN REALLY LOOK AT AND SEE IF THEY'RE ALREADY DOING IT AND IT DID WORK WITHOUT HAVING TO REQUIRE IT.
[00:55:04]
BUT YOU KNOW, A, YOU KNOW, 100 UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING LIKE THAT I LIVE IN AS TWO CHARGING STATIONS? ENOUGH. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT SINCE I DON'T UTILIZE IT, BUT I KNOW THAT WE GOT AN EMAIL THE OTHER DAY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU'RE ON IT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ONLY BE ON IT FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO START CHARGING FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU'RE ON IT.
WHERE BEFORE THEY DIDN'T WHICH IS FINE BECAUSE IT'S NOT VERY EXPENSIVE, BUT IT'S OBVIOUS THAT WE NEED MORE OF THESE SPACES IN OUR IN OUR BUILDING.
BUT THEY'LL FIGURE THAT OUT AS THEY GO.
AND THEN WITH THAT, THEN WE GOT TO, LET'S JUST SAY LAST YEAR AND THE FIRST STATION THAT WAS PUT IN WAS AT WAS ACTUALLY IN DISTRICT FOUR AT A DART STATION FOR THE EV.
WITH THIS GRANT, WE WON ON THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS.
AND THAT WAS ABOUT AN $85 MILLION OVERALL.
IT WAS $110 MILLION GRANT WE RECEIVED WORKING THROUGH NCT COG NOT JUST FOR THE CHARGING STATIONS OF THOSE 100 YOU SPOKE ON, BUT ALSO A HYDROGEN FUELING STATION, THERE'LL BE THREE ONE DOWN IN HOUSTON, ONE UP HERE IN DALLAS, AND THEN ONE SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN FOR THOSE TYPES OF VEHICLES WHICH ONLY WORKS FOR BETTERMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
RIGHT. AND SO THESE, THOSE HYDROGEN STATIONS THAT COMES WITH IT.
AND THEN HELPING DART TO RECEIVE.
SO THESE ARE ALL LIKE REALLY AMAZING THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE FIVE YEARS AGO, IT WASN'T VERY AFFORDABLE TO PURCHASE A ELECTRIC MASS TRANSIT BUS.
IT'S STILL NOT SUPER AFFORDABLE, BUT IT'S GETTING BETTER.
AND NOW THAT AN ORGANIZATION LIKE DART CAN ORDER, YOU KNOW, 50, 100, 100, AND 50, 200 OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WILL MAKE IT MORE COST EFFECTIVE, WHICH IS BETTER FOR ALL OF US.
RIGHT. AND SO I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT THE, THE PART ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER SAYING THAT SHE WANTS YOU ALL TO SHOW US THE INVESTMENT THAT EACH DEPARTMENT IS MAKING BECAUSE YOU ARE ACCURATE AND WE'VE HEARD IT FOR FIVE YEARS THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE SPENDING ON IT, BECAUSE IT'S TOO HARD TO BREAK DOWN THE BUDGET TO, OH, THIS BUCKET OF MONEY, YOU KNOW, 3%, 10%.
12%. MAYBE IT'S 100% IS GOING TOWARDS THE CECAP.
AND SOMETHING THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF IS THAT THE YOU KNOW, BROOKINGS INSTITUTE SAID THAT WE HAVE THE MOST IMPLEMENTABLE CAP OF ALL CAPS IN THE NATION, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF.
EVERY SINGLE AREA IS BEING TOUCHED.
BUT WE HAVE 30 YEARS TO DO IT, SO WE'RE NOT RUNNING A SPRINT HERE.
WE'RE RUNNING. WE'RE RUNNING A FULL MARATHON ON THIS ONE.
I KNOW MY COLLEAGUE CHAD WEST WILL LOVE THAT BECAUSE HE LOVES TO RUN.
AND SO IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO GET THERE, YOU KNOW, AS WE CAN WITHOUT TRIPPING AND FALLING AND YOU KNOW, ARE THERE PLACES THAT WE CAN MASSAGE THIS? ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT'S WHY IN THE CAP WE HAVE, I BELIEVE IT'S EVERY TWO YEARS OR THREE YEARS, I FORGET WHERE WE UPDATE IT.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID TODAY THAT, HEY, IT'S TIME TO LOOK AT THIS BECAUSE TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED, MAYBE ATTITUDES HAVE CHANGED, MAYBE AFFORDABILITY HAS CHANGED. WHATEVER IT IS, THE REASON THAT WE THEN GET IT IN THERE.
SO I HOPE YOU ALL TOOK A LOT OF GOOD NOTES.
I LOVE THIS UPDATE EVERY YEAR BECAUSE WE GET TO SEE THE MILESTONES WE'VE MADE, AND THEN WE GET TO SEE WHERE WE CAN MAYBE START TO HIT A NEW GOAL OR A NEW YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT GOAL IN ORDER TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
SO, CARLOS, I WANT TO THANK YOU.
BECAUSE FIVE YEARS AGO WE DIDN'T HAVE VERY MANY AIR MONITORS.
WE HAVE. I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY.
YOU SAID, I'LL LET YOU REPEAT IT HERE IN A SECOND.
BUT WE'VE GOT THESE ALL OVER THE CITY NOW, AND WE CAN ACTUALLY FIND OUT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING OUT THERE WITH OUR AIR QUALITY, ESPECIALLY IN AREAS THAT WE HAVE A HIGH INDUSTRIAL, YOU KNOW, COMPONENT.
WE NEED INDUSTRIAL, BUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES IT AFFECT FOLKS THAT ARE LIVING NEAR THERE OR BY THERE, LIKE DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM'S DISTRICT AND MINE ARE PROBABLY VERY SIMILAR WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF THESE PORTIONS.
AND EVEN IN THE NORTH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FORGET NORTHWEST DALLAS AND EVEN EAST DALLAS WITH MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILWOMAN BLACKMON, WHO HAS A BIG INDUSTRIAL AREA AS WELL.
[01:00:06]
WE HAVE? AND BECAUSE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR WORK WITH ALL OF US, WE RECEIVED TONS OF GRANTS.AND AS WE LIKE TO SAY HERE, USING OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY IS ALWAYS BETTER.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET A TON OF THESE AIR MONITORS AND NOW IT'S HOW DO WE UTILIZE THEM? SO THANK YOU AGAIN, CARLOS, FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
AND CHAIR, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS.
THANK YOU CHAIR, AND BRINGING IT FORWARD EVERY YEAR.
OKAY. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ.
AND WE HAVE 24 AIR SENSOR UNITS 24 OKAY.
SO I THINK I WAS QUOTED RECENTLY AS SAYING MAYBE WE TALK A LOT AROUND HERE.
AND I APPRECIATE JUST WAS GOING TO CALL OUT SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS JUST IDENTIFYING THE HEAT ISLANDS AND THEN BEGINNING TO FIND SOME, SOME WAYS AND RESOURCES TO GET TREES THERE.
AND JUST THE AIR QUALITY MONITORING, RECYCLING THE TREE DEBRIS, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE STORM.
AND THEN THE COMPOST FEASIBILITY STUDY.
I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT.
SO AND THAT'S JUST LIKE A SMATTERING OF THINGS.
YOU DO GET A LOT OF WORK DONE AROUND HERE, A TON OF WORK DONE.
AND I HAVE WITNESSED THAT UP CLOSE AND APPRECIATE IT.
I KNOW ON WEDNESDAY TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THAT, BUT I DO I DID WANT TO SPECIFY THAT I KNOW I'VE THANKED YOU FOR HELPING ME WITH ACRONYMS, BUT YOU DID A LOT MORE THAN JUST THAT.
YOU'VE REALLY SHOWN ME A WAY TO TAKE AN OVERWHELMING TASK, RIGHT? TO BREAK IT DOWN, TO CREATE THE CECAP PLAN THAT'S THERE.
BUT THEN TO IMPLEMENT THAT TO GET THAT WORK DONE.
AND THAT'S PRETTY REMARKABLE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
I KNOW WE'LL BE RELYING ON THEM GOING FORWARD.
AND CONGRATS ON SUCH A STRONG TEAM.
I WAS GOING TO SAY THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND I WILL SAY THANK YOU FOR COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ FOR BEING THE FIRST CHAIR.
AND THEN MY FIRST CHAIR WAS CHAIR BLACKMON.
AND NOW, CHAIR STEWART, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR LEADERSHIP.
SO THANK YOU FOR OUR SISTER DEPARTMENTS AND DIRECTORS AND ADS FOR BEING SUCH GREAT PARTNERS AND OF COURSE, STAFF DOING THIS WORK ON A DAILY BASIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACTUALLY MAKE SOME PROGRESS.
HEY, THANK YOU, CARLOS AND CHAIR, MAY I JUST SAY ONE FINAL COMMENT? WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT CARLOS.
THAT'S FOR WEDNESDAY, BUT I'M IN DENIAL.
AND, AND WE RESPOND TO THAT, TO THAT LEADERSHIP AND THAT DIRECTION.
SO ALL OF THE ALL OF THE COMMENTS MADE TODAY ARE, AS YOU MENTIONED, BEING NOTES TAKEN AND FOLLOWING UP, BECAUSE AS WE MOVE INTO YEAR FIVE, THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER IS CALLING FOR US, AS CARLOS NOTED, TO PRIORITIZE THOSE BIG ACTIONS THAT CAN BE BUDGETED FOR OR WHAT DOES NEED TO BE COLLABORATION WITH, WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS, ETC..
SO SO YOUR FEEDBACK IS CRITICAL.
WE'VE HEARD FROM MANY OF YOU NOW DURING JUST INSTANCES OF LIKE, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THIS? ARE WE DOING THIS NEXT? WE ARE TRYING TO LIVE THIS PLAN AND TRYING TO BE HAVE FIDELITY TO IT.
SO PLEASE DO REACH OUT TO US IN THE NEXT ITERATION OF OUR ACTING DIRECTOR AND DIRECTOR THAT TAKES CHARGE OF OEQS, BUT MORE IMMEDIATELY IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO GET THAT FEEDBACK AS WE PRIORITIZE WHAT'S NEXT IN THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.
OKAY. I THINK THAT'S IT FOR ITEM A.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE BRIEFING FOR ITEM B.
SO WE HAVE THE 2024 STATE FAIR OF TEXAS ANNUAL REPORT.
AND I WANT TO WELCOME MITCH KLEBER WHO IS PRESIDENT OF THE STATE FAIR.
AND HIS STAFF I BELIEVE IT'S CARISSA AND LINDSEY ARE HERE.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE WORKED THROUGH THAT.
[01:05:09]
TO. SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, MR. KLEBER. ALL RIGHT.HERE WE GO. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND VISIT WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY AND TO THIS COMMITTEE.
AND ALSO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE MANY OF Y'ALL AT OUR OPENING CEREMONIES AND THEN THROUGHOUT THE FAIR AS WELL.
SO YES, WITH ME TODAY IS KARISSA CANDIANI.
SHE'S OUR SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS.
AND THEN LINDSEY CLARK, WHO IS OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER HERE.
SO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS GO THROUGH A REVIEW OF THE 2024 STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EVENT, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED AT THIS YEAR'S FAIR, OUR AREAS OF FOCUS FOR THIS YEAR.
AND THEN ALSO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS DOES THE REST OF THE YEAR THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY AFFAIRS PROGRAMS TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN THE CITY, BECAUSE IT IS OUR GOAL ULTIMATELY TO BE A VERY IMPACTFUL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR 365 DAYS A YEAR, AS OPPOSED TO JUST BEING A 24 DAY EVENT WHERE PEOPLE COME, HAVE FUN AND ENJOY THE STATE FAIR AND CELEBRATE ALL THINGS TEXAN, WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO US, OF COURSE.
BUT THERE'S MORE TO THE STATE FAIR THAN MEETS THE EYE FOR MANY, SO WE'LL JUMP RIGHT INTO IT HERE.
SO IN OUR MEETINGS WITH OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE PUT IT ON OUR RADAR THAT OUR TEN YEAR GOAL WAS TO BECOME KNOWN AS THE MOST TEXAN PLACE ON EARTH AT THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.
AND IN JUST A TWO SHORT YEAR PERIOD HERE, WE HAVE MADE QUITE A BIT OF PROGRESS ON THAT.
IT'S STARTING TO GET A LOT OF TRACTION, ACTION, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING QUITE A BIT AROUND THE GROUNDS IN TERMS OF THEMATICALLY DECOR AROUND THE GROUNDS AS WELL AS PROGRAMING TO REALLY MAKE THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS A CELEBRATION OF ALL THINGS TEXAN.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE TO SEE US POUR MORE AND MORE RESOURCES IN AND PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN RECOGNIZING THE MOST TEXAN PLACE ON EARTH AT THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.
OUR 2024 ATTENDANCE 2.38 MILLION PEOPLE OVER 24 DAYS.
THAT ECLIPSED OUR ATTENDANCE FIGURE FROM 2023 BY ABOUT 44,000 PEOPLE.
SO A SUCCESSFUL YEAR HAD A GREAT TURNOUT, REALLY GOOD WEATHER, WHICH IS ALWAYS REALLY HELPFUL.
BUT WE HAD A GREAT YEAR AND VERY, VERY PLEASED THAT PEOPLE CONTINUE TO LOOK TO THE STATE FAIR, TEXAS, AS A FAMILY TRADITION, SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO COME TO EACH AND EVERY YEAR TO ENJOY THE STATE FAIR.
LOOKING AT THE STATE FAIR, SOME OF THE MANY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, YOU KNOW, MILITARY DISCOUNT PROGRAMS, FIRST RESPONDER DAY PROGRAMS. WE SOLD OUR GRAND CHAMPION STEER FOR A RECORD $180,000 THIS YEAR AT THE BIG TEX YOUTH LIVESTOCK AUCTION.
LOTS OF CREATIVE ARTS ENTRIES, OVER 12,000 20 NEW SHOPPING BOOTHS, 60 TEXAS MUSIC ARTISTS.
AND THEN 195,000 POUNDS OF FOOD COLLECTED FOR THE NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK, AND THAT IS BY FAR, BY FAR THE BIGGEST FOOD DRIVER FOR THE NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
NEXT SLIDE 76 ANIMAL BIRTHS AT THE LIVESTOCK BIRTHING BARN.
400,000 PRIZES GIVEN AWAY ON THE MIDWAY.
100,000 RIDES ON THE TEXAS STAR FERRIS WHEEL.
71,000 PLUS ATTENDED OUR 15 FREE RODEO EVENTS, WHICH WE JUST BROUGHT BACK A FEW YEARS AGO.
[01:10:07]
WAS OUR BIGGEST DAY THIS YEAR.60,000 TAQUITOS FROM TONY'S TACO SHOP WERE ROLLED, 3099 ACTIVITIES HAPPENED ACROSS THE GROUNDS.
AND THEN $1.3 MILLION AWARDED IN 2020 FOR NEW COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS TO MORE THAN 225 STUDENTS.
SO SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WE REALLY LOOKED AT THIS YEAR AND SOME KEY OBSERVATIONS FROM AREAS THAT WE FOCUSED ON, WE MADE A REAL EFFORT IN OUR PLANNING FOR 2024 TO MODIFY OUR PEDESTRIAN GATES AND THE INGRESS AND EGRESS.
YOU MAY MAYBE NOTICE SOME DIFFERENT CHANGES AT SOME OF THE GATES.
WE HAD QUEUING AND SCREENING AND DIFFERENT THINGS RELATED TO BRAND EXPERIENCE SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE CAME THROUGH, NOT ONLY WAS IT EFFICIENT, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY VERY ATTRACTIVE AS PEOPLE WERE WALKING INTO THE GROUNDS.
WE RELAUNCHED NIMITZ DRIVE WITH ALL NEW CONCESSIONS STANDS THIS YEAR.
WE REFURBISHED NIMITZ TERRACE, WHICH USED TO BE ASPHALT.
IT USED TO BE ASPHALT IN THAT AREA.
AND IT ELIMINATED TRIP HAZARDS AS WELL.
WE HAD A GREAT NEW PLAN IN PLACE FOR WAYFINDING ELEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS, AND THEN ALSO AREAS WHERE WE COULD PUT POSITION AND DIRECT PEOPLE TO POINTS OF INTEREST AND DIFFERENT ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS.
AS YOU WALK THROUGH THE GROUNDS, YOU MIGHT SEE ICONIC IMAGES OF THINGS THAT WERE TEXAN.
YOU KNOW BLUEBONNETS OR ARMADILLOS OR RODEO HORSES WITH COWBOYS SEATED ON THEM.
SO WHEN PEOPLE COME IN AND OUT OF THE GATES, THE FIRST THING THEY SEE IS A LARGE TEXAS ICON.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW TO GET OUT OF HERE? THEY'LL SAY, WHAT DID YOU SEE WHEN YOU FIRST WALKED THROUGH THE GATE? AN ARMADILLO.
THERE YOU GO. THAT'S WHERE YOU NEED TO GO.
OKAY. AND THEN ONE OF OUR BIG IDEAS ALSO WAS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS HERE.
IT'S AN INITIATIVE TO TRY TO PUSH MORE TRAFFIC TO THE WEEKDAYS VERSUS THE WEEKENDS, BECAUSE WEEKENDS ARE EXTREMELY CROWDED AND WE COULD USE THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC DURING THE WEEKDAYS.
WE DID THAT THROUGH MARKETING AND DIFFERENT PROMOTION INITIATIVES AND WE'VE TRENDED UP POSITIVELY.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL REMEMBERED, BUT FOR THE RED RIVER GAME DAY, FOR INSTANCE, IT WAS 96 DEGREES.
SO A LITTLE A LITTLE WARM, A LITTLE WARMER THAN WE WOULD LIKE.
OPERATING NOW WORK UP ALTOGETHER UNDER THE PROGRAM OF A GATE CAPTAIN AND THEN THE ACT CLEAN TEAM.
THEY DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB FOR US EVERY YEAR.
THEY HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB OF KEEPING THE GROUNDS CLEAN, AND THEY ADD OVERNIGHT WASH DOWNS SO THAT ESPECIALLY IF IT DOESN'T RAIN, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO WASH DOWN THE GROUNDS OVERNIGHT SOMETIMES TO, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKE IT FRESH FOR THE AUDIENCE THE NEXT DAY.
A LOT OF FOCUS THIS YEAR ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST A PRIORITY FOR US.
THAT REALLY BECAME THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR SAFETY PLAN FOR 2024.
OUR SECURITY COMPANY IS ANDY FRAIN SERVICES.
THIS IS A THREE YEAR CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE WITH ANDY FRAIN.
THIS WAS YEAR TWO THAT WE DID.
[01:15:04]
WE MADE HUGE STRIDES WITH ANDY FRAIN IN YEAR TWO.BOTH ARE ALL FROM A PLANNING, RECRUITING AND TRAINING STANDPOINT.
AND THEN THEY EXECUTED EXTREMELY WELL THIS YEAR.
THE PEDESTRIAN GATE REDESIGN WAS ALL DONE TO HARDEN THE PERIMETER OF THE GROUNDS.
WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THE SAFEST POSSIBLE ENTRYWAYS INTO THE GROUNDS.
WE MADE MANY CHANGES IN THOSE AREAS AS WELL.
WE INCREASED THE SCREENING STATIONS WITH OUR OPEN GATE TECHNOLOGY.
WE ACTUALLY CONDENSED A FEW GATES, LIKE THE MLK GATE AND THE GRAND GATE, FOR INSTANCE.
INSTEAD OF HAVING TWO ENTRANCES AT EACH OF THOSE GATES, WE CONDENSED IT INTO ONE LARGE ENTRANCE, WHICH HELPED US KIND OF CONSOLIDATE OUR OUR STAFFING AT THOSE AREAS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THE PROPER SECURITY IN PLACE TO OVERSEE THAT ENTRY.
STATE FAIR COMMAND WAS NEW FOR US THIS YEAR.
IT WAS THE HUB FOR ALL OF OUR OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION AND INCIDENT MANAGEMENT.
IT WAS READY FOR ANY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN NEEDED.
IF YOU REMEMBER FROM 2023, WE HAD THE UNFORTUNATE SHOOTING INCIDENT AT THE FAIR, AND A LOT OF THESE IDEAS AND PROGRAMS THAT WE PUT INTO PLACE THIS YEAR WERE TO PUT US IN THE BEST POSITION TO NOT ONLY NOT HAVE AN INCIDENT LIKE THAT, BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO REACT PROPERLY QUICKLY AND HAVE EVERYBODY TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE.
SO WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE ROCKY AS PART OF OUR TEAM.
AND THEN DRONE DETECTION SERVICES WERE REALLY KEY FOR US THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE ABOUT 200 POLICE OFFICERS PER DAY THAT ARE OUT ON THE GROUNDS THEY'RE STRATEGICALLY POSITIONED TO OPERATE ON A 24 HOUR BASIS THROUGHOUT THE FAIR.
SEVERAL DIFFERENT ROLES THAT THEY DO FOR US OUT AT THE FAIR.
MOST OF THOSE ARE ALL LISTED THERE WITHIN THE TEXT OF THE PRESENTATION.
MOST OF THESE SAFETY TEAM MEMBERS ARE RETIRED DPD OFFICERS, SO THAT HELPS QUITE A BIT BECAUSE THEY CAN WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT ON ANY ISSUES THAT THAT COME UP THAT NEED OUR ASSISTANCE.
OUR GUN POLICY AND OUR BAG POLICY CHANGES WERE IMPLEMENTED THIS YEAR WITH BASICALLY ZERO ISSUES.
WE HAVE EXTENSIVE TRAINING THAT WAS EXTENDED TO OUR ENTIRE STATE FAIR TEAM THIS YEAR FOCUSED ON EMERGENCY RESPONSE, DE-ESCALATION, SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, STANDARD RESPONSE PROTOCOL, AND THEN A KNOW YOUR ROLE EXERCISE SO THAT IN CASE THERE'S AN INCIDENT, NO MATTER WHAT THAT INCIDENT MIGHT BE, AND IT REQUIRES OUR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO EXECUTE, EVERYONE HAS A ROLE.
THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEIR ROLE IS AND SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO OPERATE.
AND OF COURSE, TO REINFORCE THIS, WE DID TABLETOP EXERCISES WITH OUR PUBLIC SERVICE PARTNERS, PRESENT ALL OF OUR CAMPUS PARTNERS PRESENT AND THEN FULL TIME STAFF TO TEST EMERGENCY READINESS AND STANDARD PROTOCOLS.
IT'S THE LARGEST EVENT THAT WE HAVE IN THIS AREA, AS WELL AS REALLY THE STATE OF TEXAS.
HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW IS RIGHT UP THERE, PRETTY CLOSE TO US, BUT IT'S A BIG EVENT.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT IT'S CRUCIAL FOR THE THE ECONOMY HERE IN DALLAS.
WE DID A 2023 STUDY THAT ESTIMATED THAT OUR ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM THE FAIR WAS BETWEEN 500 AND 60 2 TO $680 MILLION ON THE AREA, AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY ADDITIONAL IMPACT FROM THE TEXAS AUTO SHOW.
[01:20:02]
WE KNOW THAT THOSE AUTO SHOW MANUFACTURERS ARE HERE, BUT IT IS NOT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SELL VEHICLES AT THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.THEY SIMPLY SHOW VEHICLES, COLLECT LEADS THAT THEN TURN INTO SALES.
AND WE ESTIMATE ABOUT 22.8% OF OUR FAIR GOERS ARE FROM OUTSIDE THE 13 COUNTY DFW AREA.
SO EVEN THOUGH 22.8 DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A HUGE PERCENTAGE, WHEN YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT THERE'S ALMOST 2.4 MILLION PEOPLE, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING INTO THE AREA TO SPEND THEIR MONEY AND TO CELEBRATE ALL THINGS TEXAN.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN CRITICAL FOR US AS OUR CROWDS HAVE GROWN OVER THE YEARS.
THERE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGES ALWAYS GETTING PEOPLE PARKED INSIDE OF FAIR PARK.
IN 2023, WE PROVIDED ALMOST $3 MILLION TO THE CITY FOR REPLACEMENT OF INOPERABLE MESSAGE BOARDS THAT SURROUND FAIR PARK. THEY NOT ONLY DON'T WORK, WHICH IS NOT HELPFUL, BUT THEY ALSO LOOK PRETTY BAD.
SO IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE FIXED.
AND THIS YEAR, THE CITY WAS ABLE TO PROCURE AND INSTALL SIX NEW DIGITAL MESSAGE BOARDS.
NOT IDEAL, BUT IT'S BETTER THAN NOTHING.
REMAINING SIGNS AND RELOCATIONS OF SIGN STRUCTURES WILL HAPPEN THIS YEAR.
WE WILL GET SOME WAYFINDING MESSAGING IN KEY SPOTS THAT DON'T HAVE THEM NOW, LIKE OFF OF HASKELL, TO BE ABLE TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO THE LOTS THAT ARE MOST CONVENIENT TO THEM. OUR BIG TEX CHOICE AWARDS.
THIS IS THE FRIENDLY FOOD FIGHT AMONGST OUR CONCESSIONAIRES EACH YEAR.
WELL, WE HAD SOME AMAZING ENTRIES THIS YEAR FROM OUR CONCESSIONAIRES.
THEY'RE ALL ENTREPRENEURS AND THEY'RE DEFINITELY VERY CREATIVE.
AND WE HAD SOME GREAT WINNERS THIS YEAR.
THE DOMINICAN FRONTERA DOG BY JUSTIN MARTINEZ WAS THE WINNER OF THE BEST TASTING SAVORY ITEM.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT ISAAC SOLD A LOT OF COTTON CANDY BACON THIS YEAR, AND IT WAS DELICIOUS.
IF YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY IT.
AND THEN TEXAS SUGAR RUSH PICKLES BY HEATHER PERKINS WAS OUR MOST CREATIVE ITEM AT THIS YEAR'S FAIR.
AS YOU KNOW, THE AREA WHERE THE FORMER SCIENCE PLACE IS LOCATED.
THAT BUILDING HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, AND IT'S BEEN AN AREA THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING TO TRY TO ACTIVATE BECAUSE IT'S REALLY NICE LAND OVER THERE, BUT THERE JUST ARE NO BUILDINGS TO GO INTO.
IT'S BEEN A FAMILY FAVORITE FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
ONE OF THEM IS ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT TALLER THAN BIG TEX.
AND THE KIDS AND FAMILIES JUST LOVE THIS OPERATION.
IT ALSO INCLUDED AN EXPANDED PLAY AREA FOR KIDS, SOME NEW DINING OPTIONS, A LOT OF SEATING IN THE SHADE, WHICH IS IMPORTANT, AND THE BEST VIEW ON THE GROUNDS AS YOU'RE LOOKING ACROSS THE LAGOON OVER AT THE TEXAS STAR AND THE TOP OF TEXAS TOWER.
A LOT OF THAT PLANNING BEGINS DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S STATE FAIR? BECAUSE IT'S MUCH EASIER TO VISUALIZE HOW PROPERTY CAN BE USED WHEN THE FAIR IS ACTUALLY SET UP, AS OPPOSED TO WHEN YOU COME OUT TO THE GROUNDS AND NONE OF THE TENTS ARE IN PLACE.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL AT THE COTTON BOWL IS ALWAYS A STAPLE.
[01:25:08]
THAT GAME HAS BEEN PLAYED IN DALLAS SINCE 1925, SO 2025 WILL ACTUALLY BE THE ONE 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THAT GAME.AND SO THERE ARE SOME REALLY SPECIAL THINGS BEING PLANNED FOR THE STATE FAIR CLASSIC THIS YEAR.
THE ALLSTATE RED RIVER RIVALRY, OF COURSE, SOLD OUT EACH AND EVERY YEAR, 92,100 IN ATTENDANCE.
SO IT MADE IT SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIAL IN THAT GAME, OF COURSE, HAS BEEN HERE SINCE 1929, SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO CARISSA TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS AT THE FAIR.
THANK YOU AGAIN. AS MITCHELL SAID, FOR Y'ALL'S SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT THAT Y'ALL DEDICATE TO.
I'M JUST MAKING OUR CITY ONE OF THE BEST IN THE NATION.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT OF THE STATE FAIR.
AS WE CONTINUE IF YOU DIDN'T SAY NEXT SLIDE, WE'RE ON.
THIS YEAR, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE SEC NATION DECIDE TO COME AND BROADCAST THEIR SHOWS ON TWO DAYS FROM THE STATE FAIR, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HALL OF STATE, RIGHT THERE IN FAIR PARK. IN ADDITION, BARSTOOL SPORTS CAME OUT AND BROUGHT A SIGNIFICANT AUDIENCE TO THE FAIR TO REALLY INTRODUCE THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS TO MANY OTHER PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.
AND THE SHOWS THAT I MENTIONED WITH SEC NATION, THAT CAME BARSTOOL SPORTS.
AND THE VIDEOS THAT THEY HAVE POSTED OUT TO SOCIAL MEDIA HAVE ALREADY GARNERED 16.1 MILLION VIEWS ACROSS ALL OF THEIR PLATFORMS. SO IT JUST SHOWS THE VALUE OF US HAVING THAT GAME AND KEEPING THAT GAME HERE.
WE HAD A TEXAS SIZED DRONE SHOW AT THE FAIR THIS YEAR, AND THIS WAS A FIRST FOR THE STATE FAIR.
IT RAN FOR JUST A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME STARTING THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3RD THROUGH SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6TH.
IT WAS FOUR NIGHTS. IT WAS PRESENTED IN PART BY FORD, AND THEY ACTUALLY HAD A WORLDWIDE DEBUT THAT WITH THEIR NEW FORD EXPEDITION, WHICH TO HAVE A MANUFACTURER THESE DAYS AND UNVEIL AN INTERNATIONAL VEHICLE LIKE THAT TO THE WORLD, IS A SIGNIFICANT GIFT FOR THE TEXAS AUTO SHOW AT THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.
BUT THEN, AS YOU CAN SEE IN SOME OF THE PHOTOS, VERY STATE FAIR AND TEXAS ELEMENTS AS WELL.
AND IT WAS PRODUCED BY A COMPANY BASED OUT OF COPPELL HERE IN THE DFW AREA.
AND AS MITCHELL MENTIONED, WE BROUGHT RODEO BACK A FEW YEARS AGO, AND IT'S BEEN A HUGE HIT AT THE FAIR PARK COLISEUM IS FULL OF PEOPLE WHO MAYBE HAVE NEVER EVEN WITNESSED A RODEO. AND SO IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THEM TO A SIDE OF OUR LIVESTOCK AND AGRICULTURE WORLD THAT THEY MIGHT NOT GET TO HERE IN THE BIG CITY.
NOW, FOR REFERENCE, A PORTION OF THAT GOES TO THE STUDENT THAT SHOWED THE ANIMAL, BUT THE REMAINING PORTION GOES INTO THE BIG TECH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TO HELP FUND OTHER KIDS TO GO TO COLLEGE, NOT JUST IN THE AI SIDE, BUT ALSO HERE IN OUR GREAT CITY IN DISD.
WE HAD NEARLY 7700 STUDENTS SHOW UP THAT DAY TO PARTAKE IN EVENTS ON THE FAIRGROUNDS.
AND THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON THAT.
[01:30:05]
TIME, YOU ARE HELPING THE STATE FAIR GIVE BACK 365 DAYS A YEAR.OUR BIG TEX URBAN FARMS INITIATIVE, WHICH I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IN A MOMENT, AND OUR SOUTH DALLAS COMMUNITY GIVING PROGRAM, WHERE WE GIVE TO OTHER NONPROFITS IN SOUTH DALLAS, AND OUR BIG TEX BUSINESS MASTERCLASS, WHERE WE HELP ASPIRING FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONCESSIONAIRES GET THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR IN THE INDUSTRY AND HOPEFULLY BECOME A VENDOR AT THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS ONE DAY, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY CHOOSE.
AND SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR IN TERMS OF REALLY SPOTLIGHTING THOSE IN THE MEDIA TO HELP BRING MORE AWARENESS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON THAT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WE HOST THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
BUT THESE I'M JUST SPOTLIGHTING ON ONES THAT WERE HELD DURING THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.
WE HAVE OUR PASTOR'S LUNCHEON THAT WE HOLD ANNUALLY DURING THE STATE FAIR.
AND THIS HONORED SEVEN INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FOLLOWING IN MRS. CRAFT'S FOOTSTEPS.
AND WE HAD NEARLY 200 COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE TO WITNESS THOSE PEOPLE RECEIVE THAT AWARD THIS YEAR, AND WE HAD MORE THAN 350 NONPROFIT LEADERS ATTEND OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DAY.
WE SHARE BEST PRACTICES, WE GIVE THEM SOME TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO USE, AND IT'S A GREAT WAY TO HELP COMBINE EFFORTS, BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL HEAR ABOUT WHAT ANOTHER ORGANIZATION IS DOING THAT MIGHT COMPLEMENT WHAT THEY ARE DOING, OR IF THEY ARE DOING SIMILAR WORK.
MAYBE IF THEY COME TOGETHER, IT CAN HELP TO CREATE AN EVEN GREATER POSITIVE IMPACT.
AND THEN WE GAVE ABOUT 1100 ADMISSION TICKETS TO NONPROFITS SERVING SOUTH DALLAS TO HELP BRING FAMILIES THAT THEY SUPPORT OUT TO THE FAIR, AT OUR COST. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO WHILE WE DON'T HAVE FINALIZED 2024 NUMBERS IN 2023, THE STATE FAIR, AND THROUGH OUR COMBINED PHILANTHROPIC AND FAIR PARK GIVING, WE GAVE NEARLY $15.8 MILLION AWAY THROUGH ALL OF THESE EFFORTS, INCLUDING THE FUNDING THAT WE GIVE TO FAIR PARK FOR HISTORICAL PRESERVATION.
THIS IS JUST THERE'S A LOT OF COPY ON THIS PAGE, SO I'M SURE Y'ALL CAN LOOK AT THAT AT YOUR OWN.
I DON'T NEED TO READ THROUGH EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF IT, BUT SOME HIGHLIGHTS HERE IS IN TERMS OF OUR GIVING TO THE CITY OF DALLAS, IT HAS AVERAGED MORE THAN $4 MILLION PER YEAR OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US IN ENSURING THAT WE HAVE A STRONG STATE FAIR AND A STRONG BALANCE SHEET SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO GIVE TO SUPPORT FAIR PARK, BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING I MEAN, IT HAS BEEN OUR HOME SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING FOR 138 YEARS, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO GIVE BACK TO THAT, IN ADDITION TO ALL THAT WE ARE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY.
OH I'M SORRY. NEXT SLIDE. THANK YOU.
AND AND THIS ALL WENT TO COTTON BOWL RENOVATIONS THIS YEAR.
OBVIOUSLY WITH THE SIGNIFICANT PROJECT THAT IS HAPPENING OUT THERE.
THAT WAS WHERE THE CITY DECIDED TO PLACE THAT MONEY THIS YEAR.
IN ADDITION, THE STATE FAIR HAD MORE THAN SPENT MORE THAN $2.4 MILLION.
AND THERE'S A LIST THERE OF OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.
BECAUSE EVEN WITH THE NIMITZ TERRACE REDO THAT ALLOWS FOR THE SOCCER GAMES AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN COTTON BOWL STADIUM TO UTILIZE THAT SPACE MORE EFFECTIVELY FOR THEIR ENTRY AND EXIT.
AND THEN NEXT SLIDE OUR PHILANTHROPIC GIVING THROUGH COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
WE OUR BUDGET FOR 2024 WAS $917,000.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE SINCE WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM BACK IN 2016, IT HAS SEEN SIGNIFICANT GROWTH AND IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO AND STEADFAST IN CONTINUING TO SUPPORT AND ARE VERY PROUD OF THE GRANT FUNDING WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THROUGH THAT, THE OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE AND RESOURCES TO OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP UPLIFT EVERYONE. NEXT SLIDE.
AND THEN OUR PHILANTHROPIC GIVING THROUGH BIG TECH SCHOLARSHIPS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE 1992.
IT BEGAN WITH AN INVESTMENT DIRECTLY TO DISD AND HAS GROWN INTO A PROGRAM WHERE NEARLY WE'RE AT NEARLY 50 OVER 50, GOING 50% TOWARDS STUDENTS THAT ARE SPECIALIZING IN TEXAS AGRICULTURE.
AND THEY MUST ATTEND A TEXAS COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY OR A TRADE OR VOCATIONAL SCHOOL.
[01:35:10]
TO LEAD THAT FUTURE THAT THEY WANT.YOU CAN SEE THE SIGNIFICANT GROWTH OF THAT SINCE MITCHELL BECAME PRESIDENT IN 2014.
BIG TECH SHERMAN FARMS. THIS IS SOMETHING WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF AT THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.
IF Y'ALL HAVE NOT TOURED BIG TECH'S URBAN FARMS YET, I INVITE Y'ALL OUT TO PLEASE COME SEE IT.
SO WE PARTNER WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS IN SOUTH DALLAS, WHETHER IT'S CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY OR JUBILEE PARK, OR WE HAVE THE JUANITA CRAFT CENTER, WHICH IS NOW BAYLOR SCOTT AND WHITE.
SO LOOKING FORWARD, NEXT SLIDE.
YOU'LL SEE A LOT THAT WE PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY REMAINS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
WE ARE CONSTANTLY EVALUATING EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE TOP TIER SAFETY AND SECURITY EFFORTS HAPPENING AT THE STATE FAIR, AND WE SPARE NO EXPENSE THERE.
OUR TEAM HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING, AND SO EVALUATING OUR SPACE AT FAIR PARK AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE UTILIZING THAT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY TO SUPPORT OUR STAFF THAT ARE OUT THERE AS WELL.
WE'RE LOOKING AT NEW PARKING BOOTHS.
IT'S SIGNIFICANT. FAIR PARK HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 138 YEARS, AND SO CONSTANTLY POURING INVESTMENT THERE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE UPGRADING THAT LIGHTING AND PAVING GUEST EXPERIENCE INITIATIVES, OUR PARKING AND TRAMS, TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY AS THE COMMUNITY PARK COMES INTO PLAY AND EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING AT FAIR PARK, MAINTAINING AN AWARENESS OF THAT AND ENSURING THAT THE GUEST EXPERIENCE IS THERE NOT ONLY FOR OUR GUESTS, BUT LOOKING AT HOW THAT CAN BENEFIT FAIR PARK YEAR ROUND.
BACK OF HOUSE AND EMPLOYEE AREAS.
HVAC AND AIR QUALITY INVESTMENTS, AS WELL AS PARK BEAUTIFICATION IMPROVEMENTS.
SO WITH THAT NEXT SLIDE, WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THIS YEAR.
AND NOW WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER REAL QUICKLY TO DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM BAZALDUA, WHO'S GOT ANOTHER MEETING.
BUT I KNOW HE WANTED TO SPEAK REAL, REAL QUICK.
WONDERFUL. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
YOU GAVE A LOT OF KUDOS TO A LOT THAT THAT THAT DESERVE KUDOS.
BUT I THINK THAT THE KUDOS REALLY NEED TO GO TO THE LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT IN THE ALMOST SIX YEARS NOW OF BEING ON THE COUNCIL, I FEEL THAT I'VE JUST SEEN A VERY POSITIVE AND WELCOME, WELCOMED CHANGE TOWARDS REALLY BUILDING THAT RAPPORT WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND IT'S BEEN VERY EVIDENT WITH THE PRIORITY.
THE NUMBERS, OF COURSE, SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU A BIG CONGRATS ON THE SUCCESSES THAT YOU'VE HAD.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME REALLY EXCITING THINGS HERE IN THE FUTURE.
I KNOW THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARK AND THE FUTURE OF ACTIVATING THE FAIRGROUNDS AS A WHOLE IS GOING TO BRING IN SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME DIFFERENT CHANGES THAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SITTING DOWN AND WORKING THROUGH THOSE WITH YOU ALL.
I WANT TO JUST GIVE A BIG KUDOS TO YOU ALL, THOUGH, ON THE STANCE YOU ALL TOOK AND THE PRIORITIZATION OF THE SAFETY IN RESIDENCE.
SINCE AND THE UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST FAIR SEASON, I HEARD FROM A LOT OF RESIDENTS, A LOT OF RESIDENTS IMMEDIATELY IN THE VICINITY, BUT ALSO A LOT OF RESIDENTS JUST FROM AROUND THE METROPLEX THAT WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR OWN SAFETY.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS HARD DECISIONS THAT HAD TO BE MADE.
THERE WAS POLITICAL PRESSURE AND HEAT THAT YOU ALL STUCK THROUGH.
[01:40:08]
AND I THINK THAT IT SHOWED TO BE A POSITIVE CHANGE FOR THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.SO I JUST WANTED TO, MORE THAN ANYTHING, SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR THE HARD WORK AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU ALL HAVE SHOWN THROUGH SOME ROUGH TIMES. IT'S BEEN SOME ROUGH FEW YEARS SINCE COVID TO GET BACK INTO THIS, BUT IT SHOWS HOW MUCH OF A OF AN INSTITUTE THE STATE FAIR IS IN OUR CITY WITH HOW Y'ALL BOUNCED BACK.
SO PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO LEAN ON US ON HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO ASSIST.
AND AGAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE CAN KIND OF FURTHER COLLABORATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT SURROUNDING THE FAIRGROUNDS AND THE PLANS MOVING FORWARD FOR ACTIVATION YEAR ROUND OUTSIDE OF THE FAIR SEASON.
THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM.
BUT THAT FRONT WAS JUST CHAOS AND IT WAS CONSTRUCTION, RIGHT? DO YOU WANT TO TELL ME? BECAUSE IT WASN'T THE NORM.
AND SO I GUESS NOT THAT ARE YOU GOING TO FIX IT, BUT THAT IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE BETTER NEXT YEAR JUST BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION WILL GO AWAY? YES. SO THERE ARE CHALLENGES AND THERE ARE CHALLENGES EVEN BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION, JUST WITH THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE STADIUM WAS BUILT NOT WITH 92,000 PEOPLE IN MIND COMING IN AND OUT.
YES. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE CHALLENGES FOR US.
BESIDES THE CONSTRUCTION IS THE FACT THAT THERE'S THIS GIANT FAIR GOING ON OUTSIDE THE GAME.
YOU KNOW, AN HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE THE GAME.
SO THIS YEAR WE SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE WAITING UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO GET INTO THE STADIUM.
BUT YES, THE CONSTRUCTION DEFINITELY HAD AN IMPACT ON IT THIS YEAR.
THERE WERE FOUR GATES ON THAT PARTICULAR SIDE OF THE STADIUM THAT WERE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AND WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN MEETING WITH THE ARCHITECT WHO'S WORKING ON THE STADIUM, AS WELL AS THE OPERATIONS TEAM, TO COME UP WITH ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR HOW WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT AT GETTING PEOPLE IN.
I THINK WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE, SOME OF THOSE PROBLEMS WILL TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, BUT WE'RE STILL GOING TO TAKE SOME PROACTIVE STEPS TO TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE IT MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT.
HOW MANY ENTRANCES ARE AT THE COTTON BOWL? OH, BOY.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE LIKE JUST KEEP WALKING UNTIL YOU FIND ONE.
YEAH. I MEAN, FRANKLY, THAT WEST SIDE OF THE STADIUM THAT WE CALLED WHERE THE PRESS BOX IS LOCATED IS DEFINITELY MUCH HEAVIER FROM AN ENTRANCE TRAFFIC FLOW STANDPOINT.
COMING INTO THE GAME, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE HANGING OUT OVER THERE ON THAT SIDE OF THE STADIUM IN CATONSVILLE PLAZA, AND THEY'RE COMING FROM SOME OF THE PARKING LOTS ON THAT SIDE AS WELL.
THIS YEAR WAS WORSE THAN IT'S BEEN BEFORE.
AND THANKS FOR THE UPDATE ON THE ECONOMIC.
I MEAN, WE'VE ALWAYS SAID THERE'S AN ECONOMIC IMPACT, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT IT QUANTIFIED.
SO I KNOW THAT'S THE TOP OF YOUR LIST AND YOU'LL KEEP MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL SAFE AND SOUND.
SO I THOUGHT, EVERYBODY'S GONE TO A RODEO, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT TRACTOR PULLS? TRACTOR PULLS? THAT'S A WEST TEXAS THING, I PROMISE YOU, BECAUSE THEY USE THE SAME RODEO GROUNDS TO DO THE TRACTOR PULL.
OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POLE BUILDING AND BARREL RACING.
SO RIGHT NOW THE PARK IS NOT COMPLETELY DONE WITH FIBER.
[01:45:04]
NO. SO THERE'S DEFINITELY AREAS AROUND THE GROUNDS WHERE WE HAVE FIBER THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE.THERE'S A PERIMETER RING THAT COVERS ALL THE GATES, AND THEN THEY'RE KIND OF WORKING ON OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SPOKING IN FROM THAT PERIMETER.
SO THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE WITH, YOU KNOW, WI-FI, FOR INSTANCE, OUT ON THE GROUNDS AND CELL SERVICE, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN WE HAVE LARGE CROWDS.
OKAY. BUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE HIGH ON OUR LIST FOR, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO IMPROVE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
EXCITED ABOUT THE PEDESTRIAN GATE? INGRESS AND EGRESS.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER COMPLEX SITUATION.
AND THIS ONE IS OUTSIDE OF THE FAIRGROUNDS.
I JUST WANT TO SEE HOW Y'ALL CAN PARTNER WITH DART.
THERE WERE SOME EXPERIENCES FROM FAIRGOERS AND GAME GOERS TRYING TO GO AND UTILIZE DART, BUT INSTEAD OF USING FAIR PARK, USING THE MLK STATION AND BARRIERS OF FENCES WHERE PEOPLE HAD TO GO BLOCKS AROUND THE STATION IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GET ON THE DART TRAIN DURING THE FAIR.
INSTEAD OF EVERYONE TRYING TO UTILIZE THAT ONE MAIN STATION, PEOPLE ARE WALKING TO MLK, BUT WERE HAVING TO WALK AROUND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GET ON THE PLATFORM.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF THOSE SITUATIONS FOR NEXT FAIR.
NO, IT WAS IN THE MID TO HIGH 90S.
HOPEFULLY THAT MEANT MORE BEER SALES FOR Y'ALL.
YOU GUYS ARE NOW DOING 100% OF THE MANPOWER FOR DPD INSIDE THE GATES.
DOES THAT INCLUDE OUTSIDE TRAFFIC CONTROL OUTSIDE OF THE FAIR GROUNDS? YES. OKAY.
WHO WAS THAT? CONDUCTED BY A GROUP FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS.
OKAY. AND THEN WHAT'S THE DIRECT IMPACT FROM THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS? ACTUAL. BECAUSE MY I THINK THIS IS BOTH WAS GENERATED THROUGH THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.
AND THEN EVERYTHING OUTSIDE THAT COMES WITH RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, ET CETERA.
YEAH. I DON'T KNOW OF ANYTHING SPECIFIC THAT WOULD DIG, YOU KNOW, INTO THAT SPECIFIC.
ARE YOU ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT WHAT IS THE IMPACT FOR THE RESTAURANTS AND PLACES OF BUSINESS OR.
I'M MORE CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT'S THE DIRECT IMPACT.
THE BREAKDOWN. SO YOU HAVE 562 TO 680.
HOW MUCH OF IT IS ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS? SO FROM THE STUDY, AND IT WAS MICHAEL C CARROLL, PHD, WHO LED THE STUDY WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS ECONOMICS GROUP.
AND THE CORE IMPACT OF THE 2023 STATE FAIR WAS ESTIMATED AT 422 MILLION, AND THE SECONDARY IMPACT WAS ESTIMATED IN A RANGE OF 140.3 TO 258.3 MILLION, WHICH EQUATED TO THAT TOTAL ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT OF 562 TO 680.
THE ON PAGE 20 A FEW NONPROFITS DID REACH OUT TO ME ABOUT SOME CHANGES IN HOW THE SELECTION PROCESS WAS GIVEN FOR THOSE WHO RECEIVED COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS.
CAN YOU GO OVER THAT? THERE WAS A FORM THAT WAS CREATED FOR THEM TO SUBMIT A REQUEST, AND I'M NOT AWARE OF, OF ANY THAT WERE REJECTED UNLESS IT WAS AFTER THERE WAS A TIMELINE. AND SO IF THEY MISSED THE DEADLINE, IT MAY HAVE BEEN ON A CASE BY CASE, BUT IT WAS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO LATE FOR US TO ISSUE THEM.
OKAY. AND I THINK THEY WERE TAKING CARE OF IT AT THE END.
THEY WERE JUST LIKE, MAYBE WE'RE NOT AWARE OF THE CHANGES BEFOREHAND.
ANY OF THOSE, YOU CAN DIRECT THEM DIRECTLY TO ME, AND I'LL TAKE CARE OF THEM.
OBVIOUSLY. GREAT JOB ON THE SCHOLARSHIPS.
THAT KEEPS GROWING YEAR AFTER YEAR.
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THE KIDS APPRECIATE THE WORK THERE.
DO Y'ALL. SO, IN 2024, FAIR PARK IMPROVEMENTS WERE ESTIMATED OR 9.3 MILLION.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON 2024 NUMBERS.
OR IS THAT HAS THAT BEEN CALCULATED YET?
[01:50:02]
THANK YOU LINDSEY.SO IN 2024, WE DESIGNATED 4,160,000 TO THE FAIR PARK IMPROVEMENT FUND.
BUT THAT WAS BASED ON 2023 NET REVENUES.
SO WE'LL HAVE THAT NUMBER IN APRIL OF 2025.
OKAY. WELL, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
IS A YEAR, YEAR OVER YEAR THE WAY Y'ALL DID IT FOR THE GIVING BACK THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND THE SCHOLARSHIPS TO INCLUDE A SLIDE IN THE FUTURE TO SHOW FAIR PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT WAY WE KNOW HOW THAT'S TRENDING.
AND THEN JUST A COUPLE MORE THINGS.
A FEW FOLKS FROM HISTORICAL PRESERVATION REACHED OUT ON THE SIGNAGE ON THE TOWER AND JUST WONDERING IF THAT REQUIRED LANDMARK APPROVAL. THAT WOULD BE THE ARMADILLO, THE RELIANT FOR THE TOWER BUILDING.
I'M NOT SURE I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT REQUIRED LANDMARK APPROVAL OR NOT.
I KNOW THAT OVG AND FAIR PARK FIRST WERE AWARE THAT IT WAS HAPPENING.
I'M NOT SURE THAT IT HAD TO BE APPROVED BY LANDMARK, THOUGH.
OKAY. I KNOW IT WAS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WOULD BE NO DAMAGE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE COMING OFF WITHOUT HAVING TO REPAINT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. BUT I'D HAVE TO CHECK TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOME SORT OF APPROVAL THAT WAS REQUIRED.
AND THEN LOOKING AHEAD AS BEING THE MOST TEXAN PLACE AND TRYING TO CONTINUE OPERATING THE PARK OUTSIDE OF JUST STATE FAIR TIME, ARE WE LOOKING AT THE WORLD CUP AND ANY POSSIBILITIES OF HAVING THE MIDWAY OPEN DURING THAT PERIOD? SO THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS.
I KNOW THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT USING THE COTTON BOWL AS A PRACTICE FACILITY, NOT NECESSARILY HOST GAMES, BUT A PRACTICE FACILITY FOR 1 OR 2 TEAMS. AND THEN OF COURSE THE OTHER, WHICH WOULD BE THE BIG ITEM WOULD BE THE FAN FEST BEING HOSTED AT FAIR PARK.
I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT THAT IS A DONE DEAL.
I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, BUT THEY DEFINITELY HAVE CHECKED WITH US TO SAY HEY, ASSUMING THIS HAPPENS AT FAIR PARK, WOULD YOU ALL BE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING AND HAVING A PORTION OF THE MIDWAY OPEN? AND WE ABSOLUTELY WOULD SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE US TO DO.
WELL, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BIG OPPORTUNITY, SO I HOPE THOSE CONVERSATIONS CARRY ON.
GOING BACK TO THE GUN POLICY CHANGES DO WE KNOW HOW MANY WEAPONS WERE DETECTED AND ASKED THE INDIVIDUAL TO GO BACK TO THEIR CARS? DO WE HAVE A NUMBER ON THAT? I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC NUMBER.
I WAS TOLD IT WAS A HANDFUL, BASICALLY A VERY MINIMAL AMOUNT.
AND IN ANY AND MY SPECIFIC QUESTION WAS, WAS THERE AN ISSUE WITH ANY OF THESE PEOPLE? DID THEY FIGHT IT OR DID THEY JUST SAY, OH, I'M SORRY, I WASN'T AWARE.
AND IT WAS THE LATTER THAT PEOPLE WHO DID JUST WERE NOT AWARE.
OF COURSE, OFF DUTY OFFICERS AND, YOU KNOW, PEACE OFFICERS WERE PERMITTED TO CARRY.
THANK YOU. I HAVE A NUMBER OF COMMENTS, BUT I DO RESPECT THE TIME.
BUT THE COMMITTEE MEETS TODAY, SO I HAVE TO ADDRESS IT.
I HAVE GROWN OVER THE YEARS TO BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND EVEN MORE SO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT.
BECAUSE I REALIZE THAT YEAR WE HAD THAT RAIN AND IT JUST DEVASTATED SO MANY INCOMES.
AND SO I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU ALL KEEP PUSHING AND OPENING THE DOOR FOR MORE FOLKS TO GET THOSE JOBS.
I MEAN, I WAS JUST IN AWE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
WE WERE TRYING TO GET THE DRONE SHOW OVER AT KIEST PARK HOLIDAYS.
HOLIDAY IN KIEST PARK BECAUSE IT WAS SO PHENOMENAL.
IT JUST CAN'T EVEN PUT WORDS TO IT.
YOU HAVE TO. YOU HAD TO HAVE BEEN THERE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING.
OKAY. SO IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL.
THE OTHER PIECE I WANT TO JUST HONE IN ON YOUR SCHOLARSHIPS, YOUR MARKETING.
[01:55:04]
THEY ARE. I COMMUNICATE WITH THEM REGULARLY.THEY ARE ON MY PRESS LIST THAT RECEIVES ALL OF OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS RELATED TO IT.
IN ADDITION, I HAVE A TEAM THAT GOES INTO THE SCHOOLS DIRECTLY THAT WE SUPPORT AND WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THOSE COUNSELORS AND COLLEGE ADVISERS TO GET AS MANY STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE FROM OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITY TO APPLY.
AND WE ALSO POST POSTERS IN LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS IN THE MLK CENTER JUST DOWN THE ROAD, AND ENSURE THAT WE GET THOSE POSTERS OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET AS MANY KIDS AS POSSIBLE.
SO ARE YOU PUTTING ADS IN THESE NEWSPAPERS? WE HAVE NOT GONE TO THE TO THE LENGTH OF DOING ADS WE HAVE PUT WHERE WE DO A LISTING OF THE STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE THE SCHOLARSHIPS POST, POST THE ACCEPTANCE.
BUT WE HAVE NOT DONE ADS YET IN THE PAPERS.
LET ME BACK UP. I'M LUMPING TWO THINGS ON THE LOCAL NEWSPAPERS, SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS, ALONG WITH OUTSIDE THE SCHOLARSHIPS.
DO YOU TAKE ADS OUT WITH THEM WHEN YOU ARE ANNOUNCING THE FAIR OR ANNOUNCING THE SCHOLARSHIPS OR ANNOUNCING ANY PROGRAMS THAT YOU ARE OFFERING? WE DO ADVERTISING WITH THEM, YES, THROUGH OUR MARKETING DEPARTMENT.
THEY DO. WE HAVE NOT DONE ONE JUST TO ANNOUNCE THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ON ITS OWN.
YOU'RE GOING TOO FAST. WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY? WE DO ADVERTISE WITH THEM.
ALL RIGHT. SO CITY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU ALSO CHECK ON THAT AS WELL? BECAUSE WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE DIFFERENT FIVE, PROBABLY TEN LOCAL NEWSPAPERS THAT I THAT IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEY KEEP TALKING ABOUT INCLUSION THERE BECAUSE IT ALSO, SINCE YOU'RE REACHING OUT FROM AN ECONOMIC STANDPOINT AS WELL, IT'S JUST YOU CAN'T OVERLOOK AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING FOLKS IN TO LOOK FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES? THE OTHER PIECE I WANT TO JUST QUICKLY, WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR COMPETING WITH THOSE FOOD MENUS OR FOOD ITEMS? HOW DO YOU GET THAT OUT SO THAT YOU START THEY START EARLY ENOUGH AND KNOW WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIPE AND CAN GET THEIR RECIPES READY TO COMPETE.
SO THIS IS WITH OUR EXISTING CONCESSIONAIRES.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, THESE CONCESSIONAIRES, SOME OF THEM HAVE AN ENTIRE RECIPE BOOK THAT THEY JUST ARE ALWAYS PUTTING IDEAS IN, AND THEY BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO TRY AND TEST DIFFERENT IDEAS. AND SO THEY'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING ON IT YEAR ROUND.
AND THEN WE DO THE CALL FOR THOSE LATE IN THE SPRING OR EARLY IN THE SUMMER FOR THOSE ENTRIES.
AND THEN THERE'S A DEEP JUDGING PROCESS THAT HAPPENS.
THAT'S A BLIND TASTE TESTING WHERE NO ONE KNOWS WHO THE CONCESSIONAIRES ARE BEHIND EVERY ITEM BECAUSE WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT IT'S EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE, AND THAT THERE'S NO BIAS IN ANYTHING THAT WE DO.
SO THEY GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? ARE YOU GOING TO PUT THIS INFORMATION OUT? YOU SAID YOU MAY COME.
THERE MAY BE SOME WHO ARE IN IT IN WHO ARE CONCESSIONAIRES, MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THIS PROCESS IN TERMS OF HOW THEY CAN SHARE WITH OTHERS. SO ARE YOU POSTING THAT UP IN THE PAPER, OR ARE YOU JUST BASICALLY SAYING TO ME THAT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A YEAR KNOW THE PROCESS? ALL OF OUR.
YOU HAVE TO ALREADY BE A CONCESSIONAIRE.
FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO BECOME A VENDOR AT THE FAIR THAT AREN'T ONE ALREADY.
THAT IS A BIG PUSH THAT WE DO NOW.
WE DON'T DO ADVERTISING, BUT WE DO PUT OUT PRESS RELEASES TO THE LOCAL MEDIA TO TRY AND MAKE A CALL FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY TO BE VENDORS, AND ONCE THEY GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, THEY CAN DECIDE IF YOU DON'T BECOME A VENDOR.
THERE'S A IN THE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE APPLICATION.
THERE'S A PORTION THAT SAYS IF YOU DON'T BECOME A VENDOR, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BEING IN OUR BIG TEX BUSINESS MASTERCLASS PROGRAM TO LEARN WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A VENDOR? SO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, COULD YOU TAP IN ON THAT? I THINK THAT BECOMES A DISCONNECT FOR US.
OKAY. BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE PUTTING OUT PRESS RELEASES.
WELL, ARE YOU PUTTING THEM OUT IN THESE LOCAL COMMUNITY PAPERS OR WHAT? WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT PROCESS BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, I THINK I CALLED YOU YEARS AGO AND THIS GUY SAYS, OH, MS. ARNOLD, MY WIFE COOKS A BAD PEACH COBBLER, AND SHE DID.
BUT WE WERE ALREADY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEASON.
SO HOW DID THEY BECOME A PART OF THIS? AND SO WHO ARE YOU REACHING OUT TO? YOU KNOW, OUR FAITH BASED GROUPS ARE SO IMPORTANT.
OUR LOCAL PAPERS ARE IMPORTANT.
[02:00:01]
AND SO WE LET'S LOOK AT THAT SO WE CAN COMMUNICATE ON WHAT WE THINK WOULD CLOSE THAT GAP.THE OTHER PIECE THAT I'VE BEEN GETTING PUSHED ON IS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM.
DOES ANY OF YOUR FUNDING GO TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM? YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. SO HOW DOES THAT WORK QUICKLY? WE HAVE A GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY SPONSORSHIP APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO ANY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SERVING SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK CAN APPLY FOR ONE OF THESE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE FAIR YOU CAN ONLY RECEIVE ONE OF THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES IN A GIVEN CALENDAR YEAR.
SO COULD WE GET SOME INFORMATION ON THAT? BECAUSE I'M BEING PUSHED HARD BECAUSE OF WE NOW ARE BEING PUT IN A POSITION OF BEING.
WHY ARE WE NOT ADVOCATING MORE? AND OF COURSE, WE GET PRESSURE, MAINLY BECAUSE WE ARE, ESPECIALLY FROM AN AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SPOT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THE WORD ON THE STREET IS WE'RE MORE LIKE STEPCHILDREN.
ALRIGHT, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WHO MAKES A DECISION ABOUT THE MELATONIN OF BIG TEX THE.
THE WHAT? I'M SORRY. MELATONIN.
CAN HE BE TANNED? CAN HE BE? OH HIS SKIN COLOR.
I MEAN, WELL, OVER TIME, THE SUN WILL BLEACH HIS SKIN.
THIS ONE. LET ME BREAK IT ON DOWN BECAUSE IT'S 11:08.
WE NEED TO KNOW IF WE CAN GET A MORE DIVERSE REFLECTION OF THE MELATONIN OF BIG TEX.
IS IT A PROBLEM WITH HIM LOOKING LIKE HE'S PERHAPS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN FACE OR A CULTURAL.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IT'S A TANNING PROCESS.
YEAH. SO HOW DO YOU ALL GET TO THAT DECISION SO WE CAN LOOK LIKE WE'RE MORE INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE? THAT'S A BIG ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM ON THAT.
BUT I JUST WANT TO BRING IT ON OUT BECAUSE I KEEP ASKING AND ASK THAT QUESTION.
THAT'S A QUESTION I'VE NEVER BEEN ASKED, SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE I KNOW THE ANSWER.
OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT HAS BUILT BIG TEX, AND THEY BUILT HIM TO THE SPECIFICATIONS BASED ON WHAT HE HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD THE INCIDENT WHERE HE BURNED IN 2012 AND WE HAD TO REBUILD FROM SCRATCH AND THEY BUILT HIM TO LOOK LIKE HE DID PREVIOUSLY.
SO. ALL RIGHT. WELL, COULD Y'ALL LOOK AT THAT? BECAUSE BEYONCE IS CHANGING THE WAY WE PERCEIVE TEXAS AND BIG TEX AND ALL THINGS TEXANS.
I MEAN, THE LIGHT BROWN COULD BE.
COME ON. COME ON, JESSE, COME ON.
SEE HERE. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW, BUT IT IS A IT'S A DIFFERENT TAKE ON IT.
I'M JUST EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING I AM FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS, SO WE HAD NOTHING LIKE THIS THERE.
SO THIS WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
BUT I AS YOU GROW, WE CAN'T HELP BUT GROW EVEN MORE SO IF WE ARE ALL INCLUSIVE AND WE LET FOLKS KNOW THAT WHEREVER YOU COME FROM, THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS HAS A SPACE FOR YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR INDULGING.
THANK YOU. MY COMMENTS ARE VERY BRIEF.
AND I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH THE LAST QUESTION TO WRESTLE WITH.
I THINK SHE'S GIVEN YOU AN INTERESTING CHALLENGE, SO GOOD LUCK.
SORRY. I'M WRAPPING UP AND THEY'RE TRYING TO TELL ME.
AND WHAT? I THINK WE ARE READY TO ADJOURN.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 11:11.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.